Sunday last day in J-Ville Florida.

FINALLY made it out for a sea trial with the green crew.

I am very pleased to say that everyone did very well with it.

This is a tough thing though. They are trying to learn a whole new language about sailing, with new terms, and lots of procedures. I am very rusty in my skills, and am trying to get back up to speed myself.

When you add the problem of two "very large" adults who are hard to get around in a small space, the heat, and the fact that for the most part none of them have ANY boating experience to speak of....well I think they did great.

Britney has called "dibs" on that spot way out on the bow, and seems to enjoy the quiet as we are moving thru the water.

Nick is doing well with trying to stay focused with all this new information flowing in, and while his stomach is a little uneasy, he seems to be learning ways to deal with that too.

Miss Bonnie is watching everyone flying around, listening to all the new weird terms, and being very concerned about where "all this junk" is going to go?"

I have to be careful and remind myself that she has the Cancer, and even in her good weeks the chemo makes here tired. It's hot, and a lot of activity, and she has been being a real champ.

When I am giving directions, especially on the boat, I speak loud, and get a little stern, so it can easily be misconstrued for being mad, when I am not. It think it is a leftover from the Marine Corps, and most folks don't know how to take it. To some folks it sounds like yelling, but I am really just trying to make myself clear....."crystal clear".

So far the plan is to actually depart Jacksonville FL today, probably sometime in mid afternoon.

We will try to leave in time to take advantage of the outgoing tide in the St. Johns River where we are berthed, and ride it out towards the ocean, where we will go south on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) towards St. Augustine FL.

The is an Air Show scheduled for for over around Amelia Island FL for around 1630 (4:30pm), and I would like to be out there in time to see it but my guess is it will be a miracle if we make it out there by dark....lol

I had thought about seeing the local huge fireworks display, but then The Crew informed me that I was running a day ahead of time in my brain and seeing the J-Ville fireworks would involve staying another day.

So the sun is coming up, and it's time for me to get rolling on some things I need to do before the Crew wakes up.

I do want to say that while there has been a lot of work to do, and money has been spent, this boat so far has exceeded ALL my expectations. It sails like a champ, is very stable, seems pretty fast even when I am not trying to squeeze every bit of speed out of her I can get, and it's a pretty boat as well.

Because I did not have the time to bring all my sign stuff with me, I have not painted the name on the boat.

Miss Bonnie insisted we could not travel without a name, so I finally relented and went down to the local "Signs this very freakin second" stick on sign shop", and was going to order some vinyl letters from a local place. This was ALL very much against my ego to pay some other Dude over a hundred scoots for some stick on crap, but I was trying to be sensible. After all I can only be some many things at one time.

Evidently the "stick on, crap sign business" is good enough around here that the local "Sign Guys" do NOT need to work Saturdays, so I was rescued from the prospect of doing all that.

I just don't think I can deal with someone else's plastic on my boat. I'll deal with it after I get it back to NC.

I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July! While this holiday has so much to do with our history if rebellion, and revolution, I think it would be a great time fr us ALL to take a look at things that are going on around us in our country, and ask some very serious questions about if we are conducting ourselves in a manner of "the loyal opposition" and just how damaging all this divisiveness in our country is. I think of folks that call themselves Christians but have no charity or compassion. Call themselves Patriots, but then put profit over people and ship much needed jobs overseas.

I see trouble on the horizon, and it's not from China (although they do scare me) or Muslims, or the Russians......it's from US....the Citizens of the U.S. who are becoming so polarized that I am afraid we have become our own worst enemy.

Greed, self centeredness, and concentration of wealth in the hands of too few may well be our downfall. It's a historical thing that has repeated several times throughout history.

We have a lot of questions to answer and it's not about President Obama, it's about each and every one of us, our values, and if we are on the SAME TEAM or not?

Am I REALLY "my Brothers keeper", am I REALLY following the instruction to "Love One another"? Is this one nation or not?

I am a Veteran, and some days I hear a LOT of stuff that I just don't understand. They say "this is what we fought for". Well a lot of what I see and hear these days is NOT what I signed up to Honor, Protect, and Defend.

We have met the enemy......and unfortunately.....he really IS US.

Saturday July 2 STILL in Jacksonville FL dammit!

Yesterday was a bit of a challenge.

Let's see....battery cables fried on Suburban and had to clean and fix all that.

One Crew Member was down all day with the "monthly flue".

It turns out that some things that I needed to finish some tasks on the boat were left back in my garage in NC.

I tried to wear a pair of used deck shoes someone had willed me a few years ago, and they immediately caused multiple blisters.

Then the truck ran out of gas (bad gauge) and I had to walk a good ways barefoot, on the hot pavement, with all the sand spurs to get the refill.

And did I mention it's so freakin hot I can't think?

The good news is....I own several vehicles that I can drive.

My Crew member will bounce back.

There are plenty of stores, and I have the money to get the stuff I need to finish the boat.

I have more shoes than any "straight " man should own.

I had a gas can in the truck, and the station was not too far.

I am in Florida on a long vacation, with my Grandkids, and Sweetie, so we can play with MY sailboat.

I did NOT have to put on Body Armor before going to work this morning.

It's not NEARLY as hot as it is in Iraq.!!!!!!!!!!

We hope to sail this afternoon, and move aboard the boat in the morning. Then actually move on toward central Jacksonville FL. There should be great fireworks from the barges, and bridges, and they do a radio simulcast, and time the fireworks and strobe lights to the patriotic music.

Friday July 1 2011 Still in Jacksonville FL

Soooooo like usual, something that should have taken maybe one day has taken all week

I broke off a bolt in the shift/throttle control, and it took the better part of 3 days to get it out, drill out the broken bolt, re-tap the thing, then get it all back where it needs to be, and adjusted.

I have also spent a lot of time running around getting other stuff I have needed or just wanted. It's a never ending list....lol

Today I should actually get everyone out on the water for some sailing instruction. For most of the week "The Crew" (Britney, Nick, and Miss Bonnie) have been safely tucked away in the hotel sheltered from the heat, and steps away from the pool. They have also not had to put up with all my cussing every time I bust another knuckle.

The original concept was to leave here this morning, sail north on the Atlantic Inter-coastal Waterway and arrive in the Savannah GA/ Beaufort SC area to visit friends and share the Fourth of July.

I remembered that the LAST Space Shuttle Launch is on the 8th, and have decided that we will instead sail south to the Titusville FL area so we can watch the final Shuttle launch from the boat.

Then we will sail north to the Pamlico Sound area of NC where we need to arrive by July 17th. It was the 15th but Miss Bonnie got her chemo appointment changed by a few days.

I feel like today things will start falling together and everyone will feel like we are actually on a sailing vacation, and not being held hostage in a hotel.

This evening should be a shopping night and tomorrow we should leave on the 1000hrs ebb tide. That will make it easier to get out of the St. Johns River to the Atlantic Ocean entrance.

We will still stay in the Inter-coastal Waterway (ICW) but the junction of the river and ICW is near the mouth of the river.

When we head south towards the Kennedy Space Center for the launch, we will be able to make stops in St. Augustine FL as well as Daytona Beach FL.

The biggest challenge of today will be getting The Crew up, fed and out of here by 0800. They have been on a pretty slack schedule, and when I say we need to get an early start, there is a fair amount of frowning and eye rolling, with Mis Bonnie being the ring leader.......lol

Wednesday June 28 2011 Jacksonville FL

We got here after midnight and I got a late start. We are staying in a hotel for the first few days while we get the boat ready.

I took the Crew (Miss Bonnie, Britney, and Nick) to West marine and there was a 4th of July sale on. I decided to go ahead and spend the extra money to but automatic inflating life vest for everyone. They are very comfortable to wear....not like the big orange things. IF you hit the water they auto inflate. Pretty pricy stuff but if it motivates everyone to wear the life vests more, then it is worth it.

It was so hot we pretty much ended up back at the hotel by 6pm.

Britney volunteered to get in the Bosun's chair and be cranked up the 44 foot tall mast to change out the bulbs in the masthead light which is all the way at the top. Then she did the Steaming Light which is half way up, and the Foredeck Light as well. I need to get the replacement bulbs and today she will go back up an reinstall them.

We are getting off to a very slow start. I hope to take them out for a little training sail this afternoon or evening.

First day in Jacksonville FL

All the plans (which I prefer to call CONCEPTS) changed. The train trip to get here was going to be ALL at night, so I switched to a one way rental car, which would be over $500.

I decided that I could better use the 500 scoots to bring the Suburban back to life. So after I put in new brake lines, plugs, wires, fixed the A/C, new insurance, and over a hundred freakin dollars for a registration........we arrived here in Jacksonville FL a little after midnight last night.

The next few days will be taking care of some thing on the boat "BRITNICK" and doing some sailing lessons for the "very green" crew, and I hope to be out of here maybe Thursday morning on the outgoing tide.

There is a GREAT kind of junk store/used boat parts place over in St. Augustine FL call the" Sailors Exchange". I is all things boat. It is a fantastic place to find used treasures. We will also tour around St. Augustine a little. Right about now I could use a little of that Fountain of Youth juice.

I am soooo disorganized

We are set to leave for Jacksonville FL on Monday morning and I am running WAY behind on everything.

This is not uncommon, but I had great hopes that maybe this time I would pull it off without being down to the very last minute, leaving grouchy, and with no sleep.

The Grand Kids Britney, and Nick will be there and Miss Bonnie will have just gotten out of the hospital from her Chemo, and she will be very sick. I need to be on my best behavior.

I need to get away from this computer and get at other tasks but I also am trying to get back to the habit of writing something everyday.

This will probably be what I use as a "Ships Log" so I need to get in the habit.

Looking at the dates of the postings here it is very clear to me that life is running away from me at a break neck speed.

I am in Nashville right now nearing the end of a big corporate gig at the Gaylord Opryland complex.

I will return on Monday the 2oth and then soend the week getting ready for a trip where Miss Bonnie, Britney my 16 yr old Grand Daughter, and Nick my 14 year old Grand Son will take the train on the 27th from Raleigh NC to Jacksonville Fl where we will board my 30 foot Tartan sailboat "Britnick" and spend a couple of weeks sailing back up the coast to the Pamlico Sound area of NC.

I am hoping on the trip things will slow down enough so I can get some posts up to date.

Remember.....play nice, and ENJOY!