Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: Crossing to Bimini
Crossing to Bimini
Posted: 14 Jun 2016 04:21 AM PDT
Looking for boating buddy to cross to Bimini July 8th. Return date is flexible.
You only have to spend a short time talking with Randy Mims to know that he has the soul of a true sailor. Randy not only built his 27ft gaff-rigged cutter, Ideath, but each year he single-hands the cutter from North Carolina to the Northern Gulf Coast and back again. “Ideath” is pronounced Idea-th and loosely translates as “house of ideas”. Randy stops along the way to visit maritime museums and, indulging his passion for music, he volunteers to sing in church choirs along the way. He also takes time to share his travels with his friends and has agreed to allow SSECN to post his emails. For more photos and more on Randy, go to http://towndock.net/shippingnews/ideath?pg=1 from TownDock.net in Oriental. See previous installment: /156986.
Dear Friends,
I am sending this update from LaBelle, Florida. It is located on the Caloosahatchee river in the Okeechobee waterway. I have crossed Lake Okeechobee numerous times both under sail and power depending on the wind. The first time, the wind quit completely and I anchored for the night. The next morning it was so absolutely calm that I spent half a day marveling at how quiet it was. When you are in the middle of a vast body of water and it is so still there is nothing to reflect sound , you can yell as loud as you can and as soon as it leaves your mouth it is like it is just absorbed by the universe. There are two possible routes to the a other side. There is the directly across way which I have always taken and what is called the rim route. Because of disastrous floods in the 1920’s, a channel was dug around the lake and the rock and dirt was used to build the “Herbert Hoover Dike”. This channel has always been too shallow to allow Ideath to try. This year I was pleased to learn that the lake is over two feet above the normal full pool. I have always wanted to experience this route even though it is eleven mile further. Many marsh islands and habitats dot the length of this channel. Near Belle Glade there is a park on Torry Island which is reached by an antique “hand operated” swing bridge. After calling the bridge tender and requesting an opening, a young man walked to the center of the bridge and inserted what looked like about an eight foot long metal tube into the deck of the bridge at about a 45 degree angle and began pushing it around in a circle. Obviously pretty hard to get moving, once he got it going it seemed pretty easy to get it all the way open. One added bonus was that during the entire operation no cars were waiting behind the swing arm barricades. I spent a wonderful day watching clouds of birds and aquatic flowering plants of all descriptions glide past. One of the best things about voyaging on Ideath is that no matter how long I have been doing it, there are always the opportunities to go somewhere or do something that I have always wanted to do but was prevented by some circumstance. Always be ready to take advantage of of an opportunity to do something or be someone when the universe makes it possible. I am starting to get close enough to the end of the voyage that I find myself longing to be there and wishing that it would never end. I hope your adventure is just as fantastic.
Love and Peace to you all,
Randy
S.M. Stevenson is looking for crew to assist a lengthy voyage north from St. Augustine. If you are interested, give him or her a call.
Looking for a method to find cruise mate for adventure up the east coast from St. Augustine to Canada. Already underway and leaving St. Augustine shortly.
52 ft. Sea Ray
cell no. 636-751-8833
I am on Islesboro, ME. stop by when you are here. I am at Warren Landing on the North East side of the island. Free mooring and a grocery store near by.
Construction of Canaveral Lock began in June of 2015, see /149146. Local boaters will especially pleased that the work is now completed, see /156537 and /156009. Canaveral Barge Canal, with a single 600X90ft lock, crosses Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island and intersects the Waterway at statute mile 894. Our thanks to Officer Skolte for this update.
Canaveral Lock returns to normal operating hours 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. daily
Canaveral Lock guidewall construction is complete; Canaveral lock is back to normal operating hours, 6 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. daily.
Thanks for your patience during the construction period.
Please share this information on social media on the Jacksonville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/JacksonvilleDistrict/ and retweet @JaxStrong.
Sign up for Notices to Navigation: http://bit.ly/1PDwSHe
Thanks as always for helping us to get the word out to the public!
Erica
Erica Skolte
Public Affairs Specialist
Corporate Communications Office
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District
South Florida Restoration Office, West Palm Beach
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Port Canaveral Lock
Thanks to Bill Schreiber for this bridge removal information. Stay tuned for details of necessary closures related to the demolition of the old bridge and construction of the new.
Not sure if you know. The Daytona Memorial Bridge (SM 830.6), the southern most bridge in Daytona, has just started a total replacement. Work started on June 6th and will take approximately three years. The bridge will be totally removed and a new high rise (65 ft vertical) bridge will replace same. The bascule lifts are currently in the fully up position and will remain so until removal of same; hence there is no current restriction, other than slow speed, on navigation in the immediate area. Work barges are on scene and will remain until near total replacement is finished. Eventually, some vessel traffic restrictions will be in place for bascule removal and for demolition of the old span but time frame is unknown at current time.
I will, if you wish, send further info as it becomes available. USCG station Ponce Inlet would be a good source for information.
Respectfully,
Capt. Bill Schreiber
USCG Merchant Marine Masters License
Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Anchorage Directory Listing For Memorial Bridge
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Memorial Bridge
Yesterday, June 8th, was World Oceans Day and the many reports and editorials in the news give us a lot to ponder about the health of the water that surrounds us all. This article is from the United Nations.
2016 Theme: Healthy oceans, healthy planet
Plastic bottles and garbage from a nearby village wash on the shores of a river and then spill into the sea in Dili, Timor-Leste. UN Photo/Martine Perret
The ocean is the heart of our planet. Like your heart pumping blood to every part of your body, the ocean connects people across the Earth, no matter where we live. The ocean regulates the climate, feeds millions of people every year, produces oxygen, is the home to an incredible array of wildlife, provides us with important medicines, and so much more! In order to ensure the health and safety of our communities and future generations, it’s imperative that we take the responsibility to care for the ocean as it cares for us.
This year, the theme is Healthy oceans, healthy planet, and we’re making a special effort to stop plastic pollution.
Plastic pollution is a serious threat because it degrades very slowly, polluting waterways for a very long time. In addition, plastic pollution impacts the health of aquatic animals because animals including zooplankton mistake the microbeads for food. Scientists also fear health impacts for humans.
CLICK HERE for more.
In case you haven’t seen this story. We called these “nettles” in the Chesapeake and they can make a trip overboard miserable. A poultice of Adolph’s Meat Tenderizer was the remedy of choice for us. This report is from AOL.com.
Sea lice are infesting Gulf Coast beaches
Tiny creatures are lurking in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. The nearly invisible creatures are known as sea lice and can cause an itchy rash and even flu like symptoms.
Although the small creatures are almost undetectable to the human eye, their sting packs a huge punch. The itchy rash they cause, known as “ocean itch” or “seabather’s eruption,” can last for days but luckily it goes away on its own. Applying an oatmeal preparation and calamine lotion can soothe the itch.
According to Florida Department of Public Health, “outbreaks of seabather’s eruption occur intermittently between March and August, but they appear to peak during early April through early July.”
The appearance of sea lice during the summer months is caused by shifts in south Florida’s current and the highest incidence of cases of seabather’s eruption occur in Palm Beach County and Northern Broward County.
Sea lice are the larvae of adult jellyfish and their small size sometimes causes them to get stuck between a swimmers’ skin and their swim suit, clothes or hair, which causes them to sting.
Swimmers can reduce their chances of getting seabather’s eruption by avoiding wearing T-shirts while in the ocean and changing out of their bathing suits as soon as possible after exiting from the water.
This advice on Gulf Coast Florida comes in response to folks about to make the voyage south from northern Florida. All the marinas listed below can be found in our Western Florida Marina Directory accessed from our Homepage.
Keep in mind that scallop season starts the 25th of June which will be an issue gaining dockage the closer you get to this date. That said there are many nice marinas reminiscent of old time Florida along the Big Bend area. Don’t expect anything fancy but you will receive great friendship and clean accommodations. All the marinas I’ll mention can handle a 3 foot draft and then some. Be cautious of the depth in this area.
1) Swanee River has two: Swanee River marina 352 542 9159 & Gateway Marina 352 542 7349 Call the local BoatUS Tow for current channel depths and USE THE NORTH channel NOT the river.
2) Yankee Town; YT marina 352 447 2529; Best talk with Helen 352-447-5888; Riverside 352-447-2890 This is one of my favorite stops.
3) Crystal River: Petes’s 352 795 3302 & Twin River 352 795 3552 This area thinks highly of there dock space but if you’ve never been to Crystal River the stop might be nice.
4) Now to my favorite river the Steinhatchee: For a nice motel with dockage call Shelter Cove. They have recently been bought out by Ideal Marine so you can be the first to review them. 352 498 5707/352-210-1781. There are also Good Times Motel never been there 352 498-8088; SeaHag 352 498-3008 lots wakes; River Haven my favorite 352 498-0709/352-356=2904.This is outland Florida so best to phone in advance to qualify all your requirements.
Gaz
Explorer Chartbooks, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET PARTNER, has long been the standard navigational supplement for enjoyable, informative, and safe cruising through the beautiful Bahamian waters and island visits.
Bahamas Chatter: Help
Help
Posted: 05 Jun 2016 02:22 PM PDT
Good day all. Planning trip from Grand Bahama to Acklins. Is there a known channel between the southern tip of the tongue of the ocean to the crooked island passage, for vessel drawing 15′ water? Thanking in advance.
If you mean going down west of the Exumas, at 15′, absolutely no way!. Your best option is to head for Exuma Sound , if you can get through into it and then down the east side of Long Island. Otherwise you have a long sail either outside Eleuthra and Cat Island or south of Andros, long sails either way.
But your objective, The Acklins is well worth it. All the out islands are friendly, but we have never received a warmer welcome than at Landrail Point (Crooked Island). Excellent wall dive just a few hundred yards off the beach.
The New Bern Grand Marina lies in the heart of downtown New Bern, North Carolina, along Trent River’s northern banks between the low-level Trent River highway and railroad bridges.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of New Bern Grand Marina
Be the first to comment!