Thursday, March 28

Browsing: Cruising Life

Right whales, so the story goes, got their name because they were the “right” whales to kill when whaling ships were active, due to the large quantities of oil and baleen they could provide. The killing was successful. Right whales are among the rarest species of whales; there are only 411 of them in the world. But now right whales seem to be enjoying a baby boom in the waters around Cape Cod. Last year, no calves were seen there. So far this year, seven right whale calves have been seen there, including three in Cape Cod Bay just this…

If you’ve ever thought of cruising to Hawaii, or spending time cruising among the islands once you’re there, you’ll want to read this eye-opening story in Sea by Capt. Pat Rains. Hawaii, at least for cruising in recreational boats, may not be the island paradise you’ve dreamed about. She knows. Rains and her husband have cruised there six times, starting some 40 years ago. Their most recent trip was on a Nordhavn 57. Here’s her account of what you’ll find there: The sight of Hawaii’s green peaks piercing the horizon was thrilling, especially after 2,300 miles of chugging along at eight…

Fountaine Pajot power cats just keep on winning prizes. The new Fountaine Pajot 40 MY was just voted the Asia Boating “Best Multihull Motor Yacht up to 50 Feet” at the Singapore boat show. The jury of 15 Asian journalists and boating experts gave the award to the cat for its “excellent design and outstanding capabilities.” The new Fountaine Pajot 40 is based on the company’s 44, which won three awards last year, including European Powerboat of the Year at the Düsseldorf show. The Fountaine Pajot 40 power cat has three cabins and two heads and is marked by an…

The Navy has dropped criminal charges against two top officers of the USS Fitzgerald, the destroyer that collided with a merchant ship on June 17, 2017, off the coast of Japan, resulting in the death of seven American sailors. It issued letters of censure instead. The charges were dropped against Cmdr. Bryce Benson, the Fitzgerald’s former commander, and Lt. Natalie Combs, the ship’s former tactical action officer. Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said he made the decision on the recommendation of Admiral John Richardson, the Chief of Naval Operations. “This decision is in the best interest of the Navy, the…

Here’s a new way to enjoy a charter vacation: Take a one-way charter down the Windward Islands from St. Lucia to Grenada, enjoying the wind at your back and exploring a handful of smaller islands along the way. The Windwards are at the southeastern border of the Caribbean, with basically a north to south layout. They got their name because they were more to windward for sailing ships arriving in the New World many centuries ago than the Leeward Islands, farther north and west. The currents and winds that provide the fastest sailing lanes across the Atlantic usually led to…

Nordhavn is building its first 80, another battleship-solid, blue-water cruiser but with a new, more contemporary look and styling. Powered by twin 375-hp John Deere diesels, the new Nordhavn 80 will top out at 12 knots and cruise at 9 knots, and it will carry 4,810 gallons of fuel for an ocean-crossing range. Nordhavn says it developed the 80 in response to buyers’ demand for a new boat between the Nordhavn 76 and the Nordhavn 86. “For some, an 86 is just too big,” says Jim Leishman, the vice president of PAE, Nordhavn’s parent company. “At 80 feet, this boat…

Miss Costa, a prolific 12’ 5” great white shark with a sizeable social media following, is taking her annual spring break in the Gulf of Mexico, cruising down the Atlantic from Nantucket, Massachusetts. And she’s tweeting about it. Miss Costa is being tracked by OCEARCH, the ocean research organization that originally tagged her on September 23, 2016, off Nantucket, and which created a Twitter account for her; the 1,668-pound shark now has 9,500 Twitter followers. A few days ago, as Miss Costa swam up the Gulf toward the Florida Panhandle, she tweeted: “gulf life = pure bliss.” Earlier, when she…

By CW4 Michael W. Carr – They were lost. Lost in the open ocean off Antarctica. Two miles to their starboard should be the Ross Ice Shelf, a 200-foot high vertical wall of ice running for hundreds of miles along Antarctica. Instead, there was just open ocean. This situation was definitely not part of their DeepFreeze79 operation. Ensign Bill Davis, the USCG Glacier’s (WAGB-4) Navigation Officer, had just come to the bridge to relieve the mid-watch and assume OOD for the 4-8 watch. Bill was looking forward to an easy and uneventful watch, as they steamed east along the edge…

The duck boat tragedy last summer in Branson Missouri , when 17 people were killed, just gets worse the more we learn about it. Now, thanks to the Kansas City Star, we find out that under an agreement the boat owners had with the Coast Guard, the boat never should have left the dock on the evening it sank, and it had bilge pumps that were not adequate to discharging water that flooded into the vessel. After the accident last July 19 on Table Rock Lake, the Star asked for records and correspondence regarding the amphibious vehicles operating in Branson. It…

Here’s a great list of the ten best places to snorkel from Coastal Living, starting with Dean’s Blue Hole on Long Island in the Bahamas (see the picture, above). All of these would quality as cruising destinations in their own right; on the other hand, you may just want to spend a few extra days at one of them if you’re cruising in the area. They all look too good to miss. Dean’s Blue Hole, for example, was created when the ceiling of an ancient cave system collapsed into the ocean. Here you can swim from the beach and watch…

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