Sunday:
After church my BFF Maritza came by to see the boat (and me too). Maritza and I were in college together. We had lunch at the Yacht club then went for a walk around the marina. It was great to hang out with her and catch up on all that was going on with us.
Tonight I was looking at my to do list, I have two lists:
OCEAN GIRL’S TO DO LIST TITLED “ THINGS TO DO SO OG (the boat) CAN GO SAILING WITHOUT SINKING OR BEING DISMASTED”
1. Plug hole above waterline
2. Get mast tuned (not critical but would like a pro to check the rig out since building the new bowsprit)
TO DO “SO OG (the girl) CAN HAVE A NICE SAIL” LIST
1. Organize laz and close access board to engine
2. Buy HH VHF (will be primary radio until DC system fixed)
3. Fill fuel tank
4. Secure cabin (fridge, storage containers forward)
5. Charge batteries fully, run engine (start, run 1 hour, stop, wait 3 hour, start, run 1 hour, stop wait 6 hours, start).Or buy new batteries!!!
6. Raise sails (make sure my lines are right)
7. Get jib out of storage
8. Hmmmm
The Boat
s/v Ocean Girl
The Girl
Erika - sailin the hell outta dat boat
Eluthera, Bahamas. School girls walking home.
Sailing a 51ft Little Harbor
Chasing a submarine, getting yelled at, retreating from said submarine..ahh thems were good times.
About Me
- Erika (aka Ocean Girl)
- Kemah, Texas, United States
- "She starts--she moves--she seems to feel the thrill of life along her keel, And spurning with her foot the ground, With one exulting, joyous bound, She leaps into the ocean's arms!" -Longfellow. Well that poem is me in a nut shell. I have always loved the ocean, grew up around it, have sailed over 20,000 miles on it. It still amazes me how the sea soothes my soul and thrills me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes . A place I can breath, a place where I feel God smile down on me… a great big horizon to horizon smile. I love boats about as much as I love the sea. Multi or mono, traditional or modern, I love em all. I live aboard a Cape Dory 30. Her name is Ocean Girl and I plan on single handing her to Australia by 2012 (unless someone special waylays my plans).**UPDATE (11/2010) Soul Mate found!
20 comments:
Hello, My name is Kelly. Hats off to you OG. My youngest is a ways away from becoming self sufficient enough for the Mom to kick off the dock lines. I truly hope in 3-5 years. I also have an elderly mother to care for. The sea calls to me constantly. But I am surely land locked for awhile yet. I am also a nurse-though I am on the dark side now :) Case management. Enjoy the blog. Take care.
Thanks Kelly, I know how it is when away from the sea, it calls to you constantly! But before you know it, you and your wife will be having your adventure:). Maybe someday we will bump into each other in a faraway anchorage.
Cheers,
Erika
:) I am a Want to go to sea Gal too. More than likely single handing also. Cheers, Kelly
kelly, sorry! mis read your post. There are a lot of us single handing gals out there. Have you started to look at boats yet? You can also crew too, I did that through my twenties. I crewed over 20,000 miles. In fact, I was paid to sail, pretty cool.
Cheers,
Erika
Hi there,
I am glad I am not the only one with a list! You seem to be making good progress though, you will be sailing in no time.
Where abouts in Australia do you hope to visit?
Martin
Thanks Martin, the "to do" list will all be worth it when she finally goes sailing.
What kind of boat do you have?
Cheers,
Erika
I have an Oyster Mariner 37 that I bought from the original owner of 25 years, its in good order but the list of things to do is extensive. Nothing offshore this year but next year I will sail to the Yasawa Group in Fiji, I have a friend who has been building a resort and I promised to visit. I am based in Whangarei New Zealand.
Martin
Martin,
I have a friend that is in Whangarei. He is aboard a steel hull sailboat called Learnativity, so if you happen to see the boat tell Wayne (the captain) I said "Hi". Boy the world keeps getting smaller and smaller.
Oyster 37s are beautiful boats. What did you name her?
Cheers,
Erika
I have retained the original name, "Kayos". I will look out for your friends yacht, there are lots of visiting yachts here at this time of the year.They all come to the Town Basin to hide from cyclones in the pacific then dissapear in the space of a couple of weeks May/June. Its a good spot to be as it is pretty much the centre of town with everything being within walking distance.
Yep, that is one of my destination stops, my parent stopped over during their circumnavigation. New Zealand was the only place during thier entire trip I thought they'd never leave because they loved it so much, so I know I need to visit.
Erika
Yes its very poular, they have recently dredged the upper channel making the whole thing more tidal friendly. I will shift to Opua in the Bay of Islands in a month or so, I consider Opua to be my home port.
Martin
Hello Erika!
My husband showed me your blog. He is the one that has been in contact with you about us coming to Kemah on March 5. We are very excited to meet you for lunch and talk! Thanks so much for taking time out of your life to meet with us. I can't wait to meet you! I started a blog just today. Take a look if you'd like :) See you soon
Lacey
Lacey, it is great to hear from you. I look forward to our lunch. There is a SSCA cruisers meeting that weekend too, but I think you two will be having a blast out on the lake (it is at 1230 Saturday).
Don't you just love these blogs!
See ya soon.
Erika
Yup.. we will be out having fun at that time. I believe our class runs from 8am to 6pm both Saturday and Sunday.
We have never been to Kemah before, so as for lunch.. I'm going to say you tell us when and where and we will be there! :-) We are staying in Houston with Nathans cousin on Thursday night, so we wont have too far to drive your way on Friday morning.
See you soon!
Hello Erika, Late getting back but I have a 32ft endeavour. She is a stout gal. Very much a project boat. Not livable @ this time.
In the process of replacing all portholes and hatches. Hope I have not bitten off more than I can chew. I had to opportunity to crew for Capt Ed Mapes and bring Voyager back to home port after the Marion to Bermuda race last summer. While on Bermuda we were invited to a get together and I met Tania Aebi and Hank Schmitt from OPO. Hope you are having a great weekend. Cheers
I understand that feeling of possibly biting off more than you can chew, OG put me in shock the first year, but now she is starting to fall together so hang in there. Wow, I bet that was pretty cool meeting Tania Aebi and Hank Schmitt. In my twenties, I helped the Pardey's with a weekend seminar about offshore sailing. It was a great treat, I was able to get some good advice from Larry pardey on how best to repair my toe rail and Lin regaled some great sea stories.
What is the name of your boat? I am not to savvy with this blog stuff, I couldn't find if you have a blog.
Cheers,
Erika
Morning OG, I believe I will name her Kelly Go. I am not savvy at all with blog. This is the first time I have taken the plunge so to speak :). Have a great day.
Hey Erika..if you are still up for lunch tomorrow, let me know. We will be heading that way later today.
I couldn't figure out how to send you a private message..hmm
So yes, how about meeting at Skippers Cafe at 12ish? If you are not sure where it is, it's near Legend point marina. If that doesn't help, am sure you guys will stop at the West Marine just ask them (it is near there too). If there is another place you'd prefer just name it and I am game. Also there is a Vietnamese cafe that is good too.
I am getting over the stomach flu or something so I probably wont be able to "make a day of it", but I look forward to meeting you two :) (I know I will be better tomorrow!).
Erika
Skippers at 12 sounds great! See you then! :)
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