Yowsers! Busy days settling (?) Grace for the winter. She has more systems and is larger than Compass Rose.

A friend suggested we could truck Grace south and join the boat after Christmas in say, Georgia, thus skipping the lousy weather and fear about boating so late in the season. Intriguing....for only a few minutes from my perspective. Friend? David and I made a "let's sleep on it" agreement. Next morning over coffee we decided to bring the boat home and conclude our ICW ambitions for this season. We're both pretty exhausted by this entire effort which has held our attention and most of our time and money since April. Let's see, that's 7 months (!) with David doing most of the physical and mental work and me providing support (financial and emotional with a bit of physical boat work). The idea of opening another chapter of ICW/Grace this year...? No. I couldn't do it. So, she's home in our driveway.

Expanded driveway, Grace field:

In Slings again at Brewer's Freeport Marina

Our own personal living room sail loft:

With kitty helping:

A Snug fit. Almost lost the grill on this move. About a 12" clearance!!! And nearly as stressful as the nor'easter in Scituate.

View from David's office window.

It snowed here already! Below is one of sails, post-washing and trying to dry. It feels cold and damp even though the temperature isn't THAT low at 39 degrees in the middle of the day today. Chill definitely in the air. But Amelia and I are sitting in front of glowing embers in the wood stove.

Sail "drying" in the snow

Last 2014 motor down river

We're decommissioning Grace. It's a sad thing to be doing given our ambitions for this winter of living on her in a sunny, warm, Southern clime...but must be done.

Awaiting taking the masts down

Taking the masts down is something like neutering one's favorite pet. At least it is a reversible process. And she still has lovely lines and looks sturdy which she is.

Neutered Grace. She'll travel over land better this way.

Thinking of expanding our lower driveway to more easily accommodate her living here beside us this winter.

Also toying with the idea of having her shipped/trailered (by a professional, not us) to SC or GA next month and we'd fly or drive down and continue south, as planned. Or bag the sailing idea for this year and go to Spain for a couple of weeks to visit friends, Dick and Nora.

We are both blessed...and cursed...with possibilities and options.

At the beginning of our trip I tried to get a photo of Two Lights. I managed on the return though it is NOT postcard material.

Warm, foggy day. Lovely, really lovely, in a blurry sort of way. Lots of boats coming out of the water at Brewer's Freeport Marina where Grace is docked temporarily. I made a trip to take all the food off the boat, so we'd have food at home. Later in the afternoon David and I stripped the sails, packed some clothes and moved our books off...stripped the aft cabin berth... We'd provisioned Grace well for an extended journey.

I'm settling back onto land with less despondency. I realize, though, that I'd high hopes of using this water journey as a place/time to ponder how I might want to use my time and energy (talents?) during the coming 10 years. I'm privileged with good health and a modicum of wealth that allows me to not strive regularly for food, shelter, warmth. So, how to use my available time/energy purposefully? It is harder to ponder these/this question(s) in my "home" environment when there are so many pulls at my attention...hard to keep eye on the prize...or to know what the prize is. Sigh. Turns out self-discipline is not my strong suit...and waiting, quietly...meditative state isn't either. Still...

Sorry I didn't get a photo of Grace in the pink light of fog. She knows how to sit...waiting, quietly...mediative state...waiting...patiently...

Less bummed out today. Holding all these disparate emotions - disappointed, relieved, confused, grateful...We humans. Flexible. I realized that I'd placed a lot of hopes/expectations on this journey - hoping to challenge some familiar habits, get out of regular environment to take a look at other possibilities, other options about how to use my time and energy. Maybe w/no pressing commitments beyond boat safety and food, there would be clarity and decision. Walking back into our wonderful home I was faced with familiar habits, regular environment and lack of clarity. Gotta get that by another avenue, I guess.

On the plus side of the "journey" balance sheet - I'm much more comfortable estimating distances on the charts, even finding where I am on the chart. I know how to use the Elderige tide book. I know more about effect of wind on waves and how to manage effect on steering a course. I know the sequence for starting and stopping the engine. And, I have a new app on my smart phone that predicts the wind speed and direction. Not rocket science but good to be somewhat conversant. I can turn on the heat and cook on the propane stove

We put some good systems in place during our 2+weeks on board.

And today, we got to SAIL for the first time since leaving, only my 3rd sail. Maggie joined us. We got 4 sails shaken out and working, 10 degrees of tilt, 6 knots. Beautiful sun. Not too cold. Just between Bustin and Little Bustin, then round little Bustin and sail to our red nun, then motor back to the dock. Totally delicious.  Maybe the photos Maggie made will be available tomorrow.

Yesterday morning in Kittery the decks were icy, a clear indication that it is time to be home. Beautiful morning. Foggy windows made navigating out the river a bit dicey but a combination of "wipe the windows" and "stick my head out the door" made it possible to avoid lobster pots, lobster boats, and see the navigational buoys.

Glassy ocean for the first couple of hours of the trip, light wind at our backs as we headed along rather familiar coast of southern Maine. The wind and waves picked up a bit but never too rough, maybe 2' waves plus the ocean swell...it was swell! It was warm enough that both David and I spelled each other from the helm and took breaks on the aft deck (until I suggested that was too much trouble to look back to make sure he'd not fallen overboard) and the foredeck. Lovely watching the waves as Grace easily plowed through them. The vibration of that powerful engine and the sound of the splash of the waves stimulated....my bladder. And there was the long view making way for expansive, questioning thinking and just plain joy and gratitude.

Long View

We decided to continue to Freeport even though it meant a 9+ hour sailing/motoring day. Lots of standing at the helm as the seas were rough enough to require constant attention and handling of the boat - not "heavy" helm exactly but erratic helm...sort of like driving a car on bumpy, twisty and unfamiliar roads...in the dark. Constantly alert trying to anticipate where the next wave will head you (generally off course) and mitigating that effect as much as possible. Pretty physically and mentally active.

Dick and Nora called us as we passed the beach they walk at K'bunkport. "We see you!" I waved in their direction but couldn't really see them.

As we passed Cousins Island I l slowed the rpms, slowing our progress home. Didn't want to get there too fast. Disappointment settled into my spirit, though David was more sanguine. Familiarity was wonderful...and I'm totally appreciative and know this was the correct, prudent decision but...disappointment.

Shannon gathered us. I brought Amelia home and she immediately took to the stairs...away from all things "travel".  I remained totally blessed.

Pepperrelle Cove just off Kittery point, ME.  This morning I was adrift, so to speak, wondering what I was returning to in Maine. Here I was, expecting to get out of my familiar habits, new frontiers, etc. and now I'm returning. Grateful to have home and friends to return to but/and.... now what? Hoping to keep some of the space, psychic space, I've enjoyed without pressure of "work" and jobs (volunteer or otherwise). Hoping to keep mornings sacred to meditate and be spacious...open space for important messages or.....intuitions.....or whatever. But the discipline to stay vacant!!! Odd as that sounds.

Classic sunset in Maine - Pepperrelle Cove near Kittery

 We had a great day of motoring with the wind on our nose. Easy, though, with mild seas. Careful decision making about York Harbor or Portsmouth  Harbor. It tickles me that I know some of the things to consider - tide, wind, time of day, etc. Reading some, comfortably while David steered. Being helms person some. Not able to get into internet to do homework. Picked up our friend, Ben Fowler, who brought Mexican take-out, and dined on a mooring with him. Great laughter. great remembering how we'd supported our parents as they passed. Wonderful sharing of difficult times and some of our regrets, knowing we all did the best we could. Getting colder. Ready to get back to Freeport and see what comes next. Sweet "sail" today. Reading interesting book The education of Oversoul Seven by the woman who wrote the seth books.

David & Nancy excited to leave Gloucester after 4 days waiting for weather to change

Annisquam Villege where Don Tison used to live

Lighthouse at entrance to Annisquam River

Just home from dinner with our friends Diane and Don who have packed up their Gloucester house and have moved to Long Island. Chinese take-out, champagne in plastic cups (celebrating the sell of above house) and a SHOWER for David and me. Wow! What good friends.

Used Toni's gift of the change purse full of quarters, plus some of my own, in the laundry mat today. Now we have clean towels and undies and jeans! Laundry mat was just up the road and a nice one, too. David tackled some wiring, successfully. Now we each have a cigarette-type plug at our seat in the salon so we can recharge our various tech instruments without creating so many tripping hazards. What a guy! Other "home" improvements - I finished the hand work on another cushion today and scraped some more varnish off railings.

It was great to have bright sun this morning, after a night of wind and rocking and rolling. And, the just past full moon on our walk back from Diane and Don's was wonderful. Mild, welcome day/night.

Thinking we may leave this port tomorrow late morning. We've been befriended by Val who works here. She gave David her card and said, "Now you call me when you get home. I worry." We'll check the wind/wave action before heading out tomorrow. I have that app (Windfinder) on my phone now, too.