Attempted Trip to Bermuda

[belizesailor]

BlackOak's saga reminds me a little of the Bubba Whartz series of stories. Funny stuff and also set in Florida.

See Amazon.com: Bubba Whartz Stories (9781589800137): Morgan Stinemetz: Books.

Another common factor which keeps getting BlackOak into difficulties -- unfamiliar places at night. Make plans to arrive in the day time and your sailing experiences will suck a lot less. Plenty of short hops along the FL coast where this is easy to do.

[carstenb]

Black oak, I gotta say ya got balls. Not many would take a night sail their first real time out. By the way, sailing at night is fantastic. Stick around you'll find out. As someone once said

"sailing is the fine art of going nowhere, very slowly and at great expense"

You're beginnig to learn that now. Again, stick, it gets more expensive and you'll end up going even slower. But ya need to find yourself a sailor gal. You obviously have a refined sense of humor, so you should not have too much trouble attracting one. Having one gives you something to do when boredom sets in and she will also help keep the bed nice and toasty warm on those cold mornings.


Great story. Keep it coming and when you have a couple of hundred pages, send to a publisher. This is easily a book.

[Sumner]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

....Another common factor which keeps getting BlackOak into difficulties -- unfamiliar places at night. Make plans to arrive in the day time and your sailing experiences will suck a lot less. Plenty of short hops along the FL coast where this is easy to do.

I agree, we always try and be someplace to anchor a couple hours before dark, but then again if he did that the book wouldn't be near as interesting ,

Sum

[BlackOak]

4am here, after I made my post I went to bed, nice to sleep in a boat thats not moving about, creaking and moaning. At least those dinner ride boats arent around this early. Coffee is smelling good, and its not so cold here either.
Coming down the GIWW yesterday, I went under my first draw bridge. Wasnt sure what to do, so I just sorta sat there for a few minutes, then heard a horn and saw the bridge start to open, there was another sailboat on the other side waiting to get through. Hmmm I thought, who goes first? It was a mexican stand off at first, then we must of thought the same thing, as we both started to go under at the same time, so I slowed a bit to let him come first, then I went through. It was awesome, my first draw bridge...I saw the bridge opener dude up on the top, and shouted to him..."This is my first bridge...this is my first bridge! He gave me a thumbs up! The guy in the sailboat passing, waved and I waved back, This is my first bridge I said again, obviously he heard me tell the bridge opener dude, but if there were more people arouind I would of shouted the same to them too. I must of been grinning ear to ear...I thought...damn my first draw bridge..my first bridge anything..this is so cool, and I didnt hit a thing. Made the turn under the next bridge to the marina, and there was like a big crusie ship looking boat, making the same turn from the opposite direction, but I was out in front first, so I gassed on it and went in front of him. Looked behind me, and he was on my ass...I gassed it a little more and pull away.
When I got to the marina, I saw this dude on the dock waving. I waved back. I heard him shout something, so I cut my engine and shouted back...Say What? He said, Skipper are you looking for a slip? "Skipper" I thought to myself, more like Gilligan. Yes I shouted back, never been here before, I need a slip. Ok, there is one down by the boat with the green canvas. Oh great....I got to go into this skinny ass slip, with what looked like a brandnew beneteau on my left and a pearson on my right, and two big post on either side of the slip grinning at me. I made 3 attempts to nose in, and I could see the Dock Dude, standing there, arms folded and right toe tapping. 4th time is the charm. I came in real slow, and sorta sideways, but made it in, with only my bow spirit sliding up on the wooden dock a little. Now tied off and the dock dude standing there with his hand out for some of my greenbacks. I apologized incessently for taking so long, its ok he said at least you came in slow and didnt tear up my dock. Another sucessful docking under my belt, and it was docking number 4 without tearing up anything.

Ah coffee is ready, love the smell of fresh perked coffee, just wished I knew how to make it without the grounds showing up in my cup, but thats another story. So off today I will go, at 76 bucks a night, I cant affford to stay here, this is for the rich people, though worth a real toilet and a hot shower, and a little internet. Think I willl go to the outside, and make for Eggmont @29 miles away. Then I will go back to the inside to Venice. Suppose to be some bad weather coming thursday. If I dont get back on the net in a couple of days, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Happy/Merry Kwanzaa.

[BlackOak]

The link to the lastest photos I took.

My Seafarer and Adventures 2012 Photos by blackoak1 | Photobucket

[Seaworthy Lass]

Hi BlackOak
I just LOVE your enthusiasm .
I would have been yelling up to the bridge operator too .

Have a wonderful Christmas! I look forward to hearing more about your adventures .

Originally Posted by BlackOak

......For those of you who dream about sailing and the ocean and all that crap you see on TV with a fast sailboat skimming across the blue clear water, with dolphins dancing in front of the boat....its ********. Its done in a marina, with trained actor dolphins.......

PS The dolphins dancing is no ******** LOL. We get them playing at the bow frequently - they do love boat speed to be up to about 6 knots though before they are interested in coming over. They are such clowns as they leap and roll and chase one another from side to side and look up every now and again to check you are still there watching .
This was taken on the way to Croatia:

[David_Old_Jersey]

Good on ya Blackoak for perservering -boats feel better when the weather warms up a bit, keep heading south........slowly slowly catchee monkee .

and Merry Xmas!

[520eek]

Feliz Navidad to you Black Oak! Keep pushing on....the journey is worth the adventure! ( And I like reading about yours as well! )

[Dulcesuenos]

Blackoak we will be at the Crows nest Tuesday thru Wed if you are planning on staying its a good stop w the nest burgers around.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by BlackOak

... Eggmont @29 miles away. Then I will go back to the inside to Venice. Suppose to be some bad weather coming thursday. If I dont get back on the net in a couple of days, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Happy/Merry Kwanzaa.

Eggmont is a great spot, but be outta there before any bad weather comes in...if the wind picks up coming down Tampa Bay it can get pretty ugly in the anchorage at Egmont.

Don't try most of the entrances south of there at night. You could get in real trouble at Longboat Pass, Venice, or Boca Grande at night in bad weather.

Crow's Nest is an awesome place.

[ElGatoGordo]

Best "I've never sailed but..." thread EVER!!! But I have to admit, I was disappointed looking at your pictures. That's a really nice boat, I was picturing something a bit more...ummm...interesting...yeah, interesting

Keep it up Bro...we're pulling for you!!!

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

....

PS The dolphins dancing is no ******** LOL. We get them playing at the bow frequently....

Also, lots of dolphins near BlackOak's venue. Took pic below while crossing over Llyods Ridge where the shoal waters of the FL coast drop off to deep blue in the Gulf.

[Rocketman]

Just got off the phone with Blackoak and he wants everyone to know that he has made it to Sarasota or there abouts, and is doing fine. He also has made some observations. He says most of the people he has come across in other sail boats are "Old men with dogs". He might be a little jealous. He will let everone know how he is doing when he gets an internet conection.

[Dulcesuenos]

We stopped at a mooring in Sarasota on our way to pelican bay. It was rough as snot outside so we ducked into thru longboat pass and continued south. Hope to run into blackoak on the way if we get a chance.

[BlackOak]

Am I slow or what? I made it to Venice yesterday morning, after 5 boring hours on the ICW. Folks, the GIWW is like watching paint dry on a boat like mine. I get maybe average 4.5 knots, so it takes me twice as long to get someplace. I went through my first swing bridge at Blackburn Pass, and a few more drawbridges. Its a skinny ride from Sarasota to Venice on the GIWW. I was looking at land on either side of my boat not 10 feet away. Venice is a decent place, I am on the hook just east of Height Park, and using the Venice Yacht Club internet hotspot. I rode my bike over to the Crow's Nest this morning and checked the place out, but only the fuel dock was open. Then I took a little ride into town, @ a mile away, and a Publix/Walgreens is about 1 1/2 mile away. Its a cloudy day here, and the weather is suppose to rain next 2 days, so I am looking at a sunday morning hop to Boca Grande on the outside 28 mile run from marker to marker. Sure would be nice if someone on my boat knew how to sail, but we are lacking in that department. I took some photos, but left the camera on the boat, as I didnt know there was a hotspot here, so after this I will row back to the boat, get the camera, and put up my bike and groceries.

Really not having a good time, slow boat, GIWW, missing home an family, cold weather, and sitting on that damn little toilet!! I tried squatting the other day, and missed just as a wave passed under my boat. Cya all later. Gonna be here a couple of days.

ps. Folks, I am sure sailing is a great time, especially when ya can put the boat up at night and go home. However, for an inexperienced sailor, such as myself, in unknown waters, going via the water to a place I have never been to, through places I have never traveled through to get there its a tad bit stressful.