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Home :: Newsletter |
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From
the Bridge Since moving to South Florida over six years ago, Vivien and I have gradually become involved in community and marine industry activities. In June, I was honored to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF). MIASF is the trade organization that represents about 800 member corporations in Broward County's $11 billion marine industry. MIASF has members all over the state of Florida, even though most of the businesses are centered in Fort Lauderdale. The association is currently engaged in numerous activities that affect boaters. Among the most significant to cruisers that live in South Florida or come here to enjoy the waterways is access to marinas, boat yards and anchorages. I will use this space from time to time to keep you abreast of issues that might affect your boating experience in South Florida. |
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Some of our most exciting news this month revolves around the new products that have been coming our way. Boaters in South Florida have good reason to rejoice. Dave Kresge's new Vantage Point guide to South Florida, which covers the area from Jupiter south to Biscayne Bay, is like nothing we've ever seen before. He made waves with his Bimini guide a few years ago, giving Florida boaters an all-inclusive cruising guide to one the the easiest-to-reach tropical destinations in the Bahamas. His new guide has a combination of color charts, solid information such as waypoints for wrecks and reefs, and fun facts about places to go. For a more detailed review, please see Melanie Neale's article "South Florida Gets Two New Guides" in this newsletter. For the Florida Keys, Claiborne Young and Morgan Steinmetz have just released the updated version of their Cruising The Florida Keys, a thick, extensive guide that our customers have been patiently waiting for. Publication was delayed because the authors had to revisit the keys and rewrite much of the text after last year's hurricane season ruined many marinas and facilities in the Keys. Managing the Waterway: Miami to the Dry Tortugas is another exciting new cruising guide, which we think will do extremely well among South Florida Boaters. Also in new products, call and ask to speak to our electronic chart department for the availability of Nobeltec's new World Folio 30. And did you know that C-Map has a feature that allows you to view your C-Map cartography on your PC? Call us to find out how! On July 22, Bluewater's Fort Lauderdale Crew hosted a first-ever kids event. Pirate Day consisted of a morning of stories and crafts, and the kids who participated showed up in full costume. "Arghhh, walk the plank, Matey!" was the saying of the day. Looking ahead on our event schedule, be sure to visit us at the Newport International Boat Show, September 14-17. We will be in booth C-78, so mark the Newport Show on your calendar. We'll be selling all the latest charts and cruising guides, and burning chips for your chart plotter on-demand at the show. Newport is the place to be this summer—Armchair Sailor is bustling. The Newport Wooden Boat Show takes place on August 26 and 27, so stop by Armchair if you're in town for the show! October promises to be a busy month—the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show is October 26-30, but before the show we will have Nigel Calder speaking at our Fort Lauderdale store on October 11 and John Kretschmer speaking on October 18. In November (the 10th through the 12th), look for us at the Annual SSCA Convention in Melbourne, FL. We're keeping an eye on the tropics, given the fact that most of last season's hurricanes didn't form until the end of the season. So far, we've seen little activity, but we're advising all of our friends and customers not to let their guard down. Several people who weren't able to attend our Hurricane Expo back in June have asked us where to find the best information on how prepare your boat for a hurricane. The Cruiser's Guide to Hurricane Survival and Seaworthy continue, we think, to be two of the best resources for hurricane preparation. Fellow boaters who have been through recent hurricanes can, of course, be the biggest help of all. Enjoy your summer
on the water! In this issue... Into
the Deep of New Caledonia Tina Dreffin and her family encounter gigantic surf and some dangerous sea creatures when they visit New Caledonia on their circumnavigation. Sea Snakes are only part of the fun! Optimist
Dinghy Sailors at Miami's Coral Reef Yacht Club For sailors under 16 years old, "Optis" are the only option in competitive sailboat racing. Miami's Coral Reef Yacht Club boasts one of the finest programs, regularly sending young sailors to the World Optimist Championships. Adventures
on the Inland Water System Anne and Alan Andrews, aboard Another Adventure, share their experiences cruising the inland River System. Rather than following the traditional Great Circle Route, they chose to travel up Florida's Gulf Coast and into Mobile Bay, where they entered the River System. Two
New Guides for South Florida From Jupiter all the way to the Dry Tortugas, these two new cruising guides have you completely covered for South Florida. They both take innovative new approaches to a very old cruising ground. To
Cairo, Illinois, With Love Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi, is a place of such geographical significance that the author just had to see it. It's a sad town that, today, doesn't stand up to its location. But it's still beautiful. |
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