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.

Close encounters with Flying Fish--Revised

22 March 2012 | Fortaleza to Grenada Passage
Bob
The passage to Grenada has been one of our fastest ever. We've had strong and consistent NE trade winds in the 15 to 25 knot range along with a current that is pushing us relatively quickly toward our destination. As a result, we've now had three consecutive 200+ mile days (200.4, 214 and 218). Our speed over ground has been consistently running in the high 8.-'s to low 9.- knots. Yesterday the current deserted us for a while, and our speed dropped to essentially our speed through the water--about 7.5 to 8 knots. Last evening, however, the current returned and we're once again making great time.

Small things provide diversions while on passage. The flying fish have been providing diversions for me. These small fish (generally 3-12 inches long) with wings evolved from pectoral fins, provide comic relief as well as tragedy in their own lives as they encounter Blue Heron.From 2012-04-02 Brazil-Grenada As we sail along, they are apparently frightened by the boat and take off, whizzing across the waves. Some of them, however, seem not too accurate in their flight, as each day we end up with near a dozen that have landed on deck on died. Many are successful in surviving, however, as the species is very prolific. This morning, while walking about the decks to send the dead ones to their watery graves (or more likely another fish's dinner table) one particularly acrobatic fish flew over the cockpit diagonally across the boat, probably 15 feet in the air. His water to water distance was probably 50 or more feet. If I'd been in the cockpit at the time, I might have taken a hit across the face with a flying fish! Later that afternoon around dinnertime, one flew through the open cabin window, perhaps trying to join us for dinner, striking Eric on the leg. Following his acrobatic antics he was left wiggling on the cabin floor. Eric scooped him up and tossed him overboard.

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Blue Heron's Photos - Main
COP17, TOPtoTOP, and Essenwood Market
9 Photos
Created 15 December 2011
1 Photo | 5 Sub-Albums
Created 7 June 2011

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