shellbellefamilycruising: Island Time!

Crew 'The Beauchamps'

To update...about us.

Well we've come a long way in planning this 'little' adventure but here we are finally getting started! Skipper Dan finally put his papers in and retired ending a 31 year career in Policing. He enjoyed over 17 years on the Marine and Dive team and added a list of certificates to aid in our journey. He had planned a solo adventure until I came along:) With our dreams combined we added our little sailor Sebastien now 3 years old and Alexandra at 1 year old. I have graciously ended my short career as a Paramedic and added myself, Shelley, to this wonderful adventure as a family! I just completed my Basic Cruising Standard and fell instantly in love with sailing! Our adventure will start with cruising around Virgin Gorda, BVI's where we purchased our s/v this December/January. Dan will bring the boat over to the US this spring and up to Canada in the summer 2014. From there we will move onto the boat full-time and cruise the east coast and Caribbean until the kids are a bit older and venture out from there.

We are not writers by any means but feel it is necessary to blog our journey so that friends and family can follow along.

Proud Skipper Dan

It was a great visit to our 'new to us' s/v "Shell Belle" located in Virgin Gorda, BVI's at the Yacht Harbor this past August 2013. She was up on the hard when we arrived and stayed there during our visit. We were hoping the work we needed done to sail her would be complete prior to our arrival however things were moving slowly as slow as 'Island Time'.

One of our biggest challenges was adjusting ourselves to 'Island Time' and the HEAT! The Caribbean in the summer heat and humidity can pose some challenges for the kids and ourselves along with the relentless mosquitoes! It did not help that our youngest was teething for the first two weeks.

Alex and Mommy

Sailor Seb

It was exciting to explore the boat and discover all the amazing things about her. We are still in the process of putting her full history together starting from her build in 1975 at the Cheoy Lee Shipyard in Hong Kong. She was built for either an American or English Second WW Veteran. She has cruised the Med extensively and has 4 Atlantic crossings to her credit...most notably the America 500 Rally Circa 1992 celebrating Christopher Columbus's crossing. She still has the full array of charts for both the Med and Caribbean.

She was named 'Rangoon Lady', as we are told, after the woman who helped him escape from a POW camp near Rangoon. Since he never got to know her name he named the vessel in her honor.

The previous owners had the vessel for over 20 years and named her "Seminole Wind". They took excellent care of her and other than a few issues identified during the Survey she is good to go. We are left with mostly cosmetic work to do and are looking forward to that.

New hand rail installed. Workbench did a great job!

Good to know our kids make friends easy!

It seems overwhelming to me. However I cannot wait to sail her!

Master his and her bunks, love it!

Nav Station looking aft. Check out the chart drawers.

Old charts,

Oh yes my friend 'the bow thruster'!

12KW Genie

Fully protected Prop

6068 John Deer

Lots of storage space, Hanging locker in master stateroom.

There is cork inlay in both heads. I'm not sure I'm a fan yet.

Blurry picture, hubby's shot sorry, looking forward to Seb's room from the galley. Seb as has already claimed it!

Master shower, lots of room for kids tub.

Good size fridge and freezer.

Our Princess Electric Stove.

The second Head also has a walk in shower. Its located between the bow stateroom and double bunk stateroom.

Settee in Seb's room, not sure if I'm a fan of the leather, it's on the galley settee too.

Looking forward in Seb's room to chain locker.

Storage under Pilot Berth, Engine room adjacent.

Alex's room or guest room if anyone would want to join us for a visit:)

As you can see we have a lot of organizing to do to make it ours! Now to the work we anticipate to be completed as 'Island Time' allows it. Bow pulpit was taken off and shipped to Tortola for redesign and fabrication. The redesign is to close more of it off so that the kids cannot fall through. Great idea from Geoff at the Workbench! 4 tangs were also taken off to be replaced. We are also having the cockpit completely enclosed with canvas, as it is now it is only covering half. At the same time we are having a large piece of canvas made to fit over all the teak for when she's on the hard.

A nice 'to do' list for the Workbench at Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor along with fixing one of the AC units, installing an inverter and wind turbine. Not counting on it all being done seeing they only have 4 months!

During our next visit we've picked a few small jobs, lol, along with all the organizing to do. The previous owners actually left spreadsheets for tools, spare parts, etc. The galley is fully stock with utensils, cooking ware, dish sets, etc. We are hoping to paint the inside cabinets and do a wee bit of sanding and varnishing, when babes are asleep of course!

Miscellaneous shots...