This is interesting...

 Seems Fidel Castro is a Nethead... An article in the LA Times goes on to say the old revolutionary even writes his own blog. Now he is dissing Iran and declaring Cuba's economic model 'Doesn't Work'. He must have a new publicist.
More inside...

Hurricane Earl in the Virgin Islands

They weren't so lucky.

OKay... another update.

It's midnight and all I hear are warnings, doom and gloom, but where I sit it's calm as it can be. I look at all Istaboa's instruments and they show problems ahead, but still nothing has changed.
A good stiff drink would be nice, but if all hell breaks loose, I guess I need to be circumspect... or sober anyway.
Coast Guard is busy as a bee... folks are walking the docks, but, I don't see it. YET!
Two more hours until the eye is in our neighborhood...
We shall see...

Update on Hurricane Earl

Yep, I hopped on a plane yesterday and now I sit on Istaboa. Doubled all the lines and secured the Kayaks—and, everything else that wasn't tied down. So, we're ready to go.
Thankfully, Earl appears to have taken a northerly turn which will take it away from Gloucester Point and Istaboa. Now we have three more storm systems out there lurking. I think we're as ready as we can be.
Still a good thing coming up here to check on things. Seems the freezer in the lazarette died on us while we were gone. Lots of chicken, beef, lamb, and shrimp has been unrefrigerated for more than a month in 95+º weather. Nice smell and a fun job.
Had a great dinner last night with Peter, our dock neighbor. Local steamed clams in a sherry creme sauce. Ummmmmm.....   love the food up here almost as much as the Northern Gulf Coast.

I miss the crew a lot. It doesn't feel right being aboard without them.

On the lighter side...

This dog is amazing...

Life is short —

— then you die... We've all heard that many times and sadly, as we get older, we realize it's true.

The statement in the above pic doesn't exactly apply to us, but the lines in the bottom left hand corner certainly strike a nerve. Mel and I, both, sit at the helm of responsibility for mothers who are on the cusp of their great rewards and we're constantly slapped in the face with the reality that... the last days of one's life can be an enormous profit center for others.

As crew Istaboa sits landlocked, our thoughts often turn to the siege of obligations, responsibilities, sorrow, and wishes for freedom from the aforementioned, but we refuse to, "die as if we never lived". We strongly promote the idea that—

A bit off color but...

Stephen Colbert is really funny. Don't click if you're offended by beeps, religious references, or remarks about Asians.
It's just comedy.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Aqua ThreatDown - Oyster Sluts, Japanese Hackers & Israeli Regulators
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

Who has the right of way?

In the end, does it really matter?
Maybe to the insurance company.

Anchor anxiety? Hardly, maybe the lack of...

Seems the Captain of this new Kadey Krogen 55 was a bit overconfident that his anchor stuck and his hook pulled during a squall in Camden Harbor, Maine. Luckily some very helpful and capable folks came to his rescue while he and the crew were in town. They managed to keep him off the rocks, that at low tide would have left him high and dry... and screwed.
YouTube clip included —

Sun still shines in Memphis.

Happy to hear that John Mellencamp, aka—John Cougar, came to Memphis and took advantage of Sun studios; hallowed ground for Rock and Roll. His new CD named, No better than this, features a tune cut at the old shrine where Elvis made his first record more than 50 years ago.