welcome to our blog!

This blog tells the story of our 22-month sailing journey from Oakland, California, to Bristol, Rhode Island, aboard our beloved Bristol 32 sailboat, Ute. Please feel free to browse through the archives (partway down the sidebar to your left) to see pics and read stories of our adventures in North America and Central America . (Sorry the first 3 months of the trip are missing - they vanished somewhere in an internet cafe in Mexico - but all you're missing is CA, Baja and Western Mex).

If you're trying to track us down now that we're landlubbers, try us at uteatlarge at yahoo dot com. Thanks!

Thursday, January 11, 2007

We are well

Just hanging here in Roatan. The weirdest part of being here is all the Texans and Floridians. The Texans have pretty much taken over the Western Caribe. We actually enjoy their company. Maybe that is the weirdest part.

Today we took an excursion to buy rum, paper towels, onions, rice, sugar and 50 gallons of water. It took us three hours and about a tank of gas. Mostly our time was fighting with the outboard. We did end buying some sweetened condensed milk to make key lime pie, which is soooooooo freaking good and really easy. Eggs, limes, condensed milk and I think sugar. Oh yeah and butter cookies crushed up as a crust.

Pretty much we are living on rice, pinto or red beans and whatever fruit and vegetable we can find easily. Our goals of living off the land..........well I can say we are trying. We think we can find lobsters on the reef about once a week. Conchs are a different story. They are like rats except everyone likes to eat them.

We spent the latter part of the day cleaning the boat. Scrubbing mold and weird mold like things from inaccessible corners. The best part of my day was watching the sunset from the hammock
(we got it as a gift from Bill last Christmas) having a rum and coke and smiling as cora paddled by in the kayak.

Space is important on a cruising boat, but only for stowing stuff. No matter what, unless it is over 80 ft. you feel like you are always right next to your pardner. I love my pardner. She even knows how to ride a horse.

My friend jon has a website/blog/financial endeavor http://www.myrobotispregnant.com/
he is a good writer. If a bit eclectic. I like him.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

living off the sea sounds pleasant, and more practical than living off what's available in the north right now. Fresh fruit, seafood? Go fo it!

AND, I am glad you l9ike your partner!

Anonymous said...

Living off the land might be fun if you know it is not forever. Key lime pie definitely would be good. Just bought some key limes at the store - Actually, I think I should quit my job and just show up in Honduras to be spoiled by both of you who know what you are doing living off the land. Conch - maybe - is it tough? Wishing I could come with Marti - she is really excited about coming. Am sure you can tell. hugs nmc

Anonymous said...

so you two are partners, but how do I tell who is posting the blog? I'm picturing the sailboat writing these posts, and it is disconcerting.

Thanks for the shout out, we should get together and trade links some time. Your wade boggs for my rickey henderson type of thing.

I like you too, Al. I told Rus Peach and Locke about your adventures. Locke is thinking of retiring to a cedar raft in a lake in Utah.

Lucky Penguin said...

Jon,
Here are some handy hints:
If the writer refers to the other crew member as "she" or "Cora", Allen is writing it.
Conversely, if the writer refers to crew as "he" or "Allen", it's probably Cora writing it.
If the writer refers to the onboard crew as "the jerks who abuse me" it may actually be the sailboat doing the writing. we can't be held responsible.
Wait, who wrote this comment?

Anonymous said...

My guess is Cora. Al doesn't give "handy hints".

Lucky Penguin said...

yeah, no foolin'