Cruising Life

Fishing Boat Burns, Sinks, off Point Judith, RI. See Video

By Peter Janssen on May 24, 2020 Cruising Life

A 40-foot fishing boat caught fire and sank about 2.5 miles southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island, last week. The Coast Guard rescued all three people on board; they were not injured. The Coast Guard station in Point Judith heard a VHF Mayday call on Channel 16 at 11:01 a.m. saying that the boat was on fire. It dispatched two boats, and other boats were scrambled from the Narragansett Fire Department, Newport, and North Kingston. After the three crew members were taken off the fishing boat, the firefighters fought the blaze, pouring water onto the vessel. After two hours, it…

NOAA Update: Busy Atlantic Hurricane Season Coming

By Peter Janssen on May 23, 2020 Cruising Life

May 21, 2020 An above-normal 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is expected, according to forecasters with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service. The outlook predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season and only a 10% chance of a below-normal season. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a likely range of 13 to 19 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to…

Florida Keys Open to Visitors on June 1

By Peter Janssen on May 20, 2020 Cruising Life, Destinations

The Florida Keys will open to visitors on June 1, after being closed for almost two months to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The checkpoints on the access roads in the upper Keys will be lifted; the roads had been blocked off since late March to anyone who did not live or work there. The Keys are a major cruising destination, for people cruising on the Great Loop and for people who simply want to enjoy some of the best boating, fishing, diving, and most exotic locales, in the continental United States. Marinas that had been closed are now scheduled…

Parts of Erie Canal Set To Reopen by July 4

By Peter Janssen on May 19, 2020 Cruising Life

The New York State Canal Corporation just announced the schedule for reopening the locks on the historic – and much-travelled – Erie Canal and the system’s other canals in the state. The corporation said it planned to have most of the locks open by July 4, but some may not be open until much later. On its website, the corporation said, “Maintenance work that needs to be completed at specific canal facilities varies by location, and locks along the Erie, Champlain, Oswego and Cayuga-Seneca Canals will open for passage on a staggered fashion.” The locks had been scheduled to open…

Charters Can Reopen in the U.S. Virgins on June 1

By Peter Janssen on May 18, 2020 Charter, Cruising Life

Good news: The U.S. Virgin Islands can open up their charter operations on June 1. The Virgins, of course, include some of the best cruising grounds around, with beautiful water, white-sand beaches, and great dive sites. And you’re still in the United States; no passport needed. Albert Ryan, Jr., the Governor of the U.S. Virgins, just issued an executive order spelling out the protocols for when and how the islands will reopen in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was his sixth executive order about the crisis. Reopening the charter business is good news for those of us who love…

Three Separate Yacht Fires in Lauderdale; One Closes ICW

By Peter Janssen on May 18, 2020 Cruising Life

A 60-foot sportfishing boat caught fire Sunday afternoon just off Shooters Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, temporarily closing down the Intracoastal Waterway. Just a day before, two superyachts caught fire on the New River; about 100 firefighters were involved in extinguishing those fires. About 3:30 on Sunday afternoon, officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission had just finished a traffic stop near Shooters when they saw smoke coming from the stern of a 60-foot fishing boat. They were able to rescue seven adults, two children and a dog on board just before the entire boat erupted in flames. (See…

Social Distancing on Lake Travis, Texas

By Peter Janssen on May 17, 2020 Cruising Life

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Travis County Sheriff’s Office is urging people to continue practicing safe social distancing when they go out. That includes social distancing on Lake Travis. Over the weekend, KXAN received several reports of dozens of people gathering on the lake in close proximity. Viewers sent in photos and videos of boats parked up against each other in Devil’s Cove. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office says local stay at home orders only make the lake more of an attraction. A viewer sent KXAN these photos, taken on Sunday, overlooking Devil’s Cove on Lake Travis. “Clearly, it’s beautiful weather,”…

Tiara Hits Reef off Norwalk, CT, Sinks. Police Save 2

By Peter Janssen on May 13, 2020 Cruising Life

A 2010 Tiara 3900 Sovran, on a delivery from Stuart, Florida, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, crashed into a reef off Norwalk, Connecticut, in five-foot seas recently and sank. Officers from the Norwalk Marine Police rescued the two men on board and brought them to shore safely. Greg Mahanna, 54, had just bought the boat, named Mach 3, in Stuart and was bringing it home to Portsmouth. An experienced boater, Mahanna is the former president of the Great Cove Boat Club on the Piscataqua River there. Also on board was Tom Raynor, 61, a delivery captain from York, Maine. The two…

How To Leave a Dock in a Single-Engine Boat: Video

By Peter Janssen on May 13, 2020 Cruising Life

Docking a single-engine boat can be a challenge, as I know from my first-hand experience over many years with my Grand Banks 36. But here are some good tips, and a great video, from Motor Boat & Yachting, to help make it easier. Take a look: Single-engine craft are making a comeback, boosted by lower prices, reduced servicing costs and better fuel economy. However, manoeuvring a single-engine craft takes practice. The Marex 310 Sun Cruiser we borrowed from Wessex Marine for this demonstration has a single Volvo D6 sterndrive. It also has a bow thruster, so whilst it’s perfectly possible…

Detailed Guide, Map, of What’s Open, State by State

By Peter Janssen on May 12, 2020 Cruising Life

Here’s an updated guide to what’s open for boating, state by state, from Discover Boating. Click on the link at the bottom of this story to find an interactive map showing all the states, and scroll down for a detailed list, state by state, spelling out what’s open there. Boating During COVID-19: Navigating Local Restrictions & Safe Social Distancing Boating safety is always—always—a critical consideration whenever you push off the dock, but with all the recent issues regarding COVID-19, many people are wondering if boating is considered a safe social distancing practice. As boaters everywhere do their best to navigate these…

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