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200 PAGES OF CRUISING AND SAILING ADVENTURE!

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Isabella Stefania A Born Sailor Takes Nashville By Storm

A DUMMIESâ€™ GUIDE TO

FRENCH POLYNESIA A SUMMER IN

GALICIA SAILING THROUGH

ICEBERGS JESSIE & LUKE CROSS THE ATLANTIC

HITTING A REEF IN From The Creators Of

Spring 2018

Issue #22

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1/30/18 1:08 PM

Attitudes

A backward poet writes inverse.

By Bob Bitchin

So today’s edification shall be on safety at sea. Everyone is for it and no one is against it... except, possibly, me. Ya see, the people in power always seem to think that they can legislate safety, and the fact that they know nothing about how said safety legislation will affect real people just doesn’t enter into their alleged minds. Case in point: wearing of life jackets or PFDs (personal f loatation devices) while boating. Now how could anyone be against that? Most people would agree this is a good thing, right? In the past the regulators have tried to make it a law that people on a boat must wear a PFD at all times. Of course, all politicians jump on board that vote-getting train, as they believe no one could possibly be against such a law. Sometimes I think it is a prerequisite for a politician to be an idiot to be elected, and I am serious! Well, I am! I mean, sit back for a minute and imagine this scene: Jody and I pull into a nice harbor for the night. We drop our hook, check that we are not in any traffic lanes, and get ready to spend a quiet evening. We make our way to our aft cabin, and as will happen at times, being a warm evening we opt to sleep au natural. (That means naked.) Now, when you get two people of the opposite sex sans clothing (that also means naked), they may tend to get a little frisky. (Don’t worry, I won’t get too graphic here, so read on!) It is at this point a couple harbor police are drifting past our aft cabin, where we lay unadorned (that means naked as well). They, of course, notice right off the bat that we are criminals! After all, we are not wearing our PFDs (yes, that also means naked)! This not being so egregious an act as to require SWAT, they board the boat. Soon we find ourselves handcuffed and on our way to the hoosegow, and we had not planned handcuffs for the evening! Is this because we were being kinky? No, no I say! Nay, as we all know, the difference between sensual and kinky

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is very simple. It is sensual to use a feather duster, but it’s kinky to use the whole chicken! But alas! There was no poultry involved! We were NOT wearing our PFDs. People passing laws need to use the brains God gave them. I won’t go into how stupid it is that motorcycle riders can go to jail for not wearing a helmet, and I am not going to get into the seat belt controversy. Yes, it does save lives, but as it turns out, the real reason the law is so popular is that the revenue from these laws finance more law enforcement. God only knows we need that, right? NOT! The more people who pay a fine for illegal use of a feather duster, or not wearing a PFD, or felonious existing, the more people we can have enforcing those laws! Then we can generate even more $$$$, and isn’t that what politicians think life is all about? Ahh, but there is a good part to all of this. At this point the law is NOT in effect (except in some local judiciaries), and the real beauty of our lifestyle is, if they do pass such a law, all we have to do is untie a couple lines, go for a little sail, pull in somewhere the law doesn’t exist and drop a hook! America is the land of the free as long as you have the $$$ to enjoy that freedom. So far, we are pretty well off if we have a boat. It’s not like on the streets where ever y time you look behind you ya see a police car. Not yet, anyway. There are some great advantages to living on a boat, and amongst them is the ability to change your location if you don’t like where you are. Security used to mean a safe place to live your life which, when you live on a boat, means to be mobile. Mobility - the spice of life! So the next time you want to break out the old feather duster, feel free! They haven’t outlawed them... YET!)!

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2/3/18 10:54 AM

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2/3/18 10:58 AM

A Dummiesâ€™ Guide To French Polynesia The Basic Who, What, Where, Why & When Of The Most Beautiful Cruising Grounds On Earth By Bob Bitchin

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A Dummies’ Guide To French Polynesia

The Marquesas Islands

sia

ne y l o P h renc

The Society Islands

The Tuamotu Archipelago

The Gambier Islands

The Tubuai Islands The Society Islands

Bora Bora

Sous le vent

(Leeward Islands)

Taha’a Huahine Raiatea

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very sailor who has ever dreamed has dreamed of sailing or cruising in French Polynesia. The tales of Captain Cook and the Endeavor are what brought most of us out of childhood and into the Moorea “age of sailing.” To sail into the lagoon at Bora Bora, hide in a small anchorage in Huahine, or reprovision in Papeete is all a Tahiti dream, but it is a dream that is attainable and a lot better than most people realize. French Polynesia consists of five archipelagoes in the south-central Pacific Ocean. There are about 130 islands located between latitudes 7° and 27° S and longitudes 134° and 155° W - a total land area roughly equivalent to that of metropolitan Paris and London combined. However, they cover a section of the ocean five times as large as France. The archipelagoes of French Polynesia are the Society Islands, Tuamotus, Gambier Islands, Marquesas Islands, and Tubuai Islands. For hundreds of years, sailing to these islands has been known as the “Milk Run,” as it is usually a downwind sail!

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The Island of Tahiti

Papeete, which is the main city on the island of Tahiti. A Cruising Ground Designed by Disney? It is French Polynesia’s largest city and is located in the I’ve been sailing these islands for well over 20 years, Society Island group. Over half the population of French and the amazing thing about this huge group is the Polynesian lives in Papeete and it is the only island that diversity of the island types. It’s kinda like a training has direct flights from the mainland. This is where you do ground for cruisers. your final clearance. If sailing from the Americas you usually arrive first Ever since the days of the tall in the Marquesas Islands. These are ships, the islands have been very all volcanic islands, like Hawaii. Our first “Share the Sail protective to assure that they don’t Then, as you sail west, you find the Tahiti” in 1999 get sailors “stranded” there. So they Tuamotu island group. This is made have a regulation that, when you up of 78 atolls, with only one lone sail into the country, you must have volcanic island just before you reach either a cash bond or a return ticket the Society Island group. And when to your homeland in order to clear you get to the Society Islands you find in. What we did was to buy one-way beautiful atolls surrounding volcanic tickets to American Samoa online islands. These are known as the as we entered the islands, and then most beautiful islands in the world, cancelled them when we left, paying with Bora Bora, in the Sous le vente the interest only on the tickets. (Leeward) islands, as the crown jewel. French Polynesia is a cruiser’s dreamland. When cruising French Polynesia you can usually do Everywhere you go, with the possible exception of the city your entry at any island, but you will have to proceed to of Papeete, you will find the Polynesian culture is strong. Papeete to finalize your clearance. You usually have 90 Each island group has its own flavor. days from the day you land on your first island to get to

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Lost Soul anchored in Nuku Hiva

Ua Pou, located just 3 miles south of Nuku Hiva

The Marquesas

On Nuku Hiva you will find it easy to do your initial check-in. Also, you will find Rose Courser’s Keikahanui Inn. Rose, and her husband Frank, sailed to Nuku Hiva over 30 years ago as she was doing her doctoral thesis on the origins of the tattoo, and the Marquesas Islands seem to be the center of where tattoos originated. The Tapa cloths that they have stored there, some for over 100 years, are designs that they tattoo on people of influence on the islands. The first European visitors arrived July 21, 1595 when Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira stopped at Fatu Hiva and named the islands Los Marquesas after the wife of the Viceroy of Peru. James Cook, likewise, visited the southern

This island group is the farthest from any continent in the world. They are between 400 and 600 miles south of the equator and approximately 1,000 miles northeast of Tahiti. There are two groups. The northern group consists of Eïao, Hatutu, Motu One, and the islands clustered around the large island of Nuku Hiva: Motu Iti, Ua Pou, Motu Oa and Ua Huka. The southern group consists of Fatu Uku, Tahuata, Moho Motane, Terihi, Fatu Hiva and Motu Nao, also known as Thomasset Rock. They are clustered around the main island of Hiva `Oa.

The Tuamotus

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Black pearls from ehe Tuamotus

A typical Tuamotus entrance group in 1774. However, it was the commercial shipping and the whaling ships that brought the epidemics that killed nine out of ten Polynesians. On Nuku Hiva alone there were over 50,000 inhabitants when â€œdiscovered.â€? They currently have less than 3,000 inhabitants due to disease from the early visitors.

The Tuamotus

The second group of islands people usually visit are the Tuamotus. A hundred shades of blue in lagoons surrounded by white-sand atolls with verdant green foliage; these are what sailors have dreamed of for hundreds of years. The Tuamotus are in the center of

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French Polynesia and are composed of 78 atolls with one raised coral atoll, the Makatea, and a large number of coral reefs. The most visited atolls are Rangiroa, Tikehau and Fakarava. Black pearl farming is common in the lagoons and is considered as one of the treasures of the archipelago, so donâ€™t wait until you get to Tahiti to buy pearls! Navigating is a lot more difficult in the Tuamotus. These islands can be as much as three miles off their charted positions. The reefs are too low for radar navigation, and entering a lagoon MUST be done at or near high noon so you have good visibility. Also,

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The Adventure Continues 40 Cruising Outpost

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Sailing Across An Ocean...

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2/1/18 10:34 AM

The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test Night Shift in the Gulf of St. Lawrence The St. Lawrence River was our highway to the Atlantic Ocean. The mouth of it, in which weâ€™ve worked diligently to meet, has channeled us eastwards through the Gulf of St. Lawrence where ďŹ nally, there is gracious room for us to sail, but it has brought with it many hazards. This sea washes up along the shores of half of the Canadian provinces, surrounding us just beyond their horizon in all directions. Underneath the surface lies the northern section of the Appalachian Mountains, which extend from central Alabama all the way to Newfoundland.

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By Jessie Zevalkink

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Sailing Across An Ocean... The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test

Abundant in wildlife. Absent of homo sapiens. We are lucky to be sailing past these magical landscapes that so few do. We are, however, alone in a world of unpredictability. Inconsistent winds. Inaccurate forecasts. Perplexing currents. This gulf tests the few who choose to sail through. I reach my peak of anxiety as the sun sinks. Another breathtaking setting sun I ﬁnd little appreciation for. I try to stop and like it, to love it,

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try to marvel in its hot pinks and purples. Instead I notice the steam pouring from my exhales, the instant temperature drop and the jolting shiver that shakes me from my toes up. Night time is coming again. The moon is nearly bright enough to light the pages on my book. If I concentrate hard I can almost make it through a sentence. A sentence is all I read before looking up to scan the horizon. I feel immediate guilt if I’m not looking ahead. I’ve vowed to myself to remain

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2/1/18 10:34 AM

Iceberg Alley

alert during each watch, I do what it takes to keep that vow. This crisp evening brings with it clear skies, grand visibility, and 37 degrees; a pleasant surprise after I’ve ﬁnally become conﬁdent in the fog. It all feels too Titanic familiar. A satellite passes overhead. I start to think about space. I stop thinking about space. I understand that maybe there are some things meant to be misunderstood. I set the thought down with intentions to pick it up later.

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I receive another text message including a photo of an iceberg the size of Bass Pro Shop that’s run aground off the coast of Newfoundland. A kind reminder of what lies ahead. I’m not sure how to respond. Am I supposed to say, “Thank you”? I hum to stay awake. It comes out by default as “The Little Mermaid.” When I ﬁnish humming Disney I upgrade to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On Forever,” bringing me back to Titanic thoughts. I stop humming this song.

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Sailing Across An Ocean... The Ultimate Pre-Marital Test At 3:00 a.m. I meet a painter. The artist takes a brush and walks the horizon with deep blood oranges. She walks back and forth blending it into navy, and then into black. Layers are added again and again warming the seam. On the opposite side of the canvas, the moon tucks beneath the covers. This morning’s sunrise is the greatest present. I want to unwrap it forever. St. Pierre & Miquelon Just off the south coast of Newfoundland we spot pufﬁns and the duo makes me hyper and happy. They distract me the short distance between us and the iceberg limit. We await in St. Pierre and Miquelon, two French islands situated off the south coast of Newfoundland that remain under French control. I was not aware we would be stopping off in France until just as few days ago! An enormous low pressure system is passing over the North Atlantic, and here at the dock we feel the wrath from its outer isobars, Desirée leans over with 40-knot gusts. The list of chores and tasks aboard Desirée grows like bamboo. Every day we trim it down. We eat fresh bread. We drink French wine. We hike the marvelous hills. We tactfully prepare our passage plan around the Avalon Peninsula and up to St. Johns, NFL. Without speaking of it, our nerves begin to show. Timing a North Atlantic crossing is a delicate balance of statistics and luck. We are gambling with icebergs and hurricanes. Go too soon and there is too much ice. Go too late and risk a hurricane. The route we have chosen to take is not highly suggested due to these factors; in fact it’s not even listed in several ocean passage textbooks. We sit on the edge, feet dangling one direction and the weight of our torsos heeled back, feeling our way through each obstacle using our best judgement. The reason we are going this route is simple - it’s the shortest distance from A to B - not to be mistaken by the easiest, as its history of crossings teaches us. The Canadian Ice Service was created after the sinking of the Titanic. Today this service uses airplanes, satellites, and radars to post daily reports tracking the paths of bergs. The chart does not give exact positions of icebergs, and can’t possibly as they are always moving, drifting, melting, breaking apart. Degree by degree, boxes

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Iceberg Alley overlay a chart. Each box contains the number of bergs reported within that area. Boxes along the south coast read 4, 7, 6. The berg count increases up to 97 once you reach the north side of Newfoundland. Iceberg count this year is three times above average. In our early stages of planning, radar was a conversation we had time and again. Luke and I opted to sail without radar and agreed it was just another distraction; another drain on battery, another excuse for our eyes not on the horizon. All we can do at this point is promise each other diligent lookouts. We sail away from St. Pierre after the gale passes three days later, rested and wide eyed. The Avalon Peninsula 21:00 – We’ve entered the iceberg zone on night watch. We are in the region where seven have been reported. The sun has set…again…like it always does. I Can’t see anything…again. It’s foggy and windy…again. We turn off our running lights to eliminate the back glow, in hopes of seeing just a few more feet ahead. There is lightning. It flashes roughly twice a minute, I’ve never seen anything like this. As it flashes you can’t see anything aside from a wall of fog and birds swooping around the mast. This is, without question, the spookiest place I have ever been. Fog, wind, lightning, blackness, circling birds, and the possibility of seven icebergs. We drop all canvas besides a second-reefed main to slow down. My tummy twists sideways communicating its stress. I tremble through the cold fog, staring harder than I have ever stared before. We agree to take shorter shifts tonight. Luke relieves me and I go down below to try and rest. 21:35 – Laying in the port bunk with the lee cloth. Waves rocking us from the side. I wish I could say it feels like being rocked in a cradle, but it doesn’t. My body is flexed to stay in place. I’m doing better burning calories than I am sleeping.

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22:15 – I smell ice. I think about the fact that I smell ice for another hour, maybe longer, and I don’t say anything. I don’t trust that it is possible. I tell myself that it is not possible. You can’t smell ice. But I do. It’s exactly like when you open a chest of ice at a gas station and stick your whole head in on a hot summer day. You know the smell. The birds are still circling, their voices echo through the wet air. 12:00 – My eyes are glued to the blackness at midnight shift. We move forward under power at three knots, cautiously. I may as well be asleep because looking ahead is completely useless. We are traveling blind. We are gambling. This is torture. A

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The Remote a Marquesas Islands o

The voyage through the Marquesas archipelago and on to Hawai’i was the last leg of our journey across the “Polynesian Triangle” from New Zealand in the southwest to Hawai’i in the north. We had arrived in French Polynesia in June and had spent four marvellous months sailing in the Society Islands and the Tuamotus. The Marquesas lie about 500 nm northeast of the Tuamotus and, although populated during the same wave of migration through Eastern Polynesia in the thirteenth century, they speak a different language and have a fiercely independent culture. The Marquesan people have long 56 Cruising Outpost

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resented the neglect of the islands by politicians in Tahiti and even floated the idea of separating from French Polynesia and establishing a direct relationship with the government in Paris. We left the Tuamotus in squally E- ESE winds in the company of two other yachts; our Canadian friends on Lady Carolina were bound for Oa Pou in the northern Marquesas, whereas we and the Italian yacht Cattiva were bound for Fatu Hiva, the most southerly of the Marquesan Islands. It was a tight beat on a starboard tack to maintain our northeast course to Fatu Hiva, and with heavy rain and gusts up to 33 knots it was not a pleasant sail. www.cruisingoutpost.com

2/1/18 9:50 AM

e and Barbarous s of French Polynesia

by Suzy Carmody

After four days we sighted Fatu Hiva and the next morning we dropped anchor in the Bay of Virgins on the west coast of the island. Other cruisers had told us that the Bay of Virgins was one of the prettiest anchorages in French Polynesia and it was truly breathtaking! The bay is surrounded www.cruisingoutpost.com

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The Remote and Barbarous Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia

by craggy basalt cliffs and surf pounds the black shingle shoreline. Through a narrow gate in the cliff slopes, a green fertile valley is visible. Most anchorages in the Marquesas are generally small and deep, and even in the bays on the leeward sides of the islands, the swell manages to wrap around and get in. A stern anchor is usually needed to keep the bow into the swell, lessening the boat roll and

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reducing the chance of colliding with your neighbours! The village of Hanavave on Fatu Hiva boasts beautiful gardens with all manner of verdant tropical ďŹ‚owers and plants bursting with life. Bougainvillea and hibiscus provide shade and vibrant colour, and frangipani and tiare, the national ďŹ‚ower, add a rich sweet bouquet. Fruit trees growing wild along the roads and in the forest are drooping with mangoes, grapefruit, bananas and breadfruit in abundance. The bark of the breadfruit tree is used to make paper known as tapa which is painted with local designs and is somewhat of a speciality of Fatu Hiva. In the village there is one small shop with almost empty shelves, but people are friendly and happy to trade tapa or sacks full of fruit for sunglasses, makeup or even whiskey! A walk up to the waterfall was a must. The route follows the road for about one km, then turns left along

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The Remote and Barbarous Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia

a dirt track and crosses a couple of rivers before branching off to the left again through the jungle. We got a bit lost at this point, but eventually found the right path marked by stone cairns which we enthusiastically added to so no one else would miss the path! The waterfall was about 25 meters high with a moderate ﬂow into a wonderfully cool, dark plunge pool - bliss after the humidity of the jungle. After a week we departed Fatu Hiva bound for Hiva Oa, the largest island in the southern group. Tahauku Bay is the nearest anchorage to the main town of Atuona. It has limited space and 18 boats were already tucked in there. Small buoys dotted between the rows of boats mark the position of the bow and stern anchors, but with so many boats in close proximity, it is almost impossible to set anchor without crossing someone else’s lines. Every day dinghies are buzzing about lifting and resetting

anchors, pulling up old chains and active chains and bits of stray rope. Confusion reigns, yet they say there is plenty of room for at least 10 more boats! It was a 30-minute walk into Atuona, where there were several magazins or general stores and an internet cafe – our ﬁrst wiﬁ since Makemo in the Tuamotus. While in Atuona we visited the Espace de Paul Gauguin and were very impressed with the extensive

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The Remote and Barbarous Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia

collection of paintings. Of course, they were reproductions, but the quality seemed extremely good and the gallery was well lit, well laid out and cool – it was very enjoyable. Afterwards we walked up the hill to the cemetery to see Gauguin’s grave which lies under a Frangipani tree with a sculpture beside the simple headstone. It was an overnight crossing to Oa Pou, an island in the northern Marquesas just south of

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Nuku Hiva, so it was early in the morning when we arrived. The bay at Hakahau is wide and it is known to be rolly due to the strong swell which wraps around the headland from the east. It seemed a nice peaceful anchorage at 7:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning, but the next couple of days were disturbed by pile driving as they were building a new wharf. Nonetheless, we liked the village. There was very good artisanal centre and an amazing restaurant offering a buffet of dishes cooked by the ladies from the village where you could pile your plate high and get internet all for 500CFP ($5) . . . superb. We were really looking forward to arriving in Nuku Hiva where friends that we hadn’t seen since Tahiti and the Tuamotus were gathering for the crossing to Hawai’i. Taiohae Bay is huge and even with 50-plus boats anchored there when we arrived, there was WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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The Remote and Barbarous Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia

still space for plenty more. The weather for the first few days was overcast with strong bullets of wind, frequent rainstorms and a moderate swell which made the anchorage quite uncomfortable. However the skies cleared in time for the Fete Patrimoine, a day celebrating Marquesan culture including food, dancing, carving and other handicrafts. The young men prepared a Marquesan four, a pit filled with hot rocks in which meat and vegetables wrapped in leaves are buried in and left for five-six hours to cook. At midday we feasted on roasted pig, goat and bananas – it was chewy, but tasty. The culmination of the day was the evening dance performance. It was a dry run of a performance which would be presented by the Nuku Hiva group at the Marqeusan Arts Festival in Hiva Oa in December. An excited audience had gathered at the pae pae and cheered as a hundred dancers entered the grassy arena. Both men and women performed the Pig Dance, the Warrior Dance, the Bird Dance and various other Marquesan favorites. The men were dressed in fearsome costumes and seemed

to take the principal role in most the dances. The women provided a soothing counterbalance to the fierce intensity of the male dancers. It was quite a spectacle to watch as the sun set behind the mountains and the drums pounded and the voices intoned the repetitive chants. We left Nuku Hiva for a couple of days to visit Daniel’s Bay, a really picturesque spot at the mouth of the Hakaui Valley. The first order of business was to fill up the water tanks as the water available dockside in Taiohae is not potable. The few taps which do have potable water are a long haul from the dinghy dock, and we needed to fill up some 30 five-gallon jerry cans. The village tap in Hakatea in Daniel’s Bay is located in a wooden shed that

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A Summer In Galicia, Spain Daria & Alex Blackwell

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On the first of July we packed up Aleria, our Bowman 57, and headed down to Galicia in northwestern Spain for a summer of cruising the rias. We hopped down the west coast of Ireland, where weâ€™ve been for several years now, and were about to set off from Dingle for the crossing of Biscay, when the forecast shifted to little or no wind for the foreseeable future. This is a fairly unusual situation for the west of Ireland, to say the least. We motored to Crookhaven and took a couple of days off to visit the wonderful Mizzen Head Museum in the old Marconi radio station in brilliant sunshine and bright blue skies. This is where the first trans-Atlantic (Europe to America) radio transmissions were achieved.

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A Sum me r I n G a li c i a

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1/30/18 2:06 PM

Finally, the forecast brought better news. We were to get a northwesterly breeze of about 15-20 knots filling in from 0600. We made our way out of the moonlit harbour and set off on the 500-mile sail across the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay. Three days later we arrived in Portosin in the Ria de Muros y Noia, dropping anchor at precisely 0600. We even had our first 200+ mile/24-hour day ever. It was glorious. Sometime during the final 12 hours, when we motor-sailed due to a change of wind direction, our exhaust burst, but we didn’t realize it until after we’d anchored. When we lifted the floorboards and saw the creeping thick layer of greasy soot, our hearts sank. Our adventure was beginning with an ordeal. Pshaw! Nevertheless, good attitude prevailed. Three days later the bilges were clean, the cushions washed and dried, and the exhaust fixed. We were now really ready for a nice, long, sailing experience. For the first fortnight we joined a rally of 60 boats from the Irish Cruising Club, sailing in company among the Rias, making four group stops along the way. The marinas were brilliant in accommodating so many Irish yachts arriving at once. Great fun! Lots of singing, lots of ‘craic’ – good times as only the Irish can do. We also organized an Ocean Cruising Club raft-up where 10 boats and 21 people joined in, with four yachts anchored together hosting the party. Then we spent the next six weeks recuperating while cruising on our own. We learned that technically, there are six rias in Galicia, but only four are included in the Rias Baixas designation. The rias are estuarine sea inlets, with rivers feeding into them at their heads. Three of the Rias have islands protecting their waters from the onslaught of the North Atlantic. These islands are part of a National Park system and permission is required to anchor and go ashore. The Rias Baixas have seen significant development in the last decade with much invested in the marine infrastructure. A string of marinas have been installed reminiscent of Scotland (but with better weather and lesser currents). It is an idyllic cruising destination and many Celtic and Mediterranean yachties are bringing their boats there for prolonged periods, some staying on permanently. Galician people are Celtic in origin and have their own language (Gallego) which is distinct from Spanish. The food, mainly seafood tapas, is extraordinary. The local white wines, known as albariño, are crisp and refreshing. Everything is delightfully affordable. After the cruise in company, we returned to the Northwest corner just inside Cape Finisterre, anchoring in the Ria de Corcubion, a small ria with www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Cruising Outpost 67 1/30/18 2:06 PM

What’s Out There?

The Dufour 412 started out in 2012 as the 410. Since then it has evolved into what many consider one of the best cruising designs available for the cruising sailor who is looking for both speed and comfort. In the six years they have been improving this design they have developed a boat that is fast, easy to handle, sails well in light winds, and meets the requirements for those who plan on spending plenty of cruising time aboard. The running rigging has been set up for ease of handling with all lines leading to the cockpit for safety. The cockpit itself has been designed to allow

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Cruising Monohull

plenty of comfort while keeping all of the controls easy to access. Below deck you will find a comfortable and spacious interior. The designers have managed to give cruisers plenty of storage while still providing a feeling of openness. The large “L”-shaped galley gives the illusion of a much larger vessel. Looking around the main saloon you can see all the small touches that have made Dufour one of the better known cruising vessels. Dufour Yachts have been a staple for the cruising lifestyle for many years, and the new 412 is a design that any serious sailor should consider for world cruising.

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1/30/18 2:09 PM

Dufour 412

Get all the facts: http://www.dufour-yachts.com/en/ Dufour 412 LOA 41’ 10” LWL 36’ 6” 5’ 10” / 6’ 8” Draft (shoal/deep) Beam 13’ 9” Displacement 20,326 lbs. Power 40 hp diesel 52.83 USG Fuel Fresh Water 100.32 USG www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Night Vision 76 Cruising Outpost

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1/30/18 2:25 PM

Embracing Night Vision

By Bill Cook

We Americans love our toys. That love starts at a tender age, but as we mature it often grows stronger, more costly, and sometimes for no good reason. As a career optics geek, I frequently visit various binocular forums which seem to overflow with comments from observers who want to compare totally unrelated instruments for equally unrelated ways. As often as not they ask questions, the answers to which they don’t have the experience to fully comprehend. One point forever eluding this crowd is that if each “improvement” to come along in the last 65 years offered a verifiable one quarter percent advantage, today’s hand-held binoculars would weigh as much as a postage stamp, would offer a jitterfree 2,000 “power” image, could focus on the end of your nose, and would allow the observer to see events three days before they occur. It would seem that sometimes our need for one-upmanship can overshadow rational thinking. Enter the Boater’s World The boater’s world is rich with gadgets that weren’t even available to consumers a generation ago: electronic compasses, GPS, image stabilized binoculars, and night-vision gear. And, for those spending much time on the big water, some of these devices can push the desire to own them from the realm of one-upmanship to that of safety and peace of mind—from a cool gadget to talk about to a life- or hull-saving device worth its weight in gold.

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2/3/18 11:55 AM

Night Vision

Generation 1

Generation 2

Generation 3

Humble Beginnings Although the concept of image-intensiﬁed “night-vision” instruments can be traced to 1895, they didn’t become a reality until 1929. At that time, experimentation accelerated and just 10 years later such devices were being used by the German Army in the early days of WWII. Even so, with its dim, grainy, monochromatic image, night-vision gear didn’t come into popular use until the 1970s, and then mainly as tools for military use. Today, these instruments abound in various sizes, resolutions, light intensifying capabilities, and life expectancies having prices to match. Do you have $200 to

spend? The market has a model for you. Do you have $8,000 (or more) to spend? The same market has an instrument for you. But... DO You Need One? It should be understood that the image in the best night-vision gear—regardless of aperture or “generation” of components— will not match the view through even a midquality binocular used during the day. The image is

monochromatic and grainy; just how grainy depends on how much you’re willing to spend. Sometimes you may even see a few tiny “dead” intensiﬁer (photocathode) cells scattered about in the image. Even so, it should be remembered that while NO night-vision device

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Embracing Night Vision

will allow anyone to see in total darkness, the presence of a few stars, a tiny sliver of moon, or a couple of outdoor security lights on the horizon might be enough to see the magic. Showing Off When I was trying to illustrate the advantage of night-vision gear to my family, a winter storm provided the perfect opportunity. The only lights around our house were the headlamps from a powerline repair truck and a small f lashlight at the top of a power pole. I had one of my sons walk to the end of a 35-foot hallway and close all the doors at that end of the hall. The shades on his window were open but the headlamps were 150 feet away and struck the window at a 45-degree angle. With the door closed, the only light entering the hallway was coming under the door with most of it being blocked by ﬁbers in the carpet. WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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My wife, eldest son, and I were at the other end of the hallway, yet we could see the patterns of our younger son’s shirt and could count the buttons. And when he tried to be silly, we could easily see changes in his facial expressions at 35 feet in a totally darkened house. Pay Attention Some people shun the notion of the various “generations” of the product. Although not caring much about the changes going on in product development, one very important aspect indicated by its generation is what the term means in terms of its longevity. The heart of any night-vision device is its image intensiﬁer. They have a limited useful life which is documented as an MTBF (Mean Time Cruising Outpost 79

1/30/18 2:26 PM

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2/3/18 5:57 PM

Lifestyle 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 George Johnson of Jessica Johnson, New York Harbor aboard Makin Memories

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2/3/18 5:57 PM

The perfect crew in Brazil

By Glenn Smedstad of daughter Siri Elisabeth Smedstad, taken in the Oslo Fjord, Norway

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By Bill Hughes, Syvros, on the island of Lefkas, Greece

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2/3/18 5:58 PM

By Jason S

By Joseph Smith, on Oologah Lake, OK, teaching his daughter, Isadora, to sail

By George Howard, S/V Kâ€™Plaah anchored in Lundstrom Cove on Lake Roosevelt, WA

Bermuda diving - Captain Bill heads out to sea in search of plunder

By Bob Feld

By Carl Schuetze of Cynthia on the bow of Neshuma, cruising the channels around Bocas del Toro www.cruisingoutpost.com

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Cruising Outpost 87 2/3/18 5:59 PM

By Brian Duckett, Berkeley Marina, San Francisco Bay

By John, Flamenco Beach, Isla Culebra, SVI

By Brian Davidson

By Deena Mitchell passing through Angels Gate

By Debbie Lhotka of Gill and granddaughter out for a Saturday sail

By Doug Stotts of Lanikai, a Hunter 44DS at Two Harbors, Catalina Island

By Ed Collis of a foggy morning in Toronto

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2/4/18 11:06 AM

By Danny, San Francisco

By Danel Bowman of Jake and Sydney, Trellis Bay

By Kevin & Barbara, somewhere in the Caribe

By Brent & Janet Schulze, Catalina Island

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Cruising Outpost 89 2/3/18 6:02 PM

Isabella

This Monthâ€™s Cover:

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1/31/18 10:31 AM

Stefania

Story & Photos by Molly Porter , Diana & Wolf , Cover Photo by Marty Wayne

A Sailor Girl Takes Nashville By Storm Isabella Stefania has grown up on the outskirts of the “Windy City,” Chicago, Illinois. She is a sailor as well as a country girl at heart. She got a taste for adventure from her parents who are avid sailors. Sailing, riding ATVs, SCUBA diving the beautiful green waters of the Caribbean or watching a beautiful sunset, the one constant is her music. We met Isabella when she was about seven years old, when she came to the Chicago Boat Show with her parents. It seems that “Dad” and Bob Bitchin (our ‘steamed Publisher!) had a lot in common, both riding Harleys for a few decades. Isabella’s sound, an original blend she’s dubbed island-country, not only conveys her music style but exemplifies the natural beauty and easy going spirit that is Isabella. Though

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Isabella Stefania

she’s just getting started, her rapidly growing fan base indicates great promise for the future. Her original song, co-written and produce by Doug Kahan, “Love’s Not Like That” is receiving great reviews and leaving her fans begging for more. Isabella’s love for performance began as a toddler. As a dancer, she felt at home on stage and also experienced the joy and excitement of pleasing her audience. Isabella worked diligently and became very accomplished as a dancer and later as a volleyball player. Sadly, an injury all but ended her days of dancing and volleyball, but her love of music was there to fill the void. Isabella focused her attention on learning guitar, writing and improving her vocals. Her hard work paid off when a family friend referred her to Bernard Porter, Founder and President of PCG Universal in Nashville, Tennessee. Porter invited her to attend PCG’s annual summer boot camp so she and her biggest fans, her parents, made the trip to Nashville. Porter witnessed

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1/31/18 10:32 AM

A Sailor Girl Takes Nashville By Storm

Isabella’s talent fi rsthand and was eager to begin molding this incredible piece of clay. Isabella was invited to attend the elite development program at PCG as an emerging artist, and so began the process of uncovering her underlying potential. “She’s exactly what we look for in an artist, the whole package, truly talented. Her sound is really refreshing and new. She’s got a great voice, strong writing potential, a hard worker and she’s beautiful inside and out. Isabella is a pleasure to work with and I know she’s got what it takes to achieve great success in this industry,” comments Porter. Isabella began working with Porter and his team of coaches and providers in 2016 and her progress has been remarkable. Having earned the privilege, she recorded her first single, as well as her first music video, directed by award-winning film directors Michael Stryker and Josh Stever, for “Love’s Not Like That.” She continues to develop her skills as a singer/songwriter with monthly trips to Nashville and performing every chance she gets. No one knows what the future holds, but one thing is certain, Isabella’s love and skill for making music will continue growing. With that, her desire for more adventures and the ability to help make the world a better place will be fulfilled. As she likes to say, “Life is not meant to be lived in one spot. Ships in the harbor are safe, but that isn’t what ships are made for.” WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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With her undeniable talent, strong work ethic, natural beauty, unwavering passion and a fresh, new sound all her own, Isabella Stefania is sailing for uncharted territory…wind in her hair, sun on her face, songs dancing in her head like stars on the water. Isabella would like her music to inf luence all ages, whether it’s a feel-good sing-along tune or one that speaks to the heart of her beliefs. Her devotion is to being authentic and tr ue to herself and being a positive role model for young women. Whether she’s deep beneath the waters of the Caribbean or riding cross-country on a Harley, one thing is for certain; there’ll be a song taking shape in her head and we’ll soon be singing along to another easy-going country classic.

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The Nascent Southport Yacht Located at the intersection of the ICW and the Cape Fear River where the currents can be as strong as the docktails, Southport, NC is a quaint, seaside town with art galleries, shops, pubs, restaurants and all the other sorts of things you’d expect from such a Norman Rockwellian tourist destination. It’s where “Safe Haven” and “Under the Dome” were filmed (to name a few), and it was named Coastal Living’s 2015 Happiest Seaside Town. It’s host to the North Carolina 4th of July Festival, which brings some 50,000 people to town. With all that water stuff in its favor, what Southport did not have was a yacht club that focused on boaters getting off the docks and on the water. Sure, there were other boating organizations, but in recent years they’d become more social than boating-oriented. That’s all fine. But Eric Hoffman, Sam Johnston and Jeff Fisher — longtime Southport pals and boaters — wanted more. They’d spent many hours on B dock of their marina imagining a yacht club that promotes all aspects of yachting and provides social, educational and boating activities. They finally put a foundation under their dream. Now three years old, the Southport Yacht Club has enhanced the boating community in the area and brought together like-minded boaters and boat-lovers.

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Lessons Learned in Starting a Yacht Club Eric was the founding Commodore and this year he handed the reins to Sam. Jeff has moved out of the area but is still a member. The club currently has four volunteer flag officers that oversee various functions—a Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore and Secretary/ Treasurer. The Board of Directors includes the flag officers; the Fleet Captain who’s appointed by the Commodore; the immediate Past Commodore, and two board members at large. All eight board members have voting privileges. In addition, volunteer committee chairs attend the board meetings and offer their proverbial two cents on issues, but they don’t vote. They chair the communications, cruising, education, fleet, membership and social committees. The club has three clear and oft-articulated missions: to promote a Corinthian spirit whereby members not only participate in club activities, they help plan and execute them, too; to get people off the docks and on the water; and to promote safe boating. The club is all-volunteer, so the busy club calendar requires lots of coordination. Eric and Sam have learned a few things about starting a club. For instance, it’s important to identify those who believe in your mission. There’s a lot

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2/2/18 4:38 PM

Club’s Cruising Agenda By Cheryl L. Serra, additional photos by Sandy Gibson of work that needs to come together to start a club and keep it financially sustainable. You need likeminded individuals to help shoulder these tasks. It’s also important to understand what you want the club to be and to ensure that all bylaws, events, communications, etc., reflect the mission and vision of the club. They also say you must encourage participation in club events. With regard to cruising, for instance, having cruises that allow people to enhance their skills and gain confidence during cruises of varying length and difficulty allows members to share their expertise. The result? Everyone learns. How Cruising at the Southport Yacht Club has Evolved The club’s cruising program has evolved since Mike Gibson took over as Cruise Committee chair over a year ago. Under his guidance, there is an array of cruises—the upcoming cruise to Charleston, SC will require more than 20 hours on the ocean by sail, while one planned in late summer is to Bald Head Island, which can be seen from the marina where most members keep their boats. Mike says the cruises allow cruisers to experience other places with boating friends who are on the same wavelength. He notes that every

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marina or anchorage they’ve visited “is filled with happy, friendly people who enjoy boating as much as we do.” Mike’s own cruise-lust began when he read “Flirting with Mermaids” by John Kretschmer and a couple of Bernard Montessier books about long distance bluewater passage making. He enjoyed the cruising information in Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine and TV Show. He and his wife, Sandy, also briefly met Bob Bitchin at the Annapolis Boat Show. He soon was watching cruising channels on YouTube and thinking about how he and Sandy would take Syringa, their Beneteau 473, to some of the places he saw. His reading list expanded to reading about couples who had sailed the world together, like “Gentlemen Never Sail to Weather” by Denton R. Moore and “Cruising in Serrafyn” by Lin and Larry Pardey. “Now I probably subscribe to 40 channels and contribute financially to a handful,” he says. “There are people cruising that I truly hope Sandy and I meet somewhere in our travels. So, until we set sail for more distant horizons, our cruising grounds are primarily Cape Lookout to Charleston. SYC provides the cruising fun and experience that Sandy and I look for even though we aren’t doing it full time. It’s preparing us, and I think we’ll be better cruisers overall.”

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2/2/18 4:38 PM

My First Sailing Marathon When blondes have more fun, do they know it?

By Lea Ann Rock

Nomad Making Way

avid and I are well into our second decade of cruising. We sail on our Tayana 48, S/V Nomad, with our one crew member, Gypsy Jazz Rock. We have made numerous trips to the Bahamas and actually live in the turquoise water most of the year. Last year, at the ripe old age of 55, I became a Type 1 Diabetic. The doctors do not know why this happened to me. Type 1 Diabetes is treatable, but there is no cure. David and I have decided to not let this disease determine our future. We will continue our cruising life which we enjoy so much. I hope by writing

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about what we are doing, others out there might feel empowered to live their dreams regardless of their physical challenges. David has always been a runner and has completed marathons and triathlons. I told him while we were still state-side, the Gulf Stream crossing and trip to George Town would be my marathon. I really didnâ€™t know if I would be physically capable of making this trip. After a rough crossing to Bimini, we waited out a weather system at Bimini Sands Resort. We pulled out of Bimini Sands on a Saturday to spend the night anchored

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2/2/18 2:48 PM

Black Point next to North Bimini. This would set us up for our next run to the Exuma Islands. We awoke on Sunday to a beautiful sky. The moon was on one side of Nomad and the sunrise on the other. A sailor could not ask for a more beautiful day. The winds were light and we would have to motor-sail, but we were fine with that after our rough Gulf Stream crossing. After we upped anchor we noticed there were boats all around traveling in the same direction as Nomad. I thought of Eileen Quinn singing about “capable little cruisers.” As the morning moved to afternoon, we heard the other cruising boats chatter on the radio. They were all planning to anchor in the Great Bahama Bank for the night. We have done this many times, but not tonight. A friend early in our cruising life told us, “Make hay while the hay making is good.” We had calm winds, a full moon on the way, and a perfect night to cross the Tongue of the Ocean and continue on past Nassau and the White Bank. We were going to make about 30 hours worth of hay! Black Point Anchorage

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Cruising Outpost 115

2/2/18 2:48 PM

My new sarong & Gypsy’s bandana

On one of his system checks, David discovered we had a dead battery bank on the starboard side. The port side battery bank was fine. This did not make sense because we had been running the engine, solar was working and we had even used the diesel generator. What could the problem be? David is the best mechanic in the world. Honest!! In a prior life many years ago, we owned a FAA certified repair station. David can fix airplanes, fly airplanes and fix almost everything that even thinks of breaking on a boat. I tell friends it is like traveling with Crocodile Dundee. Others have called him MacGyver. Whatever the name, I knew he would figure out the problem. We’d had a very rough Gulf Stream crossing and rough crossings usually equate to broken things on the Getting fuel at Emerald Bay

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boat. In this case, the heavy duty battery switch that tells the battery banks what to do had broken. The screws that hold the switch together on the inside had snapped. David pulled the switch apart, replaced the screws, made it a little better with washers, and boom, we were 100% again. See, he is a miracle worker! As we approached Staniel Cay the big motor yachts began to appear. This area is very fun to spend some time, swim with the pigs and eat at the Staniel Cay Yacht Club. Today, we kept going to reach our goal of Black Point. Black Point is a wonderful settlement in the Exuma Islands. The water is gorgeous on the bank side and the ocean side. Wherever you look the view is unbelievable. The people of Black Point are very proud of their fishing abilities, weaving skills and their church choirs. We had been on the go for 30 hours, but dropped the dinghy to take a walk. Also, I really needed a shopping fix. After a fun trek to the ocean side beach, we walked back into Black Point. Ladies sit on their front porch, weave palm fronds and make baskets. I had been wanting a Bahamian bag made from the woven palm leaves, found the perfect size bag and made my purchase. We ran to the grocery store and then it was time to go back to Nomad. As we sat enjoying “tea time,” we watched an amazing sunset. There was nothing between us and the sun. We were blessed with a gorgeous green flash. We have seen so many in the Bahamas. I am always surprised when people think they don’t exist. You just have to be in the right place. The Bahamas is always the right spot. Valentine’s day, we awoke early and were out the cut and on our way to George Town. Everyone got a Valentine’s present including Gypsy. She loved her hot pink bandanna as much as I loved my new sarong. It always feels so good to get back into swimsuits and sarongs after being state-side. It must be the way a nudist feels when they are trapped in clothing while working in an office. I think any day that begins in a swimsuit is going to be a pretty darn good day. As we motor-sailed to George Town, David played the guitar and I listened for the sound of our fishing lines. Many years ago our son, J.D., worked as a sport fishing captain. I swear this kid can smell fish. David and I had never had fishing success in our cruising life. Well, when you need help, then go to a professional. We asked for help, took notes and purchased some of J.D.’s equipment. It was money well spent. Now, Nomad always has fresh fish on board. We used the lures J.D.

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2/2/18 2:48 PM

Fun on Black Point Beach

told us would ensure dorado and tuna. Guess what? We snagged two Dorado before we reached George Town. We stopped at Emerald Bay Marina before reaching George Town to fill the diesel tank. In really calm weather, this is an excellent stop for fuel. The price is reasonable and the access to the fuel dock is simple. Finally, we reached the entrance to George Town. I can’t count how many times we have been in and out of Conch Cay Cut. Day entries and night entries are all the same to us. We were home and ready to end our marathon. I did really well with my first cruise as a Type 1 Diabetic. It is not easy traveling with this disease, but it would be much harder to live on dirt state-side. Out here, I feel like I can do anything. Whatever disability you have, live your dreams. You only get one life, and it would be a shame to be so safe and secure you die of boredom.

䐀漀攀猀夀伀唀刀䄀渀椀琀ⴀ䘀漀甀氀椀渀最䰀愀猀琀

㄀ ⬀ 夀攀愀爀猀㼀

䌀伀倀倀䔀刀䌀伀䄀吀䐀伀䔀匀℀

Emerald Bay Marina

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眀眀眀⸀挀漀瀀瀀攀爀挀漀愀琀甀猀愀⸀挀漀洀椀渀昀漀䀀挀漀瀀瀀攀爀挀漀愀琀甀猀愀⸀挀漀洀㌀㈀㄀ⴀ㔀㄀㐀ⴀ㤀㄀㤀㜀 Cruising Outpost 117

2/2/18 2:49 PM

Our Smitten Kitten Adventure By Chris & Janet Waln www.brilliantstarcruises.net

Anse Colombier

ast fall, friends invited us to charter with them and another couple on a Festiva Sailing Vacations crewed catamaran out of St. Maarten. We said, “Yes!” and then we waited... Day Zero: Travel went smoothly, if slowly. We boarded Smitten Kitten, a Lagoon 44, crewed by Patrick and Pascale, 12 hours after leaving Central Florida. Patrick and Pascale, a multidecade, husband and wife charter team from SW France, quickly showed themselves to be top-drawer, and they reinforced that view throughout the charter. We The Crew particularly appreciated their willingness to answer endless questions. They were a major part of our most excellent experience. Night One: We stayed in the marina surrounded by cruising boats similar to our three or grander. Many were

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there for Heineken Regatta #37. Dinner put travel behind us. Light squalls lullabied. Lights were out early... About the food... We felt we were continuously dining at a Michelin Three-Star Auberge. Chef Pascale’s menu took full advantage of their culture and the Caribbean context. Patrick’s grilling revealed a kindred spirit. Pascale’s willing inventiveness at handling allergies and dislikes was most welcome. Our meals were plentiful, creative, wonderfully seasoned and playfully plated. Dining starts with the nose followed by eyes and palate. Pascale and Patrick addressed each with skill and aplomb. Day One: Off to the Prickly Pear Cays off SW Anguilla for snorkeling. By rule, the anchorage is only accessible to captained yachts -- bareboats prohibited. After seeing the sinuous, shallow, swell-full passage, we know why.

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2/2/18 2:49 PM

A “light” breakfast

HOOK & MOOR

From there, it was up to Small Bay with its cactus-covered, bird-filled cliffs and then south to Crocus Bay for the night. Tradewinds lifted by Anguilla soared over us, leaving only intermittent ripples and late sprinkles. Not having to captain or cook had us all chillaxin sooner and more thoroughly than usual. Will we ever go back to bareboating? Day Two: We were back at the cliffs for a snorkel before sailing back through the Cays to Rendezvous Bay. The wind -- absent the week before -- was coming back with authority! We were sailing... and what sailing! Rendezvous Bay was nearly vacant, gin clear, with maybe six inch swells. We swam to the beach and chatted with some folks who needed more sunscreen... Even at 76-80° the UV was merciless. We slathered on 70 and wore SPF 50 long sleeves. After lunch we sailed to the somewhat crowded anchorage at Marigot, St. Martin. On the way in we saw Casa Blanca with a crew known to our friends. Patrick and Pascale offered to host them for cocktails and appetizers, and they joined us once we had anchored. Routine settled in. Generous cocktails, generous, appetizers, tropical breezes, NO bugs, generous meals, inspired desserts, intermittent short-lived squalls,

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Rendezvous Bay

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Grande Case

Beautiful Nautical Jewelry Custom Craftmanship Created in the Hawaiian Islands 866 Iwilei Road, Honolulu, HI, 96817 855-353-9995 info@aumaris.com

hours of boat talk, and quiet sleeping gently ended by scrumptious aromas to go with Bonjour... Day Three: Grand Case was next. Carnival (ala Mardi Gras) was the day, and fortunately our first choice for dinner was booked. Pascale took care of Plan B. We invited Patrick and Pascale to join us at Le Cottage, which translates with some difficulty to “The Cottage.” The menu was similar to Smitten Kitten’s -French with Caribbean grace notes. The service was like SK’s -- attentive, but unobtrusive. All the while, Carnival marchers drummed and paraded along the street fronting the restaurant. The food, wine and company were exceptional. Bravo, Le Cottage! Bravo, Grand Case! -- It was so jammed Gendarmes were turning people away at the highway. Leaving Le Cottage, we joined the marchers as far as the landing to head back out to Smitten Kitten before a squall put a damper on us. Day Four: If we didn’t bolt for St. Bart’s we wouldn’t get there this trip. The wind speed was manageable. Waiting a day would put it on the nose, a Former Volvo Ocean Race competitors

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SPINNAKER SLEEVE Safest, oldest, proven spinnaker handling

The Heinekin Regatta no-no for catamarans like this one. So, it was up, eat, and away for Anse Marcel Marina to take on ice and water. In and out, we watched and were cautiously regarded by dozens of iguana on the rocks, in the trees, and moving slowly between. Reaching for St. Bart’s was sailing you needed to be a sailor to enjoy – At 10+ it was rolly, sometimes wet, SERIOUS SAILING EQUIPMENT and a fast blast. The motion was unusual to us monohull 1 800 874 3671 | atninc@hotmail.com folks, but we adjusted pretty quickly. www.atninc.com We reached Gustavia in time for our island tour with taxi driver Florian. St. Bart’s is much more ATN_SPINN_Cr_Out_2012_FINAL.indd 1 10/29/12 developed than we remembered -- the magazines QUALITY MARINE advertising high-end watches tell the story in just EQUIPMENT SINCE 1981 a word. In 2008, they were in French and English. They’ve since added Russian... For comfort’s sake we reanchored in Anse Colombier where the Rockefellers’ first Caribbean mansion decays. The swell all but disappeared, but the AUTOMATIC FEATHERING PROPELLERS trades squeezed between two peaks strengthened and eddied. This was our most restless anchorage yet -- for LOW DRAG the boat.

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Isla Fouroche

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Day Five: It was too agitated to snorkel, so up anchor and off toward St. Martin we went, with a stop at Isle Fouroche for the last good snorkeling. From this volcanic remnant we headed for Isle Pinel. Patrick offered me the wheel, and with a little instruction for the response differences between catamarans and monohulls, off we went. With the freer and stronger wind we were making 12+. Yeehaa! As we approached Isle Pinel, Patrick opted for the less confused entrance. We were in a scenic lee in quiet waters minutes later. After a hike ashore, drinks appeared. The plan for the next day was to ghost the Heineken Regatta Round Island Race whatever direction they were going. Day Six: Clockwise! We reached downwind of bareboats chartered for the race. It was scenic and over too quickly. Our 11 knots seemed fast until a 36- to 40foot catamaran came slashing through the ﬂeet under plain sail at 25+/- knots. Its rigging hummed. Spray from the wave piercing hulls ripped away to leeward -- then they set a Code Zero and they were g...o......n.........e! Patrick was actually grinning!

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It’s All Here...

n, Boat i ne Di Golf & E S G

A PACK

Small Bay

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We returned to Simpson Bay Marina under conditions nearly identical to our arrival evening. Racers chattered around us. Charterers from other boats headed up the dock as if escaping. We lingered till we had to go to dinner. Dinner was okay. No place would have fared all that well after Pascale and Patrick. Bravo Smitten Kitten! Day Seven: Breakfast had a tad of regret mixed in the juice. Even so, as Patrick and Pascale move on with their lives, we will be looking for where they crew, as Polynesia calls them back. A Note: The very nearby Atrium Hotel has a relationship with Festiva, and so we were able to kill time there until we got caught back up in gears of travel. We ate at Greenhouse next door -- very good food actually. Good thing; our plane ran out of food. After the high-tech low-stress process of reaching the boarding gates, things became old Caribbean again -- jammed, hot, loud, delayed, multiple gate changes, passengers ignoring boarding order... Smitten Kitten - Our home for the trip!

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Port Ludlow Marina is open year round & offers: • Boat In and Golf Packages Available • 26 miles of walking trails • Waterfront Dining • Covered Pavilion and BBQ Fire Pit • Fuel Dock and Pump Out • Free WiFi • Marina Store

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Our hosts, Patrick & Pascale

Retailers Welcome WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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Paradise in a Coconut By Gwen Hamlin

The group of cruisers is gathered around the picnic table on the sand under whispering Casuarina pines. In front of each person is a small paper plate, a cup of water, two brushes, and a coconut half, the inside of which has been primed white with gesso and sanded smooth. Squeeze bottles of acrylic paints make the rounds as each person gives his or her plate dabs of the ﬁve colors provided, and all eyes turn intently to the head of the table where Steve Flowers of the Hardin 50 Magic Daulphin begins to show us how to paint Paradise in a Coconut. We are in Georgetown, Bahamas, that winter

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“summer camp” for sailors that annually attracts hundreds of boaters seeking out tropical temperatures, convivial socializing, and shelter from the steady phalanx of cold fronts. I confess that when I ﬁrst heard “Paradise in a Coconut” announced on the morning net, along with things like water aerobics, yoga, fun volleyball and Texas Hold’em, I dismissed it as a kitschy-sounding activity for craftsy-oriented people with nothing better to do. Don’t you have a waterline to clean, a head to repair, a lobster to hunt? It wasn’t until my family came to visit for spring break aboard our St. Francis 44 catamaran, Tackless Too, WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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when we were pinned down during a prolonged wind event and looking for things to do that I gratefully heard “Paradise in a Coconut” offered again and decided to check it out. In an hour and a half, not only did we indeed capture paradise in our coconuts, but I, for one, have found my whole view of the world subtly shifted to an artist’s perspective. “We’ll start with the background,” Steve says, directing us to mix a little pink, yellow and white together to come up with a pleasing coral color that will be the base of today’s image of a sunset sky. As he deftly dabs his mix into the top half of his coconut, cocking the shell this way and that so that the group can follow along, and gradually adding a little more pink as he progresses away from his horizon, Steve explains that he usually starts people out painting a beach scene, an easier subject to begin with, but because so many people have been coming to his sessions again and again, he has developed new scenes. This is his ﬁrst time teaching this one. “Next we’ll mix some blue with a bit of white and do our base coat for the water half.” At this point Steve notices that I have been painting my WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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coconut upside down. No worries. I decide I like it that way! Steve, a tall, lean sailor with a mane of hair and beard touched by gray, is just one of the many cruisers in Georgetown who volunteer their time to steer the many activities that make this cruiser node so popular. His T-shirt today says “Southern Boy” and his instructions ﬂow calmly and carefully in a quiet Alabama inﬂection. His interest in art stretches back to grammar school, he tells me later, when he won a statewide art competition, but as an adult, he steered it into a more practical career as a CAD artist, designing industrial piping systems on computers. “There was a woman I wanted to marry,” he explains with a smile, “and CAD design was a surer way of making a living.” But after 20 some years of it, despite the care and pride in a job well executed and a decent income made, at the end of the day, there was nothing with his name on it. Nothing to say that this was the work of Steve Flowers. With clean brushes and a dab of white paint we add the top half of a setting sun and the upper edge of a line of clouds.

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Paradise in a Coconut

Magic Daulphin was a fixer-upper that Steve and his wife took on in 2001. She continued working to provide the funds required and Steve took on the labor of repairing deck leaks and termite damage. “It’s funny,” Steve says, “how much like a painting repairing a boat is. You prep your support, you prime it, your complete it, and the successful result is very satisfying.” The marriage, however, did not survive the project. “I think we did each other a favor,” says Steve of the split, as they have gone off on different courses that suit them. Steve’s course on Magic Daulphin took him to Key West, where he turned to oil painting in earnest and began working to sell his paintings in galleries there. Dabbing our brushes back into the coral, yellow and blue mixes, we cruiser artists alternately shadow and highlight our cloud bank. Then we turn to the widening pie wedge of the setting sun’s reflection in the sea, a pointillist melange of colors, at least on my canvas! It’s a tricky step to remember to match up the reflection to our setting sun! The artful coconuts got their start when Steve found himself short on canvas. He already liked working on wood and often found pieces of plywood drifting that he would clean up and treat with West System, before sanding and priming them. One day, a vegan crewmember added fresh coconuts to their diet, handing Steve a split coconut. After he extracted the meat to eat, the shell’s smooth inside surface beckoned. Later he discovered that he could split the coconuts with the husk still on and cut the bottom in a way that the coconut half could stand up on its own, creating, in effect, a mini diorama.

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At ﬁrst the small scenes in the concave shell were a sideline, but one day, when showing his work to a gallery owner, Steve set one of his coconut paintings down on a counter, and it was immediately snatched up by a customer. He went right back to the boat and painted up 35 more. From then on, Steve became a regular at Mallory Square and on Duval Street, selling his coconuts and taking commissions. Around the Georgetown picnic table our sunset scenes have come alive. Although my 12-year-old grandson’s attention wandered and left his sunset reﬂection disconnected from his horizon, on most faces there are expressions of surprised satisfaction since most of us have done little painting before. We sneak looks at one another’s work and are amazed to discover that while the theme is the same, every painting is unique, a marrying of Steve’s program and our imaginations, his directions and our hands. But then Steve risks it all by taking a bit of the shadow color onto his brush and dashing in the mast and hull of a sailboat. I cannot tell you how much this moment stresses me. It seems like the whole thing could so easily be ruined. But it’s not. The suggestion does the job, and, with a slightly lighter slash for the sails, there it is, a boat sailing away over the horizon! It’s magic! Steve began teaching his “Paradise in a Coconut” at three resorts in Key West after someone told him about the “Paint & Sip” phenomenon. He realized immediately that idea could work perfectly with his coconuts! It took a lot of planning to break each scene into simple, followable steps, using a minimum of colors, in a session that lasts just 90 minutes. The guests at the resorts loved it. When WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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he cruised into Georgetown, someone who’d seen his work suggested he offer it here. It was an immediate hit, and Steve has gone through a lot of coconuts this season under the pines at Volleyball Beach. Like many of the cruisers before us, my daughter, grandson and I went back at the next opportunity to try our hands at another Paradise scene, this one of a palm tree on a beach with the ocean behind it. I am excited. I love my trunk, my palm fronds, but most of all, I love my clouds. I look to the sky over the anchorage and paint what I see. I should explain here why this is a big deal for me. I am the daughter of parents who were both artists. My two sisters have painted at various stages in their lives. I, however, have balked at color. I’m a capable sketcher, but putting color to canvas has always scared me. I have talked and talked about taking classes, but it has never happened. Now, I think painting paradise in a coconut has broken the ice! Steve is tickled by my enthusiasm and offers to lend me a book on oil painting. I go to his boat to pick it up and step into a sailor’s version of an artist’s garret. The salon on the big old Hardin makes a perfect studio, well lit by big windows. Brushes and a palette of blues and greens all stand ready at an easel where he is working on a portrait of someone’s boat. Scattered around on every surface are dozens of coconut scenes. Unlike the acrylics we are using to paint with on the beach, these are done in oil and glisten like jewels. There are other full-scale paintings in various stages of completion. One in the works is Magic Daulphin itself, anchored off a misty tropical point of land where a rainbow is about to take shape. I haven’t been able to get out of my mind the haunting beauty of that morning rain shower over the water. WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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Paradise in a Coconut

Steve is a spiritual kind of guy and feels deeply that this path in life has been given to him to follow. He is currently looking for crew to help him make the next leg of his voyage to the Virgin Islands where he anticipates good situations and a ready market for his own, truly lovely coconut creations and full scale paintings, as well as a steady stream of visitors that will allow him to continue and expand his program of painting Paradise in a Coconut. In Florida he dabbled with offering his sessions in kits and online, but since he has been here he has determined that it is the live, hands-on interaction with novice painters working in and on Paradise that most inspires him. And while I am not saying that my 90 minutes (actually I’ve been back three more times!) on the beach with a brush in one hand and a coconut canvas in the other turned any of us into artists, what I will say is that my daughter, grandson and I found ourselves looking at everything just a little differently, pointing out to each other the lights and shadows and colors that make up our wonderful world of sky and sea, clouds and reflections. Author’s Update: In the summer of 2017, Steve Flowers sailed his Hardin 50, Magic Daulphin, singlehandedly down the Thorny Path to the Virgins. He wrote, “Finally made it to St. John. I think I fit into Coral Bay just fine. This is definitely an artist paradise.”

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Except that Irma came calling. Weeks later, in the ﬁrst email he was able to send, Steve wrote, “I had quite a ride on the Magic Daulphin during the storm. Everything on the outside is destroyed (mast, stanchions, etc.). Currently she is sitting level, stuck in the mud next to the mangroves. All the interior is good.” Which means his paintings survived. As I said in the article, Steve is a spiritual kind of guy, the sort who will look for and ﬁnd a path through the challenges laid before him. He is one of many sailors in the Virgins still working on getting their boats put back together.

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There’s This Place:

Nestled on the north side of Samana Bay, on the eastern end of the Dominican Republic (DR) with a back drop of thousands upon thousands of native palm trees, is a cruiser’s dream come true, the Puerto Bahia Marina. This gem in the Caribbean is located on the southern coast of the Samana Peninsula. The Samana Peninsula is widely known as the top cruising ground of the Dominican Republic. With its numerous secluded, safe harbours, intimate caves, bountiful fishing grounds, great stretches of sandy beaches, and other alluring destinations, it invites exploration and offers memorable days of pure pleasure. If you are running up from the islands east and south of Puerto Rico, or if you are running down from Turks and Caicos headed southeast to the islands, this

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By Robert Scott / S/V Honeymoon Forever

is your place to stop and refresh your crew, replenish your supplies and recharge your batteries (yours, not the vessel’s LOL). Puerto Bahia Marina is the only full service marina (no haul out) on the Samana Peninsula. One of the first things that struck me as special about this place is that, as we were coming through the final set of markers to enter the marina proper, two employees wearing their issued polos and caps with the marina logo proudly displayed on them came out in a dinghy to greet us and to escort us to our slip where there were four dockhands waiting to take our lines and help secure the vessel. It was a very fine welcome indeed after a rough eight-hour journey across the top end of the peninsula and around Punta El Pasquero de Francisco and Punta La Palometa to enter Samana Bay.

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Puerto Bahia Marina, Dominican Republic For dockage they can accommodate 107 vessels from 20’ to 150’ LOA with depths of 10 feet on wide concrete docks. Shore power, both 30 and 50 AMP, is available, clean, fresh water is abundant and 24/7 security is provided. The rates per foot are some of, if not the best, that I have seen while out cruising this year. They start at 1.00 per foot USD and the longer you stay the more cost effective it becomes with reductions of 25%, 50% and up to 75% per foot depending on your length of stay! They offer both diesel and gasoline which are readily available from their very conveniently located fuel dock. The entire marina is well protected by a well thought out and well built break wall which protects you and your vessel from the prevailing easterlies. The marina is an official Customs, Immigration clearing facility and the Commandant is one of the nicest gentlemen you will meet on the island; a true professional with a strong hand shake and warming smile. They also have excellent free WiFi, a gym, two pools - one infinity pool water level and one on the second floor of the facility which offers a wonderful view of the bay, two restaurants - one waterside with indoor and

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outdoor seating and one attached to the facility, three bars, a boaters’ lounge with a big screen TV and a pool table. Nice, clean, hot showers and a convenient self service laundry room (they work on the honor system for payment) are there for your usage. Trash bins are located on every dock and collected daily. They also have a very well stocked and fairly priced mini market where you can get everything from ice cream to fine wines, from cold beer to cold cuts and all points in between. If you are in need of additional supplies, i.e. 19 11.685’ N fresh fruits, vegetables, 69 21.339’ W food stuffs, hardware

items, etc., and because the marina is set back somewhat from the main road into the town of Samana, the marina has a shuttle service which will take you to the main road (an all uphill climb). From there you can take a gua gua (local shuttle van @ 50 pesos) or even a moto taxi (300 pesos) into town and have all of that and more

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Thereâ€™s This Place:

available to you. If you are in need of any work on your vessel such as cleaning, waxing, bottom cleaning, bright work polishing, etc., there are a host of very respectful, industrious locals who are there to accommodate you. They are not marina employees so you get to negotiate your price with them and with the exchange rate being in your favor (currently about 45 DR Pesos to 1 USD) your dollars go a long, long way. One of the other beautiful things about this location is its close proximity to some of the natural wonders that the Dominican Republic boasts. To name just a few: Cayo Laventado is a pristine island that is located in the middle of the entrance to Samana Bay - you actually pass it on your way in when sailing here. The island is less than a half mile square and contains two separate parts. On the windward or eastern side is a high-end, all-inclusive resort. On the leeward or western side is beautiful white sand which curves around the circumference of the island. It is this side you visit to enjoy the beauty. There are two ways to get here: take you own vessel and anchor out, then dinghy to shore, or take the daily shuttle from the marina. ($15). We have done both and much prefer sailing over there ourselves. Whichever way you chose, once there you can relax on the beautiful white sand beach, snorkel, and enjoy a fantastic meal either from your lounge chair or under the many shade trees and tents. You can also enjoy cold beverages of your choice and shop for local crafts and goods, all in a sun-drenched tropical surrounding. Or, you can do nothing but hang out and relax. El Limon Waterfalls is considered the most beautiful waterfall in the Dominican Republic, and by many, in the Caribbean. Standing at 131 feet tall, once you are in its presence itâ€™ll take your breath

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Puerto Bahia Marina, Dominican Republic

away. The journey to get there begins with a light horseback ride at the edges of the Limon River through “La Ruta del Café” nature trail. During the ride you will see various smaller falls and the tropical rainforest vegetation which surrounds this beautiful path. Once you reach the El Limon Waterfall you can take a dip in it’s refreshing waters, take in the scenery, have a refreshing beverage and some snacks, hike some additional trails and just enjoy a truly unforgettable day. There is only one way to get to Los Haitises National Park and that is by water - again either your own vessel or through a tour. The National Park of Los Haitises is located at the western end of Samana Bay on the south shore across from Sanchez. This park features mangrove swamps with giant mangrove trees forming a lush, green canopy above the watery trails that wind through the swamps. Taino Caves, where the islands first inhabitants lived, are another popular attraction of the park. Tours leave from Samana, Sanchez and Sabana de la Mar at the park’s eastern edge across the bay from Samana. There are important mangroves in Los Haitises National Park and two major life zones: the wet forest and the subtropical rainforest. Cedar, ceiba, mahogany, and other tropical American trees are common here. A large number of birds can be found including Hispaniolan parrots, owls, and gannets. Notable are also the ìjutíaî and the solenodonte. There are pictographs and petroglyphs in some caverns. With your tours and adventures completed each day, you can now head back to the marina which, by the way, is connected to the Bannister Hotel, a five star hotel noted for its excellent service, beautifully appointed rooms and luxurious ambiance. In the hotel lobby is a comfortable and spacious sitting area all there for your convenience and usage. Adjacent to that is the lobby lounge bar which is excellent for relaxing, reading or getting

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El Limon Falls, the most beautiful falls in the DR

in touch with your loved ones via the free WiFi. Or, you can enjoy some sundowners from one of the two infinity pools previously mentioned. Marina Puerto Bahia is a must stop location if you are cruising in this region of the Caribbean. We have met dozens of cruisers here during our stay and everyone of them has agreed, they were glad they stopped!

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I Found It At The Boat Show

Aumaris Nautical Jewelry Nautical Works of Art from the Hawaiian Islands Genuine Turks Head bracelet. Available in 14k &

Sloop pendant 14k & 18k gold or platinum Genuine Turks Head wedding band. Available in 14k & 18k yellow gold, white gold, or platinum

Men’s single shackle earing 14k & 18k gold or platinum

18k yellow gold, white gold or platinum

Now, jump ahead 30 or so years. Hector is Okay, now ya gotta try to follow this, as it now creating even more great nautical designs at does get a little confusing. A little over 30 years Aumaris Jewelry in Hawaii, which he started years ago, in a land far, far away... no wait, that was ago when he moved there. Star Wars. What I want to tell you about is the The items you see above jewelry business. You see Aumaris Jewelry are just a few of the thousands was started many years ago of design combinations he has come up with. The majority of by Hector Sanchez. Hector New sterling silver his designs are available in 14 and Bob Bitchin were cable bracelet with karat, 18 karat, yellow or white partners for years in the Turks Head accents jewelry business, under the gold, as well as platinum. His line is not limited to name Zzyzyz Jewelry, which a few designs, as he is well is when Hector first started known for coming up with making Turks Head and cable link chain necklaces very creative custom pieces and bracelets. for people as well as his nautical creations. If you are looking for some of the best nautical Since Bob decided to take off and sail around designs available anywhere in the world, this is the world, poor ol’ Hector was stuck with the where you want to look! Just open your computer, business. That was okay with him, as he was the jeweler and Bitchin just came up with ideas on and go to www.aumaris.com & tell ‘em Bob sent ya! Who know’s, he might even give ya a discount! what nautical items he would make.

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I Found It At The Boat Show

Henri Lloyd Freedom Line Serious Offshore and Coastal Protection

Every boater needs a good foul weather jacket for the days that we DON’T plan on having. You know, those days when the wind is on your nose, the rain is falling, and you wonder why you ever decided to go out there in the first place. But wait! We go out there for adventure, and to truly enjoy an adventure you need a little adversity. That is what the new Freedom line from Henri Lloyd was developed for. Made from high performing TP2 fabric which uses a bi-component technology, Freedom products are 100% waterproof, windproof, and highly breathable. They offer features like the Optivision hoods for increased peripheral vision as well as the high-cut collars with spume visor for full face protection. Their photo-luminescent reflectors (which have screwed up more than one flash photo, by the way!) represent cutting-edge technology that absorbs UV

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light (sunlight or artificial) and after dark they release energy to improve safety at night. Some of the features that make this a good choice for foul weather are the Marl fleece collar lining, fast draining hand warmer pockets with Rentex mesh lining and waterproof zips, the dual cargo and handwarmer pockets with micro fleece linin, and internal Dartex storm cuffs which work well with the nylon seat reinforcement to keep you dry. But the feel and fit is what will set these apart as comfortable foulies. As most cruisers know, you live in foulies sometimes for weeks at a time, and for those days (and nights!) these are the foulies you will want to have aboard. The men’s Freedom Foul Weather Jacket is available in Black, Navy & Red. The ladies’ come in Navy or Red. The Hi-Fit pants set is 100% waterproof and comfortable for those long night passages!

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Bomb’s Away Recent comments made over the airways and in some university circles made mention of the “Cyclone Bomb” that impacted a significant portion of the East Coast between January 3rd and January 5th. They were made light of as if it was just the media sensationalizing, rather than real. Nothing can be further from the truth as to its authenticity.

fig 1

The term itself has been a mainstay for some time, especially since the infamous APL China incident, where a container ship (along with five other ships) was overwhelmed by a similar “Cyclone Bomb” system back in October in 1998 in the western north Pacific Ocean. It resulted in substantial loss of cargo and huge monetary follow-up insurance claims. There was no loss of life, which would have elevated by 10-fold the incident (figs 1 & 2). Even the most updated online version of Bowditch

specifically addresses such marine weather phenomenon and what it is: “Meteorological Bomb.” Figs 1 & 2 depict serious damage of wind and wave action to the container ship APL China in late October of 1998. Thus, a “Meteorological Bomb” is a low-pressure system (Extra-tropical Cyclone, Wave Cyclone, MiddleLatitude Cyclone) that will undergo a rate change in atmospheric pressure over a 24-hour period at a rapid intensification rate of one millibar (mb) per hour for a total change in pressure in that time frame of 24 mb. In terms of meteorological jargon, the definition is described as “a Synoptic Scale Cyclone” that deepens “One (1) “Bergeron” (24 mb in 24-hours, with a + or a - latitude adjustment factor). Near latitude 45N/S, the Figs 3 & 4 represent the 48 Hour 500 mb & Surface Pressure Forecast for 00 UTC 26 Oct. 98. The adjustment is 18 mb in 24-hours; near 60N the adjustment is by the definition of 24 mb per day. Note that many “Extra-tropical Cyclones” deepen that magnitude in less than 12 hours.

fig 3

fig 2

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fig 4 The following are guidelines for identifying “Meteorological Bombs”: 1) Warm air is a prime trigger for “Meteorological Bombs.” Impressive warm frontal zones on a frontal wave, particularly at relatively low latitudes (between 30 & 40 degrees), is indicative of advection (or transport) of warm, moist air. Abundant moisture in the warm sector of an “Extra-tropical Cyclone” is indicative of rapid intensification or “Cyclogenesis.” Meteorological satellite imagery often depicts extensive comma head-shape cloud masses in the warm sector in the early development stage. Many “Extra-tropical Cyclone” systems were former “Tropical Cyclones” (hurricanes or typhoons), abundant with extensive tropical moisture which enables them to intensify very rapidly and often become more intense

than when there were a pure “Tropical Cyclone.” Fig 5 depicts the extreme rapid decrease in pressure (some 50+ mb) predicted over 24 hours and its impact on a poor decision made by a sailboat’s skipper who did not pay attention to the forecast predicted days in advance! The USCG rescue team advised the boat’s occupants to not abandon the boat. 2) Strong “Atmospheric Instability”: This simply means there is a rapid decrease in temperature with elevation (or negative lapse rate) through the lower portion of the atmosphere (Troposphere), indicative of the presence of strong convective thunderstorms and frequent lightning. The trailing portion of a cold front sometimes shows strong convection just ahead of what will be a developing warm front.

fig 5

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Tech Tips

A Closer Look At Mobile Device Apps There are a lot of little things that can make your boat easier to use and more enjoyable. Here are some tips from Captain Mike Martell

Navigating the New Way – With Tablet and New Charting Apps For mobile device and iOS device users, I’ve heard that there is quite literally an ‘app’ for everything. This is almost true. For boaters, sailors and cruisers, however, who would like to ride the crest of the mobile device wave, ﬁnding an app for navigation has been difﬁcult, complicated, and in some cases, a little pricey. This is why the new iOS and Android system app from NV charts – a free app - is a welcome arrival on the scene for people like me. Digital navigation has been around for a while. There were (and are) chartplotters; then came navigation on a PC with the venerable CAPN program and new kinds of charts – raster, vector, and whatever else. We were introduced to iNavX and the ability to download charts to navigate with smartphones and iPads. It requires an account with XTraverse (renewable for a fee every year), and uses NOAA charts of the US East Coast. The NV Charts app allows me to turn my Smartphone or tablet mobile device (all iOS devices and Android OS devices) into a portable navigation system. I can download NV Charts regions to my device and then navigate using it when I’m within range of a mobile broadband signal (near shore) or when my device is linked (e.g., via bluetooth) to a portable GPS receiver. With a portable GPS receiver, in this case from Dual (gps.dualav.com), that problem is solved. I use the XGPS-

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150-A portable battery-operated Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver. This little high-sensitivity WAAS GPS receiver is simple to pair with a Smartphone or tablet, and works with most apps that require GPS. The battery lasts all day and has plenty of juice left when I shut it down. Because the GPS receiver connects via Bluetooth, your tablet doesn’t need any WiFi connectivity to navigate. The app functions just like a chartplotter, showing my vessel in real time superimposed on the chart. One has zoom capabilities, MOB capabilities, instruments (speed and course, etc.), can build routes and measure range and bearing with the app’s toolset. I like the fact that weather and Doppler radar app icons can also be available on the same tablet screen, as well as a gyrocompass app, moon and star constellations, rules of the road, and other fun stuff such as weather, buoy conditions, real-time tide data, etc. Like they say, there’s an app for just about everything, even a guide to knot tying. The tablet is very rapidly replacing the notebook PC as the central computing instrument of choice for many people. The ease of use, preponderance of specialized apps, graphical user interface, and other features have pushed these Mac-based arcades to the forefront of our preferences, and worldwide, market and industry statistics show it. WWW.CRUISINGOUTPOST.COM

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Tech Tips from Capt’n Mike Martell That doesn’t mean that the PC is going to disappear. Rather, it’s going to stay on the desk at the office, and the Smartphone and the tablet will do the traveling and the browsing at the kitchen table in the evening. Of course, mobile devices are notoriously delicate and vulnerable to damage from dropping, or from water. They’re hardly ‘marinized’. But solutions are already being developed by entrepreneurs, such as the waterproof and mountable LifeJacket case for the iPad, developed by Global Navigation Authority (GNA). Despite its name, it’s a small but innovative company (www.gnava.com) founded in 2010. The LifeJacket case was just what we were looking for. The NV Charts app is free, but the charts themselves are not. They are easily obtained by online purchase from www.nvcharts.com, where one can also buy the paper charts (which all boaters should have on board!). Within the app one can use the Settings option to select such things as language, vessel data, etc. Cruising Mode (ship icon) switches the view from default planning mode. Here, tracking is active, ship position is shown on screen, log speed and depth etc., are all activated. The user can also configure all options for GPS tracking, such as measurements in meters or feet, speed and depth. A nice feature is the Logbook, where the user stores all track entries. The most important content for a navigation app is charts, followed by harbor and anchorage information, service facilities, supplies, and local guidebook information. Currently under development and available shortly will be the ‘NV Cloud’ where users will be able to store and download content. With the NV Charts app, the user will be able to add photos, detailed information, and other helpful data that can also benefit other users. The NV server can be used as data storage for tracks, notices, photos, etc., available everywhere and at all times by any internet device accessible via a registered, password protected account. It’s just one way that NV app users will be able to share helpful information to help make these charting products better and navigation safer. This is the near future of digital navigation, enabled by connectivity, and the newly-launched NV Charts app is the beginning. NV Charts’ app lets me update my charts regularly so that I can have only the latest accurate data to navigate with. NV Charts currently supplies chart regions for the entire U.S. East Coast and Caribbean – as well as the North Sea and Baltic regions of Europe. www.cruisingoutpost.com

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