OceanMedia

Guest Blogger Mark Chisnell - Telling Stories

2011-10-03T09:26:00.000-04:00

TellingStories

One of the ways thatwe distinguish ourselves as sailors is by the stories we tell. It’s the lore,the mythology that connects us; down the centuries as much as across theoceans. We should never underestimate the enduring power or presence of myth inthis, as in so many other places. Urban legends of the… I heard this story about the friend of a friend… variety are lacedthrough our lives and address many of the fears and concerns of modernsocieties.

Myths also have a moredeliberate, structured presence in the twenty first century. Christopher Voglercame up with a template for the Hollywoodmovie that presses all the right emotional buttons, programmed by generationsof storytelling round camp fires. Vogler had read the work of Carl Jung andJoseph Campbell, and realized that there are some stories that appear andreappear across cultures, that seem almost hard-wired into our DNA. He brokethese down into some common structural elements for storytelling, and called itthe Hero’s Journey.

The next time youwatch a mainstream adventure movie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372784/) see how the plot unfolds against thistemplate. The hero will first appear in their everyday world, before beingcalled to partake in some quest, challenge or adventure – a call which theywill usually refuse, at least at first. When they (inevitably) change theirmind, they will then meet an older, wiser person who will mentor them in theskills required to succeed. Suitably equipped, they will take their first stepacross a threshold, into a new world. Once there they will meet many tests,have to differentiate allies from enemies and defeat all challenges, beforesuccess is won and they can return home to a new, improved reality. Soundfamiliar? Myths are as much a part of our lives now that we’re hunting andgathering in supermarkets, as when we were trotting light-footed throughforests carrying a stick with a sharpened stone strapped to the end.

The Hero’s Journey isalso largely the archetype for sailing stories, especially in the environmentthat I’ve done most of my sailing; racing. The hero is on a voyage or quest (http://markchisnell.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html)- to win a race or break a record- meets a challenge and overcomes it. To do so, they may well have to make sometough decisions – it’s the hero’s choices, fallibility and mortality that givethe story resonance.

There are other typesof myth – foundation myths like Romulus andRemus, and the story of the establishment of Rome. Perhaps I’m going a little too far inclaiming that sailing’s equivalent is the tale of the race around the Isle ofWight for the Hundred Guineas Cup; but the story has been told and retold somany times that it’s no longer clear what’s true and what’s not. We do know itgave rise to an event called the America’s Cup, bitterly fought overfor 160 years, with neither the fighting nor the bitterness showing any sign ofabating. But did Queen Victoriareally ask who was second home, to be told - Ah, your majesty, there is no second?

The America’s Cuphas the perfect foundation myth, but I worry that we’re losing thisstorytelling art in the Cup. I somehow doubt that anyone has heard any greatyarns from the recent AC45 event in Cascais. So who are the modern heroes, andwhere are the grand myths? Ocean racing seems to supply most of them - therecent capsize of Rambler in the FastnetRace (http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/11/0816/) has already thrown up some good stories, and doubtless more will filtertheir way into the sailing community through bars and taverns; and their moderncounterparts, Facebook and forums.

Sport needs grandnarratives like fish need water – without stories and characters the contesthas no context, no meaning to anyone but those intimately involved. We need to keepalive the art of narrative if we’re to capture the imagination of landlubbersand convert them into passionate new sailors. We need heroes, and we need to tellepic stories about them. I write suspensethrillers (http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/11/0816/), but I also write sailing books and I’vecollected a few good tales in a little eBook called ‘Pressure Falling – ShortStories of Stormy Seas’ – and I’m always looking for more. So if you’ve got anygood yarns, drop me a line… http://www.markchisnell.com/email.htm.

Mark Chisnell’s books on Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Chisnell/e/B001HOL4HG/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

And on Amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Mark%20Chisnell

Mark Chisnell is the author of the Kindlechart-topping thrillers The Defector and The Wrecking Crew, as well asaward-winning works of non-fiction. He's a sometime professional racing sailorand also works as a broadcaster and journalist, writing for some of the world'sleading magazines and newspapers, including Esquire and the Guardian.

TOURISM AND DEAD TURTLES!

2011-09-14T14:13:00.000-04:00

TOURISM AND DEAD TURTLES!

Negative … who, me?

St. Maarten - Today was a day of confusion and it started with not one buttwo phone calls, calls that are connected yet seem worlds apart.

I have lived in the Caribbeana good part of my life. Living in paradise should be wonderful and in many waysit is. I love to sail, I edit a popular sailing magazine, and I host a radioshow, so why am I becoming more and more disillusioned by what is happeningaround me. Take the first phone call of the day, which was from the CaribbeanTourism Organization inviting me to attend the inaugural State of the IndustryConference being held in French St. Martin this week. The conference hasbrought together some heavy hitters from around the region – politicians andindustry bigwigs – who will pass opinions on Caribbean tourism and, accordingto the website, discuss issues, identify solutions and generally developcourses of action that will benefit the tourism industry in the Caribbean. All good stuff! Why, then, did they findit so difficult to get representatives from the Dutch side of the island toattend, after all isn’t it for their benefit, too. As a journalist, I suppose Ishould attend (yawn) but first they would have to convince me that it will bedifferent to all the other Caribbeanconferences I have attended in the past, where clever people spout big wordsand bigger ideas, spend time living it up in some nice hotel, and then fly awaywith a rosy glow. And what gets done … nothing, ever.

When I tried to tell this to the organizer, she said I wasburned out and should get off the rock. In one respect she is right, but she isalso dead wrong. What I really need to do is stop caring.

St. Maarten - The second phone call beggars belief. In front of witnesses,two people, allegedly working for a well-known ‘eco’ tour company, on Tuesday speareda turtle in the Simpson Bay Lagoon and dragged it behind their boat in order tokill it. They were seen and stopped, although it’s thought the turtle did notsurvive. This act of eco vandalism isnow being investigated by the St. Maarten Nature Foundation and theircolleagues at Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC). Bothorganizations say they will pursue this case and, if proven, will go afterthose involved and prosecute them to the full extent of the law. This latestattack on an endangered species comes after four Green Turtles were speared inthe Simpson Bay area last month.

On a positive note: If anyone knows of a job on a mountaintop in Outer Mongolia, please get in touch.

The boy who cried “Hurricane!”

2011-08-29T13:18:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Irene did her worst and finally expired over Quebec. Like an ex girlfriend of mine with the same name, Irene liked to share it around a bit. Quebec, for goodness sake!

Here in the Caribbean we expect to be hit by hurricanes. Those who have lived here a while know what to expect, we are aware of what could happen and how destructive a storm can be. There was a time in the Caribbean when most people, especially those living on boats, were rather blasé about hurricanes because they were such a rare occurrence, in fact business owners who also owned yachts enjoyed the low season and went sailing. In St. Maarten that all changed on September 5 1995 with the arrival of Hurricane Luis. A category 5 monster storm that devastated the island and changed the way those who experienced it think about hurricanes. Once you have been through a destructive hurricane, you will never react in the same way again.

An island like St. Maarten is a pinprick in the ocean, and the chances that it will take a direct hit from a tropical storm or hurricane are low. Tropical storms vary in size and move at different speeds. Some storms are tiny in diameter and if they miss the island by 30 miles, we may get nothing more that a clap of thunder, a squall and a rain shower. Other storms are hundreds of miles across and can cause serious damage even if the eye wall never comes within 70 miles of land.

The problems begin when a storm doesn’t arrive as predicted, and that brings us to the boy who cried “hurricane!”

Ignorance is bliss.

Shortly after Irene swept north along the east coast of the USA, many said that it was a waste of time preparing for a storm that hardly affected them. Others were left crying amongst the remains of their possessions.

Forecasters do a wonderful job in predicting the paths of hurricanes but even with all their technology they don’t always get it right. It is not an exact science.

The next few times the forecasters get it wrong and you decide they are crying wolf, keep your weapons handy. The next wolf could be wearing sheep’s clothing.

Diana Nyad ... more than just a swim

2011-08-09T13:02:00.000-04:00

I write this having just received news that Diana Nyad has given up her attempt to swim from Havana, Cuba, to Key West in Florida. Diana was 29 hours into the 103 mile swim and according to reports was forced to retire after she started to vomit.

Diana is 61-years old and no matter what the sport, her age alone makes this news worthy, and is one of the reasons why the story was picked up by press agencies around the world. CNN even had a producer on board one of the support boats who was using the micro blogging site Twitter to keep everyone updated with Diana’s progress.

What Diana set out to do is a stand-alone story in itself, but for me it isn’t so much the swim I find fascination but the way one woman, trying to fulfill a dream, made her way into the fabric of our consciousness.

Early this morning I swam 26 lengths of the pool in my apartment block and retired, gasping, for cups of tea and breakfast. For the last week, while taking my morning swim, I thought about Diana. On the two occasions I swam while Diana was in the Florida Straits, I became so focused, I believed I was swimming with her.

When Diane was in pain her followers were asked to help through Therapeutic Touch (TT). I’ve heard of this and have a friend who believes in it, so much so that when I told her, she immediately began sending gentle healing thoughts Diana’s way. The power of Diana was again touching people way beyond the swim.

That America still has an embargo against Cuba in 2011 is plain stupid. Against all odds, Diana actually influenced two ‘warring’ governments, at each other’s throats since the Cold War, and brought them closer together.

Having followed Diana’s exploits on Facebook, one woman wrote that at 41-years old, the swim had inspired her to take on the Iron Man Challenge. Stories like this are popping up all over the place.

Another woman, commenting on social media, said she was disappointed that Diana didn’t complete the swim.

She won’t be anywhere near as disappointed as Diana.

Not achieving a personal sporting goal, no matter how easy, or tough, is hard to come to terms with. I know because I’ve been there. However, my sporting accomplishments, or lack of them, never affected anyone but me.

That Diana didn’t make the swim is a personal defeat, although you never know, this woman might be back. Did she fail? Not in my eyes or in the eyes of the thousands of people who were moved by the power and love generated by this remarkable woman.

Every breath; every stroke, every mile, yard, inch, of that magnificent swim, made Diana Nyad a winner.

Emily, don't be a bitch ...

2011-07-30T17:52:00.002-04:00

As I write, Mother Nature is giving birth to what could be the first hurricane of the season, hurricane Emily. No abortions, no way of stopping it, nothing anyone can do but watch and wait to see if Emily will pay them a visit and leave them homeless, destitute or dead.
Having spent a good part of my life in the tropics in what is know as the hurricane belt, I have been through my share of tropical storms and hurricanes both ashore and afloat. The worst was hurricane Luis, a category 5 monster that devastated the island of St. Maarten, sinking or throwing ashore almost 1200 boats in the process. The two photos were taken during and after hurricane Luis. I rode out the storm at anchor … well, actually, seven anchors and a massive mooring.

At the end of the storm, which lasted two days, our boat was about the only one left in the war zone of Simpson Bay Lagoon that wasn’t damaged, and to this day I don’t know why. I had boats sink under and around me. Astern, a dozen yachts, some upside down, littered the shore and many were beyond the beach and amongst the trees.
I spent a good part of the next couple of weeks diving in the toxic brew of the lagoon, blindly feeling my way through the wrecks, salvaging what I could for friends whose homes and dreams were lost, some without trace. That exercise left me with a serious respiratory infection that has bothered me on and off to this day.
I remember friends hugging and sobbing on the beach, some not only lost their boats and everything they owned but eventually saw their marriages and relationships end in ruin. Looting was rampant until the Dutch military arrived with their helicopter gunships. Armed soldiers enforced a curfew. There was no water or electricity. People found God, others kicked him into touch.

Throughout the worst 48-hours of the storm, when the wind reached 155pmh, I was monitoring the VHF radio and heard some remarkable things. I heard someone on a ship, aground and battered by giant waves, ask the police for assistance. A police woman replied: “We are all too frightened to leave the station. God be with you.” Then the radio went dead or she turned it off. There was incredible humor, too. One skipper spoke calmly as his boat was driven onto the concrete dock outside a local bar and receive this from another yacht: “Order us a packet of fags and a bottle of rum, we’re right behind you.”
One thing I will never forget is the power unleashed by the storm and thinking, even then, how wonderful, nay beautiful, it all was.
Before air and water mixed and made it impossible to breathe, I would crawl along the deck to the bow wearing my mask and snorkel, check the warps and then shuffle back to the cockpit again. Eventually, the return journey was made backwards because it was two dangerous to turn around. On my final jaunt, I was blown out like a flag and that put paid to that.
If you are reading this and you live in the hurricane belt, then stay safe. If you live elsewhere, please wait a few days before naming your daughter, Emily.

Spray hoods … Oh, the shame!

2011-07-13T14:33:00.000-04:00

Photo: 1932 classic Driac II showing spray hood with greenhouse removed.

There’s a lot to be said for an inside steering position on a cruising yacht and although I would never admit it there were times in the past when I would have given my last case of rum for some shelter. When I started sailing, British yachtsmen were expected to sit in an exposed cockpit and suck up whatever the weather threw at them. Yacht designers were complicit in this by failing to include any form of shelter in their plans. Real yachtsmen sat at the helm in all weathers, donned their leaky oilskins, and did the right thing by keeping a good watch at all times. Behave like a man they said and look into the wind and spray, and we did, be manly that is, even my wife.
Our first boat, on which we crossed oceans, was just 23 feet long, with a large open cockpit and no protection from the elements at all. Wind, sun, salt—we took it all on the nose and that is one of the reason’s I now have problems with ‘weird’ things on my skin. Back in our early days, we wouldn’t have been seen dead sporting a spray hood, no sir, they were for wimps. Our yacht would always remain sleek and uncluttered by unsightly canvas and stainless steel frames. The only exception was a French Plexiglas ‘bubble’. Wow, I wanted one of those real bad because they smacked of Bernard Moitessier, Cape Horn and voyages through the Southern Ocean. Whereas a canvas spray hood made you a wimp, a bubble made you a hero!
With maturity came common sense, well, at least some, and on our next boat we fitted a spray hood and in so doing all my morals went out the porthole. Why? Because we fit a spray hood to a classic yacht! There, I’ve confessed and feel better for it. Not only did we fit a spray hood, we also fit a frame at the back of the cockpit. This allowed us to attach a canvas top with a removable back and sides, in fact we turned the cockpit into a greenhouse and it was wonderful. I did the steel work and my wife sewed. I must say, when the whole thing was rigged, the boat looked like shit, but boy were we happy. At the first sign of bad weather, we would roll down the sides and sit in comfort.
On my final voyage with this boat, I left St. Maarten with her looking like a classic yacht but by the time I was north of Anguilla, I was watching the world go by from the comfort of the greenhouse. I took the thing down before docking in the Azores, so that people would know how tough I was and did the same before entering Falmouth in England.
The boat we have now was designed to the old British character building code of ‘real yachtsmen sit out and suck it up’ and I am currently seeking ways to protect us from the weather. It looks like another greenhouse is on the cards, my wife likes the idea so much she is reading up on Hydroponics.

Sea Books and eBooks

2011-07-06T12:07:00.007-04:00

One thing that the eBook revolution has done is open the world of publishing to writers of sea books. For instance, my friend Cap'n Fatty Goodlander now has ten books in his stable and is working on more. His latest Somali Pirates and Cruising Sailors is an in-depth look at how, when, where, who, and why Somali pirates and cruising sailors interact—and the social, economic, and personal cost of Somali piracy to all concerned. Fatty is the perfect man to write this book, having recently cruised through the same pirate infested waters with his wife Carolyn. Fatty chronicled the voyage in Red Sea Run, a fascinating story of how a cruising couple maneuvered through the dangerous sea lanes off Somalia only to fall foul of land-based pirates in Egypt, a country where officials have turned extorting money from yachtsmen transiting the Suez Canal into a fine art. Fatty has heartily embraced new publishing and his popular books are a joy to read.
Earlier this year I was sent the Kindle version of Richard Henry Dana's Two Years Before the Mast with eNotations by Chris Thomerson to review. Thomerson has done an extraordinary job. In this wonderful version of the famous sailing classic, you highlight a word or phrase that you don’t understand and up pops a thorough explanation. This has opened up the world of square rig sailing like never before and turned Two Years Before the Mast into a must read for anyone even slightly interested in maritime history. After reading this eBook you could just about sail a square rigger! I can’t recommend this book enough.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Frank Virgintino will soon publish a Kindle version of A Thinking Man's Guide to Voyaging South ~ Cruising the Caribbean. The ambition of many sailors living in North America is to sail south to the West Indies. The voyage can be tricky and a lot has been written about the best way to do it, however, the info is now rather dated. Mr Virgintino has come up with the most comprehensive guide to passages south that I have ever read and, believe me, not only have I read them all I’ve also made the voyage south several times.
Two fun reads available as eBooks are Julian Putley’s Sunfun Calypso and Sunfun Gospel. A BVI resident, sailor and writer, Julian’s books come with great reviews. The two ebooks, along with Julian’s famous paperback: A Drinking Man’s Guide to the BVI, are all available from Amazon.
Island Ice and Wet Feet by B.D. Anderson are two more rollicking Caribbean yarns that are available at the touch of a button.
My own book, Caribbean High, an action adventure that takes the reader on a thrilling seagoing chase through the islands, is selling well on Amazon. I didn’t know what to expect when I published, but the book has received some cracking reviews and I am very grateful to my readers. Spurred on by the success of Caribbean High, a second novel is now in the works.
All the writers mentioned (and I am sure there are many more) are experienced sailors with a gift for telling a good story and for sharing their knowledge. They tell it like it is, good and bad, and that is what sets them apart from those who write about the sea yet have never sailed upon it. So, if you are looking for a good nautical read then point your spyglass towards the Amazon website where you will find some terrific eBooks about the sea.
Happy reading.

Caribbean High ... The Movie

Camels, needles and St. Martin’s Simpson Bay Bridge

2011-06-15T12:36:00.001-04:00

I drove over the Simpson Bay Bridge today. For those who are not familiar with the island of St. Martin, that’s the lifting bridge that spans the entrance channel to the Simpson Bay Lagoon on the Dutch side of the island.
In the yachting season, which runs from around mid December to the end of April, the bridge is the scene of much action. It opens and closes six times a day as a steady stream of boats enter and depart the lagoon.
A few years ago the bridge span was lengthened, reportedly to allow the super yacht Limitless access to the Isle de Sol marina. I reported on the first transit of the said yacht. The only thing missing that day was a fire boat leading the parade while shooting water high in the air like they do in New York.
One of my lasting memories is the police boats trying to shoo everyone away from the channel ahead of Limitless as she made her stately way into lagoon. The way they carried on you would think Limitless could suddenly leap forward at a hundred knots and scoop up all before it. Still, the police know little about boats and a whole load of politicians were watching so I guess they had to be seen to be doing something.

The bridge has been the scene of many an expensive encounter. Navigating through the bridge can be tricky. A strong current, especially during spring tides, often rips down the channel. Couple that with a strong trade wind and you need some skill to thread a150ft super yacht through the eye of the bridge.
The best viewing point to watch the boat traffic is the deck at the St. Maarten Yacht Club. A noisy, vibrant place during the yachting season, visitors to the club have born witness to much screeching of torn aluminum, the rattle of steel on steel, the cracking and crunching of concrete, and the popping of fenders the size and cost of which would keep a cruising family if funds for a year. At one time skippers, having hit the bridge, could sneak away, carry out repairs, and hope all would be quickly forgotten. Now, everyone has a camera phone, and the super yacht’s owner is likely to see their multi-million dollar vessel performing, dents and all, on YouTube long before they get that woeful “it wasn’t my fault, boss” call from the skipper.
More on the Simpson Bay Bridge in the next blog, until then, I hope you enjoy the picture of Limitless, which always makes sailing through the Simpson Bay Bridge look easy.

Wear your life jacket or go to jail!

2011-06-01T11:53:00.002-04:00

There’s a movement afoot in the US to make the wearing of life jackets compulsory for recreational boaters. I say stomp this movement out before it goes any further!
I have been sailing a long time. I have seen the changes made by various governments to, as they say; make things better and safer for the recreational boater. All government departments are in on the act - customs, immigration, licensing authorities and coast guard. I firmly believe that 90 percent of what they have introduced, or intend to introduce in the future, is designed not to make boating safer but to raise more revenue and curb personal freedom.
Before the proponents of health and safety start commenting, let’s get this one out of the way: life jackets and kids. Yes, I believe that under certain circumstances children should wear life jackets. I also believe that children should be taught to swim early on in life.
That said, how would these draconian rules work? How far would they go?
My mind is working overtime here, but bear with me.
Fail #1: You are on a mooring, the anchorage is flat calm and you and your family are sitting in the cockpit enjoying supper after a lovely day on the water. The lamps are lit, music is softly playing, and the kids are about to go to bed. Suddenly, out of the dark comes a man or woman in uniform to levy a fine because you are not wearing your life jacket. (Oh, and is that a beer you’re drinking, Sir?”)
The result … shock, shame and boat for sale.
Fail #2: The racing is close. You are in a tacking duel with the other hot favorite to win the Summer Series. Ten guys roll under the boom at every tack and launch themselves onto the windward rail. It’s hot work and the sweating crew are in T-shirts and shorts. A RIB approaches at high speed, you think the press photographers are here. Smile! What a mistake, they are coast guard. Instead of winning the cup, you are fined for not wearing life jackets, and the guy who works the foredeck, who gave them a mouthful, is off to jail in handcuffs.
The result … they have taken the fun out of what you love doing. Worse, they have taken away your freedom of choice.
A responsible skipper should know when to order the crew to wear their life jackets. Educate don’t legislate!
If this law goes through you can say goodbye to one of the last great freedoms left to mankind, the freedom of the seas.

I ATE FLIPPER (and went to Sea World)

2011-05-18T14:20:00.000-04:00

St. Maarten – I have been following the discussion over the building of a Dolphinarium. The local paper and Facebook are abuzz with it. Now comes my terrible confession: I have eaten dolphin steak, yes, dolphin … flipper—not mahi-mahi. And to compound my crime, I own up to visiting Sea World.

I once worked as a commercial fisherman, in fact, I owned a fishing boat. We were docked in a small port in Brittany, France, when the deep-sea fleet came in. The fishermen, against all the rules, would harpoon a dolphin while on their way home. It had been a tradition for years. Maybe they still do, I don’t know. I hope not. Anyway, one of the fishermen was a friend and he invited us to dinner where we were served dolphin steaks. The steaks, thick, red and rare, were lovingly cooked by his wife and served in our honor.

Before Dolphin Defenders start baying at my door, I should say that this happened many years ago.

Both experiences left me with a deep feeling of unease.

Since those days, I have sailed thousands of miles. Crossed the Atlantic a few times – alone and with crew – sailed the Mediterranean, cruised the Bahamas, US eastern seaboard and the Caribbean.

On those voyages, I learned about dolphins and what it is to be free.

For dolphins the ocean, in all its moods, is home. They dance in the wild waters of the storm and are at peace in the calms. At night, beneath a million stars, I have seen them cutting through the phosphorescence like torpedoes, leaving a trail of diamonds in their wake. Below, tucked up in my bunk, a thousand miles from land, I have heard their song. Once, while in the cockpit, a mother brought her calf to look at this stranger from another world. I leaned over the gunwale and watched as she swam alongside. Keeping herself between the boat and her calf, she rolled and looked into my eyes. She did this several times and then sped away.

That night, in my loneliness, I cried.

I have come to realize that, like half-cooked broccoli in overpriced restaurants, visits to Sea World and dolphin steaks, we can be coerced into accepting just about anything.

Dolphins must remain free: St. Maarten does not need a dolphin circus. St. Maarten and its people are better than that. Don’t let them force this through. Say no to the dolphinarium.

Bugger 'elf and Safety, let's raft across the Atlantic! The amazing voyage of An-Tiki

2011-05-14T12:53:00.002-04:00

The world needs more rafters!

The arrival in St. Maarten of the raft An-Tiki caused quite a stir. I was on the dock at the St. Maarten Yacht Club when the raft and its crew, Anthony Smith (85) David Hildred (57) Andrew Bainbridge (56) and John Russell (61) were towed through the Simpson Bay Bridge and into the lagoon at the end of their 66-day voyage from the Canary Islands. I didn’t Blog about it at the time but it was certainly worth a big mention.

The man behind the voyage, Anthony Smith, is a well know explorer who, amongst many other things, lists flying over the Alps in a balloon on his rather impressive CV. Anthony also presented a science program on British TV. The oldest member of the crew, Smith made headlines when he celebrated his 85 birthday in mid-ocean and his fellow rafters made him a cake. Images of the event went around the world and appeared on most major news networks.

The voyage of An-Tiki raised money for the charity WaterAid and the raft itself was built out of Polyethylene water pipes supplied by GPS PE Pipe Systems in the UK. “WaterAid is a very good cause. We’re very happy to be promoting them. We had a great trip and we can say that WaterAid can benefit,” said Smith shortly after stepping ashore.

Sailing Master David Hildred described how, when the rudders broke shortly after leaving the Canaries, they were able to steer by means of four dagger boards, one at each corner of the raft, and a long sweep attached to the stern. “We managed to get this incredible vessel to track very well, not only dead downwind, but on broad reaches and even on a beam reach,” he said.

An-Tiki’s crew has returned to the real world, leaving the raft at anchor in French St. Martin. I see her every day and still marvel at her amazing voyage and think about the adventurers who brought her across an ocean.

The voyage of An-Tiki may not be over. When the raft left the Canaries, the plan was to head for the Bahamas. According to Hildred, that voyage north might still happen!

Anguilla Regatta. Great sailing but where’s the mix up?

2011-05-10T14:33:00.004-04:00

What a fabulous weekend! Acres of grey cloud kept the sun at bay and made the 9th Anguilla regatta even more enjoyable. I know, if you live in a colder, less sunny clime, you think I’m nuts, but sitting on the windward rail in the blazing tropical sun can, at times, be demanding. Of course, there is always cold beer and sometimes champagne to relieve the dehydration, there’s even water for those who like it!

The Anguilla Regatta has roller-coasted through many changes since the first event back in 2002. In the early days, the regatta made much of its logo ‘Go Mix Up’. This was an attempt to bring together the crews of the local racing sloops and the yachtsmen taking part in the regatta. The idea was to ‘mix up’ the crews. It worked for a while and I took the opportunity to race on an Anguillian Sloop, an experience I will never forget and one for which I will always be grateful. Unfortunately, the ‘mix up’ no longer happens. The locals have their race, the yachts their regatta and, instead of coming together, the two have gone their separate ways.

Is there hope of the two groups getting back together? Yes, there is, and it’s thanks to the work of the Anguilla Regatta who channel the funds generated by the event into the Anguilla Youth Sailing Program. Youngsters who go through the program will eventually take their sailing skills into the traditional sloops, thus replacing a generation that think winning a race is down to dogged determination as much as sailing technique.

While the yachtsmen compete for trophies that in Anguilla amount to a bottle of champagne, the local sloops will only race for cash. I refuse to get drawn into this argument, after all, the Budget Marine Match Race, held during the buildup to the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, put up a purse of $10,000 to be shared between the winners. Try explaining that!

However, the irony of all this is that the Anguilla Sailing Association, supported by the non-profit Anguilla Regatta, and generous donations from certain businesses and individuals, has a sailing school that is teaching numerous local children to sail and producing some of the top young sailors in the Caribbean. And while many in the community give back, when it comes to the country’s national sport, others ask what’s in it for me?

This year’s Anguilla Regatta was superb. Next year the regatta celebrates its tenth year. Let’s hope by then it will be more ‘mixed up’. For details and results, visit: http://anguillaregatta.com

I would like to thank our hosts the Anguilla Regatta, the Pump House and Ripples Restaurants in Sandy Ground and the Straw Hat Restaurant in Meads Bay. Thanks also to CuisinArt Resort & Spa for their superb hospitality, and to Wendell Connor’s Taxi Service & Car Rental, who came to our rescue. Captain Garth Steyn of the St. Maarten Sailing School and Captain Ian Hope-Ross of Kick ‘em Jenny deserve special thanks for inviting me to race on their boats, and thanks go to Alice and Reg who did a great job driving the press boat. As always, our friends Richard and Maryse West of the schooner Charm III looked after us in fine style.

St. Maarten's Yachting Season. The Good the Bad and the downright Ugly

2011-05-05T09:13:00.001-04:00

Dutch St. Maarten is still charging exorbitant fees for yachts to enter the Simpson Bay Lagoon. This is reflected in the amount of cruising boats anchored on the Dutch Side. Driving along the edge of the lagoon, the border is clearly marked by the number of yachts anchored north of the line, in French St. Martin. In an effort to win back the smaller boats, Dutch St. Maarten did reduce the bridge/anchoring fees, however, it seems to have done little and the majority of cruising boats still favor the French side where, for now, there is no charge to anchor.
Most of the Caribbean regattas claim to have had successful events although most say their numbers were down. Our own St. Maarten Heineken Regatta dazzled as always and although we had fewer yachts, mainly amongst the bareboat fleet, the quality of boats and crews taking part shone through. More and more big names in ocean racing are making the Heineken a ‘must do’ and the one day Budget Marine Match Race, prior to the main event, is bringing much attention to the island as top match racers chase a purse of $10,000.
One thing for certain, the yachting season is winding down and I can’t recall ever seeing our marinas, which offer temporary home to ever-growing numbers of megayachts, so empty this early in the year. Talk amongst the crews is that fewer of the ‘blessed’ chartered this season and so the big yachts just sat at the dock. And here’s the kicker: more owners are coming to realize that it can be cheaper to sit at a dock in the Mediterranean or North America, so lets get the f**k out of Dodge.
St. Maarten is a success story. It rebuilt after the devastating hurricane of 1995 and went on to become the Yachting Capital of the Caribbean. With success came ever increasing prices. The cost of having boat work done went through the roof. Hourly rates mirror that of a lawyer. With more Caribbean marinas coming on line every year, as everyone fights for a piece of the lucrative yachting pie, I like to think prices will come down.
Then again, I though I would never see myself buying a GPS and look where that got me.

Fire at Sea. A sailor's Nightmare

2011-05-03T18:46:00.002-04:00

Recently I heard news of two catastrophic fires, the first on a chartered catamaran in Anguilla, and the second on the famous Rachel Pugh 75 Titan during Antigua Race Week. Investigations into the fires are underway but everything points to faults in the electrical systems.
We almost lost our classic yacht Driac II to an electrical fire while cruising the Caribbean. We were heading for the Virgin Islands on a rare windless day. The engine was rumbling and rattling away when suddenly the cabin filled with smoke. I dashed below and was almost overcome by fumes. Groping around, I managed to turn off the main switch, stop the engine, and rip out a handful of smoldering cable from behind the engine control panel. This was enough and the fire went out. Once the fumes had cleared, I checked the fire extinguishers and, sure enough, like everything else on our old boat, they were way out of date.
Looking back, I remember being shocked by the amount of fumes generated by such a small fire. It made me think just how difficult it would be to put out a fire that really took hold. If you couldn’t extinguish it quickly, then chances are you wouldn’t extinguish it at all.
It’s frightening just how many crews don’t know where the fire extinguishers are located. Even worse, and here I speak from experience during a fire ashore, is grabbing a fire extinguisher only to find that when you hit the trigger it fails to go off.
Perhaps now is a good time to check your emergency equipment and brush up on firefighting techniques.

That Was the Week that Was.

2011-03-16T17:22:00.001-04:00

This is my first Blog since December and of that I am not proud. So let's try and catch up. Lots of things have happened on St. Maarten over the last few months, some good, some downright awful. The worst was the abduction and murder of the chef from the megayacht Cheetah Moon. This barbaric act, followed by three unrelated murders within a week, shook the island to the core. As of writing, no progress has been made in apprehending the killers. However, the gravity of the situation at least dragged the reports to the front page of the most widely read of the two local newspapers. In the past, murder has been relegated to the inside pages in order not to upset the tourists or threaten the islands one-pillar economy. A move by the St. Maarten Marine Association to introduce a shuttle bus between the hours of 9pm and 6am to carry yacht crews to and from popular night clubs is welcome. Who will provide a shuttle bus for cruisers at anchor as not been addressed.

On a brighter note, this years St. Maarten Heineken Regatta was a huge success, even though light winds played havoc and resulted in numerous DNFs in some bareboat classes. Naysayers like me, who said the organizers had made a big mistake in their choice of headline act for the final party, had to eat their words or, in my case, swallow much Heineken. Wyclef Jean not only rocked the sailors and half the population of the island island until nigh on 2.30 in the morning, he put on one of the best shows seen at the regatta for years. His warm-up act, Orange Grove, were on fine form, too. This is one regatta I won't forget. I came away with a cracked rib and a great hangover .. it doesn't get better than that!

Murder on the High Seas

2010-12-15T12:40:00.005-04:00

I'm the first to admit that I am an emotional guy. You wouldn't want to sit next to me in the cinema when the film is sad or joyous, my blubbering would drive you nuts. I'm OK with bombs, bullets and exploding helicopters, I mean you know that's not real.
Stay with me, I'm coming to the crunch! As the host of a radio show covering world sailing news, I try to keep it positive. Sailing is a sport I love and it's rarely hard news. Occasionally, hard news comes my way and I feel obliged to report it. I am not under any pressure to do so, only that exerted by my own conscience. My last show had me fighting back tears of anger and deep sadness over the ongoing problem of people smuggling between the islands of the Caribbean. Here's my radio report:
I hate opening the show with bad news but this story made me so angry, I just had to talk about it. Eight people, two of them children, are known to have died when a boat, and I use the term boat loosely, capsized of the coast of Tortola in the BVI earlier this week. The dead were said to be Haitian nationals being smuggled into the Virgin Island by a boat that allegedly came from St. Maarten. This doesn’t surprise me as it’s been going on for years, and I have seen it with my own eyes. The scum running these boats know nothing about the sea and should, in my book, be charged with murder. The passengers who line up to board these boats are dreaming of a better life, that life has now been take from them. I can’t imagine what it was like for the children when they inhaled their first mouthful of sea water. Authorities in St. Maarten have arrested three people who they suspect are involved in human smuggling, and police and coast guard in Dutch and French St. Martin, along with their counterparts in the Virgin Islands are conducting an investigation. I hope they go after these people with the same vigor as that used three weeks ago following a number of break-ins on mega yachts in the Simpson Bay Lagoon. END.

I can't follow that really. Good news next time.

Season begins with Clouds and Clout. New Show, New Podcast.

2010-11-15T10:15:00.007-04:00

Sitting at the computer – where else- looking out on another beautiful Caribbean autumn day. Yesterday we kicked of a new season of YachtBlast on Island 92, 91.9fm St. Maarten. Island 92 is the Caribbean’s top Rock and Blues station broadcasting to the northeast Caribbean and to the rest of the world via Internet.

This is the fourth season of YachtBlast which ranks as one of the world’s favorite sailing shows. YachtBlast is supported by a weekly podcast that to date has been downloaded over 25,000 times. The podcast is available from iTunes or by following the link.

The first show covers the sailing news from the Caribbean and around the world. Our main interview, and one I really enjoyed recording, was with Jimmy Cornell the man who created the ARC - Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. Jimmy comments about the early days and how he thought the ARC would be a one-off event. This year more than 250 boats celebrate the ARC’s 25th anniversary so Jimmy sure got that wrong.

The first boat in the Velux5Oceans race has made it to Cape Town. American Brad Van Liew arrived tired but elated to a hero’s welcome. This is one of the world’s toughest races and one that held the spotlight for many years. This year’s entry list is very disappointing, the sailors are of the best but there are only five of them and, unless the organizers can pull something out of the hat, this Velux might be the last. The rise of Class 40 is affecting the world of ocean racing in many ways and the Velux could be the first casualty.

The yachting season in St. Maarten has got off to a spectacular start with quite a number of mega yachts arriving early this year. We should be happy, however; there is a dark cloud over the Simpson Bay Lagoon. Several of the mega yachts have been boarded at night. This is a new phenomenon in St. Maarten. The authorities and the local marine industry have quickly joined forces and increased security at all marinas, ashore and on the water. Coastguard patrols have been doubled and private security firms are, for the first time, patrolling in high speed boats. CCTV cameras are playing their part and one perpetrator has been caught on film. To keep the record straight, no one has been injured, there has been no violence, and certainly no weapons of any kind were used during these unfortunate incidents. Lorraine Talmi of the St. Marine Trades Association, and IGY assistant manager Martin Plas discuss the problem and the steps that are being taken to prevent it from happening again on the YachtBlast podcast.

ST. MAARTEN WINDS OF CHANGE

2010-10-17T13:12:00.001-04:00

The Winds of Change
St. Maarten Bridge and Mooring fees after 10-10-10

The winds of change are blowing in Dutch Sint Maarten. On October 10 St. Maarten became a country within the Dutch Kingdom. As we woke on October 11, it seemed little had changed. The new government gave themselves a day off while the rest of the population went about their normal business.

Before the change to country status it was announced that there would be a reduction in bridge and mooring fees for yachts visiting the island beginning January 1. This has been long in coming, it doesn’t go far enough, but at least it’s a start. According to the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association, high fees, introduced without prior notice two years ago, caused a devastating decline in arrivals and a major drop in business activities.
St. Maarten’s marine economy was built on the backs of the smaller cruising boats, reports say that this is where the largest decline occurred, with a sixty-five to seventy-five per cent drop over the last 24 months.

Much can be blamed on ‘mega yacht’ madness. From government and right down the food chain, the mega yacht was seen as the Golden Goose. Legislators appear to be doing something to put that right but, to be fair; many businesses are not without blame, they cranked up prices to shake as much cash out of the mega yachts as they could. “They can pay, they can pay, money’s no object,” was the cry. I heard it first hand, time and again.

Small boats were caught up in the madness and came up with their own answer. Instead of taking out a mortgage to pay for an hour of a service professionals’ time, they took their boats elsewhere and broadcast it to the world through social media.

Let’s hope that what started before country status will continue. That St. Maarten will lower all bridge and mooring fees, businesses will understand the threat posed by burgeoning competition elsewhere, and the island will regain its rightful place as the Yachting Capital of the Caribbean.

Effective January 1, 2011, fees for vessels in the categories eight to eighteen meters will change as follows: A thirty per cent reduction in bridge fee rates; and a rebate of two free weeks out of every eight consecutive weeks spent in St. Maarten.

Hurricanes drive me nuts!

2010-09-24T11:00:00.002-04:00

Like everyone who lives in the islands, I spend part of the year with one eye to the east looking for, let’s keep it polite and call them ‘pesky’, hurricanes. This is the first year that our boat Strange Light has been stored ashore for the windy season and I’m not sure I like it. There’s something, well, perversely thrilling about bouncing around on your boat while all hell breaks loose. Of course having a steel boat, a massive mooring, and several big anchors, does help. There’s still plenty to worry about, like commercial boats run by jokers who think might is right except when it comes to anchors and seamanship. And yachtsmen who leaving their roller furling sails on their forestay where inevitably they un-furl and cause great entertainment before dragging the yacht away or tearing the mast out of the deck. Watching the apartment windows bow while waiting for the roof to blow off just doesn’t do it for me. My wife, on the other hand, thinks I’m nuts!

LION FISH ROAR IN CARIBBEAN

2010-07-28T11:21:00.004-04:00

Gorgeous but deadly! That is how one diver described the Lion Fish he saw recently at 'The Bridge', a popular St. Maarten dive site. Having reported the sighting, the St. Maarten Nature Foundation swung into action and after a couple of attempts managed to capture the Lion Fish, which turned out to be a juvenile. A few days later, divers reported sighting a Lion Fish off the coast of Saba, so it seems they are beginning to establish themselves in local waters. If you are stung by a Lion Fish, then you are in for some serious pain and, under the right circumstances, contact with the wrong end of a Lion Fish can prove fatal. Injuries to divers and swimmers are bad enough, but the arrival of this invasive species will, if allowed to go unchecked, cause untold damage to Caribbean reefs and indigenous species. The Nature Foundation euthanized the Lion Fish and dissected it for study. But where there's one, there must be many. How did this threat arrive in the Caribbean? News sources say two Lion Fish found their way into the ocean after a tank at a Miami aquarium was damaged during a hurricane, and it's their progeny that are now working their way down the island chain. Divers and swimmers are asked to report all sightings of Lion Fish to the relevant local authorities. In the mean time, keep your fingers and toes out of the way or the lion that roars might be you!

Should the Coast Guard tow?

2010-07-16T11:49:00.007-04:00

News that the St. Maarten Coast Guard failed to respond to a pan-pan message has caused concern. When the skipper of the yacht Silver Moon was dismasted shortly after leaving the Simpson Bay Lagoon on Monday, July 12, he reportedly broadcast a pan-pan for 30-minutes. The call went unanswered. Finally, the call was acknowledged by the regional rescue center in Guadeloupe. They rebroadcast the call and asked for any vessel in the vicinity of St. Maarten to respond. The message was picked up by the Amcon Lagoon Diving Service's tug Skutter which had just dropped off a tow. The tug had the yacht in sight and assisted the vessel back to the harbor, having first removed the mast from alongside the yacht. The owner of the yacht was so angry at the lack of response by the local coast guard, that he sent an article to the St. Maarten Daily Herald seeking an explanation. The newspaper contacted the coast guard and asked for a comment and, basically, were told shit happens. My thoughts are that either no one was monitoring the VHF or the coast guard are more interested in looking for illegal activities. Should the coast guard tow boats in distress? In St. Maarten, we have the answer.

Boat owner photographs Black Hole in inner space!

2010-04-16T16:16:00.005-04:00

The work goes on. Bit daunted this week as work steamrollered, going from good to bad and back to okay. Taking a break at the point of giving the boat away, or hacking into the cabinets in the fore-cabin with a chainsaw, paid off, and things looked much better on third day of destruction. The photo shows the corrosion in the anchor locker, which isn't as bad as it looks. The cockpit is next!

Turtles at at the beach Bar. Will they hatch and survive?

2010-04-13T19:20:00.005-04:00

Let's hope these turtle eggs hatch OK. The nest appeared outside one of St. Maarten's most popular beach bars. Lot's of noise, people and music. The St. Maarten Nature Foundation threw the cordon around it, and we'll keep you updated here.

My new novel Caribbean High now available! Click HERE for details ...

2010-04-02T16:01:00.005-04:00

2010-03-27T11:03:00.000-04:00

2010-03-27T11:01:00.000-04:00

It’s red, it’s plump, it’s a rusty sailing lump

2010-03-26T09:12:00.001-04:00

Shame on me! Our boat, once our pride and joy, is now a flagship for the adage ships and men rot in port. Okay, my wife says I haven’t rotted that much, God love her, but she does agree that the boat is a mess. Now, thanks to a friend with a space in his construction yard, things are about to change. You could be forgiven for thinking that living in what is dubbed The Yachting Capital of the Caribbean; it would be easy to keep a boat maintained. But times and boats have changed. Fiberglass, money, and, yes, respectability is the name of the game. The days when a St. Maarten boat yard (note: I say St. Maarten and not St. Martin) would haul your steel boat and let you cut, weld and grind, are almost gone. You can’t blame them, who wants rust marks all over the topsides of their recently sprayed boat? Still, it doesn’t change the fact that cruising, as we once knew it, has changed. Banging on the boat with a chipping hammer brought back memories of clouting my wooden boat with a mallet. Bang … whoa, what’s that? Thunk … shit, that sounds expensive. Not surprising, then, that owners of older fiberglass boats spend so much time poncing about sailing, while us diehards are character building 

A time to sail, a time to broadcast

2010-03-01T14:34:00.001-04:00

Blame it on the Heineken Regatta! The problem with a radio station that not only has a great maritime show but a team of presenters who actually sail, is that for one week in March no one wants to be in the Island 92 studio. Usually you can’t tear a presenter away from the microphone but the Green Machine changes all that.
Before sitting down to write this I visited the yacht club to attend a press conference, and within ten minutes spoke to four of the world’s top sailors. Talk about putting St. Maarten on the map!
Talking about maps, the YachtBlast podcast goes from strength to strength and is now downloaded more than 2000 times a week worldwide. We’re lucky in St. Maarten, through the yacht club we can sail whenever we want. Technology is grand but it’s no substitute for a fair wind and a cold beer.

Hit and Run on Proselyte Reef

2010-02-09T09:06:00.004-04:00

On Monday, I had a very angry call from the Ocean Explorers Dive Center and dive master Lucian de Lima, who told me that that over the weekend a ship had run into Proselyte reef off Philipsburg, and done a huge amount of damage to the coral. As it turns out, it wasn’t a ship but a tug probably towing a barge. Divers think the tug slowed down as it approached Great Bay, which caused the steel towing cable to sink to the bottom over the reef. When the tug accelerated, the towing cable scythed across the reef destroying three swathes of coral some thirty feet wide. No vessel should be in the vicinity of Proselyte Reef as it’s within the marine park. There is a light on the reef, it is visible in daylight, and it is marked on the chart, so you don’t even need GPS to find it. As usual, the ship failed to report the incident and legged it. It happens a lot in St. Maarten. Human nature, I guess, vessels spill oil and diesel and don’t own up. Legislation is in place to issue fines but when money is tight, there is no one to enforce it. According to the divers, the reef could be repaired, but again it takes time and money. Both are in short supply. One month from now and the coral is beyond repair and nature will have to take its course. To hear more about the damage to Proselyte Reef download the February 7th YachtBlast podcast from iTunes.

COMMENTS ABOUT ITEMS YOU HEAR ON YACHTBLAST

2010-01-23T18:57:00.004-04:00

Please leave comments about what you heard on YachtBlast or the Podcast!

Good deeds, bad navigation & the joys of being young

2010-01-18T10:56:00.009-04:00

The loss of the Irish entry Cork in the Clipper around the World Race has raised some eyebrows. A few weeks back Cork T-boned another competitor at the start of the race in Cape Town. On Thursday she went one better and struck a reef in the Java Sea. Video footage released to the media showed the yacht high and dry just meters away from a small tower that marked the end of the reef. Obviously, someone is facing serious questions and clipper tells me that a full investigation is underway. Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said Cork was the first yacht they have lost in over two million miles of racing. Let’s hope it’s their last.

It’s been an amazing week for sixteen year old Australian Jessica Watson. On Wednesday, Jessica, who is attempting to become the youngest person to sail nonstop and unassisted around the world, rounded Cape Horn having covered almost ten thousand miles of her solo voyage. Lot’s of people, me include, expressed concern when Jessica announced she was setting off on her record attempt and I was even more concerned after she ran into a freighter during a training voyage in the dark. Well, you’ve got to hand it to her, as she seems to be proving us all wrong. Why the detraction? Because we wish it was us! Go Jessica …

Members and staff at the St. Maarten Yacht Club have come together to help the people of the devastated island of Haiti. Brad and Tara, who run the yacht club bar and restaurant, donated a percentage of Saturday’s bar receipts to the cause, and well know St. Maarten yachtsman Ian Hope Ross donated fifty buckets from his construction company. The buckets were washed out by volunteers, filled with goods, clothes etc., and given to the Red Cross for shipment to Haiti. The collection goes on all week and it’s nice to report that there is more to our yacht club than sailing and cold beer.

Laser me, Baby ... ouch!

2010-01-08T16:44:00.003-04:00

I went sailing in a Laser this week and I still haven’t recovered. It was one of those snap decisions; the keelboat we usually take out on Tuesday afternoon was stuck at the far end of the lagoon. Evidently the family who had rented it had ripped the jib and found it impossible to beat back with just the main. Kathy, my sailing partner, said: “How about you join us tomorrow on a Laser instead?” and without thinking, I agreed. I last sailed a Laser 25 years ago when under the influence of strong drink. A friend and I ‘borrowed’ one from a beach in Antigua and took off on a New Year’s Eve cruise around Falmouth Harbour. Lasers, drunks and Christmas trade winds are a wonderful combination and we spent half the time trying to climb back into the boat. Great fun until I realized my once full pockets were now empty and my wallet stuffed with cash, cards and various forms of ID was now being dragged across the sea bed by a crab. Anyway, I’m now sailing a laser and if my cuts, bruises, and sore backside have healed by Wednesday, I’ll be out there again. The reason I’m telling you all this is that when it comes to sailing it’s never too late to change direction and although I’ve been hobbling around like a cripple for a few days, when the wind filled the sail and I took of down wind, I felt like I was sixteen again :)

In a dinghy at night, carry a light

2009-12-20T17:07:00.002-04:00

Have you ever been stopped by the coastguard for failing to show a light while in you dinghy at night. Well it just happened to a friend of mine and he wasn’t too happy to be handed a fine. Having almost smashed into a couple of dinghies that were running through the lagoon without lights, I can tell you it’s a hell of a shock. And over the years, several people have been killed on the lagoon because someone wasn’t showing a light. I had this discussion with another friend of mine, a very experienced captain, and he suggested we take a look at what the regulations call for. So, for my piece of mind as well as yours, here they are. A vessel under oars or paddles of less than 7 meters / 23.0 ft must have an electric torch or lighted lantern showing a white light which can be shown in sufficient time to prevent collision. Now this is where it gets interesting. A power-driven vessel of less than 7 meters or 23.0 ft with a maximum speed of less than 7 knots may display only an all-round white light. However, if practical, these should also show sidelights. Now, the way I read it is that a small dinghy with an outboard must show an all-round white light. What is unclear is what lights you need if your small dinghy and outboard is capable of speeds above 7 knots, and that would include a small inflatable with a 15 horsepower outboard. Does the speed lift you into the next category, which is a power-driven vessel of between 7 and 12 meters and if it does, then should you display an all-round white light and sidelights?

St. Maarten! What if they held a Charter Boat Show and nobody came?

2009-12-01T12:14:00.007-04:00

Although you might not know it, as there has been little local rah rah rah this year, the MYBA St. Maarten Charter Show opens its doors on Friday. According to the MYBA website, 28 yachts are taking part and that’s down from the 38 that attended last year. The Concourse de Chef will again be a highlight along with the Taste of St. Maarten and the Yacht Hop. With high bridge and mooring fees still plaguing yachts entering St. Maarten, and the Charter Boat Show in Antigua cranking-up on the 7th, it will be interesting to see just how much support the SXM show receives this year. A poor turnout and bad press could sound the death knell for an event that started out with such fanfare and promise. There’s no doubt that the marine industry benefits from this show, and right now they need all the support they can get. But what about the local population, what would they think if the Exhibition should fold? Well, frankly Scarlet, they don’t give a damn, and that’s a shame. Poor local PR is worse than no PR and MYBA have only themselves to blame for that. The MYBA Charter Yacht Show runs from December 4 - 7

Cup boats fear winds that ten year old in optimist would treat with contempt!

2009-11-24T11:04:00.004-04:00

From the announcements made every week, one would surmise that the America’s Cup will take place. But what kind of race will it be, I dread to think. On November 11th the Société Nautique de Genève, in their role as defender of the 33rd America’s Cup, published the Notice of Race that will govern the event. And this calls for the first race to take place in Valencia, Spain on Monday February 8th, 2010. Less than ten weeks away. When I read that, I got all excited, but then I read some more. Included in the notice of race is this amazing piece of nonsense … the races won’t start if the wind exceeds fifteen knots or the waves are more than one meter high. And they say they have done this to ensure the safety of competitors, officials and spectators. All the millions they have spent on developing two of the most advanced sailboats the world has ever seen and they won’t race in winds that a ten year old in an optimist dinghy would treat with contempt. What have they done to the America’s Cup?

What a load of Bull!

2009-11-16T14:13:00.002-04:00

Now that disgraced investor Bernard Madoff has been thrown in jail, the authorities are selling of his assets. The latest to go are his three yachts which fell under the auctioneer’s hammer on Monday. The yacht’s, a 55 foot-1969 Rybovich Sport Fisher, a 38 foot-2003 Shelter Island Runabout, and 23 foot- Maverick Boat Co. 2400 Center Console, all have the word bull in their name: There’s Bull, Little Bull, and Sitting Bull. Strangely there’s no Bull Shit, perhaps he’s saving that for when and if he ever gets out. The auctioneers were waiting to see if Madoff’s notoriety would add to the price and push the bids to a higher level.

Hey skip, chuck another shrimp on the barbie!

2009-11-10T10:07:00.002-04:00

Who do you think invented BBQ? Well according to the St Maarten Charter Yacht Exhibition it was the Arawak Indians of the 17th century. Hard to imagine isn’t it all those Arawaks sitting around drinking beer and saying chuck another shrimp on the Barbie. Anyway, barbecue is the theme of this year’s Concourse de Chef Competition at the charter boat show in December. Competing chefs will be asked to use any fish, shell fish, land based protean, vegetable or fruit found in the Caribbean Basin. This will be a two lunch format, main course and desert. Registration is now open and limited to twenty chefs. You should be able to download the registration form from www.mybacaribbeanshow.com or contact the administrators on 599 544 2436. The exhibition ruins from December 4th to the 7th.

America's Cup... yaaawn ....

2009-11-04T13:17:00.003-04:00

Well it had to happen, the New York Supreme Court have ruled that the Société Nautique de Genève cannot hold the America's Cup in Ras Al Khaimah, in the United Arab Emirates. The SNG, the yacht club representing Cup Defender Alinghi, had announced the emirate as the venue several months ago. But its challenger, BMW/Oracle, objected in court. Unfortunately for the Swiss syndicate, whose lawyers, I suspect, are now looking for another job, they had already shipped their boat to the emirate. Pretty cocky that. In her ruling, Justice Shirley Kornreich said that the February 2010 event must take place in a venue in the Southern Hemisphere as per the competition's governing document, the famous Deed of Gift, or in Valencia, Spain, where the last America's Cup was held. The Golden Gate Yacht Club, which represents challengers BMW/Oracle, was said to be pleased with the ruling. All the money they have spent arguing, and now they’re back looking at Valencia as a venue. It’s more like a bad soap opera than a yacht race.

SMYC News: Yacht Racing back with a vengeance

2009-10-26T11:41:00.005-04:00

November sees the start of the St. Maarten Yacht Club Keelboat Racing Season and the club has come up with a whole new idea. Points will be awarded for yachts that take part in races throughout the season and these include the French side Course de L’Alliance, Captain Oliver’s Regatta, the Anguilla Regatta and the Statia/Nevis Race. There are 13 races and a total of 14 points up for grabs. The season will end with the presentation of perpetual trophies for spinnaker and non-spinnaker classes at the St. Maarten Yacht Club on Saturday July 24th next year. The first of the races is around the cans and that’s on Sunday the 22nd of November and it’s followed the week after by the Course de L’Alliance. People have fought hard to bring yacht racing back to the SMYC and this series deserves everyone's full support. I’ll be talking to someone about how and why this 13 race series came about on YachtBlast next week, in the mean time if you want more details then email info@smyc.com or log on to http://www.smyc.com

Thieves are at it again!

2009-10-12T12:07:00.000-04:00

Outboards are the target of thieves operating around St. Maarten’s Simpson Bay Lagoon. Having been shown a heavy stainless steel chain that has been cut by an even heavier set of bolt cutters, and an all but severed stainless steel lock, one of the strongest that money can buy, then I suggest dinghy operators take care. Having been the target of thieves in the past, I know the horrible feeling of finding what you have worked so hard for has been taken by a lowlife. I was sad when I found my self-tailing winches were gone and even sadder when I realized that the sextant and dividers that have accompanied me across so many oceans are now in the hands of someone who probably doesn’t even know what they are. And to think that for years, and on just about every island’s in the Caribbean, we never closed our boat!

On Sea-anchors, Bridges and Chunks of Missing Concrete

2009-10-06T15:41:00.002-04:00

Mention of sea-anchors on Sunday’s show drew quite a response on Twitter, and I was delighted to learn that some yachts still carry them. Like life-rafts, sea-anchors are something you hope to never use but, unlike life rafts, too many sea-anchors find themselves shuffled to the bottom of the lazarette, only to be found by the boat’s new owner and either chucked out or sold at the next nautical flea market. The old canvas sea anchors were a bitch to stow, set, and retrieve but the latest sea-anchors or series-drogues are much more user friendly. I would love to hear from anyone who has used a sea-anchor in anger. Please leave your comments below.

St. Maarten’s Simpson’s Bay Bridge has snagged another! I went out of the bridge this morning and noticed a massive chunk of concrete has been knocked off the starboard support. Worse, the wooden fenders attached to the steel pilings on the final approach to the bridge have all disappeared leaving a series of naked steel lugs ready to gouge the topsides of the next vessel that misjudges wind or tide. The lugs will do more than scratch your topsides; they will peel them open like a can of sardines. Mariners beware!

Comments about YachtBlast Sailing Show

2009-09-13T19:18:00.004-04:00

Island 92s sailing/maritime show broadcasts from St. Maarten, the Yachting Capitol of the Caribbean. The show is heard by listeners in St. Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla, Statia, Saber and St.Barts and worldwide via the internet. YachtBlast is also available as a weekly podcast from Itunes or you can download it by following the instructions on www.yachtblast.com If you would like to comment on the show or its contents then please do. The sea is such an amazing subject and the people who work and sail the oceans are a joy to know, although I don't always agree with what they do or say. Your comments will probably be read out on the show, so mean what you say and have at it. Cheers, Gary.

Where have you hidden the Bilge Pump!

2009-09-09T08:03:00.002-04:00

Three men were rescued from the overturned hull of their sports fishing boat last week after being adrift for eight days in the Gulf of Mexico. The coastguard searched for the men for seven days, covering an are of 86,000 square miles before calling off the search. Fortunately the men were spotted the very next day by a yacht and plucked to safety. Talking to the press about the ordeal, one of the fishermen said he woke to find the beanbag he was sleeping on was afloat and a few minutes later the boat capsized. He said the accident was caused by a water extractor malfunction...
Fancy going to sea without a bilge pump!

Sailor Ted RIP

2009-08-30T18:58:00.001-04:00

Senator Ted Kennedy passed away on Wednesday. A couple of years ago, I was sailing off the Kennedy compound up there in Cap Cod. I was with a friend on his 18 foot day boat when we came across Ted and his wife sailing their lovely little traditional dingy. The winds were very light and Ted sailed right along side us. He shouted, "Good morning, beautiful day isn’t it," and then he tacked away. There was just him and his wife enjoying the water with no security insight. I came away with lovely memories of that day. May Ted rest in piece.

Old farts, young sailors, and those all important records.

2009-08-23T17:26:00.003-04:00

Light winds in the north Atlantic have delayed 17 year-old Mike Perham's bid to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. Now this is quite an achievement for Perham although he made many stops along the way on what was originally meant to be a nonstop circumnavigation. Perham had all sorts of problems, which had to be solved by his farther and a parade of technicians who seemed to turn up at every port. The lad also lost some credibility when he reportedly turned off his boat tracking device as he sailed through the Caribbean, because he was worried about pirates. Yes, it’s still a marvelous achievement by one so young but, if three teenage girls get there way the young Englishman will soon look like a pussy. The first is 16 year old Australian Jessica Watson. She plans to sail unaided and nonstop east about via the great Capes. Jessica will tackle the 22,000 mile voyage in a 34-foot production sloop and, according to her website; she’s leaving in mid September. Then there’s 15 year old Abigail Sunderland. She’s the sister of 17 year old Zac Sunderland. Zac recently sailed into Marina Del Ray in Los Angeles to become the youngest person to circumnavigate. Abigail says she wants to go one better than her brother and circumnavigate nonstop. Now her family is looking for a sponsor willing to dump 350,000 dollars into the pot to finance her adventure. Also throwing her hat into the ring is Dutch 13-year old Laura Dekker. Her parents say she is ready to sail nonstop around the world. However, civil servants in her home town say no way, and have refused to give her permission to be absent from school. It’s beginning to sound like reality TV isn’t it. The Sailing Anarchy website has taken up this story and reports that the ‘Unborn Sailor Association’ has announced their new effort to break the record. They say an unborn fetus named 'Baby Ernesto', will attempt to sail around the world nonstop and unassisted, to become the youngest sailor ever to do so. “They want young, we'll give 'em young,” says Sailing Anarchy. Given the fact that it’s hard to be younger than an unborn, we feel confident that this record will truly stand the test of time.
I support youngsters who want to sail nonstop around the world. But hey, do it right. If you say you are going nonstop, then make sure you prepare the boat properly on the understanding that once out there your parents are not going to get you out of the s**t. If you succeed, great, until some parent sanctions another record attempt by someone even younger who dies along the way and brings the efforts of all young sailors into disrepute.

Hurricanes. One near miss and now a monster is on the way

2009-08-18T12:20:00.005-04:00

Hurricanes are the price we pay for all our Caribbean Sunshine, but sunshine is no consolation to anyone sitting in the path of an approaching cyclone. Experiencing such weather on land is bad enough. Facing the same while at anchor is worse. Going through a hurricane while at sea doesn’t event bear thinking about. Yet, when we experience a hurricane in St. Maarten, usually all three scenarios play out. I’ve been to a remembrance service for sailors who thought they could outrun a hurricane. When hurricane Luis devastated St. Maarten in 1995, people came out the other side knowing what they did right and what they did wrong. Some 1200 boats were sunk or tossed ashore during Luis; it was a sight to see. Most of the sailors who went through Luis have left the islands, and few people remember how it was. This has taken us back to 1995. Now I hear sailors talk about how they once anchored in 60 knots of wind and they aint scared of no storm! They’re the ones who leave their roller furling headsails attached, kick out two anchors on string, and parade around the bars with a rum bottle in one hand and their boat insurance policy in the other. God bless them. Here’s a few links that might help you track the storms: http://www.weathercarib.com
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane
http://www.crownweather.com/?page_id=29

Storms on horizon as St. Maarten Simpson Bay Bridge closes for repairs

2009-08-13T13:59:00.004-04:00

With the tropics heating up and storms on the horizon, mariners should take note! Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation hereby announces that as of Monday, August 17 the Simpson Bay Bridge will be close to maritime traffic for a two-week period to facilitate additional repair work. Boat owners and captains therefore must decide whether they will leave their vessel in the lagoon or in the bay. The last bridge openings will be on Sunday, August 16 for inbound and outbound vessels.

Hurricane updates make me smile.

2009-08-10T16:54:00.002-04:00

The weather gurus at Colorado state university have again looked into their crystal ball and rattled the chicken bones and come up with a new prediction for the hurricane season. Not bad now that were half way through it. The scientists, in their wisdom, have downgraded the forecast and now say we can expect ten tropical storms, four of which will become hurricanes. Of those four, they say two will reach major status, that’s category three or more. I shouldn’t knock the prediction because even if they’re only half right it’s better than their December prediction which said we could expect 14 tropical storms and seven hurricanes. The last time I poked fun at the hurricane forecasters I got into trouble, and some one called to say I didn’t take hurricanes seriously enough. Having ridden out hurricane Louis while at anchor and experienced many hurricanes since, believe me I take them very seriously in deed.

America's Cup likened to rabid dog

2009-08-07T11:49:00.001-04:00

Let's stick our head into the circus tent of the America’s cup and see what the clowns are up to. The Society Nautique de Geneve, who represents America’s Cup Defender Alinghy, now says the competition will be held in the United Arab Emirates. Of course, rival team BMW Oracle have said have said screw you, or words to that effect, and it looks like the whole thing will now go back to the courts where has been for the last two years. Can you imaging how much money the lawyers are making from all this. Last week I received a tweet from on of our listeners who said the America's cup should just be put down like the rabid dog it has become. What do you think of the America’s Cup? I’ve posted this item on the blog for your comments. Is the America’s Cup beyond hope? Let me know and I'll read out your comments on the show.

Fastnet 2009

2009-08-05T11:40:00.002-04:00

Three hundred boats are expected to start the Fastnet Race on Sunday. This is the 30th anniversary of the disastrous race of 1979 when 15 sailors lost their lives in a severe storm. A service will be held at Holy Trinity Church in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in remembrance of those who lost their lives. While we remember those who died, we should also remember the brave people of the rescue services, in the air and at sea, who put their own lives at risk by going out into the storm. The rescue services are often forgotten in the media hype.

Island Water World new E-commerce Super Store

2009-08-04T11:26:00.002-04:00

Island Water World - You Click We Ship. (Not a bad logo and I wish I’d thought of it!) With the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association spreading woe over outrageous bridge and mooring fees, it’s nice to see someone with a smile on their face. In an exclusive interview with OceanMedia, Sean Kennelly, Managing Director of Island Water World Caribbean Chandlers based in St. Maarten, was happy indeed as he described how his company’s E-commerce Marine Superstore went live at the weekend. Having navigated through the new site, I think it’s fair to say that in today’s point and click world, it will change the way sailors shop for parts and accessories in the Caribbean. At last something to smile about! To hear the interview, tune in to YachtBlast at 15:00 GMT on Sunday.

What the f**k was that (or trimaran to port)!

2009-08-03T13:54:00.007-04:00

What an amazing feat! Pascal Bidegorry and Banque Populaire V and Frank Cammas and Groupama 3 scream across the Atlantic in a race against each other and the clock. At stake is Cammas’s record from the Ambrose Light off New York to Lizard Point off England’s south coast. Cammas broke his own record, but Bidegorry set a new record by covering the 2900 mile course in a knee-trembling 3 days 15 hours 25 minutes and 48 second. Yes you read that right, an Atlantic crossing in less than 88 hours. Not only did B P 5 set a new Atlantic time, she also covered amazing 907 miles in 24-hours. Now spare a thought for the old freighter watch keeper on the bridge. His ship is steaming at 22 knots to the west when ahead, on the horizon, a sail pops up. Knowing that small sailboats usually truck along at around 5 knots, he goes to the back of the bridge to pour himself a cup of coffee. Cream and sugar and what the f**K was that? A closing speed of 62 knots is what. Watch keepers beware!

St. Maarten Bridge Closures

2009-08-03T09:18:00.000-04:00

We approach the height of the hurricane season with news that the two bridges into St. Maarten's the Simpson Bay lagoon will be closed for maritime traffic some time in the next couple of months. The Simpson Bay Bridge will close for two weeks in mid August and the French bridge will close in September for repairs. If you are cruising the northern Antilles then keep an eye on the weather. Turning up at the entrance to the Simpson Bay Lagoon seeking shelter only to find your bridge of choice is closed for repairs could spoil your day. Mariners should also note that the Dutch Side Bridge will not open once the wind reaches a certain strength, again leaving you nowhere to go. It's happened before with terrible consequences.