Before I get to the list, I want to say that we are so excited about this coming year we can hardly stand it. It has taken us 3 months to get ready but we are feeling great about our readiness for the voyage and there is a certain appropriateness about starting fresh in a new year. I’ve got a new log book started and we are eagerly awaiting casting off. As soon as we get our welding done we are off with the first good weather window. We are excited to have a cargo bound for Haiti and to see Seven Seas Ministries begin to bear fruit. We are ready for this next phase of our adventure!

So without further to do, here is the answer to the questions I know you’re asking, “What have y’all been doing for 3 months? How come you haven’t left yet?” In no particular order, this is what we’ve been doing.

• Installed Lectrasan system
• Put a new raw water pump in the main engine
• Brought the boat from Pensacola to Texas
• Rebuilt the A/C compressor box in the boys closet
• Replaced the fuel pump on the generator
• Replaced all fuel filter elements in the whole fuel system for both generator and main engine
• Installed plywood panel alongside Garrett’s bunk so his stuff doesn’t fall into the lazarette
• Installed grab rail above Garrett’s bunk
• Extinguished on board electrical fire
• Recharged fire extinguishers
• Rewired entire 110 volt system including adding breakers and transfer switches
• Replaced oven thermostat valve
• Tuned refrigeration system including adding small air circulation fans in each box
• Repaired 150% Genoa
• Sewed new luff tape on spare 150% Genoa
• Repaired 100% jib
• Sewed new hanks on staysail
• Repaired sail cover
• Installed new flood light over sugar scoop
• Had propane locker repaired
• Ran aground and got centerboard jammed
• Built hookah supplied air breathing unit
• Unjammed center board
• Upgraded wiring from main battery bank to inverter/charger
• Rebuilt forward head
• Replaced Lexan in forward hold hatch cover
• Lubricated all winches
• Installed HDTV over the air antenna
• Repaired clothes washer
• Changed engine oil in main engine and generator
• Studied for untold hours and sat through 20 hours of USCG testing to get my License back
• Made and mounted port light curtains for the main cabin
• Made and mounted privacy curtains for passageways
• Repaired outboard motor ignition system
• Replaced all cabinet knobs
• Loaded cargo of shirts and computers for Haiti
• Crashed Shirley’s laptop
• Purchased and configured new laptop for Shirley
• Bought lots of miscellaneous spare parts, supplies, charts, cruising guides, etc
• Built half wall around generator to protect it from gear adrift in the lazarette
• Whipped ends of all lines on board
• Tuned standing rigging
• Replaced ends on both shore power cords
• Made up fender boards to span fenders for use at commercial type docks
• Lots of reading and researching on cruising and our destinations
• Installed new propane grill on aft rail
• Replaced gasket on portlight
• Gave away and sold unneeded extra sails
• Scraped barnacles off the dinghy bottom (a sure sign you’ve been somewhere too long)
• Replaced watermaker diaphragm
• Replumbed watermaker – hoses and fittings
• Provisioned for our trip south
• Homeschooled the kids on an ongoing basis
• And more stuff that I’ve forgotten

I’d also like to take a moment to thank all the folks who have helped us do all the stuff listed above. It is amazing the resources God puts in your path when you are doing what he called you to do. We have been blessed in lots of ways by lots of folks and this list is incomplete but here it is none the less. Also in no particular order.

• My mom and dad, Sue and Travis Votaw – for everything
• Shirley’s brother, Kevin Morrison – thanks for all the hours of electrical work
• Charles and Katherine Walker – thanks for all the transportation, mail handling and fellowship
• Charl DeVilliers the Silent Voyager – for his advice and expertise
• Charlie Jones – master craftsman
• Phil and Susie Collins – for cars and trips and fun
• Phil and Leslie Colquitt for feeding us and helping with mail and transportation needs
• Carl Westbrook for being a pastor and believing in the vision God has given us.
• Everyone else who has helped with anything else. The list is a long one, and we are overwhelmed by all of the help and encouragement you all have provided.

So together we embark on a new year. If this past year was any indication, we have lot’s of excitement and blessings in store. God bless you all an we look forward to moving forward together through 2008.

Stay tuned. Ciao for now!

I never dreamed we would still be in US waters in December! I definitely never planned on being cold. Even in Galveston it’s cold. Last night was 38, and today’s high was 64. We’re all running out of cold weather clothing. We didn’t pack but a couple of pairs of jeans, and a couple of sweatshirts each. The kids didn’t bring any coats, either. We walked to Academy last week and purchased everyone a cheap, fleece-lined windbreaker. I also bought a fleece sock hat for my head at night. It’s so cold at the bow that I can’t sleep because my head is cold. The hat solved the problem, but talk about bedhead—wow! Good thing I brought all those extra comforters and sleeping bags. We’re using them all!

The longer we sit here, the more I want a house. Living on a boat isn’t so fun if it isn’t going anywhere. Did I mention that we share the bayou with two other full-time (apparantly) live aboards? There are two other sailboats anchored out here: one houses a couple of alcoholic/drug addicts who from the looks of them would otherwise be occupying a park bench somewhere–but they seen harmless enough–except for the story we heard that a couple were out sailing with them and the husband got so drunk that he fell overboard and drowned and the others didn’t seem to notice til it was too late. The other boat has a couple on it. It’s a very small boat…too small to live on full time. They have jobs here and seem nice enough-although the guy seems a little moody. The girl is from Cuero and is always nice.

The tourists come by every week, either on the duck tours or in the “Colonel” (Moody Gardens’ faux steamship tour boat). We’ve been here so long, the guide probably points us out as an attraction. The tourists all point and wave–probably jealous (ha). Oh, and there are a couple of shrimp boats that live at a dock over here. They come zipping by at high rates with large wake that rocks us violently–well not as violently as it rocks the little boat, but still, how rude! On weekends, several day-sailors pass by and holler out, “nice boat.” That’s fun.

We got our passports yesterday! Yippee! If only we could go somewhere. (sigh).

And finally, I will end my gripe session with this: I MISS MY DOG! How can I live without a dog? John said I could have a pet gecko, but I only want the one from the Geico commercial that talks like he’s from Australia—he’s cute. Not as cute as Buddy, but it would at least be entertaining. Buddy probably doesn’t even remember us anymore. He probably loves it so much at the Snelson’s that he will never want to leave.
All Kimi and I want for Christmas is our dog. (deep, longing, forlorn sigh).

We were outbound in Offatts Bayou channel approaching the intercoastal. All we had to do was “keep it between the markers” how hard can it be? The chart shows a “Y” at the junction. If you are going east you can go up one side (we came in that way previously), if you are going west you can go up the other side. Well, at least you would think so. Since we were headed west, when we got to the “Y”, I turned left (to port for you purists). We were going along at about 7.5 knots when all of a sudden the boat kind of rose up and came to an abrupt halt. My first thought was, “Oh no, I cut the corner too tight.” But as I looked behind us, I could see that we were still inside the channel markers. In any case, we were hard aground. I tried backing off with the engine to no avail. We tried using the sails to heel the boat over. Nothing doing. Cannibal’s wide keel was designed to keep her upright in the event she dries out, and it was keeping us upright just as it should.

So we gathered round and said a prayer. And then looked around to see if there were any boats in the neighborhood that might be able to assist us. In just a minute or two, a small tug came our way. He had been working over by the construction site at the new causeway. It seemed like the perfect boat to help us since it was going to pass right by. So I gave him a call on the radio. After informing us that we should use the eastern side of the “Y” since the western side was shoaled up (thanks for the newsflash!), he said that he couldn’t help, what with liability and all. But he noted that his foreman would be on the next tug coming our way and maybe he might have sufficient authority to go ahead and give us a hand. So we watched as he steamed by about 30′ away, heading toward Offatts Bayou. A few minutes later here came another small tug just like the first one. I gave him a call on the radio and asked if he was the foreman and again requested assistance. This time I even mentioned that if he could even just haul our anchor over to the east about 100′ or so we might be able to drag ourselves off, hence no liability for him (we could have done this ourselves if our dinghy outboard had been working. But he said he’d have to go in and check with the office, so he steamed on by about 30′ from us going merrily on his way toward Offatts Bayou.

Now if you are familiar with Luke 11:30-37 you know what happens next. Right after I got finished talking to the second tug, I got a call from another tug. He was heading west like us and was running “light boat” meaning he didn’t have any barges. He asked how far off the ICW we were and I told him we were just at the point of the Offatt’s Bayou “Y”. So he said he’d take a look at it when he got through the causeway and would give us a hand if he could. So we waited about 10 minutes or so and here came this nice big Samaritan tug; the “Del Wilkins” was her name. The captain took a look and said he thought he could help us out. So he eased up against the edge of the channel where we were and got within about 10 feet or so. We threw him a line and made it fast to our bow cleat and he very gently pulled our bow around toward deeper water and then slid us off the shoal, easy as you please.

I was so thankful that I could have kissed that guy. I asked if there was anything I could do for him and he said nothing was necessary and that he had just been fishing with his kids the weekend before and had run out of gas, so he knew exactly how we felt. There are some really great folks out there and God uses them every day.

So there you have it. But as with all things boat related, there is more to the story. Tune in next time for “The Saga of the Centerboard”

PS: We have some new pictures posted on our gallery pages.