Getting underway

My first blog post! This is an experiment using my phone and actually keeping friends and family updated during our 'walkabout' (borrowing the term from Brian's sister Amy who borrowed it from the Aborigines of Australia).

Whiskers sailed from the Arlington Marina Saturday April 12- This is how the boat looked after we loaded everything at Arlington Marina-  by nightfall it was much better thanks to Joan's experience with putting things away on the boat. We  spent two nights at Ft George/Kingsley.   All helped with boat maintenance -propeller work, touch up bottom paint etc. We visited the plantation on Monday and followed the very well done (free) audio tour. That the Park Service added since we last visited.

Later on Monday we sailed the Intracoastal (ICW) to Fernandina, then big excitement as we saw the huge nuclear sub that could take out 30 cities leaving Kings Bay submarine base. This shows the back quarter where some of the crew were catching the last glimpse of land they will have for months. 

I can't imagine living in such close claustrophobic conditions for so long, fortunately I have a much more open craft, though 4 on a 36 foot catamaran can still be pretty intimate.

We anchored near the north end of Cumberland - with a fun surprise the first night- see pics in my next post.

 We worked on boat propeller (again) at low tide and hunkered down waiting for better winds - one afternoon the sun came out while Joan and I hiked across Cumberland over to the beachside. Brian went for a run. Saw an 8 foot gator. 

We don't have a schedule other than 'up the east coast then to the Azores'. Our rough estimate calls for leaving US waters around June 1st and crossing in (hopefully) 2 weeks. 

Joan prepares beautiful salads for lunch and delicious meals at night- no camp food here!! Lamb chops the other night were fantastic she marinated them in lemon juice, garlic and kosher salt then Brian grilled them- ummmm so good!
Here we are enjoying sundowners and a peaceful sunset at Kingsley after all the fishing boats have gone home!