⚓ Learn to read the water like a sailor, we all make mistakes—even me….meet our legendary Skipper: Sailor Jerry, and cook up spicy Chorizo & Shrimp pasta! 🌊🍷

To most people, the ocean is just… well… water. But to a sailor, it’s a giant floating dashboard filled with clues. Once you learn to read it, the sea starts whispering secrets. 🤫🌬️

🌬️ The Wind Writes on the Water

Long before you feel a gust, you’ll often see it.

Look for dark patches moving across the surface. Those darker areas usually mean stronger wind is approaching. If you’re sailing, get ready for a little extra heel. If you’re anchoring, expect the boat to dance a bit more.

Smooth, glassy water? Usually lighter winds.

Ripples marching toward you? Time to pay attention.

Mother Nature sends text messages… she just uses ripples instead of emojis. 📲🌊

🌊 Waves Tell Stories

Waves don’t just happen. They have a history.

Small, regular waves usually mean local wind. Long rolling swells may have traveled hundreds of miles from storms you’ll never see.

Sometimes you’ll notice waves coming from two directions at once. That’s the ocean saying, “Today’s ride might get interesting!” 😄

Knowing where the waves are coming from helps you choose a comfortable anchorage, plan your course, and avoid spending dinner chasing plates across the cockpit. 🍽️😂

💙 Water Has Different Colors

Color is your friend.

Turquoise often means shallow water over sand. 🏝️

Dark blue usually means deeper water.

Brown or green water can signal river runoff, stirred-up sediment, or grass beds.

Every cruising ground is a little different, but your eyes are often giving you information before your depth sounder does.

🌪️ Current Leaves Clues

Ever notice little whirlpools, slick patches, or lines of floating seaweed?

Those are often signs of current.

Current can quietly push your boat sideways while you’re convinced you’re steering perfectly. It’s like walking on an airport moving sidewalk… except the sidewalk never tells you it’s moving. 😆

Before entering a marina or narrow channel, toss a quick glance at the water around buoys or pilings. The current will usually introduce itself.

⚓ Read the Anchorage

Before dropping the hook, stop and look around.

How are the other boats lying?

Are they all pointing the same direction? Great.

Is one boat pointing somewhere completely different? Either they’re on a mooring… or someone is about to have an exciting afternoon. 😬

Watch how the water flows around nearby rocks, reefs, and points. Those calm-looking coves sometimes hide swirling currents or gusty winds waiting to surprise you.

🐦 Even the Birds Know

Birds can be surprisingly helpful.

Diving birds usually mean baitfish.

Circling birds often point toward schools of fish.

Pelicans? They’re basically flying fishing reports with wings. 🐦🐟

🌅 Slow Down and Look

One of the greatest joys of sailing is that it teaches you to notice things most people rush past.

The clouds. The ripples. The changing colors. The wind arriving before you can feel it. The ocean is constantly talking. Experienced sailors simply learn its language.

So next time you’re aboard, take a minute to put down the phone 📱, look over the lifelines, and simply watch the water It has far more to say than most people realize.

Fair winds… and happy water reading! ⛵🌊😎

Every sailor loves telling stories about perfect passages 🌅, silky-smooth dockings ⚓, and flawless boat handling. 😎

This is not one of those stories. 😂🤦‍♂️

Instead, let me share what can only be described as “The Great Escape from Avalon”… or more accurately… “The Great Attempt to Escape Avalon.” 🚤💥⚓

It all started with a simple project. I had removed the helm wheel to create a little more cockpit space while at anchor. Great idea! 💡⛵ Until it came time to reinstall it. Somehow what should have been a five-minute job became an engineering symposium complete with puzzled looks 🤔, colorful language 🤬, several trips to the toolbox 🔧🪛, and enough head scratching to qualify as cardio. 😂

Eventually, I got it back together and proudly motored out of San Pedro Harbor. 🌊😎

That’s when the steering stopped working.

Well… that’s what I thought. 😳

Convinced I’d somehow rebuilt the helm incorrectly, I quickly dropped the anchor ⚓… right in the middle of the channel… while mentally pricing new steering cables 💸 and rehearsing how I was going to explain this one.

After several minutes of investigation, I made a remarkable technical discovery…

The autopilot was still engaged. 🤖🤣🤦‍♂️

One button press… ☝️

Steering magically returned. 🎉👏

I chose not to make eye contact with the nearby boats. 🙈😂

Somehow, I still made it to Avalon for the night. 🌅🍹

With my confidence partially restored 😅, the boat decided it wasn’t finished with me. My Victron monitoring system suddenly needed a complete reset 📱⚡, giving me yet another opportunity to become best friends with owner’s manuals 📖 and mutter, “Well… that’s interesting.” 🤨

Then there was the generator. ⚙️

It starts beautifully. ✅

Runs beautifully. ✅

Exactly three minutes later…

“Nope.” 😑⏱️💨

Every.

Single.

Time.

The mystery continues… 🔍⚙️ (Quick addition prior to publishing, I had the Generator looked at by Joel Gonzalez, a marine mechanic service and it is working fine now– he will do a full service on it next week.)

Surely the excitement was over…

🤣 Of course not.

Preparing to leave Avalon, I released the stern line… only to watch it disappear beneath the boat. 😳🪢

A second later…

CLUNK! 💥 Engine stopped. The line had wrapped itself around the propeller like it had been practicing for weeks. 🪢⚙️🤦‍♂️

Cue four hours of waiting for a diver 🧑‍🔧🤿 while I became unexpectedly well acquainted with Avalon Harbor’s scenery 🏝️☀️ and perfected the art of looking innocent.

The good news? 🙌

The diver worked his magic. 🤿✨

The prop survived. ⚙️✅

The transmission survived. ✅

My wallet survived… mostly. 💸😂

My pride?

Well… let’s just say it’s still under repair. 😆

The lesson? 📚

Boats are wonderfully humbling machines. ⛵❤️ They have an uncanny ability to remind us that experience doesn’t make us immune from mistakes… it simply gives us better stories to tell over cocktails in the cockpit later. 🍹🌅😂

After all… if every trip went perfectly, what would we write about in the next newsletter? 😉⚓🌊

⚓ At the Helm: Sailor Jerry 🌊

Some people are drawn to the water. 🌊 For Jerry, known throughout his community and tribe simply as “Sailor Jerry,” the water has been a lifelong calling.

Growing up in Southern California ☀️🏄, Jerry spent countless hours surfing the Pacific coastline. Those early days on the ocean sparked a lifelong passion for aquatics 🌊 and laid the foundation for a life spent on, under, and around the water.

After a distinguished 23-year career in law enforcement 👮‍♂️, Jerry retired as a Detective in 2011, carrying forward the integrity, leadership, and calm under pressure that continue to define him today.

Since 1998, Jerry has owned and operated Water Craft ⚓, building a career as a commercial diver 🤿 and certified scuba instructor. His diving career has taken him on adventurous, and at times intense, assignments including contracts with the National Park Service 🏞️, Boulder Dam Marine Salvage, underwater search and recovery operations 🔍, underwater welding and cutting 🔧, and serving as a safety diver assisting biologists in the conservation of rare aquatic species 🐟. Whether working beneath the surface or teaching others to explore it safely, Jerry has always found purpose where land meets water.

Introduced to sailing in his mid-twenties ⛵, Jerry quickly discovered another passion that would shape the rest of his life. In 2022, he earned his American Sailing Association (ASA) certifications 📜 and is currently pursuing his U.S. Coast Guard 100-Ton Master’s License ⚓.

Together with his wife, Barbi ❤️, Jerry has embraced a life of exploration 🌍, sailing catamarans through the beautiful waters of Greece 🇬🇷, Thailand 🇹🇭, Mallorca 🇪🇸, Portugal 🇵🇹, and Spain 🇪🇸, while traveling to more than 50 countries ✈️ around the world. Every voyage has reinforced his belief that life’s greatest treasures are not the destinations, but the friends made 🤝 and the memories shared along the way.

Away from the water, wrestling 🤼 has remained one of Jerry’s greatest passions. He dedicated 16 years to coaching high school wrestling, leading his teams to seven State Championships 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 and three State Runner-Up finishes 🥈. His commitment to mentoring young athletes reflects the same leadership, discipline, and perseverance that have defined every chapter of his life.

Jerry is also an avid motorcyclist 🏍️ and proud member, and officer, of his motorcycle association. He has completed the legendary ride to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally 🛣️ on four occasions, making the annual August pilgrimage one of his favorite traditions and another opportunity to strengthen lifelong friendships 🤝.

Whether he’s at the helm of a catamaran ⛵, beneath the surface of the water 🤿, on two wheels crossing the country 🏍️, or simply surrounded by family and friends ❤️, Jerry believes life’s greatest rewards are found in the adventures we embrace 🌍 and the people with whom we share them.

⛵😎 One More Thing About Sailor Jerry…

As if commercial diver 🤿, sailing skipper ⚓, and all-around good egg 🥚 weren’t enough, Sailor Jerry is also a bona fide Man of the Cloth! 🙏🍹 Ordained in the Church of the Latter-Day Dude, he was entrusted with the honor of officiating the wedding of the G~Man’s daughter and her husband. ❤️💍 His ceremony struck the perfect balance of heartfelt, humorous, and wonderfully laid-back… very Dude-like. 😄✌️

And yes… if you’re wondering… weddings at sea are just one more adventure Gnomad Sailing Adventures can help make happen! 🌅⛵🥂

To those who know him best, he’ll always be “Sailor Jerry” ⚓, a man whose course has been guided first by a lifetime of service 🤝 and then by an endless pursuit of adventure 🌎, discovery ✨, and the journeys that have shaped his life. Anchored by his faith 🙏 and devoted to his family ❤️, he is fiercely loyal to those he calls his tribe 👊. Jerry is the first to answer the call when someone is in need, a self-proclaimed “Rescue Ranger” 🚑, always ready to lend a hand 🤝, solve a problem 🛠️, or come to the aid of a friend.

“Life is better measured by the harbors explored ⚓, the friends made 🤝, and the memories shared 📸 along the way.”

— Sailor Jerry

As for the G~Man: While we talking about GSA staff, for those wondering where I ended up—the reveal--I am now Director of Training for Firehawk Helicopters in Leesburg, Florida. Give me two more weeks and I will have dates for upcoming flotillas.

This isn’t authentic Italian… and it isn’t authentic Cajun but it is authentic G~Man tried and tested. It’s what happens when the Mediterranean and the Gulf Coast meet in the galley after a couple of glasses of red wine or vodka. 🍷😎

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

• 🍝 1 lb pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fettuccine)
• 🧅 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 🫑 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 🫑 1 yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 🫒 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 🌶️ 2 tsp red chili pepper flakes (more if you're brave!)
• 🌭 2 lbs chorizo sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 🦐 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 🍅 1 small can tomato paste
• 🍅 4 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 🍷 3 cups dry red wine
• 🧄 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 🌿 ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 🌿 2-3 tsp Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama are great choices)
• 🧂 Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 🧀 Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 🌿 Optional: Fresh parsley for garnish

Note: Most ingredients also come in cans, jars, bottles, or shelf-stable packages, making this an easy boat meal. ⛵️🍝 Look for roasted peppers, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, pesto, boxed wine, chorizo, canned shrimp, dried herbs, and grated Parmesan. 🌶️🍷🦐 Fresh onion and garlic will usually keep well for the week too, so you can still enjoy plenty of flavor without filling the refrigerator or worrying about ingredients spoiling halfway through the trip. ⛵️🍝🌶️

Directions

1. 🍝 Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. 🔥 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Sauté the onion and bell peppers for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften.
3. 🌭 Add the chorizo and chili flakes. Cook until browned, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Drain excess grease if necessary.
4. 🍅 Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, garlic, Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper, and red wine.
5. 🍷 Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
6. 🦐 Add the shrimp during the final 3-4 minutes of cooking, just until they turn pink.
7. 🍝 Toss the cooked pasta into the sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed.
8. 🌿 Finish with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of parsley.

Captain’s Tip ⚓🍷

Pair it with a loaf of warm crusty bread, a crisp Caesar salad, and a bold Cabernet or Zinfandel. It’s the perfect meal after a day under sail… and it’s almost guaranteed to earn an invitation back to the next flotilla! 😉🌅

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• Route planning/Navigation: Savvy Navvy + Orca 🌬️
• Teaching: NauticEd modules 📚
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