TakingPaws

La Quinta

2012-02-07T22:37:00.000-05:00

It is a tough few weeks for Dyna and Dylan. Last week the boat was swarmed by electronics guys starting the work on our helm refit. Ceilings were exposed, wires hung down, boxes piled up, and furniture was rearranged. Dyna and Dylan were lucky to find a good spot on the settee in the salon. On the positive side, electronics guys were there, so that meant pats and excitement and the possibility of food.

This week the boat was hauled at Sadler Point Marina to change some transducers, clean and paint the bottom, and other various projects. That meant a trip to the La Quinta Inn for the crew. Now this crew is no stranger to commercial sleeping establishments having spent many a night in a Red Roof Inn. But the La Quinta is a step up and its pet policy allows two dogs in a room. No sneaking in one dog at a time a la Red Roof Inn.

But first we spent most of Monday hanging out in the car at the boatyard. The kids split their time between napping and staring out the window at their home up on stilts. Needless to say we all were a bit antsy by quitting time and anxious to get to the room.

Of course, a new space is always interesting and they checked out every nook, cranny, and trashcan. Then someone came to the door with Chinese food. Dylan thought, "I'm gonna like this place." The best part - a kingsize bed, room for everyone to stretch out.

Now it's evening of the second day. Dad spent most the day at the boatyard ensuring that this adventure doesn't last any longer than Friday. Sadler Point is promising a splash by 1 pm Friday.

Dyna and Dylan spent much of the day in the room with Mom with a couple of walk breaks, excitement when Dad came back for lunch, and big time excitement when the nice lady came to clean the room. We're all getting a little bored and itching to get back on the boat.

Only two more days. At least we hope so!

Sad Goodbyes

2012-01-29T22:28:00.000-05:00

One of the aspects of living onboard is frequently meeting and then leaving friends. It's a mix of emotions. You're sad to say goodbye, excited about their, or your, next adventure, and always looking forward to the next time you will meet again.

That's one of the best parts of cruising, knowing that you will run into your friends again and again yet never knowing quite where or when. And then taking up where you left off as if you just saw them yesterday.

This is true for Dyna and Dylan as well. They have made dog friends in nearly every port. And also have pals they meet again and again. Charleston, Vero Beach, Miami Beach, Callao, even back in Castine, the kids meet their buddies and play. Dog play, the best kind of play there is.

But some goodbyes are a bit harder.

Today Oddie and Salty left Ortega Landing to start their next adventure. For many weeks now Dyna and Dylan have enjoyed daily play dates, impromptu visits, and stares and barks across the sterns. It has been pure pleasure to watch them.

Oddie and Salty are far from their homeport in Turkey and have been traveling around the world with their people, Nur and Bahadir. Today they started their journey back south and on to, who knows where.

Of course, we all hope to meet again and maybe we will. Life on a boat is full of the unexpected. We may one day pull into a secluded anchorage and hear, "Woof, woof, woof" and say, "Is that Oddie?" We hope so.

Nur took many beautiful pictures of their time together. Here are just a few.

Dyna, Dylan, and Oddie waiting for a treat.

Salty makes the catch.

Air Dylan.

Oddie is, you guessed it, barking.

Dyna, the Queen.

The field where is all happens.

Salty and Dylan keep their eye on the ball.

Dyna takes a rest.

Dyna, Dylan, Oddie, and Salty - BFF's.

The Jacksonville Routine

2012-01-18T11:58:00.000-05:00

Anyone who has owned a dog knows that they are creatures of habit. Routine is the most important facet of their day. The thing Dyna and Dylan like best about being settled at a dock is there is time to develop a routine.

Having been here at Ortega Landing in Jacksonville for some time we have developed a definite routine which centers around 4:00 pm - play-date time. Kitty-corner from us is the sailboat belonging to Oddie and Salty. As 4 o'clock approaches Dylan starts to watch out the stern and often Salty appears on deck looking back.

Sometime around 4 pm there are 16 paws scrambling down the dock to the large field onshore. Dylan and Salty chase, Dyna moseys about, and Oddie barks and rolls on his back. It's about an hour of pure dog fun.

A few days ago Dixie and Gracie arrived. If you've been following Dyna and Dylan for a while you will have seen Dixie and Gracie before. They even visited Dyna and Dylan this past July 4th in Castine. Needless to say, the kids are returning to the boat even more exhausted than before.

Yesterday we were joined by Abbie, another yellow lab. Abbie owns a nice lady who works at Huckins Yacht Corporation who brought her by to join in the fun. Dylan is completely smitten. Abbie is playing hard to get. Ah, young love. But no matter what, you can count on 16 paws heading down the dock sometime around 4 o'clock this afternoon.

New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T09:59:00.001-05:00

New Year's Eve morning is bright and warm and dry. A picture perfect day. We started with a quick workout and then breakfast outside on the cockpit. Halfway through we realized it was the first time we have ever had New Year's Eve breakfast outside...

Neighbor Paul on Carry On thought we looked so "idyllic" he snapped a picture. Of course, Dylan had to be a part of it, too.

Tonight we will join Betty and Al and Dinny and Paul on Carry On for a New Year's Eve dinner and celebration. It is doubtful we will be awake at midnight but certain we will have fun.

We look forward to the new year, to new adventures, to friends old and new, and to time with those we love including our faithful crew.

We wish everyone a happy, healthy, and safe New Year.

Karen, Jeff, Dyna, and Dylan

Christmas Day

2011-12-25T22:19:00.000-05:00

The temperature was warm.

Dyna and Dylan enjoyed Christmas treats, although Dylan thinks Dyna's was much bigger

It never gets old, at least for me.

A wreath helps the kids welcome Christmas.

A pecan pie, ice cream, a sampling of rum from around the world, and fellow boaters close a wonderful day.

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-20T20:44:00.000-05:00

This is the first time that we will be staying on the boat for Christmas and not visiting family. There are several reasons but one was to just have the experience and see what it would be like.

So what do I miss? Well, certainly spending time with family, especially my youngest niece and nephew. I miss a Christmas tree and lots of decorations. I miss the big family feast. I even miss the snow.

But Christmas here on the boat has its own charm. We've strung some lights, got a wreath, and a poinsettia. Several other boats in the marina have done elaborate lights and even Christmas trees. We even had a boat named Christmas pull in a few days ago, who stayed true to her name with a Santa, lights, and a tree on the bow. We've participated in some local events. And will be spending time with fellow boaters.

There's no snow but we've been eating breakfast on our new cockpit table and taking our walks in short-sleeves and even shorts. The dockmaster has donned a Santa hat and a local radio station is playing Christmas tunes. Tomorrow is suppose to be in the 80's.

We'll be doing some baking and having our own Christmas feast, all scaled down to fit in our galley stove. Dyna and Dylan will keep ever vigilant for Santa.

Of course, we'll watch my Christmas favorites on DVD - Charlie Brown Christmas, Grinch, and It's a Wonderful Life. And it is a wonderful life indeed.

We hope that everyone has a safe and happy Christmas wherever you may be.

The Sexiest Man Alive

2011-12-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

Admit it, gals. There's nothing sexier than a man wearing rubber gloves. At the galley sink, in the head, wiping down woodwork, give me that over Brad Pitt any day. In the stateroom might be creepy, unless he was scrubbing the floors.

We have not done a thorough cleaning inside and out since we've been back onboard. Moving south, business, travel, are all things that have kept us busy and just keeping ahead of the dog hair has been a challenge.

Arriving back at the boat following Thanksgiving we realized it was time - past time. So we decided to take a section each day and do a complete "spring cleaning." Hey, these temps in Maine would definitely qualify for spring.

We started at the back and are working our way forward - saloon, galley, pilothouse. She is looking good. Of course, the dog hair keeps chasing us but then it's such a small price to pay for these two cuties.

Thankful

2011-11-30T10:04:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday. It's a time to take a break and be with the people we love. And of course eat lots of great food. It doesn't have the pressure of buying gifts or weeks of hype. Just quiet time to be together.

We loaded up the rental car last week and drove the 500+ miles from Jacksonville to Tennessee, where inexplicably most of Karen's family has migrated. Dyna and Dylan settled in together on the back seat which we'd encased in sheets to keep the hair at bay. They didn't know where we were going but were just happy to be going.

We stayed with Grandma who graciously puts up with the dog hair. Thanksgiving day was at Aunt Jane and Uncle Chuck's. Dylan's job was to guard the dinning room table, even long after the meal was complete and all it contained was a puzzle.

Most of their cousins are grown but the youngest, 9 year old Marcos, and one grand-cousin (is that a term?), 2 year old Isaac, provided Dylan with some much appreciated crumbs from the table.

They handled the long trip back like the seasoned travelers they are and all were happy to be back onboard. It's hard to beat an evening on the sofa with Dad.

We look forward to settling in for a few months and getting many projects done. We'll find time to have fun with fellow boaters and we just heard about a dog park nearby.

Life is good and we have much to be thankful for.

Offshore overnight through video...

2011-11-13T18:12:00.001-05:00

Stuck in Paradise

2011-11-05T22:37:00.003-04:00

River Dunes Marina is an ActiveCaptain sponsor. I originally contacted JC, the Marina Manager, about this time last year when we were looking for a place to stop because I had been seeing the amazing reviews they always received. He urged us to come and see for ourselves but the timing just didn't work out for us.

I spoke to JC again this year and again he urged us to come see for ourselves. This year we made it, planning to stay a day and then quickly move on - we'd lost time when we were "stuck" in Portsmouth. The plan was to head to the Beaufort inlet and then offshore so we could be in Florida by mid-month, then to my mom's for Thanksgiving.

We all know about boating and plans.

We pulled into the channel for River Dunes on Wednesday afternoon not expecting the large, beautiful basin that opened up before us. We both went, "Wow" - honest. I don't know what we expected but this is a beautiful place with just the right amount of manicured grounds (lovely to look at but not overdone), magnificent homes, winding streets, a pool surrounded by cabanas, a large clubhouse, and fabulous floating docks.

And it just kept getting better. JC met us at the dock with a knowledgable dockhand. Imagine that, a dockhand who knows how to handle lines. Quite an unusual finding. When we went into the clubhouse to check in I met Louise who handles the front desk and was a constant help during our stay. She was not only competent but she was thoroughly pleasant and fun to talk to. I thought, too bad we can't stay longer.

We signed up for their family style dinner Thursday night with plans to leave early Friday morning. We were pleasantly surprised when Elle and Dick on Summer Wind pulled into the basin and we all joined JC and his wife for a terrific dinner. Talked turned to the weather with predictions of 20 foot seas off of Frying Pan Shoals and gale force winds.

By Friday morning the winds were howling, yet again foiling our plans. By the afternoon a gaggle of Krogen trawlers began coming in out of the weather - it is called a gaggle isn't it? The basin filled up as the weather got worse. We weren't going anywhere. I wasn't complaining. A great dinner at the clubhouse with the Kogren-ites, a couple of trips into Oriental in the courtesy car, numerous walks on the grounds with the kids - I could get used to this.

But we do need to move on. Tomorrow is looking promising, so tonight we're making plans to leave early. Whatever the morning holds I won't complain. We do have places to go but being stuck here for another day wouldn't be so bad either.

aCappella's anchor light...

2011-11-03T15:52:00.000-04:00

The highest fixed item on our boat is the anchor light. While we can tilt down the VHF and HF radio antennas for bridges, the light on top of the arch only comes down with great effort. It sits a full 20 feet above the water surface. We know that any bridge lower than about 20' must be lifted in order for us to proceed through it.

No, we didn't hit a bridge.

In 2005 I changed the bulb in the anchor light. It's an expensive halogen light that we turn on through all darkened hours at anchor. It has burned brightly over many nights for us warning other boats that we were anchored. Because of its technology, it consumes a fair number of amps to provide the required 2 mile range.

A couple of weeks ago there was a wonderful new LED replacement bulb at a great price from Defender (part of our Defender 1st program with them). We purchased a couple of the bulbs with the intention of using one for the anchor light. It has the required range but burns less than 30% the amps of the previous bulb.

So I carefully removed the sealed fitting that has guarded the existing bulb from wind, rain, and even hurricanes through the last 6+ years. When I got the housing off there was an unexpected finding inside. It was almost filled with dog hair.

Can anyone come up with an explanation of how this sealed container could be filled in this way?

The new bulb is wonderful, bright, and saves a lot of power.

I'm starting to wonder what my lungs look like.

Stuck in Portsmouth

2011-10-29T17:28:00.000-04:00

We really do love Portsmouth, VA and always stop here going north or south. We pulled into Ocean Marine Yacht Center, an ActiveCaptain Sponsor, last Monday with the plan to leave Tuesday morning. We thought it would give us some time to chat with Dave, the dockmaster, about some cool things we have coming, get our Bagel Nutz fix from Starboards Coffee, and see what's new at Skipjack Nautical, two other Sponsors, and be on our way.

Then we ran into good boating buddies Elle and Dick on Summer Wind and met some new boaters all staying at one of the town basins. As we pulled away from the dock at Ocean Marine we decided 24 hours just wasn't enough and swung around to the basin. Another day wouldn't hurt, we had plenty of time.

First, the weather turned a bit nasty, then we decided to fix a small generator raw water pump leak, and then the weather turned really nasty. Yadda, yadda, yadda, we've been stuck here now for almost a week.

But honestly, it's been a great week. We've met numerous new boaters including another couple from Maine, had great German and Chinese food, tried the chocolate muffins from Starboards (Elle's suggestion), made it to the farmer's market, found a field where Dyna and Dylan could romp, walked through the lovely houses in the historic section of Portsmouth, and stayed long enough that our good friend John Salyer showed up. John is dad to black labs Gracie and Dixie who visited Dyna and Dylan in Maine this past summer. It was 16 paws having a much needed chase this morning.

Yesterday and today have been cold, rainy, and windy. The water lapped high above the dock this morning causing us to wade ankle deep to get back to the boat after going to the farmer's market. It reached about 2 feet over the dock before receding, causing us to repeatedly adjust the fenders.

Tomorrow looks good and we plan on finally throwing off the lines. It's time to move on but we know we'll be back. After all, is it really considered "stuck" if you like being here?

The Piankatank River

2011-10-22T07:48:00.000-04:00

If you were following us in 2009 you may remember we fell in love with a beautiful anchorage on the Piankatank River tucked in behind Berkley Island. At first we just liked saying the name of the river. Come on, everyone together - Pee-yank-a-tank. Now tell me you said that and didn't smile.

We loved it so much we stayed several days taking the kids to a small beach at a camp every day for a swim. Dyna was our swimming fool. She loves to swim more than anything in the world, even eating. Dylan, well, there's nothing he likes better than eating. It was a wonderful time.

We decided to go back and it was as beautiful as we remembered. The kids had dinghy rides and walks on shore. Unfortunately, there was no swimming. Dyna can't swim since her throat surgery. It was a bittersweet reminder that she's now a very mature girl. But also reminds us how lucky we are to still have her with us.

We spent five days in the anchorage and saw the full spectrum of weather. One morning the water was as flat as a mirror with the clouds as distinct on the water as in the sky - those things in the water are reflections of the sky. The next we had white caps surrounding the boat.

It was hard to leave but the nights are getting cool and it reminds us we need to move further south. There are other anchorages and dinghy rides and dog parks and friends at the dock. But nothing is better than some quiet time in a beautiful anchorage surrounded by the kids.

Meandering South

2011-10-16T18:27:00.000-04:00

We finally pulled anchor this morning after a week on the Corrotoman River. It was a quiet, secure anchorage that saw us through a small squall and a few days of rainy, blustery weather. The squall blew the rain sideways into our open port-side portholes right into the stateroom. By the time I ran down to close them it looked like someone was spraying in the porthole with a garden hose. Mother nature is amazing.

Because of the weather the kids only had a few dinghy rides and little time ashore, but we were able to get a lot of work done. Watch upcoming newsletters for announcements!

Today was a short day, barely 26 nautical miles. I did most of the piloting with the help of my ever vigilant crew.

Every good captain knows the importance of good alert crew members to ensure the safety of the vessel and all onboard.

As we approached the Nelson Bridge crossing the Rappahannock River I was blinded by the glare. It reminded me of a cool tip I learned from good friend Pat Berry on Got The Fever. Portable shades made from screen material and little suction cups. I made one as soon as we got in.

Cut the screen to the size you want, nip just enough in each corner to push the tip of the suction cup through, and put them up when needed. I decided to do one that could go across the top of the main window like a shade visor. I couldn't get a good picture of the whole thing so I just took some detail of the suction cup in the corner. I'll let you know how it works.

We'll be off again in a few days but not before we get the kids to shore and let them stretch their legs. We're looking forward to that also.

Catching Up

2011-10-09T14:17:00.000-04:00

We apologize that we have been remiss in updating our blog. It has been a busy time. There is nothing we love more than meeting other boaters, seeing our old friends, finding new ones, and of course, what boaters do best, partying. But with two back to back rendezvous the whole crew is exhausted.

The Krogen rendezvous was terrific. They had the same amazing band as last year and once again we managed to dance way past our bedtime. This year we were invited to stay at the dock as honorary Krogen-ites. We dropped anchor Sunday morning to watch the intricate dance that is done to undock all the Krogens. This year was blustery with threatening skies so the show took a bit longer.

The talks and our songs were very well received. In fact, we've already been booked by both groups for next year's events. Can anyone recommend a good agent?

We had hoped to spend some downtime in Solomons and visit two ActiveCaptain Sponsors, Zahniser's Yachting Center and Spring Cove Marina. Unfortunately, Dyna developed an, um, digestive issue we couldn't solve, so we headed back to Olverson's were we had our car and a vet we like. She got checked out and received some antibiotics. She's fine now.

Of course, it is never possible to have a brief visit at Freddie's. There's friends and Nino's Pizza and easy shopping and Liars Corner. So we ended up there for the week. It allowed us to drive over for the Annapolis Sailboat Show. Ted and Sally on Amichi joined us. It was a beautiful day. We met up with numerous business partners and kept running into boaters we knew. This boating world really is small.

We finally shoved off today to head to a quiet anchorage to get some work done. A lot is happening so the parties need to stop for a while. Dyna has taken up her favorite spot in the breeze. Of course, Dylan has to make his way into the picture, too...

It's the People That We Meet...

2011-09-26T23:17:00.000-04:00

The MTOA Rendezvous endedyesterday and as always it was a great time. We gave a talk aboutcruising the coast of Maine and a 2 hour talk on Medical Emergenciesfor Cruisers. We exchanged some terrific tips at the Round Tablemeetings. There is no better source of good, reliable informationthan talking to others who are actually out there cruising and livingonboard.

Fours days of fun,parties, meeting many old friends, and making great new ones, whatcould be better?

It's a lot of work andthe kids get short changed as we run off to meetings, dinners,parties, and friends' boats both day and night. But the wonderful,warm comments we hear from the members make it all worthwhile. Wefeel especially proud of the medical emergencies series. If just onecruiser in the future is helped we have given back more than we couldever hope. And of course there is the awards dinner where members wereforced to listen to our silly songs.

Many folks have asked for copies of our slides and the words to our new song. You can find theMaine slides here:

http://activecaptain.com/slides/CruisingMaine.pdf

The slides for Part 1 andfor Part 2 of the Medical Emergencies talks are here:

http://activecaptain.com/slides/EmergencyMedicine.pdf

And last but not least,there is a video from Celeste Yost of "I Told You So" here:

We thank everyone whomade the MTOA event a success and will look for you along thewaterway. Next weekend we will be speaking at the Krogen Rendezvous.We'll see some of the same friends and catch up with others. Thepeople – it's the best part of cruising.

At Anchor

2011-09-20T20:23:00.000-04:00

There is definitely something nice about being at a marina. You don't need to think too much about the water you use or the lights you turn on. Restaurants, groceries, and other amenities are often nearby. And of course, you can always meet a friend, either old or new, on the dock.

But we also love being at anchor.

Being at anchor is quiet and peaceful. We're usually far enough away from lights that the stars are brilliant, the sunset seems to surround us, and the sounds of the night become a lullaby.

Dylan patrols the bow for birds while Dyna sleeps in the evening breeze.

Tomorrow we pull into the Cambridge Municipal Marina for the start of the MTOA Rendezvous. We look forward to seeing many old friends and making new ones. It'll be 4 days of parties and learning and catching up and mostly lots of fun.

But for tonight, we sit in a beautiful cove, listening to the crickets, surrounded by those we love. Life is pretty good.

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

2011-09-16T16:20:00.001-04:00

So Dyna had surgery a week ago. So itinvolved her breathing, kind of important. So she's old and needs tobe cautious in her recovery. Dylan still doesn't understand why it's,“Dyna, Dyna, Dyna.” What about poor Dylan?

Dyna gets people writing nice thingsand stopping by the boat to see her. She gets puppy chow like Dylannever even knew existed. She and Daddy stay up in the salon at nightwhile Dylan has to go below with Mommy and he just knows they'reeating steak and french fries all night long. What does Dylan get?

Two days ago Cassie and Godiva pulledin behind us with their people on September Song. Dylan has beenenjoying swimming and running and chasing and just watching them fromthe cockpit. And the best part, Dyna has to stay on the boat.

So does it make up for everything? Prettymuch. But the special puppy chow sure does look good!

Patient Update

2011-09-14T15:40:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow will be a week since Dyna had her surgery. She has been overwhelmed by the many kind thoughts sent her way - emails, blog posts, comments on the website - and so have we. We knew she was a special girl but didn't realize how many others did too.

When we left the surgery clinic we had two pages of instructions including limited activity for two weeks. No jumping up on furniture; she did that in less than 12 hours. No climbing stairs; that took a little over 24 hours. The bandage must stay on for 5 days; she rubbed it off in 4.

The one instruction she did like was 2 weeks of soft food. She gets a can of Innova wet food twice a day and this stuff looks and smells better than some diner food I've had. Dyna loves it. Dylan is wondering what operation he can have to get some of this stuff. In a little over a week the Queen will go back to her normal kibble and we're expecting a revolt.

Aside from her bald neck and shoulder she is looking and acting like her old self. We've started walking her down the dock in the mornings. She is doing well.

We all thank you for sending your warm thoughts our way.

Note that the picture below was taken the day after the surgery and looks worse than it is. The red around the bandage is adhesive used during surgery and has mostly worn off already. The fur will grow back and she'll look like regular Dyna in a few weeks.

A Long Day

2011-09-08T19:55:00.001-04:00

We left at 8 am for our 10 am appointment. Dyna checked out fine so they scheduled her surgery for the first slot with the hope that we could bring her home the same day. We now had to figure out what to do with Dylan in Richmond for the afternoon.

Drive through lunch at McD's. Trip to PetSmart for canned food for Dyna and a special treat for Dylan. Trip to a dog park but without Dyna, Dylan was too timid to play with the couple of dogs that were there and it was terribly hot anyway. Back to the the clinic to hear her surgery went fine but they found a mass in her chest.

The surgeon said it could be several things, the same mass we thought we had cured 3 years ago, scar tissue from that surgery, a different mass, or just a fatty tumor. He advised us we shouldn't worry at her age, that the current surgery would improve her quality of life - maybe do another x-ray in a few months to see if it is growing. "Come back at 4:30 and we'll see if we can send her home with you."

A trip to Petco to get some more soft food for Dyna - we had miscalculated the amount we needed before. Drive around Richmond a bit and then back to the clinic at 4:15. Lots of instructions for her post-op recovery and then about 5:00 our little Queen appeared in the waiting room. Her neck, chest, and shoulder are shaved on her left side and covered with a bandage. She was a bit wobbly on her feet from the anesthesia but had that stubborn "let's go" look that is the Dyna trademark.

Both kids slept all the way home. Dyna due to the after effects of the anesthesia and Dylan from too much excitement. We arrived at the marina about 7:00 and Dyna walked the dock to the boat with nary a wheeze or a huff. She has a two week recovery with restricted activity, no jumping up on furniture (yeah, right), and soft food only. No stairs, so her dad has volunteered to sleep in the salon with her - can we say Daddy's girl?

We thank everyone for your very kind thoughts, words, and prayers. We're all happy to be home and have this day behind us.

Going to Richmond

2011-09-07T13:40:00.000-04:00

Dyna has brought so much joy to our lives in the four years since she adopted us. This year she turned 13 making her officially an "elder." We've been fortunate to have her this long as we stumbled upon a life-threatening condition when we first got her.

Thanks to better healthcare than I get and a skilled surgeon, her life was saved. A side effect of that surgery was a condition called laryngeal paralysis. The nerve controlling her airway was damaged making it not open properly when she breathes. It has been a slow progressive condition that has required us to keep an ever more vigilant eye on our stubborn girl who wants to run and swim and be a part of everything.

There is a surgery that can fix the condition but she could never swim again. And those of you that have followed this blog know about Dyna and swimming.

This summer Dyna's breathing became more difficult as age was catching up with her. But we adjusted, going out when the weather was cool and driving her down to the town dock for her daily audience.

But during the past few weeks back on the boat, the southern humidity has taken its toll. So yesterday we called back to Maine to talk to Chris at Lucern Veterinary Clinic for advice. As always she was wonderful.

Tomorrow we drive to Richmond, VA, 1 hour 37 minutes drive according to Tom-Tom, for a consultation and if all goes well, surgery. She may be released the same day or they may want to keep her overnight, so we're bringing an overnight bag for us and for Dylan. There are two Red Roof Inns in Richmond.

As with any surgery there are potential complications during and after, but the benefits appear to outweigh the risks at this point. We hope to give our precious Dyna a few more happy years, both for her and for us. We will keep you posted.

Post Irene

2011-09-02T10:40:00.001-04:00

We have heard from many of you wondering how we made out in the storm. We apologize that we haven't responded sooner but the marina and most of the surrounding area was without power for several days making our cell service and internet access spotty to nonexistent. And then we had days of catch-up...

The worst of the storm hit in the middle of the night with winds increasing around midnight. We were well protected from the winds here but still did our share of rocking and rolling. Our greatest concern was the water rising above the fixed piers.

We pre-selected a point on the piling. If the water reached that level we would throw the lines and head for an anchorage. Not something we were wanting to do at 2 am in big winds. The water reached about 18 inches of our mark and quickly receded. It was like watching a tub drain when you pull the plug.

By daybreak all was past and there was no damage to boat or crew. The only thing lost was a good night's sleep. Well, actually the crew slept just fine, even at the worst, we were the ones up.

The past few days we have spent undoing our storm preparations and getting the boat ready for our departure in a couple of weeks. Yesterday we took the dinghy down to ensure all was in working order. And of course that led to a dinghy ride for the crew. They deserve it after handling their first, and hopefully last, hurricane like the experienced salty dogs they are.

We hope everyone faired equally well and look forward to seeing you on the water soon.

New Adventures

2011-08-26T09:18:00.000-04:00

Early in the summer we selected August 24th as the day we would leave our land-based home in Maine and head back to the boat. September is actually the best month to be in Maine but we have several commitments to speak in the Chesapeake in September so we stuffed the car to the gills, loaded up the crew, and departed.

Once again we fulfilled the requirements of the Red Roof Inn for "one well-behaved dog" - see last August's entry "One well-behaved dog is permitted...". The crew handled two days in a car well and were happy to be back onboard.

If you're wondering where we are, look at the track for Irene. I guess we should be flattered that the National Hurricane Center thought we were important enough to highlight our location.

So today we will spend time preparing for the storm we hope will miss us. We'll get to break in the new foul-weather gear we splurged on last spring. There will be lots of practice tying lines and we'll find out if we really did seal up all the leaks. We've got plans A, B, C and more, including overnight bags and dog food in the car should Dyna and Dylan get to spend another night in a Red Roof Inn.

We hope everyone stays safe!

The Boat Table

2011-08-18T12:24:00.000-04:00

In our workout room we have a large folding table. I can't remember why we put it there but over the years it has turned into "the boat table." Whenever we purchase something for the boat or run across something in the house we want to bring to the boat we say, "Put it on the boat table." As the summer moves along the table always becomes piled high and we begin to wonder how we'll ever fit us, the dogs, and all that stuff in the car.

One would think that after almost a decade of doing this we would have everything we need on the boat. But our tastes changes, new things arrive, and old things wear out. The car is just as packed when we leave the boat as we bring back items we no longer use and those special things we don't want to be without for a few months.

Life on the boat forces you to repeatedly evaluate your possessions and decide if owning something is worth the space it uses. After all, there's no attic or basement to stuff things into. It's a great excercise as it requires you to determine what is truly important to you.

So a week from today the whole crew will be back on the boat. We'll arrive, grab some dock carts, empty out the car, and begin settling back into life on the water.

And, if you're wondering what's the most important thing we bring in the car, that's easy, Dyna and Dylan, of course.

July 4th

2011-07-08T09:07:00.000-04:00

We apologize for being so remiss in our blog. Life has been busy here on land but there's just not the same day-to-day changes we experience onboard. We've been totally swamped with ActiveCaptain.

But this past weekend was the 4th of July. Not only is this the busiest time in Castine, we had four boats of friends visiting AND Dyna and Dylan got to reconnect with Gracie and Dixie, their black lab buddies from the DeFever Carolina.

The July 4th children's parade went off without a hitch despite pea soup fog. The day cleared, turned warm, and was beautiful as we watched Castine Class sailboats in the harbor while having an ice cream.

We listened to the Castine Town Band play a concert on the town common in the evening - marches, patriotic tunes, and dancing children made it a wonderful time. Unfortunately, the fog rolled back in, canceling the night's fireworks over the water. We're hoping they'll set them off tonight instead.

It's been great to be back onboard our friends' DeFever's having dinner and cocktails - it makes us miss being onboard aCappella. But she awaits us in Virginia.

Diane of DeFever Aurora sent us a beautiful vignette of Castine's 4th. You can view it here:
http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a55324e6a63344d5446384e5467314d7a55794f444d3d0d0a&sb=1

July 4th is considered the start of summer here in Maine and we are looking forward to more summer fun and more boating friends stopping by to fulfill our boating fix.

We hope your 4th was great too!

Settling Back Home

2011-05-30T19:12:00.000-04:00

We've been home for a week and the mail is sorted - well thrown away actually. The bags and boxes have been unpacked. The kids settled right back in with Dyna finding her favorite chair and Dylan splitting time between watching for squirrels out the sun room window and sleeping in his chair in the study.

Friends greeted us with a lovely dinner party and every trip to the post office, town dock, or Bah's Bakehouse leads to welcomes and time catching up. It's nice to be home but after 9 months onboard all this space feels a bit silly.

We've gone from a boat "queen” size bed to a king but still only end up with a sliver as the kids are the ones who get to stretch out. We haven't turned on the cable TV and don't feel the need to. Having a dishwasher is much appreciated and cooking is no longer an acrobatic event although Dyna still manages to find a place underfoot.

The biggest difference for Dyna and Dylan is the lack of daily swimming. Fortunately, we're not completely boatless. We have a 13 foot Whaler which the kids helped get ready. Dylan took up position underneath hoping to catch some spray from the hose. The day was hot so Dyna found a cool spot in the garden nearby. So now the Whaler is clean and the battery is installed. A bit of bottom painting and she should be launched mid-week. Summer can begin.

The kids look forward to daily swimming trips to Indian Bar. We already know of several boating buddies heading to Maine this Summer. The first crowd will be three DeFever's arriving in a couple weeks on their way to Nova Scotia. We've never been by boat and feel a longing to join them.

Meanwhile, we think about the Fall and our next cruise and look forward to the beauty that is a Maine summer.

Happy Birthday to Dyna!

2011-05-19T08:30:00.001-04:00

If you believe the "dog years" theory then Dyna is 91 years old today. I think she's doing pretty well for such an old bird. Today reminds us that every day with Dyna is a gift. For Dyna, it's just another day. And like every day since we've docked the boat, it starts with swimming.

Dyna and Dylan begin rustling about sometime between 6:30 and 7:00 am. We attempt to sleep in until the latter but it's usual not worth the effort. So usually about 6:45 am we pull on some clothes, let the kids visit the poop-deck, and head to the cockpit.

Since Dyna almost took a morning dip in Charleston jumping from the boat to the dock, we now use the PetStep to get her to the dock.

The long walk from the T-head where aCappella is docked to shore is a test of strength as both dogs pull in anticipation of their morning swim.

The pulling continues through the parking lot and across the field that leads to Lodge Creek.

Finally, the collars and leashes come off and there's a mad dash to the water's edge.

Dyna's dad manages to execute a perfect "Double Fetch", throwing one stick long for Dylan and one short for Dyna. This allows Dylan to have a much needed long swim while Dyna is able to fetch her stick without interference from the young'un - well, usually.

Meanwhile Dylan flies past. Damn whipper-snapper.

Each retrieval is followed by several minutes where Dyna wheezes and gasps catching her breath, all the while nudging the stick and prancing her paws wanting another go. Dylan finds other things to do.

A dozen or so throws and the girl starts to drag her back feet signaling it's time to head back. A stop at the hose rinses off the pungent creek water. Although I'm pretty sure they'd both rather carry the smell, they've worked so hard for, with them.

The walk back to the boat is more leisurely, even though breakfast is waiting for them.

Two towels per dog are needed to get them from soaking to just wet.

Then it takes both of them to supervise the preparation of the "Puppy Chow."

And it is done to perfection.

There's only one thing left to do while she waits for dinner.

Dyna, we hope you had a happy birthday. We all love you. Even the little twerp.

Bad Decision

2011-05-12T08:49:00.000-04:00

The longer we've cruise the more unabashed weather wimps we've become. It seems like every year we reduce the wave height and wind predictions that we consider acceptable. Hey, it's suppose to be fun!

We have learned to be perfectly content sitting at an anchorage or dock for days, even weeks, until the winds die and the waves subside, preferably to glassy calm. We're happier and the kids are definitely happier. It has worked very well for us.

So how did we end up in rough choppy seas in the Chesapeake on our final day of cruising? In fact, it was the worst day of weather we'd experienced in at least 2 years. Well, you start by forgetting everything you know, then you add a touch of impatience to get to your destination, and you finish by ignoring the signs around you.

We left Portsmouth after two great days on a picture perfect morning. The day stayed beautiful so we decided to go a couple of hours further than planned to shorten the next day, our final cruising day of the season. Going the extra distance left us only 30 nm to get to the dock were aCappella will spend the summer.

We were thrilled that we would have 2+ weeks there with good friends Robin and Jim, and Pat and Chuck. A 5:41 am email from Robin (she was awake, we weren't yet) let us know that boats were being shifted around to open up our spot. We awoke at 7 am to rain and some wind, so we decided to make blueberry pancakes and wait for things to clear.

When the sun came out mid-morning and the winds died down, we decided to go. First mistake, we didn't take a final look at the weather radar, predictions, or existing buoy reports.

We warmed the engines, prepared the pilothouse, and Jeff went on deck to pull the anchor. It started to rain again and the wind rose making it difficult to hear each other on our headsets. It did occur to me that maybe we should wait, even stay one more day at the anchorage, "but it's only 30 nm," I thought. Mistake number two, listen to your gut and heed the signs around you.

We started off in a moderate chop but were convinced we could see clearing up ahead. Now I must digress. Can someone please explain why it always looks like it's clearing up ahead and that the waves are subsiding when they rarely do? Or more importantly, why are we able to convince ourselves of this illusion time after time?

So we soldiered on. With each turn in our route we hoped the conditions would improve. 4' waves, then 6' waves, then a few 8 footers thrown in just to test how well we could avoid getting seasick. We hoped for relief in vain. The kids went from giving us dirty looks to circling up in a tight ball and ignoring us. This was the worst weather this canine crew had ever experienced (Tucker knew much worse weather but this team has only grown up in our newfound avoidance mode for weather). All waves vanished when we pulled off the Potomac and it was flat-dead-calm when we pulled onto the dock greeted by Robin and Jim who said, "We were surprised you guys left. It must have been bad out there."

Full disclosure, the wave pictured above was not taken by us but is symbolic of how rough it felt.

Saying goodbye to dolphins...

2011-05-06T11:19:00.001-04:00

From the moment we reach Beaufort, NC heading south in the Fall, dolphins are a common sight any time we're in salt water and especially offshore. Dylan loves dolphins. From that first sighting in October/November, every time he runs to the bow over the next 6+ months, he looks over the side for dolphins. In Charleston, the dolphins would come into the basin every afternoon. Dylan was always there watching, studying, barking, and crying. Did I say he loves dolphins?

Offshore going north back to Beaufort, I took the team out on the bow for an afternoon romp before the sun set. As always, Dylan ran out and looked over the bow. This time there were a good seven dolphins over the side.

When we're offshore, dolphins love to ride our bow wave. As our bow moves through the water it creates a pressure wave that allows them to be pushed along with seemingly no effort. A pair of dolphins turns into a set of four. In this case, seven came along for the ride.

As we enter the Beaufort inlet the next morning and make our way up Adams creek on the ICW, the dolphins will disappear. Dylan will keep looking. Every day. Fall will be here soon enough and he'll be back crying for his dolphin friends once more.

Electronics meltdown at sea...

2011-04-30T09:23:00.082-04:00

We departed Charleston before 7 am on Monday headed offshore, directly to Beaufort, NC. The 205 nm offshore route would take us all day and all night. We'd arrive in Beaufort/Morehead City around 10 am on Tuesday morning.

We've gone offshore here quite a few times. Going straight offshore saves a lot of day trips by skipping the two large scallops of the coast in South Carolina and North Carolina. The only hazard is a very long, 15 mile shoal that extends from our beloved Bald Head Island out to sea. It is too shallow to go through although there is one small "slue" passage about 12 miles out. Taking that shaves a few miles from the trip and maybe saves an hour.

The slue is marked with a few non-lit buoys but they show up on radar miles ahead. Our path would have us reaching the slue at around 11:00 pm in pitch darkness since the moon wasn't supposed to rise until 2:15 am.

The seas were a bit rougher than we prefer but definitely within our comfort range. Everything was going well as we approached the slue. Our darkened pilothouse was filled with electronics providing position on multiple screens, radar overlay, autopilot, depth, wind, rudder, sea floor image, a second depth sensor - all designed to keep us in the right position.

Just as we were approaching the first mark on our route for the slue, all screens showing our position went dark. Our main chartplotter just blinked and turned off. It controls the main GPS on the arch so it went down too - nothing would bring it back. The autopilot gave up and went offline forcing us to manually steer. The phone next to the helm running the exact same route showed a red GPS location meaning there was no GPS signal being received (I wrote that software). We had no radar display in the pilothouse with 4' waves coming from the south on our starboard side and no way to "see" our position nor the position of the upcoming buoys.

Even though we're in our 9th year of doing this long range type of cruising, it was unsettling but we were quite calm about it. Within 30 seconds, a backup GPS was flipped on. We now had full position display using the same route we were following but on a 2" phone screen. In 2005, as an experiment, we traveled from Maine to Key West only using that 2" screen so this wasn't uncomfortable at all.

iPhone's and iPads were all turned on monitoring our exact position on the charts. In another 4 minutes, Karen's laptop was booted and we were running Coastal Explorer using a second backup GPS. The autopilot was now operational as we had it following our planned route. Karen had just been testing Coastal Explorer's latest version so we knew it was current with the latest charts loaded. We could have easily selected one of 5 other software products to use.

The issue was radar. We have a backup screen but it's on the flybridge. The radar was on and displaying an image, but we'd now either have to stay all night up there, or walk up and down to take a radar view every 10 minutes. We have some strict rules about going outside when the other is sleeping so we decided that the person off-watch had to sleep in the pilothouse and a 10 minute timer would alert us to make a radar view, up and back to the flybridge. Looking out 6 - 24 nm on radar, 10 minutes would be enough time to have any non-ship come into view. Any ship would be visible by lights for many miles ahead.

We moved along like this until daybreak when radar became less important given the clear day. We arrived at the Beaufort inlet at 9:00 am, Morehead City by 10:00 am, and continued on to the Neuse River about 40 miles further along the ICW finally dropping our anchor in the South River.

The next morning, the chartplotter and all onboard electronics worked perfectly and have been continuously on since.

This is all a pretty good example of why backups are needed. We have more than 5 backup GPS's. We have a backup way to view radar although it adds an obnoxious procedure. We still have no idea what happened to the main chartplotter but we also know we're ready if it goes kerfluey again.

Farwells and Preparations

2011-04-24T14:09:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe we've been in Charleston for 2 months. This is the longest time we've spent aboard at one place. But what better place to hang out than Charleston?

This morning was bittersweet as Dyna and Dylan made their way to their final romp at the dog park with BFF's, Huck and Goose. If you've followed D and D for awhile you know they first met Huck and Goose back in 2009 and became instant friends. Goose is the same age as Dylan and the two are similar in temperament. They love to chase and tug and basically act like goofs.

Huck and Dyna are both "more mature" and generally stay out of the rough and tumble antics. Although each has occasionally decided maybe they could still keep up and joined in.

Of course, none of them realize it will be many months before they meet again. And they won't until we throw the lines off early tomorrow morning and Goose looks in vain across the dog park for Dylan.

But this morning it was business as usual. Finally, the tug-of-war slowed to a stop and their people hugged and said their good-byes, wishing us all better times this year. Then, as if they knew, Dylan and Goose got a second wind. A final tug-of-war to last them until next Fall. After two months at dock, we had many preparations to make so we reluctantly said good-bye.

Tomorrow we head offshore, overnight to Beaufort, NC and then on the ICW. We'll be moving daily now, weather permitting. There's laundry to finish, items to stow, the liferaft and ditch bag to bring out, water tanks to fill, and our traditional overnight meal of chicken fried rice to make. Of course, we need one final run to Harris Teeter. We move to the fuel dock at 3:00 to fill up and spend our final night before heading out early tomorrow morning.

So we say good-bye to Charleston knowing we'll be back, knowing we'll see our friends both old and new, and looking forward to that tug-of-war with BFF's again.

My Older Brother

2011-04-17T15:24:00.000-04:00

Joel was born 30 minutes before me, so technically that makes him my older brother. For most of our lives he has been quick to point that out. Yesterday was no exception.

A few weeks back Joel called to say that the East Coast Kayak & Canoe Festival was taking place near Charleston the third weekend in April. He wanted to go and wanted to know if he could stay with us. I not only like my brother, I like kayaking, so I said yes. He arrived Friday to a beautiful afternoon. The weather quickly deteriorated giving us a bouncy night and high winds Saturday as the storm ravished states to the north and west as it moved towards Charleston.

We headed over in the morning, not sure what we'd find. We went to the registration booth to pick up our packet, "Are you together?" "I'm her older brother," he said. Our morning class on Kayaking Support Strokes was on. We found the tent. The women checking us in said, "Are you together?" "I'm her older brother," he said. The instructor came over to introduce himself and said, "Are you related?" "I'm her older brother," he said. Yeah, by 30 minutes!

Unfortunately, they canceled the sunset paddle we were looking forward to due to tornado warnings which thankfully never came. But we managed to pass the evening with good food, some Dark and Stormies, and great conversation.

By bedtime the water was glassy and we had a perfect morning to meet our good friends Jeb and Linda for breakfast at the Hominy Grill - eggs, thick bacon, a southern biscuit, creamy grits, and great coffee - perfection.

So now he is on his way home to his wife and children. It was a great weekend and I already look forward to the next time we're together. After all, I have known my twin brother longer than anyone else in the world. We shared that miraculous day of birth and every milestone growing up. We've been there for each other for the most joyous and the most devastating times of our lives.

I love you, big bro.

PetStep

2011-04-10T09:56:00.000-04:00

One of the first acquisitions we made for the boat was the PetStep. We originally purchased it to help our beloved Tucker get on and off the boat in a variety of challenging dock situations. He quickly learned to navigate up and down the ramp when the combination of fixed docks and notable tides meant stepping up or down to the dock.

Our current kids first encountered the PetStep in September 2009 when we docked at Somers Cove Marina for the MTOA Rendezvous. True to form Dyna just barged her way forward, while Dylan had to be coaxed, cajoled, and finally bribed with treats. Since then the PetStep has become a familiar prop in our boating adventures.

The Maritime Center is a great stop, right downtown, walking distance to anything you could want. But it can be bumpy at the docks as it is along side a major shipping channel and sees lots of activity. Note our last entry.

We protect the boat with extra large ball fenders which means going between the dock and the boat requires a step over about a foot of water. Nimble Dylan leapt this each morning easily but Dyna usually caused us to hold our breath. Finally one morning when the front paws landed on the dock and the back paws went into the water - fortunately her dad made a quick grab of her harness - we decided that the PetStep could help even on floating docks.

So now the morning ritual is for Mom to attached harnesses, collars, and to gather other dog park essentials while Dad unfolds the PetStep and lays it across our moat. Excited to be meeting their dog park buddies there's no hesitation from Dyna or Dylan.

They're happy to walk the plank anytime.

Bustling Charleston

2011-04-04T18:17:00.001-04:00

We received a call this weekend from our good friends Gene and Kathy wondering what was up as we have been remiss with our blog. Yes, it's true. We finished our big push with the new ActiveCaptain functions last week and took a couple of days off to relax a bit.

We've been spending alot of time on the boat these past few weeks, mostly working but still enjoying being on the water. The Charleston Maritime Center is definitely in the middle of things. There is something coming or going all day long and we can view it all from our slip right at the entrance.

When Dylan isn't watching for birds and dolphins (cormorants have become his newest enemy), he is watching the many vessels that pass by. For several days he watched the Coast Guard checking depths. There's numerous tour boats.

At the terminal next to the marina they used to load BMW's. They now pass by and go up the Cooper River.

The cruise ships now use the terminal.

Next to us has been The Spirit of South Carolina a beautiful schooner. When they were gone for a cruise we enjoyed two other large boats, the Spirit of Massachusetts for several days and Gunilla a square-rigged training vessel from Sweden.

In addition, there's the water taxi, boats coming in for the fuel dock, sailboats, trawlers, and sportfish pulling into slips, and last weekend there was the annual Cooper River Bridge run. There were around 50,000 runners who crossed the bridge Saturday morning. Trust me they're there...

In Charleston whether on the boat or off, there's never a dull moment.

Puppy Chow

2011-03-26T11:07:00.003-04:00

Our first Lab was an 80 pound black male named Duke. He lived to the ripe old age of 15 but never was able to adapt to the old lobster boat we had at the time. As a puppy Duke ate Purina Puppy Chow. Since then all of our dogs have learned that "puppy chow" meant mealtime.

You don't ever, and I mean never ever, say "puppy chow" unless you mean it. There is no more sacred word to a Siegel dog.

Since then we have learned much about nutrition in dog foods - or rather the lack thereof in the vast majority of dog foods. The morsels that pass through Dyna and Dylan's lips are hand formed by virgins on a remote tropical island. At least we think it must be, given the cost and difficulty involved in obtaining it.

After many, many hours of research, literally, our two babies receive Innova brand dry food, adult for Dylan and senior for Dyna.

Innova is not available at Walmart or Publix or Pet Smart. In fact, we know of only two places on the east coast where we can readily get it from the boat, Solomons, MD and Miami Beach, FL. So we must have 30 lb. bags shipped to us along the way.

This means we need to be somewhere long enough to receive ground shipping. Trust us you don't want to be paying overnight shipping for this stuff. We have calculated that 60 lbs. of dog food will last for 3 months. That's per dog. So we generally stock 120 lbs. of dog food, ordering more when we open the second bag.

Then there's the issue of storing it. This is accomplished in 3 phases. There are two 2.5 gallon containers that take half a shelf in our pantry, one for each dog. These last about 5 days. Two bags (one of each), along with treats, travel bowls, etc. are stored inside the larger of the two side tables we have in the saloon. The other two bags are stored in the hatch underneath the guest bunk.

Today the last two bags came out from under the bunk. We'll be in Charleston for another month but we have a little over 2 months left on the boat before we'll be back home in Maine. After ten minutes online, two more precious bags will arrive next week. So the best part of the day will continue to be when we say, “Dyna, Dylan, do you want some puppy chow?” and we watch the tails wag.

The Kids Are All Right

2011-03-19T13:53:00.001-04:00

One of the most common questions we receive about life onboard is, "How do the dogs like the boat?" Two big dogs on a boat can certainly be a challenge at times, but trust us, these kids are just fine on the boat. Dyna is happiest laying on the stern on a nice day. Even Dylan can't disturb her reverie.

But don't worry even inside Dyna manages to find a comfy spot.

Sometimes a pillow does the trick.

And at bedtime they share the space - with each other, we have to make do.

So some may think we're crazy to live on a boat with two big dogs. And maybe we are, but we're not alone (right, Stephanie and Bob?). All in all the kids have a great life on the boat and we're glad they let us share it with them.

Temperamental Charleston

2011-03-11T19:42:00.000-05:00

Since we've been here the weather has seemed to change every time we turn around. One day it's warm and sunny, the next cold and blustery. Each morning as we pull on clothes to go to the dog park we debate how many layers to put on - or not.

A few days ago the winds were so strong we felt as if we were underway and were tempted to make sure we were still tied to the dock. The boat rocked like we were miles offshore with whitecaps coming alongside.

The dolphins seem to come into the basin when the winds are strong and Dylan has learned to keep watch. Dyna stays in her bed resting from her morning romp until Dylan sounds the alarm. Then she joins him, not always sure why she's barking but determined not to miss out.

For now they're predicting a sunny weekend in the 70's. We'll believe it when we see it. At least there's no predictions for snow.

BFF's Reunited

2011-03-04T14:09:00.000-05:00

Dyna and Dylan don't care about Charleston's fine dining and shopping or historical architecture or the many cultural events. All they care about is the dog park next to the marina.

Every morning around 7 am they're up and ready to go, pacing, whining, staring. Mom and Dad seem to take an eternity to get ready, then they make them use the bow before they leave, then there's gathering leashes, collars, throw toys, locking the boat - why don't they just get going?!?

They have a regular early AM date with BFF's, Huck and Goose. Those of you who have followed them for a while already know about Huck and Goose. Huck is about a year younger than Dyna and Goose is near Dylan's age.

Dylan and Goose run, fetch, chase, tumble, and generally act like the two young boys they are. Huck holds his lacrosse ball securely in his mouth and either sits nearby watching or leans heavily into whoever is near. At over 90 pounds you really have to lean back not to get knocked over.

Now and then Dyna tries to get in the chase and occasionally gets barreled over but mainly does her walk abouts around the field sometimes going over to Huck with a look that says, "Can you believe those two ruffians?"

For now they are both sacked out on the sofa resting up for tomorrow morning. That's the reward Mom and Dad get for keeping their early AM appointment.

Visitors Underway

2011-02-24T17:20:00.000-05:00

"aCappella, this is the United States Coast Guard. When was the last time you were boarded?" It was five years ago. A year or less and they typically give you a pass. But we don't mind getting boarded. It's an important function and we have always found the Coast Guard officers to be polite and friendly.

So we slowed a bit, opened the transom door, and warned them that we had two dogs onboard. Or as we like to refer to them, the killer security team. The kids knew something was up and were on high alert.

Within minutes Luke and Nick were onboard. What!?!? Dyna and Dylan had no idea we could have visitors while underway! I mean, they meet all kinds of people at the dock and on land. Folks have come onboard at marinas and even when we're at anchor. But while underway - no way!

Luke and Nick were great even while D and D gave them the standard Lab greeting, covering their navy uniforms with short blond hairs. Hopefully neither one has a jealous wife or girlfriend.

We passed our inspection with flying colors. But couldn't convince them to give us extra credit for having life vests for the dogs as well as for us. They posed with the kids for a farewell picture. They looked great but Dylan was still in greeting mode and couldn't sit still. In a moment they were gone.

We received the much prized "gold document." So next time we hear, "aCappella, this is the United States Coast Guard. When was the last time you were boarded?" we might get skipped by providing the gold serial number. Or maybe not. Dyna and Dylan thought it was pretty cool to have visitors while underway.

My Dirty Little Secret

2011-02-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

I love Walmart. Well, maybe love is a bit strong. But as a liveaboard I have learned to appreciate, and sometimes long for, access to a Walmart. Why? Because at Walmart I can find anything I need - food, clothing, household goods of all sorts, even engine oil for the John Deere's.

Note, I said need not want.

At Walmart I may have to settle for a package of Hanes All-cotton rather than sexy Victoria Secret or Folger's coffee rather than one of the gourmet brands. But what I like about the boat is the paring down to what I value most.

There are many things we forgo living onboard due to space limitations and/or access. In exchange, we live aboard our boat. The trade-off seems obvious to me.

She's Walking!

2011-02-08T18:50:00.000-05:00

One of the things we like about the boat is that we walk - alot. We both enjoy walking and like the exercise it gives us. We've walked miles to restaurants, shopping, for propane refills, dog parks, you name it. We're both in need of haircuts and just found a salon that's "only 2 miles away."

One of the things we have at times lamented and at times found humorous is how the rest of the world reacts to people walking. It's just not too common nowadays.

We've finally figured out never to trust someone telling us, "Oh, it's just up the road. Real close. 5 minutes maybe." Which would have been true - if we had a car. We thrill at finding a decent sidewalk, especially if it doesn't abruptly end for no apparent reason. We've had cars stop and ask if we broke down and need a ride. People walking are considered a strange sight.

One thing I'm liking about being here at Grande Dunes is that there is a great Loews grocery store just up a hill and across the street. Every 2-3 days I've set out to bring back fresh fruits and veggies, ice cream which we can eat relatively guilt free due to walking, fresh meat for the grill, and whatever other treats we feel like. And it even has a Redbox for movies.

I have a one of those foldup rolling crates to bring the loot back. We actually have two for bigger trips when we both go. I enjoy the break and the walk.

So today I set off with a short list of fresh items to feed us for the next few days. As I got to the check out I lifted my folding cart out of the shopping cart and began opening it up. The young woman who was bagging commented, "Oh neat, you brought your own cart."

"Yes, it's really convenient," I said.

"Yeah, you can just wheel it out to your car."

"Well, actually, I'm walking."

"You're walking!"

"Yes."

"Hey, (name of cashier), she's walking!"

"You're walking!?!" he said. "How far do you have to walk?" she said.

"Yes, I'm on my boat in the marina across the street."

"That must take you 15 minutes to walk that," he said.

"No, only about 5," I said.

"Wow, you do that in only 5? Hey, (name of supervisor walking past), she's walking."

"Wow, good for you," she said.

I finished paying and the cashier thanked me and beamed, "You have a great walk!"

I have to admit I walked out of the store feeling a bit like a super hero. I imagined that the rest of the work day they were abuzz about that amazing women who bought groceries and then walked. "Yes, I saw her. She just walked through the parking lot and across the street. Amazing!"

Bald Head Island

2011-02-02T19:00:00.001-05:00

We promised a week ago to relate our experience at Bald Head Island. The ActiveCaptain website has had unprecidented traffic and use this month. We've also been working on rolling out new promotional programs, so it's been too busy and hectic. Sorry to take so long.

Bald Head Island has become a special place to us. We stayed longer at Bald Head Island Marina then we have ever stayed at any other marina - even with the two weeks we spent off the boat.

The island is something not to be missed. Whether you come by boat, rent a house for a vacation, or visit for the day by ferry, it is a place of great natural beauty with a community committed to preservation. Miles of beaches, acres of maritime forests, huge wetlands with streams to kayak through, and quiet paths to walk or bike without the roar of cars.

Needless to say it will be quite some time before the kids find a place they like better. How do you beat a romp on the beach every day at low tide? Add to that the various accumulated smelly things that the ocean washes up and you are describing dog heaven.

But Dyna and Dylan's people enjoyed the experience also. We rode our bikes somewhere most every day, saw scores of birds and other wildlife, and also enjoyed our daily walks on the beach.

The marina is well maintained and the staff is friendly and helpful. There is a wonderful market a short bike ride away along with an amazingly stocked hardware store. We made that trip every couple of days. There is a bar and restaurant right at the marina and two nicer clubs across the island.

We were fortunate to meet Suzanne Dorsey, Director of the Bald Head Island Conservancy who filled us in on the islands unusual history and took us to some great out of the way places. In season they offer a wide variety of programs. And we are already plotting to figure out how we can convince our insurance company to let us south early to see the hatching of the baby turtles.

We think that Bald Head Island is so close to being the perfect boating stop that we began nagging (well, we called it advising) them on how to make it even better for boaters. Either they are extremely polite or they really are interested in making Bald Head Island one of those places every boater stops at for a few days when heading south or north.

We'll definitely be back.

Time To Go

2011-01-22T17:43:00.001-05:00

The plan was to get up at 6 am and head out for Myrtle Beach. All night we listened to the lines groaning as the boat was pushed and pulled by the wind. The morning greeted us with high winds, cold temperatures, and black ice on the docks. We quickly retreated back under the covers. Even the kids were happy for a bit more snooze time. We'll try the plan again tomorrow.

The day has been cold and dreary and the docks icy; none of us has left the boat. By mid-morning there were snow flurries. Dyna and Dylan were fascinated by the snow pile that blew up against the bow.

We have really enjoyed our time here at Bald Head Island and certainly needed the quiet downtime it gave us. We'll need a future post to fill you in on what makes this place special.

But seriously. Snow on the boat? It's definitely time to go.

What We'll Miss

2011-01-18T19:02:00.001-05:00

We plan on leaving Bald Head Island on Saturday and heading farther south to Myrtle Beach. What we have loved most about our stay here has been the great natural beauty that surrounded us everywhere we went. Most every night we were presented with a gorgeous sunset out the stern of the boat. We will miss these things and are already planning on coming back - maybe getting a chance to see the hatching turtles next time.

What Dyna and Dylan will miss is Beach Access 4. Once or twice a day we took the kids off the boat for a romp. As we approached the end of the finger pier we'd either turn left to go to the field or right to go to... Beach Access 4. They'd pause, look at us, and then prance down the dock when we'd head right. Beach Access 4 has been the entry to many hours of swimming, chasing birds, and finding all variety of disgusting things washed up on the beach. Dyna and Dylan are hoping to be back also. And they wouldn't mind catching a glimpse of those turtles either - they're surely slower than the birds that Dylan has been chasing.

Kids Update

2011-01-09T15:40:00.001-05:00

The kids have finally regained their rightful position at the center of the universe. At least of our universe. We are back on a schedule of daily romps on the beach, chasing birds, and running in the field.

On New Years weekend, Will, who works for the Bald Head Island development group, loaned us a golf cart. Dyna and Dylan thought that was pretty cool.

We promptly took them out to Frying Pan Shoals, a shoal area going out over 17 miles into the ocean which we have circumnavigated many times on our trips up and down the coast. It was beautiful and we went back several times.

If there's reincarnation, then I want to come back as my dog.

Aw Shucks

2011-01-06T16:07:00.001-05:00

About.com, you know that place you go on the internet to find out about anything, released a review of ActiveCaptain today. You can find it here:
http://sailing.about.com/od/sailingareasdestination/gr/Activecaptain-Interactive-Cruising-Guidebook.htm

Personally, we think that Tom Lochhaas is a pretty bright guy. He's our new favorite reviewer!

Taking Pause

2011-01-04T14:28:00.000-05:00

When I was 4 or 5 my family went to the World's Fair in New York. I was young enough that I do not remember much but there are a couple of things that I clearly recall. One was the giant green Sinclair dinosaur and the wax replica they gave me. The other was “the home of the future” which extolled the many “modern conveniences” we would have in just a few short years, such as pushing a button and having dinner simply appear.

All these years later and few of those predictions came true but we still seem obsessed as a society with convenience. What we eat, where we live, who we see is decided by what is most convenient. And if it's inconvenient we often choose not to do it. It's sad because I have come to learn that the greatest joy can be found in the inconvenient. In fact, it is often the inconvenience that makes it special.

By most measures living on a boat is definitely inconvenient. Tasks that are trivial at a land-based home often require more time on the boat. Everyday things like groceries, laundry, and the mail require planning and coordination. A five minute run by car to the store for milk turns into an hour walk or bike ride.

So as we schlepped our suitcases and masses of dog paraphernalia onto the Bald Head Island ferry 3 weeks ago to face a second crisis in so many months and waited in frigid weather to meet a rental car only to do it all in reverse two weeks later, I pondered if the inconvenience was worth it. I decided that convenience is way overrated.

Without the inconvenience of living on my boat I wouldn't know what it's like to see the stars many miles offshore. I wouldn't have met hundreds of interesting people. I wouldn't have seen beaches and islands inaccessible by land. I wouldn't know what it's like to test and push my skills and comfort level. I wouldn't live so closely with those I love. I wouldn't know the comfort when friends and strangers rush to help in a crisis. I would be without the thousands of experiences this life has given me.

What I have discovered is that, while it may take a bit more time, all things can be worked out. Rental cars can be procured, boats can be tied up and secured, and folks everywhere are willing to offer a helping hand. A walk to the store can be a beautiful stroll. A trip to the laundry can lead to interesting conversations. “Inconvenience” makes us slow down and experience where we are. And I think where we are is pretty great.

David Leslie Hillhouse

2010-12-30T10:52:00.000-05:00

March 13, 1924 - December 20, 2010

I miss your quiet presence, wry humor, and loving support. I thank you for giving me a love of music and learning, the strength and confidence to follow my beliefs, and a taste for adventure.

I love you, Dad, and will miss you always.

Love,

Karen

Dark & Stormy...

2010-12-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

It was definitely a dark & stormy night. We knew some wind was coming and it had been raining off and on. At 3:30 am we awoke to a lot of movement and 40 knot winds. We got up to add some more lines and fenders and found that 1/3rd of one of the spring lines had frayed from the incredible stress. We added 4 additional lines, 3 fenders, and cocked the boat in the slip slightly to keep the bow in and stern out. The extra lines did a great job and we got back to sleep around 5.

In the morning the wind was still blowing around 30 knots so we headed out to the beach with the dogs. The wind blowing against the sand made it look fog-like and strange. I had to capture it on my phone.

When we got to the point where the inlet meets the ocean, it was quite rough outside the large sandy shoal that extends out. Definitely not a day to be out in a boat.

Dyna continues to run along the beach - she is happiest when surrounded by water. Dylan found a large sand crab trying to find a new home and almost got badly nipped in the nose by a pincher claw. How much you wanna bet he heads right back to the same spot looking for that crab tomorrow?

Life's a (dog) beach...

2010-11-29T09:43:00.000-05:00

Thankful

2010-11-25T19:28:00.000-05:00

Today was our first holiday on the boat. In the past we've either been at our land-based home in Maine or at my folks. We had to settle on a turkey breast rather than the whole bird as that's all that would fit in the stove. Still the meal was as good as any we've had on land - turkey and stuffing, homemade cranberry sauce, steamed broccoli, noodle kugel, gravy, of course, and pecan pie. Add a nice bottle of wine and a meal at a 4 star restaurant couldn't beat it.

It was a low key day, warm but overcast. We watched the Macy's parade, took the dogs for a walk, and did nothing in particular. It's quiet and beautiful here on Bald Head Island.

Still sometimes it's hard to be thankful. We've had a few hard weeks. My brother's wife is better but still fragile. My father just entered hospice and I wonder if I will see him again. My mother struggles with losing her mate of over 60 years while also struggling with care-taking.

But I am thankful. Thankful for a father who has loved and cherished me. Thankful for a mother who is loving and an example of strength and devotion. Thankful Chris is there for my brother and their two children. And immensely thankful for my husband, my two four-legged "kids", and that I am able to live this unusual and rewarding life.

As for Dyna and Dylan, they're thankful their dad gave them some turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Morehead City offshore to Bald Head Island through video

2010-11-22T20:52:00.002-05:00

Family Emergencies & Cruising...

2010-11-16T12:13:00.001-05:00

While cruising, all issues are amplified. Run out of milk? At our land home - no problem. On the boat, it requires planning and coordination. So what happens when a family emergency strikes?

We were needed for an extended family emergency. The call occurred while underway to Beaufort, NC. Through some extraordinary help from Jim and Robin along with exceptional service from the Morehead City Yacht Basin marina, we were 400 miles inland in Tennessee just 9 hours later. I've had to wait more than 9 hours for fresh coffee at times!

For 10 days we've been helping out with our niece and nephew. The emergency is subsiding and recovery is beginning. We should be back on the boat and heading to Bald Head Island by the weekend.

For Dyna & Dylan it has all been an unexpected adventure. Dylan has renewed his interest in sending squirrels up trees and Dyna has gotten to know her cousin Dixie. I think they're both a little homesick for returning back to where they have a normal schedule.

Hunkering Down

2010-11-07T08:30:00.007-05:00

One of the lessons that can take awhile for us humans to learn is that we can't have it all - despite what that perfume commercial from the 70's tried to tell us. Oh come on, you remember "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan..." Hated that commercial.

Well, we've been trying to do it all. Things have been cranking up with the website - new third party apps, increased interest from marinas and other marine companies, new promotional programs being put in place, and a user population that is growing at an increasing rate. We're receiving more requests to speak, write articles, and answer questions. On the personal side, we've been having great fun meeting up with cruising buddies, and unfortunately, have had some family crises. Of course, we have to give the crew the time they deserve including playtime and cuddles. All this while planning and executing our cruise south.

Don't get me wrong, there are no complaints here. Everything on that list involves something we love. But we realized there just are not enough hours in the day to do it all. At least not do it all well. Something had to give.

After four years of hard work the ActiveCaptain website is poised to become everything we had envisioned. To ensure that happens we need to keep at it. So we made the hard decision to shorten our cruise. We decided the best thing to do was to find a place where we could settle in for a few months, focusing on getting some work done, and spend some time with family.

Being the obsessive types we are we wrote a requirements list.

1. A place that's good for the dogs.
2. A place where the dogs can run and play everyday.
3. A place the dogs will like.
4. Oh, and a place that has enough draft, has space available, groceries, blah, blah, blah.

We made another list of potential spots and yet another list of questions to ask, "Is there a place where our dogs can run?" And finally settled on Bald Head Island, a small community on an island off North Carolina that jets out into the ocean. We have a reservation for a month starting on Tuesday.

After that we may stay another month or go someplace else. We eventually hope to make it to Charleston, maybe Cumberland Island (did I mention the dogs love Cumberland Island?) but it's not likely we'll make it much beyond that.

Will we miss the beautiful destinations south? Sure. Mainly we'll miss the people, but in this strange community of cruisers we know we'll see them again - most likely sooner than we think. For now we're on our boat heading to a beautiful island and the kids are with us. What more do I need?

FOAC's are Everywhere!

2010-11-01T10:47:00.000-04:00

One of the best parts of starting down the Intracoastal Waterway is that we're in close proximity to a lot of boats. We're now tied up between the lock and bridge at Great Bridge, Virgina watching all the snow birds making their way south. The picture above was taken from the other side of the ICW looking back at our tie up on the wall. As you can see, Dyna & Dylan love sitting in the perfect sunny weather watching all the boats go past.

In this close proximity mode, we're always running into FOAC's - Friends of ActiveCaptain. We are often hailed on the radio, given a thumbs up when being passed on the wall (that is a thumb, isn't it?), and waved to. Meeting, listening to, and sometimes just a tip of the hat are the best parts of our involvement with ActiveCaptain.

Sous Chef

2010-10-30T12:50:00.000-04:00

Our galley is what is known in the cruising community as a "one butt galley." We have managed to work both of our backsides in by performing this elaborately coordinated dance. Still we often collide and have to adjust with a "Would you please step to the right for a second?"

We gave up virtually all prepared foods several years ago and cook most every meal from scratch (check out Michael Pollan's book, "In Defense of Food"). Breakfast frittatas in the morning, Kung Pao chicken for lunch, and beef and broccoli stir fry for dinner - are examples.

We worked out our routine while spending a year at our land based home and moved it to the boat with just a few adjustments.

When we moved back on the boat this time, Dyna decided that she had to lay down in the middle of the galley during all meal preparations. In the beginning we would shoo her away but she was back before we could turn around.

So now we've adjusted the dance to include 3 bottoms - "Dyna, honey, can you please put your head down so I can open the refrigerator?" Why? Because we have spoiled dogs, of course. Haven't you been following this blog?!?!

As for Dylan, he perches at the edge just happy to be in the vicinity of food.

The Storm

2010-10-27T20:25:00.004-04:00

All day, we knew it was coming. Winds grew from 15 kts to 30 during the morning and afternoon. At anchor, I keep a wind alarm at 25 kts and it's never a good thing when I increase it. Still, we were very safe and secure.

Around 3 pm the National Weather Service started issuing tornado watches for our area. We kept a careful watch on the front, got out our life preservers, and even re-fit them on Dyna & Dylan. We discussed emergency plans and were all ready.

At around 6 pm, it got quiet. Eerie quiet. An obvious front line was visible in the west. We prepared the boat, disconnected much of the electrical systems, lowered the antennas, removed the screens, and shot one video of the approaching front.

We decided that the safest place was in the stateroom below so all crew retreated there. The wind picked up to 40 kts, rain thrashed everywhere, and in 5 minutes, it was over. The red dot in the radar image above is directly on our location.

We stayed below for about a half hour watching the weather radar on the iPhone and listening to the handheld VHF.

The radar now shows another band coming in about 2 hours. No fear though. The crackerjack crew is ready.

Corrotoman River East Branch...

2010-10-24T16:32:00.000-04:00

Home Again at Olverson's

2010-10-20T16:40:00.000-04:00

Living on a boat is a bit like being a gypsy. We wander from place to place, rarely staying for too long at any one. Each place has its charm or event or people and places to see or a dog park. But where is home? I mean, where is that place that feels familiar and comfortable, where people know you and will always stop to lend a hand?

When we left Solomons we anchored in St. Mary's, MD off the college docks. There's a great little beach right there. We can take the dinghy up to the St. Mary's College docks and let the dogs run and swim. Every afternoon the students fill the cove with small sailboats and wind surfers. It was the perfect spot to ride out several days of high winds. Our plans were to leave there and anchor up the Corrotoman River at a place highly recommended by Cassie and Godiva on September Song for dog romping.

Unfortunately, when we went to put the dinghy back up the automatic tilt began emitting a pittiful groan and stopped working. A functioning tilt on an engine our size (40 HP) is a necessity if you want to beach the dinghy for dog swimming. It had to be fixed.

Now it might seem strange but fixing something like a dinghy can be a bit of a problem when you're living on the water. Most outboard places are inland catering to the weekend boater with a boat and trailer. We have the boat but no room to store a trailer. In addition, this is the busy time for these folks as they begin winterizing boats and preparing them for storage. No one would commit to looking at the boat any time soon. We needed help.

A call to Freddie at Olverson's Marina and the calvary was put into motion. Boats were rearranged to make space on the dock. Boat trailers were found. Parts were ordered. Trucks were offered to haul her out. And true to the male psyche a flotilla of men were quickly gathered around the engine. The offending part was a badly corroided tilt motor which "simply" needed to be replaced.

As these projects always go, little went smoothly. There were uncountable trips back to the boat for tools, phone calls, devices, etc. Bolts were broken and pins were jammed. By last night it was back together but still not working. Finally this morning in pouring rain with Mike Thompson's advice and a bit of work with a Dremel tool she was back in order.

Now we wait for the rain to stop pouring so we can bring her back on the boat and hopefully head for the Corrotoman River tomorrow. The kids are dying to swim in a new spot. But if it weren't for Freddie and Steve and Mann and Mike and this familiar place called Olverson's, who knows where we'd be heading. It was nice to be home for a few days.

Help

2010-10-12T10:34:00.000-04:00

No, we're not sending out an SOS. But we can all use some help from time to time.

We had planned on leaving Solomons today but Jeff felt a bit under the weather yesterday so we fell behind. Today we are getting out an ActiveCaptain newsletter which will mean lots of emails, updates, and comments, so we decided to stay put one more day.

We had lots of folks asking for beginner's help using the ActiveCaptain site, so we've put up a Getting Started tutorial. Look for the big help button under the articles section.

We're also announcing some big discounts at two of our Co-Op marinas here on the Chesapeake, Bay Creek Marina and Severn River Marina.

It'll be a busy day with lots of time behind the computer. However, that doesn't mean we can't find some time for a dinghy ride with Dyna and Dylan to the swimming beach around the corner. Gotta keep the crew happy!

Speaking...

2010-10-10T10:50:00.000-04:00

October 10th - the day we all turn back into pumpkins. For the last 6 weeks we've been speaking at various rendezvous or preparing to speak at them. Yesterday's double session with the Krogen Cruisers annual rendezvous was our last for a while. This morning we awoke at anchor to see the 40 Krogens preparing to all take off from Solomons, MD enroute throughout the waterways. One thing about these Krogen owners - they know how to throw a party! We were dancing to live music until late last night...

We met many hundreds of people and made lots of new friends for life. We provided two types of talks at these get-togethers - the combination of our EMS/emergency medicine experience applied to cruising, and Q&A's about ActiveCaptain. It was all a wonderful experience and incredibly fun for us.

Now that all the speaking is over, finding a good swimming hole for Dyna & Dylan has become a priority. We'll stay in Solomons for a few days - we have some local knowledge about a beach good for swimming around the island. Then we're thinking of heading to St. Marys, the Piankatank River, or wherever the seas carry us. Having no plan is sometimes the best plan - for both pumpkins and puppies.

Arrgh...Married Again!

2010-10-06T15:17:00.000-04:00

Every five years, Karen and I have gotten re-married. We've gone as far as flying to Las Vegas to getting re-married by a local minister in Castine. So with our 25th anniversary, the 5 year alarm clock went off.

I called the City of Baltimore and attempted to get re-married at their courthouse. "But you're already married - we don't have a form for that" the clerk told me. "Do you have a form for getting a divorce?" I asked. Well not surprisingly, they do, so I asked if she could see the irony in that. I think while trying to figure out the meaning of the word irony, she hung up on me.

At a dinner party, licensed captains Steve and Diane Koch married us again on a boat but something else was needed. Something more fitting for the seriousness of a quarter century. Then I remembered Bones.

Captain Wayne Flatt (aka Bones) is the captain of Skinwalker with his wife Lynn, a cruising boat that I've had contact with over a few years. Wayne is also a reverend and a member of the Blessed Order of the Navigator Ecumenical Society. If that weren't enough, Bones is also captain of the P/V Fearless of Urban Pirates in Baltimore. P/V stands for pirate vessel.

So we met Wayne and Lynn for dinner and discussed the whole thing. Wayne researched our relationship and crafted a fine set of vows fitting for a pirate ship and a 25th anniversary. On Tuesday with rain threatening, we were remarried in a way I surely will never forget. Dyna and Dylan were able to attend and were little pirates themselves for the afternoon. They completely exhausted themselves by swabbing the deck with all paws until they fell asleep.

Fells Point Fun

2010-10-04T11:54:00.000-04:00

It doesn't take a festival to have fun in Fells Point but boy, what a festival there was this weekend. Sandwiched between two storm fronts, the weekend festival covered a few miles of closed streets with hundreds of booths, food items, and fun.

We found out about this festival by accident last week. It was a 10 block walk from the marina - hard to get much closer than that. I'm working on ways to get event information like this into ActiveCaptain because it would bring a lot of utility and enjoyment to cruisers planning where to go. An obvious solution is to have various chambers of commerce update information about major events in their towns. But is there a standard place to do this? How can we get coastal communities to update an online calendar so all of us can find and use the information?

The Boating Dividend

2010-10-02T09:22:00.005-04:00

Both of my parents were raised on farms during the Depression, so self-reliance and frugality were things I was raised with. I remember many weekends watching my dad tear apart the dishwasher or seeing his head under the hood of a car with wrenches and assorted tools. Calling a repairmen was a sign of defeat.

So imagine my horror when after a few months of marriage I came home to a dishwasher that wouldn't start and my husband's only response was, “Better call the plumber.”

Over the years I adjusted and developed a list of plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and other repair people. Then we bought a boat. The first boat was a 40 year old lobster boat, a tank we couldn't destroy even if we tried. Every Winter we turned the boat over to the the local boat yard for repairs and maintenance.

Next we bought a new Albin. Jeff had more trouble blindly putting this boat into the hands of another and started learning to do some of the work himself.

With our trawler we realized that self-reliance translated into independence. After 8 years of cruising there are few projects we don't dive into and complete ourselves - engine maintenance, new system installations, electronics, carpentry, finish work, and whatever else comes up.

Last week it was the washing machine – it wouldn't drain. It took about two hours for us to get the machine out of it's nook below and check all the hoses - which were clear. A quick search on the Internet led us to the pump with suggestions for what to check. Jeff changed a seal and cleaned it up although the pump was a little chewed up. Another couple hours to put it all back – it drained for 2 minutes and then stopped. We ordered a new pump online and two days later spent another few hours taking it all apart again (hey, we learned some lessons from the first time), replaced the pump, and we now have clean clothes again.

And the best part is these new found skills are finding their way to our land based home. Last time the refrigerator stopped making ice, my dear sweet husband said, “Let me take a look at it.” I call it The Boating Dividend.

Hat's entertainment...

2010-09-30T08:56:00.002-04:00

One of our most favorite things with ActiveCaptain is awarding hats for user-contributions. After a captain has earned 250 points for adding updates and writing reviews, they receive a highly-desired ActiveCaptain hat. We've mailed out hundreds of them.

Occasionally someone goes over the 250 point limit when we're in proximity. This calls for an official award ceremony. Truth be told, we're really just trying to save on mailing costs!

Over the weekend, captain PJ (Paul & Jo-Anne) worked hard to cross their 250 point level. This called for the ceremony with previous hat recipients Bob & Lynn and the consumption of Dark & Stormies onboard aCappella. Dyna & Dylan officiated but mainly slept.

25 Years

2010-09-27T10:27:00.000-04:00

Those who have followed our blog for some time may remember that we were married the day Hurricane Gloria hit DC. So it somehow felt right when I woke early this morning to pouring rain. Today is overcast with the rain fluctuating between drizzle and pouring, and it's suppose to continue through tomorrow.

Our plan had been to go out for a nice romantic dinner tonight. But we'd rather do it on a night when we can wander the streets of Little Italy. So we'll have a good lunch in Canton and stop at the nearby Safeway for a couple off juicy steaks and grill out on the boat instead, with the kids.

We still have to figure out how to get remarried, something we do every five years, but that's another blog entry.

A hurricane on my wedding day. Storms on my 25th anniversary. I think this bodes well for the next 25 years.

I love you, Jeffrey.

Wash Day

2010-09-20T17:50:00.000-04:00

I love the way my dogs smell. Not when they're fresh from a bath with the smell of soap and perfume but honest to goodness dog smell.

Unfortunately, dogs get a bad rap for smelling bad. It's not the dog that smells bad, it's the things that dogs generally like that smell bad - like river water. And Dyna and Dylan have spent some serious quality time in river water lately.

So when a rank aroma started greeting me each time I stepped onto the boat, I decided it was time to wash the dogs. You'd think that dogs who love the water as much as these two wouldn't mind a bath. You'd be thinking wrong.

But the deed is now done and in 24 hours or so the smell of soap will have gone away. Then I'll sink my nose into that soft fur and take a heavenly whiff.

Yankees in Baltimore...

2010-09-18T09:29:00.000-04:00

It has been well established that our boat is filled with a Yankee crew. It seemed fitting that with the MTOA rendezvous over and our first wave of speaking engagements complete, that we'd spend time with some other Yankees. In this case, it was the New York Yankees.

Camden Yards is just a couple of miles from the marina. It's pretty incredible that we can walk off our boat and into a major league stadium within a half hour. We had no tickets but were able to grab some at the ballpark.

The game was pretty boring with Baltimore leading 3-to-1. One New York fan we were with even left at the middle of the 8th so as not to see his home team lose. At the top of the 9th, the Yankees put 2 men on base with A-Rod coming to bat. There were 2 outs and 2 strikes with everyone standing to possibly see the last pitch of the game. Needless to say, A-Rod swung on the next pitch and hit the ball out of the park to win a half-inning later with a 4-3 final score.

A half-hour later and we were back with our own Yankees who were asleep on the settee wondering why they didn't get some of the hotdogs that they could smell on us...

Double stick/bumper retrieval...

2010-09-10T12:07:00.000-04:00

It's our last day at Olverson's before heading out for a couple of nights of anchoring and then landing in Baltimore for a month of presentations and rendezvous'. The thing that we'll all miss the most is our morning swim. We've perfected the double stick/bumper retrieval method to allow both dogs to swim and retrieve without fighting over the object thrown. It also allows Dylan to swim further. Both kids are very proud of their retrieval skills.

We'll miss these morning swims...

Down under

2010-09-07T16:51:00.000-04:00

The projects are all being wrapped up and we're about ready to take off to Baltimore. One of the last things on the list is a dive down under the boat. I like to check everything out, especially the props, shafts, and struts, and do some cleaning of the water line. It's also good practice to try out all of the diving gear in case we need it in an emergency.

My 7 mil suit is designed for cold water diving. Here at Lodge Creek, the water temperature is about 85 degrees - warmer than the Bahamas! I could get away without wearing a wet suit altogether except for the jellyfish which swim throughout the creek. The suit is more for protection than warmth.

The bottom of aCappella looks good. It's been scraped clean to remove all of the marine growth and barnacles. New shaft zincs and a new 25 lb hull zinc were installed. I also had both tanks filled and did a complete maintenance check on all of the diving equipment.

We're officially ready to take off.

Envisioning provisioning...

2010-09-05T13:43:00.001-04:00

One of the last and most important tasks we must do before releasing the lines and cruising off is provisioning - the job of having the things we need onboard. It's a big planning process in which Karen spends a good week of inventory analysis, estimating, and list making. It isn't just about food stores. We also plan everything from toothpaste to toilet paper. After 8 years of cruising, we have a lot of history and perspective - like we know we consume less beer that we think we do and use more paper towels than should be allocated to any pair of human beings.

The Mecca for all provisioning is Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Costco. It's one of the reasons why we track the location and provide phone numbers for all of those stores in ActiveCaptain. The closest Sams/Costco is hours away but there is a Wal-Mart Superstore in Tappahannock, VA, about a half hour away:
http://activecaptain.com/X.php?lat=37.904607&lon=-76.863763&t=s&z=16

Our general strategy is to have all consumable products that we need onboard until the next time we'll be provisioning. In this case, that will be Thanksgiving. We also like to get all meat onboard and all non-fresh-foods. This means that we only need to find fresh vegetables and refrigerated items during our cruising. It significantly cuts back on the shopping we have to do week-to-week and also guarantees that we have plenty of food and supplies even if we have to stay in a remote place for a week or more due to weather (even if that means living on frozen vegetables).

Turning the provisioning plans into purchases is a big job. We walked into Wal-Mart rolling 2 carts. Some 2 hours later and $600 poorer, we walked out with 3 filled carts and another large job of getting everything back onto the boat.

Needless to say, I managed to sneak a few bags of special dog treats into my cart when Karen wasn't looking. As captain, my job is to make sure all crew members are happy!

One of the best sounds in the world...

2010-09-02T16:00:00.000-04:00

To a cruiser, one of the best sounds in the world is the sound of chain dropping over the bow to release the anchor into the sea floor. We had many opportunities to hear that sound over nearly 8 years while cruising on aCappella, especially over the 9 months of last cruising season. But there is eventually a price to pay for hearing that sound - the back breaking job of preparing the chain for a few more years of use.

With the slip next to us empty at Olverson's, we had a perfect opportunity to remove all 400' of 3/8" chain, treat the unavoidable rust, clean it up, and re-mark it for deployment. After hauling out the 600 lbs of chain, we realized that the first 200' was worn and rusty but the second 200' was almost new looking. Flipping the chain seemed like a good idea. So we split it up into 2 200' sections, treated the rust on the first 200' and cleaned it all up. It took 3 full days of work in 95 degree heat.

Every boater has their own technique for marking chain. None of them work. We've tried them all. With multiple days of prep and painting time, I used a cold galvanizing primer to cover the old marks and prep all the new ones. It took about 4 applications to each section to get it well covered. The top color coat was done in a bright orange color to hopefully show up in all conditions. It took 4-6 applications to get that properly covered - light coats applied after the previous coat had dried. At each marking, a bright yellow tie-wrap was also applied to give some length indication when the paint starts to wear off.

Many people mark their chain in different colors. In my experience, it's rare enough when you can actually see the marks after a year or so. My technique is to put 1 mark at 25', 2 marks at 50', 3 marks at 75', and 4 marks at 100'. That repeats for the next hundred feet. If I can't remember which "hundred" I'm on, I shouldn't be dropping the anchor.

Once we get to 250', the marks go on every 50'. The end of the chain is tied to the hull of the boat with nylon line which would stretch for another 100' and then snap in an emergency. All of the chain is stored in a chain locker which was also scrubbed and cleaned out. Guess who cleaned the chain locker? Do I have the best wife or what?

All we have left to do is to put the chain back into the locker. The sounds of doing that are likely to be anything but good.

Eat, Sleep, Swim

2010-08-31T22:01:00.001-04:00

The kids favorite thing about Olverson's Marina is that they get to go swimming every morning. Even Dyna is awake by 7 am pacing the floor. Dyna loves to swim. Dyna would rather swim than do anything else, literally. (Dylan feels the same way about eating.) The minute we let her off the leash she is leaping and prancing like a puppy. She retrieves her bumper until we force her to stop and catch her breath - afterall she is in her 80's now.

So what's in it for us? A half hour swimming means a day of sleeping. We only need to provide the air conditioned salon, the sofa, and a sheet to soak up the water. It's a dog's life!

One well-behaved dog is permitted...

2010-08-23T21:21:00.000-04:00

Dogs, gear, and things-we-can't-possibly-live-without were all loaded up on Sunday for the 2 day drive back to the boat. Everyone was excited about heading back - the dogs knew something was up and were searching for all clues. We had a nice last week saying goodbye to friends. If we get to the west coast of Florida we'll see many of them over the Winter. Other friends need to come meet us somewhere along the path!

Driving over 2 days means staying somewhere overnight. Thankfully, all Red Roof Inn's allow "one well-behaved dog" in the rooms. So we made reservations at the Wilkes-Barre, PA inn, arrived after dark, and snuck both dogs in.

Inside the room, Dylan was most certainly showing that he had been cooped up in a car for 11 hours. He was jumping from bed to bed as if he were trying out for a canine Cirque du Soleil. A car door slammed and he started barking. We wondered if we were going to get thrown out.

The 7 hour drive today was long. We arrived to find the boat in beautiful condition (it had been washed twice). The A/C was put on, all items brought onboard, and we settled back to our floating home after meeting a bunch of other trawler people we know who are also here now.

So looking back on our Red Roof Inn experience, we realized that we, in fact, met their pet requirements. We have one well-behaved dog. And then we have Dylan.

The Dynasty

2010-08-17T17:01:00.001-04:00

Dyna's name is a nickname. Her real name is Dynasty because she was the first dog bred by Birchwood Labradors Retrievers creating a dynasty of many puppies. And there are a lot of puppies that resulted from our wonderful Dyna.

Since we adopted her three years ago, we've gotten together every Summer with JoDee, Dyna's other mom who runs Birchwood. Last week we brought our team to Dexter, Maine so Dyna could have some quality swim time with 6 of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Dylan didn't mind playing with his half-sisters, nephews, and associated other kin.

None of those pesky grandkids got the best of Dyna during the afternoon at the lake. Of course, when we returned home, Dyna slept for two continuous days.

A Dog's Life: The House vs The Boat...

2010-08-11T17:00:00.001-04:00

Right off the bat I have to say that I only wish our lives were as good as our dog's. So any comparison between what it's like at our house and our boat is really silly. They have a great life no matter where they are.

Things are different in the two places. We have a beautiful, historic house. Built in the 1830's by ship builders, it is a fortress. There are many rooms and many dog beds. Except for one parlor, Dyna & Dylan have free run and know all the ways to get around.

Here are some of the major things in a dog's life and how they compare at our house and on our boat:

Sleeping
In both places, the dogs have comfortable sleeping areas. At night they sleep in bed with us and have all the space they want. At our house, we have more room because the bed is a lot bigger. Bottom line - sleeping is the same for them, better for us at the house.

Swimming
This is a favorite activity of our dogs, especially Dyna. On the boat there is plenty of opportunity for swimming for obvious reasons. At the house we have to take them to an island or at the Maine Maritime Academy and they end up swimming about 2-3 times per week. Bottom line - swimming is better on the boat.

Visitors
Although we are often visited by other cruisers on our boat, multiple people come to our house every day. Our dog team likes that a lot. Bottom line - there are more visitors at the house.

Dog Parks
Truth be told, we travel from port to port on the boat in search of dog parks. This gives the team a lot of opportunity to play with other dogs. At the house, they've only had a couple of play times with other dogs. Bottom line - there are more dog parks and more dog contact on the boat.

Mom & Dad Contact
On the boat we're all together for most of every day. Other than grocery shopping, the dogs are almost always with us. They even got invited to a dinner party on a friend's boat last Fall! At the house there is much more going on for us. So we're out more and the dogs are by themselves. They're never left for long but there are a few evenings a week when we're not all together. Bottom line - there is more family contact on the boat.

Frisbee
Dylan is especially a nut for Frisbee's. He's an incredible catcher and we've practiced with him since he was a tiny puppy. On the boat, there's almost no opportunity for Frisbee catching. At the house, Dylan is a leaping star. Bottom line - the backyard is Dylan's Frisbee kingdom.

Dinghy Rides
Dyna loves dinghies. She especially loves to go fast. She'll stand up in the bow, facing the wind, with the biggest smile you've ever seen a dog wear. For most of our cruising time, we're out on the dinghy almost every day. But in the anchorages, the dinghy has to go slow. In Castine we have a 13' Boston Whaler. Once we're 100 yards from the town dock, she goes 25 kts. Dyna loves it. Bottom line - the boat provides more quantity of dinghy time; the house has a better quality of dinghy time.

So we're down to the last 10 days. Piles of gear are stacking up. House projects are coming to an end and final lists of things to finish up have been made. Bottom line - the dogs are pretty happy no matter where they are. So are we.

Only 20 Days!

2010-08-03T15:18:00.001-04:00

We have only 20 more days until we return to aCappella!

It is hard to believe that our time onshore is coming to an end. We started the summer with our usual pages of lists. Lists for the house, lists for the ActiveCaptain website, and lists for the boat. Yes, even though she's 800 miles away there are still things we wanted to do.

We've certainly whittled the lists down but somehow there still seems to be more things than we can accomplish in just 20 days. I confess, we have been having fun too. The kids will fill you in on what their summer has been like later.

For now, we are attacking our lists and making our plans. The beginning of our cruise is already taking shape. We will be spending a couple of weeks on the boat at Olverson's, where aCappella spent the summer, getting the boat ready. Then we're off for Baltimore, with some leisurely side trips on the way, to speak at the MTOA Northern Rendezvous in September, followed by another talk at TrawlerFest also in Baltimore. Another talk at the Krogen Rendezvous in Solomons and then the Boat Show in Annapolis. We plan on spending November in Charleston with a side trip to Karen's folks for Thanksgiving. After that, who knows...

Cuba is still on the radar and the west coast of Florida is calling. But there are also many ports we've yet to visit and ones we'd love to see again. So follow us on Spot and give a holler when you're nearby.

And poof, we're home...

2010-05-31T10:17:00.000-04:00

After 9 months and 3 days of being on our boat, we rented a car, loaded it up, and drove back home to Maine. In keeping with our tradition of using the SPOT Messenger when we were moving, we turned it on for the car ride home to show the long 17 hour track between Virginia and Maine.

There will be a lot of projects to get done this Summer - the house, the boat, and ActiveCaptain. And while we're full of plans and lists right now, we can't help thinking back to all of the wonderful people we met and the incredible times we had.

On a calm evening in the Keys, Joe Nekola took the video below. It's one of many cocktail hours we shared with friends. Joe recorded the full song that we also played at the MTOA rendezvous way back in September - a long time ago. We'll leave this cruise remembering this evening back in March.

Satisfaction

2010-05-22T14:21:00.001-04:00

I grew up in Rockville, Maryland just outside Washington, DC, one of five children. My parents just sold our old house earlier this year. It was in a nice suburban neighborhood. We moved in when the house was new. One of the things my parents liked about the neighborhood was that when it was built, rather than leveling everything in site, they carved out lots and roads leaving most of the wooden area it was built on.

Of course, that meant that every fall there were tons of leaves; I mean an endless, mountainous supply. And, as it should be, it fell to the children to rake them up. In response to our complaints my mom would say, "Just think of the satisfaction you'll feel when it's done." I guess some lessons take time.

Many years later, I have grown to love the feeling of completing tasks, looking at something that was a mess and is now, due to my labor, beautiful.

Much of the past two days have been spent cleaning the dinghy. When you live on a boat your dinghy becomes your car. It takes you from the anchorage or mooring field into shore. It takes you from your rented slip up the river to a restaurant or grocery store. Sometimes it takes you on the cruising equivalent of a Sunday drive. Over the past 9 months, our dinghy has delivered groceries, taken us to dinner dates, and, the best outings, brought the kids to their swimming spots. But all these activities had taken their toll and she was in need of a thorough cleaning.

After rinsing her off I got out one of my favorite products, GoJo Orange, which we list in our Products and Tips We Love section of our website. It's not just that it does a fantastic job of getting off the dirt and scum, it's also not a "boating product" so it's reasonably priced. I'm convinced that somewhere there's a Federal statute levying any product with "marine" or "boat" in its name with a 200% tax.

So I started in and as I finished the starboard side and moved to the port I had to step back and admire the difference between the two. And, yes, I felt a great sense of satisfaction. Mom, you were right.

Love,
Karen

Dyna's Birthday

2010-05-20T08:51:00.001-04:00

May 19th is Dyna's birthday. This year she's 12. While most dogs would be content to find a shady spot to sleep all day, Dyna is usually first in line doing whatever we're doing, pushing Dylan out of the way if necessary.

This morning started out with Dyna's most favorite of activities - swimming. Given the choice between eating raw meat and swimming...Dyna would jump in the water.

Bright and early we took her off the dock and onto the point at Lodge Creek. She'll retrieve that orange bumper until we have to force her to come back for breakfast. It doesn't matter what else is happening outside. Dyna is fixated on the bumper and diving in the water.

An older dog is a beautiful thing. They start to realize their limitations and gracefully look for help with certain things that were once so easy. Dyna can't jump up on the bed any longer. She now puts both paws on the mattress, turns back and looks for assistance. Some nights she's too tired to even walk down below and instead stays curled up in her bed for the night.

For most of the day, Dyna slept. She was always around no matter what we were doing, but a morning of swimming means a day of sleeping for Dyna now.

While out shopping on Tuesday we bought some special treats to give the girl on her special day. She loved them even though she had to share some with the little brat (Dylan).

By night, we realized that she'd need a little medication for pain, but that's OK. And with the cooler weather, she did make it down the steep stairs at night to complete her day. One little lift of her hind legs brought her in bed, all curled up at my feet, dreaming of swimming in the morning.

Bittersweet

2010-05-16T17:27:00.001-04:00

Last Thursday afternoon we pulled into Olverson's Lodge Creek Marina the place where aCappella will spend the summer. We spent five days here last fall (see our blog post) and the kids really enjoyed the huge field to run in and Cas' treats. Freddie met us at the dock and helped us settle right in. It felt a little like coming home.

So this is the official end of our 2009-2010 winter cruise. We have lists of boat projects - those who have read our blog from the beginning know how we love lists - and a schedule for getting the boat closed down. She's been home for 9 months and has definitely served us well. We will miss her, miss the adventures, and miss the wonderful people we've met. But we also miss our home and good friends in Castine. We will be there in less than two weeks.

Now we'll have to get used to a bigger bed, all the hot water we could want, and a grocery store always at the ready. It'll be a hard adjustment. We're looking forward to going home but we're also looking forward to getting back on the boat again. The kids are just looking forward to supper. Oh, to truly live in the moment...

ActiveCaptain on the iPad

2010-05-04T16:39:00.000-04:00

Here are some screen shots of the iPad application to be released in a few days that fully supports all of ActiveCaptain's data offline. No internet connection is needed to view all of the marinas, anchorages, bridges, locks, boat ramps, etc., along with all of the reviews. It works incredibly well and even rotates the chart as your boat is turning.

Enough writing about it - here's what it looks like. Click any picture to see the full size.

Zoomed out view of Charleston (the round red dot is our location)

Zoom in a little to our location

Tap on the red marina marker - up comes a pick list

Select Charleston Maritime Center - displays results in tabs

Show the Services data

Display the Reviews

Move over to the famous Matanzas inlet area - see the yellow hazards

Tap on a hazard and display it's details

Show the hazard's Comments

It all works extremely well right now. Obtaining the software allows you to run it on both an iPhone and iPad at the same time. It works identically on the iPhone except for the smaller screen. The data is identical.

Tap in the (i) icon in the bottom right, select ActiveCaptain, and you can Update your data to retrieve all marker information and reviews that have been changed since the last synchronization.

And of course it follows your position optionally locking your GPS position in the center of the screen, turning the display as you turn.

This is way, way cool...

iPad 3G

2010-05-02T11:36:00.003-04:00

Three offshore hops and we're in Charleston at the Maritime Center - one of our most favorite places. Immediately, the air conditioning was turned on to spoil us. Although we intended to stay for 2 days, I paid for 5. Pay for 5 days and you get 7 days - I'm such a sucker for that. Truth be told, the weather wasn't good for us to leave today (Sunday). We need this bad weather to pass over and it looks like things don't clear up until at least Wednesday.

So I convince Karen to walk to the Apple store in the late afternoon. This is one of the advantages of being in a real city - lots of things walking distance from where we are. We had a video cable that we wanted to return and it seemed like a good idea to do that right away. Besides, we needed the 10 block walk.

Upon arriving at the store at 4:50, we find a long line waiting to get in. Imagine that - today at 5:00 pm is the release of the iPad 3G (cellular connectivity + GPS). "What luck!" I told Karen. She didn't buy it though - she knew this was a multi-step plan probably started weeks ago.

So we wait on line for about 20 minutes, get up to the door and are greeted by a set of serious geeky-looking people. Now I'm definitely a member of the geek class but even this set had me wondering where my class had gone wrong.

We're escorted in the door with our own sales assistant who gives us our new iPad 3G. We made the cut. So did 3 people behind us. It was that close.

It's been fun to experiment with it. The screen is beautiful and the apps are mostly working well. There are some bugs that need to be fixed - common with a device so new like this.

The GPS, thankfully, works much better than the iPhone's GPS. It even locks position signals below deck. I can see an anchor alarm in the future with this especially since it manages to have exceptional battery life - 10 hours or more.

We met with our good friends Jeb & Linda who made an incredible dinner party centered around the Kentucky Derby. The dogs remember the dog park across the street and are having a wonderful time too. This is a special place.

Here are a couple of screen shots showing what my iPad 3G looks like. It'll be fun to see how it fits with boating once we get back underway.

My iPad screen background:

Looking at the blog (looking at itself!) in Safari:

Three Days Offshore in Video

2010-04-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

Three long offshore hops:

1. Cumberland Island, Georgia to St. Simons Sound (Brunswick), Georgia

2. Brunswick - Port Royal Sound (Hilton Head), South Carolina
a) Rougher weather in the beginning
b) Calmer weather as the day progressed

3. Hilton Head - Charleston, South Carolina

4. Dylan's traveling position (photo)

Cumberland Island, Georgia in Video

2010-04-26T22:13:00.000-04:00

A Dinghy Lesson

2010-04-22T18:50:00.002-04:00

I'll get right to the lesson. If you're near your dinghy and you don't have a pocket knife tucked away somewhere inside, stop reading this and go put a knife onboard now.

We have unlimited Tow Boat US membership. It costs $149 per year (minus MTOA discounts!) and insures me on whatever boat I'm on for full towing expenses. You gotta know that any blog entry that starts off talking about knives and Tow Boat US is going to be a good one...

So we pulled into Fernandina and there were no moorings available. We anchored instead on the Amelia River in a beautiful spot - beautiful as long as you didn't see the paper mills which are incredibly ugly. Still, it was one of the nicest nights at anchor yet. In the morning a municipal mooring freed up so we grabbed it - we thought we'd take the dogs into town, do some shopping, and just walk around. On our way to town, Dylan decided to make his move and dive in after a sea bird swimming near the dinghy. Unfortunately for Dylan, he was leashed into the dinghy. So he's flailing around the water, Dyna is trying to jump in after him, and we're moving forward. It was a wonderful time.

The dogs walked all around town and it was time to head back so we piled into the dinghy once again and headed back to the boat. As we approached the boat, I put the dinghy into reverse to slow our motion toward the mother ship. As soon as I did this, the engine stalled. Karen reached out for the boat but was about 2 inches too short. With 7 foot tides, there's good current in the harbor and it was now taking us for a lovely ride down the Amelia River. No amount of rowing could counteract the current - we were only able to steer the boat toward the far weeds. The engine would start but as soon as it went into gear it stalled.

We drifted for about 20 minutes and grounded on the far uninhabited side of the river. Tilting the engine to keep it from digging into the sand revealed the problem - we had wrapped our own stern line around the prop. What a bone-headed thing to do.

We always have communications capabilities onboard - even on the dinghy. So we called the marina and asked if someone could come and help. They promised to send out their boat immediately. It was about 45 minutes later when we realized that no one was coming.

We tried to cut the line with things we had onboard but nothing would do it. I guess in a real emergency we could have used a flare to burn through the line carefully but we weren't at that point yet.

Although the dogs loved the idea of being surrounded by the tall weeds on the river's edge, it was getting a bit annoying. I pulled out my iPhone, looked up Tow Boat US, and called. Within 5 minutes they were there and handed me the biggest knife I've ever seen. One slice cut the line and allowed it to be unwrapped. They pulled us out from the weeds, the engine started, and went into gear just perfectly. All was well.

The towing and rescue service total came to $165. My bill - $0. For once, my Tow Boat US membership paid for itself. This was the first time I've ever called them.

So the lesson here is to keep a knife onboard. I put a nice combination pocket knife in a sealed baggy and placed it under the seat. While I was at it, I threw in some hose clamps in case a fuel line ever breaks.

Of course, there's another lesson here too. Call the Pro's if you need help. Anything less is just a waste of 45 minutes.

MTOA

2010-04-20T18:57:00.000-04:00

There are four boating organizations that we belong to. BoatUS because I'm pretty sure it's a federal law that if you own a boat you must be a member. They also have great towing service which we just used for the first time but that's for another blog entry. DeFever Cruisers because we own a DeFever and it's nice to know other boaters with your boat. Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) because their members have the widest breadth of cruising experience throughout the world. And Marine Trawler Owners Association (MTOA) because they embrace the trawler cruising/liveaboard lifestyle best.

If you own a trawler and are not a member of MTOA click here, now and join. Not only will you meet some great cruisers and make some wonderful friends, you will become part of a family that will be there when you need them. There are many reasons to join including savings on your boat insurance, one free night's dockage each year at Olverson's, and access to yacht clubs. They have port captains at major ports of call that will help you with a car, local knowledge, just about anything you need. And then there are the rendezvous and the pins. The coveted pins.

Last week we attended the MTOA Southern Rendezvous in St. Augustine, FL. It was three days of seminars (several which we gave so you know how good they are), good food, dancing, boat visiting, and the final awards dinner where members received their pins. Green pins for working on a committee, red pins for speaking, and so on. Trust me, don't you dare try to steal a member's pin, walking the plank is the only fitting punishment. So we each added two pins to our collection giving us each a total of four. There are members who have enough pins to set off the metal detector from the airport parking lot. We hope to have enough years of boating ahead of us to do the same some day.

We're Pedaling as Fast as We Can!

2010-04-16T14:06:00.001-04:00

Over a week ago we promised you video of Dyna and Dylan's fabulous evening with their buddy Duke in Vero Beach (Jim is Duke's person and he was there too). The week here in St. Augustine attending the MTOA Southern Rendezvous has been fun and busy. As we plow through the email, comments, updates, and other items that have been on the back burner, I pause to fulfill that promise. We'll fill you in on what else has been happening as soon as our feet catch up with the pedals...

Enjoy!

Velcro Beach

2010-04-07T22:02:00.002-04:00

In the cruising community Vero Beach has the nickname Velcro Beach because it's so hard to leave. There are lots of reasons for that and having been here many times we know it's true. There's the great free shuttle bus that will pick you up at the marina and take you to the grocery store, hardware store, restaurants, you name it. There's a fun Saturday night potluck, a beach within walking distance, as well as the shops and restaurants along the beach. The mooring field and dinghy docks are well done and the cruisers here are very friendly.

Of course, for us the dog park is a major draw. On Saturday there was a 14 week old yellow lab puppy there who ran underneath Dyna when some of the big dogs began picking on him. I guess her mama vibes are still felt by puppies.

We were out every night - Friday dinner at the Lobster Shanty with Bill on Spray, Saturday dinner at Gene and Kathy's, Sunday night a cruisers' Easter Potluck dinner on Bonnie and Ray's Compass Rose (Bonnie played the part of the Easter Bonnie, I mean, Bunny), Monday drinks with George and Mary on Summer Slopes, and Tuesday night the grand finale, beach and pool swimming followed by dinner with Duke and his person Jim. We'll upload some great swimming video when we get a faster connection.

So this stop we only stayed five days, not because we were ready to go, but because we have obligations up the road. We know we'll be back - it's not just Velcro Beach, it could also be called Boomerang Beach.

Old Friends

2010-03-31T13:16:00.000-04:00

This morning we left Miami Beach. Last evening Dyna and Dylan had their final romp in the Miami Beach dog park. It's a wonderful group of dogs and people, and it's amazing how quickly one becomes attached. On our first dinghy ride back to the park Dyna and Dylan began crying as soon as we passed under the bridge and the park came into view.

So Dyna and Dylan said goodbye to Dewey, Annie, Sterling, Oliver, and many others. We lingered longer than usual, not wanting to say goodbye to the dogs or people. Some hugs, promises for next year, and we pulled the dinghy away from the dock.

When we left Marathon we started our trek back through the places we'd been. For Dyna and Dylan that means getting to play again with some of the dog friends they've made along the way. In Marathon they met up again with Riggs from Spray and Godiva and Cassie from September Song and swam on Sombrero Beach.

They'll look for Duke and Holly in Vero Beach who they played with at the beach and then in a pool (watch the video). And Carly and Andy who took them to a beach on Sullivan Island (watch the video).

And of course there is Goose and Huck from the Charleston Maritime dog park.

Cruisers love to talk about the wonderful people we meet along the way. And it's true. It's also true for our canine crew.

Delivery Diesel

2010-03-25T22:01:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe that we've always passed by Miami Beach. Especially the anchorages off the Venetian Causeway. This is an exceptional area. You can get anything you want here within just a few blocks - multiple Publix grocery stores, every type of restaurant imaginable, hardware, Post Office, 18-theatre complex, an Apple store, Office Depot, etc. The dog food we use is a speciality brand that we have to order on the Internet for delivery. But here there's a store 6 blocks from the dinghy dock that stocks it. Together with the dog park at 5 pm, we didn't think it could get any better. Then we met Leon.

Peterson Fuel has always updated their diesel prices in ActiveCaptain. We like that. It's good for them and it's good for our captains. Peterson has 2 barges - one in Miami and one in Ft. Lauderdale. In our 8 transits through both areas we'd seen the barges before. Boats would pull up and get fuel - seems like a nice business. Here's what I didn't know - if you need 250 gallons or more, they'll come to you. Delivery Diesel!

The delivery area includes, you guessed it, the area we like to anchor in for Miami Beach. So I called Peterson and arranged for a fuel fill up right on the hook. Honestly, how cool is that?

They called me this morning and told me which half hour they'd arrive. Right around the scheduled time we saw the yellow barge coming down the Venetian Causeway access on Biscayne Bay.

We met Captain Leon who eased the barge against aCappella, tied up to us, and set the spuds to lock us both in position. Leon is a true pro - a licensed captain with a tanker endorsement. He's on the barge 6 days a week doing this type of diesel delivery.

Leon handed over the nozzle and hose (extremely clean) and worked with us to adjust the flow. The pumps onboard the barge are high speed - 140 gallons per minute - that he can adjust to any rate needed. We prefer between 20 and 40 gallons per minute.

We completely filled our rear 2 tanks and topped off the front 2 ones - about 490 gallons total. It was simple and I really enjoyed monitoring the fuel sites in a nice, cool engine room.

After filling up and putting all the hoses and equipment back on the barge, Leon invited us onboard to tour the barge. Because it's a licensed fuel barge, we had to provide picture ID's and sign into the ship's log. Leon showed us around the well-kept machinery. The barge holds 10,300 gallons of diesel and they often pump it dry on a busy day.

In the blink of an eye, the lines were untied, spuds lifted, and we were waving goodbye to Leon as he set off for the ICW and more boaters looking for fuel.

This is the first time we've gotten fuel away from a marina. It's a nice option. Peterson has an excellent fuel price. We considered getting fuel in Marathon but ended up saving about $250 on almost 500 gallons. There is a $0.10/gallon discount for cash/checks too.

Leon told us that although there's a 250 gallon minimum for delivery, he'll often go into an area where a few boats all need fuel and their combined total will be over 250 gallons.

Peterson keeps their fuel price very up-to-date in ActiveCaptain. I'm glad we noticed it and checked it out.

So there are services that will deliver food to your boat, pump out boats that will remove your waste, and now fuel barges that deliver fuel right to your anchored boat. Find me a delivery dog walking service and we'll never have to leave the boat!

Long hot showers...

2010-03-21T17:29:00.000-04:00

We're almost ready to leave Boot Key Harbor. We've been doing the last minute things to get ready - filled our dinghy gas tanks and cans, cleaned the water line, last minute grocery shopping, etc.

One thing we haven't taken advantage of here at the marina are the public showers. With two showers on the boat, it's much nicer to shower there. But on a mooring, we're always conserving water so the showers are brief.

Today we decided to take advantage of the really nice public showers at the marina. There's all the water you want and it's as hot as you like it. The showers are single person but we snuck in together, probably breaking the official rules. Heck, we're operating under the same marriage license so it's allowed.

It was fantastic...

Next we're turning north and east and starting the slow trip back to the Chesapeake and Maine. Miami Beach is the next major destination for us.

Dinghy Ride 101

2010-03-19T09:38:00.000-04:00

Most people have morning routines - a cup of coffee, completing a crossword puzzle, watching a morning TV show. For us in Boot Key Harbor, we have a morning ritual too - Dinghy Ride 101.

Dinghy Ride 101 arrives daily at Sombrero Beach or the Marathon Park depending on weather conditions. All passengers arrive well-rested, happy, and with wagging tails.

LRA - Larry's Remote Anchoring technique...

2010-03-11T09:33:00.002-05:00

Our dinghy weighs about 800 pounds. She's a rigid inflatable with a 40 HP engine. It's our family car when we're cruising and we put a lot of demands on her.

So I was telling Larry how much of a hassle it is when bringing the dogs to the beach. Beaching the boat ends up pushing the whole boat sideways on the beach with oncoming waves and can become very difficult to re-float it when it's time to leave. Instead, we keep going back every 5 minutes to push the boat back into the water.

Larry had a solution. He always does. And this one is a doozy.

"You don't know how to use the trip line on the anchor to remotely anchor the dinghy?" Larry asks. Well, no, I don't. I've never seen anyone ever do it. With that Larry gives me the specs for what I need and explains exactly how to do LRA - Larry's Remote Anchoring.

First, the equipment and deployment.

I use a grappling hook type of dinghy anchor. LRA is real anchoring so I created a special rode of 5 feet of chain with 8 feet of 3/8" line. I attached a clip to the end of it so it could be attached to the bow eye of the dinghy close to the water.

The critical piece of equipment is 100 feet of 1/4 inch nylon line on a spool. That gets attached to the trip line eye at the bottom of the anchor.

With that all ready, this video shows the equipment and deployment at Sombrero Key. We land in about 2 feet of water and push the boat out to anchor in 4 feet of water. Turn your sound up - it's hard to hear - lots of dogs hanging around the "studio".

The magic is in putting all of the equipment on the bow which is easily popped into the water by a slight tug of the trip line. The trip line is the retrieval device and an emergency line in case the anchor fails. It isn't good enough to hold the dinghy in a gale, but for going to the beach, it's plenty good enough.

Retrieving the anchor is just as easy.

It's all pretty easy to do. I strongly suggest using chain on the anchor if you're going to use this technique. Total cost for this was about $25 plus the anchor which we already had.

Now Larry, how about a trick for rinsing and drying off wet dogs before they get back onto the boat?

Sombrero Beach swimming...

2010-03-08T13:50:00.000-05:00

The weather has turned perfect - 75 degrees, sunny, calm - just perfect. We're starting to get boat projects done (sealing every deck intake, cap rail renew, water line cleaning, dinghy chock painting, lazarette cleaning, rudder packing adjustments, gel coat fixes/polishing/etc). There's also a tremendous amount of ActiveCaptain development, legal work, and writing as we start to roll out our upcoming Co-Op capability. Much more will come out about that in the next few weeks. It's incredibly exciting!

None of this gets in the way of our 7:00 am dinghy ride to Sombrero Beach for some serious dog swimming. We go almost every morning. It's much nicer with the warmer weather although the water has always been a nice 70 - 73 degrees.

First up - Dylan retrieving by himself:

Next - Dyna by herself - take 1. She can be a bit stubborn:

Dyna, take 2:

And finally, the team together:

The Worst Job On The Boat

2010-03-06T22:12:00.000-05:00

Today was not the day we were expecting when we woke up.

Last night we got a call from Bill and Sheila our friends on Spray to come over for breakfast. Remembering the wonderful frittata Bill made for us in Charleston, we eagerly accepted. Just as we were about to leave this morning the forward head wouldn't stop running. Figuring it was just a seal needing to be wiped off, we shut it off and planned to deal with it when we returned.

We had a wonderful breakfast featuring Sheila's Fried Polenta and stayed much of the morning enjoying good company and talking about boats. The day turned out to be beautiful and sunny so we thought we'd take the dogs to shore for a walk and check out some of the day's events -- a new thrift store was opening across the street with a ribbon cutting ceremony by the mayor and a festival of gospel music was happening in the park next door.

Things didn't turn out the way we expected. What we did instead was tear apart a hanging locker to reach the vacuflush pump for the holding tank so we could dissemble it to replace four worn duckbill valves. Now if that is all Greek to you, then all you need to know is that the pump creates suction to pull "material" from the toilet to the holding tank. If there's no suction, there's no material movement. My sweet husband ended up being the one in the hold while I played gofer - neither job was pleasant but I think I got the better deal.

You will be happy to know that all is well and that we refrained from taking any pictures.

Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer and less windy. We plan on taking the dogs swimming early and going to shore for some hamburgers at Annette's. At least that's the plan...

Dyna and Dylan Famous?

2010-03-02T13:40:00.001-05:00

We had mentioned in an earlier blog that I had been asked by Nor'easter Magazine to write a column about our cruising. Well the first column has appeared in this month's issue. You can read it online on the Nor'easter website, the article starts on page 10. But the best part is that Dyna and Dylan are mentioned 3 times! Not only are they mentioned in my bio and in my article but the editor also mentions them on page 5. Now if this doesn't increase their readership by at least 300% then nothing will. I guess we'll be dealing with the paparazzi and autograph seekers now. I'll have to buy them big hats and sunglasses...

Red Sky at Night...

2010-02-27T15:10:00.000-05:00

As the sun sets into the western horizon, the sky turned ablaze in deep reds. The sounds of amateur conch shell players applauded the color and the 300+ boats started turning on their anchor lights creating a new, low-in-the-sky constellation.

The first words spoken to me when we arrived on our mooring were, "welcome to paradise". Who's to argue with that?

Postcard from Miami Beach...

2010-02-22T22:18:00.002-05:00

Two-thirds of these dogs are ours. Can you tell which ones?

Thanks Ivan (Dewy's dad) for sending the pictures from the Miami Beach dog park!

Dog Collar Relay

2010-02-20T18:15:00.000-05:00

Having two water dogs on a boat is great. They love swimming, dinghy rides, and just watching the water. But sometimes they love the water too much. Both kids have taken unplanned entries into the water from the dinghy. As anyone who has tried can tell you, lifting a wet dog out of the water can be a challenge.

For years we've kept our canine crew in a harness whenever the boat is underway – be it the Whaler, the dinghy, or aCappella. That way we have a handle to grab should one go over. The problem is a harness is about the worst thing to use when walking a dog, especially big dogs. The strap across their powerful chests gives them too much pulling force.

So whenever we take the dogs to shore we have a routine – on the boat the harnesses go on, on shore the harnesses come off and the collars go on, before getting back in the dinghy the collars come off and the harnesses go back on. We've done it hundreds of times.

Apparently when we made our last trip to the dog park in Vero Beach something went awry. Maybe someone was chatting with us, maybe the dogs were misbehaving, maybe Jeff was singing me a love song – it could happen. We left one of the dog collars on shore. Now this wasn't just any dog collar. These are beautiful, matching nautical collars we purchased at a small marina in Maine during my birthday cruise two years ago.

We discovered our mistake on our first dinghy ride into Stuart. Our hope was that it might still be there when we came back through on our way north.

The day before we left Stuart for Miami Beach we received a call from David Allen. He was on his boat in Vero and had found our dog collar, could we meet? Unfortunately, they were heading west through the Okeechobee, not south. No problem, he had a buddy, Don Perkin, heading to the Keys and he'd give him the collar. About a week later while we were anchored in Miami Beach Don called. He was heading in the Miami inlet, could we meet him on our dinghy? Jeff had the dinghy at the boat show. I told him we'd catch up with him in Marathon.

This week we talked to Don again, he was in Marathon but heading out the next day to Key West. A quick call to our friend Bill Corbett aboard Spray, also in Marathon, and another hand off of the collar was made. Finally, we joined Bill in Marathon today and the collar is back on Dylan's neck.

The return of a dog collar is no big deal – we have spares. It's just a small example of the wonderful boating community we belong to. The stories are endless. Medical situations, needed spare parts, help with emergency repairs, assistance in a family crisis, advice of any kind, a potluck or a party and this community of boaters is always there for you. There are no strangers, only friends, just some you haven't met yet.