Oars as Barometer
My rasta pal Red Mon, he lives in a little shack on the de beach near de dinghy dock.
He say, “Watch de oars, Fatty, de oars tell de story.”
-
-
Provisioning for an Extended Period is Essential
Provisioning for an extended period is essential – and still folks are flummoxed. Why? Because they’re not sailors.
-
Sailing with Charlie: May Skullduggery
Traditional pirates led a tough life but it was one of freedom and adventure – one with wooden ships and iron men, quite opposite to today’s plastic ships and jelly bellies
-
Sailing with Charlie: Surprises
Over the years Charlie has had many types of guests on board his various charters
-
Sailing with Charlie: World cruisers are everywhere these days
With improving technology and yacht design the lifestyle is simpler and more comfortable than before and the older generation are finding it rewarding
-
History of Rum drinking in the Royal Navy
Rum drinking in the Royal Navy didn’t start because of a generous Admiralty. It began because water and beer went sour on long voyages
-
Sailing with Charlie: Navigation
Nautical navigation has come a long way in the last four decades. In 1980 GPS was only just over the horizon (pun intended) for private use.
-
Sailing with Charlie: Jingle Bubbles
Sailing with Charlie on Christmas: the elves’ workshop is slipping into the sea, the reindeer are worn out, and the season is booked solid.
-
The Terrible Truth About Misers, Sailboaters, Skinflints, Cruisers, Tightwads, Blowboaters, Yachties, & Other Synonyms
After 59 years of living aboard, my favorite cruiser type is Frugal Freddy—a sailor so cheap he squeaks.
-
Sailing with Charlie: Going Green
Going green used to mean that someone was about to be sea sick – not any more
-
Sailing with Charlie: September Supplies
Sailing with Charlie: do not trust the fridge. Yams, sweet potatoes and cassava will outlast it, and the take-out fanatic aboard will adapt.
-
Sailing with Charlie: August Sailing Boxes
Have you noticed how many boxes are sailing in Caribbean waters these days. There are big ones, little ones, giant ones, cheap ones and expensive ones.
-
Sailing with Charlie: Unparalleled Freedom of Cruising
At the end of the trip no tip was forthcoming. he had relinquished the expected gratuity by his rejection of what many would take to be a generous offer
-
Sailing With Charlie: Happiness is Giving
There’s so much bad news on the airwaves, cyber space and public media that it is really heart-warming to witness acts of kindness and generosity.
-
Refit or Brain Fade?
The problem with being a delusional marine journalist is that, sooner or later, you begin to believe your own swill.
-
Sailing with Charlie: Origins and Originals
Charlie often wonders about the origin of the species, especially in the context of sailing and the sea.
-
Sailing With Charlie: Man Overboard
“Man Overboard” is the term screamed at high volume when an unfortunate crew member departs the deck or rigging of a vessel underway and lands in the water at great peril to himself or herself. All crew members, whether in the dead of night in a raging storm, must jump from their warm bunks to…
-
Andy Turpin, Literary Role Model
I suppose every young writer remembers his first time—the excitement, the passion, and sheer pleasure of holding The Little Book in his hands—a literary love affair that lasts a lifetime. Most American journalists are exposed to Strunk and White’s Elements of Style at University. I, of course, was barely out of school when I ran away…
-
Sailing with Charlie
Infamous Irma and Maria – names now an unfortunate slight to the ladies who were dubbed with those monikers at birth, who, by association, are often referred to as ‘bitches, witches or whores. It makes you wonder if human names for hurricanes should be abandoned in favor of say, venomous snakes, wild dogs, stinging jellyfish,…
-
Sailing with Charlie: Chartering
Chartering in the Caribbean has come a long way in the last 50 years. In the ’70s when Charlie began his career as a charter yacht captain, charterers had to work hard before they arrived at that pristine anchorage and could finally settle back in the cockpit with an ice-cold beer or rum concoction. It…
