Teasing the Bride

A family tradition is the wedding chair dance. It gives the bride a chance to enjoy unmitigated terror and the rest of us an entertaining time.

Vinnie can dance

Thanks to the generosity and expertise of Dr. Daniel Spitzer, Vinnie was able to dance with the new Ms. Alessia Bradford. Funny, he never was able to dance much before.

The Blessed Event

Alessia and Jim had a beautiful wedding and a great, fun reception.

Transformation

With wedding preparations in good order, the wedding day arrived. Melanie came from New York to bring updo's and glamor to Alessia and her court. Even in their ordinary clothing, they were gorgous young women. The young men were also remarkably elegant when transplanted into their tuxedos.

Heading North

In late November, we took wheels and traveled to Michigan for Christmas and the marriage of our daughter Alessia and her Jim. All the kids were wearing their adult outfits, but here they are in their earlier selves.

Katherine's Birthday

Also on November 24, Katherine, Maria's neice was 11 years old. Here she demonstrates pasta finesse in Rome. We can only guess what her next adventure will be.

Surprise

We also discovered that we have not always been as suave and sophisticated as we are now.

Birthdays

After settling Amante in the boatyard, in mid November we drove up to Atlanta for thanksgiving and birthdays. On November 24, Maria's mom, Thelma, became the unbelievable age of 80. It was a chance to celebrate with friends and family. We also looked back over old family pictures and remembered good times together. It appears that our parents were having a happy life and great outfits before their children were born.

Company on the Ocean

When traveling on the ocean, without sight of land or other boats, dolphin visits are welcomed with enthusiasm. We still do not know what attracts them to our boat, but we smile, whistle, and invite them to stay while they dance in the bow wave.

Taking the interstate

Driven by the cold of winter and the upcoming schedule of happy family events, the goal of each day was progress to the boatyard and we did not wander from our route. Traveling south on the interstate, we sailed most of the distance off shore. During a passage from North Carolina to Fernandina Florida, a gale provided a fast but uncomfortable ride. Standing at the wheel in a wildly rolling boat with waves washing over the sides was tiring, so we took one hour shifts on the wheel and one hour rest periods braced in deep relaxation. Here is a picture of the slower, but more dignified path on the ICW.

Baskets from home

Women of the Embera tribe weave these baskets with intricate patterns using fiber as fine as human hair. The baskets help to express the beauty and achievements of the Embera culture. This is one of many missions for the Pajaro Jai. During their travels the crew contact other native peoples to share their experiences and learn ways to preserve their culture and develop their future. This beautiful boat carries the dreams of a tribe living in the rain forest of Panama. How amazing that it was built and it is sailed by people who had never seen the ocean. You can find out more on: www.PajaroJai.org.

The boat from Panama

Crew from the Pajaro Jai invited us aboard. The Pajaro Jai (Enchanted Bird) was built in the Panama Rain forest by people of the Embera tribe. In 12 years they built the 92 foot boat, using the wood from their forests. They imported ingots of lead which they melted in fires to cast the keel. The entire boat was made in the jungle by the tribe, except for the motor, sails, and winches. This picture of the interior salon only hints at their beautiful craftsmanship. Some of the spindles are turned, while others are carved medicine sticks which are used for healing in Embera culture. The cabins were a gallery of unusual and beautiful woods, including iron wood and blood of Christ wood.

Pajaro Jai

Our curiosity grew as we noticed that the people on the boat were using dugout canoes with leaf shaped paddles to get back and forth to the dock. 

Neighbors

We returned to the anchorage to find ourselves with very big neighbors, a beautiful 92 foot wooden boat. Lovely lines, elegant wood work, and several people working on her. Her name was Pajaro Jai. 

Life with family

The best part of anchoring in Washington DC is that we are close to Bethesda MD and family. Here we are having fun mixing, decorating, cooking, and eating cookies. This entertainment is not available on the boat's stove top. Lexie, AKA super duper girl, is the star cookie chef.

Visiting DC

We sailed up the Potomac and into Washington DC, anchoring in the teeth of a storm. Wet and cold, it was great to go inside to make dinner. The anchorage was safe and this smile did not greet us at the boat. We found him at the National Zoo during one of our visits to the city.

Annapolis star

Our trip down the Chesapeake took us near Annapolis and there we found Bob and Gail. Hinkley the cat was guarding their boat and could not join us for dinner. This photo gives evidence that Maria and Gail are secretly related, a happy discovery. 

Home is the sailor

It happens less frequently, but still we have flashes of amazement and gratitude, "Look, Vinnie can stand!" 

Reseach findings

Our visit with Patricia and Michael shows that sailors can leave their boats and return to land for an exciting, productive, and happy life. As Patricia has noted, it is best if you don't mention the "W word", wwwwooooor, woooorrrrr, oops, work. 

Walking in Philidelphia

Pat and Michael gave us a tour of Philidelphia and we wandered through historic areas, past the famous mosaics (see previous photo), museums, and parks. They covered many of the famous sights and several which were of personal interest, including the house where Maria's father had lived as a child. We ended a wonderful day in a large, wooded park. There on a hillside, we found this statue of an unknown indian chief. It is thought that he is looking for his people who are gone. He has been waiting like this since the early 1900's and Maria's father used to see him as he explored these woods so many years ago.