September 27, 2021

 My intention was to keep you posted this summer as we worked on the boat and the car projects....you can see how well that turned out!  So, back to where I left off last May when we left Persephone on the hard in Kingston and launched "mouse" to live on back at Brian and Deb's in Pennellville.

mouse - 1976 25' Albin with almost all the comforts of home on a smaller scale

While I spent June and into July helping out at Mom and Dad's in Newfield, NY Jerry drove back to Kingston between car projects and replaced the seals and bearings on our rudder.  This is a HUGE job!  It involves taking everything apart (untouched since new in 1996) including removing the rudder.

This bronze lower shaft bearing, which was covered with paint and fiberglass  had to be ground down and  removed.  Of course the screws didn't  just come out and required special tools. 

After everything is disassembled Jerry uses his brain instead of his back to lower the rudder to the ground....with a little help from  some line, blocks and a winch.

The line goes down through the aft cabin hatch and is connected to the top of the rudder post.

Rudder is removed.

This is the part the new lower rudder bearing attaches to.

The new lower shaft bearing from Hallberg Rassey in Sweden.  Isn't it beautiful?!

Here's some of what's going on inside the boat where the rudder shaft comes in.

  Here are some of the old parts that are being replaced.

Put back together - just needs fiberglass to cover the bronze (like Hallberg Rassey built it) and some epoxy paint and bottom paint.

That's just one of the challenging projects Jerry accomplished this summer!  Here is another: a 1983 Mercedes 300TDT he acquired from original owner.  So far he's rebuilt the suspension, brakes, steering, and flushed out all of the fluids.  Isn't it a beauty?

And more pictures from our summer:

Father's Day picnic: Mom,  Cousin Georgette, Me, Jerry, brother Brian, sister Susan, Dad.

My sister Susan and I installed a new countertop at my parents place.

 I love being able to help Brian and Deb!  Brian let me help with bourbon bottling down at Lock 1 Distillery in Phoenix, NY.  

Ask your liquor stores to get Lock 1 Distillery products so you can try them too!  You'll be pleased with all of the choices they offer and the award-winning quality!

Debbie Dates and I took my seaglass jewelry to Clayton to sell.  Here's our booth.

Here we are toasting with some wine in fancy glasses!

The Clayton Antique Boat Museum takes us for a sunset cruise.

Nothing like the St. Lawrence in the summertime!

We had a blast!  

But like all good things, summer comes to an end.

Jerry and his buddy Jim in the barn where we put our cars in storage for the winter.

I winterized mouse and put up the frame for the cover.

 Onto the trailer, a quick wash, and then the cover.  Ready for winter.

When we've picked 100 lbs of apples our friends know we will be leaving soon.

Jerry's brother Dan picked us up with all of our belongings and drove us to Kingston, NY where he helped unload everything.  Last year when he helped us, the boat was in the water and loading was easy.  This year Persephone is still on the hard and everything (including 100 lbs of apples) had to go up 10 ft.  Thanks Dan!

Our waterfront view at Hideaway Marina in Kingston, NY.

Persephone is ready to go in the water!

We'll keep making apple pies for the guys here at Hideaway Marina until we're launched and on our way towards NYC down the Hudson River.

Karen and Jerry

SV Persephone

5/8/21

 Happy Mother's Day tomorrow!  

We really switched things up since the last post.  

Persephone was in Fernandina Beach, FL for a couple of days before heading up to Charleston, SC.  The wind was from all different directions and barely enough to sail.  We arrived in Charleston and then took a route we never take - the ICW!  Only 50 miles or so from Charleston to Georgetown, SC.  Donna and Jerry on Bluejacket were a day ahead and we caught up with them in Georgetown.  I was able to schedule Covid vaccines for all of us in Georgetown!  Thank you South Carolina for allowing out-of-state residents to be vaccinated.

From Georgetown, SC back to the ocean for another short weather window to Beaufort, NC.  All southerly winds all the way to Donna and Jerry's place in Oriental on Broad Creek.  This is where I got off the boat.  My brother-in-law Tom (Susan's husband) drove 15 hours to Oriental on a Friday for a sailing adventure starting Saturday around Cape Hatteras to NY with Jerry.  This was really Tom's first long-distance sailing opportunity.  He sailed aboard a big Bermuda Sloop - The Spirit of Bermuda a couple of years ago from Maine.  The sailing ship was intending to sail to Bermuda but because of tropical disturbances near Bermuda (Jerry and Karen - really! those were the storms/hurricanes) and some problems with the ship Tom had to get off the boat in Newport, RI.  Jerry and Karen owed Tom a sailing opportunity on the Atlantic Ocean!

Tom and I at Donna and Jerry's in Oriental, NC.  

 I drove Tom's car back to New York to help out at my parents place while the guys sailed north.  

Thanks to Tom's Facebook page, I was able to find some pictures to post from their journey.

Saturday morning at the Bean in Oriental with Donna, Jerry, Tom and Jerry.

Persephone leaves Oriental headed for Beaufort and the Atlantic Ocean.  This is the first time Persephone has ever left for an ocean voyage without me on board!  What a strange feeling watching your home sail off.

Persephone's track from Oriental, NC to Sandy Hook, NJ

Tom's picture of Persephone at sea.

A tug at sea.

Tom takes a picture of Jerry in the cockpit out on the ocean.

Looking back on the Newburgh Bridge on the Hudson River.

Motoring on the Hudson River.

Thanks, Tom, for taking pictures!  Another shot along the Hudson River.

Here are some pictures from my land trip - after visiting with Jerry and Donna I spent the night in NC with my cousin Georgette and left early Sunday morning.  First stop - the Dismal Swamp Welcome Center south of Norfolk to meet my friend Kari's daughter Haley & fiancee Matt.  Persephone - rum runner.

Matt and Haley. Great to meet Matt and transport rum and hugs from Kari in St. Thomas.

Next stop - Kim's in Charlottesville, VA for lunch.  Kim and my sister Susan were best of friends in high school, roomed together for a while near Richmond years ago, and stay in touch.  I had the opportunity to meet Kim's husband Adam, have lunch, catch up on 20 years and relax for a bit before getting back on the road.  Thanks Kim!

Me and Kim

I figured I'd drive until dinner time and find a place to stay.  After stopping at a hotel and finding out how expensive a room is and realizing how cheap I am, I found a campsite in Falling Waters, WV and pulled over for the night.  By chance my nephew Owen had a sleeping mat in the car.  Perfect!

My "camp" - no, not the tent - the black station wagon back in the trees.

Although our arrival in New York State was sunny and fairly warm at first it sure took a turn yesterday!  Rain and 50 degrees or so for the high.  We'll begin our projects on the boat and on land dreaming of sunshine, sandy beaches, and toes in the sand.  Sure hope to catch up with everyone while we're in New York for the summer!

4/20/21

4/20/21  

From Hog Cay in the Ragged Islands to Long Island to Georgetown we snorkeled, walked the beaches, kayaked, and gave Susan a glimpse of what the Bahamas has to offer.

Susan at the helm with her hands on what we refer to as  "the towel rack".  We almost always use the autopilot instead of the wheel.

Susan finds a treasure on the beach on Buena Vista Cay.

For some reason I can't get the video pasted here in the blog - to see Persephone sailing to Water Cay click here: Video of Persephone Sailing to Water Cay

The sail from Buena Vista Cay to Water Cay at the "top" of the Jumentos was rather brisk!

The next day we sailed from Water Cay, along an area of shallow water known as the Comer Channel, and then we tacked back and forth to arrive in Thompson Bay/Salt Pond on Long Island.

Another video of Persephone Sailing Comer Channel, click here: Persephone Sailing Comer Channel

Jerry left Susan and I to do the tacking after the Comer Channel.  He had been captaining since 4 am and decided to take a tacking video and then a power nap.

Susan and Karen are the tack team on our way to Thompson Bay, Long Island.  We haven't started the motor in weeks!

Do you know what one of our favorite things to do on Long Island is?  Walking north on the road up to electric pole #108 and taking the trail to the beach.

Long Island - I'm testing the waters.  About 79 degrees.

Looking out across a tire from the beach on Long Island.

Sea Oats, Clouds, Water, Sand.

Susan up on the rocks on the beach.

Another highlight of Long Island not far from our anchorage is the cave.

Yes - when you walk far enough into the cave (with a flashlight) it is totally dark and there are hundreds of bats clinging to the walls and flying around.

One of Susan's pictures of the moon coming up over Long Island at Thompson Bay.

Then, on to Georgetown..........

Sailing west towards Georgetown.  Yes!  Downwind!

Jerry looks out over the anchorage at Monument Beach..the town of Georgetown on the other side of the bay.

Me and my Sista'!  Monument Beach

Donna and Jerry arrive just in time for my birthday.  Susan made pineapple upside down cake!

Donna and Jerry arrived in time for my birthday and in time to say goodbye to Susan.  Sadly, we lost our crew in Georgetown when Susan flew back to Maine after tolerating living aboard and us onboard for 6 weeks!

One last silly video of the three of us at sunset........

From Georgetown we quickly made our way up the Exumas and then to Royal Island and Spanish Wells.  We decided to take a weather window to Florida from Spanish Wells and we had to clear out.

The fancy customs office on Spanish Wells where we wait for paperwork with Donna and Jerry.

Jerry masked up to head to shore at Spanish Wells.

One of the many flower lined houses at Spanish Wells.

Look at the size of that double scoop!  Enough ice cream to get me to FL!

Our sail to Fort Pierce, FL was great!  We were able to sail the whole way with winds on the beam or behind us.  It was a quick stop, anchored near the inlet, our friends Dale and Roni drove up to have lunch, and then we were on our way again.  This time the sail wasn't so great - variable winds in every direction, the motor running to keep moving when the winds were light, off and on rain, we pulled into the St. John's River (Jacksonville).  After a short night, we anchored at 1 am and left the next morning at 7 am, we made the last hop in FL to Fernandina Beach on the FL/GA border.

Donna and Jerry rented a car and we had the opportunity to ride with them to Conor and Stephanie's place in Atlantic Beach.  (Conor and Stephanie - the couple that got married last year in on Double Breasted Cay in the Ragged Islands!).  And Toby!  The schnoodle you see Donna holding.  Our friends Chris, Amy and Andrew live only a few blocks from Conor and Stephanie and we all got together for dinner.

Jerry, Donna, Toby, Karen, Jerry, Conor, Stephanie, Andrew, Chris

We brought the food, they had their grill going - a wonderful evening!

So, here I am at the public library in Fernandina Beach, just like in old days, searching for a place to get on the internet and update this blog!  Donna and Jerry left this morning for a mostly motor/some sail up to Charleston or Georgetown, SC while we wait for the next window that allows us to sail.  It's still April and the cold fronts and weather systems blast off the east coast every 3 or 4 days.  Looks like we'll have to do some 24 hour hops to make tracks north.