I motored North on the ICW on the afternoon of June 5th, and anchored at the entrance of West Palm Beach harbor entrance for the night. I ended up spending the next day and left on Sunday morning before sunrise on a heading of NNE figuring I would catch the Gulf Stream. The day proved to be very hot and muggy with little breeze to cool things off and I grumbled to myself more due to the heat than anything else that a little wind would have been nice. Big mistake! At about 9 that evening, located about 80 miles off the coast of Florida, about parallel with Cape Canaveral I sailed into a series of converging Tropical storms, with winds about 50 kts out of the North on the squall lines that ride in front of these systems. The seas in the stream are notorious when the winds out of the north and the Gulf Stream going north collide and creat very rough conditions with 8 to 10 foot seas with very short intervals. What this translates to is heading into wind gusts over 50 kys, with the boat rising and then plummeting into the trough and headfirst into the next wave, in the pitch black night, as there was no moon, only being lighted by the lightning hitting all around me. I had seen the system approaching and had been able to prepare the boat and myself for the oncoming onslaught, putting on my harness and tethering myself to the boat. It is at times like this that you ask yourself why you chose this lifestyle as it was going to be a very rough ride and there would be little sleep that night, if any. About 2 AM I was through the worst part of it and looking south it looked like the 8th Air Force was bombing Berlin with the massive lightning stikes filling the skies. The winds had shifted to the West and the seas finally started calming down towards sunrise.
Continuing North I decided to head towards Savannah unless the winds, as predicted shifted back to the north then I would make landfall at either St Augustine or Fernandina Beach. Towards the afternoon the winds, as predicted had shifted to the NNE and I tacked west towards the Florida coastline some 85 miles away. The seas by this time were very calm and the boat was cruising along at about 5 knots in the direction I wanted to go. Finally I was able to go below and catch some sleep, the fist since departing West Palm Beach. Setting my kitchen timer for 30 minutes I laid down and at intervals of 30 minutes, getting up and going up into the cockpit, check the horizon for any lights, the trim of the sails and verifying my course, I would go below again and reset the timer and catch 30 more minutes. As tired as I was I had no trouble falling back into an exhausted sleep after each check. The next day proved to be some of the best sailing of my life, cruising along at 6 knots, perfect conditions I entered into the breakwater channel just north of Fernandina Beach where I planned on spending a few days sightseeing. Catching a mooring I launched my dinghy and went ashore, got a restroom key from the Marina office I took a much needed and greatly appreciated shower. That evening , back on board, I ate a light meal from some of the food Josh and Seth had packed for me from my going aweay party that my daughters had given me.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
I am in the process of preparing the boat for my cruise North to the Chesapeake Bay where I plan on spending the Summer in hopes of avoiding a storm this hurricane season. All is in readiness and hopefully the weather will cooperate on my trip, if not I will be off the coast and will duck in to some sheltered waters to ride out the storm if need be.
I have problems saying goodbye to friends and this has been no exception. The past year has been spent with my daughters and the many very nice people I have become friends with. Pre-departure jitters are , as usual, present as I think of the million and one things that can happen in an instant no matter how well the boat is prepared. These worries subside once out and clear of the shore. My plans are to keep a journal using this blog for those that have requested it.
Saturday night I was invited to Josh's house for a friendly little get together and last night I enjoyed a very large party my daughter Ginger throws every year, complete with a live band. Tonight I am going to a party being thrown for me at Chrissy's boyfriend Seth's house where I will be cooking steaks for the guests. Tomarrow I hope to depart, weather willing.
I have problems saying goodbye to friends and this has been no exception. The past year has been spent with my daughters and the many very nice people I have become friends with. Pre-departure jitters are , as usual, present as I think of the million and one things that can happen in an instant no matter how well the boat is prepared. These worries subside once out and clear of the shore. My plans are to keep a journal using this blog for those that have requested it.
Saturday night I was invited to Josh's house for a friendly little get together and last night I enjoyed a very large party my daughter Ginger throws every year, complete with a live band. Tonight I am going to a party being thrown for me at Chrissy's boyfriend Seth's house where I will be cooking steaks for the guests. Tomarrow I hope to depart, weather willing.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Some helpful advice for 1st time sailors
Hi Guys....In response to your many questions I have taken it upon myself to help you in your planned vacation down to the islands... Being your first time down and aboard I thought I would go into some details concerning a sailing vacation......As far as the weather is concerned you can expect temperatures to soar to the early 90's during the daytime and plummet to 78 after sunset....lots of sun block and hats are almost mandatory....a hat with a wide brim, though they look really cool, are also recommended....try not to embarrass me in front of my friends with your sense of style....I keep a complete set of towels onboard and more can be easily obtained if needed....I may need the room they would take up in your luggage to bring in contraband.....You may or may not, it depends upon circumstances and the person involved be subjected to a thorough search before coming aboard, so try to keep that in mind.....remember Mi Boata es su Boata! but that doesn't mean I am going to slave hand and foot getting you this and getting you that....Now for those of you that have never spent time on a sailboat a few things you should know.....When under way, when the wind is crossing our course from a certain angle and dependant upon that angle and the velocity of the wind a certain amount of heeling will result....Heeling is when a boat begins to lean to one side or the other, seldom reaching more than 45 degrees.....This is normal and sailboats are designed for this....It is just a requirement if we are to ever reach our destination within a reasonable time and is nothing I can do anything about….So keep this in mind when setting down half full drinks....or putting something on a shelf......I only discuss this for anyone with little or no experience with sailing.....
It will be very warm on deck during the daytime, there is nothing I can do about it so don't ask.....I usually suggest a plunge off the swim step....although the water is usually only a few degrees cooler than the air temp, it is refreshing....it is also very salty which is something else I can't do anything about, so don't ask.....We will be doing our primary sailing and passage making in the morning with land insight at all times, in fact most of our sailing will be within a short swim of the shore so the first time you decide to give the skipper some lip you might think about that....After the tragedy of Christmas, 2002, I will not be sailing after dark....We don't need to discuss that same tragedy nor is it necessary to use it in any arguments that may or may not, at times arise over this or that remark you may take as more of a command than as a request.... If you have something, and this includes body parts that you do not want the world to see you can forget it.....it doesn't exist on boats although you can sleep in privacy in your own quarters....it's the door marked Storage/Crew....and the boat has two bathrooms with showers which will from now on be known as heads..... you will have very little privacy which once again is something I can do nothing about so don't ask....The heads operate by simply moving a lever and hand pumping the bowel clean, then returning the switch to it's original position and pumping it dry....Water does not grow on trees! Use the fresh water sparingly! ..
When first boarding I will acquaint you with the parts of the boat and the proper nautical terms…The bathrooms as I said earlier are known as heads, the front of the boat is the bow, not the pointy part, the mast is not the tall stick that the sails hang from, the galley is not the kitchen, the big pillow, bumper things are known as fenders, but more about this subject when you come aboard…
Boats move, they rock back and forth and from side to side, as well as up and down, in all kinds of directions....depends on the sea conditions, the wind directions and how big a passing boat's wake is, again all things I cannot do anything about.... Pack light....mostly swimsuits and something to show respect to the locals when going to the market and walking around their towns, as well as going to the restaurant kind of change of cloths....the material should be something that dries quickly as you will get wet from time to time….depending on the guest onboard clingy, tight clothing is allowed, but must be approved by the skipper first….shoes should consist of sandals and flip flops....Nothing with black soles they mark up the decks.....
I'm not a flogging Captain, but can be forced to when petty offenses warrant them or they are just begging for it....one can't flinch from his duty when confronted with the difficult crew member....God help you if I hear as much as one little whine....Think about sun, beaches, and ugly little islands filled with human waste, social outsiders, too much booze, great music, unfriendly locals, great food, frizzy hair, sweaty, hot humid days swatting at no see ums, fighting mosquitoes and ugly lizards, well maybe not so ugly when you really think about it.....remember one thing and one thing well, I rule my deck with a very keen eye and won't be corrected or allowed to suffer any kind of insolence such as this or that was my fault kind of thing, and maybe and only maybe might I not have to suffer my disappointment and thus once again with a flogging attended at the mast....a scene which can easily become all to common as has been my experience.....I am getting back into my skipper with too much free time on his hands at times, sometimes finds himself in "situations" kinda frame of mind because he didn't display the right kind of, some would say, maybe not the best judgment at times, but to be totally frank, I believe it is rooted in under disciplined, surely, ungrateful crew....
I have over 500 albums as well as dozens of movies onboard.....if you can't find something to entertain yourself try reading something.....but bring your own as I don't keep books onboard....they weigh too much and are a source for disease.....don't expect the skipper to build a complete itinerary around your visit....nor will I be putting on a Bozo the Clown rubber nose and entertain you if you get bored.....Feel free to bring along any past times you may wish to bring such as needle point, rug weaving, coloring books etc.... There is plenty to do and we won't possibly be able to do them all in the time you will be down, something else I can't do anything about.....And one last word to ponder, "Bug Repellant".....okay make that 2....
Welcome aboard!
Marv
So if you understand each part of this message please fill out the following form and return to me acknowledging your full understand and agreement to said terms…
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Terms as set forth by this document signed this__/__/__ (mm/dd /yy), at ________________ (place)
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It will be very warm on deck during the daytime, there is nothing I can do about it so don't ask.....I usually suggest a plunge off the swim step....although the water is usually only a few degrees cooler than the air temp, it is refreshing....it is also very salty which is something else I can't do anything about, so don't ask.....We will be doing our primary sailing and passage making in the morning with land insight at all times, in fact most of our sailing will be within a short swim of the shore so the first time you decide to give the skipper some lip you might think about that....After the tragedy of Christmas, 2002, I will not be sailing after dark....We don't need to discuss that same tragedy nor is it necessary to use it in any arguments that may or may not, at times arise over this or that remark you may take as more of a command than as a request.... If you have something, and this includes body parts that you do not want the world to see you can forget it.....it doesn't exist on boats although you can sleep in privacy in your own quarters....it's the door marked Storage/Crew....and the boat has two bathrooms with showers which will from now on be known as heads..... you will have very little privacy which once again is something I can do nothing about so don't ask....The heads operate by simply moving a lever and hand pumping the bowel clean, then returning the switch to it's original position and pumping it dry....Water does not grow on trees! Use the fresh water sparingly! ..
When first boarding I will acquaint you with the parts of the boat and the proper nautical terms…The bathrooms as I said earlier are known as heads, the front of the boat is the bow, not the pointy part, the mast is not the tall stick that the sails hang from, the galley is not the kitchen, the big pillow, bumper things are known as fenders, but more about this subject when you come aboard…
Boats move, they rock back and forth and from side to side, as well as up and down, in all kinds of directions....depends on the sea conditions, the wind directions and how big a passing boat's wake is, again all things I cannot do anything about.... Pack light....mostly swimsuits and something to show respect to the locals when going to the market and walking around their towns, as well as going to the restaurant kind of change of cloths....the material should be something that dries quickly as you will get wet from time to time….depending on the guest onboard clingy, tight clothing is allowed, but must be approved by the skipper first….shoes should consist of sandals and flip flops....Nothing with black soles they mark up the decks.....
I'm not a flogging Captain, but can be forced to when petty offenses warrant them or they are just begging for it....one can't flinch from his duty when confronted with the difficult crew member....God help you if I hear as much as one little whine....Think about sun, beaches, and ugly little islands filled with human waste, social outsiders, too much booze, great music, unfriendly locals, great food, frizzy hair, sweaty, hot humid days swatting at no see ums, fighting mosquitoes and ugly lizards, well maybe not so ugly when you really think about it.....remember one thing and one thing well, I rule my deck with a very keen eye and won't be corrected or allowed to suffer any kind of insolence such as this or that was my fault kind of thing, and maybe and only maybe might I not have to suffer my disappointment and thus once again with a flogging attended at the mast....a scene which can easily become all to common as has been my experience.....I am getting back into my skipper with too much free time on his hands at times, sometimes finds himself in "situations" kinda frame of mind because he didn't display the right kind of, some would say, maybe not the best judgment at times, but to be totally frank, I believe it is rooted in under disciplined, surely, ungrateful crew....
I have over 500 albums as well as dozens of movies onboard.....if you can't find something to entertain yourself try reading something.....but bring your own as I don't keep books onboard....they weigh too much and are a source for disease.....don't expect the skipper to build a complete itinerary around your visit....nor will I be putting on a Bozo the Clown rubber nose and entertain you if you get bored.....Feel free to bring along any past times you may wish to bring such as needle point, rug weaving, coloring books etc.... There is plenty to do and we won't possibly be able to do them all in the time you will be down, something else I can't do anything about.....And one last word to ponder, "Bug Repellant".....okay make that 2....
Welcome aboard!
Marv
So if you understand each part of this message please fill out the following form and return to me acknowledging your full understand and agreement to said terms…
______________________, does hereby agree and acknowledging all
(your name here please print clearly)
Terms as set forth by this document signed this__/__/__ (mm/dd /yy), at ________________ (place)
________________________________
(signature firma)
_________________________________
(signature of 1st witness)
_________________________________
(signature of 2nd witness)
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