A few days ago, out of the kindness of my heart, I performed an act of public service to my fellow watery bloggers. I suggested a subject for them to write about: tell us what you think is the Top Sailing Destination on the Planet.
It's called a group writing project. That means a whole group of people each write a post on the same topic. Then we read each other posts and leave weird comments on them. It can be fun. We've done it before. Often. Total frigging waste of time of course but probably not quite as pointless as watching Dancing with the Stars.
But where are the usual suspects?
The only participants so far have been Michele, Kevin, another Kevin, and Sam. To be sure, Sam is one of the usual suspects. He is a frequent commenter on this blog and writes one of the best blogs on the planet about How to Sail the Laser. But Michele, Kevin, and another Kevin are newcomers to our group writing projects, I think. Good for them. It's always good to hear new voices.
But where are the usual suspects?
Where is Captain JP? Oh yes, JP has written a post telling us why the Solent isn't his top sailing destination and promising to tell us more tomorrow. I look forward to that.
Where is Baydog who submitted 17 (or thereabouts) entries to our last group writing project?
Where are Carol Anne and Pat? Are they lost in the desert?
Where is Joe? Who will speak up for Hawaii?
Where is O Docker? I always look forward to his off the wall contributions.
Where are Panda and Zen? We can always rely on them to give us a different philosophical slant on any topic.
Where is Noodle? Is she lost in her Second Life?
And where are Chris and Bonnie? We need some input on best rowing and kayaking destinations on the planet.
And where is my2fish? Sunfish sailors are people too.
And where are the rest? BJ and Smilicus and Andrew and Tweezerman and Toby and.... YOU!
Where ARE the usual suspects?
Surely you are not going to leave this project as it stands now with the combined wisdom of the world's watery bloggers saying that the top sailing destinations on the planet are some obscure channel in the northern Great Lakes, a river in the mid-west, some pubs in Ireland, and an alligator-infested lake in Florida? Really?
Please please me by writing something before the end of April. I promise not to be (too) sarcastic about your contribution. Full details at Top Sailing Destination on the Planet.
15 comments:
I don't blog, but I have to say that Mount Hope Bay is by a long shot, the best place on the planet to sail!! : )
Dave of S/V Selah
1972 Ranger 33
Hurrah. I agree with Dave of S/V Selah 1972 Ranger 33. And it has wonderful sunsets.
All us usual suspects are too bashful to tout our own waters and in most cases venues that suit one class of boats doesn't work well for another. Case in point, Classic Moths tend to like venues like Brigantine, NJ or Elizabeth City, NC where it's a five minute sail to the starting area. Foiler Moths have attempted to sail with us but have found that they simply need bigger water.
Now if you'd stand that question on it's head and ask for a list of the worst places to sail I'll bet you'll get a blizzard of responses! I can think of at least three "snow flakes" while I type this:
Cooper River, New Jersey (narrow river limits course options coupled with extremely shifty conditions--if you can sail well at Cooper you can sail well anywhere...),
Charleston, South Carolina (the confluence of the currents from two rivers plus Atlantic Ocean waves reflecting off the town battery wall creates conditions that are like attempting to sail in a mix-master blender),
Annapolis, Maryland (in summer the combo of high humidity, nonexistent breeze and a standing wave created by power boat traffic has to be experienced to be fully appreciated).
PS: Casablanca is one of my all time fav films. Modern movies rarely get my interest.
Great idea George. Maybe I will make that the next group writing project. Worst Sailing Destination on the Planet!
I did host a similar one a while back on some topic like Worst Sailing Innovation Ever. It was quite popular but I did receive some flak for choosing such a negative topic.
I have sailed Cooper River. Once. Enough said.
I think Charleston has many fans but I've never sailed there myself.
I have sailed at Annapolis a few times. Can be good but I've also had some frustrating days there. But it is a cool town and there are some great sailors there.
Maybe you need to refine the question a bit; "Top sailing destination" is not necessarily the same as "Top racing destination". I race rather than cruise so I tend to think in terms of racing.
I deliberately left it open George. Some of my readers race but many of them don't. I wanted everyone, whatever their boating interests, to be able to tell me their favorite place for their particular watery perversions.
Your U. S. are still trying to figure it out--- or maybe they don't want to slight another place.
We're way beyond worrying about slighting someone or somewhere else. It's what we do for fun.
I wrote a post, but Baydog ate it.
I am not done sailing yet - how would I know?
OK John. Just for you, the title for the April group writing project is now changed to "The Top Sailing Destination on the Planet that I have discovered so far but I'm not done sailing yet so I reserve the option to change my mind if I later find somewhere better."
OK?
Oh, I can do kayaking? OK, then!
I was thinking of raving about the BVI's but I was feeling like it might be a little silly to claim them as a "Top Sailing Destination On The Planet" when I have actually only ever gone on 2 actual sailing vacations (as opposed to "vacations during which I went sailing once or twice") - that one and then a week in Maine on the schooner Lewis R. French (it was right at the end of the season for the schooner I used to work on & Captain Sarah & I decided that it would be fun to go watch somebody else run the boat -- it was, too).
But despite the narrowness of my experience, I just have this feeling that the BVI's may just be as much of a sailor's paradise as you'd find anywhere in the world.
Any seconds on that?
Well, one place in the BVI was high on my list of Top 9 Sailing Destinations on the Planet. I think a lot of folk would choose it. I thought this project might generate more recommendations of that sort, but it's also gratifying to see that a lot of people see to think that their home waters are "the best."
I remember that one. Looks wonderful.
I'm very excited about broadening my horizons with this trip to Estonia in June, but I do have to admit that given the choice between a location where you can blithely dive headfirst off the boat after you anchor on the first day & one where you'd only do that on a dare (I'm probably taking my drysuit in fact) I would usually take the headfirst dive. Love love love warm clear water.
OK, love it! This weekend I am going on the PYC Stag night on the Columbia River outstation - but what happens on Sauvies Island stays on Sauvies Island. There is a guy with $50,000 stainless steel anchors on his power boat. Makes me laugh but I can't tell you after. I'll write during my down time.
Last night we banged the start and rounded all the marks but the last one and ended up third. Sigh.
Regards,
John
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