Daysail

"Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats..."

"The Wind in the Willows" by Keneth Grahame

Particularly when dolphins come to visit.

What goes around, comes around.

Image by talkradionews via Flickr

A day after BP said it would sell $30 billion in assets to pay for its Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the focus shifted to what is for sale, while lawyers prepared to tackle a mountain of claims for damages.

Read - http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100728/bs_nm/us_oil_spill

I'm reminded of the Bruce Sprinsteen's "You'll Be Coming Down" from his awesome "Magic" album.

Listen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn4n4VVwKfk

Tryin' to reason with hurricane season.

The steady southeast winds are gone.

My morning run along the shore of Tampa Bay has always been hot and humid, but a reliable breeze made it feasible.  Today there was no breeze.  The air was dead still. and so even more hot and humid. 

The Bay was mirror flat.  I ran in the blaze of two suns - one above the Bay and its reflection off the Bay. 

I thought I'd gotten acclimatized to running hot but this morning beat me down.  I broke and walked through patches of shade, then ran on to the next shade. 

I recognize this weather.  Hurricane Season.  I lived through these seasons during my years in the Islands.  It starts officially at the beginning of June and officially runs through to the beginning of December.  But from my own experience, the heart of hurricane season is from mid August to mid October.  This halt to the prevailing southeast winds marks its onset.

I'm reminded of Jimmy Buffett lyrics.

Listen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg-zwba7l5w

My quest to continue messing around in boats. Part 4

I arrived here three weeks ago yesterday, and now we have access to Flagship Sailing sailboats.  Come join us for a sail! 

Downtown St Petersburg from the deck of a sailboat. 

Things Cathy likes.

The view of her office from the deck of a sailboat.

And clouds

Another Saturday morning, another art collection.

  St Petersburg just opened its own permanent Chihuly collection.

Look - http://moreanartscenter.org/chihuly/

 

Florida felons make Carl Hiaasen's job seem easy.

McDonald's won't accept drugs as payment.

Read - http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/palm-harbor-man-tried-to-trade-drugs-for-cheeseburgers-deputies-say/1110764

http://www.carlhiaasen.com/index.shtml

Scientists prove what we knew to be true: BP owns the the vast subsurface plumes of oil.

Image by Fibonacci Blue via Flickr

Marine scientists with the University of South Florida announced that they have proved with scientific evidence what many have long suspected: There is a link between the gargantuan BP oil leak and plumes of oil microdroplets that span miles beneath the surface in the northern reaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

Read - http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jul/24/na-usf-experts-subsurface-oil-from-bp/

My quest to continue messing around in boats. Part 3

I've been here just under three weeks, and I'm pleased to report that there are two organisations intent on using my abilities and experience. 

Both are American Sailing Association schools.  Both are located in easy walking distance from the condo.

Sailing Florida is also a charter operation with a fleet of both sail and power boats.

http://www.sailingflorida.com/

Flagship Sailing has a fleet of sailboats organised into a club for its members to use.

   http://www.flagshipsailing.com/

I'm eager to soon be out in the steady east winds across Tampa Bay and beyond.

Cathy's away again.

NOAA scientists from around the region and from NOAA headquarters in DC are meeting in Sarasota today and tomorrow to discuss a range of topics, including impacts of the BP oil catastrophe.  Cathy, along with the Deputy Regional Administrator and others, left early this morning to attend.  I think among the topics to be discussed could be long term changes to the food chain.  Follow the link below to see what I refer to.

Scientists warn of a grim reshuffling of sealife that could over time cascade through the ecosystem and imperil the region's multibillion-dollar fishing industry.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100714/ap_on_sc/us_gulf_oil_spill_food_web;_ylt=Ar_EvcqC7ViKlDqZ29mJLjqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN1ZjU2c2UyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwNzE0L3VzX2d1bGZfb2lsX3NwaWxsX2Zvb2Rfd2ViBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDOQRwb3MDNgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA3NjaWVudGlzdHNzYQ

My question is, how's BP going to compensate for this?

Across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Image by billfrog...Tuktogna Ke Ceyas via Flickr

On Sunday, with little planning and no camera, we decided to go for a drive.  We crossed Tampa Bay on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge going south towards Sarasota.  It's an impressive bridge.  Over 5 miles long with a cable-stayed central span that allows ship traffic to enter Tampa Bay - 175 feet of vertical clearance.  It's a steep drive up to the top of that span.  I'm sure it's the steepest roadway to be found anywhere in Florida.  The view from up there is spectacular. 

We followed the freeway down to I-75.  We got off at a Sarasota exit, drove west through the city, across the Ringling Causeway over Sarasota Bay to Longboat Key.  I'd expected to see a long strip of tourist-catering commerce on Longboat Key, such as we'd seen along the St Petersburg Gulf Coast strip.  I was pleased to be surprised.  Longboat Key is quite different.  It's more residence than commerce.  Some of that residency is, I think, seasonal, but not short term tourist accommodation.  There are beach front condominiums with golf course back yards.  But there are also permanent residence homes and apartments.  Street and sidewalk traffic do not shout tourism.  No Waffle House restaurants.  No beach toy and beach wear stores.

We drove north to Bradenton Beach.  Driving across the bridge linking the two barrier islands we saw dozens of small powerboats anchored in the shallow water and pulled up onto beaches on both sides of the bridge.  This had more the look of locals enjoying their weekend than tourists on vacation.          

Image by Mr. Usaji via Flickr

After the bridge and beaches we came to a commercial strip of accommodations and some restaurants.  But this was still different from what we'd seen on the St Petersburg Gulf Shore barrier islands.  Funky is one word that comes to mind.  Less corporate owned chains and more locally owned businesses.  This appealed to us more.  Cathy suggested that when she takes some time away from the office we should come down here for a few days.  I agreed, with the added suggestion that we rent a small powerboat when we visit so we can explore the vast coastlines we'd admired along the way.    

Cool idea from City Council

Like Portland City Council, St Petersburg's City Council meetings are broadcast on local cable.  I read in Sunday's paper that St Petersburg's City Council unanimously passed the following resolution.  Before the start of every City Council meeting local musical talent will perform for the council and for the cable audience.  The rationale is to promote local talent and provide a new forum for exposure.   

BP's oil well cap

Since the cap valves were shut down and the oil appeared to be stopped, we've watched and listened to the stillness of collective breath-holding.  Deepwater Horizon dropped off the front page of the weekend newspaper.  But traffic on Cathy's BlackBerry hasn't slowed much, and this morning it's back on the front page with a report of seabed seepage near the cap.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100719/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill    

Quiet marina morning

This was taken at The Harborage, which is the marina next to Cathy's office.  I expect to be doing some skipper's work out of here. 

Saturday morning at an art show.

The venue is the Coliseum, an old dance hall located just a few blocks from downtown St Petersburg.  The show is a PAVA event.  The quality of their art was impressive.  Cathy had to have some.

Day camp for Optimist sailors

St Peters-birds

Gulf Coast Beach

Last Sunday Cathy and I went for a drive and stopped at St Pete Beach. We live on the Tampa Bay side of the St Petersburg peninsula. There are a few beaches there, but the beaches for which this area is famous are on the Gulf side. When you see them you know why they are so famous. Stunning white powdery sand that goes on for miles and miles over the horizon.

And as you see, there's no oil stain here.

Surprise visit by the Guv.

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday while Cathy and the Deputy Regional Adminisrator were on an important phone call with Headquarters office in DC, Florida Governor Crist dropped by the office to thank NOAA Regioanal Office staff for their work on the BP catastrophe.  The Governor had a local TV news crew in tow.  That evening there was a televised report of the Governor's surprise visit. 

In case anyone forgot, the Governor (formerly Republican) is running for the US Senate as an Independent.   

The Vinoy

About half a mile from our condo, right on the waterfront is this historic beauty. 

From Wikipedia:
The Vinoy was built in 1925 by Aymer Vinoy Laughner. Construction began on February 5 and took 10 months to complete. The hotel was a seasonal hotel open from around December to March. Rates were $20.00 a night, the highest in the area at that time. The hotel was a popular destination for celebrities ranging from Babe Ruth, Herbert Hoover, Calvin Coolidge and James Stewart.
During World War II the hotel was taken over by the U.S. Army and used for a training school. The hotel was sold to Charles Alberding after the war for $700,000. The hotel continued to prosper for the next couple decades. In 1974 the Vinoy closed its doors and sold most of its contents. The hotel became a haven for vagrants until the early 1990s when it was bought by a partnership between Renaissance Hotels and Resorts and the Vinoy Development Corporation. A $93-million renovation was undertaken, and in two years the Vinoy reopened as an almost perfect replica of its former self.
In 2005, the Vinoy earned AAA Four-Diamond status

I haven't been inside yet, but last Saturday Cathy attended a lecture there about Dale Chihuly.  The lecture was a kick-off event for the opening of a large collection of Chiluly art to be on permanent display in St Petersburg Museum of Fine Arts. 
Of the Vinoy, Cathy said it reminded her of The Breakers of Palm Beach.

Florida running.

One word drescribes the initial experience - hot.  Even if you were a runner before coming to Florida, running here is like starting your running program over again.  When I leave the condo in the morning to go off on my run, the temperature is 80 degrees and the humidity is about the same number.  After only a couple blocks I've started to sweat.  Long before my run is over my tee shirt and running shorts are dripping wet  

   

Nonetheless, I wouldn't trade it for any other exercise, particularly here.  I love running along the Bay front.  The smell of salt water.  The sight of boats in marinas and anchored out.  A breeze off of the Bay.  I am reminded of all those years running on so many different islands of the Caribbean, and those are wonderful memories to ponder.  But running here is better for me now.  Unlike the islands, it's flat here, and there are good walkways and parks for running on away from cars and trucks.   

My quest to continue messing around in boats. Part 2

I've made the rounds in the network of boat brokers, harbor masters, sailing school and charter operations that are walking distance to downtown St Petersburg.  I'll have follow up conversations with several of those contacts over the next couple weeks.  I've been pleased with the friendly responses I've met. 
But here are the challenges everyone in the yachting business face:  the economy is as bad as anyone can recall, hurricane season is closing in, and the Gulf oil mess has stained the image of boating around here.  People I've spoken to have hunkered own, are determined to survive, and emerge at the other end of this with thriving businesses.  When that happens they well be happy to utilize my services.   

Meanwhile, I'm about to expand my range.  I'll get around to visiting brokers, harbormasters and so on that are located driving distance from downtown St Petersburg.  I have the impression that prospects there may be even more slim, but I must of course cover all bases.

What's going on with Cathy's work?

Image by ideum via Flickr

I haven't said much about it because I am constrained to do so.  With the spill ongoing, the heavy lifting is being done by BP contractors and the Coast Guard.  NOAA will become the lead agency after the well is capped and the relatively easy-to-get-to oil is cleaned up.  Meantime, within NOAA there are strategic planning and positioning issues to sort out.  I expect in time the dust (and oil) will settle and I'll be able to say more. 

Meanwhile, I sense tangible hope that the new well cap may get this monster under control.           

Jimmy Buffett gives back to his Gulf Coast roots.

Jimmy Buffett held a free concert last evening in a show of support and solidarity with communities of the Gulf Coast. The concert was on the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama and was broadcast live on CMT. Cathy and I watched and were impressed with the massive and enthusiastic crowd. I couldn’t guess at the number of thousands of people who attended or the weight of the money those Parrotheads spent at hotels, restaurants and bars.

Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band played an hour and a half set that included many of those songs you know by heart: “Son of a Son of a Sailor”, “Margaritaville”, “Fins”, “One Particular Harbor”, “Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude”.

But it was the last song played for the live broadcast that really did it for me. Buffett rewrote the lyrics to a song off of his 1986 album “Floridays”. “When the Coast is Clear” is one of his more quietly introspective songs. The original lyrics tell of the feelings of a Gulf Coast resident at the end of tourist season. The lyrics Buffet sang last night tell of the feelings of a Gulf Coast resident living through the BP mess. It was enormously fitting and poignant. You can see video of him doing the song at the following link:

http://www.cmt.com/videos/misc/536045/when-the-coast-is-clear.jhtml

Second Saturday Art Walk

Those who know Cathy well knows about her passion for art. Anyone who has been in our Portland condo knows about her passion for art. The walls are covered with original pieces. She collects them from local art shows and from galleries and artists we encounter when we travel. When I read about the St Petersburg Downtown Arts Association monthly Second Saturday gallery walk, I knew we’d be there.

Compared to Portland’s First Friday events, the St Petersburg art walk is small. Compared to Portland, St Petersburg is small. But its community of artists are as dedicated and enthusiastic as you’ll find anywhere. Here a two of the artists we met and whose work we admire.

Bill Correira

http://www.gallerywoo.com/

Susan Hess

http://www.susanhessartist.com/susanhessartist/Welcome.html