A Serious Ocean
You know it by the northern look of the shore,
by the salt-worried faces,
by an absence of trees, an abundance of lighthouses.
It's a serious ocean.
North Sea off Carnoustie by Anne Stevenson
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Tomorrow will have an island
by William Stafford
Tomorrow will have an island. Before night
I always find it. Then on to the next island.
These places hidden in the day separate
and come forward if you beckon.
But you have to know they are there before they exist.
Some time there will be a tomorrow without any island,
So far, I haven't let that happen, but after
I'm gone others may become faithless and careless.
Before them will tumble the wide unbroken sea,
and without any hope they will stare at the horizon.
So to you, Friend, I confide my secret:
to be a discoverer you hold close whatever
you find, and after a while you decide
what it is. Then, secure in where you have been,
you turn to the open sea and let go.
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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.
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| The crew of the November 7-21 Heavy Weather Offshore Passage - Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to St. Martin, via Bermuda |
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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What's New |
New posted for 2010 and 2011
with Captain Bob Pingel
My new book, , is out!
Check out my cool new t-shirt collection !
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