Elizabeth City: 1st Friday Art Walk – TOMORROW
Elizabeth City sits at the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal and has the well-earned reputation of being a transient-friendly town with free dockage for 72 hours.
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Last Chance: Set Sail Into the Holidays! Join the Albemarle Queen for Festive Cruises [Albemarle Sound, NC]
A longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, historic Edenton always has an exciting calendar of events and places to visit! Edenton is at the mouth of the Chowan River on the northwest shore of Albemarle Sound.
Holiday Magic on the Water — Aboard the Albemarle Queen!
Experience Elizabeth City’s most unique holiday celebrations from the best seat in town: on the river. From parades to Santa sightings to festive dining, the Albemarle Queen is ready to make your season unforgettable! Holiday Cruise Lineup
December 5 • 6:00 PM
Lighted Boat Parade Dinner Cruise
A front-row view of the parade plus a 4-course dinner.
$75
December 6 • 12:00 PM
Lunch Cruise with Santa
A family-friendly cruise with Santa on board and a pizza lunch.
Kids $15 • Adults $25
December 6 • 6:00 PM
Holiday Magic Parade Dinner Cruise
A second evening of festive lights with a 4-course dinner experience.
$75
December 7 • 12:30 PM
Festive Holiday Lunch Cruise
A cheerful midday cruise featuring a full holiday buffet.
$55
Reserve Your Spot
Tickets, menus, and cruise details: AlbemarleQueen.com
Questions or reservations: 844-IBX-BOAT
Set sail, celebrate, and make this season shine aboard the Albemarle Queen.
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Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce | 502 E. Ehringhaus St. | Elizabeth City, NC 27909 US Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Edenton Harbor City Docks
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World’s Worst Homing Pigeon Flies From Japan, Cruises Bahamas on Classic Yacht. – Loose Cannon
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World’s Worst Homing Pigeon Flies From Japan, Cruises Bahamas on Classic Yacht.
Meet Herman, Living Aboard ‘Steadfast’
This homing pigeon, wearing a band that signifies he’s from Japan, has chosen to live aboard Steadfast, an old wooden yacht in the Bahamas. (All photos courtesy of Steadfast and its Facebook page) This story was originally published in March 2023. Writer-chef Janice Anne Wheeler now has her own nautical Substack newsletter called Sparring With Mother Nature. Here’s how she told the story.
Once upon a time there was a pigeon named Herman. He was a homing pigeon, the property of a pigeon racing enthusiast in Japan. Alas, Herman may well be the worst homing pigeon in the world.
Instead of navigating to a coop in some city with a name like Ibaraki or Kasuga, Herman somehow ended his last race in the Bahamas. He is now cruising aboard a classic sailboat with writer-chef Janice Anne Wheeler and Annapolis surveyor Steven Uhthoff.
Wheeler, who gave Herman the Homing Pigeon his name, said she wants to write an “children’s story (and for adults)” about their visitor, who just popped in unannounced earlier this month. Herman landed in the pilothouse at 4 p.m. on March 10 as they lay at anchor in the Bight of Acklins aboard Steadfast, a 1934 William Hand ketch.
“He drank water but ate nothing I tried. Just sat on the deck and pooped some crazy colors. We figure he ate something bad. We had a plan to sail at 5 a.m. the following morning. Not an easy 37-hour passage to Governor’s Harbour Eleuthera, and he just hung in. We gave him the storage bin that you see, and he tucks in sometimes,” Wheeler said. “Otherwise, he’s very observant, alert, entertaining and seems to listen to everything that we say. However, he is wary and won’t let us approach closer than a foot or so.”
Herman hangs out in his ad-hoc coop. It happens that from time-to-time errant Japanese pigeons make their way to foreign lands, and a leg band like Herman’s (“Japan 2020 123235”) tips off the locals to his or her origins. The finders often try to contact the pigeon’s owners, and like Wheeler, they tend to get nowhere. Some Canadians who found a pigeon from Japan in 2013 did actually manage to contact the owner, who was happy his guy had survived but didn’t want him back.
Pigeon fanciers, as they are sometimes called, are a bigger subculture than you might imagine—probably a lot bigger than the cruising community. For evidence of that, you need go no further than Florida (where this is being written).
Over on the Gulf Coast, the adjacent towns of Spring Hill and Brooksville constitute a retirement Mecca for pigeon enthusiasts, who are attracted from all over North America by the two towns’ “pigeon friendly zoning.” For a reality check from pigeon world, Loose Cannon got John Stephen on the phone, vice-president of the Gulf Coast Homing Club and owner of 18 birds.
Though Wheeler wished it were so, Stephen quashed the notion that a pigeon has the tankage and range for trans-oceanic flight. Stephen said a pigeon can only fly for about 700 miles at a time. The great-circle route (as the crow flies) from Japan to the Bahamas is about 6,600 nautical miles, on a path similar to that of the recent Chinese spy balloon.
Homing pigeons have impressive navigational skills, including an ability to use the Earth’s magnetic field for direction. Some are better at it than others, however.
According to Stephen, pigeons are loath to fly over water. Sometimes, they get disoriented and, for example, fly out of a low cloud bank only to realize they are over the ocean. “What happens is these birds hitch a ride on a freighter, and when they get near land or another freighter, they jump ship, especially if they were not getting fed,” he said.
If you have to hitch a ride on a ship, Japan is not the worst place to begin your journey—lots of choice. Post-Covid freighter arrivals to the East Coast of the U.S. from Japan are up to about 30 a month. That is one possible explanation for how a pigeon from Nippon got to Acklins Island.
Now, Steadfast is cruising the Abacos, and her crew is wondering what to do with Herman. Refueled, he’s again fit to fly. “Herman’s diet is of course rice…but we have introduced him to Quaker oatmeal, and he’s a fan, Wheeler said.
So far, though, Herman has shown no inclination to go. Naturally, the humans won’t just evict him, despite his messy habits. The bird is “some sort of sign or spirit or symbol that chose us,” Wheeler said.
No problem, Stephen said: Bring Herman to Spring Hill, and we’ll find a home for him. He said similar arrangements can be made through other Florida pigeon clubs or any other club in the country. Wheeler has learned of a pigeon club in the Daytona Beach area, a place reachable by boat.
“Or maybe we’ll get to Ponce Inlet, and he’ll hear other pigeons and just fly off,” she said.
Update (A Few Days Later)
And that is exactly what happened a couple days after Janice Wheeler said that, except they were still in the Bahamas. “Herman took wing yesterday (March 30) here in Marsh Harbour and has not returned…We left his box back there for now,” she said.
According to the Avibase, a world bird database, the Marsh Harbour area is home to two species of pigeon, one of which is Herman’s. He’s a rock pigeon, or what we call a “pigeon.” Rock pigeons are not native to the Bahamas. There are also six species of dove.
Steadfast and her crew: Janice Anne Wheeler and Steven Uhthoff. LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Sometimes he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
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World Voyager Dies When His Hand Is Caught in an Electric Winch – Loose Cannon
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World Voyager Dies When His Hand Is Caught in an Electric Winch
Faulty Mechanism Kept Running; No One Cut the Line
The winch pedestal was on the fantail. The 24-volt cut-off was all the way forward. A world voyager died when his hand got caught in a line as it turned around an electric winch, pinning him onto the winch assembly and “causing severe injuries to his arm and hand, trauma to his head and chest,” according to British marine investigators.
The Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) said Lyall Babington, 74, caught his hand in the line and was “progressively pulled tighter onto the winch drum.” Investigators blamed a defective control switch, which sometimes caused the knee-operated winch to continue to operate even the operator had stopped pressing the button.
The accident happened on August 5 off the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England. Babington had set off from his native New Zealand three years earlier aboard Mollie, a 56-foot steel motorsailer.
Electric winches can be a godsend for older sailors, particularly if sailing shorthanded.
According to the November 27 investigation report, Babington was undertaking a circumnavigation using volunteer crew, which paid him for expenses, for varying amounts of time. At the time of the accident there were three on board, two that had just arrived and another who had been with Babington for five months.
Here how MAIB set the scene for the accident:
The skipper informed the crew that they needed to raise the storm jib sail to try and improve the upwind progress of the vessel. To hoist the storm jib sail the halyard was usually taken to a powered winch at the aft of the cockpit where there were a pair of powered 24-volt direct current (DC) winches mounted on a pedestal. The winches were normally operated by pressing the control switches fitted to the pedestal with the user’s knee. Earlier on the day of the accident, the inboard winch had been used to hoist Mollie’s tender and the hoist rope was left turned around the winch.
Babington and Mollie. Investigators said that when Babbington was caught in the tightening line, the crew pressed the control button trying to break the circuit. After several tries, the winch did stop, but by then Babbington was unconscious, and the crew radioed a Mayday. The call went out shortly after noon. The response was pretty quick:
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and rescue helicopter R175 were tasked. Both were on scene by 1249. The RNLI crew boarded the vessel and tried to free the skipper from the winch. As they did so, and without warning, the winch activated and released the skipper and he fell onto the deck. The RNLI crew performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and a paramedic from R175 was lowered onto the vessel. Despite CPR efforts, the skipper was declared deceased at 1305.
Investigators concluded that the only way to disable the electric winches was via a battery switch in the boat’s forward cabin. They noted that the system was not one of the name brands on the market and speculated that the winch had likely been installed by “a small boatyard.”
The report did not address the question of why the crew never thought to just cut the line or was not able to do so.
LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Sometimes he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
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Elizabeth City: Save the Date: Christmas Celebrations
Elizabeth City sits at the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal and has the well-earned reputation of being a transient-friendly town with free dockage for 72 hours.
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Cage fight: the looming tension over offshore aquaculture in the Gulf – SunSentinel
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Kickoff to Christmas: Experience the Magic in Edenton! Dec 6 [Albemarle Sound, NC]
A longtime CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, historic Edenton always has an exciting calendar of events and places to visit! Edenton is at the mouth of the Chowan River on the northwest shore of Albemarle Sound.
I know it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet, but the most wonderful time of the year is almost here, and we’re pulling out all the stops to make this holiday season unforgettable! Mark your calendar for our highly anticipated Kickoff to Christmas event, taking place one month from today, on December 6.
Hallmark has made dozens of movies about the magic of Christmas in a small town, and this is your chance to experience that movie magic in real life!
Edenton’s Kickoff to Christmas is more than just an event. It’s a town-wide celebration that brings everyone together.
4 PM
Everything kicks off at 4. If you come hungry (which you should), you can enjoy a variety of food trucks and local vendors. Then, once your belly is full, visit the Cupola House Gardens (just behind Edenton’s Colonial Park), spread out your blanket, and visit the Grinch and bring your kids to storytime.
If storytime isn’t your speed, stop by the community-wide gingerbread house competition that takes place at 101 W. Water St, next door, and get a cup of hot cocoa at the Waterfront Trolley.
The Chowan Arts Council is setting up shop in the courthouse of the Shephard Pruden Library to help you design your very own ornament.
5:30
Then, gather with everyone around the big tree as the mayor counts us down to begin Christmas in Edenton. There are even rumors that you-know-who will be there, with a few friends from John A. Holmes High School. Wink wink.
6:15
The night culminates with an authentically Edenton tradition, the Christmas Flotilla at Colonial Park. Once the sun goes down, boats from all across Edenton, decked out in Christmas lights, will assemble for a one-of-a-kind parade held only on this special night.
Whether you’re looking to make family memories, find one-of-a-kind gifts, or simply soak up the small-town charm, Edenton’s holiday festivities are sure to delight.
Plan Your Visit
Ready to make the most of your holiday season? Head over to the Kickoff to Christmas event page for the full schedule and all the details, including parking information and details on weather-dependent events.
And don’t forget to secure your home away from home. We offer a variety of charming accommodations, ranging from cozy inns and vacation rentals to hotels. Check out the Accommodations page and book your perfect holiday stay today.
Join us in Edenton for a Christmas celebration you’ll remember for years to come!
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Click Here To Open A Chart View Window Zoomed To the Location of Edenton Harbor City Docks
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The Sea Pines Resort – January 2026 Events Calendar, Harbour Town Yacht Basin, SC AICW MM 565
Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi, also a CRUISERS NET SPONSOR. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment, as you will see in the Event Schedule below. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.
Kerry Maveus
kmaveus@hunter-pr.com | www.hunter-pr.com
mobile: 831-917-2878
P.O. Box 1049 | Pebble Beach, CA | 93953
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Spirit-Pilgrim: Trail a Line Like the Future Depends on It – Loose Cannon
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Spirit-Pilgrim: Trail a Line Like the Future Depends on It
How John Howland’s MOB Survival Left an Astonishing Legacy
Painting of John Howland overboard by Mike Haywood. If you’ve ever fallen off a moving boat, grabbed a stray line and managed to clamber back on board, then your spirit-Pilgrim—and mine—is a man named John Howland.
In 1620, Howland was a passenger on the Mayflower bound for New England carrying a band of religious “Separatists.” These are the kinds of folks who would say things like, “cleanliness is next to godliness” but found they were unable to practice what they preached while voyaging on 17th century ship.
Below decks, the Mayflower was foul from the stench of 102 human bodies, especially when everyone huddled inside during a fierce storm. Howland decided it would be a good idea to go on deck for some fresh air, and found himself tossed into the raging North Atlantic ocean on a leeward roll of the ship a’hull.
Somehow in the turmoil, Howland saw before him a line being dragged through the water and snatched it. It was said to have been an unsecured topsail halyard. From experience I can say that Howland’s world would have entered a stage akin to a movie in slow motion. Once the men on deck realized what had happened they dragged him back and over the gunwale like a prize fish.
Mayflower crew help Howland haul himself back on board. A year later, this guy had a little more to be thankful for than the others when Pilgrims sat down for that initial feast with the Wampanoags. He had survived the North Atlantic and, unlike some of his Plimouth neighbors, their first New England winter. “Divine providence” is how Pilgrims would describe it. Nowadays, we might call it luck.
Howland began life in America as an indentured servant but went on to hold important positions in government and commerce until his death at age 80. Along the way, he married Elizabeth Tilley and took that “Pilgrim Father” title very seriously, as he sired 10 children, who then produced 88 grandchildren. There are an estimated two million Howland descendants living in the U.S. today.
And that isn’t even the astonishing part. Here’s a list of some of them:
- Maude Adams (actress)
- Alec Baldwin (actor)
- Daniel Baldwin (actor)
- Stephen Baldwin (actor)
- William Baldwin (actor)
- Humphrey Bogart (actor)
- Phillips Brooks (writer)
- George H.W. Bush (41st U.S. President)
- George W. Bush (43rd U.S. President)
- Jeb Bush (former Florida Governor)
- Mary Chapin Carpenter (singer/song writer)
- Florence Earle Coates (poet)
- James Marlan Coughtry (baseball player)
- James D. Dole (founder of Dole Pineapple Company)
- Sanford B. Dole (former Hawaii Governor)
- George Howard Earle III (American politician and diplomat)
- Tommy Edman (baseball player)
- Ralph Waldo Emerson (poet)
- Nathaniel Gorham (Continental Congress President)
- Esther Allen Howland (creator of American Valentines)
- Charles P. Howland (football coach)
- Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. (U.S. Senator)
- Christopher Lloyd (actor)
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (poet)
- Sarah Heath Palin (former Alaskan Governor)
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd U.S. President)
- Lillian Russell (actress)
- Salome Sellers (last verified person to be born in the 18th century)
- Joseph Smith Jr. (founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
- Dr. Benjamin Spock (writer)
- Justin Winsor (writer)
- William H. Macy (actor)
- John Howland (doctor) (founded First Pediatric Department in the U.S.)
- Justice Robert Jackson (U.S. Supreme Court Justice)
- George C. Remey (U.S. Admiral)
- Chevy Chase (actor)
- Eliza Howland (writer)
- John Lithgow (actor)
- Jane G. Austin (writer)
- Eville Gorham (environmentalist)
- Sam Ervin (U.S. Senator)
- Alfred Cornelius Howland (painter)
- Albert Alexander Hyde (industrialist)
- John Gorham (Industrialist)
George Bush, Franklin Roosevelt and Sarah Palin—who says the universe doesn’t have a sense of humor?
Trailing Line
My own story was never as dire. It happened in the days when I sailed out of Newburyport, Massachusetts, from a river only locals can love. The Merrimack River tidal current rips through at 2-3 knots in either direction.
My first sailboat with accomodations was a 28-foot wooden sloop that “sailed like a witch” with a cocky skipper at the helm. This is the story about how I fell off the Meerschaum as she rocked along at hull speed, then managed to get back aboard in just seconds.
Like John Howland, my superpower was luck.
Meerschaum’s freeboard averaged about 20 inches, so she was a wet ride. And she had no lifelines. Three-foot chop had covered everything in spray that day. Everything was soaked as we drove her up between the jetties.
I cut the No. 7 can as we hardened up to make a west-southwest heading, hoping to clear the shallows behind No. 8 nun without tacking. My inexperienced crew took the tiller while I set about cranking in the jib. We were sailing close to the shallows of Plum Island to port.
Atypically, I wasn’t wearing my deck shoes—barefoot, I was.
It happened in a wink. I slipped and launched head-first into the river. I remember my exact thought at the moment of immersion: Boy, you sure (fouled) up this time!
Then, I kid you not, everything slowed down like a Sam Peckinpah action sequence. As my body oh-so-slowwwly rolled underwater, and I faced upward, I saw something moving above me at the surface. Yep, slowwwly.
It was a line. I reached up and snatched the bitter end.
Having only gone out for the day, we left the dinghy tethered to the mooring ball. The dinghy tow rope had been coiled on the fantail but was swept overboard during our lively sail. Neither of us had noticed that we were towing a warp. (Memo to non-New Englanders: Pronounced “waup.”)
Line in hand, my head broke the surface. I found myself returned to Earth’s time-space continuum. My hapless crew, still at the tiller, was looking back at me. Meerschaum’s weather helm was rounding her up toward the sandbar. “Pull it toward you,” I hollered. He drew the tiller to his chest. Meerschaum accelerated, me in tow.
Time sped up. I swear I was back on that boat in five seconds. Like Howland, I was in my 20s and fit.
This was in August, and we didn’t wait for Thanksgiving to celebrate. That was a day for Myers rum and grapefruit juice at Michael’s Harborside.
Meerschaum in light air off White Island, Isles of Shoals. LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Sometimes he tries to be funny. Subscribe for free to support the work. If you’ve been reading for a while—and you like it—consider upgrading to paid.
This newsroom runs on tequila. Please support the distiller that supports Loose Cannon.
For free shipping, use the promo code LCFREESHIP (which saves you $19.95).
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