Lapidus is For Sale!

We were underway before we thought to look back and take one last picture of Washington, DC.  DC is a great city and we will miss it.   It offers so much:  So many museums, art galleries, memorials, and sculpture gardens, most with no admission charge.  A great pedestrian city with beautiful landscaping to enjoy every season.  Massive buildings with incredible architecture. Neighborhood Farmers' Markets most days of the week featuring organic and sustainably grown foods and meats from grass fed livestock.  Not to mention, it is the Nation's Capital.  We will surely miss all the good people who have become our friends.                                  

Our four-day sail to Annapolis, MD was pleasant and a nice 'last' sailing trip.  Of course, the wind was mostly on our nose, no matter which direction we were going as we followed the turns of the Potomac River and then turned north toward the Chesapeake Bay.
   

Lapidus is now on the hard at Port Annapolis.  She is listed with Bernie and Kate at Rogue Wave Yachts.

We plan to land cruise for a while: Oklahoma, Texas and California are where we plan to hang out for a while.

Seasons Greetings from DC

We are enjoying DC.  Museums are free, architecture is amazing, parks with fountains and sculpture are many, the metro (subway) takes you all over in minimal time  -what's not to like.  Plus, so many great restaurants.

Larry's work continues at the National Gallery of Art; the huge project is planned for completion in early 2013. 

Pic:  The White House Christmas Tree on the Ellipse.


Kenya was just here for a visit; of course, the eight days flew by, but we managed a trip to New York City to chat and dine with friends and to see the fabulous Rockettes.                                          

Pic:  Eloise Tree designed by Betty Johnson at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan

I loved having her here to explore DC. One highlight was The Washington Ballet Nutcracker.

We wish you all peace and happiness this Holiday Season and throughout the year.

We're in DC!

After three+ days sailing down the Chesapeake and up the Potomac, we arrived in DC Tuesday morning, August 23, just ahead of the earthquake. The docks shook and bounced  and the water was filled with tiny bubbles -like champagne. But that was all. We learned about the hurricane from the radio.

While damage to the area buildings and the Monuments was being assessed from the earthquake, NOAA was forecasting Irene as a Category 1 hurricane. Later changed to a Tropical Storm, Irene brought heavy rain and wind. With Lapidus secured with extra lines and canvass down, we rode out the storm.

Larry began working on the National Gallery of Art project in June.  The exterior wall is 3 by 5 foot, three inch wide marble pieces. In the shop built for the renovation, they are re-gauged, mended, re-anchored, and then  reinstalled. Larry is a foreman and operating equipment in the shop. Smithsonian buildings are considered works of art; you can imagine the directors, architects and project managers all over the place.  

We're in a marina on the Waterfront of the Washington Channel.  We can walk, or take a bus or metro everywhere.  Larry walks about a mile to the job. In Mayo, driving, riding the commuter bus and waiting added up to nearly five hours a day.

No earthquake or hurricane now, just 80 degrees of gorgeous weather.  

It's Spring!

DC's 2011 National Cherry Blossom Festival

The weather has been chilly, windy and rainy but we finally had a breezy warm day to enjoy the trees at their peak viewing time.  Hundreds of trees encirle the Tidal Basin; others present a spectacular floral background for the Lincoln and Washington Memorials. 

So..... we made it through the winter while living on a sailboat in Annapolis, Maryland!  Actually, we did just fine.  Our diesel heater warms up the boat quickly; plus we have an electric oil heater and a small electric heater that we use when we don't need the diesel heater.  The weather was cold; infact, it was below average temperature in December, January, February, and March.  We had several snow storms, but our area always seemed to get less snow and ice than everyplace around us, lucky for us.  Our boating neighbors shared stories of 2010's snow storms that left snow boat high on the docks and a snowed in marina.  But this year was nothing close to that, but, again, it was cold and windy and that damp, cold air just cuts right through a person.

When the temperatures fell and taking walks was not fun anymore, we joined a Fitness Center.  Like most people, we have a Love/Hate relationship with the gym.  But we've become regulars in the yoga and pilates classes and like how we feel from doing the practices.  Hanging out on the elliptical and treadmill takes care of that needed aerobic exercise.   Plus, going to the gym got us off the boat, even on the coldest days.  Of course, after we finished at the gym, then we might go to the movies, buy groceries, eat out, etc. Now that the days are warming up, we're walking outside again, still my favorite way to exercise. 

In February, we drove to Oklahoma to celebrate Mom's full life of nearly 89 years.  A vibrant, multi-talented woman, she practiced living each day to its maximum and in her own way.

Left, on Trent's Harley.

Kenya shared these fitting words:  Vegas, Riverboat Casinos, Retail Stores, and Elks Lodges will never be quite as glamorous without her.

Season's Greetings from Annapolis, MD

The blizzard that has buried much of the east coast treated our area pretty nicely.  From as far south as North Carolina and up the Coast to Maine, snow falls were counted in feet.  The Annapolis, D.C., and Baltimore area only received four inches or so. We're not complaining.  We did get the wind that was forecast, and we're still getting gusts in the 30's. 


We cooked Turkey and dressing and all the trimmings for Thanksgiving, but for Christmas we chose true Maryland fare, Crab Cakes using local Blue Crab.  We started the day with one of the only family traditions we've been able to keep, a grog type drink that we call Milk Punch.  Drinking the Ice Cream/Milk/Bourbon concoction from our Pusser's cups lent a Caribbean touch to the chilly, snowy day.

We stay busy adjusting to living aboard in a cold climate.  When the water was too cold for our Reverse Cycle Central Heat to work, we serviced our Espar diesel heater and started it up.  The boat's first owner had installed it and we had never used it before (not much of a need).  We were amazed at how toasty it kept the boat. But, alas, it clogged up and stopped working.  Until it is cleaned and repaired, we are using two electric heaters, plus one small electric heater in the engine room.
 
We wish you all peace and happiness this Holiday Season and throughout the year.

New York City

Our first trip to Manhattan!!!!!

The cool, crisp fall days were perfect for miles of walking and sight-seeing.

The Amtrak train ride is about three hours from the BWI station (30 minutes from our marina) to Penn Station in Midtown, close to Madison Square Garden and within walking distance to our hotel and so many 'must sees.'  Trains are the best way to travel.  No hassle  --none!  Just buy your ticket, pick your comfy coach seat, and relax and enjoy the view.  Of course, commuters use Amtrak, so sometimes the trains are crowded.

But our train was not crowded.  On a train, there's much more legroom, the seats are wider, and the aisles are wider than on a plane, plus the windows are bigger.  Very enjoyable.  Passengers do have to pay attention to ensure they depart the train at their chosen destination!

The fall colors have been gorgeous, and Central Park's fall foliage was reported to be so as well.  And that it was.  Our three day, two night trip included many hours within the one-half mile wide and two and one-half miles long Park, and we still only covered about half of the area.  In addition to meandering trails accented with granite boulders, forests,a reservoir and several lakes, the Park is home to restaurants, gardens, museums and a zoo.



The Imagine Mosaic in Strawberry Fields, John Lennon's memorial in Central Park.







Remote Controlled Sailing!





We walked everywhere as we located other sights we wanted to see.   The New York Public Library, the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, Fifth Avenue  -- oh what fun.
So much we didn't see, but that means another visit!

A few other favorites:



Top of Rockefeller Plaza - What a view
 

Remember the
Soup Nazi
from Seinfield? 

But it was not yet open!




Beauty and grandeur in the New York Public Library, as well as extensive collections.  I love libraries (and parks).

St. Patrick's Cathedral
Historical, Gothic-style
Cathholic Church

Rockefeller Plaza
We also were on the Plaza while the Today show was taping, but we were cold and too hungry to wait for Matt and the other anchors to join the crowd outside.

Grand Central Terminal
Transports thousands of commuters daily.
Lots of high-end restaurants and shops.





In the lobby of The Plaza Hotel, on our way to The Oak Room  - martini time.

Fall on the Chesapeake

Hard to believe it's late October.  In between long days of boat cleaning, maintenance, and repair, we've been exploring the area, sampling delicious fresh crab and seafood, and attending local festivals.  The numerous  festivals held throughout the state celebrate Maryland's seafood, its wine, and its harvests.

A small state, Maryland provides a bounty of food, wine and seafood. Our veggies and most of our produce are chosen from several Farmer's Markets and local produce stands.  Maryland has over 40 'Direct Farm & Pick Your Own' markets.  We purchase very fresh seafood from a local shop.  Yes, we are enjoying the area.

We've even been cruising! This last weekend, we left our marina in the Rhode River, sailed up the Bay past the South River, past Annapolis, and turned into the Severn River where we met other Valiant Sailboat owners for a fun outing. We rafted up for  a while for pictures.  Lapidus is between the two red 50' boats.  Our organizers and hosts, Bernie and Kate of Rogue Wave Yachts, own a beautiful home on the Severn and keep their Valiant, Mahalo, there.  We appreciate their hospitality. 

The Bay is crowded on the weekends, especially around Annapolis.  A beautiful site, but maneuvering through all the boats out racing Sunday afternoon was a challenge. 

Cooler Weather -Thanks to Earl

Hurricane Earl,  the monster storm that caused damage to several Caribbean islands, brushed by the Turks and Caicos causing big wave action, and menaced the US East Coast all week, brought a little wind and cooler weather to our area.  Before it fizzled, it made land fall in Nova Scotia, giving several cities a pounding of wind and rain.

The resort town of Ocean City, Maryland, located on the Atlantic coast and about 100 miles from here, braced for a hit from Earl.  The area experienced turbulent waves and wind, but fortunately received no major damage.

We're in Holiday Hill Marina on the Rhode River several miles south of Annapolis on the Chesapeake Bay. 
As this serene view indicates, we're in a lovely, tranquil cove. The Smithsonian Institute prohibits development on the entire south side of the Rhode River, thus the marina is secluded and quiet.  While a big storm can do damage here or anywhere, we do have nice protection from the waves caused by wind and Bay boaters, plus no muscle boats or jet skis are allowed (thanks to the Smithsonian).

We're getting into the rhythm of marina living.  Being secured in a slip results in an easier life than being on a mooring ball or at anchor.  Here we just step off the boat and walk up the docks (and, thankfully, to our pickup)   -no need to launch the dingy, start the motor, head for the dingy dock, secure the dingy, and then complete whatever activity was planned, which might be something simple and or it might be laundry day, so the dingy is full of clothes.  Then, of course,  back on the dingy to return to the big boat.  But, because we're in a slip and not anchored with our bow in the wind, we're not enjoying the breeze blowing in our hatches.  And slip life offers far less privacy than living at anchor, where you experience the feeling of having your own, private sunset.  Slip life is easier, but not nearly as rewarding. The Bay boasts hundreds of lovely anchorages and we'll be visiting a few of those this fall.

Right now, we're enjoying this beautiful weather and keeping track of the current tropical storms.

Notes and Pics from the Captain

Lapidus - Close to time to depart for passage from Turks and Caicos to Annapolis


With no chartplotter from the second day on, we navigated with paper charts and our two handheld VHF's.  We came all the way in like this without any trouble. We came into the Chesapeake at 3 in the morning and no moon. It sure beats dead reckoning.

On the third morning we were motoring and there was a loud growling sound. I slowed the engine and checked everything, but found nothing wrong. I started motoring again and within 15 to 20 minutes same sound. I shut the engine off for the next two and a half days and watched the windex on top of the mast spin around and around. After two and a half days I started the engine and ran it at 1500 rpms for a while and then up to 2200, with no problems and no more unusual noises. We ran the engine sparingly to be sure we had enough diesel to enter the marina, which we did, but not much extra. 

Six different pods of dolphins joined us during our voyage.
They came to play, and we were glad to see them.



I was only able to understand Chris Parker two days while we were in the middle of our voyage, but it was a big help. He gave us a couple of good waypoints that helped us out on some eddies and gave us some wind part of a day. The eddies lasted until we got to the gulfstream. We basically sailed north on longitude 72 and then curved in west to Cape Hatteras, then into the Chesapeake.

It was really hot out there. There were two or three days where we did not see a ship, plane or a bird. Again, we were always glad when a pod of dolphins decided to hang out with us for a while.  Unusal cloud formations also added interest.  One cloud with a hole in the middle?
 

South Side Marina

The new bar and restaurant has been started and will be a welcome addition to the south side of Provo.

Annapolis Arrival

Larry and Robert left the Turks & Caicos Sunday afternoon, August 1, and pulled into a slip in Holiday Hill Marina Wednesday afternoon, August 11.  The forecast was for a sailing wind, though moderate; instead, there was not enough wind and they were becalmed for several days, which added a couple of days to the length of the trip.

While the weather was too uneventful, they did have challenges.  The Furuno Chart Plotter and Radar decided to take a vacation starting the second morning.  No data was on the screen.  Though Larry was able to get some old waypoints back, none of the charts would come up, nor was anything visible on the radar.  They had all the needed paper charts to chart their route, so that's what they did.  Taking regular Lat and Long readings with our handheld Standard Horizon and keeping a good log kept them occupied and on their route.

Also, on a calm day early in the trip, the engine made an unusual noise, though it continued to run.  After the second time it made the noise, Larry thought it might be the cutlass bearing and decided to not run it, not wanting to cause more serious damage.  After a few days of averaging little more than two knots, they again turned on the engine, but ran it only at low RPM's and only ran it when there was no wind. It made no more noises and they were able to use it to come into the marina.

Kenya and I had a fast, fun road trip.  We left OKC Sunday afternoon, made a detour to Ponca City, then stopped in Memphis for the night and arrived in Wilmington, NC Monday night, after 1,400 miles.  Though not exactly on the logical road to Annapolis, Wilmington is a lovely coastal city and we wanted to check it out; we're so glad we did.  Then Wednesday morning, we drove the 390 miles to Annapolis and met up with Larry!

I'm loving being back on the boat, trying to find a location for all the extras I brought on board, mostly clothes I bought because I did not take much with me when I left.  We're getting the boat in order, which will take a while.  We'll take the Furuno Chart Plotter to the dealer to have the software reloaded, and hope that's all that needs to be done.  Also, we have the engine to take care off.

Larry plans to write more info about the trip.  Plus, we'll be sharing what's happening here and what plans we make.

Underway to Annapolis

Larry and his crew member Robert began their passage Sunday afternoon at high tide.  The sandy-bottom shallow route from Southside Marina to Sapodilla Bay is only possible at high tide and takes about two hours.  From the Bay, they followed the Sand Bore Channel still needing as much water under them as possible, as much for random coral heads as for depth.

Out of the Channel late in the afternoon, they turned north and will be underway until they reach Annapolis.  We don't have a satellite phone, so I won't talk to Larry until he has a phone antenna somewhere on the east coast, probably in the Chesapeake.  We do have a Single Side Bank, so he can talk to Chris Parker (weather forecaster) as well as make other connections if needed.

Time to Move - Ourselves & Lapidus

Time for an update: I'm still in Oklahoma, but Larry has flown back to the Turks and Caicos and is preparing the boat for a move to the Chesapeake, specifically Annapolis! In June, Larry flew back to take down all the sails and canvass, since hurricane season had begun and we weren't sure when we would be continuing our cruising.  So, now, he's putting them all back up, along with the usual preparations for an offshore trip. 

While we had planned to spend some time in  Oklahoma (and Texas) to visit family and friends this summer,  we left the boat in the Turks and Caicos and flew to Oklahoma earlier than planned due to my Mom's health.  She's had a tough summer, but is doing pretty well at this time.

We plan to be in the Annapolis area for a while.  Flying to Oklahoma is a lot easier from the East Coast than from the Caribbean.  Plus, we will easily be able to be contacted when the need arises.  Cruising the Caribbean is still a priority, just moved to the future for now.

Larry and Robert (his very qualified crew) plan to leave August 1, weather permitting.  To find crew, we used an organization that specializes in helping captains find crew and crew find captains-  www. sailopo.com.  Robert wanted to make the trip because he is interested in purchasing a Valiant.  Larry's plan is to take the shortest route with the best weather and with no planned stops.  I'm sure I'll be missing a great passage, but at the time we decided to do this, I did not want to be 'unreachable' for at least ten or more days.

Kenya is flying to OKC from LA to join me in a sure-to-be-fun mother-daughter road trip in our pickup, which we will want in Annapolis.

At this time, the weather forecast looks great for Larry and Robert to leave Provo, Turks and Caidos on Sunday, August 1.  I'll keep you updated. 

Georgetown to Provo, Turks and Caicos

Held every April, the 57th Family Island Regatta brings much excitement to the  Georgetown area.  Locally built sloops, representing each of the major islands, race competitively and fiercely for the coveted title Best in the Bahamas.  It's a week of parties and festivities.  Food and drink shacks are hastily built on the government docks to handle the influx of people. 

The week before the races, ships arrive in the harbor laden with the participating sloops. These canoe type sloops carry a tall mast and a long boom that sits low in the boat and several feet past the stern. Classes A and B sail only a traditionally made main sail.  Class C carries a head sail as well as a main, both traditionally made.  No light-weight sail cloth adorns these boats.  These boats can go really fast, 20-25 knots for the C class boats.

The end of race week seemed a perfect time for leaving Georgetown, and we had a pretty doable weather window. We left on Sunday, April 25 with plans to stop in Provo and then on to Luperon, Dominican Republic if the weather held.  Doug and Marlene on Solar Eclipse are returning to Florida to take care of necessary engine repairs.  We plan to meet up with them next year in the Eastern Caribbean.  Harry and Linda on the catamaran Kuhala also left that morning but planned to stop in Conception and to make other stops on the way to Provo and then Luperon.  They had the best plan because our forecast did not hold, the wind clocked several times, and the current slowed us down.

Larry gives more detail:
With a nice brisk wind, we sailed north to Cape Santa Maria, Long Island.  As we sailed out of the protection of Long Island, the seas increased and the ride was a little rough.

We sailed east bewteen Conception and Rum to the southeast side of Little San Salvador, but still underneath the island, then slightly S.S.E.  The current slowed us to 3 or 4 knots. After not making very much progress, somewhere around the middle and east of Rum, we tacked ESE and later SW.

We should have gone on south by Rum, because we slowed the same going east. At the southeast corner of San Salvador we turned south, still very slow, toward the bottom of Rum or just before we tacked east.  And the wind was 20 to 24 true from San Salvador. I hailed a ship about our taking a different route so we could get out of the current and he said there's not one. We were going into the waves and it was NO FUN. We tacked and headed to west of Samana and even though we still had a lot of wind and slow going it was a much smoother ride. This was Monday morning. The wind went down later to 15 to 18. We passed Samana; then 32 kts hit us in a wind change from north or west, maybe northwest, with just a little rain. The good thing was we picked up from 2 and 3 kts to 7+ kts. About an hour later the wind had subsided to between 12 and 14.  We talked to another ship about that time and he said they had experienced 42 kts true, but we never had high wind again.

We had a nice sail across the top of Acklins and Plana Cays then S.E. to Mayaguana.

Tuesday afternoon, we anchored just inside the cut in Abraham's Bay, Mayaguana. We left at 11:30 p.m. that night in very light wind of 5kts but it picked up to 10 or 12 after daylight. Wednesday morning around 10:00 a.m. we entered the Sandbore Channel and, using the waypoints from the Wavyline chart, sailed the rumline with a rising tide and no coral head problems. We anchored in Sapodillo Bay; Thursday morning at high tide, we moved to Southside Marina, a great marina with a great staff. 

We plan to leave the boat in the marina in Provo while we return to Oklahoma for a while.  When we return, we'll check out the beaches and other sights.  And we'll post pictures and stories about the beautiful Turks and Caicos.

Enjoying George Town

Last season, George Town was our first destination.  After finally getting a good weather window to cross the Gulf Stream, we left Fort Lauderdale for an overnight passage to Nassau, where we checked in and spent the night, and then another overnight passage to George Town. We slowed our speed so that we had daylight to read the water and follow the waypoints through the cut and into the harbor. The varying depth of the water requires several direction changes. We arrived Sunday morning and our daughter Kenya and friends Pam and Shari arrived in Georgetown late Sunday afternoon.  We spent the next week exploring and discovering this beautiful area.  With its many crescent shaped white sand beaches surrounded by magical waters, gin clear to turquoise on the Harbor side to cobalt on the Sound side, this is an extraordinary place.  

While the beauty of the area is without question, George Town dominates as a Bahamas cruising favorite for many reasons.  Most cruisers anchor off Stocking Island, a small island several miles long that helps define the mile-wide Elizabeth Harbor, with Great Exuma Island and the town George Town on the other side of the Harbor.  The Kid Cove is another anchorage option located just outside George Town.  In all, the large, spacious Harbor can, and often does, accommodate 300+ boats at one time. Cruisers come for the winter or just visit a while.  

We like the beaches, the hikes up to the Monument, and socializing with other cruisers.  Of course, we’re always involved in boat projects, maintenance, restocking, planning.  And then there’s reading and DVD time.                               We are currently anchored just off Volleyball Beach, near Chat and Chill and the Conch Salad Stand.

Our new Spectra water maker makes living aboard much easier.  We began to notice that our tank level was going down faster that we thought we were using water.  When you have to fill water jugs to have water, you have a pretty good idea about your water consumption.  We had no extra water in the bilge and we checked and rechecked every hose and connection.  Larry discovered the water was going out a thru hull because of a bad solinoid on the water maker.  We just received a new one yesterday and should have it on by tomorrow.

Our wind generator also quit, even though it had been upgraded with a new kit last summer. After completing several troubleshooting tests, Larry was able to order replacement parts at no costs, but installing the new kit and parts will be time consuming and not easy while at anchor.

Daily, on the Cruisers's Net, boaters request information, advice, help, tools, etc.  And, usually immediately, someone comes back with a reply.  We all benefit from this great network. 

A hike up the trail to the Monument offers a grand view as well as a close up view of the osprey next.