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Chris Parker, author of Coastal and Offshore Weather, Southeast US and Bahamas, and weather guru of the Bahamas and Caribbean cruising circle, predicted that Katrina would form and exactly where she would go long before NOAA said anything. Several Bluewater customers came into the store over the next few weeks and confirmed what some of us already knew—that Chris’s forecasts were to be taken seriously.

Private weather forecasters have been becoming more prominent over the past few years, due especially to increased storm activity during the hurricane seasons. An Oct 13th article in the Wall Street Journal’s Marketplace section named large firms like WeatherData and WeatherBug as providers of specialized weather forecasting for businesses. Greg Romano, of the National Weather Service, doesn’t seem to think private forecasters interfere with the job of the National Weather Service. "It’s not our job to provide specialized forecasts and information," he says. "That’s where the private sector steps in."

Chris doesn’t sell his weather forecasts to businesses, but he does make them available through a subscription service that is widely used by cruising folks. You can go to his website for more information. He started observing and studying the weather when he was in 3^rd grade, and by the time he was in high school he was broadcasting weather forecasts over an FM radio station in western Massachusetts. He studied meteorology for two years in college, and he’s a hangglider pilot, which helps him study the weather as closely as possible. He and his partner, Michael, have lived aboard for 12 years and cruised for 5 aboard their Morgan 34 Bel Ami.

With all this in mind, we decided that it would be a good idea to invite him to Bluewater. He’s coming on December 16^th to talk to our cruising customers in the store. We hear that he’s planning a high-tech presentation, and that he’s eager to answer questions. The timing of this event should be perfect, because cruisers tend to congregate in South Florida during the Christmas season as they wait for weather to cross over to the Bahamas.

Everyone is invited to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from Chris, ask him questions, buy a book (a Christmas gift that any sailor will love!), and mingle with other cruisers. Who knows—you may end up meeting people that you end up cruising with to the Bahamas and beyond. Bring a notepad and a desire to learn from the best. Light refreshments will be provided.

When:
Friday, December 16, 2005
6:00 PM to 7:30 PM

Where:
Bluewater Nooks & Charts
1811 Cordova Road
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316

Info Line: (954) 763-6533, ex 228