June 30, 2012

This week has been very productive for us.  We are happy campers.  The boat was pulled out on Monday as planned and scraped, power washed and painted.  Then our job was done for a few days.  They began fiber glassing inside the boat on Wednesday.  Don climbed up on the boat yesterday afternoon and he said it was really looking nice.

Don and I went to San Juan to take care of a few things.  We dropped our dinghy off AGAIN!  This time they will bring it back to us after they make sure it is fixed this time.  We also took our “motor” from our windlass into a place that had been recommended to us by some people here at the Marina.  We spent the night in San Juan on the ocean.  We enjoyed a great dinner on the water.  The next morning the guy that worked on our motor called to say it was ready.  It cost $75.00 which we were so happy about.  A new windlass motor could have cost us up to $3,000.00. 

After we picked up the motor we headed for Salinas.  The picture above is a picture of the Marina in Salinas.  This is where we will go when we are finished here in Puerto Real. We spent Wednesday and Thursday night at the lodge in the Marina. I hung out at the pool and did our laundry while Don went to see the guy that will be helping us on our stainless steel bimini and dodger frame.  I went to visit with the lady that will be making the covers for the same.  Left with her some screen and scraps to make us some new screens for the boat.  She also looked at the material that we brought with us from Texas to have the Bimini and dodger done.  She said it was very nice and would work great.  It is called sunbrella supreme.  The material is lined with tan and the top is black.  She had never seen it before.  Don met another guy who can weld anything and everything you can think of.  He went back to San Juan with Don on Thursday to take him to all the metal places.  Don got just what he wanted to make the tabernacle for the mast and Friday morning they made it.  Don said this guy was unbelievably talented and they got along perfectly.  They knew exactly what each other wanted to do and what to do next.  This makes a big difference when you are working together.  And it doesn’t come along too often.

Today is Saturday and we are a little bored.  It is a beautiful day, but nothing to do.  Since we have been gone most of the week we really aren’t in the mood to go site seeing.  So we are up at the marina looking at the West Marine catalog.  We are going over our list of things that we need to get.  We have received all of our shipments thus far and in record time.

Until next time……..

Don and Janis

June 26, 2012

Yesterday we took “Plane to Sea” over to a place called Picky’s.  It is a place about ¼ miles from the marina where we have been staying.  What a name?  Who cares as long as he is able to fix our boat?  Right?  Don took her over and had to crank up the keel to get her in.  They usually don’t work on sailboats only large cabin cruiser, so the water is very shallow.  But since we have a retractable keel, we can go where most sail boats can’t.  It works!!!  After she was brought upon the sling and to the ground we put the keel back down, so we could clean it.  First thing was to clean all the grime and slim off the bottom.  Then it was power washed and sanded. Today, we painted the bottom and he dropped her back down with keel up and they started working on her.

Sorry - can't get the picture to rotate

We cleaned our boat again Sunday, what else did we have to do!  Really, we took our Bimini down and frame work and looked at it to see what could be salvageable and what couldn’t.  We threw a few things away, you read it right, threw some things away and that is hard to believe from Mr. Don Furness. We have this great stuff to clean our boat with, not sure if it is eco-friendly or not, but it works.  It took off a lot of rust and other stuff that the ship had left behind.  We still washed a lot of pieces of paint away.  Will that ever be gone?  Anyway we are on our way…

Things that we have noticed about Puerto Rico in general are the number of horses that are around the towns.  Everywhere!!!!  People riding them, on the side of the road, on the side of the highway, in apartment complexes, on the baseball fields, at the school yard, you name it there you will find a horse.  Sometimes they aren’t even tied up or staked out, just loose or hanging there head over the guard rail.  Eating grass, any grass, whatever they can find to eat.  Most of them are small, not near as big as our horses in Texas.  Really!

Another thing that we notice is the number of male dogs.  I have yet to see a female dog.  What’s up! 

The grocery stores are called Mr. Special and Selecto and Amigo.  Taco Bell has a foot long taco.  Texas you better get a move on it, Puerto Rico is passing you up. 

You pay $2.00 for a beer ( 10 oz. ) in Puerto Rico and in the Dominican Republic you pay $.80, you got it, 80 cents for (20 oz.) beer instead of a (12 oz. )of beer in Texas for $3-5(depending where you are)   Texas you are getting more behind…..

This country is amazing….It is the only place that I have been so far that you can be driving down the street in your car and meet head on, a car, a horse and a bicycle.  Guess what-the bicycle has little gasoline motors on them and they have one arm out holding on to another person on a regular bicycle pulling them along too.  People drive crazy and they hardly ever honk or act mad.  They just go with the flow.  Don is learning, slowly, but I’m there!!!!!

We went to San Juan Tuesday afternoon and took a “something” down to be worked on for our windlass.  We also took our dinghy back for the second time.  The liferaft company will bring it to us next time.  Fixed, I hope.  We spent the night at Coral by the Sea and walked to the beach (about 2 blocks) and watched the sun set and had dinner.  Lovely evening.  We slept in, had breakfast and they called that Don’s “something” was fixed and ready.  We picked it up and headed to Salinas.  We brought some pipe down to a guy that will be helping make the bimini and dodger frame.  We are also going to visit with a lady that will be making our covers, cushions, etc.  We brought down our fabric for her to look at and also screen for her to make us new ones.

We have been having a great time enjoying ourselves in Puerto Rico and we have so much more to see.

Until next time…….We send our love,

Don and Janis

June 25, 2012

Several weeks ago Don and I went to Old San Juan and visited Fort San Cristobal.  This is a fort built by Spain to protect against land based attacks on the city of San Juan.  Today it is part of San Juan National History Site.



Castillo de San Cristóbal is the largest fortification built by the Spanish in the New World. When it was finished in 1783, it covered about 27 acres of land and basically wrapped around the city of San Juan. Entry to the city was sealed by San Cristóbal's double gates. After close to one hundred years of relative peace in the area, part of the fortification (about a third) was demolished in 1897 to help ease the flow of traffic in and out of the walled city.

This fortress was built on a hill originally known as the Cerro de la Horca or the Cerro del Quemadero, which was changed to Cerro de San Cristóbal in celebration of the Spanish victories ejecting English and Dutch interlopers from the island of this name in the Lesser Antilles, then forming part of the insular territorial glacis of Puerto Rico.

A Little Trivia:

This is where the Wizard Battle for the Wizards of Waverly Place movie took place between Justin and Alex (David Henrie and Selena Gomez). The director and crew filmed here for three days and found a few fragments from the 16th century pots. For this reason they needed archaeologists with them at all times whilst digging for the special effects. Also, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was filmed here to act as a Spanish castle in Cadiz.

These are the three flags that fly at the Fort San Cristobal.  United States Flag, Puerto Rican flag and the old Spanish Military flag known as the Cross of Burgundy. 

What a wonderful picture. The Fort also had extensive tunnels and we got to go into them as well.  It was a great self-guided tour and it was completely “Gratis”. 

These were look outs!  Look at that ocean, beautiful and we get to sail out in that big wild open space.

We enjoyed this day in San Juan.

We have been along the West coast and about half of the South coast.  San Juan is on the North Coast towards the East end.  However; we have not been to the East coast yet.  Plan to do that when the boat is finished.  We still want to go to the rain forest and see more of the mountains.  We have something to look forward to as we continue to work on our boat.

Until next time…….

Don and Janis

June 24, 2012

Don and I are still in beautiful Puerto Real, West end of Puerto Rico. What a sunset, RIGHT?

We found out last Friday some very good news.  Different news, but good!  The guy here in Puerto Real that his bid for the fiberglass and painting, had come in at 5,000.00 more, reconsidered and is taking the job for the same price we were quoted in Ponce. I guess he felt sorry for us. We are so happy!!! He can start on the boat Monday, June 25^th.  We only have to motor ¼ of a mile to his lift. We were so worried about taking it to Ponce; I just can’t tell you how we have been feeling. So now we can stop worrying about having to get it to Ponce in the rough south east wind, with that crack. He has also agreed to let Don do the bottom.  Don will sand and paint the bottom with the antifouling black paint. (With my help, of course)  This is what Don has wanted to do all along was do some of the work himself.  The ones that know Don, you can only imagine!  Can’t keep him still too long.   A few things he has mentioned to me are 1. Paint and sand the bottom, which he has done this before 2.  Making the tabernacle for the mast, which he did before and   3.  Who knows what else he will come up with during the next few weeks.  Whatever makes him happy.  Sunday, (yes Father’s Day) he took the windlass apart, cleaned it and cleaned our front bow locker.  He is always working on something.  Really didn’t want Don to have to work on the boat at all, but he is insisting. It will keep him busy, we can’t site see every day, that would get old too.

A week ago, Don and I drove down to Rincon. The surfers come here.  They even have competition here in Rincon.  Beautiful place!  This is on the West coast of Puerto Rico North of where we are now. They also have a beautiful Lighthouse here.

Hey Brandi, I took this photo just for you.  I have many lighthouse pictures to give to you from our trip. When I get home I am going to arrange a mirage of lighthouses of where we have been, just for you, because I know how much you love them!!!

This picture was taken from a hilltop looking down on a Marina at La Parguera. Last Friday, we drove down to La Parguera and along the coast up to Ponce.  It was beautiful.  We hope to spend a few days there this fall.  Puerto Rico has great scenery.  Ocean and mountains - can’t beat it!  Rain forest and zip lines.  I hope to get to do this before we leave.  I zipped lined in Costa Rica and it was amazing.  I even repelled down 90 feet. (Pictures to prove it)

Friday night we went in this little place (what most of you would call a hole in the wall) to eat.  We have eaten here several times and it is so good.  He catches his own fish and last night we had fresh red snapper, fried plantains and a salad;  along with a couple of Medallas, (Puerto Rican Beer) that another table sent over to us.  They live in Ponce and had come down for the day.  They invited us to Ponce to visit them, where they live on a ranch.  Right now they have baby pigs.  We are to call them next week and set up a time to go visit.  Ponce is only about 1 hour drive from Puerto Real. (But by water it is 10 hours) He is a rancher and contractor for building homes and his wife works at the College in Ponce.

We have met a lot of very nice people and most of them do speak pretty good English.  I sure hope we can pick up on this Spanish.  We are doing better, but you know it is broken and pieced together.  I’m looking up words all the time.  We have all the highway signs down good and we know our directions.  The people get a kick out of helping us.  It’s really kind of fun.  Wished I would have learned more when I was working at the Health Department.  Now at 60, I’m finding it a little challenging. All the younger kids are learning English at school and a lot of the older people that have lived in New York, New Jersey or even Florida can speak English.  Most business owners have at least someone to speak English to help you.  Really not bad at all.  Of course, Don likes the Dominican Republic and you have to speak Spanish in all small towns and that is where he would like to be.  He would like to buy a place at La Isabella (El Castillo) in the DR.  I’m holding him back!!!!!!We could live in the DR very cheaply and good, but I’m holding him back!!!!!!   You got it, I’m holding him back!!!!!!!

This is a picture of the D.R.  The D.R. is beautiful, with so many mountains, rivers and waterfalls.  Did I mention that I was holding him back!!!!

We are raring to go on this boat, we are so happy, but there are a lot of things that we haven’t been able to locate.  Our boat is 29 years old (Just think, Holly you are older than our boat) and was made in Canada, which of course, no longer assists. (Many years ago stopped making the Tanzer)  We have found a man that sells Tanzer parts, but he has nothing that we can use.  In particular it is our windows and rub rail that we are in need of so badly.  Also when our rub rail is not on the boat, it leaks between where the hull and top of the boat join together.  (Not a lot, but a little. -- Has to be put back on for sure.)

I have made a spread sheet with everything we have to do to get (or purchase) the boat back to the way it was and another column for what we want to add to the boat. (Now or in the future) I have to keep up with the spending, carefully.  I have to be able to look back and see where the money went, and how was it spent.

Our pump went out on our air conditioner on Thursday.  We have a new one ordered but it will take a few days.  Of course, we get things a little easier here than in other places. Recently received my order for medicine in 6 days! WOW!  Good ole USA!

For the ones that don’t know, Don had let his hair grow out while we have been sailing.  It was so blond and very long in the back.  I hadn’t cut my hair in a year.  WELL, we finally went to the Beauty and Barber shop and got our hair cut.  We look and feel so much better.  At least maybe our grandkids will know us when we come home for a visit.  I know one grandson that wonders all the time, what we look like, have we changed?  So maybe this will help with that.

We have been in contact with our buddy boats.  2 are in Martinique, 4 in St. Thomas and the other 2 are in BVI.  Safe and fun traveling to all as you travel south. This was as of June 18^th.

Until next time……s/v Plane to Sea

Don and Janis

June 11, 2012

Don and I received a call this morning from our oldest son, Justin. He was calling to see if we were going to be able to come home this summer.  I told him that we weren’t sure yet, but I said why, J?  He said well I’m going to talk about my life at church on July 15, 2012, at the First Presbyterian Church, Whitewright, Texas.  I said, you are going to give your testimony and he said yes.  I was so proud of him, that it was hard for me to speak.  Justin had gotten into some trouble many years ago and with God’s help he has turned his life around.  Also, this Church has supported him and been with him thru it all.  God, the Church and his family never gave up on Justin.  Now he will tell the community who saved him.

We are so proud of all our children.  They have each one had issues to deal with in their life and have all turned around and are going in the right direction.  Justin and family live in Randolph at the present and are planning to move to Whitewright in the very near future.   He is married to Brandi and they have 3 children.  Jeremy and family live in Pottsboro about ½ mile from Don and me. He has two great sons.   Holly and family live in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is married to Matt and they have two daughters.  We miss all of them and our wonderful grandchildren.  One good thing now is that we can talk to them or email them as much as we want to, since we are in Puerto Rico.

Don and I took our dingy to San Juan to be fixed.  It had gotten a slit in the side in the incident and we needed it fixed before we transport the boat to Ponce for repair.  Got it back and waited like they told us to do before putting air into the dinghy.  We put the air in last night and this morning it was flat.  We were upset, but the work is guaranteed.  Now back to San Juan this week.  Oh well, I can get another shopping day!

Had to transport the dingy on top of the car!

We are doing great!  Our attitudes are good too.  Like Bob Bitchin (Author) says:  “Attitude is the difference between an adventure and an ordeal.”

Until next time:  Have a Great Day!

Love, Don and Janis

June 6th

Hello everyone.

Good News!  We have everything finalized with the ship that hit us on Friday, April 13^th.  Don and I like to refer to it as our “Good Luck” day.  We are in such high spirits. We are ecstatic the way things worked out.  We thought things were taking too long, but it has only been 7 ½ weeks.  It seemed like an eternity, but as we look back, it has gone very quickly.

One thing that I haven’t shared about the night of the incident is that Don went flying off the starboard side of the boat, as I was screaming he grabbed for something, anything that might still be left on our boat.  He was able to grab one lone stanchion bar and wrenched himself back up the side of the boat.  We believe that is when he cut his foot.  I do think that I was even more frightened than actually seeing that ship coming right at us. The thought of not being able to find Don in the dark, deep ocean was agonizing to me.  As soon as he got back to the cockpit we hugged and thanked God.  

Yesterday we pulled the dinghy out of the water to clean the barnacles off of Plane to Sea II. Disgusting to say the very least, I even got a little nauseated at the sight of the way it looked. We had the bottom painted with paint that sloughs off the sludge and it did work pretty well, but the sides were caked with gunk.  Hey, just one more adventure in the Furness’s log, which seems to be never ending these days.  We are eager to add it among the list; it won’t be lonely next to all the other quests.  For the ones that know us very well, the saying “the bad news is Don Furness is along and the good news is that Don Furness is along” is so very true.  All kidding aside, I’m so thankful to be with Don Furness.

Another challenge for me has been tying up here at the marina.  We are used to anchoring and being tied on all four sides has been very different for us to get used to.  It goes to the right then to the left, front then back, all in this jerking motion each time we get waves.  I’m surprised that I haven’t been sea sick.  We enjoy the freedom of going to one side at a time and the boat moving slowly around, this back and forth is for the birds.  Don is glad that I feel that way, because as we travel we can’t afford to stay in every marina that we come across.  That would get very expensive, very quickly.

More next time!

Love, Janis                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Moving On...

Dear Blog followers: 

Moving on……and that is exactly what Don and I are doing, moving on with our lives.  Life is too short to mope around and feel sorry for ourselves.  God gave us a break, a real BIG break and we are going to make good use of the time we have left.  I read in a magazine that as a sailor, if you dig deep, you’ll remember that first time you experienced the joy of sailing.  There is a direct lineage from that point to where we are today and how sailing has changed our lives.  We know why we sail.  It is an intimate relationship.  How can we share that with others? With our children and grandchildren? With friends?  With our families?  We could choose not to sail, but that would end our passion.  We feel that would be a tragedy.  We choose to sail!!!!!!!  One thing that we have learned as we have grown older is that one of the greatest gifts is sharing what you have passion for or what you have acquired through your hard work in life.  One thing for us is sailing and we will continue to share with you our adventures as we move forward.  Thank you for reading. 

We send our love, Don and Janis