It's been a very long time since I posted to this blog. After my five day trip aboard my quaint little vessel " Freedom Roc's" I lost the intrest to post. I did determine that she is an excellent weekender boat that a prolonged adventure ( I never got off for five days) was more of a challenge. I have been contemplating on selling the little good ship and have her for sail for $6000. Exactly what I paid for her back in 2003 when I purchased her. There is something about her that keeps me yearning for the open sea though and even though she has created a lot of intrest no one has showed me the money. I am starting. To think that Gods plan for me is to take her on a big trip....maybe the Bahamas or even south to Key West. Well I'll keep you posted. Stay tuned for the rest of the story.

It's time to sh'' or get off the pot as my Mom would of said. I've got the boat as ready as I want it to be all the important things and double the safety stuff. I have decided to just do a straight run to Boca Chica and back. Without much prospect of work over the last year I've decided to help count the people of the country which starts at the end of this month. So time to go and get back. It will be my first solo trip @ any distance. I figured 2 day's max there maybe quicker depending on the winds. Will be a shake down cruise single handing. A couple of days rest there and then back again. Will keep you updated. D day is Monday 12th. Wish me luck and fair winds and I'll add a picture or two soon.

Hello to the great white north. I never thought that when I started this little simple blog spot to inform my family and friends of my trials tribulations and desires that I would be having a conversation with unknown people about unproven and simply false statements. Although I find it amusing that someone disagrees with some simple observations from lands far away, let the truth be known. Born in Hawaii, raised around world until third grade, my dad was U.S. Army. We lived in Washington State, New Mexico, Wichita Kansas, and Ankara Turkey. After that I spent the rest of my childhood years growing up in Western Washington State. My Dad worked for Boeing until 1972. He was one of the last ones laid off in the Paine Field plant that ran the large cranes making the 747's at that time. The SST funding from the government failed and England and France were awarded the contract to produce the "Super Sonic Transport" plane.
One of the first things that happened to start the degeneration of the U.S. economy. I was just a kid then. I remember, personally, when it was so cold that Puget Sound was actually freezing over causing ferry traffic difficulty between Kingston and Edmond's. Funny how none of those facts seem to end up in these conversations on Global Climate Change. Yeah I admit that I'm still young and things change around me all the time. I also have ties to Seward Alaska and have been there within the last decade. Sorry I'm so old Alaska voyeur. My father was born and raised there. Juno the Capital of Alaska? Didn't think so. Your sinking house wouldn't be built on a hot spot would it? Well it's just like looking for gold! The more energy you put into it, the larger your potential gain. Hot spots are caused by normal fluctuation in the earths crust. You see Alaska is very young as the evolutionary time has past. In your own words you say per ma frost. Obviously that is not the case if your crying about it now. I'm just saying if its permanent it is a lye to you now. Take that info and run with it. You could do like the dinosaurs and other current wildlife at this time and migrate south. I did it. It works pretty much all of the time. There is those meteor events that happen occasionally that we can't get out of the way of, but for the most part this has worked for a long time. I'm just saying. Please get a real grip on your life and try to contribute something of value to the human race. It's time for a beer now, with the recent cold weather I've found that even in Florida, sometimes refrigeration isn't necessary. Cheers my Ignorant friend.

In response to the individual that commented on my recent post of the weather and my update; you are brain washed and have not experienced life outside of a liberal classroom. I have commented on my personal observations. You on the other hand have received your information from sources not divulged. I would believe with the material that I have wrote for the world to see, that I have a much better grasp on what's happening in this world than you. You can believe anything that you want. That is if you live in a free country. Not the case for all the people of the world. I have traveled the world. I have witnessed with my own eyes and body the travesty of mans exploits on this earth. I have also witnessed the devastation that nature it self can do such as Mount St. Helen's in 82. I think its great that you feel so passionate about a cause. I just wish you would get your facts from trusted sources before you make a fool out of yourself. You see there is much history in this world we live. And if you choose to study it and understand it, you too can rest assured that in the end, matter is neither created or destroyed, and every action has a greater or equal reaction. Face it dude, your are really just a mass of carbon that with time will be recycled back to the earth. Enjoy it while it lasts my ignorant friend.

Man it's Cold! I've lived here since 1989 and this is the longest cold spell I have experienced here. In 89 we had colder weather, into the low 20's in Punta Gorda, But only for three consecutive days. It has not even hit much above 50 degrees since New years eve. Last night we had killer frost her in Sarasota for the first time in 3 years. Friday we're expecting snow showers when the next front comes through. Then Sunday it's suppose to get into the mid to low 20's. If that happens we will lose some of our palms and our lime tree. Global warming is a myth. This pattern seems to be cyclical. Anyway the water temperature is now in the mid 50's and dropping a degree or two everyday. @ 52 degrees Snook go into shock and dye if prolonged in that for any period of time. I see a big fish kill coming. I wanted to start my trip to Key West after the New Year but now it seems like it would be a survival issue to stay warm and alive. Of course there is no heat on my little boat. In fact because of that I've decided to wait until the water temp is back above the 60 deg. range before going. Freezing to death on the first trip south wouldn't be a very cool way to go.
I have sailor friends in Key West they are freezing too. I'll keep you posted of the upcoming date to sail. I do keep the Engel Reefer full of beer and do a little trailer sailing everyday for an hour or two. Today I hailed the Stickney Pt. Bridge tender which is about 5 miles from here to check out if my new VHF radio worked. Loud and Clear and by the way the opening schedule is every 20 min. I'll be putting on my boat name " FREEDOM ROC'S" tomorrow and will update with a photo then. Well that's the cold facts from here in Sarasota. Stay tuned, maybe someday I will actually go sailing.

Hello to all that follow and care, It's been crappie weather for the entire last month. Being the maiden voyage of any distance for me, and not wanting to rush a trip down to the Key's and back for the Christmas season, I've decided to put off the adventure until that time passes. It is still providing me with time to upgrade and evaluate the systems that I've installed on the boat. The Reffer has been running nonstop since I turned it on before Thanksgiving. The solar panel seems to keep the batteries fully charged even though we have not had a great deal of sun. The max charge on the power control read 5.83 amp hours. It would be great if I could get above 3 for 8 hours. The reffer takes less than an amp per hour set @ 40 deg. I keep it full of beer so it has a core charge. I noticed when you put in warm beer it takes about 2 hours to get the temp back to 40. I guess the lesson here is try and buy cold beer and per chill anything you can before adding it. During the initial trial, I set it to the coldest setting. After 4 hours the temp was -2deg. It was still running and that satisfied my curiosity to insure that it met the brochure standards. I doubt that I will be freezing much. Tests of the new LED lights I've installed show very little power use. I can't be sure of exactly the consumption but the power panel only shows around .2 volt drop when I turn them on. For comparison, The Stereo radio @ quarter volume drops the meter about .8 volts, more at louder volume. The thing to be careful with the LED lights are the different sizes and what will fit in marine outlets. There are tons of websites that have great prices if you can find the bulbs you want. The super bright ones are best for nav lights. Ebay also has great deals if search a little. Anyway that's just a short update and I will post more soon with some updated photo's. Plan on testing the new motor next Monday, weather permitting. Stay tuned........