Update time: heard from Nick, they blew into port just ahead of a big storm and Tony and Sharon were so glad to get in they left for dinner on shore! Hooray! Nick sounded glad to be 'at anchor' waiting out the storm. I've been ok'd by the MD to fly in Saturday for a few days. Will say hello and check in with crew. Long flight but it will be worth it to share a Biggy Birthday and see the Ronzinante crew again. Gaining strength slowly, hopefully the trip won't be too tough! So I will deliver hugs and kisses personally from all.

Hi Sharon, "T" & Nick, We just wanted to say hello and hope that the wind is at your sails taking you to Bermuda!! A early HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU SHARON!!!!!!! I'm going to miss decorating your place as a surprise and going and having a wonderful dinner. We will have some cheer and a toast to you next Tuesday I hope that all your wishes come true that day and everyday going forward enjoy the DOM PERIGON. Tony I hope that your leg is feeling better and that you are well also. Nick I hope that all is well with you and Rozanante.

D'elle we are sorry to hear about what happened to you! We've been trying to keep posted on your condition and know that we are tihinking of you and send you good energy so you can get well soon!!! Please keep us updated..Love to all of you......S&C

The ARC EUROPE website is: "www.worldcruising.com/arceurope/". As of 17/05/06 12:00:00 Ronzinante was
70 nm SW of Bermuda cruising at 7 kts. The boat and crew should be close at this time. Should receive confirmation
tomorrow May 18. Log on!

Sharon, Wonderful message on 5/7. You are so right on. You will be heading off soon... "May you kiss the wind, and turn from it, knowing it will love your back." We have never done the Atlantic crossing, but imagine leaving from Bermuda, it will take into the Trades (tradewinds) and you will be on the "great circle route." Because the earth is curved, the shortest route to Europe looks like an arc on the chart (rounded up toward north). Both the trade winds and the curve of the earth will carry you.

Loved all your conclusions: position yourself behind the cruise ships, as you did. Only the best liners respond to you on the radio; some don't. Never fall in the water at any harbor. So much love to Tony.

Thinking of you daily. Love you. Good food, good love, fair winds. Keep in touch through this wonderful message board!

Dad (Nick), Give me a call ASAP it is ergent that you call me.

Dean

We just wanted to say " HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY" to Sharon! Your the best and we hope your day is full of great sailing and good company and Tony should be a nice guy and stand all of your watches for you. Ha Ha Ha! Love you guys...take care.

It seems only fair to post an update to the tragedy that was our rendezvous plan. I went on a commercial cruise with my mom and on the trip apparently was exposed to Legionair's Disease. In E.R where it was first supposed I had contracted viral menengitis in Acapulco, I refused to go to the hospital, feeling I would be better off at home. Several fever-filled days later, further tests confirmed Legionair's. I've been a very sick puppy. Got sick May 1, just now seeing the light at the end of the tunnelr! I was so disappointed to be unable to join the crew for this part of the journey, however I got our tickets bumped out so we can apply the fare to another destination so we're heading your way as soon as we can coordinate schedules. Heard from Nick on the satellite phone who told me if I wasn't going to die he wasn't going to fly home, so there! Also said the first part of the sail to Bermuda was lovely and everything he had wanted to share. Glad they're finally having some good sailing. Knew that was a good 'leg' to be on since it was fairly short and ending in yet another party port. We'll see. Don't hold out much hope for making it to Bermuda since I can't stand up yet but there's always Gibralter! Spring has definately sprung right into Summer here. I would love to be able to fill in details but the past 10 days have been a total blur. Suffice to say I am on the mend, beginning to be able to stand enough light to look at the site and write so hope to keep everyone somewhat posted although I'm not the best authority by any means. Nick says to monitor the ARC site as well since that organization is posting information on everyone's position and progress but I don't seem to have the site info (or more likely I'm still too brain fogged to figure it out!) If anyone has that info and would like to share it would be appreciated. Meanwhile, congrats Polly on your hard work. Keep on shrinking, you're just a shadow of your former self and you've got to be feeling pretty good! I'm not sure I can recommend a cruise but I know you and Dean would probably still like to take one. Apparently the water filtering systems on those big cruise liners are not the best place to hang out unless you are a 'bad bug' and then it's paradise! Why don't they put that in the brochures? Sitting in the hot tub can be fatal. Also the food was not what I had been lead to believe...in fact it was awful! The good news is, I won't ever bug Nick to go on a 'luxury' cruise again! He's relieved. Hope to be able to go outside soon. At the moment have to keep everything cool, quiet and dark. Feeling a bit like a mushroom!

We made Daytona Beach!! Once we got out of the inlet at St Lucie and onto the Atlantic again, the water was the most incredible color of blue green against the baby blue sky. We sailed a bit and motored a bit and about 5am as the sun was coming up, we took our position behind three enormous cruise ships and motored into the harbor at Cape Canaviral. The harbor is alive with ships from all over the world and cruisers coming up the cost along with us. We had been in radio contact with several sailing vessels on the way. They, as well as the captains of the huge cruise ships, are easily reached and it's nice to be able to talk with them. Nick is very good on the radio. He knows all the correct radio protocol while Tony and I are just learning and little timid and tongue tied, but still it's fun to preplan just what you will say when you press the button and then it still comes out like a scene out of Airplane. We sailed like pros into the lock at the port and tided up to the sides of the lock while the water filled and put us out into the Banana River and then back into the ICW. In spite of all the bridges on the ICW, I really enjoyed the trip up the "ditch". There is plenty to see. Mansions tht make Hollywood look like small potatoes and other boats of all types passing going both north and south. We pulled into the harbor at Daytona Beach about 6:00pm and Tony and I made a dash for the dock and a cab and a trip to the hospital. It seems that when Tony missed his step climbing aboard the boat at Burnt Store Harbor in Fort Myers and fell into the water, he landed hard on the rail of the boat and made a big, big booboo on his leg. I, the boat doc, had been treating it, but it was clear that there was infection that was not responding to our first aid kit meds. Then he began to have an ear infection and his throat was swelling shut so it was time to get some major medicine. At the emergency room he got an IV with a cocktail of meds and three prescriptions and tonight he is feeling better. Nick took us to dinner for Tony's birthday and as I write, he is sleeping with a belly full of good food and some good drugs. Note to self.... never fall into the water at a harbor. Some harbors on the west coast of Florida do not flush well do to the fact that they only have one small tide a day. Tomorrow, we will sail the remaining 30 miles to Palm Coast where we will dock with some representatives of the Rally and spend a few days with them while we provision for the long haul to Bermuda. Then we will sail on up to St Augustine on the 10th and prepare to take our place at the starting line for the race to Europe. Nick knows all about this racing stuff and he has tried to get Tony and I aware of the correct way to leave the starting line. I suspect that we will not be leaving the starting line in a spray of white foam. This marks the end of the first leg of this journey. It has been full of challanges and chances to practice perservering skills, but on the whole....It's a darn site better than going to work at the same place every day.
Update again before we leave for Bermuda.

Latest word from Sharon... this morning May 3: Stymied again. They are in the Intra Cooastal waterway, about five miles from Port Lucy. A bridge that should be able to raise can't; So several boats are in a little inlet waiting.along with them. The weather off the coast is still rather pissy, but they intend to press ahead at St Lucy (she wasn't sure if it was st, fort or port; (doesn't matter.} Will enter the Atlantic there and sail up to Cape Canaveral, which is about eighty miles north. I hope I got this all right, because I didn't write it down, and I've been really busy today and I'm old, don't ya know. Love

Dad, (Nick) Just wanted to let you know that the jacket you got me when we was in Oregan it now fits. I have room to spare as well. Well take care and we will talk to you later. Polly

I just received my monthly newsletter from spirit of maat (Drunvalo Melchezedek -) who is telling of Light Life Technology by Slim Spurling who has invented a Stormchaser! check it out at www.spiritofmaat.com/maatshop/sp_stormchaser_info.htm. You only need $2400 to be free of storms on your travel!
Worth every penny! You can check out Drunvalo's site as well for an interesting read. New technology.
Spring has sprung, grass is high and weedeaters are out. Its time! People have smiles and are civil again. Knute's project is putting in a new shower in upstairs bath and weedeating! Not nearly as exciting as sailing the ocean blue. Wishing you a wonderful next leg on your adventure.

just checking to see if yesterdays update waent through