In This Issue
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I. A Quick Word About "ICE"
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II. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Launches Our New "Boat Broker Partner" Section
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III. Please Join Claiborne For DETAILED Webinars on Cruising the North Carolina and South Carolina Coastlines
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IV. You Never Know What You're Going to See While Cruising the Okeechobee Waterway
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V. Another Florida Tax on Cruisers ???
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VI. Free Pumpout Boat in Ashley River Anchorages, Charleston, SC
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VII. Update on Dismal Swamp Canal Closure at Welcome Center Due to Malfunction of State Park Bridge , Statute Mile 28
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VIII. Good Words for St. Petersburg Municipal Marina, Tampa Bay
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IX. A Month-Long Stay at Sombrero Marina, Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL
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X. Underwater Rock Still There Near Naples City Dock
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XI. Praise for LaBelle, FL and LaBelle City Dock, Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 103
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XII. Longer FEC RR Bridge Closures in Store for South Florida?
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XIII. Peck Lake Anchorage Off-Limits Until the End of May, 2014, AICW Statute Mile 992
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XIV. Newspaper Story about Claiborne's Consultation With "Team Punta Gorda"
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XV. Two Good Florida Keys Articles
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XVI. Praise for Sunbury Crab Company Restaurant and Marina, Medway River off AICW Statute Mile 620
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A Word From Claiborne
I. A Quick Word About "ICE"
Last Thursday night, the worst ice storm in at least a decade struck North Carolina. I was without power in both my home and the SSECN offices until late yesterday afternoon. NO FUN!
This "Alert" was supposed to have been dispatched last Friday, but, as you now know, we were back in the stone, or at least the "bronze," age at that point. We do apologize for the delay.
In an exchange of e-mails yesterday with SSECN strategic partner, Skipper Chuck Baier, I was told, "You should be in Florida." Chuck is only too right. Well, maybe next winter.
So now, at last, it's on to a whole sail-full of news. Thanks for your patience!
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SSECN Web Site
II. Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net Launches Our New "Boat Broker Partner" Section
The Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net is very proud to announce an ENTIRELY NEW FEATURE! Our fresh off the shelf "Boat Broker Partners" section (see http://cruisersnet.net/boat-brokers/) features those brokers who have chosen to support the cruising community by way of their support for the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net! With their help, as well as the support of our other sponsors, all of the many SSECN services remain available to the cruising community entirely free of cost or membership requirements.
WE HUMBLY ASK THAT YOU USE THESE EXEMPLARY FIRMS WHENEVER you are in the market for a quality new or used craft. These are the companies which care about the enjoyment and safety of the cruising community and DESERVE our business!
Initially, four of the finest marina brokerage firms in the Southeast have chosen to participate in the Salty Southeast Cruiser' Net "Boat Broker Partners" program. These are (in alphabetical order):
Beaufort Yacht Sales 877-269-3022
Bennett Brothers Yachts 910-772-9277
Intracoastal Yacht Sales 843-340-0080
Massey Yacht Sales and Service 943-723-1610
We cordially invite the cruising community to visit all our "Boat Broker Partners" at:
http://cruisersnet.net/boat-brokers/
The entire Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net staff would like to extend our very deep and sincere appreciation to Skipper Doug Ford of Intracoastal Yacht Sales and Skipper Ed Massey of Massey Yacht Sales and Service for giving so unstintingly of their time to help in the design of our new "Boat Broker Partners" section.
And, finally, if any of you reading this announcement are boat brokers yourselves, and would like to participate in this LOW cost way of getting your name, and links to your web site, in front of literally tens of thousands of dyed-in-the-wool cruisers, then PLEASE get in touch with us at:
[email protected] 336-263-3016
Thanks for your time, and PLEASE join us in welcoming our FINE brokerage partners into the Salty Southeast Cruiser' Net family!
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North Carolina
III. Please Join Claiborne For DETAILED Webinars on Cruising the North Carolina and South Carolina Coastlines
The Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net is excited to announced two March, 2014 webinars to be held under the auspices of the Seven Seas Cruising Association University, and hosted directly by yours truly (Claiborne Young). These sessions are: Thursday, March 20 - "Cruising the North Carolina Coastline" Wednesday, March 26 - "Cruising the Historic South Carolina Low Country" Please be advised that both these sessions will delve deeply into the cruising possibilities of their respective coastlines. While the AICW, will, of course, be covered, the 90 minute format of these webinars will also give us the chance to explore ALL other NC and SC coastal waters, including a whole passel of true off the beaten track cruising possibilities, sometimes FAR off the beaten track! I am excited to be once again working with SSCA University for these webinars. While nothing on the internet is ever perfect, these SSCAU sessions employ the latest hardware and software, and are generally free of technical problems, garbled audio and jerky video, which can be the hallmark of webinars presented by less technically savvy hosts. All you need is an internet connect to participate! And, while we will again announce this third webinar a bit later, this coming April 8, I will be hosting an IMPORANT, FREE SSCA University webinar entitled: "How to Get the Most from the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net" To sign up for any or, hopefully, ALL the above detailed webinars, please visit the SSCA University web site at: http://sevenseasu.com/7seasu/ Note THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE AN SSCA MEMBER TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE WEBINARS, but you will have to create an "account." Look on the upper. left side of the SSCAU home page under the "SSU Login" section, and check the round "Register" button. Then just enter your information, and click the rectangular "Register" link. Now, you have an SSECN U account! I hope to work with MANY of you on these exciting three webinars! Please sign up TODAY!
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Okeechobee Waterway
IV. You Never Know What You're Going to See While Cruising the Okeechobee Waterway
Ok, honestly fellow cruisers, if you don't follow any other link in this "Alert," PLEASE click on this one. Honestly, if this image had not come from SSECN strategic partners, Skippers Susan Landry and Chuck Baier, I would really have wondered at its authenticity. Then again, I have seen some really strange sights myself while cruising the Okeechobee Waterway. This passage truly gives cruisers a look at the "other Florida" that is all too rapidly fading into the fabric of the past. This one, though; well, I won't ruin the surprise except to say, "What's next, Lawrence of Arabia?" Don't date miss: http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136907
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South Carolina
VI. Free Pumpout Boat in Ashley River Anchorages, Charleston, SC, near AICW Statute Mile 469
Charleston Waterkeeper's Pumpout Program has been in operation since November, 2013 and dispatches out of Charleston City Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS NET SPONSOR! Service is primarily in the Ashley River anchorages just off the Waterway and the below linked article explains how to contact the pumpout boat to schedule their service.
What a brilliant and positive move by this ultra cruiser friendly community. THANKS Charleston!
Please check out:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136918
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North Carolina
VII. Update on Dismal Swamp Canal Closure at Welcome Center Due to Malfunction of State Park Bridge , Statute Mile 28
The Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR!, is located on the east shore of the like-named Canal at Statute Mile 28.
The Dismal Swamp Canal State Park Bridge, with 0 ft vertical clearance, is small, pedestrian foot bridge that crosses the canal just south of the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center. This span has malfunctioned, and cannot open at the present time. Until this situation is remedied, the Dismal Swamp Canal cannot be navigated north to south, or the other way around. In a telephone interview on 2/28/14, the Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net was assured that repairs could be completed in plenty of time for the spring, 2014 transient season.
Now, as of 3/10/14, we have an updated report, linked below, and, while the foot bridge in question is still not operational, the future is looking brighter.
Check out the latest at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136346
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Western Florida
VIII. Good Words for St. Petersburg Municipal Marina, Tampa Bay
What a good description, linked below, of one of the finest municipal marinas I have ever reviewed in my many years of cruising guide authorship. As Skipper David notes, this SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR is a great liveaboard marina located on the western shore of Tampa Bay in downtown St. Petersburg.
Learn LOTS more at:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136888
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Florida Keys
IX. A Month-Long Stay at Sombrero Marina, Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FL
Sombrero Marina resides on Boot Key Harbor's southerly banks, near the bay's easterly limits, just east of marker #5A. In the below linked report, Skipper Reeves points out the marina's pro and cons, as well as providing an excellent photo of the facility.
Full details at:
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Western Florida
X. Underwater Rock Still There Near Naples City Dock
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Okeechobee Waterway
XI. Praise for LaBelle, FL and LaBelle City Dock, Okeechobee Waterway Statute Mile 103
The recently improved and exapanded LaBelle City dock overlooks the south side of the Okeechobee Waterway, just west of the LaBelle bridge. In the below linked article, Skipper Burnham gives high, well deserved marks to LaBelle for this community's new docks and hospitality. Don't miss: http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136870
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Eastern Florida XII. Longer FEC RR Bridge Closures in Store for South Florida?
Wow, here is a piece of sobering news from our "man on the scene" in Stuart, Florida, Captain Ted Guy. Ted is a maritime attorney and the past president of the Treasure Coast Marine Industries Association, and is unusually knowledgeable about all things nautical when it comes to Eastern Florida and the Okeechobee Waterway. Looks like we may all have more time to wait at railway bridges in Florida, starting in 2015! ALL Florida cruisers are urged to read:
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136159
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Eastern Florida
XIII. Peck Lake Anchorage Off-Limits Until the End of May, 2014, AICW Statute Mile 992
The Peck Lake Anchorage immediately off the AICW's path, south of the Waterway's intersection with the St. Lucie Inlet and the Okeechobee Waterway, has been virtually unusable because of the onsite equipment related to the dredging of St. Lucie Inlet.
Unfortunately, the inlet dredging project has been extended. Find out the full scoop at:
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Western Florida
XIV. Newspaper Story about Claiborne's Consultation With "Team Punta Gorda"
During my recently completed speaking/research tour of the Western Florida coastline, I was asked to meet with "Team Punta Gorda" and discuss ideas about how this attractive community, already A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR, can become an even more popular port of call for the cruising community. This was a follow-up meeting to one I had some time ago with the same group. The excellent give and take produced some great new ideas, as you will see in the newspaper story linked below.
Please visit:
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Florida Keys
XV. Two Good Florida Keys Articles
Skipper Mark Richter has just provided the SSECN with two very interesting Florida Keys articles. The first deals with his experience at Lorelei Cabana Bar and Marina on the Florida Keys Inside Route (Statute Mile 1160). Check out:
Mark's second posting sings the praises of Marathon's Boot Key Harbor and it's adjacent city marina. Don't miss:
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Georgia
XVI. Praise for Sunbury Crab Company Restaurant and Marina, Medway River off AICW Statute Mile 620
Sunbury Crab Company Marina, A SALTY SOUTHEAST CRUISERS' NET SPONSOR, lies off the AICW along the western shores of the Medway River, on the charted Sunbury Channel, north of Dickinson Creek. PLEASE follow the link below to discover why this is a facility that ALL cruisers SHOULD visit!
http://cruisersnet.net/?p=136340That's all for now. Good luck and good cruising to all! Claiborne S. Young Salty Southeast Cruisers' Net http://www.CruisersNet.net [email protected] |
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