Best Sailboat Purchase Ever

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I’ve been meaning to write about this for a long time.  Sailboats have tall masts, ours is about 45 feet above the deck and stuff breaks on them and someone, usually the lighter of the crew, is sent aloft to do the repairs in a bosun’s chair.  This ia a harness attached to the rope at the top of the mast and is hoisted up by the stronger of the pair.  Get the picture.  I am sent to the top while DH hoists me there.  Well at the beginning of the season we did this a couple of times and although I got used to it, I never really liked it and besides the bosun’s chair didn’t seat well with me and I sometimes felt like I would slide out of it.
After some research, I decided to buy an ATN Topclimber to make my job easier.  Well the great news is that there is no hoisting involved so DH tried it.  Basically you use climbing gear to climb up a line attached to the top of the mast.  It took several trips to master it, and anything takes several trips.  We removed and replaced the radar reflector.   Searched for but never really found leaks into the mast and subsequently into the cabin.  Our anchor light stopped working and that took literally about 5 trips up and down with potential purchased replacements.  The best purchase for me has relieved me of the need to go aloft.  It’s even fun for the kids.  When Andre and Sarah visited us, Andre went up the mast for kicks and giggles and took some photos.

Revised Beaufort Scale

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Well we’ve been in Edgartown for a week but for several days we didn’t leave the cabin except to check mooring lines.  The run of bad weather has past and we are taking off  today and will be working our way back to NY.   We are in the process of buying a house in the Adirondacks (getting paperword done from a boat sure is fun) and I am looking forward to settling into it for the winter.    After rationalizing  that I didn’t need and wouldn’t miss my stuff (life’s possessions) that I packed away in storage more than a year ago, I am looking forward to reuniting with it.  Actually, I can’t even remember what is there and, except for old photographs, have found that I certainly don’t need it.   I am looking forward to getting back to  my spinning wheel and working on the fleece I have already scoured from Terhune orchards.

Photos to follow.  I’ve been waking early lately and saw a house alit with yellow with pink skies (not red).  It’s nice to see some blue for a change.  I’ve worked out a new Beaufort scale for wind speed.  At 15 knots the cat litter blows out of the box when it’s on the trampoline.   At 20 knots, Shirley’s ears get pinned back and she can’t walk against it.   At 40 knots I like to sleep or listen to my ipod, loudly.

Soundtracks

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We’ve been hit by storm after storm as predicted in Edgartown, MA.  Yesterday, we dinghied ashore and took the bus to stock up on alcohol for our heater, which has been keeping us warm; alcohol for my heater; propane and coffee.  All the essentials are aboard.  I’ve been engaged in numerous activities to drown out the sound of the roaring wind.

I slept 11 hours.  I am knitting a shawl that has 400+ stitches per row out of my own handspun.  One row actually took 3 hours due to technical difficulties and the need to unknit the row.  I watched Dune on my ipod and thought the storm sounds were part of the soundtrack.  To my dismay, it was the local weather sounds and not from the movie.  Tim watched the Yankees game last night but apparently was in a remote control duel over the slingbox.  A walk on the deck entails full foul weather gear and that’s another 15 minutes of dressing and undressing.   I baked scones and am about to enjoy them with DH.

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

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Here we are, back in the cabin, all shut tight with the cats inside as the next storm rolls through.  The first brought strong winds but very little rain.  We were whipped around on our mooring and it felt like the ride at Disney World.  We would spin about and then reach the end of the mooring tether and get whipped back.  We’ve made some adjusments and see if they hold and if it improves because the next gale is arriving, beginning with rain this afternoon.

Wide angle Edgartown Harbor

Edgartown, MA

Island Alpacas Martha’s Vineyard

We took the opportunity to explore some of Martha’s Vineyard.  Our hightlight was yesterday when we visitied Island Alpaca where we learned a lot about owning and raising alpacas- perhaps now that we are buying a house.  I bought some beautiful alpaca roving to spin and knit.  Imagine a herd of my own supply of yarn.  I could breed them, assist with deliveries, spin and knit their fleece. They may have it all, they are vocal, cute as anything and apparently tax deductible.  We’ll see.

I am too cute

Lambchop

Martha’s Vineyard is pretty quiet this time of year,   The people in Edgartown couldn’t be nicer and more helpful, except for the bus driver, who scolded me for taking too long to insert my fare.  What’s all that change for if not for paying for buses???  The harbor master has been by a few times to check on us, even pumped us out when we were ashore – always nice to miss that event.

We are having a hard time accepting the fact that we meet this season’s tourist demographic, old(er) and retired.  We don’t wear name tags however and get around by boat, bike or public transportation and somehow feel better about that.

All or Nothing

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We sailed from Onset, MA to Hadley Harbor under all sorts of sail.  One reef, two reefs then no reef.  We spent a quiet night and then caught the tide to Tarpaulin Cove on the south side of the Elizabeth Islands.  Our new favorite place in the world.  We anchored and went ashore.  We hiked one day and ran the others on the paths that snake accross the islands.  I saw cows, butterflies and a fox.  Our night wasn’t as pleasant.  The wind was shrieking all night and it upset the cats and me…and therefore, Tim.  We reanchored during the day for a less rocky ride but couldn’t do anything about the wind.  I listened to my ipod with earphones to drown it out and knit away.  So I knit.  I finished a cushion for the boat, knit up a new washcloth and am working on a pound of Shetland that I spun this summer.

We left Tarpaulin Cove for Martha’s Vineyard, where we expect ot be a few days due to weather.  In between strong winds, it was dead calm and we had to motor to Edgartown.  Another ghost town harbor.   A few fishing boats moving around but that’s it.  This afternoon we expect a gale and are on a town mooring.  Hatches are battened and I may go to an Alpaca farm today.  I could always use more roving and practice my turkish spindle.

Body parts onboard

Tarpaulin cove lighthouse

Naushon, Elizabeth Islands

1st wide angle shot that worked

Grey skies

Fungus…

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This hedgehog followed me home on my shoelace

Probably not a good idea

Gravity defying

Rocking sunset

Another washcloth

Homework

I-cord edge

Our Summer 2009 Home

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We passed the lighthouse on our way south.  The paint and roof repair work seems to be holding up.  It was nice to be in familiar territory for a few days.  I took a trip by car to Long Island and left it there and enjoyed a full day of mass transit, trains, buses and boats, back to the boat.  Tim and the cats survived the gale in Onset.  Once again we were offered a car to borrow.    I had a great time visiting family.
Back to the boat and some serious knitting.  I’m finishing a cushion cover and have worked on various odds and ends.  Next I plan to knit a shawl from my handspun shetland.  Then I have lots of project planning.  I have to figure out what to take to the Hot Springs.  I think I may only bring my drop spindle – what’s the harm in taking forever to spin up some yarn when I could be snowed in for a few months??

Isles of Shoals, NH White Island Light

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Too lazy to stand up to frame the shot

We left Isles of Shoals with a nice breeze, calm seas and a clear sky.  What could be better? We sailed to Rockport, MA where we once again tucked in because of rainy, windy weather.  We caught up with old friends, spent hours in the local library, ate strudel and gelato.  Not too bad.

We’ll continue heading south, we have things to do.  We are in the process of buying a house in the Adirondacks.  And as if that weren’t enough, we are going to be winter caretakers for Goldmyer Hot Springs near North Bend, WA beginning in December.  Lots to do!

Looks like I’m on a monohull

Rockport Habor

A Different Sunset

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We picked up a mooring in Wood Island Harbor, ME, which was another of the prettiest harbors we have seen.  The next day we ran around like maniacs on our bikes.  We are in the process of buying a house in the Adirondacks and paperwork is never easy from  a boat.  First we had to find a store to receive faxes and relay that info.  We faxed contracts back and forth, went food shopping, talked to a bank and even had lunch.
Yesterday we had a rocky sail to Gosport Harbor, Isles of Shoals.  We were able to sail at 5-7 knots all day.   The cats took cover and slept in my sleeping bag.  We picked up a mooring here and took the dinghy ashore to Smuttynose.   We were here earlier in our trip but didn’t  explore Smuttynose.  It’s hard to imagine that at one time 1500 people lived here in a vibrant community.  Today there are only a few scattered cottages among the Isles.
Today it’s off to Rockport, MA where we will tuck in for a few days w

Wood Island Harbor, looks tropical

Sea and Sky

Star Island Behind Smuttynose

Smuttynose, ME

Red Smuttynose

Berries to eat or not to eat

Shirley and Loki after a hard day at sea