Monthly Archives: October 2017
Ch~Ch~Ch~Changes! New Plans. New Digs.
If you were reading closely, you may have noticed a soft mention of a recent trip to China in one of our blog posts. And if you saw me with my kiddos, you would have noticed that Frank wasn’t with us because he was once again in China. And if you had followed us around the Annapolis Boat Show, you might have noticed that we spent a lot of time on one particular sailboat.
And IF you put all of that together, you might have guessed that we have decided to buy a new boat! W H A T ? ? ? ?
Yep, it’s true.
She doesn’t look like much ~ yet!
Here is the skinny. We love our Helia and think that LIB is a well built, comfortable sailboat. We have put a lot of work into her to make her function perfectly for us and make sure she is reliable, capable and prepared for long passage making.
So why would we change boats? The truth is that we want a boat that is faster than LIB. We have been discussing the idea of circumnavigation and I am in favor of having a sailboat that can make long passages shorter. I like the idea of being “out there” less time and being anchored and exploring longer.
LIB is absolutely blue-water ready and very capable for circumnavigating. But honestly, we have been looking for a boat that can sail upwind, can sail faster and sails well in light winds. We love to sail and we want a sailboat that can comfortably tick off 230 miles per day with a crew of 2.
After months of discussion, we had narrowed our focus to three boats; the Outremer 5X, the Balance 526 and the HH55. Because we did not have an opportunity to sail any of those boats, our research stalled until May of this year. Apparently in May all of the stars aligned just perfectly because in the space of two weeks we had the chance to sea trial and carefully evaluate all three of these boats.
The Outremer, the Balance and the HH each have some excellent features, are solid boats and are performance oriented. But after reviewing our options and sailing goals, and after sailing all three boats, Frank and I were hooked on the HH55. Full carbon construction, cutting edge hull, daggerboard and rig design as well as full customization options are just some of the many features that set the HH apart from other performance catamarans.
We spent a lot of time working with Gino Morrelli, renowned naval architect of Morrelli and Melvin, and with Mark Womble, broker extraordinaire, discussing the HH55 and what we wanted in a new boat. We had conversations and e-mails with Paul Hakes of Hudson Hakes Yacht Group talking about our interests and questions.
In August we flew to China, visited the HH factory, created a preliminary interior layout, then pulled the trigger. We signed a contract and officially placed our order for an HH-55!
Frank and Paul make it official!
Frank and I recognize that sailing the HH will certainly be more complicated than sailing our Helia, but we have always enjoyed challenging ourselves mentally and physically, and we believe this boat will further our sailing experience and knowledge.
Minnehaha, HH55-01! (Photo courtesy of HH Catamarans)
The HH55 has been designed with performance and comfort in mind and we believe this sailboat fulfills both of these roles very well. Our plan is to take delivery in Long Beach, CA, spend six to 12 months getting to know our new boat and making sure all of the systems work well, then set off for our circumnavigation.
HH55-01 sports an inside helm station.
As with all changes, there is great excitement and a pretty large dose of nervousness. We have absolutely loved Let It Be and she has been a sturdy and steady vessel. It will be very hard (read sad) to let her go, so we hope to find buyers who will love her and care for her as well as we have. Let It Be has brought us much joy and I’m sure whoever owns her next will create equally wonderful memories!
So there you have it; we are making some changes, expanding our experience and looking forward to the delivery of our HH55 sailboat.
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Annapolis Sailboat Show 2017
Wow, how different attending the boat show is now than it was the first time we went in 2012. My only real sailing experience in 2012 had been in February of that year when I completed several ASA classes. We did not know anyone at the show, most of the booths represented things I knew nothing about and Frank had almost as much to learn as I did.
Things have certainly changed in the intervening five years; thus proving that you can teach old(er) dogs new tricks since now I understand a decent amount about the products available in those booths.
But more importantly, we have met so many people through our travels, this blog, the FB page and by participating in events we encounter in various anchorages, that our weekend was as much about meeting with friends as it was scoping out new products and information.
STTS Rally Reunion (Photo by Ken Reynolds)
We had an absolute blast this year reconnecting with friends from the 2016 Sail to the Sun Rally and all of us were very fortunate that Susan and Kevin of s/v Radiance hosted us all for several gatherings at their home.
Talk about fun! Get a group of sailors together, with plenty of good food and libations, then throw in shared travel for two months down the ICW and the conversations become lively and varied. We cannot thank Kevin and Susan enough for opening their home to the Ralliers and anyone else we knew in the area!
STTS photo courtesy of Bill Ouellette.
I would love to share all the excellent pictures I took this trip, but I failed at photojournalism this weekend. I took all of ONE picture and that was of a huge motor yacht. I wish I had been more cognizant of my photo opportunities because I would have at least taken a group picture of all the 2016 Sail to the Sun Ralliers who returned. We ended up having 10 of the boats represented at dinner on Sunday night! WOW. And that doesn’t include our fearless leader, Wally Moran. We had better than half of the Sail to the Sun 2016 boats. Impressive!!
Personally, I am not sure Wally was prepared for how well our group melded during our STTS Rally. We were really fortunate to be part of the Rally and Frank and I are grateful to Wally for providing the venue for us to make such excellent friends.
Mindy and I last Halloween; could mean trouble.
In addition to STTS folks, we met up with a few people we had met through our blog, some other sailors we met in our travels and our fellow Jabin’s Yacht Yard friends Mindy and Ron of s/v Follow Me. LIB and Follow Me have been trying to catch up in various anchorages this year without success so we decided to make the meet up happen in our original stomping grounds. Of course this meant we had to share drinks and dinner at Ebb Tide, a bar popular with the locals and within walking or biking distance of Jabin’s Yacht Yard.
This hurricane season has made us all very aware that things are replaceable and people matter most, which made our reunion with these friends just a bit sweeter. Thank you dear friends for making time to visit with us and for sharing laughter and plans!
One unique and uplifting aspect of the boat show this year was the booths set up for hurricane relief to help the many islands and people so impacted by this horrible 2017 hurricane season. The Annapolis Boat Show established “Hands Across the Transom,” in an effort to encourage support of the Caribbean Islands. Organizations participating in the Hands Across the Transom effort included Virgin BVI Community Appeal, Pusser’s Hurricane Relief Fund, BVI Recovery Fund, Virgin Gorda & Bitter End Yacht Club Staff Irma Relief Fund, and Sister Season Fund. I overheard a lady selling #bvistrong t-shirts say they had sold over 450 shirts. GO PEOPLE!!
You too can support BVI and have a shirt like hundreds of your friends!
We also spoke with a couple of the BVI charter groups and I was impressed with the attitudes of all of them. The positive attitude and focus on rebuilding was clearly evident. Of course there was also fatigue, but the overall impression was one of moving forward and not languishing in sadness. We also heard that boat sales were brisk, so eventually the charter companies will be filled again with great boats available for vacations.
Both TMM and CYOA had several new sailboats launching from factories in France and those are expected to arrive very soon. It sounded like the charter companies were targeting mid November or early December for sending out chartered boats. I was really happy to hear the date was that soon.
Frank and I did make some purchases during the boat show and per our usual modus operandi, did a LOT of research and information gathering. I will dedicate a blog to what we learned and our purchases very soon.
As always, thank you for reading our blog. We love hearing from you so don’t be shy. If you want information more often, take a look at our FB page.
Boat Dog Boarding. What Is a Pet Owner To Do?
While living on Let It Be full time, it is sometimes necessary to fly back to The States for family events or doctor appointments and such. 
Are you making reservations again?
Flying with a dog is difficult and even with the proper paperwork, once landed, additional questions about which hotels accept dogs and are clean, where to leave the dog while taking care of many errands or appointments, makes travel and use of time a bit more complicated.
This year we have had to leave Captain behind three times and twice were for extended trips. Finding a place where Captain can be well cared for, get some attention and a decent amount of exercise, has been a challenge but the effort has been worthwhile.
I thought some pet owners might find it useful to know how we have managed this year, so here is the rundown for our three trips.
In May, Frank and I were in the Dominican Republic and we had a visit to Florida planned. We would leave together, conduct our meetings over the course of five days, then I would fly back to the DR and Frank would leave for his Atlantic crossing.
For this trip, we hired a delightful guy named Nelson who works at the Samana Marina. Captain remained on LIB, Nelson came by to feed and walk Cappy twice a day and Cap was able to be ‘at home’ while we were away.
One of our walks in Samana.
Also, our dock neighbors, Andre and Josee, were simply awesome and kept an eye out for Captain. They decided Captain needed more activity, so when they walked their dog, Roxy, they brought Captain along.
How awesome is that?!!!
Captain rides shotgun with Natalia.
The second trip we took was from Puerto Rico and we planned to be traveling to multiple locations over a three week period. Fortunately I looked up rover.com, a U.S. internet based company where you enter your zip code and the bios for pet sitters near your location pop up.
Captain with Natalia’s dogs.
It is through rover.com that I found Natalia, who took excellent care of Captain. Natalia’s home was very well set up for dogs and she really loved Cappy.
Natalia has two dogs for Cappy to play with and daily walks were a given. While Cappy was with Natalia, Hurricane Irma was heading toward PR and Natalia was very communicative about her plans should evacuation become necessary.
Captain chillin’ at Natalia’s.
We were extremely happy with Natalia’s care for Captain and had planned on leaving Cap with her again for our October trip to the States, but our escape from Hurricane Maria rendered that impossible.
Our final trip this year we had to scramble and find last minute accommodations for Captain in Aruba!
Fortunately we found the Dog Hotel Aruba where a young couple boards dogs in their yard. Rose and her husband are clearly dog lovers and assured me they would take great care of Captain.
Captain says “pick me.”
The Dog Hotel Aruba has several kennels and two large fenced areas on site. The dogs are outside pretty much all day and large dogs are separated from small dogs. The dogs are also taken to the beach to swim once or twice a week. Not a bad way for Captain to spend her time when we have to be away.
That is a pretty little swimming hole!
I consider each of the dog stays successful though obviously very different. I think Captain was most comfortable when she stayed on the boat and was at home in our absence. I am sure in that situation Captain felt the least ‘abandoned ‘ but she was probably a bit lonely. Still, this is similar to dogs who stay home while their owners are away.
Staying with Natalia was where I think Captain received the most amount of human attention and love. This was a very good fit for Captain and us. Plus it was easy to find a sitter with good reviews and paying online was convenient.
I’m fine up here.
The dog hotel in Aruba was a good find. I doubt this is Cappy’s favorite stay because she usually prefers to be with people more than dogs. But like a child who has to play with others, this is probably a good experience for Captain.
Even though finding a place to leave our dog takes a little time, so far it has worked out well for us. Plus, there is the added comfort of being able to receive pictures and updates to make sure our furry loved one is doing well.
Cap is pretty relaxed in LIB.
I acknowledge that we have been fortunate in finding great options for Captain, but I still feel a little guilty leaving her behind. I have really enjoyed our travels and visits with friends and family but I am glad we don’t have any other time off the boat planned for a while!
And I am confident Captain will agree completely when we get back and I tell her.
Thanks a bunch for stopping by. Please share your thoughts on pet care while away from home.
Something Other Than Natural Disasters: What We Did Before the Hurricanes.
Sunset by the Pool at The Yacht Club.
Once we completed our move south and east from the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos through the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, we actually had a few weeks to enjoy some time in Palmas del Mar at The Yacht Club before we began worrying about hurricanes.
A nature trail near the Catholic Church
The Yacht Club is (and will be again) a fabulous marina with excellent amenities and plenty of beauty, all within a gated community that includes two golf courses, tennis courts and tons of homes and townhouses. There are even two churches on site!
So many fabulous tropical plants!
And if that isn’t enough of a draw, the Spanish Virgin Islands are a quick sail away. I have included a few pictures to give you an idea of how beautiful this part of Puerto Rico was before Hurricane Maria. I share these pictures because I am confident that the industrious people of PR will rebuild and soon Palmas will be whole again. It is a beautiful place, the marina staff are some of the most wonderful people you will ever meet and The Yacht Club is a very fun place to stay!
Heading toward the exit at The Yacht Club
We joined Shelly and Greg of s/v Semper Fi for a quick trip to the Spanish Virgin Islands of Culebra and Culebrita. An unusual wind direction allowed us to sail to Culebra where we both anchored, then dinghied to town for an afternoon stroll and lunch at Zaco’s Tacos.
While strolling about, Captain made had an unusual encounter.
Not an everyday meeting!
This friendly pig meanders the street of Culebra and was very interested in being friends with Cappy, but Captain was less than thrilled with the idea. The pig followed Captain from one side of the street to the other and really wanted to be friends, but once the pig got too close, Cap would go ballistic. I guess Captain likes her pigs cooked and not following her.
The U.S. Post Office on Culetra
I have not been able to find any information about the history of this post office, but I thought it looked very interesting. It looks pretty old, but it might have been built to look that way. The internet did not provide any information and I failed to ask while I was there. But I thought it was cool enough to include even without the history.
Moored behind a reef on the east side of Culebra.
We spend the first night on a mooring ball behind a reef on the east side of Culebra, which allowed us to have a fabulous breeze and view.
The western side of Culebrita.
The next day we motored a quick 45 minutes over to the undeveloped island of Culebrita. As usual, a crowd of motor boats gathered during the day and the beach and shallow waters were a hotspot of families and friends hanging out and enjoying the water and sunshine.
Same beach is empty by days end.
But by later afternoon, the place clears out and we were one of only two boats that stayed the night.
The old lighthouse with the new beacon in the background.
A quick hike through the scrubby brush took us to the Culebrita Light House. This was the oldest operating lighthouse in the Caribbean until 1975 when the U.S. closed it and replaced the old lighthouse with a modern, solar beacon with no charm and little maintenance.
The detail inside the lighthouse was still obvious.
The lighthouse was built in 1882 by the Spanish mainly to demonstrate ownership of the island, but 12 years later the island became property of the U.S. after the Spanish American War.
Until the 1930s, the lighthouse had full time, residential keepers. It was used by the U.S. Navy as an observation post until 1975, when the installation of the the solar powered light deemed the old house obsolete.
A view near the lighthouse.
We were only able to stay a couple of days before we headed back to Palmas del Mar to prepare to leave the boat for three weeks. August had arrived and it was time to head back to the States for annual doctor visits as well as visits with family and friends.
Sunset at The Yacht Club from the bow of LIB.
Oh, our travel plans included a quick trip to China! Fortunately, our oldest son travelled with us as he is fluent in Mandarin. We realized just how much we relied on him the one time he wasn’t with us and we had to communicate with a cab driver! China was fun and eventful! More about that adventure in another post.
Thanks for stopping by! We always enjoy hearing your thoughts about our travels or any suggestions on places we really need to visit!
Ticket to Ride 