Leaving Arkansas for the shores of Florida

It's been two weeks since i left Prodigal alone to fend for herself.  I hope she has behaved?  But i've enjoyed my visit here with dad.  He is a meaner version of himself.  A little older, a little slower and a vibrant 88 years young.

 'Watching' football while snoring Sunday afternoon.

I'm packing to make the drive back starting early tomorrow.     But first Grand-dad does his Trick or Treat thing...   scary!

 This is a shot of a Ghost that came to our door.

    Trick or Treat!

Funny Story:

This is a true story.  When i was in high school, probably my last year to go out trick or treating.  I think I was 16 or 17 yoa?  I remember i was pretty big.  Myrtle Row refused to give me any candy, "you are too big to be trick or treating."  Me and a few friends made the candy rounds filling our bags.  When i headed home i ran into some friends who told me...   My mom and dad, my house, had run out of candy do to the large number or kids.  (or our poor planning?)  So My Family had been handing out pecans wrapped in purple toilet paper.

Wherever you are today, i hope you are enjoying your pecans!

-Capn Skip

Family visit in Oklahoma

My older brother Steve, his wife Susan and their family live in McAlester, OK.  i was lucky to have this time to come up and visit them.

Thanks Steve and Susan for the nice visit.   xo Skip

I'm driving up to Searcy, Ark to visit Dad for a few days.  (So don't look for 'the Spot' to move.)

Dad and i are enjoying our visit.  He let me help replace 2 light-bulbs in the kitchen and set the thermostat in the den.  One day i accompanied him to a doctor visit and we did a nice lunch at his favorite spot, the Main Street Cafe.

I'm in Kemah, TX getting my car

Finishing up my Kemah time.  I left my car and a storage unit here which need to be taken care of.  Then i'll be finally - totally - retired and gone.  Today i'm going over to see what needs to saved and what needs to be taken to 'Good Will'.

The drive up from Mobile, AL yesterday included a short stop over in New Orleans so cousin Rick could look at a sailboat.  (and a Trumpy)  It was a friend of a friend thing...    Nice sunny drive and it's great to be back in Kemah and to finalize these loose ends.

I hope YOU get all sunshine and rainbows this week!       -Capn Skip

 The cute couple John and Jenn who told us about the Trumpy and the sailboat.  'thanks!'

Just another typical New Orleans thing....

Mobile, AL. in truck transit to get my car

Cousin Rick and I left Prodigal at 6am today to drive back to Kemah (and him to Tyler) for my car and to close my storage unit and finalize all my Kemah stuff.

It's been a long day of driving!  We got a rental 'car' to drive back to Apalachicola for his truck.  But they only had a 12 person passenger van...   they charged us for a small car and threw in a tank of gas, so it's a wash.  Then we both rode in Rick's truck back.  So far we are in a Super 8 hotel in Mobile with 6am departure from here.

I'M TIRED!  but things are progressing well.  Sweet Dreams!   - Capn Skip

MADE IT! Sarasota, Fl.

Red Sky at morning, Sailor take warning?   Nahhh......   rubbish!

5

Sarasota, Florida

We had a leaky fuel line, the auto pilot lost a feature, (shadow drive) but we disabled that and it was all good.  Then when we arrived today @ 8am, i ran aground on the sand for about ten minutes.  We were able to raise sail and bounce off and continue on (into the correct channel).  It was a great trip!

Remember, Ship happens!  

We started the trip after checking all of everything.  No leaks, no runs, no errors.  But after sailing about 2 hrs the auto pilot refused to turn on.  The 'shadow drive' light kept flashing and it would not do it's job.  A quick call to Garmin and they walked me through it, how to disable the shadow drive. It's perfect again.  I replaced all 4 fuel lines while in Apalachicola and they ran fine.  why this one started to leak is beyond me.  (i tried to tighten it and it started leaking more, then it started spraying a fine mist.)  i finally pulled the new one and put the old one back on, but it leaked.  drip, drip, drip...   We put a pail under it and collected near a gallon of diesel over the course of the voyage.  (i need to re-replace that one, again.)(darn)  But the sailing was great.  Steady breeze and calm seas.  Thursday night i was off watch - TRYING - to sleep.  Cousin Rick was so excited with the sailing he was going as fast as he could throwing everything down below into a clanging, banging symphony.  I was bouncing around in my bunk.  I finally went up onto the deck to see what was up.  He was grinning like the Cheshire Cat.  "I am running eight knots and even hit nine."  (that's real fast for this boat)  We slowed down some and it leveled off a little.  I was able to grab a quick nap.

We are now on a mooring ball in Sarasota, Fl.  I'm payed up through November and plan to depart for further south December first.  Cousin Rick and i will be driving a rental car in the morning to go back to Apalachicola for his truck.  Then i'm going to ride with him back to Kemah and get my car.  

Pirates can drive cars too!

I hope you are enjoying your voyage?

-Capn Skip

QUESTIONS:
#1.)  My Aunt Nona asks:  Do y'all do four hour watches during the night?  Are you sailing or motoring.  Are you going to dock before dark tonight?  Do you eat sea biscuits and water for meals.

Dear Nona - these are great questions.  Yes we do 4 hour watches at night.  (on watch 6-10p, sleep 10-2, watch 2-6, rinse and repeat)  i awoke the other night confused and disoriented.  i ran up to the cockpit and Rick sat laughing at me.  i slept better last night and plan to set a personal record tonight! Mostly we motor with sails up to help stabilize the boat.  Except this voyage the winds were great.  they were from the beam, side, of the boat and strong steady all night.  Plus we had the bright harvest moon.  it really was great.  The second night we turned off the engine and sailed only.  we didnt make it to the shore before dark and had to slow to a crawl and wait for daylight.  We came in today at 8am and had a fruit salad with 'one of dad's Jimmy Dean sausage frozen meals' for dinner.  i'm running the water maker now, but i drank milk with my meal.  again, great questions!

#2.) Lynn, the question sister, asks:  I saw this morning that your boat turned and went the other way for a little while. I imagined all sorts of potential problems-- steering, mutiny, sea monster, pirates. 
You're traveling very consistently. I'm having fun imagining what it's like. 
You didn't mention how Rick will return to his vehicle, or what happened with Rod & Linda (hurricane issues?). 
Xo, Lynn 

Lynn;  which time?  When the autopilot acted up we did some spins.  Plus when we were both down below - drifting - working on the fuel line leak we probably did some figure eights?  Tomorrow Rick and i are driving a rental vehicle back to Apalachicola for his truck.  THEN i'm going with Rick riding back to Kemah.  *Lynn - YOU - and also all my other readers should have been on the boat these last two days.  you will never see better sailing conditions and a monster Harvest Full Moon!

Leave tomorrow for Sarasota, FL.

There's a lot going on in Apalachicola!

Cousin Rick arrived on time for dinner last night, about 5 dozen Oysters, and we are preparing the boat today for departure in the morning.  (Shanghai?)

Since last i wrote, the city held an Octoberfest on Sunday.

THEN, On Monday James Opened his new bar:  The Apalachicola Ice Company.

And life on the River just keeps rolling along...

Gotta run now to work on the boat.      -Capn Skip