Hi from Toronto, Ontario

[sammy88]

Just to say Hi.

While I was in Havana a week ago for a vacation, I happened to take the T2 circuit tourist bus which ended up at Marina Hemingway. I marveled at the boats for a while there. Cuba will make a great place to cruise. I will be back some day with a boat there.

I have been day crisuing for 4 years now in Lake Ontario, I am a member of a sailing club which teaches and shares sail boats. An excellant arrangement. But now I intend to get more serious into sailing and eventually sail the world (I likley will need to drag my better half with me).

Near term goal is get some blue water experience. Finish my pilotting course and read, read and read. This site and its members have a wealth of experience for me to learn on crusing.

I probably will not be able to contribute much to this site for now as cruising is all about been there and tried that. But in time, I will be able to share some of my experiences like this summer being caught in a squall skippering a boat with 4 in experience sailors (one of them being my younger daughter) in a 2009 31 ft Catalina. It was quite the experience to the drop the sail, start the engine, motor into the wind but away from shore, while in a sea of gray walls all around, being pelted with hail, thunder, lightning, heavy rain, high wind and waves. Oh, the crew were safely below deck but they got a little bit sea sick. What save me was a discussion I had with one of the more experienced club sailor in the begining of the season,where he said, he just kept an eye on the compass and headed away from land. So after about 45 minutes eveything cleared. Risk management.

Stan

[Zednotzee]

Welcome!
Which club?

[boatpoker]

Welcome Sammy88. We live aboard at PCYC

[sammy88]

You can check the club out at humbersailingclub.com

Stan.

[sammy88]

We winter the club boats at PCYC. So you probably have seen us sanding and winterizing out boats in the Fall. In the spring, we are the first sailors to put our boats in the water usually 1 st week of April. Boy that is cold cruising.

stan.

[boatpoker]

Stan : You are not the first. There are 18 of us already there

[swagman]

G'Day and welcome,
Whaddaya mean not contribute? You've already contributed to raise my jealousy levels. It is sub zero in S coast Uk at the moment so reading of your wanderings in Havana is with mixed emotions. Posts some pictures - keep it up.
JOHN

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and Welcome aboard!
Good to have you here and posting in the forum.
regards,

[Allan S]

Hello Stan, the wife and I sail out of Hamilton....Allan

[sammy88]

Sorry no pictures of Havana.
We shared a bottle of rum while at at the Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba building. At the old Spanish mansion, regular live bands play to a mostly local crowd. We were listening to an African Cuban band, the music was excellent. Towards the end of the jam session, my camera got scammed from me or longterm borrowed. I handed it to one of the Cuban guys sharing a table with us to take pictures of the band members.

Don't get me wrong, Cubans are reasonably friendly people. Just watch out for the Cuban hustlers who speak English and their little scams in public places. No issue with the digital camera, which I intended to replace anyway. However, the better half was upset at the loss of our photos.

Can't wait to go back, there is an international Jazz festival in Feb which I would love to attend.

stan.