Shark Dive

Since being in the Bahamas, Bethany, I, and one other crew member decided to get PADI dive certified. Because the rest of the crew is certified and the boss wants to do some diving in the near future it was a great time and opportunity to do it. Last week we went through the course homework and had four open water dives with an instructor. We had a great time diving through wrecks from movies such as, "Into the Blue", "Jaws", "Mythbusters", and also a ledge that goes from 70 feet down to 6,500 feet, which begins the "Tongue of the Ocean". This last trip with the boss some of his guests wanted to do some diving. The first day we did some fun dives through wrecks and the ledge checking out some coral, fish, and a few sharks. The second day was the shark feed. During the second dive of the day we all entered the "Shark Arena". Once we were all in place siting on the bottom in a big circle, our instructor came in the middle with a box of shark bait. He started by giving a little feed and then entered into a "Shark Tonic." He rubs the nose of the shark where all their major senses are and is able to make them stand vertical or put them in a trance so people can touch them. In this "Tonic" state they basically paralyzed. All in all there were about 30 to 40 Reef Shark at the feeding. Once they were done eating we had a chance to search for some teeth before surfacing. It was an awesome experience and as our fourth certified dive, it is going to be a tough one to top.

Update from the Bahamas

Since our last post a lot has happened. At the beginning of Oct. we safely cruised down from NYC to Ft. Lauderdale. It took us just over 4 days and we couldn't have asked for better seas. The seas were 1 to 2 feet the whole trip and we had great weather. We spent about a month in Ft. Lauderdale tuning up the boat for a Thanksgiving Bahamas' trip and also the Caribbean season that's coming up. It was great to be grounded in FL for a while but we were ready to get moving again. We just had the boss and guests on for Thanksgiving. It was an awesome trip which we were included in all the guests activities and a big Thanksgiving feast. We cruised the Exumas' dipping down to Staniel Cay, up to Highborne Cay, and then back to Albany where we started. This trip we were at anchor the whole time so ALL the water toys got a test ride. While anchored in Highborne Cay we took a trip in the tender to Iguana Island where tourist have been bringing their fruit scraps to feed the iguanas. As we walked up the beach with our scraps, the iguanas came out of the wood works to get some food. It was pretty interesting watching these

pre-historic looking creatures fight and scrounge for some food. It was great to have a big dinner for Thanksgiving after a full day of water toys, paddle boards, and kayaks. All together there were 25 of us with guests and crew. Even though we were "working," its a holiday we won't soon forget. We ended the trip in Albany where we dropped the guests off and the crew hurried to the beach for an awesome sunset and some brews and music.

The Big Apple

As a kid, the summer vacation to NYC was one of my favorites. There is no future of residence here for us but it is always great to see such an iconic city. We traveled down the East River from Sag Harbor. Along the way to our dock we saw tons of the famous sites, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, and Ground Zero, which a new building stands almost completed in place of the Twin Towers. Today we took a trip up the Hudson River to enjoy the foliage of fall, but before that we got a close up of Lady Liberty. We have been liking the boss' company but they will be leaving shortly giving the crew a few days to play in the City. So far I have 5 tickets (for the guys + 1 of the stews) booked for the Yankees/Red Sox game Monday night, and Bethany is looking into a Broadway play. We are pretty excited about the location and the constant activity that has been going on. I watch the "Wall Street" boys get on the ferry every morning at 0530 and get off at 1800, don't sign me up for that program

anytime soon!

Underway

Today we are underway to Camden, ME from Newport, R.I. which will take roughly 20 hrs. We have a boss' trip coming up so we will be spending a bit of time cruising ME before heading south to Boston and New York. The new boat is a big upgrade and is in immaculate condition. It was built in 2008 out of Delta's shipyard in Seattle, WA. The weather is turning quite quickly to fall so we are ready to get back to FL and start the Caribbean season. We have 9 full time crew at the moment with a good assortment of nationalities, (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and USA). The mate and engineer stay pretty active surfing, kite boarding, long boarding so I am going to try my hand at kite boarding once we get to a warmer and more appropriate climate. Rumor has it that we will be heading to Antigua for the boat show in Dec. which is an awesome place to learn to kite board. Needless to say we are liking the new program so far. Picture Cape Cod Canel

In With the New Out With the Old

Bethany and I have offically moved on to yet another boat. It is the fourth boat of the year and hopefully the last for a few years. The new boat just so happened to be in Newport the same time we were so we just packed up tendered over. Our last boss from Seven J's bought a 156 ft boat that is in mint condition and runs with a crew of 9. The boat is in great shape and sounds like a great program. We are planning to head up to Maine for a month before heading south to FL making stops at New York and Charleston. We are pretty excited about the move and the future travels we will have on the new Seven J's.

The Maine Attraction

I would have to say Maine is in my top 3 favorite destinations that the yachting industry has taken me. It’s a lot quieter than some of the places we have been to but the sites are spectacular, especially on or near the water. We have been on anchor, “on the hook,” for a month now and I don’t even mind because the sites and atmosphere are so great. Traveling through and around Maine by boat is a different story though. Lobster fishing is a big part of Maine’s economy and makes traveling by water difficult. The fishermen will drop pots to catch lobster which are connected to lines with buoys floating on the surface. With all the fishermen and dozens of pots that each fisherman throws out it is almost like driving through a corn field, without rows or any particular order of how the crop is planted. We do our best to avoid as many lobster pots as we can but I hate to admit there are going to be some angry fishermen when they can’t find their catch. We have a cutter near each of our propellers so that if a line does get caught in our prop or stabilizer we will be cut free. On top of avoid lobster pots, Maine fog is unlike anything I have ever witnessed. Many times visibility is limited to less than half a mile. We hope that anything we may hit shows up on our radar and also that our vessels have radar as well. To say the least there have been a few intense moments in the pilot house. We are in Newport, RI for a few weeks then making the trip back to Ft. Lauderdale.

There once was a man from Nantucket...

We have offically been at anchored at Nantucket for almost 3 weeks. We have had some days off to explore the island and found some cool hang out spots. One of our favorite spots is the Cisco winery/brewery. It is a bit out in the country which makes off the beaten path. They brew beer, wine, and spirits. Even though they don't grow their own grapes all the wine, beer, and vodka is processed on the island. They have live music every afternoon and has a similar feel to the Barefoot Bar back home, without the water close by. It's definetly a must stop in our book. The island is also great for bikes and discovering the island on two wheels. There is plenty of water activity including sailing, surfing, kite boarding, SUP and many more. It is a bit pricey on the island and after a $100 dinner bill for a shared dinner we are ready to see more of what New England has to offer. Next stop Kennebunkport, ME. We leave Thursday and leave date is TBD.

Newport to Nantucket

After a 4 day trip and 1,100 miles we finally made it from Ft. Lauderdale to Newport R.I. It is our first time on the New England coast and so far we like what we are seeing. It has a totally different vibe from South Florida and has a similar feel to the Mediterranean. The character and history make the area pretty unique. We were able to have a couple hours off one night in Newport, so we took the crew car for a drive. The main sites we saw were on Bellevue Ave., which included some of the biggest mansions I have ever seen and date back to the 1890’s. The Marble House, The Breakers, and Salve Regina University, which is the one of the coolest campus’ I have ever seen. Some of the campus buildings are old mansions donated over the years and date back more than 100 years. The night life is great for family and young people with plenty of pubs and shops around. After 2 nights in Newport we headed to Nantucket, Mass. We have been at anchor for 3 nights and will remain here throughout the weekend. We run the tender into town for food, parts, etc so we have had a chance to see the town. The streets are cobble stone and remind me a bit of Dublin. The architecture and buildings in New England are different from Europe but they both have the nautical/ocean feel. It’s fun to be in the part of America where our country all started. There is talk of heading to Maine so hopefully sometime next week we will head north or visit Martha’s Vineyard which is pretty close to Nantucket. Picture- Newport Bridge

Heading North

After a trip home for the 4th of July holiday, Bethany and I headed back to FL in search of work while our boss looks for a new boat. We were here just 30 hours before we got a phone call asking if we would be interested in helping deliver a boat from Ft. Lauderdale to Newport Rhode Island. Before that we gathered our stuff from a storage unit expecting to be settled in Ft. Lauderdale for awhile. Little did we know we would have to bring it all back the next day. As of right now we will be leaving tomorrow (July 12th) and planning on a 5 day trip up to Newport and hopefully working up north until our boss calls with a new boat and new destination. The boat we are traveling with is a 40 year old Feadship, 122ft Odalisque which I have worked on in the past 2 different times. The Captain is Jim who is 73 and has become like a 3rd grandfather to me. We are expecting to be really busy these next few months but we're up for the challenge and so blessed God has provided this opportunity!

2 years ago today...Anniversary Blog

Two years ago today, Bethany and I tied the knot. We thought it would be a great time to catch everyone up on what we have done the past two years. We started out our journey with a one week honeymoon in Coast Rica, a place we would love to visit again and enjoyed the layed-back atmosphere. One month later we were both on our way to Europe on a 200 ft. private yacht. The trip across the Atlantic took 10 days and we were in Europe for 3 months. We enjoyed the sites of South of France, the west coast of Italy, Spain, and many more beautiful islands. After our first job together we headed back to the Mid West to celebrate our wedding with a reception. Then off to West Palm Beach, FL. We rented a 2 bedroom house for dirt cheap and lived civilian life for 4 months before we got our next permanent job. While looking for work we hopped around from boat to boat working day to day or if we were fortunate enough week to week. Finally a permanent job came, leading us over to Europe once again. We flew to Malta, where our journey began sailing up the east coast of Italy, cutting over to Croatia from Venice, sailing down Croatia and finally finishing out our summer in Greece for 4 months. All in all it lasted 10 months. After a rest at home for a short month, we started the job search once again in Ft. Lauderdale. It took 7 days before Bethany was on a new boat sailing the Caribbean stopping at the British Virgin Islands, USVI's, and Puerto Rico. I got on a boat heading up to West Palm Beach and after 3ish months apart, Bethany and I were reunited and starting on a new boat which is also the current boat we are working on. It's been a whirl wind two years but we have loved all we have done and feel really good about where we are now. Who knows where the next two years will lead us but one thing is for sure we'll be ready for it and sharing it with you. -Andrew

Well Ladies and Gents, You Heard it First Here...

Andrew and I have brought home our family's newest addition. Baby Taylor was added to the Hodnefield clan today when we picked her up from the local Guitar Center. Andrew has been begging me to let him get a guitar. Don't get me wrong I am all about his music but when it comes to traveling, the lighter the better. So we compromised on a "baby" or mini guitar. He is really happy with it and hopes to learn a ton of new songs and take his show on the road! ;) Who knows, the Andrew and Taylor band may be coming to your city!

Southern Most Point

Today Bethany and I had a chance to catch some of the sites Key West, FL has to offer. One of the biggest tourist spots we had to hit was the Southern most point in the Continental US. Our mate from Seven J's, Chuck joined us as we cruised on our long boards around the island dodging cars and pedestrians who had a few to many mid-morning cocktails. We also hit up Fort Zachary Taylor Historic Park. The fort dates back to the mid-1800's and was used during the Civil War as military base. During 1970's the fort was turned into a state park mostly for hippies, vagabonds, VW vans or someone just looking for a white sandy beach. The other night there was a "drag" race competition we were fortunate enough to miss (but we caught it on the morning news). Key West is notorious for their open arms to the gay community. It's the biggest college party town I have witnessed, I have yet to see any college students though. -A

New Boat!

As some of you may know, Bethany and I started a new job/boat together. The boat is a 110 ft private yacht called Seven J's. It is the same make as our last boat and because of the number of crew and living arrangements, we will be staying in one of the guest cabins. The boat sounds like a great program with great benefits, lots of fishing, travel, and great owners. We are heading down to the FL Keys, for a couple weeks then traveling north. As a rough itinerary we are planning to head north making stops along the east coast (South Carolina)/ New England area (Boston, New York, Martha's Vineyard), continuing on up to Canada (Nova Scotia) and coming in the St. Lawrence Sea Way. We will then travel the Great Lakes down to Chicago where we will be late summer and

early fall. That's the program so far and is all subject to change. Bethany and I have been longing to do this trip since we started yachting. We will have plenty of photos and blogs to come this summer so stay tuned to hear what happens next!

*Update*

Sorry for the lack of posting lately. Bethany and I have been working on separate boats now for over two months, many times in different cities (or countries). Bethany has completed two boats shows, a trip to the USVI's and Puerto Rico with her current boat and plans to be done with her boat mid-April after an owners trip to the Bahamas. I have been working on an old boat with an even older Captain, but I love the job. I am located in Ft. Lauderdale for the time being until the owner either decides to move it or cut down costs and nixes me. Bethany and I are together this weekend up in West Palm Beach for the boat show. There currently isn't a position open for Bethany on my boat unless the owner uses it or takes it up north for the summer. I plan to stay on my boat until the work runs out or we find a couples job. Bethany is able to stay on my boat no problem so that helps. We are happy temp working right now because we would like to come home late June through the 4th of July, but if a permanent couples job comes up we will take it. Well that's our life for the last 2 months in a nut shell!
Andrew

Back to the grind.

Thought I would update everyone on our current status. Bethany has been down in the carribean for 2 weeks now crusing the Virgin islands on an owners trip. I have just took a temp gig on a boat heading up to West Palm Beach. I have worked for this captain before and really enjoyed him and the job. Everything is going good and work has been coming in as well. Hopefully Bethany and I will be reunited in a week and a half or so. Bethany really likes the boat she is on. Who knows what the future will bring but we will be ready!