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houseboat expo new

July 15, 2010
Vol 7, No 1-10

Are You Hungry Yet?

You will be, when you read the August issue


Everything tastes better in the fresh air, which might be why we all enjoy chowing down during cruises. The August issue cannot be beat; it's a magazine to sink your teeth into. Take a look:

small carp dishes

Photo courtesy Big River Magazine


Yummy, eh? Would you believe that all this food is silver carp? Yes, the same non-native critters that will leap into your boat. Although the danger of their out-competing native fish is very real, the up side is that millions of people think they're delicious! Read publisher Nelson Spencer's Leadline to discover the verdict of our staff. Or to see more carp-tasting pictures, just go to our Facebook page.
 
But fish are just the start of our gastronomic explorations. If stopping in Chicago, take contributing editor Kate Godfrey-DeMay's advice and visit the elegant 3rd Coast Café. Great artwork there!           


3rd coast int

Inviting interior of 3rd Coast
Photo by Janet Thomas


Dining aboard? Check Sandy Lindsey's great advice about working in the boat's galley. Linda Aksomitis praises the bounty of Alabama as she tours the state tasting its best.


Capt. Fred and Pat Davis check out goodies along the U.S. side of the international border at the St Clair River, and report that they are worth a trip.


Here are pictures of two of the restaurants, McRae's Big River Grille and St Clair River Inn.
 

big river grill

Big River Grille

st clair river inn

St Clair River Inn

Photos by Capt Fred Davis


The Davises provide a sweet note as they investigate the famous fudge of Mackinac Island, Mich.


MAC Island

Aerial view of Mackinac Island.
Photo courtesy Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau


It's where you'll find way more boats than motor vehicles, which are banned. Also a long-established and flourishing tradition of making fine fudge. Here's a picture of a batch just about to pour:


Wear It
Photo courtesy Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau


So pull a chair up to the table, and get the knife and fork, ready to dig in to the August HeartLand !


CONTESTS, CONTESTS, CONTESTS

It seems like more contests are taking place than ever before. Which is great! Here are four contests for boaters.



ˇ Recreational Boating Access Award


The fourth annual BoatUS Recreational Boating Access Award publicizes initiatives that buck the trend of increasingly restricted access to the water. Nominations are open until Oct. 1. If you know an individual or group who have preserved or improved public waterway access, the Recreational Boating Access Award would like to recognize the effort.

   "We'll share those success stories with others so that they may also learn how to preserve or improve boating access in their area," said BoatUS President Nancy Michelman.

   Judges look at four criteria: (1) challenges faced in retaining or increasing access in an area; (2) measurable results of the solution; (3) success in increasing awareness of the importance of boating access; (4) repeatability-the ability to use the approach as a model for other areas.

   Application deadline is Oct. 1; winners will be announced by Oct. 31. For more information, click here.
 


ˇ Mount This Fish


mount this

Anglers could win a replica of their fish from Mount This Fish Company. Photo courtesy BoatUS

Submit a photo of your best catch to the BoatUS Angler Catch of the Month Photo Contest, and you could win $50 and other prizes, plus be entered to win a realistic replica of your fish from Mount This Fish Company. The firm specializes in hand-painted fiberglass replicas.

   It's a monthly photo contest that started in April and runs for seven months. For complete details and how to enter, click here

   In November all 14 monthly winners will be automatically entered into the Grand Prize drawing to win the replica mount from Mount This Fish Company, the newest sponsor of the photo contest. All mounts are hand airbrushed and can be displayed indoors or out.


ˇ Win a Fishing Trip with Tour Pro-Fish-A-Thon


kevin

Last year's 24-Hour Fish-A-Thon winner Kevin Workman.
Lincoln, Neb., shows off his catch from Lake Amistad, Texas.

Photo courtesy of BoatUS


A nationwide 24-hour Fish-A-Thon on Sept. 10-11 will help conserve fish habitat. Recycled Fish and BoatUS Angler co-sponsor the event, which lasts 24 hours and pits teams of anglers across the country against each other.

    It's all to raise funds to support responsible fishing. Teams also compete for top prizes such as "the fishing trip of a lifetime," a guided trip with a Professional Anglers Association (PAA) tour-level pro, or a getaway to a remote lodge. Recycled Fish is a non-profit organization committed to responsible fishing practices. Proceeds are donated to Recycled Fish and the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water to support waterway stewardship programs. The 24-Hour Fish-A-Thon is open to freshwater anglers in all 50 states. To participate, anglers begin by becoming a Fish-A-Thon Ambassador/Team Leader at www.RecycledFish.org/FishAThon.

   Next they go fishing. Lines are cast Sept. 10 at 6 pm until Sept. 11 at 6 pm. During the event anglers are also encouraged to pick up trash and use tackle that is easier on the environment, such as lead-free weights or biodegradable baits and lures. They practice good catch-and-release tactics. Every team raising a minimum of $100 will get a complementary 24-Hour Fish-A-Thon shirt. Participating anglers takes photos of their fish and self-score their catch at the online Angling Masters Fish Calculator, then submit their score to the Fish-A-Thon administrator.

   For complete Fish-A-Thon information, go to www.RecycledFish.org, or contact Buddy Johns.


ˇ Discover Boating's new game puts boaters at the helm

header


Discover Boating, the national awareness program for the recreational boating industry, recently launched a new online game application, titled Making Waves.

   It's designed to put at-home water sports enthusiasts in the virtual captain's chair. We liked it so much here in the office that we put it on our Facebook page. 

   The game lets players experience onscreen the thrill of everything you can do on water, the format using a race focusing on lifestyles associated with each style of boating. The races are "Wake Rider," "Set the Hook," and "Dock Hopper."

   "The game brings the boating experience to life online," said Carl Blackwell, chief marketing officer for Discover Boating and the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA).

   Discover Boating partnered with space 150, a Minneapolis-based digital communications firm, to create the game.

   OK, it's not strictly a contest. But it is a sweepstakes. To drive traffic to the game, players receive a chance to register to win $25,000 toward the purchase of a new NMMA Certified boat.

   The sweepstakes runs through Aug. 31. Players can also sign up via the application to receive Discover Boating's free "Get Started in Boating" DVD.



NEWS FOR BOATERS

Fun Event in the Heartland


From July 24 to July 31, the Tennessee river 600 race is scheduled to take place between Knoxville and Paris Landing State Park. Personal watercraft (PWC) riders will travel the 600 miles to raise money to benefit T.C. Thompson Children's Hospital of Chattanooga, The Children's Hospital of Birmingham, Ala.; and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA).
    Both children's hospitals are members of the Children's Miracle Network. The TWRA is an organization dedicated to the preservation, conservation, and enhancement of Tennessee's outdoors. Here's a map of the route:

river map
Graphic courtesy of Tennessee River 600

The Tennessee River 600 is the longest-running organized event in the United States for personal watercraft, and a heck of a lot of fun, too. For details, click here.



Michigan Boater Education Card Now Required
 
According to the The Leader Press, all boaters in Michigan between the ages of 12 and 16 must have a valid Michigan Boater Education Card to operate a powered vessel with more than 10 horsepower on state waters. Persons born after Dec. 31, 1978, who operate a personal watercraft (PWC) must also be certified. The safety legislation is expected to reduce the occurrence of boating-related fatalities.
   BoaterExam.com points out that its Michigan Boating Safety Course meets the state's education requirements and allows boaters to get certified online. The online course includes a 60-question final exam to obtain the certificate. The course is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard and approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The Michigan Boater Education Card is good for life and does not need to be renewed. 

Clarification
 
Mike Bush, St Louis Confluence Riverkeeper, wrote to correct the RiverKeeper link that appeared in last month's newsletter. Here is a heartland RiverKeeper link. For more details about the RiverKeeper Alliance, e-mail Mike Bush.
 

ORSANCO Sets Hearing Times

ohio river
Ohio River view
Photo courtesy ORSANCO

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), an interstate agency representing the eight states along the Ohio River, is proposing revisions to its Pollution Control Standards. Three changes are proposed: (1) addition of a criterion for Total Dissolved Solids to protect human health, (2) specification of critical river flows to apply human-health criteria, and (3) changes to the variance procedure.

    The proposed revisions will be presented at a series of public workshops to be held in July, and at a public hearing on Aug. 3. The public workshops are an informal version of the hearing. The record of the hearing will remain open until Sept. 3 to allow receipt of written comments. Formal comments may be submitted verbally at the public hearing or in writing to ORSANCO, 5735 Kellogg Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45230; by email; or online through the Commission's Web site.
    Workshops will take place in Evansville, Ind., on July 20; Louisville on July 21; Huntington, W.Va., on July 22; Pittsburgh, on July 27; and Cincinnati area on Aug. 3.

Remember to Protect Your Skin 


Boaters get hit with ultraviolet rays twice--once from the sky and once from the water. On all but the hottest days, breezes can disguise skin damage because skin doesn't feel warm. Until later, of course.
   Some folks think that their tans provide protection by this time of the summer. Sorry, not true. Protect your and your family's skin short term from painful burns, and long-term from premature aging, plus the potential of melanoma and skin cancer.     
   We cannot even trust non-treated clothing for protection. I was surprised to learn that a white T-shirt provides an SPF of only about 5, hardly any protection from damaging rays. Dr. Patty Agin of the Coppertone Solar Research Center passes along her Safe Sun Tips. They are:
 
ˇ Apply. Apply. Apply. Because the sun may cause damage immediately, apply sunscreen before heading outside, even if spending time under trees before heading out on the boat. Then re-apply every 80 minutes, even if the sunscreen is waterproof and sweat-proof.

ˇ High SPF. Choose the highest you can find. Some sunscreens go up to SPF 70 or more.


ˇ The shadow rule: if a child's shadow is shorter than the child, the sun's rays are at their strongest. Cover them up, keep them in the shade during mid-day whenever possible!


ˇ See a dermatologist once a year for a skin check, no matter what your age. If detected early, melanoma can be treatable.


coosa
Easy to forget sunscreen when you're occupied.

Photo by Charlie Seifried, courtesy of Alabama Scenic River Trail
 
Sobering thoughts during the best time of the year for boating, aren't they? But UV or no UV, enjoy these beautiful days.

 

Sincerely ,

 

Lee Braff 


Editor
HeartLand Boating

Editorial Offices                                                       

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