The Jolly Roger Sailing Services

09/15/2026

Good review. 🏴‍☠️

Day shapes are an important part of COLREGS because they help identify what a vessel is doing during daylight. This infographic covers the main shapes for vessels at anchor, under sail and power, towing, fishing, not under command, mine clearance, restricted in ability to manoeuvre and constrained by draught.

It also includes the commonly seen combinations for RAM vessels, dredging and diving operations, towing vessels, pilot vessels, vessels aground, fishing and trawling vessels, sailing yachts and small dive boats. Learning these shapes makes it much easier to understand a vessel’s situation before you even look at its lights at night.

For cadets and beginners, the easiest approach is to first remember the eight basic shapes and then learn the special combinations one by one. Once these patterns become familiar, identifying vessels at sea becomes much quicker and more confident.

Save this post for your navigation revision and share it with someone preparing for a deck or nautical exam.

09/15/2026

Good review. 🏴‍☠️😎

IALA Maritime Buoyage System - Basic Things To Know ✅⚓️

This infographic gives a brief overview of the IALA Maritime Buoyage System, which helps mariners safely identify navigable channels, hazards, and special areas.

* Lateral Marks: Indicate the sides of a channel. Region A and Region B use different color arrangements.
* Preferred Channel Marks: Show the preferred route when a channel divides.
* Safe Water Mark: Indicates navigable water all around the mark.
* Cardinal Marks: Indicate the direction in which safe water lies—North, East, South, or West—relative to a hazard.
* Isolated Danger Mark: Marks a specific danger with navigable water surrounding it.
* Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy: Temporarily marks a newly discovered wreck or hazard.
* Special Mark: Identifies special areas or features such as cables, pipelines, and recreation zones.

Key point: A good mariner must recognize the color, shape, topmark, and light characteristic of each buoy to navigate safely.

09/11/2026

It works if you can’t use the outboard cav plate as a step.

08/20/2026

FYI

Monroe County has received permits from both the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary for the Man of War Harbor Mooring Field, marking a major milestone toward construction of the county’s planned mooring field near Key West’s Wisteria Island.

The Man of War Harbor Mooring Field is part of Monroe County’s effort to address long-term unmanaged anchoring and expand safe, managed mooring options in the Florida Keys. Chronic unmanaged anchoring can contribute to environmental damage, navigational hazards, derelict vessels, and reduced public access to waterways.

“This is a significant milestone for Monroe County and a project that we have been working toward for several years,” said County Commissioner Craig Cates. “Receiving both permits brings us much closer to construction to ultimately provide additional safe, managed mooring opportunities for the boating community.”

Once the required moorings are installed, the project will also allow a key provision of Florida Statute 327.4108(3)(a) to take effect. The statute establishes a 90-day limit on the length of time a vessel may anchor in one location within 10 nautical miles of a public mooring field or designated anchoring area in Monroe County. The anchoring limitation is intended to address long-term, unmanaged anchoring and its associated environmental and navigational impacts, and to help prevent vessels from becoming derelict.

The Man of War Harbor Mooring Field is one of two mooring fields Monroe County is developing. Monroe County is developing the other mooring field for the Boca Chica basin.

For more information, visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/marineresources.

08/16/2026

Best diving in this hemisphere.

🌊 LOOE KEY REEF REPORT — Saturday, August 15

👀 Visibility estimate: 35-55 ft (forecast-based est.)
🌡️ Nearby water temp observation: 89°F
🌊 Seas forecast: 2-3 ft
💨 Wind observation: From the east at 14 knots, with gusts up to 16 knots.
☁️ Weather: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms, high near 94°F

💡 DID YOU KNOW?
🏝️ Spain’s steamship Valbanera left for Cuba in 1919 with more than 1,200 passengers and crew. Most passengers disembarked before Havana. The remaining 488 were lost when a powerful hurricane drove the ship onto Halfmoon Shoal west of Key West. NOAA archaeologists are still mapping wreckage buried by shifting sand.

🎵 Tonight at the Tiki Bar: Adstract Radio

🐠 You're already in the Keys — try a Discover Scuba session: https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/looekeyreefresort/?full-items=yes&utm_source=meta&utm_medium=organic_social&utm_campaign=reef-report&utm_content=2026-08-15_aerial-drone
📞 Or call us: (305) 872-2215

08/14/2026

08/14/2026

08/09/2026

Fair winds and following seas sailing West Capt Rick.

⚓💔 SAD DAY IN KEY WEST — FAIR WINDS, CAPTAIN RICK SANDS
--------‐-------

We got some sad news out of Key West this morning.

Captain Rick Sands, longtime captain of the beautiful schooner Spirit of Independence, passed away.

A lot of people around Key West knew Rick, and even if you didn’t know him personally, there’s a pretty good chance you knew his boat.

If you’ve spent any time around the Historic Seaport over the years, you’ve probably seen the Spirit of Independence sitting at the dock or watched her heading out into Key West waters. 🌊⛵

Rick spent decades on the water taking people sailing. Sunset trips, day sails, weddings, private charters — a whole lot of people stepped aboard that schooner over the years and went home with a great Key West memory because of Captain Rick.

He was also part of the sailing community around Schooner Wharf and sailed the Spirit of Independence in the Wrecker’s Cup races.

But mostly, Rick was just one of those familiar Key West faces.

You know what I mean if you’ve lived down here awhile. The people you see around the marina or the docks. Maybe you know them well, maybe you just wave or say hello, but after enough years you get used to seeing them there.

And then one day they’re not.

That’s what makes news like this hit home. ❤️

Our thoughts are with Rick’s family, friends, crew and everyone around the Key West waterfront who knew and loved him.

Fair winds and following seas, Captain Rick. ⚓🌅

You spent a lot of years taking people out to enjoy these waters.

Now it’s your turn to set sail.

Rest easy, Captain.

If you knew Rick or ever sailed aboard the Spirit of Independence, please share a picture or a memory in the comments. I’m sure there are a lot of good Captain Rick stories out there. ❤️


Key West Historic Seaport History of Diving Museum Florida Keys History & Discovery Center Museum of Florida History History In Pictures HISTORY WSVN-TV Memes Key West Island News NBC 6

08/09/2026

Part of the experience.