Updates To Come Soon !

I have been incredibly neglectful - although very busy at the same time.  It's been a mad rush the last couple months - if it's possible to rush around for 2 months.   I will update the blog early next week on what's been going on!  But I am still alive, and warm, and close to water!!

More to come!

Choices to Make!

Yes another round of silence from the slacker in Ohio.  I find myself in an interesting predicament (forgive any spelling errors - I'm a math major!).  While waiting for the various background checks, and my passport, and the other things that need done prior to fully accepting the position on Princess Cruises, I get told that an offer for another job is forthcoming.

The job is in Tampa, and from all indications sounds like a pretty good job.  So do I work on a cruise ship, and live wherever I want for the 2 months out of the year I'm not onboard, or do I go live in Tamp, find a boat and a marina and go sailing whenever the desire and weather allows.    I'm pretty tempted to go the Tampa route.  So there may be a massive garage sale shortly followed by (or in conjunction with) a frantic search for living space (hopefully on a boat) in Tampa. 

Decisions decisions !!  Many emotions including excited, nervous, anxious, worried, slightly stressed, and even some relief are flowing through my mind at the moment.  One way or the other it looks like I'll be living near water very soon :)

Where are the sails ??

Well there is the possibility I'll end up on the water relatively soon.  However the boat I end up on may not have any sails on it.   I had an interview with Princess Cruises today, and it went pretty well.  Next up, a technical interview.   The job is for a Computer Officer.  Holy crap - me an officer?  Somebody is making a big mistake! So the quick overview, this will be 6 months of 7 days a week work supporting the computer systems onboard one of these floating hotels.  The perks as far as I can tell are traveling the world (albeit with just brief opportunities to visit ports of call), no need to pay for any housing or food for those 6 months, my own cabin, the ability to eat the same food the passengers eat (not the crew food).  After the 6 months I get 2 months of free time (time to sail!!).  Plus maybe I get the opportunity to scout out some future sailing locations.

Now, I have to figure out if I can get everything wrapped up and taken care of in a month or so, so that I can realistically do this.   I wonder how my kids will take the news.  Now my son is already in college, and my daughter will be going this fall.  So they are about to embark on their own journey in life.  But will dad being out of touch for 6 months at a time be rough on them (and by out of touch I mean not being able to see them in person).  Of course I will also have 2 months at a time to really annoy them if I so choose :)  Decisions, decisions.

It's funny; when you start thinking about changing your life dramatically it all sounds so awesome and exciting. When the opportunity presents itself, then some worry and doubt starts to creep in a little bit.  On the one hand I think I should just stick it out here for a bit longer.  But then on the other I think life is way to short, and we should all take a jump into the unknown from time to time.  Just to make sure we're really living!

It all could not matter as I still have a technical interview, and background check, and physical (have to make sure I can handle emergency situations).  But if it all goes well - big decision time!

Stay tuned !

Long drive to see some water!

I now find myself taking whatever opportunity I can to get near water (and not that yucky dirty Ohio River close to me either!).  My son was home for winter break from college, and needed a way to get back to school.  His dorm didn't open until 9am on Sunday.  So I offered to take him, leaving at 3am so that I could make the drive there and back in a day (8 1/2 hour drive one way).  Part of the reason was of course because I enjoy spending time with my son.  The other, more selfish reason was so I could get to Annapolis and near some water and sailboats!  So we got there close to 12, had a lunch, hung out near the city dock for an hour or so, and then I drove back.  17 hours of driving for a couple hours near the water.   Some people might say I'm a little nuts (heck, I might say it)! There is just something pulling me towards the water.  From the moment the crazy liveaboard thought popped into my brain til now it seems to get stronger each day.

So until that happens I guess long drives for glimpses of boats, and water will be on the schedule.  I thought I had a job opportunity in Tampa, but that one didn't pan out, so I'll keep searching until it happens.  In the meantime, I have an April vacation planned down to the Keys, and another in June near Tampa.  I'm sure plenty of boat looking, and job hunting will be going on!


And maybe I'll finally start blogging regularly because I'm sure you all have missed it :)

Could this be the boat?

So I've been searching through boats a little more seriously lately.   I figure, why not start there, then worry about the job, and marina to live at.  Plus I'm still hanging out in Cincinnati until I get this all figured out anyways.  So below is a description of a Watkins I found that is located on Lake Erie.   It sounds enticing (of course anything does these days - the rose colored glasses of dreams! :)


Watkins 27' shoal runner aprox 4' draft. 1979. In good operating condition. We sailed right up until late October this season. Tiller steering. Good sized cockpit. Sleeps up to 6 w/ two double beds- one in salon and v-birth. Two single bunks. Two burner alcohol stovetop, icebox, sink. Length 27ft; waterline 23ft 8in; Beam 10ft; Draft 3ft 8in; Displacement 75000lb; Ballast 3500lb total; Headroom 6'2" Recent bottom work. Three sails- large mainsail, 130% head sail for roller furler and an older hank style jib sail, recent engine work, new motor mounts, new sensors. Motor runs great. A lot of extras like an auto helm, all necessary lines and rigging, 81/2' dingy, two anchors with 90'line,20'chain, a bag of various blocks, bins of other fittings, screws, hinges, latches, stainless and brass, recently added amidships cleats for spring lines, newly upholstered salon. Has cradle. Hand held radio, depth/fish finder, GPS also hand held. 8 disk CD player speakers in and outside in cockpit. Currently kept on Marblehead in East Harbor. Asking $6,000 or trade for roof, plumbing and other work on house in Columbus.

Hello Again

I'm sorry for the prolonged absence.  I've had to deal with some issues in my life, and some of us our better equipped to handle those then others.  I apparently am not one of those people.  But rather then focus on the negative, it's time for some positive thinking.  So back to the dream I go.  It may be farther out on the horizon now then it ever was before, but it's still out there, beckoning me.  Asking me to not give up on it.  So how in the world can I refuse. 

I look forward to catching up on all the blogs I enjoyed following before.  And I promise not to get all depressed as I do :) Good sailing to you all, and even though I may not get out there soon, I will get out there!

- Chris

This bucket list item takes some work!

I've decided to try and cross off one of my land-based bucket list items.  Unfortunately, or fortunately for me this will be quite the undertaking.  Why is Chris (yes I talk about myself in the 3rd person) boring us with some boring land stuff?  Well because it's my blog and I can :)  Anyways the years have been less then kind to my once Adonis-like physique, and I would like to change that.  So thinking about the things on my bucket-list I thought maybe it's time to finally attempt to do a marathon. Because what makes more sense then an out of shape, middle-aged man running a marathon?

Once upon a time when I was in decent shape (it was only like 5 years ago..  doesn't take long to do some damage to yourself) I would do road races, and threw a triathlon in here and there.  Now here I sit at 43 (hard to believe I know because I look so darn young!) weighing something way to close to 250.  So it's time to trim the excess, and get back to work.  The big goal of moving aboard, and eventually heading south requires a man in much better shape.  And once I start my cruising I don't know if I'll be able to cross the marathon off my list (see how confident I am that I will be cruising for a long time!).

So it's now or never for the marathon.  Cincinnati has a great marathon on May 6th that I am aiming to run.  I need to start cutting the weight down and getting in shape so that when I start the training program I won't be dying - too much! I want to be one of those 4200+ finishers!  So I apologize now for the updates that may or may not be coming in the future - but at least you were warned :)

One possible training schedule - would start in Jan

1	3	Rest	4	3	Rest	5	Rest	15
2	3	Rest	4	3	Rest	6	Rest	16
3	3	Rest	4	3	Rest	7	Rest	17
4	3	Rest	5	3	Rest	8	Rest	19
5	3	Rest	5	3	Rest	10	Rest	21
6	4	Rest	5	4	Rest	11	Rest	24
7	4	Rest	6	4	Rest	12	Rest	26
8	4	Rest	6	4	Rest	14	Rest	28
9	4	Rest	7	4	Rest	16	Rest	31
10	5	Rest	8	5	Rest	16	Rest	34
11	5	Rest	8	5	Rest	17	Rest	35
12	5	Rest	8	5	Rest	18	Rest	36
13	5	Rest	8	5	Rest	20	Rest	38
14	5	Rest	8	5	Rest	9	Rest	27
15	3	Rest	5	3	Rest	8	Rest	19
16	3	Rest	3	Walk 2	Rest	26.2	Rest	34.2