Because my blob blogging was intermittent at best these past two weeks, I’ll just mention a few highlights per day. I may call on crew member Dick Stevens, whom we were extremely fortunate to snag as our third voyager, to help me with some of these events (he was a much more faithful scribe with his log).
So, off we go…
JUN 6 Day 1: Set off at 9am from Orr’s-Bailey Yacht Club (OBYC) with hugs and waves and a special guardian angel charm in my pocket and a butterfly one on my necklace;
…
then initiated diet plan promptly at 1:36pm, i.e., started my normal course of being seasick. oh joy. but did complete my night time watches (8-11p and 5-8a).
JUN 7 Day 2: Managed to get spinnaker wrapped around one of the lines only to have Max climb the mast to free it up while Dick and I tried to help from below… success (thank king neptune)
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All settling into a routine with prepping meals, washing dishes
checking weather and route
and catching naps when off watch. Juanona starting to get into passage decor.
while dolphins appear.
JUN 8 Day 3: Realizing that passage hygiene is now in full force with Dick, I’m ashamed to say, beating me to the first underwear change. Spotting sargasso seaweed and man o war jelly fish as we near the gulf stream
JUN 9 Day 4: Awaken my body during my 5am watch by dancing to “Happy” and “September” (blessedly no photos of this) while later getting the guys to join me in another rendition of “Happy” captured by the go-pro camera facing the cockpit. Made our breakfast yogurt bowls.
Also, enjoying the other animal aboard (black spider) as it attacks its image in the starboard winch
JUN 10 Day 5: SHOWER DAY!
Boat smelling sweet. And, the closest encounter we’ve had all passage with Baltic Mercur, a cargo ship approximately 520 ft long, 69 ft wide traveling 12.5 knots.
JUN 11 Day 6: On spin cycle as we sail in a turmoil of frothing seas and high winds, even surfing down one wave to over 15 knots! Most of day spent going 8 to 10 knots, even 11, as we hunker down.
At night a big splat sounded against Juanona’s hull resulting in a burst of salty water where it travelled via the cockpit down a bit into the galley. Dick, in his aft berth, got a shot of the water, too. Not a fun way to spend the night. We are all religious about wearing our harnesses when on deck
JUN 12 Day 7: Snack Bin raid… thanks to Dick bringing aboard some tasty snacks to add to our provisioning, we have a HUGE snack bin.
Although we try to limit ourselves to just one small square of chocolate after dinner and a few fireballs during the day, I just HAVE to have something else from that pile of delicious, non-nutritious treats. Only Max seems to be able to resist the calling of the snack bin, but he’s been known to relish a fireball or two.
JUN 13 Day 8: I’m now resembling an over-ripe banana with my purple, yellow, and black bruises. Trying to perform the most elementary tasks (such as putting on foul weather pants) requires a form of athleticism more suited to a contortionist vs. a middle-age sailorette. And, if the unpredictable sway of the boat isn’t enough, there are boisterous slaps of waves against the hull that startles you just as you’re about to finish a task; and, what’s worse, bruised banana hues just aren’t my colors. But we are rewarded with a flying fish found on deck
and, captain finally gets some well-deserved sleep
while Dick performs his clean-up magic in the galley
JUN 14 Day 9: More slip sliding around… but the sunrise if gorgeous
we manage a smorgasbord lunch
and, later we believe we entice dolphins at sunset with some Pavoratti at dinner time
JUN 15 Day 10: SHOWER DAY NUMBER TWO! And, we use a mustard bottle to send a message to sea
Have been enjoying our eggs from Two Cove Farm in Harpswell, ones we didn’t need to refrigerate as long as we turned them every day (although later we did put them in fridge just to be safe)
Captain invents best way to block out light for sleeping off watch
JUN 16 Day 11: Today I witnessed another guy thing… napkin shirts. I nearly choked when I saw Dick perform the same dining etiquette that Max does: using the shirt as their napkin.
JUN 17 Day 12: It’s another washing machine day with all of us being bounced around. It is good isometric exercise but, boy, can it make me cranky. fortunately, that can be mollified with a visit to the snack bin. Dick has figured out how to wedge himself into his berth
JUN 18 Day 13: Almost there!
<img src=”https://mllboi.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/img_0434.jpg” alt=”IMG 0434″ title=”IMG_0434.JPG” border=”0″ width=”600″ height=”512″ 
JUN 19 Day 14: LAND HO!
Arrive at Lajes approximately 1:00p
Glad you are there….miss you here!
welcome on this side of the world :))))…we will follow your blog and if we see a chance maybe we can meet…
I remember our wonderful time with youall both in Dec ’02 and Mar ’03 although you were a bit ‘under the weather’ in March :) Will definitely plan to see youall!
Hello, Lynnie and Max! Andrea gave me a link to your blog, and now I have become one your fans! What a wonderful trip you have having, though you won’t catch me doing something like that. We miss you at the desk! Lee
I just told Dick last night how I’d ‘sing’ (well, sort of) the sound of music song when leaving. He said they must really miss you… or, maybe not :) So, glad to hear it’s the former. I definitely think of youall! And, your book is proudly on Juanona for contemplative time.
So exciting! Glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of humor, Lynnie!
Hola – travel safe. Loved reading your blog and seeing your pictures.
Cretia
thanks :) when are youall heading to your next adventure? I try to see when you post pics. heading to spain? hawaii seems to be your favorite as it is for another good friend of ours :)
Yay…..I finally decided to go check your blog again and here you are with pictures galore!! Looks marvelous!!
Yay…..I finally decided to go check your blog again and here you are with pictures galore!! Looks marvelous!! LOVE all the pictures and commentary!! You could be a travel writer with an edge like Bill Bryson!!
Oops……posted twice…….looks like I am blog challenged….I thought it did not go thru the first time. Love that the expensive wine is now a “message in a bottle” bottle!!
Thank you, Lennie, I just read your blog, to date! Your creative writing is a gift, and will truly enhance my summer! I just signed up for the updates via email! My brother Pete, you met Bruce, was the Naval Attaché to the US Embassy in Lisbon. We enjoyed spending 2 of his three Christmas’s with him/family there! We love, love, love Portugal! We loved cooking our steak on hot rocks, in the restaurants! We loved the wine and the seafood! We loved it all! My Dad, you met him, used to deploy from BNAS to the Azores! I also had a friend, who family is originally from the Azores, describe to me how incredible the hydrangea were! You confirmed, in your pictures! I love, love, love hydrangea! Thanks so much for blogging! I cannot wait for my first email blog delivery! WooHoo!
Linda Latta
Thanks, Linda, and we totally agree with you about the Azores. These islands are a magical place. We’re in Sao Jorge, arriving yesterday afternoon. The marina is a new one since the last time we were here, and the dock master is wonderful (his reputation draws a lot of yachts, here, no doubt). Just wish we had some of those hydrangea aboard. At least we do have the vinha :) I remember the summer we all dropped by at your place outside Bath. It was fun seeing Max among some of his Jr. High School friends. We stopped by to see Bruce in Annapolis (my first time there and pretty impressive) but he was in meetings. Hope all’s well, and you’ve got some hydrangeas in your garden :)
I have 9 hydrangeas in my yard! 4 endless summers, and 5 limelight. I have hydrangea stain glass, paintings etc. throughout my house! I live outside of Annapolis, and have a big house! Anytime, you are in the area, you are welcome to stay! Lots to do here! A little change in scenery. Mi casa es su casa! I mean it!! You have whetted my appetite for the Azores now, and a Azores vacation! Good to know, there are direct flights from Boston! Looking forward to your next blog! Love to Max! I was always was crazy about Bruce’s Bath friends. They were more fun! I am better at staying on touch, too! LOL! Max was always the winemaker! Did you know he made wine out of lettuce in Jr. High? Too, funny!