M/Y Quite Nice

Our statistics thus far

As of Jan 5, 2020: 64 days, 18 of those traveling; 972 miles.

Day 45 – 56, Dec 17 – 28, 2019

Relaxing in Clearwater, FL. We recovered from the rigors of the overnight passage. Our bodies ached a bit from bracing ourselves as the boat pitched and rolled but we were also celebrating the accomplishment of successfully taking on a challenge few our age probably would. A couple of good nights sleep and we are ready to take on more.

We left Apalachicola wearing multiple layers to keep ourselves warm. As we approached Clearwater we were shedding them and put on shorts and t-shirts as soon as we were tied up. Well, that didn’t last long. Fronts started moving thru and we had cool temps and off and on rain for a week. Our Christmas gift to ourselves was an upgrade to a newer Garmin chartplotter and installation of a new radar system. The radar was antique and kaput. Now we can overlay the radar on the navigation chart or split the screen and see both the nav chart and the radar if needed. We debated trying the installation ourselves but opted for a pro and glad that we did, especially when he was lifting the new radar dome onto the top of the arch in wind and rain.

We had an fabulous brunch and a chance to catch up with old friends living in the area; Marsha & Steve Friedman, Mike, Christie, & Jack Rinder, and Marti Carlson. Always wonderful to see friends and introduce them to Peter. As an added bonus of serendipity, Martha Conway and Pete Pagano were in Clearwater from St. Louis and we met up for another fun evening. Christmas Eve was spent with new Looper friends, Larry and Jeanette, crew of Mississippi Girl, sharing my family tradition of chili and tamales.

We rented a car to run errands and tour the local area. Christmas Day was gorgeous weather and we ventured to Tarpon Springs and Dunedin. Another beautiful day was spent touring the coast line and St. Petersburg.

Day 57 – 60, Dec. 29 – Jan 1, 2020

We continued south to the area around Sarasota, FL. We elected to stay in a marina on the barrier island of Longboat Key at the Longboat Key Club Moorings, a luxury resort. We had a view of the golf course and high end amenities available. That said, it is high season in Florida and this is a popular destination for those who spend the winter in the sun. Add to that the holiday traffic and it became difficult to get into restaurants. Fortunately, a local friend, Roger Weller, visited the boat and took us for a nice lunch and outing at St. Armand’s Circle. St. Armand’s is a favorite shopping destination for me. However, between the limited storage, simplified lifestyle, and spending on the experience of cruising instead, I have not had much shopping urge. Interesting how our priorities and interests can change.

We rang in the new year much as we celebrated Christmas,; quietly together, counting the many things for which we are grateful. There was cabbage and black-eyed peas of course on New Year’s Day. While traveling thru Houma, LA, we had the great pleasure of meeting Gold Loopers, Alexis and Berwick Duvall. The Duvall’s have a beautiful yacht, Serendipity, at Longboat Key and we enjoyed time together and shared stories on New Year’s Day.

Day 61 – 64, Jan. 2 – Jan 5

Next stop, Venice, FL, only 16 miles so a short cruising day but thru some very high end residential areas and beautiful scenery. The weather was perfect for being on the water and LOTS of boats were taking advantage. The fast boats were throwing big wakes and the personal water crafts were darting in and out. As we prefer a pretty laid-back approach to our cruising, we would likely plan in the future to go home for the holidays and leave the popular destinations to those who can only enjoy them at that time.

Our stay in Venice was highlighted by another visit with our friend Roger who took Peter to play some golf; a nice opportunity for him to enjoy some time away from the boat for a few hours. Like so many areas along the Gulf coast, Venice has a charming, walk-able downtown area with nice shops and restaurants. Weather kept us here a few more days than the original plan but that seems to be a trend and all part of the lifestyle of cruising.

Tomorrow we head south again.

I envisioned myself sitting down every few nights for a blog update. Ha! Certainly glad I never took on blogging for a living. Where does the time go? There are still the usual domestic activities like cooking, grocery shopping, housekeeping, laundry. Add to that determining the next destination, scrutinizing the weather conditions (sometimes 4-5 apps and websites), planning the route, setting the route on the chartplotter, surveying marina and anchorage options, booking a marina, the activity of cruising itself with steering and navigation, social time with other Loopers, repairs and maintenance on the boat, seeing the local sites, and every now and then, a bit of quiet time together and individually.

Day 16-17, Nov. 18-19, 2019

Seabrook Harbor Marina in New Orleans. The power company was replacing a pole so the marina was without power for a day. Second day, they jumped to it with our repair. We knew our bow thruster (a small auxiliary motor that facilitate handling the boat in close quarters) wasn’t working. We had them do a quick haul where they put the boat on a sling from a cradle then lift it out of the water. All of the blades had been sheared off the propeller of the thruster so that was replaced. Fortuitously, Peter discovered that one of the main engine propellers was loose. Had that not been discovered when it was, much worse problems could have occurred, validating my personal view that things are always working out for the best and even when something looks like a problem (the bow thruster issue) it can be a blessing in disguise. The marina crew did a great job for us and we were ready to head out again.

Day 18, Nov. 20

The GIWW east of New Orleans is a very industrial area but still lovely in its own way. A bit of trepidation as we approached the considerably more open water of the Mississippi Sound; still in easy sight of land and protected by barrier islands.

We journeyed from the marina in NOLA to Bay St. Louis, MS. What a lovely surprise! The marina is fairly new and very well managed. Our boat was in a great location for going ashore. On shore was the old town area with wonderful restaurants and shops. We try to stay away from bread but could not resist the Serious Bread bakery. Dinner at The Sycamore House was one of the best meals I’ve ever had including big names in major cities and the restored historic home created a delightful atmosphere.

Day 19-21, Nov 21-23

We had one more stop before we would be crossing Mobile Bay where we wanted ideal weather. A front was coming thru with wind and rain so we decided to spend a few extra days in Bay St. Louis especially since we were enjoying the area so much. This allowed for down time, catching up with chores, and more eating and shopping.

Day 22, Nov 24

Biloxi, MS, at Point Cadet Marina our next stop. After a fairly long day across the Mississippi Sound, we kept it simple with a quiet evening on the boat. I resisted the Golden Nugget casino at our door.

Day 23, Nov 25

This is a bit of a milestone day for us as we crossed Mobile Bay. We had been advised it can be tricky with lots of commercial traffic, several turns on the GIWW and choppy waves. Our decision to wait for good weather was validated as we had a most pleasant journey. The difference on the other side was quite remarkable. The atmosphere shifted from mostly industrial to decidedly recreational.

Across the bay we continued on the GIWW to The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach, AL, a favorite with Loopers. Our experience at marinas prior has been walking the docks and occasionally seeing someone on a boat or walking on the docks often with little response to our greetings. At the Wharf we were surrounded by fellow Loopers. We had not even finished tying up in the slip before others were there to assist, introduce themselves, and anxious to share experiences. A third of the boats or more had active crew aboard. The marina is part of a resort with condos, a hotel, shopping, restaurants and even a theater.

We enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow Loopers and the creature comforts of the Wharf so we relaxed here for Days 24-26 including Thanksgiving dinner which we shared with new friends making the voyage.

Day 27 – 30, Nov. 29 – Dec 2

We are off again. Cruising the GIWW from Orange Beach, AL, to Pensacola, FL. As occurs very often, the Palafox Pier Marina is in an historic waterfront area. Early settlements along the coast were on the waterfronts. Pensacola lays claim to being the first European settlement in the US with the arrival of Spanish explorers in 1559. That settlement was wiped out by a hurricane leaving St. Augustine as the earliest continuous settlement. Still, Pensacola has a lot of interesting history and a charming old town area that is definitely up and coming. With lots of conveniences nearby and a whole new group of looping friends, we lingered for several days. We are finding ourselves to be what is labeled at “laid back” loopers as we enjoy the relaxing days exploring a new town and lazing on the boat in between the days of cruising.

Day 31-32, Dec 3-4

“Quite Nice” docks in Niceville, FL. Options in the area included the beautiful (but more commercial) beaches of Ft. Walton and Destin but we opted for the more relaxed and Looper-popular Bluewater Bay Marina in Niceville on the north side of the bay. Plus, how could we resist with that name. We had the pleasure of spending time with the very gracious harbor hosts Jack & Patty Nickerson aboard Nearly Perfect. The Nickerson’s are a wealth of knowledge and very generous in sharing their experiences.

Day 33, Dec. 5

Our next destination was Panama City. Panama City was greatly impacted by hurricane Michael in Oct 2018 and very few of the facilities have recovered. We aborted our attempted to get into one marina when we kissed the bottom. The Nickerson’s had suggest a great anchorage location at Pearl Bayou so we headed there and enjoyed a lovely evening and overnight comfortably at anchor.

Day 34 – 42, Dec. 6 – 14

Cruising the GIWW between Panama City and Apalachicola took us thru the area so heavily impacted by Michael. Along the way there were the signs of the impact nature can have as well as man’s push for survival on his terms.

This stretch is referred to as “The Canyon”. The walls of the waterway and dense forests are a contrast to the usual coastal plains and marsh lands. On to Apalachicola where we docked at the Apalacicola Ice House Wharf. Like many coastal towns there is a charming old downtown area with lots of history from the time the waterways were the primary means of moving goods before the railroads and then trucking took over. When cotton was king, much was brought down the Apalachicola River to the town where there were cotton exchanges creating an economy for the area that disappeared when the railroads replaced steamships for moving the cotton.

Apalachicola is a waiting area for Loopers. Here (or nearby Carrabelle where the GIWW actually stops) is the spot to sit and monitor weather conditions for an optimum time to cross the Gulf of Mexico.

Meanwhile, we enjoyed what Ap’cola had to offer; several excellent restaurants, some fun shopping, and quality time with other Loopers making the same wait.

Day 43-44, Dec. 15-16

There are milestone events and locations around the Great Loop; crossing the Gulf of Mexico is a major one. From Apalachicola or Carrabelle one crosses either to Steinhatchee in the bend of Florida or further down where the GIWW starts up again . For a couple of reasons we elected to make Clearwater our destination on crossing.

The conditions were less than optimum but the wait looked to be several weeks further out. There were a couple of other boats willing to go so we elected to join them and go for it. The conditions posed no threat to our safety as the boat is built for worse, just to our comfort. Our trip would be 170 miles with most of that over open water, taking about 22 hours including overnight.

The good news: we made it safe and sound. The bad news: the boat rocked and rolled and we were exhausted and felt pounded. We elected to steer from the fly bridge for the better visibility. Going below to do anything required us to sit our fanny on the deck and crab walk to the stairs where there were grab bars to hold onto. Next time we will wait weeks and weeks if necessary for better conditions.

We had been experiencing cooler weather since the first cold front we encountered in Lake Charles . We left Apalachicola in jeans and sweaters and multiple layers. As we approached Clearwater and the sun rose, we were peeling off layers and were into our shorts and t-shirts shortly after arriving. We both smiled and said “this is what we’ve been waiting for”.

We’ve elected to stay on the boat and continue our journey through the holidays. We will miss being with our family and friends at home but we will share in celebrating the spirit of Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men on our home that floats.

There is a lot of Louisiana to cross along the Gulf Coast. There is very little boat traffic similar to ours at this time of year. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway on this stretch is heavily used by tow boats pushing barges and there is considerable petrochemical industry and related commerce along the shore. Aside from that there are miles and miles of wetlands with no sign of humanity in sight; a very peaceful space to enjoy. With just the low hum of the engines it is almost a meditative quality. The autopilot gets switched on and we can lean back and relax for a bit.

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Day 7, Nov. 9

The day started at 2:00 am. At 3:00 we were joined by Captain Darrell Walker and his wife Cher. They own Blue Star Marine in Lake Charles. Their primary business is providing commercial services but were sympathetic to our situation and agreed to take us thru the Calcasieu Lock in the dark. The lock has been undergoing repairs and in a push to complete them is only open from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. We are just too inexperienced with the needed local knowledge to tackle this night time trip thru a complex intersection of waterways and commercial barge traffic. (especially as we were docked in Lake Charles and would have had to come down the Calcasieu River in the dark with no radar as well). Darrell made the trip pleasurable and educational. The early start allowed us to go all the way to Shell Morgan landing at Intracoastal City, LA.

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Day 8, Nov 10

Next stop Morgan City. Pretty uneventful passage and we were all set up to dock at the City Docks but on contacting VTC (traffic control) they suggested that we dock at Berwick, across the river from Morgan City on account of heavy shoaling.

So, next stop, tied up to a dock at a city park in Berwick, LA. instead.

No facilities but an easy and safe docking.

Day 9 – 12, Nov 11 – 14

To Houma, LA, and another city park dock. There was a cold front coming thru with wind and rain and cold, as in 27 degrees; any one of which would justify a bit of a layover. Plus it was time to do some housekeeping and shopping. So many claim that the loop is about the people you meet. The shared experience makes for quick friends and we had our first taste of that. A dear local couple, Alexis and Berwick Duval, had completed the loop in 2014. They graciously picked us up and shared an evening and dinner out. They were a wealth of knowledge for cruising in general and cruising the mid-Gulf Coast in particular. We made our first Uber trip for shopping at Walmart, a practical choice for groceries and wide range of needs. We were quite comfortable in our cozy floating condo.

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Day 13, Nov 15

A lovely cruising day through a beautiful area of southern Louisiana.

Boomtown Casino. The strategy is get as close as you can to the Harvey Lock in New Orleans so that the trip thru that lock, five miles on the Mississippi River, then thru the lock on the Industrial Canal, can be done in a day allowing for delays at the locks. The casino is only the landmark, it provides no facilities but is the usual stop of choice for cruisers headed east. There are remnants of some sort of seawall along the shore; chunks of concrete with bits of rebar sticking out, strips of rusty iron, thankfully the stub of one old bollard. Wind and current made coming up to the wall a challenge then locating a place to tie a line another. Not our favorite stop but it is behind us and we are headed into New Orleans.

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Day 14, Nov 16

We have traveled thru several locks but they are locks designed to keep the salt water of the GIWW out of the fresh water marshes. Now we encounter with some trepidation, our first “real” lock that will take us to the higher water level of the Mississippi River. A new experience with potential for difficulties. Actually, we had no troubles, transiting on our own, with little delay on arrival.

I do most of the radio communication with the tows, bridges and locks because Peter says that he only understands English. I was quick to let the lock masters know it was our first time thru their lock and they were kind in giving us simple instructions.

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Traveling the five miles of the Mississippi River was exciting. The river is a fast current with whirls and eddies. We were surprised at the depths of the water at 150 feet and more. Our first time cruising thru a big city. Lovely to see the downtown skyline from the water as well a a brief view of the French Quarter.

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After a quick run down the river, we entered the Industrial lock which took us back into the GIWW again. This time we had to tie up to a brand new cruiser which was being delivered to a local yacht yard.

Once again, the lock master was most helpful.

Arrived at Seabrook Harbor Marina just off Lake Ponchatrain on the Industrial Canal. A comfortable spot where we will sit for a few days. We want to relax, plan the next few legs of the trip and have a few repairs done. A cruising boat seems to be a constant list of what needs to be fixed next.

Day 15, Nov 17

New Orleans. A stop here would not be complete without a visit to the French Quarter and a taste of her famous food. Gorgeous fall weather for strolling thru the Quarter. Timed it perfectly to see a very entertaining group of street performers. Their skill at drawing in a crowd and garnering donations was as entertaining as the performance itself. The show was filled with lots of positive commentary on the current social scene as it relates to diversity of race, religion, and economics.

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Comments

I hope this is giving you a flavor of what we are experiencing. We are still working on developing our confidence when docking and maneuvering in close quarters but that is improving. The loss of the bow thruster a week ago helped sharpen our skills – back to basics.

Planning the next segment is taking a bit more time and effort than I anticipated but that will likely come together and smooth out as well. It is already much better than the first week. The motto might be “expect the unexpected” – like much lower than normal temperatures and the boatyard being shut down today while the power company replaces lines coming into the yard. The newbie jitters are receding as we get into the pace and routine of cruising. Bottom line: grateful for the adventure in life that we are living.

Day 0, Nov 2, 2019

What a roller coaster of emotions! We are thrilled and excited about the adventure in front of us. We are also a bit nostalgic at the thought of leaving family (including Peter’s dog, Maia) and friends, familiar places and favorite haunts, and the homes which have been our havens of comfort and security.

“Quite Nice” is ready to go. She has been polished, outfitted, provisioned and maintenance up to date. Tomorrow looks to be perfect weather to head off. First night is scheduled to be Galveston Yacht Basin. Perhaps a night or two more if needed to work out any last minute glitches – mostly concerned about internet access – then on to Port Arthur, Lake Charles and eastward.

She came together quite nicely. Friends took this photo when they saw us heading out for a little more time at the helm.

Peter has spent lots of time in the engine room getting it well organized, clean, and stocked with replacement parts. I did help with the oil change.

The guest suite is ready even thought the cover is way more rumpled than I will tolerate for long.

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Day 1, Nov. 3, 2019

And we are off. Promptly dropped a fender in the water coming out of the slip. A helpful friend on the pier helped us retrieve it. Made it to Galveston without incident. Added 300 gallons of fuel to the reserve tanks. Did not like the slips available at Galveston Yacht Basin so we opted to anchor in a spot referred to as Tea Cup. Peter had anchored there in his sailboat so we felt confident and we had no difficulty. It was a beautiful evening and comfortable night.

Waved goodbye to Seabrook/Kemah which has pretty much been our home for the last four months since we bought the boat.

Enjoyed the sunset and a simple dinner at anchor.

Day 2, Nov. 4, 2019

An early start at daybreak as we had a fairly long haul and short daylight hours. Cruised the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) to Port Arthur where we docked at the Sabine Pass Port Authority Marina. Getting in and out of close-quarter marinas is still a bit intense for us but this was a comfortable stay. Dinner with my good friend Michael Laws.

Day 3, Nov. 5, 2019

We were ready for an easier day so chose to spend a day in Port Arthur. Michael picked us up and took us to tour his business, EcoWerks, and the upgrades he made after the ravages of hurricane Harvey. Felt good to see all he and his team have accomplished. As a bonus, he was able to help us straighten out a piece of trim we had dinged. Another lovely evening of good eating. Can’t believe I forgot to take any photos.

Day 4, Nov. 6, 2019

Feeling confident but still a bit “off into the unknown” as we head east toward Lake Charles. Fabulous weather for cruising. Up the Calcasieu River a few miles off the GIWW. No difficulties navigating and an easy docking at the marina at the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel.

Day 5, Nov. 7, 2019

So much of the experience of cruising is about adapting to unforeseen circumstances. We got our first taste of that today. With some nasty weather coming thru today, we had planned to lay low, relax, and plan the next leg. Weather looked best to continue on Saturday. We had been warned about maintenance on a lock on the GIWW coming out of Lake Charles. Called the lock master to get the status expecting the lock to be open on the weekend. They are pushing to complete the project so crews are working seven days a week, all daylight hours. This translates to our being able to pass through during the night only and with lots of barges that are backed up also trying to get through. Estimate is that the project will not be completed for at least two weeks. Not good. Option of sitting tight in Lake Charles for two weeks or more did not appeal. Peter came up with a great alternative – hire a local captain to get us thru. In just a few hours, we had located the perfect one. Plan is to sit out the weather Friday, then he will join us in the early morning hours of Saturday to make the journey thru. We are very confident that it will be a great experience, we will learn from him, and be on our way.

Yvonne’s comments

I had all these thought about how I would be taking some great photos during the day and promptly updating our captain’s log and this blog every evening. That may happen after I get in the groove but for now, I’m juggling more balls than usual. Not up to my usual standard of being organized but I’m confident I’ll find my groove soon. All that said, we feel we are “living the dream”.

July 1, we moved the boat to our slip at Seabrook Marina. Since then we have been busy moving ourselves on board and she is starting to feel like home. There are moments when we are completely overwhelmed with the list of things to be done and yet still confident we will get there.

We have spent 2 out of every 3 weeks on the boat and learned many in’s and out’s of the many systems. Spare parts in the engine room have been sorted, inventoried and organized. Manuals and records (well maintained by previous owners) have been organized into our personalized system. Items checked off the list of minor repairs and improvements. We have kitchen gear and bed and bath linens and pantry basics so that we can function day to day.

I’ve had to learn to cook with limited space, refrigeration, and equipment. Can’t use the grill in the marina for safety reasons. Discovered right away a switch on the stove that allows either top burner cooking or oven but not both at the same time. Still need to learn how to use my Instant Pot for routine tasks like boiling pasta.

We have the good fortune to make new friends who have cruised a large portion of the Loop as well as the Intracoastal Waterway between here and Mobile. We have already benefited from the conversation. They have a similar boat and it was quickly like talking to “family”.

Along the way, we prepared Peter’s 37′ Bostrom sailboat for sale. Lots of cleaning and organizing to get that done. Spec sheets written up, photos taken, and marketing websites posted.

We have had piloting lessons with the previous owner as well as taking the boat out just the two of us. Most boaters will agree, the cruising part is great pleasure. The getting in and out of a slip at close quarters at the effect of wind and currents can be terrifying. We have each had turns at the helm taking the boat in and out of our slip. Confidence coming up. We remain hopeful that the pucker factor will diminish over time as we get more experience.

On one of our first trips out we were with the previous owner when the Coast Guard flagged us down in the channel for a routine safety inspection. It was a very hot day and very few boats out and they were stopping everyone that came past. The officers were very friendly with no artificial air of authority even though they were carrying sidearms. We passed our inspection with no violations and they even posed for a photo with us.

Every now and then, we kick back and put our feet up and marvel at how very fortunate we are and how much we appreciate the life we have the opportunity to enjoy.

When we first met, Peter mentioned he was considering trading his 37′ sailboat for a trawler. I loved sailing and couldn’t imagine giving up the pleasure of raising a sail and the sensation of the wind propelling us through the water. We made a couple of outings on the sailboat and I was reminded of the physical effort it took to remove sail covers, raise sails, and work lines, not to mention the cabin limitations requiring crawling into a berth on my hands and knees. After all, it had been nearly 30 years since I owned a boat and I had passed several milestone birthdays since those days.

We spent much of the winter of 2019 in Ft. Lauderdale and the Bahamas where we began looking at trawlers. In the process, Peter mentioned the Great Loop. The more I read and heard, the more hooked I was. This would be a real adventure for us where we could share the process of setting a goal and overcoming the challenges to achieving it with an abundance of pleasure moments along the way.

First goal was to select a boat that would be ideal for us. We wanted something that would let us feel safe and comfortable. As one writer said, not one bit larger than we could handle and not one bit smaller than we could live in. We looked at boats from the Bahamas, throughout Florida, along the Gulf Coast, and hundreds of internet listings. We had narrowed down our preference to a DeFever 44 or a 44+5. We wrote down our wish list of features and put this out as broadly as we could on internet groups for owners and related forums. Along the way we discovered a social gathering of boaters who had completed or planned on doing the Great Loop (Loopers). We were grateful to have the opportunity to attend and network with this like-minded group. Sure enough, we met a couple who owned a boat like we wanted and knew someone else who owned one and might be interested in selling – and the boat was right in our backyard on Galveston Bay. We connected and made a deal. The ball was rolling.

We have a boat

On July 1, 2019, we purchased Beachcomber to be renamed Quite Nice. We will spend the next four months learning to handle her and her many systems like navigation electronics as well as how to keep her well maintained. Of course, there is outfitting to be done with supplies, equipment, furnishings and decor that will make her our home. Our goal is to depart Nov. 1 after hurricane season is over to begin our adventure on the Great Loop.

We have included pages that tell you more about our boat and the Great Loop.

If our adventure interests you, we hope you will follow this blog. We will keep you updated on our preparations and then on the journey itself.

“For the truth is that I already know as much about my fate as I need to know. The day will come when I will die. So the only matter of consequence before me is what I will do with my allotted time. I can remain on shore, paralyzed with fear, or I can raise my sails and dip and soar in the breeze.” 
― Richard Bode, First You Have to Row a Little Boat: Reflections on Life & Living