Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Check-in/OK message from Bettie P SPOT Messenger

Bettie P
Latitude:23.56046
Longitude:-85.7421
GPS location Date/Time:11/30/2011 17:38:20 CST

Message:Where in the world is Bettie P.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6ZYgs/23.56046N/85.7421W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=23.56046,-85.7421&ll=23.56046,-85.7421&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Bettie P

You have received this message because Bettie P has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

No Spot Yet

From Lori: Noelle and I haven't seen a SPOT message for today, but we're not in panic mode yet because we know the technology doesn't work sometimes. We will keep watching for emails, and will post when we get the SPOT updates.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Check-in/OK message from Bettie P SPOT Messenger

Bettie P
Latitude:26.20535
Longitude:-86.11172
GPS location Date/Time:11/28/2011 17:25:41 CST

Message:Where in the world is Bettie P.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6YlpX/26.20535N/86.11172W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=26.20535,-86.11172&ll=26.20535,-86.11172&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Bettie P

You have received this message because Bettie P has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Check-in/OK message from Bettie P SPOT Messenger

Bettie P
Latitude:27.23564
Longitude:-86.84177
GPS location Date/Time:11/27/2011 19:21:46 CST

Message:Where in the world is Bettie P.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6YPkK/27.23564N/86.84177W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.23564,-86.84177&ll=27.23564,-86.84177&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Bettie P

You have received this message because Bettie P has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Spot Message

Once again, the spot didn't show up here on the blog...so here it is:

Bettie P
 Latitude:27.45485
 Longitude:-87.16129
 GPS location Date/Time:11/27/2011 14:02:40 CST
 Message:A special SPOT update for our special girls.
 Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6YJGO/27.45485N/87.16129W
 If the above link does not work, try this link:
 http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.45485,-87.16129&ll=27.45485,-87.16129&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Bettie P

Saturday, November 26, 2011

SPOT message

[11/26/11  From Lori: It looks like The SPOT message didn't show up on Donavan's blog today, but Noelle and I did get our own notification emails. I copied and pasted it below so readers could see where they are at.]

Bettie P
 Latitude:28.04246
 Longitude:-88.43146
 GPS location Date/Time:11/26/2011 17:18:11 CST
 Message:A special SPOT update for our special girls.
 Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6X_x1/28.04246N/88.43146W
 If the above link does not work, try this link:
 http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.04246,-88.43146&ll=28.04246,-88.43146&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Bettie P

Friday, November 25, 2011

Check-in/OK message from Bettie P SPOT Messenger

Bettie P
Latitude:29.84406
Longitude:-87.9931
GPS location Date/Time:11/25/2011 16:52:40 CST

Message:Where in the world is Bettie P.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6XbDE/29.84406N/87.9931W

If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.84406,-87.9931&ll=29.84406,-87.9931&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1

Bettie P

You have received this message because Bettie P has added you to their SPOT contact list.

Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Day 26-28 in Mobile, Preparing for the Gulf of Mexico (11/22 to 11/24)

We spent most of the morning getting ready for the boom truck to lift the mast, and by 11:00 we were ready, which was good because he showed up 1 1/2  hours early. Windy, and on and off down pours made for a good time to set up the mast. We did get it set just fine. By the end of day 26 she looked a lot like a sail boat again. I spent over an hour getting the mud and muck cleaned off the deck, or most of it any way... We got dinner at the waffle house, oh boy.

The morning of day 27 we had hoped we would be ready to go by about noon, but that was not looking good. I had the car from the marina and from 12-2  I ran in to Mobile to do our last supply run. When I got back Dave had been fighting with one of the new lines we put on, trying to berade a loop in the end. He did give up on that one. He had much better luck with some of the other lines, and by the end of the day we did have one sail on the boat and the boom was in place.

Day 28 (Thanksgiving Day) we had one last line to finish up and Dave had to go up in the chair to near the top of the mast. That went better than we thought in might. Then it was time to set the main sail and check everything out on the boat to make sure it is ready. We then got the kyaks rigged and in the water next to the boat. When we pull out in the morning they will fall behind us till we get to Belize. The last thing to do is repack the boat, clean and straighten up, showers, and dinner.

In the morning we are off, next stop Belize.

The Spot should let everyone know where we are everyday, so you see as we make our way across the gulf.


I will keep doing daily blogs and post them when we get to Belize, along with photos too.

day 25 on the river part 2

Today is the last day on the river, yeah.  We got an early start so we could get into the marina as soon as we could. We had a little fog and one of the boats radioed that a barge was headed our way in a narrow spot so we waited till it got by. That gave the other boats time to catch up with us. Part of the way in there was a swing bridge that they changed to a lift bridge. We heard the river was closed for 3 days about a week ago. We we missed that one. Going through Mobile, all you see is large ships and lots of traffic on the river. It is a working harbor.

After we got to the mouth of the the bay it was about 10 -15 miles into Mobile Bay to get to Dog River Marina.  We did see 3 dolphins in the bay toda.y That was cool. We got in about 2 or 3 in the afternoon, and got fuel and water. We arranged for the mast to get set up for 1:00 tomorrow (11/23/11). As soon as we got to our slip, we started to unload everything off the top of the boat and started to take the wood frame apart. We worked till after dark.

We are in the Gulf of Mexico

This will be last post till we get to Belize. See you in about 10 days or so.

Day 26-28 photos









Posted by Picasa

Day 25 photos part 2































Posted by Picasa

Day 25 photos part 1



































Monday, November 21, 2011

Day 25 on the river part 1

We made it to Mobile, AL, 1500 miles in 25 day. More later.

Check-in/OK message from Bettie P SPOT Messenger

Bettie P
Latitude:30.56758
Longitude:-88.09067
GPS location Date/Time:11/21/2011 17:08:40 CST
Message:Where in the world is Bettie P.
Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6VwWh/30.56758N/88.09067W
If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.56758,-88.09067&ll=30.56758,-88.09067&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Bettie P
You have received this message because Bettie P has added you to their SPOT contact list.
Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Day 24 on the river

Finally we had some warm weather. We are 60 miles from the marina and about 80 miles from the gulf. This afternoon was near 80 and sunshine with a light breeze. This is what the 2nd half should have been, not just the last two days. We should be dockside about 2 or 3pm  tomorrow.  We are starting our list of what we need and what we need to do. Tuesday and Wednesday will be full days setting up for the 2nd part of the trip.

Today when I was at the wheel I was in part of the river called newman bend with a barge coming at us. That part the is about 5 miles on the river but is a big S. At two points the river doubles back on itself and the banks have about 1000' of land between itself. If there was a cut through at both points, the river would shorten from 5 miles to 1 mile. Anyway back the the barge. He had 3 wide and 2 deep in front of him. It is hard to judge the distance sometimes when everything is bendy. I was running as far to the side as was possible while still inside the buoys. As we got closer, it looked like I would not have much room. I slowed all of the way down. I kept watching the buoy between us. when he did get to it, it was in the middle of his outside barge.  He drove right over the top of it. about 10 to 15 seconds later it popped out the side.  Now we were along side each other. I decided i was best to go outside the channel a bit till we went by each other.

spot fail

It looks like we had a 2nd spot fail on the trip.  We sent it twice after the first one did not show up any where after it had said sent. We had the same thing week or so back. We are not sure why it failed. so if spot misses a day or so on the gulf no need to panic.

Check-in/OK message from Bettie P SPOT Messenger

Bettie P
Latitude:31.06733
Longitude:-87.94876
GPS location Date/Time:11/20/2011 15:20:35 CST
Message:Where in the world is Bettie P.
Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/6VTKi/31.06733N/87.94876W
If the above link does not work, try this link:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=31.06733,-87.94876&ll=31.06733,-87.94876&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Bettie P
You have received this message because Bettie P has added you to their SPOT contact list.
Every day is an Adventure. Share Yours.
http://www.findmespot.com/

Day 23 on the river 11/19/11

We are done with all of the dams. Weather gets better each day. Tonight we are anchored off the river in a part of the old river just few feet from old lock 1, which was used from 1908 until 1960. Most of the lock and dam stucture is still here and it is a park now. We are are less than 100 miles from Mobile Bay, 110 miles from Dog River Marina, and 135 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. Looks like we'll arrive at the marina on Monday afternoon.

day 22 on the river 11/18/2011

Today started with 28 degrees and fog we waitied about 20 min to head out to the dam about 3 miles away. When I called ahead to the lock, they said that there were 5 other boats in the lock going down. We had to wait an hour before we could get in the lock. By the end of the day we caught up with 3 of them parked together in a small creek. Three of us are tied together side by side. We have to be the first boat out in the morning.  Weather is getting better finally.