Southern Crosses

Welcome

By Annen on September 09, 2008 | Comments 0

Welcome

Greetings everyone, I would like to welcome you to my blog, Southern Crosses, which just happens to be the name of my newly released novel. Southern Crosses was several years in the making, and was quite a project of mine. I wanted to take you on a sailing adventure along the western coast of present [...]

Introductions

By Annen on September 08, 2008 | Comments 0

Introductions

Welcome to the Southern Crosses blog, and thank you for visiting. I would like to introduce the crew of the s/v AbbyGale based in St. Pete Beach Florida. We are aboard a 1985 40′ Endeavour Center Cockpit sloop rig sailboat. The sloop rig designation means that we have a single mast, and are just a [...]

Our boat

By Annen on September 07, 2008 | Comments 0

Our boat

Welcome aboard the s/v AbbyGale, our 1985 Endeavour sloop rigged center cockpit sailboat. The s/v stands for sailing vessel, sloop rig means one single mast, and the center cockpit is just that, in the center. She is 40 feet long and weighs 25,000 pounds. An amazing 8,600 pounds of lead is in the bottom of [...]

Chat with the author

By Annen on September 06, 2008 | Comments 1

Chat with the author

Questions, comments, or suggestions, I welcome them all. Please feel free to let me know what you thought about my book, this web site, or sailing and travel in Florida. Do you have a favorite Florida beach hangout you would like to share? Where is that special out of the way eatery with a distinctive [...]

Book purchasing information and discounts

By Annen on September 04, 2008 | Comments 0

Book purchasing information and discounts

Southern Crosses is presently offered for sale: Buy a copy of Southern Crosses! and is listed on Amazon, B&N and other online retailers. Bulk rate purchases are available upon request, for a quote, please contact me at: annen@southerncrosses.com Please contact me at the above address should you be interested in any book signing events in [...]

Featured Articles
Welcome
Introductions
Our boat
Chat with the author
Book purchasing information and discounts

Florida Bay Scallops, 2010

Florida Bay Scallops, 2010

Scalloping season has once again arrived in Florida. It opened early this year, June 19th if you were watching closely. The season normally begins on July 1, but was opened early due to the tragedy in the Gulf with the oil. Notice I did not say “spill” which is something that occasionally happens with my [...]

July 25, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Tampa Bay Rays -Vs- St. Petersburg Florida

Tampa Bay Rays -Vs- St. Petersburg Florida

Hello, It’s me… the guy you folks are fighting over, the OSF. (Occasional Sports Fan) The newspapers are full of controversy concerning another major ball team rocking the bank vault again and waiting to see what falls out. They apparently have a contract with the city, but as lawyers are involved, contracts can be [...]

June 27, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Heather & Pete

Heather and Pete… I’ve not talked to you since 3-27-01. Please contact me via this website. (the above is a secret coded message which you should just ignore unless you are Heather or Pete) Ahoy!

June 23, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Capt. Bilgeplug and the Seagull

Capt. Bilgeplug and the Seagull

Dear Capt. Bilgeplug, As you are aware, we are all facing economic hardships and money is tight. We like to drop anchor and come ashore a couple of times a week for a nice meal (something other than fish) We have had to tighten up our budget a bit and are now looking for alternatives. [...]

May 06, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Manasota Beach / Sharks teeth!

Manasota Beach / Sharks teeth!

The magic of the Internet reveals many secrets, one of them is whom is searching for what. ‘Sharks Teeth’ is one of the most frequented searches that leads you to my blog, so here’s the deal. I’ll tell you where to find lots of fossilized shark’s teeth and you buy my book, yes? Okay, so [...]

April 29, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

XLII Regata del Sol al Sol 2010 / Elice II

XLII Regata del Sol al Sol 2010 / Elice II

It’s a sad day for me… Here I sit with only my computer and imagination taking me back on the race. I was fortunate enough last year to compete in this race to Mexico, and it was the thrill of a lifetime. Stunning night skies followed by brilliant sunrises in the open ocean, it’s when [...]

April 26, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Vinoy Basin Anchorage - one of my favorite stops

Vinoy Basin Anchorage – one of my favorite stops

Located in the heart of St. Petersburg Florida is one of our favorite anchorages, the Vinoy Basin. Approaching St. Petersburg from Tampa Bay you will see the Pier sticking out in its colorful upside down pyramid. At night the place is lit up with some really nice effects. The building changes colors and is always [...]

April 18, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Catalina sailing/BCYC

Catalina sailing/BCYC

Greetings all, Last Tuesday evening we stopped by the Boca Ciega Yacht Club for a little bit. There were some folks getting the Catalina’s ready to go out into the bay. The boats are stored on trailers and need to be hoisted into the channel. The task takes several people to accomplish, but is fairly [...]

April 15, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Dear Capt. Bilgeplug / the nap...

Dear Capt. Bilgeplug / the nap…

Dear Capt. Bilgeplug, I could sure use some advice. None of my friends in the marina are willing to get involved, or offer any advice. You see, I don’t seem to get enough time hanging out at my boat. When I’m at home my wife keeps me hopping with a list of chores. Mow the [...]

April 11, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Compass Island BCYC cruise

Sailing season in Florida, finally. After a rather long and cold winter (40′s & 50′s) the temps are finally coming back up to something livable. Once your blood is thinned by the Florida climate it becomes painfully difficult to endure anything below 60 F. The good folks at the Boca Ciega Yacht Club decided that [...]

April 10, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Florida off shore oil drilling

Florida off shore oil drilling

Good morning all, I’ve sent the below letter to my representatives, Senator Dennis L. Jones (R) and Representative Rick Kriseman (D). You can easily find your elected lawmakers at : My Representatives Please feel free to copy and paste any portion, or my letter in it’s entirety. I’ve left my home address out of this [...]

March 01, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Gulfport Florist, good job!

Gulfport Florist, good job!

We had recently moved to Gulfport, Fl. and I had not yet found a local florist with which to impress my wife. Sometimes for holidays, and sometimes for, well… you know ~ man apologies. I had previously seen the Gulfport Florist shop, which is near our new home. No-no, don’t worry, we still have the [...]

February 16, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Key West/Dry Tortugas May 2009

Key West/Dry Tortugas May 2009

Early on May 02, 2009, 7 boats left the safety and comfort of the BCYC (Boca Ciega Yacht Club) basin and nearby waters to embark on our latest “trip of a lifetime”. Destination: Key West, the Dry Tortugas and point’s in-between. Xanadu, Panache, The Rachael, Casa Mia, Second Love, Sailacious, and Celebration made up the [...]

January 27, 2010 | Annen | Comments 0

Gulfport Florida with a little 'Clam Bayou'

Gulfport Florida with a little ‘Clam Bayou’

I didn’t think I could do it, but I somehow managed to persevere. Expending minor amounts of mental energy and proper planning, I was actually able to achieve the almost impossible. Wasting an entire day is truly becoming an art form for me. It’s not for everybody. My standards of a normal day have changed [...]

November 02, 2009 | Annen | Comments 0

eMarine Systems, shipping issues

eMarine Systems, shipping issues

I wonder when it actually changed. I don’t believe it happened overnight but surreptitiously crept in while we were all sleeping and the Internet was being invented. For those of you not old enough to remember, we used to have something called “Customer Service.” This was a grand thing. You would walk into a store [...]

October 16, 2009 | Annen | Comments 2

How to open a coconut

How to open a coconut

Okay, so there you are… marooned in the Florida Keys, adrift for endless hours among the mangrove islands upon your boat and enjoying a nice Rum Sundowner (cocktails for you landlubbers). Suddenly and without warning it happens — you run out of mixer. I know, very traumatic if you are not expecting it. You’ve [...]

October 10, 2009 | Annen | Comments 0

Vinoy Basin, St. Petersburg Fl

Vinoy Basin, St. Petersburg Fl

Many years ago I was watching the local news when the weather guy cut to a camera shot from a bank building in downtown St. Pete. They showed sailboats in the harbor anchored on a beautiful morning as the sun sparkled along the water. I pointed at the T.V. and said, “One day that is [...]

October 08, 2009 | Annen | Comments 0

Just build it already…

Just build it already…

I walked up and down the docks at the marina. It’s Monday morning and the place is a ghost town. Most of the folks have reported back to work and the parking lot is empty. I do not suspect I’ll get any more offers of assistance to avoid my solar panel task. We had a [...]

October 06, 2009 | Annen | Comments 2

Time to finish the solar panel…

Time to finish the solar panel…

I’ve managed to dawdle on this project as long as possible now. Avoidance is a time tested method of problem prevention. Whenever I’m involved in an extensive project such as this, I mentally prepare for total disaster somewhere along the way. This is an old boat with lots of hidden quirks just daring to be [...]

October 04, 2009 | Annen | Comments 0

Stop bleeding and get back to work…

Stop bleeding and get back to work…

I’ve been among the ranks of do it yourselfers for a number of years now. I’ve even seen the T.V. show. Why do these people not bleed? Is it some magic editing technique and we simply don’t see it? Could it be pay related? I pulled my old diesel engine out of this boat at [...]

September 25, 2009 | Annen | Comments 0