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September 6, 2011

Some winter thoughts on Norway, Bahamas and Ventura!

OK, lots of you have been on my case to update this blog.... Fair enough, and I admit to being a little "slack in stays" as nautical lingo would state. Right now I am in the far, far frozen northlands... Having flown in directly from the Bahamas. Talk about chilling out! I mean, Norway is beautiful. And I'd really like to see it in summer. All ten days of it. Yet this rugged country of snow, ice and some of the clearest blue skies is cold. Damn cold. When I told my Bahamian friends where I was going, they were stunned. "What you do going to dot place with plenty plenty snow, mon?" In mid-winter no less. They had a point. But I had a better one. The best, in fact. It's gotta be love! Nonetheless, as I write here at my girlfriends house in Oslo, my suitcase is behind me, half-packed for a return to Bahamaland. Not to chill, but to thaw. There are a couple more charters on the calendar, and I wouldn't mind a little change of venue. That's the nature of sailors I guess. (And I will be coming back here soon.) THE HOUSEBOAT TROLL keeps getting better and better. One of the fun entertainments (for me) is to keep building little gadgets or even some major projects aboard. The tricky part is, this is done at anchor, on a remote out island. So lots of the gadget stuff is made up of parts that have washed ashore and other odds and ends. This winter's cool addition was a Tiki Bar on the top deck! Now when the wind is blowing, you can hang out up top, star gazing away, laid back on an old wicker couch, out of the breeze. Needing materials that were not readily found on the beach, I had to sail to another island, half a day away, just for some plywood. Three days round trip in order to catch the tide! Such is life on an out island, where time just does not have the same meaning as New York... And by the way, the Tiki bar features another goodie: a free-standing fireplace made up of a discarded galvanized steel water tank, a heavy duty roller from a bulldozer, and some recycled (i.e. salvaged) rebar. So those topside nights with a glass of Cuban rum and a parade of stars overhead is now even more magical with a driftwood fire crackling away. MORE LATER ON VENTURA'S NEW MAST! Capt Chilly Willy!

Ahoy!

 

I love saying that.... I mean, hello, or dear sir or madam, just doesn't seem to fit.  One could, of course, ask what "a hoy" is but that could be far to Bill Clintonesque... 

Finally the rains of June and July are officially ended: no questions asked, no more rain allowed.  But since everyone has been taken aback by the weather, here is my official Captain's outlook for the remainder of the summer... and a few more goodies about fall and THE BAHAMAS this winter....

August is traditionally among the most dry months here in NY harbor.  And we certainly deserve some dry time after all the rain of June and July.   The outlook for August is resumption of the usual weather pattern: mostly dry, occasionally hot and humid days, temps in the 80s.  Look for an afternoon build up of big puffy Cumulus clouds, which on particularly hot and humid days could lead to short-lived, and occasionally intense, thunder and rain squalls lasting about an hour.  As a sailor, it is very interesting (and important) to observe... for two-legged land creatures, what you are experiencing is a true tropical latitude weather pattern.  It is close to the same weather you would experience in Florida during the summer.  Weird, being almost a thousand miles from the tropics.  But it is all about the wind off the sea and the Gulf Stream dragging with it from way down south all that tropical moisture  both in the higher atmosphere and the air at sea level. 

Back aboard the good ship Ventura, we recently had our annual US Coast Guard safety inspection, and it was particularly gratifying to hear one of the senior Coasties compliment us on "a lot of good work" having been done on the boat.  They pay particularly close attention to any wooden vessel more than 15 to 20 years old, and Ventura is far closer to 100 years old.  So very neat to hear their praise and kudos to first mate Jay Miller, shipwrights Charlie Balsamo and Josh Herman for their excellent work on this old girl's bottom and topside. 

Upcoming this month we have some seats remaining for our Friday night sunset sails.  These trips are among my favorites.  I love seeing the folks come aboard all happy in anticipation of enjoying their picnics and wine while on a sunset sail.  What's not to like.... and besides, so many of our regulars know that the way to this sailor's heart is indeed via his stomach, and bring me little treats.  Ah, I love my job!  August 23, we have our annual BYO-D (as in doggie!) Sunday brunch... it is about 50% sold out already.  Go to www.smarttix.com for reservations.  It is a byo brunch sail, and we will have our customary make-your-own Bloody Mary bar aboard too.

Tickets for Fridays and the other public sailings will be made available as always via www.smarttix.com.  Type SAILING into the search box and up we come...Speaking of other public sails... be sure to sign up for our Ventura Sailing News email list.  No spam, no b.s., just advance notification of any upcoming special sails and the occasional news from my winter travels.

Speaking of winter..........................  Think Bahamas!!!!!!!!!!!!   Think Chillin' with da fishes, mon!!!!!!

Last winter was spectacular!  The houseboat and sailboat combination has proven to be a real winner for one or two couples traveling together wishing for a real get-away.  The guests stay aboard our houseboat (i.e. "beach house on a raft") while myself, or Captain Jay, is encamped (encamped?  Try anchored nearby...) aboard a 35' ocean going sailing boat.  Our base is  the remote out island Long Island.  (The Arawak Indian name was Yuma, which I prefer.) No houses nearby, no marina within miles, nearest neighbors a flock of West Indian whistling ducks, which are ducks that don't quack.  We are surrounded, literally, by clear, deserted white sand beaches.   We spear fish and lobsters practically every night for dinner, go sailing, beach comb, hike.  If the weather is right, we do an overnight sail to Conception Island (do a google on Conception Island, Bahamas.  Way way way cool.)  and camp overnight there...  What's it like?  Here's a factoid to stir your imagination:  the island has never hosted any permanent human habitation from ancient history -- through the present!  To hike this island, then lay back in the cockpit of a sailboat at night and star gaze is more than magic.... the scope of the Milky Way, the constellations walking through the night sky, the sound of surf on a desert island beach, creates memories that you will never forget.

Winter Out Island Travel details have been updated recently.  On this website see "Out Island Experience" for more info on the Bahamas gig.  If you are looking for peace and quiet, and some truly special sailing experiences suitable for novices or experts, check out the travel details.  Way way cool.

 All for now.... looking forward to seeing you aboard Ventura this season, and maybe even "down island, mon!"

 Capt Pat

 

Some excerpts from the July 2009 blog entry.....

Plans are evolved for the winter of 09/10.   We now have special packages which includes essentials like air transport from Nassau, most of your provisions, and even a rent-a-wreck for a day tour ashore.  Don't worry we are leaving only footprints on this lovely island.  No commercialization of this spot.  The personal goal for "down island" charters is no more than 5 all winter.  That will keep things fresh and fun, leave "plenty plenty time" as the Bahamians say, to relax.  I went into this biz with lifestyle objectives, which did not prioritize capital accumulation but rather quality of life.  So far so good and why change?  So 5 charters it will be.  Keep in touch and will fill you in as we approach winter vacation planning time. 

Each season I am thankful to have so many “old shipmates” who continue to sail with us over the years. I certainly appreciate your business. Even more, I value the on-going process that begins with clients and guests and evolves to friendship. It becomes personal. Is this anyway to run a business? In this world of corporate unaccountability, or press 5 for an automated operator, up front and personal is oh such a relief! Personal accountability has risks, but the rewards of a bounty of friends and positive memories is worth it ten times over.

Ventura Sailing News.  I encourage those interested in sailing with us on a spontaneous basis to sign up for the “Ventura Sailing News.” (Only sailing news about Ventura and the periodic winter updates during the winter. No spam, no ads. Promise.) The sailing news gives you advance notice of any new or unusual open to the public trips, such as star gazing, or fireworks cruises during the  summer.  In winter, you will get summer cruise updates but also some off-the-beaten path personal reports from wherever adventure takes me.... the North Pole in 2007,  last winter a chance -- and very funny -- encounter with Sean Connery (yes, James Bond) and many more stories.  Hopefully you'll will enjoy these occasional nautical e-adventures and maybe even be a part of them!

So thanks again to all the “old shipmates” who have sailed with us again and again, and welcome aboard to all who are new to our extended sailing family! I'm looking forward to seeing you aboard!

-Captain Pat, aboard houseboat "Decoy"

Latitude 40 degrees 40 min north Longitude 73 degrees 03 min west.  Any guesses where that may be?

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