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?