Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

/ one2travelfar / 3 Comments

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

/ one2travelfar / 1 Comment

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…

PA100068.JPG

PA100069.JPG

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

/ one2travelfar / Leave a comment
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

/ one2travelfar / Leave a comment

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

/ one2travelfar / Leave a comment
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

Cliff Island Sunset

/ one2travelfar / 2 Comments
We hunkered down on the south side of Cliff Island while a cold front passed through.  Naturally, we looked at real estate because it is an ideal place to live.  It’s within the boundaries of the ciry of Portland, with ferries, garbage trucks and probably taxes, but feels like it’s a world away.   We met lots of very friendly people, but alas it’s out of our range.
We headed to the deepwater port of Portland.  Last year we heard large ships hail the Portland Pilot boat and this week we got to see it in action.  There were tankers, large barges and at least 4 cruise ships that came into the harbor during the 3 nights we spent there.  We got to enjoy the navigation lights.

White over red, pilot ahead

We spent several days at a great marina where a stranger let me take his van, with his wallet and breakfast on the dashboard, to go food shopping.  We’ve had offers in the past to borrow vehicles but it was raining and this was the first time I took someone up on it.

We had time to meet family and friends.  We visited my cousin Gary’s off the grid “camp” complete with dishwasher and walked the trails on his property.  Then we met up with Tim’s college roomate’s son who is a luthier in Portland.  We got to tour his shop and see some of his beautiful craftsmanship.

Different ways to travel

Yesterday I learned that my foulies float.  We had left our mooring without much preparation and they had been drying on the bow since I got soaked on Saturday in Portland.  When I went to the bow to get something, they had mysteriously disappeared.  We turned around and performed a foulie overboard drill with a coast guard crew watching.  All souls accounted for.

Cruise Ship Listing to port

This Cunard ship came in the day we left and Tim noticed that it was leaning a little to the left and this was without passengers.

Clean that waterline!!

Portland Head Light

Autumn colors

/ one2travelfar / 2 Comments
All in all we are having a wonderful time cruising, with the cats, but last week I had a run in with a boat hook and fractured my cheek bone.  I was basically OK until I blew my nose and my cheek puffed out.  That was it for Tim, I was off to the Mid Coast Hospital ER, where I had my very first CT – I have the CD here for those quiet nights when we run out of NetFlix.   Friends and staff couldn’t have been nicer.  Cyndy picked me up from the ER and Ethan replaced the broken boat hook with one made of Ash, just like the Lousiville sluggers.
Tim was feeling a little sheepish because he thought people may have thought he was responsible for my disfigurment but when we stopped at a Marina in Maine, the first thing they suspected was that we had run aground and that I had been tossed around.  Mainers!
I want to live everywhere we have been.  We have been to offshore islands and beautiful coves.   We’ve seen beautiful sunrises and sunsets.  A few nights ago, Tim could hear seals breathing and diving next to the boat.  Last night was a bit of a disaster because for various reasons cat litter went flying.  Now the cockpit has never been so clean.