Bad Blogger, Very Bad Blogger

Now that we've been back underway since September, I suppose I should try to make an entry here from time to time!  We had a great cruise up to Maine and and enjoyed our summer time in Blue Hill.  Before we knew it, it was time to move back aboard Morning Star and begin our migration south. 

We left our Blue Hill mooring behind on September 28, 2013.  What laid ahead was the most perfect cruising weather we could every hoped for!  Day after day of calm seas and sunny days! It wasn't until Annapolis, MD that we had rain -- and lots of it! 

We're moving along at a quicker pace this year so that we can get to Hope Town asap so the kids can start school there.  Of course Christmas break begins on December 14 through January 5th.  Weather permitting, we plan to cruise to the Exumas during that time.

We are 2 months ahead of schedule from last year and the ICW sure is busy!  We've made new cruising friends along the way and spent time with families we met last year.  Fiona and Jack went Trick or Treating in Belhaven, NC where the houses even have candy for the weary parents!

December 23, 2013

We are on the hook awaiting decent weather for our Gulf Stream Crossing.  We had hoped to have crossed by now, but the winds just haven't abated enough.  Looking on the bright side, our delayed crossing is allowing us to spend Christmas with K.'s brother, Sean and his family.  Tomorrow we will cruise down to Ft. Lauderdale to be with them.  We are looking forward to our time with them. 

Last week, K.'s cousin CJ joined us on board for a week.  CJ is a distant cousin and we are just getting to know him better.  He's a wonderful man with a strong faith in our Lord, God and his presence was very uplifting!  We hope he'll join us again in Hope Town.

Dolphin riding our port side wake

⬆️Shark eeth we found on Cumberland Island, GA⬇️

Pippa and Piper discuss the day's route

Passing the time with a game of backgammon

Friends arriving for a day cruise from Annapolis to Oxford, MD

Reading for Halloween fun in Belhaven, NC

Jack's birthday breakfast 11.15.2013

Bella resting by a mailbox on the beach.  This mailbox is full of journals for island visitors to write in.

After celebrating Jack's birthday in South Carolina

CJ & Jack with their catch and release catfish

A dinghy full of Guinnesses

Fiona and her new friends Wren and Reilly from s/v Kiawah

Jack and friend, Henry

On Board Herb Garden

Yesterday, I was finally able to put together my on board herb garden!  I've been trying to figure out how to grow herbs without worrying about pots falling over in rough seas.  I got these white plastic over-the-rail planters from Target (Room Essentials)  for about $3 each.  I secured the two together using 3 plastic zip ties.  They fit snug around one of our antenna.  I'm going to put one around the starboard antenna too.

We were so busy in the Bahamas, I didn't have any time to write!  Oh well, at least I can share a few pictures.  It's been a wonderful year so far and we've decided to keep cruising for another year!  We've found a wonderful community in Hope Town, Abaco and have decided to enroll Fiona and Jack in the Hope Town Primary school next winter.  There are other cruising children attending HTP and the parents speak very highly of the school.  We took a tour before we left Hope Town and we are all very excited about it.  Island life is very different from life in the States.  The children of Hope Town have so much more freedom and independence.  We have watched Jack and Fiona flourish in this environment and feel it is worthwhile to give them more time here next year.

 

 

Fiona and Jack sailing 'Sandpiper' (USA4305) with the Bahamas Optis of Hope Town Junior Sailing

Family portrait.  Easter Sunday 2013

Fiona and Jack Enjoying the beautiful Bahamian water

Tahiti Beach -- One of our favorite places to spend the day

Trampolining in paradise

Conch! 

On the steps of Hope Town Primary School

Swimming With Wild Atlantic Spotted Dolphins 

Our time in the Bahamas has ended for the season, but not before we had a wonderful half hour swim with some Atlantic spotted dolphins in the ocean on our way out. They gave us the most memorable send-off!

Ring around the Rosie!

Dolphin in the background swimming on his back!

Melissa with Mama and Calf

4 on the bow

TIME TO CATCH UP (again)!

We couldn't have asked for a more perfect Gulf Stream crossing.  We even caught a nice Mahi on the way!  We spent our first night (3/16/2013)  anchored in the lee of the west side of Mangrove Cay.   Underway the next day at first light.  We arrived in Green Turtle that evening.  The customs office was closed, so we had to check in the next day.  The process couldn't have been easier.  The customs lady even let Fiona and Jack stamp their own passports.  After touring Green Turtle a bit and lunch aboard, we departed for Hope Town.   Another great passage with calm seas.  That evening, we anchored outside of the Hope Town inlet to make water.  It would be dark when we finished, so we stayed anchored out for the night.  We finally picked up our mooring in Hope Town Harbor the next mooring.  It didn't take long to meet our "neighbors".  Everyone couldn't have been nicer!  

 

Hope Town is a lovely island.  Everyone we met  made us feel very welcome.  There are children everywhere here much to Fiona and Jack's delight.  Before the end of our first week here, we found a church, the kids joined the youth group which meets every Friday evening and the Hope Town Junior Sailing program that meets every Saturday morning.  We feel right at home here!

Morning Star moored in Hope Town Harbor

On Our Way!

The day we've been waiting for has finally arrived!  We left Lake Worth at sunrise this morning.  If all goes well, we'll be in Grand Bahama later today. 

. . .And We Wait . . . 

We were excited to arrive a week ago at the crystal clear waters of Lake Worth, but disappointed that the winds had picked up and showed no signs of abating for at least a week.  We've been making the best of it, enjoying Peanut Island and the manatees that hang out here.  On Thursday nights, there's a fun art market at the marina.  We've made some new friends too -- another family living aboard their s/v My World.  They have more pets on board than we do (a dog, 2 cats and a bird)!  They have 3 lovely kids, twin boys Fiona's age and a 12yo daughter.  All 5 kids play so well together.  We met them briefly in St. Augustine and have enjoyed getting to know them here in Palm Beach.  We're looking forward to more fun times together in the Bahamas.

 

 

Dessert with the Richardson kids!

 Swimming with Manatees!

At Sailfish Marina art market with 5 birds (one is behind her neck)!

Dog shaming Bella.  Click on the photo to enlarge it so that you can read her sign.  Perhaps the worst part of our trip thus far! LOL