This hazard was first posted on Cruisers’ Net in December of 2017, https://cruisersnet.net/168847, and, obviously, no progress is being made to raise the cable from 35ft to its charted height of 52ft.
FLORIDA – ST. LUCIE INLET TO FORT MYERS AND LAKE OKEECHOBEE – OKEECHOBEE WATERWAY – LAKE OKEECHOBEE (ROUTE 2): Hazard to Navigation The US Army Corps of Engineers Jacksonville District has identified a low hanging fiber optic cable at the Torrey Island Bridge in RT-2 of the Okeechobee Waterway. The fiber optic cable is estimated to be 35 feet above the water; high mast vessels are encouraged to use RT-1 until the cable is raised to 52 feet. Recreational and commercial boaters are to use caution when navigating through these sections of waterway. Once the cable is raised to the required 52 feet normal traffic will be restored. USACOE POC is Gary Hipkins at 863-983-8101. Chart 11428 LNM 21/18
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Posted: 24 May 2018 04:58 AM PDT We have a 90 day cruising permit and are exploring the Bahamas. A $500 replacement halyard will be shipped to us in the Bahamas via Watermakers Air. What do we need to do to avoid or minimize any duty charges? Thanks for your advice. Steve Johnson
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Susan- May 25, 2018 - 4:16 pm
Good luck with that. Let us know the outcome. 2 or 3 years ago we had a main halyard shipped to us in the Bahamas and we had to pay 45% duty on the cost AND the shipping for it! Since it is essentially not an “engine part”, it was not exempt.
Our thanks to M/V Bella and Hank Pomeranz of Carolina Yacht Care, partners with CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Southport Marina, for passing along this warning. For more on the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal (VA to NC Cut), see https://cruisersnet.net/2016.
Hi Larry, Submitted on behalf of M/V Bella… “Hit submerged stump dead center of channel one Statute Mile south of Centerville swing bridge. Prop damage”.
May be a good time to remind everyone that the Albermarle – Chesapeake Canal is rife with obstructions. Regards, Hank
Our sincerest thanks to Greg and Barbara Allard for sharing their thoughts and beautiful photography from their Bahamas cruises. These photos and descriptions will have you aching to follow in the Allard’s wake! Stay tuned for more letters in the weeks ahead.
Letter # 3
Our next stop on this year’s Bahamas cruise was George Town, on Great Exuma Island in the most southerly part of the Exumas. George Town is a milestone destination for many cruisers. In the winter and early spring up to 500 boats spend several months in the huge harbor. There is decent provisioning (places to buy food and boat parts), good anchorages, and shoreside facilities better than anywhere else in this remote area.
The Bahamas are a series of 750 islands and cays, spread out in an archipelago 590 miles long and 185 miles wide. For centuries the Bahamians depended solely upon wooden sailing boats for travel between islands, and for earning a living through activities such as fishing, sponge harvesting, and trade.
George Town is the site of the annual Family Islands Regatta, the Bahamian world-series of sailboat racing. In the 1950’s a group of people recognized that the “age of working sail” was drawing to an end, and they looked for a way to preserve the boat building and sailing skills of the Bahamian people. Their plans resulted in the first Family Islands Regatta, first run in 1954. Steven Pavlidis in The Exuma Guide describes the guidelines:
“The rules that govern Bahamian sloop racing are quite clear: competing boats must be designed, built, owned and skippered by Bahamians. The overall length (LOA) may not be more than 28’3”, the sails must be of canvas, the hull must be of wood, and the single wooden mast may not bend. The rules do not permit vertical transoms, bowsprits, spreaders, winches, or any sort of wind or speed instruments including tell-tales.”
If you are a sailor, you will appreciate that these rules are quite strict, and eliminate many features found on modern sailing vessels.
“The sloops race three times around a triangular course…As the boats take the wind and heel they must shift their ballast….Each boat has prys, wooden planks which extend about 4’ or so on the windward side of the boat. The crew then climbs out onto the prys to balance the boat…..” It does happen that sometimes a crew member falls off the pry, and “any boat that does not stop for a MOB (man over board) is disqualified.” (Pavlides)
The last time we were in George Town for the Regatta was in 2011, and we had enjoyed it so much we wanted to see it again this year.
This is the boat we always root for: Tida Wave, which hails from Staniel Cay. (Boats come from all over the Bahamas to participate.)
The first thing to notice is the size of the “sail plan”. The sails are huge compared to the size of the boat. That feature makes the boats sail really fast, but it also makes them difficult to control. More on that later.
The original captain of Tida Wave was Rolly Gray, a legend of sailing in the Bahamas. He won (at least according to most people on Staniel Cay) all of his races. He died in 2007, and is buried on Staniel Cay. Rolly Gray is so revered in the Bahamas they named one of their largest Royal Bahamas Defense Force cruisers after him. One of the most famous Bahamian pieces of music is “Sailor Man Song” by Basil Smith, which is about Rolly Gray. A close up of Tida Wave under sail, with the ballast (men) out on the pry bars to help keep the boat level. If the boat tacks (turns into the wind to sail in a different direction), the men scamper down the pry boards into the boat, drag the boards to the other side, and climb out on them….all in a matter of ten seconds or so! The concentration of the crew is intense.
Yes, there are collisions, and here – a near collision. Three in a row, on the same point of sail.
Some of the crew on Tida Wave give course directions to the helmsman. Sometimes the boats encounter significant wind gusts. In this dramatic moment the crew of Tida Wave struggles to move as much of their weight to the end the pry boards as possible, to keep the boat from tipping over on her side. Simultaneously one of the crew at the stern lets out the main sail to help keep the boat from foundering. The sail is out so far that it is dragging in the water. Later in the day the rains arrived, but the race continued. This is a view from our boat, of ghost ships sailing in the rainstorm.
Unfortunately, Tida Wave did not take first place this year, but a boat from our next stop south, Long Island, did. Not all of the fun is out in the harbour. The event triggers shoreside parties, food, and yes, some drinking. Kalik (rhymes with “click”) is the national beer. Food stalls offer the best of traditional Bahamian cooking: cracked conch (conch which has been pounded and tenderized with a mallet and then deep fried); conch salad, macaroni and cheese, and peas and rice. With music loud enough to lift you off the ground. There’s an old nautical saying: “Red sky at night, sailors’ delight; red sky at morning, sailors take warning.” This was a night sky, but….
When doing this type of cruising, hundreds of miles from the U.S. coast, it’s “all about the weather.” We are at the mercy of what mother nature throws at us, and sometimes it is not pretty. We have been watching a bad weather system which is approaching the Bahamas, with winds forecast for 30+ knots. That series of fronts is north of us, so we and our friends on Latitude have decided to run south four hours to Long Island, where there is a good anchorage at Thompson’s Bay, protected from the NE winds, and a small marina nearby if necessary. That choice is not without risk, since we may wind up being pinned down there for a while.
Shoaling and groundings are always possible in the constantly shifting sands of the New River Inlet/AICW Intersection area and our thanks to Hank Pomeranz of Carolina Yacht Care, a partner of Southport Marina, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, for this Problem Stretch notice. For another recent report from this AICW intersection, see https://cruisersnet.net/171321
This reported to me this morning along with attached photo. Please help get the word out. Report from Skipper Tim Burr, M/V Bella R72 has dragged way off charted location. Now way too close to shore and considerably northeast of chart location. Ignore, stay center…”
Congratulations to Georgetown, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, home to Harborwalk Marina, also A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, only a boardwalk away from Georgetown’s Historic District for history, entertainment, great food, and shopping! This recognition as Best Coastal Small Town is certainly well deserved! For more on Georgetown, go to FOCUS ON.
Georgetown wins ‘Best Coastal Small Town’ from USA Today
GEORGETOWN, SC – South Carolina’s third oldest city is America’s No. 1 coastal town, according to USA Today and 10Best Reader’s Choice voters.
Zimmerman Marine is part of the excellent facilities of Southport Marina, a much valued CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR. These fine organizations lie just west of the Cape Fear River along the northern banks of the Waterway hard by flashing daybeacon #2A. Our thanks to Chris for these kind words. For more information, visit www.zimmermanmarine.com.
Outstanding service at Zimmerman Marine. These guys know their stuff. They are helpful and great problem solvers. Manager Steve Wallace runs a great shop. CJ outstanding. We will come back here for sure. PS – don’t miss the weather briefing at 1800. Hank is awesome. Chris C
Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary protects Georgia’s special live-bottom wildlife habitat in the Atlantic Ocean and along the southeastern U.S. coast, an area teeming with diversity and an abundance of marine life.
Get Into Your Sanctuary – May 19 – 20 Few places on the planet can compete with the diversity of ocean life found in your National Marine Sanctuaries. So, we invite you to explore Gray’s Reef this summer or join us at these upcoming community events.
Longboat Key Club Moorings, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, guards the western shores of Sarasota Bay, north of the city of Sarasota, and south of Longboat Pass. The Yacht Group offers boat owners a sophisticated in-house sales and marketing resource.
Welcome to The Yacht Group at Longboat Key Club Moorings
If you are considering the sale of your yacht, our Worldwide marine marketing system is a powerful tool. We advertise extensively in key media nationally as well as locally, and we can professionally manage the sale of your boat from concept to closing.
Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Owned by McCotter’s Marina, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR! in nearby Washington, NC, Inland Waterway Provision Company Store has expanded their offerings! Located on Hodges St. in Oriental, it has long been the place to get boat gear and clothing.
We at the Island Waterway Provision Company are excited to be offering transient boaters fresh local produce, grocery items, Beer and Wine. We appreciate your help getting the word out!! Thanks, Mark Henley
With the release of the 2017 Boating Accident Statistical Report, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) encourages boaters to focus on simple, effective steps that make boating safer.
Marine Sanctuary Events begin May 19 in the southeast. See NOAA link below for schedules.
You’re Invited! As a travel destination, few places on the planet can compete with the diversity of the National Marine Sanctuary System, which protects America’s most iconic natural and cultural marine resources. The majority of national marine sanctuaries’ waters are open to compatible recreational activities that generate considerable benefits for local economies. CLICK BELOW FOR MORE!
Our thanks to Southern Boating Magazine for permitting Cruisers’ Net to present this article to our readers.
An Abacos Island Hop One of the best things about traveling in The Bahamas (and there are many), is the sheer number of islands. The archipelago contains over 700 islands, all unique, beautiful, and cruise-able in their own right. But it’s the Abacos, a 120-mile sprawling island chain that stands out as a cruiser’s paradise.
During their 350th Anniversary Celebration, Historic Edenton, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, has an exciting calendar of year-long Celebration events for all ages. Edenton is at the mouth of the Chowan River on the northwest shore of Albemarle Sound. Our thanks to Gena Olson for these kind words from AGLCA’s Forum. See FOCUS ON – Albemarle Loop for more in the Loop.
Our favorite [of the Albemarle Loop] so far is Edenton – what a beautiful little town. Lots of huge, beautiful homes from the 1700s! Our favorite night since we’ve been cruising – we had a nice meal at the Waterman’s Grill, then went strolling. It was Saturday night. Just a few doors up from Waterman’s was what looked like a home store, plus maybe some private apartments…but, the store was open, and we heard some great and very loud music. So, upon exploration, it was vinyl night in the ‘courtyard’. What a hoot! Crowded with folks, all singing along to the 60’s, 70’s 80’s, and 90’s music. I’ll always remember the Bohemian Rhapsody – some guys played air guitar with great passion, and we all joined in to sing. If you’re there on a Saturday night, don’t miss it! Gena Olson
Our sincerest thanks to Greg and Barbara Allard for sharing their thoughts and beautiful photography from their Bahamas cruises. These photos and descriptions will have you aching to follow in the Allard’s wake! Stay tuned for more letters in the weeks ahead.
Letter # 2 Hello Everyone, After we departed Nassau, we worked our way south, down through the Exumas – a string of cays which is one of the most beautiful areas of the Bahamas.
One of our favorite places in the Exumas is Highbourne Cay. (The Bahamians pronounce “cay” to rhyme with “key.”) Highbourne is a private island with a small, well run marina, beautiful beaches and a single restaurant.
The week before we arrived there, an Austrian had rented the entire island and marina for his 60th birthday party – for 150 people. Everything (literally) had to be brought to the island on a big workboat: food, generators, extra water, portable lavatories, and dozens of workers. While we were there, the workboat was re-loaded with all of the items (including two huge containers) which were being returned to Nassau.
We watched the boat as it left the marina. It is a tricky exit, since the current runs sideways to the channel, and there are sandbars and coral reefs everywhere. Well, the captain ran the boat aground. In this photo you can see that he has powered-up his engines in an attempt to break free. All he did was to dig a deeper channel behind him, while shoving the boat harder aground. Fortunately the tide was rising, so after about three hours the boat floated off, and was finally able to get underway.
As we do our cruising, we do make mistakes on occasion; it was refreshing to see that a professional captain can also make them.
There is a fish-cleaning station at Highbourne, on the end of the jetty. After the fish are cleaned, the carcasses are thrown into the water, attracting many sharks. These are nurse sharks, and many people say they are totally harmless – in fact we have seen people swimming with them. However, when the fish carcasses were thrown to these “tame” sharks, a wild frenzy ensued as the sharks tore into the fish remains. Tame? Swim with them?
Seagulls too must eat. These two were waiting for the sharks to be done so they could get to the scraps.
It is a tradition on some of the cays that cruising boats leave a board with their boat name and date of visit. Here is “Meander’s board, showing that we have been there a number of times; our companion boat on this trip, “Latitude”, also put up a name board last year, as did our friends on “Soul Asset” in 2014 who used a coconut!
On a dinghy exploration we traveled to the eponymously named “Two Trees” cay, a great diving spot. The French sailboat to the left was working her way through the shallow water looking for a good place to anchor.
After we secure the bigger boats, either by anchor on in a marina, exploring by dingy is one of our favorite activities. This photo, of our friend Jim Pope (from the vessel “Latitude”) is off a small cay called “Tea Table” which is good for beach combing.
Barbara and our friend Ellen Pope return to the dinghy with their finds including some beautiful shells and a fan coral. You are only allowed to take coral which has washed up on shore; taking live coral from a reef is prohibited as it will destroy a reef.
The fantail of a beautiful old wooden boat, “Freedom”, built in 1926. She hails from Newport, RI.
Over Yonder Cay, owned by an interesting entrepreneur, Mr. Ed Bosarge. The island has four villas, and is 96% powered by solar and wind. You can rent the island for $44,000 a day. Mr. Bosarge has a fascinating background and it is worth reading about his career. Here’s a link to one of his bio sheets from a conference he attended. http://www.worldstemcellsummit.com/speakers/ed-bosarge-phd/
While anchored in “Big Majors Spot” at Staniel Cay, we saw this ominous looking boat. While it looked like a military craft, it is actually an 84’ Italian-built Arcadia yacht.
We’ve always said that we would never own a boat that wasn’t beautiful to look at. I guess we’ll never buy one of these.
A night time view from the top deck of “Meander”, looking down on our dingy. Our underwater lights were on, and the water is so clear that it makes the dinghy look as if it is suspended in air. The water in this picture was about 12’ deep.
Some of you will remember “Shark”, the dockmaster on Cave Cay.
People ask us why we cruise to the Bahamas. Yes, the waters are some of the most beautiful on earth, but the real reason is to meet the people, the friendliest and warmest folks anywhere.
Shark led us on a tour of one of the many caves on the cay.
In one of the caves, we came upon this huge hermit crab, the biggest we had ever seen. Its shell was the size of a softball.
Our next stop was Little Farmers Cay. Many of you remember our friend Ali, who used to run a small liquor store and bar on the island. Three or four years ago he suffered a massive stroke, and when we saw him two years ago he was not doing well. At that time we wondered if we would ever see him again.
When we returned to Little Farmers this year, we were excited to find Ali, and see that he had improved tremendously. He even drew us an accurate map, from memory, showing a good snorkeling site.
Ali is on the left, and his wife Brenda is on my other side. Brenda was the key person who helped in Ali’s recovery.
This is J.R., a woodcarver on Little Farmers. He often works in wild tamarind wood, as he is doing here. In this photo he is finishing a beautiful dolphin (mahi-mahi) carving, which our friends purchased.
Also on Little Farmers, we saw that a yellow building had been erected next to the government dock. We went inside, and found that it was a new bar, with a restaurant to come.
The woman owner who served us is on the left, Katie, and the man on the right is Barry, who built the new structure. We then learned that they were engaged. I asked to take their picture, and Barry just couldn’t look at the camera; he was mesmerized by Katie. After about six photos I finally got him to look at the camera, but this photo is much better when you understand the background.
A woman giving a young girl a swim.
We had lunch at Ocean Cabin, hosted by old friends Ernestine and Terry Bain. Ernestine is an excellent cook, and Terry – one of the most well-spoken, thoughtful thinkers in the Bahamas.
Our thanks to Jan Irons for these beautiful photos and report from the Dismal Swamp Canal. During this cruise, Jan visits two of our favorite CRUISERS’ NET SPONSORS, Dismal Swamp Welcome Center and Elizabeth City, NC.
Did you know George Washington was the first “Drain the Swamp” supporter? The Great Dismal Swamp, that is … now a historic landmark. After the frenetic pace of the past 5 weeks winding our way north on the Atlantic ICW, the Dismal Swamp route felt so effortless. Just peace and quiet, serene waters and reflections. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now Jan Irons, Commuter Cruiser
Sorry that we have to disagree with Jan. We did the Dismal Swamp route 5/19/18 in our DF 49′ RPH trawler with 4’9″ draft. I do agree that it is pretty but we were so distracted by hitting things on the bottom that we could not enjoy it. We contacted stumps or logs at least 15 times between South MIlls and Deep Creek. These were not just bumps or taps but hard bangs. Near the end we picked up something on our prop that rotated around and keep hitting the bottom of the boat until we went into reverse and it came off. It is not our first rodeo as we have traveled 75,000 miles and been to 7 countries aboard our vessel.. Just our 2 cents. On the other hand, another trawler that pulled in next to us in Hampton, went the traditional route and right before the Centerville Bridge hit hard and was having both props taken off for repair. Maybe we were lucky.
Our thanks to BoatUS for this very good advice for boaters.
3 Easy, No-Cost Ways to Be Safer on the Water National Safe Boating Week is May 19–25
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 14, 2018 – With the start of boating season and next week’s National Safe Boating Week, May 19–25, the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water has three tips to get boaters thinking about safety aboard any type of boat.
1. Open up your boat for a vessel safety check: You may think getting a vessel safety check from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or U.S. Power Squadrons can open yourself to problems. However, a no-risk, free vessel safety check does the opposite. It points out both the required and recommended items to have aboard, such as fire extinguishers, life jackets, distress signals, first-aid kits, and engine spark arrestors, and also helps provide a better understanding on the care and use of this critical equipment. Checks are done as a courtesy with no risk to the boater, so you won’t be in trouble if discrepancies are found. Go to https://bit.ly/1syhbDA to request a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary safety check or https://bit.ly/2I2uc8w for a U.S. Power Squadrons safety check.
2. Believe the numbers – take a safety course: Statistics from the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety show that only 13 percent of all boating deaths in 2016 occurred on vessels where the operator had taken a nationally approved boating safety education course. So take this number to heart – taking a boating safety course improves safety. The BoatUS Foundation offers free online boating safety courses that meet the education requirements in 36 states and also may earn you a boat insurance discount. Go to BoatUS.org/Free.
3. Give a safety talk before you head out: Taking out guests is half the fun of boating, but before you head out give a little talk about how to stay safe aboard your boat. Some important things to include may be how to distribute weight in a small boat, how to hold on when crossing a wake, how a tuber or water skier should safely reboard after being towed, how the VHF radio works and the location of important safety equipment. Also, give everyone a life jacket to wear or keep in his or her immediate vicinity. If you don’t have a right-sized life jacket for a youngster, borrow one for free at more than 550 locations nationwide from the BoatUS Foundation Life Jacket Loaner Program at BoatUS.org/Life-Jacket-Loaner.
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May 14, 2018by: Larry DorminyNo Comments32.785,-79.819999
This stretch of shoaling has been a Problem Stretch for some time and just recently, see https://cruisersnet.net/171976. Our thanks to Bill King for this onsite report confirming shoaling and groundings, as well as good advice about mid to high tide passage.
Crept through at 30-minutes after low tide. This entire stretch between the bridges is a very challenging area. We draw 4′. Stayed in center most of the time for 5′-8′, favored the red side opposite the small inlets for double-digit depths. Just south of the high rise bridge, it is shoal on the red side. A sailboat with 5.5′ draft was aground; 50′ sportfisherman was just off center to red side and being pulled off as we approached. Much less stressful to do this stretch at mid-tide or more. Bill King
McCotters Marina and Repair Yard, A CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, is located on Broad Creek, off the Pamlico River, a few miles downstream of the Washington, NC waterfront. McCotters is one of the largest marinas in North Carolina and its repair capabilities are impressive.
55th Annual Ocracoke Regatta
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