Valenltine's, Gifts, Cooking, & Cameras!

Feb 15, 2014

Yippeeee! I got the Olympus underwater camera I wanted that is shockproof, waterproof up to 33 feet, and RUGGED.  Just what I needed – all for $219!!  My friend has an Olympus and it films pretty well under water and she’s had it for a few years.  Time to take pictures for FB, blog, and Instagram!  I’m a SOCIAL MEDIA WHORE!  Game on! 

Tomorrow we LEAVE!!  The weather is NASTY today – up to 40 knots of wind outside, but we will wait for lunch tomorrow where the winds should die down to variable speeds.  We will have to motor and we want to get through the Gulf Stream as fast as we can, reaching for Eastern Bahamas.  That will take approximately 5-7 days.

I will put the specs of Malua up as soon as I can copy Harry’s page! Haha  But What I do KNOW is that he has:

1). A Wind Vane

2). Approx. 240 gallons of H2O with a H2O maker

3). Capacity for 1000 nautical miles of motoring – that’s a SHITLOAD!!

4). Solar/wind generator

5). Power Winch

6).Chart plotter

7). AIS (YESSSS!!! – I wanted an AIS forever!!)  Yes, I’m such a boat nerd, BUT it makes the journey so much easier/faster/better!!  I hate technology, but boat technology is pretty awesome!  I will copy and paste his specs page for the REAL DEAL of what his very custom made sea worthy Adams is all about.

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day and we did a lot of errands.  I ran to Wal-mart via bus to check out their cameras.  Everyone is so nice in Norfolk, Virginia.  This man helped an elderly lady up the bus (without being asked) and helped carry her luggage.  Everyone is all hellos, smiles, and chitchat.  Very homey feel.  The girl at Wal-mart helped me a lot with camera stuff and I wanted the Olympus, but they only had the store display.  I wanted that, but the box was high high up somewhere where they couldn’t reach.  Tamanka and Claudia assured me they would have someone take it down for me for tomorrow.  That’s what I call customer service!!

I was excited that Harry taught me how to OPEN my blog so we did that at the coffee shop – the same shop I’m in RIGHT NOW.  After, we did some errands (always lots of stuff to do before you START a journey) – then it was DINNER!  It was Valentine’s and I got Harry some presents in CA because I knew I would be there for V-day!  I LOVE giving presents.  He cooked a DELICIOUS French beef stew which I gobbled up and wanted MORE.  I wish I took a pic of it!  He’s turning out to be such a proficient cook that I have to start cooking good meals soon too!  I haven’t cooked for 4.5 months when I was visiting CA and Seattle so I’m sorta outta practice.  The good or bad thing about returning home, with me being the YOUNGEST of 4 kids, is that NO ONE wants me to cook!  Every time I tried to cook for them, it turned out BAD – GROSS!  Maybe my subconscious is doing it on purpose so I don’t have to cook?  Who knows, but NO ONE WANTS to eat my cooking at home! My older brother IS a real CHEF who went to culinary school.  He cooks AWESOME food!

Okay, one time I made homemade pizza and I was low on cheese, I was too lazy to run to get more so the bread BURNED and the pizza was pretty NASTY! Hahha

So during dinner, I gave Harry 4 solar lights!  I think that is a GREAT gift for a boater as I always love them on my boat.  Then during dinner, Harry grabbed my hands and KISSED my fingers!!  “WTF??” I was thinking.  “What should I do? What does THIS mean.”  Then he leaned over to TRY TO KISS ME!!  “Oh NO, is this what all my friends were WARNING me about?”  How did I deal with this situation???  What did I do?  Did I grab my fingers away and slap him?  Did I pretend nothing happened?  Did I get up, upset the table so food would fly everywhere, and run to my ROOM?

What do YOU think I did?  Do you think it got SALACIOUS and AWKWARD?  Uncomfortable??  What do I do NOW you might wonder?  Many of you may THINK “I WARNED HER.”

NOTHING! HAHAHA Because it NEVER HAPPENED!!  Happy April Fools EARLY!  I’m JUST KIDDING! Hahahah I knew a lot of my guy/male sailing buddies (who have been warning me for months about THIS) and other people – will SUSPECT something might happen – but I’m here to tell you that SOMETIMES a crewing opportunity is JUST THAT! Hahahah Harry is a complete GENTLEMAN – a kind, soft spoken, experienced boater who has a lot to teach me about boating and about life.  We have a great rapport and we both ANTICIPATE that our crewing friendship will be GREAT!  He already knows I’m outspoken, a little kooky, and a “breath of fresh air” as he calls it – b/c I try to deal with problems before they arise by being very upfront.  (Sorry Harry and associates – I just had to play this practical joke b/c I couldn’t RESIST!) HAHAH

Sorry TWISTED humor, but OH SO FUNNY!!  F*CKING Hilarious!! 

Now I will try to post past pictures of previous travels for my blog so you have something to look at before the REAL pictures come!!  After I practice a bit!!

TOMORROW is F*CKING the day we FINALLY LEAVE!!  I’ve been waiting for this for awhile now!  My journey (and dream) to the South Pacific is finally HAPPENING!!  A great way to start off the Year of the HORSE – I’m chomping at the bit and ready to GALLOP over the FENCE!!

Arrived for my Journey!!

Wed. February 12th!  I finally left Therapy Lodge in Auburn, Seattle to journey to Norfolk,  Virginia to begin my DREAM journey of doing the coconut run across the South Pacific! SUPER FREAKIN' EXCITED!!

When I landed, it was SNOWING - big drizzle of fluffy snow (bigger than in Seattle).  I found out there were NO buses into Portsmouth (High Street where Malua was located).  I took a cab, and unfortunately he dropped me off one block down.  Since it was snowing, I did NOT see the yacht.  There were 3 inches of SNOW.  I got dropped off by the Renaissance Hotel and instead of trudging looking for the yacht, I called Captain Harry to come get me.  Mind you - I had TWO HUGE bags full of clothes and foulies, and two smaller bags full of 2 computers.  SNOW everywhere.

It was wet too so I just sat and waited after calling Harry.  I waited...and waited...AND waited.  I had to put my fuzzy blanket over my head as the wind factor was getting COLD.  I LIKED the cold and brisk air at first, but after 30 minutes - I felt like an orphan and was wondering WHERE THE HELL Harry was?  Did he get lost?  But we agreed to meet at the coffee shop....hmmmmmm.

I was also on the side of the street as I didn't want my bags to get further wet and dragged through the SNOW which was getting thicker by this time.  FINALLY - Harry showed up and we were on our way to my NEW HOME for the next few months.  We walked back towards where the cab driver passed.  DUH...If he only dropped me off HERE - the boat was right THERE.  But I didn't see it b/c of all the SNOW and it was tucked in the corner.

Malua was covered in SNOW - very beautiful, scenic picture!  I wanted to take a picture, but I had no camera and we were both carrying my bags.  We agreed to take pics the next day.

I was FREEZING, but when we got in Malua, the heater was on. The FIRST thing Harry asked me was, "What would you like to drink?  I KNOW you like Whiskey?"  I was sitting there thinking, "Fuck, is this a TEST?"  I never told him I liked whiskey, but he MUST have been reading my FB postings.

Hmmmmm. How to answer that (thinking to myself this was a TEST).  I declined the rum, but I said "Okay, give me a whiskey" as I wanted to WARM up.

Anyways, Harry made me a dinner of steak in a great wine/mustard sauce and we chatted.

More later!!!