Aleria's Adventures

Editor's Note: I wrote this for the OCC AWE Facebook Group. I am posting it here in case it helps others in need.  Welcome to the AWE Group! If you’ve joined this group, then you share with your fellow members several unfortunate circumstances. Chances are, you are stuck somewhere you didn’t plan to be and are evaluating what to do next to stay a step ahead of the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic. The OCC has been working with Noonsite to gather information from our helpful Port Officers around the world and make the information available to cruisers in one central location. Noonsite’s listing of Port Restrictions is the most complete and up-to-date information available. If you see something that needs updating, please send it to Sue Richards at Noonsite@noonsite.com . The OCC has also petitioned World Sailing to represent cruisers in countries where draconian measures are being put into place that endanger cruisers’ safety, and we have encouraged other organisa...

The original first edition 1930 Hardback In researching children's books about sailing so I can do a remote session with our grandnephews in isolation in America, I came across what turns out to be a classic book series and set of movies called Swallows and Amazons by British author Arthur Ransome .  His Swallows and Amazons series of novels (written between 1931 and 1947) remain in print today and were made into two successful movies, one in the 1970s and the other released in 2016. Those never made it onto my radar in the US. So I have some catching up to do. They sound wonderful. This first book tells of a wonderful summer of adventure, discovery and friendship. Inspired by the author's own real-life sailing experiences in the beautiful Lake District of Cumbria in the northwest of England as a child. There are many editions over the years, including the first with cover art by Steven Spurrier. The 1st edition was not illustrated, while later editions were illustra...

Niagara Falls lit for St Patrick's Day Well, at least the world is going to turn on the lights in solidarity against the darkness of this Covid-19 disease that has stopped the world in its tracks. No parades. no parties, just a Happy St Patrick's Day at home viewing images of green lights. We can amuse ourselves by reading St Patrick's own autobiographical notes called the Confessions . Alex and I created slide shows of stories about St Patrick for the wee ones and we'll be calling them later today. You can watch my slide show that tells the story of St Patrick in Ireland. Or you can also amuse yourself by listening to the muppets sing Danny Boy !

In celebration of  #WorldBookDa y 2020, I am revising my list of top ten books about sailing and adding to it. What's your favourite book about sailing? The photo above is a selfie I took on an Atlantic Crossing. Flying downwind under spinnaker with our whites seahorse sigil. I'm reading a historical fiction book about Ireland as we sail home from the Caribbean. Without a library of books onboard, I would have gone stir crazy. Instead, I caught up by reading a book a day. Why is it that I can't allow myself to read at home, but read nonstop on the boat?  Does anyone else find themselves in this conundrum? My (Revised) Top 10 Books About Sailing - The Long Way (The Longue Route) - Sailing Alone Around the World - Perfect Storm - Wanderer - Once is Enough - Maiden Voyage - The Riddle of the Sands - As long as it's fun - A Voyage for Madmen - Survive the Savage Sea A few more for good measure. - The Summer Isles by Philip Marsden - Lord Jim by Josep...

Pat Adair handing me the Wild Goose Cup As a member of the Irish Cruising Club, I am now expected to contribute to the Annual and ICC Newsletter from time to time, which I have done. My first contribution to the Annual technically did not qualify for any awards because it was about sailing over to Ireland which was too long ago to qualify. This year, I wrote about our return to Ireland from Galicia. I was totally taken aback to open the hefty tome of the Annual when it arrived and to see my article as the first in the book and labelled as having won the Wild Goose Cup. The award is not for a cruise per se but for the literary merit of the story that was written. The adjudicator thought mine was the best-written log in the book! Happy Daria! Coming from the Irish, who hold literary ability most sacred, I have never felt more honoured. The Awards were presented on Friday evening after the AGM. To hear the adjudicator's reasons for selecting my work almost brought tea...

I just found my notes from a diesel mechanics course I took at Mack Boring in NJ years ago. According to Larry Berlin of Engine City Technical Institute, the following points are the critical things to do with a diesel engine, specifically a Yanmar: Follow the engine manufacturer's Operations Manual.  Get a service manual. Operations Manual tells you what. Service Manual tells you how.  Keep fuel oil (diesel) tank full at all times. Top off from 5-gallon spare to keep condensation down and keep algae from growing.  Fill water in lead acid batteries even if they are labelled maintenance free. Clean wire connections with wire brush or sandpaper, put on dielectric grease , and cover with electrical tape. Tighten all nuts, bolts, and hose clamps at 50 hours. Every 50h retorque cylinder heads. Head gaskets blow at about 400-500 hours if you don't retorque the heads and adjust valves. New service manual (15 years ago) says its no longer needed to do. Tighten hose ...

Jim Wilson telling what is known of the first Antarctic Explorer, Irishman Edward Bransfield Yesterday, we got up long before dawn to attend the Irish Sailing Cruising Conference. Held at the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, it was a sellout. Driving there was a chore for Alex, as storm Dennis had arrived that morning with lashing rain and high winds. But as we got closer to Dublin, the weather cleared a bit. It rained most of the day, so it was a good one to spend indoors. Driving to Dun Laoghaire as Storm Dennis approaches. Note the masses of cranes marking Dublin's skyline.  After a warm welcome from Harry Hermon, CEO of IS, and Gail MacAllister, organiser of the conference, the packed agenda kept the pace up the entire day. Harry opened by acknowledging that there are far more cruisers than racers in the world of sailing and that cruisers have been underrepresented and underserved by the sailing world representational bodies. He asked for input on how IS can...