[sesmith]

At the risk of being unhelpful, I will say that we head north to Canada in the summer. Canadians are a friendly and helpful people, even some of the power boaters .

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

We might all chill out. We have all had the chance to put our ideas forward. Certainly interesting thread!




Mark

 

[Buster007]

While there is little about the Eastern Caribe we enjoy (French islands excepted, but they are France, not EC), I wouldn't say crime/unpleasantness is any worse than most other places, and crime tends to be petty theft - nobody is shooting up schools or anything like in the US. There are a few very well-known areas to avoid, but not many. Much of any unpleasantness is from simply being exhausted from the unreasonable charter people. Outside that season, the people are great. Even chartering, if you approach with respect, you get nice people - it is just the charterers that think entire countries exist solely for their vacation, and their people to serve them instantly, who bring the local people down.

We are currently in Jamaica and it is great, with good food, lots to see, and friendly people. We are headed to the Western Caribe, where we have spent a lot of time before, and the people there are also great. Violent crime is really bad around Honduras, but everywhere else is back to just the potential for petty theft of unlocked/unguarded things.

I don't understand the argument about leaving the Bahamas for the East Caribe to avoid crowds. Georgetown definitely, but the EC is WAY crowded in most places, while the Bahamas are essentially empty in most places. And the Bahamas outside of Nassau and the Northern Exumas aren't full of charter boats banging into you, dragging everywhere, and demanding unreasonable things.

Mark

There have been multiple boardings and machete attacks of cruisers in the Gerenadines in recent time.. That was not the case not very long ago.

 

[wsmurdoch]

Needed a small help item this week. There is close to 400 boats anchored here. The help I need I bet 100 of those boats could have provided and it would have taken less than 5 minutes time. Got no one offering and I even even was offering to pay. Just a few years past I would have been turning down people.

Last week was at an anchorage with a well known cruiser beach. Last time just 2 years ago there were regular sundowners etc. get togethers there. This visit in 4 days there I never saw anyone other than us even go to the beach.

6 years ago on my first year I collected a stack a couple inches high of boater cards. Now for every 10 I give out I might get 1 as newer cruisers just aren't interested in them. Boaters just don"t really even seem to interested in getting together.

The last couple of weeks in various anchorages I have noticed cruisers don't care how close they fly by your boat in the anchorage or how big a wake they made with their dinghies. All they care about is getting to beach bat faster. Just a few year ago it was only the super yachts that acted like owned the water and to hell with other boaters.

Now days it is almost common for someone to take up 3/4 of the small dinghy dock because they needed to lock their boat for and aft.

Maybe it is just me.

My Adair and i have made thirteen trips from our marina in North Carolina to the Bahamas (irish-eyes-to-the-bahamas,blogspot.com) generally leaving Miami, traveling south in the Exumas then back north through the islands to the Abacos and finally returning to North Carolina. During that time we have noticed that the amount of interaction between cruisers has decreased. Maybe it is the internet and onboard entertainment, maybe it is larger boats with family and guests aboard, mybe it is air conditioning, maybe it is more charter boats and mega yachts, maybe it is more shoreside businesses and services, we don't know, but we have been collecting fewer boat cards, we have sat in fewer cockpits for a drink and snack, and we have attended fewer beach parties as the years went by. We felt the effect most especially on our last trip in 2022. More dinghies were locked to the dock. Participation on the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club net, Cruiseheimers net, the BASRA weather net and the local VHF nets were all decreased.

Don L had no takers on his request to borrow a high pressure gauge. We don't carry one, but a couple of days ago we made a list of things we have loaned or given away on our trips. Her goes...

... loaned water jugs to transport water in Black Point and in George Town.
... loaned out fuel jugs in George Town
... gave away our spare duck bill vent valve.
... gave away engine vee belts from our spares.
... offered our handheld VHF and handheld GPS to a boat that was struct by lightning, but others beat us to it.
... loaned our prop puller.
... let another boat use our Hypalon glue to repair his dinghy.
... gave away our Explorer Chartbooks and our cruising guides.
... filled another boat's 10 lb propane tank from our 20 lb when Clarence's truck would not start.
... gave away a spare Yanmar raw water pump impeller.
... gave away a spare Yanmar fuel filter.
... gave away dinghy gasoline.
... loaned a big wrench.
... gave away a can of Freon.
... loaned a Freon tap-a-can and gauges.
... gave away mangos and bananas we had bought locally.

In return we have been plied with food and drink, met many interesting and entertaining people, and had a ball.

 

[SanderO]

My Adair and i have made thirteen trips from our marina in North Carolina to the Bahamas (irish-eyes-to-the-bahamas,blogspot.com) generally leaving Miami, traveling south in the Exumas then back north through the islands to the Abacos and finally returning to North Carolina. During that time we have noticed that the amount of interaction between cruisers has decreased. Maybe it is the internet and onboard entertainment, maybe it is larger boats with family and guests aboard, mybe it is air conditioning, maybe it is more charter boats and mega yachts, maybe it is more shoreside businesses and services, we don't know, but we have been collecting fewer boat cards, we have sat in fewer cockpits for a drink and snack, and we have attended fewer beach parties as the years went by. We felt the effect most especially on our last trip in 2022. More dinghies were locked to the dock. Participation on the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club net, Cruiseheimers net, the BASRA weather net and the local VHF nets were all decreased.

Don L had no takers on his request to borrow a high pressure gauge. We don't carry one, but a couple of days ago we made a list of things we have loaned or given away on our trips. Her goes...

... loaned water jugs to transport water in Black Point and in George Town.
... loaned out fuel jugs in George Town
... gave away our spare duck bill vent valve.
... gave away engine vee belts from our spares.
... offered our handheld VHF and handheld GPS to a boat that was struct by lightning, but others beat us to it.
... loaned our prop puller.
... let another boat use our Hypalon glue to repair his dinghy.
... gave away our Explorer Chartbooks and our cruising guides.
... filled another boat's 10 lb propane tank from our 20 lb when Clarence's truck would not start.
... gave away a spare Yanmar raw water pump impeller.
... gave away a spare Yanmar fuel filter.
... gave away dinghy gasoline.
... loaned a big wrench.
... gave away a can of Freon.
... loaned a Freon tap-a-can and gauges.
... gave away mangos and bananas we had bought locally.

In return we have been plied with food and drink, met many interesting and entertaining people, and had a ball.

It's a bit of a contradiction to think of cruisers as a community... in the aggregate yes... but most are, I suspect "loners" on their own adventure over a well beaten path. They are not unfriendly or anti social... they are just on their own personal journeys which happen to be convenient to FL.. or for those from the north via Bermuda. I suppose they share stories in harborside bars??? I haven't cruised these waters for decades... I am sure things are very different... and there are likely more boats doing this.

 

[Ineptune]

"In return we have been plied with food and drink, met many interesting and entertaining people, and had a ball."

Sure, but would you be willing to loan that ball?

 

[cthoops]

I think a huge part of it is internet access. I know we on Pegu Club spend too much time glued to our screens and have made a concerted effort to break free from that while cruising.

But I also think that people are more reluctant to put themselves out there and be more social with complete strangers. I’m basically an introvert at heart, but I’ve made a point this time in the Bahamas to put myself out there and meet more people. We’ve been to more sundowners than we ever have, and every time has been fun. But you have to put yourself out there to make it happen, and not everyone wants to do that.

 

[SchockT]

I'm surprised the pandemic hasn't been brought up as a potential cause for the shift in social behavior. For several years people have been keeping to themselves. Perhaps that new habit is still with people?

Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk

 

[SanderO]

I've never thought of cruising as a particularly social activity... almost, but not quite the reverse. People DO cruise to "escape" (something)... and DO cruise to experience new environments / cultures. Interactions may take place at a dinghy dock or bar or perhaps on a beach or even the fuel dock. Is social interaction an objective you have when out cruising?... locals or fellow cruisers or both?

 

[MikeOReilly]

My cruising definitely does take me away from people. Where I go, cruising boats are generally few, and far between. It is a pleasant rarity when we do connect with fellow cruisers. This pattern has not changed since I began plying the waters for over 20 years now.

Up here, sharing an anchorage once you get away from the immediate home bay, is rare. So when it happens, most of the time there are friendly interactions. I say most, but not always. Sometimes people just want to be left alone, and that's fine too.

So if you want quality over quantity, go somewhere off the beaten path. The few you find there will (generally) be warm and welcoming, and yes, very helpful.

 

[cthoops]

Social interaction with other cruisers isn’t necessarily a conscious objective that we have, but it can certainly enrich our experience. And face it, sometimes it’s nice to spend time with another couple or group of people vs. yet another evening on your boat with just your spouse/significant other. That being said, we do prefer the quieter spots so we don‘t meet as many people as some cruisers do.

 

[colemj]

...we have been collecting fewer boat cards...

Participation on the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club net, Cruiseheimers net, the BASRA weather net and the local VHF nets were all decreased...

Boat cards have been mentioned a couple of times. They just aren't a "thing" anymore. Face it, most of us are the old cruisers now, and younger ones don't even think about boat cards, let alone know what to do with one when handed it. They are all exchanging that information on their phones. Often times by just getting them near each other. Heck our boat cards are from our previous boat, have the wrong contact information on them, and we haven't looked like our pictures in a decade. When we do give one out, I'm pretty sure the person is thinking we just gave them somebody else's card.

HF nets are also old and on the way out. We do have HAM/SSB, but find it increasingly useless. Those nets you mention are the same 4-6 people every day, and half of them haven't left their land homes in years. Even Chris Parker gets less than 25% of his daily traffic over HF anymore, as everyone uses the internet interface now. Younger cruisers don't even know HF exists, and have Starlink, Sat phones, cell data, and other means of staying connected. They also aren't afraid to sail from Black Point to Staniel Cay without first getting the OK from Parker, then discussing it with old people on the sequential HF nets - they just up and go.

VHF nets kill me anymore. I just cannot stand to listen to the bleating dribble and petty grievances that go on for hours every day. I've stopped trying to get people to use their DSC functions, and just keep our VHF tuned to an off channel so we can get some peace and quiet during the day. If you have an emergency, hit your DSC and I'll be right there.

Mark

 

[MikeOReilly]

Oh man... boat cards aren't a thing anymore? I always thought I was so cool with ours .

 

[colemj]

Like Spock, You Apocalypse Sheiks are always cool. The rest of us not so much anymore.

 

[SchockT]

Boat cards have been mentioned a couple of times. They just aren't a "thing" anymore. Face it, most of us are the old cruisers now, and younger ones don't even think about boat cards, let alone know what to do with one when handed it. They are all exchanging that information on their phones. Often times by just getting them near each other. Heck our boat cards are from our previous boat, have the wrong contact information on them, and we haven't looked like our pictures in a decade. When we do give one out, I'm pretty sure the person is thinking we just gave them somebody else's card.

HF nets are also old and on the way out. We do have HAM/SSB, but find it increasingly useless. Those nets you mention are the same 4-6 people every day, and half of them haven't left their land homes in years. Even Chris Parker gets less than 25% of his daily traffic over HF anymore, as everyone uses the internet interface now. Younger cruisers don't even know HF exists, and have Starlink, Sat phones, cell data, and other means of staying connected. They also aren't afraid to sail from Black Point to Staniel Cay without first getting the OK from Parker, then discussing it with old people on the sequential HF nets - they just up and go.

VHF nets kill me anymore. I just cannot stand to listen to the bleating dribble and petty grievances that go on for hours every day. I've stopped trying to get people to use their DSC functions, and just keep our VHF tuned to an off channel so we can get some peace and quiet during the day. If you have an emergency, hit your DSC and I'll be right there.

Mark

I have to admit, I can't stand listening to vhf chatter. We only ever monitor it when we are in areas of high commercial traffic. Once we get to an anchorage it gets turned off. The only time we turn it on is when we have pre arranged times to listen for other club member in areas with no cell reception.

Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk

 

[MikeOReilly]

Where I cruise, you can leave the VHF on channel 16 day and night. You'd rarely even know it. Calls are few and far between.

But I recall when I was in busier waters, like Lake Ontario or the North Channel, and it was constant chatter. Had to squelch down to almost nothing to make it palatable.

 

[cthoops]

We leave ours on in the Bahamas, including at night if the dinghy is ready to go. People have called for help, dogs have gone overboard, we’ve been hailed by friends, etc.

In the U.S. we turn it off after we anchor because there isn’t the preponderance of cruisers in the anchorage and the VHF culture is different. Not to mention you can call 911 in an emergency.

 

[dcmeigs]

Needed a small help item this week. There is close to 400 boats anchored here. The help I need I bet 100 of those boats could have provided and it would have taken less than 5 minutes time. Got no one offering and I even even was offering to pay. Just a few years past I would have been turning down people.

Last week was at an anchorage with a well known cruiser beach. Last time just 2 years ago there were regular sundowners etc. get togethers there. This visit in 4 days there I never saw anyone other than us even go to the beach.

6 years ago on my first year I collected a stack a couple inches high of boater cards. Now for every 10 I give out I might get 1 as newer cruisers just aren't interested in them. Boaters just don"t really even seem to interested in getting together.

The last couple of weeks in various anchorages I have noticed cruisers don't care how close they fly by your boat in the anchorage or how big a wake they made with their dinghies. All they care about is getting to beach bat faster. Just a few year ago it was only the super yachts that acted like owned the water and to hell with other boaters.

Now days it is almost common for someone to take up 3/4 of the small dinghy dock because they needed to lock their boat for and aft.

Maybe it is just me.

You didn’t ask, but here’s what I suggest. Take the gauge you question to a dive shop. They can check or certify it or at the very least compare it to a known good gauge.

 

[Don L]

You didn’t ask, but here’s what I suggest. Take the gauge you question to a dive shop. They can check or certify it or at the very least compare it to a known good gauge.

That probably could have been done a week ago. Nearest one now is at least 30 miles away. Will keep in mind if I come across one.

 

[oldmanmirage]

That probably could have been a week ago. Nearest one now is at least 30 miles away. Will keep in mind if I come across one

Or if you come across someone with a compressor. Or take your gauge over to someone else's watermaker ? Just trying to think of alternatives since I'm not there to loan the gauge I don't have on the watermaker I don't own yet that's installed on the boat I wish I was on in the Bahamas.