Have Wind Will Travel

They call it the Windy City!  Although the only thing that really blew for us, were pyrotechnics at the Bruno Mars concert.  Haha!  At Soldier Field.  In the most incredible weather.  My God it was an event.  Buckle up, friends.  Chicago was quite the ride.  

May 2026

So, we started off the whole trip with new travel buddies.  Always fun.  Say hello to Scott and Missy. Hello! 👋

And Phillip and I can really blame Scott for this whole Chicago affair.  It was Scott who was in the process of buying Bruno tickets only to find they were selling out faster than he could click.  That Bruno is one popular guy.  Word on the street was Bruno booked his entire 40-stop The Romantic 2026 tour—I mean 40 … that’s a lot—only to find demand wasso high and the tickets were selling out so fast, he added 30 more additional shows almost immediately after tickets went on sale.  We hadn’t even been planning a trip to Chicago but once Phillip heard we could get floor seats … IF we moved fast.  

What did Phillip do?  (Have you met the man … )  He booked.  Bam.  Done.  We were going to Chicago.  

Bruno Prep

Funnily enough, we already had a trip booked in early May but we’re apparently in our Travel Era, so two trips in one month is just how we roll nowadays.  I only mention the trip TO COLORADO the week before because that’s where we picked up our incredible Bruno Mars concert outfits.  If you have NOT been to a big venue concert like this (don’t worry, I hadn’t) let me teach you something: YOUR ATTIRE IS KEY.  I did not know this.  But, Phillip schooled me up showing me we needed to either get some cool outfits that channel one of Bruno’s many iconic looks or we go red head-to-toe as that’s what we’d heard others were doing for … quite appropriately … the ROMANTIC tour.  

Phillip and I decided to channel our inner Bruno.  He went with an  I Just Might version that was pretty stellar, and I got a bedazzled hat and banging silver books that channeled Bruno’s mariachi style on The Romantic album.  [Side note – had I know what Anderson Paak was going to wear on stage … totally would have done that.  And, don’t ask, I’m not telling because I’m planning it for Halloween.  Our favorite holiday.  Heck yeah!]. So check out these rocking numbers we got at one of the many prolific thrifts stores in Boulder, CO.  

Loved this pic I snagged of Phillip at the thrift store with the clerk fan-girling over his spot-on Bruno outfit.

Although do know I was trying to get Phillip or Scott to wear this. Both vetoed me (*ahem …. I won’t say the word here that I called them). But, that’s okay – with our sparkle boots and hats, we were ready.  

Dinner at The Purple Pig

But, first things first.  It is Chicago.  We do need to party.  For our first night there.  We ate at The Purple Pig.  The food was immaculate, delicious, incredible.  Check out this dish that came out all steamy. Talk about making an entrance!

The atmosphere was lively (although I have to mention a little loud) but the four of us were punch drunk and giddy and just giggles most of the dinner, so we had an exceptional time.  

And, I can only hope you find friends that you can laugh this hard with in your lifetime. Missy, Scott, you guys are welcome to travel with us anytime. What a hoot!

Tiki Drinks at Three Dots and a Dash

After dinner we ventured to what will probably serve as one of our favorite spots in all of Chicago – Three Dots and a Dash!  Little back story – during Covid Phillip and I got a little (too) into cocktails.  We went nuts.  Ordered books.  Stocked our shelves with eight different kinds of rum—yes, the pot-stilled, the pure, the Agricole, the funky, we had it all.  We ordered these two books: Tiki and Smuggler’s Cove—and did cocktails the right way.  They’re subtle, herbal, strong.  Real tiki drinks are not syrupy or overly sweet.  If you’re doing it right, they’re the complete evolution of a party in your mouth, from the beginning quiet notes, to the breakout on the dance floor, to the satisfying appreciation of what just went down.  Phillip was in hog heaven at this place.  I don’t think we would have gone anywhere else had we been able to get a table.  We would have ordered their “treasure chest” (a massive drink actually served IN a chest with eight straws).  Next time … 

EDM Dance Club 

But alas, this time we had after-cocktail plans at Sound-Bar.  A high-energy, EDM (electronic dance music) club.  It’s a new thing we’ve been doing.  Highly recommend.  DJs these days are wildly entertaining with their colorful lit-up booths, their entourage up on the stage (think: gorgeous people partying) and their energy and vibe.  This DJ—although he looked like a guy that would work at Office Depot, which cracked me up—was super fun, had the crowd jumping and going.  And, it was awesome to be able to watch him physically manipulate the tracks and sounds right in front of you.  That really added to the energy.  And, the ladies had fun getting all glammed up in our clubbing outfits.  The straps on my little dress were disco ball.  Doesn’t get much better than that!

Day Two: Grant Park

Our first morning there Phillip and I enjoyed a lovely stroll through Grant Park.  We stayed at the Hilton Chicago there by the park which turned out to be a fantastic spot for just about everything we wanted to do, particularly the Bruno concert.  We walked to and from it, which added to the experience and enhanced it as we didn’t have to worry about parking at all.  We just mozied there and back and enjoyed the people watching.  It was the perfect spot, especially for mine and Phillip’s morning stroll through the park.  I particularly enjoyed these iron sculptures. The artwork consists of 106 towering, headless, armless iron figures created by Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz. Each figure is about 9 feet tall, and the installation is called “Agora,” named after the ancient Greek word for a public gathering place. It was installed in Chicago in 2006 and has become one of the city’s most recognizable public art pieces.

Architecture Tour by Boat

Day two we did something Phillip and I have done before, but it was so fantastic, I was actually looking forward to doing it again almost as much as the Bruno Mars concert.  It is an architectural tour by water.  Chicago has a fascinating architectural history—what with The Great Fire of 1871 that changed the very fabric of the city and the way people lived and built going forward.  Some fascinating stats: 

The Destruction at a Glance

• Dates: October 8–10, 1871 
• Damage: Leveled roughly 3.3 square miles (about a third of the city) and destroyed 17,000 structures.
• Casualties: Approximately 300 lives lost and over 100,000 residents left homeless.
• Financial Loss: Roughly $200 million in 1871 dollars (more than $5 billion today)

Then there was the World Fair that came through in 1893, a monumental event designed to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the “New World” (think: when Columbus first discovered) and demonstrate that Chicago had completely recovered from the devastating Great Fire of 1871.  This event attracted over 27 million visitors (million!).  Many of the buildings we looked at and learned about were shaped by that history.  It was fascinating.  Highly recommend this tour if you go to Chicago.

Deep Dish Pizza at Lou Malnati’s

We also had to (it’s a must) get a deep dish pizza while in Chicago.  And this iconic pizza spot—Lou Malnati’s—proved to be the perfect place to cross this important item off our list.  NOTE: when they say deep dish in Chicago, they don’t mean Domino’s with the thick crust.  This is pizza that I would actually describe as a pie, like with a pie crust that sits on the bottom of a 2” tall pan and your pie filling is cheese, meat, sausage, more cheese, pepperonis, more cheese.  Like THAT kind of pie.  I never really understood why they called pizza a “pie” until Chicago.  Once you have a Chicago deep dish pizza, you understand the pie.  It’s all about that melty, stringy cheese people.

And, don’t worry – the calories are all made up so the points don’t matter.  *You’re on vacation.  Just eat.*

THE BEAN!

I mean … you have to do this every time you go.  While Phillip and I try to stay off the beaten path and really experience new cities like a local, some sights are just so iconic it’s worth it go bumble around with the tourists to experience it.  The famous mirrored lima bean in Chicago is definitely one.  I’m just now learning it’s also called “Cloud Gate” but lima bean is far more fitting. Wouldn’t you agree, lol?  Just walking around this thing, looking at the reflection of the city skyline on it, waving to yourself in it, spinning around aimlessly underneath.  It’s just fun.  And, I can imagine if I lived in Chicago I would come and sit near the bean often to people watch and write.  It’s a lovely spot.  

Okay, friends, you’ve been patient long enough.  Now the Chicago event you really came to see.  Us too.  Let’s do this.    

BRUNO MARS

You know, I don’t really feel like I need to say much here (and, yes, I know I’m the writer) because this was such a visual, audible, visceral experience. Bruno entertained from the very minute he stepped onto the stage (DJ Pee Wee – Anderson Paak, and Leon Thomas did too!). The way Bruno spliced in his old hits, but stayed true to The Romantic vibe and feel was exceptional. The visuals, the big jumbo screens, the pyrotechnics, the fireworks, the confetti in the sky. This was a complete sensory overload from the beginning to the end. Just here – a million pics and videos will never do it justice. But, I will forever be glad I experienced this exceptional artist and all of his creativity from the floor at Soldier Field. Thank you Phillip!

Also, afterward, we absolutely slayed burgers at this little eatery near our hotel.  Took forever for them to make them (know it was near midnight at this point and the city was drowning in red-clad, starving Bruno fans) and we were famished.  We tore into these things like hungry hippos, gnashing and clawing and getting it all over our faces.  I couldn’t have dreamed up a better ending to that night.  

Bruno, you will forever be a legend in my book.  And I’m pretty confident it will be years if I ever witness a musical event that spectacular … if I ever do.  It would be okay if I didn’t.  Trust me.  If you were there, you would agree.  I can die a happy Bruno fan now.  

Thank you again, Phillip–and Scott–for making this all happen! 

Day Three: Biking Chicago’s Lakefront Trail

This was another thing Phillip and I had done in Chicago before, but we loved it so much we wanted to do it again.  Plus, you saw the pizza and the burgers (and I didn’t even mention our cookie stop at Levain … Phillip is a cookie monster!).  Also, after a mind-blowing brunch at The Girl & the Goat, we were due for some physical exercise, lol.   Besides, biking this waterfront is not exercise … really. It’s just lovely.  They have a well-marked path and lots of people walk and jog it, so it’s great people watching.  Funny, though, because we were taking in the sights, the four of us were going kind of slow, and regulars were definitely passing us and scoffing.  I mean .. it is still Chicago, cousin of New York, lol.  But, they were harmless and we had fun chuckling at our Granny Pack.  This is definitely a glorious way to experience the waterfront. 

Navy Pier

Once you’re out in the lovely open air biking, you need to go to the cool places.  Navy Pier is a fun spot.  It kind of feels like Coney Island, like a state fair on a little spit of land.  It’s a little touristy, but still lots of fun.  And, it has one of the best views of Chicago’s skyline.  Worth a spin through, especially on a day as lovely as this.

  

Wrigley Field

While we didn’t book a game this time, our buddy Scott is a huge sports fan, so we rolled up to the Wrigley neighborhood to check out Wrigley Field and poke around.  The sports memorabilia stores were cool and we got some great shots in front of the iconic field.  

RPM for Dinner and That’s a Wrap!

Our last night there ended up being our greatest dinner experience, which I think is how you always want it to go.  The Purple Pig was phenomenal, don’t get me wrong, but it was a little loud (and, granted, we were giddy and excited it being Night One of the trip, so that has an impact).  This evening—after we’d done the boat tour, we’d biked, we’d DJ’d and danced, we’d witness the majestic event that is Bruno Mars at Soldier Field—our metaphorical bellies were already full.  Phillip chose RPM, this wonderful, elegant Italian restaurant. They put us in a quiet booth and our server was like silk, slipping in and out wordlessly bringing us every thing we knew we needed, and many we didn’t, as well as stories and quips.  She was the je ne sais quoi of our dinner, and the four of us having that hour to reminisce, share stories, laugh, and just recap it all was the je ne sais quoi of our Chicago trip.  

What an absolute blast.  Well, other than getting delayed at the airport and not getting home till 1:00 a.m. (the day after we took off from Chicago!).

Small price to pay for that epic amount of fun. And, Scott and I had fun snagging this iconic movie shot while in the airport. Just needed to pull my spandex britches up a bit before taking off, but you’re welcome.

Chicago … we’ll be back! 

You know … we did plan to travel to Colorado in MAY so that we could do all the spring things: hiking, biking, walking.  What we did not plan for was to land in the heaviest snow dump of their season!  The good news was it cleared very quickly so we got to experience all four seasons in Boulder in just one week, which was incredible.  Phillip and I went there in early May for my niece’s University of Colorado law school graduation (pics below!), but we also worked in a treasure trove of hiking, climbing, walking, eating, perusing, even watching indoor cliff divers … yes I just said that.  Let’s dive in … dive, get it?!  [Man I’m on fire today!]

Snow … in MAY?!

Seriously, the minute Phillip and I landed at Denver International it started to snow.  At first it was just a light dusting, an insignificant sprinkle.  Then it started to dump. D.U.M.P.   We got pelted that first night with 8”—their heaviest fall of the season we were told, which seemed crazy!  It was insane walking (dancing, frolicking) and driving around in all that snow.  Mesmerizing for sure.  

Cleaning our little rental off the next day was interesting, too.  They issue you a little “snow brush” at Enterprise but that thing was barely putting a dent in the heap that had piled up on our little car.  When Phillip hit the brakes the first time, the whole sheet of snow slid down and covered the windshield.  😳

The Creek Path (Eben G. Fine Park)

If this beautiful little path had been by MY college campus in Alabama when I was going to law school, you could have found me walking on it every day!  Now granted, I would have been reciting outlines in my head, memorizing the many elements of legal claims, etc., but look at the immersive, soothing scenery I would have been doing it in!  What a delight!  This was our second morning in Boulder (first was the Boxcar Coffee Roasters : ) – in “Restaurants and Cafes” below).  It was still a little slushy still from the snow, but not too bad and an exceptional walk along this rolling creek and hillsides.  I even found the New Mexico state flower.  A yucca!  Hadn’t seen one of those in years.  Yes, it called for a selfie.  Yucca, yucca – ha!  

Our Little Condo (super cool!)

I am a very lucky woman to be able to travel with this man—known in our circles as PFW, ha!  If you know, you know.  He’s an amazing planner.  Phillip booked us in this super cute little AirBnB just a couple of blocks off of Pearl Street (which is their quintessential “Main Street” with all the shops, cafes, restaurants, etc.).  The map below shows the little span of Boulder between the UC campus/mountains on the left and 28th Street on the right. We could walk pretty much this entire area. It was a fantastic little spot, with great views right out the windows.  And a TBR list that impressed the heck out of this little writer!  

Popping Tags!

This just seems like a local pastime—thrift store shopping!  It was the same in Park City, UT.  These granola peeps—hikers, bikers, outdoorsy people—sure love their vintage clothing and thrift stores.  And, thank GOD for them because I love them too.  I’ve been shopping at thrift stores long before it was “cool.”  Check me and my brother out circa 1988.  Big Pimpin’! 

We did have a very noble reason, however.  My busted-ass shoes.  I don’t know what it is about me and shoes, but they break on me ALL the time.  Heels fall off.  Straps break. Buckles disintegrate.  Things come unglued.  I’ve nailed them back together.  Epoxied them. Duct-taped them.  You name it.  I could do a whole shoe montage here if I was so inclined. [If anyone wants to formally lodge the request, I will happily fill it, lol].  But, alas, my blackies I had worn in the airport spent the day dying as we were walking around, flaking off little black bits everywhere I went.  

So, Phillip had the great idea that we pillage thrift stores for a replacement, but then we both decided together—fuck it—let’s get very unpractical boots that can double as my costume for the Bruno Mars concert, which we would be flying to the following week.  So we did that.  Had the time of our lives.  Phillip picked out the perfect Bruno “I Just Might” outfit.  Check out the granola gal going nuts behind him.  And, we’ll get to reveal all the Bruno Mars fun in our next HaveWind post TO CHICAGO for BRUNO MARS!  Coming at you 6/30. Stay tuned. 

University of Colorado Law School Graduation 👩‍🎓

This was just awesome.  First, I must say the University of Colorado campus is exquisite.  How soothing and uplifting it would be to go to class everyday against the backdrop of these beautiful mountains, with the ability to go on so many mind-cleansing, rejuvenating walks to clear your head.  What a treat!  

So, what Class of 2026 student were we there for?  My niece, Megan Rose (M.R.) Dickey!  She killed it in law school and was set to graduate on May 8th with her Juris Doctorate!    Megan had a thousand chords and braids on her shoulders (okay, not a thousand, but enough to make this aunt mighty proud) and she just glistened walking across the stage and out of the auditorium where we all bombarded her with praise and love!  Way to go MEGAN!! 

And the rocking silver boots actually played very well with my graduation getup!

She was also going to graduate just about 20 years to the day after her Crazy Aunt Annie.  Side Note: Every gal should have a crazy aunt to look up to—I had an amazing one so I’m taking my role rather seriously!  

For that reason, I wanted to do a photo re-enactment of this shot that Megan and I took when I graduated law school (2007) from the University of Alabama and Megan came running up to me for a hug.  

Our photo re-enactment is at the end.  How did we do??  

Casa Bonita 🏰

This was Megan’s idea, and I’m SO GLAD she had it.  It took her dad, my brother, John, months to get the reservation.  Phillip and I had no idea what we were in for—“Mexican craziness” was all my brother would provide.  For that reason, Phillip and I asked no further questions and just showed up … to this huge garish pink castle next to the Dollar Tree.  This thing could be a national landmark!  Then we got the full scoop:

• Casa Bonita is a real Mexican-themed restaurant in the Denver area (technically in Lakewood, just outside Denver), famous for its cliff divers, cave system, arcade, puppet shows, and over-the-top atmosphere. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, grew up in Colorado and went there as kids. 
• In 2003, they made one of the show’s most beloved episodes, Casa Bonita. In the episode, Cartman becomes obsessed with getting invited to Kyle’s birthday party at Casa Bonita and goes to absurd lengths—including hiding Butters in a bomb shelter—to secure an invitation. 
• Years later, when the real Casa Bonita ran into financial trouble and bankruptcy, Parker and Stone stepped in and bought it in 2021. They reportedly spent tens of millions restoring and reopening it because it was such a huge part of their childhood and Colorado culture. 

Inside, I was just floored.  Mesmerized the whole time.  There were caves to explore, games to play, a mariachi band that was going from table to table.  A puppet show that about split my sides (loved the talking taco!).  And … the best part, an INDOOR cliff diving pool where the divers come out periodically, put on a little show, then dive into the pool for your entertainment.  Could dinner get any better?!  Our answer was No.  No, it could not.  That was cheeseball fun at its finest.  I had an amazingly spectacular time.  Great pick Megan!

Hiking Mount Sanitas

Mount Sanitas was a wonderful way to spend the day.  We actually had a couple (and the bartender) recommend it in a little swank restaurant where we grabbed a drink: Frasca.  It’s a Michelin-starred, James Beard award winner.  We were only able to grab a drink this time.  But, they said it was a lovely easy hike and they were right.  It reminded me a lot of the Arcadia National Park in Maine in that the paths were so well marked and laid out.  They actually made it easy to climb up that high and take in the incredible views.  It was a cool day, not too hot and sunny, and just an exquisite morning spent in nature.  The best place for a post-hike snack (and beer!).  Avery Brewing, which we did after Mt. Sanitas.  Writeup below.  

Hiking the Flatirons 

This was easily my favorite hiking that we did in Boulder.  Most of it is simply walking, a lot of it is “high-knee” they call it, more athletic walking, and even some scrambling (my favorite part).  Here is a guide to Boulder’s Flatirons.  We hiked the first three, which are the most common.  The first one is a sheer face that a lot of people like to do free-hand.  We even met a guy on the way up who was coming down after finishing “On my 62nd birthday, today!  I’m 62 and did that!” he was announcing to everyone who could hear.  His pride (well-deserved) was infectious!  It was also really cool to see talented climbers set up and go.  Phillip and I pretended a little bit—that was fun.  We talked to several folks on the mountains—some really interested Europeans who talked to us about skiing in Austria.  The birthday guy.  Then another pair of climbers who were all business but shared some tips on picking routes.  Overall, it was just a cool day spent among fellow nature-lovers, admiring and appreciating these glorious mountains and the wonders nature can create.  I highly recommend!  

Street Performers on Pearl Street

 Okay, so I am a total sucker for street performers—live art of any kind, really.  If someone is out there putting on entertainment for you, whether it’s terrible, amazing, funny, sad, I don’t care.  I’m going to be interested.  This guy was no exception.  Peter Irish he called himself.  Claims to have been doing it on Pearl Street for sixteen years and I believe him. I found him on Facebook, too. A legit lifetime performer.

Peter Irish showed us his Guiness Book of World Records – juggling with both his feet AND hands for 15 seconds (anyone wants to watch it’s pretty darn impressive).  Wow.  Pete told us that took him 15 years to learn … and that it was worth it!  Then he had a knife-throwing bit where he had a “helper” (little 9 year old from the crowd) toss a knife at him.  I’m sorry, but you should watch that bit in slow-mo.  The kid chucks it—does not lob it—directly at the guy, no arc at all.  And poor Pete—because the thing is sailing into a crowd—has to grab it with his hand.  I’ve watched it several times.  I’m pretty sure he caught the BLADE with his hand and kept on performing.  Gotta love the guy’s gumption.  

Annie the Creepy Selfie Artist 

Just because I’m always willing to sacrifice a little of my dignity for your entertainment.  Maybe I’ve got a little Pete in me.  You may recall I did this a while back in my “TO MONTREAL” post where I creeped around and caught The Ladies Man—Tim Meadows—with an over-the-shoudler selfie.  

It didn’t look like Tim saw me.  But, Peter Irish … I’m pretty sure—nay confident—he did.  When I fan-girled over seeing him in Trident Booksellers (another great bookstore and coffee shop), I tried to pretend like I was texting to get the shot.  He totally saw me … 

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse 

We kept walking by this place and it just looked so intriguing.  Stood out like some kind of delicate beacon.  The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse.  Turns out it’s a bit of a tradition.  Inside the ceiling is hand-carved and hand-painted, with ornate tables, carved pillars, decorative stools and columns, and other colorful ceramic pieces.  It’s quite the visual experience. The food was excellent, too, and the service.  Phillip and I sat right by the fountain and fully enjoyed our tea experience.  

Notable Restaurants and Cafes:

OAK at Fourteenth: We ate here our first night.  Even jogged through the snow and got our jackets drenched to get there, but it was totally worth it.  That big ole’ caveman-sized piece of focaccia with the chicken liver pate and strawberry jam were out of this world.  The thing is even bigger than the photo conveys, too.  Like that bone they put on Fred Flintstone’s car that made it fall over.  It was that big.  

Boxcar Coffee Roasters: Phillip and I love a good work morning at the local coffee shop.  This is actually one of my FAVORITES parts of traveling, walking a new city and sitting down for a coffee in a new shop.  This is where I do a lot of my working and writing, so I was a big fan of Boxcar.  Many thanks to our friends Madeliene and Adrian for recommending this place.  Also, my Crazy Aunt De used to live in a boxcar back in Clovis, NM (no joke) so I kind of had a soft spot for it.  

West End Tavern: Any place where a beaver greets you and helps you to your seat is my kind of joint.  This was a cool restaurant and bar.  Phillip and I bellied up to the bar for dinner (because we love a good bar) and had a fabulous time.  The craft cocktails were incredibly satisfying and well-made.  We also learned this has been the long-standing joint for decades.  A friend of ours who went to college at the University of Colorado years ago in Boulder said she used to bartend here.  It’s kind of an icon.  

Avery Brewing: This place was recommended to us by our friends Madeliene and Adrian (thanks again!).  Their buddy started it up—but we were happy to report to them word has it he’s since sold the business in exchange for a happy retirement and free beer for life.  Kudos dude!  The place was awesome.  Parked up on a big expansive hill with lots of outdoor games for the family.  Great beers.  Excellent nachos and bites.  It was the perfect way to end a hike day.  

Cozobi Fonda Fina: The best avocado margarita I’ve ever had in my life. Well, after “Mexico” in Epcot. But, I say that because the Chef here, Johnny Curiel, opened Cozobi Fonda Fina as an encore to his beloved LoHi restaurant. He named it after Cozobi, the Zapotec God of Corn and the cuisine is rooted in Mexico’s centuries-old corn nixtamalization traditions and wood-fire cooking techniques that define its rich food history.

That’s a Bold Wrap! : )

Overall, it was a wonderful trip visiting family, soaking up nature, and enjoying the gorgeous scenery and chill vibe that is Boulder, CO. We’ll be back!

Although Phillip and I are land-based now—preparing to fly to some super cool places this year Boulder, CO, Chicago, IL, and eventually Africa this summer—we’re getting many reports from our friends over in our favorite place in all the Bahamas.  Yes.  700 islands and this one is our favorite.  For that reason, I wanted to share it here in my “HaveWindWillTravel TO _______” series: 

Harbor Island in Eleuthera, known locally as BRILAND.

I think the best way to describe it right out of the gate is: The place where you can experience the whole spectrum of adventure—from the lush to the local.  Think sandy toes at a conch shack drinking an ice-cold Kalik.  Then you’re in for exceptional snorkeling, swimming with turtles, kite-surfing, and horses on the grand pink Atlantic beach, before you dive into fine-dining, live music, and dancing your toes off.  Yes, that’s in store.  Briland offers it all, my friends.  Let’s dive in!

The Perfect Entry to Harbor Island (Spanish Wells!)

In case you come to Eleuthera by boat (as many do), I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend a stop in Spanish Wells before you navigate the Devil’s Backbone (sounds monstrously scarier than it really is) into Harbor Island.  Or, if you have a few days on Briland, take the ferry over one day to experience this little Bahamian gem.  Why?  Oh, ho ho.  On that little 2 x ½ mile spit of sand you will find: 

1. The most gorgeous north shore beach in all of the Bahamas.
2. One of the most glorious, well-stocked grocery stores in all of the Bahamas (trust me, if you’ve traveled to the Bahamas frequently you know this is a draw).
3. Several quirky, cool restaurants – Wrecker’s, Buddha’s Burgers, The Shipyard, and The Sandbar (golf cart ride over to Russell Island); not to mention—my absolute favorite, worth an entire trip to the Bahamas IMHO … [drumroll please] …
4. PAPA’S SCOOPS! 

Last year in the Bahamas, 2025 (probably our last by sailboat, so worth remembering) we had several groups of friends fly in and converge on us at once, creating this epic, once-in-a-lifetime mega party among cruising friends.  The roster: 

• Our wonderful friends Stephen and Beth (featured here) were there on their amazing new SeaWind s/v Toodaloo.  Yes, they do love espresso martinis, don’t you? 😂

• Mutual friends of theirs and ours, Chris and Megan (who purchased our Niagara, featured here) flew in and were staying on Toodaloo.  

• One of Phillip’s very close, lifelong friends, Keith, flew in to stay on Ubi with us.  Just make sure you’

• And, our amazing friends, Leo and Diane who sail on an Outbound 46 (and who saved our asses by offering us their spare riser/elbow back in 2021, featured here and here) were there on Orion as well.  

In honor of this incredible convergence, we planned a dockside potluck for the books, a dinner that wrecked Wreckers, and a three-cart golf safari to Papa’s Scoops that I think did them in.  And this was only the beginning of our “Briland” Adventure 2025.  Spanish Wells, we love you.  Muah!

THEN … WELCOME TO BRILAND (And Why We Love It!)

For those of you coming into Harbor Island as a cruiser, by boat, hire a local pilot to navigate you through the Devil’s Backbone the first time.  Woody’s is great.  Ask around at Pinder’s Grocery; they’re easy to find and book.  Then drop a trail that you can follow through the Backbone on your own after that.  

Sailing the Harbor can be a lot of fun on your way in.  You’ll pass by Man Island, which is a beautiful, remote island with a sandbar that feels like a meditative trip on the moon.  Just a cool spot that charter boats can bring you over to for the day, as well from Briland.  

Once in the Harbor, we like to drop our hook behind Romora’s and come in by dinghy there.  

For many of you who fly in (likely into the Eleuthera Airport) one of your first forays into Briland, and maybe into the Bahamas period, might be this little conch shack.  Marty’s. 

Marty’s Conch Shack

He’s right on the harbor side (as opposed to the Atlantic side) looking out on the boat activity that toddles by daily.  The guy’s been making conch salad since he was probably big as a coconut.  And—if I had to wager—I’d say he’s probably chopped and mixed up about 1,348,792 batches of it over his lifetime.  Give or take.  Hanging out at Marty’s conch shack, shooting the shit with anyone who comes around (often the DJ from the night club – we’ll get there), listening to the locals swap gossip, is the perfect entry to island time and Bahamian life.  

Authentic Local Life on the Harbor

While there are many high-end, super fancy, ritzy schmitzy experiences (those are all Annie terms) you can have on Harbor Island, I kind of prefer the main street right by the water, with the little trinket shops, a juice bar, clothing boutiques, the laundro-mat, you know, the local stuff!  And, there’s a group of guys there always playing Dominos.  I could sit and watch them slap dominos down and argue with one another all day!  Just a great authentic vibe on the harbor-side.  

Romora’s Top Side

This place—Romora Bay—offered four very important things for us: 

1. Landing spot for coming in on the dink, where you could also park your cart if you rented one (very common).
2. The BEST sunset backdrop for photos in, I think I can say, all of Eleuthera at least, or it’s damn well up there – wait till you see the photos!
3. The BEST frozen goombay smash on the island.  Trust us, we had plenty.  And conch fritters.  
4. Live music on the weekends.  Two very talented Bahamians set up with steel drums and guitar and play all the hits.  You just can’t beat it.  

They offer an incredible dinner, too, with beautifully lit tables looking over the harbor.  You can see we anchored Ubi right behind Romora’s (one of the two marina’s there – Valentine’s is the other).  So, you also can keep an eye on your boat while you’re getting sloshed up at the bar.  Win-win!

The Pink Atlantic Beach (Horses and Kitesurfing)

Now we all know there are a hundred different beaches in the Bahamas, all beautiful, all with something unique to offer.  But the beach on the Atlantic side of Briland has something completely different.  It’s PINK.  Seriously.  The sand is made up of crushed red sea shells (called foraminifera, if you’re interested and a fun little educational video here if you’re even more interested, you’re welcome).  The result?  A magnificently sparkling pink beach.  I’m not kidding.  And they groom it daily (raking off the seaweed, leaves, and debris – wouldn’t want those) so that it looks exquisite for all the ritzy folks in their high-end hotels on the Atlantic side.  The benefit to you?  YOU get to enjoy an immaculately groomed pink beach that is flat for miles.  It’s breathtaking, stunning, the stuff mermaids’ dreams are made of.  This is the beach that would draw Ariel from the ocean.  It’s also the reason they walk horses along the beach for the tourists.  This scene is a once-in-a-lifetime photo for sure.  

But, of course, we just got savage and kitesurfed out there, mucking up their pretty little pink scene.  They didn’t seem to mind, though, when they saw what we could do on the kites in the ocean.  Even with our new friend Stefan (the Savage)!  What a time we had out there!  Harbor Island is one of our favorite places to kite, both in the Atlantic, and the Harbor.  

Get Ritzy at The Dunmore

Word had it Taylor Swift had swooped through town and was going to eat at The Dunmore the same night we had made a reservation.  This place is so high-end you really need to make a reservation a few days out – a week out if Ms. Swift is coming through.  So, we did!  Thinking we were going to get a glimpse.  So, Phillip and I got all dressed up and ready for our splurge night out only to find we’d gotten the date mixed up and our reservation was actually the following weekend (when we wouldn’t even be in Harbor Island anymore).  Ha!  We got a big laugh out of that one.  So, we never did get to eat there, but we walked through like we were something special and it looked amazing.  Give it a try and tell me what you think!

  

Live Music at The Rock House

After they gave us the boot at The Dunmore (never breaks our spirit) we walked across the island to The Rock House(another cool evening/dinner location).  The minute we walked up and heard the live music crooning us in, we knew it had all worked out exactly as it should have.  The woman singing that evening was just exquisite, like cashmere pulling across your skin.  Ahhhhh … Definitely catch the live music there if you get a chance. 

 

Other Eats: Arthur’s Bakery, Da Vine, The Landing, Coffee!

Arthur’s Bakery was one of our favorite stops.  You had to go early to get the good pastries and bread, as they sell out quite early in the mornings it’s that good.  Robert Arthur has been baking for decades and built the place up himself.  Very cool guy if you get a chance to talk with him.  

Also, Chef du Cool offers BBQ and other local Bahamian fare ordered up and brought to the beach, or your boat.  Some exceptionally wonderful, authentic food.  

We ate at Aquapazza with Stephen and Beth (the lovely porch swing photos below). It was a wonderful Thai-themed dinner out on the veranda overlooking the Atlantic.

The Landing is an awesome laid-back brunch spot with music and a shaded outdoor patio that will keep you there till 3 pm.  

Lastly, sushi at Da Vine is some of the best I’ve had in my life.  And, that’s only like half the restaurants on the island.  There’s no shortage.  

And, there are several amazing little coffee shops to pop in and enjoy the atmosphere over a chai latte (I know I did): Cocoa Coffee and Bahamas Coffee Roasters. Not to mention, they’re still building The Briland Club which boasts endless upscale adventures, and I believe ‘em.  

Swimming With the Turtles!

But let’s get to the real draw.  These cute little guys.  Many fellow cruisers had told us about this little turtle hole at the south end of the Harbor where lots of little sea turtles live and will come out and swim with you.  Phillip and I had tried finding it many times on our own with limited luck.  Then, finally, on one of our last dinghy rides through Briland in 2024, we found it.  (I’ll be quiet about the details so it doesn’t get TOO revealed) but the charter boat guys take all the tourists there, so I’m not ruining anything.  Once Phillip and I got the scoop we knew we were going to bring all our friends here next time.  In a two-dinghy fleet we cruised down to the south end of the Harbor and had a mind-blowing morning petting and loving on these little sea creatures.  Some of them being the teensiest tiniest little sea turtles I’ve ever seen!  🥹

Snorkeling

Perfectly convenient is a beautiful little snorkel spot on your way back to Romora’s after swimming with the turtles.  Just a little rock out in the harbor, which is nice because it’s shallow so very easy swimming/snorkeling for all skill levels, and the water is warmer because it’s shallow (trust me that matters when you’re snorkeling in the chilly waters of the Bahamas).  And, there’s a whole miniature world down there with sea cucumbers, a million little fishies, urchins, starfish.  Our buddy, Keith, brought this badass little underwater, handheld scooter, too, that was so much fun to jet around with underwater.  We all took a spin.  In all it was just an incredible day spent out on the water with friends.  We were also thrilled to hear after we got back and only spent maybe a few dollars on dinghy gasoline that the other families that had been out there with us doing the same exact thing paid a whopping $4,000 for that experience.  Now, granted, that’s the only way they could do it not having their own boat or local knowledge, but boy did we feel like big dogs after learning that.  Cruiser savings for the WIN!

Dinner at Coral Sands

Yes, this place—Coral Sands—required its own complete section.  I think mainly for the décor.  Wait till you get a load of this!  I don’t think I’ve seen more coral, pink, shells, creams, and seahorses on a Pinterest board than this place.  The decorations were out of this world.  The nine of us (L-R in the photo below: Stephen, Beth, me, Phillip, Megan, Chris, Diane, Leo, and Keith) booked this mega dinner there and had the time of our lives.  

The “mermaids” (ladies) wandered around the property taking in all the décor, and letting our tendrils flow on the swings, of course, before we all set down at a ten-seater table for a five-course grand meal.  A rousing conversation ensued where we all shared a sage piece of advice we wished we would have given ourselves ten years ago.  It was a soul-fulfilling, enlightening, heartwarming evening with friends, among beauty.  I will never forget that night.  Many thanks to my amazing friend, Diane Schlinkert (who hosted my first book signing for Clovis, thank you – don’t miss any of that fun (Clovis Club Vol. 7) over on the Annie Dike, Author side) for setting up this unforgettable evening.

Elbow Room

My toes don’t want me to tell this story.  It was pretty traumatic for them.  For me and Phillip?!  We had the absolute time of our lives.  So, this was actually the night of our epic Dunmore fail and Rock House win.  After all that traipsing around the island in pretty little wedges I then traipsed my battered toesies right into the Elbow Room and danced them clean off.  Phillip and I were walking down the main strip on the harbor side (another reason that’s my favorite part of Briland) and we heard this thunderous music coming out of a little building about as big as your living room.  Arms were in the air.  Bodies were moving.  You could smell the sweat.  We entered anyway.  Wedged ourselves in.  Ordered up two rum punches and danced ourselves silly.  There were no room for elbows.  That’s why all the hands were in the air.  If you go to Briland and want a night club experience, do NOT miss The Elbow Room (where no elbows fit).

#worthit!

And I would just be completely remiss if I didn’t say this. Why should YOU go to Harbor Island?? Because …

If you had asked me and Phillip—before we went to ski Deer Valley in Park City, for the first time in February—how long it had been since we last skied, the answer would have been “Too long.”  Over ten years.  And the reason for that is quite simple.  We were cruising!  Focusing your time and energy on an amazing sailboat that carries you to amazing destinations can sometimes leave very little leftover time and energy for other endeavors.  Hence just another reason for this no-boat chapter.  Phillip and I have wanted to get back into skiing for years. And, while an overseas skiing trip is our ultimate goal, with the short window we had this year due to family and work commitments, we were thrilled to have been afforded this opportunity, at least, to ski the west coast this year. So, let’s do this.  I give you … PARK CITY!

February 2026: 

To introduce you to the amazing skiing in Park City, I must first introduce you to the amazing couple we went with. When we sailed with them from Brunswick, GA over to West End in the Abacos, Bahamas back in the spring of 2025, there was big talk of getting back together again for even bigger adventures.  

I can assure you—we fulfilled.  For our first foray back into skiing, we booked a trip with the eclectic, funny, wildly smart and accomplished Meg and Sandy who also own an Outbound and who actually hosted the Outbound rendezvous we went to up in Maine in 2024.   

Phillip and Meg proved to be our fearless planners—that is definitely Phillip’s skill—while Sandy and I always offered our “Sounds great” and “Good plan” to assist.  We booked this really cool AirBnB that was just a block off the main downtown Park City strip.  Bring your wallet (both of them).  So, walking downtown to the restaurants every night was lovely, and the walk to the bus which took us to the base lodge at Deer Valley where we would get all our gear (Phillip and I happily rent) then head to the lifts to get to skiing, was quick and easy. A skier’s dream.  The convenience and comfort of our lodging was wonderful.  Meg and I even got to do a full 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle while we were there.  That made this little nerd incredibly happy!

For a little ski history, Phillip and I had not skied since 2015.  We did a couple of trips very early on, around the time we got our incredible 1985 Niagara in 2013, before we really plowed head-first into cruising in 2014.   In 2013, 14, and 15 we went to Big Sky, Crested Butte, and Telluride and had a blast!  

Unfortunately, I took a tumble on my first day skiing—and my skis did not just magically pop off, thank you, thereby wrenching my knee.  This seemingly meaningless tumble into soft snow resulted in a pretty frustrating MCL tear that took me months to heal.  So, I was naturally a little worried and hesitant about strapping those big honking sticks on my feet again, but I did it.  

With all of us knocking some rust off, we decided to book a group lesson at Deer Valley the first day to assess all our skill levels, get some important tips, and learn a lot about the mountain and the runs we would be tackling over the next few days.  Phillip and I often treat a ski “lesson” simultaneously as a “mountain tour.”  It’s not a bad play, trust me.  We drew this awesome chap, Kevin, who was gregarious and helpful and just a fun guy to spend the morning with.  

Kevin also regaled us with the wild degree of development they had just accomplished on the mountain the previous year.  Get a load of this: 

• Deer Valley East Village Expansion: Opening for the 2025-26 season, this massive project at Exit 8/Highway 40 introduces 5 million sq. ft. of development, including 1,200+ parking spaces, 42 luxury shops, and 32 restaurants.
• Park City Mountain Upgrades:
  • Sunrise Gondola: A new 10-person gondola is set to replace the old chairlift, significantly increasing uphill capacity.
  • Canyons Village Parking Structure: A new five-story parking garage is under construction, with initial levels opening for the 2025-26 season to replace surface parking.
  • Terrain & Lodge Improvements: Enhancements to Red Pine Learning Area and a redesign of the Summit House.
• Junction Commons (Formerly Outlets Park City): The center is undergoing a major renovation to introduce a modern look, new retail, and a central seating plaza.
• Dakota Pacific Development: A significant mixed-use project at Kimball Junction expected to add over 1,000 housing units and commercial space.
• Hotel Upgrades: The Park City Peaks Hotel is undergoing a $21 million renovation to become Hotel Thaynes, with completion set for late 2025.

I mean … just look at the scale of this place: 

It was almost to the point of alarming the quantity and scale of development we saw on the mountain.  Sometimes you would crest a hill and look out at 400-ft tall cranes—like nine of them in one scene—moving big crates and pallets with lots of construction activity going on.  It looked a bit like a sci-fi movie.  But, I will tell you, I could have skied greens at Deer Valley all day, down any peak (while Phillip skied his blues and blacks) and we probably could have taken a different run down every time, over the course of three days, without ever doing the same run twice.  The breadth of skiable mountain at Deer Valley is just overwhelming.  And the fact that they make snow made for some pretty bougie blue-bird (think WARM) ski days where the snow wasn’t plentiful maybe, but it was plenty to have a hell of a lot of warm fun (which was plenty fine by me as getting too cold was another one of my worries!). 

I enjoyed the heck out of the skiing, even though the west coast did not get great snow this year and we did not get a big powder dump while we were there … well not until we were about to leave, of course.  To be honest, I was totally fine with that.  It was gorgeous weather, a beautiful mountain, I loved doing my blues and greens with Meg while the boys ripped down whatever more challenging routes they wanted to try.  I couldn’t have handpicked a better time.  And … the best part: No injuries!  I can easily, and without any shame, admit to being rather worried about that.  So, whew!  Fun was most definitely had, and we’ll be going back next year and many years after that I hope!  

Fun little video of Phillip and me enjoying the snow! Such a delicious little love-you-world treat : )

In all, the trip proved to be an exceptionally adventurous, challenging, fulfilling way to spend several days in the majestic snowy air with incredible friends, mind-blowing food, and Olympic-level people watching.  I would happily do that every year, whether I ever progress to black runs again or not (probably happily not).  Phillip and I have even talked about crossing the ocean to ski in Austria or Europe in the coming years.  My response: Heck yeah!  (Or whatever phrase is less Annie, more bougie : ).  

Some interesting tidbits/highlights from our trip – you’re welcome!

Favorite Ski Runs (Blue/Greens – Blacks you’re on your own!):

• Ontario
• Homeward Bound
• Success
• Age of Reason
• Matchless
• Lucky Jack
• Pearl

Favorite Restaurants:

• Silver Lake: Gourmet cafeteria mid-mountain, ski lunch, best veggies in all of Deer Valley!
• Chimayo: Upscale Mexican food in a very cozy (think fireplace) atmosphere
• Purple sage: Rustic, Western eatery in a wondrous old building (1895) – great wine!
• Pine Cone Ridge: A new American steakhouse with fantastic craft cocktails
• Kaneo: Upscale Mediterranean with live music, exquisite dishes and atmosphere
• Mumbai House: Elegant Indian we had for dinner, fabulous flavors, mind-blowing pita
• Red Banjo Pizza: Great classic pizza joint, awesome place to plop down at the bar – PLUS, it has a shot-ski.  You don’t want to miss that, trust me.  Keep reading!  

The SKI-tar! 

Add this to my growing list of “cool sh$t I’ve never seen before.”  A ski-tar.  No, I’m not kidding.  It is a real thing.  We saw this guy hanging around outside the lovely Silver Lake cafeteria we skied to and ate at several days.  He was sporting an unmistakable Mohawk and shredding on one of these self-assembled guitars he makes out of skis.  Again—not kidding.  Here’s proof!  This is exactly what I saw when I skied by the guy headed at the lodge.  ‘Bout broke my neck trying to get a look at him.  

That’ll turn heads, am I right?  I could tell his guitar was made out of skis, which was cool enough, but I had no idea until I looked him up later on the interwebs that he not only makes and plays these wildly unique skitars.  He also plays them WHILE skiing—with this awesome amp thrown over cross-body—and WHILE doing double blacks, jumping, spinning, all sorts of crazy things.  What a trip, right?!  I’m still looking for a few pieces of my mind from that blow.  Whoooo! 

High-Fashion (Low-Budget : ) Shopping: 

As many of you may know, many people go skiing for only two reasons: 1) to BE SEEN wearing high-dollar ski/mountain gear; or 2) to BE SEEN shopping for said high-dollar ski/mountain gear.  Park City is no different.  While I don’t think it’s as ritzy as Vail (to be honest, I wouldn’t know), but several of the shops I was afraid to even walk to, lest I sneeze and thereby “earn” myself a new $5,000 jacket that I cannot afford.  It was fascinating, however, to watch the other wealthy folks do it.  You know who I’m talking about:

I loved poking in and out of every shop, listening to folks’ conversations while they were shopping, what they would holler to one another in and out of the dressing room.  “No, this isn’t real leather, take it back.”  “Jane has three just like it.”  “Does Trevor really need another custom hat?”  I love being a fly on wealthy wall.  But, I did have a grand redeeming moment where I found myself in a shop sporting sweaters EXACTLY like the one I was wearing, but I can assure you I paid a TON less for mine.  100% true story: 

I’ll be honest, this was much more “my speed” shopping in Park City – they had some rocking t-shirts!

Moon Boot Revival! 

Please tell me some of you used to don these crazy looking things we called Moon Boots back in the 80s to go play in the snow.  Anyone?  Anyone?  They looked exactly like this: 

But they were the worn-out, gummy pair everyone had stuffed in the back corner of their coat closet.  They weren’t like super cool or trendy.  They were functional.  Performance wear.  Which is why when I saw my first pair in Park City—it was actually a gloriously dressed gay man in shorts and moon boots, with the most impeccable legs I have ever seen on a 20-year old guy.  Moon Boot Dude, wherever you are, you looked incredible – I wish I could have whipped out my camera fast enough, buddy, but you were rockin’ them!  I almost spit up my latte, though, seeing they were moon boots but they were trendy!  Sure enough I started seeing them more and more around Park City of folks from all ages and genders.  Here’s one shot I was able to snag (without look like a creeper!).  

Intrigued, I had to look this, again on the interwebs, to find this trend is happening—in Austin, Switzerland, and Utah, ha!   https://www.whowhatwear.com/moon-boot-trend

And, you TOO can have your own pair of Moon Boots … for only $240.     

My Branch Office in Park City

As we all know, Annie’s been working remotely for years.  And, as a cruiser, my “office view” has changed so many times I cannot count, and I LOVE it that way.  My favorite place to work (and write, primarily) is in a coffee shop.  I love watching the people, how they interact with the barista and staff, do they talk about work, get in fights, sit and daydream. What’s in their backpack, where are they going after this, why did they laugh at that test?  All of this fuels my plots.  

Just for fun, let’s play around with Chat. Yeah, that’s exactly what I look and dress like when I’m writing in coffee shops. And, that’s my actual upcoming plot, too. You nailed it, Chat!! Hahahahaaa!

And, anytime Phillip and I travel I always try to carve out a work morning (or, more likely, we both NEED several work mornings) to go find a new “office” to sit and work at.  In Park City, I found one of the most intriguing of my entire remote work career.  At the base of the Park City side of the mountain, skiers (and snowboarders, because you WILL find them in Park City) finish this particular run by skiing a bridge that crosses over the street then just skidding onto wood where the ski rack is and this great little coffee shop/lunch spot.  It was a feast for my eyes and ears as I sat there and wrote a nice little chapter in Austin.  

My Favorite Story (Sandy Will Love This): 

Hahahaha.  Yes, this is the story I often tell many people first about my ski vacation, because it’s the best.  And, it’s quintessential, 1001% ME.  

So, you’ve probably been able to tell from the photos and writeup that skiing in Deer Valley is quite bougie.  Translation: Faaaaannnn-cceeeee.  You saw the “lid” on our ski lift.  We couldn’t be bothered with wind in our face on that lift.  Pssssh.  Wind is for suckers!  There is also another gondola that’s an 8-seater and you just put your skis outside.  Again.  Quite fancy.  That is in addition to Deer Valley’s limiting the number of skiers on the mountain everyday, policing the lift lines to perfection, forbidding snowboarders, grooming the runs daily within an inch of their lives, AND making snow?  

I mean … I never skied as a kid because there’s no way we could afford that.  We could barely afford to take a cooler to the lake for a weekend.  Skiing was what rich people did.  That is seriously how we felt.  So, to be here now, not only simply skiing (which is mind-blowing enough for this little country bumpkin from Clovis, New Mexico) but skiing at Deer Valley.  I knew I was playing way out of my league.  [HINT – I’ve been doing that since I met Phillip ; ]

So, when the four of us—Meg, Sandy, Phillip, and me—got into the fancy gondola for the first time and something so comforting and soothing and WAARRRMMMM started to spread under my very cold butt, I immediately straightened my entire spine and neck to its full height and looked around (a little oddly) at everyone, wondering if aaayyyyyeeee had been the only one feeling this fantastic sensation and that maybe I should keep it a secret (because also maybe I caused it – I wasn’t entirely sure).  These are the things a strange girl, who knows she’s quite quirky and strange, keeps to herself lest her strangeness come screaming out for everyone to see.  

Apparently my wonderful new friend, Sandy, is a bit strange himself.  For whatever reason he and I both had the exact same physical reaction and response to—what we learned later was simply wonderfully heated seats in our gondola—the weird warmth we were feeling in our bums.  When Sandy experienced the deliciously odd feeling, he too straightened his spine and neck completely, to his fullest height, and we turned and locked odd eyes, as we were sitting next to one another on the gondola.  He leaned over to me and whispered:

“I didn’t pee, I swear.” 

For whatever reason in that weird, wonderful moment I was feeling entirely myself and I said: 

“What if I did?” 

And to Sandy’s amazing credit, he giggled quietly and gave me this surreptitious thumbs up (that I’m still proud of to this day).  Sandy, you rock!

When someone else finally mentioned the heated seats and Sandy and I could relive that moment, the belly laughs that followed had us all in tears.  What a moment.  

Last But Not Least … the SHOT-SKI!

You know I always save the best for last.  So, being from Pensacola, Florida you might think we wouldn’t have a thriving and vigorous ski club.  I can assure you.  We do.  I mean, we’re surrounded by beaches and flamingos.  Their craving for powder is quite robust.  As is our craving for a good salty driftwood bar and a bushwhacker.  What can I say?  Our tastes are diverse.  But, what does that combo give you?  An iconic falling-apart driftwood bar on Pensacola Beach named the Sandshaker—which is the home of the bushwhacker, I don’t care what anyone else tells ya—that also boasts the iconic SHOT-SKI!  

Does anyone else already know what this is?  Phillip and I certainly do.  If this raucous travel blog is any proof: We are no strangers.  So, when we plopped down at the bar at Red Banjo Pizza in Park City to pick up takeout for the night and saw what they had hanging on the wall, we had to warn Meg and Sandy about the heathens that populate Pensacola, Florida and this primitive device they use to get alcohol into their mouths.  Four shots on a ski that four random strangers are supposed to somehow non-randomly coordinate into their mouths.  Yeah, that sounds like a brilliant idea.  Apparently, a bunch of people must think so as the idea has stretched across the nation: Florida to Utah.  I give you … the Shot-Ski!  

Did we enjoy Park City?  Hope you all had fun, because boy did we.  Next up, we’ll HaveWindWillTravel … TO ________. 

We may not be traveling by the wind per se right now (as Phillip and I are not currently sailing), but, I can assure you, we are indeed traveling!  Nothing goes to windward like a 747, am I right?  I thought I could use this time—while Phillip and I are in this exciting international travel chapter—to share some very cool destinations with you all that we did not access by boat.  We explored Montreal for the first time last August and were just blown away, almost decided to book ourselves for a whole month this year but too many other fun trips got in the way (hate when that happens).  After having visited for only a week, however, Montreal is now extremely high on our list.  In one sentence, I would call it: 

The open air, art-centric café culture of France, but you get there by lunchtime.

Now, I’m not the travel guide type.  That’s where Phillip shines.  This might be a little-known fact, but—when Phillip and I travel—I often don’t know where precisely we’re going, when we’ll get back, or what exactly we’re going to do while we’re there.  I just ask what to pack and then go.  Seriously.  I tell myself this is one of the elements of my personality Phillip loves and one of the things that makes our relationship work so well.  Let’s hope it’s true.  

What are my strengths when it comes to travel?  Let’s see I’m flexible, a light packer, quite durable, resourceful, oh, and … I’m the best storyteller.  That’s where I shine.  In the retelling of the tales where truth is a guideline, the names of shows, restaurants, and venues don’t really matter (because I can’t recall them anyway), and the small side-stories, the things that happened that we remember and retell, consume the spotlight, as they most rightfully should.  So, that’s how I’m going to regale you in this new “TO” series.  I like to focus on the stories.  In this respect, Montreal did not disappoint.  So, let’s dig in.  What are you waiting for?  Go … 

TO MONTREAL!

The Birthplace of Cirque de Soleil

I have to start with this one because I am a HUGE circus, dance, performing arts, flip-de-doo person (yes, that is a type) so I was over-the-moon-excited when Phillip told me he booked us a Cirque show in the very city where Cirque WAS BORN.  Did you know this?  Cirque de Soleil originated in Montreal.  So it was very cool to be in Cirque’s birthplace to pay homage.  

I got to witness the most surreal, stunning, eye-popping contortionist of my life—Aleksei Goloborodko.  

I will never forget what seeing this man fold himself in half did to me.  I felt trippy.  Weird.  I got nauseous, high, then completely freaked out and, yet, it was all … #totallyworthit.  There was also a water feature that poured down and shapes and letters formed in the waterfall.  It was just breathtaking, death-defying, performed to perfection.  Everything this circus girl loves.  Many thanks again to Phillip for treating me to this!  

We watched the show LUZIA.  Don’t take my word for how good it was—just see for yourself: 

If the huge Cirque following and fanbase wasn’t enough of an indicator, Montreal is a HUGE art hub, filled to the brim with painters, dancers, poets, authors (yes, honey!), jugglers, underwater basket-weavers.  I mean, I’m sure there are some.  My point is this city is a thriving, pulsing haven for artists and creatives.  And, I believe it was after Cirque we went to this Carousel Bar for drinks and a later night dinner. It was just about as dizzying and exciting as the show. I danced and did some flips. I’m sure people thought it was Soleil, lol.

Bike Tour Through the Farmer’s Market

Phillip booked this.  A bike tour through the city.  This checked a ton of boxes for us.  Phillip and I are very active travelers.  We want to bike, hike, walk, do all the fun active things a new city offers.  Second, it was a nice tribute to the bicycling backbone of Montreal.  This is a mega bicycling city.  Some fun facts: 

• 22% of Montreal folks use a bicycle as their main mode of transportation
• 1 in 5 of all Canadians who bike to work live in Montreal
• The BIXI public bikes dominate with 11,000 bikes and 900 stations in the city

Our main takeaway: the month we live in Montreal this will be how we get around 90% of the time.  The city was so bikeable with lovely paths, safe lanes, bike rentals and racks everywhere.  It was a bicyclist’s dream.  We booked a Bike Tour with this super funny tour guide (Phillip and I have a knack for always scoring a super quirky local who turns us on to hidden gems).  This guy was no different.  

Quite the ladies’ man … that will be relevant later, table that.  This Guide even tried to land a couple compliments my way that had him falling over and wrecking his bike mid-tour.  Are you hearing this?  The bike tour guide fell off his bike while giving us the tour.  That was my favorite part!  He took it in great stride, though, and the Farmer’s Market was a complete cultural, ethnic, beautiful, delicious experience.  If we lived in Montreal, Phillip and I would probably walk to this market every other day to buy dinner goodies.  Such a treat.  

The Silversun Pickups and Girl Tones

This was probably the biggest draw for Phillip: The Silversun Pickups.  He recalled this band from the 90s and was really looking forward to hearing their music.  Their songs Lazy Eye, Panic Switch, and Circadian Rhythm are his favorites.  I was familiar with them and really blown away to learn they have been in a band, performing all over the U.S. for twenty years!  They made a real career out of playing music with their friends and performing live, and I felt you could feel their joy in having accomplished that as they took the stage.  It was a wonderfully energetic, lively concert.  

I have to admit, though, that the opening band—Girl Tones—with their quirky, slightly creepy, maybe deranged vibe pulled me in.  Two sisters.  One on the drums who seems like the quiet mastermind while the blonde lead absolutely rips the stage up with her energy.  Again, don’t take my word.  Just watch these badass gals.  Phillip and I had a fantastic time cheering on all these amazing musicians.  

The Girl Tones, Burnout: https://youtu.be/Zxvl50l8vKA

Poutine … and Actually Delicious OTHER Montreal Foods

Can we talk about this?  Who is a fan?  

I did find it a bit odd that this city so focused on activity, art, healthy/mindful living, etc. and yet their absolute signature dish is a pile of fries dotted with cheese curds and covered in gravy?  A heart attack platter?  That’s what Montrealers are in love with?  Sorry, I just wasn’t a huge fan.  Phillip and I tried several different types—trust me, poutine was EVERYwhere, you couldn’t walk down the street without tripping over it—but none of the different types wowed us.  But don’t worry, because every other dish we tried did.  Montreal is known for its ethnic food.  It is an absolute hotbed of Italian, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Chinese, Haitian.  It’s a foodie’s dream!  Just … skip the poutine (in my opinion).  I know some staunch Canadians are going to let me have it.  But I say … bring it!  This is what travel is about, experiencing it all for yourself.  

There may have been alcohol involved when we took these foodie pics. Yep, lots of alcohol:

Old Town

We did walk through Old Town and it was quite nostalgic being on the waterfront, seeing the boats and docks, smelling the salt air.  The pier area had that feel of Coney Island, kind of a county fair atmosphere with lots of games, food vendors, and activities.  It definitely felt like the older part of the city.  

Phillip and I actually stayed in Plateau, in a little AirBnB and we loved that.  It was a great neighborhood with lots of coffee shops and restaurants within walking distance and you could hop on the Metro at any time to go anywhere.  We only Ubered just a few times to cover long distances, usually when we were dressed up for dinner only.  Otherwise, it was walking and biking mostly the whole time – enough to earn all those meals, trust me!  Even if you wanted the poutine (because you’re crazy – ha!).

Café Culture

Speaking of walking around and exploring, I could have spent every single day hopping from café to café writing books.  Hell, I hope to someday.  The “café culture” there is rampant, inviting, exciting, and so much fun.  I am a huge people watcher, so being able to curl up in the corner of a new coffee shop (as a completely anonymous stranger, my favorite!), watch the new locals in their very-local and familiar environment, and just absorb it all was a real treat for me.  Many people speak French in Montreal, too, and many of the dishes and drinks have a French flare so for these two Francophiles, Phillip and I felt right at home at each of the dozen or so coffee shops and cafés that we popped into over the course of only five days, practicing our French, filling our bellies with cup after cup of hot, spicy goodness, and moving on to the next.  Caffeine be damned!

  

Hell, we needed it for all the bicycling because we biked to each shop.  In Montreal, the bike community really dove-tails well with the café culture.  That was probably one of my favorite things.  I could have biked around all day with my backpack (laptop) and written my novels in all those coffee shops.  I hope to the next time we go.  Next time for a month!  Right, Phillip??  

We did have fun popping by this little “fortune teller”—foodie style—on this big promenade that was right in the heart of our neighborhood.  Can anyone tell me what these little notes say?  Answers at the very bottom.  

The Famous Burrito – That Was Anything But a Drag!

Ahhhhh … the drag show.  This was our last night of the trip and we booked it kind of on a whim.  Translation: Phillip saw a sandwich board outside of a building advertising it and it looked more colorful and enticing than the plans we already had so we took a right turn and went for it and—damn—what a treat.  I love drag shows.  Well, let’s back that up, I love any LIVE show.  If folks are taking a stage to try and entertain you, I always feel that at least deserves my attention as a tribute to see if they do, in fact, entertain me.  I can safely say I don’t think I’ve seen a drag show that did not entertain me.  Now, there was that one Phillip and I caught in NOLA years ago where the dancers were all bruised up and kept splatting down into the splits at the most random times with loud smacks of their skin on the stage—you remember that one, Phillip?  Now, we were a little worried for them, curious about their motives and maybe their needs, but that didn’t mean we weren’t entertained!  Ha!

This drag show in Montreal in no way disappointed.  Entertainment rained down from the ceiling.  They had female and male dancers who were equally lovely and elegant.  I’ve actually never seen a male dancer as graceful as this beautiful black man.  He was mesmerizing.  Moved more like a woman than I do, ha!  Kudos to you, friend, wherever you are.  

BUT – the best part was the MC (often is – the good ones are massively talented).  She was hilarious, perceptive, insightful, with exceptional timing.  

She grabbed this face on a stick from a bachelorette party there that was waving them around.  “This the lucky loser?” she asked, then she licked the face and handed it back.  HA!  But, while she was giving her spiel there was this guy in the front row just tearing up this burrito—looked like a foot-long, hell maybe a foot-wide, too.  To the point that the MC finally calls this guy out, gets the spotlight on him, and asks “Where did you get that exceptional burrito you are interrupting our show with, Sir?”  He said Donny’s and you better guess who got on their phone immediately looking that place up.  MMMmmmm-hhhmmm.  And guess who got their own exceptional burrito on the way home.  

Phillip’s response.  “The man did not lie.  This is a show-stopping burrito.”  

Tim Meadows Spotting

Fun as all that was, though, it was not the biggest highlight of the trip … FOR ME.  I am a huge celebrity spotter.  I always think I’ve seen the latest star on whatever series walking down the street.  While I am typically wrong, I have found a few gems out there.  Hayden Panettierre is one.  

PROOF:

And even actor Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things! Don’t worry, I didn’t accost him.  You can tell by the look on his friend’s face, though, that he thought I was about to.  The man was not wrong.  

But, I am pretty darn certain in Montreal I spotted this guy!  

Tim Meadows.  Does anyone know whether he lives in Montreal (or goes there often) and/or whether he does yoga or Pilates? Because I swear it was him getting out of an Uber with a rolled-up yoga mat.  You’ll be glad to know I was not creepy at all (I swear!).  I took the typical stalker pic of him—over my shoulder, while pretending to text, like a respectable ogler.  In full disclosure, the only reason I did not run up to him (Tim!) and gush over the undeniable Ladies Man was because Phillip wouldn’t let me.  But what do you think?  Did I find that guy or what??  

@justcate32

#SNL #TimMeadows #datingadvice #datingtips #ladiesman

♬ original sound – JustCate32

Alright. Innocence, a Broad.  Or maybe I should say: A Blonde, Abroad.  How did we do?  Do you like these Annie-style “TO DESTINATION” travel bits?  

I plan to share a few more – Park City, UT is next, then our biggest trip of the year (one of the reasons we decided to sell Ubi it’s that big).  Anyone want to guess what continents Phillip and I will be traveling to this summer, in 2026?  Anyone who already knows, I don’t care, jump in there.  Guess again!  This is our International Year.  You can just call Phillip Mr. Worldwide.  Although, sorry Pit.  My Phillip is way hotter!  Ha!  

Note Card Answers:

Annie’s: “I have a crazy craving to savor Tonkinese soup.”

Phillip’s: “I dream of a delicious bite of fried chicken.” His response: “Probably right,” lol.

[November 2024]

And all through the boat, not a sailor was stirring on Ubi, docked and afloat.

All the work at Cobbs had been done with loving tender care, in hopes Ubi could now cruise south without a care.

Yannick, our engine, was nestled in his compartment by the loo, while visions of calm, motorable oceans danced through his ECU.

With Phillip in his watchcap and me in foulies (times ten!), we rose just after 5 a.m. to crank Yannick and begin!

Because we had been given the best gift a sailor can, you see: a weather window to motor around Hatteras, yippee!

Having just had his 1,000-hr service by the “Diesel Doctor,” Josh, no less. Yannick roared right to life, ready to give it his best. 

Phillip and I helped a buddy boat off the dock while Yannick happily purred, then we tossed our own lines as the inlet out of Little Creek lured.

But suddenly—midway down the channel—there was a void of clatter. YANNICK HAD STOPPED RUNNING!  We didn’t know what was the matter! 

After several attempts to re-crank failed, leaving us drifting about to crash, I threw out our anchor in the middle of the channel in a mad dash.

“Could it be the fuel shutoff?” I asked Phillip who was banging away below. “No, cause he’s been running for half an hour!” I heard him bellow.

Phillip swapped to another of our four fuel tanks and Yannick roared back up, we hooted, cheered, and did donuts in the channel until he sadly, again, gave up.

I launched the anchor out again in the channel, just in the St. Nick of time, so we could look for filters clogged, electrical problems, pumps needing prime.

As our Hatteras window ticked away, I got desperate enough to throw a Hail Mary. “Maybe we should call the Diesel Doctor?” I asked, a bit weary.

Knowing it was now 5:30 a.m., my guess on the Doc’s willingness to answer was: He ain’t. But, then, first rang, he picked up Face Time, ready to help, and I thought: What a saint!

Although his name wasn’t Nick, Dr. Josh immediately started asking what we had seen.  We ran through multiple checks and troubleshoots with him on the little phone screen.

Until finally, he offered the miracle of all miracles on a Sunday at 6:00 a.m. “Why don’t I just come by to help?” he asked and I swore I could kiss him.

“Well?” Phillip started, eyeing the channel and our dink on deck, tightly lashed. “We’ll come get you!” I shouted, knowing I could drop that dink in a New York flash.

When Phillip and Josh came buzzing back, it was almost more than I could surmise. As I saw him approach, his hefty, heaving tool bag in tow, a twinkle in his eyes. 

Josh’s cheeks were little roses, all flush from the morning chill like a cherry, and, I thought to myself: There has never been a gift more merry.  

Josh has eager hands, a sharp mind, and always a bag of snacks to feed his belly. During his weeks aboard Ubi, he’d worked on Yannick with real gumption and welly!

He popped down below and began tinkering, fast as an elf, while I tingled topside with fragile hope, despite myself.

Josh checked multiple pumps and filters, deeming it likely a fuel line clogged. But, he kept bleeding, priming, pumping, while we watched as he slogged. 

Then Josh finally popped his head up, a bright twinkle in his eye. “I figured it out guys!” he chirped.  “It’s rather silly, I’m not gonna lie.”

All of that trouble and worry and wouldn’t you know? All along it had been the fuel shutoff down in the bilge below.

At Cobb’s, work on the genset and engine likely prompted the shutoff for safety. Josh figured some vendor (himself included) simply forgot about it, acting hasty.

Although I had suggested that before we got this magical elf aboard, Yannick’s ability to run for almost an hour on fumes had us floored.

While a mistake like that, before a big voyage, might have had some feeling slighted.  Having only suffered some grey hairs and an hour delay, we were extremely delighted!

He wasn’t a saint (I don’t think) but he certainly saved our voyage that day, coming so quick. If it had been closer to Christmas, I would have sworn on Josh’s arrival that he was St. Nick!  

Josh packed up his bag and Phillip zipped him back to shore in Ducky, our dinghy, while I prepared to weigh anchor (in the channel) and get on with this thingy!

This was our window, our plan!  With the promise of Bahamian beaches in store. Slapping the dink back on deck and getting on with it felt like the simplest chore.

As Phillip took to the helm, he gave a hearty shout and a whistle, calling his entire team to him, quick as a thistle.  

Now Ubi!  Now Yannick!  Now Annie and Ducky! Now Dishy*!  Now Maestro**!  We’re fixed and feeling lucky!

Anyone awake at 6 am in the Little Creek channel would have heard him shout:

“HAPPY HATTERAS ROUNDING TO YOU ALL.  THIS IS UBI.  OUT!”

Merry Christmas Followers!

_____________

* Our Starlink satellite dish that rides on the stern rail.  

** Our autopilot, as he likes to pick songs that match our travel conditions. 

So, there is this little holiday coming up called Thanksgiving.  You might have heard of it.  If not, you’ve at least seen the phrase “pumpkin spice” on enough sweaters, purses, signs, and Starbucks to know something’s up.  For a nod to the spirit behind Thanksgiving—where we cherish loved ones and reflect on all the things we’re thankful for—I thought it would be fun to commemorate by showcasing our immense thanks for the incredible projects we were able to tackle in the shipyard at Cobb’s Marina last October/November.  The results were stunning … and, according to this blog, delicious!  Here’s the menu … [*ahem*] project list! 

*Not Pictured: The Redneck Charcuterie Board

So, how would YOU start cooking this spread?  You are absolutely right.  So did we.  With … 

THE TURKEY:

It’s going to take the longest.  That beast has to bake most of the entire day, so you better get the bird going early.  For Phillip and I, our main project—that we had booked Cobb’s for in October 2024—was to remove our old Fischer Panda DC generator and replace it with a new 6k Northern Lights AC generator.  Yes, you can say it.  WHOO HOO!  We had been fighting with “Rocky” (which we had named the Fischer Panda because he just kept getting pummeled but trying to fight).  You can read more about our Rocky saga here.  

Needless to say, we had put too much time and money into a generator that seemed great in theory—a quick, efficient 2-hr shot to the batteries that would give us 3-4 more days cruising—but performed terribly in reality.  The fact that the tiny little toy engine inside has only one cylinder AND is mounted sideways (causing the gaskets to dry out and fail) was proving to be an unsurmountable problem.  We decided it was time to upgrade, so we enlisted a phenomenal generator guy (took us months to book him) to help us at Cobb’s – Rich Napier with Atlantic Marine Generators.  Can’t say enough amazing things about Rich. If you’re lucky enough to have him do work on your boat … well, good for you. Our first project at Cobb’s started with the removal of Rocky—say “Buh-bye Rocko!”—so we could get the new bird in the oven and start making Turkey day snacks!

REDNECK CHARCUTERIE BOARD

So, I don’t know how you guys’ Thanksgivings used to go down.  Back in Clovis, New Mexico we would have all the folks over to someone’s house where we all worked together whipping up the traditional dishes, starting with a redneck charcuterie board, complete with Easy Cheese and those fancy plastic toothpicks shaped like little swords.  My God, my brother, John, and I had so much fun playing with those.  I know we each stabbed each other at least once, about a half-inch in. Thank God Mom never found out. Let’s have some fun with this shall we.  To help fill out your imagination: Me and my brother, John, sometime during our miniature sword-stabbing age.  You’re welcome.

Wow, look at my Little House on the Prairie dress with the frilly sleeves.  Nice pick, Annie.

Thanksgiving was the only time of year I can remember us eating whole black olives (one off each finger), little Gerkins that looked like little shrunk cucumbers, and Hillshire farm sausages.  I don’t know about you, but those healthy flavors always remind me of Thanksgiving.  And, these lovely appetizers—which we didn’t yet know to call a charcuterie board, that would come way later—we called a “snack tray” and John and I could make it ourselves.  So, in honor of that DIY start to Thanksgiving, I give you my DIY projects: 

And, it must be noted that the “Y” in our DIY was most definitely Yours Truly.  Phillip had a big trial he was gearing up for at that time, so I was Project Manager at Cobb’s.  I do have to include one incredible shout-out to the fine folks there (Mike, Linda, Jack, all you guys!) because they looked after me, checked on me, did me favors, and were just generally awesome people to work with.  We can’t recommend Cobb’s enough for boat projects, particularly with Outbounds as they used to commission them.  They are a super knowledgeable, efficient, no-nonsense bunch.  I was thrilled to be in such good hands, particularly being alone on the boat for three weeks at the yard.  

I spent my first week there knocking out all of my little DIY projects – mostly cleaning, polishing, organizing, painting, ordering and logging supplies and spares, things like that.  Most of my days looked like this.

And, because Phillip and I were apart, we always send photos to one another often to “share” dinners, grab a coffee “together,” share what shows we’re watching, and photograph sunrises and sets, etc.  I also enjoyed walking this lovely neighborhood by the shipyard everyday where the folks got pretty crafty and creative with their Halloween lawn decorations. Had to share those with Phillip.  The northern lights were also visible during that time and the guys at the shipyard caught some great photos.   In all, I enjoyed my time there.

CHECK ON THE TURKEY

Over the course of the second week, I moved Ubi (yes, me) over to the dock next to the yard so we could have the crane drop the new generator in.  As I mentioned the entire team at Cobb’s (operating under the watchful eye of Mike Cobb) was exceptionally professional and got the generator in without a single hitch.  Rich was watching.  Shipyard Annie was squealing.  It was a great day.  

The bird is looking good, my friends!  Let that golden guy keep roasting while we focus on the sides.  What’s next? 

CORNBREAD DRESSING

There’s a reason I’m assigning this to the engine work.  In my years making and eating Thanksgiving dinners, I’ve always found the dressing is the most fickle.  It’s either amazing or awful (too dry or too mushy, too salty or too bland).  I think this is because you have to have the right type of cornbread base, the right level of moisture, and the perfect amount of flavor.  Anything is off in these three and your dressing will taste like Stovetop (sorry Stovetop, nothing against your little hard tack square croutons you call dressing but it just ain’t my Big Mom’s).  In our experience, the same is true with a good marine vendor.  If they don’t communicate, or do shoddy work, or you just can’t get them on your boat – it’s awful.  Finding the trifecta is a wondrous moment, and—friends, I’m here to tell you, we did at Cobb’s.  

This young buck, “Josh the Diesel Doctor,” did not disappoint.  Now, he did have us scratching our heads a bit and wondering, at times, whether he would come through.  But, the point is he did—at extremely odd hours, mind you, I once had him on the boat with me from 9:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. working.  True story.  But, I wasn’t going to stop him.  I can sleep on a passage.  I can’t go on passage without an engine so … I was fine with that.  Work on, Josh. Because this guy was one of the most diligent and thorough engine guys I’ve ever met.  

Josh spotted, at least, a dozen other things (completely non-engine related) that needed to be fixed, changed, cleaned up, etc. while he was nosing down in there doing the important work he did.  One of which was the shaft seal – we’ll get there.  Josh also performed the following spotless work on Ubi’s engine, a Yanmar we lovingly call Yannick.  

ENGINE WORK 

• Drain main engine coolant
• Remove main engine heat exchanger & engine after cooler
• Remove and replace coolant circulate water pump with new that was supplied by customer with all new gaskets
• Replace thermostat and thermostat gasket
• Reassemble main engine with heat exchanger and Aftercooler (assembled with all new O-rings and coated housing with Teflon grease to stop salt water corrosion around aluminum housing)
• Refilled engine with OEM Yanmar extended life coolant and pressure tested coolant system up to 15psi & checked for any leaks in cooling system while under pressure – there were no leaks at that time
• Removed & replaced 5/8 coolant hose between main engine and hot water heater
• Replaced plastic 3/4 pipe fitting on the hot water heater to fix coolant leak discovered while replacing hoses
• Cleaned rusty areas on engine, then primed and painted as needed
• Inspected shaft dripless seal and recommended to be replaced by yard

YEARLY SERVICE

• Drain and replace main engine & transmission oil
• Replace main engine oil filter, secondary fuel filter, primary fuel filter, as well as raw water impeller
• Ran engine at the dock, checked for any leaks, ensure main engine had good raw water flow, shut down engine and checked all levels – there were no leaks at that time and engine performed as it should
• While completing Yearly Service, inspected all mounts, hoses, belts, & clamps 
• Wipe down and installed new oil absorbs under main engine and transmission to make it easier to see any leaks in the future, also labelled all filters with date and hours of service

You see what I mean?  I believe he is a doctor.  Thank you again, Josh!  And, we also have an incredible story coming up next on this blog involving Josh that’s … whew, quite a story.  Stay tuned for our next HaveWind installment:The 5 AM Service Call That Saved Our Hatteras Passage.

Alright, cornbread dressing is covered, what’s next? 

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

I call this one the sweet potato casserole because it’s just not Thanksgiving without this dish for me.  It’s probably one of my favorites.  I’m not a huge sweets person.  I’m a savory one.  But, that means when you throw a little sweet on my dinner plate, I cherish it even more.  My Thanksgiving plate is not in any way complete without a pillowy little mound of orange goodness known as sweet potatoes topped with charred little marshmallows (it’s not a sweet potato casserole to me any other way).  Same is true for us and a visit to the shipyard.  It will never (ever!) be complete without a haul-out and fresh coat of bottom paint for Ubi.  Always.

Bottom Job at Cobb’s 2023, before we took off again around Hatteras:

Bottom Job at Cobb’s 2024:

But, as any good boat owner will probably tell you, once you decide to haul-out, what’s the very next thing you decide to do?  That’s right.  Start your “While we’re hauled out” list.  There are only certain things you can do while hauled out of the water, so we try to maximize.  On our list in that department was also a rebuild and re-greasing of our auto prop, replacement of our cutlass bearing, and rebedding of a thru-hull (for our manual bilge pump in the port lazarette) that was threatening to leak.  “While you’re out” right?  Ahhh … seeing this work done is the perfect blend of salty and sweet! 

Okay, now Ubi’s bottom is ready to splash. What’s next?

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Now this was a staple in our family growing up.  You had to have the cream of mushroom soup (which does not eat well on it’s own – ask me how I know that), the green beans, and those little fried onions that go on top.  It’s a staple.  What else is a staple on our boat?  Ground tackle.  Just like the green bean casserole it’s tried and true.  We have a 75-pound Rocna and 200 feet of chain that we throw out often, which means we keep a close eye on the health our chain and ground tackle.  During this stint, we decided to drop all 200 feet of chain and end-over-end it to freshen up the lead.  I also changed out the shackles connecting the chain to the anchor for good measure, and replaced our tired snubber with a brand new one since we had the spare line for it aboard.  

And, who doesn’t love a shiny new snubber, am I right? Apparently, this Shipyard Vixen loves it!  Gets her swinging from the rafters.  Yeehaw! 

I have to admit to being a little nervous the first time we anchored Ubi in a little blow having done all this ground tackle work myself, but I’m proud to report she held just fine—even with our classic “swing and yank” we call it—where Ubi swims around a bit in high winds then does this Grrnnggghhh YANK on the chain that will make you cringe … IF you don’t trust your ground tackle.  I can say for certain: there was no cringing on Ubi after this work.  Way to go Annie!  

Wait … did you hear that? I did!

DING!  THE TURKEY IS DONE!

Rich came back to the boat just about every two days to do some work on the generator.  I ran all the cables through the lockers from the work room in our starboard lazarette to the generator panel at the nav station.  As you can see from the photos, several holes were pretty tight.  I also had an inkling while I was in these lockers—several of which we access daily for various toiletry and cleaning products—and thought, what the heck.  Why not paint them?  I did this on our old boat, the 1985 Niagara 35, and it was a complete game-changer.  Pics of me painting on the Niagara.

What I learned from doing it on the Niaraga was: it is 100% totally worth the minimal work for such a clean, gratifying reward.  For that reason, the decision to do it on Ubi was a no brainer.  I have yet to regret this decision.  

While I was working diligently on the wiring, Rich was toiling away in the workroom making our install look incredible—cleaner and more polished looking than some new-build Outbounds.  He placed a new panel for the generator where the rest of our internal instruments are located at the nav station that looked like it had been there all along.  Overall, Rich’s install was clean, smart, and quite impressive.  We were very pleased with his work.  

When Rich fired up the generator for the first time, and I heard him roar to life, I knew exactly what his name was going to be.  What boxer really gave Rocky a pummeling, huh?  

That’s right. We named our new generator, CREED (complete with a commemorative bobblehead doll that sits next to him in the workroom), and every time we fire him up Phillip and I sing this good ole’ James Brown gem at the top of our lungs:

No, I’m not kidding. We do sing that. Every time. We really get into our “cast of characters” on the boat: Ubi, Yannick, Creed (formerly Rocky or Rocko, and then even more formerly Gremlin), our old dinghy (Ducky) and our new dinghy (Gator). If you don’t name these guys, you won’t be able to properly curse them out when they fail or praise them when they run. That’s the whole point.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

Ha!  I had to save this one for the last meal item because, at our Thanksgivings, the cranberry sauce is often left to my wonderful brother, John, to bring, and my wonderful brother is many things (wonderful being one, obviously.  Fabulously gay being another.  Handsome. Smart.  Hilarious.  He’ll want me to say all these things).  But, always on time and 100% reliable, my wonderful brother, John, is not.  (Sorry Bro-Lo).  And, he’s often forgot the cranberry dressing and, as a direct result, we’ve found ourselves—he and I—running around town during that last half hour before dinner trying to find that glorious can of cranberry “sauce” (probably more like cranberry skins and processed jelly) so we could “shlooook” it out of the can, with can imprints and all, onto a little plate for the big dinner.  Don’t get me wrong.  The cranberry dressing is super necessary—Thanksgiving turkey is not near as salty and savory without that little maroon zing—but it’s often a last-minute thing that has to be handled in a chaotic panic right before dinner.  At my house anyway.  

Cue … our shaft seal.  This was something Josh, the engine guy, actually picked up on.  Our PSS marine shaft seal has a little hose that runs up (above the water line) where it is affixed to the bulkhead to allow the seal to “burp” as needed.  Around the base of the hose, Josh noticed it had been leaking.  Although I clean it every few weeks, I noticed, too, when he pointed it out, that the rust and corrosion had increased and the leak seemed much worse.  

I asked the awesome guys at Cobb’s about it and, once we’d learned that particular shaft seal was original to the boat—meaning almost ten years old—they recommended we replace it.  NOW, they made that recommendation even though we only found the shaft seal problem mere days before I was set to splash.  These guys could have said “that’s fine; you don’t need to replace it” and stayed on schedule.  They did not do that.  Instead, they looked out for ME and rushed everything—much like my brother does with the cranberry goo—to make sure I had a new shaft seal installed perfectly before we splashed.  

The best way I could think of to repay them (and Ubi) was to clean and paint the areas they had to work in.  It turned out to be a great idea, and this is now an area of the boat I love to spend time in.  I got a little paint-happy (blame it on the fumes) and just went ahead and painted the whole work room while I was in there.  Love me some Bilge-Kote!

Oh, and I brought them a wheelbarrow of beer my last day at the yard.  That was fun giving it to them.  Thanks for all the help Cobb’s guys.  You rock!

PUMPKIN AND PECAN PIES

Saving the best for last!  Or at least the sweetest reward.  We splurged this time and went ahead and had the entire top side (hull sides AND the deck) polished to a shine.  This guy Charles who works out of Cobb’s was phenomenal and he busted his hump over several weeks to knock this out for us.  It was definitely a satisfying, most glorious end to our time in the shipyard.  Just like Thanksgiving pies: a sweet, sweet, finish!  

Now, don’t you all feel satisfied and full?  What a glorious Thanksgiving treat that was.  Next up—as I mentioned—I’ll share an incredible harrowing story from our trip around Hatteras last November.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, enjoy time with your friends and family, and reflect on what you are thankful for this year.  We hope you enjoyed this fun, festive boat projects blog.  Ubi is ready to cruise ‘round the world with Creed!  

Oh, and, were any of you clever readers wondering about the wishbone?  I bet some of you were.  That was our wallet.  Right after we paid the shipyard bill, it went.  *SNAP*

As I sat down to write this month’s fun HaveWind installment, I’ll admit to getting swept away in a little Halloween nostalgia, as it’s probably one of mine and Phillip’s favorite holidays.  Fun fact about us: WE LOVE TO DRESS UP.  While we are currently doing our proper Halloween diligence poking through thrift stores and scouring eBay to find the right—nay, the perfect!—accessories for our 2025 costumes I was inspired to share a few features from our HaveWind Halloween History.  Before we dig into the fun, a little housekeeping as I know you all have been watching my new Author garden grow.  Here’s what’s going down in AnnieLand.    

What’s Going On Here at HaveWind:

The good news: nothing will change here.  I will continue to share our fun sailing and cruising travel content via this blog and @havewindwilltravel on Instagram.  If you don’t have a keen interest in following my author content, no worries at all.  Just sit tight.  However, I will be sending my first ever Author email to all of my HaveWind followers this week with links where you can follow my new author content if you would like.  If you would not, please unsubscribe when you get the author email.  You’re not going to hurt my feelings at all.  I only want to send my author content to folks who want to receive it.  It’s quite the journey going from an idea in your head to an actual published book THAT actually sells, a little.  If that—or my writing—intrigues or entertains you, follow my author content at:

Follow Annie Dike Author on Facebook

Follow Annie Dike Author on Instagram

Now back to the HaveWind Halloween Goodness …

THE RULE: ALWAYS CARRY A COSTUME ABOARD

I think Captain Phillip—also known as Captain Stubing in this particular clip—said it best:

It’s true.  You never know what you’re going to get into while cruising.  Especially with us.  I can’t tell you how many times Phillip and I dressed up aboard … AND goaded others into dressing up with us.  We’ll get to the Boozer Cruisers, just you wait.  That Love Boat is coming.  But, let’s get some order going here.  Start at the top. 

2024: Evil Circus Ringmaster and His Naughty Tiger

Last year we had just wrapped our epic Outbound Rendezvous in Maine, and it was our first season to ever cruise in Maine as well, which was an experience so mind-blowing I shared it over several posts here (Portland, Camden/Boothbay, Bar Harbor/MDI).  Maine was probably the pinnacle of our last few years cruising, the jewel in our east coast crown.  It was such a lush, rich, rewarding experience shared with incredible friends with whom I know we have forged lifelong bonds.  Many of the ladies I was always walking and bonding with on those gorgeous hikes in Maine are some of the very ones who encouraged me in my writing journey and were my first beta readers of Clovis.  You know who you are.  Thank you ladies.    

After our summer in Maine came to an end, Phillip and I started making our way back down the east coast headed toward Norfolk, VA (Little Creek to be more exact) to Cobb’s Marina, where we were scheduled to have some pretty significant work done.  We installed a brand new Northern Lights 6K generator last October, which I’ll be sharing here at HaveWind next.  It was a sweet install.  While we have celebrated Halloween in Norfolk before (it’s a fun place for it), this last year we scurried home to Pensacola for a rockin’ Halloween party with friends.  You’ll probably remember our boat broker, Kevin—I toured his incredible 1982 Pearson 36 many moons ago here. He and his wife, Laura, made fabulous Halloween partners in crime.  Phillip was an evil circus ringmaster and I was his naughty tiger.  ROWR. 

2023: I Dream of Jeannie and Major Roger Healey

Who dreams of Jeannie?  We do!  Phillip and I went for a pretty spot-on Jeannie and well … we had a little mishap with our costume accessories and Jeannie’s reputation suffered for it.  Sorry, Jeanie.  We were planning for Phillip to be Jeannie’s love interest—USAF Major Tony Nelson—but we didn’t Google it correctly or there was alcohol involved and Jeannie went off on a pretty public foray with Army Major Roger Healey.  Whoops.  But, fun was certainly had in Charleston.  We often end a night there at the Cocktail Club—where the drinks knock even me on the floor—and were thrilled to find ourselves falling into this beautiful bouquet of Disney princesses there.  Thanks for the fun ladies!

2022: Genie and a Fireman

Funny thing about that genie idea.  It actually started in 2022, where we were staying on Ubi in Portsmouth, VA for about six weeks having generator work done (that’ll tie in later, trust me).  They had this incredible thrift store there in Portsmouth that was stuffed with Halloween costumes.  You could find that weird leather hat you need for a steam punk costume.  Those red sparkle heels for a naughty nurse (or Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz—we prefer costumes, or just about anything, really, that does double duty).  Even … a full length fireman’s jacket (that doubles as a mad scientist) and poofy blue genie pants (that double as M.C. Hammer).  The costumes that year were pretty rag-tag, but that made them all the more fun.  You’ll see the gold sparkle heels did pass the test for the genie outfit the following year.  We teamed up with fellow Outbounders, Peter and Patty (featured here multiple times), in 2023 for an awesome Talking Heads cover band in Norfolk.  It was incredible! 

And, for even further proof we love to dress up, the four of us even did it completely outside of Halloween just to go skating in retro seventies getups with glow sticks and rave necklaces in Greenport on Shelter Island, NY when we were buddy boating then with P&P.  I’m starting to think we have a little bit of a problem. 

2020: Tiger King … and His Naughty Tiger (obviously)

In 2020, we had to be what everybody in the world was watching on Netflix (because everyone in the world was watching Netflix).  Tiger King!  Any time we put hair on Phillip, I lose it.  The man rocks any wig.  I’m not kidding.  This mullet was a keeper.  Keep an eye on that sparkly disco-style shirt.  You’ll see it later, too.  I mentioned the double duty.

2019: The Cast of Stranger Things

Annnnd what was everyone watching in 2019?  You guessed it.  Stranger Things!  I made a pretty wicked Eleven—including her box of Leggo waffles (it’s all about the details), while Phillip and I roped our amazing friends Stephen and Beth into rounding out our Stranger Things crew.  Jesus did we have fun that night, rocking things out in downtown Pensacola.  Thank you S&B for making it a night to remember … as well as forget! 

2018: Little Red Riding Hood

We call this one Phillip’s “run over dog” wig.  It has actually played several roles: a wayward werewolf, that strange Wilfred character from the Daniel Radcliffe show Wilfred, and almost Joe Exotic’s mullet but we couldn’t quite stuff it right under the hat.  In this one, its original purpose, it played the Big Bad Wolf grandma-style to my sexy Red Riding Hood. 

Again, though, notice how Phillip really pulls off any wig.  The man is a genius!

2017: The Love Boat’s Captain Stubing and Julie McCoy

Let the Boozer Cruiser portion of this Halloween tour begin!  We did host two pretty epic, went-down-in-history, “Boozer Cruisers” back in Pensacola before Phillip and I really started cruising further and abroad.  We would coordinate with 5-7 other boats in the anchorage where each boat would dress up and decorate their boat with a theme (including themed drinks or snacks that they served) and spend the evening dinghying around to everyone’s boats and enjoying the costumes, décor, and delicious treats.  It was an epic event filled with memories, shenanigans, completed unexpected turns of events, surprise cameos, you name it.  Our Boozer Cruisers were wild and something we will never regret having done.  At one point we had 35 people aboard Plaintiff’s Rest.  35 folks on a 35-footer.  That’s probably thirty too many, but we did it. 

The videos from these crazy Halloween throwdowns pretty much speak for themselves.  Several folks in the anchorage didn’t even know about the event until we settled on the hook and told them—one would be BaBaLu from the intro video—but they were able to participate in the tremendous fun.  Why??  Because they followed Cruisers’ Rule #14: Always Carry a Costume Aboard.  That year, 2017, Phillip and I dressed up as Captain Stubing and Julie McCoy from The Love Boat offering The Love Boat’s iconic cocktail “The Isaac” served on our “lido deck” (aka Plaintiff’s Rest topside).  Only problem was, Julie kept losing pieces of her costume throughout the night until she turned into a puddle of business clothes in the cockpit the morning after.  Like I said: fun was had. 

2016: Baywatch’s Mitch and C.J.

This will probably be one of the most memorable Halloweens of our life, kicking off the Boozer Cruisers and introducing us to this wild cast of characters who hang out at Ft. McRee in Pensacola. Even in crazy Baywatch gear, we fit right in.  We also ended the night on a total stranger’s boat.  Some guy who just rolled into the anchorage and was happy to let us (and 30 of our closest friends) completely crash his boat and drink his booze.  Now half the chicks were half-dressed, so that helps.  But, damn did we have fun!! 

2015: Pirates!  Arrrgggghhh!

This is back when our cruising had just started and we were venturing around new parts of Pensacola—Pirate’s Cove being one.  They hosted this kickass Halloween party that year and a fundraiser for the Point Yacht Club where little Author Annie (yes, I guess I have been doing this a while) hosted a book-signing to help with the event.  Our long-time friends Brandon and Christine know how to do pirates, right — all the way down to the little ones.  It doesn’t take much for any cruiser to become a pirate.  Just add rum.  Lol. 

Again, fun was had.  And, I have to admit to having a little nostalgic moment watching me way back then pursuing my writing and pushing my books.  Go little books, go!  If you really love to write, I guess you just never quit.  For those who haven’t yet checked out Clovis, what the hell are you waiting for?  Ha! 

Halloween Circa 1988

Since we’re on the Clovis topic for a bit, here is a fun pic of me and my brother, John (known in the book as “Jude”) getting our Halloween on back in Clovis, New Mexico.  That is one sexy little fairy and a fat hobo clown, circa 1988.  Yeah baby!  For anyone who knows me and my brother, though—or has read Clovis—you’ll know we should have swapped outfits. Hahahahahaa!!!

2025!  Yeah Baby!

Which brings everything back full circle.  While we’ve got several costumes planned this year (that’s not uncommon at all—I told you we treat this holiday like professionals), our first was a flamboyant disco duo where we teamed up with Brandon and Christine who were sexy pilots (anyone get the Capt. Striker reference Brandon sported on his name tag?) for a local Halloween bash.  I’m pretty sure Phillip was assaulted by no less than six women who had to run their fingers through his incredibly tall hair.  I’m telling you, the man can rock any wig. And, look, there’s that Joe Exotic sparkle shirt. You didn’t forget about it, did you? The double duty is key.

Hope you all have a fun Halloween planned yourself.  What’s everyone dressing up as?  Next up here at HaveWind, we’re going to share the immense list of work we did on Ubiquitous back in Cobb’s Marina in the fall of 2024–where Yours Truly stood in as project manager as Phillip was in trial. It was an interesting, arduous time and it includes the removal of our Fischer Panda generator for the install of a new Northern Lights 6K generator.  Yeah baby!  Stay tuned!

   

Yes, you read that correctly. A whole book, beginning, middle, even an end! Can you believe it? Kidding. Although it is what I AM most excited about, I’m sure you’re really here for the boat news. That’s big, too. In honor of this new chapter, I even dusted off Video Annie for our announcement video. She was rusty!

However, for those of you who don’t love to get your information via video (*ahem* … ME), you can skim—as fast as you’d like—the video script below. If that’s you, I totally get it. Scroll on down. Most importantly: the “Big News” takeaway? There’s one of two things we need you to do:

• 1) buy and read my new book, Clovis; or

• 2) buy an incredible 2015 Outbound 46 that’s for sale.

It’s up to you! Ha! Phillip and I are thrilled about my new book, our new travel destinations, and this new cool chapter in our lives. I hope to hear from some of you readers out there. It would mean the world to me if you read, left a review, and shared Clovis with your friends, family, or followers. For those of you with a bunch of Facebook friends or any kind of following, PLEASE SHARE on your platform. Thank you. Phillip and I look forward to seeing you somewhere out there. Au revoir! Bonjour! Or … hola! (You’ll see they’re all the same to Video Annie, lol : ).

HUGE NEWS: I’ve Published a New Book and We’re Selling Our Boat

Man, we’ve had one hell of a time out here cruising.  Phillip and I have laid down thousands of blue water miles.  Witnessed unforgettable sights.  Challenged each other.  Laughed our asses off.  We’ve been lucky to be able to live a life of travel for almost fifteen years.  But, the real gift has been the people we’ve connected with out here—adventurous spirits, big dreamers with insane courage, beautiful, bruised hearts.  Some are retired CEOs, doctors, helicopter mechanics, nurses, professors, musicians, you name it.  There’s always the guy with every spare imaginable, the gal who will roll up her sleeves and help you clean the bilge.  The writers, the builders, even the ones we’ve had to say goodbye to.  We’ve met so many people who continue to love and give to others, even though they’ve lost so much themselves. 

These past few years cruising on Ubiquitous, I’ve become fascinated with their stories, their origins.  My own included.  Because I think we can all ask ourselves:

What makes you who you are? 

Is it the larger than life characters from your past, or your childhood, your teen years?  The heroes?  The villains?  The mentors?  The realization—perhaps—when you grow up that you had those mixed up?  Is it the events, the loves, the losses?  Or, is it a feeling that deep down you are different, an imposter, only to find later you were never really as different as you thought?    

My story began nowhere near salty oceans or distant shores.  I grew up in the dusty fields of Clovis, New Mexico.  My dad was a rodeo star turned long-haul cattle driver.  Fun-loving, had his own demons, but a good soul.  My mom worked thirty years for the health department.  She was a fierce chain-smoking woman who forged me into steel.  They were divorced, which left my brother and me shuffling from trailer to hotel to trailer with our duct-taped Duffel bag and box of LEGOs.

But these events shaped me.  They are my deepest roots, and—over the past two years—they’ve possessed me, pretty much, compelled me to write them down and weave them together into my best story yet.  I am more proud of this book than any book, blog, or article I have ever written.

Clovis is my debut literary fiction novel.  It follows Callie—a not so disguised version of me—as she claws her way out of the dusty soil of Clovis, New Mexico with her enigmatic brother, her beautifully flawed parents and childhood friends, as she finds herself, navigates complicated relationships, suffers losses greater than I have even felt in my life but I wanted to convey love, change, and new chapters. 

The feedback I have received so far from, all of my cruising friends as I have mentioned, these diverse, rich people, from all walks of life have reached out to me and enjoyed the story.  They’ve shed tears over characters I’ve created, which is pretty mesmerizing.  And, they’ve compelled me to share.  I’m doing this on my own, rather than the traditional publishing route, because I believe in people, and cutting out middlemen, and doing this on my own and having my own project.  This is part of my new chapter as well is promoting the book and writing others.  I’ve got a lot more novels in me.  I hope you all, especially if you’re readers or if know people who love to read, if you want a story with heart, please pick up Clovis.  Read her, leave a review, and share.  That’s all I ask.  Five to ten friends, if you love it, please ask them to read and share.  I just want her to grow and soar and take off on her own.  She is a gorgeous story and I am very proud. 

Thank you. 

And, you also, you did read that right.  This is not any click bait.  We are selling Ubiquitous. 

I know, right?  It was a tough decision.  Phillip and I just have so many places we want to see, adventures we want to go on, people we want to visit and spend quality time with, that we just can’t do it all by boat and while owning and maintaining a boat like Ubiquitous the way she deserves.  So, we’re on to a new chapter—of international travel, maybe living abroad for a bit.

I hope you all are onto amazing chapters and adventures yourselves.  If you know anybody in the market for an incredible, f&*cking amazing boat (pardon my French, but it’s my video), there’s a link below.  Check out her listing.  I’m hoping she’s sold by the time I’ve posted this and I’ll have to tell you “Sorry.”  That would be great news, but we’ll see. 

Phillip and I will be out there.  Like I said, we’ve got on the books.  God, what’s on the short list?  Maybe skiing in Austria.  Doing the French canals by boat.  African safari’s on the short list.  Vietnam, Cambodia, a cruise to Alaska.  A summer in Montreal.  We just got back from Montreal.  It was amazing. 

So, all these adventures in store.  Who wouldn’t be excited?  These are wonderful things.  We’ve had a fantastic time cruising by sailboat.  We are definitely okay with, and at peace with, putting that down for a bit and starting a new chapter. 

So, that’s the big news!  I thought it called for a little cameo of Video Annie.  She’s still as quirky as ever and will say anything.  I’ve had to do a thousand takes of this, so we’re going to wrap it up!  We’ll continue to post here—Have Wings Will Travel—maybe just for a little bit.  I imagine we’ll get back into boating.  I can’t keep Phillip away from saltwater, so you’ll probably see us out there in a different form in a few years.  Who knows?  Right now, we’re getting off and going around the world.  Au revoir!  Bonjour!  What’s another one?  Hola!  That’s the only Spanish one I know. 

Bye!

What’s the most common thing you hear about travel, boating, or even cruising specifically?  What really makes cruising so special?  The places?  The boats?  I’m sure you’re probably guessing where I’m going.  What were you going to say?  That’s right. 

THE PEOPLE. 

It’s the people that make it.  You meet such incredibly diverse, interesting, funny, capable, courageous, quirky people while cruising.  And, only by cruising do you meet such a wide range of people—from all ages, backgrounds, jobs, and cultures—with whom you can connect so immediately because of your bond over boats.  That is, you have chosen to travel the world by boat and take on all the challenges and rewards that presents.  The lifestyle itself creates an instant, undeniable connection. 

This event, the last big item on our Maine 2024 list, a first-ever rendezvous of Outbound boats and their owners in Harpswell, ME, was no different.  What made it?  Say it with me …

THE PEOPLE! 

August 2024

Three Islands in the New Meadows River, Maine

When the planning of this rendezvous was in its mere whisper phases—in the spring of 2024—Phillip and I had no idea what to even expect in Maine.  Sure, folks can tell you about the gorgeous scenery, the succulent lobster and seafood, the hikes, the bikes, the friendly people, but you really have to go and experience it for yourself to truly get it.  The glorious world of nature that opened up for us as we cruised through Maine could only be topped by a get together with a dozen other like-minded, incredibly diverse Outbound owners for a traditional lobster bake, boat rally, and fiercely competitive regatta. 

The Outbound owners who dreamed this up—the notorious and now infamous Meg and Sandy aboard s/v Kennebec—were brave enough to invite a pack of wild boat owners to their family home in Maine in late August, 2024 for an Outbound rally. 

Having never met anyone who had a “family home in Maine,” I expected to see a three story, glossy mansion with huge pillars in the front, eighteen foot ceilings, and perhaps lion sculptures on the porch, or maybe they’d be seal pups shooting water into a front-yard fountain (I have a vivid imagination), I was far more pleased with what I got—a comfortable, well-appointed, lived-in and happily used family home that offered the perfect backdrop for a fun, heartwarming lobster-infused get together. 

When we first started pointing Ubiquitous toward the New Meadows River in mid-August of last year—after gorging ourselves on Portland, Camden, Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbour, Mt. Desert Island and the like—we started chatting with our close friends and fellow Outbound owners, Leo and Diane, on s/v Orion.  If you recall, Leo, was the Outbound owner who literally saved our very first cruising season on Ubiquitous back in 2021 when we were in desperate need of a new riser/elbow.  Leo offered us his spare riser/elbow before even meeting us because that’s absolutely the guy he is.  Leo has garnered such a reputation in the Outbound community—having met several other Outbound and other boat owners in the same manner, i.e., by offering them a desperately-needed helping hand or spare—that folks joke he has a spare for anything.  “Need to change out your head?  Go ask Leo, he may have a spare toilet aboard” became the running joke among Outbounders.  With his heart of gold, smile of a thousand watts, and quick, adventurous wit, Leo is a standout in the Outbound community.  Along with his wife, Diane, with her artistic flair, warm, welcoming heart, and never-ending thirst for “fun things to do,” the crew of Orion is always an enviable guest in boat gatherings. 

Leo and Diane came up with the fun idea for the four of us—aboard Ubiquitous and Orion—to raft up for the first night in the New Meadows River and host a cocktail hour for all the Outbounders who came to the rendezvous.  We were expecting 15-20+ people on each boat and the ideas for interesting cocktails, nibbles, host gifts, décor, etc. began to brew in the days leading up to the rendezvous.  Diane is an expert party planner and she made découpage seashells for everyone as a parting gift.  Phillip came up with the idea of a frameable map (of the area where the Outbound rendezvous was hosted) for all owners to sign and gift to Meg and Sandy for hosting.  All told, the four of us—Leo, Diane, Phillip, and I—had a smashing time playing party hosts!  The raft-up was a big hit and introduced us to a dozen more Outbound owners whom we now call close friends and communicate with regularly. 

The next day, everyone gathered at Meg and Sandy’s place for a traditional lobster bake.  This was the first lobster bake I had ever attended, and I had NO CLUE they would literally dig a hole in the ground for the fire and lay seaweed and a bed of fresh lobsters on top to steam right there atop the moist Maine soil.  This country girl damn sure approved!  Those lobsters were some of the best I’ve eaten in my life.  And there were plenty.  I think we each had at least two. Some had three! I’m not at liberty to say who, only that … it was worth it.  ; )

The incredible team from Collection Yachts, who manufactures and sells Outbounds, also came to join us and brought every boat in attendance some custom Collection swag and goodies.  Having John, Michael, Tate, and the entire Collection team in attendance made the event even more fun. 

But, after the congenial festivities, we had to get serious.  We all have sailboats for a reason, am I right?  What is that reason? 

Well, for men, it’s often … TO RACE!  Ha!  The third day of the rendezvous was devoted to an Outbound exclusive regatta around three points set up in the New Meadows River.  There was some fierce competition—particularly in the startup—among the Outbound skippers with some strategic tacking, creative cursing, and somewhat-friendly heckling (lol), but it all ended in a sportsmanlike finish and great fun for all who sailed in the race.  Although I captured a few quality shots during the race, the Collection Yachts team employed an incredible photographer—Cory Silken out of Newport—to come and photograph both the race and the rendezvous and put together a glossy, high-quality photo book from the rendezvous that every owner was grateful and humbled to get.  What a memento from an unforgettable time with new and old friends. 

All told, Phillip and I could not have sailed away from the Outbound rendezvous more fulfilled and excited about all the adventures we have ahead, both in our amazing boat Ubiquitous, and with our new set of hilarious, adventurous, resourceful friends.  What more could cruisers ask for?  Our time in Maine definitely solidified for us that we are spending our years wisely—among people who feel and think like us and are driven to savor every experience available.  Cruisers are not afraid to get their hands dirty.  They don’t let unexpected obstacles dampen their mood, or their drive.  And, they simply have the best stories.  Period.  No matter how and where we travel, for Phillip and I, it will always be about the people.