Florida (Storing on the dry)
Published on Monday, 07 November 2016 14:14 | | 
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| | Hits: 3316Florida (Storing on the dry)
14th June 2015.
We had an easy downwind sail with Rat Catcher with tame seas from Grand Cay to Jacksonville. The morning of 14th June at 7h00 we entered the St John River.
Our first bridge was Napoleon Bonaparte Bridge of 169 foot.
One cannot think that another one and half Vagabund’s can be on top of our mast before you reach the bridge clearance height.
We anchored south of the Matthews Bridge at Exchange Island at Jacksonville to be close for clearing customs tomorrow. A short dingy ride over the river and then 4,5km to customs. Beautiful nature on the Eastern side and a busy highway on the Northern side.
17th June 15
Feeling blessed. We went to rent a cheapy till we fly back to SA. They needed to get the Camaro back to the airport and asked us if we would not mind to upgrade the cheapy to the convertible for the same price unlimited miles. Well I still don't know how I am going to get our four big suitcases in there and I don’t think we are going to spend as much time preparing Vagabund as we should. What the heck... America here we come!!!
21st June 2015
Father's Day: Recently promoted — feeling thankful
22nd June 2015
Unfortunately Vagabund were stroked by lightning last night at 2 am moored to a pier in Green Cove Springs.
Most of our electronics were fried and pieces of the wind direction indicator dropped onto the deck.
We are thankful that we came to no physical harm
Florida one of the lightning capitals of the world. The weather info available is amazing. We could see the intense lightning storm approaching us and there were nothing we could do about it. We were like a rabbit in the headlights of an oncoming car.
Vagabund is moored in the middle of the second pier on the North. The map shows lightning strikes hitting the ground as the storm passed over us.
24th June 2015
Celebrating Riaan and Brenda's over land cruising home.
Ford F250 V10 Camper. With Island Kaya on the dry, cruising on the sea is now changed to cruising on the land. Riaan and Brenda: Congratulations and enjoy.
Celebrating with them the beginning of their new season
Friday 26th June 2015
An Aircon in this heat!!!
Instead of a dehumidifier we bought a portable aircon
Going to cool us down
(already from 32 to 29 degrees inside)
Keep Vagabund dry on the hard and us warm in January in the cold....
Aircon traveling in style!!
Not pretty but I am smiling!!!
Saturday 27th June 2015
World of Golf Hall of Fame in St Augustine Florida
Ernie Els
Garry Player one of the greatest golfers. He has done SA proud and has a whole section dedicated to him.
Mr fitness proofs his point by becoming the oldest person at 77 by posing on a cover sport magazine.
The crystals represent a perfect swing in the trophy tower.
Saturday evening we visited the drag strip adjacent to the marina to experience some local entertainment. One of the dragsters equals the course record of 4,98s for a quarter mile. One of the funny cars achieved a top speed of 130 miles per hour
Sunday 28th June 2015
Early morning exercise by exploring the forest trails with our bicycles.
Hauling of Vagabund
30th June 2015
After rain for the whole of Monday we could only haul out on Tuesday morning.
First her mast was removed. With everybody knows exactly what to do it was done in less than an hour.
Vagabund without her mast ready for hauling.
Madge helped to hold and secure the boat with the mooring lines.
She was part of the crew and did her part. Her salary is a good plate of food and lots of love.
Vagabund going to the dry.
7 July 2015
On our way home via NY
The Camaro is fully loaded with all our luggage.
On Jacksonville International Airport
Stay overnight in NY before we are flying out to SA tomorrow
Boarded and ready to go
Feeling blessed
Excited to go back to SA and to see family and friends