A short but memorable stay
As previously noted, we arrived in St. Augustine a week ago. Our visit here was a departure from most of our previous stops. Though we can't find much to complain about with respect to any of our stops, we (or at least I) found this stop to be the most pleasureable.
After a horrible experience with Enterprise Car Rental, we opted to
walk away before I did something I regreted. Finding a Avis car, we had a great two days with the car and got a ton of good running around done. The Avis owner was courteous and very professional, albeit intense as he was ex-military (retired). The car and running around was good and productive but not the purpose for the good visit in St. Augustine.
St. Augustine and the St. Augustine cruisers Net made me feel at home and over all the town felt like it could be home. Not so fast though, it seems this place does this for a number of people, and we met quite a few who either cruised by and came back and never left, or just couldn't or wouldn't go any further. One of whom were from California, and even others who were from New Zealand; putting down roots enough to found a local college.
To do in St. Augustine
If arriving by boat you have a few choices in marinas; the City Marina at St. Augustine, where the Cruisers net seems to be focused, Hidden harbor, for an inexpensive visit overall, and River Bend, convenient to the big box stores and the theater. In any of these places, the peopel are likely going to be freindly and very helpful.
While here a trip to the Lightner Museum and the Fort are a must do. The town square puts on a Christmas lighting event, and has a pretty cool fleamarket. The side streets are dotted with lots of local art galleries and other museums, including a Spanish War Hospital. Though we didn't partake, a train tour and horse and buggy ride seem to be a great way to get a sense of it all.
Maybe we'll make this one of our regular stops?
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Arrived in Florida BEFORE Thanksgiving Day!
We're here;
This is our first "real" as in realaxing stop for this year's trip. We arrived from St. Simons Island, GA by way of a quick overnight trip down the coast. Arriving an hour and a half faster than expected, we meandered around the Safe Water Buoy "STA", watching fishing boats head out for the day.
For anyone who knows about arriving at a new inlet, unless it is lit up like a landing strip, it's best to do it in nice weather under full sunlight. This inlet is NOT marked on the charts except to warn that it is "continually shifting". Watching the boats head out and calling ahead for local knowledge AND waiting for sunrise was a MUST.
Here we are at the STA Buoy; ah, what a nice sunrise!
Once inside, we found there was no room for us at the marina, so we looked around for a nice spot to anchor and as we took a dinghy ride into beg the marina for a spot, we were greeted by a passing dolphin wandering by, just behind our boat.
St. Augustine is such a beautiful and freindly place
After having a hearty breakfast, we checked once again at the marinia office and found that they have a slip ready for us! We will be here a week, and to start the week off, we were greated by a very active cruiser community, and the local Yacht Club telling us of a social gathering to send off one of their own on a round-the-world solo "race".
Drinks, a tour of a great boat... what an evening! To follow Stanley's progress go to stanleyparis.com. The line to see the boat was long, and it was an impressive boat
Off to the official St. Augustine lighting ceremony.
Though I'm not feeling well enough to go, Stacie is heading off to the official St. Augustine lighting ceremony. It appears to be again one of those big deal things we've stumbled on. Hope to hear about it soon, though I can see much of the town right here from the bow of the boat.
Glad to be in Florida!
This is our first "real" as in realaxing stop for this year's trip. We arrived from St. Simons Island, GA by way of a quick overnight trip down the coast. Arriving an hour and a half faster than expected, we meandered around the Safe Water Buoy "STA", watching fishing boats head out for the day.
For anyone who knows about arriving at a new inlet, unless it is lit up like a landing strip, it's best to do it in nice weather under full sunlight. This inlet is NOT marked on the charts except to warn that it is "continually shifting". Watching the boats head out and calling ahead for local knowledge AND waiting for sunrise was a MUST.
Here we are at the STA Buoy; ah, what a nice sunrise!
St. Augustine is such a beautiful and freindly place
After having a hearty breakfast, we checked once again at the marinia office and found that they have a slip ready for us! We will be here a week, and to start the week off, we were greated by a very active cruiser community, and the local Yacht Club telling us of a social gathering to send off one of their own on a round-the-world solo "race".
Drinks, a tour of a great boat... what an evening! To follow Stanley's progress go to stanleyparis.com. The line to see the boat was long, and it was an impressive boat
or for more on the boat from the builder you can read about it here.
Oh and his house isn't bad either.
Off to the official St. Augustine lighting ceremony.
Though I'm not feeling well enough to go, Stacie is heading off to the official St. Augustine lighting ceremony. It appears to be again one of those big deal things we've stumbled on. Hope to hear about it soon, though I can see much of the town right here from the bow of the boat.
Glad to be in Florida!
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Beaufort, NC to Beaufort, SC
It's been 9 days since leaving Beaufort, NC and we've arrived safe and sound and mostly without incident; poor little GPS, you will be missed. We are sitting at a precarious little anchorage at Lady Island. Meeting the Dockmaster last night, we are relatively certain, this may be a favored spot along the coast. What's not to like? The marina has an impromptu Happy Hour, provided a few people show up. Transient rates are $1 per foot per day, and the locals bar, ...well it's a locals bar.
Getting here from Beaufort, NC was a breeze; and last Monday morning coming in from a 200 nautical mile run off the coast between Beaufort, NC and Charleston, SC, breeze is an understaement. Arriving in Charleston, SC last monday we waited out some unseasonably cold weather and met up with a friend of ours single handing from Charleston to Savanah. Offering to buddy boat with him, we left Friday for a ride down the ditch.
The nice thing about buddy boating is the pictures we normally cannot get of our boat, while on our boat. Another nice thing is rafting and sharing some wine, cheese, and sea stories. The bad... well, there's the ditch in this case. Though not completely abhorid, the ditch really slows progress especially when going aground. No, we didn't go aground, but it was a bit dicey (shallow) in parts between Church's Creek and Beaufort. Oh, and did I mention; the GPS decided to leap overboard? Without a proper PFD, he / it was never recoverd, lost at sea (in the ditch).
As for our preference, I believe when we have decent weather, Stacie and I very much perfer to do 30 to 48 hour coastal runs, advancing our position by 150 to 200, or more nautical miles, rather than the 25, 50, or 60 miles per day in the ditch. Besides, it is less likely that we'll drift on our typically poorly set anchor and wake up to a 3am alarm sounding. That said, we will likely bid our friend a fond farwell sometime this week, and head out from Port Royal inlet or Savana River Tybe inlet. Not sure which just yet, so stay tuned for an update later this week. For now, the dolphins are back, so I'm signing off for now.
Getting here from Beaufort, NC was a breeze; and last Monday morning coming in from a 200 nautical mile run off the coast between Beaufort, NC and Charleston, SC, breeze is an understaement. Arriving in Charleston, SC last monday we waited out some unseasonably cold weather and met up with a friend of ours single handing from Charleston to Savanah. Offering to buddy boat with him, we left Friday for a ride down the ditch.
The nice thing about buddy boating is the pictures we normally cannot get of our boat, while on our boat. Another nice thing is rafting and sharing some wine, cheese, and sea stories. The bad... well, there's the ditch in this case. Though not completely abhorid, the ditch really slows progress especially when going aground. No, we didn't go aground, but it was a bit dicey (shallow) in parts between Church's Creek and Beaufort. Oh, and did I mention; the GPS decided to leap overboard? Without a proper PFD, he / it was never recoverd, lost at sea (in the ditch).
As for our preference, I believe when we have decent weather, Stacie and I very much perfer to do 30 to 48 hour coastal runs, advancing our position by 150 to 200, or more nautical miles, rather than the 25, 50, or 60 miles per day in the ditch. Besides, it is less likely that we'll drift on our typically poorly set anchor and wake up to a 3am alarm sounding. That said, we will likely bid our friend a fond farwell sometime this week, and head out from Port Royal inlet or Savana River Tybe inlet. Not sure which just yet, so stay tuned for an update later this week. For now, the dolphins are back, so I'm signing off for now.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Heading out from New Bern, to Beaufort & beyond
A great little marina (Bridgepointe Hotel & Marina)
As we say farewell and see you next spring to a great little marina, it feels good getting underway once again. A bit windy today, but we are only just heading down the ditch to Beaufort, NC to get ready for a weekend sail down the coast hopefully making it as far as Charleston.
...Laptop battery is dying, more to come later...
So, now is later.
Our stay in New Bern was prompted by an ever too common occurrence of that little nuisance commonly known as "WORK". I shouldn't complain, it had been quite a few weeks since my last steady contract, and we certainly could use the money. More on the contract later, in a post concerning the "Joys and hassles of trying to work while cruising." For now, I'll mention that the Bridgepointe Hotel & Marina was a very welcoming respite while we spent a month in Annapolis. As a side bonus, it was the cheapest place we've stayed since our couple of months at Scuttlebutt's Marina on Cobb Island.
Thankfully we were not there the whole time; Bridgepointe Hotel & Marina is not very conveniently located to downtown New Bern. The marina has just finished it's rebuild since being dessimated by hurricane Isabel. The facilities are GREAT, the tiki bar...not so much. Occasionally you'll see weddings and parties associated with the Hotel, they can be fun if you don't mind crashing the party. Otherwise you're basically stuck with Outback, unless you talk the dock master into giving you a ride. So, bicycles are a must here.
We'll be back!
With decent WiFi all around, and the best rates between Beaufort, NC and Cobb Island, MD you bet we're putting this place on the waypoint list on the way back north. If you happen to read this and stop by yourself, let Jessie know that Ralph and Stacie sent you. Maybe we'll get an even bigger discount, if we do we'll be sure buy you a drink.
As we say farewell and see you next spring to a great little marina, it feels good getting underway once again. A bit windy today, but we are only just heading down the ditch to Beaufort, NC to get ready for a weekend sail down the coast hopefully making it as far as Charleston.
...Laptop battery is dying, more to come later...
So, now is later.
Our stay in New Bern was prompted by an ever too common occurrence of that little nuisance commonly known as "WORK". I shouldn't complain, it had been quite a few weeks since my last steady contract, and we certainly could use the money. More on the contract later, in a post concerning the "Joys and hassles of trying to work while cruising." For now, I'll mention that the Bridgepointe Hotel & Marina was a very welcoming respite while we spent a month in Annapolis. As a side bonus, it was the cheapest place we've stayed since our couple of months at Scuttlebutt's Marina on Cobb Island.
Thankfully we were not there the whole time; Bridgepointe Hotel & Marina is not very conveniently located to downtown New Bern. The marina has just finished it's rebuild since being dessimated by hurricane Isabel. The facilities are GREAT, the tiki bar...not so much. Occasionally you'll see weddings and parties associated with the Hotel, they can be fun if you don't mind crashing the party. Otherwise you're basically stuck with Outback, unless you talk the dock master into giving you a ride. So, bicycles are a must here.
We'll be back!
With decent WiFi all around, and the best rates between Beaufort, NC and Cobb Island, MD you bet we're putting this place on the waypoint list on the way back north. If you happen to read this and stop by yourself, let Jessie know that Ralph and Stacie sent you. Maybe we'll get an even bigger discount, if we do we'll be sure buy you a drink.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Herding cats, and nailing jello to the wall, and moving a boat.
Time to get going again...?
Well, for anyone paying attention I've not been on for a few weeks. We were well within the rough schedule I posted a few weeks ago. However, plans change; as Stacie's mother has taken to call me "reroute it Ralph". Though not entirely accurate, I get the gist.
The route is the same, only the time frame has changed. We're heading back to the boat in New Bern, North Carolina after taking a few weeks for me to start a new contract, and for Stacie to take care of some family business. Some of our friends have gotten ahead of us, and some who were lagging behind are likely going to be intercepting us in the next few days.
With the weather in Annapolis getting cooler, it's not a moment to soon. We're quite ready to get to points southward and take in the warmer breezes. Looking at the forecast for Beaufort, NC; winds are expected to be 6 to 13 kts mostly from the east Saturday through Monday (Nov 09, 2013 through Nov 11, 2013). We're looking forward to a nice run to South Carolina.
Our updated itinerary;
The nice thing about this delay, was that I've had some time to do some additional planning and obsessing over our offshore legs. After more study, and continual dropouts from people expressing interest yet not following through with crewing, I've resigned myself to limiting offshore time to no more than 40 hour increments. With this we should be able to do 150 to 200 nautical miles per leg as follows:
Plan A:
11/9 - 11/11
Beaufort, NC to Charleston, SC - 200 nm (40 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 4pm for am arrival Mon **
11/16 - 11/17
Charleston, SC to Jacksonville, FL - 160 nm (32 hours @ 5 kts).
11/30 - 12/02
Jacksonville, FL to Stuart, FL - 200 nm (40 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 4pm for am arrival Mon**
12/07 - 12/08
Stuart, FL to Ft Lauderdale, FL - 100 nm (20 hours @ 5 kts).
Plan B:
11/9 - 11/ 10
Beaufort, NC to Wilmington, NC - 100 nm (24 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 8am for am arrival Sun**
11/16 - 11/17
Wilmington, NC to Charleston, SC - 110 nm (28 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 8am for am arrival Sun**
11/23 - 11/ 24
Charleston, SC to Jacksonville, FL - 160 nm (32 hours @ 5 kts).
11/30 - 12/02
Jacksonville, FL to Stuart, FL - 200 nm (40 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 4pm for am arrival Mon**
12/07 - 12/08
Stuart, FL to Ft Lauderdale, FL - 100 nm (20 hours @ 5 kts).
Well, for anyone paying attention I've not been on for a few weeks. We were well within the rough schedule I posted a few weeks ago. However, plans change; as Stacie's mother has taken to call me "reroute it Ralph". Though not entirely accurate, I get the gist.
The route is the same, only the time frame has changed. We're heading back to the boat in New Bern, North Carolina after taking a few weeks for me to start a new contract, and for Stacie to take care of some family business. Some of our friends have gotten ahead of us, and some who were lagging behind are likely going to be intercepting us in the next few days.
With the weather in Annapolis getting cooler, it's not a moment to soon. We're quite ready to get to points southward and take in the warmer breezes. Looking at the forecast for Beaufort, NC; winds are expected to be 6 to 13 kts mostly from the east Saturday through Monday (Nov 09, 2013 through Nov 11, 2013). We're looking forward to a nice run to South Carolina.
Our updated itinerary;
The nice thing about this delay, was that I've had some time to do some additional planning and obsessing over our offshore legs. After more study, and continual dropouts from people expressing interest yet not following through with crewing, I've resigned myself to limiting offshore time to no more than 40 hour increments. With this we should be able to do 150 to 200 nautical miles per leg as follows:
Plan A:
11/9 - 11/11
Beaufort, NC to Charleston, SC - 200 nm (40 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 4pm for am arrival Mon **
11/16 - 11/17
Charleston, SC to Jacksonville, FL - 160 nm (32 hours @ 5 kts).
11/30 - 12/02
Jacksonville, FL to Stuart, FL - 200 nm (40 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 4pm for am arrival Mon**
12/07 - 12/08
Stuart, FL to Ft Lauderdale, FL - 100 nm (20 hours @ 5 kts).
Plan B:
11/9 - 11/ 10
Beaufort, NC to Wilmington, NC - 100 nm (24 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 8am for am arrival Sun**
11/16 - 11/17
Wilmington, NC to Charleston, SC - 110 nm (28 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 8am for am arrival Sun**
11/23 - 11/ 24
Charleston, SC to Jacksonville, FL - 160 nm (32 hours @ 5 kts).
11/30 - 12/02
Jacksonville, FL to Stuart, FL - 200 nm (40 hours @ 5 kts). ** Lv Sat. @ 4pm for am arrival Mon**
12/07 - 12/08
Stuart, FL to Ft Lauderdale, FL - 100 nm (20 hours @ 5 kts).
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Ready To Go
After a good time at the SSCA (Seven Seas Cruisers Association) Annapolis Gam Weekend, it's time to go. We met a few friends, and made some new ones. We found a good deal on some used stuff at the SSCA flea market and learned a few things at the mini-sessions. Stacie got a few good shots and they've been shared on the Lasata Facebook page.
I've plotted the first few hours of our trip for tomorrow, and am looking forward to making Norfolk VA as soon as possible. The weather forecast is favorable, and we have new sails and plenty of fuel. The only decision at this hour is whether to go straight to Norfolk / Hampton VA or make our way into the small anchorage at Solomons to meat up with a few cruisers we met today.
We'll be turning the Spot Tracker on in the morning, so stay tuned, we'll be updating soon.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Almost ready again
We had such a great time of it last year, we're doing it again.
The time spent going south last year was a comprehensive mix of many emotions and experiences. Slightly bored at times, slightly lost at times, completely tired at times, miserably cold at times, completely content many times, awestruck by the sights (both good and bad) at other times, and all the time learning. The experience was wonderful, and we're doing it again this year; differently!
First of all, I'll say that everyone going south for the winter by boat should try the ICW at least once in each direction. That said, I'll probably choose to take coastal hops of 24 to 36 hours at a time going forward. Our tentative schedule this year is to meet up at the SSCA Gam near Annapolis the last few days of September, then head off and be in Florida before November 15th.
The following is a rough idea of the days we'll be on the move. Remember we'll be using a Spot Communicator for those of you who have the URL. If interested drop me a note or make a comment here on the blog and I'll get the link out to you.
Schedule:
So what have we been doing since returning from our trip? Well we got back to the Chesapeake Bay and spent July 4th weekend at Lasata's summer home Scuttle Butt marina, Cobb Island.
We had a couple improvement projects in mind for for our trip south this year:
- New Cabin Sole, deck.
- New Remote mic for the VHF (Newer model VHF for better AIS)
- New Para Anchor (WWII style direct from 1943) with cool RIT Deployment bag.
- New 150% Genoa.
- Added ventilation.
The time spent going south last year was a comprehensive mix of many emotions and experiences. Slightly bored at times, slightly lost at times, completely tired at times, miserably cold at times, completely content many times, awestruck by the sights (both good and bad) at other times, and all the time learning. The experience was wonderful, and we're doing it again this year; differently!
First of all, I'll say that everyone going south for the winter by boat should try the ICW at least once in each direction. That said, I'll probably choose to take coastal hops of 24 to 36 hours at a time going forward. Our tentative schedule this year is to meet up at the SSCA Gam near Annapolis the last few days of September, then head off and be in Florida before November 15th.
The following is a rough idea of the days we'll be on the move. Remember we'll be using a Spot Communicator for those of you who have the URL. If interested drop me a note or make a comment here on the blog and I'll get the link out to you.
Schedule:
- Sep 29 - Leave South River for Reedville or Deltaville Virginia.
- Oct 01 - Leave Reedville or Deltaville Virginia for Portsmouth Virginia.
- Oct 04 - Leave Portsmouth Virginia for Grandy North Carolina via the Virginia Cut.
- Oct 05 - Leave Grandy North Carolina for Dowry Creek North Carolina.
- Oct 06 - Leave Dowry Creek North Carolina for Oriental North Carolina.
- Oct 07 - Leave Oriental North Carolina for Beaufort North Carolina (spend the week).
- Oct 19 - Leave Beaufort North Carolina for Charleston South Carolina (anchor a couple days)
- Oct 24 - Leave Charleston South Carolina for Amelia Island Florida (City Marina for a few days)
- Oct 30 - Leave Amelia Island Florida for Lake Worth or Ft Lauderdale (arrive Nov 4th for the season).
** Like I said before, this schedule is subject to change at anytime**
A few new things / boat maintenance
So what have we been doing since returning from our trip? Well we got back to the Chesapeake Bay and spent July 4th weekend at Lasata's summer home Scuttle Butt marina, Cobb Island.
We had a couple improvement projects in mind for for our trip south this year:
- New Cabin Sole, deck.
- Added ventilation.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Back in the Chesapeake Bay
Lots of rain and wind along the way;
So we've made it into the Chesapeake for the 4th of July. Lasata is in her temporary slip in Cobb Island, near a friends boat. It's a bit far from Annapolis for my taste, but it is in an inexpensive place and we have may have access to a good workspace and tools.
Taking 5 days to run up the ICW we encountered lots of rain and wind along the way (every day!).
With stops in Belhaven, Alligator River Marina, Elizabeth City, and on the Dismal Swamp; we can say we did the ditch (mostly) both ways. As for next year, it't going to be mostly coastal. And yes, we are potentially looking for crew and buddy boats.
So we've made it into the Chesapeake for the 4th of July. Lasata is in her temporary slip in Cobb Island, near a friends boat. It's a bit far from Annapolis for my taste, but it is in an inexpensive place and we have may have access to a good workspace and tools.
Taking 5 days to run up the ICW we encountered lots of rain and wind along the way (every day!).
With stops in Belhaven, Alligator River Marina, Elizabeth City, and on the Dismal Swamp; we can say we did the ditch (mostly) both ways. As for next year, it't going to be mostly coastal. And yes, we are potentially looking for crew and buddy boats.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Final leg (2012-2013) ICW Trip
We're Back on the boat
After a long month away, we woke up on the boat this morning and bummed a ride to "The Bean" in Oriental, NC. Though, like Stacie, they don't cook much we had a nice cup of coffee and watched as a Shrimp Boat came in to off load it's catch. ...I guess we'll be having shrimp tonight?
Planning & Working
Or as one of our friends we met along the way calls it "...that's logistics..." Any way you slice it, or what ever you call it; doing the ICW and the trip up and down the coast the way we do it requires lots of patience and planning. Neither of which do I have a continual reserve of...
As it turns out one project I am on is winding down the current phase, and another project I am working on will probably not start up again for a couple weeks. This should give us the time to quickly move the boat to Norfolk and the southern Chesapeake Bay. Who knows, maybe we'll do the Fourth of July Fireworks near the Naval Base in Norfolk?
After a long month away, we woke up on the boat this morning and bummed a ride to "The Bean" in Oriental, NC. Though, like Stacie, they don't cook much we had a nice cup of coffee and watched as a Shrimp Boat came in to off load it's catch. ...I guess we'll be having shrimp tonight?
 |
| Off loading the catch |
 |
| The Bean |
Planning & Working
Or as one of our friends we met along the way calls it "...that's logistics..." Any way you slice it, or what ever you call it; doing the ICW and the trip up and down the coast the way we do it requires lots of patience and planning. Neither of which do I have a continual reserve of...
As it turns out one project I am on is winding down the current phase, and another project I am working on will probably not start up again for a couple weeks. This should give us the time to quickly move the boat to Norfolk and the southern Chesapeake Bay. Who knows, maybe we'll do the Fourth of July Fireworks near the Naval Base in Norfolk?
Monday, June 10, 2013
Back; only for the moment.
Well, we're back in body but not in spirit. After 190+ days, we find ourselves in Annapolis, MD. Leaving the boat temporarily in Oriental, NC Stacie and I have some business to attend to. I think Stacie might even miss the simpler "boat life" already.
Our plan is to finish up our obligations ASAP and head back to the boat. We're unsure how we will do this at the moment. We might fly down to Key West and retrieve the car left behind and drive to Oriental, NC. Or we might just go directly to the boat and fly down for the car later? In either case our intention is to run the boat up through the Dismal Swamp route and be back in the Chesapeake by July 4th weekend.
Once in the Chesapeake Bay, we hope to make the best use of our time here and take a few trips around the bay with some friends. With all the updates and repairs made on our trip down the coast, the bay should be a breeze!
Meanwhile, here are a few photos of our trip up from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Amelia Island Light
Our plan is to finish up our obligations ASAP and head back to the boat. We're unsure how we will do this at the moment. We might fly down to Key West and retrieve the car left behind and drive to Oriental, NC. Or we might just go directly to the boat and fly down for the car later? In either case our intention is to run the boat up through the Dismal Swamp route and be back in the Chesapeake by July 4th weekend.
Once in the Chesapeake Bay, we hope to make the best use of our time here and take a few trips around the bay with some friends. With all the updates and repairs made on our trip down the coast, the bay should be a breeze!
Meanwhile, here are a few photos of our trip up from Fernandina Beach, FL:
Amelia Island Light
Stacie and I left from Amelia Island early in the morning, and soon heard from one of our fellow snow birds (Ladd & Denise from Blue), and we went through the night up the coast to Charleston, SC. After a quick dinner in town we retired to Lasata for the night and departed early in the morning heading for Wilmington, NC.
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Sunday, May 12, 2013
On the way back to the Chesapeake
Well, we are on our way back... slowly toward Annapolis. We spent two days going to Miami from the Keys to pick up crew. Eventually we made our way off shore from Ft. Lauderdale going north in the Gulf Stream.
After 24 hours in pounding waves and very large swells due to a North Wind, Casey and I decided it is best to just head back toward Ft Pierce. Being met by the US Coast Guard, we found slightly smoother water and were on our way, following our sloooooow track "coastal" northward.
The morning of the fourth day, we found our way to the Fernandina Beach inlet (against the early morning current). Heavy winds, big boats, and a leaky water pump didn't dissuade the crew and we had a great arrival. Now everyone has gone their separate ways and Stacie and I are left to get the boat ready for the run to Charleston, SC and onward to North Carolina.
By the way, we did finish up our boat lettering. Here is what the finished product looks like:
Now that's more like it!
After 24 hours in pounding waves and very large swells due to a North Wind, Casey and I decided it is best to just head back toward Ft Pierce. Being met by the US Coast Guard, we found slightly smoother water and were on our way, following our sloooooow track "coastal" northward.
The morning of the fourth day, we found our way to the Fernandina Beach inlet (against the early morning current). Heavy winds, big boats, and a leaky water pump didn't dissuade the crew and we had a great arrival. Now everyone has gone their separate ways and Stacie and I are left to get the boat ready for the run to Charleston, SC and onward to North Carolina.
By the way, we did finish up our boat lettering. Here is what the finished product looks like:
Sunday, April 14, 2013
New lettering
Getting ready to head north up the coast. Decided to freshen up the transome with new lettering.
Monday, March 4, 2013
A step closer to Key West
Leaving with a new rig.
Our trip from Annapolis included the very real potential to replace the Standing Rigging. I had my mind made up to do the right thing and do this trip (Annapolis to Key West and back) with a new rig.
At some point we'd be heading off for a few days in the Gulf Stream; most likely on our return leg. Doing this with a 10 + year old rig was, in my opinion not the safest thing to do. So, here we are.
Sea Trials and Miami in sight!
After a month in Ft Lauderdale, we have a laundry list of new stuff and a much lighter bank account. Our tiller pilot (age unknown) gave up the ghost in Brunswick, GA, so we have a new Raymarine unit bought from eBay.
Now we will have a second hand for those long tiresome days underway. Thankfully I think we will be able to control the tiller pilot from the e7D MFD / Plotter. As you can see here, we didn't have much room (or choice) to locate the Control Head. When the Engine is in gear and throttled up, the handle blocks the view of the Control Head display. Thankfully we'll be using it more sailing than motoring.
The Sea Trial continued with a nice sail!
Finally, with everything calibrated we tested out the Windvane mode on the new Tiller Pilot. Though it seemed a little sluggish, the tiller pilot basically kept the wind on the right side of the boat. Now all we need to do is learn to tack with the Tiller Pilot.
The rigging was initially tuned dockside, and I had some reservations about the quality of the tune. To my pleasant surprise the new rig looked great under sail, the leward shrouds barely sagging at all.
Lasata felt wonderful in 18Kts of wind.
Our trip from Annapolis included the very real potential to replace the Standing Rigging. I had my mind made up to do the right thing and do this trip (Annapolis to Key West and back) with a new rig.
At some point we'd be heading off for a few days in the Gulf Stream; most likely on our return leg. Doing this with a 10 + year old rig was, in my opinion not the safest thing to do. So, here we are.
Sea Trials and Miami in sight!
After a month in Ft Lauderdale, we have a laundry list of new stuff and a much lighter bank account. Our tiller pilot (age unknown) gave up the ghost in Brunswick, GA, so we have a new Raymarine unit bought from eBay.
This is a SPX-5 tiller pilot, it sure is much nicer than the old Simrad that came with the boat. We will be able to use this tiller pilot in "track" or "windvane" mode. Making overnight ocean passages much easier. The SPX-5 came with a Course Computer, but no control head. So a few hundred dollars later, and a few scrapes and bruises we have a new p70 Autopilot Control unit.
Now we will have a second hand for those long tiresome days underway. Thankfully I think we will be able to control the tiller pilot from the e7D MFD / Plotter. As you can see here, we didn't have much room (or choice) to locate the Control Head. When the Engine is in gear and throttled up, the handle blocks the view of the Control Head display. Thankfully we'll be using it more sailing than motoring.
The Sea Trial continued with a nice sail!
Finally, with everything calibrated we tested out the Windvane mode on the new Tiller Pilot. Though it seemed a little sluggish, the tiller pilot basically kept the wind on the right side of the boat. Now all we need to do is learn to tack with the Tiller Pilot.
The rigging was initially tuned dockside, and I had some reservations about the quality of the tune. To my pleasant surprise the new rig looked great under sail, the leward shrouds barely sagging at all.
Lasata felt wonderful in 18Kts of wind.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Limbo in Lauderdale
Have a look at photos of the mast work @ http://sailinglasata.blogspot.com It's been two weeks, and we're still here. Not that I'm complaining; but seriously I'd have loved to made it to Miami by now. With the Miami Boat Show starting this coming Friday, it would have been nice to be within walking or scooter distance to the show. As it stands, we'll be there Friday and maybe Saturday. God knows I have a one or two more things to get before my systems are 100% on the boat.
That said, we are becoming very familiar with the area and Stacie may be getting a little too comfortable being here. It is a nice city for the most part, and the weather? What Can I say, it's been great! We've even had the opportunity to benefit culturally too, seeing Wicked and Cirque du Soleil - Totem.
Okay so now to answer the question... "So, what's taking you so long?" Well, a couple things. First, it took us nearly a week to have the mast pulled. Not that the actual work of it took that long, it was basically the logistics of getting the crane and riggers scheduled. It is a strange sight, watching my mast being lifted from the boat... Even stranger the boat being mast-less. I'm not sure if it was just my self-conscious nature, but it felt like everyone was staring at us as we motored back to the slip.
Here are a few pictures of the Mast work I'm doing. Basically the plan was to get down the ICW, going offshore a couple times, only when we had good weather (subjective) and during the day. Once we were in warm weather, we'd go ahead and have the Standing Rigging replaced and do some mast maintenance. After all It has been at least 12 years! And I've noticed the same European wiring in the mast... So, it is about time.
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| First; remove the boom and clear the running rigging |
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| And there goes the Mast |
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| Keeping Track of the wire? |
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| As seen from the top. Note; Main halyard too fat! |
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| Port & Stbd Shrouds |
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| Where the Spinaker Halyards will be... Oh yeah, new Anchor light, VHF Antenna, & wire |
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| Starbord Side of the Mast |
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| Notice the Faded Spreader |
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| New Spreader caps |
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| Spreaders with Fresh Black Anodizing |
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| Wrong size spreader boot! |
Monday, January 28, 2013
Still on the go.
January Update:
It's been a few more miles and a few more weeks since our last update. As we come closer to our winter destination our posts will obviously be a little less frequent. That said, here is a quick up date on our progress:
We began this leg, as our previous posting would indicate, from Vero Beach, FL. Our stay in Vero Beach was a little longer than I'd like, but the bus system and general feel of the place made it pleasurable none the less. Getting underway was quick easy and refreshing. We topped off our tanks, settled up with the marina and got underway for a short trip to Ft Peirce.
Finding ourselves in the company of a Catamaran and one other boat in a small anchorage we went in to the small dockside bar for a bite. Talking with the people from the Catamaran, we found they were new to this too and were going "outside" for their next leg. Unable to turn down an opportunity, I decided to challenge this 42 foot Catamaran to a race down the coast to the next inlet; looser buys the first round.
Up bright and early we were off and I thought the Catamaran "KatCanDo" might be off to a slow start, as they didn't seem to be stirring as we were pulling the anchor. The next thing I know, they're hot on our heals motoring out the Ft. Pierce inlet eventually passing us. We regained some confidence when we noticed they were heading due east for a much longer time than we were. It seemed like they were having difficulty getting thier sails up.
Heading south under full sail, we pulled away but this was not to remain. KatCanDo found their trim (or we lost ours) after lunch and pulled into Lake Worth inlet behind Peanut Island a half hour ahead of us. Upon calling to admit defeat and offer them the opportunity to collect on our debt, they sounded as if they were completely worn out. So, we were off the hook.. this time.
The next morning we woke to an anchor drag alarm and found ourselves 200-300 feet from where we went to bed. Lucky we didn't hit any of the boats nearby, however we did manage to wedge our anchor under something very big and heavy. Ultimately we needed to cut it loose to get under way, thankfully we didn't have a ton of chain.
Looking behind us occasionally, we eventually saw KatCanDo in the distance. Confirming it was them, we continued to press on. It seemed the race was still on?
The leg between Lake Worth and the Lauderdale inlet was full of strange surprises and a few angry fisherman. A first for us was the sight of some kites in the air flying off the back of a small fishing boat. Before we knew it, we were dangerously close to these "Fishing Kites" and had to take evasive maneuvers. These guys certainly were angry... In addition to this we ran across a few dive boats, some of them seeming to take up a large stretch with lots of little floating dive flags in the water arranged in a line or box shape.
All that aside, the winds were twice the strength as forecasted, and the waves were 50% higher than expected. We were getting banged around quite a bit, but it seemed the weather was keeping KatCanDo a good distance behind, and unable to catch up. About the time we knew we were cutting our arrival close, Stacie noticed the bilge pump hadn't been running for a few days. We had water on the floor below, and no way to pump it out (not automatically anyway).
Eventually making into the Lauderdale inlet, as a cruise ship was exiting as we were entering. It sure made our boat seem very very small. In fact thanks to the 17'th street bridge, we found we can fit under a 58 foot bridge comfortably. Finally docking at Las Olas Marina, we were 2 blocks from the beach and ready to begin making repairs once again.
On the list:
Repairs made or to be made on the boat before heading to the Keys are many but not extremely terrible. So, we've decided on a trip up the New River to Lauderdale Marine Center and are going to replace all the Standing-Rigging, install a new Tiller Pilot, repair the companionway hatch board, replace the water pump impeller, and provision the boat.
Hopefully we'll be out of here by the second week of February and moored in Boot Key Harbor. Stay tuned...
It's been a few more miles and a few more weeks since our last update. As we come closer to our winter destination our posts will obviously be a little less frequent. That said, here is a quick up date on our progress:
We began this leg, as our previous posting would indicate, from Vero Beach, FL. Our stay in Vero Beach was a little longer than I'd like, but the bus system and general feel of the place made it pleasurable none the less. Getting underway was quick easy and refreshing. We topped off our tanks, settled up with the marina and got underway for a short trip to Ft Peirce.
Finding ourselves in the company of a Catamaran and one other boat in a small anchorage we went in to the small dockside bar for a bite. Talking with the people from the Catamaran, we found they were new to this too and were going "outside" for their next leg. Unable to turn down an opportunity, I decided to challenge this 42 foot Catamaran to a race down the coast to the next inlet; looser buys the first round.
Up bright and early we were off and I thought the Catamaran "KatCanDo" might be off to a slow start, as they didn't seem to be stirring as we were pulling the anchor. The next thing I know, they're hot on our heals motoring out the Ft. Pierce inlet eventually passing us. We regained some confidence when we noticed they were heading due east for a much longer time than we were. It seemed like they were having difficulty getting thier sails up.
Heading south under full sail, we pulled away but this was not to remain. KatCanDo found their trim (or we lost ours) after lunch and pulled into Lake Worth inlet behind Peanut Island a half hour ahead of us. Upon calling to admit defeat and offer them the opportunity to collect on our debt, they sounded as if they were completely worn out. So, we were off the hook.. this time.
The next morning we woke to an anchor drag alarm and found ourselves 200-300 feet from where we went to bed. Lucky we didn't hit any of the boats nearby, however we did manage to wedge our anchor under something very big and heavy. Ultimately we needed to cut it loose to get under way, thankfully we didn't have a ton of chain.
Looking behind us occasionally, we eventually saw KatCanDo in the distance. Confirming it was them, we continued to press on. It seemed the race was still on?
The leg between Lake Worth and the Lauderdale inlet was full of strange surprises and a few angry fisherman. A first for us was the sight of some kites in the air flying off the back of a small fishing boat. Before we knew it, we were dangerously close to these "Fishing Kites" and had to take evasive maneuvers. These guys certainly were angry... In addition to this we ran across a few dive boats, some of them seeming to take up a large stretch with lots of little floating dive flags in the water arranged in a line or box shape.
All that aside, the winds were twice the strength as forecasted, and the waves were 50% higher than expected. We were getting banged around quite a bit, but it seemed the weather was keeping KatCanDo a good distance behind, and unable to catch up. About the time we knew we were cutting our arrival close, Stacie noticed the bilge pump hadn't been running for a few days. We had water on the floor below, and no way to pump it out (not automatically anyway).
Eventually making into the Lauderdale inlet, as a cruise ship was exiting as we were entering. It sure made our boat seem very very small. In fact thanks to the 17'th street bridge, we found we can fit under a 58 foot bridge comfortably. Finally docking at Las Olas Marina, we were 2 blocks from the beach and ready to begin making repairs once again.
On the list:
Repairs made or to be made on the boat before heading to the Keys are many but not extremely terrible. So, we've decided on a trip up the New River to Lauderdale Marine Center and are going to replace all the Standing-Rigging, install a new Tiller Pilot, repair the companionway hatch board, replace the water pump impeller, and provision the boat.
Hopefully we'll be out of here by the second week of February and moored in Boot Key Harbor. Stay tuned...
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Happy New Year!
Minor mechanical issues, weather, & Holiday delays
Well here it is the first of the year and we're still not south of Miami (We are in Vero Beach, FL). After spending New Years Eve 2013 in Coco, FL we found ourselves yet again in the leisure Intracoastal Water Way. When ever I find myself complaining about the pace, I hear people say "It's the journey, not the destination". That may be true, except that after two months, I'm looking forward to settling into warm weather and crystal clear water.
The journey in this case was scenic as usual, with lots of small swampy looking islands and a plethora of small runabout boats and Jet-Ski's. Occasionally we'd get a nice chuckle from an odd looking box built on a flat bottom boat (wish we would have taken a picture). We've seen a few of these strange creations along the way, but the seemed to be more prevalent on the stretch of the ICW between Tittusville and Vero Beach.
I'll admit, it is January 8'th and I am walking around on deck in shorts. I think the forecast for today is Partly Cloudy and temperatures near 80 degrees F. That said, I guess I've made the first part of my goal; warm in January, now on to the second part which is sure to happen within the next couple weeks. I've received my parts, I'll be installing them on my trusty Yanmar Diesel Engine, then we'll be on our way most likely Friday or Saturday. Next stop Ft. Pierce or Lake Worth (depending on forecasts & going outside); hopeful to be in Marathon, FL in a couple weeks.
Well here it is the first of the year and we're still not south of Miami (We are in Vero Beach, FL). After spending New Years Eve 2013 in Coco, FL we found ourselves yet again in the leisure Intracoastal Water Way. When ever I find myself complaining about the pace, I hear people say "It's the journey, not the destination". That may be true, except that after two months, I'm looking forward to settling into warm weather and crystal clear water.
The journey in this case was scenic as usual, with lots of small swampy looking islands and a plethora of small runabout boats and Jet-Ski's. Occasionally we'd get a nice chuckle from an odd looking box built on a flat bottom boat (wish we would have taken a picture). We've seen a few of these strange creations along the way, but the seemed to be more prevalent on the stretch of the ICW between Tittusville and Vero Beach.
I'll admit, it is January 8'th and I am walking around on deck in shorts. I think the forecast for today is Partly Cloudy and temperatures near 80 degrees F. That said, I guess I've made the first part of my goal; warm in January, now on to the second part which is sure to happen within the next couple weeks. I've received my parts, I'll be installing them on my trusty Yanmar Diesel Engine, then we'll be on our way most likely Friday or Saturday. Next stop Ft. Pierce or Lake Worth (depending on forecasts & going outside); hopeful to be in Marathon, FL in a couple weeks.
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