All Entries Tagged With: "travel"
Little Shark River, the Florida Everglades
After leaving the crab trap obstacle course behind, we had an absolutely beautiful sail from Key West. There were zillions of crab traps. I just can’t imagine that there are that many crabs in the Gulf of Mexico. We spotted the entrance to Little Shark River as the sun was beginning to kiss the horizon. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Much about nothing
Sitting at the marina last week we decided it was time to stop sitting at the marina. Sure, plugged into shore power with the A/C running on high makes for a comfortable afternoon. The satellite dish is connected and faithfully gathering every show imaginable from the sky. Most of which I don’t care to watch [...]
Isla Mujeres Race, Part 3
The next day or so was very similar, with several minor exceptions. Nobody really ate much as it was too rough. The easy food was consumed when one had an opportunity, or desire, to eat. Pringles, Chex Mix, cans of cheese spread with crackers… man food, with beer of course. The day passed easily enough [...]
Isla Mujeres Race, Part 2
Strategies were becoming apparent as we could see which vessels were settling in on what course. Some were choosing to follow the most direct and shortest path, the rhumb line, while others were going out to look for currents and eddy’s to up the speed along the course. We choose the longer path, but with [...]
Isla Mujeres Mexico
Buenos Dias de Isla Mujeres Good morning all. For those of you that were following the race via the internet, you saw how well we did. Our arrival, just under one week ago, began a long list of events related to the race. We have also enjoyed all that the island has to offer. Fine [...]
Regata del Sol al Sol, St. Pete to Isla Mujere Mexico
It’s that time of the year, RACE TIME! The 41st Regata del Sol al Sol is preparing to depart from the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club on Friday morning the 24th, at 1000hrs. We will be racing from St. Pete Florida to Isla Mujere Mexico, a short 460 nautical miles to the southwest. It will take [...]
Yum-Yum from Key Largo
15 gallons of gas: $43.12 Fishing lures: $14.73 Sunscreen: $7.95 A woman who can catch fish, clean them, and cook ‘em up: Absolutely PRICELESS! (No… sorry… she is not for sale or trade) It would seem that while I’m overseas on a business trip my lovely wife Sheree has found herself in Key Largo hanging [...]
The Great Bahamas trip: Part 6 / Chub Cay to Bimini
Two Years Before the Mast – Chub Cay to Bimini By: Nat Manning After a nice layover in Chub Cay, we cast off on Tuesday, the 10th of February and motored out clear of the reefs off Moma Roda Rock. We unfurled the sail and slowly slid down the underside of the Berry Islands, past [...]
The Great Bahamas trip: Part 5 / Nassau to Chub Cay
Two Years Before the Mast-Nassau to Chub Cay By: Nat Manning Leaving Nassau Harbor consists of a rapid transition from the quiet calm of the seaport to the deep ocean swells of the Tongue of the Ocean. From calm to six foot waves in just a few minutes. From the forty feet of the ship [...]
The Great Bahamas trip: Part 4 / Nassau
Two Years Before the Mast – Nassau, By: Nat Manning On Wednesday, February 4, 2009 Elise II arrived in Nassau around five o’clock in the morning. As the Skipper tided up the boat and secured all the equipment from the overnight passage, I (Gilligan) spent most of the day in the bunk sleeping, much to [...]
The Great Bahamas trip: Part 3 / Bimini to Nassau
Two Years Before the Mast – Bimini to Nassau The intrepid crew of the mighty ship Elice II had arrived in Bimini on the 28th day of January, 2009. The last day of January was a sad day aboard Elice II as it was the Admirals last day with us. We rode the water taxi [...]
The Great Bahamas trip: Part 2 / Bimini
Two Years Before the Mast – Bimini Bimini deserves it’s own article. Why? Because Bimini is a very special place. In essence, it really isn’t that much to look at. Most baseball players can stand in the water on one side of North Bimini and hit a ball into the water on the other side [...]
