Evening star., 1949-07-12
LIFE ON A BOAT.
(From r. B., WashingtonD

trIOHG ~. o.p W uoftItSGOk"
Reference to the inquiry Of Mrs.
c. s. about life on . boat. the
inland waterways trip to Florida
and the problems Of the small
child aboard a cruiser: Malcolm
D. Lamborne of The Star is well
qualified to answer her questions
and I believe that he will confirm
my answers.
I would advise her to get a
copy of the Inland Waterways
Guide published by the Marina
Publishing House, Wilmington,
N. C. 1t contains all the data she
needs about the waterways and its
facilities. She will find that the
guide has not mentioned Balti-
more as port of call, but If she
leaves from Washington she won't
60 there anyway. BY all means
take the Dismal Swamp route; it's
beautiful there. She may get a
busting crossing Albermarle Sound
after leaving Elizabeth City,
N. c., as it is usually choppy there
and is about the only place along
the whole route she'll have to
consult the compass. except when
the visibility is bad in the wider
stretches en- route, such as the
lower Potomac and the Chesa-
peake. Most of the route below
Norfolk requires only that you
carefully check off the buoys and
other aids to navigation as you
see them and then pass them.
Look out for fishermen who dlle-
gally) spread their nets across the
channel near Wilmington, N. c.
If she wants to economic stay
away from the Miami area. The
Gulf Coast has more to offer for
less; at Sarasota the accommoda-
tions at the Municipal Pier are
excellent and inexpensive and 1t
is only a couple of blocks from
the city's center. Starting early
in the season they will be ahead
of the rush southwark and will
have no trouble finding dockage
space at marinas along the way.
The Waterways Guide gives all
the dope as to rates. Also starting
early they'll need good screens
and lots Of spray guns to spray
these screens to prevent tiny
sandfies from entering alive. Be
sure to get all the Inland Water
ways charts and guide put out by
the United States Coast and Geo.
detic Survey (ground floor, s.w.
corner department, Commerce
Building, Fifteenth and Constitu-
ton avenue). Also write to the
Gulf Oil Corp. $500 Gulf Build
ing. Pittsburgh. Pa, for copies Of
their Harbors Of the Middle At
lantic States, and Harbors of the
South. These pamphlets are free
and describe gassing up facilities
en- route. Other major oil COM
panies put out similar ones, but
not as good as Gulf. Better get
a marine credit card from your
favorite oil company too.
AS for the child, DR.. Carl D.
Lanes recently published book,
The Cruisers Manuel, published
by w. w. Norton Co. is a fine
one and includes dope on children
aboard q cruiser.
Mr.. Lane, however, is overly
fearful on some parts Of this sub
ject. Just keep a kapok jacket,
child's size, on the child all his
waking hours and don't let him
fall asleep where he can get up and
go on deck without your knowing
it. Keep him occupied looking
out for birds or other boats; some
simple assignment. You have time
to teach him to swim between now
and the time that you leave. You
also have time to teach him how
to get in and out Of dinghy, too.
X ~
METAL VENETIAN BLINDS.
From Mrs. B. D., Washington.J
Have noticed several inquiries
about cleaning metal Venetian
blinds. Will say I tried several
different things, but found a GER
tain pink, very much advertised
wax product, excellent. 1t is much
better than soap and water. Be
careful not to get it on the tapes,
though.