Blue Heron

Vessel Name: Blue Heron
Vessel Make/Model: Hallberg Rassy 43
Hailing Port: Delaware City, DE
Crew: Bob & Eric Frantz
About: Bob retired in January, 2011 from a career as an environmental attorney and manager, and Eric earned his Bachelor's Degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC in December, 2010. They began their circumnavigation February 6, 2011.
Extra: In the words of that great American author, Mark Twain, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
19 June 2012
13 June 2012 | Fishing Bay Harbor Marina, Deltaville, VA
12 June 2012
09 June 2012
05 June 2012 | Cannonsport Marina, Palm Beach Shores, Florida
01 June 2012 | in passage to Bahamas
25 May 2012 | Sapodilla Bay
21 May 2012 | Jost van Dyke
18 May 2012
17 May 2012 | BVI
14 May 2012
07 May 2012 | Simpson Bay
03 May 2012 | Charlestown Harbour
01 May 2012
15 April 2012 | St. Lucia
13 April 2012
11 April 2012
06 April 2012
Recent Blog Posts
19 June 2012

The Blue Heron did it!

Today is the 500th day since we began our adventure around the world. We did it! We've completed our circumnavigation! We have not only crossed our wake but have passed the point from which we originally set sail on February 6, 2011. All that remains is to get us and the Blue Heron home. She has [...]

13 June 2012 | Fishing Bay Harbor Marina, Deltaville, VA

Waiting to get back on our way

We passed Little Creek Marina in Norfolk, VA during the middle of the night last night -- that's where our dream voyage began 16 months ago. We then made our way to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay where we were greeted with a howling hello in the form of 30+ knot winds on the nose. Making any headway was almost impossible so, we have diverted for safe harbor once more to wait for this weather system to pass. If anything, the North Atlantic lives up to it's reputation as being predictably unpredictable. Now, we wait (impatiently) for another weather window so that we can make our way home.

12 June 2012

Big Fish - take a look

Our steady progress and, generally, uneventful passage thusfar was punctuated with excitement yesterday afternoon when Eric called out, "I've got one!" He caught a White Marlin in the late afternoon. The fish fought hard and we had quite a time getting the fish on board. The fish measured 6'4" and [...]

09 June 2012

on our way north

This morning we left West Palm Beach at 8:15AM and are making our way north. We're hopeful that weather will be in our favor the entire final passage home -- we'll see. We've started with the benefit of both the gulf stream and favorable winds and are moving along at about 9 knots.

05 June 2012 | Cannonsport Marina, Palm Beach Shores, Florida

weather detour

We're stopping in Palm Beach for a day or so to wait out some weather due to come offshore from the Carolinas. Then we'll continue our northbound journey for home.

The Blue Heron did it!

19 June 2012
Today is the 500th day since we began our adventure around the world. We did it! We've completed our circumnavigation! We have not only crossed our wake but have passed the point from which we originally set sail on February 6, 2011. All that remains is to get us and the Blue Heron home. She has performed magnificently for the entire 16+ months of our voyage. She gave us some spectacular rides in good weather and kept us safe as she plowed through inclement weather and high seas. She has enabled us to see and do things that many people have only imagined -- our voyage has truly been the dream of a lifetime.
We had hoped to sail directly from the Turks and Caicos to home port and were certain we'd be there by now. However, we've had a few interruptions.
Our first two delays were due to weather. Confident that our third try would be a charm and with a favorable weather prediction for this entire week, we weighed anchor yesterday morning, waved good-bye to Deltaville, VA and set sail to make our way home. We sailed back out the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, planning to enjoy some great sailing weather and continue north along the coast on what was to have been a two day passage.
We were interrupted for a third time, however. We had a close encounter with an uncharted sandbar. Although we detected no damage at the time, we decided it was better to be safe than sorry and changed course in order to arrange for a closer look. We're hoping to be on our way sooner than later.
When we do continue, we'll set course for Annapolis rather than continue on to our original destination, New York Harbor. We were really looking forward to sailing past the Statue of Liberty but, we'll save that for another time.
It is said that nothing is perfect and that one can't have everything...but, we've been fortunate. Our adventure has been as close to perfect as one could hope and we have an endless list of wonderful memories which we'll be able to enjoy for many years to come.
We look forward to getting home and catching up with everyone as soon as we are able.

Waiting to get back on our way

13 June 2012 | Fishing Bay Harbor Marina, Deltaville, VA
We passed Little Creek Marina in Norfolk, VA during the middle of the night last night -- that's where our dream voyage began 16 months ago. We then made our way to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay where we were greeted with a howling hello in the form of 30+ knot winds on the nose. Making any headway was almost impossible so, we have diverted for safe harbor once more to wait for this weather system to pass. If anything, the North Atlantic lives up to it's reputation as being predictably unpredictable. Now, we wait (impatiently) for another weather window so that we can make our way home.

Big Fish - take a look

12 June 2012
Our steady progress and, generally, uneventful passage thusfar was punctuated with excitement yesterday afternoon when Eric called out, "I've got one!" He caught a White Marlin in the late afternoon. The fish fought hard and we had quite a time getting the fish on board. The fish measured 6'4" and we now have a freezer full of steaks. Eric did quite a job landing it.From 6-15-12 FL to NY
We continue to make progress but, will change course somewhat in anticipation of Friday's weather forecast.

on our way north

09 June 2012
This morning we left West Palm Beach at 8:15AM and are making our way north. We're hopeful that weather will be in our favor the entire final passage home -- we'll see. We've started with the benefit of both the gulf stream and favorable winds and are moving along at about 9 knots.

weather detour

05 June 2012 | Cannonsport Marina, Palm Beach Shores, Florida
We're stopping in Palm Beach for a day or so to wait out some weather due to come offshore from the Carolinas. Then we'll continue our northbound journey for home.
Blue Heron's Photos - Norfolk to Bahamas
Photos 1 to 16 of 16 | Main
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backing out of the Norfolk slip to begin the journey.
set sail in the evening for Great Inagua.
 
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