After a close start, we managed to close on the two leaders on the downwind leg of the race course. At this point Roland Barth aboard Ibis and Carl aboard Katzenjammer were ahead of us, Carl looked worried on this leg but ultimately held us off, only one problem, Roland walked away from him and the rest of the fleet on this stretch of the course.
Video: second leg of the race.
Monday, February 20, 2012
An interview of Catboat Tom
Catboat Tom, a character in his own right, was caught talking with Paul Smith, Geoff Marshall, and Ed Fernandez about another Character, spelled with a capital C Bad Bob Reddington of the Catboat Association.
Tom and Bob have known each for many years and relish every chance they get to disparage the other.
Tom and Bob have known each for many years and relish every chance they get to disparage the other.
Upper Keys Sailing Club Catboat Regatta, Second Race Of The Day
The Regatta was divided over three days, the first day was boat registration and time for a cocktail or two. The second day consisted of registration, a Skipper's meeting and two races, the a fine steak dinner to top everything off. The third day, after the Skipper's meeting the boats went out for one more race, followed by lunch and awards.
This video shows the first leg of the second race of the day. I was hoping to get more footage of the scheduled, non competitive race but after the start testosterone kicked in and everyone took off with that competitive look in their eyes. So much for sailing among the fleet and taking videos of sailors out for a leisurely sail on Buttonwood Sound.
This video shows the first leg of the second race of the day. I was hoping to get more footage of the scheduled, non competitive race but after the start testosterone kicked in and everyone took off with that competitive look in their eyes. So much for sailing among the fleet and taking videos of sailors out for a leisurely sail on Buttonwood Sound.
I know, leg is spelled with one g.
Upper Keys Sailing Club, Key largo, Fl
The UKSC hosted the First Annual Catboat Sailing Regatta at their club in Key Largo, there were fifteen Cat entries for the two day event. Geoff Marshall, of Marshall Marine delivered a new Sanderling to a customer for the occasion, after being rigged the new Cat was launched and Geoff, the new owner and his son went out for their first sail, it was the class of the fleet.
During the next couple of days I will be adding more information, pictures and videos to commorate the occasion.
This first video shows footage of the new Sanderling that was delivered just the day before. Geoff Marshall, Ed Fernandez (the new owner) and his son are sailing in their first race.
During the next couple of days I will be adding more information, pictures and videos to commorate the occasion.
This first video shows footage of the new Sanderling that was delivered just the day before. Geoff Marshall, Ed Fernandez (the new owner) and his son are sailing in their first race.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
The Florida Everglades is being transformed by Pythons and Boa Constrictors
A recent study of the Florida Everglades has revealed some startling facts, mammals of all kinds are disappearing from the Everglades ecosystem; up to 85 to 95 % reduction of mammals have vanished and are no longer being seen regularly. The cause has been traced to the increasing numbers of Boa Constrictors and Pythons, either dumped there by their owners after they get too big as pets or as a result of storms that destroyed buildings that housed these reptiles.
Here is a little bit of dramatic proof of just how big and how dangerous these creatures can become when allowed to hunt freely without any natural enemies to control their population.
WARNING... THESE PICTURES ARE A LITTLE GRAPHIC!
Here is a little bit of dramatic proof of just how big and how dangerous these creatures can become when allowed to hunt freely without any natural enemies to control their population.
WARNING... THESE PICTURES ARE A LITTLE GRAPHIC!
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| Huge snake captured by hunters in the Everglades |
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| This snakes head compared to the size of a human hand |
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| Yes, that's a full sized deer being removed from this Snake |
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| Engorged body of the snake, that deer traveled through that creatures mouth |
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| The one big worry that people, who live just outside of the Everglades is that this might soon be pets, or worse, an unsuspecting child. |
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Manatee Encounter
I had a visit from a Manatee yesterday, actually they come by quite often, grazing on aquatic plants along the dock and the bottom of the Bay. Here are a few facts about these docile and endangered creatures:
Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large, fully aquatic marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. The name manati comes from the Taino, a pre-Columbian people of the Caribbean, meaning 'breast'. They contain three of the four living species in the order Sirenia, the other being the dugong, which is native to the Eastern Hemisphere. The Sirenia is thought to have evolved from four-legged land mammals over 60 million years ago, with the closest living relatives being the Proboscidea (elephants) and Hyracoidea (hyraxes).
Manatees are mainly herbivores, spending most of their time grazing in shallow waters and at depths of 1-2 meters (3-7 ft). Much of the knowledge about manatees is based upon research done in Florida and cannot necessarily be attributed to all types of manatees. Generally, manatees have a mean mass of 400-550 kg (900-1200 lb), and mean length of 2.8-3.0 m (9-10 ft), with maximums of 3.6 meters and 1,775 kg seen (the females tend to be larger and heavier). When born, baby manatees have an average mass of 30 kg.
On average, most manatees swim at about 5 km/h to 8 km/h (1.4 m/s to 2.2 m/s; 3 to 5 miles per hour). However, they have been known to swim up to 30 km/h (8 m/s; 20 miles per hour) in short bursts. Manatees inhabit the shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (T. manatus, West Indian Manatee), the Amazon Basin (T. inunguis, Amazonian Manatee), and West Africa (T. senegalensis, West African Manatee). A fourth species, the Dwarf Manatee (T. bernhardi) was recently proposed for a population found in the Brazilian Amazon, although some have questioned its validity, instead believing it is an immature Amazonian Manatee. Florida is usually the northernmost range of the West Indian Manatee as their low metabolic rate makes cold weather endurance difficult. They may on occasion stray up the mid-Atlantic coast in summer. Half a manatee's day is spent sleeping in the water, surfacing for air regularly at intervals no greater than 20 minutes.
They emit a wide range of sounds used in communication, especially between cows and their calves, yet also between adults to maintain contact and during sexual and play behaviors. They may use taste and smell, in addition to sight, sound, and touch, to communicate. Manatees are capable of understanding discrimination tasks, and show signs of complex associated learning and advanced long term memory. They demonstrate complex discrimination and task-learning similar to dolphins and pinnipeds in acoustic and visual studies. Manatees typically breed only once every other year, since gestation lasts about 12 months, and it takes a further 12 to 18 months to wean the calf. Only a single calf is born at a time and aside from mothers with their young or males following a receptive female, manatees are generally solitary creatures.
DESCRIPTION: Large, seal-like body that tapers to a powerful flat tail. Two agile forelimbs with three to four toenails on each, which act like arms to help the manatee maneuver in shallow water, grasp and move food toward their mouths, and act like flippers during swimming. Thick and wrinkled skin with a rough texture - a bit jiggly under the neck and arms. Their skin reacts to touch, as their bodies are very muscular - contracting and changing shape slightly when scratched or tickled. Powerful upper lips which articulate to help maneuver food or dig through sediment.
SIZE : Average 9 to 10 feet long, weighing around 1,000 lbs. Can grow as large as 13 feet and weigh more than 3,000 lbs. Calves are born weighing about 40 lbs, gaining about 700 lbs. during their first year.
BEHAVIOR : Gentle and generally slow-moving. Most of the time is spent eating vegetation (100-150 lbs. per day), resting and traveling. On average manatees can travel about 40 to 50 miles a day, sometimes farther. Chessie, the famed manatee rescued from the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay and returned to Florida, was tagged with a locating device which showed he traveled as far as Rhode Island during hot summer months.
SIGHT : Some people believe Manatees are near sighted, or may have limited depth perception. It is believed that they can differentiate between colors. It is unclear how manatees navigate in pitch black or murky waters - when their eyesight would be of no use. They do have sparse body hair over their bodies, and thick whiskers on their faces. It is not clear if this aids in navigation. One expert is convinced, however, that they know exactly where swimmers are, even in blackout conditions.
HEARING : Manatees can hear very well despite the absence of external ear lobes. They are not believed to have the capabilities of echolocation.
BREATHING : Manatees are mammals and breath air through their noses at the surface - with nostrils which close tightly when submerged. They breath every few minutes when active or swimming, and every 10 to 15 minutes when resting. They are capable of exchanging 98% of their lungs capacity in one breath. Their lungs are very large, and are also used for buoyancy control. The rushing sound of a deep exhale and breath sound much like a snorkeler. This sound, and the associated "footprint" left by the manatees tail and body at the surface are clues which reveal the presence of manatees in the area.
HABITAT AND FOOD : Manatees are found in coastal waterways, estuaries, salt water bays, rivers and canals, particularly where seagrass beds are located. Manatees are completely herbivorous and can eat 10-15% of their bodyweight daily. In captivity they are fed lettuce and other greens, and given elephant vitamins.
REPRODUCTION : Females mature around 5 to 9 years of age, and males not until 6 to 9 years of age. It is believed that one calf is born every 2 to 5 years. Twins are rare in the wild. Gestation period is around 13 months. Newborns weigh approximately 40 pounds at birth and stay with them other for several years.
Manatee Facts and Information
Manatees (family Trichechidae, genus Trichechus) are large, fully aquatic marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows. The name manati comes from the Taino, a pre-Columbian people of the Caribbean, meaning 'breast'. They contain three of the four living species in the order Sirenia, the other being the dugong, which is native to the Eastern Hemisphere. The Sirenia is thought to have evolved from four-legged land mammals over 60 million years ago, with the closest living relatives being the Proboscidea (elephants) and Hyracoidea (hyraxes).
Manatees are mainly herbivores, spending most of their time grazing in shallow waters and at depths of 1-2 meters (3-7 ft). Much of the knowledge about manatees is based upon research done in Florida and cannot necessarily be attributed to all types of manatees. Generally, manatees have a mean mass of 400-550 kg (900-1200 lb), and mean length of 2.8-3.0 m (9-10 ft), with maximums of 3.6 meters and 1,775 kg seen (the females tend to be larger and heavier). When born, baby manatees have an average mass of 30 kg.
On average, most manatees swim at about 5 km/h to 8 km/h (1.4 m/s to 2.2 m/s; 3 to 5 miles per hour). However, they have been known to swim up to 30 km/h (8 m/s; 20 miles per hour) in short bursts. Manatees inhabit the shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico (T. manatus, West Indian Manatee), the Amazon Basin (T. inunguis, Amazonian Manatee), and West Africa (T. senegalensis, West African Manatee). A fourth species, the Dwarf Manatee (T. bernhardi) was recently proposed for a population found in the Brazilian Amazon, although some have questioned its validity, instead believing it is an immature Amazonian Manatee. Florida is usually the northernmost range of the West Indian Manatee as their low metabolic rate makes cold weather endurance difficult. They may on occasion stray up the mid-Atlantic coast in summer. Half a manatee's day is spent sleeping in the water, surfacing for air regularly at intervals no greater than 20 minutes.
They emit a wide range of sounds used in communication, especially between cows and their calves, yet also between adults to maintain contact and during sexual and play behaviors. They may use taste and smell, in addition to sight, sound, and touch, to communicate. Manatees are capable of understanding discrimination tasks, and show signs of complex associated learning and advanced long term memory. They demonstrate complex discrimination and task-learning similar to dolphins and pinnipeds in acoustic and visual studies. Manatees typically breed only once every other year, since gestation lasts about 12 months, and it takes a further 12 to 18 months to wean the calf. Only a single calf is born at a time and aside from mothers with their young or males following a receptive female, manatees are generally solitary creatures.
Quick Guide to Manatees
DESCRIPTION: Large, seal-like body that tapers to a powerful flat tail. Two agile forelimbs with three to four toenails on each, which act like arms to help the manatee maneuver in shallow water, grasp and move food toward their mouths, and act like flippers during swimming. Thick and wrinkled skin with a rough texture - a bit jiggly under the neck and arms. Their skin reacts to touch, as their bodies are very muscular - contracting and changing shape slightly when scratched or tickled. Powerful upper lips which articulate to help maneuver food or dig through sediment.
SIZE : Average 9 to 10 feet long, weighing around 1,000 lbs. Can grow as large as 13 feet and weigh more than 3,000 lbs. Calves are born weighing about 40 lbs, gaining about 700 lbs. during their first year.
BEHAVIOR : Gentle and generally slow-moving. Most of the time is spent eating vegetation (100-150 lbs. per day), resting and traveling. On average manatees can travel about 40 to 50 miles a day, sometimes farther. Chessie, the famed manatee rescued from the cold waters of the Chesapeake Bay and returned to Florida, was tagged with a locating device which showed he traveled as far as Rhode Island during hot summer months.
SIGHT : Some people believe Manatees are near sighted, or may have limited depth perception. It is believed that they can differentiate between colors. It is unclear how manatees navigate in pitch black or murky waters - when their eyesight would be of no use. They do have sparse body hair over their bodies, and thick whiskers on their faces. It is not clear if this aids in navigation. One expert is convinced, however, that they know exactly where swimmers are, even in blackout conditions.
HEARING : Manatees can hear very well despite the absence of external ear lobes. They are not believed to have the capabilities of echolocation.
BREATHING : Manatees are mammals and breath air through their noses at the surface - with nostrils which close tightly when submerged. They breath every few minutes when active or swimming, and every 10 to 15 minutes when resting. They are capable of exchanging 98% of their lungs capacity in one breath. Their lungs are very large, and are also used for buoyancy control. The rushing sound of a deep exhale and breath sound much like a snorkeler. This sound, and the associated "footprint" left by the manatees tail and body at the surface are clues which reveal the presence of manatees in the area.
HABITAT AND FOOD : Manatees are found in coastal waterways, estuaries, salt water bays, rivers and canals, particularly where seagrass beds are located. Manatees are completely herbivorous and can eat 10-15% of their bodyweight daily. In captivity they are fed lettuce and other greens, and given elephant vitamins.
REPRODUCTION : Females mature around 5 to 9 years of age, and males not until 6 to 9 years of age. It is believed that one calf is born every 2 to 5 years. Twins are rare in the wild. Gestation period is around 13 months. Newborns weigh approximately 40 pounds at birth and stay with them other for several years.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Going Back Country
Yesterday with two friends I went out into the Back Country of Florida Bay to fish. We were a little hesitant at first because rain threatened most of the morning, after some thought and a glance at the latest radar, we decided to go. Lucky for us the rain stayed over the land while we had decent conditions to fish.
Here is a short video showing us heading out to fish in my friend Skip's boat.
Here is a short video showing us heading out to fish in my friend Skip's boat.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Lee Marie coming home after a day on the water.
We have had a couple of days that rain was the big news, it usually does not rain like this in the winter, any how, between the drops I went out for an afternoon sail. Coming back in Roland captured these pictures of me and Lee Marie.
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| Entering the harbor |
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| Rolands bougainvillea |
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| Tacking Water depth here is about 20" |
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| Getting into position to lower sail |
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| Topping lift tight just before lowering away |
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| Into the wind |
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| Heading home to the dock |
Friday, February 3, 2012
Afternoon Delight
I caught my friend Roland sailing by yesterday near sunset, he was getting in a last sail before we are assailed with rather breezy conditions for the next few days. I was scheduled to join him but an unexpected freezer melt down prevented that. Roland, like me chooses to come South for the winter to escape the brutally cold winters of Maine.
GMZ031-031530-
FLORIDA BAY INCLUDING BLACKWATER AND BUTTONWOOD SOUNDS-
431 AM EST FRI FEB 3 2012
...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...
...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR INCREASING WINDS MAY BE REQUIRED LATER
THIS MORNING...
.TODAY...EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS...INCREASING TO NEAR 20 KNOTS
DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS. BAY WATERS CHOPPY...BECOMING ROUGH.
.TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...EAST WINDS NEAR 20 KNOTS. BAY WATERS ROUGH.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. BAY WATERS CHOPPY.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.SUNDAY...EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. BAY WATERS A
LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.MONDAY AND TUESDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. BAY WATERS A LIGHT
TO MODERATE CHOP. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
GMZ031-031530-
FLORIDA BAY INCLUDING BLACKWATER AND BUTTONWOOD SOUNDS-
431 AM EST FRI FEB 3 2012
...SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION...
...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR INCREASING WINDS MAY BE REQUIRED LATER
THIS MORNING...
.TODAY...EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS...INCREASING TO NEAR 20 KNOTS
DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS. BAY WATERS CHOPPY...BECOMING ROUGH.
.TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...EAST WINDS NEAR 20 KNOTS. BAY WATERS ROUGH.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.SATURDAY NIGHT...EAST WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS. BAY WATERS CHOPPY.
ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.SUNDAY...EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. BAY WATERS A
LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP. ISOLATED SHOWERS.
.MONDAY AND TUESDAY...EAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS. BAY WATERS A LIGHT
TO MODERATE CHOP. SCATTERED SHOWERS.
 |
| Roland and his sunset sail by |
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