January 20, 2024

From our log:

“Crew: Captain Mike, First Mate Erin, Second Mate Matthew, King and Sidney

16th wedding anniversary and splash day! We launched at 0700 and made our way down the ICW to St Augustine. It was an uneventful motor- other than being so cold. (I don’t remember that it was cold, truth be told- just that we were on our way.) We used the vent that Mike rigged from the engine room and that made it tolerable. in the enclosure.

Sea Rat and Seadacious splashed Thursday. Sea Rat is hunkered down at Fernandina as they don’t have an enclosure. SeaDacious is here in St Augustine for a few days. We are waiting for a new Starlink Cable and a few other items- most important being coffee. Looks like moving on Thurs the 25th- again on the inside.”

This was the start of our trip to the Bahamas. We made it to Vero Beach on the 27th where we waited for a replacement Starlink. It ended up being sent to SD and we had a heck of a time getting it sent to us. Our dear son-in-law Jon sent it to our oldest son’s friend Brady in Palm Coast, and he ended up delivering it to us. What a mess. But- we have realized we are safer and better able to do all the things with it, so we delayed our crossing.

On the 12th we moved to Ft Pierce then Jensen Beach the 13th. In Jensen Beach we had a delightful German meal and that’s where Brady delivered the Starlink.

The 15th we were FINALLY on our way across the Gulf Stream. We headed south then across from West Palm Beach inlet. It was roughly 22 hours of miserable conditions. There was nothing unsafe, but we rank it in our top 5 uncomfortable passages. Little did we know it wouldn’t get better for quite a while. Most of our passages and anchorages would remain rolly and nauseating for the next few weeks. Notable thoughts from the log; “M and Mike stood watch from 1900-0400……. I was grateful to be in bed as we were all seasick…… M did is first tack on his own and learned a lesson about over steering…… Dogs did well.”

We had finally made it, after a few setbacks. Next up: how we spent our first weeks back *home* in The Bahamas!

Stay tuned!

Slainte’

wanderlust

noun

wan·der·lust ˈwän-dər-ˌləst

: strong longing for or impulse toward wandering (Ref Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

I think that word sums Mike and I up pretty well. I say I’m bad at commitment, but really, I’m bad at staying any one place for very long. I LOVE to go home…. for a while. I need to be outside. I need the sun and the breeze and nature. I have worked a few places for a long time, but I’m ready for a change of scenery before too much time has gone by. I love being a nurse, but I’m probably better suited as a park Ranger. Or a logger. Maybe an offshore fisherman. Or at the very least a long-haul trucker (my 8-year-old self-wanted this desperately).

Ok, what’s all this about? When we went back to South Dakota last summer, we knew we would be home for about 6 months. It was the longest we had been home for a few years. It was the longest we had been ANYWHERE for a few years. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that about a month in, we needed something to satisfy our wanderlust.

Enter the FOBB i.e. The Flight of The Bumble Bee. Flitting around like a bee seemed like an adequate description of us. Megan suggested the name and I set about decorating the interior with bumblebee patterns. FOBB is a 1984 Western Wilderness cabover camper. Yes, we do like the stuff from the 80’s, especially 1984 (Voyager is also a 1984, so is Summer Breeze the little sailboat). The idea was that we would go out into the woods and camp as much as possible. Then, when I was ready to go back to work, I could have the FOBB as my comfortable and affordable home on wheels. Seemed like a perfect solution.

Right. So, we went to Dalton Lake several times. We went to Roubaix Lake. We went to Deerfield Lake and Box Elder Forks twice. We drove out to the Badlands. All of these trips were lovely. It was peaceful and quiet. Luc came with us a few times and so did his parents and sister once. This made my wandering heart incredibly happy. Of course, we never went often enough, or long enough, but it kept me content.

Then, it was time to go to work. I took a 12-week contract in Martin, SD to work at Bennett County Hospital, where I’ve worked off/on since 2020. I found a family campground, only 5 spots and arranged to be there for my 6 on (8 off) that I would be working. Well, the first trip went well. Everything worked great! The second trip, the pickup- a 1996 Ford F250 that Mike bought new in 1996 gave me grief. It has very low miles and has mostly sat since we started sailing. It’s hauled horses all over the country and tons and tons of hay and other large items (a 1968 Chevelle was brought home from Miami by Sean and me in 2007). So- this otherwise reliable pickup just crapped out going up the hill just past the Wasta Rest Area (keep this in mind). OK, quick disclaimer. I90 across South Dakota is isolated. The towns between Rapid City in the west and Sioux Falls in the east are sparse and don’t have an accumulated population of 20,000. Mike drove out and we ended up having it towed to Wall, 12 miles east. (Google Wall Drug to see where I’m getting towed to.) From this trip on, I broke down 3 more times (I only have 6 total trips to make), all between the Wasta Rest Area and Wall. I got very well aquainted with Gerry at Badlands Auto, who tried as he might, found no solution to this off/on problem in the pickup. We also decided this area was something of a Bermuda triangle for the Ford. We took the old thing to our usual go to guy, Brian Peterson. He too thought he had things sorted. My next (and last) trip ended at Wall, when I didn’t have enough power to make it any further. Now, let me clarify. My drive to work is 172 miles. And it’s fall. Fall in SD means unpredictable weather. So, this last trip was of course a big snowfall in October. I left the pickup in Wall with Gerry and my brave friend Lynn, her kids and man, Scott brought my van out to me. I was able to arrange a cabin and got to work 4 hours late. Thank goodness they were understanding.

By this time, Mike had gone back to the boat. He was replacing rigging and pulling the mast. He was gone a month (I wished at this point I was too) and that left me to sort out getting the Ford home. Sean to the rescue. He got a hold of Trampus, a friend who has a pickup and trailer large enough to bring home the pickup with the camper on it. We made arrangements and Gerry let me stop in to pay my bill the next trip through on my way to work (I paid Gerry a total of $100 for the 2 times the pickup was there- he’s a stand-up guy). Trampus got the pickup loaded and sent a text stating he didn’t think it had enough power to do even that but managed it. When he got it home, we were ready to unload. Sean hopped up there and when it started, it sounded just fine! No missing cylinders, nothing! All normal! So, he drove it off the trailer and as we were talking, I said, “well, I guess I’m good to drive it to work Thursday, huh?” Of course I was kidding, but they both nervously laughed and said, I better not.

So, ends the story of the FOBB. She’s been tucked into the shop attached to the barndo ever since. I’m hoping we will have it all sorted this next summer, 2024. I love that little camper. It was comfortable and has everything we need. There are so many more trips I’d like to take….. Maybe Alaska?????