tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63399504287591554292024-03-04T20:46:52.105-08:00Fishers HornpipeRob and Nadine's adventures restoring and sailing the boat Fishers HornpipeRob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-11779318065281396382013-01-29T11:55:00.000-08:002013-01-29T11:55:04.194-08:00Virginia on the Hornpipe (part 2)
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">DAY 6: January 16,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Marsh Harbor to Fowl
Cay Preserve, to Great Guana Cay, Fishers Harbor<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Nadine, Shana and I took Dinghy Bob to shore for the morning
while the boys stayed aboard the FHP to take care of a few projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine met up with Brian Higgs, a former
Island School student to run errands including filling the propane tank ($25),
filling water jugs and the scuba tanks we use to keep Dinghy Bob afloat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Higgs made their water and air
compressor available to our crew, and explained to Nadine a few items about
resources on the Abacos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently
they have an “endless” supply of water, or at least more water than most
islands due to a larger fresh water “lens”- an aquifer that sits on top of a
salt water aquifer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">In the meantime, Shana and I made use of the Internet at
“Java” coffee shop, a homey spot near the harbor that hosts local artists works
and provides homemade baked goods and quiche.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We met up with Nadine, ran a few more errands, then headed back to the
boat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The guys were ready to get going and we pulled out of the
harbor around mid-day, headed for some of the best snorkeling in the Bahamas at
Fowl Cay Land and Sea Park, an hour east.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">No sooner had we left the harbor than Rob handed the helm
over to Shana, our newest sailor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
stepped up to the plate admits an onslaught of instructions from various
enthusiastic other 1<sup>st</sup> time sailors (myself included!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She managed to dodge various oncoming boat
traffic, as Rob led the other crewmembers in hoisting the sails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a credit to Captain Rob and First Mate
Nadine, that they so easily hand over control to us newcomers, inviting us to
jump in with our feet first, allowing us to feel comfortable and have fun
learning in what could easily be a stressful environment with anyone else in
charge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We made it to Fowl Cay in no time, quickly lunched and suited
up for our snorkeling adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinghy
Bob was fully inflated and ready to go, but unfortunately the GoPro I had
attached to my head in an underwater housing was out of batteries!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bummer, because when then 6 of us jumped out
of the dinghy into the wavey turquoise ocean surges, we were treated to a
pristine fortress of elkhorn coral, supporting a multitude of fish and coral
species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This protected area is some of
the most productive and undisturbed coral reef environments in the Bahamas and
is virtually unaffected by fishing and boat traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although some species of coral look similar
to trees or plants, it is actually a colony of tiny animals that build
communities and apartment buildings out of minerals. Coral itself is incredibly
fragile, and grows only a few inches a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had to be careful not to touch or bump the branches and fingers
reaching out towards the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We observed a multitude of different fish species, some
swimming in schools, some in groups of two or three, others alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Species observed included trumpet fish, a
huge black margate, Nassau grouper, schoolmaster snapper, enormous 3ft rainbow
parrotfish, various phases of other parrotfish (likely stoplight and rainbow),
a green turtle, blue heads, another juvenile damselfish, yellow checked rasse,
foureye butterflyfish (that looks like a feather), fairy basslets, and sergeant
majors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coral observed included lots of
elkhorn, brain corals, and common and venus fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also lots of beautiful purple sponges, whos
long arms and branches waved gently in the current, and various aquatic plants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We snorkeled for about 1.5 hrs, then headed back to the
FHP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing how snorkeling can sap
your energy, although at the time one feels quite absorbed in all the amazing
visual sensory information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You swim
along, sometimes only inches above the complex of coral, sometimes crossing
between reefs over sandy bottoms 20 ft below, and everywhere dozens of fish
species retreat a few feet away as you approach, some fish as big as your hand
or arm, many smaller than your finger, and occasionally, a huge fish the size
of your leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever seen one of
those tanks at an aquarium, with all the fish packed in there swimming this way
and that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now picture yourself in that
tank, and you have the reef at Fowl Cay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">As our snorkeling adventure wrapped up, we traveled
northwest to Great Guana Cay and harbored for the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine and I hadn’t made our daily painting
yet, so we broke out the paints as the sun sank below the horizon, and shed an
intensely orange glow on the quaint pastel houses lining the harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We furiously put paint on paper, but soon it
was dark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the light of our headlamps
we tried to imagine the scene we had just viewed, and recreate it on the
paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or at the very least, try to
push our paintings out of the realm of middle-school art, and towards something
more polished we wouldn’t be embarrassed admitting was ours!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is the challenge of plein air- work
fast to capture the light and mood of a scene before it changes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">DAY 7: January 17,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Guana Cay to Hope
Town, Elbow Cay<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We were getting reports of strong winds moving in over the
next few days, and decided to look for a more sheltered harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took off from our anchorage at Great
Guana and headed southeast a few hours to Elbow Cay and Hope Town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinghy Bob needed some more work…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We approached the harbor at high tide, which turned out to
be a good thing, as we weren’t keen on running the Fishers Hornpipe
aground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The FHP draws 7” of water,
whereas a typical sailboat of this length would draw 6”, and there was only a
narrow shallow path we could take to enter the harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At high tide we were only inches from
scraping bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The channel into
the harbor turned out to be magical, and many “oos and ahhs” emanated from the
camera snapping crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We pulled up to a mooring in the tight secluded harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long after we arrived, we saw a small
dingy motoring up to the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
skipper greeted us, and Rob and Nadine invited him aboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first thing he said was, “I haven’t seen
this boat since 1978!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turned out he was
just glancing out in the harbor when he saw the FHP moored amongst the dozens
of other boats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wasn’t 100% sure,
and did a reconnaissance ride around her stern, where her original name is
clearly written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Would you say this
boat is well known?” inquired Rob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Heck
yes!” cried our new friend, “this boat is world-famous!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brad Gunn was his name, and he proceeded to
tell us how he had met Reuel Parker (pronounced “Rule”), the boats builder, at
a marina in Norfolk, VA back in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After Brad took off, our crew headed into town to check out the
snorkeling on the Atlantic side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We walked through the narrow streets of Hope Town, many only
wide enough for a golf-cart, and soon came to a beach where a bulldozer plowed
sand up to the rocky shoreline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun
was out, and it was hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We snorkeled
around for a few hours without wetsuits for once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reefs were not nearly as gorgeous and
teaming with fish as Fowl Cay had been, and I began to realize we may have been
a bit spoiled by that paradise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These reefs
were pretty typical, with some elkhorn coral, and brain coral, and various
common species of fish swimming around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was still beautiful and fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Towards the end, I spotted a shark swimming over a sandy
patch between the reef I was exploring and the next one over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was about 4” long, grey with a pointy-head
and pointy fins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the GoPro camera
rolling, and thought I got a shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was about 15 yds away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I calmly watched
him swim past, and then the adrenaline kicked in, and I bee-lined it the other
direction!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking back, I wish I had
followed him at a distance for a little ways just to get a better look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob apparently saw the same shark, and
identified him as a reef shark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
pretty exciting!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5SIR13lTShNaoL0vra2wQcIvTECu0czRnDYP4R_inCSSIVYDvQUCVwGuLSEUFElaM-1FLtY1A_rbgoX-YmhR6ZKH18eGfCc-AFb_Vndgw_9_3DzDL_0C8lyKIbkOihBztQb7unR_6WeW/s1600/11-+Ted+and+Shana+at+Hope+Town+Beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5SIR13lTShNaoL0vra2wQcIvTECu0czRnDYP4R_inCSSIVYDvQUCVwGuLSEUFElaM-1FLtY1A_rbgoX-YmhR6ZKH18eGfCc-AFb_Vndgw_9_3DzDL_0C8lyKIbkOihBztQb7unR_6WeW/s320/11-+Ted+and+Shana+at+Hope+Town+Beach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></b><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Nadine and I got out our paints and made a quick sketch
before the bulldozer started disturbing the scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all packed up and set off to explore the
town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curtis, Ted, Shana and I explored
for a while, fascinated by the beautiful pastel colored cottages, all with
quaint, brightly colored shutters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
stumbled on a cute public park/garden with titled stepping-stones and huge
coconut trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One wall was lined with
coconuts, and we took one for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another highlight was the brand new art center, a gallery space
featuring paintings of local scenes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The two adorable pink buildings were worked over with teak and cedar,
and Curtis was beside himself with excitement at the gorgeous carpentry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGifWKV5HDKK5_yZ3NdYyg4w4DxC7Cn9wrcdKr2739ZsRUExh5gIsizRcdZK-zD9A9IWQuc9k65jRJyS3uqvZ45P_BN7wkPrx_SWdlIwo6VcT0apAZo3UGLcOMTt0yUF8mN3zoxO2Ks5D/s1600/13-+Curtis+inhales+the+intoxicating+Cedar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihGifWKV5HDKK5_yZ3NdYyg4w4DxC7Cn9wrcdKr2739ZsRUExh5gIsizRcdZK-zD9A9IWQuc9k65jRJyS3uqvZ45P_BN7wkPrx_SWdlIwo6VcT0apAZo3UGLcOMTt0yUF8mN3zoxO2Ks5D/s320/13-+Curtis+inhales+the+intoxicating+Cedar.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_Dc8OTGeS8BoSAKj-FpYKF73qADx6YS5fTUe0FBCxh5NgHI1r-0_KDrt_Qi3Hvevgmot1ru82XdBDW0RDTTyuu0zWJabV9bhz3rCxVZbW3LsaBnHgOdQUk4v_8coSpbSPifV_b83hSjo/s320/14-+Curtis+Adored+the+adorable+cottages+in+Hope+Town.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Back at the boat, Nadine and Rob had another visit from
guests who knew Reuel Parker and had partied on the FHP back in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the guests motored away, Rob picked
the crew up from the dinghy dock, and we all returned to the boat, where Nadine
and I made a coconut-tofu curry with the fresh coconut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine and Rob were excited to have met so
many people who knew the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
they bought the boat, they knew it was a one-of-kind vessel, and the
accompanying book written by Reuel which documents the early adventures of the
FHP indicates what a wild ride it had been on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But surprisingly they had never met anyone who knew the boat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, here was solid evidence that the
Fishers Hornpipe is indeed a celebrity, akin to Michael Jackson white glove, or
Jimmy Hendrix’s fender guitar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">DAY 8: January 18,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Rest Day, Hope Town,
Elbow Cay<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the weather
wasn’t bad in harbor (only overcast and a bit windy,) reports were rocky
outside the haven of Hope Town, and we gladly took a rest day to further
explore the cute town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We started the day with a morning jog through town and south
along the paved island road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hung
back at my own pace, while Rob, Nadine and Curtis powered ahead to check out
some potential surf spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I returned
to the Hope Town Coffee House, a very nice establishment offering wi-fi, but no
power outlets for customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
starving, and had a smoothie, quiche, and one of the best cups of coffee I have
ever tasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crew met up with me
there after their run, and spent some time on the Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We returned to the boat, us ladies changed into skirts, and
headed out again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curtis, Nadine, Rob
and I climbed to the tope of the Hope Town lighthouse, one of the most
picturesque lighthouses in the Bahamas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It actually runs on kerosene, and at night flashes a gentle light in a
circle through several huge glass lenses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We climbed the steep steps and a ladder all the way to the top, where a
circular balcony wrapped completely around the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t cost any money, there were no
security guards, and we didn’t have to sign a waver to climb it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hard to imagine this policy going over in the
states…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXL4RX5aHDut9zPOYebiRUzD9VgIZ4moZLhyphenhyphenPOCdT7S1lqJbpsURnfEVcvlVElcToZ0WE8ZbJIUGo4Mk1iIk5OPqiJT3pRlhY-rfIOtGH2DjCzvKCpHCXY7s9gr4Uh-FFOgI5t1hTo_pjr/s1600/16-+Steep+Stairs+of+Hope+Town+Lighthouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXL4RX5aHDut9zPOYebiRUzD9VgIZ4moZLhyphenhyphenPOCdT7S1lqJbpsURnfEVcvlVElcToZ0WE8ZbJIUGo4Mk1iIk5OPqiJT3pRlhY-rfIOtGH2DjCzvKCpHCXY7s9gr4Uh-FFOgI5t1hTo_pjr/s320/16-+Steep+Stairs+of+Hope+Town+Lighthouse.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6y10qmtPQiCM9tduqe58OrTsuRnE_ze5zs8YqOgtp5ZFfv7HhMXjH1dAtiFX1KB9t6nls48EEL4IFSCb0ZGSTcYnPdV5R1eYEYM-YvkS8IT27yceLeZZQILp6qcN3myn5lbwckIjVb1Mz/s1600/17-+FHP+and+neighbor+in+Hope+Town.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6y10qmtPQiCM9tduqe58OrTsuRnE_ze5zs8YqOgtp5ZFfv7HhMXjH1dAtiFX1KB9t6nls48EEL4IFSCb0ZGSTcYnPdV5R1eYEYM-YvkS8IT27yceLeZZQILp6qcN3myn5lbwckIjVb1Mz/s320/17-+FHP+and+neighbor+in+Hope+Town.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Ted and Shana rented bikes, and biked the length of the
island, stopping for a picnic lunch of conch fritters on a picturesque
beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob and Curtis set off with
wetsuits and spears in hand to catch some dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Nadine and I spent a couple hours scrubbing the rust stains
from the side of the Fishers Hornpipe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I learned that one of the marks distinguishing this boat as Ferro
Cement, is the tell tale rust stains sprouting from the rebar and chicken wire
which comprise the boats structure underneath ¾” cement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, we were the only boat in the harbor
with rust stains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We used a (highly
toxic) chemical compound that reacted with the iron oxide to remove it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 2 hours, the FHP was looking better
than it had in the 3 years since it’s last paint job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cleaned of a substance that looked like
bird poop, but which we identified as vomit from some unfortunate sailor…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">After the major cleaning job, Nadine and I were desperate
for a rinse, and although it was getting chilly and overcast, we headed across
town with our soaps and shampoo for a dip in the Atlantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First we stopped in the newly completed art
center to admire the oils and watercolors of several traveling artists who come
to Hope Town to paint and teach workshops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We particularly enjoyed the work of Arnie Casavant and Walt
Bartman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most common subjects were
the adorable cottages and house of town, and moody evening paintings of sky and
clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only Nadine and I had more
time to paint amidst all the fun outdoor activities we so love to do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was good for us to see some other
interpretations of the landscape we have been working on capturing with our
plein aire on this trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said
goodbye and thanks to the gallery attendant, Robbie, who was freezing in the
75-degree weather!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was headed home to
make a fire, and we had to laugh.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The ocean was cool, but not so cold that it makes you cry
out in shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just a huge
bathtub for us, and it felt great to get cleaned up after a great day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">I don’t remember what we had for dinner, but I’m sure it was
good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were pretty exhausted after a
long day.</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">DAY 9: January 19,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Hope Town, Elbow Cay
to Tilloo Cay<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We carefully motored out of the narrow Hope Town harbor at
high tide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We said goodbye to the sweet
little town we all enjoyed so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
had a pretty good wind, and hoisted the sails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We sailed first west back towards Marsh Harbor, then cut south and
southeast sticking to a deeper channel in the Sea of Abaco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We watched other sailboats, passing some,
and being passed by others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catamarans
seem to be pretty popular although they don’t look as classic and single hulled
boats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have more room and more
stability, but are more expensive with two engines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">It took several hours of zig-zagging through the channel to
get to Tilloo Cay, but I loved the sailing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nadine continued her project sanding the main companionway doors which
each have a seahorse inlayed in the front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were covered with countless layers of varnish, which after many
years of weathering now looked dark and crackly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She worked with a palm sander to get down to
the bare wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our motor began to
overheat, and we shut it off while Rob and Curtis got out the wrenches to start
tinkering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point we had a
pretty nice headwind, and opted for tacking back and forth to make way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boys cleaned out the water intake valve
that feeds cold seawater into the engine to cool it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob turned off the inverter that powered the
sander and computers, and the engine began to cool off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Towards late afternoon we reached Tilloo Cay, and as usual
Rob dove into the water to check the anchor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He continued on with his spear gun towards some rocky islets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ted and Curtis joined him on a spear-fishing
expedition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away, they speared
several lionfish, that pesky, but tasty invasive species.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine took the standup paddleboard out to
shoot some pictures, then Shana took it for a run, and I snorkeled around a bit
checking out the reefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">When the guys returned from fishing, they had several
lionfish, as well as two beautiful conchs!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One was only a few years old, but was mature enough to harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other must have been 15 years old, with a
huge worn grey shell that was the most beautiful shade of magenta pink and soft
yellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ted astutely noted the shells
similarity to a Georgia O’Keeffe painting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Rob demonstrated how to harvest these mollusks with a hammer, and cut
out the large muscle considered to be a Bahamian delicacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The conch muscle itself looked rather like an organ, and was
the size of human heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was pretty
tough meat, and needed to be prepared prior to cooking by hammering gently with
a mallet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This task happily fell to me,
and I enjoyed pounding the meat, which gently broke apart into soft stringy
flakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob then battered them and
deep-fried them to a golden crisp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
were delicious!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A very delicate, almost
sweet flavor, and a wonderfully unique, softly chewy texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob also deep-fried the lion-fish, and
French fries- a truly delicious deep fried Bahamian meal!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">DAY 10: January 20,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Tilloo Cay to Snake
Cay (Snake Cay Dock)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Some of the crew jumped in the water for a morning exercise
swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took the standup paddleboard out
for a trial run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found I was able to
balance in the calm, still morning, and paddled around for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw a barracuda, a turtle poke it’s head
up, and small stingray.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">When I returned, we set off east towards Snake Cay where the
boys hoped to spend some time bone-fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As we approached the Cay, all hands were on deck looking out at the
beautiful clear water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone saw a
turtle swimming by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was soon
trumped when Shana cried out “sharks!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Up ahead we saw two dorsal fins poking in and out of the water, and they
turned out to belong to a bottlenose dolphin and her half-grown calf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We slowed the boat and approached, and the
two dolphins swam up to the boat and checked us out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several crewmembers jumped in with snorkel
gear, but the mother and calf weren’t too interested in communicating, and swam
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lucky sighting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OIvZJuAadzi0xDFRM0n4TuXg89gSokzBd6vNSa7lxfomb61KarSBTJOFBP5x16t3_g-qC1-EJmqO8cjyrw8gwb0MXWNICSS6rdVaRK5kV9U0paoh_QMzG7-LHyk_uAvkBVJtMfcgySyb/s1600/19-+Dolphin+Mother+and+Calf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OIvZJuAadzi0xDFRM0n4TuXg89gSokzBd6vNSa7lxfomb61KarSBTJOFBP5x16t3_g-qC1-EJmqO8cjyrw8gwb0MXWNICSS6rdVaRK5kV9U0paoh_QMzG7-LHyk_uAvkBVJtMfcgySyb/s320/19-+Dolphin+Mother+and+Calf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></b></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">As we approached the shallow anchor area, Rob cut the
engine, and said, “we’re probably going to run aground…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A moment later the boat rose up a bit,
leaned to the starboard side and stopped bobbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had run aground on the sandy bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent some time putting the engine in
reverse with three crewmembers standing on the bowsprit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob swam to the nearby rocky shore with a
climbing rope attached to the bow, secured the line, and three of us heaved on
the stretchy cord, slowly spinning the bow the boat into deeper water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was free, and we motored back to deeper
water and set the anchor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Rob and Ted took off in Dinghy Bob hoping to catch some
bonefish in the shallow mangrove lagoon just east of the cay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bone-fishing is supposedly similar to
fly-fishing for trout, and bonefish are reputed to be one of the most difficult
fish to catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shana got on the standup
paddleboard and also headed over to explore the lagoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they returned, they reporting sighting
several large Eagle Rays in the narrow cut between the Sea of Abaco to the east
and the lagoon to the west.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Curtis, Nadine and I got our snorkel gear on and jumped in
the water on a spear-fishing expedition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We soon found a bunch of lionfish hanging around to gobble up all the
tiny fish fry that congregated in the shallows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curtis set his sights on one, while Nadine
discovered two large lobsters under a rock only 3 ft down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She managed to spear the first one right
away, and Curtis got his first lionfish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They held them up in triumph, and I filmed with the GoPro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine worked hard, and was able to get the
second lobster!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were huge and
beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Curtis found he had a knack
for spearing the lionfish, and nailed 4 more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rest of the crew returned from bone-fishing, and were impressed with
our catch so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it had only just
begun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guys set themselves to rid
the area of all lionfish, no matter how small, as a gesture of goodwill towards
the indigenous fish fry that would undoubtedly be gobbled down by the invasive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></b><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Ted and Rob suited up and attempted to spear several more
lionfish hanging around a rock under the FHP.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One spear got stuck in the rock, and Rob had to get his scuba gear out
to retrieve it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine and I headed up
the lagoon on Dinghy Bob, while everyone else continued spear-fishing in the
cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we blasted around the shallow
mangrove lagoon, we saw a great blue heron, and some flying fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spotted the silhouette of a turtle out of
the corner of my eye, and we turned around to follow him for a few
minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine said he was a really big
green turtle specimen, about two feet across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She wasn’t too surprised, as this is great turtle habitat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could sure swim fast, and he wasn’t
interested in us, so we left him alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We returned to the cut where everyone else was snorkeling,
and we started searching for the Eagle Rays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Towards the mouth of the cut, we finally saw one, a huge sting-ray
covered in white spots like a leopard!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was easily 4-5 ft across, with a very long strait tail like a fencing
sword.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the GoPro out in the
water, and we followed the ray for a minute, at one point motoring directly
above it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got a fantastic shot with
the GoPro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really exciting to see
such a big, beautiful creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">The guys had speared several more lionfish, as well as FOUR
more huge lobster!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(All of us are
covered by a fishing permit that applies to the whole boat.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob had seen 5 or 6 more lobster, but we had
plenty for the night, so we left them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a tremendously productive wildlife area!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></b></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Nadine and I were on dinner duty, and we cooked up a
feast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We boiled the lobster tails for
13 minutes, blackened the lionfish fillets in an iron skillet with paprika and
chili powder, with a side of penne noodles and alfredo sauce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For an appetizer, we made a lionfish ceviche
salsa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ceviche is made by chopping the
fish very small, then soaking it in lime juice for 30 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The acidic juice cures the meat, which turns
white and firm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a technique I will
take home with me for sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This huge
meal and busy day induced food comas all around, and we struggled to get to bed
before we fell asleep around the table. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></b></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">DAY 11: January 21,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Snake Cay to Pelican
Cays Land and Sea Park, <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Pelican Cays to Marsh
Harbor, Great Abaco<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">My last day in the Bahamas…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>for now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">We got out of Snake Cay as quickly as possible in the
morning as the no-see um flies (biting midges) were excruciating in the still
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sea was a glassy pancake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We motored towards Pelican Cays were we
hoped to fit in some more snorkeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Once there, the waves were so roll-y, that Nadine suited up
and was in the water right away, the rest of us soon after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We snorkeled for a good hour or so, the reef
was quite nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The biggest find was by
Nadine- she saw 5 eagle rays swimming in an arrow formation like a flock of
birds!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The huge 6-ft wide spotted
stingrays moved along the seafloor, some 30 ft down, sifting food from the
sandy bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tried to flag some of
the other snorkelers down, but most of us were far away with our faces pointed
down in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob saw her from the
boat, and jumped in with his GoPro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was able to one great shot of an eagle ray close up by diving down close to
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was pretty amazing!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">After our snorkel, we headed around the bend to a small
island where the waves were calm and boat settled down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we approached the anchorage, I stood on
the bow sprit, and saw a nurse shark lurking on the seafloor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We anchored nearby, and I took the standup
paddleboard to look for the shark, but never found him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob took his surfboard to the far side of
the island where the Atlantic waves might be surf-able.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ted, Shana and Curtis all went ashore to
explore the little islet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine and I
opted to stay aboard, realizing it was probably our best chance to make a
painting that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We painted the
islet, and the white-capped waves lapping against the shore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel I’ve gotten better over the last two
weeks at capturing the colors and texture of this watery world, and I was happy
with my sketch, realizing it would be my last painting for this trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">With no wind to speak of, sailing was out of the question,
so we had a few hours to motor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we
pulled away from the Pelican Cays area, Rob noticed the engine was again
overheating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We turned it off, and
drifted for about 15 minutes, waiting for it cool off, while Curtis and Rob
tinkered again, and added more coolant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then we were off, and headed for Marsh Harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worked on this blog below deck for much of
the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nadine and Curtis varnished
the two doors to the main companionway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She had sanded the old varnish all the way off to the bare wood, which
now glowed red with 6 inch dark brown (mahogany?) seahorses inlayed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">As we approached Marsh Harbor, Rob hoisted me up the mast in
a small seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If it feels good, do
it!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The view from 30 ft up was fabulous,
and the flat seas made for a calm ride, even though every inch of movement down
below translates to a foot of movement at the top of the mast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shot some great pics of the boat, said
goodbye to the gorgeous blue water and pastel clouds, and was lowered back
down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: yellow; mso-highlight: yellow;"></span></b></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Once in Marsh Harbor, Rob noticed a small sailboat to our
starboard side that looked to him like a Reuel Parker design.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we were close enough, Nadine read the
name and realized “Island Girl” was indeed a Reuel Parker boat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took the standup paddleboard over and
visited with the sailors aboard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a
fun coincidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, Nadine, Curtis
and I went to town for some errands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ted and Shana fixed up a great meal on the FHP, and I wrapped the
evening with some packing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Nadine would drop me off in the morning on shore, where a
taxi would carry me to the airport, and I would begin my long journey back
north to Canada, where cold temps promised eternal sweaters and long-johns,
long nights and skiing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Living an island life might be one of the best places to get
in touch with the serenity inside ourselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There seems to be a flow to life here that is unhurried, conscientious,
restful and low stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Isn’t that what
the resorts are selling?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it turned
out to be the most practical way to slip into life on a sailboat, where our
days flowed by in fluid continuum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
had to remind myself on the flight down here to detach myself from the many
stressful circumstances in my own life, shed them like a second skin and slide
into a simpler, more meditative mentality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wonder- will I step back into that skin upon my return to
reality?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or can I maintain some of the
peaceful aura of life in the islands?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But for now, I was still on the Fishers Hornpipe, rocking slowing to and
fro in my bunk, absorbing the rocking of the water, the subtle movement seeping
into my mind and my bones, as the sound of the ocean is preserved forever
inside the shell of a conch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxs50QENFqkD1um6wfsKSENqrJDYqOOhaMnpwbMoYB2ZRzW-Y8eO2ICVsHe7mTrsK2IUcl7rwo4W4lB5qZ2GT0lV6GZNtoQRczFApU6xH-Q9EsrXWYBqdW_Y6Y71RBB-wYs5lIblXvHLYb/s1600/25-+Nadine+and+VA+paintings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxs50QENFqkD1um6wfsKSENqrJDYqOOhaMnpwbMoYB2ZRzW-Y8eO2ICVsHe7mTrsK2IUcl7rwo4W4lB5qZ2GT0lV6GZNtoQRczFApU6xH-Q9EsrXWYBqdW_Y6Y71RBB-wYs5lIblXvHLYb/s320/25-+Nadine+and+VA+paintings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIgeUteFycxIjsV8Yf80NFvCL7XOxr-aCrKcfloO2OLDRp1KqN3Yw049t_hWCDpgM4fsCPsQ1hFOi8ApHvVm1JotdJDLZdNQRhHKHbVXXN_BM2DaUp0YFpYLqDuyEHQ9JRyTroReNzArt/s1600/26-+Fantastic+Clouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIgeUteFycxIjsV8Yf80NFvCL7XOxr-aCrKcfloO2OLDRp1KqN3Yw049t_hWCDpgM4fsCPsQ1hFOi8ApHvVm1JotdJDLZdNQRhHKHbVXXN_BM2DaUp0YFpYLqDuyEHQ9JRyTroReNzArt/s320/26-+Fantastic+Clouds.jpg" width="278" /></a></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Cambria;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Cambria;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-70869541057409113142013-01-23T06:23:00.001-08:002013-01-23T11:22:03.038-08:00HopeTown and unexpected visitors...<strong>Onward to Hope Town, Abaco</strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We decided to celebrate the arrival of Ted and Shana Woods
by enjoying dinner at ‘Snappas’, a local restaurant just down from The Marsh
Harbor dingy dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Locally caught fish
was just what the crew was craving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
walked up to the bar collect the tab I heard my name from an unfamiliar
direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I turned around I was welcomed
with a huge smile and open arms from Brian Higgs, a former Island School
student.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He joined us at our table, met
the crew and offered a wealth of information about fishing and snorkeling
spots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We took his advice and made plans
to snorkel at The Land and Sea Park near Fowl Cay the following day. … which
turned out to be one of the most beautiful snorkeling spots<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve seen in The Bahamas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHo0fyi6yTfF71uWe38xKviy-GyrsTnGlS_X3iIYS8TSoX3OvBnTqhNb1RA60fKP6Zqslup6x0eeaOK1ZNhgu0XBqXEOabngPAE4RWSRjZlFAA6QP6a9RqJ83ZbLwixtTl7VFqWZIcj8X/s1600/Ted+Shana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFHo0fyi6yTfF71uWe38xKviy-GyrsTnGlS_X3iIYS8TSoX3OvBnTqhNb1RA60fKP6Zqslup6x0eeaOK1ZNhgu0XBqXEOabngPAE4RWSRjZlFAA6QP6a9RqJ83ZbLwixtTl7VFqWZIcj8X/s320/Ted+Shana.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">(Ted and Shana in Hope Town)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A cold front of SSE 15-20 knots followed by 20-25 knots was on its way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this weather forecast
we decided to seek a protection in Hope Town Harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We made an early trip into Marsh Harbor to
collect some last minute supplies such as propane, water, compressed air (for
inflating the dingy) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The strong winds blew us approximately 4.5 knots across the
passage and we arrived in Hope Town at 11:30, just in time for high tide which
is what The Fishers Hornpipe needed to navigate through the 1.7 meter deep
channel into the harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We turned on ‘Twinkie’
to increase our accuracy and Virginia, Curtis and I retrieved our cameras and
shot photos like we were the paparazzi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pastel painted shabby-chic cottages whose colors are borrowed from the
environment speckled the hillsides. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to Curtris “just pick up a shell or
look at a sunset and take any two colors out of it and you’ll see Hope Town”
The shallow narrow entry opens up to a wide calm harbor filled with boats
seeking shelter from the storm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Little did we know that The Fishers Hornpipe was a ‘world class vessel’
according to our unexpected visitors…. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Upon arrival into Hope Town Harbor Rob grilled cheese
sandwiches and we ate lunch in the spacious center cockpit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a dingy
motoring towards our ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the
inflatable motor boat got closer Brad Gunn greeted us with a smile and told us
he is a former crew member of The Fishers Hornpipe and long-time friend of
Reuel Parker, the builder of this ferro cement vessel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘This is a flash back from the past’ he
explained and continued to talk about his experience on the FHP in Norfolk, VA
in 1979.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brad now splits his time
between living on his boat, Mothra in The Bahamas and Maine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were all eager to hear the early stories
of the ‘Horny Piper’ as told in the book ‘Voyages of The Fishers Hornpipe’</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Lvp2u1FTORcroagrKxEu_9ejTbCkzTw-VaXi42kvfviIN6Y3T7y47c-sPm8aysAvy4RrFbmzdLSmdLXR-YRls8CK36DvGew0o699UK_eMW_yIva6YyYaFNJZhfPd_gQDsdUrOIiebkMU/s1600/Gunn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Lvp2u1FTORcroagrKxEu_9ejTbCkzTw-VaXi42kvfviIN6Y3T7y47c-sPm8aysAvy4RrFbmzdLSmdLXR-YRls8CK36DvGew0o699UK_eMW_yIva6YyYaFNJZhfPd_gQDsdUrOIiebkMU/s320/Gunn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Brad Gunn in the aft cabin)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Later in the afternoon we were greeted again by some old
friends of Reuel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob and I heard some
chatter above deck and were surprised to see three people snapping photos of
the FHP on their I Phones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They said
they could identify The Fishers Hornpipe by it’s shape from across the harbor
and needed to see if it was the real deal (we began to feel like celebrities’
in the harbor).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan is a boat builder
who worked under Reuel for many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Wayne owns two of Reuel’s boats and Jamie is a long-time friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were anxious to see the boat the Reuel
Parker has talked so much about, his first hand crafted sailboat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
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(Wayne, Jamie and Ryan on the bow of the FHP)</div>
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We set sail back towards Marsh Harbor and anchored on the
western edge of the harbor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We looked around
to admire our surroundings when Rob noticed a familiar looking boat anchored to
our starboard side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Island Girl, another
Reuel Parker design…. what another unusual coincidence! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM3Mt5IHxpz8ddtx5XKrCEtoRUwJoS4AZI_DGRDFPFxw6BVdfhQdLzH-f1RAQp3ovg_KzT3dePj2NTC89-tjxaZclBUlAMWh9cw3sdLmr9iMyve-tAB4gUynuy5XzrDuA_8Hue9PqKdk0/s1600/Island+Girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicM3Mt5IHxpz8ddtx5XKrCEtoRUwJoS4AZI_DGRDFPFxw6BVdfhQdLzH-f1RAQp3ovg_KzT3dePj2NTC89-tjxaZclBUlAMWh9cw3sdLmr9iMyve-tAB4gUynuy5XzrDuA_8Hue9PqKdk0/s320/Island+Girl.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
(Island Girl)</span></div>
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Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-6506053235864046082013-01-15T15:39:00.000-08:002013-01-15T15:39:39.611-08:00Sailing to the Abacos- Days 1-5 (as told by Virginia Moore)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>Our Crew:</b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCGKM5Ub0pJnElYqlDDM2tIkwKBCg-GUQXhpPqoEIcP4NhISkBY4ce-PH9eL639y0hEUkm2J0O6BGV5JVaFZZ4dkCuNJlDh4sRO1Ktsv3gCrHgrT1uxI0HB83hBVvyeBXkjdDthq00fm_/s1600/The+Crew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCGKM5Ub0pJnElYqlDDM2tIkwKBCg-GUQXhpPqoEIcP4NhISkBY4ce-PH9eL639y0hEUkm2J0O6BGV5JVaFZZ4dkCuNJlDh4sRO1Ktsv3gCrHgrT1uxI0HB83hBVvyeBXkjdDthq00fm_/s320/The+Crew.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Rob, Nadine, Virginia and Curtis)</td></tr>
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<b>T-minus One Day:
January 10, 2013<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Arrival in <o:p></o:p>Eleuthera</b></div>
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Curtis and I arrived at Rock Sound, Eleuthera at 4:30 on Weds
the 10<sup>th</sup>. Nadine picked
us up from the airport, along with several other people headed to the Island
School. The first lesson I
learned is that in the Bahamas you can’t ride shotgun on the right side of the
vehicle, because that’s where the steering wheel is. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The drive to The Island School took us about 30 minutes, and
with Curtis and me riding up front, Nadine gave us a tour of Eleuthera from the
vantage of the only road on the mile-wide island. The Queens Highway appears on all the islands, equating to
Main Street. Eleuthera has
two intersections, and we were headed for the southernmost fork in the road,
where we headed east to Cape Eleuthera, former home of a resort, and now the
biggest sustainability project in the Bahamas. Operating under a Net Zero philosophy, the school recycles
or reuses all waste produced, including bodily waste. The school is virtually off the grid, with all energy
consumed coming from the multitude of solar panels that line the rooftops and
form parking bays. Water is
also heated by solar. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7jKizmueserxL9B_KqAaqzz_NDSvFXUnp-QDNgP2tWBALE4bMHVnDdbF5GPtFmx_FZ4xmuVEgzOn8dDH15RESl6UiA-bMjZoiGGHuJIHQss0BTqCi1vrt_UzAUtFOQbpWxwVsgq9WfRh/s1600/The+Island+School.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7jKizmueserxL9B_KqAaqzz_NDSvFXUnp-QDNgP2tWBALE4bMHVnDdbF5GPtFmx_FZ4xmuVEgzOn8dDH15RESl6UiA-bMjZoiGGHuJIHQss0BTqCi1vrt_UzAUtFOQbpWxwVsgq9WfRh/s320/The+Island+School.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Island School (notice the solar panels)</td></tr>
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Curtis and had our first glimpse of our new home that first
night under a new moon curtain of gleaming stars. The Fishers Hornpipe is a 40-ft ferro cement, full-hulled
cutter sloop, 55 ft if you count the front and back. The interior hosts three cabins sleeping 6, a workshop
area for maintenance and repairs, and a beautiful main galley with a horse-shoe
bench built into the stern, overlooking an open kitchen. The interior is worked over with
beautiful wood accents, shelving and inlays. Windows and skylights provide light and breezes. The engine runs on diesel and
charges the two 12 vt batteries, as does a small solar panel on deck. The heavy hull stabilizes the
boat as it cuts through the waves.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>DAY 1: January 11,
2013<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>The Island School on Cape
Eleuthera to Governor’s Harbor in west-central Eleuthera:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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We set sail from the Island School on Cape Eleuthera around
10am, only an hour behind schedule.
We had aimed to leave at 9 during the high tide when we could get over
some shallow areas, and leaving when we did meant the prevailing winds and the
current were not in our favor.
With the addition of a years worth of algae, barnacles, oysters, and
goodness knows what else growing on the hull, we made only 1.2 knots for much
of the time. There was a
significant amount of navigation to get through some shallow areas, so we opted
to motor for the first few hours before hoisting the sails when we turned north
into the deep water and bee-lined it for Governors Harbor. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tFpaI2HfdNpVBlxURG8GNbIh3fbU1RnOgMPtNo3iglq1ud9MzQ7fchNC7SIEnXfiiKOugzzgq2hvt-I78ZlJ98vWQNWeZqoQeEuMn9Bpik0kdA8uF9NAN_J1hmWGIhX2zLi4EuSlunqF/s1600/Sailing+Day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5tFpaI2HfdNpVBlxURG8GNbIh3fbU1RnOgMPtNo3iglq1ud9MzQ7fchNC7SIEnXfiiKOugzzgq2hvt-I78ZlJ98vWQNWeZqoQeEuMn9Bpik0kdA8uF9NAN_J1hmWGIhX2zLi4EuSlunqF/s320/Sailing+Day+1.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sailing for Governors Harbor, Eleuthera</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The sailing was easy and quiet, with a steady easterly
breeze of 15 knots. The sun
was out, and we listened to reggae and chit chatted. Curtis and I explored the boat and enjoyed dipping our feet
in the surf on the leeward port side. We all took turns at the helm, and Curtis and I
practiced steering toward points on the horizon while using the GPS to keep on
target. Later in the
afternoon, Nadine and I got out our paints. I made a painting of clouds in the west as the sun set
from the stern.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We dropped sail as we angled in to Governors Harbor, with
Nadine steering, and Rob showing Curtis and I how to bundle the sails. We found a mooring, and Rob and
Curtis dove into the water to wrap the anchor there. Nadine and I also took a quick dip, reminding ourselves that
the somewhat chilly water was much, much warmer than any water in Lander, WY,
or Canada. Music was emanating
from shore, where a BBQ was commencing. It was Friday night, and the sounds of Bahamian “rake
and scrape” were spun by a local DJ. Our deflated canvas dingy known as “Dingy Bob” hung
lifeless off the stern, where a fresh layer of caulking dried along his
seams. With no way to get to
shore dry, we opted to remain on the FHP and make our own dinner and play
dominos as the DJ spun island sounds. As we fell asleep in our bunks, the DJ
opted for the timeless sound of Michael Jackson to lull us to sleep, and played
on well into the night.</div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<b>DAY 2: January 12,
2012<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Governor’s Harbor in
central Eleuthera to the Current Cut on Northern Eleuthera:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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We set sail from Governors Harbor around 7am, well before
the party-goers woke from their slumber on shore. We headed west out of the harbor, then north-west
towards “the current cut”, a gap of around 300 ft dividing Eleuthera Island on
the East, and Current Island to the West. Along the way Rob noticed a dolphin swimming along the
starboard side. The curious
creature inspected the boats hull, then swam around the bow to the port side,
surveying our progress, but soon swam away. Didn’t have a chance to snap a photo, but we were all
thrilled.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5AiLo7P7-iuigAn5xlQ4S6O089Lna9eBz3aU_I4HHV5m5-kTSV0QBk9y6mGofia7sLo-OtKQ0UbFaTMhhZH1nIEeYs2a0Ia8zv2r1qTAXew0XvPbo6OXleCMk081OGtUdVJuPh9XSJti/s1600/Approaching+the+Current+Cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5AiLo7P7-iuigAn5xlQ4S6O089Lna9eBz3aU_I4HHV5m5-kTSV0QBk9y6mGofia7sLo-OtKQ0UbFaTMhhZH1nIEeYs2a0Ia8zv2r1qTAXew0XvPbo6OXleCMk081OGtUdVJuPh9XSJti/s320/Approaching+the+Current+Cut.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FHP approaches the "cut" with Rob at the helm<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdHnQghQCTR4BL-lgdtJW8VoC5m7RXy800lk5upCwZugS01qrsqjVLUkARGWc5oSXXp8jdcrlZTl2erxGpFN7fKzzrOV-O3llUQJtZWu1_RikcFodiiLJHIp0PRsD89k_fEzOHYWs3yaN/s1600/Current+Cut+GPS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIdHnQghQCTR4BL-lgdtJW8VoC5m7RXy800lk5upCwZugS01qrsqjVLUkARGWc5oSXXp8jdcrlZTl2erxGpFN7fKzzrOV-O3llUQJtZWu1_RikcFodiiLJHIp0PRsD89k_fEzOHYWs3yaN/s320/Current+Cut+GPS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GPS of the FHP sailing through the cut!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We made it to the cut at 2pm with Rob at the helm. This little novelty came highly
recommended by his father “R Mac”, who had swum the current cut many years
before. We literally sailed
through the cut at a whopping 7 knots, the current speeding us along through
the narrow, deep channel.
The sides were high rock walls promising plentiful aquatic life and
excellent snorkeling. We
anchored to the North-east of the cut, and quickly lunched, eager to get in the
water.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We snorkeled through the cut 3 times. By the third time the current had
switched directions, and it was more like a swimming treadmill than a ride. Nadine found an octopus curled up on
the sea floor about 3ft down.
It was so camouflaged against the white sand and speckled rocks that I
couldn’t even see it until she reached out and poked it gently. Rob is a great spear-fisherman, and is
able to hold his breath for several minutes while diving after fish. He saw some snapper, but ended up
spearing 2 lionfish, an invasive species that happens to be pretty good eating. We saw lots of fish, including a black
grouper, a damsel fish juvenile, a sting ray, butterfly fish, needle fish,
scrawled file fish, blue-heads and some moon jellys, among countless other
species we are not advanced enough to identify. The current along the edge of the channel seemed so gentle
and fun that Curtis and I wondered why the guide book recommended the current
cut to “expert swimmers only”.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We swam back to the boat as the sun approached the horizon,
and Nadine and I were able make a quick painting of sunset and approaching
clouds before it got too dark to see. Rob fixed up a delicious dinner of deep fried lionfish,
with black bean burritos and salsa.
Yum!! We played a
couple rounds of hearts until our eyes were too heavy to read the numbers. It was 9pm. Time for bed after a great day!</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DAY 3: January 13,
2013<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Current Cut on
Northern Eleuthera to Royal Island harbor.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had a slow, easy morning on the Fishers Hornpipe. Rob fixed up a delicious
breakfast of banana pancakes and spicy fried potatoes. (Seems like he’s been doing quite
a bit of cooking!)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then we headed out for some exercise involving swimming the
cut and jogging back around to swim it again. Rob saw a turtle. The current was
picking up. Nadine, Curtis and I
got swept into the main current in the middle of the 300 ft channel. The current was very powerful,
and it dawned on me we could get swept out to sea! I started to get pretty tired (and a bit scared!) as
we were swimming without flippers.
We were swept past the main pull-out area, but were able to make it to
shore, with lots of encouragement from the team. It was definitely for advanced swimmers! We jogged back to the put in, and
jumped in again, this time swimming close to the bank where the current wasn’t
so strong. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rob, Nadine and Curtis led me through an intensive “boot
camp” workout. I guess this is an
added benefit that I was not expecting! We swam the current, went for a jog back to the
beginning, swam again, jogged again, added calisthenics, then swam back to the
boat. When they said, “do 40
reps”, I did about 25… These friends are very healthy and strong, and it is an
inspiration!! Good way to
start of the new years resolutions.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the afternoon, we sailed to Royal Island, which took
about 4 hrs. Royal Island
has a beautiful protected harbor, and there were about 4 other sailboats there,
several were Canadian.
Nadine and I swam to shore and explored some old ruins from a long gone
resort. We walked down a
dirt road about a quarter mile and saw the Atlantic Ocean and a green heron on
the other side.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEROlEC5pKDk7uRwGhnJh7B0V6m4o_jMILOi7icxteB3fTmYMnQRIwr7GRFxv05h3I-9UXl5w6RQB1vbZ8wVdxPJamF2lAwuV83S0uRpXAitFMKTLdvUnskghWDwpmIynUsoj3uodP5N9M/s1600/Ruins+on+Royal+Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEROlEC5pKDk7uRwGhnJh7B0V6m4o_jMILOi7icxteB3fTmYMnQRIwr7GRFxv05h3I-9UXl5w6RQB1vbZ8wVdxPJamF2lAwuV83S0uRpXAitFMKTLdvUnskghWDwpmIynUsoj3uodP5N9M/s320/Ruins+on+Royal+Island.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ruins on Royal Island</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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Nadine and I got out our painting supplies and made a
painting of the ruins. It
was beautiful, with colorful flowers (bougainvilleas?) The buildings were made of old
limestone with painted tile floors.
Trees grew up the walls, and plants sprouted from the rooftop. Curtis joined us after spending
some time scrubbing sea-life off the keel with Rob. At sunset we
returned to the boat and settled in for the night. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EVocd4pgNWmuiO2NwBIEoZuhGcvyhDguAYuL_S8TcAw9YQqsE6USwELdgPCIqZXs5kWEI7-YD6KKFD8fvrqO-OVWO7qsPY9AAZlNXTVArEMC8yHKvVkb17GafUVGQsztmeZUxzywa9LE/s1600/VA+enjoys+a+beer+on+Royal+Island+with+FHP+archored.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EVocd4pgNWmuiO2NwBIEoZuhGcvyhDguAYuL_S8TcAw9YQqsE6USwELdgPCIqZXs5kWEI7-YD6KKFD8fvrqO-OVWO7qsPY9AAZlNXTVArEMC8yHKvVkb17GafUVGQsztmeZUxzywa9LE/s320/VA+enjoys+a+beer+on+Royal+Island+with+FHP+archored.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VA enjoys a cold beer on Royal Island with FHP in background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DAY 4: January 14, 2013<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Royal Island Harbor
to Leonard “Skinnard” Cay on South-Eastern Abacos.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We decided on a midnight departure for Abacos. We would be working in 3 hr shifts,
beginning with Rob and me, then switching to Nadine and Curtis. The trek was expected to take 14
hrs, but we made it in 11 by “motor sailing”, and kept a speed of about 5 kts. Going at that speed helped even
out the waves and made steering easier. We saw 5 huge cruise ships lit up like
Christmas lights, traveling in row like ducks, and seven shooting stars. I made a rookie mistake, and left
my windows open, so my bed in the boats bow got soaked. Curtis and I enjoyed using the
stars as points of reference to help us navigate. Looking at sky, we felt that we and stars were the
only things standing still, while the waves and water and boat pitched wildly
around like a magic carpet.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sea was choppy, with rolling waves. The boat pitched forward and
backwards, up and down, then rocked side to side as it slid down waves. Unfortunately Nadine gets
seasick, and this bouncy ride gave her quite a case. After three hours on the rolling water, she was
heaving into a bucket… But
bravely she took the helm, and tried to work through it. She has several techniques for
coping with seasickness. My
favorite is that she will walk around the boat with her eyes closed to avoid
seeing everything moving. This
means she gets bounced back and forth blindly as she gropes for handholds
through the cabin. She is a
brave woman, and although she might have wished to throw herself overboard that
night, she toughs it out for the love of adventure and exploration.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sun came up at 6:56am. Later in the morning we saw 7 or 8 sailboats in a row,
they all passed us on the right, and must have left from the Abacos that
morning, but not as early as us.
We pulled in at 11:30am to the very first anchor spot available at
Leonard Cay. Dingy Bob was
patched and seemed to be holding air, so we rode him to shore and walked around
on the “Death Rock” picking up sponges. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIk77rgFfr-_iLlvS-1xKJYicoQcJHfxp6h5GsP-gaW9MQDdfiho_hnp-p9m5N4lfg91-hJe2-bPCg0Tcy63nYlc2f1E0xlRrZlDKRpKlu1j81yXY7O4c0M0NPYA9BtgCXY38dLK2E4cq/s1600/The+Crew+and+Death+Rock+on+Leonard+Cay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfIk77rgFfr-_iLlvS-1xKJYicoQcJHfxp6h5GsP-gaW9MQDdfiho_hnp-p9m5N4lfg91-hJe2-bPCg0Tcy63nYlc2f1E0xlRrZlDKRpKlu1j81yXY7O4c0M0NPYA9BtgCXY38dLK2E4cq/s320/The+Crew+and+Death+Rock+on+Leonard+Cay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crew surveys the Atlantic Ocean and "Death Rock"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2ig2KcqHiEIEt7Wq4yZYa3yc1jO-93Vm0Rjcy9yWjEyFn66GTXxr-39TgbYNLosLtm3kwxrf6zK1zpi8zaXtLWM4ZSQLP2cq4HNalZRcNOXqKsROMfxgPVurLYsZG4yAEqWME8dX1mnd/s1600/Nadine+and+Sponges+at+Leonard+Cay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ2ig2KcqHiEIEt7Wq4yZYa3yc1jO-93Vm0Rjcy9yWjEyFn66GTXxr-39TgbYNLosLtm3kwxrf6zK1zpi8zaXtLWM4ZSQLP2cq4HNalZRcNOXqKsROMfxgPVurLYsZG4yAEqWME8dX1mnd/s320/Nadine+and+Sponges+at+Leonard+Cay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nadine collects sea sponges</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDt3RvSc47cuZcPUf7dKtv1PAINXC0T1xxy3NQJDE5AmO9YP-UxzubRfJDi4Od6pUpaGRvhEwe5rSkStsTVUckHHtjBvMOSR-II2Zum0GUUg26KwvtP9vzmF1NFInaqGJ3Z3mefwHW1Fhb/s1600/The+FHP+at+Leonard+Cay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDt3RvSc47cuZcPUf7dKtv1PAINXC0T1xxy3NQJDE5AmO9YP-UxzubRfJDi4Od6pUpaGRvhEwe5rSkStsTVUckHHtjBvMOSR-II2Zum0GUUg26KwvtP9vzmF1NFInaqGJ3Z3mefwHW1Fhb/s320/The+FHP+at+Leonard+Cay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The FHP harbored at Leonard Cay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySc2lU6wDTiveCAfe1W_cZdXWBuW9PFJQfMp3vbAbRsbt4zUfdTEVbrtB_LSk7ukFjHjr0WVZucd4bZnQ8bB_HXySzkeRDdPcnrk9rvMfSaErslqhoOR5Aszo767EgBpFJ0xL95AbP7u3/s1600/The+FHP+and+neighbor+at+Leonard+Cay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySc2lU6wDTiveCAfe1W_cZdXWBuW9PFJQfMp3vbAbRsbt4zUfdTEVbrtB_LSk7ukFjHjr0WVZucd4bZnQ8bB_HXySzkeRDdPcnrk9rvMfSaErslqhoOR5Aszo767EgBpFJ0xL95AbP7u3/s320/The+FHP+and+neighbor+at+Leonard+Cay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The FHP and neighbor at Leonard Cay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We got to back to the boat in a drizzle, and around
5:15, Nadine wondered, “Is it too early to start dinner?” “No!” we all cried. We were starving and exhausted. Rob made a great meal of egg
fried rice with veges, and we devoured it, and soon hit the sack. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>DAY 5: January 15, 2013<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> Leonard Cay to Marsh Harbor, Abacos:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This morning Nadine and I got up early painted the morning
light. Then we sailed north
between the eastern Cays and Great Abaco Island to the west. Lots of hidden sandbars and
shallow areas made navigation tricky. Nadine did a great job steering through the
switchbacks. We tacked left and
right, and were able to hoist the Genoa jib. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpikOwBisfCuAOtJ2YptqQ28idWeKxvyR4u9g2vte9l95ItDLgL-NEd00tIdxHCPsy-P-gbUJVtzLSZ5pCc7BskzhWJWgsSnHHbkFVXnvuBV3AsCL16BN7jUhJsI_oBQQFDNGZ4ApZVS0q/s1600/Sailing+with+Main%252C+Staysail%252C+and+Genoa+Jib.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpikOwBisfCuAOtJ2YptqQ28idWeKxvyR4u9g2vte9l95ItDLgL-NEd00tIdxHCPsy-P-gbUJVtzLSZ5pCc7BskzhWJWgsSnHHbkFVXnvuBV3AsCL16BN7jUhJsI_oBQQFDNGZ4ApZVS0q/s320/Sailing+with+Main%252C+Staysail%252C+and+Genoa+Jib.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The FHP with Main sail, Staysail, and Geonoa Jibs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpybQkOeLQrIFrFJj6WX8LU1mVxhb_EsJV7g8Aqqvo-CiddXE7H40pxwRh7oqCnBDua3LUmog-qEVYrUcQNZ0RHM5l8jm-hLiLSFg9mdSEaeYOTtMiCql7hlnomjtG28Kilmt4zHyY8R1s/s1600/The+FHP+at+full+sail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpybQkOeLQrIFrFJj6WX8LU1mVxhb_EsJV7g8Aqqvo-CiddXE7H40pxwRh7oqCnBDua3LUmog-qEVYrUcQNZ0RHM5l8jm-hLiLSFg9mdSEaeYOTtMiCql7hlnomjtG28Kilmt4zHyY8R1s/s320/The+FHP+at+full+sail.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The FHP heads downwind at full sail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjn5x3_79ZjhESdvTrY3j1JfMFEFA0NKIT3a37PqRZqcYjDMUoIdCd5uHXzMRvsiJsW_7S4ywYoBwBl6QMRhU8ByE83OE-2LJ0AeTSh9rZ6gUyPPrQNRy0bQw_O9O8eDWSrDrcIbGuFs5O/s1600/VA+rides+the+waves+on+the+Bow+Sprit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjn5x3_79ZjhESdvTrY3j1JfMFEFA0NKIT3a37PqRZqcYjDMUoIdCd5uHXzMRvsiJsW_7S4ywYoBwBl6QMRhU8ByE83OE-2LJ0AeTSh9rZ6gUyPPrQNRy0bQw_O9O8eDWSrDrcIbGuFs5O/s320/VA+rides+the+waves+on+the+Bow+Sprit.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virginia rides the waves on the bow sprit</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-nndYBPhyphenhyphen59CN1wcp4tscTfLqD50I5t4qCYncQd4OsTam0fi3D2Z1B1fRsf4L8zLudr1sxJWaHZvaEqnOvPXubJhfDYz4tXh7g-lgDylz4huanlh9JrC9fQRd3_x6RURW90wM0lkS3RC/s1600/Curtis+on+the+Bow+Sprit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-nndYBPhyphenhyphen59CN1wcp4tscTfLqD50I5t4qCYncQd4OsTam0fi3D2Z1B1fRsf4L8zLudr1sxJWaHZvaEqnOvPXubJhfDYz4tXh7g-lgDylz4huanlh9JrC9fQRd3_x6RURW90wM0lkS3RC/s320/Curtis+on+the+Bow+Sprit.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curtis on the bow sprit about the hoist the Genoa sail</td></tr>
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We are here in Marsh Harbor! We are here to restock our food supply, get on the
internet, and pick up two new crewmembers. We are excited to welcome Ted and Shana from Bozeman,
MT!! We will have dinner in
town tonight, and I hope to try my first “cracked conk”, a local
specialty. We don’t have a
plan for tomorrow yet, but I imagine it involves sailing… We are operating on island time, and
are blowing with the wind…</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaABRgIkl1ClDi2gLJAFqLHFHZ1ziNIADv3f9BdMmxyNg39LkhU8oVlkZ5IFycd_Ie7sWXoihbxOybZlqjzFK0_z9Hle3R99VLUhaIHTWOw6z-4duNJKH443yA8blkpTP5kEn3T_P3WHR/s1600/Boats+in+Marsh+Harbor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFaABRgIkl1ClDi2gLJAFqLHFHZ1ziNIADv3f9BdMmxyNg39LkhU8oVlkZ5IFycd_Ie7sWXoihbxOybZlqjzFK0_z9Hle3R99VLUhaIHTWOw6z-4duNJKH443yA8blkpTP5kEn3T_P3WHR/s320/Boats+in+Marsh+Harbor.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats harbored in Marsh Harbor, Great Abacos, Bahamas</td></tr>
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<!--EndFragment-->Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-18635679824704511962012-02-29T04:13:00.003-08:002012-02-29T05:09:05.797-08:00Kick off to 2012 on The FHP!<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Below is a sneak peak of the most recent adventure on the FHP. On New Years day friends from Eleuthera, Wyoming, Massachusetts </span><span class="Apple-style-span">and New Zealand gathered in Nassau to turn the sails south and cruise the exuma chain. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div>check it out here.... </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://vimeo.com/35851980">http://vimeo.com/35851980</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-70654797476695366352011-08-16T17:23:00.001-07:002011-08-16T18:10:32.471-07:00Five Days in the Exumas!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSfh0_LWIRk2W08VWXMi0BlN48PiZMRxFrtP-Vgfaj_Z1elrAwpS1MB0LvusLp5Vgfp08GZmeT97cWzCQrB3fQ63ovZQSsymKZqzLZP3TiESy1V-_lXn76DSZ5fUjCinkgh7iof33pePk/s1600/P8130344.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSfh0_LWIRk2W08VWXMi0BlN48PiZMRxFrtP-Vgfaj_Z1elrAwpS1MB0LvusLp5Vgfp08GZmeT97cWzCQrB3fQ63ovZQSsymKZqzLZP3TiESy1V-_lXn76DSZ5fUjCinkgh7iof33pePk/s320/P8130344.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641624628949311810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Clouds on The Passage From Exumas Back to Eleuthera</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>
<br /></u></div><div>
<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">When you smile with a snorkel mask on your face water trickles in through the wrinkles next to your nose and slowly fills up the mask with water. If you are SCUBA diving this means you have to look up towards the surface and breathe out through your nose to clear the mask of water. The more you smile or laugh the more you clear your mask until, if you are playing underwater backgammon against your friend Benny Urmston, you are stuck in a downwards spiral of dice rolling, hand signals (not always polite), laughing, and mask clearing.</div><span id="goog_1810792640"></span><span id="goog_1810792641"></span><div>
<br /></div><div>Overall our summer trip was fun and relaxing. We finally got chance to experiment with different sail combinations and pints of sail and found the FHP to a pleasure to sail in relatively light conditions. The weather was HOT and depending on the bugs some of the crew found it nicer to sleep on deck in the breeze.</div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO4pcQaT-jN8__49YJ4rye3B-H8gR6lTUTghTgYQEQdC-FhzRn0mqlR3wG1pRytznYq_PPIvgXFmOSf8fpDaD8W1tMs-nMAymZ11LbQV9E6QJ_fYSw1QbEzPqEC-3kk8J0zKPQF_-5Mjx0/s320/P8110280.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641621282260648738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><b>Nadine On Deck, FHP</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">The crew was Ashley, our winter trip sailor/blogger extraordinaire, Benny, from The Hass expedition, Nadine,</span> and I. Ashley, as usual, was completely impervious to seasickness and made some delicious curry for dinner. Benny spent as much time in and under the water as possible as he is about to spend the next six months in Antarctica.</div><div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5434tR7PcnDgXcl5WbQ_Znr6696pSLlE5Gad_r6vbLcXOuAMEFQv_KEXxp_frtaETq3GniUl82BstzTTABaWaP6nFcSlDd0zCD-d6l4Z10YdXUdgg4bEJiNzONB7RoFzJghfAMmyfd3eT/s320/P8120328.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641622903091934674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Small Key Near Norman's Key</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUFwGYMkbkF9ELmYQcZUOo7S3UPSTiPiSzk4M7YW3gGRDNxKBzfqMce9FDG3yBcERYc4Bq_dTPzLKYV4SvaFfz7-G-Q6UeiN2xkIO1vAt2Tf6-US5HaiB6eHqtEad0Q1Yx45dFvAwUBJM/s320/P8100245.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641623590565169506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Nadine and Ash in a Sea Cave, Exumas Land and Sea Park</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>
<br /></b></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-75759427671245749322011-02-22T14:03:00.000-08:002011-02-22T14:07:30.872-08:00inspiration from new horizons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeUZNMQv9LdOi9PgK-6CK-m7uQfhSgJGmW6VQKtUPBBXsup7TZRtaCC1pXEPv1jSdoS0kifVGK9vE4hQXlxxB56Xur1kAOMeZfQq80YlVaqXyAQ3HfRYiq897trkffdck-qb9XMl8DMAW/s1600/IMG_6192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeUZNMQv9LdOi9PgK-6CK-m7uQfhSgJGmW6VQKtUPBBXsup7TZRtaCC1pXEPv1jSdoS0kifVGK9vE4hQXlxxB56Xur1kAOMeZfQq80YlVaqXyAQ3HfRYiq897trkffdck-qb9XMl8DMAW/s320/IMG_6192.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUIE9wqUnB4BD8Vs0kFXOC47lRu1jqS5NusQK7uU9vAUlVVfKs1M1bWtt-bx73EqQL2rMI5lzJ0SeKlrd9nvFm3oFn1FwyRfbjFZdE0Hix5Jnz2b8lYw26fIr4gEMwA8kZf77fEoBZRHp/s1600/IMG_6209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUIE9wqUnB4BD8Vs0kFXOC47lRu1jqS5NusQK7uU9vAUlVVfKs1M1bWtt-bx73EqQL2rMI5lzJ0SeKlrd9nvFm3oFn1FwyRfbjFZdE0Hix5Jnz2b8lYw26fIr4gEMwA8kZf77fEoBZRHp/s320/IMG_6209.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2S9WteJJ-7vf1GhVB9Jzk29aVMccOnd-_gdpXkPl51DbFUcc8JMtit_CiR2d9ys3pPDXETkDjf_uvnN-RH-KlDFYY16J35soSOZKNxE1slAbbZRu67gQG76EW4Gv0ixSFM5CxiGN9Rf/s1600/IMG_6231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2S9WteJJ-7vf1GhVB9Jzk29aVMccOnd-_gdpXkPl51DbFUcc8JMtit_CiR2d9ys3pPDXETkDjf_uvnN-RH-KlDFYY16J35soSOZKNxE1slAbbZRu67gQG76EW4Gv0ixSFM5CxiGN9Rf/s320/IMG_6231.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V4tfSKVi8bhBX5iJGHdLESfwz9WKxK7ZVx7eYAaK4CgNgDqFVypizqErfokodb1FXkZrWuJFosygQMCdSylFg30UfwMpdJZejvWWOu-Lfi2tQbHXBsto2JVYBD-kn2SCz_A0BE8piduX/s1600/IMG_6266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_V4tfSKVi8bhBX5iJGHdLESfwz9WKxK7ZVx7eYAaK4CgNgDqFVypizqErfokodb1FXkZrWuJFosygQMCdSylFg30UfwMpdJZejvWWOu-Lfi2tQbHXBsto2JVYBD-kn2SCz_A0BE8piduX/s320/IMG_6266.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH27o1_wqAlWfGvj61MRObZhlJtman6zFYjOR_3rYjZ0_HAvy7EtJlVOm8dAsnsE6BGZBcuN8OaiTQrwVpDqmUkD65Uaw3iUzESJJVLMRgmKUSXJwrrK5T1lJ91jkAe7mjbWGMZwEsXve/s1600/IMG_6293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwH27o1_wqAlWfGvj61MRObZhlJtman6zFYjOR_3rYjZ0_HAvy7EtJlVOm8dAsnsE6BGZBcuN8OaiTQrwVpDqmUkD65Uaw3iUzESJJVLMRgmKUSXJwrrK5T1lJ91jkAe7mjbWGMZwEsXve/s320/IMG_6293.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My favorite parts of the day was watching the sun rise and set.... every day- different and beautiful. In the midst of challenge and discomfort, the new horizon would calm our spirits assure us of the promise land! </div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-42001093114604044892011-02-13T13:47:00.000-08:002011-02-13T13:47:10.075-08:00Eleuthera!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlasOrfLk4biAhI24cqWFtr52P8R7jfuYmmf77ajaxV1T_Ae9bfFP8xyia0CjJWOhXUwkdpogqgJBCe_PkcqspaNKjSY5Ppmz6kk3-UwAmq1nMaRI9YYFj3dsy58vRxzNGMm7wy0eD59K/s1600/IMG_6312_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnlasOrfLk4biAhI24cqWFtr52P8R7jfuYmmf77ajaxV1T_Ae9bfFP8xyia0CjJWOhXUwkdpogqgJBCe_PkcqspaNKjSY5Ppmz6kk3-UwAmq1nMaRI9YYFj3dsy58vRxzNGMm7wy0eD59K/s320/IMG_6312_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Thank you for all the warm wishes and loving energy everyone sent our way! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stars aligned as the clouds parted and seas rested- creating the perfect window for us to make our final crossings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a steadfast crew of four we were able to not only navigate our way across the Gulf Stream and the Bahamas, but sit on deck and soak up the sun we have been chasing the past 28 days on board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are delighted to say that the Fishers Hornpipe is safely resting in ‘Triangle Cut’ near the Island School ready for its next big adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">PS- Stay tuned for more photos! </div><!--EndFragment-->Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-69799369964286480522011-02-09T07:38:00.000-08:002011-02-09T07:38:05.635-08:00The Promised Land - Ashley on the HornpipeEven the moon smiles in the Promised Land, I thought to my self sitting on deck looking up at the new moon in the clear sky above the Fishers Hornpipe. The crescent moon rose horizontally, open side up, like a big bright smiley face in the night sky.<br />
<br />
<br />
We face the south. Every day we move more and more southward, towards the warm air and seas. Every day we leave the north, a little more and a little more. We joke about the idea of the Promised Land. In the Promised Land the wind will be warm and there will be no more rain. We will take off our fat suites: layers of rain proofing, upon layers of wind stopping, upon layers of down insulating our pasty sailor bodies. We will tan our pasty bodies in the sun. The Promised Land is full of majestic creatures like dolphins and manatees and entire islands filled with hundreds of pink flamingos (Rob and Nadine actually claim to have seen the flamingo sight on watch two nights ago, I was sleeping, so I’ll have to take their word for it). When we arrive in the Promised Land we will turn off our constant, twenty four hour a day, orchestra of diesel engine rumble, hum, and growl and put up our sails that will be filled with the breath of the Gods. There will be unicorns; it will be perfect. We will bask in the glory of what has been promised, farther south, somewhere, some day, it will come.<br />
<br />
We left Southport, North Carolina with a replaced propeller spinning under our big cement underbelly. We began our longest, most wearisome leg of the journey yet. <br />
<a name='more'></a>We passed though North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and crossed the border to Florida on Friday the 4th. We pushed forward, always south. Though sometimes east and west in serpentine, circumnavigated courses, especially in Georgia where the waterway is anything but direct. We looped around this way and that, following our watery road always forward, eventually south. We motored through four states without stopping, twenty four hours a day, three nights and four days. We elongated our watch shifts to three hours at a time, one new person rotating in every hour and a half, in order to maximize sleep periods. Three hours on, four and a half hours off. Twenty four hours a day, for four days. Ninety six hours. We stopped to re-fuel, otherwise we did not stop.<br />
<br />
Except when we ran aground.<br />
<br />
We ran aground a lot. Daily. In fact, we have run aground at least once everyday—sometimes twice or more—since that day we left Southport. The Intracoastal Waterway varies in depth and width, from small slinky river-like sections, to wide lake-like sections, to marshy swamplands with only a small and barely deeply enough dredged channel, to deep shipping channels, to wide wavy ocean inlets. The Waterway is tidal. This means that sometimes we will be traveling in a section that is measured to be around 8 feet deep and because the draw of the FHP is 7 feet, and because it is high tide, we are safe. Sometimes we are in a section measured to be around 8 feet deep and it is low tide which means that—“ca thunk!” says the bow, as we lurch up and forward, coming to an unsettling rest in the sandy bottom of the Intracoastal Waterway. Everyone knows, on cue, what that means: “All hands on deck!” yells Rob, or anyone else who might be on watch at the time. Or, if it is the middle of the night, maybe the two people on watch attempt to un-ground the ship on their own while the crew tries to sleep a few hours before it is their turn to take over watch and goddamn run aground, again.<br />
<br />
Getting the FHP’s cement underbelly dislodged from the tickling silt below her is an exercise in patience and creativity. It is a ramshackle orchestra. It looks like this:<br />
<br />
<strong>Step 1:</strong> First, Rob (sometimes Tracy) takes over the helm and tries to drive her off of the patch, the possibly only small ridge of sand that she is stuck in. He throddles up, throddles down, in forward, in reverse, gauging her response: are we spinning? swaying? moving at all? Nope. (this rarely works)<br />
<br />
<strong>Step 2:</strong> (my favorite step): We try to rock her out. With the force of our bodies running from starboard to bow, bow to starboard, each of us a little weighted pendulum working collectively to shift the FHP from side to side. We all start at the same side and on someone’s count, run to the other side as fast as we can without throwing ourselves overboard, or tripping on a line, or a boom, or a mast, and as we reach the opposite side we stop as quickly as we can and lean our weight over the railing. We watch to see if she reacts: are we spinning? swaying? moving at all? Maybe. (this works more often than you would think). She sways from side to side as we run from side to side. A dislodging wiggle. We can almost always get her rocking, but sometimes it is not enough to wiggle her free. So…<br />
<br />
<strong>Step 3:</strong> (may involve any number or series of the following techniques)<br />
<br />
<u>The manual depth sounding:</u> (not always conducted, generally only if we are unsure what the deepest course is to take, once we manage to unground ourselves. This is a precautionary step; it does not work to free us, but informs the decisions we make thereafter.) Jonny and Rob pioneered this maneuver, but since, each of us has had the opportunity to perform this duty. Two people get in the dingy, one drives, the other uses our boat hook—which extends to 7 feet (just the length of our draw) to poke at the bottom of the Waterway. We drive and drive and drive the dingy, deliberately around the FHP, while we poke and poke and poke for the bottom. It the boathook meets the ground and Jonny’s hand holds the handle just at water level, we might make it out that way. If his hand, arm, or shoulder is in the water as the boathook meets with the sandy bottom below, then it is a good bet, definitely deep enough. Keep in mind that it is cold, really cold, and it sucks to be in a dingy, arms wet, poking for the tricky miserable bottom of the Waterway.<br />
<br />
<u>The David vs. Goliath:</u> This is when we use the dingy to try to dislodge the FHP by brute dingy force. A couple of crew members, maybe with a rope, maybe just with their hands, try to pull and push the FHP this way and that, seeing if the big boat is only so stuck that a tiny boat’s force can free it. (often times this is used in conjunction with Step 2). This occasionally works and only if the dingy is running well enough to handle this laborious task. <br />
<br />
<u>The Anchor Leverage Pull:</u> Two people take the dingy out toward the direction that we would like to be pulled toward. They drop an anchor, attached to a line, attached to the boat, running through a winch. We wind and wind the winch. Crew members take turns with the winch, struggling, pulling and winding up the line. We sweat deeply in our four layers of foul weather gear as we physically exert ourselves, all of a sudden, intensely. We sweat like we haven’t sweated in months. The angle of the line and the direction of the anchor causes the FHP to swing around slowly and eventually, the tension on the winch dwindles and we reel ourselves in toward the anchor like a twenty-three ton fish on a line. We pull up anchor and are on our way. This one works almost every time, but is the most laborious, time consuming and complicated of all techniques. <br />
<br />
<u>The Final Resort:</u> Wait for the tide to come up. Buckle down, break out the backgammon board, make some lunch, and wait for high tide. In order to pull of this maneuver successfully, we must first be in spirits good and humble enough to entertain the idea of patience. Sometimes getting her out RIGHT NOW is the only thing that the crew can collectively set our minds on. Waiting for the tide is like choosing to meditate in rush hour traffic instead of scream and honk at the car in front of you.<br />
<br />
Now, this detailed synopsis of our approach to running aground obviously means one thing: we ran aground a lot. If we have created an entire protocol system for approaches to dislodging, it suggests the necessity for such. <br />
<br />
Now, combine this constant worry and anxiety that around each and every turn, a little nearer to the portside, maybe just on the other side of that day marker, we might have to deal with running aground, combine that state of mind with 96 hours straight of sailing, and combine that with constant rain and cold. We traveled through four southern states, four states known for being mild and pleasant during the winter, and faced the same miserable constant: cloudy, cold, foggy, drizzling conditions. Combine this with the intense pressure of our time constraints: we have to be at Island School in 10 days, 8 days, one week!...<br />
<br />
Combine all of these factors and you get some pretty low morale among the crew.<br />
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This is how we rolled in to northern Florida. This was the peak of our weariness. We were treated, in the grand tradition of people bestowing generous help and support to us, to free dockage and a key to the marina showers and laundry by an especially benevolent marina staff member. Later that night, before getting together with CJ Easton, another F10 Island School student, and his family for dinner, we had a crew meeting. Rob said what we were all feeling: we needed to stop the mad miserable dash down the coast, and take the time to enjoy ourselves. We could slow the pace down. We could give ourselves the gift of grace and do our best to make it to IS in time. Do our best. Patience. Meditate in rush hour traffic. Be joyful. The rest of the evening was filled with merriment, in fact, each passing day since this rock bottom of exhaustion has been better and better.<br />
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Every mile that we drove deeper and farther south in Florida brought us closer and closer to the ever elusive Promised Land. <br />
<br />
And here, finally, we are! Sunshine and dolphins and sunbathing on the bow. We glide over crystal blue waters where fish fly (really, flying fish) and watch armies of man o’ war jellyfish pass harmlessly in the foaming waters below us. The moon still smiles each night, and each morning we wake to a brighter shade of blue. Monday Nadine complained about being too hot. Too hot! Seriously. And yesterday, we made the big crossing over to The Pajamas (as Rob likes to call them). We checked into customs this morning from the westernmost marina of Grand Bahama Island. We are right on track to make it to Island School on time, and we are bathed in the warm glory of our success. Hooray! I only wish Jonny and Matt (who had to depart the crew recently, at different times, to attend to other obligations) could feel the redemption and rejuvenation of cutting through the blue Bahamian waters with the ice sheets of Rhode Island seeming thousands of miles away. <br />
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We made it! Wish us luck as we embark on our final little leg of the journey from Grand Bahama to South Eleuthera.Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-39912894970260661532011-01-31T15:16:00.000-08:002011-01-31T15:16:41.855-08:00A Grateful Hornpipe - Ashley on the HornpipeMy faith in humanity is restored. <br />
<br />
If you do no believe that people are good, if you have lost faith in the—treat others as you would be treated—love thy neighbor mentality—if you think the world is full of people looking out for number one, selfish, driven by their own self-interests, then you need to do what we are doing.<br />
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Get yourself on a 75 percent renovated (this is an approximation I heard Rob give the other day) sailboat, in the middle of January, run it night and day, despite sea sickness, despite shallow waters, despite it being so cold that there are no other boats on the water like you, do this until morale is dwindling. Do this: motor, sail, go. Get out into a world where things are likely to break down, where things are likely to become difficult, frustrating, and occasionally, down right impossible to deal with. Do this, like we have, like we are doing, and you will find an incredible, undeniable truth about people:<br />
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People are good and kind. People are generous. <br />
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People want to help you, despite the dire, ridiculous absurdities of your situation, despite the fact that you willingly put yourself in these conditions. People want to make you dinner. People want to buy you groceries. They want to drive you around until you find what you need, or call their uncle, their friend, the guy they know who has just what you have been looking for, who knows everything about the thing you need to know about. They want to give and give. They jump at you from out the woodwork. Unexpected. Everywhere. Because you need help and they want to help, they will help you.<br />
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This is what I have learned in my first three weeks on the Fishers Hornpipe. <br />
<br />
We arrived in Southport, North Carolina late in the afternoon of Friday the 28th. Just past Cape Fear we re-entered the Intracoastal Waterway after 26 hours on the open ocean. <br />
<a name='more'></a>Thursday we had left Beauford, NC after spending the night waiting out some torrential gale force winds to pass in the safety of a cute little downtown harbor—where, it should be mentioned, we dined on some downright decent North Carolina BBQ.—This most recent leg of our journey, returning to the open ocean out of Beauford, turned into the roughest night we had faced yet. We were back to motoring overnight where the crew rotates through a watch schedule that has each of us working two hours on, four hours off, all night and day. We went back into the open ocean hoping to make better time, but what we found out there were swells and waves, crashing and lurching, this swell going this way, that swell going that way, and the FHP in the middle going impossibly both ways at once. <br />
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Overnight the waves coming at us were big and rolling. Up and down and up and down. Bow first, you second. Wave up and you down. Wave down and you up. We crashed forward, through the big waves, through the night and the dark. We had to stand at the helm as we steered because the wheel pitching and heaving this way and that could only be combated by the full force of our bodies holding against it. We navigated by aligning our sight with the stars, eyes forceful peaking over the bimini, willing the bow to go where we wanted it to, not where the waves continually crashing over it push it towards. On watch with Nadine, she looked like a wave cowgirl riding the ship up and down as it tried to buck her from her sailboat giddyup stance: legs bent, arms forward, eyes wild. We spent the night wrestling the boat against the ocean. Anyone who gets seasick got seasick that night. <br />
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As daybreak hit, the swell coming at us became two swells that we were caught in the middle of. The wave rodeo grew more intense and the FHP pushed forward, sturdy but insignificant, like a rubber ducky going down a class three rapid. The mast swayed like a great pendulum in across the sky, arching over the horizon, back and forth, this way and that. People were sick and growing sicker. Rob and Tracy had to take over at the helm, being the only ones experienced enough to navigate through the wave conditions that had built. Though I do not get seasick (and I mean seriously not seasick, I have an impossibly sea-worthy stomach) I was seascared. I was seafrightened, sea-damn-nervous. Though the sun had come up, we all continued to wear harnesses because it was actually seeming possible that, with the FHP going practically sideways and all, one of us could honestly fall off. Man overboard. I was more scared than I care to admit. I actually started doing the “I am really scared” indicators: thinking about my priorities in life, reconsidering the life choices that got me into the situation, wishing I could tell everyone I love just how much I love them, thinking about the logistics of my inevitable funeral, etc. So in order to deal with my seafear, I went down into the cabin, wrapped up in a safe cacoon of blankets, put in my ipod and listened to the comforting sounds of my favorite NPR podcasts. I stayed in this cacoon until the FHP regained noticeable equilibrium. Once the regular starboard lurches stopped, once I was able to take my foot off of the table that had been propping me in place against the sudden sways of the cabin, I returned to the deck and saw that the waves had reduced and that after a sleepless night and a frightening morning, we were returning to the safety and calm of the Intracoastal Waterway. <br />
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***I should mention, so as not to unnecessarily worry family members that might be reading, that the FHP was built for much stronger and bigger waves than we faced here. We were in no real danger. The cement hull of the FHP ensures maximum stability and ability to regain equilibrium in the face of high seas. The only things on the boat not built for waves like that were possibly a few members of the crew (i.e. me)***<br />
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Three hours later we were pulling into a calm section of the Waterway, arranging the FHP into proper positioning for anchor, when the propeller fell off.<br />
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The propeller FELL OFF. <br />
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Off. It just came off of the motor. Rob put ‘er into reverse and: “bing!” there goes the prop. Gone. Off. No more propeller. Except, we didn’t realize that this is what happened. When the boat failed to move forward, or respond to Rob’s direction, we assumed that we ran aground. So, we spent the next half of an hour trying to unground our non-grounded sailboat, before Rob had an idea. He popped on his wetsuit, jumped overboard to inspect the FHP’s underbelly and realized that, yes, we were no longer in possession of a propeller. They—those who know more about boating and boat mechanics that me—tell me that this is not something that happens very often. This is tantamount, I was told, to the time that Nadine was driving down the road when her hood popped up and smashed in her windshield, causing it to shatter. You hear that this kind of thing happens to cars, but it is certainly not an ordinary occurrence. And so, unlikely, unimaginably, our prop fell off. <br />
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And this is how we arrived in Southport, North Carolina. After a day of motoring through rough seas, with little sleep, and much seasickness and some sea-scaredness, we arrive here and our PROP FALLS OFF. This demoralizing little cherry on our sailboat sundae was difficult to swallow.<br />
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And as hard and frustrating as it was to arrive here and face this complication, as weary as we were, our spirits were lifted, rejuvenated, and downright shocked at the hospitality and generosity that we have found in the face of this adversity. People are good, generous, and kind.<br />
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Saturday morning we split up into two crews. Rob, Jonny and Tracy stayed to search for the prop. We had GPS coordinates for where we lost it, and so the team methodically searched for it in varying patterns around a buoy. They raked the area, poked around with long metal poking tools crafted for the search, and even put on their wetsuits and went diving for the sunken little piece of motorized treasure. Though the location was not too deep, from 5-10 feet depending on the tide, the water was cold and murky, and the silted bottom could have sucked up the prop as quickly as Rob downs a mini Snikers bar before his midnight watch shift. As the team battled to recover the prop, Nadine, Matt and I went into town in search of help and some supplies.<br />
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And boy did we find help. We found help of every kind, every shade, 41 flavors of endless help. We immediately found a man at a coffee shop willing to drive us around in his car. Once we arrived at a hardware shop, a guy working there volunteered to loan us his car if we needed to borrow it for a few hours, drive to the next town, whatever. Everyone we met gave us a card of a person that they thought could help: someone who knew about propellers, someone who knew about boats, someone who had a cousin who had a boat, someone who might possibly be able to locate a device for underwater metal detection (this apparatus is called a Magnometer, and no, there is not one to be found in Southport, trust us, we’ve called around, though one man does have a Magnometer that doesn’t work anymore. Bummer.) One woman, the proprietor of a local dive shop, that Nadine spoke to on the phone, offered to buy us groceries. Seriously. None of these people had the least obligation to care in the slightest about the Yankees who had just arrived one prop short and a day late, and who were stuck anchored in the middle of the Intracoastal Waterway. No one had to care but they did. As the day passed, the generosity swelled into tidal waves of unparalleled kindness. After an afternoon crew meeting, we all took the dingy into town to find a laundromat and some dinner. At the dock, a girl we had met earlier that day offered to drive us to the laundromat (the closest one being 3 miles away) while her boyfriend and a buddy took the boys around to do a few errands. After our laundry was done, this girl even returned to pick all of us up, bags of laundry in tow, and drive us to a restaurant for dinner. Her goodwill did not go unrewarded; at her request, we bought her a case of Miller Light as a little “thank you” from the crew. <br />
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We walked into a restaurant and pub that came highly recommended from locals all over town. It was bustling with activity and chatter. The door opened and the record stopped. Hush. Everyone looks at us: hair greasy, laundry bags, looking disheveled and distraught. Everyone looked and knew instantly who we were. We were the talk of the town, kind of a big deal. At the restaurant, as we drank beers and made good company, people approached us to say hello: “Oh! I didn’t think I was going to get the chance to meet the stranded sailors!” –said one lady. People offered us every kind of help and hospitality imaginable. People wanted to drive us around for errands, invite us over to use their showers (we must really have looked like we needed showers), have us over for dinner, or sleep in their guest beds or couches or their floors. At one woman’s insistence, we signed a birthday card that was being passed around for a jolly, rotund man with a mustache wearing a Mount Gay Rum racing vest (description via Tracy). Had we stayed a little longer we likely could have walked away with a brand new car and someone’s first born. These people cared about us and wanted to help. Genuinely and with dignified kindness.<br />
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Maybe this is a southern thing. Maybe this is why the south is known for being so hospitable. But, the thing is: everywhere we’ve been, people have been like this. Everywhere we go people are bending over backward to help, to make our lives easier, and our little voyage a success. People are good and kind. People are generous and welcoming. Everywhere. Our voyage started in Rhode Island where Rob’s aunt Marion and uncle Dean let seven crew members live and work out of their house for a week. We slept everywhere and ate everything, set up projects in every room, and yet they graciously welcomed us. They even gifted us with a box of musical instruments to entertain ourselves on the FHP including a dolphin adorned ukulele and a nose whistle. We arrived in Sandy Hook, New Jersey and were again welcomed by unparalleled kindness and benevolence. Tracy’s grandmother Barbara and step grandfather Gary took us in, with only a day’s notice, even though they already had house guests. They too drove us around, fed us, cared for us, and gave and gave. People are good and kind. And then, there were the Overmans. Will’s family extended every form of kindness to us imaginable. The crew was spread out between their home and Will’s grandmother’s house down the street. Denise Overman cooked us incredible meal after incredible meal. She ruined me with banana pudding until I lay motionless and overstuffed, next to the fireplace, on the living room floor, wallowing in gluttonous glory. Bill and Will played music for us, graced us with their songs, and their father-son charm. Bill treated half of the crew to a yoga class with him. Yoga. Really, we joked that we were staying at the Overman guest house and spa. Royal treatment, I tell you what. They let us borrow their cars, they drove us around. We occupied their home for an entire weekend and all we got was more offerings for more and more gifts.<br />
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I have renewed faith in the goodness and kindness and humanity in people. After three weeks in the most uncomfortable of situations, after three weeks of wearisome problem after problem, bad weather, and the complications of life on a sailboat in January, I have found one grand triumphant truth about people: if you need them they will be there. People are good and kind. People are generous. If you have forgotten this, if you have learned otherwise, open your eyes and put yourself in a tricky pickle of a situation, do the ridiculous, find yourself in a pinch, and watch what happens…<br />
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I leave you with good news: the boat is being put back in the water (it was hauled out to work on it) with a replacement propeller in place. We are well on our way to being back underway tomorrow. And our success here has been in no small way, due to the kindness of strangers.<br />
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On behalf of the Fishers Hornpipe, we are welling with gratitude from the benevolence of others. We will sail forward riding tidal waves of thank you. So, thank you. Thanks.Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-17414412853879103452011-01-22T17:00:00.000-08:002011-01-22T17:00:37.163-08:00Ashley on the Hornpipe - Life on the Hornpipe“Shore leave!” Yell Joe and Tracy, just about every time we get off the boat. It’s a little nautical joke, something sailors would yell after months at sea, heading into town lookin’ for women and booze. Shore leave means that we have been given permission to pursue to luxuries of life, not usually afforded to the endless blue days of a sailor. Shore leave means that, for a short precious time, for those sea-sick or just plain sea-weary, life will goddamn stay steady, stop moving: stop lurching us forward, jamming us backward, against walls, against counters, against every square inch of the boat, back and forth and back and forth, legs wobbly and stomach tumbling. Shore leave means land, and all of the comforts and indulgences that go with it. <br />
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Monday the 17th, for the first time, we motored through the night. Together in shifts, working as a crew, six people, in two pairs, staggered every two hours, we managed to drive continually south for twenty-eight consecutive hours. This is what it took for the Hornpipe to blow its way down Long Island Sound, past Connecticut, past New York, and land safely in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. From just after sunrise that Monday morning, until long after sunset, the Sound staged a mad battle between wind and current. The war was waged in the waves below us and the sufferers fell to the battle blows of sea-sickness. By the end of <br />
<a name='more'></a>the day, even the most steady and sound of stomachs were sloshing back and forth with each new passing swell. Hours went on like this, minutes, slowly (Nadine informed me that our speed kept in knots translated to about 7 mph…later corrected by Tracy that we are actually traveling the rapid pace of 11mph), nautical mile by nautical mile, waves swelling, approaching, and crashing against the bow: up and DOWN. Down and UP. Stomachs somersaulted. The tiny little Fishers Hornpipe in a great big sound full of fury. And this was just the daylight hours. Night came and our shifts continued, two at a time, every two hours. Joe and I passed the hours of 3-5am watching the first two bridges that mark the beginning of New York, the city, draw closer and closer. The late night ferries between Long Island and New York, passed us by suddenly from our stern and then doubled back just minutes later, shuffling little people in big heat-conditioned cabins, back and forth, back and forth, like our stomachs. We handed our shift over to Rob and Nadine, and returned later for our final 9am-11am watch shift, only to see the lights of New York far in the passing distance beyond the stern. We slept through the whole glorious city, we missed the Statue of Liberty, the sky scrapers and lights, but we got some much needed sleep between shifts. Our ragged crew arrived at our destination point just past 11am and after a few projects on the boat and some tidying up after days at sea, for the first time on this voyage we were granted “Shore leave!”<br />
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And what a luxury it was. Tracy suggested late into the night, that she might contact her grandparents who lived about an hour away from this harbor that we were hoping to wait-out an oncoming storm in. It was also time for Joe to set sail in another direction; he had a job interview in SF and so had to catch a flight from New York and Tracy’s grandparents agreed to help him catch a train the next day. We were met at the marina (where we were clandestinely occupying one of the abundance of moorings left unused during the boating off-season) by her grandmother Barbara and her step-grandfather Gary. We, layered in the same foul weather clothing that we had been wearing for days—I was wearing four pairs of pants, three pairs of socks, one tee shirt, one long sleeve, a sweatshirt, a down vest, a down jacket, and two hats, for example—piled into their SUV with bags of dirty clothes to wash and bags of clean clothes to change into. We fit like sailors in a clown car, every square inch was filled with us. The next twenty four hours with Tracy’s grandparents who extended us the most charitable and wonderful hospitality. No women or booze; but, who needs women or booze with grandparents like that? The fed us and fed us: immediately bought us lunch at a delicious local deli, cooked steaks for dinner with fresh salads and sides then served a grand plate of fruit for dessert (no scurvy here, yarrr!), and for breakfast it was sausage AND bacon, breakfast breads and muffins, eggs and fruit. The food they nourished us with speaks only as a small example of the ample kindness and generosity that they provided us in their lovely home. Their company was delightful and their home revitalized the spirit of our crew. As we pulled away from their house the next day, heading back to our little sea faring home vessel, I realized that shore leave certainly was something to yell about.<br />
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Speaking of things to holler about, we pulled into the marina, ready to hop on our little dingy and motor back to the FHP. Two unexpected factors prevented this from being an easy transition: the pouring down rain and the sheets of ice that had solidified around the dingy at the dock, since just the day before. The dingy was iced in. Gary, bless his heart, waited in his car with all of our bags as the crew disassembled the motor from the dingy and moved it from one side of the marina to the other in rain wet enough of to take the shore out of our leave. Eventually, the FHP made it into the marina to refuel and refill our water tanks. We stayed docked there until the next morning, on the sly, cleverly slipping in by nightfall and out by daybreak, so as to evade the oppressively high docking fees. Yarr, so very pirate. For one last night of shore-bound indulgence, we walked into town just a few blocks to take in a movie, the Cohen brothers remake of the classic western True Grit, at a local theater. The vulgar sailors that we are, we ate until we were drunken on the sweet nectar of movie theater butter saturated popcorn. <br />
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We began our next three day push with our sailor desires gratified with the wild indulgences of movie theater popcorn and grandma’s house… Okay, so maybe were not the toughest scoundrels to have ever sailed the big blue watery road, but our next passing surely proved that we were worth our sea salt. <br />
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We headed back to the open ocean. The coastal weather report warned of an upcoming snow storm which meant that we had to motor, motor, motor, down, down, down south, constantly, day and night, to make it to our next stop in Norfolk, Virgina, before the storm set in. Our crew was now one man short, down to five. So, our watch schedule (watch being when two rotating members of the crew managed steering and navigating the boat up top, out in the cold, frozen, wind-chilled air) now meant that a new member of the crew rotated on every hour. Instead of us working two hours on and four hours off, we were now down to two hours on and only three hours off. The next forty-four consecutive hours on the sailboat looked like this: fifteen minutes before you’re on watch, the person about to get off of shift wakes you up, bundled in your warm sleeping bag and blanket nest, your heated cocoon of joy, you reluctantly climb out as your body shrivels and flexes inward, a visceral reaction to the just sub-freezing temperature in the cabin. You scramble to layer and layer up quick. If you are particularly savvy and have a system in place, you may arrange to layer up while still partially (or totally if you are really crafty) in your sleeping bag, so as to reduce the total arm hair raising, chicken pock making, oppressive coldness of the cabin air. Once you have layered adequately for watch and are bundled up like that little kid from A Christmas Story, you may grab a snack like a snickers bar, or else a heated beverage like coffee or just plain hot water (like Nadine). Then, you open two of the little rectangular hand warmer pillows and place them in your preferred location: boots, mittens, pockets, etc. Then, you head up on deck and proceed to sit, or maybe stand if you can bare the windchill that cuts your face above the protection of the bimini, you might stand for a bit. Maybe half way through your shift you do some push-ups to stay warm. You and your watch partner take turns steering the boat, trying to stay as close as possible to the charted line on the GPS, an experience which can be equated to just about the least action oriented video game ever created. You might talk with your watch partner. You might share fun-facts, like that you were the North Dakota State Freckle Champion (Nadine), or talk about important things: like your ethics or beliefs, or the way you experience the world. You might tell stories. You maybe share a little bit. Or maybe you put a tape in the tape deck and rock out to Tina Turner. You will talk about how cold it is, and perhaps, how warm it is going to be… someday… soon… farther south… Or if it is too cold and your faces are buried in jackets and scarves, and layers upon layers, you might just sit there quietly and watch the world go by at eleven miles per hour. When you are done with watch, after you have woken up the person whose shift follows yours and they have climbed above deck ready to take over, you climb down, and quickly bury yourself back deep, deep in your cocoon of warmth, awaiting the next shift. Perhaps you might make some food first, maybe food for the whole crew if you are feeling generous, fried eggs on a bagle or pots of hot something…Mmm.. hot something…or turn on either of the two propane heaters (El Senior Numero Uno, or Dos) in order to thaw out your socks before bed. Then, you lay, maybe read, then sleep. <br />
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This is the cycle. Over and over, forty-four hours: sleep, watch, freeze, thaw, eat, sun up, sun down, full moon, ships pass, ocean swells, watching the GPS count down the hours to the next destination: forty seven, thirty-two, twenty-two, twenty-five—loose speed—nineteen—pick up speed, ten, six, two, anchor.<br />
<br />
And now here we are in Norfolk, Virginia. The beginning of the safety and security of the intercoastal waterway. The promised land. Where everything is sunshine, where things begin to get only warmer, and better, from here on. Where unicorns roam the enchanted waters and melt the falling snow with their breath. Here is magical and what we have been waiting for. <br />
<br />
“Shore leave!” again, as we are met by the hospitality of Island School F10 student, Will Overman and the Overman family who have extended their warm southern hospitality and agreed to feed, house and facilitate our ship repair needs for us for the weekend. Last night, Friday the 21st, we were rejoined by Jonny, flying in from The Bahamas, to sail with us for the remainder of the voyage. Back to a crew of six. Also yesterday, we were met by Will in the morning, and set to work fulfilling the less glorious duties of shore leave: chores, shopping, and boat maintenance. Matt and Rob stayed on the FHP and began the considerable task of rebuilding and rerouting the entire exhaust system—a task not necessary in an absolutely necessary kind of way, but a good idea generally—which they decided to undertake over the weekend so as to address an inefficient and less than desirable exhaust system already in place. The magnitude of the project can be summed up in a single detail: it required that they drill a large hole in the cement hull, while the FHP currently floats anchored in the middle of a body of water, during the middle of a month long voyage, a feature that excited Rob and alarmed Nadine. After a day spent on the project they decided they needed another day; so today, Saturday, half of the crew returned to the ship to work while another sect of the crew was set to the proper celebration and revelry of shore leave.<br />
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This is how Jonny and I ended up spending the day with the Overman boys. We took a long walk through a beautiful wooded park in Virginia Beach, visited a delightful historic lighthouse, and ate a cornucopia of sea fare at a local beach front restaurant, with the charming company of Bill and Will. Oh, how I love shore leave. I love it. I love it. I love it. I am a better sailor than I thought I would be, and I can endure the tough and dutiful life on the Hornpipe, but oh oh oh how I love shore leave. And tonight, we are looking forward to the third incredible meal prepared for us by the lovely and incredibly kitchen-saavy Denise Overman, bless her delicious food-cookin’ heart. <br />
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Then, after some more wonderful and spirit-lifting hospitality, and after finishing up some other side projects and boat maintenance tomorrow, back to the water, the cold, and back to the little sailboat that feels a little more like home each time we return to it.Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-37648886909419059152011-01-17T18:17:00.000-08:002011-01-17T18:17:50.538-08:00Breaking the Ice!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz-2sSOQXCIdDQjQrJ6xYxitaYL35qCGF5H94NqeWpTkQXjPXDLcpbOXkr4PSwybLmcC5HsY8ONCmZgoTIn7w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-5314438052507775472011-01-12T13:09:00.000-08:002011-01-12T13:19:33.008-08:00Ashley on the Hornpipe<strong>Monday – January 10, 2010</strong><br />
I have never sailed a boat. I have barely ever even been on a sailboat. From my perspective a “rig” is something you drive, a “boom” is something that happens when you fall down. I don’t know my stern from my bow. If you are looking for technical knowledge of the Fishers Hornpipe (FHP), nautical terminology, or anything resembling the sea diaries of a serious sailor, you will be sorely disappointed with my perspective. Everyone who knows anything about sailing or the FHP is busy preparing for our departure. Everyone else is too busy rigging stuff and figuring out why the engine keeps flooding to sit down and write a blog. That said, I am learning. And yesterday, I did a pretty decent job of helping the crew fit a frozen, stubborn, non-elastic biminy to the cockpit. (…If that sounded like pretty decent usage of sailing jargon, I must admit that I had to ask Nadine what each of these things were called: “Nadine, what do you call that hood-tingum that we put on yesterday? (biminy). Nadine, is there a word for the place that you sit and steer on a boat?” (cockpit). ) With my sincerest apologies for not being the most knowledgeable about what it is that we are currently doing, and what exactly we are about to embark on, I hope to occasionally share with you my humble perspective of our voyage on the Fishers Hornpipe.<br />
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This Thursday, January the 13th a crew of five Island School teachers: Rob, Nadine, Jonny, Matt and Ashley (me) and two other crew: Rob’s brother Joe, and Joe’s long time friend Tracy, will setting sail on a voyage of great magnitude. Over the next month <br />
<a name='more'></a>we will be sailing, motoring, and generally whistling the Hornpipe down the eastern seaboard from Wickford, Rhode Island to Cape Eluthera, The Bahamas.<br />
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Over the last week our crew has been slowly assembling; we have been busy slaving away, long day after long cold, cold, frozen day, working to get the FHP ready and capable of the long voyage ahead. For some reason the engine has been flooding. This is problematic due to the fact that during much of our journey, we will not actually be sailing at all; we will be motoring (via engine power) in areas like the intercoastal waterways, where the width of the waterways are much too narrow for tacking back and forth. And, we just generally need a working freakin’ engine on this thing, for a lot of varying reasons of consequence, like when there is no wind. Do not be concerned; remember: this is my perspective here, I am pretty sure that Rob, Joe, and their dad understand why the engine has been flooding. They have been spending countless hours intermittently contorted, reaching and prodding around inside the bilge (“Nadine, what do you call that place down inside where the engine goes? (bilge)” trying to determine the root of the problem. Yesterday, Rob informed me of the current state of the engine with a useful, though slightly cryptic, assessment: “too much milk, not enough shake.” So, from my perspective, there you have it. Even more sure I am, that they will have the problem under control by the time we set sail. <br />
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<strong>Wednesday – January 12, 2010</strong><br />
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I am growing more and more aware of what an insane idea it is to sail down the Atlantic seaboard in the dead of winter with 48 feet of boat, seven other people, only two small propane heaters (named Senior1 and Senior2), and an engine named Twinkie. Speaking of Twinkie, looks like they have fixed the little hitch in the giddyup. They have found a system for keeping her functioning and non-flooded. With any luck, Twinkie will prove as long-lived, enduring, and never expiring as the snack food for which it was named. Long live Twinkie. Yesterday was another long day on the boat spent slowly completing item after item on the to-do list. Matt and Rob worked out some electrical issues, while the rest of the crew worked on many other integral systems and structures for a functioning sailboat. I, having little relevant technical knowledge of such systems, cleaned and cleaned. From bow to stern, from port to starboard, I cleaned (notice the growingly savvy use of nautical terminology). With the musical inspiration of Bob Seger on the tape deck, I cleaned. We ended the day with a momentous occasion marking the journey we are about to begin: Nadine, Tracy and I put the large, official-looking “Fishers Hornpipe – Wickford, RI” sticker on the back of the boat. We are now a legitimate sailing vessel. She looked proud and glorious with the shiny new letters standing out in the fading shades of the coming nightfall.<br />
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Today, after Matt shoveled the new foot of snow from the off of the driveway, we got back to work. Half of the crew went down to the FHP to work away on more bits of preparation. The other half stayed behind and worked here. Nadine resumed her sewing project of making new cushion covers for the three foam pad seats/benches where we will be resting our weary bones for the next month. After lunch, the crew was brought together for an official logistical meeting held by Rob. We discussed safety systems, meaning how not to get knocked off of the boat or smashed in the head by the boom. Turns out that “a boom” is something that happens when you fall down. We plan to sail in two person shifts, three hours a piece, sometimes through the night. This is called “watch” (new sailing term for me, if you are familiar with Island School, its kind of like being on duty, only colder and likely even less fun). We talked about the route, possible stops along the way, and how one day—locked up in a frozen New England suburb it seems impossible to imagine—we will make our crossing over the bright blue waters of the gulf stream, to our Bahamian home. And until that day, I hope to continue with these little occasional insights into the life as a member of the Fishers Hornpipe crew… <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">In the mean time, I’ll try to get someone to post with a little more technical nautical know-how than me…</span>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-86729323376940755462011-01-10T11:16:00.000-08:002011-01-10T11:16:53.480-08:00In the water!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxa76vo-SpA4DRdZZcTsu6EU9KM2o1ayd3lBXUdP4dhnR9xKss752JvSvzLR9gbB9_G8WUluaYyQ9S2u7jJNRdxg8OpVnexqIb2IANE1zR00zx4_VyBE-5b-qZeE6sGwQT8m_iXjsN3Emb/s1600/IMG_5896.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxa76vo-SpA4DRdZZcTsu6EU9KM2o1ayd3lBXUdP4dhnR9xKss752JvSvzLR9gbB9_G8WUluaYyQ9S2u7jJNRdxg8OpVnexqIb2IANE1zR00zx4_VyBE-5b-qZeE6sGwQT8m_iXjsN3Emb/s320/IMG_5896.JPG" width="320" /><span style="color: black;"> </span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">As we prepare for our snowy departure, many of our friends and family have stopped by to visit or lend a helping hand. Ted, Ned and Lucy(the youngest yet to be on board) inspected our safety systems and gave us a thumbs up! </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxa76vo-SpA4DRdZZcTsu6EU9KM2o1ayd3lBXUdP4dhnR9xKss752JvSvzLR9gbB9_G8WUluaYyQ9S2u7jJNRdxg8OpVnexqIb2IANE1zR00zx4_VyBE-5b-qZeE6sGwQT8m_iXjsN3Emb/s1600/IMG_5896.JPG" imageanchor="1"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcPaAqIxORVP5wzVfAsbPSwq5VJWBn1b7BaYFym9ti2DRZmFNberI5Gzg2hqgGlZrSolBOswd5L-HlPWFAREx8owYO_Uns-Fd_69BCPdgIRHNcOROYFNAyM34gs-kW-qpeRr4J5jvtAHl/s1600/IMG_5984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcPaAqIxORVP5wzVfAsbPSwq5VJWBn1b7BaYFym9ti2DRZmFNberI5Gzg2hqgGlZrSolBOswd5L-HlPWFAREx8owYO_Uns-Fd_69BCPdgIRHNcOROYFNAyM34gs-kW-qpeRr4J5jvtAHl/s320/IMG_5984.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1YBBkivaBr5k01m58EFlierOWMiVE9SeU9Ni8h32A_BESQdQFBGhJtSSqVUfCN0QVonilaOcVr4jxMkwYS8jd6QFXKAZEY7atMPnkLXHQ3CU0QbUzLZu-EkB7hqyaw0sn30o2ROo5wZH/s1600/IMG_5987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1YBBkivaBr5k01m58EFlierOWMiVE9SeU9Ni8h32A_BESQdQFBGhJtSSqVUfCN0QVonilaOcVr4jxMkwYS8jd6QFXKAZEY7atMPnkLXHQ3CU0QbUzLZu-EkB7hqyaw0sn30o2ROo5wZH/s320/IMG_5987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> In the water she goes! It was exciting to watch the lift carry our 23 ton boat across the yard and lower her into the water. Before she went in we applied a final coat of bottom paint and double checked all the seacocks. Our nerves eased when she was in the water and floating.... yes, a cement boat can float! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxh2AUVvEZJrDccO8Yx4Ie5ZG-vQxdJXViSJ1zW3eN-Py4CHPsRUoz-GygWtVtSLCWKzY6JUTIjOV9dBCYhJCMnW5zejStDuxNrYrQOHTzIINER9fXE5IPxg7xIGXXj75sbzty2FbTkDBC/s1600/IMG_6001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxh2AUVvEZJrDccO8Yx4Ie5ZG-vQxdJXViSJ1zW3eN-Py4CHPsRUoz-GygWtVtSLCWKzY6JUTIjOV9dBCYhJCMnW5zejStDuxNrYrQOHTzIINER9fXE5IPxg7xIGXXj75sbzty2FbTkDBC/s320/IMG_6001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">First night in the water at the Wickford Cove Marina. She looks great! </div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-26046152767787558722010-08-05T19:29:00.000-07:002010-08-05T19:29:48.940-07:00Painting the FHP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI57t360aCDRvVC1BUWXj82ns1YC2W-VcIzvjJour_hYLpiK291-rf9vkug6ysghbXRkpCr1FkG-crW02FTlE-Q-htNTbEziiZkQxC0rdS9C5LG74BDGKZEss7Ke6sJG22ucZVbKDtST3/s1600/P7090001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI57t360aCDRvVC1BUWXj82ns1YC2W-VcIzvjJour_hYLpiK291-rf9vkug6ysghbXRkpCr1FkG-crW02FTlE-Q-htNTbEziiZkQxC0rdS9C5LG74BDGKZEss7Ke6sJG22ucZVbKDtST3/s320/P7090001.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Our summer is already winding down on Fishers Hornpipe. Here is picture of Joe, fresh off the plane from Europe. He built and installed an engine cover for Twinkie, which is ready for him to come back and put on a coat of paint or two.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhlP1k1i1ybHsZJpqb9IY-M7oxOmVftJNjHc8NMRUMiSoj_vnPr0t9JHLgrFxkdPPikgqxR29l53iiap_a_z8jJwalDA3Sd8a-xgGDaQhYD8u5_xJjfVJo8D_xvK7Ug69AUgZz169wPJo/s1600/P7100004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhlP1k1i1ybHsZJpqb9IY-M7oxOmVftJNjHc8NMRUMiSoj_vnPr0t9JHLgrFxkdPPikgqxR29l53iiap_a_z8jJwalDA3Sd8a-xgGDaQhYD8u5_xJjfVJo8D_xvK7Ug69AUgZz169wPJo/s320/P7100004.JPG" /></a></div>Here is Aunt Marion onboard the FHP. Marion and Dean have been putting us up and feeding us this summer. Thanks for all the delicious meals, company, and air conditioning!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB24_hrjmohnDEKbRgrow0NOjng7_mzkSwY4LxA2rWFQ58jJkZJyUo8RKxYCovgw8_dd352ERMAl30fDkG_WGqnMsKjcZoJxW1HPlmC79ITdiu769qQKd-kqAPr-p5WahNkPRsgWFFeMNg/s1600/P7120029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB24_hrjmohnDEKbRgrow0NOjng7_mzkSwY4LxA2rWFQ58jJkZJyUo8RKxYCovgw8_dd352ERMAl30fDkG_WGqnMsKjcZoJxW1HPlmC79ITdiu769qQKd-kqAPr-p5WahNkPRsgWFFeMNg/s320/P7120029.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is Mac rolling on barrier coat to the hull below the water line. We used an expensive and toxic two part epoxy barrier coat to seal the concrete hull and provide a primer for bottom paint. We put three coats below the waterline and one coat above the waterline. We even covered the deck with a coat of barrier coat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSjxUAxZCLdRlOVYSF5QFiAZ6tpRBX0QSC84VPKm91wT1QgYZaCH_COteaBkoLXNjN-z8k8IQ1NoZIIQAYpJwTCBYerLuPjE453b3zDzokNcOzWpC_KQY8itOCSz3z5StsiQPoVSSXGT_/s1600/P7120032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSjxUAxZCLdRlOVYSF5QFiAZ6tpRBX0QSC84VPKm91wT1QgYZaCH_COteaBkoLXNjN-z8k8IQ1NoZIIQAYpJwTCBYerLuPjE453b3zDzokNcOzWpC_KQY8itOCSz3z5StsiQPoVSSXGT_/s320/P7120032.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is Nadine starting to roll on the ablative bottom paint. The bottom paint is the final coat for th hull below the waterline. It looks nice and clean, though slightly bumpy, with dark red bottom paint.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5lH_zjDIItDct3beevWBZYBhZ9MzAvXSv9MMdhyfs8MdARTP7ostyrmqgG8OMU2UsRAPD83ZLZyD9_pLjiFqU6va0s6eJyJET96tLthjSmR9SCMIrmZsHuS8IpQPN8Ez6L2DJIVn4HyW/s1600/P7140037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5lH_zjDIItDct3beevWBZYBhZ9MzAvXSv9MMdhyfs8MdARTP7ostyrmqgG8OMU2UsRAPD83ZLZyD9_pLjiFqU6va0s6eJyJET96tLthjSmR9SCMIrmZsHuS8IpQPN8Ez6L2DJIVn4HyW/s320/P7140037.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here is a picture of the stern with the bottom paint rolled on and the white barrier coat primer on the topside. Blue tape is covering the waterline are that will eventually be a grey or black boot stripe. After a lot of testing, searching, and advice from the experts, we have decided to paint the hull white instead of dark blue.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are headed down to RI for a couple more days of painting and wrapup work before we head out for the Bahamas. We will post a final set of pictures of our finished product for the summer.</div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-29877213745408557912010-07-25T19:16:00.000-07:002010-07-25T19:16:34.609-07:00...surviving the heat and making progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqAWu0RYm5CYGZCAJ49q1M76-j_How0K352FJXPoY3-lL2mv3mRkKPlvwVW5jOkXt5w1nmeB_0eqPkcp88vVAnEmS1cDY_xzUJHuN0D27sHwSJII9ZcGdlGa5mgye-0tB7b4dCDmSZQPy/s1600/andrea-spreaders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVqAWu0RYm5CYGZCAJ49q1M76-j_How0K352FJXPoY3-lL2mv3mRkKPlvwVW5jOkXt5w1nmeB_0eqPkcp88vVAnEmS1cDY_xzUJHuN0D27sHwSJII9ZcGdlGa5mgye-0tB7b4dCDmSZQPy/s320/andrea-spreaders.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The new spreaders are on! Andrea Watson came out to visit from Boulder and helped us attach the new spreaders to the mast. Nadine and Andrea hung halfway up the mast and screwed the new spreaders into place. Thanks Andrea! She also helped us complete some deck work in between visits to the beach.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_t-mTx1qep70aqaS3pg5SnrdfZNWzQXQnVQna4vGVy1juH1__18xGqYf5EN21umj_gdijxzXpCE7B9KXYPLtSofz5Mfj1ZiudUA4zBxAdR21kMLdHt5kcqSMSUv_NVxS6Q4mlbzDatZQ/s1600/P7030729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_t-mTx1qep70aqaS3pg5SnrdfZNWzQXQnVQna4vGVy1juH1__18xGqYf5EN21umj_gdijxzXpCE7B9KXYPLtSofz5Mfj1ZiudUA4zBxAdR21kMLdHt5kcqSMSUv_NVxS6Q4mlbzDatZQ/s320/P7030729.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: justify;">Last week the hull was sandblasted down to bare concrete from the waterline down. There were 6 layers of old epoxy, barrier coat, and bottom paint! The topsides, above the waterline, were sanded and ground down in damaged areas to prepare for painting. Mac and Lucy came down to help us sand and fair the hull in order to get it ready for paint. </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYA5GI0AjFtOERzuCxDu9JL4v_WLYo-z-7RGudn3F1djPe0W0zOAwaPFOJ2Tb7FShd_bkcU5CjhRrzS1h1MqBCJxhXTa2bgO_WyTtiBuwfnxsajPwzJR4E3aDEhF9c7gQ2a6xZcUvAcUO/s1600/P7030734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYA5GI0AjFtOERzuCxDu9JL4v_WLYo-z-7RGudn3F1djPe0W0zOAwaPFOJ2Tb7FShd_bkcU5CjhRrzS1h1MqBCJxhXTa2bgO_WyTtiBuwfnxsajPwzJR4E3aDEhF9c7gQ2a6xZcUvAcUO/s320/P7030734.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is Mac applying a coat of fairing compound to the waterline area. Despite the old chipped and damaged paint, the hull is in very strong structural condition. You can hit it hard with a hammer and not even leave a mark!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We also finally fired up Twinkie our new diesel engine. He turned over and started immediately on the very first try! It was very encouraging to hear the roar of a strong diesel engine coming from below.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The electrical panel and battery are now installed and powering the bilge pump, engine, and various other electronics. Thanks to Benny Urmston, who stopped by and helped with wiring during a brief visit. We powered up the radar and were treated to a pong-like 1980's era screen with fully functioning radar.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br class="webkit-block-placeholder" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thanks again to Marion and Dean who have been hosting us at their house in nearby East Greenwich!</div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-79507447411119960672010-06-30T19:46:00.000-07:002010-07-01T12:14:17.336-07:00Summer Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Yahoo Summer!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We're back for the summer and making progress. The engine installation process is almost complete. Just waiting on some wiring harnesses and a battery to fire up "Twinkie".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recently we have been tearing out and replacing rot in the deck and bulkheads. The job has not been easy since the temperature and humidity have been high in RI. Luckily the town beach is just a 5 minute bike ride away! Thanks to the Rmac for lending us a bunch of tools.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LDMUZoSrBIl980PgUSusk2CMYAaZHUlDSBK2nE66YH_lIyYVlHtBl3jvgxyMBGE5p-EjYV7gijiGXpiwiIRTGRFo2CNzL_mfnyjWB8aB4aBGwok0wOqqSs-OcIaFS89iGrcrJmUkxv0P/s1600/IMG_5033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU4JpfN1PcyZ5qZkWjbtNXPN58Jf4-3g0WzdJy8Tz4TlJzWgqgmVWh7AAUzeu8ZMyqwGaX8o8Wz3-gzylttX05MkB5SngbBlBftG0WKV8M1nI3-5Df0RIkG8HwgZgpz346_W7G8K8Au9g/s1600/P6020654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNU4JpfN1PcyZ5qZkWjbtNXPN58Jf4-3g0WzdJy8Tz4TlJzWgqgmVWh7AAUzeu8ZMyqwGaX8o8Wz3-gzylttX05MkB5SngbBlBftG0WKV8M1nI3-5Df0RIkG8HwgZgpz346_W7G8K8Au9g/s320/P6020654.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Rot in the bulkhead between the kitchen and master cabin. We have since replaced this area with new 3/4 inch plywood</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqB0xBmW2t_Uwc1ZoLAHWhkqJmRQqVS3FTMCzLwarFKwHWPxnRwmdDfv3qlvtRQvqJsxSpol8brsyk5u6RPdnnyZZOuG3Yo01VE3UHaAoDcWncgRA-gQwiNyUraX-zL-CiRYTyPPid5Eyb/s1600/P6050662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqB0xBmW2t_Uwc1ZoLAHWhkqJmRQqVS3FTMCzLwarFKwHWPxnRwmdDfv3qlvtRQvqJsxSpol8brsyk5u6RPdnnyZZOuG3Yo01VE3UHaAoDcWncgRA-gQwiNyUraX-zL-CiRYTyPPid5Eyb/s320/P6050662.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is another view, from the maser cabin looking aft and port at the bulkhead that we removed. Above you can see the deck and beams that we removed. The whitish stuff in the bottom half of the removed area is insulation for the refrigerator in the kitchen.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZihCrUPSbf073wWfD6uAzHQ0eFKVF837cKBOJ2UHQyMsByd2Sptmx8kg4rIJgWlyjg3dSF5csc88LrEtx-l8WA1G8zeOyttZOExEGRIY0IzKJ9tOvVKGTtbnauBc3nsCYrHRaMJnb9Cdc/s1600/P6100679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZihCrUPSbf073wWfD6uAzHQ0eFKVF837cKBOJ2UHQyMsByd2Sptmx8kg4rIJgWlyjg3dSF5csc88LrEtx-l8WA1G8zeOyttZOExEGRIY0IzKJ9tOvVKGTtbnauBc3nsCYrHRaMJnb9Cdc/s320/P6100679.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Port side deck with new floor beams installed. The three beams shown here were rotten from water seeping in through a thru-deck fitting. We replaced them by cutting the rotten beams back to good wood, cutting a stair-step pattern into them and laminating and screwing new 1X4 douglas fir decking planks in place. We still have to sand everything smooth and match the stain so that it looks original. Below you can see the replaced bulkhead which we cut to match the curve of the hull.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nNuJBXHrWbeSdhl6rxYOzrz8kib9_rGf5QW1LOcfMm8i5UWyBqOLDqpmpIAeD4IOA-3Q59aFyCbR6hdLTm2CG9ut3RvtOi0d-LBX5E9IiCcFFdK3NcrY7CYDp4KPx9XtImSguK0QhJ7E/s1600/P6100676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_nNuJBXHrWbeSdhl6rxYOzrz8kib9_rGf5QW1LOcfMm8i5UWyBqOLDqpmpIAeD4IOA-3Q59aFyCbR6hdLTm2CG9ut3RvtOi0d-LBX5E9IiCcFFdK3NcrY7CYDp4KPx9XtImSguK0QhJ7E/s320/P6100676.JPG" /></a><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Here is Nadine getting ready to cut plywood to fill in the holes we cut in the deck. We have 5 problem areas in the deck. Three are almost completely patched up and ready for fiberglassing now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLheZAU2Dn3w9e9Y1lva62nwf6-MbWp-Pe2MFMZsoUbymESxxC7Ri2Fkb6I4PYiz1Lh6it6Cy3hevsej6p0F69AXkuWNHo5v3IswtO6KqzN3hIldh0q5-Z_J_h56DXk9jnwOEq6o4ja3q/s1600/P6090672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvLheZAU2Dn3w9e9Y1lva62nwf6-MbWp-Pe2MFMZsoUbymESxxC7Ri2Fkb6I4PYiz1Lh6it6Cy3hevsej6p0F69AXkuWNHo5v3IswtO6KqzN3hIldh0q5-Z_J_h56DXk9jnwOEq6o4ja3q/s320/P6090672.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Thanks to PK for donating these tapes! They sound outstanding in our tape deck/radio onboard the FHP! Also, thanks to Marion and Dean for some delicious dinners and hospitality!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-59752903571423271492010-04-30T19:35:00.000-07:002010-04-30T19:45:54.678-07:00April Projects<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWH6DmEgb0WSO2MwJQc4AFh1eBbQCis8zWr4lYxOQg_SvLS4HNwasNV2ds74A4m2xULLK5bAYAvq4dr2yFI08JgSMDbaR-Z0AbLsBkgMxilVn_efWU8OhHHqA0LwAAfnkYBM9nhFyi3T6/s1600/IMG_5024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPWH6DmEgb0WSO2MwJQc4AFh1eBbQCis8zWr4lYxOQg_SvLS4HNwasNV2ds74A4m2xULLK5bAYAvq4dr2yFI08JgSMDbaR-Z0AbLsBkgMxilVn_efWU8OhHHqA0LwAAfnkYBM9nhFyi3T6/s320/IMG_5024.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During our spring visit to the FHP we took down both spreaders and replaced them with solid 2x12'' Douglas Fir. Rob and Mac built them in the Creative Cottages warehouse. The new spreaders are now painted and ready to go up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAr61fft_OH_c1Nx9H2jSotb-Bg-4ve5TpWwK_BlkXUrBcEh1NP3Xzn6VcC7IGeJbXqLQPCNVawcq0HfWn0wo1Iyo0izIY4L6yTJcvMAq73XH7gkgGb8e2kmwdxrT6fef3LT1s6wrL7mWC/s1600/IMG_5010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAr61fft_OH_c1Nx9H2jSotb-Bg-4ve5TpWwK_BlkXUrBcEh1NP3Xzn6VcC7IGeJbXqLQPCNVawcq0HfWn0wo1Iyo0izIY4L6yTJcvMAq73XH7gkgGb8e2kmwdxrT6fef3LT1s6wrL7mWC/s320/IMG_5010.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of our biggest undertakings was cleaning out the bilge and preparing it for the new engine. We removed and filtered approximately 25 gallons of dirty bilge water. This project would have made a perfect episode for Dirty Jobs! We had to make a few adjustments in order to make the new engine fit. We made new engine mounts, replaced a seacock, re-routed the exhaust system, cleaned and flushed the fuel tank, re-built the stuffing box and replaced the propellor shaft. Whew! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4EZ3q3jjAu8tXXatAs49NQXoNSkCLVX03srzZt_ucbVKfQxsU_1qSu0IcUzXBd8eMsEOWoharM7da4rWfkZE_Kz7-gD7-TPNEWJmQYWvw7dwJ0DsWj8IMGbFXpnRjRvdaIfzv9gm3nL2/s1600/IMG_5077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4EZ3q3jjAu8tXXatAs49NQXoNSkCLVX03srzZt_ucbVKfQxsU_1qSu0IcUzXBd8eMsEOWoharM7da4rWfkZE_Kz7-gD7-TPNEWJmQYWvw7dwJ0DsWj8IMGbFXpnRjRvdaIfzv9gm3nL2/s320/IMG_5077.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We finally got Twinky to its new home! Thanks to Larry at the boat yard, we were able to lower it into the forward hatch with a crane. It was then placed on a dolly, rolled towards the engine compartment, raised with a winch and finally lowered into the bilge. With some minor adjustments, it fit perfectly! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwEVnMO1YWDeXYRQvkLpgKQSg95Dk4LEqiWfp8aH8Ug9syRsGKAFceIzt7F1sc35r6Fcev6eiNloODOJKb8MSOyrduHu5a_aoxLIPYwnGbFYhqr3kwj7yX248a_6SDbEQvkfB8MFUDEFb/s1600/IMG_5079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwEVnMO1YWDeXYRQvkLpgKQSg95Dk4LEqiWfp8aH8Ug9syRsGKAFceIzt7F1sc35r6Fcev6eiNloODOJKb8MSOyrduHu5a_aoxLIPYwnGbFYhqr3kwj7yX248a_6SDbEQvkfB8MFUDEFb/s320/IMG_5079.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">When Mac came to visit he took measurements for new shelves and built them in his warehouse. The new shelves are in the hallway and above the engine compartment. This will be were the Nigel Calder books live. Thanks Mac! </div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-20179383242802200962010-04-22T10:05:00.000-07:002010-04-22T10:05:53.505-07:00Spring Break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6LRa6DsrsBMNG368mFzyoeEt9E-tpmC4GE2yTiCLh34bCAFrZrjLUgmKfajAoy2iu64IeqjO8RZmF3Ldp6pdN49y4O9iZoGviF6yBIbg24N0Uj2eEOdMwydYWAXJi-eSWuOCqFmzEIWq/s1600/IMG_4997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6LRa6DsrsBMNG368mFzyoeEt9E-tpmC4GE2yTiCLh34bCAFrZrjLUgmKfajAoy2iu64IeqjO8RZmF3Ldp6pdN49y4O9iZoGviF6yBIbg24N0Uj2eEOdMwydYWAXJi-eSWuOCqFmzEIWq/s320/IMG_4997.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">April on Fishers Hornpipe</span></div>Nadine and I just got back from a couple weeks working on the FHP. Nadine was out for her spring break and her first visit to the boat. We worked on tons of projects mostly having to do with the new engine. We will talk about the projects we worked on in an upcoming post. For now: here are the people who came to help out while we worked on the boat. We are going to try to post a picture of everyone who comes to help. Here is your chance for internet fame!! Just come help us out on the FHP and see yourself immortalized online!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3hT8qLH6H0xwK-t7BFgROd9hKpRMj5d3J0zCOJtNVA03a8bV-7TRp60Zm5_zVHBIKyFmAjDpwf43vrmZsLsHaLm9_kMRvlmgqxcdW4-63uomChVMTvRcJdZi-3zIE5IgrLzgXZOu4DLI/s1600/IMG_5004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3hT8qLH6H0xwK-t7BFgROd9hKpRMj5d3J0zCOJtNVA03a8bV-7TRp60Zm5_zVHBIKyFmAjDpwf43vrmZsLsHaLm9_kMRvlmgqxcdW4-63uomChVMTvRcJdZi-3zIE5IgrLzgXZOu4DLI/s320/IMG_5004.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">R Mac and Lucy</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are R Mac and Lucy Cutting a new bulkhead for the battery compartment. See future posts for more details on this and other projects. Dad also made a beautiful bookshelf for the hallway area in the workshop and helped make new spreaders for the mast.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJDp6KpPEp63YODASVhMUFxedX-T-vmOPbbsuJcWeP1sBmWEfbm5c-v8QgJF9M8qW3T-9skPXz2jYbDgbL8YtFvuho7edxOo2RYgZ3TT-TsaVD5ffMb31m1Uo-sTIm5dS4Dz2s41NOCG7/s1600/IMG_5065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJDp6KpPEp63YODASVhMUFxedX-T-vmOPbbsuJcWeP1sBmWEfbm5c-v8QgJF9M8qW3T-9skPXz2jYbDgbL8YtFvuho7edxOo2RYgZ3TT-TsaVD5ffMb31m1Uo-sTIm5dS4Dz2s41NOCG7/s1600/IMG_5065.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJDp6KpPEp63YODASVhMUFxedX-T-vmOPbbsuJcWeP1sBmWEfbm5c-v8QgJF9M8qW3T-9skPXz2jYbDgbL8YtFvuho7edxOo2RYgZ3TT-TsaVD5ffMb31m1Uo-sTIm5dS4Dz2s41NOCG7/s320/IMG_5065.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Meggie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sister gets the award for dirtiest fingers of any FHP volunteer! She has helped with lots of different projects, most recently stove cleanup and helping with a new exhaust thru-hull. She has also been practicing her boat-yoga, which involves constricting your body into to awkward "poses" and holding it there while working in cramped spaces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckJAEmZT-8f8yp8HIcl5N79j3uPwm5yfu7ih2KfNAZ7WS0Yp3Fz5ztwzrUMKEAXyqxH1vT5cTZ65v6FH7c-XPI-dK3YzFT10R0_GeWObMbM5lSolDxvvyQJ9EUeLVJyGhHBFTEb6n32Zd/s1600/IMG_5068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjckJAEmZT-8f8yp8HIcl5N79j3uPwm5yfu7ih2KfNAZ7WS0Yp3Fz5ztwzrUMKEAXyqxH1vT5cTZ65v6FH7c-XPI-dK3YzFT10R0_GeWObMbM5lSolDxvvyQJ9EUeLVJyGhHBFTEb6n32Zd/s320/IMG_5068.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Mom</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mom helped out with getting the oven fired up (still in process). She also measured the bunks so we can start to make sleeping mats. Also use of the Subaru and storage space in Plymouth are appreciated. Thanks Ma!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbipu_XFv6w3vNlF2UWYptBmN7D6rccQ1SRXFBSIUv-wIl5ZXc_HN2eMN37Lq26PzvfxLw77tQ20J0ZVyMveRuoMtjHYNkPOiapfs1XdRyxbfxKQRVVj8_GKWjGaxIFrQjWSapin64T-i/s1600/Hass+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnbipu_XFv6w3vNlF2UWYptBmN7D6rccQ1SRXFBSIUv-wIl5ZXc_HN2eMN37Lq26PzvfxLw77tQ20J0ZVyMveRuoMtjHYNkPOiapfs1XdRyxbfxKQRVVj8_GKWjGaxIFrQjWSapin64T-i/s320/Hass+010.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Urm</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We don't have a picture of benny aboard the FHP so I had to go with a classic from the Kennedy Space Center. Benny has been working on wiring and electrical issues. He is a co-recipient of our NOLS grant. You rock Urm!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Who is next?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">We will be back in Rhode Island in June to start up again. Everyone is invited to come lend a hand or just take a look. Thanks to everyone for their support. We are going to start a FHP mixtape drive. We found an awesome cassette tape deck onboard and are requesting your best mixtapes for our listening enjoyment. Thanks again!</div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-60884538960423935452010-03-12T10:45:00.000-08:002010-03-12T12:25:00.005-08:00Meet "Twinkie" Our New Engine!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVttyoOWQy5PKAEe-KH2L07aRTF1QHMZ8UEdY3MFn9t6d36ecy_y70Pe-dxiw-OzFItTgbmFufLhzzRf1utnFG3AAkaHqX5U0NuFXq0UXYQoJhXX6gzGhvDH9WkcD9tBnDMFhxDUO_55p/s1600-h/Yanmar+001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVttyoOWQy5PKAEe-KH2L07aRTF1QHMZ8UEdY3MFn9t6d36ecy_y70Pe-dxiw-OzFItTgbmFufLhzzRf1utnFG3AAkaHqX5U0NuFXq0UXYQoJhXX6gzGhvDH9WkcD9tBnDMFhxDUO_55p/s320/Yanmar+001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447840736297077730" /></a>We have found and purchased a new engine for the FHP. It is a Yanmar 4 cylinder diesel. It was made in 2000 and removed from a J-55 (fancy sailboat) in a nearby boatyard. It is 88 horsepower which is a 20 hp increase over the old Isuzu. The builder Reuel Parker recommended an engine with a little more power to move the boat more efficiently in choppy seas and against the current.<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nadine and I are headed out to Rhode Island in early April to instal the engine and work on other boat projects. Thanks again to NOLS IDF for the grant which helped pay for the new engine!!<br /></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-64099657875302619612010-01-13T08:19:00.001-08:002010-01-13T08:53:38.719-08:00First Week of 2010 Engine and Electrical with Urm<div>Benny Urmston came down for 3 days right after new-years to help me get started on rewiring. Thanks Benny! The boat has 2 electrical systems 120v AC like your house and 12v DC like your car. In an attempt to simplify and reduce our energy use we are removing all the AC lighting. we will leave several AC plugs so that we can plug in tools etc when we have an AC power source. The DC system, which powers the radios, GPS, pumps, and lights will be overhauled with a new distribution panel and new wires where necessary.</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDBHl0ShrXO-p-VZAdcWEUEqanW8LKaSnOJq7m_GB95xpwAdgcRl61D3xuXobTIEKojavvS0nWxL83631o5pRczXk0dy8AH5jhYq9BJs62NEy2PMKsFFonEcfYf_sZpOgnaLEwQdgERO-b/s320/IMG_4718.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426261744588035490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></div><div>Above is the existing electrical fuse panel. It was rusty to the point that you could just pull terminals from their bars in a little rust explosion! Benny and I spent hours with our heads in every little nook and cranny to identify all the wires.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TxCDwfgTmIn4y15LK0Hl6EQHlVfdOvNILkBbtviH8TRswk1j7_4TAlWN4aB5bswl7gQhSztTtaPRAfN83BJnvTJs392e64hWBplmfqtCOG2sGq7GMtIkrnHM-bEX49awOK5AHnZ1lepz/s1600-h/P1010458.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8TxCDwfgTmIn4y15LK0Hl6EQHlVfdOvNILkBbtviH8TRswk1j7_4TAlWN4aB5bswl7gQhSztTtaPRAfN83BJnvTJs392e64hWBplmfqtCOG2sGq7GMtIkrnHM-bEX49awOK5AHnZ1lepz/s320/P1010458.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426261718683105842" /></a><div>We carefully labeled all the wires that run to every corner of the boat. Many thanks to Benny for his methodical tactics and company!</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIhH_65Ls2ea4a7ocj8Kpu_rTKNkCpIo31RD6ok4iLrOH1_IF5RraRljMzlqw0busQbfWV53nSrLvUuQggNrIZ7meja0W0nxH8f7Yj0onuWV-MFgtwCdxP1Bkdq-PraAXi6cOOxt1xCsx/s1600-h/P1010461.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIhH_65Ls2ea4a7ocj8Kpu_rTKNkCpIo31RD6ok4iLrOH1_IF5RraRljMzlqw0busQbfWV53nSrLvUuQggNrIZ7meja0W0nxH8f7Yj0onuWV-MFgtwCdxP1Bkdq-PraAXi6cOOxt1xCsx/s320/P1010461.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426261735715793538" /></a>Above is the beginning of a new DC bus-bar that will distribute power from the batteries to the various lights etc. throughout the boat. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpiXe3AfhRDL_Z1i15HUuKljvxqAVd5IDU1AIh9thOEiPu6C9WWNqFlg5WOlklTTI6L3EoMBnDXABwIq6hxDQnxiCNIS8vn6vhYthaWkBhtitlhsAVL06mOPNt3RbLMSHfgb5T_vy6hoI/s1600-h/PC290451.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJpiXe3AfhRDL_Z1i15HUuKljvxqAVd5IDU1AIh9thOEiPu6C9WWNqFlg5WOlklTTI6L3EoMBnDXABwIq6hxDQnxiCNIS8vn6vhYthaWkBhtitlhsAVL06mOPNt3RbLMSHfgb5T_vy6hoI/s320/PC290451.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426261674283591570" /></a>Above is the engine finally out and in the workshop area of the boat. Look in the lower right corner of the picture for a hole in the crank-case! It seems the engine spent a long time either sitting in salt water or flooded with salt water.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTykwSR2_HIm7eDD9POppljsdBSOj2wRHarLtnwH_ZOWRDWzzQzmYnQHZlvTGnwq0JAMBWWXK5qypn3vAnsVO8BqhBDjaPSHudHNv9QZJTji-qjS9HuEIy7r9x-leL9PWtafdLWnamFFl8/s1600-h/PC290450.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTykwSR2_HIm7eDD9POppljsdBSOj2wRHarLtnwH_ZOWRDWzzQzmYnQHZlvTGnwq0JAMBWWXK5qypn3vAnsVO8BqhBDjaPSHudHNv9QZJTji-qjS9HuEIy7r9x-leL9PWtafdLWnamFFl8/s320/PC290450.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426261661984080530" /></a></div><div>A close-up shot of the hole in the engine. Because the engine is so rusty throughout we are now shopping around for replacements. Benny also helped hoist the engine out through the hatch in the bow and down to the ground where we hauled it over to his truck and took it up to Plymouth. That sucker is heavy!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Also some great news! NOLS awarded us a Instructor Development Grant. Nadine, Benny and I applied to a fund for instructor expeditions and they awarded us the maximum grant amount! This will help offset the cost of a new engine. We are considering naming the new engine Twinkie in honor of Evan Horn who is NOLS training manager in charge of the IDF grants. Thanks NOLS!<br /><br /></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-8830620628832317302009-12-31T19:03:00.000-08:002009-12-31T19:47:24.770-08:00Happy New Year Engine Work<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteZOxuq3CV9p8S5EVXaqNjICfT7Yobk6quwRmMft36JcT8Hw4t2rMKSE6lwAUCmBmozl8cOtGSYngm30kBTyR4jbZV0FBnwCvbfsEpUA7ssd6IhyphenhyphenKyY8Zhq35ckwglLV6wgSTzvVDypOY/s1600-h/PC260384.JPG"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Here are some pictures of the engine work I have been doing over the holidays</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudvUd2QGp3oArYMdJgbQIjylS8al6TU87Sj0qNbWUztyCejhkI5BHq-m76d7g7cPXJZ05wTdZfbO75BjNl4ZxUvwR-LG533FyMJhzDAXBckCv-4Pg9YfuPn939phXs9TmONTI45EZTb7p/s200/PC270416.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421603260786513906" style="text-align: center;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; "></span></p></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><div style="display: inline !important; ">Hoisting the partially disassembled engine out of the bilge. It is rustier than we expected! It looks like salt water has gotten in to the transmission and caused a lot of internal rusting. The engine turns over but there is a lot of carbon build up in the cylinders.</div></span></span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><p></p></span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></span></span></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WYVf_RYwfn4lItAaiwAcqlPNigsX59gv2mbR2eAji0UfPUi4XU342XDTCoYzL06OBqKkCEvFNrSdk8E7O2GirHQHT-QQZWzjAYdHCyw-vDeeSg_Mzze5pu0njCvUGm1Grs_T7df2EV8Y/s200/PC270418.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421608339220188370" /><div>Here is the engine sitting on the floorboards. You can see the bilge that I pulled it out of just to the right. I used some straps and a come along to hoist it up out and swing it over to the floorboards.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteZOxuq3CV9p8S5EVXaqNjICfT7Yobk6quwRmMft36JcT8Hw4t2rMKSE6lwAUCmBmozl8cOtGSYngm30kBTyR4jbZV0FBnwCvbfsEpUA7ssd6IhyphenhyphenKyY8Zhq35ckwglLV6wgSTzvVDypOY/s200/PC260384.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421611671237866770" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Dirty bilge grease hands.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOkKRD4dLh06NHvT_YtCmG8rbYWkGSrq9449ysFK30MfM1wX8ImGPhfc0DOfDjFi2s_qxqzMzUm1e4bvKikHPQJfWkBygCXwH7k9uvk7Ovyy7zM55BIq5d7rtnyj_DhwlxonLmrRaDKcgY/s200/PC270388.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421603249396057618" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Meggie and I folding folding sails in the backyard at Plymouth. There are lots of oldish sails that we will have to sort through carefully, repair and clean.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiiVorTap3LVIQOIQ1VDpmaPIiJ8EItWyvZdLpK8Zq2lmpUb3frGC-W47NjYwu9z26Utsh6lOoOvuoCXFIPRDu-D9qiUHHnoT87l5zZiYRwt0xBRhSR-FAcTEGd23K_dHQIYZGKB2yn-J/s1600-h/PC260384.JPG"></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div></div></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-5244725160975239752009-12-15T09:12:00.000-08:002009-12-15T09:38:27.748-08:00Fish In the Water<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCl67PVc1gHxQ1F_pElJCHFGsOTnmJRdEQS6Nmpomo9Q3nQead3napHjyU_TGFuIgubPddxfNAU9saukFX3s2RROHxGcxw5-76r-wqx-sbG6bhyZMNz31xxAP5P7LqZ2Yl_M8D8KjfUzt/s1600-h/livro3.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKoCNER83y3_fDCzNt7b_e1KqMxqtuQIxiP7VmlphPJEzS4JSxo_mPjXoN2LBEaMO7XeixGu-0X_q6c5CLFC-MF-a29SbEHFtQu3COkKtcF-z7tDTtLyNnrxVJjnU9uJ_dG-G4G1q1AjhL/s1600-h/livro3.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVHYhE8VMmW9IM8m-5YExA5E5hyphenhyphenlqrPzrHdKzWHMEfCgo9gjcC9jQp4L514n19tLIP_G3zfiGbv0uZWp3psJ8eBLU0kW_u-WiJOP-WkIElLFAGmhwSQOmGBUAYZu_MxQb1nGcugR942he/s1600-h/Fishers+Hornpipe.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 141px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVHYhE8VMmW9IM8m-5YExA5E5hyphenhyphenlqrPzrHdKzWHMEfCgo9gjcC9jQp4L514n19tLIP_G3zfiGbv0uZWp3psJ8eBLU0kW_u-WiJOP-WkIElLFAGmhwSQOmGBUAYZu_MxQb1nGcugR942he/s200/Fishers+Hornpipe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415512079024476482" /></a>Just a quick couple pictures of Fishers Hornpipe in the water. Note the genoa jib tied down to the lifelines (no roller furling). The inner stay'sl, which is in a blue sail cover, is what makes her a cutter rig. The main'sl is further aft behind the mast. You can also see the three forward portholes which provide light and ventilation to the v-berth, workshop area, and crew bunks.<div> We are considering painting the hull the original dark blue. The builder Reuel Parker recommends going back to a darker hull color. Below is a picture from the cover of the book The Voyages of Fishers Hornpipe which shows the original blue paint. What do you prefer?</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaCl67PVc1gHxQ1F_pElJCHFGsOTnmJRdEQS6Nmpomo9Q3nQead3napHjyU_TGFuIgubPddxfNAU9saukFX3s2RROHxGcxw5-76r-wqx-sbG6bhyZMNz31xxAP5P7LqZ2Yl_M8D8KjfUzt/s400/livro3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415518266764820034" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 279px; " /></span></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-49490494077185599922009-12-07T08:43:00.000-08:002009-12-07T09:00:07.263-08:00More Pictures<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pKzRZ2e4AEOoNMO_afdPZoNnwVyvnCTa8L3UsuWx2dPkwVRUiIOuYVulTmycV9tweNZN0PwAQv-QxEwDEj-_74DudRKeUQiQZNaom5gwjB_wZgvYSWJlJ76mcY7_4A-82nFUZA1FTZ-E/s200/IMG_4697.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412537435115728882" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px; " /></span></div><div>Galley salon area.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYCK2omOhyCBoIomiYRsMAA3V_onIt-JI_B65iVUo-NC9LuIMrciPHfx4bIq_3bmx0MPF_7wwe0Vl0GAaSOccC6f9iqkOKsX-RDeD9oO8I3_b7aKTI7lYrEwUEwF2tzFaV2eWLUw9Fyow/s200/IMG_4707.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412537429918235538" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px; " /></span></div><div>View of deck from aloft. Note solar panel and R Mac</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3omteQjAKbfCPpXyANk0yJArHvSUVKQzZpSfOe6hiLnk7jCemAAVTmUROLwf7aatc4jT9YBIrVHC5lYKpnbb2aKedJHNVSbt2hyphenhyphenO6_PY7zvFZrhs6CXl_C4KWtq84w3lWyqGrejUyuBm/s1600-h/IMG_4699.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3omteQjAKbfCPpXyANk0yJArHvSUVKQzZpSfOe6hiLnk7jCemAAVTmUROLwf7aatc4jT9YBIrVHC5lYKpnbb2aKedJHNVSbt2hyphenhyphenO6_PY7zvFZrhs6CXl_C4KWtq84w3lWyqGrejUyuBm/s200/IMG_4699.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412537459324527042" /></a><div><div><br /><div>60 HP Isuzu diesel engine. We are going to rebuild it. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxBp9k-Sj1CL-4QWOUPsdFRnEoMgpUbZJX2uG0hyphenhyphenz8bYGm9fpC14Hz9sBNxHOIH0KaqYUGFvTHuNvFgNcgYRscfLMhk37NL0I_QsmF5zGyu0dHHTF3C-reomz97GtW16PRksrA8WHjGat6/s200/IMG_4685.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412537452089556962" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Some rotten wood in the toe rail which we will replace. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKx3Y-q9QqEpj2j8iWhRHA5iXNEJA8nfZ5YwyLXhdiNx5FRQOlwmwySRpe7NpUklchkAi0KSifkKyZqXNZ6zngC98y9TncPOaSjDUXjpG60N3_GN4Mr2lI2PfqLDKDxJC2Xj7vY6b4rGd/s1600-h/IMG_4656.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKx3Y-q9QqEpj2j8iWhRHA5iXNEJA8nfZ5YwyLXhdiNx5FRQOlwmwySRpe7NpUklchkAi0KSifkKyZqXNZ6zngC98y9TncPOaSjDUXjpG60N3_GN4Mr2lI2PfqLDKDxJC2Xj7vY6b4rGd/s200/IMG_4656.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412537444800179026" /><br /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Rusty dings in the keel which we will clean up, patch and paint.</span><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_pKzRZ2e4AEOoNMO_afdPZoNnwVyvnCTa8L3UsuWx2dPkwVRUiIOuYVulTmycV9tweNZN0PwAQv-QxEwDEj-_74DudRKeUQiQZNaom5gwjB_wZgvYSWJlJ76mcY7_4A-82nFUZA1FTZ-E/s1600-h/IMG_4697.JPG"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaYCK2omOhyCBoIomiYRsMAA3V_onIt-JI_B65iVUo-NC9LuIMrciPHfx4bIq_3bmx0MPF_7wwe0Vl0GAaSOccC6f9iqkOKsX-RDeD9oO8I3_b7aKTI7lYrEwUEwF2tzFaV2eWLUw9Fyow/s1600-h/IMG_4707.JPG"></a><br /></div></div></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6339950428759155429.post-58217163575625865202009-12-07T08:01:00.000-08:002009-12-07T08:43:30.673-08:00First Post! Just bought a sailboat...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgjeCMTji6KA34PvDUc3j14K2S9fDO10IxbMsNAyrnKLlhxE-5eXpsDbncUCap9OrNZp6dFS4VVUEfkFPGNb9QHsjbCAyckV7XRBjbXfVlpHcF9Pa3oxM8xkn8eS7REoIiX-1MLwVjaIl/s1600-h/IMG_4699.JPG"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoBOWC2EcB1slFaVCmZJmjaO6JK4rEhgDMgNaRQ7y94yNk7QwnibQObCX_qo_IE-JhkcdobPkWadgWrEOxM1X68lj_aZ4HW2sRb6UBP7n9UYSL0eT8jl8UEP5FS2awKndCYG5S4sqcQLE/s1600-h/IMG_4664.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoBOWC2EcB1slFaVCmZJmjaO6JK4rEhgDMgNaRQ7y94yNk7QwnibQObCX_qo_IE-JhkcdobPkWadgWrEOxM1X68lj_aZ4HW2sRb6UBP7n9UYSL0eT8jl8UEP5FS2awKndCYG5S4sqcQLE/s320/IMG_4664.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412525786779591714" /></a>Hi from Rob and Nadine,<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><div>This blog is to share pictures and info about our new sailboat, Fishers Hornpipe. We competed the sale December 3 and are excited to start working on the many projects required to get her seaworthy again. The Hornpipe is 40' long on deck 55' including the bowsprit and davits. She was designed by Patrick Cotten and built by boat builder/designer Reuel Parker (http://www.parker-marine.com)</div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBguEdMQYWdTMgrGcjba5LV11qrdZl9HxNeJZLD6tES-cYwNfEYCgUhWrG9slNE0aesGa5bWbrWNIfR_CXgdinoMsYNamwYdNYfnOXhySEHmtyI3qvlmXvWHqI25sHO29n8npCrXClSq3D/s320/IMG_4651.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412530316478692354" /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The hull is made of Ferro-cement. The Decks are marine-grade plywood coated with fiberglass. The mast is a solid chunk of don douglas fir. More Pictures to come... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div></div>Rob Lloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07699306475711881739noreply@blogger.com2