Leaving the States

Leaving the States

Friday, February 27, 2015

Miami Update

Well I thought these picutres had posted a couple of days ago But apparently it did not go through. I don't have any reliable wifi now so it's a bit challenging.

Here are some photos of us leaving Fort Lauderdale Marina and sailing a bit out to Biscayne bay.




























Due to yet another issue with generator we have had to change our course yet again. We "camped out" At a very exclusive and and financially impractical marina in Miami for a night hoping that wed have a quick fix but unfortunately not. We had to leave miami and come back up










the coast to Hollywood Florida to wait for parts to get cleaned and repaired. Much has happened since. To be continued....

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

First Day at Sea

What a day!! what an AMAZING day! We got underway around 10am leaving the Ft. Lauderdale Marina to motor through the canal out to the ocean. I really didn't have a clue as to what i should expect and couldn't have been prepaired for what it was like. The waterway was outstanding, cutting through the "backyards" of some of the most gorgeous homes i have ever seen. Some of the "modest" structures, beautifully manicured lawns, waterfeatures or swimming pool, with their private yard-dock and boat tied to (none of which could have been less than a million dollar estate) but toward the end of the route, closer to the ocean there were homes and private yachts i could only describe as excessively exquisit!     {For those of you who may not know, I have a thing for architecture.. i LOVE well designed houses and properties!!}    People with lifestyles i can't hardly imagine anyone actually living but there we were, rubbing fenders with them. What really made the day fun though, was sailing past people through the way, everyone waves --pardon the pun-- seeing the cargo ships and 200ft. yachts and feeling the salt water spray misting my face as we passed under that final draw bridge into the Atlantic Ocean.

While we were waiting on deck, Tina and i had great conversation. As we have been getting to know eachother more we talk about our lives, our pasts, and she has started to ask me things about faith. Yesterday sitting on deck she opened up about how she has seen God(or something really coincidental) bringing things about in her youth. I am floored. glad to have an openess that will hopefully be an encouragement to us both and strengthen the kingdom!! (Please be in prayer for our relationships on board and my faithfulness to share Christ)

Finally the wind picked up, we opened our sails, catch, fill, and just like that we take off. Arctic Tern is a streamline sailboat so we just cut through the current and smaller waves but my favorite is when we ketch a large ship's wake or a decently sized rogue wave that sets our bow as gravity quently spikes it back down! Definately not a sport for the fragile-stomached... haha But thankfully i have not experienced any disorientation or queasiness and i can honestly say i have no propensity for sea sickness anyway. Even cooking and eating while rocking up and down and up and down and up.. was fine. :)

After all the under-sail duties had been taken care of, I was so glad to have the sun back on my face that i grabbed a book, posted up on deck, sprawled out and read, got sucked in and ....low and behold, burnt up. hahah It a bonehead move on my part but even though i was toasted last night i've already woken up with nothing but a tan. -->sunblock from here on out Mom, no worries!

After 5.5hours and 30miles of ocean we arrived at our first destination, Biscayne Bay -Just around the bend from Miami. The landscape was beautiful, Lighthouse included, and the sky was warm and delicious. We tried to set anchor in the shoal there but only clear about 1ft. of water under our draft we were unsuccesful 3 seperate times. So we ended up finally "parking" closer to Miami in time to catch the sunset. The lights of the city were multi-colored and bright even being as far offshore as we were which only made it mildly difficult to fall asleep.

SO, after dinner we realized that our generator was not longer working as well as the bildge pump, that wouldn't stop running but wasn't really pumping anything.              Heart....Broken.... We may need to go all the way back to Ft. Lauderdale if we can't find a marina around here that is: open to visitors, deep enough, and doesn't have any low bridges (an order that is actually pertty tall in these parts) We'll see what happens. All i know is that there isn't much laughing or conversation today.

Lord, I know that this is in your hands and i believe that you are orchestrating all these things and are working through them for our good and your glory. Thank you for the perfect weather and our safety on board. I ask that through this set back, and the rest of my trip as well, you provide opportunity to share truth about you and your love. Continue to work in our hearts i pray.
-Amen

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Another Delay :(

Due to unforseen troubles, our departure has yet again been post-poned. The check engine light came on --much to Tina and my dismay-- we clung to eachother, tina with fingers tightly crossed while i silently said a prayer, waiting to for boat mechanic's diagnosis--> A mucky water purifyer and some slight fault with our ectricity generator.  The water purifyer has now been sludged out and we are waiting for our back up re-build kit to come in tomorrow. "Tuesday!" the two of us said in unison with a matched tone of dismay masked by optomistic positivity.

 I can tell that stresses are starting to rise a bit as we all are ready to leave but Ken remains patiently quiet, Tina optomistic as always, peeved as she may be and i... i am detirmined to maintain consistant encouragement!
Part of me is glad for the slight delay as i am just now getting into the routine of my runs and familiar with my route and Lord knows i have been struggling with consistant work outs. However this part of me is miniscule in comparison to the part that is ready for clear water and hot sun! ...Sigh* Must be patient.

In the mean time -->READING. I am loving  Orson Scott Card's book Enchantment, per the suggestion of Bronwen Everett (Thanks Bronwen!!) I've started to read more slowly now, knowing the book will end soon and i will have to go through the sadness of losing beloved charecters :'( Am i the only one who feels this loss so deeply? Haha I doubt that i could be. Anyway, i have been assured that there will be no shortage of liturature on this voyage as there are book exchange/drop off "Libraries" at nearly every port. "take a book, leave a book" So far here i've already donated some old books (that belonged to the boat when the Duncan's bought her) and have collected Wild at heart by John Eldredge (i've heard great things about this book!) and also, Cold Water a novel by Mardi McConnochie about the strength of the bonds of sisterly love, set in Australia. 1847. Pretty sure i'm gonna ball... haha
        _-Anna, Sarah, and Ailiegh, and Elan i LOVE you girls!! ...West you too ;)-_

Well, i've got galley duty tonight so i must be off!
Thanks for checking in, hopefully some more eventful happenings will be reported soon. Good Night!

Friday, February 20, 2015

The Arctic Tern

I should probably take a second to talk a bit about the vessel on which i will be spending the next several weeks. Her name is The Arctic Tern (taking the name after the gorgeous, circumpolar bird)
This is a 53' , 26year old Amel. 3 sails, 3 cabins, 2 heads,5 water tight seal off compartments, and a big ol' deisel Volvo engine. Most all the sail trimming and functions are electric- push button sailing, but there is still plently to do!









Hey Mom! you'll be glad to know that Amel's are ranked the to be the safest ocean cruising sailboats on the market. Her 7ft. draft has kept even fully keeled-mast in water- boats sailing, popping them right back up again. Only one has been reported a sunk and that was due to a stupid mistake on the captain's part; leaving his bow-thruster down while under sail and getting it caught up in a line. ..Whoops..

Also, fun fact. Amel's were designed by, get this, a blind Frenchman. ...oh the French, so keen on being anotomically correct:
You can see some practical design features around the boat that would be very helpful for visually hindered people such as well placed railings and handles. However, he was not able to designe an addition that would actually allow a blind man to sail the boat... so... hmm, not sure how well he was able to use his design. oh well. Also, all the electricity and outlets are running at 220Volt and all the labels/instructions posted are in French. --> should have brought a converter and learned French Ha..

I absolutely love my cabin!
I have the room right up in the Bow (front of boat) with all it's yawing and water slapping.. It's quite private when i want to to be with two half doors that close together and latch shut an undersized sm. nautical passage doorway (everytime i step over-in i feel like i'm entering Narnia. not too sure why). When i have the doors open i'm only a couple steps away from the saloon which is nice when i'm laying in my room reading but still wanting to be a part of the goings on in the main area.

I have to say, so far everything about life on a boat has been absolutely wonderous. Even the cramped moments are still so new to me that i am still just happy to be a part of them. 

Speaking of cramped, i thought there was not going to be much space for all the food and provisions that we would need to bring with us once i got a look at the kitchen and living area but, Holy Crumbs, was i so wrong. Tina and i have been doing all of the prep and storing up of the boat these last few days and what a load of work it has been. Everything must be planned out, down to the last can of tuna and no can can go un-dated or un-labled (how terrible to have some storng get us wet, wash off the paper lables and leave us having mystery dinners until rescued). Also, there can be no cardboard containors due to it being a bug magnet on boats (did not know that until now) so everything goes into its own gallon sized bag- including the 100 rolls of toilet paper that i got to ziplock away yesterday. But with all of this storing comes a GREAT sense of saticfaction. Everything has its place on a sailboat. Everything is so organized. Ship shape you know! There is NO end to all the secret little cubbies and nooks and crannies that can be accessed and this boat was designed so well that there isn't a single thing that hasn't been utilized and everything has its purpose.. including me.   



Well I'm certain that i have forgetten things but i'll just fill in once i've thought of anything. I must run now. Off to help make dinner!! 
Signing off from The A.T.