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Home :: Newsletter |
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Bluewater, a Place for Learning December 16 marked a new beginning for Bluewater Books & Charts. We opened our doors to the first of many seminars in our new Bluewater Event Series. The theme of December's seminar was understanding Bahamian and Caribbean Weather, lead by Chris Parker. |
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We chose to hold this event in mid-December because this is the time when our cruising customers are most likely to be waiting in South Florida for the right weather to cross the Gulf Stream. Despite a few recent disadvantages, such as hurricanes and anti-anchoring legislation, South Florida is still an epicenter for cruisers. Susi Frances, a regular contributor to Bluewater's newsletter, came to Chris Parker's seminar with her husband. They own a 44' CSY sailboat, which they keep in North Miami Beach. She is using Chris' book, Coastal and Offshore Weather, SE US and the Bahamas, as part of her son's home school curriculum. "I'm learning while he's learning. What a deal!" she says. In February, Nigel Calder will give a free seminar on modern navigation. Here are the details:
Nigel says, "Today's WAAS-corrected GPS technology routinely provides navigators with real-time positional accuracy that has an error of less than 10 meters, and often less than 2 meters. Electronic navigation enables such fixes to be precisely plotted. Unfortunately, there is not a chart sold today - paper or electronic - that supports such a level of accuracy. In this presentation, I will explore current levels of chart accuracy, important issues relating to the horizontal and vertical datums used in making charts, and some of the surprising consequences of converting paper charts to electronic versions. I will then look at the key differences between raster and vector electronic charts. Understanding these seemingly obscure issues is essential to safely interpreting the information provided by GPS and modern electronic navigation systems." Nigel has written many books on mechanics, maintenance, cruising and navigation. His Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual is now in its third edition, and How to Read a Nautical Chart is the definitive guide to navigating your way through the symbols and abbreviations on a modern chart. This event is free and open to the public, and attendees will receive a special 10% discount on Nigel's books. Come mingle with fellow boaters, share light refreshments, and have a good time while you're learning. Don’t forget to bring your notepad! |
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Chris
drove all the way down to Fort Lauderdale from Lakeland, FL, to give a
45-minute presentation on understanding and reading different types of
weather reports and forecasts. He brought his office with him--a laptop
that he was able to connect to Bluewater's new large viewing screens.
This gave his audience the chance to view firsthand the data that he uses
to create his weather forecasts. Through an interactive presentation,
he showed over thirty attendees samples of buoy data and Gulf Stream current
information that would help them plan a safe trip to the Bahamas.
