Tag Archives | Nordhavn

A few Panama Canal photos

By on June 7, 2014 in Thor

Catching up on photo’s finally

By on June 7, 2014 in Thor

The crew getting ready for our Panama Canal transitPlease oh please, catch my line…A celebratory swim in Lake GatunThe Captain concentrating through the first set of locks.Getting ready to snuggle up to SpringDay in the Miraflores Locks

Catching up on photo’s finally

By on June 7, 2014 in Thor

The crew getting ready for our Panama Canal transit

Please oh please, catch my line…

A celebratory swim in Lake Gatun

The Captain concentrating through the first set of locks.

Getting ready to snuggle up to SpringDay in…

Another shot of the Memphis neighborhood — and a few thoughts

By on June 7, 2014 in Istaboa

Currently, we’re in Jupiter and the weather’s been nice.

Our Hood —

Cinematic City from jason allen lee on Vimeo.
A look at Memphis.

Music by Tim Hecker.

Radar and I are up early, watching the sun rise over the top of a big yacht named Sea Bear, it’s nice visual.
Looking out over the stern of Istaboa, it appears to me that life seems to be getting better for many folks. This marina is filling up with big yachts where just a year ago it had more empty slips than full. The size and number of vessels has increased dramatically.
On the docks are marina worker bees swarming around the boats like in year’s distant past. Older boats are being fixed up or traded in for newer and bigger ones. Lots of upgrading and polishing, lots of captains and owners specing out projects. I’m seeing smiles on the faces of the boat fixer-uppers like I haven’t seen in a long time.
The marina operators are all reporting the best year they’ve seen in more than a decade. Some are getting cocky again, like they were around the turn of the century. (Yep, we’ve been doing this for a while.) Maybe they’ll remember what happened last time and not let this new found prosperity cloud their humility. Probably not.

Even our new little venture, onSpot wifi, is feeling like a young Dogwood tree at the commencement of a fruitful spring; laden with buds, fomenting a bloom the likes never seen.

And such articles are starting to appear —

Now Do You Believe We’re In A New Tech Bubble?

Yeah, times do seem to be recasting into the mold of the late nineties. Remember $20.00 bottles of water and $500.00 cigars? (The good old days of my generation.)

I recollect something an old fishing boat captain from Panama City told Mel and me years ago; we were leaving Carrabelle, FL about to cross the Gulf of Mexico for the first time and his advise was, “Just don’t get excited.”

Hopefully this old age I’m experiencing will bear some wisdom and we don’t get excited.

We haven’t yet, but we are enjoying the sun while it shines.

It feels good.

Adios,

Istaboa

Nordhavn Exumas Abacos Bahamas trawler Caribbean Pickwick Boat dogs
Memphis Downtown

DELIGHTFUL ALBANIA

By on June 3, 2014 in Envoy
Envoy is now anchored at Syracuse, Sicily.
In posting this I have also added photos to the previous post.
We’d heard mixed reports about Albania, with most of the negative comments coming from people who hadn’t been there, but we found our four days there an absolute delight with wonderful, friendly, smiling and helpful people. Furthermore we found the Sarande region perfectly safe, very low priced and loaded with interesting places to visit.
Albania is a mountainous but fertile country roughly one tenth the size of New Zealand, with a largely rural-based population of 3.5 million, of whom 60% are Muslim with the remainder being Catholic or Orthodox. It was great to hear the regular calls to Muslim prayer again, something we’ve not heard since leaving Turkey. Albania has a rich and colourful history having suffered invasions by Greeks, Romans, Venetians, Turks and French among others. Then for five decades after WW11 Albania was an isolationist, totalitarian, atheist, communist state ruled by iron-fisted President Enver Hoxha, and only in 1991 when the system collapsed did Albania, at that time the poorest country in Europe, start to open up to the outside world.
We used BWA Yachting as agents to clear-in (agents are mandatory), and BWA’s Auron Tate’s best friend is married to a part-Maori New Zealander. She is the daughter of a Mr Taylor who used to be high up in the former New Zealand Communist Party, then emigrated to Albania with his family in the late 1960s to live under the communist system.
BWA had emailed us advising a huge number of documents required to visit Albania, something like 19, including a list of personal effects of all people on board – in fact it all seemed so daunting we were almost put off visiting. In reality though this list applied to commercial vessels, and they only wanted to see our Crew List, passports and Registration Certificate, making it all very simple. The formalities were cheap at 38 Euros (NZ$) and for comparison this costs 150 Euros (NZ$) in Greece. Envoy’s berthage alongside the quay cost 70 Euros (NZ$) for three nights. BWA’s main contact person helping us with practical issues like water and power had the interesting name – Captain Zaho. We shared the same dock with Port Police so the security was excellent.

Envoy quayside in Sarande – security here was very good

Enjoying a delicious and reasonably-priced dinner at a Sarande waterfront taverna

One of our days there we took a 40 minute bus trip, costing 200 Leke (about NZ$2.25) each return, to see the impressive ruins of Butrint, founded about 1400BC and since settled in turn by all of the various invading countries.

Chris, Di and Laurie exploring Butrint ruins

On the return bus trip we bought a cheap bracelet from an enterprising eleven year old boy who can speak ten languages.

Sitting with Chris in the bus, this enterprising 11 year old Albanian speaks 10 languages

Another day we rented a car and drove about 90 minutes to Gjirokasta, the best preserved Ottoman village in the Balkans overlooked by a castle that became the palace of local ruler Ali Pasha. Here we had a cooked breakfast for three for a total of 1,050 Leke (about NZ$12).

Blue Eye freshwater springs on the way to Gjirokasta

Sombre entrance to Gjirokasta castle, once a prison

Gjirokasta is riddled with atmospheric cobbled lanes

Chris bought a carving from this stone carver working beside a Gjirokasta lane

Our last night we had dinner at the castle overlooking Sarande, with entertainment from an Albanian cultural group. Other patrons included a very lively group of Polish ladies seemingly wanting to make the most of their vacation, and everyone danced to the haunting Albanian music based around a prolonged monotone chant with different performers taking turns to add lyrics and gesticulations in a similar form to rap.

Albanian entertainers pose with guests – they insisted Chris and I wear their hats!

By visiting non-EU Albania for a few days Envoy is able to remain in the EU for a further 18 months without any VAT liability, and we’re now rather intrigued by Albania and plan to return.

TECHNICAL Chris “MacGyver” has project-managed quite a few jobs for us since coming aboard including the installation of a fresh water consumption meter. Envoy carries a generous 980 litres of water in three tanks, but we don’t have contents gauges and only one tank can be accessed for dipping. Up to now we’ve been getting around this by keeping the tanks filled to a high level using additional water stored in plastic containers on deck. We decided to install a consumption meter so that when we start to use a tank we can record the meter reading, know how much water is left in the tank, and know when to change tanks. This means we shouldn’t need to carry so much spare water, and will eliminate the risk of a tank running dry – which results in difficulty re-priming the water pumps. This is now installed downstream from the water pump and the new system is working well.

Chris holding Sensus water gauge prior to installation

ENVOY LOG As at 18/5/14, we’d spent 40 days aboard and cruised 133 miles for 24 engine hours.

Weather to stay or weather to go?

By on June 2, 2014 in Thor


We are heading out on a three day run from Grand Cayman Island to Key West Florida. We’ve consulted with our weather router, Omni Bob and studied the various weather websites. We should have a nice little weather window to travel north, around the east coast of Cuba and into the Florida Keys.


Prior to purchasing Anna Mae the agreement was that I would make the decision to travel depending on weather and sea conditions. I am giving a green light to leave this afternoon, with an ETA of Thursday mid day. 

Grand Cayman Island has been a relaxing and interesting place to visit. This was a first for Anna Mae, being tied to a mooring ball. Bill generally doesn’t trust them, unfortunately it was our only option. The reef around the island is protected and anchoring is prohibited. 

Anna Mae has been out of the states for 6 months. we are looking forward to getting back into US waters.

Weather to stay or weather to go?

By on June 2, 2014 in Thor


We are heading out on a three day run from Grand Cayman Island to Key West Florida. We’ve consulted with our weather router, Omni Bob and studied the various weather websites. We should have a nice little weather window to travel north, around the east coast of Cuba and into the Florida Keys.


Prior to purchasing Anna Mae the agreement was that I would make the decision to travel depending on weather and sea conditions. I am giving a green light to leave this afternoon, with an ETA of Thursday mid day. 

Grand Cayman Island has been a relaxing and interesting place to visit. This was a first for Anna Mae, being tied to a mooring ball. Bill generally doesn’t trust them, unfortunately it was our only option. The reef around the island is protected and anchoring is prohibited. 

Anna Mae has been out of the states for 6 months. we are looking forward to getting back into US waters.

Cayman Islands

By on May 31, 2014 in Thor

A tiny lizard sunning himself in the jungle.Our neighbors come and go daily.Hanging with The Blue IguanasYes, I was ready to get up and run if her turned on me…Naughty Iguanas, not shy at all.We arrived in The Cayman Islands a couple of days ago and …

Cayman Islands

By on May 31, 2014 in Thor

A tiny lizard sunning himself in the jungle.

Our neighbors come and go daily.

Hanging with The Blue Iguanas

Yes, I was ready to get up and run if he turned on me…

Naughty Iguanas, not shy at all.

We arrived in The Cayman Islan…

Saturday May 31, 2014 – Port Orford, Oregon to Westport Wa.

By on May 31, 2014 in Serenity

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 – Underway from Newport Oregon to Columbia River
Port Orford proved to be a great moorage.  Because we had stopped at noon on the 24th, we felt like we had a holiday.  By 6 am on Sunday the 25twe were off and heading north to Coos Bay.  That would have been about an 8 hour day and would leave us with a 14 hour day following to get into Newport where we planned to take a full day of rest. 
It was glassy leaving Port Orford and we ran close enough to the shore to see the almost endless display of offshore rocks that seems to characterize this part of the coast.  Many of these are named. While some, like Pillar Rock, NW Rock, Haystack Rock are obvious, others, like Fox Rock must have really stories. 
The seas were so pleasant that we decided bypass Coos Bay and instead go into the little harbor of Winchester Bay at the outlet of the Umpqua River.  Although in bad weather this bar has a nasty reputation, we had no worries given our weather and going the extra distance would split the trip to Newport into two more equal portions. 
Winchester Bay is served by the Salmon Marina.  We called the telephone number in the cruising guide and got a recorded message telling us that the office hours were 8 to 5, Monday through Friday.  It being Sunday, that was not helpful.  I finally pushed the button for the “emergency operator” as distinguished from 911, and was connected to a lovely young lady.  I explained that we wanted to tie up that night around 6 with a 6 am departure and would not be there during office hours.  The operator finally put me through to Heidi who manages the RV park.  Heidi was very helpful and radioed Ralph, who radioed Steve, who finally explained we could use the after hours dock by the Coast Guard Station and leave $15 in the box at the head of the dock. 
For me, this marina was a real return to the Northwest.  It is a large marina, but nowhere near full and mostly populated by fishing boats displaying varing degrees of prosperity.  Many were the little classic wooden trawlers.  One was an old Tolly, literally covered with vegetation. One might have thought the fern glimpsed through the window was a house plant had it not been for the ferns growing through various portions of the exterior.  For $15 dollars we were  snug and slept very well.
For Earl, the Umpqua held old memories.  One of his jobs with the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration in the early 60’s involved lots of sampling at the mouth of this river.

The next day was Memorial Day and as we neared Newport late in the afternoon we were treated to the sight of two multimasted wooden boats.  Once was the Lady Washington who we have seen before.  I never did get the name of the other. They were apparently engaged in a mock battle because we could hear cannons.  Both boats carried passengers and as they rocked around we wondered it any of them were not sea sick.  It was fun.
Newport is huge harbor with multiple marinas.   We opted to anchor out.  Earl says we are too cheap to pay, but the truth is that it is much less work to anchor than to pull out all the ropes and bumpers to tie up at a dock and then undo them early the next morning. 
Our anchorage was just perfect.  We are apparently in the season when birds ‘do their thing”.  At Winchester, we saw gulls doing it.  (She did not seem impressed.)  In Newport we had a trio of pigeon guillemots.  They are a flashy bird, black with white winds and red feet.  The inside of their beaks are also bright red.     The three seems to be getting along fine, when suddenly two went off in one direction and started engaging in courtship rituals while the other had a tantrum.  He squawked with his red mouth open and thrashed around in the water.  Not a happy loser.
Tuesday, May 27, 2014 – Underway from Newport Oregon to Columbia River
Port Orford proved to be a great moorage.  Because we had stopped at noon on the 24th, we felt like we had a holiday.  By 6 am on Sunday the 25twe were off and heading north to Coos Bay.  That would have been about an 8 hour day and would leave us with a 14 hour day following to get into Newport where we planned to take a full day of rest. 
It was glassy leaving Port Orford and we ran close enough to the shore to see the almost endless display of offshore rocks that seems to characterize this part of the coast.  Many of these are named. While some, like Pillar Rock, NW Rock, Haystack Rock are obvious, others, like Fox Rock must have really stories.  
 
parade of rocks off Oregon coast

The seas were so pleasant that we decided bypass Coos Bay and instead go into the little harbor of Winchester Bay at the outlet of the Umpqua River.  Although in bad weather this bar has a nasty reputation, we had no worries given our weather and going the extra distance would split the trip to Newport into two more equal portions. 
Typical NW lighthouse
Winchester Bay is served by the Salmon Marina.  We called the telephone number in the cruising guide and got a recorded message telling us that the office hours were 8 to 5, Monday through Friday.  It being Sunday, that was not helpful.  I finally pushed the button for the “emergency operator” as distinguished from 911, and was connected to a lovely young lady.  I explained that we wanted to tie up that night around 6 with a 6 am departure and would not be there during office hours.  The operator finally put me through to Heidi who manages the RV park.  Heidi was very helpful and radioed Ralph, who radioed Steve, who finally explained we could use the after hours dock by the Coast Guard Station and leave $15 in the box at the head of the dock. 
For me, this marina was a real return to the Northwest.  It is a large marina, but nowhere near full and mostly populated by fishing boats displaying varing degrees of prosperity.  Many were the little classic wooden trawlers.  One was an old Tolly, literally covered with vegetation. One might have thought the fern glimpsed through the window was a house plant had it not been for the ferns growing through various portions of the exterior.  For $15 dollars we were  snug and slept very well.
For Earl, the Umpqua held old memories.  One of his jobs with the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration in the early 60’s involved lots of sampling at the mouth of this river.

The next day was Memorial Day and as we neared Newport late in the afternoon we were treated to the sight of two multimasted wooden boats.  Once was the Lady Washington who we have seen before.  I never did get the name of the other. They were apparently engaged in a mock battle because we could hear cannons.  Both boats carried passengers and as they rocked around we wondered it any of them were not sea sick.  It was fun.
Memorial Day seabattle in front of Newport OR
Newport is huge harbor with multiple marinas.   We opted to anchor out.  Earl says we are too cheap to pay, but the truth is that it is much less work to anchor than to pull out all the ropes and bumpers to tie up at a dock and then undo them early the next morning.  
Newport Or Coast Guard station
Our anchorage was just perfect.  We are apparently in the season when birds ‘do their thing”.  At Winchester, we saw gulls doing it.  (She did not seem impressed.)  In Newport we had a trio of pigeon guillemots.  They are a flashy bird, black with white winds and red feet.  The inside of their beaks are also bright red.     The three seems to be getting along fine, when suddenly two went off in one direction and started engaging in courtship rituals while the other had a tantrum.  He squawked with his red mouth open and thrashed around in the water.  Not a happy loser.
 
Condos near our anchorage

Newport Bridge from our anchorage

Today we left early, around 5, as soon as the tide was easing on the bar and are headed north towards the Columbia River.  We will cross the bar and anchor in the river or keep going over night to Westport, Earl’s home town.
Going is nice.  We passed Cape Lookout where in one scenario we had thought to anchor.  It has a spectacular cave at the base.

Point Lookout

Saturday, May 31, 2014  – Westport Washington
 Well, as on other occasions this trip, the weather looked better than it was forecasted to be the next day, so we continued on past the Columbia River and on to Westport.  Not having to negotiate the Columbia River Bar and the additional mileage in and out of the river was a definite timesaver and the weather was reasonable.  It was no doubt the right thing to do, but after we finally tied up in Westport at 7 am after having to kill time waiting for the tide at the bar, we were pooped.  No more overnights ever, says Earl.  AMEN
 
Sunset off the Columbia River

I don’t really remember much of anything about Wednesday our first day here.  I think we both spent most of it sleeping.
Bright and early on Thursday morning, Earl’s childhood friend Brady came by for coffee and muffins.  They had a great time catching up.  It was a rainy day and not very conducive to washing the boat which we had put on the agenda.  Instead, Earl and I took the bus to Aberdeen, the closest town with a car rental agency.  It is wonderful that there is a public transportation system here, even if it only runs Monday through Friday during the day.  It cost us each $1.  We took a little van that picked us up from the head of the dock and took us and a number of other people who waved it down, to the park and ride on the outskirts of town where we transferred to a larger bus for the 20 miles to Aberdeen.
We picked up the car and scheduled to return it before the agency closed for the weekend and went to look for a haircut for Earl.  The closest turned out, from Earl’s brief observation, to be haircut plus some preaching the word of God, so he decided to look for something else.  We stopped first for what turned out to be surprisingly good Thai food at a takeout place that had a few tables outside, but under cover.  On the proprietor’s recommendation we drove to Rex’s barber shop in the adjoining community of Hoqium and Earl emerged 30 minutes later looking much more respectable.  His last haircut had been close to 2 months ago and he was beginning to look like a street person.
We did shopping and drove back to town.  Rhododendrons thrive in this coastal climate.  Most of the old houses are very modest and many of them are drarfed by rhodies planted along side them, probably when the houses were new.  They are very beautiful.
After a little boat cleaning, we treated ourselves to dinner on the town.  It turned out the most highly recommended place was not in Westport, but at Bennets in the little community of Grayland down the highway.  We had a very good dinner, with crab cakes and chicken left over for lunch the next day.
Friday the sun was out and we went to work getting the boat spic and span.  Earl did a wonderful job outside.  I did the galley before leaving to return the car.  I found the battery was dead –apparently someone left the lights on the night before.  But this is small and friendly town and a nice woman passerby offered to get me a jump.
That night Brady and his wife Happy came for dinner and, again, we had a wonderful time catching up.  Brady brought Earl a huge bag of live oysters.  He knows how to make Earl happy!  The big party will be tomorrow.  We are hosting an open house for Earl’s school classmates that are still in the area and, probably, a few others.  His class only had 20 some kids in it, so I expect it will be a small reunion, but probably we will have enough to make it a crowd for the Serenity.  Daisy will be in heaven thinking everyone is there to see her.
This morning as we were having breakfast, Brady showed up with a bunch of freshly dug razor clams for Earl.  Razor clams are absolutely Earl’s favorite food.  He had thought about going to dig some but instead he just whined to Brady. Between the clams and the oysters, he is in heaven.
Monday we will be heading off again.  Of course the weather gods are probably not smiling on us.  It looks like today and Sunday will be the best weather of the week.   Regardless, I am sure we will go.  Like a horse that smells the barn door, we are ready to be home. 
Today we left early, around 5, as soon as the tide was easing on the bar and are headed north towards the Columbia River.  We will cross the bar and anchor in the river or keep going over night to Westport, Earl’s home town.
Going is nice.  We passed Cape Lookout where in one scenario we had thought to anchor.  It has a spectacular cave at the base.
Saturday, May 31, 2014  – Westport Washington
 Well, as on other occasions this trip, the weather looked better than it was forecasted to be the next day, so we continued on past the Columbia River and on to Westport.  Not having to negotiate the Columbia River Bar and the additional mileage in and out of the river was a definite timesaver and the weather was reasonable.  It was no doubt the right thing to do, but after we finally tied up in Westport at 7 am after having to kill time waiting for the tide at the bar, we were pooped.  No more overnights ever, says Earl.  AMEN
I don’t really remember much of anything about Wednesday our first day here.  I think we both spent most of it sleeping.
Bright and early on Thursday morning, Earl’s childhood friend Brady came by for coffee and muffins.  They had a great time catching up.  It was a rainy day and not very conducive to washing the boat which we had put on the agenda.  Instead, Earl and I took the bus to Aberdeen, the closest town with a car rental agency.  It is wonderful that there is a public transportation system here, even if it only runs Monday through Friday during the day.  It cost us each $1.  We took a little van that picked us up from the head of the dock and took us and a number of other people who waved it down, to the park and ride on the outskirts of town where we transferred to a larger bus for the 20 miles to Aberdeen.
We picked up the car and scheduled to return it before the agency closed for the weekend and went to look for a haircut for Earl.  The closest turned out, from Earl’s brief observation, to be haircut plus some preaching the word of God, so he decided to look for something else.  We stopped first for what turned out to be surprisingly good Thai food at a takeout place that had a few tables outside, but under cover.  On the proprietor’s recommendation we drove to Rex’s barber shop in the adjoining community of Hoqium and Earl emerged 30 minutes later looking much more respectable.  His last haircut had been close to 2 months ago and he was beginning to look like a street person.
We did shopping and drove back to town.  Rhododendrons thrive in this coastal climate.  Most of the old houses are very modest and many of them are drarfed by rhodies planted along side them, probably when the houses were new.  They are very beautiful.
After a little boat cleaning, we treated ourselves to dinner on the town.  It turned out the most highly recommended place was not in Westport, but at Bennets in the little community of Grayland down the highway.  We had a very good dinner, with crab cakes and chicken left over for lunch the next day.
Friday the sun was out and we went to work getting the boat spic and span.  Earl did a wonderful job outside.  I did the galley before leaving to return the car.  I found the battery was dead –apparently someone left the lights on the night before.  But this is small and friendly town and a nice woman passerby offered to get me a jump.
That night Brady and his wife Happy came for dinner and, again, we had a wonderful time catching up.  Brady brought Earl a huge bag of live oysters.  He knows how to make Earl happy!  The big party will be tomorrow.  We are hosting an open house for Earl’s school classmates that are still in the area and, probably, a few others.  His class only had 20 some kids in it, so I expect it will be a small reunion, but probably we will have enough to make it a crowd for the Serenity.  Daisy will be in heaven thinking everyone is there to see her.
This morning as we were having breakfast, Brady showed up with a bunch of freshly dug razor clams for Earl.  Razor clams are absolutely Earl’s favorite food.  He had thought about going to dig some but instead he just whined to Brady. Between the clams and the oysters, he is in heaven.

 
NW shellfish heaven!

“small” oyster appetizer – just a snack!
Monday we will be heading off again.  Of course the weather gods are probably not smiling on us.  It looks like today and Sunday will be the best weather of the week.   Regardless, I am sure we will go.  Like a horse that smells the barn door, we are ready to be home.