Footloose-on-TwoLoose

01 March 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
New Friends!
28 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Donkey Day! PLUS
27 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Maybe Generator Fix?
23 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
La Trek is Back!
22 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
U/W Projects List
21 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
New Underway Target
12 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Dinghy Dock
11 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Beach Beautiful
11 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Busy Week
04 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Bigger Wrench!
02 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
TwoLoose in Antiguan Berth
01 February 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Splash!!
28 January 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Sour Sop
21 January 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Ahhhhh… Much Better!
17 January 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Too Small for Comfort
07 January 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Return to Antigua after a two-year absence-since Feb ‘17!
31 December 2018 | Isla Mujeres, MX
2018 Christmas on Isla Mujeres, MX
25 December 2018 | Isla Mujeres, MX
2018 Christmas on Isla Mujeres, MX
11 December 2016 | Pasito Blanco Marina, Gran Canaria (GC)
TwoLoose Preparing for 2016 Westward Atlantic Crossing
23 September 2016 | Gibraltar
Arrivals

Queen of the Sea

21 April 2019 | English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies
Annette Brown
This unknown (to us anyway) beauty appeared to be the self-proclaimed Queen of the Sea for the Classic Yacht Parade of Ships.

Columbia – a Gloucester fishing schooner

21 April 2019 | English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies
Annette Brown
As the lead in the Antigua Classics Parade of ships, Columbia (141" long), hailing from Panama City, FL USA passes us by as we watched from an Italian restaurant in English Harbour.

Antigua Yacht Club (AYC)

19 April 2019 | English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies
Annette Brown
After watching the classic yachts race from on high, we went down into English Harbour to the AYC to have lunch and to walk the docks to see these monster ships close up.

Here is one of the medium sized classic participants - the 103' staysail schooner EROS built in 1939.

32nd Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta

19 April 2019 | English Harbour, Antigua, West Indies
Annette Brown
See more photos under the gallery section which will be under construction for a few days.

Here is the tall ship Rhea and tall ship Chronos, both 156’ long and both with wishbone sails going neck and neck.

We had a great view of the racing from high up above English Harbour on Shirley Heights.

TwoLoose on the hard - again!

18 April 2019 | Jolly Harbor Marina Antigua, West Indies
Annette Brown
It was a long day, the Thursday before Easter and we were glad to have it behind us.

Up around 0500, onto the boat in her berth for last minute preps, off to the marina office to pay our bill and finally the transit to the fuel pier where we topped off the tank.

Although we were scheduled for a 1330 pull, the travel lift had earlier ruptured a hydraulic hose, so we were delayed (in the very hot sun) in the lift process until about 1500.

Afterwards we returned to the villa we’d rented and crashed – sleeping almost non-stop for 10 hours!

Castaways Sunset w Buddha

14 April 2019
Annette Brown
Taking a break from our work schedule to enjoy probably our last dinner at Castaways for this season anyway. Genie & John of Island Time joined us.
Vessel Name: TwoLoose
Vessel Make/Model: IP45
Hailing Port: Everett, WA, USA
Crew: Captain Pete Cisek & Wife/Navigator Annette Brown
About:
Both of us are retired US Navy. Upon retirement 1/2006 we moved aboard our second TwoLoose (TL) - living aboard & cruising full time for the next 11 years. [...]
Extra:
This is the third sailboat "TwoLoose" we have owned; having purchased her in 2008. These are her specifics: Make/Model: Island Packet 45 (IP45) Year: 1998 (Hull #28) Length Over All (LOA) 45'3"/13.8m Length of Waterline (LWL) 37'3"/11.3m Beam: 13'4"/4m Draft: 5.2"/1.6m Height of Mast: [...]
Social:
TwoLoose's Photos - Jan 2017 Successful Atlantic Crossing to Antigua
Photos 1 to 30 of 30 | Main
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Columbus
TwoLoose in the slings at PBM: But before we could pick-up Bob for the 21 day transit to Antigua we needed to lift TL for a look at her underbody/keel/shaft – to be sure of her underwater condition before crossing – all was good! We also made time to fly back to the states for some checks of our own with our doctors in Bethesda.
Crew Arrives! Bob “Hokie” Baran: We were VERY happy to see Bob at the Las Palmas, Grand Canary airport even though his luggage came later… THREE days later! As he came in from San Diego we were very appreciative of his willingness to travel so far to join us! This was his second Trans-Atlantic with us – clearly a good friend and SHIPMATE!! …even if he is former USAF! He makes up for it by being an alumnus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg VA – same as AB – although graduation years are separated by a few years 😊.
Never too late to fix the underway toilet seat!: The day before we departed PBM on GC, Capt Pete & Bob took on the repair of the seat for the toilet we would use while underway. Knowing that we would encounter very tumultuous seas along the way, causing us to hold on for dear life – topside, below decks and underway on the toilet (!) - these two proud descendants of Polish folk took on a modification of the under part of the seat which would stabilize it in even the heaviest of seas. Bob usually prefers to use of duct tape in ANY repair but for various reasons, the Captain convinced him that blue masking tape would be best in this case. Bob recovered.
Captain Treats the Crew!: Since we were motoring during the first days after departing GC Captain Pete made his world-famous eggs over easy, bacon and toast. The crew was very happy-no mutiny that day (or any other day! :-) He was able to cook because there was no wind/sea so all was smooth and conducive to working in the galley without the risk of spilling. The down side to no wind or seas of course is that to get out of the wind shadow created by the Canary Islands we have to use some of our precious fuel for the engine – that is especially nerve racking at the very beginning of a transit! Not to worry-the winds/seas picked up soon enough! Boy did they ever!!
Too Much Fun in the Cockpit!: About 10 days into the transit the Captain and Crew Bob were still enjoying the ride-especially knowing that they are about half-way through the voyage! Somewhere between the start of the voyage and this photo, the Captain has lost one of his front teeth. It came out when chewing on a piece of candy while on watch. Amazingly he found it on the floor of the cockpit and took it with him to the dentist to whom we were referred in Antigua.
Captain & Bob bringing the stern through the wind!: Always easier with two people, together they brought the headsail in enough to bring the stern of the boat through the wind. In other words they jibed.
AIS shows our crs & spd & no “targets”.: We were so very glad to have the new machine called an AIS which shows who else is “out there” – aka targets. It not only tells you your crs & speed but where the targets are, what their crs & speed are relative to yours and what their name is so you can call them up on VHF to discuss any possible adjustments to avoid collision! The indication on this photo is that we are on a crs of 277True, speed of 8.7Knots (not bad for a sailboat!) and no one else in the near vicinity.
Wind Indicator: This photo shows the wind indicator pointing to the wind direction as coming across our starboard quarter at 19Knots Apparent – enough to make for a corkscrew ride. Usually the seas follow the winds so the boat has 2 forces working on her from the same direction.
Turbulent Topside: Sometimes it was easier to sit more forward in the cockpit than the chair was placed – there was more to hang on to and the closer to the center of the boat the more stable she is. It does look weird though to have no one in the chair!
Bob in his foulies.: Sometimes the wind/sea combination was so strong across the stern that the watchstander couldn’t help but get doused with saltwater coming across the stern – ergo the need for one’s foulies. Since they would attack from the starboard side, the person on watch usually sat/stood so they could watch for them to have some bit of a heads up before getting wet!
Topsy Turvsy Below Decks – BE CAREFUL!: In the corkscrew waters below decks, someone’s foulies fly away from the bulkhead – being held off the floor only by a very sturdy hook! We had to be very careful to hold on when moving around the cabin – one hand for yourself, one hand for the boat! - “an old saying which is just as relevant today as it was high up on the yardarms when sailing the old square-rigged ships. Back then the mariner had to hang on while still working the sails, lest he fall to his likely death. One hand was for keeping himself safe, and the other hand was used to do the job.“
All is calm for sunset-this day, anyway.: After the upheaval of strong winds/seas/swells giving us the corkscrew effect above and below decks, we truly enjoyed the peaceful ride as well as the beautiful sight that sunset gave us. We enjoyed it while it lasted!
Radioman Cisek – pulls down weather reports: At scheduled broadcast times for various HF frequencies, Captain Pete would receive and print weather reports. These obviously helped him determine if we needed to change course to avoid serious weather or not. He did a super job as we saw zero heavy heavy weather.
Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!: Elf Bob came aboard for the transit prepared to play Santa! Thanks to his experience with candy at the beginning of the voyage, Captain Pete passed on the Salt Water Taffy – but Annette didn’t! Captain Pete DID enjoy the gift of the backbrace!
Standby for Heavy Rolls – Again!: Shortly after Christmas, the high winds/seas/swells returned – just to make sure we didn’t get comfortable in the calmer winds! Knowing that we are more than half way to Antigua, we start recording in the log just how many days/hours there are until our estimated Time of Arrival (ETA).
AB’s Scruffy Sailor – 16 days into the voyage.: Yes the Captain let his beard grow for a few reasons – water conservation, too turbulent below decks and he’s rather spend that time sleeping in between watches. He also know that we are close enough to Antigua that we can change our clocks to their time!
Happy New Year! 2017!
Windy but Warm Arrival Offshore Antigua: One can see from what we are wearing that we are south enough – close enough to Antigua – that we can weather warm weather clothes. We actually called “Land Ho!” at around sunset (1630) on 1/1/2017. However since we knew it was a holiday we figured it would be a waste of time to go in to Jolly Harbor Marina to clear in (customs & immigration) as no one would be working. Plus it was getting dark – always a risky proposition when entering a strange new port. We decided to sail back & forth along the southern coast (passing Nelson’s and Falmouth Harbors in the process) until first light and enter then.
Bob keeps the “Big Eyes” handy: By the end of the voyage, Bob was understandably eager to get home to his Beautifully Betty so kept the binocs at the ready to see Antigua when she came into view late on 1/1.
Captain Pete relaxing before bringing her in to Jolly Harbor: Captain Pete enjoyed his morning mug of instant Italian Roast Starbucks coffee before taking the wheel to bring TwoLoose into Jolly Harbor. We’d been warned that not all of the entry channel buoys were in place so he had to double check them all with the chartplotter. The REAL challenge however was the fact that we were driving her in to the east around 0730 – right into the brilliant, rising sun. Bob & Annette did their best to provide additional help for staying in the channel. Arrived at the Customs/Immigration dock at 0845 on Monday 1/2/2017.
First look at the environs of Jolly Harbor: Fortunately, these anchored boats were well outside the entrance channel.
Welcome to Antigua!: Captain Pete & Bob get the honors of raising the courtesy flag for the Country of Antigua & Barbuda on the first working day of 2017 in Jolly Harbor Marina! They even shaved for the occasion!
Celebrate!: Feeling quite righteous about our SECOND Atlantic Crossing as a Crew on TwoLoose, we celebrated with dinner and drinks at our favorite restaurant Meleni’s. This was after a long hot shower and a long relaxing nap and after tying TwoLoose up in her new temporary home.
Moored – shift colors!: TwoLoose moored at our newest “long term” berth A21 in Jolly Harbor Marina (JHM). It was such a luxury to be moored alongside rather than having to work our way off the stern mounted passerelle.
Bob’s departure day 1/4/17: Bob & Pete discuss the voyage as they look over the marina before Bob drives off to the airport and into the arms of his Sweetheart Betty! Sad to see him go but so very glad he had been with us!
Captain & Crew, S/V TwoLoose: Bonded Forever after TWO Trans-Atlantic crossings!
Goodbye Shipmate Bob!: It took a while to accept the right handed vehicles on Antigua – just one of the many vestiges of English colonial rule once upon a time. Bob, as he rides off in a taxi to the airport, is an old hand at the right hand drive as Pete & AB witnessed when he & Betty visited us in the Bahamas! Bob gave his passengers the job of reminding him to KEEP LEFT as we visited the sights!
TL High & Dry in JHM Boatyard: So we left TL on the hard in the Boatyard associated with the JHM. It has an excellent reputation among the experienced Caribbean cruisers as being attentive to the details which protect boats during hurricane season – like welding the stands holding the boats together to withstand heavy winds. Sure enough, TL withstood TWO hurricane seasons – the first included Irma which wiped out nearby sister-island of Barbuda.
Antiguan Sunset from the Restaurant Castaways on the south beach of JH.
 
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2016 Gibralter to Grand Canary
The first part of our 2016 Westward Tans-Atlantic Crossing - the transit from Gibraltar to Grand Canary - was not without it's challenges. Brother Jeff was able to be with us for which we were very grateful! He was also the first watchstander to have to handsteer as our trusty 20 year old B&G auto-pilot gave up. This after our NEW Raymarine auto-pilot also quit!! Fortunately the B&G revived it'self just before arriving Grand Canary and stayed with us for the crossing!
38 Photos
Created 29 March 2019
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About Us

Who: Captain Pete Cisek & Wife/Navigator Annette Brown
Port: Everett, WA, USA