Another Great Article by Captain John Jamieson

Five Golden Rules to Live By for Sailing Safety!  By John Jamieson at www.skippertips.com

If you are anything like me, one of the toughest decisions to make seems to be the "go; no go" one. That final call every sailing skipper needs to make before casting off.

Use this five step process from the masters. You will gain the confidence to deal with those unexpected situations that come your way when day sailing, cruising, or racing.

It's one thing if it's just you alone. Single-handers have the luxury of just being responsible for themselves.
But if you have sailing crew aboard, you are tasked with their safety and well being. So how can you make that final call in a calm, confident manner?
Here are five reliable methods, used by the world's best blue water sailors, to help you meet the challenges ahead...

Prepare to the MaxPut yourself into a "what-if" mode of thought. Start at the bow and work aft. Could your anchor use another lashing (stopper) to keep it in place? Does the deck stowed dinghy or raft need extra bungee or lashings?
When was the last time you checked the chafe on each block and tackle, such as the traveler control lines, mainsheet, boom vang?
This becomes more critical as the weather deteriorates. Use this process underway and at anchor. Keep on top of little problems so that they don't become big ones.

Learn Three New Things Each DayLearn at least three new things every day. Read the writings of the masters, like Chichester, Moitessier, and Slocum. Roth, Chapman, Rousmaniere, Calder, Henderson, Hancock, Toss, Vigor, and so many more. These are guys that have "been there - done that".

You can pick up the fundamentals quickly, but half a lifetime is scarcely enough to perfect your techniques. -- Hal Roth

And the masters I look to when I need more information. If you force yourself into this "3-a-day" discipline, you will find that your range of knowledge will exceed your wildest expectations.
These don't need to be complex things that involve hours of study. Learn an easier way to tie a common sailing knot, a better way to balance your small sailboat, or a safer method to reef your mainsail to boost your sailing skills sky high!

Practice, Practice, PracticeHow many of us sailors have bent on that storm jib or trysail, hoisted it and sailed with it? Or hove to, just to check out how our boat behaves in different conditions? Or gone through drills like man overboard, reefing, or flooding emergency with the sailing crew the first day of the coastal or offshore cruise?
Practice drills produce an automatic response under trying conditions. That's the main reason that military services have drill after drill. There's nothing familiar about the sea to human beings. We are land creatures. It makes sense that we practice techniques like sail reefing or how to tie a marine knot over and over again.
Once these become second nature, you move on to the next step on the learning ladder. As multi-time circumnavigator Hal Roth said about cruising under sail: "You can pick up the fundamentals quickly, but half a lifetime is scarcely enough to perfect your techniques."

Understand the WeatherFew persons look to the heavens more than once a day--sometimes never. Yet, clouds give the first clues of a frontal approach. Keep an eye on puffy, cotton-ball cumulus that might thicken and lower in the afternoon. Towering cumulonimbus can bring vicious squalls and thunderstorms.
Combine clouds with a barometer, and you can often forecast weather with better accuracy than a NOAA broadcast. Be on the lookout for wind shifts or a change in the sea-wave direction. The more you understand marine weather, the more prepared you will be when the rough stuff arrives.

Set the Example for Others to FollowBe the first aboard to wear a knife and lanyard on your person (not stowed down below). Or to put on the pfd when the weather turns foul. Or to don the sailing harness and clip on to the jack line. Remember, your sailing crew will often hesitate out of fear of how they will look in the eyes of their peers. Silly as it sounds, we all sometimes want to be the last to get the sailing gear on. Always keep in mind that your crew will look to you to show them the way.
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Follow these five tips from some of the world's wisest, most experienced sailors. You will build confidence and knowledge and gain the wisdom to make the right call to keep your sailing crew safe and sound.

---

"SEAMANSHIP SECRETS"
from International Marine / McGraw-Hill

"You will be in the hands of an experienced and trusted guide." -- Daniel Spurr, world famous author and former senior editor of Cruising World magazine.
"Written so clearly that navigation and seamanship will be comprehensible to anyone." -- Dave and Jaja Martin, circumnavigators, authors and stars of the documentary "Ice Blink".
"It should be read by anyone contemplating coastal cruising or blue water voyages." -- Ted Brewer, world famous yacht designer, veteran ocean racing and cruising sailor.
"It's a great book. The prose is simple and clear." -- John Vigor, acclaimed author of 12 sailing books and cruising sailor".


Captain John Shares 25+ Years of Experience to Show You How to...

Complete 90% of your navigation--before you cast off the lines.

Determine the best "window of opportunity" to transit any inlet.

Enter an unfamiliar harbor after dark in complete confidence.

Extend the trouble free service of any size inboard diesel engine.

Balance any sailing vessel in heavy weather in three easy steps.

Use "terrain effect" to forecast weather anywhere in the world.

Control boat emergencies with a simple method called M-A-T-E.


All this and much more. 326 pages tailored to short-handed sailors and crews.
Easy to read and loaded with crystal clear illustrations. Get your copy today!

© 2011 SkipperTips.com All Rights Reserved. Reproduction without permission prohibited.

"Trees In the Rigging" Land & Water Parade in Essex, CT on 11/28/11

Essex, CT is a very quaint, charming New England town near the mouth of the Connecticut River.   The town of Essex really loves a parade.  A large shipbuilding town and important port on the way from the Atlantic Ocean to New York City, Essex even has a parade for the "Burning of the Fleet", the day the British tried to put a halt to the American Revolution by burning the fleet of merchant and pleasure ships at anchor in Essex.  The 1st submarine was built in Essex in order to destroy British ships.  Invented by David Bushnell, it is know as "The Turtle".  It is now housed in the CT River Museum with copies in various other places, including the one built by students at Old Saybrook High School last year.

Anyway...back to this most recent Essex parade to celebrate Christmas and the holiday season.  There were antique cars and the antique Fire Engine, children & adults carrying lanterns, Fife and Drum Corps as well as Carollers, of course.   I was with the Maritime Education Network and their Pirate Ship float.    Earlier in the day at the school, after the men decorated and rigged the cannons so they would "fire" (smoke) found and hoisted the sails onto the ship and attached them, Kathy found the parrot and Sloan and I spruced up the children's faces looking out of the window of the stern of the ship.   Kathy David is the Director of the Maritime Education Network and marched alongside the ship with the "Pirate Monkey".  Sloan and I carried the Banner we'd decorated with tinsel and local children were found to ride in the float along with the adult volunteers.   You can get more information at www.maritimeeducation.org .




After leaving the Town Hall parking lot and parading down the hill into town and stopping on Main Street "The 12 Days of Christmas" with the crowd, someone towed the Pirate Ship back to the school so the rest of us could watch the parade of boats light up the darkness on the Connecticut River competing for the best Christmas & Holiday Season's light display.

 As they sailed by us a couple times, delighting us with their creativity and originality, you could hear the "oohs" and "ahhhhhs" from the crowd.  Anyone connected with Essex Yacht Club frostbiting on the CT River was very happy to see our own "Fair & Square", the Race Committee boat, so beautifully decorated as Santa's shop on one side with the American flag on their other.   There were even a couple of specially decorated and well lit kayaks paddled by very brave, hardy souls that had not ever been seen before, judging by the applause.   Santa Claus was then ferried up to the CT River Museum dock where he was greeted by a long line of youngsters wanting to say "hi" and tell him their wishes.   If you happen to be in chilly New England during Christmas season - "Trees in the Rigging" certainly gets you in Holiday Spirit!

Hoe Down at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center, Old Lyme, CT

High Hopes is a magical place.  You start to feel it as soon as you turn into the approaching drive and catch a glimpse of the gray wood building that houses office, stables and world class riding arena.  There is a wide expanse of paddocks that seems to go on forever at the 120 acre equestrian and instructor training center. The stop sign at the beginning of the parking lot says "Whoa"!  The Hoe Down fund raiser on November 10th with 65 vendors filling the riding arena with their beautiful wares and tasty treats was lots of fun and great Christmas shopping on a beautiful fall day.  There was fun music to shop by , horses to see and even a horse drawn wagon ride.  When I arrived before 1PM to work the "raffle table", there were already 500 cars parked in the paddock.

The day to day atmosphere at High Hopes is cheerful, friendly and well organized.   The building is welcoming, fits in naturally in the country setting and is extremely well designed to contain stables, the riding arena, a reception area and lobby where you can watch the riders, offices and a kitchen.  It is full of amazing people, amazing horses, kindness, compassion, continuous activity, heartwarming moments and lots of smiles.  I have been volunteering as a "sidewalker" now since September and really look foward to it.  When I started out and had more free time, I would sub in for other "sidewalkers" as often as I could, meeting various participants, horses and other volunteers.  Sidewalking is also a great workout - "free gym", it's been called.  Our Volunteer Coordinator mentioned this aspect during the 3 hour training required of new volunteers.   Now I just get to "sidewalk" once a week, when I leave the office on Friday - from 5:30 - 6:30 PM.  It is a highlight of my week, especially now that sailing season is over.  I really look foward to seeing my student every week and help him have a great ride.  The relationships that develop between the volunteers, staff and their students and families is very special.  These friendships are enhanced by the healing power of the horses and the beauty of the surroundings. 

For last night's session there was a full moon.  What a joyful experience to be walking along the horse and my student with a couple high school student volunteers out in the crisp night air on the way to the lighted out door ring to do some more exercises.   My student was a bit agitated last night when he first arrived, but after about 10 minutes on the horse, he relaxed into his riding session and was able to follow most of the instructor's and our requests.  It was fun to see him enjoying so much the outdoor part of the session, he reminded me of a professional jockey or young cowboy as he sat so proud on the horse.  He even smiled as he watched the Canadian geese take flight and a lone deer grazing nonchanantly on the grass close by.

Although volunteers are not told the participant's diagnosis, only what skills they are working on; I can tell you from experience with my 9 year old nephew with autism, that my student has a disability on the severely autistic scale.  At age 12, he is really non-verbal, but it is a big thrill when his parents get him to whisper "bye bye" to me when it's time for him to leave.  One of his major strengths is in trotting and posting!  His posting skills are excellent.   One of the first times I worked with him, he stood up in his stirrups for 1 1/2 times around the arena, long after the horse had stopped trotting.  It seemed like he could have kept going longer too, but the 3 of us volunteers convinced him to sit down on the saddle and prepare to dismount.   His balance is amazing!  The biggest task I have with him is to keep reminding him to keep his hands on the saddle, as they continue to "fly up", almost though they have a life of their own.  Sometimes he might get a little agitated and then we have him trot which always helps him focus and calms him down.   Working with him brings out the best in me after sitting at a desk and working in customer service all week.   Besides sailing, I've loved horses since childhood so it's really refreshing to be around horses and "horse people".  It's incredibly rewarding to know that the horses, other volunteers, staff and myself are all helping to develop the self esteem, confidence and skills in our students that will serve them well in their future.

There are over 600 active volunteer staff and a very small professional staff who keep keep the busy schedule humming for the more than 250 child and adult participants at this world renowned equestrian and instructor training center.  There are 25 horses of all varieties from quarter horse to hunter to draft horse to miniature horse.  These horses must be so smart, so good, so kind and so well trained that out of every 100 or so horses offerred to High Hopes for donation, only 1 or maybe 2 are suitable.

One of my aunts, who is a world class horsewoman and riding instructor, said that "horses are a great way to connect people".   This is certainly true at High Hopes.  More information can be found at:  www.highhopestr.org .

Dr. Bernie Siegel at The Graduate Institute: "Reflections on the Art of Living & Healing"

For three consecutive Monday nights this September, I was one of the 25 or so lucky people attending Dr. Bernie Siegel's "Reflections on the Art of Health and Healing" at The Graduate Institute, www.learn.edu ,  in Bethany, CT.  Bernie, as he prefers to be called, has been a leader in the field of Integrative Health and Medicine for many years, is renowned for his work with cancer patients and was one of the founders of The Graduate Institute over ten years ago.  He is the author of many books, including A Book of Miracles; Faith, Hope and Healing; Affirmations For Living Beyond Cancer; Prescriptions for Living.   Bernie and his wife live here in Connecticut, where they raised 5 children.  They have also partnered together in some of the workshops involved with healing.  It sounds like they had always had a lot of pets and other animals around their home - a loving, happy, perhaps sometimes chaotic scene for a family to thrive.

Bernie Siegel graduated from Cornell University Medical School with honors and was trained in Surgery at Yale New Haven Medical School.  In 1989, he left his position at Yale as Asst. Clinical Professor of General and Pediatric Surgery in order to spend more time speaking with patients, their families and caregivers and write books about how love and happiness relate to healing illness.  He has a very warm, positive, strong and dynamic presence, and is very approachable.

I first saw him speak a number of years ago when I was 28 years old.  There were about 125 people in the audience.   To begin his presentation, he asked the audience, "how many people here want to live to be 100 years old?" I was a bit smug about my youth, I guess, and had never known anyone that old before.  100 was quite a bit older than even my grandparents and I hadn't thought that many years ahead in my own life.  So I didn't raise my hand and felt reassured as I looked around, as only a few people had their hands raised.   Then he said, "those who raised their hands will have the happiest lives, the best relationships and the best quality of life because they are thinking long term and have the most reverence for life".  I was a bit chagrined, and it was a real "aha" moment in my life for which I am eternally grateful.       

                                                 

Fast forward a number of years to September 2011.  It is such a treat to be in one of his classes at this point in my life and to be able to look back over the years as well as to see the tremendous advances in medical thought, practice and the growing emphasis on preventative medicine in this country.  Even with negatives such as soaring costs of medical insurance and for the doctors, soaring costs of malpractice insurance, the rising rates of autism and ADHD, obesity, breast and other types of cancer - people are now living much longer than 25 years ago and most with a better quality of life.  Information about the importance of exercise and healthy eating habits and stress management is so widely accepted now in Western Medicine.  This so complements our very advanced techniques in surgery and pharmaceutical research in this country for the benefit of the patient, who is now more of a client.   People are now encouraged to take much more responsibility for their health than in the past.

Some pearls of wisdom Bernie shared during his seminar this September are:  "If you want to enjoy the rest of your life, let your heart make up your mind."  "If you want to live the longest, healthiest life - love your life and your body and let it know that you do".  "Don't give others your power."  "See yourself as a work in progress, like a painting."  "If someone asks you to do something you don't feel like doing, say 'no'."  "Find out what makes you lose track of time and do it as much as possible."  "Have a vision of who you want to be and let people around you be your coaches."  "Look for coaches and role models and imitate them."

In one session, he had us all draw 2 pictures.  One was of ourselves.   If anyone in the class had an illness, he wanted them to draw the treatment and how they thought about it.  The other picture was of a scene in nature, or us with our family or us at work.  I am not an artist, but was able to draw a picture of a harbor in the Caribbean filled with sailboats that made me feel happy when I was finished.  This is what he does with his patients so he can analyse how they are thinking about themselves, their disease and their lives. 

From his years of practicing medicine, Bernie is a firm believer that "A person's life affects their health" and in the power of the mind/body relationship. He believes we are alive in order to learn, grow and love others.   "Fear is to keep you healthy, but if you live in fear you don't grow,  so live in love."  He also said, "Seek growth, not just joy and someday you realize you have enough."

In order to heal from an illness, disease or injury, Bernie says, "if you lose your health, treat it like you have lost your car keys."  In other words, keep the focus on finding it again.  He espoused the concept that whatever treatment the patient is receiving, it is very important that they believe in it thoroughly and feel that it is helping them.

Bernie Siegel is a master healer and a very warm, positive, down to earth presence who attracts a diverse group of people who are looking to heal from serious illness or tragedy with themselves or in their family, often involving children; as well as those who seek to heal others.   It was a joy to be in his class and to meet some of the remarkable people who were there.  The Graduate Institute is such an uplifting,  lightfilled environment with all the glass that seems to bring the outdoors inside and feels somewhat like a spa or like being on a retreat.  I look foward to the next time I am there and hope to keep the connection with Bernie Siegel and some of the amazing people I met in class.

Kiteboarding in Madison, CT

Yesterday, I drove to Hammonesett Beach in Madison to meet a good friend I've known since high school.  Our goal was to get some good exercise walking that beautiful long stretch of beach as a pre-Thanksgiving defense against all the extra calories.   I was really looking foward to being out of doors  by the water as I had been stuck indoors all week at my "seasonal desk job".  It was a sunny, windy, Fall day - good football game weather, as they say - and I was dressed for it with a scarf and gloves.  It was windy, 50 plus degrees Farenheit, "warm" for New England at this time and I expected it would be great to be walking on the beach again, getting exercise with a friend, but I did not expect to be transported to another time and another place. 

The first surprise was to see 3 colorful windsurfing sails skimming along the waves, their skippers dressed head to toe in black rubber wetsuits, of course!  We were happy and excited to see them out there the weekend before Thanksgiving in Connecticut; there were others on the beach who were also entranced, just watching them.  My friend, who is not a sailor said, "how can they stand it out there when it is cold and the water is so much colder?".  "Well, they are a bit crazy" I said "and in love with the wind".  Which is something one just has to feel or not, one can''t really explain it. 

As we were walking along enjoying the sight of them skim along on the water with the sunlight and white froth of the waves, my friend was saying she'd never seen windsurfers like that before in action.  Since she had visited me once when I lived in California for a few years in the 80's and I thought I remembered taking the Ferry to Sausilito together, where the windsurfers flock around the ferry and surf the rooster tail waves it makes, I asked if she hadn't seen them then.  Their skill and ability made me think of kiteboarding and I started talking about that, and another friend's son who is big into kiteboarding.  All of a sudden, she said, "Look at that!".  I looked in the direction she was pointing and sure enough there was a kiteboarder jumping the waves and getting some serious air, right there on Hammonesett beach!  Actually, there were 3 or 4 kiteboarders out there and a kite or two up on the beach, where they had set up their base.  Then a man rode by us on a go cart, propelled by a kite.  I was so happy and amazed to see this much activity on a beach in Connecticut with winter approaching; I felt like I was back on the California beaches again!

I really wanted to meet the kitesurfers, and saw that one with plaid surfer shorts on over his wetsuit, who had been doing some seriously high jumps and spins in the air (we are talking 15 - 20 feet or so), had landed on the beach saying "I'm done" and had asked one of his buddies to catch his kite.  After he derigged, we introduced ourselves and I asked him where they were from and how long he had been kiteboarding.  He said "Clinton" and mostly local, although some come down from Rhode Island and he had been kiteboarding since 2003, but it was easy to learn and get good within a year.  He pointed to another sail on the water and told me that he had been doing it for just a year.  He said they just travel around every weekend to wherever has the best wind, and that this day was minimum windspeed for him to go kiteboarding in the winter.  It was blowing about 18 - 20 knots.  He said they really like it at 30 knots and had even kiteboarded during Hurricane Irene, although he said the local authorities weren't too happy with them for that.

Mike is also a high school science teacher, photographer and the owner of www.nekiteboard.com. He gives classes in kiteboarding and helps out at the Coast Guard Academy.  I'm sure he is very popular with his students and a great role model for staying healthy, fit, sharing his appreciation and enjoyment of our incredible natural resources and pursuing one's passions.  Check out his website - I know you'll enjoy it!

America's Cup Racing Goes Extreme for 2013

It's been a great summer with the young sailors, family and friends, but not so good for writing blogs so I will try to make it up to you now.   Thanks to www.bizjournals.com, here is a photo of USA's entry "Oracle", driven by Australia's James Spithill in Plymouth, England.  It is the 2nd leg of the America's Cup World Series in the 45 foot catamarans that are raced this year and the next. At this point there are 9 boats racing against each other. They represent the countries of: USA, China, France, Korea, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden. Several boats have dropped out already from Australia and from Italy, while several others are rumored to be working towards meeting the participation requirements.  

The America's Cup finals in September 2013 in San Francisco will be in 72 foot catamarans competing for the oldest international sports trophy in the world, started in 1851.  This truly international competition now brings billions of dollars to the economy in the city of the country that wins and hosts this event.  One of the top three international sporting events along with the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, the stakes in this event are extremely high in just about every way you can imagine from yacht and equipment engineering to the incredible physical conditioning and attention to safety for the sailors.  These new, incredibly fast catamarans have morphed the sport of sailboat racing into a thrilling event not just for sailors, but also for landlubbers.  There is the magic of sailing combined with the intensity of Formula 1 racing, but on the water.  It is a transformation akin to the introduction of Apolo Ohno's style of speed skating to the Olympics, snowboarding to the world of skiing events or perhaps even breaking the sound barrier in the world of aeronautics.

                                      

Next summer, the fleet of AC 45's and crews will be in Newport, Rhode Island, where there will be great spectator seating to experience the excitement.  More than 10,000 spectators, many on land, in Plymouth, England are now viewing the daring feats of sailors on boats that can achieve speeds of about 40 miles an hour as they hurtle through the water.   According to American Terry Hutchinson, skipper of the Swedish boat, "Artemis", when I saw him at Larchmont Yacht Club's Jr. Sailing Seminar in June 2011, the G Forces are such at that point that the sailors are all wearing protective gear and must be tethered to the boat so they don't fall off if the boat suddenly plows into a wave and stops.   Besides world class sailing skills, these sailors have to have the mental and physical conditioning of top athletes in the world, as well as total trust in their team members and their boats.  Hope to see you in Newport next summer!

"Roses for Autism"

These roses are part of my blog because they are from "Roses for Autism", which is located at Pinchbeck Farm, Guilford Connecticut.   The Pinchbeck family had been growing beautiful roses here as a commercial operation since 1929; with their greenhouses being the largest in the world at that time.  They were one of the largest rose distributers in New England until 2008 when they were on the verge of going out of business.   A couple good friends of theirs, one who has an autistic son, decided to form a partnership with the Pinchbecks so that the farm could continue to supply flowers as a place where young people on the austism spectrum could be trained to work in the business. 

I learned about Roses for Autism from the local newspaper this winter right around Valentines Day.  Since I really love flowers and also have a young nephew who is on the austism spectrum, I decided to go visit and see for myself.   Driving in, I saw two of the largest greenhouses I had ever seen in my entire life.     When I went into the shop, it had a very cheerful atmosphere, with the busy hum of people coming to get last minute Valentine's Day flowers, and nice young people helping customers with their orders and two ladies behind the counter wrapping the flowers and working the cash register. 

I had heard that the lavendar roses were very special and the most fragrant so I wanted  

to give a dozen to my nephew's family.  However, I didn't see any in the refrigerator and was disappointed.  A young woman asked if I needed help and I told her I was looking for the lavendar roses.  She said she thought they were all out, but would go in the back and see.  A few moments later, she came back with a dozen of the most fragrant roses I'd ever smelled and they were the most beautiful lavendar color!   "The last ones there", she said.  I felt very lucky as I paid my money for the flowers.  There were so many beautiful red roses and other colors, I would have been happy with any, but I thought these would really be enjoyed as they were so special.

It was a nice, well-deserved surprise for my busy sister-in-law who was very thrilled with their color and fragrance.    Since then I have visited "Roses For Autism" at least once a month; most recently bringing some to my mother for our big family Mother's Day party.   Everyone who works at "Roses For Autism" is very nice and someone will be happy to help you carry things to your car, if you can't resist getting more than you came for!   It is a great place to get beautiful roses at incredibly reasonable prices, even if you just want something beautiful for your own table.  They have been a big hit for friend's birthdays, as hostess gifts and of course, on Mother's Day.  When was the last time you paid $15 or $25 for a dozen of the the most fragrant scented roses you can imagine which bloom perfectly!?!    They also sell very nice, healthy young vegetable and herb plants for your garden.   If you love flowers and/or need some plants for your garden, you must make a visit there soon - it is definitely one of our Connecticut Shoreline treasures and a very special place!

First Aid and CPR - Symptoms for a Stroke

It is a great thing to get your First Aid and CPR certification,  especially if you get trained by a good teacher.  Terri Benoit, a nurse and EMT who is an American Red Cross instructor, has been teaching 1st Aid and CPR for many years here in Connecticut.  She was first recommended to me as an instructor through the Westbrook Parks and Recreation Department and has been very helpful in getting sailing instructors trained in First Aid and CPR over the years.  She started out as a hospital nurse and also works as a personal trainer and is the mother of two school age children.   I would describe her teaching method as relaxed, hands on, realistic and very informative.  She has lots of  stories to share from the field that help one make sense of all the information. 

One of her stories was about the symptoms for a stroke.  She told us that there is a 2 hour window for the victim to get to the hospital.  She said that if you call 911, then do CPR and recussitate them right away, there is an excellent chance that they will be back to normal.  People who are having strokes may get dizzy, confused, lose their balance, not be able to see out of one or both eyes, have numbness on one side or the other of their body, not be able to move their arms.  A good test for stroke is to have the person stick out their tongue; if they can't do that, there is a good chance they have had a stroke.  Another is to ask them to stick their arms out to the front or the sides. 

Terri told us about her 96 year old uncle who couldn't talk because he was having a stroke so they called the ambulance right away.   Medical breakthroughs have provided medications that can reverse the effects of a stroke if the victim is taken to the hospital quickly enough.  Remember that one can suffer from a stroke at a much younger age and it is much better to call 911 if there is a health emergency than to suffer pangs of regret.  Here's to your good health and that of your family and friends and also to your ability to act correctly and effectively in any health emergencies.

Healing a Rotater Cuff Injury; Why I am now a Fan of Acupuncture!

Rotater cuff issues are tricky.  My personal journey in this regard led from the Traditional Medical, effective treatments like Physical Therapy to Cortisone Shots to Acupuncture.  Have you ever had a rotater cuff issue?  It is not fun and involves pain which can range from "nagging, just annoying" to much more severe. 

About 13 years ago, I injured my rotater cuff, without even knowing at the time that I had.  It happened when I was teaching a sailing lesson and there was hardly any wind.  My student and I were at a downwind point of sail and I had my arm up for awhile on a 26 foot sailboat in order to keep the boom from going back and forth over our heads while I was teaching a lesson involving points of sail and jibing.  The boom was passing over our heads back and forth as it does and was a bit distracting so I put my hand up to hold the boom away from our heads for a minute or so just to make my point.  There was hardly any pressure on the sail or I wouldn't have done this.   The lesson continued well and I didn't think anything of it.

Later on, my shoulder started to ache a bit, but I just ignored it.  Having been trained as a dancer during college along with growing up sailing and as an "outdoorsy kind of girl", then becoming a mom, and therefore not bothered by little aches and pains, I didn't pay my shoulder any mind until a few weeks later when it was still aching.   At that point, I sort of started watching it, getting a massage, taking Tylenol, etc.. and it didn't go away.  It was really interfering with my tennis, something I especially enjoyed off season for stress relief and to stay in shape.  Finally I consulted an MD.  He had me take an MRI, which I did.  His diagnosis was that I had an impinged rotater cuff and prescribed Physical Therapy.  I asked him how I could have torn it - there hadn't even been any pressure on the sail?  He explained that starting around age 40, especially if one has a small frame on top, as I do, it is not a good idea to ever have your arm in that position as it is very susceptible to rotater cuff injury. 

After about 8 weeks of excellent Physical Therapy, with ElectroStim, Heat, Ice, Massage and prescribed exercises - my arm felt fine again.  I was very pleased to be able to teach sailing again without any pain and to play tennis.  I thought I was "cured" and that was the end of it.

A couple years later, I moved to Eastern CT, began teaching sailing up there and managing a large sailing program.  Everything was fine the first year, but by the second year, my shoulder was really bothering me again, especially while playing tennis.  I decided that I'd better get PT again, but this time it actually got worse with the Physical Therapy.   I became increasingly concerned as I had an important sailing event coming up and my shoulder was in such pain, that even with Tylenol, it was hard to stand the pain.  The MD promised that if he gave me a Cortisone shot on Monday that by Saturday, I would be fine for the event.  He have me that Cortisone shot and gratefully, I was fine for the event and pain free for 5 more years!  The Cortisone shot was not a pleasant experience, but definitely worth it.  If you are at all needle shy and your doctor will prescribe a tranquilizer beforehand, I would recommend taking it.

When the shoulder started acting up again during tennis season, I thought, "O.K., I'll just get another Cortosone shot and I'll be fine for another 5 years."  Unfortunately, this time the shot only worked for 3 weeks and the pain came back.  My doctor said this meant that I now needed surgery.  At yoga class, I was telling my instructor about it and how I was going to have to miss yoga because of this operation and she recommended seeing a local acupuncturist who was also a yoga student.

I had always thought that acupuncture was just a hoax and not being a big fan of needles, I asked her if she was sure it would work.  She said she wasn't sure but it was worth giving it a shot (pardon the pun!).  She told me the acupuncturist was excellent and would let me know after the 1st session if she could help me and I should just try it.   So I did.  4 months later and for the same price that I would have paid as a deductible for rotater cuff surgery, I was healed.  This was about 5 years ago and I haven't looked back, so now I am a big fan of acupuncture!


While my acupuncturist said she couldn't have healed it if it was a bad tear and that would have definitely required surgery, I recommend acupuncture 100 percent for pain relief, as long as you find a qualified & talented acupuncturist.  Just like a regular MD, the talent, experience and integrity of the acupuncturist is very important, so get references from people you know.  My acupuncturist, Dr. Cynthia Frantz of Chester, Connecticut is excellent and uses the finest needles (they are red) for my treatments, and it doesn't bother me at all, in fact it is actually quite relaxing!

John Jamieson's Helpful Tips to Save You Money on Your Running Rigging Investment!

Five Tips to Save You Money on Your . . .

Five Tips to Save You Money on Your Costly Sailing Running Rigging!

If you want to learn to sail like a pro, you need to know how to keep your sailing rope in prime "fighting" shape. You see, every time you go sailing, those costly halyards, sheets, anchor rope rodes, and extra line in those sail-lockers goes into battle.

And it has a tough time against the five deadly enemies of all line--sunlight, dirt, salt, chafe, and shock! You can extend the life of any piece of marine rope and save tons of money in replacement costs if you do just five simple things on a regular basis.
1. Wash and Dry Before You Stow!
Did you realize that nylon line--like that used for docking lines or anchor lines--can lose up to 15% of its strength when wet? Or that wet line, stowed in a dark, dank sail locker presents a prime breeding ground for mold and mildew?
At the first opportunity, wash your anchor rode and cockpit sheets and halyards with fresh water. Get in there with a hose and spray it down. This will loosen up line-killing dirt and salt crystals.
Flake the line in alternate bites (loops) over a rail or your lifelines to dry it. Re-coil or stow the line after it has dried completely. This can add years of life to any line and it will stay supple for sailing or marine knots.
2. Keep Lines Under Tension
Halyards and Genoa or jib sheets must stay under constant tension to prevent fiber and strand breakdown. Lines too slack will shock and slack, which can weaken the line. But tension does not mean taught.
Some lines--docking and anchor lines--must have slack in order to perform their best. But your super expensive sail halyards and sheets should be under tension. When sailing, take in a couple of inches of sheet or halyard once in a while to stave off wear and tear.
3. Make Leads Straight and True
Straight leads are fair leads. You might have heard the sailing term "fairlead". Remember this any time you thread a sheet through a block, or lead a line from the mast back to your cockpit, or set up your Genoa furling line between bow and cockpit.
Keep acute bends--90 degrees or more--to an absolute minimum. The more you bend a line to lead it from one place to another, the more stress it places on the apex of the bend. Use straighter fairleads to pump life-blood into your lines to save on repair and replacement costs.
4. End for End Lines Once a Season
One of the huge jobs on those square-rigged ships of old was to end-for-end line once a year. This monumental task involved thousands upon thousands of feet of rigging. But it worked and added years of life. After all, those big ships were at sea for years at a time, and the cost of line back then was astronomical.
Today, the small cruising sailboat or racing sailboat skipper can use this same ancient technique to add years of life to docking or anchor lines. And it's a lot simpler because you aren't dealing with several thousand feet.
Just make the dead end of the line the working end. Do this once a season. For example, your anchor line's dead end attached to a ring bolt in your anchor locker. Or, it's the end you attach to your bow cleat. The working end attaches to your anchor. Once a season, switch them around. This end-for-end technique has been proven to extend the service life of anchor line up to a whopping 50%!
5. Whip, Dip, or Tape Bitter Ends
The ends of your lines can fray and unwind like a snake on a palm tree. Prevent this with a temporary whipping, where you wrap sail twine around the end. Or, use an easier method with a two-inch piece of duct-tape. Wrap the tape tight, two to three times around the end. Use a sharp knife to cut through the center of the tape.
Or, make your own end-whipping dip. Dip at least 1/4" of the bitter end into super glue. Any of these techniques are guaranteed to stop fraying off at the pass and save you lots of money.
Learn to sail like a pro with these five super simple marine knots sailing tips. They will save you lots of money and add years of life to any line--wherever in the world you choose to go sailing!

Learn more at:   http://SkipperTips.com/

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Horshoe Crab Tagging sponsored by Sacred Heart University at Indian Cove Beach, Guilford, CT

Have you ever seen something that is so ugly that it is very cute?  (Think about a Shar Pei or a Manatee!)  That is how I would describe our humble but very important creature of the sea, the Horsehoe Crab.  A species that dates back to the time of the dinosaurs, horseshoe crabs are a very valuable part of our marine ecosystem as well as helping pharmaceutical companies test different drugs in their pursuit to cure various deadly human diseases.    Judy Knowles of Guilford loves horseshoe crabs, works with  Project Limulus at Sacred Heart University and is on the board of the Menuntatuck Audobon Society.  She was on hand recently with other volunteers who helped organize Horseshoe Crab tagging  in Guilford at Indian Cove Beach. 

Every May and June, horseshoe crabs congregate along the East Coast of the US with the rising tide in order to mate and lay thousands of eggs.  These eggs produce baby horseshoe crabs and also help to feed other important aquatic species, such as the Red Knot, a bird who winters in Argentina and then flies 10,000 miles up to the Arctic for the summer to mate and lay eggs.  They stop along the way in Delaware to feast on horseshoe crab eggs which keeps up their energy for the long trip. 

The above photo shows horseshoe crabs mating before the female lays her eggs.  The female is the larger one and the male is smaller with club shaped pincers underneath so he can grab onto the female's shell for mating.  Some people are afraid of horseshoe crabs because of their tails, or they think they have a stinger which is not true.  Horseshoe crabs tails are simply levers for them to turn themselves right side up, if they get flipped over somehow on the sand.  If their tails are broken or gone, they will die, because they cannot flip themselves back over right side up and their insides will be exposed which are delicious food to certain types of birds and animals.  This boy is picking up the horseshoe crab properly, by the side of the shell, like a bowl.  Never pick up a horsehoe crab by its tail, as it could break off.  A horseshoe crab's stomach is on the other side of his shell; he scoops food into it as he is travelling across the ocean floor.  They can swim upside down or right side up.

Horseshoe Crab blood is very valuable.  Approximately 250,000 are harvested each year so their blue blood can be used by pharmaceutical companies to ensure that certain drugs are safe for humans .  It is required that the horsehoe crab is put back withint generally 72 hours, and most of the horseshoe crabs survive their blood donation, but about 30% don't.  Many other horseshoe crabs are harvested for bait, especially the females, so it is important to track and protect them.

I had lots of fun putting a tag on the horseshoe crab that day with the other volunteers so he could be tracked.  If you find a horseshoe crab with a tag, please call the phone number on the tag and tell them where you found it.  Project Limulus, at Sacred Heart University here in Connecticut, has a computer database that keeps track of our horseshoe crab population so we can make the important effort to keep a healthy poplulation of these creatures, estimated to be between 300,000,000 to 450,000,000 years old!   Do you like horseshoe crabs too?