Most cruisers stumble their way into the cruising lifestyle and end up learning over a period of years.  Then there are those who come to it with a plan.  They plan to cruise, and they just don't have the time to learn by their mistakes. These folks learn from OTHER's mistakes.  A much simpler, and easier on the pocketbook type of learning, not to mention safer...

The seminar you see here was the Second Annual Bob Bitchin Advanced Cruising Seminar, held just before Labor Day at the Latitudes & Attitudes Worldwide Conglomerate Headquarters (just up the dock from the pump-out station!).

The maximum allowed for this event because of space was 100 people, and it was jammed to capacity.  The Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club played host to this two day fly in/sail in seminar, and a better venue couldn't have been found anywhere.  Sitting on the ocean just south of LAX, it was just a 15 minute cab ride from airplane to event, and there was even plenty of anchorage for those who sailed in.

Cruisers from Canada and all over the US assembled at the Yacht Club bar for happy hour with Eric Stone live on Friday evening, and then settled in for some very informative and entertaining speakers.  Tania Aebi, the youngest woman to circumnavigate single-handed was on hand, as was John Kretschmer, author of Cape Horn to Starboard and Flirting with Mermaids.  Liza Copeland spoke on cruising, and as the author of five books on the subject, she was well prepared.

Jack Klang, who was sponsored by Quantum Sails, has been teaching boaters for years, and gave a number of hands-on demonstrations which everyone in attendance really got into.  Then Capt. John Aydelotte from Vessel Assist NW gave safety guidelines while Richard Switlik of Switlik Liferafts demonstrated their use.  Rags Laragione of the Maritime Institute discussed the need for and how to earn your Captain's license.   Marti Brown, cruiser and author of cruising guides for “Idi-yachts” gave a great presentation on communicating at sea, while Steve Bowden of Sea Tech Systems filled them in on the latest in satelite phones and data transmission at sea.  Jonathan Selby, a world cruiser who lives aboard off Cape Horn (really!) gave the latest ways to receive weather while cruising.

Add to that the antics of Bob Bitchin (that'd be me!) and his lovely and sexy wife, Jody, and this was a hands down success.  At the end, all 100 people said they had enjoyed it and would recommend it to their friends.

But it's not all education and information.  There is also some time set aside for recreation and mingling.  That's really the best way to hear the latest as to what's happening in the world of cruisers.  And so, Eric Stone was brought in to entertain at the opening day happy hour, and at the poolside barbecue held Saturday evening.

Sailing is a serious sport, we know, but it is also supposed to be fun.  In order to get the most fun out of sailing you have to have the right attitude about it, and that was as much the goal of this seminar as was the information and education.  Anyone can tell you how to get out there and cruise, but this seminar was founded to tell you WHY to get out there and cruise.  With over a million sea miles behind the speakers, there was plenty of good sound advice, but more important, it gave the newer sailors and cruisers an insight into what would happen to them once they are out there.  Not what would happen to their bodies, but what would happen to their souls.

At the end of this event there were certificates of completion handed out, but that little piece of paper was not what brought all these hopefuls together.  What they sought, and hopefully what they found, was a reassurance that, once out there, it might actually be as much of an adventure as they are seeking.

As this seminar was sold out, it looks like we will have to go to twice a year in 2005.  Kewl!