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Cruisers migrating north for the summer may want to join the Spring Salty Dawg Rally. The rally, free to sailors with blue water experience under their belts, departs on May 15th from the B.V.I. en route to Bermuda and the U.S. east coast’s Chesapeake Bay. “We find cruisers particularly like the Spring Rally because it is a safe way to return to the U.S. for the summer,” says rally spokesman Hank George, who with wife Seale are long term “dawgs” and sail the rally aboard their performance catamaran Flash. “The spring rally especially allows cruisers to build on the friendships made and good times they’ve experienced over the winter cruising with other Salty Dawgs. Plus, it’s a great way for new dawgs to experience the rally.”
New this year, the Spring rally offers an expanded set of activities in the B.V.I. prior to launch. Included is a gathering in North Sound, Virgin Gorda, for musician Michael Beans’ pirate show at the Leverick Bay Resort, and dinner at the famed Bitter End Yacht Club. The fun continues to the west at Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola with a pizza party, beach BBQ and weather briefings by Chris Parker as well as final preparations for the cruise. Bristol, Rhode Island residents and long-time cruisers Bill and Linda Knowles, along with their namesake Salty Dawg, a Jack Russell terrier named Brie, founded the nonprofit Salty Dawg rallies in 2011. Since then, more than 470 boats and 1,880 sailors have participated. saltydawgrally.org
The dying art of Caribbean boatbuilding
Little did Alexis Andrews know that purchasing an old Carriacou sloop that had sunk off Antigua back in 1997 would change his life. Rebuilding this West Indian-style wooden boat and sailing it 300 miles south to meet its original maker launched him on an incredible journey. Now, after 15 years of research and 3 years of filming, the Greek native, long-time Antiguan and professional cinematographer has released his 88-minute feature film Vanishing Sail: The story of a Caribbean tradition. This documentary vibrantly illustrates the nearly lost art of boatbuilding on the island of Carriacou, a tradition that started when Scottish settlers arrived in the 19th century to this Grenadine island located north of Grenada. Inter-island trading served as the lifeblood in the southern Caribbean for centuries.
The storyline follows elder, Alwyn Enoe, who uses all of his family’s resources to build one last boat and hopefully incentivizes his sons to keep this seafaring tradition alive. In his final push, Enoe wants to finish the sloop in time to race in the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta (ACYR). There’s no spoiler alert here. This is a must-see film if you’re a lover of nautical history and native boats. Vanishing Sail is being screened on April 17th in front of the Copper and Lumber Store in Nelson’s Dockyard, Antigua, as part of the ACYR and will debut to its world premiere at the St. Barths Film Festival, as part of the West Indies Regatta on April 30th in Gustavia, St. Barths. vanishingsail.com
— By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
Like a Disneyland of The Bahamas, the Sea of Abaco is a perfect playground for boaters, which may be why I return periodically to eat fresh conch, stroll along white beaches and catch up with friendly locals.
The sheltered waters of this boomerang-shaped swath of turquoise-colored water are roughly 60 miles long and five miles wide so it’s easy to visit in a short time. Only 200 miles from the southeast coast of Florida, the sea is a perfect weeklong boating getaway although some cruisers get lost in its comfortable ebb and flow for many seasons. Recently, I hopped a 45-minute flight from Ft. Lauderdale to Marsh Harbour to join friends aboard for a leisurely few days visiting two of its unique gems, Man-O-War Cay and Hope Town on Elbow Cay.
Strong trade winds sometimes cook up a local weather condition known as “The Rage” when winds gust into the 40s and the Atlantic serves up angry waves on the outside that make me grateful to be in the flat waters that rarely hold boaters captive in their slips. So, although we had a bit of crusty weather, we set sail east, from Marsh Harbour to Man-O-War Cay, only about 5 nautical miles away.
Recap the day’s adventures in the Abaco Inn Bar & Lounge on Elbow Cay.
Wine and appetizers are more enjoyable during Bahamian sunsets. Photo: Zuzana Prochazka
Tan your toes in The Abacos.
Even from a distance, cruisers can pick out Hope Town’s candy cane-striped lighthouse.
Pick up a colorful, canvas bag for yourself or others at Albury’s Sail Shop. Photo: Zuzana Prochazka
Homemade tiramisu from Firefly Gril. Photo: Zuzana Prochazka
The landmark sign points the way to more island fun and adventures. Photo: Zuzana Prochazka
Colorful colonial architecture can be seen throughout the town. in Man-O-War Cay. Photo: Zuzana Prochazka
Treat the chef to an evening away from the galley at Firefly Grill, one of the best eateries in the Abacos. Photo credit JLambertPhotos
Man-O-War is a 2 ½-mile-long spit of sand where the community is small and tightly knit. A few last names like Albury, Archer and Lowe repeat on local business signs as these families have been here since the settlement was established in the 1700s. Everyone knows one another by first name so when you’re looking for baked goods you might get a response like, “Sarah used to bake out of her house but she’s retired now. Try Jane in the yellow house by the marina.”
Entering Man-O-War Cay involves a bit of threading the needle. The entrance is only about one-catamaran wide and shallow. Once inside, it’s as if you’ve stepped through the looking glass because this township has barely changed in the past hundred years. We caught a $20 mooring and decided to stretch our legs with a hike to the northernmost tip where the calm waters of the sea and the rougher waves of the Atlantic commingle and result in water coloration you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Man-O-War Cay has been known for its boatbuilding expertise since the 1880s. You can still stroll along the waterfront and see boats like the popular Abaco dinghies in mid-build at Albury Brothers Boatyard. A must-see is Albury’s Sail Shop where handmade canvas bags have been sewn for three generations. Each of the colorful creations is uniquely Sojer (the name of the local residents) and they make great gifts, so I always stock up.
Water, ice, groceries, and the Dock ‘n Dine restaurant are all on the waterfront but don’t expect much to happen on a Sunday when everyone is in one of the dozen or so churches of just about every denomination. This island is dry, which means you can’t buy alcohol, so we opened a bottle of wine and dined aboard in perfect bliss so long as we kept the bug spray handy as the surrounding mangroves are thick with mosquitos. The protected anchorage was possibly the best sleep I’d had in months.
Word of incoming heavy weather got us up early the next morning to motor to Hope Town, almost literally around the corner, just four miles or 40 minutes away if you dawdle. Tucked in a tiny and well-protected harbor on Elbow Cay, Hope Town is probably where Sherwin Williams sends all the crazy colors of house paint they don’t sell anywhere else.
Settled in 1785 by British Loyalists (loyal to the crown of England after the U.S. War of Independence), Hope Town boasts many fine examples of colonial architecture. The two-street waterfront is chock-a-block with houses showing off fun design details including carved lace-like trim and pineapple motif shutters. But the centerpiece of Hope Town’s skyline is its 130-year-old candy stripe lighthouse, which is one of only two manned, kerosene-fueled lighthouses still in operation in the world. A trek up the 200-plus steps inside is a must if only for the fantastic views from the top.
The Hope Town Harbor entry is well marked if a bit tricky. A shallow channel leads from the sea into the round harbor full of moorings. We picked up another $20 mooring and dinghied to Cap’n Jack’s on the waterfront for breakfast. When a downpour started, it seemed the perfect time to duck into the two-story Wyannie Malone Historical Museum dedicated to documenting the lives of fishermen, pirates and the early settlers. We learned a bit of history as we waited out the rain and chatted with the curator.
The sun popped out and wanting to stretch our legs, we took a hike south to Tahiti Beach. This half-moon-shaped white sand beach transports you from one paradise in the East to another somewhere deep in the South Pacific. Along the way, direction poles were frequent but even though we were on an island, we managed to get lost if ever so briefly. Having underestimated the length of our walk (about seven miles round trip) we fortified ourselves with unbeatable conch salad and a Kalik (local) beer at the Abaco Inn Resort where their taglines say it all, “Tan your Toes in the Abacos.”
Back in the harbor, it was time to check in with the real world via email and text. Hope Town Inn and Marina is cruiser friendly offering showers, laundry, and free Wi-Fi, so we stopped in for happy hour and a bit of Web surfing. The docks were full of boats from far-flung destinations and the bar resonated with distinctly Canadian accents.
That night, we made reservations at Firefly Grill and Resort that dispatched a “golf cart bus” to ferry six of us halfway down the same trek we had done earlier. It was shockingly short given how long we had spent on our afternoon slog. The grouper was sublime and the homemade tiramisu was artfully presented. Lit by strings of light bulbs, the dining deck defined the romance that captivates so many cruisers in The Bahamas. The sultry evening renewed my determination to return again soon because Hope Town and Man-O-War Cay just never get old.
— By Zuzana Prochazka, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
Best Time to Go
December through March can be chilly with temps in the 60s and 70s while July to September may be sweltering, not to mention right in the middle of hurricane season. Your best bet is April to June and again October to November, although if you do go in October you might want to consider trip insurance. Winds are usually 5-20 knots except when “The Rage” is on.
What to Watch For
Depth! The Sea of Abaco is shallow and punctuated with unexpected (and at times uncharted) coral flats. There are not many coral heads to sneak up on you but the bottom does change even when well away from any island. Beware the no-see-ums especially in Man-O-War.
Anchoring & Mooring
In Hope Town and Man-O-War, your best bet is to pay for a mooring – about $20 per night. Marina’s include Hope Town Inn & Marina, Lighthouse Marina and Man-O-War Marina.
Food & Fuel
Provisioning is excellent in Marsh Harbour in a large grocery store, which is walking distance from most of the marinas. Hope Town has a convenience store right at the docks near Cap’n Jack’s. Man-O-War can be a provisioning challenge, so bring what you need with you, especially any alcohol. Fuel is available at both locations.
Thirty years dedicated to sea turtle research in The Bahamas has led to sharing that passion with younger generations.
Unique encounters with marine life can turn a fun dive into an unforgettable experience, and there’s little that beats the privilege of gliding alongside a sea turtle—other than running into a shark. If divers revel in these up close encounters, cruisers, too, love to watch turtles swim and see them pop up in some of their favorite anchorages such as in The Bahamas’ Little Harbour, Clarence Town, Elizabeth Harbour, and Little Farmer’s Cay.
Students at Moore’s Island All-Age School are asked, “How many of you have eaten sea turtle?” Photo by Riguel Nesbitt.
Delphine Carroll, a BESS Scholar, snaps a selfie with a small hawksbill north of Royal Island.
Moss Town Primary (Great Exuma) students help tag turtles in Barra Terre.
“Captain” Leo Gibson dives up a green turtle near the wall off Landrail Point, Crooked Island.
Sea turtles are, indeed, beautiful, fascinating creatures in their own right, but they are also keystone species that are major players in the ecosystems. Hawksbill turtles, for example, which are found in Bahamian waters, feed on sponges that grow on coral heads. Sponges compete with new coral growth, which without the hawksbill would damage the health and diversity of the coral reefs we all love to dive and explore. Yet the hawksbill has been exploited for centuries—harvested for its meat and shell—and despite a ban on sea turtle harvest implemented in 2009, the hawksbill and other species continue to be poached. But the future of marine turtles looks brighter.
For nearly 30 years I was the captain of Geronimo, a 70-foot training and oceanic research vessel owned and operated by St. George’s School, a coeducational boarding school in Newport, Rhode Island. I have been working with sea turtles since 1982 when Bob Hueter—now the senior shark scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory—introduced me to the late Archie Carr, who was the world’s leading authority on sea turtles. On a flat calm day just south of the Gulf Stream on our way to Bermuda, Carr and I captured two small loggerheads. That was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with these ocean navigators.
Years later when time came to retire, my companion Barbara and I developed the Family Island Research and Education program (FIRE) to study sea turtles in The Bahamas and educate the next generation of scientists. FIRE has proven an excellent program for a couple of aging retirees. Capturing sea turtles in their Bahamian feeding habitats keeps us active, and working with eager students makes us feel like we are part of the future.
The primary purpose of our current research is to survey turtle populations after the harvest ban came into place—and we are happy to say that they are slowly increasing. Yet long-term institutional commitments are needed for their conservation. For us, that means inspiring the next generation of marine biologists.
As such, we joined forces with the Bahamas Department of Marine Resources and several conservation organizations to develop a plan to eliminate the illegal harvest of sea turtles that continues despite the ban. Our part in this project is to gather anecdotal evidence of illegal harvest by interviewing fishermen, fisheries officers and citizens of all ages. As part of our efforts we visit schools to offer special talks. At the beginning of each school presentation I always ask students, “How many of you have eaten sea turtle?” All too many of them raise their hands.
Among our favorite islands for our research is Cat Island because there are several creeks full of turtles, and we get special assistance from “Uncle” Mark Keasler and his Barracudas. Keasler is a local bonefish and ecotour guide who started the Barracuda program to teach local Cat Island children how to swim. He has also been bonefishing off Cat Island for 25 years, so he knows the creeks far better than we ever will.
One hot morning, Keasler met us in Joe Sound Creek with six of his Barracudas all fired up to help us capture turtles on the ebb. We divided the kids between our boats and went to work. An hour into the ebb we found only two turtles. But as the tide fell the turtles started to appear and soon they were everywhere. Each boat caught 5 turtles, and 3 of the 10 were recaptures.
By the time we had processed and released them the kids were exhausted. They had had the thrill of capturing and handling the animals—even the youngest helped with measuring, tagging and recording data.
We always look forward to our next Cat Island adventure to tag more turtles with the help of yet another group of eager students. In the meantime, Keasler keeps the vision alive with his Barracudas, swimming and learning about the creeks and the importance of turtles in the Bahamian waters. We hope cruisers remember that, too, the next time a turtle pops in by their boat.
— By Stephen Connett, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
Emerald Bay is a very well run marina strategically located in Great Exuma for those cruising the southern Exumas and preparing for travels further south. As we approach the hurricane season, Emerald Bay offers a hurricane refuge for boats up to 50 feet on the inner pontoons. I would not recommend the marina for large yachts in extreme weather when there can be a dangerous surge in the area where they moor. All vessels should exercise caution when entering or leaving in strong northeasterly winds.
Spanish Wells Yacht Haven
The refit of Spanish Wells Yacht Haven is now complete. The docks have been rebuilt and have all new electrical wiring. Beautifully appointed rooms are available in four new buildings, and the restaurant, Wreckers, has a full-service bar. The food is as good as you will find anywhere in the Family Islands with a well-balanced menu: ribeye steak, cracked conch, fresh grilled fish, upscale pizza, and several Greek dishes. Head chefs Jo Douvlis and Dino Xenopoulos are in charge. The marina has been almost full every day since mid-March, so reservations are strongly recommended, especially for boats over 60′. Contact Dockmaster, Leroy Kelly, at 242-333-4255. facebook.com/swyachthaven
Hurricane season
The devastation of Hurricane Joaquin is a lesson in the power of nature and our imperfect ability to forecast approaching storms. As the next hurricane season approaches it is best to review these lessons. Plan your itinerary with potential storms in mind and take early action. Be prepared and you can have plenty of fun. It’s a great time to cruise The Bahamas.
Turks and Caicos
The Turks and Caicos now operate a radar surveillance station that can be reached by calling “Provo Radio” on VHF16. The station provides navigational warnings and weather. This service provides improved safety when operating anywhere in the country. I recommend you call the station when you get within range so they can track you and pass important information such as new navigational hazards.
Sand Dollar
Five doves from inside a sand dollar. Photo: Stephen Connett
Bahamian beachcombing is as good as anywhere, and it is fun to learn to identify the shells, beans, and glass that you collect. I still recommend that you carry Blair Witherington’s Florida’s Living Beaches to help in your beach endeavors. The common five keyhole sand dollar (a flat round marine animal related to sea urchins) has a legend that is fun to know. Break a sand dollar to release the five doves it has inside. These doves can be part of your collection. Find out about the legend at traditioninaction.org/religious/f024_SandDollar.htm
Watermakers Air
Cruisers who need to return to the U.S. intermittently during their Bahamas cruising season will be glad to know that Watermakers Air has expanded its services for passengers and freight. Flying out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the destinations now include:
• North Eleuthera
• Great Harbour Cay
• Chub Cay
• San Andros
• Fresh Creek
• Congo Town
• Staniel Cay
• Exuma International
Their freight and passengers services are excellent and fairly priced. Watermakers can be reached at (954) 771-0330. watermakersair.com
Blackbeard the manatee
You don’t need a big boat to have a great time on the water. Photo: Barbara Crouchley
Tracking manatees in The Bahamas has become an exciting cooperation between scientists and local observers, and anyone can join in the fun. The Bahamas Marine Mammals Organization (BMMO) run by Diane Claridge and Charlotte Dunn welcomes all observations. They ask for photos so they can make positive identification of individual animals. Sightings can be reported on their website. Anyone can follow the tracks of the manatees on BMMO’s Facebook page. bahamaswhales.org; facebook.com/bmmro
Nina Sanchez, a student in Grand Bahama, recently took a video of manatees in a canal. The video is posted on You Tube as “Manatees in Sunrise Canal.” One turned out to be a manatee named Blackbeard who can be identified by the crescent cut in the right side of his tail. Blackbeard has been tracked for several years and has been seen as far south as Long Island.
Navigation notes:
For those of us who have cruised through the Windward Passage to enter The Bahamas at night, the Matthew Town lighthouse was a very welcome sight. The good news is that this and several other lights have been put back in service, and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force says it is doing its best to relight and maintain the major lights throughout the islands. Great Isaac, Hole in the Wall and Matthew Town are now operational as are several smaller lights in the Abacos. In these days of radar, GPS and chart plotters lighthouses are not quite as essential as they were years ago. However, it only takes one lightning strike to disable your boat’s electronics and put you back in the old days, loving every functioning aid to navigation—all lighthouses included.
— by Stephen Connett, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
There are three more reasons to cruise the Albemarle Loop Route in East Carolina’s historic Albemarle Sound—new marinas. This year’s latest additions are Manteo Waterfront Marina, Everett Marine at Cypress Cove Marina and The Dismal Swamp Welcome Center. Nine marinas now offer free dockage, pump-outs, two nights’ free dockage, and several amenities including swimming pools, shopping, museums, tennis, and restaurants on the Sound. albemarleloop.com/Marinas.html
Inlet advocate
According to North Carolina Congressman Walter B. Jones, continuous poor navigation conditions at the Hatteras and Oregon inlets in North Carolina may close both inlets to vessel traffic if additional dredging isn’t performed. Jones is calling for increased funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge those Outer Banks waterways. “I will do everything I can to fight for that cause,” Jones said, “[…] fishermen, recreational boaters and the Coast Guard must have reliable access through the inlets.” The Waterway Guide steers cruisers away from both inlets due to constant shoaling and shifting.
Party time in South Carolina
For a one-of-a-kind cultural experience in South Carolina’s low country, visit Beaufort, South Carolina’s Original Gullah Festival May 27-29. Festival tickets are only $5 on Friday to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Arts, crafts, a Caribbean Dance Party, African drumming, jazz, rhythm & blues, gospel, reggae, storytelling, and local delicacies await your arrival. For more information and ticket prices visit theoriginalgullahfestival.org
Sea cows’ center
South Florida manatees have yet another place to call home: West Palm Beach’s Manatee Lagoon—An FPL Eco-Discovery Center. The 16,000-square-foot educational center that opened on February 6th features hands-on exhibits that teach visitors about these unique endangered creatures and their Lake Worth Lagoon home. With free admission and parking, the center is open 9AM to 4PM Tuesday through Sunday. Due to improvements in its population, manatee’s status may be downlisted from endangered to threatened by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. visitmanateelagoon.com
Miami-Cuba ferry
U.S. travelers may soon be able to visit the island of Cuba by sea. Overnight ferries from the Port of Miami, Florida, to Cuba are set to begin late this year or early 2017—that is, if the Castro regime picks up the pace. Although a ferry terminal is needed at PortMiami, officials are looking at temporary solutions to get things started. The Italian Grimaldi shipping line proposes a 220-foot ferry and Miami’s Baja Ferry plans to carry 2,500 passengers per week on its 623-foot vessel. Both lines foresee daily runs. United Caribbean, Carnival and other operators were also issued Cuba-ferry licenses by the Obama administration. Last winter, 55 sailboats raced from Key West to Havana’s Hemingway Marina in the Conch Republic Cup after responding to an invitation from the Commodore of Club Náutico Internaciónal Hemingway de la Habana. While it wasn’t the first Key West to Cuba race, it was the first one sanctioned by the U.S. government.
— By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
This year’s Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival is June 3-5 and will feature Chris Young with special guest Bobby Bones & Raging Idiots on Friday, Sam Hunt with guest Canaan Smith on Saturday, and Big & Rich with an appearance by Cowboy Troy on Sunday. The oceanfront concert site is at the foot of 5th Street. Tickets are available online at patrioticfestival.com.
The festival’s Military Expo Village showcases our national defense mission, equipment and personnel through exhibits, demonstrations and displays on Friday through Sunday from 15th Street to 20th Street. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard branches of the military are all participating. Transient slips are available at marinas throughout Lynhaven and Rudee inlets.
Boardwalk docking
Chrismar Marina has opened at the head of Middle River, a tributary of the Chesapeake near Essex, Maryland. The 38-slip docking facility is located on the site of the previous Buedel’s marina and prop shop. Charlie and Mary Frances Gast have completely transformed the property to include a 735-foot boardwalk with docking that can accommodate yachts up to 50 feet. The mean low tide is 5 feet, 5 inches. Minor repairs and washing and cleaning are available. Winter storage will be on the water with all slips bubbled. chrismar-marina.com
Leukemia Cup events
The 2016 Leukemia Cup Regatta hosted by Eastport Yacht Club is scheduled for Saturday, June 4th. Last year’s regatta was a record-breaking fundraising year with 103 boats in the regatta and $247,000 raised for the mission of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. An “Off the Water Fundraising Race” that encouraged fleets, clubs and individual teams to join in the fight against blood cancer raised $120,000. The event weekend kicks off with live entertainment and auctions the night before and concludes with an awards dock party after the races.
The Southern Chesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta is July 8-10, hosted by the Fishing Bay Yacht Club in Deltaville, Virginia. The regatta offers three courses including one for Typhoons and other one-design monohulls less than 20 feet that run inside Fishing Bay. National Capital Area events include a junior regatta on August 20th, a poker run on August 27th, and a sailing regatta on September 9-20. Advanced registration for all the events is required. leukemiacup.org
Nurse a beer or three
Cruisers to the Northern Outer Banks can find plenty of action underway this month without the summertime rush. If you like beer and art, May 30-June 5 is the week for you. It’s Outer Banks Craft Beer Week, which was “created to showcase the marriage between the craft beer industry and the arts.” It’s an adult event and no kids are allowed. One option is three days of craft beer education at a one-of-a-kind brewing retreat at North Carolina’s oldest microbrewery, the Weeping Radish Farm Brewery.
For the kids (and adults), Tuesdays, starting May 31, is Kitty Hawk Kites Kids Days. Activities include games, kite making, toy and yo-yo demonstrations, rock wall climbing (Nags Head and Waves Village only), and more. kittyhawk.com/events/outer-banks-kids-day/
— By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine May 2016
A voyage to Antarctica and South Georgia Island reveals an otherworldly seascape of sculpted icebergs, forgotten whaling stations and toddler-sized penguins.
Beyond completing The Great Loop—the circumnavigation of the eastern half of the United States—and then embarking for a journey around the world, cruising the Southern Ocean is one of the last great maritime adventures. But if your yacht isn’t equipped for such expeditions, you can still appreciate the otherworldly landscapes of Antarctica and South Georgia Island. More than a dozen expedition cruise ships—some are converted Russian icebreakers while others are custom-built luxury yachts—spend the Austral summer from November to February exploring the White Continent. During this time, cruisers are treated to almost perpetual sunlight and temperatures that can be surprisingly mild although blizzards can erupt at any time. Home port in the season is Ushuaia, Argentina, a former penal colony at the tip of Tierra del Fuego.
It usually only takes a day or two to cross the famous Drake Passage between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula, and the weather can be unpredictable, with captains joking they’ll either get the “Drake Lake” or the “Drake Shake.” Some ships will make a first stop east of Argentina in the Falkland Islands where tourists can explore one of the farthest-flung corners of the British Empire. Barely 3,000 local “kelpers” make a living here: farming, raising sheep, cutting peat or working for the Crown. The infamous 1982 war between England and Argentina (who claim the islands as Las Malvinas) is long over, but relics remain—the scattered wreckage of a helicopter on a barren slope and the red skull-and-crossbones signs warning of minefields. Still, it’s a great place to stop for a pint at a pub in Port Stanley and make a call home from the red telephone booths.
Antarctica guides are prepared for anything. Photo: Jad Davenport
Stunning blue icebergs off Laurie Island. Photo: Jad Davenport
explorers venture close to wildlife and icebergs.
Photo: Jad Davenport
Museum in a restored biological station at the Argentine meteorological station, Orcadas. Photo: Jad Davenport
Passengers bathe in the thermal vents at Deception Island, a dormant caldera.
Photo: Had Davenport.
Esperanza Base in Hope Bay was set up in 1951 to house 80 military & scientific people, including wives and children. Photo: Jad Davenport
Adélie penguin on Devil Island. Photo: Jad Davenport
The real excitement begins when ships cross the Antarctic Convergence, an invisible ring around the continent that is recognized as a political, biological and climatic boundary. Here the sea temperature readouts plunge from a relatively balmy 50F degrees to just above freezing. The most dramatic landscapes in Antarctica fortunately aren’t found in the heart of the continent (the South Pole itself is a flat, featureless ice plateau), but along the mountainous coast of the Antarctic Peninsula that marks first landfall for most ships.
A favorite landing spot here for many is Whaler’s Bay in the Deception Island caldera. Within this active volcano (it last erupted in 1969) are the remains of a Norwegian whaling station abandoned in the 1930s when whaling went from being a land-based to ship-based industry. You can hike along the black sand beaches inside of the crater, explore the massive whale-oil tanks and station buildings—some still have shelves full of rusted cans of food. Scattered here and there, uncovered by the fierce winds, are the weathered coffins of unfortunate sealers and whalers.
Other popular landings include Hannah Point on Livingston Island with its vast colonies of Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins. Flocks of giant petrels, aggressive and predatory birds that feed on penguins and carrion, wing overhead like hunting pterodactyls. Sprawled along the volcanic beaches are knots of elephant seals. Keep a close eye here on the nearby rock shelves, and among the lush Pearlwort (one of only two flowering plants in Antarctica—the other is Antarctic hair grass) you might spot unusual fern fossils and lumps of petrified wood. More than 25 million years ago Antarctica was covered with trees.
Most ships will try and land somewhere on the actual continent itself, sometimes at Esperanza Station, an Argentine base set up in 1951 that still houses a civilian population and holds the distinction of having the first native-born Antarctican person. Winds pile down here so viciously from nearby glaciers that the locals like to joke the base has the only flying penguins in Antarctica. There’s a small cafeteria and souvenir shop where you can buy ceramic penguin mugs, ashtrays and patches.
Beyond Antarctica and the Falklands is South Georgia Island. “Lands doomed by nature to perpetual frigidness: never to feel the warmth of the sun’s rays; whose horrible and savage aspect I have not words to describe.” That’s how Captain Cook described South Georgia Island in 1775. Because it sits below the Antarctic Convergence, South Georgia looks and feels more like Antarctica than other subantarctic islands such as the Falklands. The island is a towering massif of 2,000-meter ice-clad peaks broken off millions of years ago from the Andes. More than half the island is covered in permanent snow and ice, but the lush shores fronted by sand and hummock coasts abound with so many sea lions and penguins it’s often impossible to squeeze a zodiac ashore.
The main port has a beautiful museum featuring Shackleton artifacts as well as information on the Falkland Islands War (a submarine attacked here) and the local wildlife. This is where the oil rush started, not for gushing black crude but for lubricant found in marine mammals. The island went through three phases of ecological disaster: the fur sealing years from 1778 to 1908; elephant seals from 1900s to 1960s (a bull elephant seal could be boiled down for 170 liters or a barrel of oil); from 1904 to 1965 it was whaling (whale oil was used in everything from crayons and shoe polish to alcohol and perfume), and up to 90 percent of all whales were removed from the Southern Ocean. From the 1960s to now it’s fishing, mostly Patagonian tooth fish, squid and krill. Whaling shut down here in 1965, and slowly the whales came back—first the humpbacks, then the blue whales, then the fins and seis, and finally, the minke whales. Now Antarctica is officially a whale sanctuary (though Japan still hunts there).
Today, South Georgia is a sort of New Eden where the wildlife has been protected so long it has lost all fear of humans. Almost half a million King penguins breed on South Georgia. At three-feet tall, they are the largest of the four indigenous species. Five million Macaroni penguins and a quarter million Gentoos call the island home, together with 4,000 Chinstrap penguins.
Ships all call at Grytviken in the east arm of Cumberland Bay. Set up in 1904, the port became a bustling whaling town of 300 Norwegians. At full throttle it reduced 25 whales a day to their economic essentials: baleen for hoop skirts and umbrellas, oil for lamps and cosmetics, and lubrication. During the 1911-12 season, a 108-foot female blue whale was winched up and peeled like a banana by Norwegian flensers with knives the size of hockey sticks. She holds a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest animal that ever lived. By the time Grytviken closed in 1965 it had processed 175,250 whales.
Today it’s a ghost town of ochre oil tanks and a fleet of beached whaling ships. Before exploring the ruins, pop in to the South Georgia Museum. At nearby King Edward Point, a huddle of prefabricated buildings shelter the only humans on South Georgia, a handful of scientists and the island’s administrator.
This is the best place to pay homage to Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, the unflinching leader of the failed 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic expedition. When his ship Endurance was crushed by the Weddell Sea ice and his team of 22 men marooned on Elephant Island, Shackleton made a daring 800-mile open-boat journey to South Georgia only to find he landed on the uninhabited side of the island far from help. He and two companions made a grueling 36-hour climb up and over the mountains before arriving at the whaling station of Stromness and deliverance. Not a man was lost. When he died of a heart attack on another expedition in 1922 at Grytviken, he was buried at the whalers’ cemetery. If you make a pilgrimage to the cemetery, take a moment to drink a toast of whiskey at the granite headstone of “The Boss.”
Beyond Grytviken, ships often try to get visitors ashore at Gold Harbour. Here, below the Weddell Glacier, are grassy hummocks covered with thousands upon thousands of King and Gentoo penguins and fur seals. Not far away is Prion Island, another sought-after landing. If you’re fortunate enough to make it ashore here, you can see a colony of wandering albatross, one of the rarest seabirds. Eighteenth-century American naturalist Robert Cushman spotted one while sailing these waters and wrote the famous line, “I now belong to that higher cult of mortals, for I have seen the albatross.” The same can be said of those who have cruised these waters.
— GETTING THERE —
Lindblad Expeditions, in partnership with National Geographic, has the most extensive cruise portfolio in Antarctica and includes luxury voyages that hit Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. expeditions.com
For cruisers who want to skip the Drake Passage and get right to Antarctica, Natural Habitat Adventures is offering guests two opportunities to fly down as part of their Antarctica Sailing Expedition (or you can fly one way and cruise the Drake Passage the other leg). The trip departs from Punta Arenas, Chile. Once in Antarctica, guests explore aboard the 75-foot polar expedition sailboat Australis. nathab.com
Story & photos by Had Davenport, Southern Boating Magazine February 2016
South Padre Island and Port Isabel—where the fish and seafood are plenty and seasoning is most likely unnecessary
Perhaps the large territory comes to be associated with the arid deserts of the southwest, yet the Lone Star State also boasts a nearly 400-mile-long coastline on the Gulf of Mexico dotted with white sand beaches, littoral towns and a wealth of charming anchorages. Halfway down her coast, south of Corpus Christi and far from any interstate highways lies the mouth of the Laguna Madre, among the most remote and forgotten cruising grounds on the Gulf Coast.
Shielded by South Padre Island and stretching all the way south to Mexico, this narrow lagoon not only runs along the Gulf but is also a rarity: It is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, even saltier than our seas and oceans. With its shallow depth, few inlets to the Gulf of Mexico and lack of fresh water coming from the plains of South Texas, this unique ecosystem buffered on both sides by sand dunes has remained in a pristine state, her shores barely touched by developers. Cruisers who have discovered the Laguna Madre’s unique beauty lament South Padre Island’s reputation as a college spring break destination, yet the 34-mile-long island and the artsy town of Port Isabel at its furthest point south open their arms wide to cruisers throughout the year.
Sportfish boats line the docks at Padre Island marinas waiting for fishing season—and the weekend.
Fine beach sand attracts world-class sandcastle-building competitions to Padre Island.
Everyone loves babies especially sea turtles released on South Padre Island.
Hobie Cats prepare for the Great Texas 300.
Cruising families enjoy Schlitterbahn, one of the nation’s biggest and best amusement parks.
First discovered and mapped by Cabeza de Vaca and his Spanish conquistadors in 1528, South Padre Island was an encampment for an unusual tribe of Native Americans known as the Karankawas. They were said to wear rattlesnake rattles in their braided hair, cover themselves in alligator grease and were portrayed as skilled bow hunters. Myths about the tribe abound. The Spaniards believed them to be cannibals, yet their diet mainly consisted of seafood and oysters. They may also have been among the earliest people to fly fish. The Karankawas were eventually chased off South Padre Island by a group of European settlers who roped a cannon onto a donkey and trudged it across the sand dunes. While the loud cannon failed to frighten the tribe, Spanish missionaries reported that it was the “magical” donkey and its jumps from the cannon’s recoil that scared the native tribe forever into the depths of what would become Texas.
Today, billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX Corporation is building a new launch facility (for things other than donkeys) immediately south of Padre Island and Port Isabel. With the Tesla fortune seemingly pouring into the area, local government officials are already in the planning phases to upgrade coastal parks and other launch-viewing sites. Dockside restaurants such as Pier 19 in Port Isabel are perfectly located to provide unobstructed viewing areas for launches paired with delicious, locally caught seafood—do not miss out on the (rocket) Blackened Baja Tacos. This far south, expect a heavy Mexican influence on traditional Gulf cooking.
Plying the Gulf of Mexico and the Laguna Madre, locals—South Padre Island and Port Isabel count no more than 5,000 permanent residents—fish the waters for their prey offshore of the nearby and massive King Ranch. Expect bridge delays as horsemen lead massive herds of cattle to their next grazing lands. Charter boats head deep into the Gulf of Mexico to hunt for tuna, amberjack, kings, and other big-game fish, while inshore guides take you to hit the speckled trout and big reds along the coast.
In downtown Port Isabel the waterfront is the center of the action with the Tarpon, Port Isabel and Pelican Point marinas all within walking distance. Rustic seafood restaurants such as Will and Jacks Burger Shack & Beer Garden, Joe’s Oyster Bar and Dirty Al’s are filled with down-to-earth and artsy locals. Take time to chat with them as this quiet and low-key beach town is filled with stories and hospitality.
If your cruising itinerary includes an arrival here in October, the weather cools off and the town’s Day of the Dead festival on Halloween weekend explodes on Maxan Street; the township is in its full quirky splendor. Or, join the adventurers in June and arrive for the start of the Great Texas 300 when Hobie Cat sailors race the entire Laguna Madre up to Galveston in what is billed as the longest distance small-boat catamaran race in the world.
But the best reason to cruise south to the border is to experience the true untouched beauty of South Texas’ waters. The Laguna Madre is, indeed, a still-undiscovered boating natural wonder in America with her salty waters, near constant winds and predatory birds soaring from the plains. With sand-covered barrier islands protecting bays, fertile estuaries rumored to have sheltered the infamous pirate Jean Lafitte, and empty beaches stretching for miles along the Gulf of Mexico, the Texas coast should not be forgotten. These cruising and fishing grounds are just waiting for adventurous boaters and anglers to come and discover them. The fresh oysters and blackened redfish freshly landed are also waiting for your plate at the many restaurants and beachside eateries of this rustic island town. Then just dig your feet in the white sand, sip an adult beverage and watch the fiery sunset that customarily plays out across the deserts of Texas—but this time with surf rolling at your toes.
CRUISER RESOURCES
—Dockage—
Pelican Point Marina and RV Park
40 Tarpon Avenue • (956) 943-6464
Port Isabel City Dock
800 Pompano Street
(956) 943-2682
Tarpon RV Park & Marina
226 Basin Street • (956) 943-2040 tarponrvpark.com
—Eateries—
Dirty Al’s
201 S Garcia Street • (956) 943-3344 • dirtyalspi.com
Joe’s Oyster Bar
207 E Maxan Street • (956) 943-4501
Pier 19
1 Padre Boulevard • (956) 761-7437 • pier19.us
Will and Jacks Burger Shack & Beer Garden
413 E Maxan Street • (956) 640-7440
Westrec Marinas Haulover Marine Center in North Miami Beach, Florida, has been getting a major makeover that is set for completion by spring 2016. Haulover Marine Center on the ICW at Bakers-Haulover Inlet is nestled between Sunny Isles and Bal Harbor, directly across from South Florida’s popular inland sandbar and one of Miami-Dade County’s nicest beaches.
Split into two sites—Haulover Marine Center on the northern end and Haulover Point at the southern end—the center, which provides dry storage for boats and personal watercraft, is getting a bevy of enhancements to its already long list of amenities.
To enhance and modernize Haulover Marine Center, Westrec is adding nearly double the dry storage with a new building slated to withstand a category 5 hurricane and offers 500 racks. The new five-rack-high dry storage building is designed to hold larger multi-outboard engine boats in the 30 to 50-foot range that are popular today and too cumbersome to trailer. The center will also have a new office, retail store and bathhouse.
Amenities:
Bait and tackle shop
Boat launching ramps
Boat rentals
Boat wash-down facilities
Charter fishing
Commercial slips
Electric maximum 50 amps
Fish cleaning area
Freshwater hookups
Gas and Diesel Fuel
Marine store
Pump out
In/out dry storage
Restrooms
Showers
Westrec Marinas Southern Regional Office
801 N. E. Third Street
Dania Beach, Florida 33004
(954) 926-0300 ext 4
Fax: (954) 922-5485 Westrec.com
By Nathalie Gouillou, Southern Exposure, April 2016
The Cajuns of South Louisiana are known for their interest in spicy food and exotic flavors, but fishermen all along the northern Gulf Coast have their secret culinary delicacies as well. Most anglers who have grilled a monster blackfish appreciate the fish’s sweet and delicate cheek meat, but only the truly old school fully uses the bounty of these waters and can turn a fish carcass into blackfish jelly. Generations on the coast have long kept this culinary knowledge secret, yet it was fading into “culinary backwaters” until a revival of interest saved these savory treats from vanishing. These are some of my favorites.
Perhaps shrimp throats, aka “spiders,” are among the more common and likely the easiest to go mainstream. On the larger, jumbo to colossal-sized white shrimp, there is a bit of sweet meat that is nearly always wasted. Easily freed by placing an index finger into the head along the bottom and pushing down, this tasty nugget when washed, spiced, breaded, and fried is an amazing twist on shrimp meat with a unique texture and becomes a perfect and delicious finger food.
Mullets are one of the rare species of fish to have a gizzard, similar to a bird. Mullets are bottom feeders and it is best to only use the gizzard from mullets caught near the islands offshore where bottoms are sandy and not full of mud. The mullet gizzard is a small little nodule about the size of a fingernail and located after the throat. It must be sliced open and thoroughly washed before being simply spiced, battered and fried, just like the shrimp “spiders”—a tasty treat.
Red snapper are highly prized along the entire Gulf Coast, but from the piers of Galveston, Texas, to Orange Beach, Alabama, the snapper throats are simply tossed out. Yet these throats on the larger snappers are filled with delicate meat between the pectoral fins and are almost always scraped off the fish stations into the water for crabs or pelicans. I knew of a group of cruisers from Pascagoula, Mississippi, that would often do the voyage to Destin, Florida, along the ICW and arrive as the Destin charter boats were docking and the fish was being cleaned. Florida’s charter captains always found it a bit curious that these Mississippi natives would walk up and ask for these discarded portions of the large snappers. That was until they tasted the snapper throats scaled, spiced, breaded, and fried.
There is obviously a theme here regarding the frying of these tiny leftover morsels of meat, but with reason: They’re delicious and have a sweetness to them not found in the other meatier portions of fish or shrimp that is accentuated by the spicy batters of the Gulf Coast. Ask anyone who’s tried the little thumb-sized scallop of meat above and behind a redfish’s eyes.
Go for it and try one of these Gulf Coast’s unique delicacies. A nice comeback sauce and saltines will certainly help for that first sampling.
By Troy Gilbert, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
The 35-square-mile island of Anguilla sits right in the middle of the Caribbean’s prime megayacht cruising grounds, with the U.S. and B.V.I. to the north and St. Maarten and St. Barths to the south. Yet, it’s a destination without adequate dockage for these large yachts. Anchoring out and a dinghy ride in is the only way to visit Anguilla’s incredible beaches, five-star resorts and not-yet-overcommercialized island vibe—a movie star’s magnet. This is about to change with the construction of the island’s first megayacht marina at the existing Altamer Resort, a plan that has been on the drawing board for years. Now, in the wake of the resort’s acquisition by New York-based Time Equities and the partnership with Anaconda Holdings—whose chairman Jeff Boyd was instrumental in the creation of St. Maarten’s Princess Port de Plaisance, Yacht Club at Isle de Sol and Portofino Marina—a megayacht marina on Anguilla is to become a reality. Plans call for dockage capable of accommodating yachts from 30- to 200-feet LOA. The marina will also serve as an official port of entry. Marina guests will be able to enjoy all the amenities at the Altamer Resort, a boutique villa property located on the island’s west end at Shoal Bay. The final design stages for the marina wrapped up in late 2015, however, no date has been set for completion. Future plans call for a restaurant, promenade, duty-free shopping, and a 164-unit resort.
Grenada’s first-ever music festival
Seaside venues and an exciting program of local and international artists are the main attractions at the first-ever Pure Grenada Music Festival set for April 5-10. Cruisers donated their old sails to make shaded areas around the Festival Village, which will be located on the spacious green at the Port Louis Marina along with the main stage. At the Festival’s conclusion the sails will go to local workboat owners. The 170-slip, full-service, Port Louis marina is host to the opening night performance featuring Grammy Award-winning pop and R&B superstar, Estelle. Reggae Night and Rhythm and Soul Night happens at Port Louis, too, where the headline acts are Grammy-winning reggae band Steele Pulse and chart topper, Joss Stone. The most exciting night for nautical types is the Rock De Boat concert set on a floating stage in picturesque St. George’s harbor. Canadian duo, Madison Violet, will perform its hit version of These Ships, and Guadeloupe’s Erik Pedurand will present his award-winning island Creole tunes. grenadamusicfestival.com
Antigua’s Granddaddy of Caribbean racing
Catch the action from Antigua Sailing Week with the “Granddaddy of Caribbean Regattas” on April 22-30 at the Antigua Yacht Club in English Harbour. The best vantage point to watch the racing from shore is at Shirley Heights Lookout, where a special regatta breakfast party is set for April 24th. See the sailing by sea aboard the Wadadli Cats on a chase-the-race charter. Not in Antigua? No worries. Results will be posted in real time on sailingweek.com.
By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
There are two full-service outboard shops in George Town: Minns Water Sports and Brown’s Marine. Minns is a Yamaha dealer and Brown’s sells Suzukis. Brown’s can handle almost any size outboard boat with engines up to 350 horsepower. These outboard shops are especially important because they provide excellent services so far south of Nassau.
February Point just opened a new restaurant, the Rusty Anchor, which I highly recommend. The new building has a lovely view across the flats to Crab Cay, the food is upscale and the staff is as cheerful and efficient as anywhere in The Bahamas. Moor your dinghy at their new marina and walk a few yards to the restaurant. februarypoint.com
One of the jewels of George Town is Diane Minns’ Sandpiper Arts & Crafts, a store with quality items for the whole family. When you are done shopping, step next door to the Driftwood Café or across the street to Peace and Plenty for lunch. You old timers may like to know that Lerman Rolle, “The Doctor of Libation,” still mans the bar at Peace and Plenty.
Late April is when George Town becomes really enjoyable. This year the National Family Island Regatta is April 26-30. The regatta is great fun and one of the most photogenic events anywhere. After the regatta most of the cruisers start to leave—some to head to the Caribbean for hurricane season and others head back to the U.S. For those who want peace and quiet, this is the beginning of the best cruising in Exuma and a great time to run out and back to the southeast islands. Great Exuma remains one of the very best locations for flats fishing, and there are excellent locations to fish in almost any weather.
Loggerhead turtles mating. Photo: Lorraine Minns
Jason deCaires Taylor’s sculpture The Musician. Photo Stephen Connett
The Doctor of Libation,” mural by Sally Rolle
Turtle sex
April is the beginning of the mating and nesting season for sea turtles in The Bahamas. Please keep a sharp look out as you travel along the ocean shores of all the islands. Loggerheads are especially vulnerable to boat strikes as they congregate to mate off their nesting beaches. Sea turtle populations have grown slowly since the 2009 ban on sea turtle harvest in The Bahamas, so adult breeders are especially important if this trend is to continue.
Abacos
A reminder for all birders and wildlife enthusiasts in The Bahamas, especially the Abacos, the website, rollingharbour.com, continues to publish amazing photos and general information about birds and other wildlife around the Delphi Club on Abaco.
Farmer’s Cay
According to Roosevelt Nixon—owner/operator of the Farmer’s Cay Yacht Club & Marina—all mooring chains and lines have been replaced with new stainless steel chains and 3/4-inch lines, and the dock and seaport has been re-planked including new braces. That is very good news for those who enjoy Farmer’s Cay and want to moor safely at the dock or in the main channel with easy access to the Club—the restaurant is open from 9AM to 12AM. Roosevelt is always helpful and very proud of his cay. Call (242) 355-4017.
Underwater art
One of the not-so-perfectly-kept secrets of the Exumas is the underwater piano and mermaid sculpture off Rudder Cut Cay. Sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor’s The Musician (commissioned by renowned illusionist David Copperfield) sits in about 12 feet of water and is easily reached by snorkelers. The location of the sculpture is now published in the latest edition of the Explorer Chartbook. Taylor has created stunning underwater sculptures in a range of locations, including his work in the Coral Reef Sculpture Garden in southwest New Providence. underwatersculpture.com
Mariah Harbour Land and Sea Park
The boundaries of Mariah Harbour Cay Land and Sea Park have finally been set. The park includes the southern part of Elizabeth Harbour from the south end of Stocking Island to Pigeon Cay (north of Little Exuma) and includes several important land areas. The park is known to include several endangered species such as piping plovers, iguanas, sea turtles, and a rich variety of other wildlife. Scientific surveys have also shown that this area is an unusually healthy nursery for crawfish. Mariah Harbour Park is a major addition to the national park system and ensures that Elizabeth Harbour and the surrounding waters are protected.
Outreach efforts to engage stakeholders are underway and will be part of the process to determine an official management plan for the park. The Bahamas is among the world leaders in marine conservation, and hopes are that all visitors and boating friends obey Bahamian fisheries regulations and respect the extraordinary environment.
Keep abreast of the latest fishing regulations for your location in the U.S. and Bahamian waters with the very useful app for smart phones fishrulesapp.com. This app is updated regularly and also has excellent fish identification guides.
by Stephen Connett, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
Boating tragedies in Florida’s waters prompted Governor Rick Scott to write a letter to the state constituents supporting proposed boating safety legislation. The legislation encourages emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and personal locator beacons (PLB) to be part of all boaters’ onboard safety equipment, reducing registration fees for all classes of boats with the equipment.
Proposed law for FWC pullovers
Some say that overzealous Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers ruin great days on the water with their random checks. Others say they are necessary to deter illegal fishing, hunting and safety violations. Under a law proposed by Florida State Representative Ritch Workman, officers would need probable cause before stopping boaters. Workman said he wants to see more reasonable stops with FWC officers checking boats only if suspicious activity is observed. Workman said he envisions a safe boating sticker placed next to the boat’s registration after it passes inspection to limit boaters being hassled. If the proposed law (House Bill 703) passes, it would take effect July 1, 2016.
Improved Cuba charts
With increased cruising to Cuba from the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Cuba are working together to improve nautical charts especially in the Straits of Florida. Following up on a Spring 2015 meeting with U.S. and Cuban chartmakers in Havana to work on a new international paper chart—INT Chart 4149 covering south Florida, The Bahamas, and north Cuba—the group then met in Maryland to discuss future collaboration and improving nautical charts.
Shipwreck artifacts returned
Updating the discovery of items from the Confederate CSS Georgia shipwreck, 30,000 articles were raised. Unique items kept for archiving by the U.S. government include small buttons, hilts of knives and swords, an intact glass bottle, leather boots, and an earring. Texas A&M is studying 13,000 articles at their lab, and 16,697 non-unique articles were returned to the mud of the Savannah River in plastic boxes, which, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers archaeologist Julie Morgan, will help preserve them. The Confederate gunship was sunk in 1864 in the Savannah River by its own crew to prevent the ship’s capture by Union troops during the Civil War.
Shoaling at Lockwoods Folly Inlet
North Carolina’s Lockwoods Folly Inlet Intersection near Cape Fear River, Little River Buoy 47, has a 250-yard shoal extending into the federal channel with depths from less than one foot to five feet at mean low water.
Handicapped sailor sails solo
Be on the lookout for Cliff Kyle aboard his 26′ Pearson Abby Normal traveling south on the ICW. Sailing solo can be challenging and for a man with one leg it could be more so, but Kyle throttles full steam ahead with a cheery disposition. “One thing sailing teaches you is how to handle what’s thrown at you and navigate through it,” says Kyle. When his house in Kentucky was foreclosed a couple of years ago, 40-something Kyle headed back to the sea and lived off the coast of Florida in the 1990s. He personally made several modifications on his vessel while sailing to Block Island, Mystic and the Chesapeake Bay. His final destination this season is St. Augustine or possibly The Bahamas.
By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
Cruisers to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will see more green and more wildlife by the end of this decade.The National Aquarium has unveiled a plan to create an urban wetland to demonstrate how natural ecosystems can improve the health of the harbor and the Chesapeake Bay.
The urban wetland will be in the water between Piers 3 and 4 and consist of habitats such as floating wetlands and underwater shelves with bay grasses and terraced edges. The project’s goal is to showcase natural ecosystems as an aesthetic and practical method to improve water quality.
The 2.5-acre area would be free and open to the public. Work is expected to begin by the end of this year, with completion set for 2019. The project includes interactive exhibits, kayaking, picnic spaces, and educational activities in the middle of the aquarium’s campus off Pratt Street. “We see this as an opportunity for a second renaissance for Baltimore’s harbor by creating not only a commercially thriving place, but also one that is thriving in terms of its health and green space, and as a habitat for animals and humans to enjoy themselves,” said John Racanelli, the aquarium’s CEO.
Laurie Schwartz, president of the Waterfront Partnership, said her group fully supports the aquarium’s plans. “We’re excited about bringing the National Aquarium’s conservation and educational components outside,” she said. “It really helps advance the Inner Harbor 2.0 objective of creating a more dynamic harborfront area.”
Judge the soup
Crab soup lovers will get their fill at the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic at the 24th Street Park in Virginia Beach on April 9th. The rain or shine event showcases an open competition among local restaurants who serve their individual recipes and compete for People’s Choice Awards, the winners of which are determined by the ballots of those attending and a panel of four regional cuisine experts. Tickets are sold in advance and offered at the gate if available. (The event is limited to 1,500 paying guests.) Children 12 and younger who are not sampling and are accompanied by an adult are free. Dogs and beach chairs are not permitted in the tasting area.
Smoked duck tacos
The Duck & Wine Festival is slated for April 30th in the town of Duck on North Carolina’s Northern Outer Banks. Festival attendees are invited to sample each restaurant’s special dish paired with a selected wine. Ticket sales are all online this year and the event has sold out in the past. The price of a ticket includes a reusable wine tote bag, an event wine glass, a wine lanyard, and cork screw. A good place to park your yacht for the rain or shine festival is Coinjock Marina & Restaurant located on the ICW at Mile Marker 50, an ideal stop for mariners traveling north and south along the waterway.
By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
Three of the Caribbean’s biggest regattas take place this month: The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, St. Thomas International Regatta and BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival. Sailors and sailing enthusiasts alike come from around the world to race and watch. It’s an excellent opportunity to join in the fun on sea and shore. New this year, all three regattas offer added racing before their main three-day events.
St. Maarten kicks off with its Gill Commodores Cup March 3-6. Like last year, all classes—not just the racers—are welcome to enter. The St. Thomas International Regatta (March 24-27) launches its first-ever Round the Rocks Race on. The course is a beautiful circumnavigation of the adjacent U.S.V.I. of St. John. The B.V.I.’s Sailing Festival (March 28th-April 3rd), as part of its 45th anniversary celebration, offers two days of warm-up racing.
What make these regattas so great, too, are the calibre of talent and the spectacular yachts. For example, Dutch-based Team Brunel aboard their 65-foot Volvo Ocean Racer is entered in St. Maarten. This sleek, canting keel yacht will be on the dock at the St. Maarten Yacht Club, so it’s easy to get a close up and personal look at this amazing racing machine. An entire class of Gunboats will race in St. Thomas, including the U.S.’s Phil Lotz and Robert Alexander on the GB 60s, Arethusa and Fault Tolerant, respectively, as well as Jason Carroll’s GB 62 Elvin. Over a dozen VX One teams from as far away as Australia will be racing in St. Thomas and in the B.V.I. as part of the inaugural two-leg VX One Caribbean Cup. Most exciting is that all three regattas offer a vibe that isn’t equalled anywhere else in the world and the chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with America’s Cup veterans, Olympic medallists and world champions with free-flowing rum in hand and toe-tapping to a pulsating Caribbean beat. No blue blazers or membership cards required. heinekenregatta.com, stthomasinternationalregatta.com, bvispringregatta.org
Charter by the stateroom in the B.V.I.
If you ever wanted to take a crewed yacht charter in the Caribbean but didn’t have the cash or crowd of family and friends for an entire boat, no worries. The Moorings makes it easy. Now, in the B.V.I. only, you can charter one of three staterooms aboard a Moorings 4600 or Moorings 4800 catamaran. Dates are pre-determined, while meals, beverages (including fully stocked bar), snacks, water sports, Wi-Fi, and housekeeping are included. Prices range from $3,800 to $6,500 for double occupancy, for seven days. “Sail Away Staterooms are still a highly personalized experience, with a professional captain and gourmet chef providing experiences and culinary delights that are designed to meet guests’ preferences,” says Carol Hansen, senior content manager for the Clearwater, Florida-headquartered The Moorings. Another unique advantage is the opportunity to meet new people and experience affordable island-hopping aboard a luxury yacht. moorings.com
By Carol Bareuther, Southern Boating Magazine March 2016
