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Author Topic:   Winter Thoughts

jimh posted 12-22-2011 08:17 PM ET (US)
Today was the first day of Winter. Things were busy at work and I did not get out to lunch until after 2 p.m. Lunch was from the drive-through at McDonald's and then a respite at Belanger Park on the Detroit River.
To set the scene, I was drinking some McCafe black coffee in a styrofoam cup, sitting in my Ford car that was assembled in Mexico, watching the Detroit River flow past, while listening to a radio show from England (on the BBC) that was being received by satellite radio, and looking South toward Canada.
I was sipping my coffee and listening to an interesting feature about French cooking. There was no boat traffic. A few guys were fishing from the sea wall. When almost time to go back to work I had already started to drive away when I noticed a big laker coming down. I pulled back toward the river and waited a few minutes extra to watch her go by.
The 730-foot Canadian-flagged PETER R. CRESSWELL (formerly ALGOWEST) made her way past. Her hull showed a lot of scars and dents from laying along the piers all season, and her cargo--probably salt--had turned her black hull to a splotchy gray and white. She looks like a ship that was earning her way. Owners put vessels in the salt trade when they're past their prime.
Following right behind the CRESSWELL was the truck ferry, taking a single truck from Detroit over to Windsor, probably carry some dangerous material that prevented using the bridge. It was already dark enough that the tug had her navigation lights burning.
The tug was showing two masthead lights in a line, according to RULE 24. When she turned to make for Canada, I watched to see what lights she would show astern. She is supposed to show YELLOW over WHITE--a towing light over the sternlight. I couldn't really see the yellow characteristic very well. Perhaps in total darkness it would have been apparent.
It was a strange setting. A lot of countries involved. The best part is the days will be getting longer. The temperature was about 45-degrees. No ice in the river. Three months until Spring.
jechura posted 12-22-2011 08:54 PM ET (US)
Where was your AIS SHIP SPOTTING SYSTEM?
jimh posted 12-22-2011 09:37 PM ET (US)
Hi Jerry--AIS took the day off. Actually, I checked to see if there were any traffic in the area in the morning. It looked like a light afternoon for shipping.
The Coast Guard pulled some of the buoys in the river last week. I don't think they were in any danger of ice this season.
contender posted 12-22-2011 09:56 PM ET (US)
My truck sits in my drive way under a lot tree, plenty of shade. Working on the boat, I needed some screws I did not have, so off to the hardware store, Thermometer in the truck was 82 degrees and it rain this morning, hard to believe 4 days to Christmas and its still this warm here in Ft Lauderdale...
boatdryver posted 12-22-2011 10:08 PM ET (US)
82 degrees?? that's way too hot. I couldn't stand it. Give me 65 any day
JimL
fourdfish posted 12-22-2011 10:25 PM ET (US)
Jim-- It REALLY sounds like you need to consider retirement.
Be a snowbird, Spend your winters down in the sunshine state so you can boat all year!
macfam posted 12-22-2011 10:57 PM ET (US)
Spent today at New England Baptist Orthopedic Hospital for a day long pre-op session for a total knee replacement on Jan 9th.
Winter..........boats away.....fast asleep.......summer house closed.........great time for 5-7 weeks recoup from surgery.
Should be in great shape by mid-April to start the 2012 boating season.......
BTW, over 60 degrees in Boston on 12/22! No snow yet either!
jimh posted 12-23-2011 12:01 AM ET (US)
The Salties are all heading out. I think the St. Lawrence Seaway is closing soon. With the mild winter the upper Lakes may be navigable all year.
jimh posted 12-23-2011 08:57 AM ET (US)
Macfam--may your winter recovery be swift.
I was wrong about the navigation lights.The tug was towing the barge alongside, and should have been showing two yellow towing lights aft (inland rules) or a single sternlight (international rules). I guess I'll have to figure out if the Detroit River is under inland rules or international rules.
http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent#rule24
jimh posted 12-23-2011 09:35 AM ET (US)
Looks to me that inland rules apply. I'll have to watch for that tug-barge and check for two yellow towing lights showing astern.
gnr posted 12-23-2011 10:05 AM ET (US)
I think I am going to brush the little bit of snow we have off the tarp and go fishing tomorrow.
What better way
to spend a Christmas Eve day
than in Santa's summer sleigh.
ConB posted 12-23-2011 10:20 AM ET (US)
Just got enough snow for the salt & sand truck to go by. Not much by our standards.
Fourdfish's advice is what Martha and I need to do.
Long ago I was headed into a bay that a tug was coming out of. For a moment I thought about crossing behind the tug and ahead of some trucks that were also coming out the bay. TRUCKS coming out the bay? were on a barge behind the tug.
Con
Tohsgib posted 12-23-2011 10:27 AM ET (US)
Gonna drop the Donzi in after work today...been 80ish all friggin week. Kinda weird and not the norm even for FL. Should be 65-70.
Blackduck posted 12-23-2011 10:49 AM ET (US)
The grass in Rhode Island is still green, and growing, so much so that I gave a thought to cutting it one last time. Two days till Christmas, very unusual, but the lawn mower stayed idle, just didn't seem right-
elaelap posted 12-23-2011 11:53 AM ET (US)
Good weather continues north of San Francisco. We're baiting crab traps and going rock fishing today, picking up the traps -- hopefully stuffed with Christmas Eve Dungeness crab -- tomorrow, and pulling our partnership prototype Revenge, 'Strike3', out of her Bodega Bay slip for the winter, several weeks later than usual. Twenty-five degrees and icy in the morning, but clear, sunny and low sixties by eleven or noon.
Looks like it might be a tad bouncy pulling traps tomorrow.
(From the NOAA weather buoy):
TODAY
E WINDS TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES
3 TO 4 FT EARLY IN THE MORNING...BECOMING 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 TO 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NW WINDS TO 10 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES
2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 TO 11 FT AT 15 SECONDS.
SAT
NE WINDS TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES
2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 TO 12 FT AT 14 SECONDS.
It's gonna be sturgeon fishing in my Montauk in San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma River for the rest of the winter. They're just beginning to bite.
Merry, merry to all here. Three months 'til spring.
Tony
elaelap posted 12-23-2011 12:10 PM ET (US)
Here's a shot of a nice sturgeon:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/Petalumasturgeon.jpg
My wife and I watched this beauty caught as we cruised the Petaluma River day-before-yesterday. My turn next!
Tony
Ridge Runner posted 12-23-2011 12:51 PM ET (US)
Was 60 here in NJ yesterday, I went out and caught a dozen blue claw crabs to make X-Mas Eve sauce with....
GBayWhaler posted 12-23-2011 01:23 PM ET (US)
Typically this time of year I start thinking about skiing, snowshoeing etc.
Instead, I called my marina where I store the boats and had them, put my Stanley Centre Console outboard on a trailer so I could launch at some point next week to go out to the island cottage. With the mild temps there won't be any ice.
Maybe these mild temps will continue all winter and I can get out once or twice a month?
Who knows?
Have a great holiday!
Stuart
SEAJ posted 12-23-2011 10:53 PM ET (US)
jimh, It has been sometime since I studied for the captains exam, and unfortunately I do not make living on the water making me a weekend warrior, so needless to say I am a little rusty on all of the rules and lights (I certainly could not quote what the rule number as you quoted rule 24). So to try and refresh my knowledge, I test myself with similar questions you mentioned. It sounds like to me you are not in need of a answer book, but I have discovered and enjoyed using the Nav Rules App for my iPhone. Not sure if anyone one else would be interested, but it has been pretty neat to have access to the rule when I have a few minutes to spare. Not sure if the app is available on other phone platforms.
Binkster posted 12-23-2011 11:09 PM ET (US)
I noticed it was 83 degrees today at the bank thermometer, while driving to the bowling alley. I had a sweater with me though, its always chilly at the Bowling alley.
20dauntless posted 12-24-2011 12:19 AM ET (US)
Great boating here in the PNW. Spent today in the San Juan's and limited out on Dungeness crab. Temps in the 40s, dry, and wind under 25 knots. Only saw a handful of boats all day. The only downside is the limited daylight...got back to the marina around 6:00 PM and it had already been pitch dark for an hour. Definitely glad for radar, chartplotter, autopilot, and remote comtrolled spotlight.
andygere posted 12-24-2011 04:07 AM ET (US)
Surfed this afternoon on a rising NPac swell. The water was cool, but the air was a balmy 60 and sunny. Rockfishing planned for the day after Christmas.
jimh posted 12-24-2011 11:54 AM ET (US)
Yesterday, Friday, was a wonderful winter day--very sunny, no clouds, and not too cold, only about 35-degrees. I stopped at the warehouse where my boat is stored for a quick inspection and look around. CONTINUOUSWAVE is in good company, with two other REVENGE 22's nearby, and a 16-foot Whaler also close.
The boat is not in a position where it could easily be pulled out of the warehouse. There are lots of other customer's classic cars in the way. And the local boat ramps are not quite in operation at the moment, although you could improvise a launch without the usual courtesy docks in place at a few of them.
The mild weather and the sunny sky gave temptation to going boating. It would be quite unusual to go boating in Detroit at Christmas.
Russ 13 posted 12-24-2011 06:37 PM ET (US)
It is 60 degrees in Jacksonville, FL.
And although I have to work for the Holidays, the weather
is quite warm for this time of year.
I think I will go fishing, IF it is still warm and the fish are still hungry, when I get home.
egres posted 12-25-2011 05:18 PM ET (US)
Yes Jim
Quite an vivid intro
Felt like I was actually there on the lunch break.
Reminds me of my days living on the St Laurence
A stone trow away really from the actual water
I would listen to the boats and working tugs and their whistles piped up in salutation and warnings.
All of this unseen but heard only.
Fresh water sights with their typical hazy smells of mud and evaporation on the warmest days.
Thanks for the description of this moment Jim.
RocketMan posted 12-26-2011 09:08 AM ET (US)
Just up river from Belanger is Riverside Park, at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge where I took my wife and children at this time 6-7 years ago. There was a foot of snow on the ground but it was sunny with a not-too-biting wind. We were on a 'family tree' trip to Swain St. and 'some RR tracks' along the Detroit River.
In the early 1880's my namesake great-great-grandfather emigrated from Germany to Detroit, secured a job at the U.S. Post office, and a few years later 'retrieved' his wife and two children from the motherland (they continued to have eight more!).
On that winter day at Riverside we walked around the 'neighborhood' to get 'the feel' of the place. The old family house was long gone. The lot sat empty next to the unused RR tracks across from an industrial building parking lot and visually dominated by the Bridge.
As we languished the dominant feeling was what was it like 100+ years ago? Before the Bridge, the skyline, the freighters, and the rise and fall of the auto industry. How was the fishing, hunting, and 'boating' then on the 'outskirts' of Detroit in the late 1800's? The plan is to look into that a little more on the next trip up.

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Author	Topic: Winter Thoughts
jimh	posted 12-22-2011 08:17 PM ET (US) Today was the first day of Winter. Things were busy at work and I did not get out to lunch until after 2 p.m. Lunch was from the drive-through at McDonald's and then a respite at Belanger Park on the Detroit River. To set the scene, I was drinking some McCafe black coffee in a styrofoam cup, sitting in my Ford car that was assembled in Mexico, watching the Detroit River flow past, while listening to a radio show from England (on the BBC) that was being received by satellite radio, and looking South toward Canada. I was sipping my coffee and listening to an interesting feature about French cooking. There was no boat traffic. A few guys were fishing from the sea wall. When almost time to go back to work I had already started to drive away when I noticed a big laker coming down. I pulled back toward the river and waited a few minutes extra to watch her go by. The 730-foot Canadian-flagged PETER R. CRESSWELL (formerly ALGOWEST) made her way past. Her hull showed a lot of scars and dents from laying along the piers all season, and her cargo--probably salt--had turned her black hull to a splotchy gray and white. She looks like a ship that was earning her way. Owners put vessels in the salt trade when they're past their prime. Following right behind the CRESSWELL was the truck ferry, taking a single truck from Detroit over to Windsor, probably carry some dangerous material that prevented using the bridge. It was already dark enough that the tug had her navigation lights burning. The tug was showing two masthead lights in a line, according to RULE 24. When she turned to make for Canada, I watched to see what lights she would show astern. She is supposed to show YELLOW over WHITE--a towing light over the sternlight. I couldn't really see the yellow characteristic very well. Perhaps in total darkness it would have been apparent. It was a strange setting. A lot of countries involved. The best part is the days will be getting longer. The temperature was about 45-degrees. No ice in the river. Three months until Spring.
jechura	posted 12-22-2011 08:54 PM ET (US) Where was your AIS SHIP SPOTTING SYSTEM?
jimh	posted 12-22-2011 09:37 PM ET (US) Hi Jerry--AIS took the day off. Actually, I checked to see if there were any traffic in the area in the morning. It looked like a light afternoon for shipping. The Coast Guard pulled some of the buoys in the river last week. I don't think they were in any danger of ice this season.
contender	posted 12-22-2011 09:56 PM ET (US) My truck sits in my drive way under a lot tree, plenty of shade. Working on the boat, I needed some screws I did not have, so off to the hardware store, Thermometer in the truck was 82 degrees and it rain this morning, hard to believe 4 days to Christmas and its still this warm here in Ft Lauderdale...
boatdryver	posted 12-22-2011 10:08 PM ET (US) 82 degrees?? that's way too hot. I couldn't stand it. Give me 65 any day JimL
fourdfish	posted 12-22-2011 10:25 PM ET (US) Jim-- It REALLY sounds like you need to consider retirement. Be a snowbird, Spend your winters down in the sunshine state so you can boat all year!
macfam	posted 12-22-2011 10:57 PM ET (US) Spent today at New England Baptist Orthopedic Hospital for a day long pre-op session for a total knee replacement on Jan 9th. Winter..........boats away.....fast asleep.......summer house closed.........great time for 5-7 weeks recoup from surgery. Should be in great shape by mid-April to start the 2012 boating season....... BTW, over 60 degrees in Boston on 12/22! No snow yet either!
jimh	posted 12-23-2011 12:01 AM ET (US) The Salties are all heading out. I think the St. Lawrence Seaway is closing soon. With the mild winter the upper Lakes may be navigable all year.
jimh	posted 12-23-2011 08:57 AM ET (US) Macfam--may your winter recovery be swift. I was wrong about the navigation lights.The tug was towing the barge alongside, and should have been showing two yellow towing lights aft (inland rules) or a single sternlight (international rules). I guess I'll have to figure out if the Detroit River is under inland rules or international rules. http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=navRulesContent#rule24
jimh	posted 12-23-2011 09:35 AM ET (US) Looks to me that inland rules apply. I'll have to watch for that tug-barge and check for two yellow towing lights showing astern.
gnr	posted 12-23-2011 10:05 AM ET (US) I think I am going to brush the little bit of snow we have off the tarp and go fishing tomorrow. What better way to spend a Christmas Eve day than in Santa's summer sleigh.
ConB	posted 12-23-2011 10:20 AM ET (US) Just got enough snow for the salt & sand truck to go by. Not much by our standards. Fourdfish's advice is what Martha and I need to do. Long ago I was headed into a bay that a tug was coming out of. For a moment I thought about crossing behind the tug and ahead of some trucks that were also coming out the bay. TRUCKS coming out the bay? were on a barge behind the tug. Con
Tohsgib	posted 12-23-2011 10:27 AM ET (US) Gonna drop the Donzi in after work today...been 80ish all friggin week. Kinda weird and not the norm even for FL. Should be 65-70.
Blackduck	posted 12-23-2011 10:49 AM ET (US) The grass in Rhode Island is still green, and growing, so much so that I gave a thought to cutting it one last time. Two days till Christmas, very unusual, but the lawn mower stayed idle, just didn't seem right-
elaelap	posted 12-23-2011 11:53 AM ET (US) Good weather continues north of San Francisco. We're baiting crab traps and going rock fishing today, picking up the traps -- hopefully stuffed with Christmas Eve Dungeness crab -- tomorrow, and pulling our partnership prototype Revenge, 'Strike3', out of her Bodega Bay slip for the winter, several weeks later than usual. Twenty-five degrees and icy in the morning, but clear, sunny and low sixties by eleven or noon. Looks like it might be a tad bouncy pulling traps tomorrow. (From the NOAA weather buoy): TODAY E WINDS TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT EARLY IN THE MORNING...BECOMING 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 TO 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. TONIGHT NW WINDS TO 10 KT...BECOMING E AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 TO 11 FT AT 15 SECONDS. SAT NE WINDS TO 10 KT...BECOMING W IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 TO 12 FT AT 14 SECONDS. It's gonna be sturgeon fishing in my Montauk in San Pablo Bay and the Petaluma River for the rest of the winter. They're just beginning to bite. Merry, merry to all here. Three months 'til spring. Tony
elaelap	posted 12-23-2011 12:10 PM ET (US) Here's a shot of a nice sturgeon: http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/elaelap/Petalumasturgeon.jpg My wife and I watched this beauty caught as we cruised the Petaluma River day-before-yesterday. My turn next! Tony
Ridge Runner	posted 12-23-2011 12:51 PM ET (US) Was 60 here in NJ yesterday, I went out and caught a dozen blue claw crabs to make X-Mas Eve sauce with....
GBayWhaler	posted 12-23-2011 01:23 PM ET (US) Typically this time of year I start thinking about skiing, snowshoeing etc. Instead, I called my marina where I store the boats and had them, put my Stanley Centre Console outboard on a trailer so I could launch at some point next week to go out to the island cottage. With the mild temps there won't be any ice. Maybe these mild temps will continue all winter and I can get out once or twice a month? Who knows? Have a great holiday! Stuart
SEAJ	posted 12-23-2011 10:53 PM ET (US) jimh, It has been sometime since I studied for the captains exam, and unfortunately I do not make living on the water making me a weekend warrior, so needless to say I am a little rusty on all of the rules and lights (I certainly could not quote what the rule number as you quoted rule 24). So to try and refresh my knowledge, I test myself with similar questions you mentioned. It sounds like to me you are not in need of a answer book, but I have discovered and enjoyed using the Nav Rules App for my iPhone. Not sure if anyone one else would be interested, but it has been pretty neat to have access to the rule when I have a few minutes to spare. Not sure if the app is available on other phone platforms.
Binkster	posted 12-23-2011 11:09 PM ET (US) I noticed it was 83 degrees today at the bank thermometer, while driving to the bowling alley. I had a sweater with me though, its always chilly at the Bowling alley.
20dauntless	posted 12-24-2011 12:19 AM ET (US) Great boating here in the PNW. Spent today in the San Juan's and limited out on Dungeness crab. Temps in the 40s, dry, and wind under 25 knots. Only saw a handful of boats all day. The only downside is the limited daylight...got back to the marina around 6:00 PM and it had already been pitch dark for an hour. Definitely glad for radar, chartplotter, autopilot, and remote comtrolled spotlight.
andygere	posted 12-24-2011 04:07 AM ET (US) Surfed this afternoon on a rising NPac swell. The water was cool, but the air was a balmy 60 and sunny. Rockfishing planned for the day after Christmas.
jimh	posted 12-24-2011 11:54 AM ET (US) Yesterday, Friday, was a wonderful winter day--very sunny, no clouds, and not too cold, only about 35-degrees. I stopped at the warehouse where my boat is stored for a quick inspection and look around. CONTINUOUSWAVE is in good company, with two other REVENGE 22's nearby, and a 16-foot Whaler also close. The boat is not in a position where it could easily be pulled out of the warehouse. There are lots of other customer's classic cars in the way. And the local boat ramps are not quite in operation at the moment, although you could improvise a launch without the usual courtesy docks in place at a few of them. The mild weather and the sunny sky gave temptation to going boating. It would be quite unusual to go boating in Detroit at Christmas.
Russ 13	posted 12-24-2011 06:37 PM ET (US) It is 60 degrees in Jacksonville, FL. And although I have to work for the Holidays, the weather is quite warm for this time of year. I think I will go fishing, IF it is still warm and the fish are still hungry, when I get home.
egres	posted 12-25-2011 05:18 PM ET (US) Yes Jim Quite an vivid intro Felt like I was actually there on the lunch break. Reminds me of my days living on the St Laurence A stone trow away really from the actual water I would listen to the boats and working tugs and their whistles piped up in salutation and warnings. All of this unseen but heard only. Fresh water sights with their typical hazy smells of mud and evaporation on the warmest days. Thanks for the description of this moment Jim.
RocketMan	posted 12-26-2011 09:08 AM ET (US) Just up river from Belanger is Riverside Park, at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge where I took my wife and children at this time 6-7 years ago. There was a foot of snow on the ground but it was sunny with a not-too-biting wind. We were on a 'family tree' trip to Swain St. and 'some RR tracks' along the Detroit River. In the early 1880's my namesake great-great-grandfather emigrated from Germany to Detroit, secured a job at the U.S. Post office, and a few years later 'retrieved' his wife and two children from the motherland (they continued to have eight more!). On that winter day at Riverside we walked around the 'neighborhood' to get 'the feel' of the place. The old family house was long gone. The lot sat empty next to the unused RR tracks across from an industrial building parking lot and visually dominated by the Bridge. As we languished the dominant feeling was what was it like 100+ years ago? Before the Bridge, the skyline, the freighters, and the rise and fall of the auto industry. How was the fishing, hunting, and 'boating' then on the 'outskirts' of Detroit in the late 1800's? The plan is to look into that a little more on the next trip up.