An old girlfriend just called.....

[Frank]

Going to be a long night....
Good anchor and lots of scope...
Still always apprehensive when the gusts lay yo over

[Frank]

Pretty well at the worst of the blow now.(2:45am) Gusts are over 40...
Just in from securing the anchor locker lid, it was banging. Did a chaf check.
Funny how sounds etc effect you on these nights.
The anchor locker lid banging was unsettling...
The howling gusts, whistling rigging, halyards slapping and hull squeaks and groans ad to the chaotic feeling.
One sound I find comforting is the rode groaning on the cleat in the gusts.
That groan, along with the tug that comes with it means the anchor is holding.
I'll try sleep again.....

[Frank]

"Happiness is waking up and being in the same place you fell asleep"

It held :-)

[wolverine]

😅👍  That is a great quote Frank. I may have to engrave it somewhere in the boat.

[s/v Faith]

Great pics, Frank! Keep them coming... Thank you!

[Frank]

Hi Craig!
Great to see you're still around. Hope life is good and you're enjoying yourself!

I've often mentioned the benefits of shallow draft, particularly if sailing in the Florida Keys or Bahamas. It sure opens up areas and takes the stress out of multiple situations.
While several chapters could be written, this picture from today, anchored in town harbour at low low tide, where sailboats fear to tread, tells 1000 words.
I could walk out to my boat if needed....
Sub 3ft is wonderful!

[Frank]

Lithium update:

It's been a month now and I honestly couldn't be happier!
The lowest I've seen after 2 very dull days of minimal solar gain was 83% in the morning.
I don't stress about having the lights on at night, turning the little freezer cooler or charging my phone after the sun goes down as I did before.
Couple that with half the weight, easy-no worry storage and the promise of many extra years of service (yet to be proven) makes it a no brainer.
While it cost about 25% more here due to shipping in, back in the USA this 200amp hour was $590 delivered.... About the same price as the 2-6 volt golf cart batteries it replaced

Pictures are from this morning
Battery level and fridge-freezer temps
Thought I'd throw last nights sunset in too as it was beautiful!

[Tim]

Great info Frank, thanks and of course for the beautiful photos.

[wolverine]

Yes, great info.  I put lithium batteries on the wish list.

[Frank]

Extremely nice broad reach for over 20 miles yesterday.
I played "frieght boat" after picking up booze and grocery orders for the 3 boats at Allan's Pensacola.
Green Turtle friends figured I'd stay for the Super Bowl party at sundowners, but when you have hearing loss, are in a room with the game turned up very loud and everyone talking extremely loud to be heard... it's all just jumble and actually hurts at times....
The sail up here and quiet gathering after arriving was much more enjoyable

Sail up yesterday
Sunrise today

[Frank]

I'd like to say "just do it".....
But I guess I have to say "make life choices to just do it"

It struck me today as 6 of us, off 5 different boats, all 40ish year old vessels, walked a beautiful remote beach and chatted about past anchorages, boat design, future destinations and all things nautical..... that we were nothing special.

It then struck me that our "hero's"... our "mentors" ... who's books and articles we all had read and inspired us, were really nothing special...

They were literally just like us in so many ways....

We all had made life choices to get out and enjoy our boats....

The couple pictured on the NorSea 27 aft cabin are wonderful... but nothing special.
They purchased their boat years ago on the west coast and trailered it home.
They live in a very modest home, lead a modest lifestyle, don't spend much on restaurants-bars-entertainment or frivolous items, BUT..... they have trailered their 27 up to the PNW (camping on it enroute) and explored Desolation Sound on up to Queen Charlotte. They have spent months aboard in the beautiful North Channel (Lake Huron), they have cruised the Bradore Lakes, much of the east coast, Florida and the Abacos. Their boat is well set up for extended periods aboard and they are away from town for up to a month between supply runs.
They make life choices to do it.
That IS what's special!

I thought as we walked, how truly... anyone can..... even on an extremely modest budjet, do what we are doing.

SailBoats of 25-27ft with roller furling, dodgers and sunshades etc can be purchased in the $4-7000 range easily

You can obviously spend far more.....

I've stated before it all comes down to "choice"....

Spend money on Restaurants, bar tabs, new gadgets or whatever.... Or, live well below your means and save some to get away.....

Choice...

In the end, our choices certainly co creat our lives!

Here's to folks... good folks... that are nothing special.... That make good choices, not excuses.....


Polynya today after our beach walk

[Frank]

Winds subsided so we left the security of the hurricane hole and sailed out to a more exposed anchorage.
Did a "dingy bottom cleaning" day yesterday with 4 dingys overturned on the beach. I made rum punch and we had tunes as well to make the job an event.
I played "Uber" with my dingy getting folks to/from their boats.

[Frank]

I sailed back to Manjack for a singalong at a friends last Saturday.
Fun evening, simple times....
Sailed back to Black Sound at Green Turtle, trying to outrun the rain and picked up a mooring last Sunday as winds are all over the place and gusting high 30s...
A friends son gets married this Sunday after which I can head out again.
There is social life in the sound but I prefer getting away from town....

[Frank]

Well... the wedding was certainly an event! Geez, they go all out!

No wind so I motored the 5 miles to Manjack this morning. Flat calm and sunny.
Was a rare time I didn't sail and relied on the mighty 8hp. Wasn't in a hurry and made 4+ knots at about half throttle. Nice and quiet.....
Awesome beach walk with my friends and an incredible sunset later.
Good day
Feeling blessed

Yep, my toes with the big stingray 😳

[Frank]

We have a new lad join us for a bit. Josh on a Cape Dory 28.
He's a live aboard and brings the boat down from NY for the winter.
He's now the biggest in our little fleet
I'm the lightweight amongst these fine offshore boats.
Cape Dory 28
Pacific Seacraft 27
NorSea 27
Jenneau 24

Proof fun can be had under 30ft

[Frank]

Rant warning:

How can folks afford such large vessels yet have no clue how to safely and professionally operate them?

Just today I'm sailing SE on the sea of Abaco and an extremely large cruiser, 70+ ft, Euro styling, pulls out from Spanish Cay about 2 miles behind and swings towards me.
When his coarse stabilized... it was literally running dead into my stern.
It is a sunny day and I'm highly visible on the turquoise water with my full genny unfurled.
When I witnessed no further coarse changes, I got on the VHF "south bound cruiser off Spanish Cay, please confirm you see the sailboat in front of you"
About 15 seconds went by and then about a 45 degree coarse change on his part. Once a good distance away, he corrected back to his original heading.
I can't help but think he originally put it on coarse, hit "auto pilot" and went about other business...
It's  F n scary seeing a huge motor yacht bearing directly down on you about a quarter mile off!

Next, a few miles further along, a similar event as a large sport fisherman was bearing down on me....
Slightly frustrated from the previous encounter, I got on the VHF " southbound sport fisherman..... surely there's lots of room in the sea of Abaco to go around me"
He made a minor coarse change and passed close, about 150 ft off my starboard side trimmed at "maximum wake"
To say his wake was crazy would be an understatement.
To say he was oblivious would also be an understatement. He gave an innocent wave as he went by.
I got back on the VHF and said "thanks for the wide pass captain, mighty professional of ya"...
Then realized my sarcasm was most likely lost on him....

This seldom happens here during winter as it's mostly cruisers but I'm told there's lots of big, fast Florida boats during summer months.
Thankfully I'm not here then!

It's beyond me how unprofessional and down right dangerous some boat owners are!

Below is the Spirt Fish at max wake. Remember.... There's an entire sea to pass me...

[wolverine]

Unfortunately this all too common.  Years back while fishing a tournament, our boat was struck by another boat.  The offending operator tried to say it was our fault for sitting idle on a busy lake, on a Sunday,  during boating season.
We were also in a no wake zone and 30' feet from shore.

[Frank]

The joy of shallow draft...
5 boats clustered on one side of the bay
Deja vu alone on this side in 3-1/2 ft

[Frank]

Just back to Green Turtle Cay from another island hopping tour.
Hard to believe there are still places like this where long, beautiful beachs have no foot prints.
A "sock" makes the cruising chute manageable For an old lad

[wolverine]

Beautiful!