Author: admin
Every few years, James Getgood sails to St Vaast, Carentan, Grandcamp-Maisy, and Port-en-Bessin, locations that were pivotal during the D-Day landings 80 years ago. Following the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in June 1940, Winston Churchill assured the nation, “We will return.” Operation Overlord was the codename for the Allied landing operation which unfolded on this part of the Normandy coast four years later. The dawn assault on D-Day, June 6, 1944, coincided with ideal conditions due to a rising tide and a full moon to aid parachutists. The westernmost ports we visited belonged to the…
James Stevens addresses a concern raised by a reader of Yachting Monthly, who inquires how to prevent a collision in fog while operating a yacht. Martin and Barbara, accompanied by their teenage son, Rob, have sailed from the Solent to the Channel Islands in their 10-meter yacht. Rob, having crewed frequently, is already more adept at using the new electronic chart system and AIS than his parents are. The setup lacks radar. During their journey to Guernsey, the weather was clear with good visibility, allowing them to see ships in the shipping lanes both with their eyes and on the…
Clear-water sight-casting for stripers is an exhilarating activity. Raymond Forbes/Stocksy United Among the numerous species I’ve chased worldwide, striped bass still rank highest on my list, and my preferred location to interact with this resilient fish is in the pristine shallows of New England. For the ultimate striper challenge, an experience that combines the demanding flats fishing for bonefish with a touch of tropical reef wading for aggressive trevally, look to the coastal flats of Narragansett Bay, the Elizabethan Islands, Block Island, and the waters around Cape Cod, where light sandy bottoms dotted with boulders, carpeted with eelgrass, and shellfish…
A sportfisher glides near an oil rig in Texas, seeking a catch. Texas Gulf Coast Billfish Classic It’s quite a distance offshore to reach the Texas rigs, but those who venture out have impressive successes catching blue marlin and yellowfin in the Gulf of Mexico. For example, during last summer’s Texas Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, in its inaugural year, teams managed to reel in 14 blue marlin over three days of fishing. The largest blue marlin, caught by team Synchronicity, tipped the scales at 726.3 pounds. “During the summer, the marlin seem to migrate away from the Panhandle and come…
This time of year, largemouth bass, redfish, and more crowd many of the same spots. Todd Masson Mississippi is just one of ten states touched by North America’s largest river, yet it somehow earned its name. Louisiana coastal anglers are okay with this since many have a love-hate relationship with “The Big Muddy.” During high-river years, when the Mississippi truly lives up to its nickname, it pushes enormous amounts of highly turbid freshwater into the marshes, bays, and bayous of southern Louisiana, causing inshore waters to have a clarity akin to an advanced lesson in quantum physics. Estuarine species flee…
When Mike and Debbie Morgan woke to find signs of a rodent stowaway on their boat, they quickly and decisively acted to capture the furry intruder. “Rat in My Kitchen,” a classic by UB40, took on a entirely new significance during their sailing trip in Greece this year. While cruising through picturesque anchorages, basking in stunning sunsets and breathtaking views, thoughts of a rodent infestation were far from my mind. However, our tranquil journey was soon disrupted by the arrival of an unwelcome new crew member. Sailing from the TRNC (Northern Cyprus) to Montenegro were my wife Debbie and our…
Yachting Monthly is once again hosting the Brian Black Memorial Award for marine environmental journalism, with a total of £4,000 in cash prizes available for the winners this year. The 2024 Brian Black Memorial Award is supported by Coppercoat, providing £4,000 for the winners. Entries must be submitted by email to yachtingmonthly@futurenet.com by the deadline of 22 August. Established in 2021, the Brian Black Memorial Award honors Brian and Lesley Black, who were pioneering sailors, adventurous small-boat explorers, and enthusiastic storytellers. Brian, a filmmaker and broadcaster, utilized his boat to obtain footage of melting glaciers, raising awareness of global warming…
Oysters in mesh bags help maintain clean waterways. Courtesy Toadfish “I believe oysters are the solution. They offer one of the tangible ways to enhance water quality,” states Casey Davidson, founder and CEO of Toadfish. The company initiated the “Put ‘Em Back” movement to aid in cleaning waterways by replanting and restoring oyster habitats nationwide, often employing a water cannon for the task. How amazing is that? Davidson accurately points out the role of shellfish in improving water quality. An individual oyster can filter as much as 50 gallons of water daily, aiding in the removal of harmful toxins that…
If you haven’t checked out Learn WordPress lately, it’s probably a good idea to do it today. This free educational hub has just had a serious glow-up, and I’m here to give you the scoop on why it’s worth your attention.
Dick Durham reminisces about Don Street, the talented sailor and author who unfortunately passed away earlier this year at 93 years old. There is a memorable scene in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in which outlaws Paul Newman and Robert Redford observe from a cliff as a distant posse pursues them. To their dismay, they recognize a relentless tracker, distinguished by his white hat, whose stubbornness typically leads to captures. In his later years, when Don Street appeared at the boat show, I was reminded of this iconic moment, as his presence was signaled by the well-worn…