I am a little tardy with this post! We sailed from St. Thomas a couple of days after our last charter, July 10th, thank you Vickers family for a great last day!
We had to resolve some last minute problems with our single side band radio -very necessary for keeping in touch with the outside world and getting weather reports -so we didn't leave until late in the day on Thursday, July 14th and were lashing down the dinghy and stowing some last minute things on our way out. Luckily for us the weather was very kind and we motor sailed for the first couple of days.
Pieter hooked up our new collision avoidance system to the chart plotter and we were able to see almost all the ships within about a twenty mile radius, as well as get their course, name and speed ... better then television and it makes offshore sailing so much easier, especially at night or in bad visibility. We have radar as a back up and it's better to see any weather coming so we are covered! We had some good sailing, no breakdowns and generally just a great nine day passage with a very pleasant run up the Cape Fear River to our home away from home at Wilmington Marine Center in Wilmington, NC.
Our first project upon arrival was to get a small air conditioner, it was HOT!!! Walmart came through and we were able to cool down for the week we spent aboard Independence getting her stripped down and ready for any weather while we took our road trip to Canada.
We really enjoy our leisurely meander north, visiting friends in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts, the weather was great and we were in time for peaches and corn, tomatoes and blueberries and all sorts of other fresh goodies that we only dream about in St. Thomas. We spent more then a week in Ontario with Pieter's family, highlighted by five days at the brand new 'cottage' just about completed by sister Johanna and husband Art. It is a magnificent home right on the water's edge of Lake Muskoka. We had a big Stoeken family reunion to celebrate the new home, I even went swimming and went on my first canoe paddle! We are definitely planning a return visit next year.
We had a couple of days in New York and managed to see Jersey Boys and Wikked and Cirque de Soleil as well as the Statue of Liberty, a bus tour and a trip to the top of Rockefeller Center. We were total tourists and had a ball.
Hurricane Irene was making us more then a little nervous so we hustled back to the boat to make sure she was all set. We were lucky to miss the worst of her, our maximum winds were about 70 miles per hour and we had a ton of rain but no seas and no damage in the marina at all. Our biggest problem was rain water coming in around the mast boot and we are glad to know about that and get it fixed before heading for home.
Now we are in Greensboro to spend time with our family and grandkids. Two-year-old Lea had her first day at nursery school today - a big success, of course! Marisa, who is 4, is now in pre K and goes every day. It was special to be here for their big day! We will head back to the boat in a few weeks for our annual haul out and hope to spend a few days in Beaufort before heading for Bermuda in early October.
Bermuda means we are getting close to heading for home, time to get the varnish and stainless polished up and any maintenance issues taken care of so we can get back to St. Thomas ready to start day sailing again.
We have our first charter planned for November tenth. Shannon, who sailed with me a bit last spring has signed on as first mate and we are looking forward to a great season!
If you are coming to St. Thomas on a cruise ship or to spend a few days we'd love to take you sailing on Independence!
