Captain's Corner Stories....
Found Treasure
There are times we just walk around and trip over something wonderful, you just need to see what you tripped over to recognize it.
This happened to Seaduced crew just a while back.
Kevin Costner played a romantic role in a chick flick “Message in a Bottle”. I think I made it through about the first 18 minutes then the eyes shut and I was then sailing the Abaco’s with the Swedish gymnast team in my dream state. This movie as about a heart felt message of loss and love. A void not able to be filled by anything or anyone. A story of on-going love and loss.
In the clear waters around Anna Maria it’s easy to see what does not belong. Being water people most of my crew will pick up the floating Bud Light can or grab the Publix shopping bag that blew off a boat during lunch. This day, off in the distance there was something floating and it was fowl to the eye of one that loves clear Gulf waters, so it was retrieved. But this was not the discarded trash we normally pull out, it was to the contrary… it held untold treasure.
The bottle was plastic with not many days of being water tight remaining. The top was carefully sealed in respect to the meaningful cargo inside.
(in respect to the family, we have bleared this image)
We stood around looking at it, like it had surfaced from lost Atlantis. Holding it to the mid-day sun we could make out the blue color of a note inside. There was discussion on whether we should open it or release it back to the waiting arms of the sea. The decision was made. With the sun damage it would not last another week and all the mysteries inside lost forever. "We have to see what's inside"
We cut the top off as the plastic started to fall apart at it’s waterline. A curled up note was removed and unrolled. No one talked as we read the words on the Caribbean blue paper. Some tears were forming in the eyes of the crew. There were short notes from seven people written. All written to one man who all lost and all loved. It was a message from a child, a friend, a wife a brother. It was a message to a loved one that had passed too soon and each needed to say a final good-bye.
“I (still) see you everywhere” “..miss you everyday” “I love you dad” “always and forever” “..to my green eyed baby boy…” “I love you”
Simple un-flowered words but more meaningful than any book by any author. Words lost at sea, but not from the heart. I sat and wondered that night… what would people write in my message in a bottle? Who would take the time to add a meaningful thought? Why the sea? Why not burn the note and watch as the ashes float to the sky?
In my simple reasoning the sea will always be alive. The bottle always on a journey to another shore. The sea gives us hope.
Soon this note… this reflection of one mans life will be back on it’s voyage after a short dockage here at Bradenton Beach. We are going to seal another bottle with great care, head out past Egmont where the Gulf currents run southernly at a lazy 2-3 knots and cast this message again on it’s second leg of what I hope is an endless adventure.
Our hearts go out to the ones that wrote this note and our thanks for allowing us to feel some of their pain and love.
What will other write about you? What will you write about the ones you love?
Fair winds and calm seas....
Sailing is much like a good marriage – By Dr. Lar
We had a chance to take Seaduced out last month with some friends from Buffalo. During that sail I remembered why I believe a couple that sails well together can have a better marriage.
Here are my thoughts regarding marriage and sailing.
Preparation: No not H. Preparation as in before an adventure, a task or a challenge… a good sailing couple will work together to be ready. The secret is not to be overly equipped, but never under prepared. Sailing teaches you to pack light, the things you need, that each “thing” has a place and that knowing what you have and where it is makes sailing easier. Like sailing, this is also true in marriage. Have the things you need but be careful about cluttering your deck, you can get tripped up. Think forward about what you’ll need and when you’ll need it. Know the things that your spouse forgets and remind or just bring it with you.
Being prepared for a sail or life’s journey means planning, make a list, talk about it and then make it happen. Before we ever leave the dock, we know we have the stuff we need.
And if we forgot something… adapt.
Communication: Have you ever sat at a boat ramp on a busy sunny day? If not, try it. You will understand communication… and more important, lack there of.
Some hints here… yelling at your wife will not make the boat float back because you forgot to grab a line. Telling your hubby he is a dumb ass for forgetting a strap that ties the boat to the trailer when you try to push off… is not a good thing. Communication and a plan is the key!!
Terri and I know how to anchor. But not without good communication and being prepared. Before we anchor we talk about the wind, the tide/current, where we’ll drop anchor and where we want to end up when the anchor takes hold.
Marriage is just like anchoring, communication stops you from yelling, communication helps you get where you want to be, communication sets a common goal and keeps you… off the rocks.
Fun: I don’t race, just not my thing. If I spill my rumrunner, then I’m working too hard. Some people I know that race forget to have fun. They’re pissed that the tack was too slow or sloppy. Sailing should be about the passion for life and taking that passion in your hands and eating it up like it’s the last you will ever have.
So should be a good marriage. Each day should be fun, who care if the BLT didn’t have enough B. In the long run, so what if my underwear was on the desk in the office. It’s okay! We can fix this! We can not forget to have fun. My brother and sister-in-law know this rule and it shows. They have fun at thanksgiving dinner, at the Mill Creek parties and with their kids. They know how to have fun every day. (Jim, just be a little more open on the boat) The reason we sail is to embrace life…. So is a marriage.
Know the signs: My wife Terri has a look. It’s the “are you sure you have a clear heading” look. No words, just the look and it’s very clear.
Now, I am the Master and Commander of this boat….. and I have 2 roads to choose. The “What the hell are you questioning my sailing skills” is one road I travel less now a days… or the other “Hummmm I think I’ll check my course and heading and make sure I am doing the right thing”. Take it from me, whether wrong or right, the second is the best road to take.
Weather can be a sign of what’s come. A warning strong winds or a sign of smooth sea. The biggest mistake a captain can make is to not see the signs and not be ready for a squall. A good captain or spouse will always be on the lookout for storms. Thunder storms, high winds, financial issues and family challenges, it’s all the same. Being prepared, great communication, having fun and keeping lookout is the way to guide your boat and to have smooth seas in a marriage.
There is a ton more... living is tight spaces, who cooks and who cleans, too much rum, sailing and sex, the 3 day fish rule... but I'll start to rattle on, so lets end this story.
We're becoming an ASA sailing school and we want to specialize in couples. We plan on part of our class to touch on each of the above points. Ask yourself this…. Am I doing what I can to be prepared for this adventure?
Do I have the communication skills or do I need to work on being able to communicate better with my crew?
Am I having fun in this adventure we're undertaking together, or am I too focused on the race or the underwear on the desk?
Can I see the signs of calm seas or am I steering into a storm?
If you said no to any of the above, get your credit card out, call us and sign up for one of our sailing classes as a couple… together… side by side. You'll learn that a relationship is much like sailing together.
My qualifications: None! I’ve screwed up friendships, jobs, relationships and pissed off family. I have run aground, been lost and got caught unprepared in a many nasty storms… I’ve been under prepared and over, I failed to tell people things I should have and forgot to listen. But today, I’ve learned from my screw-ups. Well, most anyway.
Warm winds and calm seas.
Through the eyes of a tourist
We had a customer tells us that they visited with some people at the sandbar on Jewfish Key. The people they ran into had been “locals” for 22 years and loved living in the Bradenton / Sarasota area.
Our renters said “they told us that they boat all over the area on their 29’ Sea Ray and there was no better place to hang out than right here on the place they call ‘beer can island’ within miles.
This got me wondering…. Why is it that everyone loves this place that we send a majority of our renters? Some times when we are so close to something so beautiful, we fail to see the beauty. We take for granted what others see wonder in. So I started up “River Rat”, a 20’ pontoon in the Seaduced fleet and headed south.
I did my best to see through the eyes of a tourist or better yet, someone new to Florida. Rather than focus on the markers, what boats were doing what, looking for the local parasail boat… I look at the stuff I though a first timer would look at.
Colors: The water around Anna Maria has hundreds of colors. All kinds of green in the shallows, so many shades of blues that they can’t be counted; the greens of the trees reflected off the water on this calm day.
Wild life: As I took the channel heading to Longboat Pass I noticed what looked like a floating coconut. I slowed down like I tell my customers and drifted in the direction of the “coconut”. The coconut had eyes! The head of this logger head turtle turned to find me sneaking up on him and he slid below the water, but not out of sight. The water here is much clearer than the waters in the river or the marina. I watched as he swam effortlessly under the pontoons of River Rat. During my 45 minute adventure I was able to see 3 dolphin (one baby), all types of water birds, dozens of crabs, 2 large snook, hundreds of bait fish, sea urchins marching covered in shells, a 12” conch, 2 spotted rays (one breaching the water and flew a good 5’) and a few fish I couldn’t identify.
There was also a little wildlife on the sandbar at the north end of Longboat, a couple of young wild things in blue bikinis with their boyfriends. No wonder people love this place. Where else can you jump in a boat, travel 15 minutes and see this much wonder on this side of Florida. It felt more like a beach on Abaco or Norman in the BVIs.
Navigation: From the docks, I could see the first markers… from the markers, I could see the intracoastal…. from the intracoastal I could see the tree line of Jewfish Key… and in the distance, I could make out the tall buildings in Sarasota. Boating made easy. Weather: We joke about the being a protective dome around Anna Maria. As the warm breeze caressed my skin, I watched the storm clouds inland building. I love it when you can see the rain falling from clouds in the distance. The "dome: is working today I thought, storms all over the inland area and nothing but sun over River Rat. The boat started back to the marina and I with a smile on my face.
I was able to see through my customer’s eyes. I too was taken back with the beauty of my own “backyard”. Over the years, I forget to see what I looked at, I forget to look at the colors. But not today, today I remembered why I love the water, the sand and the sea. So my challenge to you is simple this month. Look around you.
What is it you look at but don’t see?
Your child playing?
The color in your spouse’s eyes?
The sky as a Continental jet leaves a vapor trail 30,000 feet above?
Look around you and seek out the beauty in your life, in your home… all around us. How many of us forget to see what’s right in front of us.
Angel of the Sea of the Sea
The first time I heard “the story” it was in Wisconsin, on a small lake named “Phantom Lake”. Then a similar story was told to me on my first trip to Grand Cayman. Now, over the past 28 years I’ve heard a similar “Sea Angel” story no less than 20 times… on 6 islands, 4 countries and from women, men and children.
Allow me to give you two examples. The water off the beaches of Jacksonville are wonderful. Soft warm sand and the water colors are breathtaking. The problem can be when the winds come from the north and the current is running fast from the south and collide. This creates large breaking waves and a riptide that the best of swimmer fears… or should. We were at Joe’s Crab Shack doing the normal 40 minute wait on a Friday night. Another couple was waiting and we engaged in some small talk to kill the time. But I was about to hear the Sea Angel story… again.
“Bill” was in good shape and respects the sea… not a dumb guy. But a riptide took him by surprise about 50 yards off shore. There’s no fighting a riptide, the right thing to do is to relax (save your oxygen) and let the tide take you till you’re released. But that’s very hard to do. Bill fought the invincible current and was entering panic mode when he felt a hand pulling him to what he was sure, was the surface. Bill heard the stranger’s voice before he could see the man’s face. The words “It’s okay…. You’re going to be alright”. It’s these words that have haunted me over the years.
When Bill was safe and in 3’ of water Bill fought the urge to vomit from the intake of saltwater and the feeling of mortality. His wife rushed out to help and when he took control of his senses, he looked for the man that helped him and may have saved his life. The hero was no where to be found. I know this beach. One entrance from the parking lot and 4-5 miles of open beach north and south. Only another young couple sunning about 200 yards to the north.
Was this a Sea Angel? Ms. ”C” has sailed with Seaduced and has been a witness to our “Sea Angels” more than once. She was on a resort beach when the sea reached out from Davey Jones Locker. Her heart raced, that human instant to survive kicked in as the adrenalin coursed through her veins. It was not enough. The sea was winning this tug of war. Then she heard the same words as Bill… “It’s okay. You’re going to be alright”.
The lifeguard on duty was well prepared. He brought her safely to the beach and after catching her breath, she want to repay his valor with some cash. A small token of her humble gratitude. He smiled but refused to take her money. This is in a country that most are poor and his job pays modestly. He refused the cash. She went back the next day. Her mind clearer of the previous day’s events. She found the supervisor of the beaches and lifeguards. He told her that yesterday was his first day on the job and he had resigned that night. Not in anger or due to the rescue.... he quite because his job was done here. A Sea Angel? This women is sharp as a tack and in touch with reality... but knows in her heart that this was a Sea Angel.
I don’t know…. But I do know I've heard similar stories from many people from around the world. My wife will tell you that if I can't feel it, see it or buy it… I don’t believe in it. But that’s not all together true. There is to much wonder in our lives… too many unexplained happenings…. there has been too many miracles for me to believe that we are alone. That there is not some power greater than… us.
I know every time I dive off Cayman, sail to Egmont and explore “The Baths” on Virgin Gouda… I feel something. Am I being watched by a shark or a Sea Angel? Is something there or is it just the rush of the adventure?
Do me a favor… e-mail me your story about your experience on the sea that you can not explain. I want to read it. send them to crew@seaduvedagain.com
One more favor. When the sun sets tonight, search for colors you have never seen before. The next time you smile for no reason, look around and look for your angel. You may see them… a wife, a child, a boat captain. I wish Clear skis and fair winds for you.
"Burial at Sea"
Last month we were asked to be a part of a burial at sea for a WWII Navy sailor. He was well into his 80’s when he passed and lived a long life with a great deal of friends and family in his life. His family asked to rent a pontoon boat and take his cremated remains out to spread in the blue green water of the Gulf of Mexico.
To me this was very curious. This group was traveling hundreds of miles to set free the last remains of a very brave man. Ray was part of a small group of sailors that protected Pearl Harbor right after Japan attacked. As part of his last wishes, he wanted to be buried in the water that he fought to protect. Why do so many want to be released in the water?
What is it about the seas that attract us to have the last of our molecules flow throughout the world’s oceans? Granted, most prefer a land based final resting place but more and more want to be released this way. After some reflection, I think I found the reason I want the sea to be my final resting place. A hole in the ground… hummm. In time the bugs, mold and bacteria find their way through and you become part of the ecology. But I think about the movies where they dig up the remains to find DNA or look for the clue they missed.
To me this looks like death, like finality, like the end… something dark. For most people this works and god bless them. But to me there is nothing more alive than the seas, the oceans and our own gulf.
Life is limitless here, from the microscopic to the great whales that sing in haunting echoes at night. When my time is done I want to be part of this endless cycle of life. Grains of ash that the tiniest of creatures use to live. From there the world is mine. I will live on in plankton that is the base for life in the seas… then I move on to the gray angle fish that nibbles on the coral life… from there to a ghost shrimp… and then part of a school of bluefin tuna. I want to be part of this wonder, part of the seas. Back to the service. A color guard went through their choreographed farewells and the family told a few light hearted stories about Ray. This deep hearted time seamed to be in slow motion as the clouds blew over our heads by an 18 knot wind. They took a 21’ pontoon to the pass where Long Boat Key meets with Anna Maria Island. The water flows strong through the pass and on this blustery March day the tide was flowing out to the clear waters of the Gulf. Perfect. In days, his gift to the waters would reach the warm waters of the Keys, I thought to myself.
Each person touched the container that restricted him. Then the oldest brother opened his remains to the winds and the waters. As each grain found life the 13 people tossed 13 roses in different directions off the drifting boat. Something odd happened at this point. Rather than the roses drifting with the winds individually, they found each other and created a bouquet in sync, together in the water and became a collection of memories. We are like that in life.
We need to drift closer to others. We need to become like the flowers that are beautiful as one but spectacular as a group. Reach out to someone today… smile. Tell someone you love, that you love them. And look into the ever moving water for Ray’s smile. Last month we were asked to be a part of a burial at sea for a WWII Navy sailor. He was well into his 80’s when he passed and lived a long life with a great deal of friends and family in his life. His family asked to rent a pontoon boat and take his cremated remains out to spread in the blue green water of the Gulf of Mexico.
To me this was very curious. This group was traveling hundreds of miles to set free the last remains of a very brave man. Ray was part of a small group of sailors that protected Pearl Harbor right after Japan attacked. As part of his last wishes, he wanted to be buried in the water that he fought to protect. Why do so many want to be released in the water? What is it about the seas that attract us to have the last of our molecules flow throughout the world’s oceans? Granted, most prefer a land based final resting place but more and more want to be released this way.
After some reflection, I think I found the reason I want the sea to be my final resting place. A hole in the ground… hummm. In time the bugs, mold and bacteria find their way through and you become part of the ecology. But I think about the movies where they dig up the remains to find DNA or look for the clue they missed. To me this looks like death, like finality, like the end… something dark. For most people this works and god bless them. But to me there is nothing more alive than the seas, the oceans and our own gulf. Life is limitless here, from the microscopic to the great whales that sing in haunting echoes at night.
When my time is done I want to be part of this endless cycle of life. Grains of ash that the tiniest of creatures use to live. From there the world is mine. I will live on in plankton that is the base for life in the seas… then I move on to the gray angle fish that nibbles on the coral life… from there to a ghost shrimp… and then part of a school of bluefin tuna. I want to be part of this wonder, part of the seas.
Back to the service. A color guard went through their choreographed farewells and the family told a few light hearted stories about Ray. This deep hearted time seamed to be in slow motion as the clouds blew over our heads by an 18 knot wind. They took a 21’ pontoon to the pass where Long Boat Key meets with Anna Maria Island. The water flows strong through the pass and on this blustery March day the tide was flowing out to the clear waters of the Gulf. Perfect. In days, his gift to the waters would reach the warm waters of the Keys, I thought to myself.
Each person touched the container that restricted him. Then the oldest brother opened his remains to the winds and the waters. As each grain found life the 13 people tossed 13 roses in different directions off the drifting boat. Something odd happened at this point. Rather than the roses drifting with the winds individually, they found each other and created a bouquet in sync, together in the water and became a collection of memories.
We are like that in life. We need to drift closer to others. We need to become like the flowers that are beautiful as one but spectacular as a group.
Reach out to someone today… smile. Tell someone you love, that you love them. And look into the ever moving water for Ray’s smile.
“The toilet’s aglow”
A few years ago on a charter from Miami to Bimini we experienced some of the wonders of the seas. We sailed past the massive cruise ships “parallel parked” along the docks of Dodge Island. I remember how big the 46 foot boat felt when we boarded, but now how small this piece of fiberglass felt as we passed the mammoths of the sea.
The time was 6:43PM as the Miami skyline started to disappear in the setting sun as we sailed east-southeast. The cloak of night comes quickly on the sea but we were delighted as the full moon started to rise directly in front of us. A glimmering ribbon of light reflected on the water as if it was a road showing us the way to Shangri-La. I could try to describe this in words, but I lack the ability to share the breathtaking experience.
The time was 10:43PM and the moon was directly above us and the road of light gave way to a scattering of the moons reflection all around us. But a new, more eerie glow became visible around the boat. If you have spent much time in the warm waters of the gulf, you may have experienced the odd glow of photo-luminescent plankton. As the water is agitated, each tiny organism creates a chemical reaction that creates a soft greenish glow. As we crossed the edge of the Atlantic to the small islands of Bimini, we sailed through about 4 miles of the most intense photo-luminescent plankton anyone on the boat had ever experienced. Behind the boat for 300 or more yards, there was a trail of glowing water dissipating in the distance. To call this breathtaking is an understatement; to try to describe the uniqueness of this experience is difficult; to experience this is something that will stay locked in a persons memory for a lifetime.
A shriek from below grabbed everyone’s attention. 3 of the 5 on deck went below to see if there was a problem. I remember going through my emergency procedures. If there was water in the cabin, I would check to see if it was salt water or fresh, if salt water… check the seacocks…. be ready for anything!
Laughter came from one of the 3 heads. As the toilet was flushed bringing in salt water, the toilet looked like a huge flashlight that put out an odd greenish light as the water swirled counterclockwise in the porcelain bowl. The toilet was aglow as we laughed at site of this anomaly.
Life gives each of us a chance to experience new things. In life we have an opportunity to see so many new things. But so many of us fail to experience what we see…. to be part of life’s adventure. The days become filled with TV and shopping and paying the bills. We forget to enjoy the sunrise, to experience the colors of the sun setting. We don’t see the toilet aglow. After you read this I want you to be very aware of the things you normally don’t see. The softness of the fog, the pink in the sunset… the magic that someone's laughter has by making you feel warmth.
Enjoy the toilet aglow.
The cut between North and South Bimini
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Is it normal for rain water to come out the electric outlet?"
There are sailing adventures that you always remember and other that make you laugh every time you remember them. This one makes us laugh.
Paul wanted to get engaged and wanted to do it in a unique way. We worked with him to plan a charter sail to the British Virgin Islands, where he would ask Emilia to marry him. Our plan was to pick a deserted beach, find a local chef, set up a table on the beach and for them to have the most romantic dinner followed with a proposal. Everything was in place… one of the best chefs in the BVI’s, her favorite wine and on the trusty iPod, her favorite romantic songs. Also in place was a tropical low moving east with the BVI’s in it’s path.
The Captain made the very difficult call. “We can not anchor in that cove due to high winds and rain.” The scramble was on! Secret calls were made to get a hotel room in Cane Garden Bay reserved, whispering into the cell phone… the chef was told to move the dinner to the hotel room and the boat was sailing in 20 knot winds making 8.6 knots to get to the bay by sunset.
Cane Garden bay is stunning. A beautiful protected bay surrounded by steep mountains and beautiful little inns and restaurants. We dropped the love birds off at the beach with a VHF radio as the downpour started. The chef started the meal and all was going well…
The BVI’s had not seen a rain like this in years and soon the roads were not passable and the small village was all but shut down. The chef cooked an amazing meal and had started the trip home. Emilia said “YES” and all was well. But the adventure continues.
We were playing cards on the boat protected from the pounding rain when the VHF radio started crackling. “Seaduced, Seaduced Seaduced come in”, Paul requested. “Go ahead Paul”. “Question for you… is it normal for rain water to come out the electric outlet?”. Paul described the rain flooding the room through the electrical outlets as he and Emilia stood on the bed.
The record rain had become so strong that the rain running down the cliff was coming in through the wall outlets. We didn’t know if we should laugh or cry. The hotel owner came through moved them to a higher room and all were safe and sound. So… did the rain ruin the engagement? Were Paul and Emilia angry or in a bad mood the rest of the trip?
Paul and Emilia were recently married in New York and the story of their engagement adventure was told more than any other story. Paul and Emilia had a great time during the rest of the sail week and when all was done, they looked back and thought what a wonderful and adventurous vacation this was. One… never to be forgotten.
This is the kind of people that are attracted to sailing. People that see the glass half full, people that see life’s curve balls as adventure and embrace the challenge. We thank Paul and Emilia for the adventure and the chance to share this story with you.
Do you look at life as an adventure? Do you want to dream of your adventures or live your dreams?
The crew of Seaduced Again challenge you… “Live your dreams” starting today!!
Cane Garden Bay that night
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My father's hands
Sailing has an amazing affect on many of us. I think it’s a combination of the wind, the water, the sounds, the “art” and nature that creates an opportunity for us to search our souls for that peaceful place. A chance to let go of the emotions and negativity that make us lose sight of what’s truly important.
Today I took a call from a woman that had questions about our sails and what we do. She told me a short but powerful story I want to share, I hope she doesn’t mind.
As a child, her father took her sailing and it became part of their time together as their daughter and father relationship grew. One day, the halyard was lost to the top of the mast. To you non-sailors, one end of an important rope was let go and was too high to reach.
The father being an accomplished sailor and knowing his Pearson 29 like the back of his hand, rigged a bosun’s chair out of rope to pull his daughter up the mast to recover the ropes end. The daughter was the logical choice to go up the mast, she was lighter and the father was stronger so he could use the winch to haul her up the mast and safely down again.
Sailing always brings the unexpected.
After the line was recovered and she was on her way down, the rope slipped off the winch and the father was forced to grab the rope with his bare hands. The weight of his dropping daughter was enough to cut into his hands. The rope took layers of his skin off cutting into his hands and I’m sure, caused a great deal of pain. But his daughter was lowered gently and safely to the deck of the boat.
“I lost my father three years ago, but I'll always remember that sailing experience and how he protected me, the same way he protected me all his life.” This sail became the a symbol of his love, his care, his dedication and a symbol of being a father. Thank you for sharing that story with us.
Sailing brings us together.
Sailing is a chance to look in a mirror that reflects life.
Sailing centers us, brings us adventure and creates memories that stay with up all our lives.
