Stars, Sails - the Parallax View

A family of astronomers at sea... coming soon to a galaxy near you...

28 May 2020 | Fort Myers, FL
13 February 2019 | SW Florida
25 May 2018 | Fort Myers, SW FL
02 September 2016 | Fort Myers, FL
11 July 2014 | Fort Myers, FL
04 July 2014 | Fort Myers, FL
01 July 2014 | South Jersey Shore
23 April 2014
11 November 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
05 July 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
25 March 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
11 March 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
25 February 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
24 January 2013 | Fort Myers, FL
25 December 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
15 December 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
28 November 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
25 November 2012 | Fort Myers, FL
07 November 2012 | Fort Myers, FL

First Day

31 October 2011 | Fort Walton Beach, FL
Heather/ sunny and 70 F/ NNE 10
First Day!

We left around 11 A.M. from Palm Harbor, with Ken and Coy and Ben and Carol waving us farewell -- Coy gave us the departing horn blasts (thanks, Coy!) and we waved wildly at everyone while heading for the channel near low tide. We are SO going to miss you guys! What a great spirit you all have together -- I hope we see you all again where coconuts grow!

Once out in Escambia Bay, we put up the jib and headed around the point (160T from the outer markers) for the Pensacola Beach bridge.
jib up

Rounding the point, we had to douse as the wind was too close to on the nose... so now we're a powerboat with a mast for a while. Good clearance on all the bridges. Beautiful day! Dolphins were playing off the bows and jumping ahead of the boat.
dolphins getting ready to jump

Grant helmed for some of the time.
Grant at the helm

And Heather and Derek took turns at the helm through the narrows
narrows to port

Heather helming in narrows

Hard to believe most of that open water is only 1-2 feet deep...
narrows to starboard

On our last night (Sunday), there was such a beautiful sunset!
sunset at palm harbor

We stowed gear and quietly played Settlers of Catan:
settlers of catan

It had been a long day. On Saturday, Derek went up the mast to install a steaming and deck light (LED, low-energy version),
Derek up the mast
and on Sunday, Heather went up to install a WinDex wind indicator at the top. So everyone was pretty tired. Coy drove to the storage place and got us once we had put the car into storage (thank you so much, Coy!), so we were also without a car for the first time in years... that made it feel like this voyage thing was really going to happen after all.

Tonight we are in a marina in Fort Walton Beach, heading for a different marina tomorrow. Big tidal currents here and barges passing through all night...

See you tomorrow!
Comments
Vessel Name: Parallax
Vessel Make/Model: 37' Prout Snowgoose (1982)
Hailing Port: Pensacola
Crew: Derek, Heather and Grant
About:
Two astronomers, looking for variable stars and adventure. After cruising the Caribbean aboard S/V Paradox for 18 months in the early 90s, the crew swallowed the anchor and had a child, always planning their next Great Adventure: cruising under sail with Grant, showing him the world. [...]
Extra:
We knew that if we ever got a catamaran, we'd want a name to celebrate her twin-hulledness. Parallax is seeing the same thing from two slightly different points of view, which with our two eyes is what gives humans our depth perception. It's also a good metaphor for one of the benefits of marriage. [...]

S/V Parallax

Who: Derek, Heather and Grant
Port: Pensacola