Returning to Rhode Island - May 2014

Greetings friends, family and followers!

Well - it has almost been a full year since my last post from the Bahamas - life gets busy and frankly, it has been a long time since Paul and I have been on Master Plan together moving long distances.

So - here goes - get comfortable - this could take a while . . .

First - let me back up and give a quick recap since last May.  We kept the boat in Jacksonville last summer due to Paul's work schedule and his active studying for an important upgrade to his Captain's license.  Last July, he passed this test with flying colors and in just 16 months, went from a cook to a mate on the bridge at Edison Chouest.  So proud of him!  He now has been with Chouest for 2 years and 2 months and is really enjoying it.  Late in 2013, his schedule to 28 days on and 28 days off (vs. 14 days off) which has been a real game changer for us and much better!

So - due to the fact that he now has 28 days off at a time, we're bringing Master Plan back to Rhode Island - first time since the fall of 2012.  She can't wait to return and we already have two mooring reservations for Edgartown Harbor in July and August - YIPPEE!

Jen has been keeping busy with RLC Events - super blessed to have great clients and steady work - trying to figure out how I can get 28 days off in a row too!  Haven't successfully accomplished that yet . . .  So between being in Rhody and travelling for work and spending the winter in Stuart on Master Plan - it has been a lot of moving around - I am really great at packing a suitcase but of course as I get older, it is hard for me to remember which toiletries are where and what clothes are on the boat and which ones are in Rhody, etc.  But I wouldn't have it any other way - it's a great life and we are so blessed.

We brought the boat from Jacksonville to Stuart (we got slowed down a bit due to replacing a transmission . . .) in late November and had a great winter there in January, February and March (Paul had to work most of December so Jen was in the Northeast with family and friends).  It was our fourth winter in Stuart and we just LOVE our marina - Sunset Bay - and have made some wonderful friends there.  We already have our reservation for winter #5 next year.  We really love it there.

So - back to present day!  I type this from Virginia- we're about 20 miles south of Norfolk and plugging along.  We left Stuart last Friday and we are making great time - what a journey so far in just 8 days.

Here is a recap with photos:

Dolphins playing in our bow wake as we head north in Florida - our first day on the water was met with lots of rain, wind and thunderstorms - but we still made good time to Titusville and grabbed a mooring there on Friday night.

Still haven't figured out how to straighten vertical images - but more dolphins playing in our stern wake on Saturday between Titusville and St. Augustine.  Another cloudy and rainy day - but no wind, so we kept plugging along.

We arrived in St. Augustine on Saturday evening - here is my sweet captain at the fuel dock with a cool pirate ship in the background.  We "fed the bitch," and then headed offshore for a 34-hour run.

Getting through the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine.

An amazing sunset as we headed out the St. Augustine inlet . . . 

One more - a beautiful calm evening as we head offshore . . .  We had a great run - a little snotty on Sunday morning for a few hours, but then it calmed down.  We arrived into the Cape Fear River inlet at 6am on Monday morning.  Both the Captain and Admiral were quite sleepy, but we cranked.  We went from ICW Mile 778 (St. Augustine) to 309 (Southport, NC) in just 34 hours offshore.  Had we stayed on the ICW, it would have taken us at least 5 days.  Going offshore - with calm conditions - is much less stressful - put it on autopilot and go and watch the radar so you don't hit anything. . .  much better and less stressful for the Captain.  Being on the boat at night is cool - the stars are amazing.

Why is this photo upside down? Who knows?  This is our 13th wedding Anniversary selfie - Cinco de Squeglia from Wrightsville Beach, NC with MP in the background.

We met some nice people at the dock on Wrightsville Beach - so they took this shot of us just north of the marina as we departed on Wednesday morning.  Technology is awesome . . .  We were cruising along and "oh shit" we ran aground on a shoal that was right in the middle of the channel.  So - Paul called a great boat yard about 70 miles north of us in Morehead City and arranged for our haul out / repair the next day.  We bent a prop, so there was a lot of vibration on the port engine.  We had to go slowly on this day due to this - but it was worth it as the boatyard was amazing!

We arrived to the boat yard after they closed and tied up to their dock and grilled some dinner.

A beautiful evening watching the dolphins dine on some dinner while we enjoyed ours.

The boat yard was so fantastic - we were hauled out at 9am on Wednesday morning - here she  is just after coming out of the water . . . 

Hard to see, but here is the bent prop  . . . 

Beautiful facilities at this boat yard.  RLC Events set up their NC headquarters here quite nicely and made some conference calls while the Captain hung with the boat and worked with the mechanics.  Within an hour of being out of the water, the props were pulled off and brought to a shop for repair.  AMAZING!

Here we are - "on the hard" - the boat yard gave us their car to use and we stayed at the Morehead City Holiday Inn for the evening.  We got the Presidential Suite - WOW!  And had a nice dinner . . . 

Next day - our props are back in the boatyard - shiny and reconditioned and fixed - unbelievable how fast it all happened!

Props back on the boat - they won't stay this shiny for long  . . .  

MP going back in - early afternoon on Thursday - really unbelievable how fast we were able to get the boat repaired - the boat yard was so awesome . . . 

I took this photo just as I got back on the boat's bow  - here is the team who were so wonderful and helped us so much!  From left to right - little guy whose name we never got, George, Paul and Keenan - whadda team!  These guys were beyond wonderful!  They made what could have been a horrible situation so much better.

Thursday evening heading to our anchorage at about Mile 154.  Some beautiful shrimp boats along the ICW.

The captain enjoying a ice cold Heineken on the bow while we enjoy sunset "on the hook" (at anchor).

A beautiful evening - great to be back in the water!

Yesterday (Friday) we headed to Coinjock - here we've just passed through the Alligator River Swing Bridge.

At Coinjock Marina in Coinjock, NC - Mile 50 - for the night.  A snake on the dock - YUK - totally freaked me out - never have seen that before!  YIKES!  But despite that, it was a great stop.  Got some laundry done and the marina's restaurant is known for the "Captain's cut" of Prime Rib (32 oz) - but Paul just enjoyed the Mate's cut - 16 oz.  We had a great dinner and a great time.

One of the martinis offered at the restaurant - fortunately we were not in this situation, therefore ordered beer and wine!

So - we continue to plug along and if the weather Gods are with us, hopefully we will be in Rhode Island later this coming week.  We'll keep you posted!  Lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

Time is a very precious gift... so precious that it is only given to us moment by moment.

~Amelia Barr