Holiday cheer, anyone?

As the Christmas carols blare in the kitchen, Trish and Anne each channel their holiday joy in their own ways. Here's a snapshot. (But only one of them has a light-trimmed tree in their room.) :)

Sailboats galore!

The Virgil just after popping up following her first capsize drill

The Puffer with full sails just off the docks of base camp

Sailing camp lunch on the hook near Indian Key          

                                                     Dana and the massive Mag centerboard that is headed to the shop

Trish, the Virgil, the Tucker, and the celebratory bottle of champagne after Patsy painted the transom

Seasonal Staff Training, Ahoy!

This year's seasonal staff (minus John and Ryan, plus Jimbo) gathered for adventures November 17 through 23, with Jeff at the helm.  After a few days of labor and learning at Sunset Island, the gang paddled from Fakahatchee Creek to the gulf... and on back home to green 33. 

Sunset approach of Whitehorse

P.D. and P.D. are O.B.!

D.H., Lee, and Jimbo about to get their learn on

KShon -
photog
extraor-
dinaire 

Putting the gangways back in place

Ashley working on the dock

Finally success on the splicing

After off and on efforts over the last four days, we finally were successful with the sta-set X eye splice!

An afternoon paddle.

We made it out for a late afternoon paddle.  Numerous Snags along the western shore of Lane Cove currently hosts an healthy rookery.  Over the last few days we have seen both a roseate spoonbill and a scarlet ibis along with many, many idis, brown pelicans, great blue herons, lesser blue herons, Louisiana herons great white egrets, and snow egrets.  On our way back to base along Indian Key Pass, we ran across Chris Schuld padding with some clients.

Saturday Lunch at Triad Seafood - bring your Ferrari!

Out to lunch in E'city and ran into this fleet of Ferrari's at Triad Seafood. Only in E-city!

Splicing Woes

Stymied by splicing

Friday Trish and I spent too many hours attempting to create eye splices in double braid.  Along with a complete selection of fids, push rods, scissors, knifes, tape, etc.; we looked to trifold pamphlets, books, internet sites, and finally youtube for instructions.  Despite our best efforts the exercise yielded no eye splices.  Today we return to the splicing table with renewed determination.

Back in the 'Glades.

The NCOBS Fall semester course has moved on to Patagonia after a successful, early season 14 day expedition.

The Warren Wilson Semester Course just completed a day of service with the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge and will begin their Everglades Expedition today.

Julie Springsteen and Trish Haitz are here on the Island supporting the semester crew. While Anne and I are attempting to squeeze in a couple more days off before officially starting our season here in the Everglades.

We are looking forward to the Fall 2009 Work Weekend schedule for November 13, 14, 15. If you are planning to participate please contact JLovett@NCOBS.org.

In response to an increasing number of staff inquiries about making travel plans, I updated the FL Airport Calendar, FL Ride Board, and FL Travel Memo. Please see the links to the right for information on scheduling an airport p/u or d/o.

work week photos

Here is the site for some more work week photos!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32586019@N02/ 

Hope you all enjoy!

Anyone who can contact Dan Hunt we would love a copy of the photos he took!

Work Week

Whoa, how time flies!  We are sitting in the lodge trying to get all the details sewn up so that we can finally batton down the hatches and sail on for the summer.  Jeff and I are always amazed by the amount of work that we get done in a short period of time.  I am going to post some photos of the Sunday evening circle here on the blog and the rest of the photos will be posted on the flickr site.  

It seems as though all the stress of course directing in Florida as prematurely aged Josh Harris, but doesn't he look more distinguished with gery hair?

Edgar's Debut

We would like to formally introduce Edgar, our goldfish won by a friend's simple toss of a ping pong ball at a fair and adopted out to us. Welcome, Edgar. 

We Heart Canterburry

Ariana celebrates a student b-day, Anne, Jo, and Dana pamper with pedicures, Patsy rocks the support roll, Ryan and Lee are a dynamic instructional duo, and Chavo is king of the shop.

The Goings On

Jo hands out some hugs, Big E removes the grime from the cistern roof with some serious pressure washing, and Josh and Dana brave the waves for days on the Mag.

Sunset Island 2008-09 Staff

Yay! Here we are! 

And then someone spilled the lemonade...

And the Courses Roll...

Merle, Luis, Kelly, and Grey Wolf rocked the two-canoes-become-one setup as they paddled away from base with their OBP folks. 

Tbone, John, and Dana saw several sunsets and smiles (at least one a day on both accounts) during their course with Berkeley Prep students.

Safety First

Marya never leaves home without her trusty flares and VHF.

Operation Ransom Rescue... of the ferry.

So... this one time, the instructors thought they were done paddling, but they weren't. They all hopped on the ferry to go collect students... and then they all hopped off the ferry to push the ferry through the mud, to go collect the students. 

The physical fitness was rivaled only by the good cheer.

Crocs Mr. January

The photo of this month's Crocs representative was submitted by an adoring (and sneaky) fan. Sometimes it looks like a guy is taking pictures of an airboat, but sometimes he's taking pictures of you. If you're wearing Crocs, watch out... there's always February.

Random Ransom

Nuthin' like a little nighttime deissue. A little bit cold and a lotta bit teamwork. Then, while the instructor-types Ransomed on for part deux, some of us got our Mag on. Luckily, we brought along Sailing for Beginners, which Patsy read cover to cover before taking the helm. (She got a 98% on the written test at the end of the trip.)