Dog Potty Becomes Dog Bed 

If you read the blog from Monday, August 20 you know that we were successful in getting our dogs to use the sod on the aft deck for their potty.  Well, almost two weeks later, things have gone downhill.  I have no idea why.  Macey decided it was better put to use as a bed.  Oh brother!!

Getting Ready, aka, Provisioning

Every household has different ways of operating. And every “boat-hold” has different ways of operating. Some women are handy with tools and engines. Some men love cooking. That, however, is not the case in either our house or boat-hold. Just as John doesn't “do” provisioning and cooking, I don't “do” engines. I offer no apologies for either of us. It's just the way it is, and we're both happy with that!

That said, organizing the boat for a 2 plus month excursion involving season changes and the potential for unexpected guests, is a huge job. But after 10 years of doing it, I've learned to be ready for any and every thing; and fortunately I'm pretty organized. (On the other hand, I could take lessons from my daughter-in-law, Sara. She is a master at it!) But because we take a different boat north each year, it's almost like starting over every time. My list consists of not only clothes and food, but hundreds of items for the galley, heads, staterooms, our portable office, personal items, books, and everything else it takes to be self-sufficient and away from home for an extended period of time. And, because this is not simply a pleasure trip, we also have to bring everything it takes to run our business plus all our boat show supplies and equipment. Yikes.

For the sake of this blog, there are three things you should know about me: 1) I am list maker, 2) I am a seeker of sales, and 3) I am not a “foodie” (My foodie friends actually feel sorry for me when I tell them I basically eat to survive.) So about two months prior to scheduled departure I take my list, seek out items on sale, tick them off, one by one, make piles and fill boxes. And I cook. I fill our freezer with chili, stew, pot-roast, meatloaf. That way I don't have to rely on restaurants being in the area where we stay for the night, nor do I have to do a lot of cooking on board. I can just defrost it!  Many of our cruising friends set their itinerary based on what restaurant they want to visit next. We prefer to pick our marina or anchorage first, and then if there's a restaurant nearby, fine. If not, I'm all set!

Bringing the right clothes presents a whole other set of challenges! When we start out, going through Florida and the Carolinas in mid-August, the temperatures are usually in the 90s with high humidity levels, and oftentimes no breeze. T-shirts, shorts, flip flops are standard attire. When we get into Long Island Sound two weeks later, the air is drying out and the temperatures are dropping, sometimes requiring a sweatshirt at night. By the time we get to Newport for the first show in mid-September, fall is in the air! Ahhhhh. Then things start to change. Time to bring out the pants, fleece, and socks (all kept in the huge storage cavity under the master bed.) Sometimes there's rain, and lots of it. We have rain jackets (lined and unlined), rain pants, and rain shoes. Two years ago at the Annapolis boat show (mid-October) it was rainy, cold, and just plain “raw”. People were coming to the show from surrounding states, telling us they drove through snow! I only had a light-weight quilted vest and an unlined rain jacket. I was freezing! Now I am always sure to pack, not only fleece tops and vests, but my fleeced-lined rain jacket! (Talk about a challenge: packing for cold, rainy weather when it's 90 degrees out! But all I need to do is think back to that 2010 weekend in Annapolis for my inspiration!)

Heading East....and, a Weather Change!

It's an easy walk to the train station from the mooring field in Port Washington, so we met Joy around 11. After lunch, we just relaxed and enjoyed being on the boat. It seems like we have so few times like this, since we are usually in a hurry, with long days, to get up the mid-Atlantic and New Jersey coastlines. Unfortunately, our Verizon mi-fi internet card decided it was taking a break, so we were without internet for 3 days. (It's amazing how dependent we have all become on technology. John has internet on his phone; but I felt like I had lost my right arm!) The next day we met friends for a delicious Chinese lunch, and then threw off the mooring line and headed east for Oyster Bay Cove. There Joy could, again, easily board the Long Island Railroad for New York City. Her busy work schedule only allowed a two day/one night visit, but we were appreciative of the time we did have together.

Even though it has good train access, unlike Port Washington, Oyster Bay is not one of our favorite spots. It's not as transient-boater friendly as Port Washington, and it's shore-side park doesn't allow animals. That's an immediate negative in our minds. After a night there on the hook, we pulled up the anchor midst fishing boats whizzing by in a no-wake zone (don't they get it?!) which we found very infuriating. So much for Oyster Bay. Think we'll pass it by next year. 

Now, onto another our favorite spots.....Mattituck, NY (on the north shore of Long Island). Enroute, the biting flies decided to descend upon us. Where do they come from anyway, when you're 5 miles offshore? Fly swatters were flailing through the air. Mattituck is a tiny little town, 2 miles up Mattituck Creek. There's a lovely little anchorage with a town dock just 80 feet from the boat. We took a walk into town and then settled in for the evening. Up to this point, the air temps had been quite warm (in the 80s) but a cool front was predicted, and sure enough, in the middle of the night I awoke with the need for a blanket! After a hot summer in South Carolina I was really ready for some cooler, less humid air! It was hard to leave our little spot in heaven there, but it was upward and onward to Essex, Connecticut, another special spot. As a result of the cool front, the winds were blowing pretty hard from the n/nw, but we had a delightful ride across the Sound. We scoped out the anchoring possibilities and found a perfect spot that was only a 5 minute dinghy ride to shore. If you've never been to Essex, it's very quaint, very Connecticut-like, with lots of history, and homes bearing heritage plaques showing date of construction.....1833, 1857 and such. Very cool.

We had a nice visit with our friends from Wilde Yacht Sales, Bill and Ben, who sell Nordic Tugs. We've gotten to know them over the years at boat shows and shared some good meals with them. We'll see them at the show in Newport in two weeks.

Another friend generously allowed us to borrow her car (thanks, A!) and we hurried off to the Verizon store. With my right arm connected once again, it felt good to have access to emails, the news, the weather, and all that the internet provides.  We then prepared ourselves for dinner with a group of friends at the Essex Yacht Club (thank you A&R).

As we headed out of Essex, we spotted this commuter motor yacht, a style which was the inspiration for the Krogen Express. 

Now we're headed to Newport, Rhode Island. It's a gorgeous day and the water is wonderful....a west wind giving us a little push. It's funny, some of our non-boating friends and family ask us what we do when we're out on the water all day long. We're busy! We navigate. We enjoy the scenery (like the lighthouse  here off of Fishers Island). We spend time doing things we don't take the time to do at home, like reading, cat-napping, and just plain contemplating! We do various “boathold” chores (some things never change, no matter where you are!), and watch the occasional Food Network show. But as all of you boaters reading this blog know, we just enjoy the experience!

New York City and Long Island Sound

Atlantic City is not the kind of place we would spend more than a night, but it sure took care of us nicely while we were there. And to top if off, the Atlantic Ocean was treating us to yet another day of smooth seas. Three days in a row has got to be an all-time record (or close, anyway). Regardless, we were very grateful because there have been days when it was not so kind (like in 2009 when the weather turned suddenly, and we found ourselves in breaking 10 foot seas. Ugh. Did I say, “ugh”?) Anyway, the outline of New York City began to appear, and we arrived in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey (only 15 or so miles from the City) a few hours later, fueled up, walked the dogs, and dropped the anchor. This was our first time anchoring on this boat (hull 5215), and like anything untried, there's always a reservation about how things will go. It was smooth and uneventful, the way it should be. The stainless steel Spade, our favorite anchor, held at the first try. Easy and completely stress-free.  We were blessed with a lovely sunset.  

The next morning there was a thick haze which prevented us from seeing the City, but the sun slowly burned it off as we approached. Even though this was our 19^th time passing through New York City on a Krogen Express, we are always especially attentive as we cruise up New York Harbor and into the East River as there is a ton of traffic.....freighters (some anchored, some moving), barges, water taxis, ferries, police boats, etc. etc. and helicopters buzzing overhead just to distract you. As we were looking out, John commented to me about seeing the new Freedom Tower in front of us. From www.NYC-Tower.com, “The New York City Freedom Tower, which will stand 1,776 feet tall on the site of the former World Trade Center, is the work of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. It will serve as a beacon of freedom, and demonstrate the resolve of the United States, and the people of New York City.

Construction on the tower, which will have a cubic base, began in early 2006. Steel became visible above ground in 2007, and by 2013 the building will be ready for occupancy - twelve years after the World Trade Center was destroyed by terrorist attacks.

The site will also feature the Reflecting Absence memorial, which will honor the 2,986 men and women who died as a result of the terrorist attacks which thrust America, and the world, into war. Over 2,500 people died after the World Trade Center came crashing down to earth, and leaders vow they will never be forgotten.”

To me, the appearance of this tower was evidence of America's resolve to not let the bad guys get the last word; and even though I don't know anyone who died there and I've driven by here many times, my eyes filled with tears as I thought of the thousands of innocent lives lost there, people who were just minding their own business, and going about their normal routines.

Ok, onto happier subjects, like John's glee at the boost of 5 knots that we received from the incoming tide as we cruised up the East River! Woo-hoo! Our daughter, Joy, works in midtown on 42^nd Street, and she got a glimpse of us as we cruised past (see blog from 2010 with photos).  Hell Gate (a narrow strait in the East River with strong tidal flows and variable depths) was churning like we'd never seen!  Port Washington, New York, our destination, was around the bend. This is one of our favorite spots. It has good restaurants, a huge grocery store, West Marine, drug store, train station into NYC, and a nice mooring field! The mooring ball didn't have a line attached, so I got myself onto the swim platform, line in hand, threaded the ball and walked the line forward. John jumped down from the bridge and helped me secure the line to the boat. Like our anchoring experience the night before, this was easy and stress-free! The ability to walk around the decks is a huge advantage in this kind of situation. (As I write this, a couple just arrived on a sun-deck motor yacht  - she on the swim platform, he at the helm 3 stories up. She gets the line fed through the ball but, because they can't walk forward without going through the interior of the boat, they can't get the line to the bow. After making several attempts to accomplish their mission, they're both now sitting in the cock pit, each holding one end of the line, and look like they're analyzing the situation as they point to other boats and how they're secured. John suggested to me that they just tie it up at the stern and see what happens!! Pretty funny!!)

It was a warm day, so we went for a swim, then popped a can of Coke Zero, got out the crackers and cheese, and enjoyed sitting on the aft deck.

The next day we spent the morning doing odd jobs around the boat, plus taking time to relax. We noticed how many people in their dinghies would drive slowly by, oohing and aahing over the boat. “It's a Krogen Express” they'd say to their companion. A couple of people actually circled us, and I said to John, “I feel like an exhibit at the zoo”. Oh, the burden of owning a boat with beautiful lines and a striking color (stars and stripes blue, in this case)! After lunch we took a dinghy ride to do some errands.....West Marine for some miscellaneous sundries, the gas station to get fuel for the dinghy, and the grocery to replenish our supply of perishables, plus a nice long walk for the dogs.

Tomorrow Joy comes to visit us from the City!

Delmarva and New Jersey

Underway by 7 am, we made our way through the rest of Norfolk, over the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel, and entered the Atlantic for our trek around the Delmarva Peninsula (the peninsula of land that includes Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia) towards New Jersey. The seas were stupendous. On the other hand, riding in the ocean isn't very exciting, and you can sometimes go for hours and not see another boat. However, because we are equipped with a state-of-the-art media system, we were able to watch the Food Network (or any number of channels available) on the bridge while we were driving along!!    Ahhhh, the virtues of owning a Krogen Express!!  Arriving in Ocean City, Maryland we tied up, ate dinner on the aft deck, took a long walk (which included a stop along the boardwalk for ice cream), and went to bed by 10:00. (I don't know why I was so tired, when all I did was sit around all day and read!! It must be the fresh air!!) We were off the next morning at 7:30 and the Atlantic was, once again, very good to us. It's pretty awesome to cruise along in the ocean and have the kind of water we did.....nice gentle swells, 2 footers with 10 second durations. Our dog M.E. was on dolphin watch, while her sister Macey opted for a snooze (note the calm water!) Arriving in Atlantic City's Gardiner's Basin Marina around 3:30 we were able to wash down the boat, enjoy the afternoon, and go out for a nice dinner.

Captain and First Mate Start Out

Following their arrival in Morehead City and the boat-wash, the guys cleaned up and we went for dinner at the near-by Ruddy Duck. We had a good nights sleep (especially well-deserved and needed for Bob and John) and then Bob headed home in the car I'd driven up from Hilton Head. John and I departed on the boat. It was a gorgeous day, sunny, not too hot, nice breeze. The trek across the Pamlico Sound was smooth and easy. We arrived at our destination – Dowrey Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC – around 3. The marina has a nice pool, so while John opted for a car race on tv, I took a swim. One thing I really miss while boating is the ability to get exercise, so for me a marina pool is a treat and something I like to take advantage of .

I'm not the only one that misses the ability to get exercise. Our dogs miss the daily, long walks they get at home (and associated opportunities to use the grass ashore, if you know what I mean!) On the boat they're often required to “hold it” for more hours than I'm content with. So this year, inspired by another boater's blog, we brought along three pieces of sod for the aft deck. Previously we've tried lots of techniques, but nothing seemed to work. Without going into all the details, let me just say that we were successful and there were lots of “good dog”s going on and treats dispensed!! I think I'm more relieved about their good progress than they were in accomplishing it!

Leaving Dowrey Creek the next morning, we continued on toward Coinjock, North Carolina. If you've never been there, and get out a map to locate it, good luck! It's one of those “if you blink you'll miss it” kind of places. But we have had some fond memories of past stops there with our kids, and they do have a couple of fairly good restaurants. Plus the two marinas there are eager for business. We like to support the little guy. The day turned cloudy and a drizzle became a downpour (with lots of yellow and green on the weather radar). By the time we reached the marina in Coinjock not only did I need my rain jacket, but my rain pants as well. The next morning things were about the same. We opted for running from the pilothouse and not the bridge. We don't have many days like this but when we do we're always so thankful for our efficient, spacious, and comfortable pilothouse. I wouldn't have a boat without one. Sailboaters that we pass are crouched in their cockpit, dressed in their foulies, and braving the elements. Better them than me.

By midday the skies were clearing and it was back to the bridge, our favorite place to be. After a stop for fuel we cruised into Norfolk, Virginia. What an awesome spot this is, and seems like a huge city after leaving northern North Carolina. There is a ton of river activity, commercial barges and freighters, and most impressive are all the naval ships, including the aircraft carrier, The George H.W. Bush. Some friends had invited us to tie up at their dock in the heart of town, just a block away from the recently retired destroyer, The Wisconsin. I am a big fan of things military, so it's a thrill to cruise through Norfolk. Tomorrow we are off to conquer the Delmarva Peninsula.

Rhumb runners............. The days preceding our designated departure date from the docks in Ft. Pierce were busy ones as we made final preparations. The boat was buzzing with tradesmen doing “their thing”....electronics, canvas, teak, waxing. Even the day of, there were last minute tweeks, to be certain the boat was 100%. Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Bob and I had the assignment of moving hull #14 to American Custom Yachts (in Stuart, Florida) to be painted and to start the process of commissioning for display in the Ft. Lauderdale boat show. (Following the boat show, she'll be delivered to her new owners who hail from Alaska!) Mission accomplished, we hustled back to Ft. Pierce and cast off the lines for our rhumb line trip to Morehead City, North Carolina. Out of the inlet, we turned to port and set our waypoint to the Beaufort inlet, engaged the autopilot, not planning to touch the wheel again for 471 nautical miles. Let's hear it for marine electronics! We had a somewhat choppy beam sea and were thankful that this Krogen Express was equipped with stabilizers. Then, as nightfall approached, we were treated to some fairly significant light shows! There were numerous thunderstorm cells surrounding us, and as we watched them on the radar, we were happy that our course led us around, and not through, them! On trips like this we always like to bring with us two pizzas – thin crust for Bob, deep dish for me! - to munch on while underway. As we prepared for our first of several three-hour watch rotations, we pulled out the pizzas and each popped open a can of diet Mountain Dew (the “official” soda of Krogen Express Yachts!). I took the first watch. Shortly after midnight, now with captain Bob at the helm, we had our first real opportunity to see the advantage of having AIS (automatic identification system) at work. This technology allows for transmitting and receiving information from ship to ship. It gives captains the name, size, course, speed, and destination of other AIS-equipped vessels operating nearby. Using this information, Bob was able to easily determine the course and speed of a large container ship enroute to Savannah. The AIS system informed him of the closest point of approach which, if we had both held our current speed and heading, turned out to be just 600 feet! If you're thinking we decided to alter our course, you're right! Believe it or not, after parting ways with said container ship, we did not see another boat for 32 hours! Our rhumb line had us crossing the Gulf Stream, and offshore as many as 160 miles. While in the Gulf Stream, we benefited from northbound currents sometimes approaching 4 knots. Always happy to have a boost! We had with us a hand-held GPS and an EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) as well as a satellite phone (requested by Betsie). Somehow it brings her great peace of mind to hear that we're still alive and on course! Imagine that! Forty-six hours after departing Ft. Pierce, we spotted land again, and another hour later entered the Beaufort inlet. We tied up, and pulled out the hoses, buckets, soap and brushes for a good wash-down. It was good to be on terra firma! CONFIDENCE AND GRATITUDE In order to depart on a journey like this you must have a terrific amount of confidence in your yacht. While I have over 3400 hours at the helm of Krogen Express 52's over the past ten years, I never forget the fine craftsmen at Asia Harbor Yacht Builders and Jeff and Mr. Lin, who own the yard that thoughtfully construct our yachts. They provide the foundation that allows Bob and I to give the boats to our team of merry men in Florida to put the finishing touches on the boats prior to delivery. Thanks to DZ, David A., David C. & John, RR, Thad, Enrico and the folks that assist them! And we could not do what we do without Bob. We are very proud of what you do for us!

Welcome back to our blog!

Hello all.  Thank you for reading our 2012 blog.  We really appreciate your interest, and your passion for the Krogen Express.

As some of you may know, we have the privilege of piloting one each fall for 2+ months, cruising to the northern boat shows.  It's been two years since I wrote a blog about the adventures of our fall boating season.  Frankly, once every two years is enough for this blogger!!

No doubt everyone knows that the past couple of years in the yacht building business have been extremely challenging.  But we are grateful to say that we have added a wonderful new group of owners to the Krogen Express family over the last 18 months.  We are excited to say that we have new boats in production in our yard in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.  We remain committed to continuous improvements.  Our goal is: one model, and do it right. 

This past spring, we had our second Krogen Express rendezvous.  We began the event in Stuart, Florida at the home of one of our owners who had enough anchorage room for 4 boats.  After a rendezvous kick-off dinner, it was early to bed for our early morning departure.  The next day our flotilla of 4 boats began our trek across the Okeechobee Waterway, through 3 locks, and then to River Forest Marina in LaBelle where we spent the night.   The next day, and another two locks later, we reached our rendezvous destination of South Seas Plantation in Captiva, Florida, meeting up with another 4 boats.  We had twice as many boats as our first rendezvous and 27 attendees!  We spent two days and nights there enjoying the first class resort.  The third day we had a short cruise north to Useppa Island.  It was a wonderful opportunity for our owners to get to know each other and boat-hop! We had a blast!