Monday, January 29, 2018
Back to not-so-sunny Florida
Sunny Florida - not always the case in January. While we are happy to have escaped from the snow and ice of northern climes, we are still waiting for the sunshine state to live up to its' name! Today our boat is getting an effortless boat wash while we hunker below decks and catch up with the news!
Our drive south took two and a half days. Winter storms were sweeping across the U.S. from south to north, but our route on the I75 happily took us through states such as Kentucky and Tennessee which had already dealt with the worst of the onslaught. The roads were clear and unusually quiet! Once
Once 'Southern Vectis' was launched the day after our arrival, the clock was ticking. We had four days to clear and clean the boat before our comfortable hotel room at the waterfront 'Hutchison Plaza' turned into a pumpkin! We worked hard, and by the fourth day we were ready for our first party on board. Ron & Jane from 'Rachel', and Marianne and Paul from 'Knot-ha-gan' came aboard for drinks. It was good to catch up with all their news.
Our list of 'to do' items is slowly dwindling. The dinghy has been mended, the engine has been serviced, but the list is still a long one. Maybe it's lucky that the strong winds and heavy seas have made crossing the Gulf Stream seem an impossible and far off dream, at least for the next couple of weeks. Weather reports filtering back from the Bahamas make us all feel we are lucky to be here, 'on the mainland', at the moment.
Our drive south took two and a half days. Winter storms were sweeping across the U.S. from south to north, but our route on the I75 happily took us through states such as Kentucky and Tennessee which had already dealt with the worst of the onslaught. The roads were clear and unusually quiet! Once
Once 'Southern Vectis' was launched the day after our arrival, the clock was ticking. We had four days to clear and clean the boat before our comfortable hotel room at the waterfront 'Hutchison Plaza' turned into a pumpkin! We worked hard, and by the fourth day we were ready for our first party on board. Ron & Jane from 'Rachel', and Marianne and Paul from 'Knot-ha-gan' came aboard for drinks. It was good to catch up with all their news.
Our list of 'to do' items is slowly dwindling. The dinghy has been mended, the engine has been serviced, but the list is still a long one. Maybe it's lucky that the strong winds and heavy seas have made crossing the Gulf Stream seem an impossible and far off dream, at least for the next couple of weeks. Weather reports filtering back from the Bahamas make us all feel we are lucky to be here, 'on the mainland', at the moment.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Back in Niagara-on-the-Lake after a wonderful winter in the sun.
April 24 2015
After five days staying at the friendly Candlewood Suites hotel in Bluffton, South Carolina, waiting for our car to be repaired, we were beginning to feel quite at home. Our forced stay in this lovely part of the U.S. east coast - know as `The Low Country` because of the many inlets. marshes and creeks that spread like tentacles across the low-lying countryside. - had given us a perfect opportunity to become tourists in a part of the country we would normally just drive through. However, all good things must come to an end.
At 1 p.m. on Thursday 23 April we picked up the car and set off for our trek north to colder climes. The drive went well, and we spent one night in Mooresfield, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. The drive through the mountains was lovely as the roadsides were ablaze with red bud trees and magnolias. But the further north we came, the more sparse the leaves and blossoms became. Our border crossing at the Peace Bridge had no hold-ups, and we were encouraged when we saw gardens filled with daffodils, blue grape-hyacinths and crocuses as we drove into Niagara-on-the-Lake. The temperature was 5C!
Each day has been filled with sunshine since we arrived back, but cold. On Sunday we drove into Toronto to see Louisa, Steve and the boys. Now we shall be busy getting northern Vectis ship-shape for launch time.
Our plans for next winter are already laid, with maybe a small variation from this year. But you can be sure that the Abacos, lovely Hope Town, and all the great boating friends we have met over the years, will be the main feature!
After five days staying at the friendly Candlewood Suites hotel in Bluffton, South Carolina, waiting for our car to be repaired, we were beginning to feel quite at home. Our forced stay in this lovely part of the U.S. east coast - know as `The Low Country` because of the many inlets. marshes and creeks that spread like tentacles across the low-lying countryside. - had given us a perfect opportunity to become tourists in a part of the country we would normally just drive through. However, all good things must come to an end.
At 1 p.m. on Thursday 23 April we picked up the car and set off for our trek north to colder climes. The drive went well, and we spent one night in Mooresfield, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. The drive through the mountains was lovely as the roadsides were ablaze with red bud trees and magnolias. But the further north we came, the more sparse the leaves and blossoms became. Our border crossing at the Peace Bridge had no hold-ups, and we were encouraged when we saw gardens filled with daffodils, blue grape-hyacinths and crocuses as we drove into Niagara-on-the-Lake. The temperature was 5C!
Each day has been filled with sunshine since we arrived back, but cold. On Sunday we drove into Toronto to see Louisa, Steve and the boys. Now we shall be busy getting northern Vectis ship-shape for launch time.
Our plans for next winter are already laid, with maybe a small variation from this year. But you can be sure that the Abacos, lovely Hope Town, and all the great boating friends we have met over the years, will be the main feature!
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