We had a busy final week preparing to leave St.Pete. The to do list is done with a new list started.

We had a great lunch catching up with Dutch Wharf friends, Chuck and Chris. They are just a couple of the wonderful people we met there over the years.

University of South Florida sponsored a science fair last weekend. The focus was on Stem – targeting girls and ocean research. An interesting boat, a 24 foot autonomous drone that sails in all weather collects data for various scientific research groups.

We had a few great sails before we left The Harborage. We took a fellow B dock power boater, Renee, out for her 2nd sail. St Petersburg Yacht Club hosted a 200 boat opti regatta. We sailed around reminiscing when Eric, our son was in junior sailing and my husband ran CSYC’s program.

We left Tuesday afternoon with a buddy boat, Ken and Champ from CSYC to travel 70 miles to Gasparilla. All morning the boaters were saying, it’s a sporty one. When you leave on a trip there is never a perfect weather window and this trip was no exception. We left in fair weather with a reefed main and jib. The wind died down so Eric unreefed the main. Then things got sporty when we got hit by a squall. Another sail change, reef the main, put up the staysail, and drop the jib. We were doing 7 knots with 1 knot of current. We sailed into the inter-coastal and anchored for the night at Long Boat Key. We were rewarded on the trip crossing paths with dolphins and different birds.

Sharon’s reading

5/5 Sister’s under the Rising Sun by Heather Morris.

Historical fiction about the donut dolly’s

5/5 Guest List Lucy Foley

Agatha Christie type mystery

Natalie got her birthday socks

Fair winds,

Eric and Sharon

We’ve been in Florida since New Year’s Eve. Days have been long working on the boat and getting ready to leave St. Petersburg. The CSYC guys have been there for each other getting projects done on all the boats with the goal of great winter sailing.

We have also had so much fun. Two for Tuesday’s at the yacht club, barbecues, trying new places to eat, and the farmer’s market. The cinnamon rolls are to die for.

We have the opportunity to see friends that we have not been with in years. A former trader and Detroiter, Randy and his wife Julia. We had a great lunch at The Big Catch. It was an open air restaurant and the waitress was wearing a winter coat and hat. It’s nice when you can pick up where you left off even if it’s been 10 years.

Today, Eric’s former Thistle crew Linda from the 1980’s and 1990’s came up for a sail on Thistle. We had a great brunch at Trip’s and a feisty sail. We were going 7 knots with a reefed main and staysail. It was nice having experienced hands with the wind gusting in the 20’s. On Monday, Eric shortened the boom and it was the first sail since the rigging change.

We are getting to the end of the to do list. Our frig wasn’t working but after Eric charged the batteries and found a loose wire it’s a go!

When sailing late last week, a dolphin jumped under our bow sprit. I was on the bow and wished I had a camera. It’s been fun taking pictures of birds and sending them to Giles for identification.

Books I’ve finished:

Good Night, Irene 5/5 – Historical fiction about the donut Dollie’s during WW2.

Trying to get a pair of socks finished for Natalie who celebrated her 39th birthday with Csyc south this past weekend.

Next week, we start the journey toward the other side of Florida. It will be hard to leave the Harborage. Great dock friends and a wonderful facility.

Fair winds,

Eric and Sharon

We are in St.Petersburg, Florida living on Thistle!!

It’s been a journey – Thistle was trucked from Branford, Ct. to Ruskin, Fl. Coordinating the move of a boat is exhausting. Eric and I spent a week packing the boat. It’s like packing your house to go 60 mph. Every item has to be wrapped and secured either in or on your boat. We purchased ratchet straps, cargo blankets, and a lot of tape.

The trucking company picked her up a day earlier to be ahead of the storm.

Thistle arrived on January 8th. Everything was intact and in great shape. The receiving yard was challenging to deal with… we spent 4 1/2 days getting Thistle ready to be launched. The yard used a fork lift to put the mast in. Thankfully, CSYC friends Champ and Loren were there to help. We have been spoiled by having Tim Sarns and others smoothly get the job done in the past.

The yard would only allow us to stay one night and we had to leave by 8 a. m. The water in the area is quite shallow and we had the tide against us. Thistle needs 5 feet of water and we ran a ground in 3’ 4”. When we reached St.Pete, Thistle had touched land 6 times. A 2 hour trip took 8 hours between getting unstuck and waiting for a favorable tide. At one point, Champ and Sharon were bouncing on the bow trying to get the boat unstuck. No pictures of that activity.

Before our arrival in Florida, we left Michigan and stopped in Branford Ct to pack the boat before heading to see Eric for Christmas. It was a quiet holiday but we hiked and cooked.

We made a quick stop on the way south in Marblehead to see Eric’s cousins. They had a perfect tree – but the group photo didn’t turn out. We played Blank Slate which is similar to Match Game and I haven’t laughed that hard in years.

We joined CSYC south in St.Pete, Nina and Champ arranged a studio apartment for us instead of staying on a boat. It’s been cold here and Sharon was sick when we arrived. We’ve had fun exploring the city since Sharon hasn’t been here in 30 years.

We’ve enjoyed the company of Champ, Nina, Loren, Kara and Doug. Ken is on his way – let the party begin.

Sharon’s Best Books:

7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

House Rules

Going Infinite

Book Lovers

Thistle has been fixed and ready when we are able to return.

My dad, John, had emergency surgery and we are home. We had a choice of hospice or surgery and decided to give him a chance to fight. He’s out of icu. We have so much to be thankful for.

Tough days are still ahead but we are looking forward to returning to Thistle. She’s in great shape for a new cruise.

Sharon’s books

Coast to Coast murders James Patterson 4/5

Not much reading getting done.

Fair winds!

Eric snd Sharon

We have spent the last week in Mystic trying to decide on how to handle an issue with our boat. The bobstay fitting is leaking at the water line when the rig is loaded sailing. It has to be fix now and it has to be fixed right. This entails heading back to Branford to a familiar yard to get the boat hauled out. We have friends, tools, and shop resources which will make the job easier. But this job is anything but easy. The location is in the tip of the bow. Two large bitts divide the area that support the bowsprit. The bitts need to be removed to provide access. The original support structure will be removed and replaced with a more robust all fiberglass structure that will not rot.

Driving a dingy is easy for most people. I was doing ok until I had to dock by Thistle. When I tried to put the boat in neutral, I turned to look and ran into our boat. It’s always a learning curve.

Sharon’s books:

22 Seconds by James Patterson 3/5. This series has run its course for me!

All He Ever Wanted by Anita Shreve. 3/5 I usually love her books – a marriage not based on love is pretty depressing.

Eric’s Book

Killing the Killers by Bill O’Reilly. Covers our battle with terrorists and it’s quite unsettling the amount of terrorism in this world.

Hopefully, the boat repair doesn’t send us down a rabbit hole. Hopefully , back to sailing soon.

Fair winds! And no leaks! Eric and Sharon

Thistle has a new aluminum mast and boom to cut down on the maintenance. The mast and rigging is lighter and that has improved the sailing performance of the boat. The rigging is now made out of Dyneema which is stronger than wire. Our initial test sails were in less than 10 knots of wind and everything looked good. Then we went out when it was blowing and we found out a few things that were too long, too short, or got stuck. This sent us back for multiple adjustments.

Tuesday we caught a fair tide and made record time sailing to Mystic. Catching a fair ride can increase your boat speed by 40 percent. Otherwise you will be eating tide – not fun! We were able to anchor in our favorite spot in front of Mystic Seaport Museum. The seaport has a special boat on display Maiden. Maiden was the first boat raced by an all female crew in the Whitbread round the world race. The experts were stunned when the girls won two difficult legs in the southern ocean. The boat was saved from the scrap heap and restored to racing condition. The boat is used to promote women sailing and education programs similar to Stem. Eric had a tour of the boat and was impressed it’s such a rock solid ocean racer. Dawn Riley from Detroit was on the boat originally 32 years ago. Check out the movie Maiden to learn more.

Sharon skipped the boat tour and saw the chick flick Where the Crawdads Sing! I enjoyed every minute in the air condition theater after a mile walk in humid weather. The movie follows the book and does not disappoint in my opinion.

Sharon’s Books

Bittersweet by Colleen McCullough – 5/5

The story revolves around two sets of twins – which I loved. Only thing better than a sister is a twin sister.

Steal by James Patterson 3/5

Horsewoman by James Patterson 5/5 no crimes involved

Eric’s Book

American Moonshot by Douglas Brinkley

4/5. John Kennedy effort to promoting space and rocketry from 1930’s until his death.

Have a great week! We miss family and friends but are enjoying our time together!

Fair winds!

Eric and Sharon

Going through the town bridge.

Twelve hundred miles, twelve hundred miles…the distant from Michigan to Branford,Ct., to Providence, Rhode Island to Surry, Maine. Eric drove a 16 foot box truck in two days 1200 miles. We started our trip to the boat late to help facilitate Eric and Sawyer’s move to Surry, Maine.

Eric and our son Eric drove from Surry, Me to Providence, Rhode Island Saturday and Sunday to empty their storage unit. So much fun on a holiday weekend! The 4th of July, the three of us went to a seafood restaurant and I had lobster.

On the trip back to Branford, we stopped in a rest area. They had composting toilets. It reminded me of the out houses of my youth without the smell! Imagine all the saved water!

Since Wednesday the 5th, we have been working hard to get Thistle ready to sail. Eric has installed our little furnace so we have heat in cold weather. Cutting a 4 1/2 inch hole in the deck is a little intimidating. Eric measured more than once. We now have a seat in the cockpit for night watch and it also holds stuff! New shower grate in the head. Wiring the new mast and Icom radio etc. etc.

Yesterday wasn’t a great day – Eric had dental pain. The dentist sent him to a specialist for a root canal. Originally, they said they had a opening 7/27. After explaining our situation, Eric had it done today but the downside the second appointment isn’t until 7/21! We have made friends in Branford so it’s ok being stuck here. We will continue working on projects and start day sailing when Eric feels better.

A few book suggestions, I will only list a few of my top favorites!

Total Control by David Baldacci Financial mystery – dead Fed Chairman, plane crash, and embezzlement. Need I say more?

Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain The story of three artists that takes place 78 years apart.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult. Life during the pandemic. It reminds you what we have been through but has a great twist.

The Gown by Jennifer Robson. Downton Abby fans it’s a historical fiction about the making of Queen Elizabeth’s gown. They interviewed women who actually worked on the gown.

I’ve read a lot since last September. If you would like the complete list please contact me.

Fair Winds

Eric and Sharon.

We were considering leaving Thistle in Maine for the winter. So we headed back to Gloucester as we researched our options. Although we had already been to Gloucester, Eric loves it here because it’s a working fishing community vs a tourist town. The storage options were ridiculously expensive in Maine so we decided to visit places we missed south of the Cape Cod.

It’s a long run from Gloucester to the Cape Cod Canal. We heard rumors the famous boat Seraffyn was in Scituate, Ma so we sailed in that direction. We had a nice sail down. Sure enough upon entering the harbor there she was! Our boat is a slightly enlarged version of Seraffyn. Lin and Larry Pardey built her in 1968. They wandered and eventually circumnavigated the globe. Keep in mind she is a 24 foot wooden boat with no engine, electronics, or head! They navigated by the stars. Larry was a fabulous sea man trained in the old ways. Lin’s reputation as an off shore crew is second to none.

Since our boat looks so similar, people stopped to make sure we knew Seraffyn was moored across the fairway. Before You tube, Lin and Larry were successful authors and chronicled Seraffyn’s adventures sailing the world. Seraffyn is known as the little boat that launched a thousand dreams. It meant a lot to see Seraffyn since Larry mentored Eric during the construction of our boat.

We stopped over night in Onset to have a good starting point heading into Woods Hole. Timing is very important getting through the Woods Hole passage because of extremely strong tidal currents. Dinghy docks are always interesting.

After the passage we sailed another ten miles to Vineyard Haven Harbor. Over the years it’s become a gathering place for beautiful classic wooden sailboats. Due in large part to the Gannon and Benjamin Boat yard and their talented traditional craftsman that keep these classic yachts in sailing condition.

Then the wheels came off the bus! Mid week it was unclear where or if Hurricane Henri would make landfall in New England. By Thursday the storm had turned and was headed straight for Martha’s Vineyard. Thursday was extra special with Sharon requiring a trip to the hospital with kidney stones. The doctor insisted Sharon get off our boat and the island to be near medical treatment. Eric’s cousin Jenny came to the rescue. She drove to Woods Hole from Marblehead picked Sharon up at the ferry terminal and took her back to Marblehead away from the storm to be near medical care.

Now, Eric is alone in Vineyard Haven with the projected path of Hurricane Henri approaching his position in 48 hrs. A hurricane hole was picked and Friday morning he ran for it. While at sea the authorities started closing harbors including the one he was headed to. So he was forced to beat 110 miles west to the first safe port we could get into for sure. The wind was 18 to 20 kts on the nose with big swells rolling in ahead of the storm. 6 am Saturday morning as he approached port, Dave Simon who had been monitoring weather informed him the storm track had changed and headed straight for Branford. Dave and Eric joked the weather man had been so wrong – the safest place would end being where they predicted.

It took 26 hours to get to port. Upon arrival, storm prep on the boat had to start immediately. Anything that could become mobile in 100 knots of wind needed to be taken below deck. Sails were stripped, dinghy secured on deck, and all dock lines were doubled with chafing gear. A tremendous sense of community, sailors offering advice, help, and equipment to secure everyone’s boats. The crew at the Dutch Wharf hauled power boats on Saturday to make room for more sailboats running from the storm. When we contacted the yard, the answer was we don’t have room. But come anyway – we will make room or haul you out.

In the earlier hours of Sunday morning, the storm tracked shifted slightly east of our positions. This put us on the weak side of the storm. Therefore we never felt the full force of Henri and our preparation was over kill. You don’t know that until it’s over. When it was over a toast was made with the finest scotch aboard to being just plain lucky.

Sharon’ s book:

We were the lucky ones by Georgia Hunter

True story 5/5

Eric had no time to read!!

Safe travels! Eric and Sharon

Blog delay due to Hurricane Henri!

Designed by Olin Stephens the boat that made him famous. Built in 1930, the boat won the 1931 Transatlantic race. Also won 1931 Fastnet Race along with the 1932 Bermuda Race.

Cool boats in the Cape Cod Canal