Ship's Logs

Homecoming

July 16, 2001

Sheri, our Crew of five and I sailed out of Charleston, South Carolina last Sunday Morning at 9:00 AM.

The "Tree of Life" spent 5 1/2 days and nights at sea sailing into Newport Harbor at 2:30 AM on Friday.

The trip was an awesome adventure...!!

Sailing over 150 miles offshore for five days brings new meaning to being alone. What a "Wonderful Experience..!!" Sheri and I have traveled alone before.... NEVER like this..!!

Each day's sailing brought something different... Some time was under power, motorsailing. Ocean was as calm as a lake at times. We sailed in 17 to 20 knot winds, too.. 5 to 7 foot seas.. going 8 knots....!!!

The "Tree of Life" is some ship..!! Designed by Ted Brewer and built in Nova Scotia 10 years ago. She is comfortable and safe at sea. We spent every hour at sea feeling something new....!!!

I took regular watch with crew, 2 hours on followed by 2 hours standby in the pilot house or on deck every 8 hours, 24 hours a day...!!

The crew is great. We got to know them a bit better. Here are some pictures I took along the way....

• Pete is a sailor, Captain, from New Zealand who joined our crew for this, our "Maiden Voyage." He has removed sail cover in preparation for casting off.
• Sally and Pete adjust sails as we leave Charleston, South Carolina for Newport, Rhode Island Sunday morning.
• Sally was asleep in her cabin with the deck hatch open. A flying fish, attracted by the reflected light, flew into her cabin and onto her berth. She brought it on deck for all to see before returning it to the water. Sally held the record for "Biggest Fish Caught" for 3 days.... More Later..!!!
• Airing "Clean Laundry" is OK..!!
• Captain John rides bow at sunrise... Feeling Great..!!
• Tree of Life... deck at sea.
• Happy Owners..... On a new Adventure & Journey
• Isla, Boatswain at helm, Simon, 1 st Mate Engineer and Sheri....
• Captain Dorian & Cook Sally relax on deck lounges.
• Dorian makes an adjustment to lines as winds howl..!!
• Now we're fishin'.... SHARK...!!!
• Simon really wanted the lure back... several attempts were made to retrieve it..UNTIL..!!! The shark, angry with being jostled...lunged upward toward us and closed his mouth, his teeth cutting the heavy wire lead like it was nylon...and swam away..!! Hard to conceal our excitement..!! We are thrilled about the adventure before us...!!!
• Notice the angle of sail. Good wind all 8 sails flying. Doesn't get much better than this.....!!!!!!

We'll be in Newport for most of the summer. Trips to Nantucket, Martha's Vinyard and Block Island are in store for us as well. We wish you could share in our joy... So, please call for a day's sailing with us.