Sailing with Nine of Cups
| Vessel Name: | Nine of Cups |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Liberty 458 |
| Hailing Port: | Denver, Colorado, USA |
| Crew: | Marcie & David |
| About: | We've lived aboard Nine of Cups since 2000 and have managed to accumulate 86,000+ nm under the keel since that time. We completed a circumnavigation in April 2015 and managed to sail around the five great southern capes. Come along with us for the ride! |
| Extra: |
07 July 2016 | Us: East Walpole, MA / Cups: Chesapeake, VA
Taking a breather ...
Since we'll be off the boat during July and August, we plan to post only three times per week. The Captain will continue writing a practical Blue View post each week, we'll keep you up to date on what's happening with us and then throw in some cruising nuggets as well.
06 July 2016 | East Walpole, MA
Keeping fit
We’ve written before about keeping fit on the boat. David is so much better at a regimented exercise program than I am. I have all the best intentions, but I can always think of something better to do than sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts and running in place. It doesn’t take much to distract me. Walking, [...]
04 July 2016 | East Walpole, MA
Happy 240th Birthday, America
Growing up in New England, I took for granted just how lovely a summer’s morning can be in Massachusetts. It’s comfortably cool and everything smells clean and fresh. Spider webs glisten with morning dew and it’s just great to be alive and breathe in the new day. Being back at Lin’s house conjures up wonderful childhood memories of summer mornings past. And this is not just any morning … it’s the 4th of July, the best holiday of the summertime in the USA.
02 July 2016 | East Walpole, MA
Leaving Cups and a Road Trip
Leaving Nine of Cups is never easy. We know she’ll pout while we’re gone and so we do our best to make sure she’s as comfortable as possible before we leave. We were whirling dervishes trying to get everything ready.
01 July 2016 | Virginia Beach, Virginia
Hunting & Gathering - Virginia Beach
We had lots to do before leaving Cups. David was intent on getting as many chores done in advance of our departure as possible so that once we return in September, we can spend time sailing in the Chesapeake rather than doing repairs and maintenance. Much of what we needed in the way of parts and supplies, [...]
Feeling at home in the Pigsties
Terns and gulls kept us company, their high-pitched, shrill cries all around us. Seals swam beside us and leaped into the air...a fond farewell. As we rounded Southwest Cape and into the Southern Ocean, we were reminded there was nothing between us and Antarctica some 1500 nm south of us. We headed east towards Southeast Cape (one of the five great Southern Capes) and an anchorage in Recherche Bay. I had made a kettle full of Lemay Special, a family favorite passage soup, before we left and we lunched on hot stew in mugs throughout the day.
Bright, early morning sun soon succumbed to heavily overcast, grey gloomy skies. The perpetual SW swell met long period, gentle easterly swells with comfort and surprising ease. We cut between Maatsuyker Island and lonely Mewstone Island. Maatsukyer with its jagged Needle Rocks guarding it, has a beautifully traditional lighthouse which we're told is Australia's southernmost light.
We sat in the cockpit most of the day and did what we do best: chat and plan. We reviewed our decommissioning list for Nine of Cups, adding and deleting to it as required. She'll be "put to bed" for the winter with lots of TLC.
We arrived in Recherche Bay around 1800 and headed to The Pigsties. Yup, that's really the name of this well-protected anchorage. We anchored in calm waters with a fresh north wind blowing. We broke open a bottle of champagne and melted a bit of butter and ate our lobsters for dinner. We're celebrating the rounding of Southeast Cape as well as 70,000 nautical miles traveled aboard Cups. There's always a reason to celebrate on this boat!
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