While we were waiting on a rudder...

As some of you may know, we've continued our travels in recent weeks, albeit on land instead of water as originally planned. The good- actually great- news is that today we picked up our brand new rudder!

It's not the best photo since it's all wrapped up, but proof that significant progress has been made toward getting our boat ship-shape again.

At the time I last wrote, we were back on the hard in North Carolina. Wind-Lass sat back up on jack stands, looking like a big, awkward bird without her her tail feathers. (Since for now I'm lacking a picture of a rudderless Wind-Lass, this one of the very cute, resident boatyard kitty will have to do).

Of course, we're not exactly the only people to have had this kind of thing happen and it didn't take long to learn that luckily there was a (somewhat) nearby company who could make us a new rudder with the original CSY 44 mold. Located in Williston, Florida, Foss Foam, has been making quality rudders for a wide array of sailboats since 1978, and from what we heard around yard, on the Internet, and among sailing friends, they were our guys.

After a few very positive phone conversations with Foss' owner, Al Walker, we agreed the best thing to do would be to drive our good-condition rudder post to the shop in Williston. That way, even though we'd pay for gas and any lodging outside of the van, we would save money on shipping and hopefully enjoy some warmer weather in Florida while we waited.

And though it wasn't exactly the cheapest purchase, we're just relieved it's not the catastrophic blow to our finances I originally thought it might be. Part of the was due to Scotty's smart thinking to ask if Foss Foam could make the rudder using our original bronze post which was still intact and in good condition, and his subsequent hard work getting it out of the boat.

The not-so-great news is that Wind-Lass definitely won't be leaving the yard anytime soon, at least not until after the next hurricane season ends (for insurance purposes that would be November 1st). There just simply isn't enough time or money to get to the Bahamas this year. So yeah, it's a bummer, but eight months isn't really that long to wait, assuming we can pull it off then.

Now it's been just over two weeks since we left the boatyard. We essentially fled this uncharacteristically cold winter in the South (and everywhere else in North America besides the West Coast), by driving to the southernmost place we could go without leaving the country: the Florida Keys. I'd never been before, but now I know why people rave about this area: there's plenty of natural beauty, things to see and do, and an interesting and friendly mix of people.  Key Largo, in particular, has been a great place for us to have a surprisingly inexpensive and relaxing vacation.

More photos and posts to come, including the road trip south (with stops in Charleston, Jacksonville, and Miami), our awesome little camping spot and experiences in sunny Key Largo, and also, the process and outcome of getting a very solid and beautiful new rudder for Wind-Lass.

The last few weeks have been somewhat of a mixed bag emotionally and otherwise, but we're still chugging along and this winter's adventures aren't over yet!