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!

Friday, September 07, 2007

Fat Lady Sings in Mystic

Last night, we traded our beautiful boat, our trusty steed, the steward of our dreams for the last 7,000 miles and two years, for a small rectangular piece of paper with 5 very important digits on it. are we thrilled? yes. a little sad to see her go? yes.

Our end of the deal includes delivering her to Rhode Island with the new owner on board - sort of a tutorial on Ute's sytems - so we'll even get one last sail in.

Now our dear friends and fam can call us up without getting all that pressure to buy our boat. I'm sure there is relief on all sides. Thanks to all our people on the ground who got the word out about the Boat Deal of the Century. you're the best!

who would've thought that just 3 weeks on Craigslist could sell a boat? I love this country.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

The end of an era. You need to buy a car to keep the Ute name alive.
CityPig

Anonymous said...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! Of course you guys could sell a boat on Craiglist when no one else could. Those brokers are jokers, yo.

Have a wonderful last sail! I'm sure there's a name for that in sailor jargon.

We're so happy that the next chapter is unfolding so swiftly!

xo
J, V and g

Anonymous said...

good for you guys! for selling the boat- for buying the boat!

I found your blog in the latter part of your journey- heading into Florida, I believe, but I've gone back to read old posts. congratulations for making a dream come true.

there's a company that can turn a blog into a book. it would be a nice keepsake of your trip. another blogger had it done for a back up of their blog, and it looked just great.

heres a link:

http://www.blurb.com/home/1/

best to you.

--j

hardworker said...

shoot, I was just thinking I might want to try sailing it back to sf...

probably for the best this way. I don't like sailing.

congrats!

John Jacobsen said...

What an amazing adventure! Glad you're back safely on Terra Firma for good... well, almost. Love,
John J.

Marnie said...

Well congrats and, I suppose, condolences. What is next in life? Any plans? Portland is a great city...lots of SF transplants here :D

Unknown said...

Allen & Cora Enjoy your sail to Bristol RI. As much as it is nice to have you in the States - your 22 months have enriched my life in many ways - travel to Panama, reading your blog, conversations with others about your trip, really trusting you both and your decisions, seeing the world through your eyes, talking with Marti, and much more. Craigslist is good luck and much to you these months and years ahead. aloha, hugs nancy

Anonymous said...

Nancy,
Your post made me cry.

Here we are coming up on the weekend we met. I'll always cherish your trip Concord to spend the day with me and for introducing me to the Man on the Mountain. I miss that face.

Love,
Julie

craig&evvy said...

Congratulations on wrapping up your journey in Style! Way to go to get moving on with aplomb. It has been wonderful to see your magnificent trip, overcoming all barriers, and keeping us in on the learning and fun you've had all the way. It was also great to have a view to your extensive view of the the American coast, from home to Panama to CT. Good on ya!

s/v Maia (for a few more days)

Anonymous said...

We are so happy, and sad, for you as you part with Ute and move on to new adventures.
Great to have met two people so engaged in life, who says the younger generation are losers!!
Wet and drippy here on the Rio....but we just keep on sailin'
Much love to you both, and Count basil of course

G&G

Anonymous said...

Yay! Simultaneous congrats/condolences... I know how that goes with boats. If you guys come back here I can hook you up with a free Ranger 26. Hehe.

My company just got sold to Yahoo! for 350 million. so maybe someday in the next couple years we'll out there cruising!

We miss you guys back in Emeryville!

Love,

- Ari

Anonymous said...

Hello Cardboard Man and Lucien Twin,
We have followed your blog thru the YEARS(yeah!!),and have been so proud of your spirit, but nothing has inspired us like the photo of your canned goods. Save them, mount them and frame them like the Mona Lisa, cause well you earned them. After you settle, have a mortgage, a 9-5, midnight feedings...etc., Your canned goods will put you in your place for your future generations.
Eleven years later the material thing we have had the longest is a can of "mushy peas" from England. it reminds of how hard it can be, and the value of adventure.Sometimes the silly of things make you stand the test of time. We love you! Cheers,Spelmans