7 Dec. 2018
Seasons Greetings loved ones,
Once again, it's been way too long since my last post. It makes writing them challenging when I have too dig back so far to get caught up.
I've just reread my last post and, as it turns out, I'm full of s**t. I told you I'd continue to report on Carson's progress, which I didn't, and said I'd keep you posted as I had news to report. Oh well, I'm sure I had the best of intentions.
So, Carson was with us for a total of over seven months. I think the time here was good for him. He learned a lot (he doesn't like fiber glassing or working in tight spaces. He does like welding but not the fabrication that goes with it. He loves passage making, especially the night sky at sea...) but in my opinion, the most important thing he learned is that, he doesn't need to know what he's doing with the rest of his life, right now.
He's currently in San Diego, planning to do EMT training, with aspirations to go to the fire academy.
Part of what we did while we were in FL last March was leg work for our temporary mexican residents visas. We were able to complete that process when we got back here, so now we can work here and we don't have to leave every six months.
Since the March trip, we've made two more runs to FL. Work abounds. I've started doing canvas work. So far I've made a dodger and bimini, a bosuns chair, a sail pack and recovered some cushions. I've been on a steep learning curve, but I think I'm making good progress.
Capt Johne stays busy all the time. If he's not working on one of the many jobs he has going, he's working on Second Star. We've just replaced our aft head with a composting toilet. It uses no water and almost no electricity. We're very happy with the change. We'll probably change the other one next time we go to FL.
We've had lots of company this year too. Jeni and Bill were here in the spring. Darrin, Danile and Larry were down for a dive trip in July. The Whitesmans passed through over Thanksgiving. Our friend Kate will be here next week and my dad and niece are coming for New Years.
I hope a wonderful holiday season is had by all. I'm not going to close this with promises of more to come. Apparently, I'll post when I post. I'll maintain good intentions to update more often. We'll see. In the meantime, live your dreams...
Saturday, December 8, 2018
Sunday, March 25, 2018
To FL and back
18 March 2018
Greetings loved ones,
I'm writing this from the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. We're currently making the crossing back to Isla Mujeres after a couple of weeks in FL. So far the passage has been a calm and good one. We have extra crew aboard so our watch schedule is light. But I'll get back to that later.
So far, this year has been busy, busy, busy. Lots to report.
Shortly after the new year, the Bertrum got pulled back out of the water for the hull to be painted. With the extension Johne had just added it's a 65' hull. That's a lot of boat to prep and paint. The majority of January and half of February were all about getting the paint job done in time to surprise the owners wife when they came down in mid February. Even with weather delays and the inevitable problems with the yard, we almost made it. Alas, even with a couple of 11 hour days, the boat wasn't ready until the day after they arrived. While there was disappointment that the surprise didn't come off as planned, in the end, they were happy with the job.
Simultaneously, Johne was able to supervise 2 other jobs. And knocked out one more, after the paint job, while we were getting ready to head to FL.
At the same time all that was going on, our grandson, Carson, had decided that, with the injuries he had sustained playing football in high school and collage, in spite of the fact that it meant giving up a full ride scholarship, it was time to stop playing. This left him a little at-loose-ends. He emailed Grampa Johne asking if it might be possible for him to come to Second Star and learn about welding and boating and everything else his grandfather does. We told him we'd love to have him. So, on February 14th, (and 15th do to airline delays) he flew down to join us.
Warning! Proud gramma bragging alert!
Having him here has been wonderful. He says he is, and seems to be, very happy. And we're both really enjoying having him around. And he's taking to boat life like a fish to water. He's learning so fast, like an information sponge. He's polite and well disciplined and just a genuine, nice person. His stay with us is open ended. Rest assured that I will continue to report on his progress.
We left for FL the day before Johne's visa expired, which is cutting it closer than we prefer, but that's when the weather decided to cooperate. The trip up wasn't bad. For Carson's first time off shore we had a mix of calm seas, beam seas and head seas. None too big, but enough for him to get the idea of what it's like in different conditions.
The time in FL was as hectic as always. Lots of stuff to gather and load. Lots of people to see. We didn't get to see everyone and do everything we'd have liked to...but time only allowed so much.
Getting in and out of Whiskey Creek, where we dock in Ft Myers, was tricky this time due to Irma silting in the channel. When we arrived it was passed the afternoon high tide and too shallow for Second Star to pass. We decided to anchor in the river and try again on the next high tide at 0300 hrs. We were successful but still had to push our way through. Which meant that we couldn't get back out without a very high tide. Yet another factor to consider in planning our departure.
With the weather looking like a Saturday departure was best, we'd thought we could leave the dock on the high tide Friday at 1600, go to the fuel dock at the beach, load fuel Friday eve and pull out first thing Saturday morning. But...the fuel dock closes at 1700 on Friday and isn't open on Saturday...and, as it turns out, we probably couldn't have gotten out on the afternoon tide which wasn't quite as high as the one at 0400...so, we decided to load fuel at the dock in Whiskey Creek, (adding weight and increasing draft) and leave on the 0400 high. When we pulled out and came to the hump in the channel, we grounded. Captain Johne backed her off and tried a slightly different approach. Grounded. Backed off. Another try. Got a bit farther. Grounded. Working it back and forth, with great skill and patience and not too much force, he pushed the hump, getting a bit farther each time. A great cheer went up from all on board as we got passed the shallow spot and motored into the river.
We had dolphins with us for most of the trip down the river and have seen several pods out in the gulf.
Which brings us back to now. We're a crew of 5 for the return trip. Our friends, Xenia and Claudio, who have recently purchased a boat and are in the process of refitting it, have joined us for this trip to get more boating experience. Which means that I'm only on watch 3 of every 12 hours and have had time to write a whole updated.
Now it's nap time before I have to make dinner.
25 March 2018
We arrived in Isla on the evening of Monday the 19th. Monday was not as calm calm as Saturday and Sunday had been. But, overall, it wasn't a bad trip. At this point, we're almost caught up on the extra chores from the trip and starting to get back into a regular routine.
We're now in Marina Paraiso where Johne has a small storage/shop space which should make work easier. It looks like we'll be in Isla for a while longer.
I'll keep posting as I have news to report. Until then, live your dreams...
Greetings loved ones,
I'm writing this from the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. We're currently making the crossing back to Isla Mujeres after a couple of weeks in FL. So far the passage has been a calm and good one. We have extra crew aboard so our watch schedule is light. But I'll get back to that later.
So far, this year has been busy, busy, busy. Lots to report.
Shortly after the new year, the Bertrum got pulled back out of the water for the hull to be painted. With the extension Johne had just added it's a 65' hull. That's a lot of boat to prep and paint. The majority of January and half of February were all about getting the paint job done in time to surprise the owners wife when they came down in mid February. Even with weather delays and the inevitable problems with the yard, we almost made it. Alas, even with a couple of 11 hour days, the boat wasn't ready until the day after they arrived. While there was disappointment that the surprise didn't come off as planned, in the end, they were happy with the job.
Simultaneously, Johne was able to supervise 2 other jobs. And knocked out one more, after the paint job, while we were getting ready to head to FL.
At the same time all that was going on, our grandson, Carson, had decided that, with the injuries he had sustained playing football in high school and collage, in spite of the fact that it meant giving up a full ride scholarship, it was time to stop playing. This left him a little at-loose-ends. He emailed Grampa Johne asking if it might be possible for him to come to Second Star and learn about welding and boating and everything else his grandfather does. We told him we'd love to have him. So, on February 14th, (and 15th do to airline delays) he flew down to join us.
Warning! Proud gramma bragging alert!
Having him here has been wonderful. He says he is, and seems to be, very happy. And we're both really enjoying having him around. And he's taking to boat life like a fish to water. He's learning so fast, like an information sponge. He's polite and well disciplined and just a genuine, nice person. His stay with us is open ended. Rest assured that I will continue to report on his progress.
We left for FL the day before Johne's visa expired, which is cutting it closer than we prefer, but that's when the weather decided to cooperate. The trip up wasn't bad. For Carson's first time off shore we had a mix of calm seas, beam seas and head seas. None too big, but enough for him to get the idea of what it's like in different conditions.
The time in FL was as hectic as always. Lots of stuff to gather and load. Lots of people to see. We didn't get to see everyone and do everything we'd have liked to...but time only allowed so much.
Getting in and out of Whiskey Creek, where we dock in Ft Myers, was tricky this time due to Irma silting in the channel. When we arrived it was passed the afternoon high tide and too shallow for Second Star to pass. We decided to anchor in the river and try again on the next high tide at 0300 hrs. We were successful but still had to push our way through. Which meant that we couldn't get back out without a very high tide. Yet another factor to consider in planning our departure.
With the weather looking like a Saturday departure was best, we'd thought we could leave the dock on the high tide Friday at 1600, go to the fuel dock at the beach, load fuel Friday eve and pull out first thing Saturday morning. But...the fuel dock closes at 1700 on Friday and isn't open on Saturday...and, as it turns out, we probably couldn't have gotten out on the afternoon tide which wasn't quite as high as the one at 0400...so, we decided to load fuel at the dock in Whiskey Creek, (adding weight and increasing draft) and leave on the 0400 high. When we pulled out and came to the hump in the channel, we grounded. Captain Johne backed her off and tried a slightly different approach. Grounded. Backed off. Another try. Got a bit farther. Grounded. Working it back and forth, with great skill and patience and not too much force, he pushed the hump, getting a bit farther each time. A great cheer went up from all on board as we got passed the shallow spot and motored into the river.
We had dolphins with us for most of the trip down the river and have seen several pods out in the gulf.
Which brings us back to now. We're a crew of 5 for the return trip. Our friends, Xenia and Claudio, who have recently purchased a boat and are in the process of refitting it, have joined us for this trip to get more boating experience. Which means that I'm only on watch 3 of every 12 hours and have had time to write a whole updated.
Now it's nap time before I have to make dinner.
25 March 2018
We arrived in Isla on the evening of Monday the 19th. Monday was not as calm calm as Saturday and Sunday had been. But, overall, it wasn't a bad trip. At this point, we're almost caught up on the extra chores from the trip and starting to get back into a regular routine.
We're now in Marina Paraiso where Johne has a small storage/shop space which should make work easier. It looks like we'll be in Isla for a while longer.
I'll keep posting as I have news to report. Until then, live your dreams...
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