Christmas in West Palm Beach

Previously our routine for the week of Christmas was to fly from Portland to West Palm Beach where Cathy's mother and brother Phillip live.  This year, instead of a long day of flying we drove there in 3 1/2 hours.  Much less stressful.  Much more enjoyable.  Much less expense.

One of the places we visit while there is the marina where magayachts are sure to be docked.  Cathy was fascinated by the scale and shine on the bows of some of the 150 footers we saw. 

More fallout from the St Petersburg boat show.

How often do we hear the phrase "in these economic times"?  It's now frequently used as a lead-in to another bad news story about consequences.

Let me share this latest news about Sailing Florida with this: despite these economic times, Sailing Florida will soon have yet another brand new sailboat in its fleet - a Hunter 41.  That will make a total of FOUR brand new boats. 

Must be doing something very right.

Why we are renewing our subscription to the St Petersburg Times

PolitiFact.com is a project that is operated by the St. Petersburg Times, a project in which its reporters and editors "fact-check statements by members of Congress, the White House, lobbyists and interest groups...."^[1] They publish original statements and their evaluations on the PolitiFact.com website, and assign each a "Truth-O-Meter" rating.

PolitiFact editors and reporters have chosen "government takeover of health care" as the 2010 Lie of the Year.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2010/dec/16/lie-year-government-takeover-health-care/

Readers of PolitiFact, the St. Petersburg Times' independent fact-checking website, also chose it as the year's most significant falsehood by an overwhelming margin. (Their second-place choice was Rep. Michele Bachmann's claim that Obama was going to spend $200 million a day on a trip to India, a falsity that still sprouts.)

By selecting "government takeover' as Lie of the Year, PolitiFact is not making a judgment on whether the health care law is good policy.

The phrase is simply not true.

Perspective from Home Depot

Yesterday I walked into a Home Depot for the first time since coming to St Petersburg.  I went there looking for a shower drain strainer for a Sailing Florida charter yacht.  Doing so, I got a weird feeling of perspective shift. 

Back in Portland, sailing: teaching, yacht deliveries and so forth, were only a part-time occupation.  Most of my income was from doing home improvements. I'd frequently be in Home Depot getting supplies or tools.  The geography in Home Depots are all the same, which is good because they're also very big.  I could walk into any Home Depot and know where to look for the things I needed. 

So it was yesterday.  I knew where to look for shower drain parts, but while walking the aisles I passed countless other items.  Tile saws and grout.  Electrical devices of all kinds.  Plumbing bits.  Tools.   A spectrum of wood products. 

I came to this realisation.  I knew all these products.  I'd worked with them all.  I haven't forgotten how.  But now, here in St Petersburg, I don't need to.  Instead I work on boats.  West Marine is now my Home Depot. 

That was a gratifying moment.  Not that I regret those years of experience doing home improvements.  It was a good education.  It's made me a better handyman and marine mechanic.  But I'm very happy to be doing what I do now - messing around on boats - instead of home improvements.              

My lovely toy

Back in Portland, my pal Gary visited Cycletune recently and took video of my rebuilt and repainted racebike.  It's awesome! 
(That's my tuner - Chris Vandervoort, former Honda Superbike raceteam mechanic - who starts the bike.) 

Before coming to St Petersburg I raced this bike - an '03 Yamaha R6 - at the roadrace course in Portland, as well as Infineon (formerly Sears Point) in California and Pacific Raceways in Washington.  I collected a few trophies for my efforts.  But riding this machine is mostly about the incredible rush.  It's as close as I'll ever get to flying an F/A-18. 

I can't wait to get it shipped here.  I doubt that I will enter races with it.  It's 8 years old now and no longer competitive with current bikes.  But I will do occasional trackdays with it .  I'm eager to show up at the Palm Beach and Homestead tracks and show the local riders what this old bike and even older rider can do. 

Wahoo!

A day at the races.

On Wednesday Sailing Florida had a team building day with 21 guys from an international welding equipment company.  Captain Patrick, Captain Jeff, and I took them out in three of our biggest Hunters: our 41 "Pitch n Roll", the 44 "Summer Breeze II", and the brand new center cockpit 45 "El Primo". 

The captains and crew were all competitive men.  The racing was intense and the finishes close.  I caught this scene as we approached the end of our third race.  It was another close finish. but this time our boat finished last.  It was the only time we didn't win or get second.  

. 
My crew was unaccustomed to loosing.  Their faces below show that .  For a moment I wondered if there was a Coast Guard vessel close enough to respond to a mutiny.

We came back in the next race to finish second, but we felt like we'd won.  We'd sailed the boat well.  Our last two tacks were textbook and fast!

NEWS FLASH!

Finally, the news can be shared. Many have suspected this would happen. Some already know. But, at Cathy’s request, I’ve had to keep quiet.

There was a long period when the situation was delicate. Conversations were ongoing and the outcome uncertain. Even when the decision was made, the news had to be carefully guarded. Cathy had to control who knew what, and when.

Cathy is back in Portland this week to go public with the news. She’s meeting with her staff there and cleaning out her office. So now I can announce: Cathy has been offered and accepted a permanent position at NOAA Fisheries’ Southeast Regional Headquarters Office. Early in 2011 we will make our move from Portland to St Petersburg permanent.

This is of course a huge event for us. We both love Portland. Cathy and I met and married there. We have many good friends there. We’ve made two great homes together there: the house in Northeast, and then the downtown condo. But now we both have exciting new opportunities here in St Petersburg. We’ve made some new friends here. Together we will make a new home here.

It is our most sincere hope that old friends from Portland will come to visit us, enjoy the weather of west-central Florida, the attractions of the Gulf coast, and go out sailing with us.

Sailing Florida's news from the St Petersburg Boat Show

I think Captain Dave, President of Sailing Florida, may have had about as much fun at the boat show as I did, but of a different sort. Capt Dave had 4 of his current charter yachts in the show: a Meridian powerboat, and three sailboats. All the sailboats were involved in the Discover Sailing program offering free 45 minute cruises. The boats and the Sailing Florida captains that sailed them performed as ideal platforms to communicate the message that sailing is a fun and safe family activity, and that Sailing Florida had great boats and instructors to learn from.

But Captain Dave had even more to smile about. Two of the new boats on display at the boat show would leave the show to take their place among the Sailing Florida fleet at the Vinoy Resort Marina. A new Hunter 45 and a new Beneteau 40 were coming under Sailing Florida management.

And then there was this: the owner of a 2009 Hunter 41, currently in our fleet, surprised us all by purchasing a new Catalina 44. Very soon, a third brand new sailing yacht will join our fleet.

                                                                           Hunter 45

                                                                        Beneteau 40

Accolades for Cathy

Cathy was away most of last week.  She went to Mobile AL for a conference where she gave two papers.  This morning she flew off again, this time to Portland to take care of some business back there and to see friends. 

Yesterday she came to the boat show and came along on one of my Discover Sailing sponsored 45 minute cruises on the Catalina 44.  I had eight passengers on that trip, plus Cathy.  Two of my passengers were repeat customers from the previous day.  They were a couple from Michigan.  They told me they'd had so much fun the first time out that they came back for another trip, and they brought another couple of friends with them.    

After we left the dock and set the sails, I got everyone's attention and made the following announcement: 

"We have a special guest onboard.  Cathy Tortorici.  She works for the federal government agency known as NOAA.  Cathy is a NOAA Branch Chief in their Porltand Oregon office.  There she is responsible for, among other things, salmon protection and recovery, which is a hugely important issue in the Pacific Northwest.  Six months ago, when the BP catastrophe was at it's height, Cathy was one of the senior people asked to come to this region to help manage NOAA's response to the mess.  Now she's involved in that plus many other Gulf region issues.  I can't keep up with it all.  So here we have this smart and accomplished woman, who despite being smart and accomplished, was foolish enough to marry me."   

With that, all my passengers broke out into applause.

Working the St Petersburg boat show

Anyone who has worked a trade show knows that it can be both fun and tiresome.  The fun is setting up in the new venue, meeting and talking to industry colleagues, and having those first conversations with the buying public.  But soon the reality of three days in a booth sets in - having the same conversations, answering the same questions, eating expensive but mediocre convention food.

But at this boat show, some how, I've gotten the best job in the entire show.  I'm not working a booth.  I'm sailing a Catalina 44, giving 45 minute demonstration rides for people who sign up with Sail America's Discover Sailing program.  I'm not selling anything.  I'm merely showing people what I do, which is sail boats and have a great time doing so. 

How'd I get so lucky?  I should go buy a lottery ticket this morning before I go back to "work" at the boat show.  

Back at it.

After a busy Thanksgiving weekend with visiting friends, I was back on the water with a "proposal cruise".  The guy was rather nervous about popping the question, so we helped with a banner attached to the headsail.

She said yes.

We've been non-stop busy.

On the evening of Thanksgiving we welcomed my old friends from back in the Virgin Islands days, Gary (now in Portland) and Anna (now in North Carolina) who introduced us to her friend Mike.  It was a great pleasure to hang out together once again, reminisce, look at photos from those times back in the Islands.  I took them out sailing, which was another reminder of how we once lived, when we'd jump on a charterboat from our fleet and go.

    

I've said it before. It's more true now than ever. St Petersburg Rocks!

When I arrived here in July this town was rather quiet.  We could walk into any restaurant and get a table with no waiting.  Now that "season" has arrived, this place has become very busy.  Last Saturday evening the restaurants on Beach Drive were filled to capacity and still taking names for tables.  The sidewalks were busy with happy, chatty people.  The streets were filled with traffic and parking was an issue.

The attraction is not just the weather and the restaurants.  It's also the city's party planning.  The weekend before last was "RibFest", a huge three day event that included concerts by The Doobie Brothers, Rick Springfield and others.  Last Saturday was "Chillounge", another big city park setup that drew a large crowd for jazz, a fashion show, food and wine.  On my early Sunday morning run there were again crowds of people out for a woman's half-marathon.  Walking home from the Vinoy Marina after work yesterday I saw there is a new temporary marina being built next to the city marina.  It's across from the Mahaffey Performing Arts Center and the new Dali Museum that will open in January.  This new temporary marina is being built out of sections of floating deck all strung together into long finger docks.  This will be the setting for the St Petersburg Boat Show next week.

This town just does not quit!

On the other side of the camera

I usually get photos of my students while sailing. 

My Bareboat Chartering student Jim got photos of me while teaching.

Kick-ass sailing!

On Day 2 of Basic Keelboat Sailing we had some kick-ass sailing conditions - steady 18 to 22 knot wind out of the south.  It was fun! 

Jim, Steven and Scott kept our Catalina 350 in the "slot" and moving well. 

We went hunting for other boats to race with.  This Beneteau 37 is out of our Sailing Florida fleet.  It's being sailed by repeat charterers. 

Busy days

I haven't been keeping up here with what's going on.  For example - in addition to mechanical work on a couple of the boats in the Sailing Florida fleet of charter yachts - as well as boat briefings with charterers - I skippered a daysail on Wednesday.  I had another daysail on Friday.  Last evening I had a sunset cruise.  Monday I begin six days of teach ASA curriculum from Basic Keelboat Sailing to Bareboat Chartering.

Cathy, meanwhile, is now in Galveston.  She'll be in Texas all week for a series of meetings and to give a paper at science conference.   

It happened twice yesterday that I fell into conversation with charter guests on two different boats.  The conclusion of both conversations was the same.  I am very fortunate, and it is my further good fortune to appreciate that fact.

New from Cycletune!

Chris from Cycletune - my racebike tuner in Portland - posted these photos on FaceBook.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  This is my racebike in it's new livery! 

It was nearly a year ago when we took the engine out and had the top end freshened.  I knew Chris was having the bodywork painted, but I followed Cathy to St Petersburg before we got the bike put back together.  I never saw the bodywork until these photos.  

I've got this beautiful racebike with a faster-than-ever engine waiting in Portland.  I need to get it shipped to Florida soon! 

Cold front

Friday morning began a weekend of cool weather here.  I wore long pants and socks for the first time in months.  Morning temperatures were below 50 degrees.  It never got above 70 degrees, despite perfectly clear skies. We had strong north winds which made it feel even cooler.  Everyone was wearing sweaters and jackets.  But Sunday, when I took a group of friends out sailing on the Hunter 44', we sure did have great sailing.  Even with reefed sails and not really trying to trim for speed, we cruised comfortably at 7 and 1/2 knots. 

Thursday, November 4th

Another day of corporate team building/match racing.  Patrick on the Hunter 44'.  Me on the Hunter 41'.  This time we had wind and weather.  We raced twice.  In the first race the 41' came from behind on the downwind leg to win by a couple boat lengths.  The 44' won the second race by a similar margin. 

I know our clients had huge fun, but I wouldn't bet that they had more fun than me and Patrick.

These photos are of the 44'. 

Wednesday, Nov 3

Patrick and I skippered two of the newer Sailing Florida Hunters for an afternoon of corporate team building exercises.  We raced the two boats against each other.  Unfortunatly the wind became very light and then utterly clam.  It was nonetheless a fun afternoon.  

At one point I needed to join the others on Patrick's boat, so I anchored the 41' I sailed and took these photos of it.  I like the postcard quality of them, set as they are along the St Petersburg water front.   

This is Patrck on the bow of the 44'.  Note how calm the wind is and one of the crew acting as a wisker pole.  Note as well that I'm taking this photo from my 41' ahead of Patrick's 44'.  Not that we're competitive or anything....

Halloween in St Petersburg

Key West and South Beach are well known for their celebrations.  I'd never heard that St Petersburg went over-the-top in its Halloween festivities, but it does!  These photos are of a house decorated in a Jimmy Buffett theme.  It was just one of dozens of extravagantly decorated homes in NE St Petersburg.  Thousands of people crowded the streets to look.  It was like walking through a theme park.  

Another weekend of messing around on boats - teaching.

My students - Mark and Miki.

Great crew and fun to sail with.  Their plan is to sail in the Virgin Islands.  I know they will do well and love it down there.  I wish I could go along and be part of their joy.  

But mentors. like parents, must let go of thier progeny and let them take flight.   



It's been a while since...

I spent yesterday afternoon doing some repairs and service to the Yanmar diesel in the Catalina 390.  I haven't had wrenches in my hands since I was helping my tuner, Chris at Cycletune, put the engine back in my race bike. 

It's been much longer than that since I've crouched over a marine diesel.  It felt good.  Though I wouldn't want to do that all the time, it's gratifying to work on a diesel, then start it up and see that it's now working properly.     

All in a day's work.

Yesterday I skippered the '09 Catalina 440 "Suite Jolene" on a 4 hour daysail for some nice folks from Atlanta.  Later I took it out again on a sunset cruise for a young couple from the St Petersburg area.  We'd been told in advance that this would be a "proposal cruise".  He intended to "pop the question".   I helped Patrick decoate the bow pulpit and lifelines with Christmas lights that I'd turn on when it got dark - assuming she said "Yes."

She did.

  

Sunday morning - first time in my new role at Sailing Florida

Patrick, the fleet manager for Sailing Florida, asked me to take care of a briefing with charterers on our Beneteau 32.  I'd used this boat before when teaching an ASA course, so I had some familiarity with it's systems.  Working with a charterer again, after being away from the business for so many years, was genuinely fun.  I got them going and on their way and then discovered another charterer on our Beneteau 37 having an issue with the Yanmar engine.  I jumped on and scoped it out.  After making an adjustment to a v-belt, that boat was ready to go too. 

This business of taking care of charterers and their boats was for me like being back in the Virgin Islands in the '90's.  It seemed as natural as breathing fresh air.  I walked back to our condo with a smile.     

How will I ever thank Cathy enough?

Capt Dave, proprietor of Sailing Florida, asked me to meet with him at the conclusion of the Bareboat course I just finished teaching.  He surprised me with an offer to get involved with the charter yacht aspect of the business.  I'd be working with charter clients doing yacht systems and mechanical briefings, chart briefings and float plans, doing repairs and maintenance on the yachts, captaining day charters, sunset cruises, corporate team building programs, as well as teaching ASA courses. 

This work is very much like the work I did through many fun years in the Virgin Islands.  Cathy encouraged me to take the job, so I have. 

How often does it happen that someone gets the opportunity to re-create a period of their life when their work made them happiest?  A period when you felt that you were where you were meant to be.  Doing the work you were meant to do.  Special work in a special place.  And getting paid well to do it.

I was in that situation for several years while I was in the Caribbean.  Years when I worked for LaVida Yacht Charters, when I was captain of the motoryacht "Silvercrset", and when I worked for Trawlers in Paradise.  Those were the most fun and gratifying work years ever.  But I was single and wanting a partner.

Now, more than ten years later, I am astonished and delighted to find work that very closely resembles those great years in the Caribbean. 

Even more astonishing is that the partner I found after leaving the Caribbean brought me to this place and facilitated my great fortune in finding this work.

Movin' on up.

Two of my Coastal Cruising students went straight on to the Bareboat Chartering course with me.  We moved up from a 39' Catalina to a 45' Hunter.   

                                                            Ray and Werner

We anchored for the night in a quiet corner of the Manatee River and enjoyed a spectacular sunset.

                                               Followed by dinner.



Wow. What a great time!

Saturday and Sunday were spent teaching Basic Coastal Cruising to repeat students of mine.  This group really clicked.  We had lots of fun while learning a few things about sailing.  I tried to inspire them with role-models from the bridge of the starship Enterprise.  They wanted to eat and drink instead.

   

Beth (Bones), me (Capt), Ray (Sulu), Jeff (Scotty), and Werner (the Purser&CFO)

During and after their written exams, which all passed with colors flying, there was a major manatee encounter.  They bobbed and cuddled without regard for our cameras. 
Remember the Prime Directive. 

The Directive states that members of Starfleet are not to interfere in the internal affairs of another species, especially the natural development of pre-warp civilizations, either by direct intervention, or technological revelation.

More messing around on boats

I was on the water yesterday afternoon in 20-25 knot winds with a new student.  Two reefs in the mainsail and a partially furled headsail, tacking and jibing and man overboard exercises.  Fun!

Today I begin four consecutive days of teaching with students I've taught before.  We're on to a more advanced curriculum.  I'd like to see some of that wind we had yesterday again today.     

Manatee sighting!

Walking through the Harborage Marina yesterday after a daysail, I finally had my first manatee sighting!  The reflection off the water obscures details, and the photos don't show the size of these creatures, but this is one of two that I saw.  It's about 6 feet long.

When they're not swimming they look like a big rock.  Easy to miss if you didn't know that there's no rock there.   



Where's Cathy?

She's at the Federal Executive Institute up near Washington DC for two more weeks of leadership training.  
https://www.leadership.opm.gov/Programs/Executive-Leadership-Development/index.aspx

Watch out NOAA.  TurboCathryn 2.0 will soon be released!

Weekend of teaching

My newest sailing student friends - Jeff and Ray.

We did our best to take advantage of light, variable winds while the St Petersburg Yacht Club regatta crowd came charging out of the city marina.

Late in the day on Sunday the wind went totally calm, so we did docking exercises at the Harborage Marina and at the nearby boatyard restaurant "Fish Tales".  We squeezed a 37' yacht into a 34' space, which earned us praise from another sailing instructor who just happened to be there.



That's ice tea I'm drinking.

Sunset Cruise