tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23162517497086589102024-03-12T20:32:52.684-07:00Maiden VoyageScalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-77638496943342633262015-03-30T15:26:00.001-07:002015-03-30T15:26:32.433-07:00I've Got Cabin Fever!! If you are anything like me, you grew up with a mother who would simply not tollerate a "I'm bored..." or "there's nothing to do.." to be uttered without a short lecture about the sin of boredom followed up quickly by a listing of ALL the fun things you could find yourself occupied by: the dishes, the laundry, window washing, dusting, and (our house's frequently heard phrase) "just go outside and get the stink blown off you!" So i suppose the idea of boredom has long since been iradicated from my conscious thought...at least the admition of boredom. I have always found something to do.<br />
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We have begun our journey back up Florida to Ft. Lauderdale once more. This half of the trip is far less exciting and in fact has been kind of depressing. The Weather is colder, the water is too choppy to be swam in, there aren't many new sights or discoveries to be made, and i find myself lack a great deal of needed motivation to continue working out while stuck onboard. This 53ft. boat seems to be getting smaller and smaller all the time and does not readily offer up obvious distractions. However, I am very thankful for our small crew's unqiue chemistry for even though we are not alway excited we are never work eachother's nerves.We laugh often, have plenty of time now for deep important conversations and seem to soak in the shared company more now that we see the end that is coming quickly. But the boredom does come knocking at times.<br />
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Remaining set on making the most of each moment on this journey i have found several things to keep me occupied. And dear old mum would be proud to know that much of it happens to be: laundry, dusting, dishes, etc.. - How ironic life has proven to be - At the present my cure is updating this regretibly neglected blog and since i have not had much in the way of adventure to report i have chosen to list some of the day-to-day of the Arctic Tern.<br />
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We are VERY fond of reading on this vessel and i would have to say it is the single thing that is most found around here. Between the three of us we have read certainly every novel and nearly every published work onboard. I myself have moved onto reading charts and guide books for countries we never even had on our itinerary. But i have loved it!! The Hobbit, Enchantment, The Time Machine, A Little Princess, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Picture of Dorian Grey, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Cold Water, Wild At Heart,Washed and Waiting... I'd have to report that i have done more reading this last three months than probably the last three years. But my favorite has been scripture. I know, how holy of me. Really though, i don't think that i could survive any length of a voyage without it. And reading he Bible at the breakfast table has lent way to good conversation aswell... i am glad.<br />
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The second most popular thing onboard: Eating. (Mmmm maybe this ties for first) I have learned SO much about boatlife and the cooking that goes with and have loved EVERY meal that we've come up with even on the days where ingredients are bizzare and sparce. -- If anyone ever wants tips on how to sail Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Corn Free.. Just ask me. I have loads of invented recipes and tips -- BUT, It is no secret that I have been trying to get back into shape and i frequently write and talk about my workouts, runs, health... Well let me just say, Do you have any idea how hard it is to maintain good eating habbits on this boat?! Ken and tina are both very athletic people (which is a plus for me) but they come by it naturally and have the metabolisms of a hummingbird (which is problematic for me) Ken....eats. He eats a lot and at odd hours. While Tina and i make one of our gorgeously delicious creations Captain will ofter snakc on something, after dinner we all play a game or two (Our favorites are Banana Grams, Set, Five Crowns...)and while we play there is always snacking and after the 'after-dinner snack' there is reading acompanied by some kind of snackish dessert. You get the picture. Torture for someone like me who fights to stick to a meal plan...But not impossibleafter all.<br />
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The rest of my time seems to be taken up by, practicing knots, listening to podcasts with Tina (we are obsessed), drawing random pictures (i think i am improving..?), writing (as much as i can find inspiration for), studying sail theory, designing clothes (can't escape it), cleaning, watching clouds, spending time with my Lord, missing my Church and family, and working out. That last one...has taken some creativity. below deck there isn't even enough space to do a decent push-up unless you are half in the kitchen half in the door, the only "equiptment" i have to use are some ankle weights i brought, some scuba diving weight belts, a resistance band, half a foam roller and whatever space ondeck i can utilize....it's been fun!! A challange but that's always more entertaining.<br />
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So as we are now all stuck inside for the 3rd day in a row, weeks now without a decently real shower, constantly covered with salt water and salt air, no selection of produce and 2 months since i got to have an egg, a boat that never stops rocking back and forth and creeking loudly with the wind<br />
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... i have to ask myself, is this a life i could be content to lead? If this comes with the teritory of a "pirate's life" is it worth it?<br />
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...that is the question.<br />
I believe it is. :)Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-85509229020677569452015-03-30T15:26:00.000-07:002015-03-30T15:26:01.291-07:00The Local AnimalsHello again my dear friends and family! As some of you know, I have reached the land of cell phone reception and wifi connections (a.k.a. Florida) But I am going to back track for a second to write one last blog entry about my lovely Tortugas. The only thing left that i really thought worthy of an entry is the surrounding wild life that i came in contact with there. I have already dicussed the copious amounts of birds on the island but personally i was far more interested in what could be found bellow, In the water.<br />
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I may have mentioned that we got to go snorkeling a bunch, there unfortunately are not many large healthy reefs left in most shore lines around the gulf anymore due to storms, polution, and other issues but we did still get to find several smaller corral heads and plenty of gorgeous little (and not so little) fishies. My favorite were the schools of parrot fish which a almost iridecent teal with bits of bright pink and purples and golds I am also quite fond of the angel fish who's thin large round bodies are a shiny white. Of course i wont name all of the fish that i observed but i'll assure you they were many and lovely. However, the fish to make the most frequent appearances were not so colorful and much much larger in size.<br />
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There were two GIANT 100lb to 200lb groupers that made the anchoring field their home as well as several 4ft-5ft barracuda. They like the shade that the underbellies of the larger sailboats provides and -unfortunately- have grown very acustomed to being fed meal scraps by touring sailors. This would be all fine and dandy except for the fact that the wole time we were there our "showers" consisted of jumping off the boat into the clear water then lather up with Joy(the only soap that actually lathers up in saltwater fyi), then jump back in and finally rinse off with the fresh water hose on deck. Now, i dont want to be mistaken, i have no problem with swimming around gigantic, freaky lookin fish BUT because these -otherwise harmless- fish have been more or less trained to associate fleshy lookin things in their water with dinner they were inclinded to attack your little toesies or ankels. The paek ranger gave one account of a woman dangling her legs off the back of her boat at the end of the hot day when a large barracuda litterally bit her achilles OFF!!!! Yeah so, there's that. o.O So, as you can imagine I gave them a wide birth and would pretend to not be somewhat freaked out when climbing up our starboard ladder and back onboard praying i could make it to the top with both ankles HAha.<br />
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I was under the impression that we would get to see at least SOME sharks on this trip (in case you were not aware, i really like sharks and have always wanted to swim around with them!!) but unfortunately during this season they are pretty much all over near the bahamas. I was crushed. However Tina (never one to take anything lying down) still was constantly on the look out and would make us slow down frenquently on any dinghy ride just to make sure we would be able to catch a look if one was arounf. One day she and i went out just to troll around the water search of Nurse sharks but we had no luck in the shark department. --However we did see two spectacularly adorable sea turtles! I had NO idea how fast those things swim but holy cow they can zoom. -- I was just about to give up hope after days of this disappointment and missing out on the two quick glimpses that Ken and Tina had gotten...that is, until our 5th day. We had heard that earlier in the day a neighboring boat had seen a pretty large nurse shark around the far side of the island so we took that as a good sign. (Side note: No one understood why we would WANT to see sharks or go looking for them for that matter but poo poo i say. Sharks are cool!) We decided that after getting washed and cleaned up after the afternoon run we would go over to the island's far side and test our luck with look out. After i had gotten cleaned and dried off i was patiently waiting for Tina to get out of the water. -She never leaves the ladder but splashes around while holding on...big baby ;) haha-- I was sitting port side, keeping an eye on the bigger of the two grouper when suddenly THERE IT WAS! at first just a huge dark shaddow coming toward the boat and then getting closer i could see very clearly the 7ft Nurse Shark fast approaching. "Tina, Tina!!" I shouted across to her on the starboad side, jumping to my feet and all around frantically looking around for my phone or any camera and, in the moment, having no idea what to do. "A shark! It's a shark!" I gleefully reported. I could see it keeping its course to go under us. I didn't want to miss out an the long awaited chance to see this beautiful animal close up, so without thinking i ran across, through the cockpit to the oposite side of the boat and with a leapfrom the railing, right over Tina (who was making of surprisingly quick ascent up the ladder), i dove down -nearly on top of the shark. I opened my eyes and tried to see under the salt water but could only make out the fogged outline of the large figure right next to me swim away. So thrilled by the rush of adrenaline i had forgotten about the 200lb grouper guarding the bottom of our boat. With a dread -that would have been more appropriately placed toward the SHARK-i now spun around in search of this fish. Sure enough it was making its way towards me with a gaping mouth, big enough to fit my whole leg inside of. "Aggaaaaagggaagaa.!!" i blubbed from beneath the water. I surfaced and swimming wildly and with all the efficiency of a frightened giraffe on rollerskates i made my way to the ladder and jumped my feet up the last rung just in time to evade what could have been merely an encounter of curiousity but what i had convinced myself was the hungry approach of a man eating grouper. ---> After analyzing these event i really have to laugh at myself and question my own sanity.<br />
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I am also proud to report that i am on a first name basis with a wild, salt water crocodile. That's right, there is a big ol' croc living in the moat of the Fort. He was blown in by a hurricane years ago and nearly scared the crud out of me on my walk around the wall. He's pretty chill though...name's Carlos ;)<br />
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Finally, there were three other pretty awesome animals i had the pleasure of meeting last week. Holly, Jeremy, and Joe. These three came around at such an oportune moment for me. I was having a hard time the previous few days getting bummed about he idea of sailing not being all that i thought it was. I love this boat and my crewmates so much but there isn't much of the reespirited, scallawag, life grabing, pirate nature in them. Honestly, i think they are much better than all that and are the type of people i am glad to be learning from but it is hard to keep my dream alive sometimes when looking at all the practical...and the costs...and the set backs. Until i met these 3 sailors. No older than 27, Holly owns her own sail boat and is just living to make it to the next place...wherever that may be, and jeremy has tagged along recently. Joe, 30 years old, got out of the coast guard, bought his own boat and decided to sail around the world. They didn't really have any money when they jumped in, they just...did it. "There will be a million people telling you that you can't but you know....you know there's no way you couldn't." Holly told me one night they invited me over to drink rum and eat a delicious grouper that she had stabbed in the face a couple hours earlier (She hadn't gotten her hook on the rod yet and thought this 30lb grouper was perfect for dinner...so..."stab, grab, and stick it in the cooler" Jeremy retold). They all had their own random skills that they've picked up along the way but the main thing that set them up for success on the water: Just deciding to do it.<br />
<br />I wont ever forget all these awesome animals but those 3 pirates will always be my favorite. I have had my dream and passion sufficiently rekindled because of them. Time to move forward and just do it!Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-89567466941812243132015-03-24T12:17:00.000-07:002015-03-24T12:17:55.977-07:00Running Through The CloudsI have come to find that the best(and perhaps the only) way one can live this scalawag, swashbuckler's sailing life is to wake up every morning completely ready for any circumstance and with a willingness to jump on whatever adventure may arise!! Don't let the fleeting unimportant things like, perhaps, expectations, drowsiness, uncertainty, inexperience, your hair or makeup (ladies...i'm lookin at you here... stop caring so much about what you LOOK like and dont ever let it get in the way of what you could FEEL like) and other impedements that hinder you from welcoming the new day and giving your all to make it the best one it can be!<br />
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After spending my nights camped out up on deck under the glow of thickly consentrated stars -making up constelations I have never before learned- I would wake with the beginings of dawn as the dim, purplish red horizon began to rise. No sooner than my eyes were open, Ken would already be at the stern , dressed complete with his professional-photography grade camera hung around his neck, and preparing the dinghy to skip over to the Fort for some epic sunrise pics. "Want to go over?" He would ask me in his matter of fact manner (never one to waste an extra word or two) but with a glint of a true excitement that i saw for the first time during our journey on our first morning isolated in the Tortugas. 'This is it!' I thought to myself. This is where his personal version of our shared "Sailing Dream" sprang from; To catch the hidden beauties that nature has to offer. I felt glad to get that glimpse and knowing that opportunity only knocks onces (and every second counts with a sunise, i jumped up to grab my running shoes and ball cap and within moments we were on the island.<br />
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I could spend every morning that way if it were possible. Run a couple killometers around Fort Jefferson as the cotton candy sky threatened the approach of the new day, racing around the last corner of the fort wall just in time to see that bright ball break over the horizon and for an instant pierce everything with it's most brilliant hue. I didn't have every morning timed so precisely, of course, but on those lucky days when i did....i could hear angels singing God's praises.<br />
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We found out that the moat wall circling the the fort was exactly 1k and made daily practice of running or walking our respective quotas. For my ankles sake i also took to walking around the parade ground area inide the fort or exlpore its bastionsand tunnels. (Side note: This would be a dream airsoft/paintball field!! There were many times when roaming through by myself i would see it in my mind and think, "WESLEY!! Shoooot him!!")<br />
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Now, The moment MOST worth mentioning here is the one that let me check something off of my 'Goals List' you might recal me making a few months ago. The box to check: Experience something you've never experienced before..<br />
The wind died down a day or two after we had sailed in to the islands and left the water indredibly still for the rest of our time there. Well, one day we got up early to dinghy 3 miles the Loggerhead key to go snorkel. <--More on that later<br />
Coming back it looked as if we were flying along on a sheet of glass. Being so still, the sea made a perfect mirror and as i looked out to the horizon my breath caught in my chest. I couldn't find it. The sky seemlessly matched up with the ocean and you could not tell where one began and the other end. I didn't know if anything could feel as trippy and spectacular as that moment... That is, until later that day during my afternoon run around the moat i had THE moment.<br />
Blue skies and fluffy white clouds over my head were perfectly reflected by the water both inside and outside of the low moat wall that only occupied about 4.5feet width. I am not lying when i say, i nearly tripped into the water as i double guess my step thinking i was running through the clouds.<br />
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I will never be able to capture that moment in words so i will stop trying and leave it at this: How great is our God!Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-39962188314919115912015-03-23T16:37:00.000-07:002015-03-23T16:37:28.842-07:00Dry TurtlesJust to warn you, I'm about to get a bit nerdy here. Let's talk about a little grouping of just a few small islands out in the middle of nowhere. The Dry Tortugas. What is the significance- you may ask? Well apart from the fact that this is now the farthest spot i will have sailed to in my life, this spot is more importantly, and quite surprisingly, very significant in maritime history.<br />
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Discovered in 1513 by Ponce de Leone, these islands were found to have 2 safe harbor, deep water anchorages (wich is a BIG deal for mariners, especially in the Gulf here where there are notoriously sketchy storms and no other land to seek refuge for miles and miles) as well as TONS of sea turtles inhabiting the beaches. So he chose to mark them down on his new charts as Las Tortugas (translation- The Turtles). Now, He didn't name them this because he thought turtles were cute and he had just gotten bored of coming up with clever names for islands. Rather, knowing that the Tortugas are located right in the hook of the current now called the Gulf Stream, so any one coming/going north or east would be passing right by and most likely needing to anchor for a bit and what do crews on long journeys need? Food. Sea turtles can be kept alive for up to a month rolled on their back on a deck is you just splash some salt water on their tummies a couple time a day....and Turtle is delicious! SO, marking down a location as "THE TURTLES" then would have been like marking "Whole Foods" on a hiking map in Boulder, CO.<br />
Later the charts were switched to read "Dry Tortugas" to indicate that, alothough this is a safe anchorage and has food, there is no fresh water available!!<br />
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Well once the U.S. aquired these islands we knew their nautical significance in gaining control of nvigation to the Gulf of Mexico but also realized their specific importance in both protecting our Mississippi River trade way and our National Deffense. The decision was made to capitalize on this strategic advantage by fortifying the Tortugas in 1846. Thus began the construction of our nation's largest Fort ever built......in the middle of the ocean....on a tiny island... Kind of crazy but Oh so very cool!!! Fort Jefferson!<br />
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I could go on and on about all of the outstand fact i have learned about this amazing Fort -and now National Park but i wont. If you are curious, never hesitate to reach out reader! Ask anything you'd like. Or, of course, you can research yourself Haha. However i WILL take a second to mention a couple of fun facts for you.<br />
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It took about 16million bricks along with tons upon tons of granite and concrete for construction.<br />
The fort had the fire power to train minimum of 125 cannons (the Fort contained at any location 360degrees around each firing at least once per min and firing up to 130lb. rounds as far as 3 miles with the force to still smash trough metal plated war ships.<br />
Once the Civil war started and Slavery abolished the fort was used as a Union military prison for captured deserters.<br />
Was the prison the Dr. Samuel Mudd (convicted of complicity in the assasination of president Lincoln for setting the broken leg of John Wilks Booth) who was eventally pardoned for assisted with getting the island's ocupants through several boughts of Yellow Fever.<br />
Finaly, it was simply the most impenitrable Fort ever designed!<br />
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Having been abandoned by the military in 1874 the islands and the surrounding shoal are a National Park and protected wildlife refuge for a couple of species of birds who nest souly on Garden Key (the island with the fort on it). Side note: There are HUNDREDS of birds on the island and the NEVER stop singing.... I'll et you decide whether or not that would be an appealing circumstance to live with.<br />
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Well thats all for me right now. I've got a couple of fins and a snorkel and some coral heads calling my name!!Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-61904722342438512272015-03-14T21:25:00.002-07:002015-03-14T21:25:28.164-07:00Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-18121274513055859882015-03-14T21:07:00.002-07:002015-03-14T21:07:12.183-07:00Key West Happenings and We're OffDue to terrible wifi connections i have not been able to successfully upload my blog entries for the last week. It is incredibly frustrating because this past week has been outstanding and quite eventful and there is now only so much time to share with you so i will give a brief account of my favorite things.<br />
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As you probably guessed we did in fact make it on shore despite the broken dingy motor. A spot deep enough for a boat with 7ft. draw finally opened up and we taxied our motor over to the yamaha dealer/mechanics shop. After being quoted an end of the week completion Tina (Who had grown rather fed up with all our delays) decided that simply would not do and began strategizing her neotiation tactics and leaving no means out of the equation. After some persuasive pleading our mechanic, Scott, said he could probably take a look at it that day. This was very fortunate indeed asTina was just about ready to offer me over as collateral to sweeten the deal!! "haha That wont be necessary." He chuckled. We left to walk the 2 miles back to the marina as Tina turned to me and very triumphantly reported, "Well Brittany, it looks like we saved you virginity after all!" "Gee, Thanks!!" I replied with mellodramatic playfulness.<br />
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Our Spirits were much higher now being docked in this beautiful marina. We had rested up in the sun on the private beach, unwound at the marina's tiki bar with live music, made use of the small weight room and much welcomed showers and were within walking distance of the grocers. Once we all felt a bit more human we made our way out to explore the island a bit.<br />
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Throwing on my running shoes and turning up Boston in my ears i took off in an excited sprint out of the marina and into down town. Between all the zig-zagging, double backing, epic tree climbing and circumnavigating that i did i would say i made it at least 8 miles (For those of you who don't know me well this was quite an accomplishment) before i felt saticfied with my exploration. There were crowds of spring breakers and tourists, old salty sailors and the local few and i loved all the people watching. I got to see the attractions that are obviously more focussed toward the 'cruise-shippers' and vacationing families but what really interested me were the things that typically go unseen. The Docks. This is where i felt drawn.<br />
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This island is rich with nautical history and even today its inhabitants have not forgotten to pay a proper homage to that. Huge replica tribute ships port here and gorgeous schooners and tall ships and all kinds of other lovely sailing vessles can be found making there way up and down the coast lines daily. And, I have fallen in LOVE. Haha i found MY ship the one i have dreamed about for years now. She's a fierce beauty and one day she will be mine. Until then though, it is nice to have a clearer image to dream about.<br />sidenote: I have truely missed the smell of the fishing boats as they come back in after a long day trolling. Watching the mates empty their catch onto the cleaning tables and filet right there and even cleaning out the cooler....i am a bit jealous and miss Nantucket for it. haha I walked past and took in a breath and noticed a gaggle of college girls all holding their noses staring at me with a look of alien disbelief. I tried to not chuckle. A sailors life isn't for everyone...<br />
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The day was cooling off rapidly and the sky started to turn a tint of gold suggesting the sunset would be a uniquely brilliant one. My playlist had now progressed onto Jefferson Starship and my heart nearly lept out of my chest with the thought of running off to race for the coast before the sun had gone. So that's what i did. Dodging through streets and crowds and stores i was getting closer. I had to run -respectfully though quickly- through one last shop to find a backway letting out to the actualy coastal edge of the island but what i saw there was far more than i could have ever expected.<br />
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Not only was this the best vantage point to watch the day end but i had also accidentally found the exact location of the SunSet Celebration. An archway over head read "Welcome to Mallory Square" and framed the scene of a concrete board walk strip packed with acrobats, magicians. dog trainors, sword swallowers, fire spiners, jugglers, vendors of art jewelry, delicious foods and tropical drinks, fortune tellers, comedians and hundreds of wide eyed, cheering spectators. Street musicians and show hypers and ooo-ing/ahhh-ing provided the soundtrack for this chaotic festival while fresh bake pretzles and pineapple, and flickers of fire and cracks of sparklers tantalized other senses. Not to mention, my very favorite, the coconut man! Most simple stand: a cart filled with fresh coconuts and a man with a machete. If you havent ever drank coconut water from a freshly whacked coconut, i HIGHLY suggest you add it to your list!! :)<br />
The sun shown it's vibrant pinks and oranges and the colors bounced off of the lingering clouds and sailboats that were now coming in accross the horizon to dock after catching the last bits of light. It was my next moment of devine splendor and i sat there, just me and my glorious creator.<br />
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I count myself so blessed to have these oportunities to witness God's magnificence through the beauty of his creativity. I feel the Holy Spirit filling me up each day and i keep praying for ways to pour these blessings and this love out onto others but i have not been able to keep up with HIs measure of supply. Great is our God!<br />
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Of course, there has been plenty more going on in this last week but i can wrap it up by saying, "We've seen some of the stuff and done some of the things." But it is already midnight now and we set sail in only 4 hours for a 12 hour day tomorrow. The Dry Tortugas is our next destination. Also, quite unfortunately, it will be our farthest destination.<br />
The decision was made a couple days ago that after we have had our fill of adventure in the Tortugas we will be sailing back to Ft Luaderdale. Ken and Tina have decided to sell the boat. This has not been an easy choice and we are all quite heart broken about it. There are several very good reasons why they have come to this conclusion but i know it is not something they had hoped to do. I, of course am devistated to know that my dream of sailing to a new country will now be postponed and that our adventure will be cut short but more than any of that my heart is heavy for the Duncans. Please be in prayer for Ken and Tina as they let go of this dream and seek to make wise choices in the upcoming process of selling Actric Tern.<br />
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Until then though.... It's time to light the fires and kick the tires!! Plenty of adventure to be had in the next month and who knows what could take place. But if anything's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there. ;)<br />
So raise your glass with me now. My friends, Here's to dreams. Keep them fresh, keep them big and keep them coming!!<br />
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Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-51836652590293828792015-03-08T19:13:00.000-07:002015-03-28T15:19:48.307-07:00Up a creek with a broken paddleWell i suppose it was only a matter of time...<br />
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I was marooned yesterday.<br />
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I stood alone, helpless and bleeding on a beach and watched as CaptainK and First Mate Tina drifted away in the dingy....... :'( </div>
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Haha Ok, ok. It was only for about 10 min and i wasn't bleeding <i>that</i> badly. </div>
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You see, yesterday we arrived in Key West. Hooray!! We were all very excited to anchor the boat and then motor on in with the dingy so we could jump into all the fun of the island and even MORE excited to go buy some fresh produce! --i fear i am begining to risk scurvy if i dont get some freshies soon. </div>
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We were all set, crew in dingy zipping along, bouncing across the quick currented channel toward the designated dock about 2 miles out. All of the sudden i hear the buzz the 2stroke outboard quickly hush to a low drone then sputter out completely. "What's wrong?" Tina asked. We both expected that Ken had seen something curious and wanted to take a look or continue cautiously...? "Motor's dead" CaptainK stated in his matter-of-fact tone that i could tell was covering some shot nerves and deep frustration. 'Sigh, stuck in the middle of the channel now like sitting ducks...and me with no hat..' i thought. But in fact we were not "sitting". We were moving, and pretty quickly at that. It took me a moment to realize that our situation was actually far worse than just not having a working motor. We were in the channel's 7knot current, being sucked right into the mega cruise ships' departure path and about to hit a little section of rip tide blocking an entrance -the LAST entrance- to a jet ski dock. "Quick! grab the oars!" CaptainK and I start paddling our way through.</div>
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Now, Ken actually happens to be a very experienced kayaker (as well as an all around Adventurer) but even for him it was a struggle to maneuver us through before hitting the sharp,barnacal encrusted dock piles. --Although, my somewhat out of sync strokes were probably not providing much assistance. But, c'mon. When have i ever drilled to be prepared for a random rowing emergency?! (I have since added this to the list of skills i must aquire) Anyway, 'Phew!' Out of the way, but not in a place we could tie off. Just then a jetskier zoomed up to inform us, "Hey dude, uh, you know you can't actually dock here." ..ummm....*face-palm* :| 'good grief! is he being serious?' i asked myself, not being able to catch myself from a brief moment of cynicism. We explained our situation quickly and he was very kind to tow us back up the channel a short ways so that we could at least pull the boat up onto a small beach patch (even though this wasn't a legal docking point either. but i digress...).</div>
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There was a small, algae covered, concrete ramp under the water that we pushed to dingy up on. Ken popped the top cover off the Yamaha engine and began to fiddle. "Sounded like it flooded" He shared. "Was the choke out?" i asked... After an ameture analysis, and some sufficient fiddling, she started back up again. We decided that it would be best to try running it around a bit right near the coast to make sure it was sound. "Tina, you come with me in case it dies again and we have to row" Ken suggested (obviously he had noticed my lack of proficient rowing skills as well) "And Brittany, you should stay here and watch the stuff."(mate=demoted back to swab)<br />
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I hopped to and grabbed the supply bucket in one hand, backpack in the other and went to walk back up out of the water so they could push off. However, I had forgotten about that damned ramp. You rememeber though, the one covered with algae slicker than snot melting down a mexican mudslide during a jello-rain? Yeah, that one. I found it with my bare foot, not but two back-steps away from the boat. Trying to catch myslef from what would have been an incredibly wet landing on my rear, i nearly dropped the supply bucket. Well, 'nearly threw' would be more acurate. The contents- phones, chains, sm anchor, etc.- all bounced up and crashed back into the plastic bucket making an attention grabbing "Clang!!" Fortunately, i have been blessed with some pretty great balance and cat like reflexes. --I think it was God's way of sustaining me from the dangerous incoordination and clumsiness i have <i>also</i> been blessed with-- I regained my footing but not before slicing my foot up in two places and shaving a decent bit off the top of one toe, in addition to providing a very commical performance for the multitude of on lookers i might add. </div>
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Once i was stable I -very casually- walked up onto the beach. There i stood, watching them ride off in the dingy, leaving me alone and bleeding on a beach full of stunned and oggling KeyWest Vacationers. "Well, um...I'll just wait here then!" I shouted out to my crew, even though they were already out of earshot but not knowing how else to handle the very ridiculous social setting i now found myself in. It was a pretty pathetic 10 mins...</div>
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As you imagined, they did come back to get me. We decided it would be foolish to press our luck with the motor now that the sun would soon be setting and it wouldn't be likely that many more Bro-Skiers would be jetting up to tow us out of Carnival Cruise's wake of doom! I jumped in and off we went to get back to our boat. </div>
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It really should come as no surprise to me after 24 years of being a 'Roberts' that i actually have no luck to even try to press.. The engine stalled out again. This time we had nothing around to paddle to except a very small island bit just in the mooring field and oh so close to our boat. The current was hopeless though! No chance of us being able to fight against the STRONG wind and quick current to get back.<br />
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Long story short, we were able to flag down another passing dingy and hitch a tow back to the boat. "Which one is yours?!" The kidnly stranger shouted back to us above the wind. "The one without a dingy!!" Tina shouted in response as we all pointed in assistance. I always get a good chuckle out of her morale boosting jokes. "Wow, Ken! It's a good thing you've got us women with you otherwise you'd have been stuck on that island forever trying to catch someone's eye." We all could laugh about it now.</div>
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We have been on the boat ever since.... And today stuck inside due to an unrelenting rain.<br />
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I tried to make the most of it though... lol<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V802BBeLczc/VP0A-ZEFh9I/AAAAAAAAAco/Qjd1jF5Ul60/s1600/6870.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V802BBeLczc/VP0A-ZEFh9I/AAAAAAAAAco/Qjd1jF5Ul60/s1600/6870.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Tomorrow a spot at a marina should open up so we can get our motor to a shop and -for the LOVE of limes!!- finally buy some fresh produce!!!<br />
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Attn. The bottle of rum was a joke by tina to depict how i was "getting through' the storm And not an accurate representation of my current sailor status.</div>
Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-22945838162671939862015-03-04T09:21:00.002-08:002015-03-05T11:01:38.002-08:00Troubles...Continued...<br />
We had planned on a relaxing liesurely short day of sailing over to Elliot Key. At nearly 1pm we approached the clearly marked channel that is the only entrance to the island's cove. this channel has to be clearly marked because it is only about 15ft-20ft wide and 9ft-12ft deep, BUT imidiately outside of the marked channel boarder it shoals up to only 1ft of water. Well, the feet was not an impossible one but due to obvious sand shift and uncharectoristicly low tide, it proved to be impassible. Not only could we not make it through the channel, we ran aground.....I will explain this "highlight's of what took place next to save you the absolute exhaustive turmoil that was not spared us.<br />
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When you have a 7ft draft with fins and you start to get set in some sandy bottom, toward which the current and tide are now pulling you even farther to, it is a game of Beat the Clock before you are burried DEEP and set. So, Ken jumps right into his plan to set an anchor out as far as possible away from the shoal to tie off to our bow so that we can hand tow ourselves out, or keep ourselves from drifting any farther in. In the back of our minds we know that hightide doesn't come in until 6pm so if we dont get unstuck we wil be at least until then - a 5 hours none of us wanted to spare... We drop the dingy (no time to hook the motor up, best to just use the oars) and load the spare anchor on. Ken tell me that i have to jump in to hold onto the anchor's line while he rows. We throw it overboard and then lost an oar setting (it kept popping out of the boat) so we just let ourselves drift back in the current- the Strong current-.<br />
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To make sure we didn't miss it i had to nearly leap out of the dingy to grab hold of the side of the boat. the water was rough nw and slamming us all over the place and slamming me repeatedly into the bow. Ken jumped onboard to tie off the anchor as quickly as possible while i tried to tie the flippin' dingy onto the boat before i got washed away(which of course nearly happened....twice. Scrambling and with knees now bruised and torn up i got it tied off and pulled myself on deck in time to help with the gruling process of towing out. Bassically you're pulling in the HEAVY anchor line and chain bit by bit in hopes that the anchor is set enough to hold you while you inch your way out of the sand. And low and behold, ours was not. I popped my shoulder back into pace and then we repeated this process of going out in the dingy (now with the engine), throwing anchors (we dicided to try two different ones), coming back in, jumping on board, and pulling ourselves to the anchor (or more accurately, pulling the unset anchors to us) about 5 or 6 or a million times.<br />
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FINALLY, we got free! With our butt just out of the shoal now we quickly, try to bring up the two anchors. In our jubilation we accidently got the lines crossed and hadnt quite gotten them out of the water before - bump, slosh - we slid into ANOTHER sand bar. My heart sunk.<br />
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Now, sunburnt, cut, bleeding, sore, bruised more than a little miffed, and with No tine to spare, we untangle the main anchor, take it out set it again... Thank the Lord, this time first try, it set. Frantically, we start hauling in the anchor -sweat and steam flying. "Hit it!!" ken shouts to Tina back at the controls. She guns the engine to 2000rpms. We're free!!! Wasting NO time now we finish bring up the lines and anchor and Tina drives us out of there...<br />
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It was now after 5 and the sun was beginning to set. I was ready to collaps but we still had pounds and pounds of wet rope on deck to rewrap and anchors to put away.I worked on all of that with ken while Tina took us to the first safe spot we could drop anchor and be done.<br />
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Looks like this will be more then just sitting on deck after all. I would be lying if i said it wasnt miserable but honestly, i am glad for the experince and the bit of bonding for the crew. I am sore as heck today and have slept a fair deal during our 50mile schedule for today -to make up for missing lastnights planned destination- but all said and done. What a memory.! :)<br />
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Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-29463718415842191502015-03-04T09:03:00.001-08:002015-03-05T11:01:05.369-08:00Sea fairing Men We Be!Ahoy there!! :D<br />
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Well my friends, we are off!! We set sail early monday morning, making this our third day underway. It has been great for the most part. There are, of course, some things that take some getting used to. For example, doing ANYthing down below while heeled hard over or the boat keeps yawing.... At the begining of this trip i had to really focuss to compensate for the shifting horizon and sparatic movements to not get dizzy or fall all over the place but now i hardly even notice it at all. However, I <i>will</i> say that it is still hard to read or write anything, harder to sleep, and cooking is pretty much impossible during the days! Just picture this: Right now Ive got one hand holding a railing to keep from rocking side to side and my legs pressed against the wall in front of me and sitting down to keep from rocking foward and back, phone resting on my knees and one hand typing on a key board on my lap. ... yeah, a challenge Hahaha I am having fun with it though. So, i am sorry if this is more scattered of an entry than usual.<br />
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So, our first day was back to Biscayne Bay. Delicious sunny skies, fair windsand some great tanning going on. :) We got the dingy out and motored over to the shore. Great park/trails mostly. Thickly forested but well kept. We walked again (i love how much we walk together!) over to the light house. Then again in the morning we went back over and ran/ leg day for me. SO hot and swaety and gross i was worried i wouldn't have time to shower on board before we set out again so, to save time of course, i just jumped off the deck. I could really get used to this lifestyle!!<br />
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Mostly i sit up on deck listening to awesome music and keeping an eye on the sails in case they're needing any trimming. You know, REALLY tough work. I was worried after that first day that i might not actually be doing much as crew other than cleaning and galley work, but yesterday cleared that misconception right out of my mind...<br />
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To be continued..<br />
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P.s. it was brought to my attention that the verb:"snogging" used in my previous post may not be correctly understood by some americans And may in fact come across as something entirely other than what i meant to refer to.<br />
the correct definition:<br />
"British slang meaning, to kiss and caress amorously." So...just wanted to clear that up.<br />
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<br />Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-67041874925156293252015-03-01T14:00:00.000-08:002015-03-04T07:50:55.245-08:00Blessings!Hello dear Friends.<br />
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I have to apologize to you. I have not kept up very well with my posts and admittedly i have been avoiding it. It is really difficult for me to writing things like, "we have a new delay", "<i>should</i>be leaving in a day" or "change of plans". I have noticed that my pride is being more affected than i had even considered it could be. I hadn't acknowledged it to myself until yesterday but, i think i am embarrassed by our set-backs. once i realized that this was in fact a response i have been feeling i see how wrong of a response it actually is. Essentially, what that means is that i think i deserve better or more from this blessing i have been given. "What an amazing opportunity, and in such wonderful timing! Praise God!" i was saying. But now, now i am dissaticefied??? I am ashamed for being 'fair-weather' now that things arent what i expected.<br />
Time to change my perspective!!<br />
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To catch you up, we left Miami to come back up the coast to Loggerhead Marina in Hollywood, FL and here we are getting this blasted generator fixed. We would have had Steve (our mechanic) come instal the new part yesterday but were unable to due to TORRENTIAL rains. Down pour, ALL day long. It actually turned out to be a great day -Playing cards up at the captain's lodge together, reading, watching Grease with Tina.. all in all a good time. :) SO, Steve came by today, has fixed what we belive to be the issue and now "we plan to leave tomorrow".<br />
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Yesterday we finished the day off with going out to dinner with our slip-neighbors who we just met. Get this--They also own an Amel (same exact design, different year) and are from --wait for it-- Fort Collins, CO!! What a small world right? It has been great getting to know them and discussing all things Colorado and sharing our joy about missing the cold and snow (No offense meant to all you Coloradans...sorry) Today, passing by on the dock, Joe and Tracy asked if id like to hop on and go sail the coast for the day. After checking in with Ken and Tina i extactically uncleated the sternline and jumped on board. <br />
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What a fun time! I could instantly tell we'd get on well when they started throwing Captain Ron quotes around. :) Our fourth member for the day was a Kiwi (from New Zealand) named Richard. He's a care taker of the boat just across the dock from us. Undoubtedly being the most knowledgable and experienced out of the four of us, i pelted him with questions of this and that all day long. Mostly about sail strategy and vocabulary but also about the Captain's licensing procces differences between the US and Australia/NewZealand/England. He was very helpful.<br />
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The HIGHLIGHT of my trip thus far:<br />
Today while sailing back from the outing with joe, tracy, and richard, we were headed into the sun with the wind in our faces. I got to climb out onto the Bow-head railing (the very very front of the boat) and sit with my legs hanging through the rungs. The waves breaking against the bow, the salty splashes hitting my toes and- what's that? dolphins?? Yes it is! 2, no 4, 5--> 6 dolphins?! They leapt out of the foamy break just feet away from my legs and some within a foot of the boat. I dont know if i could describe a more delightful display of God's splendor than that moment of happiness. Believe me, it couldn't have been more exhilarating than if Leo DiCaprio had come up behind me and started snogging me during the sunset While My Heart Will Go On played in the background...<br />
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So, It's been a good day; A very good day.! Despite the difficulties and the lack of expectations being met, leading me to being a doubter of God's goodness and provision, He is STILL chosing to show Himself to me through beauty, blessing and patiences.<br />
What an Awesome Creator and Savior i serve!<br />
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Have a good Sunday everyone!! I'll catch you on the flipside.Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-21259159043198508282015-02-27T14:40:00.001-08:002015-02-27T18:01:25.449-08:00Miami UpdateWell 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.<br />
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Here are some photos of us leaving Fort Lauderdale Marina and sailing a bit out to Biscayne bay.<br />
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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 </div>
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the coast to Hollywood Florida to wait for parts to get cleaned and repaired. Much has happened since. To be continued....Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-41623355827255003092015-02-25T05:50:00.001-08:002015-02-25T05:51:06.596-08:00First Day at SeaWhat 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.<br />
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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)<br />
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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. :)<br />
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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!<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
-AmenScalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-75212583235612074542015-02-22T15:45:00.001-08:002015-02-22T15:46:06.665-08:00Another 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.<br />
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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!<br />
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.</div>
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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 <br />
_-Anna, Sarah, and Ailiegh, and Elan i LOVE you girls!! ...West you too ;)-_</div>
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Well, i've got galley duty tonight so i must be off!<br />
Thanks for checking in, hopefully some more eventful happenings will be reported soon. Good Night!</div>
Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-57223300515826972032015-02-20T12:30:00.002-08:002015-02-20T12:30:40.877-08:00The Arctic TernI 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)<br />
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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!</div>
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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..</div>
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Also, fun fact. Amel's were designed by, get this, a blind Frenchman. ...oh the French, so keen on being anotomically correct:</div>
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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..</div>
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I absolutely love my cabin!</div>
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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.<br />
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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. </div>
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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. </div>
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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!! </div>
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Signing off from The A.T.</div>
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Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-7514406606880857722015-02-20T10:51:00.000-08:002015-02-20T10:51:26.819-08:00The time has come!!After reading over my previous.....dissertation i promise to <b>TRY</b> to keep these blog updates to a much more appropriate length. Not sure who's reading this anyway but i would hate for you to get bored Haha.<br />
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I got the GREAt news today that we are planning to set sail on Sunday! I have been on the boat --in the harbor-- for 6 days now and away from home already 12 days and no sailing fun has yet to be had. When i arrived in Ft. Lauderdale and got to the Marina i knew that there would be some delays. we had to get the boat's alternator fixed, one of the gps replaced, repair the water purifying AND wait for condusive wind to even be able to get The Arctic Tern out onto the water. But i dont think we expected things to take quite this long. However, I cant say that this waiting period has actually been all that bad. It has given me a good amount of time to read up on our various destinations, familiarize myself with the boat and her interworkings, get to know Captain Ken and wife, Tina Duncan, while also having some time to run(more of which i need to be doing as getting sufficient excersize on this boat might not be possible soon). But, man am i ready to get this show on the road!!...or sea..<br />
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My initial excitement is simply to get somewhere warmer than here. It has dropped to some pretty cold temps at night on the boat and sleeping has been rough. Last night i dreamt that i had fallen from a life of comfort as an English Lord to being a destitute bum sleeping on the streets of London in January. In a tragic gothic scene, i lay upon the snowy cobblestone road, just outside of a bakery's stoop where no kindheart Samaritan was to be found. Hypothermicly slipping into the Great Beyond, i clung tightly to my only barrior to the elements- some damp newpapers around my shoulders.... -Woke up to find that my blanket (singular) had only been wrapped around my neck only and i was shivering in my slightly humid and rather cold cabin up in the bow. I had to laugh at my subconscious melodrama for a second before preceeding to form a make shift cocoon of blanket and towel And force myself to sleep whilst ignoring my full bladder that i was NOT about to get up, go out the hatch into the drizzle and wind to walk a block away to the captian's lounge for a restroom Thank you very much! (you.may be judging me but you know youve been there too at some point in life!) All that to say... not much sleep.<br />
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I am of course also excited about the obvious..getting out and learning all that i can about ocean navigation and charting! To quote the immortal words of Charlse Muntz, "Adventure is out there". And i intend to find it haha. First, Lots to know!!<br />
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I've been talking a bit to our 'neighbor' (Older German guy who's 60' Catamaran looks like something a profoundly wealthy, well traveled Adventurer turned easy-going, salty dog Deadbeat would live in... in fact, i think that's exactly what it is.) and he has filled me with all kinds of eagerness to see our planned destinations and also a bit of terror at the possible dangers that he describes with a poorly hidden smirk in the corners of his mouth. If i had a dollar for each piece of unsolicited advise and empty warning i have gotten from people (sailors and non-sailors alike)in the last 12 days, i would own my own boat buy now. Haha but i suppose people just like having a part in the adventures thay hear about others going on...even if it is a useless statement about the direction of a current "down there by FL" (that isn't even enroute). I have remained gracious in conversation but i'm affraid it's been less easy to let go of privately. -->I think God is teaching me to have security in my own actions. If i were truely secure i don't think that i would feel threatened or annoyed by others' advise or desire to be a part of "my" adventure. Still praying about that one.<br />
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Well, I will keep you posted on when (if ever) we actually get to leave. Until then, at least keeping in touch and blogging are much easier. :) By the way, i love hearing from you so keep writing! -Ta<br />
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Post script: If there is anything that you Caribbean/Central America/Guatemala travelers suggest i go do or see or challenges you'd care to propose, let me know!!<br />
I wrote down some Goals. I wanted to know what my intentions are and what i plan to accomplish. Something i have noticed about traveling, you should always have a plan and you should always being willing to deviate from that plan. Without forethought you run the risk of missing something you would have enjoyed or needed and also possibly put yourself in danger. Without flexibility and the readiness to go with the flow 'in the moment' you WILL miss out on something wonderful and will not be experiencing the fulness of life where you are. SO, i'm trying to cover the prior.<br />
Goals:<br />
Go scuba diving, See creatures underwater, See at least ONE shark, List 5 breathtaking things i have never seen before, Experience something GORGEOUS and not photograph it, Run farther than i am able, Hold a brief conversation in a different language, Eat something new/weird, Navigate the boat=steer, Do at least one thing that scares me, Start writing a novel...<br />
Be bold with the Truth, Pray with a non-believer,Be a servant whenever possible,Start a Blog, Write to at least one person everyday, Be a prayer warrior...<br />
Be Changed!<br />
Hmmm...not exactly a plan but it's a decent begining. We'll see how it goes.Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2316251749708658910.post-14258137707521855352015-02-18T15:12:00.002-08:002015-02-20T09:17:47.250-08:00Just begining<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The thought occurs to me that I possibly have nothing worth writing about and almost certainly nothing worth blogging about (yet) but I do think this may be the best way to keep updated those of you- family, friends, random people taking interest in my life- who are wanting to be updated. So to conclude this disclaimer, i will warn you now Reader, I have never written anything like this before and i will most likely be writing the way i am thinking: Haphazardly and with little grammatic consistancy, or spelling accuracy. Here goes..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, I have begun what I believe will be the most impotant trip of my life so far. Now, you see, traveling to new places with people i hardly know to do things i've never done before, is not actually uncharted territory for me but this endeavour is different somehow. ...I've fondly titled this blog My Maiden Voyage. I think it quite fitting for what lies ahead of me and in someways answers my mind's primary question, 'what makes this trip so important and different from others?' </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In my life i have always chraged full speed ahead into -most- everything that has interested me and consistantly have pushed the bounderies of my own comfort-zone. I am glad for all the diverse paths i,ve been able to walk -even the tremendously painful ones. It has brought me varried experiences and through it all God has taught me to have a much greater threshold for dissappointment, suffering, grace and understanding...But when it comes to finding 'purpose' i can't say that a flitting from interest to interest provided me much clarity or helped me "find myself"-the cliché we are so keenly force-fed as being the epitome of youthfull existence. In fact, it has really only adding on more and more potential routes for my life to go and fertilized my ideology of serving the deity of 'happiness' that my culture exhausted as a succesful life's result. When I think about it, I have really only sampled the feeling of true Purpose or Passion. And that was only in a few areas, not much of which was even sustainable as I was too "prone to wondering, to leave the God I love". Admittedly, i have floundered around a good deal seeking a 'calling'... MY calling. Of course, i have been growing in both knowledge and wisdom all the while, being sanctified and brought to humility and love for Christ. I havent discovered where he is taking me occupationally but even when lacking passion or direction one is still able to serve God through the 'how' and not the 'what' of vocation. As the great Melvin Oliver put it, "It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it." Though he might not have been writing about 'living for Christ through the monotony of life', i have often find comfort in the truth of <i>that</i> particular application. Life here is not eternal, and i don't believe that having a fulfilling job, saticefied purpose, or happy exsistance is at all a worthy life goal...Never the less, if you have been given a passion and a skill for something or some occupation, shouldn't you pursue it when possible? After all aren't these tallents and passions given by God in the first place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ive grown up with an interesting, subconscious understanding that in all my fun pursuits I was sinning and that my life was not designed for enjoyment but rather for endurance and 'long suffering' through this world and it's pains and trials as I serve Christ and the kindom." ok, so, this mindset is not entirely wrong and i dont at all mean to down play this importance of glorifying God through the way we endure the suffering that comes from following Christ in this fallen world that is NOT our home, BUT what i <i>do</i> mean to address is how wrong i was in letting a pendulum swing so far as to believe i should not let myself enjoy things here on earth. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I was reading Psalm 37 today and was encouraged by verse 4. "Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." This is not a "health and wealth" verse or some secret key to unlocking God's favor and blessings, no. It is however a promise, and--i believe-- an implication as well. The promise, When you find delight in Christ and desire an intimate relationship with Him, you will get it and you will be abundantly blessed through that. But what i see as an underlying implication here in that our Lord <u>wants</u> for us to desire(verb). There are true and good things that are 'of God' that are for us to enjoy and desire and feel passionate about. Its called Christian Hedonism and it is how i want to live my life. To glorify God and ENJOY Him forever. That doesnt mean that i will always feel the glows or seek after the highs but it does change how you live out your life. For me, it has changed </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">how i weigh the options of my life's direction (as much as it is up to me at all). Charriots of Fire...Great Movie! In that movie Eric Liddel has what i think every Christian truely desires. A closeness with His creator via enjoying doing what he was created to do and doing it well. "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when i run i feel His pleasure." </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wow, i want to 'feel His pleasure'. Dont you?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, this has turned into a very drawn out explination for my answer to my own question- 'What does make this trip so important?' Today </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I want to sail. ok, this is not new information to most of you but i have to state it anyway. I do not know if this is my final destination on the "Find Your Calling" train but i do know that i have been filled with a love for sailing and a passion for the people that it has brought (and will continue to bring) me into contact with. In pursuing this dream i have felt God's pleasure and THAT is what i will continue to pursue- wherever it may take me. If i had to sum up what i believe my calling is i would say, 'People'. I've been called to show the love and salvation of Christ to the people and relationships that He brings into my life. To do that, i hope He uses sailing but who knows.. I am young enough to have the blessing of multiple possibilities for the 'what' of my life but for today, out here preparing for this voyage, it is time to simply focuss on the 'how'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">THIS BLOG WILL BE ABOUT: the experiences that I have on this little trip and the things that God teaches me through them. I would love to have you along for the journey with me and any prayers or encouragement- or loving admonishment- that you would offer. Thanks</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You may be stuck in a crumby job, be lacking in security or adventure, feel like you have nothing to offer anyone or no special skills, you may feel like seeking happiness is a "sinfull" distraction, or you could be pursuing every possible happiness and still not feel saticfied but I would challenge you, Reader, start examining in your life. Seek Truth! Are you focussing on the 'what' rather than the 'how'?Are you being lazy in your calling to "Enjoy God"? Are you living for the 'deity of happiness'? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Try to find out -What have you been given a passion for? Where do you "feel God's pleasure?"<br />You have been created very specifically, with a beautifully unique story, personality and set of skills and passions. I have seen this world often take these things away from their original, pure, intended purpose and twist them into something debauched or sinful or that you feel guilty in pursuing. But,do not lose heart! You have a purpose and when you 'delight' in your true purpose (a relationship with Jesus Christ) you will be able to rejoice in the blessings of those holy 'desires'. </span>Scalawag Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18228738407596932563noreply@blogger.com3