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-Your Cruising Editor - Nancy Birnbaum

Cruising Shot of the Week

"We snapped this sunrise photo while at anchor in Southport, North Carolina, on our way up the ICW in September." Sent in by James Williams and Penelope Mayer (s/v Alizee, Cabo Rico 36), San Francisco, CA.

Have a cool cruising shot to share? Send it to us at: comments@cruisingcompass.com.

Dock Talk

Tsunami Has Taken At Least 111 Lives in South Pacific Islands

NOAA's Tsunami Warning Center reported Wednesday, "At 3:16 AM Pacific Daylight Time on September 30, an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 7.7 occurred southern Sumatera, Indonesia."

Tsunami waves following the strong earthquake estimated to have occurred at least 54 miles deep in the Pacific Ocean, have killed at least 84 people in the Samoan islands, and at least 22 people were confirmed dead late Tuesday in American Samoa. The waves devastated coastal areas, knocking down buildings and sending cars floating out to sea. Survivors fled to high ground and stayed there for hours. Officials are working to assess the number of victims and the extent of the damage. CNN news agency reports the Samoan disaster management agency as saying up to 111 people have been killed on Samoa alone.

BWS received this first-hand report from John and Amanda Neal in Apia:



"Talofa from Apia, Samoa. I guess you've probably already heard there was an 8.3 earthquake at 6:50am 150 mi south of Samoa.

We just arrived in Apia yesterday afternoon and Amanda and I were on our morning run exploring downtown Apia when the street started shaking. We kept running, back toward the new yacht harbor, and after about 90 seconds the quake stopped.

Minutes after we arrived back in the harbor the civil defense sirens went off and police and fire and marina staff directed everyone to run for the hills. The water in the marina started really surging up and down, dropping lower after each surge in. One cat and one mono made it out with lots of current sweeping them out. One of the ferries that goes to Pago took off. We decided to run as the marina entrance is shallow normally, and has several coral heads that would have been shallower than our depth with the water going out.

We ran along the waterfront to the first road going inland, and followed a moving mass of people, cars and trucks up the hills. The smart yachties headed for Aggie Grey's hotel where hotel staff welcomed them and sent them to the top floors where they had a great view of the harbor going dry for several hundred yards out.

The "all clear" was just issued an hour or so ago. A school on the eastern end of Upolu Island collapsed, the radio says at least three children have died and more are trapped in the wreckage. Word from Pago Pago is that one yacht anchored in 30' hit bottom when the water went out and the airport was washed in places with 2' of water. Anyway, we're just finishing up an expedition and have eight days off before heading to Wallis, Futuna and Fiji."

John and Amanda Neal run Mahina Expeditions. John is a regular contributor to BWS and BWS sponsors his seminars and expeditions. Photos/Map courtesy of AFP.

Read more online at BWS.com.

New 'flavor' of El Nino under global warming

Research published last week in Nature has identified a new type of El Nino climate anomaly that is occurring with more and more frequency as a consequence of human-induced global warming.

In the classic El Nino pattern, weak trade winds lead to unusually warm surface sea temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific. In the altered El Nino, a region of warm ocean in the central Pacific is flanked on the east and west by unusually cool waters. This new pattern has been dubbed El Nino 'Modoki' -- a Japanese word meaning 'similar, but different'. The paper by Yeh et al provides some very interesting dynamical insights into the changing nature of the El Nino cycle under climate change, showing how weakening trade winds combined with changes in the temperature structure of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean could lead to El Nino events preferentially being centered farther west. From: www.scoop.co.nz.

Newport Show sees double digit increase in attendance

Bright sun and a light at the end of the (economic) tunnel are thought to be some of the reasons for a boost in attendance by over 12% at this years Newport International Boat Show! Gate sales alone were back to levels seen two and three years ago, and exhibitor guests and other tickets are yet to be counted, according to Newport Exhibition Group, the show producer. Although final figures were unavailable, show director Nancy Piffard says there were about 40,000 attendees, up from 30,000 last year. Exhibitors indicated that there was a lot of interest in all areas of boating powerboats, sailboats and boating products of all kinds -- and a good number of boats were sold!

One of the five largest in-water boat shows in the country, the 2009 Newport International Boat Show presented more than 650 exhibitors with over 500 boats ranging in size from 16 to 92 feet, including express cruising yachts, racing sailboats, ocean-going trawlers at PassageMaker magazines TrawlerPort, a Multihull Lagoon, plus DownEast styles, sport fishing boats, runabouts and inflatables. From:www.tradeonlytoday.com.

Offshore Sailing School Launches New Website

Doris Colgate, CEO and President of Offshore Sailing School, announced today the launch of a totally new website that brings together all the entities owned and managed by Steve and Doris Colgate.

“It has been over five years since we last did any radical changes to our websites,” states Colgate. “With so many different products and locations, and ever changing ways search engines allow these products to be found by consumers, it was time to tackle the big task of totally revamping our Internet presence.”

With seven locations in Florida, the British Virgin Islands, Eastern Shore of Maryland, New York City and Jersey City, New Jersey - Offshore Sailing School has expanded its product line and is poised for growth as the economy comes back. “Colgate 26 sales are starting to pick up again,” reports Steve Colgate, who is expecting to sell the 350th hull in the next few months. The school and boat will be exhibiting at the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis in October and Strictly Sail Chicago at the end of January. MORE: www.offshoresailing.com.

Nominees announced for World Sailor of the Year

Nominations have been received from across the world for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards 2009, representing sailors in all aspects of the sport. ISAF announced the names of those sailors now vying for the coveted and prestigious 2009 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award. Nominees in the female category are Sam Davies (GBR), Hilary Lister (GBR), Blanca Manchón (ESP), and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA). The male nominees are Pascal Bidégorry (FRA), Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA), Paul Goodison (GBR), Torben Grael (BRA), and Nathan Outteridge (AUS). There can be only one winner in each of the two categories, male and female. Nominee qualifications: www.sailing.org/worldsailor/2009/nominees.php.



Australia urges sailing teen to abandon bid

Australian authorities Saturday urged a teenager to abandon her bid to become the youngest solo round-the-world sailor, after investigators blamed her for a collision with a cargo ship. Jessica Watson, 16, was less than 24 hours into a test sail between Queensland state and Sydney when she hit a 63,000-tonne freighter in a busy shipping lane on September 9. Her pink yacht's mast was snapped and its rigging and hull damaged, but Watson vowed the accident would not stop her bid to become the youngest person to sail non-stop around the world, solo and unassisted.

But acting Queensland premier Paul Lucas said an investigation into the crash had concluded she was not properly prepared to attempt the dangerous voyage, and urged her to reconsider. Maritime Safety Queensland inspectors concluded Watson:

* Most probably dozed off before her vessel hit and was dragged alongside the 63,000-tonne cargo ship.

* Did not turn on a device that would have warned her of a potential collision.

* Could not produce a clear, plotted plan for her journey.

* Had not developed a fatigue management plan.

* Kept a log with "irregular latitude and longitude entries".

"This is a very, very serious matter and I appeal to Jessica and her parents to have a very good think about whether she is in fact ready to do this," said Lucas. From: AFP. Photo: 'Jessica's dismasted yacht is escorted into Southport Spit by water police and rescue vessels' (ABC Gold and Tweed Coasts: Tom Forbes).

Evolution Sails Announces New International Sailmaking Group

Last week, a group of sailmakers from across the world today announced the formation of Evolution Sails, a high-end custom sailmaker focused on the art of hands-on sail manufacturing. The new group differentiates itself from marketing driven, mass produced sail manufacturing by focusing on creating high-quality customized sails that combine art, craft, and skill with proprietary membrane production technology.

The Evolution Sails lofts are present in sailing centers of the world, including USA lofts in Maryland, New Jersey and Rhode Island, Australia lofts in Queensland and Sydney, a New Zealand loft in Auckland, Canada lofts in Quebec and Toronto, and a loft in Singapore. This collaborative group plans to expand by partnering with other elite sailmakers around the globe. Evolution Sails will be making their first public appearance at the U.S. Sailboat Show, held October 8-12 in Annapolis, MD, where Evolution Sails will be exhibiting at booth F-1. Those interested in learning more about Evolution Sails can call them at 1-888-770-SAIL, or visit their recently launched website: www.evolutionsails.com.

Sea School founder Dies. Ron Wahl: 1934-2009

Ronald Wahl died Sunday from lymphoma. He was 75. He opened the Sea School in St. Petersburg, Florida which in its more than 30 years of business turned out more than 100,000 students, his family says. Mr. Wahl taught many of those students himself.

Seaschool, founded in 1977, has a faculty of 37 full-time and 42 part-time instructors, the school offers courses to both commercial and recreational boaters from OUVP to Master's License for up to 500 gross tons. SeaSchool.

Tech Talk

KVH TracPhone Systems Enhanced with Emergency Call Service

Today, a new safety service for mariners – 505 Emergency Calling – will be launched across the world by Inmarsat, the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, for all FleetBroadband users. Owners of Inmarsat FleetBroadband-compatible TracPhone satellite communications systems from KVH Industries, Inc., can take advantage immediately when the service goes live because KVH’s full line of Inmarsat FleetBroadband systems are 100% compatible with the new, no-charge 505 service. Just by dialing 505 from their TracPhone telephones, users can activate the 24-hour service, which routes calls directly to Coast Guard rescue centers worldwide. Particularly for smaller vessels that do not carry a GMDSS-compliant system, 505 is ideal. It’s easy to remember because of its similarity to “SOS,” and connects mariners directly to top-notch emergency services wherever they are – even when out of reach of shore-based VHF radio. MORE: http://tinyurl.com/y9azkzk.

Imtra Advanced LED Designs Seamlessly Blend Into Total Vessel Solutions

Imtra announced today that its comprehensive line of innovative LED lighting solutions are plug and play compatible with the industry’s top automated control systems (ACS). Designed for seamless integration, Imtra LEDs work within ACS and other multiplex vessel systems’ common electronics architecture for convenient access and operation from control and monitoring stations. When used with Imtra LEDs, boaters can control lighting power, levels and dimming throughout the boat from one or any location. Imtra’s advanced PowerLEDs offer greater illumination, substantial power savings and lower operating temperatures than other fixtures, providing boaters with cooler cabins and a safe, eco-friendly lighting solution. MORE: www.imtra.com.

Cool Things To Do

Fall Equinox Signals Summer's Launch in the Southern Hemisphere

The Northern Hemisphere's Fall Equinox signals the shift in the seasons as the sun skips over the equator and enters the Southern Hemisphere. A fortunate few Northerners will follow the sun south while sailors in South Africa, Brazil, New Zealand and Australia will welcome the coming sailing season. The Summer Sailstice has begun planning for next years' 10th Anniversary – June 19th, 2010. This past Summer Sailstice adventures can be found at ‘Sailstice Tales’ from the almost 4,000 sailors who signed up this year. With an average of 3-4 people per boat, perhaps 15,000 people worldwide actually sailed ‘together’ for the 2009 Summer Sailstice. Naturally many more were out that weekend but just didn’t know to register their participation. Spread the word and mark the date on your sailing calendar!

October's good weather means more West Coast Florida sailing events

More than 250 youth sailors from around the country will compete on the Caloosahatchee for the annual Junior Olympic regatta called River Romp- Oct. 17-18. The multi-class regatta is sanctioned by the U.S. Sailing Association. This Junior Olympics event hosted by the Edison Sailing Center has been based on Fort Myers Beach and also has been in downtown Fort Myers during past years. You can watch it from the River District or join them in North Fort Myers, where they'll have headquarters at what most people call Yankee Beach or North Shore Park at the base of the Caloosahatchee Bridge. MORE: www.edisonsailingcenter.org.

Oct. 2 - West Marine San Deigo hosts Cruising Mexico Seminar with Dick Markie

Dick Markie has been a resident of Mexico for the past 18 years. During that time Dick has been managing marinas in the Sea of Cortez and most recently at Paradise Village Marina in Neuvo Vallarta, The Bay of Banderas . Dick brings a wealth of knowledge about Mexico cruising. Contact the San Diego Store at 619-225-8844.



Meet the BWS Staff at the US Sailboat Show In Annapolis – Oct 8-12

Coming to the Show? Be sure to visit us in Booth # 'F' 7, 8. More information is available at www.usboat.com/us_sailboat_show.html.

2nd annual Leisure Furl rendezvous - Port Annapolis Marina – Oct. 16-18

Forespar, manufacturer of Leisure Furl, the finest in-boom furling system in the world, invites you to join their factory team and world-renowned author, sailor and master storyteller, John Kretschmer at the Second Annual Leisure Furl Owners Rendezvous. Enjoy technical seminars with factory personnel from: New England Ropes, Awlgrip, Forespar, Holmatro, Hayn and Samson; a sail on the Bay, lunch and dinner provided on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Continental breakfast, technical seminars, check your rig and a BBQ picnic, and door prizes on Sunday. Slips Only - Contact Port Annapolis Marina for reservations - 410 269-1990 – jkanner@portannapolis.com. Sign up today and get Two FREE tickets per boat to the U.S. Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Oct 8-12.

Boat Rat's Tip of the Week

Make a reefing chart

Not all boats handle rising breezes the same way. And, not all crews respond to increasing wind in the same way. On many cruising boats, the crew waits to reef until the rail is under water or the boat becomes really hard to steer. Or, if overly cautious, they reef before it is necessary and kill the boat's progress through the water so it wallows and cranks.

The thing about cruising boats is that they sail best and handle the seas best when the sail plan is optimized for the wind and sea state. That means you have enough sail to keep the boat moving at a good speed but not so much sail that it is unbalanced, over pressed and struggling. Don't treat this as a subjective seat-of-the pants decision making process. Instead, make a reefing chart that every crew member can consult and follow without having to wake the skipper every time a sail change is needed.

A chart for a cruising sloop, based upon dedicated trial and refinement, looks like this:



Each boat will have its own wind thresholds and reefing pattern. As you sail, take notes, compile the data and create your own reefing chart that fits the boat, sail plan and crew. In all conditions, strive to keep the boat sailing steadily and upright with a light helm. It will be happier making progress than going too slow or going too fast. Above 30 knots of wind, you may want to heave-to while the breeze passes by. That's a subject for another Tip of the Week.

Cruising Community

Waterway Guide releases 2010 editions

Waterway Guide released the 2010 editions of its Chesapeake, Atlantic Intracoastal and Southern cruising guides. The three editions join Waterway Guide's annually updated collection of six guides.

"With the addition of the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic ICW and Southern 2010 editions, we offer the most up-to-date and accurate cruising guides available for southbound cruisers," publisher Jack Dozier said in a statement.

The Southern edition is for boaters cruising Florida's east coast, the St. John's River, the Okeechobee Waterway, the Keys, Florida's west coast and the Gulf of Mexico to Brownsville, Texas. The Chesapeake edition covers Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay and the Atlantic coast from Cape May, N.J., to Norfolk, Va. The Atlantic Intracoastal covers the Intracoastal Waterway from Norfolk, Va., to Jacksonville, Fla. From: TradeOnlyToday.com. MORE: www.waterwayguide.com.

Guatemala — Safety Improvements for Cruisers in Rio Dulce

Following attacks on cruising yachts in the Rio Dulce, on Guatemala's Caribbean coast, in 2008, the Government, marinas and hotel owners have been working together to improve safety concerns and provide Naval security for cruisers. Consequently, the Rio Dulce has become one of the most security conscious and patrolled areas for cruisers in this part of the world.

Up until a few months ago, security efforts were organized and paid for by participants in EcoRio, which is the association formed by Hotel and Marina owners concerned with solving environmental and security issues in Rio Dulce. Now, Guatemala's government has begun to significantly increase Naval patrols and personnel on call in the area of Rio Dulce where most Hotels and Marinas are located; which is the area South of the Golfete to the Castillo San Felipe Peninsula.

With additional funding, a map has been published to inform visiting yachts of which areas of the Rio Dulce National Park are currently patrolled 24/7 by the Guardia Costa (Guatemalan Coast Guard).

More information about EcoRio, the map and the safety patrol area can be found at www.riodulce.net. From Noonsite.com.

Off the Cruising Forums This Week

*Bonding procedures in Costa Rica

If you intend to leave your boat in Costa Rica for an extended period of time, you should know this:

"According to the customs office in Golfito (where we are currently bonded):

1. You automatically get a 90-day permit for the boat.

2. After that you must choose to take the boat out of the country for at least 90 days before you can return or go into bond. (They don't care about you personally, that is an immigration issue).

3. If you choose to go into bond, it is up to the bonding agent to determine the fee, as there is no fee from customs to go into bond. You may remain in bond for as long as you wish. However if you want to move the boat you can only do so with special permission for short time frames (less than a week) or by ending the bond.

4. If you have been in bond for at least 3 months, your boat is treated as if it is out of the country. Thus they will give you another 90-day permit. Once that permit is up I believe you can repeat the bond cycle if you wish.

5. Extensions are only granted on an emergency basis and they no long give 90 days, I believe they only give 30 (not 100 percent sure). You have to provide proof of the emergency and jump through some hoops to qualify for the temporary extension.

6. Many of the marinas tell me that they are trying to get this interpretation changed because although they get business from bonding boats, it chases a lot of boaters out of the country and hurts them in general. But don't expect any changes soon.

"Authorized Marinas" include the following (north to south):

Marina Papagayo (most northern)

Marina Puerto Azul (Puntarenas)

Marina Los Suenos (Herradura)

Marina Somoa del Sur (Golfito)

Banana Bay Marina (Golfito)

Fish Hook Marina (Golfito)

Also slowly nearing completion:

Marina Pez Vela (Quepos)

All of them have websites where you can get contact information and they are in our guide. Occupancy is down this year making space more available, but not necessarily cheaper. There are currently 7 other marina projects in various stages of government approval processes and most of those will probably offer bonding, but you might need to wait a decade or two before they are finished.

Posted by Eric (www.sailsarana.com/central_american_guidebook.htm) on the Southbound Group.

Cruising Green

Not All Boat Suds Are Created Equal: BoatUS Foundation Tests ''Green'' Boat Soaps

The non-profit BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water recently laboratory tested 20 boat cleaners for their toxicity as well as how quickly they biodegraded. The study findings definitively put an end to a misperception amongst some boaters that “green” cleaners may not be as effective as conventional cleaners. In fact, some of the ‘green’ products actually outperformed conventional cleaners. Tests revealed that the best cleaners for the environment were found to biodegrade in as little as two weeks. “Biodegradability is more important than its initial toxicity. Cleaners that break down slowly have a greater impact on aquatic life over time. To find out which products scored the highest in all tests, you can view a series of short videos as well as a full report, “Foundation Findings #47 – Green Cleaners Testing,” at www.BoatUS.com/foundation/Findings/47. From: www.boatus.com.

Rise in ocean level studied with help from Greenpeace

Dr Richard Bates, a geophysicist specializing in environmental geosciences, joined glaciologists and the Greenpeace crew aboard the Arctic Sunrise as they navigated the waters around Greenland to analyze the deterioration of the Petermann Glacier. Sailing further north than the global campaign group has ever attempted before and led by polar explorer Eric Philips, the scientists have spent the last few months studying the break up of one of Greenland's largest glaciers.

As a landscape of ice rivers, water vortices and eternal arctic sunshine is facing damaging environmental change, the scientists developed ground-breaking new techniques to gather data and measure ice that is melting at an extraordinary rate. Having just returned to Scotland, Dr Bates will be able to apply the arctic experience to work on local climate change back home.

"There's an important link to Scotland in what sea level rise and the increase of fresh water from the Greenland ice cap into the ocean circulation might do to our way of life. It's an issue for any country where people live and work near the coasts and much of the economy is associated with coastal industries." MORE: http://media-newswire.com/release_1098374.html.

Website of the Week

http://weathergram.blogspot.com/

A South Pacific weather Blog by Bob McDavitt. He posts his weekly weathergrams and you can ask him questions or subscribe directly to the weathergram at: Bob.McDavitt@metservice.com.

For the Hungry Crew...

Hot Crab Boats

• 1 lb lump crab meat
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup cooked peas
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 1 / 4 cup chopped parsley
• Mayonnaise
• 1 / 4 cup melted butter
• 6 long hero rolls or 10 small rolls, or rolls of your choice

Directions:

Combine crab, celery, peas, cheese, parsley, and mayo, mix well. Slice tops from rolls and scoop out center to form a shell. Save tops. Brush inside of each shell with butter and fill with crab mixture. Replace tops. Brush outside with butter and wrap individually in foil. (Crab Boats may be refrigerated at this point and baked later). Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Serve with a fruit salad, chips and a cold brew.

Mindbender

Gulf Stream Woes

You are enroute from San Juan P.R. to Jacksonville FL. There is a freshening northerly wind blowing. As you cross the axis of the Gulfstream you would expect to encounter _______.

A: Steeper waves, closer together.

B: Long swells.

C: Cirrus Clouds.

D: Smoother seas and warmer water.

Send your answers to comments@cruisingcompass.com. A winner—who will receive a Blue Water Sailing hat—will be selected at random from all of the correct answers.

• What is the largest full-rigged aailing ahip in the world, according the Guinness Book of World Records? Royal Clipper is the first five-masted, full-rigged sailing ship to be built since 1902 when her inspiration, Preussen, was launched in Hamburg. She is the largest true sailing clipper ship in the world today and joined the Star Clipper fleet in July of 2000 with immediate accolades world-wide. The Royal Clipper is 133.8 (439 ft) in length with 5,202 sq m (56,000 sq ft) of canvas on five masts, with 42 sails reaching 60 m (197 ft) above the waterline. She has a maximum speed of 20 knots and a displacement of 5.000 tonnes. Congrats to Brian Leslie, Stoney Creek, Ontario / Canada - this weeks winner! Photo by Nancy Birnbaum, 2009.