The Greatest Country On Earth To Cruise Is...

[Sailormantx]

The whole planet is a great place! The world does not end at an arbitrary political boundary, but one has to travel to learn that. Everywhere I go, I find it interesting whether it be the scenery, people or culture. Even Lagos Nigeria has some interesting markets. There are some places better than others for fixing boats, shopping, sitting on the beach ,etc. And all have their peculiarities . It's all intriguing, I don't think there is any one "best" place, just best for whatever you are looking for at this time.

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by ausaviator

As a non-USA resident, it's interesting to read and try and comprehend your comments on the USA being a "great" country. From an isolated cruising perspective perhaps, but in no other way from what we read and see about the USA.

- Massive gun control issues
- Frequent murders and horrific crime
- A shocking road toll
- Hijackings and terrorism activity
- Random one-punch TKO competitions
- School and university shootings / murders pretty much every week
- Random killings
- An economy in crisis
- A minimum wage of $8?
- Healthcare issues?
- Poverty, slums and dodgey neighborhoods

I've never seen so many homeless people as when I visited LA, NYC and Honolulu.

Sorry, but you'll have to do more convincing to prove that it is as great as you say it is or unless someone else can prove otherwise!

A few points :

When the US economy is in crisis, it's still the strongest in the world. Right now, it has key economic figures that most European countries would kill for. Unemployment rate, GDP, inflation, you name it.

The US crime rate is only high compared to other 1st world countries. Compared to South America, it's excellent.

US healthcare is the best in the world if you can afford it, or have insurance.

A dodgy neighborhood in the US is quite similar to a dodgy one in any other 1st world country.

$8 an hour is one of the highest minimum wages in the world.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by downunder

Hopefully I will get to cruise Patagonia some day. I did read it is not as simple as you suggest for a foreigner sailing having to report in to the Armada all the time.

Cheers

The reporting in isn't a biggy... I just send an email by sailmail once a day, you can avoid it entirely as you are not required to carry HF.. just don't tick the 'HF' box when filling out your Zarpe. However the south is seriously remote and if something happens you could be waiting a very long time for help. Some years ago a French boat two days behind us had a propane explosion, boat burnt and sunk.... they hadn't been reporting to the Armada... two weeks later posted overdue at their next port ( Pto Eden) . Two weeks later posted missing... Armada started sent out a helo.... found em before lunch. They had been sitting on the beach for a month.. her with bad burns, him 84 with a heart condition. Bet they wished they had been reporting in.

Second case, we had been battened down for 4 days in a real screamer in Canal Magdalena... no radio comms as very high steep cliffs all around... when the wx moderated and we got moving again there was an urgent request waiting on Sailmail for us to let them know we were OK.
Good people... I can't speak too highly of the Armada.

Unlike the water nazis in Australia who have bugger all better to do than harass people over anchor lights, sleeping on board at Bribie Island or carrying a Swarbrick with the intent of anchoring on seagrass beds.

[El Pinguino]

And also... all the Chilean fishing boats have to check in daily as well... all by voice twice a day on 4146.... that is a seriously long traffic list....

[Richard_W]

Originally Posted by NoTies

It's an American-centric forum. Hardly the place to expect a "world view". Personally I feel most other countries in the world offer what the US has to offer. You just need to look for it.

Not even close ... and I am not American, at least not born American, and English is my second language ... just FYI.

Many countries can offer what US has, but very few countries if any can offer ALL what US has to offer. The sheer size and spread over nearly all habitable climatic zones south to north and from one ocean to another from east to west, with great lakes, rivers, mountains, canyons, and prairies in between ... show me another country so wast and diverse in its geography and population.

You cannot beat that. If you add neighboring Canada to your itinerary ... one could spend a lifetime sailing and hiking the places worth sailing and hiking in North America.

I challenge you to point to another country that offers same or better diversity for a collective cruiser or a boater of any sort.

BTW, knocking down US does not prove that some other place is better.

[DeepFrz]

Be quiet you. We don't want 'em all here.

Coops.

And the natives are friendly too...

[northoceanbeach]

How a nice thread became a bunch of Australians trying to brag I have no idea.

I'm American. I don't think it's the best country but it is one of them. I think a lot of the hate we get is jealousy. Mostly because we are the most powerful, richest and influential country. Jealous people are quick to point out our flaws. All while they are driving, flying, using computers we invented. Probably wearing clothes we designed and healthy enough to write because of medicine we developed.

If someone posted a similar post to South Africa or Mexico no one would say a thing.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

How a nice thread became a bunch of Australians trying to brag I have no idea.

I'm American. I don't think it's the best country but it is one of them. I think a lot of the hate we get is jealousy. Mostly because we are the most powerful, richest and influential country. Jealous people are quick to point out our flaws. All while they are driving, flying, using computers we invented. Probably wearing clothes we designed and healthy enough to write because of medicine we developed.

If someone posted a similar post to South Africa or Mexico no one would say a thing.

Bugger..... I just bit my tongue orf....

[boatman61]

Well in my... Ahh forget it.. not going there...

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Never say never... if you can get a handle on your healthcare situation and maybe just a couple other teensy weensy changes, you would quite likely be invited to become part of Canada.

We may not be part of Canada, but we know, the emails you send, the phone calls you make, the tweets you delete, what you eat, where you go, what hockey team you like, who you picked on in school, your thoughts, your hopes, and your dreams. we have a file on everyone in the world. its like we are related :P

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by scoobert

We may not be part of Canada, but we know, the emails you send, the phone calls you make, the tweets you delete, what you eat, where you go, what hockey team you like, who you picked on in school, your thoughts, your hopes, and your dreams. we have a file on everyone in the world. its like we are related :P

We??? Do you work for Facebook?

[scoobert]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

We??? Do you work for Facebook?

no, i pay taxes.
AKA i sponsor:
murder,
lies,
mass murder,
genocide,
snooping,
locking people away without charges,
infanticide,
police brutality,
and oppression of the weak.
WE are USA, we run you.












.... i can't wait to move.....

[Parmenter]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

A few points :

When the US economy is in crisis, it's still the strongest in the world.

Made up from ever increasing debt and rubbery figures
Shadow Government Statistics - Home Page

The US crime rate is only high compared to other 1st world countries.

But comparable to many 3rd world countries and you'd be worst than most of them.

US healthcare is the best in the world if you can afford it, or have insurance.

The same in many 3rd world countries (Thailand has one of the worlds best hospitals) and if you dont have insurance or cant afford it, you die.

Many other countries have no such issue, especially first world countries

A dodgy neighborhood in the US is quite similar to a dodgy one in any other 1st world country.

Rubbish, I apparently live in what is considered a dodgy neighborhood in Australia and have never heard a gunshot, had a break in or had a car stolen in 15 years of living here and I can safely walk the streets at night.
Can the same be said for a dodgy american suburb?

$8 an hour is one of the highest minimum wages in the world.

As long as your world doesn't include
Australia
Luxembourg
Monaco
France
Belgium
San Marino
New Zealand
Ireland
Netherlands
United Kingdom
Canada
and Japan which all have higher minimum wages than America

[SailBender]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

A few points :

When the US economy is in crisis, it's still the strongest in the world. Right now, it has key economic figures that most European countries would kill for. Unemployment rate, GDP, inflation, you name it.

The US is beat in most economic metrics except for GDP, which the usefulness of the metric is highly questionable in economic theory.

Originally Posted by MarkSF

The US crime rate is only high compared to other 1st world countries. Compared to South America, it's excellent.

That is a pretty bad when you have to compare our crime rate to third world countries!

Originally Posted by MarkSF

US healthcare is the best in the world if you can afford it, or have insurance.

This isn't true at all. I don't know why so many people here in the US say this. Maybe if you repeat it enough times it will magically become true. We are beat in the majority of health metrics by other countries, especially in important things like life expectancy. Yes we do have foremost experts in certain fields, but then again, so do other countries. Every medical case is different and you may find you need to head to Singapore for certain things and not always just stay in the US.

Originally Posted by MarkSF

$8 an hour is one of the highest minimum wages in the world.

We are actually beat by a bunch of countries on this as well. The scary part of this story is how many people are actually earning just minimum wage in the US.

I like to think that the best way to fix problems with our country is to acknowledge them in the first place rather than pretend like they don't exist.

[Coops]

There a few areas in the major cities here in Australia that are considered no go zones at night I am afraid, even by the police. But generally, I agree with you, especially the minimum wage thing.

Coops.