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Looking Forward While Celebrating 2010
Tuesday, January 04th, 2011 /

As we look forward to what 2011 has in store for us, we reflected on our blessed-beyond-belief 2010. This has been a year of big changes, new beginnings and celebrations galore.

Looking forward to a walk like this soon

The first part of our year was filled with starting more projects than we finished on Kaleo, learning as much as we could aboard, as well as through Seven Seas University courses, and spending a few freezing weekends planning for warmer weather projects.

Spring brought warmer weather, some great sailing in Galveston Bay, the wedding of our dear friends, Amy & Jeph, and Christie’s parents’ 35th wedding anniversary in April.

May was a landmark month as we became officially debt free, gaining financial freedom. We also moved from our 1,400 square foot townhome to a 650 square foot studio apartment to better prepare for our life aboard Kaleo. And, we celebrated our first wedding anniversary at The Joule, were we stayed on our wedding night. Of course, we spent a few weekends completing some boat projects along the way.

With the Texas summer heat came lots of family and friends visiting the boat, marina BBQ’s, and more boat projects. And in June, the “Cyclin’ Sailors” geared up for our 4th annual Urban Assault Race in Austin!

The Fourth of July was shared with the Wilborns by sailing and watching incredible fireworks shows while anchored out in the bay. Then, we jetted to Coeur D’ Alene, ID to celebrate the newest Butchers, as Matt’s brother Jeff married his bride, Meloney. We topped off the trip to the Northwest with an incredible experience of sleeping 50′ off the ground in the boughs of a giant, old Washington Red Cedar Tree at Cedar Creek Treehouse and touring Mt. Rainier National Park. Of course, we spent a few weekends completing some boat projects along the way.

While the summer heat continued to bake us, we enjoyed a shakedown cruise to Galveston with the Kryzaks and a sailing weekend with The Powers. Of course, we spent a few weekends completing some boat projects along the way.

The fall brought a trip to Minneapolis to celebrate Grandma Butcher’s 90th birthday, visit with family and to Trader Joe’s to stock up on our favorite snacks. The realization that we were now within one month of tossing the docklines helped us get a lot of boat projects wrapped up almost every weekend.

October was a big month as Matt took his leave of absence from work, Christie resigned from her job, we moved out of our land home and aboard Kaleo full-time, sold a car and put another one in storage along with our belongings. We soaked up treasured time with loved ones and were given three outstanding Bon Voyage parties. We also got to celebrate the marriage of Ben and Carly (Matt’s cousin) and spent time with family in San Diego. Of course, we managed another trip to Trader Joe’s for more provisions.

November 8th marked the beginning of our cruising life. Before leaving the dock, we met up with some cruising mentors, The Sittons, and celebrated Christie’s birthday with family and a dear friend, Crystal, aboard. The month was filled with a host of new experiences – from adjusting to life aboard to overcoming unknown challenges and navigating new waters to connecting with new friends along the way. We topped it off with a roadtrip from Mississippi to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with family.

The year wrapped up by crossing the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and into Florida. It was on those passages that we learned to love the open ocean, more fully appreciate warm days and spent time digging our toes into our first white sandy beach. Christmas with shared with family and friends in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida and we were back home aboard Kaleo on New Year’s Eve.

We welcomed the new decade with the most unusual of celebrations for us at this time of year. The clock struck midnight as we pushed two carts down the isles of a 24-hour Walmart. We laughed and shared a little “Happy New Year” smooch in the canned goods aisle and continued provisioning in preparation for the Bahamas and beyond. Yes, really. Oh, the cruising life ;o).

Thank you for joining us as virtual crew along this adventure. It means a lot to us. We wish you peace, blessings and togetherness in your new year!

We’re ready for 2011 and believe the best is yet to come. God has even more amazing things He wants to do in and through our lives so we’re straining to what is ahead. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Category: Alabama, Boat Life, Coeur d' Alene, Cruising, Education, Family, Finance, Florida, Friends, Galveston Bay, Inspiration, Louisiana, Mississippi, Passage, Provisioning, Refit, Resources, Sailing, Seattle  2 Comments
It Is A Wonderful Life
Sunday, December 19th, 2010 /

We took it easy yesterday as another cold front was forecast to blow through the Clearwater Beach area. After sleeping in until the sedating sounds of rain waned, we decided to move anchorages for better protection from the north wind that was on its way.

We reset the hook, cleaned up a bit, and by about 3 o’clock noticed that the gray clouds of the day had made way for a little sunshine and clear skies for the evening. Given the better weather, we jumped in the dinghy and were off to see if the outdoor movie, scheduled for the night, was still a go. Yes! The screen was up right along the beach at Pier 60 for Sunset Cinema and the night’s showing was “It’s A Wonderful Life”. I love, love, love this movie because it shows that God makes what seems ordinary and insignificant in our lives into something extraordinary and significant when we are living our lives for Him. We made a date night of the moonlit movie by picking up a pizza from a local cafe and snuggled up for the show under the stars.

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Sunset Cinema at Clearwater Beach

Just as it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas, we returned to the restaurant where our dinghy was tied, only to find the entrance securely locked for the night. Much earlier than they had told us they’d be closing. Our dinghy was within sight, yet we were separated by about 30 feet of cold, dark water. Matt thought about making a quick swim for it. For about two seconds. The next logical option was to call marina security for a little help. The call yielded neither an unlocked restaurant nor a boat to give us a lift. Looked like we were on our own. So, up to the roof Matt went. His ninja skills paid off as he scaled the building, crawled along the steep peaks of the roof and dropped down to the deck where he could rescue our dinghy. Whew, freezing late night swim avoided and a great laugh was had while break-in arrests were averted.

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Ninja captain retrieving our dinghy

We returned to our floating home safely and tucked in for a solid night’s rest. This morning, we pulled up the anchor in Clearwater and headed back into the Gulf to sail a few hours south to Tampa. Remember when you used to ride your bike as fast as you could up those really steep homemade ramps and crash down only to get up and do them again? Welcome aboard Kaleo’s wild ride today. The first hour or so was pretty rolly and once we turned due south, the north wind propelled us along at about 7 to 8 knots! A few hours later, we negotiated a tricky and rough pass into the ICW, once again proving to us that open ocean sailing seems to have far fewer obstacles to navigate.

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Running downwind to Tampa, FL

We’re now docked for awhile as we’re catching a flight to Texas tomorrow to spend Christmas with family and friends. We hope you enjoy a blessed one with those you love.

Category: Boat Life, Cruising, Florida, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Crossing a Cold Mobile Bay
Tuesday, December 07th, 2010 /

Matt’s hands are raw and tingling at their core from puppeteering Kaleo’s lines as she sailed hard across an agitated and arctic Mobile Bay.

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Spot Tracker plot of our route from Moss Point, MS to Orange Beach, AL

The day began when we pushed off from the dock a little after 5:30 this morning and made our way back down the Pascagoula River to the mouth of the Mississippi Sound, before sunrise, to resume our route across the Gulf Coast. From there, we set course for Dauphin Island Bridge, the west entrance to the bay.

Kaleo sliced through the remaining Mississippi Sound and with winds building, we began our march toward Mobile Bay with a little trepidation about the conditions that would await us. The metal steering wheel was ice in Matt’s hands with air temperature at its high of 40°, the wind meter reading about 20 knots (23 mph) and with sea water breaking over the bow. But we had come this far and Kaleo was sailing admirably, so we pressed on. Gusts of 25 knots became the norm and then wind continued to build with it blowing up to 27 knots. To meet the ICW entrance on the other side of the bay, we had to change course and the waves starting rolling on the beam (perpendicular to the boat). To ensure that we didn’t have too much sail up for the wind conditions, Matt added a second reef to the main and rolled up the jib completely and she was still cruising along at 7 to 7.5 knots (that’s mighty fast for our sailboat). With a little prayer that the winds hold steady or subside, we sailed on with Matt rotating between checking our course at the wheel and staying out of the wind and sea spray under the dodger.

Midway through the bay we were greeted by dolphins swimming alongside and jumping out of the water just off the port beam. Around 3:30, we sailed into the ICW, the wind dropped and we motored toward our berth for the night at The Marina on the Wharf in Orange Beach, AL. Since we spent most of the day freezing and with temps forecast to be in the low 20’s, we decided to treat ourselves to some shore power heat and a movie at the Wharf theater. This area has been newly built with tons of little shops, bakeries, bars, restaurants and even a gigantic Ferris wheel and movie theater making it quite the treat to walk around.

Other than numb hands and windburned cheeks, Matt said he really enjoying getting to sail Kaleo in those conditions. We look forward to getting a warm night’s rest and crossing into Florida tomorrow!

N 30° 16.76 / W 87° 41.00

Category: Alabama, Cruising, Mississippi, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  One Comment
We’re in Mississippi
Sunday, November 21st, 2010 /

We’ve spent the past few days motoring from New Orleans to Rabbit Island, Rabbit Island to Cat Island (no, didn’t see or hear either creature out there), Cat Island to our current tie up in Ocean Springs, MS. Three relatively easy days with great weather, other than a little fog before leaving Rabbit Island.

New Orleans to Rabbit Island

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Secluded Rabbit Island anchorage

Rabbit Island to Cat Island

We were greeted this morning with a thick fog that reduced visibility to about 100 feet. That was a no-go for the first couple hours so we took advantage of the time to leisurely enjoy some breakfast and reading. By about 10:00 a.m., the fog lifted and we were on our way to our anchorage for the night at Cat Island. We were treated to some wide open waters of the Mississippi Sound and our first sights of sandy beaches (versus mud banks). A great change of scenery from the narrow channels we’ve been navigating thus far. Once at Cat Island, Christie dropped the hook and we enjoyed a beautiful sunset and moonrise in near absolute silence of the glassy Mississippi Sound.

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Morning fog at Rabbit Island

Cat Island to Ocean Springs, MS

We pulled the hook up early and headed for Ocean Springs, motoring along with dolphins joining us for much of the way. The jib sail was unfurled for the last couple of miles into the harbor and Kaleo was running at 7 knots with the sail full. Dolphins again playing all around the boat. We cautiously navigated into the harbor as the depth meter told us of ground just inches below the keel. After pulling into the best looking slip we could find, the boat yard manager said we were welcome to stay the night for free as the office wasn’t open until tomorrow. Bonus! Our growling bellies told us it was time for lunch and conveniently enough, the marina had a highly recommended restaurant right above our slip. While dining on meals that lived up to their reputation, we met Norm and Jan, two other full-time cruisers and swapped sailor stories, advice and laughs. The evening wrapped up with an invigorating 6 mile jog/walk along the beach and over the Biloxi Bay Bridge with some local musicians playing bongos next to a large bonfire on the beach.

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Taking a break on the Biloxi Bay Bridge

Category: anchoring, Cruising, Louisiana, Mississippi, Sailing  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Morgan City and Houma, LA
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 /

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Hanging out in Morgan City for the day

We took advantage of the rainy day today by catching up on a little rest, finishing some engine work and ran (walked) errands while docked in Morgan City. Here’s how we spent it:

  • Slept in till 8:00 a.m.!
  • Made a mega Migas breakfast
  • Visited with our new friend, Hank the shrimper (incredibly nice guy who went out of his way to help us)
  • Took a sloshy tour around Morgan City to hunt down some Wi-Fi, starting at the library but was a no-go with stationary computers that were too slow and no Wi-Fi. A local library goer turned Morgan City tour guide offered to walk us about two miles to the nearest McDonald’s to try theirs. After meandering the miles in the rain, James, though his friends call him Jimmy, was ready to camp it out with us at Micky D’s (and aboard Kaleo had we let him) so we bought our new friend, Jimmy, a soda and tried to get going on catching up on all things digital. Wha wahhhhh. Faulty internet at Ronald’s house. We gave in and pulled out our Hilton Honors card and walked next door to relax in the less greasy aromas of the Hampton Inn lobby to quietly tap into Wi-Fi (all that work travel is starting to pay off).
  • Worked out the kinks in our onboard internet service and are back up and running. Whew!
  • Got a call from our former marina neighbor, Steve, who happened to be passing through Morgan City for work. He stopped by the boat to visit, sign the guest book and let us know about a little treasure of a Cuban restaurant just a few blocks away. We planned to go there for dinner but the restaurant didn’t answer their phone to confirm they were open and it was dropping buckets at dinner time. We opted to stay dry and made dinner at home while watching a LifeChurch.tv service.
  • Received a call from the mechanic we had been working with remotely at about 8 p.m. (surprising as it was after work hours). He was responding to a message left earlier in the day about working the kinks out of our oil pressure issue. Matt stayed up a few hours completing his suggestion, talking with one of his dad’s friends and ended up with a list for the parts store in the morning.

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A visit from our former marina neighbor, Steve of s/v Ebb Tide

Tuesday morning came, still cold but without the rain, and Matt began his trek to the parts store. The only one within walking distance didn’t have what he needed and after talking with Hank, it was decided that his wife would drive Matt to the store across town. A short while later Matt was back with the parts, the engine was put back together and the high oil pressure we experienced coming into Morgan City was resolved. Whoo hoooo!

We were back on course to our next destination of Houma (pronounced Home-uh), Louisiana. It turned out to be a gorgeous day with 10-15 knots of wind from a direction our sails could use. We rolled out the jib sail and clocked 6.5 – 7 knots for most of the day. Morgan City to Houma is the most scenic section on the Louisiana GIWW. Majestic cypress trees line the banks, their knee-like roots protruding from the water surface to breathe, and the Spanish moss romantically hangs from tree branches.

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Cypress trees dripping with Spanish moss along Wallace Bayou, east of Morgan City, LA

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Enjoying the gorgeous day. In my flippie-floppies.

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Matt assembling our new shower bench that he and his dad made

We arrived to a wonderfully quaint dock just off the ICW in Houma, tied up and walked to the laundromat (sailors have to wash clothes too).

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Docked at the Houma Downtown Marina

After laundry was put away, we set out for a date night on the town. Some local joggers led us to discover Café Milano in historic downtown Houma. To say the least, we had a FEAST. (Started with lobster & shrimp bisque and jumbo lump crabmeat in a creamy herb dressing atop fresh avocado garnished with cherry tomatoes and sherry balsamic reduction. Next up were Stuffed Filet, Filet filled with shrimp & crabmeat mornay stuffing, topped with sautéed mushrooms, served with oven-roasted potatoes & sautéed vegetables. Matt had the Pork Chop Belanger – All natural pan-seared Bone-in Pork Loin Chops finished with blackberry demiglace served with a pork confit and sweet potato mousse (BEST EVER), accompanied by sautéed vegetables. Ah, and the bottle of Ausi Pinot Noir and Chocolate Terrine, Frozen chocolate mousse glazed with chocolate ganache, with raspberry, chocolate, white chocolate and passion fruit sauces for dessert). Wow! We might have gone a little overboard (pun intended).

Part of this adventure for us is about new experiences. And at the dinner table, we each committed to a specific promise that would expand our perspectives. We’ve coined them, “Café Milano’s promises” and are holding each other to them as we continue forward. We’ll reveal them as they’re kept. As you can see, we had plenty of time to pontificate through the dinner courses.

We enjoyed (and needed) the brisk walk back to our floating home, took showers (loving the hot water heater!) and fell asleep with a full and restful day behind us. It’s back on the waterway tomorrow to Lake Salvador for the night and then on to New Orleans and beyond.

N 29° 34.88/ W 90° 43.03

Category: Boat Life, Cruising, Inspiration, LifeChurch.tv, Louisiana, Sailing  Tags: , , , , ,  3 Comments
FAQ’s
Saturday, October 09th, 2010 /

Tell someone that you’re taking a substantial break from the status quo to sail about the world for awhile and you’ll inevitably be engaged in an extended game of 20 questions. For anyone that we haven’t talked with in person, here are the ones we get most often and always enjoy answering. Missed one? Let us know in the comments below.

Wait! You’re doing what?

After responses ranging from “you’re crazy” to “can I come along?”, we then re-explain that we are moving aboard our sailboat to spend time with each other in God’s creation, especially the tropical parts.

Why?

The reasons are far too numerous to list here and more details are at “Our Dream, God Willing,” but for the most part, we want to experience life at a different pace for awhile. Also, to gain perspective on how blessed we are and satisfy a curiosity to see the world differently.

Where are you going and for how long?

We’re planning to head out from Texas to Florida along the Gulf Coast and throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean. This trip will take about six months or so. You can see more details here and continually track our progress by clicking the globe in the “Keep In Touch” box on the left.

When are you setting sail?

We’re planning to toss the docklines the beginning of November. The actual day will be dependent upon the right combination of weather, tides and winds.

Do you know how to sail?

While we aren’t professional sailors, we have been sailing together for about 3 and half years. We know our boat inside and out, how to properly trim (adjust) the sails and most importantly, how to watch the weather doing our best to stay at anchor when it’s blowing too hard to sail comfortably. And we’re looking forward to learning even more about sailing while out there living it daily.

Are you sure you’re ready?

As with most big things in life, you can prepare as much as you like but you’re never quite ready. So there’s no better time than the present to really answer this question by heading out. If we’re not ready, we imagine that we’ll learn how to be pretty quickly.

What are you going to do out there?

This lifestyle will be a significant change of pace for us, but before you envision crystal clear waters and white sand beaches, know that cruising is hard work. Maintenance and care of the boat alone will take plenty of time but so will swimming in crystal clear waters and exploring white sandy beaches.

What about your jobs?

We’re taking a leave of absence. We both have excellent careers and our employers were gracious enough to leave the doors open. And if we find a different calling while out there, we’ll pursue that.

What will you do for money?

Before we were married, we lived like most people, with some debt and no significant financial plan. Regardless of going sailing or not, neither of us were content with our financial situation. So, we changed that by following the financial principles laid out in the Bible which were made easier by using Crown Mvelopes Software. The biblical principles helped us pay off all debt, empowered us to be more generous with what He has provided and save enough to pursue this dream for awhile. Read more about this part of the journey here.

What will you do with all your stuff?

Since we decided to go now, we haven’t had time to acquire much. In fact, that’s part of the point of this adventure, being liberated from stuff and free to enjoy experiences. Of what we do have, most has been sold, some given away, and the rest put in storage. For the stuff we “really need” we’ll figure out a way to bring it on board. If it doesn’t fit, we probably don’t need it anyway.

What will you do for food?

While our boat has a fridge and freezer, they are very tiny, so packing food aboard ,or provisioning as it’s called, is an important part of preparation. We ‘ll stock up in the States from places like Costco, Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s (Christie’s all-time favorite) and buying fresh vegetables and meats along the way as needed. Surprisingly, there are many foods that don’t need to be refrigerated and can be stored for a long time. Eggs for example, if never refrigerated, can be stored for up to three months as long as they are rotated a few times a week.

How will you stay in touch?

Part of the point of this adventure is to turn down the volume on our 24/7 digital connectivity. That said, we will still have many ways to keep in contact with friends and family. Besides the normal marine communications (i.e., VHF), we have a worldphone for calls when on shore in any country and a WiFi extender to get signal up to a few miles from the source. With WiFi, we will have email, this blog and Skype. For tracking purposes we have a SPOT satellite GPS device and for safety, we have a GPS EPIRB.

What if you get lost?

Thanks to modern technology, it’s fairly hard to get completely lost. Our boat has multiple GPS receivers and redundant navigation systems to help keep us on course. More importantly, we carry good old fashioned paper charts (maps of the sea) and a compass to navigate with. In the worst case, there is always land in some direction, right?

How big is your boat and can you really live on it?

Kaleo is a 34 foot Aloha sloop with room for six to sleep, though more than four people makes it a bit uncomfortable. While the accommodations are small, we believe it’ll be an excellent exercise in learning to live with less stuff and more experiences. Bonus, we’ll have a really big back yard.

There are millions of people around the world who live in much less. Kaleo has a galley (kitchen), head (bathroom with shower), salon (living/dining room), v-berth and quarter berth (bedrooms), navigation station (home office), and a cockpit and deck (patios). Plus, the bigger boat, the bigger the expense, which means less time we get to be out cruising.

Is it safe?

The reality is that we’re more likely to be in a car wreck on the freeway than any real danger from sailing. With prudent seamanship, common sense and thorough preparation, most mistakes that lead to unsafe situations can be prevented.

What about pirates?

If we meet Jack Sparrow we’ll probably invite him onboard for dinner. All kidding aside, “pirates” are a real threat in some parts of the world, but not the parts we’re going to. Our biggest threat will be locals who might eye the outboard dinghy motor, which we’ll have to remember to lock up.

Haven’t you seen Shark Week?

Yes and it’s scary. They’re out there. And we’ll be in their neighborhood. We’ll be nice and hope they are too.

What about rogue waves?

We’ll hold our breath ;o).

What happens when you get in an argument?

We’ll be forced to make up a lot quicker since there’s nowhere for either of us to go. If it’s a bad one, Matt will ride in the dinghy while Christie lets some extra line out behind the boat.

Can I come visit?

Absolutely! We would love nothing more than to be a friendly face in a place you’ve dreamed of visiting. After you get done swabbing the decks there will be plenty of time to go ashore or sail between some tropical islands. If you’d like to come for a visit get a hold of us via the “Keep In Touch” box on the left.

Category: Boat Life, Cruising, Resources, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  2 Comments
Labor Day Lessons
Wednesday, September 08th, 2010 /

Labor Day weekend offered a great opportunity to get some cruising under our belts. We set out for Offatt’s Bayou anchorage on the southern tip of Galveston Island along with two buddy boats from our marina (s/v Pan Cogito and s/v Jolly Mon).

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Christie enjoying An Embarrassment of Mangos

About an hour into Galveston Bay, the motor overheated. But, determined to keep going, we tacked back toward Kemah to try to fix it en route. Matt managed to crawl into the smoldering engine bay, while being tossed around by the choppy water, to diagnose and replace the seawater impeller.

We gained a boost in confidence after the engine was resuscitated and ran at the proper temperature. We enthusiastically tacked back toward our original course toward Galveston and set out to catch up with our friends.

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Matt enjoying the downwind sail

We eventually got to the anchorage, set the hook and had dinner with Mike from Pan Cogito. The next morning, we set out for the Gulf of Mexico. At over 20 knots of wind and lumpy seas, we managed to still have an outstanding sail. We logged over 9 hours of sailing and more than one soaking from water coming into the cockpit. Though there was motor trouble and restless sleep, the trip helped us learn more about the boat and ourselves when anchored out.

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Our first drawbridge crossing

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Our track

Lesson’s learned:

  • Going forward, we will need a set of welders’ gloves (more heat protective and arm covering) to work on the hot engine without being scorched.
  • Working on the engine underway is like threading a needle while riding a hobbyhorse in a personal sauna.
  • The first night in a new anchorage probably means Matt won’t rest easily.
  • After showering without a hot water heater, we’re now researching the best one for our boat. Even in the summer heat, it. was. cold.
  • Drawbridges operate on their own schedule. And while you’re in a holding pattern (think elephants tracking tirelessly in circles at the circus) don’t be the one to stray closest to the channel’s edge. An unwelcomed shoal will be waiting for you.
  • Always fully recharge the handheld VHF. Not doing so may lead to it powering down just as you need it.
  • Always monitor channel 16, especially when there are tugs bigger than you around the next bend.
  • Leave earlier than you need too. There is bound to be something that holds you up or at best, you get there early enough to get the best spot in the anchorage.
  • Ocean spray leaves layers of crystallized salt on EVERYTHING. And while Christie enjoys a good salt scrub, this can be more exfoliation than necessary in one sitting.
  • Buddy boats are there to accompany each other, not to play follow the leader.
  • You can see your destination l-o-n-g before you get there.
  • Know your reefing system BEFORE setting sail as trying to optimize it underway way is nearly impossible.
  • Holiday weekends attract the most careless boaters. Get out there early to avoid as many of them as possible.

This foray into cruising is turning out to be pretty exciting. We’re one day closer!

Category: Anchor, Engine, Galveston Bay, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  4 Comments
Galveston Shakedown Cruise
Monday, August 30th, 2010 /

Our friends Jeph and Amy joined us this weekend for the 5-hour tour along the Houston Ship Channel to our home for the night at The Galveston Yacht Club.

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Here is our route as tracked by our Spot GPS tracker

This mini-cruise was intended to hone our navigation skills in a channel with very big ships, to give the motor a test after last weekend’s cooling system rebuild and to have some fun with friends. We easily accomplished this and the motor had even more run time as there was little wind so we motor-sailed for virtually the entire 10 hour roundtrip.

Both days began with an early start in hopes of avoiding the mid-day heat and getting to Galveston with some time to explore. After our first encounter with a huge container ship, the rest were quite benign and not as intimidating as we were expecting. The motor-sail down was fairly uneventful, though we were treated to a playful dolphin escort into Galveston. Some even swam right alongside Kaleo! After arriving, we checked into the marina, tied up at our assigned slip, showered and promptly took a long nap in the A/C.

After recharging our batteries, Christie’s aunt Cherie, who is staying in Galveston, was kind enough to pick us up at the yacht club and drive us to The Strand, Galveston’s tourist district. After some serious sugar at LaKing’s Confectionery, Cherie lent us her car to explore the island where we toured the historic homes along Broadway and drove along the Seawall. We wrapped up the evening with a great seafood dinner at Gaido’s and a family visit at Aunt Cherie’s beach house.

Sunday was the reverse of Saturday but a lot warmer and Matt brought home the sunburn to prove it. We cruised past the largest ship of the trip, the Nassau Spirit, weighing in at 810 feet long! It was a fantastic trip which helped us learn that sailing harnesses are a must, even on calm days, big ships aren’t so bad if you stay out of their way, and confirmed that we really enjoy sailing to and exploring new destinations.

Category: Boat Life, Family, Friends, Galveston Bay, Sailing  Tags: , , , ,  4 Comments
What Would John Brown Do?
Sunday, July 25th, 2010 /

We just spent a full weekend aboard where we gained greater confidence and even more excitement about our sailing dream. In short:

  • We bought a great outboard motor for the dinghy and explored the waterways around our marina with it
  • Discovered the Clearlake Shores Farmer’s Market where we found fresh, local food to enjoy and share
  • Reached new heights as Christie was hoisted up the mast to plan for mounting our new LED tricolor/anchor light
  • And were coached and challenged to sail Kaleo to her full potential with a sailing lesson from John Brown of Sea Lake Yacht Sales

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Christie’s view of Kaleo from the top of the mast

We started Saturday early at the Farmer’s market, then Christie’s parents joined us for breakfast and delivered our boat registration stickers. They stuck around for the show as Christie was hoisted up the mast. After snapping a few photos and taking in the view she came down so we could prep for our sailing lesson with John. John is a yacht broker and ASA certified sailing instructor who came aboard to spend the afternoon teaching us how to trim (sailing term for adjust) and shape the sails.

This was one of the most beneficial afternoons sailing and I’d recommend it to any sailor, no matter your skill level. We expected that John would show us just how far Kaleo could heel (the way a sailboat leans when sailing) while going faster but it was quite the opposite. He coached us on how to sail the boat with less heel, while going faster, making us more efficient sailors. We were also challenged to point higher into the wind than we’ve ever been able to. We even got to fly our (very bright) spinnaker and ran wing-on-wing back to port. We really enjoyed having John aboard as he has a wealth of knowledge and generously shares it. If you sail in the Galveston Bay area, we suggest you book a lesson with him.

That evening turned into a neighborhood gathering as a few of us got together in the cockpit of a neighbor’s boat and talked until the wee hours. During the conversation we made a plan for a three boat trip to Freeport in about a month. It will be another chance to build and refine our sailing skills. Sunday we wrapped up a few boat projects and planed for Matt to rebuild the anchor locker next weekend.

Category: Dinghy, Education, Galveston Bay, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Big Bang Weekend
Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 /

Fourth of July on the water is an event we really look forward to each year. Not only do we get an extra day off work to spend aboard Kaleo but we love to anchor out in Galveston Bay to watch the fireworks. Last year we had a great fourth with family aboard and it was repeated this year with our good friends Maurice and Janay joining us for the weekend. Maurice had been aboard before but this was Janay’s first stay, though by the end of the trip she was a regular salt.

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The rainstorm on the way down led to a beautiful rainbow for our marina arrival

The road trip down on Friday included our traditional midway pitstop into Buc-ee’s and we arrived at the marina after some crazy weather. Most of Houston was flooded due to Hurricane Alex weather coming up from the Gulf having us wade through water 2′ deep in our SUV to bypass some traffic. That evening we stayed dry at T-Bone Tom’s for dinner and then headed to bed pretty early.

The next morning we woke up to a beautiful day, cooked a healthy breakfast and prepared for a day on the water. There was a little cloud cover coming in from the South but it wasn’t anything foreboding. That soon changed as a squall set in between us and the channel to the marina. After a quick talk with the crew we decided to motor to the marina as no one was having a blast getting wet. NOAA weather predicted rains the rest of the day so we headed in for a few rounds of train (dominos), a boat project and to cook dinner.

The 4th of July dawned a bit too hot and sunny so we headed to the movies for a perfect retreat from the hottest part of the day. As soon as we returned to the boat, we made ready for sea and headed out in search of a suitable location to drop anchor for the show. We had a pit stop at another marina to put the name “Kaleo” on the back of the boat because the Coast Guard was hanging out at the Kemah channel entrance and we didn’t want any trouble from them. Since we are a USCG registered boat we are required to have the vessel name visible on the transom. However, we were between buffing out the old name and applying the new. The blue painters tape method looked a little shabby but it served its purpose for the day.

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Working on the temporary Kaleo name graphic

Heading into the bay we quickly found a spot amidst the multitude of boats and watched the fireworks barge pull into place. Setting the anchor went very well and so did cooking dinner aboard. Moments after darkness fell, the sky lit up from all directions as the surrounding towns proceeded with their fireworks shows. And then BOOM!, the first of the Galveston Bay fireworks shot off and vibrated the hull of Kaleo. We were about 500 yards from the barge and had some of the best seats in the bay. A lengthy and colorful show ensused. Last year we spent over two hours in a traffic jam of boats to get back in so this year we decied to sail around for a bit to let the boat jam clear up a bit.

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Well, sailing around a bit turned into an incredible night sail, returning us to the slip after 1 a.m. We had one of the best sails yet, hitting speeds of 6.7 knots. Kaleo slid through the black water like a knife with Maurice piloting her to perfection. He and I enjoyed some music in the cockpit, occasionally highlighted by laughter from the girls who were laying on the foredeck. This was all highlighted by the fireworks barge occasionally firing off undetonated rockets while it steamed back to its berth. This lit the whole sky and reflected a rainbow of colors across the sails. That was sailing!

Category: Friends, Inspiration, Sailing, Weather  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Friendly Crew, Family and Great Sailing
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 /

We shifted gears this past weekend from all our recent projects to focus on time with family and friends aboard Kaleo (a welcomed change of pace). Crystal and Mel joined us for a weekend of road tripping (wouldn’t be complete without a pit stop into the infamous Buc-ee’s!), family fun (always includes several feasts), and of course sailing!

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The Admiral and her crew

Shortly upon arrival the fam joined us at the marina for BBQ and a fireworks show. Christie’s dad, Craig, brought a brisket that was cooked to perfection and large enough to feed everyone plus Matt well into the week. Mom brought coleslaw, Nana always brings some sweet Italian greatness, Miss Penni brought fresh fruit, Aunt Veronica and cousin Natalie cookies and brownies, Aunt Cherie brought tamales, and well you get the idea … We had a feast at the marina cabana and chatted late into the night with an exciting fireworks show intermission over Galveston Bay.

Saturday quickly brought on the Texas heat so we all cooled off and relaxed by the marina pool. (Of course before Matt joined, he finished up one quick project of replacing the cable that shuts down the engine.) After a lunch/early dinner we made ready for sea and headed out around 4:30. Out on the bay, Matt was the best cap-i-tan by sailing us down to Redfish Island while ensuring our sangria glasses didn’t spill a drop. The winds were blowing steady and I helmed the speed record for the day and for our ownership of Kaleo – 6.1 knots!

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As the sun started to set we all agreed that it was far too perfect of a day to end just yet and our decision was confirmed by a dolphin sighting. Much to our excitement, two dolphins crested and swam in front of Kaleo. With the temperature cooling, the winds steady and a gorgeous sunset, it was some of our best sailing we’ve had aboard Kaleo yet. Proven by the fact that we didn’t return to dock until after 11:30. Hopefully it’s a taste of a life to come.

Category: Boat Life, Family, Friends, Galveston Bay, Sailing  Tags: , , , ,  One Comment
Water Pump Weekend
Sunday, April 04th, 2010 /

This Saturday we wrapped up the fresh water system refit that has been ongoing since last summer. Matt installed the fresh water pump and accumulator tank, which now supplies water to the recently installed galley double sink and bathroom sink and shower.

We also managed to wash and scrub the entire deck, cleaning it of winter grime and dirt. Scrubbing 34 feet of boat deck took the better part of the morning but Kaleo shined like she hasn’t in a long time. Christie finished the to-do list by installing one of her Valentine’s Day presents, a new stainless throttle handle.

All this work was capped off by a great sail in Galveston Bay, where we saw Captain Kidd, a two-masted schooner. The sail also reminded us of how well the Aloha 34 is designed as she balanced herself (stayed on a course without any input from us) on the tack out and back in. The sail was capped off by the best slip-parking job to date, if only they all went that smoothly there would be a few less scratches on the hull.

On Sunday, we spent the afternoon at Christie’s grandmother’s house celebrating the most important date in history, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everyday we thank Him for our talents, abilities and the desire to pursue this dream.

Category: Galley, Galveston Bay, Head, Plumbing, Refit, Sailing  Tags: , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Set and Share Life Goals
Saturday, March 20th, 2010 /

A big part of our dream, and any dream for that matter, is writing it down and setting steps to achieve it.

We’ve recently found a web service that helps us jot down, track our progress and share these dreams as they come so we can make room for even more. mySomeday is designed to help you achieve those goals and dreams you’ve always said you’d get to ‘Someday’. It even goes a step further by letting you share and connect with others that may have similar dreams.

Twitter response from MySomeday upon creating our MySomeday

Features:

  • Record your life goals
  • Share your goals with friends and family
  • Receive encouragement to achieve your goals
  • Similar tools: GoalBot, 43Things, GetGoaling and stickK
Category: Cruising, Inspiration, Resources, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
A little work and a long overdue sail
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 /

Over the past few months our time aboard Kaleo has been spent working on the boat, measuring for parts and anticipating our first sail of spring.

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This past weekend we got the best of both worlds by getting some projects checked off the list and getting to go for a great sail in Galveston Bay. We both were able to take Friday off, drove down Thursday night, and had three full days aboard. Friday was spent finishing the install on the head (bathroom) sink counter, setting the actual sink in place and hooking up the water lines. We also picked up our dinghy from Triad Marine, where it had been repaired.

Saturday we had hoped to go sailing but the tide was far too low to get the boat out of the slip. During the winter a strong North wind blows and forces a lot of the water out of Galveston Bay. This gives exaggerated low tides and our keel is literally sitting in the mud, so we can’t go anywhere. Nevertheless it was a beautiful day so we fit the companionway doors, cleaned up the mess left from rebedding the chain plates, finished up some misc. projects, took the dinghy for a test row, visited our broker Carolyn at their new office and got the boat ready for her first sail of the year.

Sunday turned out to be a perfect day for sailing so we made for the open ocean (really just Galveston Bay) at first light (really about 10:00). The wind was 6-9 knots and blowing from the East. In fact the wind was blowing from exactly where we wanted to go. We had decided to make for Houston Ship Channel #59, the best entry point for pleasure craft headed to Galveston Island. It dawned on Matt that this was the first time we have ever had to tack Kaleo to a destination. All the other times sailing her we just went at the best angle to the wind with nowhere in particular to go to. This was good practice for us as you can see below the track we recorded on iNavX, an iPhone navigation app, turned out the be pretty spot on. We also practiced our two bearing fixes for coastal navigation.

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Our tack path to Marker 59 & back

Category: Dinghy, Galveston Bay, Sailing  Tags: , ,  One Comment
A Christopher Cross Kind of Afternoon
Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 /

Our first solo sail adventure aboard our Kaleo in Galveston Bay. Looking forward to many more!

We were intrigued by the shrimp boat & wished they’d share with us. A little afternoon dancing on deck. We tossed aside the dock lines this afternoon & set sail for nowhere in particular … just a relaxing, fun & confidence-boosting adventure.

Category: Cruising, Galveston Bay, Inspiration, Sailing  Tags: , , ,  Leave a Comment
Fueling Up
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 /

We fueled up manually over taking Kaleo through the marina station to save some cash in prep for our 1st solo sail around Galveston Bay. To date we’ve had the company (and security) of friends and family aboard so we’re looking forward to our new mini adventure.

Category: Cruising, Maintenance, Sailing  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
The Engine Gets New Zincs
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 /

No, we’re not smuggling hot captains across Galveston Bay. Today I walked up into the cockpit to find Matt down in the port side lazarette changing the zincs in the engine (prevents the sea water from corroding the cooling system). Just when I’m convinced he’s contorted himself into every nook & cranny of our boat, he always seems to find new places to explore. I love this face!

Category: Cruising, Inspiration, Sailing  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
A Grand Birthday Celebration
Friday, November 06th, 2009 /

A little pre-lunch radio control boat race with the fam.
Family aboard Kaleo. I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday weekend!
Nana, mom and Critter too.
Dad kicked back on the foredeck.
Lunch outside on the patio of Landry’s on the Kemah Boardwalk before our sail.
What a way to celebrate a birthday! Mom, Dad, Casey, Nana and Critter too came to visit us aboard Kaleo. We started with a patio lunch at Landry’s on the Kemah Boardwalk and then took to the Bay for a leisurely sunset sail.

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Category: Family, Sailing  Tags: , ,  Leave a Comment
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