Your Right to Anchor in Florida Is Once Again in Jeopardy

As the Florida Legislative Session begins, we are once again expecting a slew of bills to be filed that call for banning overnight anchoring in specific areas in Florida.  This has been an on-going issue for several years, and the Seven Seas Cruising Association, as part of a coalition formed to protect Boaters’ Rights, has been successful in keeping most anchorages open for our members.  Please read on for the history of this issue, the expectations for the upcoming legislative session.

History:

For several years, anchorages have been under attack in Florida, sometimes by waterfront home owners who prefer not to have boats anchored in the waterways outside their homes. More often, however, responsible boaters are caught up in the “derelict vessels” issue, which is a serious problem in Florida.   By working with their state legislative delegations to pass restrictions on anchoring in their waterways, municipalities think they’ll have an easier time ridding their area of abandoned boats and/or those anchored with no intention (nor ability, in many cases) of ever moving.

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Coast Guard urges caution ahead of heavy weather conditions along California coast

A Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay 47-foot Motor Lifeboat conducting surf training in heavy weather.

The Coast Guard encourages mariners to prepare for heavy sea conditions and high winds, which are expected to impact the California region over the next few days.

The San Francisco Bay Area is expected to experience gale-force winds up to 40 knots and seas up to 11 feet.  

The Los Angeles area is expected to experience winds up to 35 knots and seas up to 9 feet.

"We encourage boaters to avoid the incoming severe weather if possible," said Lt. Cmdr. John Suckow, Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach incident management division chief. "Mariners who need to get underway in these conditions should make sure they check all their survival and safety equipment before going out."

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Cruising Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way

A Word of Welcome to Europe’s Most Precious Gem
The Wild West of the Emerald Isle

An essential guide to adventure along the stunning west coast of Ireland

Whether by sea or by land, Cruising the Wild Atlantic Way provides visitors to the west of Ireland with information about what to know before they go and what they will find when they get there. It provides a logical route with suggested stops in picturesque harbours, villages, and islands along the way from Donegal to Cork. It encourages visitors to see the land as it was seen by explorers centuries ago along one of the most unspoiled stretches of coastline in Europe.

Authors Daria and Alex Blackwell share their experience from their years of cruising along the coast and islands, richly illustrating the locations with photography, charts and maps. “We have a unique perspective, having sailed here across the Atlantic then settling here to explore everything the region has to offer. We share insights into what we would have liked to have known as outsiders coming for our first visit as well as insiders who have discovered and explored the hidden gems,” explains Daria.

“I grew up in the environs of Clew Bay, so the West is embedded in my soul,” says Alex, a master mariner and lifetime sailor. “I respect the environment’s changeable and sometimes unforgiving nature, and I revere the unspoilt beauty of the land, the kindness and friendliness of the people, and the richness of the heritage. No matter how far across oceans we have sailed, we have always been drawn home to the wild west. We want to share our passion with those contemplating a visit and encourage them to unleash their adventurous spirit here.”

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Blind Sailor Teams up with Oean Cruising Club Member to Cross the Pacific

Ocean Cruising Club Associate Member and Skipper Doug Smith and his good friend Hiro Iwamoto are scheduled to sail across the Pacific non-stop from San Diego to Fukushima, Japan with a departure date scheduled for February 24th in Dream Weaver, a 41 foot Island Packet. The interesting component here is that Doug is the novice sailor and Hiro is the experienced skipper, but one who happens to be completely blind. This will be Doug’s qualifying ocean voyage for Full Membership in the Ocean Cruising Club. This is not Hiro's first attempt.

Hiro Iwamoto on the dock next to Dream Weaver

Back in 2013, he and another crewmate sailed out of Japan-bound for San Diego, California. Unfortunately, six days into the voyage their 6-ton yacht was taking on water in really rough seas due to unscheduled tussle with a blue whale and an unexpected typhoon 700 nautical miles from land! After radioing in a distress call, the two crewmen were forced to abandon ship into their covered rubber raft where they endured 15 foot waves and 30 knot winds. Sea conditions were so fierce amphibious aircraft were unable to rescue them for eleven hours. Despite this experience, Hiro remains determined to inspire others to overcome adversity and work to achieve their dreams.

OCC Associate Member and Skipper Doug Smith

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President Trump Signs Modern Fish Act - What this means for the nation’s 11 million saltwater anglers

Recreational anglers stand to gain with President Trump’s signing of the Modern Fish Act.

With President Trump’s December 31 signing of the Modernizing Recreational Fisheries Management Act of 2018 (Modern Fish Act), saltwater recreational anglers just got a big leg up when it comes to the federal management of the nation’s fish stocks.

“The Modern Fish Act is a big step forward in recognizing the value of today’s recreational fishing,” said Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. “It will help improve public access to America's federal waters and management of fish stock, promote conservation of natural marine resources, and spur economic growth by fixing key issues in the law governing marine fisheries.”

The act authorizes the use of management tools more appropriate for recreational fishing, and seeks out better and more accurate recreational harvest data. It will also study mixed-use fishery allocation and look at the impact and provide recommendations on catch share management programs.

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Draft Merchant Mariner Medical Manual Notification of Availability and Request for Comments

Revised Comment Period: Draft Merchant Mariner Medical Manual Notification of Availability and Request for Comments

The Coast Guard is seeking public comment regarding the draft Merchant Mariner Medical Manual. The guidance in this manual should assist medical practitioners, the maritime industry, individual mariners, and Coast Guard personnel in evaluating mariner applicants’ physical and medical statuses to meet the requirements of the merchant mariner medical certificate. This draft commandant instruction manual incorporates and consolidates prior guidance on the medical evaluation of merchant mariners contained in several Coast Guard documents. The manual includes guidance on the medical certificate and related processes, including procedures for application, issuance, and cancellation of the medical certificate.

The Coast Guard requests public comment on the draft Medical Manual, with emphasis on its readability, clarity, and ease of use. We welcome suggestions on how the manual can be improved.

We are particularly interested in whether the draft manual adequately addresses safety concerns in situations where the Coast Guard receives information indicating that a medical certificate holder has developed a medical condition that poses a significant risk of sudden incapacitation, or is taking a medication that poses a significant risk of impairment.

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Anchoring Basics

A classic yawl enjoying a peaceful anchorage

Sometimes you just want to get away from it all; that’s when a mooring in a crowded anchorage just won’t do. Or what if you arrive somewhere and there are no more guest moorings available? Freedom is being able to drop your hook anywhere you need to without worrying about it letting loose at the worst of moments. We anchor often while we’re away, enjoying the privacy of our chosen locations at least as much as the camaraderie of mooring fields and docks. In all that anchoring, we’ve learned a trick or two we’d like to share.

Most anchorages consist of one of three types of bottoms: mud, sand, or rock, with mud being quite predominant. The cruising guides and harbor charts show you where the best anchorages are and what the bottom composition is likely to be, so there’s not much guesswork. Just bear in mind that how the cruising guides rate an anchorage may have more to do with the anchor they used, than how good or bad the holding actually is.

Usually the anchorages are in the prevailing lee of an island or shore. Depending on the conditions on a given day, different choices may provide the best holding ground in a particular harbor or reasonable access to shore side activities. You’ll have to weigh your options against your plans.

The best anchorage for any particular night depends on the weather conditions predicted. Listen to NOAA weather radio on your VHF first, then choose your spot for maximum protection from the wind and the waves to keep your family snug and comfortable all night long. If a scorcher is predicted, you’ll want to pick a spot where you’ll be able to scoop in some breezy relief.

After countless thousands of miles of cruising and anchoring under many trying conditions, we have settled on a few select anchors onboard. Our primaries have become the Ultra, the Rocna and the Spade, all new generation scoop type anchors. We deploy them off the bow, with all chain rode on the primary and a chain/rope combination on the secondary, and we absolutely need a windlass to manage them. We have been extremely pleased with the performance of each and have rarely had occasion to reset. All have been tested under conditions of more than 50 knots sustained wind and significant chop without incident. All scoop type anchors dig deep as the wind increases, they veer well, and do not pull out with drastic changes in wind and tide.

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