iolite

Cruising

30 July 2011 | Cuttyhunk Island, Cape Cod, Mass.
30 July 2011 | Cuttyhunk Harbour, Mass.
24 July 2011 | Mystic, Connecticut
11 July 2011 | Mystic
11 July 2011 | Noank
11 July 2011
11 July 2011 | Port Washington, New York
03 July 2011 | NJ & NY
03 July 2011 | Anchored south of the big bridge
03 July 2011 | Cape May, NJ
03 July 2011 | Delaware City, DE
03 July 2011 | St Michaels, Maryland
25 June 2011 | St Michaels, Maryland
22 June 2011
07 June 2011 | Onancock Creek, VA
05 June 2011 | Fishing Bay, Plankatank River, VA
05 June 2011 | Fishing Bay, Plankatank River, VA
30 May 2011 | Little Creek, VA
23 May 2011 | Beaufort, N.C.

Chillin with Elwood

30 July 2011 | Cuttyhunk Island, Cape Cod, Mass.
Faune
Have very much enjoyed the laid back atmosphere of Cuttyhunk Island and its wee village of Gosnold.
Sooooooooo Cape Cod/New England/nautical it makes it look almost too arranged but it's the real deal brought about by the need for structures to survive the sun, fog, wind, sand, salt.
At least on this island folks are looking for nature, family fun, a good day on the water and tasty ice cream. What's not to love!

To our surprise, as we were headed ashore in the dinghy amongst a very tightly-packed & rafted-up mooring field, we came upon a navy-hulled, scoop-transomed, pilothouse Jeauneau sloop named........IOLITE. It was like we transcended into a parallel universe. The owners have a little white dog, they got the boat the same year we got ours and below the waterline the hull was the same red antifouling we used to have. It became more eerie through the conversation. Just as we were motoring away, she softly said, "......and I have the same white hat...."

weeeee-ooooo

Back in the Islands Again

30 July 2011 | Cuttyhunk Harbour, Mass.
alex
Great to be back in the fresh sea air again.
Easy daysail from Mystic.
We anchored off the island for the first night and came into the mooring field/inner hbr at 7:00 am next morning, as the mooring field is usually full again by 10:00 am.

We are off to Marthas Vinyard tomorrow......a lovely 2-3 hour sail.

It Ain't Over Yet!!

24 July 2011 | Mystic, Connecticut
Faune
I made it home to Halifax (by train/plane) & back to Mystic (in our new-to-us car) in fairly short order.

Sorry that I wasn't able to get in touch with you. I wasn't ready to be home yet so pretended I was just somewhere/anywhere buying a car and driving to Mystic. Having said that, I couldn't have done that without my sisters, Sue & Jan, and my mom, all of which, fed me, drove me around & housed me during my stay. It was great to see them again even though we were on the run the whole time.

Just as I arrived back in Mystic a heat wave hit. We had to work like crazy on the boat to clean it up after living on board for a year and to start the prep for our departure. The boat splashed down the morning of my arrival following a bottom & bow thruster cleaning as well as a redo of the anitfouling/zincs - Alex was busy!

The national-newsworthy heat has been unreal and leaves you exhausted but as of today will subside and be much cooler tomorrow.

Mystic & neighboring Noank are true New England coastal communities. Everything looks to be out of a magazine - like Martha Stewart waved her design wand over the countryside. Unreal! Even the rural-type rock walls have your mouth gaping all the time. The architecture has my head spinning constantly which makes going for a walk or a drive a challenging endeavour. Bob has learned to just sit and wait while I gawk.

And I have to put in a plug for the Mystic Seaport Museum - an active/interactive spot for all things nautical.

Also, as a total aside, my second plug must go to the Long Island town called Port Washington. We found it on our way south and returnd to it on our way north. I thnk we've mentioned it before but it has earned a special spot because everyone there tries so hard to keep their town alive by going out of their way for boaters. Smart I say as it works so well that everyone is staying longer than expected and finding wonderful perks that the town offers. First of all you get two nights free mooring on Long Island when others charge $40 & up a night. Then you get free water taxi service and good places to come ashore for all the things you need withing walking - groceries, restaurants, laundromats, book stores, West Marine, shopping, thrift stores, train that goes to New York's Penn Station with no connections, post office, pet store, library - all wrapped in a safe environment. As an example of business attracting boaters, one restaurant - harbourQ - will give you a free pitcher of beer for a picture of your boat.....a pitcher for a picture!

To resume the chat re the final chapter of our year, we hope to head out later this week to Gardiner's Bay at the end of Long Island and to Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket Islands.

I guess we're still a bit in denial that this will end.......ya' think!?!

Crew of 2

11 July 2011 | Mystic
alex
We haul first thing in the morning, but started today early to get Faune to the rail station- She is headed home, (flying out of Boston tonight) to buy a car and then drive back down to pick me up. I hope to have her back within a week and in the mean time I'll work on the boat to get her cleaned up, with some of the little things that are hard to get to when every day is spent travelling and meeting people and having fun- here is a picture of Bob on top of Faune's travel Bags.

Almost like home

11 July 2011 | Noank
alex
The first fog in almost a year...cooler waters....lobster for sale on the docks...
We are preparing to haul for a quick clean up, check anodes and the like. This place is really our speed...

Newport RI

11 July 2011
alex
After a great stay in Port Washington, we sailed up the sound to Port Jefferson. Anchored overnight and then a long daysail to Mystic and Noank Connecticut. It is lovely here and friends of ours on IOLAR arranged for a free mooring for the next month. We rented a car and drove to Newport to confirm we can leave Iolite here for the winter. picture is Bob downtown on one of the local sculptures.

Execution rocks,entrance to long island sound

11 July 2011 | Port Washington, New York
alex
One of our favorite harbours-free moorings, watertaxi, generous people, easy dock access for beer and food-what more is there?

Sandy Hook, NJ and New York, NY

03 July 2011 | NJ & NY
alex
After a great, but long, trip from Atlantic City, we anchored in behind Sandy Hook for an overnight stay. The anchorage in Sandy Hook was very accessible and amazingly isolated. There is constant boat wake (until 10.00 pm), but still, this is a interesting stop.

Bob was ready for a run on the beach so in we went. There is a really old Battery there covered in vines and the beach is covered in debris from one of the world's biggest cities but it still seemed like such a great find. It is amazing to be anchored so close to millions of people and yet feel you are in the country. Bob, after our trip ashore, had over a dozen ticks on him and we had forgotten how bothersome northern mosquitoes can be (we really haven't seen them since last September).

We left the next morning for the most amazingly awesome sunny motor past the Statue of Liberty then through the East River along Manhattan into Long Island Sound. It was early on a Saturday morning so was relatively traffic-free. At Hell Gate we were doing 11 knots going with the flood tide! Always a thrill in NYC!
Vessel Name: iolite
Vessel Make/Model: 2000 Dixon 44 Hull built by Ian Franklin and finished by McMullen & Wing in Auckland New Zealand
Hailing Port: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Crew: Faune Creaser and Alex Astbury
Extra:
The name "iolite" comes from the Greek word for violet. Iolite is a semi precious stone, purple-ish in colour and it has also been called "water-sapphire" and the "Vikings' Compass", because of its ability to determine the direction of the sun on overcast days. This works by determining the [...]
iolite's Photos - (Main)
We visited the Butterfly Garden which is part of the Natural Museum within the University of Florida (home of the Gators!), in Gainesville. Hundreds of butterflies are housed in a vivarium (huge enclosed space with sun & air moving through special screens & gorgeous gardens with streams/waterfalls flowing through). If you sit still they land on you to rest & make you feel wonderful. Most peaceful experience ever!!
31 Photos
Created 13 December 2010
With deepest respect to The Deep South that we just love, there are certain features that do create its sugared charm. Here are but a few.
41 Photos
Created 8 November 2010
Watch as the show sets up and then dismantles. Please open pictures and note comments to follow the set up process.... truly an orchestration!!
28 Photos
Created 15 October 2010
This was so amazing.....every sense is activated as you travel along....everyone should see NY from the perspective of the water.....take a ferry, tour boat or whatever.....just pick a sunny day
32 Photos
Created 28 September 2010
I LOVED the bridges......hard to pick a favorite but the Brooklyn Bridge is set as the highlighter
12 Photos
Created 28 September 2010
Overwhelming immensity of shapes - many you know
9 Photos
Created 28 September 2010
There are a few notes on some pictures to point out specifics but overall it was the beauty I found in industry or the sense of flow with changing icons
20 Photos
Created 28 September 2010
Where we stayed for 9 days. Great spot & we'll go back - safe, easy commute to NYC, good people.
16 Photos
Created 28 September 2010
Sitting pretty at the head of Long Island Sound......a place any real Nova Scotian would love
9 Photos
Created 20 September 2010
The City that never sleeps....
18 Photos
Created 20 September 2010
Pictures taken along the Main Street of Provincetown
40 Photos
Created 11 September 2010
What a great town!! Sistered to Lunenburg....loved it.
8 Photos
Created 11 September 2010
Pictures taken from Halifax to Lunenburg to Shelburne
40 Photos
Created 19 June 2010
Trips to Exumas, BVIs, sailing to the Azores & Portugal
86 Photos
Created 14 June 2010
A history from the original website following her 2000 build completion to current changes
24 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 13 June 2010
To be sailing into wonderful places meeting great people is really what it is all about....
32 Photos
Created 13 June 2010
Following our purchase of the boat we kept it there for a year and visited it.
12 Photos
Created 13 June 2010
Mahone Bay, Halifax in Northwest Arm, Deep Cove, Aspotogan
25 Photos
Created 13 June 2010
This is our first trip on the boat bringing it back home.
11 Photos
Created 13 June 2010