Visit Logged
  • Select Region
    • All Regions
    • VA to NC Line
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Georgia
    • Eastern Florida
    • Western Florida
    • Florida Keys
    • Okeechobee Waterway
    • Northern Gulf
    • Bahamas
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Pennsylvania
    • Washington
    • Puerto Rico
    • Minnesota
    • Maryland
    • Tennessee
    Order by:
    • Should there be a new CAT-6 Hurricane Category? Fred Pickhardt

      Fred Pickhardt’s Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Fred Pickhardt’s Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won’t be charged unless they enable payments.

         
       
      Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
        

      Hurricanes are a part of life for coastal communities, but what happens when the storms we thought we understood get a whole lot worse? Recently, a 2024 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences proposed something that might seem shocking: a new Category 6 for the most intense tropical cyclones, with wind speeds starting at 193 mph.

      At first glance, this might seem like a natural step in the face of increasingly severe weather driven by climate change. But a closer look reveals a deeper conversation with a surprising twist: some experts say a new category might not actually help.

      Current Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

        

      The case for Category 6

      Researchers behind the 2024 study argue that the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which currently maxes out at Category 5 (for any storm with sustained winds of 157 mph or greater), is no longer sufficient. Their motivation is to more accurately communicate the extreme risks associated with today’s most powerful storms.

      If a Category 6 were adopted, it would be reserved for the most extreme events. In fact, based on data from 1980 to 2021, the 2024 study identified five storms that would have met the criteria:

      • Super Typhoon Haiyan (2013): Struck the Philippines with 196 mph winds.
      • Hurricane Patricia (2015): Reached peak winds of 215 mph at sea in the Eastern Pacific.
      • Super Typhoon Meranti (2016): Had winds of 196 mph between the Philippines and Taiwan.
      • Super Typhoon Goni (2020): Made landfall in the Philippines with winds estimated at 196 mph.
      • Super Typhoon Surigae (2021): Reached wind speeds of 196 mph over the ocean east of the Philippines.

      The argument against a new category

      Despite the scientific motivation, the National Hurricane Center has not adopted Category 6, citing concerns that it could complicate public messaging.

      • Catastrophic is still catastrophic: One key argument is that the difference in damage between a high-end Category 5 and a high-end Category 6 is not meaningfully different in terms of public action. Both result in catastrophic destruction that requires immediate evacuation from vulnerable areas.
      • Damage is already “total”: Robert Simpson, a co-creator of the scale, argued that Category 6 is unnecessary because Category 5 already represents “total destruction”. The scale was designed to measure potential damage, and that potential doesn’t escalate in a way that warrants a new category once winds surpass the Cat 5 threshold.

      It’s also important to note that the Saffir-Simpson scale is currently only used for hurricanes in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific and 4 of the 5 noted storms in the study occurred in the western North Pacific and only one occurred in the eastern Pacific. To date, there have been no storms in the Atlantic that would have reached this level.

      Global activity vs. increasing intensity.

      So, what about climate change’s role in all of this? While you might assume we are seeing an overall increase in hurricane frequency, the reality is more nuanced. Data from climate scientist Ryan Maue, featured on climatlas.com/tropical, reveals no significant global trend in the number of hurricanes or major hurricanes over the long term. In fact, Maue has highlighted periods of notably low global hurricane activity. A 2022 study also found a decreasing trend in global hurricane numbers from 1990 to 2021.

        

      The real story isn’t about more storms, but stronger ones. Climate change could fuel future more destructive hurricanes with stronger winds, higher storm surges, and heavier rainfall. Warmer ocean temperatures provide more energy for storms. This supercharges the storms, leading to increased intensity. Time will tell.

      What does this mean for us?

      The debate over Category 6 highlights a critical challenge: how do we best communicate the evolving risks of climate change? While adding a new category might sound alarming, it could also provide a more accurate picture of the intensity of a small minority of intense storms. For the Atlantic and East Pacific basins where the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is used, there has only been one storm that reached this category in the eastern Pacific, and none have yet reached this level in the Atlantic.

       

       

      Fred Pickhardt’s Substack is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell Fred Pickhardt’s Substack that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won’t be charged unless they enable payments.

      Pledge your support

       
      Like
       
      Comment
       
      Restack
       
       

      © 2025 Fred Pickhardt
      548 Market Street PMB 72296, San Francisco, CA 94104
      Unsubscribe

      Start writing

      Be the first to comment!

    • Third Woman Has Died in Latest Sea-Doo Switch Accident, Another Forward Flip – Loose Cannon

      This post contains interesting information for any U.S.-registered boat, especially if you are considering traveling to Cuba.

      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.


        
      This photo, attributed by various news sites to Dan Wagner, shows Maine Inland Fisheries officers examining a Sea-Doo Switch that overturned Saturday on a lake in northwestern Maine.

      A third person has died in the latest example of a Sea-Doo Switch flipping forward with awful consequences. This time, it happened on a lake in Maine, and this time it involved an 18-foot model, not a 13-footer.

      And, this time, the hybrid jetski-pontoon craft was not operating at or over capacity. That is, there were seven people onboard while the posted capacity is eight people (or 1,155 pounds).

      Share

      Here’s how Maine’s Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Department, which is investigating the accident, described events:

      The boat was traveling towards Flagstaff Lake, and when they were in front of the beach area of the Cathedral Pines Campground, the bow of their pontoon boat started to go under. The driver, John Morris, age 50 of Eustis, attempted to raise the bow, but it continued to go under and the boat flipped, throwing all seven passengers into the water approximately 180 feet from shore.

      According to an employee at the Eustis campground, campers rushed out to save passengers who had become trapped—as in prior accidents—underneath the overturned Switch. Fisheries & Wildlife spokesman Mark Latti would not confirm that, saying he would wait for investigators to make the determination.

      John Morris, who can be described as an outdoorsman, did not respond to a text message. According to Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the accident.

        
      The family of Noor Nasir, 22, released this photo of her in a coma at a Maine hospital before she died overnight Tuesday-Wednesday.

      Two of the passengers were pronounced dead at the scene—Farhana Nasir, 53, of Selden, New York and Kiran Akbar, 23, of Lake Grove, New York. The third victim, Noor Nasir, 22, also of New York was airlifted to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where she died early Wednesday.

      CPR had been performed on all three at the scene, but they were not responsive, according to Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

      Latti would not say how Morris “attempted to raise the bow” once it began to go underwater, nor would he confirm whether the vessel was going slowly or decelerating, as was the case in 2024 Switch accidents in Virginia and Florida. He did say weather and lake conditions were not believed to be a factor.

      Morris may indeed have been decelerating or driving slowly, however, given that he was passing in front of the Cathedral Pines Campground swimming area, and the boat was within Maine’s standing no-wake zone, which extends 200 feet from shore.

      The Virginia accident took the life of a nine-year-old girl on Fourth of July, 2024 when the family’s 13-foot Switch overturned. Then, on Labor Day weekend 2024, a similar forward flip caused a 15-month-old Florida girl to nearly drown, leaving her with a lifelong “catastrophic anoxic brain injury.”

      The Inland Fisheries & Wildlife news release answered a standard question raised by any boating accident: Were the people on board wearing lifejackets? In the Maine case, the answer was no. But it is worth noting that in both the Virginia and Florida accidents, the girls were wearing lifejackets, and that fact actually proved detrimental. Both were pinned to the floor of the overturned Switch by their buoyancy, making rescue more difficult and time consuming.

      The Virginia family appears to have reached an out-of-court settlement with Switch manufacturer BRP. The William Grullon has filed a $30 million lawsuit against BRP, which is winding its way through Circuit Court in Jacksonville, Florida.

      “They have a lot of explaining to do. So very sad for these families. This thing (the Switch) is like the Ford Pinto,” said Grullon lawyer Judd Rosen, responding to the latest accident. (The Pinto was a subcompact 1970s car that was the subject of 117 lawsuits alleging that a design defect allowed its gas tank to catch fire or explode even in low-impact rear-end collisions.)

      Writing in the Grullon lawsuit against BRP, Rosen blamed water intrusion in the outer pontoons for Switch nosedives when decelerating:

      Specifically, the defect in the subject Sea-Doo Switch was that it was designed in a manner where the vessel became unstable due to water shifting inside the pontoons during normal operation or changes of speed, water becoming trapped inside the pontoons such that it changed the buoyancy of the subject vessel, water becoming trapped inside the pontoons changing the center of gravity and stability of the vessel, an unstable design of the subject vessel such that it would lose buoyancy and become unstable during normal operation or changes in speed, defective and/or missing baffles inside the pontoons such that the vessel would become unstable as a result of foreseeable water intrusion.

      This argument had echoed a theory advanced in Loose Cannon’s very first article on the Switch phenomenon:

      In February, BRP announced a safety recall of all Switch models. “Improper distribution of passengers and cargo weight could overload the front of the watercraft and cause instability, nosediving and possibly lead to capsizing,” Sea-Doo said in the recall notice. “The condition worsens if water evacuation from the hull is not optimal. This could cause serious injuries or even death.”

      The recall involved affixing a label warning against overloading the bow, and, according to owners on Facebook, the application of caulking on the outer hulls. BRP has also issued a new training video and updated the Switch manual, urging owners to review both. At one point, the manual warned owners not to try powering out of a nosedive, saying that accelerating would tend to plunge the bow down further.

      The Switch in the Eustis accident was purchased in 2024 before the recall. Latti said investigators would determine whether it had undergone the recall work.

      Latti also said his department’s investigators would not limit their inquiry to questions of human culpability but would report on whether they believed design factors contributed to the accident.

      “There will be a very thorough investigation, and then we’ll do what we always do and sit down with the district attorney and determine any charges,” Latti said.

        
      The Swich in the Maine accident before it was recovered by Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

      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.

       

       

       

      You’re currently a free subscriber to LOOSE CANNON. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.

      Upgrade to paid

       
      Like
       
      Comment
       
      Restack
       
       

      © 2025
      411 Walnut St. No. 1944, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
      Unsubscribe

      Get the appStart writing

      Be the first to comment!

    • Cruisers’ Net Weekly Newsletter – September 5, 2025

      Cruisers’ Net Newsletter for this week has just been emailed via Constant Contact.
       
      If you want to view the newsletter but are not signed up to receive them automatically, you can view it at https://conta.cc/4n9IKGC or see it below.
       
      To automatically receive our emailed Fri Weekly Newsletter and Wed Fuel Report, click:

       

      Be the first to comment!

    • Limited Seats, Limited Time: Claim Your $250 Air Credit! – 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.

       
       
       
       

      Just in time for fall getaways, winter vacations, and spring breaks, The Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board $250 Air Credit is back — but only for a limited time!

      © 2020 All Rights Reserved  |  Unsubscribe

       
       

       

      Be the first to comment!

    • AIWA Newsletter September 2025

      Cruisers Net is proud to be a member of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association, whose lobbying work is crucial to keeping the Waterway navigable and safe. Your membership dollars directly support their vital work. Please join and encourage your boating neighbors to do the same, regardless of their home port.

       
      AIWA Annual Meeting

      Registration Now Open

      November 18-20, 2025
      Savannah, Georgia

      The AIWA is pleased to announce registration is now open for our Annual Meeting on November 18-20 in Savannah, Georgia.

      We have a number of success stories to share and upcoming projects to discuss as a part of our program, along with a range of topics of interest to all waterway stakeholders.

      Invitations have been extended to our federal partners at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, and the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. We will have presentations on navigation successes along the waterway, and you can expect an update on activities and what to expect in Washington, D.C., along with a panel discussion from our dredging partners, and more. 

      Thanks to our supporting sponsors who make the annual meeting possible. Sponsor opportunities are available.

      Learn more by visiting the annual meeting website to access registration and sponsorships.

      The Annual Meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Savannah. A limited number of rooms are available for the discounted rate of $289 per night until October 17th. 

      We look forward to seeing you this November!

       
      What We’re Watching in Washington
      Congress considers appropriations bills, final days before fiscal year ends

      With Congress returning from the August recess, they have a number of big ticket items to complete before the end of the fiscal year on September 30th. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like there is much of an appetite to fund the twelve appropriations bills at this time so we are looking at two likely scenarios. Congress will either pass a Continuing Resolution funding the federal government at the current levels, or the government will enter a shutdown. It is possible that both may occur and there’s no current clarity on which might happen first. 
       


      Looking forward

      Below is a table outlining our recent success and updating the current state of waterway funding in the House bill. It is still a possibility that we could surpass the $220 million in waterway funding over the past five years with another successful funding cycle in 2026. However, we await further progress on how the appropriations process might proceed in Congress. 

       

      ‘Navigational News’ from our partners at Aqua Map, and
      AIWA Member Robert (Bob) Sherer:
      Auto-routing (Route Planner in Aqua Map) is now available. The auto-routing
      function incorporates numerous safety checks and utilizes the latest NOAA and USACE survey data in planning routes. Features include:

      • Only the latest NOAA charts are used for planning, updated weekly from NOAA’s chart database.

      • Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) survey charts are used where available. This is especially valuable for the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), for entrances to harbors, and for rivers along the Great Loop.

      • Trusted tracks or routes can be used in shoaling areas where even the USACE surveys don’t show the current water levels. For example, if part of your route lies on the Atlantic ICW, you can instruct Route Planner to follow the ‘Bob423’ track for the section of your route that lies on the ICW. Any trusted route or track can be used in this manner.

      • The auto-routes can easily be manually edited to avoid hazards not evident on NOAA or USACE surveys.

      • Hazards detected by Route Planner are highlighted for your examination.

      • Starting and ending points can be chosen by name from a Points of Interest (POI) list or manually selected with a long press on the chart.

      • The route distance, time, and fuel used are listed for the route.

      Read the full article available here from the Waterway Guide.

       
       
       
      Instagram
      Facebook
      Website
      Email
      Copyright © 2025. Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association. All rights reserved.

      The AIWA is a national non-profit organization with the mission of securing funding and support for the maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We are the only organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the AIWW and proudly represent all stakeholders of the waterway. 

      Contact:
      Atlantic Instracoastal Waterway Association
      5a Market |  Beaufort, SC 29906
      (843) 379-1151 |  atlanticintracoastal.org

      Be the first to comment!

    • Hallelujah! Fuel Spills Subside at Caribbean Hurricane Hole – Loose Cannon

      This post contains interesting information for any U.S.-registered boat, especially if you are considering traveling to Cuba.

      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.


      Hallelujah! Fuel Spills Subside at Caribbean Hurricane Hole

      Leaky Fishing Fleet Finally Leaves Luperon Bay, a Wildlife Refuge

       
       
       
       
       

      READ IN APP

       
        
      Three fishing vessels used by drug smugglers were seized and remain tied to mangroves at Luperon Bay in the Dominican Republic.

      I started to write this story about Luperon Bay in the Dominican Republic two Mondays ago, but at 7:30 a.m. I got the message that Fernando Capellan’s luxury catamaran was destroyed by lightning.

      That news changed the focus of my workday, as you can see:

      The story I had been about to publish was actually good news for this popular hurricane refuge, and the fiery doom of Capi IV, herself docked at Luperon, did not really fit that narrative.

      The good news: Luperon Bay appears to have turned the corner regarding it’s chronic petroleum spills. This slow-motion environmental disaster had begun sometime after 2021, when Dominican authorities exiled Puerto Plata’s ramshackle fishing fleet so as not to spoil the view for cruise ship guests arriving at the city’s newly opened Taino Bay cruiseship port.

      Share

        
      Taino Bay cruiseport can handle three or more cruise ships at the same time.

      This was the very definition of a Faustian bargain: Send your fishing fleet to a designated national wildlife refuge to spare American tourists the sight of rusting hulls and petroleum sheens near the cruise ship dock. After the move, fuel spills became a regular occurrence in Luperon Bay, often saturating the air with a smell of petroleum strong enough at times to wake members of the foreign sailboat population from a deep sleep.

      American Captain Liza Hash, former master of a dive boat, is serving three years in U.S. federal prison right now for pumping her oily bilge overboard at sea, not in a wildlife refuge. There was no corresponding law enforcement effort to combat multiple offenses in Luperon, even though Dominican laws are similar.

      The elephant in the room was the fact that some number of the fishing fleet—25 or so boats at its height—were controlled by members of a drug cartel. Apparently, this had a paralyzing effect on local officialdom. Once the principals were arrested as part of “Operation Buffalo NK” in September 2024, three of the fishing boats under their control were seized and today remain in Luperon Bay tied to mangroves.

      At the same time, the fleet was shrinking because of what could be described as a Darwin factor. Beginning in May 2023, five fishing boats were destroyed by fire attributed to careless fuel handling, not including a boat damaged and its crewman killed by an explosion caused by him cleaning the engine with gasoline.

      And then, recently, the rest of the fleet just went away—no official statement or fanfare. Spills have stopped (except for that one time when a salvage boat was being refueled at the government dock during the effort to remove the sunken hulks of the burnt vessels).

      According to a source, the next water-quality challenge will be to connect more homes in this village of about 17,000 people to its sewage treatment plant, operational since January 2021 but never built out fully.

        
      Typical view during the era-of fuel spills in Luperon Bay. Two of the foreign cruiser boats are at lower left. There are sometimes as many as 100 of them on moorings or at anchor here.

      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.

       

       

       

       

       

      You’re currently a free subscriber to LOOSE CANNON. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.

      Upgrade to paid

       
      Like
       
      Comment
       
      Restack
       
       

      © 2025
      411 Walnut St. No. 1944, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043
      Unsubscribe

      Get the appStart writing

      Be the first to comment!

    • An Evening at McLeod – Sept 28 – Charleston County Parks


      An Evening at McLeod – Sept 28 – Charleston County Parks

      Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission

      An Evening at McLeod

      On September 28, McLeod Plantation Historic Site hosts an evening of music, art, and history in support of the Charleston County Parks Foundation’s Cultural History Fund. This event showcases musicians from the Charleston Symphony as they perform transformative works by Charlton Singleton, Florence Price, and Jessie Montgomery, honoring the site’s legacy and impactful history. The event also features displays celebrating African American artists and hors d’oeuvres from Carolima’s Lowcountry Cuisine. Get your tickets today.

      Be the first to comment!

    • Dockage Discounts at Harbour Town Yacht Basin – Hilton Head Island, SC


      Harbour Town at Hilton Head, with its familiar red-and-white-striped lighthouse, is a fine resort marina with an enormous number of amenities.

      Harbour Town Yacht Basin, A CRUISERS NET SPONSOR, is ready for your reservation with newly renovated docks, upgraded electrical service and onSpot WiFi. And, as always, numerous activities at the Sea Pines Resort are offered for your enjoyment. Hilton Head Island is absolutely marvelous any time of year.

       

      August/ September 2025 Dockage Discount

      Purchase 2 nights of dockage and
      get the 3rd night of dockage free

      August 1, 2025 – September 30, 2025.
      Restrictions apply. Limit 4.

       

      For more than 50 years, the red and white striped Harbour Town Lighthouse has welcomed visitors to one of the most unique and beautiful places on earth. Located in the heart of The Sea Pines Resort, and ideally situated on Hilton Head Island’s captivating Calibogue Sound, the Harbour Town Yacht Basin is recognized as a premier yachting destination on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The full-service marina welcomes boaters year-round and offers slip rentals and sales, fuel, professional yacht sales and brokerage dealer, as well as a friendly, experienced staff.

      Developer Charles Fraser, considered the pioneer of Hilton Head Island, led the team that constructed the Harbour Town Yacht Basin in 1969. Inspired by a harbour in Portofino, Italy, Fraser’s vision for the basin was to attract mariners to Hilton Head Island, while preserving the island’s natural landscape. His unique vision resulted in a design that preserved centuries-old hardwoods, in lieu of additional slips, and included the construction of the island’s iconic Harbour Town Lighthouse.

      Today, the Harbour Town Yacht Basin offers 100 slips in a world-class resort setting. Visitors have the option to dock for a day, a week, a month, or even a lifetime, and enjoy the marina’s facilities and services, as well as convenient access to The Sea Pines Resort’s amenities and accommodations.

      Be the first to comment!

    • What’s Happening in Your Parks (Sept) – Charleston County Parks


      What’s Happening In Your Parks during September – Charleston County Parks

      Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission

      An Evening at McLeod

      On September 28, McLeod Plantation Historic Site hosts an evening of music, art, and history in support of the Charleston County Parks Foundation’s Cultural History Fund. This event showcases musicians from the Charleston Symphony as they perform transformative works by Charlton Singleton, Florence Price, and Jessie Montgomery, honoring the site’s legacy and impactful history. The event also features displays celebrating African American artists and hors d’oeuvres from Carolima’s Lowcountry Cuisine. Get your tickets today.

      Sip, Sing & Soar

      Flock together for a one-of-a-kind happy hour at Caw Caw Interpretive Center on September 27! Enjoy live music, cold drinks, and plenty of good company. Don’t wait—early birds who grab their Birds of a Feather tickets ahead of time save $5!

      The Pickled Huguenot

      Reserve your seat at the table for a food history lesson! On September 19, Julian Gooding will be teaching the art of pickling vegetables while sharing tales of the French Huguenots who brought this food preservation technique to the American South. Julian’s classes always fill quickly, so toss your name in the pot today.

      Fall into the Music

      Mark your calendars! Palmetto Park Jam returns on October 12, featuring Idlewild Revival, the ultimate Allman Brothers tribute band. So, if you need a break from tryin’ to make a livin’ and doin’ the best you can, get your tickets today!

      New Day, New You

      Greet the new day with an intention-setting workout – and a view no yoga studio can match! Start your morning right at Sunrise Yoga at Kiawah Beachwalker Park on September 6 to awaken your mind, body, and spirit.

      We’d Love Your Input!

      Our quick 6-question survey takes just a few minutes, and your feedback helps us make our parks and programs even better for you. As a thank you, you’ll be entered to win a Gold Pass! Survey closes September 1, 2025.

      Survey
      Mark Your Calendars

      September 2 Lowcountry Senior Series: Archery

      September 4 Beginners Night

      September 6 Let’s Talk Hawks!

      September 8 Gentle Yoga Flow

      September 10 Dock Discovery

      September 12 Dancing on the Cooper – Last one of the season!

      September 13 Cast Off Fishing Tournament

      September 19 Moonlight Mixers– Last one of the season!

      September 27 Birds of a Feather

      September 28 Evening at McLeod

      October 12 Palmetto Park Jam

      Annual Partner
      Charleston Animal Society

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

       
      Facebook  X  Instagram  
      Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission | 861 Riverland Drive | Charleston, SC 29412 US
      Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice
      Constant Contact

      Be the first to comment!

    • I’M GONNA NEED A BIGGER BRUSH – Janice Anne Wheeler

       

      SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE brings you aboard as we joust our way back onto the water. We’ve come a long way with a ways to go… Your support is essential. Thank you. J

        

      If you’ve just joined our engaging little community, please read SPARS & SPARRING, my introductory piece.…. ~J


      I’M GONNA NEED A BIGGER BRUSH

      Appreciating the Classics

       
       
       
       
       

      READ IN APP

       

      Before we get to this week’s piece, please indulge me. Over 1800 folks viewed last week’s story, BOARDING SOLO, about my experience connecting with a fellow human being on a plane to Africa. I received a harsh opinion indicating that some of my word choices could be construed as inappropriate and/or offensive. I want to be perfectly clear in conveying that not a single word or description in that essay is derogatory; I’ve spent sleepless nights since hoping I haven’t hurt anyone and considering what is rightTherefore, I’m very interested in this audience’s perception of how I told the story, if you are so inclined. There is never pressure here. Any aspect, any tangent, any commentary is more than welcome and I’m grateful that some of you already voiced your thoughts, all of which were positive. Messages go to my personal inbox and are not public.

      In case you didn’t have time to peruse it and want to:

      BOARDING SOLO
       

      BOARDING SOLO

       
      ·
       
      Aug 24
      Read full story

      Leave a comment

      Message Janice Anne Wheeler


      I’M GONNA NEED A BIGGER BRUSH

      It’s difficult to fathom that JAWS was released over fifty years ago. My mom wouldn’t let me see it for years, and probably with good reason, as beach vacations were her favorite by far, and mine, of course, as a water lover. Why ruin that? She was right, I think, to make me wait. I’ve always wondered (don’t you?) what’s beneath my toes in murky water and that movie was certainly impactful; ocean swimming plummeted, especially around Cape Cod. Great White Sharks were demonized; their reputation went from interesting and potentially dangerous to terrifying, mystifying, persistent and huge.

      I’m feeling like our world has gone from interesting and (merely) potentially dangerous to (downright) terrifying on a slew of levels and locations. I have lots of apprehension about what happens next in the United States government, but for now, here on STEADFAST, all I know is that I’m gonna need a bigger brush.”

        

      There are few movie lines that have stuck with me through the decades, and that one derives from JAWS, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” The balance of my favorite escapes are from Gone With the Wind and Casablanca. In fact, the latter has a perfect tie-in to last week’s tale of two interconnected encounters, “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she walks into mine,” Rick.

      On the topic of big vessels and small brushes, please click this link to see my first video attempt EVER. No judging.

        
      We will, eventually, use bigger brushes…

      These ‘chip’ brushes are what we use to get paint and protective products into the seams, cracks, crevices and all places that dominate our projects. The handles are wooden with no plastic components. While semi-disposable (I reuse when I can), they do eliminate the need for earth-unfriendly cleaning solutions. Everything, it seems, is a trade-off.

        

      In general, boat maintenance is not environmentally friendly, but environmentalists still have boats; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute on the southern edge of Massachusetts’ famous peninsula came out with the first JAWS anniversary shirt I saw this summer, “We’ve got a pretty big boat.” And they do. If you’re a blue-water ocean creatures fan, I highly recommend their newsletter. The non-profit funding status seems uncertain (there is discussion in that link) and hopefully they remain able to continue their outreach and research.

        
        
      If it’s been a while, I highly recommend JAWS, again. Actual screenshot by me.

      It feels like a good year to make some popcorn from scratch and settle in for a classic escape from reality. Or two. ~J

        
      No reality here. CHATGPT.

      In our whirlwind lives, it’s hard to describe what a privilege it is to have so many people read my work on a weekly basis; I find it humbling, frankly, and hope I am becoming both a better writer and a more conscious, effective human. If you think SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE is worth sharing, the easiest thing to do is click the little recycle symbol just below here, which somehow sends my work through the collective universe to folks none of us have met, yet.

      THANK YOU & have a classic, colorful week.

      Share SPARRING WITH MOTHER NATURE

       

       

      I so appreciate your support of my work. Have a wonderful week!

        
       
      Like
       
      Comment
       
      Restack
       
       

      © 2025 Janice Anne Wheeler
      Living aboard Sailing Yacht STEADFAST again soon!
      Unsubscribe

      Get the appStart writing

      Be the first to comment!


    Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com