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21/11/2015

Free Spirit - Friday, 20 November 2015 Terra Firma

We crossed the finish line yesterday in daylight as promised, 8 days and 23 hours from start to finish.The Caribbean 1500 staff met us at the dock at Nanny Cay with an ice cold rum punch welcome… sweet!We staggered ashore like a bunch of drunken sailors, definitely smelling tired and headed for a land based shower and the stationary head that graciously accepts all offerings.Dinner was a sit down affair eaten off plates (as opposed to doggie bowls) with separate meat, vegetable and a starch.Funny how you appreciate the little things in life.No more watches and hot bunking.We all get to sleep through the night in a dedicated berth… fresh sheets and bodies.Friday was a "get Free Spirit back in shipshape" day, scrubbing away all vestiges of an arduous passage.She performed very well during. read more...


Free Spirit - Free spirit - the fearless captain - mike berndt
Free Spirit - Free spirit - the fearless captain - mike berndt
Free Spirit - Free spirit - lucky crew newbie - Alex Fleming
Free Spirit - Free spirit - lucky crew newbie - Alex Fleming
Free Spirit - Free spirit - celestial navigation - master navigator Steve Runals in action
Free Spirit - Free spirit - celestial navigation - master navigator Steve Runals in action
Free Spirit - Free spirit - celestial nav with Steve Runals
Free Spirit - Free spirit - celestial nav with Steve Runals
20/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away Day 9

Still driving south down interstate I-65 under double reef main and staysail making 6-6.5kts.  I don’t know that had we been undamaged that we would be doing anything different than we are doing.  The fleet report shows a lot of boats arriving today.  That’s impressive, that means they averaged above 7 kts for the entire trip.  The fact that we will be getting in tomorrow night, making it in just over ten days is outstanding for Sail Away.  I wish I could have read the blogs of the other boats during the voyage.  But It will be fun once we can get online to go back and read everyone else blogs.  As my  sister’s husband said, you’ll have much fonder memories when you’re looking back in the rear view mirror.  I. read more...


19/11/2015

Free Spirit - Thursday, 19 November 2015 And on the ninth day?

After 2 nights of overcast skies, last night the stars and moon came out to greet us.We had light winds E 5-10 kts, making for a comfortable beam reach.The lightening show off the port bow got Steve's attention and he carefully stashed his hand held GPS in the microwave as a precaution, for safe keeping.We are getting close to our destination.Initial estimates had us arriving tonight, but we made good time last night and the estimates have been revised.We should be arriving while it's still light… yeah!!!! By 1100 it was land ho!Signs of the approaching land abound.The water has turned a faint shade of turquoise.Birds soar by as butterflies flutter in the cockpit.Periodically lobster pots dot the water so I'm glad we're approaching in daylight to better be able to spot them.We. read more...


19/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away Day 8

The weather report this morning doesn’t look quite as bad as it did yesterday.  I think we may just luck out on this one.  Still proceeding generally South down I-65 under double reefed main and staysail making 6-7kts.  Haven’t needed the main since we started having filter issues fortunately.  Noticed that Marinade and Island Tales both finally bit the bullet and made and easterly tack.  Allowing us to close the distance on Island Tales a little and get ahead of Marinade.  We went through some squalls where the rain came down so hard that we leaked in places I never saw leak before.  We think we will cross the line Friday night before midnight.  Probably anchor up somewhere until morning, maybe take some showers so Mia doesn’t have to hand us. read more...


19/11/2015

Free Spirit - Wednesday, 18 November 20 15 Doing the Wind Dance

The wind was fickle through the night so we motored on.Today it's the joys of Caribbean sailing with light wind and intermittent squalls.We put a head sail out, we take it in.We change headsails.Squalls hit, wind direction shifts and we adjust sails and course.It all serves to keep us off the street and out of trouble. A few years ago I came across an expression "Gentleman don't go to weather."Now what's that supposed to mean?How in the world do you get anywhere if you don't go to weather?Heck, as a racer, most of our races are windward/leeward races.I think I finally get it now.It's one thing to be racing along, everyone on the rail trying to keep balance and maximize speed.At night when we're cruising or passage making, it's not so much fun and doesn't make for good. read more...


19/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away Day 7

Regardless of my attempts to avoid fuel  filter issues by running only the generator or the main engine they have started.  With all this motion from these seas, my fuel is sufficiently mixed I think.  The weather forecast was a little disturbing this morning, rather than the nice trades we were hoping for we are running into gale force winds and 10-12 ft seas.  Looks like we will have about a day to get ready for it.  I put up the mizzen and then double reefed it, and then dropped it again.  My plan in gale force winds is double reefed mizzen and staysail.  We ran with a double reefed main only the first night after crossing the Gulf Stream in what turned out to be gale force and it was pushing it.  With our broken bow sprit, we won’t be. read more...


18/11/2015

Free Spirit - Tuesday, 17 November 2015 Slow Boat to China

The wind has decided not to cooperate.It dropped and shifted and is right on the nose.We're motor sailing with just a reefed main and the going is slow.We've been logging 150-160 nm days, but not today.We took advantage of the relatively calm sea to top off the fuel tanks with the jerry cans on the rail.  Since we've been able to sail most of the way, our fuel status is good and we could motor all the way to Tortola at this point if we wanted… NOT!!!!We're getting in as much Easting as we can and hoping to be able to turn south and sail.This morning we found a flying fish on deck.The sea is littered with patches of Sargasso grass, so we decided to put out a fishing line.Took a while, but we finally hauled in a 2 foot skipjack tuna.Not very good eating, so it turned into catch and. read more...


18/11/2015

Free Spirit - Monday, 16 November 2015 MTWR

High wind plus an opposing current equals one miserable night as we bounce along, getting smacked about on a frequent basis by the waves.As Steve would put it, "MTWR (as in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride)".At first I was concerned about Alex, as this is his first offshore experience and we weren't sure what he'd think of this.  Well obviously we didn't need to worry.He's in his glory, like a kid who has just been given a pass for unlimited rides on the roller coaster.Once we got through the night, we had a fix it day.First the head on the galley faucet broke off and we had to jury rig a clamp to keep the hose from retracting.Not to be out done, the lid and seat on the head came apart and had to be reassembled.  We should have known better than to touch the chart plotter during our. read more...


18/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away Day 6

Motor sailing  just east of do south in ENE fluky winds.   Made a couple adjustments on the jury rigged bob stay.  The aft battery bank got pulled down to much so that attempting to charge them only tripped the charger breaker.  So I swapped those out with some fresh spares.  Because in the past when I ran the generator and the main engine at the same time the filter boss alarm would go off, and I’d have to change the racor filter.  My experience is once that starts, it constantly after that.  To avoid that we shut the main down every few hours to run the generator and get the freezer back down.  We usually let the freezer get up to about 10 degrees then pull it back down to minus 10.  Crew is a little tired, captain is too! . read more...


17/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away Day 5

I forgot to mention Chucks birthday yesterday! We had had birthday cupcakes!  So we continued through the night In generally an easterly direction under main, staysail and genoa.  At 6 am my sister was sleeping in the bow V-birth when she was awoken by a horrible noise.  She said it sounded like we were dropping the anchor or something.  She came running, something is going on up on the bow.  Turning on the spreader light reveal the bow sprit going up and down.  I wasn’t sure that the pressure from the roller furled itself wasn’t going to finish the job, but we had to try.  Fortunately the genoa came in and rolled up.  We were still moving through the water at a good clip so next we rolled up the staysail and lowered the main.  Now we. read more...


16/11/2015

Blue Summit - Halfway to the BVI

It was just two weeks and 900 miles ago that we departed from Deltaville for our circumnavigation.Currently, we are on the sixth day (and over halfway) on the leg from Norfolk to Tortola in the BVI.We headed out of the Chesapeake Bay 5 days ago, past Cape Hatteras and southeastward toward a spot south of Bermuda on the 65W line of longitude.This is known as the I-65 route to the Caribbean and although an open ocean route, and the quickest way to get there, there is less upwind sailing than on the infamous Thorny Path through the Bahamas and Greater Antilles.We have now turned south and are sailing along on a bumpy beam reach at 9 knots with about 20 knots of wind. "New" is the operative word on this passage for us. Our ten year boat needed "some" refits and updates after last winter's. read more...


16/11/2015

Barbara Jean - Day 3- November 13, 2015-Another choppy ride

Day 3-Friday  During morning roll call there wasn't a readout of the weather however, WRI said we should all head for 300 nm south of Bermuda. Annabella once again relays weather information to us.It is nice to have someone looking out for you. No boats in sight, neither visually nor on radar.Bob mentioned on morning roll call that several boats reported equipment failure. These choppy seas are hard on the boats and people.It's almost safer in the cockpit than it is below deck.We are doing well despite the constant rolling back and forth of the boat. This is when you find out how well you have secured things below.We started out with a golden rule of no salt down below except for in the salt room (aft berth/storage area) but, things are so bouncy that it doesn't make sense to take. read more...


16/11/2015

Barbara Jean - Left Portsmouth?headed out into Atlantic-11-14-15

We start our shifts….4 hours on and 4 hours off. We tend to be a little more lax during the day.Day1--We left the dock around 9:25am on Wednesday, November 11th. The ride started out with choppy seas and continued throughout the today. After leaving the southern portion of the Chesapeake, we went south and followed the coastline down to Cape Hatteras.We were given a suggested latitude and longitude to enter the Gulf Stream. After we turned East to head out into the Atlantic, Bob grabbed the whisker pole to be able to sail wing-on-wing.This setup lasted about an hour and then the pole bent……it has now been taken out of the equipment list. Winds were out of the North at 15/16 knots. The seas have been choppy with swells at 5-9 feet.Dinner was coney islands and chips.Day 2-7:30 amI just. read more...


16/11/2015

Free Spirit - Sunday, 15 November 2015 Entertainment at sea

Last night's motoring didn't last long.By 2200 the wind filled in and we were able to partially unfurl the genoa to go wing on wing.The motor's off and we are sailing again.We are making good time today, having clocked a 9.4kt speed surfing down the back of a wave.  We started out the morning with a hearty breakfast of apple spiced pancakes, then broke out the toys and other sources of amusement.Steve is working the sextant again.I stand corrected… yesterday he came within 0.5 miles of our electronic position fix, definitely a "you da man" moment.Alex, our IT expert, helped me set up the solar powered charging device my son gave me for my birthday.Our latest competition is to see who can coax out the greatest amount of speed and stay the closest on course. I can hear my mother now,. read more...


16/11/2015

Annabella - Fw: Day 5 at sea

The crew of Annabella watches the sun rise somewhere in the Triangle while H. L.watches over the scene and Wendy gives direction.What was the direction? "go East old men, go East" And so we do.Au demain. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Saturday, 14 November 2015 What a difference a day makes!

We had a very much welcomed beautiful sail last night with west winds 18-20 kts and gentle waves.We scooted right along, clocking 8.9 kts SOG at one point, much to our delight.We all slept soundly off duty, with a contest to see who sawed the most logs.I think the skipper won that hands down.I kept thinking I was hearing a furling line whining through the block until I traced the source.Alex is earning the moniker "squall boy", as he seems to be catching all the squalls on his watch while the rest of us stay nice and dry.Steve and Alex are working on the rock star challenge, breaking out the sextant again.Today's efforts resulted in a position within 1.6 miles of our electronic fix.Wahoo!The wind turned fickle and we had to turn on the motor again.All in all we are pleased with our. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Friday, 13 Nov 2015 Rodeo Time

Last night we got a taste of how spoiled we've become this passage.The winds and the waves kicked up and we spent the night rocking and a rolling.Free Spirit impersonated a rodeo bronc, bucking, rolling, dropping her shoulder and doing her best to unseat us.The difference is that she never tired and the ride lasted 8 hours rather than seconds.  The watch person held onto the lines tightly to stay in the saddle while those below found sleep impossible as they were thrown side to side, and up in the air in their bunks.Even the new lee cloth system was no match, working well to prevent injury but not enough to let you sleep.When morning came we were all still here, though rather bleary eyed.The sun came out, the wind and waves settled down, and a huge pod of dolphins came alongside the. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Thursday, 12 Nov 2015 Settling in

The wind shifted north and died during the night, so we ended up motor sailing through the night.We're settling in to our 2 hour watch system, grabbing shut eye at every opportunity while we work on acquiring our sea legs.We have been fighting a cold water eddy all day according to our temperature readings, with 2 kts of current against us to slow our progress.Steve got out his sextant and is sharpening his celestial navigation skills… a lost art these days.He took the readings, did the calculations, and came within 8 miles of our electronic fix.The challenge is on to see how much he can narrow the gap… the rock star challenge!Andrea'. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Wednesday, 11 Nov 2015 Out to the Gulf Stream

We departed Hampton Yacht Club in Hampton, VA at 1500 EST.The Caribbean 1500 fleet is scheduled to leave tomorrow.We're heading out now to try to take advantage of the wind, coming at us from the west compliments of Tropical Storm Kate.The skies were overcast on Tuesday with intermittent rain showers, so we had to take advantage of breaks in the rain to finish loading the end of the last minute items.When all was in order and the crew set, we got underway. Winds were west at 5-10 kts when we started motor sailing, but quickly picked up.By 1900 AST (Atlantic Standard Time) we had 20-28 kts of west wind and could douse the engine and sail comfortably with a 3rd reef in the main and full jib.It was easy sailing and a great way to start the adventure.The dreaded waves due to all the. read more...


15/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away Day 4

Continued through the night heading SE with a double reefed main.  8 Am wind dropping into the high teens, shock out the reefs in the main and set the Genoa and staysail.  Looking at the wind predictions we decided we should head further east so we flipped to a broad reach on the port tack.  We saw another sailboat running do south, turned out to be Island Tales and we connected on the VHF.  They said they were crossing the Gulf Stream near Isbjorn when Isbjorn blew out a sail.  They got everything on film.  I think I know who gets the Gill Jacket!  Anyway running across Island tales a Tayana 48 means where not doing that badly.  Island Tales was heading straight downwind, something Sail Away doesn’t do well.  But I felt that was the. read more...


15/11/2015

Misto - Rockin' n 'rolliing

On day 4 we now have great wind.The sea state is pushing us a little further South before we get to 65W than we had intended but we are still on target for Tortola. We have visual company here - Vanishing Point - a Salty Dog Rally boat that left the same day as the Carrib 1500. We tried fishing - no luck yet!It's really beautiful out here at night with the skies full of shooting stars. Our crew are doing great - we have had so much practice reefing and un-reefing they can almost do it blindfolded!Howard and RosS/V Misto. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Tuesday, 10 November 2015 And we're off?

Boat's loaded, crew prepped.Will include team photo when we arrive at the other end.Andrea. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Sunday, 8 November 2015 Hurry up and wait

We've been working like dogs all week, taking care of last minute details.I've cooked, frozen and vacu-sealed 10 days worth of meals.We have 4 different kinds of home baked cookies, accommodating crew special requests.Mike has been troubleshooting the single side band radio all week, as it has been on the fritz.Nothing like a little last minute angst, as no radio is a show stopper in our book.  Finally, after replacing the grounding device, tuner and running new cable, we are back in business today.He should sleep like a baby tonight!We had hoped to get an early start and leave yesterday, but Mother Nature has other ideas.We are now delayed until Tuesday or Wednesday due to weather developments in the Caribbean.Andrea. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Sunday, 1 November 2015 One step closer

Slowly but surely we are making progress.Not sure if I'm in denial or if everything is as squared away as it seems.Mike claims all the major boat projects are done and he's down to the little stuff.We've checked in with the Caribbean 1500 group and already passed our safety inspection.  For good measure we also completed the US Coast Guard safety inspection and are sporting that decal as well.The house is beginning to look like a house again as the boat stuff is heading back down and being stowed away on the boat.There will be 4 of us for the passage.Steve Runals (aka Rock Star) will be going with us again.Alex Fleming rounds out the crew as our fourth, making his first blue water passage.  Everyone is ready and eager to go.Andrea. read more...


15/11/2015

Free Spirit - Saturday, 24 October2015 It's that time again!

It almost feels like Christmas around here as packages arrive daily and we're practically on a first name basis with the UPS delivery man who brings us an assortment of spare parts and various sundries to ensure we have anything we could possibly need to tide us over for our passage and winter in the Caribbean.After 14 months on the hard in Annapolis undergoing a major refit project, Free Spirit is back home and getting ready for the Caribbean 1500 once again.  Mike is working feverishly on the boat, taking care of odds and ends like getting our reefing system functional again and enlisting my help for a trip up the mast to feed the jib halyard so we could put the jib back on.I'm focused on getting the house and other commitments in order.Fall planting and yard work is done.The. read more...


14/11/2015

Isbjörn - Spinnaker Groove... NIGHT-TIME BLAZING

"Popped the chute" at 1400hrs and have been blazin' ever since! All hands on deck for the set in 15 knots of breeze ... managed a full hoist to the top of the rig, bashed knuckles and all.It's now post-sunset and were broad reaching under spinnaker in amazing conditions that rarely present themselves offshore for a such a lengthy period. For the past six hours the boat speed has not dropped below 7.5 knots, induced by 10-13kts of apparent windspeed! Everyone is taking a stretch at the helm and learning the nuances of spinnaker-sailing a thorough-bred offshore machine. I managed one stretch of helming that took Isbjorn to a sustained groove of 8.5 knots lasting several minutes.The steaming light is illuminating the spinnaker by which we helm exclusively to the curl and tension of her. read more...


14/11/2015

Sweet Caroline - Getting in the rhythm

Today has been a slower day -- winds somewhat behind us, but we are just trying to stay on course and get to a waypoint at 65 W longitude, from which we can turn South. The last two days have been great sailing - 6-8 knots in spite of the 10-12 foot swells. Little difficult to sleep last night being on a starboard tack, but we try to at least take naps in the day. It's been a trip of many first ... so far, no one has been seasick. We have encouraged each other to stay hydrated and rest whenever we can.I am so grateful for finding the right meds that work for me. I even cooked dinner last night -- pork roast barbecue, corn on the cob, and slaw. Another first is that we caught a fish -- but it was a skipjack tuna (which are really only good for bait). We don't have the freezer space just. read more...


14/11/2015

Blue Summit - Blue Summit: Days 1-3

A three day delay? No problem for the fabulous Caribbean 1500 Rally staff who organized impromptu seminars, tours and a wonderful trivia night while the fleet of 30+ boats waited for tropical storm Kate to clear out.And when she did finally exit stage right, off the fleet went under a star splashed sky (with Jupiter, Mars and Venus slung low in the sky), propelled by a beautiful north wind bound for Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.Sailors don't always get to choose the wind and seas they have, but it doesn't stop this Goldilocks from wanting it "just right."We have seen too much wind (30-35, gusting to 40 knots one night), too little wind, (light to nothing the first night out resulted in burning fossil fuel for a few hours when our speed dipped below 3 knots, yuck) and perfect. read more...


14/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away "Day Three"

Running east under a double reefed main.  I was in bed and thought I saw my sister at the foot of my bed saying we need you up top.  I got up and went to the cockpit, Debbie and Anne were sitting talking.  I said what’s wrong?  Nothing Debbie said.  Didn’t you come tell me you needed me up top?  No!  Just then without warning the wind shifted suddenly from SW to NW.  The main back winded and the boat spun around into sea.  We went instantly from relative motion to incredible motion.  We got things straightened out on a new SE’ly course.  While the wind direction changed the wind force remained about the same.  We ran this way all day until about 17:00 When the wind dropped down into the high teen’s.  Decided to keep the. read more...


14/11/2015

Misto - Misto at Sea

We are aiming for a waypoint 300nm south of Bermuda and its like a sleigh ride! The first night at sea we had to motor but the second was challenging with high winds and very confused seas.Our crew are great and we have made good progress.We tried fishing today - no luck yet!The atmospherics tonight were unusual as I could hear Altair and Karina on the VHF - but they were nowhere in sight and by my reckoning at least 60 miles away.-----At 11/13/2015 9:01 PM (utc) our position was 32°09.18'N 071°04.53'W. read more...


14/11/2015

Isbjörn - Autopilot Anarchy ... Crew Boycott

Not once have we used the freaking autopilot ... NOT ONCE! The eager crew has hand-steered for the last 480 miles with zero consideration for the autopilot; instead, they "call it."Walter gets ready one hour prior to his 2000hr shift, preps himself in numerous ways including a technical read of Marche's Seamanship text, then boisterously proclaims: "I call the helm for my 8pm shift (period). No one argues, instead they each vie for every opportunity to get a grip on the wheel and drive the bus.Senator Tom Harken is no exception ... although, to me he's much more than a legislator, Tom is a former Navy jet-pilot. He flew F4s and F8s from an aircraft carrier. Despite Tom's self-inflicted wound to his index finger from his own knife a couple days ago he got while cutting away our. read more...


13/11/2015

Isbjörn - The real deal!

There is nothing like yesterday's sail repair to authenticate this experience as a real introduction to ocean sailing.It was blowing 25+ knots but at least the sun had not yet set when Papa Bear (as at least one cruising woman calls him) noticed the middle batten was shaking out of the mainsail. It is a full batten so it was not imminently at risk, but the process of lowering the sail could shake it out to be lost forever.Our captain, Paul Exner, decided I should drop down to a broad reach while everyone else coaxed the sail down gently. Paul chose not to rig a preventer because, to the best of my understanding, he did not want to risk not being able to get the boom in quickly if the batten started to go and we did not have enough hands to have someone on the preventer.I was well aware. read more...


13/11/2015

Sail away - Day 2 Sail Away

November 12th, Gulf StreamAndy you nailed it!  We had a great reach down the Virginia Coast with the winds dropping right off as we neared the Gulf Stream. Crossing into the Stream around 5am under power.  Around 10:00 the winds were coming up from the SW and we shut the engine down and continued now on a easterly course.  By 3pm putting a single reef in the main with winds of 20-25kts.  As night approached we double reefed the main and were just streaming under main and staysail in 25 to 30kts. The winds continue to increase so we put away the staysail.  But the winds continued increase into the forties, we were flying under double reefed main sometimes seeing up to 10kts.  I don’t really like to push Sail Away this hard, but she seemed to be. read more...


13/11/2015

Sail away - Sail Away

We got up Wednesday morning and departed shortly after sunrise. But first we got our neighbor Barb on Resolution to take our picture, then Anne took theirs!  I should have made a sign ahead of time “Tortola or Bust”.   My crew asked me the night before “What’s your plan”  No worries you guys we will just follow Karina. My sister noticed first, George we got a problem.  Karina's gone! Oh well we’re on our own, I’m pretty sure I know we’re he is going! We powered to Hampton Roads then a great reach down to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/tunnel officially taking departure and start time at 10:48 EST.   Winds were exactly as predicted NW’ly 15-20 making a great down wind run to Cape Hateras.  Everybody working on getting thier sea legs  . read more...


12/11/2015

Sweet Caroline - Day 1 - The Race is ON - Early Start

We were officially notified by the Rally HQ that the race could begin anytime after 12:01am on Wednesday, November 11. We checked tides and current and reviewed watch schedule and planned our leave for 2am. We were making our last safety check before dark last night and identified that the starboard bow light was defective. This was after Jeff had already done rewiring to correct the port bow light, earlier in the week. This one was a defective light, though. We were able to get to West Marine and get a new one before they closed (thanks to Uber).Then all hands on deck to make this last repair - and we were in business. Let's go to bed before something else goes wrong. We had an early pretty simple dinner and called it a night. Today is the day - Kirk, Grey and I got us off about 2:23am. read more...


Annabella -
Annabella -
Annabella -
Annabella -
Annabella -
Annabella -
Misto - In the Atlantic at last!
Misto - In the Atlantic at last!
Misto - Howard wins first in his age group in coast guard fun run
Misto - Howard wins first in his age group in coast guard fun run
09/11/2015

Misto - Misto in Portsmouth

With all our crew here we are ready to depart. We just wish the weather would cooperate!Due to the delay Howard and Ros, as well as about a dozen Carrib1500 participants and staff ran a coast guard 5k fun run. Howard came first in his age group and Ros 4th Andy and Mia, also in the photo, came 2nd and 3rd in their groups. What a wonderful way to support the coast guard!. read more...


Misto - Misto crew ready to go!
Misto - Misto crew ready to go!
09/11/2015

Barbara Jean - Delay to our start and more time in Portsmouth—11-8-15

We were scheduled to leave today for Nanny Cay in the BVI however, there are two tropical waves being monitored in the North Atlantic for development.   So for now, we will be patient and wait the weather out, fine tune the boat, get a couple of more projects done and enjoy the area.   Last update from the WCC suggests that we will depart on Tuesday or Wednesday.    So, an update on how we have been staying busy these last several days……Captain has been continually working on the boat changing the antifreeze and engine oil, making sure the SSB radio is operating, rigging a boom preventer, and working when he gets a chance to.I have done laundry, gone to the grocery store, taped all of the ring pins and cotter pins that could potentially snag something,. read more...


Barbara Jean - Delay to our start and more time in Portsmouth—11-8-15
Barbara Jean - Delay to our start and more time in Portsmouth—11-8-15
Annabella - High-fashion on the streets of Portsmouth
Annabella - High-fashion on the streets of Portsmouth
07/11/2015

Annabella - Found at sea

Well we didn't make it very far but at least were happy. Actually this is the crew of Annabella showing where we don't want to be, in a four-person life raft. Could be worse.This was part of the safety equipment demonstration conducted by Peter Burch and the world cruising crew. Well worth attending. If we were really in a liferaft, I would probably be attached to the outside. Harpo suggests that the attachment is optional depending on how I behave.More later, safe sailingGilligan IMG_0246. read more...



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