Sunday, January 25, 2009

Warderick Wells-Exuma Land and Sea Park

Ahoy,

How is everyone? Hope you all are doing great and finding the same sense of hope now that Barack Obama is our president. We watched with tears of joy as he spoke to US citizens and citizens from all over the world with the message that unifies and signifies the beginning of a paradigm shift that seeks our better selves. We begin to feel both proud and safe again. The Bahamians are so excited about our new president. It has been great to celebrate along with them.

We left Nassau 3 days ago and just woke up to a beautiful day in an anchorage on Warderick Wells, which is part of the Exuma Land and Sea Park. The park covers 176 square miles of land and sea. It was begun in the 1950s and has grown as part of over 700,000 acres conserved by the Bahamas National Trust. The park includes critical habitats and endangered species, including one of the largest breeding colonies of West Indian flamingos, an important sea turtle facility and one of the most successful marine fishery reserves in the world.

We are anchored just off the tiny circle of land called Emerald Rock. It is about 100 yards in diameter and surrounded by coral heads that we will dive on later today. It is our understanding that the fish are so fearless through 50 years of protection that they will swim right up to us. This area is considered one of the most beautiful in the world for reef diving.

Yesterday we took a walk around the island just before sunset. We walked up Boo Hill to the highest point on the island, which is about 80 feet above sea level. While on the deck of the park headquarters looking out over the water and boats I saw a huge spotted eagle ray broach and fully reveal its wondrous body before it splashed back into the water. As we cruised back to Namaste in our dinghy we saw the wing of another ray before it dipped below the surface.
Some of the pictures in the blog include Chris’s hands holding the little Bananaquit birds that are friends of the park service rangers, pictures of the land and seascape surrounding Warderick Wells and the newly painted engine covers.

We are making lots of friends along the way. As we traveled down from Deltaville we meet folks that we see again and again. In Shroud Cay and then again last night we visited with folks on two different boats from Deltaville. We also spent some time with some folks that we met in Nassau and hope to catch up with another couple from Nassau down in Georgetown. The community of cruisers embraces openly and is always helpful and supportive. We have met so many people who are willing to share best anchorages, places to provision, do laundry, get good water and fuel, best snorkeling and so forth.

We are about to go up to park HQ to use the Internet so I am signing off for now. On to snorkeling and hiking the island’s treasure trove of beauty.

Sorry not all the pics loaded and I am running out of time...next time!

Take care all,

Love and Peace

January 13, 2009

Nassau, Bahamas

Hello All,

We raised our Bahamian flag at last! We checked in with Immigration at Chub Cay in the Berry Islands on Janurary 10th and are now situated in Nassau, New Providence.

The weather window we were hoping for on January 5th while in Key Biscayne did not work out. We optimistically made a go of it and began our crossing only to return as the seas had not subsided as predicted and there was promise of a bow-pounding trip to Bimini. Our goal is to travel a more “thornless path” as described by Bruce van Sant in Passages South. Wait and watch. Patience.

With the closing of this window Chappell decided to return to Charleston and later rejoin us with Betsy when we arrive in Georgetown on the island of Great Exuma. Before he left we visited the Miami Sea Aquarium and saw three great shows including dolphins, sea lions and killer whales. Both the trainers and the animals were dynamic performers and we enjoyed them thoroughly.
As we waited we also began listening to Chris Parker on the single sideband radio. Each morning for the last 5 years Chris gets up and translates the weather maps for folks cruising the east coast of Florida, the Keys and the Bahamas. After he gives his report for each area in the Bahamas he takes specific questions from sailors traveling up and down the islands. His predictions are clear, accurate and insightful and we will find his reporting to be a huge asset as we continue our journey.

Chris P. predicted a window for Saturday the 10th of January and we found ourselves preparing again to take the trip across the Gulf Stream. This time we decided to pass by Bimini and go straight to Chub Cay in the Berry Islands to check in with Immigration. It was a peaceful and beautiful 24-hour trip. A light wind, mild sea, blue sky, starry night and a full moon were there to guide us. During my watch at 4 in the morning Namaste was headed right up the glittering path of reflected moonlight on the ocean. Sunday morning I watched as the full moon set and the pink sun rose over the Bahama Banks . Beautiful!

Chris and I spent one night at Chub Cay before continuing our journey to Nassau. A long first day walk through town introduced us to the sights, sounds and smells of Nassau. The sights are black and white, turquoise, and every shade of pastel peach, pink, mint green and blue, and the towering Atlantis on Paradise Island juxtaposed with poverty in the Over the Hill neighborhood in downtown Nassau. The sounds include the musical voices of Bahamians as they go about their day joined with wind, birds, horns, music, laughter, boats and splashing water. The smells are diesel and motor oil near the docks, salty fish on Potters Cay, fragrant hibiscus and bougainvilleas in the gardens, pungent curry and blackened spices wafting from the windows of restaurants combined with salt and fresh air.

We strolled down to the Straw Market where men and women sell all kinds of souvenirs to passing cruise ships. We passed by the duty free diamond and emerald marketers. We stopped for Hagendaas mocha freezes before touring the Bahamian National Gallery of Art. Our old knees and feet hurt and we kept on walking as we enjoyed a taste of what is in store for us over the next months. This week we hope to take in some music and dancing, a beach trip, snorkeling outing, and a trip to the largest aquarium in the world at Atlantis Waterworld. The weather predictions will keep us in Nassau until Saturday or Sunday when we will begin our trek down the Exumas stopping at the Exuma Land and Sea Park before continuing to Georgetown.

Meanwhile we look forward with the Bahamians to January 20th. There is much excitement here with regard to the inauguration of President Obama.

Well that’s all for now.

Peace and Love

January 1, 2009

Key Largo

“……Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama. Key Largo, Montego, baby why don’t we go down to Cocomo. We’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow. That’s were I want to go….” The Beach Boys had it right. We used to happily sing this song as a family years ago while gathered at the kitchen table. And now Isaac, Chappell, Chris and I are here on Key Largo together. Dreams coming true. Last Sunday, in Key Biscayne, we were hoping for a weather window to set sail for the Bahamas. We thought we had the south, southeast wind we needed to depart on Monday. We awoke Monday morning and double-checked the weather before our pending departure. Alas, the winds were quickly shifting to the north and the seas were rising. The window closes. Advice from all sources warns never cross the Gulf Stream with wind against current as the seas can build up in no time for a very uncomfortable ride at best.

Being fluid humans, we altered our plans and flowed south another day, another 40 miles to Key Largo. It is beautiful here, warm and sunny. The water is every shade of turquoise and clear. One can easily see the bottom at 15 to 20 feet. The waters east of Key Largo are home to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park with 178 square nautical miles of coral reef, sea grass beds and mangrove swamps.

It is New Years day and we have been out snorkeling on the reef. The four of us enjoyed a day of snorkeling yesterday and Pell and Isaac took the plunge again today. We observed a variety of coral and fish including parrot fish, barracuda, blue tang, cow fish, trumpet fish, rock beauties, butterfly fish, grouper, ocean surgeon and needle fish. I was swimming along with eyes to the vibrant and lush coral bed when Isaac pointed to a green sea turtle; it’s flippers lifting like wings as it floated above the coral reef. We commented later on the experience of swimming in this fish world, where they display all the grace of sea dwellers as we swim awkwardly among them with our snorkel, mask and fin attachments. Our own underwater ungainliness aside, snorkeling is a purely tranquil experience in what appears an alternate universe hosted by mysterious and elegant creatures.

Later, back at our anchorage and the Internet, television, stereo and phones are off. Chris is reading in the gently swaying hammock. Chappell and Isaac are playing a brotherly competitive game of chess. I have been trying to capture the turquoise green shades of the ocean with my watercolors, a favorite pastime these days. We are well rested and relaxed. We get up and go to bed with the sun. We read a lot, play board games, swim, sail, snorkel and breathe in our surroundings. Chris and I enjoy the exuberant, adventurous and often humorous exchanges with and between Chappell and Isaac. Precious times, very precious times.

This life on the water is like existing in a separate reality, an altered state, an elemental experience. On Saturday Isaac will climb into a rented car and drive for just 2 hours before reaching the Fort Lauderdale airport. We motor-sailed 8 hours to travel the same distance down the coast of Florida. Isaac will soar up the highway not 2 miles from our present anchorage surrounded by all the sounds, smells and sights of our modern culture. He will be in Charlottesville by mid-afternoon the same day. We are living contained and expanded by sea, sky, sun, moon, stars and wind. Since we left Deltaville on November 7th we have traveled over 1000 miles and with each mile we are born back into an intimate relationship with the elements.
It is hard to believe that it was just a year ago that this treasured seed of a vision that was dreamed more than 25 years ago between Chris and I began to truly sprout roots. We have learned and accomplished so much over the last 12 months. We both had very high, though differing, learning curves ahead of us and we continue to grow and learn in each moment, our dream vision manifesting as we set our course each day.

We are looking at another weather window for Monday the 5th of next week. We are experiencing the current front approaching with north winds today and tonight. The winds are shifting to northeast and east over the next two days and then we hope to see the south, southeast winds that will favor our trip east. So we watch and wait for the wind to clock ‘round the compass and the Gulf Steam seas to subside. We hope the window is big enough for us to blow through to North Light, just north of Bimini and then on to the Berry Islands before heading to Georgetown on Great Exuma. We are in a lovely location to watch and wait and always much to do before we go.

Happy New Year to all

Peace and Love

December 26, 2008
Key Biscayne
Hi, how is everybody? We wish you a very happy New Year from Namaste. Isaac, Chappell, Chris and I are happily anchored in Key Biscayne Bay just outside Noname Harbor, one of the many jumping off places to the Bahamas. We arrived in Miami on Sunday, December 21th.
On Tuesday December 16th Chappell, Chris and I took Namaste up the Cooper and Wando River to City Boatyard. We had Namaste put up in slings (raised the hull above the surface of the water) so Chris and Chappell could make a quick fitting change at the main through-hull. The boat was only up in slings for 15 minutes before they completed the work with no complications. Back in the water again we were at last ready to depart from Charleston and head for Miami. We spent one more night on the dock waiting for tide and current to favor our journey back down river and on to the sea.

We left the Cooper River through the inlet at Charleston Harbor late in the afternoon on Wednesday and began our journey down the Atlantic coastline. We planned to reach St. Augustine, Florida within 32 hours. As we approached St. Augustine weather continued to be in our favor and we decided to travel on to Cape Canaveral, another good inlet for us if the weather changed. At Cape Canaveral we realized we could make it all the way to Miami with calm seas and fare wind. As long as we hugged the coastline past the cape we could avoid the strong northerly current of the Gulf Stream. After four days and nights at sea we reached Miami Harbor at 2:00 in the afternoon.

Traveling down the coast was incredible! I had no idea what would await us during this new experience. We had deep, blue water instead of the shallow and shoaling channels that the ICW through Georgia would present to us. During one clear and starry night the water was so calm we could see the moonlight reflected in the water all the way to Namaste over an almost flat sea. The days were sunny and the seas turned to blue green as we bounded south. The nights were moonlit, clear and contained us within a dome of stars.

We each took 4-hour watches twice a day. I had the honor of the 4:00 to 8:00 sunrise and sunset watch, lucky me. Watches involved total diligence for the 4 hours that the safety of those aboard was in one’s hands. Scanning, checking course, the gauges, charts, scanning, observing, and scanning again with an ever-careful eye to the sea. With GPS and autopilot this work is all made easier and more precise than it was in years past. Still, being on watch requires a constant, careful presence. Our captain, Chris, was ever calm, present and diligent.

One evening as night was chasing day to the west and dark was beginning to overtake Namaste I looked to port side and saw something black and long, about 25 or 30 feet long, just catching the surface of the water. I wondered what is that? Is it a log floating in the water? That could be dangerous. But as I looked more carefully this “object” seemed more alive in the water than passive. I knocked on the cabin wall and Chappell came on deck to take a look with me. We watched as “it” seemed to gently push below the surface of the water and then rise again. We caught each other’s eye and simultaneously exclaimed “whale” just as it began a dive that revealed a full view of its flukes before disappearing altogether beneath the surface. Chappell checked the chart and realized we were traveling through a right whale habitat. What a treat!
Each day at sea brought new surprises of natural wonder. We saw sea turtles, dolphins, several Portuguese man-of-wars and bright pink jellyfish. We witnessed the illusion of the moon and sun traversing the sky from east to west with attendant fanfare and colors. Many times as we passed a group of dolphins they would take notice of Namaste and gracefully arc through the water to play at our bow. One day in particular a group of 6 or 7 dolphins joined us for 10 or 15 minutes. They gathered at our bow, gliding without apparent effort in our wake. As one dolphin would fall back another would soar up the side of Namaste to take its place with 4 or 5 others just under the surface of the water. It is one of the most purely playful acts I have witnessed in nature. With sheer glee, they rode our wake like an amusement park ride. A delightful moment for both the observers and the observed.

As we left Charleston and headed to sea I was filled with intrepidation. I was worried about our safety, even though we were fully prepared. I was anxious about the wind and the waves, even though all the forecasting suggested light winds and fare seas. I was in fear of the great responsibility of a watch and whether I could rise to the challenges presented. I was not sure I would enjoy traveling at night. I arrived in Miami a huge fan of traveling night and day on the open water. I fell in love out there. I trust our little ship to hold us safely and I trust myself to meet the challenges that lie ahead with gaining confidence and experience. I am certain life on the water will continue to present both internal and external challenges. But that is true for all of us no matter where we are in place and time, attitude and perspective. At each juncture I learn more about myself. Stalking that old nemesis fear is one of the keys to diminishing the anxiety. Just one more way to experience being on watch.

Isaac arrived Christmas Eve Day. We cooked a traditional dinner on board and are looking forward to left over’s this evening. We are happy to be spending almost two weeks together before Isaac needs to travel back to Charlottesville. In our ever-constant mode of fluid change Isaac has not booked his return flight. We are not sure whether we will be in the Keys, Bimini or perhaps all the way to Nassau in the next week or so. If the weather permits later this week we will set sail for Bimini, if not, we will go south into the Keys for the next 10 days. Either way we will be in warm weather surrounded by lush mangroves, white sandy beaches, turquoise water and most importantly the company of those we love.

I will write as often as our access to the Internet allows. I may use either email or the blog from here on out depending on the strength of the network I am using.

Again we wish you a very Happy Holiday Season! And, we think of you often.

Peace and Love to All

More time in Charleston

Hi Everybody! How are you doing?

I am sitting here on Namaste at the Maritime Center dock in the middle of a very dense fog drinking my morning coffee. The fog is real although at my age it could be in my head.

(I just had another birthday and am preoccupied with age.) We decided to spend more time in Charleston so that we can complete planned projects and fully provision the boat before we head to Miami.

With those things done all we need is good weather in Miami to send us over to the Bahamas.

The Charleston Maritime Center’s Marina has a very active presence in the community. It is the home of the schooner The Spirit of South Carolina. The Spirit is a 148’ replica of the schooner used in the mid 1800’s as a harbor pilot ship. It was built here on the grounds of the center over a 2-year period with private donations. It’s mission is educational and we have seen many groups of excited students from local schools board her while we have been here. There are 10 full time crew that live on board. They offer 15 different classes to students. During two seasons of the year they offer the day trips we have witnessed and the other two seasons they take students on extended voyages. They will be leaving with a group of 20 students for the Dominican Republic later this month. The crewmembers are kind, enthusiastic and generous sailors and teachers. We have enjoyed getting to know them. Docked forward of The Spirit is The Virginia. The Virginia was completed in 1916 and used as a pilot ship in the Hampton Roads area before it was privately purchased. The Virginia now has an educational mission as well.
Last Saturday we watched from the aft deck of Namaste as more than 40 boats lit up with Christmas lights paraded down the Cooper River toward the Battery and the Ashley River. The boats were bedecked with palm trees, flamingos, traditional Christmas trees and crew wrapped in lights dancing on the decks. The lights were reflected on the surface of the water adding to the spectacle of color. There was a live band playing on The Spirit for the evening. My favorite part of the parade was the flotilla of small boats that paddled by the marina. There were rowboats, canoes and kayaks dressed in twinkling lights like fairy boats. Very sweet and the folks on board were full of holiday spirit.

I love the visual sights in the city of Charleston. I have walked many of the streets between East Bay and King to the east and west and Calhoun and the Battery to the north and south. The historic architecture boasts examples of colonial and antebellum homes with regal Georgian gables and Greek revival columns. The gardens filled with jasmine, magnolias, tea olives, camellias, azaleas and roses are surrounded with ornate wrought iron fences and gates. It is a photographers paradise.

These lovely homes and streets have inspired many artists and their work is displayed in over 50 small galleries in the area. There are modern, abstract, realistic, impressionist, folk and Gullah artworks to be pondered and admired. I have especially enjoyed the vast and open spaces created in paintings of the low country.

We have enjoyed many evenings with Betsy and Chappell, dining at their home, on Namaste and in some of the great local restaurants. Like at home in Charlottesville, we are within walking distance of everything.

Chris has been installing the generator that we will use when at anchor to supply our electricity. This new system will allow us to economize on fuel and will give our 50 horsepower yanmar engine a longer life. While installing the generator, which required both complicated plumbing and electrical work, he found a frozen pipe fitting near our main seacock. In order to complete the last twist and turn of plumbing we are going to have Namaste hauled out of the water on Monday morning for about an hour while he fits the last pipe.

Change continues to be a theme upon the water. I am especially tuned into the idea of process at present. As an art teacher I constantly reminded my students that they could not always know or control the outcome of an artwork and they would benefit from being present for the process. It continues to be one of my great lessons as well. The threat of stormy weather, strong currents, unexpected setbacks in projects can create anxiety for me. I have to bring a great deal of conscious awareness to being present and trusting that all is well. I am learning to breathe and shift my focus to all the beauty and goodness that surrounds us each and every day here on the water. If that were the only thing I truly learned as a result of this experience I will be a better person for it.

We are so excited to have Chappell joining us on Namaste for the next month or so as we head to the Bahamas. He adds experience as a sailor and a great amount of enthusiasm to the events that lie ahead. He has equipped Namaste with all kinds of fishing gear. We now have two kinds of spears that are legal in the Bahamas and a fly and rod reel. He is exploring and acquiring the various kinds of bait we will need to catch everything from mahi mahi to bone fish. Chris and I are both glad he is able to join us. Isaac has a new position in Facilities Management at UVA and will be able to join us for 10 days or so around the holiday. We are looking forward to having Betsy join us for 10 days or so in January. What a treat it is to have our family join us on this journey. Lucky us!

Have a great holiday and I will write again soon.

Peace and Love

Beaufort to Charleston

Hi Everybody!

How are you all doing? We left Beaufort on the 17th of November and we arrived at the Charleston Maritime Center’s marina on the Cooper River on the 23rd. We are situated just below the sculptural Cooper River Bridge, which dominates the eastern skyline with its twin sails. This is a city owned and maintained marina and open only to transients in order to bring more tourists to downtown Charleston. The marina is in the heart of the historic district adjacent to the aquarium. Within walking distance is a multiplicity of art museums, fine dining, historic churches and homes, and best of all, family. Chappell and Betsy live nearby and Isaac will be joining us for the long weekend.

Our travels from Beaufort to Charleston brought us through Bogue Sound, the canal cut at Camp Lejuene, Onslow Beach, New River, Alligator Bay, Middle Sound, Snow’s Cut, Cape Fear River, Little River, Saucepan Creek, Pine Island Cut, Wacamaw River, Winyah Bay, Minim Creek and finally Charleston Harbor.

Traveling the ICW is sometimes peaceful and relaxing and at other times arduous and consuming. There are days when we are greeted by porpoises playfully leaping off Namaste’s bow and brown pelicans clowning around at the edge of the water. There are other days when I feel like Dorothy chanting “lions, tigers and bears, oh no!” Perhaps I am more like the scarecrow and my version of the chant goes “crab pots, currents and shoals, oh no!”

We have spent the night in places that vary greatly in landscape and ambiance. We dropped the hook in the little Hammock Bay past Camp Lejeune where helicopters chopped at the air above us all evening and we could hear artillery shells exploding in the distance as the marines practiced warfare. We spent one night anchored on Awendaw Creek in the middle of a vast marsh listening to the Laughing Gulls hiding in the reeds. We had a lovely night at the secluded, protected and accommodating Osprey Marina at the south end of Myrtle Beach.

In the larger perspective we have enjoyed the cruise down the ICW and we are glad to be greeting warmer weather here in Charleston. During our stay we have a few boat projects planned and some stocking up to do. We are also going to spend time with family and friends. We will be sharing Thanksgiving with Betsy’s family and Becca, Caitlin and Lynn Ward will be visiting us on Saturday. We also plan a trip to the aquarium, lots of walks along the water, we will be participating in the annual Charleston Turkey Trot and taking advantage of the museums and great dining available to us.

We think of you All often and miss your company.

Peace and Love