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.

Table Mountain

27 January 2012
A visit to Cape Town isn't complete without a trip to the top of Table Mountain. The top of the mountain is flat, carved by glaciers before it rose through tectonic forces. The mountain dominates the city, looming over it, over 3,500 feet high (1085 meters). It also affects the City's weather, causing katabatic winds to rush down its slopes most summer afternoons as the slopes begin to cool and the cooler (and heavier) higher air rushes downward. It's often in the afternoon when the mountain's "tablecloth" can be seen, as a large cloud tumbles over its edges, like folds of a tablecloth.
We decided to climb up Table Mountain, rather than taking the cable car, and then take the cable car down. This would give us both a hiking experience as well as the cable car ride. We arrived at this decision after some debate, as I suggested that we take the cable car up, and hike down, for obvious reasons. But, Eric prevailed, pointing out the aerobic benefits of the hike up. He even added some of our diving weights to his backpack to make it a bit tougher.
We left early in the morning to beat the heat, and had a perfect day, when the mountain top was clear. The hike turned out to be great, although tiring, giving us a chance to see views that would otherwise be hidden. We also got to see the mountain up close, with its rock formations and beautiful wildflowers. The wildflowers were interesting because as you ascended the mountain, the types of wildflowers changed. This, of course, is no news to the wildflower cognoscenti, which we're not, but it was remarkable to us (to me at least). [pics]
The last few hundred feet up were challenging, with legs burning a bit from the climb. The trail snaked back and forth in switchback form to keep the angle of incline manageable, which made the few hundred vertical feet a much greater distance. When we reached the top though, the views were awe inspiring, made even better by the climb up. From Table MountainFrom Table Mountain
Hiking around the top of Table Mountain gives one an eerie feel, as the environment is almost moonlike. There is, however, some of the fynbos vegetation like that found on the Cape Peninsula. From Table MountainWe were rewarded by 360 degree views.From Table MountainFrom Table Mountain
The trip down the mountain in the cable car was fun as well. It provides a different and interesting view. The car has been designed so it rotate a complete turn over the several minute trip down, affording all riders views in every direction. From Table Mountain It also carries 4000 litres of water as ballast to steady its movement when it's windy. [pics]
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Blue Heron's Photos - Main
COP17, TOPtoTOP, and Essenwood Market
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Created 15 December 2011
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