Cruisers' Net | Cruisers Helping Cruisers

Apr 21, 2014by: Claiborne Young No Comments
More Information on Bridge Pointe Marina (New Bern, NC, on the Trent River)
We announced a few months ago, that SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS’ NET SPONSOR, Bridge Pointe Marina in New Bern, NC, had reopened after a year-long rebuilding project. I have twice undertaken a personal inspection of Bridge Pointe’s new reincarnation, and it can be stated with no fear of inaccuracy, that this is now a state-of-the-art facility. Below, we hear more from dockmaster, Jesse Schmucher, about his newly revamped marina.
Our new state-of-the-art marina includes 150 Brazilian hardwood [decked] floating deep water slips ranging from 30FT ‘“ 150FT, cable television, free wireless internet, metered electric and fresh water connections for each slip. Our newly redesigned and completely renovated boater’s lounge includes showers, restrooms, charcoal grills, laundry, and a comfortable air conditioned sitting area. Monthly dockage rates are $6.50 per slip foot, plus a $20 Pedestal Fee + Metered Electric (13 Cents per kilowatt). We will be offering a special rate for a limited time, so be sure to contact us today at (252)637-7372 or by email at bridgepointemarina@colwenhotels.com.
For more information on Bridge Pointe Marina, follow the links below:
Click Here To View the North Carolina Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Bridge Pointe Marina
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Bridge Pointe Marina
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Apr 14, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
REMINDER: Northern Mouth of Alligator River, Problem Stretch, AICW Statute Mile 81
A reminder to everyone that the location of markers through this stretch does not coincide with older charts or with the Magenta line. Our oft repeated advice: follow the markers, not the Magenta line! Smaller buoys are often difficult to spot and require a reduction in speed and a sharp lookout!
For more comments on the area, see /?p=125911 and /?p=101600 and /?p=56971.
Temporary floating red buoy! Didn’t go aground but S/V ahead of us did! Slow and easy!
Adventure
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s “AICW Problem Stretches” Listing For the North Mouth of Alligator River
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To This AICW Problem Stretch
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Apr 11, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
More Discussion of Longer FEC RR Bridge Closures in Store for South Florida?
Wow, here is a piece of sobering news from our “man on the scene” in Stuart, Florida, Captain Ted Guy. Ted is a maritime attorney and the past president of the Treasure Coast Marine Industries Association, and is unusually knowledgeable about all things nautical when it comes to Eastern Florida and the Okeechobee Waterway. Looks like we may all have more time to wait at railway bridges in Florida, starting in 2015!
Claiborne, my friend,
A local controversy has sprung up in the boating community about FEC adding 16 passenger trains each way each day to about ten or twelve freights each way each day, more than doubling the bridge closure down time per day. It will affect their drawbridges from Cocoa Beach to Miami. The new service starting in 2015 is called “All Aboard Florida”, although I’ve heard they may rename it. Check out www.allaboardflorida.com .
W.E. “Ted” Guy, Jr.
This is going to be a huge problem if it ever comes to completion. Some estimates say the bridge will be closed up to 75% of the time for train crossings.
In addition the bridge is beyond it’s end of life and the RR company (FEC) does not intend to replace it. A breakdown is very likely.
For more information, see the grass roots campaign at:
http://www.floridanotallaboard.com/
Paul Sears
Sailing Vessel `Aurora’ currently in Palm City to the West of the RR bridge!
Vero Beach county officials are raising concerns about the impact of the All-Aboard Florida passenger rail service as outlined the article by Lisa Zahner linked here from VeroNew.com:
http://www.veronews.com/news/indian_river_county/traffic/county-vero-beach-raise-concerns-about-all-aboard-florida/article_3d54f83e-ba10-11e3-87b7-001a4bcf6878.html
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Apr 10, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Report from Moore Haven City Dock, Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 78

Moore Haven – Click for Chartview
Moore Haven City Dock, the first stop west of Lake Okeechobee, is located at Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 78, on the Moore Haven waterfront. This report comes to us from our good friends, Peg and Jim Healy.
The muni docks at Moore Haven are in good shape, have power and water, and are $1.00/ft. There is a good enough Mexican restaurant about 1/2 mile from the docks, but generally, Moore Haven has limited options. It’s a very convenient stop which we use and recommend.
Peg and Jim Healy
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Moore Haven
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Apr 10, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Good Advice on Okeechobee Lake Route Approach to Clewiston, FL – Statute Miles 60-65
Approach Channel – Click for Chartview
The portion of the Okeechobee Waterway “Lake Route,” described below by the Healys is found between Statute Miles 60 to 65 and is charted as Approach Channel.
The one additional thing to highlight about the Lake crossing that I have not seen mentioned is that the area charted from Rocky Reef to Clewiston is a narrow channel exposed to whatever prevailing crosswinds are to be found on the lake. It is a man-made, dredged channel. The natural bottom is sandstone; hard, not soft, and so, the channel edges are also hard. The markers at the Lake end of the channel are further apart than the markers at the shore end. They can be hard to see depending on daylighting conditions. BE SURE YOU STAY IN THAT CHANNEL. DO NOT ALLOW THE BOAT TO GET PUSHED OUT OF THAT CHANNEL BY CROSSWINDS. Backsight to make sure you really are *in* that channel. Sandstone is soft rock, but it’s plenty hard enough to hurt bronze propellors and SS rudders and shafts.
Peg and Jim Healy
Excellent advice! We were in Roland Martins marina in Clewiston a couple years ago, and there was a brand new 54 foot trawler being delivered to a boat show on the face dock. The delivery captain just barely missed a turn in that channel, and took out both props, shafts, and rudders. I don’t even want to think about that yard bill!
Jonathan Gorham
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Clewiston
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Apr 9, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Request for Information on National Park Service Docks in Ocracoke, Pamilco Sound, NC
Silver Lake – Click for Chartview
The Ocracoke National Park Service Docks are on the northern shores of Silver Lake Harbor, just east of its entrance.
Would love to hear if anyone has stayed at the NPS dock in the past few months. We sailed to Ocracoke about a year ago and the NPS docks were covered in bird droppings and looked to be in disrepair. The fellow at the desk at the adjacent museum (or whatever that building is) wasn’t happy to be answering questions about it! So we just anchored that time, but would like more current information for an upcoming trip.
Kathrine Noel
I’m reporting in [from Ocracoke] that the NPS docks are closed and `under construction’. There is obvious construction on the sidewalks and there was a tiny sign saying the docks were closed. There is a new dingy dock that is very nice. We used it, though it’s behind the construction area, so it probably couldn’t be used during the work week. Had a delicious dinner at the Flying Melon. I did forget to say that the docks are supposed to be ready for service in May. We’ll see; I’m not confident!!
Headed to Belhaven tomorrow to wait out the yucky weather. Will post a review of that visit too!
Kathrine Noel
Click Here To View the Cruisers’ Net’s North Carolina Marina Directory Listing For Ocracoke National Park Service Docks
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Ocracoke National Park Service Docks
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Apr 8, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Cruising the Upper Waccamaw River to Conway, SC
For a wonderful article on the Upper Waccamaw River to Conway, SC, by Peg and Jim Healy, see /?p=138583
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Apr 8, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Proof of Pumpout to be Required in Key West
This is an important story for those to know who will be visiting Key West. What it boils down to, is that if you anchor, or pick up a mooring in Key West, this proposal would make it mandatory for cruisers to show proof of a recent waste pump-out before coming ashore by dinghy. Now, let me stress, such a regulation is made far LESS onerous courtesy of the fact that the city of Key West provides regular, FREE pump-outs to boats at anchor and on a mooring. Nevertheless, this new requirement is one of which NEW cruisers, and cruisers visiting Key West for the first time, need to be made aware. The issue of proof of pumpout has been a topic of discussion for cruisers for sometime now, see /?p=131066. The article linked below by Sean Kinney of KeysInfoNet.com outlines the proposed pumpout regulation for Key West cruisers.
http://www.keysnet.com/2014/03/29/495799/city-owned-marina-likely-to-require.html?sp=/99/106/
So what do those of us who don’t pumpout do (composting toilet)? The Keys seem to be doing everything in their power to drive away transient cruising boats.
John Kettlewell
Sooner or later, communities are going to get the message that all it takes to keep their waters clean of recreation boat waste, is a free pump out boat. Use some of those free flowing federal dollars for something that doesn’t benefit anyone but the taxpayers.
Not many people will pump waste overboard if there is a feasible and reasonable alternative. But, everybody has to, sooner or later, if there isn’t.
R. Holiman
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Apr 8, 2014by: Larry Dorminy No Comments
Florida’s Derelict Vessel Issue Addressed by Legislature
The issue of derelict vessels in Florida’s anchorages has been brewing for years with much discussion as to how to remedy the situation. New bills now before the Florida congress attempt to offer a solution that will remove the offending vessels without imposing on the rights of legitimate cruisers. It will not be an easy task, since the enforcement of any new regulations will been given to local marine law enforcement which, in the past, has not been on the best of terms with the cruising community, especially transients. The excellent article linked below from KeysNews.com by Timothy O’Hara discusses the bills in detail.
http://keysnews.com/node/54451
Laws and regulations already exist that cover this issue thoroughly, but nobody wants to assume the responsibility or pay for the operation to remove the boat. The FWC has developed a detailed and logical set of regulations and procedures for dealing with true derelict vessels. It is not lack of laws, but passing the buck that has caused the real problems. In the Keys the headline grabbing costs have mostly been generated by a few large commercial vessels, like the tugboat that sank recently. Most truly derelict vessels are not insured and in many cases the owners have no assets to seize. I suppose you can now throw them in jail, further costing the taxpayers large sums for years to come.
John Kettlewell
Lets hope that local law enforcement doesn’t consider any and all anchorages on the ICW to be `adjacent to heavily travelled channels’. I believe that , as worded, this leaves too much open to interpretation.
Cambren Davis
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Apr 7, 2014by: Claiborne Young No Comments
How To Cure the Windows 8 Blues
Now, strictly speaking, this is not a cruising topic, BUT many of us cruise with Windows based computers aboard, so when I plucked the info below off of the T&T (Trawlers and Trawlering) mailing list, I thought it well worth repeating here.
I may write further sometime about what I consider the single, most stupid corporate decision made since the millennium, namely, the introduction of the “Metro interface” in Windows 8. For now, though, please allow me to share a few, vastly over-simplified thoughts.
Yes, there was a need for Microsoft (Windows parent company) to introduce a new interface that works well with tablet computers and smartphones. However, to introduce an operating system that simply will not work with a traditional keyboard and mouse arrangement, thereby abandoning the millions of existing desktop and laptop computers that do not have touchscreen capability, is, without any question in my tiny mind, one of the biggest bonehead moves that could possibly be conceived.
If you don’t already know, Windows 8 and 8.1’s interface is designed to work with touch screen technology. It doesn’t work worth a whit with a traditional keyboard and mouse. Why didn’t Microsoft simply introduce one version of Windows 8 for, what I will call, traditional desktops and laptops, that boots directly to the desktop, and another for tablets and smartphones that boots to the metro interface, I guess we will never know.
Oh no, Microsoft made the decision that they were going to ram the metro interface down the throats of every Windows user! The result has been nothing short of chaos in the PC industry.
Oh, and by the way, Microsoft added to the stupidity factor when it introduced Windows 8.1. Yes, this version does let you boot directly to the desktop, but guess what happens when the user presses the “Start” key. You guessed it, the computer immediately returns to the dreaded Metro interface. Again, truly, truly DUMB!
My local computer hardware person has made a cottage industry from businesses that buy new Windows 8 computers, never turn them on, and take them directly to “Brian” to have Windows 8 wiped off the machine, and Windows 7 installed! “Brian” says he does not have a single business client that will even allow a Windows 8 machine in their offices.
So, with that off my chest, when I saw the exchange of information below, I realized that there is a less expensive alternative than having a computer professional replace Windows 8 with Windows 7. This is information WELL WORTH KNOWING! Read on:
This exchange began with this message:
I don’t understand why people call Windows 8 garbage. It is just Windows 7 with a different user interface. That user interface is easily disabled and you can return to the standard Windows 7 user interface, including Start button and menu. I set it up that way for all of my customers.
Ken Tischler
Microship
DeFever 49RPH
Bay St Louis, MS
I replied:
Sorry Ken, cannot agree with you. Windows 8 and 8.1 is pure garbage. My local computer hardware person is cleaning up by way of businesses that buy new computers, and then immediately bring them to him, have Windows 8 or 8.1 wiped off the hard drive, and then install Windows 7. He says not a single business that he serves will have an 8 or 8.1 machine in their offices, under any circumstances!
And, please explain how the metro interface can be “easily” disabled. Even 8.1 takes you straight back to this seriously stupid interface whenever the user clicks the “Start” button!
Thanks in advance!
Claiborne S. Young
And, Captain Ken’s important answer:
Claiborne,
I will agree with you wholeheartedly that Microsoft did something incredibly stupid when they told users they would give the Start button back in 8.1, then have it just take you to the start screen everyone loves to hate. Including me!
However, under the hood, Windows 8 is on the same kernel as Vista and 7. Just open a command prompt and type winver. You will see the version as Windows 6.3. Vista was 6.1 and 7 was 6.2.
The easiest way to get the Win 7 UI back is to run one of free utilities at will do this for you. My two favorites are Classic Shell (http://www.classicshell.net/) and StartMenu8 (http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php) for free. If you want a bit more polish, then you can spend $5 and get Start8 (http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/). I now make it standard policy to install one of these programs (usually Classic Shell) on every Windows 8 computer I deploy. It does not remove all of the Win 8 eccentricities but certainly makes it more familiar and user friendly.
Microsoft had a beautiful and stable operating system in Win 7. I wish they would have built upon its success rather than try to reinvent the wheel.
Ken Tischler
Microship
DeFever 49RPH
So, now all of us Windows users have a plan of action. THANK YOU Captain Ken!
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