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Checking In
Hey everybody, I am butting in on my own website to pass along
some news I think you'll find interesting. First, I have the publication
date for the new release of my first book, Cape Horn to Starboard.
I've written a new introduction and afterward and there's a fresh
cover. Re-reading the galleys was like reliving the passage, sometimes
I still can't believe we made it around the Horn in 32' Gigi.
Anyway, the book will be available September 15, 2010. You can
buy it in all the usual places, Amazon.com, BN.com, etc, but if
you'd like to reserve a signed copy let me know via e-mail. Also,
take a few minutes to check out the new videos area. It will be
up and running shortly. The "Quetzal" video was shot and edited
by my friend and shipmate, Robert Kolodziejczyk, who sailed with
us on the first leg of the Caribbean Circumnavigation from St.
Martin to Trinidad.
Secondly, I had such an overwhelming response to the Gulf Stream
Ramble passage that I recently added for early next year, I have
decided to add another short passage, another Bahamas Bash. It
is scheduled for December 11-17, from Fort Lauderdale to Fort
Lauderdale, via Grand Bahamas and the Berry Islands. These passages
are very popular so don't tarry if you're interested. Also, I
still have a berth or two available for our expedition to Newfoundland
later this summer. Trust me, anyone who joins us will have an
incredible experience. Last year we sighted hundreds of whales,
thousands of puffins and seals. This year's expedition will take
us all the way around the Rock. The sailing is challenging and
rewarding, the scenery spectacular, and the people are unbelievable
friendly. I have a hunch that Newfoundland will be a big adventure
travel destination soon, this is the golden time to explore it.
Check the schedule and shoot me an email.
Finally, I have had a lot of requests about the 2012 schedule
and now it is posted. Qeutzal will be Mediterranean based, with
five incredible passages. I will also be using "Caribe," a great
sailing Beneteau First 456 for a couple of Bahamas Bash trips
in the winter and spring. And finally, I have arranged a Beneteau
50 for an intriguing passage across the Caribbean in November.
Take a look at the schedule, those who know me must be astounded
to see me planning this far in advance. A word to the wise - the
Med trips are always my most popular so even though they are 2
years out, let me know your thoughts sooner than later.
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| The
crew of the November 7-21 Heavy Weather Offshore Passage -
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to St. Martin, via Bermuda |
Fair Winds,
John
It's Time
Thank you for venturing into the far flung world of John Kretschmer
Sailing. As many of you know, I am devoted to providing unique
and challenging sailing and travel opportunities. I am also committed
to offering useful information and hard won opinions about blue
water sailing and, more to the point in these trying times, living
life on your own terms. Deep ocean sailing is a powerful blend
of freedom and self-discovery, it's rarely easy, at times it can
be downright miserable, but it is always rewarding. It is a time
when you feel profoundly alive, time matters out there, and what
can be more valuable than your allotment of time? I began my book,
Flirting with Mermaids, with the phrase, "I make landfalls
for a living." And I confess that is not a bad way to navigate
through life. However, as I get older and share my sailing experiences
with more people, I have come to realize that making landfalls,
even the sketchy ones, is the easy part of sailing. Making departures,
pushing off the dock, physically and spiritually, that's the hard
part. And that's where I can help. Take a good look at the site:
the training passages, the expeditions, the workshops, the information,
the sea stories, the consultations, and then send me e-mail. Let's
communicate. Sailing dreams are too important to leave for another
day. A friend, and frequent shipmate, told me recently, "You've
become the ferryman for people's dreams." That's a role I am proud
of. It's time to head offshore.
Schedule Updates 2010 - 2011
The new schedule has been posted. It has a few changes and takes
us through 2011 with a few glimpses into 2012. I always say this,
I know, but I am really excited about the next two years. A big
part of the 2010 schedule is centered on two expeditions. The first
is the three legged Caribbean Circumnavigation. There's a single
berth available on leg one, otherwise it's sold out. The second
is the, "Around the Rock Expedition - A Voyage Around Newfoundland
in Two Legs." See Expeditions
for complete details. Quetzal ventured to Newfoundland
this summer, and I thoroughly enjoyed my too short time in these
wild northern waters. This expedition will replace the Med Summer
on the schedule, so be sure to make a note of that.
I've made this change for two reasons. First, I just can't wait
to get back to Newfoundland, or the rock as locals call it, and
to thoroughly explore this huge, rugged, miniature continent of
an island by circumnavigating it. I've decided to focus on Newfoundland
and Labrador instead of Greenland. Trust me, this is true expedition
sailing with very challenging conditions. It's foggy, windy, stark
and occasionally pretty cold. But it is also breathtakingly beautiful
with land and seascapes that stir the imagination. Also, Newfoundland
is a much more practical and affordable destination when it comes
to trip planning and logistics. This expedition is a great opportunity
to enhance your seamanship skills, this is northern sailing at its
finest, and this is serious sailing. A visit to Newfoundland is
also a wonderful cultural and historical experience. The people
are the friendliest lot on the planet and they all have a story
to tell. I have many friends and we'll have plenty of local knowledge
and lore. Don't tarry in signing up for this adventure, there are
only 4 spots available on each leg.
The second reason I've dropped the Med Summer Expedition is because
Quetzal will be heading back across the Atlantic in June
2011. (This passage will fill up fast, check the schedule!) Although
we'll make our first landfall in Ireland, Quetzal will
be Mediterranean based from mid October through much of 2012. Thus
we'll have ample opportunity to sail my beloved Med again in 2011
and 2012. This time we'll travel to Cyprus, Egypt and Tunisia in
addition to all of my favorite haunts in Spain, Italy, France, Croatia,
Montenegro, Greece and Turkey. Keep an eye out for the 2012 Med
trips.
Back to 2010, I have also added another east coast offshore passages
scheduled for June 21-29. This training passage will take Quetzal
from Annapolis, down the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, then north to
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a challenging 900-mile voyage. I've amended
the fall passage south in 2010. We'll sail from Nova Scotia to Bermuda
and on to Fort Lauderdale. I've coined this passage, Heavy Weather
Offshore, and our early November departure should provide plenty
of opportunity for some gale sailing experience. If any of these
passages intrigue you, or the new schedule confuses you, please
e-mail me at john@yayablues.com
and we'll chat. Sometimes I am away on passage and can't respond
immediately. Please be patient, I will get back to you.
2011 begins with a passage around Cape Horn. This dramatic, voyage,
a 3,000-mile nonstop sail from Valparaiso Chile to Mar del Plata,
Argentina by way of the Southern Ocean and Cape Horn, is sold out.
However, I am making arrangements to have daily updates posted on
the site through SPOT position reports, daily e-mail entries and
some live streaming video. Everybody will be able to monitor the
expedition's progress via www.yayablues.com.
Stay tuned for more details.
Switching dramatically from the Horn to the Bahamas, spring of 2011
will feature two 6-day, affordable round trip passages from Fort
Lauderdale to the Abacos, the Bahamas Bash #1 and #2. These trips
are always popular so let me know if you're interested with plenty
of lead-time. In June, we'll head back across the Atlantic. This
30 day passage will depart from Norfolk Va. We'll sail direct to
the Azores, and then northeast to Ireland, making landfall in Cork.
This will be Quetzal's 6th Atlantic crossing, don't miss
this opportunity to cross the pond. Later in the year we'll make
the run south across the notorious Bay of Biscay and along the coast
of Portugal on our way to the Med. Quetzal will winter
in the Mediterranean, but not before we make a heavy weather passage
from Marbella to Morocco and on to Majorca in November.
A Serious Ocean, Sailboats for a Serious Ocean, Cape Horn to
Starboard
My blog, A Serious Ocean, is taking shape and several entries
are now posted on the site. You can also read the blog at www.sailingmagazine.net.
I intend to post more often this year. I finally have the technology
aboard to post at sea, hopefully I will make use of it. Let me know
what you think of the blog, lets interact more. Also, I am pleased
to report that my latest book, Sailboats for a Serious Ocean
- Twenty Five Great Voyaging Boats and How To Sail Them Through
Anything, will be published by McGraw Hill in fall 2010. Also,
believe it or not, Cape Horn to Starboard, my first book
published 25 years ago, is being re-published by Burford Books.
I am writing a new introduction and an afterword. Look for it to
be in stores by late summer 2010. My book, At the Mercy of the
Sea, continues to sell steadily, and I think it's fair to say
that my long running memoir, Flirting With Mermaids, is
a genuine best seller. The Used Boat Notebook, and The
Best Used Boat Notebook, can be purchased on line, in most
bookstores and in the www.yayablues.com
store. Speaking of the store, it is being redesigned and we hope
to introduce some new apparel this fall. I will keep you posted.
Quetzal on the Move
I want to take a moment to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone
who has sailed with me aboard Quetzal and on other boats
during these past years. We've had a great run. We've crossed oceans.
We've sailed to cold northern waters edged by pristine forests,
and we've logged many magical days charging before warm trade winds.
We've been stern-to on ancient quays and anchored off lush tropical
isles. We've weathered some impressive blows, we've even been knocked
flat by a nasty wave in a Force 10 storm. We've endured miserable
calms. We have made some tough landfalls, we've laid hove-to waiting
for first light, and we've made some miraculous at-sea repairs.
And through it all we've never missed Captain's Hour. We've told
countless jokes, good and bad, and we've shared wonderful stories.
Quetzal has logged 65,000 miles since we began in 2003.
I can't keep up with my own voyages! In the last twelve months alone,
we've crossed the Mediterranean from Venice to Spain, and the Atlantic
from Gibraltar to the Canary Islands to Antigua. We completed the
last leg, almost 2,900 miles in 18 days. We've sailed up and down
the Windward and Leeward Islands, and also visited the Virgin Islands,
Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas. We've blasted up
the east coast and explored the Chesapeake Bay and New England.
We've sailed across the Gulf of Maine to Nova Scotia, Cape Breton
Island and Newfoundland. As I write, Quetzal is in Lunenburg,
Nova Scotia, being prepared for a November passage south to Bermuda
and on to the Caribbean. Yes, it's a serious ocean out there but
we expect nothing less. We accept our pact with Neptune every time
we make a departure - and we do make departures.
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| The
crew of the East Coast Offshore Passage makes landfall at
Spring Cove Marina in Solomons, Maryland after a wild ride
in the Gulf Stream |
Training Passages
My training passages are unique. And so are the people who sign
aboard. I don't claim to be a sailing school, there are plenty of
those around and some do a fine job of teaching offshore sailing.
What we do is different. We make passages, we make voyages. They're
real, sometimes all too real, and you are part of the crew. Each
passage is comprised of crewmembers with varying levels of experience
and we learn from each other. And you learn by doing, not by talking
about it or studying a text. Life on Quetzal is the epitome
of "hands-on learning." You will stand watch on beautiful starry
nights and on cold blustery ones too. You will reef the main when
it's blowing, maybe even blowing a gale. You will help with repairs,
meals, and the dishes. You will revel in landfalls, especially because
everyone shares the navigational responsibilities. There is nothing
like navigation when it really matters to instill confidence that
you will be able to make your own landfalls - and departures. You
can draw as much from a passage as you're willing to put in to it.
You may master celestial navigation and learn to bake bread. You
may be more interested in learning how to pace yourself through
a long voyage. Passage-making requires the right philosophy and
the right skills. And one thing I know from experience, you will
have a lot of fun and make profound friendships.
Don't take my word for it, listen to some of the folks who have
completed passages aboard Quetzal:
Testimonials
Dirk de Haan, Corpus Christi, Texas: "Susan and I had a great time,
I know you know. You've seen the picture of her with Lady Liberty.
Wow, what a fantastic trip THAT was. So nice to be able to do. It
was really something, also, for our son Dirk, who sailed with us,
because he had never seen Manhattan. The time of day we would arrive
there, and the tides were all in our favor, coming in with the rising
tide and leaving through East River on a falling tide. That canyon,
by the way, can pack some serious winds. 20 knots, on a quiet, foggy
day. Wow. Sailing Long Island Sound was very beautiful. What great
scenery!! Entering Newport as well. There I took over the helm form
Susan to do a lap in Newport Harbor. It was my 'victory lap,' a
closing circle of sorts, since I started there with you on Quetzal.
I will always remember that, and be grateful for your teachings
and coaching."
Jerry Polly, Madison, Wisconsin: "I would highly recommend a passage
with John. I have done two. One from Key West to Isla Mujures and
back and one from Bermuda to Newport. He is absolutely skilled in
every conceivable way with respect to sailing. He takes safety very
seriously but expects you to know your way around a boat. He does
not mother the crew by telling them how to do everything. He is
congenial all the time, almost to a fault. John is good humored,
flexible, a great story teller, somewhat of an entertainer. You
will have great fun with him. You will be left with other crew members
on watch and it will be your job to make that work; he does not
really referee, nor should he. You can pull as much learning as
you want from John. He will not push it on you; ask and he will
talk. Be quiet and enjoy the sea, and he will as well."
Barry Chessick, Chicago, Illinois: "I sailed with John from Annapolis
to Antigua, a passage of 1500 miles that took ten days. For me,
it was an experience of a lifetime. Besides bonding a lifetime friendship
with John, a truly unique, capable and magnificent individual, the
sights, scents, sounds of being 500 miles offshore are tattooed
on my psyche forever. I experienced all the delights I had only
read about before: the night sky glowing with millions of stars,
dolphins playing, awesome sunsets and sunrises. Was it worth the
cost? For me, and the memories that it brought, it was worth many
times the cost, of course I wouldn't tell John that."
Joanne Matthews, Pensacola, Florida: "Regarding a long ocean passage
on Quetzal with John as skipper? I can say without a doubt
- go for it. We met John at a book signing a few years back and
then signed aboard for a passage from Annapolis to Antigua. There
were four crew members and we all got along wonderfully. A highlight
was Thanksgiving dinner, complete with all the trimmings, hundreds
of miles from land. A couple of topics, politics and religion, were
not discussed, but otherwise everything was on the table: books,
boats, weather, sailing, cruising, travel, relationships. We laughed
for 1500 miles over his crazy sailing adventures. He is clearly
the captain but we all shared equally the shipboard duties. I have
not doubt that in a time of distress, he would maintain a clear
head. He also truly enjoys sharing his knowledge, stories, and love
for the sea. He's an avid reader, and unfortunately, also sings
on watch."
Gordon House, Kansas City, Missouri: "Considering a trip with John?
Bottom line, GO FOR IT! A passage with JK may be the high point
of your life, not to mention that it will make you the star of all
the cocktail parties for years to come. John is an excellent skipper
and has the uncanny ability to magically appear on deck just when
you need him to assess a situation that you may be unsure of. You
will never hear him raise his voice, even during the most trying
situations."
Amy Stapleton, Huntsville, Alabama: "Before sailing with John, I'd
never been on an offshore passage or sailed overnight. I wasn't
sure I'd like going offshore, but my first passage on Quetzal
sailing from St. Pete to the Dry Tortugas exceeded all my expectations.
It was an awesome experience and although it was challenging, John
made me feel very comfortable. He's also a great story teller and
provides for lots of entertainment. These passages are not comfort
cruises. They are hard work, but for me they have been a great confidence
builder and have helped me get a lot closer to my personal sailing
goals."
Ron Sorenson: "Sailing with John on one of his passages is simply
a great open water learning experience. I've been on two trips so
far (with more to come), and both were on Quetzal, John's
boat. One was from Panama to Florida, the other was a Trans-Atlantic,
and both were great. The Panama to Florida Trip was very relaxing.
For me, the trans-Atlantic was the best. It gave me an outstanding
exposure to open water sailing and what that can entail in both
good and bad weather conditions. John's experience showed when we
had some rough seas and his concern with the crew's safety was readily
apparent.
John promotes a relaxed atmosphere on his passages. There's no rigid
daily lesson plan that one must follow but there are learning opportunities
galore. John works to make everyone feel that they are part of the
crew and spends time with each person answering questions or helping
them bone up on their navigational skills. And when he's not answering
questions from the crew, John has terrific stories that he loves
to share.
Lastly, sailing on Quetzal in the Atlantic during a heavy
weather period proved to me just how safe and solid that boat is.
She is truly passage proven. And I understand now why John is so
fond of her."
James Leonard: "I've sailed with John on two different passages.
Both involved some rather 'nasty' weather. Besides learning navigation,
seamanship, problem solving and how to fix things, I gained a confidence
from John that you won't get in a lot of other 'sailing schools.'
He's a pretty good cook and he tells a great story.
I look forward to going out with him again."
Rick Thomson: "I have known John Kretschmer for several years and
in that time, we have sailed many nautical miles together! We have
sailed in Greece, Tahiti, Australia, Thailand, the Caribbean, the
Pacific Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, and have crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
We have been becalmed, knocked down, broken down, braved storms
in winds of 60-plus miles per hour, but we have also witnessed unbelievable
sunsets, breaching whales, green sea turtles, dancing dolphins,
deep blue oceans, and brilliant white beaches, not to mention the
beauty of the galaxies, moonlight on the water and shooting stars.
That being said, I feel totally at ease when sailing with John.
John is the ultimate sailor. When the going gets tough, John can
cowboy-up, or I guess I should say sailor-up. I've never personally
known anyone physically stronger or more determined to achieve his
objective. John totally immerses himself in the sailing environment.
Celestial navigation, course plotting, and understanding charts
are second nature to him. John is perfectly at home on any vessel.
He knows boats and what to expect from them. He's a sailor's sailor!
On the personal side, John is the most personable guy I know. I
have always said, "If you can't get along with John, you probably
aren't going to get along with anyone." He is also an outstanding
cook. I have seen John cook delicious hot meals in very rough conditions,
when other skippers would be handing out peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches. You must try his Mayan spaghetti!
Captain John Kretschmer is truly a one-of-a-kind sailor, who will
show you a journey that you will share with others for the rest
of your life."
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