We had a very relaxing week in the Turks and Caicos islands (TCI). A few days after our arrival (and Day 1 Boneheaded boat drama – see previous post), our guests/crew, Helen and Klas, moved off the boat to one of the local resort villas for the last few days of their stay. Then it was time for us to catch up on boat chores (the…
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Three Reefs and a Plan!
https://youtu.be/oqmiSH_1NT0 Even though we really wanted to stay in St. Martin a few more days, to rest, do laundry, walk around, we left on Monday 1/26 evening to get ahead of the low pressure that was coming our way (the same system that dropped the 1st round of cold/snow in the Southeast). The first couple of days had smooth sailing with abundant sunshine to feed the…
Continue reading ...We arrived… and left again….
We arrived safely into Simpson’s Bay, St. Maarten on Saturday morning (1/24) around 8:00 am. The total time was 15 days and 4 hours – really good speed. Once the anchor was down, it was time to pop the champagne to celebrate a great crossing – and Helen’s 1st ocean passage. https://youtu.be/qC1jTdqPo2g However, the Caribbean honeymoon was briefly interrupted by a classic "island-time" logistical snag. The…
Continue reading ...Under 400 NMS -Woohoo!!
We continue to bounce and roll our way towards St Maarten – now less than 400 miles to go. Sailing conditions in the past 5 days have been ‘sporty’! When we go straight downwind, the ride is lovely and smooth. But when squalls come through, we are often pushed left or right by 20-30 degrees, diagonally across the waves, and the cross-swell on top makes…
Continue reading ...Day 10! – ~ 850 NMs to go
https://youtu.be/soFsbDBXK1M It’s Jan. 19th and Day 10 of our passage…. Winds have ranged but typically from 23-29 Knots, although we did see 30’s last night, including 34 knot gusts! Luckily we had 3 reefs in the mainsail and a reefed jib. Nevertheless it’s still a ‘sporty ride” especially when Moxie surfs down some of the 12-14 waves at 11 Knots! So, we are having fun with…
Continue reading ...Under 2000 NMs to go..
Jan 13th. – We’ve had good sailing conditions for the most part and covered 206 NMs in one 24 hour period. However, the winds are somewhat fickle…. Sometimes they are quite strong and light at other times. With the lighter winds, the sails don’t stay full, so the boom bangs back and forth, creating a hell of a racket of squeaks and grinds. Fickle winds also…
Continue reading ...Off we go (1/9-1/11)
We left the dock and headed S/SW to catch the Trade winds. The first day everyone is a little excited/nervous about the crossing, and with light wind from behind, that steadily built to 18-20 knots, we started with a lovely downwind ride – quick and smooth – and great for napping! https://youtu.be/ct20kTbHEZ8 The first night out was crystal clear so we had our very own planetarium.…
Continue reading ...Off we go! One Last Big Blue Crossing
After 5 wonderful weeks back in Colorado – where I savored all the things I love about land life – doing laundry from right inside my house, driving to the store, and of course my long walks (staring at Pikes Peak) and Thanksgiving and a Christmas with our children – it was time to bring Moxie back to the US. https://youtu.be/S5g2-1W62y0 We left Colorado on Dec…
Continue reading ...Oban to Inverness – June 27 – Jul 8th
https://youtu.be/kcOKqxFf-R4 This stage of our journey felt like a true transition—from the wild, salt-sprayed Atlantic to the calm, freshwater mysteries of the Highlands. Joined by our long-time friends Even and Eva (S/V 3T from our circumnavigation 20 years ago) we set out to experience two iconic Scottish landmarks the Caledonian Canal and hiking Ben Nevis. Before entering the canal, we took a "scenic detour" north. In…
Continue reading ...Troon to Oban – June 18th -June 25th
Video coming soon, but here are the highlights from this leg. The jump from the Irish Sea into the Scottish Isles felt like turning the page into a new chapter. This leg was particularly special as we were joined by Alicia, the daughter of our dear friends Wolfgang and Olga (from S/V Wetnose who we met on circumnavigation 20 years ago). The first task was a…
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