Hot and Cold

Somehow, like in some magical fashion, in the last month Baxter has managed to find time to install not only a new Dometic AC unit and Webasto heater, but he also removed the old AC compressor that was original with the boat (from 1982).  If you read the previous blog post, you'll know that he barely had two days to focus on the installs (and removal) where we weren't driving somewhere.  

But he did it and it is amazing!!  I feel so spoiled as I type this on a 90 degree day with 100% humidity in Virginia while the cabin on the boat is a nice 78 degrees....and when we're offshore and it's in the 30s outside, we'll have heat in the cockpit, in our cabin and in the salon - roasty toasty!

This was my view most of the time...glad he's flexible.

The new AC - signed, sealed and delivered

So pretty...but where do you start with the install...

New heating vent in the cockpit

The holes in the cabinetry that Baxter had to drill.  

Running the ducting through a boat means 3" diameter holes in very small spaces - without disrupting what is already in place.

The heater install also required a new thru hull (hole in the boat).  No one likes drilling holes in their boat.

This is the inside of the thru hull - the hole in the picture above is to the right over Baxter's head in this picture.  Again, a nice, tight space for him to work in.

The finished thru hull...nice and shiny (and tightly sealed)

Road Trip

It's been a busy start to the summer...we have been driving up and down I-95 and I-85, with two flights mixed in (one to Alaska, another to Boulder).  

Comes out to a grand total of 7,210 driving miles, not including the flights.

Here is what our lives looked like between May 2 and June 19 and the mileage.  Lots of great pics and stories from our travels are coming - we are wrapping up the projects on Terrapin in preparation for a long passage and then we will have new posts ready to go.  Stay tuned....

Hampton, VA - Madison, GA 555

Madison, GA - Hampton, VA 555

Hampton, VA - Weaverville, NC 425

Weaverville, NC - Atlanta, GA 210

Atlanta, GA - Seattle-Juneau - Haines - Juneau - Seattle - Atlanta, GA (flight)

Atlanta, GA - Hampton, VA 575

Hampton, VA - Atlanta, GA 575

Atlanta, GA - Hampton, VA 575

Hampton, VA - Atlanta, GA 575

Atlanta, GA - Boulder, CO (flight)

Atlanta, GA - Bryson City, NC 165

Bryson City, NC - Atlanta, GA  165

Atlanta, GA - DC 640

DC - Warwick, RI 395

Warwick, RI - Tiverton, RI -Warwick, RI 70

Warwick, RI - Boston, MA 65

Boston, MA - Annapolis, MD 430

Annapolis, MD - Hampton, VA 190

Hampton, VA - Madison, GA 550

Madison, GA - Hampton, VA 550

The Last Frontier... kinda...

After sailing into Virginia and spending time with family and friends on the US East Coast - it was time to head west.  The 90 degree temps on the Chesapeake were a little much for us and we were excited to catch up with Baxter's sister and her family.

So, off we went to Alaska.  We drove to Atlanta, flew to Seattle, then another flight to Juneau, spent the night in Juneau and took a ferry to Haines the next morning.  The ferry ride gave us amazing views of the Inside Passage with light houses, dolphins, seals, sea lions and glaciers along the way.  Wow - we were loving every minute.

We spent the next week in Alaska hanging out with Baxter's parents, his sister, her husband and their three boys.  Baxter's oldest nephew was graduating from high school and the youngest was graduating from middle school.  The ceremonies were the same in many respects - advancing from one stage in life to another, preparing for a bright future and becoming more independent.  Baxter's nephews are amazingly talented and performed at both graduations - a trio at the high school graduation and his youngest nephew performed a guitar solo of "No Woman, No Cry" at his middle school ceremony.  Both performances were exceptional and we were so glad we could be there to see them.

Since we were in the middle of this amazing natural environment, we also wanted to take maximize the adventure aspect.  We chartered a Dehavilland Beaver from Mountain Flying Service and Paul took us from Haines out towards Glacier Bay with views of the Fairweather Range.  One of the coolest moments was to land atop Boundary Glacier.  Just as the skis of the plane set down, the sun came out and the sky was the coolest shades of blue I have ever seen with puffy clouds and mountain peaks all around.  It was amazingly majestic and surreal.  We walked around on the glacier where very few people have walked - ever - and then it was time to hop back in the plane and take off again.  The skis rolled over the top of the glacier until we reached rotation speed and the plane lifted gently back into the air where the wings were level with the peaks and at some point, it felt like I could reach my arm out of the plane and touch the mountains.  We toured around a few more glaciers including areas where Teton Gravity Research films ski movies and then on to Bertha Glacier.  Words cannot describe the beautiful scenery so if you're ever in Alaska, it is worth every penny to take a flight and experience nature from a different perspective.

We also decided we wanted to take a tour of the American Bald Eagle Foundation and the local distillery, bringing home our own bottle of absinthe, because - well, why not?  

It was soon time to head out and reverse the route we took - taking a ferry to Juneau, spending the night there, a flight to Seattle, another flight to Atlanta, pick Kala up from summer "camp", and then a drive back to Virginia.  We had been playing while we were in Alaska but back aboard Terrapin we were reminded of the projects that were on our "to-do" list and we knew they were not going to finish themselves - we better get back to work.

Having fun on the ferry heading north through the Inside Passage - who cared that it was raining and cold.

A beautiful waterfall in the forest right in Anne Marie's backyard.

The view from Anne Marie's back porch.

As we drove down the street, we saw this Bald Eagle so we stopped to take pictures.  A common sight on the streets in Haines.

Sweet Stikine!  

Misty girl - who doesn't care where she sleeps and ends up flopping out of bed most of the time.

DeHavilland Beaver

SE Alaska maps in the hangar at Mountain Flying Service.

This is going to be an adventure to remember.

Looking for bears, moose and mountain goats.

Beautiful sunny skies with amazing colors and puffy clouds.

We came in for landing just to the left of the pic...Can't believe the landing can be so smooth on skis.

Baxter's Dad securing the plane

Bertha Glacier - we flew all the way to the icefall at the top of the glacier.

At the American Bald Eagle Foundation, we were fortunate enough to have the raptor trainer give us live demonstrations - even letting us take a pic with a Great Eurasian Eagle Owl.

All dressed up for graduation.

Baxter helping his mom and sister with dinner.

Sitting around the table laughing and sharing family stories.

The BEST bread in Haines - notice the latitude & longitude on the bottom.

Touring the distillery

By tour, we mean tasting...Vodka, gin, bourbon, rye and absinthe.

And a bottle of absinthe to go

View of Haines from the water.

Greg took us out to set a crab pot - as a sailor that makes me twinge just a bit but I soon get over it.  That is halibut head and salmon roe used as bait.

Misty as First Mate

The three boys at high school graduation

A cruise ship leaving Skagway

An Island Packet looking very small on the Inside Passage

The ferry dock in Haines.

Dickinson Glacier

Eldred Light

Goodbye Haines!  Hope to see you soon!  This ferry was so fast - averaging 32 knots/hour (in comparison, Terrapin averages about 6 knots/hour)

One day this might be Terrapin sailing north...maybe.

Land-cation

It was a strange "feeling" to be at a dock - in the US - with a proper grocery store less than a mile away from the boat, that is walking distance and it was hard to believe.  We were also lucky enough to get to Virginia in time to have dinner with my sister Sherri, who lives in Colorado but was in Virginia for work.  She and her friend Jeanie drove to Hampton to visit Terrapin and have dinner with the four of us.  It was a nice evening as we slowly adjusted to land life.

The next day, Dan and Francine, who had been aboard Terrapin since the BVI, decided it was probably time to return to Wisconsin.  The four of us had such great experiences together from the BVI to Cuba and up the east coast of the US, so it was sad to say goodbye.

As Dan and Francine left for Wisconsin, Baxter, Kala and I drove to see family in North Carolina and Atlanta.  It was great to catch up, celebrate birthdays in person, and go faster than 8 knots in a car.  We actually traveled 600 miles in 9 hours - on Terrapin that would take about 4-5 days.

It is going to be a busy summer but it was definitely off to a great start!

Still having sundowners on the boat, even if we're back in the US.  Francine on far left, Baxter, Dan, Jeanine (hidden behind Sherri) and Sherri

Dinner with Sherri and our friend, Jeanie, who also lives in VA.

Sad to say Goodbye.

Being on a boat for a long time means lots of stuff and presents to take home...two dock carts of luggage.  

Reunited in Hampton, VA
Dinner with some great Salty Dawgs - Fred & Dorothy on Aviva (next to Baxter and I), then Hank and Seale on Flash in back right and Rick and Julie on Archer in front right.

Sampling the flites at New Belgium Brewery in Asheville, NC with my sister Lauri

So many choices...

As soon as we are settled, you know who says it's time to go paddle boarding and you have to listen to the boss.

We went bearing gifts...Cuban cigars, Che Guevara hat and Cuban rum for Baxter's Dad.

Just in time to celebrate Baxter's Mom's birthday!