08/27/2010, Rock Cr, MD
I find it hard to believe that it is almost September. I'm starting to get anxious; there are so many things yet to do before our October departure. We've had to delay this trip so often, it feels sureal to think it's really going to come to pass.
Thank you Pete and Pokey for the tips on provisioning. Lots of good ideas we'll use.
We spent two day at the boat this week. We found that the ports did not need to be rebedded...just needed a little silicone around the glass. Then I attemped to do a professional looking job putting the registration numbers on the dinghy...unfortunately, we're going to need to travel fast and keep the starboard side hidden. However, I did learn that if you take the foam off a foam paintbrush what is left is a nicley flexible plastic tongue stapled to the handle that works very well to spread the hypolon glue. Unfortunately, the glue had disolved some of the foam and stuck it in the glue before I discovered it. Ewwww! (Going to try to clean it up with denatured alcohol....)
Picked up the extra step we had Kato make for the transom. For some reason the last step up to the boat assumed we had 36 inch inseams and 28 inch waists! Watching us board was quite amusing. We'll install it when we haul the boat in a couple of weeks. We need to make sure everything on the bottom is all smooth before we leave so we're going to tend to that next. She hasn't been out of the water in over a year and I'm sure we need new zincs and fewer critters.
We keep checking things off the lists...and making new lists, but we'll get there!
Smooth sailing,
Charlotte
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08/27/2010, Rock Cr, MD
I find it hard to believe that it is almost September. I'm starting to get anxious; there are so many things yet to do before our October departure. We've had to delay this trip so often, it feels sureal to think it's really going to come to pass.
Thank you Pete and Pokey for the tips on provisioning. Lots of good ideas we'll use.
We spent two day at the boat this week. We found that the ports did not need to be rebedded...just needed a little silicone around the glass. Then I attemped to do a professional looking job putting the registration numbers on the dinghy...unfortunately, we're going to need to travel fast and keep the starboard side hidden. However, I did learn that if you take the foam off a foam paintbrush what is left is a nicley flexible plastic tongue stapled to the handle that works very well to spread the hypolon glue. Unfortunately, the glue had disolved some of the foam and stuck it in the glue before I discovered it. Ewwww! (Going to try to clean it up with denatured alcohol....)
Picked up the extra step we had Kato make for the transom. For some reason the last step up to the boat assumed we had 36 inch inseams and 28 inch waists! Watching us board was quite amusing. We'll install it when we haul the boat in a couple of weeks. We need to make sure everything on the bottom is all smooth before we leave so we're going to tend to that next. She hasn't been out of the water in over a year and I'm sure we need new zincs and fewer critters.
We keep checking things off the lists...and making new lists, but we'll get there!
Smooth sailing,
Charlotte
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08/11/2010
Hi floks,
Well, we're almost there and we need some help. Can anyone advise us on provisioning? When we provision for a few days we always end up with a more than we need (of course, that's better than less). What we're in a quandry about is: Do we make a menu and provision for it or select staples and make menus from what we have????
Also, does anyone have any advise on other items we need to take for a trip down the ICW? Yes, I realize that we're not exactly going to the ends of the earth, but it would be nice to hear from others what has worked for them.
Thanks in advance for all your help,
Charlotte
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08/02/2010, Bar Harbor
You'd think as we get older, we'd get smarter, but this is just not so. Our problem seems to be that we can't get it through our thick skulls that we're not traveling this earth in out 20year old bodies and these old rags hanging on our bones are 60 plus years old and just can't take the wear and tear we're accostomed to giving them. After working in a hot kitchen at a church festival for 14 hours last Sunday, we gathered up our provisiions and headed to the boat to finish up installing the davits and dinghy and refinishing the teak. The weather was to be a tad cooler, in the low 90's as opposed to the high 90's and 100's wed recently experienced at the boat. So we thought of it as a cold streak. Our friends Bill and Harriet thought we looked too hot and loaned us their carry on air conditioner. What a blessing! I think we're going to sacrifice the aft cabin for storage and get one for ourselves.
We got busy Wednesday and got the dinghy set. Thursday was rainy and we had a parts collecting day, running down to Annapolis to pick up the brace for the davits from Kato, hit West Marine, and of course, the Class 6 store at NAS Annapolis. Then it was off to our daughter's new digs in Arnold for dinner.
And then along came Friday. A beautiful day, a bit cooler, a nice breeze and beautiful blue skies. A perfect day for getting on the teak job. So I started on that while Terry put the finishing touches on the davits. About 1 o'clock he finished up and said he thought he'd pulled a muscle in his back. Oh-oh, not good. We needed a piece of teak to make a motor mount for the outboard and Terry set off for it (I thought using the heated seat in the car would help him feel better) while I continued to work on the teak. I was surprised a few minutes later when he returned, looking mighty peaked.
He went below and laid down saying he was feeling sick to his stomach and the pain in his back had increased. I cranked up the AC and turned on all 8 of our fans and gave him the heating pad for his back. I finished up the teak in an hour or so and checked on him every little while. He had fallen asleep and seemed okay. About two hours later he started to vomit and have uncontrollable muscle spasms in his legs and abdomen. We were off to the ER! He was seen right away and admitted. The IVs got everything calmed down, but his blood enzymes were high...sounds like a heart attack. More tests. More doctors. Finally, no heart attack (thank you Lord) but heat exhaustion and a pulled muscle!
He was released from the hospital Sunday and we drove home. He's feeling much better, but I think he's confined to the house for a few days until he's up to speed.
And so, maybe this will help us to remember: those candles on our birthdaycakes are not just decorations, but should hold a message of wisdom.
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07/17/2010, Rock Creek, MD
We're making progress! We got the davits installed and our measurements were right on, yea! Now we have to mount the motor and rig the harness to hang the dinghy. Unfortunately that will have to wait another week. We have some obligations at home that will keep us away from the boat for awhile.
While Terry worked on the davits, I worked on the teak. Winter was not kind to the finish even though she was under cover. If you're familiar with Cabo Ricos you know that there is a LOT of teak. I started at the bow and worked my way back, sanding and varnishing both sides and am about 1/3 of the way back. We also noticed that we have a couple of ports leaking that need to be rebedded. We've never done that before, so if you have any good tips to make the job easier and last longer, please pass them on.
Took two days off working on the boat to sail, but there was no wind so we just motored, anchored off the Magothy behind Dobbins Island, and swam. About 6 o'clock a strong breeze came in and by midnight we had some showers. Made the night a pleasant sleep, but the rain continued on our way back the next day. We were glad we've invested in the doger, bimini and connector. However, can't stay hidden under the roof forever and we all got soaked putting her into the slip...once secured, you guessed it, the rain stopped!
And the picture, by the way, I've been wanting to put in because I think it's funny, is of Ed and Terry last January in Hawaii. My wild and crazy guys!
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03/24/2010
Wow! It's been a busy couple of weeks since I last updated. We left Bimini under better conditions than we arrived, but still with 10 knots of wind from the west it was a long 12 hour trip back to the mainland. About two miles out we were approached by Homeland Security who questioned the captain at length and asked us each to raise our right hands and swear we were American citizens. It was, to say the least, unnerving.
We finally arrived in Ft. Lauderdale just before dark. Bill called immegration to find out how we were to check back into the country. They took all of our passpaort numbers and names over the phone and told him to report to their office. He got a cab and after about a half hour he called us to say that they needed to see all of us in person. He came back and picked us up and off we went. By now it was close to 9 PM. They took our passports and after a brief wait stamped them and we were officially back in the country. I can understand the need to be careful about whom they allow into the country, but surely, there is a better way than running up a $50 cab fee. Harrumph!
The next morning was our time to depart the sailing life and return home. We are now busy preparing the To Do list for recomissioning Zephyr and are anxious to get started. (By the way, almost all of the snow at home has melted, unfortunately, left in it's wake is the damage: several of my rhododendrens are smashed flat and will have to be replaced and the snow plow did a number on the blue spruce along the driveway and scattered the gravel from the road into deep piles on the grass...yuk!)
Sailing again soon,
CC
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We left No Name Harbor on Biscayne Bay at sun-up and headed out to Bimini, some 40 miles due east. The wind was west with a tiny bit of northing and the seas grew to 7 and 8 foot swells. Miss Piggy did admirably as we surfed along with following seas on the jib and motors. We saw land at 2:30 and then had to figure out how to make landfall. There are supposed to be markers in the channel that weren't there on the GPS; fortunately we had good charts that showed a pair of range markers to line up on to make the turn between the reef and shore. The wind was blowing like stink (I've always wanted to say that!) into shore. All hands were alert as Captain Bill brought us through the maze and into the calm waters of the harbor. We took a slip and mixed up 2 pitchers of Margaritas.
Once secured we were met by a group of folks who told us that earlier that day they had arrived by life raft after they had tried the GPS route, grounded on the coarl heads, and had to abandon ship! Their beautiful Bennateu foundered, turned toward the waves and filled with water. It has since been brought in to the dock and been pumped out. They are awaiting the Boat US insurance adjuster, but feel that the boat will be a total loss. For all the trauma the captain and crew are in good spirits as they wait and keep pumping as the vessel continues to take on water. Our best wishes go with them. But once again, we're reminded who's the boss when we're out at sea and it's no us!
We're hoping for a weather window Wednesday to return to the mainland and then start usp the coast.
Following seas,
CC
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The weather window looks good and we're ready to jump! We left Boca Chita Naval Air Station and our beloved happy hour/laundry day early this morning. We received the royal sendoff of the conch shells. The night before, the warm weather brought out the cruisers at the marina in full fun force and we finally had an opportunity to meet some of the really cool people at the marina. We swapped stories and information with Captain Mike and First Mate Len on board Jack of Hearts and Captain Ron on Last Dance. (Ron, had a few minutes to start reading your book, Sailing With Carol today. Wow, such a wonderful sailing love story. Definately on a Nicholas Sparks level except that yours is the true story of your love!) (If you're curious fellow bloggers, the book is available on Amozon.com.)
So we motor-sailed and dodged rain showers and lobster bouys on our way up the coast to a port near enough to jump off to Bimini. Tonight finds us tied up to the fuel dock at Pancho's Marina in Marathon. After filling our tanks they offered us the fuel dock for the night without charge! And, with a 25 gallon fuel purchase you get all the ice you need and chum for free....the ice was nice, passed on the chum!
Mike and Len dropped by and we compared notes on jumping off. They had tried to anchor in Bahia Honda only to find that they coundn't set the anchor "with a hammer!" We'llmake note of that in our log.
So now i t's off to bed because tomorrow night we'll be doing watches and need a good night's rest to start with. And, maybe tomorrow I will get some pictures downloaded.
Always happy to hear that someone out there is reading about out adventure, at tlong last.
Smooth seas to all,
CC
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Hooray! The weather has finally started to warm up, now I can wash the sweatpants I've had on for a week!
Returned to Key West today from our shakedown cruise to the Marquesas and Dry Tortuga. The wind and waves were more than predicted, but for my first "out-of-sight-of-land" trip everything went well. The catamaran has a much different feel than does our monohull. Having two hulls gives the enterior a huge amount of space, but it sounds real spooky when a wave crashes up under the salon. I finally got tired of feeling queasy and applied a motion sickness patch and have been fine ever since. We are going to reprovision tomorrow and then head up the coast until we get a good weather forcast for jumping over to Bimini. We were laughing this evening as Terry, Harriet and I were inventorying and planning meals for 21 days...this is a lot of work, this cruising lifestyle!
We hooked up with Barrie in the Dry Tortugas and he helped Harriet and Bill get going on the SSB. So we know it can send and receive, but still much to figure out.
Looking forward to meeting fellow bloggers, so if you see a 40 foot catamaran named Miss Piggy headed your way, give a shout.
Smooth seas,
CC
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03/03/2010, Key West
Thanks Colin for the information, unfortunately, we're not up and running yet. If anyone else has any info on an ICOM-M710 single side band that might help us get tuned in, sure would appreciate it.
Otherwise, all is well here as we wait for a weather window to go to the Dry Tortugas. Seas are supposed to settle down today from 10-12 feet to 2-4; more to our liking. Today Harriett and I are going to sew a cover for the spare dinghy, take a nap and then dinghy over to the Naval Air Station to do laundry and happy hour. Life is good and getting better!
CC
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