tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9938922188512023622024-02-19T03:11:59.174-08:00The travels of s/v Gypsy Queens/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-48036896944756910642016-11-20T17:59:00.002-08:002016-11-20T17:59:54.411-08:00Sunday in GrenadaWe love worshiping with other Christians of pretty much any denomination and we have found ourselves amazingly blessed whenever we step out and seek other believers anywhere in the world. This Sunday was no exception at the Grand Anse Baptist church in Grenada. Not only did they feed us a snack after service, but we got rides back to the boat yard (Mark ) and the hotel (Christine and David). Lovely and generous people.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCV9Wppxg7OQWlQozTWP59sVEyHuprJCBxXEFsJk3rz42Gi6Cf6hbGbAJSWq1S_Jsjng5IrIvZ55XYEF9BOeJWiX4zH9rZVsKBwxN4W_V47Yxt9Zbl81OSvYkrBKo2x4PLeU_p6tCFMQ/s1600/IMG_7649.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCV9Wppxg7OQWlQozTWP59sVEyHuprJCBxXEFsJk3rz42Gi6Cf6hbGbAJSWq1S_Jsjng5IrIvZ55XYEF9BOeJWiX4zH9rZVsKBwxN4W_V47Yxt9Zbl81OSvYkrBKo2x4PLeU_p6tCFMQ/s640/IMG_7649.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Great music too!<br />
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<br />s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-5532445583092150302016-11-17T14:35:00.000-08:002016-11-17T14:35:33.811-08:00We are BACK!The Summer season in the Pacific Northwest went a little longer than we anticipated, but then again there are two new grand babies on the way and a bit more time with family was important.<br />
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Sorry that I did not post more about our adventures aboard the new land yacht which is now stored at Christine's folks home in Sutherlin. Thanks Gordon and Clarita.<br />
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Gypsy Queen will be getting a new bottom paint job over the next couple of days along with a few more minor projects before we splash. It will take a little while to get used to the tropical heat again with temperatures in the 80s and the same with the humidity.<br />
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David found a $100xcd note lying on the ground as we were walking around today. We will take that as a pretty positive sign!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XpS69qJHpByelizbJBllxFWx-eXqGWmMb8AB5q6cIQos2UlXnllzj1PFep_cpj7B98XqafNFO-NyPkxdvae8P1G0stQYx2ZLxEnxkQSF5J7DR7l1LV4ggqeTOePWqfksU7uXcr90Bpo/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-11-17+at+6.32.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XpS69qJHpByelizbJBllxFWx-eXqGWmMb8AB5q6cIQos2UlXnllzj1PFep_cpj7B98XqafNFO-NyPkxdvae8P1G0stQYx2ZLxEnxkQSF5J7DR7l1LV4ggqeTOePWqfksU7uXcr90Bpo/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-11-17+at+6.32.59+PM.png" width="234" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-78849591632274562392016-06-08T08:20:00.001-07:002016-06-08T08:20:51.850-07:00New land homeIt looks like we are going to be splitting our time between land and sea meaning more time in the summer months in the Pacific NW. So, after some careful consideration about how not to wear out your welcome living on your children's couches, we decide to buy a home. However, in keeping with our Gypsy Queen lifestyle, this home has wheels!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DbkG_QJpc4Dwmmqqh2Z2Hfd7U3UDvOn0bkQYmykPKEXoC-3CM5UhB7z40D0jXF8NwdNK5eVE5b9_Aa4SctCgrLDe-3ncOjBDIhwpDAd4IYhcMI4vcknG2Gylu_Do_SqzMW_Ku8HctfM/s1600/IMG_7012.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DbkG_QJpc4Dwmmqqh2Z2Hfd7U3UDvOn0bkQYmykPKEXoC-3CM5UhB7z40D0jXF8NwdNK5eVE5b9_Aa4SctCgrLDe-3ncOjBDIhwpDAd4IYhcMI4vcknG2Gylu_Do_SqzMW_Ku8HctfM/s320/IMG_7012.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
This will be our third, and hopefully, final motor home. It hasn't earned a trail name yet, but we are happy with the extra space compared to past crampers. We plan to store it over the winter months in the Northwest while while aboard Gypsy Queen.s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-89904869549343274432016-06-08T08:14:00.002-07:002016-06-08T08:14:20.546-07:00New GlassesTurns out that Christine needs new glasses and while she was selecting a pair, David found his pair too!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OL04bKRKWFNgr09H3lMEe4PCeWmGETFwkQjznR-w2XggH7b1eL6RtohcgSehr9bK7pN6g_W4sVEjVMCyJomsE2XFhMU_jOa6kXEckSz8V9pVgfNjfirEh-XsYabjzUaRHSAEd_GTjc0/s1600/IMG_7084.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_OL04bKRKWFNgr09H3lMEe4PCeWmGETFwkQjznR-w2XggH7b1eL6RtohcgSehr9bK7pN6g_W4sVEjVMCyJomsE2XFhMU_jOa6kXEckSz8V9pVgfNjfirEh-XsYabjzUaRHSAEd_GTjc0/s320/IMG_7084.jpg" width="240" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-90836688276343814362016-05-07T09:01:00.002-07:002016-05-07T09:01:49.040-07:00Lay up in GrenadaWe finally completed the thorny upwind path to Grenada visiting briefly in St. Maarten and St Lucia. The rest of the Caribbean we saw only from the anchorages in passing. There were some rough patches in the passages between islands where there are various cape effects that can double the wind and waves. Exciting times.<br />
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But we did it! Gypsy Queen is now resting on the hard at Spice Island boat yard, all laid up for a long season of lonely times. We will see her again this fall, flying back to Grenada in October or November.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZx6ynicRvbfYSgseaiJT5C8SUC9_p-X21ZKH2RDeG0PCGTaUcAvmoZnk5YaLo8PkEbtxa9daUexwk-uqfKIOqNvkYJ7JmsroJe-TbhiKMD_JVO5BmvqgBPyX6BDe1iLv3zFbH6JYjOoQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-07+at+11.55.30+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZx6ynicRvbfYSgseaiJT5C8SUC9_p-X21ZKH2RDeG0PCGTaUcAvmoZnk5YaLo8PkEbtxa9daUexwk-uqfKIOqNvkYJ7JmsroJe-TbhiKMD_JVO5BmvqgBPyX6BDe1iLv3zFbH6JYjOoQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-05-07+at+11.55.30+AM.png" width="268" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5Db6PLGotJDOf2eOzY40zY0IYcYMyKP7Q6f3pzR110jyBnei24Rpu8zyFYrUP24ihZhNu6LiJ8ZZkf951uQ4fqUS810HHBZZaYulb0Dk7q5nxkgMLr0zbPHdSnUjmutuzBz-LIQAaxM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-05-07+at+12.01.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5Db6PLGotJDOf2eOzY40zY0IYcYMyKP7Q6f3pzR110jyBnei24Rpu8zyFYrUP24ihZhNu6LiJ8ZZkf951uQ4fqUS810HHBZZaYulb0Dk7q5nxkgMLr0zbPHdSnUjmutuzBz-LIQAaxM/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-05-07+at+12.01.17+PM.png" width="278" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-60918232525861606712016-04-10T05:32:00.001-07:002016-04-10T05:32:30.933-07:00Ponce, Puerto RicoOne of the really cool things about living on a boat is that you can pull up to the water front in some of the most beautiful places, drop the anchor, go ashore, and have that silly grin on your face that comes from out-smarting 'the system'. Everyone else staying there is paying big $$ for accommodations, but you are swing on the hook for FREE! It just appeals to the cheapskate Yankee that resided deep inside me. It comes from being raised by parents who lived through the depression, and having grandparents who asked 'are you really going to use that WHOLE paper towel?'<br />
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Ponce, Puerto Rico, is one of the destination resort towns where everything, including the air itself, has a price tag. However, the mooring balls in the harbor are free which is a good thing because the water is over 30' deep and it is crowded (read impossible to put down an anchor).<br />
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The really cool thing for David is that where were LOTS of other little people his size just itching to have some fun. Including some fun in things like fast plastic wheel-chairs that had me wishing I weighted 50lbs but with the arms of a gorilla.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmXN1qz8om6FUiea9YD3sass66y5eh3xGYNattljyJrTk6idCvcYdfvc1JJFzLjtyHKgNGLCjXMJqNhYSmuYqwi2P9dc18by3bxm11bRmpdGoVmRGDi3EbZtfRsr_Qxq2AxIckO5FT9I/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-10+at+8.28.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgmXN1qz8om6FUiea9YD3sass66y5eh3xGYNattljyJrTk6idCvcYdfvc1JJFzLjtyHKgNGLCjXMJqNhYSmuYqwi2P9dc18by3bxm11bRmpdGoVmRGDi3EbZtfRsr_Qxq2AxIckO5FT9I/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-10+at+8.28.54+AM.png" width="252" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-72426808614766877712016-04-02T07:35:00.000-07:002016-04-02T07:35:05.130-07:00Instant friends at Camuy Caves, Puerto RicoI just love how David makes instant friends. We normally avoid expensive tourist destinations, but in this particular case, we just had to visit the Camuy Caves in the mountains of Puerto Rico. So we rented a car from the Marina at Puerto Real and drove several hours into the heart of the mountainous region of the island.<br />
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It is hard to get an idea of the size of Puerto Rico. It is not a small island, but is only 35x100 miles in extent, so you can circumnavigate the island in a day. So, I guess you would call it a medium sized island. One odd result of that size is that everyone is within a few hours drive of home, so there are NO hotel/motels to speak of. The only options are the resort palaces in San Juan ($$$$) or the hourly rental room, complete with "love machines".. just gotta wonder about that.<br />
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So, we paid our fees, then waited in the queue for the guided tour complete with audio players. It didn't take David long to find just someone his size. Instant friends. No language barrier here, just shared fun. We adults can learn some lessons. Sincere friendship is a powerful force and only the most hardened could resist.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3Xy2NkkISk7Nx9fk5HB_6_0k61rXazvm8pHsadUqBn-4XFl8kKpUGSQt4XjkF7rnboDadWsDU0oDDBHQkHRive8S_-0wFjLA5Du9WUxHid-LHYHTsnMhamPQnhZNPd5yip4j0fHhjak/s1600/IMG_6910.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR3Xy2NkkISk7Nx9fk5HB_6_0k61rXazvm8pHsadUqBn-4XFl8kKpUGSQt4XjkF7rnboDadWsDU0oDDBHQkHRive8S_-0wFjLA5Du9WUxHid-LHYHTsnMhamPQnhZNPd5yip4j0fHhjak/s320/IMG_6910.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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Of course there has to be one picture from the bottom of the sink hole (some 400' deep). I am amazed at the pictures I am able to capture with the panorama mode on the smart phone. Here is a 90 degree panorama looking straight forward to straight up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNPwvAqbVvVxvpMPsCusP3uTlvBGApf4hOWW3VrbCSAbvECUHWSIjRzfqiCVJAsQTQKEbjw2Wbx5KfjW7VgUVdRjSM0Lb7lL7hUwt_e0WI_olFvSXWl7TA__gfT4bcyJLVzKp9fMSw9g/s1600/IMG_6918.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNPwvAqbVvVxvpMPsCusP3uTlvBGApf4hOWW3VrbCSAbvECUHWSIjRzfqiCVJAsQTQKEbjw2Wbx5KfjW7VgUVdRjSM0Lb7lL7hUwt_e0WI_olFvSXWl7TA__gfT4bcyJLVzKp9fMSw9g/s320/IMG_6918.jpg" width="212" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-86038194201016375662016-04-02T07:19:00.001-07:002016-04-02T07:19:42.876-07:00David saves the dayYesterday, David decided to empty his quarter berth to play "bus" transferring the entire contents of the quarter bert into the forward berth which is the admirals and captains bedroom. Being the understanding parents we are, we did not want to interrupt the play understanding that David can clean up after himself pretty well these days.<br />
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So, when the berth was completely empty, dad decided to take the opportunity presented to open some hatches and inspect a part of the bilge we don't normally see everyday.<br />
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Its a good thing God looks after fools and children, because we are loaded with both. What dad found sent shivers.<br />
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The connecting plate between the transmission and the drive shaft was MISSING three out of the four necessary bolts!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-CNR1UVdtVqHRLgGjqBW-2g_zs5fXLEPSe6eXdclJlVU6ba52Be1Tke8H_FvkouaOMVDflNkWOXGxEhReB8IfR35m_VWSudPX6w1uK6YLCGg5a409HwuTxoMVxi5QbsnIj9I_5AUmtc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-02+at+10.09.22+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-CNR1UVdtVqHRLgGjqBW-2g_zs5fXLEPSe6eXdclJlVU6ba52Be1Tke8H_FvkouaOMVDflNkWOXGxEhReB8IfR35m_VWSudPX6w1uK6YLCGg5a409HwuTxoMVxi5QbsnIj9I_5AUmtc/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-02+at+10.09.22+AM.png" width="242" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv0dIoT7lnF73xHTu6BTpWTSpqd6Wij8BfGedLSxZ3W_T7AeABBlgsqhERVjLcbV-6azcUj_ePw_v0VKgL75h26XBfLa_lAto9LHRON68NXd8lVI050_w2Fnim3qWybczwiErgILNSxM/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-04-02+at+10.09.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMv0dIoT7lnF73xHTu6BTpWTSpqd6Wij8BfGedLSxZ3W_T7AeABBlgsqhERVjLcbV-6azcUj_ePw_v0VKgL75h26XBfLa_lAto9LHRON68NXd8lVI050_w2Fnim3qWybczwiErgILNSxM/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-04-02+at+10.09.09+AM.png" width="286" /></a><br />
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That one bolt was the last straw ready to break the next time we used the engine. Thank God we found it while still at the marina in Puerto Real and not trying to round Cape Rojo without an auxiliary engine direct upwind...<br />
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WHewww..<br />
<br />s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-32154329198981157262016-03-19T05:34:00.001-07:002016-03-19T05:34:27.055-07:00Hati, Dominican Republic, Puerto RicoWe have made pretty good progress heading into the trade winds, mostly motor sailing and burning up a bit of fuel. Once we get to the British Virgin Islands, we should be able to start sailing without the motor again. The rattle of the diesel, while reassuring, can get OLD after awhile.<br />
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So I'd better take this one passage at a time and describe the adventures/misadventures. <br />
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<b>Haiti to the Dominican Republic: </b>From Ile A Vache we headed overnight for Bahia Aguillas in the Dominican Republic. We managed to sail a few miles into the wind before we realized that wind shifts had put the wind on the nose (no matter where we are going, the wind seems to originate directly from that port on the thorny path), so we hoisted the iron jib and furled the cloth jib, relying on the main sail to stabilize the the boat quarting the waves. Still a bit of pounding but minus the rolling. About 8pm, just after sunset, the motor sputtered and died. Great, must be a clogged filter. Changed the filter but that was not the problem. So, while the boat rolled and we drifted, I disassembled the fuel delivery system tracing all the supply and return lines for both the main engine and the generator (something I should have done earlier). Turns out that the fuel pickup tube from the tank had clogged. So, a bit of creative re-plumbing had the main engine running from the generator pickup tube. At least we were back under way.<br />
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Christine fell ill with a fever the next day at Isla Beate, a small fishing village, so the next passage to Las Salinas was an overnighter single handed. Fortunately, the normally nasty weather around Cape Beate settled down and it was uneventful. We spent a week in Las Salinas spending time with David and Janet, our new found cruising friends from New Zealand. We rented a car together for a couple of days and had adventures in Santo Domingo and Jarabacoa (botanical gardens, hiking and swimming in water fall pools, lots of fun). My main business computer got water damaged here, and I am now limping along with a computer sans battery..<br />
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We picked up some fuel in Las Salinas borrowing an extra jerry can to shuttle fuel out to Gypsy Queen 11 gallons at a time. Five trips later, with arms at least an inch longer, we had enough fuel for or next leg of our jouney to Puerto Rico where diesel can be had from fuel docks at less than $2.00 US per gallon! Puerto Rico gets it petroleum from Venezuela unlike the rest of the US, hence the lower costs.<br />
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<b>Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico:</b> Leaving Las Salinas we rounded the local cape and got hit with 30knt sustained winds on the bow for several hours. The weather forecast called for maximum sustained winds of 15knts. Hey, what is a 100% error between friends! So, we pounded into those conditions for awhile stressing equipment. List of casualties:<br />
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1: Mail sail reef cringle (torn out)<br />
2: Solar panel support broke<br />
3: Staysail traveler car broken<br />
4: Main halyard broken at headboard shackle<br />
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So, thus disabled, we hobbled into Puerto Rico where we managed to repair all items. It was the first time I had to re-thread a halyard that goes down the center of the mast. Turns out that there is a handy/removable mast head fitting allowing access to the sheaves and the job turned out easier than I had feared. My bosons chair and ascenders do not allow me to work easily above the mast head fitting, but we managed pretty well in the calm of Puerto Real harbor. Looks like some new running rigging will be needed before next season.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding the winged rats near the oldest cathedral in the Americas in Santo Domingo D.R.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1OE9bMRpb8V0i1N-64B1ZhMqqf6B7IRbqZhJYlIwGMvf_iWuPx81qTYEH1EQL5w0dnoiKIMPf5x7BYVUyM_pFvQQbi2oIIjqrct2ARBuxXre_CZ2H22UZeTuUUDKIdUTHQ37tzpcdVU/s1600/IMG_6806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI1OE9bMRpb8V0i1N-64B1ZhMqqf6B7IRbqZhJYlIwGMvf_iWuPx81qTYEH1EQL5w0dnoiKIMPf5x7BYVUyM_pFvQQbi2oIIjqrct2ARBuxXre_CZ2H22UZeTuUUDKIdUTHQ37tzpcdVU/s320/IMG_6806.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it possible to carry 4 live goats on a motorcycle? The definitive answer is YES. Just tie their feet together and lash them to the luggage rack (only in the DR)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NUdR2SxrlOSA_IOG3wUJtZpd_l7kbWG0B3yPP6OIvUvtcpzEqQK3nlXC1uebyhYEgavGdOwrldyXZg1xJI9BeYgJ-dmnJ6Evr4YqAwI0Qro7vg81lr9fcKsoWwO7ydo00BgXJjZHQy8/s1600/IMG_6855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NUdR2SxrlOSA_IOG3wUJtZpd_l7kbWG0B3yPP6OIvUvtcpzEqQK3nlXC1uebyhYEgavGdOwrldyXZg1xJI9BeYgJ-dmnJ6Evr4YqAwI0Qro7vg81lr9fcKsoWwO7ydo00BgXJjZHQy8/s320/IMG_6855.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water fall near Jarabaco DR, time for a little impromptu swimming!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkOR5OGvK0qDywXHZnYBsd23Ip9Fr-e4fxbMyL8owU8PDdq0dCHLYA-MsYpbnZWBReRa0k9N0FlRrPmWf7z_GToa3IpgKet82M5H9aMKh7NsbH_auvcZeqylIA9xiJomDhLeib2SJ2MQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-19+at+7.54.55+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdkOR5OGvK0qDywXHZnYBsd23Ip9Fr-e4fxbMyL8owU8PDdq0dCHLYA-MsYpbnZWBReRa0k9N0FlRrPmWf7z_GToa3IpgKet82M5H9aMKh7NsbH_auvcZeqylIA9xiJomDhLeib2SJ2MQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-03-19+at+7.54.55+AM.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our route through the Windward Passage to Haiti, DR, Puerto Rico updated on share.delorm.com/fishbaugher</td></tr>
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<br />s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-80854139916842340302016-02-23T18:44:00.001-08:002016-02-23T18:44:38.775-08:00Ile a Vache Haiti 1We decided to take a short detour on our way to the Dominican Republic and stopped at a protected harbor on the south coast of Haiti. While the country is in turmoil and the presidential elections are being contested, this little island is set apart. It is 6 miles from the mainland, but worlds apart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj992y3tEQZnrIuDYCbMAAuZx9O_2GoPyElNXiqFQdYzcEuyeju3yZZLpGOuzq-7MCjbXMNQY0KZNgFdskBdBHnLnv0gHFAIazQnLhLPTRm32JdckSmVhRSIOWrnzbCW3eVhlvvYGKgFqQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-02-23+at+9.30.48+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj992y3tEQZnrIuDYCbMAAuZx9O_2GoPyElNXiqFQdYzcEuyeju3yZZLpGOuzq-7MCjbXMNQY0KZNgFdskBdBHnLnv0gHFAIazQnLhLPTRm32JdckSmVhRSIOWrnzbCW3eVhlvvYGKgFqQ/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-02-23+at+9.30.48+PM.png" width="234" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-44140794346682654442016-02-23T18:31:00.001-08:002016-02-23T18:31:40.756-08:00Fast Passage SouthTaking advantage of some unusual Northerly winds, we quickly made our way from the Exumas to Rum Cay, Mayaguana, then finally Great Inagua where we checked out of the Bahamas. Just needed to check out, get our dispatch papers from customs then take on a little fuel. No simple trick when you have to side tie to a bare concrete wall, have the fuel truck in the back of a pickup, then siphoned into the tanks through another filter.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-l7l8c1iJi1apBbpKcgmhMetFIvw09Jc3lv1eCFTBnh3vpmlQ9MLucgw89N856tLPiPFZOjNTouA1JJHq8RATMFqTRt_NvdfEFEaNiYbNY5ca5LoTaIgx6rpDnwNvgHROq55o5lfL3o/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-02-23+at+8.57.56+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-l7l8c1iJi1apBbpKcgmhMetFIvw09Jc3lv1eCFTBnh3vpmlQ9MLucgw89N856tLPiPFZOjNTouA1JJHq8RATMFqTRt_NvdfEFEaNiYbNY5ca5LoTaIgx6rpDnwNvgHROq55o5lfL3o/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-02-23+at+8.57.56+PM.png" width="202" /></a></div>
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This was just a morning stop, and we were back into the Northerly winds. Normally cruisers head to the Turks and Caicos on their way to Luperon on the north coast of Hispanola, however, we decided on a different route which took us through the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti with the indention of cruising the South coast of the Dominican Republic.</div>
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After reading some favorable reviews of Ile A Vache (island of the cows) on the South coast of Haiti, we decided to make a stop.</div>
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It is just magical place, like a chunk of sub sahara Africa drifted over to the Americas.</div>
s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-63736788517943305752016-02-23T18:16:00.000-08:002016-02-23T18:16:00.550-08:00Gypsy Queen Under SailSo, just what does Gypsy Queen look like when we are sailing. I have posted several pictures of life aboard, but in Rock Sound, our good friends aboard RuAha took some pictures as they overtook us in their Bristol 45. So I guess I should post at least one photo of what we look like from a distance.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcLyTR3G5B3hSt909IX-zF39TbsJHrLlWT76I6mSdgFh6kYLDAIaFnUgsCQqt-tUtg4oHxivMtuE_xoIZGDJp90pQVsCKpxR83WYVKHKyD8tznLV4cpJLuGNvEbrXZAFMFWR88l4UlD0/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-02-23+at+8.55.00+PM.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcLyTR3G5B3hSt909IX-zF39TbsJHrLlWT76I6mSdgFh6kYLDAIaFnUgsCQqt-tUtg4oHxivMtuE_xoIZGDJp90pQVsCKpxR83WYVKHKyD8tznLV4cpJLuGNvEbrXZAFMFWR88l4UlD0/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-02-23+at+8.55.00+PM.png" width="245" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-47301847972267143822016-02-23T18:10:00.001-08:002016-02-23T18:10:15.187-08:00Skipping WAY Fast ForwardSo much has happened since our last blog post. We made our passage to Eleuthera island, visited Spanish Wells, made our passage through the Current Cut (exciting with currents as high as 6 knts), then onto Glass Window then Rock Sound before our passage to Georgetown. Georgetown is a final destination south for many cruisers from the US East Coast, but just the jump off point for those headed for the Caribbean.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaL9suEAP_dk_AIOOgCaf1MBj-q8Xt4HCN8wG88IuOMqeTz6osB3mTvAl7qFyrf4Z1UrjdGQFrg0rP3UI3t28JQUDTWCGJY49mec59Zz0bQ1Kypnyde0yqrwgOMUPepu1tV3r9k0V70PU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-02-06+at+7.38.48+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaL9suEAP_dk_AIOOgCaf1MBj-q8Xt4HCN8wG88IuOMqeTz6osB3mTvAl7qFyrf4Z1UrjdGQFrg0rP3UI3t28JQUDTWCGJY49mec59Zz0bQ1Kypnyde0yqrwgOMUPepu1tV3r9k0V70PU/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-02-06+at+7.38.48+AM.jpg" width="182" /></a><br />
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Nothing like a bit of Bud Light and Conch Fritters at Georgetown. We said our goodbyes to Mason here and he jumped on a plane back to Oregon. What a wonderful month of cruising, boat repair, and just plain good times.s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-80033543699258584372016-01-26T10:59:00.000-08:002016-01-26T10:59:14.148-08:00Double Head SailOn our passage south out of Little Harbor to Royal Harbor, we had winds directly on the stern at 10-15 knots and 4 ft seas. So, this was one of our first chances to use the new tri-reacher pole to hold the clew of the jib sail out so it would not flog. Wing and wing with the main prevented out, we were doing OK with speeds above 5 knots until the wind died down below 10 knots. Well, with Mason aboard, we just had to haul out the spinnaker. Rather than furl the jib, we discovered that we could attach the spinnaker tack to the headstay with the jib deployed. The result was a double head stay arrangement which got our speed back up above 6.5 knots with less rolling.<br />
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Just had to share the panorama picture taken from the stern. This is Gypsy Queen with maximum horsepower!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KPQrnGZJIxn4uOTSE8uyjwUkgQ1ZYU8MOTurD8iRIlYLsy2dJby_eSUpTg6_gzb-uarngucTdFvNriDzAcvPcbSBIQSntIOu8pyk2yXpCS0ewlELFVyaOfryrIadTvlIf6hjdpy6j3Q/s1600/IMG_6526.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="387" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KPQrnGZJIxn4uOTSE8uyjwUkgQ1ZYU8MOTurD8iRIlYLsy2dJby_eSUpTg6_gzb-uarngucTdFvNriDzAcvPcbSBIQSntIOu8pyk2yXpCS0ewlELFVyaOfryrIadTvlIf6hjdpy6j3Q/s640/IMG_6526.jpg" width="640" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-25401238443173770392016-01-22T06:02:00.002-08:002016-01-22T06:02:24.050-08:00Little Harbor 2Some pretty nasty squalls while Little Harbor, but thankfully short lived. Mason had a great idea to create some dams on the deck to divert rain water into our tanks, so now squalls are actually welcome. It means less time running the water maker and thus less fuel consumed. At $4.50 a gallon, we have been much more conscientious about running engines. With extra crew aboard, we now even sail onto and off the anchor if we have working room.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwezi1hiiRrNSXA_sYRxzbmza9Yx0ZHVlLggnwO-xYlp9OOU65mrTqdKzFKCKmH8K75Gc487wZV4Se07_k-0L8KW2k9_qCqnyJHS7c8y2hSuwS4Ak5dbIfXppRwcw_CvIImOUdMvpz_fw/s1600/IMG_6503.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwezi1hiiRrNSXA_sYRxzbmza9Yx0ZHVlLggnwO-xYlp9OOU65mrTqdKzFKCKmH8K75Gc487wZV4Se07_k-0L8KW2k9_qCqnyJHS7c8y2hSuwS4Ak5dbIfXppRwcw_CvIImOUdMvpz_fw/s640/IMG_6503.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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The old lighthouse at Little Harbor. Watch your step or you fall into the basement!s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-9206711606063466232016-01-22T05:53:00.000-08:002016-01-22T05:53:06.343-08:00Little HarborWe snuck in to Little Harbor which is the SW most protected harbor in the Abacos anticipating a passage South to Eluethera. On the Atlantic side of the harbor, there were some nice beaches, but they were covered with plastic. The sea is able to break down virtually anything to the atomic level, but plastic seems to be its nemesis. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdNs8DVceodzBzNYQb4pwk78W1T9lbbwmcXbgDT5t53M6zdSW5W6ynzD3qsSGVOPnE1lyARt4MlyIWXwM48OFcH8mcmvJ9FSbAxvivn5xyaP8owBhIuQDyLwfKWhHAQhTHe_0Txb59l4/s1600/IMG_6491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGdNs8DVceodzBzNYQb4pwk78W1T9lbbwmcXbgDT5t53M6zdSW5W6ynzD3qsSGVOPnE1lyARt4MlyIWXwM48OFcH8mcmvJ9FSbAxvivn5xyaP8owBhIuQDyLwfKWhHAQhTHe_0Txb59l4/s320/IMG_6491.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In only 20 minutes of looking we found 6 sandals in the correct sizes lying on the beach. We had hundreds to choose from..</td></tr>
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s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-54764279500867671912016-01-12T06:12:00.002-08:002016-01-12T06:12:28.988-08:00Bahamas (finally)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevEy_jCR7apaNl0xNpX2M2xzR-pflJGTGmf170HlR-jQfU2_VZeyqHKu1cwOyKy-6SYvWBIDycuwQL-y8MNDLBv9tVF2vKBHVCSx9FIY8OVQu7cdrGQT9Q3XhyIeL_g4pimQMdz4Ro68/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-12+at+9.03.57+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgevEy_jCR7apaNl0xNpX2M2xzR-pflJGTGmf170HlR-jQfU2_VZeyqHKu1cwOyKy-6SYvWBIDycuwQL-y8MNDLBv9tVF2vKBHVCSx9FIY8OVQu7cdrGQT9Q3XhyIeL_g4pimQMdz4Ro68/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-01-12+at+9.03.57+AM.png" width="320" /></a>Well, we have finally made it to our first non-US offshore destination. A short hop from Florida to the Bahamas where we met our good friend Mason Baker who flew out from Oregon to join us for January cruising. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VCNS_stxGZce_i8mTUYsu6wc8vGEp_rmXP-LNE-Fag96ddOR8mIrfPjWmc-kIGZjR1kHvlnwWXtGbfGld9H6ABBKEatnZK690I2W0FU1gSTplSNk03odRxTsYY8qAKqQVnMS13o4W6Y/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-12+at+9.00.45+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-VCNS_stxGZce_i8mTUYsu6wc8vGEp_rmXP-LNE-Fag96ddOR8mIrfPjWmc-kIGZjR1kHvlnwWXtGbfGld9H6ABBKEatnZK690I2W0FU1gSTplSNk03odRxTsYY8qAKqQVnMS13o4W6Y/s320/Screen+Shot+2016-01-12+at+9.00.45+AM.png" width="230" /></a>We are starting in the Abacos and have visited Great Sale, Green Turtle, Marsh Harbor, Man of War and now Hope Town. It has been a bit wet and blustery with several fronts moving through. First time we have broken a 5/8" thick bridle in 30knt winds in Marsh Harbor. Good thing dad always remembers to double up with a brake on the anchor chain!<br />
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The water here is just beautifully clear allowing you to see the anchor as it sets and is freed from the bottom. It is also quite shallow with 12' considered deep, so it can be a little unsettling with the depth alarm seeming to always want to go off and squawk. Only gone aground briefly once and that on a rising tide, so we were ok.<br />
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Today finds us a Hope Town with some final shopping to do for some fresh produce and treats for David's 5th birthday which is tomorrow!<br />
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Later today we will head South to Pelican Cay and the marine sanctuary there for a little snorkeling before continuing on to Little Harbor which will be our furthest point south in the Abacos before making our 55nm passage to Royal Harbor on the island of Eleuthera.s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-78888793335689301292015-12-14T14:19:00.002-08:002015-12-14T14:19:45.303-08:00Vero (velcro) BeachWell, we came for a few days, and now have stayed almost a month. This place is well named. Free bus route to the marina, about 200 boats in the harbor, wonderful community of cruisers, and new folks rafting up to your boat every now and then. I am all in favor of rafting since it is a great way to meet people. Here is a shot of boats rafted up in the harbor and Gypsy Queen in the lower left corner<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EaST81V6Glzhx0ujNtdHAA0VZV4FNNQSnhKs5DZn6N4mCmushdpHH9kyyl_08_pEYtbTxKoLA79AcnZFwpBYSxC-XwhmXHPTSUJTvF67fhAqmeRzK9cqzIDPzdMM9PRSVcteq8RU_p4/s1600/IMG_6402.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1EaST81V6Glzhx0ujNtdHAA0VZV4FNNQSnhKs5DZn6N4mCmushdpHH9kyyl_08_pEYtbTxKoLA79AcnZFwpBYSxC-XwhmXHPTSUJTvF67fhAqmeRzK9cqzIDPzdMM9PRSVcteq8RU_p4/s320/IMG_6402.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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Just plain fun to meet new friends you never knew you had.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhlz_9mw9gvn25MRFqBtIcyhUZn2xCwKMCvMtL38cM0n3Y49n5VSrBBC-8BPM8Ro8tA8t-4ZyDcsaSwQ_rB-V3bNYJaXlq87L-yw48ylb65cijnatxgWjIUKNswYm5VW9oKmobhjr5y0/s1600/IMG_6425.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWhlz_9mw9gvn25MRFqBtIcyhUZn2xCwKMCvMtL38cM0n3Y49n5VSrBBC-8BPM8Ro8tA8t-4ZyDcsaSwQ_rB-V3bNYJaXlq87L-yw48ylb65cijnatxgWjIUKNswYm5VW9oKmobhjr5y0/s320/IMG_6425.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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And yes, it is possible to squeeze 7 people into an Uber taxi on a Sunday morning when you have lost track of how many people you have invited to church!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1v5oE4H1EBmA1pzcz2C0LMBcHPUwUYbHlSx9SXnCDLTtgddXpgAMrlExO-0c5dKeYTVH-bZSM2yPq-y5yEHbU8KxTGyAgG_LmYH87fjBmmSU5PwhxemAdLumlC2hhGuxnoz08z4FUTc/s1600/IMG_6419.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz1v5oE4H1EBmA1pzcz2C0LMBcHPUwUYbHlSx9SXnCDLTtgddXpgAMrlExO-0c5dKeYTVH-bZSM2yPq-y5yEHbU8KxTGyAgG_LmYH87fjBmmSU5PwhxemAdLumlC2hhGuxnoz08z4FUTc/s320/IMG_6419.jpg" width="320" /></a>s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-56741256703213703132015-11-18T06:13:00.000-08:002015-11-19T17:32:12.163-08:00Daytona BeachA simple question for you all. Would YOU trust this helmserer...?<br />
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Note the toe on the autopilot control and the fingers on FaceBucket...<br />
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Answer? Yes I trust her. She is actually double checking the Navonics app against the Garmin chart plotter. Ata girl..s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-43777442187536174502015-11-11T06:01:00.000-08:002015-11-11T06:01:55.061-08:00Saint Augustine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The namesake city of my favorite saint. If you have not Augustines confessions, you should! The picture below is Flaggler College, once the Ponce De Leone grand hotel, which put the sleepy little place on the map a century ago and the reason Henry built his railroad down the east coast of Florida. Ornate is not sufficient to describe the place. It is so opulent that you need to buy a tour ticket just to see the college cafeteria which is the oval grand room surrounded by the largest collection of Tiffany stained class in the country. I used to do stained and beveled glass in my earlier years, so I was agog at the spectacle.</div>
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Our stop here included lots of provisioning to get ready for the Bahamas. Christine couldn't resist the Robinson Caruso hats made from palm leaves sold by a street vendor. We are now all set..<br />
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I am now done fixing broken things on the boat. I look forward to merely improving things that are already mostly working. The latest thing was re-wiring the rather complex setup of alternator, external regulator, and battery isolator. After an evening of study, I felt like I understood how it was all supposed to work. I am not sure how the existing setup EVER worked since there was a gross wiring error. Now corrected, we are now back to being able to charge house batteries with the main engine which saves us from having to run the separate generator while underway allowing us to do things like run the water maker while motoring. Little things that can make a big difference. We now have three sources of electricity: main engine, generator, and solar panels. Redundancy is good in an environment where thing have this habit of failing.<br />
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Now that all the major systems on the boat are working, I can start in on my long list of improvement projects at leisure. Ahh.....<br />
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s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-34728882625168977662015-11-06T13:01:00.001-08:002015-11-06T13:01:47.926-08:00It's good to be back in the Blue waters of the AtlanticAfter a long Summer hiatus, we are BACK in the Blue waters of the Atlantic and we were welcomed back by a few of our closest friends.<br />
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We just completed our longest offshore passage to date. 408nm direct from Oriental NC to Saint Augustine FL. Only one exciting moment when the alternator bracket on the engine failed, and Mark had to MacGyver a solution to keep us running since we were over 50nm from shore at the time. Your standard boating adventure.s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-11239100702617593062015-10-17T06:18:00.001-07:002015-10-17T06:18:21.590-07:00Brother aboardWe met my brother Bob in Baltimore and we spent a week together cruising the Chesapeake Bay. Wonder time had by all.<br />
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A natural at the helm</div>
s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-70208340282125513672015-10-04T06:49:00.001-07:002015-10-04T06:49:41.711-07:00Big Apple #5 Great KillsKind of a strange name for a very nice harbor.. Great Kills. <br />
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Yesterday we saw the NE wind forecast from the NE, and the coastal flooding translating into greater than usual flood tides up the Hudson. That spelled only one thing to us after several nights of severe rolls on the 79th street moorings when the winds ran counter to tide.. we had to get out of there. The night before the mooring ball was bumping into the hull keeping us up and worried about damage. So, in the morning we started looking for a better solution and found Great Kills harbor on Statten Island.<br />
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We left in pretty iffy conditions and managed to loose a winch handle I had left (I thought locked) to the winch on the mast. Oh well, another expensive PLUNK. Fortunately we had more than one handle on board. After a wild ride abeam of the 25knt winds and waves we made it through the narrow pass into the harbor and were rewarded with dead calm conditions. Ahhh.. nice.<br />
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The plan now is hang out here until the gale conditions abate on the coastal waters of NJ so we can make our way south. No rain and moderate winds predicted today (Sunday), so I think we will go ashore, take the train to the ferry and go into Manhattan for some exploring. We have yet to see the Freedom tower and memorial and hope to get to that today.<br />
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"New York, New York, it's a wonderful town, the Bronx is up and the Battery down, the people all go in a hole in the ground. New York, New York... it's a won-der-ful TOWN!"s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-25338463589847394992015-10-01T16:58:00.001-07:002015-10-01T16:58:34.989-07:00Big Apple #4 Provisioning ON BROADWAYThe 79th street boat basin is just two blocks from Broadway. So we went in the dingy on a wet ride with the Hudson River running at what must have been 3-4 knots of current. It is a little exciting to get on and off the boat in those kinds of currents.<br />
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So we walked up and found the local grocery. Imagine ALL of the products in a full sized Safeway on the West Coast crammed into a space 1/3 the size. Almost claustrophobic!<br />
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We continue to keep an eye on the progress of Hurricane Joaquin. If she heads toward NYC, we will retreat up the Hudson.s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993892218851202362.post-63272768011254063742015-10-01T04:36:00.003-07:002015-10-01T04:36:56.861-07:00Big Apple #3 Mooring in the Heart of NYCWhile at anchor near the Statue of Liberty, another boat came in, ParPar with Henry as captain. With the dragging excitement the night before, I decided to take the dinghy over and introduce myself and compare ground tackle.<br />
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Turns out that ParPar is a veteran traveler with thousands of miles under her keel. They had been in Guatemala, and were heading back south from a visit to Nova Scotia. It is alway nice to compare notes with other live aboard captains.<br />
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So Henry and I got to talking and he mentioned a mooring field at 79th street on the Hudson just 3 blocks from Broadway, another two blocks to Central Park etc... all for $30/night! How's that for cheap NYC accommodations.. you just need to bring your own floating house! Wait. We have one of those! <br />
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We couldn't pass that up, so followed ParPar up the Hudson with the tide. Only the tide did not exist! There had been a bit of rain, so the tide tables were completely off and what was scheduled to be a flood tide turned out to be pretty serious ebb given the flood waters coming down the river.<br />
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Now the odd part. We got to the 79th street boat basin and took one of the yellow transient mooring balls. We arrived ahead of ParPar because we were larger/faster and it turns out that I took the LAST transient ball. Not good. Here I just made a new friend in Henry and I end up taking the last ball!<br />
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Major credit to Henry though. We contacted each other on the radio and he was remarkably good natured about the whole thing. I offered to raft up, but the marina/conditions really didn't allow that. So they anchored just north of the mooring field and we exchanged cell numbers and I promised to call him when one the transient mooring balls came free (first come first serve only).<br />
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Anyway, last night was serious rolls. Finally the flood tide got going (North set) with 20kn winds from the North. Bad things happen when the wind blows one way, and the water is moving the opposite way. It would appear that on the Hudson the result is about 4ft standing waves. Gypsy Queen with her full keel wants to set to the current flow, but the wind blew her sideways to the standing waves.<br />
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So, our usual sleep pattern emerged again. Christine sleeps like a rock and Mark gets up repeatedly to check on the boat and store items that had become airborne and banging back and forth. She owes me a nice nap today!<br />
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s/v Gypsy Queenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14796888635900029423noreply@blogger.com0