Our anchor had barely settled into the patch of white sand in seven feet of water behind Shroud Cay when a dinghy approached from the only other boat in the anchorage. When pulling into a quiet cove with only one other boat, one never knows if you are welcome company or intruding on another boat’s solitude. In this case, the solo captain from the other boat was eager for others to share the special landscape. Coincidently, the other boat in the anchorage was the same make as Alembic, our Whitby 42 ketch. There is an immediate kinship that forms with owners of sister ships and our visit with Russ from NautiCuss was no exception. Russ bounded aboard our boat and we swapped Whitby trivia as if we were old friends. The conversation turned toward Bahamas cruising and Russ was eager to share some local knowledge. Since this was our first visit to Shroud Cay we were keen to learn of some new spots.
Secluded beach on Shroud Cay
One of the magical things about cruising with an open itinerary is that unique opportunities for adventure seem to spontaneously appear. Russ invited us to join him on an afternoon dinghy exploration up a creek that meanders across the cay to a secluded beach on the ocean side. As a bonus, there was also a hike up to the notorious but elusive Camp Driftwood. For those who don’t know the legend, Camp Driftwood was the site of a DEA reconnaissance perch that had a view of Norman’s Cay. Between 1978 and 1982 Norman’s was the headquarters for Carlos Lehder’s drug smuggling operation. At the time, Lehder was running distribution for the Medellin Cartel under the notorious Pablo Escobar.
Dinghyexcursion through the creek
We headed out in our dinghy on a rising tide following Russ into the entrance of the creek. In places the creek was quite shallow. Despite the limited tidal range in the Exumas, running the creek during the upper half of the tide offered a bit more water below the prop. The downside of an incoming tide was that the current was running strong in a few places. Our dinghy, with only a six HP outboard, struggled a few times to stem the current. Back and forth we meandered until the bright blue of the deep water cut became visible in the distance. Around a final corner we grounded onto a pristine white sand beach with open ocean to one side and the waters of the creek to the other.
Approaching the ocean-side secluded beach from the creek channel
We eagerly scrambled ashore and planted an anchor high up the beach to keep the dinghy from wandering off on a solo excursion. The white sand of the beach extended out to seaward creating a beautiful spot to swim or just wade in the gin clear water. Finding the trail to Camp Driftwood proved to be easier than anticipated. The trail head was right at the edge of the beach. The actual site of the DEA lookout is also easily identified. In recent years, the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park have erected a sign marking the spot.
Camp Driftwood welcome
The hike to the summit of the hill was fairly easy but we were glad just the same that we had brought sturdy sandals for the adventure. Once we reached the top, we were rewarded with an excellent 360 degree view. The distance to the airfield on Norman’s was further than expected. In fact the view in that direction was not that great. With powerful binoculars, however, it would likely be possible to observe and identify aircraft taking off and landing on the island’s airstrip. Apparently, this was the primary reason for the reconnaissance site. From the hilltop on Shroud Cay the DEA officers attempted to track the aircraft smuggling drugs in and out of Norman’s island and report this traffic back to agents in the USA.
View to the West from Camp DriftwoodView to the North from Camp Driftwood
With our mission accomplished we scrambled back down the hillside to our dinghy and shoved off to catch the last of the incoming current to speed up our return to Alembic. We thanked Russ for the adventure by treating him to sundowners in our cockpit while we swapped sea stories and shared the beauty of this special spot.
“Portland, Maine” a woman exclaims
from the pier. “Did you sail that boat all the way from Maine?” her male
companion chimes in. We are tied stern to at the visitor’s dock in
Ålesund, Norway. The public floats are traversed several times a day by
the parade of tour groups from the visiting cruise ships. It seems we
have become a bonus exhibit for the tour guides. Americans make up a
significant portion of the cruise ship quest list but American sailboats are an
unusual sight in Norway. “We did in fact” replies my wife politely
answering the woman. “Last summer we sailed from the Caribbean to
Bermuda, Bermuda to the Azores, and then from the Azores to Ireland”.
This answer inevitably leads to other incredulous follow-up questions
from the visitors. Their cruise ship
lifestyle is a world apart from our life aboard Alembic, our 42 foot ketch.
By the time we arrived in Ålesund,
we had already been in Norway several weeks. We departed Peterhead, on
the northeast coast of Scotland in late May.
After a two day crossing of the North Sea, we made landfall just south
of Bergen, Norway. Our first two remote Norwegian anchorages gave us a
taste of the amazing landscape and numerous secure coves that make Norway such
a special destination. Fortunately, the landscape makes up for the rainy
weather we experienced in the month of June. The cruising guides warn of
the wet climate especially in the area around Bergen. The west coast of
Norway sticks out into the North Sea like the snout of a walrus. Rugged
mountains rise abruptly from the sea. This geography causes low pressure
systems sweeping into the North Sea to unload the moisture they have lugged
across the Atlantic. This weather pattern, however, also rewards those
who venture further North. The further North you travel in Norway, the
less it rains.
The goal we had set for ourselves
during our winter ashore in Maine was to sail above the Arctic Circle. We hoped to do this as close to the summer
solstice as possible so we could experience the “midnight sun”. This goal
took on more importance one night at our local ski bar, the Loose Boots Lounge,
when we shared the idea with close friends and fellow sailors Cam and Julie.
After a couple of PBR’s it was decided. If we sailed Alembic, our
Whitby 42, north of Bergen, they would join us for a 2 week cruise across 66.5N
latitude and into the Arctic.
Not surprising, sailing on the coast
of Norway is a dream vacation for many adventuresome travelers. Our
daughter Lindsay and her boyfriend David, as well as our niece Danielle and her
friend Blanca enthusiastically booked trips to join us. Luckily, airports
are scattered all over Norway so we were able to arrange arrivals that
dove-tailed with destinations we were eager to explore. Lindsay and David
joined us in Bergen for a cruise among the fjords and quaint coastal islands
that surround this lively and historic city. After their departure, we
hopped north to Ålesund visiting several special stops along the way including Skjerjehamn
where paintings and sculptures grace the surroundings both inside and out.
On our way north in June we had this quiet setting all to ourselves.
When we returned in July we found an entirely different scene! Skjerjehamn
was packed with dozens of boats and hundreds of people enjoying a three day
music festival.
Guest dock and restaurant at Skjerjehamn
In Ålesund, we were joined by the two
enthusiastic recent college grads, Danielle and Blanca. We were eager to
show them the magic of Norway so we set sail for one of the most beautiful, and
uncrowded fjords in this part of the coast. The nearby Geirangerfjorden
is one of the most photographed fjords in all of Norway but this celebrity
status draws a crowd of tourist excursion boats. Instead, we sailed up
the Hjørundfjord just to the west and tied up for two idyllic days at the guest
dock in Øye. From here we had access to amazing hiking on the peaks of
Saksa and Slogen. We also enjoyed a gentrified evening piano recital at the
Union Hotel which is famous for hosting Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany for several
summers at the turn of the 20th century.
Alembic deep in a Norwegian fjord
With our guests already giddy about
these adventures we kept the momentum going by taking them to the southern-most
puffin colony in Norway on Runde Island. The puffins did not disappoint
with their casual tolerance of the gawking admirers. To top off the week
of adventure, we headed back to Ålesund for front-row seats at the largest
bonfire in the world held on the summer solstice celebration. The 135’
wooden tower of shipping pallets burned with Scandinavian precision from top to
bottom over a two hour celebration of the longest day of the year.
Puffin at Runde Island rookeryWorld’s largest bonfire at Ålesund on the solstice
With the departure of our niece and
her friend, it was time to get down to some serious Arctic sailing. As
promised, we met our adventuresome friends Cam and Julie in the city of Molde
with its spectacular downtown filled with flowers. After a quick
provisioning run, we set off for our first stop at the pretty little island of
Magerøya. This little island is a world to itself graced with new guest
docks in sharp contrast to the 19th century merchant hall that currently houses
a small restaurant. The island with its historic structures is under the
care of a group of young people who manage the restaurant, raise wild sheep,
and assure that the setting remains welcoming to visiting boats. Although
it was raining upon our arrival, we had a hardy meal of Bacalao, the delicious
regional fish stew, and learned more about the island history from one of its
young stewards.
One unique aspect of traveling the
Norwegian coast is that most vessels travel along the semi-sheltered channels
leading through the numerous coastal islands. At these high latitudes
during summer it is either daylight or twilight essentially 24 hours of the
day. Given these conditions, we found that it was easy to make 100 mile
hops up the coast in order to savor some of the prime stops further along the
Helgeland Coast. This scenic region of Norway stretches from the
archipelago around Vega to just north of the Arctic Circle. Its portfolio
of natural wonders includes the low lying islands stretching for miles off the
coast, puffin rookeries, and rugged unique coastal mountains. We
cherry-picked a couple of favorite stops that were easily accessible from
anchorages or guest docks including the Seven Sisters near Sandnessjøen, Torghatten near Brønnøy, and
the Svartisen Glacier.
Climbing through the hole in the mountain at Toaghatten
Standing at the base of the Svartisen Glacier
After three hundred adventure-filled
miles from Molde, it was time to cross the Arctic Circle. The Arctic
Circle is not a fixed latitude. It is the southern most latitude where
the sun does not set on the evening of the June Solstice. As the earth
wobbles on its axis, this latitude is drifting northwards at about forty nine feet
per year and currently resides at 66°33′47.8″.
Across the Arctic Circle we sailed, passed a monument marking this
milestone and then we jumped into the frigid water to commemorate our arrival.
After two weeks of
sailing, hiking, and general adventuring we arrived in the large community of
Bodø. We said goodbye to our friends who shuttled off to the airport and
we were back to just the two of us on the boat after a month of visitors.
Bodø proved to be a convenient spot to re-provision and catch up on a few
boat projects. Everything we needed was a short walk from the guest
docks along with an assortment of bars and restaurants.
Since it was still
early July, we were eager to continue our Norwegian explorations to the unique
Lofoten Islands with their stunning landscapes and quaint fishing villages.
We jumped straight to the western end of the island chain with a forty
mile day sail to Reine. This town was voted to be one of the most scenic
in the Lofotens. Fish racks with thousands of cod fish heads drying in
the sun made for some interesting photos. A quick hike up the four
hundred and fifty meter peak of Reinebringen offered amazing views of the harbor
below and the surrounding mountains.
Fish heads drying on the racks in Lofoten IslandsReine from a harborside mountain peak
After a spectacular week absorbing the breath-taking scenery of the Lofoten Islands and enjoying endless sunshine, it was time to point our bow south. We had plans to be in Sweden by mid-August so we took advantage of the mild and settled weather of mid-summer to return to southern Norway. The tug of Norway proved to be strong, however. Instead of rounding the southern end of Norway and sailing to Sweden as planned, we lingered in the fjords near Stavanger, Norway into the fall. We chose to leave Alembic in Stavanger for the winter. We are still undecided which direction we will travel in the Spring. We may continue on to Sweden and the Baltic or we may return to the Arctic for another magical summer. After 4 years of cruising, 22,000 miles, and 27 countries, our visit to the Arctic regions of Norway stands out in our minds as one of our favorite destinations. One summer in the Arctic may not be enough!
It is 11:30 PM and I am sitting in the cockpit enjoying a Norwegian sunset. The sun has dipped below the western horizon and the sky is painted with broad brush strokes of orange, yellow, and red. It is the kind of moment that calls one to pause for reflection. The thought that captures me is how far we have come in the past 4 years of cruising sailing. Quite literally, we have sailed over 20,000 miles, visited 27 countries, and crossed an ocean. Figuratively, we are thriving in the lifestyle that we dreamed about for years while working and raising a family ashore.
Our cruising home on Norway’s Hegeland Coast
Although there are many aspects to beginning a successful cruising lifestyle, buying the right boat and outfitting for blue water cruising is certainly one of the most important starting points. So where to begin? Monohull or Catamaran? Older of newer construction? Fiberglass, steel, aluminum, or wood? Much of this depends on your budget, personality, skills, and how many hours you wish to spend working on your boat before setting sail.
Like most things in life there is a spectrum to the blue water boat market. At one extreme there are low budget project boats that can be purchased for less than $20,000. Most of these will require a total restoration often taking years to complete. The other end of the spectrum is actively marketed at the major boat shows. This end of the spectrum is supported by new boat reviews, welcoming booths for new production boats, and financing companies to help you realize your dream. New boats capable of crossing oceans, however, will usually cost more than $400,000 fully outfitted. For those that can afford it, this is certainly an attractive option. Between these two ends of the spectrum is a vast “middle ground” well supported by brokers and online listings. This “middle ground” of the blue water boat market is more attainable for many people that do not have the skills or time to complete a major restoration nor the budget for a newer boat. It is possible to find a great number of boats for less than $100,000 that are capable and comfortable. With careful selection, you can find one that needs only routine maintenance and minimal outfitting.
The cruising lifestyle can take you places you have always dreamed of
My wife and I are adventurous but conservative and pragmatic. We are frugal, and typically choose value and functionality over aesthetics. We also do our research and eagerly listen to the insights of others. It was important to us to own our boat outright with no financing so we quickly ruled out new or “newer” used boats. We briefly looked at a couple of project boats but realized that the project boats would require years to refit. We narrowed our boat search to older fiberglass sailboats that would meet the demands of offshore, blue water cruising.
To be clear, an older boat is best suited to someone that has the skills and interest to do most repairs and maintenance themselves. Skilled labor in boatyards is expensive and repairs to an older boat can quickly add up. For my wife and I, boat projects are part of the lifestyle and we enjoy the learning and satisfaction that comes with doing things ourselves. It is also helpful to be self-sufficient when cruising in remote areas.
With three adult kids and adventurous close friends, we hoped to have frequent guests during our travels. A priority was to have two private sleeping cabins along with a comfortable cockpit and salon. Catamarans and center cockpit monohulls best fit this priority. Although catamarans offered spacious layouts, it seemed that we would need to spend significantly more money to buy a catamaran that was truly capable of blue water cruising. In reality, catamarans of this caliber have only been built in significant numbers for the past 10 or 15 years. Solid cruising monohulls have been built for the past 40 years. In fact, many of the older monohulls are built more ruggedly than newer production boats. Our goal was to find a boat requiring only a reasonable amount of updated equipment to be ready to cross an ocean. We set our budget at $80,000 or less.
The refined list of requirements for our boat read like
this:
Monohull sailboat originally built strong enough to cross an ocean and still structurally sound
Layout offering 2 private cabins
Length as short as practical for the desired layout which translated to 38’ to 44’ given the vintage of boats in our price range
Full keel or long fin with skeg
Generous tank capacity
Engine young enough to give us at least 3000 hours of service
Price less than $80,000
It is a wonderful thing that there was both strong interest in cruising sailing and a decent economy in the early and mid 1980’s. There were numerous builders in North America and Europe churning out fiberglass monohull sailboats built to high standards of construction. We created a custom search on Yachtworld to identify listings of interest. Since we lived in Maine we also restricted our geography to New England. The shortlist of builders that emerged included: Whitby, Brewer, Pearson, Bristol, Island Packet, and Moody.
After looking at a half dozen boats we narrowed our search
to the Whitby 42. At the time, there were five Whitby 42s listed for sale in
New England. We chose the one in the best condition and paid $75,000 for
ALEMBIC. To be honest, we were not thrilled with the name. An alembic is
a type of vessel used in distillation. In a poetic context, however, the name
can also mean “a vessel that transforms and purifies”. The name has
grown on us with each mile under the keel.
In hindsight the attributes about ALEMBIC that made our transition
into the cruising lifestyle a success are as follows:
She was ready to sail immediately. Her equipment was adequate for coastal sailing and only a few big ticket items were required before venturing offshore.
Cosmetically she looked good. We did not need to perform any significant cosmetic maintenance.
Her original Ford Leman engine had been replaced with a Yanmar and she had accumulated only 2500 hours on the new engine.
She was structurally sound with dry cores in the decks and encapsulated ballast so no keel bolts to worry about.
Most importantly she inspired confidence in heavy weather. Most people recognize that their boats can handle heavy weather better than their crew. ALEMBIC is easy to handle offshore. This proved to be a blessing as we honed our skills in handling offshore winds and waves. Three months after setting sail we crossed the Caribbean from Haiti to Colombia in trade winds exceeding 30 knots each night and seas 6 to 9 feet. ALEMBIC loved these conditions and kept us safe and reasonably comfortable.
Lumpy seas in the North Atlantic
As we accumulate experience and success in our lifestyle,
people frequently ask us our opinions on how best to get started and what to
look for in a boat. Here are a few opinions we have formed.
Sailing performance is important. After all it is a
sailboat. Like it or not, if you want to complete predictable passages, motor
and motor sailing performance is essential. The coast of Norway is a
magical cruising ground. In the summer, however, the winds are light. We
clocked 250 hours on our diesel traveling the length of Norway.
Similarly, the Med is said to have too much wind or too little wind.
Unless you plan to spend most of your time reaching about the Caribbean, you
will want a boat that motors efficiently, quietly, and reliably.
Motoring quietly and efficiently is a nice feature for a cruising sailboat
There are several common structural issues that are best to be avoided in purchasing an older boat. One of the most common is decks where water has leaked into the wood core of the deck construction at fittings such as stanchions, chain plates, and hatches. Teak decking is also a major cause of water leaking into the structural core. Small localized areas (less than a couple of square feet) can be repaired at a reasonable cost. If there are wet areas throughout the boat, it is better to move on to another prospect. We did meet one clever boat owner that took his Union 36 to Roatan to have the teak removed and decks rebuilt for less than $5,000. Not a bad option if you have 6 months to spend supervising the work. In short, it is best to pre-survey any boat you may consider purchasing to rule out deck structural issues. Sadly, although teak is beautiful, I would further recommend avoiding any boat with teak decks that is over 15 years old.
Teak decks are functional and beautiful but can require expensive refit in older used boats
Another major structural issue with older boats is external ballast and associated keel bolts. Fortunately, there are many older boats with encapsulated ballast. This method of construction is far more durable. Alternatively, if you have your heart set on a design that has external ballast, you may be lucky to find a boat where a replacement of the keel bolts has already been completed.
The condition of the fuel and water tanks is also a key item to include in a pre-survey. Many older boats may require replacement of tanks. Depending on the accessibility of the tank, replacement can cost $5,000 to $20,000. Fortunately, tank replacement may be something you can tackle yourself saving thousands of dollars. I once replaced both diesel tanks myself in my Westsail 32 for less than $1,000. One fellow Whitby owner replaced his water tanks himself at a cost of less than $3,000.
Finding a boat that is in good condition except for the engine may be a good buying opportunity provided that the price reflects the cost of replacing or rebuilding the engine. Starting out with a newer engine can eliminate many headaches. The expense for re-powering a typical production sailboat is usually predictable. Generally speaking, if the existing engine is a mainstream brand and in reasonable condition, rebuilding the engine may be the lowest cost provided you can wait 6 to 8 weeks for the rebuild to be completed. Our Whitby 42 has a four cylinder Yanmar with turbocharger. Given the Yanmar pedigree, this engine will likely be worth rebuilding. She currently has 5,000 hours of run time. I anticipate that I will have the engine rebuilt sometime between 8,000 and 10,000 hours of operation. As for repowering with a new engine, Beta Marine has become a popular choice to replace older auxiliary engines. The Beta Marine engine is a marinized version of the Kubota industrial diesel. Beta Marine has done a great job configuring the motor for cruising sailboats.
A clean engine with less than 3000 hours should be part of the selection criteria for an older sailboat purchase
As for the lengthy list of other essential equipment necessary to outfit a cruising sailboat, there are many affordable boats that come well equipped. A good strategy is to look for a boat that has recently completed an extended cruise. The Southeast USA is a great place to look for a cruising sailboat loaded with gear. Many people have outfitted boats and headed south only to find the lifestyle not to their liking. Other sailors are completing mid-life sailing sabbaticals and heading back to the grind. Whatever the circumstances, there are solid boats for sale with equipment that is still relatively current and in good working condition. In our case, the only equipment upgrades that ALEMBIC required before crossing oceans were 2 new sails, a new Mantus anchor, a used Hydrovane windvane, an updated chart-plotter, and VHF radio with AIS receiver. The total price for these items was less than $11,000.
Like anything else, every sailboat represents a compromise of competing priorities. Most likely, no boat will meet all of the criteria that you establish for your boat search. Similarly, you will probably not be able to avoid all of the potential issues that I have attempted to outline in this article. Each boat will be a unique blend of design, features, equipment, location, condition, and price.
The cruising lifestyle is a rich way to spend as many years
as it takes to fill the voids in your life. Whether it is a mid-life
sailing sabbatical or the next phase of your adult life after a career working
ashore, starting off with the right boat can make all the difference.
Boat shopping can be a great adventure so start shopping early and take
your time to find the boat that will help you fulfill your dreams.
After sailing our Whitby 42 to Europe during the summer of 2018, our cruising calendar changed to accommodate the winter cold of Europe. By mid-October it was best to leave the boat securely in Belgium and travel back to our home in Maine for nearly 6 months – mid-October to mid-April. Faced with 6 months off the boat, I needed a project to keep me occupied. We decided to tackle a conversion of a cargo van to a camper van. Land cruising seems like a great lifestyle to complement our ocean travels so we needed a suitable land yacht. Here is a quick tour of our van and the construction process.
Van at the time of purchase on the dealer lot
After considering the Mercedes Sprinter and the Ford Transit we decided to purchase a late-model used Ram Promaster for our camper van. Key features of the Promaster are the front wheel drive for performance in the snow, tight turning radius, and wide interior dimension. Our Promaster is a 2018 model year and had 15,000 miles when purchased.
Typical view of the unfinished cargo space
The interior was the typical unfinished cargo space. The only windows in the cargo space were the windows in the rear doors. The interior of our van was clean with only the usual scratches from 12 months of cargo transport.
Interior Windows, Insulation and Panels
After installing new windows in the sliding door and drivers side panels, we were ready to add the insulation and interior panels. We decided to use PVC materials as much as possible to conform to material flammability standards for vehicle interiors. The PVC is also light weight and maintenance free. The ceiling is a tongue and groove PVC plank available from HomeDepot. The wall panels are 1/4″ thick rigid foam PVC .
For insulation, we chose sheep wool. This material offers good thermal and sound insulation with the added benefit of wicking moisture away from the metal. Moisture from the interior condenses on the metal skin of the van and will cause rusting unless it is able to evaporate.
Side Panel Construction: sheep wool insulation and rigid foam PVC panel materialView of the typical ceiling construction: wood blocking, wool insulation, tongue and groove PVC planks
Construction Challenges
We completed the construction of our van at our small cabin in Maine during the snowy winter. Without a garage to use as a shop, construction was completed either in the van or outside.
The 6′ x 10′ interior provides adequate space for panel prep and assemblyCutting of plywood for furnishings and other materials was done in my outdoor shop
One of my wife’s many talents is sewing including heavy duty items like upholstery and cushions. She was able to make the interior cushions and all window privacy covers. Her construction space was a bit warmer than mine!
Helen sewing window covers in our cabin kitchen area
The Finished Project
View of interior through side doorThe Promaster width allows for a 73″x54″ platform bed. Perfectly adequate for most peopleThe 12V Stakol cooler stows under the dinette seat on a rolling tray12V Cooler mounted on a rugged rolling base allows it to be pulled out to access as well as providing an extra place to sitColeman camping stove stores in a sliding tray that slides under the bed platformInterior view showing bed, dinette, and galleyInterior of the van with the privacy covers installed
Our plan for the next few years while we are in Europe is to explore the US by van in the late Spring and late Fall. This is the time of the year that the cruising season has ended in Europe and the ski season has not begun in Maine. We will start with the Southwest USA and then branch out from there.
As sad as we were to leave Alembic for the winter in Belgium, we were so excited to go home and see our families and friends. So on October 24 we boarded a plane and headed home. This would be the first time in five years Alembic was unattended for so long. Even last year, when we came home for two months, our friends stayed aboard her, adventuring and taking good care of her many needs.
Marie and I had quality time with Sadie
Our French daughter, Marie, came to see us as soon as we arrived!
Our new-to-us van
Spectacular Tree House
Furnished with world art
Bill followed through quickly on his plans to build a camper van. The van he chose had been a rental cargo van so the inside was pretty beat up, but the price was right for a one year old vehicle. He bought it in Maryland and drove it back to Maine.
We thoroughly enjoyed many nights in this awesome tree house, designed and built by dear friends Christian and Christine Slader.
Baby room is ready
Study room is also ready
We took a quick trip to Niagra Falls
Then it was home to Camp Weigel to set up for many guests, especially our granddaughter Sadie!!
Papa meets Sadie
Nana takes over
Thanks Ann and Al
Finally my parents got to meet Sadie, their first great grandchild. My brother Al and his wife Ann arranged the get-together at their home in Connecticut.
Early November snow
Bundled up
Early snow at camp set us up for a fantastic ski season.
My parents and four of their kids
Most of the adults
Thanksgiving was at my brother Dan and his wife Jolie’s home.
Ripping off the old shingles
Sadie is telling me stories
Finally we had a calm few days to reroof Kenny’s garage. Of course Sadie had to be watched so I insisted on lots of breaks from the roof work.
Skiing with Erica
Putting Erica to work
Erica is a natural
Erica finally took some time off. She has been working full time in Colorado while earning her bachelors and masters degrees, but arranged to be with us in Maine for the month of December. So of course we put her to work. More importantly, we had plenty of time to begin the preparations for her upcoming wedding! Erica and Wes became engaged on Thanksgiving and are planning for a wedding on their fifth anniversary of meeting, August 25, 2019.
Tree skirts on my girls
Sadie loves books
Lindsay came to camp to help us prepare for Christmas.
I love when my girls sing
Skiing again!
Christmas morning
Christmas Day hike
All my kids
On our back deck
Bill’s Sister Anne, Bill, and his brother Ben
Sarah and her Charlie
Hiking with Wes and Erica
Bill’s student for weeks
CBHS students again!
First time on skis!
Bill and I began our sixth year of Maine Adaptive at Sunday River. We volunteer Mondays and Fridays to help handicapped people enjoy the joys of skiing. Every day, we get much more than we give. And I am still involved when the CBHS students come to ski. I used to bring a group of almost twenty every year to our camp for the week when I was teaching there.
Happy New Year!
Dave and Lindsay read to Sadie
Yes, she’s standing on her Cello
Neighbors helping our 90+ friend
Mt Abram continues to thrive as a little family mountain ski area with a huge heart. This is our sixteenth year skiing there and we can’t imagine ever missing a year. Management always arranges the most hilarious events and talented bands to keep every weekend lively. The village is full of wonderful folks from the newborn babies to the almost triple digit seniors. Everyone helps everyone have a great time.
Bill’s workshop
Helen’s workshop
More Mt Abram events
Sadie’s first sled ride
Trevor proposes to Erin at the Torch Light Parade
Skiing with Dave, Lindsay, and Lis
So much snow at our kitchen window!
In the Van with Christian and Christine
So proud of Erica and Lindsay
Bill competes at Mt Abram AT
Solar panels go up the day we leave
And she’s done!!
Lindsay’s Match Day
It was difficult to leave the mountain on March 15 for a few weeks, but we were eager to get going on the van trip. We started off by meeting Lindsay in Boston to be with her on Match Day, when she learned of her location for residency for the next 3 years. She, and Dave, were thrilled to find out she will be at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Concord Hospital in New Hampshire after she graduates from Medical School in May.
Al and Ann
Mom and Dad seeing the van
After celebrating with Lindsay, we headed to Connecticut to begin the many stops to see every member of my original family. First stop was to see my brother Al and his wife Ann. Next was my parents. They were thrilled to see the finished van and I learned that Dad had always wanted to go across the country in a van. Too bad it’s a little late for him.
Sharon, Helen, Bill, and Eric
These triplets are such gentlemen
Then on to my brother Eric and his wife Sharon’s home. They have the most delightful triplet boys.
Next was my brother Paul and his wife Tara’s home. Paul arranged for my sister Marie and brother Charlie to come over with their significant others Bill and Nicki. Our final day started with a visit to brother Rick’s home and we had dinner with him and his son, Mike. The day ended with a stop at my niece Chloe’s apartment where my brother Dan was visiting. Two parents, six brothers, one sister, and many members of their families, all in a few days! What a whirlwind!
Wes, Erica, Helen, Bill at the Poudre
Setting off for Colorado was easy and boring, with twenty-four hours of driving. Luckily the van was working out well as a kitchen, bedroom, and lounge. Finally we arrived in Fort Collins and were greeted by Erica and Wes.
Erica now catches so many fish
Bill is thrilled
I’ve lost count which one this was!
Wes’ prize winning trout on Frying Pan
We spent the next week fishing in so many spectacular rivers.
Sunny hot hiking every day
The Arches were spectacular
The Shire, a family home, may be the wedding venue
Rob, Lauren, Helen, Bill at Vail
When Erica and Wes had to do more University work, we set off for Moab, and stopped at the Shire on our return, a potential spot for the wedding. An extra treat out west was to make a stop at Vail to see Lauren, a dear friend from Mt Abram. When we met her, we were surprised to see Rob, the owner of Mt Abram! We had already said good bye to him back in Maine and were surprised find him here!
These two, Wes and Erica, have a lot going on as they finish up their degrees, plan for their wedding and hunt for jobs. So, to add to their tasks, they are now in charge of the van! Lindsay will come out to use it for a week, our niece Sarah will come use it for three weeks, and then Erica will begin managing it as a rental van!
Bill finds a new van when we return to Maine!
Birthday party for both Jenna and Kenny
Even the kitties got in this picture!
Look at those bear tracks!! Yikes!
Skiing the double black diamonds!
Sadie is eating her first onion! Loves it.
Lindsay runs for Dirigo in yet another Boston Marathon the day before we fly to Europe
Back home in Maine, Bill almost bought another van! We enjoyed Sadie a bunch more, celebrated her parents’ birthdays, and skied a few more times before flying back to Belgium to be reunited with Alembic.
This trip felt like another honeymoon after 34 years!
On October 9, we set off for one last hurrah in Europe for 2018. Always looking for the best deals, we stayed at an amazing Chateau in Brussels for less than the cost of a hotel, and set off by plane to Milan Italy for only 30 Euros each way. The rented van would serve as rental car, hotels en route, dining room for all meals (except those we packed for the hiking).
Chateau BedroomChateau Salon
The van was a fabulous way to get around and stay where you wanted. One idea for a winter project in Maine was to build a camper van from a cargo version, so trying one out in advance was key.
Our van for the weekOur travels
Knowing Milan was not our style, we made a beeline north to Chiavenna to find hiking and wilderness. What a score! We found it all here in this sweet old town and the other towns as we traveled north. Fabulous hikes, sweet spots to camp for the night, sometimes in campsites and sometimes for free in recommended road side stops, loads of history, and simple restaurants for a beer, which in Italy means a plate of delicious tiny entrees to go with it! Everyone we met was helpful and fun, showing us where to go next.
Tight Quarters
Lush simple flowers
such care is given to simplicity
Challenging gardening
Religious icons were everywhere
Waterfalls galore
typical cuisine
A noisy parade marches past our seats
We visited Lagh L’Albigna, where a hydroelectric dam created a huge mountain top lake, with gorgeous hikes and views all around.
riding the gondola up to the lake
mountain top lake
hydroelectric dam
Loving my hubby
Early snow in October
Pano of the lake from high up
A friendly horse
Swiss band
such care given to front steps
ancient Swiss museum
sweet friends shared the apple I gave them
After reading Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan, we were eager to visit Madesimo. So many references from the book came alive here.
Madesimo, just like the book
hairpin turns throughout the trip
Autumn Colors
We ended our glorious trip by driving the length of Lake Como to the town of Como for a final stop. This van cruise definitely confirmed our plans to build a van this winter!
Duomo di Milan
Inside the Duomo
Gotta pack up and head to Milan
Arriving back to Blankenberge where Alembic peacefully waited, we made final arrangements to winterize our trusty boat and head home for six months.
Tears streamed as we left Maine, heading back to the airport to get back to Alembic in England. Holding Sadie, and watching Kenny and Jenna grow quickly and smoothly into parents, was an experience that will forever be imprinted on my heart. The three of them make parenting look easy. Sadie never cries, and they seem like a family of puppies, cuddling and nursing, and loving each other.
Sadie is a dream baby
Clearly we were out of our minds; the young man at the airport, when we asked for our boarding passes, simply said “you’re a bit early”. “How early?” “24 hours”. Oops. We forgot that the departure date was the day before the arrival date! Luckily Ann and Al always welcome us for overnights, allowing us to see them and my parents one more time. Mom and Dad were so eager to greet their first great grandchild, but willing to wait a month.
Arriving back in England just in time for a slew of events helped us get back in the sailing mode. Southampton Boat Show and an OCC dinner provided us with plenty of opportunities to indulge on gear, cruising friends, and food.
I don’t love to shop, but I love sewing machines!
Another beautiful castle
Patti and James from La Aventura (Jimmy Cornell’s boat)
After stops in Chichester and Brighton, we made our way across the Channel to Boulogne, France! Full moon departure at 4 am with an approaching sunrise made the early exit simple. Nearly negligible wind added to the simplicity of this trip.
Brighton Marina
Full moon on departure
sunrise soon after
One of our first scenes in France was a motor biker riding with his foot raised to push a bicyclist. This confirmed the cruisers’ characterization “The French will go anywhere in anything” and extended the designation from sailors to road users as well.
Speed is another French specialty, which we experienced the next morning as we navigated through the breakwater. At the bottom of the twenty foot tide, we couldn’t see around the wall. Luckily, our AIS alerted us to a large coast guard vessel speeding right for us. We were prepared to yield for him, as he didn’t seem interested in yielding for us.
The lock to Dunkerque
Dunkerque Marina
A fascinating museum in Dunkerque
We tied up at a marina in Dunkerque where we were greeted by many friendly folks who challenged my language skills. Everyone seems to know zero English, which I appreciate! I find it sad that Americans rarely learn other languages, expecting foreigners to always learn ours. My French shifted into overdrive. They think I can converse fluently, but don’t realize that I only flow smoothly when using my brain’s French dictionary. But then they launch into the official French dictionary, with at least 100 times the vocabulary, and I’m lost. So many “encore, s’il vous plaît” are necessary!
Notre Dame
The Louvre
The Remy-Neris family
After practicing my French in Dunkerque, we took a train to Paris to visit the Remy-Neris family and see the sights. Marie Emmanuelle, Anne-Constance, and Clémence had spent summers with our family and it was nice to see their families in France finally. The parents of Anne-Constance welcomed us to a fabulous dinner at their home and invited his sister (Marie’s Mom) Sylvie as well so we could all be together. Thank you for your hospitality!
On our second night, Christophe gave us a night tour of Paris; enchanting!
Notre Dame at night
The Tour Eiffel
Back to Alembic, we progressed eastward toward Belgium. Our first stop was Nieuwpoort, where we picked up Eugen and Sandra Barton, old friends who live in Germany. Bill had worked with Eugen and their daughter Johanna lived with us for a year in Maine. Here was another opportunity to finally visit our European friends! They sailed, well, really we mostly motored, to Blankenberge with us. This harbor was very close to the home the Bartons were renting for the week.
Loving Blankenberge
The sail was uneventful, but the following day was terrific when Eugen and Sandra took us by car to Brussels and to Leuven where Johanna is studying. Spending time with the Bartons was great and the city of Leuven was full of ancient and modern marvels.
The Atomium
The Barton family
Leuven
Water Streets
More Leuven Love
I wish the US could encourage biking as they do here!
Next, we rented a car and explored the Netherlands. We had planned on keeping Alembic there for the winter, and wanted to check it out before we sailed all the way there. Blankenberge was surprisingly quiet, inexpensive, clean, and safe, so we were on the fence about which harbor was best. After a quick tour of the Dutch marina, we were glad we had found Blankenberge.
The Dutch Marina was not as clean or sturdy as that in Blankenberge
Reflecting back on our two weeks was dizzying. We had arrived in England, attended a Boat Show and an OCC Dinner, crossed the channel, visited Paris, sailed to Belgium, visited Brussels and Leuven, and toured the Netherlands, both city and marina. For week three, we were planning our next trip, a van through the Alps in Italy and Switzerland! Sometimes I just want to lay around for a day and read a book, or snuggle with Sadie. But for now, we are enjoying our varied experiences here in Europe.
Baby Sadie presented herself with perfect timing. Everyone knows that you can’t schedule a birth; not the timing, the birth experience, or the health of the newborn, but she managed to do everything right. For us, her grandparents. I’m sure Jenna and Kenny would have appreciated if she had arrived on her due date, and that they would have endured a shorter labor, but, no, Sadie wanted an extra week. This way, she would be only four days old when we meet.
Are you my Daddy?
Day one at home snuggles
On Christmas Day, Kenny announced to the whole family “we have a Christmas present, but you can’t see it until August”. At that moment, we began this journey of delighted anticipation. But how do you even express the absolute joy of seeing and holding a baby that is the perfect product of your own child and his beloved wife? There’s the relief that the infant’s health is flawless, the mother survived the ordeal smoothly, and the home is prepared for the new person. All of this is insignificant compared to the potential you witness. The energy surrounding the birth of a human is monumental. She now has an entire life of possibilities that we will witness, and the development of our son into a parent is equally huge.
Kenny’s first day home 28 years ago
And Jenna, our dear daughter in law, has begun the journey she has been seeking for most of her life.
Family
Yes, we were over the moon. And having Lindsay and Erica come for a long visit with us almost put us in that spaceship.
Meeting Pops and Meme
My girls
Team Weigel
A natural
The sisters have the touch
Squeezed in a fabulous visit with all ten of us at Moosehead Lake
Charlie is another new baby in the family and Sarah is the perfect guide
First bath
Sarah and Annie came for a visit
Family beach day
Toes in the sand
We visited Papa, my Dad, and saw that he was practicing writing Sadie
Leaving Ireland was difficult. I wanted to seek out more evidence of my heritage; my mother is 100 percent Irish. But further travels were beckoning. At first, we wanted to head to the western coast of Scotland, some of the finest cruising grounds in the world, but the winds didn’t cooperate, sending us further south, to Wales. This was a rough nine hour trip, with winds cranking up from less than ten knots the first hour to well into the thirties. The fishing vessels , crazy currents, and drenching rains added to the challenges. Then, the marina at Holyhead was gone, demolished in a recent storm.
Cloudy. Well named local boat
One dock was installed to allow about six boats where nearly 100 had sunk a few months prior. Fog, wind, and drizzle continued but we managed some amazing cliff walks anyway. The medieval church, St Cybil, still stands where a monastery was built in the sixth century.
Even our glasses were foggy
St Cybi
Seals frolicking in the surf
How old is this bench?
Carved gate
Less than two days later, we left Holyhead with new friends, heading into the eddies and winds again. Lisken sailed for Ireland as we turned south for a 24 hour run to Milford Haven, Wales. More castles and history here, then another 24 hour run to Falmouth, England.
James of Lisken
Lisken getting burried as she hobbyhorsed in the steep waves
King and Queen of the Castle
Castle Kids
Pleasantly surprised at our good timing, we joined the OCC, Ocean Cruising Club, for a dinner at the Royal Cornish Yacht Club.
OCC Dinner
Lunch in the YC Marquee
11 for Happy Hour
9 for dinner
9 for breakfast on Alembic
Formal dinner and speeches one night was followed by a casual lunch in the Marquee the next day. Six OCC boats headed up the river to continue festivities. Happy hour and dinner aboard Peter Flutter’s steel Saga 45, Tyrian of Truro, then breakfast on Alembic gave us plenty of time to listen to other cruisers’ stories, including the round the world adventures of Sea Bunny, with Susan and Richard Kidd.
Next ports were a public pontoon at Fowey, anchoring at Salcombe, and another pontoon in Dartmouth. Here we navigated through several classes of sailing races trying to gain entrance to the harbor, and enjoyed the regatta of a variety of rowing boats once inside.
Women’s Rowing Team
They better do as she says!
Another gorgeous sunset
Dartmouth Castle
Weymouth was our next port, and we tied up right behind the famous Gypsy Moth and were welcomed to a free tour.
The famous Gypsy Moth
On the way to Poole
Our mooring in Poole was far from town, but there was a convenient launch, which was followed by a bus and train to Lulworth. It seemed like we should have taken Alembic to this idyllic harbor, but many had warned us that the rolling in the harbor could damage any boat.
Harbor at Lulworth
a new friend
The beach at Lulworth
Winds to Lymington never materialized, so we motored there, but sailed up the river to a town Quay. We were missing family terribly at this point, and expecting a new grand baby to be born any day. At this point, she was late for her arrival!
Our grandbaby is almost here
Lindsay and Dave at yet another race
Erica and Wes in Colorado
We even miss our Allie; her lookalikes were everywhere!
We headed toward Portsmouth where we planned to meet cruising friends Suzanne and David, leaders of our Suzie Too Rally in the Western Caribbean two years prior, and fellow rally members Jeff and Mary from Echo. As we detoured up the River Medina, at Cowes, we learned of Sadie’s grand entrance! She was born an hour before, and all was perfect in our world.
Bill, Helen, David, Suzanne, Jeff, and Mary
Sharing our fabulous news with old friends was a gift. I’m sure they couldn’t peel us off our cloud during dinner, even if they tried!
Last stop, Wicor Marine, had a dock in the middle of the river waiting for us to tie to so we could leave Alembic and fly home to meet our new little Angel. Boat? What boat? I had a grand baby to meet! I’m sure I was a basket case packing up for this magical trip.
Arriving in Kinsale Ireland was quite the culmination of our Atlantic crossing. The tenacious spirit of my mom, a 100 percent Irish woman, was palpable here.
Father and son heading out when the fog lifted
I don’t even know what to call this
This sweet girl stayed on the docks with her best friend
Chilly mornings and icy water temps didn’t faze the exuberant children and adults as they navigated in the fog in tiny vessels with either oars or sails. Bravery manifests itself in many ways; sailing across the Atlantic takes one type of courage, but Alembic seemed a mighty ship compared to these mini watercraft all around us. There was some type of regatta underway and no shortage of enthusiastic participants.
With solid ground under our feet finally, after 9 days of twelve foot seas, we headed for a pub. The first one we stopped in didn’t disappoint. I was not really in the mood for a beer, but the music lured me in.
Sisters dancing to the band
Grandma plays the spoons
Watching the children bust out into Irish Dance routines (while wearing their soccer clothes) and grandma pull out spoons from her purse and join in the merriment gave me a taste for the true neighborhood gathering.
Al and Ann in front of her church in Galway
Next, it was off to visit my brother, Al, and his wife, Ann, in Galway. They were there for a wedding and a funeral. Emotions were covering the spectrum as we met many of Ann’s large family. Paul and Margaret generously gave us a room in their gorgeous home.
Paul and Margaret and one of their three daughters
Paul’s spirited Irish Draught Horses
Carrying on in our rental car, we visited the Aran Islands, staying in a teepee in Doolin after spending a glorious day on bikes, ferries, and foot.
My family used to call me Nelly
Kilmacduagh
Aran Islands
Mama and her calf
A gorgeous pony
A farmer tends to his wagon horse
Ruins
On the ferry
Our glamping teepee
Phenomenal Folk Music
Back to Alembic, we left the dock to drop anchor in the river. Anchoring is preferable for us because it’s free, peaceful, and closer to nature. Unfortunately, our trusty windlass was acting up again, so Bill dove into the tiny space up forward to explore. Being small has its advantages as he squeezed into the anchor locker.
In our anchor chain locker
We tried to have a new motor shipped to us in the Azores, but the delays were becoming comical, so we redirected it to Kinsale. It showed up just in time. Our grand plans for hauling the huge anchor and lengthy chain by hand never had to be put into action.
The famous Bulman
Stretching out after the cramped anchor locker work
After a two day stop in Cork, only a three hour journey from Kinsale, we headed to Dublin, a 26 hour sail up the east coast of Ireland. The night was ridiculously cold and dressing like an eskimo still didn’t keep me warm, but I was grateful to be in this glorious water, sharing space with so many bird pairs and leaping miniature dolphins.
We enjoyed exploring the city, getting a taste of the culture with a visit to the busy downtown, a tour through Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin’s oldest building built in 1030, and an amazing Dance show.
pubs spilling out onto the streets of Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral
Irish Dancing
While I wished I could have stayed another month, we were eager to see more of Europe, so two weeks after arriving in Ireland, we departed Dún Laoghaire (pronounced Done Leary), heading east on August 17.
