Operation Tropication | Page 6 of 9 |

Atlantic highlands

by markperil@gmail.com on October 25, 2014 in Destinations, New Jersey • 0 Comments

Sandy Hook bay is beautiful. We were so happy to wake to blue skies for the first time in a week, and although we were bittersweet about our decision not to transit the NJ coastline today (building weather in the forecast meant we might have ended up in a small craft warning) we quickly adjusted to a day “off” filled with a beer-and-tacos lunch on the dock and a very fruitful provisioning stop in Atlantic Highlands. We are now proud owners of our very own granny grocery cart!

Back to the watch and wait for weather routine – now with a stocked galley.

If you look hard you may be able to see our dark blue sail cover on Tara, floating on a mooring ball behind me

Waiting for a weather window…

by markperil@gmail.com on October 25, 2014 in New Jersey • 0 Comments

Well, we decided not to leave today. Forecast looks great for the morning but eventually building to a small craft warning in the evening and we don’t want to get “stuck” out there with the wind and seas building to 30 knots/5+ feet…

…and so we wait.

I’m hoping it was the right decision because it looks like unsettled weather for the next 5 days at least… Have to be patient!

In the meantime, here is a video Caitie took last night of our avian friend that I named ” Henri”. Pay no mind to the state of my hair (I think I’d been pulling it out while anchoring )

To New York, and Beyond!

by markperil@gmail.com on October 25, 2014 in New York State, Passage, Surprises • 3 Comments

We’re bouncing back, baby!!!!

So we were stuck in Haverstraw Marina (aka purgatory) for a couple weeks, but we’re outta there!

So our roller furling repair was quoted at $3200, but we managed to get out of there for under $1600 (thanks to some sweat equity courtesy of Caitie and yours truly) We’re outta there!

So we had one nasty experience at anchor where it was blowing 20+ knots the night we left the marina, resulting in shifts sleeping/watching for anchor slippage, but at least WE’RE OUTTA THERE!

Frankly everything is looking up – We’re making progress again. Who knew how good it felt to be on the move (and, more importantly), have decent weather!

Trying out the new headstay w/New York City in the distance

Today we did the rip down the Hudson River to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. At first, we weren’t sure how far we were going to get (because I, Mark, slept in this morning after a long and tiring night on anchor watch Wednesday). We were targeting an anchorage behind the Statue of Liberty for an afternoon anchor…but as soon as we hit New York Harbour, we had the current in our favour and were going 10-11 knots!! It was the fastest we’d been in the boat, and was extra crazy due to the hundreds of other boats/ferries flying around in all directions.

Needless to say…we were happy to get through that chaos and decided to stretch it the extra 15 miles to Sandy Hook.

The anchoring process here wasn’t fun (first solid argument b/w Caitie and I so far), but we got it on the 4th try.

Even after that stress, though, we had a magic moment where a gorgeous white dove landed on the boat out of nowhere. We were both a little awestruck…we continued our anchoring and he hopped onto my shoulder!! It was so surreal! Then he flew over to Caitie’s shoulder!! We took the mandatory pics and feel it must have been a good omen. Right?!

Tomorrow just may be the day we start our trek down the Atlantic coast. Wish us luck!

NYC: Take two

by markperil@gmail.com on October 20, 2014 in Boat Projects, Boat Work, Destinations, New York State, OpTrop • 0 Comments

A few posts ago I alluded to an issue with our roller furling headstay in the mast re-step day post, but didn’t go into much detail because I’d jury rigged a solution that I thought would work. My solution was pretty crude and frankly it wasn’t sitting well with us, so we decided to get an expert opinion…

The expert opinion we got wasn’t positive…basically the top section of the roller furling extrusion (where the forestay from the front of the boat meets the top of the mast) had sheared off. This we knew. What we didn’t know, was that the forestay itself had been damaged in the process, which could put the entire rigging system (AKA what holds the mast up) at risk. Basically we were looking at a new forestay and replacing the top extrusion of the furler. Further complicating the process, this would require disassembling the entire system and then reassembling it with our new part, something that came in quoted at up to 20 hours of labour.

-yes I know these all sound like technical terms for the uninitiated…if I lost ya, just scroll through the photos –

We got a quote to do the work in the neighborhood of $3200 (WHICH SEEMED CRAZY!), so we asked the guy to let us do some of our own labour to get the hours down. He obliged, and we got right to disassembly with a blowtorch, awl, hammer, and vice grips as soon as the furler was down.

It all went really well except for ONE roll pin which took over 50% of total time spent to get it out.

Once disassembled, we sent the connection pieces off (to the guy assembling the new forestay) and are waiting anxiously to hear some good news about reassembly early this week. HOWEVER, since no one was working on the weekend…BACK TO NEW YORK CITY!!!

This time, however, we had the pleasure of meeting up with our good friends Tom and Mel!!

We covered a lot of ground in less than 36 hours in the city!!! Chelsea, East Village, Greenwich Village, Midtown, Brooklyn, and Wall St….our feet were sore and we were happy. We took a coupla photos where we got engaged last week in Central Park and scoped out the NY waterfront by the financial district…it looked like a rough day out there, so we’ll be targeting calmer conditions for our passage!

It’s been an amazing weekend and we’re ready to get back at ‘er tomorrow.

RECYCLING RANT

by markperil@gmail.com on October 20, 2014 in Deep thoughts • 1 Comment

cans START RANT

OK so…I have a bone to pick with Ohio and New York states (Pennsylvania I didn’t even go to shore so I have no idea about you): I have had to throw into the garbage more cans, bottles, and plastic recyclable containers in the past month since I’ve been in the United States, than I have in the past 20 years living in Vancouver (I know I’m setting myself up for a joke about how much beer we’re drinking, but bear with me…). I’m not sure if there is just a lack of access to facilities for boaters, or if this is a general population trend, but it is appalling and I am ashamed to be partaking in it. The facilities we’ve frequented for the past month have been, for the most part, spectacular – but this is my one complaint since being on this trip.

P.S. I know this is not an America-wide phenomenon (I’m looking at you San Fran/Cascadia)…GET IT TOGETHER EVERYBODY ELSE.

End rant,

Love Caitie

(ADDENDUM: NYC is up to speed with recycling trends, so they are exempt from this rant)

Sailing has everything

by markperil@gmail.com on October 16, 2014 in Boat Projects, Boat Work, Deep thoughts, New York State • 4 Comments

After riding a high of a New York weekend and engagement, we are back on the boat in Haverstraw, struggling through delays for parts, bad weather, and crummy docking experiences. During rainy nights like these we are drawn to re-reread a journal entry Mark made at the beginning of our trip.

We often say that “sailing has everything”.

Massive highs, massive lows and the swings in between. Boredom, excitement, terror, enthusiasm. It offers a chance to practice tenacity, relaxation, thoughtfulness, conscientiousness. A place to fix things, break things, solve problems and make them. It challenges your mind and body, while satisfying a sense of adventure.

Sailing teaches you to appreciate the simplest things: Food, water, shelter, weather, power, and (not to mention) a hot shower. Sailing gives you the time and the opportunity to stare out over the horizon for hours, to see sunrises and sunsets in the same day, to go wherever your heart desires and to respect nature because ultimately it has the final say.

We often say you can’t have a schedule, more of a plan with a backup plan…and a backup to the backup plan…and plans change.

You learn to appreciate the sunny days until there are too many in a row, then you appreciate the clouds. You learn to crave wind in the doldrums and calm in a storm.

There’s always something to do if you want to do it, but you don’t always have to do it right away. Sailing gives you a chance to do what you want to do, be who you want to be, and figure out just how the hell you’re gonna get there.

Sailing has everything.

Ok, fine!

by markperil@gmail.com on October 14, 2014 in Surprises • 8 Comments

New Solenoid, New York, New News

by markperil@gmail.com on October 13, 2014 in Boat Projects, Destinations, New York State, OpTrop, Surprises • 3 Comments

We’re a little overdue for a post, so here goes!

Where did we leave off….Poughkeepsie @ Mariners on the Hudson (Wednesday last week)? Yeah that’s about right…What can I say? It was nice to have a place to tie the boat, but resulted in the worst nights sleep due to the current/waves/exposed nature of the place.

Also, it was quite literally the shittiest dock we’ve ever had the pleasure of stepping onto (tip of the cap to the seagulls & geese that call this dock home – nice work guys)

From there we went to Haverstraw Bay, and after navigating the tricky entrance, we had two of the nicest days at anchor. The weather was great, the anchor held well, and it was nice to have some solitude for a change. I managed to sneak ashore and grab a replacement zinc for the heat exchanger (thank god – see photo below comparing new & old), and we caught an amazing sunrise on the morning we departed.

We then headed over to Half Moon Bay Marina, where we kept the boat for the weekend while we dashed into the city!!! Although we were keen to get lots of photos in the big apple, we only got two at the train station on the way in. We got ZERO photos in the city itself…and frankly weren’t too bummed about that. We were pre-occupied with soaking up the awesomeness.

We had an amazing time even though it was just a couple of days blasting around Manhattan and Brooklyn. It’s always so fun going to NYC – there’s always something new to discover.

After the weekend, we came back to a boat that wouldn’t start. At all. We’d been having problems with our starter solenoid, and it seems like it had finally died for good. Steve (marina manager/nicest guy ever) ripped us across the river in his jetboat to buy a replacement from the marine store across the way, and $40 later I’d picked up a new/better version of the solenoid (see below – the new one is heavy duty/steel, the old one is plastic). After the installation, Tara turned over instantly, and put a big smile on my face.

Oh yeah one more thing…we got engaged this weekend! Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!

Days of our lives

by markperil@gmail.com on October 9, 2014 in Destinations, New York State, OpTrop • 1 Comment

Approaching Haverstraw cove after a long day motoring down the Hudson River. We’d done lengthy research about how tricky the entrance is (only 5-6 feet deep at low water + a 2 foot deep submerged concrete hazard/island on the north side of the channel), and we were watching the depth sounder closely. We had read that the hazard may or may not be marked, and having never been here before were weary about what we may/may not find.

Caitie: “OK I’m going to the bow to post a lookout. Call out the depths to me”

Mark: “OK, hold on…just in case we do touch ground, hang on…you may jerk forward”

C: OK.

M: Um…4 feet on the depth sounder.

C: Really?!

M: 3.8 feet…?!

C:….

M: We’re not aground though! The boat is floating….we’re not aground yet. It should be 6 feet in one boat length…

C: Don’t get too close to these submerged pilings on the south side either…

M: Ok. 5 feet

M: Ok. 7 feet

M: 9 feet

C: (thumbs up)

C: OK, the submerged wall is definitely marked. See the two markers on the north side of the channel?

M: Yep! 11 feet

C: (thumbs up)

Mark and Caitie continue on, inching their way ahead on the south shore of the channel, eventually getting into 20 feet of water and dropping the anchor.

FAST FORWARD to 20 min later…Safely anchored, first beer cracked.

C: Hey looks like we might have a motor boat joining us

M: …

C: Um, is he going to avoid the submerged wall?

M: Doesn’t look like it. Should I say something? (does nothing)

C: Oh my god, he thinks the obstruction markers are channel markers…he’s going between them!

M: …

C: …

SLAM. The motor boat runs aground SO HARD he pops up and is stuck on the submerged wall.

C: oh my gosh did that just happen?

M: Yeah he is completely stuck. Jesus. (thinking should I pump up the dinghy and go help him??)

C: Is he going to try to to through again?

M: No way…he’s going to pop it in reverse and try to GTFO.

Boat reverses (medium throttle) and nothing happens. Boat owner starts leaning over the side and reverses (full throttle) and boat starts to come loose…he finally comes free and turns to leave the anchorage with his tail between his legs. Mark and Caitie sit and stare in awe.

MAST UP!

by markperil@gmail.com on October 7, 2014 in Boat Projects, Boat Work, New York State, OpTrop • 2 Comments

WHEW! What a day. Stepping the mast was, frankly, pretty easy with the help of Sean and the guys at Hop-O-Nose marina…the hard part was rigging everything afterwards! Good news is, she’s finally up and ready to rumble.

There was a little drama again with the roller furler (more on that later), but otherwise it went up without a hitch. WOOT

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