Things That Make You Pause

Ahoy Maties,

Kluane & crew are making their way North.  Mother nature is providing some sweet east winds that have made our journey quite enjoyable (all you sailors out there, that means sailing).  We are anchoring in spots that are more remote.  

The big news is we saw our first green flash.  If you are not sure what it is, google it.  Cruisers seek the flash for years and years, watching sunset after sunset.  Anticipating, hoping there are no clouds on the horizon. We have met many cruisers who have been doing this for decades and have only seen a few.  We feel very lucky!

We also have seen some pretty amazing sea life.  Many new tropic fish to check off our list — the scrawled clownfish was one of my favorites.  Lee Stocking Island is the place to be if you are a ray.  We have been informed it is mating season and all the big rays come to Lee Stocking.  During a single snorkel, I bet we saw over a dozen, many bigger than our dingy.  Don’t worry Mom, they are not interested in us!  They are very graceful and eerie all at once.  We also have come upon a few smaller coral heads that are teaming with small “baby” fish.  

and Seastars. Long white beaches. Rich green sawtooth palms.  Hard rough iron rock landscape.  Water the every shade of blue, emerald and turquoise.

Mother nature is tough on the Bahamas and that is what really gives us pause.  Despite the harsh weather conditions that happen here and how they beat the land, beauty shines through.  

Grateful for every moment.

The Pearl

The Green Flash! So if I crop it down you can really see it!

What allows us to sleep really well at night!  Spade's not going anywhere!

Selfie while driving the dingy -- don't tell Captain!

One of the most beautiful beaches!  I walked every bit, more than once!

They like whatever he has!  Ginger snaps!  Pigs can run!

G Town

The Pearl (Jennifer)

Ahoy Friends, 

The Captain and Admiral have made their way to their Southern most point, Georgetown, Great Exuma Island, Exuma.  We had heard much about G Town before coming and we are glad to be experiencing it for ourselves.  Picture a big harbor where boats anchor around the settlement.  Now picture 250+ boats snuggling! Yep, it is pretty crazy.  We are use to anchoring with 1-2 boats to maybe, 25.  We are in a city (not really).  We have had several weather systems move through and we have a safe anchorage we move to for N, W and South winds while here.  We spend the settled weather on Sand Dollar Beach -- guess why it is called Sand Dollar beach!

G Town is very organized, has a morning net that updates the cruisers on what is going on with local businesses, special events, gives the cruisers a chance to ask for help or for parts and even section about what to do with your trash (don't burn it on the beach).  A practical problem on a boat.  G Town has organized volleyball (fun to advanced), bocce, scrabble tournaments, conch shell workshops, yoga, socials and much, much of this happens on Chat N’ Chill beach.  Think summer camp for adults!  This is all organized by other cruisers.   

We are swimming, walking and exploring.  We got a nice long rain shower a few days ago and Kluane got a free (and needed) wash.  She is gleaming (and so is Captain).

We are enjoying time with our friends on Scooter, Different Drummer, Independence, Kokoi, Malika, Sparrow, Ann Marie and Solitude.  

Enjoy the photos!

The Pearl

Look close, we found Hatch Green Chile in the G Town grocery!  

Chat N'Chill

Sunday in town, exploring the government dock

Photo from December's Staniel Class C Bahamian boat race

The Pearl found a cave

Iron Rock

Isaac's Bay

Sea star dancing!

Exploring

The Pearl (Jennifer) 

Happy New Year!  

Greetings from Black Point, Great Guana Cay, Exumas!  Kluane and crew are doing well.  

We arrived in the Bahamas after a 2 day/2 nigh overnight sail across the gulf stream and Bahama banks.  The first night of the crossing we had a full moon (think daylight at night — AMAZING) and the second night was a bit more boisterous.  We recovered at Royal Island at the top of Eleuthera.  I was giddy with excitement as we approached land!  It took no time for us to pull Foster (dingy) and get the motor on to start exploring!  From there we have been to Spanish Wells (read AWESOME 1960 style grocery), Allen’s Cay (curious and hungry iguana’s), Hawksbill Cay (best beach ever), Pipe Cay (amazing water), Rocky Dundas (incredible protected

reef) and Staniel Cay (mega yachts and pigs).

We spent Christmas Eve with our new friends on Different Drummer for a fabulous meal and marvelous company.  We also witnessed the mega yacht mayhem for New Year’s Eve in Staniel Cay.  We saw spectacular fireworks off Fowl Cay!

I choose a few photos to get you all up to speed on all the exploring we have been doing!  Our trusty dingy has taken us to many beautiful spots.  Buccaneer is becoming quite the fisherman and I am becoming quite the scout.  We are exploring by land and by sea.

We hope you enjoy the photos!

The Pearl

Happy New Year!  

Sunset First Day of Crossing

First sight of Land!

Strike a Pose!

One of my favorite snorkeling photos!

Gratitude

The Pearl (Jennifer)

Ahoy Friends, Family and fellow Seafarers, 

We hope each of you had a lovely Thanksgiving.  Captain and I spent our day on Kluane and had a lovely dinner at the Marina.  It was the start of a perfect weekend.

With Thanksgiving still fresh in my mind (I know, even with the Commercial Christmas craziness in the air), I am grateful for all the friendly, fun and kind people that have crossed my path!  Folks that are unfailing kind, friendly and willing to lend a hand or a their knowledge.  Cruising has an amazing community of people.  AMAZING.  So if you asked me why I love it, one of my answers would be the PEOPLE.  Mary, Brenda, Jan, Kathy, Eliane, Shelly, Susan, Sheryl, Marsha, Lucy, Sally, Marlene, Mark, Morgan, Dan, Scott, George, Drew, Chris, Leann, Jason, Robert, Lori, Jo, Matt, Tanya, Jay, Sam, Mike, Tom, Jon, Dennis, Kirm, Art, Yves, Bob, Lory and many others.  Thank You for the kind smile in the morning after a rough night on the boat, for the quick wit and banter that only a sailor can understand, for your care and concern and most importantly, your friendship.  Sailors Rock! 

Buccaneer and I have a new way to track our movements.  Click on this link and when we are moving, you will see "pings" from our location every 10 mins.   The password is SailingAdventure.  

Landlubbers, the best way to contact us while we are moving is kluanesails@gmail.com.  When we have internet, we will check in on email. Sailors, we can be reached on SSB, channel 16.  We look forward seeing you all very soon!

My newest little friend, Spencer has asked for more photos, so I will do my best to accommodate his wishes.  

Captain and I have been busy getting Kluane ready to cross to the Bahamas.  

Kluane is ready.  

We are ready.

Fair winds!

Pearl

Sunset in Stuart, Florida

Mooring field at Sunset Bay

Happy Birthday Captain Bowling Party!  Look at Mary's form!

Friendly Trouble (& the cleanest Bowling Alley I have ever seen)

 Bowling shoes and capris, it's the new trend.  

Look closely, what is wrong with this photo? Hint, look at the ball.

The Birthday Bowling Crew (Cliff, Art, Tom, Brenda, Mary & Dennis)

Very happy guys!  Tom, Cliff & Dennis (the photo was staged).

Brenda tearing it up!

As the night progressed, our 7 balls grew to 9.
Interesting enough we all seemed to be using the same lucky ball.

Sunset Drum Circle, Shepard Park, Stuart, Fl

Musical Captain gets drumming

Safety, Comfort and Chile

The Pearl (Jennifer)

So you make rules to break them, right? I am posting so soon to share a few photos I forgot to add.  Much of the work we did over the last 2 months is evident in Kluane's warm, comfy cabin and safety features inside and out.  I won't get into all the things we did to keep safe and be comfy, but here are a few I consider very important.

Fair Winds,

The Pearl

Captain Cliff re-rigged Kluane at the slip in the Marina.
The rigging is all the stainless wire and attachments that keep the mast up.

Here is the inside of the killer winch, greased and ready to let genoa in an out.
Yves are you smiling?

This one is for Lori and Rob on Apogee.  They have ventured to Fiji and are suffering from green chile withdrawal.  This was the last of the fresh, frozen chile we had.  We brought it with us to Saleno Pizza and they happily made us INCREDIBLE pizza.  Thanks Aunt C and Uncle T!

Messing About In Boats

The Pearl (Jennifer)

Over the last few weeks I have realized how many songs have a reference to sailing.  There are the obvious Beach Boys songs (Kokomo, Sloop John B) and Jimmy Buffet (Changes in Latitudes, Margaritaville and Mother Ocean) and Joe Cocker (Sail Away).  Oh, and Lyle Lovette (If I had a boat), Loggins and Messina (Vahevala) and Peter Frampton (Sail Away).  And one of my personal favorites, David Gray (Sail Away). The list goes on and on. I am enjoying Sirius, a comfort addition to Kluane this year.

Today we left the marina are heading to Melbourne, Florida for a GAM.  A GAM is a social meeting of seafarers and whalers according to Webster. Arg, Matie -- will there be pirates? Ours will include 3 days of seminars on marine topics and a trade show.  I am excited to learn more about sailing and meet new friends!

We are at anchor, in an undisclosed location off the ICW, enjoying the free internet, full tummy from an awesome dinner and the sounds of being on the water.  Insert your song here.

More later,

Jennifer

Captain and his newly oiled Winch (check out the smile).
 He took this apart (lots of parts) and put it back together without a diagram!

Important provisioning item: Shark Bottle Opener.  Check.

Our neighbor at the marina.

Huge.

She is ready!  Check out the water reflection on the shiny hull!

Some of our marina friends - Drew and Kirm!

More marina friends - Art, Brenda and Terri.

Our Bahamian Flag from 2012.

Time Flies!

The Pearl (Jennifer)

It is cliche to say time flies, but it sure does!  It's been 16 months since my last blog entry.  I've decided to take a little pressure off myself and pick up a practice of a fellow cruiser --  you can expect one blog entry a month.  As Internet allows I will post photos, so you are able to "see" our adventures! 

So there is no time like the present to get started.  September started with a huge event for WRW, Bike MS and we raised over $75,000 as a team. No typo, we are awesome!  

We then headed to Florida with Airstream in tow.  

A very wise Captain made the decision to buy a last minute GPS.  Yes, it was a very wise decision. Nora Never Lost earned her keep and kept us sane and happy on unfamiliar roads.  Captain charted the course and we had lovely parks to stay at along the way.  Along the way we saw the Oklahoma Memorial, acres of wind generators, Cadillac Ranch, Martin Luther King Jrs home, stayed on the Mississippi and toured Elvis' home.

Then we arrived to the BEST RV Park ever.  

Hands down.  

We are ruined.  

Welcome to Fort Wilderness.

And we played like kids for days!

Looking back at this picture, I giggle.  Look at my hat, look at Minnie's.

Epcot.

My hero, Mary Poppins.  

A spoon full of sugar, helps the medicine go down. 

Disney was amazing.  

It exceeded all my expectations.  

Much to do, much to see.

Dare to dream!

Love Bugs. 

What happens when you take the toll road through the swampy middle of Florida.

The real deal.  

Captain Phillips lifeboat.  

Bullet holes.

Fort Pierce, Fl

For the mariners out there, new zinc on Kluane.  

This one is a big deal, long story! 

No more cluck, clunck.

As my 30's come to a close, I can't believe how quickly time passes.  I can't wait for what the next decade brings.  See you in October!

Love,
Pearl