Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Oh, good point.

--

Roger Long



"Jeff" wrote

Quiet, Roger, we don't want the secret to get out. Half the beauty
of the Maine Coast is the absence of large crowds.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

If you have a 23 foot trailer sailer, come to Maine. Fantastic
scenery, cool enough to sit in the sun all day in Summer comfortably.
The many islands provide lots of protection if it blows. No crime to
speak of, no immigration hassles. If you start about Rockland and
head east, it will seem plenty exotic pretty quick.

As a Chesapeake sailor I used to get real annoyed with naw'thun boaters
who raved about May-un. But then I worked for a film workshop on the
shore in Rockport, and used to look out over the water... and visit
Camden on days off, and see all the boats... Got a job on a documentary
that had us traveling around Penobscott Bay on a 30-some footer gaff
cutter. I was convinced. Maine truly is a great cruising ground. And my
new (to me) cutter that lacks shoal draft would be no problem there.
Just wish it weren't so damn far away.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

With respect to the west coast of Florida, there's plenty of water. But
beware, there are also some mighty tall rocks where you least expect them.
So keep them charts handy all the time.
BF


"2462" wrote in message
...
If you have a 23 foot trailer sailer, come to Maine. Fantastic
scenery, cool enough to sit in the sun all day in Summer comfortably.
The many islands provide lots of protection if it blows. No crime to
speak of, no immigration hassles. If you start about Rockland and
head east, it will seem plenty exotic pretty quick.

As a Chesapeake sailor I used to get real annoyed with naw'thun boaters
who raved about May-un. But then I worked for a film workshop on the
shore in Rockport, and used to look out over the water... and visit
Camden on days off, and see all the boats... Got a job on a documentary
that had us traveling around Penobscott Bay on a 30-some footer gaff
cutter. I was convinced. Maine truly is a great cruising ground. And my
new (to me) cutter that lacks shoal draft would be no problem there.
Just wish it weren't so damn far away.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

On Tue, 05 Sep 2006 17:05:15 -0400, Jeff wrote:

Half the beauty of
the Maine Coast is the absence of large crowds.

===============

They are there, you just can't see them through the fog. :-)

I agree that boating in and out of the fog is definitely part of the
mystique. There is nothing quite like it when the veil is lifted
temporarily and you are among a bunch of rocky little islands covered
with pine trees, and there is a gorgeous old wooden boat or two
sailing somewhere nearby.

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

What a wonderfully helpful thread, addressing exactly the question I
posed - but with some interesting alternatives worth considering!

Thanks to Worldwide Wiley (Yes its an SC22 - my brainfart)
Rosalie B., BF, 2462, Thomas W., Wayne B., Roger Long, Jeff,
GM1234, Don White, DSK, DB Ohara, Glenn Ashmore,

I heard the Bimini rush idea, the island hopping proposal, the Maine
cruise (pity its so far) the reading list, and above all the
appropriate season for sailing out, and the weather/wind/fetch
warnings.
Thank you all.

Brian Whatcott and Richard Whatcott

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Maine isn't that far in your case.

In that week you were contemplating sitting at anchor in the Florida
sun, ducking into the cabin for the frequent thunderstorms, and
waiting for a hot, still, airless, patch of weather that would let you
motor across the Gulf Stream, you could drive along the scenic Great
Lakes, St. Lawrence corridor with your trailer sailer, working in
daysails in such places as Georgian Bay, the Thousand Islands, and
Lake Champlain depending on weather when you pass by. Then, you would
be in Maine.

--

Roger Long



"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
What a wonderfully helpful thread, addressing exactly the question I
posed - but with some interesting alternatives worth considering!

Thanks to Worldwide Wiley (Yes its an SC22 - my brainfart)
Rosalie B., BF, 2462, Thomas W., Wayne B., Roger Long, Jeff,
GM1234, Don White, DSK, DB Ohara, Glenn Ashmore,

I heard the Bimini rush idea, the island hopping proposal, the Maine
cruise (pity its so far) the reading list, and above all the
appropriate season for sailing out, and the weather/wind/fetch
warnings.
Thank you all.

Brian Whatcott and Richard Whatcott

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for Inland Sailers.
 

Brian,
Assuming you're still in Altus (yes I know where Altus is, I was born in
Pauls Valley) it's approximately 1400 mile to Ft Lauderdale and about 1800
miles to Rockland. So roughly 25% further. And IMHO a much prettier drive.
I've not done the Florida to Bahamas so can't comment, but I have cruised
the West Coast of Florida several times and Maine for the last 3 years and
perrsonally prefer Maine, but both are deffintly worth doing when time
allows.
Both can test you navigational skill as well. I've not actully hit anything
in Maine (yet) but have come close and would if I hadn't had sudden
inexplicable needs to look at my charts. Can't say the same for Florida, but
happily it was just sand each time.
Another, closer option is Corpus / Padre. I've not sailed there, but looks
like it's also worth a try.
BF


"Brian Whatcott" wrote in message
...
What a wonderfully helpful thread, addressing exactly the question I
posed - but with some interesting alternatives worth considering!

Thanks to Worldwide Wiley (Yes its an SC22 - my brainfart)
Rosalie B., BF, 2462, Thomas W., Wayne B., Roger Long, Jeff,
GM1234, Don White, DSK, DB Ohara, Glenn Ashmore,

I heard the Bimini rush idea, the island hopping proposal, the Maine
cruise (pity its so far) the reading list, and above all the
appropriate season for sailing out, and the weather/wind/fetch
warnings.
Thank you all.

Brian Whatcott and Richard Whatcott

Wanted: A Sensible First landfall in the Caribbean for InlandSailers.
 

Roger Long wrote:
Maine isn't that far in your case.

In that week you were contemplating sitting at anchor in the Florida
sun, ducking into the cabin for the frequent thunderstorms, and
waiting for a hot, still, airless, patch of weather that would let you
motor across the Gulf Stream, you could drive along the scenic Great
Lakes, St. Lawrence corridor with your trailer sailer, working in
daysails in such places as Georgian Bay, the Thousand Islands, and
Lake Champlain depending on weather when you pass by. Then, you would
be in Maine.



Better yet... order a copy of this cruising guide and then trailer as
fast as possible to Nova Scotia.
http://ca.binnacle.com/product_info....roducts_id=413