Blake Nicholls’ Presence will be Missed by the Boating Community

Blake Nicholls

The boating community is very sad to mark the unexpected passing of Blake Nicholls on November 25th.  Blake opened Nicholls Marine on Niagara Blvd in Fort Erie in 1956.  Beloved husband of the late Miranda “Patricia” (2005). Loving father of Timothy (Judy) Nicholls, Cathy Lewis and Penny (Jeff) Shaw. Cherished grandfather of Nicole and Adam Lewis, Brent, Alison and Christina Nicholls and Olivia Shaw. Sadly missed by his sisters Lynn Edwards and Elaine King and many nieces and nephews.

“He was a great man,” his son Tim Nicholls said Thursday. “He was always helping people.” Nicholls said his father’s passion was his family, and gardening – on a grand scale.

“He had a few acres out of town that he worked on and plowed himself.”

One of his most prolific crops was squash, which he not only shared with his family, but also the community.

“Whatever he didn’t use, he’d donate,” Nicholls said. “He’d donate to the Salvation Army and he even use to donate to the Haldimand War Memorial Hospital in Dunnville.”

If so desired, donations to C.O.P.E. would be appreciated by the family.

http://www.nichollsmarine.com/


Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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