January 1 - It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

New Year's Day, 2008. About 48 weeks ago we were on the rocks,
literally and figuratively, due to a wreck which threatened our very
way of life as we'd planned it. About 8 weeks ago, we were on the
rocks figuratively, due to a personal challenge which threatened our
very way of life, at least as I'd envisioned it.

In between, we recovered from the wreck, rebuilding our home and
beginning our voyage. At the end, we rebuilt our lives, to very
positive effect. Like my sig line says, every problem has a gift in
its hands. While I can't take credit for that, we've certainly proven
the theory!

This past year has been one of chaos, joy, anger, frustration,
despair, redemption, adventure and, above all, love.

Love has come from all sides and some of the most unexpected
directions. We've made so many new friends, and found so many more
that we didn't even know knew we existed, let alone that they'd go out
of their way to help us, either in need, or just "because" - usually
as a product of having read about us in this and/or Lydia's log
postings - that it would be difficult to count them. Words fail me; it
suffices, I hope, to say that we are eternally grateful to each and
every one.

In addition, along the way, we've had the occasion to reciprocate (not
directly, necessarily, but sometimes), having just the needed part or
advice or hands or all of them. Being the eldest in the birth order of
5, my natural inclination is to be the helper and fixer, and so I very
much enjoy being able to help others out of jams they're not yet
comfortable solving, or having the experience, the right tool I'll
loan or give them, or spare part that I'll give them, or in other ways
assist their progress.

However, we'd have to say that we've been massively blessed, and are
definitely in the deficit column, despite our lifelong habit of paying
it forward. Cruisers and friends of cruisers, personal friends and
friends of friends, and even support groups born out of those who have
watched us over the internet have come to our aid, again and again.
You know who you are - I'll not name names, not only out of protecting
your charity, but because I'm certain I'd leave some out, because
there's so many! - and we thank you, again.

This year has seen us go around the extremes of Florida, all the way
to New York City, and back down. Later today, we'll go to the last
large metropolitan area in the East Coast of Florida by sailing
overnight to Miami on the coattails of a strong northerly wind. That
will conclude a journey of some thousands of miles in less than a
year. That journey has included long stops in some places, usually to
work on the things that have needed shaking down in this, our
shakedown cruise. Fortunately and blessedly, our breakdowns have
become so infrequent as to be of little note, especially since they're
usually, now, so small.

Yesterday I spent several hours under the boat, connected to my hookah
rig which allows me the same ability to remain under as would be the
case with a SCUBA rig, but no bottle, instead relying on an oil-less
air pump. In my time down there, I did major physical therapy for my
right shoulder, the main reason for having bought the hookah. However,
in the process, I also cleaned the entire starboard side of the very
small accumulation of easy-to-brush-off growth, and also cleaned and
freed up (so they'll rotate, giving us the information as they move
through the water) the impellers for our speed instruments. They'd
grown grass and a few barnacles from our time at the dock in St.
Simons Island. Once we're in reliably warm water, I hope to use the
hookah every day for physical therapy. Once we're in good fishing
waters, I hope to use it for dinner!

As our travels and travails are pretty well documented in prior log
postings, I'll not repeat them here, but just say that it's been a
great adventure, and we've had a blast, after all has been said and
done. That there were terrifying times, angry times, frustrating
times, chaotic times, and many other less-than-"perfect" times doesn't
change the fact that in the end, it was joyful, blissful,
exhilarating, fun, and above all, a great adventure.

Our adventure will take a different turn for the first half of this
year, however, as we're going to Miami in order to close out our
medical insurance afforded under COBRA from Lydia's prior employment.
We'll have some tests and followups as needed while still covered with
insurance.

While we're there, we expect to have guests aboard fairly frequently,
doing as much sailing in the great sailing area, particularly at that
time of year, with usually brisk winds, as possible, and further
shaking down our boat. In particular, we want to get very familiar
with our new sails and sail track system.

We'll also be doing minor boat chores, including lots of sewing, and
installation, repair and replacement of various systems or
instruments, as able, while we're on a friend's mooring off the Miami
Yacht Club.

Then, in mid-March, we'll get off the boat until mid-June to early
July. We'll be doing shoreside family stuff, celebrating ancient
birthdays, new births, and a graduation, among others. We'll put the
boat on the ground, at a place not yet selected, as we're unwilling to
leave it in the water, where and however for that length of time,
while we're ashore. Likely we'll be north of here ("here" being Lake
Worth, a very common staging ground for boats going to the Bahamas,
between Palm Beach and West Palm Beach), as marina and storage prices
here are orders of magnitude higher than elsewhere. Then, when we come
back, we'll resume our waterborne lives.

At this point, we have the luxury of no schedules (other than the need
to be on the ground in mid-March), and no itineraries, so we have not
yet decided where we'll go when we return. One possibility will be to
jump into the Gulf Stream and head as far north as we are comfortable,
likely Maine, and work our way south, chasing (or staying in) the warm
weather and water. If we do that, we'll take advantage of the lack of
schedule to tour some of the countless areas we jumped over on the way
up and down last year.

Another possibility will be to go south (from wherever we put the
boat) again, and make the jump over to the Bahamas and begin our
Eastern Caribbean lives by easing our way down the Bahamas chain,
thence eventually to get to Venezuela. If that's the way we go, likely
we'll not be back in these waters again unless it's to sell the boat...

So, in the darkness of the first morning in the year, I'm looking
ahead. Nearly certainly, this coming year will have many adventures
for us aboard Flying Pig - but our journeying will be delayed until
about the second half of the year.

I'll post again after we reach Miami. The weather forecasts (well, you
know how we feel about the accuracy of those available to us, but
they've been saying essentially the same thing for more than a week,
so it seems reasonable to expect some congruence between the forecast
and the reality) have it as a marvelous, rollicking run from here to
Miami. We'll leave before dark, to get outside the entrance in
daylight, and pull into the Port of Miami, likely, while it's still
dark. From there we'll go to our mooring and commence local sailing!

Stay tuned for the reality of the trip...

L8R

Skip

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to
make it come true. You may have to work for it however."
(and)
"There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its
hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts."
(Richard Bach, in The Reluctant Messiah)