What came in today's mail

With this in hand, all that's left for my Coast Guard license renewal is a physical and drug screening.

"What's the big deal?"

Testing

Sending this track day photo of myself - taken last year - from my BlackBerry.
If this works I'll know how to post to my blog while en route from NY to FL on the yacht delivery.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

And then there's this

Next Monday, Oct 4th, I fly to NYC.  I've been hired to help the captain of a 46 Hunter sail the boat south to Florida.  It's presently located in Boston.  I'll meet the boat near Manhattan - either Port Washington on Long Island or Newport NJ.  From there we'll sail out the Hudson and down the Atlantic. 

I'm not sure how long this job will last.  As with all yacht deliveries there are many variable, especially weather.   

I hope to post position reports and photos while the trip is ongoing.

CommodoreRoy?

Cathy and I agreed early on that it would be a sin to live here in St Petersburg and not take advantage of the great sailing on Tampa Bay.  After some research I found the best answer for us was to join the Flagship Sailing Club.  For a monthly membership fee we get unlimited use their Catalina 27s or a Catalina 30.  It's a great deal.  The membership is less than what marina fees alone would cost if you owned a boat, plus there is no cost for fuel, maintenance or repairs.  Pretty unbelievable.
  

Some of the more active club members got together some weeks back to form a committee with the objective of gathering ideas to improve the club, organise club events, and make it more socially interactive.  I attended the inaugural meeting but missed the follow up meeting last week.  Punishment for missing that meeting was harsh.  They appointed me the club's Commodore.  Now I'm up to my Margaritaville ball cap organising club events and wading through emails related thereto.

Weekend of teaching

Gardner Lloyd at Flagship Sailing asked me take teach ASA Basic Keelboat Sailing this past weekend, so I was privileged to spend the weekend out on Tampa Bay with three new friends.

Beth

                                                                         Conrad

Liz

The weather forecast was threatening but turned out fine,except for Sunday afternoon when the wind went light and variable then died entirely.  Man overboard exercises, which typically can be tricky were instead very slow.  "Wilson", our Type IV designated MOB nearly died of boredom rather than drowning.

Daysail

Last Sunday Cathy and I, along with her brother Stephen, my sailing friend George and his wife Lynn went out for a sail on a Flagship Sailing Catalina 27.  We sailed across Tampa Bay, with one reef in the mainsail, to Little Harbor for brunch.

Stephen was helmsman for a while.  It was his first time steering a sailboat and he did well.  It always helps to show proper respect for the Skipper.

An important chore completed

I took the Coast Guard license renewal exam last evening.  Turns out I was over prepared.  I whipped through the questions.  Reviewed my answers to make sure I hadn't made any dumb mistakes.  Was the first to turn in the exam for grading.  Got a 100%.

Now, with nothing on my agenda for the next few days except for some phone calls, I feel like I'm on a short holiday. 

My next gig is to teach ASA Basic Sailing next weekend for Flagship Sailing.  

A change in the weather

I first noticed it earlier this week while sitting out on the condo balcony before dawn - as is my habit - drinking coffee and brushing our cat Chef.  The air was noticeably cooler.  A breeze stirred the leaves and the palm fronds below.  Later in the morning while running along the Bay front, even with the sun up the air was cooler.  Running easier.  At noontime walking across the campus of USF to meet Cathy for lunch at the Cafe next to her office, the sunshine was pleasantly warm.  Not scorching as I've come to expect. 

It wasn't the weather of just that one day.  Every day of the week since has been like that. 

Last night walking home from dinner at Fresco's, the dockside restaurant next to the City Marina, there was an east wind that brought the Trade Winds of the Virgin Islands to mind.  Steady.  Pleasantly cooling.  Rustling sounds of palm fronds in the wind. 

I think the worst of the summer heat has passed.  There are two hurricanes out in the Atlantic, but here I have a sense that hurricane season is drawing to and end.  Good sailing winds and pleasant temperatures will prevail.

      

Week of quiet productivity

My Coast Guard license is due for renewal in the spring of '11.  I've gotten a head start on the process so that I can get it off my plate before I get busy with other things, like hopefully, more teach sailing gigs, yacht deliveries and charters.

I've scheduled myself to take the Deck License Renewal exam next Monday evening, so this week I've been studying for it.  I'm feeling prepared. 

After passing that exam I'll only have the physical and drug screening left.  I'll submit my renewal paperwork 6 months before my current license lapses.  That may sound over eager, but I've heard the Coast Guard is about 3 months behind on processing applications, so I'm merely being prudent.

Anyway, better to get the headache of this process over and done with while I have time on my hands.  

Good weekend at the Tampa boat show

Passing crowd.

Capt Jeff

Your Blogger

Fire boat.

Fireman with attitude.

Tampa Boat Show weekend

Cathy and her brother Stephen are visiting their mom in West Palm Beach. 

I'm at the boat show all weekend conducting on-the-water clinics to teach close maneuvering boat handling techniques.  Working this gig with me is Capt Jeff, retired twenty year veteran of the Coast Guard, just back from running boats in the Gulf for a BP subcontractor.

Our teaching platforms rafted together.

Capt Jeff and I practicing

Too busy to keep up.

Haven't lost interest.  And Lord knows it's not for lack of interesting activities to write about.  It's simply that we're busy. 

Of course, Cathy has always been busy.  That's the nature of her work.  Now I'm busy too.  Yesterday morning I had a meeting with Flagship Sailing regarding the start-up of a small boat training program.  In the afternoon I was busy preparing for the weekend of powerboat close maneuvering clinics that I will teach at the Tampa Boat Show.  This morning I'm back at Flagship to begin learning about the Interlake 18, which is the class boat we will use as the training platform for the small boat sailing program. 

Throughout this Stephen, Cathy's brother, is staying with us and helping to keep us busy.  He's gotten us invited to parties we would not have attended otherwise.  Then too on Labor Day Monday we drove down to Sarasota to visit the Ringling complex, which includes an art museum, several circus museums, and the Ringling Mansion.  That was a surprisingly impressive and interesting experience.  I'll try to write more about it later.  For now, I'll take time to post a couple photos we took of the mansion.

Friday night Poolside Party at the Harborage Marina

Cathy, her brother Stephen from Manhattan, and I went to an event that we hope becomes a regular weekly event.  Capt Mike Z dragged out his DJ equipment.  The Cafe stayed open late.  People danced.

                                                                        "YMCA"                                                                                                         "YMCA"

  George and Lynn swing

while Cathy and Stephen chat.

Bareboat Cruise

Paul and Joseph sailed with me all the way through the Bareboat Chartering curriculum.  I admired how they learned to work together so well. 

I love waking up in a quiet anchorage to lovely morning weather.

Joseph seemed to enjoy that too.

You can't make coffee too strong for Paul. 

Worked for me!

My Florida Sailing ASA school students.

My guys were a diverse and interesting group. 

It was pure pleasure to sail with them. 

They all did great!

David

Theron

Joseph

              

Paul