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    • Feb 25, 2020by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Bahamas Chatter: New edition of Explorer Chartbook Far Bahamas

      Explorer Charts - the best charts for the Bahamas and Exumas

      Bahamas Chatter is produced by Explorer Chartbooks, A CRUISERS NET PARTNER, which has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.

      Bahamas Chatter: New edition of Explorer Chartbook Far Bahamas

      New edition of Explorer Chartbook Far Bahamas

      Posted: 24 Feb 2020 07:21 AM PST

      The new 7th edition of the Explorer Chartbook Far Bahamas and Turks and Caicos has gone to press. Check back here on the Chatter to see when it is ready for shipment.

      Here’s a sneak-peak! Let us know if you can guess the location of the cover photo~

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    • Feb 14, 2020by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Ocean Currents Speeding Up Faster than Predicted

      For this new study, the researchers tapped into a network of free-drifting instruments, known as Argo floats, to measure the movement of water up to a depth of 2,000 meters. Although faster currents were observed in 76 percent of the world’s ocean waters, the most dramatic changes were seen in the tropics.

      Climate change models predicted ocean currents would speed up – but not this soon
      NBC News

      Argo Floats
      NOAA

      Argo float

       

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    • Feb 11, 2020by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment 32.7729,-79.84219999

      Ben Sawyer Bridge, AICW Statute Mile 462, Mount Pleasant, SC


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      With a closed vertical clearance of 31ft, Ben Sawyer Bridge is the last bridge before Charleston Harbor when southbound. Opened in 1945, the Ben Sawyer Bridge serves as the connection from Mount Pleasant to Sullivan’s Island.

      2 Your Roots: The Ben Sawyer Bridge
      WCBD News 2

       

      Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers Net Bridge Directory Listing For Ben Sawyer Memorial Bridge

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ben Sawyer Bridge

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. James Lea -  February 11, 2020 - 9:40 pm

        A number of years ago, we were passing through the bridge. I called the bridge operator and asked if she knew she had been voted the best bridge operator by an ICW user group. She was tickled pink, and I told her it was deserved. We have only passed through the bridge a half dozen times or so on our spring-fall migrations, and it was always a pleasant experience (even when I just missed it a couple of times).

        Reply to James
    • Feb 3, 2020by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      NASA: What is a Rossby Wave?

      Rossby waves naturally occur in rotating fluids. Within the Earth’s ocean and atmosphere, these planetary waves play a significant role in shaping weather.

      Fast Facts: What is a Rossby Wave
      Maritime Executive

      1 Facebook Likes, 1 Facebook Reactions

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    • Jan 15, 2020by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments 32.4301,-80.67439999

      Heart of the Lowcountry by Bob Arrington


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      The Lowcountry of South Carolina is not only a place, but also a way of life. The next time you travel the South Carolina Intracoastal waterway, take the time to pull into Beaufort, home of Downtown Marina of Beaufort, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR!

      Heart of the Lowcountry
      Soundings

      Click Here To View the South Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Downtown Marina

      Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Downtown Marina of Beaufort

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    • Jan 14, 2020by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment 24.6287,-82.87319999

      What to See and Do in Dry Tortugas National Park


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      A very interesting and informative article on Dry Tortugas National Park by Pete Brahan.

       

      What to See and Do in Dry Tortugas National Park
      Pete Brahan
      Just Go Travel Studios, LLC
      www.justgotravelstudios.com

      1 Facebook Likes, 2 Facebook Reactions

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. Curtis Hoff -  January 17, 2020 - 9:39 am

        If you ever get the chance, cruising to the Dry Tortugas is a great adventure, especially if you like history and anchoring in unique locations. It is a full-day cruise from Key West so make sure you have a good weather window both ways. There are also no services so also make sure you have enough fuel, water and supplies. We found holding to be good in a sandy bottom. Depending on the day, the anchorage can get crowded. We have been there with probably 15+ boats and also all by ourselves a few days later once the weather improved. The history of Fort Jefferson is fascinating and well worth the trip out there – a few tidbits, it is considered the 'Manhatten Project' of the 1800s and all the brick came from New England. Here is a link to National Park Services website regarding anchoring and moorings:: https://www.nps.gov/drto/planyourvisit/drtoboatpermitsandmooringbuoys.htm

        Reply to Curtis
    • Dec 15, 2019by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Navigating the Bahamas by Greg Allard

      Cruisers Net is so very grateful for Greg Allard’s willingness to share his vast experience with our readers. Inspired by one of Greg Allard’s several Letters from the Bahamas, Judye Reed wrote Cruisers Net asking Greg for advice on navigating the Bahamas. Here is Greg’s response.

      In reply to Judye Reed.
      Judye – One of the great advantages of being based in Florida is the relatively easy access to one of the greatest cruising grounds in the world: The Bahamas. To successfully navigate your boat to this international destination, you will need to do much more planning and preparation than you would for a local trip along the coast of Florida. That means a current version of electronic charts, and one or more of the Explorer Chartbooks, which are much more than just charts: they are loaded with information about cruising to the Bahamas, crossing the Florida Straits (Gulf Stream), and each location you may visit. There are three sets of Explorer Chartbooks, one for each geographic area of the Bahamas. Get the one(s) for where you are going.

      With the horrendous damage Dorian inflicted on the Abacos – a traditional destination for first-timers and veteran cruisers – most of the Abacos is no longer an option for the immediate future, since facilities are non-existent in many places.
      From St. Pete, your first decision will be whether to cross to the east coast of Florida via the Okeechobee, or to go down through the Keys. The Okeechobee option requires sufficient water depth along “Navigation Route 1” (which changes daily), something you can find in the on-line reporting by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. w3.saj.usace.army.mil/h2o/c#835
      Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you cruise your boat at 20 knots, a passage from Lake Worth inlet to West End on Grand Bahama will take about three hours. Reports are that West End is fully open after Dorian. The other regular crossing route to the Bahamas is from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale to Bimini. The Miami run is about 45 nautical miles.
      A general rule about crossing the Florida Straits to the Bahamas: Don’t go if there are any winds with a north component: the 2-3+ knot northward flow of the Gulf Stream, pushing against any opposing winds from the north, creates standing waves which can be nasty.
      Wherever possible, we try to limit our passages to five hours a day, but we travel at 10 knots. There is no point, on your first trip to the Bahamas, of doing long grueling runs.
      Look at each leg for a few things: 1) Weather (the most important one), 2) What facilities will you need at the destination? If you want to anchor, are there good, protected anchorages? Do you want to dock at a marina? If so, you should call ahead to be certain there is an opening for you. 3) Distance? Don’t plan on a four hour run and then leave at 2:00 PM. If you encounter trouble of any sort, you’ll have a good bit of daylight to sort things out. Depart early in the morning.
      Never leave for the next destination if the weather is bad, or even doubtful. We review the weather several times a day. Here’s a link to an article on Cruisers Net, which I published: “Weather Resources for Cruisers.”
      https://cruisersnet.net/weather-resources-for-cruisers-by-greg-allard/
      You say that you are looking for another boat to travel with. That can be good, but some people who do that rely on “the other boat” to tell them when and where to go. To go to the Bahamas, you need to be totally self-reliant. Plan ahead, study the charts, review the weather.
      “Buddy Boating” – traveling with one or several boats, often gives cruisers false reliance; they depend on someone else to make the decisions for them. We do travel with another boat on occasion, but we have a clear understanding between us, especially on open water passages, that we are basically there for each other to “rescue the survivors.” We can’t swim over to the other boat in 3′ seas to help with a mechanical problem; we can’t (and won’t) tow the other boat; we can’t help them put out a fire. And if you have to constantly communicate with the other boat for directions, depths, etc., you have not done your preparation, and you shouldn’t be out there.
      I don’t mean to discourage you from traveling with another boat, which can be fun; you should just be certain to do your planning – and make your decisions – as if you were the only boat going.
      Start with ordering and reading from cover to cover the Explorer Chartbooks for the areas you want to visit. If you study them, you will know more than 90% of first-timers who go to the Bahamas. This site, Cruisers Net, has several articles and much information about Bahamas cruising, the Okeechobee crossing, etc. It’s easy to search for that helpful information.

      Another publication, Southwinds, also has a number of articles with practical information about Bahamas cruising. Here’s the link:
      https://southwindsmagazine.com/cruising-the-bahamas/
      If you are looking for another boat to travel with, you can post your plans here on Cruisers’ Net, on the Explorer Chartbook site, or on any other cruisers’ forum. You may find that it is difficult to coordinate your departure times with other boats, but it is worth a try. By the way, the months of May & June are the best months to go.
      Have a good trip!
      Greg Allard

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    • Dec 6, 2019by:   Larry Dorminy No Comments

      Automatic Identification System Private Aids to Navigation to mark SpaceX launch restricted zones

      The Office of Navigation Systems announced today that it approved the use of a series of Automatic Identification System Private Aids to Navigation (AIS PATON) to mark restricted navigation areas around commercial space launches.

      Automatic Identification System Private Aids to Navigation to mark SpaceX launch restricted zones
      Coast Guard Maritime Commons

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    • Nov 9, 2019by:   Larry Dorminy 1 Comment

      Proper Use of VHF Channels 16 and 13 by Roger Long

      Our thanks to Roger Long for this discussion on the use of channel 13 and channel 16.

      This also applies to passing and meeting discussions. Every vessel on waterways such as the ICW should be monitoring 13 as well as 16 for situational awareness about the bridges and what commercial traffic is doing. Few do so however so you will usually need to hail a vessel you are overtaking on 16 if you want to alert them. If your call is just, “Rover, this is Sea Queen passing you to port.” and all you need back it “Roger” or “Go Ahead”, then that is OK. However, if you want to ask which side, do they want a slow pass, etc., you should ask them to switch to another channel first. If someone overtaking you asks questions requiring more than a one word response, you should ask them to switch to another channel.

      Following frequent USCG admonishments a couple days ago, most ICW travelers were switching to 17 or 68 for passing discussions after an initial 16 hail. This is fine but it makes more sense to use the channel identified for the purpose. Contrary to urban legend, 13 is not a channel for commercial craft. It just sounds like it because professionals use it as intended. 13 is the Bridge (helm) to Bridge (helm) channel for exchange of navigational information between vessels in a common situation such as passing or meeting. If you listen to it in busy areas such as the Saint John River, you’ll learn that the professionals NEVER call each other on 16 first. A direct hail on 13 is appropriate and saves 16 clutter. The reason commercial vessels hail recreational vessel on 16 first is because they know most yacht drivers are ignorant and don’t waste time trying to get them the proper way first. In the Saint John River, if you listen, you’ll discover that the pilots almost always hail yachts on 13 first because they want to follow correct procedure. You can then hear the eye roll (another idiot) as they hail on 16 and ask for a switch to 13. I’ve often heard them tell yachts to please stay on 13 all the time they are in the river.

      We have a sign just below our name board that says, “Hail CH 13 to Pass”. It saves a lot of 16 airtime and button pushing. I monitor 16 (as legally required) via dual watch and switch to that for the few boats that ignore the sign. I have had many commercial professionals complement me on the sign and tell me they wish every yacht had one. An aside: Commercial vessels hate being hailed on 16 for passing and meeting calls because they are all using 13 as their primary channel and are required, unlike recreational craft, to have it on a second radio which may be located farther out of reach and which they seldom use. Calling them on 13 tells them that you know your radio procedure. I now use 13 as my primary channel on the waterways because my sign will bring most passing calls in on it. If I need to talk to someone in a hurry, it will probably be a tug and barge coming unexpectedly around a bend. They don’t come around unexpectedly as much any more because I have been listening to 13 and hearing them all along.

      A big reason for using 13 is also that it defaults to low power so that you are not sharing your navigational discussions with boats 20-30 miles in each direction. 16 defaults to high power. Even if you know to hit the H/L button, every time most radios return to 16 from another channel to to scan or operator switch, 16 will be switched to 25 watts. Almost nobody, including myself, can remember to press H/L EVERY time before making a 16 transmission to a nearby boat or marina. Getting the waterway cruising community used to using 13 properly would eliminate a lot of 16 clutter. This would be of major benefit to vessels taking the outside route. They have to listen to the “This is the trawler behind the white sailboat. We hope you are having a very nice day and would like to know which side you would like us to pass on and whether you would like a slow pass.” drivel all the way down. I have had many tell me that the fear during the fall snowbird parade that they are afraid the could not get a distress heard in event of fire or sudden flooding. Just listening to it all day long is also annoying.

      After you have figured out your passing arrangements on 13, if you want to tell the other vessel how nice it is, talk about where they are going, etc., then it is time to switch to another working channel. If your initial call to a nearby vessel is not about passing, meeting, or other exchange of navigation information, then the initial hail should be on 16 followed by switching to a working channel.

      I’ve been massively flamed on the Internet for these thoughts but have yet to have one commercial professional disagree with me.

      Comments from Cruisers (1)

      1. Tom Murphy -  November 9, 2019 - 10:09 pm

        Thank you for your post. I'm always telling people about doing this. I get a lot of guff for being a jerk. Another nice thing about monitoring 13 is that it improves your opinion of the human race.: People on 13 are almost universally polite and helpful.
        I especially remember one time at the Savannah River crossroads. Before I ever got anywhere near the river on the ICW, I knew, from listening to the radio, that there would be three ships passing at about the same time I would arrive and slowed down to avoid arriving early. Another boat near me wondered what I was doing and I explained. I told them it was always a good idea to monitor 13 on the ICW but they didn't think it was worthwhile for a yacht to do.

        Reply to Tom

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