Happy Birthday Bling

Bling bling

For my birthday Tom surprised me with a new anchor.....sort of.  I say sort of because a cruising friend accidentally told me this summer when it arrived in Trinidad and we were KC.  "Your new anchor is here."  Ooops.

Wrapped up like a proper birthday present

I was THRILLED.  It is a known fact that most women like bling.  A gift of bling gets a big thumbs up.....and maybe more.....ehm.  Boat bling is two thumbs up with certain boat chicks (SISO =sailing in sail out).

New anchor chain

So this fall when we returned to Trinidad we collected our new anchor chain and my birthday bling.
Our previous anchor chain was very rusty.  The trip of the Esiquibo River sealed it's fate.  There are no facilities in the Caribbean capable of re-galvanization.  Actually, cruisers used to get it done in Venezuela but those days are gone (for now) as it is not safe to cruise there currently.  *We hope that changes in the near future as stories of cruising days gone past there sound wonderful and we look forward to the day when we can safely cruise there.

Shiny

The choice of anchor is like asking Ford or Chevy, Republican or Democrat, Bud or Coors, salty or sweet?  Ask this in company of a group of cruisers and you are sure to get a wide variety of answers, discussion, and potential raised voices and maybe a fight if it's a long happy hour.  The truth of the answer is that there is NO perfect anchor.  NONE!  Anchors are designed for specific bottoms (anchoring floor).  Modern anchors are designed as best they can be for as many different bottoms as possible.  However, it just isn't possible to design one for ALL bottoms.  So you buy the best solution for the type of bottom you will be anchoring in most.

Old (left) New (right)

Our previous anchor - a CQR was THE anchor in it's day.  It is a good anchor.  However, technology has come a long way.  The new anchor is a Rocna 20 - 42 some pounds.  It is THE anchor of the day......according to many.  It has many kewl features.   From the Rocna web site - "The roll-bar ensures that the anchor always arrives at the ideal angle for penetration, and the setting skids guide the fluke tip which acts as a sharp chisel cutting into the seabed. With a third of the anchor’s weight on its fluke tip, an instant reliable set is ensured with every use.  Of all anchor types, a concave fluke gives the greatest resistance, and through clever design Rocna provides the largest fluke area possible. In very soft seabeds, this provides the holding power to secure your boat. On hard or weedy sea floors, Rocna’s chisel tip ensures that it cuts through and bites deep."
Well there ya go!

We decided to go with 175 ft of  5/16 G4 (high test)  galvanized chain.  We prefer all chain for our primary anchor rode.  However, we ditched our old chain last year in Carriacou - giving it to Lumba Dive to use on a dive buoy.  After that, we used our 75ft of chain and 150 ft of nylon line (5/8).  It worked just fine.  That given, for purposes of sleeping through the night, ALL chain is much preferred by me - so I don't freak out AND for Tom so I don't wake him up when I am freaking out.

It fits

We are pretty excited to use this new set up this coming season.  I posted a pic of the new birthday bling on FB.  Many,  many of our cruising friends left comments saying that we are going to LOVE the Rocna.  One cruiser warned Tom to hang on when anchoring the first time.  "It really bites so hang on".  I hope so.

UPDATE -
We are currently in Grenada in our second anchorage.  LOVE the new chain and my birthday anchor bling.  The Xmas winds have arrived aka it has been blowing and yet, we are set.  Woo hoo.

New anchor and chain in action

PS - if you are a cruiser, sailor, boater and you have a different anchoring configuration, good for you.  I post this only from our experience standpoint.  Chevy, Ford, Democrat, Republican, Bud, Coors, salty or sweet......I don't care.  It's all good.     

Birthday in Georgetown

We spent October 4th in Georgetown SC.  My birthday!  It's a funky little town that many experienced cruisers recommended.  Unfortunately the town had a bad fire along the historic riverfront two weeks ago.  Four old buildings burned down, 8 or 9 families were mis-placed and 130 people are out of work because of it.  But the good news is no one was killed.  When we cruised by that area on our way in, a crew was already razing the burnt remains of the buildings so they can build back which is great news.  We anchored at the long end of a bunch of moored boats, some which looked as tho the owners had forgotten them.  *FYI - turns out the recycling plant at the end - near our anchorage runs 24/7!  AND most of the bulk shipment of stuff to be recycled must come in via truck in the middle of the night.  It was SO loud.  Like emptying the trash after a really great party x 1000 type of loud.
Anyway, we launched the dinghy and Tom treated me to a late lunch ashore at Wild Fish.  I had the fried flounder tacos.  Tom had angry ahi tacos.  Delish on both accounts.  I learned later from my friend Emily that Oct 4th is national taco day.  I did not know that until now.  I am not sure decides those things but...ok.
We walked around the main waterfront street checking it all out.  We happened to find Kudzu's bakery.  Omg!  It was late in the afternoon so all they had left in the way of fresh baked bread was French baguettes.  We bought one along with to very reasonably priced wines ($7 & $9). We were so tempted as they had some amazing pre-cooked, pre-made ready to bake items on the freezer cases - bacon wrapped scallops, spectacular looking chicken pot pies, a wonderful variety of exotically stuff ravioli and.....croissants (butter, cheese and CHOCOLATE) that were calling my name!  The prices were again surprisingly reasonable.  But we were good and stuck to the baguette and wines.
Tom cooked a late birthday dinner onboard s/v Honey Ryder of steaks with green beans.  A divine smoked Gouda fit perfectly with the baguette as appetizer and dessert - the baguette was that yummy and cheese is my desert island food so it's always good.  It was a wonderful birthday.  Absolutely perfect aboard bday.  Hopefully the first of many abroad!
FYI - The wooden Boat Show scheduled for Georgetown towards the end of this month is still on.  If you are in the area, you should stop by.

Sabrina's Sail Loft - BDay Gift

Tom played drums.  Tom still plays around on drums. 

Tom has a kickass set of purple bongos.  They are fun.  They are going on s/v Honey Ryder.

Paper pattern

But he needed a carry case.  Something to protect them so I made him a custom, padded bongo bag for his 50th birthday.

Cutting out the top and bottom

 I had to do the work in secret so it would be a surprise.

My secret, temporary canvas shop

Staples helped hold the seams until I could sew them

Almost done

Padding on top, bottom and around give added protection

Finished product.

Happy 50th Birthday Cap10 Tom

A big birthday deserves a big Par Tay so that is exactly what we did. Friends braved the cold and snow to help Cap10 Tom celebrate in style - 42 close friends to be exact.  *Yes, we crammed 42 people in our small home. 

Like a rat on a Cheeto, the party guests had picked the food table practically clean by 2:30am when the last group of friends left.

And how does Tom feel about turning 50?

"It's just a number.  No big whip." 

What Do Sailor's Do In The Winter?

If it's a snow day and it's also your 50th birthday (like it was for Tom).....

You shovel a path to the hot tub.

Put on your swim trunk's, crank some tunes on the outdoor speakers and go for a soak.

You might even try rolling in the snow like Nordic people do.

Or crazy 50 yr olds!

*Last week I was in Guanacaste Costa Rica where it was 92 everyday and 73 each evening.  I find all this snow rather rude.

Sailor J 2009 Bday

Sailor J...aka...Cap10 Tom...aka...Tom had a birthday Feb 21st. This happened to coincide with the next free Womens Sailing Seminar that I am taking from Kansas City Sailing. Kewl! Party after. The guys all met us sailor girls after the seminar at Slow Ride Saloon, a biker bar and grill in KU Land.

Tom knew we would be celebrating his bday but he didn't expect cards, gifts and a kick ass cake. But hey, if you are a kewl sailing guy with kewl sailng friends, you have to celebrate with a really kewl sailor cake. I designed a Sailor J themed cake with the help of the internet and Price Chopper bakery brought it to life on sugar paper. And I don't want any feedback on here about copy right. We were eating it people, not selling it for profit. Besides...it was a very nice artistic interpretation of someone's work.

It was good to see everyone from the lake and we even have some new friends from Lake Perry Yacht Club that came after the seminar. Kevin and his nephew showed up to surprise Cap10 Tom as well. Once it was down to a core few, we decided to wander on to downtown KU Land to a new joint - Anglers that has become a regular with Compy Comp and Special K. Anglers didn't disappoint. We found room at the bar and quickly introduced ourselves to the bar tender and manager. We pointed out the birthday sailor boy and let the bar tender work his magic. All in all a pretty good time.