»» ICW through Florida 12.13.2002-4.21.2003
»» Bahamas 4.22.2003


December 13, 2002 - Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia
Good sailing this morning - we made between 6 and 7 knots most of the time and occassionally hit 8 knots. Wow - that's fast for us! It started raining around noon so Greta curled up under the sail cover and made it her cave to keep dry. In the Elizabeth River, we shared the channel with heavy commercial traffic. We passed one towboat/barge combo that was several hundred yards long. With visibility reduced due to the weather, we were alarmed at one point to look up and see a warship bearing down on us. "Big Boat Rule" applies here - get the heck out of the way. We anchored near the Portsmouth Naval Hospital at ICW Mile Marker "0". -Nina-

December 12, 2002 - Great Wicomico River, Virginia
We travelled 68 miles today - our record for one day to date! This was our first day of sailing with our new mast and rig - it's nice to be able to sail again. Kristan tinkered with the autopilot, radar, and GPS and convinced all the electronic gadgets to communicate with each other. So now we don't have to move the laptop to the cockpit every day to navigate. The info from the laptop is relayed to the radar screen and now reports our waypoints, depth, speed, etc. There are benefits to having an electronics geek on board. We anchored alone in a nice river in a protected spot. A nice, but chilly day. -Nina-

December 11, 2002 - Tracy's Landing, Maryland
Freezing rain...
After waiting an extra four days to get our mast rigging finished, we were ready to leave. Unfortunately, the weather wanted us to stay. We woke to the sound of ice falling from the rigging. It had been raining, but it was also freezing. We had to get going if we wanted to get the boat far enough south to leave her for the holidays. We motored down to Herrington Harbor to see Mike and Nancy Haywood before we left town. Nancy fixed some homemade chicken soup for us which warmed our frozen bodies. We also took showers and did a load of laundry before leaving - who knows when the next shower will come. -Nina-

December 5, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
As we awoke this morning and looked up, we saw the hatch (it's made of lexan so it's like tinted hard plastic)over the v-berth was totally covered with snow. The layer of snow must have provided some insulation because it felt a little warmer in the cabin. Upon checking the thermometer we saw that it was indeed warmer - 46 degrees compared to 35 degrees yesterday morning in the salon.

While I made breakfast, Kristan took Greta for her morning outing. But first he had to push all the snow away from the hatchboards to just get out. At first Greta didn't know what to think, but then she decided she liked it and romped and played. About 6-7 inches had accumulated with higher drifts so that's a lot of snow for us Texans.

Our big adventure for the day was trekking about three miles round trip to the grocery store and West Marine. Unfortunately, after all that effort, West Marine had closed early due to the weather. Drats! We did get some groceries and dragged them back through the snow to the boat. I had forgotten how difficult it is to tromp through the snow so we were exhausted when we arrived. Then, we decided to shovel some of the snow off the boat so it wouldn't freeze tonight. We were certainly ready for the spicy Chili that Kristan made for dinner. Now we cuddle up for the evening and try to stay warm. -Nina-

December 4, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
It's cold but sunny so we have to do boat chores. Kristan is working on the new electrical in preparation for the installation of the new mast. I'm varnishing some teak boards and tidying up. Greta and I went for a walk to the park to get out of Kristan's hair for a little while. It's tough being cooped up in the tiny boat when it's cold - we tend to get on each other's nerves more than usual. We watched more of The Fellowship of the Ring dvds that Kristan got for his birthday. Thanks Brian. Between the movie and all the documentary material, there's about 20 hours to view. Great for these cold days. We all squeeze in the v-berth and snuggle in early to stay warm. There's Greta's huge doggie bed, then me in the middle and Kristan on the other side. But we all migrate to the middle because no one wants to touch the sides of the boat - with no insulation, it's really chilly against the hull. -Nina-

December 3, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
We were all up working on the deck this chilly morning, rebedding the stanchions and chain plates in anticipation of the new mast. I heard this strange noise and looked around thinking it was a goose squawking. Kristan and I then looked at each other with a knowing glance and realized it was the couple in the boat next to us. We had seen them go below and guessed what they may be up to but now that they cracked the front hatch, we could hear the woman's moaning all too clearly. The sight of her head through the hatch bobbing up and down confirmed our suspicions and embarrassment. We had seen the couple visit the boat before during a late lunch hour and now we were certain they were having a lurid affair - no married couple would sneak off to an unheated boat to remove their clothes in 30 degree weather! I guess this added a little spice to our boat chores for the day. -Nina-

November 22-29, 2002 - Claremont, North Carolina
We planned an extended Thanksgiving week at the Grandparents Boggs in Claremont. Granddaddy paid for a rental car for us and we drove the 7 or so hours from Annapolis to Claremont. It was a packed week: Great Aunt Rachel's 90th birthday party at the church fellowship hall; celebration of birthdays (Granddaddy and Kris - 18th, Terry - 16th), and lunch at the Country Club for more celebrating including our first anniversary. Terry's cousin Kevin and his wife, Nancy, joined us for lunch. In keeping with tradition, we were presented with gifts of "paper" - toilet, paper towels, dinner napkins, stationery, and lots of paper cash. Ashley and Brian were in Claremont for Thanksgiving weekend, and we were happy to see them since we had last seen them in June for our boat christening party. We had a great week - the Grandparents always show their true Southern hospitality and warmth. -Nina-

November 20, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
Today was a pretty good day. The sun came out and there were times I was actually warm. It was a perfect day to get some of those projects checked off. Most boat projects take a lot longer to finish than I ever imagine they could; today I found the exception to the rule. Remember the little story of flooding our new engine with seawater through the exhaust line by the following seas? Well today I installed the Vetus gooseneck fitting I special ordered to hopefully prevent any more problems with that. Having had every other project take much longer than I originally anticipated, I was pleasantly surprised to only need about 45 minutes for this one. I kinda expected 4 or 5 hours. Things are looking up.

Nina is sanding a few pieces of teak in preparation for their coats of varnish or Cetol. She looks so cute in a flannel shirt with sanding dust all over her. She put a dock-cart on the dock to act as a blockade for Greta. Greta could certainly get around it, but it is enough a psychological barrier that it causes her to slow down and look back for permission before she crosses it. Therefore, we can leave Greta to roam our end of the E Pier.

We also re-bedded enough of the deck-fittings to put the inside of the boat back together enough to not lead us into a realm of insanity. This is a good thing. It amazes me how fast our emotional state can deteriorate when our little home is a shambles. There is plenty more to do, but we can at least sit down and not be overwhelmed with the clutter. Hopefully tomorrow will be as good as today and we will be ready to leave the boat confident that she will be ok while we are in North Carolina for Thanksgiving and birthday celebrations. -Kristan-

November 19, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
It is still, technically speaking, my birthday. I wasn't born until 3:46 in the afternoon, Central Standard Time. So, I have until 4:46 today to celebrate. Maybe today will be better than yesterday. We shall see.

Not quite as frustrating as yesterday, but boat projects rarely go just perfectly. Enough complaining, I am living on a boat and that is what I wanted to do. Hopefully Nina will remember this all fondly. We did, much to Greta's constant objections, steal away and have some Mexican food for a slightly belated Birthday dinner. I ate the Hungry Amigo. MmmMmm good. And Greta was still on the boat when we got back. Thank God for the little miracles. -Kristan-

November 18, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
It's my birthday and I can cry if I want to! It rained all weekend while we were away, and the tape that we put down to cover the holes we have in our decks from the absent chain plates didn't do such a good job. Almost every cubby and locker on this boat managed to collect mucho moisture if not standing water. Our settee cushions are soaked. We put Greta in her cubby and she wasn't too thrilled to stay there. Now we know why - the thing was soaked. Sorry Greta. So, we start pulling all the stuff out and drying all the cubbies and lockers and then we tear out the panels that allow us access to the under-fittings for the stanchions and deck fittings and then, since we are already this far, remove the deck fittings and attempt to dry everything out before we re-bed them, cuz we don't want to trap the moisture inside the deck, cuz if the moisture stays it could rot out the core material or if there were a freeze it could freeze and even more complicate the situation...

It's my birthday and I can cry if I want to, cry if I want to...
-Kristan-

November 17, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
We drove an hour north to see this 7.8 acre piece of land situated on a little peninsula off the Little Wicomico River. Nice scenery, a boat-house, a couple of sheds, and two houses. Decent price, but I'm not completely in love with the houses— love the land though.

No, we aren't really ready to buy a big parcel of land in Virginia, but we are eagerly exploring the possibilities wherever we can. Anyone want to invest in a little bayside resort? -Kristan-

November 16, 2002 - Deltaville, Virginia
We all passed out early last night. It is strange; my sense of time is completely changed on a boat. Six o'clock in the evening feels late on the boat with no sun. But in a house with plenty of light, I feel like I should stay up much later, except that my body expects to be heading to sleep. Strange sensations.

Nina baked me a cake! With my birthday on Monday and no oven on the boat, we are celebrating my birthday a few days early while we have the luxury of an oven. Thanks Nina! I love you!

Mike picked up one of those little real estate guides on the way down and we have been perusing the guide for that perfect place on the water. Something to possibly become a resort/bed and breakfast kind of place. There is a lot of relatively well priced waterfront in Virginia. Relative to the cost of anything farther north— like the $560,000 dollar 1200 square foot shack we found on Long Beach Island. Something to think about, we don't want to live on the boat forever.

Happy Birthday Dad! -Kristan-

November 15, 2002 - Deltaville, Virginia
Nancy picked us up this morning to take us to Herrington Harbour North, our old stomping grounds from back in February, March, April and May. We (Mike, Nancy, Nina, Jack, Greta, and )I are going to Mike's family place in Deltaville, VA. We've been there before with them, back in June or July. It's a nice place, quiet, great view of the waters and away from the boat. It is nice to get off the boat sometimes.

I can't wait to get the boat back together again. I am starting to feel like Humpty Dumpty and it is no fun. Glad to have this weekend to take my mind off our trials and tribulations. Hopefully I will be ready to get back to the tasks by Monday. -Kristan-

November 14, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
Today I borrowed Nancy's car. I was kinda scared, things move so much faster when you can go faster than 6 M.P.H. It took the better part of the day, but I got all around town and checked off many to-dos. The primary task was getting some supplies for projects; wood, paint, little electronic do-dads, etc. Six hours of shopping would have taken weeks if I would have had to walk or bus or bike. Thanks Nancy! -Kristan-

November 12, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
It is raining steadily, and Greta is depressed because she can't go outside. She would generally be sitting in the cockpit staring at the trees watching for the squirrels scurrying about. The fall foliage is still quite pretty in Back Creek where our slip is located so if we had to be "stuck" somewhere while the mast is being fabricated, then this is the place to be.

Despite the rain, our insurance adjustor just finished his inspection of the damages from the dismasting. He regaled us with stories of fraudulent insurance claims and of a dumb guy getting caught sinking his boat (he drilled holes in the cockpit and filled it with water from a hose at the dock). So there goes our plan of scuttling the boat and collecting the insurance money! Just kidding (in case our insurance company is reading our website). Luckily, our marine surveyor/insurance adjustor is a very reasonable guy. Yes, stupidity was covered under our insurance policy. -Nina- (Hey now, I resemble that remark, it was an honest mistake!!! -Kristan)

November 11, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
Whew - it stinks; the old head (toilet) that is. Today's project was replacing the head and the 27 year old hoses. The flusher for the head had lost its seal and every time the head was flushed, it sprayed stale seawater on your hands. Also, we have been plagued by unpleasant smells emanating from under the v-berth where these hoses are located. So, we took a big breath and spent about 6 hours on this yucky project. But now we are happy with our clean-smelling head. -Nina-

November 10, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
Another day of working on boat projects. Apparently, for every day of cruising we must put in an equal number of days working on the boat. We stop in the afternoon and head to the bathhouse for showers.

Dave and Elaine picked us up at 5:00 and headed to their townhouse, which was only about a half mile away. We had a wonderful dinner of salad, pasta, and ice cream. Dave and Elaine have a boat currently at the marina where we are and are buying a newer, bigger sailboat (Tartan 3800). So we talked boats, boats, and more boats. -Nina-

November 9, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
We have moved our broken mast to the dock, but now we have to explain what happened to everyone that walks by. Our story is a little embarrassing so everyone just nods sympathetically. One couple, Dave and Elaine, stopped to chat for a while and talk boats. Later Elaine came back to invite us to dinner Sunday night. Never ones to turn down a dinner offer, we graciously accepted. -Nina-

November 8, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
It makes the boat projects much easier when you can easily jump off the boat and move around. It is a good thing that the season is slowing down around here, I don't think our fellow dockmates would be too happy with the pile of bent aluminum and torn sail covers that have proliferated around our slip.

Our friend Mike stopped by unexpectedly this afternoon for a visit. Nice to be in a place where friends can just drop by. We decided to cook burgers on the boat and Nancy joined us with their dog Jack. Happy to have friends around. -Kristan-

November 7, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
We got confirmation from the insurance guy that we could splurge and get a slip for the month. So now we are about a hundred yards from where we anchored last night, but in a nice slip with piers and water and electric and hot showers and and and.

We gave Chesapeake Rigging the go ahead on getting our tube (what they call a section of aluminum before they do all that they do to make it a spar) ordered. Karstin from Chesapeake Rigging came to re-measure our old mast and said that they would have the tube ordered today. It might be here first of next week. Things are going quick enough that we might be able to get south before Christmas. One can only hope. We are not set up for cold weather on this boat.

This portion of back creek is quite beautiful and with the leaves changing, something that we are not very familiar with, it is a nice place to be stuck for the next month. -Kristan-

November 6, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
After paying for a mooring for two nights, we decided it was time to get back on budget and drop the hook (anchoring is still free). So we motored from Spa Creek to Back Creek to look for anchoring room. Although it is getting late in the season, there were quite a few boats anchored out. So we motored in circles and ultimately anchored and re-anchored three times before we were comfortable with our position relative to the other boats and the channel. Normally, this would not be a big deal. But, our electric windlass is broken so I had to haul up a 45 pound anchor and 60-70 feet of heavy chain twice. To compound the misery, the anchor and chain dig into black slimy mud in the bottom of the creek so when it is hauled up, the mud is slung all over me, my clothes, and the deck. It is thoroughly disgusting and necessitates a major wash-down of the deck and a clean change of clothes. When the windlass is working, then I just step on the up/down switches with my foot and use the wash-down hose with my hands. This preferred method allows for washing of the chain and anchor before it is hauled on board. Needless to say, our windlass is now in for repair! -Nina-

November 5, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
We are anchored on Mooring #1, just off the Annapolis City Dock. The fee of $20 per day buys the convenience of a 3 minute dinghy ride to the quaint downtown area and a shower in the harbormaster's building. The City Dock is also known as "ego alley" to the locals because during the high season the only boaters who can afford the dockage are typically on "well-heeled" yachts and want to see and be seen - thus the nickname. Now during the off-season, if there is room, the dockage is only $25 per night. We almost got a berth, but unfortunately it was fully booked when we called to confirm.

Kip from Chesapeake Rigging came out to the boat today to look at the mast and rigging. We are anxious to get our insurance claim processed so we can get heading south again.

In the evening, we moved under the bridge to another mooring where we would be better protected from the surge. On the bright side, we didn't have to worry about calling the bridge tender for an opening since we have no mast. As we passed under the bridge, we looked for the tiny troll doll that we remembered setting on a bridge support this summer - but he was gone. Annapolis is very boater-friendly; you can tether your dinghy at the end of any city street that ends at the water. So we tied up and took Greta for some exercise before retiring for the evening. -Nina-

November 4, 2002 - Annapolis, Maryland
Part of what this adventure is to be for us, is the search for a beautiful place to possibly call home. We have now touched on every coastal state north of Virginia: Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. To be sure, all of these states are a far cry from the lands of Texas. Some aspects much better, some a little worse. But the scenery, as viewed by the coastal sailor, is all quite beautiful. However, if Nina and I had to pick right now, by site alone, we would want a little farm on the upper Chesapeake Bay. Old stone grain silos sitting on a field of green with the slightly weathered red barn and the stone farmhouse on top of the hill. A handful of bovine and a garden. Plenty of grass for Greta to run. A dock on the bay and a boat in the water. The farms we saw around Elk River, Bohemia River and the Sassafrass River are just too unspoiled and too picturesque to describe. It amazes us how some areas of the East Coast can be so populated when others just around the corner are not. Urban sprawl is not without its mysteries.

Of course there is much more to finding a home than the view. What are the people like? Are there jobs? Can we afford it? So far we haven't answered all of those questions, but we have met a decent amount of people. The people have been the exciting surprise on the adventure. Maybe it's because we are boat people, maybe we draw out the good folks by the nature of what we are doing. But so far we have yet to run into anyone that hasn't been at least interesting and most are incredibly friendly and helpful and considerate.

Maybe that is why as we were approaching the Bay Bridge, the sun broke through the clouds and sparkled on the bay a road directing us right to Annapolis. Our friends Mike and Nancy & Rick and Anne are here and we were eager to see them. It felt like we were heading home. At least for now. -Kristan-

November 3, 2002 - Chesapeake City, Maryland
We know it to be long, it's the whole state of Delaware.
Having checked with the current tables, I planned our departure to catch the flood of the lower Delaware Bay to rush us north and beat the ebb tide in the upper Bay. The flood was going to give us a 2-3 knot push and cut our travel time significantly. The current and tides are typically celestial, predictable and unchanging. The winds; however, are not. The forecast...
...I know I keep harping on the forecast, but...
...The forecast was for 10-15 and seas of 1-2 feet. What we experienced was twice that and the seas were like square blocks coming at us every 5 seconds. The pounding negated my anticipated speed increase and made for an incredibly unpleasant morning. By noon the winds and the seas subsided, but by then our favorable current window had vanished and we had the rest of the bay and the C&D canal to contend with. Sunset was at 4:59 and the nav lights that were working before sunrise were now not working, "Hi Mr. Coast Guard Cutter!" Thankfully he took our blinking yellow light and intermittent spot light as a sign of our best efforts and left us alone. After a long day that took us from before dawn to beyond dusk, we finally anchored in the Chesapeake City Anchorage Basin.
Yes, a very long day indeed. -Kristan-

November 2, 2002 - Cape May, New Jersey
Pretty uneventful, knock on wood. Motored straight down the coast to the southern tip of Jersey. Cold as snot, every 6.5 seconds salt spray found its way into my eyes, bouncy as hell and did I say cold as snot. Thanks for the boots and the gloves Ma. Many people have told us what a great little town Cape May is. Cute, historic, fun. We just can't seem to find the right kind of day to bring us to to this town in the right state of mind to enjoy it. Maybe the third time's a charm. We'll let you know. -Kristan-

November 1, 2002 - Brigantine Island (adjacent to Atlantic City), New Jersey
Dad left around 5 or six this morning, he took a shuttle— thank God. We dallied 'till 11, check-out time and then headed back to Brigantine. Three hours later we played row-boat/dinghy shuttle and got everyone back aboard our ugly powerboat and then I was off to return the rental car to Atlantic City International Airport. With such an important sounding name I thought it would certainly have the normal airport facilities, things like a rental car return sign and possibly a shuttle or bus service back to town or to the casinos at least. Nope, not this place. The first thing you see upon driving towards the terminal is an old rusting 747. The really short kind that truly lends itself to the name "Jumbo Jet." I don't think the thing has flown in years, I certainly wouldn't fly in it. Then I saw tumbleweeds. Our friend Jim from Brigantine spoke of the tumbleweeds he saw in Texas. I lived in Texas for 25 years and I think I saw tumbleweeds maybe thrice. Yes Jim, tumbleweeds in Jersey. Well, I finally spotted a small parking-lot with a handful of late-model GM cars, the first indication of a possible rental car establishment. Then the small, foot by foot and a half, sign that, in inch-high letters, informed me to note the mileage and proceed to the rental car counter. My best guess as to where I would find the rental car counter took me away from the dilapidated jumbo jet and towards the building that reminded me of the Recreation Center near my high school in Fort Worth. It was the terminal and lo and behold, a rental car desk. Most polite rental car agent I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with, or to, or through, or whatever the case might have been. Unfortunately she informed me the only way back to AC is by cab. And of course that cost almost as much as the rental. Oh well. It was good to spend time with Dad. And if it cost a little bit to get away from what we were getting away from it all with, well, that's OK. -Kristan-

October 31, 2002 - Washington D.C.
Terry had meetings today so we dropped him off and then took the rental car for sightseeing. We spent the morning walking our legs off seeing all the presidential and war memorials. Greta was with us but was more interested in tugging on her leash trying to chase the squirrels than showing respect to our presidents or veterans. After a scrumptious lunch at Thai Roma near the Capitol, we drove in circles looking for a parking spot and trying to decide on our next destination. We decided to try for a tour of the Capitol. We trudged several blocks from our metered parking spot, and then walked all the way around the building only to find that the tour kiosk was back where we started from. We were able to get tickets for the 2:50 pm tour so we had an hour to kill. We were cold, windblown, and desperately in need of a restroom. Luckily, we were near the Conservatory where we found facilities and enjoyed a quick tour of the flora and fauna. The Capitol tour was nice, but after waiting in line and going through security, we really only got to see three rooms inside. We called Kristan's cousin, Sarah (who works at the White House) and met up with her for a fun tex-mex dinner at The Austin Grill. After dinner, we dropped off Sarah, picked up Terry from a French restaurant and headed back to Baltimore. We made a quick detour by the airport where we had to change out rental cars; then back to the hotel to crash. -Nina-

October 30, 2002 - Baltimore, Maryland
Terry had patiently listened to our whining about being cold on the boat so he volunteered to take us to West Marine for some shopping. It was Christmas in October - Terry bought us gloves, hats, boots, and a small electric heater. We walked around the Inner Harbor area and enjoyed some good pub food. Then back to the hotel for pizza, beer, and movie watching. -Nina-

October 29, 2002 - Baltimore, Maryland
Terry took us all to breakfast at an oceanside cafe suggested by Jim and Pat. We spent the rest of the morning packing up and securing the boat to leave for a week. We drove back to Baltimore (about 3 hours) to the Amerisuites where we stayed the next three nights. Of course the Amerisuites seemed like a luxury resort to us - unlimited hot showers, clean sheets, heating, etc. We enjoyed a quiet evening in the hotel with tasty take out Chinese food. -Nina-

October 28, 2002 - Brigantine Island (adjacent to Atlantic City), New Jersey
The shaft was re-cut this morning and Jimmy got everything reinstalled (this after dropping some tools in the bilge which had to be retrieved). When we were lowered back into the water Kristan went below and heard the unmistakable sound of water gushing in - oh crap, not good! So, the boat had to be pulled up again so Jimmy could take another shot at tightening the shaft seal. The second "splash" was a success. We were cutting it close to get back in the water before low tide. Eastern Marine deals mainly with powerboats and there was barely enough water in the "well" for the draft on our sailboat. So around 3:30, we motored away once again toward Atlantic City. It was only about 3 hours to Atlantic City, but the second half of the trip was in the dark. The route along the ICW is very circuitous and we had to be very careful picking our way through the navigation markers in the dark. As we neared Atlantic City, the lights of the casinos made an interesting backdrop to the darkness, but also made it very difficult to pick out the tiny flashing green and red navigation lights on the channel markers. After making our way through the tiny inlet to the Brigantine lagoon, we let out a deep breath. Whew - we made it. We are starting the count over: One day - no incidents. We called Jim and Pat who graciously invited us to spend the night with them. We watched football with Jim (Pat was at Bingo) and awaited the arrival of Terry via rental car. Terry finally arrived around midnight and after visiting until 2:00 in the morning, we dropped exhausted into bed. -Nina-

October 27, 2002 - Beach Haven, New Jersey
Kristan found a video rental store open last night so I scrounged up a little cash from my secret stash and we rented two dvd's. We watched A Beautiful Mind last night and Ocean's Eleven today. The movies were nice diversions from just hanging out. I spent the morning scrubbing on the boat and Kristan relaxed with a Tom Clancy novel. It was sunny today so we headed to the beach for a stroll in the afternoon. Greta never tires of running in the sand and chasing birds. I took a nice hot shower in the marina bathroom, and Kristan is headed up to take one now - amazing that always makes us feel better.

Once again, we are hopeful to be on our way tomorrow and plan to motor to Atlantic City (about three hours). Then the plan is for Terry to drive from Annapolis to Atlantic City in the rental car to pick us up. Then back to Annapolis/D.C. to hang out with Terry for the week; then back to pick up the boat. We are looking forward to a break from the boat. Greta is standing in the companionway whining - I think she's ready to come in for the night. -Nina-

October 26, 2002 - Beach Haven, New Jersey
It rained hard all night and we swayed a little in the slings - a strange feeling. We awoke feeling optimistic that we might get out of here today. But it was not to be. Jimmy came by around 9:00 to get to work. As I was making breakfast, I could hear Jimmy and Kristan talking and I knew it wasn't good. The shaft was too long - it wouldn't let the rudder move back and forth. Jimmy tried to find someone open today to re-machine the shaft but everyone was closed. So, we try again Monday. And now there's no way to get to Annapolis by Monday (at least by boat anyway). At the moment, Kristan and I are discussing our options - we aren't in great moods. Who would have thought that we would be so miserable stuck in a beach town? -Nina-

October 25, 2002 - Beach Haven, New Jersey
We prepare for the towboat to pull us out of the slip at the yacht and tow us down to Eastern Marine where the repairs are to be made. The shaft hasn't arrived yet, but they are sure it will?? We are pulled out of the water and the boat is left in the slings of the Travelift. The mechanics do what they can to prepare, but...... still no shaft. At the end of the day, the yard owner drives to Toms River to pick up the shaft. They don't normally work on Saturday (tomorrow), but Jimmy promises to come in long enough to put on the shaft and prop and dump us in the water.

We are anxious to get out of here and try to get to Annapolis by Monday. Terry (Kristan's dad) has made arrangements to extend a business in D.C., and we were looking forward to spending a few days in a hotel with him. Any way we look at it, it is a good three days on the boat to get to Annapolis in time. We can just make it if we get out of here tomorrow. -Nina-

October 24, 2002 - Beach Haven, New Jersey
Kristan took the dinghy over to Eastern Marine to check on the status of the repairs. Bad news - the shaft has still not arrived. The mechanic/boat yard owner promises to keep hounding the people to get the shaft. He was kind enough to send Kristan back with a small electric heater. So we have closed up the boat and plugged in the heater (luckily we are hooked into shore power or we couldn't use it). So now with the heater plugged in for an hour, the cabin temperature has risen three degrees to 54. We'll take it. Now we wait.......again. In the evening we braved the chill outside to walk to town. Beach Haven is primarily a summer haven, and most all the businesses shut down from October to May. Luckily, we found a pizza joint open and took a pizza back to the boat. We'll see what tomorrow brings. -Nina-

October 23, 2002 - Beach Haven, New Jersey
The parts haven't arrived - we're still here. Not much to do today - took Greta for walks, read, cooked, then read some more. Too chilly to go to the beach today. The computer crashed so Kristan spent the day rebuilding it - I guess the computer isn't flourishing in the marine environment either. In the evening, we played gin rummy again. Kris won again. Owe him another back rub. We all snuggle up in the sleeping bags in the v-berth and stay warm. -Nina-

October 22, 2002 - Beach Haven, New Jersey
Jim and Pat brought us back around noon and we spent the afternoon stowing all the food, drink, and clean laundry. I had washed our blankets at Jim and Pat's so we looked forward to sleeping on clean, dry bedding. We walked a few blocks to the beach and let Greta run in the sand. It's off-season now so there's only a few fishermen on the beach. It's relaxing strolling and listening to the waves crash. Spent a quiet evening playing cards. Kristan won so I owe him a back massage tonight. Looking forward to getting repairs done tomorrow. -Nina-

October 19-21, 2002 - Brigantine Island adjacent to Atlantic City, New Jersey
Jim and Pat rescued us from the "godforsaken boat" and took us to their condo on Brigantine Island. Their balcony deck overlooks the lagoon where we anchored back in July. It's a great place to watch the sunsets next to the lights of the Atlantic City casinos. We enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing and comfortable time with Jim and Pat. They fed us wonderful meals - grilled london broil with all the fixin's, german sausage and sauerkraut, and big breakfasts. I took advantage of the unlimited hot water and enjoyed long soaks in the bathtub. On Monday, they took us to the discount grocery store and liquor store where we stocked up on food and wine. Then to the library where we purchased used books on the cheap. Kristan enjoyed having the use of a tv and watched a marathon day of football on Sunday. But now it's time to think about going back to the boat - parts are supposed to be in on Wednesday. -Nina-

October 18, 2002 - Beach Haven on Long Beach Island, New Jersey
It was to be about a 6-8 hour easy trip along the ICW to Atlantic City. It was a sunny and relatively nice but cool day. We had the skyline of Atlantic City ahead and we were looking forward to seeing our friends, Jim and Pat Wilcox. Around 12:30, I went below to make lunch. I brought Kristan his soup and took the helm so he could eat first. I had the helm for only a few seconds and suddenly the wheel jerked out of my hands. WHAT NOW? At first I thought we had run aground or hit something. But we were right in the middle of the channel and it certainly didn't feel like we had run aground - we've done that enough times to know what it feels like. And we didn't see anything in the water that we could have hit. Now the shifter won't go into gear so something is obviously wrong. I start frantically digging gear out of the lockers so Kristan can examine the engine and transmission. The shifter cable is broken, but even if Kristan manually engages the transmission, the boat still doesn't move. Perplexed, he suggests that maybe we have lost the propeller. But, it's a brand new prop - that doesn't make sense. We are slowly drifting into shallow water so Kristan hops in the dinghy and pulls the boat into deeper water so we don't go aground. Then we call Towboat US - our only option now with no ability to sail or motor. Luckily the Towboat is nearby and he tows us back to Beach Haven Yacht Club about 5 miles north. The Towboat captain arranges for a mechanic to look at our problem when we arrive. The mechanic checks all the things Kristan had checked but dismisses the suggestion that our prop is gone. They can't pull us out of the water since there's only one Travelift and the boat yard is backed up trying to remove boats from the water. So now there's only one way to know if Kristan's assessment is accurate. He strips down to his shorts and jumps into the 50 something degree water. Whaddya know - the one month old shaft has sheared off and the prop is gone. So we're stuck for awhile. The mechanic orders the parts, and now we wait, yet again.

We call Jim and Pat in Atlantic City. They have just returned from Las Vegas and volunteer to drive up and rescue us for a few days. We gratefully agree. They will be here tomorrow. -Nina-

October 17, 2002 - Barnegat Light, New Jersey
Ah, sunshine today and calm winds finally. We needed the sunshine to perk up our mind set and allow us to get on deck and start sorting out the mess. After taking photos for the insurance claim, we spent all morning and most of the afternoon dismantling the twisted carnage of the mast, rigging, boom, etc. Kristan used his rechargeable sawzall to cut the mast in half so it could be stowed along the side of the deck. The mast wasn't salvageable anyway since it was bent at about a 70 degree angle. We felt better after getting everything sorted out.

There were only two other boats in the anchorage and we met both owners. Charlie was on an old wooden trawler and had been there since February with a broken rudder. He was short of funds and trying to figure out how to get it repaired and eventually make it to California. He was helpful with information for the area such as informing us it was $5 spaghetti night at the local cafe.

Jack and Barbara were on an Endeavor 37 sailboat and invited us to dinner on Lady Barbara. We were happy to get away from our boat for a couple of hours and had a nice dinner aboard their boat. They are from Long Island and were originally going to Florida for the winter, but the weather had held them up to late so they were turning around and going back home.

Tomorrow, we head for Atlantic City, motoring. -Nina-

October 16, 2002 - Barnegat Light, New Jersey
SO that's what a Nor'Easter is like. 30+ knot winds with gusts in the 50s for twelve hours. Waves that become airborne mixing saltwater with the fresh water blowing sideways from the clouds. Around 2:00 in the afternoon we got a reprieve, but it only lasted 30 minutes, now it's blowing about 20 from the southwest. In the lull we did manage to get up on deck and survey our rig, get some photos together for the insurance company, pull some clevis pins, and let the poor puppy do her business. Maybe tomorrow will be a decent day. We're about due. -Kristan-

October 15, 2002 - Barnegat Light, New Jersey
Where does one begin?

At the beginning I suppose...
...We finally left Atlantic Highlands, and the Canadians, and weathered unpleasant but not dangerous seas. Heading south trying to get as far as we could before the forecasted Nor'Easter came to beat us up. Manasquan Inlet is the first inlet on the Jersey Coast and the beginning of the New Jersey Intra Coastal Waterway. We thought it would be a nice change of pace to get off the rolling seas and see a different view of New Jersey. The protection that the ICW offers is offset with the bridges that must be cleared and the shoaling that makes the water difficult to navigate. The circuitous routes also add time and distance to the trip, but the calm water and change of scenery are sometimes worth it. So, 6 bridges later and two hours time brings us to channel marker 20...

Taking a moment to get my head out of the wind and confer with Nina about the upcoming weather, I manage to run the port side of the boat into the steel channel marker. Nina and I can't remember hearing or seeing anything, but two seconds later we look out from under the dodger and the mast and the boom and the rigging are collapsed all around us. The dodger bore the brunt of the collapse. Without it, I or Nina or Greta could have been seriously injured or more likely killed. Thank God for the dodger.

I spent the next minute and a half going through many emotions, assuming that this was to be the end of our adventure. Truly homeless, at last. But then, a couple of fisherman slowly approached and apparently decided humor was the correct course of action in times like this and said they thought they had seen everything, now they really had. They, after letting me know it wasn't the stupidest thing they had seen on the ICW, helped us get the top of the mast out of the mud and back aboard the boat. Twenty minutes later, with the mast and its compound fracture secured to the boat we were feeling a little better. Maybe it wasn't the end of the world. Now to find a suitable anchorage before the forecasted 50 knot winds come find us.

The guide book suggested we hug the nav-aids to keep from running aground in the shallow waters of the ICW, that's what led to our current situation. So, when we were running through a the Oyster Creek Channel and ran aground, I decided that maybe we should stick closer to the buoys, just not on top of them. Two groundings later we made it into a decent spot to await the night's windy festivities. Where do I hang the anchor light? -Kristan-

October 14, 2002 - Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
The forecasters were not wrong. About 2 o'clock in the morning it was blowing hard enough to make the 45 foot tall aluminum mast vibrate like a guitar string- a very low E. Very hard to sleep when things are shaking and vibrating and creaking- the anchor rode snubber creaks like an old roof on a derelict house when the nylon line stretches under the 35 knot winds. And of course it didn't let up. Not until about noon.

So at 7 o'clock, of course, I thought we should still attempt to give it a go, knowing that the wind and the waves would be at our back for the majority of our trip and hey, we would be flying down the waves! Well an hour into it and we decided that patience is a virtue, better safe than sorry, slow and steady stays the course...

We spent another day in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Maybe tomorrow?!! -Kristan-

October 13, 2002 - Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Lot's of Canadians here waiting for the weather before they continue heading south. If you close your eyes it sounds like you are in France- more French being spoken than English at the moment. The winds and the rains stopped finally. Hopefully we will be able to leave in the morning. Forecast calls for gale force winds. The forecasters have been known to be wrong. -Kristan-

October 12, 2002 - Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
54 hours and counting. Yes we're still in Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Rain, rain go away
Come back another day.

Watched the Longhorns lose to Oklahoma yet again. We were lucky enough (or unlucky as it turned out) to get just enough of the local ABC signal on my little Casio 2 inch television. We did; however, have to make some foil rabbit-ears for the antenna and move around the boat as we swung at anchor to try and keep the signal. Lots of work for such a crappy game. How does that song go, "Boomer Sooner. Boomer Sooner. Boomer Sooner...?"
Oh Well... -Kristan-

October 11, 2002 - Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
We are still at anchor in Atlantic Highlands, NJ where it has been raining heavily for 29 hours straight and there's no indication of clearing any time soon. We don't want to go back offshore until the weather clears as there are no safe inlets nearby with these strong winds.

Greta finally braved the downpour a couple of hours ago to run quickly to the bow to relieve herself. Kristan and I are struggling to entertain ourselves as well as Greta. We have read until our eyes were blurry, then read some more. Kristan surveyed our collection of 5 dvd's to see which ones we could tolerate watching yet again. We watched the making of Star Wars, Episode I along with all the commentary. I made apple cakes for a mid afternoon snack. Every half hour or so, we stick our heads up above the hatch to look hopefully for signs of clearing skies - nothing yet. Unfortunately, the forecast is for continued strong winds and heavy rain for at least another day. This tiny cabin just seems to close in around us on heavy weather days when we are stuck below. Pray for our sanity.
-Nina-

October 10, 2002 - Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
Time 4:40 am: we are awakened by the boat lurching and rolling from a passing boat. I jump up to make sure the dishes drying from last night on the counter do not crash to the floor. Oh well, we have to get up at 5:00 am anyway to make our run through Hell Gate. This is the part of the New York City waterway where the East River and the Harlem River converge creating turbulent eddies to go along with the stiff currents. The currents can be as great as 4.5 knots, and our normal speed under power is around 6 knots. You would not want to get caught navigating against the current and get stuck in an eddy with a barge heading toward you..... not good. So Kristan studied the "Tides and Currents" for the area and determined that our best bet would be to get started early and have about a 3 knot current with us. We started under the Throgs Neck Bridge and wound through the waterway in the early am dawn gazing at the twinkling lights of the city. During the first hour, we had the water to ourselves as the city came to life. We felt strangely isolated while we snaked quietly through the water sometimes as close as 50 yards from a roadway. This is a distinctly different perspective of Manhattan than when we were mixing with the teeming mass of people on the sidewalks in Times Square on our last visit. Around 6:30 am, we started encountering all the water traffic zipping back and forth - high speed ferries, tugs pushing and/or pulling barges, and a few recreational boats; no other sailboats though. After about three hours, we reached the southern end of the city and passed under the Verazzano Bridge leaving the skyline of New York City fading into the clouds astern.

With winds forecast to be 30-35 knots tomorrow mixed with rain, we decided we would likely stay put tomorrow rather than fight heavy winds and big seas. The wind was on our nose today, so we motored to Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey and anchored outside a mooring field. It rained all afternoon so we are all stuck inside in the cabin. Greta has not been ashore in three days so she's getting a little "stir-crazy" (actually we all are). Kristan fixed Chili and corn cakes for dinner, and now comes the fun part of washing dishes in the tiny galley sink. After that, we'll retire to the v-berth with our books and snuggle in with Greta for the night. -Nina-

October 9, 2002 - Little Bay: Queens, NY
A long, but not entirely painful day. We averaged 5.5 knots under sail as we covered 55 nautical miles from The Thimble Islands, CT to Little Bay just under the Throg's Neck Bridge connecting Queens to The Bronx.

Speaking of bridges... The Coast Guard was asking for assistance all day with a reported person in the water under the Broadway Bridge over the Harlem River. By the 6th hour of radio requests, we were wondering what the chances were of a successful rescue. Hopefully this person found his or her way out. Unfortunately, we never hear the ends of the tails that the Coast Guard opens on the VHF radio.

It is amazing what a different place a days sail can take you to. Last night we were in the surreal world of quaint homes on little rock islands, seemingly completely away from it all. And now we are anchored under a major thoroughfare and the LaGuardia flight path and are very much in the midst of New York City. One day, two very different worlds. We see an awful lot of that.

Tomorrow we leave all the hustle and bustle of New York and pass back into tranquility. At least we plan to. We'll see tomorrow. -Kristan-

October 8, 2002 - The Thimble Islands, CT
Today must have been a good day. Mommy and Daddy were smiling and they enjoyed reading for most of the day. The boat wasn't bouncing around so much and the sun was warming the cool breeze from the North. We stopped in an area with lots of little rock islands with houses on them. No beaches; maybe that's why they didn't take me to shore for my playtime. I guess that means I have to go do my business up on the anchor platform - sure is hard to land it on such a small spot, but they always seem happy with me even when I miss. I guess to make up for it, they gave me the rib bones from their dinner last night. Dang, them bones are good. Mamma's cooking some punkin cakes; I just got a sampling - MmmMmm good. I gotta go now, time to run some more laps around the boat- gotta get some energy out somehow. Cheers and woof-woof. -Greta-

October 7, 2002 - Stonington, CT
Today was a tough day. There was not a particular event that was terrible, just a culmination of many smaller frustrations. Leaving the anchorage at Sachuest Cove, RI this morning, the windlass (mechanical device that helps pull in the chain and anchor for you nautically challenged) stopped working. Kristan noticed a few days ago that some of the inner workings were working loose, but we were hoping to make it back to Annapolis to get it repaired. Anyway, Kristan banged on it this morning and got it working again. Then, we argued a little about whether to take the shorter route out of the anchorage. Kristan wanted to take the shortcut which would take us over some 7 foot depths, but I wasn't comfortable doing so because the depthfinder wasn't working and the last thing we needed was to run aground. The depthfinder only works sporadically, so that's yet another item we have to get running properly.

After attaching the ziploc bag/backflow preventer described yesterday, we started sailing closehauled. We moved along rapidly, but at a rather severe heel which always highlights those items which I have failed to stow properly. At a 15-30 degree heel, there is always something that crashes to the floor. And trying to use the head at this angle is rather challenging.

After the wind moved around to our nose, we removed the ziploc bag from the exhaust and attempted to start the motor. When the motor didn't turn over immediately, we both had momentary heart stoppages considering the last engine problem. But surely with our sophisticated ziploc bag backflow preventer, we couldn't have gotten more water into the engine. Could we? Kristan went below to assess the situation, and luckily it was just an electrical cable that had worked its way loose from its connection. We got the engine started, but the engine panel was inoperable until we could get to the anchorage for Kristan to property reattach the cables. So now we are motoring in what should be decent seas - only 3 to 5 feet or so. But since the wind had changed directions, the seas were now confused and the boat was being tossed first one direction and then another. Greta took refuge on the sole of the cockpit or between our legs when we would allow it. Kristan and I took refuge behind the dodger to try to avoid most of the spray thrown at us by the seas. But, you have to look around the dodger sometimes to watch for other boats, and inevitably, it was at that moment that a large wave would break over the boat and douse us with seawater. It was like being on the log ride at Six Flags for 4 hours straight. We were both disgusted and disgruntled and just wanted to get to the anchorage to have dinner and relax. So here we are in the anchorage in Stonington, CT after dinner trying to remember why we are doing this. It's an awful lot of work trying not to work for a living. -Nina-

October 6, 2002 - Sachuest Cove, Rhode Island
It's Sunday evening and Kristan is preparing sausage, ravioli, and tomato sauce for dinner. Last night, he made homemade tortillas to go with our chicken fajitas. Wow! Since we can't run to the grocery store to pick up a missing ingredient, we end up experimenting a lot in the galley. Most times, our efforts are a success.

Tonight we are anchored in Sachuest Cove, Rhode Island. Winds were strong all day from the Northeast. We sailed on a run (wind directly behind us) with following seas. We were concerned since these were the conditions that produced our latest engine problem when apparently seawater flowed into our exhaust system and overwhelmed the water block provided by the muffler. Anyway, we are planning on installing a backflow preventer when we get to Annapolis, but in the meantime, we had to do something to keep the water out. Lo and Behold, after much head scratching, Kristan used a ziploc bag and a hose clamp and everything worked great. We just have to remember to hang over the transom and take the bag off before we start the engine. Can't wait for the permanent part installation.

We took Greta ashore this afternoon to run on the beach. She lucked out and got to play with some other dogs. There is a neat gothic church above the beach that makes a picturesque backdrop to our anchorage. Unfortunately, when we arrived back at the boat and were wrestling the dinghy engine onto its mount on the stern rail, the dinghy key fell into the water and immediately sank. So now, we must rig something to replace the dinghy key. I was angry at our mishap but got over it a few minutes later. Dinner is on the table - gotta run. -Nina-

October 5, 2002 - Onset Harbor, Massachusetts
Left Plymouth, the land that only brings us bad luck- I lost my hat on top of all our engine issues. The wind was blowing about 30-35 on our beam. We decided to give the engine a chance to perform and make sure things were working well before we got too far from Manchester. It did and we made good time down to the Cape Cod Canal. We hit the canal at the most opportune time and made between 9 and 11 knots. We are now anchored in Onset Harbor awaiting tomorrow's sunrise for our journey through Buzzard's Bay and into Rhode Island. Now begins our state a day run for Annapolis. Cross your fingers. -Kristan-

October 4, 2002 - Plymouth, MA
Listening to some music that made me remember what good music can do to my mood, I give you this installment of our cruising log. We have had a rough time since yesterday, the 3rd. Having left Manchester for Plymouth, we sailed with the wind and the waves on our port quarter. The seas were big enough and following enough that the water found its way through the exhaust and into the engine block. So, when we go to start our less than two week old engine, we realize that something is really wrong. After checking the obvious things- batteries, connections, gear- I notice a liquid dripping from the air intake silencer. This is not a good thing and I quickly realize we have an engine that is flooded with seawater. We sailed into what would have to do for an anchorage for the evening. A quick call to Manchester and Barry is still there. Barry, understanding the dire circumstances of our situation, tracks down Uncle Al. (Thanks Barry!) Al called and walked me through the process of pulling the injectors and burping the engine of all the water. Leaving the details for the Scadenfreude, five hours later we had an engine that ran, but with oil the color and consistency of baby shit after too much breast milk. So this morning we trek into Plymouth and find a marina that happens to have three Yanmar oil filters and 2 gallons of 15W-40 heavy duty oil. We're in business. We spent the next 4 hours pumping out bad oil, filling and pumping out more bad oil. After three changes the oil looks like it should and we hope no lasting damage has been done.

We just finished up dinner, chili and corn-cakes, and things are pretty good. Our mood has improved, let's see if tomorrow can keep it going. I hope it is more than just the music. -Kristan-

October 2, 2002 - Manchester-By-The-Sea, MA
Awoke early this morning (5:30 am) so we could weigh anchor and get rolling by 6:00 am. We were rewarded with observing a pretty sunrise. I stood on the bow when we left since it was still dark and looked out for lobster pots. We wanted to get down to Manchester early so Uncle Al (mechanic who installed our new engine) could have a "look see" at the engine after our brief trip to Maine. Everything checked out, and Al changed the oil for us.

Greta was thrilled to see the guys from the yard. She has a special love for Randy "the Riggah" who has a German shepard Kaelie that tolerated Greta's rowdy playfulness. Also, Randy brought Greta a big box of bones before we left Manchester previously. During the yard's mid-morning break, Greta would hang around the picnic tables looking for a hand out from someone's breakfast. She usually lucked out since most of the guys seemed to like her.

I spent the afternoon in Manchester doing laundry and getting groceries. Took the dinghy to the town dock and used our rolling cart to roll the dirty laundry down the sidewalks to the laundromat. I'm not embarrassed anymore to walk through town with my laundry. It's actually been a good conversation piece with many people. That evening, we went to Harborside with the Manchester crew to celebrate O.D.'s birthday. O.D. stands for Old Dude, and is typical of the nicknames that everyone at Manchester Marine has. Of course, we got to hear lots of gossip about everyone at the yard that night. It was a little sad to leave all our new friends at Manchester Marine, but it's time to head back south. -Nina-

October 1, 2002 - Wentworth-By-The-Sea, New Hampshire
We left the anchorage this morning about 08:30 am and arrived in Wentworth-By-The-Sea, NH around 12:30 pm (a short day today - yeah). The seas were a little rough this morning (6 feet or so) and the wind was on our nose (yet again) so we motored all the way. The sun was out today so it made a big difference from yesterday's comfort level. Just sunshine and a cool breeze, so we relaxed, read our books, and watched for lobster pots. After refueling at the marina, we picked up a mooring for the night. About 75 yards away from where we are moored is a great little sandy beach. We went ashore in the inflatable and let Greta run and play. We all splashed in the water and walked barefoot in the sand, enjoying the remnants of warm weather (a balmy 75 this afternoon). We forgot to pay attention to the inflatable for a few minutes, and the tide had started to come in. I turned around and it had floated away - oops. Kristan had to wade in cold water up to his chest to retrieve it. I know I wasn't supposed to find it humorous, but I laughed. When we got back to the boat, we both took cockpit showers using warm water that the engine had produced today. It feels luxurious being clean. Unfortunately, toward the end of my shower, the fresh water pump failed. Luckily, we had a spare pump, so we dug out the tools and parts, and Kristan made the repair. We do have a manual pump if all else fails, but your arm gets tired every time you have to pump it to get water. So now we are ready to settle in for the evening, make dinner, and get ready for an early 5:00-6:00 am departure for Manchester, MA. -Nina-

September 30, 2002 - Stage Island Harbor, Maine
Today was not quite as wonderful as yesterday. The forecast was for winds of 10-15 out of the South and seas of 2-4 feet. We got 15-25 and seas closer to 8. Not a horrible day, but unpleasant. Every day we have attempted to sail since we cut through Cape Cod, we have had the wind on our nose. Heading up to Maine last week, the winds were out of the North-Northeast. Today, heading back south, the wind was out of the South. I hope it is nothing personal. We are; however, getting some good engine testing time in. In two days we will be back in Manchester and we'll let Al and the gang take a look at Anjin-san (we named the engine, more on that later) and see if everything is OK.

We took some advice from an old chap back in Manchester and decided to cut our leg between The Basin and Isles of Shoals in half and stop at Cape Porpoise, Maine. What a mistake, there are so many lobster pots that I am surprised anyone can safely get in and out with any regularity. Once in the harbor there was no room for us to safely drop anchor amidst the moorings. We rounded back north to Stage Island Harbor and negotiated yet another mine-field of lobster pots to drop in a not-so-protected-but-will-do-in-a-pinch kind of place. So, here we are. Tomorrow, more fuel and then on to the Isles of Shoals off Portsmouth, New Hampshire. -Kristan-

September 29, 2002 - The Basin, Maine
Today is a beautiful sunny but cool day in The Basin adjacent to New Meadows River in Casco Bay, Maine. When we awoke this morning, the temperature was in the high 30's and we were quite chilly. With no heater aboard, we made do with bundling up and sleeping in fleece sweatshirts. We were not in a great hurry to jump out of bed and greet the day. The sun came out and warmed the temp up to the high 50's which made it pretty comfortable outside if we stayed in the sun and out of the breeze.

I made spinach, sun dried tomato, and cheese omelettes with toast and sausage for breakfast. My standing threat to Kristan is that whatever we do not finish for dinner the night before ends up in an omelette the following morning. Tomorrow morning I guess we will be trying "curried chick peas and potatoes" omelettes. I finally succeeded in my attempt to make biscuits in a fry pan. With no oven, we had been missing biscuits and other foods requiring an oven. So, I dug out the cruising cookbook (Christmas present from my sister, Jennifer) and found a recipe for Sailor's biscuits. They weren't exactly light and fluffy, but we smeared on the margarine and enjoyed them thoroughly.

I packed a small picnic lunch and we took Greta ashore to a small uninhabited island owned by the Maine Island Trail Association. No one else was on the island so Greta was freed from her leash and she ran, jumped, sniffed, explored, etc. Kristan finished his book ("Cathedral" by Nelson Demille) reclined on a big rock on the island.

We met a couple here in the anchorage from Sydney, Australia who had been cruising for 20 years - we felt like such greenhorns! We also met a couple (Glen and Harriett Langley with friend Stu) from Freeport, Maine who we chatted with for awhile. Glen and Harriett were interested in our lifestyle since they want to get away and cruise in a few years.

After wrestling with the decision, we have decided that we will turn around tomorrow and head back to Annapolis. We saw only a tiny part of Maine, but we arrived here much later than originally anticipated due to the three weeks spent in Manchester, MA.

Tonight we are the only boat in the anchorage (aside from a few small boats moored that belong to nearby residents) as all the weekenders from last night (6 boats total) have departed. Our cellphones do not work here so I guess we really are isolated in this anchorage. Greta is snuggled into her cubbyhole and Kristan is browsing through a Practical Sailor issue. All is well in our small, cozy home. -Nina-

September 26, 2002 - Cliff Island, Maine
I saw a whale today! Ok, it was only part of a whale, but it counts. We were on our way from Little Bay, New Hampshire heading northeast toward Maine. It was cool and breezy and we were wondering if it was really too late in the season to be making a run for Maine. Anyway, I was at the helm and Kristan was down below in the cabin. I saw a fin cutting through the water a couple of hundred yards off our starboard beam. At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I kept my eyes peeled anyway. A few seconds later, a whale partially surfaced from the water and immediately ducked back underwater. It was still pretty exciting to see a whale in its natural environment. We anchored in the lee of Cliff Island, Maine for the evening - our first night in Maine. We made it. -Nina-

September 3-24, 2002 - Manchester-By-The-Sea, Massachusetts
"The Manchester Marine Month of Motors"

We hobbled into Manchester-By-The-Sea, MA with our engine on its last leg. We sailed from Marblehead, MA using our engine sparingly, hoping it would give us a few minutes before it died to wind through the tight quarters into the inner harbor at Manchester. The engine made a final gallant effort and then gave up the ghost as we docked at Manchester Marine. The mechanics starting looking over our 27 year old, seawater cooled diesel engine. As we suspected, the prognosis was not good, and they recommended not investing any money in repairs to this old engine. So, we spent a week waiting while the marina spec'd, planned, estimated, etc. a repowering of our sailboat. To save on labor costs, Kristan and I made it clear to the marina that we wanted to do as much of the grunt work as possible. So we proceeded to disassemble the old engine, exhaust system, fuel tank, muffler, wiring, galley sink, and so on. I think I've never been so dirty as when I was crammed into a cockpit locker with my head and arms under the engine, feeling blindly for nuts and bolts to loosen. We had the accumulated grease and crud of 27 years under our fingernails, in our hair, and on our clothes. Kristan also built the new engine control panel and was available to help Al, our installation mechanic, whenever needed.

If we had to be stuck somewhere for three weeks, we at least picked a beautiful, historic waterfront community for our layover. When we weren't busy with the boat, we took long walks and viewed beautiful old mansions and cemeteries with headstones from the 1600's and 1700's. The small downtown area was easily accessible via the town dock by way of our dinghy. When our boat was pulled out of the water and placed on jackstands ("on the hard"), we could no longer live on the boat and had to make other arrangements. This was a strange feeling since we were now literally homeless. We are on a tight budget, and I called all around looking for nearby inexpensive accommodations. This is difficult in an area like Manchester which is populated by wealthy people. We splurged and stayed in a bed and breakfast within walking distance for three nights. Then while exploring the area, we found an old fashioned motel where all the doors open onto the parking lot. At $55 per night, this is apparently the least expensive lodging around. So we stayed at the Mapleledge Motel in Essex, where $55 per night buys a small clean room with a 70's era tv and a bare bulb with a string in the bathroom. The prime selling feature of the motel were the window boxes filled with a profusion of beautiful impatiens! After staying for a couple of nights, we came back for another evening, and the manager was not around. She had left the key ring hanging on the outside doorknob so I helped myself to a room key and left her a note on the door. She came around later saying she was glad I had the sense to let myself into a room.

Most days were spent hanging out around the picnic tables at the Marina overlooking the harbor. Quite an enjoyable view with the Hinckleys and Sabres and Bristols and Aerodynes; not to mention the wooden Crockers made next door. Lots of money floating around up here. Kristan jumped up to help every time one of the yard guys needed a hand moving boats around or running the launch to pick up a boater. He fit in well with the guys and thinks a lot about working at a marina for a while when we settle back into jobs. I mainly read books and entertained Greta during the day.

"O.D., the Fuel Dock Nazi" During our stay, we got to know several people quite well and invented additional nicknames for them. One particular character was Elwood Philhower. He was a bosun's mate and his last assignment was on the U.S.S. Constitution. So now he's semi-retired and runs the fuel dock and acts as gopher at the marina. Elwood's marina nickname was Old Dude which had been shortened to merely "O.D." We named him the Fuel Dock Nazi because he alone determined whether a particular boat was allowed to take on fuel in Manchester. Our boat was docked near the fuel tanks for some time and boaters would pull up and ask if the marina had fuel that day. We would innocently answer "yes" since we had just seen other boats refueling. But, apparently, since the marina tanks would only hold so much fuel, O.D. didn't want just any sportfishing boat stopping by and filling 600 gallons of fuel and leaving other preferred customers short later that day. So we enjoyed watching the boats come and go - some allowed to fuel and some not. But a sure way to get turned down was to be rude to O.D. We had a great time with O.D. and his wife, Sue. We went to their place for a great fish dinner, and another night they treated us to a mexican dinner. O.D. is/was a huge practical jokester, and he regaled us with hilarious stories from his navy days.

"Randy, the Riggah" Randy is the Head Rigger at the marina, and he would always say "What do you think I am - a Riggah?" Randy weighed 140 pounds dripping wet but he ran around the place cracking the whip trying to keep all his guys moving at the same speed as he did. Randy and the other riggers were a lot of fun and kept us entertained with the constant banter while they worked. We enjoyed watching them get lifted by the crane hook up the masts to unstep the masts for haulout. Randy invited us to his house for "take-out" Chinese food. The food was great, and Greta got to run and play in his big back yard with his German Shepard, Kaelie.

"Barry, the Soft-Hearted Mechanic" Barry was one of the first mechanics to look at our old engine, and I think he felt alot of empathy for "us youngsters" in our situation. He would drop by for an occasional beer at our boat after work to check on us. Then, right before we left the marina, Barry organized a send off party with all the employees and presented me with a bouquet of flowers and Kristan with a bottle of champagne. He appeared gruff outwardly, but was a teddy bear at heart.

"Uncle Al" Al was the expert diesel mechanic that supervised the installation of our engine. He is a very no-nonsense, hardworking guy. I wasn't sure if he particularly enjoyed the nickname of "Uncle Al" bestowed upon him by the other yard guys. The thing I found most amusing about Al was the colorful language that he used while arguing with different parts of the engine or boat. Al didn't curse at other people so much as he cursed the part of the engine he was working on. He didn't ever really get upset, he just had to talk through to himself how he was going to solve a particular problem.

"Bob Reed, the Dirk Pitt of Manchester-By-The-Sea" For anyone who has read Clive Cussler novels, you will remember the colorful leading character of Dirk Pitt. Bob Reed is Dirk Pitt incarnate. Kristan first met Bob on his floating tiki bar near the Manchester Harbor. Kristan had given a dinghy ride to man who needed to get to his boat after the marina launch service closed. They took a detour to Bob's private floating tiki bar which was fully equipped with palm trees and hammocks and was originally built as part of a movie-set. We ran into Bob almost daily around town and eventually got comfortable with his brash, in-your-face personality. If one survived their first meeting with him, then it became enjoyable thereafter. Bob dropped by the boat one evening for a beer and subsequently invited us to his house for dinner afterwards. We picked up steaks and grilled at his house. Greta enjoyed his backyard and his really old dog, Wesley. Bob's house was practically a museum. He is a professional diver and had antique dive masks, and related paraphernalia. In his basement, he had an old restored motorcycle, and an ultralight airplane upon which he had taught himself to fly. His house was an eclectic bachelor pad with lots of old, neat toys. He also has an open-air house on Foxy's (local bar owner) land on Jost Van Dyke in the BVI where we would like to visit him someday.

There were many more colorful characters in Manchester, but thumbnails of each of them would fill a book. We enjoyed our weeks visiting, but were anxious to get moving again. -Nina-

--> We'll get to August as well.

July 29, 2002
Motorsailed up to the Shark River Inlet and anchored in the inlet near the second series of draw-bridges.

July 28, 2002
Motorsailed up to the Brigantine Inlet and anchored under Brigantine Light.

July 21, 2002 - July 27, 2002
Left Cape May and had our first excellent sail out on the Atlantic. We pulled into the Absecon Inlet. Welcome to Atlantic City!!! With the help of a nice gentleman named Art, we found a great anchorage in Brigantine Island with a view of the Atlantic City skyline.

We had a wonderful 6 days there and met a cadre of wonderful retirees.

July 20, 2002
Motored out the canal into the Delaware Bay and then sailed (and motored when the wind died) towards Cape May, New Jersey.

July 19, 2002
Motored up the Elk River into the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Anchored in the basin in South Chesapeake City.

July 18, 2002
Motored up to the Sassafrass from Swan Creek after trying to sail without any wind. Anchored behind Ordinary Point.

July 17, 2002
Sailed from Ridout Creek to Swan Creek. Anchored in a pretty little turn on the creek.

May 27, 2002 - July 17th, 2002
At the Hatcher's Dock on Ridout Creek, just north of Annapolis

May 21, 2002 - May 27, 2002
In the water at Herrington Harbour North Marina and Yacht Yard.

April 20, 2002 - May 20, 2002
On the hard at Herrington Harbour North Marina and Yacht Yard, Tracy's Landing, MD.

April 15, 2002 - April 20, 2002
En route to Tracy's Landing, Maryland via Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Nort Carolina, and Virginia.

April 13, 2002 - April 15, 2002
The LakeHouse on Eagle Mountain Lake

...-April 13, 2002
4040 Morman Lane to be exact. Town of Addison, 75001.