Home Again, Home Again



VELOMER at her home port

PM'S perspective:

Home, sweet home!  There is nothing sweeter than a long absence to make the heart grow fonder.

The weather over our last two travel days from Boston to Spring Point Marina could not have been more favorable. Calm seas and warm temperatures only added to our enjoyment of the journey and anticipation of homecoming.  But I am getting ahead of myself.

Tuesday evening (September 17, 2013) Bob and I ventured out via the MTA from Constitution Marina to Logan Airport to meet Phoebe, Erik and the twins for their first visit to Maine in more than two years.  My background in utilizing the Paris Metro served us well in finding our way from the orange line at North Station to the blue line at Government Center to the silver line depositing us at Logan's Terminal C.  We left an hour and a half before the JetBlue flight was scheduled to arrive thinking we would probably get lost or at least delayed by rush hour.  Our transfers went perfectly smoothly getting us to the airport with 45 minutes to spare.  To pass the time, we had dinner as well as got a take out order of sweet potato fries for the twins figuring that they probably wouldn't have eaten much on the plane.  We patiently awaited at the security exit of the JetBlue gate area scanning the crowd for signs of familiar faces.  Our reward came when we saw Phoebe and Annika hand-in-hand waving to us followed by Erik and Trygvy.  What a lovely sight for our yearning eyes!  After lots of hugs, we all moved to the baggage claim area chatting away about flight experiences and boating adventures. 
Tryg and Anni seemed a bit overwhelmed and not quite sure who these two crazed adults were (after all, three months to an almost three year old is quite a long time) but they soon warmed up to us and remembered MaiMai and Baba.  The sweet potato fries helped!  With collected bags we all headed to the ground transportation area where we met Erik's mom, Mary Longley, who provided transportation from the airport to Maine.  After everyone hugged some more, Bob and I bid farewell to the Maine bound group and headed back to the boat.  The return trip was not quite as smooth as the trip out.  Fortunately, folks in Boston are very helpful to lost looking travelers.  As we walked back to the marina from North Station, we enjoyed the stars and full moon and delighted in the warm feelings only family can bring.  The following morning we got up at the crack of dawn and headed north.

Boston Harbor early in the morning is tranquil and ready to greet the day.  Boat traffic consisted of a handful of fishing boats and the occasional ferry, all easy to navigate around.  The city itself was still asleep as the sun poked over the horizon.  We were on our way back!  More than an hour passed as we wove our way through the channel markers and the many islands out to open water.  Over the last three months I have become increasingly comfortable being on the water and not in need of cruising close to land (so I can swim ashore if need be).  I have grown confident that Velomer will not sink or break down or befall some other disaster necessitating the abandonment of ship.  Therefore, our route to Portsmouth included going six miles off shore, something I would have felt nearly impossible at the start of this adventure.  As Bob often states, "There's a lot less to run into off shore."  We arrived at Wentworth by the Sea Marina by 3:30 PM and enjoyed another wonderful evening with Rachel and Jeff at their house in Portsmouth dining on a delicious meal prepared by Jeff.

The next morning we took our time getting going as the tide was not favorable in the early hours.  We left about 8:15 AM after hot showers and a tasty breakfast and headed out to open water again.  Once in open water we headed north on a straight course for 33 nautical miles until the red nun marking Portland Harbor. The day was so clear we could easily recognize Long Sands Beach, Nubble Lighthouse and Cape Neddick in York from miles away. We knew we were approaching home port when we spotted a harbor seal off the coast of Biddeford Pool.  The sight and sound of Portland Head Light accented our approach.  Fort Gorges came into view, then Spring Point Light, then our marina.  As we rounded the outer dock to pull into our assigned slip, Peter, the always smiling dock hand, was there to catch the stern line.  We were home!  We saw the familiar faces of fellow boat owners many of whom we don't know by name but with whom we share the same marina community.

After we got securely docked with electric and cable hooked up, the charts stowed until the next time, and things in ship shape, Phoebe, Erik and the twins and our good friends the Guyots came by and we celebrated our homecoming with a bottle of champagne.  Life is good!

An adventure such as the last three months gives you reason to pause.  Bob and I have never been so closely in each other's company since we first met.  We remain speaking to each other and sleeping in the same bed. Not all couples could do that.  We have found that we have a renewed respect and confidence in each other as well as our own abilities.  We have thoroughly enjoyed the travel, the adventure, the exploring.  That being said, we also have a renewed awareness of how much we enjoy the company of family and friends who know our story and love us anyway.  To review of a few key items:

Medical - Neither of us got scurvy.  This may be the result of all the Vitamin C from the grapes in the Pinot Grigio which we consumed medicinally each evening purveying anchorage.  PM's cap came unglued when flossing, Bob chipped a tooth, and Bob got a blood shot left eye from some unknown event -- all minor and easily remedied.  Of course we experienced minor aches and pains, all of which were remedied by time and/or Valerian root.
Financial - We are poorer but we didn't go bankrupt.  We could have done this more cheaply had we anchored more but did enjoy the security and community of marinas, drank less wine and ate less gourmet foods and at restaurants.  However, life is to enjoy.  What if you keep saving for a rainy day and the rain never comes?
Diet - We ate remarkably well, able to find fresh fruits and vegetables when needed.  The only scarcity was fine chocolate.  This was remedied in Boston when Joyce Stephens turned us on to Cocoanuts in the North End where we spent an outrageous amount of money (see finances above) on delicious gourmet chocolates. My favorite is the dark chocolate, caramel, peanut butter and bacon (yes, you read correctly, applewood smoked bacon) bar.  This combination sounds atrocious but is delicious.  Another benefit of this adventure was discovering local specialties such as Seranac Ginger Beer and Root Beer and Splash, a craft ale produced in Croton and flavored with grapefruit.
Exercise - This came naturally from the constant core workout due to wave action moving the boat.  We were pleasantly surprised when we took a 30-mile bike ride with no resulting aches or pains.  Maybe the Aleve we took afterwards helped!
Why Boats Are Referred to in the Feminine -- After spending so much time aboard VELOMER this summer I thoroughly understand why boats are referred to using feminine pronouns.  The boat reflects those things generally associated with the feminine -- nurturing, protective, motherly, sometimes womb-like, occasionally fickle, and a harsh disciplinarian when warranted.  My observation is that most boat owners are men and many of the terms associated with boats have sexual innuendos. For example, if a boat has one engine, the descriptive term is single screw; and if two engines, the term is double screw.  What's that about?  (That's a rhetorical question!)  When you put a boat up on land for the winter, the term is "on the hard." Another term is breast line for the mid cleat attached line.  Maidenhead is the front of the boat, usually on sailboats with a carved bare-breasted female form.  And of course, the cockpit.


Bob's View:

Courses and Distance: 
1) Boston to Portsmouth, Wentworth By the Sea Marina - 55.2 miles (N), 62.7 miles (S)
2) Portsmouth to South Portland, Spring Point/Port Harbor Marina - 46.3 miles (N), 49.5 miles (S)

Seas and Weather:
1) less than 1 foot, wind SSW at 5 knts, ample sun shine
2) less than 1 foot, wind occasional SW gusts to 5 knts, mostly a flat ocean with only mild swells from the east and south, ample sunshine, a perfect day for a cruise up the Maine Coast to Portland.

Departing Boston at dawn

After a departure from Portland Harbor June 15, cruising 1,565 miles (N), 1,778 miles (S) and logging 316 engine hours, as of September 19, VELOMER is back at her home port in South Portland at Spring Point Marina (one of the very best marinas we have found during this summer's adventure), owned and managed professionally by Mike Soucy.  It has been an incredibly fascinating and instructive adventure, cruising this summer. We have learned something every day about the boat, life as a cruiser and each other.  I would not have imagined it would be so entertaining and fulfilling and looking back on the summer, I cannot recall one I have so thoroughly enjoyed since I was a child and spent my summers in the idyllic North Channel in Ontario playing with boats and discovering all the magic of long summer days with minimal adult presence, except for meals. While we have a VCR on board, we have only watched it two or three times these last 100 days.

Our last day at sea, Portland 33 miles (N) in the distance

Each place we have visited has had its unique interests and we have tried to learn as much as we could about the history, culture and lifestyle of each of the 62 separate ports where we found shelter.  Every place we have stopped for the night or a few days has had its charms.  In no order of preference or enjoyment:  Croton-on-Hudson afforded PM a walk down Memory Lane; fabulous Italian food and friendship; Newburg had bountiful eye candy; Whitehall taught us naval history; Chipman Point, now a safe marina since the ownership changed and no longer are boats targets for a 22 short round, introduced us to our first stop on Lake Champlain and a fascinating tour of old warehouses from the era of intense commercial activity along this now neglected waterway; Lake Champlain, where we cruised for the entire month of August, had unimaginable scenery, warm clear water and wonderful people to meet; New York gave us family and life long friends to visit; New Jersey provided the best view of New York's Freedom Tower, just recently complete; Utica had really good PM college era company and more Italian food, this time home made, and a chance to bike to and get lost biking to Rome; Connecticut provided sweet undiscovered harbors to explore; Rhode Island was a source of friendship and a tasty home cooked meal; Massachusetts provided Boston and the chance to explore Little Italy, eat well with friends and family, visit the Science Museum, walk the Freedom Trail; Burlington was a great place to ride an exquisite bike trail into Burlington and discover the real story about "Champ" residing in the 400 foot plus depths of Lake Champlain and give us access to an unbelievably good organic market; Canajoharie showed us that economic vitality is temporary at best  for any city dependent on one industry; Portsmouth gave us special time with family and a chance to become more familiar with the harbor and currents of the Piscataqua River; Pocassett and Kingston gave us an appreciation for marine mechanic's talents; Rouse's Point was a sweet discovery for the marina owned and managed by a former Maine lobsterman but little else; and every place we went we fortuitously were able to restock with local Pinot and sometimes, if we were really fortunate, a tasty chocolate shop that will forever claim the best of this category is Cocoanuts at Hanover Street in Boston's Little Italy.  Champlain Marina on Mallett's Bay in Colchester, Vermont gave us a party to die for with fresh shrimp and bottomless glasses of Champaigne and some wonderful new friendships; Long Island Sound gave us an up close and personal experience with the Coast Guard's chase boat and their military manner of responding to a call from VELOMER about a boat adrift; Hellgate reminded us to read Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book, carefully, as did the Cape Cod Canal, and Stonington, Connecticut showed us what an entire town obsessed with anal neatness looks like.  As I peruse our logbook, many other events and places and people are recalled.  Perhaps as we have down time this fall watching the leaves turn  and the snows of the winter of 2014 arrive from the warmth of a well situated condo here at Spring Point and before we return to Colorado for the dry portion of winter after the New Year, we intend to reflect more on our 2013 summer's adventures.  As the muse invades our minds, we will revise and extend this blog to include some extra tidbits about the special people and places we found. Perhaps a few more of the more embarrassing moments will be included in the revision, while others will remain forever safely locked in memory only.

PM enjoys her daily nap.  Note the life vest!

Comparing projections with reality, our financial spreadsheet has been interesting to review. We had budgeted about $5,000 a month for our expenses and this was comfortably sufficient for the cruising costs of dockage, fuel, food, land travel, tourist activities, Pinot and chocolate.  We spent more on repairs for the hydraulic leak on the upper steering station and the cutlass bearings than we had expected so that line item will be adjusted somewhat as we depart on a two to three year cruise around the great loop. We were able to move as often as we desired, we were able to stay in some of the more expensive marinas, like Newport Yachting Center at $5/foot plus $10 for electric hookup and no cable (geesh, who do they think they are?), when they were within our day's cruising limits, and we had no financial restrictions on tourist activities that appealed to us or going out to pricey restaurants when we wished.  We learned to streth our budget with discounts, such as the 25% off at Brewer's marinas in Long Island Sound and the senior discount at City Market in Burlington and fuel discounts with our US Boat Membership Card.

We did and saw just about everything we wished to see and do and in short we thoroughly consumed with relish our 2013 summer adventure on the amazing ship VELOMER.

Arriving in Portland Harbor and greeted by a familiar sight

Our end of season work to get ready for the extended trip next spring includes some upgrades and repairs:
1) purchase 200 feet of 5/16 chain and hope I do not have to replace the windless to handle the extra length and weight;
2) replace the throttle cable from the flybridge to the lower helm station and perhaps the longer one from there to the engine due to binding caused by the internal lubrication grease desiccating and the cable stretching that has occurred over the 25 years it has been in service;
3) after many back and forths in the discussion bout this on the Monk Blog regarding operation at low speeds such as when approaching a dock or a lock wall, VELOMER will have 6 inches of stainless steel welded to the back of the rudder and 1 inch added to the front.  According to those who have made this upgrade, it significantly improves handling and also allows the autopilot to work much less, particularly in following or cross seas;
4) (it can be put off no longer), the heads will be rebuilt with new gaskets and seals.  After a small incident which a chopstick could not solve as the incident went into the holding tank, I may need to disassemble and clean out this necessary but rarely serviced system;
5) bright-work still needs constant attention on this old boat.  I had sanded to bare wood the top-rail last summer and will tackle the toe-rail, apply another coat of Epiphanies high gloss to the top-rail and detail several other teak moldings, which VELOMER has an abundance of, this fall.  I have read that the bright-work on a cruising boat venturing into the Caribbean gets really abused by the sun, so several additional layers of varnish annually applied are in order;
6) I am still undecided about the swim platform, some captains leave it as raw wood and some cover it with Cetol,  but I am thinking treatment with teak oil reapplied as needed would be best;
7) a dedicated GPS antenna mounted outside for the new Garmin 4212 Chart-plotter will be installed.  I had installed it under the lower helm station and this seemed to work OK at first.  But several times on this trip and especially in busy harbors like Boston and New York, I lost satellite reception, a chilling experience in unfamiliar water.  A call to Garmin was made and they recommended the new Chart-plotter have a dedicated outside antenna so I will need to run cables and figure a way to mount it high enough that it is not interfered with by the flybridge canvass supports;
8) reviewing my mechanic's log, I note that the house batteries are from 2004 and have exceeded their nominal working life of 5 years so the four 6 Volt Trojan Golf Cart batteries will be replaced;
9) and PM has promised to go through every locker and compartment to remove all for which we have found no need (12 pairs of shoes- really?).

Arriving in Portland harbor, passing Portland Head Light - back in home water again

I hesitate to say "that's all" as there is always something that needs changing, fixing, refinishing or replacing on a boat.  As the seasoned codger once said, "Son, ev'r'thn' on a boat is broke, you jus' don't know it yet". PM and I will be away for 2-3 years on next spring's departure for the Great Loop and, of course, we prefer to have all in order before we leave next June.  I have discovered that one can always find a decent mechanic and Wallmarts are ubiquitous in America.  To a lesser degree are found Napa stores and Westmarine Stores, but there is always the internet and drop shipping to General Delivery with our Federal Express account, so we will leave on this adventure again in the spring of 2014 with a clear sense of anticipation and confidence that " it will be fine ", and thank you forever John Larsson for that enduring thought.

This is our last update for the cruising season and to all, including those of you dedicated followers in Russia, have a great winter, stay warm, keep your thoughts positive and we will connect with you again at velomeradventure.blogspot.com in the Spring.

Until then, fair winds, and check your cutlass bearings,

Captain Bob & Admiral PM

We Made it!!