Every December, I seem to get at least one email with purported scientific evidence that chocolate is good for you. Yet, I promise, we weren’t looking for chocolate, we were just waiting for the Red Coats Are Coming parade the other night in St. Augustine … And there was the sign: Claude’s Chocolates. Hand made Belgian chocolate. Oh.
So, here’s my theory. If you’re going to have sweets and other things good cruising yogis and yoginis are supposed to avoid, I say, do it right, with intention, focus and complete commitment to the present moment. Make indulgence an art form.
Claude’s Chocolates in St. Augustine is here to help. In the name of yogic science, infused with the holiday spirit of historical reenactment parades, and out of abiding respect and love for our editor Claiborne Young and his first rate first mate Karen, I sampled the following items at Claude’s and pronounce them worthy of chocolate yoga:
1. Dark chocolate bark with hazelnuts and almonds.
2. Dark chocolate covered orange peel dusted with ancho chili powder.
3. Dark chocolate covered almonds dusted with cocoa.
4. Dark chocolate bark with nuts and fruit.
I’m allergic to milk, but my first rate first mate Michael tried — twice — the soft serve chocolate ice cream.
I asked the lovely lady who served us whether the chocolate is really made here and she said, not here but in our other store on US 1 in St. Augustine. She added: “He buys the chocolate from Belgium, but it is all made here.” Close enough for “here”; note to self-rationalizing self: Locavore virtue added to it tastes ridiculously good.
Is he nice? I asked. “We’ve been married for 35 years,” she replied with a wink. “I think so.” Note to self-rationalizing self: Nice chocolatier, nice chocolatier’s wife, this really is hand-made.
I have two words for you: Go there.
Claude’s Chocolates. 51 King Street, St. Augustine (short walk from Municipal Marina). Phone: (904) 808-8395. http://claudeschocolate.com
Captain Jane
S/V Lady Jane

Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor is off the Waterway’s western shoreline, south of unlighted daybeacon #7 and just north of the Vilano Beach Bridge. And, of course, Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor is A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

November 20, 2010
I believe most boaters generally feel as though they are at the mercy of yacht yards and marinas, and that they always overpay for most goods and services associated with boat ownership and operations. It is not unusual to read of such dissatisfaction in boat related magazines and web sites. Every now and then however, someone in the marine industry goes above and beyond that which is reasonably expected of someone in any business. When that happens I believe we should make that known as well.
In my recent case, that someone was one Peter Sabo, President and owner of the Camanchee Yacht Yard located at 3070 Harbor Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084. The yacht yard is associated with the full service Camanchee Yacht Harbor Marina. Both are just off the ICW and just 2 miles from down town St. Augustine.
Our story began on the evening of Saturday, October 30, 2010 at around 1800 hrs. Cheryl, the admiral, and wife of the captain, was below preparing dinner. I was lounging in the cockpit with an adult beverage. That is when I heard `Why won’t the stove stay lit?’ Well, in the interest of brevity, it was determined rather quickly that the electric solenoid controlling the propane was defunct.
That was certainly an inconvenience, but did not seem to be a big problem as we would simply delay our departure one day and go to the local West Marine to pick up a solenoid in the morning. I called West Marine first thing Sunday morning to ensure they had the item in stock. Well, `no, we don’t have that item in stock, but I can get one from the warehouse in California and have it here on Wednesday’ was the reply.
We had been underway, from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts toward home, in Burnt Store Marina, Punta Gorda, Florida, since July. By now we had very itchy feet, and did not relish a delay of three or four days. Based on the advice of another cruiser, I placed a call to the Camanchee Yacht Yard in hopes they might have a solenoid in stock. I heard the fully expected voice recording to `leave a message and we will return your call ASAP’. I was not the least bit surprised, after all, it was Sunday. I didn’t bother to leave a message, as I needed this part today.
I decided I could by-pass the solenoid with a simple pipe coupling then turn the gas bottle on and off the old fashion way. While I was on the phone, locating a hardware store, another incoming call went to voice mail. Cheryl retrieved the voice mail and told me it was from a fellow named Peter Sabo, from Comanche Yacht Yard and Marina, and that he was apologizing for not getting to the phone in time and missing the call. Huh? It’s Sunday.
I called Mr. Sabo right back. He again apologized for missing the call. I explained I just took a chance and really hadn’t expected anyone to be in the office on a Sunday. He explained he was not in the office, but at home doing yard work, and, that he has the calls forwarded to his cell phone. I apologized for disturbing him on a Sunday, at home. He assured me it was no problem, explaining he owns the Comanche Yacht Yard, and `how can I help you’? My, oh my. I apologized again further explaining, with some embarrassment, that I was not even staying at his marina. He said cheerfully `that’s OK, how can I help you’?
I explained my dilemma. He was certain he did not have a solenoid in stock. He agreed that my idea to bypass the solenoid would work as a temporary fix. He thought he might have just what I needed. He then explained he was just on his way to Home Depot, would stop by his shop on the way, and then swing by the city marina to deliver the part. If he did not have the part I needed in the shop, he would pick one up at Home Depot. He just asked for some time as he had been working in the garden. I was in total disbelief, but very grateful, for his most generous offer. We agreed to meet ashore in an hour or so.
As promised Peter Sabo arrived at the city marina with the piece I needed. The price marked on the piece was $4.95. As I pulled some cash from my pocket, he apologized for not having any change for my five-dollar bill. Obviously, I said that’s no problem. He then refused, very much to my disappointment, to accept any further monetary expressions of my gratitude for his extraordinary customer service to a non-customer.
Needless to say both Cheryl and I thanked him profusely. He appeared genuinely happy just to have been able to help us out. Needless to say, the next time I pass through St. Augustine, I will stay at the Comanche Yacht Yard and Marina. Simply based on our experience with Mr. Sabo, the Camanchee Yacht Yard and Marina must be a top-notch operation and I would highly recommend it to anyone else.
Gordon & Cheryl Fogg aboard S/V Foggy Notion

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Marina Directory Listing For Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Camachee Cove Yacht Harbor

The new St. Augustine mooring fields are located just off the path of the AICW, north and south of the Bridge of Lions in the heart of St. Augustine.These twin fields have been warmly welcomed by those who cruise those waters.

Dear Taylor Engineering and St. Augustine Marina,
First of all, thank you for the new mooring fields!…and for including BIG boats in your plan. Unfortunately, there is a significant design mistake: the painters are too short for larger powerboats…and they end in an eye slice, which, even if the painter were long enough, cannot be dropped over a cleat. In my case, a 58 ft motoryacht, we could not even reach the eye slice from the bow, which is 9 ft off the water. Remember, Auggie almost always has current and wind, so the mooring ball is seldom immediately under the bow (at least this captain is not that good).
Other well conceived mooring fields (i.e. Newport, Nantucket, even Little Harbour in the Abacos) have long painters which can be snagged with a boat hook and simply pulled aboard and dropped on a cleat. The extra length allows you to snag the painter even if you are not directly over the mooring ball…or, more likely, allows you drift room as you attempt to pull the loop aboard. I suggested to the St. Augustine marina office that a loop extension was needed for the larger boat moorings, but I fear it fell on deaf ears.
Meanwhile, if you have a tall bow, you must moor from the stern and transfer to the bow after you splash the dinghy, as I did. However, due to the significant Auggie current, the slack created in the transfer needed the power of the windlass to pull aboard.
A ten-foot loop through the eye slice would solve the issue, which, if brought aboard and dropped on a cleat, would not effect the swing radius of the design. We love moorings…please consider making these more usable. Thanks,
Captain Robert Calhoun Smith Jr, aboard M/V MARY KATHRYN

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For St. Augustine Northern Anchorage

Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s Eastern Florida Anchorage Directory Listing For St. Augustine Southern Anchorage

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of St. Augustine Mooring Fields