Homeward Bound

We're departing Charleston on Sunday, bound for somewhere in North Carolina. Depending on how long the weather window stays open, we'll zoom along until we find a favorable tide to make an inlet. The forecast is for light to moderate winds out of the south and southwest...Pilger's favorite point of sail when we're headed northeast.
We have stopped to show Pilger to two different parties, and one of them sent me the collage you see on the header, Thank you Kelly! It was fun showing Pilger off and meeting some like-minded folks.

Our winter was laid back and fun. Easier the second time around. We went farther, too, had some great fishing and met even more cool cruisers. We saw all kinds of other boats, some inspired Jim to study catamerans more closely. We met some sea-hitchhikers and thought that we might be able to pull something like that off, even if just to sail on some other designs for a test-drive. We even found a pedal-powered canal boat with solar capacity as well. Maybe we'll find ourselves pedalling across Europe?

Even though this cruise is not over yet, I feel that the photo on the bottom reflects my memories about this trip. Warm, unusual. Friendly. And just a little hot-to-trot! It was taken by Linda Ohlson Graham, thanks, Linda!

I'll let ya'all know what happens with our next showing!

Vero Beach, Florida

I got the camera to give it up! Woohoo! Here is a shot of a Father Jerome building on Cat Island, Bahamas. He was an architect who later signed up for the Anglican Ministry. If that wasn't enough, he later converted to the Catholic church. It was as an architect that, after watching several churches get blown to bits by hurricanes, that he found his calling: use Bahamian stone to construct church buildings. May then they'll have a chance to last a bit longer. He oversaw the construction of several before retiring to this hermitage. It is a tiny wee thing, complete with chapel, a small room to fit a 6 ft bed and a nail to hang his robe. The tower has a bronze bell, the chapel has a one-man bench. It is buttressed. I believe it could house hermits for ages to come. Father Jerome passed away in the 1950's.

As great as it was to see more of the Bahamas this trip, it's always good to be headed back home.
On our passage over to Florida, we talked warmly of all our upcoming plans, places we want to see, water we feel would be do-able. We discussed what we learned on this trip, reminisced about the people we met, some situations we got into. We've concluded that we are looking forward to more cruising, maybe the other direction this time. We've heard that the coast of Labrador is really quite something. Pilger may or may not be the right boat for such a trek, we have been pondering all this.
In the meantime, we're looking forward to summer in Prince Edward County. We've decided to try to make-do without buying another car. See how it goes. I'll be making good use of my Most Excellent Bike, with its trusty trailer. And maybe Via to see my Mom.
We're expecting to be back home late May, see everyone then!

well, That's All, Folks!

We pulled out the Planning Chart a few days ago, just to make sure Cuba was where we left it. And we decided that it would add too many more miles to the trip. So Cuba and the Greater Antilles will have to wait for another time.
We will go back through a few different places, some old favorites and hopefully lotsa sea miles so we can put bigger chunks of mileage under the keel.

Georgetown, Exuma Bahamas

So! I have not made a post in a lo-o-ong time. It's because my camera croaked and even I don't like to read blog posts with no pictures. I hope this very short post will satisfy;
The cruise has gone well so far. Two sets of freinds have joined us for a time, and now it's just the two of us. It was always really great to have extra bodies around to share the work and extra brains and psychies to converse with. It was fun.
 Jim calculated we have come around two thousand miles from Nova Scotia, that's already a good long cruise! So even if we turn around now, it's been great! But we will press on towards Cuba. Another cruiser asked why Cuba was so appealing, why did we want to go there? It took a minute to form a good answer (but I think it was taken), ...because it's there! And March is the time, so off we will go. Then I might tell you if it was worth it. Incidentally, it is only a long day-sail to cross from the bottom of the Bahamas to Bahia de Vita, Cuba.
We have done a lot of fishing, a little catching & eating, some snorkling and lots of swimming. Apparently the fishing & lobster catching is even better in Cuba, we'll see if Jan & Cam have left us any!
If I find any wifi in Cuba, I'll letcha know how the crossing went!