Well, here we are. Finally anchored in Florida waiting for a solar panel. You'd think that "sunny Florida" would be close enough to paradise, where the air is warm and the breeze is gentle. Well... not really. We have 20 knots gusting from the North and evening temperatures in the 30s.
I know, I was the one that wanted to go South to escape the cold. And now, Andrea and Franc blame it on me because it's MY solar panel that's holding us back. But for a 43ft sailboat, I have very thick skin. So I don't care. I like my alternative energy, thank you very much! I know these two are going to be thirsty for my battery power over the next few months so they will have wait.
Cameron from Transmarinepro.com installing solar panel
The good thing has been getting to know Cameron and Leighia and their children Fynn and Maya, from Tranquility, as well as their guests Sam and Jamie and the little 1 year old "Captain in training". Cameron is the boat doctor that's installing my solar panel. He has a whole workshop on board Tranquility and makes a living doing all kinds of work on boats. And Leigha is the one that cooked the fabulous lentils with chicken and salad we had for dinner last night. She even makes her own bread! Franc and Andrea have soooo much to learn from these guys.
And we can't forget about SeaKnots member Stu from S/V Shearwater. His generosity, driving Andrea and Franc around town to provision was very much appreciated. Just check out the amount of stuff loaded on the dinghy!
So once Cameron is done we'll be heading South a bit further and then cross over to the Bahamas. But first, let me tell you about the first thousand miles. Those were done by Franc and his buddies Bill, Tom and Dan G, delivery style. No mercy. Let me put it this way: we pretty much motored from Maryland to well into Florida. No fun for me. And one more thing: those guys are heroes. Franc had no choice but they volunteered and put up with the coldest temperatures any of them have ever experienced at sea. Kudos to them!
The other highlight was the people we met in Beaufort, SC where I spent a few days. Pierre and Kim from s/v Victoria recommended Port Royal Landing and boy was that good advice! From Kelly offering to pick Franc up at the airport to Gene fixing my reverse cycle heating system for free, including Ryon from Port Royal Lannding Marina and Brian from Dock Supply and Boatworks for staying open late to allow us a last minute purchase. And let's not forget about Chuck from Beneteau in Charleston, who had my rudder reinforced before the Holidays as promised.
Dolphins (or sharks?) in our way
But now that Andrea is here, it's just the three of us. I can see how intimidating this is for them right now. They come from sleeping on steady beds and sitting behind desks, their skin white as snow and their fingers tender to the touch of my lines. Their muscles ache with every pull of my jib sheets. But now they're signed up for the real deal. And I'm not sure they know what they're in for. They think that having been out in the middle of the Western Med while a Mistral was blowing is indicative of offshore sailing. Wait until they see the size of the Atlantic waves. They don't call it the high seas for nothing!
And their increased concern for my well being is not lost on me either. They pay attention to every noise I make, double up on every knot and stress about all the little things. That must be because when I was their summer toy I was only part of a bigger picture. If I got hurt I could ruin a weekend or two and cost them a few bucks they could earn easily by just waiting for their next paycheck. But not now. From now on I am their home, their only vehicle, their shelter to a foreign world. Heck, there's no Sail for water without my sails! So now I'm front and center of that big picture. And I intend to take advantage of that. :-)
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Andrea and Franc would like to thank the following donors:
Andres Martin Perez, Bob & Mary MacEwen, Boghigian Enterprises, Chung Lee, Daniel Goldberg, Dennis Kramer, Dina Templeton, George & Mary Ann MacEwen, Henry Schmitt, Jason Carrasco, Joe & Carol Crifo, Joe & Maureen Malone, Joey & Debi Malone, John Trumpbour, Mario Mendolaro, Melissa MacEwen, Michael Kantrowitz, Michael MacEwen, Patrice Malone, Phillip McBurrows, Rishi Mirchandani, Sharyn MacEwen, Stephanie Lopez and The wonderful District Office Ladies in Teaneck: Wendy, Minny, Shirley, Sheila, Liz and Eileen.
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