Last week the scouts saw 2 bottlenose dolphin while they were in the water snorkeling.  Even though we see them regularly from the boats when we are sailing I had to tell them how unusual it is to be in the water with them. In my 30 years of snorkeling here it’s only happened to me 3 times. They  also saw a 7′ bull shark in the clear waters of the Gulf Stream. One of the Scouts was surprised at how calmly I suggested that it was time to get back on the boat. The shark was keeping his distance, the smell of sweaty sun-screened Scouts was probably not very appetizing. Of course they saw lots of the” regular stuff” from the reef with its coral and fish to the mangroves and hardpan areas in Everglades National Park, a 1500 year old tree, the ruins of a mid 1800′s town, and as added bonus a little wreckage from a ship that went down in 1733.  They also enjoyed a nightime kayak and a night snorkel.

Morning Dance on an Eco Adventure trip

What did they miss this week? No manatees, no saltwater crocodiles, there was not enough wind to sail faster than 2 knots, no drift snorkel floating with the tide, and they didn’t catch dinner. We vary our trip based on the weather and our groups abilities, each trip is different, so our new friends from Austin will have to come back again to have a different experience.

Our new group should be arriving any time, it’s back to work for me!

Fortunately those ugly day’s do not happen very often and this is the part that I think Latt’s & Att’s is missing. Preparation and knowledge made those days that were not so sweet merely uncomfortable, not dangerous or out of control. Knowing how to plan a trip, read a chart, have your boat shipshape, knowing how to sail makes being out there even when things are not perfect fun in it’s own way. And it really makes you see the beauty when things are wonderful. So I will close with a line from Southern Cross by CSN&Y

“Sailing on a broad reach

before a following sea

80 feet on the waterline

nice to be making way”

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

“While most people were generally happy with the purchase regardless of what it was, those who wrote about experiences tended to show a higher satisfaction at the time and after the experience had passed.

The most striking difference was in how participants said others around them reacted to either the purchased object or experience. Experiences led to more happiness in others than purchases did. A sense of relatedness to others — getting closer to friends and family — may be one of the reasons why experiences generate more happiness.”

One of the reasons Margie and I enjoy taking people sailing is the ability to help make those memories.  Our last sail had a pod of dolphins playing in our bow wave for 5 minutes as we sailed along at 6 knots. We see this quite often, but the excitement on the 11 and 14 year old boys faces make’s me sure this will be an experience they won’t soon forget.

Dolphins in front of the sailboat

Dolphins surfacing while under sail

]]> http://sailingtheislands.com/2010/01/03/is-going-sailing-better-than-going-shopping/feed/ 0 http://sailingtheislands.com/2009/12/19/an-asa-class-with-some-unusual-weather/ http://sailingtheislands.com/2009/12/19/an-asa-class-with-some-unusual-weather/#comments Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:47:28 +0000 Harold Ochstein http://sailingtheislands.com/?p=187

Monica and Keith doing a ASA Bareboat Certification

We enjoyed hosting Monica and Keith for an ASA Bareboat Certification Class. They got to see a whole range of weather from gale warnings (watched from a calm anchorage) to no wind. We had 2 days of winds in the 30 knot range which is very unusual for our area. It gave us a chance to practice docking in difficult conditions and we spent the night tucked comfortably in a protected mangrove canal using a Bahamian moor to limit the swing room of our anchors. One of the advantages of sailing in the Florida Keys is the diversity of environments so that even in difficult weather conditions there are interesting places to go.

Monica and Keith are experienced adventure travelers who own a whitewater rafting company in Tennessee, named Quest Expeditions. After having done lots of wilderness travel, I think they enjoyed the comforts a cruising sailboat had to offer.  The ability to be out in nature but still have a comfortable bed and a hot water shower is kind of nice.

A Protected Mangrove Canal Great for Anchoring your Sailboat in High Winds

We are passing through a canal in Key Largo in John Pennekamp State Park in the picture on the left. This is the type of canal where we go when the weather gets bad. Our sailboat has even rode out hurricanes in this type of area. Not fun but much better than cement docks or open anchorages. Part of learning to sail is knowing when not to go sailing!

Hello Captain Harold,

First of all I wanted to once more thank you VERY much for such a great experience and sailing course.

My wife and I are very happy and pleased with the course and the entire experience.

Thank you once more to you and your wife for a very professional as well as personal experience.

Sincerely yours,

Francisco

“The only thing I would say [about turning 60] is that a steaming train rolling down the track towards you clarifies the mind,” he says, laughing. “It does excite the senses and is thrillingly inspiring in ways that you might not have imagined.”

Been dreaming of Learning How to Sail? Margie and I moved aboard in 2002 and have not looked back.  New friendships, new places, new experiences are all reasons to do it now!

Vew from our evening's anchorage in the Lower Florida Keys

Greetings Captains Margie and Harold,

We had a fantastic week sailing with you on Island Dreamer in the Florida Key. The lessons, your excellent instructions and sailing knowledge are exceptional. After returning to sail our boat it was surprising how much our sailing skills had improved. The week of instruction, food, company, laughter and stops along the way truly exceeded our expectations.

Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Sailing,

Monica and Keith

Thank you for the great article The 10 Top Green Places to Sail Now. Your segment on the Florida Keys was well researched but I have to take exception to the comment they should “furl the sails …and spend some time exploring [Everglades National Park]. Margie and I have been sailing the park and the entire gulf side of the lower Keys for the last 15 years in sailboats From a 24′ Venture with 18″draft (swing keel up)  to an 80′ schooner, 5 1/2′ draft.  The beauty of sailing while watching the bottom glide by in  7′ of clear calm water is an experience not to be missed. Snorkeling is not as dramatic but fascinating nonetheless, ranging from mangrove channels to turtle grass flats that are nurseries for many of the fish seen on the coral reefs.  The thousands of uninhabited islands are far different than the few connected to the mainland by US 1 and will alter your impression of the Keys forever.
This Summer Margie and I will be taking Boy Scouts on our 2 Morgan Out Island 41′ sailboats on BSA’s Eco-Adventure program from their Seabase in Islamorada. We will take groups of 12 sailing, diving, and learning about the ecology of the Keys. I hope to see your readers as they also sail in one of the most unique and beautiful areas in the world!

If you are not quite ready for advanced sailing classes and want to learn what its like to live on a sailboat in calm and protected waters come Sailing with Captain Margie and I in the Florida Keys. In any case don’t wait to start cruising, it’s a lifestyle that can’t be beat!

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