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    • Slick’ Survival Move Jesus May Have Tried – Peter Swanson

      Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with salt water in their veins will subscribe. $7 a month or $56 for the year, and you may cancel at any time.

         
       
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      ‘Slick’ Survival Move Jesus May Have Tried

      ‘Storm Oil’ Isn’t a Thing Anymore, and Not Just Because It’s Against the Law

        
      Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee is a 1633 oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch Golden Age painter Rembrandt. It was based a description of the Gospel of Mark about how Christ calmed the water. A rational explanation is that Jesus—the only calm guy on the boat—had applied the old sailors’ trick of using “storm oil,” which helps prevent waves like this one from breaking. One scholar has suggested oil may also have played a role in preserving the vessel that ran into foul weather while carrying St. Paul to Rome.

      While writing a story recently about a harbor plagued by petroleum spills, I was reminded of being a kid and reading about mariners using oil to help survive offshore storms. It was the 1960s, so the magazine might have been in Yachting before it transmogrified into the sop to billionaires it is today.

      “Storm oil” could be deployed upwind in a container attached, for example, to a sea anchor, from which it slowly released its contents. Like nutmeg on butternut squash, storm oil was effective even when applied in tiny amounts.

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      And, as the painting above was meant to suggest, the technique has been used since biblical times (the Sea of Galilee is notoriously subject to sudden violent wind-driven waves). As recreational boating was trending upward in the last century, boating magazines were launched to serve the new market, and one service to readers was to pass along wisdom of professional mariners.

      One early magazine account of storm oil appeared in this issue of Motor Boating, known for it’s stunning cover art:

        

      This “heavy weather edition” of the June 1912 magazine credited the Phonecians with first use of storm oil: Sailors from the ancient Middle Eastern nation had observed “that after passing through the wake of whales, oil exuding from their bodies left a perfectly calm spot” (presumably referring to the bodies of the whales, not the sailors).

      The following bits of wisdom were contributed to Motor Boating by E.A. Crawford of Newark, N.J.:

      As soon as the oil spreads on the surface of the water, it places a film over it, which effectually prevents the waves from coaming and breaking. Of course, it has no effect on the swell.

      Three bags should be sufficient for a boat as they may be constructed in any manner desired, although the usual shape is cylindrical about six inches in diameter, of two or more thicknesses of heavy canvas. Stuff with oakum and punch full of holes at least a quarter of an inch in diameter to allow the oil to leak out, which is easily done with a marlin spike.

      These holes also admit the water, so it can facilitate the oil leakage and make it more uniform. Saturate the oakum with lard oil, if obtainable, as experiments tend to favor it to all others. Still most any oil will serve in an emergency, although mineral oil, having little fatty matter will not produce as good result as vegetable oil, while lard oil being composed entirely of fat is most effective…

      If riding to a sea anchor, bend them to the cable, so it will be several fathoms ahead of the boat. Running before the wind, tow one from each bow, using enough line on them so they will always be in the water. At anchor, make one fast to the cable several lengths ahead of the boat, allowing sufficient line so it will float freely.

      Cone Can in a Sea Anchor

        
      Lifeboats were required to carry them until 1998. Originally, fish oil was the preferred medium, and it was the cheapest. Wave-quelling oil could also be used when launching or recovering ship’s boats or embarking or disembarking a pilot.

      Attached to a Kellet

        
      This illustration is from the June 1943 issue of Motor Boating. “Kellet” in the headline is a somewhat obscure term for a weight attached to an anchor rode.

      Storm Oil Bags

      The middle one, from an online market site, was labeled “no longer available.” The other two are in museums. (Click on an image to enlarge it.)

      The final reference to storm oil that I could find in MotorBoating (the name had become one word) was a 1978 story about a 70-foot sailing vessel lying ahull. She was apparently surfing down massive waves and outrunning the slick until her crew began towing warps to slow the boat down enough to enjoy the effects of the oil.

      Benjamin Franklin

      There he goes again. Research a topic long enough, and sooner or later Benjamin Franklin is going to pop up. It wasn’t enough that he invented lightning rods, swim fins and bifocals, that he was first to chart the Gulf Stream, but it was Franklin that first confirmed scientifically the efficacy of storm oil.

      Sailing to England in the 1860s, Franklin observed that the greasy galley discharge from a nearby ship smoothed its wake. After arriving he conducted experiments at a British lake, which he summarized in a report on “Stilling the waves,” writing:

      “Not more than a tea spoonful produced an instant calm, over a space several yards square, which spread amazingly, and extended itself gradually till it reached the lee side, making all that quarter of the pond, perhaps half an acre, as smooth as a looking glass.”

      This YouTube guy replicated Franklin’s approach and gives a pretty good explanation of the science involved. He even used olive oil, as likely had the early Phonecian practicioners.

      Ben Franklin Correspondence on Stilling …
      2.7MB ∙ PDF file
      Download

      The Federal Water Pollution Control Act was enacted in 1948, but rewritten in 1972 and amended twice since. For boaters, one result was the placard below, which we are all required to display on vessels 26 feet and over with an enclosed engine compartment.

        

      But what if a vessel is outside U.S. waters entirely? Todd Lochner, an admiralty lawyer in Annapolis, was asked whether restrictions on releasing oil follow us onto international waters, which is where we are most likely to have to ride out a storm.

      The short version is that there are laws which are applicable to both U.S. territorial waters, and generally speaking, there are laws which will follow the flag state of the vessel. Let’s not forget that there are certain treaties like UNCLOS¹ which will apply, particularly if the flag state is a signatory as well. As usual, clear as mud with a lawyer response that I need more information and factual scenario, etc. etc.

      As late as 1991, “Chapman Piloting & Seamanship & Small Boat Handling” was still informing readers of the benefits of oil in the storm but with a disclaimer about it’s dubious legality. In 1999, the first edition of “Surviving the Storm: Coastal & Offshore Tactics” by Steve and Linda Dashew only mentions storm oil a few times in passing.

      No matter, I think. If given a choice between adding a couple quarts of Rotella T to the Atlantic and death by drowning, most of us would probably choose the former. The law and politically correctness may be why none of our written authorities are touting oil as a solution nowadays, but the real reason for its disuse is this: We now have tools to avoid being caught in storms, which did not exist before the 1990s, let alone 1912.

      Better Forecasts

      Ocean-crossers like the Dashews are a rare breed. Many of us haven’t done anything riskier than an overnighter. Most offshore passages are limited in duration to four, maybe five or six days. Think “I-65,” the route from New England to the Caribbean via Bermuda.

      Weather forecasting for a four-day window is actually pretty damn accurate nowdays, and, since the new Millenium, the electronic means for receiving such forecasts have proliferated, the latest and greatest being Starlink. We’re not getting surprised like we used to.

      Think of it this way: The conditions for using storm oil and a sea anchor are pretty much the same, as suggested by one of the illustrations above. Yet the sea anchor has become like a vestigial tail. Many of us still carry one, but most of us who do, have never used it.

      If you’ve deployed a sea anchor in actual storm conditions, please share the story with us below. Do you think oil would have helped?

      LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often 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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      United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea.

       

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      411 Walnut St. No. 1944, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
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    • Rebedding ,Sparring with Mother Nature – Janice Anne Wheeler

       
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      Your support is essential; it makes me proud to share these stories; what a joust!

      If you’ve just come aboard, accept my gratitude & please read SPARS & SPARRING, an intro to my world.

      Message Janice Anne Wheeler

      Messages reach my inbox directly; please do not hesitate to contact me! ~J

       


      It’s not sexy; it’s not the morning-after-let’s-do-that-again thing. Most of us have been between those sheets and if that’s what rebedding in the maritime world was, then I’d say bring it on. But it’s not. Not even close. The only thing that rebedding and this rebedding have in common is that it takes four hands; two inside and two outside. Microsoft denies it’s even a real word but let me tell you it is really quite a task. We’re talking about chainplates and the impressive bolts that keep them in place.

        

      Each chainplate is held by five impressive custom-length bolts.

      Google defines chainplate as “a crucial metal fitting on a sailboat that connects the standing rigging (fixed wires and ropes supporting the mast) to the hull. In essence, it acts as a strong anchor point for the shrouds and stays, which are the cables that, attached with turnbuckles, provide lateral and fore-and-aft support to the mast(s).”

        

      Kinda hard to tell what’s going where, isn’t it?

      Admittedly, after due consideration, our chainplates are sexy in a classic wooden yacht, old-fashioned, pirate-ship sort of way. They have a notable exterior presence, considerable heft at thirty pounds or so, and you know the seriousness of their purpose. STEADFAST was originally designed by William Hand Jr as a Motorsailer with masts considerably shorter than they are today. Our friend Dmitri, who rebuilt her during the 80s, elongated the original spars by over 35%, changing the dynamics of the vessel tremendously.

        

      Eight forward chainplates, four each side.

      We harness the power of the wind to propel forty tons through the seas; the force of those opposing forces is tremendous. STEADFAST has sixteen exterior thirty-inch cast silicon bronze chainplates that are bolted through the hull into the structure of the vessel. Four of those attach two shrouds rather than one, giving us twenty separate opposing forces to keep the masts upright regardless of conditions. In speeds over gale force (35knots or 40mph or 65kph) we drop all but minimal sail because those forces are so extreme. The remaining sail is for stability rather than propulsion. She has proven herself and lived up to her name; we do our best to not encounter such conditions. Too little sail area may be slow, but too much sail area can be deadly. If you’re interested, you can explore the tragic sinking of the Pride of Baltimore through this link.

        

      The maintenance of chainplates is a key component to both integrity and strength; our favorite marine surveyor recommends rebedding every five to ten years. We knew we were overdue and started on those connected directly to the Mizzen, or aft, mast to discover that they had not been removed, cleaned, and re-adhered since their original installation nearly forty years ago. We also discovered why. The aft ones were challenging, with two-inch holes now needing repair were drilled through walls and small-hand dexterity was required. Our chainplates go underneath two sections of wood, the rub rail and the outer toe rail; it’s a feat to remove all the debris.

      We put off the eight main mast ones as long as we could as most bolts were hidden behind interior walls. Rebedding hullside chainplates is a precarious, multi-step process that proves the tenacity of both marine adhesives (3M’s 5200) and our determination while depending on undependable weather forecasts not to get soaked to the bone or blown off the scaffold.

      The bolts were installed prior to the galley. Yes, that’s new paint.

      Remember how interconnected a sailing vessel is and this one, while more complex than most, is far, far simpler than back in the days when it was the only mode of transport. On modern vessels a simple L-shaped piece of stainless steel bolted through the deck and into the interior structure is common. Find simple and detailed discussion here from No Frills Sailor.

      On STEADFAST, we don’t have the simple stuff. All that vessel REBEDDING tired us out, frankly, although crossing it off the list was a celebration. We’re hoping that when this project is completed we’ll have time and energy for the fun kind. ~J

        

      Re-securing the last turnbuckle as black clouds loom….

      Think my work & project is worth sharing? We’ve been called “The Tally Ho of the Chesapeake Bay” more than once this week! Sampson Boat Co has 555,000 more followers than I do, so let’s get on it! Send me along!! No pressure, really. I’m just damn glad YOU are here. Have a wonderful week!

      Share SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE

      Message Janice Anne Wheeler

       

       

       

      THANK YOU AGAIN for supporting STEADFAST and her caretakers, mates! Saving history is not an easy task!

       
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      © 2025 Janice Anne Wheeler
      Living aboard Sailing Yacht STEADFAST again soon!
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    • Anchoring Rights Diminish When a Boat Is Unattended – Loose Cannon

      Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with salt water in their veins will subscribe. $7 a month or $56 for the year, and you may cancel at any time.

         
       
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      Anchoring Rights Diminish When a Boat Is Unattended

      A Former Harbormaster’s View, as States Grapple With Derelict Vessels

       
       
      Guest post
       
       
       
       
       

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      The topic is timely as states seek to enact time limits on anchoring. The author is a retired naval architect and regular Loose Cannon contributor. More importantly, in the context of this opinion piece, he once served as harbormaster at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, which is to say that he has real-world experience managing anchorages. Loose Cannon endorses Long’s point of view, informed by having myself once served on a small-town Massachusetts harbor commission.


      The right of unimpeded vessel passage through navigable waters has been deeply embedded in common law since before the nation’s founding. The U.S. Supreme Court has confirmed the fairly obvious point that anchoring is an essential aspect of vessel operation and therefore subject to the same legal principles, and that it should only be restricted in the case of overriding public interest.

      An example for navigation would be restriction of entering military practice zones; for anchoring, not obstructing navigation channels or disturbing especially valuable bottom habitat such as coral reefs. The bar for prohibiting or restricting anchoring is therefore a high one and rests on the foundation of freedom of navigation.

      However, the many controversies, lawsuits, and legislative actions I have followed over the years mostly seem to overlook a vital point: Navigation is performed by people aboard vessels. The age of the self-navigating vessel may be coming, as it is on roads, and regulators and legislators will need to address it.

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      But for now we are considering the issue in the present world and based on the common law that brought us to this point in time. A vessel anchored with people aboard is navigating; an unoccupied vessel at anchor is not. The unoccupied anchored vessel is therefor due a lower level of freedom from restriction and regulation.

      The common law of anchoring developed in an age when it would have been exceedingly rare for a vessel to be left at anchor without a crew aboard. An anchor watch would be kept all night by rotating crew members to be sure the anchor did not begin to drag with weather or current changes. This practice is still maintained by many commercial vessels.

      For the small crews on recreational vessels, the anchor watch has now been largely supplanted by GPS based anchor alarms but there is still the presence of a crew aboard that can quickly respond to an anchor failure or emergency. This is a significant issue in appropriate regulation of the use of anchors.

      Visit Loose Cannon on Facebook for links to the latest news stories about boats, boating and waterways.

      If a state chose to establish a prohibition against a vessel being left unoccupied while at anchor, I believe it could ultimately prevail in the courts based on the navigation principle. I doubt that the state would want to do this however. There would be huge push back from the boating community and it would be injurious to shoreside businesses in those places where people can anchor and go ashore to spend money.

      In those situations however, the occupants of the vessel are near by and in a position to monitor the weather and return promptly to the vessel if necessary. Anchoring an unoccupied vessel and then leaving town overnight or for several days is a very different situation. I also believe that people who wish to live aboard long term in a harbor with jobs ashore can not be considered to be attending their vessel unless they have have a job that keeps them close to their vessel and an arrangement with their employer that lets them leave immediately and at will.

      Even in that case, there will be the necessity for them occasionally to leave town. If they do not want to move their vessel to a dock or marina on those occasions, their vessel should be on a stout and permitted mooring. Another distinction that has usually failed to be made in the various anchoring controversies is that between anchors and mooring.

      The phrase “anchored or moored” constantly appears but there are very important and relevant distinctions when regulations are contemplated. Vessel anchors are gear sized and arranged to be deployed, retrieved, and carried by a vessel. As such, compromises must be made in size, weight, and configuration. Moorings, on the other hand, are generally installed by vessels specifically intended for the purpose. They can thus be larger than a vessel on them would be able to retrieve.

      Their anchor design does not need to be compromised by storage underway and can be less susceptible to breaking out and dragging with current and wind shifts. All of these anchoring questions are ultimately about individual use of a public resource which is the navigable waters.

      Another important distinction between vessel anchors and mooring is that a vessel takes its gear with it and frees up that portion of the public resource when it leaves. A private mooring, as a (semi)permanent installation, continues restrict a portion of the resource even when the vessel is absent. Moorings should therefore be regulated and subject to approval with appropriate permits and fees.

      A vessel which puts out its anchor and is then left for a long period of time is not really anchored nor is it navigating. By virtue of its occupying a portion of a public resource, it is actually a vessel on mooring but a mooring consisting of inadequate and substandard gear for the situation.

      Any appropriate approval and permit issuing for moorings should consider the factors of vessel size, nature of the bottom, anchor type and weight, etc. to ensure that the vessel will remain in place through weather conditions that can be reasonably expected.

      Any public process of discussing anchoring and mooring will generate many responses along the lines of, “A good anchor is better than an unknown mooring.” “Moorings can break too.” “I trust my gear more than something put down by someone I don’t know.” I agree. I would rather ride out a storm on my own anchor in a carefully selected spot than on a mooring.

      An anchor usually begins to drag slowly and gives enough warning that engines can be started and action taken. When a mooring fails, the boat will immediately be moving through the harbor at whatever speed the wind and current can generate. Contact with another vessel is highly likely.

      However, I have tens of thousands of miles of experience and very good ground tackle. Public policy must be based on a much lower common denominator. Note also that I said, “Ride out.” I would be aboard to deal with emergencies and thus would be navigating with the greater regulatory protection of that status.

      If I could not be aboard the vessel for a storm, I would want the vessel on a mooring that I believed was up to the job. Strictly speaking, I consider it poor seamanship to leave a vessel anchored unattended through a tide cycle since anchor drags usually occur after the reset when the direction of pull changes.

      Few, even the anchoring activists, would consider it appropriate for someone to drive an RV into someplace like a national forest and just leave it with the license plates removed and expect to come back weeks or months later to use it. Why should it be different on the water?

      LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often 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.

      A guest post by
      Roger Long

      Retired designer of boats and ships, former. Explorer and researcher of the Titanic. Private pilot. Internationally recognized authority on the stability of large sailing ships. Avid cruiser with over 40,000 miles in sail and power.

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    • Southeast Marine Fuel Best Price Summary as of Jul 16

      This week’s lowest current marina fuel prices as of Jul 16
              Diesel Range: $2.91 to $4.20 Lowest @ Osprey Marina in (South Carolina)
              Gas Range: $3.85 to $5.00 Lowest @ Osprey Marina in (South Carolina)
      Remember to always call the marina to verify the current price since prices may change at any time. Also please let us know if you find a marina’s fuel price has changed via the Submit News link.

      SELECT Fuel Type:
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      All Regions (Price Range $2.91 to $4.34)

      $2.91 Osprey Marina (07/07)
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      Virginia to North Carolina (Price Range $4.24 to $4.24)

       

      North Carolina (Price Range $3.32 to $4.21)

      $3.32 Albemarle Plantation Marina (06/30)
      $3.35 Dowry Creek Marina (07/07)
      $3.48 Belhaven Marina (07/07)

       

      South Carolina (Price Range $2.91 to $4.20)

      $2.91 Osprey Marina (07/07)
      $2.96 Wacca Wache Marina (06/30)
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      Georgia (Price Range $3.65 to $4.07)

       

      Eastern Florida (Price Range $3.42 to $4.34)

       

      St Johns River (Price Range $3.70 to $4.25)

       

      Florida Keys (Price Range $4.02 to $4.02)

       

      Western Florida (Price Range $3.60 to $4.28)

       

      Okeechobee (Price Range $3.60 to $3.60)

      $3.60 Gulf Harbour Marina (07/07)

       

      Northern Gulf

      No valid recent fuel price in region

       

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    • What’s Everyone Saying About Kanberra?

      Kanberra Products

      I personally use Kanberra products on my boat
      and can attest to their effectiveness.

      Customers Are Loving Kanberra

      We could tell you how powerful and effective Kanberra is…
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      Here’s what real customers are saying about the all-natural solution that keeps their homes fresh, clean, and odor-free.
       
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    • Toucan Grill – Oriental, NC (AIWW Statute Mile 181)


      Oriental is a wonderful place with friendly people and good food. And, if you do stop here, by all means, eat at our good friends at Toucan’s Grill and stay at Oriental Marina, a SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR!

      Click Here To View the North Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Oriental Marina and Toucan’s Restaurant

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    • The biggest pool ‘pawty’ of the year! – Charleston County Parks


      What’s Happening In Your Parks – Charleston County Parks

      Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission

      Dog Day Afternoon

      Let your best furry friend live their most ‘pawesome’ life! It’s your dogs’ turn to cool off and enjoy a day at the waterpark.

      Splash Island

      Palmetto Islands County Park

      Date

      Saturday, August 9

      Splash Zone

      James Island County Park

      Date

      Saturday, August 16

      Whirlin’ Waters

      Wannamaker County Park

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      Sunday, September 7

      Reserve Your Spot
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    • What Will Canadian Snowbirds Do This Fall? – Peter Swanson

      Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with salt water in their veins will subscribe. $7 a month or $56 for the year, and you may cancel at any time.

       
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      What Will Canadian Snowbirds Do This Fall?

      At the Moment, Fewer Seem To Be Cruising Lake Champlain

       
       
       
       
       

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      A foursome of American trawlers moor in cozy anchorage on Lake Champlain last week.

      A reconnaissance to Lake Champlain appears to confirm that the Canadian reluctance to spend tourist dollars in the U.S. this year applies to its cruising community as well.

      Loose Cannon’s home base in Green Cove Springs on the St. Johns River is a boat storage hub for Canadian cruisers, to the extent that a local boatyard has named one of its storage lots “Canada.”

      The question is: Will the Canadian sense of having been disrespected continue into winter when snowbird cruisers traditionally flock to American’s Southern states, mainly Florida? The waterfront city of Plattsburgh, N.Y.—just an hour-and-15-minute drive from Montreal—may be a bellwether for Florida next fall.

      Share

      A couple dozen marinas line both sides of the big lake from Burlington Vt. to the Canadian border. Champlain freezes in winter so docks and boats are typically hauled out, and slipholders are also hauled out and stored on the grounds, too.

      For foreign readers a tad unfamiliar with U.S. geography, Champlain is a lake that is 107 miles long, 14 miles wide and averages 64 feet deep. The east side laps up against the state of Vermont and the west side against the state of New York, with a nib poking up into Canada’s Quebec province.

        
      In the windshadow of the Adirondak Mountains to the west, Lake Champlain benefits from a microclimate. The valley is often referred to as the “banana belt” of Vermont with a longer growing season and milder temperatures compared other parts of Vermont, and, for that matter, New York State.

      According to Vermont tourism officials, five percent of out-of-state visitors and 30 percent in northern parts are Canadian. Similar numbers likely apply to the New York side, including the city of Plattsburg, where we stayed. The Canadian tourism season begins in earnest on July 1, which is Canada Day—kinda sorta their Fourth of July.

      Businesses in the Vermont city of Burlington have been reporting that Canadian visitors were down anywhere between 15 to 50 percent. The Boston Globe newspaper quoted Canadian officials as saying that roadtrips across the border to the U.S. were down by 32 percent compared to 2024, the third straight month of declines.

      TV reporters caught Vermonter Tracy Stopford as she was loading her boat recently at the Ferry Dock Marina in Burlington ahead of Fourth of July celebrations. She said Canadians have been noticeably absent.

      “We have been discussing amongst ourselves: I think that there’s 50 percent less Canadians docked out right now,” Stopford told WCAX television.

      Visiting Plattsburgh marinas after the Canada Day weekend—there are five—Loose Cannon noted that many vessels with Montreal hailing ports were still resting on jackstands. To be sure, quite a few had been launched and lay in slips as well.

        
      Last week, many Canadian boats at Plattsburgh marinas had yet to be launched.

      Anyone paying attention is aware that the American government’s tariff initiative has generated quite a bit of anti-Canadian rhetoric, but as the Globe noted, that may not be the only factor:

      Since President Trump took office this year with threats to make Canada “the 51st state”—and imposed tough tariffs and new border security measures—Canadian tourism to the US has plummeted…

      The reasons go beyond tariffs. The US government has spooked Canadian tourists by requiring them to register if they’re in the country for 30 or more days—and by searching electronic devices at the border. The Canadian dollar remains weak compared to the U.S. dollar, making southerly shopping trips expensive.

      However, as the U.S. dollar weakens as the result of uncertainty also created by the tariff initiative, the Canadian dollar has gained value by default. The Loonie, as it is called, has gained three percent in value against the dollar since President Trump entered office, and it is forecast to continue an upward climb.

      That suggests that decisions by individual Canadian cruisers about whether to come back to Florida may be largely influenced by the state of U.S.-Canada relations going forward and to what degree Canadian cruisers will hold a grudge. Recent increases in cruising fees in the Bahamas may have made the entire region less attractive.

      For sure, a lot of this reporting is anectdotal. If you are among our Canadian readership, please share your thoughts in the comment section below. You don’t have to be a subscriber.

      LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often 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.

        
      Loose Cannon’s ride for a Lake Champlain visit was this 50-year-old New England center-console operated by Charles DeVarennes.

       

       

       

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    • Book, Fly, Save. ALL JULY LONG! – Makers Air


       Welcome to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, your own paradise in the middle of the beautiful Exumas.

      staniel

      Makers Air and Staniel Cay Yacht Club,  A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, offer convenient flights to the Bahamas.

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    • What’s Happening in Your Parks – Charleston County Parks


      What’s Happening In Your Parks – Charleston County Parks

      Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission

      Hot Summer Nights

      Find your chill – plus a frosty beverage – at our next Reggae Nights concert! On July 11, bring your blanket and chairs to James Island County Park for a kick-back-and-relax evening of good vibes and great music.

      Save the Date

      Get ready for the social event of the season: Dog Day Afternoon! The Charleston County waterparks are going to the dogs for three bark-tastic days this year, so Lowcountry canines (and their humans) can choose from a trio of dates and locations. Tickets are on sale now, but don’t wait: these pool parties sell out fast!

      Snowy Urola Moth
      Mystical Moths

      Stop swatting and start oohing and ahhing! On July 25, join our insect whisperer at Caw Caw to learn all about the ethereal winged wonders flitting through the summer darkness. Reserve your space today for this nocturnal stroll through the park.

      Breathe Deep…

      On July 10, salute the setting sun and show off your star pose during Starlight Yoga. The soft sands and warm breezes of Folly Beach will be your studio for the evening as a certified instructor guides you through this all-levels, flowing yoga class. Register online

      Image of a painted bunting

      Birds-eye View

      Beat the heat when you hang with the early birds! This month’s bird walks dawn bright and early in the Charleston County parks, home to some of the Lowcountry’s most diverse bird habitats. Take your pick of strolls through Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve, Stono River County Park, Caw Caw Interpretive Center…or join our birding experts for all three!

      Mark Your Calendars

      July 10 Summer Entertainment Series: West African Dance

      July 11 Wee Wild Ones: Nature Eye Spy

      July 12 Caw Caw: Walking on History

      July 17 Summer Entertainment Series: Friends of Coastal SC

      July 18 Dancing on the Cooper

      July 19 Beginner Skateboarding

      July 19 Inclusive Swim Night

      July 20 Adaptive Climbing Day

      July 21 Youth Tri Swim Clinic

      July 26 Youth Triathlon

      July 27 Charleston Sprint Triathlon Race #3

      Annual Partner
      Charleston Animal Society

      For information on sponsorship opportunities, please email the Sponsorship Coordinator.

       
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      Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission | 861 Riverland Drive | Charleston, SC 29412 US
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    • Bahamas Boating and Fishing Fees July 2025 – Association of Bahamas Marinas

       Welcome to the Staniel Cay Yacht Club, your own paradise in the middle of the beautiful Exumas.
      Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club

       
      While in the Bahamas be sure to visit our sponsors: Staniel Cay Yacht Club and Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club.

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    • Southeast Marine Fuel Best Price Summary as of Jul 09

      This week’s lowest current marina fuel prices as of Jul 09
              Diesel Range: $2.77 to $4.80 Lowest @ Port Consolidated in (Eastern Florida)
              Gas Range: $3.80 to $4.69 Lowest @ Atlantic Yacht Basin in (Virginia to North Carolina)
      Remember to always call the marina to verify the current price since prices may change at any time. Also please let us know if you find a marina’s fuel price has changed via the Submit News link.

      SELECT Fuel Type:
      SELECT Format:
      Lowest Diesel Price in Each Region

      Lowest Diesel Prices Anywhere

      All Regions (Price Range $2.77 to $6.00)

      $2.77 Port Consolidated (07/08)
      $2.91 Osprey Marina (07/07)
      $2.96 Wacca Wache Marina (06/30)

      Lowest By Region

      Virginia to North Carolina (Price Range $3.55 to $4.24)

       

      North Carolina (Price Range $3.32 to $5.60)

      $3.32 Albemarle Plantation Marina (06/30)
      $3.35 Dowry Creek Marina (07/07)
      $3.48 Belhaven Marina (07/07)

       

      South Carolina (Price Range $2.91 to $4.85)

      $2.91 Osprey Marina (07/07)
      $2.96 Wacca Wache Marina (06/30)
      $3.20 Grande Dunes Marina (07/07)

       

      Georgia (Price Range $3.39 to $5.30)

       

      Eastern Florida (Price Range $2.77 to $4.80)

      $2.77 Port Consolidated (07/08)
      $3.40 Pelican Yacht Club (07/07)
      $3.40 LukFuel (07/07)

       

      St Johns River (Price Range $3.90 to $6.00)

       

      Florida Keys (Price Range $3.69 to $5.24)

       

      Western Florida (Price Range $3.38 to $5.64)

      $3.38 Sea Hag Marina (07/07)
      $3.50 Safe Harbor Burnt Store Marina (07/07)
      $3.60 Gulf Harbour Marina (07/07)

       

      Okeechobee (Price Range $3.60 to $3.85)

      $3.60 Gulf Harbour Marina (07/07)
      $3.85 Sunset Bay Marina (07/07)

       

      Northern Gulf (Price Range $3.29 to $3.29)

       

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    • Forecasters Lose Key Satellites Ahead of Hurricane Season – Peter Swanson

      I found this article to be fascinating since I have entered many of these inlets while cruising up and down the East Coast.  It is interesting to read about the rich history of many of them.

      Cruisers Net publishes Loose Cannon articles with Captain Swanson’s permission in hopes that mariners with salt water in their veins will subscribe. $7 a month or $56 for the year, and you may cancel at any time.

         
       
      Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

      When all else fails, try journalism.


      Forecasters Lose Key Satellites Ahead of Hurricane Season

      Meteorologist Explains Why It Matters

       
       
       
        
      A boat is blown aground during Hurricane Matthew in Florida.

      The author is a meteorologist and research program manager at University of Wisconsin-Madison. This story was first published in The Conversation and is reprinted here with permission.

      By CHRIS VAGASKY

      About 600 miles off the west coast of Africa, large clusters of thunderstorms begin organizing into tropical storms every hurricane season. They aren’t yet in range of Hurricane Hunter flights, so forecasters at the National Hurricane Center rely on weather satellites to peer down on these storms and beam back information about their location, structure and intensity.

      The satellite data helps meteorologists create weather forecasts that keep planes and ships safe and prepare countries for a potential hurricane landfall.

      Now, meteorologists are about to lose access to three of those satellites.

      On June 25, 2025, the Trump administration issued a service change notice announcing that the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, DMSP, and the Navy’s Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center would terminate data collection, processing and distribution of all DMSP data no later than June 30. The data termination was postponed until July 31 following a request from the head of NASA’s Earth Science Division.

      Share

      I am a meteorologist who studies lightning in hurricanes and helps train other meteorologists to monitor and forecast tropical cyclones. Here is how meteorologists use the DMSP data and why they are concerned about it going dark.

      Looking Inside the Clouds

      At its most basic, a weather satellite is a high-resolution digital camera in space that takes pictures of clouds in the atmosphere.

      These are the satellite images you see on most TV weather broadcasts. They let meteorologists see the location and some details of a hurricane’s structure, but only during daylight hours.

        
      Hurricane Flossie spins off the Mexican coast on July 1, 2025. Images show the top of the hurricane from space as day turns to night. NOAA GOES

      Meteorologists can use infrared satellite data, similar to a thermal imaging camera, at all hours of the day to find the coldest cloud-top temperatures, highlighting areas where the highest wind speeds and rainfall rates are found.

      But while visible and infrared satellite imagery are valuable tools for hurricane forecasters, they provide only a basic picture of the storm. It’s like a doctor diagnosing a patient after a visual exam and checking their temperature.

        
      Infrared bands show more detail of Hurricane Flossie’s structure on July 1, 2025. NOAA GOES

      For more accurate diagnoses, meteorologists rely on the DMSP satellites.

      The three satellites orbit Earth 14 times per day with special sensor microwave imager/sounder instruments, or SSMIS. These let meteorologists look inside the clouds, similar to how an MRI in a hospital looks inside a human body. With these instruments, meteorologists can pinpoint the storm’s low-pressure center and identify signs of intensification.

      Precisely locating the center of a hurricane improves forecasts of the storm’s future track. This lets meteorologists produce more accurate hurricane watches, warnings and evacuations.

      Hurricane track forecasts have improved by up to 75 percent since 1990. However, forecasting rapid intensification is still difficult, so the ability of DMPS data to identify signs of intensification is important.

      About 80 percent of major hurricanes – those with wind speeds of at least 111 mph (179 kilometers per hour)—rapidly intensify at some point, ramping up the risks they pose to people and property on land. Finding out when storms are about to undergo intensification allows meteorologists to warn the public about these dangerous hurricanes.

      Where Are Defense Satellites Going?

      NOAA’s Office of Satellite and Product Operations described the reason for turning off the flow of data as a need to mitigate “a significant cybersecurity risk.”

      The three satellites have already operated for longer than planned.

      The DMSP satellites were launched between 1999 and 2009 and were designed to last for five years. They have now been operating for more than 15 years. The United States Space Force recently concluded that the DMSP satellites would reach the end of their lives between 2023 and 2026, so the data would likely have gone dark soon.

      Replacements for the DMSP Satellites?

      Three other satellites in orbit – NOAA-20, NOAA-21 and Suomi NPP – have a microwave instrument known as the advanced technology microwave sounder.

      The advanced technology microwave sounder, or ATMS, can provide data similar to the special sensor microwave imager/sounder, or SSMIS, but at a lower resolution. It provides a more washed-out view that is less useful than the SSMIS for pinpointing a storm’s location or estimating its intensity.

       Two satellite views of the same storm from different instruments. The SSMIS provides higher resolution of the storm. 
      Images of Hurricane Erick off the coast of Mexico, viewed from NOAA-20’s ATMS (left) and DMPS SSMIS (right) on June 18 show the difference in resolution and the higher detail provided by the SSMIS data. U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, via Michael Lowry

      The U.S. Space Force began using data from a new defense meteorology satellite, ML-1A, in late April 2025.

      ML-1A is a microwave satellite that will help replace some of the DMSP satellites’ capabilities. However, the government hasn’t announced whether the ML-1A data will be available to forecasters, including those at the National Hurricane Center.

      Why Are Satellite Replacements Last Minute?

      Satellite programs are planned over many years, even decades, and are very expensive. The current geostationary satellite program launched its first satellite in 2016 with plans to operate until 2038. Development of the planned successor for GOES-R began in 2019.

      Similarly, plans for replacing the DMSP satellites have been underway since the early 2000s.

       Scientists and engineers in protective white lab clothing use a lift to move a satellite vertical for loading aboard a rocket for launch. 
      Scientists prepare a GOES-R satellite for packing aboard a rocket in 2016. NASA/Charles Babir

      Delays in developing the satellite instruments and funding cuts caused the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System and Defense Weather Satellite System to be canceled in 2010 and 2012 before any of their satellites could be launched.

      The 2026 NOAA budget request includes an increase in funding for the next-generation geostationary satellite program, so it can be restructured to reuse spare parts from existing geostationary satellites. The budget also terminates contracts for ocean color, atmospheric composition and advanced lightning mapper instruments.

      A Busy Season Remains

      The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, is forecast to be above average, with six to 10 hurricanes. The most active part of the season runs from the middle of August to the middle of October, after the DMSP satellite data is set to be turned off.

      Hurricane forecasters will continue to use all available tools, including satellite, radar, weather balloon and dropsonde data, to monitor the tropics and issue hurricane forecasts. But the loss of satellite data, along with other cuts to data, funding and staffing, could ultimately put more lives at risk.

      LOOSE CANNON covers hard news, technical issues and nautical history. Every so often 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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