We left Niagara Falls, USA in a snowstorm this morning. Had a little break while viewing the Canadian side but it didn't stop snowing and the temp kept dropping. Welcome to the North. Anyway we agree with our Canadian friend Bill, the Canada view of the falls is better. The U.S. one is good but the Canadian view is nicer.
The ride from the Falls to Port Huron was full of snow and it got so cold our windshield washer nozzles froze. So we had to make periodic stops to wash the windshield. We had some periodic snow flurries through places in Michigan but once we hit Grand Rapids it became strong again and as we approached the Lake it got worse. We were worried we were going to miss our exit. But we eventually slip slides home and arrived in time for dinner. An early night tonight as Mark is tired!
About Me
- SY Sari Timur
- Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
- I am owned by Pauline and Mark Blasky. My hull was built at the Duncan Marine Yard in Taiwan and launched in Dec of 1980. It is a William Garden design based on the Pixie Design and called by Duncan Marine a Freedom 45. They are the fourth owners and have owned me the longest. They have done extensive refitting to me including replacing my entire deck structure and rig. My masts are roughly 10% taller than original and now are made of aluminium as opposed to the original wood ones, which, though pretty, were always problematic. You can read more about me under "MORE ABOUT SARI TIMUR"
January 17, 2016
Niagara Falls, Canadian Side
We went over to the Canadian side of the Falls on Sunday, after mass at one of the oldest building in Niagara Falls.
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| you can see the Falls between the trees |
January 16, 2016
Niagara Falls, USA
We are currently still in the USA for the night. The Niagara Falls are amazing, certainly a wonder of the world. We will add more photos from the Canadian side tomorrow. Just to add that the photos do not do justice to the actual view.
We were told that the Falls are lit at night so we took a short walk after dinner. Was worth the cold walk. We don't have a tripod, so the photos are a little shaky.
FishHead did get to view the Falls but it was a quick view as it was cold!
We were told that the Falls are lit at night so we took a short walk after dinner. Was worth the cold walk. We don't have a tripod, so the photos are a little shaky.
FishHead did get to view the Falls but it was a quick view as it was cold!
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| FishHead does Niagara Falls. It was so cold but we needed to show the t-shirt |
Painted Post, NY (Near Corning)
We stopped for the night in Corning. And went to the Glass Museum. We then moved to the USA side of Niagara Falls.
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| this glass decanter was onboard the yacht America during the first America's Cup race |
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| a glass bird cage |
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| an amazing chandelier like hanging |
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| the gift shop |
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| another amazing glass sculpture |
January 15, 2016
Back Stateside
We arrived in Baltimore last night and rented a car to get us to Annapolis this morning. We collected our car and drove north towards Niagara Falls. It got dark now and we're tired so we stopped near the town of Corning, NY for the night. We might visit the Corning Museum of Glass tomorrow before going on to Niagara Falls.
January 13, 2016
We are heading back to Annapolis
We are off to the mainland tomorrow. We have enjoyed our time here but can not really wait around any longer so we are heading back north tomorrow to get the car. We plan to take a scenic route to Grand Haven. Not sure if that will be via Niagara or Tennessee but keep following and discover with us.
January 12, 2016
St. Thomas
We stayed at a guest house downtown, basic but good location. Some photos of the surroundings.
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| Fort Christian |
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| some of the houses up the hill |
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| yachts in the harbor |
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| Steps up to Blackbeard's Castle |
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| Cruise ship in the harbor |
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| Blackbeard's Castle |
January 11, 2016
Off To Saint Thomas
Well the job scene did not have anything to offer here in Tortola. So tomorrow we are off to Saint Thomas. Will check on some possibles there, If not, that is where we had to go to catch the flight back to the States anyway.
January 9, 2016
Bus tour
Took a bus tour with Miss Kitty today. She took us up the hill and around to the north side to Cane Garden Bay. Great views of the islands surrounding Tortola.
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| Miss Kitty giving us the tour |
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| Mark on the beach at Cane Garden Bay |
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| View of Road Harbor, with the 2 cruise ships |
January 6, 2016
In Tortola
We arrived at 1530 local time. Cleared customs and immigration and now having a beer with dinner.
We spent 15 days at sea, overshot our estimated 14 trip. We have 2 more meals left so we're glad we got here when we did.
It will be work tomorrow and then we figure out some sightseeing and then a way back to Annapolis to pick up the car.
We spent 15 days at sea, overshot our estimated 14 trip. We have 2 more meals left so we're glad we got here when we did.
It will be work tomorrow and then we figure out some sightseeing and then a way back to Annapolis to pick up the car.
Tierra!!
Position N 018 d 39.29
W 064 d 54.33
09:00 EST Distance to go 28 nmiles
That phrase from the Captain Ron movie sprang out of Pauline's mouth this morning as we see land. Ironically the first land she saw was not Puerto Rico but we are close. If we wouldn't have been doing all of that tacking it would have been.
We hope to anchor and do customs before they close tonight in order to allow us to move over to the charter dock for the night. It is touch and go as the chart plotters are saying it will be about 4 o'clock AST when we arrive. So we may have to spend the night swinging from an anchor.
Anyway next post should be from shore.
W 064 d 54.33
09:00 EST Distance to go 28 nmiles
That phrase from the Captain Ron movie sprang out of Pauline's mouth this morning as we see land. Ironically the first land she saw was not Puerto Rico but we are close. If we wouldn't have been doing all of that tacking it would have been.
We hope to anchor and do customs before they close tonight in order to allow us to move over to the charter dock for the night. It is touch and go as the chart plotters are saying it will be about 4 o'clock AST when we arrive. So we may have to spend the night swinging from an anchor.
Anyway next post should be from shore.
January 5, 2016
Becalmed
Position N 20 d 45.13
W 065 d 08.09
Time 10:00 EST Distance to go roughly 160 miles????
Well for two days we were struggling and tacking to get back to our course and we made it just after midnight, after a very long north easterly track. We turned back with our more southerly but some westerly at 00:30 Went through a couple of squalls and then the winds just shut off. So we are motoring now. Mostly rum line but with a little easterly bias in case those elusive trades ever kick in. If not we think we have enough diesel to get us in provided the winds don't come contrary again!!! In the meanwhile we are making our course in case they do. The frustrating thing is if we only knew we could have cut that last tack short and been about 6 hours closer to our destination.
The good news is the EchoMax antenna is still up there. It seems to have wrapped itself around the topping lift so we will leave it until we reach port. Hopefully you will still have it Mike!
W 065 d 08.09
Time 10:00 EST Distance to go roughly 160 miles????
Well for two days we were struggling and tacking to get back to our course and we made it just after midnight, after a very long north easterly track. We turned back with our more southerly but some westerly at 00:30 Went through a couple of squalls and then the winds just shut off. So we are motoring now. Mostly rum line but with a little easterly bias in case those elusive trades ever kick in. If not we think we have enough diesel to get us in provided the winds don't come contrary again!!! In the meanwhile we are making our course in case they do. The frustrating thing is if we only knew we could have cut that last tack short and been about 6 hours closer to our destination.
The good news is the EchoMax antenna is still up there. It seems to have wrapped itself around the topping lift so we will leave it until we reach port. Hopefully you will still have it Mike!
January 4, 2016
Still Tacking , Squalls and maybe the death of the EchoMax
Position N 21 d 09.36
W 065 d 44.46
Time 09:15
Well, if you are plotting our positions you will see we are not that much further south today but are much further east. No, the wind didn't shift, and we gave up believing in Mr Grib and deciding we'd better take matters into our own hands now while we still have the ability to make some easting. So we did five major tacks yesterday. How disheartening when on one tack it shows under two days to go then shifting to nearly four when we tack the other direction. We have been having line squalls shifting through ever since late yesterday afternoon, some of them packing a mean punch. One we believe to having sustained gusts of around 50 knots, of course there is no wind instruments so we cannot be sure. But it wasn't that long ago we were in 47 and this seemed heavier!
Anyway during the last tack at 05:30 this morning we noticed the EchoMax antenna on the top of the mast was leaning precariously and bouncing around. Obviously whoever installed it didn't use any thread seizing compound and by 08:00 it was completely swinging free, hanging only by its wire. We have been singing the praises of this piece of equipment since we discovered it on board here. And since the only AIS is a receiver in the VHF we have been relying on it as another early warning alert. So we decided to launch a rescue mission. Mark fashioned a makeshift bosun's chair out of some line and towels and we tried to head up the mast. There is a good three meter swell out here and over 20 knots of breeze. Mark got as high as the first spreader and realized he could not hang on so we aborted. We are hoping that it lasts until we make port but it does bash around a lot so I am afraid it will be a goner by the time we hit calmer seas. Sorry Mike, we tried!
W 065 d 44.46
Time 09:15
Well, if you are plotting our positions you will see we are not that much further south today but are much further east. No, the wind didn't shift, and we gave up believing in Mr Grib and deciding we'd better take matters into our own hands now while we still have the ability to make some easting. So we did five major tacks yesterday. How disheartening when on one tack it shows under two days to go then shifting to nearly four when we tack the other direction. We have been having line squalls shifting through ever since late yesterday afternoon, some of them packing a mean punch. One we believe to having sustained gusts of around 50 knots, of course there is no wind instruments so we cannot be sure. But it wasn't that long ago we were in 47 and this seemed heavier!
Anyway during the last tack at 05:30 this morning we noticed the EchoMax antenna on the top of the mast was leaning precariously and bouncing around. Obviously whoever installed it didn't use any thread seizing compound and by 08:00 it was completely swinging free, hanging only by its wire. We have been singing the praises of this piece of equipment since we discovered it on board here. And since the only AIS is a receiver in the VHF we have been relying on it as another early warning alert. So we decided to launch a rescue mission. Mark fashioned a makeshift bosun's chair out of some line and towels and we tried to head up the mast. There is a good three meter swell out here and over 20 knots of breeze. Mark got as high as the first spreader and realized he could not hang on so we aborted. We are hoping that it lasts until we make port but it does bash around a lot so I am afraid it will be a goner by the time we hit calmer seas. Sorry Mike, we tried!
January 3, 2016
Not Much to Report
Position N 21 d 22.85
W 066 d 18.21
Time 09:00 EST
Not much to report since yesterday. We did have a slow lumpy day yesterday. We keep worrying we are too far west but the weather is not letting us gain much on that. We may end up slogging east once we reach the islands. Not a pleasant thought, but may be a necessity. We have also been looking at the notes for Soper's Hole. Though everyone seems to like it, it seems mooring buoys are usually taken up early. So we are keeping our fingers crossed we get one. Fighting in a crowded mooring field for a mooring is probably more interesting than I would like, especially with no manual steering.
The good thing is at this rate we will have a lot more time to worry about it!!
W 066 d 18.21
Time 09:00 EST
Not much to report since yesterday. We did have a slow lumpy day yesterday. We keep worrying we are too far west but the weather is not letting us gain much on that. We may end up slogging east once we reach the islands. Not a pleasant thought, but may be a necessity. We have also been looking at the notes for Soper's Hole. Though everyone seems to like it, it seems mooring buoys are usually taken up early. So we are keeping our fingers crossed we get one. Fighting in a crowded mooring field for a mooring is probably more interesting than I would like, especially with no manual steering.
The good thing is at this rate we will have a lot more time to worry about it!!
January 2, 2016
A Little Slow
Position N 23 d 01.23
W 066 d 12.97
Time 09:00
Well we slowed down. Just before midnight we even turned on the engines and began motorsailing. And that is basically what we are still doing. Trying to take advantage of each of the mini systems that might help us point more back at our rum line. So when we get in is anybody's guess but it is looking like late Tuesday or early Wednesday at present, unless those trades kick in from an optimal direction and our speeds pick back up we will just have to keep slogging on.
W 066 d 12.97
Time 09:00
Well we slowed down. Just before midnight we even turned on the engines and began motorsailing. And that is basically what we are still doing. Trying to take advantage of each of the mini systems that might help us point more back at our rum line. So when we get in is anybody's guess but it is looking like late Tuesday or early Wednesday at present, unless those trades kick in from an optimal direction and our speeds pick back up we will just have to keep slogging on.
January 1, 2016
Happy New Year
Position N 24 d 48.45
W 066 d 33.39
Time 08:30 EST Course 185
Other than Happy New Year and a position there is not much to report. No hangover regatta but sailing all the same. A bit more of the same old, same old! It is beautiful but very lumpy, the winds have backed a bit so we are not tracking as far away from our track as we were during the night. It is lumpy enough we do not want to put up any more main at present. Right now the period is enough that we tend to catch one hull or the other about every seventh wave. No need to hit them with more speed!
We have now been at sea for 10 days. So my approximate estimate is looking more probable then my hoped for estimate which would have put us in today. Oh well at least we are saving a fortune on grog bills.
W 066 d 33.39
Time 08:30 EST Course 185
Other than Happy New Year and a position there is not much to report. No hangover regatta but sailing all the same. A bit more of the same old, same old! It is beautiful but very lumpy, the winds have backed a bit so we are not tracking as far away from our track as we were during the night. It is lumpy enough we do not want to put up any more main at present. Right now the period is enough that we tend to catch one hull or the other about every seventh wave. No need to hit them with more speed!
We have now been at sea for 10 days. So my approximate estimate is looking more probable then my hoped for estimate which would have put us in today. Oh well at least we are saving a fortune on grog bills.
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