Log Book - 2006

This log has two sections, dated June 25th and August 28th.  Click here for the August 28th update.

June 25th update begins here.

The biggest news is that I have decided to list Knot Yet II for sale.  While I am disappointed that I will not complete my intended circumnavigation, I'm unwilling to spend another 1,000 hours at sea to reach Acapulco.  I've been out cruising since 1997 and find that I'm not enjoying it as much any more, and I'm tiring of the responsibilities of boat ownership.  The boat is in great condition and is very attractive so I'm hoping (as does everyone) for a quick sale.  More photos of the boat, including interior photos are available at Photographs 2006.

Back to the narrative:

Two months in California were followed by nearly three months in Thailand, culminating in the celebration of the Thai New Year in mid-April.  We returned to the boat in Croatia in the beginning of May, had a new autopilot installed, as well as some other work, and began our southeastward journey to Dubrovnik.  We called at several places we'd enjoyed last year as well as some other islands which were new to us.

We arrived in Dubrovnik on May 31, planning to spend just a few days.  But Mother Nature had different ideas and we waited until June 10 to depart.  We were journeying to Malta nonstop, which required almost three full days, and therefore wanted to attempt to insure better weather enroute. 

We arrived in  Valletta, Malta, on the morning of June 13, and were escorted to a berth in Manoel Island Marina by the marina staff, who later drove us to the Police and Immigration offices.  We were very excited to learn by email that Tom and Marianne Aude's two boats (Audeaceous and II Audeaceous) were in the adjacent boat yard and that they'd be returning in a few days.  We'd not seen many people we knew this year, so were delighted to have company of friends we'd known since the Black Sea Rally.  Coincidentally, their home isn't too far from our home in California, so we've exchanged visits there also.  They departed for Tunisia in early July and have since reached Sardinia.

August 28 update begins here.

The principal reason for our visit to Malta was to help celebrate the 50th birthday of a friend who was born here but has lived in California for many years.  Nearly 50 people from California, including ourselves, traveled to Malta to join the party.  Most stayed at the Malta Hilton, which overlooks Portomaso Marina, where we're staying.  We were delighted to see so many friends, including some of our oldest.  The party, held at his sister's house, was a joyous occasion, with prodigious amounts of food and drink for the 140 guests.

My friend Dean from California was among the visitors, and stayed with us for three weeks.  We took a few tours on Malta and another to the nearby island of Gozo.  The highlight was a one-day tour to Sicily, which can be reached in less than one and one-half hours by fast ferry. While the tour involved a bit too much bus time, we especially enjoyed visiting the city of Taormina, perched 300 meters above the sea.  We also visited Mt. Etna but couldn't see the top because of clouds.

After Dean returned home we settled into a routine of boat tasks and watching movies on DVD at night, with an occasional trip to the cinema to see what they really look like.  Rut has met several Thais who work near the marina and we've entertained them on the boat.  It's good for him to be able to speak Thai and eat some special foods.

50th reunion!

While Mantra has been sold, Paul has bought a classic 1980 custom motor yacht on a Cornish fishing boat hull and is refitting her.  She's a solid boat and will be a good platform for ocean passages and Mediterranean cruising.

Everything you've read or seen about security at Heathrow is true!!  I arrived over three hours before flight time and it took two hours and 40 minutes to reach the gate, most of which was standing in lines!

The purpose of the trip, as mentioned, was to attend the 50th reunion of the Class of 1956 of Middleton High School.  Prior to the Saturday night reunion, one of the classmates hosted a pre-reunion party at his home.  This was a great idea, as it provided an additional opportunity to talk with classmates.

Fifty-six graduates attended the reunion, an astounding 72% of the 77 graduates who are still living.  Maybe it's not quite so surprising when you consider that 79% of the graduates live in Wisconsin or the neighboring states of Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota.  However, graduates living in Arizona, California (me), Florida, Hawaii and Oregon did attend.

The reunion was very well organized and the food was quite good.  I thought the name tags were especially clever:  each classmate's senior photo was printed on his/her name tag!

Learning about everyone's lives and current activities was quite interesting, although we were saddened by the death of two classmates earlier this year.   I hope to be able to attend the 55th reunion. 

I spent two extra days and drove down memory lane, visiting the homes we'd lived in in Wisconsin and many other places with memories.  Photos of the reunion as well as memory lane can be seen by clicking here.