Back to the Nomadic Water Bird

We're sending this from 30,000ft in the sky,somewhere between Dallas and Orlando.I guess it,s eairmail.Yukyukyuk.We've spent the last week in Tyler Texas visiting our aunt Shirly who has been very sick and having to deal with the grief of losing her son (cousin Larry) just a few weeks ago.She's being looked after by aunt Beryl and cuz Corrine and of course her good friend Inez and we think she's going to do ok.
Now it's back to Vero Beach to pick up Jabiru and continue south.
Well we're back on the ground,well and truly,and the sky thingy wouldn't upload photos so we had to move on I guess most of you know what we've been up to so this is a brief look at the last couple of hectic (by cruising standards) months.

We spent our time in Oz staying with Geoff and Sue and Amber,Sophie and Jack not forgetting big Dave.Of course we had to help paint their house as payment but they were kind enough to give me a week off to visit daughters Lisa and Lainie and grandkids Laura and Brigit in Sydney.As soon as the house was painted we were told to leave so headed back to New York.
We got to Liberty Landing around midnight and left NY the next afternoon accompanied by the Queen Mary 2.It was cold but we had good strong northerlys to blow us nearly all the way to Norfolk ,where we motored in the last few hours just before the winds turned south again.From there it was an easy 3 days down the beautiful Dismal Swamp and so on to Oriental.We always have a great time there ,catching up with our oldest(most of 'em are young) American friends.It definately wasn't getting any warmer so after a couple of days or so we headed south again this time accompanied by Perry and Susan (and Holly their border collie) on Jabiru's "sister ship " Grace.We jumped straight out at Beaufort in a stiff northerly,20 -30 knts with 8-10 ft waves.Once again we flew south pretty much keeping up 7 knts and after more than 2 days of exhilerating sailing we motored the last few hours into St.Marys inlet and round to Cumberland Island wher we had a luverly couple of days of exploring and thawing out.
I also had a lucky escape from a wild armadillo and we all managed to escape to the Cabo Rico mooring area off shore.


After a night in St Marys we took the inside route to beautiful and fascinating St Augustine where we had an absolutely miserable time!!

Outside again,we beat into a 10-15 SEaster for a couple of days and got to Cape Canaveral a day to late to see alaunch ,but it was cloudy and rainy too so probably wouldn't have seen it anyway.Next day was warm and Floridary and after our nights rest and Dragon Point we left for Vero beach ,where we rafted with Grace and kicked back for Thanksgiving and just enjoyed being down south.We met up with Evan from Anna Livia,who we'd met when we were getting repairs in New Jersey,and he foolishly brought a bottle of excellant Irish Whisky over for a playing session.Even had the hide to leave the empty bottle on Jabiru when he went home.Twas agood nights music,just ask us.
We also had a couple of triffic sessions with Eric from Further.Boy can sing.As usual we met new friends and saw old ones and by the time we got back from Texas it was time to move south again.Every time you get warm and comfy those darn Canadians throw another cold front down.We stopped o'night at Lantana and then on to Ft Lauderdale where we met up with Fred from Casa Mare and went out again the next day to get down to Miami before the next savage cold front.This was accomplished with ease except for nearly running into a giant submarine.That ,of course ,is an exaggeration,could even be called an outright lie.Anyway here we are in Miami and the weather's lovely again and we're going to enjoy that before the next front comes through,in a couple of days and then it's off to the Keys with the Cabo Rico flottila.Looking forward to new territory and maybe water warm enough to swim.

Catching Up

Hey folks,anyone who still bothers to look.We've been moving pretty fast the last month or so and had little chance to get on the net or even phone range.We are however on a mooring ball,rafted with Perry and Susan on Grace,in Vero Beach Florida.That's south of Melbourne and north of Fort Pierce.We're at the local library now and I realised I havn't brought any photos with me or the power lead for the lappy so will have to catch up next time with a rundown on our 'adventures' getting here.It's been a whilwind but fun and it's warm and sunny.Florida winter!
We're taking a side trip to Texas to see our family there before continueing.Anyone close will know our dear Aunt Shirleys tragedies and troubles so gotta run and organise our trip.Will phone those we can soon.

The Aliens Depart

Jabiru was left on her own in the big city on Wednesday morning while Mom and Pop go legalise themselves for another 6 months .She'll be comfortable though,amongst new friends and Lady Liberty is just down the back garden keeping an eye on her aswell.
We really like the Jersey City area.There's some great restaurants and pubs and just up the road is Hoboken,birthplace of "ol' blue eyes " himself.We had a lovely day at the Hoboken Arts and Music festival last Sunday and took a couple of shots of the Jersey City streets too.
Nearly forgot our Seinfeld day.He doesn't (not surpriseingly) like being called the 'Soup Nazi'but I can tell ya it's damn good soup.After stepping to the left,Gail received the special,which is given out at the servers discretion.Extra rolls and fruit an'evrathang.What is it people like about her ??!!Anyway we ate too much to sample the fare at the restaurant up at 112th st but got the obligatory photo just to round off the day and prove that we made the effort..

So anyway we got to LA and decided to go to the nearest beach to the airport, just to pass the day, and found we were back in Manhatten (Beach that is )Funny that.........Well I suppose it depends on what you call funny.

Here's the sun rising over the clouds somewhere over Fiji-ish and then we landed in sunny Queensland on a cold ,rainy morning with gale force winds and more rain forecast for the next few days

It Ain't All Palm Trees And Beaches

Well it ain't all palm trees and beaches but we did find this lone palm tree on the beach at Coney Island .Poor ol' Coney it's on its last legs but nevertheless an icon and we had a cheeseburger and washed it down with a Brooklyn Lager.
One of the good things about breaking down somewhere is you see an environment that you didn't plan on and meet new people...new friends....which starts with the guys that work in the yard.Of course when it breaks down again the friendship is forgotten but we think this time our new friends are going to remain that way!
This is Emad and Todd.Todd(on the right) is the main man here and he actually wasn't interested in putting a new damper in and sending us on our way 'til he figured out what was happening.A first for us.Anyway out she came and Todd talked and thought and invented a little tool and found out that the Perkins bell housing that had been stuck on in place of the new Volvo one (??????)in the first place was nearly 1/8 of an inch out of line which is about a mile (1.6km Aussies)in mechanical terms So it looks like our tranny woes are going to be over....except the new Volvo bell housing has gone missing in transit and the new damper that came from Sweden has beaten it here and now we're really running out of time to get back to North Carolina in time to catch our flights to Oz (....breath...)and on top of that Todd has had to leave us to go and get married.!Anyway I'm sure Emad will finish off everything and we'll all live happily ever after.
Won't post any more photos of New York,you;ve all seen the pics of the best bits and all the other bits are great too.All in all a great place to be stranded and there is that palm tree at Coney Island.

A Word On 9/11

Liberty Landing Marina ,where we were towed in for repairs ,is right opposite the WTC site.Above is the night view from Jabiru.

Saturday 9/11 was our first trip into Manhattan and the Path train from New Jersey took us straight to the Twin Towers site.It was a beautiful fall day,as it was 9 years ago,and very sombre and moving.A lot of the site was closed off so that the familys could commemorate in peace .
There was an area along Broadway where the rest of us could just contemplate and listen to family members reading the names of their loved ones and the others who perished on that day.Remembering watching it "live" on the late news in Oz was given a graphic jolt by being there and a reminder that most of the world wants to live in peace.Lets never give the thugs that perpetrate these kind of things any credit for having a cause or belief that gives them the right to take out innocent citizens.

I took a few photos of the religious whackos,conspiracy theorists ,bigots and bikers who used the day to say "look at me - look at me".Don't know what to do with them yet but won't indulge them by posting them here.

The Apple With A Familiar Worm

Got away from Stonington a day before Earl was due to arrive and motored up the Connecticut River to a hurricane hole called Hamburg Cove where we picked up a mooring and got ready for the big blow.Well as everyone over here knows ol' Earl headed East without even blowing the froth off my beer.Next day was a good ol' fashioned windy day which outdid Earl enough to hang around another day before heading out into Long Island Sound but it was hell out there still so we hid behind the Thimbles (little granite outcrops that Captain Kidd himself used to hide behind) for the night and next day had a calm (motoring)run down the Sound ready to make the jump down the East River the next morning.Before you head into the racing currents at Hell Gate and get spat into the East River you pass under one of Manhattans many bridges but this one,a railway bridge,looked familiar.It was actually built after the ol' Coathanger (Sydney Harbour Bridge for you Yanks)but as builders do,they built it a foot(thats about 12cm kids)longer.Good for them.Just after that as we swept into the East River along side Manhattan a couple of young fellers on the bank spotted the flag and started yelling Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie so I yelled back Oy Oy Oy and they cheered and I got a lump in the throat,I think my first patriotic moment since I've been in this marvellous country.Hand me a tissue dear.
Anyway we charged south at about 8 to 9 knots until we swung round a bend and there she was in the distance ,the big green gal we'd been trying to get to for so long.Out with the tissues again,we were buzzin'!

Well it was a lovely sunny day and there she was and Ellis Island and Statten Island ferries and all the other ferries and a tall ship the Manhattan skyline and..................everythang.


And then we thought,even if the currents against us let's get up the Hudson and get to our destination at the municipal mooring balls at 79th street and get into this here city.So we did and nearly got there before our transmission disintigrated for the sixth time in less than 3 years and we got towed back to a marina near Lady Liberty and here we are .Goodnight.
PS Frank Ford good to hear from you.Leave us your email or new phone no.

Here they are I hope

Stonington first
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Hope you can read the signs on the pub.

Goodnight

Im sooo Clever

OK.Ididn't get the pics off the SD but I've now put 'em in the computer (my good and faithful companion)and here's some of Provincetown.The big tower ,copied from one in Sienna Italy is the Pilgrim memorial.They landed there and nicked some corn from the local indians before going to Plymouth.Just across the bay.



So thats the inside of the towerwhich we had to climb of course and the next two are Stonington and the Irish pub is in Mystic wher we went today.Lovely pint of Bass and some shepherds pie for lunch.Now I can't get the photos.I don't like my faithful companion.......again.

Waiting for Earl

Well I managed to wipe all our previous posts....somehow...so now I'll try and start again.At the moment we are sitting on a dock at Stonington at the east end of Long Island Sound.We were on track to get to New York by Thursday but,as is quite normal now,our damper plate disintigrated just near here and we had to get towed into the marina and pull the moter out to replace the plate.It's not a real protected place and we're hopeing it will be done by tomorrow so we have a day to get away and find somewhere safe to ride out hurricane Earl who is expected to arrive in 2 or 3 days.All going well he'll stay off shore enough for us and everyone else on this part of the coast to be safe
Meanwhile everything has been fantastic.At Marthas Vineyard,where we sailed after the jazz festival at Newport,we anchored in a terrific little hurricane hole(wish we were there now)called Lake Tashmoo.We had a great week or so exploring the island.Probably the most striking attraction was this community of cottages called the Gingerbread houses.Very different and there is a whole district of them.We also fitted an electric windlass (a thingy for raising and lowering the anchor) and can't figure how we ever lived without it!We didn't spot any movie stars or famous people but were there the same time as Pres.Obama and his family.Didn't get a glimpse but missed him in a local bookshop by 2 hours.Got a T shirt though.
From there we headed to Cape Cod and had to hide from gale force winds for about 3 days before going through the canal and across to Prvincetown right up in the hook of C.C.Interesting town.All quaint and arty and very,I'm talking very,gay.Couple of days of that was enough and we then had a delightful run back down to here. I'm gonna try some more photos and quit while I'm still ahead.

ooh ooh I think I've got it!!!!!!!!!!!
That's Carly Simons shop.
This is amazing.I'm going to try uploading photos from the SD.Ooh ooh!!!!