Friday, October 16th

Rain again! It seems the low pressure will stay for a few days, which slows our departure, I can’t wait. We went to West Marine buy more stuff, but now that we don’t have the car, we needed to walk a long time, but at least we were moving.
I also bought Motrins and muscle pain cream. I need to heal my back! We wanted to go to McDonalds, but a sign on the register said that they did not have hamburgers or grilled chicken, so only fried stuff. A McDonalds without hamburgers!!!! I almost took a picture to prove the irony. We ended up in a restaurant with disgusting greasy hamburgers, yuck.

Thursday, October 15th

The bad weather came by, it’s rainy and cold, yuck. We didn’t leave the boat and worked inside. Jean and I went to get Pizza at the restaurant and that’s all, no way we wanted to get outside for a long period of time!

Wednesday, October 14th

The tow wives left this morning and we pent the day installing equipment on the boat. I’m starting to get itchy to leave! I have a very bad back ache, it pinches me from the lower back down to the knees. Looks like a pinched nerve that spreads the pain. I had the same thing a few months ago and it’s no fun, I can’t sleep except on my belly and I can’t sleep a long time in that position; so my nights are though.

Tuesday, October 13th

Small day today, I bought my deck boots and the guys had parts for the boat to buy so we did some shopping… We have also repaired and installed a few things on the boat.

Monday, October 12th

Once again the Sailboat Show. I tried to connect to the internet at the Starbucks, it was either $4 for two hours, or I had weak signals. I hate when internet doesn’t work! I bought my glasses, in fact they are goggles that stops salt water from getting in your eyes, with interchangeable lenses for day, night and cloudy days. I also bought an Helly Hansen jacket (foul weather gear) and pants, at a 50% discount, way cheaper than the $600+ that a few brands were asking for their gear.

Sunday, October 11th

For our first day in Annapolis, we went to the infamous Sailboat Show, it was the 40th edition, so a show well anchored (no pun intended) in town. By the way, Annapolis was the first American Capital, before Washington. I didn’t read too much on the subject but I think a major flood had them move the Capital to Washington, further inside the land.

The sailboat show is impressive, small, medium and large boats, worth from a few thousands, up to multiple millions. Of course, the nicest, fastest and luxurious are the most expensive! I’ve started to look for my equipment and got a few sales pitches from all brands salespersons, but in the end it was the price that would make me buy something. I bought my deck shoes, the ones I will wear on the boat before it gets warm enough to walk barefoot.

Saturday, October 10th

We woke up early because we had multiple things to do before taking the airplane. We left the condo at 8am so we could drop some stuff at the storage, then we made a second stop at work so I could print documents. The small problem is that I’ve changed office a few weeks ago and my alarm system code was incorrectly programmed so when I came in, the alarm went off, and I couldn’t stop it!! After trying to call other employees with no luck and telling the alarm system company my story, we came to the conclusion that it wouldn’t stop, so I went in and printed my documents with the alarm ringing.

After that, a little walk-in clinic was opening, in the end of a mall. Reviews on the internet gave it a one start rating, with very bad comments, but no wait and that’S what I was after. He gave me a prescription for Malaria pills and gave Catherine and I the flu shot while we were there. We were able to get the medicine at the drugstore next door.

Next stop, the airport. The break was rough, leave your girlfriend for two months it not the fun part… Both flights went well, I was in Baltimore with a few minutes to spare. My uncle Jean and Guy brought me back to Annapolis in half and hour.

Once parked, it was past midnight and it was very dark at the dock. While going down the ladder to get on the dock, I placed my foot between the ladder and the dock (it was a floating dock for the tides) so I got my leg in the water quite deep, and knocked my knee… nice start for the trip! The two wives were waiting on the boat.

Une autre journée au non-paradis / Another day in un-paradise

Nous sommes encore pris à Annapolis, il pleut depuis 3 jours donc se déplacer est compliquée (on se fait mouiller). Les journées deviennent longues, je vais essayer de trouver une librairie pour acheter des livres. On espère partir demain ou lundi au maximum. Il faut que je me pratique pour piloter le navire!

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We are still stuck in Annapolis, it's been raining for three days so moving is complicated (we're getting wet). The days are getting long, I'll try to find a bookstore to buy a few books. We hope to leave tomorrow or Monday at worse. I need to practice piloting the vessel!

1er email du bateau / 1st email from the boat

J'écris ce email a partir du bateau, le message est envoyé par radio amateur. Nous sommes a Annapolis, MD. C'est venteux et froid et il pleut. Nous sommes dans la baie donc il faut prendre un dinghy pour aller au bord. Nous prévoyons descendre a Norfolk, VA en fin de semaine. Je vais tenter de me connecter a internet pour vous envoyer des photos.
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I am writing this email from the boat, the message is sent by amateur radio. We are in Annapolis, MD. It's windy cold and wet. We are in the bay so we need to take a dinghy to get to shore. We expect to go to Norflok, VA this weekend. I will try to connect to internet to send pictures.

Test of email to blog

I am at the airport and this is a test to see if I can send a message directly on the blog from an email. THis way, once on the boat I'll be able to send text messages from the radio email system.

Je suis a l'aeroport et ceci est un test pour savoir si je peux envoyer un message sur le blog direct du email. Comme ca une fois sur le bateau, je 

pourrai envoyer des messages textes a partir du systeme de email par radio.

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Less clicking: Hotmail access on the new MSN homepage.

The first departure!

It's today that I am leaving for Annapolis.

I have my first aid card, but didn't have the time to get the amateur radio license. I completely forgot the Malaria pills so I'll try to stop at a walk-in clinic this morning just before the flight to get a prescription.

It has been a rush this week to do everything, and I hope I didn't forget anything!!

The rush before the departure

I did my First aid course Saturday, and I still need to try to get my amateur radio license... it will be though. I am halfway done in filling my luggages.

The stress is startign to kick in!

Tickets bought!

Departure for Baltimore Saturday October 10th.

$300 :( Plus transit to Annapolis, where I'll get on the boat.

Pre-trip list

In order to take part of an adventure like this one, we need to bring some "good" to the team. I've used a motorboat for many years, I have my boater "permit" since forever, but on a lake, on a motorboat, it's not the same thing.

I've owned a catamaran with my best friend Dave so I have some experience with the wind (plus kiteboarding)




So in order to be a true sailor, I created (and I was given suggestions) a small list of things to do:

- Learn sailing terminology in french and english
- Learn sail navigation (on a catamaran, you can test the limits and crash, not on a sailboat)
- Get my amateur radio certification
- get my first aid certificate
- Learn the most importatn knots
- Buy the missing equipment to live on board

I'll come back later to explain each thing in details... It's not as easy as it seems.

Let's start by the start

My uncle has been a sailor for a long time. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a boat shorter than 40 feet when one would need to use a sextant to navigate.

A few years ago, he replaced his sailboat by a newer one, a little larger and made of aluminum. He bought this boat on France. I was supposed to be part of the crew for the ocean crossing, but because of work I cancelled. I regretted it since, that's why I have decided to never let an opportunity pass since then.

Last year, he bought a condo in St. Lucia, to leave the boat permanently and spend a few months per year over there; instead of spending summer weekends in Vermont. This time, I wasn't going to miss my chance. I've committed 100% to this trip, whatever the circumstances.

Here is the sailboat, an Alubat Ovni 43. Magnificent aluminum sailboat, with retractable keel and all gadgets you can think of (radar, gps, autopilot, etc). The boat is named Oceanne II.

BeachBoy in the Caribbean Islands

This little part of web will allow you to follow an adventure which I am starting in a few days. I am leaving on a sailboat from Annapolis, MD to St. Lucia in the Caribbean Sea.

More details soon.