Hilton Head Island: alligators have right of way; great shoot out; electronics

Why did the alligator cross the road?  Usually it is to get to another body of water but during the mating season which runs from late March to early June it may be to get to the body of another alligator.

We know this fellow.  Not on a first name basis, but a bike path we often use is on the other side of the road from the pond that is his primary residence.  We often see him sunning himself on the bank.  The photo was taken a mile from our condo.  He is described as 12’ and ‘magnificent’.

This is not the gator whose photo I have run here before.  That one resides in a different pond and is only about my size.

Soccer fans, of whom I lamentably know that most of you are not, watched an unparalleled Europa Cup final Wednesday between Manchester United, who are one of the three richest clubs in the world and the NY Yankees of English soccer, and Villarreal, a town of 50,000 in the east of Spain.  Truly David and Goliath.  However Villarreal has a young manager who has already won the Europa Cup three times with another club.

The game itself was not exciting.  Villarreal scored first.  Man U. tied later and regulation play ended 1-1.  In most soccer games that would be it, but a few matches, usually championship games, must have a winner, so thirty minutes of extra time were played without another goal being scored.  

Still drawn the winner is decided by a penalty shoot out.  Five players alternating from each team kick from the penalty spot against the goal keeper.  All is in favor of the shooter, but sooner or later, the goal keeper guesses right or the kicker shanks his kick. 

None of the first five from both teams missed.  So it goes on until someone does.

On Wednesday it went on to 10-10.  I have never seen that or even heard of it happening.  This left only the goal keepers of each team to shoot against one another.  The Villarreal keeper made his shot.  The Manchester United goal keeper is Spanish and the goal keeper for the Spanish National Team.  He shot.  The diving Villarreal keeper got a hand on the  ball and deflected it and David won 11-10.  A dramatic moment in sport that probably will be remembered forever in Villarreal who had never before won a major tournament.  

I have sailed to Spain twice and spent several months there.  I didn’t even know where Villarreal is, but I am happy for them.  Unless you are a Manchester United supporter how could you not be?

Joshua wrote:   Would you share what electronics you used on the last circumnavigation? I myself am a minimalist (too?). It is sometimes difficult to sort out  from the gimmicks and the "more is more" salesmanship. Practical examples are more reliable. 

The question has been asked by others, so I decided to answer it here.  I have a vague feeling that I might already have done so.  If I have, forgive the repetition.

Before that I want to comment on the ‘more is more’.  

As you know I don’t read much about sailing anymore, but over the decades I have seen an absurd number of items described as ‘essential to go offshore.’  I have never owned most of them and am reasonably confident that I have spent several more years and circumnavigations offshore than those who consider these items essential.  People set themselves up as experts on what I consider very little experience.  That they get by with it does not change my opinion about the general lack of human intelligence.

On GANNET’s circumnavigation her electronics were:

depthsounder

Velocitek ProStart

Raymarine tiller pilots

iPhone and iPad as chartplotters with iSailor and iNavX apps and charts

Raymarine Tacktick wind instruments

iCom handheld VHF radio

Yellowbrick tracking device

I also had on board two or three Garmin eTrex GPS units, but never used them, and an old iPad that also could serve as a chartplotter, but never used it.

The wind instruments failed three times due to the masthead being under water during knockdowns.

The tiller pilots failed many times due to getting wet.  I do not criticize Raymarine for this.  They do not build tiller pilots to meet my needs.  It would not be profitable to do so.

The Velocitek is not essential.  I use it to read out COG and SOG on deck.  I can get that information from my iPhone, but the Velocitek is hands free and more convenient.

I carried no radio on my first two circumnavigations and only started carrying a handheld VHF in South Africa on the third when port authorities expressed displeasure that I did not call them when entering port.  As far as I know there is no international law that requires a yacht to have a radio.

The Yellowbrick is totally optional.  I carry one for Carol.  Others are welcome to look in and I like seeing the track after I complete a passage.

So what is truly essential:  a depthsounder, although I sailed into the shallow waters of Hilton Head Island the first time with mine not working due to the transducer being taped over by the boat yard that antifouled GANNET and forgot to remove the tape before launching her in my absence, and some kind of chartplotter, though a sextant and charts work for those who know how to use them.

A solo sailor also needs self-steering.  A wind vane is in most cases preferable to an autopilot, but I can sail anywhere without either using sheet to tiller self-steering or tying the tiller down to windward.

I am writing later than usual.  Now a little after 7 pm and I have had dinner of tortellini with pesto sauce, salami and olives prepared by Carol and accompanied by red wine.  I am sitting by our oversized bedroom window.  Looking out I can see the top of GANNET’s mast.  I biked down to her today to check a details of the new dodger and wash her down.  Snowy egrets sometimes leave calling cards.  I am trying to visualize her and consider if I have forgotten any electronics.  If I have let me know and I’ll make the correction, but the fact is that very little is essential other than the will and strength and competence of the sailor.