Mile Marker "0" AICW Entertainment: Portsmouth Native Joins Joe Maniscalco for First Local Performance on May 1st

By David Cartier

Author "A New Day in Olde Towne"



Mile marker "0" on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway AICW is the place to be this weekend. There's a lot happening here in Olde Towne Portsmouth that you won't want to miss!

When Portsmouth native Sherri Williams Holland steps up to the microphone at The Deck Restaurant (Tidewater Yacht Marina) on May 1, for the first time performing in her hometown as key member of a band. It’s no secret that other venues around Hampton Roads (and beyond) have enjoyed Holland’s singing talents and she has quickly become a favorite around the area.

Holland performs regularly with well-known, Hampton Roads performer Joe Maniscalco as part of the Two*Can Jam Band. The group features Maniscalco, MargaritaBill on vocals (Bill Kendra) and Sherri Linn on vocals and harmonica (Sherri Williams Holland).

The Deck Restaurant in Olde Towne Portsmouth will be hosting an Oyster Roast and Deck Party on May 1, 2010 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Enjoy all you can eat oysters and a bottomless cup.

So, how did Holland land this gig with one of Hampton Roads most noted performer? It's an interesting story that I enjoy telling. She was in the audience about 18 months ago - on summer evening - enjoying Maniscalco's performance. A friend wanted to hear Holland sing and approached Maniscalco with the idea. He invited her to join him on stage and after two show-stopping numbers, Holland had his attention. They started a dialogue about performing together.

About the same time, Kendra had a similar experience with Maniscalco.

Then, in August 2009, the three of them performed together at a Sandler Center Why Not Wednesdays! event and introduced the band. By the crowd's response they knew they were on the right track. Since then they have performed in venues from Virginia Beach to Williamsburg.

The custom of recognizing talent was not new to Maniscalco. He regularly invites local musicians to join him on stage and perform a song or two with him. That’s the kind of person he is. He always available to help -- and support - others anyway he can - as a business partner, entertainment director. fellow musician and/or mentor. Maybe that's why 54 Hampton Roads musicians came together for a benefit to help their friend last February (click here, to see related story about Maniscalco)

Maniscalco has been entertaining professionally for more than three decades - as a solo act, duo or trio - in 38 states and 11 counties. While versatile in most genre, his trademark is Trop Rock tunes -- a musical gumbo of reggae, soca, calypso, beach music, surf instrumentals, celtic rock, oldies, blues and steel drum sounds. Also, during a performance, you can expect him to cover a few Motown, Buffett, country as well as Beatles tunes. Maniscalco’s song list comprised of more than 1,000 songs.

At 56, Maniscalco is a multi-instrumentalist, playing six- and 12-string acoustic guitars, flute, harmonica, autoharp and steel drum/steel pan. He frequently amazes his audiences by playing two trumpets -- simultaneously and in harmony. According to Maniscalco, most horn players play in the middle of their mouths and use the muscles from both sides, but he plays each off to one side or the other.

On the national stage, Maniscalco has opened for a long list of acts including Jimmy Buffett, Faith Hill, Chicago, Hall & Oates, Daryl Worley, B52 and Lee Greenwood.

Locally - and around the country - Maniscalco has appeared in venues from Portsmouth and Richmond to Key West and Seattle. Portsmouth residents will recall him performing at a number of local establishments including: Griff's Restaurant, Barons Pub, The Flagship Restaurant, Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Mario’s Restaurant. Last February I had the pleasure of hearing Maniscalco and Kendra perform at Montgomery Grill in Olde Towne Portsmouth. Holland was on vacation at the time.

Everything I heard about Maniscalco was true. He is every bit the outstanding musician and entertainer as others had told me! Combined with the talented vocals of Kendra, it was an enjoyable evening. Kendra adds his own personality to the show and the two really work well together.

I expect the three of them combined will be performing more around Portsmouth in the weeks and months to come. That’s why I am looking forward to hearing Holland sing in Portsmouth.

For more information on the Two*Can Jam Band, contact Fran Pigott Harding via email at fpharding@gmail.com or at 757.353.0711.

If you plan to go this Saturday...
The Deck Restaurant is located at 10 Crawford Parkway (Tidewater Yacht Marina) Portsmouth, Virginia. 757.398.1221. Call for tickets in advance - $25 each.

Would you care to make a 'Comment' or want to 'Reply'? Click the 'Comment' button below. If you're not registered, just Email me, at cjosephelder@gmail.com. I would be pleased to post your reply as a 'Comment' without using your name and e-address (your privacy will be maintained if requested). Please share your experience with other boaters (both good and bad). We would also love to post your comments and pictures that you've taken while visiting us here in Olde Towne Portsmouth as well as your travels along the AICW.

Mile Marker "0" AICW: Olde Towne Farmer's Market Season Starts May 1st

By David Cartier

Author " A New Day in Olde Towne"


Craving for fresh vegetables and delicious baked goods? Visit us here at mile marker "0' AICW in Olde Towne Portsmouth this weekend-  it's the official opening of the Olde Towne Farmer's Market. You'll find items for sale that include fresh seasonal produce, flowers, plants, canned goods, baked goods, jams, breads, honey, and more! It starts at 9 a.m. and runs until 1:30 p.m. or depending on when they run our of their products, etc. On Saturday May 1st, there are some exciting changes. The 'FirstEvents' program has expanded and offers something for everyone.

The first change is the new permanent location - it will be on Court Street between High and Queen streets. The location was previously on Middle Street, adjacent to the Sports Museum, off of High Street in Olde Towne Portsmouth.

The second change is that there will be a theme. This month the theme will have 'vintage and classic cars' will be on display on High Street.

Would you care to make a 'Comment' or want to 'Reply'? Click the 'Comment' button below. If you're not registered, just Email me, at cjosephelder@gmail.com. I would be pleased to post your reply as a 'Comment' without using your name and e-address (your privacy will be maintained if requested). Please share your experience with other boaters (both good and bad). We would also love to post your comments and pictures that you've taken while visiting us here in Olde Towne Portsmouth as well as your travels along the AICW.

Prof. Louie & The Crowmatix at the New Colony Theatre, Thursday, April 29, 2010

The New Colony Theater in Olde Towne Portsmouth is pleased to announce that internationally known Woodstock Records recording artists Prof. Louie & The Crowmatix will perform on April 29, 2010. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Opening and recording for such luminaries as the Bob Dylan Band, Riders of the Purple Sage, Jimmy Hendrix & Janis Joplin, Prof. Louie & The Crowmatix is an exciting old-time Rock-n-Roll show. http://www.woodstockrecords.com/biog.html

Woodstock-based Professor Louie & The Crowmatix (shown right) first gained attention by being Rick Danko's back-up band on his 'Times Like These' album and shortly afterward on Garth Hudson's solo outing 'The Sea To The North'. The group stayed together, started to record and toured successfully after that.

The band's front-man and keyboardist Aaron Professor Louie Hurwitz, drummer Gary Burke, vocalist Miss Marie Spinosa, bassist Frank Campbell and tasteful guitar wizard Josh Colow will take to the stage of the New Colony Theatre and play an impassioned mix of blues, roots, Americana, gospel-tinged rock and boogie that will have an audience dancing in the aisles! Click here, to see the band's video.

Tickets are on sale now by telephone at 757.395.0268 and/or in person at the New Colony Theater. Tickets prices are $15 adult , $12 senior & military. Only full-price tickets can be purchased on-line. Discount tickets (with ID) can be purchased at the door. * Boaters, ou can also purchase tickets at Starboards Kiosk located at High Street Landing.

Tickets are sold on a general admission basis and are non-refundable. Tickets can be picked up at the New Colony Theater Box Office.

The New Colony Theater as a total of 267 seats. All seats have great visibility. There are no bad seats in this intimate hall.

The New Colony Theatre is located at 430 High Street in Historic Olde Towne Portsmouth-just a few short blocks from the High Street Landing and the North Landing where you can dock your boats for free. You may also wanr to vist our numerous restaurants and pubs, specialty stores, boutiques and galleries as well as The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and city museums including the Courthouse Galleries and the Portsmouth Shipyard Museum.

Olde Towne Portsmouth-the Jewel of the Elizabeth!

Please share your experience with us!

Boaters visiting Olde Towne Portsmouth at the High Street Landing

Have you recently visited Portsmouth, Virginia or plan to visit us as you travel the AICW?  Please share your experience with us as well as other boaters traveling the AICW! Your opinion matters to us, so  let us know what we can do to improve your stay. Please E-mail your comments to cjosephelder@gmail.com (pictures are great so please include them) or leave your comments below so we can post them on Welcome to Mile Marker "0" AICW. You can also stop by and visit us at Skipjack Nautical Wares located at the High Street Landing and tell us in person. We look forward to hearing from you and  have a safe and memorable trip along the AICW!

Five Earth Day Tips for Boaters That Keep the Green in Your Wallet

NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatUS Press Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/pressroom

Annapolis, Md., April 19, 2010 - Being good to the environment doesn't have to cost money. With Earth Day coming Thursday, April 22, these five clean boating tips from the BoatUS Foundation will improve stewardship of the waterways without breaking your bank:


1. When you wash your boat, will so-called "environmentally friendly" boat cleaners get the job done? You can learn which products scored the highest -- both in effectiveness and ecology -- in BoatUS Foundation cleaning products tests. View a series of short videos as well as a full report, "Foundation Findings #47 -   Green Cleaning testing


2. If you trailer your boat to different waterways each summer, leave the uninvited aquatic hitchhikers at home by ensuring it is cleaned thoroughly (including any tackle or watersports gear) and allow it to dry completely before splashing in a different lake or river. This will help ensure any invasive species are not transported to invade new habitat.


3. Lighten the load. Remove any unnecessary gear or equipment from your boat to improve fuel economy. For boats kept in the water, keep the hull and running gear free of marine growth that can sap fuel efficiency. An engine tune up in the spring can also pay for itself over the course of the summer.


4. Stash your trash. Make a rule aboard your boat that nothing gets thrown overboard, including partially eaten food and cigarette butts. Be especially vigilant with plastic bags that can take flight underway and later kill marine life when ingested. Discard butts in special containers and recycle fishing line.


5. Fill her up -- without spilling a drop. Learn about safe and clean refueling tips, such the use of absorbent pads and "donuts," or learn how to not overfill your boat's gas tank, all at  http://www.helpstopthedrops.com/


For a complete list of 21 Steps to Clean Boating, go to www.BoatUS.com/foundation/cleanwater . Or, to make a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation that will help keep waters clean for boating and angling all year round, go to http://www.boatus.org/givegreen.

Nautical Flea Market and Yard Sale Comes to Portsmouth

By David Cartier

Author "A New Day ion Olde Towne"

Here is your opportunity to sell, swap, barter or buy and visit with boating friends.

Ocean Marine Yacht Center will hold its first Elizabeth River Boat & Nautical Yard Sale and Flea Market on Saturday, April 24, 2010. The event will take place in the Ocean Marine parking lot on Wavy Street, south of the nTelos Wireless Pavilion at Harbor Center in downtown Portsmouth. It will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Got Nautical Stuff? Interested vendors should clean out their vessels and/or storage lockers for items like marine equipment, dive gear, marine products, clothing, electronics, antiques, fishing gear, nautical arts and crafts, boats on trailers, etc. In other words, if it's nautical, bring it!

Vendors will not be charged a fee; admission is free for all. Vendors should bring their own tables and/or tents.

To sign up, call Ocean Marine Yacht Center at 757-321-7432. The deadline to register for this free opportunity is Thursday, April 22, 2010.

My recommendation is to show up early because with most flea markets and yard sales, the best stuff will be leaving early. Boaters traveling the AICW might find that one-of-a-kind item that they're searching for, so if you're passing by, give it a try!

Ocean Marine Yacht Center, One Crawford Court, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704.

About Ocean Marine Yacht Center
Ocean Marine's prime location is just one half mile south of Mile Marker Zero on the Intracoastal Waterway, and its unrestricted access from sea. They are located on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, Virginia.

The Marina at Ocean Marine Yacht Center consists of 122 all-floating slips accommodating boats to 65' as well as 1500' of alongside dockage for larger (mega) yachts. All slips have water, telephone and cable television, and electricity hook-ups. Wireless Internet Service and a Courtesy Car are also available. Restrooms, showers, laundry room and ships' store are located in the Dockmaster Building.

A certified 'Green Marina', Ocean Marine Yacht Center was built to meet and exceed the stringent requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Upon check in, you will receive a welcome package containing information about local shops, restaurants, pubs, museums and scheduled events on the downtown waterfront, all within walking distance of Ocean Marine Yacht Center.

Ocean Marine is more than just a marina. It's the most modern, state-of-the-art yacht repair facility on the East Coast of the United States. The facility provides refit and repair, dockage and storage to yachts of all sizes. It's no wonder why Ocean Marine was selected as "Marina of the Month" in the January/February 2010 issue of Marina Dock Age magazine. "Ocean Marine's biggest business its its megayacht repair facility, which is an environmental caretaker" - Marina Dock Age magazine.

The mega yacht repair facility is second to none, boasting a 1,250-ton Syncrolift capable of hauling yachts to 235' via a ground level rail transfer system to an impressive paint/repair building capable of housing two megayachts simultaneously. Both bays of the indoor paint repair facility offer a cascading water wall washdown system, smooth paneled walls, overhead and recessed surround lighting, pressurized ventilation system, and heated floors for year round operation. In addition, Ocean Marine has unrestricted access from sea and offers 1500' of alongside dockage. The Refit Projects link lists some of the most beautiful privately owned megayachts that have called to Ocean Marine Yacht Center since its inception in April of 2002.

At Ocean Marine, their technicians are qualified to repair engines, transmissions, air conditioning, refrigeration, steering and hydraulic systems. The skilled and well-seasoned yard crew handles fiberglass and gelcoat repair, bottom paint, stabilizer, propeller, shaft and strut repairs. In addition, Ocean Marine features an 80-ton Travelift, a complete parts department and engine showroom.

A note about the auther: Throughout his hospitality career, David Cartier has been responsible for marketing destinations from Maine to Virginia. He will share the latest on the people, events and what’s happening in historic Olde Towne, Portsmouth. David, along with his wife Betsy own and operate Starboards Coffee Kiosk at High Street Landing, where they provide area information to locals, visitors and boaters alike. David regularly contributes articles to Mile Marker "0" and other Skipjack blogs.

Would you care to make a 'Comment' or want to 'Reply'? Click the 'Comment' button below. If you're not registered, just Email me, at cjosephelder@gmail.com  I would be pleased to post your reply as a 'Comment' without using your name and e-address (your privacy will be maintained if requested).


Please share your experience with other boaters (both good and bad). We would also love to post your comments and pictures that you've taken while visiting us here in Olde Towne Portsmouth as well as your travels along the AICW.

Power in the Park and A Noble Cause for Our Kids

by David Cartier

Author "A New Day in Olde Towne"

Virginia Boat Racing Association (VBRA), TowneBank and the City of Portsmouth will present one of the nation’s top inboard power racing events, the 8th Annual Power in the Park Regatta.

The event is set for Saturday and Sunday, April 17 and 18, 2010 from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Portsmouth City Park. The event is free and open to the public.

8th Annual Power in the Park Regatta, April 17 and 18th, 2010

Virginia boasts three of the best race courses in the country (Portsmouth, Hampton and Clarksville). Locally, the American Power Boat Racing Association (ABPA) race in Hampton has grown to be one of the most popular events on the Peninsula. This race at Portsmouth City Park is the Virginia State Championships and should have plenty of racing excitment.

This year’s event marks the beginning of a new partnership with the Portsmouth NobleWomen, who will be running the beverage tent, with all proceeds benefiting PALS – The Portsmouth Athletic League, which provides recreational opportunities for the City’s at-risk youth.

This Portsmouth City Park race is just one of the events that the Portsmouth NobleWomen will be using a fundraiser to help local children. It should be wonderful opportunity to see some great power boat racing and help Portsmouth NobleWomen as well.

“Portsmouth City Park is one of the most amazing venues in the country", says race spokesman Randy Browning. “This section of the Elizabeth River’s Western Branch offers the racers protected and relatively shallow waters, and that means fast race times. In fact, we’ve had five world records set on this course during the past several years.”

“This event is a sight to behold,” says TowneBank Chairman and CEO Bob Aston. “When these boats reach speeds up to 150 miles per hour, you can feel the power reverberating off the water.”

Portsmouth offers one of the fastest race courses in the U.S. Several world records have been set on this well protected race site situated in a park setting. Competitors have traveled from all over the country to have a chance at setting the next world record.

Admission and parking are free to the public. Come by boat or car and enjoy a day at the races.

Bring your lounge chair or blanket and spend a day in the park. Bring your radio and tune in to the voice of Inboard Power Boat Racing on FM107.3 for live broadcasting of the race.

Next weekend, stop by Portsmouth City Park to see the 8th Annual Power in the Park Regatta. At the same time, be sure to see the NobleWomen and see how you can help them help our children in Portsmouth.


Driving Directions to Portsmouth City Park:

From the Peninsula - take I-664 through the Monitor-Merrimac Tunnel and exit on Portsmouth Boulevard. Follow Portsmouth Boulevard and turn left onto City Park Avenue, which leads straight into the park.

From Norfolk or Virginia Beach - take either the Midtown Tunnel (exiting to High Street and then turning onto Airline/Portsmouth Blvd.) or Downtown Tunnel (I-264 and exiting onto Portsmouth Boulevard). Turn right onto City Park Avenue and drive into the park.

For more information, about 'Power in the Park', please contact Randy Browning at 757.460.2201 or hydros@powerinthepark.com.

A note about the auther:  Throughout his hospitality career, David Cartier has been responsible for marketing destinations from Maine to Virginia. He will share the latest on the people, events and what’s happening in historic Olde Towne, Portsmouth. David, along with his wife Betsy own and operate Starboards Coffee Kiosk at High Street Landing, where they provide area information to locals, visitors and boaters alike.  David regularly contributes articles to Mile Marker "0" and other Skipjack blogs.

Green Your Boat Cleaning Routine

BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water

Most of the cleaners performed similarly well in the cleaning performance tests, with a few stand outs and a few disappointments. We did not find much correlation between environmental impact and cleaning performance. Meaning that generally the "greenness" of a cleaner did not impact its ability to clean.

Regardless of your choice of cleaner, how you use it can determine your environmental impact as much, if not more than, the toxicity and degradability of the product itself. Factors such as how much you dilute a product, how much you use, and where you clean your boat all contribute to the amount of product that ends up in the environment. Here are some tips to remember:

Rinse your boat often to prevent dirt
and debris from accumulating.

Rinse your boat regularly with fresh water to prevent dirt and debris from accumulating. Follow the dilution recommendations on all cleaning products. It is important to use the cleaning product as specified – whether applied directly to the hull, mixed in a bucket, or attached to a hose. We found that in most cases where the product had a range of recommended dilutions, that the stronger mixture worked equally well as the weaker mixture. So save yourself some money and stick with the weakest recommended solution that works. Use an environmentally friendly general boat soap for an overall cleaning, then spot treat those troublesome stains with a stronger product. We found that regardless of "green" claims, the five cleaners that were directly applied with a spray or a paste were hundreds, to thousands of times more toxic when used as directed than the 15 boat soaps that are mixed with water in a bucket. Minimize runoff of any cleaning products by using a towel after harsh spot treatments.

Biodegradability - relates to the amount of time it takes a substance to break down into harmless components.

Toxicity - relates to the negative effects of the substance on all types of organisms.

Use more concentrated cleaners for
 spot-treaments and use a diluted boat
 soap for all-over cleaning.

Phosphate-Free – Means that a compound is free of phosphates. Phosphates have long been used in many cleaning products and fertilizers. They can also be found in sewage, urban and agricultural runoff. Phosphates promote plant and algae growth that can be harmful as it depletes oxygen in the water needed by other organisms.

Post Consumer Recycled - Post-consumer material is an end product that has completed its life cycle as a consumer item and would otherwise have been disposed of as a solid waste. Post-consumer materials include recyclables collected in commercial and residential recycling programs, such as office paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastics and metals.

Always follow the instructions on the

 product's label. If there are multiple

 options for dilution, choose the weakest.

Recyclable – the product is suitable for recycling though common methods. This product does not necessarily contain any recycled content.

Recycled – composed of materials that have been recovered. Recovered materials are wastes that have been diverted from conventional disposal such as landfills for another use. Recovered materials include both pre-consumer and post-consumer wastes. Pre-consumer materials are generated by manufacturers and processors, and may consist of scrap, trimmings and other by-products that were never used in the consumer market.

Big Change to the Nation's Gasoline Supply Awaits EPA Approval

NEWS from BoatUS

Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatUS Press Room at BoatUS website

Tight Timetable and Lack of Testing Could Impact Consumers

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 7, 2010 – This summer, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will decide on whether to allow a 50% increase in the amount of ethanol in the nation’s gasoline supply, from the current E10 (or containing 10% ethanol) up to E15 (containing 15% ethanol). However, with testing data on the new “mid-level” ethanol formulation to be completed on only a small group of 2001 and newer model vehicles by this time frame, consumers with older cars, boats, non-road vehicles or gas-engine powered equipment may find that the fuel is not compatible or safe for use.

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), the nation’s largest boat owners group, is concerned. “Some of our members have advised us of performance, compatibility and possible safety issues with the current E10 blend,” said BoatUS Vice President of Government Affairs Margaret Podlich. “To add 50% more ethanol to every gallon of gas without first knowing what it will do to the older vehicles and other gasoline engines we currently own, is simply irresponsible,” she added.

The US Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety has also raised concerns about higher levels of ethanol and the lack of independent testing. Ethanol, a strong solvent, can accelerate the deterioration of fuel system components such as fuel lines, causing them to fail and increasing the level of risk for fire or explosions.

Last year Growth Energy, the lobbying group for the ethanol industry, petitioned the EPA to allow the sale of “mid-level” ethanol blends beyond the current 10% (E10) up to the 15% level (E15). In a November 30, 2009 response , the EPA advised Growth Energy that, “Although all of the studies have not been completed, our engineering assessment to date indicates that the robust fuel, engine, and emissions control systems on newer vehicles (likely 2001 and newer model years) will likely be able to accommodate higher ethanol blends, such as E15.”

However, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), whose mission is to support an “informed national legislature,” reports in a January 28, 2010 Report for Congress that the EPA’s November response letter “Made no comment on the status of testing for older vehicles or for non-road engines”. The CRS report also says, “Currently, no automaker warranties its vehicles to use gasoline higher than 10% ethanol,” and “small engine manufacturers similarly limit the allowable level of ethanol.”

The CRS report also says it’s unclear if the current fuel distribution systems — the pumps, tanks, delivery vehicles and underground gas lines — can tolerate blends higher than E10. “Even if the fuel is approved by EPA for use in motor vehicles, presumably fuel suppliers could be unwilling to sell the fuel unless they are confident that it will not damage their existing systems or lead to liability issues in the future,” the CRS reports.

The report adds a comment by the independent certification and testing company Underwriters Laboratories saying, “Under normal business conditions E10 at the dispenser (fuel pump) can vary from about seven to 13 percent ethanol. Assuming a similar variance would exist for E15, it likely under normal conditions ethanol concentrations would exceed the 15% limit.”

“We recognize that alternative fuels must be brought to market in the US,” said Podlich. “However, there is also a growing awareness among consumers that corn-based ethanol is not the environmental panacea it was thought to be several years ago. Increased food costs, changes in land use, and the energy required to produce ethanol are now giving many Americans second thoughts.”

BoatUS is part of followthescience.org, a coalition of 46 motor sports, environmental, food and citizen advocate groups asking for “science first” before the EPA allows a new fuel on the market. BoatUS is also a member of AllSAFE, the Alliance for a Safe Alternative Fuels Environment. The Association urges anyone who is concerned about a higher percentage of ethanol in gasoline and the lack of testing to contact their members of Congress.

###

About BoatUS:

BoatUS – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing over half a million members with government representation, programs and money saving services. For membership information visit www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.

Please take a minute and leave your comments. Your voice does make a difference!

Prof. Louie & The Crowmatix at the New Colony Theatre

By David Cartier
A New Day in Olde Towne

The New Colony Theater is pleased to announce that internationally known Woodstock Records recording artists Prof. Louie & The Crowmatix will perform on April 29, 2010. The show starts at 7:30 p.m.


Opening and recording for such luminaries as the Bob Dylan Band, Riders of the Purple Sage, Jimmy Hendrix & Janis Joplin, Prof. Louie & The Crowmatix is an exciting old-time Rock-n-Roll show .

Woodstock-based Professor Louie & The Crowmatix (shown right) first gained attention by being Rick Danko's back-up band on his 'Times Like These' album and shortly afterward on Garth Hudson's solo outing 'The Sea To The North'. The group stayed together, started to record and toured successfully after that.

The band's front-man and keyboardist Aaron Professor Louie Hurwitz, drummer Gary Burke, vocalist Miss Marie Spinosa, bassist Frank Campbell and tasteful guitar wizard Josh Colow will take to the stage of the New Colony Theatre and play an impassioned mix of blues, roots, Americana, gospel-tinged rock and boogie that will have an audience dancing in the aisles! Click here, to see the band's video.

Tickets will go on sale on Monday April 5, 2010 by telephone at 757.395.0268 and/or in person at the New Colony Theater. Tickets prices are $15 adult , $12 senior & military. Only full-price tickets can be purchased on-line. Discount tickets (with ID) can be purchased at the door.

Tickets are sold on a general admission basis and are non-refundable. Tickets can be picked up at the New Colony Theater Box Office.

The New Colony Theater as a total of 267 seats. All seats have great visibility. There are no bad seats in this intimate hall.

The New Colony Theatre is located at 430 High Street in Historic Olde Towne Portsmouth-just a few short blocks from the High Street Landing and the North Landing where you can dock your boats for free. You may also wanr to vist our numerous restaurants and pubs, specialty stores, boutiques and galleries as well as The Virginia Sports Hall of Fame and city museums including the Courthouse Galleries and the Portsmouth Shipyard Museum.

Olde Towne Portsmouth-the Jewel of the Elizabeth!

Floating Debris in the Bay

From Chesapeake Bay Magazine: Have a great weekend on the water, but be on the lookout for plenty of floating debris from recent rains to our north. By Thursday, the debris had reached the Sassafras River and was headed south. Link To Chesapeake Boating

Celestial Navigation Course Aboard the Schooner "Spirit of Independence"

Schooner SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE

Participants sight the sun using a sextant

Most of us are enthralled with the sea and are drawn to stories and movies that have a sea theme. We can all relate to the human experience of these stories and movies accept when we consider how they found their way across the featureless expanse of ocean. That to many of us is a mystery.

Peter Youngblood demonstrates the use of a sextant.

Recently, area sailors and crewmembers had a workup on celestial navigation in preparation for our cruise aboard Schooner SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE to Bermuda. The workup session was held on board at her berth, which is docked at Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, VA. Sun sights were taken throughout the day, with emphases on sextant technique used to bring an object to the horizon. Between shooting sessions the group discussed the geometry behind finding ones position with a sextant. Additionally each person used his or her sight data for sight reduction using a celestial navigation computer program that removes the drudgery of using the almanac and sight reduction tables.

Captain J. C. Waters of the SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE

The workup continued the following weekend when the SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE cruised out to the Bay where they were able to take advantage of a true sea horizon for our shots.

If you and a group of your friends would like to plan a similar cruise with hands on experience let us hear from you.


Thanks goes to Joe Elder of Skipjack Nautical Wares, also of Portsmouth, who attended and brought with him several very nice sextants from his inventory.


Visit the Schooner SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE by clicking on the link here. http://www.spiritofindependence.net/


Capt. J. C. Waters
Schooner SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE
j.c.waters@earthlink.com
757 971 1865

BLOOMING: Multi-media art showcasing the beauty of flowers.

As part of olde towne Portsmouth's monthly First Friday celebration, Riverview Gallery is pleased to invite you to a multimedia showing of many of the regions finest artist. The theme this month is BLOOMING, and will showcase the beauty of flowers. Our opening is from 5pm to 8pm and features live music by Track McCreary, good food, great art and an opportunity to talk with many of our artist in a laid back and casual environment. There is no admission charge, and this event is open to the general public.


Riverview Gallery is located at the High Street Landing in the historic Seaboard Railroad building and is open 7 days a week for your convenience. Hours are 11 a.m to 5 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and until 8 pm every Friday and Saturday. We are the ideal place to buy one of kind gifts...for someone else ..or for you!