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

  • Ph. VI, day 3, Rainbow

    Tue 03 May 2022

    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. V, day 3, Dry Tortugas

    Sat 30 April 2022

    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. IV, day 5, Lower Matecumbe Key

    Wed 06 April 2022

    We're still anchored at 24°51.762′N 080°44.516′W, not far from Lower Matecumbe Key. There's a little sandbar for a little sandbar party. But It's Monday, so not much party action.

    We spent two days waiting for weather. We did mostly nothing.

  • Ph. III, day 18, Bridge is Out

    Fri 25 February 2022

    The George Musson/Coronado Beach (SR 44) bridge, mile 845 is broken. CA found out today when walking back from the grocery store.

    That changes our plans.

    We'll wait here until the bridge is fixed and we have a suitable weather window.

    Here's Red Ranger waiting. If you squint, you …

  • Southbound Ph. III, day 15, Forecast Goodies

    Tue 22 February 2022

    New Smyrna is nice. We'd like to see the keys, though, so we're waiting on weather.

    Here's the far distant forecast.

    FRIDAY...South winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southeast in the afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 feet with occasional seas to 5 feet.

    FRIDAY NIGHT...South winds 5 to …

  • Southbound Ph. III, day 10, Rescue

    Fri 18 February 2022

    Been there. Know a lot of people who've been there.

    Engine doesn't work.

    Not us. Two fisherman who drifted through the anchorage.

    Towing Fisherman
    Towing Fisherman

    We heard the faint beep-beep from a 75HP, electric start outboard that wasn't starting. They were prepared. Had an anchor. Seemed to know what they were …

  • Southbound Ph. III, day 10, Waiting

    Thu 17 February 2022

    Waiting for weather in New Smyrna Beach. Weather is pleasant. Anchor is holding.

    Safe Anchor Screen Shot
    Safe Anchor Screen Shot

    This is the SafeAnchor app on the iPhone. It shows about 60' of movement between where I marked the anchor and where we are. In the SW corner of the circle, there's a …

  • Southbound Ph. III, Day 6, Fuel Tank Ickiness

    Sun 13 February 2022

    The dinghy's name is Scout. Scout's original fuel tank was pretty beat up.

    Dinghy Fuel Tank
    Dinghy Fuel Tank

    The tank was ancient — came with Red Ranger almost a decade ago — which means some of the plastic had started to crack. And other bits and pieces were starting to fall apart.

    The …

  • Sister Ship: Rosa dos Ventos

    Sat 12 February 2022

    Context. We pulled into St. Mary's on day 2, tail between our legs, licking our wounds. It's warmer than Charleston, but still right cold. 4°C, I think. We'd really like to go ashore and hike around, but, we found dinghy problems.

    Anchored at 30°46.255′N 081°28 …

  • 2021 Southbound Phase III, Version 4

    Thu 10 February 2022

    Yes. I know it's 2022. But our Red Ranger seasons work from May to May, so we're in the 2021-2022 season.

    (And. Phase III? Yes. Phase I was get to Charleston. Phase II was leave the boat for a long time to take the train to California. Phase III is …

  • Celestial Navigation Baby Steps

    Tue 10 June 2014

    We have a sextant on Red Ranger.

    I think it might be adjusted properly. The index error appears to be 6.8′. I fiddled around with the mirrors a little and got a single view of the Sun through the various sunshades.

    On the way N from Norfolk to Deltaville …

  • Norfolk Harbor Fest

    Sun 08 June 2014

    Wait! There's more!

    That's a guy with Rocket Pants. You've heard the Elton John/Bernie Taupin song: "Rocket Pants, burning out his fuse up here all alone."

    IMG_2653
    IMG_2653 ""

    Raftups. Lots and lots of raftups. This one grew to over a dozen boats.

    IMG_2656
    IMG_2656 ""

    And the "Tug Busting" wrassling among the …

  • Norfolk Harborfest Parade

    Sat 07 June 2014

    Viewed From The Water!

    Wow! It's a spectacle from shore. But from the water — listening to channel 72 where the safety boats converse — was a riot.

    IMG_2624
    IMG_2624 ""

    I'm sure that the fireboat crews call it "training" not "playing with the super-high-pressure equipment."

    IMG_2629
    IMG_2629 ""

    Summertime has officially arrived in Hampton Roads …

  • End of an Era

    Fri 06 June 2014

    We've finally struck our old colors and replaced them with new.

    IMG_2604
    IMG_2604

    The old flag served us well for several years.

    It made Red Ranger easy to find because it was a big flag.

    The end of the flag, however, took a beating against the backstays.

    You can see where …

  • Portsmouth North Landing

    Tue 03 June 2014

    Red Ranger snuggled into the North Landing.

    IMG_0854
    IMG_0854 ""

    We've moved about 700 hundred yards from Hospital Point. Lighthouse Inflatables is working on Scout. Jeremy has a theory that maybe some of the MEK they used to clean up the excess adhesive might have gotten under the patch.

    We've said hello …

  • Ripped Out Her Stitches

    Sun 01 June 2014

    Scout came back from the dinghy doctor on Friday.

    With some difficulty, we pumped out Red Ranger's holding tank. The wind was blowing directly off the pier. The pumpout area is bounded by two gigantic dolphins. Instead of easing up to the dock at a gentle angle, we have to …

  • Yet More Norfolk Views

    Wed 28 May 2014

    We've been enjoying Florentijn Hofman's Rubber Duck at the Chrysler Museum. It was a Major Social Event™. There were crowds in front of the museum for the duck's entire residence. Hofman created a really fun sculpture, and I'm glad the Chrysler could host it.

    IMG_0036
    IMG_0036

    Of course, when it's time …

  • Scout's at the Dinghy Doctor

    Fri 23 May 2014

    While waiting for Scout, we tackled two jobs.

    The aft deck sunscreen.

    IMG_2583
    IMG_2583 ""

    When we had the dodger and bimini made, CA asked Dan at Wavestopper Dodgers to add some extra zippers in the bomini. She made the starboard-side sunshade which zips onto the bimini and provides ample cooling shade …

  • Art Installation

    Mon 19 May 2014

    Not on Red Ranger.

    In The Hague. Yes — for folks not from Norfolk — that body of water is called The Hague or sometimes "The Hague Inlet."

    IMG_2569
    IMG_2569 ""

    Yes, that's a giant rubber ducky.

    IMG_2573
    IMG_2573 ""

    No Crabbing or Fishing, but what about Ducking?

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