Blog's 5th Birthday

INT: RECEPTION ROOM. Balloons etc everywhere, tables with white cloth covered in used plates and half drunk wine glasses. At the top is a stage with mic and spot light, into which comes the familiar form of Buff Staysail.

BUFF STAYSAIL

Howdy folks, Buff Staysail here! Buff by name and Buff by nature!

We're here to celebrate a very special occasion! No it's not that ol' Buff has got that opening as Aqua Stigg on Top Yacht - or at least not yet!

We're here for a special party for JP to celebrate the 5th anniversary of his blog! And what an exciting five years its been - well for me at least. Probably rather boring for poor old JP who didn't get to go to Valencia for the AC33 like yours truly.

But anyhow, good to see so many of you here today for this party and prize giving bash. So without further ado,  come on up JP, you've a cut to cake!

JP (off stage)

Er... cake to cut?

BUFF STAYSAIL

Whatever, just get up here

JP (joining BS)

Gosh, this so unexpected. I'd like to thank you the readers for making this all worth while and off course blogger.com for making all this possible.....err....hmm.. I'd also like to thank my agent but alas don't have one...err...hmm.. think that's it

BUFF STAYSAIL

Gee, couldn't think of more to say than that? Anyway, don't go away JP because we have arranged a special prize for you!

What can it be? What prize can ol' Buff be thinking of? Stay tuned for more.....

Picture Quiz

Can anyone guess what these white dots are?

It is in focus and taken around the same time as the Moon photo with similar settings.

Have a Happy Halloween!

This week, I've been remembering my trip to Zihautanejo 2 years ago to celebrate Halloween + Dia de Los Muertos in Mexico. The trip was one of our all-time family favorites. Check out all we did here:

Zihautanejo - Where We Stayed

Halloween & Dia de Los Muertos

The Tides Zihautanejo

Deep Sea Fishing & A Private Island

Annie Palmer is the White Witch of Jamaica and one time owner of the Rose Hall Estate. Curious how she became famous? She killed her husbands. 

Think you know about the Bermuda Triangle? Jump over here for a few chills and other Caribbean haunts!

And even more Caribbean haunts are featured on this round up for Spooky Spots along Martinique's Route de la Trace.

Halloween is a great time of year to visit the Caribbean. Rates are low and many hotels celebrate the holiday with fun and festive parties for family members of all ages. October/November is also a great month to find cheap flights to the islands on every major airline, including American Airlines.

Happy Haunting,

Rowers Reflected

Some rowers for Chris.

Another Moon

Another clear night so another Moon photo. But this is no quick and easy post as there were many trials before took this one.

The moon is rising very far to the North at the moment - an explanation at the Natural Navigator site here, though to be honest I can't quite get my head around it so will email Tristan for more.

Meads Bay Villas in Anguilla

I just booked a client for 10 nights at this lovely little collection of 4 private villas on Meads Bay Beach in Anguilla and I must say, I am supremely jealous. Anguilla is tops on my list and Meads Bay Beach is my favorite beach on the island. 

Each one of the Meads Bay Beach Villas is 1700 square feet. Villa # 1 is closet to the sand with the other 3 staggered back from this unit. 

The property is lushly landscaped and the interiors are well appointed with high-quality furnishings:

It can be said, that one of the reasons this property has such a high return guest rate is because of the staff. Miss Delta is famous for her Caribbean hospitality:

After a long day on the sand... retire to your villa and enjoy your private pool:

Jump on over here to see more photos from my visit.

Meads Bay is my favorite because some of the best restaurants are located on this beach such as the Straw Hat & Blanchards.

Enjoy,

The Swan

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Last Minute Deals to Sandals Resorts

{photo is Sandals Montego Bay}

If you are able to make a fast decision and commit to a luxury all-inclusive vacation on a whim, then booking Sandals Resorts at the last minute is likely your best deal. Sandals Resorts last minute vacations include up to 65% off the regular rates, 1 to 2 nights free, and possibly $250 Resort Spa Credit.

Enjoy,

Olympic Rower killed by Weil's Disease

Shocking news today that Britain's double Olympic rower Andy Holmes has died after contracting Weil's disease. This is a water borne bug that can go from infected animal urine into the system if you drink polluted water or have a cut.

According to the BBC it kills 2 to 3 people a year and infects 60 - 70, more than I expected. I've heard warnings of Weil's disease so many times without hearing anyone who suffered from it that began to take a relaxed view on it: clearly that was wrong.

One reason I probably haven't encountered it is that the bug likes stagnant water, not flowing tidal ways like the Thames. According to the Guardian he died after sculling in Boston.

Lets be careful out there.

A few fun facts about BARBADOS!

Last night I went to dinner with the Barbados Tourist Board. As with any Caribbean sponsored event, the night was lively & colorful but it was the following facts that I found most interesting...

Did you know 7 of South Carolina's first 21 governors were from Barbados?

Or that Barbados' own Mount Gay Rum is the oldest in the world? Maybe that's why it is called "the rum that invented rum".

What about this... Barbados was the only country George Washington visited outside the US and the house he lived in has been restored and is waiting for you to explore.

Not only is Barbados the first Caribbean island to be Zagat rated, but there are more restaurants per square mile than any other Caribbean island. 

Who knew that Barbados is home to Bathsheba, one of the top surfing destinations in the world.

And rounding out the coolness factor report, she's from Barbados too...

Stay tuned for more tidbits on this little gem of an island...

Enjoy,

Shooting the Moon

In a post at the start of this year I showed my failed attempt at photographing the Moon. Using the default settings the exposure was ludicrously long, leaving the heavenly sphere little more than a white circle.

However knowing that this evening the Moon would be both visible and the skies clear I did a bit of Googling and came up with this great article on top tips, first of course to manually set the exposure.

And after a couple of cycles of go-out-get-cold-come-in-check-pic I ended up with the above, which is a lot better!

For those wanting technical details it was my venerable and soon to be replaced Canon 350D together with Sigma 70 - 300 mm lens, 400 ASA, 1/1250 sec exposure F/5.6.

RIP Mr. Gregory Isaacs

Mr. Gregory Isaacs, 

Thanks for being the soundtrack to so many of my favorite island memories. When I saw you in concert, I couldn't help but feel that you were singing only to me. Your voice will be missed...

One Love,

Sailing away for the right reasons

Yesterday's post was a sad story of what happens when the dream of sailing away to a new life in the sun goes wrong. A combination of escapism and lack of skills combined to push a family to the brink of bankruptcy and divorce before they had even left the shores of England.

However the series, called "My Family's Crazy Gap Year" had another episode, and its instructive to look at that to see what went right, for the Lawrence family did manage to sail all the way from Cowes to Sydney.

Maybe that word Cowes gives a clue: this family had done a lot of homework and were very well prepared. It wasn't explained in the program but the web site gave some history, and they had sailed as a family for over a year, starting with the inter-coastal waterways of the American east coast, and then sailing back to Britain.

So when they set out they knew the ropes, knew their boat and knew what to expect. Interestingly they didn't have exactly the same motivation: for Jason the skipper it was about achieving the goal of sailing around the world, while for his wife Amanda it was more about the experience, the cultures they meet and the beauty of the Pacific islands.

Of course even with preparation there were hard times. The first few days crossing Biscay were bumpy and the skipper was worn down by a combination of responsibility, worry and lack of sleep. The latter wasn't helped by having two youngish boys on board, and one of the key skills to learn was how to manage their energy and occupy the time. One mechanism to control bad behaviour was the ability was the good and bad mark board:

What was interesting was the program included clips they took of their journey after the documentary crew stepped off and so you got a chance to see how they evolved.

For me it was striking how Jason was able to relax as his knowledge and experience of the boat deepened, and this changed his motivation. Maybe this was something I could relate to: at the start of a voyage the worry about what can go wrong dominates and it is only later that the tension eases. And as it did his motivation aligned more with those of Amanda and it strengthened the family unit.

It could be argued the boys would have benefited more if they had been a little bit older, but they certainly grew into it:

It does sound like a great experience, warts and all. In journeys like that some of the bad days can lead to good stories, though the one about them misidentifying a fish they'd caught as edible doesn't sound that great even in re-telling.

I wasn't sure about their choice of catamaran as always felt a mono-hull would be more secure in a blow. But then looking at this picture its hard to argue:

That for me captures what sailing away should be about, and its good to hear it can be done.

Just remember to do your homework.

Sailing away for the wrong reasons

There's many a sailor that's dreamed of sailing off to warm tropical waters. But its not a decision to take lightly, as was shown in a TV documentary broadcast on C4 this evening.

Gary Fisher (below) dreamed of exchanging his welding job in the run down and depressing (his word) north west of England for life on a boat in the Caribbean, beer in hand. First step was to buy his yacht, but after that his plans weren't so clear.

It wasn't sea worthy enough to cross the Atlantic, and there was an awful lot of work to be done plus a new rig and set of sails. He didn't have much money, couldn't sell the house - oh, and lets not forget (for he seems to at times) he had a wife and two children.

I felt for his long suffering wife Anne Marie (at top, having seen the "almost ready" boat) who was left with the children as Gary took the family to the brink not of adventure but bankruptcy and divorce. For he didn't have enough time and money to do the job, nor from what one can gather the planning and self-awareness skills that is so necessary for such a large task.

After two years the yacht only made it as far as Plymouth - and then only on the back of a lorry. His mates in the marina refused to sail the yacht down there and as Gary admitted - on a local radio show at that - he had no offshore sailing experience.

While doing the boat up in Plymouth Gary vanished for five days and later admitted to having an affair, leaving the marriage, let alone the voyage, on the rocks.

For at the end of the day Gary didn't want to sail to somewhere, he just wanted to get away from somewhere: away from being squeezed into a terraced house with two small kids and a job he didn't enjoy, and away from the grey skies of Liverpool.

It was a sorry tale of how the sail away dream can be all wrong: for balance another story tomorrow, but with a happier ending.

Azul Sensatori Hotel

Welcome to the Azul Sensatori Hotel. This is check-in:

Complete with easy access for the little ones to check in too... all located in a super chic lobby:

The hotel was completely full during my visit... and it was October - LOW season! This alone speaks volumes about the hotel but also meant I wasn't able to see any rooms. Having seen the rooms at the other two Azul Hotels, I'm confident the Azul Sensatori rooms will not disappoint. 

We did have some time to relax on the super chic roof-top lounge:

This is the view - beautiful pools, clear ocean, and a cruise ship in the distance:

The grounds were lush and green yet still very open and spacious.

We ended our night with a lovely dinner on the beach. Jump over here and see the photos... 

Red all over

Three photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, which is indeed very red.

Group Writing Project - Fiction!

I am not doing NaNoWriMo - that's National November Writing Month for the uninitiated. For one thing that is far too many mixed caps for this touch typer.

The thing is 50k words seems an awful lot for a month that will no doubt also contain four and a bit weeks - that's 22 days - of work plus three nephew and niece birthdays plus visits to some of the relatives I've failed to keep in touch with due to ....er... work plus.... well, you get the idea. That leaves about 3 days free, within which I'd realistically expect to be able to ponding, dream, structure, write and then review 5k words, an order of magnitude too low.

But to join in the likes of Carol Anne how about we all try our hand and write a bit of fiction. It doesn't have to be long and can be done any time in November, so this is a laid back anyone can contribute group writing project.

It's just got to have something involving sailing or kayaking and be made up, that's it, any format that takes your fancy.

Any takers?

Mexico Tourism Board Launches iTunes App

The Mexico Tourism Board launched the Visit Mexico iPhone application -- the first iPhone travel application to provide nationwide coverage. Users can select to receive information from six regions and all 32 states, in addition to receiving in-depth information about 27 top tourist destinations. The app includes several features, such as online news and weather, interesting activities, videos and Google Map links for top destinations. The application also includes an interactive “piñata” game where users can shake the iPhone to receive a treat -- a destination suggestion. By tapping the name of the suggested destination, users can learn more about its culture, cuisine, climate, geographical setting and much more. This is the perfect game for spontaneous travelers, who love nothing more than jetting away to new and enticing locales.

One of the best features of the application is the “Activities” section located on the home screen. By tapping into this section, users can learn more about Mexico’s wide range of activities. From beaches to camping to entertainment, users can see their favorite activities in a multitude of Mexican destinations, such as Tijuana, Cancun, RivieraNayarit and Queretaro, among others. By using the application, users can also learn more about Mexico’s numerous World Heritage sites, festivals and rich history all with the “tap” of a button.

Get it here, its FREE! 

Have fun,

More Round Britain Kayakers

I'm looking forward to hearing from Bonnie about a kayaking circumnavigation of Britain earlier this year by Marcus Demuth. Amazingly he managed all 2,468 miles in just 80 days.

Co-coincidently when I opened the paper on the way to work yesterday I read about another circumnavigation of Britain planned for the new year, also by kayak, this time a tandem. The duo are raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Even though they plan to use kites to speed their way, the projected completion time is higher, at 90 days. However unlike Marcus, who did his journey in May they will leave in February, when waters are cold and the storms fierce.

Good luck to them anyhow!

Anguilla Travel Specialist

After my amazing trip to Anguilla this summer, I decided I wanted to know everything possible about this little island. After weeks of study, I have finally completed the Anguilla Travel Connoisseur Programme and am now a recommended agent on the Anguilla Tourist Board website. I'd love to help you start planning your trip to Anguilla today!

Cheers,

Jamaica's Tourism Minister & Sandals Resorts offers Vacations to Chilean Miners

Jamaica’s Tourism and Foreign Ministries have partnered with Sandals Resorts International to offer the recently rescued Chilean miners, their rescue workers and their spouses a relaxing Jamaican vacation. Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett made the announcement at a press conference in Montego Bay on Oct. 14, 2010...

“As we celebrate the near completion of our Montego Bay Convention Centre,” Bartlett said, “we must pause to give thanks to God for the miraculous rescue of the Chilean miners from their 69-day ordeal trapped underground. I have the highest praises for the Chilean government, their international partners and the rescue workers involved in bringing the miners to safety. The rescue of the 33 trapped miners is an amazing survival story and a miracle which will long be remembered.”

Bartlett said his ministry along with related agencies would be working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sandals Resorts to ensure the miners, rescue workers and their spouses are able to enjoy a stress-free Jamaican vacation after spending more than two months anxiously awaiting what has happily resulted in a positive outcome.

Enjoy,

"Sailing absolutely changed my life"

So said Morgan Freeman, who I read in today's Observer magazine is into sailing. A great actor - and I now know what to talk to him about in the unlikely event our paths cross.

I wonder what other celebs are sailors - or should that be sailors who are celebs?