M/V NOMADIC SPIRIT

After years sailing the Caribbean we traded our Tayana 37 for an Island Gypsy to explore The Loop. Now that we have completed this adventure...what will be next

The Shakedown Cruise

18 May 2009
Dry Tortugas
The Two Week Shake Down Cruise to the Dry Tortugas.

We left the dock at 6:30 AM on May 2nd after 2 days of loading the boat with provisions. Steve said he thought that I was trying to sink the boat before we ever left the dock. We motored out of Tera Ciea Bay, past Egmont Key and headed south with 7 other boats. We did not have favorable winds so we had to tack several times before reaching our first destination. All systems were operating correctly. I was dragging a squid looking bait behind the boat and caught my first fish! Then another and another and another! All were tossed back but later found out that we should have kept the two Spanish Macrel. Oh Well, I still haven't learned how to clean them. We were the last boat to arrive as we sailed the entire day (about 10 hours) and we rafted up at a public dock in Venice Inlet. When we arrived the others were already having cocktails. It was a glorious evening and we had a wonderful nights sleep on our new mattress.

Day 2 we were the first to leave as we wanted to sail again and the winds were still out of the south. It was windy and the seas were rough. Sailacious is such a heavy boat that she took the seas well but after 5 hours we decided to drop the sails and motor through Stump Pass to get on the ICW. That's when the fun began! We still don't know what happened but we kept loosing intake water to the engine. We were in 4 to 6 foot seas and poor Steve threw out the anchor as we were drifting quickly to shallows. The anchor held long enough for him to clean the screen and look for the problem. He finally opened the water pump cover and was able to get the water flowing but it happened again and again while motoring in. We spent the night at anchor and Steve couldn't find a reason for the problem, we assume it was a stuck valve somewhere. We relaxed and decided to catch up with the rest the next day. The strangest creature swam by the boat and I took a picture of it. I sent the picture to the Florida Aquarium and found out it was a sea slug (picture in album). Dolphins were feeding all around our boat for hours and it was a magnificent sunset.

Day 3 we pulled up our anchor early and motored the ICW south to catch up as the wind was still on the bow and the seas rough. We ate breakfast and lunch on route and saw many Dolphins and Osprey along with beautiful scenery. The motor ran fine the entire day and we never figured out for sure why we had problems the previous day. We arrived at Sanibel Island in time for cocktails aboard Xanadu before heading back to our own boat for dinner. Just as we were setting up to watch a breathtaking sunset Second Love pulled into the anchorage. We took several good pictures from the dingy and boat so be sure to check out the photo albums.

On Day 4 we were on our way by 7:30 and motored out under the new Sanibel bridge. A helicopter was filming a speed boat for a commercial or movie and the helicopter came so close we thought it would hit Xanadu's mast! Our boat sailed out about 6 miles off the coast in light winds and calm seas before tacking and sailing toward our mark at Marco Island. We caught two more fish but they were nothing to brag about. It became an exhilarating day with winds building to 15 knots and 2 to 3 foot seas. We sailed around 8 hours with only one tack as the wind shifted in our favor. Most of the other boats motored or motor sailed all day. We anchored alone in a quiet bay and lowered the dingy to visit the others at the marina and take a dip in the pool! Another lovely day.

The morning of Day 5 we did some odds and ends work on the boat before leaving at 1:00 for Key West. We sailed a bit but the wind was on our bow so we motor sailed with the others for about 8 hours. The winds were shifting and we were able to roll out the Jib and cut the engine around sunset, we had the most enjoyable overnight crossing with a full moon to light the way. We all stayed on the same VHF channel and kept each other company as well as reporting our positions. Just before sunrise you could see the lights of Key West off in front of us. As neither of us slept over an hour or two we were exhausted and took a three hour nap after reaching the mooring field. We dragged ourselves to Duval Street for dinner before returning to the boat and back to bed early.

Day 6 was an entire day at Key West so we did a bit of boat maintenance in the morning and headed to Duval Street. The weather was HOT and Humid. We had a few cocktails at a few different places and wound up back at the Conch Marina Pool for a dip with the rest of the group and a few more cocktails. We got back to the boat before sunset and prepared for a sunrise departure before turning in early.

Day 7 we got up early and departed for the Dry Tortugas 60 miles west of Key West, an old fort built in the 1800s and now a national park. We had little wind and what we had was behind us. Everyone motor sailed and a few of us fished along the way but we didn't get enough for a fish fry on the beach. It was a nice day but hot and we wished for wind the entire 12 hour. Once we got to Fort Jefferson Anchorage we had a heck of a time setting the anchor as it is light sand over rock. I had the bright idea to dive on the anchor to see if it looked set when the boat started dragging and I swam like hell to catch up. Oh My! A couple of drinks after we were finally set helped to settled the nerves. We watched another great sunset followed by a star filled sky.

Day 8 we were up early and did a bit more boat maintenance. A tour through the old fort was followed by some great snorkeling. A large Tarpon, a huge Spotted Eagle Ray and many colorful fish as well as lots of coral made the morning complete. We all decided to have a pot luck on the beach that night and it was a great success. I tried my first loaf of bread on the grill and decided it was not fit to take but the red beans and rice in the pressure cooker turned out perfect. We have found a favorite spot to sit on the deck to watch the sunset and stars and are making it a nightly routine.

Day 9 was more snorkeling, we saw many fish, crabs and a very large trunk fish that didn't seem to mind that we were only a few feet above him. Later we were visiting with the neighboring boats and had another pot luck on shore. This time the bread turned out great and was a big hit. We both agree that we would recommend the Dry Tortugas to anyone.

Day 10 and 11 we were pulling up the anchor shortly after sunrise and on our way north. We sailed for the first 11 hours , into the wind. We had to ask ourselves how we could travel south, west and now north and always be heading into the wind. It must have been the boat naming ceremony, maybe we didn't give the goddess of the wind enough champagne. We saw several shrimp boats on the way and they reminded me of Bubba Gump. Just before supper we started the engine and the seas were very calm, so I cooked up some beef stew in the pressure cooker for a late dinner. Around midnight I started my watch and Steve had just gone to bed. I looked around the boat often as it was a vary dark night and the moon had not come out yet. All of a sudden a large boat was right on our starboard stern and shinning a spot light on us. Nothing had appeared on the radar screen! I yelled for Steve to get up and grabbed the small flashlight we keep in the cockpit, It looked like a coast guard boat and took off quickly when I turned my light on it. Needless to say I was very shook up. I have heard that the Coast Guard does some sneaking around trying to catch illegal activity but they scared the living daylight out of me. Finally Steve went back to bed and within and hour the bright moon lit up the Gulf. The wind picked up and I rolled out the Jib and turned off the engine and had a beautiful night sail for about two hours. The wind built up to a pretty stiff breeze and we were flying. Sleeping for the rest of the night was difficult at best with the boat heeling around 20 degrees. We made it to Fort Meyers Beach and picked up a mooring ball around 2:00 and found a grocery store to pick up ice and a few provisions. We were asleep before sunset.

Day 12 we headed back out and sailed both in the Gulf and the ICW to the next anchorage near Cayo Costa. We were the second boat there and by cocktail time we had 5 boats and there were 9 people enjoying sundowners and appetizers on our boat. This was a lovely anchorage and we hope to get back to it before we leave for our adventure.

Day 13 started out as a perfect day for sailing and the wind was in our favor. We had a glorious sail until it started to rain in the afternoon so the group changed destinations and we went into Venice Inlet again. There was a nice restaurant near so we walked there for dinner and then said our goodbye's to everyone. We would all be heading to our own home docks the next day!

Day 14 was absolutely PERFECT! We sailed the entire way home and was back at our dock by 5:00. We unloaded just the perishables and headed back to the condo to reflect on the journey. Even though it wasn't perfect, we had a fabulous time and can't wait to do it again!

Finally sailing

13 August 2008 | Tampa Bay
Janice/Steve
We finally did it. Got the boat out of the slip and spent 4 glorious hours sailing around Tampa Bay. The smiles may never come off of our faces! We saw countless numbers of dolphins and another Tayana 37 dropped sails and motored over to us to say hello.

Since that first day we have moved the boat to it's dock at the house on Terra Ceia bay. It was a great 7 hour sail with fair winds. We are finding the deep draft keel a real challenge in the skinny waters of the bay.

We spent our first overnighter with the Boca Ciega Yatch Club at the Twin Dolphins Marina on the Manatee river. Found the boat to be very accomodating for us both. A member of the club shot the pictures of the boat under sail for us.

Next overnighter was a real event. We were all packed and set for a Labor Day Weekend cruise and Gustav was supposed to miss us so we headed out despite the cloudy skies. We were not going far the first day and barely made it to the mouth of the Manatee River when the rain and wind came so hard we could not see the channel markers. Steve had recently installed the C80 Chart Plotter and I relied on it to get us to the anchorage. After the squall passed it had cooled down and we spent a pleasant evening, grilling steaks and having cocktails in the cockpit. Sleeping was a problem as the anchor chain kept scraping on the bobstay & bowsprit shroud and the echo was loud in the v-berth. The next morning was dark and windy and after a leisurely breakfast we decided just to stay put. Hours later the wind and chop had increased significantly and we thought it might be best to head back to port. The current had the boat at a 45 degree angle to the anchor and the wind gusts were becoming more frequent. We only have a manual windlass and try as we might we could not get the anchor up without a major struggle. After about a half an hour of playing around we decided it was safer just to ride it out. Thankfully there was no rain at this point so we could open the hatches and be fairly comfortable. Toward evening the winds started to let up and a light rain started. Before we went to bed we moved the anchor rode off the roller so it wouldn't catch on the shroud and got a pretty good nights sleep. There was some wear on the cap rail and rode so we will need to fabricate a new solution for a peaceful night at anchor. The next day, Labor Day, was glorious and we sailed for hours in good wind.
Vessel Name: Nomadic Spirit
Vessel Make/Model: 32' Island Gypsy & 36' Monaco
Crew: Janice & Steve
About:
This adventure began in October of 2007 when Steve came to look at a boat that Janice had for sale on Craig's List. Steve wanted to learn how to sail and Janice needed a new kitchen. [...]
Extra:
FAVORITE QUOTES: 'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do then by the ones you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.' Mark Twain 'We went cruising not to [...]
Nomadic Spirit's Photos - Main
23 Photos
Created 18 August 2020
A collection of our loop segments
14 Photos | 8 Sub-Albums
Created 20 July 2020
25 Photos
Created 9 November 2017
66 Photos
Created 29 September 2017
17 Photos
Created 29 September 2017
94 Photos
Created 4 July 2017
33 Photos
Created 4 July 2017
67 Photos
Created 3 June 2017
26 Photos
Created 30 May 2017
47 Photos
Created 20 February 2017
26 Photos
Created 12 November 2016
3 Photos
Created 31 October 2016
10 Photos
Created 22 September 2016
7 Photos
Created 22 September 2016
5 Photos
Created 22 September 2016
13 Photos
Created 22 September 2016
33 Photos
Created 25 August 2016
23 Photos
Created 5 August 2016
9 Photos
Created 5 August 2016
29 Photos
Created 11 July 2016
31 Photos
Created 9 July 2016
Mamouth Cave NP,Milwaykee, Indiana and Cuyahoga NP,
16 Photos
Created 7 July 2016
16 Photos
Created 19 May 2016
7 Photos
Created 25 March 2016
11 Photos
Created 22 October 2015
29 Photos
Created 16 October 2015
7 Photos
Created 15 October 2015
15 Photos
Created 15 October 2015
6 Photos
Created 15 October 2015
9 Photos
Created 19 September 2015
24 Photos
Created 19 September 2015
35 Photos
Created 22 August 2015
27 Photos
Created 12 July 2015
5 Photos
Created 12 July 2015
12 Photos
Created 12 July 2015
11 Photos
Created 11 July 2015
35 Photos
Created 10 July 2015
8 Photos
Created 28 June 2015
6 Photos
Created 28 June 2015
29 Photos
Created 22 June 2015
Our 'new to us' Monaco 36 with super slide.
7 Photos
Created 21 June 2015
14 Photos
Created 8 June 2015
18 Photos
Created 19 January 2015
10 Photos
Created 28 September 2014
8 Photos
Created 28 September 2014
8 Photos
Created 15 September 2014
12 Photos
Created 15 September 2014
23 Photos
Created 8 September 2014
6 Photos
Created 8 September 2014
17 Photos
Created 8 September 2014
10 Photos
Created 31 August 2014
20 Photos
Created 29 August 2014
My grand sons frog spent time with us on the sea
24 Photos
Created 5 August 2014
My grand daughters pet is traveling with us for the summer.
20 Photos
Created 5 August 2014
27 Photos
Created 3 August 2014
31 Photos
Created 13 July 2014
16 Photos
Created 13 July 2014
52 Photos
Created 8 July 2014
15 Photos
Created 5 July 2014
8 Photos
Created 1 July 2014
10 Photos
Created 22 June 2014
VIRGIN VIEWS
58 Photos
Created 23 March 2014
13 Photos
Created 13 February 2014
11 Photos
Created 26 October 2013
9 Photos
Created 13 September 2013
11 Photos
Created 13 September 2013
Before and after pictures
4 Photos
Created 14 March 2013
10 Photos
Created 12 July 2012
9 Photos
Created 2 May 2012
8 Photos
Created 29 March 2012
7 Photos
Created 29 March 2012
22 Photos
Created 15 February 2012
8 Photos
Created 12 February 2012
22 Photos
Created 19 December 2011
18 Photos
Created 10 December 2011
9 Photos
Created 26 November 2011
20 Photos
Created 10 November 2011
26 Photos
Created 6 August 2011
26 Photos
Created 23 June 2011
17 Photos
Created 23 April 2011
5 Photos
Created 9 April 2011
20 Photos
Created 29 March 2011
19 Photos
Created 18 March 2011
Daughter Amie visits Sailacious
34 Photos
Created 1 March 2011
10 Photos
Created 12 February 2011
8 Photos
Created 16 January 2011
12 Photos
Created 16 January 2011
12 Photos
Created 28 December 2010
7 Photos
Created 28 December 2010
10 Photos
Created 15 December 2010
15 Photos
Created 28 November 2010
24 Photos
Created 21 November 2010
6 Photos
Created 26 October 2010
26 Photos
Created 1 July 2010
31 Photos
Created 15 June 2010
26 Photos
Created 5 June 2010
17 Photos
Created 25 May 2010
12 Photos
Created 25 May 2010
11 Photos
Created 11 May 2010
36 Photos
Created 19 April 2010
5 Photos
Created 14 April 2010
13 Photos
Created 7 April 2010
41 Photos
Created 25 February 2010
18 Photos
Created 5 February 2010
36 Photos
Created 20 January 2010
11 Photos
Created 20 January 2010
Various shots during our time in the Bahamas
59 Photos
Created 25 November 2009
19 Photos
Created 25 October 2009
Our two week Shake Down Cruise
31 Photos
Created 18 May 2009
Sailing with Morgan and Kate on Winergie
15 Photos
Created 4 December 2008
Various pictures of day sails.
10 Photos
Created 5 August 2008
The boat that started it all, the bartered kitchen, and Sailacious
5 Photos | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 6 May 2008
'You're lucky if YOUR LOVE loves what you love the best' Eileen Quinn