SARASOTA POWER & SAIL SQUADRON NEWSLETTER...Holiday Party New Year’s Eve Party Or another major event, i.e. a Will Rogers type evening. Your Session rights are not transferable to

SARASOTA POWER & SAIL SQUADRON NEWSLETTER

For Sail and Power Boating for 68 Years www.sarasota-boating.org VOLUME LXVI ISSUE 2 A Unit of the United States Power Squadrons® and District 22 February 2020

This 1899 Valentine’s Day poster was NOT approved by the United States Power Squadrons. Why?

They were not wearing PFDs!!

www.usps.org Page 2

United States Power Squadrons©

SARASOTA POWER & SAIL SQUADRON NEWSLETTER

For Sail and Power Boating for 68 Years www.sarasota-boating.org VOLUME LXVI ISSUE 2 A Unit of the United States Power Squadrons® and District 22 February 2020

FEBRUARY CALENDAR/CLASSES

SPSS LUNCHEONS

Marina Jack Restaurant – Upstairs

Registration from 1100 - 1120 $18.00 per person

No reservation needed!

If you desire a fruit cup instead of the planned dessert, please get your fruit ticket with your luncheon choice when registering.

Luncheons are every Thursday except as noted

2/6 Danny Moroney, President and CEO of Hope Fleet, Bahamian Rescue Operations

2/13 Virginia Haley, President of Visit Sarasota County 2/20 Bernice J. Pelea Program Manager for Alhzeimer’s Assoc. Florida Gulf Coast 2/27 Kathryn Chesley, theater educator and trained

actress with a love of history: The 19th Amendment & Women’s Suffrage

LUNCHEON SPEAKERS

DON’T FORGET THE KIDS All new boaters face challenges. But young, new boat-ers face special ones — and so do those who teach them. To make learning to boat as much safe fun as pos-sible for youngsters and their adult mentors, consider these tips: Set a good example You won’t persuade kids to wear a life jacket, for exam-ple, if you don’t make a habit of putting it on and click-ing the buckle, just like a car safety belt, and if neces-sary, gently remind kids to do the same. Try the newer gas inflatable light weight vests for comfort and conven-ience. Today, life jackets are form-fitted and allow free movement — and in a nod to your young crew, kid sizes often feature cool designs or cartoon characters, all for maybe $15 at a discount store. Older kids can help. Kids generally rise to the responsibility level to which they’re entrusted. If you or an older kid are hanging limbs over the side, younger kids will do the same. You may want to do this on the open water, but in a crowd or

at a Marina, before you know it, an arm can be cracked on a piling. Or worse, a younger passenger trying to keep up with the others leans too far and tumbles over-board. Don’t do it and ask the older kids to help keep an eye on the younger ones. Set Common Sense Rules, and Review before Launch.

Respect the propeller. Even at rest, a prop can severely cut a foot or leg. So keep everybody away from it.

When people are in the water, no key in the ig-nition: keep it in a cup holder.

Nobody rides on the gunwales or transom when the boat is underway.

Consider enrolling your Kids in the SPSS America’s Boating Course. Robert Wolfe, Thanks to US Coast Guard and Steve Griffin.

Page 3 https://sarasota-boating.org/

Sarasota Power and Sail Squadron

See us on:

SOUTH WIND

Published by the

SARASOTA POWER & SAIL SQUADRON

2814 Hyde Park Street Sarasota, FL 34239-3227

(941) 953-7565

SOUTH WIND STAFF

Editor: D/Lt Robert Wolfe, S Copy Ed: Lt Carol Holmes, AP Contributor: P/Lt/C Sylvia Wedge, AP

2020 SPSS BRIDGE

Cdr Barbara Wolfe, P [email protected] (941) 371-1284 XO: Lt/C Roxanne Fox, S [email protected] (301)-518-3121 SEO Lt/C Joe Barnette, SN [email protected] (941) 957-0444 AO Lt/C Mary Messenger [email protected] (804)-350-0373 Sec: Lt/C Tracy Walshaw, S [email protected] (313) 689-3074 Treas: Lt/C Daniel Sullivan, S [email protected] (941) 586-2174 Asst AO 1st/Lt Howard Noble SN B#[email protected] (352) 317-4858 Photographers: Sandy Boos, Robert Wolfe, Joe Andrade, Donna Reid

Next Deadline: 15 February 2020

Send photos and articles to: D/Lt Robert Wolfe, S at

[email protected]

COMMANDER’S UPDATE

I would like to thank everyone that attended my Change of Watch for supporting me as your Com-mander for 2020. I will work hard for America’s Boat-ing Club of Sarasota to achieve the goals that I’ve set. I took the opportunity at the Change of Watch to lay out my plans for the year. I spoke about the benefits of membership such as the Jump Start Program, and the deep discounts available to those who want to join the Suntex Boat Club. I talked about improving attendance at our Marina Jack lunches, and about increasing en-rollment in our classes. And I spoke about a new pro-gram that should really excite our members who don’t

own a boat, which is about 75% of us! So, let’s get Back Onboard! Back Onboard! Is a new program that takes advantage of our Squadron mem-bership in the Suntex Boat Club. Our Suntex boats have already been used to train new boaters in the Jump Start Program, and also for Co-Op Charting. Now we’re going to use them for Back Onboard!. • If you’re a member of America’s Boating Club of Sarasota; • If you have passed Seamanship/Boat Handling or a more advanced class; • If you sign a release indemnifying the Sarasota Power Squadron from any

expense or penalty in keeping with the rules set forth by Suntex Boat Club; then you can take out one of our boats up to 5x/year without paying any rental charge (each one called a “Session”). You can increase that number up to a max-imum of 7x/year. You could earn one extra Session if you got a Merit Mark last year, and you can earn one more Session if you are a Committee Chair, or Chair of one of the following events in 2020:

St. Patrick’s Day Kentucky Derby Mother’s Day Father’s Day Independence Day Columbus Day Halloween Thanksgiving Dinner Holiday Party New Year’s Eve Party Or another major event, i.e. a Will Rogers type evening.

Your Session rights are not transferable to other members, and the boats are FREE for you to use except for the cost of refueling. If you join America’s Boating Club of Sarasota after July 1 of any year, you will be able to take out a boat 3x during the remainder of that year. Each Session can be for a morning, or for an afternoon, or for a whole day. But please be aware that taking out one of the boats for only a morning or for only an afternoon does not mean you’ve used only ½ a Session. Either of those situations is considered 1 full Session. We want our members to enjoy our local waters as much as they can. So, wel-come Back Onboard! and start enjoying the water again.

Commander Barbara Wolfe, P

www.usps.org Page 4


ADMIN OFFICER’S UPDATE

Hello! To All:

Since I moved to Sarasota in 2011, I knew I wanted to get involved in boating. So I signed up for the America’s Boating Course. Since then I have held several positions and I am looking forward to my new responsibilities as your Executive

Officer. One of my new responsibilities for 2020 is the oversight of the highly successful Cooperative Charting Commit-tee. This committee reports on the on-water Aids to Navi-gation conditions and verifies charted indicators. This is one of the primary service functions for the United States Power Squadrons (USPS) and Sarasota Power and Sail Squadron (SPSS) is very active in this. Our Discrepancy Reports for the Intercoastal Waterway, passes to the Gulf, and aids in high boat traffic areas, ultimately find their way to NOAA, Manatee and Sarasota Counties through USPS channels. We travel along the ICW and check the conditions of markers and buoys. We report repairs needed or any new condition in the charted channel observable on the sur-face of our waters. We recruit members to be on survey teams. I had my first experience with Cooperative Chart-ing prior to the holidays and it was a great experience. Another one of my responsibilities is the Safety and Ves-sel Safety Check Committee. Our purpose is to increase safety on the water by making sure all boats have the proper equipment on board. Do you have flares, first aid kit, life jackets, and paddle? Do your lights work? We look at all that and more and if you pass, we provide an inspection label to put on your boat. Alternative fund raising activities, boat show/parade and Speakers Bureau are some of the other Committees I oversee. I am looking forward to being a part of all the Committees. If anyone wants to get involved in any of our committees, please contact me. XO Roxanne E. Fox, S

EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S UPDATE

Tis the start of a new year, a new decade and a great opportunity for our Squadron to start anew with fresh ideas, resolutions and goals. I am pleased to represent Sarasota Power and Sail as your Adminis-trative Officer for 2020. Looking

over the position description I was surprised to discover the breadth of activities that fall under the AO position. Like many members, over the past few years I have at-tended and helped out with various functions and led a few social events. I loved being part of the Sarasota Power and Sail Squadron, and have often said I consider it to be my Florida family. My toe was in the water but I wasn’t what you would call “committed”. Is that you too? Then I challenge you, as I did myself, to really step up and become an integral part of this great organization. There is so much you can do, and your personal skills and talents can find a great fit within the SPSS. You can give a little or a lot of your time. If someone asks you to take on a responsibility or join a committee please, please say yes! Better yet, you tell us what you would like to do, and we’ll work with you to find a good fit. If you’re not sure, call on any officer to help you decide. It will be time well spent, with great people, and you will look back on 2020 with pleasure and pride. Let’s have a great year together, individually and as a Squadron! AO Mary Messenger

THE PATIENT BOATER

Learn the way your boat responds to low-speed turns by observing how long it takes to "answer" your turn at the helm, and how to use a quick thrust from your engine to maneuver in different directions, in forward and reverse. Remember, there are no brakes. Practice patience and practice using as little throttle and helm as possible to maneuver the boat. A wise skipper once taught , "Dock slowly, as if you have no reverse." Once you learn how your boat reacts in open water, try putting it in a slip or alongside a fuel dock. You'll soon dock like a pro



CHANGE OF WATCH

MEET YOUR 2020 BRIDGE Tracy Walshaw, Secretary; Mary Messenger, Administrative Officer; Joe Barnette, Education Officer; Howard Noble, Assistant Administrative Officer; Barbara Wolfe, Commander; Roxanne Fox, Executive Officer; Daniel Sullivan, Treasurer

Photos by Donna Reid, A Day in Your Life Photography

On January 26, 2020, America’s Boating Club of Sarasota inaugurated its new officers at a dinner and ceremony hosting about 100 members and guests at Bird Key Yacht Club in Sarasota. With Lt/C Gary Wells, Advanced Pilot, officiating, the officers inaugurat-ed included Barbara C Wolfe, Commander; Roxanne Fox, Executive Officer; Joseph Barnette, Education Officer; Tracy Walshaw, Secretary; Daniel Sullivan, Treasurer; Dr. Howard Noble, Assistant Administrative Officer and Richard Walshaw, ABC Coordina-tor. The festivities included the ceremonial Passing of the Flag from the oldest living Squadron Commander through each Past Com-mander to the newly inaugurated Commander, Mrs. Wolfe. The new bridge received a standing ovation from all participants.

Mrs. Wolfe spoke of plans for 2020 including fraternal events planned for its Hyde Park headquarters and new initiatives to assist all members to spend more time safe boating in Florida waters, whether or not they are current boat owners. These includ a Jump Start program for new boaters and a Back OnBoard! program for experienced boaters in association with Suntex Boat Club – Marina Jack. “I am focused on a 2020 filled with fun and quality training for our members, and all those interested in being on the water safely, and well trained.”

www.usps.org Page 6


CHANGE OF WATCH

Photos by Paul Westpheling



CHANGE OF WATCH

Photo by Paul Westpheling

Commander Barbara receives gavel from District Commander Ted Reiss; Newly Installed Commander Barbara grabs mike!

Passing the Immediate Past Commander sash

Discharging Past Commander

Passing of The Flag Ceremony

Photos by Donna Reid, A Day in Your Life Photography

www.usps.org Page 8


Swearing in the Bridge; Commander’s Coming Attractions

Piping in Commander & Consort

Master of Ceremonies Lt/C Gary Wells, AP



Spirit Honoree Lt Jose Garnham, SN

Spirit Honoree P/D/C Barry Rush , SN with Shirley Rush

P/Lt/C Mike Wedge, AP_ IN

Michael Scahill, AP

P/C Ed Fisch, SN

www.usps.org Page 10


Kayaking Jiggs Landing (Braden River)

By P/C Ed Fisch Jr., SN

It was a near perfect day for a Florida January with clear skies and temperatures at 80 degrees. Eleven (11) Squadron members launched from Jiggs Landing and slowly paddled across Ward Lake and headed into the Braden River. We glided past classic river homes interspersed with pure Florida river nature. Eventually we turned around to return paddle back to Jiggs Landing. The wind was now on our back which made for an easy return. All eleven (11) folks then did a short drive to Linger Lodge which is further up the Braden River and had lunch. The place was busy and the food was awhile coming. When asked "when was the food com-ing" our helpful waitress said "this is LINGER Lodge". We took the hint and went back to en-joying our camaraderie.

GO KAYAKING



Luncheon Speaker Terri Holsinger President Sarasota Chapter of Friendship Force

On the January 9, 2020 SPSS Thursday Luncheon, Terri Holsinger, President of the Sarasota chapter of Friendship Force International, a multi-cultural exchange and travel club introduced our membership to this person to person club and its “get to know one another” organization. A nonprofit organization, Friendship Force focuses on person-to-person exchanges, with locals welcoming travelers into their homes. Each one to three-week program includes cultural experiences, such as learning to make traditional lavash bread in Armenia, visiting a historic Brazilian fishing village or tobogganing on sand hill in Australia’s Hunter Valley. Members of the group travel together but live separately with a family in another country. In the same way, members welcome couples from a foreign country to reside with them in Sarasota for a week or two. By this means members get an inside view of living in another culture and seeing their lives from the inside. The famed travel writer and TV personality, Rick Steves, has written of them “I’ve taken several wonderful trips with organizations that offer ‘educational’ or ‘reality’ tours… It’s clear to me that if you want to get the most out of visiting

a complicated corner of our world, your best bet is to go with an organization that has a network of people on the ground who can provide an insider’s understand-ing.”

Luncheon Speaker Harold “Rus” Ruslander Crime Scene Investigator, Detective & K-9 Handler. President Sarasota K-9 Search & Rescue, Inc.

January 23 Lunch brought Rus Ruslander and two of his spectacular, spe-cially trained K-9 Human Remains trained detective dogs to describe a spe-cial K-9 corp based in Sarasota. He described the services of Sarasota K9 Search & Rescue, Inc., a 501 (c ) (3) not-for-profit which works through police forces throughout the region to find missing persons. Each trainer and dog team is specially trained for a specific search purpose and national-ly certified through NASAR, NSDA, NAPWDA and GAK9 in disciplines of Area, Cadaver (land, buried and water), Disaster and Tracking/Trailing. Our K-9 guests were perfectly behaved despite the crowd and graciously declined lunch.



Chaplain’s Corner

“When the Well’s dry,

we know the Worth of Water”

Benjamin Franklin 1746

New From National

New Learning Center on Lake Harris

America’s Boating Club, a leader in boating safety and education for over a century, has opened a new Learning Center in Central Florida. It’s located on Lake Harris at Fisherman’s Cove Marina, about 2 miles southwest of Tavares, and offers top-quality hands-on boating classes on your schedule at an affordable price. Elevate Your Skills Our Hands-On Training: Basic Powerboat is a skills-based training program that covers the essential tech-niques of powerboat operation. This program was devel-oped under a grant from the U.S. Coast Guard and incor-porates the National On-Water Standards for powerboat operation. We use a blended learning strategy to combine classroom training with hands-on practice in small groups. If you are new to boating, we’ll help you acquire the skills needed to be confident and safe. If you have years of experience, we will show you new techniques and increase your understanding. For a limited time, this training course is only $99! That’s a 50% discount! (Offer expires March 31, 2020) How Does It Work? This program is a one-day, 8-hour training session. It in-cludes 3 hours of classroom training and 5 hours of train-ing and practice behind the wheel of a boat. Our ap-proach includes a combination of blended learning tech-niques and sequential exercises that maximize your skill development. Our certified instructors will provide per-sonal coaching to bring out the best in you. Register for classes or find out more at www.abclc.org

Travel safety benefits from DAN Boater

United States Power Squadrons, America’s Boating Club, partnered with DAN Boater to provide travel safety benefits to all members, effective Decem-ber 2019. These benefits include a 24/7 emergency medical hotline, a medical infor-mation line, worldwide medical evacuation, medical repatriation to your home country when traveling abroad, search and rescue expense coverage, and much more. Travel safety benefits take effect when you are more than 50 miles from home, so you don’t have to be a world traveler to use them. DAN Boater is providing these benefits for free until your next dues renewal date. If you choose to keep the benefits after that date, you’ll be asked to add $25 to your dues when paying online. If your United States Power Squadrons membership in-cludes family members, they receive the same coverage at no extra charge, a huge savings over the regularly priced DAN Boater family membership fee. If you don’t wish to continue receiving these benefits, simply elect not to add DAN Boater travel safety cover-age when paying your annual dues. Visit danboater.org/ABC to learn more about this new member benefit exclu-sively for members of United States Power Squadrons, America’s Boating Club.

The Value of Friendship

It has been reported of late that people just don’t join organizations like they used to. After all, you don’t have to know someone to enter into a conversa-tion or a shouting match on-line. Still, we seek out people with common interests when we seek out at all.

America’s Boating Club is a good example. While our primary charitable purpose is to teach safe and responsi-ble boating, many of us have made special friends among our members, whether we meet at Thursday lunches, our special fundraising dinners together, or on the water at a Cooperative Charting trip or a Cruise to Eat. Some of us, and we always need more, work to-gether on committees or on events where these warm relationships have a habit of thriving.

Many of our students see the value of joining SPSS and it is up to all of us to seek them out and form new friendships. If you have a boat, ask fellow members to cruise with you. If you don’t, get a free use through our new Back OnBoard! program (See the Commander’s Column in this issue). The fun and the friendships are there for the asking. Ed.



By shopping at Amazon you can automatically donate 0.5% of the purchase price of nearly everything you buy to the Squadron. It’s very simple. Rather than go-ing to Amazon.com go to AmazonSmile.com. It’s real-ly the same website, but when you buy through Ama-zonSmile you are automatically making a charitable donation.

AMAZONSMILE!!!

$$$$$$

Joseph D’eugenio – Joe signed up on the squadron website. His hobbies include power boating, sailing and scuba diving. He owns a 20’ Hydrasports DC2000.

Meet new SPSS Membership

Chair, David Stein and

his wife Varsha, who is our

new SPSS Adult

Community Enrichment

(ACE) Coordinator:

The Stein’s love to travel and are new to boating. They

both come from a teaching background and are now sub-

stitute teachers in the Sarasota School system.

Their contact information is:

David Stein, 240-672-4771

[email protected] and

Varsha Stein, 240-620-9575 [email protected]

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

www.usps.org Page


Schedule of Activities February 2020

Day & Date Time Event Monday Feb 3 1000 Bridge Meeting (Private) 1830 Marine Navigation Tuesday Feb 4 1900 Sail Thursday Feb 7 0930 ExCom Meeting 1115 Luncheon Marina Jack (Upstairs) 1900 Advanced Marine Navigation Monday Feb 10 1830 Marine Navigation 1900 ABC Course (first session) Tuesday Feb 11 1900 Sail Tuesday Feb 11 – Feb 16 National Conference at Sawgrass

Marriott Ponte Vedra Wednesday Feb 12 1900 ABC Course Thursday Feb 13 1115 Special Valentine’s Luncheon 1900 Marine Navigation Saturday Feb 15 0900 Kayaking to Snook Haven Monday Feb 17 1830 Marine Navigation 1900 ABC Course Tuesday Feb 18 1900 An Introduction to Celestial

Navigation 1900 Sail Wednesday Feb 19 1900 ABC Course Thursday Feb 20 1900 Advanced Marine Navigation 1900 An Introduction to Celestial

Navigation 1900 Using VHF & VHF/DSC Marine Radio Friday Feb 21 1630 Game Night & Potluck Dinner Monday Feb 24 1830 Marine Navigation Tuesday Feb 25 1900 Sail Wednesday Feb 26 1830 Small Boat Maneuvering Thursday Feb 27 1900 Advanced Marine Navigation HOLD THE DATE: Saturday Mar 7 0900 Officer’s Training Classes Friday Mar 13 1700 St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Saturday Mar 14 0900 Kayaking at Phillippi Creek For more information on any of these activities visit our website: sarasota-boating.org









Kayaking Snook Haven Park Venice, FL

Sarasota Power & Sail Squadron

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Event Capt. - Joe Andrade

Trip Leaders - Ed Fisch / Tim Ryan

Place: Snook Haven Park Venice, FL

Time: 9:30 AM

Trip Description: Back by popular demand! This will be our 5th consecutive kayak trip to

Snook Haven. We have always had great participation and a wonderful time at this location. Snook Haven is a beautiful place to relax and enjoy a slice of Old Florida. With access to the wild Myakka River, you are likely to see alligators, turtles, osprey, and many other birds.

What to bring: water, snacks, water shoes, sunscreen, camera. (hat, gloves optional)

Directions: From Clark Rd. and interstate 75 Sarasota, take I 75 south 14.1 miles to exit 191. Follow N River Rd. to E Venice Ave. 1.4 miles, left onto E Venice Ave. 0.5 miles. Stay on E Venice Ave; Snook Haven is on left.

Lunch: We will have lunch at Snook Haven Restaurant. (Always a fun time. They have live music too!)

Rentals: $35 Single - $50 Tandem. To facilitate a group roster, please contact Joe Andrade whether you bring your own

kayak or need to rent a kayak. [email protected] phone 413 219 8429.



An Introduction to Celestial Navigation, Illustrated and Animated

An Introduction to Celestial Navigation, Illustrated and Animated will introduce you to the fascinating

science of navigating by celestial objects, i.e. the sun, moon, stars and planets. Since the earliest days of

the earth’s civilizations travelers throughout the world have been finding their way by looking at the

skies.

Graham Peterson, a member and navigation instructor at the Sarasota Power Squadron will introduce

you to the fundamental concepts of celestial navigation. Topics covered will be:

• the history of celestial navigation

• techniques of early navigators

• the development of the “modern method” of celestial navigation and

• the operation of the marine sextant

This course has been specifically designed for the fun and intellectual enjoyment of individuals who may

have an interest in this fascinating science. There will be no quizzes, no final exams, no homework, and

prior knowledge is not required. Just come for the big picture of navigating by the sky. The class is

presented as an introduction to a more comprehensive two-course series on celestial navigation offered

by the Sarasota Power and Sail Squadron.

The class will be presented in a two-day format with each session lasting approximately two hours. It

will be held at the Sarasota Power and Sail Squadron Headquarters located at 2814 Hyde Park St.,

Sarasota, FL. The class will be held on February 18th and 20th, 2020, from 7-9 pm. Call now to reserve

your space as seating may be limited.

To pre-register for this class go to www.sarasota-boating.org and click on the “Education “tab, then find

the class entitled Introduction to Celestial Navigation.





Sarasota Power & Sail Squadron 2814 Hyde Park Street Sarasota, FL. 34239

PAN PAN The U.S. Coast Guard is asking all boat owners and operators to help reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and associated healthcare costs related to recreational boating accidents by taking personal responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their passengers. Essential steps in-clude: wearing a life jacket at all times and requiring passengers to do the same; never boating under the influence (BUI); successfully completing a boating safety course; and getting a Vessel Safety Check (VSC) annually from local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Power Squadrons(r) or your state boating agency's Vessel Examiners. The U.S. Coast Guard reminds all boaters to "Boat Responsibly!" For more tips on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.

LEARN FROM DIVE BOAT DISASTER U.S. Coast Guard safety rules for small boats are clear and unambiguous: Operators must have at least one crew member roving the vessel whenever passengers are in the bunk area, regardless of whether the vessel is docked or at sea. When 34 people were killed in a fire early Labor Day morning aboard the diving boat Conception, investigators quickly concluded that all six crew members were asleep and that there was no roving watch during those critical hours when passengers were asleep below deck. A former captain for the owner was quoted as saying: He believes the lack of a roving watch is a “widespread” problem in the boating industry because few incidents occur when boats are anchored at night. “How did we get so far away from that?” the captain said. “We have fallen into complacency. We are not invincible. We never thought this could happen, and then this happened.”

Why are goods sent by ship called CARGO and those

sent by truck SHIPMENT?

Documents

SARASOTA POWER & SAIL SQUADRON NEWSLETTER...Holiday Party New Year’s Eve Party Or another major event, i.e. a Will Rogers type evening. Your Session rights are not transferable to