Day 18, priceless moment

On the bow, sitting atop the spinnaker bag I meditate. Hearing the soft flow of water finding its way past the hull, the sun’s warmth and brightness setting my eye lids a glow and simply breathing. Day 18. Day 18. I sit here wondering about the first two weeks a float and the 2 weeks prior and find myself with many thoughts. My mind flooded with which way to concentrate my energy, which facet I shall allow to surface, to become my center. My mind is like the burst shot on a camera…quickly flashing many incremental images. But I sit, breathing. Being at present with my present moment. Feeling the caress of wind upon the soft hairs on my face and arms, feeling nature surround my senses. Not thinking forward, not thinking backward. I like this moment. And in this moment I was not expecting to find a new realization about this trip, possibly a new way to receive this trip…other than our original reasons, which was to create a space to connect with our family, to find new deep connections with our sons, as well as, with one another. Time, during this change in scenery, that will ignite us and allow each of us to see each other anew, to possibly find in our hearts a softer connection to the beings we have become. That part of ourselves we ignored while distracted by the everyday land locked ‘normality’s’ society molds us into. Just as our boat Nemetona in Celtic means create a sacred space to connect with the divine; in our case this is the space to connect as a family. With all the months of preparing, moving, packing, and provisioning for this trip, I forgot the simplicity of my soul, the centering of my being, I was that without a center, a time not spent bettering my personal journey…but making sure. Making sure we budgeted, making sure to make enough money, making sure kids were where they needed to be, making sure we could find renters, making sure we purged un wanted stuff, making sure everything was packed, making sure I understood what was needed on the boat (having never grew up around boats), making sure bills were paid, making sure all accounts were set up for travel purposes, making sure this, making sure that. During that time, I failed to make sure I was moving forward, that I was moving in a direction organic to my being. One that internally reflected a direction akin to me. So I am happy to say….sitting on the bow today a real flash of desire to connect with my surroundings each and every day, came to me. Then the realization that this trip will exponentially facilitate that desire… lightened my heart and gave rise to a hope I did not know I needed. It is not a new desire to connect with my surroundings, it is an ever present want, but because of the hustle and bustle of land life, it does not always get realized. So the thought of being in the moment - even if ONLY for A moment, and that it can be attainable everyday just by being on this vessel; is priceless. I am excited to think on this, to meditate on this. Gaining strength from nature and allowing it to flow through my being at any given moment, gave me great joy and peace. I am so blessed to have found this thought only 18 days in…not 24, not at 180 days, but now, today. I am blessed, I am centered and it feels good.

View of the bow and the spinnaker bag in beige!

They were sooo excited.

We met in NYC - and went to the top of the world trade building on one of our first dates.

Dolphins following us!  Beautiful Nature.

Our family!

My next post will catch us up on the actual physical journey!

The perfect 10

Tuesday October 6th 2015.
Calan turns 10 and we set sail to embark on our 10 month adventure on the sea.

Getting the house packed up and rented,  the boat safely setup for the long journey, making provisioning decisions - and the waiting for Dave to come home from France....it finally arrived.   DEPARTURE.
No more aquaintances asking why we have not left yet, this is the day!!!
Just before 10am on Tuesday October 6th we threw off the dock lines and made our way under the Newport Pell Bridge headed South. 

Our first stop Mystic/Noank, CT.  Our old stomping grounds when we were first married.  Although we both admitted to not remembering much about the simple beauty it contained, it brought us back in touch with our wonderful neighbors Bill and Jill (from our first house we owned in CT).  They came down for dinner to see us, the boys and my parents.  What a great catch up it was.  Then they even came down the next morning to see our beautiful Nemetona over coffee and tea.

It was the same morning when I came across a realization...the sheer beauty of waking up in a new place each morning.   A sense of adventure, calm and excitement filled me up and the reality that we have REALLY BEGUN our trip set in. 

That day we looked for Kitchen Little, a fun breakfast place we use  to haunt.  Little did we know 3 years ago it moved locations.  But we found it!!

Our boys were still jazzed by the Aquarium visit they did the day before with my parents, so we decided to return and fill ourselves with their combined enthusiasm.  Lucky for us our friend Debbie O'Brien is a penguin volunteer and she met us there.  She gave us a huge amount of insider knowledge of the place and all its lovely sea creatures!  So blessed.

Then back to the boat for a clean up prior to having dinner with our friends Meg and Peb at their house.  What fun it was to visit them all these years later and feel like not a day has passed.   Our kids and theirs mingled as we sat talking over a wonderful meal in their warm home!

Next day, Thursday October 9th we left at 5am to our next destination, Port Jefferson, NY.  This was simply a respite between CT and NYC, but one that brought back memories for me.  Ya see I went to Stony Brook (apart of the State University of New York system).  Also two of our close sailing friends hail from this port, Will and Erica.  So it wasn't necessarily a new port, but familiar one.

Today we also opened up our first gifts from friends.  Before leaving I asked some friends if they would not mind making us a little care package of their favorite food.  And it did what I had hoped, as we shared in their gift - we also felt their presence during our journey! True gratitude is felt and a great diversion from my normal provisions delighted Nemetona crew!!  So, in the morning we were joined by the Museler's with their delicious Zucchini Bread and for dinner the Darminio's joined us with Homemade mac and cheese.  Boy are we blessed!!

We have more pictures posted to our Facebook page about our daily US coastline excursions.  Check us out.
Click on the link to see our Armitage Sailors Facebook page.

https://m.facebook.com/Armitagesailors

"Trash Pick Up"

During the last unofficial  'weekend' of Summer on the hook, we accumulated a lot of trash, and as you can imagine, on a holiday weekend, recyclables too.

The aroma and thought of sailing it all back to our Marina was not pleasurable, but doable. 

After I awoke, I opened the trash door and decide the bag needed to be closed up tight and brought outside.    In that same moment  Calan stuck his head down the companion way to announce he saw his friends Julia and Nikolai  coming up in their dinghy.

Julia and Nikolai attend the same school as the boys in Portsmouth, RI and 2 days prior serindipidously saw their family on the beach and stopped to chat!   Their mom Maureen mentioned that the kids were going around collecting trash from boats and it kept them busy for hours.  I was impressed to say the least and thought what an industrious duo!

Well, I had not even gotten the trash bag up to the cockpit when Calan announced they were doing 'trash pickup'.  Huh!?
Could the universe have provided better timing....?  I think not.    If I slept in, or they had never made it to the outskirts of the anchorage...this coming together of energies never would have happened.  How fortuitous.

Needless to say, we gave the diligent  workers a break by inviting them in for the "Calan Tour" of Nemetona and they invited him to be crew on their dinghy excursion.

Happy Day on our Sacred Space.

The Equation

As I sit here anchored at the Salt Pond on Block Island 1 month from departure, under the Star Filled Sky I ponder what lies ahead.

What does lie ahead? 
More stars, more thoughts, hard work, moments, memories created -  I think of that, but also what brought us here, what brought ME here.  A Jersey Girl sitting on a beautiful 47 foot Beneteau beauty under a star clustered sky.  Stars, like the ocean, showing all the depth and beauty nature can muster.

Here because of a dream started and inspired by the Conway Sailors  (our close friends), the knowledge of sailing known to my husband (who grew up in New Zealand and sailed for the first time with his dad at the age of 8) and me.  Me,  what do I bring to the equation besides this blog?

Hopefully more than just homeschooling teacher, more than wife, more than friend....quite possibly and hopefully bringing my open heart to a new place, a new experience. 

Then, affording those around me a glance of honesty and humbled awereness of the beauty and pull of the universe.
The opportunity to draw in that awareness and decipher it the best Lana Rae way I know how - and share it with those who may not be able to see what I see.  To share it with those I love.

A new land, a new sea, a new opportunity to be organic me. 

Quite possibly - that IS what I offer during this journey.  My part of the equation.

2 Months until we depart our home waters

August 5th, 2015

Most people we know near Newport Rhode Island think we have left already.  Stange that!
Yes, we have left our house and are living on the boat but we are still here.
Sussing out the boat particulars prior to our Big Adventure.

Two months from today we disembark.   October 5th

We head down toward Mystic, CT, then onto Port Jeff, Long Island
Onto NYC and seeing the Statue of Liberty.

Then southward to Cape May, NJ
Then possibly Rock Hall, MD and Baltimore
Then Annappolis before heading to Hampton VA for the Salty Dog Rally.

Super excited to think this will be our reality very soon....but first boat projects!

Some include Toilet Tanks and Macerators, another is Algebra Class and today was more polishing and waxing.....

  

What a difference a day can make

.  

My last post, I admit, was swimming in lost thoughts and unease.

Well what a difference a day or two can make.

Diving deep, I realized my state of mixed feelings was rooted in much, much more than boat living distress and change of living ideals - but had more to do with other thoughts that have been consuming my soul quietly for a while now.  

And the simplicity the boat represented, gave way to the flood gates of pent up emotions I have not dealt with while in the mad- scramble to get everything done to make the shift to the boat.

So I write this post with new energy, a great outlook and gratitude in my heart to my close friends who listened to me unravel a 'kinked necklace of thoughts' from my soul.   

I tend to pride myself on the ability to step outside myself and view my inner clashes with a neutral perspective and grace, usually gaining traction on my own and moving forward.

The lack of being able to do this was a major hang up in moving past my consuming thoughts.  

So in light of the inability to self calm and figure out, I shifted from my normal resolution process and shared my woes - and those open hearts who listened gave me the perspective I was lacking.  

I am so grateful.

In receiving all their perspectives, advice and of course ruminating resolutions...I came away yesterday morning with a great sense of being loved, not just by myself but by others who I may not have realized cared so much.  In a days time, with the help of the positive winds of change my friends and husband bestowed on me, I was able to sail away from the shore of distressing thoughts.  

With this new found presence and freedom of thought, I jumped right into one of my boat chores. Unearthing ALL food products that were shoved in various storage areas (which was dumped on the boat last month in order to get out of the house for rental) and then organizing and finding which compartments made sense to hold our provisions.

Our friend is a professional organizer who has imparted on me amazing thoughts about how to make this 47 foot boat sing with organization!  And by classifying the food in different ways I have found a system that is going to work fantastically for our family.

The usual is spices together, vitamins together, dry snack items...but other things like liquid/glass items stored together (yes, you can think cocktails! along with salsa, oils, dressings), all dinner items (canned goods, starches) together, lunch items (the kids can make themselves) together, then opened items not yet finished (Cereals, chips etc) together, all baking needs in one area.   It feels right but I have no problem being fluid with these designations - for this live-aboard status has only just begun.

Quite possibly digging into what I call the "treasure chest" for dinner items every night - may just drive me batty.  The treasure chest is the area under the salon couch, which is covered by big cushions and a lid.   It is also deep and can hold a lot of items.  I have heard this becomes a pain in the butt over time having to move everything to get to it.  So I have given it the positive title of Treasure Chest....in hopes it keeps at bay any swearing that may arise from the constant maneuvering that will take place every meal time!  (I'll keep you posted!)

  

So we have checked one off the list of to-do boat chores...this brings feelings of  accomplishment.  By checking off a task (even just one) it frees up the mind and helps us get on with the next things in life.  Just like releasing old thoughts that hold us back mentally.  

There are moments where we need to decide..
it's just time to sail on.

Believe Change is good...

How do you feel about CHANGE??

We are now in the CHANGE of thought from Land-livers to Live-Aboards. 

And to be honest, I did not think about the 'plan' for my mental state once we moved out of the house.  Maybe to my chagrin.

Heck, we were so busy packing, discarding, moving, purging and cleaning the house just to hand the keys to our tenants Friday I had not thought much about where my mind would wander the week or so after that transition. 

This transition I am finding harder than I ever imagined.  Maybe its this singular boat focus - which was birthed out of extreme, multi-tasking thinking - that has got me tilted.  

Maybe I have just not caught up with my reality yet.

No pool to clean, No lawn to mow, No weeds to pick.

I need to haul my laundry in a dock cart in order to clean it.

Friends and acquaintances thinking we have already departed, when in reality we are sitting at our Marina in town until October.   

My house comes with me when we sail.

etc....

Not sure the exact root of my mixed feelings - all I know is my friend Christine said today...

"I should give myself a break"

And with all this Change, I think her wisdom shall be heeded.

Just Be in the Present Moment,

for I Believe Change is Good.

Selflesh

The Urban dictionary escription of Selflish
selflish
To do something selfless for selfish reasons.
John is so selflish, the only reason he helps out at the soup kitchen is because he wants to get in Jane's pants.

So I think maybe the opposite is
SELFLESH
Should be
To do something selfish for selfless reasons.

Watermaker Install

Watermaker Review
SV/ Nemetona
Beneteau 473

Sommes Harbour, Maine, 2014

Internet research and talking with friends in 2014 lead me to Rich Boren and Charlie Hammel at Cruise RO Water and Technautics. I was looking for a watermaker to use on our boat during a year long trip that would take my family and I from Portsmouth RI as far south as Grenada and back. 

A close friend of mine had just completed the same trip with his family and they felt the watermaker was a pretty nice piece to have. Unfortunately for him, he did not have anywhere near the prep time I had to pull his trip together and ended up purchasing his watermaker a month before he was due to leave. Sadly he had a really rough experience with another company, and long story short he received the watermaker the day before they left for the BVI’s. Three frustrating months later he had it up and running. After hearing his tales of woe, I was hell bent on getting mine well ahead of time and having the time to get comfortable with it before heading South. 

Around November of 2014 I purchased my SMS 30 from Rich and Charlie. Right from the get go these guys were a pleasure to deal with. Rich walked me through the various options until I was completely comfortable with what I was purchasing.

We have the luxury of an 8kw Westerbeke Genset onboard, and this gave us plenty of power to run the SM30 unit. I toyed with the idea of going to the larger unit, but Rich convinced me that the 30 would be just fine….and obviously it was cheaper also…bonus!!! 

Its 1 hp high pressure motor only draws 9.3 amps, so there was the potential to run it without the generator, thru the inverter with the engine running should something go amiss with the generator.
I diligently read the manual over the winter months and planned out my installation. The nice part about this system is that it is completely modular and you have the ability to install some of the larger parts in different places to optimize the use of space…which always seems hard to come by on a cruising boat. 

With my initial plan in place, I set about prefabbing some backing boards to mount the boost pump and pre-filters. I decided that I would place these in the AFT STB Lazarette tucked up under the cockpit coaming, hopefully out of harm’s way.

Pre-filters and boost pump in AFT STB Lazarette

Viewed from centerline looking into the aft lazarette. Prefilters and boost pump tucked up under outboard coaming.

Pre-filters and boost pump mounted on a board bonded to the hull in the AFT STB Lazarette

Boost pump

I originally planned on going without the remote valving and cleaning assembly pictured on the right. In fact, I purchased the system without it. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to crawl into the back lazarette every time I wanted to do a freshwater flush. I bit the bullet and purchased the remote panel and mounted it right next to the main control panel. I don’t regret it for a moment. It’s very nice to have all the controls at my fingertips. 

I was able to mount these on the bunk front in the AFT STB Cabin. So far it’s turned out to be a pretty good spot.

Floorboards removed showing the dedicated thru-hull I fitted this winter. To my left is the galley and to my right is the cockpit stairs. Immediately in front of the bunk front is the pump for the air conditioning.

Membranes mounted on back wall. (note: ¼” freshwater line not connected to membrane in this shot) Mattress and bunk boards removed.  This is in behind the freshwater tank. 

The prefilters and boost pump are mounted in the AFT STB Lazarette behind this wall. I was able to snake all the lines thru along with other hoses. 

This is a picture of the whipline used for pickling. Centerline and the HP pump is just to the right of this picture.

HP pump mounted behind hot water heater in the space where a battery use to be positioned.

HP pump with breather cap installed

I have to say the manual for this unit was really outstanding. I was able to wire the AC for the HP pump without too much difficulty. The hardest part was swapping out the breaker and actually getting the wires onto the breaker. As you can see below, everything is pretty jammed on there. The wiring for the 12vdc boost pump was very straight forward.

Wiring into AC panel for HP pump….good time…not

I decided to route my sample line from the remote panel up to just below the galley sink. I simply open the lower cabinet door and put the coil into the sink.




I was able to route the output water directly into the end of my freshwater manifold. I fitted a small and cheap digital meter into the line so I can double-check how much water I have made during any given session.



During the initial startup I discovered a few small leaks and was able to remedy these relatively quickly after a conversation with Charlie Hammel.

We made our first real water on July 3rd in Newport harbor.

I can’t thank the guys at Cruise RO water enough. Their customer service is bar none, the best I have come across. They really are dedicated to making sure the customer is taken care of and 100% happy. I am really glad I purchased my watermaker significantly ahead of time. This allowed me to think very carefully about where I wanted all the components before launching into it. Every time I use it, I am getting more and more comfortable with its operation. The manual is very well written and walks through everything step by step.

I am looking forward to using the system this summer in a limited capacity before we depart for the Caribbean in the fall. Our current plans have using leaving Rhode Island in late September and heading south before joining the “Salty Dawg Rally” departing from Norfolk VA for the BVI’s at the beginning of November.

We have a blog and FB page and you are welcome to follow along our family of four on
armitagesailors.blogspot.com

Or our facebook page

 https://www.facebook.com/Armitagesailors?fref=ts

Best Regards,

David, Lana, Liam and Calan Armitage

http://www.cruiserowaterandpower.com/Home_Page.html

Ready for my close up...

Quantum doing their photo shoot on Nemetona for their marketing campaign.  

Getting some good angles...with Manuel

Johnny at the helm.  Corey taking stills.

Hansondodge Creative doing the Marketing 

Dan and Ben working with Corey to get the right shots.

Dave and Randy hanging out

Shots from the power boat

Nathan our camera man on Liquid Asset getting the shots for Quantum.