Norfolk, VA
To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.
Yesterday, I said "For now, all we can do is worry."
That's partially true. The pictures are pretty conclusive. We're a bit beyond vague worrying.
Red Ranger is laying on her side. The Whitby is a robust boat. We don't think falling off the jack stands will wreck the hull …
Hurricane Ian devastated the Gulf Coast of Florida. Landfall was near enough to the Fort Myers area that Safe Cove yard where Red Ranger was hauled out was right in the eye of the storm.
A lot of people suffered. Deaths. Houses wrecked. Serious injuries.
As of today, power is …
On Red Ranger every day is an "outing". We more-or-less live outdoors.
Life ashore is a bit different from life afloat. The primary difference is our level of self-sufficiency. Red Ranger is a boat with which we're very, very familiar. The house we're living in is …
Hurricane season is June to November.
Back in 2012-2014, we went south for winter, and returned to the (relative) safety of Cheasapeake Bay for hurricane season.
This year, we've taken a different tack.
We're hauled out. Red Ranger is sitting on the hard for Hurricane season. We're sharing a house …
This seems to be the list of waypoints....
| Location | Lat Lon | Distance | Time | Notes | Timestamp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Herrington Harbour | 38°46.276′N 076°33.843′W | ||||
| Mill Creek | 38°19.788′N 076°27.080′W | Distance: 26.9nm | Time: 5h 0m | Engine: 5h 0m Maintenance: 65.0gal. |
2021-10-14 |
| Piankatank River … |
Sitting on the hard.
Here's the checklist.
checklist: lay up
Maintenance tasks:
- [x] buy window screening -- To cover the openings in the cockpit
- [x] buy 6 metal scrub pads -- To fill the through hulls to prevent wasps
- [x] ditch the generator
- [x] ditch the jerrycans …Sitting on the hard.
How did we get here?
Cleaned the decks, and started rearranging the interior to move back to North Carolina. The headsails were put below. We struck the main and mizzen. This is hard work: they're heavy.
The mizzen can be rolled on deck. It's …
Tied To Dock. 26°52.3529′N 082°14.0032′W.
This was a "Sphincter-Clenching" day.
We started by deflating Scout and removing the head sails. Easy things to do at anchor when there's not a breath of air moving.
The Rocna anchor would not …
Anchored. 26°57.0662′N 082°11.2751′W.
We're cruisers. I think all cruisers carry jerry jugs of spare fuel on deck.
Since this is the end of this cruising season, we poured the fuel from jerry jugs into the tank.
This can be messy and involve …
Anchored. 26°43.6071′N 082°15.2692′W.
The early morning part of the trip was delightful. We had 10-15 knot winds from a direction that was ideal.
For a while.
Our boat has a 40-gallon (150L) holding tank. Plus a Nature's Head …
Moored. Ball 5. 26°27.3728′N 081°57.0415′W.
Yesterday we walked down to the Tuckaway Cafe coffee shop. It's a big operation. There's one road up the island and that means traffic is slow. Very slow. Walking makes so much more sense.
Moored. Ball 5. 26°27.3728′N 081°57.0415′W.
Yesterday we looked at the other dinghy dock. The one by city hall.
Yes, it's hidden in a bunch of mangroves. It's far from everything: showers, laundry, bars, restaurants.
It's slightly closer to the …
Moored. Ball 5. 26°27.3728′N 081°57.0415′W.
Since moving to the mooring ball, we've really ramped down to -- well -- nothing.
The grocery store is behind the Snook Bight Marina. The marina doesn't have a proper dinghy dock, but the Bayside Bistro does have a …
Shifted to Ft. Myers Beach Mooring.
Moored. Ball 5. 26°27.3728′N 081°57.0415′W.
We had a Docwa confusion with the mooring ball assignment.
We find Docwa to be handy for making reservations. The Docwa dance involves you making a request and the …
Anchored. 26°28.2021′N 081°58.7907′W.
Not Red Ranger. This is some other random ketch, and a rainbow.
Anchored. 26°28.2021′N 081°58.7907′W.
What we think we're going to be doing...
Shift to a Ft. Myers Beach Mooring. Scheduled: May 4, 2022 at 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM, EDT.
Check the Weather for good N-bound sailing …
When we depart, we always say we're "bound for" a destination, like Marco Island. We're not necessarily going to actually get there. It's the ocean: things will change.
The plan is an 18-hour overnight passage. Leave at noon, arrive at dawn. Due to DST, dawn …
Anchored at 24°37.5312′N, 82°52.3086′W.
The bird situation is a wow. The noise is remarkable. It's a lot of birds out here in the middle of the ocean. If you're migrating from South America or southern Central America to North …
Anchored at 24°37.5312′N, 82°52.3086′W.
Fort Jefferson -- centerpiece of the Dry Tortugas.
From Boo Boo Key, it's a solid 6 hours to the Dry Tortugas.
We had 1-3' seas, which is manageable, but unpleasant. It's at the edge of being …
Anchored at 24°34.1905′N, 82°10.1428′W.
This is the start of Phase V -- The Dry Tortugas.
The first leg of the trip to the Dry Tortugas from Key West is to Boo Boo Key. This is a patch of mangroves they call "The …
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