The In-Betweeners

What's it mean to be in between?

 I sure feel stuck in the middle. 

How about you?

photo cred

Society puts a label on everything and everyone. We all want to know where we stand. What is our place? It used to be so simple. I was a sailor, a cruiser, a live- aboard, a traveler. Now, I'm not so sure this round peg can fit into such a square hole. Could I be having an.... Oh, look, another label - identity crisis?

Sailor? Nope, our only sheets are the ones I sleep in.

Live aboard? No. I don't live in our boat.

Cruiser? I'm not traveling and have no date in mind as to when we may begin.

Traveler? Only in my mind.

When I became a mother I was instantly "in the club." Similarly, when I became a cruiser I was able to associate myself with that group, after sailing some major passages I felt I earned the "street cred." (GR had the street cred from day one!) Now I feel as if all that doesn't matter, how ABSURD!? Discrediting our accomplishments is just another bad habit holding good people back! During times of growth I need to give credit for all that we have done.  Although, we aren't set to cross any oceans we are covering new ground. With the past behind us, we will meet people along our future path with whom we can relate and hopefully our past experiences can help those newbies on their journey.

Living in the age of the internet has made having a social life that much easier; most of our friends live scattered all over the world! At the moment, ironically SO many of my fellow blogging friends in the cruising community are in the middle of some big transitions. I'm happy to have these friends to commune with. It's as if we are currently in the pupa stage, together yet separately. Like the life cycle of a butterfly we are preparing ourselves for something. During butterfly development the adult structures of the insect are formed while the larval structures are broken down. Essentially, we are disconnecting with our larval structures, the portion of ourselves that we for so long, used to identify who we are.

Neil Gaiman said,  “You're always you, and that don't change, and you're always changing, and there's nothing you can do about it.” - The Graveyard Book

Many of my gypsy friends are experiencing some loss. The loss of the familiar. This post is for them and me. Some are selling their boats and moving on to some other amazing dream yet to be fulfilled. Another is expanding their family unit in leaps and bounds. And yet another is doing the shuffle from up north to back down south before winter's crippling cold creeps in. The one thing we all have in common is our understanding that life as we once knew it is gone.

Recognize that the only constant is change. A change of hands, a change of heart, a change of pace.

Where do we fit in? What are we doing to adjust? What can we do?

Whether we are in between jobs, homes or just at a crossroads; moving forward is the only way to cross over. Move forward with life as you know it. Try a little pampering. Remember that there is a reason for all this, you may not see it yet. Meditate, read to absorb knowledge, get prepared and keep a journal or write it out on your blog! Help us learn from what works for you!

For the most part....
“Smile, breathe and go slowly.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

Namaste friends.
Jessica  - I, me 
GR & Gia - Us, we

Did I Just Do That? - Side Effects of Cruising

Symptom #1) New Habits Die Hard

Some people do fist pumps.
I do foot pumps.

At my Grandmother's gleaming white, kitchen sink I pumped my leg up and down searching for the pedal.

That wouldn't have been such a big deal if I had actually been on a boat, where foot pumps are the norm at the galley sink. Noticing her collection of roosters staring at me I swept the dishrag over the counter, oops...that rooster was asking for it.

True story. 

For me, this return to terra firma kept proving just how much I'd changed.  Once recovered from the rooster attack I smiled, I couldn't remember how to act in a land based home. Leaving what I knew and starting anew brought on many emotions. Changes took place in me while I was away that may made me more sensitive, alert, happy and courteous.


Symptom 2)  Slow is the new fast.

Earlier in the day, I was told I could drive the car. (Gram's southern.)

Gram: Jessica.
Me: Yes?
Gram: Honey, you got to drive the speed limit child!
Me: I feel like I'm going so fast!

Yes. Walking can be faster than sailing, did you know that? Our most recent trip we'd done 4 knots all the way to Jamaica. Aboard Felicity, I joke that my cheeks flap at 10 knots!! Seriously though, driving in cars going high speeds wig me out. I rode a bike for 4 years!


Symptom 3) Budget, Budget, Budget

Running an economic cruising boat is something you learn as you go. Budget talk makes me cringe but GR is the money man. Thankfully, for us (me) he enjoys this task. He is constantly figuring costs when planning our next anchorage or our monthly projects all in order to keep our dream alive. When we are cruising we have learned to live more simply and work together as a team as each dollar is viewed as a fuel for our adventures! That being said, life on land becomes this constant negotiation of dollars and cents. Are we spending money that is supporting "the dream" is a question we often ask ourselves.




If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms like these or others, you may need to seek a local happy hour or cruiser's potluck and start sharing stories and laughter!!

I'm sure I've missed a few other symptoms, have any to add?

We Adopted not One but Two!

 Caico & Provo 

2007 - present

Provo:

Grey Tabby

Green Eyes

Lazy Lover & Keeper of the Food Bowl

Alias: Fat Cat/Grey Cat

Caico:
Black Tortoise Shell
Green Eyes
Fierce Huntress & Loner
Alias: Skinny Cat/Black Cat

We adopted Caico and Provo from the Turks & Caico's SPCA in 2007. We were on our way North from Grenada and the weather just seemed to have us pinned in Sapodilla Bay. We knew we were headed back to our lives on land. San San was for sale and we were looking forward to moving back into our home but in the meantime we had been longing for some "new addition". A boat cat seemed just right.

The Turk's & Caico's SPCA was big on "Potcakes" this we knew but decided to take a chance and ask about kittens. As we walked through the door the woman at the front desk sighed, " We don't have any dogs at the moment." To which we cheered, " Great! We are looking for a cat!" We learned, oddly enough, they just received a litter of 5 kittens along with the mother, a stray, and were just getting them vaccinated. We were escorted to the Veterinarian's Office where we could take a look at our choices for a new shipmate. There were 5 tiny (4 weeks) kittens meowing and climbing all over this cold, metal cage.

I immediately fell in love with Caico. I've always had a thing for black cats and she had a little orange spot on her head - pumpkin head! Once in my hands I was smitten. That day we brought her home by way of a 7 mile walk and a short dinghy ride. She was incredibly small in comparison to our already sparse living quarters. All that night I kept thinking about Caico's poor siblings left behind and begged G to let us get another one.

The next day we went back for another little kitty! This time Gia picked, Provo, was tiny and quiet. She appeared quite content to stay huddled in the back of the cage but snuggled up to us quickly. Caico immediately presented herself as the "Alpha" when Provo approached the food bowl. We laughed out loud as the tiny black kitten growled at her sister. The two of them slowly sniffed each other, realized they were friends not foe and began to frolic and play together. Our hearts were overwhelmed with love for these two, little love bugs that brought new life to our humble little boat.

There are many changes that must be made once you have cats on board I'll discuss them in another post. Right now, let's just savor the romantic idea of having a fluffy little kitten aboard. You'll have plenty of time to think about responsibility and liability, blah blah blah!

Here kitty, kitty, kitty!!

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Raft Up: No Man is an (I)sland!

My mother used to say that our family was like a mobile above a baby's crib, each of us connected. If one was "out of whack" the rest of us would be affected, maybe wiggle and jerk around. We were  encouraged to think about each decision we made and the impact it would have on the rest of our home.
John Donne's poem, " No Man is an Island" reminds us that we are in fact all one, connected and the impact is that much greater for cruisers due to the fact that we live in such close quarters!

There are quite a few other factors that make cruising and relationships more challenging than NOT.

• The biggest challenge being the lack of real space we have to separate ourselves from one another. Nothing makes the boat feel smaller than tension! We have instituted the 5 minute rule. Once a conflict has presented itself, the two parties have 5 minutes to resolve it. There is no room on board to continue with the typical silent treatment. Get all your issues out on the table, respect each others opinion, see things from the other parties point of view. Learn to agree OR learn to agree to disagree, period. The end. In the event that this just can't work, try a ride in the dinghy. Sometimes a change of scenery like quiet time on the bow or cockpit. These rules apply to all parties, regardless of age. How quickly things are put into perspective when suddenly the two of you have to work together to deal with a dragging anchor or drifting dinghy. You are then thrust into your familiar roles as team players and all the tension falls away!

• Time spent apart becomes less and less as you shed the financial responsibilities. With no job to report to, no school, no Grandma's down the street to babysit and no real schedule seems to leave everyone wondering what to do with themselves. It takes some time to learn to enjoy yourself, your hobbies or make plans with other cruisers. Fill up your days with boat projects, or home-school followed by an onshore play-date. Keep moving. It's easy to fall into a lazy pattern that can breed stress. As far as romancing your significant other, if you have been together long enough you know that you can make "things work" anywhere with very little noise and movement even while the children and/or guests are less than 20' away! Sometimes, that's all we really need to find relief! Believe me, somehow we always find a way, right?!

• Now that we have covered two main reasons for tension as a live aboard cruiser, Space & Time. Let's talk about how much fun it is to be ALONE!! I loooove me some alone time. AND I don't actually have to be alone to enjoy it.  I can hop into the head and spend an hour by myself plucking my eyebrows, painting my toenails or re-organizing our toiletries! I enjoy reading for hours in a hammock on the foredeck and can completely separate myself from what's happening on the boat even with the sound of the drill screaming in the background! A deserted island isn't often thought of as a dream come true but it seems to be all we keep searching for! As cruisers, by definition we are aiming to be different, to be separate from the rest. Savor your alone time, use it to enhance who you are and then spread your happiness out into the world that surrounds you, don't become a curmudgeon!!

Thanks for reading our thoughts on Relationships on Board! Please check out what our other bloggers had to say by clicking on the icon below.
Namaste.


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What's the Reward?

Image found here.

Best Buy. Winn-Dixie. Pet Smart.

All have what in common??

They all have a rewards system. Who doesn't these days, right? You only need to open your wallet to see the tiny plastic cards plastered with brand names. There seems to be the idea that everything bears a reward. Especially things we spend our money on! So when dreaming of sailing away someday on a boat you don't often think of all the working time you will spend; covered in grease, grim, or paint. Using your boat helps you appreciate all the time you spend working on her. It seems for the past, well, year and a few months, we haven't gotten to do very much playing!

Well, today we went ahead and cashed in some of our rewards!! We needed a change of scenery but we won't be docking anywhere else, anytime soon, so we flipped Felicity around! Funny, how such a small adjustment can turn a the stench of routine into the spark of adventure! We are now looking out over the canal. I can hear the sound of a wake as it slaps under each dock before it gently rolls Felicity in her slip. I needed today something serious!

I'll never forget the first time I sailed out of that first inlet. Lake Worth. I was so excited and nervous I was glued to the port side railing the whole trip. In the morning as the sun blinded my bloodshot eyes, I saw dolphins in insane blue water. It was precisely that moment when I realized I would suffer that pain again in a second (if given the chance) to make this memory one more time!! That is the reward my friends.

The reward of cruising varies for everyone. What are some of your favorite rewards of cruising?
The perfect tan.
Cooking with native produce.
More family time.
Bonfires!

Several Projects Underway

Having GR home for *good* is an amazing sigh of relief for us. It seems that over the last few months we have done more projects than in the past year we have owned the boat. Since our change of scenery he has significantly cut down his travel time to and from work AND now he will no longer have to leave for charter trips! A recent change allows him to only work Monday - Friday with no trips and weekends are just for US; meaning more completed projects aboard Felicity! (clap, clap, clap)

When I last wrote about our head project we had just begun painting, well painting is complete. We are now in the process of researching products and prices for flooring and counter tops. On Friday, we were able to go shopping together at a couple of the local places to check out laminates. Then we measured the floors and counter tops in all three heads and came up with our numbers. After some comparison we have narrowed it down and have two winners! Alas, the ordering is on hold because we have a much BIGGER project underway at the same time!

Did I forget to mention on fuel system is currently inoperable? Hmm, yea well, something we have struggled with since the beginning is the fuel system. A pretty serious issue to have is we want to actually "cruise". By far, the longest hold up of this progress has been traveling (for work). GR did an amazing job re-configuring the entire manifold and even added a fuel polishing system. Felicity, built in 1968, has mostly been untouched and much remains original including original fuel valves and copper fuel lines. Of course, this was state of the art equipment 44 years ago but time and technology have advanced rather quickly and it's time to adapt! We were able to remove the old manifold, prep, paint and install the *new* manifold. Designed by GR using bronze shut off and elbows etc, he had the panel made by Ward's Marine. Here's a picture for now but I will go more in depth in another post.

Fuel Manifold from 1968

Fuel Manifold from 2012

Small advances were made including the addition of a hand crank pencil sharpener! (Yes, I am old enough to remember these) This little addition makes life just a little easier and astheticallly, it brings a little vintage feel back to the engine room!

Kids4Sail - Where Cruising Kids Come First!

Site is actually now, Kids4Sail.ning.com

Raising kids on a boat is something I had absolutely no idea about until I had to do it! Even now, that I have done it, I consider myself no expert!
Plenty of people email and ask me questions like:

How did I plan?
What was it like homeschooling?
How did the kids respond to cruising?

My answer is this; with all the rum punches in between the whirlwind of cruising over 13 different countries, 3 different boats, 2 adopted cats and 4 school grades I don't know how it went but she turned out awesome so... I'd say it went pretty dang well!! My blogging has morphed quite a bit since we began this journey and unfortunately I have no old blogs to refer to our child rearing experiences aboard; only my memory holds the little tricks I learned along the way.

BUT if you are planning to raise your kids aboard someday have I got the website for YOU!! Kids4Sail is an incredible way to meet other cruising families. The website is a host for blogs, read their blog, photos, videos and even has a forum for kid related topics such as homeschooling and activities aboard! I "met" Erika Lelievre, the administrator/organizer of this site online through a mutual friend, a cruising mom, and joined the site as a way to keep in touch with the many children we've met while cruising. The best tool we've found is the "Member Map", it's been great for planning to arrive in an anchorage with some kids and scheduling play dates or home school dates! For you, it can be a veritable gold mine of information to help push you into (or out of) a pending decision.

Our little site has grown in leaps and bounds and we are hoping to gain at least 100 MORE cruising kids to our list so please, please, PLEASE JOIN or PASS the website onto a cruising family you know! Be sure to check out their Facebook page too!

**Seriously, though if you have specific questions about raising kids aboard or any topics for that matter, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to dust off the cobwebs from my memory!;)

Home for the Holidays.....Or Not.

Happy Holidays!!

When was the last time YOU were home for the holidays? Cruisers, yachties and many others such as ourselves are often subject to spending the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Years in unique locations surrounded by *new* faces. It can be fun and exciting to dine "potluck" style and to be introduced to new traditions but it can also be hard for families to cope without their loved ones.
 
Being in the yachting industry (or any service industry for that matter), holidays and weekends just aren't the same. Typically, we ("yachties") work every weekend and every holiday; it's just expected. It just comes with the territory. We work for people who work hard and want to play hard with their families aboard their *awesome* yachts, can you blame them?! Thankfully, owners' are using their boats. keeping us working and keeping us in the green. A recent study by The Triton, a local yacht crew publication shows crew perspective regarding working through this time of year. Some don't mind, some hate it but either way there's no getting around it.

Through the years we have found ways of getting around the separation.
You could celebrate at another time of the year when time off is more acceptable.
You could celebrate in unique ways like by using modern technology to be a part of your family party via Skype or Facetime.
Or you could just quit your job and go home! (At your own risk, of course)

Seriously, this year we are super thankful to both have great gigs that allow us more freedom during the holidays, meaning we will both be home on the "big" days. All three of us will go to sleep on Christmas Eve and wake up together to open presents, eat an incredible breakfast and spend the day playing with our new things and just plain enjoying ourselves. This year we are doing it right!

Forward and Reverse

So I know I've been blabbing about how awesome it is that we don't have a car and haven't for three years (2009). How we love the exercise and how we never live too far from anything...well, that has all ended. In Miami public transportation was a breeze but in Fort Lauderdale things aren't so easy.

On one hand, I really wanted a car, like in the way a little girl really wants anything! I wanted it because I felt I was "too old" to be riding my bike 20 miles a day and arriving any/everywhere looking like a sweaty, disheveled mess. I wanted to be able to bring our daughter to play dates and help out the other Moms who so graciously traveled both ways in order to make up for our lack of transportation. I wanted to be able to sneak down to Miami and visit GR when his boat moved from one marina to another to await the arrival of owners. I wanted to be able to drive up to Daytona Beach for the holidays and see my Grama and other friends we miss so much! I wanted to hop in the car and drive to work when it was raining and/or cold, not bundle up into a bunch of layers and then shove all the extra clothes in my backpack because by afternoon it's back up to 80 degrees here!

On the other hand, I hated the idea of spending money on said car, a very temporary item, at least for us. In our bigger view of our future we do not have a need for a car. We will have the scooter, 3 bicycles and our dinghy (soon to come) but definitely -  NO CAR! I hated the fact that most of the reasons for getting the car were "wants" not "needs". Mostly, I hated that I was putting money towards something that wasn't going to accelerate our cruising "shove off" date. Yet, I made the decision anyway.

Here she is ... I'm calling her *Mellow* mostly because she looks like a marshmallow and slightly because I need to be reminded to just - be - mellow. I know this decision will turn out to be beneficial (Christmas tree hauling by bicycle would look quite funny) and there's always the fact that we will sell her before we do take off, because we will. Eventually.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying expressing gratitude for the ability to work hard and get the things we want and experience the freedom of a longer range of motion that "Mellow" provides in forward and in reverse!! ;)

Give a Little Bit

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With the holiday season *rapidly* approaching many people are in search of the perfect gift. What better than a gift that gives back?! Our favorite non profit, Casa Guatemala, just released their new 2013 Wall Calendar now available for purchase on Ebay! Check it out! If your into photos, travel, smiling children or Guatemala this calendar will bring a smile to your face AND theirs! The calendar is priced right and benefits the beautiful children you see pictured throughout the pages.

Along with their everyday needs, our contact Heather let me know that the Casa needs a new (to them) VHF radio. The VHF radio is used to communicate to over 800+ boats along the Rio Dulce and without one they are unable to promote themselves. Announcements like the Especial De Dia from Hotel Backpackers Restaurant (Casa Guatemala's main financial support) and  also letting cruisers know when the delivery boat will be passing by selling fresh, baked breads and the fresh meats and cheeses that Casa Guatemala makes! If you are able to help in some way to provide Casa Guatemala with a new VHF radio, please be in touch! You see, although Casa Guatemala seeks support from people like you and me they also support themselves from within by growing fresh fruits and vegetables, teaching farming techniques and running the Hotel Backpackers Hotel & Restaurant!

If you are able to contribute in some way or are preparing a trip to Guatemala's Rio Dulce please consider practicing some "Karma Yoga" and give a little bit of yourself to them. You won't regret it!

Travelers with a Boating Problem.

The question is Sailor? or Traveler?

• Sailing - The fine art of getting wet and becoming ill, while going nowhere slowly at great expense.

• Travelling - To go from one place to another, a journey. 

The answer is ....

I have always been a gypsy soul; prone to wandering and unable to stay in one place for a long period of time.  Sailing only came into my life in the last 10 years, when I met my soul mate. (awwwww!) When we met I really had no idea how to sail or how the change of lifestyle would affect me.  He told me his dream of sailing through the Caribbean and living on a boat. We spent countless hours on Yachtworld.com looking for the perfect boat. (We are still looking by the way.) Well, that sounded right up my alley! Little did I know I would dry heave for an entire 8 hours while we slogged along at a painstakingly slow 6 knots on our first Bahamas shakedown sail. (I now know that 6 knots is actually a great speed, as long as your not ill.) Once the sun rose and that unmistakable cerulean blue water illuminated the sea before my eyes I knew my yakking was not in vain. As the dolphins breached and danced in our bow wake I thought to myself, “This is so worth the pain and embarrassment of seasickness.” Over the past 7 years of cruising we have been to over 15 different countries and seen too many cultures and landmarks to count. That my friend is living! 

Sailing is fun, but I could just as easily hop on a plane, train or in an automobile if my goal is simply getting there.  Not to mention sailing is still the most inexpensive way to travel considering the cost of fuel these days. I’m not sure I would sail around a lake or just go sailing every weekend just to “get out there”. I mean I didn’t do it before and living aboard doesn’t allow for very many “leisure sails”. To me, traveling is what boats were meant to do. I have often asked, “Why would anyone want to live on a boat that doesn’t travel?”  The cramped quarters, the lack of shower, refrigerator or air condition are all things that personally I have only gone without only as a compromise to the simple fact that I was living in paradise; even if it was temporary.

In our case this lifestyle is truly about the journey, learning and fixing and growing along the way. Ghosting along under a full moon with all the wind Gods shinning down on you can be magical.  And pulling into a new harbor with excited eyes that just soak up everything the island has to offer is what keeps me cruising. However, you can’t be in a hurry and you have to be ready to expect the unexpected.

Originally, sailing felt like vacation.  We sailed through the Eastern Caribbean stopping at every different island experiencing their cultures, food and landscapes. Yet in the back of our minds there was still a home to go back to; a King sized bed to long for, a walk in closet, a garage, a yard. So when the sun beat us down, when the leaks came through the cabin, when the bugs ate us alive we had something to dream about. Going home. But then, being home left us restless, we knew that we could never be content in one place for the rest of our lives. The search began for another boat. We sold the house and the cars and moved aboard full time. With nothing to look back at we were able to come to terms with our new home and our new lifestyle with wild abandon. We learned to adapt to the changes that come with leaving your homeland and entering  strange new countries with different values, foreign languages and unique foods.

Sailing, like we see in the movies rarely happens. When it does, yes, it is magical and perhaps that is why we all keep going out there. Over my experience there are some things I have learned about myself. What I do and don’t like. I do not like the jerking motion associated with rough seas. I am a fair weather sailor. Generally speaking that means we leave with light winds because heavier winds mean bigger seas. Lighter winds mean we run the engine. We have never ever felt bad about the fact that we are motor sailors, let those other wind junkies go slogging out there in 6 foot seas, not me, not me. I do not enjoy spending days on a constant heel. I do not enjoy taking spray over the bow without the comfort of a dodger to hide behind or inside steering station. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt!!

Hence the fact that we now live on a power boat. Yes, we gave up our deep keel and white sheets for Detroit Diesels. We still want to travel, we don’t want to commit to a house on land, nothing could keep us away from boating. Having our experiences and our choices we also now want comfort, space and speed. Felicity affords us all of that. For us, we have lived on the sailor’s side, we loved it and we learned many things. For now, we are on a different path but we are still traveling and we will never stop.

Travelers? Yes. 

Travelers with a boating problem? Definitely!

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Last Day in The Grove

Today being our last day in the Grove(for now), I feel completely satisfied knowing that we have lived it up Grove-Style for the past 6 months. Prior to January 2011, we lived, worked and schooled in the Grove so we were no stranger to the coolest spots to eat out. (Some of our fav's -  Flanigan's, Roma Pizza, LoKal Burgers & Beer, The Bookstore in The Grove, Coral Bagels, The Last Carrot and others!) We have managed to live here without a car and never wanted for one. With Miami's incredible public transit system we have traveled as far south as Key West and as far north as West Palm Beach for under $15 per person. Shell Lumber the most amazing more-than-just-a-hardware-store, THREE, yes three grocery stores within bicycle riding distance and plenty of parks abound. All these things (&more) help make the Grove a great place for cruisers to come and live for a while.

But we will miss our friends the most. The people that have become part of our everyday activity, dock friends, work friends, school friends. Alas, the life of a cruiser is that of a rolling stone. We move so often yet, when & if we manage to bump into these same friends again in other ports the reunion is always that much more special! To me, the friends you make boating are the friends you keep for a lifetime. You can pick up right where you left off with them, and never miss a beat.

Today we will be bittersweet and full of hugs. Thank you to all our favorite chill spots, and see you soon to all of our friends. We will see you when you come visit us just up the road in Ft. Lauderdale.

Wishing you your own felicity,
Jessica, GR & Gia

It's FRIDAY!

When we were cruising and I could never remember the day, I just had to log on to Facebook and see all the posts about it being Friday. Now that we are working "real" jobs, I am fully aware of what day it is. Today, I am happy it's Friday tomorrow I have the day off. But I won't be sleeping in. We will be getting up early to take the boat over the to Rickenbacker Causeway. There we will meet a fuel truck and receive about 160 gallons of fuel. The best price we could get was $4.08 per gallon.  Once we are fueled up we will mosey on back to the marina and do a good wash-down. We need to work on the VHF radio and may need to replace the antennae. So what projects are you doing this weekend?

Change of Scenery

I'm so happy to release our BIG NEWS!

It's official - we are moving to Ft. Lauderdale! 

After 5 months of living aboard Felicity in Coconut Grove, we are moving to be closer to GR's work. Can you believe he has been commuting by bicycle and public transportation for almost 5 hours just to get to & from work? Me neither! Five months of getting up at 5 am just to get to work at 8 am. Five months of arriving home at 6 pm when his day is finished at 4 pm. Wow, what a guy!

Gia has been studying her butt off at school to pass a state mandated test called the FCAT. This week is her opportunity to show the state exactly how hard she has worked since November when she began her 3rd grade public school experience. Gia is so happy that she got the chance to meet up with her friends from Coconut Grove Elementary again, but she is definitely ready for a change. The rigorous schedule that her class has followed has allowed her to see that Home-School is awesome! Maybe next year we will continue with that plan for 4th grade.

As for me, I have given notice to both The Bookstore in The Grove & Sale Rack. I'm sad to leave them but also excited about what lies ahead! Oddly enough the girl who is taking my position at The Bookstore is also taking my position at Sale Rack too! So I think everyone is happy with the seamless transition!

Coconut Grove is one of our favorite places to live but we have never lived in Ft. Lauderdale. Our new dock will include, WiFi, Cable (with 5 HBO channels), a Swimming Pool, and it's only 3 miles from GR's job! We will be spending more quality time working on Felicity, instead of commuting! The grocery store is only 1 mile away and the beach is about 5 blocks down the road! All of the conveniences being close by is helping u avoid purchasing a vehicle, which we are really against. We don't want the expense and we love the exercise we get from biking everywhere!

This weekend was big in getting us ready for our trip up to our new home. Our official moving date will be April 28th.

Wishing you your own felicity,
Jessica, GR and Gia

The Sandbar

Me and James, GR photo-bombing us

Every place has one, a little sandbar out in the water where people can tie up like the country song, "Redneck Yacht Club" and get wild and crazy! Miami did not disappoint, our first trip to "The Sandbar" was a success. We brought all of our girls, sure they were all under 10 years old but whose checking? We filled the requirements, lots of girls! The sun was blazing, the breeze was cool and the water was the perfect blend of blues and greens.

The kids jumped off the fly bridge into the water and even swam a few hundred yards to get to the very shallow sand bank to collect shells. While we were out there having a blast we were reminded of the couple of things we want to "repair". One being a stereo and speakers, our set up is really weak. We need the front deck and all the rooms down below to be able to hear music not just the salon. Thankfully, for us a boat pulled up along side with a full on DJ on board blasting the typical booty shaking music. We weren't short on loud music or Brazilian bikinis bouncing around! We were also reminded that our time on the water can only be limited to a few hours because of our refrigeration. With this massive household fridge and no generator we can't keep our food and drinks cold.

So we enjoyed our time on the water, got some sun and headed on back to the slip. We needed that trip out so bad. We all feel refreshed, ready to go back to work and make some more money to create the dream we long for.

Electrical freedom, free from the dock; financial freedom, free from the job and creative freedom, the freedom to live our dreams!

The Objective

*borrowed from Pinterest*

So, just what exactly are we planning to do with this blog and this boat?

Although all plans are written in sand we definitely have an idea of how we want this to go down. We will just keep doing what we have always done; pray about it, work towards our goals and let everything else just kind of happen.

When we were looking for another boat after San San we knew we needed a third cabin. Why? Well for the masses of guests we plan on having come out cruising with us of course! Once we are ready, we plan to jump across to the Bahamas and invite people to fly in and experience" Island Life" as it should be. We will practice yoga on the sandy beaches of our "own" private islands and just generally do the cruising thing. We love sharing this with anyone who wants to learn and play!

Through the blog we hope to find many friends who'd like to join us. We'd like to share our knowledge with the boating community. We want to spread the wealth and find companies who will sponsor us and allow us to review products and test gear. Hopefully, we will turn our followers onto their gear. Now that we have entered the mysterious world of power boating we have all new concepts and products to explore!

So sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

Felicity's Five Favorite Items to Drool Over

"Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true." - Lester Robert Bittel

To say that we look at West Marine or Lewis Marine catalogs very often would be an understatement. I venture to say we are not the only ones though. I mean who doesn't love scanning through the pages of all that fancy gear and dreaming of having it on their own boat? Why not dream big, right?

Since it's Miami Boat Show weekend, I see it only fitting to mention our five favorite items to drool over:


12' Livingston Dinghy w/ a 30 hp Yamaha - Yes, we will absolutely get another Livingston dinghy! We had so much fun with our last one we can't think of a reason not to! We are excited to go a size up because the 10' was great for the three of us or even another full size human, but if we had two extra adults along for a ride we weren't able to plane. Since we plan to have more guests along in our now bigger boat we plan to be able to get up on a plane and hit the beach in style!


Tecma Silence Plus Heads - Sure two heads are better than one, but we've got three and only one is operable. GR was exposed to these bad boys through the current yacht he works on and he is sold! The design is easy on the eyes with clean lines, keeping all the hose under wraps. They are affordably priced at under $1,000 and operate electronically so none of that hand operated pump action. Guests will feel right at home when they just push a button to quickly and silently flush. The system has programmable flush cycles that even prevent flushing when the tank is full.


Northern Lights 10KW Generator - The difference in the technology of models built in the 1960's and today is enough to want to replace the generator not to mention the difficulty in getting parts that dated. The Northern Lights 10KW weighs less than half of what our current generator does and would offer double the fuel efficiency. The goal of Project Motor Boat is to create a live aboard motor yacht that can be as efficient as a live aboard sailboat. We don't plan on staying at the dock forever and the sooner we get to self sufficiency the sooner we can get cruising!


Magnum MS4024 Inverter Charger - Basically we will need this unit to operate the reefer; something we have grown to depend on! Although, we currently have a household refrigerator I would love to eventually have an RV style counter depth unit that would be more efficient. Our boat is currently on a 32 volt operating system which makes this unit perfect for us to slowly make the switch to a 24 volt system.


Ocean LED Underwater Lighting - You've seen them, those boats that light up the night making their own personal anchorage aquarium show! WE WANT TO BE THAT GUY! I can't tell you how long we have pined over hauling out and installing these incredibly efficient LED lighting systems. To be precise
we need to 2010 HD flush mount model. These models are easily accessible from inside the hull for maintenance and even offer color changing abilities depending on the type of water you are in! It's so cool!

So, tomorrow I will finally get the chance to make my rounds at the 2012 Miami International Boat Show and hope to make stops at these booths for more information and more drooling! See you there!

Parent to Parent

"I prayed God would give me an awesome life; I think he just made me famous!" - Gia

Okay so, after yesterday's post and comments I have to say that not only is Gia awesome, (I mean I am a little biased) but all boat kids are awesome. I got to thinking and every single one of our best friends live on boats. There's Sebastian on Jamoco, Maya & Finn on Tranquility, Arias on Necesse, Jade & Marc Antoine on L'Eau Dace 4, Storm on Cat and many many others I forgot to mention. We keep in touch with these kids through an awesome website, kids4sail.org run by an incredible boat mom as a way to foster play dates and get the kids to keep in touch with their friends even after they sail away!

Kids that live on boats have more responsibilities, they are more aware of their surroundings and learn nautical language as well as boat handling skills on top of their every day studies. Since the sailing lifestyle includes a lot of travel they are able to adapt to change and make friends quickly helping them to fit in anywhere. I'm so happy that we were able to share our lifestyle and education choices with the South Florida region through WSVN Channel 7 and hopefully even further by sharing the link with our sailing friends from all over the world!

Please take a minute and view the video. If you' d like to share it with someone that is interested in learning more about alternative education or sailing with children please do.

Click here

Felicity's Five Favorite Marinas

We have never been a fan of docks. They can take a huge bite out of the cruising kitty; but let's face it marinas can be a necessary evil. Choosing a marina to stay in for one or more nights can be a daunting task. Having up to date information and/or good cruising guides can really make the search easier. Sometimes we would just take a stab in the dark by calling random marinas that were close to where we'd be stopping and ask a few key questions. 

No matter the amenities, price is the biggest factor. Many marinas will have some but not all the amenities included in the price of dockage. That is where you compare the amount of time you are staying on the dock to the cost of the slip. Are you getting your money's worth?

In keeping with the theme of "Sailors gone Power" I must say that in the sailboat, dockage was almost never beneficial for us because we were completely electricity free. There was no reason to plug in, no refrigeration, no air condition and any of our power draws were handled by our wind generator. However, on Felicity, we "need" the dock. We have a generator that doesn't run (yet) and an electric stove, fridge, heat and air conditioning AND 32 volt lighting! Needless, to say when we began our cruise down the inter-coastal we stopped (almost) every night at a marina in order to cook and heat the boat. (North Carolina in November, need I say more?)

Since we stayed in so many marinas, I decided to give the ones that were worth our while a little love by recommending them to all of you! If you find yourself in this neck of the woods you won't be disappointed and I'll tell you why not...

Ocean Isle Marina 

North Carolina just 2 miles east of mile mark 335.5

Ocean Isle Marina will always have a special place in our hearts because it was there where first laid eyes on our new girl, Felicity. OCM has all the benefits a traveling cruiser needs, internet, shower and laundry facilities, fuel, and water. There were hardware stores, grocery, eateries as well as thrift stores nearby and car rental was easy! They specialize in winter storage due to their location in North Carolina and their ease of access out the inlet attracts many center consoles and sport fishing vessels. They have dock space for up to 30 vessels but could also accommodate larger vessels as they have a few long spaces. OCM gave a us a very warm welcome into our new venture of power boating. The staff was friendly and helpful in helping us get off the dock and underway. Gia made friends with the resident dog, Toby, a Labra-doodle and even got us a walk on the beach with Toby's pet, Tim.

Osprey Marina

MM373 Myrtle Beach SC

Osprey Marina is by far the least expensive, $1 a foot! Seriously! When we called they weren't sure they had room for us, so we waited for a call back. Sherry, Osprey Marina manager called back to let us know they had "made" room for us. We were a bit curious but found out after we arrived a marina employee who lived aboard moved his boat just so we could have that slip. Talk about accommodation! We were instructed to go to the office and get our "welcome gift". The office shares a space with a well stocked mini market and a cafe/grill. Sherry, the sweetest lady invited us to free crackers with all the jams, jellies and butter we'd like to try! After we settled up she handed us a gift bag filled with goodies! They also offered, free internet that was easy to access from inside the boat.

*Recently, we even received a call from Osprey Marina, to thank us for staying with them.

Port Royal Landing Marina

Beaufort/Port Royal SC MM 539

This marina dazzled us with their excellent customer service. They had internet service, cable, and water. There was a charge for electricity but it was minimal. We called in and were given easy instructions to pull up to the face dock. The same person who spoke to me on the phone tied up our lines and when we were tied off he reached to shake GR's hand and said, "Welcome to Port Royal!" That right there, that small but powerful, southern hospitality struck a chord with us. We have told everyone about the place ever since! It didn't end there. We have always joked about finding a marina with a courtesy car. Well, yup, they had one. Although, we didn't need it, we did giggle knowing we had finally hit one of those marinas!

*Port Royal Landing Marina did not hesitate adding us to their e-mailing list and we even received a post card thanking us for our patronage!

Fernandina Harbor Marina

On the Florida/Georgia Border @ MM716

What a great welcome into Florida. Stopping at Fernandina was a great way for our friends from Georgia to come over and see us! Staying in Fernandina was a fabulous treat! I love the vibe of that old time Florida town. There are many shops nearby house in those old brick buildings that transport you to times gone by. Fernandina Harbor Marina has one of the largest face docks offer 1,000 ft of space and it gets filled pretty quickly. They offer fuel, laundry and internet access as well as cable and water.

Dinner Key Marina

25.43.9 N  80.14.3 W  Mile 1095

We are now able to call Dinner Key our home. Officially, we are tied up to the dock on Pier 7 and we are content. We are so busy with work that we haven't had too much time to dig in to many boat projects but being at the dock allows easy access to shore for work and school. Dinner Key has a friendly staff and water & electricity are included in the dockage. However steep the price, we know that we have it good living on the water. The homes on shore rent for far more than we pay so we feel we are better off since our home can carry us wherever we please in good time! Coconut Grove is an awesome location allowing for us to feel the city vibe of Miami but still be in a small village where everybody knows our name.


Wherever you are, remember that you can always change your attitude even if you can't change your scenery:)

Hotel Backpackers

If you ever take a trip to Guatemala, go to Hotel Backpackers. Some of our readers are sailors, cruisers or just plain world travelers. So when I say if you ever get to Guatemala, I really mean when you get there!

Located on the Rio Dulce in El Relleno, Guatemala Hotel Backpackers is along the "Mayan Route" allowing visitors making their way through the popular spots to catch a glimpse of life on the river. This photo is taken at night just off the pier of the Hotel and captures the Restaurant lit up at night! Hotel Backpackers is the organization Casa Guatemala's way of supporting themselves by operating a beautiful restaurant with fantastic food at great prices and a hotel for, you guessed it, backpackers. Those are mainly people travelling through the country on a budget. Most times volunteers of Casa Guatemala stay at the hotel as well and ride in a launcha to the orphanage every morning. (Oh, how I miss the river.)

Heather @  Hotel Backpackers is a great voice on the river hosting the Cruiser's Net once a week. She has the most enthusiastic broadcast and announces specials & events the go on at the restaurant every day, even Sundays. My favorite was the Thai food, and Gia's was the Tortizza (mini pizza on a tortilla). The Casa also goes around to every marina on a launcha offering goods for sale, every Tuesday and Saturday. Now, this was a special treat! The boat would be filled with coolers carrying, delicious meats, cheeses and freshly baked breads! Boaters didn't even have to venture off the deck of their boat and you couldn't miss them because they would shout out, " Casa Guatemala" as they passed every boat at a slow drift!

Hotel Backpackers and Casa Guatemala are on Facebook, Like them!!

Casa Guatemala is a self funded organization so they get NO help from the government. Hotel Backpackers is solely run to support Casa Guatemala and often times the children that grow up at the Orphanage begin working at the Hotel and Restaurant as they come of age! Besides that only the help of supporters like you and me, and an extensive Canadian population as the founders of the Casa were originally from Canada.

I wrote last Sunday about Casa Guatemala and the good work that they do providing shelter, medical care and education for the desperately needy families in the surrounding areas. Several of you had more questions about Casa Guatemala and wanted more information. For more information email us @ MVFelicity at Gmail. Make a donation directly by clicking HERE.

Slideshow of the Hotel here.

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