RE: Odyssey

Hi Ken,

Thanks for getting back to me.

I am so sorry for your loss. I have no real frame of reference for what
you must be going through, though I do know how hard it is to reach
someone who is depressed. I know how hard the loss is, and imagine that
it must be very frustrating and not without some anger. Take good care
of each other through this.

You are right, the way I am approaching this it is not exactly a lark,
but I think the effort will pay off as long as I can go with the flow
once the planning is done and the flow begins.

WPB = West Palm Beach Fla.

That is great information you gave me, just what I need to keep
planning. I am not sure that the kiting will be that crowded by other
activities, but it is good to assume that it will, and if I can work out
more time in one location, it will be a pleasant surprise.

One question for you: If kiting a beautiful side-onshore beach day after
day in 80 degree water is a 10, then what is the score for these
activities:
1) Kiting a week around one island, doing an offshore passage day and
night for 4 days or more (probably beam reach), then kiting on another
island for another week (1-10)
2) Sailing every day or two moving vaguely in one direction, and kiting
every afternoon in many spots with just two of us (1-10)
3) Sailing every day or two, and kiting every afternoon in a new spot
with us and two other kiters (I think that would make a huge difference,
just having more hands) (1-10)
This will help me know what is going to be appealing to you.

I hear you on the budget...we own two houses just at the wrong time. We
never meant to own two but the housing market has not really
participated in a helpful way. I am doing all I can to keep this a
budget trip. (A little odd when you think about it; budget yachting to
the Caribbean is like discount champagne ...but why not?) I think that
will add, not detract from our experience; it forces you out of the
cocoon, like traveling without a map.

If the schedule get too crowded, and I have to keep a schedule measured
in units smaller than two weeks, I will reduce the scope of the trip. If
I have to I will arrange for a crew to sail her back straight to New
England, to preserve a period of great flexibility in the tropics. (That
would eliminate the bike trip, but we could do one later in New England)
That would give me 4 months during which I don't have to be anywhere.

And BTW - it is Captain Walnut to you! Walnut comes from college. I
always wanted to be Waller, from my first job, but Walnut has been more
persistent thanks to Dana.

Capt. Walnut

P.S. Two remote but cool possibilities for keeping your transit costs
down - first, If we pull off the bike trip, and you are game for several
contiguous days at sea, you may not have to take a return flight. Leann
could drive down for the bike trip and pick you up. Second, Once we get
to the Bahamas, we will be in range of my brother's airplane. If you
don't mind flying in a 1964 vintage 4 cylinder aircraft (he is a GREAT
pilot; and instructor, multi-engine, turbo prop and small jet rated)

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Emery [mailto:emeryboarder@surfglobal.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:27 PM
To: Piescik, Walter
Subject: Re: Odyssey

Hi Walter,

We are still twisting in the air re: my friends suicide but I want to
respond at least generally to you to add what info I can into the mix
as you say.

No update from Eric. He returns from his current assignment in early
March and Carolina will be coming to the US later during March so
perhaps this will result in us hearing more specific plans.

Regardless of Eric's plans, some updated background I need to share
with you... My "simple life" retirement is based on living off
interest from retirement and savings, which has plummeted recently at
a time when 3/4 of my liquid worth is rolling over in CDs. Social
services (in Vermont especially) is a tough field to salt away enough
to avoid having to carefully budget even if you stay the course to
conventional retirement age. Lee and I made the time (vs. more $)
choice in the early 70s and have continued that course with our
decisions to retire early. So long as we keep things simple and plan
carefully we do fine but we do have to be careful and creative with
toy purchases and in planning our life beyond Vermont.

With that in perspective, the best I will be able to swing is one trip
to and from the boat. Just the reality of one-way flights to meet up
with and return from the boat would alone be a significant expense for
me. I want to meet up with Kris for snow recreation as well next
winter. It looks like the kiting opportunities on the Carribean trip
will realistically be sandwiched into relatively brief periods within
the itenary. That doesn't look like it will work for me. It might be
more helpful to you if I thought more along lines of assisting with
your return passages, bringing a kite and board along for a Bahama
layover day, etc. The closer to spring the better in that case (as
close to April as possible). By the way I don't know what "mainland
down in WPB" meant...? The amount of time will be dependent on how
late in the year so perhaps 2-4 weeks might be the updated time range
to consider at this point.

I'll bet this isn't feeling exactly like a laid back Carribean
adventure at this point. If the old adage about pay now - pay later
holds sway then all your hard work planning should certainly pay off
however.

Take care. Hi to Dana.
Ken
(I like the Walnut sig... is that new or have I not been observant?)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Piescik, Walter" <walter.piescik@fmr.com>
To: "Ken Emery" <emeryboarder@surfglobal.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:48 AM
Subject: Odyssey

Hi Ken.

I am putting another update together for the larger audience (~30
people
who were asked if they were interested in the trip, not just the
offshore team) and realized a few things about the trip.

For one thing, I have to get back. That simple fact seems to have
escaped my notice. (wink). What I really mean is that the return trip
I
had visualized as a series of 10 hour hops that were manageable either
by myself or with novice crew, as I hopscotch from BVIs to USVIs to PR
to DR, to Turks and Caicos, through the Bahamas and then back to the
coast.

In reality, I would have to do 4-5 hops just to sail past the DR.
Also,
in order to keep the hops short, I would have to go to the mainland
down
in WPB, instead of just riding the gulf stream north to SC or NC. That
would take serious time.

At that rate, I will use up too much of the time on transit, and not
enough on staying cool places and kiting.

I am going to ask who is interested in crewing for VIs to Bahamas, and
for Bahamas for the east coast. Even if you were to decide to spend
months onboard and accompany me all the way back, we could use the
extra
help, and I need the extra assurance of having backup.

Worst case, I hire the dockwise transport service to load my boat on a
specially designed freighter, and they deliver it home, but that is
big
bucks.

Thoughts? Do you have any refinements on your level of interest and/or
ability to commit? Have the wedding plans become clearer? I don't need
anything specific right yet, but any info to add to the mix will make
it
that much easier to plan.

I will send you the draft I was working on. It is not at all finished,
but you should see it.

Walnut