It's Lighthouse Day

August 7 Is National Lighthouse Day

Light The Way Lighthouse Print by bmthour 

Today is National Lighthouse Day in the United States.

Why was August 7 selected?  That's because it was on this day in 1789 that congress passed legislation authorizing the government to build and maintain lighthouses. You can read the full text of the legislation here,  It's just a few paragraphs.  They didn't need thousands of pages in those days.

These days, the lighthouses in the U.S. that still serve as active aids to navigation are automated, and have no need of keepers.  Most are open to the public, as they are important pieces of national and nautical history.

Today is a good time to reflect on the countless ships and souls that were guided to safe harbor by the beacon of one of these stalwart structures.  You might also investigate your local lighthouse or preservation association, if you happen to live near the ocean or a major inland waterway.

If, like me, you are fond of all things nautical, or lighthouses in particular, you might want to commemorate this special day by finding a great lighthouse jigsaw puzzle to work on the next rainy day.

It's also a good opportunity for me to introduce you to some works of Brenda Thour, one of my favorite artists.  You can purchase quality reproductions of her lighthouse, landscape, and wildlife paintings from her Zazzle gallery.  They are available not only on stretched canvas, and as posters, but also on a variety of other items, like these three examples:

Seul Choix Light Folio Case For Kindle

White River Lighthouse Wall Clock

Shining Point Lighthouse Wristlet

For lighthouse lovers, here are several more pages that I've written.  Each showcases lighthouse themed products, and also gives some  brief stories about particular beacons.

• Five Coasters for Lighthouse Lovers - U.S. Lighthouses - Read about the Cape Hatteras and Pigeon Point lights, along with three others.
• Do you know about the tallest lighthouse ever built?  See which one it was at Nautical Bath Decor - Lighthouses.
• A classic tale about a real lighthouse that has delighted children for decades is featured in Lighthouses for Little Ones.
• Lighthouse Throw Pillows includes a brief history of the St. Augustine Light.

Have a Happy National Lighthouse Day!

Happy Birthday, Jamaica!

Today is Independence Day in Jamaica

Jamaica ~ Vintage Travel Print 

by TheEclecticImage

Oh, Jamaica.  For those of us who cruise the Western Caribbean, it's at least somewhat familiar.  But, how much do you actually know about Jamaica?

For instance... today is Jamaica's Independence Day.  August 6, 1962 was the day that the island nation, which had been under the rule of Great Britain, gained full independence.  As such, it was the first Caribbean island nation to do so.  Happy Fifty First Birthday, Jamaica!

Being such a special day, it's also a good one to pass on a few random facts about the country.  So, here are a few things you'll be able to impress your cruise mates with the next time you're fortunate enough to enjoy Ocho Rios, Falmouth, or Kingston as a port of call.

Jamaican Lighthouses

 Plumb Point Lighthouse,
via Wikimedia Commons

There are eleven lighthouses in Jamaica. Nine of these are on the Jamaican mainland, and two are on small cays out in the Caribbean Sea.

The country's port authority reports that the lamp in the Plumb Point Lighthouse, near Port Royal, has gone out just once since the structure was erected in 1853.  That one outage was during an earthquake that struck the area in 1907.

Other Random Facts about Jamaica

• The land mass we call Jamaica is actually the third largest island in the Greater Antilles.
• Kingston boasts the seventh largest natural harbor in the world.
• Not surprisingly, rum is the national drink.
• Reggae music originated there in the 1960's.
• The movie Cool Runnings, about a Jamaican bobsled team that had no snow to train on, yet made it to the Olympics is actually based on fact.  
• Last year on August 6, 20125,  one U.S. dollar was worth about 86 Jamaican dollars.  This year, it would be worth about 99.  
• That right now, means their $20.00 coin (yes, there is one) is roughly equivalent to an American nickel. 

Here's a page where you can enjoy a few images of Jamaica, and vote for your favorite.

Quantum Tidbits

Some Little Tidbits about Quantum and Anthem of the Seas

As practically everyone knows by now, construction is underway on a new class of Royal Caribbean ships.  The first, Quantum of the Seas is due in November, 2014, with her sister, Anthem of the Seas debuting in April, 2015.  

In size, the Quantum class ships will fall in between two existing classes:  Larger than Freedom of the Seas and her sisters, but smaller than the Oasis class cruise ships.

Cruising solo?  Line up one of the 28 single cabins, called 'studio staterooms,' 12 of which will have balconies.

If you liked the self-leveling pool tables on Royal Caribbean's Radiance class ships, you be pleased to know you'll e able to enjoy them on the new ships, too. 

And, finally, Bayonne.  You could be sailing on the Quantum of the Seas on a 7 - 12 days voyage out of the NEW Bayonne, NJ cruise terminal facility to be constructed by Royal Caribbean.  

If you're anticipating being one of the first to experience her while she still has that 'new ship' smell, then you probably already know that bookings are open for November 2014 through early April of 2015. 

A third ship in the class, due out in 2016, has yet to be given a name.   RCI also has an option for a fourth.

Carnival Sunshine Christening Scheduled

Godmother Lin Arison to Christen Sunshine

Photo credit: Piergiuliano Chesi , via Wikimedia Commons

Formerly the Carnival Destiny, the refurbishment of this ship has been so extensive that the  Cruise Line has deemed it appropriate to rechristen the vessel with a new name.

Although the ship is currently sailing the Med under her new name, she will officially be christened at New Orleans, LA, on November 17.   The re-positioning cruise departs from Barcelona on November 1.

Doing the honors at the official ceremony, which is by invitation only, will be the ship's godmother, Lin Arison, wife of Carnival's founder, Ted Arison (1924-1999).  

After gracing the Big Easy with her presence for several months, Sunshine will then home port in Port Canaveral, effectively switching places with the Dream, which will move to New Orleans.

Cruise Accessories: Nautical Flip Flops

Cool Footwear

Looking for some fun footwear for your next cruise?  Zazzle now carries high quality Sandalei sandals in both men's and women's sizes.  Browse through hundreds of designs, like the  anchors design shown above.  If maritime themes inspire you, find a cool pair of nautical themed flip flops to toss in your carry-on, and proceed straight from the gangway to the lido deck.

Here are several more from Zazzle's collection of nautical flip flops:

Sailing

Sailboats And Lighthouses

Vintage Sea Life

 


Need an idea for a gift for a friend who loves all things nautical?

• Nautical Gifts for Men
• Nautical Gifts for Her

If flip flops aren't exactly your thing, maybe one of those pages will help you find just the perfect thing for yourself or someone you know.

Remnants of Dorian Bringing Squally Weather

Dorian's Remnants Moving Through Turks and Caicos, Bahamas

Image Courtesy NOAA

Tropical Storm Dorian is no more, but his remnants are still around... the Turks and Caicos are getting squally weather today.


Tomorrow, and into Thursday, those squalls will move into The Bahamas.
Bahamian cruises may experience some less than sunny skies.

But, it couild have been worse.  Dorian never became a hurricane, but if he had, he would have teen one of those long tracking Cape Verde Hurricanes that we usually start seeing in very late July or early August.

The appearance of Dorian marked the beginning of the Cape Verde hurricane season.  That means it's the time of year residents living along the East and Gulf coasts of the U.S., as well as those in the islands, to turn their eyes way east, and watch those waves coming off the coast of Africa.

Cruisers, too, if you are worried about the possibility of a tropical weather system having an impact on your cruise vacation anywhere in the Atlantic Hurricane Basin.

St. Kitts Becoming a More Popular Cruise Port

Someone is Doing Something Right

Coastline St. Kitts Stretched Canvas Print 
by danitadelimont 

St. Kitts and Nevis, in the Leeward Islands, is a cruise destination that intrigues me.  Apparently, I'm not alone. According to an article called St. Kitts and Nevis enjoys hotel, cruise ship bonanza, posted this week by the Baltimore Post-Examiner, it's one of the " highest-rated Caribbean destinations for cruise tourism expenditures and passenger satisfaction."

The above article, which is worth a read, cites a study by a Pennsylvania based research organization that says there has been an astonishing 400% increase in the number of cruisers visiting there since 2006.

Perhaps even more significant was that the average per passenger expenditures almost doubled in the same period.  Obviously, somebody down there is doing something right!  (Maybe other tourist destinations need to take a lesson or two.)

I've enjoyed cruise ship port of call visits to some of the nation's Caribbean neighbors, including St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. John, Antigua, Barbados, and St. Lucia.  But St. Kitts is still on my bucket list.

A while back, my curiosity about the place led me to create a page, called Pictures of St. Kitts and Nevis, as a sort of on line 'places to go' reminder to myself and others.   Now, after reading the Post-Examiner article,  I'm even more intrigued.

Tropical Storm Dorian

Tropical Storm Dorian Forms in the Atlantic

 Cone from the N.H.C.

The fourth named storm of the 2013 hurricane season has formed out in the tropical Atlantic.  It's name is Dorian, which is the replacement name for the retired Dean.  Let's hope Dorian doesn't have aspirations of following in his footsteps.  Dean was a killer, destroying a town (Majahual) on the Yucatan Peninsula, and leaving 45 dead across the Caribbean and Mexico.

Fortunately, Dorian is not projected to become another Dean, in spite of the fact that they both are Cape Verde storms.  At this point, the NHC is forecasting Dorian to be 'only' a tropical storm in five days when the system reaches the Antilles.  Conditions in the Atlantic are not expected to be terribly conducive to a great amount of intensification.  The storm will have dry air and wind sheer to fight on its trip westward.

This morning, maximum sustained winds are 50 mph, and movement is to the West of Northwest.

Still, those planning on cruising traveling to the Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico this weekend or early next week should keep a wary eye on the tropics, and be ready to adjust plans accordingly.

To our friends who live in the islands - prepare, and be safe!

Where Dorian will go beyond that (if anywhere) is still anyone's guess, so those who live in hurricane country - you know the drill:  Check your hurricane supplies and stay informed!

Sailing from Port Canaveral? See Atlantis While You're There!

See Space Shuttle Atlantis

By Kitch  [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

If you're planning on cruising out of Port Canaveral any time soon, why not come a day or two early, and see NASA's new Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex?

The visitor complex is convenient to the port, so if you stay at a Port Canaveral hotel, you won't have far to go.  (You can actually see the Vehicle Assembly Building from the decks of the ships when they are in port.)

The exhibit is a new one, having been open for only about a month.  There's plenty else to see at the space center, too.  You'll no doubt be awed by some of the things you'll see, not the least of which is the last shuttle to make a trip into space.

There's also the Rocket Garden, a couple of impressive IMAX movies, several different bus tours of the facilities to choose from, and even the opportunity to have lunch with a real astronaut!  (Visit the KSC Visitor Complex website to get tickets and find out what else there is to see.)

And, if you're wondering where Atlantis got its name, here's a hint:  It was NOT named after the mythical lost city.

A space center tour is just one of the things that you can do in and around Port Canaveral before or after your cruise.  It's one that will be long remembered by both kids and adults.

Tropical Storm Chantal heads for the Caribbean 

Tropical Storm Chantal on the Morning of 07/09/13
Courtesy NOAA

Looks like, just as the 2013 Hurricane Season Predictions indicated would happen, the tropics are starting to crank.

This morning, Chantal, the third named storm of the year, is working her way into the warm open waters of the Caribbean Sea.    Clipping along at some 23 knots, she'll be there shortly.  Early reports indicate she has had relatively mild effects on Barbados and St.Lucia so far this morning, but that winds in Martinique have been stronger.

The highest winds found by Hurricane Hunters have been around 60 mph, but thankfully, so far, the ones that have made their way onto the Windward Islands have been less severe.  They still have a bit of Chantal to endure, however.

Once she hits the open waters of the eastern Caribbean, the story could change.  The system is forecast to strengthen before arriving at the shores of Hispaniola sometime tomorrow.  That is where she could possibly do her first real damage.

Keep a careful eye on the path she takes over the Dominican Republic and/or Haiti.  If she goes over the more mountainous area, we could see a far weaker Chantal on her arrival in the southeastern Bahamas than we would if she travels over the flatter eastern part of the D.R.

Nevertheless, if you're in The Bahamas or on the east coast of the U.S., keep an eye on her.   Most of eastern Florida is already in the cone at this point.

And, for my cruising friends, if you're sailing out of Florida this weekend, PLEASE do yourself a favor, and arrange to arrive at your city of departure at least a day early.  An approaching storm could force a change in your ship's schedule.  (See Ten Tips for Cruising in Hurricane Season for more on that.)

 

Jewel of the Seas - Fabulous!

Jewel of the Seas in Key West

We recently had the pleasure of spending a few days on Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas.  It was a long overdue respite from ... well, stuff.

And what a pleasure it was!  She's a beautiful ship, from bow to stern, with a fabulous crew.   (I couldn't say enough good things about the crew, even if I tried!)

It was our first time on the Jewel, but not our first cruise on a Radiance class ship.  We'd previously cruised on a couple of her sisters, Radiance and Serenade.  That particular class of ships is something special.

After our sailing, the Jewel left the Port of Tampa for a new home in San Juan, and I know she'll be missed.

Late this year, the Brilliance of the Seas will be moving to Tampa to take over the same itinerary.  Odds are, we'll be sailing on that ship, too.  Tampa's an easy port to sail out from.  Not quite as easy for us as Port Canaveral, but a LOT more stress free than either Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, both of which are quite crowded, resulting in a much longer boarding and disembarkation process.  And RCL's choices of itineraries from there include 5 night cruises, which are the perfect compromise between a weekender and a week long voyage.

So, if you're looking for a short, but not too terribly short, cruise out of a less crowded port that's easier to navigate, on a beautiful ship that's not a behemoth, you might want to consider the Brilliance when she begins sailing from the only cruise port on Florida's west coast, beginning in November of 2013.

Nautical pin board

If, like me, you are a lover of ships, the sea, and sea creatures, you might like my All Things Nautical pin board on Pinterest ... just wanted to share, in case anyone is interested.