Nope, we can't hide from these mosquitos....but here's Ken trying as hard as he can!

Well here we are at Grand Cay, and about to go across to 'Double Breasted Cay', which is apparently very peaceful and lovely. We leave tomorrow, or the day after (depending how many mosquitoes take bites out of us tonight). Last night Ken slept on top of the deck...not even in the cockpit, where I have comfortably slept many nights to get cool air. But he couldn't find relief from the heat or the mosquitoes, and I found him this morning, snoring on top of the deck. Poor guy. I think it's time for all of us to come home.

Which is precisely what we are doing. Leaving in a day or two for Florida, then back to the boatyard in Green cove Springs, to pack up the boat and the storage unit, and away we go. Ken will be driving the van and trailer with boat equipment (probably taking the engine home to rebuild) and Rick and I will be flying into Vancouver.

I realize there is so much more I can post, and I hope to do so over the summer months when internet connection is consistent.

Here's a photo of Ken waking up this morning....

As we're sitting in a coffee shop with plenty of free internet access, I'm about to post as many Bahamas photos as I have time for. This place closes in 20 minutes so I won't have time to edit them or add a caption to most. So hopefully I'll be able to update them later, but for now, enjoy the photo album entitled 'Bahamas' .

Hopefully, more will follow.

Heather, at 'The CoffeeHouse' in Hopetown, The Abacos, The Bahamas!

Yesterday was the first day of the Abaco Sailing Regatta…the first leg of the race. It was evident from the start of the race that we’re ‘here for a good time’ as we went past the START line, and Ken was at the helm, while Rick was standing on the deck playing his bagpipes (not something that any serious racing skipper would encourage). The day was marked by a few errors (o.k…..more than a few on my part) and lots of laughs. Once we realized we were in last place (as we went across the START line five minutes after the other boats), well, what can I say? The pressure was off!
After the race, as we were motoring into the harbour, our anchor wasn’t cooperating, so Ken and Rick had to work on that while I took the helm. And then not long after that, as we were heading to our anchorage for the night, Rick realized that the dinghy was no longer trailing behind us…the line had undone and it was several hundred metres behind us. So we turned around and Ken hooked the line and retrieved it. It now sits safely attached to the swim grid. Good thing this day of calamities wasn’t enough to get any of us riled up….how could you when you’re having a blast in the Bahamas?
We went to the beach party last night, in hopes of at least being acknowledged for musical contribution, but oh now, they reserve their trophies for those who were first to cross the finish line….party poopers I say!
Today we motored from Green Turtle Cay across to Treasure Cay, which boasts (according to Conde Naste travel magazine) one of the top 5 most beautiful beaches in the world. Unfortunately we haven’t seen that beach, as Ken and Rick have been busy all day doing boat jobs and filling the water tanks (which takes several hours), and I made a beef stew in the pressure cooker, and then a lemon poppyseed cranberry cake. Crazy, I know, to make a stew on one of the hottest days we’ve yet experienced, but it’s wiser than buying food here at one of the restaurants. We’ve learned that the cost is just too high for most (no, all) of the food, and although some meals have been exceptional, that is the exception! I make most of our meals (and baking) in the pressure cooker placed on the swim grid. At least that way we don’t have to have the added heat from the propane stove and the pressure cooker, basically cooking us!
Tomorrow is day two of the race. The start time is 11:00 and we travel from here to Guana Cay. Then we’ll anchor there tomorrow night and the following day cross to Marsh Harbour for a day of rest (which means boat jobs) and then another day of racing after that.
After filling the water tanks today, we discovered that one of the connections had leaked, so right now, as I am sitting in the cockpit typing this, Rick is opening up the extra sails that were stored under our berth (bed), as they got wet, along with some of our stowed clothing and shoes. The boat looks like a Chinese laundry right now….wet clothing and sails and shoes hanging every place available. And the sun is just about to set, so I’m going to go and help him pack them back inside.

Happy Canada Day from the village of New Plymouth, Green Turtle Cay.

Ken and I went into town to do some groceries and get more library books today, while Rick stayed onboard and worked on the auto-pilot. As usual, our big Canada flag is flying from the stern, and apparently some people stopped by in their dinghy to wish us a Happy Canada Day! I'm sorry I missed them...I love the chance to chat (as you might already know). Not to fret, as I met a young guy in the ice cream shop (yummy) whose mom was born in Toronto. We meet a surprising number of people here who have connections with Canada, one way or the other. Traditional Bahamian bread, which is a highlight for everyone here, is only made with Canadian Five Roses Flour...it's been that way forever. And the other evening, we were at a music night on the beach, and commented to the guitar player how beautiful his guitar was, and asked what type of wood it is. Well, wouldn't you know it? It's Canadian Ash. It really was unique.

Here's a photo of the flip flops that were a gift to me from Evelyn before we left Nanaimo. I can't believe they're still intact, as I have worn them ALOT...every day in fact. Many, many thanks to Evelyn, and to Doreen for picking them out! They're my way of saying Happy Canada Day to everyone back home.

This photo of the flip flops is taken on the swim grid, which is the stern (back) of the boat, where we step into the water every day for a salt water shower, to be rinsed with fresh water. And it's also where we climb into the dinghy or the kayak.

For anyone interested in more details on the Abaco Sailboat Regatta, you can find it here at:

http://www.regattatimeinabaco.com/

It was two months ago today, April 30th, Rick's official retirement day, that we arrived in the Bahamas.

It would be an understatement to say that I have been negligent in staying connected by means of this blog opportunity. The truth is, although relaxed, some of the days have been busier than I had expected, while others have been almost too easily passing from one to the next; there are times when none of the three of us onboard know (or care) what day of the week it is. It isn't fiction when you see a movie or read a compelling book about a shipwrecked sailor who keeps track of the days by carving a notch in the trunk of a coconut tree.

Afraid that I would forget each of our passages, as each has been unique in some way or another, I have since jotted down the basic information of most of our anchorages and their location in my calendar, which otherwise has remained closed. I'm ok with that. It seems that the world we left back home, the rat race as we know it, is married to their planners and calendars and computers and offer more attention to them than perhaps to their real, living spouse. Although I had intended to write at least a brief posting each day, clearly that was not to be. I would like to say that I will be more disciplined next time (yes, I am confident there will be a next time), but as they say (whoever they are), time will tell.

So the very least I can provide you with, upon our two month anniversary at sea, is a synopsis of our passages and some of the highlights that we've experienced along the way. I hope to fill in more details later, and certainly will post photos when I am able to do so with a more elaborate (less expensive) internet plan, upon returning either to the United States, or better still, when back home in Nanaimo. I am aware that this post needs editing, but because I have limited computer/internet use, I am not taking the time to do so. Thank you for understanding. Please be patient. As with all good things, it will be worth the wait.

Rick and I left the boatyard at Green Cove Springs, Florida, on Tuesday, April 21st (yes, I just had to look at my calendar to check the date). We motored along the Intra Coastal Waterway (known as the ICW) for 6 days when we reached Ft. Lauderdale. This is where we would begin our crossing to the Bahamas, and where Ken, Rick's brother, would meet us to join in our travels.

I thoroughly enjoyed the ICW, although Rick found it rather boring. I noted the variety of trees along the way, and unfamiliar animals from pelicans to manatees. There were the desolate islands that truly looked like they could be mistaken for Gilligan's Island, and then the local beaches of Boca Raton that were so filled with party boats, you might think it had been set up for a scene from a movie. The mansions and manicured properties of Ft. Lauderdale looked more like trophy houses than homes, and we couldn't help but notice that almost all of them looked as if nobody was home....except for the gardeners and housekeepers who were easily identifiable in their crisp uniforms. But my favourite places along the way were the tiniest little cottages that had an unmistakable lived-in look. They reminded me of the houseboat in the old tv series, 'Tammy.' I had always felt a sense of comfort, of 'home' when watching Tammy and her shenanigans on the porch of her houseboat.

Along the ICW, there are many bridges that we had to pass under; on one day, there were over 20 of them! Our mast, at 54 feet, was higher than many of the bridges. There's a guide on the internet to tell you which bridges are not high enough, and their scheduled (or not scheduled) openings. So along the way, just before we would arrive at any of these bridges, I went down below and radioed the bridge to identify us, and request their next opening. My calls, which were a novelty at first, and then not so much soon afterwards, went something like this:

"17th Street Bridge, 17th Street Bridge. This is sailing vessel Northern Mustang requesting your next opening. We are approaching from the north and our E.T.A. is ten minutes. Over."
To which I would hear a response similar to this:

"Northern Mustang, this is the 17th Street Bridge. Our next opening is at 3:30. Please stand by upon arrival Captain."

Then when we arrived, I always radioed back to let them know we were there. And once again, they replied by calling me Captain. I have to say, the first few times that happened (and it happened every time), I was elated. I bounced up the companionway to the cockpit to proudly announce to Rick, who was at the helm, that I was now the Captain. He smiled at my child-like enthusiasm.

Once in Ft. Lauderdale, we anchored at Lake Sylvia for 3 nights, and then onto Los Olas Marina for the fourth night, where Ken would arrive to join us for the passage the following day to the Bahamas.

And so on Thursday, April 30th, we left Ft. Lauderdale at 7:00am and arrived in Alice Town, North Bimini Island, just before 5:00 pm.

When arriving at Bimini, we had to immediately fly our 'quarantine' flag, which is a bright yellow nylon flag indicating that this vessel has not yet cleared immigration. After clearing, we would take down our quarantine flag, and replace it with the courtesy flag of the Bahamas, which we have been flying ever since, along with our Canadian flag off the stern. Regulations for signing in to a foreign country include having only the (actual) Captain of the vessel leave the boat, while any other crew members stay onboard. So Ken and I hung out on the deck of the boat, chatting with another cruiser, while Rick went to the immigration office, which was a few buildings away. He took with him our 'boat document' binder that I had assembled, complete with all of our passports, U.S. cruising permit, ownership papers for the boat, and other documents that we knew they may request. Oh, and $300.00 U.S. cash. It costs that much to be allowed to cruise in the Bahamas.

I've just realized that I've typed two pages and we have barely arrived in the Bahamas. Yikes....this might be a long and very boring blog post. At the risk of boring you, I will give you a point form calendar of our anchorages along the way, up to and including today's date. Details, as I had mentioned earlier, will hopefully follow along with photos.

Thursday, April 30th (only realized upon arrival in the Bahamas, that this is Rick's official last day of work for the Navy). He is now officially RETIRED!

Left Ft. Lauderdale Florida @ 7am. Motoring all the way across the passage.
Arrived in Alice Town, North Bimini Island, 5:00 pm.
Stayed at BlueWater Marina until Thursday, May 7th, during which time Ken and Rick designed and built a shade cover to span the entire cockpit of the boat. The docks where we were tied up were lined with their power tools and lumber, and they worked until dark most nights to get the job done. I was the 'canvas girl' and did some hand stitching while I sat at the shaded dock looking out among the incoming boats.

Thursday, May 7th Left AliceTown at 6:45 am
Anchored at 5:30 pm at the Berry Islands.
Stayed 3 nights here. In front of two cruise ship 'islands.' Clearly we prefer the life of living on a sailboat than the touristy life of a cruise ship passenger.

MOTHER'S DAY ....Happy Mother's Day mom!
Sunday, May 10th, left this anchorage for another at Little Harbour (near Flo's restaurant). NOTE that there are several different locations in the Bahamas that have the same name....several places called Little Harbour, and several cays (pronounced 'keys') that have the same name....very, very confusing! Anyway, this was a five hour motoring passage. The overnight was too rolly polly for us, so the next day, Monday, May 11th, we moved across the strait (1.5 hour motoring) to Bond Cay. A lovely anchorage (has proven to be one of my favourites, where we later returned).

Tuesday May 12th

Still at Bond Cay. Rick and I dinghied to a lookout on the beach and found our first conch shell. Battery troubles, though not dangerous, have been an inconvenience. We have to be wary of our power usage and are discussing where we can get assistance. Though we hadn't intended to go to Nassau, it will be the best place to get the battery help we need.

Wednesday, May 13th and Thursday, May 14th

Bond Cay. Not panicked, but in need of ice and fresh groceries. Laundry would be a treat as well...it's amazing the things you appreciate when they are not within your reach! Rick and Ken are working long hours trying to remedy the battery situation.

Friday May 15th. Left Bond Cay at 6:35 am to go to Nassau Marina.

Saturday, May 16th. Mobile 'battery guy' came to the boat and replaced batteries.

Sunday, May 17th. Left Nassau Marina at 11:30 am.

Arrived at Exumas 6:00 pm. Anchored by 6:30 pm. Sometimes it takes an hour to find a suitable anchorage. Met a Canadian couple aboard 'The Other Goose' and had a pleasant visit with them. Stayed at this anchorage until Wednesday, May 20th when we left to go back to Nassau to pick up Brian and Janelle.

Thursday;, May 21st. Grocery shopping in the morning, laundry and getting ready for our onboard guests, my son Brian and his girlfriend Janelle from Vancouver. They flew into Nassau (from Miami) and met us at the marina at 11:40am. We were just getting out of the taxi with all of our groceries, and there they were...very exciting! We left Nassau Marina at 1:30 to go back to the Exumas, and arrived there at 7:00 pm.

Friday, May 22nd. Saw the iguanas with Brian and Janelle. A fascinating experience. Lots of pictures were taken. Later in the evening, we dinghied to the smaller island where there is a completely different species of iguanas.

Saturday, may 23rd. Great snorkeling. Brian and Janelle took the dinghy to Highbourne Cay to get some much needed ice for our coolers.

Sunday, May 24th. Left Exumas at 6:00 am. Arrived at Andros Island at 4:00 pm. Snorkeled.

Monday, may 25th. Left Andros Island at 7:00 am (Heather at the helm, ran over a buoy...not a good thing). Arrived at Berry Island (South). Anchored.

Tuesday, May 26th. To Berry Island (North). Kayaking and snorkeling. Brian and Janelle seem to have found their own little beachside resort....abandoned patio table and chairs that they set up (pictures to follow). Rick and I went for a fabulous kayak along the shoreline. I'd like to go back there, as I didn't have my camera.

Wednesday, May 27th. Still at Berry Island North. Very comfortable.

Thursday, May 28th. Left anchorage. Arrived at Sunrise Marina, Freeport, Grand Bahama Island at 5:00 pm. We stayed at this marina until Tuesday, June 2nd, during which time we spent a full day at Port Lucaya Marketplace, and Brian caught a fish. On Sunday, May 30th, Brian and Janelle's last night with us, we had a celebratory dinner at Flying Fish, a fabulous dockside restaurant. Great guitar music performed by the owner and chef. An ideal evening for a bittersweet sendoff.

Monday, June 1st, Brian and Janelle left for home. A ferry ride to Ft. Lauderdale, a bus to Miami, and then they fly back to Vancouver tomorrow morning. A fabulous vacation for them, I'm sure! Certainly was the highlight of my trip to have my son join us for our journey.

Tuesday, June 2nd. Left Sunrise Marina at 8:20 a.m. Can't remember where we went....see, I told you!

Wednesday, June 3rd. We attempted to anchor at Sandy Point, but the winds were not cooperating. We turned back to hopefully anchor at Castaway Cay, a private island owned by Disney Cruiselines. Much to our disgust, the person in charge of their property, refused to offer assistance. He told us to go to Sandy Point, to which Rick explained we had just returned from there and were unable to anchor. Without empathy, he then advised us to return to our previous anchorage, which was several miles away. He was clearly not concerned about our situation. We did anchor off of their island, on the other side, and as it turned out, it was a lovely, very comfortable anchorage, where we stayed for three nights and enjoyed some of the most beautiful sunsets to date.

Saturday, June 6th. Can't remember where we anchored. Didn't write notes in my calendar! This was the day of the dolphins. Amazing performance by a pod of dolphins at our bow. Janelle had hoped to see dolphins, and we were thinking of her as they swam alongside for at least ten minutes, perhaps longer. I got some memorable video and photos that I look forward to sharing with her. It was, for me at least, a near-spiritual experience.

Sunday, June 7th Left at 3:30 pm (wherever it was). To Little Harbour, arriving at 7:30pm. Went to Pete's Pub for dinner. At Little Harbour (turtles swimming in the harbor right beside us), for four nights, and dolphins right in the harbor as well. Lots of bugs....too many bugs. Flying cockroaches even. Yes, flying cockroaches!

Thursday, June 11th. Left Little Harbor (Abaco) to HopeTown, arriving at 6:30 pm. Anchored at the base of the lighthouse. Lovely setting.

Friday, June 12th. Lots of bug bites. Moved anchorage out to the channel. Rick and I kayaked into Hopetown (the village ) and spent the day there. Climbed the litehouse.

Saturday, June 13th. Left Hopetown at 2pm. Sailed 4.8 k/hour (actually sailed, not motored). Arrived at Marsh Harbour. Stayed here for 3 nights. An unclean harbor. Unable to go into the water at all. Not something we want to repeat. Were able to provision in a large grocery store (Maxwell's), shower and do laundry at the marina, but not a pleasant experience. No desire to return.

Tuesday, June 16th. Left Marsh Harbour to Matt Lowe's Cay (1.5 motoring). Beautiful anchorage. Stayed another night. Scrabble game in the cockpit, early evening (Ken won by one point...amazing finish)!


Thursday, June 18th. Left Matt Lowe's Cay at 1:00 to White Sound. Rick and I went to a Music Night at Abaco Inn, a fundraiser for Friends of the Environment. Fabulous music, and Rick played his pipes! Stayed another night at White Sound Anchorage. No hurry to go anywhere...island time, mon!

Saturday, June 20th. Happy Birthday Brenda!

Anchored at Hopetown. The 3 of us dinghied into the local Farmer's Market at 9:30 a.m. Went for excellent coffee at the local Coffee House.

Sunday, June 21st. Happy Father's Day Pal Pal !

Left Hopetown at 8:30 am. Arrived at Fisher's Bay (Guana Cay) at 11:00 am. Went to 'pig roast' dinner at Nipper's Beachside restaurant and bar. Lots of activity there. We played in the water for the afternoon. Stayed another night at Guana Cay.

Left Guana Cay at 12:30. Arrived at Green Turtle Cay (by sail, not motor).

Today is Tuesday, June 30th and we're still at the same anchorage at Green Turtle Cay. We've gone to the local beachside music night (Pineapple's), as well as the Green Turtle Cay Resort, where Rick and I were entertained not so much by the local musicians, but more by the intoxicated tourists dancing the night away! We've done two loads of laundry that took all day because first the washer, and then the dryer was not working, and we've ALL been hooked by the local library bug (and no, I don't mean the dead cockroaches that were on the floor of the library....I even took a picture of one). The library has a book exchange, and though they encourage people to exchange one for one, we were invited by one of their library volunteers, to help ourselves to books so that they could clear the shelves in order to receive more updated books from the library of a neighbouring island. And so, being as considerate as we are, we obliged. I have read three books in the last three days....reading sometimes for 6 hours at a time, only interrupting my reading to jump off the swim grid at the stern of the boat and cool off for a quick dip in the Sea of Abaco. When I get up in the morning, Rick already has his head in a book, and when Ken is up, he too is almost immediately buried in a book. Funny, as when Ken first arrived, he commented that there were far too many books onboard, and though he still feels strongly about that, there is now a stack of about or a dozen library books stacked next to his berth.

Tomorrow is Canada Day, and I think it is fitting to let everyone back home know that I'm thinking of them...of you. We fly our flag proudly, and tomorrow, we will hopefully find some others flying their Canadian flag with whom we can celebrate, even it if means just a friendly 'hello neighbour.'

On Friday, is the beginning of the Abaco Regatta Sailing Week. Rick mentioned it to Ken and I a couple of weeks ago, and so we've decided to enter the Northern Mustang among the participants. There are several different categories of boats entering, some of which are serious racers, and those of us who are not; cruisers who just happen to be in the area and want a bit of camaraderie and an experience they can take home with them. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun for us, and a chance to meet others who are here in the Bahamas. There are four 'legs' of the race and none of them are more than a few hours long. Nothing like the Van Isle 360, which Rick participated in several years ago. This is strictly for fun...for us anyway. We refer to the boat as the 'Sanford & Sons' boat, as it is laden with 'stuff' all over the decks. Not a streamlined racing vessel, by any sense of the imagination. But it's been a fabulous experience, and a hearty sailboat that has already brought us many, many memories that we will take with us wherever we go.

I'm now going to attempt to post this long overdue, over-winded post, in the hopes that you will read it with enjoyment and somehow be able to share even a small piece of our pleasurable experiences here in the Bahamas. With love to everyone back home, Heather.

Yup, we're on the water! Woo hoo!

Launched on Saturday and left the boatyard at Green Cove Springs two days ago. Just leaving marina at Palm Coast Florida....literally leaving now. About to lose internet access.

All is well. Dolphins and eagles along the way. Sunshine and cool breezes. Will update later. Ahoy!

This is Hobart, who works here at the boatyard. He can often be seen (or not) clearing underbrush around the perimeter of the property...hopefully not to let the gators git us!

We invited our neighbour, Popeye, over for breakfast.

Actually it's Dennis who works at the boatyard, and lives in the boat next to us.

Can somebody please help me find my master....he was here just a minute ago!

Driving into Daytona, I was thrilled to see what looked remarkably like a beach back home....oh my God....it was the ocean! The Atlantic Ocean, which I have only ever seen from an airplane! I was really excited. Rick pulled into a parking lot and we wandered down to the ocean where we dipped our feet into the water,which was not as cold as we had expected it to be. It was a warm, sunny day, but after all, this was the ocean.

It meant alot to me to be able to be at the Atlantic Ocean. Not something I had really ever thought about before, and my reaction even surprised me. Makes me even more excited to see the other oceans of the world...hopefully by sailboat!

Here's the view when I first realized we were there...I snapped this photo right away.

Last week we went to Daytona Bike Week to check out thousands of colourful motorcycles and their extremely colourful riders.

We went to the largest Harley Davidson dealership in the world. The salesman told us that during a regular month, they sell between 250 and 500 motorcycles, but during BIKE WEEK, they sell from 500 to 1,000 motorcycles...in a week! It's a huge event.

The main street is closed to regular traffic, and the bikers parade themselves along the street until the wee hours of the morning. It was a bit of a 'show-off' parade, but hey, I wasn't going to tell them that!

I thought of Uncle Peter and Aaron alot, knowing that they would have enjoyed the day.

Check out the Image Gallery to the right for more photos.

And then the very next morning, this was the weather forecast for Green Cove Springs....which meant I went onto the deck and removed my lovely raincatcher so that it didn't accumulate bird droppings, salamanders and other such unwelcomed guests into the water tanks.

I set up a raincatcher a couple of days ago. Never done this before and it was a bit more of a challenge than I would like to admit, but was glad to get it done.

Here's a photo of Rick working in what I refer to as 'the belly of the boat.' He spends alot of his time there, never in a comfortable position, and always in a very cramped space as he tries to do the work that needs to be done.

We’ve been at the boatyard for nearly 4 months, and when we arrived we were hoping to be in the water before the end of February. Then the end of March. Now, it’ll be sometime in April, motivated by the fact that we are only allowed to be in the United States for 6 months at a time, and our deadline will be drawing nearer by then.

And yet, this experience has allowed me to appreciate the very simple things in life and some that are not so simple; all of which I have taken for granted for far too long. Like running water. Running hot water. Electricity. Being cooled by a fan. Being warmed by a heater. GPS. A reliable internet connection. Safe food. Healthy food. Pure drinking water. Clean feet. Laundry facilities. Flashlights that work. A library card. My guitar. Rick’s guitar. Duct tape. Scrabble. Cool cotton. Warm flannel. Waterproof mascara. Earplugs. Hot showers. My pillow. Telephone calls. Hand sanitizer. My vanity. My sanity.

This list will be continued as I discover more of the things that I need less of, and others that I would prefer a little more of.

You know how people who travel always say that it’s the people they meet along the way who make the trip worthwhile? Well, they’re right. So right. Rick and I have heard stories from people that have lived more than a cat’s share of nine lives, and others whose lives have intersected with someone in such unique ways that it’s hard to believe. But I do. Believe.

I believe that the boat will be on the water when it is ready. And until then, we will continue to learn to live together in small spaces, and to laugh often.

This was only a day or two after we arrived. Rick found scrap wood down at the end of the boatyard and started to build the stairs that would prove to be invaluable.

Yes, all of this (and more) has fit into the storage unit.

He’s rented a storage unit where many of the boat supplies are kept. Check out the picture of Day 1. So every few days, we have to drive there and look through bins, which are fairly well organized, and seek out whatever part or parts we might he needing at the time. We went there to look for a couple of lights, but they were nowhere to be found. So now the search is on. If they are not here at the boat, he’ll have to buy new ones….back to the computer and the internet (hopefully).

The boat was built in France, remember? It’s a good thing his French is decent because all the manuals and any labels on the boat identifying wires, hoses and other components are not in English, they’re in French.

During all this time at the boatyard, there’s still cooking and cleaning and grocery shopping and doing laundry and sleeping to fit into the schedule. All these things have to be done by someone. Most of the boats here are being worked on by either single men or married men whose wives have stayed home (gee, I can’t imagine why?) who manage to handle all the ‘housekeeping’ tasks on their own (however there are more than a few ‘Sanford & Son’ boat sites that are kinda’ their own little garbage dump). I know that when I was away at Christmas, Rick lived on deli meals from the local grocery store (which are pretty tasty and very filling) and cans of soup and spaghetti-o. He didn’t have time to cook meals for himself, which would then mean doing dishes in the horse trailer (after getting water from the hose and then heating it up on a cooktop outside), or do any of the other household tasks that I do. I don’t have the knowledge to do the actual boat jobs that he might like me to take over, but living on canned soup and spaghetti-o’s wouldn’t give us the energy we need to get the real work done. If I were deep in the belly of the boat and working on it all day long, every day as he is, and then opening a can of soup for lunch, and then spaghetti-o’s for dinner, well, let’s just say that wouldn’t last very long.

So I try to make sure that we have reasonably healthy, always filling lunches and dinners, and breakfasts that always provide us with protein for energy. I do the meal planning and shopping, and I do the laundry and hem his jeans (what can I say? The man’s got short legs) and patch them when needed.

I haven’t mentioned several other things that Rick is doing on the boat, many of which are so completely foreign to me that when he tells me what he’s doing, my eyes just glaze over. It overwhelms me to think of all the jobs he has to do. You might ask, ‘what if somebody doesn’t know how to do these things? What if they’re not mechanically inclined?’ People who own boats (and intend to sail them) are either inclined and reasonably capable to do the repairs themselves, or have enough money to hire someone to do the repairs. I can’t imagine what it would cost to get a 30 year old boat in sailing condition. Which is why there are people here at the boatyard who arrived years ago (yes, years ago) with the intention of getting their boats into the water within months, and they’re still here, working on their boats.

So, that’s the boat itself. What about preparing it to actually sail? The winches have to be inspected and, you guessed it, possibly repaired, maybe even replaced. And they are not inexpensive. The sails have to be tended to. All the hardware on the decks has to be checked, the steering mechanisms, the rudder, the keel, the props….the list goes on and on. All the lines have to be checked, the safety equipment inside and out. The communications devices (VHF radio) have to be checked and possibly replaced.

Ahhhh, what about refrigeration? We’re heading to the Bahamas and will need refrigeration, which is not yet in place. Another job that will need to be done. There are sailors who have logged many, many miles without using any refrigeration at all. I’ve attended seminars and read about safely storing eggs and cheeses and even meats for long voyages. However, we choose refrigeration over that option. Which means yet another big job for Rick.

Getting the engine running was a huge task, and it has taken many weeks to do so. But now it’s shiny and clean and a huge relief to have it in working order. Others might debate that having it clean shouldn’t be such a priority, but as Rick explained to me, if you get a leak somewhere in the engine compartment and it’s already covered in black oil and diesel and other fluids, you have no way of detecting where the leak might be coming from. And I’ve seen filthy dirty engines, covered in black oil and he’s absolutely right….there’s no way somebody would be able to trace a leak.

This photo is an example of Rick's resourcefulness and how it has been so useful. The item on the left, is something that he brought all the way from Nanaimo (packed in the horse trailer), as one of those things that he just thought might come in handy on the boat. As it turned out, he needed to replace the broken piece on the right, and he was able to do so by cutting the solid piece on the left. This is a perfect reason not to refer to him as a packrat!

Everything has to be safely attached to the boat. Boat batteries have to be stored in special boxes and secured inside the hull of the boat. Not always a simple task. That meant having to design and build the proper supports out of aluminum. So guess who designed and built and installed them? Rick did.

None of these are jobs that take an afternoon or perhaps a couple of hours. These jobs take days, some of them weeks to plan and design, and then to actually implement. Right now he’s working on the hydraulic lifting keel, which is not something he’s ever done before. So he’s under the boat, and in the boat, up and down the stairs, probably a couple of hundred times each day, getting the job done. We’re the only ones in the boatyard with a set of stairs into the boat (which he built as soon as we arrived). Everyone else uses a ladder, which would be painful to have to climb up and down every day. It would have been fascinating to have put a pedometer on him at the beginning of this trip, to calculate the many, many steps he has taken up and down those stairs.


See the stairs on the left of the 'horse trailer' (a.k.a. Heather's galley). Without them, every trip on and off the boat would have been on a ladder. And yes, that means carrying all the materials on and off the boat as well, or designing a pulley system to transport the really heavy, awkward parts, such as the fuel tanks and water tanks. All the rest would have been carried up and down a ladder.

Oh silly me...I forgot to mention that before you can move into your house, you'll have to check every window (port holes) and every skylight (hatches), including their frames and any installation materials. And of course if there's a problem, you're the one to fix it. Checking the doors and the doorframes isn't something you'd have to check in your house, but you do in a boat. Also the structural integrity of the beds (berths) and all the seating (settees) and the table. Any other 'built-ins' have to be inspected as well. You'll have to go outside and carefully inspect the entire outside of your house (hull) for any signs of wear and tear that might need to be remedied (by you). If you find something that you think might simply be unattractive to the eye, and therefore you can just ignore it, or paint over it, think again. It will need to be taken down to its rawest form (hand chiseling or grinding it...careful not to grind too much) and inspected even more. Then built up again, probably with materials that you don't have on hand and will need to take the time to shop for (locally? stateside? North America? globally?). Check the roof (the deck) and all the materials 'up there' for the same thing. What's worn out? What might be worn out soon? What needs to be replaced? Then do the research to find out what products you need to buy to replace the worn out ones. Then find out who carries those products. This boat was manufactured in France 30 years ago, and although the company is still making these boats, some of the original parts are no longer available for replacement. Rick has discovered that not only are some parts not available here in Florida, they're not available anywhere in North America, and some are not available anywhere. So what does that mean? He has to do even more research to find out what will be a suitable, safe replacement part for the original part. Again, more time at the computer. Remember? The computer that has intermittent internet access.

Here's Rick in the beginning stages taking out some of the wood panelling that had to go, allowing access to the hull.

Hail to Scotland!

Notice that I haven't mentioned anything about the aesthetics of your home (or our boat) before you move in? We don't have the luxury of concerning ourselves with pretty curtains or matching cushions to sit on, or lovely countertops or updated light fixtures or shiny new taps or new flooring or any of the things that you might consider before you settle into your new house. None of these things are on our priority list. They may happen, sometime, but not this year for sure. Our goal is to make the boat safe and ready to sail, and all the rest can happen later, if at all.

The only coordinating materials we have is the silver duct tape I just added to the fabric that covers the skylight in the van (to keep the heat out), which matches the lovely tin foil that I just put on the skylights (again, this is in the van) to keep the heat out, or course. As you can see we started our trip with the Flag of Scotland theme, and then we've added to it as the heat melts the tape and the fabric begins to fall off the ceiling of the van.

The Northern Mustang has a hydraulic lifting keel, and working with hydraulics is completely new to Rick. But guess what? He's learning. By trial and error, and by researching online (when he can), and by asking others. And for every person you ask, you’ll get a different suggestion. Then it’s up to you to decide which opinion would be best suited for your boat and your situation. Usually it’s a combination of several opinions. There is no manual or single source where you can seek out the information you need. Every task, every new undertaking will take all of the resourcefulness you can muster.

This photo is me grinding the barnacles off the keel and rudder. Notice my lovely chair? The original head from the boat....hey, everything has to have at least two uses, remember?

Back to the boat....

You can't move in without safe drinking water, right? Which means removing and inspecting water tanks (and cleaning and sanitizing them properly), hoses and again, all the connections. And guess what? If they're not up to snuff, you replace them. Not the local plumber. Same goes for the head (toilet). You need to remove it, inspect it, and all the hoses and fittings as well. Want a shower on board? Same thing.

I've had more than a few people ask how it could possibly take this long for us to get the boat on the water....and we're not even there yet.

So here's an explanation that I hope will make sense.

Imagine buying a house that is 30 years old, and you can't move into it until you've checked every square inch of its structure, and you have to do this all by yourself. Let's pretend that there's nobody in your town who can do the work for you, or even with you.

First you have to take out all the drywall (by yourself), the insulation, some of the studs will have to be removed (and later replaced) when you discover that they have rotted over the years. You have to take out all the carpeting and flooring, including the subfloor itself. And of course whatever is deteriorated, or may not last much longer, you'll have to consider replacing. You'll want to get prices from several different suppliers, if indeed the materials are even available anymore. You'll need to get right down to the foundation itself (the hull) and scrape away all the dirt, any old products that may have originally spilled and damaged the foundation (in the case of an aluminum boat, that means scraping every square inch of the inside of the hull because there are products that may cause 'pitting'). You have to dismantle all the wiring throughout the house, and follow each wire back to the panel box (in the nav. station) to make sure that they are actually connected where they are supposed to be connected. If they're not, you get to do the re-wiring. During this phase, you have to inspect each connection, and each of the wires to make sure they are up to safety standards, and if perhaps they need to be replaced. Then you, no, you can't phone an electrician, you have to do that replacing by yourself. All of this means many, many trips into town, and oftentimes that means the next town, which is 30 minutes away. Sometimes you have to make several phone calls first to see who might carry the materials you need, and more often than not, you will be researching on the internet to see what those materials might be. It's pretty much like detective work. Add to that, the fact that you are in a boatyard where internet connection is inconsistent. You may be researching a product and suddenly your internet connection stops, and this might happen 6 or 8 times in an hour. There will be some days when you can't even get online to do your research. So it's always a good idea to have several jobs on the go at one time (which has not been a problem)! Some are good for rainy days (inside jobs), some for sunny days, such as working outside of the boat, and some days you just have to shut everything down, hop into the van and drive to McDonald's, where they have free (reliable) internet connection. We sit in the van with our computers and each do our research. One day I spent 6 hours there while Rick was working at the boat, because I had some research that had to be done and we had no internet connection at the boatyard.

PHOTO OF THE ELECTRICAL PANEL

A beautiful sunset at the boatyard.

Hmmmm....let's see now....we could drive an hour south of the boatyard and arrive 'Down Under' or Bev and Pete could fly an entire day to Australia to get 'down under'

If I wanted to be in a fashion show I certainly wouldn't be living in a boatyard.
Remember that as you look at these anything-but-glamorous photos of me.

When I have the need, I scrub up quite nicely, thank you very much! But pressure washing the entire boat is not the time to be concerned with hair and makeup or evening attire!

Sally wasn't the only guest I found onboard that day.

I'm ready for my closeup Mr. DeMille!

Sally trying to sneak onto the boat through one of the hatches!

I refer to her as Sally the Salamander, but I know she's not really a salamander. Janet or James would know the proper name, I'm sure. The day I was pressure washing the deck of the boat, she appeared quite startled as I was cleaning inside her little hiding place (of which she probably has several).

The heater has proven to be useful for more than just heating up the van! I decided to trick myself into believing that this cookie just came out of a warm oven...and it worked!

It's always a good idea to have a fan and a heater at the ready! One day last week it was 86 degrees, and by the next day it went down to 7 degrees. Incredible! We always have the heater in the van, and the fan is always kept in the horse trailer (a.k.a. Heather's Galley) and ready to bring into the van at a moment's notice.

Oh......now here's the face of a happy Skipper!

After having spent many, many, many hours trouble-shooting and finding solutions to problems that he didn't even know existed, Rick finally heard the sound of his Perkins 4.108 engine....

And now, onto the hydraulics!

I typed this post almost a week ago (last Tuesday) and have been trying to get it online since then...here goes:


You know how some days you're grateful that decisions are made for you?
Well yesterday was one of those days.

On these cold mornings before I step out of the van, I decide which hat to wear...either the one that Evelyn made especially for me, or the one that Brian and Danny gave me a couple of years ago at Christmas. If I choose the blue one from Evelyn, without a doubt, there will be several times during the day that she comes into my mind, and I remember some of the fabulous memories that she and I created. I might find myself humming 'The Sound of Music' or thinking that I'm Tom T. Hall and break out in 'Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine.' It makes me especially grateful to have her in my life. And if I select the beige hat from the boys, wouldn't you know it? They pop into my mind more than usual throughout the day with special memories of them as little boys, or more recently, our magical Christmas together with Sydney and Janelle. Putting either hat on my head in the morning, is sure to put a smile on my face.

Well yesterday was so frickin' cold when I got up in the morning, that there was no decision to be made. I already had on my long johns from having worn them to bed the night before, and I added my jeans (after warming them on the oil heater for a couple of minutes), my long socks, an undershirt, turtleneck, flannel shirt, fleece jacket and a fleece vest, a scarf, my gloves, my warm, lined boots, and yes, BOTH hats! I wore them all day long, even when I went into town. Didn't even give it a thought....didn't care!

Not only did those hats keep me warm, but more importantly, they warmed my heart with marvelous thoughts of people that are important in my life. Isn't it funny that a gesture as simple as putting on a hat (or 2) can flood our hearts with a scrapbook of cherished memories? It makes the cold seem not quite so bad.

I guess it's official, now that I found a hat to identify me as a Swamp Person!

Was on an errand this morning, and went to three different stores to find a part for Rick's drill....nowhere to be found here in Green Cove Springs. We'll pick one up on our trip to Orange Park tomorrow. This hat was at Ace Hardware, and instead of buying it for ten bucks, I just had the feller (that's swamp talk for 'fellow') take my photo....a much better deal!

I've been at McDonald's since 10:30 this morning, as I needed to do some research on the internet, and we don't have internet access at all at the boatyard these days. It's now 5:15 pm and I'm just going to get some hot dinner and take it back to Rick at the boat....and yes, it's absolutely pouring rain here. Feels just like a November day in BC. Hard to believe, isn't it?

Hmmmmm....don't think I'd be too excited about travelling on this boat.

Here's Tracy doing what she does best....making people smile!

These two Valentine's treats were sitting on our table this morning, and we successfully guessed that they were placed there by Tracy....one of the boatyard workers who is quite amazing. Little does she know that I am treating her to a well-deserved chair massage this afternoon. She, and the others here, work so hard every day to make life here in the boatyard as pleasant as possible. They're the ones who move the boats from water to land and back again, and from the working boatyard to the storage yard. They take away our garbage and do all sorts of jobs that we greatly appreciate.

Thanks Tracy and Ron and Dennis and the rest of the staff!

November 22, 2014

SQUISHED BANANAS

I had packed these two marvelous fabric bags....basically sewn netting that are very handy on boats for hanging fruit and other items throughout the galley. So I thought they would be great for doing the same in the van. And they would have been, had I not placed two bananas in them last night (in Fredericksburg, Texas), hung them from the window knob in the van, and then unknowingly slammed them in the door last night before we made our way to the hotel room. Wasn't I surprised this morning when we were ready to go (or so I thought), Rick in the driver's seat with the motor started, and then I opened the passenger door to get in and discovered two completely squished bananas and all their entrails smeared inside the door, and along the sidestep of the van. Lovely. So I went into the hotel restaurant, tossed what was left of the flattened bananas into the trash, washed the fabric net bag in the sink and got some wet paper towel to then wash the mess on the inside of the van. And we were off for yet another day of adventure!


Oh....and what else doesn't work in the van, you may ask? My hair. with the window opened....a picture tells a thousand words!

November 13, 2014

LEAKING KEROSeNE

Did you know that a leaking kerosene lamp doesn’t do well in a moving van? Stopping to have lunch on the beach at the Oregon coast, Rick took the two lawn chairs out of the back of the van (special thanks to Marilyn and John) and in doing so, the brand new beautiful kerosene lamp that Ken picked up for us (for the boat), was tipped over just slightly. Without our knowledge, of course. It wasn’t until perhaps two hours later that I commented on the strong smell that I was trying to recognize. I mentioned that it smelled almost like kerosene, but not quite. Could it be from the vehicle in front of us? Nope. Could it be from our engine? Nope. Rick pulled over and we discovered the culprit. We removed the lamp from the cardboard box that was now saturated with kerosene, and folded the cardboard flat, stuffing it tightly into the trailer hitch so that it was no longer in the van. We planned to take it to the next garbage dumpster. Rick carefully placed the lantern into a large garbage bag and tied it up. As we continued to drive, the smell was now getting stronger. We pulled over once again, and discovered that the piece of plywood that the cardboard box (and lantern) had been packed in, was also wet with kerosene, as were many other articles back there. We removed those that couldn’t be cleaned, including the plywood, and took them to the gas station across the street, making use of their garbage dumpster (with our thanks). I then cleaned the area with paper towel and whatever cleaner was handy, which happened to be a big tub of ‘Orange Hand Cleaner.’ I was grateful that it is a pleasant smelling cleaner. That was nearly a week ago and we haven’t had any kerosene smell since.

From our roadtrip, I've found some articles that I didn't get posted, so here's one of them, and expect there to be more, as I am able to get more organized and find the time to do so:


Saturday, November 22, 2014
Avoided driving through Austin because of the Friday rush hour traffic in the morning, only to realize that it is Saturday. It’s funny because we had just driven past a school…a huge elementary school that looked more like our high schools back home, and commented that it was odd there were no cars in the parking lot. ‘Well,’ said I, ‘perhaps they’re having a day off for a professional day or some sort of school holiday.’ And on we drove. Damn. Wanted to check out Austin as Brian highly recommended it…said it’s his third favourite U.S. city next to Chicago and L.A. Oh well. We would have only driven through the city, not taken in any musical events, so we’ll perhaps save that for next time!

Just drove through Bastrop(10:30am) and I was intrigued by the remnants of what must have been a huge fire. The burned trees and lonely brick fireplaces were quite a site; they went on for miles. So I checked online, and sure enough it was a record breaking fire that happened on the long weekend in September of 2011 Blamed on neglect of the power company not culling the huge trees; in a horrendous windstorm, and during a drought, the trees were knocked over by the wind and landed on the power lines causing sparks, and then the bone dry fields beneath them caught fire…and that was it. 34,000 acres were burned up, along with 16,000 homes. And two deaths. It was quite a site just to see remains of an event that devastated this community. Just an hour earlier, I had mentioned to Rick that the power lines and the trees were intertwined along the highway, and I was surprised that it would not cause a problem. Apparently it did.

and afterwards...phew!

and during the process...

And of course the Navigation Station had to be organized....here's what it looked like before when Rick was trying to do some internet research, amongst all the stuff piled up....

I'm guessing that if my sister Brenda were to enter into this labyrinth of books, she may never be seen again...............