Gene and Dianne

Island Spirit gets relaunched for 2012...Bahamas bound

We completed the helm install and ran Island Spirit out the creek for a sea trial. When all systems checked out, it was back to our home dock to clean up the boat and prepare for good friends Dianne and Gene to visit.

The boat was really dirty and a real mess as is common when storing your boat in the yard for a month and tearing apart major systems for repair. Lucky for us, it rained and stormed our first day back in the water so we had 24 hours to prepare the boat.

Dianne and Gene enjoy happy hour on Island Spirit

Dianne and Gene are like family, Hayden spent his teaching career with Dianne and Gene was a Technology Ed teacher like Hayden. We have sailed the Caribbean together and taken cruises and land vacations together. So, they would understand that the boat was a wreck, there were jobs still to do, and that we would most likely just do a day sail.

24 hours after launch, we are getting ready to travel

So, our 2012 Bahamas run began with this wonderful visit with good friends. We enjoyed cocktail hours, sailing and anchoring out in the creek for a leisurely lunch. Getting Island Spirit back into service is a lot of work, but cruising and sailing with friends is as good as it gets. Dianne and Gene are great boat guests and it is always easy to spend time onboard with friends that know how to live on a boat. Thank you, Dianne and Gene, for your help and for kicking off our 2012 season with a great time..



Photos of the visit...

Notice the GREAT Island Spirit cocktail napkins!
A gift from Amy and Brian....Thank you!

Gene is very determined as he sets the main sail

The Galley BEFORE as we begin to load the frig

The galley AFTER and how it normally looks

Gene helped to launched the AB 10VL, so we had to take it for a 25 mph spin out the creek.
Gene was amazed at the speed of a 15 hp Yamaha...hold on!

Hayden and Radeen enjoying happy hour

Great friends and long time teaching buddies...this is what 85+  years of collective public school teaching service looks like! We had great careers....now we are all onto other adventures....

Check it out...A BLIMP from the US .NAVY. How cool is that? 

Dianne takes the helm with ease, no problem, she has been here before 

Sunsert to the PORT BOW....means one thing....it is time to sail to the BAHAMAS!