Le Chat Beaute

Cay Caulker, Belize

2012-01-23T07:52:00.000-08:00

Finally moved from Ambergris Cay. Have been at Cay Caulker for three days and very different from Ambergris. The motto here is Go Slo. Sand streets and lots of back packers. I find it a comfortable place to stay for a short while. We are anchored to the West of the Cay in flat water. The trades are blowing so lots of free air con.

I normally do not hire boats to go diving or snorkeling, but as you cannot take a private vessel to the Hoh Chan Reserve we went with a local company. Sure glad I did as the reserve was the best snorkeling I can remember. The only downside is the lcd screen on my Olympus camera stopped working after taking some underwater videos. I was just bragging the durability the other day. Supposed to be good to 10 meters …oh well.

The snorkeling here is as good as I have seen.

Main Street

Lazy Lizard at the North end of town. Great place to sit and watch the back packers sun bake.

More fish at the Hoh Chan Reserve

The plan is to head for the Turneffe Atoll tomorrow but we will see how the weather is shaping up.

Ambergris Cay, Belize

2012-01-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

Finally left Isla and heading for Belize. The weather has not been cooperating. Plan was to sail to Cozumel, an island off the Yucatan, but the current was an adverse 5 knots so we were struggling with about 3.5-4 over ground. Checked the charts and Peurto Moralos was about 10 miles due West so we made the move. Nice anchorage well within a fringing reef.

We left the next day for Cozumel and arrived about 1300. Needed to stop here so we could clear out of Mexico and get our Zarpe. Cozumel had four cruise ships there when we pulled in and more on the way! Next morning we traveled around town looking for some electrical parts. The switch for the propane solenoid on the fritz. The waterfront is a mad house with diamond shops and other cruise ship stores of no real interest to a cruiser. We wandered the back blocks and found a great local shop with cold beer and great tacos. After four hours doing the paperwork dance we were cleared out of Mexico.

We sailed early the next day and arrived at the Chinchorro Bank about 1400. Chinchorro is the only atoll in Mexico and a natural reserve. The Navy came out and boarded us during sun downers. They were just making sure our paper work was in order and we were not smuggling, I guess.

Storming in the anchorage. We had 20-30 knots for three days

Finally the sun!

San Pedro from the boat

Downtown San Pedro. Golf carts are the common means of travel

Le Chat Beaute at anchor.

Off early the next day, 0200, we used our entrance track through the reef and followed it out. San Pedro Cut through the reef in Belize sounded tricky in the guide book so wanted a high sun entry. Calm day so mostly a motor sail. When we arrived at the waypoint it was not evident where the edges of the reef were. Normally with the trades blowing , waves break on the reef and the opening is easy to spot. NOT TODAY! After a few moments another cruiser anchored inside gave us some additional info and we motored into anchor into 6 feet of crystalline water.

Isla update

2012-01-16T08:09:00.000-08:00

Isla Mujeres turned out to be a longer stop than anticipated. My first reaction on going ashore to check into the country was feeling over whelmed because it was full on tourist. Happy to report after a day or two the place grows on you. The people are good natured and relaxed even though they are hustling to make a buck. As always , the paperwork to get into Mexico took most of a day to complete.

The refrigeration(110) went haywire on the way from Cuba so that was a problem I needed to sort. Sure glad I installed a Sea Frost 12v unit before I left Florida as a back up. It worked flawlessy on the refrigerator side. The freezer had no back up and it contained pork , chicken, beef and 8 lobster tails. Big eat was underway I can assure you.

I monkeyed with the refrigeration system for four days before finally giving in and calling in Virgillio. A true master at refrigeration. I had received gauges and help from other cruisers but was not able to bring the box down. Virgillio hooked up his gauges and five minutes later declared the compressor had a broken piston. He came out the next day with a danfoss exactly like the one that failed and I was up and running in four hours. Total cost including compressor and labor and materials was less than $360. An excellent deal. If in need of help He can be contacted by Marina Paraiso in Isla Mujeres.

On the trip over to Cancun, musicos play for tips(propaina)

The reef is healthy in Isla Mujeres just behind the boat

Isla Mujeres snorkel

2012-01-01T09:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas in Cayo Levisa

2012-01-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

After traveling West from Habana we stopped twice. Once behind the reef as it was getting too dark to go any farther inside the reef. The next morning we motored to Cayo Paraiso ,a haunt made famous by Ernest Hemingway.

The next day we worked our way behind the reef to Cayo Levisa. We heard there maybe a hotel on the Cay but were unsure due to the hurricane that came through a couple of years ago. From the anchorage it looked pretty deserted. We went to a dock and were greeted by security who directed us to Guarda Frontera. While I did the paper work shuffle, Alison went to check out the other side of the island. It was a full on resort on a beautiful white sugar sand beach. Christmas Eve dinner was going to happen and we were able to book in for the festivities. A beautiful turkey,pork,fish dinner followed by a salsa show and a magic act. Fantastic evening as it was so unexpected.

The resort at Cayo Levisa

Nice downwind run. 10 knots of breeze and flat seas.Great sailing!

Dinner on board. Lobsters are plentiful along the Northwest Coast.

The East end of Cayo Levisa.

Mozaic City

2011-12-30T09:34:00.000-08:00

Tables and horse for children

Just a short walk from Marina Hemingway is an area of the Miramar District where local artists have deocorated houses and walls with mosaic tiles as a tribute to Spanish artist Gaudi.As I walked through the area I was amazed at the work and time it must have taken to creats the effect. Quite surprising to see such artwork in a working class neighborhood.

Habana

2011-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

Cuba continues to surprise everyday! I can say I wish I spent less time in the Virgins and more here in Cuba. The people are wonderful and the country appears to be well run with national healthcare and guarantees for the mortality of children. Not to say there are not problems but all in all things seem to be good for the average Cubano.

Habana is an amazing city with buildings dating to the 1500s. Many are run down but a reconstruction effort is underway with help from UNESCO and other governments. The city consists of avenues joining squares throughout the city. Around the squares are restaurants and shops and occasionally art galleries. Most areas are very clean as there always appears to be people cleaning up the areas. The small cafes located on the plazas make a great spot to sip a café con leche and people watch. The city is populated by a diverse population and makes for some very interesting times. Of course all the 1940-50s American cars are pleasant to see. We rode in a taxi that was a 1950 Plymouth with electric windows! Many of the motors in these cars have been replaced with Chinese diesels. Amazing to think they have been kept in such good shape in the salt air.

The city itself is situated inside a very good harbor that is protected from the trades. The Spanish built fortifications around the entrance that are still in very good repair. El Morro the outermost fort was started in the 1540s and was the signaling station for the day. A little further in was where the Spanish hung a large chain across the opening of the harbor to prevent ships sneaking in during the night. This opening is close to half a mile wide! Today the city fires cannons from the fort at 2045 to commemorate the raising of the chain for the night. I would have liked to see this ceremony as all the costumes are from the period but 845 pm is cruisers midnight and can’t seem to stay out that late.

We hired a car from a lovely couple and drove along the coast towards Cabo San Antonio and saw some of the interior towns. Very much like many of the communities I remember from Mexico. We crossed over the Rosario Mountain range and travelled to the town of Soroa. Had a great lunch then toured the Cascada. A series of waterfalls that is a common tourist destination. We took the Auto Pista(freeway) back to Habana and it looks as we will try to head West towards Mexico Thursday morning.

The old Teatro(theater)

Floridita Bar. Ernest Hemingway made this his hangout. Reputed to made the Mojito here.

Capitol Building. Copied fron US Capitol

A lot of nice old cars in Habana. This was a standout. 1956 Chevys everywhere in all sort of conditions. Most repowered with what ever motor available.

Alison's Blog

2011-12-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

Alison is doing a very fine blog so click the link to get a different perspective on the voyage.

Key West to Cuba

2011-12-17T15:59:00.001-08:00

Wiily Ts in KeyWest on Duval. This bar was covered in Dollar bills a true fire trap

Dry Tortugas and Fort Jefferson from sea.

Inside the fort. The people we went on tour with

A picture to give some perspective of the size of the fort

Look back to the original steel lighthouse

The arch between the gun embrasures where the powder monkeys would run between the guns

Nice picture of the moat

Bush Key . We walked around the key at surfline. Not allowed to move into vegetation because a bird sanctuary

Le Chat Beaute at anchor

December 12, 2011

We pulled anchor in Key West for the run out to the Dry Tortugas. Plan was to sail to the Marquesas Keys and spend the night there. About 25 miles west of Key West. As the winds were out of the North if anchorages seemed difficult just dropping the hook on the leeward side of an atoll would be good enough for the night.

Just before the Marquesas is Boca Grande Key. It looked easier than the Marquesas so we decide to anchor for the night. The winds had been in the 10-15 range so the sail down from Key West, had been very pleasant and flat.

Up early for the next leg to the Dry Tortugas, about 50 nm with the winds NE. Very pleasant sail and we arrived early afternoon after sailing 6-7 knots the whole way.

The Tortugas are a national park and the approach from sea is impressive. The anchorage is sheltered by the fort and Bush key so is calm even when the winds are roaring. There were lobster fisherman and a couple of sailboats in the anchorage. We stayed on the boat the first night and enjoyed a beautiful sunset and adult beverages to toast the day.

In true cruiser style we waited to tour the fort after the daily ferry pulled in and we tagged along and got the free tour provided by a young woman on the ferry. It is called a ferry but in reality is a fast cat the people pay $168 from Key West and back. This includes breakfast and lunch. The ferry goers are on the island about 4.5 hours and about 4 hours travelling.

Fort Jefferson was started in the 1840s and construction was continued until 1874 when the advent of better projectiles made it obsolete. It was designed for round shot but when exploding ordinance was developed the walls could be reduced to rubble in a day. It took about 16 million bricks to complete and it employed some very advanced techniques involving sewerage and drinking water. Cisterns were built below the fortifications and rain water off the grass roofs drained into these cisterns and provided the drinking water.

A moat around the fort helped stop damage by waves and made it difficult for troops to attack from the ground. The moat also provided the sewer. Tunnels under the moat walkway allowed sewer water to drain out into the gulf with the tides. Unfortunately the tides here are diurnal and small. 1-2 feet so the moat tended to smell a bit when the 1700 soldiers and workmen were there.

A Union garrison was here during the Civil War but never saw any action. No shots ever fired in anger at Fort Jefferson. Truly a engineering feat to construct a fort of this size under adverse conditions. A great stop on the way to Cuba!

We left for Havana at 1600 and after working through the shoals to deep water we set a double reefed main and rolled out half the headsail. We were moving along at 6-7 knots which would make for a daylight entrance to Marina Hemingway, the port of entry for Cuba. Very fine sailing until we hit the axis of the Gulf Stream. The wind started to blow 20-25 and the seas were a consistent 6-8 with an occasional angry one for good measure. After sailing across the Pacific 6-8 ft seas are a good day, but the Gulf Stream stacks these seas and squares them off and reduces the period to about 5-6 seconds. Very uncomfortable and the bridge deck slap on the cat is unnerving. Before sun up the wind died to ten knots and the seas calmed as we approached the coast. We found the sea buoy and contacted the marina and they arranged for Cuba officialdom to be at the arrivals dock.

Cuba like a lot of Latin American countries is paper work heavy! We had seven men come aboard and a sniffer dog. The total process took 3 hours not counting time I had to go to money changer. American dollars are easily exchanged here but the rate is not favorable. Best with Canadian or Euros.

Cuba has been a very pleasant surprise as I did not know what to expect. The people are friendly and eager to talk. The marina staff is very helpful although some facilities are in need of repair.

Crystal River to Key West

2011-12-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

Have left Crystal River for points south. I spent the first night anchored off Egmont Key at the entrance to Tampa Bay. As the winds were NE it was well protected and good holding in sand. The next day I went into Venice and tried to anchor off the ICW, touched twice and headed for the marina to shell out $90 for a night. Ouch!
Left on the tide in the morning and had a fantastic downwind run in 10-12 knots. Arrived in Boca Grande and went up the ICW and anchored near 61. Up with the sun and had a great downwind run to Ft Meyers until about 2 hours out when trying to go around Sanibel Island, 20 knots on the nose. Rough going for the last 10 miles. Finally made it to Naples the following afternoon after a great sail with easterlies of 10-15.

In this part of Florida an easterly is superb if you sail in close to the coast, no fetch so a beautiful flat sail! Alison joined the boat in Naples so we spent a couple of days for her to recuperate from the jet lag from OZ. Naples is way up market. The best deal in town is the moorings. $10/night with access to showers and laundry. You are allowed to use the moorings for 4 days at a time with a break 8 days a month. After bour 4 days were up we went to the mouth of the river and made ready for the next day. We departed at 0330 for Key West. The wind was blowing 15-20 with a large north component. Not ideal for a course of 187 but we still did 6.7 knots and arrived in Key West before dark. About a 75 mile run.

One of the four Schooners that ply the waters of Key West doing the sundown tourist gig.

View from my mooring in Naples. After walking around town I KNOW where the 1% hang their hats in the winter. Fifth ave rivals Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for opulence. I have seen maybe 2 Bentleys in my life up till now. I saw three parked next to another on one block.

A funky shopping are of Naples on the water front is called Tin City. Arts and crafts and eateries make up the scene in this waterfront area.In a quilt shop this woman and her husband had pet alligators. This is a 3 footer. Very docile friendly critter.

This is a 4 footer. This couple has a help the alligator fund going to help protect the reptiles. Floridians like alligator meat and hunting is allowed once a year.

Old house in Key West. The architecture in Key West is a combination of many styles. The old house abound and with the overhanging foliage just walking around looking at the old houses is enjoyable.

Another schooner doing the Sun Down gig.

Stone Crab Fest Road Race

2011-11-17T09:36:00.000-08:00

Should be leaving for warmer climes in the next day or two. Had a great time at the Crystal River Stone Crab Jam and Road Race. I entered the 5K and had a respectable finish of 51st in a field of about 160. I was 4th in my age group and could have done better but was unable to establish a rythmn with the switch back to nikes from my barefoot shoe.

Kings Bay at night

These runners were all over 70 years

I wore this statement on my shirt back as a statement.

Queenie was the first walker to finis

Overall winner who ran 5 minute

Yours truly at the finish

Withlacoochee Preserve

2011-11-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Just a couple weeks until I cast off for the next adventure in the Western Caribbean and beyond. Boat chores are almost complete so taking time to visit the area. I moved back on Le Chat Beaute November 1, 2011 and have installed new refrigeration and led lighting mast top as well as throughout the cabins. Varnish brush has been busy as well. Honestly feel boat looks better than when I bought it 4 years ago.

View from one of the trails that circle the preserve. Although I was unable to get any pictures of birds there were plenty of egrets , ducks and comorants out on this day.

One of the trails is on a boardwalk and takes a 1/2 mile loop through the saw grass. Lots of scat on the board walk

I am staying in Riverside Marina and only a half a block from the entrance is the Withlacoochee Preserve.Truly a beautiful protected wetlands. The ;pictures do not adequately depict the beauty of this ecosystem.

Scallops, Crystal River

2011-10-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

One of the enjoyable things about Crystal River when the Stone Crabs are not in season is the scallops are in season! Unlike Stone Crab where I go to the local seafood market, scallops require a little more effort. You have to go out in a boat and snorkel in about six feet of water and look for them. The Gulf is warm so more danger from sun burn than anything else. When the scallops are prevalent it is as easy as swimming down and plucking them off the sea grass.Mixed with cold adult beverages it makes for quite a day.

Boats on the scallop grounds

The fresh water at the Springs is a good way to cool off and wash the salt off on a hot Florida summer day

Days work

Back to the Great NW

2011-09-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Needed to get back to the NW to take care of a few issues in Portland then I traveled to Arlington, Washington to visit with LJ. In my travels on this ball I have told a lot of people that the NW is one of the prettiest places on the planet. The weather was superb and although my visit was short it was memorable. Temps in the high 70s and low humidity. A nice break from the summer heat of Florida.

I am back on Le Chat Beaute prepping her for the upcoming cruising season in the W Caribbean

Yours truly at Roger's house on Puget Sound, Camano Island, Washington

Airport in Portland. Although the canopy gets plenty of use it was not needed for this trip to the Rose City.

Carol Evans and Rudy Johnson(brother and sister)

View North

LJ's oldest, Leia

. LJ and Sean(Leia's husband)

St. Augustine, Florida

2011-08-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

Talking with the crew of Lightspeed the other day they mentioned Steve and Carol of the former Red Sky were on the hard in St. Augustine. They now own a 40ft. Manta. Last time we crossed paths was in the Virgins. Jumped on the Harley and made the three hour ride across the peninsula.

St. Augustine is without a doubt a first class tourist destination. Food , drinks and plenty of history. St. Augustine is the oldest continually settled town in N. America. Very attractive well kept city!

The Easterbrooks new home is called Emerald. They were supposed to splash the other day but concerns about Irene caused a postponement. I am sure they are in the water now and glad of it. They have been on the hard for six weeks.

After I left Emerald and before heading back to the West Coast I went looking for some espresso and stumbled across the fort guarding the entrance to the estuary. Castillo de San Marcos. Took the six dollar tour and found this fort to be the best I have ever experienced.

Notice how cats make a nice garage for the Harley. Carol and Steve outside A1A, a bar downtown that brews beer.In the background is part of the scenic downtown.

Flagler is a common name in these parts . This is the Flagler College. Many buildings in town with the moniker. Been informed Ole Flagler was a robber baron of Standard oil. He liked the Florida coast and there were no amenities so he built some. This college was originally a hotel. He also built the Jacksonville to Key West Railroad. Portions were destroyed in a hurricane and the state rebuilt and used the trestles for the overseas highway to Key West. Wikipedia is a wonderful thing! Thanks to Queenie for steering me in the right direction.

Castillo de San Marcos quadrangle. The grounds and the fort were in excellent nick. San Marcos had never been breached by an opposing force. The walls were made of cochina. A type of limestone that has lots of exposed shells and is quite soft. When a ball strikes it is absorbed rather than fracturing harder surfaces thus maintaining the integrity of the walls.

The access to the gun deck

Canons came in all sizes and some were cast in bronze and others in iron. The designer of the canon put the crest of the country and his id on the units. This canon was captured from the Spanish at Veracruz.

This is a bronze 16 pounder. Throws a solid sixteen pound ball about 3 miles.

A sentry tower is visible in the back and a pizza oven down on the grass. The sentry had views covering most of the harbor and the elevated position made sneaking up on the fort in the flat Florida countryside almost impossible.Not sure about oven. Land based fortifications were known to heat the shot and fire at ships in order to cause fires. Even today fire aboard is worst nightmare for mariners. The oven is not close to any access so not sure about purpose. Meant to ask Park Ranger but clouds were building and in a hurry to get on scooter and go! Just in! The oven was for heating shot and was installed by the Americans. Apparently the Americans filled in the moat and made the area another battery with which to pound vessels. After the invention of exploding ordnance the oven would not be necessary.
This is a bronze mortar. Close distance weapon with limited accuracy but at close distance can throw a lot of metal.On a ship this would be a carronade. Very effective at close range.

Parole

2011-08-21T13:48:00.000-07:00

Given my walking papers on Friday. 8-10 week assignment turned into 8 months. What is the old saying about sailors and ships rotting in port. Looking forward to the next adventure!!

All in all a great stop on the road. PAID all my debts and am debt FREE!!! Trying to do a little on LCB everyday, although the heat can be oppressive in Florida this time of year. Put new Raymarine repeaters on this weekend. A good start. Will tackle new bulkhead coverings this week while waiting on TS Irene.

Noam Chamsky

Ozello, Florida Tri

2011-08-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

This competitor unfortunately came in last.

Good turnout and beautiful day on the Gulf.

Little remiss in publishing this post. In the Spring I had planned to enter the Ozello Tri. Run, Bike and kayak race in the quaint town of Ozello. Located amongst the saw grass on the Gulf. Due to some more skin removal due to squamous cell carcinoma I had to be a volunteer as could not afford to get the stitches wet.

Pretty good turnout and first time for me as a volunteer in an event. Entered many times in running events over the years but first as a volunteer.

St. Thomas to Florida

2011-06-27T06:56:00.000-07:00

Looks like I may be working for a bit longer so decided to move the boat from Water Island, USVI to Yankeetown, Florida. Figured with average winds in the 10 knot range, about an eight day run.

Larry Johnson (LJ) and I left Water Island on the 6th of June and it took eleven full days to arrive. That is a sailing distance of 1347 miles. So the trip was very slow. The first day out 97L was brewing around Jamaica and had a enormous area of convection and clouds that covered this end of the island chain. It was not forecast to go tropical so we set out. All the models seem to point to a westward track away from us if it did go tropical so good time to leave. The first couple of days we had good wind in the 10-15 range with a period of 20 knots during a spectacular lightening storm. LJ had never seen anything like it. Wish I could say the same.

After 97L dissipated it left a wind hole. Nothing!! I had studied the weather before we left and expected a couple of days of calm weather. Did not expect it to last for five days though! We rarely saw more than 7 knots. I had a spinnaker but was unable to fly it as wind angle never even got close. We motor sailed with full main and head sail when we could. 116,118, 122 mile days. Best day 148. Not good for a catamaran.

The motoring was not great as two days out the port motor packed it in. Took me two days working about eight hours each day to get the motor going. Did I mention it was bloody hot with no wind and stuck in the engine room. I think the pick up tube in the fuel tank has a problem but not 100% sure yet. Still working thru that issue. When we finally got the motor going we ended up with a jerry can in the bilge with a hose running to motor. Worked OK after we tweaked the arrangement.

One of the few boats we encountered. This is Allure of the Seas. Second largest cruise ship ever built.

While off Cuba the pigeons spent the night. They had leg bands so on a mission I guess. We were 40 miles off at this point.Put out a bowl of water and have never seen birds so thirsty. They drank three of the blue bowls in the picture.

This one was from a different coop.

SWIM CALL

The water stayed like this for 3 DAYS!!

Lobster Island. At this point we were 100 miles from the nearest country.

LJ described the water as looking like mercury.

It was so hot and calm we stopped for swim call a couple of times along the way. While off Cuba we went by some islets before we entered the Straits of Florida that had a number of boats lobster fishing. If it was not hurricane season it would have been a great place to hang waiting for wind and eating lobster.

Cedar Key, Florida

2011-06-21T05:30:00.000-07:00

About 25 miles North of Crystal River is the historic town of Cedar Key. Cedar Key has been around since the Revolutionary War and was indispensable for getting supplies past blockades in that war and the Civil War. On the west coast of Florida it was difficult for the blockaders to control as the water in these parts is extremely shallow and reefs abound.

Those with local knowledge were able to slip by the blockades and into the many Keys and shallow inlets. As the East Coast was effectively closede down by the blockade Cedar Key was quite important. Eventually the British captured the area. The Union did the same almost a century later.

The downtown was preserved with numerous old structures

The fishing pier

Yours truly, I am the guy in the back

One big alligator

Vat used to boil down sugar cane

The name Cedar Key is appropriate because the area abounds in cedar of a quality to make pencils. For many years the prominent industry was supplying the cedar for the Eberhard Pencil Company!

New Toy

2011-06-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Probably going to be in Florida for an extended period so purchased new mode of transport.

On the Road

2011-04-01T20:32:00.000-07:00

The employment opportunity here at Crystal River has taken a new turn. We broke the building , now the lads with pencils go to a whippin. Good news, I am back on Le Chat Beaute tomorrow!!!! It's only for nine days but can't wait.

Just down the road on my run. The JOB

Levy County Beach at the end of the road

One of the many canals in the area

Yankeetown Marina

Favorite part of my run

Yankeetown Marina

Today was a grand day here in West Florida. We had tornadoes touch down here the last couple of days, a very strange phenenoma for a sailor from the Great NW. Lots of beautiful old trees without tops today but the sun is out so had a great run down through the hood. Thought I would include some pictures from the Hood.

Stuck in Florida

2011-03-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

Been awhile since I updated the blog so just a bit of info to bring things up to speed. Still working 15 hours a day at the Crystal River 3 Nuclear Generating Facility. If all goes well should be out of here within a month.Has been a good opportunity to recharge the cruising batteries!!

Really miss the time back on Le Chat Beaute. She is apparently doing well on Mariah's mooring as I had a call from Dave this morning. Same o, Same o back in the Virgins.

Over the years I have been to the other side of Florida and found it to be the same hustle and bustle as most populated areas in America. Good for a week or so visit, but then one needed to get away. The West coast of Florida is much more rural and laid back. The weather is fairly decent and the natives are friendly.The amount of animal and bird life here is amazing. On the drive to work I see ospreys, herons and alligators! The easy availability of Stone Crab is one of the pleasures I enjoy each week. Stone crabs have very hard shells, thus the name. The interesting thing other than the flavor is they are not captured and killed. The fisherman twists off the claw and throws the crab back in the water where it grows another claw. Kind of a renewable resource. Did I mention they are delicious!

While working the other night took a picture of this moth. At first I thought it was a leaf and nearly crushed it as I was washing my hands. Turned out they covered a building here onsite. Mother Nature doing her best in the Sub Tropics.

A Day of Celebration for the AC45

2011-02-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

AC45 Testing Day Two: 25+ Knots

2011-02-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

ultimate sailing

2011-02-08T23:09:00.000-08:00

Why we luv cats

2011-02-07T15:55:00.000-08:00

interview with a cruiser

2011-02-07T05:23:00.001-08:00

The INTERVIEW WITH A CRUISER Project

New America's Cup AC45 wing-sailed catamaran : first sailing session in ...

2011-02-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

Trailer 34th America's Cup in San Francisco - 2013

2011-02-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

new Link

2011-01-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

I have added a new link to the blog. It is called Elitist Bastards and is well worth a read. There is a pretty good article that discusses Caribou Barbies(S. Palin) totally lack of knowledge regarding scientific research. The motto of the site is Eggheads unite! You have nothing to lose but your yolks. Quote of Adalai Stevenson. ENJOY!

www.elitistbastardscarnival.com

Orphan's Christmas

2011-01-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Picture of S side St. John from Sadie Sea

Hostess with the mostess

Another view on the way over

Some of the Orphans

More orphans

Santa coming down the chimney...er ladder

When I went back to Le Chat Beaute for the Christmas Week I had not made plans for Christmas.I assumed I would work on the boat have a bottle of champers and call it a early day. Tom and Amy of ex Team Sandpiper called and invited me to their excursion on St John to the South side of the island. I sailed over to SJ and went aboard the Sadie Sea. There were about 20 orphans and swimming BBQ and drinking were first class. A grand time was had by all!

Water Island Run

2011-01-03T05:51:00.000-08:00

I had been working at the Crystal River nuclear plant in Florida but the job shut down for the holidays so they flew me back to St Thomas for the break. Sure was nice to be warm and in shorts full time! I am not overly fond of St Thomas but I really enjoy a 40 minute run I do on Water island. I take the dinghy to the ferry dock and run down the island to Fort Segauro and back.
During WWII there was a submarine base on St. Thomas. The harbor needed protection so two gun emplacements were constructed at the southern tip of Water Island. The war ended before the guns were installed but most of the infrastructure was completed. It is now part of the Virgin Islands park system.

The run itself is mostly uphill going out and easier on the return. A nice view is the reward on a clear day.St. Croix(40 miles away), Culebra(Spanish Virgins) and Vieques are visible.

On the run, a view of Honeymoon Beach(Druick Bay) the boat is left over from EARL.

Some of the local wild life I run into once and awhile

The observation post above the emplacements. Looks like the Second World War.

View from the Observation post

Where the gun would have been installed

The TUNNELS!

Tunnel entrance

The tunnels run all over under the observation post. They also connect to another gun emplacement.

The trail to the guns.

Florida wetlands

2010-12-19T10:52:00.000-08:00

The Nature Coast of Florida continues to surprise me with its diversity and beauty. Being from the West Coast I tend to associate natural beauty with mountains and forests. In Florida I have not seen anything that approaches a hill and the forests I have seen, seem to be planted.

This last week I met some locals and they took me for a ride on a pontoon boat out into the wetlands. Huge amount of birds and even though the temperature has been abnormally low I did sight a manatee and an alligator.

View across the water to the power plant where I am currently employed.

View from my room to Kings Bay

The Crystal River at the archeology site

The midden, exposed after the midden was opened for fill.

Viewing platform above the midden.

Downriver view of Crystal River

Out to the wetlands!

We also went to an archeological site of the local aboriginal inhabitants. The local population had disappeared long before the Spanish arrived in the New World. They left behind middens and burial mounds.Last time I even heard the word midden was when in Australia. The State of Florida was donated the site decades ago shortly after it was discovered the midden was being dug up and used for fill! The multi acre site is now preserved and gives insight to the trading and travels of the original inhabitants.

Looking for Manatee

2010-12-05T11:18:00.000-08:00

Today is the start of my night shift life so had the morning and afternoon to myself. I decided to drive the 7 miles to Homosassas Springs and find a manatee. There is a state park at the springs so figured a good place to start. As the weather is getting cold and water temperature is falling the manatees have to find water at least 68 degrees fahrenheit to rest in or they die of exposure. Last year in Florida it was the coldest winter on record and 600 manatees died of the cold. The springs here are 72 degrees so the park opens its gates to the gulf and the manatees congregate around the springs then go back out into the gulf to feed.

Here is a manatee. The West Indian version does not have the split tail like its cousin the Dugong.

After you pay $10 dollars there is a 20 minute boat ride to the sanctuary.

Great Blue Herons were along the shores during the ride.

Bunch of manatees getting warm

Alligators enjoying the sun.

Pelicans

This young male was hit by a car and had wing damage so he walks rather than flies.

The park is dedicated to Florida wildlife and most of the animals and raptors have been involved in vehicle accidents and are rehabilitated here.Originally the park was a wild animal park but when the state took it over 20 years ago they removed the lions and tigers and bears. The only original inhabitant is a hippo named Lou. Plan was to get rid of Lou the the people in the area protested and eventually the governor of Florida declared Lou a Florida native and he was allowed to stay. Lou is 50 years old.

Change of Plans

2010-12-04T14:28:00.000-08:00

I arrived back in St Thomas ans was settling in for a comfortable time until my next adventure when I received a call from a past employer. They made an offer I could not refuse........So I am in Crystal River, Florida. Working at CR3. A nuclear plant on the Nature Coast of West Florida.

I am living in Crystal River and am quite pleased with the environment. Took a walk around the bay today and as I was taking a picture a manatee surfaced at my feet. Sorry, I was too slow to get its picture but will try my best on my day off. I will be working 13 hours/ day six days a week on the night shift.

The bay from the motel dock

Tree with the Spanish Moss in the front yard by the swimming pool that is filled by the tide

Another view of the swimming pool

The streets near the motel. All the trees are covered with the moss

St Thomas

2010-11-30T03:16:00.000-08:00

Le Chat Beaute is on a mooring at Water Island. An island in the Harbor of Charlotte Amalie. I had heard from Team Sandpiper that when Earl came ashore a lot of boats on St John took the hit and broke free from moorings. I counted eight from my mooring on Water Island. That did not include the ones that sunk. Five boats actually sunk in about 50 ft of water.A couple more were in bays I could not see from the boat. Only two of the boats had people on them when they were washed ashore, the rest were left to fend for themselves.

Catamaran on the rocks

man exercising horse at Red Hook

On the Beach

South side St John

The standard strategy during tropical storms is to move the boats to the mangroves on Culebra or go on to Vieques near Puerto Rico. I talked with a cruiser who went to Vieques and he had 50+ winds but only six inch seas so the mangrove strategy paid off. Another cruiser in Culebra did not even remove their bimini.Culebra is 18 miles from Water Island.

Sadie Sea

2010-11-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

Met Tom and Amy of the ex Team Sandpiper fame for a couple of beverages and Tom mentioned he needed crew for the next days Reef Bay Hike with the National Park Service. The ranger does a hike from the highest point on the island down to Reef Bay on the southern side of the island.

A taxi to the top of the hill cost $6 then the group walks down the trail while the ranger points out plants, animals and discusses the old sugar plantation ruins.It is a great hike through the tropical forest. It takes about 2.5-3 hours depending on age of the group. When the hikers get to the water the Sadie Sea is there to pick them up and transport back to Cruz Bay. The trip back is $15. One heck of a good deal to have a guided hike with a boat ride around half the island for $21. Best deal in the islands other than a liter of rum for $7. My job was to handle lines and help people in the boat from the dinghy.

The Sadie Sea

Reef Bay before the hikers showed.

Capt Tom transporting the hikers to the Sadie. There were 27 hikers so it took a number of trips

Gunboat

2010-11-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

Woke up the other and while I was having my morning latte waiting for the sun this Gunboat moored behind me. This is a 62 Gunboat. A South African composite speed machine. Would have one of these machines if I win the lottery!

St Thomas , Again

2010-11-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

Dave left for the snowy parts two weeks ago. I went back to the States for a funeral and am now back on St Thomas. Beautiful sunset as I arrived and gave a nice feeling as the weather was horrible back in the NW. Picked up a few groceries then headed off to St John. The pace on St John is quite a bit slower than activity of St Thomas. I like to hang on one of the National Park moorings and take in the sites.

Saw this beauty on the way to St. John. Actually saw it unloaded off a ship then they roared by on the way to the BVI.

Fort Fredricksen, English Harbor

2010-11-07T05:50:00.000-08:00

In the last post I mentioned English Harbor and its Dockyard as an English outpost in the Caribbean. Well, this outpost needed to be defended so a fort was built at the mouth of the harbor. There were also other forts on the hills above the harbor but they have been over grown by the vegetation and erosion has damaged the coral and sandstone blocks.

Fort Fredricksen has been maintained by the Antiguans and is a good example of fortifications from the period. Dave and I hiked to the fort then hiked the two miles over the headlands to the beach on Falmouth Harbor.

Nice view of fort from the trail

Powder magazine

Notice how erosion of wind and sea has affected the foundation

32 pounder on its mobile carriage. If surprised they would use as is. If given advance notice the barrel would be moved to wooden carriage as the wooden carriage handles the stress of the action better.

The Guardhouse

The gun embrasures

On the trail across the island sailors have been replaced by goats as the lookouts.

A view of Le Chat Beaute and the fort at the entrance of the Harbor

Antigua

2010-11-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

The sail from Dominica was a fast and very comfortable sail. Flat waters and 15-20 knots. Average for the trip was 8.2 knots. YES! As we approached English Harbor we made the decision to anchor there as it was a great hurricane hole for the English Navy during Nelson's time.With Tomas coming we expected 25-30 knots in the area. As a matter of fact the landing is called Nelson's Dockyard in his honor. It is the most complete and restored naval fortification in the Caribbean.

Nice view of English Harbor from Shirley Heights. Falmouth Harbor is in the background.

Officers quarters that are restored. As it is the off season most buildings in the area are shuttered.

Le Chat Beaute is in the foreground.

The gunnery quarters.

The Dockyard

Fort Fredrickson which guards the entrance to the harbor.

A nice old boat

Administrative dockyard offices that have been turned into a restaurant.

Roseau, Dominica

2010-10-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous sail from Fort de France. We left at 0700 and the wind was 10-15 knots ENE. Even on the leeward side of Martinique we were able to travel between 6-7 knots. The passage between the islands saw the wind build to 20 knots and 1 meter seas. We averaged 8.5 knots across the 25 miles of open ocean. One of the better days we have had on the trip North!

The toothed whale skeleton.

Roseau waterfront just south of town

The anchorage

We rented a mooring in Roseau, the capital of Dominica, and settled down to a glorious sunset. In the morning we went for a run and found this skeleton of a whale in the Anchorage restaurant. Only a few of the parts were plaster.

Tobago Cays

2010-10-26T14:33:00.000-07:00

Couple of pictures of the sunsets we are enjoying. Currently just put the anchor down in Roseau, Dominica.

Rum Factory after the Waterfalls

2010-10-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

After hanging at the waterfalls we decided a trip to the Rivers Rum factory would be in order. They have been making rum here for centuries. We sampled some of the spiced version at low alcohol; but the big product is 70%. Needless to say out of my league!

The factory has very few new concepts employed as they still shovel the crushed cane into the fires to heat the boilers. All in all a short good tour of an industry that has not changed in the islands for a long time.

Here is the wood they use to fire the stills

Crushed sugar cane to be used for fuel

Water wheel built in 1700s still powers the cane crusher

Fermenting room

Molasses fermenting. A very nice smell

The Stills

Mt. Carmel Falls

2010-10-23T03:33:00.000-07:00

Dave and I were caught up with boat chores and decided to join Graig and Diane of Seaquest to ride the public bus to Mt Carmel and visit one of the many waterfalls in Grenada.

The buses are inexpensive in Grenada and it seems every car is a bus! It took us 1.5 hours and three bus changes to get to Mt Carmel. As it had been raining, the trail was slick clay but only a couple of the group ended up sliding and falling. Great day in the mountains of Grenada.

Grenada Prison

2010-10-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

Dave Ford from Mazama, Washington has joined the crew for the next three weeks. Dave used to be the Business Manager from Alaska Local 751 Ironworkers.

We had a little down time and Dave read in a guide book about the prison overlooking St Georges, so off we went. Built in 1670 it is one of the oldest in the Caribbean and recently held Maurice Bishop before his execution during the 1984 coup here in Grenada. That is when Reagan sent in the Marines to rescue the American students at the medical school. We went to the prison gates and asked about a tour. We were told no tours or admittance unless we were sentenced. We decided to visit the fort above the prison instead. Fort Fredickson.. The French started the fort after capturing Grenada from the British during the Napoleonic Wars. After the Treaty of Versailles the English were given back Grenada and they finished the fort. No shots ever fired in anger!

In Grenada everything is lush even the walls of the prison

A great view of the Capitol, St Georges

The Fort above the prison

Fort with prison in background

SCTW95 Class

2010-10-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

Walking down the main road in Chagauramas I met a Norwegian friend , Jurgen, on his way to Trinidad Tabago University. It appears this is the cheapest place in the world to take the SCTW95 course. This course is required if you want to work on ships, yachts or whatever. I would need it if I am able to charter in the BVI.So I signed up for the course that is to last 5 days.

So all last week I have been in school from 0830 to 1930 doing first aid, fire fighting, safety at sea and personal relation classes. Wednesday and Thursday were enjoyable as it was hands on days. Although being in a fire fighters turnouts in 95 degree heat with 95% humidity was brutal. Then approaching fire was over the top.

Before we start we learned care and handling of hoses. This is Alexandra from Switzerland

Trinidad Firefighter Ellis instructs two of the group in the use of the fog nozzle.

Alexandra approaches an oil fire with a dry chemical extinguisher.

Joe from England and Jurgen prepare to battle a oil fire using foam.

Under control after 5 minutes of foam.

Thursdays Pool Time

One of the exercises involved righting an upside down life raft

Here I am at the end of the day. Exhausted and still have to go into a smoke filled building with breathing apparatus to perform a simulated rescue. Visibilty was zero and the inside of the building was too hot to touch in most places. We moved about by touching the wall and shuffling along the floor. The partner would follow behind with their hand on your back. Truly the blind leading the blind!The class pretty much confirmed my thought about avoiding fire at sea at all costs.The young woman in the picture is a German named Sabena. She was my partner in the rescue attempt.

The class had 3 Trinis ,1 Norwegian, 2 Swiss, 1 Ozzie, 1 German, 1 Brit and a Brazilian and myself the lone American. I was twice as old as most in the class. It made for an interesting class.

Back in Chagauramas

2010-09-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Even in the yard nature abounds. One of the many butterflies that dry their wings in the morning.

Underside of Le Chat Beaute

The boat almost ready for launch. Just waiting for the transporter.

Flew back to Trinidad a week or so ago and have been working long hours to get the boat ready to go back in the water. Those of you that have spent tie on the hard know how dusty, dirty and noisy it can be as well as unhealthy.

My plans this year are to paint the hull with anti-fouling, wax topsides and replace the Volvo type stuffing boxes.I employed a cruisers 15 year old son to help with the sanding and waxing. Justin of Rio Luna was a great help as I was able to reduce the time living on the hard to eight days with his help.

The boat is currently Med moored to the dock at Peakes. The situation is calm at nights but every afternoon the rain squalls move in and it can get wild. I have so many lines out it looks like a spider web.

Been wondering if I would come back to Trinidad again to do work on the boat. I think probably not. I suppose once the prices here were quite competitive but anymore there equal to what you would pay in the States.Chagauramas is a filthy harbor full of debris. About once a day I have had to remove a piece of timber that was scratching my new anti fouling.Next time will probably go back to the States or Grenada.I think either place woulld be less cost with as good or better services.

The Light Speed

2010-09-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

My good friends and fellow cruisers, Dave and Kathy Kane were in Astoria re-powering their Chris White Atlantic 42 catamaran.Kathy was off for a job interview and a window developed to move Light Speed from Astoria , Oregon to the Seattle vicinity.Dave was looking for crew and I made myself available.

It was like old homecoming as Todd Cordill, a cruiser I knew from the South Pacific was along as well.In addition Collin a Puget Sound sailor was along for the ride. The trip from the mouth of the Columbia to the Straits of Juan De Fuca is usually a challenging sail. As it turned out we were only able to sail about 6 hours with a storm spinnaker. The rest was a fast (9-10 knots) under power. Lightspeeds new 30 hp yanmars pushed us along on the the flat but very foggy seas. We made it to Port Angeles in 20 hours! About an 8+ knot pace. We refueled then set off for Port Townsend and tied up in the Port Hudson Marina. Unlike most passages this one I did with three others so standing 3 hour watches meant there was 9 hours between watches. Very Luxurious!!! The following day we set off at 0700 headed for Seattle but decided Edmonds would be the final stop for the crew. Dave had a friend who lived in Edmonds and was loaning him a vehicle to drive back to Oregon

.Light Speed is a fast cat and the pilot house configuration sure worked well on this trip as it was foggy and cold all but the last 3 hours. I was impressed with the speed under power and the comfort of the pilot house in the Pacific Northwest cannot be overstated.

Next week will be the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend and there was some early arrivals during our stay. Took this picture of three wooden boats/ship outside the marina. Double click to get a bigger and better picture.

More Salmon Fishing

2010-09-04T09:03:00.000-07:00

While visiting Portland I had a chance to hook up with a lifelong friend. Bugsy (Gene) Carlson and I used to spend the Spring, salmon fishing on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Bugsy is an avid fisherman and usually gets the limit. As the up river brights were running we set out at 0530 for the hunt for the elusive finned creature of the deep. The morning was glorious as we watched the sun rise over Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.

We spent 7 hours fishing and saw only one fish landed. We were giving it another 15 minutes when I decided to check my rig. I picked up the rod and started to reel in when I felt that tell tale bite . I set the hook and the battle was on! I played the 25 pound beauty for about 20 minutes. The fish ran 6 times and vaulted out of the water once.

Tis the Season

2010-08-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

I have added a new link to the blog. It is a website from a retired US Coast Guard Chief who is a weather forecaster in South Florida. I find his opinion of the movement of storms and hurricane development very enlightening. Granted, my boat is hopefully safe in Trinidad but, I still am checking storm development in the Atlantic 2-3 times a day. It appears the next week will be very active in the Carribean and the next wave coming off Africa will have the right conditions to become a major cane and very likely hit the CONUS(continental US).
So if you have an interest in storm development StormW's blog has compiled pertinent NOAA charts and graphs.In addition the tropival weather discussion on Crown Weather is excellent as well. I have found Crown Weather to be quite accurate this year as well as last year.

North Cascades

2010-08-24T16:42:00.000-07:00

Flew into Portland , Oregon on the 12th and have been hanging out with family and friends. Visited Dave Ford in Mazama, Washington and drove highway 20 on Larry Johnson's Harley. Fantastic trip as weather was perfect and those of you who have traveled the route know the scenery is magnificent!

Chagauramas, Trinidad

2010-08-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

I sailed for about nine hours from Prickly Bay towards Trinidad then the wind went completely flat so motored the last seven hours to Chagauramas. What a suprise! Cannot remember the last time I saw so much plastic, trees and garbage in the water. At one point I retreived the boat pole and pushed a large island of floating crap away from the hulls. It had rained 4 inches the previous night so there was a lot washed off the shore but it was excessive.

Chagauramas is a very busy port. Not only is the yachting industry going full blast but it is a support base for Trinidads oil and gas works. Needless to say the harbor is full of oil rig support craft and refit services. I have never seen a place with so many sail boats on the hard.There are six different places to haul and store sail boats. Peake has a 150 ton travel lift and Crews Inn sports a 200 ton lift!

My plan is to leave the boat on the hard at Peakes for a month and when I return polish,wax and do the bottom.

Grenada

2010-08-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Been hangin out in Grenada until I find the window for a passage to Trinidad where I will leave the boat for a month or so.

Prickly bay

I do like Grenada! A modern country with a British flavor and many of the areas with French names. The people are friendly and ask often how the Grenada experience is. Cannot say enough, only wish it was cricket season as they have a very big oval here.

More Union Island

2010-08-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

Clifton, Union Island, The Grenadines

2010-08-06T05:26:00.000-07:00

Clifton on Union is a quaint town with a good and reasonably priced fruit and veg market. The selection is first rate as well. I purchased passion fruit, paw paw, mangoes, tomatoes, potatoes and sour sop.Looking at the picture you can see Petite St Vincent in the background. The harbor is surrounded by a reef so makes for a vary comfortable anchorage. The fact that the Tabago Cays are about an hour away is attractive as well

.If you click the photo it will enlarge and a small building is visible out on the reef. A number of years a go a Union Island Man took a lot of used conch shells and built a foundation on the reef for a bar. Sandpipers Tom and Amy mentioned this when they passed thru a couple of years ago.The owner has finished off the foundation with concrete overlay and the bar is quite up market for the area. An ingenious use of conch shells that seem to be everywhere.

Tobago Cays

2010-08-03T03:47:00.000-07:00

This part of the Grenadines is superb cruising. Union Island, Mayreaux and Tobago Cays are all within about 2 hours of each other on a light wind day. Can't say I have seen too many of those this season! Tobago Cays is the closest thing I have seen to the South Pacific in the Caribbean.Azure and turquoise waters and sandy beaches and the ubiquitous palm tree. It is a Marine Park so everything is protected.The turtles seem to know this and you can actually swim quite close(1-2 meters) from them. I actually saw a youngin swim up slowly and touch a very large turtle.

Bequia, Grenadines

2010-08-03T03:40:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Prickly Bay Grenada, thought another shot of Bequia would be OK. I took this while on a run to the top of Mt Pleasant.

Classic Yacht

2010-07-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

I n Bequia I am anchored next to a 1928 schooner designed by the Scotsman Fife. A real beauty and in bristol condition. The owners have been traveling /cruising aboard for 12 years now. The boat is ASTOR and home ported out of Hawaii.

Chateau Belair, St Vincent

2010-07-20T05:50:00.000-07:00

Thought a couple of pictures would be nice!

Finally in Bequia

2010-07-18T03:54:00.000-07:00

Dropped the anchor in Bequia yesterday early afternoon. The last couple of days sail have been the stuff you dream about. 15 knots of wind in the lee of beautiful volcanic islands with flat seas. I was easily able to sail LCB to weather at 8 + knots for 8-10 hours each day.

Spent my last night night about 20 miles North of here in a town called Chateau Belair. Did not show up in cruising guide as an anchorage but there appeared to be 20-30 feet of water according to my chart plotter. It was getting dark and I really did not care to try and anchor in Bequia in the dark as the moon set 2 hours before my predicted arrival.As I approached the anchorage a young man was floating on a series of logs lashed together. He pointed to a spot where it was 7 meters and sand. Good Lad! Anchor down and it grabbed immediately.

Derek came alongside and we chatted and it became apparent he hade a Zodiac that needed glue and patching material. I gave him glue and some PVC material to fix his dinghy. Apparently a cruiser had come through a month ago and it was sliced on the rocks. They gave it to Derek as they were picking up a new one in Bequia. Derek just needed patches and glue to get going, all worked out well. Chateau Belair is a very picturesque village perched on the sea and surrounded by volcanoes and cinder cones. The North end of St. Vincent is dominated by a huge volcano and its cinder cones. Between the sound end of St. Lucia and the North end of St Vincent I cannot remember in my travels where I have seen such geologic beauty. As you depart St Lucia the Pitons rise out of the Sea and as you approach St Vincent Mt. Soufriere rises 3000 feet above the ocean.

St. Pierre, Martinique

2010-07-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

Some more images of the town.

St. Pierre, Martinique

2010-07-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

As I slowly work my way down island due to very aggressive weather this year, I have stayed insome very intersting anchorages. St Pierre is a classic. It was until 1903 called the Paris of the Caribe. It was the capitol and had art gallerys and theaters and a vibrant French social scene. Overlooking this extremely beautiful is the volcano, Pelee. In 1903 it starting out with minor eruptions and the 30,000 residents of St Pierre were concerned if evacuation was appropriate.

It seems the governor was up for reelection so he hired a geologist who specialized in volcanoes to determine if there was any danger of a cataclysmic event.The governor was worried if the city evacuated he would not be reelected. Needless to say, Pelee erupted and wiped out 30,000 people with a pyroclastic flow. There was one survivor. A prisoner in the local jail!

The town was rebuilt upon the ruins of the old town. Many buildings in the downtown area are cobbled together with new and old. A very interesting stop if you ever come this way

Baie de Columbie

2010-07-04T01:43:00.000-07:00

Just around the corner from St Barts. Calm quiet and secluded.

St Barts

2010-07-02T10:14:00.000-07:00

Dropped anchor in Gustavia on the island of St Barts. Very upscale spot on the chain. It was the low season as most yachts have departed for the season. The town was set up for the yachting crowd. .Never seen so many beautiful young people in one spot. How did they get here and how can they afford to stay? I was told trust funds. Looks like a good time to this sailor. The anchorage was good for the cat but my friends in monos were whingin about the roll so we moved north to Columbie Bay. It was a marine park so a mooring ball was required. At 4 euros it was tres reasonable. It is a great anchorage and well protected and quite scenic. The miltary controls most of this part so once you climb to the top of the hill you can travel no farther. Plans are to spend the night and leave early for Guadeloupe.

more St Martin

2010-06-28T07:09:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Gay on Island Time coming thru the gate of Fort du St Louis atop the harbor at Marigot Bay.

St. Martin FWI

2010-06-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

After a grueling 70 mile sail from Virgin Gorda I arrived in St Martin after 23 hours!!! My average speed was only 3.9 knots.

St Martin is a very pleasant surprise. The French influence on this island appears to be a very positive thing. The food and culture mixed with the Caribbean makes it an enjoyable place. The wine is subsidized by the government in France so a nice touch as well.

I took the hike around the island yesterday and went to the fort above the town. The island is divided between the Dutch and the French. I am anchored in Marigot Bay on the French Side. The Dutch side is across Simpson Lagoon and is much busier and more built up than the French. It appears most cruisers are anchored in the Lagoon. The Dutch side is very yacht oriented with chandlers every 1000 meters on the waterfront in the lagoon. The prices are more competitive then the USVI and St Martin is duty free so that helps a bit. The following picture was taken from the Fort St Louis.

Red Hook, USVI

2010-06-19T03:34:00.000-07:00

I was in Red Hook last week taking my Captains license test. As soon as the paperwork clears I will be USCG licensed Master. Might charter next year but as of now everything up in the air.

While anchored in Red Hook very early in the morning I kept hearing a snorting sound. Laying in the rack trying to figure what sort of sea animal makes the snorting sound. When I went on deck it was a horse and rider swimming around the anchorage. There is not a lot of paddock(pasture) in this area so to get the animals exercised so they take them swimming!

LJ"s Vacation

2010-06-04T05:33:00.000-07:00

My good friend Larry Johnson came out from the Pacific NW to spend a week on Le Chat Beaute. We have seen better weather in these parts but it was still 85 and raining everyday. Our first stop was was Caneel Bay on St John. This is a favorite of LJ"s as he ate here the last time he was in the USVI. I have to admit the fare is good and the painkillers as good as any I have had in the islands.The Caneel Bay resort is up market as far as it goes and is fairly secluded with deer and donkeys ambling about the property.

The funny weather we were having also brought SW winds so we sailed over to the Baths on Virgin Gorda after stopping briefly at Sopers Hole on Tortola to clear customs. The Baths never seem to grow old. Truly a geologic wonder. Eons ago the granite boulders were suspended in lava. Erosion by the sea removed the lava and left boulders as big as a house jumbled together. These boulders form grottos and pools of sea water. As the light changes the look and feel of the grottos change as well..

Damn that ship is close

2010-06-04T04:55:00.000-07:00

Just a little humor. Here in the Elephant Bay moorage on Water Island when the cruise ships depart it can make for an interesting perspective. The season is winding down so don"t see many ships anymore.I am still doing my chores to get out of here before the first hurricane. Hope to take the test for my captains license next week.

Hurricane Prep

2010-05-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

Still on the mooring in St Thomas doing exciting living in paradise stuff. Yesterday, I spent most of the morning rebuilding an electric head. Now that's living! Oh and I have been doing a little varnish work as well. Rather enjoy that after all the heavy sanding is completed.

The big project at this time is replacing a steering cable. This cat does not use the standard raw cable and pulley system, it uses a liner around the wire and has no pulleys.I have been unable to source the liner material to date. I have several outfits looking.Worse case I can reuse the existing liner and go with a smaller wire until I can source the correct part.

Some other exciting projects include changing hoses on the yanmars, oil changes,installing new mixing elbow on generator, servicing water maker. In regards to the water maker , when in Seattle I found a stainless steel prefilter. So far an impressive addition to the unit. It was expensive though, about $100. In theory I will not need anymore disposable filters except the 5 micron.

The wind has died down today, so it is clean the hull day! When I dove the hull the other day the bottom paint looked good but a great deal of soft coral was growing on the sunny side. It removes easily but with 128 feet of waterline (42 x 4) on the boat it does take some time to clean. Plans are to rent a bottle of air and don the scuba rig.

I am a ham and use a ham rig and a SSB rig. A project that needs constant attention in the marine enviroment is the counterpoise(grounding system). A poor ground and transmission suffers. Cleaning connections and the ground plate is a constant job if peak performance is desired. I stumbled across a product that I installed yesterday. It is called KISS-SSB. Rather than run copper foil to a dyna plate this cable is stuffed with the correct lenghth wires for all the SSB and most ham frequencies. It is one connection to the back of the radio. The cable can be placed anywhere...under settees, floorboards, anyplace there is room. So far this morning I notice a definite improvement in radio performance. I will report on efficiency after going down island.

Sorry if I bored anyone with this rave. It is just to let anyone stuck behind a desk that life out here is arduous and making ice is a constant affair. My biggest complaint is the position of the sun has moved North. Now those of you who live North of the Virgins might think so what, summer is coming. I like to sit with a Dark and Stormy and watch the sunset every night, but now I can no longer see the sun slip into the sea as it goes behind the island.I still marvel at the colors reflecting off the clouds and the different hues and shading but something is missing. So it really must be time to move on to an anchorage with a more northerly view.

In the middle of Nowhere

2010-05-08T04:10:00.000-07:00

After leaving Ocean Park I decided to follow Willipa Bay north using Highway 101 to reach I-5 then on to Seattle. I was just outside Raymond ,Washington and saw this big cat in a field next to a small creek. I stopped to look and get a pic and the owner of Pelican Yachts was there and we chatted about catamarans for over an hour. They have been building cats since the 1970s and do custom work from a number of designers. This boat is a carbon fiber 52 Shuttleworth. The person who ordered it decided they wanted bigger so they are building an eighty plus version with a spiral staircase now!

Clamming

2010-05-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

I have some time in the Pacific NW before I go back to the Virgins on May 3. The State of Washington opened the razor clam season to morning tides this week so off to Ocean Park. Located at the tip of the Long Beach peninsula, the area has long flat beaches that allow car access during clam tides.

I hooked up with Dale Rohl, an old friend from my days as an Ironworker. He resides in Ocean Park and has all the equipment to search for the elusive clam. His niece Denny was there as well as his cousin Mindy.They were my partners for the trip up the beach to capture the clams.As it was a minus tide were were all able to get our 15 clam limit in short order then back to Dale's clam shack to do the cleaning, which is quite a bit of tedious work if one is particular about guts. Denny is on the left with the clam in her mouth..

Hoover Dam

2010-04-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

Back to the NW

2010-04-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

The job only lasted 12 days for me so somewhat of a disappointment dollars wise but I did update my security clearance so that was a good move. I am good for another year! I drove the 2400 miles in 3 days and was my sciatica acting up!

The desert is interesting especially in Arizona. Driving along and flat as , then all of a sudden these huge mounds of boulders plopped in the middle of nowhere. Drive another mile or two then flat again.

The desert was still in bloom and snow line reduced so I chose to go to Las Vegas and stay with friends there then north to Reno then Susanville, CA. From Susanville follow highway 36 to 44 then to 89 which goes all the way to Mt Shasta. The trip on 89 over the Sierras is not to be missed.

Just before arriving at Las Vegas is Hoover Dam. A wonder. They are building a new bridge there and very close to putting in the tie in girder.

Workin in Texas

2010-04-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

I am now back in Darrington, WA. getting boat parts together and prepping for the trip back to the Virgins. Thought I would include some pictures of the project I worked at the South Texas Nuclear Project.

I was working for Bigge Crane and Rigging removing the old reactor head and doing the install on the new one. The head weighs 70 tons so it was a interesting rigging job.Radiation levels were a high in the center of the head at 140 mrem/hour. I picked up 10 mrem for time spent there. Not bad.

The crane we used was a 300 ton Leibehrr. The device used to pull the head out of containment consisted of two very large girders mounted on a triple set of rolling wheels similar to train trucks. We used the crane to move the head from a vertical position to a horizontal position when outside the building. While in containment we used a 5oo ton overhead polar crane to change the configuration so we could get it out the hole in the side of the building.

In Texas

2010-04-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Texas a week ago and have spent the last 4 days waiting to get my security clearance for the Plant. Cannot work overtime or enter the PA (protected area) until the clearance is approved.

On the way one of my many stops was in Phoenix, Arizona. I stopped to spend the night with the "Kelly's". They kinda swallowed the anchor a year ago after their circumnavigation aboard Moorea, a DuFour 35. They purchased a brick home in Phoenix at rock bottom prices. As I was leaving town after my visit I heard a house advertised on the radio for $29000. I imagine the neighborhood would be a little dodgy but you cannot purchase materials for that sum.

Shortly after I arrived the Kellys and I went for a well needed jog. Felt great to jog/run after driving 1200 miles. The picture is of us in front of a sugaro cactus. I was told they do not develop the arms until thay are 75 years old. As you can see from the picture, a lot of holes in the cactus for the birds.

Road Trip Interstate 10

2010-03-29T19:53:00.000-07:00

After leaving Los Angeles the desert stretches on through 3.5 states. Lucky for me the desert has received 4 inches more rain than normal so it was in full bloom! There were 3-4 shades of green, purples,yellow and pink flowers everywhere. If you have ever lived in the desert you know how beautiful and fragrant it can be for the very short time in the Spring.

Road Trip-California

2010-03-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

On my quest to get the almighty dollar I am driving to Texas. The route is down Interstate 5 until the 10 then east to San Antonio, Texas. Since I left Washington it has been mostly rain all the way to the CA. border. As I was passing Mount Shasta the clouds cleared from the summit and I was able to get this shot.

Work

2010-03-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

Back in the States. I am on my way to the South Texas Project to do a 4-5 week stint in a nuclear plant. Will try to get a few pictures from the road if I can. Driving the old Taurus(1991) from Portland, Oregon to Wadsworth ,Texas. A trip of about 2300 miles!

Hassel Island, USVI

2010-03-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

The island across the channel from Water Isand is Hassel. During WWII the island was used to store munitions. Both explosive and chemical were stored here. The munitions were supposedly removed after the war but there may still be undiscovered ordinance about so most of the island is not accessible to the public.

Click on the picture to enlarge and it is obvious how the jungle has taken over. The above picture reminds me of Vanuatu in the sense the Morning Glory vines had taken over the landscape there as well. The Army discovered how quickly Morning Glory covers, so they planted it near installations to provide cover from airplanes. Morning Glory quickly over powers the host plant and becomes dominant in the jungle. Another introduced pest!

The Ceremony

2010-02-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

Here is the ceremony. The magistrate who performed the ceremony compared marriage to a guitar, while one string by itself can produce a pleasant sound when all the strings are played carefully the result is fanatastic!

Marriage in Paradise

2010-02-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

On my last trip to St. John I was fortunate to meet a younger couple from Austria at the Caneel Bay moorage.
About three weeks ago while doing the Sunday afternoon music ritual at Honeymoon Beach on Water Island I met Sabine and Hanses again. They announced they were to be married and asked if I would come and witness the event.

Last Friday, eight cruisers gathered at the magistrates office in St. Thomas and we witnessed the ceremony! Afterwards, we gathered on the waterfront and drank several many bottles of champers then at 1200 we had a fantastic lunch at Gran Cru near the cruise ship dock. As there were no cruise ships in that day it was fantastic.

Sabine and Hanses own a Amel Santorini and plan to sail and cruise until they are 60 years old. About another 13-14 years, so plenty of adventures in store.

Water Island

2010-02-07T04:05:00.000-08:00

Sundays is usually laid back on Water Island. Boat chore or two in the morning then at 1500 the music starts at Joes Beach Bar. Eric Stone usually is the resident musician. If you have ever been to a Latts and Atts party, Bob Bichin flys Eric in to play for the cruisers parties.

Eric lives on St Thomas so we see him most Sundays.

Shiraz

2010-01-27T04:06:00.000-08:00

Steve and Renee Slack of the FP catamaran Shiraz just finished their circumnavigation in Antigua. I met Steve and Renee in Tonga two years ago. They traveled through the Med and the Red Sea with Team Sandpiper. The next move is to sail slowly to North Carolina.

The Baths, BVI

2010-01-27T04:01:00.000-08:00

Needed a change of venue so I decided to follow Team Sandpiper and Shiraz over to the BVI. It is usually very easy to travel to Jost Van Dyke from St John as it is a beam reach for 6 miles. Anything east can be difficult when the trades are blowing. We left late in the afternoon for Jost and had a marvelous sail right into the harbor by Foxys.

Next morning we cleared in with customs and the wind was blowing south at 10 kts. We shot out of there and had a great sail along the south side of Tortola all the way to Virgin Gorda. A rare occurence for sure.

I grabbed a mooring in front of the Baths and went for a swim to cool off while Shiraz checked out anchoring options at Spanish Wells, about a mile North. I motored North and anchored in 25 ft of deep sand.

Next Morning we went back to the Baths and hung out there for most of the day.The Virgins are volcanic in origin and the Baths are granite boulders the size of houses that were at one time suspended in lava. The ocean has eroded the lava and laeft these enormous rocks jumbled together on the beach. They foorm grottos and caves all along the waterfront. Definitely a must see if in this area.

Old Sugar Factory on Reef Hike

2010-01-26T06:11:00.000-08:00

While we were in the old mill a couple of bats started flying around our heads. That had some of the people squealing and running!

Reef Bay Hike

2010-01-26T06:04:00.000-08:00

I left Water Island to go hang out at St John for awhile. St John is also a great place to make the sail over to Jost Van Dyke in the BVIs.

Tom and Amy of Sandpiper fame have a arrangement with the National Park Service to pick up hikers from the Reef Bay hike then transport them back to Cruz Bay on their trawler the Sadie Sea. They have been after me to do the hike so I did and am glad I did!

The hike starts at the NPS office where taxis take the group to the top of the island and drop off at the trailhead. It is a three mile mostly downhill hike through the tropical forest. The hike is accompanied by a Ranger who stops at points of interest and gives a little history of ther ruins and the flora.

The slaves on St John gained their freedom in 1733. As St John was an extremely difficult island to cultivate because of the lack of flat land and steep valleys, after the slaves were freed the population dropped from over three thousand to less than 200 hundred. A few of the sugar plantations remained but most faded away and were reclaimed by the jungle. Were also stopped for lunch and were shown some petroglyphs from the Taino people that predated Columbus' arrival in the area.

The Stern of Oasis

2009-12-25T03:20:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!!!! I have a new runabout!

2009-12-25T03:06:00.000-08:00

Not really. I am back at Water Island, USVI. The island is about 3/4 of a mile from the St. Thomas cruise docks and as such I get to witness these behemoths arrive and depart. Last week brought the Queen Mary 2 and the largest cruise ship in the world....Oasis of the Seas.

As you can see from the photos both are different. The Oasis has a huge stage in the stern surrounded by rock climbing walls. Have been told by guests on the ship the davit looking devices on the stern are actually moving diving platforms for one of the water oriented shows.

Never been on a cruise ship but must say they are impressive as they steam by in the morning!

Back in St. John, USVI

2009-12-17T04:51:00.000-08:00

Arrived back from the surgery on December 03 and went over to St. John after provisioning. LJ was along for the ride and as you can see the weather is fantastic. Beaches not too bad either!

Back to The NW

2009-12-17T04:24:00.000-08:00

One of the joys of cruising the tropics is the sunshine and warm temperatures. It is a wonderful feeling to arise in the morning and only need a pair of board shorts to keep warm. Unfortunately for most white people there is a cost regarding this lifestyle.......skin cancer!

During my last visit to Portland ,Oregon I visited a dermatologist and after she put circles all over my body with a sharpie, she told me I had several area of basal cell carcinoma(skin cancer). This cancer will not kill but is slow growing and needs to be cut out. If left unchecked it continues to grow and when finally removed the area removed can be extensive.

I first noticed a problem when after showering the tip of my right ear would bleed. So while I have insurance elected for the surgery. They take way more skin than I figured but skin heals quickly so I am way on the road to recovery. They removed four patches of skin roughly 1.5 x 2.25 inches from my back, chest and legs. My ear was done by a procedure called MOHS and is still bandaged after 4 weeks and will be for another 1-2.

Post Traumatic Voyage II

2009-11-18T05:12:00.000-08:00

We left the Chesapeake on the 1st of November under cloudy sky's and light rain. The wind was 20 knots gusting to 25 out of the NE. Brisk conditions. We were running a full head sail and 3 reefs in the main doing 8+ knots with a 2-3 meter beam sea. The Gulf Stream was predicted to be 15-20 knots with 2-3 meter seas. Not ideal but there was no window after our departure as conditions were deteriorating due to the Hurricane Ida developing in the Gulf. This was probably the last chance for weeks to get warm!

We were roaring along at 9.5 knots just about out of the effect of the Gulf Stream when I looked in the cabin and a 3 foot high column of water rushed into the boat. Catamarans have escape hatches on the bottom of the boat in case of a capsize. I ran to the Starboard hatch and thought it had come open.....noooooo.......it was gone. A hole in the boat!!!!! We were taking on water and the bilge pumps were going full bore. I had plywood forward for damage control and grabbed screws and screw gun and started screwing down the plywood to the floor of the boat. During this drill I had Dave steer the boat downwind to stop the beam seas from entering the breach in the hull. Needless to say, there were some scary moments!

After I brought the leak under control I had to determine the next course of action. We were just about out of the Gulf Stream and heading back to the Chesapeake was not a good option as into wind and waves. I did not think the repair would last with a pounding to weather. Another option was to head SW and try for the other side of Cape Hatteras. The weather on the East Coast was getting lousier by the hour, so I decided to press on to the Tropics as my weather reports stated conditions would moderate to the 10-15 knot range in 24 hours. Hurricane Ida was to make all weather projections useless.

As we left the Gulf Stream conditions settled down to 20 knots gusting to 25 with wind North. Anytime the boat speed exceeded 6 knots the wave action assaulted my repair and water filled the starboard hull. Bilge pumps easily contained the flow but were on every 15 seconds. Eventually I replaced one of the pumps after it failed.

As conditions were so vigorous I was unable to apply a repair to the outside of the hull, the ocean eventually worked upon the repair until after 100 screws I was able to prevent most water from entering. But, the ocean gets her way eventually, A 17 foot swell came under the boat and slapped my repair and broke the floor loose in the cabin and lifted it about 6 inches. After, removing the stairs that go down to starboard I was able to sea the Atlantic in all her glory! More screws and blocks in the walls to jam the floor and we were off again! BTW I was running out of lumber!

When I approached highway 65(65 degrees Longitude) we turned south and with a North wind the floor in the boat actually dried out as the temperature rose and the sun came out. The rest of the trip was mild although we did have 30 knots NW for 30 hours gusting to 40 but from astern so mostly a wild slide down the 15 foot swells. My crew was amazed how much easier conditions were at 30 knots compared to 20 . The bigger wind set up a more consistent swell and wind waves seem to diminish. The last day we were forced to motor sail into Ft Thomas as wind went south at 5-10.

It took us 10 days to reach the Virgins as we had to slow Le Chat Beaute down to 6 knots. Dave Surridge , my crew, had never been on a boat before, I can't say if he will ever get on one again. He stood his watches and was there when needed. Good performance on his part. The trip would have been great and boat speed was acceptable but the leak took all the pleasure out of the passage as my anxiety levels were high. At no time time did conditions prevent us from enjoying meals and we even had the BBQ half the trip. I talked to some mono hull sailors who arrived before us and they lived out of cans and hardly ate. These were 60 foot + boats. So even in the worst conditions life on a cat is OK.

The enclosed sunset picture was as we left the Chesapeake. It looks to me like a hammer. Prophetic!

Post Traumatic Voyage

2009-11-18T04:51:00.000-08:00

I have been remiss in publishing the blog and taking photographs after my stop in Annapolis for the boat show. As the weather was deteriorating on the East Coast(getting bloody cold) I was forced to buy a pair of DuBarry sea boots to keep my feet warm and dry! Usually in bare feet and sandals when the Temp dropped below 50 degrees F my feet were turning BLUE.

I left Annapolis on the 23rd of October and stayed in Solomon Island are until Dave Surridge arrived from Portland. Dave was crew to the Virgins. I had hoped the trip would be fairly mild as Dave has never been on a boat before. He was game to go.

When and If

2009-10-20T15:43:00.000-07:00

While anchored on the wall of the Naval Academy, believe the guide book when it says it is a shitty anchorage, I was anchored next to When and If an 80 year old or there abouts schooner in great shape. Meant to inquire about here lineage but never got around to it.

Well it appears ,When and If was owned by General George Patton before the war. Named for when and if he came home. Those with a bit of history will know he did not.

The boat was almost broken up a few years ago but a couple of teachers saved her. My picture is of her at sunset in Annapolis. double click on picture for a larger view

Saint Michaels, Maryland

2009-10-18T04:59:00.000-07:00

As I arrived a week early for the boat show it was getting to be a bit slow hanging out in Spa Creek. Decided to cross the Bay to the Eastern Shore and visit the town of St. Michaels. It is an easy 5 hour sail in the right conditions.

The town was easy on yachties as the grocery store and the entire town is within walking distance of the dinghy dock. Very picturesque and friendly stop.

Originally a oyster community and home to a great many skipjacks, the boats are mostly tourist rides but a number still rack for oysters. None of the skipjacks have motors as the law only allows harvesting without the use of power. So the boats have these 8-10 ft tug boats with small diesels that push them in and out of the dock and out to the oyster grounds if there is no wind. Once at the beds the tug is shut down and all work done under sail.

Boat Show!!!!

2009-10-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

One of my major reason for hanging around Annapolis was to attend the US Boat Show. The largest in the water show in the world. It is indeed impressive what was accomplished in a few days to set up this event. Annapolis harbor is an alley in to the downtown area. It is commonly called "ego alley" as it is not uncommon for power boats with big engines to come in and turn around in the basin. Most of these boats are super expensive and usually support a bevy of attractive young women in bathing attire.

For the show, this area is closed off and docks are purpose built around sailboats for the displays. The amount of dock space built is impressive and accomplished in a short period of 2 days. The show itself has every imaginable vendor regarding boats there is. There were even vendors from New Zealand and Australia.

My new purchase from the show was a Sailrite sewing machine and canvas tools.

Annapolis, Maryland

2009-10-13T15:07:00.000-07:00

Finally made it to Annapolis! Got the dates wrong for the boat show, so arrived a week early and have been on the hook in Spa Creek in 6 feet of water. Very exclusive area surrounded by expensive homes. The holding is reputed to be poor but the rocna anchor seems to be holding well.

SSCA , Annapolis GAM

2009-10-03T07:22:00.000-07:00

I joined the SSCA(Seven Seas Cruising Assoc) awhile back and was able to attend their annual get together in the area. A Gam is a get together where sailors share ideas and info. It hark ens back to the days of tall ships and whaling boats. Crews would meet on the high seas and heave to and get together and talk about where the whales were and other pertinent information. Pass on packages or letters or anything the inbound vessels could carry.

At this GAM there were speakers discussing SSB installs and Safety at Sea and of interest to all cruisers , good discussion of weather and tactics.

I was very pleased to meet Margaret Roth. She and her husband,Hal, were one of the first cruising couples and did a number of circumnavigations and cruising in the 70s. Hal is deceased but Margaret is going strong. She was selling and signing books the couple had produced over the years. One of the first cruising books I ever read was their book After 50,000 miles.

Leaving Norfolk

2009-10-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

Passing thru Norfolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake Virginia was an eye opener for this sailor. I have never seen so many factories or ships in all of my travels. This includes Singapore. Have since been told Norfolk is the largest Naval Base in the World. I can believe it! Saw a lot of light carriers and cruisers.

To go from the ICW to the Chesapeake is about a 20 mile trip, fortunately for me I hit the tide spot on and made good time. I did not plan this! I travelled just outside the green buoys in 50 ft of water. Have not seen that much water in a long time. Still because of the heightened security along the Naval Bases I needed to hug the bouys closely or the patrol boats would do the finger wagging thing.

At one point when I was being over taken by a freighter I moved far right and instantly the PBRs raced out to intercept but they soon figured out I had to move in close to their perimeter or be run over.