October 8, 2014

Heading South Onboard Seyon

Every Fall, the migration South begins for birds and boaters alike. Look up in the sky and you see lines of birds flying in formation. Look out in the harbor, and you'll see boats leaving every day.
Two and a half years ago, my husband and I sold our charter/party boat and bought ourselves a "proper yacht". Yes, our boat SEYON is a real yacht, because it was built for the CEO of Coca-Cola in 1970. But over the years of neglect from many owners, our semi-new acquisition has more in the form of the big "P" for potential. A super-pretty yacht, she just needs a lot of love and work. Ahhh, the age old saying about boats being holes in the water in which you pour money.That's SEYON in all her glory; but fun nonetheless. 

With the weather turning, it was time to go. Our final destination will be Palm Beach, but this is a two part trip with our daughter's final college Parents Weekend and Thanksgiving in-between. So on to putting little boats away and moving big boats.
My son helped us put away the "family boat" before we could leave

Deliveries (what you call bringing boats to destinations without time off in the middle for fun and sight-seeing) aren't my most favorite thing in the world to do, but they are necessary if I want to hang out off the mansions of Palm Beach floating on our mooring enjoying the Florida sunshine. 

First things first, we had to provision the boat, fill it with fuel and water, tie things down and put stuff on the floor so when the waves hit, everything didn't go flying and I didn't resort to yelling at my husband because I was stressed.
 Can't go without pretty flowers!
On the less than pretty frig that came with the boat, we started decorating it with stickers of places we'd been, although not every place had a sticker - there's still room for plenty more
 It doesn't look glamorous, but on deliveries I try to bring as much cooked and prepared food as possible in case I'm super naseous and seasick and still have to prepare meals - never fear, there's still plenty of wine and rum :)
 Glug, glug - need to fill the water tanks. (right after this picture, I forgot to turn the water pump off so we lost half the water I filled - duh!)
Candy - almost as important as flowers and wine

We left on a lumpy day with me already praying for flat water and zero wind - silly girl...
 Bye home!
A little waves, rain and sea spray - I can handle this!

Coming to the Cape Cod Canal, I was feeling great. It was a little rough but not so bad. 
Buzzards Bay was ahead but we were stopping in Onset for the night. 
I like my welcoming committee!
The first of two bridges on the Canal - Cape Cod lovers hate them both
Passing Mass Maritime - pretty cool spot for a college
 And once we got into Onset's small harbor and dropped our anchor, it was time for cocktails in our SEYON cups and South Carolina wineglasses...

...and dinner of marinated flank steak, roasted potatoes and a yummy crunchy salad - 
a successful first day
 Where's my crew? Oh, wait. I'm the crew!
(before you think we're stuffy, our boat was a charter boat before we got her, so there are all these little directional labels everywhere)
The art is a print of my husband's great grandfather's SEYON. 
Love this little shelf for flowers and the light above.
Back in the good 'ole days, my husband's grandfather had a letter opener cast in silver that showed the original SEYON and the criss-crossed yacht club flag with his private signal.
 Since the original boat owner was the CEO of Coca-Cola, even the boat horn's handle is a wooden carved Coke bottle! (the picture is blurry because the boat was moving so much)
 My stateroom - I love my Kate Spade Candy Shop linens
The second of four staterooms - apparently I like stripes
 Hello, Block Island Ferry
 My husband is killing me in each round of one of my favorite games, "Yachtzee" :), 
but I guess its good to let the Captain win!
 A pretty sunrise off Long Island Sound lured me into thinking the whole day would stay that calm...
Cute little house overlooking the entrance to Clinton, CT
 As Long Island Sound starts to narrow and the city comes into view, is the creepy "Execution Rock" which is where pirates and criminals were hung and left there to rot as a warning to all incoming sailors - looks pretty if you don't know the history 
Anyone who knows me, knows that I really, REALLY get nervous when I see any Coast Guard boat bearing down on us - call it a Get-Called-To-The-Principal's-Office holdover, but this sight freaks me out. Happily, they just waved and moved on - phew! 
 New York! Just like I pictured it...
 The spooky, floating piece of the Riker's Island prison - I'm glad the windows are so small
 Don't fall on us, please
 Old meets new - such a pretty boat
 I wonder what they're talking about at the UN?
 I spy, with my little brown eye...
 CRAZY helicopter terminal - that's how the big wigs must travel. 
I waved, they didn't wave back
The Freedom Tower reflecting the sky and water
 Lady Liberty could see the weather ahead, we just couldn't
 After stopping for the night, the sunrise over the famous Sandy Hook, looked so pretty. Then the waves hit, and hit and hit. After putting the bow under too many times to count, and it's a BIG bow, we called it quits and pulled into the Shark River. (They must LOVE Shark Week here.) And after listening to the marine radio's forecast, here we sit, waiting for the waves and wind die down. 
A dredge greeted us in the Shark River. NASTY waves right beyond that sweet looking bridge
 If I have to relax somewhere, I'll take my sun porch any day. I know it's technically the aft deck, but I like to call it a sun porch anyway. I got those cool lobster buoy pillows this summer in Portland, Maine
 I love iomoi www.iomoi.com for all their products including this tray (the pillow with the tassel in one of the staterooms is also from iomoi)
Staples: a needlepoint frog, fabulous cookbook, great mags and I need to finish Gone Girl before I see the movie
 I've got my bar ready to make drinks
 Another iomoi find from one of my best friends, Meg, as a boat-warming present. No drink is complete without my signature monogrammed swizzle sticks!
My bucket bag that was given as a present for the boat. I absconded it to use as my purse. 
Its perfect for that!
 So here we sit, waiting until tomorrow, fingers crossed for great, or at least better, weather...
...and next to classically named yachts - ha ha! 


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