Fleet Week 2012

This morning we took a walk down to Piers 7 and 8 off of Columbia Street. For reference, Pier 1 is just south of the Brooklyn Bridge. We strolled on and off of a handful of beautiful ships both sail and military: ETOILE (France), CUAUHTEMOC (Mexico), JUAN SEBASTIAN de EL CANO (Spain) and JS Shirane (Japan), FNS Pohjanmaa (Finland) plus several Coast Guard ships.

All of the ships are open for tours (some guided) from 8 - 5 today and 8-4 tomorrow. Then they start to head out of town up the East River on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Full schedule and more info here.

I couldn't help looking at all the sail material and thinking about all the upcycling potential!

Enjoy the long weekend!

Sail Sale

Bloomspot is offering a sale on sailing!

The offer: $399 for 3-day Learn to Sail Certification Course ($895 value) though the Offshore Sailing School.

If you have any want-to-be-sailors on your holiday shopping list, this would make an adventurous and exciting gift.

Hoist the Flag!

Feeling a little stuck? Slowed? Lost contact? Having a hard time being heard? Need to send out an alert? Hoist a flag.

Visit Bexpert's shop on Etsy where you can find these and more.

Have a safe, smooth sailing day.

The Plastiki Adventure

The Plastiki is David de Rothschild's mission, dream, expedition and boat made entirely from recycled plastic. Rothschild and crew have recently set sail on a 100 day, 10,000 mile journey from San Francisco to Sydney to raise world awareness to reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink more of the planets natural resources.

The mission's philosophy is:

"... about recognizing that waste is fundamentally a design flaw (it does not appear in nature) It’s about re-thinking waste as a resource. It’s about cyclical ‘cradle-to-cradle’ philosophies rather than linear thinking when it comes to how we design our world. It’s about a better understanding of the lifecycle’s and materials used in our everyday lives."

Good luck, Plastiki! Track progress and view video blog entries here. Additional videos and more on Plastiki's You Tube Channel.

photographs courtesy of Luca Babini, illustration by Andrew Rae

Because She Can

Never underestimate a captain when there's the promise of warmer weather (tomorrow's Brooklyn forecast: Sunny and 69!) and fair winds. One more Brooklyn Public Sail has just been planned for the Sloop Clearwater on Wed, October 21st (yep, that's tomorrow!)

The sunset sail (last one out of Brooklyn this year) is planned to leave the Fairway ferry dock at 5:30.

Kids and adults can cast a net and catch fish in New York Harbor - yes, real live fish!

Are you weighing going to the gym vs. going on the sail? No worries! Enjoy both a light workout AND a sail: help set the 3000 sq. ft. Mainsail - Heave, Ho!

If you choose, bring a picnic and a bottle of wine.

Partake in everything or nothing at all. No matter what, you'll enjoy a peaceful evening on the water amid your busy week.

Because this sail is a little shorter than their normal sails, the prices have been adjusted: $40 for Adults, $30 if you're a CW member and $10 for kids under twelve!

Reserve your place by calling 1-800-67-SLOOP x107 or just stop by the boat at the Fairway ferry dock and speak to a crew member. To find out more about membership, programs and future events go to www.clearwater.org

Welcome Back!

Be a part of the official Welcome Back to Brooklyn for the Sloop Clearwater this Sat October 17th. There are a series of events planned that will appeal to all ages:

3-6 pm: The Sloop sets sail from Manhattan at 3pm and arrives in Brooklyn at 6pm. Pricing: $60/adults; $40/members; $20/kids. Reserve your spot and find more info at Clearwater.org.

5pm to 6pm: Start your evening off with a family-friendly rendez-vous aboard the Historic Waterfront Museum, a beautifully restored showboat barge and floating classroom. Catch great views of the historic tall ship Clearwater as she returns to the Brooklyn waterfront. Donations accepted; snacks, music and fun provided.

6pm-7:30pm: Welcome the Sloop to the dock (located behind Fairway), then hop aboard for a tour of the deck and meet n’ mingle with the Captain and crew!

8pm – 10pm: Head around the corner with the crew to Sunny’s Bar, a Red Hook mainstay for sailors for over one hundred years. A suggested donation of $5 or $10 gets you more great music, refreshments, and a warm mug of mulled cider.
Sunny’s weekly bluegrass jam follows close behind, so be sure and bring an instrument along!

See you there!

Blogcation

Hello again. Time flies. I've been happily busy - living and working and the ol' blog just fell off the end of the 'to do' list time after time. Hey, it happens. But, I'm back.

What to share first?? Below is a picture from the Newport International Boat Show that I attended in mid September. I kept finding that the scene was too much to take in on the wide angle and was repeated drawn to the places where the boats meet the water. I'll be back tomorrow (do I dare promise?) with more.

NY400 and Harbor Day

Spent a fantastic day on the Sloop Clearwater yesterday. Starting in Brooklyn, we sailed in the NY Harbor then up the Hudson River to the 79th street boat basin in a flotilla of historic and modern dutch and american ships. This sail was part of the NY400 Harbor Day celebration commemorating Henry Hudson's first sail up the Hudson 400 years ago.

The weather was outstanding and the water was sparkling. By the end of the day I'm sure I wasn't the only one fantasizing about living on a boat. Ah, the lure and romance of a sail!

More photos on flickr.

But, Wait! There's More!

The Sloop Clearwater has added an extra public sail to their schedule in Brooklyn! It's TONIGHT from 6-9. Bring a picnic and a bottle of wine and enjoy! Call 1-800-67-SLOOP x107 x107 or just stop by the boat at the Fairway ferry dock and ask a crew member. Check it out:


Happy Sailing!

Clear Sailing

I had the good fortune to go for a sail on the Sloop Clearwater the morning it docked behind the Fairway at the end of Van Brunt Street in Red Hook Brooklyn. Sunny weather and gentle winds made for great harbor exploring.

I joined a summer day camp as they broke into smaller groups and cycled through different educational stations on the vessel lead by the knowledgeable crew that works great with kids. 'Our' net caught flounder, crab, mussels, and other small fish that they kids identified, discussed and touched. The kids learned about climate change, navigational charts, wind and water, sailing, safety and communal life on a boat. And we hoisted the sails - how could I forget!? - Heave Ho!

There was a moment of silence where everyone just stopped and listened - fantastic! Guitar sing-a-longs kept kids mesmerized as we docked once again in Brooklyn.

The Clearwater is schedule to be here through 8/3 for deck tours and sails Check out all the info on their website here. If you can't catch it this go around check the schedule for other dates and locations. It's a great experience. Not to be missed.

Thanks to the crew and Captain Sam for a fantastic sail!

What a Concept!

My 'recycled sail' google alert picked up this story. The truly beautiful images of Christopher Ottersbach's concept air travel vehicle stopped me in my tracks. Aelus, named after the Greek ruler of the winds, is an airship that floats through the air thanks to it's helium filled 'sail' and was designed for travel with little impact to the environment in mind.

The vertical shape and a fold out stand allows landing in many areas far from airports. People can travel to exotic and untouched places without leaving traces. The concept is not about a fast arrival but about sensibility to the environment and traveling.

Love it.

original post and photos via Tuvie

Clearwater Brooklyn Revival?

Quite a busy day yesterday - filling orders, stuffing and photographing pillows - planned on a big WIP post today but look what docked at the Fairway pier yesterday! I recognized her from afar and when she came in close I grabbed my coat and camera and ran down.
The Clearwater:





The Clearwater is a Hudson River Sloop that:

conducts environmental education, advocacy programs and celebrations to protect the Hudson River, its tributaries and related bodies of water.

Clearwater’s story began in 1966, when a handful of Hudson Valley residents came together believing that by learning to care for one boat on one river, the public could come to care for all our threatened waterways. And what better boat for the job than a replica of the vessels which were once a much more common sight on the Hudson.

The sloop was launched three years later on May 17, 1969 in South Bristol, Maine. In the years since, Clearwater has traveled to towns and cities along the Hudson, New York Harbor, and Long Island Sound.

Clearwater is a work boat. Sailing from town to town, she models her course after the Dutch sloops of the 18th and 19th centuries. These cargo vessels were specially designed for the variable winds, currents and depths of the Hudson. Their cargoes and crews were the main communication link between river-front towns and outlying areas which now house one-tenth of this nation’s population.

Clearwater’s cargo is people. Her work is making them care.

Love that. My daughter went on a 'Classroom of the Waves' educational sail in elementary school. What a great experience. Check out their site for news, sail schedules, volunteering and membership info. Don't forget the Great Hudson River Revival festival held every year in June.

I got to meet Captain Sue (couldn't be nicer) and if the Clearwater can find a suitable place to dock, there might be a Clearwater Brooklyn Revival.

Back to work: here's a little taste from the pillow photo shoot:

Calling All Movie Critics

Morning Light Critics Contest

Submit your mini review to Sailing World's Morning Light Critics Contest forums thread for a chance to win prizes like Morning Light polos, a Reiter8 sail tote, and the companion book What the Sea Teaches Us.

Find out more about the movie here.

Win a Reiter8 tote and see Morning Light!

It's almost here! Opening in select theaters this Friday, Oct 17 is Disney's documentary Morning Light.

"Fifteen young sailors... six months of intense training... one chance at the brass ring. This exciting True-Life documentary tells the inspiring story of a group of intrepid and determined young men and women, on the cusp of adulthood, as they embark on life’s first great adventure. Racing a high-performance 52-foot sloop in the TRANSPAC, the most revered of open-ocean sailing competitions, the crew of "Morning Light" matches wits and skills in a dramatic 2300 mile showdown against top professionals."

Along with chances to win movie tickets, Disney is also promoting the movie by awarding Reiter8 recycled sail totes to many lucky winners nationwide. Look in your local papers for show times and promotional ads like this one from the Philadelphia Inquirer

For your chance to win one admit-two (2) pass send your name, address and daytime phone number to tickets@alliedadvpub.com.

For more info and many video clips see the Disney's official movie site Good luck and enjoy the show!

Windjammer Weekend

Former Harbor Master and Scooner 'bum', Annie Higbee has organized the Windjammer Weekend in Camden Maine for 14 years. The event is being held this weekend Aug 29-31st and promises activities and entertainment for all ages . Check out their website for a full list of events which include talent shows, lobster crate races, a harbor dog show, lots of demos and a build a boat contest. And of course a gorgeous fleet of windjammers will fill the harbor including the Stephen Taber (pictured above) - the oldest registered sailing vessel in the US which still operates cruises.

We were fortunate enough to stumble upon the event last year - the talent show is a hoot! It's a really great hometown, relaxed atmosphere and if you are in the area or can be, I highly recommend it.

Here's a short video covering last years event:

Clearwater Music Festival

We miss the Clearwater Music Festival every year because it conflicts with camp drop off, but it looks like a great way to spend a day this weekend.

Still haven't found my camera-to-computer download cord. I will look in earnest after I get a couple of wholesale orders out the door (and pack the kids for camp!)

The Renegade Craft fair was fantastic. Keeps getting better and better. I promise to post details soon.

Pirate Love

This Pirate Love ring is available in sterling silver and solid 14k gold made by Verameat at Catbird and Etsy.
Arrrrrrr!

Well, Hello Sailor!

Sail Brooklyn was kind enough to feature Reiter8 totes yesterday. Of course I am happy for the exposure but I am doubly happy to have found such a great resource for local sailing info and perspective. Red Hook community sailing anyone? Photos of the Day and comparing the costs of a Hamptons share vs. keeping a sailboat in NYC are among the interesting posts. I all makes me itch for spring. Pictured above is the Sail Magazine's Best Boat of 2007 designed by Brooklyn Based Wurmfeld Design. Thanks Mr. Salty!