Esmeralde is on the move. So are the fall gales, just like last year.
October 12 – 15, 2019, Days 0 – 3
Portsmouth, RI – Stonington, CT – Mamaroneck, NY
Thus begins our Winter Cruise 2019 – 2020. It will generally be a re-run of last year’s trip down the ICW to Florida, across Lake Okeechobee, along the Gulf Coast then down the the Keys. We will stop at some of our favorite spots from last time, and also add as many new destinations as we can. There is plenty to see and do. And, of course, it is a great way to get away from the New England winter cold, ice and snow. Continue reading Here We Go Again!→
A Maine Cruise was not on our summer plan, but we find ourselves on our way!
Since we expect to be on the boat for an extended cruise over the winter, we had planned to stay close to home this summer. However, a quick road-trip to Maine a few weeks ago for some family matters gave us just enough of a taste of Maine that we looked at each other and nodded in agreement: yup, we want to do Maine. Again. Continue reading Maine Cruise 2018 – Portsmouth RI to Cuttyhunk→
We took delivery of our new American Tug 395 Esmeralde on April 1st, 2017, so she will forever be our April Fool’s Girl. (This year, she was also our Easter Girl.) In order to celebrate, Bruce got her winter cover off on Saturday so on Sunday April 1st, her birthday, we could have a little celebration on-board and herald the start of her second season. It turned into a bright sunny day, perfect to enjoy being aboard again. Continue reading Happy 1st Birthday Esmeralde!→
We have only cruised through Muscongus Bay once before, almost 20 years ago on our the first Esmeralde, the little Able Whistler 32. I remember it as being a little bit of a hairy experience. It was thick thick thick fog, we were navigating with a new GPS, and the screen was indeed a chart, but it was about 2″ x 3″, black and white, and didn’t have a lot of pixels. We didn’t have radar. How things have changed. Continue reading Maine Cruise – Days 22 – 24 – Muscongus & Boothbay→
We set out from Buck’s Harbor with a typical Maine forecast: FOG. Make that RAIN and FOG. It was clear enough getting through the harbor entrance, but then it socked in thick and stayed locked-on. While I’ve done this for days on end in a sailboat, often with nothing but a dodger for some shelter, I can’t help but admit that being in a warm and dry pilot house was rather civilized. Two large nav monitors, radar zoomed in, zoomed out. And a Very Big Horn. It was not a bad ride. As usual, the lobster buoys commanded rather intense focus and tracking the numerous lobster boats cruising around like drunken flies was challenging, but in the end, Maine is Maine and FOG is part of the territory. Continue reading Maine Cruise – Days 20 – 21 – Rockland→
All things fun (and tasty) in the life of the Beards
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