The best thing to have on a boat

The best thing you can have on a boat is your nieces. Katie and Sarah, 15 and 10, just spent the week with us on Jade. They loved it and we can't wait for their next visit. Fran's sister Helen and her husband Kevin stayed on shore in a hotel and we all enjoyed Wrightsville Beach. Fran's brother Wil came by too. It was great seeing everyone.

Wrightsville is a nice little beach town. Lots of houses and a few low key shops, restaurants, bars and ice cream parlors. When the weather is bad the place is deserted but as soon as the sun comes out people are instantly out walking, going to the beach or using their boats. For sailors Wrightsville has a great dinghy dock and the anchorage is well protected. The shops, restaurants and beach are all within walking distance. We have enjoyed it but are ready to move on. We plan to leave Monday and head for Beaufort, North Carolina.

Wrightsville Beach and What do you eat on a boat?

We are now in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina and have been here about 4 days. The overnight passage from Charleston was uneventful. We have not fully explored the area so we'll talk about one of our favorite subjects - food.

How are we managing to stay alive while spending so much time on a boat? We eat 99% of our meals on board. There are a lot of times when we are not even near a restaurant. Cooking on a boat is similar to cooking at home with more of an emphasis on conservation of water, gas and electricity. Filling up the propane tanks or buying food takes more time than at home so these stops are avoided as much as possible.

The starting point is the galley on Jade. It's similar to a kitchen in a studio apartment. It has a range top, oven, microwave and front opening refrigerator and freezer. Out on the rail is the all important gas grill. The refrigerator/freezer runs off the batteries. The oven and grill heat with propane gas. Food and drinks are stashed all over the boat but the food locker is the main storage area. It has been especially helpful to have a wide variety of staples and spices on hand plus canned goods, snacks and sweets. Powdered milk and powdered eggs come in very handy.

Right before a journey you stock up on fresh produce, dairy products and meat. We purchased a lot of food before leaving St Pete and then again in the Keys. That way we avioded buying food in the Bahamas which is very expensive, for example $6.00 for a head of romaine lettuce.

On this trip we did not have time to plan meals ahead so we did what our friend LuAnne does "stock the freezer". With cookbooks on board and memorized recipes we cook based on the food that's on hand using the freshest things first.

It's more fun to cook on a boat because there is time to plan and cook without being rushed. Al likes to use the grill and Frances usually cooks in the galley. It's really nice to have fresh baked goods. We have made scones, quick breads, cookies and Frances even made a chocolate cake to celebrate an arrival. To save propane we usually make things that cook in 40 minutes or less and we also use a pressure cooker to save cooking time.

So as you can see no one is starving on s/v Jade. Cooking has been part of adjusting to a new way of life but has turned out to be fun and like everything else is getting easier and easier all the time.

Cleaning up after the storm

For the past 10 days we have been cleaning up, doing repairs and sewing. An unexpected cold front came through the Gulf Stream during our passage to Charleston. The wind and waves were quite high. One wave broke through the cockpit damaging the dodger windows and sweeping away two canvas panels. At the end of the storm we realized that all the boat hooks were gone, the shackle on the stay sail was broken and one blade of the wind generator was damaged, among other things.

We stayed at the Cooper River Marina for a week because it is less expensive than the marinas near downtown. It is in the commercial shipping area of Charleston. As Fran's mother said after she visited "It's in the middle of no where". It was strangely peaceful with marshes surrounding the marina. Container ships passed very close to us and the huge processing plants were nearby. The bus stop was two miles away so we did not even attempt to leave the marina. Which was a a good thing because we had so much work to do. Larry, a contractor in the next boat, befriended us and took Al to West Marine several times. Larry came over to visit a few times and we fixed him dinner one night. We are continually amazed by the nice people we meet.

Yesterday we left the marina and passed under the bridge in Charleston that looks like the Sunshine Skyway. We are now anchored across from downtown Charleston. We feel like boaters again making our own power, conserving water and swinging on the anchor. We'll probably be here a week and then move to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina.