A Return to Saltwater
December 7, 2024
We made it to saltwater! Mobile Bay was very calm, but unfortunately no dolphins greeted us this time. We docked at Turner Marine, which was a bit of a challenge as it’s pretty tight between the piers and Puff kept getting in the way. It’s a piling style of dock, which we haven’t used probably since we left Florida last time.
It’s so nice to have a break from the constant motoring. We took a pleasant bike ride to a nearby park for some proper exercise and then enjoyed some much-needed showers.
It was difficult starting Puff’s motor since it hadn’t been used in 3 months, but we got it running and came over to The River Shack to celebrate our arrival.
It’s definitely warmer already. Tomorrow’s high will be 68°. There is some weather coming, so our mast stepping may be delayed until as late as Thursday. For now, we rest and enjoy ourselves and get some extra client work done starting Monday.
December 12, 2024
We spent our week in Mobile catching up on client work and waiting out wind and rain. Today we were finally able to step our mast. There is no photographic evidence aside from this picture of the travelift moving into place, but we assure you we are a sailboat once again! It is always harrowing watching the mast lifted over our heads and into place, but the crews know what they are doing.
A nice liveaboard gentleman here at the marina offered to drive us to reprovision and fill our fuel tanks, so we did that today as well. We had to attach Novella’s boom and deck gear in the dark using headlamps and our now-functional spreader lights from above. It was a long and busy day.
Tomorrow we plan to head east to Florida and back to one of our favorite anchorages, Fort McRee.
Daily Travel Log | To the Bahamas & Back
Day 9 • spent last night tied to a tree, the sun is hot but the wind is not, tomorrow we make it to Mobile where the dolphins live
Three Rivers Lake to Big Briar Creek anchorage, Alabama
Day 10 • we wanted two things today - dolphins and hot showers - we got neither, however we still celebrated our return to saltwater with drinks out and some gator bites
Big Briar Creek to Mobile, Alabama
Day 11 • relaxation day - slept in, played games, went out for dinner
Mobile, Alabama
Day 12 • a warm and rainy day, made soup, did laundry, checked out the fog
Mobile, Alabama
Day 13 • nothing but rain
Mobile, Alabama
Day 14 • an overly full day of work and meetings, spent the evening with cool cats and new sailor friends
Mobile, Alabama
Day 15 • worked well into the night - stepped the mast, adjusted the rigging, provisioned, prepped for departure and got several work projects sent to the printer
Mobile, Alabama