WRITERS AFLOAT: An Interview with Amy Biddle, Sailor and Author of "The Atheist's Prayer"

Welcome to "Waterblogged: Writers Afloat" -- interviews with sailors who write and writers who sail. Read how my talented and interesting guests have managed to blend writing, sailing, family, work, and their passion for life at sea into fascinating stories, best-selling books, and successful writing careers.

Today's Writer Afloat is Amy Biddle. Her debut novel, The Atheist's Prayer, is scheduled for release by Perfect Edge Books on February 28^th, and available for pre-order now on Amazon! Amy is also a book reviewer at Underground Book Reviews (http://www.undergroundbookreviews.com/)

 

Author Amy R. Biddle hard at work!

The Atheist's Prayer, available for pre-order NOW!

 

Welcome, Amy and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me. 

 

LYNNE: What came first, writing or sailing?

AMY: Writing, no contest. I’ve been writing since before I learned the alphabet. I used to read stories aloud from my scribbles. As for sailing, I’ve always loved the ocean but I grew up in the mountains and didn’t get many chances to get on the water until I was in high school.

LYNNE:  Tell us a little bit about how you came to both your sailing and writing life.

AMY:  When I was in high school, I enrolled in a semester-long alternative education program on a traditional, wooden schooner and it changed my life. I never thought I’d make a career out of it, but somehow I just couldn’t escape the pull of the ocean. I ended up going to college at Massachusetts Maritime Academy to get a license to work on big ships. My career has brought me to all corners of the globe, and has also afforded me the time to pursue my writing goals.

LYNNE:  When and where do you prefer to write?

AMY:  I travel so much there isn’t a particular when or where. My laptop goes with me wherever I go. In order to really get into a story, I need a few hours of alone time. I find a coffee shop, hole myself up in my room, or get comfortable in a hammock.

Most of The Atheist’s Prayer was written on boats. It started as a short story when I was working on a schooner and the rest of it I wrote on a research vessel. When I’m not traveling or working, I have an apartment in Cambridge, and I work at a desk in my room.

 

LYNNE:  Do you follow a schedule for writing? How do you juggle sailing, work, book reviews, and writing?

AMY:  For six months out of the year I spend every day on the bridge of a ship. Sometimes it’s hectic, and sometimes it’s excruciatingly slow. When I’m on watch I dream up crazy characters and impossible plot twists, then scribble notes on scraps of paper which eventually accumulate at the bottom of my dresser drawer. I used to spend a lot of time writing new material when I was at sea, but since I’ve gotten involved with Underground Book Reviews I can barely keep up with my reviews. Luckily, the two other co-founders, Brian and Katie, are able to pick up my slack when I’m at work.

The other six months out of the year I have all the free time in the world. If it weren’t for that time off, the first version of The Atheist’s Prayer would be sitting in draft form somewhere, unedited and forgotten.

 

LYNNE:  What's the most difficult part of being a writer afloat? The most rewarding?

AMY:  The biggest difficulty for me was breaking into the literary world without an English major or a single piece of published work. Underground Book Reviews helped immensely with that, but it was still a struggle.

Writing is my reward. When I’m on the ship, writing is my escape. When I’m off the ship, it’s my life. And of course, there’s community. Meeting other writers is a thrill. The people I work with at Underground Book Reviews helped me write The Atheist’s Prayer and have supported me through thick and thin. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their help.

LYNNE:  Tell us about The Atheist's Prayer and when and where readers can buy it.

AMY:  The Atheist’s Prayer is about an alcoholic mall Santa and a coke-dealing stripper who get tangled up with a fairy-worshiping suicide cult. It’s dark, and it’s funny, and I like to think that there’s some meaning underneath the crass humor.

It’s being published by Perfect Edge Books, an imprint of John Hunt Publishing. The authors at Perfect Edge are a fantastic bunch, and in fact two of them will be reading with me for an event at the Harvard Coop in Cambridge, MA on March 27th.

 

LYNNE:  What else have you written or are you working on now?

AMY:  I’ve been writing some short stories, but I’m not ready to start a new novel until after The Atheist’s Prayer comes out. I’m putting all my efforts into the book release and Underground Book Reviews. But the ideas for my next novel are always brewing…

 

LYNNE:  Do you have a favorite character that you've written, and why?

AMY:  I put a little bit of myself into every character I write, and I make sure none of them are perfect. I love them all in their own right. It might be easy for readers to choose a favorite, but not me.

 

LYNNE:  Who is your favorite author and why?

AMY:  I have a lot of favorite books, but Kurt Vonnegut is by far my favorite author. He gets you laughing and thinking at the same time. It’s an underrated talent.

 

LYNNE:  What inspires you, both in your writing and in your sailing?

AMY:  I’m inspired by the world around me. Wherever I am- at sea, in the car, at a party, on a hike- I’m thinking about how I’d capture that scene in writing. How do I capture the essence of the experience? A description of a bus stop from the point of view of a weary traveler might be dirty and overcrowded. From the point of view of someone on their way to meet the love of their life it might be bustling with life and excitement. Experience is so subjective. It’s not what you write about, but how you write about it that really makes the impact.

LYNNE:  Last question. Underground Book Reviews is a great showcase for new and emerging authors and gives you a great opportunity to get to know them and their experiences. Based on your reviews, interviews, and your own experience, what advice do you think new/emerging authors most need to hear?

 
AMY:  Passion, inspiration and obsession get a book written. Sweat, pain and perseverance get a book ready for publication. Editing is a bitch, but it’s also necessary. Be hungry for feedback, and be open to criticism. But in the end, remember that you are the master of your world. Consider advice with an open mind but don’t feel obligated to please everyone, because you won’t. Ever.

And learn how to sell yourself. Stand on that street corner and strut your stuff, because no one will notice you otherwise.

____________________________________________________________

I urge you all to run over to Amazon and order a copy of The Atheist's Prayer. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read that had me laughing out loud. Funny and poignant, The Atheist's Prayer is a fast-paced, comic exploration of belief, disbelief, gullibility, and faith. Biddle seamlessly blends the lunacy of a fairy-worshipping cult with a cast of quirky characters searching for answers, usually in all the wrong places. Written with style and humor, The Atheist's Prayer will pull you in, make you laugh and think, and want more. I'm eagerly awaiting Amy's next novel!

 

You can read more by and about Amy's life as a sailing writer at her blogs and website:

http://www.amyrbiddle.com/

http://www.undergroundbookreviews.com/

 

You can pre-order The Atheist's Prayer HERE.

 

You're Invited to a Launch Party!

You're all invited to a virtual party on December 17, 2013! It's the official Facebook virtual book launch party for author Normandie Fischer's Sailing Out of Darkness. This is a great opportunity to discover Normandie's writing, if you haven't already, as well as a number of other authors who are participating in the event.

I was lucky enough to have a sneak-preview of Sailing Out of Darkness in the pre-publication stages and can't wait for it to be available to all of you! Normandie is a fabulous writer (Becalmed is a favorite of mine) whose work will appeal to a wide range of readers, and especially to those with an affinity for the shore and sailing.

I'm also lucky to be included among the other authors she'll be featuring during the launch party, and will be giving away free copies (electronic and print) of Marina Melee, and 2 print copies of Ye Gods! (although that won't be available until it comes out on April 1.)

Normandie has posted the first "teaser" for the party here, with more to come. You can also learn more about her fascinating life and experiences living aboard Sea Venture, her books, and her thoughts on the writing life, both at sea and on land at her blog by clicking here. For those of you in the Beaufort, NC area, be sure to watch for a live launch party and book signings in your area!

I hope to "see" you all at the launch party!

Marina Melee to be featured at "The Fussy Librarian" AND MORE!

Marina Melee is being featured Monday at The Fussy Librarian!

The Fussy Librarian is a new website that offers personalized ebook recommendations. You choose from 30 genres and indicate preferences about content and then the computers work their magic. It's pretty cool -- check it out! www.TheFussyLibrarian.com



How hard can it be to run a marina?

George H. Marshall III has it all, and he wants to get away from it: women, a busy social calendar, and his so-called career in the family oil business. Determined to prove to his parents that he is more than a spoiled, womanizing, over-aged adolescent, George buys Porto da Vida Marina on a small island in the Caribbean. What could be an easier road to business success than running a marina on a tropical island? 

As mishap piles on disaster, George realizes his new life in paradise isn't all about sitting under palm trees sipping umbrella drinks. Between his wayward staff, the governor's hot-to-trot wife, a lift truck possessed by jumbies, and a host of other island disasters-natural and human-George finds that living the easy life is hard work.


AND MORE BIG NEWS!

Ye Gods! A Tale of Dogs and Demons is scheduled for an April 1 release from Casperian Books!

Is it real or a myth? Dog only knows.

Author Jack Halliman sails to Puerto Rico seeking a cure for writer's block, but instead finds a dead body. When a second corpse turns up, Jack becomes one of two suspects. The other is the chupacabra.


Now Jack has to find out who--or what--is responsible for the killings before he lands in prison. Again.

As the conniving mayor, a dogged detective, and a voodoo practicing 14-year old drag him deeper into the investigation, Jack discovers that separating reality from myth is no easy feat. The lines between men and monsters, monsters and gods, and in this case, between gods and a dog, are thin and blurry.
 

CHASING OUR DREAMS, or My Heroes

I recently celebrated my 50th birthday, as did hubby a few months earlier. Matt has 6 years until retirement, when we can sail off into the sunset.

Or at least that's been my retirement dream for as long as I can remember. Ever since I moved to the Virgin Islands when I was 19, I've known that's where I want to spend my life. It's home. It's where I feel comfortable, and don't have to try to be anything but me. I'd dreamed of staying there forever.

Then living got in the way of my life and I went to Puerto Rico to pursue another dream: getting my PhD. Then I moved to South Carolina to pursue yet another dream: paying off my student loan debt. Then I found a dream I didn't even know I had: I fell in love and married Matt. Then we started finding and chasing new dreams together: living in Europe, finding Muggle and falling in love with him, traveling, and planning our retirement together.

Even with all that, my dream of returning to the Virgin Islands has always been there in the back of my mind. But "stuff" always gets in the way. Career, husband, aging parents, pets, friends, health concerns, and just getting older in general.

I still find myself looking forward to buying a sailboat and retiring aboard, sailing the Caribbean, getting rid of all the obligations and responsibilities that go with the "dirt-dweller" life: the stuff we accumulate under the silly notion that stuff = happiness.

But now, instead of getting excited when I fantasize about that life I'd dreamed of, I get stressed. I worry about leaving aging relatives, parents with health concerns, how to accommodate the pets while living aboard or just living in the islands (Tibetan Terriers haven't evolved for the tropics!), how Matt would actually deal with the relatively nomadic lifestyle that I enjoy, how we'd handle what seems like a constantly escalating number of health issues, and most worrisome of all, how I'd deal with those things now that I'm older.

At 19, running away from "everything" to pursue my dreams was simple. I packed my bags, I moved. Seriously, I didn't exactly know where the Virgin Islands were when I boarded the plane back then. (I don't know why more 20, 21, 22-year-olds don't do that, why they already seem so concerned with "security." They'll never be able to do it as easily as they can now!) Now, though, as an adult, with responsibilities and obligations, with homes, pets, family, and "stuff," it now seems so much more complicated.

It shouldn't be. If we really want something, we should do it. All of those "concerns" are merely excuses. They can all be accommodated. Planes fly on schedules and it would take me almost as long to get to upstate NY or Chicago from the Virgin Islands as it does from South Carolina. So much of our "stuff" is stuck in closets and drawers, never to come out, but there "just in case," that it really isn't a real reason to worry at all. We should get rid of it anyway.

To keep our (my?) dreams of sailing the world (or at least just traveling it) alive after retirement, and perhaps to give me a shot of courage, I've been living vicariously through my new friends Carol and David Rocco. They spent their honeymoon in St. John, USVI, fell in love, decided that's where they wanted to be, and did it. They pursued their dream, made it happen, and are now experiencing all the excitement, angst, wonder, stress, and elation of discovering a new life. They're my heroes.

Myra Nelson, another friend through my online writing group, and her husband Jack, packed up and retired to Costa Rica. She'd been a teacher in Philly, and also spent time traveling through Asia and teaching English in Japan. We met Myra and Jack while in CR last year. I'm in awe of their adventure, and her openness in sharing her experience going through a health scare as an expat. She gives me hope!

Sarah Corbett settled in Costa Rica in 1992--before it became the hot spot for expat Americans, where they could live in an English-speaking community filled with other Americans. She's immersed herself in the culture and her blog is filled with fun, funny, and wonderful tidbits that both intrigue me and make me worry about my hubby's ability to ever retire anywhere outside of suburbia USA! (Especially tales and photos of some of the "visitors" they've had, like the one she talks about in THIS blog post, or in the picture below.)

The green Lora that visited Sarah one morning.
(Huge, yes, but kind of cute, isn't it?)

Of course, in suburbia USA, we rarely get visitors like these that have showed up in Sarah's yard, either, so it balances out:

Wooly Anteater visiting Sarah

Central American Silky Possum

Anteater

Our neighbors, Misty and Terry, dreamed of moving to the west coast and last year, packed their bags and headed to San Diego. Four pets and all (3 cats and a dog---they're now up to 3 cats and 2 dogs). Normandie Fischer has sailed the world with a boat full of kids and now pursues her dream of writing while sailing up and down the east coast to visit her new grandbaby.

All of these friends are my heroes because not only were they all brave enough to pursue their dreams, but they're also keeping my dreams alive. When I wonder if Matt and I will have what it takes to pack our bags and take that leap of faith that everything will be just fine, I look to these friends who were brave, who knew what they wanted, and did what they needed to do to make it happen. I want to think Matt and I will be able to, but I'm not sure. I do know that these friends are my heroes and inspiration. Thank you all for being brave enough to chase your dreams, and help me keep my dream alive!

If you need some help keeping your dreams alive, here are some blogs that might inspire you. I know they inspire me!

Carol and David on their VI adventure at
http://www.roccosinparadise.com/

Myra Nelson at
http://www.scribblegal.com/

Sarah Morgan at
http://www.scmorgan.com/

Normandie Fischer
http://writingonboard.com/

Sailing the Aegean (REPOST)

My computer hard-drive crashed and burned 2 weeks ago so I now have a new computer complete with Windows 8. I'm still getting accustomed to that...it's slow going. When Matt set up my new laptop, he made my photo album from our sailing trip in Turkey in September 2007 the wallpaper and screensaver slide show. The pictures are bringing back wonderful memories, so thought I'd repost my original blog account of that adventure here.

Enjoy!

Sailing the Aegean
 
The Aegean Sea: Sun, sand, warm breezes and clear blue waters, or, as Homer  more accurately described it, "The wine dark sea." Throw in  some ancient ruins, modern cities, phenomenal food and a welcoming crew that  cater to your every need and that was our perfect sailing adventure in Turkey with Azure Odyssey (www.azureodyssey.com).
 

Us, on board the Azure Dolunay

Matt and I, along with our friends Todd, Donna, Nadine and Ted, started and  ended our adventure at the Su Hotel in the bustling seaside resort town of  Bodrum on the southwest coast of Turkey. We were picked up at the Bodrum airport by the hotel van for the 30 minute drive into town. Our excitement grew as we passed palm trees and resorts, crested the hill into  downtown Bodrum and wound our way through narrow streets and dark alleys. Our excitement changed to concern when our driver parked and we proceeded on  foot down a bustling, narrow side street and into a dark alley. Where was  he taking us? When we opened the gate into the courtyard of The Su Hotel (www.suhotel.net), we knew - paradise!
 
The Su Hotel is a group of beautiful, bright white Mediterranean-style  buildings just a few blocks from the waterfront, but hidden away from  everything by vine-covered walls. It’s an oasis of tropical vegetation - hibiscus, bougainvillea, golden trumpets and palm trees. The hotel cat  greeted us and led us into the main courtyard, where the invitingly lit pool sparkled and begged to be swum in. The buildings and rooms are  trimmed in bright, primary colors. Turkish mirrors, plates, pictures, amphorae and urns line the walls, enticing you to explore every nook and  cranny. The dining area is a large courtyard with comfy cushioned seats and benches around long white tables. The delicious aromas coming from the kitchen were fully matched by the great food that followed. The staff made us feel right at home, except Matt doesn’t get service and food quite this good at home!   
 

Matt taking photos of the Su Hotel courtyard and pool

There are great sites all around Bodrum. We explored the bazaar for spices, clothes, plates, tapestries and beautiful materials, pillow-covers and bedspreads.  Vendors sell fresh seafood along the waterfront, and there are loads of treasures to be found in little shops down all the twisty alleys. The bright, intricate designs of the pottery drew us into Vivaldi, a shop specializing in pottery and ceramics using traditional techniques and designs, as well as exploring new methods and patterns (www.vivaldiceramics.com). The Bodrum Castle sits prominently looking over the harbor and we spent most of a day exploring its collections on history, culture, shipwrecks, and art. 
 

Me and Matt at Bodrum Castle

As great as the shopping and sightseeing in Bodrum are, the focus of our trip was our cruise.  Azure Odyssey has a fleet of four traditional Turkish sailing vessels (gullets) ranging in size from 19 to 30 meters that can comfortably accommodate 12 to 18 people (2 per cabin), depending on which vessel you choose. Our fantastic crew – Captain Yavuz, Sailor Mustafa, and Cook Comhur – welcomed us about the Azure Dolunay, a 22 meter gullet with six passenger cabins (each with its own head). Once aboard and settled into our cabins, we headed out to sea.
 
Azure Odyssey has a helpful and detailed web site that lets you plan out your own itinerary, selecting archaeological and historic sites, natural areas for snorkeling, swimming or hiking, or whatever your interests are. We weren’t that motivated, so we let the crew know what we were interested in (a little bit of everything, but not too much of it), and left the planning up to them. We were lucky to have the boat’s owner, Darlene, with us. She’s from Endwell, NY (small world!) and we worked together at NOAA in Charleston for a while.  She’d told me about Turkey back then, and I’ve wanted to go on this cruise ever since. She answered all our questions about history and culture, food, language, people, the boat, shopping, sightseeing and everything else we could think – a real bonus for us!

Our five day cruise took us around Gökova Bay. We visited secluded coves at Oraklar Island, Tekerek Harbour and Tuzla Bay for snorkeling and hiking, a small island with ancient ruins and a white, sandy beach (Sedir  Island, also known as Cleopatra’s Beach), and a tiny harbor town (one store and a few houses) that served as a departure point for an overland trip to the busy port town of Marmaris for shopping and sightseeing.  We kept up a relaxing daily schedule of eating, snorkeling, eating, hiking, eating, swimming, eating, occasional dancing, and more eating.  Each morning started with our wonderful crewman, Mustafa, bringing us coffee, followed by breakfast. After only a day or two, we were plotting ways to lure Comhur back to Germany with us so we could continue to eat the great meals and snacks he prepared. What a cook!
 

Exploring a secluded beach.

Although the snorkeling in this area doesn’t offer the abundance of marine life found in the Caribbean or other sailing destinations, we did see a variety of fish, eels, urchins and lots of fried-egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata). These jellyfish are a yellow with an orange circle in the center, thus their name. Unlike most jellyfish, they don’t have stinging cells and are active swimmers, moving to sunny areas to keep the algae that live in their tissues happy.  We also spotted a brightly colored Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis), yellow wag tails (Motacilla flava) and other common sea birds (gulls, cormorants and heron), and a flock of geese that made their home along the docks in one harbor. Sadly, the most abundant thing we found snorkeling was trash – newspapers, cans and bottles and potato chip bags. Darlene is on a single-handed mission to clean up the waters they sail and returned from each snorkeling trip with a bag or two of garbage she’d collected. We occasionally tore ourselves out of our food-induced lethargy and picked up a can or two in support of her efforts, too.
 

A fried-egg jelly, Cotylorhiza tuberculata.

Our best wildlife spot of all was Badem, a Mediterranean Monk Seal, one of the most endangered mammals in the world. Badem was found along the coast in December 2006 when she was 4-6 weeks old. She’d been separated from her mother, she was rescued and cared for by Underwater Research Society – Mditerranean Seal Research Group (SAD-AFAG, in its Turkish acronym). A local businessman, Mustaca Koç, and his family, covered most of the rehabilitation cost of the orphaned seal and have led efforts to ensure residents, boat crews and visitors help ensure the future of Badem and the remaining monk seals in the region. The Turkish Coast Guard and SAD-AFAG monitor Badem’s movements and try to minimize interactions between Badem and people so that she’ll more quickly adapt back to her natural way of life. Badem has other ideas.  She’s decided that people have better sleeping accommodations than rocky beaches and frequently jumps into the dinghies of anchored boats for her afternoon nap! She also likes to play with snorkelers. The boat crews help the protection efforts by letting their passengers know not to approach or try to touch Badem, she is, after all, a wild animal and will bite if threatened. But, she has no qualms in going for a ride as she showed us when we met her in Tuzla Bay where she was napping in a neighboring vessel’s dinghy. The captain rowed her over to our boat so we could ooh and aah and take pictures while she slept on. It’s illegal to approach her, touch her, feed her or harass her in any way, but she sure makes it difficult not to! (For more information on Badem, go to:  www.monachus-uardian.org/news/pdf/badem_brosur.pdf)

Badem, settling in for an afternoon nap.

All in all, we had a fantastic time and learned many valuable lessons. Todd won’t drink his bourbon starting at 9 a.m., Lynne won’t drink turkish coffee--ever, Matt won’t dance with Comhur, Ted will get a bigger lens, and Nadine and Donna will try to avoid men with big lenses! And we’d all HIGHLY recommend a blue cruise with Azure Odyssey to all of our friends!

This post first appeared on our European travels blog: http://madrobnik.wordpress.com/

What's Up with Waterspouts?

What's up with waterspouts? Sometimes it's fish that go up with them, sometimes periwinkles, and sometimes just clay particles that mix with the condensed water in the funnel cloud and then fall as red water, also known as a "rain of blood." But more on that later...

First, let's take a closer look at this spectacular phenomenon.

Fair-weather waterspout

For as long as humans have observed and recorded events on and around large water bodies, the appearance of waterspouts has evoked superstition, fear, and even contributed to the romance of the sea. Sailors have attributed the phenomenon to sea dragons, sea serpents, and evil spirits. Arabian sailors believed them to be manifestations of Jinees--powerful spirits capable of assuming various forms.

The reality behind the myths and mysteries is twofold: some waterspouts are tornadic, formed from the same factors that result in terrestrial tornados, and others are fair-weather spouts.

Tornadic waterspouts drop down from thunderstorms, squall lines, or the leading edge of advancing cold fronts. Like the typical twisters seen in movies and on episodes of Storm Chasers, tornadic spouts have dark, sinister funnels spawned from large, turbulent "parent clouds."  These are seen most frequently at middle latitudes, off the lee shores of large landmasses where cold continental air sweeps over warmer water. Tornadic waterpouts are often bona fide land tornados that go to sea or cross large inland bodies of water. Tornadic spouts can form over water and come ashore as true tornados, and alike true tornados, they can abate and come back more than once.

Fair-weather waterspouts arise solely over water. They develop at sea level and climb skyward when humid, superheated air circulates convectionally with cooler overhead air. Fair-weather spouts tend to be smaller and of shorter duration than the tornadic variety and are considered relatively harmless. These prevail in equatorial regions, although they do occur in all latitudes during the transition seasons of spring and fall.

In the northern hemisphere, tornadic waterspouts rotate cyclonically (counter clockwise) with wind speeds of up to 130 mph. They can be quite long-lived, lasting on average 15-30-minutes. Their advancing speeds tend to be rather slow (less than 5 mph). Conversely, fair-weather spouts travel faster over a given distance, moving at speeds up to 30 mph, but their rotative speed is much lower. They also dissipate quite quickly, rarely lasting as long as 20-minutes. Fair-weather spouts may rotate in either direction, depending on the nature of the convection currents that form them.

Both types of waterspouts are quasi-seasonal at best. They're seen more frequently in temperate latitudes between May and October, and more in the deep tropics from October through March. Exceptions abound throughout the year in any locale.

String of waterspouts forming over Charlotte Amalie Harbor,
St. Thomas, USVI (2007).

Tornadic waterspouts are more dangerous and destructive since they form from storm clouds. The same dangerous conditions found with severe thunderstorms---strong winds, large seas, hail, and lightening--are commonly found around tornadic spouts. While tornadic spouts are the more dangerous of the two types of spouts, care should be taken when encountering either one of these natural phenomena.

Cool Waterspout Facts

• The Great Waterspout of 1896 formed off Martha's Vineyard on August 19th of that year. Photographs and first-hand accounts from veteran mariners verified the spout was 144 feet thick and 3600 feet high. The spout formed not once, but three times within 45 minutes.

The Great Waterspout of 1896. (Photo from NOAA Image Library.)

• A Tampa, Florida waterspout (June 13, 1952) caused over $75,000 in property damage when it came ashore with 100 mph winds. 

• On September 5, 1935, a tornado/waterspout formed near Norfolk, Virginia and rampaged across Tidewater and Hampton Roads, where it flung railroad cars off their tracks before moving out to sea over the Chesapeake Bay.     

• Waterspouts can form over freshwater in rivers and lakes, as well as saltwater bodies. Several have formed on the Hudson River over the last 100 years.

• The longest recorded waterspout occurred off Eden, Australia on May 16, 1898. Theodolite measurements verified its height at 5,014 feet (although it was only 10' in diameter).

• The widest waterspout on record was 700' wide, formed at Blunt's Reef, California on November 14, 1914.

• Waterspouts have resulted in "rains" of fish, frogs, lizards, tadpoles, and periwinkles, most likely due to waterspouts coming ashore over low-lying marshlands and swamps.

• Some waterspouts have resulted in a "rain of blood" when the spout churns up a nearby stretch of red mud or clay, mixing the particles with the spouts condensed water droplets that fall when the spout dissipates.

 Sources

All At Sea. http://www.allatsea.net/caribbean/water-spout-are-they-dangerous/

Hendrickson, Robert. 1984. The Ocean Almanac. Doubleday Press. 446 pp.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. www.noaa.gov

How hard can it be to run a marina?

If you've ever thought about running away from the rat race and enjoying the easy life in some tropical paradise, have I got the book for you...

Marina Melee

George H. Marshall III has it all, and he wants to get away from it: women, a busy social calendar, and his so-called career in the family oil business. Determined to prove to his parents that he is more than a spoiled, womanizing, over-aged adolescent, George buys Porto da Vida Marina on a small island in the Caribbean. What could be an easier road to business success than running a marina on a tropical island?

As mishap piles on disaster, George realizes his new life in paradise isn't all about sitting under palm trees sipping umbrella drinks. Between his wayward staff, the governor's hot-to-trot wife, a lift truck possessed by jumbies, and a host of other island disasters-natural and human-George finds that living the easy life is hard work.

If you'd  like an autographed copy of Marina Melee to give as a gift, or to treat yourself to a tropical adventure, I'll be signing copies at West Marine on Savannah Highway in Charleston, SC on Saturday, December 8, 2012 from 10 a.m.-2:00 p.m., and at the Center for Women's Annual Lowcountry Women Authors Book Signing at the Citadel Holliday Alumni House (69 Hagood Ave.) on Sunday, December 9, 2012 from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

West Marine in West Ashley
Charleston, SC

Sailing Lore and Legends: It's Unlucky to Kill a Porpoise. The story of Pelorus Jack

Sailing history is filled with superstition and lore. It's unlucky to start a cruise on: a Friday (the day Christ was crucified), the first Monday in April (the day Cain slew Abel), the second Monday in August (the day Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed), December 31 (the day Judas Iscariot hanged himself). Black travel bags are unlucky but black cats are good luck and bring sailors home from the sea. Women aboard a ship make the sea angry, but naked women can calm the seas.

My favorite sailing superstition is that porpoises swimming around a ship are a good sign, and it's unlucky to kill one.

Need proof of the veracity of this bit of superstition? Look no further than the story of Pelorus Jack in New Zealand. Jack was the first dolphin to ever be protected by law.

In 1888 a Risso dolphin--a species uncommon to New Zealand waters--came to the attention of sailors on the ship Brindle as they made their way from Wellington to Nelson and back. This trip required a traverse through a dangerous bit of water between NZ's North and South Islands, a narrow channel filled with rocks hiding just beneath the surface, currents of up to 8 knots, and the remains of hundreds of vessels that didn't make it through. Sailors aboard the Brindle spotted the dolphin ahead of them, but it wasn't playing in the ship's wake as they expected. It appeared to be leading them through the channel!

The dolphin met the ship at the mouth of the channel on their return trip, too, and guided them safely back to the harbor. The sailors aboard the Brindle named the dolphin Pelorus Jack.

For 24 years, Pelorus Jack met ships from the entrance of Pelorus Sound and led them to French Pass, then picked them up again as they came out of the pass on their return journey to lead them safely back to the harbor. He was so reliable that many captains refused to go forward until he appeared. Clearly, this dolphin brought luck to all the vessels he brought safely home from their voyage. His reputation and fame grew, and people came from around the world to see him, including Mark Twain!

But, sadly, people are people and it wasn't just those who were amazed and awed that flocked to see the dolphin that seemed intent on helping sailors. In 1904, a passenger aboard a ship named Penguin fired a shot at the dolphin. Jack swam away, leaving a trail of blood in the water. Thankfully, he survived and reappeared two weeks later and proved he was as smart as he seemed: he never again led the Penguin through the channel.

Public outcry over the shooting incident led to passage of a law protecting Pelorus Jack and making it illegal to shoot a dolphin in New Zealand waters.

Pelorus Jack guided his last ship to the channel on April 12, 1912. He disappeared after that, probably dying of old age. New Zealand declared a day of national mourning to honor him, a candy bar was named after him, and songs have been written about this dolphin that brought luck to the sailors and led them safely home.

As the perfect post script to Pelorus Jack's story, five years after the passenger shot at the dolphin, the Penguin sank on the rocks in French Pass. It was the only ship lost in the channel during all the years Jack led ships through.

Closer to home, this past year, the South Carolina legislature refused to pass a law lowering the speed vessels can travel in the Charleston harbor--a law proposed because of an alarming increase in the number of fatal collisions between commercial ships and marine mammals. When a fourth-grade school class submitted a proposal to make the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin the state marine mammal, the legislature refused. One of our illustrious elected officials defended his vote against it by saying, "If we did that, we'd have to lower the vessel speed in the harbor to protect them, and that would be bad for commerce."

Maybe the SC legislature needs to hear about Pelorus Jack, the sailing superstition that it's bad luck to kill a porpoise, and the fate of the Penguin?


SOURCES:

The Bathroom Readers' Institute (2007). Uncle John's Under the Slimy Sea. Bathroom Readers' Press, Ashland, OR. 144 pp.

The Encyclopedia of New Zealand at http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/dolphins/5/2

Hendrickson, Robert (1984). The Ocean Almanac. Doubleday Books, New York, NY. 446 pp.


* Photo of Pelorus Jack downloaded from Wikipedia.com