It does our hearts good to see our girls so relaxed and comfortable aboard Banjo. Lately we find that Sagira is a little nervous moving from the dinghy to shore. And Venus is not a fan of being below decks while we are moving the boat. We expect both of those to get better over time. Otherwise, they both seem to love being at anchor as much as we do.
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We aren’t out of the woods quite yet. It’s time to hunker down again. Tropical Storm Michael is anticipated to be a Category 2 Hurricane, as of this writing, when it comes ashore in the Florida panhandle. NHC is indicating the potential for tropical storm force winds for New Bern, NC. Below are the NHC graphics from Mon, 08Oct2018 at 09:30 EST. Hurricane-Force Wind Speed Probabilities 50-Knot (58 mph) Wind Speed Probabilities Tropical-Storm-Force Wind Speed Probabilities Earliest Reasonable Arrival Time of Tropical-Storm-Force Winds Most likely arrival time of Tropical-Storm-Force Winds…
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Awoke at 04:30, stepped into the cockpit, and lifted my eyes. The cove is glass-smooth and the winds becalmed. Nature all around, allowing us to observe this moment and experience with minimal filtration: peaceful, still and quiet. Above, countless glints of starlight speckle the darkness. An infinity there, this sky has witnessed our entire history. Orion is hovering directly above Banjo, slightly to starboard. I have missed you old friend. Of late, the friction within our species seems to be intensifying and accelerating. In all directions, people seem convinced of…
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Since we have two furry traveling companions that are still new to moving around deck, we decided to install lifeline netting. It has been on our project list for awhile now. Because of the time on the hook, I gathered the supplies from around the boat. We ordered our lifeline netting from Sailrite. It was a little more expensive than some of the competitors. However, Sailrite claims it is UV treated; a claim none of the others made. So it seemed like a good investment, especially if it would hold…
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Although limited on time and resources, we wanted to get this video out. Our hope was to show people exactly how fast storm surge can rise. During the initial hours of Hurricane Florence we witnessed several feet of rise over the course of a couple hours. And those were the early hours. Coupled with wind and rain and the conditions only got worse as the day and night wore on. Please forgive the choppy editing. Video Description In an effort to assist and help our dock-master, several of us volunteered…
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There is no rhyme or reason to this post except to make a few observations about life aboard. First, life aboard a sailboat is MUCH harder in some ways than shore life. That isn’t a jab at land-lubbers, just humble observations from someone who has lived both. Life aboard a small sailboat teaches you to be very deliberate in your actions. Not only must you be deliberate, you must be deliberate each and every time. One hand for the boat, one for yourself is an absolute RULE, at all times,…
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