We are getting ready to leave some time this next week

When Renne' and I arrived back from Spain in September, there was a Maxi-60, round-the-world race yacht tied up at the far end of the transient dock, where they dock the mega-yachts that very occasionally end up here.  It was a bright yellow, and I had planned every day to walk over to take a look at it.  But getting things done here on the boat, relaxing, getting ready for our next adventure meant I ignored the Maxi's presence and I never got over to look at it.

While we were at the Annapolis Boat Show, prior to heading to California, we spent a few hours at a seminar "Laying Plans for Your Long Term Passage" listening to Lin and Larry Pardy (the patron saints of cruisers),

Liza Copeland (frequent author and contributor to Cruising World),

Don Street (solo cruiser and serious author of books on the Caribbean),

 (Don Street and Liza Copeland - Annapolis Boat Show 2011)

and Brad Van Liew (the only American to race solo around the world three times and two time winner of the Velux 5 Oceans solo race around the world 2002-2003 and 2010-2011),

 (Le Penguion)

needless to say, it was an impressive lineup for a panel.

So when Renne' and I returned from California, there were two changes to the docks:  First, the Maxi-60 was now docked next to JonNe'. 

 So do you notice a similarity to the picture above??  Well, we didn't even know who the boat belonged to until the other day when our diver told us it belonged to Brad Van Liew!  Needless to say, we were a bit shocked by the whole deal.  Then I started comparing things!

First:  There are no shackles on board.  Every piece of equipment on the deck is held in place by line!

 Even the bowsprit bobstay is line - NOT STAINLESS STEEL!

Now I found that amazing.  However, not as amazing as the fact there is NOTHING inside this monster Maxi-60 for the most part.  There is a genset (enough to power a watermaker as he stated at the seminar) for battery power for the electronics and sails!  There is no head - he used a bucket.  There is no galley (he used boil bags of dehydrated foods), there is just a hollow shell with sails in it and some spare line!  So who needs comfort!  And he completed this last trip in 158 days!

So I walked around the dock for perspective.  Now I will be ascending the mast today to fix the radar, replace the spare halyard we had to cut which is still at the top of the mast, and replace the American Flag that is in so need of replacement-but the flag halyard jammed and I have to replace that too.  So when I looked at JonNe' and Le Penguoin from a distance I felt dwarfed!

Can you say dwarf in the presence of a giant?  Shoot, the top of our 63' mast doesn't even reach his second set of spreaders.  Now I absolutely HATE going aloft to the top of our mast in a slip.  I can't imagine having to go aloft that high, by yourself, at sea!!  Makes me shudder!

The second changed was the Gulfstar 46, Ragtime, we crewed on during our third place finish in the 2011 Charleston Harbor Leukemia Race is now docked here.

Yesterday, I worked on the SSB (Single Side Band) Radio, and we have gotten the anchor windlass working again.  From here I need to finish the SSB, get the radar antenna working, the new AIS with radio working, and the dinghy mounted back on the foredeck.  Then wait out the weather to make the trip south.  It doesn't look too good for Wednesday, and if we aren't out by Saturday, the 19th, we will probably scrap the trip and head south after Thanksgiving.  Now that seems really cold!!  So wish us luck.

We had Tinto Verano's (red wind coolers from Spain) again last night with a friend who came to visit.  We were down below, though as the temp keeps dropping after dark.  So come visit us tonight!  We will have Tinto's for Sundowners again!!

Best for now,

JonNe'