Bloody computers.That last one published itself without me even looking at it! I was about to say.....Forget it.Won't upload photos,drives me crazy.
I AIN'T WASTING MY TIME AND SANITY ON THIS ANY MORE.THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND I'll SEE THOSE OF YOU WHO GIVE A SHIT ON EMAIL OR SKYPE.GOOD AFTERNOON
Saturday, October 29, 2011
THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD
Hoping for a nice straight sail from Beaufort to Fort Pierce,we left Oriental on the 14th and got down Adams Creek and out the inlet just after midday.About 1pm we gave each other the @#%$! this look and went back in and anchored for the night.It was rough out there and we took off down the dreaded ICW early the next morning.Listening to a couple of boats out there giving it a try,we were glad we stayed in.Two days later we saw one of them at Carolina Beach ,still recovering!Big waves ,left over from passing hurricanes and too much southerly etc.No...we have learned over the past 4 years....Look after your boat ,and yourselves and everything is more fun.
But..sloooow.Really the ICW isn't that bad ,but because it's a channel most of the time one has to steer all day and anchor every night.It takes twice as long ,at least to get wherever you're heading.We did see a couple of bits that we hadn't seen before though and bumped into the big D a couple of times,one of which was meeting one of their kids and his wife.I swear they kick Domino into fast cruising mode sometimes to get somewhere days ahead of us so it doesn't look like they're following us around!
Anyway after 5 days we got to Georgetown,South Carolina.Last year we were passing there after 24 hours or so.There's the difference.Anyway,pulling in to the Boatshed Marina, who should be calling us on the radio but Su Aune from Palmetto Moon.We seem to catch Jim and Su Aune every year in Oriental but this was the first time our paths had crossed on the road ,as it were.Had a few laughs and cocktails(not necessarily in that order)and left them to seek out liver (must be done)the next day while we took off for Charleston.A lovely town but we had the right window to jump out and we did.Even sailed for a day before motoring for a day and finishing off with a good swift sail from Cape Canaveral to Fort Pearce.
But..sloooow.Really the ICW isn't that bad ,but because it's a channel most of the time one has to steer all day and anchor every night.It takes twice as long ,at least to get wherever you're heading.We did see a couple of bits that we hadn't seen before though and bumped into the big D a couple of times,one of which was meeting one of their kids and his wife.I swear they kick Domino into fast cruising mode sometimes to get somewhere days ahead of us so it doesn't look like they're following us around!
Anyway after 5 days we got to Georgetown,South Carolina.Last year we were passing there after 24 hours or so.There's the difference.Anyway,pulling in to the Boatshed Marina, who should be calling us on the radio but Su Aune from Palmetto Moon.We seem to catch Jim and Su Aune every year in Oriental but this was the first time our paths had crossed on the road ,as it were.Had a few laughs and cocktails(not necessarily in that order)and left them to seek out liver (must be done)the next day while we took off for Charleston.A lovely town but we had the right window to jump out and we did.Even sailed for a day before motoring for a day and finishing off with a good swift sail from Cape Canaveral to Fort Pearce.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Oriental NC
Would have been good to attend the Annapolis Boat Show and to trek up the Potomac to Washington DC but it just didn't work out that way.We have to get south and on the way we have to call in to Oriental,where our new lifestyle started,and see all our good friends and do 'stuff'.
So this is Oriental.Afternoon gathering to get a spot of sun and talk over the days work....or just tell lies etc.Some people ain't around anymore ,new people arrive and the non-transients,locals that is always make us feel like we're "from around heah".
Lucky for us John had Whampoa on the hard,fixing up a bit of rot,so we've been keeping his slip warm for him.The post Irene mosquito plague has kept socialising to daylight hours but we did have a great night at the Silos (that's a bar in some converted grain silos just down the road)open mike night.Perry and I did our thing,which was a bit of jazz this time,and then we ended up with having a great jam with with a couple of 'outoftowners' John on (great}guitar and vocals and Rich on harp and Chris,who runs da joint on guitar also.
That's pretty much what goes on 'round heah'plus getting all those dockside things done....carpentry,oil changes ,stuffing the the stuffing box and,of course,lotsa varnishing to keep Jabiru looking her beautiful self.
Ever since we first came here I've been amused by a Barber shop on the way to New Bern,that always has lawn mowers outside.Tough ,these North Carolinians.Anyway ,decided to get a photo this time and when we stopped we were lucky to catch the proprietor of the establishment.Ron.A nicer example of good ol'southern you couldn't meet.
He had to show us his barber shop,even though it's people like me who killed the barber trade.For a few years anyway........So he sat me down amidst all sorts of old barbershop stuff,including a large head of a black bear 'stuck 'up on the wall."Ma son shot him .Jus' over the road thar".
He had to give me a hair cut before we left so he carefully selected 'a hair' and ......cut it.
We'll be heading off tomorrow to hopefully catch some fair winds and following seas to Florida.Don't think we're going to get them even though we've been waiting another week for them!Still got to get a sail made before we depart these shores.Speaking of sails we couldn't wind up our 'summer blogs' without introducing you to our angel of mercy from Holiday Hill marina.
She lives on a large motor yacht with her two boys.Her husband is deployed in the mid.east.She drove us around and lent us a car all during our sail 'dramas' and generally mothered us.If you can be 'mothered ' by a 30 something girl!Thankyou Marlene.You're a gem.
Should be able to get another blog done before we leave....probably Miami to
So this is Oriental.Afternoon gathering to get a spot of sun and talk over the days work....or just tell lies etc.Some people ain't around anymore ,new people arrive and the non-transients,locals that is always make us feel like we're "from around heah".
Lucky for us John had Whampoa on the hard,fixing up a bit of rot,so we've been keeping his slip warm for him.The post Irene mosquito plague has kept socialising to daylight hours but we did have a great night at the Silos (that's a bar in some converted grain silos just down the road)open mike night.Perry and I did our thing,which was a bit of jazz this time,and then we ended up with having a great jam with with a couple of 'outoftowners' John on (great}guitar and vocals and Rich on harp and Chris,who runs da joint on guitar also.
Ever since we first came here I've been amused by a Barber shop on the way to New Bern,that always has lawn mowers outside.Tough ,these North Carolinians.Anyway ,decided to get a photo this time and when we stopped we were lucky to catch the proprietor of the establishment.Ron.A nicer example of good ol'southern you couldn't meet.
He had to show us his barber shop,even though it's people like me who killed the barber trade.For a few years anyway........So he sat me down amidst all sorts of old barbershop stuff,including a large head of a black bear 'stuck 'up on the wall."Ma son shot him .Jus' over the road thar".
He had to give me a hair cut before we left so he carefully selected 'a hair' and ......cut it.
We'll be heading off tomorrow to hopefully catch some fair winds and following seas to Florida.Don't think we're going to get them even though we've been waiting another week for them!Still got to get a sail made before we depart these shores.Speaking of sails we couldn't wind up our 'summer blogs' without introducing you to our angel of mercy from Holiday Hill marina.
She lives on a large motor yacht with her two boys.Her husband is deployed in the mid.east.She drove us around and lent us a car all during our sail 'dramas' and generally mothered us.If you can be 'mothered ' by a 30 something girl!Thankyou Marlene.You're a gem.
Should be able to get another blog done before we leave....probably Miami to
Friday, September 23, 2011
Blank
Can't believe I'm doing another blog.
Not sure if I'm just bored witless(that was the original expression before the 60's)or I'm chuffed about finally mastering the computer...until some geek comes up with a new "user friendly"change of format,or have I at last realised that old musicians never die...they just bore everyone else to death with the same old songs.Can't be that.I've learned at least 3 and a half new ones this year.
Mind you only one of them was written this millenium.
And I wrote that.
I'm reminded of a real oldie 'Camp Granada'..Finishes with:-
Wait a minute,it's stopped raining
Kids are swimming blah blah blah blah
Playing baseball,gee that's bedda
Mudda Fadda kindly disregard this letter
Trouble is.....it ain't stopped raining
Ho hum
Hum ho
Can't leave....Still waiting for the cheque.....Can't cash it anywhere south of here..
No photos...unless you like looking at water and trees...through the rain.
Maybe the odd duck.
Not sure if I'm just bored witless(that was the original expression before the 60's)or I'm chuffed about finally mastering the computer...until some geek comes up with a new "user friendly"change of format,or have I at last realised that old musicians never die...they just bore everyone else to death with the same old songs.Can't be that.I've learned at least 3 and a half new ones this year.
Mind you only one of them was written this millenium.
And I wrote that.
I'm reminded of a real oldie 'Camp Granada'..Finishes with:-
Wait a minute,it's stopped raining
Kids are swimming blah blah blah blah
Playing baseball,gee that's bedda
Mudda Fadda kindly disregard this letter
Trouble is.....it ain't stopped raining
Ho hum
Hum ho
Can't leave....Still waiting for the cheque.....Can't cash it anywhere south of here..
No photos...unless you like looking at water and trees...through the rain.
Maybe the odd duck.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Guests
Here's a nice little thing that happened en route to Mexico from Cuba.
We were about half wayish between the west end of Cuba,Cabo San Antonio, and Isla Mujeres on the Yucatan Peninsula.The sun had set and the dusk was getting duskier when 3 little birds spotted us and decided to stop for the night.Birds quite often stop for a rest on boats.Anyway these little guys flew round the boat a couple of times and one set him (or her)self up on a hatch cover and another settled on the bimini.Number 3 decided to sit on my pillow .We had made our beds up in the cockpit as it was a lovely balmy evening.
I had to get a photo,even though I'd freak him out.Flash went off and he didn't blink.A couple of hours later I said to Gail"I've got to lie down.He'll just have to move"So I laid myself down.Our little guest just nestled into my hair and carried on resting.
Eventually i had to stand up and sure enough he just sat on my head as I checked position etc....Had to get a photo of that too.
Now he'd had enough.A birds gotta sleep.So he flapped off my head onto Gails pillow.Likes his comfort.He was disturbing Gails sleep,wriggling around in her hair,so she turned around and left him the pillow.As the sky got light we woke up and saw that the other two had already checked out and as we pulled the heavier cockpit cushion back there was the poor little guy,apparently lifeless,jammed behind it.As I went to pick his little body up he wke up and fluttered up (a few inches )to the cockpit coaming.There he spent a few minutes stretching his wings and shaking his head and as the sun popped over the horizon and his friends swung by ....off he went.
FOOTNOTE. When we were relating the story to Steve and Eva of Music,thats them on the left
they said they'd had the same experience themselves except they'd had five guests.Unfortunately two of them were dead in the morning.....................they have got a cat though.
We were about half wayish between the west end of Cuba,Cabo San Antonio, and Isla Mujeres on the Yucatan Peninsula.The sun had set and the dusk was getting duskier when 3 little birds spotted us and decided to stop for the night.Birds quite often stop for a rest on boats.Anyway these little guys flew round the boat a couple of times and one set him (or her)self up on a hatch cover and another settled on the bimini.Number 3 decided to sit on my pillow .We had made our beds up in the cockpit as it was a lovely balmy evening.
I had to get a photo,even though I'd freak him out.Flash went off and he didn't blink.A couple of hours later I said to Gail"I've got to lie down.He'll just have to move"So I laid myself down.Our little guest just nestled into my hair and carried on resting.
Eventually i had to stand up and sure enough he just sat on my head as I checked position etc....Had to get a photo of that too.
Now he'd had enough.A birds gotta sleep.So he flapped off my head onto Gails pillow.Likes his comfort.He was disturbing Gails sleep,wriggling around in her hair,so she turned around and left him the pillow.As the sky got light we woke up and saw that the other two had already checked out and as we pulled the heavier cockpit cushion back there was the poor little guy,apparently lifeless,jammed behind it.As I went to pick his little body up he wke up and fluttered up (a few inches )to the cockpit coaming.There he spent a few minutes stretching his wings and shaking his head and as the sun popped over the horizon and his friends swung by ....off he went.
FOOTNOTE. When we were relating the story to Steve and Eva of Music,thats them on the left
they said they'd had the same experience themselves except they'd had five guests.Unfortunately two of them were dead in the morning.....................they have got a cat though.
??Cruising??
It's a good thing that I'm such a patient person (AARRGGHH%$%@#*?!#$%@!$)Oooh....that's better.
Well Irene was windy and wet but hardly bothered us.North Carolina took the worst of her but she did drop a lot of water on nearly everywhere except the Big Apple.Domino skidaddled ,with a flottila of boats,100 miles or so up the Hudson and had a far worse time of it(check thier blog) because of the flooding.We left a day or so later and dodged logs and all sorts of stuff on the way to Sandy Hook,the gateway to NY harbour.We were too busy winding our way through it all to think of photos but just imagine lines of garbage and whole trees and ex trees,as in telegraph poles , in long drift lines stretching for 10 to 2 or 300 yards at a time.Dodgy.
Anyway we had a calm anchorage at Atlantic Highlands and a beautiful sunset lighting up the Manhattan skyline and it was good night and goodbye to NY.
Next morning we started the overnight trip to Cape May and arrived to a beautiful morning and dropped the anchor off the Coast Guard station right next to.....DOMINO.So we popped over for drinkies on thier expansive 'back porch' as the sun went down behind Jabiru and the Coast Guard and Jean-Pierre and I took turns in being photographed with a 'chick' under each arm !
Thats where the fun stopped.A day later the sails arrived.The genoa was fine but the main just didn't fit.Richard took it back and was going to meet us in the Sassafrass River in a few days when he was going to doing a sailing regatta and all was looking good.Meanwhile.... Hurricane Lee (or was it Leigh) had swept over Alabama and on up the Appalachians causing massive floods all the way up the east coast.The entire Chesapeake Bay was full,the worst since 1972,of mud , trees and everything that gets swept along by floods.Roads were blocked,bridges down etc so the regatta was cancelled and Richard couldn't make it.There was nothing up the Sassafrass,except charming scenery,so we picked our way through log barrages down to Annapolis so we could get the sail sent to somewhere there.
We remembered that Steve from Music was staying at a marina just south of there so after checking that it would be OK we moved (cautiously)down to Rhode River to await the sail.Couple of days and it arrived still didn't fit so back it goes to Richard.Meanwhile(ya still with me?)Richard calls and says he cant be bothered with all this ,he'll give us our money back.We just want to get going so that's OK.One week later we're still here,cheque(that's English)is in the mail.Looks like our visit to DC is out .That's 3 days up the Potomac and 2to 3 back and the Potomac is still 100 miles from here.
Charlie Watts,when asked how it was playing with the Rolling Stones for 30 years said "5 years playing and 25 years hanging about."Hey Charlie ...try cruising!
Is this cruising?
Or is it this
Actually...I can't think of anything else I wanna do.
Yes dear...I'll stop complaining.
Well Irene was windy and wet but hardly bothered us.North Carolina took the worst of her but she did drop a lot of water on nearly everywhere except the Big Apple.Domino skidaddled ,with a flottila of boats,100 miles or so up the Hudson and had a far worse time of it(check thier blog) because of the flooding.We left a day or so later and dodged logs and all sorts of stuff on the way to Sandy Hook,the gateway to NY harbour.We were too busy winding our way through it all to think of photos but just imagine lines of garbage and whole trees and ex trees,as in telegraph poles , in long drift lines stretching for 10 to 2 or 300 yards at a time.Dodgy.
Anyway we had a calm anchorage at Atlantic Highlands and a beautiful sunset lighting up the Manhattan skyline and it was good night and goodbye to NY.
Next morning we started the overnight trip to Cape May and arrived to a beautiful morning and dropped the anchor off the Coast Guard station right next to.....DOMINO.So we popped over for drinkies on thier expansive 'back porch' as the sun went down behind Jabiru and the Coast Guard and Jean-Pierre and I took turns in being photographed with a 'chick' under each arm !
We remembered that Steve from Music was staying at a marina just south of there so after checking that it would be OK we moved (cautiously)down to Rhode River to await the sail.Couple of days and it arrived still didn't fit so back it goes to Richard.Meanwhile(ya still with me?)Richard calls and says he cant be bothered with all this ,he'll give us our money back.We just want to get going so that's OK.One week later we're still here,cheque(that's English)is in the mail.Looks like our visit to DC is out .That's 3 days up the Potomac and 2to 3 back and the Potomac is still 100 miles from here.
Charlie Watts,when asked how it was playing with the Rolling Stones for 30 years said "5 years playing and 25 years hanging about."Hey Charlie ...try cruising!
Is this cruising?
Or is it this
Actually...I can't think of anything else I wanna do.
Yes dear...I'll stop complaining.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Big Ugly Woman Going to Visit
Well everybody from the Caribbean through the Bahamas to the US east coast knows who she is but to those of you on the other side of the world who mightn't have noticed,nasty ol' IRENE has got everyone on edge.She's giving the Bahamas a beating today (thursday)and is heading for Cape Hatteras next.She then wants to visit the New York and Long Island area over the weekend but we'll all be happy if she changes her mind and hangs a sharp right turn and heads off into the Atlantic.I know John has already boarded up his Hatteras house and Perry is flying back from Chicago and we hope all our friends back at Oriental get away without too much (or any!) damage.Got a call from my friend Porgy in Bimini and he said they're getting lots of rain and wind but should miss the worst.
Anyway the last week has been very pleasant.We left Liberty Landing at 6.30 am and caught the incoming tide up the East River in drizzle and a headwind but still did a 'thrilling'10knts through Hell Gate and into Long Island Sound.We picked up a complimentry mooring at Port Washington where we spent a couple of days just enjoying the town.We took off for Port Jefferson with Philip and Heather in Picaroon but were soon left behind as they cheated and used their genoa and went in a straight line.We jybed away with our remaining sails in a vicious 4 to 6knt SW until we got to Oyster Bay and gave up.
Oyster Bay is a lovely big wide bay withfar more space than appears here.It was the home base of Teddy Roosevelt and as I was reading about the building of the Panama Canal while there, it was interesting have it referred to here and there through the text. The whole bay is surrounded by enormous mansions and one that we were anchored opposite is owned by Billy Joel.The guy in the little boat in the foreground is raking up clams with an enormous rake on a pole.Don't ever complain about the price of clams!
Richard rang to say our sails are ready but of course we wont be heading to Cape May to get them 'til Auntie Irene has left town.So yesterday we thought to come back here as it's a bit smaller and closer to NY and a better town really.So it was bye bye to Billy's little place and back to Port Washington
......but....wouldn't you know it...Todd and Melody have been up here having a break and he rang and said to follow them back down to New Jersey tommorrow and tuck in at our little sanctuary at the end of the old Collins canal which is the work dock at Liberty Landing.What do we do to deserve friends like this? Oh yeh ....Gail's really nice!
Hopefully Irene won't be able to get at us here (this is sunset from the work dock,Manhattan is behind us) and we can get back to you to report that Jabiru (and us) are well and ready to start heading south.
Anyway the last week has been very pleasant.We left Liberty Landing at 6.30 am and caught the incoming tide up the East River in drizzle and a headwind but still did a 'thrilling'10knts through Hell Gate and into Long Island Sound.We picked up a complimentry mooring at Port Washington where we spent a couple of days just enjoying the town.We took off for Port Jefferson with Philip and Heather in Picaroon but were soon left behind as they cheated and used their genoa and went in a straight line.We jybed away with our remaining sails in a vicious 4 to 6knt SW until we got to Oyster Bay and gave up.
Richard rang to say our sails are ready but of course we wont be heading to Cape May to get them 'til Auntie Irene has left town.So yesterday we thought to come back here as it's a bit smaller and closer to NY and a better town really.So it was bye bye to Billy's little place and back to Port Washington
......but....wouldn't you know it...Todd and Melody have been up here having a break and he rang and said to follow them back down to New Jersey tommorrow and tuck in at our little sanctuary at the end of the old Collins canal which is the work dock at Liberty Landing.What do we do to deserve friends like this? Oh yeh ....Gail's really nice!
Hopefully Irene won't be able to get at us here (this is sunset from the work dock,Manhattan is behind us) and we can get back to you to report that Jabiru (and us) are well and ready to start heading south.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)