3/24/16

Mahi party on Persephone at Thompson Bay, Long Island

Happy bunch of bats in the cave.  Aren't they cute!!

Making our way towards the back of the cave.

Great place to explore!  Great home if you're a bat (or cockroach or crab...)

The entrance to the cave at Thompson Bay, Long Island.

Dean's Blue Hole.   Diving platform for competition anchored here.

Jerry Luh snorkels at  Dean's Blue Hole.

Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island.

Columbus Monument - northern tip of Long Island.

Columbus Monument - nice view!

Especially for Chris Jones - Bloody leg tuna mess.

Bluejacket at New Bight, Cat Island.

Bob the Builder steers.

Farmers Market, Salt Pond, Long Island

Firelight with their spinnaker!

Firelight with half a spinnaker!

Kirsti from Firelight captured the green flash at sunset.

Group photo at the Hermitage, Cat Island.

A view of Father Jerome's hermitage from our anchorage.  Batelco tower in the foreground.

Jerry's view from the roof of the hermitage.

At the base of the trail to the hermitage.

The arch at the beginning of the trail to the hermitage.

Jerry tenderizes the conch for conch chowder.

The white tip shark behind Persephone following the lure.

Woo Hoo!  Now we're moving!

The tuna that turned into dinner (x3).

Trail to the hermitage.

Another shot of the white tip shark.

I suppose when I mention Long Island you think of expressways and New York City.  The Long Island down here in the Bahamas is the opposite.  80 miles long and 4 miles wide at the most with one two lane road – The Queens Highway running the length.  When we left Georgetown heading east to Long Island we expected to be tight to the wind as the prevailing wind is easterly.  Instead, we sailed wing on wing at 7 knots using the spinnaker pole to travel the 40 miles to Thompson Bay on Long Island.  Persephone led the way with Bluejacket and a few others behind.  We were greeted to Thompson Bay with a VHF radio invitation to a dish-to-pass beach gathering by the cruisers already anchored there.  Ann of “Krazy Lady” from Oswego was there and she and Jerry discussed repairing her broken boom.  The next day we boarded Krazy Lady, took the sail off, and dinghied her boom back to Persephone where Jerry took apart the fitting at the front of the boom where the rivets were ripping out of the aluminum.  He cut ¼ inch of aluminum off the boom, redrilled and riveted the fitting back on.  Ready to install and sail!  You know the story of the elves and the shoemaker, the elves come in and make the shoes.  Well, elf doesn’t rhyme with Jerry so I’ve been saying Jerry Jerry the boat fixing fairy since he sails into an anchorage and in no time at all has fixed someone’s broken boat parts.  He’s not sure he appreciates the fairy part of  that expression.

There are many caves carved in the coral of this island and one nearby our anchorage.  Jerry Luh came with us to go exploring.  The cave goes back in about 100 yards and is so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face if you turn off the flashlights.  The sound of bats fills the cave and a few fly around.  Some joker left a small plastic skeleton curled up in a corner!

Donna and Jerry decided to rent a car and invited us to do an island tour with them.  Down the Queens Highway we go to Dean’s Hole on the east side of the island.  This is a 663 ft. “hole” at the water’s edge in the coral where they hold free diving competitions.  (Google Evolve Free Diving for more information from our friends, instructors, and champions Ren and Ashley.)  Jerry Luh brought his fins and snorkel and swam around the blue hole trying to peer into the depths.  The water was a little cloudy as the winds were whipping the seas into the bay.

Next stop Clarence Town where we’ve been to before by boat.  There are two churches in Clarence Town built on the hill with spectacular views.   One Anglican and one Catholic both designed by Father Jerome (who eventually became a monk).  At Clarence Town we saw more damage caused by hurricane Joaquin that pummeled Long Island last October.  It sat right over  Long Island for a couple days blowing roofs off houses and bringing the sea up on the west side of the island causing destruction.  As we ventured further south in the car, towards the town of Hard Bargain, there were many vacant homes.  Some vacancies due to Joaquin, others empty as families have moved to Nassau and other locations to try to make a living and raise their families.  The salt ponds at Hard Bargain were crusting with salt around the edges (no rain in the last month or more) but no industry there anymore.

Our lunch stop was at a “take away”.  We ordered the food, they cooked it up, and we took it away in a foam box.  We held onto our boxes at the picnic table as the wind tried to take away our foam boxes of food!  The chicken, fish, peas & rice, and coleslaw were excellent!

The northernmost point we visited was Columbus Monument on the northern tip.  The “road” to the monument would have been better suited for an ATV; not a small rental car.  A chain on posts used for a railing helped us climb the steep rocks to the monument.  What a wonderful view!  There are a number of dedicated Columbus sites in the Bahamas as he “first” explored and “discovered” the land.

Our tourist adventure ended that evening with a stop at Club Washington where a number of cruisers and some locals were gathered for drinks and a fish dinner.  It was close to 8 pm when we pulled into the driveway of the rental car business (also their home) and walked down to the dinghy dock to go home.

Before leaving Long Island Saturday we took advantage of the Farmer’s Market.  Fresh home grown tomatoes, green peppers, watermelon and more were on display.  We also bought a bag of local sea salt someone had gathered.  Then off to the northern tip of Long Island to anchor for the night where we had a perfect view of an amazing green flash at sunset.

The next day we sailed from Long Island to Conception Island, an uninhabited island where we snorkeled the reefs, walked the beaches, and explored the mangrove creeks.  Beautiful elk horn coral reefs but not many fish. Tons of turtles in the mangrove creeks as we dinghied, kayaked in and then floated out the creeks with the tide.  Conception Island is also where we took our scrapers in the water and scraped the barnacles off both Persephone and Bluejacket.  More dinners to share with Bluejacket and Firelight along with another green flash sunset.

Our good weather window of no westerly winds was coming to an end son and we wanted to see the hermitage Father Jerome built on Cat Island.  Off we go trying out the spinnaker for the first time.  It would have been great but there just wasn’t enough wind.  We were going so slow some kind of reef fish followed right at the transom at the water’s surface.  Jerry reeled in his hand line and saw a 10 ft white tip shark following the lure.  It lazily swam around the transom following the lure every time Jerry dipped it back in the water.  Kinda like playing with a cat and a piece of yarn.  Incredible to watch and so close we could have reached out and touched the shark!  No wind made the water perfectly flat and crystal clear.

From that point we put away the spinnaker and became a fishing boat instead of a sailboat (although we had full sail up).  Just before Cat Island we got a hit on the handline and Jerry pulled in a yellow tail tuna.  At the same time the rod and reel started spinning – a fish there too!   It took 45 minutes of reeling and struggling to finally see a shark on the line.  At that point it pulled hard enough to bend the hook and get away.  Yeah!  We don’t want to have to land a shark to get back the lure.  Excellent tuna steaks pan seared in oil for dinner.

For our one day at Cat Island we hiked with Bluejacket and Firelight to the hermitage on the top of Como Hill, the highest hill in the Bahamas at 206 ft.  Father Jerome, an architect and then priest, was sent to the Bahamas in 1908 after a hurricane damaged England’s churches.  He built and restored many churches in the Bahamas – hurricane proof stonework with thick walls and barrel-vaulted roofs.  When approaching New Bight on Cat Island Father Jerome’s hermitage or retirement home appears to be a castle atop Como Hill.  When we got to the hermitage at the top we found essentially a 3 room structure with doors and windows at the correct proportions to make the place look like a castle from afar.  We had to duck through the doors to explore the hermitage.  What a peaceful place to think and admire the vistas.  From our chartbook, “As you walk through the archway at the property’s entrance at the base of the hill, you will be struck not only with his gift of architecture and stonework but also with his genuine and humble devotion to God, which carries all the way up the hill through his Stations of the Cross past the replica of Jesus’ tomb with its rolled-away stone and to his stoic living quarters and small chapel for private devotions.”    He renamed the hill Mt. Alvernia and built another church on the island to lead.  He sounds like a most interesting man!

We walked a couple of miles to the market and were pleased to find bananas then back to “town” where I sang at the post office with the woman belting out One Day At A Time while she sorted through the stamps.  Love the Bahamians!

A cold front was approaching in a day or two so we set the spinnaker and had a super fast sail to anchor between Big and Little Majors – protection from the wind in all directions.  Firelight had their spinnaker out as well….for a couple of hours and just as we sailed up to take pictures of them the spinnaker blew out from the top and fell to the water.  No problem – they rolled out their jib and continued along taking some great pictures of Persephone under sail heeled over doing 8 knots.   Thanks!

So, after a few days at the Majors we headed back to Little Bay around the corner from Black Point to visit again with Doug and Jean of Sandcastle.  Another super spaghetti dinner with 9 at the tables at the castle.  We also rode in the back of Doug and Jean’s pickup to attend happy hour at Scorpio’s in Black Point.  Rum pumch, dinner and then the music.  Dad – I know you’d be glad to know I didn’t miss a beat and danced every dance.  Donna called me the energizer bunny.  We’ll be here in Black Point for a few days before heading off to Rock Sound on Eleuthera.

Send news when you can!

Karen, Jerry and Builder Bob (a 6" refugee found on the beach on Long Island)

3/3/16

No matter where you are in the world the popular topic is the weather.  This winter has been unusually windy and cool here in the Bahamas.  We missed some of the worst weather by arriving late here this year in February.  Those here at the beginning of January tell stories of a weather system called a derecho with 100+ mph gusts of wind from the west causing havoc and damage for those in unprotected anchorages.

Today is the first period of lite/no wind in the month we’ve been here.  The last time I wrote we were in Blackpoint.  We sailed from Blackpoint around the corner to Little Bay and anchored in front of a sandcastle on shore.  The sandcastle is the home to friends Doug and Jean and it is a 3 story home they built themselves that looks like a sandcastle complete with 4 turrets.  We spent the week anchored next to Bluejacket going to shore each day with Donna and Jerry to help Doug and Jean, who had just arrived at Sandcastle, to get their home back into working order.  The work, visiting, and meals shared came to an end when the next cold front was approaching and we sailed north.

Our first stop was Big Major’s Cay known as Pig Beach.  There are always pigs on this island.  Cruisers come by to see the pigs, bring them some treats, and take their picture with the pigs.  Best fed pigs I know of!  The pig population changes when the pig providers need some pork and of course there are always new litters of pigs to replace the old.  While we were here we dinghied to Staniel Cay where Jerry and Donna were anchored and we found Deb and Ron (from Baldwinsville, NY) on Scheherezade at the marina.  They were having engine trouble again and were deciding they’d have to sail or be towed to Nassau to find a mechanic.  Jerry went aboard, found out what was wrong and had the engine running that afternoon.  For those interested in the diagnosis: broken spring in the engine shut off that wouldn’t allow the engine to start.  Also, the bleed screw broke when Ron was trying to bleed the system.  Enough engine talk.  They were VERY happy to have the engine working and VERY happy not to have to go to Nassau for repairs!

Next anchorage for us – Pipe Creek where we had to come in at high tide.  Pipe Creek always means a walk over the hill to the beach to find sea glass.  We enjoyed the company of Donna and Jerry anchored next to us, having dinners together and games after.  We noticed the increase in small boat traffic flying by carrying tourists.

Our next sail was from Pipe Creek to Georgetown.  We came out of a cut between Thomas Cay and Overyonder Cay onto the Exuma Sound.  We were tight to the 10-12 knots of southwest wind for the first part of the trip which clocked around as we sailed south.  By the afternoon, the cold front had passed and we enjoyed the northwest wind behind us.  No fish but a beautiful sail again in record time.  We’re so pleased with the sailing performance of the new Persephone!  Jerry connected the inner forestay for part of our trip and we hauled up our hank on storm jib.   Two jibs flying and the mainsail. We’ve never had a cutter rig before!  Nice!

On the approach into Elizabeth Harbor and Georgetown we could see all the masts.  Over 200 sailboats along Elizabeth Harbor’s anchorages.  The week of the Cruiser’s Regatta was underway with sailboat races, a variety show in town, and many other activities.  We anchored at Sanddollar Beach with Donna and Jerry on Bluejacket nearby.  We have a long dinghy ride powered by our 4 hp outboard across the harbor to town or to another part of the harbor to join in the festivities.  One of the highlights was our ride to the north end of the harbor, a hike up the hill to “the monument” a tall spire where we could see the harbor in one direction and the Exuma sound in the other.  The perfect vantage point to watch the 40 boats in the “round the island race” sail through the harbor, out the north exit to the sound and back in through the south entrance, a total of 18 miles.  There was another Karen at the monument with her VHF providing commentary on the race from that vantage point.  We had our binoculars with us and helped with the commentary.  Jerry Luh showed up and  then Sherry from Alesto.  We soon had a good crowd on the top of the hill enjoying the beautiful day, scenery and the race.   Jerry and I watched the race finish with front row seats with Lee and Sherry aboard Alesto (from Ithaca).  Lee’s sister was crew aboard Triad, the trimaran that finished first going along at 10-12 knots the entire race.   Fast!

In addition to the regatta  activities we’ve been visiting and working on projects. We have two areas of varnish in the cabin that we were going to do last summer.  I have the first two coats on! 

Jerry, Jerry and I went on our first snorkel excursion out of the harbor with light winds.  Lobster and French fries for dinner.

No plans exactly to how long we’ll be here, where we’re going next – so pretty much the usual.  Thanks to Donna and Jerry I am able to use their wifi on their phone to post this! 

Best wishes and hope to hear from you!

Karen and Jerry

Persephone with 3 sails flying!

Jerry looking for sea glass at Pipe Creek.

Karen with sea glass treasures at Black Point.

Jerry Luh stands on Thomas Cay at Pipe Creek looking out to Joe Cay.

Jerry with his plate of mahi I cooked at the Sand Castle.

Donna puts the finishing touches on the banana cream pie she and I made for the Sand Castle dinner.

We watch a sea plane getting ready for take off at Pipe Creek.

Jerry takes apart the jib furler winch to clean it and give it a coat of new winch grease.

2/17/16

To be ready for the weather window to cross to the Bahamas we topped off our fuel and water tanks and headed south to the anchorage near the inlet at Lake Worth.  The winds were forecast to settle down during the day so that we could head out around midnight.  Jerry decided to put on his wetsuit and clean the bottom and the propeller to make sure Persephone was as fast and slick as could be for our passage.  He was pleasantly surprised to find the water temperature at 74 degrees.  Not his preferred 80 but it wasn’t bad.  The winds settled to about 12 knots around 5 pm so we hauled anchor and left.  When the window is open – go!  It was a fast ride out with the current to a gentle ocean swell, a nice breeze, and the sun low on the horizon.  Dinner and sunset at sea.    Then onto our designated watches – I’m on from 9-midnight, Jerry from midnight-4 am, and I’m back on from 4 am to 7 or so.

It was difficult to tell when we were in the gulfstream as we didn’t notice much difference in the seas.  A calm crossing.

The area between Freeport, Bahama and Great Isaac Light to the south is a busy highway for freighters!  We studied the raange lights coming and going around us to make sure we were not in the path of any vessels and altering course when needed.  At dawn we were on the banks – the shallow bank of water that made for little traffic and smooth sailing down towards Andros Island and a deep body of water called the Tongue of the Ocean between another area of shallow banks south of Nassau.  This route was new for us and Jerry had chosen this direction for the forecast.  It all worked out perfectly as we continued south on the Tongue of the Ocean to the DECCA Channel that took us across another shallow bank.  Although the chart warned of areas of 7 feet we saw nothing less than 14 feet.  On we sailed with the wind 12-15 knots on the beam, down along the Exuma chain, through Galliot “cut” to the Exuma Sound.  The wind had picked up to 16-18 from the northeast and the seas meeting the tide going out through the cut were steep.  Once outside they settled down to ocean swells and a fast sail to Georgetown where we anchored. 

A record for us!  From Lake Worth, FL to Georgetown, Bahamas in 50 hours!

All day and night Sunday and Monday in Georgetown we saw winds at 20-25 knots with higher gusts.  Nice to be safely anchored before the winds picked up as forecast.  Nice to be in the Bahamas where every view could be a postcard.  Nice to be where it is warm! 

On Monday we took the dinghy across the harbor in the high winds and choppy water to clear into customs and immigration.  Now we’re officially in the Bahamas.

While in town at the library we met up with Lee and Sherry from Ithaca.  They have a catamaran “Alesto” anchored here in Georgetown.  We started to chat when a group of excited Bahamian 8 & 9 year olds in uniform came in from the school next door.  Unbeknownst to me Lee and Sherry were there to tutor.  “I want to work with you!  I want to work with you!” once girl exclaimed clutching my arm.  So I spent the first half hour of our shore visit reading with Asia.  I enjoyed every minute.  Later Jerry and I had a plate of chicken, rice and beans and coleslaw in true Bahamian style before heading back into the wind across the harbor in the dinghy.

The winds settled down Tuesday and we hoisted the sail and headed back north 50 miles to Black Point.  Donna and Jerry of Bluejacket were there and we were anxious to visit with them.  Perfect sailing and fishing conditions.   12 knots of wind downwind made it easy to haul the mahi on board that we caught.  Actually – 2 mahi on board.  Guess what we had for dinner!  We anchored next to Jerry and Donna.  They came over to visit and for mahi dinner with a game of 99 after.  The wind died down and it was a still night.  Donna and I looked through the crystal clear water to spy a starfish in the sand with the flashlight as they were boarding their dinghy to go home.  We’re in the Bahamas!

We have no plans on exactly where we will be here in the Bahamas.  Every day begins with the SSB radio forecast with Chris Parker.  There are lots of wonderful places to anchor with the prevailing north  or east winds.  Not so many with protection from the west to travel plans have to be made accordingly.

Looking forward to hearing from you!  What’s going on in your part of the world?

Karen & Jerry

Black Point anchorage, Exumas, Bahamas.

Another view from onboard looking towards land for all you palm tree lovers out there.

The new Persephone and the new Bluejacket anchored side by side at Black Point.

Lorraine's Cafe - Coconut bread that Donna and Jerry brought to us as soon as our anchor was down.  Yumm!!!

A 4 ft. mahi - enough fish for LOTS of meals!! 

SPOT link URL

It was a nice but short visit with Brian, and Deb and Laurie in Pennellville before leaving NY for FL (their front yards is where we spend our summers aboard on the Erie Canal).  Thanks AGAIN Dates family!!

Jerry, Dale and Roni were waiting at the West Palm Beach airport on Groundhog’s Day when I flew in from Syracuse.  It was a long time ago (Dec. 8^th to be exact) when Roni brought me to the airport on a chilly day to fly to NY!  Today the sun was out and the temperature in the 70s as we zipped north to Stuart.  On the way back Dale treated us to dinner at Twisted Tuna where we all enjoyed local fish, good conversation, and a pleasant evening.

That first night back on the boat was so still.  It felt as if I were still on land.  Jerry had the boat all ship shape.  That would change the next day as we filled the main salon with groceries and supplies.  Aunt Susan and Ken (our friend Bob Church’s Aunt) loaned us their car and we spent the day at the stores deciding what we’d need for a couple of months in the Bahamas.  What a relaxing end of our shopping day when we returned the car and sat on Susan and Ken’s porch overlooking the water.  Aunt Susan spoils us rotten and we stuffed ourselves with a scrumptious spaghetti dinner with salad.  Brownie sundaes for dessert!  The spaghetti sauce came from NY – Ken and Susan grow the tomatoes, make the sauce, can the sauce and enjoy it in FL all winter.  After our visit we walked back to the park, hopped in the dinghy and returned to the boat.  The wind had picked up some and I enjoyed the gentle motion being lulled to sleep.

Our plan to head to Lake Worth on the ICW was slightly delayed the next morning when we realized we needed to top off the water tanks.  Our 6 five gallon folding water jugs were tossed in the dinghy, back to the park where we filled them up, back to the boat where we lifted the jugs onboard and dumped then into the fill on deck.

The current was against us, the winds gusting to 25 on the nose as we motored our way south to Lake Worth waiting for all of the bridge openings along the way.  We hurried to arrive at Lake Worth to take advantage of west winds predicted for Monday/Tuesday.  Perfect for sailing to the Bahamas.

When we arrived at Lake Worth and listened to Chris Parkers’ weather forecast for boaters on the SSB we started doubting our supposed weather window.  The west winds were expected to be 25 gusting to 35.  That would make a rough trip, especially across the gulf stream.  Reluctantly, we decided we’d have to wait for a better weather window.

Meanwhile we reunited with our friend Bob who spends his summers in NY and winters in Lake Worth (North Palm Beach) sailing back and forth every spring and fall.  Not many 80 year old single-handers choosing this challenging way of life!  Jerry and I went aboard Bob’s boat to visit when Bob returned from his morning run.  Jerry repaired a few things on Bob’s boat.  That evening we walked 1.5 miles to the mall and had dinner.  It rained on us the entire 1.5 miles back to the dinghy and boat and we were soaked.  No problem.  It was a warm enjoyable evening despite the rain.  When we came home Jerry fired up the diesel powered furnace and we dried out in luxury.

Our plan is to stay here in Lake Worth for a few more days awaiting a weather window and visiting with Bob – hopefully this weekend.  It sounds promising for a crossing to the Bahamas leaving Friday.  I’ll try to push the button on the SPOT at times so you can see our location as we travel.

Jerry celebrates with Donna and Jerry on Bluejacket

Donna and Jerry on Bluejacket for Christmas in Stuart, FL

Jerry entertains in Stuart, FL

Jerry's pie and bread in Stuart, FL

Nope - Jerry doesn't starve when Karen's away!

Good food and presentation by Jerry

SPOT link URL

Instead of scrolling down the page to find our SPOT link here it is:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0GDxHcnIICYp8nUSWJhRhxonUejZNOheg

1/21/16

For those of you who may have checked this blog site and wondered where we are and what we have been doing here's an update.  I (Karen) flew home in December to spend the holidays with my family and to see how Dad was doing as he had recently had a number of health issues.  He was doing better the first week I was there but that didn't last.  We ended up taking Dad to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse (about 1 1/2 hr. away) to find out what was wrong the morning he woke up and couldn't walk.  We suspected lyme disease (as he's had it many times) and thought we'd find better resources in a bigger city with a teaching hospital.  The ER experience was....memorable.  Wonderful people and staff but there was no room.  Dad had a bed in the hallway along with many others waiting to be seen by doctors.  We had seen our fair share of ER "excitement" during our 10 hour stay there including a man who staggered in through the ER doors holding his side proclaiming "I've been shot!"  He obviously received immediate treatment.
The neurological floor is where Dad stayed and went through 100 tests - including CT scans, MRIs, and a spinal tap.  He was finally diagnosed with inclusion body myositis, a rare muscle disease,  by Dr. Young, a neurologist who specializes in muscles.  In order to confirm that diagnosis he'd have to have a muscle biopsy.  There's no treatment for inclusion body myositis so he decided why bother with the painful biopsy.  He'd had enough testing at that point and we made arrangements to find a rehab center in Ithaca to continue the physical therapy he was receiving at Syracuse.  He was working on balance and walking with a walker.  Through the whole ordeal Dad was an exceptional patient, albeit a bit humorous/sarcastic at times.  Who would come back from each test and say, "Well, that was fun." He had more needles poked into his arm in those 10 days than he's had all year.
During those 10 days Mom and I stayed at the hospital from 7 am to 8 pm each day, preparing our meals mostly from the cooler in the back of the car.  Each evening we drove 20 minutes to our friends, Brian and Deb's, to stay in their guest room.  I don't know what we would have done without them.  What a wonderful feeling to arrive at their house each evening, sit back and relax, have a warm meal or muffins or freshly baked cookies with a glass of wine, visit, and especially get some sleep!
A rehab room was found in Ithaca at Cayuga Ridge nursing home where Dad stayed for a week.  Two wonderful therapists worked with him on walking, maintaining balance, and exercising a couple of times each day.  It took a little finagling but we got him released on Martin Luther King Jr. Day which is also Mom's birthday.  We pulled out of the place with Dad proclaiming "Free at last!  Free at last!  Thank God Almighty, free at last!"  Fitting.  A celebration for many reasons that evening.
Back at home I had put up a handrail down the hallway, installed a raised toilet seat with grab rails, changed the hard-to-pull bathroom faucet, lowered the bed, added another grab rail in the shower and some other accommodations.  Mom and I found a loveseat recliner and got rid of the old couch to make their small home more walker-friendly.  My brother installed a garage door opener so no more manually lifting the door.  Dad is getting around rather well with the walker (even used just his walking stick our neighbor Bruce made for him years ago), doing exercises to try to maintain or build muscle strength, and working to put some weight back on.
And Jerry!  He's been in Stuart, FL on Persephone awaiting my return.  Luckily, there are a number of friends on the water and on land that have kept him busy and entertained best they could.  Thanks Dale and Roni, Tani and Jamel, Aunt Susan and Ken, and of course Donna and Jerry who spent Christmas anchored next to Persephone.  Jerry had to defrost the refrigerator recently to throw out the food that he didn't eat because he had so many dinners at friends' places!  Our friends Bob and Susan Church from Fulton, NY arrived to go for a day sailwith Jerry there in Stuart.  Bob brought along his whole family - sisters, brother-in-laws, kids - 14 in all.  A grand time was had by all.
If all goes well, and Dad's progress continues, I will fly to FL on Feb. 2nd.  Not sure what our plans will be upon my return.  I'll try to keep you posted. 

12/8/15

Northeast/east winds 20-25 gusts to gale force – that was the forecast along the Florida coast Thanksgiving week.  Sadly, when we left Jacksonville heading east on the St. John’s River we had to turn south onto the Intracoastal Waterway instead of continuing out the inlet to the ocean.  We like wind for sailing but that’s a bit too much.  It was rough on the ocean all week.

We took advantage of the wind and current on the “inside” as we traveled south on the ICW.  Just before leaving Jacksonville Jerry walked to the grocery store and bought an 11 lb. turkey.  On Thanksgiving Day we wrestled with the racks in the oven and were able to find a way to stuff the stuffed bird into the small oven.  All afternoon as we sailed we could smell the turkey roasting.  The stove was unlatched at the bottom so it could gimble as we sailed with the gusty winds heeling us over.  The boat didn’t stay level but the oven and turkey did.  We enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings after sunset anchored near New Smyrna Beach.  Four long days of sailing last week to arrive in Stuart, FL.

Thanksgiving Dinner anchored near New Smyrna Beach

Tania and Jamel sailing "Rainbow Connection"

Dale and Roni live here.  We picked them up with the dinghy and spent a beautiful blue-sky day sailing up and down the North Fork of the St. Lucie River.  That was our second time this year we’ve taken the boat out just for the sake of sailing.  Of course, Jerry and Dale had to look for the other boats in the vicinity and plan how to approach, pass and sail around the smaller boats.  We recognized one of the boats: our friend Jamel and Tania on Rainbow Connection we met in the Bahamas one year.  They’re on their way “home” to a slip at the Sandpiper Marina.   

Jamel took pictures of us as we sailed around.  

Sailing on the North Fork of St. Lucie

Another beautiful picture thanks to Jamel!

 We were again impressed how well the new Persephone sails.  The wind died down and the sun sets as we anchored back where we started.  We shared more stories of sailing, boats, and life as the four of us dine together onboard.

Jerry, Dale, Roni

Jerry and I sailed back up the North Fork the next day to anchor near Sandpiper Marina to find Jamel and Tania when they came home from work.  Jerry ferried them out to Persephone for dinners the two nights we were anchored there.  Tania and Jamel live on their boat all winter.  In the summer they drive to Alaska and operate a commercial fishing boat.  Long days, hard work – they love it!  We’re always fascinated with their tales of work, life, ideas and future plans.  They are both very knowledgeable and experienced and young!  They’re in the “same boat” as we were – trying to sell “Rainbow Connection” and buy something a little bigger.  Know of anyone looking for a nice 32’ Bayfield?

Jerry and I actually had a chance to use our bike and tour the area.  We happened upon the St. Lucie Botanical Gardens and stopped to take a look at the orchids, live oak, bamboo, and other greenery.  I also pumped up the kayak and paddled around on the North Fork.  Until the rain came.

Persephone sailed back to “our spot” near Stuart.  Dale and Roni picked us up and took us to Rancho Chico – an old favorite.  The rest of the week and weekend – rain and wind.  All day, on and off, squalls came through.  On Saturday we donned full foul weather gear – pants and coats, bailed the 40 gallons of water out of the dinghy, and headed around the point.  Our good friend Bob Church’s aunt lives on the water just around the corner.  He wanted us to make sure to visit Aunt Susan.  Susan and her husband Ken were thrilled to have company come by water.  It was nice to sit in their home, look out at the river and rain, talk, and have lunch with them.  Roasted chicken, rice, baked squash, fresh zucchini, apple-banana-cranberry bread, just-made cranberry relish.  Yum!  Aunt Susan sent us  home with a bag of goodies – fresh fruits, more bread, cranberry relish, home-canned applesauce.  Wow!

I suppose it sounds like all we do is sit around, visit, and eat.  We have worked on the boat some – honest!  That is between the visiting, eating, and Scrabble and backgammon.  We’ve also managed to squeeze in the usual grocery shopping, laundry, and cleaning as well.  And we still have to figure out when and how we’ll visit our good friend Arnaud in Manatee Pocket.  Back up the St. Lucie River by boat or a long bike ride across Stuart.

This will be the last post this year as I’m flying to NY to spend the holidays with my parents.  Jerry will stay on the boat and continue the visiting.  Best wishes for the holidays!  Write and let us know what’s happening in your world.

Karen and Jerry