The Captain and Crew of Second Wind are back in the Philadelphia area and relaxing on the Delaware Bay after completing our first trip to the Bahamas (see pictures below).  We are also happy to announce that shipments of Laughing Pirates air freshener/deodorizers are back to normal after the temporary delay reported last month.

Here we are laughing our away across the deep blue of the Gulf Stream on our early June return. The strong current and the southwest headwind made our 65 nm trip quite a long, but uneventful day.  We started at first light from Mangrove Cay, cruised past Memory Rock and then motor-crabbed across the stream which on this day extended to within a mile of the Florida coast and Lake Worth inlet (North Palm Beach).   We anchored in Lake Worth as darkness descended.

We attempted to use the new CBP (Customs and Border Patrol) Roam app to manage our re-entry to the US, but the program seemed a little awkward to use which led to some user errors and an “Entry Denied”.   According to the first agent I called this required us to pay a visit to the customs office near the inlet the next morning.  But the agent at the office said we should try again to use the “buggy” app vs. waiting on hold with the 800 number.  With some corrections to our profiles we resubmitted our electronic entry request and then within a few minutes completed our online video interview with another very helpful agent.  “Entry Approved!” With our corrected profiles we should have no problem completing the process on our next re-entry.

It was a great trip and experience and we definitely would like to further explore  the many other islands and areas of the vast Bahamas and its crystal clear waters.

Captain’s Note: With the beautiful sunny weather and steady breezes we were able complete this three-week cruise from Florida using a total of only 80 gallons of diesel.  This was accomplished by relying on our solar array to power our refrigerator and freezer boxes, ice-maker and fans while sailing/motor-sailing stretched our cruising mileage.   On our next trip we will adjust our loading to bring less fuel and more of other liquids.

 

 

 

Due to unforeseen difficulties, shipments of Laughing Pirates will need to be temporarily suspended through June 15.

May 21, 2019 (Bahamas)

While working our way south through Florida enroute to the Bahamas the crew of Second Wind was waylaid by a mutinous banjo coupling and then attacked by a band of party pirates from the high country of Colorado.  The oil line coupling to our diesel’s oil cooler had apparently been disturbed during a recent cleaning and overhaul of the cooler, emptying the engine oil into our engine bed pan where it was contained.  We had to lay up to schedule and undergo the needed repairs.

As our ship lay disabled and our crew dispirited this was all the opportunity needed for beer-thirsty pirates to attack at the Tiki Bar of the Marriott Resort at Hutchinson Island, Florida.  They stripped us of all our on-hand stores of the Laughing Pirates air freshener/deodorizers as they were so excited to discover the product and wanted to urgently test it back home.  Once the oil and smoke had cleared we found ourselves back enroute to the Bahamas but without the “trunk stock” we normally carry to fulfill orders that come in while we are traveling.

An emergency executive board meeting was held today in the Bahamas which included member Alan Ashworth who had flown in specially for the session.  The board of the Delegraph Group LLC weighed the options of returning immediately to the US to replenish stocks or temporarily delaying shipments.  After protracted discussions followed by rumination it was decided to take the unprecedented step of delaying shipments.  It was not a dark and stormy afternoon as board member Alan soberly summarized the gloomy situation and the board’s final vote “Shit happens, so ship won’t happen.”

In respect to inconvenienced customers coming into the prime boating and RV season up north it was also decided by the Board to make a special “two-for” offer (BOGO) through June 15.  Simply indicate one of the desired fragrances, and two will be shipped for the same price.  However, please allow up to four weeks for delivery.

Be on the lookout for Mark and Lori Paiz of Parker, Colorado! They are both armed with a quick wit and extremely fun to be around.  We look forward to working with them to develop the Laughing Pirate concept in their market.  In full disclosure they did compensate us for the stock they took as well as several rounds of drinks to cover shipping and handling.

CAUTION: Graphic Images Follow.

After replenishing the oil and restarting the engine, a careful exam finally revealed the “smoking” or rather “leaking” gun on this Yanmar diesel – the banjo fitting or coupling seen in the upper right of the photo.

We all can’t hope to sit on the iron throne, but we all spend time on the wooden or porcelain throne.   And for those times we have the Laughing Pirates air freshener/deodorizers.   The precision combination of fragrance and advanced deodorizing compounds provides the odor clearing power you need in your boat or camper.  You can even put one above your chamber pot to keep your cell smelling fresh.

Just in time for the spring and summer!

You can now order the special limited edition “iron” Laughing Pirate forged in dragon flames and featuring an iron gray color and a delightful citrus scent infused in a polymer for long-lasting freshness and light weight for shipping.  Click here to see more detailed information and better picture of the product or click here to go to our Pay-Pal secured ordering pages and take advantage of free shipping!

This month’s contest:   Who do you think will ultimately sit on the iron throne?  Submit one guess per person under comments and the first correct answer submitted will win a special edition “iron” pirate at the conclusion of the season.

 

 

 

While earlier this year we talked about a Tampa pirate festival inspired neither by facts nor recorded history, this month we follow up with an event that does have a basis of authenticity.   Every year the city of St. Augustine commemorates a tragic time in the city’s long past when an English raiding party led by Captain Robert Searle attacked the city in 1668.  Searle’s men battled the early settlers and Spanish defenders through the streets of St. Augustine in order to claim the prize of the silver ingots in the city’s treasury.  The event is sponsored by Searle’s Buccaneers and the Men of Menendez (members of the Florida Historic Militia), with the assistance of the St. John’s County Tourist Development Council.

As the oldest continually inhabited European settlement in North America,  St. Augustine has a rich history and claims a special place in the hearts of aging pirates everywhere.  It features this annual reenactment, a very nice pirate museum, a pirate themed river cruise and the site of the Ponce de Leon inspired Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.  If you you are willing to drink from the fount of the Gullible you may very much enjoy the side trip and parking and admission tickets to this park just outside of the city.

However, on our recent trips to the area we enjoyed primarily the historic district including the Castillo de San Marcos as well as Fort Mantanzas just south of St. Augustine along with ICW.   It includes a nice anchorage area which the dolphin still regularly patrol to this day.

Here are a few clips from this year’s reenactment on Saturday, March 2nd, conducted in a bit of a squall so not all powder was able to be kept dry.  It is a bit embarrassing when your flintlock fails repeatedly in public.

Updated March 1, 2019

Rich Guertin has been named winner of the Laughing Pirates 2019 Invitational.  His score was challenged by his partner player who ultimately admitted after his own internal review “At this time, I can confirm that I am apparently not the level of golfer I thought.  As such, the … Invitational Winner can be confirmed.”

Even during this challenge from a returning invitational player, Rich, showing the true champion he is commented “New Blood, even if it is older, is needed to allow the tournament to continue to grow.”  We look forward to his participation next year as he is sure to not only improve the level of play, but the spirit of competition and sportsmanship as well.

Congratulations to Rich in his inaugural appearance at the invitational.  As winner he will automatically receive an invitation to the 2020 event.

Kissimmee, Florida (original story as published February 28)

The third annual Laughing Pirates Invitational Golf Tournament ended in controversy as a contestant disputed the scoring,  forcing a protracted review of the scorecards supplemented by review of camera and video footage.

Tournament sponsor and host Walt Delevich explained “I guess as we continually expand the field and purse for this tournament it is natural there might eventually be an issue.  We had great weather, getting in our final round at the Orange Lake Legends course before afternoon rain clouds moved in.   I didn’t expect we would already have the dark clouds of controversy over what has been a gentlemen’s game up to this point.”  He declined to name the contestant disputing the results, cryptically saying only “it’s all water under the swim trunks.”

He was able to state undisputedly that the winner of last month’s “caption the photo” contest went to Nancy H. with the winning response of “Let the deflating commence.”  She will win a Laughing Pirate deodorizer/air freshener, in her choice of colors/fragrances/designs that she will undoubtedly employ in her recently doubled-sized RV upgrade.  Read more about how she manages being a Patriot’s fan and  life on the road with her mate Svend here.

The captain and crew of Second Wind missed the first Gasparilla event in Tampa some 115 years ago, but we were lucky enough to make our first this year.  On Saturday, January 26th at around 12:30 PM the pirate “ship” Jose Gasparilla was pushed/pulled by tugs through the Seddon Channel and into downtown Tampa. It commemorates the, well, the events that were staged the year before, and many years before that by clever marketers starting in 1904.  With cannons and guns blazing the Jose once again took the city by storm, conveniently doing so in front of the city Convention Center.  It was quite a site among the smoke and noise, the large hulking ship (it’s really just a decorated barge) with remnants of tattered sails and heavily manned crow’s nests, rigging and decks, plodding slowly up the channel among a sea of pleasure craft.

This was staged to the delight of the several hundred $120 brunch ticket holders (alcohol not included) sitting dockside on the Convention Center patio above the public RiverWalk.  We were disappointed to be scurried off the walk by private security well before the ship was even in view.  But, why else buy the overpriced brunch if you can get the show for free? We managed to find our way to a nearby outside bar were we could secure obscured viewing at $7 a 16 oz. Bud Light.

After the landing and disembarking the heavily-bellied pirates (alcohol included) were herded onto busses that attempted to rush them several miles away to the starting point of the Gasparilla Parade.  Unfortunately, in their haste and/or excitement a few of the  bus drivers (alcohol included?) chain-crashed their vehicles into the lead bus.  (Drafting should be reserved for the Daytona 500 and professionals) A few passengers were sent to the hospital but even worse, the parade was delayed by a full thirty minutes.  Why is this important?

Well,  my first impression is that the parade brings business and attention to Tampa, but it is also kind of an unofficial coming out party for local teenage girls and a way for the university gulls and buoys to get their “sea” legs.  Neither group is good with moderation or timing, and the extra time allowed for more drinking than scheduled after the carefully planned morning “pre-game” parties.  This was enough to push some over the edge.  I observed many that had to sit down to get their bearings and avoid the spins during the later afternoon hours of the delayed parade.  It was Bourbon Street on Bayshore Boulevard, with the requisite bead throwing, but featuring more Budweiser, Rum, Ganja and these days who knows what else.

And unlike most of Bourbon Street this Boulevard was purely residential, offering nothing in the way of bars, restaurants or flushing toilets. The YMKG* claims that the parade is the third largest in the United States and it certainly attracts a sizable crowd along the Bayshore Boulevard, a tony mix of bayside historic Craftsman homes as well as period appropriate McMansions.

I would think that the influx of pirate clad and partially unclad revelers might upset some of the working rich along the shore, but if there are any serious complaints or issues they are quickly handled or at least disappear from the online world.  Some residents do enjoy their own private parties (with fencing and hired security to protect them from the unwashed masses) or they can also profit by allowing corporate hospitality rentals of their properties.

Captain Fear of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a crowd and personal parade favorite, standing proud on the stern of his ship. It could only be better if they had an effigy of Tom Brady hanging from the yard arm.  Perhaps it is only my sense of neither the Philadelphia Eagles nor the Chicago Bears making the Super Bowl, but hopefully Mr. Deflategate will get his next Sunday.

Overall it was a pretty well-organized and run event, and perhaps a good model for private/public partnership.  It got me to come to the city, and I will leave with a good impression of the area and of the community involvement and cooperation.  Please don’t ask about the historical accuracy or authenticity of actual events, people or ships.  Most people don’t really care and a good story doesn’t always rely on just the facts.  I hope to get to the sack of St. Augustine next month to make up for this past weekend.

Please let me know if you would like to come to the Tampa event next year.  Also, for this month’s contest, under Comments,  please submit your caption for the cheerleader and Captain Fear photo above.  Winner will receive a Laughing Pirate air freshener/deodorizer.

 

* Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla – this private and somewhat mysterious organization controls Gasparilla Fest and states that their mission is to enrich the vitality and imagination of Tampa and the surrounding areas.  Any information on their site regarding members, officers, corporate structure is not given, perhaps it is included in the area reserved for their exclusive pirate members.

Don’t forget to put a laughing pirate in your mates’ stocking next year.  And when the long-lasting fragrance/deodorizer is used up, hang them in your tree for the holidays!  (Use a fresh one if you want to get rid of that pine scent that some find annoying. Order here.)

What could be jollier than a pirate laughing away in your Christmas tree?  Well how about a pirate with a 2019 WaterWay Guide to a new cruising ground for Second Wind?  Bahamas here we come!  If you have any suggested ports or anchorages, please let us know.  We plan to depart from South Florida when the stream and the winds are aligned for comfortable offshore sailing sometime in late winter/early spring of next year.

Always be sure to use the latest guides and check regularly online for updates.

In the meantime we will shiver our timbers for a few more weeks up north as we start our detailed cruising planning.  Happy New Year and hope all your cruising dreams come true in 2019!

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As we made our way up Skull Creek last week on our way back from Daufuskie Island to Beaufort, I noticed something unusual about a power cruiser coming up behind us.   It had just passed under the main route 278 bridge (officially the J. Wilton Graves Bridge) which connects the mainland to Hilton Head.   Was the boat speeding and making a hard turn or was it something else?

Upon closer observation, it appeared to be badly listing to starboard and not traveling all that fast.  It seemed to need assistance, but a Sea Tow boat passed just a few yards away from it.  I don’t know if  there was some shouted or signaled conversation between the boats, but there was none on Channel 16.

The Sea Tow boat continued south, the listing cruiser north, eventually catching up to us.  The VHF crackled as a boat hailed us and politely advised they would be overtaking us on our port.  I asked the captain if he was the listing vessel, and if he required any assistance.  “Yes, that’s us”, he said in a somewhat tired voice, “and we don’t require any assistance, we just need to get up Skull Creek.”   I slowed to a crawl to allow him a safer pass and captured some of video below.

The captain’s response seemed to indicate this was a stable condition, but the water line as we observed it seemed to indicate it was getting worse.  As another large cruiser heading southbound passed the vessel, its wake had a serious impact on the boat’s stability.   It veered toward port, a definite no-no in a narrow channel, but fortunately there was not another boat close behind the first.   As we passed by in the channel some of our crew thought the captain might be making for the shoreline to beach the bow into the soft rising mud during the low tide.   This was dismissed a few minutes later when the captain announced he would be dropping anchor in the middle of the channel.  Apparently the vessel was restricted in its ability to maneuver.  Perhaps it had lost power or steerage.

The boat was now obviously a serious hazard to navigation, and I issued a Securite call to notify other boaters of its condition and location.  Within a few minutes a local DNR boat with two officers and a diver was on the scene discussing the situation with the captain.  There was then radio chatter with Sea Tow and the captain indicated he was in fact a member and the local Sea Tow operator indicated he did have an auxiliary pump on board.  If this was the case, why didn’t they communicate earlier when they passed within earshot?

I’d like to think that this story has a happy ending, but I don’t have a way of knowing the who, what or why of this situation.  For that reason I have excluded the name of the subject vessel and offer this for your consideration.

Lessons Learned: 

Alert other boaters and rescue/safety personnel if you have serious operating issues – this includes if you are not fully maneuverable, sensitive to wakes, and taking on water in an amount that is a clear danger for sinking or capsizing.  Advise number of souls on board and don life jackets.   If you see an unsafe situation on another boat, say something, even if the other captain assures you everything is fine.

Water below decks is heavy and unstable – a sudden turn or small wake can push water even further to one side, creating a serious capsizing hazard.  “Floating Condo” (high profile, shallow draft) boat designs are not that stable in normal conditions.  When they are seriously overloaded they are prone to capsizing as this horrible loss-of-life incident in Long Island Sound revealed on the Fourth of July, 2012.

The captain reported the vessel started to turn sharply, a turn from which it could not recover and capsized. Three young children were trapped below decks and drowned.   How close the Skull Creek vessel came to capsizing is unknown, but the sudden turning in the video is consistent.

Regular below-decks inspections – check for leakage from through-hull fittings and hoses, plus shaft seals and stuffing boxes.  Test bilge operation and emergency manual pump.

Knowledge – learn the rules of the road regarding safety and navigation.  Get to know your boat inside and out, learn survival repairs, and know who to contact when you have a problem you can’t handle.  If you haven’t paid to keep up your boat towing and assistance insurance, renew it today, before you have an incident.

Anything you would like to add to the list?  Please put in the reply box below.

For your amusement only:

The captions on the slideshow are inspired by this number.  Follow the direct link to this song and don’t forget to download the laughing pirates songs which includes sea shanties, sailing songs, and rock classics .  You can click on the playlist below to see and hear samples of the top 100 songs.  To connect to the full list, Spotify service requires sign-up but is free for listening.

The Clash – Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Audio) Listen On Spotify – http://smarturl.it/TheClashTT

 

Communication is critical and you need sharp thinking skills when your vessel and crew are in jeopardy.  This classic will help you laugh after a hard day on the water.

 

At the Arches National Park in Utah you can see delicate sculptures that were carved by waters streaming their way to sea.  Within the ancient river valley worn away over millions of years you can find features like the balanced rock or the landscape arch. The crew of Second Wind travelled west on a prairie schooner to the Pacific late this summer and spent some time in Colorado, Utah and Nevada.

Meanwhile, in the Caribbean tropical storm Florence was forming.   It would use the warms water of the Atlantic to build into a full hurricane.  The water, now driven by the winds, and supported by the low pressure and high tides would flood the areas around Wilmington and further inland to New Bern and surrounding towns.

Here you can see the projected wind map provided by the PredictWind app. (This is the first time I have seen black in the map).  Fortunately  for Second Wind the main winds landed further to the north, and the town of Beaufort, SC , its homeport was south of the major impact of the storm.   Our thoughts are with those in the affected areas and thanks for the good work done by the various supporting agencies including the Coast Guard, local police and fire rescue and the Red Cross. 

All Laughing Pirate Deodorizing Air Fresheners are made in …. yes, the good old USA.

This month we enjoyed our first Water Festival in Beaufort, SC and officially launched a new fragrance in a new design.  The 63rd Annual Edition of the Water Festival was held July 13-22nd, 2018.  Many of the prior activities experienced heavy rains, but we were able to enjoy the Air Show on the last Saturday with good weather and visibility.  The show included several stunt pilots and a water rescue demonstration by a US Coast Guard helicopter based in Savannah.  On the water provided the best seats, closest to the action.  So close in fact we were surprised to learn that all vessels moored at Downtown Marina had to be vacated during the show due to safety precautions in the immediate fly zone.  This required a quick relocation of Second Wind as we were informed by a Sheriff’s boat just prior to the start of the show.

The new Turtle Dove of Peace in bone features a delightful Vanilla Wind scent and was spotted freshening the air above the shores of Lake Geneva, WI.  All products work equally well in fresh, salt or brackish water environments.

Inspired by the national bird of the British Virgin Islands, the latest design from the Laughing Pirates features the turtle dove.  The design was formulated during a sailing trip to the islands prior to the devastation brought by Hurricane Irma and Maria.  The solid-gel design will be initially available in Vanilla Wind and Citrus Song fragrances and may be pre-ordered by sending a request to delegraph@gmail.com.  Special introductory pricing applies and a two-pack can be purchased for $10.99.

The new peace-loving design complements the popular pirate design as some felt the latter was a bit too scary or aggressive (despite the fact he is laughing heartily).  Pirates can be ordered in three scents as found here.

 

 

A good time was had by all boaters, except those passage-makers that didn’t realize the Lady’s Island Swing Bridge would be closed during the four hours of the Saturday afternoon Air Show.  Behind the prop spray of the USCG copter you can see the south-bound, blue-hulled Beneteau Swift Trawler waiting patiently on the north side of the bridge during a rescue diver demonstration.