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The next evening, a rumor spread through the marine industry that there was to be no boat show. For people who live and work in the boating community, this was devastating news. However, show management decided that the show must go on, and it is now scheduled to run from Thursday, November 3, through Sunday, November 6. Bluewater, of course, will still be there, and we look forward to seeing you.

In other news, Bluewater is preparing for the busy season. We sent an invitation to all of our South Florida customers for an Open House Celebration on Saturday, October 22, complete with hot dogs and door prizes. We want everyone to know that we’ve moved and that we have much more to offer in our new store.

The Open House Celebration is just one example of our expanded event schedule. On September 28, we teamed up with the Downtowner Saloon and Florida author Christine Kling to help Christine celebrate the release of her new novel. She gave a presentation and signed copies of her three books. The crowd couldn’t get enough of her. Bitter End has been flying off the shelf ever since, and we still have signed copies available in the store, so stop by and get yours even if you missed the party.

Oct 21 marked the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, and also marked our first in-store event in the new Bluewater. Vivien wanted to make all the British folks in South Florida feel at home, so we invited them to the store for a wine and cheese reception and history discussion. Of course, there were also many new books about Trafalgar available to mark the event. What a great time!

If you’re interested in getting on our Event Notification List, or sign our guest log at the next event. On December 16, author and weather expert Chris Parker is coming to the store to give a seminar that will be extremely helpful to cruisers who are planning to cross the Gulf Stream in the coming months. See the article Weather Lessons at Bluewater in this newsletter for more details!

Don’t forget that the Holidays are on the way. We now have all of our 2006 calendars in the store, and our Christmas cards just arrived this week. You can find them on the web in our "Bosun’s Locker" section.

Last but not least, there are several new faces among our Crew. In the Chart Department, Jane Mitzkewich and David Skillings have joined us. Jane has cruised the Pacific and lived overseas for years, and David has done most of his sailing in the South Pacific, Mexico, and California. Doug Abbott just rejoined the Bluewater Crew, and he’s an expert on cruising the Caribbean. In our mail order department, Jeannine Della-Cerra and Andrew Low have joined April’s team, and Linda Neville is new in our Book Department.

We can’t stress enough how thankful we are to have gotten through Wilma with so little damage. Many of our friends and families, and many of us, are dealing with a very difficult time now. Getting back on our feet after an event like this takes time and patience.

We want to send our sincerest regards to our friends and customers who have been affected by Wilma and the other storms we’ve experienced this year.

We look forward to seeing you in our new store.

John Mann

Editor’s Note: I sincerely hope that you and yours are well and that your losses have been minimal. To those of you who lost a boat or a home (or in many cases both), my thoughts are with you.

If you would like to share your storm experiences with us, please send me an email or call me at 954-763-6533, ex 228. I am actively seeking submissions, and would love to hear from you. Accounts of first-hand experiences would be great, as would practical articles on how to prepare your boat for or ride out a hurricane.

Melanie Neale

Newsletter Contents:

No Smooth Sailing in South Florida: In the days after Hurricane Wilma, things are slowly getting back to normal at Bluewater Books & Charts.

West Coast Cruising: In the third installment of Jan and Don Cosby’s adventures out west, a whole week flies by before the two couples aboard Sunny Sue know it. Check out their fantastic photos.

New in E-Charts: Nobeltec introduces some powerful new software at the Annapolis Boat Shows, and Bluewater is ready to show you how it works.

Cruising Couture: Cruiser Susi Frances learns that even the small boats can look good. All it takes is the right foul weather gear.

New Marina Promises the World: Ocean World Marina, in Puerto Rico, wants you to know about them. They’re brand new, and the word around the Chart Department is that lots of boats are planning on heading there.

Broward Library Brings Famous Divers to Town: Divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler were made famous by Robert Kurson’s book Shadow Divers. Now, you have a chance to meet them.

Weather Lessons at Bluewater: Bluewater gives you the opportunity to learn about weather in the Bahamas from the very best: Chris Parker. He’ll be in town in December, while you’re waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream.