Tag: Sea(cret) Santa

Sea(cret) Santa (19 days): Save the evironment and your skin and look good in the process!

SailProud is an awesome organization featured in last year’s Sea(cret) Santa Series. They’re a company with a social conscience and some good looking sailing kit too!

I was glad to see that StartUpNation jumped onboard the SailProud boat earlier this year by recognizing the company as the category winner for “Greenest Business” in 2009. Great job and congratulations!

You really can’t get much “greener” than giving someone special one of SailProud’s EcoWear™ Tech Tees.

Constructed from an astonishing 5 plastic bottles per shirt, and saving 3.41 pounds of carbon emissions through its construction, the EcoWear™ Tech Tee is at the pinnacle of eco-friendly wear, with all of the performance benefits you need.

Milled to have an ultra-soft, yet durable, feel the EcoWear™ Tech Tee is a high wicking and fast drying shirt that offers a comfort level and fit that no other technical shirt can. To top it off, the shirt is tested to have a UPF factor of 30+, helping to keep your skin safe from damaging UVA/B rays.

Look good and save the environment and your skin at the same time! SailProud is just another demostration of just how resourceful sailors can be.

They currently have a special on a 2 Tee gift pack for $45.99.

Sea(cret) Santa (20 Days): Sir Octopus t-Shirt

siroctopus

Jeremy Kalgreen’s Twitter profile declares “I make shirts for my fellow nerds.” Here’s what he’s got to say about his Sir Critter series:

Isn’t it about time nature got with the program and started showing a little refinement, maybe even a hint of elegance? For some reason animals just can’t seem to get their act together, so let us provide nature an example to live by with these fine t-shirts emblazoned with classy critters. Funny graphic t-shirts lag dip featuring adorable animals dolled up with top hats and monocles. Let cute and classy reign supreme!

Maybe I’m a nerd after all because I love Sir Octopus but you might know someone who would prefer Sir Hammerhead, Sir Mola Mola,  Sir Sea Slug, Sir Squid, Sir Whale, Sir Urchin, Sir Manatee or Sir Jellyfish. At $16 for a t-shirt, this is our Sea-Fever Christmas Catch of the Day. 

Flag dip to Jason Robertshaw – aka Cephalopodcast on Twitter

Sea(cret) Santa (21 Days): Surfing Really Old School Style – Wegener Surfboards

An Australian, Tom Wegener, third from right, helped revive the alaia. Photo by Thomas Campbell for NY Times

Tough times bring us back to simplicity and alaias seem to be an illustration of that. There’s a great article in today’s NY Times about this ancient style of surfboard which is currently experiencing a renaissance. (Ancient Surfboard Style Is Finding New Devotees by Jamie Brisk, Dec. 4, 2009)

Tom and Jon Wegener make alaias and when you visit their website one of the first things you see is this quote from Giorgio Armani that has nothing to do with surfing:

image

Wegener alaias are clearly as much about art as sport.

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mls1hhpPJEA]

Wouldn’t one of these look good under your Christmas tree?

Sea(cret) Santa (23 days): Adopt-a-Seal

After yesterday’s post, Sea-Fever’s ISP asked us to turn the heat down a bit.

We bet you know someone who already has everything…except a harbor seal. Nice and cuddly like yesterday’s gift and free global shipping too!

Harbor Seal

If they already have a seal, that’s not a problem. The World Wildlife Fund, not to be confused with the WWE, would be happy to hitch you up with a Sea Turtle, Seahorse, Manatee, Dolphin, Humpback Whale, Beluga Whale, Whale Shark or even a Great White Shark.

Okay, so you don’t get the actual Seal, or thankfully the Great White, but there are lots of different adoption kit options that provide cool educational materials and toys for kids and at the very least you’ll get an adoption certificate suitable for framing that will impress your friends for years. Most importantly, you’ll be supporting a worthwhile cause.

Sea(cret) Santa Series (24 days): Sexy Women of Maritime Calendar is back!

The overwhelming favorite of last year’s (Sea)cret Santa Series is back and ever sensitive to the economic challenges facing all Americans, including so many professional mariners, Jack Tar magazine has made this instant classic cheaper than ever. Pardon the puns, but at $16.99 this recession “buster” is a real “stimulus package.” On top of that, these women can literally “bail out” themselves, thank you very much!

All kidding aside, Kim Carver, Jack Tar’s publisher is a dedicated professional mariner, as are all of the women in the Women of Maritime 2010 calendar. From her recent posting on Facebook, here’s who you’ll find inside:

Continue reading Sea(cret) Santa Series (24 days): Sexy Women of Maritime Calendar is back!

Sea(cret) Santa (4 Days Left): Sexy Women of Maritime Calendar

Sea(cret) Santa is pleased to report that there is no recession in the North Pole and he and the elves have been busier than a crew of one-armed sailmakers. Unfortunately, his Internet connection has been down for a few days so he’s been unable to post some of his favorite maritime gift suggestions. But here’s one that should make up for the silence.

Women of Maritime 2009 CalendarAs CEO of Christmas, Santa uses new and old technology to make things run as smooth as possible. One of his favorite old school tools is the simple printed calendar and this year he’s found one that’s sure to bring a smile to every mariner’s face.  And have no worries, even Mrs. Claus approves of Women of Maritime Calendar put out by Jack Tar Magazine (Rated PG-13). Take it from Sea(cret) Santa, there’s no better way to keep track of your most important dates than having a good old calendar you want to keep coming back to. Here’s who’s inside:

January – Kim Carver of Bill of Rights, Lady Washington, Manitou and others
February – Hilary of Seaward, Corwith Cramer, Robert C. Seamans, Harvey Gamage Spirit of Massachusetts
March – Jen of HMS Bounty, Highlander Sea
April – Alysia of Hawaiian Chieftain, Lady Washington
May – Rosemary of Tole Mour, Mystic Whaler, Exy Johnson and Irving Johnson, Hawaiian Chieftain, Lady Washington
June – Cher of Lady Washington and others
July – Abigail M, works for NOAA, mostly in Alaska
August – Anne Catherine Kruger of Robert C. Seamans, Corwith Cramer, Catalyst
September – Elaine Eno of Lynx, Exy Johnson and Irving Johnson, Lady Washington, Amistad, Hawaiian Chieftain, Californian, Seaward, Bill of Rights, Kaisei
October – Cass of Zodiac, Adventuress, Lady Washington
November – Suzanne, works for fisheries, mostly in Alaska
December – Lia, a fisheries researcher

Since you probably want to learn a little more about the Women of Maritime and Jack Tar, here’s an interview with founder, managing editor and January Woman of Maritime, Captain Kim Carver…

Continue reading Sea(cret) Santa (4 Days Left): Sexy Women of Maritime Calendar

Sea(cret) Santa (9 Days Left): Must Sea TV

imageSome of the all-time most popular and commented posts on Sea-Fever were about the PBS’s Carrier and Sea(cret) Santa thinks someone special in your life might enjoy this critically acclaimed documentary in a nice DVD boxed set. What better way to spend a snowy winter weekend than tucked up in a Carrier marathon viewing.

From PBS:

CARRIER is a character driven, edge-of-your-seat, nonfiction drama as well as a total immersion in the high stakes world of a nuclear aircraft carrier. CARRIER follows a core group of film participants aboard the USS Nimitz, from the admiral of the strike group to the fighter pilots to the youngest sailors, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror. (Price $39.99)

Here’s a sneak peak:

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88OzITEsiQc]
YouTube – Full Trailer 1 – Carrier On Mississippi Public Broadcasting

Not only will you be giving the gift of entertainment, but you’ll be supporting the great programming that PBS gives us.

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Sea(cret) Santa (10 Days left): Sea Food

Time’s running short for holiday shopping but Sea(cret) Santa has a few unique maritime ideas still in his sea bag.

J & E Riggin. Photo by Elizabeth Poisson

Who’s the most important on a ship? The captain? Well, only if the captain is also the cook! Well, Captain Annie Mahle wear both the captain and chef hat aboard the Maine windjammer J. & E. Riggin. From her great Artichokes and Asparagus blog:

I am a mother, wife, friend, captain and chef in Maine. My husband and I run the Schooner J&E Riggin, a Maine Windjammer that takes 24 guests each week out for a one-of-a-kind adventure. We are a green, all about the food, happy family vacation for big grown ups and little kids.

At Home At Sea Captain Annie is also a cookbook author. From At Home, At Sea;

We’re all about slow cooked food—before everyone else started talking about it. When you’re cooking on our schooner’s antique cast iron woodstove you have to be.

If you’re looking for authentic Maine food and recipes from the sea, Captain Anne’s cookbook is for you. Explore our site and you will  immediately know that Anne cares about food, not only in what and how she serves it, but also in where and how it came from. If Annie can make these delicious, comforting recipes in her galley, sometimes at a 30 degree heel, on a wood stove, then you can make them anywhere!

Here’s a bonus preview of Captain/Chef Annie making one her daughter’s favorites:

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8B-TAi_DwU]
YouTube – Cheesy Garlic Bread

Bon Voyage and Appetite!

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Sea(cret) Santa (13 Days Left): Artful Giving

Sea(cret) Santa thinks that there is no better gift to give someone special than art and today in keeping with Sea-Fever tradition of FotoFriday, his bag is full of Fred LeBlanc’s unique maritime photographs.

Ernestina Fred Leblanc

About the artist from his website:

Frederick J. LeBlanc has worked as a professional photojournalist for over twenty-five years. His commercial and editorial images have appeared regularly in regional and national publications. His life long passion for classic wooden sailing vessels has led him, over the last decade, to document these historic windjammers as they sail, in harmony with the wind and sea.

Viewing himself as a photojournalistic storyteller, he uses his fine art prints,to bring to the public a greater awareness and appreciation of our maritime heritage.

Through his collections of photographic artwork he hopes to recall a vanishing era when the waves were broken only by the power of the wind, to capture the majestic beauty of these historic tall ships and to offer a visual escape that evokes a longing for the sea.

Fred also writes Wake of the Windjammers, an interesting blog about maritime heritage and photography.

Roseway Sails

Best of all, Fred’s original artwork is very reasonably priced. For instance, the above “Roseway Sails,” a 11×16 archival pigment ink print on media, matted 16×20 (includes shipping and handling) is a Collectors Print December Special offered for only $ 39.00! Prices on his other work start at $20.

Fred’s been a great promoter of maritime heritage and supporter nonprofit organizations like the American Sail Training Association.  And Santa thinks his art is great too!

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Sea(cret) Santa (14 Days Left): A Sailor’s Handiwork

For as long as sailors have been going to sea they have been engaged in making art and crafts. Scrimshaw and shipmodeling immediately come to mind. Today things aren’t all that different.

@sailorjenny is one of my Twitter “friends” and she’s a sailor in the Navy who makes some pretty nifty jewelry which she sells on Etsy.com.  From her profile:

A sailor’s life for me! I’ve been sailing the high seas (and some of the low ones, too) for 12 years. I love my job, I get to see wonderful places and amazing people and learn so much about how similar we all are – all while earning a paycheck! But when I’m not out on the waters, I’m at home in sunny San Diego exercising my creativity and creating pretty things. I enjoy the creative process, it’s like therapy for me. I love my day job, but it’s a stressful line of work, and making the world a little more beautiful helps me to balance the not-so-nice parts. My favorite time of the day is after the kidlets are in bed and the house is set back to rights, and I can create for my self in solitude. I love the process and the little bits of reclaimed goodness that my works come from. Some evenings I just go through my findings and dream; some nights I’m like a woman on fire, creating until my wonderful husband prods me off to dreamland. I hope you enjoy wearing/using my creations as much as I have enjoyed making them, I love knowing that a little piece of me is in every piece, wherever it goes.

I am inspired by my 2 wonderful precocious children, my truly wonderful Soul mate, the sea, the sailors around me and the things I find in my travels of the world.

Here’s a sample of her beautiful jewelry. More can be found here.

Hope Floats necklace

Get something truly unique for someone really special and support a sailor in the process.

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