36⁰13’31” N – 076⁰05’17” W

Today we left Elizabeth City, North Carolina “Somedayers”. We seem to be traveling light these days too. Tony remains tied up with work and won’t be joining us until next week at the earliest, and Perry “Cookie”, had to leave us today for personal reasons. WE’LL MISS YOU P-DOG!!!!!! If you are a person who prays, please say a prayer for Perry’s safe trip home, and if you’re not the praying type please keep him in your thoughts. He has been a good friend to us and the absence of his laughter will be noticed. Perry, May you always find Fair winds and calm seas in all your voyages. And Tony… Quit your dumb job and let’s go sailing Gaffman!!!!!!!

We had a great stay in Elizabeth City. It is a town that is quite famous among sailors for its hospitality. Actually “Hospitality Harbor” is the name of its free marina. They threw a wine and cheese party for the five boats that were there last night. The local grocery store “Farm Fresh’s” will drive out to the harbor, pick you up, and take you back with your groceries for free, a service we used today to get some perishables. So, now we’re headed out across the Albemarle Sound with just the three of us on board Capt. Greg, Jim “LT” Bryant, and me. I hope we don’t get lonely or starve, Perry was our cook. I’m sure we’ll be fine. Keep us in your thoughts “Somedayers”, and we’ll do the same for you. Banana Winds wishing Cookie a safe trip and standing by on 16… Clear.

36⁰24’18” N – 076⁰18’02” W

We are out of the Primordial “Dismal Swamp”, “Somedayers”. Sorry I missed my log posting for yesterday, I was busy cooking. We got up early yesterday morning to bright sunshine in the Hampton flats, and among Navy’s Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, Virginia. We sailed past two aircraft carriers and a vast assortment of smaller fleet ships and men o’ war. It was quite impressive to see. We continued down the Elizabeth River, where we past mile marker “0” of the Atlantic Inter Coastal Waterway, and into the Dismal Swamp. Being true to its name, as soon as we entered into the swamp, the weather turned dismal and it started to rain. At the southern end of the swamp, we missed the last opening of the lock and had to lay-up on the wall for the night. It was kind of a blessing in disguise though; it was the first time in 18 days that we weren’t on an anchor, which means we all got to sleep a little more soundly without the threat of dragging or swinging into something or someone. As I said earlier, I gave Perry the night off, I made Dinner last night, one of my favorites. I made homemade Sloppy Joes and fresh onion rings. We didn’t have any hamburger buns when I started so we were going to roll them up it tortillas and call them “Sloppy Jose’ Ole’” but as it turned out there was a little convenience store right there where we tied up and we got some buns. Everyone loved it and it was nice to give “Cookie” a night off. Although, I still had him do the dishes, I tried but I was way over my head… the sinks are so small. And for a super special treat, the convenience store had ice cream as well, so we even got a fancy dessert.

Today, we got up and made it though the southern lock at South Mills, North Carolina The weather today is nice, a bit chilly but it’s supposed to warm up later.  We are on our way to Elizabeth City where we’ll wait a day for Tony “Gaffman” to show up, and then we don’t stop again till we get to Miami. We bid you all fair winds and calm seas… Banana Winds standing by on 16… Clear.

38⁰47’34” N – 076⁰25’50” W

Well “Somedayers” we’re back on our way, and that way is SOUTH!!!! It feels good to be back to being sailors again, we were all getting tired of skylarking at anchor. The old sailing captains of the 18^th and 19^th century navy’s hated being at anchor, for they knew it was bad for moral. But on the Banana Winds moral is back up to operating norms again, and we are going to Key West! Yesterday we pulled the hook up and moved out of Spa Creek. We wanted to be out where we could swing on the anchor a little easier and we also didn’t want the Spa Creek Bridge getting in the way of us leaving today. So we filled up on diesel and water, reset the anchors out in the bay in front of the Naval Academy. We got underway this morning at about 0830hrs. We’re missing Tony the Gaffman, we left him somewhere and now we can’t find him, but hopefully he’ll turn up in a few days… oh well, you have to expect losses in a big operation, Right? Just kidding, we know where the Gaffman is. He went home while we were in Annapolis and got tied up with some work so he’ll be joining us in a few days, probably in Elizabeth City. Cookie made us a great underway breakfast to day of pancakes and sausage, it was delish’. We are hoping to make it to Hampton Roads, Virginia either very late tonight or if we stop for the night sometime tomorrow. The Banana is running well and we have our main sail up to help with our fuel consumption. In the words of our intrepid Capt. Greg… “We’re southbound and down!!!” Banana Winds standing by on 16… clear.

38⁰58’22” N – 076⁰29’27” W

Well, “Somedayers”, I’m back from my “Vacation”. I stayed the weekend with an old friend and had a very nice time. From what I understand the guys here had a fairly easy weekend, LT and Perry went to town each day and continued their sightseeing, while Capt. Greg mostly just hung out on the boat and relaxed. We have developed a serious battery issue, they’re old! These batteries are over five years old and they’ve been working hard the whole time. And while on this trip they have been working even harder, to the point that they have given up the fight. They are taking a charge but they won’t hold one, so tomorrow or the next day we’ll be replacing all eight old batteries.

Yesterday Capt. Greg and I hooked up with some friends of his whom own a Formosa 51 just like the Banana Winds. Andy and Carole Keenan of KTI Systems inc. Andy is the inventor and the distributor of “Filter Boss” fuel systems. Capt. Greg installed one in the Banana Winds. We love it, and would recommend it to anyone who owns a boat with a diesel motor. Andy and Carole invited us to their apartment here in Annapolis for dinner last night and boy was it good. Carole made shepherd’s pie, and some homemade salsa, it was delish’. You know “Somedayers”; the thing that makes the cruising life so nice is the people you meet and the common bond that is formed when you find yourself among others doing the same thing. Living aboard the Banana Winds is wonderful, but it has its draw backs. For instance, we have a shower but it’s small and it uses precious water and we choose to use it sparingly, and we have no easy way of doing our laundry on board. When we first met up with them on Monday Andy and Carole said “Hey, guys why don’t you come by, have dinner with us, take a shower and come back tomorrow and do some laundry.” It is so nice when someone knows just what to say to make you happy. So this evening we went back to their place to break bread with them again and found out that we would be sharing our meal with Bob Bitchin and the rest of the Latitudes and Attitudes boat show crew. A great time was had by all. We ate a heck of a meal, consisting of steak, sausages, and fresh veggies. They made us feel like shipmates. The cruising community always makes me think of one of my favorite sayings, “A candle looses nothing when it lights another… and the flame that is made burns twice as bright”. I try to live by those words and I know that anyone who has found themselves on the receiving end of the kind of hospitality that Capt. Greg and I have received from the Keenan’s and Bob and his crew would agree that this is the life. And on that note… Banana Winds standing by on 16… Clear.

38⁰58’22” N – 076⁰29’27” W

Well “Somedayers” it been a quiet couple of days. We’ve done some cleaning, and gone into town a few times but other than that I have nothing really to tell you about. I guess that’s a good thing. I think we all came on this trip to get away from the hustle and bustle of the real world, and I think we’ve have done that to great effect. Our days are slow and easy, with lots of laughter and good company. We watch a good bit of DVD T.V. shows and spend the rest of our time on deck watching the world pass us by. If you think that I’m bragging… you might be right. About the most exciting thing we do these days is take rides in the inflatable. We go around the harbors and meet other cruisers, or just look at other boats and make comments. I love looking at other people’s boats. Some of them are very nice and some I just don’t care for at all. But, the thing I always try to remember is that even if I think that a particular boat is downright “UGLY”, there is a person out there somewhere that loves it. I guess that’s what makes boats so special to us. Well, until later “Somedayers”… Banana Winds standing by on 16… Clear.

38⁰58’22” N – 076⁰29’27” W

WINDY!!! And, if you didn’t notice, our GPS position has changed slightly. That would be because the wind blew us all over Spa Creek today and we had to reset our anchors twice. That was a little exciting “Somedayers”. But we survived, and spent the whole day aboard so we could keep an eye on our position and be sure we didn’t drag any more. We did use our time wisely though. We changed the engine oil in the generator, and we changed both of our Racor fuel filters. After that we got down to the serious work of the day… MOVIES!!!!! Oh, and popcorn for dinner. Wish you were here. Banana Winds standing by on channel 16… clear.

Well “Somedayers”, there is a common phrase used among sailors communicating over the radio to inform one another of the sea state in their area, “no significant structures”. That means that there are no weather structures forming on the horizon. So that being said “Somedayers”… I’m reporting no significant structures. We have had a quiet day watching movies and resting.

That however makes for a very boring log entry, so I thought I might do something special tonight. You see, I like to write, and from the feedback we’ve been getting, most of you have been enjoying our log. I know that there are some of you who haven’t been following us the whole time, and there may be some of you who really don’t know us all that well. And of course some of you know the whole story and all about us and you’ll just have to suffer though this recap, I wish I could say I’m sorry… but I’m not.

The Banana Winds is a Formosa 51. She is a Taiwanese Ketch, owned and captained by Greg Smith. Capt. Greg has owned her for nine years. My name is Capt. Jim Southward, I however am not the captain of Banana Winds I am her first mate. We have a galley chief named Perry martin, and two deck hands Jim Bryant and Tony Lacko. We also had another deck hand, Steve Cheimets, but he was only with us for about ten days as we transited the Erie Canal. Those are the facts “Somedayers”, but there is a lot more to this crew than just the facts. So, to really understand our origins of and the cruise we are on together you’ll have to follow me back to the beginning of the summer of 2009.

First, Captain Greg Smith decided that this summer he would relocate his charter business “Banana Winds Sailing Charters” from Toledo, Ohio to Port Clinton, Ohio and set up shop behind the Lakeland Motel. Capt. Greg is a former truck driver how fell in love with sailing as a young man aboard his uncle’s boat. He has owned three sailboats including the Banana Winds. Like the rest of us, when he first saw her he couldn’t get her out of his mind, he knew that it was meant to be. He is fun loving, quick to laugh, holds no grudges and has become my sailing mentor. Every boat needs a captain, and every crew needs a leader, Capt. Greg is ours. He’s not perfect, but speaking only for myself I will follow him to any horizon he plots a course to. Plus I’m pretty sure we can’t get rid of him… the boats in his name.

Jim Bryant, from Columbus, Ohio spends quite a bit of time up in Port Clinton and saw the mast of a beautiful ship sitting at a dock behind the Lakeland Motel. He was drawn to her like so many other people have been. He spoke to Greg and was hook. He was the first of us to sign on for this cruise. We call him “LT” because of his service in the navy during the Vietnam War. He is our “eldest” crew member and brings a calming, eclectic feel to our band of sailors. He has been a power boater on Lake Erie and seems genuinely intrigued by the beauty of sail. He is full of questions about sailing and brings a youthful curiosity to everything that’s new to him.

The next of us to come along was me. I had just returned to Port Clinton from Maine where I spent the spring looking for a position as a mate on sailing ships. I found two, and just didn’t quite feel like they were right for me and the type of sailing I wanted to do. So, I came back to my home waters of Lake Erie. Being that it was July and half way through the sailing season, I was not finding much in the way of sailing positions. Until, I saw those wooden Masts behind the motel. I called the number on the marquee and talked to Capt. Greg. I asked him if he needed someone to sail with him as a mate, and he promptly said “NO”. I left my resume’ with him and moved on. The next day I got a call with and an invitation to go sailing that night. The next week, after a few more charters with him, he started introducing me as the first mate of the Banana Winds. I had found my place among the sailing community, finally. I have been with him nearly every day since, and I have loved every minute of it.

Perry Martin could barely get out of his own way getting to the Banana Winds. I wish I could tell you a story that was different, but he found the boat the same way LT and I did. He walked up to see the boat and Capt. Greg invited him to sit on the quarter deck and talk. Within a couple hours Perry had booked a day sail and was determined to make the passage south. He was paid in full a week later. He volunteered for the job of cook and has been bustin’ his tail ever since. Perry, being our galley chief (that’s “chief” not “Chef”) has been nicked “Cookie”. He has a laugh that can be heard across oceans.

Tony Stumbled upon the Banana Winds web site mostly by accident. He was looking for a week charter in the Florida Keys or the Bahamas, and saw that we offered charters in Florida and Lake Erie. Curious as to how that could be, and while surfing the site, Tony saw that we were going south by way of the Erie Canal and figured that that was just what he need to unwind for a while. Tony is a tournament deep sea fisherman. He has spent tons of time on big tournament fishing boats that go really fast and make huge waves. Those boats burn tons of fuel and that makes him a “SMOKER”. Let me explain the term “Smoker”. If you have ever seen the movie “Waterworld”, the guys in the power boats and jet skis that make a bunch of smoke are called “Smokers”. So we started calling Tony “Smoker”. But then, while trying to grab a line in one of the locks in the Erie Canal, Tony grabbed our fish gaff (not our boat hook) and hooked the line like a pro, he’s been “The Gaffman” ever since. He’s a blast to have aboard, and is showing great promise as a “Sailor”. But, he’s still a smoker.

And lastly there’s Stevie Cheimets, who is a Boston firefighter and has sailed with Capt. Greg a number of times in the past. Other than the captain, Stevie was the only one with any canal experience. He’s also a paramedic; I thought that that would be a great asset on the trip just in case any of us got hurt. Then, I got hurt when I triped over a deck fitting and ripped open my knee. I looked at Stevie and he looked at my injury and said “I’m on vacation!” thanks Stevie. But honestly having him along was a lot of fun and we were sad to see him go.

All in all “Somedayer” we all got here different ways, but we all got here, and that’s what’s important. The captain is always saying “things happen for a reason”, and I believe that. We came together as strangers; we’ve weathered storms, rain, inconsiderate boaters, fog, and even each other. We may have been strangers once but now we the sons of Miss. Banana and we will always have a place in our hearts for our maritime mother the Banana Winds.

38⁰58’22” N – 076⁰29’28” W

This was our first full day in Annapolis “Somedayers”, and we had fun!!!! Tony (Gaffman), Jim (LT), Perry (Cookie), and I all went into town tonight for drinks, dinner and some dancing. We had a blast, and it should be a fun couple of weeks. The Captain stayed back and enjoyed the boat to himself, for a change, and had a relaxing evening by himself.  We got couple of pics of our anchorage, but not much. Till later, I’ll keep y’all informed Somedayers.

38⁰58’22” N – 076⁰29’28” W

We are in Annapolis, MD. We motored the rest of the way down the C&D Canal and through the Chesapeake. And right now, as you read this we anchored in Spa Creek. We can almost see the Naval Academy from where we are sitting. We had a gorgeous sunrise this morning and then the weather got cold and rainy. I’m adding a few pics for the day but the scenery was limited. However “Somedayers”, in the interest of keeping you entertained, we had a catastrophic failure of our holding tank pump-out system. For those of you who don’t know what a holding tank is, without going into graphic detail, it has to do with where the “pooh” goes. And let me tell you it was not fun, and we owe Gaffman a huge debt of gratitude, for he was the one who “handled” the poop. I put some pictures of us all showing him where to go to get “Super-Stinky”. So until next time “Somedayers”, we’ll be thinking of you.

Well, I guess I do have a couple of pictures for you “Somedayers”. Capt. Greg took a shot of sunrise during the storm that is kind of pretty and ominous all at once. And the guys took some shot while I was racked out this afternoon.