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.

Team Red Cruising

  • Hurricane Ian -- Part 2

    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 -- Part 1

    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 …


  • Outings

    On Red Ranger every day is an "outing". We more-or-less live outdoors.

    Hawk on the wing
    Hawk on the Wing

    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 …


  • Seasonal Shifts

    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 …


  • One Retrospective on 2021-2022

    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 …

  • Ph. VI, day 18, Last Day

    Sitting on the hard.

    Here's the checklist.

    Steel Wool
    Water goes through, bugs don't
    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 …

  • Ph. VI, day 17, Haulout

    Sitting on the hard.

    How did we get here?

    Day 15

    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 …


  • Ph. VI, day 14, Safe Cove

    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.

    Headsails Struck Below
    Headsails Struck Below

    Anchor Drama

    The Rocna anchor would not …


  • Ph. VI, day 13, Myakka River

    Anchored. 26°57.0662′N 082°11.2751′W.

    We're cruisers. I think all cruisers carry jerry jugs of spare fuel on deck.

    Fuel Transfer
    Fuel Transfer

    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 …


  • Ph. VI, day 12, Boca Grande

    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.

    Boca Grande Anchorage
    Boca Grande Anchorage

    The Macerator Pump

    Our boat has a 40-gallon (150L) holding tank. Plus a Nature's Head …


  • Ph. VI, day 11, Fort Myers Beach

    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.

    Ft. Myers Beach Shrimp Fleet
    Ft. Myers Beach Shrimp Fleet …

  • Ph. VI, day 9, Fort Myers Beach

    Moored. Ball 5. 26°27.3728′N 081°57.0415′W.

    Yesterday we looked at the other dinghy dock. The one by city hall.

    Ft. Myers Beach Dinghy Dock
    Ft. Myers Beach Dinghy Dock

    Yes, it's hidden in a bunch of mangroves. It's far from everything: showers, laundry, bars, restaurants.

    It's slightly closer to the …


  • Ph. VI, day 7, Fort Myers Beach

    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.

    Grocery Shopping

    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 …



  • Ph. VI, day 3, Rainbow

    Anchored. 26°28.2021′N 081°58.7907′W.

    Sanibel Storm Clouds
    Sanibel Storm Clouds

    Not Red Ranger. This is some other random ketch, and a rainbow.



  • Ph. VI, day 1-2, Bound For Marco Island

    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 Dry Tortugas
    The Dry Tortugas

    The Plan

    The plan is an 18-hour overnight passage. Leave at noon, arrive at dawn. Due to DST, dawn …


  • Ph. V, day 3, Dry Tortugas

    Anchored at 24°37.5312′N, 82°52.3086′W.

    CA and Noddys
    CA looking for Noddys

    Birding

    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 …


  • Ph. V, day 2, Dry Tortugas

    Anchored at 24°37.5312′N, 82°52.3086′W.

    Fort Jefferson -- centerpiece of the Dry Tortugas.

    Fort Jefferson
    Red Ranger outside Fort Jefferson

    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 …


  • Ph. V, day 1, Boo Boo Key

    Anchored at 24°34.1905′N, 82°10.1428′W.

    This is the start of Phase V -- The Dry Tortugas.

    Boo Boo Key
    Boo Boo Key

    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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