Love Odyssey

This weekend our marina was the site for the annual Oriental Rotary-sponsored boat show. We are surrounded with boats new and used for sale as well as tents selling everything imaginable for life on the water. In addition there is a steady stream of speakers giving talks about various aspects of boating such as boat maintenance , ropes and lines, and fishing. We can sit here on our boat and see all the action surrounding us. But for me the most fun has been to take Suzy for a walk and have all the ladies oohing and aahing over her! She sure is a hit wherever we go!

Yesterday Bryce and I boarded some of the older boats that were for sale. It was fun to see how other boats are configured–and to go away feeling like we have the best boat for our us.

The weather has been very, very windy all weekend. Last year some of the vendor tents blew down under similar circumstances. We noticed this year that vendor tents have longer pegs and they are better prepared for the conditions. Still, a strong weather system is being predicted for this evening–we hope everything is going to survive the conditions. Right now we are having gusts of 25 to 30 miles per hour–very, very blowy!

Helen– 04/16/11

Oriental is such an unusual small town. With only 900 perrmanent residents you would think that it is snoozeville–not so! There is always something to see or do every weekend. There are concerts, plays, old movies from our youth, foot races and of course sailing regattas and fishing tournaments. This weekend the town is hosting 900 cyclists who are discovering the flat roadways around this pretty county.

Since there are not enough rooms for rent for this number of cyclists, a tent city of sorts has been erected for them by the river. Bryce and I took a walk around the area and brought back these photos. Stay tuned–next weekend is the boat show in our marina and I promise to have more photos. Yes, Oriental is a happening place! Come on down and see what you have been missing!

Helen -4/09/11

The town of Oriental has many unique features and the annual Dog Parade is one of them. Today was the sixth annual parade of canines. There are prizes or ribbons given for categories such as “Cutest” and “Most Patriotic”. I think I have entered each parade with our Yorkies; we have never won but always had fun.

This year we decided to be the Yorkie family from Yorkshire. Of course Suzy, our six month old Yorkie, was the star performer. She went as our baby. Bryce and I were the parent dogs. I have included our picture. You can see more of the parade on www.towndock.net.

Helen 04/02/11

Yes, we finally got to Ocracoke! This was the perfect weekend weather forecast–winds from the south on Friday and winds from the north on Sunday. So yesterday morning we slipped the dock lines at 7:00 am and had a wondeful sail to Ocracoke with winds behind pushing us north. It felt so good to get back here again–a reaffirmation that spring and sailing weather has arrived.

Yesterday we walked around town and noted which shops and restaurants have re-opened for the season–about half. It looks like the other half will open in a few more weeks.

Today we took Susie to Springer’s Point, a lovely sand beach on the sound side which we had all to ourselves. Susie, our six month old Yorkie, enjoyed poking around the sand for treasures like sea gull feathers and bones of dead birds. We visited Howard’s Pub for a lunch of fish and chips with beer. And we took a long 2-hour nap in the afternoon.

Tomorrow we will leave here early (like 6 am) and sail back to Oriental. Yes, I am glad that spring has finally arrived and we can sail again. But now I will have to make more of an effort to get all those boat maintenance projects out of the way before the Love Odyssey cruise season begins!

Helen 03/19/11

Every year in early spring Bryce and I get the itch to take the boat out of the dock and sail somewhere. For the past several weekends we have been teased by warmer weather, but the wind has been too high to have a comfortable ride. But this coming weekend it looks very promising..temps. in the 70′s and moderate winds out of the southwest. So we are crossing our fingers and hoping that the conditions will not change between now and Friday morning. I am dying to go to Ocracoke. This will be Suzy’s first long sailing trip and we want to see how she will behave when the boat is heeled over. We really want to help her get used to sailling so we can take her with us on Love Odyssey trips this summer. So stay posted..and cross your fingers for us.

Helen–03/15/11

I want spring in the worst way! I want warm breezes, flowers everywhere, and new green leaves on the trees. I’ve seen enough cold blustery grey days. Friday had the sunshine and a few flowers, but the wind was strong and cold out of the north. Yesterday was a bit warmer, but the skies were cloudy and gray. Today it is raining. Oh well–at least the calendar tells me that spring will be here soon–March is a month full of hope.

Yesterday we got the dinghy down off the davits and into the water. A brief trip by water to the Bean for my favorite “bean freeze” made it seem like it was almost spring.

Helen –03/06/11

About this time every year we get itchy to take the boat out of the slip and sail somewhere. I would love to go to Ocracoke or even Beaufort but the wind was howling all day yesterday and blowing a gale. Not a good time to take a boat out. So today we did the second best thing and drove up to New Bern for the morning. We strolled around the waterfront park with Suzy pulling on her leash; poked into some shops; and ate lunch outdoors at a lovely little restaurant. It wasn’t the same as a sail but it did scratch the itch! Maybe next weekend the wind gods will be more favorable.

Helen 02/26/11

The past couple of days we have had lovely spring-like weather here at the coast. It has been warm and sunny with a light breeze–perfect weather for doing nothing but basking in the sun’s rays and letting go of winter’s hold. I have to admit that I have accomplished very little this weekend –I guess it is a touch of “spring fever”. But I have had several lovely walks around the marina, down by the river, and through town. Suzy, our little 2-lb Yorkie, has benefited from all the walks! This morning, like yesterday morning, we sat on the porch of The Bean and drank coffee while enjoying the sun’s rays and the company of other sun-worshipers. I look at all the outdoor boat projects that need to be done this spring and just shake my head–they will have to wait until another weekend. I want to just be lazy and enjoy the moment.

Helen– 02/20/11

This was one of those rare weekends that we stayed home rather than going to the coast. Bryce needed to get info together on our three business in order for our accountant to prepare taxes. Additionally we were going to host our extended family’s February birthdays on Sunday. So it just made sense to spend the weekend at home.

I have to admit that it just doesn’t feel right to be home on a weekend. I miss going to the Bean for coffee on Saturday and Sunday mornings and I miss walking across the high-rise bridge over the harbor and watching boats come and go across the river. I also miss sitting in the evening in our pilothouse and eating a delicious dinner with soft music, low lighting, and the gentle movement of the boat nestled in her slip. I miss waking up in our sunny bedroom and shuffling into the galley in my pj’s to prepare breakfast.

So we got our tax info together and had a wonderful time visiting with family today.  Now I am ready and chomping at the bit to get back down to the coast next Friday.  Only five more days to go….

Helen   02/13/11

We often put off routine maintenance projects because they are so tiresome. But that doesn’t make them go away. So this morning we are going to change filters on the engine and shore up the hose on the salt water washdown at the bow of the boat.  Next time we come down we will need to do an oil change on the generator.  Not much fun but we need to get these things out of the way before sailing season begins.  Bryce does the actual hands-on work and I am the go-fer person (“go get me some paper towels–quick!”).  Bryce hates these kinds of chores but knows they are necessary; he is not beyond using a few choice words when things are not going well–in fact, there are times I just have to get off the boat because his tension and angst are too much!  So here goes….

Helen   02/06/11