SV Athena

Sailing Vessel Alexis Dare was officially denamed and renamed Athena on November 4th.
There was much food...
And much ceremony...
An auspicious event !
A good time to invite friends to witness and to party!!



To ensure pleasing the gods... the event was a toga party...
Those that didn't arrive wearing togas... were not without toga for long...
Thank you everyone for helping me appease the gods ;)

Bruce looked great in the Hulk toga, and Rony looked great wearing Superman ;) Rony also did a wonderful job of popping the many champaign corks and serving up the champaign to everyone. Thanks Rony!

One of my very good friends (Beth), a great sewer, who makes some very cool things (http://inthekeyoflife.typepad.com/shop/), made my toga outfit. The fabric sparkles. I absolutely love it!! I felt like a goddess ;)
Thanks Beth :)

I just have to remember not to wear my shorts underneath next time so my butt doesn't look so big!!! It's big enough as it is ;p
Ya, that's right, I've been called "J Ro" before...



Another one of my very good friends (Vicki) arrived as a toga mermaid. She looked great! Vicki has given me tons of help and support with Athena. Thanks Vicki :)


Russell and Lynne also came very appropriately attired ! The fig leaves are awesome! We all especially liked Russell's "bag clip"....

Lynne is a great goddess and reminds me to be my own goddess too! Thanks Lynne :)
Without Russell, I wouldn't be where I'm at now!!!
Thanks Russell :)

Denaming Ceremony
"In the name of all who have sailed aboard this ship in the past, and in the name of all who may sail aboard her in the future, we invoke the ancient gods of the wind and the sea to favor us with their blessing today. Mighty Poseidon, king of all that moves in or on the waves; and mighty Aeolus, guardian of the winds and all that blows before them: We offer you our thanks for the protection you have afforded this vessel in the past. We voice our gratitude that she has always found shelter from tempest and storm and enjoyed safe passage to port.
Now, wherefore, we submit this supplication, that the name whereby this vessel has hitherto been known Alexis Dare, be struck and removed from your records.
Further, we ask that when she is again presented for blessing with another name, she shall be recognized and shall be accorded once again the selfsame privileges she previously enjoyed. In return for which, we rededicate this vessel to your domain in full knowledge that she shall be subject as always to the immutable laws of the gods of the wind and the sea. In consequence whereof, and in good faith, we seal this pact with a libation offered according to the hallowed ritual of the sea."

Renaming Ceremony
"Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to take unto your records and recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time known as Athena, guarding her with your mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage throughout her journeys within your realm.
In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court."

The sun set and the full moon rose. I think it was a wonderful way to rename a boat and I hope quite fitting for the gods that will watch over Athena...

Thank you Beth and Lisa for the great pictures !!!

Lightening Protection???

From what I can discern, there is much debate over lightening protection for boats... Some forums for non-sailboats even indicate anchoring near a sailboat!!! I'm sure they're being silly... hmmm...
The debate seems logical and basically states that something grounded properly will more likely get hit but perhaps not suffer as much damage and potentially (no pun intended) minimize harm to persons around it...
I was talking to a couple of my neighbors last night. They live on a catamaran across the way.
They've lost electronics twice due to lightening strikes and mentioned that others in the marina have lost as well.
Florida is rated as the top state in the country for lightening strikes that result in deaths and is known as the lightening capital of the world.
It seems most likely to me that electronics on a boat are damaged by lightening traveling through shore power cords... so, installation of surge protection has been recommended. But then again.... boat electronics are not necessarily connected to shore power. It seems likely that once in the power lines the surge from a lightening strike may "jump" to nearby electrical devices. Electricity creates a magnetic field. That magnetic field can cause electricity to flow in nearby power lines. hmmm....

New Blog... Athena Captain's Log

I created a new blog to have a place to log all the comings/goings of living on SV Athena.
http://athenacaptainslog.blogspot.com/
Keeping a daily log is to me like cherishing every one of my days and acknowledging all of those things outside of myself but to which I am one. We are all one.

Mas Marina

I'm starting to meet my neighbors at the marina slowly...
I'm thinking of keeping a journal of the marina. It's so interesting to watch things change every day. Sometimes I see dolphins feeding along the mangroves in the morning; sometimes they're just swiming by. There are often little Green Herons sitting nearby when I come home in the evenings; perched on a rope or the dock rail.

In the mornings I sometimes get to see Roseate Spoonbills flying over head. I also frequently see Ibis and Yellow Crowned Night Herons.
Although the "Snook light" has been out the past few evenings, when it's on, it is fun to watch the fish do their water dances just below the surface. There have been a lot of Jacks lately, and some Tarpon. The Snook usually hang out at the edge of the mangroves. I see them sometimes if the tide and the light are just right.

The sailboat transom is now clean and ready for some blue paint... I'm thinking of converting the color of the boat from green to blue, starting with the transom...

Loving the Marina

Things are so much more relaxed now that we're living in a marina.
First month in the marina has been wonderful.

Note the transom of the sailboat is continuing to change in prep for denaming/renaming ceremony...



Patty is up to her old tricks as usual, must be into everything!


The temperatures finally cooling down, the breezes kicking up.
The sun setting down, the moon rising up.

Such a hectic lifestyle I usually lead, one wonders why I don't spend more time just sitting on the back of the boat watching the sun set and the moon rise....

Land Weekend

Spent this past weekend on land converting a new to me 1983 Mercedes Benz diesel to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO).



Had great help from wonderful friends, whom never cease to amaze me with their generosity.


A few adjustments to be made to the plumbing, but she runs on veggie :) yae!

Got to spend some time with Dexter too :)

First Sail

Athena was moved to her new residence on Saturday, October 7th.
What an awesome and thrilling day....
The motor down Big Marco River was beautifully sunny like any perfect day in SW Florida.
We had lots of food and a great lunch.
Vicki made yummy vegetarian sandwhiches.

After motoring down Big Marco River, we took Athena out for her very first sail since I became hers just one year ago this month.
Out we went through Coon Key Pass and into the Gulf past Coon Key Light.
Engine off, sailing away...
Oh, but someone told me never to go sailing on a schedule...
It was a perfect day.
But, the rest of life called,
we had to turn around...



As we returned, the final part of the trip into the marina became quite an adventure as the motor faulted and the decision was made to sail into the marina....
There are no words to explain how tricky this was, and we were darn lucky we were coming in while still on an almost full moon high tide...


The challenge was awesome. I'll be sorry the day I forget.
Vicki, thanks for being the depth sounder!!!
Russell, you are an amazing sailor and it was just awe inspiring to see you in action :)
My hero, my mentor :)

Earth or Water?

Earth or Water...



Spending a lot of time on land lately.

Capricorn is an Earth sign...

represented by a creature half goat, half fish...

Wonder if that's why I'm torn between Earth and Water...

Either way, sailing or mountain climbing, both ways to find one's isolation.

If you click the photo to the right, you will see the Mt. Isolation sign better. Clicking to enlarge the photos can be done on almost all photos on the Blog website.

De/Re-naming Party Date Set in Stone !

After much angst at having to change the date of the sailboat de/re-naming party...

A date has been set and full color invitations sent out to set the date in stone!

Everyone is Welcome to the
Sailboat Denaming-Renaming Toga Party

In honor of Athena, Greek goddess, and new name of Sailboat
And, having to call upon Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, for the denaming-renaming

Saturday, November 4th

Denaming Ceremony at 5:00 pm
Renaming Ceremony at 5:30 pm

According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon

What to wear to a Toga Party:
togas, sandals, and wreath of laurel leaves around one’s head. be creative!!

!! Wear your bug spray !!!

Champagne and Mojitos will be served.
Other than that, you’re on your own ;)

Location: Wherever the sailboat happens to be that day!

To Be Announced

Please R.S.V.P. by November 1st

Moon Rise at 5:01 PM; Sunset at 5:43 PM

Soap Box

On the anniversary of 9-11, I do feel saddness over the loss of life that occurred five years ago and the loss of life that continues from that day...
I also feel great saddness over the events that would have lead up to such an event.
I heard one of the newscasters say that today is a reminder of our resolve to fight for freedom.
Freedom, I chuckled... Has anyone looked around lately???
We are not free.
We are trapped in our ideals of what the American Dream is...
Super-sized house, super-sized meals, super-sized debt so we can keep up with the Jones', super-duper-sized fuel guzzling vehicles, super-sized packaging...
All the things I just listed are somehow connected to the consumption of LIMITED fossil fuels.
Any time anything is transported, fossil fuels are consumed. Petroleum products also include plastics (look around, what is NOT plastic???) and fertilizers... and is used for pesticide production, wonderful substances meant to kill that we willing allow the agricultural industry to throw on the food that goes into and becomes part of our bodies...
Agriculture directly accounts for ~17% of all the energy used in this country. I'm sure I don't have to mention the compounding of animal product production... but I just did.
hmmm... fossil fuels.
Our society has developed unsustainable practices. We are "addicted" to using fossil fuels.
Is anyone addicted to a substance free?
People fight pretty hard to maintain the supply of those substances they're addicted to...
don't they?
Of course we didn't go to the Middle East because of fossil fuels...
What crazy nonsense to think such a thing...
Kinda funny though, lately, when I question, it seems I'm treated as if I have no clue, a fool to question or think differently. When did society learn such techniques to control those who question by treating them as if they are crazy, uninformed... It's everywhere.
We are all uninformed.
How free are we really?
Where is our Pura Vida?
What's it going to take to make a difference?
Some crazy girl with a "green" sailboat anchored in the federal waters off some "rich" island destined to be the burr in the side of the people whom believe if they can afford it, it shall be done and handed to them on a platter...
next year...
It is estimated that less than one sea turtle in every thousand will survive to adulthood and return to complete the breeding cycle.

Is my chance of making a difference less than one in one thousand?

How about one in Ten Thousand Islands???

As one of my friends recently said, and I reiterate here.
Every choice we make is a vote.

We should all make informed choices, right?
Education and exposure to the facets of all the people of this world are key.

Ran the Engine

Among other tasks incomplete today (a few more letters off the stern, mast boot attachment attempted, a few windings of seizing wire around the shroud turnbuckles), I did accomplish recharging the batteries and started Athena's engine. To hear her engine run still brings a tear. Perhaps because of all the work put into the engine, or perhaps because the sound is the sweet sound of freedom...
Ran her for about 1/2+ hr. Fluff naps all day. Patty is a bit scared and very tired after the whole event.
Had a visitor on the deck today ;)

The Dock is Bare

This last friday I worked all day then went for a great run on the beach. The sunset was beautiful. Heat lightning dancing across the sky over the tree tops.

A pink like one thousand Spoonbills reflecting on the clouds against the blue of heaven and framed by wonderful white wisps.
Back home and glad I made it past the snake infested (a.k.a. saw one large black snake once....) walk to the dock, a smile on my face, I stood peering into the darkness at the end of the dock thinking, "who kicked my solar shower into the water?" and "surely the crabs didn't all join forces and pick the solar shower teeming with lukewarm water and toss it over the side?"... "who would have done such a thing?"
Well, the dock was bare for sure. no matter how long i starred into the darkness, no nice lukewarm solar shower to come home to after a nice hot sultry (a.k.a. very humid) run on the beach appeared.
One of the problems with being tied to a solar shower is the requirement that one fill it with water and put it out on the dock (or deck of boat) to heat nicely in the sun all day...
Sometimes when leaving for work at 6:30am, it's difficult to remember, let alone feel like, filling the solar shower with water... that was the case this past friday... only, i'd forgotten that i hadn't put it out to warm... otherwise, i would have skipped the run.
alas. i showered with the last bit (perhaps a little less than a gallon) of cool water remaining in the solar shower that had been hanging in the AC boat all day...
Perhaps that is why my muscles decided to wake me at 1:30am! at least though i could calmly lie awake, knowing that my Evil Eye was protecting me from the crabs ;)

Motivating to go backwards...

After being MIA from friends, family, and even sometimes work for three months of May through July, this past August it's been difficult to get motivated again and September's been no different. And, I'm so so close to having Athena ready to go sailing...
So, I motivate this 4th day of September, and now that the day is over, I wonder if I'm further behind than when I started the day. I know I'm not, but it sure feels that way.
As usual, Patty was either under foot or overseeing the action ;)
The tasks I set out to do never seem to be the ones I actually end up working on... today was no different.
There are two fresh water tanks in Athena; one beneath the cushions in the Vbirth and one beneath the floor in the salon. The one in the Vbirth drains by gravity to the one in the salon. To stop the flow from higher Vbirth tank to lower salon tank, I replaced old with a new handy dandy valve (which lies next to a transducer I have yet to figure out what it does...). This task involves a trip to the hardware store... then a trip to West Marine... then a trip back to the hardware store... Course, that's what it's like every task, why should this one be any different !
Patty sits on the Vbirth water tank and looks as if to say "whatchya gonna to do about it!"
Meanwhile struggling trying to fit 1/2" I.D. tube onto 3/4" O.D. tank fittings is next to impossible and now it's too late to go back to the hardware store. And Eileen Quinn sings on my radio... "I love sailing, except for when I'm hanging, over the railing..."

Next task... stop the drip drip drip that keeps my Vbirth bed semi-dry instead of dry!
I've been thinking it's the gasket... So, I replace both gaskets, one each on the two hatches of Athena, and wait as the rain comes again...
Yup, that's the mast I see looking up from the Vbirth.
But, alas, the drip drip drop does not stop.
Upon further inspection I realize it's the sealant around the plexiglass that's cracked in one corner. That task will have to wait until a dry day when I can get full use of a tube of silicone, or until I find clear caulk and take on the dreadful task of recaulking the hatch... Arrrgh.
"I love sailing, except for all those times when, my courage is failing" - Eileen Quinn

So, I give up for today, shower, and remember, even though my fresh water system still isn't done and my hatch is still leaking over my bed, I have so much more than most people in this world. I am thankful for all that I have.

"then he brings me a sunset with a green flash
and he gives me a bow wave where the dolphins splash
and we go dancing on the beach in our bare feet
life doesn't get much better than this, so I admit defeat
because I love sailing, and the alternative is quickly paling"
I Love Sailing by Eileen Quinn

Evil Eye

I guess it depends what you believe, but I was having a difficult time not associating an evil presence with the shaking of the boat the night I wrote about the sea gull and the continued feeling of being watched the next night as well, opening my eyes to a sudden brief beam of light filling the boat searching and the shadow of an old mariner on the dock watching. Granted the "shadow" was probably a distant palm poised in the dark night. To fall back asleep, I had to keep telling myself it was nothing. Just a palm.

Hearing my tales the following evening, Lynne (Russell's wife) opened her heart and gave me an Evil Eye to hang in the entry to the boat. I went home that night and immediately afixed the Evil Eye to the companionway with white duck tape ! I will more permanently adhere the eye the next time I have some caulk out ;)
I suppose it could all be in my head, but I'm sleeping better now.

The Turkish protective talisman meant to turn away harm, now hanging in Athena's (Alexis Dares') companionway, traveled across the Atlantic Ocean with Lynne and Russell from Turkey. How cool is that ;)

The Turkish name for this amulet that protects one from the evil eye is nazar boncuk. It has no religious significance. Some still believe in the power of the evil eye, some do not. To me it is another reminder of customs and traditions deep rooted in other cultures. Leaving me with the feeling that deep rooted Country-wide tradition is something we are missing in this melting pot of cultures in the U.S. Belief in things beyond our visual minds.