LIFE ABOARD TIVOLI

After significant effort we’ve concluded the electronics issues that aborted our plan to cruise the Canadian Maritimes this season were self-induced.  In the interest of redundancy I installed a NMEA2000 rudder position indicator while we were at Atlantic Yacht Basin.  You wouldn’t think this would present a problem but, in fact, the additional cabling required drove the voltage reduction across one leg of my NMEA2000 network past specification likely leading to random loss of data.  The electro...

It’s all good.  Some years ago we were having a discussion with our friend Bob on N57 Istaboa about the relative merits of off-shore versus ICW travel.  His response was “It’s all good”.  Very wise.  Since then we’ve used the phrase often; particularly when life dictates changes in plans.  In cruising this is not infrequently the case.  Weather, life events, boat issues and a thousand other things can often get in the way of plans.  Flexibility is the key.  We are again in such a situation.  Whi...

The run up to Atlantic Yacht Basin on the ICW was uneventful; except for the grounding.  Yes, for the second time we met a barge in the Alligator-Pango Canal that caused us to move too close to the shore.  Ironically, it was the same tow boat, Island Pilot, that effected the same outcome last year.   Only this time I had nearly stopped Tivoli and we backed off and went on our way.  The location was approximately a mile further east from the last unfortunate incident.  Not to make excuses but thi...

Hard to believe, but its true.  Tivoli is actually on the move.  Yes, after 6 months in Florida we are finally underway again; bound for the Canadian Maritimes.  Our explorations of the south coast of Newfoundland last year instilled in us a desire to return and so we will.  The winter spent in Florida has allowed us to fine-tune Tivoli to an extent we could not imagine when we bought her in 2011.  I have to say one of the many rewards of the cruising lifestyle is the satisfaction that comes wit...

It’s been a long winter.  Not that I’m complaining.  Winters in south Florida are just fine.  It’s just that life gets in the way of cruising sometimes.  We had planned on spending a couple months in the Bahamas; it’s been two years since we’ve been there.  Alas, a knee problem had me hobbling around for a couple months and the challenge of finding new doctors in Florida sucked up more time than we hoped.  So, the Bahamas are off the list and we are looking forward to heading to the Canadian Mar...

We joined the last of the snowbirds migrating south and departed Atlantic Yacht Basin on a late-November morning.  The deck was covered in frost, you could see your breath, and the power cord was stiff as a board.  Not my cup of tea!   The journey south proved to be a bit challenging compared to year’s past.  Cruising is not always sunny beaches and cold umbrella drinks.  The following anecdotes provide some examples. We stayed on the ICW down to Coinjock, up the Alligator River and through th...