"This is the little boat, we are down here!"

We were so sure this would be the trip to top them all.  This would be the trip that would show how far we have come as "real" sailors. This would be the best ocean weekend yet!  But, oh, how things can go so very wrong.

It all started out so well. We received our new VHF (since the last one had been dropped in the ocean).   We had all the needed, extra, safety gear, three different forms of GPS and 2 maps, compass, charts, extra water and food, extra batteries for all our safety gear.  We went through a safety check list (actually I had 4, I love list) for the boat, trailer and car.  Jackson ran the boat engine and checked the trailer tires.  By 8:15 am we were ready.

It was after noon by the time we pulled into our favorite marina.  Effortlessly, we put the mast up and docked.  Felling like experts, we unhooked the dock lines and pushed off.  It was then, that the engine died.

We had just unhooked, so, thankfully, it wasn't too hard to find someone to throw a line to.  We tied up again.  It was cold , we were all wearing winter coats under our life jackets.  Jackson figured that the engine might be cold, he tried it again.  It took some coaxing, but it started.  He ran it for a while, all seemed good.  So, off we went.

Directly in front of the marina is a very busy shipping channel.  Large, tug boat towed barges, speed up and down this boat freeway like semi-trucks racing to drop off their load. We looked both ways, there was a barge in the distance, but we would have plenty of time to make it across safely.  Just as we were passing the half way point of the shipping channel, the engine died again.  Our minds began to race.  What do we do now?  We still had a little time till the barge would catch up to us, but not much.  Jackson tried the engine again, no luck. He put the sail up, no wind.  He got out the paddle from the emergency life raft, and rowed like there a huge barge just behind us, which there was.  The barge had caught up to us and even worse another barge was heading our way in the opposite direction! In  just a few minutes we would be stuck between the two large boats.  I called on the radio, in my most calm voice (not!) "This is the little boat, we are down here!" I yelled over and over into the VHF while switching channels too fast for anyone to answer. (We have since worked on my VHF skills.)

Nothing was working, we couldn't move, couldn't direct our boat in anyway.  We could only float.  I felt like a small, helpless, and out of control,  VW Bug in the middle of a freeway of semi-trucks.  I had an idea, if we could not direct where we were going, at least we could stop moving.  We could stop, let the boats pass then call for help.  "We'll be Okay soon." I thought.  I hauled out the anchor and line.  A bit frantically, I fumbled with the line, trying to attach the anchor pin. I couldn't get in on, it was stuck.  Jackson, seeing what I was doing, ran to help.   He clipped the pin on, thew the anchor into the water and set the line.  He pulled to make sure the anchor was in all the way, the entire line came up!  No anchor, it must have slipped off the hook.  Jackson went back to rowing.

It was just at that moment that we saw a little skiff, a small fishing boat, headed out way.  In my bright blue winter coat and red life jacket I waved my arms furiously to get their attention, (as if they couldn't see us).  They had been sent out to help from one of the tug boats.  I thew them a line, and in no time we were being pulled out of the way and back to safety.  It was surreal as I looked over my shoulder and saw the sun set going down into the water.  We should have been out there.  It was going to go so well.  We had planned and prepared.  The two men on the little skiff were kind and understanding.  They acted so easy and nonchalant about the whole thing, as if this had happened before to other small boats in the shipping channel.  We pulled Little Woo out of the water.  We were in shock, and it was dark.  We were tired and wanted to go home.  But, we wanted to show the boys that just because something didn't go our way, we weren't going to give up.  Plus, I had a family fun night planned and they were really looking forward to it.  So, we pulled the boat to a camping spot on the beach.  We camped on the beach in the boat.

Here we are having fun in our boat... on land!

 We played Minute-To-Win-It games, decorated the cabin with balloons and 45 glow sticks.

In this game the goal is to get the cookie into your mouth with out touching it.  I think Alex won, but Jimmy said he got it too, although nobody saw him.

 Dad and Hunter won the "move the skittles with a straw" competition.

The next day we walked along the beach then went home.  Life is what you make it, we had made the best of it.  That next week, Jackson took apart the engine and found water in the gas we had just bought.  It all goes to show you, no matter how much you plan and prepare, you just can't be ready for everything.  But, you can choose how you deal with it.

Our year of 2014

Easter, complete with Easter baskets full
of fun stuff, like new swim goggles. 

Even though it's almost March, (seriously, I started this post in
January), I wanted to capture our past year in pictures.  This is what
we are up to, when we're not out on the big blue. 

I love this one, it captures my household on a normal day.
We were just about to go on a walk, I turned around to see this.  Evidently, I'm safe
while walking, got my body-guards with me.  The picture is blurry because nobody would hold still. 

My Mother's Day cake, the boys made it all by themselves.

Alex, our oldest, at his Arrow of Light ceremony.  We are honored to be a Scouting family.

This was Jimmy's first year as a cub scout, he was excited! He put on his uniform for his very fist meeting and couldn't help but solute everyone he saw.  He must have soluted at least 50 times that night!

 Hunter was baptized this summer.

Being a home school family awards us with many fun opportunities.  We were apart of a Huck Finn themed dance.  Much to my amazement, all 3 boys asked a girl to dance with them!  Which included talking to a girl and holding her hand, they were even happy about it!  

We topped the year off with a move to a new home, a new job for Jackson, Jimmy's 6th birthday and then Christmas. I am so thankful for our home we have here in Texas, the friends who have welcomed us, the natural beauty that surrounds us in every season and for the wonderful year we have had.

Ocean Sailing

Either you decide to stay in the shallow end of the pool or you go out in the ocean.

Christopher Reeve

Last fall I breathed a sigh of relief as we packed SV Little Woo, up for the winter.  I thought to myself, we've made it through our first sailing season. I knew I had the winter to relax and not worry about the fears that, for me, come with sailing.

We have graduated ourselves and Little Woo from sailing back and forth across the lake to the Gulf of Mexico!  Last summer, we sailed  for 6 months, going out about twice a month.  We sailed the lake from one end to the other and back again, in all types of weather.   With no experience we wanted to start small.  After umpteen times across the lake, we were getting bored.  Time to take this sailing to the next level!  I can't even begin to describe how nervous I was!  Jackson too, but he hides it better. I make list to cope with anxiety.  I had 6 ocean sailing list: one for food, one for meals, one for safety equipment, one for information.  I think I may have made a list of my list!

Ocean Sailing Adventure #Uno ~
Goal ~ leave the dock, stay at least one night
Time ~ summer, 2014
   
 Totally playing it cool, like ocean sailing is something we do everyday, we picked a marina that would watch our car for a few days and had a dock we could launch the boat from. We decided a 3 day trip sounded about right.  We packed water, food, games and everything we could think of for a three day trip.  (Actually, with the amount I packed we could have stayed out for a month!)  We printed out ocean maps and got the GPS ready.  Pulling into the marina was exciting, there were real boats, real, honest-to-goodness, ocean going vessels!  (They were small fishing boats.)  It was thrilling!  After paying, we waited our turn to launch.   I remember wondering out loud where all the other sailboats were.  Jackson backed the suburban and Little Woo into the water.  He smiled, I knew just what he was thinking - our boat was in the salty ocean! Now for our first goal... leaving the dock.  Jackson parked, jumped aboard and started the engine. I pulled in all the lines that tied us to the dock.   That's when things went south.  Have you ever thought about the tide of the ocean.  Well, I never had.  And at this point we realized the tide was out. We couldn't move.  Worse yet, now that we weren't tied up, the front end of the boat, which is shallow, was drifting. Over the next half an hour, maybe it was only 5 minutes, it seemed to be a lifetime, there was some frustration, some yelling, some drifting within inches of other boats at the dock.  Now I knew where the other sailboats were - some other marina that was deeper!

 Next to the dock was a restaurant.  It must have been a nice one, because well dressed vacationers were entering in.  I remember one man in a suit and tie, standing, staring at us.  We were close enough to hear his young daughter say, "Dad, lets go in." His response, "In a minute, I want to watch these people." Apparently we were the show part of the dinner and a show.

At one point, I was steering, while Jackson was working on getting us unstuck.  We have a tiller to steer the boat. That means that when you turn it right, the boat moves left and when  you turn it left, the boat moves to the right. I was doing this while the boat was moving in reverse. I was yelling that I really didn't feel comfortable in this situation while Jackson was yelling other things..... He got the boat free we tided up again just 10' away.

After taking a few minutes to gather our spirits, we started the engine again and move our little boat out to the bay.  We had reached our first goal: leave the dock.

Jimmy, drinking hot coco and watching the
sun rise. 

We anchored 3 miles off shore in a beautiful little cove.  The water was only 4 feet deep, but deep enough for us to float.  I figured, if we sink, at least I can walk back.  I could see the car from where we were.  But, we had made it out to the ocean.

That night while eating dinner, we watched a beautiful sun, set into the water.  As night fell, the lights of the city behind us twinkled as did the bio luminescent jelly fish that surrounded us in the water.

Alex, with a jelly fish we had caught in a net the night before.

Hunter and I kept a lookout for dolphins.

The next morning we sailed around the little cove, and went home.  One night, but we had met our goal and learned so much!

 A pod of dolphins joined us for our first trip around the bay.  The boys whistled, clapped and yelled to keep their interest in us.

A few weeks later we went out again.  We put in at the very same marina.  This time, though, we waited for the tide to be ALL the way in.  It could not have gone better!  We were complimented on our beautiful sailboat as we gracefully pulled away from the dock.  If felt great!  We made it 8 miles out to edge of the same little cove.  The sun set was again beautiful as it melted into the ocean.  Again, that was our only night.  But it went so much better.  We did however, learn that mosquitoes can reach boats on the ocean. (They descended upon us in droves.) And, that it is not wise to anchor the boat the opposite direction of the oncoming current.  It was a restless night.  We also learned that you should not bend over the water with the brand new VHF radio attached to your life vest because it will slip off and into the water, never to be seen again.  We learned a lot that trip. We spent the next day playing in the sand, onshore.

It's almost spring, the weather is a little warmer.  Time to set sail!  Time to push ourselves closer to being real "sailors".   Every time we go out, Jackson and I have decided on a goal.  We aim to go a little farther, try new things.  In two weeks we have our first trip of the season planned.  Our goal: make it out of the bay. We, and by that I mean me, like to take it slow, very slow.  But, little by little we will get there. We will be sailing in deeper waters.  Sailing to far off places.