From The Creators Of
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MORGAN FREEMAN LIVING LIFE LIKE A CRUISER SPECIAL CRUISER'S
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE WOMEN WHO SAIL
BELIZE
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MERMAID HANNAH FRASER Winter 2017-18 Issue # 21
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The is for th e id a s stolen al. a w tion page t Interna like a o B o t be from wanted s!) y e g W ( ig u the b
In th
there isis issue less tha n
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Bob Bitchin
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
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EDITOR
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CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Suzy Carmody - Jim Cash - Tom Dymond - Bonnie Fern Carroll Green - Paul Esterle - Stephen Hicks Shane McClellan - Fiona McGlynn - Jess Lloyd-Mostyn Doris Neubauer - Zuzana Prochazka - Alex Rooker Robert Scott - John Simpson - Chuck Steffans Morgan Stinemetz - Julie Thorndycraft - Jeff & Judy Wahl Jessie Zevalkink ON THE COVER Morgan Freeman aboard his Shannon 43 Afrodesia Photo by Amanda Baker PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER
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Cruising Outpost US Edition CRUISING OUTPOST (USPS 011-950) IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY CRUISING OUTPOST, 9353 Oroville Quincy Hwy, Berry Creek, CA 95916. Periodical Postage paid at Berry Creek, CA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CRUISING OUTPOST, PO Box 15416, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5416.
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Issue #21-Winter 2017-18
Contents
Special Stuff in this Issue
13 38 48 54 59 64 76 100 120 132 139 144 152 212 216
Regular Stuff in this Issue Attitudes Bob Bitchin Outpost News Another Way Tania Aebi What’s Out There: Monohull -Passport 480 What’s Out There: Multihull - HH66-05 What’s Out There: Power Cruiser - Hylas M44 Lifestyle Did I Do That? Galley Gourmet Latitudes & Attitudes PNW Cruisers’ Weekend & Share the Sail Book Review Jim Cash Life Aboard Robin Stout Bubba Whartz Cap’n Cap’n I Found It at the Boat Show Weather by Lee Lee Chesneau Talk of the Dock Zuzana Prochazka Tech Tips Captain Pauly Bosun’s Bag Mackie White Cruisians
Many people disagree with our punctuation usage. For those people, we offer these punctuation marks to be used wherever they like!
8 18 34 70 72 74 86 126 154 156 178 188 190 194 196 199 205 208 210 232 241 242
The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.
Morgan Freeman Interview The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test Jessie Zevalkink It Still Rains Mermaid: Connecting Two Worlds Black Boaters Summit Land of the Midnight Sun-Alaska How Not to Transit the Panama Canal The History of Cruising Outpost Special Outpost Christmas Gift Section Going Small - Power Cruising Comes of Age Going Loopy Galapagos to Tahiti Red-Handed Raccoon Kiwi Grip Deck Fix Women Who Sail
13
38 48
54
64
© 2017The Bitchin Group, Inc.
‘.?;:!-” “ ‘ ;: ,.,*@! WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM
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Attitudes
By Bob Bitchin
F
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Those of you who have been reading my drivel for awhile know that I am not a publisher. I am not even an editor. I am just an enthusiast. I could in no way ever start a magazine about women’s tennis or Frisbee golf, than I could eat a Volkswagen (and there are those who believe I can!). No, in my lifetime I have created quite a few publications. The majority were extremely successful. Biker, in the ‘70s, continued for over 25 years and was merged with Easyriders after that. Tattoo Magazine, which I started in the early ‘80s, has been in continuous publication for about 30 years and is the #1 selling tattoo magazine on earth. After sailing around the world for 10 years, we came back and started Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine about the lifestyle we’d learned to love. It became the #1 in retail newsstand sales. When we thought all was lost after selling L&A to a couple of con men, I really thought it was all over. But then, almost a thousand of our readers came up with a plan for me to break all three of the no-no’s and helped me create Cruising Outpost which, in my opinion is, at last, the publication I have been trying to create my entire life! To those of you who have been reading my editorials for the past 10, 20, 30, and even as many as 45 years, yes, this is a different style editorial than I have ever written. These days I usually strive to impart something from my sailing life that will pass on a meaning, a moral, or just something that I discovered about myself that I think could help you, as a reader, get the most out of the Outpost. So what can we get out of this drivel that can help you get thru a day at sea that may be getting you down? Just this. Sailing is like life itself. It doesn’t matter where or when you start out, and it doesn’t matter where or when you end your days. The most important thing you can glean from this is the experience! Just like life, it doesn’t matter the dates on your tombstone. The day you were born and the day you passed don’t mean a thing... It’s the voyage from one end to the other... Enjoy the ride!!!
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn’t get it.
ive years ago Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine died. At the time it was the best selling marine lifestyle magazine in America. I’d started it in 1997 with my wife, Jody, and over the years we became a family of about 100,000 crazy cruisers who actually wanted to sail off into the sunset. If I am to cast blame here, it would have to fall on me. I figured at almost 70, it was time for us to head out again. My mistake? I was a little too trusting. All my life I had done business by handshake and for the first time (and I might say last!), my trust let me down. Further back in this, our fifth anniversary issue, I put the complete story of who, what, where, why and when it all came about. But what’s important is, we did make it back, under the most impossible odds in the world. There were “just” three little things we had to overcome to be back where we “ended”: 1. Never start a business near 70 years of age. I think this should be obvious. As most people in the industry know, it takes five years to pass the “critical” mark with a magazine. The growing pains usually take out 80-95% of new magazine publishers, and that is when the economy is GOOD! 2. Don’t start any business when the business as a whole is disappearing. Because of the internet the print magazine business has been on a rapid slide since 2008. Most magazines have dropped over 75% of their circulation. 3. Don’t ever start any business related to an industry that has been downsized drastically by the financial crisis. The third and final stupidity. To start anything in the marine industry! I did ‘em all! Yes, we have “come back” all the way. We are, once again, the #1 selling print marine lifestyle magazine in the USA. Not because we did anything right (obviously!), but because we really do live the lifestyle that we write about. In fact, I believe we are the only sailing/boating magazine that has no real staff. Everyone who helps create each issue lives that lifestyle.
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Interview With The Sailor Who Played God!
Morgan Freeman
Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman is an accomplished sailor and Chairman of the National Sailing Hall of Fame’s Honorary Advisory Board One of the most recognized sailors in the world is also an award-winning actor, director and narrator. Morgan Freeman was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, TN, as one of five children born to Mayme Edna. Not long after he was born, Morgan’s parents relocated. While his parents looked for jobs, Freeman remained with his grandmother in Charleston, MS. His search for adventure started early, as the interview that appeared in AARP tells it. In 1955 he joined the Air Force to achieve his dream of becoming a pilot. But as it turns out, they decided he should be a mechanic rather than a pilot. So in 1959 Freeman left the Air Force and moved to Hollywood. It wasn’t easy. He took acting classes and struggled to find work. While working at the Stowe Playhouse in Stowe, VT, he sailed for the first time. It was on a reservoir in an 18-foot (5.49-meter) Lightning-class centerboard boat. He was not only smitten, he was hooked for life. Ever since those halcyon days, sailing has been more than a pastime for him — it has been his refuge and passion. For 16 years he sailed out of Eastchester Bay, cruising the waters and anchorages of Long Island Sound, Block Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Cape Cod, the coast of Maine, and up to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He bought his first boat, a Holland-built Holiday 28, in Huntington Bay, Long Island, in 1971. By then he was beginning to make good in New York theater. His national exposure came that same year when he started appearing regularly on The Electric Company, a public television-produced children’s TV show that focused on teaching kids how to read. On a show that included such current and future stars as Rita Moreno, Joan Rivers and Gene Wilder, Freeman had some of the show’s more memorable characters, like “Easy Reader,” “Mel Mounds” and “Count Dracula.”
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In 1987, Freeman’s fortunes changed when he was cast in the film Street Smart, which placed the actor on the screen as the volatile pimp Fast Black. The role proved to be a huge success for Freeman, earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Some wondered, “Is Morgan Freeman the greatest American actor?” Two years later, Freeman earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a second Oscar nomination—as the kind-hearted but stubborn chauffeur in 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy. That same year he also starred in Edward Zwick’s critically acclaimed Glory, a drama about the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, which was one of the first recognized AfricanAmerican units in the Civil War. By the 1990s, Freeman was riding high in his career, starring in such big budget films as 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption, Seven (1995) and Deep Impact (1998). In September, 2016, President Barack Obama presented Freeman with a National Medal of Arts. At the ceremony, President Obama said Freeman was being honored “for his outstanding work as an actor, director, and narrator. His iconic stage and screen performances have brought to life characters from the whole spectrum of the human experience, moving audiences around the world, and influencing countless young artists.” In his interview for the National Sailing Hall of Fame, Freeman said, “I first sailed south in 1979, going to Bermuda on a 30-foot (9.14-meter) Alberg-designed sloop. The crew included my wife, Myrna; my youngest daughter, Morgana; and our cat, Zipper. It took nine days to get there, and we stayed for six weeks, anchored in the shelter of White’s Island in Hamilton Harbor. On the way back to New York in October, we hit our survival storm. Two hundred fifty miles due east of
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Morgan Freeman Interview Newport News, Virginia, we ran into the worst weather I have ever experienced — sustained 50-knot winds and seas that appeared mountainous to me in my little sloop. Luckily, Morgana had already gone back to school, so it was just me, a deathly seasick Myrna, and Zipper on board. It is an experience that I will never, ever forget. It’s like an exclamation point in my life.” “On the night Morgan Freeman thought he might die, he figured he could go out one of two ways,” said a USA Today account of the life-changing voyage. “One, he could stay below in the cabin of the sailboat, radioing for help that he knew would never come in weather so severe it had pummeled the boat to its side. Or two, ‘I could go out there and try to change things myself.’ He changed things. On that voyage [Mr. Freeman], then a journeyman actor still trying to crack the film business, managed to right the boat — and himself.” Mr. Freeman said the voyage from Bermuda determined the course of the rest of his life. “Every sailor has a survival story and that one is mine,” he told an interviewer.” We were headed back from Bermuda. Eleven days at sea. Big storm. And when we got within a hundred miles of New York, it was snowing. This was the first time it snowed in October in New York in a hundred years. It was a rough time.” Morgan has said that virtually everything he has done since the fateful Bermuda trip changed his life, helping him to stop drinking, put his personal life in order and re-dedicate himself to acting, as he had been thinking of quitting New York and returning to his family home in Mississippi.
Freeman has since cruised thousands of openocean miles, many aboard his Shannon 43, a solid bluewater cruiser. He’s spent most of his sailing time in the Caribbean. He sailed south to the Caribbean in late summer of 1989. This time with Myrna; one of his grandchildren, E’dena; and two friends, Billy Toles and Harry Smith, as crew. Six days out of Bermuda on their Shannon 38, Sojourner, he raised the light on Sombrero Rock, north of St. Martin, around 9:00 p.m. Two years later, he sailed across to the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and knew he had found his way to paradise. “In 1993, I asked Harry to sail with me to the Spice Islands just for a look-see, and that’s when I met my first Grenadian. His name is Champie, and he is still my friend today. Harry and I and his then-wife, Linda, gunkholed up the Grenadines as far as St. Lucia before heading back across the sea to the BVI.” In 1996 Morgan contacted Walter Shultz at Shannon Yachts about building a Shannon 43. One of the things he’d asked them to do was to install a commercial sewing machine that would “flip out of sight” when not in use, just in case his acting career didn’t come to fruition. We doubt he ever had to use it commercially... In 1998, with the new Shannon 43, Harry, Billy, and Morgan set sail for Trinidad and then to the islands of Grenada, the anchor of the spectacular Grenadines and a true sailor’s delight. The island has a fascinating history, and according to Morgan, its people are kind, generous, and full of fun.
Afrodesia Hit By Hurricane Irma & Maria
After this article was written, Mr. Freeman’s boat, Afrodesia, was hit by two of the worst hurricanes in history. Winds of up to 185 mph pushed her into the boat next to her. She will be repaired and sold with the proceeds of the sale going to charity! 14 Cruising Outpost
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10/24/17 4:00 PM
The Sailor Who Played God!
Morgan Freeman and 10 Questions About His Cruising Lifestyle Cruising Outpost: In all the years that you have been cruising, what was your favorite place to anchor, and why?
Captain Morgan: Not really. Fame has grown considerably since those days.
Capt. Morgan I think My very favorite anchorage
Cruising Outpost: The
was the Hurricane Hole on St. John in the American Virgin Islands. I started going there in the early nineties. It was alive with reefs, fish and diving pelicans, but like many such places it got popular and popularity killed the reefs, the fish died and the pelicans went elsewhere.
Cruising Outpost: I noticed you sailed a ketch for many years. What was it about the rig that enticed you to go with a ketch?
Captain Morgan: Flexibility. Afrodesia is
folks at Shannon said you had a sewing machine built into your boat “ just in case” you didn’t make it as an actor. Is this true, and if so, what kind, and did you ever use it?
Captain Morgan: Not built into the boat. I had the sewing machine on Sojourner. I think my then wife, who had a lot of input on the interior design, might have asked for such a thing, but it was not very practical.
a staysail ketch which offers at least six sail configurations and can handle light, medium or high winds whether beating reaching or running.
Cruising Outpost: Have you made any major crossings aside from your voyage down to the Caribbean from Bristol?
Cruising Outpost: The Shannon you built to
Captain Morgan: No.
sail on was a 43’ version. What was it about that size vessel that you liked? Had you considered going larger?
Cruising Outpost: As someone who has sailed for decades, what advice would you give a new sailor?
Captain Morgan: I owned a Shannon 38 for about nine years. It was this boat, Sojourner that I left New York on and sailed to Bermuda, thence to St. Martin. She could not go to windward!
experience. Learn. Learn knots. Learn weather. Learn navigation. Learn lights. Learn the rules of the road. Learn yourself.
Cruising Outpost: With your busy schedule, how
Cruising Outpost: Now that you are 80, and
Captain Morgan: Well, off and on, quite a bit. I was actually living on the boat for a time. If a job called, I would sometimes leave the wife, depending on how long it would be, other times I would tie her in a marina.
Captain Morgan: Not.
much time did you actually have to cruise?
Cruising Outpost: Was your fame a problem when sailing? Were you bothered much by fans?
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Captain Morgan: It can be an intense learning
you are selling Afrodesia, do you think you will continue to sail? If so would it be chartering or with friends?
Cruising Outpost: What was the life-lesson you learned from sailing?
Capt. Morgan You get what you want.
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Cruising Outpost News
Outposters News If It’s Gonna Happen It’s Gonna Happen Out There
I used to be a people person, but people ruined that for me.
Issue #21
Evening Edition
Winter 2017-2018
What are the Odds?
In December, 2013, Capt. John Baker and his crew were forced to jump overboard when their fishing trawler, Gentle Lady, capsized due to large seas and the heavy weight of their catch. They were swimming for over six hours before they were rescued by Capt. Kevin Swimm (how appropriate) and his crew aboard the fishing trawler Ocean Concord. At some point in the process of all this, Captain Baker lost his wallet. Cut to the present: Captain Swimm was aboard Ocean Concord, trawling for clams in the same area where they rescued Capt. Baker and crew. It was the trawler’s last voyage before being retired. Among the clams brought up from the bottom was the lost wallet belonging to Captain Baker! It still contained his license, bank cards and a momento from his mother.
What’s the Point?
Men say women should come with instructions, but have you ever seen a man actually read the instructions?
The Ultimate Cruising Symposium!
Everything you need to learn about weather, oceanography, vessel strategies and resources, plus outfitting and handling all weather situations, will be presented January 13,14 & 15 at the Toronto International Boat Show. This three-day symposium will provide both the beginning and advanced boater (sail or power) with valuable knowledge for coastal or offshore blue water cruising. Learn why, and more importantly how you can predict variable weather scenarios, sea state conditions, plan and execute routing strategies, as well as properly equip and handle your own boat in all weather and sea state situations. The end result is all about gaining confidence in your ability to make safe, prudent decisions. This symposium is presented by three of the most experienced professionals in the cruising industry: Lee Cheneau - Marine Meteorologist, Frank Bohlen - Oceanographer, and Pam Wall - Cruising Consultant. They will combine meteorological and oceanographic topics, routing strategies and proper boat outfitting, using a combination of lectures as well as “hands on” exercises. Throughout the entire three days, there will be ample time for student Q&A and interaction with the instructors. For more information and to buy tickets for one, two, or all three days, visit www. torontoboatshow.com.
Nautical Trivia In modern terminology, to be “above board” means in the open, without dishonesty, concealment, or fraud. And yes, you guessed it, its origin is nautical. Any guesses where it came from? (Wanna cheat? Answer is on page 32)
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11/2/17 1:01 PM
Cruising Outpost News Lost & Found
Jingle Buoys
While sailing in the San Juan Islands, Bitchin lost his dolphin ring over the side. A few hours later Steadfast Diving (Sam Bold is on the left and Cody Kieliszewski on the right), who are based out of Roche Harbor, actually found it on the bottom, buried in sand and rock. They had to bounce over heavy seas for 14 miles just to reach Sucia, and then found it in less than 5 minutes. Thanks guys. We got tired of listening to Bitchin snivel about losing it (again!).
Facing Reality
If you live a life of make-believe, your life isn’t worth anything until you do something that does challenge your reality. And to me, sailing the open ocean is a real challenge, because it’s life or death. Morgan Freeman
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Cruising Outpost News
Dog vs. Cat: Battle of the Company Macots On the left we have Bradley, the office dog at Edson, looking a little lost in the “drill room.” Katie Kittie, at the CO Offices, has found a better way to pass the day.
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Time to Get Real
A man can pretend to be a lot of things in this world; but he can only pretend to be a sailor for as long as it takes to clear the harbour mouth! Bernard Hayman
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The Adventure Begins 38 Cruising Outpost
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DesirĂŠe docked at the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club just outside of Montreal, gearing up for the next leg
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Sailing Across An Ocean... The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test By Jessie Zevalkink
It’s snowing. Not just a little bit, but a-lot-a-bit. This morning it was specs of glitter falling kindly as dust. We motor through islands, mansions, forests, cottages, all appearing to be unoccupied. It’s absolutely beautiful. For a moment I think to myself how amazing this is – cruising the St. Lawrence River in the snow. There is no one. Just us. The wind picks up out the north. Glitter morphs into wet bullets. My enthusiasm turns to panic. That lovely moment I just had with remote islands, mansions, and glitter is history. I am wondering what the hell we are doing out here. The river is completely flooded due to this year’s rain and snowfall. Cabins look like they are floating. Trees, branches, and sections of dock drift down-bound alongside
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us. Snow hits my face sideways. Marinas are closed. When we phone ahead to find out if any docks can accommodate us
– voices are weary. This is the highest anyone has ever seen the river and it is putting a heavy delay on the start of their pleasurecraft season.
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Sailing Across An Ocean... Riviére Au Renard sunset - an unintentional and magical stopover in Quebec
Snow and flooding have me wondering why I thought this was a wise idea - to take the boat myself to the Atlantic Ocean. Then I remember: I received a $6000 quote to ship the boat to the East Coast…and
Sticking inside the St. Lawrence seaway channel, even though it was flooded.
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made a bet with my future husband Luke, that I could sail it out of the Great Lakes myself for less than half that price. At this very moment I’m wishing I could pull that $6000 out of my ass. Luke meets me next week in Montreal. He and I will sail across the Atlantic doublehanded to England. From my house to his house. An expedition we’ve decided to execute prior to marriage. Luke arrives in four days. Four days couldn’t come soon enough. Our tandem existence has revolved around long distance countdowns. This countdown feels like my hand is in the shredder. Hurry up Luke. I don’t have any fingernails left. I have a long list of projects to do before he arrives. But today I will do nothing. Absolutely nothing besides rest and recognize all the things I haven’t been able to. My mind shifts to the next leg of the trip. The part where Luke and I try to sail across an ocean. The ultimate pre-marital test. I’ve only made it 1/4 of the way without him. The other 3/4 is Luke-and-Jess-on-aboat.com. He is our new main character.
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The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test
The last of eight locks along the seaway
One problem: I like the river. I like locks. I like shoreline. I like the birds. I like the houses. I like the floating debris. I like talking to ships. I like waving to fisherman. I like watching the clouds pass from one tree line to the next. I like not knowing what’s around the next corner. I like seeking the next buoy. I like that they lead you to oceans. But I am scared of the ocean. It’s not that far ahead of me. I’m wishing this river would take us all the way to England. ***** Luke arrives with one large sail bag. In it are some shorts, T-shirts, one fleece, a smock, two pairs of socks, three pair of underwear and Sperry Topsiders. I’m unsure where he thinks he is going. Must he have forgotten we are sailing up to Newfoundland and across the North Atlantic via iceberg alley? We partake in a 24-hour honeymoon because we haven’t seen each other in nearly two months. Writing down our to-do list rips the stars from our eyes. We get to work. List: Swap out old sails with new HydeSails. Change all hardware from old mainsail to new. Fit third reef. Finish fitting inner-forestay. Put on stack-pack and lazy jacks. Install inverter. Organize ballast. Raise Hydrovane rudder and finish installation. Put together a better ditchwww.cruisingoutpost.com
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Luke helming us into the night
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Sailing Across An Ocean...
Port of Riviére Au Renard for a night’s rest and repairs
riding a bull. Luke is on the bow reefing the main and kit. Find fishing gear. Find best place to store Switlik life raft. Set-up jack-lines and tethers. Do something about the raising the staysail. The standing waves break over the bow. Luke is in the center of a washing machine and I 440 pounds of loose lead in the bilge. Register EPIRB. am on the sidelines getting sprinkled on. For the first Connect second solar pane. Calculate water and diesel time I understand how usage. Calculate battery difficult it is to watch usage. Find more charts. Jessie downloading weather to her iPad via the person you care most Fix the dodger. Top off Mazu Skymate weather ap for getting thrashed water /diesel. Engine around. I want to close check. Provision. my eyes. I tell myself Three days pass and to relax and get used we barely lift our heads to it because this is the to appreciate Quebec’s new normal. I focus on scenery. No breaks. The weather is not ready holding a steady course because I fall off every for us to go, but we are time I focus on Luke. ready to go. We know We tack back and better, but there is this forth into a 25-knot warped trait we share… headwind and white this eagerness to power water. The channel through anything. When narrows and the earth becomes black. For five hours we a challenge presents itself we both want it. tack 35 plus times in-between ships, a mountain, and The wind rips out of the northeast on the nose as we depart Quebec City. Honeymoon shifts to hurricane. shallows with only a 1/4 mile of space. Exhilaration becomes exhaustion. Light chop turns to standing waves. I am at the helm
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The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test
Arriving in Quebec City, where we spent four days prepping to sail to Newfoundland
We both sleep for two hours out of the last 24. It requires all hands on deck to make it through the night. After 110 miles we turn up the Saguenay River into a seven-knot ripping ebb tide. Don’t ask why, but we try it anyway. Two hours later we make it two miles up the river and tie up to a dock at the Tadousaac Marina which hasn’t even opened for the season yet. We rest. We will try again tomorrow. On our second attempt towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence we relearn that we are, in not fact, invincible. Without providing the detailed weather report, let’s just say… the mouth of the St. Lawrence seaway is chewing us up and spitting us out. More of a regurgitation than a spit. We are receiving neon rejection signs and starting to think we should read them. www.cruisingoutpost.com
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The 20-knot predicted headwind is substituted with a Force 9 gale. It’s raining. It’s black. It’s building. The waves grow into hills. The hills push us back into the river. The wind becomes an impenetrable force. We tack back and forth. We cover no ground. The second reef The daily fog that is in main and stay-sail have born in the Gulf of Desirée pleasant to helm. St. Lawrence The wave chop treats us like a rocking horse. We are stationary, teetertottering on springs. We tack for a few hours with the engine on so we can point just a few degrees higher. The engine shuts off after it sucks in air instead of fuel on a starboard tack. Rookie mistake. I go down below to bleed fuel in a gale. Diesel is everywhere. She starts running. I start to feel sick. By 1:00 am we agree to turn around and run with the gale to the nearest safe harbor. Luke drops the main. We oscillate
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Sailing Across An Ocean...
Moody skies and rays of sun just before our first gale
between the rolling hills and run with just the staysail. I am shaking, almost violently. I can’t get my body temperature up. I don’t know if I am shaking from adrenaline, shaking from exhaustion, or shaking from the cold. I feel weak. My mind and body are not working together. We surf double-overhead downwind and take turns helming. Ten-foot waves and 40 knots of wind. I throw up. I still can’t stop shaking, but I seem to be functioning. Luke is okay, seems perfectly fine actually, aside from the tired in his bloodshot eyes. He is serious. A light smile here and there. He stares at the sunrise and appreciates it fully, while I can’t seem to find space to appreciate. Focus takes all of me. I bleed more fuel from the engine when we near port after having it shut off for the second time. Tons and tons of bubbly fuel. So much that I pour it back into a jerry can. I spill diesel everywhere. All over the floor. All over my boots, legs, hands. The inside of Desirée looks like it’s rolled over a time or three. Shit is everywhere. Even my underwear drawer came hurling off the wall. I pass Luke the can of diesel and he tops off the tank. He, too, spills everywhere. All over his Sperry’s, legs, hands. All over the cockpit floor. The engine starts and stays on. We keep the boat flat as possible upon approach.
Go Cruising, Not Camping High Output Water Makers for Showers
DC Refrigeration for Cold Beer and Ice Cream at Anchor
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11/2/17 11:15 AM
The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test
Luke is excited about his HydeSails and experiments with the mizzen staysail
I am impressed by our teamwork, impressed with Luke, disappointed in my physical self. Frustrated by the way my mind feels perfectly fine, prepared, comfortable, while my physical self is in a war zone. I am unable to talk myself out of feeling hypothermic, exhausted, and bilious. I thought I could do that - talk myself out of it. But I can’t. I soldier through silently, feeling unfit for the job as a result. Luke is an animal up on deck. A legend. Agile, quick-footed, and precise. He can raise, drop, reef, untangle anything in seconds. He knows exactly what to do and when to do it. And as for me… well, I know how to get the engine started. Everything takes longer than we think. Nothing is convenient. Chores are endless. Boat life requires strong effort from both of us. Even when I’ve had my ass handed to me, I always feel ready to go the next day. I don’t know why it takes these kinds of extremes to stir up fervent motivation, but it’s addicting. Everything requires more work than I have ever put in on land. The anticipation of crossing an ocean for the first time might be the death of me but the thought of going back to light switches, thermostats, stability and shelter is in a far-away corner of my mind. We will make it out of this beautiful and malicious seaway. Newfoundland, here we come. www.cruisingoutpost.com
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It Still Rains i by Jess Lloyd-Mostyn
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s in Paradise
It’s raining today in Fiji. Or perhaps I should say, it’s raining again in Fiji. In the last few weeks we’ve been making passages through the reef systems of this beautiful island group, but progress has been slow as we’ve been weather dodging, trying our best to avoid huge rain downpours whilst underway.
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Shocking as it may seem, we get a lot of rain. This shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise but, for some reason, once people know that you’re off sailing in exotic locations, it’s never an image of a rainy day that comes to mind. Well, perhaps it will come
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A squall approaches while sailing off the coast of Costa Rica
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Below: A rain dance is a great way to save fresh water by showering outside A far off squall dumps its rain out at sea as a nice surprise if you’re reading this whilst gazing at a wintery scene through your window. It rains here. It rains a lot. I think that the real issue is the flippant use of the word “paradise.” Since leaving England we’ve spent the whole of the last three years living in the tropics and we’ve heard pretty much every single place we’ve stopped in referred to as “paradise.” It’s mentioned on the VHF radio nets in the mornings, it’s written all over the cruising guides, and we, too, find it creeping into our everyday vocabularies more and more. World cruising throughout the tropics means that your sailing routes can hit some of the countries and places that people have always dreamed of. The dream will always include a cloudless sky and is further fuelled by every book, postcard and every brochure image that is a record of such places. Tahiti, St Lucia, Fiji, the Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, every single one of them trades on the merit of being a glamorous utopia. Emails or Skype calls with our friends and families back home often touch on a note of jealousy about the weather as people tend to picture us, bobbing gently below a clear sky of blazing sunshine. And yet, although we see www.cruisingoutpost.com
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Palm trees in the background, rain in the foreground
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Adamastor at anchor - French Polynesia
The lush palm trees of St. Lucia in the Caribbean, thanks to the rains 52 Cruising Outpost
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the photographs of the lush vegetation, the verdant hills and the wealth of unusual and colourful flowers which sit so well with our personal understanding of “paradise,” people, in general, fail to realise that such fertility is fuelled by rain. Tropical rain has a character all its own. London may have showers, or a continuous drizzle for a day, but the rains that we’ve encountered in recent years have much more theatre and spectacle to them. A rainstorm can start in an instant, but with a force that can’t be ignored. It’s like someone flipping a switch. It can pound so heavily that it’s actually quite pleasurable to stand out in it, as it’s stronger than any water pressure you’d get from a shower in a bathroom. The water drums on every surface and cleans our decks in moments. Rain obliterates the mainland from your view, makes the channel you’re sailing towards disappear or suddenly renders a towering mountain invisible. The rains that we experience are so forceful and so sudden that a distinct wall of white can be seen moving towards you when it comes. It’s accompanied by a roar of water and a sudden flurry of movement as every boat at anchor closes itself up, hatches shut and all signs of life gone, like a turtle drawing into its shell. Sometimes the wall of rain comes with intense gusts of wind, coming as if from nowhere. This sends the water flying horizontally and sets the boat bucking and straining at its anchor. If you’re underway, you have only seconds in which to reef down once you spot the wall of white approaching. Or, it can be the opposite, still and windless, with fat, heavy, relentless drops hammering down. Sometimes it’s even a bit of both, with unpredictable swings and changes in wind direction as well as strength, making sailing through it a real challenge. Rain in the tropics does, at least, tend to be quite warm, so if you’re caught out in a storm you generally won’t be shivering. But what gives it a real personality is the sheer volume of water that falls in one of these deluges. We lived on our boat in Panama through one hurricane season. Tucked in as far south as that, you’re safe from tropical storms, but you are most definitely not spared from the full force of the rains that are associated with weather disturbances further north. It can easily rain non-stop for three days. It’s during this type of persistent downpour that you will really be aware of any leaks on board if you hadn’t noticed them before. These rains can be trying. Everything feels damp and there is no way of drying out soaked clothing, cushions or bedding. The humidity is announced cheerfully over the radio as being 100% and everything you touch seems to be saturated. There are times when you might feel somewhat stir-crazy as torrential rain results in a sort of boat-arrest where your only option is to hunker down. In our pre-baby boating lives we would resort to good www.cruisingoutpost.com
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Advanced Mainsail Management books and good movies, snuggling down into our cocoon of a cabin for a few days. Surprisingly, rainy days with an infant have resulted in even more delightful distractions. The week that we were almost entirely boat bound due to the heavy rains in northern Fiji meant that we had some truly lovely quality family time together. Sailing a route through a series of islands and countries, as we are doing in the Pacific, means that if you get hit by the rains during the limited time you have in one place, you may miss out on seeing it altogether. We had great weather in Bora Bora, but friends who arrived later than us had a solid fortnight of rain. Our 10 days in Rarotonga in the Cook islands included only three days of sunshine. It pays to remember that one aspect of life in the tropics is that the people who live there year-round are excited by the rain. They look forward to it and rejoice in it as opposed to our view in England of wishing it away. Rain feeds crops, nurtures plants, sustains animals and provides clean water for drinking, bathing, cooking and laundry. Cruisers too, for all our dislike of rain when navigating reefs, love the opportunity to fill our water tanks. We have no watermaker on board so rain catchment has always been a huge benefit of a few rainy days. We cover our aft deck with extra buckets, stretch a tarpaulin out or even collect rainwater from our dinghy and reap the rewards for the rest of the week. I’m especially appreciative of this extra water now that we have a baby on board and every day is laundry day. There’s something that feels very satisfying about harvesting your own fresh water to live on in this way. So, the next time that England looks grey and miserable and you silently curse your cruiser friends enjoying the sunshine on the other side of the earth, imagining them in some idyllic location, you should stop and remember to add a hefty dose of rain to that sublime image you’re painting. Or else, feel smug, as you’re the lucky ones whilst we’re longing for some of that glorious rain so we can fill our water tanks. WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM
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ermaid M Hannah
Connecting Two Worlds
By Rich “Magic” Marker
PHOTO CREDIT: CHANEL BAREN
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11/6/17 10:52 AM
PHOTO CREDIT: CHANEL BAREN
Imagine a golden-skinned woman with her blonde hair streaming out behind her, swimming alongside two humpback whales. Her slender torso transforms, at her waist, into a long glittering blue tail that flares out, where her feet should be, into a large double fluke. She undulates through the water, stretching her arms in front of her as the whales dip above and below. Imagine this same woman swimming with great white sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, seals and dolphins, smiling all the while, twisting in the water, bending her body into S-shapes and half-circles as she swims and plays in the sea. Her name is Hannah Fraser, and she’s not a creature of legend and myth, but a real-life, present-day, professional mermaid. Hannah Fraser travels all over the world and is the most famous of the professional mermaids working today. A recent Businessweek article even called her the “Angelina Jolie of the tail business.” She’s also, arguably, the one who invented the profession. Of all the girls who grew up dreaming of mermaids, it was Hannah who grew up and actually became one. There’s something wonderful and brave about someone taking that seemingly impossible step, taking a dream and making it a reality. Now girls all over the world are following in Hannah Fraser’s fluked pathway, www.cruisingoutpost.com
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and discovering their own mermaid selves. Hannah quit her job as a photographer and an artist to become a full-time mermaid in 2003. She has worked non-stop to make her passion a career, and in 2010 left her hometown of Byron Bay, Australia for Los Angeles to create more mermaid career opportunities. Putting her artistic talents to use, she’s invested thousands of hours (and dollars) into her tails and continues to create new ones. A tail is made from a FINIS Competitor Monofin covered with 3mm neoprene wetsuit material. Hannah collaborates with silicon artists SeeThroughSea.com and FinFolk Productions for the tails’ stunning decorative fins. Each tail can take over six months to make. Hannah says, “For me it is a work of art that has to be fully functional as well as beautiful. There are so many elements to deal with. It needs to be flexible, long lasting, comfortable, safe, aesthetically pleasing and as realistic as possible.” There’s a lot of intensive sewing, gluing, and constructing. It’s a labor of love, but worth
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PHOTO CREDIT: SHAWN HEINRICHS
PHOTO CREDIT: SEATHROUGHSEA.COM
“Mermaids represent a unique bridge between the human and ocean world to inspire connection back to nature, and offer a voice to communicate the environmental issues that face us at this point.”
PHOTO CREDIT: EMILY GUMMIG
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it in the end. And not only do they look good - they help her swim FAST. Her support divers can have trouble keeping up with her as she swims and performs underwater - it’s a good thing she can hold her breath for up to two minutes! Hannah is a passionate ocean activist, and appears regularly to educate audiences on ocean conservation. In 2007 she co-organized a “paddle-out” against Japanese dolphin slaughter, during which a group of activists attempted to shield dolphins being slaughtered in Taiji, Japan. “I helped organize and participated in the surfers paddle out into the bloody waters of the Taiji cove where dolphins were being slaughtered. The fishermen there were very angry at being filmed committing these violent acts and began to attack us with long fishing sticks and push their boat propellers towards our legs. We held a circle for 20 minutes while the remaining live dolphins squealed and spy hopped, looking at us, and moving towards us as if they knew we were there to help. We were unable to free any of them as the cove was roped off by the fishermen. Eventually we had to leave and all of the dolphins were slaughtered. This goes on for six months of every year. While we were able to bring the footage to the rest of the world and bring a great deal of awareness, we are still campaigning to end this useless killing.” This became one of the first actions to raise attention on dolphin killings in Japan and was later featured in the Oscar award winning documentary, The Cove. “This is the part of my job that gives me most satisfaction, where I feel like I can be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. The ocean creatures are unique, magnificent, intelligent and imperative in our world’s ecosystem to keep the environment balanced. Seeing these animals diminishing in number around the planet, getting sick from pollution, being slaughtered by humans, and fished into extinction, breaks my heart. I decided to create beautiful images of the connection possible between humans and ocean creatures to inspire people around the world to protect and love them.” You can follow Hannah Mermaid on twitter @HannahMermaid or visit her website: www.hannahfraser.com. www.cruisingoutpost.com
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PHOTO CREDIT: BRETT STANLEY
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Land Of The
Cruising the Inside Passage
A
fter arriving in Southeast Alaska from Hawaii at the end of June, 2016, we spent six weeks cruising the Inside Passage on our Liberty 458 sailboat. The voyage from Sitka to Juneau was a great introduction to “high� latitude sailing; we feasted on crisp fresh air, breathtaking scenery and close encounters with bald eagles and whales. From Juneau we travelled south through the inside waterways to Petersburg, visiting the Sawyer Glacier at Tracy Arm on the way. After a stop in Petersburg to catch up with friends, we headed further south to Ketchikan and the famously beautiful Misty Fjords. Observing black bears and sailing amongst icebergs were unforgettable experiences and we would like to share some of the high spots of our voyage.
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M
Midnight Sun from Juneau to Misty Fjords By Suzy Carmody FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE SUN NEVER COMPLETELY DIPS BELOW THE HORIZON IN ALASKA’S NORTHERN LOCATIONS. IN THE SUMMER, THE SUN IS VISIBLE
AT MIDNIGHT. PARTS OF ALASKA ARE BATHED IN 24 HOURS OF DAYLIGHT. IN BARROW, THE SUN DOESN’T SET FOR 84 DAYS.
The Amazing Tracy Arm
Juneau has everything to offer the cruise-line tourists, but the old world charm has almost obliterated the traditional soul of the old fishing town. Nonetheless, it is a vibrant and thriving city and is a lot of fun to visit for a day or two. Once we had completed our provisioning, we departed Auke Bay (near Juneau), ultimately bound for Ketchikan two or three weeks later. We had heard wonderful tales of the prodigious salmon to be found at Sweetheart Creek (in the bay gloriously named Port Snettisham). It was about a day’s sail away, so perfect for our first night’s anchorage. The next morning, armed with fishing rods and bear spray, we headed up the creek to test our river fishing skills.
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Black bear at Anan Bay Wildlife Observatory
Creek Street, Ketchikan, the bawdy centre of the old fishing town
Kasaan Totum being Carved
Cruisers helping carve
Casting below the waterfall in Sweetheart Creek – didn’t get a bite!
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We were enjoying the remote beauty of the spot until to go up in the dinghy. We paddled quietly most of the the creek turned out to be too shallow and we had to get way as we didn’t want the noise of the engine to scare out and drag the dinghy to the bank. We spotted tracks off the wildlife, and a light north wind gave us a boost. where the grass had been crushed by bears; apparently It was fantastically scenic and peaceful, and in amongst they often roam along the same paths. Talking loudly the meanders we found a deep pool filled with schools of and feeling nervous, we walked It was fantastically scenic and peaceful, and in amongst the up stream until we found a lovely waterfall. The pool looked perfect for meanders we found a deep pool filled with schools of salmon. salmon (or so we thought), but not a We were followed up stream by two seals and from the height one did we see. We practiced casting of the bank we watched them hunting the salmon in the pools. for a while, found some bear pooh and decided to call it a day. The Sawyer Glacier lies at the end of a fjord named salmon. We were followed up stream by two seals and from Tracy Arm on the east side of Stephens Passage. We the height of the bank we watched them hunting the salmon anchored at the mouth of the bay and got up early for in the pools. This did not bode too well for our fishing our 50 nm round trip into iceberg country. We had been success, but surprisingly, I managed to snag one. We were briefed on the difference between growlers (icebergs, not very worried that a bear would smell the blood and get bears!) and bergie bits, and were advised to keep a sharp hungry, so we hurried back to the dinghy and got the heck lookout and to steer clear of ones that looked top-heavy out of there. Petersburg and the in case they rolled over. There were only a few icebergs in the first half of the trip, but they got denser as we got Anan Bay Wildlife Observatory closer to the glacier. Dodging between them was a bit Petersburg was originally settled a hundred years ago like playing a computer game and good communication by a Norwegian, who opened a cannery there because of the between look-out and quality of the glacial helm was essential. water. It still has a Masses of icebergs very Norske feel to the made access to the place, with rosemaling South Sawyer Glacier paintings on the eaves very hazardous, but we and shutters of the were able get up close houses. There are a to the North Sawyer couple of marinas Glacier. We followed in the harbour and a tourist boat in, and several fish processing using their experience plants. At low tide it is to guide us, we got to a landscape of masts within 200 meters of and pilings. We caught the glacier front. It was up with Nancy and the very active with ice Commodore, friends blocks tumbling from on S/V Flashgirl who the top and huge, icy-blue slabs fracturing off the front we had last seen eight months ago in the Marquesas. It is accompanied by a grumbling roar. My husband, Neil, always wonderful to see old friends in new surroundings. was in the dinghy taking pictures of Distant Drummer in The route south from Petersburg passes through the front of the glacier and I had to turn quickly to shelter him Wrangell Narrows, a channel which is about 20 nm long from the waves generated as the slabs landed in the water. and only a 100 meters wide in places. Timing has to be well We didn’t hang around long. It was soothing to return to planned with the tides. Heading south, the idea is to pass the tranquillity of the fjord and watch icebergs float by, Green Point at high water slack when the southerly flood marveling at their sculpture. in the upper part of the channel changes to a southerly ebb On the move again, and we motored further south to in the lower part of the channel. By the time we left, the Sandborn Canal, another fjord on the east side of Stephens fog had mostly lifted and we enjoyed the passage through. Passage. This time the river was deep enough at high tide Ticking off the buoys was like playing Bingo!
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Anan Creek (near Wrangell) boasts the largest run of pink salmon in Southeast Alaska. Brown and black bears, as well as bald eagles, come down to the creek to fish, and the Anan Bay Wildlife Observatory provides a (relatively) safe platform to observe the wildlife. The anchorage in Anan Bay on the Bradfield Canal is not great (steep and rocky), but we took a chance and dropped the pick. We really wanted to see some bears. Permits, required to enter the reserve, can be bought on line and it is wise to plan ahead, as they can be booked up for many days in advance. A park ranger, located on a hut on the beach, checks permits and leads visitors up to the viewing platform beside a waterfall in the creek. As soon as we arrived we saw a mature black bear come lumbering down the opposite bank. After staring intently into the water for a while, it pounced in head first and snatched up a fish with its mouth, then hauled itself out and disappeared into a cave to feed. It was comical to watch the younger bears’ attempts at catching salmon. They’d dither on the rocks for ages, then plunge in, come up empty handed (or mouthed) and look around in the water to see what happened. Another mature bear, tatty from a recent fight, arrived and grabbed out a salmon. Then we listened to the snaps and grunts as it devoured the fish underneath the viewing platform. A couple of bald eagles were perched in the trees opposite the platform. They didn’t hunt, but preened and watched the antics of the bears and the tourists.
Prince of Wales Island
After an overnight in Myer’s Chuck, we crossed the Clarence Strait to visit Prince of Wales Island. The southern part of the island is being quite extensively logged which is a shame, but considering the vast tracts of forest we have sailed through with trees as far as the eye can see, the area being logged is exceedingly small. Thorne Bay was our first anchorage and we could hear chain saws when we woke up. Our next stop was the Haida settlement of Kasaan in Kasaan Bay. The old community house there has been rebuilt and the totems, dating from the 1880s, have been restored. It was a beautiful bike ride through the forest to the house site with various totems hidden amongst the trees. We met the carvers who were working on a new totem for the rededication ceremony in September, 2016. It was great to see the traditional craft being interpreted and practiced in a modern way.
Ketchikan
It was a one-day sail crossing the Clarence Strait again to reach Ketchikan. The town has a quaint pioneer atmosphere: the wooden houses cling to the steep hills with roads built on wooden treadles running between them. It has boomed from various industries including
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fishing, mining and lumber, and is now firmly on the cruise itinerary with at least three huge ships calling each day. Creek Street, which was the old Red Light district, has been polished up for tourists with gift shops and jewelry stores, but the salmon still come up the creek to spawn (as the celebrated courtesan, Dolly, noted). After spawning they die, so unfortunately, the creek was full of dead or dying salmon and didn’t smell too sweet, but it’s a nice still a place to stroll after the last ship has left. We were lucky enough to be there for the Blueberry Festival which was great fun - like an English village fair. The day started (for us) with the Slug Race. My money was on a most revolting 49g white slug named “Slimy Carter.” The slugs were placed in a heap in the centre of a round table and it was a race to the edge. We didn’t wait around to see the finals, so we’ll never know if Slimy Carter stole the show. Later in the afternoon it was time for a cool beer and the Beard and Moustache Competition. Four blonde judges giggled and took notes as six beards and one moustache were paraded in front of the crowd. A guy whose beard was sprayed bright blue won for artistic interpretation, and the moustache won the People’s Choice.
Misty Fjords
Our last stop before the Canadian border was the Misty Fiords National Monument. The scenery is described as an incredible, jaw-dropping and majestic wonderland, but for us it lived up to its misty reputation and we didn’t really appreciate the splendor. The inlets are deep and narrow, and above the tree line the steep rock faces have been smoothed and curved by the ice of glaciers which have long since receded. U-shaped valleys perch like bowls on the skyline drained by streams which tumble into waterfalls down the cliff face. We anchored in several of the fjords on the east side of the Behm Canal and appreciated the stark and nebulous mood of the landscape. At Punchbowl Cove in Rudyerd Bay, we took the dinghy ashore and walked up the trail beside the waterfall to a lake in the valley above. The trail could have been created for Bilbo Baggins: steps carved into fallen tree trunks, stairs made of logs and everything was covered in a thick layer of soft, spongy moss. Bear tracks and poo reminded us to keep singing and talking as we crawled under fallen trees and scrambled over rock falls. The lake was spectacular and the Forestry Service had kindly left a canoe for visitors to use. We paddled through the still water up to the bare rock faces and admired the dramatic beauty of the place. Late summer was an ideal time to be cruising the tranquil waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage. Most of the summer season boats had headed south, leaving peace and solitude for us to enjoy having this beautiful wilderness almost to ourselves.
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View from Tracy Arm Cove at the mouth of Holkham Bay
Icebergs floating in the water in the passage to Sawyer Glacier
Our fishing spot up the creek at Swanborn Canal www.cruisingoutpost.com
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What a life -seals sun-bathing in Petersburg
Anchored behind Carp Island, Smeaton Bay in Misty Fjords
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L i fe s t yle
A Look at Why We Do What we Do Ever wondered why people love the boating lifestyle? Well, here in the Lifestyle section folks from all over the world give an insight into what it’s really like out there. If you have a photo you think tells a good tale, why not send it to us? We prefer you send a digital pic, in as high resolution as you can. Tell us who took the pic and where it was taken. We will probaby throw it into our “digital pile” and pull it out someday. We won’t send you any money, but you will be famous worldwide! Email to: Lifestyle@Cruisingoutpost.com.
By Mark Roozendaal, S/V Speakeasy anchored in Bahia Coyote, Sea of Cortez, Mexico
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Just another day in paradise
Taylor Swift swimming off boat
By Ralph Erickson of old friends sailing
By Amy Norton, first bareboat charter
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By Peter of Candy, Lala and Maria on the bow heading from Bimini to the Sapona wreck for snorkeling
By Cindy Holden,Tenacity in Cahleta, Madeira
By Dan, S/V Long Windid anchored at the head of Cook’s Bay in Moorea, French Polynesia
By Chuck Queen, sailing off the coast of Croatia from KomiĹža toward the Island of Bisevos and the Blue Cave - Loreen Haubner from Chemnitz, Saxony, German, is the lady enjoying the day.
From Richard in the Bahamas
By Carl from S/V Neshuma looking towards BBQ Island in the San Blas
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By Chris of Hamilton Island races, Whitsunday Islands in Queensland, off Airlie Beach
By Sally Stuart of raft-up at Cochiti Lake, SantaFe, NM
By Tim on the York River near Seaford, VA from on board S/V Morning Breeze
By Doug Shipley of his crew hard at work!
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By Gary of his wife on their 25th anniversary fishing trip to Kanai Peninsula
By Kevin & Barbara, somewhere in the Caribe
By Charles Scott, 60 feet above the pavement inspecting the rig of Antares in St. Clair Shores, Michigan
By Jordon Rogers, sailing out of Port Canaveral
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Of Timothy & Tabitha, the traveling gnomads, sailing from Two Harbors on Catalina to Long Beach aboard S/V Merry Time
By Gary, sailing through the Philippines
By Aubrey Laughlin of Susan and “Jack” sailing in the Florida Keys
Suzy Jo aboard the Edna Mae in Key West with her dog “dog”
Of Robin Stout with her new pet alligators
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By Deena Mitchell of Freddie passing through Angels Gate
By Allen Duran, Redondo Beach, CA
By Jim Miller on a Catalina crossing
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By Terri Potts-Chattaway of fun in the bay
By Richard Frankhulzen, the Soggy Dollar Bar, BVIs
Bobbie Vurro aboard the Edna Mae, Key West, FL
Bruce & Jo Ballinger, Miami By David, Cabo San Lucas, MX
From Terry Billingsby of The Bight, BVIs
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By Al, aboard the Sea Cottage at Bohicket Marina near Kiawah Island, SC
By Steven Meckstroth of Marina Cay, BVIs
Jeff Thornton on first day out after a bad car accident... life is good again!
From Jim Gilchrist of Silver Lining, Galapagos, taken by David Wynn
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Cruising Outposters
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s
Gift Giving Guide!
This is what he really wants!
Captain’s Wine Decanter
Custom etched boating wine decanter. Wide base for stability! Beautiful Etching all around.
$140
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Cruising The Upper Caribbean By Shane McClellan
When blondes have more fun, do they know it?
Editor’s Note: It will become obvious that this article and others were written prior to the massive destruction the Caribbean suffered this past hurricane season. Our hearts go out to all the wonderful people, places and businesses there.
I
have owned my Lagoon 410, Guiding Light, for eight years now and the last six of those years I have run it as a charter boat in the Virgin Islands. Well, this year I blocked out a period of time starting in mid-April so my girlfriend and I could go cruising for six weeks. I chose to make a loop from Virgin Gorda in the BVI down to Montserrat along the eastern islands, and then back north along the western ones. I have written about our time on each island extensively through my blog, but I would like to take some time and give you my highlights and recommendations for each island.
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Sombrero Island – We started off with perfect weather for visiting this deserted island. It has the remains of three different lighthouses and was a huge phosphate mining operation. It sits 35 miles north of Anguilla, which owns it, and 55 miles southeast of Virgin Gorda. We had very little swell and the wind was below five knots, which is what I recommend if you visit. The mile-long by half-a-mile-wide island is a 40-foothigh plateau sticking out of the sea and looks like an aircraft carrier as you approach. You anchor in 70 feet of water on the western side to the south end of the ruins.
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On Barbuda, enjoying a ride
There is a metal ladder sitting six to seven feet off the water and is the only way onto the island. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to tie the dinghy and the ladder is to high up to swim in, so you will need to have someone wait in the dinghy as you explore what is now a huge bird colony with pretty cool ruins as the setting. St. Barts – We continued to take advantage of the calm weather and skipped St. Martin to get a bit further south and St. Barts did not disappoint us. While the town of Gustavia is about as cute as you can find, the anchorage is quite crowded and can be on the rolly side. As much as we liked the town, we loved Anse De Colombier cove at the northern tip even more. This deserted cove has a great beach, nice snorkeling, good protection, and free moorings to help you completely relax. Another fun anchorage is Ile Fourchue, which is a small island four miles away and where I ended up finding a treasure trove of goods, but that is another story. Barbuda – Given the islands we wanted to see, I decided to motor directly into the wind for the 60 miles to St. Barts in calm weather
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Barbuda so we could have nice sails to each of the islands the 15,000 residents had to abandon their island. Today you that follow. Barbuda is paired with Antigua forming an can get a wonderful tour of the destruction by Joe Phillips. independent country and most people don’t know you can Make sure you ask him to take you into Plymouth, which check in at Barbuda if you will cost a little more but provide 48-hour notice. is well worth it. You will Once checked in, find anchor at Little Bay, which George Jeffery who can has a nice beach, but I like take you on a tour to see the the beach at Rendezvous Bay largest frigate bird colony better and you can dinghy in the world. He can also there or have a great hike be your water taxi across over the hill. I was amazed the lagoon if you anchor in at how wonderful and happy Low Bay to enjoy 11 Mile the people are given the Beach. We rode our bikes to hardship they have suffered, Two Foot Bay to see, among and I know you will love this other caves, one that was an island as we did. The route taken by Guiding Light incline and got you to the Nevis – Our favorite top of the “Highlands” 114 island’s name is a corruption feet up. On the way back, of the Spanish word for you can visit the Codrington estate ruins (they owned the snow, because Christopher Columbus saw the permanent island in years past), and take the trail to the very cool cloud sitting above the peak on Nevis and called the Darby Sink Hole (I wrote a blog giving directions to get island Our Lady of the Snows. What sold us on this there). At the southern end, Gravenor Bay is very secluded island, besides the beauty and coolness of the mountain and has wonderful coral heads to snorkel. and cloud, was a hike we did from Golden Rock estate to Antigua – Of all the islands we visited, Antigua is the Hermitage House estate. It turns out the Hermitage House one I need to revisit just to see everything I missed. There are is the oldest wooden house in the Caribbean and is a coves and anchorages to explore all around the island, and wonderful spot to have lunch after the hike. We also liked thanks to a long reef, the north and east coast are available soaking our feet in the hot spring near the Bath Hotel of also. Antigua is a great hub for cruising because of all the 1778, which was the first resort in the Caribbean and the services available. We stayed at Falmouth Harbor next to Botanical Gardens were gorgeous. Nevis is known for English Harbor and visited the Nelson Dockyard, which is being the birthplace of both Alexander Hamilton and the one of only four World Heritage Sites in the Lesser Antilles. wife of Admiral Nelson. The other famous residents are This historic shipyard took care of the English fleet for over the green back monkeys. a hundred years and now it is St. Kitts – The other part an active working museum of this country is St. Kitts, On the island of Antigua, English Harbor that you can dock your boat which at first did not impress at. One tip I can give you is us. That was due to the lack to make sure you check in/ of anchorages. Basically, out at Jolly Harbor instead of you have White House Bay English Harbor, to save a lot with a good anchorage on of money. the southern end. There are a Montserrat – Back couple other fun bays around in 1995 Mt. Soufriere this area. After that you have started erupting and buried the anchorage off Basseterre, Plymouth, the capital of the capital, but you will not Montserrat, under mud. be comfortable if the winds Two thirds of the island is are south of east. Luckily, uninhabitable and 10,000 of you can get a slip in the
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Nevis & St. Kitts
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marina. Towards the northwest end of the island is St. Kitts Marine Works, which also has a few slips. Once ashore, the secrets of this island start to reveal themselves. The main attraction is Brimstone Hill Fort, a World Heritage Site, where we spent half a day exploring. You also have Caribelle Batik at Romney Manor where you can see the making of beautiful fabrics and explore the ruins of a sugar factory that was run on water power. The last thing we did was ride the St. Kitts Scenic Railroad, the last railroad in the Caribbean. A little secret: if you go tell them you ARE NOT on a cruise ship you save a ton of money. St. Eustatuis – Would you believe tiny, little Statia (as it is called) was once the trade capital of the Caribbean and would have up to 300 ships anchored in the roadstead? Well, today is a different story and you might be one of only a couple boats as you look upon the shore and see a narrow strip of land between the water and the cliff behind it. On this strip of land, called Lower Town, is where you will find ruins of warehouses and
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The island of Statia
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Montserrat
wharfs. Many of them are underwater, making some great snorkeling. Ashore, the fort, Dutch Church, and museum can all be explored in a couple hours, but my favorite activity was hiking to the rim of The Quill. This dormant volcano is a great hike and has a true rim and amazing views as you sit in the wispy clouds. Saba – You will not hear me say this very often about an island, but I recommend you fly to Saba. The two anchorages are open and either very rough or a wet mile-and-a-half dinghy ride away from the one place you can gain access to this almost impenetrable island. Now once you are ashore, it is a totally different matter as you take in the Dutch Caribbean culture in the perfect little towns of The Bottom, Windwardside, St. Johns, and Hell’s Gate. You should check out the hike to the top of Mt., Scenery that is a very steep staircase, but well worth the exertion. We liked the Dutch Museum and the Saba Museum, but for me The Ladder was the must see, because it was how all goods and people got on the island until 1970. Another fun story is the Road That Couldn’t Be Built, which, according to Dutch engineers, was impossible. Leave it Saba Island - Not to be confused with Saba Rock (above right) which is in the North Sound of Virgin Gorda, BVIs
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Saba Rock - Not to be confused with Saba Island (below, left)
to the Sabeans to take a correspondence course on road building in the 1930s and built it themselves. Anguilla – A unplanned and unexpectedly delightful stop was on Anguilla. The one bad thing is you have to stay in Road Bay unless you get an expensive ($54 a day for my boat) cruising permit, but we simply rented a car and drove all over this island. There are 33 beaches and each one has a unique charm. My favorite was Little Bay which is surrounded by cliffs. You either have to visit by boat or climb down the 50foot cliff. Even though it is expensive, I highly recommend getting the permit for at least a day. We took the boat to Sandy Island to find a sandy paradise surrounded by perfect water. Next, we ventured four to five miles to the northwest for Prickly Pear Cays, which has a nice beach, two bars, and reef. The last stop was another our to five miles to Dog Island, which had another fun beach and zero bars. It also put us 10 miles closer to the BVI, which I needed to sail back to in order to get back to my charters. This cruise was amazing and everything I had hoped. In fact, I am already thinking about next year’s cruise further south once I end my season in mid-April. Who wants to join? Anchored off Anguilla
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Cruising Outpost’s F Joins the 17th Annual P
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s First Share the Sail l PNW Cruisers’ Weekend
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 20 years since we started our Share the Sail flotilla charters with Latitudes & Attitudes, taking our readers on adventures all over the world. We figured what better way to restart than in conjunction with our 17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Event. We started out at the San Juan Sailing Center in Bellingham, Washington. We knew we’d picked the right company when, as we arrived to board the boats, they were having a birthday party for Danielle, one of their staff. All who were there to pick up boats were invited to join.
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Cruising Outpost’s First Share the Sail The crew at San Juan Sailing in Bellinghm
Rick giving charter skippers info on tides and rocks
At the Skipper’s Meeting, Rick and Roger took plenty of time to explain to the charter captains what to watch out for. The Pacific Northwest is not an easy place to cruise, but it is about as beautiful as anyplace I have ever sailed. Everyone who was taking out a boat sat through a two-hour briefing that covered how to avoid rocks, and most of all, how to work with the tides. They have a diurnal tide that can reach 10-12 feet, so passes can get extremely dangerous. I have to admit, it was the longest and most detailed briefing I have ever been to, and it was the best. Nothing was left unanswered. It was kinda funny for our “skippers.” You see, the skippers on our boats each had more than 30 years of boating experience as captains. Capt. Jeff (and Marie) Inshaw, who would be skippering the second boat, has been a professional captain for over 30 years, including his most recent gig skippering a 67’ catamaran in the Caribbean for five years. On
our boat I was skipper, with 35 years living board and over 100,000 miles on boats. My “second” was Captain Mike Stinson, who skippered dozens of boats, the most recent of which was a 110’ Ocean Alexander. We were qualified. We were also told that we would be the most endangered, as experienced skippers could tend to be overconfident. That evening we did the boat checkout, and the “provisioning crew” hit the local Costco. They returned about 7:00 p.m. to load up. Since the charter didn’t officially start until Saturday morning, we spent the night aboard and took off at 7:30 the next morning for the 15-mile sail to Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes, where the 17th Annual Cruisers’ Weekend was underway. We had to be in by noon, as there would be a memorial for Capt. John Aydelotte who recently passed away and was one of the original founders of the Lats&Atts Cruisers’ Gathering in the Pacific NW. We were set up with two exceptionally nice Bavaria 41s, Fresh
The pirate costume contest - this was a tough one!
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17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party Dave Calhoun
Air and Wind Song. The crew on Fresh Air consisted of Captain Jeff and Marie Inshaw, better known to many Boat Show-goers as “Ken and Barbie,” with Jeff and Debbie Kolod from Maine, and Steve and Pam Bowden, owners of Sea-Tech Systems, from Texas. On Wind Song, I was skipper, and Mike Stinson was our “NSO” officer. Jody and Mike’s wife, Caro (no, that is not misspelled), did galley duty and line handling, and Mike’s friend, Bill Lockhart, joined us from So Cal. Our third boat was Traveler, a 47’ trawler with Darren and Lisa O’Brien and their daughter Arriana aboard. They live aboard full time in the San Juans. Lisa is Cruising Outpost’s Advertising Director, and Darren was the Producer of Latitudes & Attitudes TV and is Marketing Director at Cruising Outpost. They were our guides for the week. We were also joined by three other boats from the area, including Jeff Reiner from Olympia, and others who joined us along the way.
We were pretty lucky and it only took 2.5 hours to get to our first anchorage. The bad news? It was right into the wind! And as we know, when you are cruising there is either too much wind or not enough, but it’s ALWAYS on the nose. We got in early enough to wander the docks and meet with some of the 600-700 people who showed up. I opened the service for John, then family and friends came to the mic with their best “Captain John story.” Captain John was larger than life and was always the “true spirit” of the Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Event. He could always be counted on to be the first volunteer for whatever tasks had to be done, and he always had a great smile on his face. The Captain John stories went on for quite awhile, and we could all feel his spirit there on the docks. After the ceremony there was a spread laid out for lunch with hamburgers, sausage, and a lot of potluck goodies. No one walked away hungry. For the rest of the afternoon boaters wandered the docks, where
Buy more tickets - ya win more!
there were beer kegs stationed so no one went thirsty! The party started about 6:30, and at 7:00 we had the best costume judging. This is always a toughie, as everyone shows up in pirate gear! We ended up with two winners. Then it was time for the raff le. We had about $5000 worth of prizes, with the grand prizes being a Katadyne Emergency Watermaker and a PureWater+ system from Forespar. It seemed like just about everyone who bought a ticket was a winner! The proceeds from this went to the Educational Tall Ship Foundation and the Call of the Sea. Captains Contageous!
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Lowering of the flags at Roach Harbor
The ladies gathered on Traveler, but they were not alone... lol
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Next the band Deception Connection started to play, and there was dancing and a whole lot of “pirate fun.”The camaraderie on the docks that night was like one big happy family. In the morning the crews on the Share the Sail boats departed for Eagle Bay on Cypress Island. The original plans were to head to Wambaugh at the bottom of Lopez Island, but the weather turned during the night and there were reported 35 knots of wind that would be directly on our nose. It was a downwind run to Eagle, and other than our dinghy flipping over twice, it was fairly uneventful. As we pulled in, three or four other boats from the party sailed in to join us. That evening Wind Song, which was the boat we were on, held its capacity of boaters as we hosted an impromptu gathering aboard to talk story, which is what all pirate-cruisers do. Usually with an iron grip on a cold beverage! Before we knew it the clock struck 11:00, and as we all know, cruisers hit the bunks early to be early to rise. Captain Mike decided he wanted to set out a crab trap to catch us some good eating crabs. A few of the locals were a little befuddled when they saw him place some perfectly good Dungeness crab into the pot for bait. As we all know, the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray, and as the morning dawned Mike watched
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17th Annual Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party
in dismay as a boat passed close to wave goodbye, and then promptly ran right over the crab pot’s float. We figured it was lost forever as we watched the boat, with its prop now wrapped with the float line, start to drift into the rocks of the narrow entrance. But a few minutes later the float popped to the surface, and all was well with the world again. Except, of course, for the crab-trap which was twisted tighter than a pretzel. Mike ended up buying a new one for the boat at the next port! By late morning the winds had died and we headed out to try and do some whale watching as we sailed south to the Rosario Straights and around the bottom of Lopez Island. The day was spent watching out for killer whales, enjoying the beautiful scenery and being at sea. And no, we never did see a whale! By early afternoon we’d rounded the bottom of Lopez and headed up
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the Harow Straight into Mosquito Pass, which is almost like a river and very dog-leg shaped. So we did get a little adrenaline coursing thru our veins as we made the snake-like path thru the narrow pass and into Roach Harbor. Roach Harbor was packed with boats from eight-foot mini cruisers to 100-foot powerboats, and about seven boats from the PNW Party had sailed in with us. That evening, after settling into a slip, we ate at the hotel dining room thanks to Bill, who “sponsored” our meal. We also ran into dozens of our readers, so it was very fun. One of the traditions at Roach Harbor is the lowering of the flags at sunset. It is a long-time tradition and a very well choreographed presentation with music, pomp AND circumstance. A dozen children played on the lawn in front of the flag pole and at 8:08 p.m., exactly at sunset, the ceremony began.
一漀 䌀漀漀欀椀攀 䌀甀琀琀攀爀 匀愀椀氀猀 䠀攀爀攀
搀 愀渀 琀猀℀ 愀椀氀 渀 椀ⴀ猀 椀猀挀漀甀 琀 氀 䴀甀 瀀 䐀 漀甀 䜀爀
䌀刀唀䤀匀䤀一䜀 ⴀ 刀䄀䌀䤀一䜀 ⴀ 刀䔀倀䄀䤀刀匀 㠀 夀䔀䄀刀匀 䔀堀倀䔀刀䤀䔀一䌀䔀 䌀唀匀吀伀䴀 匀䄀䤀䰀 倀䄀䬀匀 ᰠ圀䔀 䐀䔀匀䤀䜀一 䔀嘀䔀刀夀 匀䄀䤀䰀ᴠ
椀渀昀漀䀀搀椀猀琀椀渀挀琀椀瘀攀猀愀椀氀猀⸀挀漀洀
眀眀眀⸀搀椀猀琀椀渀挀琀椀瘀攀猀愀椀氀猀⸀挀漀洀
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Watching the sunset in Shallow Bay on Sucia Island
Entering Sucia
After that we wandered back to the boat, stopping along the dock to talk to people about their boats, their voyages, and especially their animals which seemed to be on every boat. They were mostly dogs, but there were even a few cats. Across from us was a family with two Malamutes that were unbelievably beautiful. The most interesting thing was, one was 11 years old and the other one year old, but they looked like sisters! That night everybody gathered on the Bob Boat and the sea tales began. I don’t think there is anything more enjoyable than sitting in the aft cockpit of a boat tied to a dock with hundreds of other like-minded people, and telling sea tales. As they say, in a case like that, the first liar doesn’t stand a chance! One of the reasons so many people like to cruise the San Juan Islands is the abundance of orca whales. There are supposed to be hundreds of them in the
channel between the San Juans and Canadian waters. So the next day we headed out in search of the white whale. Er, no, sorry, that was another story. We went out in search of black and white whales! Sorry to say, we never did spot one, but the search was a lot of fun. Sailing in the San Juans is difficult at best. Not that there is not enough wind, but it is always on the nose. Honestly (and I hate to admit it), we never did get the sails up. Every passage had the wind right on our nose! We motored to Reed Harbor on Stewart Island. Talk about a well protected harbor! We were tucked back into the furthest reaches of the bay, and it was smoother than if we were in a slip. Not a ripple! It was here that Jody decided she needed a little exercise, so she gathered up the troops and headed out on a “Jody Walk.” Anyone who has ever been on one of our
Share the Sail events is aware of a “Jody Walk.” They usually are very thorough and never seem to last less than three hours. This one was the 3.5 hour type and wandered over the island to the lighthouse. Unfortunately, the lighthouse/ museum didn’t open until 11:00, and they arrived at about 10:00 a.m. So, no joy for the troops. But the walk was beautiful, so it was definitely not a waste of their energies. The San Juan Islands have to be one of the best cruising grounds, as there are so many islands. It seems you are always passing beautiful forests reaching right down to the shoreline. The “sail” to Friday Harbor was as beautiful as it could be. We passed tree-covered islands trying to pick out which house was the biggest or the most beautiful. We motored slowly past Spieden Island looking for African wildlife. Yes, that’s what I said. You see, many
Reed Harbor
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Lisa & Arriana kayaking
years ago someone had the wild idea to stock the island with wild game; antelope, African deer and more. Then he sold the right to hunt them to his friends. Well, a lot of people got up in arms about that, and soon he was “forced” to stop hunting them. Now, as you pass the island, you can see the animals on the slopes. We arrived in Friday Harbor and found slips waiting for us that had been arranged by Darren. We still had about four other boats that had joined us after the Cruisers’ Event in Anacortes, so that evening we had about 14 people aboard. We were stern-tied to the slip, so it was easy access. You see, the Bavaria 41 has a most ingenious stern system. The whole stern lowers to become a boarding platform. It was perfect! That evening we also had a pizza party at a new pizza restaurant named Van Go’s, with about 20 people on a open patio with more pizza than people should eat. It was great! We wandered back down to the docks after dinner. The weather was perfect, so once again, it was a talk-story time as each sailor tried to outdo the other with tales of seas crossings and fun events! Our trip from Friday Harbor to Sucia was, once again, directly into the wind. Now I know there are those of you out there saying, “You could tack there,” and you
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would be right. But by motoring into it we would get in early and get a mooring, so we did. Now here, I have to digress. In the 17 years I have been sailing the San Juan’s, my favorite island is Sucia. It’s where Krazy Mike created the first Pacific Northwest Cruisers’ Party. It is one of the nicest anchorages in the San Juans. There is a picnic area on the island between the two harbors, one on each side of the island.
䈀䄀䌀伀一匀䄀䤀䰀匀⸀䌀伀䴀 Ⰰ 匀䄀䤀䰀匀 伀一䰀䤀一䔀
伀䘀䘀匀䠀伀刀䔀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀
一䔀圀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀
唀匀䔀䐀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀
伀一䰀䤀一䔀 倀刀䤀䌀䤀一䜀 泰 䈀唀夀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀 伀刀 䌀伀一匀䤀䜀一 夀伀唀刀 伀圀一
⠀㐀 ⤀ ㈀㘀㌀ⴀ㐀㠀㠀 泰 㘀 䰀攀最椀漀渀 䄀瘀攀⸀ 䄀渀渀愀瀀漀氀椀猀Ⰰ 䴀䐀 ㈀㐀
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11/3/17 4:06 PM
Fueling up at Friday Harbor
At one point I hit something with my elbow that caused it to bleed. I couldn’t see it (sometime, try to look at your elbow without using a mirror), so I reached around with my hand and felt a small scab. I picked at it with my left hand and threw it over the side. But as I did, my dolphin ring slipped off my finger and went right into the water with the scab. Now, I know you shouldn’t wear jewelry while sailing. I know it, I have written it, and I have preached it. But for some reason, I had mine on. The ring splashed into 29 feet of water. It was a gold ring that weighed a little over an ounce, and had an Australian opal with a dolphin jumping over it. The dolphin had a small diamond in his eye. As it sank, my heart sank. Sucia island is, for all intents and purposes, uninhabited. Our charter boat didn’t have any wetsuits or dive gear, and the water was very cool. We radioed Darren and Lisa on Traveler and they had a wetsuit, but no SCUBA tanks. For about an hour we hit every boat in the anchorage looking for SCUBA gear. There was none to be found. When we were in Friday Harbor (about an hour away) the night before, I’d run into someone we met while cruising over 20 years ago. He now did marine repairs in the town. We finally contacted him and he found someone who would come out for a lot less, but couldn’t come until the morning; problem being, we had to leave no later than 9:00 a.m. so we could get the boats back to Bellingham by noon. All’s well that ends well. As we pulled into Bellingham to return the boats to San Juan Sailing, I got a text from Lisa on Traveler. She was holding my ring! Rick helped us check the boats in, and soon the crews were heading out. Another Share the Sail was behind us. Now, let’s see... French Polynesia in June? Why not? Want to join us? Go to www. cruisingoutpost.com/sharethesail. www.cruisingoutpost.com
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10/28/17 11:23 AM
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* Cruisians
*A small, exclusive group of people who are mentally ill and feel, for some reason unbeknownst to anyone, that by getting on a small boat about the size of a jail cell and heading out into the most inhospitable place on Earth (the ocean), they will somehow enjoy themselves.
Emmanuelle joined her father Pierre for a sail after returning from touring Indonesia. She has her sailing license, and she is currently attending a physiotherapist school in Switzerland. Oh, yeah, did we mention that she is sailing in Switzerland in the photo? No? Well, she is. How kewl is that?
In democracy your vote counts. In feudalism your count votes.
This is Thomas, Luana and Samir Ellis. Thomas and Luana are avid sailors and have been at the St. Petersburg Boat Show Cruisers’ Party more years than any of us want to admit! They come all the way down from Georgia every year for the party. This picture was taken at the lake in Bagby State Park in Georgia.
Jeff Reiner and Sue White sail out of the Olympia, Washington area. Here they are as they sailed with the PNW Share the Sail group around the San Juan Islands. Now he’s trying to put a group together to try and finish Bob B’s Global 52!
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Jeff Kolod and wife Debbie joined us on our PNW Share the Sail. They flew all the way in from Maine to participate in this, and the PNW Cruisers’ Weekend in Anacortes, WA.
Glenn Smedstaad sails out of Oslo in Norway on his Bavaria 44. He cruises Scandinavia between Norway, Sweden and the tip of Denmark, and occasionally down to Germany also. Its a very short season there, but usually they get some warm days in between. Mike Cowan was sailing off Coffman Cove, Alaska, on a fishing trip. While attempting to release an undersized king salmon the trashing began and within seconds the salmon was not the only thing hooked. The admiral demanded he pose for this embarrassing photo before ultimately cutting and removing the hook. Brian Schatzman is a graduate of the California Maritime Academy who’s always had a great love of the sea. This picture was taken while on a broad reach from Virgin Gorda. www.cruisingoutpost.com
10/28/17 11:21 AM
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11/3/17 1:45 PM