Category Archives: Voyaging

The Far Reach Now Has AIS

13 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Upgrades, Voyaging

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The Watchmate 850 AIS depicts the position of vessels transmitting AIS data.

The Far Reach, Moored, Elephant Bay, St Thomas, USVI — As moat readers familiar with the Far Reach are aware we have very few systems on board–no electric interior lights, no electric running lights, no fixed mount VHF or SSB, no radar or refrigerator, or water maker, no inboard diesel engine, etc. I did install a 30 watt flex solar panel prior to our passage to the BVI in December. It has proven to be a wonderful addition. It keeps the phones and iPad charged. It runs a couple of clip on 12 volt fans the few times we have used them and it powers a small hand held 12v vacuum. It’s takes a compelling reason to convince me to add complexity to the Far Reach.

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The Camaraderie of Sailing

13 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Boats, People, Voyaging

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Granuaile sailing past the Far Reach on her way to the BVI.

The Far Reach, Moored, Elephant Bay, St Thomas — Back in February we met Richard and Eilish Wylie on their magnificent self built 35′ steel gaffer Granuaile. They hail from Northern Ireland and are wrapping up a two year voyage to the Caribbean. This is their second trip to the Caribbean. They are intrepid voyagers. They spent last summer on Grainuaile about 70 miles up the Essequibo River in Guyana, S. America before working their way back up the West Indies this winter.

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Preparing for Offshore Work

12 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Planning, Voyaging

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Gayle, Cailin, and Eric flew back to NC on 8 April to complete homeschool testing and participate in a couple of local homeschooled acivities planned moths ago. Nonetheless, it was very hard and emotional to see them off.

I am making preparations for some singlehanded sailing down island. The exact destination is undetermined. I’ll have to make a decision by 15 May either to turn NE and sail back to NC or sail to the SE for Grenada. Our reunion plans will be built around the chosen destination.

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It has not been this quiet on the Far Reach in months.  We are both feeling a little lonely.

 

Back in St Thomas

05 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in Equipment, Planning, Voyaging

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Eric looking aft and enjoying his perch as we sail towards Jost van Dyke.

5 Apr 2015, The Far Reach, Anchored Elepahnt Bay, St Thomas, USVI — We departed the North Sound on 15 March and sailed down to the baths were once again we picked up a mooring for a few hours and enjoys swimming off the boat in the clear blue tinted water.  Afterwards we sailed north about a mile and anchored over night off Spanish Town.  Next day, we weighted anchor about 0830 and had a fine sail running east downwind in the Drake Channel then reaching north through the Thatch Cut to Jost van Dyke.

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Granuaile

01 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Boats, People, Voyaging

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Granuaile is a steel Wylo 35′ gaffer built by Richard Wylie

The Far Reach, Anchored, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVI–1 Mar 2016

Yesterday, we rented a car and drove the length and width of Tortola. Though I have been to many places in the world, Tortola probably has the steepest, most twisty, and narrowest roads I have ever driven. Lots of fun. It’s even more interesting as the roads are often not marked and the map we were provided was one of those cartoon maps. I wouldn’t I have wanted it any other way.

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Reunited!

26 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by in People, Voyaging

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The Far Reach, Anchored, Cane Garden Bay, Tortola, BVI–26 Feb 2016

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Hooray! My family finally arrived a couple weeks ago. It’s terrific to have us all together after being separated for almost three months! We spent some time in St Thomas getting everyone settled in to life on the Far Reach. The kids have been working on dinghy handling, snorkeling, and sailing skills. They had no trouble restarting homeschool just where they left off a few days before. It a lot of fun to sit on the bridge deck and watch them down through the companionway at the saloon table working through their lessons.

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St Thomas, USVI

06 Wednesday Jan 2016

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The Far Reach, Anchored, Elephant Bay, St Thomas, USVI–6 Jan 2016

Click clack. Click clack. I woke up about 0400 to a sound I could not immediately identify. “What is that?” “Ah, it’s the sound of a mooring ball banging against the hull of the Far Reach.” There was little wind so the ball was trying to occupy the same space as our hull. I got up and used the boat hook to push it off.   The pendant with the pick-up buoy was on one side of the boat and the mooring ball on the other. Back to bed. When I finally got up Tricia had the coffee going and was standing at the foot of the companionway looking out over the bridge deck and across the stern of the Far Reach taking in the lovely tropical panorama.

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