Lovetown USA

[Roger Long]

I was going to get out of town for the big Lovetown USA rally. However, I just anchored right behind the stage so I could go ashore to the Farmer's Market because the town dock is closed off for the show. http://fms.ws/72DOy

I met the director on the dock and he said the more sailboats in the background the better. It's going to be cold and windy tomorrow so maybe I'll stay and add Lovetown to my TV credits

Look for me, or Strider anyway, if you ever watch the show.

http://www.oprah.com/own/Lovetown-USA-About-the-Show

 

[woodster]

well that makes you a TV extra Roger....seems to me there should be a little check for you services that you could add to your crusing kitty

regards

woody

 

[Scott T-Bird]

You might have to join SAG!

 

[shemandr]

That will be my one and only appearance on an Oprah website!

 

[Paul356]

You and Oprah, together again. Love it.

 

[sailormanbigd]

a golden oportunity!!!!!!!!

hey Roger nows the time to put on your thinking cap. Major media coverage, free advertising....wait till they start filming-crowd will be applauding, then hoist your decided upon self promoting banner or slogan high on the masthead. DOn your saltiest attire and launch yourself in your dinghy and row ashore to get your interview. You might give them a good story about how you love the cruising grounds intheir state/city etc. You might even want to hire a few well endowed "profesional girls" to have on your arm for the interview! Your sailing peers and all will be quite impressed and you would certainly get a few free sundowners for the instant cellebrity status! go for it and be creative.

 

[Roger Long]

free advertising....

Free lawsuit. I was talking to the fellow at the snack bar who is sitting on the possible windfall of having hundreds, maybe thousands, more potential customers within steps of his establishment than ever before. He was told that he couldn't sell any soft drinks or chips in their original containers because the logos might appear on TV. He had to go out and buy boxes and boxes of paper cups and plain bags to transfer everything into before giving it to the customers.

Access to the park is strictly limited to those who sign an appearance waiver and no one will be allowed in wearing any clothing with a national brand logo on the back.

Ophrah will be brought to the event aboard a Coast Guard boat escorted by other USCG craft. I didn't know they provided this service to entertainers. Does she have pull or what?

I'm getting ready to move, despite the director telling me he was delighted to have my boat in the background of the shots. Once the USCG is involved, I'm sure they will fall back on the terrorism model and conclude that she is a public figure who needs to be protected with the 600 yard buffer zone. I wish I'd thought to get the director's card because I'm sure telling him he said it was OK won't wash.

The fellow who has been squatting at the 6 hour docking limit public dock (and preventing me from filling my water tanks) is still there. This is all going to be fun to watch.

Deck thermometer said 32 this morning so it isn't the coldest morning I've seen. Forecast went down to 26 which is probably what it was a few blocks inland away from the moderating effects of the water.

 

[Jimm]

Not the place for me to rant about the treatment of the rest of the world in order to 'accomodate celebrity' - no matter the cause. Our version of India's caste system? .......... fill in any expletives that come to mind and consider this my rank for the month.

 

[sailormanbigd]

WOW

I guess they have to control the event. With sponsor advertisement it would'nt look too good if everyone was drinking another brands softdrink. That guy hogging the fuel dock is gonna get his when th CG gets there i bet.
You would'nt be complainning about the cold or anything would you Roger? No mention of your warm cozzy cabin heater working great? Not to worry though you would have to be in the keys to get warmer low temp. Its frikin cold hear around Clearwater too.
Would be nice if you can get footage or pics of the goings on for us followers. The wind strength is gonna make it a real bear for boat traffic, be careful Rog

 

[Roger Long]

You would'nt be complainning about the cold or anything would you Roger? No mention of your warm cozzy cabin heater working great?

I'm very comfortable. Didn't even have to get the extra blanket out last night. Cabin was warmer this morning than we usually kept the house back in Maine.

I am glad that I'm not feeling the time pressure I was on the way down. I was worried then that, if I didn't keep moving on days like this, the cold weather would catch up with me. If I'd known we would have the winter we have, I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to get south.

I'm just as happy it's cold today. If it was a nice day for another sail somewhere, I would feel torn between my duty to you all, my faithful readers, to report on this grand and important world event and going wild horse watching again.

There's a lot less wind today so I'm contentedly hanging out, reading a very good W.E.B Griffen novel, and awaiting the arrival of her excellentness and the teeming hordes of admirers. I'm just going to sit here and soak up the love if the USCG doesn't throw me out.

 

[Roger Long]

Lovetown Event Report

I don't know what that production crew I overheard talking about 20,000 people showing up was thinking but it was a far cry from that. Production people may have outnumbered the audience which someone on the stage referred to as 600 - 700.

The cold weather probably held down the turnout. I've seen warmer February days in Maine.

The USCG did indeed transport the lady and didn't stint on the assets devoted to the task, including a dockside honor guard who looked like they were freezing their everythings off in short sleeve uniforms.

The event seems to have kind of petered out an hour after her arrival. It wasn't nearly as loud or energetic as I expected and it was nice to have something going on ashore on a day that I would have been sitting here at anchor anyway.

 

[MetricMountie]

Winter-Florida- Maine-NewBrunswick

Enjoy the weather in Flordia Roger, we just got more snow here and its' really cold today with a wind chill of -25 celcius. The rig would be ice covered here today.

 

[woodster]

I don't know what that production crew I overheard talking about 20,000 people showing up was thinking but it was a far cry from that. quote]

they would have to had ordered all the personel from Kings Bay Navy base over to there in order to get 20,000 people.....did a craft show in Kingsland about 9 miles from there in the hot summer time ...a three day event and i might have seen 20,000 total.... that is a neat little town just the same...

OBTW that old saying"see ya in the funny papers" was coined in ST MARYS...cant think of the name of the man who did it but i do know he was from there....

regards

woody

 

[sinnettc]

I am glad that I'm not feeling the time pressure I was on the way down. I was worried then that, if I didn't keep moving on days like this, the cold weather would catch up with me. If I'd known we would have the winter we have, I wouldn't have been in such a hurry to get south.

My dad used to leave Bass Harbor, up on MDI, in mid-late October for the run south. First year was pretty cold as they only had the dodger. Second year they had the entire cockpit enclosed and he said despite temps in the 30's he just needed a sweatshirt in the cockpit. Bigger issue with the late start was finding places to get propane & supplies as most of the marina stores were closed for the season until they got fairly far south.