Well we spent our first night at sea. We had very mild wind from the South East until about midnight, almost nothing. I was on my watch when I saw a sail boat to the West. He didn’t go away and almost seemed to be heading towards us, and it was. The boats running lights were showing red and green, meaning he was heading our way. Well it proceeded to circle us and I tried hailing it on the radio, no response. After a few hails and a few maneuvers it was on our same tack about 400 feet off of Splendid’s starboard side. He finally answered and reported the boats name as “pack it up” and continued to sail very close. He told me he was on his way to Fort Myers. I told him he’d need to turn around to get there and he was heading South East. Very strange behavior for another sailboat, I don’t really know what to make of it.
It really started blowing (25-30) after midnight and the sky to the East was full of lightning. Guin and Sam slept through it all. I got Sam up at 2:15am for a shift and she was at the helm until 5:30. All in all a peaceful night at sea. It’s still blowing and we are about 25 miles from dropping the hook . The sun just came up a bit ago.
I picked up an AT&T air card before I left and signed up for their cellular Internet. That is how I can be a bit off shore and post an update, cool eah? The bummer is it is my first and only bill since I left in 2003, arg!
I’ll have video and pictures up soon.
Peace everyone.
Sail far and live slowly.
– Alex
Published in Alex Dorsey
Ya’ll know what Capt. Ron says!!!
Dean
Way to go, Alex Sam and Guin!!! We’re excited that you are on your way! Put up pictures of your new home (on the move) soon. Let us know when you’re in the Chesapeake, we’d love to see you again. Alex, how wonderful you met Sam and Guin-we look forward to meeting them.
We send our love and good wishes to all of you-Andrea and Peggy
Sorry I missed you. By the time I hit the water, 9:30 a.m. you guys were long gone. Best of luck to you and I’ll see you out there somewhere, sometime… I tipped some rum and blew the conch shell for ya’ll…
Capt. Paul
s/v Star of Orion
Sorry I missed you. By the time I hit the water, 9:30 a.m. you guys were long gone. Best of luck to you and I’ll see you out there somewhere, sometime… I tipped some rum and blew the conch shell for ya’ll…
Capt. Paul
s/v Star of Orion
i spent the night in the winnipeg international airport. i went through customs at 5am, and left for minneapolis airport around 0730.
i spent the rest of the day bouncing around airports, finally making it to miami(they also lost one of my toolboxes. thanks northwest airlines!!!), where i caught the greyhound to marathon, where i caught a cab back to my boat.
I have found Alas ransacked and stripped.
Solar panels = GONE
Ourboard dinghy motor = GONE
Honda 1000i generator = GONE
the inside is trashed. (i left in a rush, so it wasn’t all that orderly to begin with, but it still ads insult to injury)
if my bicycle is gone, i think i might have a bit of a nervous breakdown.
i’m quite surprised that the dinghy is still on deck, though i’m sure parts of it are missing, just to piss me off.
and i thought today sucked AN HOUR AGO!
i am so royally screwed it isn’t even funny.
i will never be able to replace all of this
nice, safe dock you have here, Gary!
THANKS A MILLION BROTHER!
i’m going to go swear myself to sleep now.
HA!
they didn’t find the sat phone!
RETARDS!
my lock was not popped, nor is anything (hatches, etc) broken.
“no signs of forced entry”
ummmm…
what the hell??!!!
Darrin, that 1000i gen wasn’t the one we traded for before you left was it ?
James
James,
kind of! i took the two apart, and made one that worked out of them.
Darrin goes to sleep
i found the outboard. looks like one of the people from the dock interupted ‘him/her/them’ and they ditched it on the dock.
1/3
still, not stoked!
Darrin,
I’m in Boot Key, I’m so sorry brother, that blows!!!!
Lets try to hook up today.
– Alex
Don’t forget to check in on the cruisers net at Marathon. I think it’s channel 68, but ask around. They have a gift bag for the cruisers that stay there, and I am sure Guin will get a kick out of it.
Keep it up buddy, wish we were sailing along side of you. Keep us posted. And don’t forget to get some Fried Key lime pie at Burdines Marina, It rocks.
Ross
i found the outboard. looks like one of the people from the dock interupted ‘him/her/them’ and they ditched it on the dock.
1/3
still, not stoked!
oops! how did that happen?!
anyway. coming to boot key in a few minutes on my bike.
i tried to reach the Net this morning when i heard it come on the radio. but i don’t have TX power enough to reach boot key.
standing by 68
You’ll love the freedom and convenience of the air card. I’ll be watching for the quick picture uploads.