Good Friday, April 10, 2009, Naples Yacht Club
We used to plant our garden every year on Good Friday. That was back when we had lots of time and no money. Strange but I think we are getting back to that point again. Let’s hope the stock market will come back and we will have the good times again. This is going to be a strange Easter. It will be the first Easter in our lifetime we haven’t spent it extended family. Paul and Michael are headed to Mother’s house to help her cook for the family gathering. Michael in the true Deal tradition showed up on the boat this week with a cooler full of food to take to Sycamore. Made his so mother proud!
All of Carole’s buddies need to be here to help her shop in downtown Naples. I think she and Michael enjoyed wandering thru the shops in downtown. I don’t know if she wasn’t in a buying mood or just didn’t find anything she liked but she came back with the $20 she had when she left. Thank goodness Miss Kaye wasn’t here. It would have been a different story!
The day has been beautiful. We have all “laid out”; if you are from the south you know what I mean. Carole and Michael when to the beach and worked on their tans. I laid out on the dock cleaning and waxing the boat. The docks here are floating docks, which lets you get to the side of the boat. After several weeks of banging thru waves and not being able to access the sides for a good scrubbing the hull was looking pretty scrummy. At least one side is looking good. Tomorrow we will turn the boat around in the slip and I can catch the other side.
Almost all of the locations we have visited, we have been “on the wall”. On the wall is an expression that means you are tied along side a pier or a wall. Since you can only tie to one side, you are depending on fenders to keep you from rubbing up and down on piles. Even with double and triple fenders we are getting scrapes and marks on the hull. I know Surprise will be glad to get back to its slip in Pensacola and not have to deal with piles anymore. By the way, I was going to title this section “dealing with piles” but I thought that might be a little too graphic.
Since this is Easter weekend there is one other item to report. It is actually a prayer concern. You know in Pell City we don’t gossip but we are certainly willing to share a prayer concern with anyone. After all, if you don’t know about someone’s trouble how can you pray for them. We got an email from our friends and former pastor Paul and Kitty Messer today. We have been very concerned about them for the past couple of years. Paul has struggled with what God wanted him to do with his life. From all indications, he has found new purpose in life and is looking forward to each new day. They are serving a missionary in Senegal. It is a very different and challenging assignment but I think Paul sees it as his way of helping people. I am sure they would appreciate your prayers. I am encouraging them to start a blog of their work there. Maybe they will and I can share the address with everyone.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Buddy Clark cussing school
Thursday, April 9, 2009, Naples Yacht Club
We left about 8:00 this morning. Kicked Michael off when I found that I had a major confusion with tides. I thought we were on a rising tide and found out that my data was not correct. We were on a falling tide at the club. We motored out reading 0.0 on the depth and feeling a little nudge on the bottom every now and again. Michael will meet us in Naples after doing the tourist thing in Sarasota, the Ringling Mansion and St. Armand Circle.
We continue slowly motoring our way down the channel and come very close to hitting a major hump in the bottom. It is a help for us to check each other on reading charts. Carole is a great sailing partner.
The wind is about 20 degrees off the nose. We pull the traveler all the way across to get the mainsail to pull a little. We have a couple of feet of swell that is 90 degrees off the wind, which causes the boat to roll. The sail isn’t doing any good for sailing but it sure stops the roll. As the trip progresses the wind goes thru to the opposite side and we actually pick up about a half a knot of speed. Approaching the Gordon Pass into Naples, that little wind and a little current shaved off 1 hour.
Coming up the river is an interesting trip. McMansions close to each other. It is narrow, shallow and full of boats going every direction. There is a 16 foot outboard boat with four old farts wondering all over the place right in front of us down the middle of the channel. We see a chance and power up to overtake them. There isn’t much room and we are running pretty close to them. We have the bow of the boat about 10 feet past their bow before they know we are there. One of the guys starts yelling and cussing about big boat think they own the water. Don’t you just love old Yankees? He was such an amateur curser; he needs to spend some time on a job site with Buddy Clark.
The club here is a classy place but more on that next time.
We left about 8:00 this morning. Kicked Michael off when I found that I had a major confusion with tides. I thought we were on a rising tide and found out that my data was not correct. We were on a falling tide at the club. We motored out reading 0.0 on the depth and feeling a little nudge on the bottom every now and again. Michael will meet us in Naples after doing the tourist thing in Sarasota, the Ringling Mansion and St. Armand Circle.
We continue slowly motoring our way down the channel and come very close to hitting a major hump in the bottom. It is a help for us to check each other on reading charts. Carole is a great sailing partner.
The wind is about 20 degrees off the nose. We pull the traveler all the way across to get the mainsail to pull a little. We have a couple of feet of swell that is 90 degrees off the wind, which causes the boat to roll. The sail isn’t doing any good for sailing but it sure stops the roll. As the trip progresses the wind goes thru to the opposite side and we actually pick up about a half a knot of speed. Approaching the Gordon Pass into Naples, that little wind and a little current shaved off 1 hour.
Coming up the river is an interesting trip. McMansions close to each other. It is narrow, shallow and full of boats going every direction. There is a 16 foot outboard boat with four old farts wondering all over the place right in front of us down the middle of the channel. We see a chance and power up to overtake them. There isn’t much room and we are running pretty close to them. We have the bow of the boat about 10 feet past their bow before they know we are there. One of the guys starts yelling and cussing about big boat think they own the water. Don’t you just love old Yankees? He was such an amateur curser; he needs to spend some time on a job site with Buddy Clark.
The club here is a classy place but more on that next time.
You have to be flexible
Thursday, April 9, 2009, Still at St Charles
We were all ready to pull out yesterday and I called Naples to see what the procedure was coming into the club. The dock master told me that if we came we would probably be sitting in the middle of the river all night grounded out. Apparently, the north winds that we were looking forward to because of finally being able to sail one leg had blown all the water out of the bay.
Then the scrambling for new plans started. We had to talk to the dock master here to see if we could stay another night. Michael was driving down to join us for a couple of days and we had to talk to him. After some reworking of schedules, we are squared away for another day at St Charles. Of course, for the bay to have water for us to get in means the wind direction has changed and we will be motoring into the wind. Sailing teaches you a lot of life’s lessons. I think I need to write a book about the lessons in life you learn from sailing. Chapter One is going to be “Be flexible and don’t plan past tomorrow”.
Since we were going to be at St Charles all day, I took a bike trip to the local hardware store. About 8 miles round trip. It was the best hardware store I have ever seen. I just wondered around looking for about 30 minutes with required purchases in hand. Paul the dock master told me that when he wins the lottery he is going to buy that store, lock the door so no one can get in and enjoy life.
We had a nice meal at the club. They have a tradition of putting visiting sailors with club members. The dinner conversation was interesting and lively at times. The club selects those you sit with at meals. If you and your friends make reservations, you probably won’t be sitting with them. That way everyone gets to know all the different club members. Since there are only 120 members, it is easy to get to know everyone.
Steve Colgate was sitting at the adjacent table. If you are a true sailor, you will recognize the name. If you are not, he is the guy who wrote the book on how to sail. Literally, he wrote the book everyone uses. Several times Olympic champion and ocean racer.
We were all ready to pull out yesterday and I called Naples to see what the procedure was coming into the club. The dock master told me that if we came we would probably be sitting in the middle of the river all night grounded out. Apparently, the north winds that we were looking forward to because of finally being able to sail one leg had blown all the water out of the bay.
Then the scrambling for new plans started. We had to talk to the dock master here to see if we could stay another night. Michael was driving down to join us for a couple of days and we had to talk to him. After some reworking of schedules, we are squared away for another day at St Charles. Of course, for the bay to have water for us to get in means the wind direction has changed and we will be motoring into the wind. Sailing teaches you a lot of life’s lessons. I think I need to write a book about the lessons in life you learn from sailing. Chapter One is going to be “Be flexible and don’t plan past tomorrow”.
Since we were going to be at St Charles all day, I took a bike trip to the local hardware store. About 8 miles round trip. It was the best hardware store I have ever seen. I just wondered around looking for about 30 minutes with required purchases in hand. Paul the dock master told me that when he wins the lottery he is going to buy that store, lock the door so no one can get in and enjoy life.
We had a nice meal at the club. They have a tradition of putting visiting sailors with club members. The dinner conversation was interesting and lively at times. The club selects those you sit with at meals. If you and your friends make reservations, you probably won’t be sitting with them. That way everyone gets to know all the different club members. Since there are only 120 members, it is easy to get to know everyone.
Steve Colgate was sitting at the adjacent table. If you are a true sailor, you will recognize the name. If you are not, he is the guy who wrote the book on how to sail. Literally, he wrote the book everyone uses. Several times Olympic champion and ocean racer.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
We are a cute couple
Wednesday, April 8, 2009, St Charles Yacht Club
On Tuesday, I had a CASE conference call to do in the morning so we were off to a fast start making sure everything was done before the call started. We watched the news, had several cups of coffee, read the paper, spent some time with Paul talking about favorite places in Maine and did a very thorough study of the weather on line. I know you think it is impossible to get that much done between 8:00 and 11:00 but if you work at it you can.
There is an Outlet Mall and Grocery Store about 1.463 miles from here. We needed a “few” things so we were off on the bikes to the store. Carole found a Cold Water Creek store and made some, what I am very sure about, necessary purchases. I put emphases “few” because have you ever tried to carry sacks of groceries on a bike. We have a basket for one of the bikes that will hold about a 6 pack of beer. The rest of the groceries go in boat bags over your shoulder and you have to be able to petal the bike and work the hand brake. It was very windy yesterday and we were pedaling back into a 20-knot head wind. We must be a very cute couple because everyone who we meet has a big grin on their face as they step quickly away from our path.
The local news had a story about some sailor who anchored off the beach Monday night. His anchor line broke and he was washed ashore. They had an interview with him and photos of the boat. He had sold all his processions, had bought this boat and was taking it to Key West to live on the boat there. It was about a 28 ft boat and the bottom of the boat had barnacles a couple of inches thick. There was a small craft warning out for the area on Monday and he anchored on a lee shore. This guy doesn’t swim in the deep end of the intelligence pool.
Our friends John and Helen have started a blog about their trip to the Keys. If you remember, they were the couple we were buddy boating with down here. You can check out their adventures at http://svzephyrina.blogspot.com/.
On Tuesday, I had a CASE conference call to do in the morning so we were off to a fast start making sure everything was done before the call started. We watched the news, had several cups of coffee, read the paper, spent some time with Paul talking about favorite places in Maine and did a very thorough study of the weather on line. I know you think it is impossible to get that much done between 8:00 and 11:00 but if you work at it you can.
There is an Outlet Mall and Grocery Store about 1.463 miles from here. We needed a “few” things so we were off on the bikes to the store. Carole found a Cold Water Creek store and made some, what I am very sure about, necessary purchases. I put emphases “few” because have you ever tried to carry sacks of groceries on a bike. We have a basket for one of the bikes that will hold about a 6 pack of beer. The rest of the groceries go in boat bags over your shoulder and you have to be able to petal the bike and work the hand brake. It was very windy yesterday and we were pedaling back into a 20-knot head wind. We must be a very cute couple because everyone who we meet has a big grin on their face as they step quickly away from our path.
The local news had a story about some sailor who anchored off the beach Monday night. His anchor line broke and he was washed ashore. They had an interview with him and photos of the boat. He had sold all his processions, had bought this boat and was taking it to Key West to live on the boat there. It was about a 28 ft boat and the bottom of the boat had barnacles a couple of inches thick. There was a small craft warning out for the area on Monday and he anchored on a lee shore. This guy doesn’t swim in the deep end of the intelligence pool.
Our friends John and Helen have started a blog about their trip to the Keys. If you remember, they were the couple we were buddy boating with down here. You can check out their adventures at http://svzephyrina.blogspot.com/.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Keeping out the sailor trash
Tuesday April 7, 2009, St Charles Yacht Club
We felt discretion was the better point of valor and got the heck out of Captiva Island Yacht Club Monday morning. Now don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful place with nice facilities, very peaceful and tranquil but the area is open from the north and east for several miles. With the weather front coming in, we thought it was prudent to move to a more protective place. Apparently, several other people shared our opinions. The club here is full of visiting boaters.
It was a short run as the crow flies it was only 12 miles. As we followed the channel, it was more like about 20 miles. The entrance is a long narrow channel into a small natural harbor. Type 15900 St Charles Harbour Blvd, Fort Myers, Fl 33908 (I know that isn’t the way to spell harbor but that is the way they spell it) into Google Map and you can get a good view of the harbor. From the satellite view, you can see we are snug as a bug in a rug and that is a good thing. We beat the front by a couple of hours. As the front approached, the winds pick up into the mid 20’s and the temperatures started to drop. We are expecting near 40-knot winds today and I have already seen over 30-knot winds.
I have the feeling this is one more expensive club. Most clubs try to build a large member base. Pensacola has around 600 and we are very envious of St Pete with its 3000 members. The club here limits the number of members to 120. Unfortunately, it will be closed the whole time we are here, so we will not get to try eating in the club. It must be good; Paul the dock master says it is hard to get a reservation for dinner.
Paul is an interesting person. He is probably a few years older than I am and has been dock master here for 11 years. He takes the months of June thru September off and goes to his home in Sedgwick, Maine. Sedgwick is just around the corner from the Wooden Boat School. I want his job! As we are talking an alarm started going off. They have an alarm that goes off when someone enters the channel. I guess it the best way to keep the sailor trash out of this place.
Carole is going thru shopping withdrawals, poor thing, because we haven’t been anywhere that she could do some serious shopping. Well today is the day. There is an outlet mall about a mile away and we are off to the shops. I hope the husband benches are comfortable.
PS OMG have you seen the photo of my little brother on the followers panel. Our family doesn’t like to admit it but we are just one generation away from being the missing link in evolution.
We felt discretion was the better point of valor and got the heck out of Captiva Island Yacht Club Monday morning. Now don’t get me wrong, it is a beautiful place with nice facilities, very peaceful and tranquil but the area is open from the north and east for several miles. With the weather front coming in, we thought it was prudent to move to a more protective place. Apparently, several other people shared our opinions. The club here is full of visiting boaters.
It was a short run as the crow flies it was only 12 miles. As we followed the channel, it was more like about 20 miles. The entrance is a long narrow channel into a small natural harbor. Type 15900 St Charles Harbour Blvd, Fort Myers, Fl 33908 (I know that isn’t the way to spell harbor but that is the way they spell it) into Google Map and you can get a good view of the harbor. From the satellite view, you can see we are snug as a bug in a rug and that is a good thing. We beat the front by a couple of hours. As the front approached, the winds pick up into the mid 20’s and the temperatures started to drop. We are expecting near 40-knot winds today and I have already seen over 30-knot winds.
I have the feeling this is one more expensive club. Most clubs try to build a large member base. Pensacola has around 600 and we are very envious of St Pete with its 3000 members. The club here limits the number of members to 120. Unfortunately, it will be closed the whole time we are here, so we will not get to try eating in the club. It must be good; Paul the dock master says it is hard to get a reservation for dinner.
Paul is an interesting person. He is probably a few years older than I am and has been dock master here for 11 years. He takes the months of June thru September off and goes to his home in Sedgwick, Maine. Sedgwick is just around the corner from the Wooden Boat School. I want his job! As we are talking an alarm started going off. They have an alarm that goes off when someone enters the channel. I guess it the best way to keep the sailor trash out of this place.
Carole is going thru shopping withdrawals, poor thing, because we haven’t been anywhere that she could do some serious shopping. Well today is the day. There is an outlet mall about a mile away and we are off to the shops. I hope the husband benches are comfortable.
PS OMG have you seen the photo of my little brother on the followers panel. Our family doesn’t like to admit it but we are just one generation away from being the missing link in evolution.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
It is a hard life
Sunday, April 5, 2009, Captiva Island Yacht Club
I woke up this morning with the boat heeled over about 15 degrees. We are hard aground in the marina. By 8:00 we are floating again and we head down the ditch to Captiva Island.
It was a nice easy trip with beautiful scenery on both sides. The club is on the bay and across the street from the ocean. We took a walk on the beach and watched the sunset. It is a hard life but someone has to do it. Sorry you can’t be here enjoying the trip with us.
We hope to get out early tomorrow and head to St Charles Yacht Club.
I woke up this morning with the boat heeled over about 15 degrees. We are hard aground in the marina. By 8:00 we are floating again and we head down the ditch to Captiva Island.
It was a nice easy trip with beautiful scenery on both sides. The club is on the bay and across the street from the ocean. We took a walk on the beach and watched the sunset. It is a hard life but someone has to do it. Sorry you can’t be here enjoying the trip with us.
We hope to get out early tomorrow and head to St Charles Yacht Club.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
