We had a tight 24-hour weather window coming up to cross the Great Bahama Bank, during which the winds were forecasted to blow from the southeast, then the south and come around to the west before hitting us from the north, by which time we wanted to be safely tucked into Nassau. With our new … Continue reading
Ryan and I have been threatening to fish ever since we left New York back in October. We kept putting it off, though, throwing out the excuse that we didn’t own a fishing rod. Then we found ourselves a mentor named Von at the flea market in St. Marys, Georgia, who sold us a rod … Continue reading
If you’d told me a week ago that for $25 we could order an engine part from Fort Lauderdale at 9:30 am and it would be in our hands in the Bahamas at 4:30 pm the same day, I would have either told you to “shut the front door,” or I would’ve forgone all those … Continue reading
I’ve mentioned before that our tiny little Go Pro Hero 3 video camera blows my mind. But the truth is, I don’t really know how to use this amazing piece of technology for all it’s capable of. We all have to start somewhere, though. So experimenting with video footage on iMovie with a big glass … Continue reading
We checked the weather gribs, consulted with other cruisers, loaded up the boat with food and 12 Bota Boxes (the equivalent of 48 bottles of wine), took Hideaway out for a pre-Bahamas shakedown, gave the cats their motion-sickness pills, bungee-corded the bikes down, filled up with diesel and water and, finally, settled in for what … Continue reading
The Intracoastal Waterway, for those of you who aren’t familiar with it, is a 3000-mile waterway system that runs the length of the eastern United States along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It’s partially made up of natural rivers, inlets and creeks and where natural waterways didn’t exist, artificial canals and locks were dug, providing … Continue reading
“I’m glad we did it, but I’m not sure I’d do it again,” was Ryan’s underwhelmed sentiments towards our trip down the Intracoastal Waterway. Which surprised me because for at least two years before this trip, Ryan found every opportunity to bring up the ICW in conversation, either randomly to friends or with total strangers … Continue reading
Ryan was glad to hang up the VHF radio when we finally got to Fort Lauderdale. There were 27 bridges that needed hailing between Riviera Beach and Fort Lauderdale, and only a handful of those bridge tenders were in a good mood. In fact, the last bridge we hailed before pulling into Cooley’s Landing Marina … Continue reading
Ryan and I are thrilled to be back on our boat in Vero Beach, Florida, as we get ready to ring in the New Year and prepare for crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas in the next week or two. Contrary to custom, though, I’m not making any resolutions; I realized this year that … Continue reading
One of the things I love about cruising is that it forces you to let go of schedules and go with the flow. Planning, of course, is key to cruising comfortably, since you need to look ahead at the weather so you can sail when conditions are ideal. But it’s just as important to keep … Continue reading
Christmas morning I found myself squatting in a snowy ditch on a mountain road wearing running shorts, slippers and a pink hat shaped like a frosted cupcake. With tears in my eyes, I was trying slowly and carefully to use the corner of a metal dustpan to free a squirming, squeaking mouse from a glue … Continue reading
Some thought the world would end today. But from what I could see this morning, the Starbucks-fueled population of New York City barely humored the idea as they streamed into subways and out of yellow cabs with their half-eaten breakfasts in hand. These people were on a mission, and that didn’t involve humoring an ancient … Continue reading
I had two missions when I woke up this morning: 1) shave the cats, and 2) film the process on our new GoPro camera. Our cats, Charlie (the “Polar Bear”) and Celia (the “Cow”), are both long-haired furballs who puff up like sheep in the cold weather and, as soon as it gets warm, shed … Continue reading
Tomorrow marks our 2-month cruising anniversary and we’ve learned an extraordinary number of things on this trip so far. We’ve learned new things about mechanics, electrics (more posts to come on this subject), weather, sailing, communication and cooking. And, as a result, our day-to-day lives have changed drastically from our New York life, which seems … Continue reading
1. A cheap grocery store is worth the taxi fare We asked our taxi driver in Titusville to drop us off at some shops by the marina so we could walk through town and pick up a few essentials on the way home. Which is how we found “Save A Lot,” a down-home local grocery … Continue reading
Our main mission in going to Titusville, Florida was to go to the Kennedy Space Center, which looked in its brochures like a combination space museum and amusement park. Ryan’s said many times that if he had the wealth of Richard Branson, he wouldn’t hesitate to drop a large fortune on the opportunity to view … Continue reading
When I lived in Manhattan, I often worked 12 to 14-hour days, and therefore I struggled to get out regularly for a run or a workout, even though it was crucial to my sanity (and Ryan’s – everyone’s happier when I run). So, in an effort to squeeze in some exercise, I would duck out … Continue reading
If I told you that all I had to do today was deposit a check, you’d probably imagine I walked to a nearby bank, fiddled with my ATM card for a few minutes, walked back to my boat, then spent the rest of my glorious day lounging in the sun, sipping Mai Tais. And you’d … Continue reading
Turf to Surf 