'Tiki Tude'

Working on a documentary two summers ago, we filmed at the Star Fish Company in wonderful, friendly Cortez, Florida, then had dinner at this little local hideaway that describes itself as "the honky tonk fish shack with tiki tude" - eating fresh seafood at lopsided picnic tables on the docks, our waitress alternately delivering cans of beer and cans of bug spray. The wharf was decorated with whimsical folk art like this, from RhondaK.
I loved my time in Cortez - and with eco-tour guide Capt Kathe. The people were warm, funny, and 'dead honest' - I felt like I'd known them for years, not just the few days we were in Florida studying the havoc of red tide, and what's being done about it (two of my official dispatches from that assignment are here and here ).

Peace and Trust

Three of Cups in the "Self" Position
Main (positional) Meaning:
Celebrate friendships and close companions. You are richly rewarded with people who love you.
The card in the Self position reveals aspects of how you perceive yourself right now.
When the Three of Cups is in this position, you have balanced your priorities and have harmonized your inner life with your outer life. This leaves you with a sense of serenity and relaxation. The fact that you feel bonded with and supported by your immediate circle of family and friends says that you attract other well-balanced souls like yourself.
This card is a compliment to you for having earned the hard-won rewards of peace and trust. The natural flow between you and others is becoming fruitful and enjoyable.

Women's Sailing Convention

Feb 2 @ Del Rey Yacht Club: the Women's Sailing Convention has on-the-water instruction and classroom courses for novice and expert sailor girls - plus Capt Linda Newland (aka 'Sally Spreaders') as the featured speaker that night. Click here for details and registration.

Mele Kaliki Maka!

Christmas greetings to our loved ones near and far, and many blessings to you in the New Year!
XOXO Betsy & Coco

Cuter than Santa's sack ...

Cute bags for sailor-chicks, fisher-chicks, anyone who's got a bundle of junk to 'go-with'. Check out Amanda's PIG BAGS (and look at the 'About ' tab where I get top billing ... I'm blushing, seriously!)

Need any more reasons to catch your own fish?

In China, Farming Fish in Toxic Waters - from the New York Times

Dispatch from Liz on SWELL

My awesome super-hero friend Liz Clark has posted her latest dispatch from her single-handed cruise through the South Pacific.
She writes "Is there a limit to how much fun I'm allowed to have by myself? A moment when I shift from plain happy to plain nuts?" Read it for yourself here.

Saltwater Women - save the dates

Jenny Armstrong advises UASC has two women's trip booked:
#1 - Departing Capt Hook's Oxnard Thurs May 15 @ 10pm; fishing all day Friday May 16 & returning home around 6 pm
#2 - Departing Tues July 29 @ 10pm, returning around 8pm Thurs July 31.
Pencil 'em in - details will follow at UASC or contact Jenny at jarmstrong@pacificedgetackle.com for info on this and upcoming seminars

Night of 1,000 Squalls

Check out the pix and reports on our delivery to Ensenada on the J/35 Predator this weekend, on the NautiChica blog.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Buy a wreath - donate to Seakeepers Society

Purchase a holiday wreath from Nautical Luxuries and the Irvine-based company will donate a percentage of the proceeds to the International SeaKeepers Society.

Nautical Luxuries’ 22-inch decorative wreaths, garlands and centerpieces are adorned with sea stars and sand dollars, on evergreen boughs or naturally dried sea grass. With each purchase a contribution is made to SeaKeepers, a non-profit organization dedicated to monitoring the health of the world's oceans by deploying information-gathering modules on yachts, cruise ships, ferry boats, buoys and piers around the world. The modules collect and transmit critical data about the condition of the oceans via satellite to the University of Miami, where the data are made available to various organizations, researchers and scientists.

Nautical Luxuries has a mouth-watering catalog of gift and decorative items ideal for holiday gift giving. Or, visit the area showroom located 17971 Sky Park Circle, Suite M, in Irvine.