Dear Friends,
I don't know who will even read this, but several friends have inquired as to our adventure. It's been a long road (or should I say river) to get here. We started restoring Reisender 6 years ago next month. We've asked ourselves what we were doing on several occasions, I still don't know if we will ever have the answer to that one. What we do know is sitting still is not for us, so after quite a few years, quite a lot of headaches, many anxious days, and a few dollars later, here we are heading down the coast to who knows where. We've had the love and encouragement of many of you and we've had the doubt's of several others (for those of you betting against us.... pay up the the other party).
We left Portland on August 11, 2011, and it has been the slowest 300 miles we ever hope to have. Our happy little floating home has only made it to Charleston, OR, but here we are. September 24, 2011. We used the Columbia River as a test cruise, and we have re-camped each time down the coast to evaluate what needed to be brought up to snuff and make us more sea worthy. The boat is getting better every leg of the journey and so are we.
Sitting in Portland all these years has been difficult for both of us. We have worked hard and watched friends prepare and take off with us standing on the dock. Sometimes tears in our eyes. They've always been wonderful telling us we were next, but then the next friends left and again we were standing on that dock. Casting off from our dock on July 2nd was heaven, but now we are here in Charleston and we found new friends casting off and us standing again on the dock. We know we are only days behind them, but being left behind again with our goal so close is saddening. Our little home is in great shape and ready for the next leg with the exception of our muffler which should be delivered in the next few days. To all our friends who have gone on ahead of us and watched us standing on that dock.... we will catch up to you! That's a promise we intend to keep!
We read your blog! We are cheering you onward and hope to see you here in Panama! It's wonderful, the islands and water is beyond words......you'll just have to see when you get here!
ReplyDeleteI almost cried when you took off and left us in Newport! We will be the ones some day to take off again! I enoyed reading your blog. Let's both keep it up. Maybe put some of your recipe creations - like your crab souffle or your pasta crab cheese bake!
ReplyDeleteQueridos! Loved the post! thank you!! about being in front or behind is a matter or relativity. You are exact in the place yo have to me in this precise moment. lots of love from greece!
ReplyDeleteHopefully someday soon I too will sail off into the sunset on my dream cruise. Perhaps I'll sail into a remote cove in a far off land and after dropping my anchor, look around to find Reisender anchored nearby. We'll catch up on old times and raise a glass to toast the sunset. Thanks for helping to fuel my dreams. Ralph
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