Cruising Life

Largest-Ever Patch of Seaweed Bloom Stretches 5,500 Miles from Africa to Gulf of Mexico

By Peter Janssen on July 9, 2019 Cruising Life

The largest patch of seaweed bloom in the world is stretching some 5,500 miles from Africa to the Gulf of Mexico, threatening marine life and coastal communities. A new study from a team of scientists at the University of South Florida said that the historic patch may become “the new normal.” The patch is so huge that in total it weighs 20 million tons, the same as 200 fully loaded aircraft carriers. The patch is called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB), and it’s made up of floating photosynthetic brown algae. The problem is that such a large amount of…

Ten Prettiest Coastal Towns in New England

By Peter Janssen on July 9, 2019 Cruising Life

Here’s a gold-tinted look at ten of the prettiest coastal towns in New England, at least according to New England Today. You probably have your own favorites (I know that a couple of mine aren’t on this list) but at least it’s a start. Take a look: 1.Kennebunkport, Maine (pictured above). The Kennebunk River adds charm to the small shops, ship captain’s houses and fishing areas here. It’s no wonder the Bush clan enjoys it so much. 2.Bar Harbor, Maine. Part of Mount Desert Island and at the gateway to Acadia National Park, this historic resort town still captures the splendor…

An Insider’s Look at the Iconic Maine Lobster Boat Races

By Peter Janssen on July 9, 2019 Cruising Life

It’s that time of year again: The iconic lobster boat races in Maine. Here’s a great first-person story from a writer for Popular Mechanics who’s been there and done that: By Ezra Dyer When you ask a Maine lobster-boat racer what kind of horsepower he’s running, the first answer will always be a dutiful recitation of the factory specification, usually delivered with a smirk. Ask again, and the second answer might be more like the truth. Like if his 18.1-liter CAT diesel was rated for 700 horsepower before he made a few mods—free-flowing intake and exhaust, at the very least—maybe…

For Some of the Best of Europe: A Cruising Guide to The Netherlands

By Peter Janssen on July 9, 2019 Cruising Life

Here’s a great cruising guide to The Netherlands, offering some of the most historic waterways in Europe, from Motor Boat & Yachting. Peter Cumberlidge Boating is a way of life in the Netherlands, where water occupies a significant proportion of the country’s surface area. Behind Holland’s North Sea flood defences lies an extraordinary network of canals, sounds, lakes, grand estuaries and rivers alive with ships and barges on an impressive scale. Since the notorious storm surge disaster of 1953, the Dutch have worked tirelessly to protect their low lands from the sea, and their long-term planning has always included an…

Four Strangers Save Three Fisherman After Their Boat Capsizes in Eight-Foot Seas off Florida Panhandle

By Peter Janssen on July 9, 2019 Cruising Life

More than an hour after their 27-foot Pro-Line capsized in eight-foot seas off St. George Island in the Florida Panhandle, Barry Rowles and his two friends thought they were going to die. “We all had come to the realization that this is the way it was going to be,” he told the Tallahassee Democrat. “Nobody is coming to get us.” The trip started normally enough, with Rowles, John Human and John Humphrey heading out for some offshore fishing in just a three-foot chop. But when they were about 12 miles offshore a mid-day storm hit quickly and an eight-foot rogue…

New, Cruiser-Friendly, Outer Reef 640 Azure Motoryacht Set To Debut in Cannes

By Peter Janssen on July 9, 2019 Cruising Life

The new Outer Reef 640 Azure Motoryacht, a user-friendly cruiser with just about everything you need for a long, comfortable voyage, will debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, starting Sept. 10. The 640 is the first Outer Reef motoryacht with a galley aft layout, including a window that lowers to provide access to the aft deck for easy dining or entertaining. Jeff Druek, the Outer Reef president and CEO, says the new 640 “embraces all the long-range cruising highlights and must-haves of the current Classic range, but has an even more dynamic and progressive design built in to benefit the…

Coast Guard, Good Samaritans, Save Six After Their Boat Sinks Crossing Oregon Bar

By Peter Janssen on July 7, 2019 Cruising Life

By Jamie Hale | The Oregonian/OregonLive The Coast Guard and civilian boaters worked together Friday morning to rescue six people from the mouth of the Umpqua River on the central Oregon coast. The Coast Guard station at Winchester Bay received a distress call at 5:40 a.m. Friday, after a 24-foot pleasure craft sank while trying to cross the Umpqua Bar, sending six people into the 60-degree water. The boat took a hard wave across the bow, which broke the windshield and flooded the vessel, the Coast Guard said in a news release. Five of the passengers put on life jackets…

For a Dream Vacation, Spend Seven Days on a Charter in the BVI. Here’s a Day-by-Day Itinerary of What You Can Find There from MarineMax Vacations

By Peter Janssen on July 3, 2019 Cruising Life

With over 60 lush and beautiful islands to discover, it’s no surprise that the British Virgin Islands are known as “Nature’s Little Secret.” Consequently, your itinerary can be as adventurous or relaxing as you wish and can easily be adjusted if another island “floats your boat,” shall we say. From boat recommendations to questions about passports, currency, crews, customs and charts, we are here to make planning the perfect BVI vacation as easy as possible. If you need more information about the topics listed here – or anything else – please contact us. Day 1 Arrive in the British Virgin…

New Ego Hybrid: Explore the Underwater World Without Getting Wet

By Peter Janssen on July 3, 2019 Cruising Life

If you’re worried that summer is slipping by and you don’t have a new water toy, consider the new Ego hybrid boat that’s half above and half under the water. With the Ego, you can have your own semi-submersible submarine without all the trouble of actually flooding tanks and diving below the surface. The point of the Ego is that you can climb down to the lower cabin through a small door and a ladder and enjoy the underwater world in front of you. The one-inch thick acrylic windows offer 270-degree views. With the Ego’s top speed of 6 knots,…

Iridium and Icom Launch First Worldwide Push-to-Talk Radio

By Peter Janssen on July 3, 2019 Cruising Life

Iridium just joined with Icom to provide the first global, satellite-based, push-to-talk radio for real-time communication with anyone in the world. Iridium is working with the Icom IC-SAT100 radio for this service. The Icom IC-SAT100 can operate with existing land-mobile radio networks and it can be managed over the air through an Iridium command center. The service opens up new communications beyond the range of trunked radio networks, and it will be available through Iridium’s and Icom’s existing partner networks. “This new satellite PTT (push-to-talk) device is unlike anything ever offered commercially in terms of capability,” said Bryan Hartin, executive…

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