Cruisers and Friends met along the way - More added 2009

Happy New Year, again  (2009 updated)

New Years Eve is a time for looking forward to the new year, and into our recent past; thinking about the places to which we've sailed, and the great people that we've met along the way.

Some of these people are included here in this posting. (Random order)

Brian and; Sheila Strutt - (Moonshadow)

Randy Kruml - (Kristinly)

Rodney and Sue Carlson (Glenlyon)

Owen and Morina Ware - (Warefree)

Kelvin Jones and Bill Pomern - Crew 2006, and 2007 (Autumn Borne)

Dorothy and Glenn (Dotsway)

Anne and John Fazzio (Steel Away) 

Carla and Rich from Euphoria. and below Ed and Nancy Perkins from Troubadour.

-- We'll see down the line!

Rick, and Sue from Bewitched, and Mike and Vickie from Double Exposure.  

 

 

Ruth, and James with us at Key West (sloppy joes).

Albany Snow - Cold Weather

The Albany weather: Snowy and Cold


We have about 18 inches of snow on the ground right now... and the temps have ranged from 6F to a high today of 24F.


Brian wrote from Titusville (where our boat is secured) and mentioned that they were suffering right along with us.... as the temperature there couldn't quite make to the 80F mark.... GEE Whiz only 78F.

I cleaned the 9 inches from last nights snow fall, off the car today, (Monday) prior to our trip to Charlestown NH.

Christmas in NY - 2008

Chrismas Season 2008

We rented a car in Cape Canaveral (Mitsubishi Gallant) and drove approximately 1400 miles to Albany NY. We stopped at Gar and Sandy's in Bethlehem PA for an night, and the next morning.

We're at Ruth and James' home in Albany for the Christmas Holidays now. Shopping is nearly complete. Good thing too... Snow storm today (Friday) dumped more than 6 inches of snow here (noon 'til dark).

We had to borrow an ice scraper from Gar and Sandy, and a snow brush from James for the Florida car. Poor car!

This evening we had a group tree trimming party before dinner. NICE!

After Christmas Day we'll wander across the state of NY toward Buffalo, for a get-to-gether with friends, and relatives on that end of the state.

After New Years Day we'll meet up with Marty, and Peg on their return from Africa; then drift back toward the Autumn Borne.

Bahamas will be the wintering location for us this winter. At least that's the plan for now... Merry Christmas !

Saint Augustine FL

Interesting time at Saint Augustine. Visited the Sailor's Exchange (warehouse of boat parts- old and new)
Met some British Troops, Indians, and Rebels during the Saturday night celebrations.
FUN Time !

More about St. Mary's Thanksgiving

More about St. Mary's Thanksgiving Festivities.
One picture is of St. Mary's at "rush hour". It's a very laid back town, at least this end of the town. The other end of St. Mary's is the King's Bay Submarine Base.

The gentleman in the red hat was one of our hosts (wife Ann not shown). The young man in the photo is Lynn's son, Trace.

The Blues Brothers frequented the main bar in Seagle's Saloon, along with their resident bar tender, Cindy. Those who've been there will never forget Cindy.

The single lady, shown above, is named Jage. She hosted the Painkiller Party at Lang's West Marina Dock. The cruisers literally took over the center section of the main dock. Jage was possibly the only cruiser here that came NORTH to the party. She brought her boat north from Stuart Florida, with a friend Carmen.

Thanksgiving at St. Mary's GA

Thanksgiving at St. Mary's Georgia has certainly been unique. There's cruisers here from all over the place. About 275 people, including some of the local townspeople showed up for the Turkey Dinner on Thursday. Seagle's Hotel/Saloon was one busy place!!!

The dinghy dock was crowded. Thanks to everyone who used long painters, and lock lines!

Weather cooperated every day, with warm afternoons, and evenings (60'sF). It was a little chilly, still, in the morning hours (40's).

Great Bridge VA - Free Dock

Free Dock at Great Bridge, VA.

24 hour mooring allowed. Sydney has already been Swimming.

It's about 68F outside, but very windy (~20 knots).

Great Bridge VA - Southbound - and Misc. Pics

Attached is either one or two pics of AB at Great Bridge VA, after passing through the 12 bridges, and one lock on Sat. Morning (Southbound) - October 26th, 2008.

The other pictures I just found in the camera: passing through NYC (Statue of Liberty; NYC in our wake; and Sydney doing her impression of the last Dog Watch).

Glenlyon also came through this morning, and are secured against a similar wall on the north side of the Great Bridge Swing Bridge. We'll see them later tonight.

Next really long stop will be in Broad Creek off the Pamlico River to get our refrigeration system fixed (lost refrigerant).

Solomon Islands MD - southbound

We spent a few days in the Solomon Islands MD, off of the Chesapeake on the way South.

We spent time with Brian and Sheila Strutt (s/v Moonshadow) who also anchored in Back Creek.

As we were going down to Moonshadow we also met the S/V Intransition (Randy and Kathy Chamberlain) from Buffalo (They were our slip neighbors at Harold's World on the Buffalo River).

New Solar Panel System installed

It's just about time to toss the lines, and head South. But this time we're trying out a new system; solar panels (2) to cover our daily DC usage. Without counting the refrigerator/freezer system, we use an average of about 50 to 80 amp-hours each day, while at anchor.

The Solar-Stik system, that we chose, should give us about 80 amp-hours each sunny day.

I think we'll still have to run the generator (5 kW) to charge the refrigerator freezer, but the time of running should be much less.

The solar panel system should also give us the freedom to leave the boat anchored or moored some place... and "know" that the bilge pumps will have enough "juice" to keep normal leakage at bay.

Once a location was selected (on AB); it was the port Quarter; but on deck. We decided not to mount the unit outside the deck rails on the side (docking), or on the stern (windvane); so that relagated us to using a little of the "porch" (the Aft Deck).

The solar panel mast is strong enough to mount a wind-generator in the future, should we see the need. (this will become more obvious if we ever change to a 12 VDC refrigerator/freezer system).

Anyway... pictures later.

River Drift Dive - Preparing

This photo was taken after the River Drift Dive in the Niagara River (Spring 2008).

Ruth, James, Susan and I (NAUI Advanced dives) - 54F water temperature is the reason for the 7 mil wetsuits... BRRRR.... Lot's different than diving off of Key Largo this winter....

We now carry four (4) scuba tanks on board the AB, (for pleasure, and for that occasional emergency when we might have to go under the boat [crab/lobster pot leads; etc].

Space Shuttle Lift off - Titusville FL

Space Shuttle lift-off as seen from Titusville FL (while anchored out); 0228 hours;

Nice week spent with friends (Brian and Shiela Strutt - fellow full time cruisers - They winter at Westland marina in Titusville, FL).

Anchorage outside Titusville has good holding, and is fairly protected (Indian River).

Home for the Summer 2008

Catskill Creek: Home for the AB for the Summer of 2008; Hop-O-Nose Marina (about 30 miles south of Albany, NY)

Autumn Borne anchored out

Descriptions

The Autumn Borne is a cruising sailboat and our home.
The vessel is a CSY-44-Antigua; cutter rigged sloop.

Sails: Three reefs available in the full batten mains'l, one hanked on Stays'l (very strong - almost a storms'l); and one roller furling Yankee (high cut fores'l); Asymetrical Spinaker.

Engine: 85 HP Perkins 4236 with 71-C BorgWarner transmission - pushing 24 inch fixed blade prop. (like a tug boat).

Fuel: 195 gallons (Diesel) - in two tanks with dual Racor secondary filters, separate transfer and filtering systems (polishing);

Water: 240+ Gallons of fresh water for pressure potable water system; Salt water or deck (anchor) washdown pump system.