Basking in Bermuda II

After his first offshore passage Brother Jim is flying back today to Lancaster: a great crewman he was, and what an adventure he had! Jim says that there were so many different experiences and he's got plenty of stories for Linda and the grandkids! It was also Jim's first visit to Bermuda, and he says it will not be his last (Linda, sounds good news!) We showed him a good bit of the island and he was impressed.

Hayden and Raydeen Cochran are arriving tomorrow for our next passage to Norfolk, VA. Known to many Island Packet owners as the founders on the web of IPphotos and IPYOA, Hayden and Raydeen sail their 35 Island Packet 'Island Spirit' in the Chesapeake and New England. They have sailed offshore before, and are great fun, so we are looking forward to a bluewater crossing with them.

Our plan for 2011 was to sail Larking About with Hayden and Raydeen across the Atlantic, to Falmouth, England, via the Azores. This past winter, John installed an Espar Heater to ward off the chilly English 'summer' weather. Hayden and Raydeen visited LA in the Virgin Islands for a week's vacation and for a warm-up sail on LA. It was not to be, however, because we have an illness in the family and want to stay close to Lancaster for the moment. So we have postponed the transatlantic trip, but we hope that Hayden and Radeen, after the sail next week to Norfolk, will still want to cross the Atlantic with us!

All was well on LA when we arrived in Bermuda: the only minor repair needed was to some stitching on the Genoa. So we have shipped that sail off to the Hollis' loft "Ocean Sails" with their resident Old Salt Paul and his sailmaking parrot. Ocean Sails is a famous sail loft, perfectly situated at one of the two sailing crossroads of the Atlantic (the other one being the Azores.) And we are well provisioned: so all we need now is a good weather window and we will be off.

John and Nancy
In Bermuda aboard Larking About
June 12 2011