Have Wind Will Travel

Esteemed HaveWind fans, where did we last leave you?  Ahhh … Portsmouth, VA where we spent an unanticipated month (nearly) having some serious work done on our Fischer Panda DC generator, where he earned the title “Rocky” for stepping back in the ring and conquering all odds.  With a fully functioning generator at last, and an approaching winter, it was time for Phillip, me (and Ubi makes three!) to get headed south as quick as safely possible in the fall of 2022.  Ironically, the right weather window came to us, once again, around Halloween (the same time we rounded Hatteras headed south in 2021).  We happily dubbed it “Happy Hattereen” ( … again! : ) and started our journey south for the winter, making four memorable, mentionable stops along the way.  Off we go Ubi crew—BBQ to Bikinis: Cruising Down the East Coast 2022.  

BBQ

We made the sail from Norfolk to Charleston (about a 400 nm run) in roughly 62 hours.  The wind was light at first allowing us to motor-sail around Hatteras—a significant obstacle to put in our rearview mirror.  I am totally okay with motoring around that treacherous patch of the Atlantic.  We can sail later, you know … where the depths and shoals are actually charted.  It was a little unnerving watching some thunderstorms off the port bow during our voyage but they, thankfully, never approached us.  

We rigged up the whisker pole for the last 24 hours and, overall, had a nice downwind run into Charleston, even coming in at night (not a problem in such a big inlet).  

We dropped the hook in the anchorage by the Yorktown, where we had spent a little over a week in 2021.  

We like that anchorage as it’s a fairly short dinghy ride in across the Cooper River—although it can get a bit wild with massive cargo ships coming through and a little wet in wind and chop—but then you’re right in the heart of downtown Charleston.  That’s worth a wet dinghy butt any day.  And, while Phillip and I thought we had really gotten the lay of the land in Charleston in 2021, there was one HUGE culinary piece we found this year we had been missing.

If it hasn’t yet been clear here on this blog, we’re pretty big foodies.  We like to eat. We like to drink. And, we LOVE to eat and drink at the same time.

Phillip, our Chief Trip Planner and Restaurant Sommelier (yes, that is a thing) has a pretty meticulously culled “travel list” for each city we’ve been to—or plan to go to—of restaurants to check out (or hit up again), cool bars, neat theatres, landmarks, sights, tours, or just cool things, in general, to do and see there.  And, we’d spent several weeks total in Charleston during our voyages up and down the East Coast in 2021 and thought we had a pretty good handle on things.  Turns out we were wrong.  It took a feisty little grandma Uber driver to prove it to us.  

When we get a rideshare driver who is a local and gives us a good “I’ll bet he/she knows some good spots” vibes, we’ll ask for a recommendation.  This has often taken us to little-known places, typically off the tourist path, that have afforded us a supremely “locals” experience.  This day in November, this Uber driver did not disappoint.  “Do you like BBQ?” Uber Granny asked.  Do we?  “Ahh … well, then.  You need to go to Lewis.  There’ll be a line out the door.  Don’t let it deter you.  There’s a bar where you can get a drink while you wait because you’re going to have to make some tough decisions about what to order.  Personally, I like the brisket.  It’s the best I’ve ever had.”  This coming from a 30-year Charleston veteran.  That’s saying something.  “All the sides are incredible, too.  They have a limited menu for a reason.  Every single thing has been perfected.”  Uber Granny caught my eye in the rearview mirror.  “Perfected,” she reiterated.

That’s all we needed to hear.  Lewis BBQ for lunch it shall be, Phillip and I determined that day.  Uber Granny was right.  There was a line out the door.  But we did not let it deter us.  Phillip and I got a beer and a coke at the bar and promptly got in line.  We knew we were going to get the brisket, but I also wanted to try their pulled pork with the three different BBQ sauces.  Phillip wanted to give their ribs a shake.  And, I remembered what Granny said about the sides—we decided on the collards (obviously), coleslaw (I love veggies), and their fries. 

What we didn’t expect, though, was the freebie.  When we got to the front of the line, a professional “carver” said hello and promptly handed us a piece of meat.  Just handed it over.  Like it was a totally normal thing.  “It’s the brisket,” she said.  “You won’t be disappointed.”  What other response is there?  Phillip and I put it in our mouths.  Jesus, it was good.  Fatty, salty, flavorful meat filled our palettes.  We were definitely getting the brisket.  We ordered up – by the pound: quarter, half, and (for Annie) upwards.  The cashier dude asked me how many “plates” I would need.  Turns out, at Lewis, a “plate” is a strip of butcher paper.  Nice.  I could really get used to a place like this.  

Once our tray was put together, Phillip and I could barely stop long enough to snap a couple photos before we dug in and demolished that beautiful spread.  The pulled pork was exceptionally tasty.  Almost didn’t need any BBQ sauce at all, and that’s saying something.  The collards had this meaty backbone to them.  Phillip’s rib sandwich was incredible.  Everything was incredible.  Lewis is hands-down the best BBQ we’ve ever had.  

I don’t know how we had never heard of this before, but add it to your Charleston list.  Charleston, Lewis, we’ll be back.

Beatdown

Our next sail was a much shorter leg from Charleston to Fernandina Beach, FL, roughly 150 nm.  We were expecting a nice 10-13 knots of wind to push us down the coast.  

Unfortunately, we got battered.  The wind was a steady 17 knots through the night, very close to our stern forcing us to sail a tight line to avoid being pushed to shore.  At one point in the night—during my shift, of course—the wind shifted fiercely, throwing the auto pilot off.  By the time I got back to the helm to clear the auto and take over, we had gybed.  Thankfully, we were under a reefed main and we had our preventers on, so it wasn’t too violent, but I had to gybe us again to get back on course.  By the time Phillip came up (after all that clanging, banging ruckus) we were secure, but my nerves and confidence were shattered.  It was not a fun night, followed by not a fun morning.

The wind picked up to a steady 20+ over the course of the morning.  It was also right behind our beam.  Probably about the best place for it at that speed so it wouldn’t accidentally gybe us again, nor was it in our face.  But, with a 3-4 foot swell pushing us, too, we were really moving, making 7.5 to 9 knots pretty steady.  

Thankfully, Ubi is strong as hell and she was handling it very well.  It was unnerving, however, hearing clatter on the radio of other boats taking on water or having run aground in those conditions.  It made us incredibly grateful for our powerful, capable boat and her competent captain guiding us in.  

But, the wind would not let up.  We had to slice into 24 knots of wind when coming into the channel to Fernandina Beach.  When we finally anchored in the Amelia River, we were thrilled to get the sails down and tuck Ubi in for a well-deserved rest.  Whew.  

It was our first time to Fernandina, though, and we found rewards in store for our intense passage in the form of a quaint, clean eight-block radius of really cool shops, restaurants, and bars.  We were kind of wishing we had planned to spend more time there, but the weather was affording us a nice window the following day down to St. Augustine.  But, on a recommendation from a fellow cruiser, we split a tasty and beautiful paella at Espana that was worth the salty passage.  

We would like to spend more time in Fernandina Beach during our next transit up or down the coast.  Just … minus the wind next time.  

Bottom Job

While we had cranked “Rocky” (our newly anointed generator) several times to charge the batteries while we had been underway, we hadn’t yet used him to accomplish the goal we had set out to do when we first found he wouldn’t crank (back in Coney Island).  That is, use our brand new Brownies Third Lung unit to clean our own bottom.  When we finally settled in West Palm Beach (warmer water), we were excited to fire Rocky up to give Ubi a well-deserved bottom scrub.  I wouldn’t want to think how fast she would have rocketed into Fernandina Beach if she’d had a slick bottom.  9 knots is plenty fast for me.  

In West Palm, we performed our generator checklist and sang our now iconic song to get Rocky fired up. “Duh-uh-uh, duh-uh-uh!  (Gonna Fly Now/Bill Conti)  Let’s go Rock-OH!” we shouted.  With that intro, Rocky turned over like the champion he is and we were very pleased with the easy setup and user-friendly use of the Brownies.  Just turn on the inverter, set the unit up on deck, plug it in and turn it on, and *voila* we were able to jump over with our respirators and breathe underwater.  Phillip and I took turns going down and scrubbing each side, able to give Ubi’s bottom the attention and time she deserves.  We were comforted to know our time, money, and efforts spent in Portsmouth, VA back in October had not been in vain.  

Bahamas Bound

After West Palm Beach, it was a quick hop to Ft. Lauderdale where we planned to rent a dock and set up a “home base” for Ubi for the winter.  I highly recommend, if you’re even in Ft. Lauderdale, take this seasoned sailor to lunch! We got to meet up with Pam Wall while we were there and show her Ubi for the first time! I think her face says “Quite posh!” don’t you? : ) Having Pam aboard … what a treat!

While we’ve raved about Ft. Lauderdale and all it has to offer before (which includes the amazing Pam Wall), one of our favorite things about Ft. Lauderdale is that it’s just a short day hop from the Bahamas.  In the right conditions, it’s only a quick 10-hours or less trip from the States to the Islands.  Leave at daylight; dock in time for a goombay smash.  Can’t beat that.  It was time to trade in our beef for conch, big winds for Bahamas breezes, and our stinky, fat foulies for bikinis!  Who else has spent Christmas in the Abacos?  

Turns out Papa Noel likes goombay smashes, too.  Next up on the blog: Holiday in Tropical Heaven.  Stay tuned!

Where did we last leave you?  That’s right.  Brooklyn NYC!  Boy was that a posh stay at the new One-15 Marina there in Brooklyn.  

It was super cool to step foot off the boat right onto the waterfront piers and parks of Brooklyn.  Not to mention either taking a quick sub ride—or even walking across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge!—right into NYC.  We spent an incredible couple of weeks there in September-October last year while Hurricane Ian unfortunately rolled over south Florida.  Once the remnants of Ian cleared and allowed us to get back offshore, we were planning a two-day offshore trip from Coney Island, NY to Norfolk, VA.  

What we did not plan on, however, was our generator going kaput right before we were set to head offshore.  

October 2022:

The last chore we were going to undertake before we headed offshore NY to VA was going to be a bottom scrub (you know, to get that extra knot of speed!).  Phillip and I had invested in a Brownie’s Third Lung air compressor dive unit to allow us to scrub Ubi’s bottom (more meticulously than by free-diving, which I am not good at … at all … add it to my bucketlist), as well as perform prop and shaft maintenance and/or other bottom repairs, as needed, or perhaps dive deeper reefs when we find them.  We found the Brownie’s was a solid investment for the promise of regular DIY bottom jobs.  Simply crank the generator, turn on the inverter, plug the Brownie’s (110V) unit in and *BAM* you can breathe underwater and take all the time you need to make sure your boat’s bottom is safe, smooth, and pristine.  Only there was no *BAM.*  No nothing.  When we tried to turn our Fischer Panda 4000 DC generator over in Coney Island to do the bottom, it would not crank.  

My hmmpfh face after getting Brownies all rigged up and suiting up, ready to dive overboard with my Scotch Brite and get to it!

Full disclosure, we’d had some difficulty with our generator from the beginning.  He wasn’t a 100% consistent cranker, which earned him the name “Gremlin” (courtesy of me).  Other times when he had given us trouble, we had thought we’d tracked it down to low voltage and a loose connection on the starting battery (which we use to crank him).  He had refused to jettison exhaust water one time when I was manning Ubi alone, and I found he had chewed through his own impeller.  A relatively easy fix, but it definitely instilled his “Gremlin” nickname in my book.  

Meet Gremlin: Our Fischer Panda AGT 4000 DC Generator

On Ubiquitous, we have a Fischer Panda AGT 4000 DC generator, installed in the “workroom” (Annie’s shop) on our Outbound in the starboard lazarette.  Ubi’s former owner selected the DC generator—over an AC generator—to provide a quicker, far more efficient charge to Ubi’s 12V lithium battery bank, as needed, to supplement power she receives from her 200 watts of solar, the wind generator, and our Yanmar 80hp engine. I’ll be honest.  I wasn’t a huge Gremlin fan at first.  On the old boat, our 1985 Niagara 35, we never had a generator, and I wasn’t initially a fan of this second (teeny tiny) engine that required our attention, maintenance, time, and trust.  I like simplicity.  

But with the comfort that Ubi’s many gallant systems provides, an occasional super-charge of her batteries via the DC generator is a must.  Phillip and I are fans of the DC generator (over an AC generator) because we don’t typically need AC power.  We’re not air-conditioning people.  We don’t have or typically use a microwave, toaster, hair dryer, etc. on the boat.  As elegant as Ubiquitous is, at heart, Phillip and I are still simple sailors.  Elegant campers, you might say.  Which means we liked the idea of a quick 45-50 minute run of the generator every 4 or so days as needed.  When the water maker is commissioned, we need to make water (or freshwater flush the system) every 4 or so days.  Making water requires we run the generator, so it times well.  That is, when the generator is running well.  

On this day in Coney Island, our hopes that Gremlin’s occasional crank problem was a low voltage issue (that we thought we had fixed) were quashed.  Our generator had plenty of voltage, yet he was not able to get the necessary combustion, for some reason, to turn over.  With winter encroaching, we knew we needed to get somewhere further south, where we had more resources and time to troubleshoot our generator issue.  While heading out on an offshore passage, with such a critical component of our power generation system on Ubi impaired, was not ideal.  We knew we had plenty of fuel to motor the entire way (or at least enough of the way to keep the batteries charged if needed), so our plan was to get to Norfolk and then—#1 priority—get Gremlin figured out.  

Our Voyage, New York to Norfolk

In all, we had a chilly but exciting sail from Coney Island, NY to Norfolk, VA—an approximate 300 nm run—that we made in about 50 hours.  Thankfully, we sailed a good bit of the way, making good time, with minimal power needs.  

We anchored off of Hospital Point, where we stayed for a bit in 2021 while preparing to round Hatteras the first time.  

Our first day on the hook, we got the Fischer Panda folks on the phone to begin troubleshooting.  Their initial thought was a problem getting fuel to the cylinder.  We checked the fuel lines, cleaned the injector, and ensured we had a bright pink stream of diesel pumping in.  It didn’t seem fuel was the problem, although it’s an important first place to start.

While Phillip was on the phone with the Fischer Panda guy, I had Googled around the Norfolk area, looking for a small engine repair guy and came across this Lafayette Marine shop that was highly rated in the area.  I called.  Got a guy named Charlie on the line, who could hear Phillip and the Fischer Panda guy running down fuel issues while I was talking to him on speaker.  From overhearing their conversation and from what I’d told him about the generator not turning over, Charlie told us “you’re probably waterlocked.” 

Water what?

The Diagnosis: Seawater in the Cylinder

I’m sure my blonde was showing.  But, once Charlie explained that we likely had seawater that had come back into the generator somehow and had started to corrode the valve and cylinder, preventing it from creating the combustion necessary to turn the generator over.  Charlie even told me he’d seen the exact same problem on another Outbound 46 about a year prior and he fixed that one.  While I had no idea who I was calling at the time, it seemed like I had reached the dude around those parts for the type of repair we needed on our generator. 

Once Charlie mentioned the other Outbound owner, Phillip and I jumped on the Outbound forum and—sure enough—found a fellow outbound owner who’d faced this same problem with his generator and had stopped in Norfolk to have this guy, Charlie, repair it.  That was enough to tell Phillip and I we were in good hands.  One problem with cruising (i.e., repairing your boat in exotic places) is it’s sometimes hard to find trusted marine vendors in ports you’ve never visited and where you don’t know anyone.  So, having a fellow Outbound owner vouch for Charlie meant a lot to us.  Tentatively, we asked Charlie if he could meet us somewhere near Hospital Point to come aboard Ubi and assess our generator.  

“It would be best if you could get a slip at a marina so I can come and go as needed.  Do you know Tidewater Marina?” Charlie asked.  

I Googled.  500 feet.  I looked out our portlight.  “Yep.  I can see it from the boat.”  

Phillip and I weighed anchor and got settled into a slip at Tidewater that day with Charlie scheduled to come the following morning to assess the generator.  As soon as he got Gremlin torn apart and a vice grip on it that he could use to manually turn it, Phillip and I both could hear it.  A distinctive slosh when Charlie turned it.  That sealed it.  We were definitely waterlocked.  

How Did This Happen? 

Charlie saw it all quite clearly the minute he looked at our install, saying it was very similar to the other Outbound he had repaired the year prior.  The muffler for the generator wasn’t installed low enough to prevent seawater from traveling back up the exhaust hose and into the generator, particularly in a sea state where the boat is pitching.  We had definitely been in some sea states since we started sailing Ubi one year prior.  Heck, Brooklyn alone had enough wake in the marina (despite their wake-dampening attenuators) to have rocked Ubi back and forth to allow the water backup.  Charlie showed us the diagram in the Fischer Panda manual showing the requisite height that should be allowed between the muffler and the generator to prevent the ability for seawater to travel back into the generator.  For whatever reason, our generator had not been installed to these specs.  

Charlie was sure he would see corrosion in the cylinder and valve when he took it apart, telling him the valve was likely unable to create the necessary seal for combustion. However, he was hopeful he could replace the valve and clean up the cylinder and walls enough to create a seal and get our generator up and running again.  Otherwise, we were looking at installing a new generator—which sparked a whole chain of research and questions on our end that had our heads spinning.  To avoid all that research, decision-making, and expense, Phillip and I were equally as hopeful Charlie could get Gremlin back to fighting condition.  

How Charlie Fixed It

Even if we could repair Gremlin, we still had the faulty install to deal with.  How were we going to prevent the same thing from happening—raw exhaust water traveling back into the generator—the next time we got in a sea state (or even a big wake in a channel)?  Thankfully, Charlie had a fix.  His plan was to cut a hole in the floor under the generator (that was about 15” above the hull in the bilge) where he could install, essentially, a second, lower muffler, that would prevent seawater from being able to make the journey up that high to get back into our generator.  While cutting more holes in the boat is never ideal, we didn’t see another option for Gremlin, assuming he recovered from his surgery.  

Charlie dismantled Gremlin and took his cylinder off.  When he removed the cylinder, Phillip and I both could easily see the corrosion.  

Charlie took the cylinder to his shop for cleaning and replacement of the valve which we all hoped would revive our generator.  In the meantime, Phillip and I made good use of our time in Portsmouth and Norfolk, VA.  

Making the Most of Our Time in Norfolk

I’ll let you in on a little secret.  Wine festivals tend to find their way to us.  Turns out, there was one that very weekend in Norfolk—the annual Town Point Virginia Wine Festival.  Ummm … yes please?  Charlie actually recommended it to us.  Likely because he sensed we like wine and also (we suspect) he, wisely, wanted us nice and distracted while he worked diligently on our generator, because our stint with Charlie actually left us stuck in Norfolk, at a marina which we had not originally planned for, and additional two weeks.  The Wine Festival was a much-welcomed distraction.  

Another bonus?  Our friends and fellow Outbound owners, Peter and Patty (first introduced on the blog here) were also in the Norfolk area.  So, we used the time wisely to spend a few very fun nights with them, including one right around Halloween where we all dressed up for the occasion.  Phillip and I pilfered this awesome thrift store in Portsmouth and were actually able to put together a pretty spiffy Genie costume and Firefighter getup for a total of $12.00.  

Peter and Patty, however, won the costume prize with their original Operation rendition.  Very clever.  That night, we also found an outdoor concert headed up by a Talking Heads cover band that was pretty out of this world.  Now, whenever Phillip and I hear “Psycho killer, Qu’est-ce que c’est?” we think of Peter and Patty and our fun Halloween in Norfolk.  

Make the most of it, right?  That’s pretty much what cruising is all about.  We did see some pretty sunsets and rainbows while in Portsmouth.

MEET ROCKY

After a few unexpected, pricey (but fun!) weeks in Portsmouth, VA, Charlie came back with some exceptional news.  The newly repaired cylinder head (complete with a new valve) was ready.  Charlie brought it to the boat and the visual was telling.  It looked super clean.  

We all were very hopeful Charlie’s fix, including the second muffler installed under the generator floor, would allow our generator to turn over and run smoothly, without water every flowing back into the cylinder.  

After a good bit of priming and initial attempts, our Fischer Panda finally turned over!  I whooped so loud when the generator finally cranked, it spooked Charlie.  Poor guy, he spent so many hours, uncomfortable, on his knees down in our workroom.  Charlie was a dedicated professional who was honest with us and approached our generator problem very pragmatically and kept us informed the entire time. We can’t recommend Lafayette Marine and Charlie in Norfolk, VA enough. Thank you again, Charlie!

I’m sure Charlie was just as thrilled to hear our generator turn over as we were.  And, after some fun banter with cruising friends about the issues we’d been having with Gremlin and how his recovery was going, my Bestie, Rachel, said if he recovered and got back in the ring, he deserved a new name.  

Meet our repaired and recovered generator.  No longer Gremlin.  Now, he’s Rocky.  Balboa. 

And you better believe Phillip and I sing this song every time we go to crank Rocky.  He deserves it.  He’s a champion. 

Next up on the blog, we round Hatteras again (another Happy Hattereen!) and head south to warmer temps and island times.  Stay tuned!

This was such a fun experience, chatting with two “Caribbean Thriller” authors, Douglas Pratt and Nicholas Harvey, about sailing, writing, working as a lawyer remotely, a potential idea for my next book plot, forgetting to wear pants in Cuba, and … OH! … my least favorite singer. A lot of fun stuff packed in here. Many thanks to Doug and Nick for having me on their podcast among many other talented and interesting characters. I think I had a little too much fun with this one (if there is such a thing!). Give it a click and a listen. Enjoy!

https://thetwoauthorschatshow.podbean.com/e/following-passions/

Summary of episode: Nick and Doug get derailed answering an hilarious listener question, then interview a very entertaining lady by the name of Annie Dike. She’s a lawyer, sailor, author, and blogger who has followed her passions to live an island hopping existence.

You can check more of Doug and Nick’s The Two Authors’ Chat Show at https://thetwoauthorschatshow.podbean.com.

While we certainly loved (and would prefer) taking in NYC via a train ride from Port Washington leaving our boat to sit gently on a protected mooring ball while we whoop it up in the Big City, there’s something to be said about stepping off the boat right onto Brooklyn’s Peir 1 waterfront Park.  As we’ve mentioned before, while NYC is surrounded by water, there’s not really any good places to come into NYC by sailboat – not many docks, marinas, or anchorages to speak of.  So, when Phillip and I heard from fellow cruisers while making our way north up the east coast last year that a new marina was opening up in Brooklyn, we were intrigued!  There was also talk of state-of-the-art attenuators the marina and its design team engineered to tame the aggressive wake and waters of New York Harbor.  Phillip and I decided mid-summer last year that we had to give this fascinating new marina—Brooklyn ONE 15—a try, so we booked a week in late September October for our Big Brooklyn Splurge! 

September-October 2022

Traveling through Hell’s Gate from the Long Island Sound to New York Harbor, we’ve heard, can be treacherous if not timed right with the tide as there are wicked swift currents that rip through that narrow channel.  Thankfully, Phillip (our chief navigator … I’m chief dishwasher) has planned it perfectly for us both times and we enjoyed a fun, sunny, sightseeing motor over from Port Washington, NY to the ONE 15 Marina in Brooklyn.  

We were excited to see the effects of their groundbreaking attenuators for ourselves in the marina. Interestingly, we learned their system is comprised of custom-made floating barriers, anchored with precisely located pilings which cushion the marina against unwanted wave action while still allowing for the natural flow of tidal waves to reduce any environmental impact.  You can read more about ONE 15’s high-tech attenuator system here.  

Once docked, Phillip and I were thrilled to find ourselves right on Brooklyn’s Pier 1 Park with incredible walking/jogging grounds just a step off the boat.  Not to mention rows of amazing restaurants, an exceptional wine store, coffee shop, laundromat, even a Trader Joe’s—all within a radius of just a few blocks from the marina!  And, can we just talk about this evening view? 

The ability to step out of Ubi’s cockpit and stretch our legs on a dinner outing or just an afternoon or evening walk and take in the entire skyline of NYC was just mesmerizing.  What a treat for cruisers living on their sailboat, huh?  

Phillip and I even got the benefit of a free fireworks show one night over NYC that we could view from Ubi’s cockpit!!  I mean … really?  The occasion?  We had no clue and—frankly—could care less.  For all we knew, those fireworks were just for us!  

Sometimes the coolest part about living the seemingly flexible (albeit married to the weather) life of a cruiser taking the world in by boat are the random shows you get to see that you didn’t even have to buy tickets for.  In our travels, Phillip and I have stumbled into: wine festivals, interpretive dance performances, local production plays, art exhibits, concerts, comedy shows, beach volleyball championships, weightlifting competitions, you name it.  It’s amazing what you can find just walking around in new cities, reading flyers on windows, and talking to the locals.  That’s honestly one of my favorite aspects of cruising.  And, in that regard, Brooklyn did not disappoint.  Here’s what we enjoyed during our stay in Brooklyn:

Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge (which is now only open to foot traffic, not bike traffic on the main thoroughfare, a nice upgrade) to New York City.  Such a feet treat!  

Brushing off our flat-skates-skills at Flippers Skating Rink at the Rockefeller Center.  I was surprised I can still skate backwards … sort of.

Picking up some incredibly unique middle eastern spices, breads, and vegetables (while enjoying several decadent deli lunches) at Sahadi’s just a short walk from ONE 15 Marina: 

Discovering New York City’s favorite cookies (for real) at Levain Bakery.  After a day perusing Central Park, this intoxicating chocolate and dough smell pulled us down 74th Street where we discovered a bakery tucked three steps down from the street.  Got a cookie.  I thought Phillip was going to die from flavor pleasure.

Taking in a really unique and cool view of east New York City and the East River taking a gondola, better known as the “East River Skyway,” back from NYC to Brooklyn.  

Feeling like true Brooklyn Heights “locals” dining on the bench looking out the huge picture windows of River Deli onto Joralemon Street.  We also found the most exceptional Sardinian wine while we were there.  We’re still looking to find this gem again … 

Taking what I believe is one of the best photos I have ever captured at the Washington Square Park Arch in NYC.  I’ve considered having this printed to canvas to display on the boat.  I couldn’t stop smiling and singing along to this exuberant drummer “Go Alan Go” who regaled us with his singing talents, his exuberant curly hair, and his infectious joy, while we were there.  I adore street performers.  

Pillaging through Trader Joe’s in the heart of downtown Brooklyn on Atlantic Avenue, an incredible gem for cruisers with all of its unique nuts, trail mixes, snacks, and more.

Taking the ferry over to NYC and biking around the Hudson River Park, a wildly expansive green space perfect for walking, jogging, strolling, and flash dancing.

Strolling through China Town and indulging on the most exceptional dim sum and dumplings we have ever put in our mouths at Nom Wah Tea Parlor (a recommendation from our fellow Outbound owners and cruising friends, Peter and Patty on s/v Serendipitous, with whom we spent our first 4th of July aboard Ubi in 2021).  P&P, you did not disappoint.  

Meanwhile in Florida … 

Sadly, while Phillip and I were having all this fun in Brooklyn/NYC, Hurricane Ian was ripping a swath through Port Charlotte/Ft. Myers.  While you never want to wish hurricanes on anyone, living on the coast with so many friends, family members, and fellow boaters in your community, it’s impossible to not wish it away from you.  We had been watching Ian form and move over the Gulf and were hoping it did not set its sights directly on our home port of Pensacola like Hurricane Sally did in 2020.  Our hearts and thoughts go out to those, however, who suffered damage from Ian in southern Florida last year.  The storm was so big it brought its wrath all the way up the U.S. to Phillip and me and Ubiquitous in NY, thankfully only as a tropical storm/depression by then.  

Even in its diminished capacity, Ian still kept us rained in on the boat in Brooklyn for days and extending our stay unexpectedly at ONE 15.  Thankfully, no boats were coming and going in the heavy winds, rain, and sea state, so they had slips available to just let Ubiquitous stay safe and secure in her slip while Ian finally blew himself out.  We were incredibly grateful.  It wasn’t a cheap two-week stay, but it was a necessary one as there was no way we were going to take Ubi out in that gnarly mess.  Although we did venture out to wash a few loads of clothes.  Laundry day on Ubi be like … 

For those of you curious about the attenuator and the wave action in ONE 15 Marina, Phillip and I found it was pretty rolly in the marina (albeit less than it would have been without the attenuator) and we did have to take into consideration that we had a pretty gnarly tropical storm roll through and sit on us for days while we were there which contributed to the wave action.  But, for the view and convenience of the city—where we understandably spent more of our time as opposed to aboard Ubi—the tolerable motion was well worth it.

Once the weather cleared, Phillip and I got Ubi provisioned up (thank you Trader Joe’s!) and moved over to an anchorage near Coney Island to stage up for an offshore run from NY down to Norfolk, VA.  It was fun to run into our friends, Jamie and Sheryl on s/v Pacific High—with whom we have spent time on many east coast anchorages: Beaufort, NC, Wrightsville Beach, NC, Charleston, SC, and (as featured in a not-so-long-ago blog) Martha’s Vineyard—in Coney Island and spend a fun afternoon on the hook together.  

Check out Phillip in his “business up top, board shorts on the bottom” Cruising Lawyer getup.  All evidence (on this blog) to the contrary, Phillip and I do work—often and a lot—while cruising.  It’s all about the balance.  

The last chore we were going to undertake before we headed offshore was going to be a bottom scrub (you know, to get that extra knot of speed!).  Phillip and I had invested in a Brownie’s Third Lung air compressor dive unit to allow us to scrub Ubi’s bottom (more meticulously than by free-diving, which I am not good at … add it to my bucketlist), perform prop and shaft maintenance, and/or other bottom repairs, as well as dive deeper reefs when we find them.  We found it was a solid investment for the performance.  Simply crank the generator, turn on the inverter, plug the Brownie’s (110V) unit in and *BAM* you can breathe underwater and take all the time you need to make sure your boat’s bottom is safe, smooth, and pristine.  

Just like that … except for Phillip and I, there was no Bam.  There was no bottom job that day.  Our generator would not crank.  Hmmppfh.  While we would always prefer to have one of our more critical power generation systems working smoothly before heading offshore, it wasn’t worth it to lose the weather window we had.  We decided to leave our generator mystery for another day, head out into the Atlantic, and set our sights on Virginia.  

In all, our stay in Brooklyn was convenient, exciting, and exceptionally memorable.  It was not cheap, but it was worth it.  If any of you venture through, let us know what you think.  Next up on the blog, we’ll start our trek south last year and share with you our generator woes and a major fix we underwent in Virginia last fall.  Stay tuned!

What better city to round out our summer in New England than the city – New York City.  I love that city.  She and I developed a bit of a bond this past summer.  With her deepening fall colors in September.  Her shorts and tank top-warm days.  Her unfurling Central Park.  Her bustling streets teeming with bustling people.  And, the food … spending our “food points” was almost depressing because you had to choose one type of food, and then the meal was over, but my God were the choices diverse and stunning: Peruvian, Ethiopian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Italian, Korean.  I just needed more time, and more stomachs!  But, the downside to NYC for cruisers?  There are very few places where you can anchor or dock and just stroll into the city.  But, what we did find, is that Port Washington—itself a quaint, welcoming, convenient port for cruisers—proved to be a fine alternative that offered a safe, affordable, easy harbor for the boat, plus an inexpensive, quick train ride into the city.  Join us for a stay in Port Washington, NY and many mesmerizing strolls through New York City. 

September 2022

Where did we leave you last?  Ahhh … the colorful, eclectic Cuttyhunk and Martha’s Vineyard.  What glorious little islands in New England.  

From Martha’s Vineyard, we made our way back to Newport and into the Narragansett Bay to stage Ubiquitous up for a bit while we flew back home to Pensacola to work during August 2022.  Knowing our summer in New England was coming to an end, once we were back aboard Ubi, we began to plan our route back west into the mouth of the Long Island Sound toward New York City with plans of traveling down the Chesapeake headed south for the winter.  

Phillip had the fantastic idea to stop in Sag Harbor for a few nights to explore. It proved to be yet another quaint little coastal New England town with fantastic downtown strolling, shopping, and eating.

And … the best part. By sheer happenstance—we managed to end up there the same time that the infamous Pam Wall and her son, Jamie, had simply decided to check out Sag Harbor for the first time on a Labor Day weekend whim!  Phillip and I couldn’t believe our luck when we stumbled into Pam on the dock!  They had rented an amazing little AirBnB right in the heart of downtown overlooking a glorious pool in the backyard.  

That Pam Wall … she knows how to travel!  (As she should, having traveled the world via sailboat … way before it became popular!). We spent a glorious few days in Sag Harbor with Pam before making our way back west, stopping in Essex, CT for a quick freshwater stay (bye bye bottom scum!).

Then it was a day sail down to Port Washington, NY, where we had stayed before when we first entered the Long Island Sound back in June 2022.

Let’s see … what did I say about Port Washington before: 

Port Washington offered not only beauty but convenience.  A mooring ball that was only $45/night and came with a free water taxi operating most business hours of every day.  Great shopping downtown and a diverse range of excellent restaurants (La P’Tite Framboise (the “little raspberry”) for French, Nikkei for Peruvian, Diwan for Indian).  The dinghy dock located right across from the Stop ‘n Shop for groceries and just a short walk from the laundromat, the wine/liquor store, UPS, Walgreens, Ace Hardware, Target, etc.  Not to mention (I mean … holy cow) Port Washington is just a short, $10, 40-minute train ride on the LIRR then you’re in Penn Station, with a full day in NYC to explore (while only paying $45/night for NY lodging)?!  We rode the wheels off the LIRR.  Why wouldn’t you?  NYC, right there! 

Man, I think I nailed it the first time.  Phillip and I felt right at ease coming back into Port Washington and grabbing a ball again in the mooring field.  It’s a lovely setting with many beautiful boats surrounding you in the harbor and a free and convenient water taxi to take you to/from shore.  We had one weekend to blow it out in Port Wash before Phillip had to fly back home for a jury trial.  And what a day it was … 

To make our hybrid sailors-slash-lawyers life work, we often have to split duties, with me staying on the boat and tending to UbiQ while Phillip flies back home to tend to matters at the office.  Our work-life balance definitely requires some sacrifices and creative ways of getting things done, but damn if it’s not worth it.  Phillip sent me a spectacular photo from his flight out of LaGuardia and he was off.

While Phillip was away, I did get some long overdue projects on the boat done (replacing the joker valves on the heads, replacing the impeller on the generator, cleaning out all the raw water strainers, building a new lifting harness for the new outboard (“Su 2.0”), giving our dinghy “Ducky” his own logo (very important), and accomplishing some super intense deep-Annie-cleaning).

But don’t you worry.  Plenty of fun was had, too.  I mentioned the “balance” right?  What neither Phillip nor I could have predicted when he left me on Ubi that fateful day in September, was my sheer joy in traveling to NYC solo.  

I was a little nervous making the trip alone at first as I am not super talented in the navigation department and often have no idea how we got where and how we got back when Phillip and I venture out together.  As long as I’m with him, I know I’m going the right way, I’m going to have a blast, and I’m going to make it home just fine.  Why should I note the directions we went and the streets we took?  Psshhh!  I pity the fool!  But, for my solo journey, I studied some subway and street maps (it helps a ton that NYC is numbered so easily west to east and south to north) and got brave.  I haled the water taxi to Ubi around 9 am.  Got a huge Starbucks for the train ride (because that felt very New Yorkery).  

Rode the 45 min train into Penn Station.  (Penn Station?!  Whoa.) Then scouted out an excellent takeout lunch place, a little French bistro type place—La Pain Quotidien—and sat my first NYC day with my laptop working in Central Park.  What an office view, huh?  

I even got to watch the trainers feed the sea lions at the Central Park Zoo.  How’s that for lunch entertainment?

Round two I was on the hunt for middle eastern food, specifically Brussels sprouts (I have an unnatural obsession with Brussel sprouts).  I found ILILI and sat at Madison Square Park (on 5th Ave and E. 23rd St).  That day I also had time to check out Times Square, Chelsea Market, the modern Whitney Museum and the quirky, lush Little Island off of Hudson Park.

I saw some strange things …

And even Stranger Things! Actor Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things! Don’t worry, I didn’t accost him.

I then discovered La Botaniste (the best vegan in NYC (IMHO)) and sat and ate at Bryant Park (5th Ave and E. 40th St.).  

La Botaniste was so good I did it again another day and sat at Washington Square Park, probably my favorite park—with its occasional live music, rapid-fire chess games, random street performers, and wave after wave of pedestrians, professionals, students, and other commuters.  I could do a NYC takeout/park lunch every day of my life if allowed … and if Phillip and I didn’t want to travel to all the other cool cities in the world.  There is that. 

What was Phillip doing back home you might be wondering? Other than working, he was making the rounds visiting all of our Pensacola posse. Say “Hi!” to John and Jody on s/v Hula Girl!

On Saturday I got even braver and decided to take in a Broadway Show.  My plan was to just wait until close to 2:00 p.m. to buy any last minute unsold tickets at a discount, but then I found a good deal on a single ticket for Funny Girl.   I knew nothing about it, but texted my friend (who is a Broadway addict connoisseur) and she said the lead was played by a gal that was in Glee, Lea Michele (although Lea was out sick, her stand-in, Julie Benko, knocked my socks off).  I also Googled and found Funny Girl was Barbara Streisand’s first breakout role in Broadway.  That all sounded good to me.  

Art is art.  And there’s just something about live art that makes it all the more risky and organic and full of possibility.  I got a heaping bag of popcorn and chardonnay and buckled in.  

And, it was a decision I will never regret.  While I wish Phillip had been there with me, I was secretly also pretty pumped I had decided to just go anyway and take it all in.  Me and NYC … we bonded over the month of September.  I can’t wait to go back!

If you like the bustle and buzz of a big city but don’t want to spend the exorbitant dollars it costs to stay there, or be immersed in it day and night—as cruisers—Port Washington is a lovely way to maintain the tranquility of “home” on your boat in the safe harbor at night.

All while still having the ability to take an affordable quick train ride into the city anytime you want to get your skyscraper/noise-and-bustle/fine-dining fix.  Phillip and I will definitely be spending time there again this summer.  But, up next, you’ll see another way we did NYC this past summer.  If Port Washington is the “poor man’s” way to do NYC, this is the “soon-to-be-poor-man’s” way: by staying a week+ at ONE-15 Brooklyn Marina.  What a treat.  Stay tuned!

While it’s not necessarily bikinis and beach towels, the islands in New England offer their own unique charm.  Phillip and I have had an exceptionally difficult time deciding which port(s) in the New England cruising grounds were our favorite. They’re all so lovely.  While Block Island—our first island in NE—struck us, we later thought its “firstness” may have had more of an impact than we realized, when we finally got to experience other islands like cordial little Cuttyhunk and memorable Martha’s Vineyard.  Join us, on our first exploration through these exquisite little NE islands.

July 2022

After our endearing experience watching the nation’s longest-running Fourth of July parade with our entertaining friend Bridgett in Bristol, RI, we sailed across Narragansett Bay to Greenwich Bay and explored Warwick, RI (always makes me think of Dionne Warwick and the Psychic Friends Network … couldn’t help it) as well as Greenwich, RI.  Then it was back down to Newport to stock the boat back up for the next couple of weeks which we planned to spend checking out the first of the Elizabethan Islands, Cuttyhunk, and then the coveted Martha’s Vineyard—a place I honestly thought I would never go in my life!  It always sounded so fancy!  And, to tell you the truth, for half my younger years I literally thought it was just a vineyard owned by Martha Stewart.  Not kidding.  It’s a good thing Phillip plucked this little country girl out of Alabama and opened my eyes to this great big world.  

I don’t think Phillip or me will soon forget our sail from Newport to Cuttyhunk.  The boats that fly in and out of the Newport harbor are simply mesmerizing.  All shapes and sizes and speeds and styles.  The sailing feels like the breath in and out of that historic port.  When Phillip and I left on a brisk day in July (yes, it can be brisk in NE in July) we found ourselves immersed in a fleet of other boats, all with rails buried, tacking and gybing all around us.  It was exhilarating.  And, Ubi was matching them toe to toe.  It is always so rewarding to be reminded that not only did we purchase one of the most comfortable liveaboard monohulls I could imagine, she’s also just really fun to sail!  Outbound did an exceptional job building our (second) baby girl!

The Cuttyhunk Welcome Committee

I don’t think I’ve ever experienced such a cordial welcome to an anchorage.  Cuttyhunk is the first of the Elizabethan Islands in Massachusetts (and so it served as our introduction to Massachusetts) and just a short day-sail from Newport. Phillip and I didn’t know what to expect when we pulled into the protected little cove that serves as their mooring field. We saw a few mooring balls that seemed to be reserved or off limits, and, otherwise, most of them seemed to be already taken.  As we motored around in search of an available ball, a little John boat came out to us, confirmed we were looking for a ball, and took us straight to one that was available—a relief as it’s not ideal to grab a ball and get secure only to be told immediately afterward that you have to get off and move because you snagged an unavailable ball.  But, the assistance of the friendly folks at Cuttyhunk did not end there.  As soon as Phillip and I got Ubiquitous secure on (what we were now sure) was her ball for the next few nights, that same john boat came back out and tied alongside.  

“Ahoy! We’re the Cuttyhunk Welcome Committee!” he said cheerfully.  “Here are some trash bags for when you bring your trash to shore.  They only pick up on Tuesdays.  We’re having a potluck tonight at the dock if you want to bring something and join.  Rum is always popular.  Oh, and breakfast tomorrow morning as well.  Champagne is quite popular. There’s trivia Monday night, too, and Soprano’s is open now.  Great pizza.  Enjoy our little island.  Hope to see you ashore!”  

Everyone on the “welcome boat” waved and wished us a good evening.  It was incredible.  Phillip and I, and UbiQ, felt so welcome!  I think we were invited to every social event they were hosting that weekend.  And we’d just arrived!  Phillip and I looked around at the other boats in the cove and felt like we’d just settled among friends.  We dinghied ashore the following day to explore and were thrilled to soak in another hydrangea-adorned, breathtaking New England island.  Cuttyhunk offered its own charm in that it is so small.  A local at the museum told me the population can get down to as low as 15 people in winter.  Just 15 people!  They had a little library with a cardboard sign taped up.  A trivia night that—we quickly surmised—was fiercely competitive among regulars.  Just so many little things that charmed us.  We will definitely return.  

But, then, you have to imagine this place in the winter, how those lone 15 people see it.

The fact that these islands can really only be enjoyed by cruisers for a few months out of the year, I feel, makes them all the more special and attractive during the summer months. We enjoyed our weekend at Cuttyhunk, but it was soon time to leave that cozy mooring ball with our sights set on Martha’s Vineyard, a port that had evolved into a coveted destination for us that summer after many (many!) cruisers told us how lovely it was and that it was their favorite New England port.  Challenge accepted.  We had to sail there and experience it ourselves to find out.  

Making Happy, Chappy Memories at Martha’s Vineyard

While each of the New England ports Phillip and I visited last summer brimmed with hydrangeas of every color, Martha’s Vineyard positively overflowed with them.  I couldn’t stop taking photos of these fluffy pastel masterpieces we saw everywhere we went.  They also make incredible backdrops for selfies.  Doesn’t life among hydrangeas just look more enjoyable?  I know I will look forward to seeing and soaking up these exquisite flowers every time we do New England for the summer.  

But, that’s simply the flora and fauna.  Martha’s Vineyard also offered incredible shopping (Phillip and I found some really unique galley pieces and post cards and trinkets to send home to friends and family).  I discovered one of my now favorite photographers at the Untameable Gallery.  

Phillip ate the best cauliflower (yes, cauliflower) Reuben at Rosewater Market.  

Edgartown is filled with exceptional restaurants and bars overlooking the harbor.  

The mooring field on the inside is also rather large and easy to navigate.  But, we anchored on the outside with just as much ease and comfort and the dinghy ride in is quite exciting with the notorious car ferry (featured in JAWS!) going back and forth from Martha’s Vineyard to Chappaquiddick every 5-10 minutes.

Ashore, the streets of Martha’s Vineyard look like scenes straight out of a child’s storybook.  I kept thinking little blonde-headed children were going to walk up to me and introduce themselves as Hansel and Gretel.  

Phillip and I also took the bus one day to the island to spend the day in awe of the multicolored Oak Bluffs and stone-strewn shoreline (that’s a tongue-twister) on the north northeast shore of MV.  We saw a few other things while we were there that I don’t think I’m at liberty to mention on such a public platform …   Those of you who know MV, get it.  In all, it was a wildly fun day for the eyes and a glorious day at the beach, albeit a different kind of beach than we’re used to, but beautiful in its own unique right.  

I believe if I were to ask Phillip, however, he would say he holds the same memory from Martha’s Vineyard as his fondest—our day with Frank.  Phillip and I had run into another boat (this happens frequently when so many cruisers are visiting the same ports all summer), Jamie and Sheryl on Pacific High at Martha’s Vineyard with whom we had buddied up with in Ft. Lauderdale and other ports.  Jamie, Sheryl, and their crew and Phillip and I decided to go out for drinks ashore in Edgartown one evening and we ran into this lovely man, Frank, and his dog at the Behind the Bookstore bar.  Frank is a long-time local of Chappaquiddick and he regaled us all night with tales and stories that brought the history of the island to life which included, naturally, the Ted Kennedy scandal.  Having now seen the distance Ted ran and the channel he swam while that poor woman was drowning in the car he wrecked was heartbreaking and haunting but it did add to the rich allure of both islands.  

Frank’s stories, however, told of island life during the dreary winter months and how the locals that stick around pass the time: “Alcohol and books, more alcohol and firewood.  Don’t burn the books,” Frank said.  He was a hoot.  After a few crazy hours over drinks, the man was crazy enough to invite the five of us to Chappaquiddick the following day where he offered to chauffer us around and provide us with a personal tour of an island he has watched grow and change for forty years.  We did not regret the decision to take him up on it.  It was fascinating to see Chappaquiddick from a local’s perspective, understand the growth and changes, and get some scoop on the sly celebrities that have purchased homes there: Spike Lee, David Letterman, Carly Simon, James Taylor, and Diane Sawyer to name a few.  

Frank ended the tour with drinks and snacks that he served up for us himself at his home there in Chappaquiddick.  Overall, it was such a hospitable tour and a unique memory to take away from the island.  Martha’s Vineyard—and hopefully a reunion gathering with Frank—will be high on our list this coming summer!

Since 1785.  2022 was going to be their 236th straight year running, on the very same street where we were standing.  Do you know what Bristol, RI’s biggest claim to fame is?  The longest-running annual Fourth of July parade.  And, for its 236th year, we were planning to sail from Newport to Bristol to see it.  I was expecting big things.  Elephants.  Ladies juggling swords.  Pyrotechnics.  What we got was a completely different, mesmerizing experience.  And, I wouldn’t have traded it for any sword-juggler in the world.  Come with us, folks, from Newport to Bristol during our cruise in New England this past summer to experience a true Bristol tradition: the longest-running Fourth of July parade in the nation!  

July, 2022: 

While it is very hard to say which port was our favorite in New England.  Noank Village was quaint and genuine.  Block Island has its own charm, and bluffs, and island pride.  Martha’s Vineyard has hydrangeas in every color of the rainbow and exceptional dining and shopping.  But, Newport.  I think the sailing in Newport is what stole our hearts and put it #1 on our New England list.  It is such a historic port where boats have been sailing to, often from across the Atlantic, for hundreds of years.  The many varied sizes, colors, and crafts of boats in the harbor is dazzling.  And, the quaint brick streets, salty taverns, and new additions—like the Sailing Museum, Cliff Walk, the Mansions, and Tennis Hall of Fame—made the place a real gem.  

This doesn’t even mention the popular little beaches where the sight of surfers made my heart leap, and made Phillip jump at the idea of gifting me a lesson for my big Four-Oh!  Story here.  

And, the place was so cruiser-friendly, with a “water barge”—basically an easily accessible floating dock in the harbor—that you could dock up to at any time and fill the tanks, a free dinghy dock behind the Sailing Museum with a great work space there for cruisers as well as bathrooms, showers, laundry, and a book exchange – my favorite!  But, I think our favorite part about Newport was just sitting in the cockpit on the hook watching the dozens of different sailboats go by, from big tall-ships, to pirate-esque sailboat charters, to Bristol fashion craft boats, to little racing dinghies, even mega yachts, and vagabonds.  Everything in between.  The harbor itself can easily be enough entertainment for happy hour.  

Phillip and I love Newport.  I think the only thing that could make it better is … Bridgett!  We invited a good friend of ours up from Pensacola to stay aboard the boat with us for a few days to visit these cool New England ports (and I do say cool because Pensacola in July was in the 90s while Newport was in the 70s, so much more comfortable).  Bridgett has been long-affiliated with HaveWind.  She was the originator and facilitator of our Progressive Boozer Cruiser Back in 2015.  We bonded then, and we’ve been inseparable friends ever since.  

We enjoyed several days strolling around Newport, extending and accepting fun sailing challenges at the Sailing Museum, and enjoying some lovely rooftop “bevies and bites” (Bridgett’s words) with our amazing friend.

We then whisked Bridgett up the Narragansett Bay to Bristol, RI aboard the gallant (and fast!) UbiQ.

Why Bristol? We were not going to miss the nation’s longest-running Fourth of July parade from a lovely little perch that Phillip booked us (something we heard was a long-standing tradition in Bristol): viewing the parade from Linden’s Place.  

As we settled in our chairs with a front-row view of the street, I was astounded at how many people began to line the streets.  On this tiny little island in Narragansett Bay, folks really turned out for this parade.  And, I now know why.  It wasn’t the pyrotechnics, the acrobatics, or any flashy, razzle-dazzle.  It was Mayberry.  Straight-up back to the 1950’s good old wholesome USA Mayberry.  

It was amazing to realize this same parade has been marching down this same street, Hope Street, for over 200 years!

In addition to the traditional “small-town” elements of parades I love: horses (I always hope to see Clydesdales); baton twirlers (I love when they throw them up and spin around), and marching bands (I am a sucker for the drum line), this is a list of just a few of the folks and little “floats” (often carts pulled behind bikes) that I remember marched in the Bristol Fourth of July parade: 

1. The oldest person in town (her banner boasted she was 102!);
2. A guy named “Bob” whom we learned sat on the Board of Commissioners (everybody knew him, some even called out asking about his wife and girls);
3. The local milkman (I’m not kidding, he still delivers bottles to folks’ doors, everybody knew him); 
4. The local postman (everybody knew him); 
5. We then joked we would see next the utility company and water authority (we squealed with delight when we did, everybody knew them);
6. Bristol’s elementary school spelling bee winner that year; and
7. This cute little 2nd grader who had won the art contest for Bristol’s 2021 “town button” (in Bristol they still wear buttons).

The whole thing felt so local.  It was beyond charming.  We had the great fortune to sit next to a long-time resident of Bristol who educated us on each person and float in the parade.  It was fascinating to see this microcosm throwback to times when everyone in town knew everyone.  Phillip, Bridgett, and I left the parade feeling uplifted and giddy.  It’s tough for me to recall a Fourth of July parade I have ever enjoyed quite so much.  I hope Phillip and I find ourselves back there in July of this year to experience it all again.  

After the parade we strolled ourselves over to the Thames Waterside Bar & Grill (pro tip: live music always helps to steer us in your direction) and spent an absolute hilarious and entertaining few hours hanging out with a flock of Navy guys on leave at the bar as well as a handful of other colorful characters, Joey from Boston who invited us to his restaurant if we ever we sail through Boston, an English teacher named Dan who invited us to come hear his band play if we ever sailed into Greenwich (on the other side of the Narragansett Bay).  It was just an incredibly memorable day.  Bridgett always plays a heavy hand in an experience like that.  She’s like the flame every moth in the room is attracted to.  Bridgett, we had such an incredible time hosting you aboard UbiQ!  We hope you’ll come visit us again soon!

And, of course, no Fourth of July should ever end without fireworks. Back aboard Ubi anchored near Bristol in the Narragansett Bay, Bridgett, Phillip and I were treated to fireworks from every direction. I finally got those pyrotechnics I’d been craving.  360 degrees! Wherever you looked, lights were bursting like popcorn on the horizon. It was a real treat!

And, folks, if you ever find yourselves in the Narragansett Bay around the Fourth of July, you now know where to go and what to do!  Next up on our New England, we’ll continue our travels to the quirky little island of Cuttyhunk, and the regal, storied Martha’s Vineyard.  Stay tuned! 

Not a surfer was stirring, not even those serious about the sport.

My wetsuit was hung in the cockpit with care, in hopes that in the morning a hot instructor would be there. 

My 39-year-old brain was nestled snug in our vberth with visions of what me at 40 would look like on this Earth.

With Phillip’s promise of a birthday surf lesson on my mind, I closed my eyes to leave my 39th year behind.

Phillip’s scrambling the next morning woke me with a clatter: “Get up, it’s time to go!”  “What bikini?”  “It doesn’t matter!” 

For the water in Newport in summer was a brisk 65, but with a wetsuit it made you feel fresh and alive. 

We topped the hill on Memorial Boulevard and to my eyes did appear, the little crook of Easton beach with lapping waves I could hear.

A slick long board was brought to me nice and quick by my “tasty waves” instructor whose name was Nick.

After a few practice pop-ups on the beach, Nick took me to the water where there was a lovely swell, 1-2 foot each.

On my tummy the rise of each wave felt strange and new as Nick pointed me to shore and, shouting, told me what to do.

“When I tell you to paddle, dig hard, don’t give up.”  “Now PADDLE, now PADDLE, DOUBLE PADDLE and POP-UP!”

And just like that, to my utter disbelief and surprise, my body was propelled in a way and by forces I could never surmise.

I did it, I thought.  I surfed a wave.  Popped up from my belly.  I could see Phillip ashore looking astonished and (I hoped) a little jelly.

As I coasted to shore and his joyous face came into sight, Phillip shouted: 

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, ANNIE.  YOU SURFED WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!”

So … this is 40.  Not too shabby I’ll say.  

This impromptu surf lesson from Phillip was the perfect gift to celebrate my big day.  While we kite-surf a ton and I’ve “surfed” plenty of waves that way, I’d never “popped up” and truly dropped into a wave.  It was mesmerizing, thrilling, seemingly miraculous.  My brain could not convince my arms, right before each pop-up, that it was going to work, and then you just have a little faith and jump up and (most times) there you are, suddenly surfing.  I will relish any chance to surf, in the traditional way, like this again.  What an incredible feeling!  We are also looking forward to sharing more of Newport (then Bristol, RI for the Fourth of July!) with you all here on the blog.  (But I love the tradition of writing a unique ‘Twas the Night Before’ piece here each Christmas (2017 and 2020); I hope you enjoyed this one).  Phillip and I wish you all a wonderful holiday.  We’ll see you here next year (2023, can you believe we made it?) to continue sharing our first summer in New England!  Stay tuned!  And, happy new year!

It’s hard for me to find words that capture the feel of New England.  Mossy stone fences?  Steep grassy hillsides?  Squiggly boat reflections in the water?  Fleeces in July?  Raw oysters and rosé?  It’s tough to say, exactly, but it was this cool feeling in our lungs that told us “We’re not in Florida anymore.”  In May/June of this year, Phillip and I sailed back up through the Chesapeake and into the Long Island Sound to spend our first summer in New England.  We had heard of many cruisers who do this every year—sail north to Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, etc. to get out of the hot temps and hurricane box during hurricane season and then sail back down the east coast in the fall to enjoy the tropical temps and Bahamian/Caribbean islands in the winter.  Like snowbirds, in a way.  Call them sailbirds. 

Since work obligations and travel restrictions kept us in (or close to) the States last winter, Phillip and I decided to find out what these sailbirds knew that it seemed we didn’t.  In April, Phillip and I decided to point Ubi north to the Long Island Sound to sail around New England for the summer.  What did we find?  The ports were cool, accommodating, most only an easy (and fun) day sail away.  The experience was vastly different than all the cruising we had done before in the States.  Phillip and I soon became staunch fans of summering in New England.  Have you ever done it?  Wonder what it’s like?  Come with us, and experience what we felt was our first true taste of New England: Block Island, RI.

Our sail back up the east coast found us stopping in many of the same ports we did on the way down in the fall of 2021: South Beach, Miami, St. Augustine, Charleston, SC, Hampton, VA.  We then sailed back up the Chesapeake to Annapolis, MD and took the C&D (Connecticut and Delaware) Canal headed to New York. 

Some fun highlights along the way:

• Having Chris and Megan, our adventurous Pensacola friends who purchased our 1985 Niagara 35, fly in and join us for a sporty passage (their first overnight) from Miami to St. Aug in April.  Megan and Chris did great on passage and—very cool—found it so inspiring they set off on their first overnight in the Niagara this past October.  We’re really proud of these two!

• Hosting our equally amazing Pensacola friends, Stephen and Beth, on UbiQ for a few days in St. Augustine (the second oldest city in the United States after Pensacola … Pensacola people know what I’m talking about), but a very fun “ancient city” to pilfer.

• Celebrating my big FOUR-OH on May 28th with a “passage feet” selfie in Solomon’s Island making our way back up the Chesapeake toward Ubi’s home port of Annapolis.

• Catching up in Hampton, VA with these two incredible cruisers, Spandana and Dev, whom we cruised around the Abacos with in December of 2021. Spandana and Dev had quite a rollercoaster of a year, but they are back in the swing of cruising and sharing their eclectic stories at For Sun and Stars on Youtube. Check them out!

• Enjoying a visit with Ubi’s former owner, Jim, and his partner, Ann, in Annapolis and enlisting his invaluable help putting a new set of lithium batteries (540 Ah) in the boat.

• Traversing the C&D (Connecticut and Delaware) canal for the first time on our way toward New York City with a thick shelf cloud threatening to drench and toss us that, thankfully, just ended with a little drizzle and a glorious rainbow.  Whew!

• Sailing around in the New York Harbor by the Statue of Liberty for the first time with the grand skyline of NYC in the background.  We anchored behind Ellis Island to enjoy the view of the Big Apple from Ubi at night before making our way with the tide through Hell’s Gate the following day headed toward Port Washington, NY for our first foray into the Long Island Sound and New England for the summer.

Port Washington, NY

It would be difficult to put the feeling of the Long Island Sound into words, to explain why it felt so different than the hot salty waters of Florida and the Bahamas.  Phillip and I have cruised plenty of islands, strolled crystal white beaches, baked in the sun and salt, but Port Washington felt new.  The reflections on the water were clearer.  The morning fog thicker.  The short cruising season (before the ice of winter sets in) making the “summer window” seem more savored.  The ancient lighthouses and stone fences.  The quaint little village feel of the city.  Everything about the place told us this summer was going to be a new experience.  And, what we found we really loved about Port Washington was not only the beauty but the convenience.  A mooring ball that was only $45/night and came with a free water taxi most business hours of every day.  Great shopping downtown and a diverse range of excellent restaurants (La P’Tite Framboise (the “little raspberry”) for French, Nikkei for Peruvian, Diwan for Indian).  The dinghy dock located right across from the Stop ‘n Shop for groceries and just a short walk from the laundromat, the wine/liquor store, UPS, Walgreens, Ace Hardware, Target, etc.  Not to mention (I mean … holy cow) Port Washington is just a short, $10, 40-minute train ride on the LIRR then you’re in Penn Station, with a full day in NYC to explore (while only paying $45/night for NY lodging)?!  We rode the wheels off the LIRR.  Why wouldn’t you?  NYC, right there! 

We stayed 4-5 days in Port Washington getting some office hours in, provisioning up, and enjoying the big city before bumping back and forth across the Long Island Sound to our next extended stop in Noank Village, CT.

Noank Village and Mystic, CT

Noank had the same New England charm that Port Washington did, but it was like the amplifier was turned up.  It is a small village so there aren’t near as many shops and restaurants, but that’s what made it feel that much more intimate—the cladded houses, steep drives, rolling lawns.  The kaleidoscope of boats in the harbor.  We grabbed a ball from the Noank Village Boatyard that, too, came with a launch.  We started to notice many New England cruisers don’t carry or commission their dinghy when they come into a harbor.  They just grab a ball and call the launch.  There is an elegance and ease to that.  A great opportunity to dawn your best boat dress and wedges for a fancy dinner ashore.  In Noank, I also got to know this incredible life-long sail maker, Katie Bradford with Custom Marine Canvas, while we were there.  Katie launched her marine canvas business in Noank in 1985 in an unheated warehouse ( … in Connecticut?!) with only one employee, her cousin, and she’s been killing it ever since.  Katie was a hoot.  Just a real Noank character.  I love when you get to know a place like that.  We also enjoyed eating at Ford’s Lobsters looking out over the harbor.  And, Mystic, CT, was just a short and very cool dinghy ride away (through an old swing bridge).  The incredible marine history at the Seaport Museum was a real treat.  If you do, do not (do not!) miss a dinner at Bravo Bravo.

Block Island, RI

Phillip and I have been struggling all fall to decide which of the New England islands and ports were our favorite (a very tough problem to endure).  Newport is exceptional, and likely our top choice.  But, there’s Martha’s Vineyard.  Cuttyhunk.  Bristol.  It’s really a tough call.  And, for me—at least until we got to Newport—Block Island was my favorite.  And it may still be.  It was our first island, and maybe that’s what did it.  And, it is an island in the Atlantic Ocean.  That offered its own extra element of magic.  The hilly terrain, sprawling lawns, and charming lighthouse captivated us as well.  The monochromatic bluffs and river-stoned beach took your mind to another place.  We biked the entire island and loved the challenge of the rising hills and thrills of the drops.  Drinks and snacks at The Inn at Spring House was a real treat.  Made me feel kind of like someone who could say “We summer in the Hamptons.”  It was surreal.   But, that’s just the fun and elegance.  Block Island is also just a short day-sail away from Montauk and Sag Harbor to the west, Naragansett Bay to the north, and Martha’s Vineyard to the east.  It also offers an easy inlet and nice large harbor for cruisers, convenient access to the dinghy dock, the entire island is walkable with a great fish market (Dick’s) and lots of quirky shops (home décor, books, trinkets, toys). 

Mostly, what Block Island taught us, is that these New England villages bloom in the summer when cruisers and travelers flock to their refreshing temps and warm waters, because they hibernate in the winter when the population dwindles to a few dozen hearty locals and the place undergoes a complete transformation from fluffy hydrangeas and bicycles and ice cream cones to an uninviting frigid, snow-covered terrain.  The bounty of summer on Block Island can really only be experienced over the course of a few months, so the Islanders really open their arms to it.  For this reason, in New England, we found, cruisers are not simply tolerated like it can sometimes feel in Florida—pushed into shrinking anchorages and asked to tie their dinghy to a rusty pole and crawl up to the dingy back door.  In New England, they’re welcome.  They have “water barges” that offer free water for cruisers, numerous well-maintained (free!) dinghy docks, launches and water taxis, and (to mine and Phillip’s immense delight), designated dumpsters for our trash.  I’m not kidding.  Come to Block Island in June and you’ll experience the open-arm feel of a summer in New England.  “Boat Trash Here” the sign read.  And here we are, Phillip and I thought.  Thanks for the hospitality Block Island.  We’ll be back.  And, we’re excited to keep sharing here the many other wonderful ports of New England that stole our hearts this summer.  Stay tuned!

“Speak to a human!” I shouted at my phone. 

“I’m sorry, I know you want to talk to a human,” the UPS Bot dismissed me, “but first I need your …”

“Z2519996757,” I spat at him.  It was our tracking number.  I still know it.  I still scream it sometimes waking in a hot sweat.  “SPEAK.  TO.  A.  HUUUMAN!”

Our riser/elbow saga made for a fantastic article in SAIL Magazine’s September 2022 issue.  

Phillip and I were also very pleased to see the featured image SAIL chose for the article was the elegant s/v Orion, Outbound 46 Hull No. 74, whose owner, Leo, saved us last fall from a winter spent hauled, wrapped, and on the hard.  No thank you.

Thank you again, Leo!  Phillip and I were also able to meet up with Leo on several occasions this past summer when we were cruising around the Long Island Sound in Newport, RI and Darien, CT and thank him, and his lovely wife, Diane, proper in person.  We have found it is a wonderfully small, congenial community of boats that cruise New England during the summer, an experience we look forward to sharing with you all here over the next few months.  For now, we want to thank the creative team at SAIL Magazine for printing this fun piece.  If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of the September 2022 issue and let us know what you think!