N 28º 37.424'
W 80º 48.159'
Titusville, Florida
November 27, 2001

Some say that a boat requires four hours a day of maintenance. Could be, but we concentrated our first major work during a ten-night stay at the fine offices of Cabo Rico, in Ft. Lauderdale. Here is what we accomplished:

• Varnished all the bright work, except a narrow strip below the toe rail rub line, all with the help of Carol Plunkett, a thoroughly kind, hardworking professional, who made the job both pleasant and feasible for two amateurs.
• Removed rust and fixed turnbuckles. Cleaned hull of scuff marks. Fixed condensations in radar and checked speed transducer. Mounted EPIRB. Defrosted refrigerator for the first time (almost an inch).
• Dave Macy fixed forward macerator, replaced zap fuse, installed new belt on the alternator and mounted the whisker pole. He also installed new twelve-volt outlets for the computer and cell phone, checked a nick in the gel coat under the bow sprit, and raised the installed position of the stay sail.
• Dana Swanson helped to identify correct replacement parts for the Reverso Pumps and the Yanmar oil filter system, while helping to install a new sail cover from Leisure Furl.
• Tony fixed two doors and helped pull up a resisting grate in the aft head floor.
• Fraser offered ideas about how to make the cock pit more comfortable and manageable for Chichi.

Earlier that week, November 10, Chichi and I attended a weekend meeting of The Seven Seas Cruising Association, that offered seminars on personal health, diesel engine maintenance, amateur radio e-mail, preparation for hurricanes (by our West Marine friend Pam Wall), electronics (by our Cruise E-mail friend Dr. John Gregory), travel opportunities in other nations, and circumstances unique to women.

In preparation for Thanksgiving week, we welcomed Laura Guy on board, Monday, November 19. She gave us a most-needed connection to family during our first-ever holiday week away from home. Thanks to cell phone technology, we were able to keep in touch with everyone. One person we missed was Kay Kelly, who was to join us for Thanksgiving, but was forced to postpone due to an illness in her family.

The Palms is the popular name for Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Singer Island and Lake Worth (which is both a lake near the ocean and a city farther west). Of the communities we have visited so far, Palm Beach is our first choice for quality living. Unfortunately, we estimate that this form of living would cost almost five times the expenses we incur in Indianapolis for the same life style. Location, location, location.

Henry Morrison Flagler is the founder of this area, and the major developer of most of Florida's east coast. We first encountered his name in Marathon and Key West, as we learned the history of the Railroad. (See earlier commentaries.) He made a mint as the primary partner of John D. Rockefeller, and he used the money to build beautiful properties, including what now is known as The Breakers Hotel.

In 1902, Mr. Flagler built Whitehall, a 55 room winter retreat and wedding present for his wife, Mary Lily Kenan Flagler. This home is a superb representation of The Guilded Age, the no-income-tax period when Flagler, Rockefeller, Gould, Carnegie, Astor and Vanderbilt, among others, become America's super rich. To experience this fabulous wealth, the modern traveler pays $8.00.

Our Thanksgiving home was Pachamama., of course, while docked at the Rybovich-Spencer Boat Yard and Marina located south of the turning basis and north of Flagler Bridge in West Palm Beach. (Everything in The Palms is named Flagler.) We baked the smallest turkey in our lives, only 11 pounds, (compared to more than 20 when we eat at home), a job perfectly accomplished by the gas marine stove. We agreed that John, Chichi and Laura have a lot to be thankful for. We are blessed.

Laura left Friday. Pachamama departed for Ft. Pierce on Sunday, a perfect trip, with a 18-20 knot southeast wind permitting (for us, the first time) no-engine, pure sailing for more than six of the eight hour trip. After arriving and anchoring at Ft. Pierce, we then decided to make a midnight departure to Cape Canaveral. Had we left any other time, our arrival to the complicated canals, lock and bridges between the ocean and Titusville, would be (unacceptably, maybe impossibly) at night. We arrived at the Cape Canaveral Barge Canal about noon, and at Titusville about 3 p.m. Though tired, we are excited to be this close to the location of the greatest enginering/scientific accomplishments in history.

N 24º 42.289'
W 81º 06.786'
Marathon Marina and Boat Yard
November 6, 2001
Waiting for Michelle

Starting 72 hours prior to the earliest predicted arrival of Michelle, we began to prepare. We removed all dorade vents, took down the staysail, stored the LifeSling, wrapped three halyards around the large genoa sail, wrapped lines around the boom and secured them to side cleats to limit swing, doubled the number of normal dock lines and ran two lazy long lines to four distant cleats (in the event of a five or six feet rise in the tide, these lazy lines would do the job) and ran out two anchors off the bow, about 100 feet, at 30 degrees to each other. Meanwhile, we packed for a possible quick departure.

Then, the tough part: waiting and wondering. In this long vigil, we were joined by at least 10 neighboring live-aboards, who constantly asked each other, "what have you heard about Michelle, and what are you going to do?" This life style was far different than the pleasant week we had planned in Ft. Lauderdale, but we have learned that all plans are soft.

We had wonderful help from Capt. Jim Hannan, a Marathon resident we had met in Key West. Jim provided good counsel and said we could go to his home, if necessary. Meanwhile, Jim Cuthbert, owner of the Marathon Marina, was here to help, giving invaluable advice about how to rig lines and anchors. We could ask for no better support than provided by this Marina and its wonderful staff. If a mariner must be stuck, this is the place to do it.

We have had emails asking about the personal aspects of our experience. I do not provide much information about the personal side, because our adjustment has been difficult. If I write about it, the details will sound more negative than necessary. We knew from all the texts and interviews that adjustment is tough. The challenges are

1. Physical: the salt and hot air leave us feeling sticky and uncomfortable

2. Learning: we make mistakes every day because we do not understand every system

3. Loneliness: the distance from our friends

4. Family: the distance from our family, and the frustration of being unable to help them

5. Boredom: (like driving cross country, but with no place to stop)

Every mariner has faced these challenges and evolved to love the sea. We count on experiencing this growth.