Antares Cruising East

Vessel Name: Antares
Vessel Make/Model: Endeavour 37 Ketch
Hailing Port: Toledo, OH
Crew: John and Evelyn
About: John started sailing as a kid and he hasn't stopped (neither sailing nor being a kid). He introduced Evelyn to sailing in 2000 and together have been cruising Lake Erie.
Extra:
Left the lake for the ocean late August 2013. We traversed the Erie Canal, headed down the Hudson River, and tried to keep up with summer weather on our way to Florida. Each winter season since, we leave the snow behind, drive to sunny Florida, prepare Antares for the nomad life for half a [...]
07 February 2023 | Glades Boat Storage
26 December 2014 | Ft. Myers Beach to Key West
24 December 2014 | Ft. Myers
13 December 2014 | LaBelle, FL
18 November 2014 | La Belle, FL
19 December 2013 | Marathon Key
19 December 2013 | Marathon Key
20 November 2013
02 November 2013
30 September 2013 | B-Ville, NY
15 September 2013
15 September 2013
09 September 2013
06 September 2013 | Buffalo, NY
Recent Blog Posts
07 February 2023 | Glades Boat Storage

Can we still do this?

John and I are back at it again. Finally, we are able to return to our s/v Antares after a long bout of physical ailments. So we lost the first 3 months of plan/preparation/upgrade/replace/reconfigure "to-do" list. That list is now reduced to just preparation. That may change, but as all things sailing, [...]

26 December 2014 | Ft. Myers Beach to Key West

Sailing the Gulf of Mexico

Wednesday, December 10, 2014. Engine won't start. John switched the battery indicator to "All" and that worked. The air temperature is 46 (perhaps that's the reason she wouldn't start), northwest winds 10-15 mph and diminishing, waves 5 feet and decreasing, clear skies, high today of 65, continual [...]

24 December 2014 | Ft. Myers

On the Caloosahatchee River

December 2, 2014. Today was to be a short day with a 14 mile trip to the LaBelle free docks. We could check systems, make adjustments, finish bending on the sails, and fill the water tank. We had to go through the Ortona Lock, an eight foot drop only a few miles from the Glades. It was a beautiful, [...]

13 December 2014 | LaBelle, FL

Glades Boat Yard

November 13 -December 1, 2014

18 November 2014 | La Belle, FL

Continuing the Journey, Round 2

Tuesday, October 28, 2014. Leaving Toledo is about to finally happen. I feel we spent the entire summer preparing for this moment. The van is stuffed to the rooftop; the seats removed for the added space. We expect to leave right after the water department shuts off the tap at the curb. All day [...]

19 December 2013 | Marathon Key

Day 104-107 Cruising the Keys

Our first visitors from home at Dinner Key Marina were so welcome. Stef and Roy (Anchor Pointe Marina!) found us at the dock and what a great greeting! We spent time with them and this is when I first found out that more people were reading our blog than just the few we knew of. I apologize for not [...]

Continuing the Journey, Round 2

18 November 2014 | La Belle, FL
cold front, rainy
Tuesday, October 28, 2014. Leaving Toledo is about to finally happen. I feel we spent the entire summer preparing for this moment. The van is stuffed to the rooftop; the seats removed for the added space. We expect to leave right after the water department shuts off the tap at the curb. All day we packed and prepared, checking off the items on the lists that we had made during the last 5 months. I called the water department at 2:00 pm to be certain we were on the work list for today and the clerk also gave me the city garage number. I called again at 3:00 pm because they close at 4:00pm. At this point we decided to stay another day. We had drinking water and a 40 gallon hot water tank we could draw from. At 3:30 the worker came, checked the water meter, and used his "key" on the curb turnoff. I asked if that was all and he assured me that it was and left. For the next 2 hours, John and I drained the pipes and put in the antifreeze. When he opened the pipe that led into the house, it didn't drain. Instead, lots of water came in. The curb was not shut off. I knew the city garage opened at 7:00 am, so I assured John that I would call them by 7:05. That I did.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014. Again the scheduled time would be between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.....so we waited. We sat down for breakfast, then continued to pack, clean, tidy up, organize. Would we have to wait until Thursday to head south? The cable guy stopped by, the postman passed our mailbox, and then the water department worker arrived. It took him several tries to finally close the tap then put a tag on the water meter. Leaving now was up to us only. I changed batteries in the thermostat, lowered the temperature, unplugged the refrigerator, and determined that we need to go; to get some distance before nightfall.

Heading south in late October is a first for us. Since 2009, we would leave in January for a camping vacation. This time, the scenery is subtly different and the further south we went, the less color change in the landscape. Lexington, KY was a nice stop early enough to avoid rush hour traffic and get a hot shower (last one on Tuesday morning). I had plenty of food from the refrigerator to make a meal, plus the hot plate, frying pan, and an improvised can opener. John whipped up a pot of delicious chili. So with anxiety eased and a full belly, we got a good night's sleep.

Thursday, October 30, 2014. When you cruise, you meet sailors from all over the place, and you get to keep in touch and occasionally meet again. We made a stop in Atlanta to visit friends we met during last year's cruise. What a lovely reunion we had! Many discussions abounded about our fun times together, sharing knowledge and experiences, remembering friends, and making plans. We stayed up rather late, but rose early enough to continue where we left off.

Friday, October 31, 2014 - Sunday, November 2, 2014. Leaving Atlanta with a smile and many thanks to our hosts, we set our sights on Tallahassee and family. We made quick stops along the way, and arrived by 5:00 pm at the Posey home. That evening, we had an impromptu party with many of the Posey clan, including several guitar players. Music and camaraderie were the order of the day and it resumed all day Saturday with a trip to Taylor Cove on 4-wheelers. The family owns several acres along the coast where oysters were harvested. Of course, everyone brought food and beverages and oysters. You had a choice of eating oysters raw or put them on the grill to steam (and make them easier to open). There weren't any left and everyone was satisfied. I learned about fire sticks, oyster beds, the history of Taylor Cove, who's who in this large, loving, extended family, and the legacy that will endure.

Sunday, November 2, 2014. It was a leisurely good-bye to family this morning, with a goal to be within a hundred miles of The Glades Boat Yard where Antares has been stored for the last 6 months. We found a reasonable motel just so, a bit too cold to use the pool, but nice facilities. We took a walk and ate in. Lights out early, thinking about being at the boat yard by the noon schedule.

Monday, November 3, 2014. Owners are not allowed in the storage area; instead, the boat is brought to the work area where electricity and non-potable water are readily available. It may be a bit challenging in the comfort arena, but you can stay on board as you prepare to launch. Just remember to call ahead to reserve a space. This time of year, a lot of sailors want to launch and the spaces are limited. When we arrived at 12:10 pm, Antares was already in place. Workers put down tarps and used jack stands. The cradle remained in the storage area. It was wonderful to pull up to Antares. It was like coming home; we hadn't seen her in 6 months. She is in the first row facing the Caloosahatchee River/Canal. We could sit on the bow and watch the boats go by.... or look for alligators.

We noticed the hull and top were green from the algae growth. Inside, it smelled of old mud with some visible mold on the wood and ceiling. There was sand all over the floor where the workers had come in several times to pump out the water in the bilge during the summer months. Mud daubers had built a village inside. I think I got all the wasp nests, but there are always surprises. We have released several tree frogs, too. Apparently, they get blown from the trees into boats. I opened all the port lights and hatches which helped with the odors immediately. John went to work on the topsides; the green cleaned up easily, just an investment in time and cleaner. I began with the refrigerator, knowing that it was not cleaned thoroughly before we left here. Non-potable water was not what I was going to use to clean a place where food is stored. I had a big container of Lysol disinfecting wipes that did a nice job without water. I cleaned the sleeping areas next, knowing that we wanted to sleep well after all this activity. We brought the bedding, cold foods, and drinking water on board. Nighttime came early.

Tuesday, November 3, 2014 - Wednesday, November 12, 2014. At first we were getting up at 9:00 am, have breakfast and coffee with news. Now we're up before 8:00 am, and working on Antares shortly after. Every day, all 10 days so far, have followed a similar routine. It gets dark by 6:00 pm, and everyone stops working outside. Besides, by then, arms are weak and one more trip up the ladder is one too many. It is soon after that, that many of the people here get together for food and drinks. Some have cocktails, some cook on the grill; some eat on their boats and join afterward. It's a time to share, to discuss, to explain, to inform, to discover, to enrich, to listen, to enlighten... so many topics, pretty much all boating related. As we get to know our fellow boaters, there is a spirit of adventure in all of us. No one can make a schedule of where and when they'll be, just a general idea. Several are going to Key West, as we are, but no specific rendezvous planned. I know that when we recognize another boat from here, we will at least wave!
It was windy and rainy on Sunday when the electricity cut out. We switched the fridge to AC and heated our soup on the alcohol stove. We were warm and cozy on this cold day. Sally and Ron visited us for lunch and, except for the leaky port light above Sally, they were quite comfortable. We plan to turn that gasket over and get a few more years of use out of it.

We estimated that there is room in the work yard for about 55 boats at one time. Nearly every day, a boat is launched. Nearly every day, a boat is brought from the storage area. Sometimes, we just don't get to know some of the people. On the opposite side, there are those here doing long term projects on their boats with no projected launch date. There's a lot of knowledge in this boat yard.

We go into Labelle 2-3 times per week to fill up our drinking water containers at the park and buy groceries and supplies. Although the boat yard has sulfur water, the showers are good without smelly residue. Their drinking water has too much sulfur in it for our palates. I definitely bought white vinegar to wipe down all the inside surfaces. Mold wasn't bad, but it is present. What's left is a clean, fresh surface. I'm nearly finished with the cleaning. The van still has gear to bring on board and items to go into the van to store. John has the hull cleaned and waxed, the boot stripe and water line painted, the bottom scraped and washed. The solar panels are working nicely. Progress is being made. We hope to launch before Thanksgiving, but this wouldn't be a bad place to celebrate the holiday.
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