She floats!!!!

Today Rumpus ended her 21 month hibernation and we are in the water!

We scrubbed, we sanded, we polished, we painted, we shopped, we sweated.

The super crew at Puerto del Rey  took great care with our baby.

A few glitches: no instruments, no chart plotter and at first no engine.

However....once we had ignition, we were on the move and we are snug in our marina berth. Our Easter plan? a shakedown cruise to the Spanish virgin Islands (Culebra and Vieques)

Stay safe in Aotearoa with Cyclone Cook ! we are thinking of you!

The guy on the left is driving the hoist with his little remote control

Sarah and Ryan watching Rumpus on the move

Last minute antifouling on the keel

And finally in the water!!!! 

Crew on their way!

 

Starting with a clean bottom

Puerto del Rey, Puerto Rico.

The plan: rent a car in San Juan, drive to Fajardo, find the air bnb, start setting up the boat.

The reality: rental car #1 had a bulge in the tyre; back to base. Rental car # 2's front bumper fell off on the motorway. So we are on rental car #3: satisfactory so far.

Driving on the right side of the road!!! eeeeeep some exciting moments!

Rumpus is sitting on props in a field at the marina. She's been beautifully looked after by Sam & Leah Moorefield of SC Boat tending. We took them out to dinner to thank them. We now know a lot more about the Jehovah's Witness faith and the best burritos in Fajardo at Lolita's.

Two days of antifouling with occasional visits from the local horses, cows, dogs and birds. In the water on Wednesday insha'Allah.

Sarah and Ryan arrive tomorrow from New York and the crew will be assembled.

the interior of Rumpus living up to her name

Stirring the antifouling

Kombi-patterned curtains in this wee classic

After two days' painting with a little bit still to go

OUR TRACKER!!!! and email address

Once we are out there and sailing, you can track us!
We leave NZ today....next stop Houston, then San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Here is the link to the tracker:

http://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/Rumpus

And to contact us, it's best to use email: rumpus@myiridium.net
Please send simple emails, no photos as we are relying on a satellite phone. Also please send a fresh email rather than replying (which re-sends the text of the previous email)

The 2017 voyage aka the Endless Summer

Summer is winding down here in the Antipodes; time to head to Fajardo, Puerto Rico, to reunite with Rumpus! She has been waiting patiently and now is the time.
With Sarah Michel and Ryan Wiblin, we are planning a trip across the Caribbean, via Cuba, to Panama, the Galapagos and then on to the Tuamotus, the Marquesas and finally Raiatea.
Rumpus will then stay in Raiatea over the 2017-2018 southern summer, and be ready for us to visit again and sail some more in the Pacific in 2018.

Ryan and Sarah somewhere cold

K and Rupe in our home waters

the endless summer game plan

Rumpus game plan 2017 – the endless summer

6 April – summer ends in NZ

7 April – summer begins in the Caribbean

7 April  - R and K arrive at Fajardo marina

      

10 April – R and S arrive at Fajardo marina

12 April – launch and sea trial

13 April – upwind sail to Culebra

14 April – sail to San Juan for provisioning

14 -16 - San Juan provisioning

16 -18 April – sail to Luperon, Dominican Republic

18-19 April – Luperon, Dominican Republic

20 - 21 April – sail to Santiago de Cuba

21 - 27 April – explore Santiago de Cuba

27 April – 29 April - sail to Isla de Providencia

29 April – 2 May - Isla de Providencia

2 – 4 May - sail to Shelter Bay, Panama

6 May – fly to Cartagena, Colombia for 5 days

6 - 11 May – Cartagena, Colombia

11 May - fly to Panama

12 – 18 May - transit Panama Canal

18 - 20 May – provisioning in Panama

20 - 26 May - 6 days to Galapagos

26 May - 9 June – 14 days at Galapagos

9 – 27 June - 17 days to Marquesas

27 June – 11 July - 14 days at Marquesas

11 – 14 July - 3 days sail Marquesas to Tuamotus

14 – 28 July - 14 days in Tuamotus

28 - 31 July - 3 days sail to Papeete

31 July – arrive Papeete

31 July – 2 August – Papeete

Blog link as Rumpus starts for home

Well, as promised Rumpus is on her way home. Since October 2014 she has made her way from Messalonghi in Greece to the Canary Islands, ready to leap across the Atlantic. 

Rupe is on board, with Mike Brown. Murray and Dale are about to join them. 

Kristin still at home, flying out on Christmas day to meet Rumpus in Antigua!'

So Mike is on Blog duty: here is the link to his blog:

http://mikebrownsailing.wordpress.com