Sail Pandora

I was looking at the March issue of Soundings today and read and article about Tarpon Springs Florida.   The article was written for cruisers who were considering visiting the west coast Florida city but I was particularly struck by the mention of sponge diving, a trade that has been part of the culture of Tarpon Springs since the 1800s.   The article referred to a video about the history of the industry.  I had a tough time finding the video but finally located it on YouTube.  It’s a very interesting look at the sponge industry circa 1930s.

This certainly looks like a tough way to make a living to me.

Interestingly, the method of harvesting natural sponges remains similar today and I guess that the fishery is sustainable or it would have ended long ago.  It seems that the biggest change, and one that has contributed to the fishery’s longevity is that they now cut off the sponges instead of ripping them out as is shown in the video.  This allows the sponges to grow back.

Nice to see that a traditional fishery can persist and not be another example of over fishing and extinction as is so often the case.

So, will we be sponge fishing aboard Pandora?  I can say for sure that there won’t be a hard hat and lead boots for me.

Over the last few days we once again headed up to CT to look at homes where we might move now that our home in NJ is under contract.  Unfortunately, the septic failed on our NJ home but all it will take is money to do a septic repair and get the sale done. As a matter of fact we’re just about ready to hire the plumbers and agree on a date for them to come help us with this. Our agent says that once your home is under contract (I won’t say sold because that’s not the case till the check clears) that you divorce yourself from the home and move on.  That’s certainly the case for me as I am already “gone” and am preparing to move on.

The big question now is where do we want to live.  There are so many issues that matter to us in a new home and it’s location that it has been very difficult to find a home that is suitable.   Brenda is a weaver so she needs a studio.  Actually, check out her blog at www.argoknot.com.  Me, I am an amateur woodworker, so an area for a shop is key.  We also love to entertain, especially weavers and boaters so we also want a terrific kitchen for those all important parties, of course if you want to use heated water is important to know the signs water heater is going bad to fix it right away.

Beyond that, we need to be close to the water so we can get to Pandora easily, so we’re looking into a river side cabin for rent.  And, as Pandora is registered in RI we have to be sure that we can get to her there as keeping her in CT for more than the maximum 60 days allowed during the commissioned season is a no-no.

Also, and very important is that one of our sons lives in Manhattan and the other in Fairfield CT.  Our parents are also in assisted living in Bridgeport and we want to be close enough for regular visits with everyone.  Well, you get the drift.  A lot of caveats which make finding a home really tough.

On top of all of this the home needs to be affordable, whatever that means now that I am on, shall we say, “a restricted income”. We have to get in contact with tax services such as Academy West Insurance tax services to discuss our income and if we can afford to buy a home.

While this is a nautical blog, perhaps a photo of the house that is the current leading contender, in Essex CT and only few miles from the CT River and about a half hour to Mystic.

After looking at some 50 homes over the last few months between Essex CT and Wickford RI, this one has risen to the top of the pile, for now.    As the closing on our NJ home is scheduled for late March I guess it’s almost decision time.

Oh, and did I mention that this home abuts a large nature preserve.  No water, beyond a stream, actually more of a swamp, in the woods behind the house.    However, I guess that the water view from Pandora will have to do the trick.

Speaking of water views from Pandora.  How about this one from one of our visits to Maine.   Too bad that our budget won’t support this view.   Well, actually, we could get a view like this if we were willing to move up to Maine.   Hmm…  No wait.  Here’s an idea.   We can go places with views like this aboard Pandora.  Now, that’s a plan.

As I write this I am in the Mystic Marriott for the annual meeting of the Catboat Association, a group that we have been members of since 1979, a long time by any measure.  The group was central to our lives for many years as we owned a number of catboats prior to graduating to larger vessels.   Actually, we served on the “steering committee”, or board of the group for some ten years and loved it.

Last night Brenda and I attended a cocktail party at the winter meeting of the CBA and caught up with many old friend.  Actually, “old” is appropriate as many of us are definitely getting up there in years.   In particular, although still young at heart, were our friends Frank and Linda who sailed their Aleuea 38 sailboat for something like 8 years in the Caribbean and were early inspiration to us, well at least me, to plan to, at some point, make a long sailing journey.   While they have “swallowed the anchor” and moved ashore, they  now own a home in Tenant’s Harbor Maine.

Frank and Linda were also instrumental in getting us involved in the CBA steering committee, way back when.  Frank was, at the time, the president of the group and as we got to know him, asked us to become more involved.

I still recall the first time that we got to know Frank and Linda as it was at the 1990 25th anniversary rendezvous of the CBA at Mystic Seaport where over 100 catboats gathered for a weekend of great fun.  Their boat Cimba, was tied up on the outer dock at the seaport and I asked if we could come aboard and see her.   Cimba was a fabulously well maintained Fenwick Williams 25′ catboat constructed of wood and painted and varnished to a standard usually seen in boats maintained by professionals.   While they sold their catboat years ago to begin voyaging, here they are again with us at the Marriott at the winter meeting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CBA.

However, I digress as I was writing about moving.   Did I mention that we sold our home (pending inspection, mortage approval for the new owner and all that jazz) and are scheduled to be out as of the end of March.  Yikes!!! After over 20 years there, what a change that will be.

However, we are interested in living somewhere closer to the water and certainly less expensive than homes and taxes near New York.  Our search over the last few months has taken us from Essex CT, through Mystic CT and as far up the coast as Wickford RI. If we can’t find something, maybe we’ll contact a home builder like this home builder in Brunswick, GA to build us a custom home near the water. So far, the homes that most appeal to us are in eastern CT and seem to be in the area from Essex to Mystic.

We have found several homes that we like very much and are now down to the wire with a few in serious contention.   The biggest question is how much work I am willing to take on with a home that needs to be fixed up verses one that is in great shape and ready to live in.    The “ready to go” home that we like is not near the water, if two miles from the CT River is far.  The other major contender is a much older home that needs work but is sited on is sited on a pond in the village of Old Mystic.   These homes are very different and it is certainly a very tough call as to which will be better for us.

to be sure but we will know more soon as we are looking at boat again this weekend.

However, it is indeed “decision time” unless we want to be homeless very soon.

One way or the other, we want to be settled with where we are going to live by fall when we head south on Pandora.    No matter what happens, we will be on our way by mid September and will have a home, aboard Pandora, at least for a while.

Speaking, as I was, about our earlier sailing aboard catboats, one of our catboats, Sappho, now lives in Wickford RI and has been there for many years under the careful stewardship of her owners at a lovely marina Pleasant Street Wharf.   And, no blog post should be posted without a photo so here is Brenda aboard our old catboat (yes, it’s a recent photo) taken in Wickford followed by Pandora at the same boatyard.   A contrast in both boat size and style indeed.

Here’s Pandora at the same lovely marina.

Wish us luck with our house hunting.

It’s Saturday morning here in lovely Upper Saddle River, NJ and I am looking out at snow accumulating quickly on the back patio.  With 5-6 inches in the forecast and temperatures in the 20s I can’t help but think about what the weather might be like in Georgetown Bahamas, where we plan to visit next February.

While only just over a year away, and closer than ever for me and Brenda, it does seem like going to the Bahamas would be about as likely as a trip to Mars given today’s weather.

However, it is only a YEAR away and I have never been able to say “we are going to the Bahamas next winter, for three months, actually” and I am excited about that plan, to say the least.

Yes, I am going to say “WE ARE GOING TO THE BAHAMAS” three times with my eyes closed, click my heals together…  Oh well, still looking out at the snow.  Yes, it is a year from now and I will just have to be grown up about it.

On a brighter, more immediate, note we are just about ready to put our home on the market and prepare for our move to eastern CT or RI some time this summer.  The plan is to downsize in a less expensive area that is closer to the water. We are very excited about this move but are nervous as we have lived here for 22 years and it’s a big change to be sure.   Did I say that we have tons of stuff to sort through prior to the move?  Throwing away 22 years of stuff is good.

Anyway, back to the weather and the Bahamas.    Here are the two forecasts next to each other.  Which is better?  I guess that’s for you to decide.

Georgetown:  Sunshine and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 80F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Upper Saddle River:  Cloudy with snow. High 29F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Snow accumulating 3 to 5 inches

Hmm…  Tough to pick.

Perhaps these two videos will make the point clearer to you.   This one of a typical day in the Bahamas in the winter.  Actually, this video is about as exciting as one of those tropical fish screen savers.   Works for me.

A trip to the grocery store today here in lovely NJ.

Gee, it’s so hard to decide.

No, I’ve decided.  I like swaying palms better.  And about that ice.  It’s better in a G&T.

As I sit here in my home office at 6:30 AM, it’s 28 degrees outside and still dark.   That would make this a great time to think about where we will take Pandora this coming season.   When people comment on the cold weather I find myself retorting “don’t worry, the weather will be better in May” a response that sometimes gets a chuckle but more often a look that seems to suggest something more like “huh?”.

With regards to our upcoming sailing season, unlike some of my friends who are more, shall I say, “casual” in their advance planning, I can’t help thinking of when Pandora will “splash” (the week of May 28th if you were wondering) and where we will take her later this year.  I can’t believe that it’s already 2012.  I still remember in high school when the book, or at least the title of George Orwell’s 1984 book seemed to be so far off in the future.   Now with us less than a week into the new year, I am totally focused on getting Pandora ready for the coming season and ready to travel to Florida and the Bahamas in the fall and winter of 2013.

Here are a few highlights that we plan for this coming summer.    Our first rendezvous will be in Ziegler’s Cove, in Darien where we will connect with friends from the sailing.  This chart shows exactly where this great spot is.   I will be attending this and other events with a group, The Corinthians,  that have been a part of Brenda’s and my life for many years.

As part of this group, I am planning a number of rendezvous for the coming season, in part because the group wants to expand their on-water activities but also because Brenda and I are planning to spend some time in local waters this summer, instead of spending much of the summer in Maine as we did last year.   By setting dates for on-the-water activities and being involved in their planning, I can choose where I want to be and, at the same time, enjoy the company of others along the way.  What better way to make sailing even better than to connect with others for a party on the water.

After that early spring event the week after Memorial Day, Pandora will go to Mystic where we will use a friend’s mooring for a few weeks where we will participate in another rendezvous including one at Watch Hill RI, a place that we have visited many times over the years.  There are fun places to visit there including a walk among the stunning homes along the cliffs overlooking Block Island Sound.  Check out these shots of some of the “cottages”.

And these homes have wonderful gardens too.  Very nice. n  Looks like a perfect spot for an “adult beverage” on a summer evening.

There’s also an Op Sail event, with sailing ships from all over the world, planned for New London, the weekend of July 6th and a 50th anniversary rendezvous of the Catboat Association at Mystic Seaport planned for that same weekend.  So much to choose from.  Brenda and I participated in the 25th anniversary rendezvous of the CBA way back when in our 22′ catboat Sappho.   It’s been a while since that event.   We are all grown up now.  Hmm…

Additional destinations may include a run to Maine to participate in the annual Corinthians cruise which will begin and end in Camden Maine this year.   Having visited Maine nearly every year for over 15 summers, I am always eager to go back yet one more time.

Another highlight of this summer’s plans will be the “Non Cruise Cruise” that I am planning    with The Corinthians in Narraganset Bay RI.  More like a rally, this cruise designed to be a follow on event after the Corinthians cruise in Maine and will include stops throughout the bay including such great stops as East Greenwich, Potter’s Cove, Bristol and the ever popular port of Newport RI.   We even expect to include a visit to the majestic Harbor Court clubhouse of the New York Yacht Club for cocktails and dinner.  Their site includes some great panorama views that are worth checking out of both Harbor Court in Newport and their 44th street main clubhouse. I always enjoy the panorama of the model room, perhaps the most stunning room in NYC.  In particular, this of the patio overlooking the harbor in Newport is just the spot for a cocktail on an August evening followed by dinner in the Bolero Grill.  Not bad, not bad at all. If your computer doesn’t have the most recent Java plug in to view these, you can get it here.

Later in August we will begin provisioning Pandora for our visit to Annapolis, the Seven Seas Cruising Association rendezvous at Camp Letts MD where there will be nearly 100 boats from all over for a three day gam with seminars and parties as everyone prepares to head south on their boats for the winter.  No visit to that area would be complete without a visit to the Annapolis Boat show where we will begin our final preparations for our cruise down the Inter-coastal Waterway.  We plan a trip that will take us all the way to Florida and onto the Bahamas where we will spend several months beginning in late January or early February of 2013.

A busy year you say?  Yes, and even more active when you consider that we are squeezing in the sale of our home in NJ and a move to Mystic CT or Wickford RI as part of our plans for this year.    Yes, there is a lot going on in our lives but Brenda and I are really looking forward to this new and exciting chapter of our lives together.

As no blog is complete without at least one photo I will close with a great sunset.  Actually, for us, this coming year is a sunrise.  Sunset or sunrise?  You be the judge.

Oh, and did I say that I am taking some time off from work too?  I am not quite ready to say the “R” word just yet.   Well, that’s a topic for another post so I guess I will have to leave it at that for now.

Even for those who have never been out on a boat of any kind, thoughts of the open ocean conjure up thoughts of massive waves crashing up on distant, or perhaps worse, on familiar shores.

For boaters the phrase can sometimes bring to mind memories of personal adventures, nearly always exaggerated for effect when experiences are being shared, especially with non boating friends.  “You can’t imagine how big those waves in Plum Gut were last August.  They were breaking over the pilot house.  They had to be at least 6 feet.  Really, it was amazing.”

In October a good friend was taking his boat to the Caribbean and he ran into a late season storm about 500km south of Bermuda.   Yesterday I spoke to him on the phone and heard a bit about his experience.  He recounted that the waves were 25′ and very confused.  His crew were clipped on and yet were washed overboard only to stop short when they reached the end of their tethers.   The boat was laid flat several times and their storm anchor/drogue snapped it’s line.  Dick and his crew were successfully rescued by a passing freighter where they scrambled up a jacob’s ladder while his small 35′ sailboat Spring Moon, slammed against the ship while rising and falling 25′ with each passing wave.

Thankfully, Dick and his crew were saved, a better fate than the husband and wife who were separated in the same storm when she was washed overboard and lost.   It’s hard to imagine how it would be to experience such a loss.   Not something that we, who love the sea and sailing, want to think about.

This video is perhaps the best example of just how powerful the sea is and should certainly give those guys who brag about braving 6′ waves on Long Island Sound something to think about.  This is nature’s majesty in some of her greatest moments.

As is said in the famous Breton Fisherman’s prayer, “Oh God thy sea is so great and my boat is so small”  No truer words were ever spoken.

So, I am always asked “how big is your boat?” and my answer is, “that depends on how far I am from the dock.  Out on the ocean she seems mighty small.”

>As I think forward to our trip to the Bahamas next winter I am very aware that our trip south had better be a great experience for Brenda.  I was encouraged when she suggested the other day that she wants to go to Cape May and Chesapeake City by boat.  On past trips to Annapolis, Brenda has always met me by car and I have used crew to make the run down the Jersey Coast.   Having her even suggest that she might join me for what is one of the longest outside runs is good news and I am clinging to it.

To the point of great experiences, I am pretty sure that if our trip next year isn’t fun for Brenda that there won’t be a second run south.   I am told that the Gulf Stream can be pretty nasty when the winds are up and from the wrong direction so we had better pick a good day.   Speaking of good, or bad, days…

This video of a run through the Southern Ocean in the last Volvo Ocean Race is exactly what I had better avoid. Is this a good run or bad?  You be the judge.

I am betting what we need to experience to make this fun for Brenda had better be excellent fodder for the most boring video footage ever.  For a dedicated knitter like Brenda, her idea of a really bad day is when she drops a stitch.  Hmm….