The circumnavigation of a 62-ft. Hawaiian ocean voyaging canoe, using the ancient art and genius of Polynesian wayfinding — no map, no compass, no GPS, no modern navigational tools of any kind. This story in the September 2016 issue of Soundings explores the boat, the voyage, and why it docked where it did when it came up the Potomac River to Washington.
Although “vacation” and “pleasure” are not yet authorized reasons for Americans to visit Cuba, it is now possible for U.S. sailors to charter a sailboat and cruise the island’s southern coast. This article in the August 2016 issue of Soundings, describes how, what it’s like, what’s there, and why bareboat chartering in Cuba is not for beginners. A mobile-friendly (one-column) version is also available on the Soundings website.
Also online: A feature on Pire, the legendary “capitan del puerto” at the Cayo Largo marina in Cuba’s first tourist resort island.
Posted in Cruising, Cuba, Environment, sailing, Stephen Blakely, Washington
Tagged Carribean, catamarans, Cruising, Cuba, cuban blockade, cuban embargo, sailing, Stephen Blakely
Tangier and Smith Islands—This entry explains why Tangier and Smith Islands in the Chesapeake Bay are “must-see places.” The hard-copy magazine format is online here; the web version with lots of tips and links is online here.
Posted in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Smith Island, Stephen Blakely, Tangier Island
Tagged Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Smith Island, Tangier Island, Virgininia
Just southeast of Annapolis sits the last working screwpile lighthouse in its original location in the Chesapeake Bay: Thomas Point Shoal Light. Once dozens of these graceful structures guided mariners in the bay, and two are in museums, but “TP” is the only one left doing its job. The lighthouse is an iconic symbol of the state of Maryland, a beloved waypoint for sailors, and was saved from the wrecking ball by a public-private partnership. This article in the August 2015 issue of Cruising World take a look.
Posted in Chesapeake Bay, Lighthouses, Maryland, Stephen Blakely
President Obama’s recent actions to restore normal diplomatic relations with Cuba so far do not extend to the sea: American boaters are still prohibited from crossing the 90 miles of water that separate the two nations. This article in the April 2015 Soundings explains why.
Posted in Cruising, Cuba, sailing, Stephen Blakely
Tagged boating, Boats, Cruising, Cuba, Cuba embargo, cuban blockade, cuban embargo, sailboats, sailing, Stephen Blakely, U.S. Coast Guard
The Haida Gwaii archipelago (formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands), is located at the northwestern-most corner of Canada’s Pacific Northwest. It is one of the most beautiful, remote, and wild places in the world.
This three-part feature in the March 2015 issue of Soundings shows why, on many different levels, there’s no place on Earth like Haida Gwaii. This article won a certificate of merit award in the Travel and Destinations category of the 2015 annual writing contest by Boating Writers International.
Slideshow
Video: Haida Gwaii and the Legacy Pole Raising
Video: Outer Shores, visiting Haida Gwaii by schooner
February 10, 2015 in Boats, Canada, Cruising, Environment, First Nations, Gwaii Haanas, Gwaii Haanas National Park, Haida Gwaii, Pacific Rim, sailing, Stephen Blakely
Tagged Canada, First Nations, Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, Haida, Haida Gwaii, Hecate Strait, Pacific Northewest, Passing Cloud, Russ Markel, Stephen Blakely, wilderness
Soundings, Dec-14
The C&D Canal, linking the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays, is one of the busiest in the United States. Although seemingly peaceful and quiet, the currents, weather, and marine traffic here can be deadly.
This article, in the December 2014 issue of Soundings, tells the story of the canal and provides some tips for a safe passage. It received a Merit Award in the 2014 BWI annual writing contest in the Travel & Destinations category.
Video: Thanksgiving 2011 Transit of the C&D by the ATB Nicole Reinhauer, Capt. Bill Brucato on helm and video
Stephen Blakely is a writer and editor in Washington, DC
