All About Boats... So it goes...

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Tablet & Peanut Butter Day

2012-01-24T15:47:00.001-04:00

Today is National Peanut Butter Day. We had peanut butter toast for breakfast and we just had a peanut butter & Triscuit snack. MMMMMmmmm... Gave Willow a taste because she loves the stuff... Buffy not so much... She prefers ranch dip.

So, with all of the peanut buttery goodness, I must be careful with the new ASUS EeePad Transformer Tablet that we received yesterday. Peanut butter and touchpads do not mix (stick, yes).

This is the first time I've ever had my hands on a tablet and I must confess to a stupid error that I figured out eventually. I was unable to scroll down a page. I went to my Kindle app and have a list of 85 books but it only displayed 15 (3 rows of 5) at a time. If I touched the screen and dragged, it would start downloading whatever book I had touched. Also, I could not read the Google terms & conditions when signing up because I couldn't scroll down. This was not discussed in the Quick Start manual.

I finally sussed out that the technique is the opposite to the tracker pad on my MacBook. With the MacBook I drag down, but with the ASUS table I push UP! How simple. I mention this because someone else might be experiencing a similar problem (I won't tell).

I'm happy with the device. It is not flimsy. Seems a bit more substantial than the Apple iPad I picked up once at the dive shop. I was worried that it might not be upgradable to newer versions of Android. No problem. I selected settings and there was an option to upgrade the firmware. It was surprisingly quick even with our dodgy and slow wifi.

Today I bought a case from Amazon for only $9.00 to protect it and to help keep it clean.

They also have a silicone skin for the Transformer eeePad for $7.99. It appears that some people buy both.

Another cool accessory for this device is a docking station with keyboard, power, USB port, etc., if you want to use your tablet as a mini-notebook.

We love Amazon. Something that we ordered on Thanksgiving with a delivery date of December 2nd at the latest just arrived (9 weeks later). Amazon gave us a refund last week (just took a couple of days with no questions asked) and the item will be returned to sender.

I'm going to post this and then get to messing about with my eeePad... I love that name. As you might know, the letter "i" is pronounced "ee" in French like "eek, there's a mouse". So I also have an iPad, I guess :) Much less expensive than an eyePad and just as neat. Must go play now...

So it goes...

It's the first Caturday of the new year

2012-01-07T19:31:00.000-04:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!

While it is a big disappointment to be in St Croix and not the French islands for the holidays, we made do just fine. Go with the flow & so it goes...

What's wrong with STX? Well, take cheese, for example. I wanted some blue cheese and all I could find was an expensive tub of crumbled cheese that would be swept off the cutting board and into the trash in St Martin... Not even a common Camembert or Brie. The only pastis on offer was Pernod and that's $14 for a 750ml bottle (rather than $5/litre for a no-name brand in SXM)... We won't mention bread :)

But the cats are making me smile this morning. They are playing with one of their favorite toys (right up there with the cardboard boxes we get from Amazon)... the TUBE.

They love this so much even after 18 months, that I had Amazon.com send a tube to my brother for Christmas for his clowder (or clutter or pounce, if you prefer) of cats.

It is a hit with all of his cats but the newest kitten and little dog enjoy playing with it together. Waiting for his video.

Bob has a couple of interesting links on his BoatBits post today that I'd also like to share.

On Board With Mark Corke points out one of the Republican candidate's voting record regarding the National Weather Service which should be a concern of everyone, especially us sailors.
This is also an interesting post about one of our favorite outdoor manufacturers : Patagonia Becomes a Benefit Corporation... Do you remember Great Pacific Ironworks?

As you may have read in recent All About Boats posts, I'm considering getting a tablet for testing purposes... not my own enjoyment, of course :) So, I found this article interesting about the One Laptop per Child project.

Tablets & Smartphones

2011-12-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about buying a smartphone sort of thingy just so I can use it for testing website developments. This would do the trick, I think, and it is relatively inexpensive. It's not a phone, per se, but I only need it to view the internet and don't want phone service with a data plan. Then again, maybe I should get an Apple iPod Touch.

Archos 32 3.2-Inch Internet Tablet <----> Apple iPod touch 8GB (4th Generation)

But a full-on tablet would be neat, too. I could also use it for testing websites and applications, plus it might be handy when we have to use wifi ashore (like McDonald's in St Maarten). It would also be useful to have it set up as a GPS to use while sailing. Navionics has an app that looks interesting.

But what tablet to buy? Which have built-in GPS? We've heard that you have to be careful in buying Android tablets because many won't allow upgrading to the next version of Android and then new apps won't run on your old OS, etc.

The flavor of the month seems to be the ASUS Eee Pad Transformer but maybe I should just stick with Apple and get an iPad2. Might cost a tad more but is probably better in the long run. There's a nice waterproof case for it as well which would be a prudent investment.

Today I found this GPS Bluetooth receiver on Amazon which will be very handy for lots of you... Check it out!

Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver for iPad 2, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone and Other Smartphones, Tablets and Laptops.

It's a real crappy day here. We actually have Christmas winds. I haven't seen Xmas winds in years as we seem to get them in February. It is very windy with white caps and the occassional rain shower in the anchorage in Gallows Bay.

Bought a Warren Zevon album (The Envoy) to cheer us up!

So it goes :)

Caturday & First Day of ZAPPADAN

2011-12-04T17:20:00.005-04:00

Today is the first day of Zappadan to celebrate everything Zappa!

Frank Zappa died December 4 (1993) and was born on December 21 (1940) and thus explains the dates of the Zappadan season.

Oops, it's not Caturday... it's Cunday! Cilly me...

Way back when (hint: Carter was still president), we spent a night at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle because this hotel sounded so intriguing in "The Mud Shark"... It's true, you could get bait & tackle and fish from your hotel room but unfortunately we had a view of the parking lot and the only waterfront we had was a wet carpet from a leaky window :)

Get some ZAPPA TUNES
from Amazon and let the festivities begin !

Caturday: Working on our boat... I hear raindrops!

2011-12-03T10:11:00.006-04:00

Just about ready to get to work on the boat after another cup of coffee.

A friend of ours recommended the song "Working On My Boat." I quite enjoy it. You can listen to a sample HERE.

We have had 3 days in a row without rain and have been able to do some exterior epoxy work. We plan to do a bit more this morning.

What's that I hear? The pitter patter of cat paws on the deck? No, it is raining! Oh well, it is only 9am so maybe the weather will improve.

It's Caturday! Here's a picture of Willow being too cool for the room :)

They are having great fun this morning chasing each other to and fro... much frolicking...

Let the sunshine in!

Paris Boat Show start this Saturday

2011-12-01T09:51:00.000-04:00

Just read an article that the Paris Boat Show (SALON NAUTIQUE INTERNATIONAL DE PARIS) starts this Saturday, December 3rd and runs through the 11th.

This was always a high point of the year for us. It is huge show and is still held in Paris, France at the Porte de Versailles in 4 pavillions. Lots of boats and equipment to see.

Love to be there... even though it is a tad chilly :)

Might be a another nice day here in St Croix. We have had TWO days without rain ...

So it goes...

Just when you thought it was over...

2011-11-29T18:23:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, November 30th, is officially the last day of Hurricane Season...

So what is THIS ??!!!

ZCZC MIATWOAT ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
100 PM EST TUE NOV 29 2011

FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...

1. A WEAK AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS LOCATED A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. THIS SYSTEM IS PRODUCING A LARGE AREA OF DISORGANIZED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AS IT INTERACTS WITH AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW. UPPER-LEVEL WINDS ARE NOT CURRENTLY FAVORABLE FOR SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT...AND THIS SYSTEM HAS A LOW CHANCE...10 PERCENT...OF BECOMING A TROPICAL OR SUBTROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS IT MOVES NORTHEASTWARD OR NORTHWARD AT AROUND 15 MPH.

ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

$$
FORECASTER BRENNAN
NNNN

Someone show The Powers That Be the calendar, please.

At least we didn't have any rain today so we were able to apply the finishing touches of epoxy to the mast. Fingers crossed for tomorrow, but right now we are happy campers.

So it goes!

Animal Rescue Site - Give via Facebook, too

2011-11-28T11:13:00.001-04:00

The other day I wrote a post (see HERE) about the Animal Rescue Site and mentioned how you visit their site and press the Purple Button to give food to animals for FREE, plus there are other associated sites that have a similar themes such as free meals to Veterans, for example.

Visit the Animal Rescue Site and click the purple button

Well, there is now an additional way for you to give FREE food to animals via their Facebook page. We do not "do" Facebook but this is an excellent opportunity for those who have a Facebook account.

Visit the Animal Rescue Site's Facebook page to give even more!

What's not to like? Get yourself some warm & fuzzies :)

So it goes!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

2011-11-24T13:22:00.003-04:00

One of our charter yacht friends, Marolanga, a 44-foot catamaran, told us this cute Thanksgiving story...

John & Mr Smee of Antillean
This story is not about them :)
A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary.

Every word out of the bird's' mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird's attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to 'clean up' the bird's vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even more rude. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute.

Fearing that he'd hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer. The parrot calmly stepped out onto John's outstretched arms and said "I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I'm sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior."

John was stunned at the change in the bird's attitude.

As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird spoke-up, very softly, "May I ask what the turkey did?"

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Gus & Marcella

If you are interested in a yacht charter or barge cruises in Europe, visit Paradise Connections.

Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie is a Thanksgiving classic which we will be listening to while preparing our Thanksgiving dinner...
Don't have a copy??? Well, you can download the mp3 from Amazon for only $0.89. Good deal for a 15:52 song!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE EVERYWHERE

The Animal Rescue Site

2011-11-23T10:30:00.000-04:00

Hopefully you have all noticed the link I have to the Animal Rescue Site in the left hand column of AllAboutBoats. Please visit their site daily and click on the big purple button to provide FREE food at no expense to you.

They sent an email out this morning to announce that they are having a PURPLE Black Friday Sale which, like everyone else, is starting early :)

The Animal Rescue Site - A Good Cause

I'm thinking about the fleece jacket for only $18. A couple of years ago I bought their fleece vest and I'm very happy with it.

I wonder if Bob would go for a purple watch? Sure he would... purple is cool.

Remember to click on the other charities, too, that are on the menu bar at the top of the page. Such as the Veterans site which provides free meals to homeless and hungry veterans...

Be thankful for sites like this and give your support. It only takes 2 minutes or less (if you have decent internet service) to click through all of the buttons.

Just a thought...

2011-11-23T09:15:00.000-04:00

I think that it might be a good idea if police had their badge number prominently displayed on their flak jackets and riot helmets, sort of like football players, for easy identification.

They might give pause before pepperspraying a row of people like they are applying insecticide in a flower bed or striking a pregnant woman in the stomach with batons if they are not anonymous figures.

So it goes...

MAIL CALL: New keyboard cover, Kindle, and DVDs

2011-11-17T13:41:00.005-04:00

Yesterday we stopped by to pick up our mail. One package was my new keyboard cover and it is so pretty (it is a darker blue than in the photo below).

Bought through Amazon: Blue Keyboard Skin Compatible with Apple Macbook

My computer looks new again... although I have to put some new tape around the edge of my MacBook's top case where the edge has broken away. This is due to Apple's design fault where the two little ridges above the monitor will eventually crack the case where they touch when closed. I should have had Apple replace both of our top cases last year when they were still under AppleCare but I thought our policy had expired the year before. It can be difficult to keep track of things when you are on Island Time.

The protective cover only cost a couple of dollars... Well worth the investment to keep my keyboard clean and DRY! The skin is very thin and doesn't cause difficulties in typing. No problems installing it either. It fits over the keys without any problem. The letters on the keys below do not show through. It gives the impression that the keytops are blue. You cannot really see that it is a covering... Very cool...

I ordered mine through "Listen Up" and received it via 1st class mail within 3 days to the USVI. It came in a perfectly-sized manilla, non-padded, flat envelope. I am very happy that it was OK because one of the DVDs we received has a big dent in it.

See the dent at about the 5 o'clock position?

My picture to show the bump on the opposite face didn't come out too well but you can see that it is definitely not playable.

Since this was ordered through Amazon, I'm sure we will have customer satisfaction and either receive a refund or replacement. (UPDATE: Received my refund the same day I notified them of a problem! Unfortunately, the seller doesn't have a replacement)

I sure love my pretty keyboard... it is helping to keep my mind off of the ^%#&^% wifi "service".

The Kindle is also very cool but I'll talk about it in another post.

The swell has calmed down a bit this morning but it is picking up now after the RAIN! OK, so we can't epoxy because of the threat of rain, but you cannot go on to a different project that requires the use an angle grinder when the roll is tossing you from side to side. I'm more into the "safe and sane" firework mindset rather than "dumb and dangerous"... What's another day... especially when our internet service is so slow and time consuming :)

We'll go into Christiansted this afternoon and get a couple of jerrycans of water and check the mail for more DVDs.

This water is the "good" water (left) we get from the Bucaneer Yacht-less Club on the boardwalk. A little bit brown and we need to backflush the filter as it is clogged, but it is much better and cheaper (10 cents/gallon as opposed to 15) than the water we would get at St Croix Marine fuel dock (right). Gives the coffee a nice, rich color :)

Speaking of clean water, you might be interested in Gifts of Hope on the PlanUSA.org site
.

So it goes...

Get up Stand UP!

2011-11-16T10:43:00.004-04:00

Today, November 16, 2011, is American Censorship Day. Read about it HERE.

This from H-Online :

"Mozilla has joined with other leading Internet organisations such as AOL, eBay, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yahoo, Zynga and public interest groups in opposing the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Also known as H.R.3261, SOPA was introduced in the US House of Representatives in October. The organisations have sent Congressional leaders a joint letter expressing their concern with the legislative measures that are being introduced."

As they used to say on Hee-Haw: SALUTE!!!

Words from the great philosopher, Mr. Robert Marley:

"Get up, Stand up. Stand up for your rights"
(listen)

and get the T-shirt:

I must say that I really admire what Makana did at the APEC dinner performing his "We Are The Many" to various world leaders and found this short video interesting. I understand how he feels. We should not be afraid to demand our American values & freedoms that the Powers That Be keep trying, and too often successfully, to take away from us.

Here's a video of the song "We Are the Many" (Occupy Aloha). Not a great video but he has a nice voice and a good message.

And to ALL of the Occupy supporters, on the front lines or not...

a giant SALUTE!

Here's some words from another great philosopher that died too young... John Lennon:

"Power to the People - RIGHT ON!"
(listen)

I'm on a rant & roll... Are you still here? If so, check out this music video...

James McMurtry - "We Can't Make It Here"

Bob on Boat Bits mentioned this very interesting article today: The Bonus Army: How A Protest Led To The GI Bill. Read it... it's about a group of WWI veterans demanding what they were due back in 1932. SALUTE !

SO IT GOES and the beat goes on...

Amazon : Countdown to Black Friday Sale

2011-11-09T19:05:00.000-04:00

I've been meaning to get this in the blog so you can take advantage of some great deals that Amazon will be having for their Shop Amazon's Holiday Countdown Store

We like shopping with Amazon as we find their customer service top notch. Last week I ordered some memory for our computers and I made a mistake (yes, I admit it... sometimes I do make a boo-boo). I ordered DIMM and not SODIMM... No problem though. Circuit City gave me an RMA number and said to send it back for a full refund. Cool...

So it goes!

Caturday... So it goes...

2011-10-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

Is it Saturday already? I didn't realize I missed "Rapture Day" yesterday. Must have been a non-event.

Caturday Sisters

ARRRGGGGHHHH, I hate my WiFi "service"

2011-10-20T11:34:00.002-04:00

<rant>Our wifi service in St Croix, while never very good, has again been really crappy for the past week. There was a bit of OK time on Monday though which goes to show that THEY are having problems (nothing has changed with us or our equipment and land-based users are having issues, too). Of course, if I called to let them know that something might be amiss, they would just say that everything is hunky-dory on their end... Right...

Sort of reminds me many years ago (1997-ish) when Dave was showing us how fast you could receive internet service from Cobex on St Thomas, while actually everything he was showing us was residing on his hard drive... Duh! I pointed this out to him and he admitted that was the case :)

Anyway, our Intermittent Service Provider is doing a good job of living up to that moniker today. We are on for 2 minutes then off... on for 30 seconds and off... on... off... off... off... off... on WOW... Nope off again... VERY FRUSTRATING and "I only have this one little thing and then I'll shut down and get started on a boat project". Then you realize that ANOTHER hour has gone by... sigh

This is another reason we want to leave St Croix.

A few months ago I called Choice and asked them if I could do a trial day on their service (they have one hotspot in this area) and if I like it to then put that day as credit towards a month (it is something like $10/day & $60/month). But they just didn't seem to understand. And, since we (and many other people we know) had such a bad experience with Choice in Charlotte Amalie two years ago, I just don't want to waste another ten bucks for nothing but more frustration... but maybe it will be good... maybe...

But, what if I hit Choice on one of their good days (because Broadband_VI does admittedly have the occasional good day) and I sign up for a month and get typical lousy service?

The last time I called Broadband VI about their lack of service the technician suggested I use AT&T or Sprint! What does that tell you???

So, I guess we'll stay with the one whose "reliability" we can count on until we can blow this pop shop and get out of Dodge.</rant>

So it goes...

Favorite things: I can see clearly now...

2011-10-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things is a fresh pair of contact lenses. I opened my contact case and my right lens wasn't there. Oh well, it has been more than 5 weeks so it's a good excuse to start a new pair. Ahhhhhh, nice!

I was going to write more but, once again, our internet "service" is very slow and keeps dropping out. Thank you Broadband_VI. And, it is not just us (as they seem to always blame the user) but I've spoken to land-based users who also experience extreme slowness and lack of connectivity to the internet.

I have more important things to do than just press Refresh and rebooting my router in hopes for an improvement...

Let's see if this will post... It didn't post.... It's now Thursday... More rant soon come :)

So It Goes :)

Dennis Ritchie dies & Anchored boat towed by whales

2011-10-13T10:25:00.002-04:00

I've come across two interesting articles this morning.

Dennis Ritchie, 1941-2011: Computer scientist, Unix co-creator, C programming language designer.

Read more here.

This is a nice tribute in SmallDog's blog. It is the first article after the introduction to the newsletter.

and something strange...

Glenn Wilson and Nerida Higgins were enjoying a quiet evening moored in their yacht off Australia's Queensland coast when the whale got their boat's anchor rope in its mouth and dragged them out to sea.

Read more and see the video HERE.

One more cup of coffee and then it's time to do some boat work.

So it goes...

Sint Maarten New Telephone Country Area Code

2011-10-09T10:36:00.000-04:00

Monday, October 10 2011, marks country Sint Maarten's first birthday. It came into being as an autonomous country within the Dutch Kingdom on 10-10-10.

Sint Maarten & Saint Martin

A new telephone country code went into effect on September 30th. The country's new dialing code is 1-721. The old 599 number will go out of service on September 30, 2012.

To call Dutch St Maarten from the USA, for example, dial:

New prefix: 1 721 + seven digit telephone number
Old prefix: 011 599 + seven digit telephone number

To call the FRENCH side, you need a different code... bien sûr !

So it goes...

Sensible PFDs (lifejackets)

2011-09-22T14:39:00.000-04:00

We needed new PFDs (lifejackets). Our inflatable PFDs with harness that we bought back in our European days, died a few years ago. I wore mine constantly during our transatlantic crossing and it was very heavy and chafed.

A couple of years ago we bought new inflatables with harness which are nicer but, as they are not USCG approved, we have had to buy this sort to be legal.

We also have a pair of these in our dinghy. I must make a cover for them soon because they don't last long exposed to the elements and UV.

Today, I'm excited because we have bought a pair of new USCG approved lifejackets, the MTI Calcutta Angler PFD.

These are cool because they have pockets and the fit allows movement. Here's their blurb:

This all-person-fit jacket is all-equipped for kayak fishing! Sized to fit slim to super-sized torsos, with cool open sides, and adjustable front buckle straps that can be loosened for quick ventilation. Five pockets for holding all sorts of fishing gear -- 2 big tackle-box cargo pockets with 2 interior pouches, plus an exterior mesh pocket. D-rings front and back, a lash tab, and a pin-on retractor holder for attaching accessories like pliers, a fly-patch, or net. Reflective trim for safety and hook-resistant shell fabric.

If they only had a built-in harness...

So It Goes...

JetBlue airlines: NEW routes: San Juan to St Thomas & St Croix

2011-09-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

Jet Blue airlines announces that starting December 12, 2011 it is launching twice daily service between San Juan, PR and St Thomas, USVI and daily flights between San Juan and St Croix, USVI.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), Puerto Rico's largest carrier, today announced that it will launch San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport's (SJU) twice daily service to St. Thomas (STT) and daily service to St. Croix (STX) International Airports - the airline's 69th and 70th destinations - on Monday, December 12, 2011, three days earlier than originally scheduled. Customers seeking a jumpstart on a vacation to the U.S. Virgin Islands can also save money on flights today through 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, September 23, 2011 at www.jetblue.com/new, where trips are selling for as low as $39 each way for travel through February 15, 2012.

JetBlue's schedule between San Juan and St. Thomas, effective December 12, 2011:

SAN JUAN to ST THOMAS	ST THOMAS to SAN JUAN
Depart - Arrive 8:25 a.m. - 8:53 a.m. 3:15 p.m. - 3:43 p.m.	Depart - Arrive 9:30 a.m. - 9:59 a.m. 5:30 p.m - 5:59 p.m.

JetBlue's schedule between San Juan and St. Croix, effective December 12, 2011:

SAN JUAN to ST CROIX	ST CROIX TO SAN JUAN
Depart - Arrive 2:25 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.	Depart - Arrive 4:04 p.m - 4:44 p.m.

Read the full JetBlue press release for Puerto Rico to USVI flights.

JetBlue's inaugural service between Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS) and St. Thomas will operate for the winter season with five weekly departures beginning December 15, 2011 and will operate nonstop on the southbound flight and direct via San Juan on the northbound flight to Boston.

JetBlue's schedule between Boston and St. Thomas, effective December 15, 2011:

BOSTON to ST THOMAS	ST THOMAS to BOSTON
Depart - Arrive 9:35 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.	Depart - Arrive 3:20 p.m. - 7:29 p.m. (+1 stop SJU)

Flights operate 5 times a week effective December 15, 2011
Northbound flights will operate via San Juan, PR

Roseanne Roseannadanna & Tropical Storms

2011-09-18T19:05:00.002-04:00

As Roseanne Roseannadanna would say,

"Well, it just goes to show you, it's always something. If it ain't one thing, it's another".

Well, here's one thing...

Invest 98L - Sunday, 18 Sept 2011, 2pm models

And another!

Invest 99L - Sunday, 18 Sept 2011, 2pm models

Saw these this afternoon and I thought I was gonna be sick. So I says to them, "Hey Weather Guys, what are ya tryin' to do, make me sick?".

Oh, Gilda... those were the days! Miss your humor...

So it goes...

Scored at the animal shelter thrift shop

2011-09-15T10:42:00.000-04:00

Every time we walk up to Pueblo Supermarket we stop by the thrift shop which benefits the St Croix Animal Shelter.

A couple of weeks ago we came across a sextant and navigational tools that you can read about in Bob's Boat Bits.

This weekend we found an almost pristine Jimmy Buffett hat which will replace the one pictured below that we bought at the 2007 Tunes on the Dunes concert in Anguilla for $20. Our new treasure cost only 40 cents!

Definitely a well loved hat!

That was such an excellent day. Can't believe it was over 4 years ago! Fortunately the event is documented in a DVD/CD set. If you don't have it, you can order it from Amazon. We are in it if you know where to look :)

Jimmy Buffett - Live in Anguilla - DVD & CD Combo

A double CD and an 82-minute DVD were recorded LIVE at the Dune Preserve, Rendezvous Bay in Anguilla, in Bankie Banx's backyard and the site of famous Moonsplash Festivals. The CDs include 30 songs, all of your favorites, plus some special in-concert rarities like Domino College, Waiting In Vain, When Salome Plays the Drum, King of Somewhere Hot, Treat Her Like A Lady, and Distantly In Love.

It Goes So well with a pitcher of margaritas!

Tropical Storm Maria... Bye!

2011-09-11T10:27:00.001-04:00

Well, TS Maria was certainly a challenge for those weather folks and quite frustrating for those of us in her projected path.

At various times they had her going below us, just to the west, over to the east by St Martin, even more so to the east missing all of the islands... and, of course, right on top of us passing over St Croix. Prediction of windspeeds up to 70MPH with it becoming a hurricane on the other side of Puerto Rico and, my favorite, the forecast where she was to fizzle out and possibly be downgraded to a lowly tropical WAVE... not even a TD :)

This didn't happen. She stayed a tropical storm but we were pretty much unaffected. We've had a few non-TS days like this over the summer where you have some swell and a bit of wind. My type of storm... a non-event! We appreciate it, Maria.

From Wunderground.com
Sunday, 11 September 2011, 09:14am AST

We made our storm preparations and don't mind that it was "for nothing". Not so... We got provisions, water, fuel, charged up the 48V battery bank, straightened up the boat, threw things away, etc... Not a bad thing at all.

The bad part about preparing for a storm is seeing that your neighboring boats are once again doing nothing. One guy, who we'll call "Homer" called us at 5pm the evening before the storm is to hit to say he'll be out at about 6pm to sort out his mooring and can we give him a ride to his boat. Leaving it a bit late, aren't you? He said he didn't come out the day before because he didn't feel like it. We told him that we were busy laying out another anchor for OUR boat but we'd help him tomorrow after we finished our preparations. He laughed and implied that that was too late (is that MY fault or PROBLEM???). I just said we're busy, bye, and hung up.

I could rant on about this but I will refrain. Bob has a bit about it in yesterday's Boat Bits. I will add that the second anchor that was deployed for his boat (Homer stood on deck while Bob did the work) was a lightweight Bruce that Homer only paid out a total of about 35 feet of chain (15 foot depth + 4 feet to bow roller = how much chain on the bottom?). Chain does no good on the boat, as we thought everyone knows, but...

Fortunately the storm gave us a pass. Bob has definitely earned some good Karma points helping this guy, even though his real motive was that it was helping us.

No more ranting...

Bob has made some lovely Sunday morning blueberry waffles. It is a nice day. Life is good :)

So It Goes !

Tropical Storm Maria... No need to stop by

2011-09-08T11:14:00.003-04:00

It looks like Tropical Storm Maria has not turned northwards as early as they thought it would.

Je n'aime pas the new projected path... Right over us!

Stormpulse, Sept 8, 2011, 11am

Hopefully, she'll continue to head west and give us a wide pass when she does get around to hanging a right.

2pm update... I like the degenerating into a tropical wave part... after that ???

So it goes...

Pelican perch

2011-08-31T10:48:00.001-04:00

Shortly after sunrise, our cats came bounding onto the bed to peek out the forward deck hatch as we had an intruder...

When the pelican flew off, you could see that he had an impressive wingspan of at least 6 feet and was much larger than either Buffy or Willow. So glad that they were inside.

Here's an interesting boat that passed by us on Sunday...

I don't know what the modifications are in favor of, but it looks a bit top heavy to me. Lots of perches for pelicans though :)

So it goes...

Are there Sirens in the Virgin Islands?

2011-08-30T07:06:00.003-04:00

Why are there boats ending up on the rocks this summer in the Virgin Islands? These are not hidden reefs and they happened to people who are familiar with the area...

Photo by Promenade
St Thomas Source story

Photo by SeaTow
VI Daily News story

Now there's this...

Photo by Clifton Skelton/BVI Platinum News

Ship Runs Aground At Wreck of the Rhone; Site Closed
BVI Platinum News, Aug 29, 2011

Very strange...

Oh yes, I forgot... We lost an oar out of our dinghy the day before TS Irene. It was lost during the night. We're sure that nobody swam out just to steal our paddle. Must have been alien abduction, then :)

So it goes...

Tropical Storm Hurricane Irene & TD 12

2011-08-29T21:28:00.001-04:00

Well, Tropical Storm / Hurricane Irene is now past but we now have Tropical Depression 12 to keep an eye on.

THEY say it will pass a couple hundred miles to the northeast of us but it is still far, far away and these things seem to come and go as they choose.

We walked up to do some grocery shopping at Pueblo on Saturday so we went to MacDonalds for lunch. The TV was set to a popular news channel and the talking head was doing a 30-second interview with a couple who were going to stay at their home in NC during Irene. The interviewer told the couple that over 200,000 people were going to be without electricity and asked how would they survive. She said that restaurants would be closed (OMG, how does this person live?). The happy couple responded that they had stocked up on non-perishible goods and have a generator so it wouldn't be a problem.

I was also surprised the other day when I read an article on Lifehacker which reported that you do not have to, and it is better NOT to, store your bread in the refrigerator. Doesn't everyone know that???

So it goes...

Tropical Storm Irene

2011-08-22T14:07:00.003-04:00

Yep, we're still here. Tropical Storm Irene passed through St Croix last night and we did just fine. Nobody got too up close and personal like last year, either :)

Yesterday afternoon wasn't too bad wind-wise and then everything got quiet as we were now in the eye of the storm.

We took advantage of the lack of wind and rain and appreciated a glass of Cruzan Black Strap rum out in the cockpit. We were joined by Willow and Buffy who also enjoyed the respite.

After the eye passed, the storm became much more intense. Very windy and horizontal rain. I actually slept better than I had in recent nights!

Local radio told us that St Croix suffered 100% power outage. Our AT&T cellular service is still down.

The cats were very playful this morning. Must be the result of the reverse pressure drop.

So, I'd just like to say... Good night, Irene!

So It Goes...

Tropical Storm Harvey

2011-08-20T11:34:00.001-04:00

Tropical Storm Harvey has a much better feel about it than a storm named GERT... don't you think?

Makes one think of bunnies...

Harvey: Classic film with Jimmy Stewart

Many years ago we had Hurricane Debbie on St Thomas. We were between boats at the time and were living on Water Island. Debbie was very well behaved. A couple of boats told us that they weren't even aware that the storm was upon us until the boats swung in the opposite direction after the eye passed!

Waiting for Invest 97... So It Goes :)

This and that

2011-08-16T09:33:00.003-04:00

Today is August 16th... HAPPY NATIONAL RUM DAY!

In celebration, we bought a bottle of Cruzan Black Strap Rum... $7.98/liter.

Yesterday was a French holiday so we had Pastis as our sundowner last night. (We've almost finished our last bottle from St Martin... quel dommage).

They have recovered the St Thomas/St Croix ferry: see here. Must be a huge barge to make the ferry look so small. The Royal Miss Balmar went aground the evening of July 4th.

Here's a couple of photos (above) taken by our friend, Kerry. Kerry is owner-operator of one of our favorite charter yachts, the trimaran Promenade. You can see more about Promenade HERE.

Invest 93L has returned.

The center is over 200 miles to the south of us but it is a breezy and rolly day.

So It Goes...

Patagonia sale: August 16-26, 2011

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead

2011-08-14T09:30:00.004-04:00

Let's celebrate and have BLUEBERRY waffles today! It was a cause of much joy and happiness when we saw that Invest 94L has disappeared from the storm maps.

Much Nicer !

We don't like to go run and hide if it's not necessary (but we do believe in being prudent) because H-Holes are usually buggy and nasty... plus, I don't know what the WiFi situation is like over there. One thing that was very worrying about this possible storm threat was that some of the projected paths had it go to our north, while others had it passing to the south and, of course, there's always one that goes right over the top of where you are!

I found Dr. Jeff Master's Wunderblog quite interesting yesterday (August 13, 2011):

Tropical Storm Franklin, the sixth named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, formed this morning in the open Atlantic north of Bermuda. The usual date of formation for the 6th storm of the year is September 8, so we are well ahead of climatology. However, the usual date for the first hurricane of the season is August 10, and we still have not had a hurricane yet this year. All six of this year's storms have been tropical storms, making 2011 the first season since 2002 when that has occurred. Franklin is headed eastwards out sea, away from any land areas, and does not have long to live.

So, it looks like we will be able to stay put and make some progress on our mast today. We have some mail coming this week, too. How exciting!

cat hair vs contact lenses

2011-08-13T09:57:00.000-04:00

Message to self: Do not wash hands and then pet cat before inserting contact lenses... One might experience "discomfort".

I've been wearing my new lenses for just over 2 weeks. I used to wear Ciba Focus Torics (monthly) and because they have been discontinued, I now have an Rx for Ciba Air Optix Torics (monthly). I used to be able to wear the Focus lenses for 2 months before experiencing dryness and the new Air Optix which are supposed to supply better oxygenation (sort of like new, improved flavored cat food... how do you really know?) is feeling uncomfortable by evening after only 2 WEEKS.

I will never recommend or go back to Sterling Optical at Golden Rock in St Croix. She never once looked at how the new contacts fit my eye. What was the increased price for then if not for a little extra exam time?

Lost Dinghy - Trellis Bay, Tortola, BVI

2011-08-09T09:26:00.000-04:00

Has anyone seen this dinghy that went missing Friday night at Trellis Bay, Tortola, BVI?

It is a 12-foot Walker Bay Genesis RIB with a "rather bashed up looking" 25HP Mercury outboard (I believe that their nice 8HP outboard went missing not too long ago). It also has the markings of T/T Nauticat of Fowey.

Nauticat of Fowey is one of our favorite charter catamarans and we hope that Ali & Bill recover their dinghy.

You can see their charter brochure here: click for Nauticat's brochure.

Dinghy theft is akin to horse thiefing, in my opinion, if not worse!

Friday again! Storm free and wireless, too

2011-08-05T10:08:00.008-04:00

Can't believe it's Friday. It's been difficult getting a handle on what day it is due to focussing on Tropical Storm Emily which made the beginning of the week feel like a weekend to me.

Fortunately, Tropical Storm Emily was not a threat to us in the Lesser Antilles and passed about 150 miles to the south of us. According to wunderground.com, we had a maximum wind speed of 28MPH and a maximum gust of 41MPH. It was a little bit bouncy here, but no worse than some days.

I'm NOT complaining! Hoping that Emily will be the only storm that happens in our neck of the woods this summer. Could be... Look at 2006...

Tropical Storms, 2006 (click image to enlarge)

So, while dealing with T.S. Emily I had some time to play with the new Alfa R36 AP/Router which works with our Engenius bridge (ethernet) and our Alfa AWUS036H (1000mW USB Wifi Adapter).

FIRST THING TO DO: Download the latest firmware for the Alfa R36 here:

http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=105417

and install it. It is very easy to do. I did not know this had to be done and experienced many problems which now appear to have been solved.

We are currently using the R36 with our Engenius bridge as our hotspot is linked to its MAC address. I'll have to call our ISP before I can use the USB WiFi Adapter as they will have to change the MAC address to that particular unit.

So, another change that I had to make to my router settings was to configure it for the Bridge because the default had it set up for the USB adapter. This is what was probably causing another problem we were having.

It would have helped to have a "Quick Start" & full User Manual. They probably have some instructions on the mini CD that came with the unit but I cannot use it in my MacBook as it will get stuck. Believe me, don't try this at home :)

Get your most current Alfa drivers here:

http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=105397

* Info as of August 2011: AWUS036H does NOT support Mac OS 10.6.7 and later versions.

Get your Alfa user manuals here:

http://www.alfa.com.tw/in/front/bin/ptlist.phtml?Category=105415

I'm enjoying reading my R36's configuration file and seeing how it is affected by changing various settings. Yes, I'm a bit of a geek. I miss being a programmer (back in the good old days when file size and concise, compact coding was important) but I do NOT miss the bureaucracy and associated political stupidity of working for an organization.

It is so wonderful not to be tethered down by our old router's ethernet connections. Everytime the internet comes to a standstill I reach to make sure the cable hasn't come out yet once again, but it has... we are wireless now!

We have to do some laundry this morning and then it's back to working on the mast. Get that momentum going again. It's not too rolly in the anchorage right now and it appears that we will have several clear & sunny days.

By the way, Bob has an excellent clip from the film "Used Cars" on his BoatBits blog post today. It made me laugh and you might enjoy it, too! There's also some good info about rigging.

JUST IN: I just received an email for what's happening in Carcassonne (canal du midi, Languedoc-Roussillon, south of France) this week:

Eddy Mitchell is performing in Carcassonne TONIGHT at 9:30pm... If we had sailed to France this summer, we'd probably be there :)

Eddy Mitchell est de retour. Du rock au grand écran, de la country aux salles obscures, du blues aux dernières séances, quarante ans d'une vie dédiée à ses passions qu'il a réuni dans cette tournée magistrale. Pour ce nouveau spectacle, conçu comme une dernière séance, Eddy Mitchell choisira dans son répertoire les meilleurs crus de ces quarante dernières années pour accompagner un menu copieux, où le rock des pionniers ouvrira l'appétit avant de laisser la place à la puissance d'un orchestre big band qui fait alors que notre crooner se plait à mettre naturellement un tigre dans son moteur.
M.Eddy sur scène pour une dernière séance...un événement à ne pas manquer !
eddymitchell.artistes.universalmusic.fr

We used to love his "What-A-Burger" fastfood restaurant commercials that played in the cinemas.

I don't remember him as being that young... What happened???

So It's Going...

Just when things seem to be better....

2011-07-29T10:43:00.000-04:00

Just when things seem to be going better (we fixed the pull cord/ starter-recoil issue on the generator, bought a new drill/driver, got my new contact lenses, etc) and we can get going on the mast and associated bits, we have Invest 91 to focus on...

29 July 2011 - 08:00 am (Wunderground.com)

Darn...

Sing it Lena... CLICK TO LISTEN

New WiFi equipment soon come... So Excited!

2011-07-27T10:09:00.003-04:00

I'm so excited. Yesterday we ordered some new wifi equipment that will hopefully improve our internet experience.

We have had a 500mW Alfa USB adapter (AWUS036H) for quite awhile and it seems to work well and the people we've met who use it love the little fellah. Our problem with it is that we need to share our connection and this USB unit won't connect to our router. (We've been using an Engenius EOC-2610 for several years).

A couple of months ago I discovered that Alfa now makes a router/access point for their AWUS036H unit. Hurray!!! Then I lost the info and couldn't find it again until last week...

So, before I could lose it again, we ordered :

1000mW version of the Alfa USB adapter which has both the 5dBi antenna and a 9dBi antenna
Alfa R-36 For AWUS036H and 3G USB Mobile WiFi Router

I thought about trying the 2000mW version of the Alfa USB adapter (AWUS036NH) but I was told that it wouldn't work with the R-36 router. That made my decision simple :)

Now we will be able to do away with our ethernet cords which will make us more mobile and also reduce the wear and tear on our computers' ethernet sockets.

Isn't it maddening when the little plastic do-hickeys on the ethernet plugs break and the cable slips out and you keep wondering why "You are not connected to the internet".

So it comes soon...

Disappointed in St Croix, but Junk Food Day!

2011-07-21T09:47:00.003-04:00

Well, I could really go on a rant about this but I'm not going to... My brand of contact lenses has been discontinued so I needed a new prescription for a new brand. OK, seems sort of silly but it's been a few years since my last exam so I went to Sterling Optical in Golden Rock shopping center near Pueblo for a new Rx. Let's just say that I am EXTREMELY disappointed in their "service" and skill set. I would NOT recommend.

Today, July 21st, is Junk Food Day! You can find some interesting recipes at Serious Eats.

ENJOY!

Joyeux Quatorze Juillet!

2011-07-14T08:30:00.004-04:00

Happy Bastille Day !!!

We usually have some tasty French treats for the 14th such as baguettes; brie, chevre and other cheeses; various patés; pastis... Well, good thing we still have some pastis on board as there's not much in the way of French products to be found on St Croix.

The folks over at Serious Eats has a "Bastille Day Recipe Round Up" article. Oh wow... I haven't thought about Chouquettes for a long, long time... I WANT SOME... NOW!!!

The Google logo for today on their French www.google.fr page is festive...

Here's some French music you might like to check out. I was trying to do an A-Z thing...

Antoine, Charles Aznavour, Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Brel, Patrick Bruel, Maurice Chevalier, Mylène Farmer, Claude François, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Serge Gainsbourg, Johnny Hallyday, Indochine, Kassav, Claudine Longet, Eddy Mitchell, Vanessa Paradis, Édith Piaf, Sheila, Téléphone, Zouzou.

We should watch a French film tonight... Perhaps Amélie or The Professional ... I'm leaning towards Jean Reno. We used to see him from time to time shopping at the supermarket at Saint-Germain-En-Laye.

Ainsi va la vie...

National Macaroni Day - July 7th

2011-07-07T14:05:00.002-04:00

Today is National Macaroni Day. We had macaroni salad for lunch :)

You might want to check out SERIOUS EATS for macaroni suggestions.

This afternoon we will be on the prowl for kitty litter. When we went out to K-Mart last week they only had one 30-pound box of kitty litter and that was way too heavy to carry about a mile to Cost-U-Less (which was out of litter) where we had to do some grocery shopping.

So, we'll see if ACE has anything at all... We are desperate and will even use clay, non-clumping litter. If not, maybe Pueblo will have something tomorrow to hold us over until we can get back out to K-Mart.

When does the next kitty litter container arrive on island???

UPDATE: We went to ACE (Gallows Bay Hardware) and they had 50-pound bags of Tidy Cat Clay (non-clumping) kitty litter for $9.99. We would have bought it and Bob was willing to hump it home, but what would we do with the extra 45 pounds? We'll get whatever Pueblo happens to have and if they don't have any we'll check at the little stores along the way.

We had a beautiful sunset but I knew it wouldn't last long enough to get my camera, plus quite often the camera just can't capture the magic.

So It Goes...

St Thomas - St Croix ferry crash July 4 2011

2011-07-05T19:20:00.003-04:00

Another ferry accident. They seem to like the reefs around Great St James near St Thomas, USVI, although it is usually Cow & Calf... Was it last time or the time before with the Boy Scout passengers???

These folks were returning to St Croix via St Thomas (according to the radio report) from the St John Festival held over the July 4th weekend. Wow, full tilt boogy onto the reef...

Anyway, here's the story on the St Thomas Source

I like what the ferry company's managing director said "It was one of those freaky things,”

Photos courtesy of the US Coast Guard

The reef is on charts and GPS...

Definitely a bit of merde happening...

So It Goes... (but not me, please!)

Sunday in St Croix - STX

2011-07-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

Well, at least it's not as rolly today. That's one positive thing I can say. It has been raining off and on for the past 3 hours though, so it looks like it will not be an epoxy day unless the weather dramatically changes for the good and does so soon.

I couldn't critique our friend's web site the other day because our internet service was too slow. (Like it is right NOW. It is taking forever to do this post. They must be using the Commodore 64 server this weekend and not the Atari 1040ST).

But, we did get to repair a few things... one of which was my portable fan. I really like this fan. It runs forever on 4 D-cell batteries. I have used it every night, all night for 2 or 3 months before changing batteries and Caframo claims 300 hours on one set of batteries. My problem was that one of the wires got disconnected. Bob soldered it and now it is finest kind!

Caframo Minimax

It is also very quiet and, like the other Caframo fans we use on the boat,

Caframo Ultimate (12 volts)

they stop spinning if you stick your finger or paw in the blades. Willow gets fascinated with this from time to time :)

I like these fans because they are "fingersafe" and do not have a cage around the blades. Cages are a great trap for cat hair and are difficult to clean.

BVI Territory Day - July 1st - Canada Day

2011-07-01T08:15:00.002-04:00

July 1st is British Virgin Islands Territory Day.

Hope nobody is planning to check in or clear out as those "after hours" and "holiday" fees are quite steep.

And it is also...

No too happy here in St Croix... It is gray and it is raining. There was a little bit of rumbling thunder but not enough to make Willow growl.

We were just getting on a roll with the mast and all of its associated bits and bobs and now the weather sucks. Too windy, too rolly, too wet... And, I just found out that the contact lenses I've been happily using for years have been discontinued so I now have to get my eyes examined for a new brand. Also, it is $5.00 all you can eat taco night at the place next to Schooner Bay Market but we won't go if it's raining. We need to get water & gas but that will have to wait until the water quits falling from the sky (might try & catch some), and hopefully it won't be too bumpy which makes it difficult to lift the jerrycans from the dinghy to the deck. Did I mention that our WiFi is iffy today? Like many other days, it is OK and then S.L.O.W. and then non-existent for a bit. Of course, when you call customer service it has nothing to do with them... Argh!

I need to do something fun... I've been asked to critique a web site so maybe I'll do that... or read... maybe the cats will want to play :)

So It Goes...

I want this folding dinghy

2011-06-23T10:49:00.001-04:00

We plan on building Bolger's Tortoise. We have had three and are very happy with this boxy boat. It rows great, carries a load, and nobody is going to steal it at the dinghy dock.

But, we would really like a space-saving, folding dinghy and this one from Wooden Widget seems to fill the bill.

6' 2" Fliptail Folding Dinghy

What's not to like?

Read more about it at BoatBits.

Caturday with Simon's Cat

2011-06-18T08:42:00.006-04:00

It's Caturday today. It is a beautiful sunny morning in St Croix. Seems like a good time to do a spot more work on the mast, but we really must walk up to the grocery store first. So It Goes...

By the way, we bought gasoline for our dinghy yesterday. Last time we filled our 6-gallon tank for our 5HP Tohatsu was April 7th... That's 72 days on less than 6 gallons. See why we prefer our 5HP to our previous 15HP? It might not go as fast but what's the hurry? We can still move So It Goes with it, if necessary, too.

Gas is still $4.55/gallon (I heard that gas prices have fallen in the USA) but at least it hasn't gone up. I don't understand why we have to sign a "Fuel Tax Exemption" form as you can buy gas cheaper at a service station. You'd think that if I bought tax-exempt fuel, it would be less expensive. Oh yes, this is St. Croix Marine.

Here's a new Simon's Cat. I enjoyed it and hope you will, too.

Simon's Cat in "Hidden Treasures"

What's under your fridge? I'm scared to look :)

Books with a nautical slant

2011-05-29T16:47:00.007-04:00

I'm currently reading a book (Precious Cargo by Clyde Ford) which seems like a good read so far. The author lives in Bellingham, Washington and enjoys cruising the Inland Passage aboard his single-engine biodiesel trawler.

Clyde seems to know his "boaty" stuff.

On the other hand...

Awhile back, one of our charter boat friends sent us her copy of a book recently published by a charter yacht broker. I'm not sure if she was able to get through it, but I read the whole thing as I couldn't believe that it could be so bad.

I'm not going to give the book title or author because it does not deserve any publicity except "Danger, Danger, Will Robinson"... Don't waste your money on this drivel.

It is a fictional book about a Caribbean charter yacht captain in the Virgin Islands. It seems like half of it is about the November charter yacht show (which just happens to have a wonderful & fun charter broker couple who wear matching tropical shirts).

Besides the inane picture it paints of the charter industry, it is full of weirdness like "I heard her feet walking along the freeboard" and "I started walking along the freeboard to the bow"... Does this charter broker not know what freeboard is???

[Freeboard: the distance between the waterline and the main deck or gunwale of a ship]

Another bit that got up my nose is that he doesn't appear to know about furling a mainsail. The author is supposed to know something about boats... "I let the main down into its in-mast stack pack"... "brought the the main sail down into its in-mast cradle"... He does this several times throughout the book. A stack pack, as you know, is on the boom and not part of an in-mast roller furling system.

This captain always seems to have a drink in his hand which is NOT a good thing. We have removed boats from our charter program because of what appears to be a crew drinking problem. It seems like the author thinks this is cool and an attractive trait for his readers... Living, Sailing & Drinking in the Sunny Caribbean... No, the captain & crew are responsible for their guests aboard. Be professional, please!!!

There are so many things in this book that irks me besides the lack of plot, such as using a windless rather than windLASS, and how he always uses the same terms "on-charter" and "off-charter" repeatedly instead of other descriptive phrases for variety, but I will spare you :)

Just had to get this rant out...

I do feel a bit guilty that we are going to throw this book in the trash and not give it to the Animal Shelter for their flea market, but trash is definitely where it belongs.

'nuff said... just my humble opinion, and

So It Goes :)

Towel Day: Yes, I know where mine is

2011-05-25T17:45:00.001-04:00

Today is Towel Day. Towel Day is an annual celebration on the 25th of May, as a tribute to the late author Douglas Adams (1952-2001). Do you know where your towel is?

Of course, if you are a hoopy frood, you do know...

"A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have"
- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

We love The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. We listened to the original BBC Radio 4 series when we lived in Paris. We have the 5-book trilogy as well :)

We've never seen the TV show and don't really have any desire to after seeing the movie. Radio is such a wonderful medium.... YELLOW

So thank you for the joy, Douglas Adams, wherever you may be.

What? You don't have the trilogy? Get all FIVE books here...

We haven't read And Another Thing... which was commissioned after the death of Douglas Adams.

I didn't know we could get the original radio show. We are definitely going to order this:

Enjoy !

Rapture Day... Do you know where your towel is?

2011-05-21T06:42:00.000-04:00

Rapture day, this is. Still here are you, hmm? If so, like Yoda talk and three times click heels while saying "No place like home, there is". Herh herh herh.

As you might have guessed, today is Talk Like Yoda Day. A very serious day of celebration. Are you here to take part?

Here's a website you might like to check out: The Yoda Speak Generator

It Goes So...

Gasoline Prices at fuel dock in St Croix, US Virgin Islands

2011-05-18T10:03:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we bought 4.5 gallons of gasoline at St Croix Marine in Christiansted, US Virgin Islands and surprise... the price has gone up yet again!

Fortunately, we don't use much. We have a 5HP two-stroke outboard motor and we only use it 2 or 3 times a week. Our new Honeywell generator doesn't seem to take as much fuel as the Honda. We've had many cloudy days so it has been necessary to run it more to keep up with computer consumption.

2011 (price per US Gallon):

May 17: $4.55 (a 21+% increase in 5 weeks)
April 23: $4.25
April 7: $3.75
Feb 4: $3.65
Jan 6: $3.35

Diesel is currently (May 17 2011) 10 cents cheaper than gas at $4.45/gallon

At least their water has been a bit cleaner lately :)

So It Goes...

Caturday & Simon's Cat

2011-05-07T10:30:00.000-04:00

I love Simon's Cat. He "gets" cats. The cat sounds and actions are purrfect!

Simon's Cat in "The Box"

Every cat loves a good box. Our Amazon boxes never go to waste. They become recycled cat toys and cat beds. Paper bags are very much appreciated, too.

There are two Simon's Cat books available on Amazon.com

Simon's Cat in His Very Own Book

Simon's Cat, Beyond the Fence

Forgot it's Mother's Day tomorrow? How about an Amazon Gift Certificate, or a promise of a Sailing Vacation or a Barge Cruise along the French canals, or Ireland, Scotland, England, Italy... :)

Making our solar-charged LED garden lights brighter

2011-04-27T09:54:00.000-04:00

The other day, Bob had a cunning plan to make our solar-charged "garden" LED lights brighter.

Our lights have a single LED at the top and we were losing light out through the hole at the bottom of the "globe" and down the tube of the spike.

We took the foil seal from a Maxwell House coffee can and used that as material for a reflector cone to insert at the bottom of each of our lights.

I cut out a circle of foil a bit larger than the circumference of the "globe" and cut a slit from the edge to the center of the foil circle.

I twirled it into a cone shape and placed it in the bottom of the "globe", pointy side up. Thus providing a large reflective surface and also keeping the light from being lost down the tube.

If you have enough foil and patience, you can experiment with the height of your cone for maximum results.

This modification makes quite a difference.

We have three of these garden lights outside the boat. Yes, I know they are not proper anchor lights but I like having lights at deck-ish level. Anything that makes us easier to be seen by boats zipping through the anchorage at night is a good thing. Anchor lights at the top of the mast can be difficult to see against city lights, plus I find it difficult to judge the boat's distance.

We also use one of these as a nightlite in the salon... Just have to remember to put it outside in the morning to get charged up for another night ;)

Come on, I just like Casio watches...

2011-04-26T11:32:00.000-04:00

I love Casio watches. The ones I buy are inexpensive and do the job. I currently wear a LW-201 but my normal watch for the last 30 years is more like this one... the Casio F-91W.

Casio F-91W - Buy yours now from Amazon!

I like this watch. It's small enough to not be clunky and catch on everything. It has features I like such as a backlight, beeps on the hour if asked to, and shows date & time. A countdown timer would be useful, but, for less than $12, I won't complain.

Plus, I always love this bit... "water resistance to 50 meters (165 feet) -- suitable for swimming but not for diving." I guess you can use it at a depth of 50m but not in a water environment :)

It has been in the news lately that this is a preferred watch of Al Queda and Taliban members. Read the Boing Boing post: Gitmo interrogators: Casio F-91W digital watch is back pocket hanky code for "I'm a terrorist"

I think everyone should buy one of these nifty, sturdy watches to protest against government profiling... Come on, it's just a watch... What percentage of consumers who bought this model of watch are terrorists? This really makes me angry, but I'll spare you any more ranting :)

You can buy your watch (less than $12) here on Amazon. Get one for your ferret, too. It would go great with this outfit...

Remember the bit from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles where they try to barter a Casio for a hotel room? Great movie!

So It Goes...

Marina Gasoline Prices in St Croix, US Virgin Islands

2011-04-23T17:33:00.001-04:00

Today we bought 4.5 gallons of gasoline from St Croix Marine in Gallows Bay, Christiansted, St Croix, US Virgin Islands... The price has gone UP...

On April 7, 2011, the price for gasoline at the gas dock was $3.75/gallon
On April 23 (today), the price has gone up 50 cents to $4.25/gallon

Wow!!! St Croix is supposed to have "cheap" gas because of Hovensa fuel refinery. It is less expensive at the gas stations. We have to sign a piece of paper each time we get gas at the marina because it is supposed to be a special price, thus you'd think cheaper...

It is, what it is...

So It Goes...

Bay of Pigs - 50 years!

2011-04-17T09:10:00.000-04:00

Lawyers, Guns & Money reminds us that today is the 50th anniversary of the Bay of Pigs.

I was pretty little, but I do remember this occasion and the concern it caused, although I didn't know what was up.

CATURDAY: Cat playing with dolphin video, etc

2011-04-16T10:11:00.002-04:00

I hope that Buffy & Willow don't see this YouTube video when they surf the net after we go to bed... They'll want one, too!

The video (not ours) was taken in 1997 at Theater of the Sea, a marine animal park in Islamorada, Florida.

Our cats love to chatter at the seabirds that fly by the boat and sometimes a leaping ray will catch their attention. Willow can become very enthralled by things in the water that humans cannot see.

They like playing with their tube. It makes a crackling sound.

Boxes and paper bags are a great source of entertainment that also become favorite places to sleep.

Enjoy your Caturday. It is a beautiful day in St. Croix. We plan to walk up to Pueblo and hit the Animal Shelter's thrift store on the way and check out their book selection.

Here are some good tunes with "cat" in the title...

Remember the Osborne Portable Computer

2011-04-03T00:33:00.000-04:00

The Osborne 1 was born 30 years ago today... April 3, 1981 when announced at the West Coast Computer Faire in San Francisco.

OSBORNE

Wow, I remember this as being so COOL. Really wanted one. Our first computer was the Atari1040STF, with a monochrome (better) display.

ATARI

Had a dot matrix printer for it, too. Learned lots about computer programming with this computer and have many fond memories. It was much superior to the IBM PC-types of its days.

There is an interesting article about the Osborne portable at Techologizer.com:
Osborne! The machine, the man, and the dawn of the portable computing revolution

Computing seemed to be more fun back then... So It Goes...

That's a loud purrrrrrrr

2011-03-29T22:27:00.000-04:00

I just read this article from the BBC "Noisy cat hits purr-fect pitch in world record bid".

Smokey looks pretty normal to me... but his purr was measured at 73 decibels, which is 16 times louder than the average cat, and louder than our Honeywell HW2000i generator!!!

Another sad day for boatbuilders

2011-03-24T17:27:00.001-04:00

We were sad this morning to find out that Dynamite Payson had passed away. He was a great inspiration for me as he de-mystified boatbuilding.

The first dinghy we ever built was one of his plans from his book "Build The NEW Instant Boats". It was the 7-foot Nymph using his "tack & tape" method.

We built ours on the kitchen table when we were living on the Barge Black Moon on the Seine outside of Paris. Such a wonderful boat to row. It got a lot of use :)

See Bob's post on BoatBits...

Don't Miss Super Perigee Moon Tonight - Get Your Moon Music

2011-03-20T10:18:00.000-04:00

Tonight, March 19th 2011, will hopefully be an excellent, clear night for stargazing as it is the night of the Super Perigee Moon. It will appear to be the largest moon in 18 years. The last time this happened was in March of 1993 (has it really been 18 years???) and this time it's bigger!

Willow & Buffy will be watching with us

We're definitely going to take a look... Might even have to have a second sundowner so we'll be outside for the moonrise.

Here's a good source of info for this occasion from NASA.

Want to get some music for this lunar event? Here's some MP3s from Amazon to check out:

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Fogerty, Queen Ida & Her Zydeco Band
Moon River - Andy Williams, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin
Harvest Moon - Neil Young
Shine on Harvest Moon - Leon Redbone
Walking on the Moon - The Police
Eldorado to the Moon - Michael Nesmith
Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Rod Stewart, Julie London

Blue Moon - The Platters, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald
Blue Moon Nights - John Fogerty
Once in a Very Blue Moon - Nancy Griffiths
Silver Moon - Michael Nesmith & The First National Band
Shine on Silver Moon - Gloria Gaynor
Sail Along Silvery Moon - Billy Vaughn
Yellow Moon - Neville Brothers
The Moon Was Yellow - Mel Tormé
Pink Moon - Nick Drake
Orange Moon - Erykah Badu
Pale Orange Moon - Noel Maurice
The Moon was Orange - Harmon Ikka
Neon Moon - Brooks & Dunn
Dark Moon - Gale Storm
Strawberry Moon - Jr. Grover Washington, Neptune's Car
Once in a Red Moon - Secret Garden, Nils Mathisen
Under a Violet Moon - Blackmore's Night
Kiko and the Lavender Moon - Los Lobos

New Moon on Monday - Duran Duran
No Moon at All - The Ames Brothers (Do you remember Ed Ames from Daniel Boone?)

Moon Over Georgia - Shenandoah
Blue Moon of Kentucky - Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Ray Charles, Boxcar Willie
Havana Moon - Carlos Santana, Chuck Berry, Two Tons Of Steel
Desert Moon - Dennis DeYoung, Great White, Mariah Larkin Band
Beneath A Desert Moon - Sting
Moon of India - World Meditation Ensemble
Moon Over India - Nature Lounge Club
Carolina Moon - Connie Francis, Dean Martin, Thelonious Monk
Texas Moon - Stoney Larue
Cajun Moon - Ricky Skaggs, Poco, J.J. Cale
Mexican Moon - Concrete Blonde, Booka & the Flaming Geckos, Chicken Mambo, Rubber Duck, The Wolf Banes, Terri and the T-Bone (I just loved the names of these artists)
Moon Over Bourbon Street - Sting

... and many, many, many MORE...

Eldorado to the Moon always makes me smile :)

Here's a 14-second video of the Super Moon from where we are anchored in Gallows Bay, Christiansted, St Croix, US Virgin Islands. Sorry that it's a bit shaky but it was a bit bumpy with the swell coming in. Still photos were worse :)

Enjoy!

Happy St Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T09:58:00.001-04:00

This is probably the most popular subject of the day and what a nice day it is...

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

Looking for some tunes to get you going? Check out these mp3 downloads from Amazon: Van Morrison, Thin Lizzy, U2, The Pogues, Sinead O'Connor, The Cranberries, The Corrs, The Chieftains, The Irish Rovers, Irish Folk Players, The Cieli Band

In honor of St Patrick's Day, this month we are featuring the Irish Hotel Barge Shannon Princess and thought we'd tell our All About Boats readers about her.

Take advantage of our special gift for a barge charter on the all-inclusive crewed hotel barge SHANNON PRINCESS which cruises along the River Shannon in Ireland. It expires today but maybe you'll get lucky if you ask nicely :)

Besides their standard itinerary, which can be adapted for your charter group's interests, they also have ones for golfing, guided walking tours, family cruises, and they now have a new itinerary for Guided Bike / Cycling Tours which sounds very interesting... and at no extra charge! Read our various posts on the Shannon Princess.

Here's a bit of culture for you :)

Wondering what that phrase above means?
Beannachtaí na Féile Páraic oraibh! : St. Patrick's Day blessing upon you
Click HERE to listen (ban-ock-tee na fay-lah paw-rig ur-iv)
Here's another useful saying when you visit Ireland:
Pionta Guinness, le do thoil. A pint of Guiness, please.
Click HERE to listen (pyunta Guinness leh duh hull)

(Thanks to http://www.irish-sayings.com for these sound bytes!)

If you would like to visit the Emerald Isle this season, let us know! Visit www.BargeCharters.com

Sláinte agus táinte!

3.14 = Pi DAY -- Let's celebrate!

2011-03-14T10:30:00.004-04:00

This morning while having our first cup of coffee, we were listening to NPR radio and discovered that today is PI DAY.... Already???

I found the video on their page HERE: How to Transform the Number Pi into a Song.

Interesting... He said he's had requests to score the Fibonacci numbers... How about the special numbers from LOST :)

We have the DVD of Pi.

Here are some PIE songs you might or might not know...

American Pie, Don McLean
Cherry Pie, Skip & Flip
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), Four Tops
Key Lime Pie, Kenny Chesney
Custard Pie, Led Zeppelin
Chicken Pot Pie, The Spoiled Chefs
Mah Mah Chicken Pot Pie, The Leopards

and, of course, there is the group Humble Pie who did 30 Days In The Hole.

Being a moose enthusiast, I found this intriguing Moose Turd Pie by Utah Phillips.

Over at www.seriouseats.com they tell you how to make a Pi-shaped pie.

Don't you deserve a pie treat today?

On a lighter note, save 40% on this yacht charter

2011-03-12T14:19:00.000-04:00

This came across our desk yesterday. I think it's a bit much for the budget of our normal clientele, but maybe it will strike your fancy...

This 246-foot charter yacht is offering a 40% discount for a 2-month charter this summer...

Accommodates up to 12 guests and has 15 crew.

The little "blurb" on this special offer says:

Take advantage of this amazing offer:
1 MILLION euro for a 2 MONTH CHARTER this summer!
A reduction of almost 600,000 euro on her standard rate!
Special amenities: gym, sauna and beauty center.
Highly talented chef!

So, if you have a million euros that you'd like to have fun putting back into the economy, give it a thought!

See their brochure HERE

Buffy says...

2011-03-12T13:45:00.001-04:00

Buffy says "What the ???"

Their cousins live in that yellow zone!

(This image was floating around on various websites on that day. No claims for authenticity. Might be from a movie for all we know... but still scary)

They better get a lid on this quick and Chill Out, please!!!

I started to rant about THIS and THIS but it's just too overwhelming... My goodness... I need to go over to the beach so I can stick my head in the sand and ignore this stuff.

Too bad that it goes so...

Honeywell HW2000i Generator - Problem: won't start

2011-03-11T23:27:00.000-04:00

Late yesterday afternoon when we went to start our less-than-a-month-old Honeywell HW2000i generator-inverter so we could run our 12V battery charger for an hour, we had problems...

It started and then choked up and died after running maybe a minute. Pulled the cord a couple of times and it gave a bit of a cough and that was its last gasp.

At lunchtime today I tried to start it and no joy...

Later on, Bob tried with the same result. We checked connections to make sure nothing had vibrated loose, poked about inside at all the usual suspects, and all seemed well. Just about ready to call a repairman but we thought we'd swap the spark plug for a new one even though it has less than 25 hours on it.

It started on the first pull... Doing the happy dance...

We are going to lay in a supply of spark plugs :)

What's wrong with this picture?

2011-03-01T14:29:00.001-04:00

The other day I looked at an unused sheet of stamps that I had bought years ago, Pacific Coral Reef, and noticed that it had a lionfish. I mentioned this to a charter yacht friend (Sandcastle) and took a picture of it today so I could email it to her.

I took several pictures some with flash and some without because of the glare off of the plastic covering.

After I downloaded the photos to my computer, I deleted this one (the first in the series) because of the glare. I looked at them again and noticed something bizarre...

Click image to enlarge

What is that in the upper right quarter of the page? It looks like a cat looking up some steps with a door or window in the background. Where did this come from? There's nothing that this is a reflection of. There is nothing on the plastic wrapping that had been transferred from being pressed up against it. It is not part of an image left in memory of something gone before.

Here's the next picture I took...

No cat or weirdness here.

A bit spooky, non?

Sorry Buffy... and Cat Commerical Videos

2011-02-28T13:38:00.001-04:00

Buffy came and told me that it was past her lunchtime. I told her that I was sorry, but I've been beavering away...

We then had a bit of a discussion about that. One can be "as busy as a beaver" but there is no such phrase for cats, that I'm aware of. There is CATNAP, though. You can be busy napping, I guess :)

I've always like the phrase "it's like herding cats".

Great commercial.

We don't have a TV so I've never seen this IKEA commercial... You probably have, but I'm going to put it here anyway so I can watch it again later.

I wonder how many cat wranglers they had?

The making of the IKEA cat commercial

Love it!

Buffy's telling me I'm STILL LATE WITH LUNCH!

So It Goes....

A favorite cat toy... the Palmetto Bug

2011-02-18T09:38:00.002-04:00

Warning, this post has a photo that is not for the squeemish. I don't like it but unfortunately, I've become accustomed to it.

Photo from www.dirtdoctor.com

The other night while we were watching an episode of Lost (we are up to season 4), I heard a cat outside making scratchy noises on the deck like she was playing with something. A couple of minutes later, Buffy is in the salon under the table playing with something. I pause the DVD, turn on the light and ugh! Buffy proudly displays an upside-down, 2.5-inch Palmetto bug at her feet. Yes, such a good girl, Buffy. You truly a slayer worthy of your name. Bob gets the broom and dustpan and immobilizes the bug. He goes outside and flings the Palmetto bug over the side after dislodging it from the broom where it is hiding. Buffy is patiently waiting for Bob to finish whatever he's doing and bring her trophy back inside for more frivol & frolic. We tell her that it has gone for a swim and return to our DVD.

About 10 minutes later we hear a similar scratchy sound... Willow, not to be outdone by her sister, has a Palmetto bug in the cockpit just on the other side of the companionway. Bob, quickly dispatches this one.

It had been quite breezy until that night, so maybe this pair decided to go for a moonlight flight, settled on our boat, and were met by our security team of Buffy & Willow.

Good girls!

Another Bareboat... Why?

2011-02-14T13:26:00.000-04:00

What's happening? Why are we getting an influx of bareboats coming into Christiansted, St Croix?

Bob has a BoatBits post about recent bareboat antics "How not to pick up a mooring or, getting your doofus on..." I loved the woman with the boathook telling me "It's so hard!"

That boat left before 7:30 am this morning, and the one that took over 10 stabs at picking up their mooring must have departed before I got up at 7:00... and the ball is still there!

Anyway, we were having coffee #3 on the foredeck enjoying our view when we heard a bareboat approaching. After telling them not to use the dead mooring to windward of us, they took the one right ahead of us. Got it on the second try, too.

A long stretch but they managed

Why do they have fenders down on both sides of their boat? It doesn't give us much confidence in their skill level. Are they afraid they will hit someone in the anchorage or did they sail with them down? Very untidy, as my RYA Competent Crew instructor would have said.

Hey, it's Valentine's Day. If you still need to get someone something in a hurry, how about an Amazon Gift Certificate. Very handy and very easy as they can receive it via email.

Oh no, another one has JUST ARRIVED. Bob just told them "Guys, bad mooring" so I've got to run and see what they'll do next...

So It Goes :)

The Beatles at the Cavern Club 50th anniversary

2011-02-09T10:11:00.001-04:00

Today, February 9, 2011, is the 50th anniversary of when The Beatles played their first gig at the Cavern Club in Liverpool.

Fifty years made me feel a bit old, but then I realized that this picture was taken before I entered the first grade.

The BBC has a nice article about it here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12396322

This week's Little Steven's Underground Garage had a Beatles first time on the Ed Sullivan theme as their first show was February 9, 1964 (47 years ago!). Little Steven's website is being given an overhaul and does not have archives of the old shows, so make sure you listen to it this week.

For you Beatle People, this is a must-have item... The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles. Wow, is it a blast from the past. Not only do you have the Fab Four, but you get the entire shows with other acts such as the impressionist Frank Gorshin (The Riddler on Batman 1966-67), for example. We bought ours from Amazon.com

Jules Verne's birthday & Google

2011-02-08T14:07:00.000-04:00

Google has a really cool logo today in honor of Jules Verne's birthday

It is a flash thingy but when you go to the Google site, you can use the up/down left/right control on the right side to be at the surface or descend to the depth of the sea floor. There are people working down there, too!

Check it out today (February 8th)

Free Music for Valentine's Day

2011-02-08T09:09:00.001-04:00

Amazon.com has a 14-song Valentine's Day playlist that you can download for FREE.

Free Valentine's Day Music

Unfortunately, it is only for the 50 States of the USA and once again, the US Virgin Islands is excluded... So It Goes... but maybe you can take advantage of this :)

ENJOY !!!

SUPER BOWL WEEKEND

2011-02-05T14:42:00.000-04:00

Wow, can't believe it is the 45th Super Bowl... Hope they have some good advertisements this year.

There has been much talk about Super Bowl munchies, and chicken wings seems to be a favorite.

Check out this recipe for an excellent BBQ sauce from charter yacht Three Moons. It's good on everything... chicken, shrimp, ribs, pork, burgers... you name it!

Do you remember Joe Namath?

Enjoy Super Bowl Sunday!

Honeywell HW2000i Generator Inverter - Part 2

2011-02-04T15:02:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we received the carb elbow for our new Honeywell HW2000i generator-inverter. Thank you very much, Tom (Fall Mountain Small Engine in New Hampshire).

You can read our previous installments here:

2011 January 8: Honda 2000i Generator quit. Honeywell HW2000i next up?
2011 January 31: Honeywell HW2000i Generator Inverter - Part 1

We went and bought new oil and gasoline, then Bob replaced the carburetor elbow. Started up after a few pulls and it is running our battery charger.

Doesn't seem much louder than our Honda EU2000i. I thought it was going to be twice as loud.

Click on the photos below to enlarge...

Here's the damaged elbow on the left. On the right, you can see the damage to the ribs on the inner side of the covering panel where I assume that somebody was in a hurry and gave the panel a good whack to close it rather than seating it properly... Maybe it was the last unit of the day.

Interior of cover panel / Broken off carb elbow part attached to motor block

New part installed / "Old" carb elbow as it arrived new in the box

Of course, the Honeywell has a different orientation than the Honda so we'll have to position it differently. The Honda has its control panel on the front with exhaust in the back and the pull cord on its starboard side. The Honeywell has its control panel and pull cord on its port side and exhaust in the back. So It Goes...

And it is going! It has been running for a bit over an hour (knock on wood!).

Tomorrow we will try to charge our 48V battery bank...

By the way... Gas is going up at St Croix Marine on Monday by 19 cents. Today's price (February 4th) was $3.65/gallon and the last time we bought gas on January 6th it was $3.35/gallon.

Honeywell HW2000i Generator Inverter - Part 1

2011-01-31T16:44:00.001-04:00

This is another installment of the ongoing woes & joys of our portable generator/inverters aboard So It Goes...

See previous posts:

2011 January 8: Honda 2000i Generator quit. Honeywell HW2000i next up?
2008 August 10: Portable generator update HONDA EU2000i & All Power 1000W product review
2008 March 22: New portable generator All-Power 1000W with inverter

Last Thursday, we picked up our brand new Honeywell HW2000i portable generator/inverter. We took the bus up to Sunny Isle and then walked down to VI Cargo (company that ships from Florida to St Croix). Paid our $68 for shipping & duty, and got a $20 taxi back to the Christiansted Boardwalk just a few steps away from the dinghy.

We got back to the boat before noon. We were looking at the unit to see where to put in the oil and Bob noticed that the carburetor appeared to be shock mounted. How strange... Turns out that the elbow connecting the carb to the motor was broken off which is why it was moving. This was so frustrating as we were looking forward to charging up the batteries and turning on the refrigerator.

I also noticed that the door to this area has damage to the plastic ribs on the inside that correspond to the air filter housing and carb which might be due to someone not taking the top to line up the door properly so it would close, but to give it a good whack. There was no damage to the box or to the exterior of the unit so this damage appears to have happened at the factory.

It says on the box not to return it to the store (bought from Amazon.com) but to call this number. I called and got an automatic recording that did the old "press 3 for company directory" menu things and when I pressed a number it would say "Didn't understand response". The toll free number they gave didn't work from the USVIs... Aargh!

I looked on the internet for the website they gave in the manual (Northshore Power Systems). The lady who answered is a different company (Generac) which will now be handling Honeywell products but they aren't yet. She called the toll free number for me to get a "real" phone number with a proper area code that I could call. She said that she told them our situation and that they don't usually give refunds (we don't want a refund, just a working generator). We would probably have to ship it to Florida to be repaired. I could call Amazon.com, too, but the expense and time wasted in back & forth & waiting for repair is too much.

In the meantime, while I was on the phone, Bob looked up on the internet someplace where we could buy a new part for our new, unused generator. I called up Fall Mountain Small Engine in New Hampshire and Tom was great! I sent a few photos of the damaged part and he's sending us a replacement part (the carb elbow) by US Priority Mail. It was only $15 plus postage (small flat rate box) so perhaps $20 which is what the St Croix taxi cost to transport the generator to our boat :)

I'm so happy that he has the part in stock and is willing to ship it to us by US MAIL and TODAY. So many companies are reluctant to ship via the US Postal System.

I have to contact Amazon and the Honeywell Registration/Warranty Department to tell them that our unit was defective but I'm just not up to it right now...

So we have a few more days without refrigeration or ability to run the battery charger. We keep hoping we'll have enough sun to power the computers with the solar panels. So it goes...

The quality of the Honeywell parts are not as nice as our Honda, but it was about half the price and maybe the Honda can be fixed.

More news to come...

Online 2011 Sailors' Cruising Guide to Gibraltar

2011-01-26T10:24:00.000-04:00

The 2011 Sailors' Guide for Gibraltar from Yacht Scene is now available online (FREE) and you can purchase a paper copy, too.

When I have a bit of time, I plan to give this a good look. If we were going to be sailing there this year or next, I'd definitely purchase a paper copy.

It includes information such as: Gibraltar and approach chartlets, Weather & Radio Forecasts, Tide Tables, Marina Info & Plans, General Guide to Gibraltar, Marine Services Guide to Gibraltar, etc.

It was so cool arriving in Gibraltar and seeing The Rock which was made famous to me by Walter Cronkite's show "The Twentieth Century".

We found some authentic English-style fish & chips there that was very good.

Where's my haggis?

2011-01-25T16:38:00.000-04:00

January 25th is Burns Night and there's not a haggis to be found on St Croix... Did they sell out that quickly???

Here's a good site for How to Organise a Burns Supper that tells quite a bit about the celebration.

Here's a few pages of interest from the BBC:

We don't have any Scotch either, but we did buy a bottle of Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum to try...

Have a good one!

Renewal of USCG Certification of Documentation - Boat Registration

2011-01-24T11:47:00.003-04:00

This week I finally called the National Vessel Documentation Center about our boat's US Coast Guard Certification of Documentation. It expired on Halloween. I never received a notice because the address that they sent the renewal form to last time would have forwarded it to St Maarten. But, this wasn't their fault. Everytime I would think about dealing with it I would be distracted by other things...

Monday I phoned the Documentation Center and I'm happy to say that they are still very nice folks to deal with. The first person asked for the expiration date and she forwarded my call to someone else. That person said that I was too late to renew and only have the $5.00 late fee as I fall outside of the 45-day grace period. She transferred me back to the original woman. She told me that it was worth a try, but now I have to pay an $84.00 reinstatement fee and fill out form 1258.

So I filled out Form 1258 and the credit card authorization form and sent them via email. I requested that they reply to let us know that they received everything OK and they did!

Don't procrastinate. If you renew on time (you can even renew early) it is FREE. If you renew within 45 days of expiration it is only $5 which isn't too bad and way better than $84...

Ms Cheapseats will definitely be on time next year :)

See previous post about renewing your Certificate of Documentation.

So It Goes...

Thanks to the Boat Bits reader who bought a Perfect Butt from Amazon... We appreciate it & every order helps out :)

Boat Bits on Huffington Post!

2011-01-19T21:20:00.002-04:00

Wow!!! The other day when looking at stats for Bob's BoatBits blog we noticed that he got a couple of hits coming from the Huffington Post...

Click to enlarge

How cool is that???

So It Goes!

Lionfish in St Croix, US Virgin Islands

2011-01-18T11:25:00.000-04:00

While Bob went looking for lobster the other day, he came across his first lionfish. Actually, about five of them in three different wrecks.

I didn't see them as I was in the dinghy to watch out for speeding fishermen who might not be looking for swimmers within the mooring field.

Lionfish are very pretty and TASTY TOO!

Read more at BoatBits.

New Beatles museum opens in Argentina

2011-01-16T09:33:00.000-04:00

This is for all my fellow "Beatle People" out there...

The BBC has a video about a new Beatles museum in Argentina with the world's biggest collection of Beatles memorabilia. Rodolfo Vazquez started collecting at the age of 10 and received a certificate from the Guinness Book of Worlds Records in 2001 for having the largest collection of Beatles memorabilia.

See the video here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12200860

Cool Idea for Cat Training

2011-01-10T11:19:00.000-04:00

In the past, we have used squirt guns to emphasize the "no" when Wacka or Bullwinkle had done something wrong, such as getting up on the desk or shredding paper towels. A squirt gun is also useful for a long-range attack and also to keep distance between me and the pointy bits on the cat in question.

One disadvantage of squirt guns is water. You don't want to spray a cat on the desk and also get the computer wet... So It Goes...

Here's something neat that Bob saw on CoolTools.com: SSSCat Cat Training Aid

It is a can of compressed air that is triggered by a motion sensor. This product even works when you are not around. I just noticed that it is sold on Amazon.com, so check it out :)

Honda 2000i Generator quit. Honeywell HW2000i next up?

2011-01-08T10:01:00.001-04:00

Last weekend we started having problems with our faithful Honda EU2000i generator. We bought it 4 3 months shy of 3 years ago in Sint Maarten for $1100 after our other Honda died.

We weren't doing anything special, just running our battery charger for a bit. We noticed the change in the sound of the engine and noticed that the red overload light had come on and, while the engine was still running, it was no longer producing power (which is normal in "overload" situation).

After that, we had intermittent problems. We thought maybe it was the electric light we had plugged in because it worked OK the next time without the light and just running the charger. Fritzed again. With NOTHING plugged in, it still goes into overload mode. We performed various tests that we could and everything seems fine. A friend sent us bits of his shop manual which didn't give us a YOWZA That's It moment... In fact, most of the solutions were to "Call Technical Service" and this is for the guys in the shop.

I now declare that it is permenent and not intermittent as it hasn't worked in about 5 days. Darn.

We assume it is probably the inverter portion of the unit which was also the problem with the previous Honda. The inverter costs over $650 and how much more for the service of diagnosing the problem, buying and shipping the part, and installation, plus getting it to and from a service repair center?

We can buy a new Honda from Indiana for $899 including shipping to 47 states for free. He would ship it to Florida to VI Cargo for us.

But, do we want another Honda??? They are great while they work, but after having two quit...

So, we have decided to buy a Honeywell HW2000i portable generator. Yes, it is a bit louder but it is $417 from Amazon. There are good reviews and bad reviews but some people enjoy complaining while others don't read the manual, plus sometimes you get a unit built on a Friday :)

I called the Honda car dealer (who, we've been told, also repairs generators) Friday afternoon but the store was closed, probably due to the Crucian Christmas Festival's Children's Parade. Many places close down for that. So Monday we'll see what they have to say, and then order the Honeywell.

If the Honda can be fixed, we'll sell one or the other. If not, I wonder if anyone wants our Honda for parts as the motor runs great. It would be a shame to throw it away.

So It Goes...

New Year's Day MONDAY Hodgepodge

2011-01-03T09:15:00.005-04:00

Looking through my various newsfeeds this morning while waiting for Coffee #2, I came across this interesting video on the BBC News UK:

Pogo the cat faces a series of dog encounters every day to decide if the dogs are suitable for life in homes with felines.

Click here to see Pogo the cat at work.

According to our weather forecast this morning, it will be another breezy day. I think they should have another category above that called blustery, with a toupee warning :)

This is a holiday week in St Croix due to the Crucian Christmas Festival, although the other islands also get to cash in... especially if one is a government employee! The schools in STX are out this week and most government officials appear to have the week off... or, they at least have the days off for the Jouvert Jump Up and the Food Fair. Enjoy!

Have you clicked the purple button today? This year, try to do it every day... They'll even send you an email reminder, if you ask. For those of you who don't know the purple button, it is to support The Animal Rescue Site and it doesn't cost you anything, although I have scored some nice stuff from their store. Also, if you have time (it only takes a minute), click on the other tabs along the top (Hunger, Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforest) and press their buttons, too!

OH... MY... GOSH... I mentioned the BBC Radio Show "The Archers" in my previous post. I just looked at the BBC News Feed and the writers have killed off Nigel Pargetter in their 60th Anniversary Show. I'm shocked! He's been a character for 30 years (since 1980, can you believe that's 30 years).

1/1/11 - HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-01T11:11:00.008-04:00

I just realized last night that today would be 1111... put the dashes or slashes according to your personal favorite date format as it really doesn't matter today.

This morning I went and read a few pages of my book and when I woke up it was 11:11 on 1-1-11... how cool is THAT! (Can hardly wait until Veteran's Day!)

Yesterday, we walked up to Pueblo to try and find some fixings for our New Year's celebration. Couldn't find the packets of smoked salmon that we are used to having, so no blinis. We miss French St Martin where we have such a fine selection of cheese, charcuterie, pastries, and whatnots. Three Kings Day is a big event in St Croix as it falls during the Crucian Christmas Festival but I bet we won't be able to find a Galette des Rois anywhere. So It Goes...

Anyway, on our way home from shopping, I looked down the street and there were two wandering horses with herons (or are they egrets?) flying onto their backs for a very comfortable perch. The horses didn't mind.

I took this 4 second video by mistake as I didn't realize my pocket camera was set to "movie".

Here are a couple of photos...

We were surprised that it was quiet last night (New Year's Eve). Festivities were held on the West end of the island in Fredriksted, but I still expected to hear car and boat horns, gunshots, the odd rocket, some doofus shooting off a flare... but, thank Goodness, nothing out here in our neck of the woods :)

Being the holiday season, I miss the BBC. We used to listen to the BBC daily when we lived in France and around Christmas time they would always play classic Round the Horne and other comedy radio shows.

I went to the BBC website this morning and discovered that this is The Archers 60th Anniversary... Of course, no British sailor will admit to tuning into the Archers. They only listen to it accidentally because it comes on after the Shipping Forecast, but they can always let you know what is happening if you've gotten behind... strange that :) Here's a link that Archer fans will enjoy.

We're sort of taking the day off, I'd like to watch the DVD Love Actually... I've been especially wanting to see Bill Nighy as the aging rock star, as well as the bit where Hugh Grant, as the Prime Minister, dances to the Pointer Sisters' Jump for My Love. Good stuff.

Wishing you a healthy, happy, prosperous, fun, and all the other good stuff for 2011...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank you to the person who bought an Amazon Gift Certificate today. We appreciate it!

XMAS/BOXING DAY MONDAY

2010-12-27T12:31:00.000-04:00

I suppose this Monday is a holiday for some people, as Christmas fell on a Saturday, so in solidarity with those folks, let's all have the day off :)

Here's a couple of photos I took this morning from our forward hatch...

December 27, 2010 @ 8:30am - St Croix, USVI

If you'd like to get away from the arctic north and thaw out your toes, here's an opportunity... The catamaran Marolanga still has a cabin available on their special cabin cruise week, January 8-15, 2011. Click here for your quick getaway!

Bob did an Island Gourmand post this morning about New Year's Biscuits... Yummy picture. I hope this is a sign of good things to come next Saturday!

A bit of Amazon.com pimping... We only need two more orders to increase our piddling commission by 1/2%. Not much, but everything is appreciated :)

Hmmm.... Maybe I should buy the saw guide that Bob mentioned in his Boat Bits post this morning: A tool that makes me happy...

Attention: Browncoats, Firefly & Castle Fans

2010-12-25T12:45:00.000-04:00

This morning we did some Christmas shopping on Amazon.com with a gift certificate we received, and we were shocked to find that Castle Season Two was only $14.99.

Wow, such a DEAL !!! Last time we looked it was $39.99... That's a 62.5% discount.

Mr & Ms Cheapseats did not have to ponder over this purchase very long... We might be cheap but not stupid :)

Thank you, Santa!

So, all of you Browncoats, Nathan Fillion, Firefly & Castle fans, if you don't already have this DVD buy it now as maybe this is a seasonal sale. If you already have it, buy both Season One (also $14.99) and Season Two for a deserving friend.

I forgot to order the books, Heat Wave and Naked Heat which are the Nikki Heat books the character Richard Castle is writing in the television series. Should be interesting. Oh well, next order :)

These books are also available on Kindle...

We need to get an e-reader... See Bob's Boat Bits post: Tis the season for e-book conundrums...

Happy Holidays!

Magnetic North Pole

2010-12-25T09:32:00.000-04:00

Interesting article from the Scientific American that if the magnetic north pole keeps shifting as it is, it could pass the geographic north pole in a decade or so and carry on toward Siberia.

Read the article: Why is the north magnetic pole racing toward Siberia?

So It Goes...

Christmas with a twist, plus a few treats

2010-12-24T11:58:00.000-04:00

Looking for some different things to do this Christmas and not the same old same old?

Here's a suggestion from those wild & crazy guys at Epic Meal Time... their twisted variation of a gingerbread house, including an interesting Jack Daniels eggnog :)

MP3 CHRISTMAS MUSIC

This is kind of cool...
Kimo's Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas
and then, since we miss France:
Noél Blanc (White Christmas) by Jacqueline Francois
plus, a couple of classics:
Christmas With The Rat Pack
Bing Crosby - Christmas Classic
or how about:
Christmas A Go-Go ???
or maybe:
The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection
I also found a few Christmas twist songs! Why? It's fun...
Holiday Twist by Los Straitjackets
Xmas Twist by The Twistin' Kings
White Christmas by Tom Twist off the Wild Rockin' & Boppin' (X-Mas Edition) album

See Bob's Boat Bits blog for his Some Handy Hints for the Holidays post and watch the "A Very Zombie Holiday" instructional video.

For my fellow Beatles fans, you can find the Beatles Christmas recordings HERE

If you have forgotten someone on your Christmas list, or someone gave you a gift and you now need to buy them something (oops!), how about an Amazon.com Gift Certificate. I know I would certainly appreciate one... hint hint...

So, dress up your cat, dog, ferret in their festive togs, grab a hunk of bacon, put on some Christmas Motown tunes, and enjoy a game of A Nightmare Before Christmas Monopoly!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Easy Honda Generator Oil Change

2010-12-23T09:40:00.001-04:00

Last week we received our new doo-dad for our Honda EU2000i generator. It is a stainless steel extender that goes on the oil fill to make draining the oil much easier and mess free.

Bob decided to change the generator's oil Monday afternoon. I took a couple of photos of the device before using it and then did other things while waiting for Bob to change the oil so I could take some pictures of the process using the new doo-hicky.

After awhile when I finally checked to see what Bob was up to, he was just putting the oil away. There was no swearing or other telltales that he was in process of changing the oil. I missed my photo-op but I'm not complaining as the results were fantastic. The newspaper under the generator did not have a drop of oil on it.

See Bob's Boat Bits post for more.

This is a "must have" for any Honda generator owner. Check it out at Amazon.

Christmas Winds?

2010-12-20T18:36:00.000-04:00

Invest 95??? What the frell???

This is too depressing for me... Please look at BoatBits for more info.

I'd rather be planning the party for the cats tomorrow and have visions of sugar plums :)

Buffy & Willow - 3 years

2010-12-20T08:31:00.000-04:00

Today is the 3-year anniversary of when we adopted Buffy & Willow...

Little fluffy bundles of joy... plus the occasional pointy bits :)

Happy Holidays!

eBook readers for Christmas and other things...

2010-12-17T13:14:00.000-04:00

Bob wrote a post on BoatBits the other day about finding an eBook reader in his Christmas stocking...

See his BOATBITS POST HERE: Tis the season for e-book conundrums

If you can't decide on a Christmas gift for your special person, give an Amazon Gift Certificate and then they can pick out what they'd like...

Definitely a Win / Win situation :)

Being in the Caribbean doesn't make me feel very Christmasy. Even though I was quite chilly this morning and closed the hatch above the bed (my clock thermometer said 80.5°F) it's not the same as a White Christmas, though I'm quite happy not having to scrape ice off of my windshield like I used to way back when.

I grew up with my parents playing Perry Como and Bing Crosby-type Christmas music... such classics! The other day I stumbled across Mele Kalikimaka by Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters... Give it a listen!

I am tempted by some of the selections that the MP3 French Christmas Music search search had to offer.

Oh, wow! I'm listening to iTunes while typing this and Claudine Longet just came up singing The Beatles' "When I'm Sixty-Four". That made me smile.

Happy Holidays!

St Croix Fireworks Cruzan Christmas Festival 2010

2010-12-12T10:12:00.003-04:00

Last night was the lighted boat parade in Christiansted which kicked off the 2010 Cruzan Christmas Festival of St Croix, US Virgin Islands. I'd estimate that over 15 boats participated. Very impressive and fun.

Boat preparing for the lighted boat parade in Christiansted

I forgot there were to be fireworks afterwards. There was a strange sound that I thought was our ladder banging into the hull, but then Buffy and Willow ran inside in a panic and wanted to hide. This was followed by larger booms and rattling of hull and flashes of light... They were shooting off the fireworks directly across from us on the beach. Wonderful...

Short video of grand finale

I'm always worried about fireworks and potential damage to the boat. This morning our deck was littered with bits of cardboard and ash.

One year when we were anchored in Long Bay, St Thomas, USVI the fireworks set Hassel Island on fire.

So, the festivities have begun... Enjoy!

St Croix Christmas Boat Parade TONIGHT

2010-12-11T10:11:00.000-04:00

Tonight will be the Christmas Boat Parade in Christiansted Harbor, St Croix. See more at StCroixTourism

Today is the kick-off for the Cruzan Christmas Festival. See the schedule of events at STXFestival

It looks like it should be a nice day for the festivities!

NOAA 2010 Hurricane season video

2010-12-09T13:35:00.000-04:00

This is a cool video put together by NOAA...

Check out their YouTube channel

Wonder where we will be next summer...

2nd day of infamy

2010-12-08T16:21:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, December 7th, was the day of infamy... Pearl Harbor Day. Today, December 8th, is the second day of infamy, the 30th anniversary of the assassination of John Lennon.

Do you remember where and what you were doing when you "heard the news today, oh boy"?

... Paris, saw the newspaper while entering Blvd St Denis Monoprix

The only info given is 1967... Lots of various artists pictured such as Neil Young, Michael Nesmith, etc...

I finally was able to view the entire clip (we were having a slow internet time earlier) and was disappointed when it ended before its time. I'm sure the video would have had the entire song... But, I still enjoyed it and thought you might, too. It leaves you wanting more!

Information for cruisers - St Croix US Virgin Islands USVI

2010-12-07T10:29:00.000-04:00

We are getting some new boats into the anchorage so I thought I should show links to the posts I did earlier in the year about where to find things in St Croix...

Questions & Answers Christiansted St Croix USVI (January 15, 2010) I updated this a bit today
St Croix USVI Bus Schedule between Christiansted & Frederiksted
Cruisers Map for Christiansted St Croix USVI
Veterinarian / Pet Hospital within walking distance, Christiansted St Croix USVI

Fun Christmas Gifts for Your Pets

2010-12-06T10:43:00.001-04:00

I was checking out various links on my new blog template and while looking at Amazon.com came across some interesting items for the holidays for pets...

Plush Puppies
Hanukkah Dog Toy

Hannukah Tickle Your
Fancy Catnip Dreidel

These are cute, too...

Christmas Paw Stocking	Dog Santa Bandanna
Antlers Pet Headband	Ferret Santa Suit

These are listed under Ferret Gifts, but I'm sure Buffy & Willow would enjoy them...

Ferret Super Sleeper Tent

Ferret Plush Hide-N-Sleep

That was cool... Now it's time to get back to work :)

Yes, I changed the look...

2010-12-05T17:23:00.000-04:00

I wanted to do something different so I changed my Blogger template. Not real thrilled, but it's OK for now... I need to do other things.

Theoretically, it's over

2010-12-01T10:17:00.000-04:00

Rejoice! H-season is officially over... It was an active year, with 19 named storms, 12 hurricanes, and 5 intense hurricanes.

Image from Dr. Jeff Master's WonderBlog

My Wonderground Tropical Weather widget over in the right column hasn't shown anything in a while, and the NOAA messages have been saying "No North Atlantic Tropical Advisories".

Always keep an eye on the weather though..

Now that "it" is over, it is now Christmas season. I was surprised when I turned on the radio during the night of Thanksgiving and heard one station playing solid Christmas music. I won't be listening to them again until the new year. The occasional song is OK but not every one, please.

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