Sails for Sustenance

A couple of weeks ago, as I looked back towards Identity Crisis I noticed the genoa was not furled well. With hurricane and Fall Great Lake storm season upon us, a closer inspection was in order. To my surprise there was a WTF tear in the sail. With no idea how the tear occurred, the sail came down and was off to the sailmaker for repair.

At the Haarstick loft in Rochester, we picked up a flyer for Sails for Sustenance. Sails for Sustenance gathers used sails and sailmaking supplies and gives the materials to subsistence fishermen in Haiti. Haiti is the among the poorest countries in the western hemisphere. According to Mike Carcaise, co-founder, the destitution in Haiti is about the worst that he has seen in the developing world. Village fisherman use discarded material to build sails, including rice bags, plastic sheets, and anything that will help harness the wind. Sails for Sustenance collects old sails and distributes them to Haitian subsistence fishermen. A friend who has done volunteer work in Haiti, confirms Mike's impressions. 

Sails for Sustenance has created a video showing how poor the sails are. Take a look.

This year's fall cleaning will include sending a sail or two to Haiti. Will you join in?

A Buffet of Buffettesque Books

A recent visitor to NauticalReads.com wrote asking for suggestions for books like Herman Wouk's Don't Stop the Carnival or other Jimmy Buffett style books. Buffett is, of course, a unique talent with an imaginative mind, finding similar books might present a challenge. However, I have a few suggestions that sailors might find enjoyable.

First off the list is Don't Stop the Carnival, the story of Norman Paperman who left the lights of Broadway chasing his dreams to the Caribbean. The story revolves around life in a 1950s island resort, with Paperman exploring his dreams and tropical culture. Jimmy Buffett's musical Don't Stop the Carnival was based on Wouk's story. While we're talking about Wouk, another book,  The Caine Mutiny is worth the read.

Desdemona, a Buffett character, would fit right into any Christopher Moore book. A writer with a unique perspective on life and reality, he raises interesting questions in an irreverent offbeat and comedic manner. Fluke, Or I Know Why the Winged Whale Sings, begins on the beaches of Hawai'i travels throughout the Pacific. Searching for.... well you'll just have to read the story.

Ann Vanderhoof's An Embarrassment of Mangoes tells the story of her two year cruise to the Caribbean and back to Toronto. Vanderhoof is an energetic woman with a zest for life who immerses herself in island life and culture as she follows the dream. A true life adventure brought to life by skilled writer. And don't forget to try out some of the island recipes, Curried Lobster was one of my favorites.

Finally,  Mary's Voyage is the story of John and Mary Caldwell's voyage from California through the South Pacific and on to the Caribbean. In a decade long odyssey, Mary Caldwell recalls the tropics in the 1950's when cruisers were rare in the Pacific and navigation was done by sextant and compass. John and Mary eventually land on Prune Island, St. Vincent which they acquire and rename Palm Island. In a series of scenes that Norman Paperman could appreciate the Caldwell's build a resort on Palm Island.

On the Bookshelf

The summer sailing season is drawing to close on the Great Lakes. We still have a few weeks of fabulous fall sailing and for the stalwart, the frostbite season. Over the past month we've enjoyed the warm weather and have read books faster than we can review them. Waiting for reviews are:

At the Mercy of the Sea, by John Krestchmer. A gripping and sensitive story of three boats and Hurricane Lenny, a storm that refused to follow historical tracks. Well worth the read.

Fisherman's Bend, by Jane Greenlaw. The second novel in the Jane Bunker series finds Bunker in Maine pursuing an investigation that grows by the page. A decent way to while away an afternoon.

Mary's Voyage, by Mary Caldwell and Dr. Mathew Douglas. Mary and John Caldwell and their children set sail from California bound for Australia in the early 1950's. A wonderful remembrance of the South Pacific from more than a half century ago.

Check back over the next few weeks for longer reviews. We're also working on reviews of a couple of sailing reference books.

Dave