Magnetic North Pole Shifting Rapidly and Unpredictably
An interesting article from The Maritime Executive on the natural phenomenon that affects all our compasses.
Magnetic North Pole Shifting Rapidly and Unpredictably
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Advice for Boat Buyers
The two happiest days in a boater’s life: the day you buy the boat and the day you sell the boat. Having owned sixteen boats I can attest to the joys and sorrows of boat ownership. This article by Jan and David Irons from Commuter Cruiser offers insight into the features you might want to consider when purchasing your first boat. Although addressed to folks considering doing The Loop, the advice works for all waters and conditions.
After The Loop Update: Buying A Boat for The Great Loop
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Information on New No-Wake Zones in the Bahamas
No-Wake zones, especially in mooring areas and anchorages, can make a huge difference in a crew’s safety and enjoyment of an area. Please heed the zones!
Elijah Sands posted in Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park.
Some information on the new “No wake Zones” in the park,…See More
Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park Notice:
The increase of vessel traffic and vessels moored at Cambridge Cay – ECLSP has prompted the BNT to invoke special regulations for vessels transiting Cambridge Cay channel to the West of the Mooring Field.
Increased usage and transiting boat traffic through this channel has created the need for a “Slow No Wake” zone.
All vessels are required to reduce their speed between the three (3) “Slow No Wake” buoys in position at the BNT Cambridge Cay Channel. 5 mph (max) speed limits and other safe boating regulations are in place and will be enforced.
The Wardens of the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) have established this permanent “Slow No Wake” zone at the Cambridge Cay Channel and have marked this channel with (3) buoys.
This new “Slow No Wake” area at Cambridge Cay Channel is effective from January 1st, 2019, and is permanent.
The BNT wishes to remind boaters that there is a “Slow No Wake” regulation throughout ALL mooring fields located within the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. Please do abide by these regulations at all times.
To seek further information about this and all other idle and no wake zones, contact the BNT Administrator via VHF channel 09, or through Bahamas National Trust – Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park Head Quarters at 242-601-7438. #WeareBNT
Elijah Sands on Facebook8 Facebook Likes, 8 Facebook Reactions
Comments from Cruisers (2)
- Reply to Jayne
Beth Barrie
- Reply to Beth
Jayne Gorham thanks. I just “liked†Cruiser’s Netâ€, looks like a good resource.
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FOCUS ON Marineland Marina, Marineland, FL, AICW Statute Mile 796
Marineland is home to Marineland Marina, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, with many recent facility upgrades and consistently good words from cruisers.
Making Memories in Marineland, FloridaIt’s vacation time and our serene marina is bursting with happy boaters. It’s our favorite time of the year!We look forward to hosting you and your family as you visit our historic coast during this happy season, and we are honored to be part of your family memories for years to come. This month we want to help you create those memories by taking a few moments to highlight 5 unique experiences available right here in the Town of Marineland, Florida!
Reservations for transient overnight, weekly and monthly have started. Please call as soon as possible to reserve your slip. 904-814-9886
For site plan and additional info, please visit our website.
Safe travels and we will see you soon!
The town of Marineland, Florida was established in 1940, consists of 171 acres, and straddles the counties of Flagler and St. Johns. According to the 2016 census, the actual population of the town is only 17 people, although many scientists visit the area to study at the Whitney Lab and Georgia Aquarium Field Station, located adjacent to our marina.
5 Memorable Things To Do in Marineland, Florida1) Take a tour of the Sea Turtle Hospital!The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience is a full-time University of Florida research center for biomedical research and biotechnology and is also home to the Sea Turtle Hospital, a teaching and rehabilitation center. Tours of the hospital are offered the 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month, and the 2nd Saturday of the month for only $15 per person. Tours are limited to 10 people, so reserve your spot in advance by visiting their website.
2) Interact with dolphins, sea turtles and more at Marineland Dolphin Adventure, located just across the street!
And, as an added bonus, stay 3 nights with us and get complimentary general admission passes to visit the park. General admission passes can even be used towards the purchase of a dolphin experience! Visit Marineland Dolphin Adventure’s website for descriptions of the exciting, interactive experiences available!
3) Go on an Eco-Adventure with Ripple Effect Ecotours!
Launching right from our marina, this well established tour company functions with an emphasize on ethical, eco-friendly tourism. Whether you choose to join one of several daily kayaking adventures, or jump on the “Ripple Effect 1”, their custom bio-diesel jet boat, your ecotour will take you into otherwise inaccessible areas of the pristine estuary surrounding our marina. The tours are exciting, educational, and are a great way to get a glimpse of the area as it stood when the Native Americans first arrived. Kayak rentals are also available for your solo adventures. Reservations are required, so
4) Hike, bike, fish, camp, and more at the
The River to Sea Preserve is located on both sides of highway A1A at Marineland, adjacent to the marina, and is owned jointly by Flagler County and the Town of Marineland. The 90-acre preserve offers walking trails, nature vistas, and ecological education opportunities as well as public access to the beach. Be sure to visit the beachside boardwalk for a majestic view of the beach and ocean. It’s a great spot to catch the sunrise!
5) Grab lunch or dinner at Captain’s BBQ in Bing’s Landing!
Just a short dinghy ride away, Captain’s BBQ is known not only for their delicious BBQ (try the brisket!) but carries a wide assortment of amazing, homemade cheesecake! They also serve beer & wine, and offer indoor & outdoor seating.
After you fill your belly, be sure to check out the park! Bing’s Landing consists of 8 acres within a maritime oak hammock. The park houses a state of the art boat launch, fishing pier, picnic & playground facilities, and an archaeological dig of the Mala Compra Plantation.
This is just a taste of all the wonderful things that our area has to offer. We look forward to helping you and your family make the most out of your stay, so please reach out with any questions or concerns. We love our boaters and we are so happy that cruising season is off to a fabulous start here at theWhile you’re here, don’t forget to check out the Salt Air Farmer’s Market, located right in our marina parking lot. With fresh veggies, baked goods, honey, crafts, and more, you never know what treasures you might find!The market is held every Sunday from 10am – 2pm.
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Rare Whale Sightings Increase off Florida Coast
Until you have seen one of these beautiful creatures in person, you really cannot envision their size.
Uptick in rare whale sightings off Florida coast
WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort LauderdaleBe the first to comment!
More on Federal Parks, Waters Open Despite Shutdown
Anchorages in federal areas, such as Biscayne National Park, are still available to boaters, but any office or facilities may be shuttered. Access to state and county anchorages and docks, such as John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Florida and Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center in North Carolina, are not affected by the Federal shutdown. Our thanks to Kevin Wadlow and EcoWatch for these reports.
Parks, waters open despite federal shutdown
KeysNews.comBe the first to comment!
NEW FEATURE – Weekly Marine Fuel Summary
We have added a new feature to help you find the lowest Marine fuel prices to minimize your cruising expenses.
Each week a summary of the best Marina fuel prices are automatically compiled and summarized in a single post.
The post has many features and capabilities, including:- You can choose to view diesel or gas prices.
- The prices can be displayed graphically, as a list or both graphically/list.
- Prices are shown for each region and the best price overall is noted.
- Hovering over a price icon will show you the marina name and date of the fuel price.
- Clicking on a price icon will pop up a window with the full marina information.
- The graphical view supports zooming and panning.
- The list form shows the high/low range for each region and overall.
- The preview image shows the best diesel and gas prices anywhere.
- Plus many more features.
Click HERE to see an example of this feature or look for posts titles starting with Best Fuel Price Summary as of [Date]
Please let us know what you think of this new feature and if you have any suggestions for additional features or improvements.
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Comments from Cruisers (8)
- Reply to Samuel
Tracy Hellman that’s me I don’t take Life serious at all.
- Reply to Tracy
There’s always a clown in crowd.
- Reply to Richard
$1.96 in Washington NC
- Reply to Julie
$1.83 in Myrtle Beach!
- Reply to Jenny
St. Augustine $1.99.
- Reply to John
$1.99 in Washington, NC
- Reply to Cruisers'
Thanks for the info? What marina and as of what date in Washington NC so we can update our database.
- Reply to Tracy
New River is always the lowest.
’76 Irwin Owner Seeks Insurance
As many owners of older boats find themselves, Rick is searching for reasonably priced insurance for his 1976 Irwin. If you have suggestions, please reply to this posting.
I own a pretty nice Irwin 10/4 (25 feet but very big and beamy). Unfortunately, because of its age (1976) and the fact that Irwin is no-longer in business, I found it infuriatingly difficult to find an insurance company willing to cover it for a price commensurate with the value of the boat. For instance, the boat is realistically worth $5.5k (more or less) and while it is possible to find an insurance for $1600 a year, that is an unreasonable price because it would be like buying another boat every 3 years. Once, I found an insurance company who would insure it for a few hundred dollars a year on the condition that I moved my house and car insurance to them. Although the rates were a bit higher for the house and car, I did it anyway. About a month later I got a letter telling me that the agent had made an error and they would NOT be able to continue the insurance. 30 days later I was,once again, without boat insurance. In addition to the rarity of reasonably priced old-boat insurance, the cost of doing the periodic, mandatory haul out and survey for the insurance company adds another $400 to $700 every few years. (survey cost + haul-out cost). Now my boat is at my own dock, but I know that many sailors, responsible sailors, have nice old boats, but can’t afford the ridiculous cost of insurance and its requirements for surveys and haul-outs. Should they just scrap their boats? Never anchor them? This is a legitimate question on behalf of us old-boat lovers. Perhaps you might suggest an insurance company that is reasonably priced for old-boat insurance. Please post it so that I can follow up, do the research on it and post the results, costs, requirements, age limits, etc., and possibly even buy it. Much thanks for your interest in this concern over anchoring. Thank you for the input AND the info.
RickComments from Cruisers (2)
- Reply to Allen
Check with the Irwin group on Facebook. I'm sure they've had this discussion. And they are a great group for information on all things Irwin.
- Reply to Roadranger
To be open and fully disclosed, my comment was meant as a rebuttal of the suggestion that a Florida law requiring boat insurance might alleviate the derelict boat problem. My argument is that it would not. It is unfeasible because of the high-cost and rarity of cheap boat insurance for older boats. I am not, actually, in the market, but am looking into the real costs and availability so that I can dispel, and argue against that notion, which I believe to be flawed. I am open to polite argument and hope that I am wrong. It would be nice if owners of older boats could buy inexpensive insurance. It would be nice, too, if a solution to the derelict boat problem could be fixed that easily. But let us not pass any new mandatory requirements for boat ownership, just yet. From my experience, many responsible cruisers of older boats may have a very hard time finding and affording that insurance, or if it were required, keeping their boats in the water. Not wanting to throw away money for too expensive insurance or a shiny new boat does not make a boat owner irresponsible, or a boat a derelict. So if you must, give me some inexpensive insurance quotes, but be warned… I will probably check into all of the requirements, the costs, and the "strings-attached" (like getting an annual haul-out and survey, or only being available as part of a larger insurance package) and then report back on this thread, but just for arguments sake, not for the purposes of buying insurance on my boat. I spend money for expensive seacocks, bilge pumps, bronze through-hulls, new chain and anchors. My belief is that the best insurance is a well maintained boat, equipped with reliable parts. I might feel differently if I sailed a $150K boat, but I choose not to, for various reasons. Mostly I don't think a younger boat is better, in any way. Oftentimes they are not built nearly as well. I dislike overspending, but I hate throwing money away. The only thing I might hate, more, is being forced to throw money away because of a new state law. Thank you for your interest in this exciting topic. It is important, to be sure, but I'd rather be sailing.
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More Good Words for Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC, AICW Statute Mile 131.5
A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, Dowry Creek Marina, now under new management and ownership by The Zeltner family who want to “roll out the red carpet” to transients, doing whatever you might need during your visit to this highly praised and transient friendly marina lying off the AICW/Pungo River north of Belhaven, NC. Upon their retirement from shore life, the Zeltners went shopping for a trawler and ended up buying Dowry Creek Marina! Steve, Connie and their grown children, Teresa, Zac and Nicole will treat you like family!
We stopped at Dowry Creek Marina for an overnight in November 2018. Quiet, friendly a very comfortable overnight. Offered a loaner car for local transport. Good fuel. Pool. Clean bathrooms. Very nice. Great sunsets and sunrises. Thank you.
Charles Rogers
MV Great Adventure
Ranger Tug 29Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Dowry Creek Marina
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Winter is a perfect time for the beach and for collecting seashells
What a lovely article by Amanda Nalley from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission!
Winter is a perfect time for the beach and for collecting seashells
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Comments from Cruisers (5)
It’s following Mueller
Thanks for posting the article.
Here you go Mike: BY MAREX 2019-01-12 19:52:24
The Earth’s north magnetic pole is shifting so rapidly that steps are being taken to ensure it doesn’t impact navigation in the Arctic.
Compass needles point towards the north magnetic pole, a point that has moved from Canada to the middle of the Arctic Ocean over the last century. It is currently moving towards Siberia at about 50 kilometers (30 miles) a year.
The World Magnetic Model predicts the Earth’s geomagnetic field for the next five years, and it is normally produced every five years. Scientists have now recognized that the 2015 World Magnetic Model needs updating earlier than planned, but the update has been postponed from January 15 to January 30 due to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown.
Since late 2014, the core field has varied in a currently unpredictable manner. This led to the World Magnetic Model becoming less accurate, particularly at high northern latitudes, much faster than normal. The variations have been attributed to an abrupt unpredictable change in 2014/2015 and an acceleration of flow in the core in the northern hemisphere.
The Model is produced by the British Geological Survey and NOAA, on behalf of the U.K. Defence Geographic Centre and the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. It is a model of the primary component of the geomagnetic field: the Earth’s core. The core field is generated by dynamic action in the swirling iron-rich fluid of the outer core, roughly 3,500 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. The ever-changing flow of the outer core leads to an ever-changing magnetic field.
“The magnetic poles drift, the field strengthens and weakens, and the immense magnetic field of the Sun, carried by the solar wind, constantly batters at it from the outside,†says British Geological Survey blogger, Will Brown. “The World Magnetic Model is the standard magnetic model used for navigation by organizations such as NATO, the Ministry of Defence, and the U.S.’ Department of Defense, and also by smartphone operating systems such as Android and iOS. When you open your smartphone’s map app, you may see an arrow pointing which way you’re facing, and there’s something quite clever going on underneath. Your phone contains a magnetometer that is measuring the Earth’s magnetic field. In order to make sense of this information a reference model like the World Magnetic Model is needed to correct the measurements of magnetic north made by your phone to True North.â€
The next scheduled update to the World Magnetic Model is expected in December 2019.
Sorry Mike. Copy/paste just doesn’t work for some external pages which require a link. The link as posted is active. Try again.
Here is the link. I dislike how cruisers net post their info.
https://maritime-executive.com/article/magnetic-north-pole-shifting-rapidly-and-unpredicatably