Leaving Tiverton, RI

Our First Passage Tiverton, RI to Cape May, NJ

Departure September 25th, 2006 from Tiverton, RI with a reporting of calm seas and light NW winds we departed under sail on an ebb tide after taking on final water, buying a new dinghy fuel tank. I guess metal tanks that went with our garage sale special Johnson outboard of 1982 don’t last forever. With confused seas and 20 plus knot winds out of the SW- we were on our way. Things settled through the night and Angie had us sailing by day break.Salmon spread was served for dinner along with what else rice and beans.

I was awakened by the soft touch of the captain’s hand (that’s Angie) to let me know she had TWO fish on and needed me out on the transom to be the boat butcher. Two fine Black fin tunas were soon in the bag when she had TWO more on. Well, Time to wake the kids so they each brought one in. I see my new life on the transom filleting fish is my calling.

No sooner than I had my transom cleaned up when right next to me swims a pod of over twenty dolphins. Parker and Sabrina squealed with delight. The playful pod swam off our bow for over an hour while they sat above them eating their breakfast.

Calvert home school is the daily routine on the boat and today was no exception. In the late afternoon I took a Siesta while Angie assisted with there studies….oh and kept watch for other boats. Miles from no where and nothing in sight she would peak her head up from parker’s cabin periodically. And then it happened….

“I smell fish!” She exclaimed. Leaping up on deck she was sharing the small same ocean with a fishing vessel SO close she could smell the fish on deck! I’ll sleep well tonight knowing that Captain Angie used all her senses to keep us out of harms way.

Pre departure

Hastings, MI: Here Angie and I are sitting hundreds of miles inland in our original hometown of Hastings, MI fast preparing for our departure. We are becoming permanent fixtures in my brothers office and the State Grounds coffee shop. These are the only two places we have access to high speed internet access and grandparent childcare at the same time. In this quest, we take 2 steps forward and 1 step back with vendors and paper shuffling. Ah, bank accounts, passports, insurance, spares, taxes, repairs, selling cars, and lists upon lists. The "2 steps back" is preparing us for foreign port customs officials, immigration forms, and less immediate gratification that the West and the Internet have bred into us.