That's Boating (they tell me)

Five days into our trip to Charleston, we're enjoying a spate of gorgeous weather - sunny skies, flat water, variable light winds, current going our way for the most part, when an engine room check comes back with less than stellar reviews.  The starboard engine had been running about 7 degrees warmer than the port engine at 2000 revs.  The coolant in the expansion tank appeared to be disappearing steadily, despite a refill before leaving Morehead City.  Our captain (Mike Warren) and my Mike could find no source of the problem despite repeated visits to the engine room.  We backed off on the revs for a bit and were relieved to see the temperature level out to within 2 degrees of the port engine.

The next visit to the engine room revealed a trickle of coolant coming from the top of the reservoir tank which then wound up in the bilge we work so hard to keep immaculate.  Since we were only underway to Wrightsville Beach for 2 hours, we decided to stop at Casper's in Swansboro, NC (where the hell is Swansboro was my first question).  The folks at Casper's  were delightful and tried very hard to help us.  They even called John Deere who strongly stated that since the engines are still under warranty, that no one other than a JD mechanic could work on the engines.  That's where the "adventure" began....

It is Friday morning.  The only JD tech for miles around is sick and can't get to the boat until Tuesday.  It is Thanksgiving on Thursday and we can't stay at Casper's for more than a few hours.  I could feel the panic slowly rising in my throat and fought to stay calm (or at least appear to seem calm).  We tried a few other locations, but no one was able to help us in the time frame (that day?) I had in mind.  So, the 3 of us hatched a plan that soon had all 3 of us leaping to our phones to begin making calls.  Mike Warren found a spot for us at the Town Dock (visible from Casper's) that could accommodate us on the T head.   Wrinkle  - we can only leave the boat unattended for 5 consecutive days.  So,  we sent Mike Warren home for the duration of our Swansboro soujourn and decided to visit Mike's aunt in Elizabeth City, NC for the long weekend.  We arranged for 2 rental cars and booked a hotel near his aunt's assisted living facility.  That done, we decided to spend Thanksgiving with my sister in Wake Forest, NC after returning to the boat for the mechanic and to end and re-start the 5 day rule.  On Monday while still in Elizabeth City, JD calls to say the tech is still sick and won't get to the boat until Wednesday.  Now I'm starting to feel trapped in Swansboro - at the Town Dock no less where we are the only boat in sight.  Since I swore I was an adventure-seeker, Mike and I found a local spot for breakfast - Yanna's where the special is fruit fritters made me forget our situation for a bit.   We toured Swansboro for a bit, then got in the car to head for Wake Forest.   We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and weekend with my sister and family, got to see many things and met some wonderful people.

Fast forward to Tuesday, November 29th.  Now that the saga is concluded for the time being, I can calmly recount what transpired up to now.  The JD tech showed up as promised on Wednesday and diagnosed the problem as one that would require a bit more than a wrench and a promise.  Now that I was resolved to the fact that OLYMPIA would reside in North Carolina for the foreseeable future, I went to work organizing the work effort.  We decided to move her to Jarrett Bay in Beaufort, about 3 hours away - in the direction we had recently come from.  This facility is a true boatyard, staffed by knowledgeable people, many of which are authorized to perform the warranty work required.  Not only are these people skilled marine technicians, but they are compassionate and willing to do what it takes to get this problem fixed and get us on our way.  We hired a captain who happily agreed to take us from the Swansboro Town Dock to a very nice face dock at Jarrett Bay.  There was a moment of levity in the pilot house shortly after departing the Town Dock.  The woman in charge called me on my cell and quietly asked, "Rosemarie it is you who took the boat away, isn't it"?   We exchanged amused glances, but I could hear the relief in the poor woman's voice when I assured her it was me at the helm.  The trip needed to be taken using only our port engine so as not to exacerbate the issue with our starboard engine.  As we released the last line, the stern promptly leaped away from the dock in a strong current we estimated to be running at about 5 knots.  Since it was me on the dock releasing that last line, I had visions of driving to Jarrett Bay to meet the boat.  The captain and Mike made one more attempt to get the boat near the dock and I leaped off an icy dock into the boat.  What a great beginning to the day!  We settled OLYMPIA in her new home and accepted a ride back to Swansboro to get the rental car.  After some more exploring, we decided to spend the afternoon touring Beaufort, which we promptly fell in love with.
The next day was Monday, so finally we could get things in gear to get OLYMPIA fixed.  We met with the operations manager of the facility who would not only get the engine issue resolved, but who also agreed to coordinate the work on some other issues we decided to have addressed since we were there.  We left feeling relieved and optimistic for the first time in 11 days.  Now that we realized we would not be going to Charleston on this trip, we hit the streets of Beaufort and had a wonderful day.
Tuesday morning, we headed to the airport in Raleigh, about 4 hours away to catch a flight to NY via Chicago's Midway Airport.  It was an excruciating day, but a productive one in that OLYMPIA will stay in Jarrett Bay through the Christmas holiday until we come back to get her after Christmas.  Though we were disappointed, we made the most out of a situation out of our control.  We put over 1000 miles on the rental car and got to see parts of North Carolina we would have missed.  As the saying goes, we made lemonade (spiked with vodka) out of lemons!

Still working on the pictures and waiting for an update from Jarrett Bay.  Will be back - and not next year!

Back by Popular Demand.....

Good morning my patient friends!

It's been over a year since I last shared my life with you and MUCH has happened during that time.  A sincere thank you to those who asked if I was ok, to those who demanded I get back to this blog, and to those who just plain missed being entertained.

I'm happy to report that as I type this, I'm in OLYMPIA's pilothouse enroute via ICW from Morehead City to Wrightsville Beach (no I'm not at the helm right now).  This is the very first time I've been on a southbound trip for more than a few days.  It's exhilarating to finally see the places I had only heard about from my delivery crew.  It's exhausting to be a wheel, hand steering through narrow canals.  It's beyond words to finally be at the helm of this boat!

So here's how things went down:  last May when I posted for the last time, things got busy at work, I began a relationship with a gentleman from my bereavement group, OLYMPIA arrived from her winter vacation in Stuart and a whirlwind of entertaining began.  Suddenly it was cold, and OLYMPIA headed to Stuart once again.  This time we were able to spend Thanksgiving under the palm trees, a definite first for us New Yorkers.  We managed a few visits to Olympia during the winter and took lessons at every opportunity.

Those of you who have followed this blog know of my passion for my horse Wiggles.  In August of 2015, Wiggles had a mild stroke.  Though I could no longer ride him,  I could still take him for short walks and fuss over him.  However, by the fall, he declined a bit more, putting an end to the walks due to his instability on his feet after those walks.  I put him on meds to ease any discomfort which had to be crushed (horses need a lot of pills to make a single dose of medication, up to 20 at a time)!  I purchased a coffee grinder and would faithfully crush his pills on a Sunday night for the week.  In mid-January, Wiggles vet suggested I start thinking of putting him down due to a steady decline in his quality of life.  I could see that my beloved horse of nearly 20 years was beginning to tire, though his eyes still lit up when I came into the barn.  Over the next few weeks, I wrestled with the decision, my heart breaking a bit more with each new day.  I was leaving for a 10 day trip to Costa Rica at the end of February and was afraid to leave him in his condition.  So I made the difficult decision to say goodbye to my loyal partner and friend on February 8th, 2016.  I was able to offer Wiggles a dignified and peaceful passage over Rainbow Bridge with me by his side as he lay in the field we so enjoyed - both riding and grazing.  The snow fell gently while I lay beside him in the snow reading him a poem about horses with silver wings riding through a clear blue sky.  Just as I had always promised him, I was by his side when he took his last breath, so quietly and peacefully that I knew I had done the right thing for him at exactly the right time.  The following weeks were quite difficult for me since my new apartment was on the same street as the barn.  With Wiggles help, I gradually came to realize that he was truly at peace, young and healthy again in the fields just over Rainbow Bridge.  Time is easing the pain, but the memories will always bring a smile to my face.  Some of his ashes are right here on OLYMPIA with me, another great source of comfort.

So that I don't have everyone dabbing their eyes, I want to tell you about the relationship I casually mentioned earlier.  His name is Mike.  He and I sat next to each other at the bereavement meetings we started attending in February, 2014.  He was part of a group of 11 - we all bonded quickly and soon found ourselves having dinner after the meetings.  The group spent New Year's Eve together, as well as most summer holidays.  Mike and I found ourselves going for long walks on pleasant summer evenings, having picnics and talking endlessly about everything.  By November of 2014, we admitted both to ourselves and each other that "our friendship had grown stronger" as so aptly put by REO Speedwagon.    The similarities between us grew more amazing as we learned more about each other.  Mike's wife's name was Rosemarie, she was Italian and her family called her Rosie (just as some of my uncles called me).  Their shared email password was Bunny (though spelled with a "y", still incredible).
Mike's birthday is the same as my favorite uncle's and our mothers shared the same birthday.  Mike was fascinated with my stories of OLYMPIA and read all my blogs.  I thought it might be fun for him to join me on OLYMPIA as we headed north for the summer.  Though at times it was surreal to see him on the boat that was supposed to have been the home of my late husband and I, we fell into a routine that befitted those who had been boaters for a much longer time.  It turns out that not only is Mike a fast learner, but he has an affinity for boating.  He loves OLYMPIA as much as I do and spent countless hours aboard the summer of 2015 cleaning, polishing, puttering in the engine room and learning all he could about her and boating in general.  We spent the fall, winter and spring taking Power Squadron classes, diligently plowing through hours of homework, plotting courses and attending meetings.  At least I didn't enter a relationship having to say "me or my boat".  I know just from hearing me talk about her in those early days, that most folks knew it was a no brainer!

I was diagnosed with very, very early stage breast cancer in late June, 2015.  A 3D mammogram picked up a tiny tumor that probably wouldn't have been visible on a 2D mammogram for another 2-3 years.  I had a lumpectomy on July 15th and started a 3 week course of radiation on August 19th (Mike's wife's birthday).  I had my last treatment on September 17th (Tom's 2nd anniversary in heaven).  Mike was with me for every step of the way.  A huge comfort, needless to say.  I wondered how I could have met this challenge alone.  He's come to my 6 month check-up, my one year check up and hopefully all the annual check ups for the next 5 years.  I'm perfectly fine with an excellent prognosis since the cancer was confined to a duct in my left breast and hadn't spread.  The tumor type is non-aggressive and would have been very slow growing.  The chance of recurrence is negligible, so I've put it out of my head, and will enjoy life to the fullest.

So....with that news, I've decided to leave full-time employment and will retire on December 23rd!  The company wasn't as enthusiastic as I am about my departure, so I agreed to work from the boat about 20 hours a week until they feel they can do without me - 6 months at the most I told them.  Much of my work can be done on the phone, so as long as a bird doesn't go screeching by when I'm on the phone, no one will be the wiser about where I'm actually making that call.

Please forgive the lack of pictures.  I recently upgraded my iPhone to the 7 and have had problems downloading my pictures from the phone to the laptop.  I was anxious to get back to sharing my adventures and didn't think you'd mind the lack of pictures.  I'll be working on this in the meantime.

It's good to be back!!!!

I promise, I didn't fall off the face of the earth!

I've been spending 12 hours a day on weekends since we arrived on April 19th moving aboard Olympia for the summer.  There really are not enough hours in the day for this, believe me.  If I can get more boxes unpacked, I'll be able to send some pictures of the gorgeous gal.  Yes, I know, I also promised pics of our trip north (the laptop is on the boat).  In due time my friends.

As I write this (while taking a quick lunch break at my desk), the Explorer sits in the parking lot, packed to the rafters with "stuff".  Every trip from the marina parking lot to Olympia's slip requires 2 dock carts - at a minimum.

While I'm in transition, golf season started yesterday.  Why do I mention this?  Well because my golf clothes are on the boat, while my golf clubs are in my friend's garage and I'm still living in my apartment.  It gets a bit hairy at times, trying to get dressed for work and my myriad other activities.  Friday evening through Tuesday mornings I'm on the boat, the other 2 days I'm in my apartment.  Lest you think I've really lost my mind, I'm doing all this crazy moving around because of my cat.  What????  Yep, the cat, aka Zoe, has to be "weaned" aboard gently and very carefully.  After all, she's been moved twice in less than 2 years and you know how cats are about change.  Since I don't have time to chase her around the apartment to clip her now very long talons, I had to wait to get an appointment at the vet to get this done.  Sooo, the vet appointment is next Saturday, May 16th at 9:30.  As luck would have it, I have 2 other very important occasions to celebrate right around that time - my grandson's 4th birthday on the 15th and my daughter's birthday (I dare not say which one in case she reads this) on the 16th.  In between those festivities, I'll be coaxing Zoe out of wherever she decides to hide once we're aboard.  Oh boy, do I have my work cut out for me!

I don't want you to think I'm trying to distract you from the very reason you bother to read this blog, but I guess I'm asking for some sympathy and understanding in the obvious lack of "communication".  I do enjoy writing about what I love and am a bit frustrated by the lack of time.

I will get back to writing in just a bit and will have some lovely pictures to share.  Olympia is truly the Queen of the Marina.  My friend and I gave her this unofficial title one day when we were walking the docks.

Be back soon!

We're Home!

Olympia glided into her slip in Huntington at 12:43 pm on Sunday, April 19th.  My girl's odyssey is over!

Pictures and a wonderful story will follow shortly - I need to pull the many pictures together, unpack, catch up at work and pack up the apartment for the move to the boat (just for the summer for now).

Be back soon - promise!

Homeward Bound!

Well dear friends and loyal readers, I've said it before and I'll say it now - dreams do come true.

Once my flight lands in BWI tomorrow morning at the civilized hour of  7:15 am, Larry from KKY will be taking me to Port Annapolis where I'll be reunited with my beloved Olympia for the ride home to New York!  As happens with boats, the rendezvous point changed from Norfolk to Annapolis due to favorable weather, superb navigational skills of the delivery crew, my flight plans and plain luck.

The last time I was aboard the subject of my dreams was February 3rd - far too long a span of time to be separated from her!  I'm sure I surprise no one when I say I'm delirious with anticipation, excitement, apprehension, joy, tumult, love - get the picture of me at this moment?

Yesterday, I took advantage of a glorious day to take my convertible (with the top down of course) to the ocean.  I communicate best with Tom near the sea, since that is where his first love of all things boats originated.  Against the roar of the surf, I thanked Tom for all he gave me and for where I am today, anticipating this next huge adventure of what is proving to be an unconventional lifestyle.  I whispered to him that though my heart is broken that he won't be physically present at the helm with me, I am heartened by the knowledge that his spirit resides in every inch of Olympia and how that makes her the most special boat I will ever own.

So many things in life are bittersweet, but none more than this upcoming adventure for me.  It was a year ago this month that I was poring over every picture I received from Taiwan as the building of Olympia resumed.  Now I'm about to take her helm and pilot her home where she will be loved, nurtured, enjoyed and the site of many, many happy and joyous occasions.

I didn't forget the christening pictures, but the next set of pictures you get will be scenes from the trip home. I'm sincerely hoping for clear skies as we cruise under the Verrazano Bridge and past the Statue of Liberty; however, there WILL be pictures of those landmarks regardless of what Mother Nature has in store for us.

So friends, I hope you'll join me for this most anticipated next adventure, the realization of more dreams and the beginning of a new phase of life.

All aboard!

She's off the coast of North Carolina!

Like a love-sick puppy, I check Olympia's progress no less than several times an hour while I'm awake (I've been going to bed quite late this week).

Right now (as of 12:10 pm), she is off the coast of North Carolina, sort of opposite Camp Lejune making steady progress in the right direction. It appears that her latitude is 34.25434 and her longitude is -77.10927.  I wish I could tell you what that means, but were it not for the tracker, I would be clueless.   It's amazing to be able to see this girl making her way home.  Wait til I tell her how closely her mama was following her trip home!

Tonight is the last night of my 8-hour boating safety class, complete with a test.  Yikes - I haven't taken a test in at least 100 years; you can't believe the butterflies I 'm having all day today!  Luckily, my friend is taking the class with me and is equally nervous about tonight's test.  The reality is that this instructor told us that no one fails and that the material will be reviewed in great detail tonight, emphasis on the words "great detail".  I'm taking courage from that - and from the fact that some students in the class were asking how they can remember port and starboard.  I  hope I don't meet up with them on the water!  Once I pass this test, I'm going to find as many other courses as I can, namely, navigation and weather.  I really don't know how to read the weather - except of course if a T-storm is right over me.  So I guess that's a pretty good course for me to take.

So as I sit here counting the hours until I'm reunited with beloved Olympia, I can't help but feel sadness that this trip to meet her will be taken without Tom.  Yes he is always with me, I know and feel that, but let's be real about the lack of his physical presence.  As it turns out, I will be aboard on the 17th, whether on the water or at the dock - April 17th marks 19 months since Tom's passing.  Even as I type these words I cannot believe them.  It seems like yesterday and forever - all at the same time.

I thank you for your company and empathy as I make this journey.  More on Olympia's progress to follow!

Life in the (very fast) lane

I know, I know, it's been ages since I last posted.  If I said that my days race by and that my "to do" list would encircle the state of Texas, I would be making a gross understatement!

 I have to tell you that I know I owe pictures and a bit of narrative about Tom's memorial and Olympia's christening - January 31st seems like a lifetime ago.  However, I've been finding it difficult to  write about those 2 enormous events.  I should be ok in a little bit of time, but right now, I get clutched when I begin to think about relaying news about that day.

However, I do have momentous news - OLYMPIA IS ON HER WAY HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Captain Mike Warren along with a crew that includes Dan (journalist for some magazines), Tucker (VP at Kadey Krogen in Annapolis) and John Stempke (chef and co-captain extraordinaire) left Stuart this morning, heading to Morehead City via an ocean run.  If all goes well and Mother Nature cooperates, they should be there in about 60 hours.  From there, it's on to Norfolk where yours truly will come aboard for the trip of a lifetime.

John has his SPOT tracker aboard, so I can watch their progress.  Right now (as of 19 minutes ago), they are offshore in the Daytona Beach area.

 It's interesting that John was part of Serenity's delivery crew at this exact time in 2011.  Amazing how my life has changed so incredibly and dramatically since then.  Four years might as well be forty years!

I'll keep you posted on Olympia's progress and let you know when I'm aboard - hopefully a week from tomorrow.  Yikes, just thinking about it makes me breathless!

Speaking of breathless, I just mailed a hefty check to the Huntington marina where Olympia will hold court for the summer.  I'll be with all the big girl boats.  I already have a guest list going - and it grows by the day.  Suddenly folks in the office are stopping by to say hello.  Get it?  Someone that sells Pampered Chef in my office approached me about having a party on board.  Another person from a local wine shop asked about holding a wine tasting.  That would be boring since I'll only serve white wine when lots of folks are on board.  It'll be amusing to see who else crawls out of the woodwork.  I'm sure this summer will contribute many funny stories to this blog.

In the meantime, thanks for your patience in hanging in there with me.  You can help follow Olympia's trip home with me.

Montauk Pictures

I think you all know that Montauk is over 100 miles from Manhattan, at the tip of Long Island's east end on the south fork.  Those 100+ miles might as well be the difference between planets, so diverse is the landscape.  Though Huntington is a beautiful town on Long Island's north shore, about 90 minutes from Montauk as the crow flies, it pales in comparison to this scenic, rustic and seemingly out of the way bastion of old world Long Island.

Unfortunately, signs of the Hamptons are slowly creeping into Montauk.  Even off season, the restaurants (those that remain open year round) were expensive as were several of the novelty shops I visited.  The saving grace is that Montauk is still not densely populated so that stretches of pine trees and beach are still visible from the road.

On the way to the hotel, this snowy vista greeted me, begging for a picture through the car's windshield.  Can you believe how blue the sky is?  It was like that the whole time I was there, from Friday through Monday afternoon.

You can tell how much snow there was, including this mound that blocked the view of the ocean from this scenic overlook.

The hotel is a gorgeous, hilltop old Tudor mansion that boasts 1, 2 and 3 bedroom suites, 2 pools, a spa, restaurant, fitness center and spaces with fireplaces and cozy reading nooks.  Views of the sunset from the bay facing rooms are astounding!  Again, the sky almost seems painted into the photo.

In case you think I was exaggerating about the sunset view from the suite, look at this one.  It was as if each evening's sunset tried to outdo the previous one!

I set the alarm for 6 am Sunday morning to catch what I've been told are legendary sunrises in this part of the world.  Thanks to the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, I had a little more than an hour to get dressed, put together ingredients for mimosas and make the 15 minute drive to the Montauk Point Lighthouse.  I took about 12 pictures of the sun rising, but only posted 4 so as not to bore you.  Note how the cloud formation is different in every photo until they're completely gone in the last pic.

While the sun was rising and I was toasting the new day with a delicious mimosa, Beethoven's 9th Symphony was playing on the radio.  Can you think of any better way to begin a day in paradise?  The sunrise is not unlike the ones us lucky boaters enjoy from our cockpits, right?

There is something fascinating about a beach covered in snow.  I have been mesmerized by the sight since I was a child.  Not quite sure what the appeal is, but I love it!

The icing on the cake came on Sunday when it finally warmed up enough to put the top down!  It was in the balmy mid-40s, so a scarf, a bit of heat, windows up, windscreen up and I'm good to go - and go I did!!

 This was a memory-making weekend, much needed and appreciated after a nasty winter.  Since I still must work to support my marine lifestyle, I had to do something nice locally that would be a mini-vacation yet be far enough from home to make it seem like a destination.


The exciting news is that I have plane tickets booked for mid-April to Norfolk, VA.  That is where I am boarding Olympia so that I can be at the helm for the final leg of her trip home.  I may have to work with the airline if the boat is either early or delayed, but Southwest (which has become my West Palm Beach-New York shuttle) is very good about changing travel dates.  For those of you who have been following my dream unfold, you will recognize this leg as the culmination of the dream - sailing under the Verrazano Bridge and past the Statue of Liberty at the helm of my very own boat.  In the old scenario, Tom would have been at the helm and I would have been happy to stand beside him.  Now I will be at the helm and Tom will be standing beside me - as he is every day of my life.

Stay tuned for christening pictures.  I sent my cousin a gentle reminder yesterday that we are all waiting to see his pictures.  I felt brave blaming all of you.

Be back soon!

I'm Still Here!

Sorry everyone!  I've been waiting for some very special pictures from Olympia's christening on January 31st.  The photographer is my cousin, a busy neuro radiologist in Sarasota, so I can't rush him too much.

I took a long weekend to visit Montauk this past weekend.  It was a winter wonderland following what we all hope was the last snowfall of 2015.

I'll post some gorgeous photos (including an awesome sunrise and sunset) of that trip  to keep you interested until I get the christening pictures.

While we're on the subject of trips, I'll be flying to Norfolk, VA on April 14th to meet Olympia and take the helm for the final leg of her journey home!  Just thinking about this adventure gives me goose bumps.  This trip has been in my mind's eye for no less than two whole years!

 The marina in Huntington advises me that her slip is ready - they also confessed that since she'll be one of the "widest" girls at the marina, they are going to check the width of her slip just once more.  Just to be sure, I'm going to pop over there this weekend to see for myself.  Getting stuck between pilings is not the way I want Olympia to make her grand entrance!  

There will be an interesting crew of 4 aboard as she leaves Stuart, including my hero captain Mike Warren.  I got a glimpse of their provisioning list - those guys are going to feast their way north, that's for sure.  I'd have it no other way, they deserve nothing but the best there is.  Mike is planning an outside trip to Beaufort, SC if the weather cooperates which he estimates will take 60 hours offshore.

I'm in the process of learning yet another new skill - negotiating with an outfit in Stuart to rent a life raft.  Did you know that since the life raft contains flares, it is considered haz mat and subject to specific regulations about its transportation to and from the boat?  That translates to the need for a special ground trucking service from NY back to FL (which translates further into $$$$).  Does anything marine-related not cost a fortune?  However, after applying my analytical skills (smile) to this process, I determined that it is still less expensive to rent, rather than purchase, a life raft.  Once I start cruising (oh please let it be soon!), I can look into purchasing the raft - and will be happy to do just that!

I'll try to get the Montauk pictures posted tonight if I get home from work and the barn at a civilized hour.  I feel as if I've let everyone down by my disappearing act and owe you all - big time.

I'll be back soon - promise!

TrawlerFest, Riviera Beach, FL

On the day Olympia left for TrawlerFest, even the heavens welcomed her trip by greeting her with the most incredible sunrise.  BTW, this picture is the wallpaper on all my devices!  Being the nit picky captain I am, I called the "crew" and asked them to erect the KKY pennant and flag (which I correctly assumed was not in place either).  They said "aye aye captain" and got those flags up in record time - and sent pics to prove it.  LOL

Olympia continued her trajectory of awesomeness at TrawlerFest 2015, this year held at Riviera Beach, FL.  I arranged to attend the last day on January 25 and landed in West Palm Beach airport at 10 am.  I met 2 other Krogen owners who I invited to stay aboard with me that night and hitch a ride back to Stuart on what would be Olympia's maiden voyage the following day.  Yes, she had already plied the seas, but now she would have her proud mama at the helm, so this was THE maiden voyage for both of us!

It happens every time....as I rounded the corner of the dock to where Olympia was holding court, I looked up and suddenly saw her imposing bow rising above me - and I caught my breath in wonder.  What a start to what would be a most extraordinary week!

She's beautiful from every direction!

The guys sent me this picture of Olympia once she got settled in her slip.  I told you that bow of hers is imposing!  Olympia is snuggled up to a sister KKY - Alba is a brand new and gorgeous 48 AE.  There's not a lot of room at these shows is there?

The day was fun - the KKY staff did a great job of reminding folks that Olympia was a private vessel so that no one decided to make themselves at home...

I loved listening to comments as folks entered the salon and had a look around.  There was no doubt who the owner was when they looked in my direction - the room was lit up with my proud smile!  The KKY staff does an incredible job at these shows.  It is an exhausting day for them since they always have to be "on" - answering questions, giving tours, making sure no one sneaks by or keeps their shoes on - all while standing outside in the elements.  Sunday was a gorgeous day - sunny, no wind and moderate temperatures.  It seemed as if Mother Nature did everything in her power to welcome me to the show and the ride "home" on Olympia.

The next morning was THE day I had been dreaming of for 2 years - me at Olympia's helm taking her home to her slip in Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart.  We were up early and had our girl ready to go by 7:15 am.  My trusty mentor Mike Warren would be at the helm with me, never mind with me - actually glued to my side - for the almost 5 hour run to Stuart.

The departure was quite tricky - you saw from the pics above that Olympia was in her slip with not much room to spare.  Captain Mike said we would have to "walk" her away from the dock since there was little room to move forward and NO room to move her backward.  I was very happy to be co-captain at this point and listened intently to his instructions.  We held a pre-departure conference with the "crew"...

With that accomplished, Mike and I wave bye bye to Riviera Beach and go to our battle stations...

Luckily, we had some early morning help getting us away from the dock.  Since Olympia was so tightly docked in her slip, we had to take care as we headed out that her stern was completely clear of the dock while her bow was kept safely away from the end of the dock.

Only now did I breathe a sigh of relief...
Check out that beautiful sky by the way and the way the rising sun is kissing the pilothouse.

So now that we're off, Alba could leave her slip and follow us back to Stuart.  Luckily for me, Larry of KKY was aboard Alba and offered to take some wonderful shots of our maiden voyage.  I was thrilled with the outcome.  But before you see those, I know you've been waiting to see these,,,,

These pics are what a dream looks like when it comes true......

Now that I've wiped some tears away, look at these wonderful pics of Olympia in her element!

I love this one - I'm actually taking her under a bridge, after calling for an opening on the radio!  This is important stuff!

 I hope you enjoyed these long-overdue pictures of Olympia and I finally getting to know one another.  The next post will re-capture her christening ceremony later in that week.

Please stand by.

The Queen of the Fleet Has Arrived!

Thanks to the expert navigational skills of my favorite mariner Mike Warren, he and his talented crew got my girl safely into her spot at Trawler Fest, this year being held at Riviera Beach.  Trawler Fest begins tomorrow and ends Sunday.  I'll be arriving Sunday morning to bask in the comments of the attendees.

Judging from these pictures, I'll really be basking!

This is Olympia on her way to Riviera Beach at sunrise this morning.  Why oh why am I here in 28 degree weather when I could be here??????

Safely docked starboard side to, waiting for her admirers to arrive

Olympia's bow makes a statement everywhere she goes!

If I get more pictures from Trawler Fest, I'll be sure to share them!!

The Dream Will Become Reality......

Next week, the dream that I've been dreaming for two years will come true.

Olympia will carry my family and some very dear friends to a quiet spot where my daughter and I will scatter our beloved father and husband's ashes to become one with the realm he so loved.  As I write this, I am praying for the strength and dignity to honor Tom's memory in a most eloquent way.  Though the memorial service will be small and private, the many wonderful friends I've made during this incredible and surreal journey will be there with me in spirit.  I've already received calls, texts and emails reminding me of the loving support I can expect.  I guess I've done something very right in this world to be the recipient of such love.

So that I don't leave you feeling a bit unsettled, you need to know that I'm going to have the the most wonderful christening ceremony and party for Olympia later that afternoon!  I've invited the entire Krogen family at Sunset Bay Marina plus everyone and anyone that so much as touched Olympia during her build and commissioning process.  There will be food, drink, music, balloons and all things festive going on to celebrate the Queen of the Fleet (my designation).  If you're going to be in the neighborhood next Saturday afternoon (1/31), please stop by to wish Olympia a long and happy sailing careeer.    And yes, there WILL be pictures.  I have lots of folks volunteering to help, so I'll find a halfway decent photographer and assign the task of filling my next blog with spectacular pictures.

Until then my friends, please keep Olympia and my family in your thoughts as we bring Tom's dream to fruition and celebrate a life that though cut short all too soon, was very well lived.

She's Home!

Happy New Year everyone!  Olympia and I send our warmest wishes for a new year filled with good health, blissful happiness, uproarious good times, smashing success - and the love of family and good friends.

What a start to 2015 - Olympia arrived at her winter home Saturday!  She's safely settled - bow in - on C dock in slip C-2 at Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart, FL.  She's excited to be there since many of her "sister" Krogens are also there.  She is impatiently waiting for the parties to begin!

Her arrival was anticipated and greeted by many well wishers.  Among the well wishers were those who were absolutely bursting to see Krogen's newly designed 55' Expedition.  Olympia did not disappoint!

In just less than 3 weeks, I will be reunited with the subject of my dreams for so long.  I'll be flying into West Palm as usual, but this time, I'm heading to Riviera Beach for the last day of Trawler Fest.  The plan is for Olympia to head back to Stuart at first light on Monday - with yours truly at the helm.  Of course there will be a cast of "helpers", but the helm will be mine!

I found out that the chairs I ordered for the salon on September 13th were finally delivered - not to KKY's office as planned, but to Apex Marina.  After a few phone calls, all was well - Tom Button went to Apex to retrieve the chairs, which are now safely stored until they can be brought aboard.  I'm delighted that they'll be there for my visit.  At last another place to sit other than the settee!  Things are falling into place.  I arranged for Olympia's spa schedule so that she will always be gleaming and also arranged to have her generator oil changed - we're already at 53 whole hours!

Since not much will be happening until my visit at the end of this month, I ask your indulgence for this unavoidable dry spell.  If the marina's Wifi cooperates, I promise to regale you with the happenings of my visit - which by the way will culminate with a memorial service for Tom and Olympia's christening.

What a time it will be!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful readers!  It's been an incredible year, but I have a feeling that with Olympia in the picture, next year will be even more incredible.  

By the time boating season rolls around, our Tucker will be old enough to join me at the helm.  For now though, he's mastering the art of a red Radio Flyer tricycle!

This is Christmas!

Enjoy a wonderful holiday season everyone!

Trip PIctures and Story!

OMG, and what a story it is!  Enough to say that the guests I brought with me from NY were calling me Captain Bligh by the end of the trip and singing "It's a Hard Knock Life"?  I guess they failed to hear that this would be a working trip with just a few short "sun" breaks.

We took off from Long Island's MacArthur airport on a 7:05 am flight on Thursday, December 11.  The weather was a sleety mix of wet snow and freezing rain.   Lovely weather to be leaving, even though the de-icing of the plane made us a tad nervous.  Frequent checks of The Weather Channel on our iPhones promised glorious Florida weather for the duration of our trip.

We were not disappointed for one second of this trip - Florida served up some of the best weather I've ever seen.  Crystal clear azure blue skies with not a trace of humidity.  The mornings were cool - in the high 60s -, the days warmed up to the mid-70s, and the evenings cooled off to the mid-60s again.  Though it got progressively warmer during our trip, it was delightful.  We were in bathing suits by Sunday!  Well, the girls were; I was in working clothes the whole time.

Upon arrival in Stuart, I headed to KKY's office where closing paperwork awaited me.  The form on top was the one that produced a fountain of tears -  "Acceptance of Vessel".  Though I technically owned the boat, this form was the final step in saying, "she's mine".  Each line that stated my name as "owner of the vessel" was a reminder that this was a sole ownership, something that was never contemplated on  July 1, 2013 when Tom and I signed the Purchase Agreement.  For those of you who have not yet had the good fortune to sign closing documents on a boat, it is a moment of truth as well as a moment of sheer excitement as the possibilities of a new life burst forth.  My tears were tears of joy to be sure, but also a mixture of fear, anticipation, trepidation, pride and a whole host of other colorful nouns.

We were quite a procession leaving KKY's office - in addition to Gregg and his new assistant (won't even attempt to spell his name), my guests - who now included 2 more friends who had just driven over from Sarasota - all piled into cars for the 2 minute trip to Apex Marina.  Gregg followed in a KKY truck that was laden with all the "stuff" I had ordered and had shipped to KKY's office.
This is what the cockpit looked like BEFORE I brought the things from my storage bin aboard!

Once everyone and everything was aboard,  I announced that we were now going to empty the storage bin.  My guests thought they were going to rest after the ordeal of their flight.  When we got to the storage facility and the contents of the unit were revealed, groans could be heard back in NY.  They thought I was kidding when I said the unit would be emptied then and there and stuffed into the 2 cars with us.  Though the cars looked like the doors would pop open, we got everything in and eventually onto the boat.  I say eventually because the one constant that never changes and is inversely proportional is that the more stuff you have, the less likely there will be a dock cart within miles - and the boat will be on the dock farthest from civilization!  We flagged down any and every able body with free hands that made the mistake of coming into our line of sight.  Several hours later, everything was on the boat, including the 2 huge suitcases of summer clothes I brought to put into Olympia's closets.
It was now cocktail time and here we were with no cocktails, no glasses or cups from which to drink the cocktails and no place to sit outside except for the floor.  It was a tense few minutes until a lovely human being with compassion brought over a bottle of wine and some plastic cups for this all important late afternoon ritual.  The ritual started less "late afternoon" as the week progressed.   I thought you should know that.

So lest you think we didn't find time to have fun, we certainly did.  This couple is more near and dear to my heart than words can say.  Ron was Tom's graduate school college roommate when they did their Executive MBA program back in 1981 where a stay "in-residence" was required at the beginning of each semester.

By virtue of their last names ending in "E", a life-long friendship was born.  These people flew up to NY immediately upon hearing of Tom's passing and stayed with me in the house for the days leading up to his memorial service.  Our children grew up together, we attended first holy communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings, births, and every other life event in between.  We traveled together and spent countless weekends in each other's homes.  To maintain the tradition of being there for each other, they drove over from Sarasota to share my first night aboard as Olympia's owner, despite knowing ahead of time that there were few creature comforts aboard.  I cherish these people.

The next morning, we sent Ron out for coffee and something to eat while I acquainted myself with some boat basics.  I think it was a mistake to do this on an empty stomach, but that realization came after the fact....

Yikes, and that's not everything!  Later on, I took more peeks, but this time, fortified by alcohol-based spirits.  Smart move.

Our first night aboard, we decided to dress Olympia in lights.  Between the bow lights, pilot house lights and cockpit lights, our girl was quite a sight....

She looked pretty good in the daytime too, from a few different angles...

Though the lighting is not ideal, I wanted a few pictures of Olympia looking like real people are living aboard.  I've put out a few personal effects - just enough to make Olympia look like mine.  There are still some work items around, but she is starting to look like home.  What you didn't get to see is me walking around clutching the pillows, putting them in every spot until the right spot showed itself.

Looks better without the plastic on the settee, right?  I'm sure I'll change things around, add pillows, rugs, etc. but this is definitely a start.  The things are from Serenity, which also makes everything even more special.   Though hard to see, the bigger pillows are from my Huntington house.  They are a cinnamon and ivory plaid with dark green fringe that perfectly picks up the dark green granite.

The all-important bar is getting set up.  Once the radio is installed in the cabinet beneath the bar, there will be more room for more bottles!  I'm hoping to fill the bookshelves with some of our favorite books and an accessory or two to add a touch of class.  Tom loved a carved teal duck someone had given us, so I'm looking for a place for the duck to call home.  The duck is still in NY, so will have to wait until Olympia is here to move aboard.

The galley got well used during this trip.  My newly delivered All Clad pots and pans found a lovely place in a large cabinet.  My guests bought me a Keurig with assorted Kcups, so we could face the mornings.  I'm thinking of putting a model of a J boat above the sink on the back of the cabinet that's facing us.  We did something similar on Serenity; it looked really nice.  I have some plastic tumblers and wine glasses in the glass cabinets, but will replace them with some Waterford pieces (now that I found my Museum Putty while unpacking).  The storage under the steps is awesome!  In addition to several steps lifting up for storage, there is a door in the curve of the steps that holds a 15 roll pack of toilet tissue AND a case of water, with some room to spare!

The master was fun to decorate.  A KKY friend called to ask if I needed anything from Bed, Bath and Beyond - poor girl - I gave her a list!  Luckily, all the pieces I ordered shipped from NY arrived and were ready to be pressed into service.  There are no less than 8 pillows on the bed, 2 teddy bears and a beautiful jewelry box Tom brought back for me from a training cruise trip to Barcelona while he was still in college.  I'm covering the windows with fabric from the bedskirt that came with the comforter.  Someone gave me an excellent idea for how to do this - and it won't cost a fortune!  The closets are pretty full - all my clothes are on matching black velvet hangers, all hanging in the same direction.  I found a shoe rack that fits perfectly into the closet - 9 pairs of shoes are all standing at attention in their respective holder.  The guest stateroom is pretty comfy too - same hangers in the closet, sheets and blankets in the drawers under each bed, box of tissues and soon, books in the bookcase over the starboard bed.  Eventually, there will be a perfect print above the bed.

The girls couldn't resist a picture of me as I took a break and climbed out of the lazarette - once they knew what a lazarette was!

The first 2 ladies are the "girls" from my bereavement group.  Without them, I could never have accomplished what I did on this trip.  Yes, we worked very hard, but we did find time to play too!  We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and a gorgeous sunset that evening (which you can see in the background)!
You can see by our bare arms that it was a beautiful evening.

While we were there (Sailor's Return), I decided to walk over and take a look at the slip Olympia will move to on January 1st or 2nd.  Not much to see, but still exciting.

Two nice pictures of the captain taken right before leaving the boat.  If you look closely, you can see the tears in my eyes.  It was very difficult to leave - that in and of itself is nothing new, but since I know how much Olympia depends on me, I felt actual pain upon leaving.

...and in my soon-to-be perch......

I hope you enjoyed the story and pictures.  Next trip is January.  I'll be meeting Olympia on the last day of Trawler Fest and taking her back to Stuart at the helm with 2 helpers!

I'm going to confess to you that I've been typing and attaching pictures for well over an hour and have Tucker staying over, so too tired to do any good proofreading.  Therefore, I apologize in advance for any typos or poor grammar.

Stay tuned for more as the story continues to unfold.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a happy healthy New Year to everyone!