I took time off from writing and editing to play on our beloved boat! So, so much fun.
I know. Our poor darling Sea Venture sat around on the hard and then at dock for far, far too long. But Saturday dawned bright and cold, and off we went, up the ICW from Beaufort, NC, to New Bern. Now we have a vacation spot an hour away by car and a good eight hours by water.
There wasn’t much to photograph on the way up, but I decided to bore you with memory pictures.
Ray and Marianne Lokay own a center-cockpit version of the Force 50, which they keep at the New Bern Grand. Force 50s are not the only thing we have in common. Ray now works for my cousin. Ray and Marianne used to live on the Eastern Shore, near where my children grew up, and the four of us, along with my sailing cousin, his wife, and my mama, have discovered how much fun we’re having with good food, good conversation, and a love of the water.
As you can see, Sea Venture’s mainsail is still lashed after Sandy came roaring through. We also haven’t yet reinstalled the headsails, but we couldn’t have gotten much headway under sail on a day when it barely hit five knots.
Sea Venture’s newly painted prop must have grown a beard in the three months since she launched–she dragged along on the trip, barely making 5.5 knots. Poor girl needs a shave, so our first item of business will be to find a diver to clean the bottom. I’m sorry we’re no longer in the tropics. Michael and I used to have a grand time doing the job ourselves and feeding the local fauna. (See pictures from Mexico.)
Looking forward to the Christmas lights and parade in December!
It’s so nice to hear you’re back out on the water. I know how happy it makes you both. The pictures are delightful, especially the one of your Dear Mama sharing a smile.
Hope there’ll be plenty of opportunity to get out and about now and you’ll be fully ship shape in time for the Christmas lights parade.
Thank you, David. Even if we don’t travel in the light parade–who knows?–we’ll be lit up like a Christmas tree and enjoying the ability to walk through New Bern, which is a cute little town (my mama’s forebears settled there in 1710). Mama has so much fun on the boat and knew exactly how to stand when a wake rocked us. We’re keeping her young!
Blessings to you and Julia,
N
Looks like a fun day. Love the pictures of your mother especially. Makes me miss the water all the more.
Better come play, Robin!