To the followers of the SV Alleluia Blog...

I started a new blog about being a Vistage chair. I'm not sure who signed up for this blog about our trip aboard Alleluia, but if you'd like to join me on the Vistage blog (a bit different than watching dolphins at sea, admittedly) please check out: http://juliegammack.blogspot.com

Epilogue

An epilogue is the concluding piece to a story, and this is just that for the blog of the SV Alleluia's Journey South.

In the last installment, we had turned north on our final leg of the journey up the west coast of Florida, destination: Gulfport, Fl.

Our green crew didn't turn green, even though we had our share of rollers on the Gulf. The final 150 miles gave our adventurers a bit of everything. A storm, a sunset and an overnight sail that served up a moon rise, star show and sunrise.

A frequent word used by commenters on my Facebook page regarding this trip was that they were 'envious' of us for this experience.

And although the pictures and the written word don't quite do justice to the discomforts and the anxieties that are a part of any kind of risk like this, what is to be envied is the extraordinary opportunity I had to be with five of the smartest, funniest, engaging people I know in an environment very few have the chance to experience.

The newsroom editor in the group got a chance to get to know one of the most prominent elected officials from Iowa, and a true leader of progressive causes, in a way I wish everyone could.

If they did, they'd understand why in 1992 I left one of the most coveted jobs in journalism as a columnist for The Des Moines Register to work on his quixotic presidential campaign. Even though it was short-lived, and the next couple years of my own career re-invenetion were monumentally challenging, I'd do it again.

You learn a lot about people when they show up on a long cruise.

Arrogance can be deadly.

Collaboration, skill, mutual support, proactive action and a sense of humor, make for a safe and pleasant journey.

Alleluia was truly blessed to have such a crew on both legs of her voyage.

And, the captain sets the tone.

Richard William Gilbert has a quiet competence that inspires trust. He teaches by example and by respecting what everyone brings to the table. The preparation that went into this before anyone stepped aboard was extensive, with safety being the Number One priority. Underway he made everyone a full participant and yet always kept an eye open for rookie errors (of which I continue to make many).

To be married to this guy is truly enviable and if I could wave a magic wand and give everyone the gift of having someone like this in their lives, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

If this blog helps inspire any of you to take on a new challenge, as a couple of you have eluded to, that unintended consequence would be truly gratifying.

If you simply followed along for the fun of it, great.

Your emails and comments were of surprising comfort on those nights when we were inside a tiny speck of fiberglass, propelled by pieces of canvas, and when land was no where in sight.

So, thank you.


The End

Heading North (finally!)

So, until this morning I was wondering how to liven up the blog from yesterday. The journey itself was uneventful. We had to rely on the motor half the time. the seas were beautiful and calm. No ships. Everything worked. Lad and Tom are catching on fast.

In fact, Tom turns out to be a ringer. He knows a lot more about sailing and navigation than he let on before coming aboard. Kinda sad, actually. Here's a guy who has had a passion for this stuff for years, but the people's business has taken over his life the past 40+ years. This trip is looooong overdue.

Dinner aboard was heavenly. Richard's famous seafood grill was a thrill from mushroom, red pepper, zuccini to scallops. Cockpit conversations with a US Senator engaged are beyond spellbinding. His normal is the stuff we read about or, rather, would LIKE to read about.

But the drama came this morning when we came into the gas dock a bit too fast (currents are challenging to maneuver) and the cap of the port light snapped off from a dock piling, splash, into the water. This was a major disaster as it's imperative to have all lights working at night and we plan on an overnight sail.

I volunteered to dive in and although Tom offered to do it, I already had my suit on and thought I'd give it a shot. I put on a face mask and went in. I just couldn't get deep enough and surfaced defeated.

Enter our hero.

Tom dove down and got it on his first try! A very impressive show for the dock hands, having no idea the salvage diver was a US Senator.

Happy endings all around..we got the cover back and I got a tidbit for the blog.

Winds are perfect and we are heading north at 6.1 knots.

It doesn't get any better than this.


Sent from my iPhone

Ps I have some great pix I can't seem to upload here so will try Facebbok

Beth and Pat depart, Tom and Lad join, the SV Alleluai

om Harkin and Lad Paul replace Beth and Pat as crew aboard SV Alleluia.

B & P got the thrill of a hard slog with strong head winds, a few thunderstorms and an alternator that needed replacing. It is with a profound sense of gratitude and awe in their seamanship that we bid them good bye.

The new crew proved to be eager and fast learners who had the sails up and anchors handled within moments of instruction by Captain Gilbert.

"Don't get uptight if you don't get the knots tied just right. We're all from Iowa," said our skipper. "So you know if you don't know how to tie a good one, just tie a lot of bad ones."

We are anchored off Tavernier Key, Tom fixed fresh Mahi Mahi delivered to us at anchor by our wonderful Key Largo hosts, Glenn and Debbie Horton, and we're now all tucked in our little bunks.

The only thing Harkin's seniority has earned him aboard Alleluia is a cabin. Lad, the younger be a few years, gets a bunk in the main salon.

At the moment, the three guys are in the cockpit debating 'polaris' (whatever that is).

Stay tuned! Heading for Key West in the Hawk Channel today!

Dolphins following Alleluia!

Ft Lauderdale

Passing condo after condo after condo after condo. We are close enough to shore to see this ubiquitous Florida landscape. Wonder how many are in foreclosure?


Our ETA for Key Largo is now 7 am.

This means the departing crew gets a liberty day to snorkel and swim! Yee ha!




- Posted by GammackGilbert

Location:N Broadwalk,Hollywood,United States

Gone Fishin'