Meeting people while cruising...

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Jim is our ambassador. He's a good schmoozer.

I think, the least threatening invitation to total strangers is to come over for a cuppa. We have coffee, black tea, green tea, and herb tea, and some cookies to offer. But it is such a small invitation that it is easy to accept and confers no obligation on the recipient.

With any invitation, it is necessary for me to understand beforehand that they may have other arrangements, and that's okay, just like it's okay to not invite someone aboard if you're in the middle of a job, even when you're normally good friends. Mostly this is understood by experienced cruisers.

I would agree with Dockhead, though, that the closer to the end of the road you get, the friendlier the people are. And, you get what you expect.

Ann

This is true. I was even invited aboard recently with my eclectus parrot. Sonny's first time on American soil. Thanks guys and I agree about The Gold Coast too.

[Sojourner]

Most recent way I met a crew was when they anchored up next to us on a charter boat, banged down the anchor in twenty seconds (no snub, no reverse) and began vigorously pumping something in the cockpit. Soon a giant rubber ducky shaped tube appeared. One of the guys launched it into the water, jumped after it and immediately the wind snatched it from him and started blowing it out to sea. He's swimming frantically after till he wisely returned to the boat. They looked so dejected I couldn't help put down my beer and zipped off to fetch the by now half mile away bird... they were so stoked, got some beers out of the deal. Also asked me for anchor advice and I told them to please at least get the scope to 3-1 hey?

Great advice to motor around sometime and ask if anyone needs anything from shore.... gonna try that.

[zboss]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

Great advice to motor around sometime and ask if anyone needs anything from shore.... gonna try that.

Try not to appear too desperate!

In addition to the great advise above, we also meet a lot of folks through the radio nets and cruiser nets. It’s like a mixer for cruisers. Mostly, since we often run the meet ups we meet a lot of folks that we wouldn’t otherwise... not sure how common radio nets are worldwide but at least in the usa east coast and the Caribbean, they are common.

[jmh2002]

Not sure if people are 'less friendly' these days, but in the past I never found it a problem to meet people from both bigger and smaller boats, and across different age groups, younger and older.

All it took was starting with a friendly 'hello'. Not very complicated...

[johnnyH]

it is an easy community to meet people. it is a community of kindred souls. simply say hello to folks and to the locals. have cards made up with your name, boat name and contact information to pass out

[Nariel]

Love the idea of a database! Just started one because of this thread...all of 3 entries. Can't wait to see how it grows as the years go by.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

my antipathy towards Southport and the Gold Coast area in general has to do with the proliferation of ignorant and aggressive boaters in large Riviera m/y, fleets of jet skis, "thrill rides" full of tourists slaloming through the anchorages, helicopters passing low overhead every few minutes, paraglide boats dangling their customers dangerously low over other boats, and a general Las Vegas style hype about everything in sight. The ghastly skyline is aesthetically repugnant as you sail up the coast as well,

You've summed up the Gold Coast to a "T".

[JPA Cate]

People names are like John and Emma, and boats are like "Wanderlust". You'll be meeting more Johns and Michaels and Jeffs and Kates and Sues and Emmas than Wanderlusts.

Ann

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

People names are like John and Emma, and boats are like "Wanderlust". You'll be meeting more Johns and Michaels and Jeffs and Kates and Sues and Emmas than Wanderlusts.

Ann

Im terrible at remembering people names, but very good at remembering faces and boat names.

[bvander]

We always anchor. When dinghying buy say hi, point out sonething you like about their boat or have a question about the boat, owners always love to talk about their boat. Other opening where they headed.
Good boat card is great. We include a pic of us and our boat. When we recieve a card we always write on back date, location, and something about them.

[montenido]

This is one of my favorite things about cruising! We meet people all the time at the dock or when out. We cruise the Sea of Cortez, which has wide open anchorages. Our usual method is to take the paddle boards around after anchoring. We talk to other anchored crews and see what happens. More often than not, we end up inviting new friends over for cocktails and it goes from there. The best part is that we run into these friends weeks, months, or years later. Absolutely Fabulous!

Cheers, Bill

[Group9]

If you are not meeting people and having fun while cruising, you are doing it wrong.

[Gene Neill]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

I have also found tapping on hulls and inviting folks for sundowners works most times.

Is this a generally accepted method of ... "knocking"? I was asking around about that recently, how to properly get someone's attention if no one was visible on deck.



I was told that a loud "Ahoy, such-and-such boat name" was commonplace and acceptable. Yes? No?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by dixiedawg

Is this a generally accepted method of ... "knocking"? I was asking around about that recently, how to properly get someone's attention if no one was visible on deck.



I was told that a loud "Ahoy, such-and-such boat name" was commonplace and acceptable. Yes? No?

Yep, "ahoy" first and then, if no response and you really want to have a word, tapping on the hull is acceptable. We are seldom rebuffed...

Jim

[ClubClaudia]

Thank you so much for this thread! We just bought our boat in sailboat in Slovenia in June and have been sailing off the coast of Croatia. All of my friends here in Texas are so excited for us, but I find life on the boat a bit lonely - to the point where going back for 6 weeks seems like a chore. There were so many charter boat in Croatia who were not interested in getting to know us. We are heading back in mid-September and heading down to Corfu until spring. I’m hoping that after the busy season, I’ll be able to make the friends you all are able to cherish and enjoy. I guess my spreadsheet will sit ready to go!