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WAUKEELOG Spring 2019

Waukegan Sail & Power Squadron Serving Waukegan and the North Shore

A Unit of the United States Power Squadrons ® Sail & Power Boating

Published Four Times a Year

EVENTS ExCom Meeting Tacos El Norte, Libertyville March 12, Tuesday 7pm (Dinner @ 6pm) Marine Navigation/Piloting Begins Libertyville High School March 21, Thursday 7-9pm WSPS Hospitality Suite Holiday Inn, Elgin March 22, Friday 7-10:30pm District 20 Conference Holiday Inn, Elgin March 23, Saturday Boat Handling Begins Libertyville High School April 8, Thursday 7-9pm ExCom Meeting Tacos El Norte, Libertyville April 9, Tuesday 7pm (Dinner @ 6pm) Ready-Set-Wear It & BBQ Waukegan Harbor Patio May 18, Saturday

Commanders Comments

Cdr. Jesse Bowen, S As your new Commander, I would like to first take this opportunity to thank Past Commander Dave Sallmann, JN and the outgoing Bridge and Members-at-Large for their exemplary service to the squadron this past year. Thanks for your many hours of work making our squadron and its events successful. Our outgoing 2018 Bridge consisted of Dave as Commander and Lt/C Ellen Ludtke, AP (Executive Officer), Lt/C Brian Markey, JN (Education Officer), Lt/C Donna Nicosia, S (Administrative Officer), Lt/C Tenny S. Ford III, S (Treasurer), and Lt/C Amy Gallagher, S (Secretary.) Our 2018 Members-at-Large were Lt Randy Conner, AP; P/Lt/C Terry Hartl, JN; Lt Clinton Rahn, S; and Lt. Paul Thacker, S. I look forward to working

Use our online resources to keep up to date with America’s Boating Club. WSPS is on Facebook & the web. Videos are available on YouTube at America’s Boating Channel. And keep up with

National on their Twitter feed.

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Commander Cdr Jesse Bowen, S commander@wspsboating.org Executive Officer Open Educational Officer Lt/C Brian Markey, JN education@wspsboating.org Administrative Officer Lt Paul Thacker, S events@wspsboating.org Treasurer Lt Clinton Rahn, S treasurer@wspsboating.org Secretary Lt/C Amy Gallagher, S secretary@wspsboating.org

Immediate Past Commander Cdr Dave Sallmann, JN Members at Large Lt Randy Conner, AP Lt Todd Marshall

Waukeelog Editor P/D/C Mike Ludtke, SN mludtke@hotmail.com

Executive Committee with our new Bridge and Members-at-Large during the coming year. I would also like thank all who worked to make our Change of Watch ceremony in January an interesting and enjoyable event. It was well attended and provided an opportunity for several new members to meet our community. Particular thanks go to Donna Nicosia, P/C Bob Sloat, SN, and P/C Oscar Lutz, SN for planning and running the event. I just returned from our USPS National Meeting in Orlando. It was quite an opportunity to see the nearly 500 members interested in boating and the future of our organization. Everyone I talked to is passionate about recreational boating and the contribution our organization can make to building boating skills. In this and future Commander’s Comments I will convey a summary of what I learned. A main theme of this year’s activities was focused on improvements in structure and activities to make USPS and its Districts and Squadrons more responsive to members’ and potential members’ needs and interests. A key concept for this initiative is “simplification.” For example, a change in bylaws enacted at the meeting will remove the requirement that both a national Annual Meeting and a Governing Board meeting be held each year. After the upcoming Governing Board meeting in September, to be held in Louisville, it is likely there will be just a single national meeting each year. At the national level there is also an effort underway to reduce the number of required positions, some of which were enacted through bylaw changes during the business meeting. On the educational front, the emphasis will be to incorporate more on-the-water training and to broaden delivery methods of our content. For example, the new Boat Handling course, which is replacing the Seamanship course, has a new hands-on training opportunity to provide practical skills experience at the end of the course. New, more inclusive delivery methods will incorporate more on-line seminars and shorter course structures to reach a wider audience.

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Lorena Miller resides in Trout Valley, IL. Formally a member of the Rockford Squadron and has a Sail Boat "Expeditious" in Racine. Ty Creighton Liles resides in Libertyville, IL

In the next Waukeelog issue I will summarize ideas being developed by the national Planning Committee to update our overall mission and strategy. The focus of these initiatives will be to enhance the appeal and effectiveness of USPS and make it a strong and viable organization to promote boating with sustainable programs for the long term. If you have the opportunity, please join us for the upcoming District 20 Spring Conference and Change of Watch ceremony. It will be held March 22 – 24 at the Holiday Inn Elgin. You should have received an announcement in the Trident of February 11. If you have any questions, please contact me or Ellen Ludtke. With luck, this wintery weather will soon break and we can get started on our preparations for the upcoming boating season. Until then, think warm thoughts! ~

Jesse

WSPS had a booth at the Northern Illinois Boat Show, which was held at the Lake County Fair Grounds February 28 through March

3. Here’s Cdr Jesse Bowen manning the booth.

Speaker Topic: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald By Rochelle Pennington Ms Pennington will be talking about the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald at the Holiday Inn Chicago-NW-Elgin, 495 Airport Rd in Elgin. The event is Saturday, March 23 at 9am and is free to attend.

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Change of Watch January 20, 2019

The 2019 Waukegan Bridge: Cdr Jesse Bowen, PC Dave Sallmann, Members at Large,

Todd Marshal & Randy Conner, SEO Brian Markey, Treasurer Clint Rahn, Secretary Amy Gallagher & DC George Prescott.

Mike Ludtke received the Education Award

Bob Sloat & Oscar Lutz present the

newly renamed Bonehead Award to Amy Gallagher.

Newly elected Cdr Jesse Bowen taking the oath of office.

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March

David Sallmann William Strauss Sean Sullivan

Hunter Thacker Spencer Thacker

John VanBenthuysen Sr.

April

Patrick Gallagher Michael Grady MaryAnn Hartl Brian Markey Daniel Martin Rebecca Paret Ann Richter

May

Elisabeth Geltz

Terry Hartl Laura Hille

George Krzaczynski Lorena Miller Allen Smith Jr.

Elizabeth Villano RosalieVillano

BIRTHDAYS PFD Safety Inspection and In-Water Testing By Cdr Jesse Bowen, S An experienced sailor perished this past summer when he went overboard in rough weather during the Chicago to Mackinac race. Apparently the sailor’s inflatable personal flotation device (PFD) did not activate automatically as it should have. While the investigation was not able to determine definitively a cause for the failure, it is possible, based on the age of the PFD, that the inflator mechanism was more than 10 years old and had never been replaced. This event has many boaters rethinking their use and maintenance procedures for PFDs. The Lake Michigan Sailing Club recently held a seminar to discuss PFD use. Presenters Barry Berstein and Jesse Bowen covered the advantages and disadvantages of various inflatable and non-inflatable life jackets. The event was held at a local gym so that attendees could actually test their PFDs in the water. The 23 sailors attending the event uniformly felt it to be a fun and valuable experience with interesting results. Inflatable PFDs have advantages over their non-inflatable counterparts. They typically provide more buoyancy than non-inflatable types. They are also more comfortable, especially when moving around. As the US Coast Guard emphasizes, the most valuable PFD is the one that is actually worn. However, inflatable PFDs require more care with inspection and maintenance. Inflatable PFDs only count as life-saving devices to meet Coast Guard requirements if they are worn and if they are in serviceable condition. That means all components of the PFD must be within their service dates and all visual indicators must show green. The discussion part of the seminar covered both annual maintenance procedures and demonstrated the steps to inspect and rearm automatic PFDs. Every three months, inflatables should be opened and manually blown up with the inflation tube. The air bladder should lose little air over a 24 hour period. If it does, the leak should be repaired or the PFD replaced.

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Automatic PFDs inflate without user intervention when the wearer enters the water. There are two main types of automatic inflators. One uses a bobbin with a dissolving substance that triggers a spring mechanism to activate the inflator. The other uses a pressure-sensing hydrostatic valve to detect water entry. Periodically, or when they have been activated, automatic PFDs need to be inspected and rearmed if necessary. For bobbin style inflators (typically manufactured by Halkey-Roberts), the yellow bobbin with a dissolving filler needs to be replaced. Bobbins have a year of manufacture printed on them. For recreational use, bobbins have a shelf life of three years and a service life (starting when they are installed in a PFD) of three years. CO2 cylinders must be free of rust, must not be punctured, and must weigh more than the minimum weight printed on them in grams. A scale that weighs to the nearest 1/10 gram should be used to ensure accuracy. Typically, CO2 cylinders are part of rearming kits and can be routinely replaced at the same time as the bobbin. The hydrostatic style of inflator (usually from CM Hammar) requires that the entire inflator mechanism be replaced every five years. The year they must be replaced is printed on the valve cover inside the PFD. The CO2 cylinder for hydrostatic inflators is located inside the air bladder so a new cylinder is always provided by as part of a rearming kit. Both bobbin and hydrostatic types of rearming kits are available from a variety of suppliers. Following the seminar, most attendees jumped into a swimming pool wearing their automatic PFDs. Of the 15 or so PFDs, all inflated, although with varying speeds, ranging from one second to about 18 seconds. Inflation was sometimes startling and many wearers found them to be very tight when fully inflated. Manufacturer’s

instructions usually advise releasing some air from the manual inflation tube if that is the case. Some testers also found it awkward to swim around in an inflated PFD. To combat hypothermia, it is generally recommended in a crew overboard situation to avoid swimming and to assume the “Heat Escape Lessening Position (HELP),” with knees curled up and held close to the body. Although all the PFDs inflated in the test, several were found to have bobbins or hydrostatic valves that were beyond the service date recommended by manufacturers. This again highlights the advisability of routine inspection and maintenance procedures to help make PFDs more likely to function when needed in an emergency. Another recommendation, based on the mishap from last summer and the subsequent investigation, is to instruct and train all users to routinely attempt manual inflation when entering the water regardless of the inflator mechanism type. The seminar included information on important PFD accessories such as signaling devices (whistles, lights, electronic beacons), crotch straps to prevent PFDs from riding up, and safety harnesses and tethers to prevent overboard falls in the first place. Plans are to hold the PFD seminar periodically to encourage PFD use and proper maintenance procedures. ~

To read the report on the fatal accident during last years Mac Race, here’s the

link to the report:

https://www.cycracetomackinac.com/assets/1/7/25Feb19_Imedi_Incident_Report.pdf

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February Tubing Adventure

Five brave souls participated in the 1st WSPS tubing event at Wilmot

Mountain. Pictured below: Ellen & Mike Ludtke, Amy Gallagher and

Terry & MaryAnn Hartl. It was the first time tubing for everyone and all

agreed this should be an annual WSPS event.

The Tall Ships are Coming to Kenosha

August 1-4, 2019 If you are interested in learning more about the Kenosha Tall Ships Festival and how America’s Boating Club members can participate, be sure to come to the Holiday Inn Chicago-NW-Elgin on Saturday, March 23 at 11am. I/P/D/C Mike Ludtke will be presenting details on attending the event, finding a slip or hotel, as well as how to volunteer to work at the Tall Ships Festival. Also tips on places to visit and things to do while in Kenosha will be discussed.

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CPR/AED and First Aid Training

Presented by

Waukegan Fire Department Location: Waukegan Fire Department Date: TBA Cost: Based on number of participants CPR/AED is the American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR/AED course. This is a 4-hour module. Successful completion offers a 2-year certification. The cost of this module is $230.00 per session for 6 people. Cost per student will be equally divided by the number of participants. First Aid is the American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid course. This is a 4-hour module. Successful completion offers a 2-year certification. The cost of this module is $108.00 per session for 6 people. Cost per student will be equally divided by the number of participants In order to allow the Waukegan Fire Department ample time to schedule the class times and instructors we need to provide them with an accurate count on the number of participants. If interested contact Lt. Todd A Marshall at capt138@hotmail.com or 224-545-3907

Five Reasons to Take a CPR Class • CPR saves lives: The chance of surviving sudden cardiac arrest

increases significantly when CPR is started early. • CPR is not performed enough: Only 15-30% of people suffering

sudden cardiac arrest receive CPR from a bystander. • Mouth-to-mouth CPR no longer required: In 2010, guidelines

were updated recommending hands-only CPR in most situations. • Hands-only CPR is easy to learn: Instruction is available from

many sources. See side bar on this page. • Most cardiac arrests happen in the home: 85% of cardia arrests

happen in the home, with CPR performed by a husband, wife, friend or family member.

Summarized from an article at EveryDayHealth.com. For the full article, visit https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/health-answers/top-5-reasons-to-get-your-cpr-training-now/

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America's Great Loop Part 5: Stuart FL North on the AICW to Norfolk VA By John Simons The following article is the fifth installment in a series designed to help you plan the adventure of your lifetime. I will provide an overview on the various sections of America's Great Loop so you can plan your trip and know what to expect along the way. Our Great Loop adventure took one year and covered 6,500 miles. We departed from Waukegan Harbor mid-September 2015 and after making a series of left turns we returned to Waukegan Harbor in September, 2016. Our crew consisted of John and Priscilla Simons and Dale and Andy Arnold. Our adventure was almost five years in the planning. Yours can happen much faster. All we had to do was research and buy a motor yacht, learn to operate her, retire and decide how we would handle our individual homes while on our adventure. In part one I described our journey from Waukegan, Illinois to Green Turtle Bay in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. http://www.wspsboating.org/images/Waukeelog/2018/2018-Spring.pdf In part two I described our journey on the rivers from Green Turtle Bay, Kentucky to Mobile, Alabama. http://wspsboating.org/images/Waukeelog/2018/2018-Summer.pdf In part three I described our journey from Mobile Bay along the Florida panhandle and crossed the Gulf of Mexico to the west coast of Florida. Then we cruised to Key West. http://www.wspsboating.org/images/Waukeelog/2018/2018-Fall.pdf In part four I described our adventures in Key West and our cruise to Marathon and Fort Lauderdale. Next we cruised to the Bahamas for a month and then to Stuart, FL.

With had too much time on our hands as we enjoyed the charms of Stuart, Florida. This led to a philosophical discussion regarding drinking Bloody Mary’s and mimosas in the morning. Does that make you an alcoholic? We determined that since both drinks contain either orange juice or tomato juice it was acceptable because those juices are breakfast drinks. In addition we determined that drinking rum in the morning does not make you an alcoholic, it makes you a pirate. After four lovely days in Stuart at the Sunset Marina it was time to cast off the dock lines and continue our cruise northward. We successfully navigated the confluence of the St Lucie and Indian Rivers where the channel marker colors switch sides as the channel weaves through very thin water. The BoatUS captain lurks nearby and gets new customers daily. It was a 46 mile cruise up the AICW to our next stop at the Vero Beach municipal marina. This is a well-protected harbor with both mooring balls and slips available. We stayed for two days. On the day of departure from Vero Beach the winds were N 15 – 20 mph so we had a slight chop, maybe 1 – 1.5 feet on the nose. It was a straight shot for 55 miles to the Cocoa Village Marina in Cocoa, Florida. We barely had to turn the autopilot knob all day. There was a tragedy on the ICW at the Sebastian Inlet. A small homemade pontoon boat with four passengers capsized at the entrance. They were going with the wind and waves and then turned due east into the inlet. They took the wind and the waves on their beam and flipped over. A 70 year old man, not wearing a life jacket, was trapped under the deck and drowned. Several smaller boats went to their rescue immediately. We had passed by the inlet a short time earlier. After departing Cocoa Village Marina we had a delightful 55 mile cruise up the Indian River through the Crossover Canal to the Mosquito Lagoon.

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The winds were light from the east and the AICW was very flat. Our only challenge is all the pesky sailboats and trawlers lumbering along the ICW. We slow down and request permission to pass each time. Our fuel burn is not much different at 9 mph or 25 mph so we prefer to get up and go. We depart several hours after the sailboats and trawlers, pass them along the way and arrive early at the next marina. It is a nice program that works for us and gives us time to visit the areas surrounding the marina. We pulled into the Halifax Harbor Marina at Daytona Beach at 3:00 pm and fueled up and pumped out. The next day we cruised 53 miles north up a flat AICW from Daytona to Saint Augustine.

The Devil’s Elbow

One of the turns on the ICW is called the Devil’s Elbow. Devil’s Elbow got its name as a treacherous area to navigate in the AICW before it was dredged some time ago. It is populated with many small islets, sandbars, and creeks, and is known as a great fishing destination. We saw a large sailboat that had wandered out of the channel and was stuck in the mud. The skipper had the jib up to tip the boat on her side. He was running his engine full speed and was spinning like a top but not getting anywhere. There were three government boats nearby but no one seemed

interested in helping him. It is very important to watch the channel markers as well as the GPS because the channel markers get moved as the sandbars shift. We will spend the next two days exploring St. Augustine. St. Augustine is a city in northeastern Florida. It is the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the United States. We took the tram tour. It is just like the conk train tour in Key West. There are a host of interesting historical sites in St. Augustine such as the Castillo de San Marcos.

John and Priscilla Simons at Castillo

de San Marcos in St. Augustine We cruised 62 miles up the St John’s River to the South Amelia River to Amelia Island and the Fernandina Harbor Marina. It was very blowy all day from the west and the AICW was once again littered with sailboats and trawlers. We were getting a 2 mph push from the tide so we were cruising at 11 mph. A blue Sabre 40 cruiser called Magic rolled us and almost broke our liquor bottles. He did the same to all the boats ahead. No radio calls to alert his victims. He made lots of friends today. We will see him again. It is an interesting culture on the rivers and AICW. If you call ahead on the VHF and ask permission to pass it does not matter if you rock that sailboat until the spreaders hit the water on both sides. They give us a hearty wave and off we go. I had called ahead to the Fernandina Harbor Marina for a slip a few days ago. Kevin the dockmaster

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advised we would have to tie up on the outside of the dock on the AICW side which, would be rolly. I called him back this morning to see if an inside spot opened up. Kevin advised no changes. When we arrived at 3:00 pm he said we could tie up on the inside of the dock. There were a few boats on the outside that were rocking and rolling. The tide was low and the entry for the marina was narrow with a strong current and a thick mudbank a few feet away on the east side. In we went. The space for us was about 4' longer than our boat. The wind was honking at almost 30 mph on our beam. CL has as much windage as a sailboat with our acres of canvass. I made a few passes and quickly realized the bow thruster was useless against the wind. My major error was underestimating the windage as the crew tried to toss the dock lines to the dock hands. As they tossed the lines the wind blew them back. I realized I had to get in really, really close to allow the crew to get the lines to the dock hands. I pulled up past the dock space and backed in as best I could into our tiny space. Victory, the dock hands caught the two spring lines and I was able to bring her in just as nice as you please using only the engines. I never touched the steering wheel from the time we entered the harbor. Twin engine boats are steered only by their engines at slow speeds. Another landing we could walk away from. The wind quieted down over night or it just shifted direction and we are now blocked by a 197' cruise ship named Independence. We could have used that help yesterday while docking. It is March and this is our last day in Florida before we cruise to Brunswick, Georgia on Sunday. We have been in Florida since early November except for our month long detour to the Bahamas. We will click off the states a little faster once we head north of Florida. We will cruise to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia in the next three weeks. We met a person of questionable sanity. He is a homeless man living in a canoe. He has a pet goose that he feeds on his canoe. I asked him if he had a name for his goose. He said he didn’t

name them because he ate them.

Live aboard canoe.

It was blowy heading 53 miles up the AICW to Brunswick, Georgia. Farewell Florida. There were two spots where we were exposed to the Atlantic Ocean and it was very rolly. That was at St Andrew Sound and St Simons Sound at Jekyll Island. Along the ICW we passed a restricted area that is a US Navy submarine base. We stayed far away. There were several patrol boats on duty. The Brunswick Landing Marina is a great stop. They are inexpensive at $1.80 per foot. The fuel is the cheapest we have seen at $1.68 per gallon for diesel (2016) and they have free laundry and free beer in the boaters lounge 24/7. This place rocks. It is also where Craig and Day Olney keep their catamaran Toucan Deux when they are not cruising. Later that evening the 60' Polynesian sailing canoe Hokule’a tied up across from us. This canoe is a replica of a canoe built in the 700’s. Hokule’a has sailed around the world and most recently sailed from New Zealand to Key West. The sailing canoe has no engine and is true to the original design. They have a chase boat that tows them in and out of marinas. On Monday we will go out on the Atlantic Ocean to Savannah. It is a 107mile cruise. The predicted wind shift to the SE will make for a flatter ride. We shoved off from the Brunswick Landing Marina at 7:45 am and exited the St Simons Sound into the Atlantic Ocean. We ran up the coast and

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entered at the Savannah River. It was another 15 miles up the Savannah River to the City of Savannah. We docked at the Westin Hotel Marina at 2:00 pm after cruising 107 miles. The Atlantic Ocean was a bit rolly. These conditions make it hard to move around the boat. When I am off watch my location on the boat is lying in the aft bunk wearing Bose noise suppression ear phones. Andy sits on the aft deck and goes into a Zen trance and reminds her mind that she took Bonine (sea sickness medicine) and that she is not getting sea sick. Sometimes she can doze off but gets woken up when we hit a wave large enough to ring our ships bell. After two hours I go back up and take over the helm from Dale. We slow the boat down for bathroom breaks out of consideration for our crew. Otherwise you would be rolling right off the toilet seat. Perhaps seat belts would be a solution.

Polynesian sailing canoe Hokule’a

The wind had shifted from NE to SE but the waves were still confused. They were mostly 2 – 3 feet on our beam. Once we turned the corner to follow the channel into the Savannah River everything flattened out nicely. Docking at the Westin Hotel Marina was exciting. The current on the river runs swiftly past the dock. We were told we could tie up on the inside of the dock. However the space between the dock and the concrete wall was narrow. With such a strong current I chose to tie up on the outside of the dock so I had lots of room to maneuver. In order to control the boat in the current I had the throttles

wide open which was a first time experience. Usually docking is a gentle maneuver with just slight taps of the throttles. We parked that boat just as nice as you please with no drama. The history of Savannah is interesting from the standpoint of their charter. King George sent James Edward Oglethorpe in 1732 to start a colony in Savannah. Governor Oglethorpe had four things banned by law in Savannah. The Savannah Constitution bans; 1. No Catholics; not due to religious discrimination but due to the fact that the enemy of the British in Florida at that time were the Spanish and the Spanish are Catholics. The fear was that if there was a conflict, the Catholics in Savannah would side with the Spanish. The English are Protestants. 2. No liquor. The common man should not spend money on liquor. They should pay their bills and liquor makes men lazy. 3. No slavery because no man should own another man. 4. No lawyers. Governor Oglethorpe felt people should represent themselves in court. The sky was overcast and the temperature was on the cool side. Hokule’a departed from Savannah early to take advantage of the early morning outgoing tide. The tide was low at 8:30 am and they had 15 miles to go to get to the Atlantic Ocean. We had a leisurely morning. We wanted the tide to come in a bit before we transited the Field’s Cut from the Savannah River to Ramshorn Creek. Turns out we had plenty of water under our keel all the way. As we were crossing over in front of a large freighter they gave us five blasts on their horn to signal danger. I altered course to get even further away from them. From our vantage point we were well clear but from their wheelhouse 200' in the sky we must have looked too close. At least they got to test their horn. We arrived in Beaufort, SC and took a delightful

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carriage ride. Jake the horse and Ken the docent did a good job of explaining the history of Beaufort and the details of filming numerous movies here including the Great Santini, Forrest Gump, the Big Chill and Glory. Tom Hanks and Barbara Steisand rented houses in Beaufort while filming movies. There is a US Marine base nearby on Parris Island. The war planes flying overhead made it hard to film scenes due to the loud noise. Ms Steisand called the base commander to complain. The next day there were no war planes overhead. That night a 4:00 am four war planes buzzed the house where Steisand was sleeping. They kicked in their afterburners right on top of her house. The commander of the base wrote a letter of apology to the residents of Beaufort. He stated the sound of jet engines is the sound of freedom. Today was a 67 mile cruise (slog) up the ICW. We departed Beaufort, SC at 9:00 am and arrived in Charleston, SC at 4:00 pm. We had a lot of current from the tide running against us. The wind was on our nose at 20-25 mph with moderate chop 1' – 1.5 ‘. There may be some of you that think the AICW is a straight shot up the coast. You could not be more wrong. Two days ago we cruised up Ramshorn Creek. That creek is appropriately named. In fact much of the AICW could be referred to as crooked as a rams horn. We zig zagged from river to river via canal, channel and creek. Some are wide, some are very narrow and some are very shallow. You might say the AICW is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. We stayed in Charleston for three nights because there is a lot to see in Charleston. I have been to Charleston a dozen times or more on business. I have done some sight-seeing but never went to Fort Sumpter. We rode the trolley tour one day and took the ferry to Fort Sumpter the next day. There is a free shuttle from the marina every hour on the hour that will take us almost anywhere we want to go. We had a little thrill docking the boat at the Charleston City Marina. There was some current from the tide and a 20 mph breeze on the beam.

There was one dock hand to catch our lines. I brought the boat in right against the dock. Perfection except the dock hand tied off the spring line too short for us to get into the slip to allow the stern line to be passed over. I kept the starboard engine in forward to keep the stern against the dock but the brisk wind blew the bow over. He did not secure the bow line. We drifted close to the boat across from us. Both Dale and Andy went to that side to fend off. I realized I could not maneuver the boat any more so I abandoned the helm and grabbed a line and tossed it to the dock hand. He finally pulled us over and all was well. Another landing we could walk away from. No harm, no foul. NO tip. Saturday was a beautiful day in Charleston, South Carolina. The weather was a little cool but we had bright sunshine. The highlight of our day was a visit from Looper royalty. Kim Russo Director of America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association came onboard our boat in Charleston. She is also the Charleston harbor host. We will see her again in Norfolk at the Looper rendezvous.

Kim Russo, Director of America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association with John.

No matter how much drama we had docking our boat it could not compare to the drama we saw today. A 40' sailboat was attempting to depart their slip against a face dock. There was another boat close by on the same dock. A stiff wind was on

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their beam. In their defense (but not an excuse) they have only one engine with prop walk and no bow thruster. Prop walk refers to the preference for a single engine boat to pull to the right or left in reverse. There was a cast of thousands on the sailboat trying to fend off the fishing boat as they scraped broadside along her. Two dock hands tried to help. They climbed on the ill-fated fishing boat to try to push off. Then they jumped onto the dock to fend the sailboat off the dock. One dock hand tried to jump from the dock back onto the fishing boat as the sailboat hit the fishing boat for the 4th or 5th time. When I say he tried I mean he fell right into the water cell phone, wallet and all. No good deed goes unpunished. He climbed out of the water and immediately reached for his cell phone to try to turn it on. Not good. He should have put that phone in a jar of rice for two days to dry it out. In the meantime the sailboat gets a little space to pass the fishing boat. The skipper does not speed up to compensate for the windage. He sort of tries to drift past the fishing boat and hits it for a 6th time and tears a deep scrape in his hull from the anchor on the fishing boat. That will buff out! We pulled out of the Charleston City Marina at 9:00 am and bid farewell to Fort Sumter as we passed by on her port side. The AICW was flat as a pancake. I kicked up the throttles a bit to blow out the carbon after cruising at 9 mph for three days. Before we knew it we were blasting along at over 30 mph. I pulled the throttles back to 28 mph and it felt like we were on a super highway. Not a lump or a bump. After a 67 mile cruise we arrived at the Harborwalk Marina in Georgetown, SC at 4:30 pm. There are 8 restaurants within walking distance. We stayed there one night. We will keep moving north on the AICW. Tuesday will be an easy day. It is only 30 miles to the Osprey Marina in Myrtle Beach, SC. We awoke to a wretched smell on the boat. There was a wind shift during the early morning and the odor from the International Paper plant a mile away wafted down on us.

After departing Myrtle Beach we transited the “Rock Pile.” The “Rock Pile” is a man-made canal section of the AICW lined with submerged rocks and a rock shelf just a foot or two below the surface. When the Army Corp of Engineers built this portion of the AICW in the 1930’s they encountered a sold shelf of granite. The Corps simply blasted through this obstruction, but, over the years, the soft silt above and below these rocky outcropping has washed away, making the canal appear wider than it really is. Also, over the years, many portions of the rock shelf have broken off and left all sort of underwater rocks waiting to trap keels and propellers. Cruisers are urged to hold as close to the mid-width of the Pine Island Cut as possible, and announce their presence on VHF in case large commercial traffic are approaching, which could force you out of the channel’s mid-line and onto the “rocks,” especially at high tide when the rocks are fully submerged. We transited the Rock Pile without incident and cruised 64 miles to Southport NC . On our way up the AICW we managed to bump a sandbar and suck a cubic yard of sand into the raw water intake strainers. We knew this because the temperature alarm went off on the starboard engine. We arrived at the South Harbour Village Marina in Southport, NC at 4:00 pm. We ran on one engine so the starboard engine could cool down. We started the starboard engine just long enough to complete our docking maneuver. After both engines cooled down a few hours were spent in the bilge cleaning the raw water strainers. The sediment in the strainers had several levels of sediment and the sand just topped it off. We need to inspect the strainers more often. There are two types of Loopers. Those that have bumped and those that will bump. We made it 209 days without a bump. No damage, just sand in the raw water strainers. We are on a face dock on the AICW. Not all boats respect the “No Wake” signs for the marina. There have been a few occasions when CL was not quite doing no wake going past a marina. The radio chatter goes like this. “Changing Latitudes

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slow down, this is a no wake zone, you are responsible for the damage caused by your wake. Slow down, slow down, thanks for nothing. You jerk!” I guess this is called payback. On Friday we have a short 25 mile cruise to Wrightsville, NC. We will stay one night and move on. Our plan is to be in Norfolk, VA for the Looper Rendezvous around April 30. We will cruise on the Dismal Swamp canal instead of the AICW because it sounds way cool. We have planned out the remainder of our trip to Norfolk. Here is our itinerary. April 22 – Wrightsville Beach – 27 miles April 23 – Swansboro – 55 miles April 24 & 25 – Beaufort – 25 miles April 26 – Belhaven – 68 miles April 27 – Columbia – 52 miles April 28 – Elizabeth City – 33 miles April 29 – Welcome Dock – Dismal Swamp – 23 miles April 30 – Norfolk – 28 miles This section of the ICW is a bit more challenging due to the low bridges. We had to pass four bridges to get from Wrightsville Beach to Swansboro. We were transiting at high tide so there was no “extra” height for us to pass under. The Wrightsville bridge claims a height of 20' but the Waterway Guide warns not to trust that height. The real limitation is the opening times. Some bridges open only once and hour and some open on the hour and the half hour. The challenge is to time your arrival to be five minutes before the scheduled opening not five minutes after and have to wait an hour. It was a short 25 mile run up the ICW from Swansboro to Beaufort. We docked at the Beaufort City Marina which is right downtown. The marina hands out wooden nickels for free beer and wine at the local restaurant. Priscilla and I took the National Park Service ferry to Shackleford Bank. This 9 mile Long Island is home to a herd of 110 wild horses. Their ancestors survived Spanish shipwrecks

400 years ago. They swam ashore and have prospered there for four centuries. The shell collecting on the beach on the Atlantic side was excellent. The Belhavem Waterway Marina was a great one night stopover. They have free laundry and fluffy towels in the shower. It was a rolly night. The wind was still blowing 20 mph from the south at midnight. The face dock has no protection from the waves on the Pungo River to the south. The marina provides extra large round fenders to keep boats off the pilings. Good thing they offer free laundry and fluffy towels. It was a flat ride from Belhaven to Aligator, NC. Much of the trip was on the Abermarle and Chesapeake Canal. The Aligator River Marina is a combination gas station and marina with a small restaurant that closes at 6:30 pm. I find it interesting to see how far inland we are on the inner banks. We are the blue dot on the far right hand side. We will be heading almost due north on the Dismal Swamp Canal.

The Dismal Swamp Lock

On Thursday we will cruise 35 miles to Elizabeth City which is at the start of the Dismal Swamp Canal. We will spend two days transiting the Dismal Swamp Canal before we arrive in Norfolk. It poured rain all night. CL got a good bath to wash off a lot the salt that has splashed on her. We wash her with a hose but nothing beats an all-night rain. We cast off at 8.00 am and were the second

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to last boat out of fourteen to depart the Alligator Marina. We had a flat 35 mile cruise over the Abermarle Sound to Elizabeth City. On the way we had a minor crisis. The forward head (toilet) would not flush. The holding tank light showed mid full. The easiest solution is to pump out the holding tank and see if that fixes the problem. The pump out at the Alligator Marina was broken when we fueled up. We would have pumped out yesterday. Our plan was to tie up at the free public dock in Elizabeth City but they do not have a pump out. Our only choice was the Pelican Marina. I called them on the phone to make sure their pump out was working and was surprised to get a recording that said they were only open from noon to 6:00 pm. I have never heard of a marina that opened at noon. Dale called them on VHF as we arrived – no answer. As we approached the dock, we saw a sign that said “pump out” so we tied up on the end pier at 10:00 am and planned to wait until they opened. As we pulled up to the dock Andy lassoed a piling. The piling broke off. Fortunately the other pilings did not break off. The owner watched us pull up to his dock on his AIS and called us on the radio. He said he could do a pump out and we could stay overnight. The slip fee is $35. Deal! Elizabeth City is a small town but they do have a few claims to fame. The Wright Brothers slept here and bought supplies on their way to Kitty Hawk. The herd was up early and restless. Four out of five boats were off the dock by 7:00 am for the bridge opening at 7:30 am. The bridge was 5 minutes away. We cast off at 7:15 am. We snaked our way north on the Dismal Swamp Canal for 18 miles to the South Mills lock. There were 12 boats to lock through. Immediately past the lock is a swing bridge. The lock tender jumps in his car and opens the swing bridge for the same group of boats. We then cruised 5 miles to the Dismal Swamp Visitors Center. The visitors center is on the highway and has a 150' dock in the back. Three boats can fit on the dock and

other boats raft up. We were the third boat to arrive so we have a dock space and two sailboats rafted off of us. Docktails were an extravaganza with a dozen or more Loopers headed to Norfolk. Today is our last day in North Carolina. Tomorrow we will be in Virginia.

Dismal Swamp State Park

It was a quiet night for us at the Great Dismal Swamp Welcome Center dock. Not so quiet for the two sailboats rafted off of us. We ran our generator until 10:30 pm to cook dinner and watch satellite TV. I’ll bet those sail boaters will be a little more selective regarding who they raft up to in the future.

Dismal Swamp Canal

The Great Dismal Swamp Canal is a “no wake ” zone its entire length. We just put the gear shift in forward and cruise at 5 – 6 mph the entire

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way. We spent the night at the Top Rack marina. We filled our water tanks and pumped out our holding tanks. We will be spending the week at the Waterside Marina in Norfolk for the Great Loop Rendezvous and we are not certain what facilities will be available for boaters. The AGLCA advised the Loopers that the showers and restrooms at the marina are under construction. It has been raining on and off all day. We moved the boat 9 miles from the Top Rack Marina to the Waterside Marina in Norfolk for the America’s Great Loop Cruisers Association Rendezvous. Over 250 Loopers, past Loopers and future Loopers will be together for four days to share experiences (a few lies) and learn more about the route ahead. There was one low bridge between us and the Waterside Marina. It is a railroad bridge that is almost always up. Guess what? It was down and we waited 30 minutes for a coal train to cross over and the bridge to open again. You can never be in a hurray on the Loop. We tied up at the Waterside Marina in Norfolk, Virginia and will stay here at the Looper Rendezvous for five days. In the next chapter I will describe our trip through the Chesapeake Bay up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal. My second career is working as a broker for Weber Yachts. Upon completing the America’s Great Loop, Weber Yachts sold our Loop boat within two weeks. If I can be of assistance for you to find your ideal boat or sell your current boat, please do not hesitate to contact me. ~ Capt. John Simons Broker / Weber Yachts www.weberyachts.com John@weberyachts.com Cell: 847-226-1070

22-24 March 2019

Holiday Inn Chicago Northwest-Elgin

495 Airport Rd., Elgin IL 60123

Room Rates: King Standard $99 per night, Double Queen Standard $99 per night. . Jr.King or Queen Suite, $99 per night. Room

block is limited. Make reservations by 8 March at (847) 488-9000. Be sure to mention United States Power Squadrons/District 20

to get the special rates. Larger suites are available, but are not blocked out and are on a first come/first serve basis, reserve ASAP

Rank Name Grade Squadron Email Telephone

___ ________________________ ___ _____________________ ________________ ________

___ ________________________ ___ _____________________ ________________ ________

LUNCH: Club Sub: Price $20 per person

Smoked Turkey, Ham, Bacon, Aged Cheddar and Swiss Cheese,

Lettuce & Tomato served on a Hoagie Bun with Potato Chips.

Coffee, tea, iced tea & water

Make checks payable to:

United States Power Squadrons District 20

Registration and check should be sent by 15 March to:

Lt/C Ellen Ludtke, AP

11419 Zarnstorff Rd, Richmond, IL 60071

emludtke@gmail.com / (815) 245-0888

Check if first time attending a District Conference

Schedule of Events

Friday 22 March:

1500-1800 Registration

1900-2230 Hospitality Suites

Saturday 23 March:

0700-1000 Friendship Room

0800-0900 Education Meeting

0900-1100 Registration

0900-1100 Seminar: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

presented by Rochelle Pennington

1100-1130 Seminar: Get Ready for the Tall Ships

presented by P/D/C Mike Ludtke, SN

1130-1200 Seminar: Update from the National Meeting

presented by D/Lt/C Mary Merrell, SN

1200-1300 Luncheon

1300-1330 Verification of Delegates

1330-1530 Spring Conference Meeting

1800-1900 Banquet cocktail hour—Conference Lobby

1900-2130 Banquet and Change of Watch

2130 Hospitality Suites

Sunday 24 March:

0900-1130 Seminar: Vessel Safety Check

presented by P/D/C Mike Ludtke, SN

Check if you plan to attend the VSC seminar

Dress Code:

Friday night: Casual

Saturday: Uniform G (short sleeved shirt, no tie)

or suitable business casual attire

Banquet USPS dress uniform or suitable attire

DINNER:

Pasta Primavera: Price $34 per person

Penne pasta with seasoned vegetables, sautéed in olive oil

topped with basil marinara & Parmesan cheese

Chicken Piccata: Price $34 per person

Lightly dredged chicken breast sautéed in butter & served with

lemon caper butter sauce, potatoes and vegetable du jour

London Broil: Price $37 per person

Grilled and sliced marinated flank steak with Bourdelaise sauce,

potatoes and vegetable du jour

All dinner meals include soup, salad, rolls, and dessert

coffee, iced or hot tea

No. Attending Total

__________ x $20 Lunch = $__________

__________ x $34 Pasta = $__________

__________ x $34 Chicken = $__________

__________ x $37 Beef = $__________

TOTAL $_________

Spring

Conference

District 20

& Change of

Watch