Good news at last!

check out the smile now

Brand new rudder

Denny, Brent and Carl thank you

We arrived on Drummond Island Aug. 8, 2008 and when we walked behind the travel lift taking the boat to the warehouse we walked behind it, and MBA compared our mood to a funeral procession.  Well look at her smile walking behind the travel lift today, Sept. 4 as we head back to the water.

We have a new FossFoam rudder installed, we have a new IdaSailor tiller installed, we have new pins installed in a reconditioned centerboard, and we have a new bottom on our keel that is thicker and stronger than ever.

We have the newest and latest and greatest NOAA charts downloaded for our laptop computer, complete with Fugawi software and GPS.  We have the new (2008.5) Garmin charts for our chart plotter.  We have laid out courses and plotted them on our paper charts.  We have moved an anchor to the stern.  I am determined to do everything I can to prevent ever going on the rocks again.  It was a terrible, horrible experience.

This experience was made easier to bear with the folks at Drummond Island Yacht Haven.  The USCG (sector Soo) was wonderful people.  US Customs at Drummond was friendly, helpful, and did their job while maintaining sensitivity to our position.

And then there is the Yacht Haven itself, Denny, Carl (who either did or arranged to have done all the work).  They kept me updated daily with what was happening, showed me good fishing spots (although I never did catch a pickerel), and together they made sure the job was done with professionalism, on budget, and mostly, on time for us to continue our trip.  They are an amazing group of folks that made us feel welcome, almost part of the facility for our month here.

To all of Drummond Island, THANK YOU.

We are now in the water, and will be headed out Friday.  Check our blog for our position; I will be running SPOT again daily.  We will not be spending a lot of time in Michigan, as was our original plan; we will be heading directly to Grand Haven for a visit with my cousin Gene May, then to Chicago as quickly as possible.  After dropping the mast in Chicago, we will again slow down for the rivers, and are hoping to be at Joe Wheeler National Park in Alabama for Oct 20, where there is a Looper seminar covering the rest of our trip.

Love to All,
Joe & MaryBeth Amelia
S/V “Pot ‘O’ Gold” once again floating