Platinum Plus

Platinum Plus  - we have been busy…. Just to recap:

Exchanged the gold flag for a Platinum!

On Erben Renewal we have traveled 26,843 miles since we last touched our home port in Panama City, FL. After completing our first loop in 2013 we took a couple months to put our “stuff” in storage. In mid-March of 2014 we departed through Lake Okeechobee and then north to do the little triangle loop including the Rideau Canal, with stops in Ottawa and Montreal and back via Lake Champlain to Marathon.  A total of 5756 miles. In 2015 again, mid-March we headed to the Berries and Abacos in the Bahamas before returning north to do the Down East loop with stops in Quebec City, the Gaspe, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and the Bras D’Or Lakes before briefly visiting Maine and heading south to Jacksonville, FL for the winter. Only 5110 miles.  In 2016 we headed south to the Bahamas, this time to visit the Exumas and Long Island before returning to Maine for the summer. Winter was again in Jacksonville for a total of 5158 miles.  In 2017 We stopped back in the Exumas and Long Island before visiting the Ragged Islands and finally running north to jump over to Bermuda. We returned to Newport RI and spent the rest of the summer in the Long Island area visiting the islands, and both forks of Long Island before heading south once again for the winter = 5370 miles. Finally, in 2018 we left JAX for a month on the St John River before again spending a month or so in the Bahamas on our way back north to do the more traditional loop.  We spent the summer on the Trent-Severn Canal as well as the Georgian Bay, North Chanel and the western side of Lake Michigan before heading down the rivers and home to Panama City to close our second loop and earn the Platinum Burgee. 

Our first go around was not the traditional loop as we did the entire Erie Canal, Lake Erie and Lake Huron before spending a month on the eastern side of Lake Michigan, we decided we needed to do the areas we missed.  Since we did the rivers to Nashville and Chattanooga last time, we lingered on the West side of Lake Michigan then headed south at a faster clip this trip for a total of 5426 miles.  Just coming up on six years aboard and heading to the Caribbean for our next adventure. Not a difficult retirement plan! 310 locks and 34,000+ miles!

Hurricane flooding even in Mobile

suffering with take out from Dreamland BBQ

Sadly, Hurricane Michael had things to say about our planned stopover in Home Port Panama City.  We ended up spending several weeks in Mobile to wait out the hurricane’s fury as well as get some work done on the boat. A road trip to Panama City a week after the storm convinced us that taking the boat in would be more disruptive than helpful as our hometown was struggling to survive.

with Teddy's help we packed a few boxes to put in our storage units
 - which miraculously were untouched by Michael's rage

60+ hour crossing to Tampa

leaving Mobile

 With heavy hearts we made the decision to head straight to Tampa to spend some extra time with our son and daughter in law.  They were preparing to move and our presence might be helpful. Can’t say we did much as they were super organized, but at least we had some time with them and by living on the boat managed to stay out of their way.  

adding chain dance - glad to have help

A brief few days in Gulfport Marina allowed us to pick up a tandem kayak – our new toy and new chain.  From there we moved to the mooring field in Sarasota which we enjoyed – close enough to see the kids in Bradenton but with lots of entertainment close to hand on Main Street. Most of our time was spent making last minute prep for our next trip – this included changing out our air conditioners. Steve did the work but then we had to find homes for the old ones still in working order. The new chain was also installed and a host of smaller ticket items added to the stores along with a few edible provisions. With the “to do” list finally down to (nearly) zero we made a crossing through the lake to Stuart to meet up with our “new to us” anchor. Good friends, Mark and Mary, kindly transported the anchor from Solomon’s in the Chesapeake Bay to their winter home in Stuart on their KK44, The Good Life. Watching the weather in Stuart for a Gulf Stream crossing, we were expecting to wait a week or more and work our way south, but waking up Sunday Nov 18^th we realized there was a moderate chance to head south on the outside overnight and cross on Monday.  Our ride for the first third was less than perfect, but also farrrrrrrrr from the worst we have experienced.  By the time we were off Miami, the winds and waves became favorable so we crossed to Bimini.  Arriving in a port, even one we were familiar with after dark is undesirable, and luckily the tides were in our favor as well.  We were tied to the dock at Blue Water Resort an hour before dark and at slack tide. A nice bonus after our 26+ hour run from Stuart. Bahama sim cards worked great as did the new Google Fi phone – a miracle since we had major heartburn getting the thing organized. Several long and uneventful travel days followed as we crossed the banks. Thanksgiving was celebrated at the Xuma Restaurant on Highbourne Cay.  A first for us to eat out for the holiday, but the setting and friendly folk made it special if not a family event. After a quick run to and stop in Black Point Settlement (think coconut bread warm from the oven), we were in Georgetown early afternoon on Saturday.  We had time to hit the Xuma Market and a few marine stores before checking the weather.  As luck would have it, a window of travel opportunity appeared to be opening.  Lots of reading and strategizing regarding the onward passage from Georgetown to Provo in the Turks and Caicos could not have handed us a more perfect window.  

Although we seriously would have enjoyed a day off or even a few stops, we could see that this calm might not come again for a week or more, so Sunday mid-morning we took off to run all the way to Provo. Being conservative, we expected the seas and currents to slow us but amazingly we came close to making our normal 7.5 MPH. No complaints as this allowed us to anchor off the island for a good night’s rest and then proceed in to the marina in daylight and at high tide. New territory and new adventures….

P.S. new anchor is magnificent!  Stuck first time and we have tested thoroughly this last week! Thanks again to Mark & Mary and Tim & Diane!

no stress for this cat

one of four Mahi caught leaving George Town BS