Just because...

Just because we are "resting", as in not traveling,  doesn't mean we are done with cruising. Since we have purchased Felicity we have been working our butts off to get her ready to cruise along with saving money for our kitty. We've come to find no shortage of jobs and we feel like we have got to *strike* while the iron is hot! So we whistle while we work and come home to a pretty cool boat!

Seriously, it feels good to be hanging out, putting down some roots, not in a constant state of motion. We have been "cruising" for the past 7 years and cruising oftentimes means, sitting, working, sailing, traveling, learning, repairing and even sometimes "resting".  So albiet that we aren't exactly going somewhere; we are getting "there". Ya dig?

Just like our readers who are dreaming and planning their escapes from the norm we are all in a constant state of attaining our goals. Each and every person out there has goals that are special in their own right. As long as we have our own affairs in order we should be encouraging one another to be happy whatever that may be. Take it easier on yourselves as well. Generally speaking we are our own worst enemies. We can engage in negative self talk and doubts about our strengths and that just ends up defeating us instead of lifting us up. Every step is part of your journey.

Our reasons for getting a bigger boat work for us and we try to remember that in the end we are the ones that will be living "this dream". So we are going for what makes us happy, what works for you? Some people ask, "How do you know what works for you?" My answer is experience. Just do as much research as you can and then get out there and DO SOMETHING! Whatever it is, it's a step in the right direction. The more you go, the more you will learn what works for you. That's what has worked for us.

Currently, we are under construction in more ways than one. Where will the future lead, we don't know but we are happy with where we are right now! ;) We'd like to thank our faithful readers for hanging around and welcome the new ones. We look forward to sharing more of our progress with Project Motor Boat in good time!

Raft Up: Clothes & Laundry

Okay this is cool because I get to talk from all sides of the coin. I have lived on land, sailboat and powerboat. I have lived aboard while maintaining a job and cruised with no place of employment to report. All these require totally different types of clothing/laundry maintenance.

Land = endless opportunity for shopping, cleaning and storing clothing. End of story.

Sailboat while working = interesting choices of attire include wrinkle free, lose clothing that can dry easily after a thorough soaking due to wet dinghy ride into shore. Laundry includes a weekly trip to the nearest laundry facility be it marina or public facility. Other days you just do small loads of laundry every other day or as needed like this.

Sailboat while cruising =  generally speaking we were in our swimsuits until we had to throw on clothes which were typically dresses or shirts and shorts. Again, in foreign ports we keep our attire in mind; if it's a beach town one can get away with a flimsy dress or a ratty shirt. It's very important to have a nice outfit to wear to meet the Customs & Immigration officials.

Powerboat = almost anything goes with the amount of space we now have in comparison to our first two sailboats. Laundry can be done on board with our washer/dryer combo making us completely self-sufficient. OR if we so choose we can use a marina/public facility.

CLOTHING

Impractical items? There ARE NO impractical items. I do not have a particular brand or anything. I buy most of our clothes second hand because I’d rather support local businesses and it is budget friendly. I have 3 persons to clothe onboardand we have differe nt needs. An ever-growing child needs newer items more often. The Captain needs more shirts and shorts to blow out as he constantly works on diesel engines and is usually pouring sweat. I can be seen wearing one of two types of outfits, yoga/athletic gear or super cute(if I may say so myself) bohemian fashions. If you like it and you will wear it; it’s practical.

When I shop for clothing I always look for something light and cool, something that will not wrinkle or can be unwrinkled easily, laundered either by hand or in a machine with everything else. I stay away from embellishments, metal decoration and fringe, material like silk, chiffon and velcro. Light colors to keep the sun from beating down on you, but not too much actually stays white on a boat for long.

I have broken our closets down into pieces for you.

Shoes - Originally I got rid of all my shoes (heels) and I missed them once! The occasion was a New Year’s Eve cocktail party onboard a new friend’s massive sailboat. As soon as we got onboard we all kicked off our shoes anyway so my desire for pumps was short lived. In the past seven years since I began cruising I have almost never worn anything other than flops and I love it that way. Come to think of it, in Guatemala I never even wore shoes; to the market, to the bank, to the bar. No one wore shoes and it was accepted. It became difficult to remember to wear shoes when we arrived back to the States. My inventory of shoes onboard consist of a pair of deck shoes, sneakers for jogging,  flops (at least two pairs), a singular, cherished pair of Tommy Hilfiger Hemp Mary-Jane wedges (rarely worn but handy for those rare occasions that require dressing up), a pair of black Mary-Jane style Crocs and a pair of ballet flats. For the rest of my life I will never wear a pair of heels, and this is coming from a former career girl who used to rock the hottest heels.

Swimsuits – Swimsuits are the one thing we seem to go through the most of. You can never have too many and caring for them is key. The sun and sea are strong fighters against spandex, rayon and other unnatural materials. When I shop I stay away from embellishments, metallic details and fringe. You will get pulls from the non-skid decks on your bum creating a funny, fuzzy bottom.  

Shirts/Shorts – Lose fitting, quick drying and modesty are key. While I enjoy wearing my bootie shorts onboard they don’t pass for acceptable on the shores of foreign countries. Skirts of all lengths are good. Shirts for The Captain are mostly lightweight tees that quickly turn into rags and a few button ups for those special occasions. You might go to church services, you might get invited to the home of some locals, you might meet some pretty important people so be prepared for those special occasions.

Foul Weather Gear – Don’t skimp on these, buy the expensive pair, the store brand are cheaper for a reason. You will spend very little time in these but at the moment when you have to wear them they pay for themselves immediately. My foulies are like an escape from the terrible conditions, I immediately feel safer and calmer in them. Finding children’s foulies can be difficult and expect to pay top dollar. Try swapping with other cruising families.

 

Thanks for reading!!

For more on Clothing & Laundry Check out our other Raft Up Bloggers.

1 Dana svnorthfork.blogspot.com
2 Steph www.sailblogs.com/member/nornabiron
3 Diane http://maiaaboard.blogspot.com
4 Lynn www.sailcelebration.com
5 Ean http://morejoyeverywhere.blogspot.com
6 Jessica http://mvfelicity.blogspot.com
7 Behan http://sv-totem.blogspot.com
8 Jaye http://lifeafloatarchives.blogspot.com
9 Tammy http://ploddinginparadise.com
10 Stacey http://sv-bellavita.blogspot.com
11 Verena www.pacificsailors.com
12 Toast http://blog.toastfloats.com
13 Dana svnorthfork.blogspot.com

Recycled Blog Posts! 10 Things You Can't Have Too Many Of...

In no real orderly fashion I have come up with 10 things I know I am happy I have plenty of!

 1. Chapstick with SPF - Don't let your lips get fried! I still have at least 10 of these on board since we left 6 months ago. It's a good idea to have them stowed in different drawers or compartments so that you are reminded to wear it. Protect your kisser!

2. Sunblock, spray and lotion - There are times when I want to just dig a tunnel to hide from the sun. We wear long sleeve white t's and stay protected best we can but we always slather on plenty of sun screen. The spray works best for kids that run away or don't want the white lotion to show. Also good for on the go re-application! Again stowing in many area of the boat including the head and cockpit help to keep you reminded!

3. Bug Spray with Deet - Lord knows they love me! I have 100% on board that I hope I never have to use, and mostly 40%. Here in Guatemala they are big, they are mostly on shore, once you get to your boat you are usually bug free. But nothing worse than a calm night anchored out and no sleep because of the little bzzz in your ear.

4. Hair Ties - Clips, pins, headbands. - I have got some serious hair, and it needs to be contained. The salt water environment is hard on those elastic things! After a recent trip to the States I bought a whole slew of new bands. I still have plenty of headbands, scarfs, hats and pins in the drawers, much to the Cap.'s dismay.

5. Bathing Suits - Ladies and Gentlemen, you will live in your swim suit, or in the nude! (and hey, that's your deal) Part of what I hate about being back in the "real" world is all the damn clothes you have to wear. When it's Florida hot I just wanna wear my bikini! Once again the environment is hard on suits, buy extras at the thrift store, and who cares if they don't match, that's the style anyhow!

6. Peanut Butter - Peanut Butter is the all purpose life sustaining spread. You can smear it on anything and use it make cookies, or spicy peanut sauce! I still have 3 jars from a recent provision in Roatan. Prices in the States are far better for Peanut Butter that here in countries where they haven't discovered it's greatness.

7. Animal Supplies - Food, litter, catnip, toys. - If you have pets on board you have got to know that food in the islands is iffy at best. You've seen those poor little starving dogs and cats lurking at the back of Tiendas and Shops along the way. An easy way to provision is to measure your pet's portions for a month or so before you set out. 1 cup per day etc then do the math to figure in how much you'll need for your cruise. I am still working off a Sam's Club bag of Cat food. We ran out of Litter once we got here to the Rio. Litter is about $15 per container, the same ones that were only $7 in the US. Makes me want to potty train 'em!

8. Incense - I like incense for two reasons. Sandalwood and Lemongrass act as a natural bug repellent. They make the boat smell great and they also come in handy before a yoga practice in or off the boat. :) Just remember to keep them in a zip-loc baggy so they stay dry.

9. Liquor - Need I say more. Rum is cheap in Bahamas so stock up there. But if you are more into Sour Mash like we are, Burboun Whiskey is expensive in other coutries. Unless you can find a Duty-Free shop like the one in St. Kitts. We once bought a case of Jim Beam there at the tune of $7 a bottle!

10. Fishing Lures - These little numbers can cost you a small fortune. So stock up buy online or from a local place and get the ones with shiny parts and flashy colors they work best for the Mahi's. Trust me!

What are some of the things you carry plenty of? Now, I'm back to my shopping list!

If it's meant to be...

One week has past and the dust has settled down allowing us acclimate to our new surroundings. 

As I reflect back on the events of the week, I see how all my anxieties about the move have been wiped away. I am flabbergasted at the complete happiness we are feeling right now. We go through this life (cruising) with so many uncertainties, but today we are content. We worry about the future sometimes and forget to be present. We have to learn to take life as it comes, take the good with the bad and be happy while it all happens! While we plan for the unexpected we need to remember this little mantra.

If it is meant to be, it will be.

Travel Day

So some friends of ours call up last night and say, "Hey, you want to have a bonfire?" My immediate thought is, "Heck yes!" But then I remember, we are leaving in the morning! There are so many little things we need to do to be prepared and the last thing we want to do is stay up too late, drink too much and forget all those important little things in the mayhem!

The weather is not exactly perfect and we have no other choice but to go today. It wouldn't be the first time we went out without a favorable weather report. Seriously though, it's not a problem. What's a little rain from inside the cushy pilothouse with the windshield wipers going back and forth? What's a little wind when I'm completely closed off and protected in our own little haven? One of my favorite benfits of a day like today and the difference between a sailboat and a powerboat is that we will arrive in less than half the time it would have taken us to go on the inside, even with all the bridges. NOAA calls for 1-2 ft seas building to 5 and winds 10 - 15 gusting to 23mph, so we've decided to go up the ditch (intra-coastal waterway). This means we will have to go slower but it also means no getting tossed around.

As if the weather wasn't enough of an issue we have the Lauderdale Air Show to compete with! I'd like to joke and say I planned it this way so we'd have a grand entrance to our new home, sadly though I did not. The "traffic" on the water should be crazy so our leaving as soon as possible is imperative. Check out the link to the show I imagine it's going to be incredible with Choppers, Blue Angels, and a mix of military and civilian performers we will be entertained! Should make for some great photos!

Thanks for following along, here we go!

New Guest Testimonial!

If you haven't checked out our Past Guests page, please check it out! It's where our friends and guests say a little something about their experience with us. Last year in Guatemala Franki & Adam came to stay with us in between their circumnavigation of the country! She had this to say about our trip. I love her so much and am so happy that we have these memories to cherish forever! By the way, we'd love to have YOU as a guest! Shoot us an email and let's plan something! Or just keep in touch and when we end up where YOU want to be, come on down we'd be thrilled to have visitors!

Too much fun? I think NOT!

"We were cruising down the serene Rio Dulce in Guatemala. The sun was setting, the calm waters looked like sheets of blue ice and lush mountain ranges towered over us. Jessica and I were sitting arm-in-arm on the bow. In a moment of pure bliss we looked at each other and Jessica said, “This is what office people see on their screen savers”. We relished the moment. We were living the screen saver, a reality.

I consider Jessica, Gordon and Gia to be a rare breed of very special friends. Their sense of hospitality is unrivaled. If you’re after adventure, they’ve got it. If you’re into really interesting conversations about life, yoga, music, literature, cultures, they’ve got it. If you’re into wonderfully organic food and incredibly cool music, they’ve got it. What else can I say, it’s a blast being with them and it will stay with you forever."

                           *Franki

Escaping to Jamaica

Yea, last Monday was pretty tough for me. I'm not totally sure why it bothered me so much to have to be at work. I think it might have had something to do with the fact that it was absolutely gorgeous outside topping out at a smooth 80 degrees with a breeze rustling through the palm trees of Coconut Grove. All I could do from walking out that door and spending the rest of the day ashing the boat in my bikini was throw on a little Bob Marley!

When Gia got to The Bookstore after school I could see she too was feeling the "Monday Blues" she said, "Mommy, we should do something crazy! We should go get ice cream right now!" I didn't need too much cajoling so we skipped on over to the Ice Cream Shop. After being soothed by Bob all day I was willing to top of my Jamaican dream with "I-Scream!" In Jamaica they say "I" in front of a lot of words. We reminisced about patties and yoga on the beach, about swimming in the blue lagoon and the crazy delicious jerk chicken!

Everyone needs a little encouragement along the way. Everyone needs a little escape. Staying focused for us means not spending money on things we don't absolutely need. Going to work everyday, even when we don't feel like it. The biggest motivation of all is that someday, someday soon, we WILL be cruising again. Then we will be living the life we were meant to live at that moment. For now, we are learning and growing and dreaming while Bob plays in the background!

Boat Show Recap

The long awaited boat show! We were so excited to finally get there but in reality 1 day just isn't enough!

After battling traffic and waiting for a shuttle from Bayside and then another shuttle from the convention center Gia and I finally made it to The Miami Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach. There we connected with GR as he escaped working the show for the day. I say escape as if he isn't sitting in the lap of luxury!

Here is the yacht he gets to hang out on!

No Bada Bees squeezed in tight among all the Mega Yachts on Collins Ave, SoBe Miami Fl

I got a quick tour and have to say the interior is really impressive. The walls are bamboo, not laminate and the light color is very light and modern. With 6 staterooms there is no shortage of space for guests. This boat is not actively for sale but was in the show as a model of what IAG Yachts can offer.

We changed gears and scenery when we entered the Convention Center, we were in Progressive country!

Flo was everywhere!

Gia and Savannah gathered all the pamphlets and goodies from the exhibitors.

Think they went a little over board?

GR just loves to ask questions to these guys, he really gets answers too. Kohler Generators now use a Lamborghini engine. Sounds cool but expensive, we like when parts are not proprietary. Let's keep looking.

Finally, we found OceanLED a vendor we really wanted to get some answers from! Here Kyle demonstrates just how bright these underwater lights can be! These guys are definitely on our list of things to buy!

By 5:30 that evening we made it to the Strictly Sail Show at Bayside, we were rushing through the stalls to see everyone. Eagle Nest Outfitter's have the best hammocks, we put them on our "want" list for sure!

The sun was setting over Miami, what a way to end a busy day surrounded by all those mast. *sigh* We gotta get cruising again! We aren't ready yet so we will just keep reading our favorite blogs and dream until the day we can throw off those dock lines and motor away!

Culture Shock

I was just reminded the other day that it's only been 2 weeks since we left Guatemala. I think I may still be reeling from a bit of culture shock. I didn't realize how detached I've become from America. Sure I keep in touch through the web but living on the boat sure changes a lot about a person.

As I watched dozens of Mac & Peterbuilt semi-trucks drive past the car window as I rode along in the back seat of a friend's car I felt like a complete outsider. I thought about the consumption our homeland has become accustomed to.  Fuel prices are incredibly high. Every thing is disposable, including people; it's all very disheartening. With all the advertisements shoved in my face through the media, different accents from NC, SC, GA and FL, and hard core work on the boat I began to feel a bit woozy.

There was a time in Guate that I actually had a little breakdown. I cried because I just wanted to go to a Wal*Mart. I'm sure that really I just wanted something familiar. I just wanted to walk down the aisle of a store and pick up my favorite, Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I just wanted to have that comfortable feeling of "home". Why do I still long for that? I know deep down that is not going to satisfy me for the long term.

In order to stay me, to continue living the way I choose to live I have to be very conscious of my actions and choices every minute! I was ashamed at the check out counter because I hadn't been prepared for this trip to the market and was without my reusable canvas grocery bags. It pained me to use those plastic bags. In Guatemala we would have been charged 2 centavos per bag.  Regardless we re-use them for kitty litter but we still feel obligated to refuse plastics because we have seen first hand the damage they can do.

Do you get culture shock after your return from cruising? Do you bring your lessons onboard home to share with others?

Our First Peeve

Shielding his eyes from the sun, he asks "Can you see the name on that boat, Babe?" I run to get my glasses on, " Um, I think it says Scandia?"

It never really bothered us before, but now it seems that the names on the back of some boats are WAY too small! Or there is a dinghy covering it up. Some names aren't even on the stern. We've seen more boats this week with the name on the side of the hull than ever before.

Why is it so important to see the name of the boat in front of us? In Inland Waterways, everyone is supposed to agree on a side to pass so we are all on the same page. We are cruising at a cool 10 knots and need to pass a boat; we need to call them to see which side they are comfortable with us passing on. We also ask if they have a preference? It's just a courtesy, a small gesture that make the difference in everyone's opinion of "the powerboater". AND we don't want to make a bad impression, considering we only just started being powerboaters!  We would like to let them know we will give them a nice slow pass and thank them and wish them a happy day!

BUT if we can't see the name, it sounds something like this, "Sailing Vessel, uh...(insert massacred name here)"

We are really trying hard to not be that guy. The rude, stink potter. Being former sail boaters we know both sides now. Getting an unexpected wake really sucks!

Boating courtesies work both ways, so think about this if you have a small, hard to see or hard to pronounce boat name. Maybe give the boat behind you a call, good communication will help everyone's day go more smoothly!