1/11/19

After 3 weeks in NY and Maine for the holidays I returned to the boat where Jerry said he had kicked the dancing girls off the boat for my return.  I had a wonderful time visiting with family and our friends Brian & Debbie and Bill & Laurie while in Pennellville.  I almost stayed long enough to celebrate Debbie’s retirement today.  While I spent time with family and friends Jerry stayed aboard in Georgetown.

He had an interesting snorkeling story to tell.  We often see sharks while snorkeling but they turn tail as soon as they see a human.  This time – not so.  Jerry had just speared his second yellowtail snapper when a 4’ lemon shark suddenly appeared and grabbed the shish-ka-bobbed snapper off the end of Jerry’s spear ripping off its head.  Jerry didn’t know what was happening until it had already happened.  He decided to swim back to the dinghy.  The shark appeared again.  After all, the other half of the snapper was still on the end of the spear!  In an effort to dissuade the shark he punched it in the head on its return but decided a better choice was to drop the spear with the half fish on it.  So back in the dinghy Jerry watched the shark eat the other half of the fish and swim off before getting back in the water to pick up his spear and continue with the hunting and spearing a lobster.

Life is back to “normal” on board.  We made a number of trips to town to buy fresh produce and whatever else we would need for our next adventure: sailing to Staniel Cay to pick up our friends Dave and Leesie flying in from Seattle!  They will be with us for 12 days.

Our friends Jerry and Donna on Bluejacket arrived in Georgetown about the same time I returned from NY.  After a couple of food/game filled evenings with them they continued south.  We will meet up with them in the Jumentos in February.

You will be able to actually see our position change if you look at SPOT starting tomorrow.

Jerry’s first yellowtail snapper and lobster.

Christmas dinner at the Shepard’s in Maine.  Clockwise: Karen, Sydney, Kira, Susan, Tom, Owen, Dad, Mom.

Here’s the kind of excitement Jerry enjoys: fixing Donna’s electric bug zapper racket.

12/20/18

We had to work hard to sail south for the warmer weather and in the wink of an eye I'm back in frigid temperatures and snow!  Persephone is anchored in Georgetown with Jerry aboard while I flew back to NY to spend the holidays with family.  He has no interest in leaving the 80 degree temperatures and palm lined beaches.  In fact, today he went snorkeling and came back with fish and lobster for the freezer.
Before I left we enjoyed walking the beaches, snorkeling, visiting with locals and other boaters, backgammon, watching meteor showers on the foredeck.  There were many boat projects to attend to but that messes up my story of a life of leisure.  I will be flying back to Georgetown in January.  Then we will head north a bit to Staniel Cay in the Exumas where our friends, Dave and Lesie flying in from Seattle, will join us aboard!  Dave and Jerry sailed together on Lake Ontario for years.  Looking forward to their visit.
Until then, wishing you happy holidays and a peaceful new year!

Can you imagine the surprise and concern I caused paddling around with this doll I found on the beach?  It does look like a real baby with no life jacket precariously perched on the bow.

The “terminal” at Georgetown International Airport that can seat 100 people decorated for Christmas.

My good friend Debbie came to pick me up at midnight at the airport.  The next day her husband Brian let me help out at Lock 1 Distillery while I waited for my big brother (also Brian) to come pick me up.  Here we are at the tasting room of the distillery in Phoenix, NY.  Come check it out!

12/7/18

A photo from 11/26 on the ocean after leaving the St. John’s River.  The birds are waiting for the scraps as the trawler goes through the net.

Sailing with Dale and Roni on Dale’s Sage 17 on the St. Lucie River in Stuart, FL.

This picture is taken in Manatee Pocket (after we left Stuart) where our good friend Arnaud lives.  We stopped to visit with Arnaud before heading to Peck Lake for the night.

12/7/18

We made it to Georgetown!  South winds going east across the gulf stream into Bahamian waters, across the banks to the Northwest Passage Light, down the Tongue of the Ocean, across the banks to the Exuma Sound down to Georgetown.  It was a smooth passage which means no stories to tell; about 54 hours total!  Story telling happens when something goes wrong.  Nothing went wrong!

Ah, passagemaking, where the most exciting thing to happen, sometimes, is studying the sun or moon going down or coming up while on watch. Our last night out Venus was already up lighting the sky around 4 am when the moonglow started to appear under Venus. First just a luminescence in the eastern horizon that brightened with the moon’s rise.   I watched the sliver of moon come up over Farmer’s Cay and through a hole in the cloud I could see the moon’s unlit surface pocked with craters as well as the sliver of moon at the base forming a cup.  No wind.  Flat water.  Star’s reflections dancing on the water surface.  And it was warm!

Oh, one story to tell.  When leaving Stuart our wind meter display only worked to show wind direction.  Not speed.  This had happened once before when we started the engine with the meter already on.  I realized that it had suffered a stroke.  At first – no reading for speed at all.  Then random numbers started to appear in the display screen the next day.  Slowly, the wind meter learned what it once knew – how to understand the electrical impulses it receives from the cuppy-spinny thing (the technical name for the anemometer) at the top of the mast to tell us something useful.  The next day we had readings on the port tack only.  Arriving in Georgetown it is back on the job and we can tell you the wind has been honking since arrival with gusts up to 35 knots the other night.

Once in Elizabeth Harbor, Georgetown, Exumas we were surprised at how few boats were anchored throughout the harbor.  Maybe 30 boats total.  We’re used to seeing at least 100 and during regatta time up to 400.  We’re early!  Clearing in at customs and then immigration involved launching the dingy, tying to the dinghy dock behind Exuma Market, and walking to each location to fill out all the forms, pay the $300, and chat with the officials.   If you checked our SPOT you’ll see that we anchored first near town and then after clearing in we anchored at Monument Beach across the harbor.  We were the only boat anchored here!  Dinner and then to bed early after being on our watch schedule for the last couple days.

The next afternoon we decided to take the dinghy back across the harbor to town.  My sister and her family gave us an old iphone they weren’t using anymore.  We visited the nice lady, Keva, at Batelco, the telephone company here in the Bahamas, and signed up for a data only plan for now and have spent the rest of the day trying to figure out the ins and outs of using a smartphone, using it as a personal hotspot, and typing out some news to send friends and family.  The sun is shining brightly.  It has been in the 80s since our arrival.  Finally warm!

Jerry takes a sunset picture as we motor sail across the banks toward the Exuma Sound with little to no wind.

Here we are anchored off Monument Beach by ourselves.  In front of us is Stocking Island. 

Here’s last year’s  view of the same anchorage where we are now.  Look at all the boats!

Another view of our anchorage at Monument Beach now.  (There is a monument on the top of the hill at left.)

11/28/18

Greetings from Florida!  I said it was all about the weather and it was too cold in NC.  Here we are in Stuart, FL with tonight's temperature forecast: 38 degrees.  Brrrr!!!  We have 80 to look forward to by the weekend though.
Our first leg from Beaufort, NC to Jacksonville - 72 hours.  We knew we'd have some southerly winds to bash into at first.  It ended up a little longer bashing than we'd anticipated but the wind finally came around to the west and north.  And "the new" Persephone doesn't really bash like "the old" Persephone where we'd lose teeth bashing into the seas.  Now, head on seas knock down our speed some as we bounce up and down but no bashing.
We arrived and anchored on the St. John's River in Jacksonville in the same spot as last year at the same time.  We had the anchor down at 6 am took a nap, and then started in on cooking up turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes......

Thanksgiving Dinner on the St. John's River

We called our friends Chris, Amy and Andrew nearby and they came and spent the next day sailing on the St. John's River.  We tacked back and forth, back and forth into the wind, against the current, explaining "This isn't what we usually do!".  Our sailing back and forth between NY and the Caribbean or Bahamas involves very few tacks!  It was a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed every minute of it and were so glad to have friends who appreciated the sailing opportunity.

Amy takes a turn at the helm after building up her winch muscles.

Amy at the wheel looking down the St. John's River.

We had to do a short tack to avoid the container ship you see in the background.  The pilot called us to ask our intentions when they spotted us coming up the river at them. 

Chris relaxes at the helm for the downwind part of the trip.

Andrew at the wheel on our way back to the anchorage.

Andrew and Chris down below.

Then the next leg: Jacksonville, FL to Stuart, FL.  A 36 or so hour sail close to the coast.  There was a cold front coming off the coast so we started with southwest winds and went through areas of heavy rain and gusty winds before the winds clocked to the west.  Then a nice downwind sail to Fort Pierce and short jaunt down the ICW to Stuart.  We are sitting at our friends Dale and Roni's place right now, the savory smell of soup wafting from the kitchen, sure is nice to have good friends where ever we go!  Look forward to seeing Arnaud, maybe Benedict and Ocean if they're around, and Ken and Aunt Susan while we're here too.
We are in Stuart for a short time before heading out again to wait at West Palm for the right weather to head to the Bahamas.  Not sure if I will have wifi again to update the blog so you'll have to keep checking the SPOT next week to see where we are.

11/18/18

It’s all about the weather!  We arrived in Oriental to wait for the right weather to head offshore to the Bahamas.  We always enjoy our time here with everyone but as the weather gets colder we’re more anxious to head south.  We both caught a cold while here and were miserable for a bit.  A pleasant surprise while in Oriental - our friend Sunny drove up from Myrtle Beach with her dog Sky and spent the night aboard.  We moved to Donna and Jerry’s dock on Broad Creek a week ago.  We’ve tried to help out Donna and Jerry as they prepare their boat to head to the Bahamas.  There probably is no window to sail all the way to the Bahamas as we had hoped so Persephone will head south this week, starting Monday, and see where we end up.  If you check the SPOT link you’ll be able to see our progress.  (You may need to zoom in or out to see land for location reference.)

Send news about what’s going on in your world when you have a chance!

Jerry and I, Bob, and Ron came along with Jerry Luh when he brought Bluejacket from the boatyard to their dock at their home.   Here’s Jerry, Jerry, and Bob on the bow.

Jerry inspects Bluejacket’s new spinnaker pole as we try it out for the first time.

Persephone and Bluejacket at Donna and Jerry’s dock on Broad Creek.

Here’s Jerry working on projects in Donna and Jerry’s workshop.

A couple of fronts came through with high winds, heavy rains, and cold temperatures.  Nice sky though at sunset!

Another sunset shot.

11/6/18

Greetings from Oriental, NC!  We had a long day upon leaving Hideaway Marina in Kingston, NY on the Hudson River arriving at Atlantic Highlands at 8 pm.  Saturday morning, 10/13, we head out for the ocean, 1 overnight, and then anchor at Hospital Point, VA on 10/14.  15 knots of wind from the NW and then N gusting to 25 zipped us down the coast.  We had talked about stopping in Cape May but the promise of low temperatures in the 30s and winds turning south next week spurred us on.  A humpback whale feeding along the coast passed us as we approached Cape Charles.  Our reward for not stopping – we woke up to a warm sunny morning!

Portsmouth, VA has public docks to which we moored making it easy for friends to stop by and visit.  Ryan and Harmony, Haley and baby Braxton all came for dinner and visits.  We hopped in Ryan’s Tesla to do some errands.  Jerry had the honor of taking the plug off the charger at the charging station and plugging it into the car.  

Jerry and Ryan at the charging station.

Here’s Haley using the charging station as a changing station for Braxton.

This is Zoe finding a good spot on top of a pillow pile onboard while Ryan visits one last time before we leave Portsmouth.

 

Portsmouth to Great Bridge the next day – 12 miles.  We stopped to buy fuel and water along the way before going through the lock at Great Bridge.  The weather forecast was calling for gusts to 50 knots the next day so we decided to stop here along the wall between the lock and bridge.  Jerry found a 39’ spot to dock our 39’ boat between a trawler and a 50’ catamaran.  Good thing he’s a professional!  One lady came out in the rain and kept saying, “How did you do that?”

Overnight and into the next day the wind howled!  We were happy to be tucked in for the blow before heading south.  Three more days of motor sailing the ICW and anchoring each night in some protected, crab pot loaded creek, smelling the NC pines, and watching the sun rise and set on a flat horizon.   We changed the engine oil before dinner one night on Goose Creek then arrived in Oriental, NC the next day.  Our home away from home.  The streets were lined with piles of soggy home  insulation, trees, and debris from Hurricane Florence.  Lots of damage here due to water and wind.  Mostly water as the Neuse River rose beyond flood stage.  We borrowed some bikes to get around and have been enjoying friends and family here in the area.  Some of you have sent e-mail wondering if we’ve already left for the Bahamas – nope.  Not yet.  Maybe in another week or so.

Sunset on the Alligator River.  (We’ve never seen an alligator here.)

Jerry, Donna, Ron and Deb come over for dinner while we’re at the town dock in Oriental.

October 2018

After traveling for a couple of days I decided to look at this blog to see where I left off.  Perfect!  Kingston, NY - that's where we are today!  Preparing for mast stepping.
Last Tuesday we made one last trip to the grocery store, other errands, finished blocking up our trusty car and covering it (in the rain), and were on our way.  From Brian and Deb's dock, what we refer to as the Pennellville Yacht Basin.  It's difficult to begin the journey - have we found/done everything we had intended before leaving?  I remember one year Brian had to find our battens in his attic and bring them to Albany.  Thanks Brian!  We only motored to Brewerton to fuel up and take on some water but it's a relief to actually have left the dock.  In the past, our thoughts upon leaving were, "Will Kurd be okay for another NY winter?"  The last few years we tried to put him inside so he wouldn't sit on the end of the dock watching us leave.  Sadly, Kurd was not there to follow us around, help with projects, warm our laps, or see us off.  His 9 lives and 17 years were up.  His presence was sorely missed.

Kurd on the table.

Kurd on Persephone

Kurd helping with projects.

When we arrived in Brewerton we received a phone call and found out that our friends, Bill and Nita from Isle of Palms, SC were on their boat .25 mile from where we left from!  They were at Pirate's Cove Marina enjoying the hospitality of Patti and Paul White.  Bill and Nita borrowed the car, picked us up and we had a splendid evening of boat stories while dining out.  Bill and Nita have been traveling from the Chesapeake area since the beginning of spring and are leaving their boat up here in storage for the winter and will be back to continue their voyage next spring.
Onto Oneida Lake the next morning for another short day - to Sylvan Beach.  Mike and Liz live nearby at Callahan's Marina and joined us for dinner and our first apple pie of the season.

Pie Art by Jerry

Mike and Liz at Sylvan Beach.

Two wet days on the Erie to Waterford, NY.  The beginning of the Erie Canal.

Here we are on the Erie.  I'm modeling my foul weather grocery bag boots on the bow between rain clouds.

Not exactly yacht status but we kept dry with a green tarp rigged over the cockpit.

The mast is up as of Tuesday afternoon.  We're waiting to see what impact Hurricane Michael has.  Probably leaving Friday for Sandy Hook.

While Jerry spent the summer working on cars I was sewing:

My second stack pack or should I say Pakk Pack.  This one is lined with Dacron and should not need another boot to cover up the front of the sail.  It is supposed to lace up when not in use.  I'll let you know!

The entire boat has new upholstery!  This is how it looks.  If you came aboard right now it doesn't look like this - I found some sacrificial upholstery fabric to cover the new upholstery from our grimy fingers.