after years of planning and dreaming, mike and brenda will very soon realize their dream of living aboard a sailboat. they will be winging their way to florida soon on a trip to find the perfect cruising yacht. i hope you all will join us in wishing them good fortune and fairwinds. i imagine we won't see them at this years rendezvous (they were a big part of many past events). only thing i can say is that i cant think of better company either under sail or on dry land. good luck to a great couple. they define partnership.
Congratulation Mike and Brenda!
We look forward to reading your blog on your adventures.
You may not be able to attend CLR in body, but you will forever be present In spirit.
Maybe we could place a large photo of you both on the table and at the dock to represent your presence!
Good luck and godspeed,
Carl and Joan
Really cool to see people following their dream. I love it down here in Punta Gorda, and I am not going back to Chicagoland, except to visit. If Arthur has taught me one thing, (and actually he has taught me quite a lot, not only about sailing) is that there is no shortage of boats for sale down here. All sizes, prices, condition, whatever you want, you just have to find it, after you figure out what you want. This is the big thing. What are you going to do with the boat? Then find the one in the best condition that meets your needs and you can afford. Which could change later. Part of the journey. Mike and Brenda and other sailors chasing their dream, whatever it may be, are living life to the fullest. What more could you want? Arthur retired at 56 and has chased his dream, travelling and sailing, on dozens of different boats, all over the world, for damn near 60 years. He, and his wife have been sailing for over 60 years, together and apart, with young children, at first, in the early 60's. The man has seen it all and is still sharp as a tack, able to relate it all. His body is failing him, not his brain. Incredible. He lived his dream and wouldn't do anything different, he says. Who else can say that? I hope I can.
Live your dream, Mike and Brenda, and if you ever get over my way, give a shout. I'd love to meet you. I'm no longer a Bears Fan, really, it's safe. PM for contact info, although I may have given it to you before.
Trying to live my dream,
Vectordirector
Another congratulations to our favorite sailing friends from WI! Brenda and Mike--While we don't see you often and are sad you won't be there for CLR, we consider you both good friends and wish you the very best of luck, fun, and of course life-enhancing adventure on your travels. And of course anytime you are in Columbus to see your son you are welcome to stay at our place.
Just keep a v-berth ready for us in case we crash your cruise sometime. Is Islamorda to Key West 2016 OK with you guys? :) lol!
Retirement is not terribly far away for us-5-6 yrs or so and we plan to be in the gulf cruising around as well. Without a doubt we can see a time where we'll cruise together around south florida--the Marquesa's, Dry Tortugas, Key West. By then I"m sure you'll know the waters and be able to keep us off the reef :)
Seriously, have a great time. Can't wait to hear what you got and read about your adventures!
First off, thank you all for the well wishes. We are truly excited to be starting this new chapter in our lives by fulfilling our dream of cruising. Next week we will be driving around Florida looking at smallish cruising boats. We hope to find the perfect boat in the next 2-3 months.
BUT, please don't count us out of CLR 2015. We are planning our retirement dates based on the timing of this amazing event. We have made many great friends over the last few CLR's and would hate to miss the chance to see each of you again. If everything falls in place we plan on attending at least some portion of this years fun. Obviously we wouldn't be able to bring our boat, but we hope some of you would take us as crew.
We bet we will make lots of of new friends in our travels, but the friendships we have made at the CLR's will always hold a special place in our hearts. We consider many of you to be lifelong friends and hope to continue visiting with you for years to come.
Mike and Brenda
Well, this is a relief to me! Reading the above posts, of course I join in to wish you well in this new chapter in the Adventure of the Greenes. But I'd already made plans with some relatives in Hoboken, NJ who specialize in "human relocation", shall we say, to make sure you are at CLR 2015. I'll call them up and tell them they may not be needed.
I've only been to one CLR but couldn't imagine you 2 not being there. This is a real incentive to haul my 23 over hill and dale just to invite you both aboard, provided you promise not to clean out my PBR stash- but wait!- I recant- you're welcome to all you want!
We should stay in touch about your travel agenda in Florida- we may be planning one or 2 short trips down in the coming months; I'd be fun to meet up in the Sunshine State.
Wishing you both the best and I'll confess to being a bit envious, although I wouldn't trade this years snow, ice and cold for all the sun, rum and flip flops in Charlotte County!
Bob23
even though our situation with our elderly mothers keeps us here, if we can manage a week away we also might be able to "crash the cruisers" and head to the keys. my talents include eating, drinking, scaring sharks and getting stuff off the top shelf.
hey mike and b, if you are coming to the clr, you will be staying with us. i will pick you up at the airport if need be. steve
We wish you both luck in finding a fantastic boat for your future travels and adventures!
We also really hope you both can make it to CLR, as Ginger and I hope we can as well. I seriously cant wait for CLR, It is such a great time!
Mac and Ginger
Brenda and Mike: So glad to hear you are making plans to be there for the infamous CLR event. Looking forward to seeing you both and the rest of the crew!
One of these days we'll be down to Orange Beach to enjoy the beach, Lulu's, the famous Floribama Bushwackers (one of our favorites) and the gulf coast waters. We'll give you plenty of heads up. A day cruise on your new yacht seems to be in order!
i see where the greenes have completed step one-----find a boat. an island packet 31. a beauty to be sure. i know i speak for the clr board of governors when i say "if you want to trailer it to the clr in july, you have our blessing. congrads
If the survey goes well we will definitely have our little cruising boat. The future "Wrinkles" is a beautifully kept '84 Island Packet 31. Here are a couple of pics.
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Island%20Packet%2031/1a6f578a8e76b8defef7364dc5aacf21.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Island%20Packet%2031/aed3326e1d6599816d9fee3b274a5603.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Island%20Packet%2031/67d913327cdcf1303d58703f983a0bb1.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Island%20Packet%2031/9200526cec241567f0c767d08ba713a7.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Island%20Packet%2031/49581d0f2b2f3e7237ed763c886a9c52.jpg)
(http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt211/greene2108/Island%20Packet%2031/7cacc0a20d5456a9fd64a28bd2943e31.jpg)
Survey will be in the next 10 days and then she'll be put on the hard in Charlotte Harbor for a couple of months until we are officially retired.
Mike and Brenda
Wow she looks great and tons of room for friends who drop in for a visit!
B:) 23
Any time, anywhere Bob. You will always be welcome aboard. We do hope our Com-Pac friends will keep in contact and venture out to see us. Brenda would get SOOOOOO tired of just seeing me every day.
Mike
Beautiful new home!
Great choice, she'll take good care of you wherever your travels take you!
CC
I'm not sure your problem will be how to get us to visit you...rather how to get rid of us!! Looking over the pics more closely, she's a fine yacht. And the green canvas- I get it now! Greene....green! And a real (kinda) engine room! Just beautiful!
Bob23
guess they will have to go from royal blue to kelly green--------a beauty to be sure
Shhhhhhhhh! Brenda hasn't realized it isn't blue yet.
Mike
Very nice Mike and Brenda. Best of luck, hope it works out well for you. Keep us updated on your plans. If you are to be permanently located in Orange Beach, I go past there several times a year and it would be great to visit. I hope to increase that frequency as I'm in the process of making an offer on a lot in Biloxi.
Looks like a super choice Mike. Island Packets have a very good reputation down here. I see quite a few of them. I would take one anywhere, weather permitting. They are regarded as perfect coastal cruisers, stoutly built, beamy, with lots of room inside for their size. Pick a good one the size you need and you won't be sorry. Florida waters are skinny, so keep that in mind. I've been watching the sailboat market down here for about 3 years. Be careful with older boats that have sat in the sun for 30 years. Or in a canal not on a lift. Salt water is punishing too. We didn't have to deal with that up north. Something that needs a lot of refurbishment, and they are all over down here, might take a lot longer to redo than you estimate. Hey, if you are into that stuff, go for it, there are plenty of restoration candidates down here. My neighbor has a beautiful mid 70's Morgan 30 he redid. It is stunning and he single hands it. If you have the time and skills, I'm sure it is a rewarding process. Not for me though. Oh, and keep in mind that maintenance down here is needed basically twice as often if the boat is outside twice as often. Lot more engine time, sails used more, etc. Things just wear out faster. Budget for that too. Local marinas are about $13/foot per month. Plus electric. Hope the survey goes well. If you can swing it, the IP 35 is a wonderful boat too. It would be better for having "guests", like, say, Com-Pac owners. The 35 will also hold more beer, so that's something.
Charlotte Harbor is in my backyard. If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to PM.
By the way, the Publix in Punta Gorda has an amazing selection of cold beer. Just so you know.
Vectordirector