How profound is the statement “what a long, strange trip it’s been?” If only Jerry Garcia knew….
So, yes, we’ve neglecting updating you fine folks for quite some time. The reason, well we had to offload some stuff [quite a bit in fact], pack up, find new shelter, and setup shop again. In short, we relocated to sunny Florida.
After 43 years in the Washington D.C. metro area, Vickers and I decided we have had enough of cold, snow, traffic, and the hustle and bustle. Besides, we wanted to downside all our stuff and make things simpler and go cruising in FIASCO. We were maintaining 3 households, two boats, and commuting everywhere. Crazy.
In 2019, Vickers and I began searching for suitable docking for FIASCO. No small feat when you realize how shallow most of the estuaries really are. We plowed through the realty listings from North Carolina, down the east coast, and up to Tampa. We spotted some possible locations and made several trips during the year checking out different places. After ferreting out all possibilities, we knew we preferred the east coast, being close to an inlet, and neede seven feet of water at the dock. We looked at lots of homes. If we found a vacant lot, we would build a Connex box home. As it turned out, late in 2019, I had one last house to look at in Daytona Beach: an FSBO. Built in 1924, it matched all our criteria. We went took a gander and knew this was the place. We made an offer and settled in April.
In late January of 2020, the movers packed up our stuff from our three houses and schlepped it down to Daytona Beach. We met the movers there and offloaded our stuff. Then back to DC, to finalize everything and in April moved down here for good. Meanwhile, Covid -19 had begun – making travel back and forth a bit unsettling – but we were cautious and careful. So, what was supposed to be the beginning of my retirement and full-time cruising didn’t quite work out that way. Just days away, I cancelled my retirement, got a job transfer to St. Augustine, put a hold on cruising, and began working out our new paradigm. Covid-19 being a new virus with lots of unknowns and becoming a raging pandemic, we decided to stay put. The world had shut down and there was no place to go.
So, we took advantage of our time and energies, and started shaping our new home into something that works for us. To add to the challenges, we have a rental property in Ormond Beach that was well into a full renovation. So pretty much for the last year we are/were remodeling 2 houses concurrently.
On the boat side, we did manage to eke out a couple day sails. With Covid limiting our travel, I decided it was a good time to catch up on some heavy maintenance. Most of that went well, except, the engine seized. Ouch. Not a good outcome. Long story short, rather than rebuild a 32-year-old engine, we are in the process of replacing it with brand new Beta Marine [Kubota] 50 HP engine and transmission. At least the whaler is in good working order and so we have been exploring our newfound surroundings.
Come April, we should be back in business with FIASCO. She has a new jib swivel, new batteries, new chain and anchor, been thoroughly scrubbed inside and out, repacked, fixed all the little stuff, and we will have a new engine and tranny. Her dock has been refurbished with piles, power and water, and solar lighting.
We shall see how 2021 shapes out. Oh, and BTW, Vickers and I got our first Covid shot. Boy our shoulders ached, but grateful to begin moving beyond the uncertainties of these crazy times.
So, as you can see, it is a long, strange trip indeed.
