Stanchions? We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Stanchions

Our departure from St Helena marked several transitions. We left behind a crew member, the remaining crew was far more familiar and comfortable with Wild Rumpus, and the temperature gradually transitioned from chilly to biting-into-a-freshly-microwaved-hot-pocket, noon-on-a-sunny-day-inside-a-roadside-porta-potty HOT.

Oh, and one of the crew decided we had too many damned stanchions.

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Eating Simply Does Not Mean Eating Badly

My last food-related entry focused on the how-to of planning for an offshore passage. According to one reader, all I did was recommend an app. She found that unsatisfying and, although she would say she is not bossy, she demanded a more detailed look at meals. Since I am here to fulfill the needs of the readers (and she scares me a bit), this blog entry will focus more on the ingredients and meals themselves.

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“Six Bucks and My Right Nut Says We Ain’t Landing In Chicago”

As shown in the fantastic documentary titled “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” travel plans can occasionally kick you in your bathing suit parts. When they do, you need to catch your breath, adjust your boxers, and figure out the new plan.

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Time Is Fleeting

Years ago Teresa and I decided to buy a boat. At that time, preparation for picking up the boat, such as making flight arrangements, buying gear, achieving all training goals, seemed like distant activities easily fit into a wide-open calendar. Then time kept marching on . . . . Then COVID . . . .

And now the delivery (fingers crossed) is just 6 months away. The speed with which our “abundance of time” has compressed into “holy crap, we don’t have very much time” is sobering. Suddenly, the need to decide where to buy stuff, what stuff to buy, and getting the stuff to the boat is a hair-on-fire rush.

And the “madness takes its toll.” (Nah, not really, this is just a throwback to the Rocky Horror for you Rocky Horror nerds like me [I’m looking right at you Elaine!!])

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Passage Planning Part 3

This post will focus on the “where of it all.” Wild Rumpus will cover a lot of territory between the shakedown cruise and the passage itself, so I’ll focus on those distances, destinations, and make an effort to put it all in perspective. And, the passage plan changed a bit since the earlier planning post, which I’ll cover as well.

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Passage Planning Part 1

The “When” of it all.

My last passage planning post was an admittedly premature textual discharge. Since then, I’ve taken some advice from Frankie Goes to Hollywood – – relaxed — slowed down — and just didn’t “do it” –again. (A dated joke for those old enough to remember the song.)

But now that the plans for the delivery of Wild Rumpus are firmed up, and we have estimated dates for the manufacturer-provided training, the shakedown cruise, and the passage itself, it is time to return to the topic. The adventure will begin just 14 months from now and the number of details to plan for is astonishing. So come on in, join my manic preparedness, and educate me with your comments.

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