tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39896885255347194852024-03-06T01:13:07.867-08:00Nomads by SeaAfter living in Atlanta, GA for 25 years and raising our two sons, we have left our land life behind and moved aboard a trawler. Join us as we learn the cruising life and move toward the Pacific Northwest to be closer to our kids. Each day brings new locations and ripe subjects for Wendy's fine art paintings.
Forever Exploring, Leigh and Wendy.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-62728280023618685592018-06-18T13:28:00.000-07:002018-07-11T23:43:27.294-07:00Our first Grizzly!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anchored in Elle Cove on Baranof Island. On the short 8 NM ride up Chatham Straight the humpbacks put on a show. We saw a multitude of blows and a half dozen flukes before a deep dive. After dropping the hook we enjoyed lunch on the aft deck and Macky spotted a bear on shore. He was a lighter brown and had the distinctive grizzly hump on his back. Our first grizzly! He ate grass and we all enjoyed a leisurely lunch together for well over an hour. <br />
Put the dinghy down and explored Waterfall Cove and Kasnyku Falls. <br />
The steep granite sides of our Anchorage cascades up to snowy ridges. Old growth spruce, cedar, and hemlock cover the slopes. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-74542480815427328862018-06-17T20:00:00.000-07:002018-07-11T23:42:34.899-07:00Warm Springs Bay, Baranof Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Father's Day</b><br />
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It was a great day today, starting at our launch from anchor at 4:00 in the morning. The plan was to ride the ebb currents down Frederick Sound. Then catch the flood current six miles up Chatham Strait to Warm Spring Bay. It does make it a little easier to drag yourself out of bed at 3:40 when it's already getting light. The plan worked very well and the forecasted wind and waves held off. 55 nautical miles and we arrived at 11:30, plenty of time to enjoy the hot springs.</div>
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What a cool place with a huge waterfall roaring in the bay, little cabins lining the water all connected by board walks, a hike to Baranof Lake and two places to soak in the hot springs. First we hiked up to the pair of "grotto" pools on the side of the waterfall. This was incredible, but the water was too hot for me. So we went on up to the lake before returning to the bay with three private hot tub rooms overlooking the waterfalls and the bay. A quick run down to the boat secured beer and guacamole. The tub's two water inlets, one from the hot springs and the second from the ice cold river made it easy to get the perfect temperature. Aaaahhh, we've been pretty cold on our trip at times. This was dreamy. Our favorite anchorage so far!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-16520054499400999282018-05-22T11:48:00.000-07:002018-07-11T23:45:31.547-07:00Crossing Cape Caution <div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Crossing Cape Caution 5-22-18</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Wagoner Cruising Guide:<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>To get to the central and northern BC coast you must first round CapeCaution.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Although the distance is only about 40 miles, the seas can be high and steep.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The bottom shoals from 100+ fathoms off the continental shelf to 20-70 fathoms in Queen Charlotte Sound itself, causing seas to heap up.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The problem is made worse w hen these seas aremet by ebb currents from the Queen Charlotte Strait, Smith Sound, Rivers Inletand Fritz Hugh Sound.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">… yes, you have my attention.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We had been concerned about the crossing and still felt a little rusty in our seamanship skills from spending the Winter on a dock.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Our friend who delivered boats between Alaska and BC in a previous life had suggested a longer route from Port McNeill to Fury Cove anchorage, 62 miles.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>This route helps to find the deeper water and stays somewhat away from the ebb flows coming out of the mainland inlets and sounds.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I studied the weather every way I knew until late Monday night and then we launched at first light, 4 am.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Following all the worry, the day was a little anticlimactic, very calm.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It was a new experience for us with larger ocean swells about 6 to 10 feet, but the period between swells was 8-9 seconds.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The result was a gentle ride up and down the swells, but not a time to be down below.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Wendy and I both had moments of funny tummy, a first for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">We have now traveled further North than last summer.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It’s beginning to feel like more of an adventure. Our anchorage was Fury Cove with several other boats who had launched north under the accommodating weather.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-34873596245581556752018-05-20T16:25:00.000-07:002018-07-02T13:24:13.504-07:00Johnston Strait was angry today<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Johnston Strait can be flat calm or very angry, brought on by strong tidal currents and winds that funnel through the steep walled
passage.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>With currents opposing the wind, the waves can be big and steep making boating no fun.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Bradford’s
friend and longtime resident on Murrell Island, Rob Wood warned us of the potential
for really bad rides there last year.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The forecast was for building NW winds a
little later in the day, but I hoped that we could leave early, scoot through
to Pt. McNeill and make preparations for crossing Cape Caution above Vancouver
Island.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Not happening.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Pretty soon the wind was 24 knots on the nose
with lumpy sea conditions, so we only got in 35 miles and bailed out to anchor.<span style="margin: 0px;"> I am sure it gets worse, but this supposed to be fun. Sitting i</span>n the calm anchorage at Pt. Neville, it was
a little frustrating knowing that only a mile away the strait was not a happy place.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We easily made Pt. McNeill on
Monday, the next morning.</span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span>Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-86472644482447957722018-05-19T19:00:00.000-07:002018-05-29T21:23:37.094-07:00Finally, finally, finally headed North<div dir="ltr">
After three planned weeks in the boat yard in Anacortes followed by three unplanned weeks in the yard in Sidney, BC, we are finally under way to Alaska. It feels so good to actually be traveling. Wendy and I seem to sure like moving more than staying in one place; we share the energy. </div>
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Last night's anchorage by Buccaneer Beach on Thornby Island brought a beautiful sunset that just did not want to go away. Our plan was to pull anchor and leave at 6:30 this morning, but Wendy could not sleep, so she encouraged her sleepy partner to get going at about 6:00. It was a good choice, because we had great tailwind currents all day. The plan was to stop at Campbell River, but the tidal currents pushed us along to pass Campbell River and make Seymour Narrows for the 2:53 slack tide. Seymour Narrows is a huge tidal rapid that even large cruise ships respect and only pass at or near slack. I would love to see the rapids at full flow, just not from a boat, so I check the tide book and three different electronic charts to make sure that I have the timing right.</div>
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Our anchorage is Otter Cove on the west side of Discovery Passage. No otters, but three seals splashing around and checking us out. Wendy tried her new camera with the 600 telescope lens; if only the seals and the bald eagle would cooperate. </div>
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We've had a light southerly wind all day, but this evening it's picked up and veered to the west. I hope it does not continue to increase, since we want blast off early again tomorrow and ride the currents <u>i</u>n the morning through Johnston Strait to Port McNeill. But with strong NW winds against the currents, the strait gets angry. The forecast is for light winds in the morning, so we will see.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGTNmCEwKnrL8UWHfqbE7__BP0ldy2a158GQUgTSkExMcxqtWMd2kjNeIrptIhebskaeem-A-9m5uJW0teoidJUDEKtYL7fj02ceBFqxtfKJIQafvDGIONDyOX_4zLZyB-sCWXrBivtvr/s1600/IMG_20180520_061024761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGTNmCEwKnrL8UWHfqbE7__BP0ldy2a158GQUgTSkExMcxqtWMd2kjNeIrptIhebskaeem-A-9m5uJW0teoidJUDEKtYL7fj02ceBFqxtfKJIQafvDGIONDyOX_4zLZyB-sCWXrBivtvr/s320/IMG_20180520_061024761.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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In the morning, our anchor had grown a seaweed beard.</div>
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Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-53652086303421170892018-05-18T17:00:00.000-07:002018-05-29T21:21:56.150-07:00Orcas to port!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27aNYzbT1OynP6mfH7YaJkKmsb5CZZH4A6Iw5H7ZOJ3BKpPHXTkdu9ICcV0sk4kGgTSglbsZTqGBmD2VCbT_FBYRTbdOZKByRzMvgMrYkbYzgYyexo4mwvsIRfEE0NOEI-3BEOOePeApO/s1600/IMG_20180516_170633105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh27aNYzbT1OynP6mfH7YaJkKmsb5CZZH4A6Iw5H7ZOJ3BKpPHXTkdu9ICcV0sk4kGgTSglbsZTqGBmD2VCbT_FBYRTbdOZKByRzMvgMrYkbYzgYyexo4mwvsIRfEE0NOEI-3BEOOePeApO/s320/IMG_20180516_170633105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">After a quick walk to the hardware for a five gallon bucket
we were off from Squamish 10:30, just after the inflow winds picked up.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The interior from Squamish heats up during
the day which pulls in cool air from Howe Sound.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The wind was 24 knots when we came in on
Friday making docking adventurous.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>About
half way down Howe Sound we saw a whale watching tour boat buzz by to stop a
couple of miles up.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>As we got closer,
Wendy spotted the blows.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>First, two orcas
on our starboard side then two or three to port. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>I called the whale watching boat on the radio
and we slowly passed by over about twenty minutes.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The whale boat said that these were transient
orcas that eat mammals; seals, porpoise, etc.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The locals eat salmon and each local
pod eats a different species of salmon.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>Wendy and I have both read “Listening to Whales,” by Alexandra
Morton.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>It’s a great book about her lifelong
studies of Orcas in the Broughton Islands where we spent last summer.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The anchorage
at Buccaneer Bay on Thornby Island displayed a wonderful sunset and only gave
it up oh so slowly.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC_tzlRLR5NZUaPzPwNX9m9igxg70xom-i8NgR6fMOS05X_4RMH3xW2hxWAYFk0hPMgTFPXRkJEK_JsRcrWGmc3pZOyaAyGgjHqtEpA6hMcUej73SuXJYNNP4rtWFC9HG55HMI8ZO37Ax/s1600/IMG_20180518_201812234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEC_tzlRLR5NZUaPzPwNX9m9igxg70xom-i8NgR6fMOS05X_4RMH3xW2hxWAYFk0hPMgTFPXRkJEK_JsRcrWGmc3pZOyaAyGgjHqtEpA6hMcUej73SuXJYNNP4rtWFC9HG55HMI8ZO37Ax/s320/IMG_20180518_201812234.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As usual, the picture does not do the sunset justice.</td></tr>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span>Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-30434474683460355162018-05-17T17:00:00.000-07:002018-05-29T20:29:29.428-07:00A visit with Bradford in Squamish<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our plan to leave for Alaska on April 21 after dropping off
Bradford and his ascent team at the Homathko River logging camp has seen many
delays.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Bradford’s trip was cancelled.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Then our generator and battery charger had problems
requiring a trip back down to Sidney for major repairs.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>While there, other problems kept grabbing us,
including discovering that the rudder tube was separating from the hull.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Yes, that could have been no fun to have come
apart in the middle of nowhere BC or maybe crossing the Gulf of Alaska!<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Anyway,
by mid May we were exhausted with repairs, paying for them and my trying to do as
much work as I could in addition to feeling that almost a month was lost on the
trip north.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>As well, confidence in our
trusty boat has been bruised keeping us wondering what is next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>A nice day’s travel across
the Strait of Georgia, past Vancouver, up Howe Sound to Squamish to see Bradford
provided the perfect transition back to cruising, helping us put the boat yards
behind us.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Howe Sound is stunningly beautiful
with the tall mountains busting straight up from the shore all around.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Bradford and Ebba treated us to a wonderful
day beginning with our favorite, a big breakfast.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Next was an incredible ride up the gondola 900
meters into the mountains to see where Ebba is the Special Events Manager and
to hike.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The views of Howe sound and the
surrounding mountains are unbelievable. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Even
more than ever, we understand why Squamish is the rock climbing mecca of North
America.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>We capped off the day with a
cookout at Justin Sweeney’s to help celebrate his birthday.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The laughter, stories and hugs remind us why we decided to
live a different life closer to our family.<span style="margin: 0px;">
</span>We have quickly become accustomed to seeing Bradford every couple of
months since we moved to the west coast. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>Our plan to stay in Seward, AK for the Winter now
keeps us frm knowing when we will see him next.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>That’s no good. <span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>The boat repairs are quickly becoming a
distant memory. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW3Q-4TvZFCp8sdP1z7UXYJrxakqOyzF7YTyJ8BIvDNK05FkkavoGu3nuiVurNMrDBUPGLd0QLJfNdL6ke-KM63sYOJ4uqci1m4XLRfzIGFItyZvgjGtcAHvCsriNwKh11P2e9vS5uae5/s1600/IMG_20180517_123633248_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW3Q-4TvZFCp8sdP1z7UXYJrxakqOyzF7YTyJ8BIvDNK05FkkavoGu3nuiVurNMrDBUPGLd0QLJfNdL6ke-KM63sYOJ4uqci1m4XLRfzIGFItyZvgjGtcAHvCsriNwKh11P2e9vS5uae5/s320/IMG_20180517_123633248_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mountain over Ebba's head is where they go back country skiing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkoDPrt0OSztvNpygnWvV2y3vEGM8An0UPHBxXKNZrun6pOemE1_pNevBErAnkoaGAhFeGnjlBTgN2wsIu00M72g_Oe74qcFVraB2pv60BjfrnjxLxQYH6L43i03d_5r19x6wj8lJXBjg/s1600/IMG_20180517_141534218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkoDPrt0OSztvNpygnWvV2y3vEGM8An0UPHBxXKNZrun6pOemE1_pNevBErAnkoaGAhFeGnjlBTgN2wsIu00M72g_Oe74qcFVraB2pv60BjfrnjxLxQYH6L43i03d_5r19x6wj8lJXBjg/s320/IMG_20180517_141534218.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The low overcast clouds burned off for beautiful day at the top of the gondola.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPwtvO1ZKq-AeWwwMkdWvVQnhSvZ1gP1YZx53PPaM9vkFYKytm85O-irPgCRjEBhbXZXdqr2e1zXESE5YrmWWsg3bHmnkQuQDg1MfmVU-5U4ylu8fFt9Z_eAVUeQk5gtV2RC7lzRN3S_W/s1600/IMG_20180517_133855332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPwtvO1ZKq-AeWwwMkdWvVQnhSvZ1gP1YZx53PPaM9vkFYKytm85O-irPgCRjEBhbXZXdqr2e1zXESE5YrmWWsg3bHmnkQuQDg1MfmVU-5U4ylu8fFt9Z_eAVUeQk5gtV2RC7lzRN3S_W/s320/IMG_20180517_133855332.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy and Ebba in their high tech hiking dresses. Looking good!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj628UyIklrgD4kSmrKXsqV7xlWKjcabh0cIib7pa9abE9Y2km75ONaz9n5uvnTcF2I3g4C0Jk83Ga64JV3M1ZtxMHDcJx7F-V_Mhv5XI9u0QBuYBmjhXyz3z96ch8sOnfQZWBgbJ7T3k/s1600/IMG_20180517_120733241_BURST001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj628UyIklrgD4kSmrKXsqV7xlWKjcabh0cIib7pa9abE9Y2km75ONaz9n5uvnTcF2I3g4C0Jk83Ga64JV3M1ZtxMHDcJx7F-V_Mhv5XI9u0QBuYBmjhXyz3z96ch8sOnfQZWBgbJ7T3k/s320/IMG_20180517_120733241_BURST001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gondola ride back down.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-29504296741871814682018-01-24T11:09:00.000-08:002018-01-27T17:03:50.969-08:00High winds and Tsunami Warning this weekThis has been a bad week for us trying to sleep at night. All Saturday night, the winds were howling with gusts forecast up to 50 and it sure felt like it. With the wind out of the Southeast the first it hits after crossing the bay is Forever Exploring, so we were bouncing around pretty good all night. Wendy and I both like our spot out on the breakwater dock, the view is wonderful and with the ferries going by and the float plane dock next to us, there is plenty of action. But when the wind picks up, we get it, especially wind from the South.<br />
<br />
Then at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, Tom woke us up. They had been alerted to the Tsunami warning in Alaska. After several very thick headed minutes trying to wake up, we starting to search online all that we could. We were on the southern end of the warning area and a sea buoy had registered a 30 foot wave. So we started making plans to evacuate the boat and go to higher ground. I considered shoving off, leaving the marina and going out in the bay, but the concern for huge currents full of debris helped us decide otherwise. The all ewe could do was wait and see what developed. The potential wave would take three hours to arrive.<br />
<br />
At about 3:00, I began reading Facebook posts about my friend, Marcus Prince from college. He had passed away the day before from the flu and double pneumonia. It's very sad, but I was so moved by the many lives that he had touched in meaningful ways, so I spent rest of the night reading about Marc. By 5:00 the Tsunami warning had been lifted.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC1PatllilwWFsOSmLkxtfj_Bsc8UtXW7e9zhAO9kfTTnrIz_jqlKzlWG3qqkptvRuzJwD9JqtauMxnf0LB-bjUb4PDoZhVZ-3GjORQUcYXL5kV-_rxGrk0J0HhlvsKhyphenhyphentqLGDdxMRqpt/s1600/IMG_20180121_094127526_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpC1PatllilwWFsOSmLkxtfj_Bsc8UtXW7e9zhAO9kfTTnrIz_jqlKzlWG3qqkptvRuzJwD9JqtauMxnf0LB-bjUb4PDoZhVZ-3GjORQUcYXL5kV-_rxGrk0J0HhlvsKhyphenhyphentqLGDdxMRqpt/s400/IMG_20180121_094127526_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's difficult to feel the wind from this picture. On the other side of Forever Exploring and the breakwater dock, the waves were pretty rambunctious. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWK2Oq3CTpD-Y3BlVP90bm5vKLKwidmcJv_B4HpV3ltkUY-Ww72r3UWSUvWnkxhSIKYfNU05Dscf_KLXQuZfFrVHa0u-HjsrAU9K7tDD9Ot8X38LrJEqP0L8ChotubrTXM5bc4oB2_1C7U/s1600/1516710611_massive-7-9-magnitude-quake-sets-off-tsunami-warning-for-alaska.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWK2Oq3CTpD-Y3BlVP90bm5vKLKwidmcJv_B4HpV3ltkUY-Ww72r3UWSUvWnkxhSIKYfNU05Dscf_KLXQuZfFrVHa0u-HjsrAU9K7tDD9Ot8X38LrJEqP0L8ChotubrTXM5bc4oB2_1C7U/s400/1516710611_massive-7-9-magnitude-quake-sets-off-tsunami-warning-for-alaska.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Friday Harbor is just of the bottom edge of the red tsunami warning area.</td></tr>
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<br />Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-6991262921037096002017-05-01T05:02:00.001-07:002017-05-01T05:02:20.937-07:00At anchor...<p dir="ltr">Our last Anchorage on the East Coast. Tomorrow our home will be loaded on a ship and travel to Victoria British Columbia. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyudS_i-ZzQuzjp0pADAA-KEqcYLU8SvWgeRQhyphenhyphen95KhOi6H-RyHZlyu26go1ept6LmoSPlKTsyBbnyMmJTgJC_Hx6ISgmpD17rapW75KdrRL5bCuAH0Y1XfDfUyIaR15lB6s6bZ27Rl7k/s1600/1493636191345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyudS_i-ZzQuzjp0pADAA-KEqcYLU8SvWgeRQhyphenhyphen95KhOi6H-RyHZlyu26go1ept6LmoSPlKTsyBbnyMmJTgJC_Hx6ISgmpD17rapW75KdrRL5bCuAH0Y1XfDfUyIaR15lB6s6bZ27Rl7k/s640/1493636191345.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-91005522087486972452017-02-24T06:04:00.000-08:002018-06-10T08:34:38.459-07:00Okeechobee Waterway <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Beautiful evening in the canal crossing over the Okeechobee Waterway which provides the mariner with an inside protected passage across the Florida Peninsula. There are (5) locks on the Okeechobee Waterway. We have completed 2 so far and plan to cross lake Okeechobee today.<br />
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Yesterday was a very full day of traveling, starting from anchor at N. Captiva. Pulled up the anchor in a hard rain, Leigh's job alone today since Wendy has a pretty good cold going. It rained hard all morning through Ft. Meyers, until there began to be a crack of blue in the all gray sky. I guess this weather is getting us ready for the Pacific NW.<br />
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We planned to stay at the free town dock in Labelle on the Okeechobee waterway. It even has power, so we planned to give a batteries a good charge after being on a mooring ball for a month. They have been ailing. We were very excited to fill our very empty frig and cupboards and go to a good breakfast the next morning. But when we arrived at four o'clock the few deep water slips were taken. One boat had just arrived and was finishing theirs lines. Darn. So after a few tense minutes, a couple of radio conversations with the bridge tender and realizing we would have to dig deeper in the cupboards for supper, we kept going to the dolphins at Ortona Lock.<br />
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So, tying up between two dolphins (big pilings) was an adventure. First, looping the cleat for the stern, then moving ahead to get the bow secured, but it was too far, not enough line even with two long lines! We decided to move to a smaller space between two other dolphins. This time it worked. Shut down the engine and set up our new camp chairs on the fly bridge to enjoy the view. It was a beauty.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com1Glades County, FL, USA26.852658533913718 -81.117553710937526.73934303391372 -81.2789152109375 26.965974033913717 -80.9561922109375tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-19101135808671061362016-11-01T13:19:00.000-07:002016-11-01T13:23:23.485-07:00One year ago... November 2015 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One year ago, we left Newport, RI filled with excitement and apprehension. We cannot believe that we have already made it to our one year boat anniversary. It has been a year of sights, sounds, challenges, and great joy. Our challenge now is to keep the blog updated with our fun... well and the goofups!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11407993711374497885noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-33442438118567643412016-02-01T18:23:00.000-08:002018-01-24T18:39:34.002-08:00Beaufort, SC to Stuart, FLFive weeks in Beaufort and we started getting itchy bridges to move along. We rented a van to deliver Wendy's paintings to her galleries, she closed down her bait shop studio and we pushed off the dock on Jan 15th. We loved the marshlands of Georgia and were challenged by the low spots on the ICW having to time our passages of trouble spots with sufficient tidal depth. A short stop in Darien was required for breakfast at B&J Seafood and their deep fried bacon, woah. Two nights anchored behind Cumberland Island allowed us to hike the island. The ferries were closed for the holiday, so the island was our private playground. The big sand bar behind Cumberland provided another learning experience... bring the ipad charts with you on the dingy or you might run aground. 33 degree weather helped us remember the lesson.<br />
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In Jacksonville, we stayed for a three nights at Jim King Park City Dock on Sisters Creek, rented a car and drove to Green Cove Springs to meet the folks at our mail service. They had given us detailed instructions on how to register the boat and get our FL drivers license. It took most of the morning to process at the Clerk of Court, DMV and voter registration, but we were soon Florida residents with new drivers licenses. We had been Georgia residents for 25 years.<br />
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In Jacksonville Beach, Hillary and Calvin from Stellers Gallery came to dinner on the boat. It was a treat to see them. From a Jan. 25 until the 29th we pushed south with the goal of Stuart, FL. Many Kadey Krogan cruisers spend the winter at Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart, and after some wrangling, we had reserved a slip to join the crowd. The plan was to spend a month at Sunset Bay and then head for the Bahamas.<br />
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In keeping with Wendy's good luck, Sunset Bay let her use a vacant houseboat as her studio.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset on the ICW</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chilly dingy ride at Cumberland Island</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uh, Leigh, you should be watching out for the sandbar that you are about to hit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mistletoe!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had wanted to get to Cumberland Island for years.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We met Jeff and Kim for lunch at Fernandina Beach.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at anchor on the mooring at Fernandina</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ue2h17TM0hnkeTFis6p4iHo23Ft6Mjz1c3f2wNslGjOh4j0wpT2sHM0c2eVWCqXI8KQJKnV4V3KPHqojhAWqOV1XUYWCDvPZmeUsP5I1B9LUtSkotolMCmjo1C_4qIBxDGUFvyAwV8yE/s1600/IMG_2053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ue2h17TM0hnkeTFis6p4iHo23Ft6Mjz1c3f2wNslGjOh4j0wpT2sHM0c2eVWCqXI8KQJKnV4V3KPHqojhAWqOV1XUYWCDvPZmeUsP5I1B9LUtSkotolMCmjo1C_4qIBxDGUFvyAwV8yE/s400/IMG_2053.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to keep up with consistent exercise is one the biggest challenges on a boat. Wendy has her little stair stepper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCc_A1VZlBP_0X4p70-9PlPMIeGa2yZ7YZLoJgWrPwURDjpFjO7wZL6n66ZZT3cekhxgdhH0rUx9P84aMpMpOyaUkcpM3so8DUr6VPWc2XFv8vBl8n7jdQZmMSkIEnwcxMRp_chqAT8jmz/s1600/IMG_2041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCc_A1VZlBP_0X4p70-9PlPMIeGa2yZ7YZLoJgWrPwURDjpFjO7wZL6n66ZZT3cekhxgdhH0rUx9P84aMpMpOyaUkcpM3so8DUr6VPWc2XFv8vBl8n7jdQZmMSkIEnwcxMRp_chqAT8jmz/s400/IMG_2041.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Green Cove Springs, we registered as Florida residents. New driver's licenses!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1NYcRqdbMoCmHytfjJ5gksn8SHXbmxx_K9h5_zXIoftYhye9yvHeUqYCOOrVckCijx86tcpGufUv2WHowxW1JRMQOEiQDApC3-UpgAph4IFdJrmgOcs8FaK3ssxKgDJKsqd3oXPQs_GF/s1600/IMG_2054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1NYcRqdbMoCmHytfjJ5gksn8SHXbmxx_K9h5_zXIoftYhye9yvHeUqYCOOrVckCijx86tcpGufUv2WHowxW1JRMQOEiQDApC3-UpgAph4IFdJrmgOcs8FaK3ssxKgDJKsqd3oXPQs_GF/s400/IMG_2054.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy usually makes our smoothies in the morning for breakfast, but I tried one day. I think Wendy does a better job.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2eHsC5yOo3y5IfaLkOmwrxseaHtsYjjopTBDTZ04l8TxpxLy4a_haBdedfGHfjPPedDjZ9k2UBf9P3d9LLZOHjuk61K5BV-5LZEvCamBi8CFFp8ZAANvaVh8lTfK3GHJNJtOtZoXhBSTa/s1600/IMG_2083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2eHsC5yOo3y5IfaLkOmwrxseaHtsYjjopTBDTZ04l8TxpxLy4a_haBdedfGHfjPPedDjZ9k2UBf9P3d9LLZOHjuk61K5BV-5LZEvCamBi8CFFp8ZAANvaVh8lTfK3GHJNJtOtZoXhBSTa/s400/IMG_2083.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our refrigerator had not been cooling very well, so we defrosted it. This huge block of ice came out. Maybe that was the problem??</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgFhWw3UM_hBG-R2YClOMYFMcCg_02QIyZTFmvhYwvYqbqV0sKbwfxTmPTnbUSXD850eMHk4n2I6qs7zpyKNho7FEFEflIJAvUAJragHrjo7nRAcqL2D0ZmQc-Esf1TLK1wZAXSpN6lpf/s1600/IMG_4708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgFhWw3UM_hBG-R2YClOMYFMcCg_02QIyZTFmvhYwvYqbqV0sKbwfxTmPTnbUSXD850eMHk4n2I6qs7zpyKNho7FEFEflIJAvUAJragHrjo7nRAcqL2D0ZmQc-Esf1TLK1wZAXSpN6lpf/s400/IMG_4708.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our boat neighbors giving us the scoop on crossing over and cruising the Bahamas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqirzoNyf4bYN3vMxnDOiz1IJUNMOUxhDe2e-qoRpgUCGAxMlVTY-KJxxdPCsB9XAo6wfMS58cEwUzw_GhcPKUrnOG6gBqkzC7TVwT8XeTJDJz78PSVQC-_w0_w-EVkRMoKwfyqk9aFDJd/s1600/Wendy+McArthur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1461" data-original-width="1600" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqirzoNyf4bYN3vMxnDOiz1IJUNMOUxhDe2e-qoRpgUCGAxMlVTY-KJxxdPCsB9XAo6wfMS58cEwUzw_GhcPKUrnOG6gBqkzC7TVwT8XeTJDJz78PSVQC-_w0_w-EVkRMoKwfyqk9aFDJd/s400/Wendy+McArthur.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy's cool house boat studio at Sunset Bay Marina. Again a simple commute, just down the dock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa-GgExJGeotR7V6c-7q2U1KCIW0vf7S6FWt6Cg3PH6p3ecv9-GBaMIZlYub65MCx1MEdF41aNflrJu2_4tBWx0xoTR4gZTlxbrOsmEQ9GhWewYbPq-x2Dbe8VL3Y3bugto-pF52QXiG7/s1600/IMG_2147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTa-GgExJGeotR7V6c-7q2U1KCIW0vf7S6FWt6Cg3PH6p3ecv9-GBaMIZlYub65MCx1MEdF41aNflrJu2_4tBWx0xoTR4gZTlxbrOsmEQ9GhWewYbPq-x2Dbe8VL3Y3bugto-pF52QXiG7/s400/IMG_2147.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We are off to deliver paintings to the galleries.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKo28Ab7R3hQl702PnmykTaydTXVnN9HkXhzuPCeiqYJpGiz1YeXFM30Y13W_Urr4UnPF0j1BzuGCrAnC7gTb7rlbGzRNsvgRNSnxa879-Dd_h18FjyHcm2WmRTcWdrCSgyc5CEznxQlB/s1600/IMG_2152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisKo28Ab7R3hQl702PnmykTaydTXVnN9HkXhzuPCeiqYJpGiz1YeXFM30Y13W_Urr4UnPF0j1BzuGCrAnC7gTb7rlbGzRNsvgRNSnxa879-Dd_h18FjyHcm2WmRTcWdrCSgyc5CEznxQlB/s400/IMG_2152.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mooney is off to the vet for his checkup and papers to go to the Bahamas. Walking almost a mile with a cat in a bag is a challenge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5VuodL3mLAP2OKSeBXRhkJ_QhoVJGIHFLM7f1z0D09RA3GxwtZ4avaX9xt49c0nB_OqJnujF2hxNTFx1_QKT1_kQPtp_UcxH0pTVrLnDT4OjV3_uV-SsML0XMsb5Cj-U2ddmlNPThcGR/s1600/IMG_4711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5VuodL3mLAP2OKSeBXRhkJ_QhoVJGIHFLM7f1z0D09RA3GxwtZ4avaX9xt49c0nB_OqJnujF2hxNTFx1_QKT1_kQPtp_UcxH0pTVrLnDT4OjV3_uV-SsML0XMsb5Cj-U2ddmlNPThcGR/s400/IMG_4711.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Without a car, our transportation in bikes or on foot now. We like it!</td></tr>
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<br />Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-2248564950608351132016-01-09T15:52:00.000-08:002018-01-24T17:10:03.903-08:00Beaufort, SC stop for five weeksAfter a month of travel from Newport, RI we arrived in Beaufort, SC on December 9th and it felt like coming home. We have always loved the SC lowcountry having lived in Hilton Head when first married, Bradford and Tom were born there, and later vacationing at Fripp Island for many years. So we quickly decided that we would stay a while. Wendy wanted to paint and we were close to two of her galleries, in Charleston and Hilton Head. And quite frankly, we were ready for a break. With all of the preparations in Newport and the pushing to get South we were wondering this "slower life" was going to happen.<br />
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Beaufort was perfect, close to Wendy's sister Joy in Savannah, a fun cool downtown waterfront, and a great place to ride my bike. We checked out the three great marina's in town and decided to stay at Port Royal Landing. They let Wendy use there old bait shack as her studio! It turned out to be a little cramped, but the commute of 100 yards down the dock was sweet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIaFeyL8wrldocnSR1dDolMGde2gqfIIYdb_m6G4Rr5xQMVExm-sn3xJuTwK6VED_PEvQZGzWUTd1cYL6VbqC9dZnZ9L0m_mXbd93-Vw6kJ1WHF-RGn9qlAZk8jmePWxmYVuXkxchnKLp/s1600/12471516_1005858942793456_4799934942794232821_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="1384" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIaFeyL8wrldocnSR1dDolMGde2gqfIIYdb_m6G4Rr5xQMVExm-sn3xJuTwK6VED_PEvQZGzWUTd1cYL6VbqC9dZnZ9L0m_mXbd93-Vw6kJ1WHF-RGn9qlAZk8jmePWxmYVuXkxchnKLp/s400/12471516_1005858942793456_4799934942794232821_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wendy's old bait shack studio was a little cramped but a cool place to paint.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWInxY4Q8P40gYNp5DScl_AfA1C2h_zZJYfp2LqYJgVvPs-o60RpvrJJfqI1-0efx2p3_kWyrsjasg1MQDjwHocPsaTTMjf3kGyrcccv8CnMPkBOGz2ga36Mp7MtP5QjHVHsxw7yRschb/s1600/wendy%252Cmcarthur%252Cartist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1453" data-original-width="1600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJWInxY4Q8P40gYNp5DScl_AfA1C2h_zZJYfp2LqYJgVvPs-o60RpvrJJfqI1-0efx2p3_kWyrsjasg1MQDjwHocPsaTTMjf3kGyrcccv8CnMPkBOGz2ga36Mp7MtP5QjHVHsxw7yRschb/s400/wendy%252Cmcarthur%252Cartist.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cannot beat the studio view!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QC9MdO_dh4m9TtpM0D0ORYd98fiT5JNTGazVkBAh1Syl37HGEWRbxnFd6as3PBEyceL6i6UTc8DoCuUJMVrJxE1HMWWEAl0zMJySsYDn5LWfAkOjcaRojqMtwDVefa934Qjx9gwKccxZ/s1600/IMG_1958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QC9MdO_dh4m9TtpM0D0ORYd98fiT5JNTGazVkBAh1Syl37HGEWRbxnFd6as3PBEyceL6i6UTc8DoCuUJMVrJxE1HMWWEAl0zMJySsYDn5LWfAkOjcaRojqMtwDVefa934Qjx9gwKccxZ/s400/IMG_1958.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joy, Cinda and Vince came to see us in Beaufort.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIizP0xsUs7GSBofWBNhAMwlQI739deGg0jxJeVCz4Lmw_KGP6n73hwDEXU3_aICMTujq5WR9PFQ5_R1GXc6_HSyBkbBFadah289C8nNbHSbWGig8WI0jxYQmzgAc3SldFtvvnlRk0Yg8d/s1600/IMG_1960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIizP0xsUs7GSBofWBNhAMwlQI739deGg0jxJeVCz4Lmw_KGP6n73hwDEXU3_aICMTujq5WR9PFQ5_R1GXc6_HSyBkbBFadah289C8nNbHSbWGig8WI0jxYQmzgAc3SldFtvvnlRk0Yg8d/s400/IMG_1960.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Petersen sisters</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgSqGV31g2iHc2IifoAOt99CxPA1WNo-3SEIDop9dH2CYZiydpcMPuIwKS-Q9WiGRL_J8zxS3ptDMcvMkH0xH2BJmUFFdFUp6WbfGjOVhJBxIqb_UzZLQK3Az6i3bNsE8jRB7nknOkQMx/s1600/IMG_1991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgSqGV31g2iHc2IifoAOt99CxPA1WNo-3SEIDop9dH2CYZiydpcMPuIwKS-Q9WiGRL_J8zxS3ptDMcvMkH0xH2BJmUFFdFUp6WbfGjOVhJBxIqb_UzZLQK3Az6i3bNsE8jRB7nknOkQMx/s400/IMG_1991.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the chilly boat, Mooney stopped sheading so he had to go to the beauty parlor to get the mats out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvS553F1TNHL4NJ7jE7y6XTAkC9osltLEV-q9f4yhq9h8LFGvuTzwQuQuWr42CM17C2D6fUJ2xiEMhqNfEug-g3PjVjCE0PtF_MCEc8kY6bN593vW9WnqbwBxAti3xbbwXYN587BdGhyphenhypheni/s1600/IMG_1972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzvS553F1TNHL4NJ7jE7y6XTAkC9osltLEV-q9f4yhq9h8LFGvuTzwQuQuWr42CM17C2D6fUJ2xiEMhqNfEug-g3PjVjCE0PtF_MCEc8kY6bN593vW9WnqbwBxAti3xbbwXYN587BdGhyphenhypheni/s400/IMG_1972.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My flying buddy, Jeff flew down to visit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dEbxeHewPFZg909WMcnoeROXgTa6nZTATY0RviI6NEqpeaNnBVn3Qjnr9jmbAdq937J67nqvdCh6OfzJNW7UngL1pwejB7tUmVv2p4QnC1CAAZ784idWGHErDsmC67lMfZcdnUYCO1gn/s1600/IMG_1963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8dEbxeHewPFZg909WMcnoeROXgTa6nZTATY0RviI6NEqpeaNnBVn3Qjnr9jmbAdq937J67nqvdCh6OfzJNW7UngL1pwejB7tUmVv2p4QnC1CAAZ784idWGHErDsmC67lMfZcdnUYCO1gn/s400/IMG_1963.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Strange helped Wendy set up her fishing rig after a trip to Walmart for tackle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim and Laura Strange</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old guys around that marina coached Wendy on how to catch spot tail bass. Her lucky spot was on a low tide, between the rust spot and the fire extinguisher on the dock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She showed them all up and caught fish!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I had to clean them.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jan and Addie came to visit</td></tr>
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<br />Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-53677460314240876562015-12-15T10:49:00.000-08:002018-01-25T09:10:04.079-08:00The Great Dismal Swamp to Charleston, SC<div style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"></span><span style="color: white;">Wendy and I have always loved the east coast and now being able to see it from the water as we traveled down the ICW was incredible. Much of the waterway through upper NC is not very developed so we loved the remote areas and the natural life. We began to enjoy being out at anchor instead of in marinas, even though I worried at each new sound to make sure that all systems were good with Forever Exploring. We soon got into a pretty good routine of traveling each day, and tried to balance some stops along the way with our mission of getting South. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Elizabeth City, NC - Great shrimp dinner at Quality Seafood and we bought fresh shrimp f or another meal.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Dowery Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC - Restocked with groceries, got a run in and ran the heat, yay! We planned to stay the next day for their Thanksgiving pot luck dinner, but decided to move along and after a day's travel, we anchored and celebrated Thanksgiving at sunset with Larceny bourbon on the flybridge... perfect.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Carolina Beach, NC - We planned to stop at Wrightsville Beach, but the on-coming yacht traffic made us nervous to make the left turn at the draw bridge, so we kept straight! Carolina Beach was great and we picked up our first mooring ball. We had read quite about how to pick up a mooring ball, but with zero wind, it was uneventful. Then we lowered the dingy for the first time by ourselves, having our scoot around transportation was exciting and it took us to breakfast out the next morning.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;">Charleston, SC - Approaching Charleston, we ran aground just north of the Sullivan's Island Bridge. Actually, a dredge was working the area and I got confused on which side of his yellow buoy to go on. The rising tide assured us only about 15 minutes of embarrassment, and soon we were off... another first! It was great to see my nephew Lex and his girlfriend Sara who joined us in Charleston for lunch. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;">Two days at anchor across the Ashley River for the Charleston City Marina provided for a trip to the grocery store and lunch with Lex and Sara.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;">We got pretty good at setting the anchor, hand signals and all. The previous owners had made a good harness to spread that load of the anchor chain to the front hawse pipes.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white;">We love our waterfront view, and we looked forward to the incredible sunsets each day.</span></td></tr>
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Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-53916321566540823632015-12-10T11:00:00.000-08:002018-01-24T15:52:02.269-08:00Cape may, NJ to the ICWWhen our training captain Carol left us in Cape May and flew back to Newport, we suddenly realized that we were on our own. Excited but nervous. For two days after she left, the wind blew hard out of the west, so it was a good excuse to stay put in Uscht's Marina. The weather was breaking on Nov. 15th, so we departed Cape May to travel up the Delaware Bay to the C & D Canal and Chesapeake City. Passing several cool lights along the channel, we made 65 miles our first day on our own. Not bad, and we anchored by ourselves, only moving once since we were too close to the Coast Guard dock. <br />
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Although the weather was generally holding quite well, our goal was to get to Norfolk and inside the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to enjoy it's protected waters. Then we felt like we could slow down some and not be so hurried. It was chilly, but we did not want to get hit with real winter storms. We kept pushing south. The next day was Annapolis for a quick walk downtown. Jayme's sister Jessica and her boyfriend DJ drove down from DC for dinner on the boat. Our first dinner guests! Luckily for me, Wendy says that only one person can fit in the galley to do dishes. But I kind of like bumping into each other and I did dry.<br />
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Still on a mission to push South, the next day we made anchor at Solomons, VA, then the next morning on to Deltaville, VA for an adventurous docking at the Deltaville Boatyard. I re-learned to never, ever approach downwind if you can help it. We had the yard look at a couple of mechanical issues, primarily our not cold refrigerator. On the 21st, we went through Norfolk fascinated by all of the water based industry and the Navy yard. We wanted to see cool naval ships but not deal with them in the channel. Feeling a bit proud for making it to the ICW and a somewhat relieved that we could slow down some and enjoy the trip south, we headed to Top Rack Marina and it's cheap diesel. I was not used to these large tanks, we hold 750 gallons of diesel. Finally, after taking on 350 gallons, I stopped short of filling the tanks. We had made it to the beginning of the Dismal Swamp and the ICW. With a day of very cold rain in the Dismal Swamp and frozen lines the next morning, we were glad to be chasing warmer latitudes.<br />
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Soon, we got into a nice daily rhythm traveling down the ICW. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uEo8zPKXxMbZNtEGqUA6lWnEgFi4YD9PJzdQumYWttk6Q-3a_iaoWPpzuNuARjg4Z3VRWK8KG1ojn-iHqqzn4OtP2oXjQDHOwhJ6o1WIBRWsO71Vsh3b3TxaaHOhzAXc5KqHKVpH08bt/s1600/_MG_4072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-uEo8zPKXxMbZNtEGqUA6lWnEgFi4YD9PJzdQumYWttk6Q-3a_iaoWPpzuNuARjg4Z3VRWK8KG1ojn-iHqqzn4OtP2oXjQDHOwhJ6o1WIBRWsO71Vsh3b3TxaaHOhzAXc5KqHKVpH08bt/s400/_MG_4072.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had some chilly but beautiful days the Chesapeake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Norfolk yards were very cool. Our first views of huge ships up close.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first night on the ICW just south of Norfolk at the beginning of the Dismal Swamp Canal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WMbPwTzj3XGqE1r5Pq6b6JnFHnOc9Wje8t_fG8wkcv74ds9CRFukty6mwgVT7JyD7YbpIhNukcVI8eVYly3frUOrbye7e9pe63VkUMX-3R_1N0mVc622foctXY4o7UlBH9emfvHntCYI/s1600/41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2WMbPwTzj3XGqE1r5Pq6b6JnFHnOc9Wje8t_fG8wkcv74ds9CRFukty6mwgVT7JyD7YbpIhNukcVI8eVYly3frUOrbye7e9pe63VkUMX-3R_1N0mVc622foctXY4o7UlBH9emfvHntCYI/s400/41.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dismal Swamp Canal was hand dug and opened in 1805 to connect the Chesapeake Bay to Albemarle Sound. It's 22 miles and George Washington was one of the original investors. We went through on a chilly, rainy day to the free dock at the welcome center.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first lock was exciting. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The lock operator Robert is a hoot. He provides great guidance for new boaters through the lock, blows conch horns and makes a yogurt parfait for each traveler. He also had plenty of good advice for us new boaters. As we later learned, other lock operators are boring compared to him. He is a true example of how go make a job fun.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting our well deserved parfait at Robert's hut, and he had some really good heat.</td></tr>
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<br />Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-46740562619040108242015-12-01T11:00:00.000-08:002018-01-24T17:13:43.981-08:00Newport, RI to Cape May, NJThese posts are our attempt to backup and update the blog.<br />
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We finally left Newport, RI at 1:00 November 8, 2015 and headed South to find warmer and safer weather for traveling, especially since we are new boaters. Because we departed Portsmouth in the afternoon, the plan was to only go three hours and anchor at Point Judith just outside Narragansett Bay, so this was a good trail run to check out all the systems. Inside the breakwater at Judith Point, with plenty of coaching from our training captain Carol Vernon, we dropped the hook. Our first night on the boat and everything was so new. And of course, we each were secretly wondering... will we love this as much as we think we will?<br />
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Our concern for approaching winter weather encouraged us South as quickly as possible, so we were underway the next morning at 6:05 in the dark, the beginning of our first full day, 10.5 hours to Milford, CT. The same schedule the next morning allowed us to time the tidal currents through the East River and NYC. Even though it was rainy, passing through New York City on our own boat was spectacular. Coming out of NY harbor was pretty lumpy for us new boaters and our cat Mooney did not like it one bit, but soon we anchored at Sandy Hook, NJ. Our third night at anchor brought 25 MPH wind that made it difficult to sleep as the boat bounced. Carol truly seemed not to notice so Wendy and I pretended to be brave.<br />
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Our goal was to make it to Cape May, NJ with guidance from Carol, and after the washing machine anchorage at Sandy Hook and studying the improving weather forecast, we left at 6:50 for the 14.5 hour day. Around midday, we completely lost steering off the coast of NJ. Of course Wendy and I were about to panic, but Carol calmly says lets look. In the lazarette, the steering arm had completely come off of the post. I reattached it, tightened as best I could and we were underway again. It was good to have a hiccup off the coast to learn that you just deal with it. About 9:30 we entered Cape May harbor and anchored. Another good learning experience was to navigate and identify traffic at night. The next day we checked another item off the new boater list, using the boom and hoist to lower the tender to the water. After a couple of trips around the boat, back up it went. Then over to Utsch's Marina to test me for only my second time docking the boat in a slip. No damage, whew!<br />
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We had made it to Cape May, so we celebrated by dinner out with Carol realizing that she was leaving and then we were on our own. Wendy and I were excited, but panicked at the same time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, we were pretty excited to boat through NYC! How cool is that... except for the big barges and ferries that completely expect you to stay out of their way. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The messy, rainy day could not dampen our spirits of being in NY harbor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZighyphenhyphen-z626KG5hDWgQFAR87d56N1zwHgp8pv0bjVgjMgtEd7fhlUcE1gSBLNp9N4S3Jl8iYf1wgUGBghR22GDKVyHAOmtmwsj7WBf8lIbj4KcZbgdIJhCPfFqJEe6ecoevLSknKtOp9eZ/s1600/IMG_5182+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1340" data-original-width="1380" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZighyphenhyphen-z626KG5hDWgQFAR87d56N1zwHgp8pv0bjVgjMgtEd7fhlUcE1gSBLNp9N4S3Jl8iYf1wgUGBghR22GDKVyHAOmtmwsj7WBf8lIbj4KcZbgdIJhCPfFqJEe6ecoevLSknKtOp9eZ/s400/IMG_5182+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first time bringing the dingy down from the boat deck and a ride. Cape May, NJ</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVADddounUJYx2_OsN0F8GR2Mn7__3vz4Yk9XuDAvDuZ2SwE0VLv52z6bVHw6s_7YzWXQxuK-MM8DVsEXbMzvpOTrvmPVD7oQkf_Y95GlDXnFAZI5wis1s-H9IockmEvOyM9yX1oq-OjR/s1600/IMG_1956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoVADddounUJYx2_OsN0F8GR2Mn7__3vz4Yk9XuDAvDuZ2SwE0VLv52z6bVHw6s_7YzWXQxuK-MM8DVsEXbMzvpOTrvmPVD7oQkf_Y95GlDXnFAZI5wis1s-H9IockmEvOyM9yX1oq-OjR/s400/IMG_1956.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite the professional line handler yet, but it's coming. She likes her lines coiled up just right.</td></tr>
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<br />Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3989688525534719485.post-6323922818341819122015-10-15T11:23:00.000-07:002018-01-18T16:08:28.365-08:00Update: Newport, RIThese posts are our attempt to backup and update our blog.<br />
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We left Atlanta in September and traveled with our seemingly few remaining possessions in a 5x8 U-Haul trailer to meet up with our new home, Forever Exploring in Newport, RI. Wow, all our "stuff" fit in my small SUV and the trailer. The planned four week boat refit became almost eight weeks as projects usually get extended. But Tony Rego and his team at Portsmouth Yacht Refit Center were great. They worked quickly and completed items on our list each day. Of course as new boat owners, Wendy and I struggled with the necessary decisions. Much of the work was mechanical, but Wendy relished the few décor upgrades (primarily new kitchen counter and bathroom vanity) and I got excited over the new Gamin electronics. Our boater friends were all encouraging us to get out town before too late in the Fall season. We were also both concerned to be novice boaters and to be launching with deteriorating winter weather in the NE. As the weeks pressed on, and with a few hiccups toward the end, we got more and more nervous to head South.<br />
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My job was to help all I could with the boat repairs and learn as much as possible from the professionals. I am sure that I was in way of the professionals more than anything. Learning all of the systems on the boat and working with my hands was a challenge. Wendy painted at our Airbnb cottage to restock her galleries. We settled into a routine of sharing the one car, Wendy taking me to "work" some days and then picking me up at the end of the day. <br />
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We had trained for a week on the boat in Ontario in the summer and had both read Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship from cover to cover, but our new boating skills were not anywhere near the level to be comfortable voyaging on our own. Nor would our insurance company allow it, so we searched for a training captain to accompany us until we felt better to operate what seemed like a huge boat to us. Carol Vernon from Newport was recommended and with her extensive boating resume she was perfect to lead us on our new boating adventure. Carol was a great trainer for us, a pleasure to have on board and had fun stories to pass the time, including adventures on several America's Cup design teams.<br />
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Finally on November 8, 2015 in the early afternoon, we sold my car (no more cars!) and launched from the Hinckley docks to begin our new life and adventure. The last minute details did not dampen our excitement, but we certainly felt an urgency to get underway. Even though we had only been in Newport two short months, we did feel pangs of leaving a great place. Just one year and a couple of months had passed since we had decided to "sell everything" and travel on a trawler. It was an exhausting year, but here we were, on the water officially for the first day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kxPeKy6GHXs9aRlb_Zxz-QavhOWbUyDg6YyvjYDdE4tQUS2OZAP7j6Lt3wRj_PnUexWnhrIhT0TGdFxoRiJYmXIXfVZKpbKt7EYq3tV2XwFyLJqR0LRSDFKSXPhr3V5tgcMFYonzafqI/s1600/IMG_3921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6kxPeKy6GHXs9aRlb_Zxz-QavhOWbUyDg6YyvjYDdE4tQUS2OZAP7j6Lt3wRj_PnUexWnhrIhT0TGdFxoRiJYmXIXfVZKpbKt7EYq3tV2XwFyLJqR0LRSDFKSXPhr3V5tgcMFYonzafqI/s400/IMG_3921.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty much verything that we have is in this picture.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sold Wendy's Prius to Carmax, and left Atlanta. Of course, Wendy has Mooney.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Launch day from the Hinckley docks in Portsmouth, RI. The adventure really starts now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UxYxPunTy3_pyIDICPvbYkDwqaNylI3WKuDrIyYPxya2Z156HgyMPbncamGjW6HJLg6KIuNts3BmKtkAd3S3kJX983fxJpfxTzTzI_I7YOgkynwVGzOw_Bm_2PNEzAhymzASa4V_kRtC/s1600/IMG_4012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UxYxPunTy3_pyIDICPvbYkDwqaNylI3WKuDrIyYPxya2Z156HgyMPbncamGjW6HJLg6KIuNts3BmKtkAd3S3kJX983fxJpfxTzTzI_I7YOgkynwVGzOw_Bm_2PNEzAhymzASa4V_kRtC/s400/IMG_4012.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hauled out for refit and repairs, Forever Exploring was a mess and completely pulled apart.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtI-ZJ8QiXs8IiUHLg0YwvR6oWToqpkGCYZRP9BDkqOfGr1qdqqGAxsQNFN4gNwx1Y6aNVDGDa3lEgMXSZLV_e0CJ2rN2YJjs36WQRkfD2TVAMJOu6At3LoxdfoAPt-XKXdZRpFZrTbiMR/s1600/IMG_4015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtI-ZJ8QiXs8IiUHLg0YwvR6oWToqpkGCYZRP9BDkqOfGr1qdqqGAxsQNFN4gNwx1Y6aNVDGDa3lEgMXSZLV_e0CJ2rN2YJjs36WQRkfD2TVAMJOu6At3LoxdfoAPt-XKXdZRpFZrTbiMR/s400/IMG_4015.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were at the boat yard a few weeks before I learned about the food truck. The owner was Portuguese and food was incredible, yet very reasonable. No more packing a lunch. I looked forward to 11:25 each day! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YXDVVctSSVw4z1E1voolRyByibBR78wzh4cJtCQnfJSArgx0tkH3dkUZ0LtqnT6TojzqwFc7eBQrL1oidtzwCXcbicaemRTLdkSzQDNqMVTWfGLRa81PvvCBxkhpuh7jjfrdhNivxUqY/s1600/IMG_4017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YXDVVctSSVw4z1E1voolRyByibBR78wzh4cJtCQnfJSArgx0tkH3dkUZ0LtqnT6TojzqwFc7eBQrL1oidtzwCXcbicaemRTLdkSzQDNqMVTWfGLRa81PvvCBxkhpuh7jjfrdhNivxUqY/s320/IMG_4017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shipping paintings used to be simpler. Now we go to the shipping store.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oExfnESsc7oaJMbRWkpF2OkI-jd3CdTeQ9j_ETePWtZjm8uurW8KrVhFnO_sslRNqWx1piINFJGDFQ4Di-gCJFWoJgyBjwDN3KVXjr5ZE6Jl93B9pssUXnge6uKRiRGaagtYXngKpJm1/s1600/12028657_970312803014737_7029894571905549219_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1139" data-original-width="1026" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oExfnESsc7oaJMbRWkpF2OkI-jd3CdTeQ9j_ETePWtZjm8uurW8KrVhFnO_sslRNqWx1piINFJGDFQ4Di-gCJFWoJgyBjwDN3KVXjr5ZE6Jl93B9pssUXnge6uKRiRGaagtYXngKpJm1/s320/12028657_970312803014737_7029894571905549219_o.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On nice days, Wendy could paint outside in the backyard at our Airbnb cottage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjOUM6DmlUQdoqSi0VUIg03VFafo2so7lID-hy8LxlZ-SbDHtPUnJH5D59M2iM2zsVSfoXuSHPMq7oqaMVhqIARu_0Qdmg39xTUjN89D0iUCEvgOYvcdnG0PGHmgDQYnhLTei-hhYe08c/s1600/_MG_3565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjOUM6DmlUQdoqSi0VUIg03VFafo2so7lID-hy8LxlZ-SbDHtPUnJH5D59M2iM2zsVSfoXuSHPMq7oqaMVhqIARu_0Qdmg39xTUjN89D0iUCEvgOYvcdnG0PGHmgDQYnhLTei-hhYe08c/s400/_MG_3565.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newport was beautiful place to ride.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNp-Hml3UrWQEmQClubMbclGk0Spve7E5hyXEpSyAfgwwuYP5HesTLfr3AUm6TRxaJyFH85-ylToCy7qU_kHA32phAKaxiM0fz_Nov8NYE4cPnF1cBEukqhaP3-4JQ4nzVwcMKEJX_Tquc/s1600/_MG_3672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNp-Hml3UrWQEmQClubMbclGk0Spve7E5hyXEpSyAfgwwuYP5HesTLfr3AUm6TRxaJyFH85-ylToCy7qU_kHA32phAKaxiM0fz_Nov8NYE4cPnF1cBEukqhaP3-4JQ4nzVwcMKEJX_Tquc/s400/_MG_3672.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She looks bigger out of the water. Getting lots of attention.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F2txxUaCfLvnoQkNl5QRiLo4zNqKWmTzvhN_ZtJkzLXZhMDFoJCxEUzmfFLjabgqarbp0ndtUihKOUqXV90YYseHJ-cKfGnsZlzwzUQwcZV_d9xAHkyWBBTLc0i4ajZK_s4P8iKTiLBG/s1600/IMG_4007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0F2txxUaCfLvnoQkNl5QRiLo4zNqKWmTzvhN_ZtJkzLXZhMDFoJCxEUzmfFLjabgqarbp0ndtUihKOUqXV90YYseHJ-cKfGnsZlzwzUQwcZV_d9xAHkyWBBTLc0i4ajZK_s4P8iKTiLBG/s400/IMG_4007.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new name is going on.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa5dnMhTC8fQyfVYsXAA9NL_waEHfgdaj7ChQf4ebDcirlQKrr6HyQJ5GYDJfQtTtAUBePalv_hi59SU6hsFsgdx8KO3kMy7Aq2XJOy-2jGEqrLkGTN5ZwrMo2AnqAxV5C2ZOTdls0JT_/s1600/IMG_4028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa5dnMhTC8fQyfVYsXAA9NL_waEHfgdaj7ChQf4ebDcirlQKrr6HyQJ5GYDJfQtTtAUBePalv_hi59SU6hsFsgdx8KO3kMy7Aq2XJOy-2jGEqrLkGTN5ZwrMo2AnqAxV5C2ZOTdls0JT_/s400/IMG_4028.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hauling the boat is always nerve racking, but it's amazing how good and careful they are.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M0R5bKODDhowBNPRCcAJDFCMFen3FOVc-hNJEdlVsEgWraOzRroG5-CgoAJbzV7VDsMAe1J8QB3fp5w_RXS-VKEWQyp2-rAbOAJlzYXsVFBMeRa9Fa4DjzZ-KWPV9-c9iuczc3rN-M09/s1600/IMG_4017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M0R5bKODDhowBNPRCcAJDFCMFen3FOVc-hNJEdlVsEgWraOzRroG5-CgoAJbzV7VDsMAe1J8QB3fp5w_RXS-VKEWQyp2-rAbOAJlzYXsVFBMeRa9Fa4DjzZ-KWPV9-c9iuczc3rN-M09/s400/IMG_4017.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The salon looks much better put back together.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelQgFvvk2QfGmcVe3UHYAPlUTIijpHvjxYBl8LcG_Cs_5vCjK6ORHYQ2G_MmVOhxED5MyTLxksog0aFmzC4Kzg-llBnKv5BHfaj1dJKvBDaP3IYE3pDNPQSsQd_g736R7Nf0OSndRbGKz/s1600/IMG_3811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelQgFvvk2QfGmcVe3UHYAPlUTIijpHvjxYBl8LcG_Cs_5vCjK6ORHYQ2G_MmVOhxED5MyTLxksog0aFmzC4Kzg-llBnKv5BHfaj1dJKvBDaP3IYE3pDNPQSsQd_g736R7Nf0OSndRbGKz/s400/IMG_3811.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Chapman's Piloting and Seamanship is very tiring.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8ok2X9x4VDkboczG9D8a7QVSBwEJAfTZ-wrkfshp2JQMwM6jbw0VBeP6CF0yD5ExLwoCsRZCtMkWH3I5wtntI9_RmCFDsoU6v86Tj3l89O_akSqrxiS2g0o3Dri8BKSjAp_7D27oKUes/s1600/IMG_3815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8ok2X9x4VDkboczG9D8a7QVSBwEJAfTZ-wrkfshp2JQMwM6jbw0VBeP6CF0yD5ExLwoCsRZCtMkWH3I5wtntI9_RmCFDsoU6v86Tj3l89O_akSqrxiS2g0o3Dri8BKSjAp_7D27oKUes/s400/IMG_3815.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like I said.</td></tr>
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<br />Leigh McArthurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11839682735915277215noreply@blogger.com0