THE SHIPPING FORECAST

We here in the states are stuck with the semi droning artificial voices for the NOAA VHF radio marine forecasts. Over in England humans still read the weather forecasts for shipping interests and boaters around the island nation. It also attracts it share of landlubbers also. Books have been written about The Shipping Forecast like Attention All Shipping: A Journey Round the Shipping Forecast (Radio 4 Book of the Week) or And Now the Shipping Forecast: A Tide of History Around Our Shores. Another is a book of paintings of locations and areas mentioned in The Shipping Forecast called Rain Later, Good: Painting the Shipping Forecast
  National Public Radio had an interesting report about the allure of the Shipping Forecast that can be found here.  It is interesting to hear how all of the English waters are covered in one broadcast while here in the states forecasts are more localized. Click here to listen to the latest Shipping Forecast on BBC4.

WATERFRONT ARTISTS

If you ever happen to be sailing around New York Harbor and see an attractive Asian woman climbing over slippery seaweed covered rocks along the shore with a sketch book in her hand chances are it is Christina Sun aka Bowsprite.  She is an artist who covers the waterfront with pen, pencils, water colors and sometimes a camera. She has also been known  swim in places like Gloucester harbor in Massachusetts in November. If you happen to be in New York this week Sun and another waterfront artist named Frank Hanavan are exhibiting their works where else but, on the waterfront. Specifically in an old Lighthouse tender named LILAC  docked at Pier 25 on the Hudson River. Here are the particulars:

"Maritime paintings of Frank Hanavan & illustrations of Christina Sun

Reception: Thursday, August 30, 6 to 10 PM.
Art auction at 8:30pm, portion of all sales go to benefit the Lilac
Music by the Jug Addicts!

Lighthouse tender Lilac is berthed at Pier 25, Hudson River Park
at West Street and N. Moore Street
Subway: Franklin St stop on the 1, Canal St stop on the A/C/E (exit at Walker St.)

The ship will be open  , Sunday 1 to 6pm
Monday, 4 to 7pm  
The show closes on August 31."

So if your are in the New York waters this week and want take in some of the culture of the city without venturing to far from the waterfront you might want to check out the exhibit.

THE ART OF A SAILBOAT

"I've got a Brillo Box and I say it's Art!"- John Cale/Lou Reed

 I've been away from BIANKA for three weeks. I was down in Washington D.C. for some of that time. Then recently the weather has not been cooperating for one final cruise of the season. The Nor'easter this past weekend was hemmed and hawed by NOAA all last week because their computers did not agree. So I think I made the right call in not heading out in the small weather windows that were available. When I got back on board the day after Halloween.  I thought that perhaps the ghost spirit of  Jackson Pollock  the abstract expressionist  painter had traveled from the Hamptons and was inspired to create just one more "masterpiece" on my boat like this:

Because when I got back on board BIANKA I found this::

Only instead of using a canvas the spirit of Pollock used my sail cover and deck:

On the other hand it might just be that some Cormorant had found that since most of the boats in the harbor had been pulled for the season it decided it had no choice and decided to alight on my mast. But, then again just maybe Jackson Pollock has been reincarnated as a Cormorant.