HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MARC & PATI ABOARD S/V ALPHAWAVE

A hello to all and many wishes for a holiday seaon filled with family and friends, good times and serenity. We are presently in Cartagena, Colombia SA. On our return from the states after Thanksgiving we rented a car in Bogota and toured the interior of this wonderful country, as we try to do in all countries we visit by sea (we have done inland tours of Nassau, Jamaica, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and now Colombia.) When we cross the Panama Canal in February we will be heading to Ecuador, Peru, Chile and than thru the "Straits of Magellan"at the southern tip of SA. The sailing to the beautiful Islands is wonderful and we do lots of Snorkeling, Scuba, eating of fish, lobster, crab, etc) and have peace after visits inland, but it is the people of a culture that truly colors the locale for us.

Many journeys and events have happened over the course of this past year. In November of last year we left the Rio Dulce in Guatemala and headed to the Bay of Islands, Honduras (Roatan, Utila and Guanaja) spending 3 months there. As Virginia was expected to join us in Panama in March, we headed toward the Panama Canal with intermittent stops at the Colombian Islands of Providencia and San Andreas. She has chartered us for the past 2 years and as she is graduating from College this year she will probably not join us again for awhile.

After many repairs and services to the boat ( it is endless and we recently met a boat named FIA-fix it again) we left Shelter Bay Marina and toured the Chagras River (damned to create the canal) and than headed to Bocas del Torro in NE Panama near the Costa Rican border. Met up with some friends who have become "life-long" buddies, Gil and Kathy aboard Endorfin.

Back to the Canal and than on to KUNA YALA COMARCA- The San Blas Islands and home of the indigenous Kuna Indians. We spent 2 1/2 months traversering the area of over 300 Islands, were invited to many islands by the natives, and celebrated via a Chicha festival (the coming of age of young women). Marc is in processs of working with people there to bring internet services to the islands and raise money to fund uniforms, books and shoes to the children, while providing a service to boaters.

Back to Canal and Marina to fly to states. In august, my daughter Julia and Husband Eric celebrated their wedding in NH which had occured in January on a cruise to Belize (unbeknownst to us all). It was a wonderful celebration and my daughter, Daneka and husband, Ari and grandson, Ben flew from Israel to join us. Family also flew in From Indiana.

What would a trip to the states be without visiting all the family. We flew to N. Carolina to celebrate Marc's parents birthdays (mike and dot are 91 and 92 respectively). Marc's daughter, Nikki and his sister, Diane and husband, Ned were wonderful additions to the celebration. Nikki had recently returned from her cross country journey to California and was searching for a job to replenish the kitty and get on with her career. She had previously beeen a middle school teacher and is now teaching again and working on a master's degree.

We returned to Panama and headed again to the San Blas Islands for 3 weeks before heading to Cartagena. Once again we left the boat to return to the states for my nieces wedding in Indiana in November.

Upon on our return we toured inland Colombia, via rented car and Marc got his "indy 500" /nascar fix. He loves driving in third world countries with the trucks and curving mountain roads. It all began when he travelled from Germany to Afghanistan in his VW camper bus when he was 20. I, on the other hand, grip the seat and try to read. I completed the book, "Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps ( I was the navigator) a borrow from my dear Sister- in- law, Ann.

The trip was wonderful (car ride aside). We spent 3 days in Bogota -crowded like most big cities but unique with Spanish Colonial history and wonderful museums (gold, Botero) and we visited many small towns and villages as we headed to Medellin (know throughout the country for its wonderful display of lights during the holidays). We spent 1 day in Santa Rosa de Cabal where there are hotsprings and enjoyed 4 hours of being pampered with dirt piling, mud bath, frutotherapy, oatmeal/honey rub and culminating in a 1 hour massage. Eat your heart out everyone it costs us $40 each. We have met some wonderful people who have befriended us and even have either led us to places we could not find or travelled with us to get somewhere. And we have made business contacts for the ventures that we are involved in. We believe we have sourced organic herbs and found a pharmaceutical company to formulate and bottle our products.

One of my highlights was finding the "Tagua" factory I had found online. Tagua is a palm that produces a seed that becomes hardened (similar to coconut milk that becomes a gel, than hardens) but it becomes so hard upon drying that it was used during WW2 to produce buttons for military uniforms all over the world- it is called Vegetable Ivory. It is still used for buttons, but is mostly used to produce jewelry, sculture and whatever else an artist can produce. The owner, Elain Misrachi, gave us tour of the factory and I saw first-hand how they process the seeds. Of course I bought many of theirs, but I have many that I found while hiking and will try to replicate the process.

We happened to be in Bogota at the time the "Annual Artisans Expo" was scheduled and had the opportunity to see products from all over the country both indigenous and modern artists were represented. Much creativity and time are invested as all products are hand made or assembled.
We are now back in Cartagena with fellow boaters and our plate has been full. We have enjoyed dance performances (my favorite of course) traditional and modern. We just attended a performance that was a collaboration with the Univ. of Texas, Austin, and a local College. What a great cultural exchange and the dancing will be performed in Texas in March. We went to a Christmas Ball (no black tie but sandals and colorful shirts with dinner and dancing), a Chiva bus tour (many gringos travelling around the old town on a very colorful bus with musicians (marc brought his drums) and lots of rum stopping to dance at the ocean and on the walls of the old city. There is volleyball 3 times per week, we walk at 6 am before it gets hot (think 86 degrees with 90% humidity) and on Christmas day there will be a huge christmas dinner (pot luck). So we will be among friends.

Marc is organizing an event for New Years called "Saillights Cartagena 2009" that is a showing of lights on sailboats throughout the anchorage and marina. Children from the local Barrios (think very poor) will be brought onto the boats and given a gift. We had a traditiion of taking children from a foster home onto the boat at christmas time in NH, so the tradition continues. A light show will follow with boats flashing their assigned colored lights to music. I will be placing Lumieres down the waterfront.


I look forward to the coming year when I will fly to Israel for the birth of my granddaughter, and to NH for the college graduations of Julia and Virginia. Marc may go back to Thailand for a Buddhist retreat update. And of course there is our Canal crossing and a new journey to follow on the Pacific side of South America (Ecuador, Peru, Chile).
As our families have grown it is difficult to come together withh our children on the traditional holidays-Daneka,Ari and Ben in Israel, Virginia in Indiana, Julia,Eric, Peter and Jada in NH, and Nikki in NH. It is the family that we will miss the most. We will think of all of you as we celebrate in a very untraditional way with a community of friends and in a place we call our home for now.

Much love to you all

Happy Hanakah, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy New Year

Let there be peace among us for we all are one.

Pati and Marc
aboard S/V AlphaWave

Make a Smilebox calendar

JOURNEY ROUND

St. Augustine to Palm Beach (2/13/08-3/12/08)

It is hard to believe that we are still in the ''states", USA that is. Having returned from NH in January we were docked at Camachee cove in St. Augustine until Feb. 10 where Updates/repairs (surprise, surprise) were done on the boat---lots of new wiring, new line bags, new pumps, generators, additional solar panels, etc, etc, etc,.... Our goal is to be as sustainable as possible. A great crew of mechanics, sail makers, electricians traversed the boat daily. I became the gopher running for much needed supplies. I did design the new bags that store our lines and fit snugly into our bike racks ( which we found at a marine flea market and had installed). While there I kept sane by visiting local farmer's markets for fresh veggies, took some Zumba dance classes and Yoga. We also went to a wonderful "Richie Havens" concert. I had not seen him since the early 80's (whoops, times does fly) and Marc had actually met him in 1968. We regularly went to a local "Tasting Room" restaurant and enjoyed tapas, great Spanish wine and Cuban music/ dancing.) Also went to a local Blues Fest and Marc ran into an old U of Penn alumnae who was a fellow fraternity member.

We left Camachee Cove and traveled up into the river of ST. Aug. to have fiberglass work done on the boat. Capo and Son, Byron and his dad provided concierge service for whatever Marc needed- reworked the anchorage plate, installed new hydraulics on salon table. A real working class dockage with shrimping boats docked beside us. We of course secured mucho shrimp for future dining. A boat captain left us crab cakes. Needless to say, they were probably a "thank you" gift. The night before, Marc ended up pulling a drunken crew member out of water. He had unfortunately fallen off of the dock and was swimming/treading? toward our boat and calling out unintelligible words.Unfortunately, we had just watched the movie, "Dead Calm" with Nicole Kidman about a couple on a sailboat who picked up a "psycho". Use your imagination!!!!! 5 days later we were on our way once again.

Byron Capo with Marc

Our course------ Palm beach to meet a technician to work on the water maker. WE have since gone from 6 to 12 gallons an hour. Whenever we are docked and waiting for deliveries of products (pumps, paper, security dog barking speakers,) we ascertain what else needs to be done and try to get it done or purchased now since products will be hard to find in So. America.

(views from Alpha @ Riviera Beach, Fl) A place we hope never to visit again.

The Unbelievable Day.

Today is Thursday. We were all set to take off Tuesday. Boat was stowed, all systems checked, double checked, much money spent to get new “everything” from pumps to generators to heaters to water makers, etc, etc, etc…… The weather turned to a North Wind preventing us from crossing the stream on schedule, preventing us from meeting Virginia in Jamaica. As Marc was on the phone completing the new airline arrangements to re-route Virginia to Nassau, a major confrontation (aka known as a T-bone) occurred between Alpha Wave and a submarine. Now don’t get excited we did not sink. A submarine to be used for tourism in Antigua, recently purchased by a young Canadian, and shipped from Greece and is to travel via barge from Ft. Lauderdale to Antigua. This Marina, this dock , of all in the world was the testing ground for the sub. A recently hired captain could not control an underpowered 3 ton vessel.
A T-bone, by the way is like it sounds. A boat hits you across the beam. So now we are dealing with having the boat hauled to determine any possible internal damage. Superficially, it looks like the fiberglass was just scratched and gouged, but we have to check it out.
The Mean Sub checking out its prey! (us) Yeah the whole damn thing actually goes 100” below the water…it looks like an over weight shark ..can you hear the Jaws theme song? It is coming at us!
Above is the pic of the Sub taken about an hour before the accident occurred. Imagine those two bullet-like projectiles, one of which connected with Alpha wave. I was literally standing on deck as it was coming toward us and the “crunch” sound traveled through my whole being to the point of being all shook up-literally trembling as I saw all the hard work we have done seep out of me. Talk about helpless----
Tomorrow is another day. The boat will be hauled and we will know where to go from there. I was all ready to send photos of this wonderful sub, which we toured the day before with a wonderful engineer from Martinique. I think I will let is pass for now.

Pati
2/29/08

THE FIASCO CONTINUES

The boat was hauled, checked out and, with the exception of minor fiberglass damage, was given an okay by the surveyor. We decided to forego fiberglass repair because it would take 2-3 days, rain was coming and we needed to meet Virginia in Nassau. So the boat was put back in the water. As soon as we got aboard and started to head back to the dock we heard major noise, and vibrations. It seems that when the boat was hauled they briefly lifted the weight of the boat on the shaft causing it to bend. Before finding the right lift points and doing it properly. Being the responsibility of the “YARD” they have tried to correct the problem.

AlphaWave Being Hauled…again! our“Tree House” Not quite like Thailand however

Thinking the problem corrected, we put the boat back in the water and gave it a test drive.
Vibrations still exist. Mechanics back on board to trouble shoot. We take another test drive. Vibrations still not corrected. We just got hauled again. It is now 1 week from the first hauling.

AND WE WAIT AGAIN

I have never felt more like a prisoner in my life. Held here for almost two weeks because a sub hit us- living on the boat in a boat yard, climbing a 10 foot ladder to get up and down the boat, trekking ½ block to use facilities. Lack of responsibility between boat mechanics and boat yard management feeling rushed to get things done. And the people
Never smile. Our boat as Marc said is a “tree house” but we are careful not to use the heads and to only take showers during rain storms.

Out of all this our dear mechanic CHRIS, we are thankful for. He was aboard when the sub hit, took a trial sail after the shaft work was done and became 3rd party eyes and ears giving feedback and overseeing the work that could potentially have become very political.

I guess this whole set of circumstances could be metaphorically like eating sauerkraut on New Year’s eve- starting the new year with a bitter taste so the coming year will only be sweeter. (an old German ritual). We look forward to the “sweet” and hope we can sail soon.

Peter turned 3 on March 2, and Ben is now 6 mos.old. I think Peter will be old enough to sail with us next year.

PETER BEN

3/14-3/24 NASSAU, BAHAMAS, EXUMAS

ON OUR WAY TO NASSAU
We have 2 days to get to Nassau to pick up Virginia at the airport. We made an overnight crossing of the “Steam” which was relatively calm and we sailed most of the way. We docked in an anchorage off the Berry Islands. Lo and behold the devil was still with us. We heard yelling/babbling sounds coming from the beach. A man was tossing and turning while 2 others were trying to calm him. To no avail- they literally had to take him out and dunk him in the waves. We thought they were drowning him. Maybe the devil was in him and he needed to be baptized or something.
Marc and I decided to have a cleansing ritual- taking anything off the boat that wreaked of West Palm/Riviera Beach and burning and letting fly off into the night any papers as well.

ARRIVING IN NASSAU
Nassau Harbor is very choppy. We put in at the Bayshore Marina. First attempt did not go well- waves pushing us into the dock and another boat. We abort and go around to a more acceptable spot. In any condition it is hard to dock here. Mediterranean style docking of two pilings at our stern and one-sided docks combined with chop and lots of speed boats. All secured, we head out to our favorite local “conch salad” stand and enjoy fresh fish and are treated by a local Bahamian who works for Bahamian Cable to Kalik beer. We will pick Virginia up tomorrow and than head out to the Exumas.
After waiting for an hour after the scheduled arrival time, Virginia comes out. They have lost the bags of the 2 people who traveled from Boston. Our intent was to sail immediately to the Exumas. So now we wait, once again. Her bag will be delivered by 8:30 pm on this evening- she arrived @ 1:00 pm. We are, after all, on Bahamian time.

TO THE EXUMAS!
We had a wonderful 3 days in the Exumas. Revisiting places Marc and I had been and sharing them with Virginia. Shelling on deserted beaches, snorkeling, sharing the beach with Iguanas at Allen’s Cay, making jewelry from found shells, wonderful uninterrupted conversations to catch up on Virginia’s life. Than back to Nassau to see the city life.

Nassau On the Beach in the Exumas…Shroud Cay

We anchored off of Paradise Island, renowned for the “Atlantis Resort” and were in front of the actor, Nicholas Gage’s estate. A beautiful lot next to his (the Bahamian style building of historical significance had been torn down in preparation for condo’s that did not happen-what a waste) provided a walkway to a magnificent beach.. Lo and behold we asked a woman to take our picture and she was from Hampton, NH. (Jerry Sorelli)-unbelievable. She and hubby own a house down the beach from Atlantis. The people here are great-kind, considerate, very helpful and smart. Just read (for all you golfers) that TIGER WOODS is in a partnership to develop a huge golfing resort on Providence Island.

Our Anchorage in Nassau at the digs of Nick Cage……ok so we don’t know Nick…

Of course we took the dinghy and went to ATLANTIS. They have a great public Aquarium, casino, galleries, restaurants, mega yachts, etc. Not having had Italian food for a while, we decided to branch out and go to “Carmines” a family style Italian restaurant. Which meant- large portions, high prices, and NOT gourmet as it turned out. Should have opted for the SUSHI. Dancing with the Kids at Senor Frog’s - Spring Breakers, was an interesting evening of adolescent ritual watching as, Marc and I too, managed to shake our booties.

A fish named Wanda jamming mon….

Neptune’s seat….Atlantis At the abandoned house of a drug lord… Iguana @ Allens Cay

The week was not long enough and sadness prevailed on me as we took Virginia to the airport to return to NH. She returned, as stated, to snow still covering the grounds of Plymouth State.

And now we sit for a few more days until we head off for the Turks/Caicos enroute to Jamaica, Belize, Honduras, Colombia, Panama...... Thanks for joining us on our journey and email us anytime at :

pati@novationsinc.com.

Alphawave anchored at Norman Cay, Exumas

The Voyage from NH to St.Augustine

Thanks to a great send off from friends Robin, David, Sheyne, Shannon, Steve and Gail with a toast of chanpagne , we managed to finally shove off in November. It was a great journey getting to St.Augustine where we now sit aboard waiting to finally leave for Ft. Lauderdale next week, and than to cross over to the Turks/Caicos.

In the meantime, a few highlights from our trip south from NH. We visited Mystic Connecticut with it's Historic "seaport". It reminded me so much of Portsmouth- a seafaring town, summer tourists driving the economy, and lots of nautical history. We headed off-shore to continue south to Norfolk to meet up with family for Thanksgiving- a much needed land based get together- it was grand.

Heading off-shore once again , we headed south to meet up with Steve and Peggy ( Marc's HS friends) in Charleston, SC. We dinghied to Ft. Sumntner and crashed a tour to get the real scoop, ran into Bill Clinton stumping for his girl. Bad weather aside, we enjoy the frolicking dolphins, purchasing fresh seafood from local fisherman and taking salt-water baths aboard. We decided to take the ICW from Charleston to avoid gale weather. Had never done the southern leg and, though slow, we met some wonderful people, enjoyed beautiful and private anchorages as well as dockages. A unique place was St. Catherines Island, a research, archaeological and rare bird breeding island supplying the zoos.

Made it to St. Augustine with 3 days to spare before we flew back to NH for the holidays. It was great to meet my newest grandson, Ben and to spend time with Peter, Daneka and Ari, Julia and Virginia. The kids are all doing well. If you get a chance check out Ari's new venture. He became VP of Marketing for DiningFever.com We also enjoyed the snow knowing we would be leaving it.

Nikki, Marc's duaghter, continues to teach at the Dover Middle School and did a major fundraising effort with her students.

We look forward to your comments and hearing about your life stories and adventures.

Visiting Peggy & Steve in Charleston.