Blue Note Sailing

An invitation found us enjoying a windy sailing excursion this past Saturday, on the 26th day of October with a Tim & Karen Henry, of the sailing vessel "Blue Note." We took them up on their offer and set out at approximately one o'clock post meridiem. It was a beautiful and sunny 60 degree day and the winds were coming out of the south at 13 to 15 knots, causing white caps as far in as the Chesapeake Boat Basin. We released the dock lines and set out, raising sail before we even passed the first red marker. Captain Tim Henry knew right away that we would be reefing the main AND the jib due to heavy winds funneling into and out of Indian Creek.

Once we were into Fleets Bay we could tell that we were seeing chilly three and a half to four foot swells which was well in "Blue Notes" capabilities to handle, although as nautical amateurs it was an exciting learning experience to see the boat heel as far as 30 to 35 degrees.

It was an amazing day for sailing though and we had a really great time. We came back in about four hours later, sailing all the way into the creek and right up to about 100 yards from the basin, where we did the sailors dance of circles, avoiding the shallows while we lowered the sails. 

Our three week vacation aboard the 2nd Fantasy

Sierra and I are spending three weeks aboard this exquisite power yacht. There is also a young kitty here by the name of Annie and we are looking after the two of them while the owners, our friends Tom and Doris, are away visiting Texas and California. I don't feel very politically correct calling this vessel a boat, because it's more of a ship to us. But it is a pleasure for us to be staying aboard their ship for them. It has all the amenities of an apartment or home, including some things that apartments and homes don't have. Such as gorgeous nautical wood work, legions of hidden compartment, resplendent views from every direction, palliation of cramped and confined quarters while keeping our ideal minimal living. I've seen quite a bit of water crafts in the past 5 or 6 months since we've been here of all different shapes and sizes, and every one of them still amazes me with their meticulous and diligent workmanship. Shipping vessels are some of the most glorious and literal works of art that I've ever seen, with exchange values and use values that sore up from the murky depths and well into the sky.

I filmed this short video while aboard as a quick tour or walk through with the hopes that we maybe able to share some of an artists rendering of a nautical home with all the tranquility that a human being could ask for.

Fall is making its presence well known...

We went back home a few weeks ago which was nice. We got to hang out with the children all weekend and they were all super excited to see us, so that was nice spending time with them. Since we've returned it's been constantly drizzling, and we both were fighting off a cold we brought back with us. Our colds have gotten better, but the weather has not. Brian was able to get some pictures of how high the water was from all the rain. 

And according to the locals, that was only about a 2 out of 10. 

Other than that, we had oysters for the first time....eh. It will take a little longer for me to warm up to them. We did get to clean them off though. Approximately 1200 of them. Although we didn't quite acquire the taste for oysters, we had a great time hanging out with friends and making new friends.

September was a good month for diving for us. We got more jobs that month than we had gotten any other month. And as soon as we got back it all just stopped. But it's fall now and we expected business to be dropping quite a bit. After spending this week on the boat, it's kind of made us reconsider staying here for the winter. As much as we'd love to, we think it's going to be pretty cold and damp, so we'll have to see what the future holds.