The journey of Robert Watson and the Leopard 40, Changing Spots

Changing Spots, a Leopard 40
catamaran

Explore the world by sail

This is the page which will document the journey.   The bottom of the page is the most recent activity.

For those who might be interested, I am in the process of getting rid of "stuff" so I can sell the house. A few small boat projects can be
done, such as looking into getting the boat registered in Canada, rather than the US Coast Guard (I am still a Canadian citizen).

I am also looking at boat accessories such as a dinghy, outboard, SSB radio, BBQ, anchors and chain, and charts.

I am waiting to hear about the diesel electric hybrid system. This will impact choices regarding engines, generator, watermaker, solar
panels.

By the end of June (2007) the second 10 % will be paid, and the options list finalized. I also have a list of questions for Peter, at The
Moorings. Then construction will begin. A trip to Cape Town, South Africa to visit the factory this Fall?

6/9/07- I heard that Robertson & Caine is building a new factory. They will not be able to do the development and testing necessary for a
new diesel electric hybrid system in time for my scheduled launch date.   Also, my house is one of three being considered for "Sell this
House" for filming in July.

7/1/07 - The house won't be on Sell this House, but I finally feel I am making progress, in organizing and packing.   I will try to meet with the
realtors soon to discuss want to do next to make the house presentable.

The boat broker should have received the 2nd 10% payment and final options list, so construction can begin.   Although it is not very likely,
there is still a possibility the boat could be diesel electric hybrid.   I still have some concerns which would need to be addressed, but the
technology is very exciting, and cutting edge.

7/10/07
I guess the hybrid system is a no-go, since I have not heard back. The gennaker design was done, and I will probably get folding props.
The process of registering the boat in Canada is started and the name, Changing Spots, is reserved.
A lot has been done towards getting the house ready to sell, but I have hit a "speed" bump.

9/1/07
The house went on the market yesterday, and there will be an open house today and tomorrow.   With this real estate market - who
knows? Apparently the Carmichael area hasn't suffered as much as some of the outlying areas. Fortunately, I didn't have any
expectations, and based my needs on the real estate expert opinion.

Another glitch has surfaced. Morgan (my African Grey parrot) may not be able to make the journey. I have long known that there are
countries which require pets be put into quarantine for extended periods of time. My daughter, Kirsten, offered to look after Morgan for
months at a time while I visited those parts of the world; which I thought was a perfect solution. The glitch is that if I brought Morgan back
to the US, she would need to be put into quarantine for months, although she was born (hatched) and raised in the USA. How do you travel
the world by sailboat without your parrot? Is there no sense of tradition?

I assume that construction has started on Changing Spots. Peter, from the Moorings, is going to visit the factory in South Africa this
month and will take photos. The baby pictures will be posted right after I get them. The folding propellers were ordered, so that should
increase the sailing speed a bit, and give one less thing to snag stuff in the water.

Soon it will be time to start the journey across country by RV, towing the trailer full of possessions. I have a large library of book tapes to
help this land journey.   Other projects include getting a Ham license - in Canada, since I learned that the license needs to be from the
country in which the boat is registered. I also want to take a course on weather, but don't know how extensive it will be, or which one.

10/12/07
Just got back from a great visit to Canada for Cdn thanksgiving and a family visit. Made it to the Vancouver area and Saskatchewan. My
1987 Toyota Celica survived the trip too, without any complaints. Also took the amateur radio exam, and managed to pass with a grade
which will allow use of an SSB radio. Call sign will be VA7CUB, although it will change to something different when I get the boat and
radio, since it will be travelling in international waters.

The US real estate market, at least here in Sacramento is pathetic. If the house doesn't sell soon without drastically decreasing the price
again, it may be a rental for a year or two. It may take that long for all the foreclosed houses to be bought before the market turns around.
Soon it may be a matter of trying to arrange the financial part.   Interesting that I can probably move on faster if the house is rented rather
than sold.

10/31/07
No, there aren't any Halloween horror stories, but the house will be listed as a rental. That said, it is still for sale for a few weeks, if
anybody wants to buy a nice house in the Sacramento area for a great price. I am hoping to hit the road to Texas by next Monday or Tues,
by RV, towing the trailer. It should be a slow trip.
I'm still trying to sell stuff on Craig's list.
Morgan will be staying with a friend - quite disappointing that Morgan can't go.

On the good news front, Changing Spots is hull #126/ RAC40096, and will be handed to the delivery crew 12/10 to start her journey across
the Atlantic and equator from South Africa to Ft. Lauderdale. It isn't fair that she starts before I do!
For those who share the dream, keep hope. In spite of all the obstacles, this journey is still on course. That is, there are many lines of
possibilities, with many detours, converging on a point in time and place (Ft Lauderdale, Feb 2008), after which they will diverge with many
options for exploring the world.

Take time to enjoy the journey. Life shouldn't be a race to the finish line. RW

January 24, 2008                                                        NEW "HOME", A GUATEMALA VISIT, AND A WIPE OUT
Seguin, TX (near San Antonio)

A lot has happened since the last update, and a lot has gotten done. Not all was good. Those who read this in hope that you will cruise
some day: – take hope – in spite of the hurdles thrown at you, you can do it if you keep your focus.

The houses are not sold, but rented, so there will still be some income now that the retirement fund was slashed to pay for the houses
and the boat. Financially, other than taxes (any big surprises?), things are finally in order.

The trip to Texas was horrible, but uneventful. Towing a trailer by a squirrelly at best, short wheelbase RV, was white knuckled the
whole 1800 miles, even at only 50 to 60 mph. Texas however is fine! I guess I am now a Texan, but will try to remember that yawl is a
kind of sailboat, not an abbreviation of "you all".

After a wonderful break, and unloading many boxes at my daughter’s in Texas, the trailer was ready to haul the boat stuff (way too
much!!) to store in Ft. Lauderdale. However, an unexpected interlude occurred.

A friend from whom I hadn’t heard for a few months, invited me to join her on her catamaran in Rio Dulce, Guatemala. By the next
evening I had a plane reservation to Sacramento, and from LA to Guatemala City! After a few days living on a houseboat on the
Sacramento River Delta, buying medical supplies, and packing up my Explorer, we set off to LA for the redeye to Guatemala. Then
after an almost 5 hr bus ride we arrived at Rio Dulce, and travelled by skiff to Mario’s marina.

It was great, and I must go back again to spend more time, but I only stayed a week. I learned three lessons:
1.        I can’t drink that much every day, nor do I want to try.
2.        You spend far more time on your boat as a home, than you do as a method of transportation. The pendulum has swung from
speed to livability. Watch that waterline now!
3.        The biggest challenge to exploring the world by sail isn’t the storms, or the pirates, or the money. It is finding a place and people
so nice you don’t want to leave.

After picking up the Explorer in LA at 1:30 AM, my goal was to get out of the region that night so I wouldn’t have to face their notorious
rush hour(s) traffic in the morning. About 2:30 AM I was so tried I told myself that I was pulling over at the next off ramp of any sort.
Almost the next thing was the realization that it was dark and quiet, I was off the side road with a large bump on the side of my head.
The car, and most of what was in it was totaled. I must have rolled at least twice, and stuff was strewn all over. (My thanks to the
Moreno Valley police officers, and the tow truck driver, who were very supportive and helpful.) Yes, I had been unconscious, and no I
didn’t get a medical check. (It was only a head injury, so it couldn’t hurt me.) I was going to my daughter's concert come Hell or high
water. At least I didn't find any high water.   I made it, and it was great.

So now I don’t have the car I was planning to use in Texas, and get me back to Florida during boat commissioning (and then sell it).

The trailer was packed and ready to go to Ft. Lauderdale to put stuff into storage. More was loaded into it, knowing that there wouldn’t
be a last car load, but only 2 suitcases for the last trip. DONE! Not as white knuckled as the first part, and there was a pleasant,
unhurried time in tropical weather, and of course a visit to The Moorings, and the Leopards.

Now to get ready to travel (by plane) to Sacramento for doctor visits, do taxes, and visit friends. A sad realization is that I shouldn’t see
Morgan (African Grey parrot), since she is adapting to her new home, and I don’t want to confuse her by visiting.

Changing Spots hasn’t made it to Florida yet, but is due early Feb.

1/29/2008
I just learned that with the delay in getting registration processed for Canada because of the "tonnage measurement" difficulties, it may
be a serious hassle to go to a foreign country such as the Bahamas for the test cruise. The lemonade from this lemon will be a trip to
the Florida Keys instead. If I could only find an official measurer who would be in Florida for the boat show!

2/4/2008
Changing Spots has arrived in Fort Lauderdale! I don't know how much in advance of the boat show she will head to Miami to
get parked and set up, but maybe I can do the voyage too.

2/13/2008
I too have finally arrived in Fort Lauderdale - except that Changing Spots was already taken to Miami to prepare for the boat show. They
promised that the impressive thunderstorms that raged through this place recently are over, so it is time to enjoy the boat show
tomorrow.

2/15/2008
It is all falling into place - at last. I have spent two days at the boat show, and met several new and prior owners. I am also finding a can-
do attitude from the Moorings/leopard people now that I am here.   I shortened my " buy now" list drastically since i won't know if i have
any money left until get an estimate of the taxes I owe. And I was so much looking forward to singlehandedly jump starting the nation's
economy! However, I have heard from many people that it is good to wait until you have been out there for a while before getting all the
accessories.   Besides, there is enough to learn without all the other things at once. Still trying to make lemonade.

I have had requests to post photos from my own boat, so these are fresh. Sorry the decor isn't mine. The link is to Picasa, on Google.
Changing Spots - at the 2008 Miami boat show

2/21/08
Changing Spots is back in Ft Lauderdale from the Miami boat show. The sail up was in boisterous conditions, with a strong North wind
against the gulf stream. This causes lots of short steep waves. A nice challenge, but not the easy sailing you look for.   One of the
concerns about catamarans is the slapping of waves against the bridgedeck. There wasn't any!, although we didn't get out to the
middle of the gulf stream.   She passed the test.
Am now trying to coordinate the hauling of the boat to get a survey done (looking for problems), and put in some through-hull fittings for
the generator and watermaker (to be purchased later). Then it is time to load stuff aboard, new photos added to Picasa today.

2/24/08                            MALARIA!!!
Can't make lemonade out of this one! Sorry.
Another detour in the branching path of time and space towards when I get to move aboard.
I was wondering why I was so tired by the end of the boat show every day, and felt hot or the occasional mild chill.   It was getting worse
daily. After ruling out the typical stuff like not yet adapted to the heat, and not drinking enough fluids, and not enough sleep, I became
worried that it could be the stress of all decisions to be made. A brisk walk just exhausted me and that night, I was surprised with
spiking fever, followed by a drenching sweat, then uncontrollable chills. Again the next night.
Anyway, I spent a great deal of time learning about malaria, and learned that not all types present with sky high fever, and the "benign"
forms can show up almost a year after the mosquito bite. I was in Guatemala over two months ago, well beyond the two weeks to
month and a half that my early quick search showed that it took for malaria to show up.
Started the meds yesterday, and no sweats or chills today, but all I want to do is sleep, and I don't tolerate heat (and no appetite).
I did get the haul out and survey scheduled, and the measurement for Canada.

2/26/2008
Not much to report, but I didn't want to leave anybody out there in the lurch while I just got malaria. Much better after two days of
malaria treatment and still better today. If I kept getting better at the same rate as the first two days I estimated that in four more days I
would have been leaping buildings in a single bound. Oh well!
Canadian tonnage measurement was done yesterday, but not finalized. The generator is sitting on the boat.   Today the dinghy is to be
delivered, and I (we?) will set it up, and the boat will be hauled for inspection (a minor, verbal one) and through hull fittings to be done.

I would like to thank the many helpful, supportive people at the Moorings yacht brokerage in Ft. Lauderdale for their patience and
understanding of my ordeal with malaria.

2/27/08
Changing Spots didn't seem at all embarrassed about showing her bare bottom during the haulout and inspection. And I am doing so
much better (thanks for asking). Now to get caught up on all that didn't get done earlier. The outboard and dinghy are hung on the
davits, but still need a bit of tweaking. It was great service from Suncoast inflatables. Some of the sales people are getting to know me
at West Marine.   I'm only two or three miles from their huge store.

3/01/08
Tonight is my second night aboard. It is chaos as I try to load the boxes of stuff, and discard, prepare to ship back to TX, and /or
organize everything. I'll try for 2-4 boxes a day. Now that my energy is back, in retrospect, the malaria probably started at least a few
weeks ago. I just thought I was turning into a wimp! The lemonade? It was only malaria, which was cured!!!!

3/10/08
It happened! I have taken delivery (and paid for the boat). A delivery skipper and I sailed (motorsailed actually) to Bimini (in the
Bahamas). The wind was supposed to change direction and become more favorable, but never did. We waited all day, then did a night
sail, with 2 hr watches, sailing quite close hauled and trying to head south as much as possible. The gulf stream current carries you
quite a bit north. It was wet and wild, but the boat (and I) did fine. When we got north of Bimini, we motored straight south, into the wind
and waves. After a brief stay, we headed back to Fort Lauderdale. Of course, the wind had now shifted, and was coming from the
wrong direction again. The waves were large enough I would have expected some pounding on the bridgedeck.   There wasn't any!   The
hulls did some pounding, but that is to be expected.     Check out the photos!
The paperwork has been sent for registering the boat in Canada.   Now it is back to unloading boxes, and getting the generator, and a
few other things installed.

3/12/08
A part just showed up for the generator, so the installation has started again. Once installed, I will have space to stow all my stuff
(except what gets shipped back to TX) . So the boat is still chaos, with boxes piled all over. I'll need to extend the storage locker until
the end of the month.
Got a new rental car. What a difference the can-do attitude of this company compared to the screw-you attitude of the rental place at
the airport. They picked me up at the marina, and I still save over $40 a week.
Went over the list of new boat warranty issues, so they can start work. There was nothing major (although I certainly didn't appreciate
the leaky hatch over my bunk). As long as the boat is having warranty work done, the docking is on them (I think, as it seems fair).   I
don't think I can do much voyaging until I get the Canadian registration completed, since I need it to get a US cruising permit.

3/13/08
I had an inspiration last night! Changing Spots gets launched again tomorrow morning (Friday) after an overnight haulout. I have invited
the people involved, and neighbors to a "5 at 5" party. At 5 PM on Friday, we will get together for 5 minutes for a christening (and a free
beer!). A coin (a St Christopher medal) is to be placed at the base of the mast to give strength, vitality, and success.   Each bow will be
anointed with a splash of champagne to ask for Neptune's blessings, and to give Changing Spots her personality, character, and a
spirit. The response was great (even before I offered a free beer). Photos to follow!

There is a story about the champagne. At the party hosted by Lats & Atts at the Miami boat show, they were serving beer, wine and
champagne. I commented that they reminded me that I had neglected getting champagne for christening my new boat, and described
her. They kindly handed me a bottle of Chardonnay champagne, which I carried around for the rest of the evening. Thanks, Lats & Atts!

Nautical history is so full of wonderful traditions, I hate to waste an opportunity to exploit them.

3/15/08
I think Neptune was honored. All afternoon it looked and felt like it was about to rain any minute. The rain held off for an hour after all
was said and done (and there was even some beer left!). It was fun. Check out the photos!

3/31/08
Still at the marina in Ft. Lauderdale, but things are happening.
Order out of chaos! Everything is packed away, and 178 lbs of stuff was sent back to Texas. Only a few small projects are left to be
done on the boat before departure, and hopefully they can be done prior to the departure date of Thursday or ? (in two or three days).
There are lots of things to learn and experiment with, but the real fun is about to start! First stop, Biscayne Bay near Miami, then explore
the Keys for a while before heading north for the summer.

4/4/08
Still at the marina in Ft Lauderdale, but taking some play time to explore with the dinghy.   Did some modifications to the dinghy davit
tackle system. Made a rail mount for the dinghy outboard.
Maybe the last commissioning projects will be completed by Monday. I am not sure who is responsible for the dock fees, since we are
only still here because the commissioning isn't completed.
Also got a fiberglass propane tank, which is full size. The two aluminum tanks which come with the boat are half size, 10#.      More
photos.

4/15/08
The people at the Moorings have been great. The commissioning is finally done.
It has started!! We left Ft Lauderdale on Wednesday, 4/9 and spent two nights at anchor in Key Biscayne.

The plan was to head to Key Largo before travelling north for the summer. However, the weather forecast was for a week of cold north
wind in a few days, to last for about a week. We took the opportunity to head north while we had the favorable weather window for north
travel. 300 miles in two days of sailing from Key Biscayne to St. Augustine.
We had a small visitor for a couple of hrs while about 18 miles offshore.

It was great until Sat, just before sunrise. The wind was on the nose, at 20 to 30 knots, with 30 miles to go. Time to get the sails down
and get the engines fired up and slog it out.
Now to play tourist in St. Augustine (and try to get the radar working). They (the local authorized dealer)are supposed to be here
tomorrow AM to remove the radar dome from the mast. Now, how long will it take to get it fixed. The people at Raymarine have been
great, but the parts are not available locally.
Would like to explore the area with the dinghy, but the wind is cold and strong. There is a lot to see around here. It is nice to be at the
marina, with electricity, so we can have some heat.
Don't know where to head next, or when.   It depends on the weather patterns.
More photos to see.

4/19/2008
At anchor in Georgia after an overnight sail from St. Augustine. We left the marina in time to catch the 11 AM bridge opening, with a
strong current, and an escort of dolphins. The wind in the Atlantic was very light - but perfect for our planned overnight sail.   No, we
couldn't leave well enough alone, but had to have more fun. We were only doing 2 to 3 knots and it was warm and the seas were gentle.
In spite of not even getting a description or diagram of how to rig the gennaker, we set it up, and it worked. (Some day it might be nice to
know how it is supposed to be done.) Our speed went from 2.5 kts to 5-6 kts.   As the wind picked up we were sitting on 9 kts with an
easy gentle motion.   Unfortunately, at this speed, we would arrive at dark - not good for a new location. Besides taking down the
gennaker, we now also needed to slow the boat, but the wind picked up, making it very difficult to slow the boat to 2 kts.

4/20
We came up with a simple system to hoist the outboard off the rail mount, onto the dinghy, and also became aware of a minor problem
with the genoa roller furling drum. The angle of the furling line where it attaches to the drum is such that the line rolls up on the bottom
of the drum. It can then override, or slip off. Of course this could be a serious problem when you need to douse sail in a hurry.   A photo
showing solutions will be added to the above link when I get high speed internet.    Heading off to explore Cumberland Island National
Seashore today. May head to Savannah tomorrow or the next day. We will need to stay somewhere long enough for mail and radar to
catch up with us.

4/24/08
The weather forecast was for winds generally from the north, so we decided to explore the ICW (intracoastal waterway). We are now
in Fort McAllister, GA, at anchor. We did however take advantage of the restaurant at the marina for dinner tonight. With the help of my
EnGenius USB antennae adapter, I am able to connect to the internet. Had a nice walk to the fort which was the site of civil war battles.
It turns out that this temporary earthen fort could stand up to the modern rifled cannon, whereas the invincible high tech brick Fort
Pulaski didn't last two days.

Last night we anchored off Sapelo Island and walked the beach. We have seen dolphins every day since leaving Ft. Lauderdale, and
some have been quite close. Yesterday, they were in a small pod, fairly close, and I started whistling.   They stayed in the area a little
longer than usual, and blew air and dove more than we had seen.
It was probably a coincidence, but they did it again later too.

The night before last we anchored off a state park on St. Catherines Island in hopes of touring an old lighthouse. Although they do
not officially allow tours, except from their own facilities, a local tour guide gave us a ride to the lighthouse, and let us walk to the top for
a few minutes.   Sitting in the cockpit before sunset i noticed something swimming across the river. I thought it might be an otter, but
thought the head had ridges!? A quick check with the binoculars showed it to be an alligator! It then swam along the shore an
disappeared. It was definitely more than 4 ft, but less than 6 ft. By the time I thought to get the camera, it was too far away, but I did get
some video (not close enough to post).

The night before that we anchored off St. Simon Island. These are areas which used to belong to the rich and famous.

4/26/2008
Last night we anchored just off the Moon river (yes, THE Moon river) and explored by dinghy. We tried to anchor in Moon river, but
discovered the soft mud bottom with the keels, and changed our minds after the second attempt.
A short trip today, to the Isle of Hope. We are anchored just south of a marina, where we plan to go ashore and explore.   The anchorage
is a little tight, so we will keep an eye out. Several dolphins just swam by, within 15 ft of the boat. The only fly in the ointment is the
swarm of tiny bugs which find us when the breeze dies down. I'm going to have to make the cockpit sun & bug enclosure soon.

Even loaded down like this boat is, she still sails quite well, easily, and fast.
Motoring up the ICW is simple, and with both 29 hp Yanmars at only 2200 rpm, we do about 6+ kts (hard to say with the current and
wind), barely sipping fuel.

5/8/08
Have been in Savannah for a while, and staying at the Isle of Hope Marina for a week, letting mail and packages get caught up.   I fitted
a screen for the companionway, and ordered the screen I want to use for the cockpit enclosure, but the job is too big and complicated
for my abilities (or lack thereof). So I ordered more stuff as an excuse to procrastinate. Maybe after I get the first part done, the rest
will not seem so daunting.

Savannah is a nice little city with lots of fun tourist stuff to do.
The photos are Fort Pulaski, which proved that modern rifled
cannon made forts obsolete. A whole corner was blasted
away from over a mile away. When the Union troops took over,
they patched it up.   Learned a lot about the Civil War from an interesting Southern perspective.

The trip up the ICW took about 33 gallons of diesel, doing about 6-7knots most of the way (slower when against the tide.)
I have gotten fairly experienced with anchoring, but have only come into a dock twice.   At the marina, there is a large, simple dock at the
front, where I expected to tie up, and arrange for help putting the boat where she was to go. (It is much nicer to explain your ignorance
by asking for help, than by wrecking stuff!) But NOOOOO! They said go past the fuel dock, turn around and come between the rows of
boats to the end. So here I am, the second or third time docking this boat, and I have to run the gauntlet, with tide and a little wind. With
the marina guys shouting distances between the adjacent boats it all worked out fine.   Yesterday, I had to move the boat to another
dock - which meant backing out!! With the great help from these guys, I managed fine and a crisis was averted. The marina allows the
2 hr use of a borrower car for local trips, which is a great convenience. (and recommended).   It even makes picking up a rental car
much easier. I plan to visit again on the way South in the Fall.

The wind is picking up and it is getting quite bouncy. The outer dock protects the boats inside it, but the boats on the outside start
rockin'. The movement feels quite nice, but now I feel like I need a nap.   Pity the small monohulls out here.
At the other end of this dock is a large (125 ft) Hinkley yacht. The owner just put $6 million into her to spruce her up. There will leave
soon for an 18 month voyage. I would hate to buy the 7000 gallons of fuel to fill the tanks. The generator alone takes 6 gallons per hour.

Next week, maybe Wednesday AM, it will be further northward travels. South Carolina is next.

5/13
So far it is a go to head out tomorrow. The plan is to head into the ocean up to Georgetown. From there we can access the ICW again,
and visit Prince Creek, which I hear is great. In one to two weeks, the Chesapeake, and Annapolis. It may be a while before I have high
speed internet.

5/26
After a fast trip motorsailing up the ICW, and two stints into the ocean we made it to Solomons, Maryland. It is south of Annapolis,
and is built around the water. I have reserved a dock space (Solomons H arbor) for a week and will try to explore the area a bit after
that. They are very helpful, and like everywhere on the East Coast (unlike the West Coast) are there to help with docking. Make sure
you have fender boards, since you will be tying up to posts up here. I expect to return, since it is quite nice here, with easy walking to
groceries, and a West Marine store, and is much less expensive than Annapolis.

In answer to the question of "do you know it all yet", there is always a lot to learn (and always will be), but after a point that you have
survived enough different challenges/adversities, the comfort level builds.   And no, I'm not there yet.

The critters giving most delight are the dolphins. Further south we saw them every day. Some were even close to the boat and would
hang around for a while. The alligators in the ICW were also a big kick, especially when they spook and go for a swim. Who knows
where they will go? Haven't seen many snakes, and I certainly don't mind that! You don't see seals or sea lions like you do on the west
coast. Wild horses, raccoons, and armadillos were nice to see. Startled a deer about 20 feet away on one of our hikes.

I'll fill in a few details within a few days, after I get caught up on some projects.

The first two photos are alligators.   The second was small, - maybe six feet. The third and fourth photos are not alligators, but are
some of their small channels we explored by dinghy, a flowers there. Changing Spots is anchored in 25 feet of water, in a channel just
over 100 feet wide (and about a hundred yards from one of the alligators we photographed - it was only the small one though). It was
almost warm enough for a swim! I wonder if alligators like to climb aboard boats?

The sixth is obviously a sunset, but with another boat. In one channel, the wind was too strong, from the wrong direction, and the
channel was too narrow for even putting up the genoa sail. I know, because I tried.
Life is great. Enjoy it.

6/17/2008
Back in Solomons to have some warranty work done on the boat. There was a small leak in the port fuel tank which made that aft
cabin unbearable. It was only about a teaspoon a day, but the odor permeates. The saving grace was the use of a dryer sheet in the
area, and daily wiping up. ( I wouldn't have believed it either.) Zahniser's Yacht Center (at Solomons) did a very professional job of the
repair. Now to anchor for a couple of nights, and back to Solomons Harbor Marina (it feels like home now). If you stay there, don't
forget to check out the happy hour at the Holiday Inn.

Had a couple of weeks exploring the Chesapeake south of here. Reedville is a quaint little town with wonderful anchorages (unless
there is a south breeze, which brings the odor of the fish processing plant). The people are very friendly, and will get another visit next
fall. Many of these small towns have museums, and most are definitely worth a visit. The next stop was Deltaville, just as the heat
wave started.   Then we spent a night at Irvington, and stopped the boat way out in the Chesapeake and went for a swim. What a
refreshing break.

The first photo is the harbor at Deltaville with a morning fog, next is a beautiful boat (power) at Irvington, where the sunset photo was
also taken. The ship is a Navy target in the Chesapeake.

We hoped to be able to beat the heat by heading to the Eastern Shore.   No luck beating the heat on the Eastern Shore - and we
discovered (and they discovered us)- BUGS. The flies looked just like houseflies, but bit and drew blood, but they weren't as bad as the
deerflies. Then at night came the mosquitoes. I wore out a fly swatter! Onancock was another great place to visit. We wanted to
get a few provisions and fill a small gas tank about a mile from the marina. We had three offers for rides. Tangier Island is another
place on the "must visit again list", and I promised the harbormaster that we would stay at the marina next time. Then it was back to
Solomons for heat and bug relief and A/C, in time for the heat wave to mellow.
We anchored one night in a sheltered bay off the Patuxent River. The skates, which are small rays, were interesting to watch.
Better yet was the phosphorescence. A swim at night was fascinating. This was not the phosphorescence I have seen before, but was
large flashes. It turned out to be small jellyfish, which you could catch in your hand.   No, they didn't sting.

Also had one episode of engine trouble. While motoring along with both engines running, there was aloud alarm, which turned out to be
the port engine overheat alarm. And there was steam, not water coming out of the exhaust. Put it in idle for a few minutes before
shutting it down, and slow the other engine a bit (don't want it to overheat).   After trying a couple of other things, I poured about a quart
of water into the seawater strainer, the engine ran fine. It must have dislodged whatever was blocking the water intake.   It sure is nice
to have a simple solution, although it didn't feel simple while hanging onto the engine compartment as we were powering into the wind
and waves.

6/19/2008
I would like to thank those who email or call in response to my web site. It encourages me to take the time to work on it, especially
when internet access is hard to come by.
I hope that the previous section wasn't too negative about cruising (or the Chesapeake) since it was clearly the exception.
We just got back from anchoring in a small bay at the entrance to St Leonard Creek. (Just off the Patuxent river off the
Chesapeake.) There was a small dock with a private property sign. We asked the man who was working on the dock what was there,
and he said that it was the Morgan State University campus doing research on intertidal zones, and a state park with a major
anthropology center. The later was regarding a naval battle of the 1812 war, and indian villages. NO PROBLEM, welcome!   Not only
was the anchorage absolutely beautiful and sheltered, but the hike and exploration was great fun.
The last photo is a hand written version of the star spangled banner by the author. He was at this battle before the one at Fort McHenry,
Baltimore which inspired the song.    Rockets were used at the Patuxent also.    I bet you didn't know all these verses!

7/12/2008
Greetings from Manhattan! A lot has happened since the last update, but much of the reason for not updating the site for so long is
the lack of reasonable speed internet.

After a side trip to explore DC for three days, we motorsailed across the Chesapeake to Oxford on the Eastern Shore. Another pretty
place that didn't get explored enough. The plan was to then visit a highly spoken of place called St. Michaels; but the forecast wind was
perfect for a sail all the way to Annapolis.   At least it started off perfect, then the wind died. It was a good day to try the gennaker again
(successfully again, but not for long).
We managed to anchor near the end of Spa Creek in Annapolis for several days.   It was along dinghy ride to town,but beautiful and
quiet. Thunderstorms almost every afternoon provided quite a show, but almost cancelled the July 4 fireworks. I was hoping to get a
mooring ball right on the city front, but people arrived days in advance to get a spot for the show. The heavy rains all afternoon stopped
my plans to take the dinghy there, but the show was pretty good from the distant anchorage.   I also painted some identifying marks on
the dinghy outboard.

While in Annapolis I bought a Sailrite sewing machine, in preparation for some big projects planned. If you get one, I very strongly
recommend also getting the Monster wheel with the hand crank. This gives great control for fine work that you can't get with an
electric motor (not just the increased power). I made a lifting harness for the outboard motor, and a wind scoop, which works great. I
plan to make a large awning for the bows and forward part of the cabin, which will also be a rain catchment.

Then the test began. So far I have not singlehanded this boat, but I didn't want to stay in Annapolis long enough to wait for crew.
A friend, who is singlehanding her boat up the coast was stopped in Annapolis on the way to Long Island, where she has been
scheduled to teach sailing. (She teaches women to sail and cruise, and if you know any women who need their sailing abilities or
confidence beefed up, let me know. I think she would be great, even if she sails a monohull.)
I singlehanded my previous boat a lot, but this is much more boat. The plan was to get through the C&D canal (connects the
Chesapeake to the Delaware Bay) on day one, but because of a delayed start, we didn't even get to the canal. Then an early start to get
to Cape May, at the south end of New Jersey, at the mouth of the Delaware Bay. So in day one of singlehanding I anchored twice,
tied up to a fuel dock and rafted up to another boat (in the dark).   What an introduction!

It hit the fan on day two. No problems getting the sails up (or down), or navigating the trip. There was an episode during one of
the severe downpours with poor visibility of a ghostly white apparition appearing under a bridge. Turns out it was a large car freighter,
which passed by harmlessly. Before I get to the real story, I want to comment on the windscreen option. It is a wonderful piece of
crap! The latter refers to the cheap "vinyl" that you can barely see through. Even though you can't see well through it, you can see
around it, and for light rain you can slide it aside a bit. I was so dry sitting up on the helm seat, I failed to notice that the other side of the
seat was wet until it was too late. Other than a wet butt, I was quite dry.   Delaware Bay was a long upwind slog, motorsailing.   It took
forever for the nuclear plant to disappear.   The photo shows a juxtaposition.

After rounding Cape May into the Atlantic we headed to the channel to get into the harbor. Suddenly the bilge pump alarm and light
went on, and on. I checked the starboard bilge where there has always been a small leak - no problem. The port bilge was awash -
with salt water. Tear off all the floorboards, close all the through hull fittings, lift the float mechanism to keep the bilge pump working
better. Water was coming in through the through hull fitting for the knot meter. After tightening it a few turns, the leak stopped. Crisis
averted!

Then the channel markers ahead disappeared in the fog. There were huge markers leading to the channel approach, and they couldn't
be seen until less than a hundred feet away. The stone breakwater was showing up on radar, and it agreed with the GPS, so go for it.
After some rip currents at the entrance, and keeping the breakwater the same distance to starboard, we were doing 5 knots with the
engines in idle forward gear (lots of current).   Fortunately the fog improved considerably going in the channel, but it was now getting
dark. So now it was time to anchor in a strange place, with fog, almost dark, and lots of current. I think it took a few hours for the
adrenalin rush to resolve. What a rush! But I felt like I had just been given a trial - and passed.

After that, I wasn't concerned about the next leg, which was an overnight sail up the coast of New Jersey, for a daylight arrival in New
York. Of course singlehanding, in an area with lots of vessel traffic, you don't sleep.

It was a muggy, hazy arrival in New York, then we anchored at a very secluded, protected spot behind the Statue of Liberty in the
park area. Blessed sleep by noon. My friend left the next day for Long Island but I spent another night, and enjoyed another great
rainstorm. The next step was to spend a week at the 79th St Boat Basin in Manhattan, where I confirmed I could get a mooring ball
for a week (without spending a fortune). I checked with a marina in Jersey City and they wanted $500 a night!!!
Now I have heard from sailors (monohulls) that picking up a mooring ball singlehanded is one of the more challenging maneuvers. A
French catamaran followed me all the way up the Hudson River, past the Manhattan skyline, and took the mooring ball right
behind me. And no, I didn't embarrass my countrymen, and I am sure I fooled everybody and made it look like a perfect pick up. Just
like I knew what I was doing, and this was with a strong current, and wind from another direction. I really love the two engines.

Any idea what the name on the red ship name means?
Of course any trip to New York requires a visit to ground zero.   It was a bit disappointing to not have any monument
or memorial yet.
9/18
I thought I would update a bit, although I won't have internet to be able to get it updated online for a while. I did a singlehanded trip from
the Hudson River at the 79th st Boat Basin to Long Island sound. If you time it right, you can ride the current down the Hudson,
and then up the East River though Hell Gate into Long Island Sound. Hell gate was a piece of cake, with the only challenge being
getting from the Hudson river around the bend through the Brooklyn bridge. The ferryboats line up waiting to get into their docks,
and don't have much patience for a small sailboat (motoring, of course).   You need to run their gauntlet, and cross their paths
somewhere.   It is so nice to be able to travel without a schedule. You don't need to push it (unless the weather or tides give a very
good reason. Their are significant tides around here, so if you time it, your journey is much more pleasant and speedier going with the
current rather than fighting it.    With the current it was an easy trip to Manhasset Bay from 3:30 PM to 7 PM.   It was another easy
day to Port Jefferson the next day. Where I chose to anchor was tricky. It went from 30 ft to 4 ft deep in a very short distance. It
was fun taking the dinghy for the mile ride into town in the dark, and then finding the boat after. If I weren't after food I didn't need to
cook, I would have appreciated the live music that many towns put on. There were lots of tourists, but I didn't feel like one.    Do swans
taste like chicken?

The plan for the next day heading to Shelter Island, was to be a late start, rather than fighting the contrary tide all morning. This part
of the trip had been motoring, since the winds were very light. Once in a while I would try the genoa. However, next morning there was
wind, and who would know how long it would last. Instead of waiting until almost noon to start, the sails were up by 9 AM. I still needed
to keep an engine running most of the way since there was a SCHEDULE here. I needed to go though a tidal race called Plum Gut with
a favorable tide - or else. Going with the tide, I didn't see what all the fuss was about. I also suspected it was going to take a long time
to fight the wind the last 6 miles to Shelter island. With one engine slowly running at 2200 rpm we were doing 9-10 kts. Alas, it was
only 7.5 to 8.5 with the sails alone, even with lots of wind.

After a night rafted with Louise and her guests (on Blue Planet) we headed off next day for a short trip to Montauk Bay.   The first part
was a leisurely almost downwind sail at 3.5 to 4.5 kts (got to scrub the slime off the boat bottom) with the genoa only filling sometime.
I'm not ready for the gennaker singlehanded yet. And a good thing that day! After rounding the "ruins", and heading up about 90 deg
went up to 7.5 to 8.5 kts for the next 9 miles. Close to the destination, and out of the shelter of Gardiners Island, the wind picked up
and the boat started to feel a bit over powered. After rolling up the genoa, it was still 9 to 9.5 kts. Fortunately, now that I have the right
block for the main halyard, it is now easy to get the main down. Aim the boat into the wind, release the halyard, and let it fall. Just don't
let the line tangle. (With the original block, it twisted the halyard around itself, and it was not only very difficult to get the sail up, but you
also had to pull it down.)
"Lake" Montauk is a near perfect anchorage. It is very large and 8 ft deep all over - except the narrow, twisting channel getting in.
There is a main harbor at the entrance. Got a chance to hike and explore and check out the Atlantic ocean. It was pretty rough from
the storms down south.
Got back from town in time to see the boats disappear in the fog. No real problem though.
We had a USCG official inspection today.   It was a great group of guys, some seemed like kids. I think they just wanted to check out
the new catamaran. They said the "gold sheet" they gave me after today's inspection was good for a year and to show it to the CG if
boarded again within that time.   They also said that I might be "inspected" again if somebody wants to check out the catamaran.
A word of advice to any with evil intent: don't get a new Leopard catamaran. There were lots of oohs and aahs during the inspection,
and it was quite fun (except we got a late start for our hike.   They were also quite happy to tell us what places to check out in town.   I
hope I didn't hurt their feelings too much when I said that the best job in the world was being an astronaut - not being a coastie. (The
second best job is being an allergist.)

I also just came to the realization that I have never been better in my life. This time it isn't just a contrast from having malaria, but I
am healthier than ever. No, I'm not going to cancel my new health insurance (now that my cobra has run out).

7/27/08
Have been at anchor in Greenport, Long Island, NY for a few nights. It was a bit rocky at times until this weekend when all the big
powerboats started arriving. Even on the stable platform of a catamaran things were flying.   I was planning to take my laptop into town
to access high speed internet and get the website updated, but it has been one thunderstorm after another all day.   One storm had 35
knot winds, gusting to 43. Quite spectacular. A powerboat anchored behind me, just before the storms hit. That photo isn't out of
focus, it is the rain. Sure am glad I have lots of room to use lots of chain on my anchor.

LEOPARD QUALITY REPORT!
I had a bit of a shock yesterday. The boat has been getting much more sluggish recently, and I have noticed considerable slime on the
hull, but hadn't looked too closely. Yesterday was the first opportunity in almost two months to check the bottom. Instead of just slime,
I found a thick growth of barnacles over most of the hull.   Talk about putting on the brakes! Sorry no photos.

I still believe that Robertson & Caine take quality control seriously and stand behind their product and service.    I hope and expect that
this will be taken care of promptly by R&C as a warranty item, possibly in Newport, but it is an inconvenience.

7/28/08
Hot off the press!
I just sent them the email last night about this problem, and already got a phone call this morning to get the process started. Hopefully
it will be done right next week in Newport.

The winds from the third storm yesterday came from a different direction,and my anchor dragged about 75 ft before resetting.
Regardless, I put out all the chain (160 ft) instead of the 100 ft I had in 15 ft of water, and backed down on it to make sure it was firmly
set.

Late last night I was out checking my position, by which time it was a beautiful clear calm night.   I saw a small boat approaching with a
spotlight, slowly. When they saw me they turned on the flashing blue lights and identified themselves a coastguard. As soon as I
identified my boat as Changing Spots, one of the Coasties shouted "Yo, Robert!" It was the guys with whom I had such a fun visit in
Montauk a few days ago. When I told them I had seen 43 knots of wind, they replied that at their station they saw 59.5 knots. They also
very courteously left without any wake until they were well beyond me.

8/01/2008
Good news!
I got approval to get the boat bottom done, and it is scheduled to start Monday AM.
AND, in the meantime, I just happened to get to Newport early enough to get one of the few great anchoring spots for this weekend's
Newport Folk Festival.   Although the concert should be fine from the cockpit, I will probably take to dinghy close to shore to hear
Jimmy Buffet.

08/08/08
The concert and Jimmy Buffet were great. I wish I could say the same for the boaters who I had assumed were there for the concert.
Enough said, but they made it difficult to hear and enjoy some of the concert.
On Sat afternoon, it rained for over an hour, then stopped. There was a break in the music when I noticed some really weird looking
dark clouds. Although the wind was from another direction, I headed back to the boat just in time for the downpour, and within a few
more minutes the wind started howling.   A raft-up of 6 powerboats dragged anchor towards a new Catana 50 catamaran. Fortunately,
there were enough people aboard that a disaster was averted.   After that, a whole lot of people were playing the re-anchor shuffle, in
an already overcrowded anchorage.

Monday morning the boat was hauled and found to be a great mess of barnacles.   A representative from Interlux paint company was
there taking photos and samples. It appears that somebody in South Africa didn't do their job right. The good news is that this was an
isolated problem, AND R&C are standing behind their work.   Good thing too! The prices in this area are high, even by south Florida
standards. New England Boatworks, in Portsmouth, RI did a very professional job.   Sorry, I didn't get any "after" photos - but the
boat sure moves better. Can't wait to get her sailing again.

I am back at anchor in Newport, but even with a Friday arrival, it is not crowded for this weekend's Jazz festival.   Good thing too.
Another storm rolled through and a sailboat did a very fast anchor drag.   Also a good thing that the two guys were still aboard. Of
course now that I have lost trust in my anchor (a 45# Delta with 160' of 3/8" chain), I envision dragging anchor with every storm.
Interesting though: I love the storms, and don't want to miss them.   (Good thing too, especially if the anchor drags.)   To me, being in
the wind, rain, thunder and lightning is being in church and good for the soul.

For piece of mind I ordered a new anchor - a Manson supreme, 60#, which is one of the new generation super anchors. Unfortunately,
it didn't arrive today as scheduled, so I need to stay here until Tuesday.   However, West Marine did offer to deliver it for me.

Send me a message with your thoughts, comments or questions, or just to say HI, I love hearing from you. Now if I can just get some
high speed internet so I can get it online.

8/12/08
What a miserable night! Oh, I'm sorry, I should say "what an adventure!" I was awakened at 2:30 with a wet area on the
bed.   (I guess that could have been worse.)   It had started to rain, and I left the hatch over the bed open (I usually do, unless rain is
imminent).   Of course, with a storm, you go on deck and check your position (and the other boats around you).   This is even more
important when you don't trust your anchor.   Great, the boat was near a mooring ball in the same position as when I first anchored.
The previous night I thought the boat might be dragging anchor since it seemed close to another marker. Just as I was starting to feel
better about the anchor, the mooring ball got closer, then almost hit. Rather than re-anchor (a very difficult thing to do singlehanded
with lots of wind, at night), I thought I would just tie up to the mooring ball until morning. Easy. Put on lots of line, get the engines going
and hoist anchor. When the anchor comes free, you're already attached to the buoy.

About 5 AM, I finally gave up. The anchor wasn't going anywhere, and I was tied to the mooring ball in case the anchor came free. At 7
AM it was still windy (but not bad now, about 20 kts). When I went to check the anchor, I could see it, near the surface in 30 ft of water.
It had snagged something, a large rusty cable, and if I powered up the engines (a lot), I could move the boat up or down the cable.

At noon, it was finally cleared. I thought I might need to put on snorkel gear, but eventually got the anchor up enough (when the wind
died) to put a shackle in the back of the anchor. This was attached to a line to the bow. Then by lowering the anchor chain, the 2 inch
diameter rusty iron cable fell off.   Needless to say, I tried lots of other things before this worked.
There has been a lot of rain here. The locals are asking when summer will start.   I have been in "church" enough that my soul should
be fine for a long time.   However, I do enjoy the warm days and cool nights.

Don't need to make any windscoops here. I made rain guards out of Sunbrella fabric and attached them to the sides of the "wind
shield". They work fine at keeping most of the rain out of the cockpit. At least it is warm rain. My internet on the boat is hit-or-miss
(mostly the latter), so I usually need to take the laptop to shore to get online. Not a good idea with the intensity of the thunderstorms.

8/13/08
Interesting! After the strains and exertions of yesterday, I expected to have some aches and pains, but no!!!, and it is a beautiful day.

I had high speed internet on the boat last night, but it didn't last long enough to upload the website.

8/17/08
I now have the new anchor, and bridle, and will pick up a mooring today so I can
change my ground tackle. Old anchor, 45 # Delta on left, new 60# Manson
Supreme, on right.

I certainly wasn't expecting to be here this long. Tomorrow I will start north again. Everybody says Maine is worth the fog, and lobster
trap obstacle course. Indeed it has been said that you will snag at least one, and you need a wet suit for the cold water.   My question is
that if I have to cut the line, do I get to pull up the trap and keep the lobster?
I also want to thank the Newport Yacht Club for their wonderful hospitality.   It is refreshing to visit such a friendly club, and it
reminds me of my Richmond Yacht Club in California.

8/19
At anchor in Vineyard Haven, on Martha's Vineyard. Spent last night at Cuttyhunk. Both days of sailing were perfect at 7 to 9
kts in 10 to 15 kts wind and favorable current. Did the short hike to the top of Tower Hill for the view, and blackberries.    We were
invited to a local talent show by the town pianist, who happens to be a sailor, but we couldn't wait until Wednesday night. Thanks for
the hospitality.

After anchoring, we did a short trip ashore in Vineyard Haven, and plan to be here for two days. The timing is good because they are
having their annual Illumination Night. Will have to wait and see what it is. We will probably miss the fireworks that happen the next
night.   Tomorrow we explore.

Who is that crusty, salty looking character? The big sailing ship is the Alabama. There are many such vessels in the NE, and they are
beautiful to behold.
Then we head to Nantucket to await a favorable weather window for the offshore passage to Maine. George knows this area well,
but hasn't been to Maine.   I'm looking forward to going through prime whale watching country. His wife June will probably stay home in
Nantucket.

Hopefully the ferry will come back soon so I can access their WiFi to upload this report. There are only very weak signals in the harbor,
even with the WiFi extender system, until the ferry comes in.

The Vineyard Haven harbor is very well protected on three sides - the only problem is that there is a 20 to 25 kt wind from the fourth
direction, so it is a rock and roll night. I think that when we pick up the new anchor I will kiss it a big thanks, smelly mud and all.
However, for those with Leopard 40 catamarans thinking of upgrading anchors, go with the Rocna anchor instead. The problem,
although relatively minor, is that because of the thickness of the shaft of the Manson, it doesn't fit well into the anchor rollers.

I recommend Vineyard Haven for cruisers, with the caveat that the anchorage is open to one side. There is a convenient dinghy
dock, and showers at the harbormaster office (free), as well as close walking distance to a supermarket, hardware store, West
Marine (small), fuel, bus service, and numerous restaurants.   The bus service was a good way to explore Edgartown, and check out
the On-Time ferries to Chappaquiddick. We happened to be in Oak Bluffs in time for the annual Illumination Festival, with many
thousands of others. There is music and synchronized lighting of lanterns (mainly the oriental paper ones) on the fronts of all the
houses.

8/21/2008
Safely secured to George and June's mooring in Nantucket.   They have kindly offered the grand tour (plus of course the sailors
delight of long showers and laundry - we are easily pleased) of this historic nautical location. On Sat AM, the passage around Cape
Cod to Maine.

I have been asked why there is no information about who is with me on parts of the journey. Believe me, with her permission, you will
know about her - once the right, long term crew is found. Also, in spite of popular demand, there are photos of me, not hamming it up
(how dull). See the bottom of the page below.   And if that doesn't scare you......

8/24/08
Today we arrived at the most northern destination for my eastern US part of the journey, Rockland, ME. We left Nantucket yesterday
around 8:30 AM, and arrived here this afternoon.   Except for not enough wind, the weather was perfect,with a beautiful sunrise,
sunset, and even a few whales for added spice.   A ship anchored outside the harbor had an F24 as a dinghy.

We had considered stopping at a small island called Matinicus, but for reasons finalized because of an unmerciful minefield of
lobster pots, we kept on to Rockland (not to be confused with Rockport, a short distance away).   We tried fishing for the first time. At
least we didn't loose anything. I don't think the seaweed we caught would have been suitable for sushi. The fishing wasn't a total bust
however, since this little guy liked the cat so much he swam onto the aft deck.

8/25
Rockland, ME
Anchored yesterday in the south part of the sheltered harbor, fixed the navigation lights which were only working intermittently on the
overnight passage. Fortunately, there were no other boats at all.   Went to town and met some cruisers. One couple had spent 5 years
cruising the Med, and were happy to share their experiences with a novice cruiser.   Isn't the cruising life great!?
After a huge lobster/shrimp dinner, we got back to the boat and did some work on the website. I stepped onto the cockpit and couldn't
see the light on the shore or any boats anchored nearby. This morning the fog started lifting, so I can show a taste of cruising in Maine.

8/29
At anchor in Porpoise Cove, ME
We quite enjoyed Rockland, and didn't see any more fog - only warm days and cool nights. Perfect weather, but a warning that winter
is on its way. After three nights we started a leisurely pace south, doing 25 -50 miles per day. The first day out, in spite of constant
dodging of lobster pots, we saw seals, and numerous small porpoises.

Regarding lobster pots, they are traps, not so much for lobsters, but for boats. They lure you down a line which ends in a solid mass of
traps - with no escape. The lines can snag you hull, or propeller, and cause serious damage. Plan severaqlmoves ahead,like a chess
game.
If you saw a large log floating in the water, you should call the CG and report a hazard to navigation. These traps are much more
dangerous, and are set in anchorages, and even in shipping channels. The only limitation I have seen is that they are not set where the
large ships navigate, or they would get "blenderized" in the ships propellers. I have seen them 18 miles from shore in 380 feet of
water. Some even work in pairs. Often a stealthy one will lurk just below the surface waiting to grab an unsuspecting victim.   There
are so many lobster pots that I can't imagine how any lobsters survive.   I am determined to be the first(?) cruiser to escape Maine
without having to clear a lobster pot line (water temperature 56 deg F).

We spent a night at Linekin Bay (right near Booth Bay for people who have sailed here), and anchored in what looked like a
mountain lake. We then joined another boat in Quohog Bay, in another postcard setting. The cockpit at night is like a religious
experience, even without the thunderstorm. Oh, did I mention that there were two days of biting black flies, which disappeared at
night?   We bypassed Portland, ME, but had planned to stop there.   The lobster pots make travel difficult, and even dangerous, which
is not the way cruising should be. It has been worth it to visit Maine, but this is Russian roulette that you can't win forever.

Porpoise Bay is not for cruisers and the small harbor is full of mooring balls. However, we managed to find a spot to drop the sleep
insurance anchor. There aren't set up for cruisers, but it might be a good place to get lobster (if I hadn't sworn them off!) We are only
about 3 miles from Kennebunkport, but we don't plan on doing any visiting there.   Today, besides the seals and porpoises, we saw
whales, possibly Right whales.    The second time they were fairly close and we could see them smiling.

Rockport, MA was a worthwhile stopover for two nights. It certainly deserves its name, on more than one account. The harbor is
surrounded by stone slabs, which make me think of the European cities. It also was one of the most rocky, bouncy anchorages, and
you couldn't even blame the powerboats. The second night we anchored on the other side of the bay (not in the harbor) to avoid wave
surge (it didn't help!). We could hear and feel the anchor dragging across the solid rock bottom three times until we tried again at a
distance.

After two nights we headed to Province Town. One spot must have been really dangerous since they had two lighthouses!
(Actually, I suspect they were used as a range.) P town was interesting in itself, even without the nautical influence. Not only was this
classic ship a site to behold, but there was a race of gaff rigged ships ending in the harbor the next morning.

After two nights we had a great sail reeling in the monohulls on the way to the
Cape Cod canal.    This is another place where you need to time the tides.

9/07

A 500 mile excursion
Newport, RI
Back after a week and a half journey to my northernmost point in Maine.
George has a website with photos and some video of the journey at sailing a catamaran to Maine.
After a couple of nights at anchor, I decided to get out of this crowded anchorage to enjoy my date with Hannah (tropical storm).
Although a bit wild later on, she was fun and gentle with me.   A borrowed mooring at Portsmouth, RI (thank you) worked out
perfectly.

9/20/2008
Much has happened in the last week. (No, I'm not going to tell you everything!) The Newport boat show was fun, but didn't have the
selection of things I am looking for, so almost everything will have to wait for the Annapolis show.   So much to get, and so little to
spend, but it will all work out just fine.
My new crew will join me on Monday to start the journey to Annapolis. Since we are leaving so late, we will not be exploring the
Connecticut side of Long Island Sound, but will take the offshore route to Cape May, NJ, then up the Delaware bay to the
C&D canal to the Chesapeake.   After a little exploring of the northern Chesapeake, it will be time to head to Annapolis, well
before the boat show to assure a good anchorage.
Newport is such a spectacular sailing city.   Yesterday a fleet of 12 meter boats sailed by, a hundred yards for where I am anchored.
They all had their support boats ($200-300k each) and there was a helicopter to monitor the fleet. They had a race mark 200 yards
away, then went upwind into the main town area for the finish. What a show. Every day the gaff rigged schooners take tours out for a
sail.

9/25/2008
Offshore route plans changed.
At anchor off City island, near New York City, awaiting a gale to blow over, and a favorable tide to run through Hell Gate to the
city. Then pick up a mooring at 79th Street Boat Basin to await the end of offshore gales for the overnight offshore run to Cape May,
NJ.    Today we had an exhilarating sail (with engine on) in 25 kts wind - directly downwind - to City Island.

On the way, we spent a night at Giant's Neck, then at Long Neck, CT.

After all my experiences with anchoring, I decided to start writing an article for one of the sailing magazines (Multihulls?) about the
topic. So much is done outside of what the books say is supposed to be done, and there is so much else to learn.   Indeed, if you
anchored by the book, you would create havoc and destruction, and be driven out of a typical crowded anchorage.

Life is so good, and cruising just amplifies it.

11/06/08
At a dock in the town of Deep Creek, at the north end of the Great Dismal Swamp.
It has been a very active time,with lots of projects to do and things to try to get done, but I am finally trying to get an update on the
website.
The article was sent to Multihulls magazine a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't heard anything yet.

To continue the journey where we left off, the trip through Hell Gate was uneventful except for early fog, and then all the USCG boats
patrolling the backside of Manhattan on the East River. It turns out they had lots of extra security because of something going on
at the UN. We got the last mooring ball at the 79th St marina, and no wonder (see photo of the mooring line)!!!   Those two tiny
remaining strands held us against the current (running the engines probably helped) until we could get another line on it. We also saw
a large pleasure boat we had seen before in Nantucket.   We had two busy days walking/exploring Manhattan.

We had a great sail down the NY cityfront, past Sandy Hook, and down the New Jersey coast.   Late in the afternoon we set
the fishing line, and within a half hour heard the line being dragged out. Damn, more seaweed, except this time there was a fish!   We
suspected it was a blue, which is oily and fishy tasting, but we were determined to eat it anyway. After doing all we could to overpower
the taste, we cooked and ate it. In spite of being buried in onion and lemon juice it was bland (but much better than fishy). Now... how
do you cut a fillet to keep the bones out? But we had dinner just before a weird sunset, survived. This is what the sun looked like, and
is not a photo artifact.

Our goal was to get down the coast overnight and up Delaware Bay so we could get through the C&D canal with a favorable tide.
With one engine running slowly, and the sails set we realized that we would be heading up the Delaware Bay in the middle of the
night.   Not a good idea, considering all the crab pots we saw on the way up in July. We had the luxury of being able to stop the engine
and just sail for several hours, and still arrived at Delaware bay in the dark.

It seemed like we would never get past the lights of Atlantic City, but had a beautiful overnight trip down the coast.

It turns out the C&D canal was closed because a ship had run aground. As we got there, the canal had opened and the current was
just changing in our favor. We anchored in a pretty and secluded spot, great anchorage in the Sassafras River in the early afternoon.
The fish were jumping and the Canada geese were very scenic. The next morning we heard explosions in the distance which we
guessed might have been from the Aberdeen proving grounds. We also fought the current all the rest of the way to Annapolis.

It was over a week until the start of the boat show, and already the whole place was filling up.   We again anchored way up Spa Creek,
even closer to the end, in a very tight spot. The foxes (not that kind) were fun to watch in the morning.

We had four major items to get, but only got two - solar panels and a watermaker - and I will probably install them myself. The funds
set aside for this dried up along with the stock market, and I couldn't get good enough deals to justify removing any funds when they
are this low. I ordered the Spectra Cape Horn Extreme watermaker,and two Mitsubishi 185 W solar panels. The latter were chosen
because they will fit on a SS tube between the dinghy davits. They will be able to pivot, and will even shelter the dinghy a bit. I have
installed the SS tube, and it is a very heavy wall version, attached with stanchion mounts. I could do chin-ups on it (if I could do
chin-ups).   I have ordered aluminum to fabricate a frame to strengthen the solar panels and plan to work on this in Wilmington, NC
when we are there (I think I will need to have good access to marine electrical parts).   I guess I'll be going to the Miami show in Feb to
finish my shopping, as long as the stock market smartens up by then.

The boat show was good, and we went every day (as volunteers for Womanship). We helping get Louise's boat (Blue Planet) in, out and
prepped for her demonstration at the show. My sewing machine got put to work on her boat, and by coincidence we were right by the
Sailrite booth. I also got my cockpit cushions started!   After almost two weeks there it was time to head south again since it was
getting chilly.
On Oct 14 we headed to Solomons again.   I like it there. We stayed at the Solomons H arbor marina again, this time for two weeks. It
was the first time at a marina since leaving there in June. Say hello to John if you go there, he is very helpful, and makes the place so
friendly.   Aahhh, the luxury of lots of water and electricity.   I even spent three nights off the boat (now a total of 5 nights since moving
aboard in Feb) to visit my daughter who had a concert in Kentucky.
So many projects are easier at a dock, and with shore power, that the cockpit cushions are all done, even backs. If the solar panels
had arrived on schedule, I would have had them installed. It was nice having easy access to get needed parts, and fortunately,the solar
panels finally arrived.

We had a great sail down to Tangier Island, in the middle of Chesapeake Bay. It was one of those places that I had to visit again.
The dialect is so quaint, and the golf cart tour of the island was such a kick.   The next day we headed for Hampton, VA, but only got
as far as Back River. It was weird, being so large but with such shallow water outside of the channels. The ship aground was a
sorry sight, but was more than made up for the next morning when a large pod of dolphins started playing around us. Even better was
their swimming in our bow wave!!!

Hampton was great.   We thought about spending a day, possibly two and stayed four nights.   We had a good visit with people who
were preparing for the Carib 1500 regatta. It was delayed several days because of an Atlantic storm. The Mariners museum in
Newport News was well worth the visit, even the bus rides to get there. Plan on a whole long day. We also did a very pretty 5 mile
hike around the park.   And no, they weren't celebrating our arrival, but a football game. They did a freefall with pink smoke before
opening the chutes.    Also arrived back at the boat one day to find the Shards' new boat tied up next to us. Their DVDs (Distant Shores)
about cruising the Med have been an inspiration to me for years.

11/5/08
We had a late start 12:30 PM and a wild ride to the lock at the Great Dismal Swamp. Winds were 20 to 30 kts with gusts over 35,
and no other pleasure boats out there.   It was fun going through the lock, and we tied up just south at their dock. Apparently everything
was jammed to our south because of the winds and nobody was leaving. We stayed an extra night there, but got through the nearby
bridge the next day. The Fall colors were fine, but at times, it felt like Winter.

Because of not needing to wait for the bridge to open, we got an early start and were able to make all the way to Elizabeth City. I
have heard about their hospitality for many years and it was nice to feel it and see that it is real.   A free dock and a welcome
reception,with maps and directions to the region. The really good news was that it was finally sunny and warm (in the daytime).
Everybody had just cleared out that morning with the break in the weather, so we were a new crop of boats. Two nights wasn't
enough.   But you can't explore the world by staying in one place!
After leaving we went by some huge buildings. The doors along the bottom are large enough to drive a semi truck through. These are
blimp hangars.
We anchored in a fairly crowded spot on the Alligator River (sorry, didn't see any) with many other boats. The next area was the
Alligator - Pungo River canal, which doesn't have much for a safe anchorage, and you sure don't want to travel at night. Next
night was tried up (no facilities) at RE Mayo shrimp boat dock - but they were out of shrimp! We had a short run the next day to
Oriental, NC, but ran aground (TWICE) in the canal just south. Fortunately is was soft mud, and we weren't going fast. The depth
sounder was showing 9 feet of water, but the starboard hull (4 foot draft) was in the mud (the depth sounder is in the port hull). We
were in the mid third of the channel, not even close to shore.   No problem getting unstuck, but it was a bit unnerving since there was
no way to read the water and the depth sounder certainly wasn't much help.   We stayed in the very middle of that channel after that,
and didn't concern ourselves with boats that wanted to pass.

11/12/08
At anchor in Orient, NC.   Very limited cell phone (none!) and internet, except for going ashore.   We finally got our shrimp!   Two nights,
and now there is a threat of nasty (not terrible) weather. Heading for Beaufort/Morehead, NC on our way down the ICW to Wrightsville
Beach/Wilmington, NC are for Thanksgiving.

11/14/08
We left Oriental late in the morning, after the thunderstorms, but there was still a howling wind and lots of rain. Tied up at the
Sanitary Restaurant, which is a Morehead City classic institution from 1938.    The sun came out and it stopped raining long enough
for along walk to explore the area. It was still poring this morning - along with fog. Good thing we weren't planning to leave today, but
tomorrow instead.

We filled the fuel tanks (50 gallons) for the first time since leaving Solomons, MD, and had a tentative plan to stay the night at the fuel
dock for a reasonable $40 (or $60 if you don't fill your fuel tanks). The marinas here are almost twice that. It is nice to have lots of
electricity once in a while.   Also, the dinghy in a thunderstorm is a less than pleasant experience. Instead we stayed at another dock
and dine.
The Good News and the Bad news:
The Ruddy Duck Tavern in Morehead had great a great menu and food, at reasonable prices, and the dock included an electric
hookup, water, and good internet. It even had a very nice, convenient floating dock. The forecast for tomorrow is more thunderstorms
and strong winds, so we are staying over another night! The bad news - there is only room for one boat, maybe two small ones - so call
in advance (252 726-7500).   It isn't yet in the cruising guides, but it used to be the Key West.

Tomorrow we will try to walk in the rain to check out a museum in Beaufort, NC.   Getting lots of exercise walking.

11/28/08
I hope everybody had as good a Thanksgiving as I did. We have been at Wrightsville Beach for over a week, after an uneventful
ICW journey.   Several bridges to go under, and several that needed to open for us. Although the all the bridges on the ICW as supposed
to be 65 feet or more (except one in Miami, which is 56 feet - was that a dyslexic engineer?) the high water level have decreased the
clearance a bit. The VHF antenna hits the bridge at 63, but not 64 feet of clearance. Another possible delay is from the marine base,
when they are doing maneuvers, but we lucked out there too - that was to be the next day.

The ICW is a slower trip than sailing offshore, especially with the short days and the folly of travelling the ICW at night. Besides, the
nights are too pretty to waste by travelling. The anchorage we stayed at has been dredged by the Marines, and was a morning habitat
of a large pod of dolphins. They went right by the stern of the boat to leave the bay. The weird ship (notice the deck gun) didn't seem to
bother them.

Wrightsville Beach is a great place - but we got here for the cold snap. At least it (usually) warmed up in the daytime, if the wind
wasn't too strong.   The pattern became running the genset for a half hour or so in the evening and again in the morning to take off the
chill. It was working fine until one morning, with a cabin temperature of 40 degrees, the heater (reverse A/C) stopped working. The
seawater pump failed (the one on the port side stopped months ago, but it wasn't needed. Much to the credit of the Leopard/Moorings,
it (both pumps) were fixed that same day. We needed to be at the dock to have the work done, and all the wonderful heat was such a
luxury, I stayed a week. With both heaters working, the boat could be warmed in minutes. Skip, who replaced the pumps was kind
enough to get me the manual for these units, and was enthusiastic about showing me all the things these units would/could do.

I took advantage of being at the dock and only a mile walk to a West Marine store. I must have been there quite a few times, since the
manager asked if was moving in. I got the solar panels installed. Two 185 watt panels, are built into an aluminum frame, a 65 inch
square, and mounted on the SS tube between the davits. They are 24 volts each, and when wired in series become 48 volts (rated).
This goes into an MPPT controller which maximizes the current, and changes the 58 volts (measured) into 12 volts to put in the
batteries to keep them charged. As the boat swings in the wind, you can see the current going into the battery changing up and down
as the position to the sun changes.   It took a while to devise a way to adjust the angle of the panels, but when the idea came, it was
very simple (a good sign!).   The bars are positioned so that they don't hit the lifeline, or the dinghy. I can put as many adjustments as I
like, and I included a safety stop at the top and the bottom.   Notice how the dinghy is shaded, and protected from the rain.

Here is a link to numerous photos, for those considering such a solar panel installation.

Tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of the Wrightsville Beach Festival of Lights.   A number of highly decorated boats tour the
harbor, after which there is a firework display.   We may even put up a string of lights. We have the perfect anchoring spot for viewing
the events.   The boats on the tour will go all around us. There may be 12 people aboard tomorrow evening for the viewing. I hope it
isn't too cold or rainy. Then we head south on Sunday morning - no, not all 12.   It may be a while until I get decent internet again.

12/04/08
Charleston, SC. Yesterday morning, at Georgetown, SC there was ice on the deck when I went to hoist anchor - and it never
really warmed up. We had a good, but late walk around the town, and dinner the night before.
We made it almost to Charleston last night, but couldn't make the last bridge opening at 4PM by about 5 to 10 minutes. So we
anchored and had a leisurely start to Charleston this morning. Instead of bundling up with more and more clothes, they started
coming off (no, not all of them). It was warm and beautiful. Even the evening isn't too cold, but now we have lots of heat anyway.
The Charleston Maritime Center (843 853-3525) is very nice (but rocky when big ships go by), reasonably priced and very centrally
located. We could easily spend a solid week enjoying and exploring this city, but need to get south. We will have to see what we can
accomplish in two days. This is a great city to walk in, with lots to see, from waterfront, to old buildings, historic areas, museums, and
we'll have to find out what else. The next lengthy stop will be St Augustine, FL (I think). More boat projects (maybe install the
watermaker) and Janet goes home for a few(?) weeks.   I will probably head further south in Florida, maybe exploring the ICW more.

The Festival of Lights in Wrightsville beach was great, and we were right in the middle of it. The boats all had to go around us since we
were at the end of the channel by the causeway. We had 8 people on board, and took advantage of the genset and heat. Then the wind
swung the stern around for a perfect showing of the fireworks display - it was especially good!   When we left Wrightsville Beach
next morning, we fought strong current and 25 to 35 knot winds, right on the nose all day.   The lowest wind speed was 15 and there
were gusts to over 40, so it was slow going, even with both engines running. We usually run just one engine, and go a bit slower, since
this cuts fuel by a guessimated 40% and engine maintenance by 50%. If we run both engines we run at lower rpm's (22-2500), but
apparently diesel engines like to be worked hard so we run the single engine at higher rpm's (26-2900). At times we were only
managing 2.5 knots with both engines at the higher rpm. It was a good day to pack it in early, and the next day we had a favorable
current most of the day. I don't know if there is a way to predict the currents in this part of the ICW, and even the locals only seem to
guess at their own local area.

We try to not travel too fast, but maybe the vultures thought we were having lots of trouble. However, we even passed some
powerboats.   Notice how calm the water can be.   We even got a few sunrise opportunities. Notice how the bridges can be quite
different - especially in the high-rent Myrtle Beach vicinity.

The mist on the water after the freezing night at Georgetown was very pretty, and if you look closely,you might be able to see frost
on the grass.   We anchored in a small channel outside of Charleston in time for a beautiful sunset.

12/06
Leaving Charleston, SC. Sorry, no photos from Charleston (very busy), but took lots as we were leaving to try to make up for it.
Even catamarans can run aground, or did they anchor there? The green land at the bottom of the chart is where they were.

Many of the bridges on the ICW need to be lifted or swung open to let taller boats pass. It used to be that you would sound your horn or
holler, or even just approach slowly and they would open for you. Many open on the hour, half hour, or not at all during rush hour.
Nowadays you call them on your VHF radio, but unfortunately, it is a different channel depending on which state you are in. This bridge
promptly answered my call, and I knew I had missed the 10AM opening and was requesting the 10:30 chance. There were two
sailboats milling around, fighting the current, still hoping for the 10 AM opening (at 10:15!). The bridge tender asked us to contact them
to ask them to call in. They had been trying to call on CH 13 (the channel used in North Carolina) and this bridge in SC (uses CH 9)
wouldn't open for them until they called.   He certainly knew they wanted to get through.

Heading for Beaufort, SC and should arrive tomorrow. Then possibly offshore to St Augustine, FL?

12/11/08
Are we in paradise yet?
We had a great visit with Bill (prior crew) in Beaufort. The bridge there is broken, and only opens twice a day, at 10 AM and 4 PM. After
getting the anchor up and on the road well before sunrise we made it in plenty of time for the early opening. This gave plenty of time to
walk around the picturesque town (surprisingly small), watch the town Christmas parade, and join Bill and friends for a wonderful
dinner.   The hospital in this town even has its own boat dock.

The weather report looked promising, so we headed out the next morning for an overnight sail down the coast to St. Augustine. At
least the weatherman was half right. The wind all day was 20 knots from the north, not 10 - 15 from the east. It faded for an hour or
two, then filled in at 20 to 25 knots from the southeast at night. Fortunately, we put a reef in the mainsail before the wind got too strong.

The problem was that the seas didn't know which direction to travel, and their confusion gave us a rough ride. At times it felt like we
were sailing a monohull when the boat heeled in some of the larger waves (not from the wind). A lexan door to a spice shelf slid open
and a salt shaker fell into the sink. Fuel cans in the cockpit slid to the starboard side of the cockpit. A few things in the cabin actually
fell over!   And we actually had to hang on!
We managed to sail over 90% of the time, deciding to start an engine if our speed stayed below 5 knots during the lulls in the wind.
During the night we made fairly good time, but the waves slowed us a lot. The speed would build up to 8 or 9 knots, then a wave or two
would slam us down to 4.5 to 6 knots. We flew off a couple of large waves and slammed the hulls into the next one, but I still wonder
what the dreaded bridgedeck pounding is like.
It was a rough trip, but it was nice to sail a boat again, rather than motoring the ICW. That overnight sail would have taken at least three
full days on the ICW (daylight only).
Another delight was an encounter with about a dozen dolphins. The sunset was grand and it was almost dark when we saw and heard
the dolphins. We went to the bow net and watched them play in the bow waves. You could barely see them with their dark backs until
they showed their sides or splashed. It was great sport for about ten minutes. They would dash from one bow to the other, often
coming very close - an adolescent dolphin version of chicken?

We had a reservation way up the creek (not that creek, but we do have a paddle) in St. Augustine. The price, place and location are
so good (Oyster Creek Marina), I will be here for a month. Lots of projects to do, including install the watermaker. Too bad I didn't get
the SSB radio. It is less than a 10 minute walk to a supermarket, West Marine, Sailors Exchange, and Marine Supply. Historic
downtown is about a 20 minute walk. Right on the marina lot is a restaurant with a good happy hour, and a piano bar. We were there
last night, and the local volunteer regulars were amazingly good (at least many of them).
The good news however is that it is warm!!! It was 80 yesterday and cooled to 60 at night (but it might get to the 40's tonight). But no
more ice on the deck and having to bundle up all the time. I have the luxury of turning the heat on tonight.

12/18
It has been a glorious week in St. Augustine - and getting better.   70's and 80's in the daytime, and 50's and 60's at night.   This is
another place where people came for a few days several months ago, and haven't managed to leave yet. There is quite a group of
liveaboards here. Gathering around the campfire the last few nights has been fun.
Watermaker installation is coming along nicely, albeit slowly.   It is amazing that what should be very basic equipment just doesn't
exist. It has taken a long time to come up with alternative equipment, and then order it. I should have all the parts next week, and hope
the installation won't take too long to complete. I have been taking photos of the project and will publish them on the Picassa site with
a link, when done, for any who are contemplation the installation of a watermaker. Its a big project, made much more difficult by
needing to sort out how and where to run everything, not to mention finding accessories. I couldn't imagine trying to do this without
easy access to a variety of marine supplies.    It is a 12V Spectra Cape Horn model watermaker.

12/21
I shouldn't have said anything about all the easy access. Yesterday, about 3 PM, three of my 5 parts resources were closed! One
closes early on Saturday, one is closed for the holidays, and the third didn't even list their hours.   The good news is that I got the bike
out, and managed to cover and was able to cover the distance and get some fun exercise.   I guess its back to West marine today, and
if they have a needed part in the warehouse, I might have it by Tues. It is an adapter to connect the boat pressurized water system to
regular water tubing of the watermaker.

THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF SAILING/CRUISING!!
It hasn't been the storms, sharks, alligators, pirates or even approaching shore, but riding a bike along the streets, sidewalks, and
parking lots as you explore land.

12/30
Had company and a great time for the holidays, and was rescued from my projects. The watermaker is however installed - and runs.
For those who are considering the installation of a watermaker, particularly on a Leopard 40, here is a link to numerous photos.   It is
installed in the compartment ahead of the owner's shower, the meter and diverter valve are by the sink in the head, and the circuit
breaker and switch for each pump are in the owner's cabin.   (If you missed the earlier solar panel link, here is that link.)
With a few exceptions and a little morning fog, the weather has been beautiful.

Several nights ago, when it was particularly cold and there were extreme low tides, I was awakened at 2:30 AM by voices and
footsteps. A 60+ ft swordfishing boat had run aground right next to my boat, about 20 to 30 feet away. In their attempt to get to deeper
water they snagged a chain from an anchor somebody had set in the channel a few months ago the protect from an approaching
hurricane. It had wrapped around their propeller and stopped them dead. The two young crew (in wet suits, but without a hood or
boots) finally managed to cut it after getting somebody to bring one that was strong enough to cut the chain. Then they had to unwrap
it. By this time they were fighting the current and the boat was trying to drift away.
Doesn't kitesurfing look like fun?

Yesterday I just started the dingy engine and was startled by a huge splash behind me. I looked behind and saw where the water was
churning about 10 feet away. A fellow on a nearby boat said I startled a dolphin, and sure enough, there it was about 15 feet away. Two
of them stayed on my starboard for about a mile as I went down the river. They sure seemed friendly and they were smiling, but I didn't
have my camera, sorry. It is too late in the season to see Manatees.   Maybe when I get south.

1/8/2009
Have been busy with fun projects, including bags for the folding bikes, jerry can rack and cover, and a seat cushion with pockets for
the dinghy. Even got a hair trim.

Also got some photos from the Christmas oyster and shrimp feast fest, courtesy of katherineandco@gmail.com. Unfortunately, I still
look like me.

1/19/2009, Monday
Still in St Augustine, Fl, but "scheduled" to leave on Thurs for a slow meander south. Haven't been getting out much and must have
seemed pretty pathetic - but the bike riding and boat projects are fun. Got a wonderful tour of the Jacksonville area yesterday (thank
you Phyllis) almost as far north as St Marys, which is in GA. This was part of the ICW that i missed both up and down the coast. After
walking around Ferdinand Beach a while, downwind of the factories, maybe it wasn't too bad to miss.
Also visited an old plantation where about a hundred slaves were kept. How appropriate - two days before the inauguration of an
African descendant president.

Part of the trip was a ferry crossing the St Johns River, just east of Jacksonville, and checking out the beautiful natural marshland
(notice the towers in the background, and the weird bridge). Also take note - beware of the dangers of taking tree hugging too
seriously. A diehard tree hugger.

2/06/09
Back in Ft Lauderdale
We have arrived safely at Ft Lauderdale, having completed the circle. We got as far south as Key Largo, but the weather was
unseasonably cool. When the weather forecast suggested a brief opportunity to get back north before it turned unfavorable, we did
just that.
Amazingly, warranty work has already started this morning (thank you). It was a surprise to learn that I need to pay dock fees to have
warranty work done, but at least there was a good break in the rate.
Sorry, but it will probably be several days before I get back to the web site with stories and photos of the tropical islands, manatees,
and dolphins.    Dave and Jan - thanks for the visit, and I hope to see you out there somewhere.

2/10/09
The warranty work is progressing amazingly smoothly.   It is time for me to get back into project work mode. I certainly won't have
everything done before leaving the country in March, but should at least have all the needed parts.

Bill and I had a great journey from St Augustine. Although the weather warmed up to a very comfortable level, the water didn't, so we
didn't do any swimming.   After a late start we got only as far as Fort Matanzas, but also stopped early,giving a chance to explore the
fort and the beach.   Next morning there was a beautiful mist, and frost on the deck, but it was toasty warm by noon.

We had lots of bridges to contend with, but they turned out to be fun.   They opened on demand, so you would call and ask for an
opening,and just keep travelling at your cruising speed. They tell you they will open when you get closer and you don't even need to
slow down. It was a bit un-nerving at times, but if you use the chartplotter to give your arrival time, with the bridge as a waypoint, you
realize that they have lots of time to open the bridge. Indeed, we usually sped up at the last minute so they could minimize the time the
bridge was open.

After passing Daytona Beach, we spent the next night at New Smyrna, where we rode the bikes to explore and provision The framers
market had some good stuff, which Bill was able capitalize on). We tied to a dock where no overnight was allowed. However we were
"officially" deputized to be on manatee watch. A cold stressed baby manatee was followed to where we were, and the parks people
and marine biologists were searching in an attempt to rescue.
As with many places in the ICW, close attention to navigation is critical. Sometimes the channel shifts and very shallow water will be
found where it shouldn't be.

Next day on a short trip to Titusville (where we anchored in 5 ft of water) we saw hundreds of dolphins all around us, but still hadn't
seen a manatee. On route to Cocoa Beach, via the Overhaul Canal, there were forest fires up wind, forcing us to travel in the smoke
and in the falling ash. As we went through the canal, there was a new fire, which several minutes after we were through, erupted into
an inferno.   Kennedy Space Center was also worth seeing.

Wannasee manatee
Then we saw a moving ripple in the very calm water. Then a wide snout.   The two more disturbances. We stopped the engine and
drifted back to where we saw a family of manatee - close, but not in a good position to photograph (maybe if I had my polarizing screen
on the camera?). A couple hours later the birds followed us for over an hour, right behind the hull which had the engine running. They
would dive into the water to pick up a morsel - fish bits from the "bassomatic" propeller?

Continued south to Vero beach (also called velcro beach, since so many people stick there). The bridge lights were nice.

We saw lots of manatee on the trip to Lake Worth, including a warning call from a bridge tender about a family of manatee right in front
of us as we were going through a bridge. Fortunately, we already saw them, but were too busy to get photos.   Along the way we found
a nice spot to anchor at Ft Pierce in Faber Cove. Where the cruising guide and chart showed lots of water depth, we found a boat hard
aground. Needless to say, we went elsewhere and found Faber Cove, which wasn't even listed. Hobe Sound was a nice spot to anchor,
in spite of the close proximity to the ultra rich. I wouldn't trade Changing Spots for their mansions! We then did a wonderful offshore
sail to Ft Lauderdale (there are way too many bridges in this region, and too many are scheduled).

Just a A taste of Paradise
The trip from Ft Lauderdale to Miami has to be offshore since there is one bridge on the ICW which does not have 65 ft clearance. It
must have been designed by a dyslexic (lesdyxic?) engineer, since it is only 56 ft. There was a strong following wind and sea, so we
were lazy and only used the genoa sail, doing an easy 7.5 to 9 kts. Dolphins played in our wake for about 45 minutes. Some day I'll
have to check out the video I took, but here is a still photo. After a night anchored in Miami Beach between the islands, we headed to
Key Biscayne, and anchored a hundred feet from where we first anchored almost a year ago. Of course we had to travel through
Stiltsville. After a night tied to a seawall at Boca Chita (a national park), we headed south to Key Largo. We were thinking about
anchoring around Angelfish creek,or in the Atlantic to shelter from the NW winds, but put the sails up. The sailing, closehauled, was so
great we continued all the way back north to Key Biscayne and anchored in a very sheltered small bay. The weather forecast gave us
the next day as the only favorable conditions to head back to Ft Lauderdale for a long time, so we did it. The circle is closed.
Next month THE adventure starts. This has just been the introduction!   Life is so grand.

There won't be much in the way of sailing adventures until late March, as I will be busy with the boat show, boat projects and a trip to
California and Texas.   Then there will be the problem of high speed internet to update the website, so please be patient. I thank you for
your interest and encouragement.

2/22/09
Fort Lauderdale
Got a few photos to share, so will update a bit. Got the last big item at the Miami boat show - a hookah device for diving. It has a
gas powered compressor, and can support 2 divers with air by 100 ft hoses. Then I realized that 3 hrs on a tank of air could give the
bends (not a concern with one scuba tank), so also got a dive computer that you wear like a watch.   Also got a new camera, which is
shockproof, and waterproof down to over 30 ft. It will even do brief video underwater, so now I just have to learn how to use it. Bought
a new computer, since may items will be extremely difficult to get once we leave. It has MS Vista, which doesn't work with many
applications, so I am in the process of setting up a dual boot system with WXP. Actually it is done, but I need to find and load more of
the drivers before it is fully functional. Installing the SSB radio will need to wait a while.   All set for a trip to California and Texas for
almost 2 weeks.    Then the Bahamas!?
Also managed to unload about 200 lbs of stuff from the boat, and have started working on the next box. The photo shows an empty
bunk which had been piled full.

Took the dinghy for a tour of Ft L, which is the closest that North America has to Venice. After we got back to the boat, I noticed
shapes in the water about 20 feet from the boat in an area where all kinds of junk collects. We got a close look at 4 manatee. One
was small, and one had nasty gouges from a propeller wound. During a ride today we saw several iguanas basking in the warm sun.
I don't think they are part of the security system.   Yes, you read it right - it finally feels like the tropics.

March 1, 2009
Still at Lauderdale Marine Center in Fort Lauderdale.   Much of the warranty work has been done, and we will probably discuss the
remainder when I get back from my trip to California and Texas.
Haven't really started the SSB radio installation yet, but doing some planning. Got another 85 ft of anchor chain, for a total of 250 ft.
Also installed an LED navigation light in the bow fixture, but the stern light bulb is a different model!? I also installed an LED anchor
light, which was an interesting experience at the top of the mast. Sorry, but I forgot to take my camera (next time, I promise).
Much of my time has been taken with trying to set up my new computer with a dual boot install. It came with Vista, which just doesn't
work for a lot of things, so I made a computer disk partition on which I installed Windows XP. Hopefully this will give the best of both
worlds.
The weatherman has threatened thunderstorms this afternoon, which is fine after the magnificent weather of the last weeks.   Folding
bikes are great for exploring.
There is a bit of a story about these photos. A craftsman working on a nearby mega-yacht feeds many of the local cats. One night he
left the cat food container out on the deck and had a bit of a shock when he opened the lid the next morning. (Yes, it had somehow
gotten the lid back on!)   It probably ate so much it couldn't move, or might have thought it had died and gone to heaven, since it stayed
there all day.

3/10/2009
Notice the photos from the Florida mountains. Not really, they are the California Sierras, east of Sacramento, near Reno.   Maybe the
drought will be over soon. They had lots of rain and plenty of snowfall, but it was beautiful when I was there. Then a visit to the
Richmond Yacht Club, and a view of the Bay Area from the hills. Had a nice visit to the clinic I used to work at, and checked out their
new facilities. Taxes are done!

Tomorrow it is off to Texas. I shipped 177# of stuff back to Texas last March, and another 215 # this Feb. Time to unpack it, and then
find a few items to bring to the boat - a bike helmet, a belt sander, and an ice cream maker. Changing Spots is much more organized
now, and ready to go, but I still need to install the SSB radio.

3/12/2009
NEWS FLASH!!!
I am now in Texas, where I just got my copy of Jan/Feb Multihulls magazine, 2009. While flipping through the pages, I saw a
familiar photo. What a surprise to find it was attached to my whole (rather lengthy) article on anchoring.   I wasn't expecting the whole
thing to be published (if any), but I had fun writing it anyway.

3/29/09
Have been back in Ft Lauderdale for over a week and we are getting ready to head to the SE Carib for hurricane season. Haven't
determined the route yet, but since it is so late in the season, we will probably take a fairly direct route, when we can find a suitable
weather window. It is mainly an uphill journey, but the return trip (don't know where yet) next fall should be easy.
The SSB is installed, but not working yet. Once it is running I will have a new email address for simple email. I hope to be able to check
and send even while sailing, but there can be no attachments, and each message must be started new, without all the crap that gets
attached to email replies. That said, I will still keep my email addresses, but will not be able to check them until we get somewhere
with internet access. Soon I will cancel my phone service.
Most of the provisioning is done and carefully stowed. I have made a bag for the gennaker sail. I plan to attach it to the bow of the boat
so it will be ready to fly, easily. It is such a large sail it takes up a huge space and is difficult to get out and put away in a locker. But it
sure helps the boat move in light air!!! I found and ordered (used) a "chicken chute" which is a relatively small, heavy weight spinnaker
for downwind sailing in heavy wind, with even large seas. You set it between the two hulls, and don't need the mainsail. That
eliminates the concern about a dangerous mainsail gybe, and also lifts the bows. This is unthinkable for a racing boat, since this is no
aerodynamic lift from the sails, just safety.
Most of the warranty work is done, but I have found things work so much more smoothly when I am here to participate. Besides, it
helps me learn more about the boat.

The shakedown cruise is over. THE REAL ADVENTURE BEGINS!! Hopefully, by this time next week, we will be out in the Atlantic Ocean,
well past the Bahamas.

4/17/2009

At anchor at Norman Island, BVI

The passage was spectacular. What an introduction, what a welcome, what an arrival?!!!

We left Lauderdale Marine Center in Ft Lauderdale 4/4 about 3:30 in the afternoon. A big cheer after passing the last bridge.
We motorsailed at first, and even had a little navy visit.   Somewhere in the Gulf stream, at dusk, the fishing line started to sing. What a
wonderful surprise to catch a 15-20 lb blackfin tuna. Filleted and in the fridge in less than half an hour and delicious the next day.
Seared in sesame seeds.

After just over a day of motorsailing (one engine only) the wind picked up enough to sail, then it picked up some more. At first we were
excited to hit 9 kts. For safety, we put a reef in the mainsail at dusk, and by morning put in another. Then depower the genoa to slow
the boat from flying off the waves. The winds were 20-25 kts with gusts to 30. We were doing 10-11 kts. We all did fine, but it wasn't a
comfortable 12 hrs.   We continued to have favorable winds almost all the way.

Weather forecasts were from Herb via the SSB radio, and I managed to learn how to get the modem set up on the SSB and download
GRIB files so we could do some of our own weather reporting.
We won't talk about the Mahimahi, but it was much too big to fit in our bucket. Much of our night sailing was in company of a full moon.
One night as we sailed by a gentle rain, I saw something i have never seen, nor heard of. I called it a moonbow. It was a silver rainbow
from the moonlight! Sorry, I couldn't get it to show up in photos. The radar image is us sailing between two cells in a rainstorm.
Sunrises and sunsets were spectacular.
For several hours we had to heave to in order to slow the boat to time our arrival for daylight. It was perfect.
We could see the islands of the BVI as the sun rose on Easter morning. The clouds were rimmed with gold. As we approached the
anchorage, a shower started, rinsing the layers of salt off the boat. The bonus was our arrival rainbow.

Checking in to Virgin Gorda was simple, and about $80 (with overtime charges for weekends). Although we had acquired extra fuel
tanks so we carried 150 gallons of diesel, we only used 38. It was a total of 53 hrs of engine time - 3 of which were for getting out of Ft
Lauderdale (both engines running). The journey of about 1200 nautical miles took about 7.5 days.

Getting used to walking on land wasn't easy, especially in enclosed spaces where everything seemed to rock.   A swimsuit is all the
attire needed now, day or night, and the breeze keeps everything comfortable.
The baths, at Virgin Gorda was a fun walk and snorkel. Getting back into a dinghy isn't as easy as it may seem.
One absolute luxury is the ice cream maker.   It makes a great fresh lemon sorbet.   We didn't make it to the
reggae festival, since it wasn't even starting at 9:30, and we were still somewhat sleep deprived from the passage.

4/24/09
We have since visited Tortola, Normans island, and Jost Van Dyke in the BVI,as well as the USVI, but the photos will have to wait. So
much to do in paradise, and internet is still sketchy.   We plan to explore St Johns, in the USVI while we await a weather window to St
Martin, which is upwind - and the winds and seas have been more than we want to deal with.

4/25/09
On a US Park Service mooring at Francis Bay, St John, USVI.

4/29/09
Anchored in Coral bay, St John, USVI. This is a sheltered bay, with a small town, but is our departure port for the Leeward islands. That
is the northern chain of islands in the Caribbean. We were planning to go to St Martin, but the trade winds are fairly strong and right on
the nose. The forecast is to diminish a bit, and we may head to some of the more southern (slightly) islands for a better wind angle
(safer and faster, AND much more comfortable). How about Antigua, or St Kitts, on the way to Grenada? Probably this weekend. One
good thing about Coral bay is the cheap and entertaining bus service to Cruz bay, where we signed out of the country for customs &
immigration today. Unfortunately, George, and June (who joined us a week ago in St Thomas) are not able to join us further.

After we left Virgin Gorda, we headed to Tortola with a nice downwind (slow) sail. We got to try the chicken chute for the first time. I
think it has lots of potential for dead downwind sailing in strong winds, but may benefit from a snuffer. It is an old, used, heavy,
symmetrical spinnaker. It came with a big red letter "H"on it. I wonder what it could stand for. Just set it between the hulls and don't
bother with the mainsail - and the risk of the dreaded gybe.
Road Town, Tortola is a fairly busy place, with lots of charter businesses and cruise ships. The anchorage is sheltered, but rolly from
all the boat traffic.   We stopped in to visit the Moorings at their very nice, new, upscale facility. I was interested to know what is the
relationship of Leopard owners, and the Moorings charter company in all their facilities. Several sales people talk as if this is a big plus
to owning a Leopard. They were friendly and polite, but didn't know what I was taking about.   Perhaps if I pushed harder and went up
the chain of command I would have gotten answers. Hey, I was there to enjoy paradise.

We headed to Norman island, but the bay we were planning to anchor (the Bight) was full of mooring balls, so were left and found a
beautiful, sheltered calm bay (Benures) where we did some nice snorkeling. The next day we sailed for Jost Van Dyke, but considered
Soper's Hole, until we went by it and saw the crowds of boats. Jost Van Dyke is notorious for the beach bars, including Foxys, and also
the soggy bottom.   We anchored in Great Bay and hiked to White bay to catch all the remaining bars.

A friend of George kindly gave us the grand tour of the island, including a visit to the bubbling pool, and a drive over the top of the island
on dirt roads. Little Jost Van Dyke was a pretty sight.

Then it was a matter of officially leaving JVD, and entering the USA at Cruz bay, USVI. After signing in we crossed the channel to Red
Hook, St Thomas. We managed a bus trip, provisioning and a bit of a visit, but the anchorage was too rolly to want to spend much
more time there. We then went to Caneel bay, St John, home to a rather upscale hotel, and had a chance to visit Cruz bay some more.
Again, the boat traffic made the anchorage too rolly to be comfortable. The off to beautiful, peaceful Francis bay, in the national park for
two nights. Then it was time to start seriously watching weather and be able to go if we get a weather window. Here we wait in Coral
bay.
Its interesting that some of the monohulls find this bay too rolly, but the fairly strong wind keeps the boat heading into the wind and the
boat rocks up and down, which is comfortable, almost soothing, as opposed to rocking sideways.
Tomorrow a hike in the nearby national parks, Friday another exciting bus ride for a dollar to Cruz bay (eat your heart out, Disney), and it
looks like good conditions for leaving this weekend.

5/4/2009
At anchor in Ballast bay, St Kitts. It is the second night here, with another squall tonight, with winds 25 to 30 knots.
We left Coral bay, USVI, a day earlier than planned, since there was a narrow weather window. We did the hike to Waterlemon bay, and
the site of an old home and a sugar mill.

Then we went into Cruz bay for some last minute mini provisioning. We got a ride to town from some kind and friendly people from
Minnesota, in an old jeep.
Next morning after rechecking weather, cancelling the cellphone and trying to check internet, we hit the road. The conditions seemed
too good to be true - a perfect wind speed from a perfect direction.   Of course it was too good to be true. By late afternoon the wind
was light and on the nose.   After dark it was shifting enough that sometimes you could sail your course, and sometimes you couldn't.
The seas also became confused (but we didn't).
Around sunrise we decided to stop at St Kitts, rather than sailing for the next 10 hrs to Antigua. For the several days we were here, we
never saw the top of the large mountain.

Basseterre is a nice little town, and the people were friendly. Customs & immigration was easy (and$12), except for the pass to Nevis
the next day. We waited over an hour for them to show up. Everything, except KFC (and church) was closed on Sunday, and Monday
was a holiday. Off we went to anchor for the night in one of the bays the cruising guide said was good, and protected. No sooner did
we have the anchor down and the boat settled, when the rain started and the wind howled.   With the windshield up we barely noticed
the wind, and it was quite calm. The rain is great for rinsing the salt off the boat, and someday, when I make the huge sun awning for
the bow of the boat, it will also be a rain catchment device.

We had a great hike and the view was great.   The terrain was rugged enough that even the goats had trouble.   We are going to stay
around here and Nevis for several days, waiting for the wind and squalls to settle down. We have signed up with Chris Parker for his
weather reports on the SSB radio. I can't figure out how to recognize squalls on the grib files, which I can download on the SSB radio.
They are great for the overall wind direction and strength.

5/7/2009
On a mooring in Nevis (assoc with St Kitts), off Double Deuce restaurant and bar, using their internet - from the boat! Highly
recommended! A short dinghy ride to the town of Charlestown, and very short to Double Deuce on the beach. They even offer tours
(free!!??) for the cruisers.   A nice town, with interesting historic buildings, and wonderful to wait a few more day for the weather.
We are waiting for the winds to settle a bit before heading off. The weather pattern of strong winds, predominantly from the south of
east, makes our anticipated trip to Antigua unlikely, so we will head further south, so that we can get to Grenada in plenty of time.
Guadeloupe next? We will go right by Montserrat, where we should be able to view the damage from the recent, and still active volcano.

I know you'll enjoy this link for a photo/video montage of our passage from Ft Lauderdale to Virgin Gorda and beyond. Thanks George!
Cruising is so difficult - but somebodies got to do it!!! What do you mean, we don't?

5/9/2009
Still on the mooring and quite enjoying Nevis. The calamari at Double Deuce is great, as is the friendly helpful atmosphere. Their web
site isn't running yet. Although they will help get the dinghy up on the beach, it is a hassle, and gets sand in the dinghy. They often
monitor channel 16 (but haven't tried to call). The WiFi signal is iffy from the boat, and I don't like taking the laptop via the sandy beach.
That said, their dinghy access seems the best, other than the dock in town, and they are closest to town.
The tour was fun, and for me, a major highlight was seeing monkeys in the wild. Sorry, no photos.
We are sighed out and have a weather window to head to Bequia, since it has a better sailing angle than the other islands.   It is one of
the great places, but is further than we anticipated. It may be a short weather window and we aren't sure we can make it comfortably.
It is so convenient to be able to head upwind to a closer island, in their wind shadow if we need to.

The islands are of volcanic origin, and on many you can still see the cone, and how the mountains "attract" the rain clouds and
encourage agriculture. The market was full of fresh local produce this morning (even after we left!). The town is full of history, and
historic buildings. It was the site of the first resort hotel in the western hemisphere, due to the wonderful "curative" properties of the
mineral hotsprings. There are several baths in the original building - maybe privacy, while being in the dark was the cure. The new
version certainly lacks the privacy. Ever seen a cashew nut growing?   I wouldn't have expected an old synagogue.

There was also the church of the marriage of Lord Horatio Nelson. The sinister side of Nevis was its central role as a main delivery and
sales point for the slave trade. Our guide shows us the alley where they were herded off the ships, then to the market. Notice the
broken glass on top of the walls.   Many of the old sugar plantations are now hotels, with lots of artifacts. The local small boats are
colorful, and are not just appreciated by people.

5/16/2009
At anchor in the Tobago Cays. WOW!! We thought we would anchor here for one night as we meander south, but it looks like it might
be three - and this was even after several rains squalls rolled through. It is beautiful, and we met some great people. Tonight it
appears we are anchored totally exposed to the full brunt of the Atlantic trade winds, but the reefs block the waves. We have a nice
breeze, but no big waves - just gentle ones for rocking to sleep. The reefs, the fish, the small islands, the turtles!!! No, I don't miss my
aquarium.

We had a two night (about 46 hr sail) to Bequia, where we spent two nights and arrived early in the morning. The weather ranged from
a wonderful power reach to 20 knots of wind on the nose. With the help of the radar we managed to dodge several rain squalls, but did
such a good job, we didn't even get the salt rinsed off the deck. On the way we passed Montserrat, which is still suffering from a
recent volcano. Sorry, but I didn't want to go too close to get great photos, but I hope you can see the cloud of gas/steam arising from a
big chunk of the island.

Bequia is the northern most island of the St Vincent Grenadines, and quite friendly and safe. Unfortunately they cancelled the steel
drum concert on Thurs.   The town is small, but fairly well supplied. The boat boys come out to sell their wares, but in a very positive
way, not with the aggressiveness we have heard about.   Some have gotten creative in their methods of propulsion. We found a few
caves at one of the snorkeling beaches, and we managed to see the Moonhole, a group of cave dwellings, on the way out as we left.

5/18
Planning to leave Tobago Cays today for the 4 mile trip to Union Island. This is where we will check out of St Vincent Grenadines. ( We
heard a rumor of a fuel barge there with dirt cheap diesel fuel.) Then it is off to check in Carriacou, in the Grenadan Grenadines.   Not
sure if we will touch on the small islands of Petit St Vincent and Petit Martinique on the way to Grenada.
Tobago Cays is beautiful. We came for one night and have spent three.
The reefs are great to snorkel. It was my first time to see a shark when snorkeling. It was over five feet long and after the initial shock,
was still a thrill - especially since it was going the other way!!! Unfortunately in the second or two it took me to think about it, it was too
far away to catch on a photo. Everybody says they aren't dangerous, but sometimes curious.   RIGHT - what are they curious about -
tastes like chicken?
Diving with turtles was fun too, but lacked the drama of the shark. At least they stuck around for the photos. The islands are pretty to
walk around on - bet you didn't know that iguanas grew on trees?
You sure meet great people when cruising.   They are all very willing to share their experiences.

5/27/2009
At anchor in Prickly Bay, Grenada. What a wonderful place. Good thing too, since I plan to spend a lot of time in the area. A good place
to spend hurricane season, work on boat projects, and explore - this island, and the nearby ones! If a hurricane threatens the area
(very unlikely) then it is an easy sail to Trinidad. My original plan was to go there, and Venezuela, but even the cruisers who used to go
regularly, are not.

6/25/2009
Alive and very well in Grenada. Staying at the Grenada Yacht Club, doing boat projects.   The central location also makes it easier and
much more fun. Staying at a dock is very convenient for doing projects, since you have lots of electricity, and don't need to load up the
dinghy to go anywhere.   My old laptop is trying to die, but it may not be terminal (the USB terminals are dying).   Projects have included
moving the SSB tuner and antenna, which initially didn't go where I thought would be the best place because it was way too big a
project - and it was. Installed two more solar panels, and at times have seen 40 amps going into the batteries. Maybe now I can keep
up with the stupid freezer (even after putting more insulation in.)   But the ice cubes and cold beverages are worth it!!!
In spite of obsessive battery care, I am concerned that these new AGM batteries may have lost some capacity.   Yeah, right, you
shouldn't drain them more than 50%, and should FULLY charge them at least weekly. How many hours would you need to run an engine
with a dumb alternator regulator (automotive type) to top up the last 15% of battery capacity.   Eight hours doesn't do it! So now I also
just ordered a wind generator (a quiet one). The new solar panels should give plenty of power without it, but now I should rarely need to
run the diesel generator. I also bought a battery monitor, instead of the wild assed guess meter that came with the boat. It was
shipped June 6, and the good news was that it was delivered. The bad news was that it went to GERmany, then GREat Britain, where it
sat for a week.   Some day it might make it to GREnada.   (And the address was correct.)   USPS doesn't seem to care at all that they
screwed up.

It will take a while before I get a chance to add photos, such as the underwater sculpture, the crater lake, the seven sisters waterfalls,
and the monkeys.

8/6/09
Still alive and very well. Sorry, but it will be a while until I will be able to update the website.

8/23/2009
Alive and well in Trinidad!!!   Much larger with more options than Grenada - but with some security concerns. We walked the last
several blocks to the market, and were stopped by a police car with 4 heavily armed officers, complete with body armor.   They
strongly suggested that we not walk any further in that direction and to take the maxi taxi (an inexpensive minivan bus).

9/19/2009
Still enjoying Trinidad, and getting ready to head to one of the tributaries of the Orinoco River in Venezuela.   Have finished the bug
"proof" enclosure for the cockpit, so we will have to wait and see how to stuff all the gaps.   I probably won't do too much swimming
there, although they say that piranhas, don't live up to their reputation.   I think I'll let others test that theory.
Then it is back to Trinidad to have some work done on the boat before heading west - not north as previously mentioned. There are lots
of wonderful Islands to visit along the north coast of South America, although some are too dangerous for my liking. Maybe Panama
early in 2010.
When the boat is hauled, I hope to be able to update the website, and show a few photos.   However, the website software is getting a
bit buggy.

10/23/2009
Changing Spots is on the hard at Peakes yard in Trinidad for some boat projects, including a new bottom job. It may take longer than
anticipated.
I hope to be able to update the website soon, including an adventure up the Manamo River in Venezuela.   We even had personal
experience with man eating piranha, and it was quite tasty! The problem is the time, internet speed, and phone service needed for the
learning curve to change the website format - and this page is getting way too long and getting longer.

10/28/2009
NEWS FLASH! We found a problem, and I am trying to work with R&C to resolve it. Do they really stand behind their product? Stay
tuned.

11/20/2009
About to leave Trinidad, and head west. Because of the dangers of the north coast of Venezuela, the plan is to go quite a distance
north, and then turn left to Los Testigos.

Still waiting to hear from R&C, but they are listening, and it looks hopeful.

Where do you start to catch up when you are so far behind? Especially with so many adventures. I'll try to be more or less
chronological, but you'll need to check my Facebook if you want to find out about my spooky Halloween Hash House Harriers adventure
which has made me quite well known in parts of Trinidad (only the good parts).

Grenada
Besides the few photos here, I have posted many more, with this link, on Picassa.
I enjoyed Grenada, and the people were great, but it is a small island, and after arriving in Trinidad, I realized that I enjoy the increased
variety. The anchorages were fine, with trade winds keeping things cool (at least not terribly hot) and there lots of other cruisers to
meet and interact with. But these anchorages are isolated from the rest of the island and people.

I spent about six weeks at the Grenada Yacht club, which was magnificently located in the heart of St. Georges. It was very sheltered
there in the Lagoon, but that also meant that the trade winds were blocked. But AHHHH, blessed electricity, and air conditioning. The
biggest problem there was that it was a stern tie to the dock, and the bow is tied to a buoy. Take into account that there is a tide, and
Changing Spots has a large solar panel array, and dinghy hanging off the back, and how do you step on the dock. I had never done a
stern tie (except a partial one in Hampton, VA, (but they had a small dock on the side, and a post for the bow), so it was great that Jim
from Bees Knees was there to help. I thought it was going to be a side tie, which I should be able to manage singlehanded, especially
with help on the dock. It took a while and a lot of tweaking to get the right distance from the dock and to build a boarding plank (from
old dock planks).

With the problems of the batteries barely keeping up with the huge demand of the freezer, I decided to really power up. I got a battery
monitor, to use instead of the wild assed battery guesser that came with the boat. It calculates the amps into and out of the battery
bank. I also got two more (but smaller) solar panels, and set them up on the hardtop, aiming in different directions. I also got a wind
generator, but think it would have been far superior to have spent the money on more solar panels. But I didn't want to take up any
more hardtop space – such a dilemma. I finally achieved electrical independence, unless it was an overcast day. I think if I had
another battery (for a total of four), I could go two days of heavy overcast as long as we don't use much more electricity, ie, no
computers. Replacing the cabin and cockpit lights with LED's also helped a lot.

The awning was a huge project, and has now been tested in fairly strong winds, and it is great. It works fine as a rain catchment also,
but it took a while to get the best location for the holes. I was hoping to filter the water before it went into the tank, but the flow was
way too slow. Now I let the rain rinse the awning with several gallons, then start collecting. I put a water filter in the boats plumbing,
replacing the small screen. Good idea, now that I have seen what is trapped in the filter. I also like to run an ozone generator in the
water tanks every week, and no bleach.

Also made a small awning for one of the side windows, and it helps a lot. You would think that with the shade screens, and the dark
plastic there shouldn't be much heat getting through. Then finished the screens for the top part of the cockpit, and use them a lot.
Then there was the helm protection made with clear HD plastic.

Did some hikes in Grenada, including around Crater lake, which was a mud slog if you weren't careful – we were. Then it was to the
Seven Sisters waterfalls. It was nice that it wasn't so hot at the higher elevations, and quite a workout. It is interesting to walk around
St George's, with lots of old building, some of which are still damaged by the hurricanes. Most of the big churches lost their roofs, so it
appears that the weather gods were non-denominational. There is an old fort you can just wander through, but it lacks any information
about its history.

I did two tours with Cutty. He has a van (taxi), and does a large variety of tours and is quite helpful to the boaters. The tours included
some history, and trips to nutmeg and cocoa processing plants, with stops along the way to give a chance to test the various fruits and
veggies that are in season. A highlight was the rum distillery. It has the oldest operating water wheel in the western hemisphere, and
has characteristics that I think Disney copied.

The underwater sculptures were fascinating, needing two visits.

Then it was off to Trinidad.
Lots more photos on Picassa.
You travel at night for an early morning arrival, which Although reportedly very dangerous, it was not a risk for the visiting boater. They
just kill each other.

Trinidad is much larger than Grenada, with much more cultural and ethnic diversity. There is a much better variety of food, and music.
Many of the street and small booth vendors have very tasty local dishes, but it is hard to find out what they are. Some of the favorite
items sell out very quickly every day. What I don't understand is why they don't make more of the favorites. The anchorages aren't
nearly as nice as Grenada, but it is a good place to get things done, and there is lots to do. As I mentioned earlier, there some areas
that you just don't go, but we have never felt in danger.

We stayed at the anchorage at TTSA (Trinidad Tobago Sailing Association), and for a reasonable fee could use their facilities, including
showers dinghy dock and on shore low speed internet. There are lots of cruisers to interact with, and locals too. A nice group of
people! Of course there is a restaurant and bar, and activities for the cruisers at least two nights a week. The music has been
amazingly excellent. We anchored way out in the bay, where the water was cleaner, since I can only survive the heat by a refreshing
rinse in the water periodically. Also, because of the prevailing wind, any boats that drag anchor will go the other way.

Once we had the boat projects under control we took a break and went to an island called Chacachacare. This is a beautiful place that
had been a leper colony, with all the building left behind. Interestingly, it was crowded with boats, and we had a tough time getting the
anchor to set. (And this is the new, super, supersized anchor!) Through the chain you could feel the anchor skidding over a hard
surface in gravel. The second night we found a beautiful sheltered bay, and finally managed to get the anchor to set. We took
advantage of the nice water to get out the hookah type dive compressor to play. Our play was cleaning the boat bottom, and it was
actually fun! The barnacles needed to be dealt with every three weeks, but we had plans for them.

Jesse James is the local cruisers friend and advocate here, with his taxi, and tours, and answers to questions. We did a tour of the La
Brea Pitch lake at the south end of the island. I think this tar is at the other end of the oil well spectrum from natural gas. This is a
whole lake of tar that they mine and use for roads. Bubbles of methane gas periodically burst up through the surface. There were also
tours of Indian (as in from the country India) cultural events. They were brought in as indentured servants after slavery was abolished,
and most stayed, and prospered. Good thing I like curry.

Recently I did a trip overnight (the first night off the boat since last March) to Asa Wright bird sanctuary nature preserve.   Several of us
were going to rent a car if needed, but Jesse came through. It was worth the trip alone, but it also included a trip by skiff into the
Caroni Swamp. I had already seen huge flocks of scarlet ibises up close in Venezuela, but the two boa constrictors in the trees were
fascinating.

We considered going to Venezuela – the safe parts – but only if we could make the cockpit bugproof, and make a rainproof windscoop.

Probably the most difficult job was the bug “proof” enclosure for the whole cockpit, which entailed using screen-like material to close
in the bottom part of the cockpit. The idea was to then stuff foam into the join areas to make it really “proof”. I hope I don't see bugs so
bad that we really need it. Didn't in Venezuela, but it was reassuring to know we had it. The rainproof windscoop didn't work because
we oriented to the water current and not the wind, and it wasn't really needed since the rain was usually in the afternoon.

Venezuela
We left for the Manamo river in Venezuela at sunrise, and had a spectacular sail, using the gennaker most of the way. With our nice
clean bottom (the boat's!) we did an easy 6-7 knots in 8-9 knots of wind, and picked up to 8-9 knots boat speed later. We (wisely) took
it down with an approaching squall, even though it didn't seem to have much wind in it. When the wind got above 15 knots we also
furled the genoa, leaving only the mainsail when the wind briefly hit 30. After we got past that one, we could see another pursuing us.
We took down the main, and had an easy sail with just the genoa, which is relatively small, and easy to douse if the wind gets too
much. When we got close to the huge oil equipment, we knew we were in Venezuela. First stop, Pedernales, where there is a local
coast guard base where we could check in. They were great, made us feel welcome, and it was the simplest check in ever, although
were were probably not officially in the country per customs and immigration.

Absolutely fascinating! Houses built on stilts over the water, many without walls, dugout canoes..... We wandered into town and
struggled with our limited Spanish, but the locals were very helpful. Some oil workers, who were fluent in English, very kindly gave us a
bit of an introduction to the area and Venezuela.

The next day we were off to anchor near Ibis island. Guess what was there? No they weren't, but they arrived later. For almost two
hours, huge flocks of scarlet ibises started arriving to perch in the nearby trees. We were as close as we felt they were comfortable
with our presence, and tried to be quiet. Around sunrise, it was even more impressive as most left all at once, darkening the sky. It is
interesting that their feathers are exactly the same color as African gray parrot tail feathers.

We decided to make a fairly quick trip up the river and see what was there, and planned to explore more on the way back. As we went
up the river the terrain evolved from mangrove swamp to jungle, to plains. There was a tide (3 feet) all the way up the river, with lots of
current (2 knots), so we timed our travel to go with the tide current. There are no roads, and all travel is by boat. The river is huge and
at places along the bank we would find indian homes or small settlements. They are Warao indians (canoe people) and they would
paddle out to greet us and hold out their wares to sell or barter. Even more fascinating is that it was often young children expertly
paddling dugout canoes. And no, I am not making this up. We had stocked up on trading goods, such a pieces of fabric cloth, water
colors, colored pencils, and booklets in Port of Spain city in Trinidad.

I understand that the government gives every Warao family funds for an outboard motor. Some extended families may pool resources
and also get a fiberglass boat. Gas is dirt cheap here, but oil to mix with it for the 2 cycle engines is expensive.

We spent some time anchoring and exploring on our own, using the dinghy to explore small channels. With help we found howler
monkeys in a tree, but they were quiet. When they howl it is an hauntingly penetrating sound. They compete with the parrots for
making the most noise. We found lots of toucans, and a sloth, which looked like a big termite nest in the tree. But I had never seen a
termite nest with a hole in it. When we went back to look closer we could see that it had a face, and eventually it slowly started
moving. We never found any snakes.

We visited two ecotourism lodges, which are set up for visitors, but weren't very busy. They were very hospitable, and helped us
understand to area and people since they spoke English. Ramon, a worker and guide at the Boca De Tigre lodge took us on a tour in
the mangrove swamp – at low tide. We still needed high rubber boots, and long pants and long sleeve shirts. His Spanish wasn't much
better than ours but he was an expert at communication, teaching us how the Warao indians used the plants in the forest. Fresh palm
heart is quite tasty, even without salt, oil, or vinegar. It is amazing what he can do with a machete and tree parts. The problem was
that when he stopped to show us something, the previously barely tolerable mosquitoes swarmed en masse. The mosquito repellent (
the weak stuff from Trinidad) did nothing. We had the privilege of trying an ancient Warao indian mosquito repellent remedy. You rub
your hands on a termite mound, then rub this on your body. This also included some crushed termites. The resin odor gave me hope
that there might be value to this remedy; but even this placebo aspect did nothing in our case study of three.
He took us to an area where they had built a school and a playing field. It was about the size of a basketball court, and they played
soccer on it. Back at his home, we met the extended family and did face painting of the kids with watercolors.
Fishing for piranha was interesting. At the end of the small dock we were fishing, and on the other side the kids and dogs were
swimming and splashing in the water. Fishing gear included a stick with about 6 feet of line, with a nail for a weight, about two inches
of wire and a single hook. You put meat or fish on the hook and put it in the water. When it gets near the bottom you vigorously splash
by hitting the water with the rod several times – like an animal in distress. You can feel them tug at the bait, and before long you need
to feed them some more bait.

Further up the river we visited, and spent considerable time at the Orinoco Delta Lodge. (www.orinocodelta.com) We did a tour
through them, with Alexi, by high speed powerboat to an area where it was cooler, and the water was almost black, rather than brown.
The tour there was almost mosquito free, but I cannot imagine why. For some reason, that area doesn't have many mosquitoes.

Man eating fish
We actually caught a piranha (only one) and took it back to a Waroa home, and branch of the lodge, where it was cooked. The cooking
fire was built up on logs above the log floor (remember the whole house is on stilts). Mud and rocks lined the logs, and the fire was on
top of the rocks. The roof didn't leak at all, and it was thoroughly tested by one rainstorm. By the way, the man eating fish was me, and
it was good.
We made good friends with the people at the lodge and had long interesting discussions over cold beverages. We swapped garden
plants, and ended up with a large plant inventory, and a large bunch of green bananas to ripen hanging in the cockpit. Thank again,
Orinoco Delta Lodge.

The biggest disappointment of this trip was that our fuel tanks were almost full. Fortunately we still had the jerry cans, now empty,
from Ft Lauderdale. Further up the river at the small town of Uracoa, there are power lines crossing the river. We were warned of this
and had no intention of trying to pass under them. Several locals rushed out in boats to warn us about them, seeing our mast. But
nobody could tell us how high they were. This was where we planned to anchor but the water was 90 feet deep. We anchored on the
other side (the inside of the bend) where the water was only 25 feet deep. Just as we started to lower the anchor, river dolphins
started to jump. We never got close enough when they jumped to confirm it, but they are apparently pink underneath. Once we got the
anchor set, we looked toward the commotion, and saw a cattle drive – across the river, being driven by men in boats. We had been out
of the jungle several miles now, and were amazed to see roads, with vehicles. Just up a narrow river channel was a gas station,
where we filled up the jerry cans with diesel (about 60 gallons). I brought out the cash to pay and they laughed when I handed them $20
US. It is difficult to understand the money, since they changed it by dropping a few zeros, but many people still talk about so many
thousands of Bolivars. My limited Spanish didn't help. I never determined how much I paid, since they took a small amount of Bolivars
from my hand – and gave me change! They said I could still give the twenty to the woman cashier if I wanted to. After topping the tanks
I went back to get 15 gallons more for 3 Bolivars, about the price of a cold beer, or $0.75 US.

I am in the process of finishing an article about this trip, and trying to decide which photos to remove, and which magazine to send it
to. It is so difficult to remove photos of young Indian children paddling dugout canoes.

Back in Trini.
Back in Trinidad to have the boat hauled and get work done. While on the hard, you don't need the dinghy, so it was a good time to get it
worked on. I had a cover (called chaps) made, to protect it from the environment. It is bright yellow with blue at the wear points.
Certainly not a stealth boat, but will be easy to recognize.

Some of the fabric we got went for a cabin face lift.

Now back at TTSA, still in Trinidad, getting ready to head west. Provisioning is done, and a new SSB antenna is done, and large wheels
for hauling the dinghy up onto a sandy beach, or over coral are installed.

Thanksgiving, 2009
Pinch me!! Is it real?
For more photos, please click on this Picassa link.
We made it to the Aves. It was after an exciting overnight from Trinidad to Los Testigos. Checked in with the Coast Guard and they
gave us 48 hours, to go to Margarita to check in to Venezuela. Way too dangerous from all the stories we have heard. So we then went
to Blanchilla, which was very nice snorkeling, but rather rolly. That was an FAST overnight sail, with lots of squalls, using just the main
with a double reef. We planned a sunrise arrival, so you can see the coral, and not anchor on it. Instead we were set to arrive at 2 AM,
so had to slow down and take the scenic route.
Then it was a lazy overnight sail of about 170 miles to the Aves. Played with the chicken chute, but have some tweaking to do, and just
before arrival, I rigged a flying fish which had landed on the net, and used it for bait. After way too many hours of dragging a lure (even
one with some fish pieces attached) we didn't have any luck. As we passed some flotsam, I said now we will catch a fish: within 30
seconds the reel started to hum with a nice mahi. (Mahi are known to hide under floating objects.) Very fresh Thanksgiving dinner.

It is beautiful here. The reef protects us from the waves, and the breeze is strong enough that we don't even need the awnings! The
birds roosting and nesting in the mangrove trees are a sight to be seen. The curious fuzzy chicks are so cute.

The only problem is that my new Olympus underwater camera doesn't work any more – at all. There was a drop of water in the battery
compartment. It is supposed to be waterproof to over 30 feet, and I certainly didn't ( and can't) free dive that deep – yet). Too bad it is
such a piece of crap engineering, because I sure liked the idea, and was even considering the new model. I brought out my old
camera, which has low resolution, but has 10X optical zoom. It isn't waterproof either, but it isn't supposed to be!

12/10
Aruba
What a contrast! After mostly third world countries, here we are in a place much like parts of Hawaii or Florida. A good place to
provision before we head to the San Blas islands of Panama, and await a weather window. By next week, the gale force winds along
the coast of Columbia should diminish. After being around the cruise ships, tourists, condos, time shares and traffic, it will be another
pleasant contrast to visit the San Blas. It sure is nice to have unlimited power – the wind generator can almost keep up at night, even
using the microwave for popcorn, and watching a movie, so there isn't much for the solar panels to do in the daytime.

We spent several days snorkeling in various places around the Aves, and found some beautiful sights, but a great deal of dead coral.
The parrot fish were huge and were busy making sand out of the coral. There were very few boats there, and lots of space between
each, so that you could barely see the other boats.

We had a very pleasant chicken chute sail to Bonaire, and civilization. They are so conservation conscious that you are not even
allowed to anchor there. They have provided mooring balls, for a reasonable price of $10 per night. We stayed near a very centrally
located marina (Nautico), where we could use their dinghy dock, and have the luxury of internet on the boat, also quite reasonable. Had
a nice visit with Fred and Kathy on Makai, and Carol and Margie on Siren's Song. We had a pack of Leopards. If in Bonaire, you must
try the tuna steak sandwich at Karel's (and use their dinghy dock). Bonaire is another very nice place to visit. We rented a car and did
an island tour, including checking out the salt ponds and piles, the old slave huts, and the flamingos as well as the wild donkeys and
goats.

We decided to bypass Curacao, and sail overnight directly to Aruba. We have grown to really appreciate and depend on the chicken
chute for strong downwind sailing. It was a disappointment when it blew out around sunset as we rounded the north end of Curacao,
but we had gusts to 30 kts. The rest of the trip was by double reefed main alone, and still we arrived at Aruba way too soon. We
heaved to offshore for several hours, about 1 PM, so we could have a daylight arrival. We managed a repair of the chicken chute –
better than new? That sewing machine sure is handy!
There are numerous places ashore where we can get internet, for the cost of a reasonable meal.   This is a nice place to visit, and not
too expensive - if you don't gamble (at last, a vice I don't have).

Also quite nice is the comfortable temperature – so much so that we haven't even needed the awnings since leaving Trinidad.

12/14 09
Got a weather report that the gales along the Columbia coast should diminish by Wednesday, 12/16, possibly to nothing further along by
the weekend, so we will try to catch the tail end of the strong wind with our newly revamped chicken chute.
We also have the coolest anchor lights!!! We found a string of LED Xmas lights in TrinIdad, and they have fun patterns. Hoisted on the
spinnaker halyard, and attached to the lifelines, it looks (with imagination!) like a Xmas tree.

We have been enjoying the strong winds. The wind generator can almost keep up with our electrical needs, so the solar panels are
extra, to be used for cooking with an electric hotplate! We're not using propane or diesel.

We will not have internet access for quite a while, so please understand if I don't get back to you soon. Off to the San Blas Islands in
Panama!

Again, lots more photos if you follow the Picasa link.

1/27/10
Still no internet, but I want to send a brief message quickly once I can connect. (Finally have internet, but the Yahoo sitebuilder program
crashes the computer every time I try to update.)

We arrived in Colon, Panama (now at Shelter bay marina, a bus ride to Colon) after a great sail from Aruba to the San Blas islands,
where we spent a month. What a glorious place! So many islands, all postcard picture perfect. Beautifully colored water, small
islands with palm trees and inviting sandy beaches. The Kuna indians would paddle or sail their canoes to try to sell their wares -
fresh fish, crab, lobster, fruit, veggies, or their molas.
The snorkeling was the best ever, with many animal sightings - many of them close to large creatures, such as sharks, sting rays, and
the graceful spotted eagle rays. The weird part is that my underwater camera still didn't work, and , out of desperation, I even checked
it again after arriving in the San Blas.   BUT, after recharging the batteries again yesterday, it worked! Go figure. I can now anticipate
the sighting of spectacular marine life - as soon as my camera dies. It happened several years ago when I got to snorkel with
humpback whales.
Cousins Norman and Pat visited (from Canada) for almost three weeks and a great visit it was. (When are you coming back?) Pat took
lots of photos, and I plan to post several here. She brought a very basic underwater camera for me to play with, but we couldn't check
the results, or download anything, so had a limited number of photos to work with, and have no idea if any even turned out. They could
be very interesting, and might include the creatures mentioned above, and more.
Other highlights which will be elaborated later include the privilege of attending a Kuna celebration of a young girl's entering puberty,
and a trip on Whiskers (thank you Gerald and Diana) through the Panama Canal.

It is also time to look for new crew (thanks Rix, we had some spectacular adventures, and I'll miss you). This means that I will probably
not be heading to the Galapagos and beyond yet, but may go back and explore the Carib further.   That said, I want to get back to the
San Blas to spend much more time there.   Panama seems to be a very nice place (other than Colon), and someday might be a good
place to settle (and my Spanish is improving).
I guess this isn't so brief after all.

2/17/2010
I just spent a great and very busy week in California, and am now in the airport on the way to Texas. I've ordered a huge amount of stuff
which should all be in Texas before I head back to Panama next week.   I ordered a new camera - with a 5 year warranty - so if (when?)
it dies, I will still have the old one for a backup.

3/7/2010
Now back in Panama, awaiting a bit of calmer weather before heading to the San Blas (or Bocas del Toro?). The marina at Shelter Bay
is very nice, but quite expensive. Did another canal trip, on Merlin, another catamaran, and enjoyed it again. Managed to see a
crocodile this trip (but not at night when we went for a trip in Lake Gatun!). It was too far away for a photo. I am also considering
spending hurricane season in the Rio Dulce, Guatemala.

For lots more photos, please check out THIS PHOTO LINK.
Rather than posting photos directly onto this page, I will put a link to Picasa, and I will be able to post many more photos. This should
allow the page to load faster. Once you click on the highlighted, underlined link, it will take you to the Picasa site. Then click on the
thumbnail size photos to see a larger version.

Stay tuned. Much more to follow.

Robert Watson
Changing Spots