Friday, June 26, 2009

Ready - Set - GO!

Today we left our home dock on Gypsies in the Palace at 07:00 for Hinckley Yacht Service. Cassie and Godiva are sooo confused. We arrived at 12:30 and September Song was looking beautiful and waiting in the slings ready to go into the water. After holding my breath and a little maneuvering, she was in and ready to go to her slip. after giving her a quick bath the four of us went to Tubbie's to celebrate. HEY! any excuse works for us.
Tomorrow morning we will put the pointy end North and start making our way to the Chesapeake with lots of stops along the way.
Hinckley Yacht Services was great to work with. On schedule, close to the estimate, and a beautiful job.

September Song (let's go cruising!!) out
Bob


Looking beautiful after her bottom job

Marion, our bottom job guy

Ready to go back in the water
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Monday, June 22, 2009

On the hard

We just got back from Gypsies in the Palace at our home dock. We don't have much in the way of food in the house except cereal, so we got out our cardboard sign that says "Boatless and Hungry", and they took us in. As usual, the spiced rum was good and the dinner was great. Doug and Tammy are great friends and she makes killer brownies. It seems so weird going to our house from their boat rather than to our boat. The dogs are so confused.
Today September Song was lifted out of the water and put on the hard. For a while we didn't think it was going to happen. She is one of the largest boats they have lifted with their 50 ton lift. It's a good thing we were down 400 gallons of fuel, the water tanks were almost empty, and we had no spiced rum left on board. (well, two out of three ain't bad) We only had 12 inches from the keel to the ground and 6000 pounds to spare. It is so scary to see them lift all 47 tons of her out of the water, move her to her resting spot, and set her down on blocks and jack stands. She looks like she is going to fall over. It all went well and it was like a well choreographed dance.
THANK GOD!

September Song (on the hard) out
Bob


We had a 9.7 tide that flooded the Hinckley Yard last night

Watching the tide roll in

Coming into the lift

Tight fit
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Can we lift her any higher? No!

Be careful with our baby

Only inches to spare. That is all the higher they could lift her.

In the bottom cleaning area. SHEW!
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Sunday, June 21, 2009

September Song where are you?

Today is Sunday, Fathers' Day. Happy fathers day to all you fathers. I sure do miss mine. We are sitting at the Hinckley Yacht Services dock in Thunderbolt, just outside of Savannah, after traveling from our home dock to here today. Tomorrow September Song comes out of the water and will get her bottom redone, new zincs, and prop speed. (Makes you go fast)
When I last left you we were in Cumberland Island. We left Cumberland Island, anchored out one night about half way home, then the next day we arrived at our home dock in Georgia along with our buddy boat, Gypsies in the Palace. While we were there we took care of some business, lots of catch-up maintenance on September Song, deep cleaning, raw water impellers, strainers etc. you get the picture. The bottom is the last thing that needs to be done before we start our next adventure. Gypsies in the Palace will spend the week at our home dock doing boat maintenance, wax on, wax off, and alot of other things on their list, then we will meet up in Thunderbolt. Stay tuned and I will blog pictures of our baby out of the water, and then we (you and us) are off again exploring. Can't wait!

September Song (waiting to get our bottom powdered) out
Bob


The Sea of Grass in Georgia

It seems like it goes on forever

You know it's shallow when the birds are walking next to the channel marker

Georgia shrimper coming in with his catch
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September Song and Gypsies in the Palace at our home dock

Doug and Tammy waxing Gypsies in the Palace

Wax on, wax off
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Underwater pictures

I took my cameras in and had the under water pictures put on a CD. Wouldn't you know it, about 35 of them didn't come out.
I sure do miss the Exumas!


The pictures don't do justice to the colors on the fish

Notice the big eyes on this guy

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Some of the clearest water in the world

Colleen showing me how big the fish was that she saw


Cool fish
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Looking out from Thunderball Cave

Holes in the top of the cave

Some one coming into the cave

Doug and Tammy outside the cave
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