The Map
Maiden Voyage
We guess you couldn't really call this the "Maiden Voyage" since the Viking Rose is a
young 25 years old, but it was the maiden voyage for us.  After acquiring the Rose in May,
there were a number of repair and upgrade projects which needed to be completed prior
to our departure.  The Rose was in great shape, but there were a number of upgrades
that the insurance company insisted upon, and a few things like a new chartplotter that
needed to be installed.  We spent all the time we could working on the Rose, while holding
down jobs in Atlanta at the same time.  Luckily Richard can work from almost anywhere
as long as he has an internet connection and a cell phone.

By the end of June, we were ready to go.  Richard's brother Peter, and Penny's brother
Reg (both experienced sailors) offered to come along as Richard took the boat to
Savannah.  Unfortunately, Penny couldn't make the first leg as she couldn't get away
from work during that period of time.  
Here is a shot of Reg and Richard as we
prepare to depart from Ft. Lauderdale.  Plenty
of ballast in this shot.
Another view.  Just in case you can't
get enough of us.
Peter up the mast doing a bit of
repair work on the staysail
halyard attachement.
Here are a couple of shots of
the Viking Rose as we boogie up
the Gulfstream.  It may not
look like it, but with the
current of the Gulfstream
pushing us North, we were
making 10 knots.  What a great
sail!
We left Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday, June 29, 2005 and had a great
2 night trip, riding the Gulfstream most of the way, then arrived in
Brunswick, GA in the afternoon on Friday, July 2, 2005.  What a great
ride!

Penny joined us in Brunswick on Friday, then we turned right around to
do an overnight trip to Savannah.  What a difference a day makes!  By
the time we left Brunswick, the tide and the winds were not in our
favor, and we had a very rough ride getting out the shipping channel to
the ocean.  But that was just the beginning.  About midnight a violent
thunderstorm built up turning the ocean into a Maytag washing machine.
 Penny was wondering if this sailboat thing was really what she wanted.  
But, by 4 AM it had settled down, and by 7 AM we were entering the
Wilmington River heading for the Isle of Hope Marina, south of
Savannah.
Sunset shots over Palm Beach
Penny at the helm
The Boys.  Richard,
Peter and Reg.
It was 4th of July weekend when we arrived.  After we docked and lost the breeze the temperature quickly
rose to a very humid 100 degrees.  I will never forget the comment made by  Peter, my brother from New
England, "Do people actually live here in this heat and humidity?"  He looked like he was about to die.

But, we love the Isle of Hope, and looked forward to several months of work on the boat as we prepare for our
journey.
Reg.  Waxing philosophical.
Shrimp boat on the
Wilmington River.
The Isle of Hope Marina.  Our home
for the next several months.
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Travels of the Viking Rose
Travels of the Viking Rose