...and now, some real talk about sailing!

19 foot boat in No Name Harbour before starting the Great Loop
If he can do the ICW, what do you have to worry about?

This fall, I'll be leading a group of new cruisers south from Hampton on the ICW, an event known as the Snowbird Rally, and sponsored by SAIL Magazine. To get the details, you can find them at this link, and we will shortly have Facebook and Google + accounts up which I'll provide links for.
And as you all know, the ICW is a topic I frequently speak about at various boating seminars. I also offer people the opportunity to ask questions via the contact form you see popping up in the lower right hand corner of this page....neat hey? I bet you wondered what that form did!
I'd like to answer some questions from one of our LiveBloggers, Carl. While his boat is somewhat different from what most boaters will have, the questions are good ones all the same. So with no further ado....

1.  What type of equipment would I need on my boat?  (I have a 25 foot O'Day.) 

You won't need any additional equipment other than is found on most boats. I would suggest a few things, such as a second anchor, a good dinghy (and motor), good PFDs, a bright anchor light, good fenders. Before starting out, get a good bottom paint done using a marine paint rather than one suited for fresh water, and new anodes. Change your oil. Replace the impeller. Essentially, if your boat is in good shape up north, you'll be fine down south. If you're doing the Erie Canal on your way south, a handheld VHF is a good idea. Actually, it's a good idea for anyone, especially if you've taken the admiral ashore while you swab the deck.
In terms of printed materials, a copy of the Waterway Guide (ICW), Kettlewell's ICW strip chart book, its companion guide, and either the Doyles' On the Water Chartguide, or Chuck Baier and Susan Landry's The Great Book of Anchorages. 

2.  Do we travel as a group or is every one on their own to reach a certain destination?

Boca Chita Harbour, Biscayne Bay

We'll be traveling as a group, but each captain is welcome to set their own pace. For those wanting to go ahead, I'll provide guidance and information about what they will be coming up to. I expect that the group will come together at pre-determined locations for scheduled events along the way. Most of the time, we'll travel as one group.

3.  How could I estimate the cost of additional expenses that I would incur?

Take your best guess and multiply it times 3.786!  Actually, that's hard to estimate Carl - the biggest expenses will be food and fuel. Food will not really be any different than you pay now, fuel will be individual to every boat. If you're Canadian, beer and liquor are a LOT cheaper in the US, as is dining out. 

4.  I realize there is a fee for the trip and would like to know what all is included?

We'll have a day long pre-rally seminar and prep material, guidance down the ICW, daily weather and routing reports for each boat, including the location of problem areas and known shoal areas based on the current state of tide as we come through.
There will also be a number of organized events along the way, including a closing bash in Miami, and speakers at various stops. We'll be organizing local events when feasible, such as tours and so on, in the more popular stops. Oh, and the Swag Bag every boat will get is going to be awesome!

5.  What is the situation for either docking or anchoring at night?  If docking, will there be enough spaces for every boat in the group?  What is the average cost for docking?

The overnight stops are being planned to provide, whenever possible, a choice of anchoring or docking. As this is the busiest time of the year, dockage is always a question - where we have planned on docking, we'll have reservations and these will be confirmed before arrival. There shouldn't be any issues about dockage. Any seriously bad weather along the way could change our plans but for obvious reasons, that's not something we can predict. We're cruisers, we'll deal with it!
Docking on the ICW runs from $1 - $2 per foot - we will be negotiating discounts where possible. FYI, my best information indicates that, unless there is a weather issue, most sailors prefer to anchor out - and spend the money saved on beer. And there are lots of good anchorages along the way.

6.  How readily available is shore power?

How long is your cord? All marinas offer shore power, usually in 30 and 50 amp. Since you probably don't have 120v on that boat, make sure you have a 15 amp to 30 converter plug. They're available at most marine retailers. Take a look at that link to get an idea.

Calm sunset on the ICW in S. Carolina

7.  My boat has a 10 horsepower outboard motor.  How can I calculate how much fuel I would need to keep on board.  What is average sailing time versus motoring time.

That's a good question for everyone actually. In your case, before you head out, take a full five gallon can, run your boat for an hour and then estimate your 8 hour usage. Carry enough fuel for two days. There are lots of marinas where you can refuel on the ICW, both diesel and gas.
There are many places you can sail on the ICW - providing the winds are right, you can probably sail 20% of the time, although I know I'll get an argument about that from others. I sail as much as I can, motorsail when possible. It saves fuel, and wear and tear on the engine. And it's so much more pleasant.
Keep in mind, much of the ICW is narrow channels that block the winds, making sailing is a challenge, but in places such as the Albermarle Sound, Neuse River, Bogue Sound, Indian River and so on, you can sail for several days at a time. Don't count on that, but it's a nice bonus when it happens.

8. Could I find suggestions for provisioning the boat, how and what types of food and supplies to take?

That really depends on your own tastes, and if you have refrigeration on board. I'll try to have a webinar on this topic in the near future. If you're a Canuck, don't forget to bring Tim Horton's coffee and Canadian beer (for the rally leader of course!).

9.  Are there places where additional items can be purchased?

Absolutely. We'll never be more than 20 - 30 miles from provisions. If you don't have refrigeration and are depending on an icebox, this means you can easily carry meat and fresh veggies, rather than canned stew! I ran without refrigeration for several years in fact, before installing it.

10.  Would we ever eat together as a group, do most people eat on board or at restaurants after docking?

We'll frequently eat together as a group, putlucks and so on, and I'm sure there will be lots of visiting back and forth between boats. Some people like to dine out, and there are lots of good places close to the ICW. It's entirely your choice. (Everyone please note: I don't care for lima beans or liver....just sayin').

11.  What type of heater would I need for my boat since the trip starts late in the year?

It's not typically this cold - I was very late heading south
This was taken in January in Carolina...

This year, some got caught by a foot of snow in North Carolina and that nasty polar vortex! If we have a repeat of this year's weather, I'm booking a seat on Southwest Air!
Ok, seriously...I have a permanently installed propane heater and a great dog and they have both come in handy on cold nights. Unless we're really fortunate, we'll get the odd cold night in Florida at that time of year. I recommend a Mr. Buddy propane heater - there is a single and double bottle version, but it's far more economical to get the hose and attach it to a 20# propane tank. See here for details.

12.  When we end up  in Miami, are there slips available for docking?  I will have to go back to PA to get my trailer.

Yes, a great many in fact. You'll have lots of choices here. On the other hand, you may choose to hang out down south where it's warm, go further south into the Keys, or cross to the Bahamas. I did Tampa Bay and the west coast of Florida in an O'Day 22 some years ago. GREAT trip. I recommend it in fact.

So there you have it folks.....if anyone else has questions regarding cruising, the ICW or sailing/boating in general, now you know what the window at the bottom right hand side of the page is for. Look forward to hearing from you, and answering your questions.

Lazing on a Sunday afternoon - er, Monday....

Sailing against the Miami skyline - spectacular views

 Life is good - spent the last few days at the Miami Boat show - met people I know from around the world, including some boat builders I first met in Durban SA. Looked at some great boats - but decided not to buy - and just who am I kidding here?
I plan to spend a few more days here, and then head further south into Biscayne Bay, visiting some favourite spots such as Boca Chita Key, Coconut Grove, Elliot Key and No Name Harbour. The original plan was to head over to the Bahamas, but a pending delivery is keeping me from leaving the US. The boat I'm to deliver is in Cuba, so it's going to be complicated, as anything to do with Cuba is. We'll figure it out, and it ought to be a fun trip.
Biscayne Bay is very attractive however, so I'm not going to suffer much - and as always, it'll be good to get out of this hyped up city. It may be attractive, but the people leave a lot to be desired, most of them anyhow.

One Loverly Bunch of Coconuts.....add rum....

To the left are a lovely bunch of coconuts. They were part of an 'experiment', two years ago....I cut them down myself in order to mix the coconut water in them with some Cuban rum I had aboard. My intention was to do a video on how 'real' cruisers drink rum...figured it would be great fun. And it was...I think.

...and see what you get?

I'm sure you're wondering what the results were... well, the photo of me here probably gives you a pretty decent idea of the outcome. This was after my third coconut and rum, drunk straight from the coconut.
I'm telling you, there's something real wicked in those coconuts. I mean, three rum drinks isn't a lot, are they? Er, I mean, shreee rom drinkiepoos, that's ok, right? Uh.....well, you get what I'm saying, I'm sure. I'd play the video but I seem to have misplaced it...imagine!
But I just happen to have a bottle of spiced rum aboard. Is that a coconut palm I see on the shore? Yes! Aduana! To the dinghy!!!

Miami Beach Report - and your Right to Anchor

Several of the 25 dinghies
anchored in Sunset Lake to block anchoring
in front of Karlton's house (shown)

Update on Miami Beach - The situation for transients in Miami Beach has gone downhill - badly. 

Miami Beach used to be a great place to hang out just as recently as two years ago. That's changed, significantly. A large part of this change is due to the changes in Florida state law, which were supposed to be helpful to boaters and which most cruisers thought would help our situation in the state. In south Florida, that may not be the case.
The anchorage at the police dock in South Beach is now full with local liveaboards and wet stored boats. There is perhaps room for one or two more boats, well out and close to the channel and significant wake action. Furthermore, due to complaints about crowding at the dock from locals and the neighbouring condos, the city is now enforcing a 20 minute limit at the dock - no mooring, just load/unload.
So given the cramped conditions in the anchorage and the lack of dinghy dockage, there's no point in anchoring there, other than perhaps overnight. It's certainly no place to visit the area from.
One can of course go around to Collins Canal to tie up. It is STRONGLY advised that you have a strong cable or chain and a very good lock, since theft has been common here.

The situation in Sunset Lake has not changed, other than for the worse, in the last two years. For those unfamiliar with the Sunset Lake situation, you can read about it here: Sunset Lake Controversy
Karlton now has nearly 25 little dinghies, effectively blocking close to a third of the anchorage. The local police advised me this morning that the neighbours are considering purchasing their own dinghies and entirely closing off the anchorage to cruising boats. They also advise me, contrary to information I have from the FWC stating the opposite, that the FWC has told them this mooring field is legal.
As well, the city has now put a No Trespass notice on the only public land on Sunset Lake, making it illegal to land there. This came as a result of pressure from the monied homeowners on Sunset Lake. The only other option is to dinghy around to the police dock and that's now a non-starter. So you can't go ashore in Miami Beach - at least, not easily.

The police are sympathetic and would like to see the tatty looking liveaboard fleet gone, as well as see Karlton's little fleet out of there. It seems the pilot program, which has made all of this legal, is NOT working in favour of transient boaters. I'll have more to say on that at a later date, largely because I have to rethink my opposition to the program, given its unintended results.

My opinion: Miami Beach is not worth the trouble. I will not be coming here again.

Now for my personal thoughts on the Sunset Lake situation - anyone who has followed the problem is aware that I've fought it as strongly as possible. I've written to the Miami Herald and seen the situation publicized in the paper, spoken at a City Council meeting on it, spoken with Karlton (the howeowner), discussed it at length with Major Daugherty of the FWC and also with the local police...most of this is public knowledge and can be read in various boating forums.

I've done my part about supporting anchoring rights, and this in a place where I spend perhaps a week total per year. I'm not even an American for pete's sake. Where is the usual US gumption about standing up to bullies, which is what Karlton is? There are seven or eight boats crowded up in this anchorage right now, crowded in an area that should comfortably support 20 boats. And I'm the only one stupid enough to kick up a fuss? No one asked me to take this on, I agree, but everyone would have benefitted from the results had I won the fight.
So I have two suggestions on how this could be handled, for anyone who wants to take up the fight.

First, and easiest - find a half dozen really trashed up boats and anchor them well in Sunset Lake. Fill them full of junk, and put a solar lawn light on them as Karlton has done with his boats. Mimic him as closely as possible.
Advise all of the homeowners on the lake by mail that since Karlton has shown it's legal to anchor on the lake, you have chosen to place these boats there - as is your right! They don't have to be big boats - some really junky looking rowboats scavenged from a local marina that wants them gone will do the trick. The local police seem to feel that a boat under 16 feet is ok without night lights, so that's your ticket. 

Then, tell the local homeowners that these boats will be removed if, and only if, Karlton removes his fleet and guarantees that it will not return.
In other words, stir and let simmer. Season to taste. Enjoy.

Second method - force Major Daugherty of the FWC, or whoever the current officer in charge is, to charge Karlton with the appropriate violations. If he won't do it from a properly worded request, go to court and get a writ of mandamus. A mandamus is basically a court order to an organization or individual to do their job - which isn't being done here.  I had thought of doing this, but as a Canadian, I might be deemed to not have legal standing on the issue.
Here's a quick rundown on what a writ of mandamus is -

A writ or order that is issued from a court of superior jurisdiction that commands an inferior tribunal, corporation, Municipal Corporation, or individual to perform, or refrain from performing, a particular act, the performance or omission of which is required by law as an obligation.

A writ or order of mandamus is an extraordinary court order because it is made without the benefit of full judicial process, or before a case has concluded. It may be issued by a court at any time that it is appropriate, but it is usually issued in a case that has already begun. (link to definition)

Lastly, if you care about your anchoring rights at all, start spreading the word on the various online forums you belong to. That's the least you can do. It's time that bullies such as Karlton found out that boaters can, and WILL, fight back.

FORCED! Forced I say, to go sailing...

It was terrible - I had planned to loaf all afternoon in the 80° temperatures when an email from my editor at SAIL Magazine alerted me to the fact that we needed a photo of Gypsy Wind under sail. This was for an article I had written on sewing your own mainsail from a Sailrite kit which will be published shortly.
'The art department is in an uproar, there's no lead photo for the article. We need a photo of your boat under sail..." according to the email.
Well, what's a guy to do when duty calls but...go sailing?
Now I had to unhook the electric, take off the dinghy, untie the lines, get my good friend Al and his wife Joyce to follow me out in their Island Packet to take pictures - well, you get the idea. A perfect afternoon I had planned to share with a bottle of spiced rum and a book, shot all to heck. Life just isn't fair sometimes.
So off we went. The winds were about 10 knots out of the south, and the Indian River was flat and calm. In the near distance, another dozen sailors were mucking about, no doubt also victims of heartless editors...
Surely you can see just how hard all this was - hauling on those lines, watching those wind shifts, paying attention to the depthsounder....watching all the stuff I hadn't secured below tumble to the sole while I heeled, then slide across the floor as I came about...
Anyhow, as you can see, life is tough on a sailboat in Florida in the winter....sure could use some crew, especially as I get closer and closer to the Bahamas and those beautiful white, sandy beaches and gorgeous turquoise water...of course, it being so cold in the north, even cold in Texas, just getting yourself dug out of all that snow to get to the airport could be a challenge. I understand, I really do!

Being serious again, since I'm this late in the season, I'm thinking of attending the Miami Boat Show  - if you're planning on being there yourself, let me know and we'll get together. If you aren't planning on being there - why not? It's a fun show.
And just so you'll know what you're missing, here's what a Miami sunset looks like...

Polar Vortex...Sorry About Your Luck...

Oh, the weather outside is frightening....I mean, there's snow - well, a snowflake or two in Georgia, but I have yet to hear reports of any crossing the Florida state line. This, of course, is why I travel south every winter. After nearly 50 years in central and Northern Ontario, I finally figured it out - spending five to six months of every year shovelling snow, looking at snow, cursing snow, praying for it to leave, I decided I had to get out. That's when I bought my boat...
Oh, I did make an attempt prior to that. One year, I decided in November I would ride my motorcycle to Florida from Ontario, leave it at a friend's place and fly down to it a few times over the winter, then return north with it in the spring. I was all set to leave on Saturday - and the previous Tuesday, it snowed. I can't begin to tell you how upset I was - I rolled the bike to the street, fired her up, put her in gear and promptly found myself underneath a 780 pound object.
I can't begin to tell you how upset I was that entire winter.
I'm aware that there are still some snowbirds heading south, not yet as far as Florida in this, the worst year for cold in the ten years I've been doing this. I'm hoping they're tied to a dock tonight, with a heater plugged in. And there are those who are living aboard in places like Port Credit, outside of Toronto, which is really cold, or in Annapolis, where the above photo was taken by my friend Mike - I swiped this pic from his Facebook page. You've got to really love boating to live aboard in these conditions.
A quick update on the Cruisers' Hangout - A Night with the Experts - since this amazing webinar featuring the top cruisers in the world - the Pardeys, Neals, Shards, Liza Copeland, Pamela Bendall, Tania Aebi...we've had nearly 900 views - that's on top of the 175 who attended the live event - on youtube. I'm working now on editing the production, and adding a ten minute interview with - well, that would be telling, but it's an exciting and interesting interview with one of cruising's big BIG names.
If you haven't seen this webinar yet and your goal is to go cruising, you can view it HERE. I'm working now on our next Cruisers' Hangout, but if there's a specific topic you'd like us to cover, let me know through the comments or via the Contact Form on this page.
Until then, stay warm. Or join me, here in Florida, cruising south on the ICW.

Amazing boat rescue video

A friend and colleague of mine, Charles Doane, who is an editor with SAIL Magazine, was recently airlifted from a badly damaged catamaran stranded 300 miles east of Virginia. Essentially, the boat was hit by a rogue wave just after passing through the Gulf Stream. Pushed backwards on its rudders, damaging both of them severely, the boat was only able to turn to starboard, even with full power on the starboard engine.
After taking time to see if they could effect repairs, and realizing it simply couldn't be done, they contacted the US Coast Guard to be taken off.
Below is the amazing video of this rescue - just stunning to watch these men in action. I got a chuckle out of the fact that they also rescued the beer cooler - just watch!
Following the video are some links to news articles about the rescue. Also, just posted now, is the link to Charles own blog and his post about what happened here - Charles Doane - an astounding tale.


Newspaper article link

p.s. don't forget to answer our vitally important question from yesterday's post...

And now, from the lighter side....

It's been a heck of a week - the successful Cruisers' Hangout Webinar, a busy busy boat show - I'm tired of being so serious.
So - without further ado - a question that has bedevilled mankind since - well, since Gilligan's Island went on the air.
As most of you know, Russel Johnson, who played the Professor, recently passed away. The news reminded me that I'd never fully resolved in my mind a burning question - Ginger, or Maryanne?
Men know automatically what I'm asking. Ginger, the sexy sultry movie star, or Maryanne, the quintessentially sexy girl next door.
So, guys - weigh in here. Which one is it? Ginger? Or Maryanne?
And for you ladies....a bit easier choice....the Professor? Sexy, good looking and smart. Or Gilligan? Goofy, good hearted and adorable.
Which is it? Let's hear from you folks...

Thank you everyone!

Paul and Sheryl Shard, Lin Pardey at the Toronto Boat Show

Thank you everyone who came to, helped promote, talked about, blogged about and built the buzz about 'Cruisers' Hangout - A Night with the Experts'. This google hangout for cruisers was superb, with lots of folks in attendance and lots and lots of questions.
That brings up the only problem we had, and that was my fault...many of you here on LiveBloggin' expected this webinar to be more about the ICW than it was intended to be, and a great many questions showed exactly that. Mea Culpa, I should have been more clear that this webinar was about cruising in general. There will be ICW centered webinars in the future though, so stay tuned.
It simply wasn't possible to respond to all the questions and I apologize for that, but here's the good news - ALL of the questions you sent in will be answered in very short order, in the edited version of 'Cruisers' Hangout'. That will be posted in about a week to two weeks on both YouTube and here on LiveBloggin' - it's a great deal of work to do it right as you can imagine. Plus - be watching for a super special 'extra' segment I hope to add to it - this will be a real treat to a great many of you.
A great number of people on social media gushed about how much they enjoyed this webinar, and there were many calls for another one. That being the case, remember that you read it here first - we're already planning the next 'Cruisers' Hangout'. If you have ideas on the topic or topics you'd like to see covered, let me know. More on this in a later post.
Lastly, I'd like to thank my guests - Lin and Larry Pardey, Sheryl and Paul Shard, John and Amanda Neal, Tania Aebi, Liza Copeland and Pamela Bendall. They had some fabulous stories to tell, some excellent advice and offered a real glimpse into what the cruising life is REALLY all about.

Were you paying attention?

It's been an exciting Sunday here at the Toronto Boat Show, and tomorrow will be an even bigger day, with tomorrow's Google Hangout webinar, Cruisers' Hanngout, A Night with the Experts, at 7:30 New York/Toronto time.
Those of you who have been paying attention will have noted that I've added a new page here - and that page is a live feed for Cruisers' Hangout - yes, that's right, so if you should have any difficulty in linking up to the Google Hangout, just come here to LiveBloggin' and click on the link just below the photo of Gypsy Wind - or click on  THE LINK and your browser will open up a page here with the live feed.
The only drawback to this is that you can't use the Q&A facility that Google has for questions - but you can text your questions to (410) 849-9694 and I'll put them in the queue for our experts to answer.
And if you haven't yet signed up - WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? The link to sign up is at https://plus.google.com/events/cj0mk5bit80f03it7bmbge7qphs
See you tomorrow!

So today I sat in on the Pardey's Storm Tactics Seminar...

..not only sat in on it, but LiveBlogged it on Facebook while learning about heaving to, reefing, storm parachutes and more great stuff.
Tomorrow, you'll have the opportunity to listen to the Pardeys', the Shards, Tania Aebi, Liza Copeland, Pamela Bendall and myself discuss cruising. Best of all, you'll be able to get YOUR cruising questions answered by these pros!
Questions such as one someone asked of me while I was blogging on Facebook - do these heaving to techniques work on a catamaran? Best answer: Join us tomorrow night on 'Cruisers' Hangout - a Night with the Experts', and find out for yourself...
(for the record, that question wasn't asked of the Pardeys today....so tomorrow night, I hope someone thinks to ask it)
Sign up for this amazing Google Hangout at this link here...

So I spent an hour sipping rum with Lin and Larry...

I know, I know, that sounds like bragging, but the Pardeys are really down to earth folks - it could as easily been you there instead of me and it would have made no difference to them. They're really cool folks.

Naturally, we spent some time discussing Monday's upcoming 'Cruisers' Hangout - A Night with the Experts'.
I have to tell you, based on what I heard, this is going to be an absolutely amazing Hangout.
Lin and Larry are going to talk about their core philosophy and what changes have occurred over the years - and IS IT STILL POSSIBLE to “Go small, go simple, go now".

Following that, I spend some time with Pamela Bendall, another of our participants and she's got an interesting history for you as well.
In other words, DON'T MISS THIS AMAZING EVENT! Click here on this link... 

Are you ready for this?

Monday, January 13 at 7:30 eastern (NY/Toronto), what will be one of the world’s premiere webinars on cruising will be held LIVE on YOUR computer screen. That’s right - this group of the world’s most knowledgeable sailors will be talking directly to YOU, ready to answer YOUR questions.

So - are YOU ready for this? Here's a quick checklist for you - 

Have you cleaned off your computer screen for the best viewing? 

Found the most comfortable chair in your house? 

Purchased, chilled and have ready to sip, your favourite sundowner beverage? 

And, most importantly, even though it’s winter for most of us, have you slipped into a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops? 

Because that’s how real this Cruisers’ Hangout is going to be. You’re going to be in the cockpit with Lin and Larry Pardy, Paul and Sheryl Shard, Tania Aebi, Liza Copeland, Pamela Bendall and host Wally Moran, Contributing Editor from SAIL Magazine.

Sign up now, at this link here: Cruisers Hangout. See you Monday evening.

YOW! The Buzz is Building...

I just took a look at the visitors's stats for the past 24 hours...over 1200 hits in the last 24 hours. Of course, to get those numbers, I needed a little help from my friends - the Pardeys, Shards, Tania Aebi, Liza Copeland, Pamela Bendall!
Seriously, Monday's upcoming webinar is going to be an AMAZING event - do you know that, outside of the poles, there is no place on earth this group hasn't sailed to? This group has achieved FOUR circumnavigations, one of them singlehanded, countless crossings of the Atlantic and Pacific, drank thousands of gallons of rum at sundowners....er, skip that last one would you?
These are the cruisers who wrote the book - let me make that books - on cruising (nod to the Pardeys). And if they didn't write the books, they did the video (nod to the Shards here). There are over a dozen books on cruising from this group - countless videos and how tos, innumerable seminars and presentations...and Lord only knows how many cockpit sessions with friends!
Frankly, if you want to learn about cruising, THIS is the webinar to watch.
Monday night, January 13 at 7:30 eastern (NY/Toronto) - go to the Google Hangout Page to sign up for Cruisers Hangout - A Night with the Experts

TEASING IS DONE - HERE'S THE BIG NEWS

Come Cruising With Us...
By now, most of you have figured it out - we're doing another amazing Google Hangout, this time featuring the speakers from the Toronto Boat Show. These speakers are all acknowledged cruising experts and, between them, have sailed virtually every corner of our world. You recognize the names, now get up close and personal with them in this online webinar - bring your questions, because at least 45 minutes of this 90 minute program will be dedicated to answering YOUR questions about YOUR cruising.

Here's the official announcement:

Join SAIL Magazine Contributing Editor Wally Moran plus special guests Lin and Larry Pardy, Sheryl Shard (Distant Shores), Liza Copeland, Pamela Bendall and Tania Aebi for 90 minutes of cruising wisdom from the pros. 
Whether you're a new or experienced cruiser, or a wannabe, discover what cruising is truly all about from the people who are out there and doing it. Best of all, get your OWN questions answered live and on air during this truly amazing webinar. We look forward to having you join us Monday, November MAKE THAT JANUARY 13, at 7:30 pm eastern (New York) time.

You can join this Google Hangout by clicking on this link - Cruisers' Hangout - A Night with the Experts

Update #2 - The Big HINT!

Ok - the most amazing cruising webinar ever is looking to happen on Monday, January 13 at 7:30 pm eastern US time. And just who will be our guests at this amazing event?

Well - some hints....

What female sailed around the world with just a cat as company?
For our next guest, you need to look to distant shores...
Another has written two books and her boat on the west coast will 'steel' your heart...
Another speaker sails with the world's most amazing pup....(this one's a gimme!)
And our last two guests will only do it as long as it's fun...

Now, how's that? Can you figure this one out? Once you do, you'll realize just why this is going to be such an amazing seminar. And, you'll be able to ask the panel the questions YOU need the answers to. Don't miss this amazing webinar!

If you can come up with the names of our speakers for this Google Hangout, I'll provide you with a free download of 'Sailing South, First Timer's Guide to the ICW'. Use the comments form on this page, let's see who the clever ones here are!

Update Numero Uno - the BIG TEASE!

Ok - the first detail you LiveBloggers need to know is the date and time - at this point, the most amazing online cruising webinar (I am not kidding you about this) that you may ever see will be held either Monday, January 13 or Tuesday January 14, at 7:30 until 9 pm, eastern time.
The second detail you need to know is that you can join up and join in with your questions and comments on this Google Hangout by simply signing up - and get your cruising questions answered by....
...And that is the Big Tease - just who are the speakers at this amazing cruising webinar?
Stay tuned folks....this is going to be SO worth it.
The countdown begins...

Update - New Google Hangout on Cruising...

Ahoy LiveBloggers - stay tuned, I'm working right now on what could be the definitive - and I mean that, THE definitive - webinar on cruising ever held.
More details later this week, but so far, the initial planning is looking solid!
I wish I could say more, but it's all yet very tentative at this point. Trust me though when I tell you that if you have any plans to cruise at some point in your life, you will NOT want to miss this webinar.
It's going to be that good.

Did Santa Forget Something?

Boca Chita Key, in Biscayne Bay

Hello all, and belated Season's Greetings from Aduana and I. I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas season (or holiday season for the terminally PC) and that Santa was good to you. But....just in case he wasn't - I found (courtesy of LiveBlogger Daren Magness) some really great boat deals online.
Unfortunately, the 63 foot Oyster with a crew of former Hooter girls was not either in my dry bag (hung up by the propane heater with care), nor on the list of boat deals here, but LET'S ALL REMEMBER - my birthday is next month, and it's a big one ending in a '0'. I continue to hope...
Oh, in other news - Canadian LiveBloggers who are not frozen solid should be at the Toronto Boat Show, where I'll be showing off my suntanned bod - and doing seminars on the ICW and on Cuba. So, there's something for everyone, boaters, droolers and imps! Hope to see you there, I'll be watching for you!
This year's seminar line up at the Toronto Boat Show is absolutely amazing - I am just stunned at the caliber of the speakers.
First off, Lynn and Larry Pardey are speaking in their first time ever Canadian show. In addition to being interesting speakers, they are also really great, down to earth folks and you'll immensely enjoy meeting them. By the way, did you know that Larry is a Canuck? Yes!
Another speaker, Herb McCormack, hails from the publishing industry as do I - you'll have seen his writing in Cruising World, as well as other publications. We last met in Georgetown Bahamas, so there will surely be a few brews hosted sometime soon.
Paul and Sheryl Shard are of course at the show. Eternally popular with their Distant Shores tv series, they make cruising look easy! Hey, what am I saying, it IS easy! Sort of....btw, if you haven't picked up any of their videos, you're missing a true cruising treat.
John and Amanda Neal are once again at the show - I missed their seminar the last time around, but NOT this time. I've heard nothing but great things about them, and this seminar. This seminar is NOT to be missed if you plan on any serious cruising.
There are two speakers discussing how to buy your first boat - you should check this out, since a mistake here can be both expensive and VERY frustrating - like having to replace both main and genoa the first season because you didn't know what you were doing when you bought your first boat...'nuff said.
Liza Copeland, ever popular, returns with an interesting group of seminars....I first heard her speak at Strictly Sail, St. Petersburg Florida, in the late 90s, and I still find her excellent advice from that seminar applicable to my sailing today.
Tania Aebi, another world famous sailor, is also speaking. She was one of the first female solo around the world sailors - at age 18 in a 26 foot boat. I've not yet met Tania, but always looked forward to it.
Another female solo sailor, Pamela Bendall, will be speaking. Her book, What Was I Thinking, pretty much sums it up - at least for those of us who've gone cruising!
And, last but surely not least, there's myself, speaking on cruising the ICW, and also on Cuba. Here's the total Speakers List - check it out and mark your daytimer for the seminars you want to see.
And this is just a partial lineup of the show speakers - I'm really looking forward to this.
Lastly, here's the links to some really good boat deals I mentioned above- check out the Seidelmann and the Watkins - if you're looking to do some cruising, both of these boats will get you nicely on the water for well under $10k - Inexpensive boats

Questions, questions and MORE Questions!

At anchor...

Hello all - sorry to have been out of touch, decided to move a bit further south and have had very little access to the internet. Tonight, I'm just north of St. Augustine, Florida - a favourite stop, very historic and pretty city. If you've ever been, and I know some of you have, you know what I mean.
For the run from Beaufort, SC to St. Simons, GA, I was joined by Daren Magnus, a LiveBlogger from the Chesapeake. It was great to have company aboard and gave me the perfect excuse to do a major cleanup - the boat hasn't looked this good in ages! And Aduana (the WonderPuppy!®) thought so too - someone else for her to leap on and wake up in the mornings! Such an impish thing to do in the mornings....but a nice way to wake up!
Daren and I considered going offshore, but the weather wasn't co-operating - as if that's anything new, so we tootled down the ICW. Not, however, before introducing him to the $10 steak special at the restaurant just down the street from Lady's Island Marina. For $10, you get about half a cow plus all the fixins. Add a couple of beers to that and you've got a great meal! We were joined by my friend Barry, an Australian who is just finishing up his Catalina 50 and then heading south.

typical Isle of Hope homes...

Our first day out, we stopped at Isle of Hope, a lovely small town on the ICW. A couple of years ago, I was there with a friend (hello there!) on Christmas Day. We went out to find a church service - one would think that at Isle of Hope, that would be easy, especially given how many churches there are in town. However - each and every one had had its services on Christmas Eve. I can't tell you how disappointed both of us were - it was ironic that we couldn't find hope on the Isle of Hope.
Moving on, we next stopped at - oh wait! - I can't reveal the name of this place as it's one of my 'secret' private docks on the ICW. I have a couple of docks where the owners don't mind you tying up for an overnight - if I were to reveal them, they'd be deluged with boaters looking for a free tie-up, inconveniencing the owner.
While we were there, Daren's cousin and her family came by for a visit, bringing PIZZA! We had a great visit, and plan to do it again on the return trip, perhaps take the daughters sailing.
Oh, almost forgot - Daren managed to move from the ranks of those who might go aground to 'those who HAVE gone aground, at marker G39, south of Thunderbolt. Now I'm going to take some of the blame for this one - I knew the markers he was heading towards are frequently moved and could have warned him - but I was napping in the cockpit and not really paying a lot of attention. Ok, I wasn't paying any attention at all!
Fortunately, it only took a few seconds to get free and underway again, so Daren's reputation as a helmsman isn't too badly damaged here. We'll be getting together again in the new year to give him another chance, perhaps in Biscayne Bay or even over to the Bahamas. I'd have posted his picture (sort of like a 'wanted' in the post office!), but my internet connection here isn't strong enough to download the photos, so Daren will remain anonymous for the moment.
By the way, LiveBloggers, I'm always happy to have guests aboard, so if you've got some time free and would like to come sailing - or motoring - down the ICW, get in touch using the contact form at the bottom right of this page.
Ok, that's it for today - time to get ready for tonight's Christmas Party with the St. Augustine Cruisers group. I think some of them are LiveBloggers too, so it'll be great to meet you at last!

Sunsets on Gypsy Wind...

Most of North America right now is cold - miserable, nasty, sleety, snowy cold. Even here in Beaufort SC it's chilly and rainy, unlike the past week's weather. But here on Gypsy Wind, we've decided to flee to a warmer, more enjoyable place for the afternoon - and we'll take you there in this video of sunsets seen from the deck of Gypsy Wind....so enjoy, and dream of your own tropical sunsets to come.
Some of you will remember being there for some of these photos - I hope they bring back memories that are as good for you as they are for me of the sunsets we've shared.
If enough of you are interested, I can recreate this video as a screensaver to use on your computer - leave a message here with your OS and a comment on the video, and I'll set it up.
p.s. sometime during the past few days, we blew right through 50,000 all time hits on this blog. Thank you everyone, the best is yet to come.

Oysters BITE! Who knew?

I'm now in Beaufort, SC, at a lovely spot called Lady's Island Marina. Why lovely? First, it's very inexpensive. They have a free laundry. They have a workshop, with tools, if you have projects that need doing. The local boaters are great folks. Steve and Gloria, who run the place, are equally great folks! And it's right across from some absolutely huge oyster beds that are easily accessible at low tide. And I love oysters.
I've always wanted to try getting my own oysters. I mean, hey, how hard can it be to catch a bunch of brainless bivalves? Really? Fishing now, that's challenging. You can't see them, you have no idea of what bait they'll bite on, and you might not get the fish you want, or get none at all.  Just ask any fisherman. Then you have to clean them and that's always messy. Scales and fishy goop everywhere. And the gear, have you priced fishing gear lately? YOW! For that kind of money, I could be eating filet.
Oystering, on the other hand, is much simpler, right? (you see what's coming, don't you?)
I mean, these things are brainless, they don't move, you just pop them open when you catch them. How hard can this be? And the gear to catch them....a pair of rubber boots (which I had to borrow), some gloves (which I forgot to bring with me), a small garden rake (had that!), and a bucket (had that too!).
Then when you get them back, you need a shucking knife to open them - or a small screwdriver (I didn't have a shucking knife until I bought one today).
So off Aduana and I went, rowing 50 yards across to the mudflats at low tide to hunt the mighty Beaufort Oyster. Aduana, usually the first one out of the dinghy, didn't move. That should have clued me in that something was up.
I stepped out of the dinghy into the mud - perhaps I should say, DOWN into the mud. This mud is deep - it's actually called 'plough' mud - pronounced 'pluff'. Don't ask me why, it's a Southern thing. Nobody but Southerners understand this stuff.
So, hanging on to the dinghy, I put my second booted foot into the mud - and began to worry that I might not ever move those feet again! This stuff is seriously gooey. I had visions of becoming a statue here if someone didn't rescue me - and with 8 feet of tide, that would need to happen soon!
I then reached over to grab a bunch of oysters, seeing visions of beautifully tasty bivalves  on my plate - and discovered that most of the bunch were opened shells with nothing in them. Oysters, you see, grow up in clumps, and as they grow, they abandon the shells they grow out of, so many of the oysters you see have moved on to a new habitation. You're left with a bunch of shells filled with plough mud. Yuck. The original urban decay.
I reached for another bunch of oysters and YOW! The damn thing bit me! And it hurt - lots. And it bled even more.
Ok, the nasty brute didn't actually bite me. Oysters are very sharp with lots of jagged edges and it's very easy to get cut. That's why you use gloves to get at them. I of course had left mine back on Gypsy Wind. Painful lesson...especially after I'd done it a few more times.
So - filled two buckets with oysters - rowed back to the boat, read a variety of recipes on how to eat them, other than raw.  I wasn't quite ready to be that brave. I've heard the stories about shellfish poisoning too. Decided to steam these beauties in water with a good quantity of Old Bay spice - would have used wine but was nearly out of wine. Couldn't use beer, because I was totally out of beer. Poor planning? No. Old Bay is an eminently acceptable substitute - some would say the only thing to use in fact.
But wait! What's this? You have to clean oysters before cooking? What do these things think they are, fish? Found a scrub brush and away we go, scrubbing mud and algae off the oysters. Talk about your nasty, dirty job. I can see why oysters are not cheap when you buy them in a restaurant. This has been nothing but work.
So, once they're presentable, pop them into the colander inside the pot, turn up the heat...wait, while drinking wine. This was the best part - well, almost. Here comes the best part....

Tumble them onto a plate, let them cool just a bit, get out the screwdriver, open them up and
MMMMMMMMMMMM! Tasty? Oh yeah! Ohhhh yeaaaaaaa!
You can see from the photo at the left just what was left - after four batches. And I've still got a half bucket of these tasty beauties left. Tomorrow night, I'm going to try roasting them....

Just WHO is in charge of the weather here?

open

I know I'll get no sympathy from my Canadian friends over this, but just who is in charge of the weather we've been having on the ICW?
Every year, I swear I'll head south early enough to avoid the cold. This year, I'm further south than I've ever been at US Thanksgiving, I'm in South Carolina, and it's going down to 27° tonight. Last week, we actually had a colder night than that, and the week before, it was into the lower 30s. In ten years, I've not ever seen it get this cold, this early. I figure there's a cold front wandering around 'up there' in the sky, heading south from Canada, and looking down saying "Where's Wally?"
This is NOT fair...and to anyone smiling impishly at this, keep in mind, in just another week or ten days, I'll be in Florida, wearing t-shirts and shorts...that is, provided this cold doesn't follow me there!

Orion's Blog - Victoria BC - (link)

Recently, I've been hearing from a LOT of people with questions about their cruising plans or even current issues. That's a good thing, and I'm happy to answer any and all questions - that's what that little box, down there on the right hand side of the page, is for. See how it says 'Contact'? "Get in Touch"....

If you've got questions, I may have an answer for you, or can suggest a place for you to look if I don't know. And although I know this is really hard to believe, but I don't 'know it all' - and there's an ex-girlfriend here who need to stop laughing at this point, thank you. Some people....but I digress.

I just received my schedule for the Toronto Boat Show, at which I'll again be speaking. I'll post that in the near future, and I hope to see all of my Canadian friends there, even the Dock Six folks from Port Dover.

Also, be watching SAIL Magazine for a regular series of 'Cruising the ICW' tips which I've written and which will be starting in February. This series of short tips will address various cruising issues for first time cruisers. Although the putative topic concerns the ICW, most of you will find useful information wherever you plan to cruise.
Some recent ICW warnings have been posted by Mark Doyle (On the Water Chartguides) to Southbound Escapees Association facebook page. Check them out if you're heading south and want to avoid a grounding. Other sources for information would include Waterway Guides and the Salty Southeast Cruisers Net.
Lastly - I've edited the webinar we did on the ICW - ICW Tune Ups and Tips - with Mark Doyle and Claiborne Young. Here it is, below....
Ah, the sun is coming out again.....time to go play ball with the pup. Enjoy folks, and a Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends.

Cruising reality....

Provisioning, fuel, laundry - all part of cruising, just as they're a part of everyday life. When cruising however, it's simply getting to the store that can be a problem. That's when places like Seapath Marina really rock. They make a courtesy car available for you to do your chores. The first time I was here, they had a monstrous Pontiac Bonneville in the most horrific shade of plum purple I've ever seen. Reminded me of the car I took driver training in at 16, but I digress...
Sunny today, some wind out of the south, so a good day to get these things done....later everyone. In the meantime, here's a sunset for you to enjoy...

MORE! MORE! MORE FREE STUFF!

....but WAIT! There's more! YES, MUCH MORE....here's a link to another 700 free YES I SAID FREE!!! marine manuals that you might find useful - 700 FREE MANUALS!
These manuals include a wide variety of marine related equipment, from engines to autopilots, Force 10 stoves and radars.....Lots of Yanmar manuals, and Westerbeke as well as Perkins and Universal - and most important of all - Jabsco toilet manuals. If you have a Jabsco 20120 head, you'll be thanking me!
Have fun kiddies!
Oh - more free stuff! In Swansboro, at Bogue's Inlet, there is a new 'free' dock. It's the restaurant just past Caspar's Marina, with room for two boats. As in Southport, as long as you're having a meal or drinks, you're welcome to tie up. Water and power (15 amp) included. In January, they are adding another 10 slips, so next spring, this will be almost a mandatory stop.
Swansboro is a pretty town, worth taking a look around. They've already got Christmas decorations up in the streets and it's quite attractive.

Looking For a Boat Manual?

Sail Magazine, in conjunction with its parent company AIM Media and Vessel Vanguar, has made more than 16,000 operating manuals available - for FREE! You can read the entire press release here at Passagemaker, and the link from SAIL is here: Link to Free Manuals.
I'd have written more, but the weather has cleared up, the sun is shining, and it's time to move on to my next ICW destination. Later, gators!

Why I Am NOT Sailing Today...

Prone to Seasickness?

Ever been seasick? I've never been, but I had a crewmember once who was, and it was awful. I recall thinking it would be a kindness to shoot the poor guy. I suspect he would have agreed.
So in today's emails, I receive not one, but TWO emails about preventing seasickness. Both are new to me, and both are quite fascinating.
The first is a pair of specially built glasses - the explanation for them is here on this page - and there is more information here on this page, although the translation from the French isn't very good. If you speak the language, you might prefer to read it in French.
Nonetheless, a fascinating idea, and if it works, a huge blessing for those who suffer at sea.



The second solution is outlined in Spinsheet, the Chesapeake Bay's sailing magazine. Essentially, it involves putting an earplug into your non-dominant ear. Apparently, this stops the conflict between your visual and auditory senses and your sense of balance that causes seasickness. The article is here.
The writer has asked that people try this method and report back to him at Randy Williamson. He will report back in a future article on his findings.

In other news, we've worked the kinks out of the technical problems with the webinar. The ICW TuneUps and Tips webinar will be held on Monday evening at 7 pm eastern. You can link to the webinar at ICW TuneUps - and some very good news, ICW expert Claiborne Young, of the Salty Southeast Cruisers Network will be joining us, so expect a great webinar, and lots and lots of good information. Bring your questions, we'll see you on Monday.

ICW "Tune Up" Webinar tonight at 7!

If you haven't yet heard, tonight, November 5 at 7 pm, Mark Doyle and I are hosting an online seminar on Cruising the ICW. We hope to answer any questions that those doing their first cruise might have and help with any problems or concerns. And for those not yet underway, we'll be more than happy to answer your questions. Tonight, at 7 - here's the link to signup: Google ICW TuneUp
Please join us, we're looking forward to hearing from you!

The Seats are Filling Up!

Exciting news - the seats for tomorrow night's ICW Google Hangout webinar are filling up - we've got participants from as far away as Oz and the Dominican Republic.
Mark Doyle and I will be answering your questions on the ICW and YOUR own trip south this year, or to come, so if you have questions, sign up here at ICW Hangout, and join us Tuesday, November 5, at 7 pm eastern, for a fun, information filled seminar.
You can post questions during the seminar on the Hangouts page, or you can use the contact page here on LiveBloggin' to send them to Mark and I. We'll focus first on the newbies' questions, then move on to general ICW questions.
And folks, if you could do me a favour, since I'm running low on time - please share this event on your Facebook pages, and also on various websites and forums you belong to so that as many as possible will hear of it - thanks!
Meanwhile, here are some places to look forward to...

Wild horses on Radio Island, Beaufort NC

Yep, you read it right....

In case you missed it the first time....

Isle of Hope.....very pretty small town in SC

ICW Hangout Tuesday Night.....

Ahoy All! I'm here in Oriental, just met a bunch of folks coming down the ICW, and some of them are struggling - badly. So I'm going to do a Google Hangout on Tuesday evening at 7 pm, eastern time, to provide some help and advice.
This will be a Q & A format with the goal of giving new cruisers the opportunity to ask questions about what is causing them any concerns on this trip, and to provide answers and, where necessary, reassurance and handholding, or even referrals to the appropriate experts or businesses that can assist.
The link to this hangout is ICW Google Hangout, and I'll be forwarding more details as we develop the program.
Please help me out here by sharing, reposting and publicizing this news to fellow cruisers - and also make mention of it on the various sailing forums you belong to - Cruisers Forum, Sailnet, Salty Southeast Cruisers, Active Captain, Waterway Guides - and so on. That way, we'll maximize the number of people who can participate and need some help and guidance.
More later - and see you Tuesday at 7!

Shoaling Inlets Report - Lockwood's Folly, Shallote's Inlet

The following information is from Chuck and Susan on m/v Beach House - they are the publishers of The Great Book of Anchorages, which can be purchased through their website, www.tgboa.com

As everyone knows, Beach House and crew always transit any ICW problem areas exactly at low tide. That way we don't have to hurt our brain figuring out depths at mean low water. Today was no exception as we traveled through Lockwoods Folly and Shallotte Inlet. Here is a report on what we found for depths as we travel south on the ICW.

Lockwoods Folly
We found plenty of depth favoring the red side until we arrived at the inlet from the north. At green "33" depths were about 18 feet. At red "36" we favored the red side and found 14 feet. As we passed "36" the depths came up to 11 to 12 feet. Still favoring the red side, as we approached green "39" the depths were 10 feet. Passing green "39" at mid channel we found 20 feet. At red "40" we found 17 feet at mid channel. Passing red "42" mid channel we had 14 feet. As we approached the floaters we favored red marker "46A," stood off about 20 feet and found 10 feet. From red "46A" to red "48" we found 6.2 feet very briefly, then depths returned to 7 feet, then 8 feet as we passed green "47A." As we passed red "48" the depths dropped off to 9 feet until just before we reached the first pier passed the inlet where we encountered only 6.9 feet mid channel. Once past the first pier the depths dropped to 12 feet and all was good.

Shallotte Inlet
This was the surprise. Coming north a few months ago we had no problems. As we approached the inlet from the north we favored the ocean side from green "71" to "75". At red "76" we passed about 30 feet off the marker and found 13.5 feet. At green "77" mid channel depth was 18 feet. At red "78" mid channel reading was 17 feet. At red "80" about 15 feet off marker it was 17.5 feet. At red "80A" we were 10 feet from the marker with 8.9 feet of depth. Just past "80A" depths dropped to 12 feet. At mid channel between red "80" and green "81" the depths suddenly came up to 5.3 feet. Reaching green "81" about 50 feet from the marker we found depths of 9.8. At red "82" about 30 feet off the marker, depths were 10.9 feet. After passing red "82" by about 50 feet, depths dropped to 15 feet. From that point on it was smooth sailing, or motoring, depending on your perspective. All depths were at low tide for the day. We hope this will be of value to those that follow in our wake. We'll keep everyone posted of any issues as we move south.

Are you in the Erie Canal still? Update, with phone number.

Ahoy all - if you are in the Erie Canal, and are planning on using the Castleton Boat Club to step your mast, they would appreciate you getting in touch with them. They plan on leaving the docks in until the Canal reopens for stepping and fuel needs.
Also, if you know of anyone in the Canal, please pass this message on to them. The Castleton Boat Club is there for you, so let's try to help them out! Their number is 518-732-7077.
My thanks to Robert Currie for pointing out to me that the number was whited out in the original post. Hopefully, those who missed it will either see this update, or pick it up from a Google search.

Some Funny Things Happened to Me on the Way to the Boat Show...

You don't want to hear what I had to say at this moment!

Hi everyone - back at last, have you missed me? It's been a busy couple of weeks, with the Annapolis Boat Show and SAIL's Secrets to the ICW seminar, and the Hampton Snowbirds Rendezvous. Great successes both of them, I was proud to be a part of these events, and kudos to the organizers, who were fabulous. More on this in a later post....

So, a few funny things happened to me on my way to the boat show. I set my iPhone, which has awakened me many times in the past to many wonderful early mornings (!), at 6 pm. I knew the oyster boat beside me would fire up at quarter to, so it was like a snooze alarm when I heard the boat move off. However - at 7:41, my eyes snapped open. The iPhone hadn't sounded. I had 19 minutes to get ready for my ride to the airport to pick up my car rental. I hate being rushed in the mornings - far more enjoyable to take your time awakening, I'm sure you agree, right? Then, rush to the office!
Cindy, Doc's wife, takes me to the airport where I have a rental booked and paid for via Hotwire. Great rate - $11.95 a day. However, the clerk informs me, I need a return ticket to get a car from them. Huh?
No return ticket? No problem Sir, you can rent a car from our sister company, Enterprise, for just $44.95 a day. All you need is a Virginia driver's license.
Auggghhhh - now what? Who on earth flies into an airport from the same state they are in? No wonder Enterprise wasn't busy.
There was only one solution here, after it became clear that no amount of cajoling was going to change things. I marched over to the United Airlines booth - it was the nearest - and purchased a refundable ticket. The look on the guy's face when I told him I wanted a ticket to anywhere, didn't matter, as long as it was refundable, was priceless. After getting his manager's approval to do this, he sold me the ticket and I marched it over to National. The manager there told me no one had ever done what I'd just done, bought a ticket to get their rental. She was impressed, I was frustrated, as it cost me $35 for the privilege. My $11.95 Hotwire rental was getting expensive.
Back to United, refund the ticket, get my car, Cindy and I head to Walmart so I can help her choose a piece of equipment for their boat. While there, her husband phones - apparently, my dinghy has sunk from the rain and the waves.
This is not good. I have an expensive and nearly new outboard on it. I head back to the boat, hoping against hope - and nope, the dinghy is sunk, the engine is underwater. Rob, another boater and I drag the dinghy up, I tear the motor apart, dry it, spray it with WD-40 and hey! It fires up. Whew! Dodged that bullet.
So I'm about to leave when Rob tells me the dockmaster wants me to move my boat to another slip. Like, I have time for this? But, being the nice guy I am, I move the boat. You have to realize, there were 15 - 20 knot winds that day, and the bay was about three or four feet higher due to tide and rainfall. Moving to a new slip was a pain to say the least.
Then I go to get off the boat at the bow, which is now a good six or so feet off the dock. I reach for the post...and the boat starts to slide backwards away from it. I'm hanging on, the gap is getting wider....do I push back and hope to grab the forestay? No, if I miss, I'll fall and get hurt. Do I leap for the piling and hang on like a demented squirrel, ten feet from the dock, and slowly slide down the piling, getting splinters in very private places before sliding down onto razor sharp barnacles? Or, do I wait until the boat is far enough back from the pole and gracefully (and safely) fall into the water?
Decision made, and about two feet from the water, I remember that in addition to my computer in its waterproof case around my neck, my iPhone is in my pocket.
Fortunately for the tender minds of anyone within about a quarter mile, the inrush of chilly salt water stifled the comments I was making. Let's just say they weren't anything my mom would have approved of - or your mom either!
So, I swim to shore, have another shower while my clothes tumble in the dryer, and head on out to Annapolis. There, my good friends Dr. Dave and his lovely wife Suzie, greet me at the door with a handshake, a hug, and an ice cold drink.
Life is good again. Tomorrow, the boat show.

Annapolis Sailboat Show....

Ahoy LiveBloggers - here at the Annapolis Sailboat Show - a good show, if a bit wet. No time for a proper post now, but stay tuned for the 'Some Funny Things Happened to Me on the Way to the Boat Show'....to say that Thursday tested the limits of the saying 'a bad day sailing is better than a good day at work' would not be inaccurate!
If you're in Annapolis today, I'm at the SAIL Magazine booth from 1 - 4 this afternoon....later everyone!

Heading South - The Fleet Reports In....

from Roland - We departed Jamestown, RI last Friday, today in Annapolis at the boat show, Great Bridge by Sunday night we hope. Destination Fort Lauderdale by Nov 1 when my son needs the boat for a temp home. I've made this run a few times each way, so ready to answer questions and give (bad? ;) advice... Oh, in a stinkpot Grand Banks 32...

from good friends Wendy and Mike, who went out the St. Lawrence - Hi Wendy and Mike here on board s/v Ohana. We're currently taking time to get little projects completed on board before new ones crop up. We departed Port Credit, Ontario May l5th and took our time heading to the St. Lawrence seaway due to weddings and family committments. Also to continue working on the boat and have a windlass installed.

We've had major time delays due to mechanical issues and weather. Most recently we spent 8 days in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia having our starter rebuilt and a new alternator installed. 

After a 3 day 2 night non-stop sail with our engine running l80' we ended up in Rockland, Maine. Our attempts to depart kept bringing us back to the dock due to a run away engine. Our injectors have now been sent away and not due back until Oct. 9th. 

Taking the St. Lawrence Seaway route has been an amazing trip as we sailed to New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and now we are safely in the States. The journey has been an enormous learning experience. The scenery and beautiful has been breathtaking. We've met wonderful people and have always had help at our fingertips just at the time we need it most. 

Currently we have sailed almost l900 nautical miles with many more to go. Our goal was to get to the Annaplolis Boat Show, that is no longer realistic. 

I have to head home to the Toronto area on the 6th and will return in two weeks to we can continue to head south to Florida, Cuba and Bahamas for the winter.

No we are not part of this years fleet heading south. Well maybe we are just really far behind everyone and we have great determination to catch up.

My blog is windinmydreams.net, which I have regretfully not be actively keeping up to date. Please don't hesitate to check it out though.

All the best and I can't wait to meet fellow cruisers in the hot spots.

Wendy and Mike

SV Ohana 37' Gulfstar 

from Paul Ouellette - Not this coming winter...but look for us there in a few years !! ;)