Flotsam & Jetsam
Your letters and such...
About the article on Anticipating Old Salt, Steve Judson writes:
Being a naval arch, I have to disagree with Mr. Willihnganz’s comments about the design. Rousmaniere’s quote of Skene’s philosophy STILL describes the design brief for Old Salt 15— i.e. “..the USE to which....” Colvin and Davis stated at the outset, that the design was to accommodate those who may not be as spry as they once were (my phrasing), so that’s CERTAINLY a perfectly acceptable design criteria. I think Mr. Willihnganz denegrates the concept by calling it condescending, which cannot be helpful in marketing. He needs to be called out on it.
Sincerely,
Steve Judson, N.A.
On the topic of Small-Boat Cruising Grounds, David Peebles writes:
I’ve kayaked with friends from Mulege to Loreto, around Isla Del Carmen, and into the Ispritu Santos group. I love Baja because the desert flora is so fascinating. Also the wildlife, particularly the ring-tailed cats, who raided our kitchen in the dark, and explored the inside of my kayak. There are abundant camping beaches, but not many good anchorages. The main hazard is “el norte,” the north wind, which comes up often, and can persist for days. And the Mexican people we encountered were great. It probably helped that between my wife and me we were able to put together enough Spanish to get by.
We were loading up and donning pfds on one beach, when my wife mislaid her pocket knife, and was asking if anyone had seen it. “En su mano,” said one of the Mexican kibitzers, (”In your hand”) so we all had a good laugh. Another time my buddy was asked if we found the beaches on Espiritu Santo full of people. “Pequeno” he replied. He meant to say “a few,” but had actually said “tiny,” which got another laugh.
Have made 5 or 6 trips down there. Took folding kayaks (Feathercrafts, which are no longer being made) and break-down 4-piece paddles. But we’ve lost our enthusiasm for toting heavy bagged kayaks and a ton of camping gear through airports. Have also paddled in Belize, but rented boats and camping gear that time. The trouble with renting is that too often the gear is worn out and not in the greatest condition.
Here’s a question for small boat users: How do you deal with human waste? Bury it in the intertidal zone? Pack it out? Bundle it up and leave it on your car seat in a parking lot with the door unlocked, as an invitation to thieves?
About our spooky story Haunting Kayaker, reader Rick Pratt says:
A good yarn, nicely told.
Reader Ken S. asks the following:
Am considering an extended camp-cruise in Southwest Alaska. I wonder if your experienced readers might share to what extent, or to what extremes, do sailors need to be concerned about bear encounters?
I spent fourteen years cruising the sea of cortez in a 28 foot Morgan Out Island. I have visited every known island there and every anchorage, known and unknown several times. I completely agree with you about the natives and how hospitable they are to foreigners.
You asked, "How did I deal with human waste? Easy, the natural and only way I could...I flushed it down my boats head, as there are a ton of long slim fish which watch over that through hull constantly to devour what evercomes through. It is best to keep your toilet paper and non organics to burn in a burn pile on land than to shred it in the ocean. I had a sign for my passengers near the head, "Unless you have eaten it, it does not go down this toilet."
Yes! But not my truck.