Soundings is the news and feature publication for recreational boaters. Award-winning coverage of the people, issues, events -- and the fun -- of recreational boating. Check out our generous boats-for-sale section and our gunkholing destinations.
My inbox at Soundings is a fun place to drop anchor and hang out. That’s because I meet so many fun and friendly readers of the magazine there. I’m always grateful when they take the time to write with stories about their experiences on the water. And often, they’ll share details about their personal boats. Those letters are particularly enjoyable, because a lot of Soundings subscribers drive cool stuff. Bob Howie dropped me a note this week, to tell me about the Caribiana Sea Skiff he keeps in a rack-and-stack boat barn in Texas when he’s not pulling it behind a Ford F-250 to places like the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He bought the 23-footer (shown at left) in 2013 after years of running big sailboats. Bob and his wife, Jackie,…
In 2012, Pim Van Hemmen was driving out of an Ikea parking lot in Philadelphia when he spotted a massive ocean liner, rust on its hull and paint peeling from its funnels. It was the SS United States, the former flagship of the U.S. merchant marine fleet and winner and current holder of the prestigious Blue Riband. Intrigued by its dilapidated condition, Van Hemmen—a photographer, journalist and currently executive editor at Soundings—shot a picture through the windshield on his iPhone. When he got home and told his wife about what he’d found, she said he should start a project to photograph the country’s historic ships. She also came up with a name for the project: In Extremis, a maritime doctrine that allows extreme measures to be taken when a ship…
The captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. He was a former lifeguard, and he knew what to do: He headed straight for a couple swimming between their anchored sportfish and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband told his wife. They had been splashing each other, and she had screamed, but now they were just standing on a sandbar. “We’re fine. What is he doing?” she asked, annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving the captain off. But he kept swimming. Hard. “Move!” the captain barked as he sprinted between the couple. Directly behind them, not 10 feet away, their 9-year-old daughter was drowning. How did this captain know—from 50 feet away—what the father couldn’t recognize from just 10 feet? The…
Yacht clubs nationwide are experiencing a surge in the number of women becoming commodores, and women at the helm say the trend is in great part a result of long-overdue structural changes in the ways yacht clubs have traditionally functioned. “I can’t tell you how many men have come up to me and said, ‘It’s about time,’” says Lisa Curcio Gaston, who is serving as the first woman commodore of the Chicago Yacht Club in its 148-year history. “I think it goes to the fact that the culture of our club has changed a lot, in a good way.” What’s happening is not that a handful of yacht clubs are getting their first female commodores. Those glass ceilings—some of them more than a century old—have been shattering, bit by bit,…
For many boaters, exploring quintessential New England towns is the highlight of the cruising season. From the historic landmarks to the scenic waterways and welcoming marinas in picturesque harbors, the New England coast has an undeniable charm that draws boaters from all parts of the world, year after year. Situated in the heart of coastal New England is the south-eastern corner of Connecticut, a region known for its quaint villages and rich maritime history. Although often overshadowed by the nearby destinations of Block Island and Newport, this region has much to offer boaters seeking a peaceful weekend getaway. MYSTIC Perhaps the best-known destination in the south-eastern corner is the village of Mystic, where nautical history blends with a modern seaport. Two centuries ago, Mystic’s port was filled with whaling vessels…
The call came in about noon. “I’m at the marina,” said my fishing buddy Adam, “There were stripers blitzing out in Buzzards Bay this morning. I’m going back out.” I didn’t wait for him to invite me. I just replied. “I’ll meet you at your boat in half an hour.” Adam and I have fished together for over 25 years. I had a feeling today was going to be an epic day on the water, so when I arrived at his boat I brought three light-tackle rods rigged and ready to go. I anticipated a battle with a bass within minutes of leaving the dock, but we caught nothing our first hour out. A light breeze rippled the ocean and skies were leaden. Perfect conditions for shallow-water fishing. The breeze…
