Heading Home

We’re back, sitting on a mooring in Boot Key Harbor, Florida. The picture above is actually from No Name Harbor in Biscayne Bay when we first arrived back. Since then, we've made our way halfway down the Keys and plan to stay here for at least a month working on the boat and driving home for Christmas.
Thanksgiving week was the decision-maker. Jacob was finishing up his persuasive essay, “Why teens shouldn’t be homeschooled.” There was no pumpkin pie or large, loud family gatherings. There was a trip to the beach that ended in Jacob’s second injury of the trip, a broken finger. The run-the-business-from-the-boat plan had a few clitches. It was decided, on the Friday after Thanksgiving, to point Capricious’ bow in the general direction of Texas.
We made the three day passage back through Bahama blue water almost glassy this time. The easy sail gave us lots of talking time. We talked about how, a month from now, we’ll only remember all the fun and beauty and excitement. We wished we’d taken more pictures. We talked about chips and salsa and favorite League City restaurants. We discussed the pros and cons of the various Clear Lake marinas. We occasionally thought we were doing the wrong thing and we told ourselves it was definitely the right thing. We called the grandparents upon arrival. They lauded Jacob’s views on public schooling. They hoped we’d be home by Christmas.
We meant to stay out a year but six months of adventure will last us quite a while. Will we itch for a distant shore sooner than we expected? Will the convenience of daily showers, well stocked grocery stores and floors that don’t move lull us into tightly tied docklines?
Now it is Dec 15. We've had two weeks back in the United States and are still tossing around questions. Live on the boat until Jacob graduates and then set sail again? Move back to 200 Pecan Drive?
You can only see as far as the horizon, no matter where you are.

'Til next time, Toni

Toni's at the helm during the Gulf Stream crossing. She's probably thinking, "I used my vacation days for this??" The crossing was wet and a little wild. Randall kept telling me not to get off course or the current would shoot us past Freeport and then we'd be back to Brunswick. We pulled into Nassau Harbor with another boat which left Florida about the same time. We commented on how light the boat traffic was on both the Gulf Stream and the Exuma passage but it was not until today that we overheard at the local beach bar that there are 12 boats sitting in Lake Worth, FL still waiting on calm enough weather to cross. Toni left us yesterday to go back to the world of daily showers, fresh fruit and veggies and flooring which does not move. Before she left, we had several days of sand castle building, island hiking and a couple of Bahama's Kalik's. Keep us in mind every morning, Toni, as you pour the coffee. If you ever get tired of the cup just sitting there without moving while you pour, come on back.

George Town Arrival

Jacob has a dream. He has even drawn it up on paper.
A driftwood lean-to with a hammock underneath. A fire pit would be nice and he’ll also need our collapsible water bag. He’s also hoping to come across an abandoned ice chest. Then, he’ll pack his bags and be outta here.
We’ve told him that there might not be land available for beach bum style squatting but site selection goes on as we make the run down Stocking Island looking for an anchorage by George Town. Monument Hill looks good to him. Anything on land looks good to him. He is ok with us visiting but we have to bring the food, lots of it.
I think the closeness is getting to him. Thank goodness we’ve made it to George Town where we can pile off the boat and put each other at arm’s length.
We anchor right next to Chat N Chill. The white sandy beach feels great after three days of pitching up and down. We play a short game of two-on-two volleyball until we can’t ignore the smell of Chat N Chill’s food. Ok, really our volleyball limit is 30 minutes but it’s nice to have a tantalizing excuse. The conch burgers are delicious and Jacob, always happy in front of good food, notes calmly that there is not another person under 40 in sight and that cole slaw isn’t bad on conch burgers. If he weren’t critiquing food, this observation would have been so calmly made.
“They get here in December,” is our reply. “We’re early.”
“I’m not so sure,” he says.
Randall and I look at each other. We can’t buy him ten conch burgers a day to keep peace. The situation looks a little serious.
“I bet some of these 40 year olds are really immature,” we try.
Today we plan to see the town. We have lots to do. Randall is tracking down a part for the battery regulator which melted down during the trip making for a tense ten minutes of searching out the source of smoke. I want to check out the grocery store to see what we’ll be eating a lot of here. Toni wants to take in the local sights and see how to get to the airport on Friday. Lily wants to see if there is ice cream. But Jacob will be scouring for building supplies. If you build it, they will come. If they don’t, his friend, Murrey, is planning on a December visit. Pictures to come as soon as I get my camera battery charged (battery regulator problem has us on power conservation mode). Hopefully, there will not be one of Jake camped out on shore.

Packing Heat at Nassau, Bahamas

We headed out on Wednesday for our second attempt at a foreign port of call. Way back in June, we left for Isla Mujeres, Mexico and ended up in Pensacola. This time, we’re pleased to report, has resulted in passport stamps and a stern lecture on bringing a pellet gun to the Bahamas. The gulf stream crossing was rough all day Wednesday but the following day was beautiful and we sailed into Nassau Harbor with three sails up. We pulled in late and didn’t think we’d have time to clear customs but a very nice customs officer breezed through the paperwork while we stared at the first warm meal we’d seen in 48 hours which was sitting on the table when she arrived.
“Any firearms aboard?” she asked.
“We just have a little toy pellet gun,” Randall replied.
“Does it have a serial number?” she wanted to know.
“I don’t think so. It is just a pellet gun,” Randall replied, showing her the “maybe we can fool the stupid ones with this” bb pistol we have on board.
“You are allowed to bring a firearm on a private vessel as long as it has a serial number. This is prohibited. Without a serial number, we cannot track it. It is prohibited.”
Silence.
“I will call my colleague to confirm this,” she said.
The colleague confirmed that it was prohibited.
Randall kept looking the bb gun over and finally found a number stamped on it. Now, our Bahamas paperwork reflects that we have legally declared our bb gun. We have 1500 rounds of ammunition on board (bb’s). And, most importantly, if this little bb gun is found in the hands of a murderous criminal, it can now be tracked back to Randall Fuchs on Capricious.
Tomorrow, we leave for the Exumas. We may give the bb gun a burial at sea.

Where Wind Wishes Come True

Toni Payne arrived last Tuesday to help crew! She was looking forward to assisting with the Palm Springs to George Town, Bahamas leg. Instead, she's getting the true picture of sailing listening to us check the weather everyday and mutter, “Not Today.” Its been blustery and from the North for days and we don’t expect any change until Monday. Toni has been spending each morning with Jake pouring over Algebra II and Physics. (New crew requirement: Must be able to recall high school math and science). We’ve also swam and snorkeled at Peanut Island and decided to make the three hour trip you-know-where yesterday. We really thought about passing on the touristy theme park side trip but, well, if you have a four-year-old who happens to love Cinderella, Mickey Mouse and fast rides, can you really ignore such close proximity to the place where wishes come true? We just hoped Toni wished for a South wind.

Boat Parade

There has been a parade of luxury boats going by all day.



How will we ever chose?

One More Toy, Lady Kathyrn II, or Quantum of Solace?

We think there is a boat show somewhere close. Or maybe the Palm Beach waters turns ordinary boats into Yachts. I hope Capricious is drinking up.

Goodbye Brunswick

We said good bye to Georgia on Thursday. Brunswick Georgia wasn’t ever our planned destination but watching it diminish as we sailed away was bittersweet. Jake made so many friends at Brunswick First Baptist that they had a little going away party for him last week. Someone wrote “We Love Lily” on the marina sidewalk the night before we left. Lily wanted to know who wrote it but she has so many friends there we didn’t try to unravel the mystery. And lastly, Chewy, our beloved dog, has found a new home in Brunswick. We had hoped that Chewy would do well on the boat. However, it seemed a really hard life for him. The heat was tough. The sailing was unpleasant for him. He seemed to be having trouble even jumping on and off the boat at the marina. We began to really question whether we were giving him the type of life he needed. We decided to see if we could find him a home and Lynn came to met him. Lynn is an animal person and they got on well from the start. She had a cat and we cautioned it probably wouldn’t work. She took Chewy for a few nights and reported that he and the cat are fast friends. He’s got a yard but prefers indoors, particularly the sofa. Pet owners frequently wonder what their pets are thinking and we have asked ourselves what Chewy thinks when he remembers us. I don’t know the answer but I have decided it goes like this:
Hmm. Remember my first family, the man, the lady, the tall boy, the little girl. We had so much fun and then I came here. What happened to them? Oh Yeah, they are trapped on that awful floating thing. Maybe I should try to help them! Maybe they need me! Maybe my new friend would let them live here and sleep on the sofa, too! Yawn. We might not all fit. I’ll just stretch out and see if there’s room. Goodness, it might be tight. Yawn. Maybe if I wiggle a little more into the cushion. That’s better. I think I’ll just close my eyes a minute. Snoore. What was I? Snore…
We arrived at West Palm Beach, FL, on Saturday. The two day sail down here gave us a chance to test new gadgets. Randall installed a screen at the helm so we could view the chart at the helm. We love it and Jacob already plans to split the screen so he can play computer chess while helming. The new auto pilot Randall put together by mounting a tiller controller to the windvane worked fabulous for about 23 hours and then quit. Randall is trying to figure that out because we already suffer auto pilot dependency. Finally, everyone says AIS (Automatic Identification System) is great and we agree. Now when there’s a boat looming on the horizon, we can look at the chart and see its name, how big it is and what it’s current heading is. A friendly professional voice even cautions, “You are on a collision course in three minutes. You are on a collision course in two minutes. You are on a collision course in one minute.” We all waited with anticipation for final comments. I half expected, “Everyone jump,” but apparently AIS doesn’t say goodbye that way. I guess I’ll have to continue my habit of saying this when I think we are too close.

Hay Days in St. Mary's

Everyone gets into Hay Days at St Mary's, GA, by displaying their own scarecrow creations. Some had fairy wings. Many had pumpkin heads. This one, displayed at a downtown church, gets our vote for most inviting. We didn't see a crow anywhere in town.

Driftwood Reclaimation Project - Common Ground Bakery

Driftwood lays sunning on the Georgia beachs, covered in sand and seaweed. It is sat on and stepped over, day after day. But it is patient, waiting to be discovered by someone who sees bridges, balconies and beauty.

Oak Grove Cemetary

Oak Grove Cemetary in Brunswick is the resting place of more than 100 Union and Confederate soldiers. The information does not specify how many Union soldiers are buried here but Confederate flags flapped in the breeze over many a still grave. The soldiers there rest in peace under their flags while, across the street, the minority-filled public housing project vibrates with childrens' voices, music and cars coming and going. Do the children come across, occassionally, to look down on the graves? Do they feel the past is strange? Do they feel the future is bright?

Brunswick Stewbilee

This is a girl with a new hairdo.

This is a girl testing new hairdo on bouncy slide.

This is a girl encouraging curly haired boys to try her hairstyle.

Armed and Dangerous

"Don't you worry about pirates when you go sailing?"

Well, it's not like we are unarmed.

Flaming arrows are terrifying on the high seas. We make Jake practice at night so the locals won't get alarmed. Hopefully, Randall will have the catapult finished before we leave.

Ok, just kidding. Jake would not share pics from his mudbogging weekend so I got him to send pictures from tonight's "flaming arrow shooting contest." And he thought there would be nothing to do in Brunswick, GA.

Blue Crabs in Yellow Bucket

Blue crabs for dinner! Capt. Bill of MV Adelaine brought over 6 blue crabs he caught trapping off the dock. We have been dangling a chicken neck over the side of the boat and have hauled up several large crabs. However, we always loose them before we manage to get them in the bucket. Bill uses a crab trap which is much more effective. You need about 10 -12 to make 4 crab patties so hopefully we'll get a few more before the day is through.

Ridin' Around Seeing Sights

Our cute little Toyota Yaris took us to Savannah and Hilton Head this weekend. I'd like to say life is fine without a car but we oh-so-loved being in the fast lane again. I think Yaris tops out at 70 miles per hour but it seemed fast after bicycling everywhere for a month. In Savannah, Lily rode some public art as well. On Hilton Head, we toured by bicycle. We took the Yaris for a reprovisioning extravaganza then back to Enterprise for a sad farewell. We hope to see each other again sometime soon.

Leaks & More Leaks

Randall's been sawing on the boat again with a little miter saw. It's never fun to cut wood you know you'll have to replace with $40/foot teak but he didn't like the way the caprail was pulling up at the bow. To get to the wood, we had to remove the bow pulpit and the foreward stay so the top picture shows what it looked like before demolition. We also have all the stanchions and lifelines off to epoxy and drill new (leakless!) holes along the entire length of the caprail. It has rained almost everyday in Brunswick except for this past week so it has been confirmed that our leaks are not going away by themselves. The worst leak is right above Lily's berth so she can't wait to get rid of the drip bucket she shares a bed with.

New Tunes

The new MP3 players are here. Not only does Lily now have her own, but it is permanently attached to her ear. Last night, I heard her mumble in her sleep, “plug it in, plug it in” because a dead battery is her worst nightmare. People frequently ask her what she’s listening too. Well, she’s got Owen and Ana’s Favs – a mix tape her friends made for her before she left. She gets out every third word of ‘Hey now, you’re an Allstar, get your game on, go play.” “Walking on Sunshine” is always a singing and dancing number. Jake has loaded some Beatles on there for her (his choice) and some Dixie Chicks (her choice). She spent her MP3less days on the Gulf sitting in Michelle’s lap with one of Michelle’s earpieces in her ear so she also wants the music from Happy Feet and Carolyn Wonderland’s “Bad Girl Blues.” Finally, she gets in Daddy’s lap last night with a few requests from his music. Can I have “He went to Paris,” she asks? Aaaaw. She and Daddy sing Jimmy Buffet’s sad ballad every night. It will choke up anyone with a beating heart. She wants the song about her, also known as “Lily of the Valley” by Charlie Robinson. Her last request is the Dark Horse. “Can I have the Heart Dancing In Our Eyes song,” she asks sweetly. Please? I tune in for the response. “Sure,” Randall says, pleased with her selections. John Prine’s guitar starts up the simple melody of “In Spite of Ourselves,” while he records the odd-but-happy, love struck duet for her. It starts so innocently with “She don’t like her eggs all runny…” With all the rhyming couplets, she’ll have it memorized in no time. “…She gets it on like the Easter Bunny.” It’ll probably be me hiding my face at the marina club house while she belts out, “She thinks all my jokes are corny. Convict movies make her horny.” I think she’ll actually skip Iris DeMent’s mince no words description: “Well he ain’t been laid in a month of Sundays. Last night I caught him sniffing my undies.” She’s only four but, at four, that’s still strangely un-singable. If you want to rate the song’s preschool appropriateness, follow the link below and comment back. If you couldn’t care less what crazy things parents do these days but are in a quirky relationship that needs a new theme song, this might be just the one. And if you’re a movie buff, please let us know what movie this is from. I am guessing that Billy Bob Thornton’s character is the one with “balls the size of a big brass monkey” but I could be wrong. Play song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5axlwCBXC8

Jekyll Island Beach Festival

We went to Jekyll Island Saturday with Mack and Shirley of SV Cats Paw. Hurricane Bill was sending a higher-than-normal surf to the area and it happened to coincide with the annual Jekyll Island Beach festival. Live music, barbecue, homemade ice cream and miles and miles of sand. The band covered Van Morrison, ice cream covered Lily and sand covered everything else. We hurried back to the boat as storm clouds approached. Four boats were hit by lightening in our marina during a Friday night light show. Not sure that our presence aboard matters much to lightening but Chewy finds it comforting to have someone to ride it out with.

Mad Puffer Fish

I hope you can make out the puffer fish in this picture. He makes a mean face. It must be especially appalling to be caught by a pink Barbie Net toting four year old.

Happy (late) Birthday Mom

Mom turned 73 last week. She's been telling people "63" and then realizing, a little alarmed, that she's off by ten years. Her computer has been down for several months and that internet stuff was cancelled a year ago due to lack of use. Now, she's taking a computer class, five days a week mind you, so she can keep up with her grandkid's activities on our blog. She and Dad get frequent telephone updates but she wants, of course, to see the pictures. She thinks her new computer will be up this week so, hopefully, this will be the first entry she reads. We miss you. I know you want to see Jacob and Lily pics but, surprise, this picture of you and Dad is too good not to share. Thanks again to Jan for sending me pictures of July 4 on the farm.

Trim carpenters just don’t get jobs like this anymore. The Glynn County Court House (top pic) in Brunswick is surrounded by restored Victorian-era Painted Ladies like this one. Most of them have law firm occupants rather than families. I hope they offer their clients sweet tea and peach pie with their “the law is really difficult to understand (and costly to explain)” speech.

Boat Bread

Randall made bread in the pressure cooker. When the lid came off, we weren't sure about it at all. Then, it had to be pried out of the pan. It came out looking like a cheese cake. It was, despite out doubts, incredibly delicious. Pressure cooking is an art on boats. It saves fuel by cooking fast and does not heat up the cabin like baking would.

Work Wanted

I know you get tired of hearing from me. So here is a post written from Jake’s perspective (how he’d have written it if he has time/inclination/interest in sharing).

Spending time with my parents is ok. Dinnertime, that is. I like spending dinnertime with my parents particularly on those occasions when steak or shrimp is on the menu. But the rest of the time? No thanks. Which is the problem with cruising. So I’ve spent the last week scouting for a job in Brunswick. I’ll walk in a restaurant and ask if I can fill out an application. “I don’t have enough work for myself,” is the frequent reply. I even showed up at the library to volunteer. “We only have paying positions,” was the response. “Ok. Can I get an application?” “Sorry. We don’t have any paying positions right now.” Librarians. They are such practical jokers. My parents keep saying small towns are like that and I have to be persistent to find anything. But I have the feeling I’ll finally land my first choice job at the busy pizza joint downtown and it’ll be time to leave. Maybe I can break through at the library and have them create the first unpaid position in the history of their institution. I think they kind of like abusing me.

Cheers Mate

Michelle often describes herself as a gypsy. She travels. She avoids buying stuff, opting instead for a life of experience rather than things. She works intermittantly, saving furiously for the next trip. She is drawn to new people everywhere she goes and takes up with them as old friends. Her lastest experience - 53 days with the Fuchs family - has been a sea trial of unique proportions. She had to have her hair groomed daily by Lily. Jacob was her frequent shoreside companion and told outrageous lies about her land activities such as, "She keeps trying to take me to bars," and "She tried to set me up with a 8 year old." She was asked numerous times if she was my sister. And when she started mentioning she needed to go home, the Captain quit sailing to towns with airports. I picture her at home tonight, thinking that experience is pretty darn overrated. Yet, we know her well, and know that she is remembering every moment in the best light. She had her own special relationship with each of us and we are all missing our gypsy mate and hoping her wandering path leads here again someday. One of her most used expression was "Cheers Mate" and she never took a drink of anything, from beer to a tall glass of water, unless she'd first offered to get others a drink. So tonight, "Cheers Mate" to Michelle. We will miss you! It was a great way to start our voyage.

Eating watermelon in Brunswick, GA

We have been making our way up the Florida coast, overnighting in Cape Canaveral and Fernandina Island. Jake caught the biggest waves yet at Fernandina Beach and the marina is right at the heart of the quaint little island tourist town. It was very nice but we decided to continue North as Florida has that Hurricane Bullseye sitting on most of its coast. We pulled in to Brunswick, GA, yesterday, sailing past islands which look great for exploring. The Dockmaster, Sherrie, met us at the slip to catch lines and announce that we were at the best Hurricane Hole on the east coast. Her chihauhau, Killer, pranced about in a pink dress and gave Chewy a few high pitches warnings. Sherrie pointed to the free laundry, gave us a map of the many restaurants within walking distance and asked us if we wanted a free watermelon that another cruiser left at the office (we did). We may be here for awhile.

Fort Pierce, FL

We made great time from Marathon Key to Fort Pierce Fl thanks to the Gulf Stream. It is strange to go 7 knots in 0 knots of wind. All night long we coasted, listening to the Coast Guard broadcast a message to area vessels to be on the lookout for another sailboat, Pisces, which was overdue on its trip from Miami to Key Largo. Unfortunately, the Coast Guard does not broadcast info when a lost vessel is located so we never get any closure after thinking of all the various things that might have caused another sailor's delay. Hopefully, the Pisces crew is now accounted for and enjoying a "It coulda been worse" round at the local bar. We would have kept going North another day but the cool front that has broke the Oklahoma-Texas heat wave is making its way down here creating some thunderstorms. We are glad so many of you are finally getting a break even though it sounds like every blade of grass, flower petal and even Dad's black-eyed peas are past rescue. May the rest of the summer be cool and pleasant!

Something ate half of this Barracuda before we could get it reeled in.

This one didn't get eaten...what's with all the Barracuda?

Salute to Richard Gordon Pixley

Larry Joe is an outlaw. What laws have been compromised, we didn't ask. His stories were too enthralling to interrupt. Most of the time, you hear a stranger's stories and must picture the characters involved. But Larry Joe carries a little photograph album in his back pocket. He pulled out the tattered little album proudly to show us his ex-wife and her husband, whom he is friends with, his son and daughter-in-law and two grandkids, Bubbette 1 and Bubbette 2. His dog was there and his previous inlaws too. There is also a black and white picture of a handsome young man with dark curls. Pixley was the only guy he ever fought naked and you don't forget a fight like that, he says. The fight started in the military shower when Larry Joe called Pixley a Yank and Pixley retorted with all the Southern slurs he knew. The next day they went to Vietnam together with black eyes and bloody noses that they had given each other and, from that fight on, they were brothers in arms. They watched each others' back. They shared their fears and lived out those fears daily. Pixley never came home. He is buried in Franklinville, NY, a place Larry Joe would normally have had no reason to see, it not being in the south or on the coast. Larry Joe goes there every year on Memorial Day. He sits by Pixley and drinks until the local cops come by to check on him and suggest that he'd better not drive. They offer him a ride. He accepts because he likes to tell the people of Franklinville NY about their soldier. I'll never forget, he says. Just think of those guys. Just remember. They didn't want to give their lives. Their lives were taken. And we are here.

Bahia Honda State Park

Lily is shown above singing and hanging out her laundry. I know you think we are always doing laundry but today we actually swam, snorkled, walked Chewy on the Bahia Honda State Park trails and shared a pint of ice cream in the cockpit. Chewy got thrown off the no-dogs-allowed beach and pouted in the shade while we swam. Apparently, swimming with dogs is considered unhygenic in Florida. I am sure Chewy was thinking, "You can't tell me they are all holding it for this long" as we swam and swam. We saw an iguana on our walk and a sting ray in the water. Pork chops on the grill are planned for tonight. We are planning to sail the short distance to Marathon Key tomorrow. Jacob spent all his free time in Key West pricing skim boards. One broke toe just isn't enough.

Keep Key West Weird

Key West is surprisingly tacky yet refreshingly unrefined. At Naples City Dock, we were politely discouraged from hanging the laundry on the lifelines to dry. Not that they mind, of course, but there is a steady stream of locals who come down to the dock and like to see the city keep a respectable appearance. We’re anchored at Key West instead of berthed at a marina. However, I get the impression that the locals here can accommodate both the washing-optional or the clothing-optional lifestyle. If you prefer to wash, by all means, hang the laundry wherever and expect a friendly wave if the display includes sexy undergarments. The street performers offer a lot of insight into the town at their until-sunset variety show. The Great Rondini mentioned that if you’re straight, that’s OK at Key West. If you’re gay, that’s OK at Key West. If you are bi, that is just being greedy. In short, local color abounds here. They’d readily understand Austin’s “Keep Austin Weird” motto but they don’t seem to have all those tech nerds threatening their weirdness. If we get a chance to visit the sidestreets, maybe there will be guys wearing laced shoes in the shadows discussing Steve Job’s health. (Scott & Sherrie, if you’re out there sign up as followers and we’ll lay off Austin tech nerds. Lily so misses O and Anna). On the medical front, we are currently foregoing Jake’s toe surgery. We got vastly different opinions from the Naples ortho and the podiatrist who treated Jake. Since we are on the boat and on the move, we are opting for the old-fashioned tape-and-hope approach which has worked so well on the knee and finger. I suppose we could have consulted the palm reader last night regarding whether the toe will ever look normal. We didn’t even think of that question after learning that Jake would not be supplying us with any future grandchildren! Hopefully, it is not the crooked toe that scares the women all away.

This Little Piggy Went Skim Boarding

Jake's toes have always looked a little, well, funny. Today at the beach, he took a crack at skim boarding and wipedout. He looked down and the fourth little piggy was standing straight up. He calmly limped to Dad to show him the damage. Dad tried to push the fourth little piggy into his proper place and that is when the excruciating pain set in. A doctor was consulted after Dad's medical services were deemed unacceptable. X-rays revealed a fracture at the growth plate and surgery is imminent. Apparently, little piggy needs a pin in order to assure proper alignment. Wee Wee Wee Maybe We Should Run Home. (Just joking, grandparents, don't get all excited)

Forestay Failure

We limped in to Naples last night without a forestay. On route to Key West, we had heavy seas and winds gusting a little over 40 miles per hour. We had spent the morning trying to trim sails to our beat into the wind. We had finally settled in and were making some progress into the wind and waves when we see our headstay snap from its fixed position at the bow. (The headstay is the wire cable that attaches to the bow of the boat and that keeps the mast upright. The head sail (Genoa) attaches to the headstay via a Roller-Furler system). The headstay, roller-furler and sail were all thrashing about the boat. Randall and Michelle went foreward on the pitching wet deck for the job of securing the headstay and roller-furler and then bringing down the staysail to take pressure off the mast. It probably took about an hour and, from the helm, I could tell they were getting beat up and almost thrown overboard trying to control the loose headstay and sail in the conditions. I was at the helm and Jake was securing the lines they were using to try to get the headstay secured. On everyone's mind was how well the mast would hold up without the headstay's stabilizing force. We made for Naples and got there mast intact. The headstay's brand new shackle broke, causing the problem. We aren't sure why but one theory is that the anchor somehow came down on the shackle with enough force to break it. But most likely, it looks like the part was defective. Randall has a very bruised foot and both he and Michelle are sore today. We have a replacement shackle so the fix should be easy. Pizza, beer and ice cream were attacked with much gusto last night as we talked about how much worse it could have been.

Toggle that used to connect the headstay to the boat

Cayo Costa State Park By Boat

We came in the Boca Grande pass last night to anchor at Cayo Costa Island. It was a short day sail from Venice to Boca Grande but very windy all day. We had our first experience with dropping the jib to the deck when our roller furling got fouled and would not bring it in. I headed into the wind causing it to flap wildly. Randall, Michelle and Jake had to hand pull it in as the halyard was lowered. We were all glad when it was down without mishap. Today, we dingied to Cayo Costa. Randall and Jake have laughed at me all day because I was talking to a Park Ranger about how to get around the island which is also a state park. I commented to the Ranger that I was disoriented because we got there by boat. I forgot the detail that you can only get to Cayo Costa by boat or long distance swimming. I guess that is why she was not impressed with my by boat arrival.

Clearwater to Sarasota Bay

We left Clearwater two days ago in 20 knot winds. Although that is very manageable wind, the Clearwater pass is narrow making for a rough ride through the jetties with boats behind us turning back. The sail down to Tampa Bay was fast and we anchored at a small barrier island and rode out more wind through the night. Tuesday was calm so we took the Intercoastal Waterway from Tampa Bay to Sarasota Bay. Instead of open water, we had miles of beautiful homes and long stretches of mangroves on both sides of the boat. We had checked the charts for bridges and knew that we had two bascule bridges and one fixed bridge to negotiate before our destination. Bascule bridges are the type that open skyward. Both of the Bascules we came to were on a set schedule so we had a little wait each time. The final bridge of the day was the Ringling Causeway bridge in Sarasota. We had measured the mast back in Pensacola to make sure we knew our own height which stands at about 63 foot. The Ringling Causeway is a 65 foot bridge. Theoretically we good to go under a 65 foot bridge. However, it never looks that way as you approach a bridge. I was at the helm during the pass so my vision was blocked by the bimini. Randall, with binoculars, mutters, “I just can’t look” as we approach and Michelle is saying, “I’m not sure we’re going to make it.” I begin to feel the shadow of the bridge and brace myself for the scraping, jolting and hellish commotion which I imagine greets idiots who hit bridges. However, we appear to be passing through. As we are about to pass out from under the bridge, Randall starts yelling, “Left. Left. Left.” I turn the boat left as Randall watches our mast come inches from a large chain hanging from the bridge’s lights. We made it to our anchorage without doing damage to the Ringling Causeway. We spent yesterday enjoying the nearby park and Tiki bar and grill. Lily made friends with a little Pomeranian named Pompi. Pompi was on the town with Kat and Jack from Venice Beach which is our destination today. They gave us some info on where to go in Venice and mentioned that Venice is the place to beach comb for shark’s teeth. They even encouraged us to anchor by the restaurant Sharky’s and swim to the beach to look for teeth in the shallows there. “Perfectly safe,” they said. We are trying to figure out if this is a little trick the locals play on tourists. The advice must be good though because they took up with Lily so much that, by the time we left, she was wearing a shark’s tooth necklace, compliments of Jack and Kat, in case she doesn’t find a tooth at Sharky’s beach.

We're Off Like A . . .

We have a new phrase which seems appropriate for our shore excursions. “We’re off like a herd of turtles.” It seems to perfectly describe that 20-minute scramble for sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, maps, camera and correct trolley change which occurs before we set off. In the cockpit, we debate “Take Chewy or Tie Chewy.” If we leave him, we usually have to tie him on his leash because that was not at all his plan for the day. At the last marina, he jumped off without permission and relieved himself right in front of the harbormaster. I know, when you gotta go. Finally, we check the docklines and climb or jump off, depending on how low/high the tide is. Our new fav phrase comes to us from the George family, who traveled with a brood of six all over the world and never lost a single kid or dog. Michelle and I have shared many family stories the past two weeks and her family takes the prize for Meeting Fascinating People All Over The World. We are in Clearwater, FL, after a two day sail. We caught another big fish which went unidentified for awhile. We thought we have either a King Mackerel or Wahoo. The marina here has a number of charter fishing boats and we’ve decided it was a King Mackerel that has been feeding us so well.

Waywardness

Well, I have a number of transgressions to report.

1. Jacob got his ear pierced. Who told him that real sailors sport an earring? Michelle? Vicki?
2. Many of you will forgive the earring as "youthful spontaneity." However, I must also report that I checked his journal and NOT A WORD. You may want to comment back on this as I know many of you have mentioned the importance of recording a few memories. I think the advice to use vivid verbs and awesome adjectives was just too much. Maybe as a starting point, he should write the date, weather conditions and whether his ear is red and oozey or OK. I think he could stay on top of that.
3. Lily has been to a bar. I was doing laundry at the marina which has an outdoor bar right in the dead center of the marina. Eric was giving a live perfomance, apparently a sort of audition to play there regularly, and he was working hard, calling to casual bystanders to come in and join the fun. He was covering all the best sing along songs. I come out of the laundry and he has reeled in both Michelle and Lily and two other little girls gawking from the perimeter. He is leading everyone to the tune of Jesus Loves Me and, for just a moment, it seemed like every little thing was going to be alright and brotherhood would reign on earth. The little girls were all smiles. We stayed for several more songs so Lily could get a little dancing in too.
Many of you were worried about the possibility that the year long Fuchs cruise would lead the innocent astray. This was just a slight detour in our efforts to seek wholesome, family-oriented entertainment devoid of tv and video games, piercings and barhopping.

Sun Harbour Marina

We are currently anchored outside Sun Harbour Marina in Panama City. We see a lot of activity nearby. The Shell Island pontoon rentals and the Betsy Ann Riverboat all take a payload of sunbathers and tourists out on the water several times daily right past our boat. This morning, we walked a few blocks to catch a trolley to the beach and play in the water. When we first passed the Panama City Bay jetties on Monday, we noticed that the blue water turned bright green in the shallow water. Today, we found out that the green tint is due to seaweed which is suspended in the water right now and can easily become suspended in your swimsuit bottoms as well. As the sun went down tonight, Randall cranked up Robert Earle Keen's "I'm Coming Home" on the boat's underpowered stereo system. We sang so no one would notice the poor sound quality. A few might not have noticed we're from Texas. Til Now, anyway.

Gettin' Around

We hit Panama City on the Rollerblades. Michelle and I went grocery shopping to stock up, passing through old downtown Panama City on the way. Meanwhile, Randall went to three marine stores trying to track down a part for the water pump. I successfully managed two grocery bags while rollerblading uneven terrain around the marina. Randall had to go farther on his mission and actually had to take a highway on the roller blades, weaving between the street and median avoiding traffic. He hit a batch of sand and went flying, getting what Lily is calling "a great big, bloody boo-boo." The part does not arrive until Thursday so we may soak wounds and tired feet in the salt water tomorrow.

Panama City, FL

We spent Friday on a beautiful beach at Pensacola with Capricious anchored nearby. Saturday morning, we left for an overnight sail taking us to Panama City, FL. We saw numerous dophins but the big excitement was a shark which swam next to the boat for several minutes. Even though he was a fraction of our size, we still felt a little like prey while he was there. We are planning to stay a couple of nights here, stock up the fridge and sail to Sarasota, FL later in the week.

Thanks for the hats, Danny

Bye Jerry!

We had lunch on Pensacola Bay and then said bye to Jerry. He has to get back to Drumright, OK, to beautiful wife Debbie who so graciously let him go for a week. Jerry and Debbie are busy repairing their boat's Ike damage but Czech N Mate is almost ready for their upcoming voyage. We hope to share some future bay with them after they bring their boat down the Mississippi and into the Gulf. A great big thanks to Jerry for taking on so many crewing duties including a day long, post passage engine tune-up. As the picture above shows, you never know what kind of chore you might end up with on Capricious. We are staying one more night at Palafox Marina. We fueled up and were getting ready to leave in high winds when the Harbor Master offered to let us stay overnight for free due to the wind. We try not to have too many boat rules but I may establish the first one as "Never turn down free night at a Marina." Thanks Palafox!!

Thanks for dinner and all the help, Jerry!

The Long Way To Pensacola

We made landfall Wednesday in Pensacola Florida. We motored into a south wind for three days. Weather reports were indicating possible tropical depression forming in Panama. Since we were making such little progress to Isla Mujeres, we decided to turn east and go with the wind. More favorable wind was so enjoyed that we rode it to Pensacola. Trip highlight was Jerry, Randall and Jake fighting a 40-pound dorado to the deck! All three swore they were on the losing end of the fight but finally got him in, minus one fishing pole. Lily was on constant dolphin watch and spotted many twirls and flips. However, at one long stretch without a glimpse of life out there, she got reflective and looked us and said, "What are we doing here?" . . . Perhaps we'll have an answer for her at the end of the year.

There must be thousands of these things off the Texas and Louisiana coasts

Anyone hungry?


Nap time under the fan

The ice is all gone and we need a beer