Salt + The Jones Act = Let's Get The Story Straight

I've been reading in the news about the salt shortage in New Jersey - more accurately, I've been reading in the news about how The Jones Act is to blame for the lack of salt in New Jersey.

The Jones Act is a Cabotage Law and actually something I get asked quite a bit about so here it is in a nutshell:

A Jones Act vessel must carry goods between US Ports.

Boom done.  There are of course quite a few fine lines.  There is a difference between being a US Flag Vessel and being a Jones Act Vessel.  To be a Jones Act Vessel your keel must have been laid in the US.  My last ship was US Flagged however; it was built in China and was therefore ineligible to deliver goods between two US Ports.  That is not to say that a Foreign Flagged Vessel can't visit two US ports back to back; it just means that said vessel can't pick up a specific component in port A and drop it off in port B.  But say they picked something up in Japan and dropped it off in Port A they could then travel to Port B and drop off more goods from Japan - or they could load goods to deliver to Japan.  You get the idea.

When I was at Maine Maritime I took tug and barge - we would move the barge around, dock it, make the tug up to it - it was a great class.  What is the one thing I took away from that class and say to myself all the time?

The Seven P's.  Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

Take that International Salt, Newark Depot!

You want to blame the fact you're running out of salt on The Jones Act?  That's cool.  I mean, it must be a little embarrassing to admit that no one realized you were running out in time to arrange proper transport.

The New York Times posted this article online calling The Jones Act a decades old maritime law.  They're right.  It's a decades old maritime law.  When you go to Japan do you see people driving Chevy's?  Nope.  Do you think Japanese goods are carried on Japanese vessels?  Yep.  My point?  It's important to keep some things 'in house'.  A nation's economy is a fickle and fragile thing.  By protecting coastwise trade - it infuses our own economy with profits and provides our own citizens with a wage.  Considering America is full of money grubbing consumer whores don't you think it's better if we as a nation benefit from that?!

Now, if you'd like to read a more detailed article about Salt and Cabotage Old  Salt Blog has a great one.  Ahem, a more detailed and accurate depiction of the situation.

 End Rant.

And The Winner Is....

We love presents.  Don't we?

We especially love presents that sparkle.  Right?

We are so lucky Noni likes us.  Who's the lucky someone?

Miss Bridget!

Hope you love your new lil' sometin' sometin' - I have a feeling you will!

Can't wait to get this pretty thing in the mail!

Last Chance! Noni's Necklaces!

Nautie Friends,

This is your last chance to win Noni's Necklace!

The name will be selected tomorrow which means you should:  a) comment on the original post here b) share away on Facebook or Twitter and c) cross your fingers! 

In case you were wondering, your necklace will be pale green in color (see the one with the little pink highlight marks?  just like that one!). It's a Peruvian Opal which carries an energy of calmness and tranquility, aiding in communication and insomnia. They are superb emotional healers. See!  I'm just looking out for your well being!

Hope your weekend has been a smashing success!

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Megan

Noni + Nautie Mermate = LOVE

It's hard to travel and be comfortable and be stylish.

We've talked about this.  It's one of life's many challenges.

I have a solution!

Noni's Necklaces.

A simple, natural, elegant necklace.

four different beach days wearing noni's necklace!

Since I was gifted this necklace by Noni (she's an Auntie from the Honomu days....she may or may not have been the one to establish Uku Alerts!) I've worn it non-stop.  When I say non-stop I mean like the idonttakeitoffever kind of non-stop.

This necklace has survived beach trips.  This necklace has survived over 365 showers.  This necklace has partied in Vegas and sipped wine in Napa.  This necklace has survived a 127 day rotation at sea without fear of getting caught in heavy machinery or equipment.  This necklace gets compliments constantly.

Okay fine.  I have more than one of noni's necklaces but I'm pretty much always wearing my clear moonstone!

Today is your lucky day!

You can win your very own creation by Noni!

Here's how you can make one of these lovelies yours:

• Post a Comment.  Share your favorite quote!  Since we're currently on a Mettle Mission I'd love hear what quotes, poems or photos infuse you with Mettle!
• Socialize that Media.  Twittify it.  Facey Spacey it.  Instaglam it.  
• Tell your People.  You have a blog?!  Sweet!  Sharesies!

One week from now (that would be 17 February) I'll pull a name from a hat.  Think of it as a belated Valentines Present!  Posted a comment?  That's a slip in the hat.  Sent a tweet out into the twitterverse?  That's a slip in the hat.  Invited a new reader to the blog who is sly enough to drop your name?  That's a slip in the hat!  

You can find me on Instagram @nautiemermate (sorry can't link up to Instagram on the ship) - I tweet away @nautiemermate - I'm alive and well at Megan the NautieMermate on Facebook.  

now I know

Sometimes you think you know something and you don't.  Sometimes things you knew for certain become wishy washy.  Sometimes things need to get a bit wishy washy for you to realize that you thought you knew but you didn't.

The beauty of wishy washy is now you know.

Here's what I know in the midst of this wishy-washy-ness called a job hunt:

I am extraordinarily blessed to have such amazing people in my life.

I am extraordinarily blessed to have so many people rooting for me.

I thought I had the best friends a girl could ask for - now I know I have the best friends a girl could ask for.

I thought I had an amazing online community here at Nautie Mermate - now I know that you are all the cat's meow.

I thought my family had my back - now I know that my family has my back.

Tonight I got an email from a man I've never met - saying, 'you go girl'.  

“This is a note to encourage you to find a berth on the greatest freighter afloat, in short, don’t quit.”

— LWP

I have tears in my eyes just retyping that.  If that doesn't say cat's meow I don't know what does.  The notes, the calls, the career advice, the select name to drop.  Thankful doesn't cut it.  Blessed.  I'm Blessed.

I want to say Thank You and I don't have a whole lot to give you that you'd want.  I'm going to give you my best pictures.  I was going to keep these for myself and never share them on the blog...I do that sometimes.  But you all deserve to know how much my heart is bursting with love for you (oh the cliche...it just couldn't be avoided because it's so unbelievably true.) and if these photos don't scream 'heart bursting with love' I just don't know.

Last week my family took one last trip over to Kona to hit the beach.  On our way home we drove through Waimea and the Cherry Blossom trees were in bloom.  This only happens once a year.  The first trees were planted on Waimea's Church Row in 1953 in honor of Fred Makino who founded a Japanese Language newspaper called Hawaii Hochi in 1912.  More trees were planted by the Lions Club through the '70s and in 2012 a dozen more were planted by the Consulate of Japan and other dignitaries to mark the 100 year anniversary of cherry blossom trees from Japan.  Every year Waimea has a Cherry Blossom Festival - also called Hanami (I've always dreamed of seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan).  This past Saturday 4 more trees were planted to add to the collection.  (source)

I saw the pink blossoms in bloom and screeched, 'we're pulling over!!!!'.  

Waimea is often overcast and drizzly.  Not on the 26th of January it wasn't.  Crisp blue skies.  The perfect back drop to hot pink blossoms.

I laid in the grass looking up thinking, 'I'm not sure I've ever seen anything more stunning'.

Here's what else I know.  I know that the universe is magical.  I know that things will work out.  I know that I'm right where I should be.

“every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.”

— Buddha

Thank You Nautie Friends, Thank You Faithful Text Messagers, Thank You Family.  

You are such a blessing.

(here are tons more photos to click through....because I love you....and pink and blue...)

The Worst Travel Day Ever.

Sometimes we need to have:  The Worst Travel Day Ever.  

Why, you ask?  

Here's why.  Someday, you'll be standing in a really long line trying to reschedule a flight.  In fact, you're rescheduling multiple flights because well, it takes many flights to get where you're going.  There will be a big dude in line behind you who is standing way to close so that occasionally you'll feel his belly hitting your back.  You'll be really tired and your plantar fasciitis will be acting up.  You forgot your travel toothbrush set and your teeth are ridiculously furry.  You know that lovely tan you were sporting two days ago after the best beach day ever?  It's gone.  You have a monster of a zit on your chin.  Your purse is heavy.  You're tired of rolling your rollie.  Your jeans are cutting into your gut.  Your last flight was heinously long - in fact it was so long that your underwear left gouges in your bum - did you know that those gouges can itch?  They're itchy.  You think, 'I don't know if there can be a travel day worse than this!' and then you'll think, 'weellll....remember that other time...yep, it was worse than this!'.  Then...Boom!  You're feeling a lot better!  You get to the front of the line and you're smiling.  It's the first smile the customer service rep has seen in awhile and she now loves you soooo....you get great new connecting flights and upgraded to first class!  That, my friends, is why you need to occasionally have a really bad travel day!

I'm back in Houston after an gloriously extended trip home to the Big Island.  

On my way back I may have had my worst travel day ever.

Hilo was really stormy on Tuesday.  I was incredibly pleased.  I mean, it's a lot easier to leave paradise when it's rainy.  You feel me?

I had the redeye out of Honolulu so I didn't need to fly out of Hilo until 8:30 pm.  Well, the flight was bumpy.  It was windy and rainy.  The bumps weren't unexpected and honestly, I'm cool with bumps.  Landing in Honolulu my belly was a little shall we say, 'unhappy'.  I didn't think it was the bumps.

I figured it was the strange dinner I had.  A bowl of banana, a bowl of avocado, a bowl of cottage cheese, a pan full of sausage and a cocktail.  It sounds so much weirder than it was.  

My flight took off from Honolulu and lo and behold the bumpy air wasn't gone.  We were about five minutes into our ascent when I jumped up from my seat and bolted for the bathroom.  The Stewardess said, 'Ma'am I really need you to sit down' I squawked, 'I'm gonna barf!' She says, 'oh, okay'.  I slammed the door shut and let loose.

I continued letting loose for the entire 5.5 hour flight.  I counted 8 frazzled leaps from my seat.  

Want to know what's worse than throwing up?  Throwing up in the airplane bathroom.  Times Ten Thousand KaBajillion.

Needless to say, by the time we landed in Los Angeles I felt like I could barely move.

I put out a few mayday calls to friends in LA and Houston they went something like this, 'so like, if I was dying would you come get me....cause like, I think I'm dying....'.  

I ended up rallying at LAX.  I got some coconut water (the miracle of all miracles) and crackers.  Set my alarm, took a nap at the gate and then limped onto my final flight to Houston.

Nautie Friends, it sucked so hard core.  I had bought the cutest of cute outfits - I felt like I absolutely nailed airplane chic - and then I repeatedly sullied my skirt on the floor of an airplane bathroom.

I have a suggestion for all Travelistas.  Practice vomiting without touching the floor or using your hands.  I'm guessing there is a yoga pose out there that would do the trick!  You just never know when you might need some mad skills.

All I know is that I've done enough travel to know that a Worst Day Ever is a great way to stay calm when things are beginning to get annoying.  Perspective is amazing, amiright?!  (I also know that I shouldn't get too cocky about a Worst Day Ever...the universe is pretty spectacular at one upping me....)

Here's to ginger ale, saltines and the nicest stewardess' ever.

skirt with a now barfy hemline