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'

Gone fishin'

In about 20 minutes we'll be taking the sails down as we enter in to the Port Lucie area to refuel, so this will be quick.

We've been off-shore since leaving Charleston on Sunday. The doggone wind has been right on the nose most of the time, with one glorious exception. So we've been motor-sailing quite a bit.

There is a sameness to our surroundings out in the Atlantic until you imagine all the drama going on below the surface as the natural order of things takes place. We get glimpses of it now and then, when a smattering of flying fish pop up foretelling the dolphins sure to be chasing. We don't see dolphins often, maybe once a day, but it is a thrill every time.

I'll admit, there are times when I think: for all the resources it takes to do what we're doing we could be on an African safari, or spend a month at a Ritz with full spa services. Those moments come when the boat is heeled over so far you can't move from one end to the other without slamming into something. Imagine trying to use the head from that position? Those moments also come in the middle of the night, as last night, when the bright lights of a vessel appear to be coming right at us, and the radar tells the same story, and the captain doesn't answer the first VHS call to make sure he sees us. THOSE are the moments when I think: what in the hell am I doing here?

And then, the sun comes up and the sky is blue and the water is gorgeous and all those thoughts evaporate.

There are plenty of untold stories that begin over the VHF radio with distress calls to or from the Coast Guard that we never learn the outcome. Last night Karen on the sailing vessel Dalia, was hailed seven or eight times, with no response. Dalia is a 30' sailboat. Whereabouts unknown.

Here we go.

All is well

It is 3:25 am and are passing Ft Pierce, Fl, first time we've been close enough to shore to upload a post.

More to come when I can upload a couple videos...caught a couple Mahi-Mahi while underway...also got some dolphin action

The voyage off shore from Charleston has been relatively uneventful with major punctuation marks from Mother Nature around sunrise and sunset.

Getting used to watch schedules, moving about a boat with a 20-30 degree heel, and getting used to figuring out how to judge a ships speed and course in the dark of night what we're up to.

More later. Gotta get a few winks before coming back on watch at 6!

Fueling in Port Lucie around 7 am then on to Key Largo!

J


- Posted by Julie Gammack using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:S Ocean Dr,Fort Pierce,United States

Heading to Key Largo

Family and friends, we leave lovely Charleston City Marina later this morning for Key Largo. Assuming the weather forecast is correct, we'll be using the motor a good deal so a fuel stop will be required. Other than that, it's blue skies and blue water for as far as the eye can see over the next several days.

We'll have a crew change in Key Largo, a bit of crew training, then off we go to Gulfport, Fl.

Again, thanks for your encouraging words. Being at sea in a tiny speck of a boat (in relative terms) it is curiously comforting to know you're all there.

Special note to my big sister Katy: stop worrying, and yes we have life jackets on when we are on the ocean. In fact, at night they are tethered to the boat.

Cheers.



- Posted by Julie Gammack using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Fort Johnson Rd,Charleston,United States

sunset

http://youtu.be/WhX3n4dhJqQ

Pix from the sea..sunset video with song by Peter Mayer

http://youtu.be/WhX3n4dhJqQ

May 19, Day One at Sea (pix to come)

May 19

Never assume anything, say editors.

For instance, never assume anyone would be out in the Atlantic Ocean in a small sailboat at night without lights.

Pat was at the helm, autopilot guiding the way, when he became curious about an image that would appear on the radar intermittently.  It was right on the bow, which is a bad place for anything to appear in darkness (or at any time, actually).

I was on watch, and try as I might could not spot anything on the horizon either using regular binoculars or night-vision  (just like in the movies).

A voice came on over the VHS radio, crystal-clear , which meant the signal was at close range, asking: “Do you see me, Captain?”

Thus ensued an all-hands scramble to figure out what the hell was going on. 

Pat asked him what color lights he saw of ours, which would indicate his position, and we all became even more confused as we assumed who ever it was coming towards us.

Then we asked what lights he had on, and he sheepishly said his lights were out but he’d swing a flashlight.

Now, one might wonder how in the hell he expected anyone to see him without lights, but the world is made up of all kinds of lunatics.

I can tell when the captain of my heart and the captain of the boat is in high alert. His voice gets softer but firm.  We were in high alert.

Turns out we were bearing down on him, not that he was heading towards us. He stated his course, and we stated ours, and as long as we both stayed on those compass headings we would be fine. And we were.

It also served as a reminder that the new electronics are great for spotting big ships and can tell us their course and speed, but there is no substitute for having a watchful eye and the radio on at all times.

The above is a ‘sea story’. That’s what gets told when sailors get back to port:  The near misses; the dumb-asses out there and the fierce storms.

The stuff that doesn’t usually get told is the new normal experiences that we have that are the reasons we do this. The sunsets unencumbered by man-made obstacles, the occasional humongous fish that pop up out of the water, the dolphin sightings, the clear night sky where the stars are vividly on display. THAT’S what makes up 98% of our time on the sea. And that’s why we do it.

I had a weird dream. In it I was conferring with a catholic priest about how to save an historic landmark he wanted to preserve. We were having a normal conversation however I kept bouncing up and down as if I were on a pogo stick. He asked why I was bouncing and I told him I had no idea. I woke up and realized the sensation of bouncing was from the ocean. So if you’ve ever wondered what if feels like, and you’ve ever had a really long run on a pogo stick., THAT’S what it feels like.  Boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing….

Richard keeps thinking of a line from a Jimmy Buffet song, ‘Changes in Latitudes,’ that goes: so many nights I just dream of the ocean, God I wish I were sailing again….

Eta Charleston 9-10 am

Just got my first signal since going off shore. Blog and sunset video on the ocean to come!




- Posted by Julie Gammack using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Unnamed Rd,Georgetown,United States

Sails up

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duz7Wcp2rJw&feature=youtube_gdata_player




- Posted by GammackGilbert

oops...here's the Cap'n Gilbert video

http://youtu.be/P1BHtvE9zMg

Cap'n Gilbert

The Real Blue Highway Awaits

Hope these pix show up. Having a bit of technical difficulty due to spotty signals. Imagine that. Thanks to all for your emails and posts on the blog. It's fun to know you're there.

Right back atcha.

Destination: Oriental, NC

There's just nothing like a quiet overnight on anchor in a sailboat with no houses or highways in sight. Food is better. Coffee is better. Dry socks are better.

Cap'n Gilbert transformed into his Chef Gilbert persona and prepared a great yachting meal, then we all tucked in early.

The winds just aren't cooperating this trip. We'd be on course for miles heading straight into the wind, planning to open up the jib as soon as we took a turn, only to find the wind shift right along with us. Such is nature.

Prudent mariners spend a LOT Of time thinking ahead and anticipating what's going to happen, what could happen and what shouldn't happen.

So, much of today was spent by Pat checking out the life raft and a device called an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon). There's also something that goes on the life raft, if godforbid it is deployed, called a 'ditch bag' which includes a bit of food, flashlights, knives, first aid kit, trail bars, waters, a horn, flares, crowbar, sun screen, hand held radio, and batteries. Richard read a book by a guy who told a harrowing tale of being adrift at sea and the one thing he wished he'd had with him was a crow bar to fight off sharks. He has been sailing with that crowbar since 1992. It's gone to Bermuda, Martha's Vineyard and the Chesapeake. It's his lucky crowbar.

Tomorrow's the day we head into the Atlantic. Finally. We plan on only two days, but if the wind cooperates we might just keep on truckin'

I doubt seriously I'll have a cell signal out there, so if you don't hear from me for a few days, that's probably good news - the winds have turned in our favor.

Even at sea we'll have fresh showers. Alleluia carries 180 gallons.

A poem, inspired by our journey!

Our friend John Schuler has begun a poem chronicling our jouney! We read it over coffee in the Pongo River this morning. Love it!





Alleluia To Ya

The story’s told of the sleek Alleluia
And her trusty crew lets raise one to ya.
It’s a fine new home on the Gulf they seek
As they say goodbye to Burley Creek

Springtime stirs the call to sailing.
Scan the charts for the route detailing.
Safety checks and secure supplies.
Make haste Mates, see how the time flies.

Soon all’s prepared and the sea is calling.
The wind’s come up as the tide is falling.
The lines untied at the first bell sound.
And good luck brownies are passed around.

The story’s told of the sleek Alleluia
And her trusty crew lets raise one to ya.
It’s a fine new home on the Gulf they seek
As they say goodbye to Burley Creek


On Captain Richard, the crew is counting.
As departure approaches the tension’s mounting.
But he’s sturdy and sure as the ship he commands.
A true weather eye and strong steady hands.

And the ships scribe, Julie, updates her blogging.
Preserving forever through constant logging.
As Homer revealed in times of old,
An Odyssey is the story that’s told.

And there’s tailor Beth for zipper sewing.
When the mast needs climbing she’s up and going.
And trusted Pat, a stalwart salty
A hoister supreme and never faulty.

The story’s told of the sleek Alleluia
And her trusty crew lets raise one to ya.
It’s a fine new home on the Gulf they seek
As they say goodbye to Burley Creek


Day’s first light finds the night watch yawning.
The First Mate stirs as a fair day’s dawning.
Rise to the deck, and scan the seas.
The scent of coffee in the sea salt breeze.

A night storm finds the black waves rising.
The main sail trimmed to prevent capsizing.
Now I lay me down to sleep.
The trusted crew for the watch to keep.

The story’s told of the sleek Alleluia
And her trusty crew lets raise one to ya.
It’s a fine new home on the Gulf they seek
As they say goodbye to Burley Creek




- Posted by Julie Gammack using BlogPress from my iPad

Pix from today

Not surprisingly, cell phone signals are slim to none out here in the marshes of North Carolina. Looks like Verizon does better than ATT here, as that's what Pat and Beth have. We have ATT.

So I won't be able to post as many pictures as I'd like because of the slow signal.

Pungo River, on Anchor

The crew of Alleluia got an early start this morning, per the advice of fellow travelers who said we'd get a leg up on a 'sloppy' Albemarle Sound if we left early. The biggest challenge was threading through crab pots. For some reason, crabbers spread floats all over the place and they're often black or brown and blend into the water If we were to run over one, the line could wrap around the prop and this would mean one of us would have to dive down under and cut the line away. Probably me. Maybe Pat.

We powered through the Sound, Alligator River then into another section of the ICW for a total of 11.6 hours all under power. Sailors don't like that. But when you head straight into the wind, that's what you do. Motor.

There's a cruisers Waterway Guide that is an essential travel primmer for voyages like this. We were quite nervous approaching the Wilkinson Bridge at the entrance of the Pungo River and had read the warning that it had a 64' clearance and we have a 63' mast with a radio antenna on top. The guide said to be careful when the water level was high, which it is, so Cap'n Pat slowed Alleluia to a crawl and we eased through holding our breath. It appeared as though the antenna brushed the under-girding of the bridge, but atleast we didn't get anything damaged. I learned something today. Had we gotten into serious trouble we could have loosened the boom, pulled to one side and put crew members on top (where are Midshipmen when you need them?) and that would have tipped the boat just enough to squeak on through. Fortunately, this was not needed! Whew.

We are safely ensconced in a beautiful anchorage, although there was a tad bit of drama. We were hailed by an anchored boat asking us if we'd rescue the boat owner who had been missing for some time. He'd taken his dog to land and hadn't returned. We spotted the guy and dog in a dinghy quite aways from his boat. He couldn't get his outboard started and was extremely relieved to have us come to his aid.

There is an eerie looking rig anchored here with what appears to be a woman living aboard. I would love to know her story. Take a look at her picture below.

Tomorrow we press on to Oriental for what we hope will be a relaxing day. We'll refuel. Fill the water tanks. And we'll head out on the Atlantic on Thursday.

Beth Heads up the Mast

Hooray for Beth as she goes, up the mast!

- Posted by Julie Gammack using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Elizabeth City, NC

Today we traversed the Dismal Swamp Canal from Portsmouth, Va to Elizabeth City, NC. It was not one bit dismal. Absolutely fascinating history. Robert Peek, the bridge/lock tender who helped us through the first of two locks, was a great resource about the area. When asked what the most interesting boats he's locked through, he said a family aboard a yellow submarine, a young boy from Korea going through on a raft, and a man in his 50s who came by canoe. He had been diagnosed with Stage Four cancer and this was dream.

We're looking at the forecast right now and the winds are not promising to be what we want when we go out in the ocean with a destination of Florida. The idea of heading to Bermuda was put forth, discussed with some excitement, then dashed when we realized we didn't have our passports.

We're moored in Elizabeth City next to a drawbridge and a siren goes off every time it opens.

My heroine, Beth, was hoisted all the way to the top of the mast to adjust the wind indicator. A very important piece of technology to have working right when going out to sea.

Thanks to all of you who are cheering us on. It's fun to be taking you with us!

Monday, May 16, Day 3

The Great Dismal Swamp awaits us this morning. Lions, and tigers and bears, oh my!

I'm going to dash this off since I have the luxury of free wi-fi at the Tidewater Marina in Portsmouth, VA. We need to scurry out of here by 8 a.m. to make the first bridge opening along our route through 'the ditch' of the Intra Coastal Waterway. The next two days will be, or should be, relatively easy. None of the crew aboard Alleluia have traveled this route before so it'll be new to all. My goal is to get a coffee cup in the Great Dismal Swamp Visitors Center.

Beth Newbold and her husband, Pat Winkler, are simply awesome sailors and friends. Upon arrival Beth quickly realized the piece of canvas that attaches to the new 'dodger' (probably called that because it helps dodge the rain?) needed to have a zipper changed out. She immediately set to work with needle and thread and attached it while underway. As the storm broke, she and Pat were able to get it in place and it was a welcome relief.

Most of the folks on this blog list or on Facebook likely have not done much sailing and this trip may seem too scary. But boats like this are built to withstand all kinds of weather and when properly maintained, it's safer to be aboard a boat in a storm than a lot of places. You EXPERIENCE the weather more so, but if you take proper precautions, it's a good place to be. And there's just nothing quite like seeing the night sky on a wide-open bay light up with every lightening strike.

Richard says, sailboats are safe in the harbor, but that's not what sailboats are for.

A metaphor for life, me thinks.

You'd be amazed by how many people not only do this regularly, but are nomadic live-aboards who travel from port to port, stopping in one place just long enough to get a short-term job and fill up their cruising kitty. I understand the appeal.

As long as there's wi-fi, of course.

Day One

We left the dock in Annapolis at 4 p.m. on the dot on the 14th of May after all.

Our wonderful friends and neighbors, Shelley and Eric Rubin, and granddaughter, Zoey, brought us brownies and a letter to open after we passed Thomas Point Light. The contents are yiddish words that might come in handy on the voyage. Example:

Schlep, as in: "You really expect me to schlep that dinghy up on the beach because you don't want to get your feet wet?"

Or, Oy Vey ist Mier: An expression of alarm or semi-despair that pertains to the personal circumstances of the person using the term, applied to an event such as falling overboard at night without a life vest.

Beth Newbold and Pat Winkler are ideal sailing companions. They fix things. They take charge. The organize. The know what they're doing. And they're just doggone nice people. They drove from Gulfport, Fl yesterday, leaving around 5 a.m., and arriving at our place in Annapolis just after 7 p.m. Whew. A good nights sleep was all they needed to be up and at 'em and dive into last minute preparations for the journey.

The winds are from the southeast so we're going to press on to Norfolk through the night. This is a slightly better circumstance than what we thought we were going to be facing as we thought we'd be heading right into the wind. If you've ridden a bike on RAGBRAI you know what I'm talkin' about not wanting to ride into the wind.

Pat just put a pot of coffee on, we downed a few of Shelley and Zoey's brownies, and away we go.

We are enormously grateful for good friends, our mutual spirit of adventure, and the opportunity to do this kind of thing.

Andy Hoyt, Dock Call (experimenting with uploading video)

Pre-cruise update

Friends,

We are busily coping with an outboard motor that won't work (for the dinghy) and my insistence our affairs are in order prior to shoving off and finding relevant websites required for such tasks are all down. Arghh.

But Blogger (the service hosting THIS blog) crashing was just too much! Now that we have legions of fans (well, one or two of you) wanting to follow our exploits, to find the blog posting site not working has been maddening. I understand a couple of you even posted comments that we didn't see, doggone it, so please do so again.

This blog is a fascinating experiment that has already reaped dividends. Whether or not we are actually able to take folks up on their offers, we've heard from several who have offered up places to stay along the ICW, a swell ocean-front condo in Boca, another slip in Key Largo and some great tips about what to expect along the way from those who have learned these lessons the hard way.

I bought a bottle of vanilla extract because one Facebook friend says it will help ward off mosquitos in the Dismal Swamp. Duly noted. Duly stocked.

As for our departure date and time, this remains an unknown. The weather forecast indicates it would be best to wait until the storm roars through the Chesapeake, thus proving the psychic I consulted last week about this venture quite accurate. She said wait until at least the 15th because there would be 'many obstacles on the 14th'.

Stay tuned. Please comment. And please be patient. At least one blog follower is a retired NYTimes editor (you know who you are) and I can just see him cringing over what will sure to be the many grammatical and spelling errors I make along the way.

May 11, 2011

We are getting ready for our big journey from Annapolis, Md to Gulfport, Fl.

Facebook friends along the route have asked us to check in as we pass by and we hope to expand our reach and resources though this blog.

Those who have an iPhone or iPad can follow our actual signal though the Ship Finder App or Marine Tracker. Download the app ($3.99 for Marine Traffic or a free version of Ship Finder is available). You will be able to locate Alleuia's signal when we have the system turned on.

The forecast for this Saturday, our scheduled departure date, sucks. Rain and wind on the nose. Will we wimp for a day or two? Stay tuned. W





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Annapolis

It's All in the Planning (almost)

Alleluia, a 41.1 Bristol sailboat, has been undergoing all kinds of preparations to be ready for her sail to Gulfport, Florida. She's been surveyed, had all kinds of new technology added, water and gas tanks filled, etc. etc. The plan is to leave her current port in Annapolis, heading south to her ultimate destination; the Pasadena Yacht and Country Club Marina.