We are back. Actually we sailed in from Bermuda on Election Day so got to watch the results on late night television! We have been very busy getting Independence out of cruising mode which means taking off the wind steering vane, radar reflectors, safety lines and harnesses and electronic navigation gear and getting back into day sailing mode. That means a good scrub to get rid of
all the salt we accumulate after six days of offshore sailing and then putting all the extra life jackets, snorkel gear, floats and the back bench with cushions and awning as well as the galley equipment we need to serve our guests and keep them safe. That is all done and last week we signed on
Andy Roberts as first mate for the season and we have just finished our first week of charters. He did a great job and I am looking forward to working with him, there are so many little things that go into making a day sail work well and he is a quick study.
We spent over three weeks in Bermuda this time. We had planned a shorter stay but Tropical Storm Rafael delayed us a week and then just as we thought we were good to go along came Hurricane Sandy. She was just too big and troublesome to ignore so we hunkered down on our storm mooring in St. Georges all ready for the worst and we got lucky. There were quite a few boats waiting with us and the highest gust anybody recorded was about 40 knots and we were so land locked that we did not get any of the wave action. We were horrified to hear of all the damage in the Northeast, it's hard to imagine New York under water and now they are dealing with the aftermath of the Nor'easter and it is COLD up there. We have been in hurricane recovery mode in St. Thomas a couple of times so understand the hardship but cannot imagine doing it in freezing temperatures so we hope the power comes on for everyone soon and we will also keep our fingers crossed for a mild winter.
Sandy affected us more as we headed out to sea on Halloween Day with absolutely enormous seas, the wind was down and we motorsailed for the first 24 hours but it was not comfortable and neither Pieter or I had much appetite and I certainly didn't feel like cooking! Fortunately, the second day saw seas laying down and a little wind came in and life at sea got a lot better. Four boats left on the same day all bound for Red Hook so we formed the Red Hook Regatta and had regular radio check ins which helped to pass the time. One boat had engine problems so there was a pool of technical expertise for them to pull from and it only took a day for them to get things sorted out. We had a small visitor, a little yellow and brown bird, maybe blown out to sea by Sandy, he stayed with us for about a day and seemed to enjoy the sail not to mention the bananas and fresh water we put out for him!
We were the last to leave Bermuda but made good time and managed to be first in to St. Thomas, bragging rights until next year! Now we are very happy to be home and looking forward to a great season. If you are coming to the Virgin Islands either to stay a few days or on a ship we hope you will think of a day or a half day sail with us on Independence.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Bermuda Oct.2012
Independence is in Bermuda, we arrived here after a very easy four day motor from North Carolina on October 8th. Most of our time has been spent preparing for Hurricane Rafael and then putting everything back together after he passed us by. Fortunately we didn't see any more then about 35 knots of wind and we were in a very protected anchorage so no seas at all. Our motto is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, it worked this time!
The weather is perfect for boat projects now, lots of varnishing, stainless polishing and various other maintenance is happening and we should be in great shape for the upcoming season. There are a few other boats here now, all waiting for a weather window to head for the Caribbean so we are having fun swapping stories and weather info. It looks like there are a couple of systems circling around the Atlantic and Caribbean that might delay us but we are hoping to leave by mid week and plan to have all those projects finished and be full of fuel, water and provisions so we can sail the minute the weather gurus give us the go ahead!
I will be checking emails until we leave and then will be silent while we are at sea, probably about six days so if you don't hear from me just give me a knew days! We are really looking forward to getting back to St.Thomas and back to day sailing. If your plans bring you to St. Thomas we'd love to have you aboard Independence for a full or half day sail.
The weather is perfect for boat projects now, lots of varnishing, stainless polishing and various other maintenance is happening and we should be in great shape for the upcoming season. There are a few other boats here now, all waiting for a weather window to head for the Caribbean so we are having fun swapping stories and weather info. It looks like there are a couple of systems circling around the Atlantic and Caribbean that might delay us but we are hoping to leave by mid week and plan to have all those projects finished and be full of fuel, water and provisions so we can sail the minute the weather gurus give us the go ahead!
I will be checking emails until we leave and then will be silent while we are at sea, probably about six days so if you don't hear from me just give me a knew days! We are really looking forward to getting back to St.Thomas and back to day sailing. If your plans bring you to St. Thomas we'd love to have you aboard Independence for a full or half day sail.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Independence 2012 Summer Cruise
August 8th, 2012 and I am just now posting about our trip north from St. Thomas, which was just wonderful. We left Red Hook on Thursday the 12th of July, being very superstitious sailors there was no way we were leaving on Friday the 13th! It worked because the trip could not have been better and we sailed most of the way arriving at the mouth of the Cape Fear River early on July 20th! We had one issue with a loose bolt on the self steering gear which was quickly replaced - no way either Pieter or I wanted to steer, and then we did have a blocked head. I have always managed to get out of that job, but Pieter was asleep so I went at it and fixed it, much to his amazement! The only problem is getting out of doing it next time! The winds were in the 10 to 15 knot region and on the beam so great sailing, and with diesel at around $5.50 a gallon we were glad to conserve fuel and still make tracks.
We didn't see too many ships but our trusty AIS (tells us who they are and where they are going and how fast) kept us informed and we only had to alter our course a couple of times. Modern electronics like AIS and GPS have made off shore sailing so much safer and easier for us.
One of the electronic devices that we are starting to enjoy is our small DVD player, I devoured the first season of Downton Abbey and have the second on order for our sail home. Books, both e and paper, puzzles like sudoku, solitaire and crosswords, and cooking (when it is calmish) are what we do for entertainment and the days just fly by.
We couldn't believe how fast we made it this time ... 24 hours off our fastest time! We enjoyed our run up the Cape Fear River but arrived at the turn off for our marina at low tide so had to keep going to downtown Wilmington to tie up for the night. We were busy on the old cell phone getting caught up with family and got honked at by a huge orange tanker who wanted to pass, that woke us up! The family news that had us so enthralled was son Paul's engagement to Jessica - the things they get up to when we are at sea! - but we heartily approve and look forward to hearing about wedding plans when we get home.
Our summer plans are a trip around Florida, which we are half way through, time in Greensboro with the grandkids, and then back to Independence for a haulout and maintenance before heading to Beaufort. We will wait there for a weather window to Bermuda, probably leave in early October, that's where I like to get the varnish and stainless all done to be ready for our charter season. We will leave Bermuda in late October and be back in St. Thomas a week or two before our first charter which will be November 12th, I think, maybe earlier but that one is booked!
We hope that you are having a wonderful summer and that if you are planning a stop in St. Thomas that you will think of a full or half day sail on Independence. We'd love to have you aboard!
We didn't see too many ships but our trusty AIS (tells us who they are and where they are going and how fast) kept us informed and we only had to alter our course a couple of times. Modern electronics like AIS and GPS have made off shore sailing so much safer and easier for us.
One of the electronic devices that we are starting to enjoy is our small DVD player, I devoured the first season of Downton Abbey and have the second on order for our sail home. Books, both e and paper, puzzles like sudoku, solitaire and crosswords, and cooking (when it is calmish) are what we do for entertainment and the days just fly by.
We couldn't believe how fast we made it this time ... 24 hours off our fastest time! We enjoyed our run up the Cape Fear River but arrived at the turn off for our marina at low tide so had to keep going to downtown Wilmington to tie up for the night. We were busy on the old cell phone getting caught up with family and got honked at by a huge orange tanker who wanted to pass, that woke us up! The family news that had us so enthralled was son Paul's engagement to Jessica - the things they get up to when we are at sea! - but we heartily approve and look forward to hearing about wedding plans when we get home.
Our summer plans are a trip around Florida, which we are half way through, time in Greensboro with the grandkids, and then back to Independence for a haulout and maintenance before heading to Beaufort. We will wait there for a weather window to Bermuda, probably leave in early October, that's where I like to get the varnish and stainless all done to be ready for our charter season. We will leave Bermuda in late October and be back in St. Thomas a week or two before our first charter which will be November 12th, I think, maybe earlier but that one is booked!
We hope that you are having a wonderful summer and that if you are planning a stop in St. Thomas that you will think of a full or half day sail on Independence. We'd love to have you aboard!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
I can't believe the 2011/2012 season is drawing to a close for Independence already. It seems like yesterday that we were scrambling to be ready for our first charter last November and here we are looking at our last one for this season. It's already booked and, appropriately enough, it will be Independence on Independence Day!
We have plenty of openings between now and then so if your travels bring you to St. Thomas before July 4th give us a call or an email and let's go sailing.
We had mate Leah aboard this year, I am really going to miss her as she and her Coast Guard husband, Drew, are leaving for his new assignment in San Diego and she is hoping to get back to her first love - teaching special needs children. It was fun to have an all female crew again and I don't think anyone left the boat without an aside to me about how wonderful she was. I wish her all the best for the future and hope she can come back for an alumni sail soon.
The season was busy! Word is out on Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic that daysailing out of Red Hook is a great way to see the islands, snorkel, relax and enjoy great service. We had a lot of first time sailors aboard ranging in age from toddler to senior and so far all rave reviews. We got a lot of great art work from some of our young sailors and you can see a few samples in the guest book.
Our plans for the summer are to spend a week or two with our daughter and grand daughters - they arrive next week - and then head out for our sail north to Wilmington Marine Center, 25 miles up the Cape Fear River. We rode out Irene there last year and know that Independence will be safe and secure. We have some maintenance projects and some travel plans so it well be busy and fun.
September will see us in Greensboro, NC. Both girls will be playing soccer this year, Lea is 3 and it will be her first time, Marisa at 5 is a veteran player, and Oma and Opa will be on the sidelines cheering them on. Early October will see us in Beaufort waiting on a weather window so we can head to Bermuda and then home again in time to start day sailing in early November.
I will be checking in with email and will post details of our passage on arrival in North Carolina. I hope that you will think about a day or half day aboard Independence and will be happy to answer any questions. The passage takes about ten days so if you don't hear back right away it's because we are at sea.
Have a great summer!
We have plenty of openings between now and then so if your travels bring you to St. Thomas before July 4th give us a call or an email and let's go sailing.
We had mate Leah aboard this year, I am really going to miss her as she and her Coast Guard husband, Drew, are leaving for his new assignment in San Diego and she is hoping to get back to her first love - teaching special needs children. It was fun to have an all female crew again and I don't think anyone left the boat without an aside to me about how wonderful she was. I wish her all the best for the future and hope she can come back for an alumni sail soon.
The season was busy! Word is out on Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic that daysailing out of Red Hook is a great way to see the islands, snorkel, relax and enjoy great service. We had a lot of first time sailors aboard ranging in age from toddler to senior and so far all rave reviews. We got a lot of great art work from some of our young sailors and you can see a few samples in the guest book.
Our plans for the summer are to spend a week or two with our daughter and grand daughters - they arrive next week - and then head out for our sail north to Wilmington Marine Center, 25 miles up the Cape Fear River. We rode out Irene there last year and know that Independence will be safe and secure. We have some maintenance projects and some travel plans so it well be busy and fun.
September will see us in Greensboro, NC. Both girls will be playing soccer this year, Lea is 3 and it will be her first time, Marisa at 5 is a veteran player, and Oma and Opa will be on the sidelines cheering them on. Early October will see us in Beaufort waiting on a weather window so we can head to Bermuda and then home again in time to start day sailing in early November.
I will be checking in with email and will post details of our passage on arrival in North Carolina. I hope that you will think about a day or half day aboard Independence and will be happy to answer any questions. The passage takes about ten days so if you don't hear back right away it's because we are at sea.
Have a great summer!
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