June-July 2011...Coffin Island Fun

Doesn't time fly?...It is already August and here I am writing an update for June-July!! What was that New Year's Resolution again??? Ah well...so sorry...sometimes the monthly update is a few weeks late...I know you all understand...and hey...better a little late than never...Right?...Right! Our favorite Coffin Island takes the spotlight again for June and July...here is a picture taken from the deck of Orion after we anchored...It is amazing how beautiful "our" island looks every time we sail there.

In June we had visitors from far away...tiny ones with wings...SWALLOWS...can you believe it? They chirped and sang for us and showed off their acrobatic abilities in the air...and when they thought they had totally mesmerized us with their spiel they tried to make a nest in Orion's sailpack (the place where the sails fall into when we are not sailing)! We had to laugh and felt a little bit sorry for them when we attached a make-shift "curtain" at the end of the boom, so that they could not make a house there...I mean...enough is enough and we certainly did not want the little fellows to get too comfortable in a place where they could not stay long enough to have a family. So they continued to sing and chirp and then gave up their quest and flew away into the trees on the island. So long little swallows...we do love you...thanks for visiting!










A yummy salad and a beautiful sunset...life is good!

Coffin Island main tourist beach...ferry dock

In July we were invited to the Ponce Sail and Power Squadron's get together at Coffin Island's main tourist beach. Of course we set sail from Salinas as usual, staid overnight on our favorite anchorage and then sailed to the main beach the next day. Anchoring at the main beach was exciting in its own way, because we had to take a mooring ball. Mooring balls are at a few places around Coffin Island to save the coral reefs...instead of dropping an anchor you attach your boat via a line to the mooring ball. The captain and I had never anchored on a mooring ball before...there is always a first time for everything...I proudly admit that we both managed very well and got that line through the loop on the mooring ball without too much of a hassle. And we didn't even shout at each other, hahahaha. We met our friends from the PonceSPS and had a great time partying. A special thank you to Ediberto and Jose Luis...it was a fun event and we enjoyed it tremendously. We took off again in the afternoon...back to our usual anchorage...spent the night there and had a great sail back to Salinas the next day.

Orion on mooring ball...our first time...and it went great!

Ferry arrives with Ponce Sail and Power Squadron

Leaving Coffin Island early in the morning...

Orion tugged into her dock at the marina :o)

So here we are back on the dock at Marina de Salinas...now it is August and we are in full swing of the dreaded unmentionable season (= hurricane season)...hopefully there will not be much to report at the end of this month and the months to follow until December! Stay tuned and God bless!

Underwater at Coffin Island

We got an underwater camera a few months ago and now we are happily snapping away or better I am happily snapping away...but I am sure the captain will follow suit soon and we may have to fight kindly agree over who is taking it "down there"...just kidding! It's a Rollei and we are very pleased with it. The pictures were taken at Coffin Island over the Easter weekend...the water was crystal clear...those of you who read our blog regularly will have seen the post on that already...those of you who have not yet seen it, what's the matter with you? please scroll down and have a look...

Starfish at its best :o)

Sergeant Majors

More Sergeant Majors...there is a whole colony there

That's it for now...there will be many more to come in future posts...

Sailing over the long weekend May 28-30, 2011...Coffin Island

Yap...we did it again! This time we even had an additional day to spend on our beloved Coffin Island. We left Salinas on Saturday under motor and sail...returned on Monday evening after a beautiful and perfect 5 hour sail back all the way from Coffin Island to Salinas...woohoo :o) Here are a few pictures to accompany our recent Coffin Island adventure. And just in case you may wonder...no...we do not get tired of Coffin Island...ever :o)


Although it was a long weekend (MemorialDay weekend) there were not too many boats out there during the day time...all but a few left before sunset...a perfect setting for a romantic weekend on Orion :o)

In the evening captain turned BBQ Chef Rick produced some absolutely delicious chicken thighs (boneless and skinless), which we ate sliced up on a bun with broccoli slaw...very yummy and even a tad healthy :o)

Since we are talking about food...another nice meal was green salad with apple slices...simple and nutritious...okay, okay...the captain had a peanut butter sandwich instead of the salad! Can't overdo it with "the green stuff" for him, hahahaha.
For breakfast we had 7-grain bread with Havarti cheese and apple slices...the perfect start for another perfect day in Paradise :o) Best of all: cooking time was kept to a minimum, giving us ample opportunity to go snorkeling and horse around in the water!

The captain combined snorkeling with cleaning Orion's bottom, and when he was finished I jumped in also and we took off together to find "Nemo", but since I have "short time memory loss" I can't remember whether we found him or not...;o)

As mentioned, we had a super sail back to Salinas under both main and jib. Here is a picture showing how Orion glides through the sea under sail, leaving white froth on the side...a perfect 5 hour sail, and we enjoyed it tremendously! The only sad thing is that I lost my "Orion" cap when the wind picked up...yes, the one I was wearing in the picture at the beginning of the story. Ah well...time to get a new one for me and my sweetie, the captain :o)

Back at the marina we were greeted by 4 manatees... I was lucky enough to capture these gentle giants on my camera...well...as best as I could capture them...spring has sprung for sure, they were having a great time fro-locking around the dock and Orion...

Another wonderful adventure came to an end and we say "until next time" with Orion safely tugged into her slip at the marina.

Coffin Island...Easter 2011

At last...sailing pictures again...and very beautiful ones that tell their own story of our wonderful weekend at Coffin Island...crystal clear water...white sand beaches...beautiful weather...great friends...can you feel the love?

We sure did (!) and enjoyed "the simple life" on board Orion...but that's nothing new, or is it?

Coffin Island is indescribably beautiful...pictures tell more than a thousand words! We had a very relaxing time...our friends Richard and Mercedes were already anchored there and our friends Bob and Joan joined all of us for a day on Saturday. How fun!

Here is a photo of our anchor chain, taken from Orion...the water reflections, the clearness, the white sand on the bottom...it is all quite unbelievable, even for us, who sail to Coffin Island almost every weekend!

We feel so blessed! Life is good, and at least we can share the pictures for everybody to enjoy with us :o)

Despite the holiday weekend it was not very crowded...what a nice surprise! There were quite a few boats during the day, but by evening all but two of them had left the island. It was peaceful with even the music subdued...all in all a very enjoyable weekend. Thank you to all fellow boaters :o)

We had a rain shower on Friday night...of short duration and welcomed by the thirsty vegetation on the island! Otherwise the skies were blue, the winds were calm, and the spirits were high :o)

Food...of course we had to eat! This time around we decided to go without cooking, because we agreed to spend most of our time snorkeling, beach combing, and having fun with friends :o)

So I prepared stone-ground whole wheat and flax wraps filled with turkey breast, Havarti cheese, lettuce leaves, tomatoes, and sour cream...accompanied by plain old potato chips :o)

It was a feast...so good that my non-raw-veggie-eating hubby gobbled them up with mumbled remarks of  "these are so good"...can you believe it?

Some work had to be done though...cleaning Orion's bottom, which Rick did in record time all the way down to the full keel...WOW. I helped a little bit by brushing the waterline (a black stripe around the perimeter of the boat just above the water)...it was good exercise, but pretty yucky work...ugh...little creatures all over my shirt...ugh...but I survived! I don't know why Rick doesn't get bitten by those creatures...I sure do...but I'll spare you the pictures.

On the left you see Richard, Mercedes, and their dog "Copper" having a good time in the water :o)

And on the right you see the Easter Eggs that the Easter Bunny's helpers left on Orion's deck on Sunday morning. Hmmm...we saw one of the helpers leave on a red kayak...hmmm...just like the one on the picture above...

We say thank you to the Easter Bunny's helpers and want them to know that the hard-boiled eggs made a delicious lunch for us, sliced and put on 7-grain-bread...quite yummy indeed!

My smiling captain always warms my heart...I feel so privileged to share this wonderful life with him!

Another look at our backyard at Coffin Island...the white clouds on the horizon look like the cream on the pie...don't you think?

We sailed back on Sunday afternoon in strong winds and waves...hmmm...the forecast didn't mention any wind. Never mind, we are used to a "bumpy ride" when we sail back to Salinas...the wind is always on our nose or so it seems, which does not diminish our spirits...we love to sail...it's as simple as that :o)

The sun goes down in a golden ball...who needs television out here? Saying good night for now until the next post on this blog...

Oh...and saying hi to Grandpa Harvey Klumb, who really enjoys our blog and the pictures! It was nice to hear all the stories about your trip with Rick from North Carolina to Florida and back...2000 plus miles in a week...way to go at 91 years of age! We love you!

God bless all of you!

March Madness...Fun in the Sun...Part III: The Petersen's

Also in March of this year Rick and I had the pleasure of meeting one of the most wonderful couples ever right here at the marina. Mr. and Mrs. Petersen, simply known around here as "the Petersen's", have a sailboat and visit Salinas from time to time to relax and enjoy being on the water. Nothing unusual about that, but you see...Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are in their early nineties and that makes for an interesting story! With their permission...here it is.

When Mrs. Petersen and I met we were immediately fond of each other. We only spent a little time together, but we chatted and laughed, and now have something like an inner connection :o) Mrs. Annette Petersen is a very very special person (although she completely denies that she is special)...she has her own business which she developed out of her love for creating whimsical figurines, mainly forest mice! All of her creations have special meanings, and many have reached the status of being collectors' items. Her children have learned her art and design and handcraft their own little mice with her, making "Wee Forest Folk" a small family business with a registered trademark! I put a link to their website http://www.weeforestfolk.com/ here and under "kewl links" at the left of our blog. Mr. Petersen is also very special...he is the captain who not only navigates his own sailboat but his wife's happiness...at least it seems like that to me! In other words: The Petersen's are one of a kind and we feel privileged that they consider us friends :o)

Here is a link to an interesting artist profile on Mrs. Petersen...http://www.weeforestfolk.com/AnnetteArticle2011.html...of course you will find the link also under "Kewl Links" on the left of our blog.

Mrs. Petersen gave us one of her creations as a gift...a little mouse angel, getting ready for her first flight from a cloud. So adorable that I cannot put it into words! And so appropriate at the same time, because Rick and I will be leaving on Orion for our first journey of a lifetime soon, and we are just as excited and a little fearful as Mrs. Petersen's creation :o) This made Mrs. Petersen very happy indeed, and I promised her to find a very special place for the little mouse on Orion...and I did! She is sitting right in front of a miniature bronze sailboat in our salon...how appropriate!

It gets even better...Mrs. and Mrs. Petersen returned to their home and a few days later I received a small package in the mail...it was another one of her creations! And as if it was all meant to be, we have two lamps in the salon...so there was an instant home for this second precious figurine :o)

Thank you so very much Mr. and Mrs. Petersen...we love you and wish you all the very best...God bless you and your family...see you again next year!