Manning the Ship

In the fall of 2021, Mike was approached to go back to work at St Mary’s AveraHospital in Pierre, South Dakota where he had worked for nearly 10 years prior to moving onto Voyager. He had filled in 3-4 shifts/month as they needed help. When they called him, we were in Maine, dropping anchor and he wasn’t sure if or where he would be working when we went back to SD in the coming months. He had worked at Fall River Healthcare in Hot Springs when we were home the preceding 2 years, but they had gone a different route with staffing.

The blue “scoop” you see on deck is a wind scoop that funnels air into the cabin while we are anchored. It’s lovely. The yellow cans you see lined up near the lifelines are the diesel jerry cans we keep extra fuel in.

As Mike had decided to go ahead and take some shifts in Pierre, we had to come up with a plan for him to not only get to and from the boat to work, but how Matthew and I would manage without him. That sounds a little melodramatic, but there are a lot of aspects to take into account.

Because Pierre, SD and Rock Sound, Eleuthera are both rather remote locations, the flights and accommodations are tricky. We booked the flight from Nassau to Pierre before we left St Marys. Because we didn’t know where we would be when it came time for him to go, we waited to book the flight to Nassau. Two weeks ago, we decided where he would fly from and got that sorted. While most of the Bahamian islands have airports, flights are rarely everyday, maybe a couple times a week. As a result, Mike flew from Rock Sound, stayed at an AirBnb, then caught his flight to Denver, got a room there, then onto Pierre in time to work. This was 3 days and 2 nights to get to work. Coming home, he was able to fly from Pierre to Nassau (stops in Denver in Miami), stay one night then arrived home this morning. It’s a bit of a hassle and mental gymnastics to get him there and back! The good news was we could dingy him to and from the airport rather than him taking a taxi or hitchhiking.

If you haven’t lived, or even spent much time on a boat, there are things you wouldn’t even think of. For instance, the refrigerator isn’t on all the time. It has to be turned on/off as the temperature demands. Same with hot water. Oh and the water….. we store 200 gallons, but we have to “make” the water, fill at marinas, or carry it from shore in jerry cans. “Making water” means desalination. We take the sea water and convert into drinking water. Our electricity is from solar and the generator. This has to be monitored. Luckily most days are sunny and the solar (don’t get Mike or Matthew started on our solar) is more than sufficient for our needs. However, a cloudy day means running the genset for power to the fridge and to keep the batteries topped off.

How we keep track of the fuel and water levels. Don’t mind the dog hair- I missed this spot,

Laundry is always an adventure. I was here 6 hours doing 3 loads!

We also had the mundane chores; laundry, regular cleaning and upkeep, obtaining fuel in jerry cans to top off the tanks, provisions, making sure the dogs get enough exercise. You get the idea.

Besides boat chores, Matthew had school and we found a few fun things to do. We went to the Methodist Church on Sunday. There is the Ocean Hole and Caves, as well. We have met many new friends and reunited with a few we met previously. Journey, a crew we met in the Chesapeake last summer was standing outside the grocery store the other day when I was walking in. What a pleasant surprise! I also met a very sweet family that follows us on Instagram, as well as others. I love these moments!

The strangest veggie pizza I have ever had.

Mike arrived home today and brought “treats” from home. The most exciting of these is Starlink! We have spoken with so many other cruisers, Venotlines included, that have been using Starlink. The wifi access available with Starlink is incomparable. We are looking forward to having access for weather and float plans as well as school, movie streaming and obviously keeping in touch with family and friends at home.

Eleuthera Means Freedom

We’ve been to Eleuthera a few times, now. We are reminded with each visit just what a special place it is to us.

Eleuthera was named Cigateo originally. It became Eleuthera when Puritan colonists arrived from Bermuda in 1648. They were known as the “Eleutheran Adventurers”. There’s a cave on Eleuthera called Preachers Cave. I’ve written about it before, I think. It was discovered by Captain Sayles of the Eleutheran Adventurers when their 2 ships wrecked at Devils Backbone. The 70 Puritans sought shelter in the huge cave and even carved a pulpit from stone. It still stands with a placard to mark it. Devils Backbone is a notorious chain of reefs. It has quite a reputation among sailors, therefore, caution and planning are required before proceeding through.

Pink sand beaches are something else Eleuthera is known for. Today, in fact, I collected some of this unique sand in an orange juice bottle. The color comes from microscopic coral insects known as Foraminifera. (www.bahamas.com). It’s really something to behold, looking closely at the tiny pink and red flecks in the sand. When the sea washed up it becomes especially bright. The most well known beaches on the island are Harbor Island in the north and working south you’ll find Surfers Beach, French Leave Beach, and Lighthouse Beach. There are smaller ones along the way, but these are the best known. Lighthouse Beach is probably the most beautiful beach we have ever set foot on. It is now owned by Disney, however. Our second favorite would therefore be French Leave Beach or what we call the Club Med beach, due to the Club Med Eleuthera ruins adjacent to the beach. You know how we love exploring ruins and anything with any history!

Governors Harbor is where we are currently anchored and where the French Leave/Club Med beach is nearest. Governor’s Harbor was settled in the mid 17th century, when the Adventures landed. It’s a lovely little town, with beautiful people. Last night we took in the Fish Fry, which is held every Friday night from 6-9pm. We had chicken and pork, because I feel they do it so well. Then there is a limbo compatition in the street. Matthew and Wyatt participated and we danced and watched and recorded.

We have been in the Bahamas for a month already! It’s so hard to believe it. This trip, we intend to make our way to a few islands we haven’t been to before. Mike will be flying home to work the 25th of March and returning the 31st. Matthew and I will be in Rock Sound while he’s gone. When he returns, we will cross over to Cat Island. We have several friends who claim this is their favorite of all the 700 Bahamian islands. I can’t wait to explore. From there we plan to go Conception which looks like the most beautiful place on earth! The Crooked and Acklins, Raggeds and Jumentos (we have been to Water Cay there) are also on the list. We may be really hopping island to island for March and April!

So, just to review; We checked in upon crossing the Gulf Stream at West End, Grand Bahama. From there, we made our way to the Abaco Islands. Abaco, you may remember, was hit hardest by Dorian in 2019. That, incidentally, was the last time we were there. Abaco has many points of interest, most notably is probably Hope Town and the lighthouse. It is the only remaining Fresnel, kerosene powered lighthouse in the world.

Also of note is that we began our Bahamas tour with our new pretend son, Preston, 23. We met Preston in Vero Beach, Florida. He was single handing his 27′ C&C, learning to sail as he went. We were happy to take him under our *very* parental wings, along with Ventolines. While buddy boating with us, we taught him to trim his sails, a little navigation, a little fishing and we fed him, alot. He has just left us this week and God willing will make landfall back in the US today. He formed a pretty tight bond with all of us, but especially Matthew and Wyatt. Jennifer and I were pretty torn up when he left- our mama hearts were very sad to let him go. It is easier knowing his own family was waiting for him and he will continue the dream. He is off to law school this fall and we will be staying in touch. He isn’t rid of us, yet!

Matthew and Wyatt continue their brother like relationship. They have been hunting lobster and spearing fish. Matthew isn’t the angler Wyatt is by a longshot, but he tries to be a good sport about it. They also use the dinghies like a teenager on land uses the car. From hauling trash (offering to take other boats trash as well) to shore, running to the grocery store, to introducing themselves to other boats that just might have a girl on board….. They are definitely the social butterflies of the harbor!

Sapphire Blue Hole

We have also met new friends, Sean and Rhonda on SV Peace. They are a very sweet couple we look forward to spending a lot more time with this season.

Ok- that’s probably enough for now. Mike likes to discuss all the solar power we have on board and that we are gaining a reputation as a power plant (Preston charged his batteries on Voyager). So- look forward to a blog post on powering Voyager, coming soon.

The Queen’s Baths. The boys were the only souls brave enough to go down. And the moms weren’t impressed.

Slainte’

Observations from Mt Vernon

Let us begin by saying, “WOW”. As amateur history buffs, what took us so long to get here?

In 2008, we skipped Mt Vernon, but took in Monticello. These farms and homes are as different as the men who owned them. Where Monticello is beautiful and a mixture of styles with Jefferson’s own inventions and constant state of remodel throughout, Mt Vernon is elegant and maybe a little understated. While there are luxurious elements, expensive paint, fabrics and furniture, the rooms are relatively small and simply decorated. Washington believed in using good quality items, whether for his home or his appearance. He inherited the home from his half brother’s widow, Anne Washington. Initially the home was a typical eighteenth century 2 up, 2 down design. By the time all the renovations were complete, Mt Vernon boasted a ball room called “The New Room”, 2 parlors and 9 guest rooms. The only one of these guest rooms known for sure to have hosted someone of significance is the Lafeyette room. It is known only due to Lafeyette’s correspondence, in which he mentions his accommodations. It goes without saying, that many other important people stayed with the Washington family, but there is no record in which room anyone in particular stayed.

The farm is expansive. At one point, he owned 8000 acres. He was known as the best horseman of his age. The stables and farmyard at Mt Vernon reflect the pride he took in his animals. His 2 favorite horses were a grey called Blueskin and a chestnut called Nelson. Blueskin especially was known to be “bombproof”. They were heavy and stout horses that could easily carry Washington’s 6ft 2-inch frame. These 2 horses went to war with him and came home with him.

We took the regular tour of the home, which begins every 5 minutes. There are so many people, that this is necessary. There is an option for an in depth tour, given once a day and includes all rooms from the attic to the cellar. It’s $60 and although more than I’d normally pay for a house tour, was really tempted to do it this time. The tour we took was very rushed. Literally 5 minutes per room, maybe a question answered but probably not, generic information given then herded into the next room. I looked longingly into the stairway to the 3rd floor….both of them. I have questions. I want to feel the presence of the Washingtons. I want to hear the stories. I want to see the room that Martha retreated to on the 3rd floor after her husband passed away in their shared bed chamber.

Something that the Mt Vernon’s Ladies Association, owners of the estate, do well, is acknowledge and honor the enslaved who lived there. Their names are spoken and remembered. There is also a memorial to tribute them, near the tombs of the Washingtons. Graveyards and graves are also noted and marked. The enslaved butler, Frank Wills was the one who, when guests presented themselves, would determine if they were worthy of a visit with the family. He had that power. Also, of note is that Washington emancipated his slaves upon his death. There is considerable debate on why he waited until that time, but it was unusual to do it at all. In the end he followed his conscience.

OK- so I am enamored with Mt Vernon. I could go on for ages. I’ll leave it here and strongly recommend that if anyone has the opportunity to visit Mt Vernon, do it. You won’t be sorry. The general admission for the grounds is $28, there is a discount for military, first responders and medical personnel. The tour of the house is $6 more (I think).

One last thing I’ll mention is that if you are arriving by boat, it’s a unique situation. We had purchased our tickets online. We dingy’d to the wharf dock. There was not a dockmaster on site. There was no one monitoring our coming and going. We first went through the farmyard and I approached a worker there, asking if I needed to show our tickets anywhere. She said we did not, only when we went into the house. So, when it was time for the house, we got in line. No one looked at our tickets. When purchasing, I had also added the guidebook to my cart. I asked a worker on the front lawn where I would go to pick that up. She said I should have gotten in when coming in through the main entrance….. and therein lies the problem. So, we made our way backwards through the “do not enter” signs and got the guidebook. We then realized there was a museum we had missed by not coming in the usual way. We went back to the boat, had lunch and returned to the museum. We were there until closing and faced our next problem. The guests were being ushered out….through the exit to the parking lot. So, we asked a guard to let us out the door that would allow us to backtrack to the wharf. “No, we can’t do that, ” said in utter confusion. Apparently, our situation is unique, or the staff we were dealing with didn’t know it was possible to arrive by boat. The end result is we were escorted and driven to the wharf by armed guards and made sure we went to our boat. However, I’m still not convinced they ever checked the wharf again after that. I would have loved to sneak back into the mansion…. yes, I know, I’m sure I would have invited a lot more attention than that of an armed escort off the property.

Until next time,

Slainte’

Yorktown

Have you ever listened to someone tell a story and felt you were there? Have you been somewhere, a museum or exhibit and there were reenactors that were so good that you believed they were the character they are portraying in real life? I’ve had 2 of these experiences. Megan was living in Virginia Beach at the time, so we had reason to visit Virginia on more than one occasion. The first was in Colonial Williamsburg in 2007. We were in the Capitol and the reenactor was a woman. She was in period clothing, obviously and was very convincing in her part. There were many of us in the group, 30-40 at least and all ages. She proceeded around the room and telling us the story of the colonials gathering in this room to discuss and plan for the impending declaration for independence. She (I wish I knew her name) would stand behind individuals in the group and whisper in their ear what was said and that person would say it out loud. The entire group was quiet and respectful, it seemed we all understood the significance of what was being said and decided. Somehow, that short tour and her presentation has stuck with me and will forever.

The second time was a year later, at the Yorktown Battlefield. Mike, Sean, Megan and I were there for a tour. The guide this time was a national park ranger, and again I wish I could remember her name. She was in ranger garb, not dressed as a reenactor. We toured the battlefield, learning about various companies and what was happening at each, as well as what was going on “in town”. This included where Lord Cornwallis had his headquarters and where when things got tough, he hid in a *cave* or something like it. The exact area isn’t known, although there is a cave where the townspeople took shelter along the waterfront. Right. At one point at the edge of a field, the guide is telling us about the last night before the last battle. It was to be a full moon, thereby enough light for each side to see what the other was up to. Cornwallis’s men had thought to make a run across the York River to Glouster Point. A storm came up and foiled that plan. The guide proceeds to tell us how this was like a Weather Channel segment of “When Weather Changed History”. Not only was there no way for the British to make a run for the other side of the river, but the storm made it possible for the Americans and French to dig their fortifications and take redoubts 9 and 10 without notice. She was so animated in the telling, I had goosebumps! Again, I will never forget.

So, here we are back in the area. We aren’t making it back to Williamsburg, but for sure taking a better look at Yorktown. Anyone who has followed us for a minute knows we love history. More precisely we like all the old stuff. Old houses. Old buildings in general. Old tools and implements. Old boats. Old furniture and kitchen gadgets. How people used to live and their stories, especially.

While Colonial Williamsburg is a living history (town) museum, Yorktown is a presently lived in town. While Mike walked dogs (King can’t be trusted alone for very long, yet) Matthew and I attended the morning worship service at Grace Church. This church was established in 1697 and has had an active congregation since then. We thought it would be fun to visit, and it was. We met a lovely couple, Betsy and her husband (I really need to get better at name retention). They asked us the usual “where are you from” questions and we talked about dogs and hunting and living on a boat and the ever present “how did you get here from South Dakota?” I told them my story about Williamsburg and the battlefield, and they introduced me to a retired NPS ranger. She was very kind and said she was already retired in 2008 but loved to hear how the presentation had affected me.

We walked all over the small town and visited the American Revolution Museum and the Watermans Museum. On The Hill Gallery features local artists, we spent a bit of time there and made a purchase. It’s just the kind of place we like to shop. There are many little beaches and because it was a weekend, they were packed. The Ben and Jerry’s is a hit as well as a couple of other restaurants and a pub. We didn’t go into any of the other shops this time, but there were a few….. Mike dissuaded me from going into the bookstore. It

We took about a gazillion pictures, so here are many of them. The Schooner Alliance was here in 2008. We took a sunset cruise on it one night back then, so it was fun to see it sailing in the river where we were anchored.

Here’s a short glimpse of our sail out of Yorktown. Sailing with winds of 12-18 knots and making 5-6 knots. We just moved a little north to a new anchorage for better protection from storms blowing in. We will be gradually making our way to Washington DC by June 7th. Mike has 4 shifts scheduled in the ER in Pierre, so we thought that seemed like a good place to spend a few days at a marina and explore some more before he leaves and while he is away.

Slainte’

Long Time No Write

Well, hello there!

Where to begin….. Maybe with a statement of commitment to write more. The commitment is to myself, mind you. I kid you not, I think about writing *something* everyday. It is a sort of mind exercise, that I value. Sometimes I write in my journal. I write notes during my devotions and Bible study, have taken notes and journaled during my knee replacement recovery (more on that later).

Right. So, maybe a brief 2021 summary? When last I wrote, we were beginning 2021 with hopes and dreams and learning to navigate life at what was still a time of the ongoing pandemic. Last year was a decent one for us. Our sailing and cruising plans took a 180 degree turn, but it was GOOD!

We initially sailed down to St Marys, GA. We like the boat yard there and Mike has everything he needs there to take care of our old girl. We did some bigger projects, toured around and ended up going back to SD for a few months in the spring.

Then in June we decided to head north. We thought at first that we would sail the Chesapeake, then decided to keep going for Maine. Boy, are we happy we did that! That is territory that we will go back to. We had visited before, by land 11 years earlier and always wanted to go back. I think that’s the thing with Maine. Each visit leaves you longing for more time there.

The small fishing villages, islands that feel like they have been lost in time, ruins and national and state parks, hikes and trails, even the more “touristy” areas leave their mark. We found areas run by research partys where we learned about scallops and how they are harvested, another an Audubon camp on a nature preserve. Islands without habitation, beautiful rocky bays and beaches.

And then there’s the food. Lobstah, lobstah, lobstah! I am allergic to shellfish, but Mike and Matthew enjoyed it. Actually, Matthew isn’t the biggest fish of any kind fan, but he tried it. I discovered I can tolerate mollusks, while in Maine. So- scallops! I had my first scallops in Booth Bay, with an epipen in hand. Thank the Good Lord I didn’t need it, because I would have had a hard time not finishing my meal. YUM!

Then, there’s the people and history. We took so many walks and visited with many locals. We bought art and other crafts and just marveled at the trusting and friendly natured people we met. Truly incredible.

We had friends from SD visit towards the end of August. Rick and Dr Rachel Edelin are from Rapid City. We have known Rick for years in his life as a Pfizer rep. He and Mike had talked sailing (and any other outdoor activity) as we were planning our exodus. Mike had mutual patients with Dr Edelin, so knew her in more of a professional manner. None of us really knew how their visit would go, they were the first other than family to stay with us on board. I believe we were all pleasantly surprised with how well it went. We shared meals, hiked, kayaked, paddle boarded and talked til we were blue in the face. It was such an enjoyable time and we were blessed to have them.

We had several mishaps, as is always the case. Our centerboard decided to let itself down….twice. The first time we opted to haul out where we were to make sure we were good to continue. That was a mistake….the haul out was near disastrous as the boat was dropped unevenly in the sling. We got scraped up and lost our grill. The second time was as we were leaving NYC, we knew what it was and opted to keep going despite the horrible banging it was making. We tied it up in Hampton VA and kept going. We also had some “deck love” in NYC at the most rocky dock, ever. But, NYC was amazing, so we aren’t going to dwell on the scuffs. We developed a diesel tank leak in our midship tank. That was a near disaster for a minute. Then a water tank leak presented itself. Then, there was the BIGGIE. Our hull had shown delamination from our first haulout in 2019 and it was time to fix it. This, I think will be an entirely separate post. Mike has documented it well, so I thinking we will talk about it then. I feel like there were a few other more minor issues, but they escape me at present.

We also spent a few days in Montauk, NY, Onset, MA, Province Town, Cape Cod and Newport, RI. All places we would like to visit again. We missed Nantucket and Martha’s Vinyard and several other places. They are on the list, however.

For our last leg, from Myrtle Beach, SC to St Marys, GA our grandson Luc joined us for the first time on board. He had a really good time, and we look forward to having him again this year!

So- What’s in store for this year? Well, Mike has been working on the hull and other projects since we hauled out in November. He has been home for about 6 weeks since then. St Marys is his home away from home, for sure. What he has gotten done, on his own is quite astounding. He has repaired a 12-foot section of the hull. Stripped and prepped the entire boat for painting, among other, smaller projects. I went down for a week in January, then again in February when he was driving home. Once home, he built a new gorgeous wood helm seat (aka Erin’s booster seat) and a swim platform and dog step that will be mounted to the stern. While he was gone, I worked and prepared for my knee replacement surgery. It was put off once when I got covid 2 weeks before surgery was scheduled. So, I worked a little longer. Surgery was March 22 and I have been working hard at recovery since. Physical therapy is going well and I’m going to be given my walking (sailing) papers in a week or so. Mike has also picked up some shifts in the ED in Pierre, where he had worked for 8 years, pre-Voyager. They are, of course, happy to have him back here and there.

We plan to splash the end of May. We will initially go to St Augustine. We really like the town and are hoping Meg, Jon and Luc are able to visit while we are there. Mike will fly to SD to work a few shifts. When he gets back, we will head north. The Chesapeake is our destination for now. We have plans to be in Washington DC in July when Mike has to fly for work again. Other than that, nothing definite is on the dance card. Meg and Jon are expecting their second baby the end of August. So, we will be planning and deciding on whether to be back south before then or for me to fly home to be there when the baby comes. Stay tuned on that decision.

Until next time- Slainte’ Mhath

A Smooth Sea Never Made a Skilled Sailor

Hello!

Over the last few weeks we have traveled a fair bit, not staying anywhere for very long. I had a whole blog post written out, that wouldn’t upload due to poor data service. Now, I can’t find that post- it’s lost somewhere in the laptop. Oh well- I had written it after a decidedly uncomfortable passage from one side of Great Harbour Cay to the other. This was 2 weeks ago already!

We had checked into the Bahamas in Bimini on Feburary 14th after making a night passage from Miami. We spent 3 days there, enjoying a spectacular beach (Radio Beach), getting some laundry done, eating from a street vender and just generally exploring. We made several new friends, one boat, has 4 kids on board. This was good for Matthew as he hadn’t had any kids to play with for a few weeks. One of my favorite parts about Bimini was the sea glass we found on the beach. I’ve never seen so much in one place!

From Bimini we headed to the North Berry’s. We had a nice crossing on the 17th. SV Woven, the other kid boat also crossed. They are on a catamaran and much faster than us. We anchored on the west side, while they made it into the east. The next day we made our way around the north end of Coco Cay, Great Stirrup Cay then down to the east side of Great Harbour. It should have been a couple hour passage and ended up being 4 due to the sea conditions. We had 6-8 foot swell and waves with only 6 or so seconds between. It was uncomfortable, unpleasant and we were happy when we got into the bay and anchored. We hadn’t plowed our bow into waves like that before and were happy nothing broke. Voyager held up like a champ and kept us safe. To keep my mind off the rough ride, I threw out my gratitude and listed my blessings to God. He saw fit to help us pass the time a little more quickly. We immediately took the dogs to shore and swam and played for awhile, on arrival. It was good to be settled for the night.

The next day, the 19th, after running the dogs and visiting with Woven we decided to make our way to Nassau. We thought if we were tired or conditions didn’t feel right, we would stop at the southern end of the Berry’s for the night. As it turned out, we had decent conditions and made it to Nassau just after sunset. And guess who was there? SV VENTOLINES! It was reunion time.

We initially anchored in the harbor near the cruise ships, the next day, we made our way to the anchorage by the marina where Ventolines was staying. Eventually we were able to get a slip at the marina, or at least half of one…. There was a blow coming in on Friday and we were hoping to get in there. The way it works is rather than a reservation, you call them and become a squeaky wheel. On Friday morning Mike called at 0800. Nothing yet. He called at 1000. Nothing yet. He called at 12. Yes, there’s room. He may have also mentioned that our beam (the width of our boat) which is 13.5, is now 12 foot. We aren’t sure if that was what got us a spot or if they really had one. So, we moved with the tide. As it turned out, the slip we got was one fit for a yacht with a 20 foot beam and 100 foot length. There was already another boat there and we were to tie up behind them. OK! So, we did. We were happy to have some security for the predicted winds.

We spent Saturday- Wednesday at the Atlantis, or mostly. Jennifer, Wyatt, Matthew and I did, anyway. The guys would come over to play and we had supper at the condo. We have had a timeshare at the Harborside (part of Atlantis) for 15 years. Matthew has claimed to have all his birthdays there, which isn’t far from the truth. We have mostly come the first or second week of December. So, it’s been either his or Mike’s birthday when we are here. So, we were very happy to be able to use it this year as we missed out last year. To have our friends, the Sivori’s join us was icing on the cake. 🙂

Since leaving Nassau the 27th we have been in the Exumas. This. Is. Paradise. Although, our first anchorage, Elbow Cay was rocky, rolly and overall miserable. We slept in the cockpit, or the saloon just trying to get a few winks in. Voyager was making so much noise with the rough anchorage we thought something would break for sure. We managed to get through the night, then headed south to Samson Cay.

When we were in Miami before crossing over, we had picked up a piece of rigging for crew on Sea Paws. They are friends of the Sivori’s and had been sitting in Nassau for weeks with a broke forestay. So, we were able to get that delivered for them. They crossed to the Exumas when we did and now we have 3 buddy boats in our flotilla. They also have a dog, Willow on board. She likes to bark at the dingys and jet skis like ours do.

Right. Samsons Cay. We stayed here for 2 nights. We recovered from our traumatic night at Elbow Cay and found beaches and sandbars to play on. The dogs were happy, we were happy and we met some other cruisers that topped it off.

Next stop, Staniel Cay. You may have heard of this little island. If not Staniel, then probably Thunderball Grotto. This is the location of 2 James Bond films. Thunderball, obviously and Never Say Never Again. We snorkeled the grotto before leaving Staniel Cay yesterday. We were anchored nearby, so dingyed over. Ventolines was also there. Sea Paws had gone the day before. I was pretty hesitant about going in because I thought I would have to dive under and through a cave to get inside. I had watched a few of our favorite YouTube channels when they went in and of course, they made it more dramatic. So, it turns out at low tide, when we went, we were about to just swim in. The lowest spot was about 6 inches above water and it was just a point that came down towards the water. The land mass is volcanic rock that is sharp and jagged, so that is what you’re swimming through and under to get inside. There are thousands of fish inside and the coral is so brightly colored. There are many “holes” in the ceiling. We know people have jumped in through the holes but there are signs discouraging that. The ceiling height is probably 25-30 feet, so the distance gives plenty of room for the sunlight to stream down and add to the experience. Unfortunately, our Go-Pro was dead when we got there, so we didn’t get any pictures. I will be requesting some from Jeff so I can share them.

After snorkeling, we made our way a few more miles south to Black Point. This is a very popular place for cruisers. What we know so far is that Miss Ida at the laundromat not only does the laundry but gives the best haircuts in the Exumas. Matthew may give her some business later today. Our first trip to shore, to find the lay of the land, we asked a couple children heading home from school where we could find some ice cream. They directed us to a house that sat back from the road. The resident there sold us some Blue Bunny ice cream from a small room outside her house. We got 3 cones for $6 and felt like we got a heck of a deal. There are 4 restaurants. One of them, Scorpios, offers a cruisers happy hour 3 nights a week. Not only do they offer 2 for 1 drinks, but very, very affordable food options. This is a big deal! We had 3 appetizers Carribean Chicken, conch fritters and loaded fries and it came to under $40. The same thing, the night before in Staniel was $80. You can imagine how welcome this is. We are usually very frugal when cruising. This season, however, we are trying to be more supportive of local entrepreneurs thereby supporting the local people. So, we are eating away from the boat more often.

So, we go to get back into Meg, the dingy, to come home last night at dusk. We look down and there are 2 nurse sharks laying on the floor under the dingys. This was a little unsettling, but they are harmless. We got home and settled and Mike started the generator to run the fridge and watermaker. Since nothing had broken in our adventures so far, I guess it was time. Our generator is now only giving us 90 volts. We need 110. We are now trying to come up with a solution. Sea Paws is lending us a portable generator to run our fridge today. Mike is trying to troubleshoot with people he knows that have some knowledge of generators and researching online. We have a few spare parts and are hoping that it may be one of those that is the problem.

This will bring you, our faithful readers up to speed. I’m hoping to be a little more diligent in writing. We seem to have spent so much time on the go that I haven’t taken the time to sit at the laptop. I will however, try to get a few more pictures up. If we, at some point get a little better wifi service, I will definitely post more often and get some more pictures up, as well.

Slainte’

Back at It

Hello Faithful Followers!

So sorry it’s been so long, but we are back! /) /) /)

While we were on land, I fell off the blogging wagon. We got busy with building and diy projects, then we both went back to work for a few months to refill the kitty somewhat. Mike made several trips to Voyager to get some projects done, so we wouldn’t all be sitting in the yard waiting to launch, while he worked. We still were there 2 weeks, but that wasn’t so bad. Mikes brother Nick and niece Sophia came for a few days. That was fun as we hadn’t visited with them in a very long time. We explored a little, Nick helped with the boat and Sophia and Matthew played chess, PS4 and piano together. It was a great visit!

SV Voyager is currently sitting on a mooring ball at St Augustine. We love it here, this city is just very interesting and pretty. So, that said, we aren’t in a huge hurry to push on. Mike is getting a few things repaired that we found along the trip the last 2 days. You know what “BOAT” stands for, right? Bring Out Another Thousand! He found our stuffing box (keeps water from coming in around the propeller shaft) was leaking substantially. He called a friend back at the boat yard who gave him a few ideas on repairs and that’s what he has done today. It is fixed and we can be on our way tomorrow. Another project Mike decided to tackle today is installing a wireless control for the windless. The controls at the bow gave out last year, so Mike has had to give hand signals from the bow for me to operate the windless from the pedestal. He is now installing/connecting the AIS cable. AIS (automatic identification system) allows other vessels to “see” us on their navigation systems. This makes for safer passages and also gives such information as boat name, whether is under sail or power, speed, heading, etc. When haling another boat we see on the horizon, it’s handy to know who and what we are calling. We may need to do this in order to make corrections in our heading to avoid collision, etc.

Tonight we are going to do a haunted history tour of St Augustine on one of the trolleys. We love history, so it should be fun. The dogs and I have taken several walks and investigated some historic parts of town, the National Cemetery and some narrow alleys that quite frankly felt colonial.

When Mike used a Lyft yesterday he felt compelled to give the driver a history lesson, as she had only recently moved here. He was able to give her a complete history on Henry Flagler’s contribution to the city and the state of Florida. He was quite an upstanding guy and influential with his prestige and money earned from being the brains behind Standard Oil.

Mike made several short video clips while doing boat repairs. I call them “Mike’s hacks”. I think I’m going to put them together for a short YouTube video. That will be coming soon- stay tuned.

So, anyhoo- we are once again on the water and gradually heading south. We have some friends we met in Green Turtle last year we are hoping to meet up with as they are also in St Augustine, presently. There are a couple other friends we met in Miami that we hope to see there in a few days. Overall, this is an exciting time as we begin our sailing season for 2020-

Slainte’

Florida

Right- On May 14th we crossed back to the US of A. This started out as a somewhat rolly ride, but cleared relatively quickly into a pleasant 8ish hour sail. We began the crossing at Cat Island, Bimini.

We entered Miami through Government Cut and anchored off Fisher Island. This was basically a wide and barely deep enough spot in a bay across from where they load cargo ships. We checked in to the US on the app in this location and then went around the corner to Virginia Key. This was a pretty anchorage in front of a long beach, but it was very populated. The beach was busy and there was a lot of boat traffic. There was commotion at night as well as traffic from the nearby road. After setting the anchor, we took Meg and went looking for a place to eat, American Food! Jennifer found Salt and we headed to the U of Miami nearby. There was a dock there, but a guard for the school said we couldn’t tie up there. There was another short boardwalk that they suggested we use, so we did so. The food there was terrific and we met the head of security. Evidently he had seen us pull up and had contacted the guard on duty that there were 2 families looking for a place to tie up. He said they get some people that aren’t there for the restaurant or any good thing and they run them off. He was afraid we might be run off. We received great service and had an exceptional time here. We were feeling pretty good about being on American soil, again.

We were able to take the dogs to shore, although we chose to do so after dark when the beach had cleared out. We had to row from the swim buoy’s also, so it just was better this way. There was an ice cream truck and food tent as well, serving Latin food. The Sivori’s and Matthew and I shared a Lyft to Target the next day. Matthew was soooo happy to see a “real” store again! He bought several gifts for family, in anticipation of going home in a few days.

From Miami we went south to Elliot Key. This was a short trip, about 3 hours. We spent one night here. When we anchored and went to bed, there were four boats, including us. When we awoke, there was approximately 500 boats. We headed further south the next day towards Key Largo. We anchored one night at North Key Largo, near Turkey Point. We took a quick ride on Meg through the mangroves, it was nice to be off the boat for awhile. Then onto the Anchorage Resort marina the 20th. We had a bridge to go under that was immediately adjacent to the marina, extremely shallow depths (the only place we touched bottom, the whole trip) and a bit of a current. It took 2 attempts to get into our slip, but it was reasonable smooth, anyway. Do you know what the best benefit of a marina is??? AIR CONDITIONING! Unlimited power means our AC runs nonsop! We had a full day there before we headed to Tampa and enjoyed the pool and our first meal from McDonalds since December!

We stayed in a motel the night of the 21st after driving our rental car to Tampa (5 hour drive) and Matthew and I were at the airport at 0500. We shed some tears, but had a good flight. He slept most of the way. When we deplaned, dad was sitting at the gate. I ran Matthew over to the exit doors and tearfully hugged and waved goodbye to him. Jamie had brought Helena and that was a great diversion for him.

Dad, Mike and I drove back to Key Largo that night. We stopped first along the way to pick up some folding bikes Mike had found and bought on Facebook. Then we found a sushi restaurant that was amazing! I think I ate my weight in sushi! We got home at 11pm.

Thursday, we ran around Key Largo a bit and went to marine thrift stores and gift shops. We met Brad and Shelby from SV Falkor, which was in the slip to our port side (left as you look forward). They are a young couple and she had just turned 28 the day before. They have 3 rescue dogs on board, so we were all immediate friends! They live aboard their Spindrift 43 pilot house sailboat in Miami. She is a beautiful and unique boat. When we went to town, we gave them a ride as we still had our rental car. It was fun! For giving them a ride, they blessed us with a colorful tiki that now sits below our dodger. Jennifer had given me an ankle bracelet that day and dad had brought me a tshirt from Mom. I was feeling pretty special. Jennifer had recently given me a necklace of hers with a Walt Whitman quote:

“Now, Voyager, sail thou forth to seek and find”

We agreed that as she already had this necklace when she began her trip, it was just one more piece of evidence that we were meant to travel together and become life long friends. I will always cherish this necklace!

That night, Jennifer, Wyatt, Shelby and I stayed up until midnight painting the wood that Jennifer and I had collected in our travels. The guys talked and we were creative. I love the pieces we made and the time spent together!

We were off to Elliot Key the next day. We hoped that because of some weather coming in we would be in a less busy sight. Not so…. So, the next night we went back south to Card Sound. We anchored off some mangrove creeks. We had drinks and played cards on Falkor that night. Dad was worn out and stayed home. We had taken a dinghy ride through the mangroves for a few hours and enjoyed the change in scenery. The temperatures were gradually becoming warmer and we especially appreciate a breeze when at anchor. That morning we had seen dolphins playing between the 3 boats. Shelby and Brad had also seen a couple of nurse sharks, but we missed those. Shelby coined us the Pirate Brigade! I loved having the 3 boats and new friends nearby. We all played around one more day, then on Monday headed back to Miami. Falkor went to their home port and we dropped the hook back at Virginia Key. After everyone settled we met up for a farewell meal at Whiskey Joes across the road. We dinghy’d over then after Brad and Shelby took me to the grocery store for a few last minute provisions. What a sweet couple they are! More new life long friends! What could be better?

The next morning we headed north for West Palm. As we headed out of Government Cut, the waves were bottlenecking into the channel. We estimate the waves to have been about 6 foot and very close together. Voyager plowed through them, burying her bow in the water several times. It was a relief to turn north once out, and get out of that! We were able to catch the edge of the Gulf Stream and made decent time. We were making high 9’s (9+knots) and were happy with that. We anchored near the Palm Beach Sailing Club where we had been in March, so we could take the dogs to the dog park. The next morning we were headed north again after fueling up at the Riveria Marina fuel dock.

Missing this crew like crazy!

We weren’t sure if we would pull an overnighter or not when we left, but we did, indeed. The gulf stream kept us at around 11knots and we were screaming along! Typically, if only under sail with 12 or more knots we can expect around 7 knots of speed, so this was amazing. We arrived at the Conch House Marina in St Augustine at about 4 pm on May 30th. There was a brisk current and the wind, which had been minimal all day picked up as we approached. The marina was somewhat narrow between docks and I had trouble lining up to the slip we were directed to go into. As I started in, the wind and current took Voyager back. I then narrowly missing a few other boats, swung around, doing a 360 and we pulled in to a slip across from where we were supposed to be. It was embarrassing and humiliating and I was so glad no one got the footage (that I know of). The dock hands were great and made light of the whole thing. Mike said he thought the Lord was keeping us humble as we were feeling like we had this whole sailing thing down. He’s probably right. I tend to get a little too big for my britches and this brought me down a notch.

We weren’t sure how long we would stay, but planned on leaving Saturday if Rocky was able to haul us out on Sunday. Well, turns out St Augustine is a pretty great place to explore! Mike and I finally tried out our new bikes, riding to the Sailors Exchange (we had driven there from St Mary’s in Feburary). This is a marine style thrift store that has absolutely anything you can imagine for a boat. We then got a Lyft to Mojo’s BBQ and had a late lunch with Ventolines Crew. Oh. My. Word. This place is amazing. The food was delicious. We split the “whole hog” between the 3 of us and still had food left over. And the price was reasonable. We walked around a little after. Dad sat and enjoyed a beer while Mike and I walked around the outside of the fort, Castillo de San Marcos. We really had no idea of the history of this great town and were fascinated! So, we spent an extra day and took the trolley on the tour and were able to see a few more points of interest. The architecture of the Flagler College, formerly the Ponce De Leon hotel is gorgeous. We missed the guided tour, but will do it the next time we are in town. We also saw a bit of the Governor’s House and then the Lightener Museum. This is unlike any museum we have been to. Apparently, Lightener, from Chicago, would buy up estates after the stock market crash in the 30’s. This led to his being the owner of an especially eclectic collection of “stuff”. He bought the Alcaraz Hotel for $150,000 to house his collection. When this was a hotel, it was unique in that it had the largest indoor swimming pool of the time and this pool had 2 upper, balcony style levels, including a ballroom where Henry Flagler would have orchestra’s play while swimmers enjoyed the pool. There was also a steam room and various bathing apparatus for his clienteles every whim and well being. The architecture here is also lovely. This was the second hotel built by Henry Flagler after bringing his wife to St Augustine for a healthier environment and finding transportation and accommodation lacking. Henry Flagler, if you aren’t aware, was the partner of John D. Rockefeller in the creation of Standard Oil. Rockefeller had stated that Flagler was the one with the ideas. Well, he saw a need in St Augustine and not only built a railroad from Jacksonville to Miami, but a hospital, churches, the 2 resort style hotels and several other beneficial businesses. He bought a 3rd hotel, the Casa Monica from a friend who had built it, then realized it wasn’t going to turn a profit. Flagler was there, checkbook in hand thereby owning the 3 largest resort hotels all within one block of each other. He was quite a man! This is an era of wealthy living that will never be repeated. It was grand and high end and sparkly and excessive in a way I don’t think we have seen since and won’t see again. We truly enjoyed our time in St. Augustine and plan to return and spend more time, there.

So frusterating

Trying out the new bike

Mojo BBQ

The Old Drug Store

Old City Walls

Tiny Baby Lizard saved from the pool by Jennifer

Some fierce looking Spaniards

The pool is now a restaraunt

Because I have a thing for staircases.

Smoothys!

Tonight, as I write, we sit on the hook in the St. Mary’s river. We will be hauled out at the boat yard, tomorrow morning. We had a decent motor sail up from St Augustine today with very little wind and almost no height to the sea state. When we said good bye to Jeff, Jennifer and Wyatt this morning, it was a surreal farewell. There were many tears shed and I tear up now thinking about having left them. We had literally been side by side for 3 months. Besides my mom and brothers, I rarely talk to anyone every day, but that’s how close we have become to this family. Mike and Jeff have hashed out sailboat issues, speculated on the weather and routes. Jennifer and I have folded each others laundry and shared midnight Facebook and YouTube finds. This is a relationship that took us off guard and completely sucked us in! We have related to each other many times how we are so sure God put us together. We needed each other for this journey and were happy to oblige. The timing, our personalities, our gifts and talents, our children’s ages, all these attributes meshed so well, there is no other explanation. I’m so glad we followed through and went where we were led.

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My next post will likely be from South Dakota. We have projects there to wrap up. We may try and make a few dollars for the next season, but mostly we will be enjoying our family. Matthew has never been away from us this long and we really aren’t sure we will do this again. We miss him madly! Megan turned 31 today and we will have a party for her after we get back.

If you haven’t checked out our couple of YouTube videos, do that. They aren’t great, but you can see what we’ve been doing, rather than read about it, if you choose.

Slainte’

Alabaster Bay

When we left Hatchet Bay, we were headed for Governors Harbour. We decided en route, due to the slightly uncomfortable sea state, that we would cut the passage short and anchor in Alabaster Bay. This ended up being a great choice! This bay is gorgeous! The beach is miles long and the beach combing fruitful. There were 2 other boats when we came in and the catamaran was gone the next day.

We were able to easily get the dogs to shore, watching when the other boaters had their dogs ashore. There was also some ruins to explore on the beach and plenty of trees for hanging our hammocks. A US Navy base was a mile and a half down the road and we walked there to explore. There are old barracks, gas station, brig, store, absolutely everything that a small base would require. And it was abandoned. It turns out that this base played a major role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. The base was formed to “listen” to submarines off shore in the Atlantic. It was initially an experimental sight, that ended up being exactly what worked to divert catastrophe.

Jeff and Jennifer rented a car for 2 days. While they had the car, we were able to explore both ends of Eleuthera. The first day with the car, we went to Governors Harbour and explored the Ruins of Club Med. What a place this must have been! A lot of the buildings are gone, but the pools (with resident ducks), daycare, tennis courts, basketball courts and courtyard remain. Every time we tour one of these ruins, it leads to investigation of the site. I’m always left wondering how these places can just be walked away from. There were documents here, plans for the future, financial logs, etc. And they are left, to mold and blow away in the next wind.

After Club Med, we ate lunch at Buccaneers and ventured further south and found church ruins at Bannerman Town and Lighthouse Beach. This, my friends, is the most beautiful, secluded beach I’ve ever laid eyes on!! Now, before you hop in your Chrysler and head out there, be forewarned that the road is questionable. It’s a good thing the Savori’s rented a Jeep, that’s all I’m saying.

Day 2 of the car rental took us north. We ate at an absolutely amazing restaurant along the way that had the best local cuisine. It was called Island Something or other and was in Bluff, along the main road. I had Curry chicken and it was delicious! There are only a few items on the menu, but they are made to perfection. Matthew had wings. When I asked if she had BBQ sauce for them (when he ordered) she said no, but offered to make some~ and she did. It was sooo good! Also, when here, don’t trust the bathroom lock…..

We stopped at the Queens Bath just before the Glass Window Bridge. This is something special. There are several small pools and caves that fill with water depending on the sea state and tides. The water varies in temperature and depth per pool.

We continued up the road to Preacher’s Cave, stopping first at the Sapphire Blue Hole. This is a salt water pool that is approximately 60 feet deep. “Blue holes are typically found on shallow carbonate platforms, exemplified by the Bahama Banks…..” (Wikipedia). It is a sinkhole originating from a limestone cave. Regardless of how it’s formed, these holes are beautiful and fun. When we stopped, there was another family there. Two sons and the mom had made the 30 foot leap into the pool. We didn’t really talk about jumping, but before we knew it, Matthew had taken off his flip flops and handed his dad his shirt and was preparing to jump. Mike just had time to turn on his phone and record it!

After the blue hole, we went on to Preachers Cave. This, readers, is historically very cool. It seems that this is where the first descendants of Eleuthera came, although, not on purpose. They shipwrecked in 1684 on the Devils Backbone. This is an especially shallow area to the north and east of the island. They sought shelter in the cave and this is where the first church service was held on the island. There is a cemetery, it is unmarked and we were unable to find it. This cave is pretty large and has several alternate entrances to the grassy knoll above.

After the cave we wondered down a few other narrow roads and found some mangoes.

That night we made hot dogs on the beach. It was our last night on Alabaster and we were a little sad. This also marked our turn around point and from here on we are headed back to the states.

The next leg was making a turn towards New Providence. This is where Nassau is, the Capitol. We had no desire to go here (we have been vacationing there every year since 2005) while cruising. It was, however, on the way. We anchored at Rose Island. The sea was bumpy and the anchor kept up the rolling. When we were nearing Rose Island, Mike caught a fish, that when he pulled it in, had been partially eaten in the process. We hadn’t had anything like this happen and were a little weirded out…. Also along the way, I had tea in my favorite cup from Lynn and read a little. I was seasick for part of the day and the tea was comforting.

Tea in my favorite cup from Lynn.

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