Seven Miles An Hour Retiring on a Trawler with Cats
"Seven Miles an Hour" is for anyone who wonders what it’s like to live on a boat and follow the seasons up and down the coast, all Trawler owners and Wannabes, everyone approaching retirement with little enthusiasm, all those who enjoy a good read and a chuckle, as well as cat lovers everywhere.
Seven Miles An Hour isn’t only about the pleasures of gunkholing in Florida and the Keys. There’s a sudden grounding, an alligator encounter, a dragging anchor, and a cat overboard. There’s the search for the green flash, making new friends in remote anchorages, a guardian angel, as well as practical advice on anchoring out, coastal cruising, and living aboard.
Author: Don Wallace
Format: Spiral bound
Pages: 153
Table of Contents: Seven Miles an Hour
1. LET'S GO SEE IT — Workaholics see a boat, and get retired forever.
2. SURVEY — The Condition & Value Survey – extreme relief when Jazz passes.
3. SUICIDE MISSION — Solo Trip on Jazz. Gillian didn’t expect to come back.
4. WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW — We sure were ignorant. What we did about it.
5. JAZZ’S SUMMER HOME — Finding the right marina for Jazz.
6. WEATHER BLUES — Falling asleep in the Power Squadron Weather class.
7. SEASICK — Conch sandwich for lunch, Gillian thought we’d have to sell the boat.
8. FINALLY UNDERWAY — Getting ready, casting off.
9. GUNKHOLING — Why a trawler, not a sailboat. When the Admiral’s happy.
10. A DAY IN THE LIFE — What we do all day. What we do at night.
11. CRUISING WITH THE LADIES — What the cats think about it.
12. INTRA-COASTAL WATERWAY — 1,200 miles of safety, some stunning scenery.
13. SMALL SPACES — Coping with closeness. No sweat.
14. CRUISIN' CATS — Tangled up on Jazz.
15. KNIFE — Life and death musings. Why it’s good to be prepared, always.
16. REVERSE SPRING — Driving north to the cottage, cats thrilled.
17. BOAT UNITS — The cost of boating – rip-off – legal recourse – acceptance.
18. STILL DREAMING — Stress free cruising. Money doesn’t matter.
19. BIRTHDAY IN GEORGIA – New friends, Blue Bahama, a drink named for Jazz.
20. POOR FUNNY — Poor Funny falls overboard, cats at the vets, imaginary pill.
21. HOW JAZZ GOT HER NUMBERS ON — Florida Dinghy License.
22. SUBMERSIBLE — Gillian drops expensive radio overboard, $5.00 salvage fee.
23. LANGUAGE — How we learned to talk the talk. Why you should too.
24. HARD AGROUND — Going aground in 17 feet of water. Saving two sailboats.
25. GUARDIAN ANGEL — Christmas at St. Augustine, FL - Paul saves Xmas.
26. SWAN CHASE — Attack of the killer swan – excellent dinghy trip, nature rules.
27. BACK TO THE BARRACKS — Going aground, US Coastguard to the rescue….
28. BLACK HOLE — You can arrive at Vero Beach, but you can’t leave ‘till Monday.
29. TMRS — Funny Face has indigestion, too many rock shrimp. Daddy’s fault.
30. RUSSELL PASS YACHT CLUB — How we became a charter member.
31. PIECE OF CAKE — Changing the oil the first time.
32. COMPETENCE — “Hands” and “minds”. Two kinds of men.
33. HALF OF IT — Mooring line chafed through. Disaster averted.
34. DRIFT FISHING — Jet Skis Again. Plus a hostile American. Did he steal our flag?
35. OKEECHOBEE — Alligators, floating hyacinths, & forest ranger.
36. SANIBEL – Give me an island, a beach, a simple sunset.
37. PRETTIEST TOWN IN FLORIDA – Really, it is.
38. AVOCADOS — Crashing the party. Excellent Avocados.
39. WORKING YOUR PASSAGE — Engine failure. Exec pours water, home safely.
40. CORAL OR BRONZE — Relationship conflicts. “It’s our boat, and our decision”
41. FLUKE — “You won’t believe what happened to my anchor.”
42. MOST WANTED TRAWLER — Fast Internet. Dawn escape from Beaufort.
43. VERY HIGH FREQUENCY — How to use the radio the Coast Guard way.
44. NO VACANCY — Why we leave late. Why I worry. Why the Admiral doesn’t.
45. BETTER THAN THAT — If your boat’s going to break down, here’s where to be.
46. TIME-WASTER — Computer revolution exposed.
47. GEORGIA GRASS — Georgia by dinghy, an afternoon to keep forever.
48. UGLY FLORIDA — Fernandina Beach, shopping for souvenirs. Afternoon gale.
49. MANATEE GUY — Endangered species, several points of view. Good news.
50. DRAGON POINT — Woops. Major embarrassing screw-up, everybody watching.
51. WILD HORSES—Cumberland Island, Georgia. Herb the weather forecaster.
52. THIN WATER — West Coast of Florida, aground again, what else is new?
53. AN EVENING TO REMEMBER — Perfection theory. Can it get better than this?
54. ALLIGATOR — Cold, merciless eyes. Lunch and dinner. Our 3 HP escape.
55. NORTH WINDS — Trailer camp store at Goodland, Gillian vindicated.
56. FIGHT — A little misunderstanding at the tops of our voices. Neighbors move.
57. ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT — Don’t forget the chain saw.
58. DINNER AT THE PINK — There’s no free lunch. How we got a free dinner.
59. STORM — A close call, “I’ll have to ask my husband”, how we survived anyway.
60. THE LAST WORD — “Yes, Darling”.
Appendix - Practical Advice
"Seven Miles an Hour" is for anyone who wonders what it’s like to live on a boat and follow the seasons up and down the coast, all Trawler owners and Wannabes, everyone approaching retirement with little enthusiasm, all those who enjoy a good read and a chuckle, as well as cat lovers everywhere.
Seven Miles An Hour isn’t only about the pleasures of gunkholing in Florida and the Keys. There’s a sudden grounding, an alligator encounter, a dragging anchor, and a cat overboard. There’s the search for the green flash, making new friends in remote anchorages, a guardian angel, as well as practical advice on anchoring out, coastal cruising, and living aboard.
Author: Don Wallace
Format: Spiral bound
Pages: 153
Table of Contents: Seven Miles an Hour
1. LET'S GO SEE IT — Workaholics see a boat, and get retired forever.
2. SURVEY — The Condition & Value Survey – extreme relief when Jazz passes.
3. SUICIDE MISSION — Solo Trip on Jazz. Gillian didn’t expect to come back.
4. WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW — We sure were ignorant. What we did about it.
5. JAZZ’S SUMMER HOME — Finding the right marina for Jazz.
6. WEATHER BLUES — Falling asleep in the Power Squadron Weather class.
7. SEASICK — Conch sandwich for lunch, Gillian thought we’d have to sell the boat.
8. FINALLY UNDERWAY — Getting ready, casting off.
9. GUNKHOLING — Why a trawler, not a sailboat. When the Admiral’s happy.
10. A DAY IN THE LIFE — What we do all day. What we do at night.
11. CRUISING WITH THE LADIES — What the cats think about it.
12. INTRA-COASTAL WATERWAY — 1,200 miles of safety, some stunning scenery.
13. SMALL SPACES — Coping with closeness. No sweat.
14. CRUISIN' CATS — Tangled up on Jazz.
15. KNIFE — Life and death musings. Why it’s good to be prepared, always.
16. REVERSE SPRING — Driving north to the cottage, cats thrilled.
17. BOAT UNITS — The cost of boating – rip-off – legal recourse – acceptance.
18. STILL DREAMING — Stress free cruising. Money doesn’t matter.
19. BIRTHDAY IN GEORGIA – New friends, Blue Bahama, a drink named for Jazz.
20. POOR FUNNY — Poor Funny falls overboard, cats at the vets, imaginary pill.
21. HOW JAZZ GOT HER NUMBERS ON — Florida Dinghy License.
22. SUBMERSIBLE — Gillian drops expensive radio overboard, $5.00 salvage fee.
23. LANGUAGE — How we learned to talk the talk. Why you should too.
24. HARD AGROUND — Going aground in 17 feet of water. Saving two sailboats.
25. GUARDIAN ANGEL — Christmas at St. Augustine, FL - Paul saves Xmas.
26. SWAN CHASE — Attack of the killer swan – excellent dinghy trip, nature rules.
27. BACK TO THE BARRACKS — Going aground, US Coastguard to the rescue….
28. BLACK HOLE — You can arrive at Vero Beach, but you can’t leave ‘till Monday.
29. TMRS — Funny Face has indigestion, too many rock shrimp. Daddy’s fault.
30. RUSSELL PASS YACHT CLUB — How we became a charter member.
31. PIECE OF CAKE — Changing the oil the first time.
32. COMPETENCE — “Hands” and “minds”. Two kinds of men.
33. HALF OF IT — Mooring line chafed through. Disaster averted.
34. DRIFT FISHING — Jet Skis Again. Plus a hostile American. Did he steal our flag?
35. OKEECHOBEE — Alligators, floating hyacinths, & forest ranger.
36. SANIBEL – Give me an island, a beach, a simple sunset.
37. PRETTIEST TOWN IN FLORIDA – Really, it is.
38. AVOCADOS — Crashing the party. Excellent Avocados.
39. WORKING YOUR PASSAGE — Engine failure. Exec pours water, home safely.
40. CORAL OR BRONZE — Relationship conflicts. “It’s our boat, and our decision”
41. FLUKE — “You won’t believe what happened to my anchor.”
42. MOST WANTED TRAWLER — Fast Internet. Dawn escape from Beaufort.
43. VERY HIGH FREQUENCY — How to use the radio the Coast Guard way.
44. NO VACANCY — Why we leave late. Why I worry. Why the Admiral doesn’t.
45. BETTER THAN THAT — If your boat’s going to break down, here’s where to be.
46. TIME-WASTER — Computer revolution exposed.
47. GEORGIA GRASS — Georgia by dinghy, an afternoon to keep forever.
48. UGLY FLORIDA — Fernandina Beach, shopping for souvenirs. Afternoon gale.
49. MANATEE GUY — Endangered species, several points of view. Good news.
50. DRAGON POINT — Woops. Major embarrassing screw-up, everybody watching.
51. WILD HORSES—Cumberland Island, Georgia. Herb the weather forecaster.
52. THIN WATER — West Coast of Florida, aground again, what else is new?
53. AN EVENING TO REMEMBER — Perfection theory. Can it get better than this?
54. ALLIGATOR — Cold, merciless eyes. Lunch and dinner. Our 3 HP escape.
55. NORTH WINDS — Trailer camp store at Goodland, Gillian vindicated.
56. FIGHT — A little misunderstanding at the tops of our voices. Neighbors move.
57. ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT — Don’t forget the chain saw.
58. DINNER AT THE PINK — There’s no free lunch. How we got a free dinner.
59. STORM — A close call, “I’ll have to ask my husband”, how we survived anyway.
60. THE LAST WORD — “Yes, Darling”.
Appendix - Practical Advice
