by Judy Handley | Sep 9, 2013 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 8 |
Day 310, Year 8: Woods Hole to Boston to Waterford, Connecticut and Back to Woods Hole
Date: Monday, September 9, 2013
Weather: Beautiful, Clear Day with Winds Moving from NE to SW
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
We made a long loop today from Woods Hole to Boston, then out to Waterford, Connecticut to Defender Marine, and then back home to Woods Hole. Mark had a routine appointment with his urologist, Dr. Cutie, at Mass General, and Chris and Geoff went to Boston to check out of the country. But that was not so easy. We made calls ahead of time to make sure they were going to the correct place, but when they got there, it was not. They found some helpful people who redirected them and after a $25 taxi ride, they found the right office in the part of Boston where cruise ships dock. They are leaving the country with the hope that when they return they will be issued a US cruising permit. They had one, but sailed to Cuba his summer. They knew US boats couldn’t do this, but they didn’t realize that this is a problem for foreign boats. But it is—especially when you come back and check into Key West. Hopefully when they return from Canada, the trip to Cuba will be forgiven and they can move on. They plan to leave Eel Pond early tomorrow morning and sail directly to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. They should be there by Thursday morning if all goes well. The winds look favorable, so it should be a good trip. We have had a wonderful time with them and have been encouraging them to return by mid-October to sail to the Chesapeake when we do. If it is too cold for them up north, they just might do this. In the meantime, happy sailing wishes to Chris and Geoff.
Our second trip to Defender Marine in two days was once again frustrating. Yesterday’s trip was frustrating because the place wasn’t open. Today’s trip was frustrating because the items we were looking at are going to be reduced in price starting Thursday morning for the Newport Boat Show. But you can’t find out what the Boat Show price will be until it is posted online early Thursday morning. Chris and Geoff wanted to an AIS unit, but knowing the price will be cut in just three days made buying it today seem crazy. Of course, they won’t be here in three days, but we’ll find a way to send it to them. Besides, they were going to have to pay Connecticut tax if they bought the unit in the store, but they won’t if they order it online. They were also looking at dinghies, but the salesman really encouraged them to wait and check the Boat Show price. We were also looking at dinghies in the case that ours cannot be repaired. If one or both of us should buy a new dinghy, it will mean another trip to Waterford to pick it up. I drove there and back both yesterday and today. I think someone else will have to drive on the next trip!
by Judy Handley | Sep 8, 2013 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 8 |
Day 309, Year 8: Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic Seaport
Date: Sunday, September 8, 2013
Weather: Mostly Sunny, Gusty Winds in the Afternoon
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Plans are great, but flexibility is the name of the game. We had planned to go to Provincetown today, but when Mark checked with Chris and Geoff this morning, Geoff had found an AIS at Defender (in Connecticut) that he really wanted to buy and he wanted to look at dinghies. The website said they were closed on Sundays, but when Mark called, the menu for store hours said they were open from 9 to 3 pm on Sundays. So off we went. Since Defender is in Waterford, Connecticut, just past Mystic Seaport, I decided to call Jane and Roger Bonner to see if we could meet them for lunch. They are friends who spend the winters in South Carolina and are member of the Sail and Power Squadron there. We tried to meet up with them in Cuttyhunk a few weeks ago, but fog caused delays and we missed each other. Today they were only going to be home until 12:30 pm, so we took off and hoped to get there in time to at least say hello. We arrived just after noon and had time for a short visit. Jane and Roger live on a quiet little street and their backyard borders a small tributary that flows into the Connecticut River. The lot next door is the cemetery of Captain John Mason’s family from the 1700 and 1800’s. Their backyard is not only picturesque, but also historic. I don’t love cemeteries, but this one is quaint and interesting. And since we were in the area, Jane offered us free guest passes to the museum in Mystic Seaport. What a kind gift. We accepted, said our goodbyes, and we were off to Defender—or so we thought. When we got there, they were closed. The hours changed on September 1 but they have not changed their phone message information. What a bummer! It is a two and a half hour drive from here. We looked at the used dinghies that are in the parking area and looked in the windows at all the other dinghies on display. Since EJ, the dinghy repairman who is working on Windbird’s dinghy is telling us that our leak could be coming from the seam and not repairable, looking at dinghies is something we found interesting as well. We were so disappointed that the place wasn’t open, but we took a deep breath, decided to go to the museum in Mystic Seaport, and then drive back to Defender tomorrow after Mark’s urologist appointment at Mass General in Boston. I know. We are crazy. This is a lot of driving, but Mark really wants to see the dinghies to compare what he can get at Defender versus what he can buy through West Marine. And Chris and Geoff are only here for one more day. So the decision was made.
The Museum of America and the Sea in Mystic Seaport is incredible. It captures village life as it was there in the 1800’s and offers many opportunities for touring ships of yesteryear and learning how they were built and maintained. The Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship, has just been refurbished and was launched in late July. It made its first whaling trip in 1841. What a piece of history. It was a short but jam-packed afternoon and we are so grateful to Jane and Roger for making it possible for us to visit. They work there and get guest passes as part of their ‘pay.’ Thank you, Jane and Roger!
by Judy Handley | Sep 7, 2013 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 8 |
Day 308, Year 8: Thanks and Praises
Date: Saturday, September 7, 2013
Weather: Another Gorgeous Day, Just a Tad on the Cool Side
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Justin once wrote a song entitled, “Thanks and Praises to the Most High.” Well, I am singing that song this evening. We got a call from Justin around dinner time telling us that the van they have been driving while in England caught fire and basically disintegrated. He and Jo and the kids had been out driving around and came back to Jo’s parents just long enough to run in the house and get some things to take to a party. When they got back in the van and Justin turned the ignition key, smoke started coming out of the dash. Jo immediately got the kids out of the van and Justin opened the engine compartment to investigate. The whole thing was on fire and no amount of water was going to put it out. Then it basically blew up. No one was hurt, so that is the really important thing. But they lost a lot. When they left here headed to England, they had to pay $500 in extra luggage fees because they were taking ALL of their clothing that they would then take from England to Puerto Rico. They had been using the van to store the clothing, and now all of that is gone. Justin lost his computer which is his livelihood—it totally melted. And both he and Jo lost the phones they have been using in England. They both have iPhones that they were not using but storing in the van, and even though they were in the same bag with the computer that melted, they did not. Justin’s got broken, but Jo’s is working just fine. I told Justin he needs to send photos to Apple. Amazing. There was also a plastic box of toys that did not burn, but otherwise, everything in the van disintegrated. And, of course, there is no insurance. But all they lost is ‘stuff’—Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco are fine. And that is all that counts. Another adventure. Another lesson learned—don’t buy an old van with a faulty carburetor. But with that said, Justin and Jo, we are thinking of you. We are so sorry you had such a frightening experience, and are so, so glad that you and the kids were unscathed. Thanks and praises.
It was a beautiful day here today. I took Mark to work at West Marine and came back to Woods Hole to get photos of Stoney Beach at high tide. I had photos of Stoney in mid-June at low tide with no one on the beach and I wanted to get the same high tide shot. Today was the day. I then came back to Windbird and started a purging project. It is my goal for the next two weeks to get all of the stuff off of this boat that we really don’t need. I then took Chris and Geoff to town with me to do some shopping and pick Mark up from work. Unfortunately, tomorrow’s forecast doesn’t look so great, but we’re hoping we don’t get the 30% chance of rain so we can take Chris and Geoff to the outer Cape to see the Cape Cod National Seashore. On Monday Mark goes to Boston for a doctor’s appointment and Chris and Geoff will go with us so they can check out of the country in the Boston Customs Office. On Tuesday morning they head to Nova Scotia and Mark and I will resume the purging project.
by Judy Handley | Sep 6, 2013 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 8 |
Day 307, Year 8: Happy 10th Anniversary to Heather and Jed
Date: Friday, September 6, 2013
Weather: Beautiful Day
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
It was a beautiful day like today ten years ago when Heather and Jed were married at Spruce Point in Boothbay, Maine. It was a picture book wedding and the intervening ten years have produced three fantastic little boys. It is still hard for me to believe my first born has been married for ten years. I’m sure Jed’s parents, Marti and Donald, feel the same way. But even if we do find it hard to believe, the proof is there. So here’s to a very happy anniversary, Heather and Jed. You spent the first decade together producing. Now you will spend the next decade ‘growing’ the product. Just think, in 2023 Sam will be in high school, Jonah will be in middle school, and Ollie will be eleven years old. Enjoy every minute of the ‘growing’ years.
Mark and I kept the boys tonight while Heather and Jed went out to dinner. Sam was sad that his parents were going out to dinner without him, so I suggested that we go out as well. We went first class—to MacDonald’s. It was actually a good choice. The boys have all been sick and have eaten very little. They actually ate McNuggets and fries and Jonah and Ollie loved the apples that came with the Happy Meals. Ollie was a little sad at bedtime without momma, but he settled quickly. We had such a nice evening that I’m going to suggest that Heather and Jed go out every Friday night for the next month. That’s our anniversary gift.
by Judy Handley | Sep 5, 2013 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 8 |
Day 306, Year 8: Quick Trip to Raymarine in NH
Date: Thursday, September 5, 2013
Weather: Overcast and Cool, High in the Upper 60’s F
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Today’s plans were set early. I got a call from Heather saying that Jonah spiked a fever during the night and that she needed me to help out with childcare if possible. At the same time, Geoff and Chris got in contact with the folks at Raymarine and their suggestion was to drive the faulty radar unit to Nashua today, probably to get a rebuilt circuit board installed. We waited until Jed arrived at work in Woods Hole in the van, and I drove that to Heather’s so she would have a car and Mark, Geoff, and Chris took off in the Taurus. Raymarine headquarters is in Nashua, New Hampshire, so by 1 o’clock they were there and by 3 pm they were on their way home. It was a two and a half hour drive each way, but hopefully the problem is solved in one day. Of course, we’ll have to wait until Geoff gets the unit reinstalled and then wait until it is in use for a few hours before we’ll know if it is really fixed. The problem was that it simply shut down after so many hours of use. Since they are headed to Nova Scotia where there can be lots of fog this time of year, having radar would be a very good thing.
I spent my day with Jonah. He spiked a fever during the night and then a couple of hours later the fever broke. You couldn’t really tell that he was sick by the time I got there, but when I took him for a walk, he did start coughing. I brought him some raspberries, one of his favorite foods, and he had great fun eating the whole container by putting a raspberry on each finger and playing a math subtraction game as he ate. Hopefully he will be able to go back to preschool tomorrow. Ollie went to daycare for the first time in a week and a half today, and he made it just fine. And Sam was finally able to go to his first day of first grade. I went to pick him up this afternoon and he was so happy and animated. He loves his teacher, Mrs. Baker. I asked if she was young and he said, “Oh, yeah. And she knows so much. Young teachers are like that.” I got a chuckle out of that! Once we got home, Heather took off with Sam and Jonah to go pick up Ollie and Jed. Heather called me a bit later to see if I was still at her house or if I had taken the bus home. I was still at Heather’s as Mark had called to say he would be home in time to pick me up. Heather and Jed had just picked up a huge chunk of fresh-off-the boat yellowfin tuna and lemon sole from their Thursday afternoon fish share pick-up and she was glad I was still there so I could take some of the fish home. I put on some sushi rice and by the time Heather and Jed got home, Heather had decided it would be easiest if we just fixed dinner for everyone at her house. So we did and we had a feast. The tuna was delicious, as was sole. Chris had bought some chocolate pumpkin bread at the bakery where they had lunch today, so we added that for dessert. Sam and Jonah were interested in meeting friends from Australia, and since Heather went to college in Australia, she had lots of things to talk to Chris and Geoff about. They asked her if she swam with the potato cod (a huge grouper) when she was working at Lizard Island and she said yes. Jonah and Sam looked at me in amazement. We watched a video about coral reefs a few weeks ago and the divers swam with potato cod. I think the boys were awestruck that their momma had done that as well. What a fun evening.
Mark goes to work at West Marine tomorrow and tomorrow afternoon I head to Heather and Jed’s to babysit all three boys. Tomorrow is Heather and Jed’s tenth anniversary so they are going to do a late afternoon tour of the Falmouth Art Center and then go out to dinner in downtown Falmouth at The Glass Onion. Mark will join Sam, Jonah, Ollie, and I after work and we’ll do pizza dinner with a trip to Smitty’s, the local ice cream shop, for dessert. Earlier in the day I hope to have time to spend with Chris and Geoff in Woods Hole. They are trying to figure out where and how to check out of this country before they head out to Nova Scotia or possibly Newfoundland—to be decided. Mark has an appointment with his urologist at Mass General in Boston on Monday, and that might be the best place to check-out. The winds next week are forecast to be coming from the SW quadrant, so that should give them a good sail. Unfortunately, thunderstorms and fog are also in the forecast. We’ll hope that part of the forecast is wrong.
by Judy Handley | Sep 4, 2013 | Cape Cod, USA, Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 8 |
Day 305, Year 8: Back to Sunny Weather
Date: Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Weather: Lovely Day with a Hint of Fall in the Air
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
After yesterday’s late afternoon deluge, things were back to normal this morning. The sun was shining and the skies were Cape Cod blue. It was beautiful, but there was definitely a hint of fall in the air. I went to Heather’s to help out with Ollie and Sam who are both still on the sick list. Actually Ollie is much better and I think he will be going to daycare tomorrow. I’m hoping Sam will get to go to school, but we’ll just have to wait and see how he feels in the morning. In addition to having croup, his asthma is flaring up and he needs an inhaler every four hours. Jonah is still hanging in there and hopefully he will stay that way.
Mark took Geoff and Chris to West Marine in the morning and then spent the afternoon on Windbird working. When I got home around 5 pm we got ready for having Geoff and Chris over for dinner. We had a lovely evening. Tomorrow morning they need to make contact with Raymarine in New Hampshire about their radar. They have sent it in a couple of times (at great expense) to be checked out and no problems were found. But every time they run it on the boat, it just kicks off after a certain length of time. So frustrating. This evening, Geoff and Chris came over for dinner and we had a wonderful time. Tomorrow they will decide when they will be leaving, but until then we will continue to enjoy their company.
