You know you are getting old when you spend more time looking backward than forward.  Reflecting on what was and would could have been rather than what to make of today and tomorrow.  

Met with several of my old shipmates during the final weeks of our European tour.  We enjoyed a good meal together and many glasses of beer and wine. Members of the old crew had retired, jumped ship or were now working for the new captain who had come onboard almost three years earlier.   It seemed they were heading in a new direction and  much had been thrown overboard, several projects scuttled, crew members reassigned, demoted or in a new style of corporate punishment they are simply “marooned.”

In classic marooning you are left on a deserted island with only a bottle of rum and a pistol with a single bullet.  Today, one is cast from the office and isolated to one’s home and left only with the corporate cell phone and laptop to await further instructions/reassignment.  Now thanks to European white collar union protection these unfortunates are still paid, but suffer a total loss of job identity, authority and career-based self-worth.  Though still technically part of the company, their calls are not returned, their emails unanswered by their previous work colleagues.

But as I turned around the wine bottle to see what I had been drinking that evening, I was reminded that life is too short.  Time waits for no one, so don’t put off the truly important things for tomorrow.  Don’t defer those family visits and vacations.  Start making plans today for those dreamed-about “someday” trips while you still have your health and desire. Set off for those distant ports of call, cast off your lines.  Of all the crypts and cemeteries we saw in Italy and Poland, not one inscription said “I wish I had spent more time at the office.”

Lorenzo Bartolini, The Inconsolable. Pisa, Camposanto Monumentale

Update to Menace in Venice:  FACT:  Most Accidents happen close to home.

When we returned to the States last week we heard a flash flood warning on the television, but dismissed it as we aren’t in a flood zone and well above the local lake water level.  But a few hours later my wife alerted me to the fact that  we had a new water feature in the back yard.  It seems that the private road above our property had fallen into such disrepair that it had been regularly washing out in the spring rains and clogging the private storm sewer and drainage sluice down to the lake.  Water seeking its own course found an alternate route through our property, and we now had our own waterfall. And no, we don’t have flood insurance.

It’s all about the floods.  The flood of tourists as well as the Acqua Alta, the high tides. It all adds to the boat traffic and congestion on and through the Grand and lesser canals of Venice.  The Laughing Pirates took a field trip to explore this famous and fascinating city that faces the challenges of rising sea levels and increasing tourist counts.  The city has an infrastructure that is totally dependent on boats for all local transportation and deliveries as well as city and emergency services.  And boats in the form of massive cruise ships add to that flood of day-tripping, camera-snapping, walkway-blocking tourists.

Who has the right of way in this photo?  I would say the boat constrained by girth, (lower center with captain in orange) limiting its safe maneuverability.

 

Trash removal boats jostle with delivery boats in the early morning hours, while midday finds gondoliers jousting with fast water taxis and an endless parade of passenger ferry boats.  Hope you don’t have to dial 116 to access a water ambulance that could be stuck in a narrow waterway.  High water makes passing under the many low footbridges even more challenging, and in the evenings under a full moon we found St. Mark’s Square to have a large reflecting pond bubbling up from the sewer grates in its center.

They say that water quality in the canals has improved, but in many of the narrower, slower moving canals the water smelled putrid, making even my Laughing Pirate deodorizer/air freshener that I carry when traveling shed a small tear before cleaning the air in the my personal space.

All in all, it’s a beautiful city to visit, but I wouldn’t want to boat there.

If you are interested in going:  Gondola rides go for 80 euro for a 20 minute excursion.   Though we saw many close calls, and many taxi boat captains texting in between looking up to redirect their boats,  I couldn’t find evidence of a tourist getting crushed to death by a larger boat since 2013.  You can read about that here.  We passed on the gondola ride but did utilize the ferry system to reach our hotel and the airport.  I did not receive any compensation from the city of Venice for this review.

The annual Bert Linton Golf Outing was held on Monday, April 23, 2018 at the Huntingdon Valley Country Club outside of Philadelphia.  The Laughing Pirates were on hand to provide samples and co-sponsorship of the event which benefits the Alumni Society and serves as a reminder of the contributions of legendary Penn Charter math teacher and golf coach Bert Linton.  The William Penn Charter School was founded in 1689 and continues its strong tradition of athletics and scholarship.  It also has recently received attention as being the acknowledged basis for the high school featured in The Goldbergs, a popular sitcom created by OPC (Old Penn Charter) ’94 Adam F. Goldberg.

The class of ’74 was well represented by golfers (from left to right) Steve Rhoads, Blake Christoph, John DeSantis, Pete Davis, Jeff Kenkelen, Dave Rosskam, Dave Kennedy and Walt Delevich (not pictured).  Over 100 alumni and supporters participated in the outing that was held in near ideal weather conditions.   Thanks to Pete Davis and Alumni Director Chris Rahill and his team for a great event.

 

The treasure box was open to provide participants with samples of the classic PC BLUE pirate air freshener/deodorizers.  In addition a special limited edition PC YELLOW Peace Dove was created to neutralize odors in a way more consistent with Quaker teachings.   Look for this item coming soon to the online store, where you can order the classic Pirates now in time for this boating and RV season.

May you find a Laughing Pirate in your Easter Basket!

At this time of year, even a pirate’s heart turns to thoughts of redemption and gallow-side confessions.  Even the most despicable of pirates often had religious upbringings and a sense of salvation in the final hours before the final drop.

Order your Laughing Pirate air freshener/deodorizer in the next 24 hours and we will guarantee that it arrives in time for Easter, 2019.

 

It was a lovely day in in Beaufort, SC as we prepare for a short trip to Hilton Head Island on Easter Sunday after Easter sunrise services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Walt Disney World’s Magnolia course was the scene for the final day of the second annual invitational golf tournament hosted by thelaughingpirates.com.  With only two holes remaining the leaders were tied leading to a “magical” one stroke victory by series veteran Tom Guertin.  The 2018 tournament champ relied on his short irons and putting skills to overcome his tee-box challenges.  Tournament host and runner-up Walt Delevich commented, “Tom played well today when it counted, proving the adage that “you drive for show and putt for dough”.  While I was outdriving the field, my putting and short game stunk, even the Laughing Pirate deodorizer/air freshener on my golf bag couldn’t overcome it.  Still the players and fans had a great time and we are looking forward to doing it again next year.”

 

The shot of the day award goes to Kevin Cornwall who faced a near impossible lie as he found his par 3 tee shot embedded in the vertical face of a bunker on hole number three.  He deftly swung his sand wedge to launch his ball on the required high-trajectory escape while landing pin high from the hole.  The photo below shows him celebrating his shot of the day.

 

The summertime view from Second Wind on Maple Juice Cove in Cushing, Maine reveals the Olson house, the backdrop for Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s World, one of the most widely recognized paintings by an American artist.   Today we commemorate the passing of Andrew on January 16, 2009 and celebrate the legacy of the whole Wyeth clan.

While I couldn’t afford the original, long owned by and housed in NYC’s MoMA, I was able to buy the commemorative set of “FOREVER” stamps issued by the U.S. Post Office.   It has been 70 years since this tempera painting was created  in the style known as magic realism. During this time the trees grew in and the house fell in further disrepair, but thankfully it has since been restored and preserved by the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, ME.

As part of our commemoration the crew of Second Wind took advantage of its shore leave to visit the Brandywine River Museum of Art in Delaware County, PA.  The museum highlights local artists, the most notable of which are the Wyeth’s, and is part of  a 33,000 acre conservancy of the local rural landscape.   The Wyeth family resided in Chadds Ford, PA while they summered in Maine, using both the locations and the people as subjects for their studies.

The family legacy started with father N.C. who began as an illustrator back in the days when that was the preferred medium for print.  N.C. helped bring to life the excitement of the high seas and its pirates by creating the color illustrations for the 1930’s edition of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.   Thanks to the Wyeth’s and their continuing legacy to the world of American art and adventurers.

“Seaward ho! Hang the treasure! It’s the glory of the sea that has turned my head.”

Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

During our extended travels on Second Wind we’ve met many folks that have broken the 70, 80 and 90 “miles-an-hour barrier” and show no signs of slowing down.  The most recent example was Mr. Jimmy, a spry 93-year-old that moved to the little town of Belhaven, NC on the Pungo River just off the Pamlico Sound.   Jimmy spent his career in Charlotte managing construction for a growing hospital there.

On our sail south this week down the ICW we met Jimmy having dinner at The Tavern at Jacks Neck, where he showed us his latest vocation –  making jewelry that features wooden continuous link necklaces carved from solid walnut blocks.  He carves each solid wood link of the chain as a continuous loop, forming the interlocking links as he carves each to intertwine to the next one.  It’s painstaking work, but one that he has mastered through practice and patience.

It’s a pattern we’ve seen with many that are rediscovering life and themselves after their primary careers.  Folks finding time to master new skills, volunteer and give back to their communities, or working hard to keep doing their favorite activities, whether its running, dancing, or travel.   It’s redefining how many see retirement and aging.  Imagine the possibilities that come with an open schedule, an open mind, and a willingness to make an effort.

If you want to see Jimmy’s work, he’s not on the internet, so you have to make the trip to The Tavern, but the great food and drink alone make the visit worthwhile.

And while it’s never too late to learn, it CAN be too late to order your Laughing Pirates Air Freshener/Deodorizer, now available in a special stocking-stuffer size package in time for Christmas.   Please order by December 12 to make sure your choice of three fragrances is available to put into your boat-enthusiast’s stocking.

Fabulous sunrise off Adam’s Creek  south of Oriental, NC reminds us of the potential each day brings.

UPDATE December 12, 2017:

After a great trip down the ICW Second Wind is now at home in its winter port of Beaufort, South Carolina.  The bald eagle was spotted at the swing bridge just north of Charleston, and the “Breakfast Club” sharing in the hunt was in Back Creek off the Parrot River north of Beaufort.

In September the crew of Second Wind successfully sailed down the Long Island Sound and East River, rounded Battery Park and made its way “Up the River” with a lovely anchorage overlooking the notorious prison “Sing Sing” on the scenic Hudson, a major transportation route in the days of steamships and barges.  This New York State maximum security prison was the home of “Old Sparky, ” the electric chair which transported over 600 men and women into the next life.  TV fans of “The Americans” might be interested to note that this list included the Rosenbergs for their convictions of spying for the then Soviet Union.

To me, a worst fate would be to be incarcerated aboard the Vernon C. Bain Correctional Center, a floating prison barge we passed in the East River, just across from the friendly confines of Rikers Island.   Rikers is well known to Law and Order fans, but the world’s largest prison barge is not so well advertised and probably for good reason.  While it was originally recognized as a vessel and staffed with a short-handed USCG crew, it was later deemed strictly a prison, not a ship, and therefore anyone trained in vessel fire-fighting or safety  were dismissed.  With rising sea levels and increasing storms it could become a worst-case Noah’s ark of humanity in some apocalyptic future.

If you have a loved one serving time consider the gift of a Laughing Pirate air freshener/deodorizer, because you can’t always pick your cellmate, but you can pick your choice of three great fragrances.

Tim Guertin and his daughter Kerry took the top honors in this prestigious tournament of bean bags and brawn and of sliding friction and finesse.  The final round pitted twins Tim and Tom Guertin and their children against each other in a winner-takes-all single elimination Cornhole tournament held Saturday in Mystic Islands, NJ.   The tournament was sponsored by thelaughingpirates.com air deodorizers/air fresheners and was held in perfect weather conditions in this sunny canal community just minutes northwest of Atlantic City.  It also happened to be the day the twins were celebrating their birthdays, just north of sixty.    

Tournament organizer Tom Fone commented, “the level of competition was extremely high today, the concentration and focus intense with many close matches, and although some complained of the tournament format and random player matching, I think the best teams competed and won.”

All tournament contestants and fans were treated to a fabulous shrimp boil after the event.  The success of the event led sponsor Walt Delevich to comment, “who knows, maybe we’ll expand globally and do next year’s event in Europe.”

If you would like to compete in a future event, please leave a comment and let us know.

 

 

 

 

 

If you are in the path of IRMA, please get out of her way, up to higher ground, not just further north or west in low-lying areas.  

Had a great Labor Day Holiday weekend in Shelter Island, NY and found many great variety of boats, from classic-looking trawlers, wooden sailing ships, to sleek, modern powerboats.  The Shelter Island area has many excellent soft bottom harbors that offer protection from most direction of winds.  It’s a nice change from our recent ventures into the rocky, exposed harbors along the coasts of Connecticut and Massachusetts.

 

For any cruiser, a good night’s sleep is a necessity, and blowing winds and seas are a challenge to even the best anchoring techniques and your personal ability to sleep through such events.  It’s important to watch a reliable local weather source for updates, and plan your anchorages  and passage times accordingly.  We deferred our Coecles Harbor departure to allow a front to move through while we remained at anchor.  The 35 knot gusts were a small reminder of how fierce and destructive hurricane force winds can be, especially on the water.

As we watch the news reports on some of our favorite cruising grounds, like the British Virgin Islands, we wondered the fate of the fleets and friends that we have experienced there.   Our last trip to Tortola was just in February and we haven’t heard or seen any reports from the people and charter companies that we have known.   (Update 9/22:  MarineMax reports that much of their power cat fleet survived reasonably intact and they plan to inspect and repair so that they can be up and running in December) It’s reasonable that in the wave of mass destruction,  business interruption, and subsequent rebuilding, there are more important things than FaceBook updates.

If you are in the potential path of IRMA, evacuate if you can.  Not everyone has a Richard Branson-quality wine cellar/bunker with enough elevation to know that it won’t flood during the storm surge.