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.
This week we're still hanging around in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Commodore's aunt, Venerable Great Aunt (VGA) Diane will be here this week, enjoying the sights (and tastes) of the Low Country with us. Specifically Shrimp and Grits.
Docked at 32°49.93′N 079°56.03′W …
This week we're hanging around in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Commodore Says: "We Can Haz Visitorz?"
The Commodore's aunt, Venerable Great Aunt (VGA) Diane may visit next week. So, for this week, we're just hanging out.
Docked at 32°49.93′N 079°56.03′W
Cleaned out …
This week we're starting south from Beaufort, North Carolina.
The Commodore Says: "I think we're ready to jump outside."
The Ditch has been very, very good to us. We sheltered from Hurricane Sandy. We got our sea legs. We worked out some of the kinks in the boat and our …
This week we're starting south from Belhaven, North Carolina. After Hurricane Sandy moves on and devastates the northeast.
The Commodore Says: "It may be raining, but at least it's not really cold."
The wintery cold front that merged with Hurricane Sandy brought plenty of blustery winter weather. It was cold …
This week we're starting south from Town Point in Norfolk.
The Commodore Says: "There's nothing so helpful as local knowledge." In our case, local knowledge includes our trusty copy of Skipper Bob's Anchorages Along the ICW, and the Waterway Guide Altantic ICW. And http://cruisersnet.net. And all the random …
This week we're vacationing in Norfolk. Partly to visit friends, but also to fix what we've broken. We're planning to leave Monday, after sobering up from the weekend.
The Commodore Says: "We need to learn a little patience."
The list of things we've broken includes (1) and (2) the way …
This week we're returning to Norfolk. Mostly to visit friends, but also to fix what we've broken.
The Commodore Says: "The Regiment Votes To Repair". However, that isn't always the best approach.
The Dinghy Issue is challenging. A hard dinghy is very rowable, but doesn't hold much weight, and limits …
This week is the Whitby Rendezvous and the Annapolis Sailboat Show. No real work this week, but cruising at a blistering pace. Really.
While cars can whiz from Deltaville to Galesville to Annapolis in a day, it's a two or three day trip by boat with fair winds, favorable tides …
The Commodore Says: "We're meant to be outdoors: watching the sun come up."
Location: Docked at Deltaville Marina. Jackson Creek. 37°33'21"N 076°23'0"W.
This week continues Red Ranger's refit. More importantly; we need to get ready for our trip to Galesville and the Whitby Rendezvous.
It's important to put everything where it belongs. (A lesson we're learning as we move the last of our earthly possessions onto Red Ranger.)
The blog once had the name "Team Red Cruising". Then it became Refit; a more apt category name.
We've added a Live-Aboard I category, which is …
Location: Docked at Deltaville Marina. Jackson Creek. 37°33'21"N 076°23'0"W.
This week continues the refit of the past years, but now that we live aboard, it's done at a more accelerated tempo. Just reviewing my notes to write this is tiring.
"Where is all this going to go?" the Commodore asks. And, "Do I really need five different kinds of rice?"
The life change from apartment-dweller with a boat to boat-dweller has been profound. It's not a huge shock (we've been planning this for years.) On the other hand, it's a …
The apartment is almost empty.
The U-Haul U-box Pod was packed and shipped yesterday.
CA's meticulous planning worked out perfectly. Everything fit into the pod with barely any space left over.
The two (heavy …
We're down to the final week of land-based living.
The. Final. Week.
The "I ♥ New York" room was cleared out, along with one of the cars.
That was the first major phase of the Inventory Reduction.
The next major phase is the …
We're getting our ICW reading list organized.
Skipper Bob Anchorages Along the Intracoastal Waterway. Crucial.
There appears to be a pattern here. Many popular anchorages seem to be about 50 statute miles away from each other. It's very likely that this pattern is essentially sampling error. A daily run of …
Part of moving aboard is ditching the things we don't need. Some of the decisions are difficult. Using the "Purgatory" model seemed to help us distinguish between needs and wants.
Moving from upstate New York to Norfolk, VA, was a dramatic downsizing. We sold our 3BR 1.5Bath 1800 sq …
It makes sense to keep a detailed equipment inventory.
Sadly, we don't always think of writing down the serial number until after the painful, difficult installation.
This leads us the following foolishness.
Slide a mirror into the space where the serial number is visible.
Take numerous pictures of that mirror …
The Commodore Says: "I don't want to depend on pump-outs, since they're an America-only requirement; and I don't like the head flushing directly into a bay or creek."
Enter the Air Head and the Nature's Head composting toilets. These are very similar products that separate solid from liquid waste. Liquids …
Next up: radio replacement. The old radios both work nicely. However.
The radio that's accessible from the helm is inside the aft cabin. That means that the aft cabin hatch cover must be left open. What do you do when it rains? It also means that anyone off watch who's …
The Standard Horizon product line includes the CP300i chart plotter and the Matrix GX2150 AIS+ radio. We've had the CP300i chart plotter since 2010. The GX2150 radio is in a box in the V-Berth.
The point of these products is the integration. The chart plotter provides GPS data to the …