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A Man And His Penguin
Nov. 22 – Progress Continues
Indiantown Marina
“To accomplish great things we must first dream, then visualize, then plan…believe…act!” ―Alfred A. Montapert
We’ve had a busy week in the work yard. Seven months of dirt, slim and mildew have been washed off, the hull has been waxed and two coats of new bottom paint have been applied. These projects are hard work and they were even harder this week with the heat and humidity that is still around in south Florida. It’s hard to believe it’s November…it feels more like August.
But it hasn’t been all work this week; we’ve made time to catch up with old friends and enjoyed meeting new ones including blogger and Facebook friend Ellen from Cynical Sailor. Hopefully I’ll have more time this coming week to visit with her. We’re also enjoying events the marina is hosting this week as part of their Thanksgiving Rendezvous. Free meals, drinks, music, fun and fellowship as their way to say thank you to all the boaters that use their marina. We’re scheduled to be put in the water on Friday November 27…and I think we’ll be ready.
The Pearl in our temporary home
Waxing the hull
Preparing the bottom for new paint
We had a little helper come by…she wasn’t much help
First coat of paint going on
Look how nice the bottom and running gear look…I wish it could stay that way.
I love the new bottom paint…she is really looking pretty now
Dinner in Stuart with our friends Charlotte and Magnus from Swede Dreams
Meeting other boaters that are here doing work or waiting to move to on to the Bahamas
Entertainment last night at our get together
Solomons to Portsmouth
 |
| Happy hummingbird |
San Diego was delightful.
It was Sunny, Warm and Gorgeous! We were there for the National Meeting of the USPower Squadrons,
and had plenty of free time to catch up with friends that we mostly see at
these events. When that ended, we rented
a car and drove to Casa Grande, AZ.
Visited there with the Mangelsdorf kids’ Aunt Miriam (Gallo). Her desert home is beautiful. She spends much time and effort keeping
flowers blooming in the dry heat, and the birds are very happy that she
provides so well for them!
It was Sunny, Warm and Gorgeous! We were there for the National Meeting of the USPower Squadrons,
and had plenty of free time to catch up with friends that we mostly see at
these events. When that ended, we rented
a car and drove to Casa Grande, AZ.
Visited there with the Mangelsdorf kids’ Aunt Miriam (Gallo). Her desert home is beautiful. She spends much time and effort keeping
flowers blooming in the dry heat, and the birds are very happy that she
provides so well for them!
We flew back to Newburgh and drove back to the boat a couple
of days later, stopping in Carlisle, PA to have breakfast with son Geoff, Amy
and Pete! No more overseas duty for
Geoff. He is now part of the PeaceKeeping study group at the Army War
College. Good to know such activities
exist in our military!
of days later, stopping in Carlisle, PA to have breakfast with son Geoff, Amy
and Pete! No more overseas duty for
Geoff. He is now part of the PeaceKeeping study group at the Army War
College. Good to know such activities
exist in our military!
From Labor Day until the 23rd of Sept. we Did Not Labor. We simply enjoyed the summer breezes,
occasional showers, and lots of lazy mornings with coffee and USA Today
provided by the hotel. We vegged out big
time. And loved every minute of it!
occasional showers, and lots of lazy mornings with coffee and USA Today
provided by the hotel. We vegged out big
time. And loved every minute of it!
Took a quick trip to Raleigh, NC to visit the Headquarters
of the USPS, and to have dinner with Fred’s nephew and niece, Dan and
Heidi. Stopped in Burke on the way home,
and spent a day helping Jen and Chris pack up for the move to their new
townhouse.
of the USPS, and to have dinner with Fred’s nephew and niece, Dan and
Heidi. Stopped in Burke on the way home,
and spent a day helping Jen and Chris pack up for the move to their new
townhouse.
You are probably aware of the Lunar Eclipse that occurred at
the end of the month. I saw great
pictures of it. Stayed up to see the
beginning, dozed and woke as the moon was re-appearing.
the end of the month. I saw great
pictures of it. Stayed up to see the
beginning, dozed and woke as the moon was re-appearing.
The end of Sept. we went back to condo-land for 3
weeks. Lots of happenings there! We went to New York City to follow up with
the nice dr. at Memorial Sloan Kettering who routinely checks Fred’s delicate
skin. Melanoma remains Gone! Yay! After that we crossed the street to the Plaza
Hotel and had Tea. I use a capital T as
the fare was about what you would expect to pay for a dinner for four. Yikes.
It was the Plaza, though, and we lollygagged for a long time before
catching the only conveyance we could find,
a pedi-cab, to get back to Grand Central Terminal. The UN was in session and there were black
SUVs and guys with earbuds everywhere, and no cabs to be found. (What is the
fare? I asked the Pedi-Cab Pedaler. It is metered, he replied.) At GCT he smiled and said “Meter says 12
minutes at $5.00/minute. That’ll be $60,
please.”
weeks. Lots of happenings there! We went to New York City to follow up with
the nice dr. at Memorial Sloan Kettering who routinely checks Fred’s delicate
skin. Melanoma remains Gone! Yay! After that we crossed the street to the Plaza
Hotel and had Tea. I use a capital T as
the fare was about what you would expect to pay for a dinner for four. Yikes.
It was the Plaza, though, and we lollygagged for a long time before
catching the only conveyance we could find,
a pedi-cab, to get back to Grand Central Terminal. The UN was in session and there were black
SUVs and guys with earbuds everywhere, and no cabs to be found. (What is the
fare? I asked the Pedi-Cab Pedaler. It is metered, he replied.) At GCT he smiled and said “Meter says 12
minutes at $5.00/minute. That’ll be $60,
please.”
We do not recommend Pedi-Cabs. The good news? We were on time for the train.
Back at the Condo Devyn planned, and with her big sister’shelp executed a lovely party for Kris and John!
Sit down dinner for 18, and everything was dee-lish. No goodbyes for Kris and John, who moved to
their new home in Surfside Beach, SC the following Friday. The girls said “See ya later!” OCCC also had a work related party for
Kris. They will miss her a very great
deal!!!
In addition to getting good reviews from doctors and
dentists, we:
dentists, we:
·
attended the Power Squadron’s D-2 fall
conference in Poughkeepsie.
attended the Power Squadron’s D-2 fall
conference in Poughkeepsie.
·
attended granddaughter Katie Rae’s string
department (she plays the cello) concert with Mark Wood—a vibrant string
performer who plays the 7 string electric violin/viola/cello/bass that he
invented and markets. He insists that
music be fun as well as emotionally satisfying, and fun it was!
attended granddaughter Katie Rae’s string
department (she plays the cello) concert with Mark Wood—a vibrant string
performer who plays the 7 string electric violin/viola/cello/bass that he
invented and markets. He insists that
music be fun as well as emotionally satisfying, and fun it was!
·
were present when granddaughter Laurel trumpeted
the fanfare as the Arlington High School Band hosted its annual invitational
event.
were present when granddaughter Laurel trumpeted
the fanfare as the Arlington High School Band hosted its annual invitational
event.
·
went to NYC with Linda Lee to see Wicked, and
had a great dinner in the Time/Life Building Restaurant.
went to NYC with Linda Lee to see Wicked, and
had a great dinner in the Time/Life Building Restaurant.
In between we spent some time on m&r of the condo at 37 Westbrook,
making it ready for a new tenant. That
got a bit goofy when Central Hudson shut of the power (oops—their mistake) and
refused to turn it on again until they could shut off the gas valve to the
stove. Couldn’t find the gas valve. We had returned to Maryland to be ready to
join the French family in Washington DC on Saturday for Boo at the Zoo! And what a hoot that was! All the kids, large and small, got T&T
bags that were filled with candy etc. from the more than 40 stations around the
Zoo! Had a really fun evening! Free bus rides to the restaurant where we had
dinner, and back to the car. (If you ever need parking, check out
SpotHero.com. Efficient and
effective. Got us two parking spots in
busy Washington, in easy walking distance from the Zoo!)
making it ready for a new tenant. That
got a bit goofy when Central Hudson shut of the power (oops—their mistake) and
refused to turn it on again until they could shut off the gas valve to the
stove. Couldn’t find the gas valve. We had returned to Maryland to be ready to
join the French family in Washington DC on Saturday for Boo at the Zoo! And what a hoot that was! All the kids, large and small, got T&T
bags that were filled with candy etc. from the more than 40 stations around the
Zoo! Had a really fun evening! Free bus rides to the restaurant where we had
dinner, and back to the car. (If you ever need parking, check out
SpotHero.com. Efficient and
effective. Got us two parking spots in
busy Washington, in easy walking distance from the Zoo!)
 |
| See the new ‘door’ for the shut off valve? |
From Washington, we headed north and arrived back in
Newburgh on Sunday afternoon. Fred was
able, of course, to locate the gas shutoff (and make it accessible) and in the
ultimate irony, Central Hudson’s rep came on Monday and turned the gas on before I arrived to show her where to
find the ‘necessary to keep the place from blowing up’ stove shutoff. Sigh.
Newburgh on Sunday afternoon. Fred was
able, of course, to locate the gas shutoff (and make it accessible) and in the
ultimate irony, Central Hudson’s rep came on Monday and turned the gas on before I arrived to show her where to
find the ‘necessary to keep the place from blowing up’ stove shutoff. Sigh.
Decided to stay one more night in Newburgh to have lunch
with Rev. Chris from the UUCRT. Glad we
did—it was good to get to know him better!!
with Rev. Chris from the UUCRT. Glad we
did—it was good to get to know him better!!
I’m reminding myself that the purpose of this blog is to
highlight our cruising life. Seems we
are spending as much time ashore as on the boat these days. Or, perhaps, that I’m recording the events
just so posterity will be served. Our
lives do seem to be a bit goofy at times, and we find ourselves enjoying the
goofiness just as it is!
highlight our cruising life. Seems we
are spending as much time ashore as on the boat these days. Or, perhaps, that I’m recording the events
just so posterity will be served. Our
lives do seem to be a bit goofy at times, and we find ourselves enjoying the
goofiness just as it is!
Two tasks ere we left Solomons….Jeff the diver came and
scraped barnacles off the bottom of the boat.
His wife came as well (to watch for bubbles while he dove, and share a
glass of wine afterwards.) She works
with her dad doing inlays on guitars.
Guitars that sell for $30,000 and get put in MOMA and the Smithsonian! The people we meet provide a great part of
the enjoyment of the cruising life!
scraped barnacles off the bottom of the boat.
His wife came as well (to watch for bubbles while he dove, and share a
glass of wine afterwards.) She works
with her dad doing inlays on guitars.
Guitars that sell for $30,000 and get put in MOMA and the Smithsonian! The people we meet provide a great part of
the enjoyment of the cruising life!
Thing two was to diagnose the problem with the head (toilet,
don’t ya know…) No vacuum, no
flush. Fred finally located a pinhole
in an important little diaphragm. Bing
bang boom, replaced it and Bob’s your Uncle!
don’t ya know…) No vacuum, no
flush. Fred finally located a pinhole
in an important little diaphragm. Bing
bang boom, replaced it and Bob’s your Uncle!
Bye Solomons until next year! We spent a couple of days in Portsmouth, VA
awaiting good weather for crossing the Albamarle Sound. Got
to See Tom Hanks in the Bridge of Spies
at the Commodore–historic ‘pick–up-the–phone-and–order–popcorn-and-dinner-from–your-table-before-the–movie’-Theater. ‘Twas an excellent movie! Next day I bought my first persimmon at the
local Farmer’s Market. Made a great
smoothie!
awaiting good weather for crossing the Albamarle Sound. Got
to See Tom Hanks in the Bridge of Spies
at the Commodore–historic ‘pick–up-the–phone-and–order–popcorn-and-dinner-from–your-table-before-the–movie’-Theater. ‘Twas an excellent movie! Next day I bought my first persimmon at the
local Farmer’s Market. Made a great
smoothie!
Ocean Marine Marina in Portsmouth was filled withsailboats. A group called the World
Cruising Club was staging two trips—one group was going to the Bahamas and
the other heading to the British Virgin Islands. Apparently these trips go every year.
Departure had been delayed, and the
sailors were anxiously watching the weather…as were we.
We tied up Sunday night at the Visitor’s Center in the DismalSwamp. As we were about to leave in the
morning, Robin and Karen arrived in a sailboat they designed and built in
Canada. A delightful couple with about 6
musical instruments on board. They were
especially interested in Fred’s harpsicle, as they built and sold harps for awhile. Karen shared some music with us
(Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx doing Pete Seeger songs, for example) and showed us a really
great video of their cruise down the Hudson River with a Pete Seeger sound
track. Fabulous.
Had an easy day on Monday, and stopped for the night at 2:30
in the afternoon. Still staging for the
Albamarle Sound. Today we crossed
without incident, I’m happy to report.
Of the many Sounds (for the non-boaters, Sounds are bodies of water that
open to the Ocean. Depending on depth,
wind, tides and currents, calm water can become very unsettling in a hurry)
along the ICW, crossing the Albamarle can be 2 hours of pain or pleasure. The pain can usually be avoided, as we did by staying in Portsmouth and then moseying. Caught a good ride, and now we’re anchored
for the night with 3 other boats in the area near the Alligator-Pungo Canal.
in the afternoon. Still staging for the
Albamarle Sound. Today we crossed
without incident, I’m happy to report.
Of the many Sounds (for the non-boaters, Sounds are bodies of water that
open to the Ocean. Depending on depth,
wind, tides and currents, calm water can become very unsettling in a hurry)
along the ICW, crossing the Albamarle can be 2 hours of pain or pleasure. The pain can usually be avoided, as we did by staying in Portsmouth and then moseying. Caught a good ride, and now we’re anchored
for the night with 3 other boats in the area near the Alligator-Pungo Canal.
As soon as steady internet returns, probably Thursday, I’ll
post this. Until then, hug a veteran and
be proud and grateful for their service!
In our immediate family, my dad and brother served in WWII and Korea,
and son Geoff continues his Army career with
his first stateside posting in several years! Also, Fred’s dad worked in the Petroleum
Industry during WWII, helping to keep the military moving, and granddaughter
Tarryn’s special guy, Ron, is an Army Veteran.
post this. Until then, hug a veteran and
be proud and grateful for their service!
In our immediate family, my dad and brother served in WWII and Korea,
and son Geoff continues his Army career with
his first stateside posting in several years! Also, Fred’s dad worked in the Petroleum
Industry during WWII, helping to keep the military moving, and granddaughter
Tarryn’s special guy, Ron, is an Army Veteran.
And, of course, remember to breathe!
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Solomons to Portsmouth
|
| Happy hummingbird |
San Diego was delightful.
It was Sunny, Warm and Gorgeous! We were there for the National Meeting of the USPower Squadrons,
and had plenty of free time to catch up with friends that we mostly see at
these events. When that ended, we rented
a car and drove to Casa Grande, AZ.
Visited there with the Mangelsdorf kids’ Aunt Miriam (Gallo). Her desert home is beautiful. She spends much time and effort keeping
flowers blooming in the dry heat, and the birds are very happy that she
provides so well for them!
It was Sunny, Warm and Gorgeous! We were there for the National Meeting of the USPower Squadrons,
and had plenty of free time to catch up with friends that we mostly see at
these events. When that ended, we rented
a car and drove to Casa Grande, AZ.
Visited there with the Mangelsdorf kids’ Aunt Miriam (Gallo). Her desert home is beautiful. She spends much time and effort keeping
flowers blooming in the dry heat, and the birds are very happy that she
provides so well for them!
We flew back to Newburgh and drove back to the boat a couple
of days later, stopping in Carlisle, PA to have breakfast with son Geoff, Amy
and Pete! No more overseas duty for
Geoff. He is now part of the PeaceKeeping study group at the Army War
College. Good to know such activities
exist in our military!
of days later, stopping in Carlisle, PA to have breakfast with son Geoff, Amy
and Pete! No more overseas duty for
Geoff. He is now part of the PeaceKeeping study group at the Army War
College. Good to know such activities
exist in our military!
From Labor Day until the 23rd of Sept. we Did Not Labor. We simply enjoyed the summer breezes,
occasional showers, and lots of lazy mornings with coffee and USA Today
provided by the hotel. We vegged out big
time. And loved every minute of it!
occasional showers, and lots of lazy mornings with coffee and USA Today
provided by the hotel. We vegged out big
time. And loved every minute of it!
Took a quick trip to Raleigh, NC to visit the Headquarters
of the USPS, and to have dinner with Fred’s nephew and niece, Dan and
Heidi. Stopped in Burke on the way home,
and spent a day helping Jen and Chris pack up for the move to their new
townhouse.
of the USPS, and to have dinner with Fred’s nephew and niece, Dan and
Heidi. Stopped in Burke on the way home,
and spent a day helping Jen and Chris pack up for the move to their new
townhouse.
You are probably aware of the Lunar Eclipse that occurred at
the end of the month. I saw great
pictures of it. Stayed up to see the
beginning, dozed and woke as the moon was re-appearing.
the end of the month. I saw great
pictures of it. Stayed up to see the
beginning, dozed and woke as the moon was re-appearing.
The end of Sept. we went back to condo-land for 3
weeks. Lots of happenings there! We went to New York City to follow up with
the nice dr. at Memorial Sloan Kettering who routinely checks Fred’s delicate
skin. Melanoma remains Gone! Yay! After that we crossed the street to the Plaza
Hotel and had Tea. I use a capital T as
the fare was about what you would expect to pay for a dinner for four. Yikes.
It was the Plaza, though, and we lollygagged for a long time before
catching the only conveyance we could find,
a pedi-cab, to get back to Grand Central Terminal. The UN was in session and there were black
SUVs and guys with earbuds everywhere, and no cabs to be found. (What is the
fare? I asked the Pedi-Cab Pedaler. It is metered, he replied.) At GCT he smiled and said “Meter says 12
minutes at $5.00/minute. That’ll be $60,
please.”
weeks. Lots of happenings there! We went to New York City to follow up with
the nice dr. at Memorial Sloan Kettering who routinely checks Fred’s delicate
skin. Melanoma remains Gone! Yay! After that we crossed the street to the Plaza
Hotel and had Tea. I use a capital T as
the fare was about what you would expect to pay for a dinner for four. Yikes.
It was the Plaza, though, and we lollygagged for a long time before
catching the only conveyance we could find,
a pedi-cab, to get back to Grand Central Terminal. The UN was in session and there were black
SUVs and guys with earbuds everywhere, and no cabs to be found. (What is the
fare? I asked the Pedi-Cab Pedaler. It is metered, he replied.) At GCT he smiled and said “Meter says 12
minutes at $5.00/minute. That’ll be $60,
please.”
We do not recommend Pedi-Cabs. The good news? We were on time for the train.
Back at the Condo Devyn planned, and with her big sister’shelp executed a lovely party for Kris and John!
Sit down dinner for 18, and everything was dee-lish. No goodbyes for Kris and John, who moved to
their new home in Surfside Beach, SC the following Friday. The girls said “See ya later!” OCCC also had a work related party for
Kris. They will miss her a very great
deal!!!
In addition to getting good reviews from doctors and
dentists, we:
dentists, we:
·
attended the Power Squadron’s D-2 fall
conference in Poughkeepsie.
attended the Power Squadron’s D-2 fall
conference in Poughkeepsie.
·
attended granddaughter Katie Rae’s string
department (she plays the cello) concert with Mark Wood—a vibrant string
performer who plays the 7 string electric violin/viola/cello/bass that he
invented and markets. He insists that
music be fun as well as emotionally satisfying, and fun it was!
attended granddaughter Katie Rae’s string
department (she plays the cello) concert with Mark Wood—a vibrant string
performer who plays the 7 string electric violin/viola/cello/bass that he
invented and markets. He insists that
music be fun as well as emotionally satisfying, and fun it was!
·
were present when granddaughter Laurel trumpeted
the fanfare as the Arlington High School Band hosted its annual invitational
event.
were present when granddaughter Laurel trumpeted
the fanfare as the Arlington High School Band hosted its annual invitational
event.
·
went to NYC with Linda Lee to see Wicked, and
had a great dinner in the Time/Life Building Restaurant.
went to NYC with Linda Lee to see Wicked, and
had a great dinner in the Time/Life Building Restaurant.
In between we spent some time on m&r of the condo at 37 Westbrook,
making it ready for a new tenant. That
got a bit goofy when Central Hudson shut of the power (oops—their mistake) and
refused to turn it on again until they could shut off the gas valve to the
stove. Couldn’t find the gas valve. We had returned to Maryland to be ready to
join the French family in Washington DC on Saturday for Boo at the Zoo! And what a hoot that was! All the kids, large and small, got T&T
bags that were filled with candy etc. from the more than 40 stations around the
Zoo! Had a really fun evening! Free bus rides to the restaurant where we had
dinner, and back to the car. (If you ever need parking, check out
SpotHero.com. Efficient and
effective. Got us two parking spots in
busy Washington, in easy walking distance from the Zoo!)
making it ready for a new tenant. That
got a bit goofy when Central Hudson shut of the power (oops—their mistake) and
refused to turn it on again until they could shut off the gas valve to the
stove. Couldn’t find the gas valve. We had returned to Maryland to be ready to
join the French family in Washington DC on Saturday for Boo at the Zoo! And what a hoot that was! All the kids, large and small, got T&T
bags that were filled with candy etc. from the more than 40 stations around the
Zoo! Had a really fun evening! Free bus rides to the restaurant where we had
dinner, and back to the car. (If you ever need parking, check out
SpotHero.com. Efficient and
effective. Got us two parking spots in
busy Washington, in easy walking distance from the Zoo!)
|
| See the new ‘door’ for the shut off valve? |
From Washington, we headed north and arrived back in
Newburgh on Sunday afternoon. Fred was
able, of course, to locate the gas shutoff (and make it accessible) and in the
ultimate irony, Central Hudson’s rep came on Monday and turned the gas on before I arrived to show her where to
find the ‘necessary to keep the place from blowing up’ stove shutoff. Sigh.
Newburgh on Sunday afternoon. Fred was
able, of course, to locate the gas shutoff (and make it accessible) and in the
ultimate irony, Central Hudson’s rep came on Monday and turned the gas on before I arrived to show her where to
find the ‘necessary to keep the place from blowing up’ stove shutoff. Sigh.
Decided to stay one more night in Newburgh to have lunch
with Rev. Chris from the UUCRT. Glad we
did—it was good to get to know him better!!
with Rev. Chris from the UUCRT. Glad we
did—it was good to get to know him better!!
I’m reminding myself that the purpose of this blog is to
highlight our cruising life. Seems we
are spending as much time ashore as on the boat these days. Or, perhaps, that I’m recording the events
just so posterity will be served. Our
lives do seem to be a bit goofy at times, and we find ourselves enjoying the
goofiness just as it is!
highlight our cruising life. Seems we
are spending as much time ashore as on the boat these days. Or, perhaps, that I’m recording the events
just so posterity will be served. Our
lives do seem to be a bit goofy at times, and we find ourselves enjoying the
goofiness just as it is!
Two tasks ere we left Solomons….Jeff the diver came and
scraped barnacles off the bottom of the boat.
His wife came as well (to watch for bubbles while he dove, and share a
glass of wine afterwards.) She works
with her dad doing inlays on guitars.
Guitars that sell for $30,000 and get put in MOMA and the Smithsonian! The people we meet provide a great part of
the enjoyment of the cruising life!
scraped barnacles off the bottom of the boat.
His wife came as well (to watch for bubbles while he dove, and share a
glass of wine afterwards.) She works
with her dad doing inlays on guitars.
Guitars that sell for $30,000 and get put in MOMA and the Smithsonian! The people we meet provide a great part of
the enjoyment of the cruising life!
Thing two was to diagnose the problem with the head (toilet,
don’t ya know…) No vacuum, no
flush. Fred finally located a pinhole
in an important little diaphragm. Bing
bang boom, replaced it and Bob’s your Uncle!
don’t ya know…) No vacuum, no
flush. Fred finally located a pinhole
in an important little diaphragm. Bing
bang boom, replaced it and Bob’s your Uncle!
Bye Solomons until next year! We spent a couple of days in Portsmouth, VA
awaiting good weather for crossing the Albamarle Sound. Got
to See Tom Hanks in the Bridge of Spies
at the Commodore–historic ‘pick–up-the–phone-and–order–popcorn-and-dinner-from–your-table-before-the–movie’-Theater. ‘Twas an excellent movie! Next day I bought my first persimmon at the
local Farmer’s Market. Made a great
smoothie!
awaiting good weather for crossing the Albamarle Sound. Got
to See Tom Hanks in the Bridge of Spies
at the Commodore–historic ‘pick–up-the–phone-and–order–popcorn-and-dinner-from–your-table-before-the–movie’-Theater. ‘Twas an excellent movie! Next day I bought my first persimmon at the
local Farmer’s Market. Made a great
smoothie!
Ocean Marine Marina in Portsmouth was filled withsailboats. A group called the World
Cruising Club was staging two trips—one group was going to the Bahamas and
the other heading to the British Virgin Islands. Apparently these trips go every year.
Departure had been delayed, and the
sailors were anxiously watching the weather…as were we.
We tied up Sunday night at the Visitor’s Center in the DismalSwamp. As we were about to leave in the
morning, Robin and Karen arrived in a sailboat they designed and built in
Canada. A delightful couple with about 6
musical instruments on board. They were
especially interested in Fred’s harpsicle, as they built and sold harps for awhile. Karen shared some music with us
(Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx doing Pete Seeger songs, for example) and showed us a really
great video of their cruise down the Hudson River with a Pete Seeger sound
track. Fabulous.
Had an easy day on Monday, and stopped for the night at 2:30
in the afternoon. Still staging for the
Albamarle Sound. Today we crossed
without incident, I’m happy to report.
Of the many Sounds (for the non-boaters, Sounds are bodies of water that
open to the Ocean. Depending on depth,
wind, tides and currents, calm water can become very unsettling in a hurry)
along the ICW, crossing the Albamarle can be 2 hours of pain or pleasure. The pain can usually be avoided, as we did by staying in Portsmouth and then moseying. Caught a good ride, and now we’re anchored
for the night with 3 other boats in the area near the Alligator-Pungo Canal.
in the afternoon. Still staging for the
Albamarle Sound. Today we crossed
without incident, I’m happy to report.
Of the many Sounds (for the non-boaters, Sounds are bodies of water that
open to the Ocean. Depending on depth,
wind, tides and currents, calm water can become very unsettling in a hurry)
along the ICW, crossing the Albamarle can be 2 hours of pain or pleasure. The pain can usually be avoided, as we did by staying in Portsmouth and then moseying. Caught a good ride, and now we’re anchored
for the night with 3 other boats in the area near the Alligator-Pungo Canal.
As soon as steady internet returns, probably Thursday, I’ll
post this. Until then, hug a veteran and
be proud and grateful for their service!
In our immediate family, my dad and brother served in WWII and Korea,
and son Geoff continues his Army career with
his first stateside posting in several years! Also, Fred’s dad worked in the Petroleum
Industry during WWII, helping to keep the military moving, and granddaughter
Tarryn’s special guy, Ron, is an Army Veteran.
post this. Until then, hug a veteran and
be proud and grateful for their service!
In our immediate family, my dad and brother served in WWII and Korea,
and son Geoff continues his Army career with
his first stateside posting in several years! Also, Fred’s dad worked in the Petroleum
Industry during WWII, helping to keep the military moving, and granddaughter
Tarryn’s special guy, Ron, is an Army Veteran.
And, of course, remember to breathe!
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Gimme A Drink!
Nordhavn Exumas Abacos Bahamas trawler Caribbean Pickwick Boat dogs
Memphis Downtown
Yasawas: waypoints & routes
Yasawas… As we saw them…. Here are DOMINO’s waypoints and routes. We use iSailor as one of our navigation tools.
Yasawas: Waya (North)
WAYA – North harbor – Nalawaki
 |
| Nalawaki |
The wind was up again and we needed a better shelter than Navadra. On the chart, the bay north of Waya Island looked like good protection.
Off we were, dropped the hook in what looked like a sand patch between grass beds, hoping for some shelter from the tall mountains around. But all is not as it seems and a few hours later, our sense of security was shaken.
 |
| The most helpful crew! |
Going to shore in Nalawaki is a bit of a challenge. The reef is super-shallow and extensive. Just aim for the fishing boat moorings and head straight for the rolling swell on the beach. The local on the beach will help you land, anchor your dinghy off the surge, and watch it while you are at the village.
 |
| The elementary schoolchildren gave us a little concert! |
Another Sevu-Sevu ceremony. This time, the whole village was involved since it was Monday and the tourists from Octopus Resort had walked the trail to participate ($15/person…) – Of course, we had to visit the school where all of the 6 kids sang for all of us and (again) a donation was encouraged. We were getting a bit tired of being nickeled-and-dimed at every corner, especially when at the end of the Sevu Sevu ceremony, all the women set up their craft stands and we were once more cornered into donations and craft-buying. This was getting old!
 |
| And the Village welcomed the visitors |
Back to the boat, the girls and I got into one of our favorite activities, messing up the galley! We were laughing so much that we hardly noticed the 30-35kts screaming down the hill, until Tehane-li hailed us on the VHF. “DOMINO! You’re dragging anchor!” JP, always sure of his anchor, was quick to reply: “I don’t think so… I haven’t dragged in over 4 years!” -“Well, you were ahead of us and now you’re behind us,” continued our friend Karel… it was pitch-black out-there, but i-Sailor confirmed: we had dragged 200 yards, quickly losing ground on the down-sloping grass bed! It took us 30 minutes in screaming winds and rain but we finally re-anchored, carefully re-set in the dark, patiently worked together, and set the Drag Queen alarm.
 |
| Wind can scream down this hill! |
By the time we were secured, the girls had finished cooking dinner, set the table and were ready to serve us… I call that a darn good crew!
The next day was blowing 25 kts again but sunny. Since Maddie had a shooting assignment from her swimsuit sponsor, we decided to hoof it over the hill to Octopus resort on the west coast of Waya.
 |
| Q & Zo… best friends since Kindergarten |
The resort is very welcoming to cruisers and we started to take pix of this little 16 year-old in tiny bikinis while Zo and Q enjoyed the pool.
How windy and nasty was the weather? Nasty enough for one of the resort’s panga to have it the reef and needing a haul out, and the other panga riding rough at anchor.
 |
| Hitting the reef and having to repair is never fun |
We were really getting tired of all this wind and nasty weather, so we decided to continue North and find the most sheltered possible anchorage: Blue Lagoon.
 |
| Maddie … our little swimsuit model! |
Until then…
dominomarie
Days 17-19
Day 17: Port Neville, Seymour Narrows, to Campbell River (Continued…)
Yasawas: Navadra
CRUISING THE YASWAS: NAVADRA
 |
| Miss Zoe redefines LEAPING! |
NAVADRA –
Fortunately, the wind turned back to the east and we made it to Navadra the next day.
 |
| Add caption |
This is, by far, our favorite spot in all of the Mamanucas and Yasawas.
 |
| “Stormtrooper Rock” |
We nicknamed it “Stormtrooper Island” for the rock that stnads guard at the west end of the bay.
Uninhabited, those 2 islands form a heart-shaped anchorage, with good sand bottom, and fringed by pristine reef.
We dropped the hook and let the girls explore.
 |
| Lifeguard Maddie encourages and protects! |
Swimming to shore seemed easier that taking the dinghy, since Maddie – always alert to surfing conditions—had asserted that the surf was a strong and we could have a rough landing.
 |
| Coris |
Nice to have a Lifeguard and surfer girl on board!
 |
| Zoe getting the hang of it |
For 3 days, we just enjoyed this lovely spot, meeting with more cruisers (hm-hm—boys came to visit and look at surfing photos with our girls… awkward to be a teenager… giggles all around…) and completing our shell collection, of course.
 |
| Q is actually sitting on a rock, hanging over the coral… |
We were lucky with calm conditions inside the bay, which allowed for plenty of clear snrokeling above pristine reef and plenty of fish, in spite of the cold water. By the 3rd dive, our younger crew was getting the hang
 |
| Love those blennies! |
of snorkeling basics, clearing their ears to dive and staying flat and still on the water… the most fun place!
 |
| Never getting tired of this! |
Yasawas: Waya (South)
Cruising the YASAWAS
 |
| We’re all dressed for Sevu Sevu |
That’s where the fun cruising in Fiji begins, along the extended chain of the Yasawa Group. But we were still plagued with high winds and big seas, so our plans and routes altered daily.
WAYA island – South Harbor : Namata
 |
| Women rely on their crafted goodies for income. The Captain Cook cruise ship calls at the village every week! |
First order of the day: catch a fish.
 |
| DINNER! |
On the way to Waya Island, we exited the reef and started trolling. It was a blessing that we caught a yellowfin tuna before the second cut in the reef: JP and Zoe were green around the gills, thanks to 8’ beam seas and gusts at 27kts! But we had our fish and we soon found the relative shelter of the reef. The wind was still blowing around 25kt, but the seas were significantly smaller.
 |
| Vegetable garden…. tomatoes and eggplants |
The plan had been to anchor at Navadra. But with the northerly blowing as it was, we were soon forced to seek shelter at the south end of Waya nd patiently wait for the weather to turn back to the normal E-SE trades.
 |
| Weaving pandanus mats is a never-ending activity… this woman is the village champion! |
The village of Namata welcomed us for Sevu-Sevu. Not too reluctantly, the girls wrapped themselves in pareos, covered their shoulders, and experience the Fijian tradition of presenting Yagona (kava root) to the chief.
 |
| Q loves to meet the kids and spoil them with lollipops (and we also donate toothpaste!) |
But within minutes of our arrival, all the women had unpacked their craft, trying to sell us souvenir shells and tapas, and we obliged. Our guide asked us if we’d like to see the village and buy fresh fruit and of course we obliged. It’s only when we were back at the beach that the “guide” asked us for a $15 donation and an extra $10/person if we wanted to walk the hiking trails.
 |
| Shopping for breadfruit! |
We start to wonder what is the use of doing Sevu-Sevu and being accepted as one of the village if we have to pay a guide to walk around…
 |
| Trust “Fafa” to teach the girls all about coconuts |
We went snorkeling in front of the school instead, as the girls made the delight of a few young boys wading in the shallows (did I mention it was an all-boy school?)
 |
| Namata is one of the best shelling beaches we’ve encountered |
 |
| Grating coconut to make coconut milk! |
