I got a lift from Islamorada FL without having to stick out my thumb, we drove straight through swapping drivers and only stopping for fuel. We weren't even inside the Fayetteville City limits yet when we got pulled over by FPD on the interstate for a random search, I forgot how much police presence there is in this state.
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Mattie and I are in Fayetteville AR catching up with old friends. It's nice to be back home for a visit, even if it is a bit cold up here. It's nice to see familiar faces and really nice to be around Arkansas women again but I've had to schedule my time and make appointments to see everybody. Since I have been home I've been eating very well (almost nonstop) and haven't paid for a beer yet.
Nothing much changes in Fayetteville, I compare it to ground hog day, a few changes I have noticed is the emptiness of Dickson ST, another parking garage and more bicycle trails. When I started out on this voyage I was happy to get away from all the sounds of the shore, the engines and car noises, and most of all the sirens, train horns don't seem to bother me too much.
I made a masthead light and hope someone else may benefit from my learning experience. There is not a lot of power to spare on Waltzing Matilda and I have wanted LED running and anchor lights for some time but $150 bulbs are not in the beer budget. In true cruiser fashion I have fashioned some lights myself and run into a few small difficulties I would like to share.
My 1st attempt was pitiful but free, I discovered a bar in Key West (Fat Tuesdays) sells these goofy light up plastic mugs with red, green and blue LEDs in the base, I scored a few from the dumpster, pulled them out of the original circuit board and soldered them parallel to a DIY board (used a safety pin to drill bits from the mugs) with some foraged white LEDs to make a tri light. I used a automotive cell phone charger to drop 12V to 4.5V, and viola..... not bright enough.
The second attempt was not free but less pitiful. I went to SurplusGizmos.com and purchased 16 70ma Piranha LEDs, after shipping it was a total of $20 worth of beer money. Since I am home for the holidays I have better tools to use than I can carry in the boat including a great adjustable power supply from a model train set.
I soldered 4 red, 4 green and 4 white in parallel arrays and powered them up to test. The red was nice and bright, the green and white, not so much. If I disconnected red the green and white lit up. Once the red was on it sucked all the power, so it seems, the red array draws twice as many amps as the green and white combined. Using a multimeter as an adjustable resistor I found I could get all three arrays to light up by limiting the power that went to the red array on the negative line but had no way to see how many amps were being used (I only have 1 multimeter).
I found a resistance calculator for LEDs online and according to it I need a 30ohm resistor to solve my problem and make all 3 arrays light. If anyone that reads this and knows more about LEDs than me I'd appreciate if you can contribute some info, I don't know much about electronics. I know what the markings on a the resistor I need look like, I'll just have to find a toy in the dumpster to find the right one.
I haven't encased the new lights in epoxy yet, but they will be before I climb the stick
I'm heading back down south in early Janurary, a few weeks recharging my internal batteries will be nice.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Land Lubber Dog
It's been nice to be on land, I haven't left the property except to go grocery shopping and get beer, the bike has recovered from the flat tires acquired in Key West but I just haven't gone anywhere. There is a big old trawler that needs TLC and I am sanding the teak to refinish the bright work. Waltzing Matilda hasn't been getting any work done on her, but she isn't breaking anything as she is just sitting at a dock.
I've had several people have asked about Mattie lately, yes, I am fine, and so is the dog. She is currently snuggled up in a big comforter on a big bed refusing to get up since the temp has dropped to 65F. She is quite happy to be ashore after 7 days without a walk when we left Key West. She cannot seem to figure out that I don't have to take her on a walk for her to pee here, she can just go outside and go pee. Peeing has been a problem for her as long as she has been with me, she pees when she is happy, or sad, or hungry, or full, or wants to play, or is scared, she pees all over herself all the time. Not sure why but I know that when we get to Arkansas to visit home she will have to stay in a crate rather than pee anywhere in my parent's place. Did I just write a whole paragraph about my dogs urine habits?.... I cannot believe how much of my life has been taken up by the dog's toilet.
The laptop donated by Map Oil Tools a year ago is dying, I have to keep the case off and wedge my fingers between the main board and case to get it to boot, the keys y,u,r don't work, nor does the zero key, it makes typing very tedious I cut and paste missing characters in. I've removed ever non-essential bit in the machine, only a HDD, WiFi card and main board are left, I need to get a small net book and modify it to handle the rigors of sea life.
Headed home for Christmas, looking forward to seeing some familiar faces.
Photos
I've had several people have asked about Mattie lately, yes, I am fine, and so is the dog. She is currently snuggled up in a big comforter on a big bed refusing to get up since the temp has dropped to 65F. She is quite happy to be ashore after 7 days without a walk when we left Key West. She cannot seem to figure out that I don't have to take her on a walk for her to pee here, she can just go outside and go pee. Peeing has been a problem for her as long as she has been with me, she pees when she is happy, or sad, or hungry, or full, or wants to play, or is scared, she pees all over herself all the time. Not sure why but I know that when we get to Arkansas to visit home she will have to stay in a crate rather than pee anywhere in my parent's place. Did I just write a whole paragraph about my dogs urine habits?.... I cannot believe how much of my life has been taken up by the dog's toilet.
The laptop donated by Map Oil Tools a year ago is dying, I have to keep the case off and wedge my fingers between the main board and case to get it to boot, the keys y,u,r don't work, nor does the zero key, it makes typing very tedious I cut and paste missing characters in. I've removed ever non-essential bit in the machine, only a HDD, WiFi card and main board are left, I need to get a small net book and modify it to handle the rigors of sea life.
Headed home for Christmas, looking forward to seeing some familiar faces.
Photos
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
How to fix a broken fuel line
I didn't make it as far south as Key West, I sailed all day and into the night and was headed to Marathon when I ran aground. It's been quite some time since I've been aground and it was time for it to happen.
It took 10 hours to back track four days of NE travel, I was running fast, 7-8kts on a broad reach and enjoying the surfing (didn't hit any crab traps!) as I approached Marathon I got the early morning lull in the wind and turned a bit. I'm not sure if I fell asleep or was just punch drunk from being at the tiller for 20 hours but I misjudged the shoal and didn't have my depth sounder on (DOH!). Due to battery problems I've been trying to use as little power as possible so aside from my running lights I had on a single red LED in the cabin, no VHF, no GPS and no depth gauge. Coasting along at 3kts I heard a soft swish and Waltzing Matilda slid to a stop. Earlier that evening I had had listened to the tide forecast and remembered something being said about 3AM, I assumed I was at high tide and guessed I was in a protected area, there are big fines for running aground in protected areas. I launched the kayak and rowed out '125 of anchor line and was able to get Waltzing Matilda turned 180 degrees before she stuck really hard, even with lots of sail up I couldn't get her free. I turned on the radio and the tide forecast told me that LOW tide was at 03:15, so I went below and made something to eat. She rolled all the way to rails underwater before the tide lifted her then; exhausted; I sailed to an safe anchorage outside the harbor and dropped hook before dropping to sleep.
I planned to head back to Key West to see if I could get work at the shipyard there, I called and left a message but still have not heard back (and don't expect to), meanwhile I texted Steve Butler, owner of 104.9FM in Fayetteville, AR whom I had met a few days before in Islamorada, FL. Steve invited me to come dock at the 104.9 Beach House and stay for a few days to take break (Fayetteville folks are great!). I turned back to the NE and with a nice East wind headed back tracking on my back track. That wind lasted until I made it into the bay, I set a course for 57 degrees and the wind began to blow at 15kts from 60 degrees (DOH!). After 3 hours I had made one mile and fired the Sabb to run closer to the wind, even with the motor running I had to tack as she didn't have enough power to fight it.
On and on and on I motor sailed, about 2 am the motor began to bog down and I assumed I had yet another crab trap in the prop, I killed the engine and opend the engine bay, thats when the smell of diesel hit me. I shined a flashlight into the engine bay and saw fuel, lots of fuel, everywhere. Immediately I shut the fuel tank off and assumed I had just lost all of it in the bilge, fortune was with me, I only lost about a gallon of fuel, that equals eight hours of run time. I then learned a valuable thing that I will share with you all, How to Fix a Broken Fuel line:
Step 1: determine why the fuel line broke; I didn't notice that the primary filter had vibrated loose from its mounting, but about two inches fore is where the fuel line broke.
Step 2: be in bouncy waves
Step 3: drop the tool you need in the bilge, the bilge that is full of fuel
Step 4: remove broken fuel line section (in this case it had compression fittings on both ends of a 1.5ft piece of copper)
Step 5: get sea sick.
I've heard of mal du mer but never really experienced it, in my zeal to solder the fuel line I hove to and tried to solder the copper back together, this consisted of filing the pieces clean, flaring one piece, pressing them together and using a torch to heat them up to soldering temp. The torch caused the residual fuel in the line to evaporate and fill the cabin with fumes, that combined with the bouncing and I got sea sick for the fist time ever, there was that time on Mississippi Sound but that was nothing like this.
Step 6: remount fuel line
Step 7: break fuel line while remounting it, this determines if it will handle vibration
I found some rubber fuel line left over in a can of junk from the infamous school bus that happened to be the right diameter and with a pair of hose clamps sleeved the fuel line and remounted it, bled the system and got ready to start the motor. Remember my earlier statements about the batteries being bad? I had to prime the motor via hand crank, fortunately I can spray WD-40 directly into the cylinder and that fires the engine fast enough to make starting very easy.
I finally made the channel entrance to Islamorada after 18 hours of motor sailing to cover 35NM, I waited for the sun to rise over the Atlantic before I had enough light to enter the channel and by 10:00 was docked at the 104.9 Beach House. It's been a long time since I watched the sunrise over the Atlantic and it brought back fond memories of Myrtle Beach with a crazy girl and great sand dragons.
I'm going to take a break, I like this part of the keys very much, 30' visibility in the water, less traffic, more mangroves.
It took 10 hours to back track four days of NE travel, I was running fast, 7-8kts on a broad reach and enjoying the surfing (didn't hit any crab traps!) as I approached Marathon I got the early morning lull in the wind and turned a bit. I'm not sure if I fell asleep or was just punch drunk from being at the tiller for 20 hours but I misjudged the shoal and didn't have my depth sounder on (DOH!). Due to battery problems I've been trying to use as little power as possible so aside from my running lights I had on a single red LED in the cabin, no VHF, no GPS and no depth gauge. Coasting along at 3kts I heard a soft swish and Waltzing Matilda slid to a stop. Earlier that evening I had had listened to the tide forecast and remembered something being said about 3AM, I assumed I was at high tide and guessed I was in a protected area, there are big fines for running aground in protected areas. I launched the kayak and rowed out '125 of anchor line and was able to get Waltzing Matilda turned 180 degrees before she stuck really hard, even with lots of sail up I couldn't get her free. I turned on the radio and the tide forecast told me that LOW tide was at 03:15, so I went below and made something to eat. She rolled all the way to rails underwater before the tide lifted her then; exhausted; I sailed to an safe anchorage outside the harbor and dropped hook before dropping to sleep.
I planned to head back to Key West to see if I could get work at the shipyard there, I called and left a message but still have not heard back (and don't expect to), meanwhile I texted Steve Butler, owner of 104.9FM in Fayetteville, AR whom I had met a few days before in Islamorada, FL. Steve invited me to come dock at the 104.9 Beach House and stay for a few days to take break (Fayetteville folks are great!). I turned back to the NE and with a nice East wind headed back tracking on my back track. That wind lasted until I made it into the bay, I set a course for 57 degrees and the wind began to blow at 15kts from 60 degrees (DOH!). After 3 hours I had made one mile and fired the Sabb to run closer to the wind, even with the motor running I had to tack as she didn't have enough power to fight it.
On and on and on I motor sailed, about 2 am the motor began to bog down and I assumed I had yet another crab trap in the prop, I killed the engine and opend the engine bay, thats when the smell of diesel hit me. I shined a flashlight into the engine bay and saw fuel, lots of fuel, everywhere. Immediately I shut the fuel tank off and assumed I had just lost all of it in the bilge, fortune was with me, I only lost about a gallon of fuel, that equals eight hours of run time. I then learned a valuable thing that I will share with you all, How to Fix a Broken Fuel line:
Step 1: determine why the fuel line broke; I didn't notice that the primary filter had vibrated loose from its mounting, but about two inches fore is where the fuel line broke.
Step 2: be in bouncy waves
Step 3: drop the tool you need in the bilge, the bilge that is full of fuel
Step 4: remove broken fuel line section (in this case it had compression fittings on both ends of a 1.5ft piece of copper)
Step 5: get sea sick.
I've heard of mal du mer but never really experienced it, in my zeal to solder the fuel line I hove to and tried to solder the copper back together, this consisted of filing the pieces clean, flaring one piece, pressing them together and using a torch to heat them up to soldering temp. The torch caused the residual fuel in the line to evaporate and fill the cabin with fumes, that combined with the bouncing and I got sea sick for the fist time ever, there was that time on Mississippi Sound but that was nothing like this.
Step 6: remount fuel line
Step 7: break fuel line while remounting it, this determines if it will handle vibration
I found some rubber fuel line left over in a can of junk from the infamous school bus that happened to be the right diameter and with a pair of hose clamps sleeved the fuel line and remounted it, bled the system and got ready to start the motor. Remember my earlier statements about the batteries being bad? I had to prime the motor via hand crank, fortunately I can spray WD-40 directly into the cylinder and that fires the engine fast enough to make starting very easy.
I finally made the channel entrance to Islamorada after 18 hours of motor sailing to cover 35NM, I waited for the sun to rise over the Atlantic before I had enough light to enter the channel and by 10:00 was docked at the 104.9 Beach House. It's been a long time since I watched the sunrise over the Atlantic and it brought back fond memories of Myrtle Beach with a crazy girl and great sand dragons.
I'm going to take a break, I like this part of the keys very much, 30' visibility in the water, less traffic, more mangroves.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Waltzing Matilda: Back Toward Key West
November 22, 2010
A year ago today, Nathan set out on his journey, launching in Western Arkansas, sailing the Arkansas River to the Mississippi, heading into the rivers and bayous of the Intracoastal Waterway in Louisiana and continuing on the Intracoastal to Western Florida, then across the open Gulf of Mexico to the Tampa area. After spending hurricane season there, he sailed to Key West. Last week, he set out sailing with another vessel up the Florida Keys, with an intention of heading east to the Bahamas. But he called yesterday from Key Largo to say he was turning back toward Key West.
The other craft he was sailing with has been using its motor a great deal, while the wind and current have prevented Nathan from keeping up. “He’s a good guy, but he’s not my kind of sailor,” Nathan said. As a result, he decided to part ways with the other craft and do what he had originally intended: winter in Key West.
Nathan had a job offer near Key West to work in a boatyard and he’s going to see if he can still get that job. Besides the different travel philosophies between Nathan and the captain of the boat he was sailing with, Waltzing Matilda has battery problems and Nathan said there are a lot of little things that need to be fixed on his boat.
Heading back down the Keys, the wind was more favorable: “It took two hours to backtrack what it took ten hours to cover,” Nathan said.
Actually, Nathan plans to winter at Stock Island, the key just east of Key West, since that’s where the boatyard is and Nathan has little good to say about Key West.
Thus ends the first year of the voyage of Waltzing Matilda. Nathan hopes to make it a three-year event, eventually ending up sailing the Atlantic seaboard, then into the Hudson River-Erie Canal-Great Lakes-Mississippi River and back down to Arkansas.
--Posted by official correspondent Dad Landry
A year ago today, Nathan set out on his journey, launching in Western Arkansas, sailing the Arkansas River to the Mississippi, heading into the rivers and bayous of the Intracoastal Waterway in Louisiana and continuing on the Intracoastal to Western Florida, then across the open Gulf of Mexico to the Tampa area. After spending hurricane season there, he sailed to Key West. Last week, he set out sailing with another vessel up the Florida Keys, with an intention of heading east to the Bahamas. But he called yesterday from Key Largo to say he was turning back toward Key West.
The other craft he was sailing with has been using its motor a great deal, while the wind and current have prevented Nathan from keeping up. “He’s a good guy, but he’s not my kind of sailor,” Nathan said. As a result, he decided to part ways with the other craft and do what he had originally intended: winter in Key West.
Nathan had a job offer near Key West to work in a boatyard and he’s going to see if he can still get that job. Besides the different travel philosophies between Nathan and the captain of the boat he was sailing with, Waltzing Matilda has battery problems and Nathan said there are a lot of little things that need to be fixed on his boat.
Heading back down the Keys, the wind was more favorable: “It took two hours to backtrack what it took ten hours to cover,” Nathan said.
Actually, Nathan plans to winter at Stock Island, the key just east of Key West, since that’s where the boatyard is and Nathan has little good to say about Key West.
Thus ends the first year of the voyage of Waltzing Matilda. Nathan hopes to make it a three-year event, eventually ending up sailing the Atlantic seaboard, then into the Hudson River-Erie Canal-Great Lakes-Mississippi River and back down to Arkansas.
--Posted by official correspondent Dad Landry
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Tally HO!
Forget all the advertisements you have seen about Key West, it aint like that at all. I am rather disgusted with the filth, lack of litter control, plastic bags in the ocean and general un-sustainability of this island. I can imagine what will happen when fuel becomes scarce.
This weekend is super-boat races, kinda like nascar on the water, fuel smell, oil slicks on the water and obnoxiously loud speed boat zipping around. I need the peace and quiet, I like the mangrove swamps (aside form the no-see-ums) and less light pollution.
Early next week I am headed out, sailing in tandem with We Don't Neaux out of New Iberaia, LA. The captian, Sterling Dore, has a crew of noob sailors that want to learn the ropes and have a sense of adventure. I am just ready to go. I have found some used peanut oil and amd stocking up as much as I can carry, fuel is only going to become more expensive, my finances are at $3.26 so fuel purchases are out of the question.
The exhaust line on Waltzing Matilda finally blew out, I knew it was going to eventually and with a wet exhaust it is important to not leak. I traded some labor for material and replaced it while only cutting the crap out of my hands about 20 times. Today I am climbing my mast to install the rest of my "new" LED running/anchor lights, I've been dumpster scoring lighted toys and things and have built my own lights that use very little power, the mast is now at 4.5VDC using a cell phone charger as a converter. Speaking of dumpster scores, I have stocked up some food gleaned from the fat of the land, I have to dry some of it but I still have a small stock of beans, rice and peanut butter. I need to go to the local charity and stock up on dry goods. I have been catching little fish lately, it takes 4 of them to make a meal but I can catch them on peanut butter and a small tri hook.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Waltzing Matilda Makes Key West
October 17, 2010
Nathan pulled into the harbor at Key West this afternoon, although he landed nearby Felmming Key, the next inhabited key to the east. I think the $80 per month landing fee at Key West discouraged him (“I’ve heard they nickel-and-dime you down here,” he said).
Tonight he told of sailing to the Keys from Marco Island, Florida, where he spent several nights waiting out the weather. Friday night he went to a thrift store next to a classy Italian restaurant. Looking at the menu posted outside the restaurant he saw that no dish on the menu was listed at less than $50. He was behind the thrift store to do some dumpster diving when the Italian restaurant closed and someone threw away the items from the make table. Nathan went over and had “gourmet cheese, chicken noodles and bread, all hot, just out of the kitchen. Considering their prices I probably had a $200 meal.”
Saturday he motored out of Marcos into the Gulf of Mexico. He hoisted sail, but there was no wind to speak of – it took him ten hours to go just 7 miles (“Really, really annoying”). Wind picked up at sunset and “I did not go to sleep. I’ve been to college – I’ve pulled all nighters – so I sailed all night long. I made 68 miles in ten hours of darkness.”
His overnight sailing was amazing, he said. “The water is crystal clear and loaded with phosphorus. After the moon sets at 3 a.m. it’s completely dark. My pupils are probably huge – I can see everything. In fact, when the moon was up I didn’t look at it so that could keep my night vision. Between 3 a.m and 6 a.m. I see thirty-two shooting stars. I’m now far enough south that I am hitting tropical waters. The color is amazing. There are 3- to 5-foot waves, the sea is glowing green, the sky is glowing blue.
In the distance, he could see light. He thinks they were the lights of Miami, which, depending on where he was between Marcos Island and Key West, were 80 to perhaps 100 miles away.
“I navigated all night by the north star. I went below to make a sandwich and when I came back up I noticed there was something wrong with the north star. It didn’t appear to be quite right. I’m looking at it, trying to figure out what’s wrong. Then he turned on his landing lights!”
Wrong north star!
“Sunrise,” Nathan said, “Was amazing. There was a flame-shaped – not grey, not blue, not green – flame-shaped discoloration of the sky. I had been awake long enough to where everything was surreal. I’m in 65 feet of water with no land in sight and there is an aqua-marine blue sea.”
Coming into Key West harbor the wind was good. “I came through the channel so fast even though I had the current against me, the wind was so strong I dipped my head sail in the water. I was making 6 and ½ knots, which is as fast as my boat will go.”
Arriving in the Keys, Nathan docked next to the boat of a friend of some friends (Rick and Cathy Morrell – there’s a post about them on Nathan’s March 7 blog).
In sight are two docked cruise ships: a 300-foot Disney ship and a 400-foot Carnival ship.
Calling it a day, Nathan said “I’m going to sleep in and work on the boat tomorrow.” Having pulled an all nighter and having a grand sailing trip “I’m trying to wind down.”
--Posted by Official Correspondent Dad Landry
Nathan pulled into the harbor at Key West this afternoon, although he landed nearby Felmming Key, the next inhabited key to the east. I think the $80 per month landing fee at Key West discouraged him (“I’ve heard they nickel-and-dime you down here,” he said).
Tonight he told of sailing to the Keys from Marco Island, Florida, where he spent several nights waiting out the weather. Friday night he went to a thrift store next to a classy Italian restaurant. Looking at the menu posted outside the restaurant he saw that no dish on the menu was listed at less than $50. He was behind the thrift store to do some dumpster diving when the Italian restaurant closed and someone threw away the items from the make table. Nathan went over and had “gourmet cheese, chicken noodles and bread, all hot, just out of the kitchen. Considering their prices I probably had a $200 meal.”
Saturday he motored out of Marcos into the Gulf of Mexico. He hoisted sail, but there was no wind to speak of – it took him ten hours to go just 7 miles (“Really, really annoying”). Wind picked up at sunset and “I did not go to sleep. I’ve been to college – I’ve pulled all nighters – so I sailed all night long. I made 68 miles in ten hours of darkness.”
His overnight sailing was amazing, he said. “The water is crystal clear and loaded with phosphorus. After the moon sets at 3 a.m. it’s completely dark. My pupils are probably huge – I can see everything. In fact, when the moon was up I didn’t look at it so that could keep my night vision. Between 3 a.m and 6 a.m. I see thirty-two shooting stars. I’m now far enough south that I am hitting tropical waters. The color is amazing. There are 3- to 5-foot waves, the sea is glowing green, the sky is glowing blue.
In the distance, he could see light. He thinks they were the lights of Miami, which, depending on where he was between Marcos Island and Key West, were 80 to perhaps 100 miles away.
“I navigated all night by the north star. I went below to make a sandwich and when I came back up I noticed there was something wrong with the north star. It didn’t appear to be quite right. I’m looking at it, trying to figure out what’s wrong. Then he turned on his landing lights!”
Wrong north star!
“Sunrise,” Nathan said, “Was amazing. There was a flame-shaped – not grey, not blue, not green – flame-shaped discoloration of the sky. I had been awake long enough to where everything was surreal. I’m in 65 feet of water with no land in sight and there is an aqua-marine blue sea.”
Coming into Key West harbor the wind was good. “I came through the channel so fast even though I had the current against me, the wind was so strong I dipped my head sail in the water. I was making 6 and ½ knots, which is as fast as my boat will go.”
Arriving in the Keys, Nathan docked next to the boat of a friend of some friends (Rick and Cathy Morrell – there’s a post about them on Nathan’s March 7 blog).
In sight are two docked cruise ships: a 300-foot Disney ship and a 400-foot Carnival ship.
Calling it a day, Nathan said “I’m going to sleep in and work on the boat tomorrow.” Having pulled an all nighter and having a grand sailing trip “I’m trying to wind down.”
--Posted by Official Correspondent Dad Landry
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Waltzing Matilda Gets Bugged
October 15, 2010
Nathan suffered an interruption on his trip toward Key West, Florida. His boat was invaded by tiny no-see-um flies (also “midgies,” “sand flies,” “punkies,” or, if you must, ceratopogonidae [Thanks, Wikipedia!]). Although he put screens up to ward off the pests, they are small enough to pass through the screen. “They drove me nuts. I could not sleep,” he said. Finally, to get relief, he sailed into Marco Island, Florida, a place he describes as very affluent. “I’m in Factory Bay, but I don’t see any factories. It should be called ‘Condo Bay.’ Lots of mansions and marinas.” Not willing to pay high rates for a marina, Nathan docked the dinghy under a bridge (“It’s public right-of-way”) and went ashore.
Again he’s holed up due to weather: the last vestiges of Hurricane Paula mixed with a front moving through have resulted in small craft warnings and 7-foot seas. If he was sailing, he would have a strong wind from the stern, which makes for difficult sailing, “After six hours of it I’m worn out.”
“I know my boat, I know my capabilities, and I know what’s safe and I’m not going.” He hopes to cast off for Key West, about 75 miles away, on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in the course of an hour long conversation tonight, Nathan regaled us with stories:
--Western Florida, he says, has a lot of transplanted Louisianans. When he approaches people about working on their boat, he uses a Louisiana accent. (He reeled out a sentence in pure Cajun to demonstrate). Having a typical Cajun name like Landry doesn’t hurt, either.
--On repairing boats: “One guy wanted me to work on his boat – the starter on his generator wouldn’t work. ‘How much you charge by the hour?’ the guy asked me. I told him I charged by the job, not by the hour. The guy looked at me kind of funny then told me to go ahead and look at his generator. ‘I’ll need your help,’ I told him ‘Got to have somebody press the starter button.’ Then I climbed down in the hold, wiggled the starter solenoid, sprayed some W-D 40 on it, and told him to hit the starter. ‘Vrroom,’ the generator immediately came to life. I popped my head up out of the hold and said: ‘That’s why I don’t charge by the hour!.’”
--Nathan has developed an automatic pilot for Waltzing Matilda. He’s got a line attached to one of his sails that he strung in various ways until it eventually makes its way to the tiller that controls the rudder. When the wind moves the sail, it moves the tiller in the appropriate direction, pulling against a bungie cord. When the wind dies down, the bungie cord compensates by pulling the tiller the opposite way, adjusting the direction of the boat.
--He wants us to get him a good, well-made Arkansas flag. I forget how many Arkansas flags he said he’s worn out on this trip. One of the flags he signed and gave to somebody. Recently he told us about a Coast Guard boat that came by. The crew looked at him with stony faces until one of them, apparently an Arkie, saw the Arkansas flag and got excited, he calls to a fellow sailor, "Look, that boat's from and Arkansas!", the other sailor replied, "I know, I can read, I'm not from Arkansas.
--Posted by Correspondent Dad Landry
Nathan suffered an interruption on his trip toward Key West, Florida. His boat was invaded by tiny no-see-um flies (also “midgies,” “sand flies,” “punkies,” or, if you must, ceratopogonidae [Thanks, Wikipedia!]). Although he put screens up to ward off the pests, they are small enough to pass through the screen. “They drove me nuts. I could not sleep,” he said. Finally, to get relief, he sailed into Marco Island, Florida, a place he describes as very affluent. “I’m in Factory Bay, but I don’t see any factories. It should be called ‘Condo Bay.’ Lots of mansions and marinas.” Not willing to pay high rates for a marina, Nathan docked the dinghy under a bridge (“It’s public right-of-way”) and went ashore.
Again he’s holed up due to weather: the last vestiges of Hurricane Paula mixed with a front moving through have resulted in small craft warnings and 7-foot seas. If he was sailing, he would have a strong wind from the stern, which makes for difficult sailing, “After six hours of it I’m worn out.”
“I know my boat, I know my capabilities, and I know what’s safe and I’m not going.” He hopes to cast off for Key West, about 75 miles away, on Sunday.
Meanwhile, in the course of an hour long conversation tonight, Nathan regaled us with stories:
--Western Florida, he says, has a lot of transplanted Louisianans. When he approaches people about working on their boat, he uses a Louisiana accent. (He reeled out a sentence in pure Cajun to demonstrate). Having a typical Cajun name like Landry doesn’t hurt, either.
--On repairing boats: “One guy wanted me to work on his boat – the starter on his generator wouldn’t work. ‘How much you charge by the hour?’ the guy asked me. I told him I charged by the job, not by the hour. The guy looked at me kind of funny then told me to go ahead and look at his generator. ‘I’ll need your help,’ I told him ‘Got to have somebody press the starter button.’ Then I climbed down in the hold, wiggled the starter solenoid, sprayed some W-D 40 on it, and told him to hit the starter. ‘Vrroom,’ the generator immediately came to life. I popped my head up out of the hold and said: ‘That’s why I don’t charge by the hour!.’”
--Nathan has developed an automatic pilot for Waltzing Matilda. He’s got a line attached to one of his sails that he strung in various ways until it eventually makes its way to the tiller that controls the rudder. When the wind moves the sail, it moves the tiller in the appropriate direction, pulling against a bungie cord. When the wind dies down, the bungie cord compensates by pulling the tiller the opposite way, adjusting the direction of the boat.
--He wants us to get him a good, well-made Arkansas flag. I forget how many Arkansas flags he said he’s worn out on this trip. One of the flags he signed and gave to somebody. Recently he told us about a Coast Guard boat that came by. The crew looked at him with stony faces until one of them, apparently an Arkie, saw the Arkansas flag and got excited, he calls to a fellow sailor, "Look, that boat's from and Arkansas!", the other sailor replied, "I know, I can read, I'm not from Arkansas.
--Posted by Correspondent Dad Landry
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Waltzing Matilda Hides Out from Storm
October 13, 2010
Nathan spent the last several months in port, waiting out a hurricane season that produced nothing.
Last week he went back to sea. And now there’s a hurricane.
Or not.
Hurricane Paula grazed Mexico, coming within 60 miles of it and at this writing threatens western Cuba. However, by the time Paula reaches land it is expected to be downgraded, perhaps to a tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane.
But Nathan is taking no chances. He’s heading for Rookery Channel between Naples and Marco, Florida, where he plans to hole up in the mangrove trees “until Friday or until I’m comfortable with the weather.”
Nathan believes in being cautious, which is a far cry from his motorcycling days years ago when it seemed that every week he had a story for me about avoiding a close call on the bike. Eventually “I lost my nerve with the motorcycle,” he said. “And I’m a cautious sailor.” Good. I was glad to see the motorcycle days come to an end. And today I quoted for him an altered version of the old saying about airplane pilots: “There are old sailors and there are bold sailors, but there are no old, bold sailors.” “That’s right,” he replied.
Nathan did face some stormy weather last night. There was no wind to speak of, and he was just drifting on a glasslike sea. Suddenly, within ten minutes, the wind came up and he found himself in 4-foot waves. But it apparently was uneventful as he had no further comments on anything other than the sudden change in the weather.
Visiting Naples, Florida, he met some people in a trawler that is named the same as his boat, Waltzing Matilda. The man was a Key West local who told Nathan about hiding places from hurricanes. Also, Nathan got from the man some contacts which may provide him work in Key West, where he’s thinking of spending the winter.
For now, Nathan is heading for his Rookery Channel hurricane hideout and says he may be out of cell phone contact for awhile.
Nathan spent the last several months in port, waiting out a hurricane season that produced nothing.
Last week he went back to sea. And now there’s a hurricane.
Or not.
Hurricane Paula grazed Mexico, coming within 60 miles of it and at this writing threatens western Cuba. However, by the time Paula reaches land it is expected to be downgraded, perhaps to a tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane.
But Nathan is taking no chances. He’s heading for Rookery Channel between Naples and Marco, Florida, where he plans to hole up in the mangrove trees “until Friday or until I’m comfortable with the weather.”
Nathan believes in being cautious, which is a far cry from his motorcycling days years ago when it seemed that every week he had a story for me about avoiding a close call on the bike. Eventually “I lost my nerve with the motorcycle,” he said. “And I’m a cautious sailor.” Good. I was glad to see the motorcycle days come to an end. And today I quoted for him an altered version of the old saying about airplane pilots: “There are old sailors and there are bold sailors, but there are no old, bold sailors.” “That’s right,” he replied.
Nathan did face some stormy weather last night. There was no wind to speak of, and he was just drifting on a glasslike sea. Suddenly, within ten minutes, the wind came up and he found himself in 4-foot waves. But it apparently was uneventful as he had no further comments on anything other than the sudden change in the weather.
Visiting Naples, Florida, he met some people in a trawler that is named the same as his boat, Waltzing Matilda. The man was a Key West local who told Nathan about hiding places from hurricanes. Also, Nathan got from the man some contacts which may provide him work in Key West, where he’s thinking of spending the winter.
For now, Nathan is heading for his Rookery Channel hurricane hideout and says he may be out of cell phone contact for awhile.
Monday, October 11, 2010
“Dum DUM Dum DUM” -- Waltzing Matilda Hears Theme from “Jaws.”
October 10, 2010
Nathan called today, his birthday (and the day before my birthday – he was my birthday present 35 years ago). He’s enjoyed the last few days at Cayo Costa State Park near Fort Meyers, Florida. He’s glad to essentially be underway again, says he has more to talk about. Indeed. Some of is it funny. Some of it is ominous.
"I had an interesting event happen and got a little money in my pocket from it," Nathan said. "I was a little bit concerned about getting all the way down to Key West and being flat broke.”
While camped on the island containing Cayo Costa State Park, Nathan met four middle aged people who were excited about journeying on the water. They were in a 14-foot boat similar to the “johnboats” used in Ozarks fishing float trips. The boat had two gasoline motors: a couple of ancient Johnsons from the ‘60s: one 40 horsepower, the other 5 horsepower. Eventually, after having a good time camping on the island, the people (two couples, I think) shoved off. The johnboat, or whatever it was, was overloaded: with the people, their sleeping bags, their coolers. “They decided not to bring an air conditioner or a microwave, but that was about it,” Nathan said. Nathan, too, went sailing. “About 100 yards out, their engines quit. That’s why I hate gasoline engines. A million things can go wrong and it never runs right (Waltzing Matilda has a small diesel).” At this time Nathan was cruising at about 3 knots and he spotted the johnboat dead in the water, with the people waving at him. “Need a tow?” Nathan asked them. “Oh, do we need a tow!” was the reply: in their overloaded boat with dead engines they only had one paddle among them and they were 8 miles from where they had first launched.
So Nathan begins to tow them and there is a problem: he can’t find the channel markers. He has no idea where he is going (with them in tow). The water gets shallow: the depth gauge reads 2 and ½ feet, which is not possible because Waltzing Matilda draws 3 feet; then Nathan realizes that the sea grass is high and the depth gauge is reading the sea grass.
It’s a Sunday and a lot of boats are out and about and they are causing large wakes behind them. As a result, the heavy-laden johnboat starts taking water, so they have to start bailing. As the sorry parade moves along, Nathan hears a splash. He looks back to find that one of the men who had been sitting on the bow of the johnboat with his legs dangling over the side had fallen overboard. Nathan immediately stops as he sees one hand coming up from the water, hanging on to the boat. Then two hands grab the boat and Nathan determines that the man has the towline tangled around his leg. Nathan throws him a flotation device. The man moves himself to the side of the johnboat and tries to pull himself aboard. The overloaded johnboat now has an extra 200 pounds pulling down on one side, so it starts to roll over. The man then goes to the stern of the boat and pulling himself up, pulls the gunwale of the johnboat to within 2 inches of the water. Then a fast boat goes buy, 15 feet away, pushing up a big wake. “This is about to get bad,” Nathan thinks. But the man made it aboard with no more problems and they resumed the tow to the marina, with the man now wisely wearing a life jacket.
Upon reaching shore, the people thanked Nathan by giving him a much needed $70.
Also, Nathan said that while at the state park he had taken his kayak to a lagoon in the middle of the island. The water was about 4 feet deep and fairly clear. As he moved toward deeper water, he saw fish thrashing at the surface. Then he saw a large white dorsal fin. “This is a shark,” he thought to himself.” “This is a big shark. This is a big white shark. This is a Great White Shark. By now I’m hearing dum DUM dum DUM dum DUM music from 'Jaws.' This shark was as big as a dolphin. It was as big as my kayak. It cruises under my kayak. By now, I’ve got the heebie jeebies. He comes and he bumps my kayak. In the past I swam with sharks – little ones, 1 and 2 footers. But this one was 9 foot.” Apparently the shark had little more interest in Nathan’s kayak. Maybe it had its fill of the mullets on which it had been feeding. That’s good. Somehow, “dum DUM dum DUM dum DUM” doesn’t seem to be the tune one would want in one’s head while sailing in a small kayak.
Meanwhile, it’s a new day tomorrow. “I’m going to run hard the next couple of days to get on down to Key West,” he told me. “I can see the lights of Fort Meyers. I’m going to stop there tomorrow and resupply and refuel. Fort Meyers and a little place called Marco are the only towns between here and Key West. I’m going to be sailing through 100 miles with absolutely nothing (onshore).
--Posted by Official Correspondent Dad Landry
Nathan called today, his birthday (and the day before my birthday – he was my birthday present 35 years ago). He’s enjoyed the last few days at Cayo Costa State Park near Fort Meyers, Florida. He’s glad to essentially be underway again, says he has more to talk about. Indeed. Some of is it funny. Some of it is ominous.
"I had an interesting event happen and got a little money in my pocket from it," Nathan said. "I was a little bit concerned about getting all the way down to Key West and being flat broke.”
While camped on the island containing Cayo Costa State Park, Nathan met four middle aged people who were excited about journeying on the water. They were in a 14-foot boat similar to the “johnboats” used in Ozarks fishing float trips. The boat had two gasoline motors: a couple of ancient Johnsons from the ‘60s: one 40 horsepower, the other 5 horsepower. Eventually, after having a good time camping on the island, the people (two couples, I think) shoved off. The johnboat, or whatever it was, was overloaded: with the people, their sleeping bags, their coolers. “They decided not to bring an air conditioner or a microwave, but that was about it,” Nathan said. Nathan, too, went sailing. “About 100 yards out, their engines quit. That’s why I hate gasoline engines. A million things can go wrong and it never runs right (Waltzing Matilda has a small diesel).” At this time Nathan was cruising at about 3 knots and he spotted the johnboat dead in the water, with the people waving at him. “Need a tow?” Nathan asked them. “Oh, do we need a tow!” was the reply: in their overloaded boat with dead engines they only had one paddle among them and they were 8 miles from where they had first launched.
So Nathan begins to tow them and there is a problem: he can’t find the channel markers. He has no idea where he is going (with them in tow). The water gets shallow: the depth gauge reads 2 and ½ feet, which is not possible because Waltzing Matilda draws 3 feet; then Nathan realizes that the sea grass is high and the depth gauge is reading the sea grass.
It’s a Sunday and a lot of boats are out and about and they are causing large wakes behind them. As a result, the heavy-laden johnboat starts taking water, so they have to start bailing. As the sorry parade moves along, Nathan hears a splash. He looks back to find that one of the men who had been sitting on the bow of the johnboat with his legs dangling over the side had fallen overboard. Nathan immediately stops as he sees one hand coming up from the water, hanging on to the boat. Then two hands grab the boat and Nathan determines that the man has the towline tangled around his leg. Nathan throws him a flotation device. The man moves himself to the side of the johnboat and tries to pull himself aboard. The overloaded johnboat now has an extra 200 pounds pulling down on one side, so it starts to roll over. The man then goes to the stern of the boat and pulling himself up, pulls the gunwale of the johnboat to within 2 inches of the water. Then a fast boat goes buy, 15 feet away, pushing up a big wake. “This is about to get bad,” Nathan thinks. But the man made it aboard with no more problems and they resumed the tow to the marina, with the man now wisely wearing a life jacket.
Upon reaching shore, the people thanked Nathan by giving him a much needed $70.
Also, Nathan said that while at the state park he had taken his kayak to a lagoon in the middle of the island. The water was about 4 feet deep and fairly clear. As he moved toward deeper water, he saw fish thrashing at the surface. Then he saw a large white dorsal fin. “This is a shark,” he thought to himself.” “This is a big shark. This is a big white shark. This is a Great White Shark. By now I’m hearing dum DUM dum DUM dum DUM music from 'Jaws.' This shark was as big as a dolphin. It was as big as my kayak. It cruises under my kayak. By now, I’ve got the heebie jeebies. He comes and he bumps my kayak. In the past I swam with sharks – little ones, 1 and 2 footers. But this one was 9 foot.” Apparently the shark had little more interest in Nathan’s kayak. Maybe it had its fill of the mullets on which it had been feeding. That’s good. Somehow, “dum DUM dum DUM dum DUM” doesn’t seem to be the tune one would want in one’s head while sailing in a small kayak.
Meanwhile, it’s a new day tomorrow. “I’m going to run hard the next couple of days to get on down to Key West,” he told me. “I can see the lights of Fort Meyers. I’m going to stop there tomorrow and resupply and refuel. Fort Meyers and a little place called Marco are the only towns between here and Key West. I’m going to be sailing through 100 miles with absolutely nothing (onshore).
--Posted by Official Correspondent Dad Landry
Friday, October 8, 2010
Waltzing Matilda Back at Sea
October 8, 2010
After months in the Tampa Bay area to wait out the hurricane season, Waltzing Matilda is back at sea, working her way toward Key West. Nathan called today to say he is at beautiful Cayo Costa State Park on an island near Fort Meyers, Florida. Yesterday, while coming into the area where the park is, he had a bit of an adventure. He was racing against sunset and had to choose between going through a channel or through a more direct route through the ocean breakers. He chose the breakers. Waltzing Matilda has a 3-foot draft, and the water was 4 feet deep, so he could make it. Initially, seas were only 1 foot, but as he neared shore, the waves grew to 6 feet. Cruising along at 6 knots, Waltzing Matilda was towing its kayak when the kayak flipped over, filled with water, and slowed Waltzing Matilda to 3 knots. Dragging the kayak, waves began breaking over Waltzing Matilda’s stern, and Nathan began to get wet. He tried to flip the kayak upright, but since it probably weighed 500 pounds full of water, he was not successful. Nathan has cable strung around Waltzing Matilda to act as a lifeline for him to hang onto and the kayak’s line snagged one of the lifelines and broke it. Nathan swung Waltzing Matilda 180 degrees around to face into the wind and stop. Now the waves were 10 feet and Mattie the Dog began to get scared. While stopped, Nathan managed to flip the kayak upright but attempting to bail the water out of it was out of the question. He turned back toward shore, hoping to tow the kayak, now upright but half submerged. Progressing at 2.5 knots, with the wind and waves behind him, he had problems with stern waves and with the kayak banging and snagging. Nathan had to make a choice: lose the kayak or lose Waltzing Matilda and himself. Easy decision to make, but he didn’t have to act on it as the kayak’s rope broke and the half-sunk kayak moved away on its own. Nathan made three passes by the kayak trying to recover it, Realizing it was too full of water to handle and that the sun was getting ready to set, he abandoned the kayak and proceeded to shore. Arriving in calm waters he called the Coast Guard to tell them that he was okay and that there was no alarm if a partially sunken kayak showed up. The next day he told a state park ranger of his lost kayak. Ten minutes later, another ranger showed up and said someone had reported a lost kayak. The kayak had washed ashore just a bit more than a half mile where Nathan had landed. He recovered it, but took 45 minutes cleaning an “unbelievable” amount of sand out of it.
He’s enjoying the state park he is at and indicated he will be taking his time getting to Key West in order to enjoy things he encounters along the way.
--Posted by Official Correspondent Dad Landry
After months in the Tampa Bay area to wait out the hurricane season, Waltzing Matilda is back at sea, working her way toward Key West. Nathan called today to say he is at beautiful Cayo Costa State Park on an island near Fort Meyers, Florida. Yesterday, while coming into the area where the park is, he had a bit of an adventure. He was racing against sunset and had to choose between going through a channel or through a more direct route through the ocean breakers. He chose the breakers. Waltzing Matilda has a 3-foot draft, and the water was 4 feet deep, so he could make it. Initially, seas were only 1 foot, but as he neared shore, the waves grew to 6 feet. Cruising along at 6 knots, Waltzing Matilda was towing its kayak when the kayak flipped over, filled with water, and slowed Waltzing Matilda to 3 knots. Dragging the kayak, waves began breaking over Waltzing Matilda’s stern, and Nathan began to get wet. He tried to flip the kayak upright, but since it probably weighed 500 pounds full of water, he was not successful. Nathan has cable strung around Waltzing Matilda to act as a lifeline for him to hang onto and the kayak’s line snagged one of the lifelines and broke it. Nathan swung Waltzing Matilda 180 degrees around to face into the wind and stop. Now the waves were 10 feet and Mattie the Dog began to get scared. While stopped, Nathan managed to flip the kayak upright but attempting to bail the water out of it was out of the question. He turned back toward shore, hoping to tow the kayak, now upright but half submerged. Progressing at 2.5 knots, with the wind and waves behind him, he had problems with stern waves and with the kayak banging and snagging. Nathan had to make a choice: lose the kayak or lose Waltzing Matilda and himself. Easy decision to make, but he didn’t have to act on it as the kayak’s rope broke and the half-sunk kayak moved away on its own. Nathan made three passes by the kayak trying to recover it, Realizing it was too full of water to handle and that the sun was getting ready to set, he abandoned the kayak and proceeded to shore. Arriving in calm waters he called the Coast Guard to tell them that he was okay and that there was no alarm if a partially sunken kayak showed up. The next day he told a state park ranger of his lost kayak. Ten minutes later, another ranger showed up and said someone had reported a lost kayak. The kayak had washed ashore just a bit more than a half mile where Nathan had landed. He recovered it, but took 45 minutes cleaning an “unbelievable” amount of sand out of it.
He’s enjoying the state park he is at and indicated he will be taking his time getting to Key West in order to enjoy things he encounters along the way.
--Posted by Official Correspondent Dad Landry
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
A Nasty collision
Saturday the 18th was a nice day and Mattie needed some beach time, she and I walked the three blocks away from the fishing pier to the beach and sat out on the sand watching the gringo bake. When I left the anchorage it was nice sleepy afternoon, Grounds For Divorce was anchored about 60 feet from Waltzing Matilda, lots of families were on the pier sight seeing and fishing, another pleasant day in paradise.
When I returned about an hour later everything was in an uproar, Grounds for Divorce was damaged and lots of people were talking about the collision. Some drunken jerk in a 270HP jet boat was racing around in the anchorage (a posted Manatee/no wake area) and buzzing the pier, He had pissed off and soaked a lot of folks and he went flying up the ICW through a bascule bridge, turned 180 degrees and shot back into the anchorage plowing into the bow of Grounds For Divorce snapping her anchor rode and knocking Sailor John down the companionway stairs. The Coast Guard was standing by in the ICW about 400 yards away but were unable to respond.
Coast Guard: "Whats your GPS coordinates?"
Concerned Mariner: "look out your port window and you'll see the vessel speeding around in the anchorage"
CG: "do you have a life jacket on?"
CM: "are you going to stop that vessel?"
CG: "What's your GPS coordinates?"
After slamming into Ground For Divorce the drunk jerk sped around in the anchorage a bit more, got his photo taken by a witness and took off north, he was arrested for a BUI when he tried to load the speed boat on a trailer, forgetting to get the tailer and launching the boat up the concrete ramp.
Florida Fish and Wildlife commission responded after about 90 minuets and took statements from Sailor John and other witnesses, I had already contacted the witnesses on the pier, gotten a photo of the perpetrator emailed to John and we had the vessel's registration number. FWC hasn't filed charges yet, (it takes 5 days), Bradenton Beach PD wasn't aware that there had been an accident till Tuesday. The owner of the speed boat has no insurance on the thing and claims that it was his son operating the vessel without his permission and claims no responsibility. Even in a non-boating state like Arkansas, any vessel with more than 10hp is required to have liability insurance. John has holes on either side of his bow, the forestay chain plate is ripping out, a bent chain roller and cracks running length wise along his gunwales.
Sailor John finally found a lawyer willing to take this case, his journey is halted until repairs can be made, the crack all the way to the waterline makes his craft un-seaworthy. Fortunately Waltzing Matilda was not hit, the weight and speed of the drunk jerk craft would have ripped her in half. It's a really good thing I was not onboard when this event was taking place, I might be in jail for firing a safety flare into the offending vessel.
When I returned about an hour later everything was in an uproar, Grounds for Divorce was damaged and lots of people were talking about the collision. Some drunken jerk in a 270HP jet boat was racing around in the anchorage (a posted Manatee/no wake area) and buzzing the pier, He had pissed off and soaked a lot of folks and he went flying up the ICW through a bascule bridge, turned 180 degrees and shot back into the anchorage plowing into the bow of Grounds For Divorce snapping her anchor rode and knocking Sailor John down the companionway stairs. The Coast Guard was standing by in the ICW about 400 yards away but were unable to respond.
Coast Guard: "Whats your GPS coordinates?"
Concerned Mariner: "look out your port window and you'll see the vessel speeding around in the anchorage"
CG: "do you have a life jacket on?"
CM: "are you going to stop that vessel?"
CG: "What's your GPS coordinates?"
After slamming into Ground For Divorce the drunk jerk sped around in the anchorage a bit more, got his photo taken by a witness and took off north, he was arrested for a BUI when he tried to load the speed boat on a trailer, forgetting to get the tailer and launching the boat up the concrete ramp.
Florida Fish and Wildlife commission responded after about 90 minuets and took statements from Sailor John and other witnesses, I had already contacted the witnesses on the pier, gotten a photo of the perpetrator emailed to John and we had the vessel's registration number. FWC hasn't filed charges yet, (it takes 5 days), Bradenton Beach PD wasn't aware that there had been an accident till Tuesday. The owner of the speed boat has no insurance on the thing and claims that it was his son operating the vessel without his permission and claims no responsibility. Even in a non-boating state like Arkansas, any vessel with more than 10hp is required to have liability insurance. John has holes on either side of his bow, the forestay chain plate is ripping out, a bent chain roller and cracks running length wise along his gunwales.
Sailor John finally found a lawyer willing to take this case, his journey is halted until repairs can be made, the crack all the way to the waterline makes his craft un-seaworthy. Fortunately Waltzing Matilda was not hit, the weight and speed of the drunk jerk craft would have ripped her in half. It's a really good thing I was not onboard when this event was taking place, I might be in jail for firing a safety flare into the offending vessel.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Anna Maria Island
After months in the same dirty bay I finally sailed south, I had a great time in Gulfport but was afraid of getting too comfortable, when I walked the dog too many people stopped me to say hello so my and my friend from Panama City sailed south. I met Sailor John a few months ago and he met up with me again in Gulfport, he sailed the 30' Morgan named "Grounds For Divorce”, he has been a transient sailor for 9 years and knows these waters well.
Yesterday was the best sailing I have had in a long time, the wind was from the East for the last few days and the Gulf of Mexico was as smooth as it can get, a nice 15kt wind and full sails we made great time, John made better time, I had my new anchor fall off the bow and dragged it through most of Tampa Bay, I didn't notice until I hit shallower water, then I noticed in a hurry. The entrance to this channel was narrow and hard to spot, once inside the channel it snaked about with 1' depths on either side, the statement “stay in the channel” was well heeded.
We arrived in near Cortez on Anna Maria Island just after dark, John had motor trouble at the last bascule bride and had to clear the bridge under sail, very impressive due to the fact that the bridges take away all wind. Once through the bridge he headed towards my vessel and promptly ran aground. If you decide to come to the this anchorage via the ICWW here is some local knowledge to assist, heading south pass under the Bradenton Causeway and take the channel that runs parallel to the bridge that is just on the south side of it, follow that channel to green marker #3 and turn south, stick close to the fishing pier and the anchorage is easy to wander into, otherwise you will run aground. I didn't know this but Waltzing Matilda rarely runs aground, it pays to have a shallow keel boat.
The anchorage here is grand, clear water, nice little town, free showers, water on the floating dock, poached wifi, and an awesome pier, almost like a marina, sans fees. There are the usual anchor rats but they seem friendly enough, every free anchorage has “live aboards” that are not the most upstanding citizens. Many derelict boats here, but a very laid back atmosphere on the shore, a really nice island and (dare I say it) great surfing. I need to find a surf board! Not a $300 used one from a shop, more like a $25 yard sale score, I am going to beat up the board and it will be my first one, so spending a bunch of money does not sound like a good idea, but I need a surf board.
Tomorrow, clean the hull, replace the prop shaft zinc and catch some fish, the fishing here is dandy, too bad I am a lousy fisherman.
lots of new photos
Yesterday was the best sailing I have had in a long time, the wind was from the East for the last few days and the Gulf of Mexico was as smooth as it can get, a nice 15kt wind and full sails we made great time, John made better time, I had my new anchor fall off the bow and dragged it through most of Tampa Bay, I didn't notice until I hit shallower water, then I noticed in a hurry. The entrance to this channel was narrow and hard to spot, once inside the channel it snaked about with 1' depths on either side, the statement “stay in the channel” was well heeded.
We arrived in near Cortez on Anna Maria Island just after dark, John had motor trouble at the last bascule bride and had to clear the bridge under sail, very impressive due to the fact that the bridges take away all wind. Once through the bridge he headed towards my vessel and promptly ran aground. If you decide to come to the this anchorage via the ICWW here is some local knowledge to assist, heading south pass under the Bradenton Causeway and take the channel that runs parallel to the bridge that is just on the south side of it, follow that channel to green marker #3 and turn south, stick close to the fishing pier and the anchorage is easy to wander into, otherwise you will run aground. I didn't know this but Waltzing Matilda rarely runs aground, it pays to have a shallow keel boat.
The anchorage here is grand, clear water, nice little town, free showers, water on the floating dock, poached wifi, and an awesome pier, almost like a marina, sans fees. There are the usual anchor rats but they seem friendly enough, every free anchorage has “live aboards” that are not the most upstanding citizens. Many derelict boats here, but a very laid back atmosphere on the shore, a really nice island and (dare I say it) great surfing. I need to find a surf board! Not a $300 used one from a shop, more like a $25 yard sale score, I am going to beat up the board and it will be my first one, so spending a bunch of money does not sound like a good idea, but I need a surf board.
Tomorrow, clean the hull, replace the prop shaft zinc and catch some fish, the fishing here is dandy, too bad I am a lousy fisherman.
lots of new photos
Friday, September 10, 2010
Updated From Boca Ciega Bay
It's been a while since I have written and I apologize for that, there hasn't been much going on so I haven't had much to say. I should correct that statement, there has been plenty of stuff going on, just none of it traveling via Waltzing Matilda so I haven't felt it worthy of posting in the travel blog.
I will touch on some of the highlights of interesting things that have occurred. I got blown ashore in a storm, again, no Coast Guard this time. There was a stiff SW wind blowing for three days and I was up early when the 3/4” anchor rode was sawed through by what ever nasty piece of junk it wrapped around. I was alerted to the issue when my kayak began banging against the side of the boat and I realized I was drifting sideways into some mangroves. I bumped the ground softly once and was able to get an anchor out and stop the drifting, I fired the motor and backed off of the shoal narrowly missing a crab trap with my prop. (I hate crab traps!)
The next day I took a small grappling hook to the approximate area that my anchor was set and fished around looking for it, the visibility in the bay was down to 1” and the amount of garbage, old 55 gallon drums, sharp chunks of iron and other things that would rip my hands open as I felt around dissuaded me from any more exploration and I gave the anchor up for lost. Thats three anchors I have lost since I left Arkansas, at a rate of one every three months this journey is getting expensive.
I did get a new anchor on trade, a #20 plow, haven't gotten any chain for it yet, plus I'll need shackles, a thimble and a swivel. Chain or solar panels.... hard choice to make.
Hurricane season is almost over, I've been working a bit, trying to get enough money to score some solar panels from harbor Freight tools, I was at the closest store (an 18 mile bike ride north) and the solar panel kit I want was on sale for $150, I had $100.... dang it. 'll bet by the time I get back up there with enough money they will be back at their regular price.
If only I didn't have to do laundry or eat, I'd have so much more gear!
Key West for Halloween?
I will touch on some of the highlights of interesting things that have occurred. I got blown ashore in a storm, again, no Coast Guard this time. There was a stiff SW wind blowing for three days and I was up early when the 3/4” anchor rode was sawed through by what ever nasty piece of junk it wrapped around. I was alerted to the issue when my kayak began banging against the side of the boat and I realized I was drifting sideways into some mangroves. I bumped the ground softly once and was able to get an anchor out and stop the drifting, I fired the motor and backed off of the shoal narrowly missing a crab trap with my prop. (I hate crab traps!)
The next day I took a small grappling hook to the approximate area that my anchor was set and fished around looking for it, the visibility in the bay was down to 1” and the amount of garbage, old 55 gallon drums, sharp chunks of iron and other things that would rip my hands open as I felt around dissuaded me from any more exploration and I gave the anchor up for lost. Thats three anchors I have lost since I left Arkansas, at a rate of one every three months this journey is getting expensive.
I did get a new anchor on trade, a #20 plow, haven't gotten any chain for it yet, plus I'll need shackles, a thimble and a swivel. Chain or solar panels.... hard choice to make.
Hurricane season is almost over, I've been working a bit, trying to get enough money to score some solar panels from harbor Freight tools, I was at the closest store (an 18 mile bike ride north) and the solar panel kit I want was on sale for $150, I had $100.... dang it. 'll bet by the time I get back up there with enough money they will be back at their regular price.
If only I didn't have to do laundry or eat, I'd have so much more gear!
Key West for Halloween?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Musical Anchorage
when the winds blows, everyone change places!
Every evening we have storms from the east build up and collide with the sea breeze coming in from the west, this produces everything from a light drizzle to brilliant displays of electrical power in the sky, there are lots of rainbows and the news is full of stories of who or what was struck by lightning. One of these sumer evening storms was building as I paddled back to Waltzing Matilda the other evening, they are usually preceded by strong gusts of wind and will often rotate the boat 360 degrees in the course of the rain.
I battened down the fore hatch and sat in the chair in the bow while the winds began to build, I felt something strange, moment that wasn't the usual. I looked out my companionway hatch to see my canoe that was tied to the stern about 10' off the bow of the vessel anchored downwind from me. It only took a second for me to realize that I was drifting, and another second for the lightning to illuminate the concrete fishing pier that was in the near future. I took time to put on my life vest and fired the motor, by the time I got to the bow and dropped another anchor I was nearly on top of the 30' vessel anchored near me. I had fenders out so as we swung beam to beam there was no chance of too much impact or damage, I still fended off collision and made the decision that I had to move and needed to get as much room between me and the fishing pier as possible.
I bounced off the 30' vessel one more time as I lashed the tiller one direction, put the engine in gear and went forward to pull anchor, I found a milk crate fouling the tangs of one of them, thus the drifting. By the time I had the anchor on deck and was back at the tiller the winds had built to a very high rate and I was able to motor into the wind and out into the bay, Waltzing Matilda was heeling just a bit and my radio began to crackle with others in the anchorage asking where I was since they couldn't see my vessel in the spot she lad the last two weeks. I got out 300 yards and upwind of the main body of vessels and dropped a 25# danforth on 100' scope in 10' of water. The storm continued to grow and began to dump rain, I took the opportunity to take a shower on the bow.
After a little while I heard my radio crackle again as another vessel hailed a 56' that was drifting down on him, I looked out and could see the silhouette of the 56' heading towards another 30' and the fishing pier. Someone overhead the radio call and called the captain of the 56' on his cell phone to wake him, in the lightning flashes I could see him on deck running out more chain and finally getting his vessel under control. He came to rest lying almost exactly where Waltzing Matilda had been. I'm glad I moved.
Anchor stories are easy, but I'm ready for hurricane season to be over so I can get underway and exploring again.
Some Arkies are coming to visit today!
Every evening we have storms from the east build up and collide with the sea breeze coming in from the west, this produces everything from a light drizzle to brilliant displays of electrical power in the sky, there are lots of rainbows and the news is full of stories of who or what was struck by lightning. One of these sumer evening storms was building as I paddled back to Waltzing Matilda the other evening, they are usually preceded by strong gusts of wind and will often rotate the boat 360 degrees in the course of the rain.
I battened down the fore hatch and sat in the chair in the bow while the winds began to build, I felt something strange, moment that wasn't the usual. I looked out my companionway hatch to see my canoe that was tied to the stern about 10' off the bow of the vessel anchored downwind from me. It only took a second for me to realize that I was drifting, and another second for the lightning to illuminate the concrete fishing pier that was in the near future. I took time to put on my life vest and fired the motor, by the time I got to the bow and dropped another anchor I was nearly on top of the 30' vessel anchored near me. I had fenders out so as we swung beam to beam there was no chance of too much impact or damage, I still fended off collision and made the decision that I had to move and needed to get as much room between me and the fishing pier as possible.
I bounced off the 30' vessel one more time as I lashed the tiller one direction, put the engine in gear and went forward to pull anchor, I found a milk crate fouling the tangs of one of them, thus the drifting. By the time I had the anchor on deck and was back at the tiller the winds had built to a very high rate and I was able to motor into the wind and out into the bay, Waltzing Matilda was heeling just a bit and my radio began to crackle with others in the anchorage asking where I was since they couldn't see my vessel in the spot she lad the last two weeks. I got out 300 yards and upwind of the main body of vessels and dropped a 25# danforth on 100' scope in 10' of water. The storm continued to grow and began to dump rain, I took the opportunity to take a shower on the bow.
After a little while I heard my radio crackle again as another vessel hailed a 56' that was drifting down on him, I looked out and could see the silhouette of the 56' heading towards another 30' and the fishing pier. Someone overhead the radio call and called the captain of the 56' on his cell phone to wake him, in the lightning flashes I could see him on deck running out more chain and finally getting his vessel under control. He came to rest lying almost exactly where Waltzing Matilda had been. I'm glad I moved.
Anchor stories are easy, but I'm ready for hurricane season to be over so I can get underway and exploring again.
Some Arkies are coming to visit today!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Bye bye Bonnie
The first tropical storm of the season blew through this week, the media made a big deal out of nothing (as usual). I've already been through much worse storms than Bonnie and had no problems, other than my SSB radio stopped receiving anything, no AM, FM, LW, or SW... just funky fuzz. I fixed the radio by taking the case apart, rising it in vinegar then rising the vinegar off with 90% rubbing alcohol. Salt air does terrible things to electronics.
I've had a re-occurring dream on this voyage, the basics are that Waltzing Matilda gets destroyed and I have to find a way back to Arkansas, I am frustrated and wake up inside my berth to discover it is a dream. I've laughed out loud several times when this happened. Last night the dream was extremely realistic an with a bit of a twist. This time Waltzing Matilda and I were riding out a hurricane at anchor, the sampson post ripped out and the fore began to fill with water. Despite my best efforts the mast was ripped off, and we began to take on water. I started the motor to have some control and was able to choose where we were washed ashore, we wound up between buildings in an apartment complex. There were people there that helped me get a few things from the boat and put me up for the night. I awoke and thought, "whew, it was just a dream" but I found myself in a strange apartment sleeping on the floor. I started to make my day and noted that the clock on the microwave said it was 5:00am. By 8:00 I was almost done salvaging what could be from the boat.
We burned the remains and I started to hitch hike home, after a day of catching lifts I stopped to sleep under a bridge, and woke up in my berth, safe and dry in the Waltzing Matilda
Whew, it was just a dream.
I've had a re-occurring dream on this voyage, the basics are that Waltzing Matilda gets destroyed and I have to find a way back to Arkansas, I am frustrated and wake up inside my berth to discover it is a dream. I've laughed out loud several times when this happened. Last night the dream was extremely realistic an with a bit of a twist. This time Waltzing Matilda and I were riding out a hurricane at anchor, the sampson post ripped out and the fore began to fill with water. Despite my best efforts the mast was ripped off, and we began to take on water. I started the motor to have some control and was able to choose where we were washed ashore, we wound up between buildings in an apartment complex. There were people there that helped me get a few things from the boat and put me up for the night. I awoke and thought, "whew, it was just a dream" but I found myself in a strange apartment sleeping on the floor. I started to make my day and noted that the clock on the microwave said it was 5:00am. By 8:00 I was almost done salvaging what could be from the boat.
We burned the remains and I started to hitch hike home, after a day of catching lifts I stopped to sleep under a bridge, and woke up in my berth, safe and dry in the Waltzing Matilda
Whew, it was just a dream.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Another anchor story
Anchor stories are easy, they happen so often!
The city of Gulfport posted notices that all vessels had to be 300 yards away from the fishing pier for the fire works show. I wasn't interested in getting hot ash rained all over Waltzing Matilda, nor do I want another bullet hole so I was quite happy to relocate further out in the bay.
I motored out and dropped hook in a good spot and after cleaning and maintenance things laid down for a nap. I was in the middle of a bad dream involving my dragging anchor when I was awakened by the sound of a motor close to me. I popped my head out of the hatch to see a local "sailor" (I use the term lightly) having his vessel towed to anchorage about 100' off my bow. Seems that his engine wasn't working correctly and he was out of 'sail fluid'.
I had 75' of anchor rode out and this should have given plenty of clearance, except that the other sailor dropped a bow and stern anchor out so that his vessel could not swing, he then boarded the tow boat and left his vessel.
I moved rather than tangle with another vessel
I got my Uniden radio back from the factory last night, it was sent in for warranty repair after it quite working. The customer support was fair , nice people on the phone but I was on hold an average of 20 minuets each of the three times I called them. I had a note on the returned item telling them to contact me for shipping address but they just shipped it to the address it was ordered to. Mom shipped it to me in a box with some sweet goodies.
When the unit got back to me the invoice showed that the main board, mic and faceplate were all replaced, leaving only the original shell with all new guts. This is nice except that they did a poor job re-assembling it,the rubber gasket that seals the faceplate to the body was pinched out so I had to take it apart and assemble it correctly.
The radio works fine again, I hope it lasts more than 6 months this time.
The city of Gulfport posted notices that all vessels had to be 300 yards away from the fishing pier for the fire works show. I wasn't interested in getting hot ash rained all over Waltzing Matilda, nor do I want another bullet hole so I was quite happy to relocate further out in the bay.
I motored out and dropped hook in a good spot and after cleaning and maintenance things laid down for a nap. I was in the middle of a bad dream involving my dragging anchor when I was awakened by the sound of a motor close to me. I popped my head out of the hatch to see a local "sailor" (I use the term lightly) having his vessel towed to anchorage about 100' off my bow. Seems that his engine wasn't working correctly and he was out of 'sail fluid'.
I had 75' of anchor rode out and this should have given plenty of clearance, except that the other sailor dropped a bow and stern anchor out so that his vessel could not swing, he then boarded the tow boat and left his vessel.
I moved rather than tangle with another vessel
I got my Uniden radio back from the factory last night, it was sent in for warranty repair after it quite working. The customer support was fair , nice people on the phone but I was on hold an average of 20 minuets each of the three times I called them. I had a note on the returned item telling them to contact me for shipping address but they just shipped it to the address it was ordered to. Mom shipped it to me in a box with some sweet goodies.
When the unit got back to me the invoice showed that the main board, mic and faceplate were all replaced, leaving only the original shell with all new guts. This is nice except that they did a poor job re-assembling it,the rubber gasket that seals the faceplate to the body was pinched out so I had to take it apart and assemble it correctly.
The radio works fine again, I hope it lasts more than 6 months this time.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Waltzing Matilda is a Foulmouth Gypsy
I have learned a lot on this voyage, little things like how to sail, to important things, like how to call the Coast Guard for help. One of the coolest things I have learned so far is what kind of vessel I am sailing. I don't mean what style or how she sails, I mean who made her, when and where.
I had been led to believe that she was a Robert Tucker designed boat but none of the sketches of his boats really matched up. I recently ran across a photo that looked exactly like my boat, and began to follow the URL trail until I found real data about Waltzing Matilda (not by name/serial number)
Medium displacement fibreglass / wood cruiser / racer
LOA 24ft 0in 7.3 m
LWL 19ft 0in 5.8m
Beam 8ft 6in 2.6m
Draught 2ft 9in 0.8m
Sail area 244 sq ft 22.7 sq. m
Displacement 1.85 tons 1900kg
Ballast 1000 lbs 454kg
I began to dig deeper and found her builder's history and discovered that she is considered a racing boat. I know that she was originally a twin bilge keeled boat and seeing the conditions the British owners harbor in I can see why, I am very happy with Waltzing Matilda being a single keel, it makes it easier to get her off the sand when we do run aground. All this information came from a group of Brits that sail together in Falmouth Gypsys, looking closely at their photos I could see that several of them had the same style rigging that I have, a couple had modified theirs to both cutter and yawl. I would love to put a bowsprit and another fore sail on, I've been thinking about it now that I have more sails and am planning to re-rig anyway.
I still want to head down to the Everglades before hurricane season really sets, and maybe cruise back through Key West, I've scoped and plotted a course and want to get that done soon, so I am working on raising some cash and re-stocking the boat with months worth of food. After Key West I will run back up to the St Petersburg area for the storm season.
I finally figure out how to follow the track my GPS makes in Google Earth, now you can play it too and see how close I anchored to shore, how deep the shoals that I ran over were and how slow I moved in 5kt variable winds, I posted the kml file in Google Docs, and I put more pictures up at Picasa
I had been led to believe that she was a Robert Tucker designed boat but none of the sketches of his boats really matched up. I recently ran across a photo that looked exactly like my boat, and began to follow the URL trail until I found real data about Waltzing Matilda (not by name/serial number)
Medium displacement fibreglass / wood cruiser / racer
LOA 24ft 0in 7.3 m
LWL 19ft 0in 5.8m
Beam 8ft 6in 2.6m
Draught 2ft 9in 0.8m
Sail area 244 sq ft 22.7 sq. m
Displacement 1.85 tons 1900kg
Ballast 1000 lbs 454kg
I began to dig deeper and found her builder's history and discovered that she is considered a racing boat. I know that she was originally a twin bilge keeled boat and seeing the conditions the British owners harbor in I can see why, I am very happy with Waltzing Matilda being a single keel, it makes it easier to get her off the sand when we do run aground. All this information came from a group of Brits that sail together in Falmouth Gypsys, looking closely at their photos I could see that several of them had the same style rigging that I have, a couple had modified theirs to both cutter and yawl. I would love to put a bowsprit and another fore sail on, I've been thinking about it now that I have more sails and am planning to re-rig anyway.
I still want to head down to the Everglades before hurricane season really sets, and maybe cruise back through Key West, I've scoped and plotted a course and want to get that done soon, so I am working on raising some cash and re-stocking the boat with months worth of food. After Key West I will run back up to the St Petersburg area for the storm season.
I finally figure out how to follow the track my GPS makes in Google Earth, now you can play it too and see how close I anchored to shore, how deep the shoals that I ran over were and how slow I moved in 5kt variable winds, I posted the kml file in Google Docs, and I put more pictures up at Picasa
Monday, June 14, 2010
On Board the Waltzing Matilda
I went to a pirate festival, imagine Silver Dollar City meets a renaissance faire, add some Disney costumed douchbags, mix in plenty of cos-players and add one dirty hillbilly pirate for flavor and you have the John Levique festival. For some reason any man that dresses up like Johnny Douche's pirate character immediately walks, talks and behaves like a flaming queen, there were at least seven of them, and a few tourists that were wearing the head gear recently acquired from Rat World ( Walt Disney Hell). I was quite disappointed that there were no Somali's represented.
I don't know who or what John Levique was but I am guessing that the name "John's Pass" may have something to do with him. I sailed in and noticed a bunch of slack jawed locals pointing and staring at me, apparently they had never seen anyone 'sail' their boat through the shoals, everyone motors through and runs aground frequently. I sailed through Friday night and did reconnaissance to see where I would drop my hook the next day, I made certain to come in at low tide so that the shoals were exposed.
I headed a bit north and anchored near a dock operated by McDonald's, went to shore to get beer and food and since I used the McDonald's dock felt it was only right that I spent money there, my stomach reminded me that night "don't eat McDonald's"
there was some pretty neat things to see at the festival, but it was difficult to get to shore, they weren't prepared for boats to attend, they were more prepared for bus loads and autos. This fellow made himself a set of really cool goggles, it has a movable iris and look pretty darn cool. It's hard not to like bag pipe music and there was a bit of that too.
I did pretty well for myself, my little dog rode around in a cloth shopping bag and made plenty of friends, when people discovered that I wasn't "in costume" but was the real deal they bought me food and drinks in exchange for stories of the high sea. When beer is served on the street and a thirsty pirate walks by, the beer may disappear, I learned at Skatopia how to poach beer.
Here are a couple of clips of idling and steaming aboard the Waltzing Matilda out of John's Pass,FL.
After all the excitement I needed to get out and do some sailing, I slept in Sunday, I have a knack for being invited aboard other vessels and the hospitality of boaters is unmatched, thus my hangover. After I made it through John's Pass at high tide I headed out to the end of the channel and turned due south. I arrived at low tide and threaded my way through the shoals to anchor on the West side of Egmont Key. I got right up on the beach since I knew which way the wind was coming and knew that I was in 4' at low tide.
It was a beautiful evening, there were thunder storms rolling out to sea and watching the lightning was awesome. The 2' waves lulled me to sleep but being able to hear the beach kept me awake, bad dreams of Horn Island when I did sleep.
When the sun rose I took a dive before setting out, thanks to many kind folks I have a great set of snorkel gear, I didn't need my wet suit as the water was 88F and the water was 10' visibility. Mattie got upset because I was off he boat when she wanted her morning walk, but Egmont Key has big signs all over it forbidding pets and the rangers were doing morning patrol in their little electric golf cart.
I don't know who or what John Levique was but I am guessing that the name "John's Pass" may have something to do with him. I sailed in and noticed a bunch of slack jawed locals pointing and staring at me, apparently they had never seen anyone 'sail' their boat through the shoals, everyone motors through and runs aground frequently. I sailed through Friday night and did reconnaissance to see where I would drop my hook the next day, I made certain to come in at low tide so that the shoals were exposed.
I headed a bit north and anchored near a dock operated by McDonald's, went to shore to get beer and food and since I used the McDonald's dock felt it was only right that I spent money there, my stomach reminded me that night "don't eat McDonald's"
there was some pretty neat things to see at the festival, but it was difficult to get to shore, they weren't prepared for boats to attend, they were more prepared for bus loads and autos. This fellow made himself a set of really cool goggles, it has a movable iris and look pretty darn cool. It's hard not to like bag pipe music and there was a bit of that too.
I did pretty well for myself, my little dog rode around in a cloth shopping bag and made plenty of friends, when people discovered that I wasn't "in costume" but was the real deal they bought me food and drinks in exchange for stories of the high sea. When beer is served on the street and a thirsty pirate walks by, the beer may disappear, I learned at Skatopia how to poach beer.
Here are a couple of clips of idling and steaming aboard the Waltzing Matilda out of John's Pass,FL.
After all the excitement I needed to get out and do some sailing, I slept in Sunday, I have a knack for being invited aboard other vessels and the hospitality of boaters is unmatched, thus my hangover. After I made it through John's Pass at high tide I headed out to the end of the channel and turned due south. I arrived at low tide and threaded my way through the shoals to anchor on the West side of Egmont Key. I got right up on the beach since I knew which way the wind was coming and knew that I was in 4' at low tide.
It was a beautiful evening, there were thunder storms rolling out to sea and watching the lightning was awesome. The 2' waves lulled me to sleep but being able to hear the beach kept me awake, bad dreams of Horn Island when I did sleep.
When the sun rose I took a dive before setting out, thanks to many kind folks I have a great set of snorkel gear, I didn't need my wet suit as the water was 88F and the water was 10' visibility. Mattie got upset because I was off he boat when she wanted her morning walk, but Egmont Key has big signs all over it forbidding pets and the rangers were doing morning patrol in their little electric golf cart.
Crossing Tampa Bay Channel was like playing the old video game "Frogger", I saw no less than six large vessels using the channel, these are big things that make the lil' boats I dealt with on the Mississippi and Louisiana look like toys. The rules are simple, these vessels take 20 miles to stop and are moving way faster than it looks, stay out of their way. Egmont is not far enough out for me, I've had all the karaoke and bright lights I can handle. I'm planning my route for the next time I go out, living at the hook sucks but living in the blow rocks. Next destination? 24°39'37.18"N 81°44'01.42"W |
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
News from Boca Ciega Bay, Fl
*Jerry recently acquired his first boat, a 27' ft sailboat. It's missing a few things, like an engine, sails, interior, but he only paid one dollar for it and is enthusiastically acquiring needed things. He convinced Sam, a live aboard that has been at anchor for about a year here in Gulfport FL, to take him out in his sail boat to show him the ropes.
The two sailed south out to Egmont Key and were unable to make it home before dark so they sailed into some shallow water and dropped hook for the night.
The next morning they awoke to rough seas with a strong current and wind pushing them towards the key. There happened to be a Coast Guard vessel nearby that could see that they were struggling with the current. The CG radioed them and asked if they were in need of assistance and advised them that they were being blown into a shoal. Sam replied that they were under control but struggling to make way, I'm not exactly certain about the content of that conversation but the CG decided to board him.
Jerry is watching the CG dinghy approaching through the glasses saying "Oh shit, they're coming" over and over, Sam at the helm informs Jerry it is a good thing they are about to be boarded because it's very rough and he is afraid of running aground in a bad place.
When the CG boards Sam tells Jerry to take the helm while he goes down for his papers and goes below, one of the guardsmen stayed on the deck high enough to be hit by the boom. Jerry has only sailed the day before, the seas are still rough and the vessel is still caught in the current, so of course he makes an accidental jibe and swings the boom hard across. The guardsman caught the boom and hung on as it swung him and was able to hook his boots into the top life line. Sam runs topside when he hears the guardsman yelling "get this vessel under control" and took the helm back.
Jerry is still kind of freaked out about sailing, but knows he'll never forget the surprised look on the coastie's face on his first time out sailing.
*obviously not their real names
The two sailed south out to Egmont Key and were unable to make it home before dark so they sailed into some shallow water and dropped hook for the night.
The next morning they awoke to rough seas with a strong current and wind pushing them towards the key. There happened to be a Coast Guard vessel nearby that could see that they were struggling with the current. The CG radioed them and asked if they were in need of assistance and advised them that they were being blown into a shoal. Sam replied that they were under control but struggling to make way, I'm not exactly certain about the content of that conversation but the CG decided to board him.
Jerry is watching the CG dinghy approaching through the glasses saying "Oh shit, they're coming" over and over, Sam at the helm informs Jerry it is a good thing they are about to be boarded because it's very rough and he is afraid of running aground in a bad place.
When the CG boards Sam tells Jerry to take the helm while he goes down for his papers and goes below, one of the guardsmen stayed on the deck high enough to be hit by the boom. Jerry has only sailed the day before, the seas are still rough and the vessel is still caught in the current, so of course he makes an accidental jibe and swings the boom hard across. The guardsman caught the boom and hung on as it swung him and was able to hook his boots into the top life line. Sam runs topside when he hears the guardsman yelling "get this vessel under control" and took the helm back.
Jerry is still kind of freaked out about sailing, but knows he'll never forget the surprised look on the coastie's face on his first time out sailing.
*obviously not their real names
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Life on the hook ain't fun
I have been at anchor for almost a month now, longer if I count the weeks in Vinoy Basin. I am really sick of being in the same place, Gulfport FL is a great little town with one major drawback, karaoke seven nights a week. Sound carries extremely well over water and even though I am about 150 yards off the shore where the loud bar is I can hear everything, and the bar has the "over-amplified is better" attitude. I hate karaoke.
I really want to be underway, but with storm season coming and my dis-trust of my mast and standing rigging it may be best that I stay where I am for a few more weeks. I need to re-rig but finding a place to do so is not easy, it makes it even harder when I don't get paid for the work I do, when the things cost so much (2 peaches and a pear for $3!) and when things on Waltzing Matilda are wearing out faster than I can keep up. In just 7 months time I have rusted completely through a piece of 3mm galvanized cable.
My stress level has been extremely high for the last three days, between the power boats and jet skis, the morons getting dragged around behind gasoline fume belching sport boats and karaoke singing idiots, I understand why Einstein built that bomb. Some loud drunk chicks caterwauled until 02:00 this morning, when they finally shut up and the bar shut down I couldn't sleep. I stayed up and read until 05:00 then napped for 2 hours till the sun came up and the heat began to rise.
I need to be underway, I need to be in a less populated location.
BTW Geek Love is a great book
I really want to be underway, but with storm season coming and my dis-trust of my mast and standing rigging it may be best that I stay where I am for a few more weeks. I need to re-rig but finding a place to do so is not easy, it makes it even harder when I don't get paid for the work I do, when the things cost so much (2 peaches and a pear for $3!) and when things on Waltzing Matilda are wearing out faster than I can keep up. In just 7 months time I have rusted completely through a piece of 3mm galvanized cable.
My stress level has been extremely high for the last three days, between the power boats and jet skis, the morons getting dragged around behind gasoline fume belching sport boats and karaoke singing idiots, I understand why Einstein built that bomb. Some loud drunk chicks caterwauled until 02:00 this morning, when they finally shut up and the bar shut down I couldn't sleep. I stayed up and read until 05:00 then napped for 2 hours till the sun came up and the heat began to rise.
I need to be underway, I need to be in a less populated location.
BTW Geek Love is a great book
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Free fuel from BP
Sure am glad I got to see the bayous and keys before the great oiling of '010.
I've been working in the hold of an old '84 powerboat, big stinky GM 671 power plant, monstrous twin 200 gallon fuel tanks, stinky silge in the mucky bilge. The owner is going onvacation a missionary trip "some place tropical" and the old trawler is to be his base of operations and home during said "missionary trip". The vessel may be capable of living comfortably but traversing 1,000Ktm is a bit of a stretch. I hate power boats.
But free fuel is coming, (brought to you by BP).
I went to the biggest flea market I have ever seen and got some good tools. Most of the vendors there were selling crap henco en China but the guy with the white tarps had real tools, lots of old tools and bona-fide hard files. I picked up a used hoof rasp since I learned what a great tool it is for rough working wood and fiberglass. Waltzing Matilda looks great with white tarps instead of the ugly blue ones, and she's cooler too.
Almost done with the rudder, the final fiberglass coat set up overnight and will be getting a good sanding today. I am going to epoxy fiberglass rods into the wood where the new lags will hold the mounting hardware, that way the wood is completely sealed with 'glass.
100% organic, whole oil is coming soon, free for the collecting (brought to you by BP), rumor has it that a couple of tar balls have washed up in Key West, but it might be resin from somebody's pipe, can't tell till the lab results come back.
I've been working in the hold of an old '84 powerboat, big stinky GM 671 power plant, monstrous twin 200 gallon fuel tanks, stinky silge in the mucky bilge. The owner is going on
But free fuel is coming, (brought to you by BP).
I went to the biggest flea market I have ever seen and got some good tools. Most of the vendors there were selling crap henco en China but the guy with the white tarps had real tools, lots of old tools and bona-fide hard files. I picked up a used hoof rasp since I learned what a great tool it is for rough working wood and fiberglass. Waltzing Matilda looks great with white tarps instead of the ugly blue ones, and she's cooler too.
Almost done with the rudder, the final fiberglass coat set up overnight and will be getting a good sanding today. I am going to epoxy fiberglass rods into the wood where the new lags will hold the mounting hardware, that way the wood is completely sealed with 'glass.
100% organic, whole oil is coming soon, free for the collecting (brought to you by BP), rumor has it that a couple of tar balls have washed up in Key West, but it might be resin from somebody's pipe, can't tell till the lab results come back.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Crew member wanted needed
It's been a long time since I sailed with anyone else on board, I've done the last 1,300 miles alone and forgot that it is really much easier to sail with another set of hands around.
A friend from near New Iberia called me a few weeks ago and wanted to come learn to sail, rather than go to one of those nice (expensive) sailing schools he called me. On Tuesday morning Jake showed up with a cooler full of great food, real coonass food, the kind of food that Florida can't offer, he also supplied a sheet of 3/4" fir plywood. First thing on the list, we cut out my new rudder. Waltzing Matilda has needed a new rudder since I bought her but I cut corners and didn't replace the rudder during the restoration, while crossing the Gulf of Mexico I realized that it was past time to replace the rudder.
With the new rudder on board we headed out early and set sail for Egmont Key. We got becalmed at one point in the afternoon and just tacked back and forth to the East and West until the wind came back, then with the current at our stern and on a nice beam reach we hit 5.5 knots and landed at Egmont Key about an hour before sunset. Jake had never seen such clear water and spent some time stooped over with his camera filming hermit crabs in the surf. Mattie wasn't "allowed" on the island since it is a wildlife refuge but she ran on the beach and swam in the surf.
The next morning we hoisted sail and got underway the old fashioned way, without firing the motor, Jake was at the helm most of the day as we came under the skyway and back into Tampa Bay. Around 15:00 the winds died and the whole bay got smooth as glass so we fired the motor and puttered the last 6 miles into the Vinoy Basin.
We had a great time sailing, Jake took to it like one of those round pegs and holes and discovered the peace in sailing, he was asking what kind of boat he should buy when he got back home (I recommended a MacGregor 23'). Jake left early on Friday morning and kicked some money toward voyage expenses, I spent the money on the fiberglass supplies for the rudder.
I've been working more now that my reputation is getting known, been doing lots of carpentry in tiny spaces, yesterday I built a frame for new fuel tanks in the belly of a 46' trawler, it was dirty, smelly, greasy and hot, but the owner liked my work despite my dog crapping on the his poop deck I've got more work to do on that boat.
Waltzing Matilda has new sails, new rudder and is about to get re-rigged and have a new mast, new tabernacle, all new standing rigging and as much new running rigging as I can afford. She will be a very stout little sail boat, capable of ocean crossing. After the new rigging the next to things acquire, decent solar panels and good batteries. I will be moving my anchorage next week from downtown St Petersburg to Gulf Port.More photos
A friend from near New Iberia called me a few weeks ago and wanted to come learn to sail, rather than go to one of those nice (expensive) sailing schools he called me. On Tuesday morning Jake showed up with a cooler full of great food, real coonass food, the kind of food that Florida can't offer, he also supplied a sheet of 3/4" fir plywood. First thing on the list, we cut out my new rudder. Waltzing Matilda has needed a new rudder since I bought her but I cut corners and didn't replace the rudder during the restoration, while crossing the Gulf of Mexico I realized that it was past time to replace the rudder.
With the new rudder on board we headed out early and set sail for Egmont Key. We got becalmed at one point in the afternoon and just tacked back and forth to the East and West until the wind came back, then with the current at our stern and on a nice beam reach we hit 5.5 knots and landed at Egmont Key about an hour before sunset. Jake had never seen such clear water and spent some time stooped over with his camera filming hermit crabs in the surf. Mattie wasn't "allowed" on the island since it is a wildlife refuge but she ran on the beach and swam in the surf.
The next morning we hoisted sail and got underway the old fashioned way, without firing the motor, Jake was at the helm most of the day as we came under the skyway and back into Tampa Bay. Around 15:00 the winds died and the whole bay got smooth as glass so we fired the motor and puttered the last 6 miles into the Vinoy Basin.
We had a great time sailing, Jake took to it like one of those round pegs and holes and discovered the peace in sailing, he was asking what kind of boat he should buy when he got back home (I recommended a MacGregor 23'). Jake left early on Friday morning and kicked some money toward voyage expenses, I spent the money on the fiberglass supplies for the rudder.
I've been working more now that my reputation is getting known, been doing lots of carpentry in tiny spaces, yesterday I built a frame for new fuel tanks in the belly of a 46' trawler, it was dirty, smelly, greasy and hot, but the owner liked my work despite my dog crapping on the his poop deck I've got more work to do on that boat.
Waltzing Matilda has new sails, new rudder and is about to get re-rigged and have a new mast, new tabernacle, all new standing rigging and as much new running rigging as I can afford. She will be a very stout little sail boat, capable of ocean crossing. After the new rigging the next to things acquire, decent solar panels and good batteries. I will be moving my anchorage next week from downtown St Petersburg to Gulf Port.More photos
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Pirates don't wear eyeliner
It's been a hot week in St Pete, but a very productive one for me and very beneficial for Waltzing Matilda. This week I have acquired several things I have needed since the beginning of this trip, if things continue to go well I should be able to get Waltzing Matilda fitted for ocean crossing quite well, not that I am ready to cross an ocean but it would be nice to have a vessel that is. I will be taking on a crew member next week as well, a friend I made in New Iberia, LA. is driving out to learn to sail, and to help me build a new rudder.
New gear this week, I have a new mainsail (hooray!), the new main is a storm sail, slightly smaller than my primary main with reef points and a leech line, I have a new Genoa (hip hip hooray!)and am working to make the rigging to be able to run a twistle yard. I traded a donated hand held GPS for a 12.5' fiberglass canoe, now I can get my bike to and from shore without having to rig lift lines to palm trees.
I've made friends with Capt. Nikko, Capitan of the 1929 cutter Quest and Commodore of a local band of pirate pretenders, I call them pretenders because they like to dress up, drink and shoot cannons but don't really pillage or loot anything, about the most dastardly thing I have observed is trash pickup en-masse. I will be sailing next week with the Quest and Magic to a local hurricane hole to get ready to ride out the big blow season.
There is a triathlon going on around the pier today, lots of fancy bikes and tour de pants riders about, just to fit in I made a "race number" for my beach cruiser and tooled along the race route with my little dog in the basket and my "Axles of Evil" banner flying proudly.
It's been nice to be anchored downtown, it enabled me to get some work but I am ready to get someplace quiet.
I don't know if it is homesickness that I am feeling but I miss all the good folks in Fayetteville, I miss the Axles of Evil, I even miss not being able to go anywhere without running into 6 people that know me. This journey is great but I am only 1/3 of the way through it.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Don't anchor so close to me
I am still in St Petersburg, really enjoying this town, great bike folks (sans a few numb nuts on fixies, but thats expected everywhere), great bike paths, cool bikes everywhere, even the post office delivers on bikes. Lots and lots of sailboats, I was recommended St Pete as a "blow boat community" and it definitely is, unfortunately just because someone owns a sail boat doesn't mean that they can operate the thing.
When I first dropped anchor in the municipal north yacht basin I got close to the west sea wall, rigged a line to a palm on shore and a block on my bike, hoisted the line via my topping lift and the bike zipped to shore, I stayed anchored near the west wall hoping that no one would want to come near me since there was a nasty shoal nearby. I awoke the third night there to some yelling and discovered that some people had come in at 01:00 in the crappiest McGregor 22 that I have ever seen afloat and dropped their anchor line right over mine. They were the proud new owners of said McGregor and the guy they bought the boat from explained to me "well I always park here". I'm not one to be a grammar Nazi when t comes to nautical terms but the use of the word "park" instead of the correct term "anchor" was a clue. His lack of nautical knowledge was confirmed when he told me that he removed the swing keel from the McGregor and used "rocks an stuff" as ballast to sail her, he commented that she would only sail downwind and relied on an outboard to move in the other 350 degrees.
I moved my boat away from the McGregor.
The wind began to blow from the east, pushing me closer to the sea wall and shoal, and it continued to blow, and blew harder getting the water choppy and made for uncomfortable sleeping. On the advise of several other sailors who had spent time anchored in the "snake pit" I decided it was time to move Waltzing Matilda away from the west sea wall and get into a better spot to ride out a storm. It was dark when I got her underway and motored across the snake pit, it is hard enough to judge distances on water but in the dark I find it nearly impossible, I made sure to steer clear of all other boats. I got her to a good spot, laid anchor and ran out 8:1 scope, then left the engine running for 2 hours to recharge the batteries and stood watch (in between watching "The African Queen") till 04:00 to make certain that she hooked up and held. Sleep had a lot less rolling and I felt much more comfortable in my anchorage.
Yesterday I was up a mast in the marina when the wind changed, after coming from the East for over a week it started to come from the South, I checked on Waltzing Matilda when the wind shifted and could see she was just fine but a 40' sailboat had anchored to the north of her, I thought that a vessel that big the captain would surely run enough rode out to swing free and wasn't too worried about it.
This morning that boat was gone and when I got to shore another sailor asked me if my hook had dragged, I assured him I was dead on the same spot I had been for 4 days and he informed me that Waltzing Matilda collided with the boat that anchored next to me. I didn't see the collision but when the wind changed and she swung Matilda got her motor mount tangled in the chain of the larger vessel.
They moved their boat.
Still looking for more work, got a little bit of paying work washing boats, but I need more. I am going to rebuild my rudder while here, she needed it when I bought her in '08 and now it is becoming dangerous. This is the best place to do work on my boat, lots of sailors and people are very interested in my stories. On a side note, I finally scored a SSB radio on trade, I listened to the news out of Belgium last night.
When I first dropped anchor in the municipal north yacht basin I got close to the west sea wall, rigged a line to a palm on shore and a block on my bike, hoisted the line via my topping lift and the bike zipped to shore, I stayed anchored near the west wall hoping that no one would want to come near me since there was a nasty shoal nearby. I awoke the third night there to some yelling and discovered that some people had come in at 01:00 in the crappiest McGregor 22 that I have ever seen afloat and dropped their anchor line right over mine. They were the proud new owners of said McGregor and the guy they bought the boat from explained to me "well I always park here". I'm not one to be a grammar Nazi when t comes to nautical terms but the use of the word "park" instead of the correct term "anchor" was a clue. His lack of nautical knowledge was confirmed when he told me that he removed the swing keel from the McGregor and used "rocks an stuff" as ballast to sail her, he commented that she would only sail downwind and relied on an outboard to move in the other 350 degrees.
I moved my boat away from the McGregor.
The wind began to blow from the east, pushing me closer to the sea wall and shoal, and it continued to blow, and blew harder getting the water choppy and made for uncomfortable sleeping. On the advise of several other sailors who had spent time anchored in the "snake pit" I decided it was time to move Waltzing Matilda away from the west sea wall and get into a better spot to ride out a storm. It was dark when I got her underway and motored across the snake pit, it is hard enough to judge distances on water but in the dark I find it nearly impossible, I made sure to steer clear of all other boats. I got her to a good spot, laid anchor and ran out 8:1 scope, then left the engine running for 2 hours to recharge the batteries and stood watch (in between watching "The African Queen") till 04:00 to make certain that she hooked up and held. Sleep had a lot less rolling and I felt much more comfortable in my anchorage.
Yesterday I was up a mast in the marina when the wind changed, after coming from the East for over a week it started to come from the South, I checked on Waltzing Matilda when the wind shifted and could see she was just fine but a 40' sailboat had anchored to the north of her, I thought that a vessel that big the captain would surely run enough rode out to swing free and wasn't too worried about it.
This morning that boat was gone and when I got to shore another sailor asked me if my hook had dragged, I assured him I was dead on the same spot I had been for 4 days and he informed me that Waltzing Matilda collided with the boat that anchored next to me. I didn't see the collision but when the wind changed and she swung Matilda got her motor mount tangled in the chain of the larger vessel.
They moved their boat.
Still looking for more work, got a little bit of paying work washing boats, but I need more. I am going to rebuild my rudder while here, she needed it when I bought her in '08 and now it is becoming dangerous. This is the best place to do work on my boat, lots of sailors and people are very interested in my stories. On a side note, I finally scored a SSB radio on trade, I listened to the news out of Belgium last night.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Jet Skis in range will be fired upon
When I first started this journey I had a few very relevant fears that included: sinking before I made it to Little Rock, running aground, getting rescued by the Coast Guard and crossing the Gulf of Mexico.
I finally crossed the Gulf of Mexico, and it was all I expected it to be, maybe more. I motored through the ICWW to Apalachacola and stopped there for a few days to do laundry, top the fuel tank and wait for better weather, the wind was headed to my destination but there was way more wind than I was comfortable sailing in. I have learned that the wind comes in two speeds, too much and too little, usually when there is to much it is coming from where you want to go, this wind was headed towards where I wanted to go but sailing downwind takes a lot of attention and can cause plenty of trouble, plus there was too much wind so I waited a few days and met some great folks, even met some folks from ocean Springs, MS.
Early in the morning on a bright Tuesday the wind was just about the right speed, I was ready to sail and face one of my big fears. As I crossed the bay to the barrier islands the water was very choppy and the wind was from my stern, I thought to myself, “if the bay is this rough the Gulf is going to be terrible”. There is a difference in the waves between a bay and the Gulf, the bay waves are close together and going in all directions at once, the Gulf waves are much more spread out and fairly predictable. The buoy twenty miles out was telling me that the waves were 6 feet high with 15 seconds in between them, I guess that 6 ft is an average because the waves were much higher at times and much lower too, but with them so spaced out it wasn't difficult to navigate. I got to use my spinnaker sail for the first time (the big colorful parachute looking sail) but discovered that I could make the same speed running a Genoa, plus it is much easier to jibe with a Genoa. I also learned that when trying to jibe single handed with a spinnaker the spinnaker makes on very effective sea anchor, and getting said sea anchor unwrapped from the keel is pretty difficult to do and involves spinning circles while the dog gets sea sick.
All day long I ran with the wind, I had made a big pot of beans and rice the day before so I didn't have to cook, the winds and waves built to about 20 knots and 10', about sunset they began to calm down a bit and in the dark hour between sunset and moon rise I had the creepy experience of hearing the wave breaking behind me but only seeing the foam that occasionally splashed up over my stern. Since there was no one else out there and I was more than 12 miles off shore I had no lights on, I was using no power at all except turning on my GPS once an hour to check my heading and speed. Finally about 04:30 I hove to and slept in the cockpit floor for about two hours, I turned on my anchor light while I slept just to make myself more visible, I could hear another vessel and saw lights on the horizon but for the most part I didn't see anyone until I was with in 30 miles of the shore.
Finally after 44 hours I came to shallow water and dropped anchor to get some much needed sleep, I only slept 4 hours then headed to the closest key and took Mattie for a walk on the most amazing beach have ever seen, there were sponges and coral washed up everywhere with large sand dollars and thousands of perfect seashells. The anchorage was too close to a channel for comfortable sleeping so I sailed a few more miles south and laid anchor at a place I though looked like a nice quiet cove with a little strip of sand. By noon there were over 100 boats in that cove, and then the jet skis showed up.
I have never really hated jet skis before, I've actually thought they looked fun, but I have learned “instant asshole, just add Jet Ski”. The fender that I rigged on my anchor to mark where my line ran was what some kid decided to use as his racing buoy on his jet ski, there was plenty of room to play on the thing but he had to circle my boat and see how tight he could turn, then there was the girl that was coming so close she was spraying hot exhaust water on me and fouling the air with gas fumes, I wanted to string a line between myself and another vessel to yank one of those idiots off. Fortunately the weekend parties left and the cove became a nice quiet anchorage again, the next morning I sailed for St Petersburg. I took a channel to the Gulf but had to run the motor to get through it, the cylinder head began spraying water into the alternator, the alternator quit about the same time the bilge pump stopped working, and there were jet skis, lots and lots of jet skis.
I finally made it into the Gulf without running aground, and got the mainsail hoisted, it was a nice day sailing except that the traveler broke and I had to stop to fix it (this is the piece that holds the boom in position), then the boom vang broke. I was making 3 knots when the wind died and after sunset it began to blow again, from the direction I needed to go. I was getting close to the channel to enter Tampa Bay and had hardly any wind when I ran aground on the point of Mullet Key, I put up all sail possible to heel the boat over and finally after about an hour of banging around in the sand she broke free, thats when I noticed the current was so strong that I was sailing backwards. I crossed the main channel (deep with lots of current) and got into shallow water, dropped anchor and slept for a few hours.
I knew there was going to be a shuttle launch the next morning and wanted to see it, I set my alarm for 06:00 and stayed awake till 06:15, the shuttle launched at 06:20 (doh!). The tide had risen and I was able to use the current to get into Tampa Bay, then the wind died, when it returned it was coming from the direction In needed to go. There wasn't much wind and I was just creeping along when I heard “POP” and my main sail fell off the mast, seems I broke the main halyard.
Finally made it into St Petersburg, this a great town, the new head gaskets are coming in via USPS and Waltzing Matilda is at anchor in the city's municipal anchor cove. I climbed my mast this morning and retrieved the main sheet halyard, the homeless people are treating me royally and I am going to hit the bike shops to see if I can get some work.
I recorded my crewmate giving me a wake up call, enjoy
Monday, April 5, 2010
Waltzing Matilda near St. Petersburg
Sunday, April 4, 2010
“I’m in 6-inch seas, with about 30 seconds between waves. There’s not a cloud in the sky.” So said Nathan as he was sailing about 15 miles out of St. Petersburg, Florida.
He had laid up for two and a half days near Tarpon Springs to rest up after his long open sea crossing on the northeast portion of the Gulf of Mexico. While anchored, Waltzing Matilda was aground during low tides, but did not keel over. As a result, it steadied the boat and helped Nathan get rest. “I didn’t realize how exhausted I was.” He had spent most of the several days of open sea crossing awake at the tiller.
Nathan is planning on spending at least two weeks in St. Petersburg, maybe more. “St. Petersburg is a sailing community and they don’t believe in power boats in this community,” he said. He needs to work on his boat: a cylinder head is leaking cooling water and it may have ruined his new alternator by spraying salt water on it. But he’s got the funds to do it. “Earlier I had been down to 15 dollars but when that got posted online, I got $185 in donations.”
Since hurricane season is only eight weeks away, Nathan is considering staying in St. Petersburg for a few months until the season passes. He’s thinking of trying to get a job in a sail shop to learn sailmaking so he can modify sails he salvaged off a wrecked boat to fit Waltzing Matilda. “I have the material, but I don’t have the knowledge or the machines.”
He’s become a judge of beaches. “The first beach I stopped at was nice. It was a nature preserve. The next one was obnoxious: it was a beer drinking preserve.” He saw one beach covered with what he thought were rocks, then he realized that it was a crowd – a big crowd – the beach was covered with people. Today, Nathan described what was before him: “All I can see is condos and condos and condos. I can see 20 miles of condos. It’s kind of disgusting.” He said he met a couple of teachers who told him that the population in the part of Florida he was at was very dense. “That’s your fault,” Nathan said he told them. “You’re teachers. The population shouldn’t be dense.”
Also, “I learned now why everyone hates jet skis. I’m thinking of putting up a sign: ‘Jet skis within range will be fired upon.’ I had put out a pylon to mark my anchor and some kid in a jet ski comes and uses my anchor as a racing pylon and goes whipping around it. A girl on a jet ski comes by and sprays exhaust all over me. It’s hot and it smells like gasoline. Then they go and start doing donuts in front of big tour barge. The boat is honking its horn at them and the jet ski people just flip it off. They don’t realize that boat can’t stop.”
However, “the flora and fauna here is just amazing,” Nathan said, and he’s seen things he can’t identify. He found a dead jellyfish and saw a starfish and was delighted with the live sponges washing up on the beach. Yet, there was the foul smell of a mangrove swamp that even “made the dog gag.”
“I was on one beach and I heard a rustling in the grass,” he said. “Then I saw these little crabs that had one big claw. Fiddler crabs! Millions of them! They covered the entire beach and as they ran for cover there were all those little crab feet making noises. They were really pretty, too.”
Nathan said the local water temperature was 72.2 degrees; 200 miles offshore he said the water is 84 degrees. And he was able to look 15 feet down into clear water. Later, when he sails further south, he said the water is clear to 50 feet down.
“The weather down here for next week will be just awesome: 10-knot winds from all directions, and 2-foot seas. Typical of spring in this area. After all that rough Mississippi Sound weather, this is nice. There are biting fleas, flies, mosquitos and bugs but no mosquitos on islands with no fresh water.”
“I’m in 6-inch seas, with about 30 seconds between waves. There’s not a cloud in the sky.” So said Nathan as he was sailing about 15 miles out of St. Petersburg, Florida.
He had laid up for two and a half days near Tarpon Springs to rest up after his long open sea crossing on the northeast portion of the Gulf of Mexico. While anchored, Waltzing Matilda was aground during low tides, but did not keel over. As a result, it steadied the boat and helped Nathan get rest. “I didn’t realize how exhausted I was.” He had spent most of the several days of open sea crossing awake at the tiller.
Nathan is planning on spending at least two weeks in St. Petersburg, maybe more. “St. Petersburg is a sailing community and they don’t believe in power boats in this community,” he said. He needs to work on his boat: a cylinder head is leaking cooling water and it may have ruined his new alternator by spraying salt water on it. But he’s got the funds to do it. “Earlier I had been down to 15 dollars but when that got posted online, I got $185 in donations.”
Since hurricane season is only eight weeks away, Nathan is considering staying in St. Petersburg for a few months until the season passes. He’s thinking of trying to get a job in a sail shop to learn sailmaking so he can modify sails he salvaged off a wrecked boat to fit Waltzing Matilda. “I have the material, but I don’t have the knowledge or the machines.”
He’s become a judge of beaches. “The first beach I stopped at was nice. It was a nature preserve. The next one was obnoxious: it was a beer drinking preserve.” He saw one beach covered with what he thought were rocks, then he realized that it was a crowd – a big crowd – the beach was covered with people. Today, Nathan described what was before him: “All I can see is condos and condos and condos. I can see 20 miles of condos. It’s kind of disgusting.” He said he met a couple of teachers who told him that the population in the part of Florida he was at was very dense. “That’s your fault,” Nathan said he told them. “You’re teachers. The population shouldn’t be dense.”
Also, “I learned now why everyone hates jet skis. I’m thinking of putting up a sign: ‘Jet skis within range will be fired upon.’ I had put out a pylon to mark my anchor and some kid in a jet ski comes and uses my anchor as a racing pylon and goes whipping around it. A girl on a jet ski comes by and sprays exhaust all over me. It’s hot and it smells like gasoline. Then they go and start doing donuts in front of big tour barge. The boat is honking its horn at them and the jet ski people just flip it off. They don’t realize that boat can’t stop.”
However, “the flora and fauna here is just amazing,” Nathan said, and he’s seen things he can’t identify. He found a dead jellyfish and saw a starfish and was delighted with the live sponges washing up on the beach. Yet, there was the foul smell of a mangrove swamp that even “made the dog gag.”
“I was on one beach and I heard a rustling in the grass,” he said. “Then I saw these little crabs that had one big claw. Fiddler crabs! Millions of them! They covered the entire beach and as they ran for cover there were all those little crab feet making noises. They were really pretty, too.”
Nathan said the local water temperature was 72.2 degrees; 200 miles offshore he said the water is 84 degrees. And he was able to look 15 feet down into clear water. Later, when he sails further south, he said the water is clear to 50 feet down.
“The weather down here for next week will be just awesome: 10-knot winds from all directions, and 2-foot seas. Typical of spring in this area. After all that rough Mississippi Sound weather, this is nice. There are biting fleas, flies, mosquitos and bugs but no mosquitos on islands with no fresh water.”
Friday, April 2, 2010
Waltzing Matilda Completes 70-Hour Open Sea Voyage
Friday, April 2, 2010
Received some phone messages from Nathan yesterday indicating he had successfully made his first open water trip in the Gulf of Mexico and was anchored near Tarpon Springs, Florida. During his 70-hour crossing he was at the helm for about 65 hours. After making the trip he got some sleep and he and Mattie the Dog took a swim: 80-degree air temperature; 67-degree water. He wasn’t sure of the exact name of where he was at, but based on what he told me and by consulting Google maps, I believe he’s at Anciote Key a couple of miles offshore.
--Correspondent Dad Landry
Received some phone messages from Nathan yesterday indicating he had successfully made his first open water trip in the Gulf of Mexico and was anchored near Tarpon Springs, Florida. During his 70-hour crossing he was at the helm for about 65 hours. After making the trip he got some sleep and he and Mattie the Dog took a swim: 80-degree air temperature; 67-degree water. He wasn’t sure of the exact name of where he was at, but based on what he told me and by consulting Google maps, I believe he’s at Anciote Key a couple of miles offshore.
--Correspondent Dad Landry
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Waltzing Matilda Prepares for Two Days in Open Sea
March 27, 2010
Nathan called today from Apalachicola, Florida (he can’t pronounce it, either). It’s southeast of Panama City and southwest of Tallahassee. He’s docked along Water Street. While we talked, I told him I was looking at where he was at on the Google Street View and told him I couldn’t see him. “That’s ‘cause it’s dark,” he replied. Oh. It’s dark. Of course.
“It a nice little town,” he said. “Very friendly. A lot of people come by and talk to me.” I can’t remember if he said he arrived in Apalachicola yesterday or today but when he arrived the weather was chilly, and he said he was cold, sunburned, and wind-burned.
He said he spent his last $15 on diesel fuel and has about 80% of his tank filled. The weather forecast is such that Monday he plans to join three other boats at nearby Dog Island and together they will sail for more than two days in open water, heading about 140 miles southwest to Tarpon Springs, near Tampa. Besides fueling, he has been doing other things to get the boat ready for the open sea voyage. He’s got plenty of water and a month’s supply of food.
While the four boats may not always be in sight of one another, they’ll be in constant radio contact, which, I believe, is prudent.
He had last reported to us from Panama City. Either there or on the way to Apalachicola he went to a food pantry at a Baptist church where he met a woman who had just moved to Florida from, of all places, Springdale, Arkansas, about five miles from our house.
One of the boats that he will travel in open water with hails from Fort Smith, Arkansas, very near where Nathan began his journey last November 22. On the 22-foot boat (about the size of Waltzing Matilda) is a couple in their 60s. They told Nathan they had read about him in the newspaper and Nathan speculated that one of the Arkansas papers might have picked up the news story written about him in Louisiana. Unlike Nathan, they did not sail down the rivers, but rather had their boat hauled by truck.
While sailing this week, Nathan passed a shipyard and saw a lot of commotion surrounding a new ship: tugboats, flags, tents. Later he learned that he missed a ship launching that occurred two hours after he passed; but when he saw all the activity he decided not to stop because he didn’t want to sacrifice the good wind Waltzing Matilda was in.
While on the Intracoastal Waterway he stopped at a free dock at White City, Florida. He went ashore to see if he could find a laundromat but he said there was nothing – nothing – in White City. He did see an odd sign there: “No golf carts, skateboards or horses.” Man, in White City you can’t do anything!. Also along the way he saw a sign that on one side told boaters to control their wakes. On the other side, the sign was intended to say “Resume normal speed,” but the sign had broken to where the word “speed” was gone; as a result the sign said “Resume normal.”
“What does it mean to resume normal?” asked Nathan.
At White City he was cruising along and saw an unusual cloud. Or so he thought it was a cloud. “And then I sailed into the mosquitoes,” he said. They were everywhere and he quickly put repellant on himself and some small amounts on the dog to protect her. Actually, I believe he later described them to us as nasty little bugs that dwell around oceans called noseeums. I guess that’s because they bite you and you noseeum.
In other news, Nathan now has a pipe dream of what he would like his next boat to be. He’d like to take a pontoon boat and outfit it with a steam engine. “Then it would be African Queen meets Mark Twain,” he said.
And the journey continues…
Posted by official correspondent Dad Landry
Nathan called today from Apalachicola, Florida (he can’t pronounce it, either). It’s southeast of Panama City and southwest of Tallahassee. He’s docked along Water Street. While we talked, I told him I was looking at where he was at on the Google Street View and told him I couldn’t see him. “That’s ‘cause it’s dark,” he replied. Oh. It’s dark. Of course.
“It a nice little town,” he said. “Very friendly. A lot of people come by and talk to me.” I can’t remember if he said he arrived in Apalachicola yesterday or today but when he arrived the weather was chilly, and he said he was cold, sunburned, and wind-burned.
He said he spent his last $15 on diesel fuel and has about 80% of his tank filled. The weather forecast is such that Monday he plans to join three other boats at nearby Dog Island and together they will sail for more than two days in open water, heading about 140 miles southwest to Tarpon Springs, near Tampa. Besides fueling, he has been doing other things to get the boat ready for the open sea voyage. He’s got plenty of water and a month’s supply of food.
While the four boats may not always be in sight of one another, they’ll be in constant radio contact, which, I believe, is prudent.
He had last reported to us from Panama City. Either there or on the way to Apalachicola he went to a food pantry at a Baptist church where he met a woman who had just moved to Florida from, of all places, Springdale, Arkansas, about five miles from our house.
One of the boats that he will travel in open water with hails from Fort Smith, Arkansas, very near where Nathan began his journey last November 22. On the 22-foot boat (about the size of Waltzing Matilda) is a couple in their 60s. They told Nathan they had read about him in the newspaper and Nathan speculated that one of the Arkansas papers might have picked up the news story written about him in Louisiana. Unlike Nathan, they did not sail down the rivers, but rather had their boat hauled by truck.
While sailing this week, Nathan passed a shipyard and saw a lot of commotion surrounding a new ship: tugboats, flags, tents. Later he learned that he missed a ship launching that occurred two hours after he passed; but when he saw all the activity he decided not to stop because he didn’t want to sacrifice the good wind Waltzing Matilda was in.
While on the Intracoastal Waterway he stopped at a free dock at White City, Florida. He went ashore to see if he could find a laundromat but he said there was nothing – nothing – in White City. He did see an odd sign there: “No golf carts, skateboards or horses.” Man, in White City you can’t do anything!. Also along the way he saw a sign that on one side told boaters to control their wakes. On the other side, the sign was intended to say “Resume normal speed,” but the sign had broken to where the word “speed” was gone; as a result the sign said “Resume normal.”
“What does it mean to resume normal?” asked Nathan.
At White City he was cruising along and saw an unusual cloud. Or so he thought it was a cloud. “And then I sailed into the mosquitoes,” he said. They were everywhere and he quickly put repellant on himself and some small amounts on the dog to protect her. Actually, I believe he later described them to us as nasty little bugs that dwell around oceans called noseeums. I guess that’s because they bite you and you noseeum.
In other news, Nathan now has a pipe dream of what he would like his next boat to be. He’d like to take a pontoon boat and outfit it with a steam engine. “Then it would be African Queen meets Mark Twain,” he said.
And the journey continues…
Posted by official correspondent Dad Landry
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Waltzing Matilda at Panama City, Florida
March 21, 2010
Hadn’t heard from Nathan for awhile and was getting ready to text or call him when he phoned this morning from Smack Bayou across from Panama City, Florida. He had a hodgepodge of things to talk about:
--He laughed hard when we told him we were celebrating spring in Northwest Arkansas with 9.5 inches of snow and that it was still coming down.
--He was amazed at his first experience with luminescent bacteria in the water. “I’ve read about it but reading about it and seeing it are two different things.” He said a cove he was in came aglow when raindrops stirred up the luminescence. At one point he scooped seawater up in a bucket and the luminescence was so intense that the bucket lit up his entire boat.
--Waiting out some bad weather now (rainstorm with 30mph winds), he’s planning on taking the intracoastal waterway to Bay St. John. There, at Dog Island he will make preparations for running 89 miles in open sea across Appalachie Bay. There will be no oil rigs or commercial shipping to worry about, so during the 24-hour voyage (that amount of time depends upon the wind) “I can just lash the boat down and go to sleep – I’m 90 miles away from anything.”
--While it seems isolated where he’s currently anchored, that’s dispelled at night due to the lights of Panama City. Also, a nearby Air Force base makes a lot of noise. Land where he’s at consists of sawgrass, palm trees and cactus. Also, big oak trees covered by Spanish moss like bearded old men.
--He’s down to his last 35 dollars. He’s hoping to get some work in Panama City for about a week, perhaps as a bike mechanic. He’s been hanging out with members of the local homeless community. Consisting mainly of Vietnam veterans, their ranks swell in Florida during winter months. “The homeless people have been taking care of me. They fed me a meal they had gotten from a dumpster. I intentionally wear rags when I’m ashore – no one robs me, no one bothers me.” The economy is depressed in Florida where he is at. “No work here – it’s really bad.” Nathan informed one unemployed but not yet homeless man about South Louisiana where there is a lot of work based on the oil industry. The man took the news enthusiastically for himself and for his son-in-law, a certified welder. One 35-year-old homeless man Nathan met was from Pueblo, Colorado, where Nathan grew up. And, of course, as the “You Know You’re From Pueblo If…” Facebook site describes how ex- Puebloans greet each other around the world, Nathan and the homeless guy asked each other where they went to high school. I guess it’s how ex-Puebloans size each other up. Youse guys from Pueblo know what I’m talking about.
--Pueblo, of course, is not the only home tie Nathan has. He flies an Arkansas flag on Waltzing Matilda. At Fort Walton, Florida, a man on a pontoon party boat wearing an Arkansas Razorbacks t-shirt yelled at him: “Wooo, pig, sooey!!!!!!” Y’all from Arkansas know what I’m talkin’ about.
--The Valkyrie that Nathan had earlier been sailing in tandem with has dropped out of the trip due to health problems of one of the people aboard.
--Sailing conditions have been mixed. “Had some good sailing the other day; had some bad sailing the other day – had to run the motor all day. Sea conditions were so calm that I could see my reflection in the water.
--Mattie the dog continues to adjust to the Adventure of Her Life. She got a new squeak toy and “freaked out when she first bit on it and it squeaked.” Mattie then barked or growled at it “but when she figured it out she loves it. She also discovered the unpleasant realities of stickers and cactus.” On shore, she got a cactus needle stuck in her paw and while wrestling with it, she also got it stuck in her stomach. Trying to extricate herself, she decided to lie down in – a cactus! Nathan had to rescue her and pick her clean. Mattie wants to chase squirrels, but Nathan keeps her close while ashore due to the threat of alligators. “As far as the gators are concerned, I’ve nicknamed her ‘Morsel.’ That’s all she’d be to a gator – one quick bite and she would be gone; nothing left but for the gator to spit out her collar.”
Hadn’t heard from Nathan for awhile and was getting ready to text or call him when he phoned this morning from Smack Bayou across from Panama City, Florida. He had a hodgepodge of things to talk about:
--He laughed hard when we told him we were celebrating spring in Northwest Arkansas with 9.5 inches of snow and that it was still coming down.
--He was amazed at his first experience with luminescent bacteria in the water. “I’ve read about it but reading about it and seeing it are two different things.” He said a cove he was in came aglow when raindrops stirred up the luminescence. At one point he scooped seawater up in a bucket and the luminescence was so intense that the bucket lit up his entire boat.
--Waiting out some bad weather now (rainstorm with 30mph winds), he’s planning on taking the intracoastal waterway to Bay St. John. There, at Dog Island he will make preparations for running 89 miles in open sea across Appalachie Bay. There will be no oil rigs or commercial shipping to worry about, so during the 24-hour voyage (that amount of time depends upon the wind) “I can just lash the boat down and go to sleep – I’m 90 miles away from anything.”
--While it seems isolated where he’s currently anchored, that’s dispelled at night due to the lights of Panama City. Also, a nearby Air Force base makes a lot of noise. Land where he’s at consists of sawgrass, palm trees and cactus. Also, big oak trees covered by Spanish moss like bearded old men.
--He’s down to his last 35 dollars. He’s hoping to get some work in Panama City for about a week, perhaps as a bike mechanic. He’s been hanging out with members of the local homeless community. Consisting mainly of Vietnam veterans, their ranks swell in Florida during winter months. “The homeless people have been taking care of me. They fed me a meal they had gotten from a dumpster. I intentionally wear rags when I’m ashore – no one robs me, no one bothers me.” The economy is depressed in Florida where he is at. “No work here – it’s really bad.” Nathan informed one unemployed but not yet homeless man about South Louisiana where there is a lot of work based on the oil industry. The man took the news enthusiastically for himself and for his son-in-law, a certified welder. One 35-year-old homeless man Nathan met was from Pueblo, Colorado, where Nathan grew up. And, of course, as the “You Know You’re From Pueblo If…” Facebook site describes how ex- Puebloans greet each other around the world, Nathan and the homeless guy asked each other where they went to high school. I guess it’s how ex-Puebloans size each other up. Youse guys from Pueblo know what I’m talking about.
--Pueblo, of course, is not the only home tie Nathan has. He flies an Arkansas flag on Waltzing Matilda. At Fort Walton, Florida, a man on a pontoon party boat wearing an Arkansas Razorbacks t-shirt yelled at him: “Wooo, pig, sooey!!!!!!” Y’all from Arkansas know what I’m talkin’ about.
--The Valkyrie that Nathan had earlier been sailing in tandem with has dropped out of the trip due to health problems of one of the people aboard.
--Sailing conditions have been mixed. “Had some good sailing the other day; had some bad sailing the other day – had to run the motor all day. Sea conditions were so calm that I could see my reflection in the water.
--Mattie the dog continues to adjust to the Adventure of Her Life. She got a new squeak toy and “freaked out when she first bit on it and it squeaked.” Mattie then barked or growled at it “but when she figured it out she loves it. She also discovered the unpleasant realities of stickers and cactus.” On shore, she got a cactus needle stuck in her paw and while wrestling with it, she also got it stuck in her stomach. Trying to extricate herself, she decided to lie down in – a cactus! Nathan had to rescue her and pick her clean. Mattie wants to chase squirrels, but Nathan keeps her close while ashore due to the threat of alligators. “As far as the gators are concerned, I’ve nicknamed her ‘Morsel.’ That’s all she’d be to a gator – one quick bite and she would be gone; nothing left but for the gator to spit out her collar.”
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Live from Pensacola
Surfing is not as easy as it looks, I'm not kidding it is really much more difficult than skate boarding. A friend I made in Ocean Springs called me up yesterday to tell me he was right near Pensacola and wanted to know if I was up for surfing. We headed down across the bridge to Pensacola Beach and stopped at a surf n skate shop so I could rent a board then off to the beach. The wind was coming in from the South West and making a very choppy sea with 4' waves. I couldn't get out past the breakers to the good waves and kept getting my ass handed to me, at one point I got tumbled almost all the way to the shore. It wasn't the best day for a beginner to learn to surf, I have only been out on a board once before in California and that was 1-2' waves, this was just pounding me mercilessly and freezing cold, even with my wet suit on I couldn't feel my feet. The life guards had the red flags out indicating dangerous currents and surf but even using the rip tide to my advantage I couldn't get past the breakers. It was fun, great fun!
I am at a small marina in Chico Bayou just off Pensacola Bay and may be leaving out soon. The trip here was fun despite having to motor all but 8 hours of the way. Next stop is someplace further East, the water is getting clearer and a bit warmer but I really need to get to warm clear water. I really need to find a used surf board too, and a used dinghy.
I am at a small marina in Chico Bayou just off Pensacola Bay and may be leaving out soon. The trip here was fun despite having to motor all but 8 hours of the way. Next stop is someplace further East, the water is getting clearer and a bit warmer but I really need to get to warm clear water. I really need to find a used surf board too, and a used dinghy.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Waltzing Matilda: setting sail after a month.
March 7, 2010
“Oops, there goes a dolphin right next to me,” said Nathan in a mid-afternoon phone call from the Intracoastal Waterway on the east side of Mobile Bay. He’s planning on making Pirate’s Cove at Pensacola, Florida, by tonight. He set sail from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, at noon yesterday. “I was doing my captain’s log and realized that I had been in Ocean Springs for a month,” he said. Indeed, it was the weekend of February 6-7 that he had been shipwrecked on Horn Island, was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter and had his boat towed to Ocean Springs.
After casting off yesterday, Horn Island was his first destination. “If you fall off your horse or fall off your skateboard you have to go back to where you took the fall.” He anchored at Horn Island for the night, along with new friends Rick and Cathy who are sailing in tandem with Nathan in their boat the Valkyrie. Although secured by the new anchor he bought while ashore at Ocean Springs, Waltzing Matilda broke loose and began to drift, but Nathan said he only ended up about a mile offshore. Another problem he encountered was his second bout with snagging a crab trap. The trap line or lines tangled with his propeller, meaning he had to proceed under sail until he could put on a wet suit and go overboard to untangle the mess.
Being back at sea after being ashore made Nathan philosophical. “When I’m ashore I get very lonely but when I’m at sea, I’m fine. I don’t understand it. Being around other people makes me feel alone but when I’m isolated at sea, I don’t have time to get lonely. I’ve heard other sailors say the same thing.”
His month ashore was a great experience, Nathan said. “I had a lovely time in Ocean Springs. A lot of people regret me leaving. I’ve made some good friends there.”
Upon arriving in Pensacola, Nathan is considering more shore time there, perhaps working in the local shipyard or in the hospitality industry due to the upcoming spring break for colleges.
A personal note from Official Correspondent Dad Landry: Thanks to our longtime friends Carol Moore and her daughters Shawn and Jay who showed great hospitality to Nathan while he was in Ocean Springs. Recently Carol’s husband and Shawn and Jay’s father, Fred, passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. Nathan’s mother and I have been friends with Fred and Carol since before Nathan was born and Fred always thought highly of Nathan. When very young, Fred also had some wild sailing adventures – including a shipwreck or two – on the Great Lakes. I’m sorry he was not able to share in Nathan’s trip.
And an editorial note from Nathan: “I have discovered that the alpine hitch is the greatest knot ever. Anybody who takes the time to look that up will discover what I mean by that.”
And that’s the report from Ocean Springs, the Intracoastal Waterway, and soon Pirate’s Cove at Pensacola.
Post script by n8, follow the progress of the Valkyrie and know that I am nearby, they have a SPOT device that updates their GPS positin via the innernets, also I have posted more photos
“Oops, there goes a dolphin right next to me,” said Nathan in a mid-afternoon phone call from the Intracoastal Waterway on the east side of Mobile Bay. He’s planning on making Pirate’s Cove at Pensacola, Florida, by tonight. He set sail from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, at noon yesterday. “I was doing my captain’s log and realized that I had been in Ocean Springs for a month,” he said. Indeed, it was the weekend of February 6-7 that he had been shipwrecked on Horn Island, was rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter and had his boat towed to Ocean Springs.
After casting off yesterday, Horn Island was his first destination. “If you fall off your horse or fall off your skateboard you have to go back to where you took the fall.” He anchored at Horn Island for the night, along with new friends Rick and Cathy who are sailing in tandem with Nathan in their boat the Valkyrie. Although secured by the new anchor he bought while ashore at Ocean Springs, Waltzing Matilda broke loose and began to drift, but Nathan said he only ended up about a mile offshore. Another problem he encountered was his second bout with snagging a crab trap. The trap line or lines tangled with his propeller, meaning he had to proceed under sail until he could put on a wet suit and go overboard to untangle the mess.
Being back at sea after being ashore made Nathan philosophical. “When I’m ashore I get very lonely but when I’m at sea, I’m fine. I don’t understand it. Being around other people makes me feel alone but when I’m isolated at sea, I don’t have time to get lonely. I’ve heard other sailors say the same thing.”
His month ashore was a great experience, Nathan said. “I had a lovely time in Ocean Springs. A lot of people regret me leaving. I’ve made some good friends there.”
Upon arriving in Pensacola, Nathan is considering more shore time there, perhaps working in the local shipyard or in the hospitality industry due to the upcoming spring break for colleges.
A personal note from Official Correspondent Dad Landry: Thanks to our longtime friends Carol Moore and her daughters Shawn and Jay who showed great hospitality to Nathan while he was in Ocean Springs. Recently Carol’s husband and Shawn and Jay’s father, Fred, passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. Nathan’s mother and I have been friends with Fred and Carol since before Nathan was born and Fred always thought highly of Nathan. When very young, Fred also had some wild sailing adventures – including a shipwreck or two – on the Great Lakes. I’m sorry he was not able to share in Nathan’s trip.
And an editorial note from Nathan: “I have discovered that the alpine hitch is the greatest knot ever. Anybody who takes the time to look that up will discover what I mean by that.”
And that’s the report from Ocean Springs, the Intracoastal Waterway, and soon Pirate’s Cove at Pensacola.
Post script by n8, follow the progress of the Valkyrie and know that I am nearby, they have a SPOT device that updates their GPS positin via the innernets, also I have posted more photos
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A drinking village with a fishing problem
I awoke about 1:30 the other morning and was taking a leak off my bow when I heard a noise like a little dog yapping and observed a sea otter swimming along the surface of the harbor barking like crazy, not far behind it was an eight foot gator. The sea otter swam between Waltzing Matilda and the neighboring boat on my port side, the gator on the starboard and both out of sight under the dock, I haven't seen the sea otter since but the gator is still hanging around stalking my little dog.
I am still in Ocean Springs MS, still waxing boats and ready to get back underway. The weather has not been co-operative at all, it's cold and nasty one day, sunny and the wind in the wrong direction the next day and cold again the following day. The locals all say this is an unusual winter, it's not supposed to b this cold all through February. There are daffodils sprouting, birds chirping and a nice westerly breeze today, but a nasty storm with gale force winds brewing for tomorrow.
I've made myself handy with the locals, from hanging out at the cheap PBR bar to ascending masts to fix rigging. Bicycling is quite easy since there are relatively few hills and lots of signs indicating that the rode is a bike route, the cars are very respectful, no honking, spitting upon nor flipping off the bike riders. It is a quaint little town with all the trappings of small southern town politics, the local folks are really great and compared to Biloxi this is paradise.
I went to Biloxi via a buddy's boat to see the Mardi Gras parade, I got all of two steps off the pier when two thuggish teenagers with guns and badges approached me and yelled “Sir, dogs are not allowed on the parade route”, I was two blocks away from the parade route but decided this was a sign of what to expect. I began walking away down the beach and the thugs followed me for a bit then lost interest, I toured the remains of neighborhoods, just daffodils in rows up to concrete steps leading to nowhere for blocks, we walked across the HWY 90 bridge back to Ocean Springs. The next day while comparing notes with others I found that the local law had a heyday busting heads and stomping on folks, all in the name of “Law and Order”, good thing I didn't go to the parade, even better that I didn't spend a dime in Biloxi.
I got some skating done, a local took me to a DIY mini ramp that was nice and mellow, 4' high with 10' tranny, 16' wide out in the woods with dogs and mud. All of the local skaters ride surf boards in the summer and wheels in the winter, I need to find a surfboard soon and start catching waves, I hope that Pensacola provides the surf board as I know it has the surf.
Rick and Cathy of the Valkyrie are ready to sail as well, we will be leaving together and traveling East in tandem, we have to anchor at Horn Island at least once, I am a bit apprehensive of returning to Horn Island but when you fall down you have to get up and drop in again or you'll forever be afraid of the ramp.
I've got a digital camera now and have shot a few images,there will be plenty more to follow. I have set up a photo hosting account with the google, check em out here Capt N8's photos
Post Script: I received this email from a former college roommate and got his permission to share it
So I had this dream last night that your spirit was like jumping around on book shelves. It was a completely rambunctious spirit, wild and untamed. You were jumping around and I was trying to talk to you about school. I was telling you that you were right to not go and that it is basically an institution to tame your mind. And not even the professors, even the cool one's are going to do anything but because the very nature of the fact that they are teaching means that they have been tamed in their way of thinking. It was this long explanation to this wild spirit jumping around on bookshelves above me. It wasn't so much you as it was your spirit. Its kind of hard to explain, but I totally woke up and made myself remember the dream. I know it was much more vivid than this description, but I did good remembering that much. It might have been the Mexican food and the margarita I had before bed, but I just thought that it was interesting...
Lee
end Post Script
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