Month 2 aboard, SSCA rendezvous and a submersible by Virgin Oceanic

It's hard to believe that it's been a month that we have been aboard Pandora here in Maine.   We have had terrific weather, although today's isn't anything to write home about (wait, I am writing home about it in this post) with winds out of the NE and building up a nice chop on the harbor's mile fetch here in Rockland.

Today is Tuesday and it's another work day with the specter of some decent time off on the horizon later this month.  However, I am very much looking forward to this weekend's rendezvous of the Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) on Isleboro about 10 miles north of here.  This rendezvous has been hosted by a cruising couple for over 20 years who have a home on the water there.   Their place has a wonderful view and waterfront property that faces the anchorage.

The group, SSCA, has some 2,500 members worldwide and is dedicated to the cruising lifestyle.  The group provides lots of resources including a robust website at www.ssca.org.  For the modest cost of a membership, and you can join at major sailing boatshows, there is a monthly print newsletter with lots of cruising notes, written by members from their travels around the world.  The site also includes links to many other resources worth checking out incuding the 7 seas U, that offers courses on many topics from energy use aboard boats to fitting out a water maker aboard.

On Sunday evening in Rockland Harbor I saw a boat flying an SSCA burgee that three dinks tied up behind hit.  Knowing that it meant a party, I shot over to introduce myself.  It was a great visit and I met three couples that had spent many years cruising with trips to the Caribbean islands, Bahamas and the Med among them. I learned that one feature of the gam would be a talk on "heading South", something that Brenda and I plan to do in the next few years.  We will have to take that one in.

It will be fun to participate for the second year and now that we know more folks in the group it will be even better.  Last year there were over 50 boats, an impressive turnout.  They also have gams in Annapolis, Florida and even in Tonga in the South Pacific.  Not sure that particular one is in my future.

On another somewhat related front, I was interested to read in the New York Times today, that there is a move by some well off folks, billionaires actually, to build submersibles that will be capable of reaching the very deepest parts of the ocean.  I guess that's related to sailing as it involves water, even if it's on the other side of the surface.

While folks that sail do their best to stay on top of the water, these guys will be going under, a long way under  in some very high tech craft.    Check out the article in The Times.

They profile three groups that are pursuing this including Richard Branson, the iconic leader of Virgin Atlantic Airlines and other businesses as well as James Cameron, the director of Titanic and Avitar.

I was particularly intrigued by Branson's group Virgin Oceanic and their submersible, that looks more like a plane than a sub, will "fly" through the ocean to great depths.  They have an interesting video about the project.  Of particular in interest, is that the "mother ship" for the project is a massive sailing cat.  This guy does have flair and it can't hurt his businesses to be seen as just so hip.


Another company is Triton Submarines, who boast that they are the only company building subs for yacht based use.  Perhaps there should be one on Pandora.  Perhaps not.  I have had to raise the waterline because of all the crap on board once already.  Not again.   Here's a fun video about their deep sea project.

Well, enough messing around.  Time to get to work and it's only a few day to the weekend.