Summer

I'm astonished to find that we're into August already.  The summer is flashing by.  Sailing Florida continues to keep me busy.  I spent this last weekend teaching.  I expect there will be mechanical work for me on various boats at the marina this week.

On Friday Cathy and I will fly back to Pacific Northwest for two busy weeks.  We'll be involved in wedding activities all next weekend.  On Monday I'll participate in a motorcycle trackday at Portland International Raceway riding an R6 that my friend Amy has generously offered to share with me.  It will be a blast being at my old home track, seeing some old racing pals, getting in laps on an R6 that potentially is even faster than my own.  The remainder of the week, until Thursday, Cathy and I will be visiting various friends around Portland.  Then we'll drive up to Seattle to see friends there, and on Saturday we get on a cruise ship for a week-long cruise up to Alaska. 

That takes us right up to August 20, when we return to St Petersburg.  On August 22 I'm slated to start a week-long teaching gig.  That will pretty well takes care of the month of August. 

And then we'll be into September - end of summer and the heart of hurricane season.

Off-season

I've wondered how much work there would be for me at Sailing Florida through the off-season.  So far, the answer is - plenty.  Since the 4th of July weekend the level of chartering activity has dropped off considerably, as expected.  But the demand for sailing schools continues.  Here are just a couple of photos from recent classes I've taught.

And when I'm not out teaching there are a long list of mechanical chores, like catching up with service routines on the diesel engines and generators: oil, filters, fuel filters, water pump impellors, belts, hoses, clamps, and so on. 

This is the Yanmar on our Beneteau 37 - one of several I've recently had my hands on.  Clearly this sort of work is more like work, and very different from a day spent with students out on the water.  Nonetheless I do get satisfaction from performing these service routines.  It's good for me to know these engines, and when I step back, start them up and hear them running again, I am pleased.

Yesterday, on the way home from work at the marina, I stopped, got off my bike and took this photo.  I think it says quite a lot.

"Sailing for dollars"

That was Captain Z's response to me.  "Sailing for dollars." 

I was teaching on our Beneteau 32 last weekend.  We were doing docking exercises over at the Harborage Marina when I saw Mike Zornes on a Flagship Sailing Catalina 25 with several students.  He was doing docking exercises too.  He waved at me. 

I hadn't seen Capt Z in a while.  I've been busy doing my thing with Sailing Florida out of the Vinoy Marina.  I'm sure he's been busy too, with his gig around the Harborage.  I went to the bow of the boat and spoke to him across the water. 

"How you been?", I asked.

"Sailing for dollars."    

Delivery postponed. Another trip booked.

Received an email yesterday from the owners of the 36' catamaran presently in the Turks and Caicos.  I was to join them on July 5th to help them sail to Virgin Gorda.  The email informed me of their decision to put off moving the boat until after hurricane season. 

I understand their reasoning and do not disagree.  Still, when you're expecting to go off on an adventure in less than a week, and then learn it's been postponed for several months, it's only natural to feel some disappointment. 

Then last evening, with Cathy at home from her most recent trip, we decided on and booked a trip we've talked about for some time.  We're going on an Alaskan cruise in August. 

We've had plans for months now to return to Portland in early August to attend a wedding.  I've been asking her if she could arrange some extra time away to go on an Alaskan cruise.  Finally she committed and last night I booked the trip.  August 12 to the 20th on board the Holland America ship Westerdam. 

Cathy and I have done several cruises on yachts, but never one on  a cruise ship.   

Changing seasons

Finally, after a long and very busy season of chartering and sailing schools, we are winding down activity on the dock at Sailing Florida.  Quite a few of our boats are out on charter now, but when they return they will be idle for some time. 

With this change comes a change in the weather too.  It's rainy season now.  Overcast skies.  Threat of rain and thunder showers.  We don't have the intense sunshine that normally wears us out while working on the dock, but it's still very warm. 

For me, this is a time for adjusting to the change of seasons.  I'm not needed around the dock as much.  There will be lots of repairs and maintenance to do on the boats over the next few months.  But this week I'm taking a break.  Changing gears.  Spending time at home.  Taking some time for personal pursuits.  Beginning to put a small dent in the reading that has been stacking up.  And taking a rest before my next adventure.      

Next Tuesday I fly to Provodenciales in the Turks and Caicos to begin the long sail to Virgin Gorda.

Another trip soon

This morning via email I received the ticket that was purchased for me to fly to the Turks and Caicos on July 5.  A nice young couple who I used to coach on their 20' sailboat back in Portland now has a 36' catamaran.  They've cruised it south along the east coast and through the Bahamas and to the T&C.  Now they want my help moving the boat from there to Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.  The challenge is that while that's only about 500 nautical miles as the Frigate Bird flies, it's dead to windward and against a current.  I expect we'll sail at least twice that distance to get there, in seas that are typically 6 feet or more.  It'll be a long, rough trip.  I'm budgeting one week minimum.  Could be gone for two weeks.       

Catching up with current events

I haven't been keeping up with this very well.  As I said earlier - I post up more often on Facebook, but even there I'm not as up to date as I could be.

So here's where we are:
Cathy's up in DC again this week facilitating a series of meetings concerning the Gulf Taskforce. 
I spent last weekend on the Hunter 45' center cockpit boat teaching a bareboat chartering course.

This week so far I've been on the dock helping with some much needed repairs and maintenance on the boats.  However, this afternoon I'll do a half day sail on the Catalina 45 with St Petersburg friends and their daughter and son-in-law and their 2 kids.  Interesting thing about this group is the daughter and son-in-law are both colonels in the Army, soon to be posted in Germany for 2 years.

This weekend will be another busy one on the dock helping charterers get off on their cruises.  Furthermore, on Saturday, there will be two weddings close to our Sailing Florida family:  Capt Dave's daughter gets married in Tropicana Field, and friend and former sailing student Dr Beth Terry gets married at the St Petersburg Yacht Club.

Teaching all last week.

Our friends Jim and Vickie from Colorado came to do Sailing Florida's intensive 6 day ASA 101 through 104 program.  It IS intensive - for the instructor as well as students.  But they did a great job and made my job a little easier. 

Track day at Homestead Speedway

Finally I've got 5 minutes to say that I was able to get away for a track day on my R-6 last Sunday.  It was a hoot.  Homestead is a class facility: wide, good pavement, great garages, and huge grand stands.  The road race course is infield of the oval that the NASCAR tribe uses.  It's rather technical with three corners that are particularly fun and very fast.  I'll look forward to returning there later this year. 

Memorial Day Weekend

We completed our Key West to St Petersburg trip Friday evening with sunset sail up into Tampa Bay. 

The next evening I was back on the job with a sunset sail on the Catalina 45 with Sailing Florida clients.  Our friends from Germany, Carsten and Viola, left to return home Sunday morning. 

Sunday afternoon and Monday morning I spent in a semi-vegetative state.  I felt like I'd been on the move for a solid month and needed to simply nap with episodes of Top Gear on the TV.   

Monday evening I did another sunset sail, this one on our new Regal 40 powerboat. 

Yesterday Cathy went off on another business trip to Pensacola and I was back at the marina helping with charter operations, as usual.