It was cold, wet wind-swept morning, not unlike that day of the greatest invasion in history that we visited the beaches and the cemeteries. Let’s not forget those who gave their lives and respect their sacrifice by making the most of our resulting freedoms and opportunities that we still have today.
On Memorial Day, May 26th please observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 1500 local time.
Please wear a life jacket and boat responsibly to avoid needless death and injury. Check out this website to see how you can be a better, safer boater.
Today marks the beginning of the 85th year of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Here’s a little background about the auxiliary and the role they play and the accomplishments that have been made over the last year.
Members of Flotilla 07-09-06 in action in South West Florida
Created in 1939 as the Coast Guard’s “Volunteer Reserve”, the Auxiliary has served with pride as uniformed volunteers. Over the last 84 years, the Coast Guard Auxiliary has grown and evolved to incorporate new and innovative methods to promote recreational boating safety on America’s waterways and to assist the Coast Guard as a true force multiplier. Auxiliarists demonstrate selfless service, enthusiastically devoting their time, skills, and resources to an increasingly diverse range of roles that preserve and protect our Nation’s maritime interests.
This was exemplified in 2022 when the Auxiliary served at the vanguard of the Coast Guard’s response on our Nation’s southwest border. More than 145 Auxiliarists volunteered to handle complex logistical challenges to support the unique mission, enabling the timely humanitarian processing of over 320,000 migrants.
In 2022 the Coast Guard Auxiliary provided over 6,200 boating safety courses, 48,000 vessel safety checks and 62,000 marine dealer visits. Auxiliarists helped ensure that America’s maritime public enjoyed their recreational boating endeavors in a responsible and safe manner.
Auxiliarists augment Coast Guard units in increasingly diverse and valuable ways. They launched a virtual Auxiliary flotilla to support Coast Guard Cyber Command, delivered superb culinary assistance in dining facilities both ashore and underway, and provided remarkable support to Coast Guard recruiting through their Auxiliary University Program.
The Auxiliary Chaplain program continues to provide critical support to our Coast Guard workforce during a time of demanding operations. Auxiliary Chaplains now outnumber our Active Duty Chaplains in Coast Guard service. They have deployed on cutters in support of Operation Vigilant Sentry, and performed all the usual duties of Chaplains ashore, drastically increasing the Service’s capacity to care for our workforce.
These facts were highlighted recently by ADM Steven D. Poulin, Vice Commandant (VCG) who concluded with this: “thank our Coast Guard Auxiliary for all their incredible contributions, along with their exceptional commitment to Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. Bravo Zulu and Semper Paratus!”
On a side note this Captain and his first mate are celebrating their 41st anniversary next week, barely half of the illustrious service of the CGAUX. Also look for some new features and guests contributors starting next month as we address new challenges beyond those things purely nautical.
Santa is climbing the Palm in this pre-Ian photo from last December.
Despite the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian on Sanibel Island the ‘Tween Waters Inn is fighting back and slowly reopening to accommodate first responders, working crews and local residents. The restaurant will actually be opening to serve Thanksgiving dinners to the repair and restoration crews tomorrow according to ‘Tween Waters CEO Doug Babcock. And he says you will soon see the climbing Santa making his annual appearance. You can read more about his story of resilience and community teamwork by clicking here.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all! Appreciate what you have and please work to make a difference for those hurricane victims that still need our help.
Note: access to the Sanibel and Captiva islands is still strictly limited to those working crews and residents only.
National Safe Boating Week is a great time to remind ourselves that safety never takes a holiday, even over the boat-busy Memorial Day Weekend. Make sure your boat and its systems are in good working order before you head out on the waters. Remember that life jackets work best when they are actually worn.
Should I pump or should I tow?
The U.S. Coast Guard’s official boating safety website provides: updates to new safety regulations for fire extinguishers; how to find a local boating safety class (required for any power vessel operators born after Jan. 1st, 1988); boating safety tips (see below), and local vessel safety checks courtesy of the Coast Guard auxiliary unit in your area.
See something, say something. It’s important and in fact required that boaters utilize available safety equipment like a VHF radio. You should monitor channel 16 to hear urgent advisories as well as distress calls, and your local WX weather channel for marine weather forecasts. For a quick review on handling distress calls check out this article in Soundings.
Have a great weekend and a safe start to the 2022 boating season!
Second Wind has left us and is off to take its new captain and crew onto their own adventures. We wish them fair winds and following seas.
We’ve certainly enjoyed almost a decade with the sturdy motorsailer and the places that she took us. We will remember the friends and good times we had as she carried us on our adventures up and down the eastern seaboard and Bahamas from our home base on the Chesapeake. The priceless sunsets and evening tranquility as dolphins protectively patrolled our anchorage. It was a great way to spend the first part of our retirement as we pursued our dream of literally sailing off into the sunset six years ago.
While it’s sad to leave an old friend we hope it opens up opportunities for the next phase of our retirement. Perhaps boat chartering adventures on far away seas to distant shores? Please give your suggestions and we’ll start planning!
Frying Pan shoals as seen from Captain’s Quarters on Bald Head Island
One Curiosity
What are the odds that one particular boat could be owned by three people all with an uncommon first name? There are only currently about 30, 000 people with this name in the United States. That’s less than .01% of the population. Yet all of the unrelated owners of Second Wind had the given name Walter. So what are the odds? Please leave your guess in the comments below.
Many times it is not what we know that hurts, it’s what we don’t know that can have major impact.
So it’s only reasonable that when someone is making a major purchase, a house, a boat or an expensive used car it can be worth hiring an expert to give you a thorough analysis. To look under the floorboards, the deck or the hood to see what potential problems are lying in wait.
But there is also something worth examining when it isn’t a new purchase. When you hit key milestones in life it’s time to take a look under the hood of your most personal investment – your body. Call in the pro’s to take a survey of your key operating systems, take your body to WOT – wide-open throttle – to see how everything is working. If there isn’t something meeting spec, check it out before you have a catastrophic failure. You can’t always call TowBoat US.
The Red Cross distributed these journals to American P.O.W.’s during World War II
Isolated and alone. Separated from family and loved ones. American prisoners of war during WWII used small Red Cross supplied diaries to record their thoughts and daily experiences as they counted down their days in captivity, far behind enemy lines. I had a chance to review the diary of a B-24 pilot who was shot down over Germany after completing 27 missions from his 8th Army Air Force base in the United Kingdom. This came to me from a friend who had seen my last posting about WWII bomber aircraft and revealed the P.O.W. journal from her father that somehow survived over 75 years since the Stalag and forced winter marches through Germany in the final days of the war. In addition to his lecture notes from prisoner-organized classes, her father included a list of the fabulous restaurants he planned to enjoy when (and if) he returned to the U.S. It also documented the names and background of the other downed airmen that shared his quarters.
Today’s “bullet” journal concept gives people a way to collect and express their thoughts, organize their priorities and plan their busy days. The “bullets” in this case describe short punctuated line items that summarize and save time. It helps people cope with daily stresses and optimize their life.
During WWII these journals were the product of not only bullets from enemy aircraft, but also the shrapnel from anti-aircraft guns protecting industrial centers. The writings helped the captured preserve their sanity and sense of hope under extremely trying and desperate conditions.
I guess it is a good thing that today people can focus more on personal development and self-promotion rather than just self-preservation, but let’s not forget the people and events that enable this lifestyle today. As we have learned during the past week, not all of our heroes contribute to a happy ending, but their sacrifice and dedication is no less worthy of our respect and honor.
Please drop me a note if you would like more information about the story of this one B-24 pilot who survived to return home and live his American Dream.
Captain George Anonich (center) and his crew of this B-25 Mitchell bomber complete training for deployment to the Pacific theatre during War World II. Sixteen of these medium bomber aircraft would be led by James Dolittle on his historic retaliatory raid on 2020 Olympic host city Tokyo just over 79 years ago.
This month the crew of Second Wind expands its reach to aero-nautical adventures as it attends The EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2021. Aeronautics means literally “sailing through the air” and the principles of aerodynamics and airflows, lift, and pressure differentials apply equally to flying as well as conventional sailing, but even more so to today’s AC75’s series Americas Cup racers that are “designed to fly”.
The International Experimental Aircraft Association’s Fly-In Convention is billed as “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration.” Over 8,000 pilots and their individual aircraft descend on Wittman Airport and encamp across the surrounding fields, many sleeping in small tents positioned under their wings. They are joined by hundreds of thousands of aviation enthusiasts for a week of plane-spotting, aerial acrobatics, Warbird restorations and experimental and (aircraft) homebuilder supplier exhibitions and educational forums. We enjoyed the company of an expert local guide who walked us through a full day program of exploration and discovery before weather curtailed the evening flying show and fireworks.
Photos include UPS’s latest 747, one of the last to roll of the production line, plus a variety of historic WWII military aircraft. This includes the P-51 Mustang, that provides testament to the greatest generation which most, like my uncle George, have already passed into memory, but should always be in our gratitude for fighting for the freedoms that we enjoy today. I think some of these freedoms as expressed are silly or self-centered, like the right to not bare arms for a life-saving vaccine, but please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Also learned about a new eVTOL (electric vertical take-off & landing) aircraft named BlackFly which will soon offer a “flying-car approach” to personal transportation. No, it doesn’t have rolling wheels like a car but it has a simplicity of design the allows it take off and land virtually anywhere, even on the water. Electric power, like on the Ford Electric and Hybrid trucks, minimizes maintenance but also limits range and capacity. Although pricing and availability are not yet finalized it is reportedly priced “in the range of an SUV.” I would guess more like a Range Rover than a Hyundai or Ford Maverick.
Closing Note: This morning I was greeted by the throaty growl of the powerful twin engines of this B-25J nicknamed “MAID in the SHADE” as it did a flyover of Lake Geneva. Passengers flights are available by connecting to this link. I do not receive any compensation for any of the included links nor do I necessarily endorse their safety – but hey if it survived when people were shooting at it, its gotta be a trooper, right ?
Helio Castroneves finally captured his fourth Indy 500 win at the age of 46, beating out drivers that were less than half his age. He is shown here entertaining the crowds in his “banana” suit at the Detroit Auto Show a few years back.
Just when it seemed that youth would dominate the headlines and capture the attention of sports fans everywhere, when new diseases seemed to focus on taking out those of advanced age, there are signs of hope for us of in the last, or perhaps best, half of life.
From NFL football, to PGA golf, to IndyCar racing the senior statesmen of their sport are taking home the top prizes as those decades younger can only watch in awe and amazement.
Congratulations to Phil Mickelson, oldest player to win a major PGA Championship and yes congrats even to Tom Brady, now with our local team the Tampa Bay Bucanneers, the oldest quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory.
Congratulations to all those men and women who use their life-long experience to push the boundaries of their age, those who continue to battle age discrimination in the workplace, those who work and achieve to the best of their abilities, not to others’ conception of what should be their “age-appropriate” behavior. Who else should we recognize as exemplary of age-defying feats of perseverance and bravery? Please add them to the comments below.
the laughing pirates 