First days back in town

Isla feels quite at home next to Jeff's boat, I think she likes the company. Thursday involved some napping in hopes of fighting the fatigue that set in and then dinner with some good island friends! So fun and exciting to have people visit on MY boat, I still can't believe it. It's a good story we have, Isla and I, one that will carry thoughout my life and I'm looking forward to seeing what develops for us in the future...

Friday morning started off somewhat early with more work, as boat work never stops and neither does my dad. We took apart the dingy engine, cleaned her up and had her purring... ok, maybe not purring, more like growling, but she runs beautifully and will get me places, which I am very grateful for! Dad and Donny took a trip in the dingy, yet to be named, to Peaks to see some folks and had a very wet ride home. Friday night we headed to the Snow Squall where Jeff's band was playing and had drinks with his daughter Hannah who owns the company Sea Bags. They make bags, totes and other things out of recycled sails that people donate! Check them out at http://www.seabags.com/

Hannah is going to help me repair my sails and get at least two of them in good solid working order, super excited to have that connection!

Saturday we took Isla out for her first sail on Casco Bay, along with Justin! We had some light wind and got our bearings once again around the islands. Nice to have a shake down cruise with dad to break the ice of day sailing. We headed out to Peaks, down towards Long Island and then around Cow to head back into town. Gorgeous day and nice shift into sailing here at home. Funny how different it feels than when you are on a mission to get somewhere.

It was dad's 65th birthday and last night so we had a big lobster dinner at Justin's house. Uncle Pete, Aunt Susan and Lindarella all came to celebrate. We got fresh corn and potatoes from the farmers market that morning and had quite a feast finished off with some exquisite homemade chocolate cake! Yum! The perfect last dinner!

Sunday morning it was time for the boys to pack up and go... We made a pit stop at Standard baking company and then off to the bus station...

I waited for the bus to pull out to wave a last goodbye. They were off to Boston to catch a flight home and then there was one. I expected to feel panic as they drove away and I was left with a quiet Maine morning, alone with my new girl, but altho I shed some tears, I felt at peace. It's time for a new adventure, one that the past few weeks helped to prepare me for. One that my life has prepared me for but the last few weeks have refreshed my memory and given me practice and confidence to handle on my own. Life is an adventure. You can plan and dream and put things in place but the unexpected will happen and your plans will have to shift whether you want them to or not. I actually am a planner. I like to be in control; I like to anticipate and prepare for what will happen next, I like to think I will be ready for what life has in store for me. I am also a dreamer and a bit of a drifter, which quite frankly is weird, but I sort of plan and prepare to be able to be a drifter :) I suppose my history has prepared me to go with the flow, expect the unexpected and roll with the punches. And while the punches had been particularly stunning in this past year and a half, today I feel stronger, more secure and happier than I have been in a long time.

I cannot express my gratitude enough to everyone who has supported me in this last journey, that really is just beginning. To my friends who share my enthusiasm and encourage me on even when I think I might be crazy... To my mother, who even though I know she would rather I was at home, has smiled and understood the importance of my next steps. And is currently driving my car with the rest of my belongings to Maine for me. To my sister, who is truly an extention of me, for hugging me through tears, having complete confidence in me and loving me more than I can comprehend. To Cruise, who inspires me everyday, makes me laugh and supports me in his own way, mostly through harassment, and who has brought me back to life. To Donny for taking time and energy out of his life to help get me home and for not giving up even when Isla was giving us her best. And to my dad. My captain, my biggest fan, my teacher. I will be eternally grateful that we were able to do this trip together, to learn from you, and share time on the water where we are both at our best. It wouldn't have happened any other way. I love you all. And hope that I support you at least half as much as you support me. I couldn't be more blessed.

Outside, Cape May to Woods Hole

This is the lovely little red marker that led me astray when we entered the channel to the canal for Cape May. Looks rather large and obvious in the daylight...

As we sat at the fuel dock in Cape May filling tanks and washing up, a sweet middle aged couple came by and were asking me questions about the boat. Isla gets comments everywhere we go, with her beautiful lines and spunky personality. The couple marveled at our journey and said they have a small sailboat but have been thinking about buying a bigger one and getting rid of their house. I told them a bit about our travels and the trials we had been having lately and they offered to drive us anywhere we needed to go for supplies and provisions. I explained about needing new points and the man called a friend of his to see if he might have some and when that didn’t pan out he offered to drive dad to the auto parts store. Joe and Maureen were their names and I knew at that moment that the next section of this trip would be much different than the last. They restored my hope and changed the energy of our journey! Most of the time this trip feels completely normal to me. I have done it many times before with my family and living aboard and traveling has periodically been part of my life. It isn’t daring or unusual or a great feat, it is just part of the journey and a way of life. Why not buy a boat and sail it from Florida to Maine? That’s how you get where you want to go! That’s what she’s built for! I forget sometimes that it's not normal for everyone and that to some we seem quite adventurous! I have to admit I kind of like it :) We left the dock and anchored just off the channel to eat breakfast, install the new points and get our bearings. A couple of other boats surround us and before long a couple putters up in their dingy to chat. They were German and had left Germany about a year ago, with plans to circle back over the next four years! AND they bought their boat a month before they left in Turkey! Florida to Maine doesn’t seem too bad for a shake down cruise, compared to crossing the Atlantic!
I called Justin for an offshore weather report as the radio only supplies us with local weather and all systems were go with S SE winds 5-10 knots for the next few days!

We charged out of the inlet with a few coughs and sputters from the engine, but with a few tweaks and instructions that there was no time for skipping around, she steadied out and we started up the coast with calm seas and a gentle breeze. We started off the morning with some inspiration from the Black Eyed Peas… “ I gotta feelin’, that tonights gonna be a good night…” Thank you Peas! This is the lovely Jersey Coast just north of the inlet... my sister would have been in heaven!

The ocean was like glass with light wind and gently rolling seas and we made about 6 knots through what couldn’t have been a more beautiful night. Dad and I repaired the seam in the second main sail and vowed to use her only in light winds. Donny was in his element fishing with a hand line and as promised caught a small blue fish in less than an hour! I’m not a big fish eater but there is something awesome about catching a fish, filleting her up and eating her right away! He caught a small Bluefish that we added to dinner plans for the night.

An absolutely incredible evening...

In the morning I awoke to dad fine tuning his make shift self steering :)

Donny caught a good sized Bluefish again the next morning, so dinner was fresh two nights in a row!

In the late morning we were greeted with white bellied dolphins who visited us several times and played with Isla’s bow before vanishing off into the depths of the ocean. (See video at the end of this post!!)

The weather stuck with us and while we could have had more wind and made faster time, we had nothing to complain about. We scooted up the Jersey Shore and along Long Island clicking away the 250 miles towards Woods Hole, our last stop before the final leg home to Casco Bay! Small white butted black birds (the official name I’m sure) flitted around us flying low and coasting on the air just about the waves.

The ocean was quiet with hardly any other traffic for the next day or so. We had another beautiful night, unfortunately with a a lot of motoring as there wasn’t much wind, and when I awoke we were just off of Block Island! 45 miles to go into Woods Hole! Dad made our typical breakfast of bacon and eggs as we meandered the last few miles. My body is craving exercise, it’s now Day 14 and while I always forget there isn't much movement involved in sailing long trips, my body is reminding me...

Altho my arms have gotten a work out from the tiller! New experience for me, takes a bit more muscle in any kind of weather!

Made some alterations to the lifelines on the way into woods hole... tightened them up, they look so much better!

Steve met us as we came into Woods Hole and guided us to a mooring for the night! Steve and Irene are long time family friends that live on their boat Star and work in Woods Hole for the summers and then retreat to their Monkey House in Nevis for the winters. It's a rough life but someone has to do it!

We had showers and an amazing dinner on Star. My friend Jonathan from Peaks came and met us for dinner thanks to my dad's surprising memory that he lives near by! Almost home baby, I can feel it!

Another incredible dolphin video off of New York somewhere...

The last short run, Woods Hole to Portland Harbor

Woods Hole has a sketchy little inlet to get out of on the way to the Cape Cod Canal, but luckily things only happen in 3's so we made it out safe a sound!

LOVE New England, no doubt that we are close to home as we passed the New England coast. It smells like home!

Last minute alterations on our way out of the Canal at 12:30pm. We weren't taking any chances of the engine dying so we played it safe with the fuel line directly to a new tank in the cockpit :) Getting SO excited that the end is in sight! We had what seemed like plenty of widn and thought we might get in in the middle of the night with only 105 miles to go from Canal to Cape Elizabeth! It died down a bit though so an early morning landing was more likely...

Crew hard at work!

After several hours in, Donny helped me with the finishing touches scraping the old plasticy rubber off of the life lines. It was all cracked and breaking and they look so much better! My hands were killing me!

We had a beautiful night with light wind and incredible shooting stars! I set my alarm for 5:45 knowing we might be close and I didn't want to miss a moment of the morning! The last sunrise! When I woke we had 11 miles to Cape Elizabeth, I was so excited I was jumping out of my skin! Of course, being so excited seems to slow time down so what should have taken us threeish hours took four and I swear it felt like ten.

As we approached Cape Elizabeth the fog set in... first just lightly and then until we couldn't see 30 yards around us... so much for a picturesque arrival! Slowly we started hearing fog horns and as we got closer we could see Portland Head Light!

Maneuvering throught the fog!

Portland Head Light! I will spare you the 58 photos that I took as we approached out of pure giddyness!

The fog had lifted in the harbor, Spring Point Light and the East End!

Linda took pictures of us coming into the harbor!


Dad's old friend Jeff lives on his boat year round at Custom House Wharf and let us tie up next to him for the first few days! 10 am on day 16!

WE MADE IT!

We were greeted at the Porthole by some of my favorite people! So happy and tired and excited and in a fog, we had greesy, yummy breakfast as we steadied our legs on land! After about an hour the fatigue set in for me and lasted about five days, but I am so happy to be in a place that feels so completely like home. I miss my family dearly but am feeling so much more like myself. More to come on the first few days at home! Thank you for following!