Thursday, July 11, 2013
He's Here!
Soren Moore Rinehart entered this world on June 25, 2013 in Zurich, Switzerland. His little sister, Sage, is very happy with him and taking her role as Big Sister very seriously.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Saturday, June 8, 2013
The ABC's of Florida
"A" is for Andrea. For the past week the weather has been lousy. A little bit of rain every day and we had been watching a storm system that had been hanging around from Cuba to SW Florida and it just wasn't moving. The weather guys on TV were downplaying it pretty much as just some rain and a little wind with not much chance of developing into a big storm and certainly not a hurricane. Whew.
That changed somewhat Wednesday night. We were going to get wind and rain and the "moisture" was now Tropical Storm Andrea. On Thursday the canal behind the house filled up (literally), was moving swiftly and the winds were picking up. The strongest gust was measured at Punta Gorda Airport at about 58 knots. We did not experience that at our house, thank heavens. The area was under a tornado watch until Thursday night. We got a lot of rain, a little over 4", but we did not experience any flooding in our neighborhood. In Punta Gorda they did close some streets due to flooding, but I understand that is a common occurrence. There was no real storm damage and no one was hurt.
In any case, the local paper tells us this was a "dress rehearsal" for the hurricane season. Stay tuned.
That changed somewhat Wednesday night. We were going to get wind and rain and the "moisture" was now Tropical Storm Andrea. On Thursday the canal behind the house filled up (literally), was moving swiftly and the winds were picking up. The strongest gust was measured at Punta Gorda Airport at about 58 knots. We did not experience that at our house, thank heavens. The area was under a tornado watch until Thursday night. We got a lot of rain, a little over 4", but we did not experience any flooding in our neighborhood. In Punta Gorda they did close some streets due to flooding, but I understand that is a common occurrence. There was no real storm damage and no one was hurt.
In any case, the local paper tells us this was a "dress rehearsal" for the hurricane season. Stay tuned.
Storm surge covering our neighbor's dock
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Boat Stuff & Catching Up
Well, we have been here almost two weeks and the memories of the crossing are fading. The weather here has been great and we are enjoying retirement. Our new philosophy of "never doing anything today that can be put off until tomorrow" seems to be working well. However, we can't stop spending money.
We had a "Slidemoor" system installed on our dock. Unlike Watergate Marina, our dock is not floating -- it's not even wood -- it is concrete. Tends not to move too much. The installation involved having a barge with a huge hydraulic crane/hammer snuggle up to the boat; removing two pilings and installing two taller pilings to which was attached the system that will allow the boat to rise and fall with the tide. They worked around the boat, moving it forward or back as required.
It is pretty amazing. The boat is only "fastened" to the dock at 2 points on the new pilings (as shown). No fenders or other lines are necessary. The boat only can move up and down with the tide -- there is no yawing at all. We were told that you could secure it with shoestrings, however, we chose 1/2" lines.
As mentioned in a previous blog, our jib fell when we came into Charlotte Harbor. Greg from UK sails went up the mast and we caught a break for a change. The shackle had actually bent and come apart allowing the jib to fall. After reattaching and hoisting the jib, we are back in business. We may do some sailing over the Memorial Day weekend.
As if we don't have enough clocks, barometers and thermometers already in the house, Bob has installed a new wireless weather station with its own control panel. At any moment we have time, barometric pressure, wind speed, gusts and direction, temperature, humidity, wind chill and a rain gauge. Graphs and charts too. The local TV weather guy has us on speed dial for updates.
In the middle of all this, my stove broiler quit. It would cost about half the price of a new stove to fix it, so we upgraded and have started the galley "road to stainless steel." :)
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| Bob supervises the barge moving in with clipboard (sans hardhat) |
We had a "Slidemoor" system installed on our dock. Unlike Watergate Marina, our dock is not floating -- it's not even wood -- it is concrete. Tends not to move too much. The installation involved having a barge with a huge hydraulic crane/hammer snuggle up to the boat; removing two pilings and installing two taller pilings to which was attached the system that will allow the boat to rise and fall with the tide. They worked around the boat, moving it forward or back as required.
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| Top of the world! |
As mentioned in a previous blog, our jib fell when we came into Charlotte Harbor. Greg from UK sails went up the mast and we caught a break for a change. The shackle had actually bent and come apart allowing the jib to fall. After reattaching and hoisting the jib, we are back in business. We may do some sailing over the Memorial Day weekend.
As if we don't have enough clocks, barometers and thermometers already in the house, Bob has installed a new wireless weather station with its own control panel. At any moment we have time, barometric pressure, wind speed, gusts and direction, temperature, humidity, wind chill and a rain gauge. Graphs and charts too. The local TV weather guy has us on speed dial for updates.In the middle of all this, my stove broiler quit. It would cost about half the price of a new stove to fix it, so we upgraded and have started the galley "road to stainless steel." :)
And last but not least -- Bob has been wanting to replace our dinghy for some time. It has a high pressure floor rather than fiberglass and it has finally sprung a leak. After some computer research, he found a lightweight AB dinghy that has an aluminum floor. We drove to Naples and ordered it. It is 9'5", smaller than our current dinghy and will be easier to handle. We plan to get our current dinghy repaired and sell it. We sure don't have room for 2. Need a dinghy? No sense in letting a trip to Naples be entirely business -- we
checked out the City Marina and had lunch at The Dock.
We have joined the local civic association. We attended a "meet & greet" last night and met new PG residents from all over the US (and Canada). They have several clubs within the organization and we plan to join a sailing club and a social club. It seems to be a great way to meet new people with common interests.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
HOME SWEET HOME
We made it! About 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, Water's Edge arrived at her home dock in Punta Gorda, Florida. When we left Longboat Key Club Moorings in Sarasota Saturday morning, we weren't sure we would make it all the way. The wind was strong, OTN of course, and we decided to take the ICW. About 3 p.m. we made the decision to go the rest of the way home rather than stay someplace for the night.
The scenery along the ICW is beautiful, and we really enjoyed the trip. After 11 bridges, a lot of boat traffic (yes, Dick, morons and idiots -- had to use the horn twice) and fighting the current and wind we arrived at Charlotte Harbor. We were tired but excited to finally get home. Bob decided to hoist the jib a little to give us a boost as the current was against us and we didn't feel we were getting the speed we should. We picked up a few tenths and he let it out a little more...oops! The jib fell down into the water. Are you kidding me? So close to home. However, MUCH better that it happened here than the last time we used it -- during the night in a wind event!
I was at the helm and put it in neutral while Bob pulled the sail onto the deck and tied it up. Man, we were THAT close with all systems humming and boom! Reality check. What else can happen? Going aground? The channel is famous for low water. We will just have to wait and see...
At 7:00 p.m. we start down the Ponce de Leon channel. The water is 5' deep and our keel is 5.5'. OK, maintain speed. It only got more shallow. I read 4.3' at one time. Yikes. We were bouncing off the bottom which, fortunately did not stop us. A trawler had decided to get out of the channel ahead of us and went aground. Too bad, fella, call Towboat U.S. Once we got in the canals the depth was great and we had a nice ride to home. Note to self. Leave at high tide. :-)
Now the big test. How deep is the water at our dock? Not sure, fingers are crossed. Bob took the helm and we successfully docked Water's Edge at home! Our neighbors and friends, Ken and Cynthia, came out to greet us. After tying up the boat, showers and a Red Stripe, we called it a night. I'd forgotten how really big and comfortable a king size bed is. After a couple days of rest, we will give the boat a good cleaning, get the sail repaired and get ready for our first sail in Charlotte Harbor.
What a 3-week adventure (ordeal?) we had. I'm sure memories will fade over time, but I reminded Bob that if we ever thought about doing something like this again, we will read this blog first.
The scenery along the ICW is beautiful, and we really enjoyed the trip. After 11 bridges, a lot of boat traffic (yes, Dick, morons and idiots -- had to use the horn twice) and fighting the current and wind we arrived at Charlotte Harbor. We were tired but excited to finally get home. Bob decided to hoist the jib a little to give us a boost as the current was against us and we didn't feel we were getting the speed we should. We picked up a few tenths and he let it out a little more...oops! The jib fell down into the water. Are you kidding me? So close to home. However, MUCH better that it happened here than the last time we used it -- during the night in a wind event!
I was at the helm and put it in neutral while Bob pulled the sail onto the deck and tied it up. Man, we were THAT close with all systems humming and boom! Reality check. What else can happen? Going aground? The channel is famous for low water. We will just have to wait and see...
At 7:00 p.m. we start down the Ponce de Leon channel. The water is 5' deep and our keel is 5.5'. OK, maintain speed. It only got more shallow. I read 4.3' at one time. Yikes. We were bouncing off the bottom which, fortunately did not stop us. A trawler had decided to get out of the channel ahead of us and went aground. Too bad, fella, call Towboat U.S. Once we got in the canals the depth was great and we had a nice ride to home. Note to self. Leave at high tide. :-)
Now the big test. How deep is the water at our dock? Not sure, fingers are crossed. Bob took the helm and we successfully docked Water's Edge at home! Our neighbors and friends, Ken and Cynthia, came out to greet us. After tying up the boat, showers and a Red Stripe, we called it a night. I'd forgotten how really big and comfortable a king size bed is. After a couple days of rest, we will give the boat a good cleaning, get the sail repaired and get ready for our first sail in Charlotte Harbor.
What a 3-week adventure (ordeal?) we had. I'm sure memories will fade over time, but I reminded Bob that if we ever thought about doing something like this again, we will read this blog first.
Water's Edge in her new home
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Traveling the ICW
The trip from Clearwater Beach to St Pete was beautiful. The homes along the ICW are lovely. There was very little boat traffic and we really didn't have to wait for any bridges. Note for mariners: The 25' Pinellas "C" Bascule bridge at MM 114 has been replaced with a new fixed 72' bridge. Sweet!
There is a 65' fixed bridge at Maximo Point (MM 110.5) in Tampa Bay. Our mast is 63' with an antenna on top. We were nervous about this bridge, but the gauge said 66' and we held our breath and had no problem.
St Pete is a beautiful city. The municipal marina is right downtown with parks and shops nearby. A great walking city with wonderful restaurants. The transient dock was great and we kind of had a "window on main st" feeling. There was a lot of boat traffic and we enjoyed watching the activity from the comfort of our cockpit. We finally raised the Texas flag in St Pete!
Our friends, Tim and Beth Hermes, were able to join us for one night and we had a wonderful dinner on Beach Drive. We spent 2 nights in St Pete and look forward to returning for a longer stay.
On Friday we bid adieu to St Pete and headed for Sarasota. There was a lot more boat traffic on the ICW this time. Also, the water gets pretty skinny in places. We stayed at the Longboat Key Club Moorings. Oh my. What a beautiful place. Everyone here wears a uniform. :) This is a resort with golf, hotel, marina, tennis, pool and six restaurants. We must come back here for a longer stay some day.
We finally head for Punta Gorda today. Not sure we will make it home today but certainly no later than Sunday.
There is a 65' fixed bridge at Maximo Point (MM 110.5) in Tampa Bay. Our mast is 63' with an antenna on top. We were nervous about this bridge, but the gauge said 66' and we held our breath and had no problem.
St Pete is a beautiful city. The municipal marina is right downtown with parks and shops nearby. A great walking city with wonderful restaurants. The transient dock was great and we kind of had a "window on main st" feeling. There was a lot of boat traffic and we enjoyed watching the activity from the comfort of our cockpit. We finally raised the Texas flag in St Pete!
Our friends, Tim and Beth Hermes, were able to join us for one night and we had a wonderful dinner on Beach Drive. We spent 2 nights in St Pete and look forward to returning for a longer stay.
Tampa Bay Sunshine Bridge
On Friday we bid adieu to St Pete and headed for Sarasota. There was a lot more boat traffic on the ICW this time. Also, the water gets pretty skinny in places. We stayed at the Longboat Key Club Moorings. Oh my. What a beautiful place. Everyone here wears a uniform. :) This is a resort with golf, hotel, marina, tennis, pool and six restaurants. We must come back here for a longer stay some day.
We finally head for Punta Gorda today. Not sure we will make it home today but certainly no later than Sunday.
Water's Edge Docked at Longboat Key
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Bob and I have made it to the West Coast of Florida! It was not without its trials, however. We spent 4 nights in the Port St Joe Marina waiting for a "weather window." After our 2 previous offshore trips, we were smarter now and decided to wait. I have to laugh. :)
Sunday was a beautiful morning (the first time we had seen the sun there) and the forecast was not perfect, but promising. The wind would be favorable (not OTN!) and the seas not too bad. Wrong. First, there was nothing in the NOAA forecast about a rain storm (The Ugly). It hit about 5 pm. A virtual cloudburst, but it only lasted about 20 minutes. Up to that time, we had been sailing with only half the jib and half the mainsail and cruising along over 8 knots most of the time. Winds were consistently 18, gusting 22-25, but still from the WNW.
After the rain, the waves started (the Bad). Oh my. They were HUGE and slamming us, however, they were behind us instead of coming at us. Thank goodness. There was absolutely no relief. We pulled in the mainsail when the rain hit, so we had the jib still out. No engine, still cruising at over 7 knots. But it was uncomfortable. The waves were hitting us on our right stern and spinning us around. Amazingly, the auto pilot never broke and we maintained course. Bob changed course a little to try to give us some relief but it really didn't help. This lasted all night. The sky was clear, beautiful boat stars (the Good), but we were anxious for daylight. We never saw another boat after the rain. What idiot would be out in this? :)
About 10 a.m., the winds had shifted enough that we pulled in the jib and motored the rest of the way. The winds subsided some, but the waves were unrelenting. As we got nearer the coast, things improved considerably and the rest of the trip was fine. We saw a lot of dolphins on the trip -- they loved playing around the boat (the Good). Seeing as how we were the only boat out there -- they didn't have much choice!
We arrived in Clearwater about 3:30 p.m. The marina is nice (of course no floating piers) and we have enjoyed our time here -- walking on the white sand and just sitting in the boat and watching other boats go by while enjoying a cold one or two and listening to Jimmy Buffett. We leave tomorrow to go to St Petersburg via the ICW.
Sunday was a beautiful morning (the first time we had seen the sun there) and the forecast was not perfect, but promising. The wind would be favorable (not OTN!) and the seas not too bad. Wrong. First, there was nothing in the NOAA forecast about a rain storm (The Ugly). It hit about 5 pm. A virtual cloudburst, but it only lasted about 20 minutes. Up to that time, we had been sailing with only half the jib and half the mainsail and cruising along over 8 knots most of the time. Winds were consistently 18, gusting 22-25, but still from the WNW.
After the rain, the waves started (the Bad). Oh my. They were HUGE and slamming us, however, they were behind us instead of coming at us. Thank goodness. There was absolutely no relief. We pulled in the mainsail when the rain hit, so we had the jib still out. No engine, still cruising at over 7 knots. But it was uncomfortable. The waves were hitting us on our right stern and spinning us around. Amazingly, the auto pilot never broke and we maintained course. Bob changed course a little to try to give us some relief but it really didn't help. This lasted all night. The sky was clear, beautiful boat stars (the Good), but we were anxious for daylight. We never saw another boat after the rain. What idiot would be out in this? :)
About 10 a.m., the winds had shifted enough that we pulled in the jib and motored the rest of the way. The winds subsided some, but the waves were unrelenting. As we got nearer the coast, things improved considerably and the rest of the trip was fine. We saw a lot of dolphins on the trip -- they loved playing around the boat (the Good). Seeing as how we were the only boat out there -- they didn't have much choice!
We arrived in Clearwater about 3:30 p.m. The marina is nice (of course no floating piers) and we have enjoyed our time here -- walking on the white sand and just sitting in the boat and watching other boats go by while enjoying a cold one or two and listening to Jimmy Buffett. We leave tomorrow to go to St Petersburg via the ICW.
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| Land Ho! Clearwater, FL aptly named. |
Thursday, May 2, 2013
What Were We Thinking - Part Deux
After a great couple of days in Pensacola (we loved it there), the
weather was not looking promising starting Wednesday for the next leg of our
trip. We decided to leave Tuesday and travel the 100 miles to Port St
Joe, offshore. Not sure which was the bigger mistake -- leaving Pensacola
or
going to PSJ. We left the Palafox marina Tuesday, great wind and we were actually sailing at 7.8 kts. For about an hour. As previously noted, our trip from Houston to Gulf Shores was lousy. Wind OTN the whole way. You'll be happy to know that nothing has changed! For about 26 hours (Bob says it wasn't that long - just felt like it) we fought 20 kt wind on the nose, gusting 25, and HUGE waves. We finally
tethered ourselves to the boat. Fortunately, there were no other Morons (Cue Dick, idiots) out there until about 6 Wednesday morning when a 430 ft cargo ship appeared on the horizon - going the other way, thankfully. Our poor boat took another beating as well as us -- Bob pulled an all nighter. I got about 2 hours sleep.
When we FINALLY got to the peninsula around Port St Joe bay, it took forever to get into the bay. We thought it might be protected in there, but Noooo. The waves were just as bad and, you guessed it, the wind OTN. The marina is what seemed like 5 miles across -- some of the markers were missing and we were having a terrible time, not to mention that my Captain was a little tired. We had to motor clear across the bay -- 28 markers to the marina!
When we were about 2 miles out, a wind/rain storm hit us and we couldn't even see shore. The "blue barn" was our beacon for the marina. Talking to the girls at the marina was NO help. They told me that we would be on the west dock - pull in to the marina and tie up on the seawall on the left
side. Does that sound like a t-head or something to you? Of course not, it was a cement seawall with PILINGS on both sides and a QUARTER PIER ON THE PORT SIDE. Deja vu Pier 4 only not as nice. Backing in to the slip was no
picnic with the dinghy taking the brunt of a hit. Bob got it in,
however, it's a trick to get off the boat. It was high tide, of
course, too.
Did I mention that when I called to ask the girl in the office if someone could help us dock she said "well, you'll be on the West Dock, do you think you need help?" I said that I'd like to have somebody to throw some lines to. There is no way Bob and I could have docked in this "slip." I don't even like the thought of spending 2 nights here, but we have to. The
weather right now is just horrible and not sure when we will get to leave.
I know one thing - we WILL NOT be going offshore to Clearwater until we are certain that the weather is clear. Neither of us can take another pounding like this. Give me the ICW.
So far, the only good think about this marina is that the WIFI works. Also, there is a Piggly Wiggly within walking distance (I miss Kroger already). This marina is more like Freeport, TX than Florida. Our next leg is the ICW to Apalachicola, a short trip. We will decide Friday morning whether to try it or not. We would like to be able to head for Clearwater when the weather breaks this weekend. Then we are home free. I have to laugh.
Cheers.
going to PSJ. We left the Palafox marina Tuesday, great wind and we were actually sailing at 7.8 kts. For about an hour. As previously noted, our trip from Houston to Gulf Shores was lousy. Wind OTN the whole way. You'll be happy to know that nothing has changed! For about 26 hours (Bob says it wasn't that long - just felt like it) we fought 20 kt wind on the nose, gusting 25, and HUGE waves. We finally
tethered ourselves to the boat. Fortunately, there were no other Morons (Cue Dick, idiots) out there until about 6 Wednesday morning when a 430 ft cargo ship appeared on the horizon - going the other way, thankfully. Our poor boat took another beating as well as us -- Bob pulled an all nighter. I got about 2 hours sleep.
When we FINALLY got to the peninsula around Port St Joe bay, it took forever to get into the bay. We thought it might be protected in there, but Noooo. The waves were just as bad and, you guessed it, the wind OTN. The marina is what seemed like 5 miles across -- some of the markers were missing and we were having a terrible time, not to mention that my Captain was a little tired. We had to motor clear across the bay -- 28 markers to the marina!
When we were about 2 miles out, a wind/rain storm hit us and we couldn't even see shore. The "blue barn" was our beacon for the marina. Talking to the girls at the marina was NO help. They told me that we would be on the west dock - pull in to the marina and tie up on the seawall on the left
side. Does that sound like a t-head or something to you? Of course not, it was a cement seawall with PILINGS on both sides and a QUARTER PIER ON THE PORT SIDE. Deja vu Pier 4 only not as nice. Backing in to the slip was no
picnic with the dinghy taking the brunt of a hit. Bob got it in,
however, it's a trick to get off the boat. It was high tide, of
course, too.
Did I mention that when I called to ask the girl in the office if someone could help us dock she said "well, you'll be on the West Dock, do you think you need help?" I said that I'd like to have somebody to throw some lines to. There is no way Bob and I could have docked in this "slip." I don't even like the thought of spending 2 nights here, but we have to. The
weather right now is just horrible and not sure when we will get to leave.
I know one thing - we WILL NOT be going offshore to Clearwater until we are certain that the weather is clear. Neither of us can take another pounding like this. Give me the ICW.
Water's Edge docked at Port St Joe, FL Marina
So far, the only good think about this marina is that the WIFI works. Also, there is a Piggly Wiggly within walking distance (I miss Kroger already). This marina is more like Freeport, TX than Florida. Our next leg is the ICW to Apalachicola, a short trip. We will decide Friday morning whether to try it or not. We would like to be able to head for Clearwater when the weather breaks this weekend. Then we are home free. I have to laugh.
Cheers.
Gulf Shores, AL to Pensacola, FL
Finally, a nice, peaceful trip down the ICW. Bidding Lulu's adieu, we traveled East to Pensacola. It was Saturday and there was quite a bit of traffic and recreational (read: clueless) boaters on the water. Southern Girl's engine overheated at one point and went back to where she was anchored, but Captain Larry cleared the raw water intake of some nasty mud and we were back on our way.
Passing the naval base, barrier island and lighthouse, we arrived at Palafox Pier in Pensacola. It is lovely here, close to downtown, shopping, etc. There is a good restaurant at the marina, Jaco's, and we also went to the Fish House one evening. Bob was suffering from an acute attack of the Gout and Larry was not feeling well, so some of us went for a walk around Pensacola on Sunday.
We said goodbye to our crew and the captain and crew of Southern Girl on Monday. They returned to Houston to plan their own cruising trips coming soon! (Southern Girl remains at dock in Pensacola.) We will certainly miss the friends we have made at Watergate Marina, but all have promised to visit us in FL and I'm sure we will be back in Houston one day.
Bob and I are alone really for the first time when traveling on our boat. We have always been with another boat or had others on board. The real adventure begins...
Passing the naval base, barrier island and lighthouse, we arrived at Palafox Pier in Pensacola. It is lovely here, close to downtown, shopping, etc. There is a good restaurant at the marina, Jaco's, and we also went to the Fish House one evening. Bob was suffering from an acute attack of the Gout and Larry was not feeling well, so some of us went for a walk around Pensacola on Sunday.
Crew out for a walk in Pensacola
We said goodbye to our crew and the captain and crew of Southern Girl on Monday. They returned to Houston to plan their own cruising trips coming soon! (Southern Girl remains at dock in Pensacola.) We will certainly miss the friends we have made at Watergate Marina, but all have promised to visit us in FL and I'm sure we will be back in Houston one day.
Bob and I are alone really for the first time when traveling on our boat. We have always been with another boat or had others on board. The real adventure begins...
Pensacola Marina
What Were We Thinking?
It's Monday, April 22, 2013. The Captain, First Mate and Crew (good friends, Dick & Sammie Caswell) of Water's Edge look well rested and ready for our trip to Pensacola. It was a beautiful day at Watergate and we had decided (with our sister ship, Southern Girl) to fuel up in Galveston and be on our way. In the words of Bob Bitchin, the patron saint of cruisers, "Attitude is the difference between ordeal and adventure." We, of course, were positive and certain that this would be an adventure and not an ordeal. I have to laugh. :)
For being a sailboat, which means you actually sail the boat, we motored across the Gulf of Mexico, but for 3 hours of good sailing. The wind was on the nose (forever after referred to as OTN), no less than 15 knots, gusting often to 22 or 23 THE ENTIRE WAY! For you non-sailors, the motion of the boat can best be compared to the agitation cycle of a washing machine -- or better yet, an earthquake that lasted 4 days and nights! It is a miracle that anything works on the boat after the pounding it received. It's a miracle that anything works on us after the trip!
We decided to take a more northerly route than the original safety fairway. It was fine -- not difficult to stay away from the oil platforms and traffic. Our night watches consisted of 2 4-hour shifts, 10-2 and 2-6. The Cap'n and I always took the first shift. Since we were not sailing, it was a matter of holding on and making sure we didn't hit anything. We followed Southern Girl most of the time as she had a bright stern light that was easy to see. We managed to prepare semi-regular meals (thank you Transderm patch!) and even had virgin happy hours a couple of times. Dick and Sammie kept us positive and the situation was so ridiculous after a while that we had a laugh. No matter which way we went, the wind was OTN.
During all of this ruckus, I celebrated my birthday Tuesday with a cupcake and even a candle. Thanks, Sammie! I was even serenaded with the Canadian version of Happy Birthday.
We got caught in a thunderstorm Wednesday, but it didn't last long. We zipped up our new cockpit enclosure (Bob is now a believer) but the bimini leaked like a sieve around the edges. Still, we were more comfortable than without it. It was great against all that wind and waves coming over the bow. We had a little excitement prior to the storm when our roller furling on the jib did not roll up properly and Dick and Bob had to go to the bow of the boat to try to fix it. In the rocky waters they were properly life jacketed and tethered to the boat but it was nerve wracking to watch with the storm fast approaching. We made it through OK and the boat got the salt water washed off her for a while.
Wednesday night watch was the same as ever - bounced around and windy. However, Thursday morning we received a big jolt around 5:30 a.m. and the mattress jumped off the bed about 10 inches with Bob and I in it! I looked out the window and it looked like we were flying and the engine was running full blast. I managed to get out of bed and asked Bob why we were racing. Actually, the engine was going fast, but because of the strong current of the Mississippi Delta and the wind OTN we were only moving about 2 knots. Man, am I ever going to get off this boat and be able to walk on dry land again?
Southern Girl decided not to fight it and instead, went sailing the other direction. We decided to continue the punishment and stay on the rhumb line to Mobile Bay. SG caught up with us the next day. Our radar had quit working so we were a little nervous about being without our "beacon" to follow Thursday night, but God cleared the skies and we had a full moon to light our way.
Friday, we finally reached Mobile Bay to head up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to Gulf Shores, AL. Our fuel was very low. We had already added the extra 8-9 gallons that we stowed on deck. Our first stop in Gulf Shores would be the fuel dock. We had to do donuts in the ICW while SG was getting her fuel and I was scared to death that we would run out of fuel right there. But we made it to the dock. How embarrassing would that have been?
After showers (yes, we didn't shower for 4 days) we went to Lulu's for lunch. Lulu is Jimmy Buffett's sister and she has a fun restaurant overlooking the ICW. After our cheeseburgers in Paradise, we went back to the boat for a much needed nap. 13 hours later we woke up!
The first leg of our journey to Punta Gorda (our ultimate destination) was complete. We were alive, in one piece, bruised but not broken. We are ready for the next piece of the journey -- to Pensacola, FL.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Waiting
Gorgeous day today. The captains and crews of the 2 boats made a decision last night to delay our departure due to offshore wind direction, mainly. We will be traveling to Galveston Yacht Basin on Monday, wait out a front on Tuesday, and leave on our adventure Wednesday morning. I think.
In the meantime, there is still plenty to do. Filling water tanks, preparing the dinghy for the davits, to name a couple. I know I am ready to move on!
In the meantime, there is still plenty to do. Filling water tanks, preparing the dinghy for the davits, to name a couple. I know I am ready to move on!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Let's go!
As I sit here in my salon, with the sun shining (finally!), food prepared and stowed, and anxiously awaiting our departure tomorrow, I think "what else can happen?" We have no hot water. It may be as simple as a breaker, but we are supposed to leave for crying out loud! The north wind has blown all the water out of the marina and if it doesn't come back soon, we won't be going anywhere tomorrow. The water, of course, has been high all week.
Oh, of course, we sold our car yesterday, too, so we are without wheels. What is it they say? Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. Guess we will sit back, relax and see what happens.
Cheers!
Oh, of course, we sold our car yesterday, too, so we are without wheels. What is it they say? Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans. Guess we will sit back, relax and see what happens.
Cheers!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Welcome to Sailing with Water's Edge! This blog will focus on our sailing voyages on our boat, s/v Water's Edge. She is a 2005 Hunter 456, purchased in 2008 and since then docked at Watergate Marina in Clear Lake Shores, TX. My husband, Bob, and I have recently retired and sold our home in Houston. A couple of years ago we purchased a home in Punta Gorda, FL where we will soon be living full time.
We have spent the last 4 months preparing ourselves and the boat for our upcoming Gulf crossing. From new stern rails, life raft, anchor, radar, chart plotter, cockpit enclosure (for me!) fenders to smaller items such as fans, oil changes, system checks, we have made Water's Edge as safe and comfortable as possible. We are ready, too.
The time has arrived! We leave Saturday, April 20, and will be "buddy boating" with s/v Southern Girl (owned by good friends), going offshore, to Gulf Shores, AL. After a cheeseburger and a cold one at Lulu's we will then move on to Pensacola, FL. Southern Girl will remain in Pensacola for about a month, but after a couple days of rest and enjoying the sights, we will continue our travels south to our new home.
These last 2 days before our journey begins are filled with food prep, stowing items, securing the dinghy on the davits, filling diesel cans and praying for good weather for our crossing!. It's looking good now as a cold front is on its way today.
I hope to post regularly as a chronicle of our journey and to keep our friends and family apprised of our progress.
We have spent the last 4 months preparing ourselves and the boat for our upcoming Gulf crossing. From new stern rails, life raft, anchor, radar, chart plotter, cockpit enclosure (for me!) fenders to smaller items such as fans, oil changes, system checks, we have made Water's Edge as safe and comfortable as possible. We are ready, too.
The time has arrived! We leave Saturday, April 20, and will be "buddy boating" with s/v Southern Girl (owned by good friends), going offshore, to Gulf Shores, AL. After a cheeseburger and a cold one at Lulu's we will then move on to Pensacola, FL. Southern Girl will remain in Pensacola for about a month, but after a couple days of rest and enjoying the sights, we will continue our travels south to our new home.
These last 2 days before our journey begins are filled with food prep, stowing items, securing the dinghy on the davits, filling diesel cans and praying for good weather for our crossing!. It's looking good now as a cold front is on its way today.
I hope to post regularly as a chronicle of our journey and to keep our friends and family apprised of our progress.
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