I'm back from taking the Stealaway over to Freeport, Bahamas. The trip went very well, unlike my trip over in my boat a week ago. In fact, the weather was so nice we changed our plans from making a two day trip crossing the stream we decided to do it in one....again. Just like I did last week. Only this time.....no gales, thank God. I don't ever want to go thru the unexpected gale experience again, especially with an inexperienced crew. It's so different sailing with someone who knows boats and knows what they are doing. I don't like finding out in the middle of a gale that your crew who is supposed to know boats, because they own a 40 footer and have been sailing it for several years, can't coil a rope or tie a bowline. (see photo: this is how my crew coils and stows a halyard)

I'm just getting back and as soon as I get things organized here I'll try to explain in detail how we, meaning myself, Hatsuko and Bluepearl ended up here as we are now and hopefully our cruising plans for the near future.

Bill

This is the steel sloop I'm sailing to Freeport for a guy that has to return to England for family business.

Hi everyone,

Well, as requested, I'm finally going to start a blog. I'll keep this first post short but just update you to where we are and what's going on.

A lot has happened since we moved the boat from Lake Lanier in Atlanta to Florida. I'll try to give details in a later post. Right now we are back in Ft. Pierce drying out and doing repairs after being in a two day gale with 55 to 60 knot winds 30 miles NW of West End, Grand Bahama Island. We have some damage to the keel and the rudder, the dinghy and lost the alternator. We should be here for a month or two at the most and then we'll launch and start again.....for the third time.

I'll try to do another post when I return from a delivery of a 55 ft steel sloop to Freeport in Grand Bahama Island next Monday and Tuesday. I return Tuesday night via ferry and hope to be back aboard Blue Pearl on Wednesday. So, 'till then, take care.

Bill