When I think of Christmas Eve I instantly think of a cold clear night with hard crunchy snow as I walk to church to give thanks to the real eason why we celebrate Christmas. I think of the candle light service and how the church becomes so hot from all the hundreds of souls holding candles to shine bright in the dark night to find your way out of the dark past. I think of my family all gathered together drinking after church and being happy to finally talk about the years past events and what they plan to change in the new year. Then we all retire to bed and wait for Santa to grace us with presents and gifts for all that we care for. My heart swells at that moment that my family will get to open the presents that I have taken time to find for them.

 Unlike the last 29 Christmas to now I am alone by choice to fix, clean, and better Dragonsbane. I am also happy to get my scuba certification. I wanted to experience having no one around to enjoy all that god has given us and see what I really miss. SO being alone I went to a bar across the pound and found my new friends from Key west that are traveling as a band by sailboat to St Thomas, They filled a small void in my heart tonight but did not take place of my family. I think god will no matter what take care of you even when you’re alone if only you go out and look around. I am so joyed to meet these people and give them the gift of knowledge on how to repair there sailboat. I can’t afford to give all the gifts I would like to my family but I keep them in my heart and will think of them everyday and wish them the best.

 Christmas is to remember all the good and bad of the past year and  share it with your family, friends, and in my case the strangers that open there hearts to this simple idea of being happy to be together. So hug your family, and give thanks that you have a warm house, and people to enjoy it with. Other wise what the hell is it all for if you don’t understand that simple pleasure.

God Bless,

Jacques

I spent the early part of the day peddling my but around on an old Huffy bike with the big fat tires. You know the bike that is used for the beer advertisement called Fat Tire! Anyway my dads bike chain broke and we ended up getting picked up and brought back to the bike shop and was given a less rusty bike which worked out great. Unfortunately after peddling the first time for at least 4 miles we were right back where we started, o well we got good exercise. Anyway we toured the north edge of the Provo Island and saw all the resorts and all the resorts that where under construction back in 2008 and then like a bomb they  were left unfinished and left rusting in the salt air. It was too bad to see many of these grand hotels rusting and falling to pieces.  They really don’t show that on the postcards and they would have add such a grand and clean feeling to this island but instead leave it looking more like a disaster zone then anything.

After peddling our bikes we returned to Dragonsbane and ate some lunch;  I studied my scuba course information too. I made steak and sweet potatoes for dinner with some “Toasted Head Chardonnay” Wine. It worked out well and I am stuffed. Tomorrow I will bring my dad to the airport and make sure he has no problems and then back to Dragonsbane to work on her issues.

Thanks,

Jacques

My plan was to sail to the DR “Dominican Republic” and see what that was all about but the plan has change for the next two weeks. After discussing our new issue with Dragonsbane our theory has been confirmed. During our last 3 day voyage we had to motor sail into the wind for 16 hours and at 3 different points the drive shaft would make a very loud buzz sound and I would back off the rpm’s immediately and the sound would stop. I concluded that when climbing very big swells 10 foot plus the prop would be over loaded and flex the drive shaft which would then cause the cutlass bearing  to buzz or squeal in the strut beneath the boat. I talked with a few local mechanics and they all agreed that the 4 blade prop is over loading the drive shaft and will in a short time cause catastrophic failure to occur causing a lot of damage.

We have decided to send the new 4 blade prop back to the manufacturer and exchange it for the original 3 blade prop. This is where it get interesting, in order to change the prop we have to lift the boat out of the water. The only place to do that is 40 nautical miles around the island to a shipyard where we will have 3 hours to make the fix. so until the new blade arrives my dad will go home for 2 weeks and I will work on Dragonsbane other issues. I will also take advantage of the down time and get my open water scuba certification so I can now go 56 feet down in the ocean to see a whole new world. I will try my best to blog over the next few weeks or at least post a lot of pictures of what I am up to, I am sad because most of my inspiration comes from the ocean. Regardless I hope that these repairs will fix all issues and make our voyage more enjoyable.

Thanks,

Jacques

I have been all over the world and experienced many of the planets very annoying pests called the mosquito. I have experienced the very strong and tough Alaskan Mosquito. The Alaskan Mesquite is very much like the mid west Upper Michigan mosquito which has equal numbers as Alaska but there is a big difference. An Alaskan Misquote is the size of a small bird and can take down a Bald Eagle if they wanted to. I have been swarmed by clouds of them flying fishing and really never want to do that again, it felt being stuck with a million needles at once. I think I lost a pint or two to the State Alaska bird called the mosquito. Now I am in the Tropical climate in Turks and Caicos Islands and the mosquitoes are very few but just as irritating. The Turks and Caicos mosquito is a very dumb mosquito. For example they fly very slow and are the size of a big fruit fly which have a buzzing sound of a weed whacker on crack. They always fly in pairs like drinking buddy’s and plan evasive maneuvers on how to attack you. But like most drunk ideas they always end up being bad.It’s like a storm moving across the ocean at night, you can hear it coming but don’t know when it will hit. You hear a loud buzz and then bammm you are hit with a little sting and bingo your there next meal. But if you can make visual contact they are easily smashed. I think they are very drunk from all the local rum drinking people and for that reason are very brave. Like most people they feel very brave and ready for fun at any chance when drunk. Unfortunately the mosquito here is the same way and ends up getting smashed off people and then gets smash by people, bummer dude. But like being drunk they do get lucky every once awhile.

To the Mosquito! Cheers,

Jacques

This evening I went to a potluck dinner with other cruiser and met some very cool people  A couple from Michigan and the gentlemen has been working in Columbia as a VP of a coal mine. I also meet a older couple from Norway and they where very cool, they have been sailing for 5 years. I will have to share more but I am ready for bed I will share more tomorrow.

Thanks,

Jacques

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I have been on the high seas for 50 days or so and I am starting to understand the things we dislike about today’s culture and our generation. I have meet in the last three days a man that has been involved in every major military action sense the 1950’s till the 1990’s and has open my eyes to all things that the history books don’t included. The man has been in peace keeping and prisoner exchanges in Vietnam and when he started his military career he was picked up in the middle of the night and dropped into Cuba days before Kennedy started the Bay of Pigs. I met a man that has served in United Kingdom Merchant Marine and logged thousands of miles using a sexton and compass. I meet a couple from Wisconsin that traveled from the USA through a Tropical Storm with 60 knote winds and 27 foot wave and lived to tee the story. I meet a man by the name of Crazy George who has given us the direction to the Dominican Republic which we will set sail tomorrow for.

I guess what I am saying is that this trip around the world is more about the people then the places. If only you could open your mind and not worry about the money, what people may think, or say, you will begin the rest of your life when you step on Dragonsbane. I have found that each day is easier then the last and everyday makes my eyes grow wider with wonder and possibility. I am beginning to not care about TV, wealth, or impressing that one girl. I am finding the world is big and beautiful and no money or influence can change the simple and basic principle of the world which was beautiful long before all the money and influence. Dragonsbane has brought me to this and for that I will care for her with every drop of sweat and energy that I can muster. The ocean and seas are really where we need to be today to see what we really are personally, emotionally, and it will measure the amount of happiness we really have. Like the evolving world we will run into the people that matter the most by sailing to them, around them, by them, or at them.

I guaranteed with out a doubt in my mind that after 2 tough, long, hard, months of sailing aboard Dragonsbane and among her crew you will see the light, and life will start to take a whole new meaning with out you even knowing it. You cannot read a book to find the answer to life, you have to live it, see it, breath it, and play in it!

Your options are simple sell the money sucking physical items that cost money/bills, and come sailing for two years on Dragonsbane. You don’t need money where we are going, just courage and a good heart! Food will taste better, conversations will have more meaning, people will fall from the shadows and open up. Life at sea is just as much apart of life as is that little island you never heard of.

Sincerely,

Jacques

Well to start I tried emailing through my radio three days ago and it stopped working so I gave up till now. Then the weather that was forecast for our trip from Clarence Town to Turks and Caicos was wrong and we ended up spending 3 days to travel 190 nautical miles. We pounded through rough waves, and a few squalls  but the wind was right on the nose 20 knots. To make matters worse the roller furling line snapped and I made a quick repair to get us through the trip, then the wind instrument stopped work so I had no idea what the wind speed was, and now something is going on with the thrust bearing on the drive shaft we think. It appears to make a loud buzzing sound when we put a large loud on the propeller when climbing swells only and we back off the RPM’s and it goes away, not sure what to think?

After all that we had to navigate Dragonsbane through a series of coral shoals, coral rock heads, breaking swells, currents, and through a coral passage that was as wide as our boat. I thought of steeping off onto the coral to take a break but land was finally with in my grasp. We cleared customs, had a stiff drink and I am now using the free wifi and hopefully figuring out a way to fix everything that broke so I can go back out in a few days for our 4 and half day trip to Porto Rico! Anybody up for a sail?

Location: 22deg 4.23min N, 72deg 2.55min W

Slow Rider!

Jacques

We sailed from George Town to Clearance Town which was a 53 nautical mile trip. We motored sailed the whole way and maintained 7.5 knots with the current. Upon entering the remote harbor the entrance was missing its channel markers and the mouth to the opening of harbor was a mile wide letting in all the swells from the Atlantic Ocean. We decided to dock the boat for the first times in 6 weeks. I have not seen my dad so happy! Anyway we took a shower and ate at the local restaurant and I had the best fish taco ever.

Location: 23deg 6.12min N, 74deg 57.60min W.

Thanks,

Jacques

I was told by a friend that it takes 3 months to find your way in your new life at sea to really enjoy what you are doing. I agree, and every day too today, has been a struggle. My dad and I butt heads about everything and being raised by the same man to be a leader and to be in charge I find it hard to compromise on this issue with him. For the last 5 years I have been in control of workers, and contracts in construction.  The idea to listen to an older person that is hard of hearing, sight, and action I find myself stressed and frustrated. But today I realize that if it was not for the old man I would not have an opportunity to have my eyes opened to a whole new world of people,  culture, and experiences. I am not sure if I can make our father/son relationship work every day but for the good of the experience I must go forward and comb the impossible or possible to see the world as it is and not as the postcard I think it is. So far I have hated many days and I have loved few days but the ones that count bad make 10. But 1 good day makes the 10 bad days seem like 1. I realize that without friends and family being shoulder to shoulder to the old man on this one path around the world is sometimes the loneliest path to take but it must be done to make me strong. I think it will lengthen the depth of my passion for life and grow my heart for my family, friends and those that I meet on this path big. I remember my high school life statement, it was “Don’t take the path that everybody follows but very from it. Blaze your own path and make your own tracks”. Easy said than done! My current path is drifted with danger, fun, and eye opening events that I can’t imagine what comes next. So I sign off tonight again with my own idea of what the world is and will continue to refine it, mold it and see how it all turns out after 27,800 nautical mile journey into the unknown. So enjoy your family and friends and give thanks for them.

It’s interesting that I am so deep with thought on my relationship with my father and family because I look up into the sky and see stars shooting across the sky as if god himself is flicking the stars with his finger. The world is amazing and I am but a dot above the letter “i” and wonder when I will impact such a large and wonderful world that we all share. With a sky full of stars such that is like looking into a dark bag pricked with a million wholes to let the light in I am speechless.

Thanks and God Bless,

Jacques – Slow Rider