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! |
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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, [...]
Blooming Tasmania
David can be very crafty. So this morning when he said “How about going to the Botanical Gardens today? I've already reserved the courtesy van”, I was immediately suspicious.
“Sure”, I said.
“It's right on the way to Bunnings (a la Home Depot) and ENZED for more hydraulic fittings” he responded without so much as a sneaky grin.
Ah, well, a good compromise and off we went.
It was cold, raw and windy as we trudged from the parking lot to the gardens entrance. The sweet smells of blossoming flowers were everywhere. Rainbow lorikeets flitted from tree to tree on the beautifully landscaped grounds. Despite the gray skies and cold temperatures, the gardens were absolutely lovely. Located high on the Queens Domain, a grassy, woodland area, the RTBG venue was used centuries ago by Aboriginal tribes, their oyster shell middens still observable. Convicts worked here in the early 19th century, their handiwork evident in historic sandstone walls and buildings still standing within the garden grounds.
As Australia's second oldest botanical gardens (Sydney's first), the RTBG were established along the Derwent River in 1818 and encompass over 35 acres. In addition to the more typical botanical garden offerings, the gardens maintain a large Tasmanian flora collection including native orchids and warantah, a type of protea, and the world's only Subantarctic Plant House.
We wandered past what is thought to be the world's second oldest steam-driven carousel in existence. The Gallopers Carousel, originally built in England in 1882, has been lovingly restored and after a stint on the Hobart waterfront, it sits regally in the gardens near the Conservatory. Some people enjoy the thrill of roller coasters. Me, I'll take an elaborately painted horse on a carousel every time. Alas, it wasn't running.
The tulips are in bloom and I don't think we've ever seen such huge ones. They were magnificent. We wandered through a hall of orchids. I always thought they required a hot, steamy environment, but they most assuredly do not as the unheated Conservatory housed thousands of gorgeous, exotic flowers. We passed a lily pond, but no lilies bloomed yet. The ducks and one solitary cormorant didn't seem to mind. The rhododendron flowers along the path were so profuse, the plants could not have accommodated even one more blossom. Hot pinks, nail polish reds, vibrant oranges, even submarine yellow...huge blossoms, some the size of your fist. We could have wandered for hours if the cold didn't finally get to us.
It's early in the season and not everything we wanted to see was in bloom AND the carousel was not operating So I've obtained a raincheck from the captain for a return visit which I'm sure he'll honor ... the next time he needs to go to Bunnings.
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