Hi Jim / Sherry, what a scary first few days!40 to 50 knots winds sounds very scary. How high were the seas? I'm so glad that it was only minor repairs! Regardless what a come back! Nice job sailors! Great seas beautiful sights during the day and night and then you land in the Key's. How awesome is all that! Your journey is very inspiring and one that I hope to take myself one day if I can ever financially afford it:-) I grow up on Miami Beach and know the waters you are in very well. I spent my childhood motoring those waters but sailing them is defiantly the way to go. Well, you are probably wondering by now "who is this?" This was your neighbor friend Tom on "No Regrets" checking up on you guys:-) I am so grateful to have met you guys! You are beautiful and wonderful folks and I love reading about all the fun in the sun you guys are having! So please keep writing, taking pictures, and staying safe! Take care! Your friend Tom Diego
How are you and your First Mate, Salty? It was so cool how he took to boating AND motorcycle riding. He stole our hearts at first sight.
In the scariest moments of being in the Gulf, I could hear my Mom saying "Keep your feet on dry land!" and thinking I should have listened to her. We love the Keys, it is fabulous, expensive but fabulous.
Our schedule keeps changing. Had an unexpected issue arise that we have to deal with before we can leave so we are now aiming for a weather window after December 7th. Originally, we were planning to head to Rodriguez Key and cross to the Bahamas from there; however, after talking to many here are thinking we will leave from here so we can enjoy some early morning fishing. We hear it is great just before sunrise.
Pretty much every day we go to some type of happy hour, potluck dinner or just get together at the tiki hut for drinks and conversation. The other cruisers are helping us get on "island time." ;) We are adjusting, but still manage to wake up at 3:00 a.m. every morning. We are loving the adventure of it all and, if we thought we knew anything about sailing, we find we are learning something new every day.
It is so great to hear from you; please keep in touch!!!
Hey guys! Salty is doing great:-) I'm truly amazed of how much he loves the water. I took him on the motorcycle again to Galveston beach this weekend and he totally wore himself out running in and out of the water chasing birds. Very funny sight...
I can only imagine how scary it was in the gulf... I think of how Michael and I got caught with 40 to 45 knot winds in the bay and we got our butts kicked. I can't even start to imagine this scenario with waves of what 10 to 15 feet? or was it more? I'm assuming your sails were down and you were merely trying to motor straight into the waves. I also think about my battery motor setup and wonder how long did you guys have to motor through this storm? I saw how much diesel you guys took so I'm wondering how and why you guys ran out of fuel? I thought Jim said he had enough fuel to motor the entire way. I don't think there is any way of doing this trip with a battery motor setup even though I’m working on adding solar and wind power to my batteries so they can stay consistently charged. Are you guys having to motor that much versus sailing?
So how is the water? Cold? Blue? Clear and beautiful? Have you had a chance to scuba dive? or Fish? I often thought that I could live off of catching my own foods.
You mentioned the other cruisers? Are you running into a lot of sailboats cruising your same course? Or just sailors that live in the area?
Sounds like you guys are defiantly enjoying the Key West sights! So far, I've pretty much been everywhere you guys have mentioned:-) Now I can't wait to hear about your trips to the Bahamas. When I was younger my dad use to take us on this trip on our 45 foot Chris Croft yacht... We use to spend the day fishing then diving the next day before returning home. If we stayed longer then we would go to Nassau and Eleuthera Island. We use to catch the largest lobsters I have ever seen and fished at Eleuthera. How long are you guys going to staying in these waters? Are you guys going all the way to Truks & Caicos Island?
Can't wait to hear back from you guys! please be safe and not unnecessary risk!
Jim and Sherry, I am going to be making the trip from Kemah to Key West in 2016 or if I'm lucky as early as 2015. I was wondering if you could post a picture if your intended course/route and then a picture of what ended up being your actual route. I would love to learn more from your experience on that voyage. You ended up with some pretty foul weather and mechanical failures and yet you still made it and that's a heck of an accomplishment. Thanks and look forward to your response. Izzy
Hi Izzy, Dulcinea is back in her slip at the Kemah Boardwalk Marina. We will be happy to show you our paper charts reflecting our actual route. As we stayed pretty close to our intended route, they are pretty much one in the same. We will be in Kemah this weekend so let us know if you have time to meet.
Hi Jim / Sherry, what a scary first few days!40 to 50 knots winds sounds very scary. How high were the seas? I'm so glad that it was only minor repairs!
ReplyDeleteRegardless what a come back! Nice job sailors! Great seas beautiful sights during the day and night and then you land in the Key's. How awesome is all that! Your journey is very inspiring and one that I hope to take myself one day if I can ever financially afford it:-)
I grow up on Miami Beach and know the waters you are in very well. I spent my childhood motoring those waters but sailing them is defiantly the way to go.
Well, you are probably wondering by now "who is this?" This was your neighbor friend Tom on "No Regrets" checking up on you guys:-)
I am so grateful to have met you guys! You are beautiful and wonderful folks and I love reading about all the fun in the sun you guys are having! So please keep writing, taking pictures, and staying safe!
Take care! Your friend Tom Diego
Hi Tom!!!
ReplyDeleteHow are you and your First Mate, Salty? It was so cool how he took to boating AND motorcycle riding. He stole our hearts at first sight.
In the scariest moments of being in the Gulf, I could hear my Mom saying "Keep your feet on dry land!" and thinking I should have listened to her. We love the Keys, it is fabulous, expensive but fabulous.
Our schedule keeps changing. Had an unexpected issue arise that we have to deal with before we can leave so we are now aiming for a weather window after December 7th. Originally, we were planning to head to Rodriguez Key and cross to the Bahamas from there; however, after talking to many here are thinking we will leave from here so we can enjoy some early morning fishing. We hear it is great just before sunrise.
Pretty much every day we go to some type of happy hour, potluck dinner or just get together at the tiki hut for drinks and conversation. The other cruisers are helping us get on "island time." ;) We are adjusting, but still manage to wake up at 3:00 a.m. every morning. We are loving the adventure of it all and, if we thought we knew anything about sailing, we find we are learning something new every day.
It is so great to hear from you; please keep in touch!!!
Hey guys! Salty is doing great:-) I'm truly amazed of how much he loves the water. I took him on the motorcycle again to Galveston beach this weekend and he totally wore himself out running in and out of the water chasing birds. Very funny sight...
DeleteI can only imagine how scary it was in the gulf... I think of how Michael and I got caught with 40 to 45 knot winds in the bay and we got our butts kicked. I can't even start to imagine this scenario with waves of what 10 to 15 feet? or was it more? I'm assuming your sails were down and you were merely trying to motor straight into the waves. I also think about my battery motor setup and wonder how long did you guys have to motor through this storm? I saw how much diesel you guys took so I'm wondering how and why you guys ran out of fuel? I thought Jim said he had enough fuel to motor the entire way. I don't think there is any way of doing this trip with a battery motor setup even though I’m working on adding solar and wind power to my batteries so they can stay consistently charged. Are you guys having to motor that much versus sailing?
So how is the water? Cold? Blue? Clear and beautiful? Have you had a chance to scuba dive? or Fish? I often thought that I could live off of catching my own foods.
You mentioned the other cruisers? Are you running into a lot of sailboats cruising your same course? Or just sailors that live in the area?
Sounds like you guys are defiantly enjoying the Key West sights! So far, I've pretty much been everywhere you guys have mentioned:-) Now I can't wait to hear about your trips to the Bahamas. When I was younger my dad use to take us on this trip on our 45 foot Chris Croft yacht... We use to spend the day fishing then diving the next day before returning home. If we stayed longer then we would go to Nassau and Eleuthera Island. We use to catch the largest lobsters I have ever seen and fished at Eleuthera. How long are you guys going to staying in these waters? Are you guys going all the way to Truks & Caicos Island?
Can't wait to hear back from you guys! please be safe and not unnecessary risk!
Your neighbor and friend, Tom
Sending a big shout-out to you two from Houston. You look happy, and that brings joy to my heart. Safe sailing!
ReplyDeleteJim and Sherry,
ReplyDeleteI am going to be making the trip from Kemah to Key West in 2016 or if I'm lucky as early as 2015. I was wondering if you could post a picture if your intended course/route and then a picture of what ended up being your actual route. I would love to learn more from your experience on that voyage. You ended up with some pretty foul weather and mechanical failures and yet you still made it and that's a heck of an accomplishment.
Thanks and look forward to your response.
Izzy
Hi Izzy, Dulcinea is back in her slip at the Kemah Boardwalk Marina. We will be happy to show you our paper charts reflecting our actual route. As we stayed pretty close to our intended route, they are pretty much one in the same. We will be in Kemah this weekend so let us know if you have time to meet.
ReplyDelete