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France's Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the 26-day military intervention killed "several hundred" militants as its air and ground forces chased them from their northern strongholds into remote mountainous terrain in the far north-east, near the Algerian border.
The defence ministry said the militants died in French air strikes on vehicles transporting fighters and equipment, and in "direct combat" in the key central and northern towns of Konna and Gao.
France's sole fatality so far has been a helicopter pilot killed at the start of the military operation.
Mali said 11 of its troops were killed and 60 wounded after the battle at Konna last month but has not since released a new death toll.
The Malian army took "some prisoners, not many, who will have to answer to Malian courts and to international justice," Le Drian said, adding that some of those detained were high-ranking militants.
France expects to begin withdrawing its soldiers from Mali "starting in March, if all goes as planned," Fabius told daily Metro in an interview published on Wednesday.
"France has no intention of remaining in Mali for the long-term. It is up to the Africans and to the Malians themselves to guarantee the country's security, territorial integrity and sovereignty."
French hostages
While asserting that the "narco-terrorists have been stopped", the top French diplomat stressed that "there could always be individual actions" and all players must remain on their guard as "the risk is always present".
Nearly 4 000 troops from France are currently deployed in Mali, and the former colonial ruler is keen to hand over the operation to African forces amid warnings the militants could now launch a prolonged insurgency.
The French defence ministry said Kidal – the last town to fall of those seized by al-Qaeda-linked fighters who occupied northern Mali for 10 months – was now under the control of French forces and about 1 800 troops from Chad.
The rebels have fled to the Adrar des Ifoghas massif around Kidal, a craggy mountain landscape honeycombed with caves where they are believed to be holding seven French hostages.
One of the militant groups, the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa, said it had attacked military positions in Gao, the largest city in the north – a claim denied by West African forces.
"The combat isn't over. The attacks are going to continue," the movement's Abou Dardar told Agence France-Presse.
An ethnic Tuareg group formerly allied with the militants, the Azawad National Liberation Movement, meanwhile said it had retaken Menaka, a town previously claimed by French-led forces.
Arrest of militant leaders
A security source in Mali confirmed the Tuareg group was in the town 80km from the Niger border, which troops from Niger took from militant occupiers but then left as they continued their advance.
The liberation movement – which originally fought alongside the militants but then fell out with them – earlier said it was working with France against "terrorists" in the region.
"In the framework of anti-terrorist coordination put in place with French forces," the Azawad National Liberation Movement will provide intelligence on "top terrorist officials" they have arrested, a spokesperson said in Burkina Faso.
The group said it was responsible for Sunday's arrest of two militant leaders, Mohamed Moussa Ag Mohamed, the number three in Ansar Dine, and Oumeini Ould Baba Akhmed of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa.
The Azawad National Liberation Movement launched a rebellion a year ago fighting for an independent state for the desert nomad Tuareg people, who have long felt marginalised by Mali's government.
But after being chased from their strongholds by the militants, they have voiced a willingness to negotiate since France intervened.
'Fight drug trafficking'
With France eager to shed some of the military burden and 8 000 pledged troops from Africa being deployed at a slow trickle, observers have said Paris is likely examining whether the Azawad National Liberation Movement is a possible partner.
Le Drian said France had "functional relations" with the group in Kidal but that fighting terrorists alongside them was "not our objective".
In France, President Francois Hollande urged Europe to fight drug trafficking in West Africa, telling the Europe's Parliament that "terrorism feeds on narcotics trafficking".
Analysts said the groups that seized north Mali depended on drug trafficking, smuggling and kidnapping to arm themselves.
In Brussels, global players including the United Nations and African Union met to carve out plans for Mali's future once the 26-day-old offensive draws to an end, urging elections – which Mali's interim government has promised by July 31 – and a national dialogue. – AFP


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SOUTH BEND, IN (AP) - Mother Nature helped police uncover a home marijuana-growing operation.
Police say a gust of wind set off a security alarm at a home in western St. Joseph County Tuesday, prompting Indiana State Police Trooper Mick Dockery to investigate.
Dockery found the back door of the home open.
Inside the home, his police dog indicated the presence of drugs.
Police found 19 marijuana plants and 40 grams of processed marijuana.
No arrests have been made, but St. Joseph County prosecutors are reviewing possible charges against the homeowners.
"We congratulate Admiral Blair on his appointment to serve our country as Director of National Intelligence in the new administration of President Obama," said Ed Breen, Tyco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Admiral Blair has served our Board with distinction and dedication since 2003 and we thank him for his many contributions to Tyco."
Brink's Home Security (CFL) rose 3%. The recent IPO hit a new high after a pullback to its 10-week line. This is the third straight day of gains in above-average volume. It's Relative Strength line is at an all-time high. Brink's is in the No. 4-ranked industry group.
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subset: commoncrawl


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These rules are disclosed to clarify the various responsibilities of all community members here on x / RED ARCHIVES. They shall be adhered to by everyone to ensure that our board runs smoothly and provides a fun and productive experience for all of our community members and visitors.
The following will get you banned...
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Beyond that, a big one:
Trolling and constant negativity are not allowed, tolerated, or even a little bit accepted.
If you feel like you have nothing good to say, then by all means, shut the fuck up and say nothing at all.
These rules may be changed at any time. #


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Wales head coach Liza Burgess and assistant Rhys Edwards have selected a squad which has a mix of experience and youth. With five uncapped players on the bench, there is a distinct possibility that by the time the game is completed, 15 new players have represented their country.
With Burgess and Edwards also in charge of the international seniorteam, the players are fully aware they have a chance to catch the eye as this is the first opportunity they have with the next World Cup in mind.
The Welsh squad have trained hard over the last four weeks but realize theyhave a formidable challenge in front of them as England have already brushed aside Scotland and England this season.
Wales Rosie Fletcher (Gorseinon), Cerys Ballett (Cardiff Quins), Rachel Rees (Gorseinon), Rebecca de Filippo (Neath Athletic), Rhianydd Morgan (Neath Athletic), Yasmin Leung (UWIC), Joanne Jones (Cardiff Quins), Natalie Stone(Pontyclun), Carys Thomas (Pontyclun), Ffion Jones (Whitland), Alex Stokes (Neath Athletic), Delyth Davies (Neath Athletic), Sian Williams (Bath), NiaDavies (Whitland), Carys Phillips (Neath Atletic).
Replacements: Rhiannon Sheen de Jesus (UWIC), Chloe Howells (Whitland), Catherine Davies (Whitland), Catrin Rees (Carmarthen Quins), Kirsty Prosser(Gwernyfed), Jodie Evans (Kidwelly), Naomi Whybrow (Cross Keys).


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The third LEDC battery life test has reached a new milestone of over 800 hours surpassing the previous two tests and it has a lot more to go.
Category Archives: Electronics
Phase 3 LEDC life test
Phase 2 LEDC life test complete
The second LEDC battery life test concluded with an error (reset) after 81 hours.
The LEDC actually continued to operate and keep time, but the processor reset when the hourly chime occurred, the chime can draw up to 90mA and the processor browned-out.
With the chime disabled the clock continued to operate, but I concluded the test. LED brightness became a problem because the batttery voltage was approaching the LED forward voltage.
The final test is sleep 10 minutes, and chime on the hour. This is likely to take a long time so I'll start another project in-between.


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Oprah Winfrey threw more wood on the fire Friday afternoon when she confirmed that she is moving forward with her OWN network.
She declined, however, to comment on whether that would mean that her megawatt show would relocate to Los Angeles.
"I am going to make that decision and make the announcement soon," Winfrey told CBS2.
Thursday TV gossip guru Nikki Finke dished on rumors that Oprah was planning to uproot her show from Chicago and move to L.A. so that her the daytime talkshow could be the centerpiece of the new joint venture between Harpo Studios and Discovery network.
The OWN network has been marred by delays and setbacks since it was announce two years ago.
Finke said Oprah was handed an ultimatum by Discovery Chief David Zaslav. He reportedly told her to "move it or lose it." She subsequently decided not to renew her contract with ABC when it runs out in Fall 2011, Finke reported
Harpo Studios reps said no decision has been made.
But there are troubling signs that the news could be true. Harpo's Lisa Erspamer, a key player on the Oprah show, was recently named chief creative officer for the OWN network, according to Crains.
Oprah May Be Packing Bags for LA
"I'll Make an Announcement Soon"
Oprah Winfrey threw more wood on the fire Friday afternoon when she confirmed that she is moving forward with her OWN network.


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San Francisco is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California. One of the most delightful cities of California, our visit here was extremely fun and memorable. Although, we were here just for 3 nights, we made use of our time pretty well. We started our trip to California with San Francisco, and boy, what a great start!
Here are some things that you must definitely do when you visit
1] Pose with the Golden Gate Bridge
This has to be on the top of your itinerary. The iconic Golden Gate bridge that every 90s kid has grown up watching in the title track of Full House, is a must visit and pretty much the pride of San Francisco. You can walk, cycle, take pictures and even dine around the Golden Gate Bridge. There are many places from where you can see different angles of the bridge and take selfies with it (duh!). The only thing to be careful of is to avoid going there on a low visibility day or you might not be able to see the bridge from the layer of fog!
2] Spend a day at the Scenic Sausalito
Sausalito is a charming community on the other side of the bay with cute houses, houseboats, restaurants and tiny shops with quirky stuff to buy! Take a ferry from the Ferry building/ Embarcadero and sail across from SF to Sausalito. Spend the day walking on the boardwalk and enjoying the scenic beauty, gorging on seafood at some of the best seafood restaurants and picking up some knick knacks for your folks. If you're an art lover, you can also visit the art galleries here.
3] 360 degrees view of San Francisco from Twin Peaks
Fun Fact: San Francisco is a unique city built on over 50 hills! Yeah, you read that right! So while driving around the city, you might notice the steep roads and the hilly areas.
Twin Peaks are two such prominent hills that you must visit while in SF. Located almost 1000 feet in the centre of the city, you can get a gorgeous panoramic view of the entire city! There is a viewing centre, close to the parking spot and you can walk higher up the peak from there. One of the best sights of SF, this one is a must visit.
4] Book a Karaoke Room for the Singer in you
If you don't want to puzzle the crowd with your croaky voice, book yourself a private room in the karaoke bar and sing to your hearts delight with your friends! Literally sing like nobody's watching or listening, except for your loved ones, who wouldn't mind it!
5] Get Twisty on the Crooked Road
San Francisco is all about steep hills and twisted streets! But the most twisted of them all is Lombard Street. In the case of Lombard Street, it was too steep for driving and hence had to be fixed. As a result, a series of eight sharp turns were created to make it more manageable making it the "most crooked street" in the city.
6] Take a Day Trip to the Vineyards
There are many options for a vineyard tour around San Francisco. Our first choice was the popular Napa Valley but unfortunately there was a huge fire in California while we were there and due to the low visibility, we had to alter our plans.
Nevertheless, we visited Wente Vineyards in Livermore Valley which was quite amazing too. It's one of the oldest, family run vineyard in the country. You can do a tasting, a tour or simply sip on some great wines as you enjoy some live music playing in the backdrop, a platter of cheese and some great nibbles!
7] Shop till you drop at the Outlet Malls
The first thing that people will tell you when you plan a visit to the US is to shop at the outlet malls! Every brand at great prices and a mall on the outskirts of every city. Make a trip to the outlet malls near San Francisco to buy your favourite luxury brands at discounted rates. Just make sure, you don't get too carried away, like we did!
8] Get Jailed at Alcatraz
Travel back in time and experience Alcatraz, the historic island that has been a civil war fort, a military prison and one of the most notorious federal prisons in US history. Take a tour package which includes Alcatraz Island roundtrip ferry, Access Inside Alcatraz Prison, 45-minute Cellhouse Audio Tour, Orientation video, Ranger and docent tours.
This is something we missed doing because we didn't get the tickets. So make sure you book in advance!
9] Shop, Eat, Drink at Pier 39
My favourite place in SF was Pier 39! So lively and so much to do! There are shops, restaurants, a video arcade, street performances, the Aquarium of the Bay, virtual 3D rides, and you can also get a glimpse of the sea lions on the docks on Pier 39's marina. There is something happening in every part of the pier, when we were here there was a magic show happening in the performance area and when we walked further ahead, there was a fudge making store doing a little song and dance performance as they prepared the fudge!
10] Drive across the Bay Bridge
The other most popular bridge in SF is the Bay Bridge. Bay Bridge is officially known as the San Francisco -Oakland Bay Bridge. It was built only six months after the Golden Gate in 1936. It shines brightly with a permanent art installation featuring 25,000 LED lights on the bridge's cables and makes it another delightful sight to see in San Francisco.


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Anso® nylon is highly resilient, engineered to maintain its original shape and to look newer longer. Plus, with the R2X® Stain and Soil Resistance System, your carpet is protected from everyday living. It's also certified cradle-to-cradle which means it can be recycled over and over into new carpet.


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Ballard is a locality in Seattle, Washington. A recent real estate boom has increased the population. A number of restaurants, coffee shops and bars have come up. Ballard boasts of the Nordic heritage museum and the Majestic Bay Theater.
Volterra is a highly rated restaurant located in Ballard Avenue. It has got many awards like innovative chef, toughest reservations and best of city search. It is an Italian restaurant which transfers Tuscany's charm to Seattle. The menu is incredible and the choice is hard to make. There are specialty cocktails and the wine list includes Italian and French wines too. The Volterra drawing room is an event space where the hosts can request custom designed menu.
La Carta de Oaxaca is a top restaurant in Ballard. It is a Mexican restaurant which serves the unique and spicy dishes of Oaxaca. The specials include lamb birria, picaditas, molotes, empanadas, tacos fritos, chile rellenos, albondigas, tostadas and quesadilla fritas. The key ingredients in Oaxacan food are corn, chillies and chocolate.
Hattie's Hat is one of Ballard's oldest restaurants. The restaurant serves brunch, lunch, dinner, sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads, classic cocktails, beer and wine. The live music is a special attraction. The happy hour offers discounts twice a day. The restaurant has the last remaining mural of Fred Oldfield. The Scandinavian landscape painting was painted in the early fifties.
When visiting Seattle, plan a visit to Ballard to check out the restaurant scene.
For more on restaurants in Ballard on Urban Spoon and My Ballard websites


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Most of the information found on this website comes from RSS Feeds. It is an automated task that provides the information to you. We try to limit items that are duplicates, but with many feeds this can be difficult. Since the owner of this website also has MS and is legally blind this service was necessary to keep the website running with as much automation as possible. Volunteers help from time to time but many have disabilities themselves. We thank you for visiting us and hope that MSC can be of service to you and your loved ones.
This site is designed to inform and support those with Multiple Sclerosis. It is not a comprehensive medical guide to the disease. This information is taken from many different resources. The writings on this site are not intended to diagnose nor treat. The ideas and writings seen here are not to be substituted for the medical advice of a practicing physician. Prayer is a wonderful treatment but when God does not heal someone it may be necessary for medical treatment of MS.
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Our Clinics & Camps
Registration is required for all clinics & camps.
Des Moines: Youth Program (Cubs/Tigers) – Tuesdays, May 5th – 26th
May 5 @ 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
An event every week that begins at 4:30 pm on Tuesday, happening 4 times
Des Moines Special Recreation: Youth Programs
Courage league sports is a non profit adaptive sports and recreation program offering year-round opportunities for children and adults who are not able to go full speed due to a physical, cognitive or emotional disability. By adapting the pace, equipment or nature of an activity, Courage League can provide a safe and accessible environment where participant can go at their own speed.
Courage Cubs activities are designed to match the energy level of preschoolers. We do this through rhythmic music, basic tumbling activities, sensory stimulation and other adapted activities built to meet your child's needs.
Courage Tigers programs are built for our younger school age participants. We will work on social skills, core, balance and upper body development and fundamental sports skills and group games in a fun and inviting way.
Sessions will take place at the following location:
Franklin Junior High
4801 Franklin Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50310
This session is 4 weeks in length. Each class will be one hour in length.
Please read the Liability and Release Waiver Here


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It doesn't have to be either/or
Far too often, people shift from "that doesn't work for some students" to "this shouldn't be used with any students." In the process of reminding people that "one size doesn't fit all," people forget that one size does fit some.
I've met home-schoolers who were deeply wounded by their home-schooling, because an overbearing parent became a tyrant or because a laidback parent was simply unavailable to ever provide structure. I've met unschoolers who are bitter that they didn't get aspects of education that they would have gotten in another model. I've met people who went to charter schools that were essentially business rackets duping low-income communities. I've met public-schoolers who were deeply wounded by the stifling of creativity (I'm one of them). I know of people who had a horrible experience in parochial schools, traditional schools, evangelical schools, Muslim schools, New Agey hippie schools, Montessori schools and Waldorf schools.
I've also met people who thrived in every one of the models described above. I've met home-schoolers who found it to be a safe haven and unschoolers who loved the freedom they had and public schoolers who found the safety and structure of school to be a refuge.
It's true that one size does not fit all. But it is equally true that the solution you found for your family, your context or your community do not necessarily fit all children. As a teacher, I am limited in what I can do (though not as limited as one might think). However, as a father, my goal is to listen to my kids, to know my kids and to help them figure out which type of a model will work best for them.
Ultimately, the solution has to be relational. It has to involve children being known. It has to be humble. It has to be bound by context. It has to be humane. Anything else is simply another stifling model, a fancier version of a factory and a new set of ideology that is just as flawed as the rest.


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Who would have thought that almost two years ago, I didn't have any inkling about blogging? Two years ago, I didn't have that much passion in writing than reading. Two years ago, I was busy nursing a broken heart. Two years ago, I didn't imagine blogging could be my salvation back to my social life. Time went so swiftly indeed, for here I am happy to celebrate Impressions of a Princess second blog anniversary. Can you believe that?
My blog has been on the blogosphere for two years and what a delight it is to be able to see the growth of my site. From a simple outlet of my feelings back then, this blog now caters most of my varied interests and hobbies. Starting from several followers, it continuously grows to thousands willing to read whatever I write. Before, it only started with comments from colleagues, but now, my posts go across the Atlantic and receive delightful opinions from both supportive friends and wonderful strangers. Appreciation on my writing and thoughts came initially in the form of various blog awards and now, I even receive requests for brand collaboration and invites for events and other media launch.
As most of you know, I prefer reading than writing. Aside from not being my number one hobby, I do have some consistent worries whenever I write. I am not sure I could get my thoughts and messages across through my articles. Moreover, I am not confident that I can hold the interest of my readers – people with different ages, hobbies, personalities, nationalities, cultures. Despite all my concerns, I continue to write – that is all because of you.
If you have been following my site for a long time or simply stumbled upon it just now, I would like to say thank you for giving me a fraction of your time. I am not known for giving the shortest article, so it might be a challenge reading through an entire post; I commend you if you do. For those who have been with me since the conception of Impressions of a Princess, a big shout out to all of you! Thank you for consistently being there even when I had my trashy banner and wrong HTML codes. 🙂 To my new friends and followers, I hope I will be able to see you again when I celebrate my future blog anniversaries. Please stay with me!
Since it is my blog's birthday, I am holding a series of giveaways to celebrate the support and attention my dear readers give to me. For this post, one lucky winner will receive a $30 store credits from Sammy Dress, one of my partner stores since the beginning. This contest is open internationally and will end on April 5.
I have been hosting a lot of giveaways in my blog and it saddens me to see several people following and actively participating on my site and social media accounts only during the course of the contests. I know this is an ongoing problem of other bloggers as well who hold giveaways, and like them, I would like to take an action to keep this from recurring. Starting from now, I would seriously take note of those unfollowers of my blog and social media sites i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. I could easily track. These people will no longer be eligible to win in any of the giveaways and promos Impressions of a Princess will be having in the future. In case you have accidentally unfollow me, please send me a message.
Sorry if I sound stern in the above paragraph, but if you are also a blogger, I know you could understand where I am coming from. Moving forward, to get you more excited on what you could win for today's giveaway, check out the items I collected which could be yours!
These are only samples of what you could have when you win the $30 store credits from Sammy Dress. If you won, you can have the liberty to choose whichever article of clothing you would like to get.
Try your luck now!
Once again, thank you for continuously supporting Impressions of a Princess. Stay tuned for more giveaways coming your way.


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She has friends
And they all went shopping together yesterday. And while the paps were around they decided to take iPhone shots of each other. Those are her friends. Here's Tori Spelling out in Brentwood yesterday, skinny as sh-t and makeup free, spending time with her girls. Or whoever they hired to be her girls.
While Tori was busy convincing you that people like her, her husband Kevin Federline Jr was receiving a new bike at the house. Then he took it for a spin. Who bought him that bike? The idiots who buy her books and watch her show, that's who.
KFed Jr is apparently quite the daredevil, injuring himself recently in some race car and now massaging his dick with a new Triumph. He keeps saying Tori is the most beautiful woman in the world. So you do what you need to to get through, you know?
Photos from Flynetonline.com and Wenn.com


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When talking about our boat, Cheeky Monkey, I'm not one to rattle off stats like amp hours, watts, horsepower or, really, anything technical regarding the equipment we've had installed. That stuff just doesn't excite me. At all.
In fact, if you asked me right now for a tour of the boat and Ryan wasn't around, I would most likely sit you down for a drink in the cockpit, show off how comfortable the space is, then I'd take you up to to our sun deck and show you the spectacular view. I might even make you another cocktail. And if you really wanted me to get technical, I'd show you how the espresso machine works and, possibly, the washer/dryer.
Any discussion that ventures beyond the general virtues of having an inverter (so I can make cappuccinos), a generator (so I can run the washing machine) and a high-tech spinnaker (so we can sail fast) will find me excusing myself from the room. "Go ahead and show yourself around…I'm just going to be over here, you know…zzzzzzz."
So when a very excited couple motored their dinghy up to Cheeky Monkey one day and invited themselves on board for a tour, I cursed Ryan for not being there to save me from the mind-numbing boredom of showing an overexcited gear-head the engine room.
"Yep. That's our diesel engine. Looks like every other diesel engine you've seen. Aaaand here's the other engine. Yep, exactly the same."
Normally I enjoy impromptu visits from random cruisers. We've met some extraordinary characters in anchorages all over the world, some of whom have become lifelong friends from the first encounter. Which is why I never turn down the chance to meet new people.
I also know that, at some point over sundowners, all conversations with fellow live-aboards will inevitably turn into a discussion about battery banks. Because life at anchor is all about batteries; they are the power source that keep everything running in our little floating homes. They're what allow us to charge our laptops, power our electronic charts, make ice, refrigerate food and have I mentioned the espresso machine? There is also a multitude of methods for charging your batteries, which cruisers love to talk about. It's like suburban homeowners getting together and comparing how often they have to mow their lawns and trim their hedges. Both are perfectly understandable, considering the demands of the lifestyle.
It's just that the people I most enjoy talking to understand that conversations about battery banks come well after the introductory banter about where they're from, how long they've been sailing, what they do for work, where they've sailed from, where they're headed to and places they'd recommend visiting. You know, the kind of conversation that endears a new acquaintance to me before I have to forgive them for boring me with stats of their solar panel wattage and how we should consider getting one of those irritatingly noisy wind generators.
"Yoo hoo!" The two strangers cooed from their dinghy, causing me to look up from my laptop. "Hi! We just LOOOVE your boat! We're thinking about buying one of these in a year or two."
And before I could ask what their names were, I was handed a dinghy painter as the woman and her husband clambered onto the stern of Cheeky Monkey. "Do you mind if we come aboard for a little look?"
"Uh. Yeah, sure." At a loss for anything else to say, I introduced Kristi, who was sitting in the cockpit working intensively on her laptop. She pulled her Beats headphones off her ears and looked at me quizzically as if to say "Are they staying long? Should I stop working?" I shrugged and said, "These guys are thinking about buying a Helia. I'm sorry, what are your names?"
"Jane and John." Of course, those weren't their names. But after spending an hour draining my brain of every mechanical detail short of a full wiring diagram for the boat, I completely forgot their real names.
"Right. Jane and John, this is Kristi." I gestured towards the table. "Come on in, have a seat. Can I get you a drink?"
"Oh no, thank you. We won't stay long. We really just wanted to have a look around, if you don't mind. It's such a beautiful boat."
I looked at my watch to calculate how much time I thought would pass before someone made me open up the engine room and talk about alternators.
Forty-five minutes, it turned out. And there was no small talk or cocktails to ease me into it. Just forty-five minutes of the kind of rapid-fire questioning that made me feel like I was on the world's dullest game show.
"Is this the owner's version or the charter version?" – Owner's version.
"What's her cruising speed?" – 6.7 knots, on average.
"How big is your fuel tank?" – 500 liters.
"Your water tanks?" – 600 liters.
"How many watts of solar panels do you have?" – 900.
"Why did you get the flexible solar panels?" – They look nicer. And you can walk on them.
"But they cost more and they're less efficient, I hear." – They work for us.
"What's this?" – The ice-maker. It doesn't work.
"Don't you have a freezer? Why do you need an ice-maker? – For parties, silly.
"You say it's not working?" – Sore subject. I'd rather not talk about it.
"So you have a generator?" – Yes.
"Is it a Cummins or an Onan?" – It's a Cummins/Onan.
"Really? I've never heard of that. Can I see it?" – Um, okay.
"Huh, look at that. A Cummins/Onan. Is that your watermaker?" – Yes.
"What's the brand?" – Aqua-base.
"Never heard of it. Why didn't you get a Spectra?" – I don't know.
"How much water does it make?" – 60 liters an hour.
"Do you have problems with your mainsail? I've heard it's tricky to pull down." – Yeah, we added 3 cars to the mast. Problem solved.
"What brand?" – Z-Spar.
"That's a very good brand." – Yes, so I hear.
"Wow, a washing machine. Do you even use it?" – Yes. All the time.
"Do you like your davits?" – Not really. I wish they were higher off the water.
"Is it strong enough for that heavy dinghy?" – The dinghy's not heavy. It's aluminum.
"What make is it?" – AB.
"How long is it?' – 10 feet.
"Is that a two-stroke outboard?" – Yes.
"How many horsepower?" – 25.
"25 HP! Do you need that much?" – Yes. We like to wakeboard. And go fast. Mostly just go fast.
"What kind of engines do you have?" – Volvo Penta.
"How many horsepower?" – 55.
"Wow, that's a lot. Did you get the upgrade?" – I don't know.
"I think the standard option is 40, so you must have gotten the upgrade." – Okay. I don't know.
"Can I see the engine room?"
BOOM. There it was. 45 minutes of being jack-hammered with questions and, finally, they asked to see the engine room. Surely this is the end of the tour, I thought, as I glanced at my watch. I was secretly wishing for a small galley fire or some other mild emergency to pull me away from the interrogation.
Thankfully, John must have spied the flutter in my eyes as they involuntarily tried to roll themselves into the back of my head because, finally, he said, "I just have one more question and we'll leave you alone." I nodded and exhaled. "We saw your blue lights from our boat last night and we were wondering if they were a factory option or if you added them."
"We added them," I said.
"But why? What are they for?" said John, showing genuine confusion.
"Ryan wanted them," I said. "He's from Essex." I knew full well that my answer didn't make much sense. But I didn't care to explain the "boy racer" DNA that all East Londoners are apparently born with.
"Wasn't it expensive? Seems like a waste of money for something so unnecessary," said John, who was on a roll now. "I'd rather spend the money on more solar panels. You can never have too many solar panels. Except I'd install fixed panels, not these flexible ones. I've seen some boats where they've built a platform off the back of the roof so they can fit more solar panels. It's a good idea, I think."
"Yeah, but it looks like shit." I said. Apparently, I'd lost my patience. "And it's not cheap. Plus it looks like shit."
"Who cares what it looks like when you have all that solar power? Anyway, that's what I would do." John said.
Now, it was clear early on that Jane and John probably weren't going to become my new best friends, but that comment about the blue lights was the nail in the coffin.
Since when is fun a waste of money? Nobody spends a crap-load of cash on a quickly depreciating boat because it is a "sensible investment." IT'S A FREAKING BOAT.
But of course, I didn't say any of that out loud. I simply shooed Jane and John towards their dinghy as politely as I could, all the while checking my watch and making comments about the time, as Kristi looked up from her computer and tried not to laugh.
"That was intense," Kristi said after our visitors were gone. "I'm super impressed. I couldn't have answered any of those questions."
"I made half of it up."
Which is true. I asked Ryan, when he got back, how much water our tank holds and how many watts of solar panels we have. Apparently, the answer is 750 liters and 760 watts. Not 600 liters and 900 watts. Also, yes, the 55 HP engines were an upgrade from the standard 40. What the hell do I know?
Which brings me to my point: boaters (who are not me) love to geek out on gear. And there is no greater opportunity to dive head first down a rabbit hole of technological research than beginning the process of buying a new boat. And even though researching gear is most riveting when it's your own future gear, I could not seem to muster enough interest to be of any use in this department.
This is why Ryan did all the research and ordering for the technical equipment we installed on Cheeky Monkey. Because, when pressed to make a decision about things I know very little about, I generally just go with the method I use for shopping at Ikea: cross off the cheapest and most expensive options and go for something mid-range and attractive. I have realized, however, that this is not a suitable method for selecting items like autopilots, anchor chain or battery chargers. But it is a perfectly appropriate method for selecting things like espresso machines, kitchen utensils, decorative cushions and linens. Therefore I have tried my hardest to stick to the areas where my methods are applicable, leaving everything else (as in, the bulk of the hard work) to Ryan.
Unfortunately, it seems the information most enthusiastically demanded of me by readers and YouTube subscribers alike is what technical gear we selected to install on Cheeky Monkey and why. My inbox is full of polite and enthusiastically written emails asking if I could — pretty please — itemize our purchases for Cheeky Monkey and briefly comment on how we decided on the products we bought.
And because I know there is no way to briefly comment on such long-winded decisions, I have unintentionally ignored all those emails and promised myself that one day, when I have more time and greater patience, I will write those lovely readers back and give them a fully formed response worthy of their attention.
Except those emails are still sitting in my Inbox, unanswered. Because technical talk bores me to tears. And because time just keeps slipping through my fingers.
So I am hereby issuing an apology and disclaimer to those who are like me (as in, you would rather spend an hour in the dentist's chair than spend that hour talking watts and amps and the gauge of cable required to properly install a chart plotter) because I'm about to do what I have desperately avoided doing for a very long time. I'm going to give you a semi-comprehensive run-down of the major stuff we installed on Cheeky Monkey.
I'm going to tell you all about the stuff we love, the stuff we regret and the stuff we would have done differently if we knew then what we know now, after nearly a year of owning our Fountaine-Pajot Helia 44 catamaran. And because I have absolutely no ability to retain technical information, I will borrow Ryan's expertise in this area. So, all thanks should be showered on him, not me.
It's also worth noting that though this is a list of gear we ordered specifically for our Helia, most of the product research we did can be applied to any cruising boat, whether it be a monohull, a catamaran or a motorboat.
So to all you amazingly patient gear-heads out there, you're welcome. This one's for you. I hope it has been worth the wait.
To the rest of you, I'm sorry. I know this isn't our thing. But the next time you have trouble sleeping, skip the Ambien and read this list instead. You're welcome, also.
13 things we're thrilled with (and would totally order again)
1. The boat
Cheeky Monkey in San Blas, Panama (Photo by Bruna Toledo de Arcangelo)
This is probably obvious, but it needs to be said: we LOVE our boat. There is no such thing as the perfect boat, of course, but there is the right boat for the journey you're planning. And we definitely made the right choice of boat for us and this round-the-world trip.
The main things we love? The comfort and the performance. Even with crew on board, having upgraded from a 34-foot monohull, we feel positively spoiled for space. And contrary to common lore about catamarans, the Helia sails beautifully – she's fast and light, especially going downwind, and she's not that bad pointing upwind, either, though it's not Cheeky Monkey's most comfortable point of sail. Yes, there is some slapping of waves under the hull when beating into rough weather, but it's no more disturbing than what we've experienced on monohulls in stormy conditions. Also, we love the modern layout, the brightness and the incredibly spacious and comfortable cockpit, which is where we spend most of our time on board.
For us and this journey sailing around the world, the Helia is about as perfect as a boat can get.
2. Battery charger upgrade + 2nd battery charger
Remember when I said all cruisers' conversations eventually lead to discussing battery banks? Well, part of that discussion involves battery chargers and inverters and…zzzzzz.
Oh dear. So sorry. It looks like I fell asleep while typing. I think it's probably best if I turn this bit over to Ryan to explain. Because when it comes to battery chargers, I just…zzzzzz.
Here's Ryan:
"When I asked our broker what the options were for the largest inverter/charger available, he said Fountaine-Pajot could only install a 1000-watt combination inverter/charger with a 60-amp battery charger. Which is fine if you're just a weekend sailor or a charter boat that lives in a marina. But, living full-time on anchor and sailing around the world, I didn't want to have to run the generator or the engines all day to fully charge our batteries.
So I worked out what I wanted, which was a 3000-watt inverter with a 120-amp battery charger. But I couldn't get that through FP, so I had to go with their standard option and then install my own inverter/charger later. Our post-factory outfitter found me the Victron inverter/charger I wanted — basically the biggest one I could buy — and then bought the FP-installed inverter/charger off me.
Later, I ended up buying a second 60-amp battery charger — ironically, the same one I'd sold. Why? Because our batteries will take up to 200 amps. So I figured why muck about with less?"
3. Permateak floor in cockpit
Fountaine-Pajot offers 3 options for the cockpit deck: plain non-slip fiberglass, teak wood and Permateak (fake teak).
The one option we ruled out was the fiberglass, as we felt it made the cockpit space too white and forever in need of scrubbing (I always opt for less scrubbing). Also, we liked how the wood floor felt underfoot, as well as the way it looked; it breaks up the overall whiteness of the boat and camouflages dirt and smudges (again, less scrubbing).
But this was definitely one of those things we might have ordered differently if we hadn't gone to a few boat shows and talked to a few different owners about their choices. Without consulting anyone, I probably would have opted for the teak because I love wood (so long as it doesn't require varnishing). But we met a Helia owner with a badly stained teak deck that he regretted ordering because it required so much maintenance. He said with kids and guests spilling everywhere, it wasn't long before the teak looked terrible.
Then we saw a boat with Permateak laid in the cockpit, which we thought looked nice, and we spoke to the owner who said he'd bought his boat with a teak deck and then had it all ripped out because after just a year it looked so bad. He said the Permateak was an improvement because it was lower maintenance and it looked brand new after a year, despite the same amount of spills and traffic. There is a drawback to the Permateak, which is that the surface absorbs more heat than its real teak equivalent. But as the flooring is only laid in the cockpit, which is shaded from the sun, this has never been an issue for us.
After a year on board, I'm so happy with our Permateak deck that I've considered having the same material laid on the floors of our heads, since the white non-slip surface always looks dirty to me (and, as I mentioned, I hate scrubbing). But, really, I should have thought of that back when the boat was in France. Now that we're on the move, it seems unlikely that I'll get this done anytime soon.
4. Parasailor (spinnaker – 156 square meters)
The "Big Banana" in all its glory (Photo by Kristi Wilson)
This sail, made by a company called Istec (not offered by Fountaine-Pajot), is just plain amazing. Though it is expensive, it has become a crucial piece of kit on board Cheeky Monkey for crossing oceans with speed and comfort. Not to mention, it looks totally badass.
I wrote an entire blog post on our Parasailor when we first got it, but now that we've had a year's experience using it, here are some statistics so you can judge whether this sail is of any use to you:
It's a dead-downwind sail only: despite what salesmen have told us about the Parasailor being able to handle true wind angles ranging from 180 degrees to 60 degrees, we've only been able to use this sail between 160-180 degrees. Maybe it was a typo? Perhaps they forgot the '1' in front of '60' degrees?
On a dead run, you can't beat this sail for speed. Crossing the Atlantic, we were easily clocking 10-13 knots in 18-25 knots of apparent wind.
Our top boat speed was 17.9 knots with the Parasailor, surfing down a wave on the Atlantic.
It's a great light wind sail, too. We get 4 knots of speed in 5 knots of apparent wind.
Incredibly stable, low-maintenance sail to operate: the super handy "snuffer" sock allows you to hoist and drop the sail single-handedly (though it's even easier with two or more sets of hands), unlike other types of symmetrical spinnakers. The hole or the "wing" at the front lifts the sail up and keeps it filled, which means there is very little work required on the sheets to keep the Parasailor flying. We've had our Parasailor up for nearly a week and barely touched the sheets during that time.
5. Genniker (with bowsprit addition)
If I had to choose just one sail, this would be it (Photo by Kristi Wilson)
This is another amazing sail, which we have found to be, perhaps, even more essential than the Parasailor because we use it far more frequently on both long hauls and short day sails.
Fountaine-Pajot installs a bowsprit if you order the furling genniker (also called a screecher) from them, which is great because it means your warranty for the sail and the bowsprit is held with FP. We've had endless nightmares trying to get warranty work done on our non-FP orders, so it's always a relief when something breaks and we find out it's covered by FP.
Here's how versatile this sail is:
It's great in light winds (anywhere from 5-15 knots apparent) at a wind angle of 90-130 degrees with the mainsail up. Any more downwind than that and the mainsail blankets the genniker.
We've recently discovered a new trick with this sail, which allows us to sail with the wind at a 120-150 degree angle, a window we previously had no sail for. We detach the tack from the bowsprit and bring it over to the Parasailor block on the windward bow. And then we use a barber haul tied to our mid-ship cleat to pull the sheet downward. Note: we have no idea if we're meant to even do this with the sail, as we've just invented this configuration. But as it is working for us, we're going to keep at it until someone gives us a valid reason not to.
If I were to buy only one extra headsail to go cruising with, I would go with the genniker (screecher) because of its versatility. Of course, you can get by with just the jib as a headsail, but we use our genniker as much as (if not more than) our jib. So if you have the extra cash in your budget, this is the sail I would go with.
Now, if you're looking to fully kit out your boat, and you can afford the $13,000 price tag, I would absolutely recommend buying a Parasailor. Especially if you're planning to sail around the world with the trade winds. There is nothing more enjoyable than sailing fast downwind with a no-fuss spinnaker that requires little to no trimming. It's an incredible ride.
6. Extra blocks for sails
It boggles the mind how many additional blocks (pulleys) we've ended up adding to Cheeky Monkey. The Parasailor required ten additional blocks, the genniker needed seven additional blocks and we also added a block to each reefing line on the mainsail to help them run better. So, in total, we've added twenty blocks to the boat since we bought her.
And, crazily, we use them all.
7. Additional winch
For some reason, with the genniker headsail and bowsprit installation, Fountaine-Pajot includes a Lewmar 45 winch on the port stern for the port sheet, but they don't include an additional winch on the starboard side.
If we didn't install another winch, we would have had to use one of the winches at the helm for the starboard genniker and Parasailor sheet, which is strange because that would make the angle of the sheet to the winch drastically different from that on the port side. Also, it would mean the sheet cuts across the walkway along the starboard hull, preventing anyone from leaving the helm to go forward while on a port tack.
So instead of settling for that option, we ordered an additional Lewmar 45 winch to be installed on the starboard stern, parallel with the port winch.
These winches are essential for manning the genniker sheets and also the Parasailor sheets and guys. I couldn't imagine being as happy with our set-up if we were running all our starboard headsail sheets to the helm, so this post-factory addition is something I'm now grateful for.
8. Barbecue upgrade
My prized Sovereign BBQ alongside our custom outboard hoist
Remember how I said my method of shopping is to go for the mid-range option (not too cheap, not too pricey) that looks the most attractive? Well, that applies to pretty much everything but cooking appliances.
What can I say? I like to have nice things to cook with.
And it's not because I'm a fabulous chef or I take an extraordinary interest in the culinary arts. It's just that food and cooking has a become a much larger part of my life on a boat than it ever was on land. Living in New York City, I could count on one hand the number of times I cooked at home in a year. Living on a boat, we cook all our meals. And my favorite meal? MEAT. As in, grilled steak, grilled chicken, grilled ribs, grilled fish…you name it, I'll grill it.
Which brings me to my favorite accessory on the boat besides our espresso machine. It is our state-of-the-art Sovereign barbecue propane grill, which is manufactured in Australia, a country of people who know a thing or two about barbecues. And one of its best features is that it's plumbed into our main propane line, so all I have to do is flick a switch and my barbecue is alight and ready to go.
I'm sure the standard Fountaine-Pajot grill option would have been fine if I never knew what life was like as a discerning connoisseur of barbecue grills. But, now that we've experienced cooking with the Sovereign, I don't think my life on board would be complete without this incredible piece of culinary engineering.
9. Washer/dryer
When we lived on our old Catalina 34, the most time-consuming of our regular housekeeping tasks was collecting water from shore and doing laundry (as in, bagging up two weeks' worth of clothes, schlepping it all to shore, tracking down a laundromat, if it existed, and then sitting around for a few hours waiting for the machines to finish before schlepping everything back to the boat).
So when I found out we could have a washing machine on board Cheeky Monkey, I was doing cartwheels for joy.
The trick, however, is finding the right machine to fit the space provided. We selected an LG combo washer/dryer unit which fits perfectly into the space across from our linen closet in the owner's cabin head. Granted, we rarely use the dryer function since our clothes dry so quickly in the sun. But the washer has a 30-minute speed wash function that uses an amazingly minimal amount of water, which is great because, as you know, water is precious on a boat.
To give you an idea of how much I love having a washing machine, if you told me I had to give up either my Sovereign barbecue or my washing machine, I'd throw that barbecue overboard without hesitation. But the dryer function? I could probably live without using 3 hours of electricity to turn my pile of wet clothes into a pile of hot, damp clothes.
10. Custom-designed outboard engine hoist and mount
When we sailed Cheeky Monkey out of La Rochelle, France for a 1400-mile shakedown cruise, we didn't want our outboard engine bouncing up and down with the dinghy hanging off our davits, especially with the way our davits sit so low to the water. But the mounting plate we ordered for our outboard was on backorder and the whole of France was going on vacation for a month.
So instead of waiting around for a month for our mounting plate, we used a halyard to lift our very heavy 25 HP engine into the cockpit and laid the outboard down on its side, wrapping it in a heavy mat and tying it down for our trip. This was a makeshift solution and not a long-term plan for passages, but we weren't sure yet what the ideal set-up would be for transferring our outboard from the dinghy to the mounting plate.
Once we got to Menorca, we hired Pedro's Boat Centre to do the work we couldn't get done in France, which included installing a mounting plate on our stern rails for the outboard. Ryan also decided he didn't like using the halyard to hoist the engine, so he collaborated with a metal worker to design a reinforced pulley hoist on the stern so we could lift our outboard off our dinghy using the electric winch on the stern.
To get the hoist to work with the outboard, we also hired a canvas guy to design and sew a cover for the outboard which had a sturdy strap for lifting. And all of this work went smoothly because Pedro and his guys were incredibly good at what they do.
The fact is, if you can find the right expertise, you can design almost anything you want for your boat. You can do what Ryan did and sketch out on paper what you want, then find a guy to build it for you in a way that's structurally sound.
But if you don't trust the guys working on your boat, leave the complicated stuff until later when you can find the right people.
11. Generator / air conditioners
For reasons we could not control, we have the largest generator known to man or boat. It's a Cummins/Onan 8.5 kilowatt generator, which was installed by Fountaine-Pajot as part of the standard package that comes with the boat when you order air conditioning.
From what I can tell, if we had not ordered AC, we could have gone with a much smaller generator, which would also have weighed a lot less. At the time, we hemmed and hawed about whether to get the AC, since we hated the idea of having such a big generator weighing down the foredeck. But then we also knew we would be sailing to a lot of hot countries and the idea of ducking out of the scorching sun and stepping inside the air-conditioned cabins sounded like a luxury we could get used to.
The crazy thing we couldn't understand was why FP insisted on installing six air conditioners (two in each hull and two in the saloon). If we had a choice, we would have gone with one air conditioner in each cabin and one in the saloon (four in total), but we didn't get a choice in the matter. It was either all six air conditioners, or no air conditioning at all. And if we wanted the air conditioning, we had to get the bigger generator.
So even though we think six air conditioners and an 8.5 kilowatt generator are a bit overkill, the fact is we like our air conditioning, so any complaints you hear on the subject will be made from inside a climate-controlled cabin while sipping a cocktail.
12. Ground tackle
When we outfitted our Catalina 34 to go cruising, we replaced our Danforth anchor, which served us well in the sand and mud-bottom harbors around New York, with a Rocna 20 (44 lbs.) which essentially changed our life at anchor. Though the Danforth was fine in the Northeast of the U.S., it gave us a few sleepless nights from dragging as we sailed further south towards Florida and the Caribbean. Our Rocna, however, never moved. Not even once. We slept like babies.
After that experience, the Rocna 40 (88 lbs.) was the obvious choice to go with for Cheeky Monkey. But we also got a 66 lb. Mantus anchor for a back-up because, while it has the shape and effectiveness of the Rocna, it packs up small once it's disassembled. We've laid ours in our anchor locker and it fits there perfectly in case we need to throw out a stern anchor or if something should happen to our Rocna.
But as we learned with our first Rocna purchase, the real investment isn't in the anchor; it's in the chain, which costs about 3 times more than the anchor itself, if you're springing for 100 meters. And that's just for your standard 12 mm stock, which is what Fountaine-Pajot recommend, since the gypsy on the windlass is designed for 12 mm chain.
After weighing up the options, however, Ryan was concerned about weighing down the bow of Cheeky Monkey and negatively affecting its performance, especially since the foredeck was already burdened by the weight of a massive generator. The fact was 100 meters of 12 mm chain would add 900 lbs. to an already heavy forward load, which sounded like an awful lot.
But as with everything else we looked at buying, Ryan wouldn't rest until he'd explored all the options in the universe. Which is how, in his research, he came across a different kind of chain — something called high-tension chain. Personally, I never would have found such a thing because I would have just assumed that standard chain is what everyone got. "Sure, 900 pounds sounds awfully heavy, but if that's what it weighs, then that's what it weighs." That's why I wasn't in charge of buying the chain.
Ryan, on the other hand, said to himself, "What if someone somewhere invented a stronger, more lightweight chain… [*Googling furiously*] Oh, look at that! They have!"
And that's how we ended up buying 100 meters of 10 mm G70 high-tension chain, which only weighs 510 lbs but has the strength of the standard 12 mm chain. The only problem was that we had to change out the gypsy on our windlass at an additional expense. Also, the G70 chain is pricier than standard chain (like everything new in technology). But as we'd sheared off nearly 400 pounds of weight from our foredeck, Ryan was happy. And I knew no different, so I was happy anyway.
13. Blue lights
Cheeky Monkey showing off in Port Vell, Barcelona
Last, but definitely not least on this list of loves, is our infamous custom blue lighting package.
When Ryan explained to our post-factory outfitter, Pierre, that he wanted to have blue "party lights" illuminating the deck as well as blue lights under the hull, Pierre looked at me with confusion. "But why?"
"It's difficult to explain," I said. "Have you ever seen the TV show 'Pimp My Ride'?"
Pierre furrowed his brow. "I don't understand, but whatever you want, we can do it."
And so we had blue party lights installed on the deck of Cheeky Monkey, which actually come in handy at night when we're sailing in fickle wind and we want to illuminate the sails without losing our night vision. The underwater lights, however, have no other function than to make people say "ooh" and "ahh".
When you're standing on the back of our boat shouting, "Ooh! Look at that shark!" you'll understand.
2 things we regret
1. Ice-maker
If you're a regular visitor to this blog, then you know why this damned ice-maker is #1 on my list of regrets.
But, if you're new to the Saga of Dashed Dreams, aka The Little Ice-Maker That Couldn't, then let me give you the 10-second summary.
Once upon a time, there was a Vitrigo 12-volt ice-maker that promised to make Ryan's cruising dreams come true…
The problem was that Fountaine-Pajot didn't offer an ice-maker for the Helia. So our broker added "ice-maker" to our list of post-factory installations and assured us he'd installed similar machines on a great number of other boats. Great! Ryan did a little dance and imagined himself hosting parties and making cocktails with an endless supply of ice.
Then one day, the ice-maker arrived. And, as it was being installed, Ryan sat patiently nearby, waiting to try out his new toy. Except it didn't work. The ice-maker would get cold, but it refused to make ice.
This prompted some probing around inside the machine, which dug up a piece of broken plastic, causing the installers to stand around the ice-maker for a while, scratching their heads and smoking cigarettes. No one could identify whether the broken plastic part was the reason why the ice-maker wouldn't work and so, instead of replacing the machine, our outfitter spent the next few months ordering random parts to be mailed without instructions to various ports where we were docked. Meanwhile, we ran around hiring refrigeration experts to look at our ice-maker and install the parts we were sent.
Fast forward 8 months: The ice-maker still doesn't work. Eventually, we are told Vitrigo stopped making our model of ice-maker in the 8 months that passed and therefore a replacement cannot be ordered. Our broker offers us a refund, which we take in lieu of having him order another brand of ice-maker which we would no doubt spend another year chasing after him for.
After all this hassle, it has occurred to me if we'd just gone for the standard beer fridge option offered by FP, instead of the non-standard ice-maker in the cockpit, we wouldn't be telling this sad story over and over again. But we just couldn't see the point of a tiny little fridge that would essentially save us from having to take two extra steps into the galley to get a beer out of the main fridge.
But who am I to criticize? We basically opted for a machine that would save us from having to fill up our own ice trays from a faucet. And, as a slap in the face, it won't even do that.
2. Extra sleeping quarters (forepeak cabin & mattress)
Our friends' daughter, Ellia, loved her forepeak cabin (Photo by Genevieve Stolz)
Fountaine-Pajot offers an option to convert the port forepeak storage space into a small cabin with a fitted mattress, a porthole and a reading light. And we went for this option because we thought it would be a great space for a couple and their kids, since the forepeak cabin is just ahead of the forward port cabin. Plus, when I looked at the cozy little cabin in the forepeak, I imagined if I were a kid on a boat, that would be my favorite place to sleep.
The reality, however, is that we use that forepeak primarily for storage. We stow the genniker there when we take it down and we store extra supplies in that space when we're provisioning for ocean crossings.
But because we opted for the cabin, we got stuck with a terribly leaky porthole, which we wouldn't have had otherwise and which has caused us no end to problems with seawater pouring in through the seals when we're underway. We now store the mattress in a body bag we ordered online (who knew you could order body bags online?) for the sole purpose of keeping the mattress dry from the water that constantly drips in through our porthole.
It's only with hindsight that we could know that the forepeak cabin would rarely get used for sleeping quarters because, in all practicality, there are more comfortable spaces to sleep on the boat if all the cabins are occupied. The saloon settee is one such spot, as is any one of the cushions in the cockpit or up on the sun deck, when the weather is warm.
We also could have opted to have a dinner table in the saloon (instead of the coffee table we ordered) which converts into a double bed, but we had to ask ourselves just how many overnight guests we would even want to cram onto Cheeky Monkey at any one time.
On the Shoreseeker Challenge across the Mediterranean Sea, we discovered that we could fit fifteen crew on board for four days in an emergency, but that was far from ideal. We think the maximum number of crew we can fit comfortably on Cheeky Monkey for long passages is six. We could fit more than that for a weekend or two, but for long-term sailing, we probably wouldn't.
Basically, if we were to redo our order for the boat, we would have just kept the forepeak space for storage and not added a leaky porthole to our list of boat problems.
2 things we would've done differently (if we knew then what we know now)
1. Autopilot(s)
The only Cheeky Monkey saga that has rivaled the frustrations of our ice-maker is the trouble we've had with our autopilot.
To make a long story short, we bought a Garmin autopilot for Cheeky Monkey because we'd had a bad run with our Raymarine on our old Catalina 34. What we didn't know was that Raymarine had come a long way since then, blowing Garmin out of the water with their new 9-axis gyroscopic compass thingy…I'm not really sure what it's called or how it works; I just know it's amazingly accurate.
But never mind the technicalities. And let's skip over the story of the faulty Garmin installation, the multiple repairs, and the final realization that the Garmin, even when correctly installed, steers like it's drunk, and get to the point: we now have two autopilots on board Cheeky Monkey. Because after all the trouble we had with our Garmin, we decided to install a Raymarine as our primary autopilot and relegate our Garmin to the back-up in the event that we lose our autopilot; something we have a great deal of experience with. I have clocked just as many miles hand-steering as I have with a working auto-pilot, so I knew the risk was real.
And thank goodness we installed a second autopilot because we have yet to cross an ocean with both of our autopilots in tact. On the Atlantic crossing, the "no drive detected" errors on our Raymarine increased in frequency to the point where we had to steer the rest of the way using our Garmin. And, case in point, while I was literally writing this post in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, our Raymarine suddenly decided it only wanted to steer to starboard, causing us to jibe in the middle of the night. So we've shut down our Raymarine and turned on our Garmin which, for all its faults and our complaints, has never actually broken on us. In fact, it's only ever saved us when our Raymarine has ceased to function, so perhaps I should say nicer things about it.
There's an accidental lesson in all of this: never cross an ocean without a spare autopilot, unless you're prepared to hand-steer the whole way across. We never had a spare autopilot on board Hideaway, but then we never sailed for longer than three days without stopping, so hand-steering in a bind was never that big a deal.
But if we only had one autopilot on board Cheeky Monkey right now, which was the original plan, I'd be hand-steering for six days while trying to type at the same time. Which sounds awfully tedious.
I guess now I should say we were lucky our Garmin was so crap to start with because if we'd only ever known a working autopilot, we never would have thought to install a second one.
2. Aqua-base 12-volt water-maker
Back when we had to schlep all our water back and forth from shore in leaky five-gallon jugs, we would protect each drop as if it were a gold nugget. I got good at washing a sink full of dishes with two cups of water and I could go a week without showering.
But now that we can make our own water, and we have crew who have never known a life without free flowing faucets, we get through about 150-250 liters of water a day. But the upside of that is we smell a lot nicer.
To replace all the water we use, we have to run our water-maker for about three to four hours a day because we only have the capacity to produce up to 60 liters an hour. Which was a bit of an oversight, really, because it turns out we didn't get the biggest water-maker available.
While our water-maker only produces 60 liters an hour, Aqua-base makes the same unit but with two membranes, which produces 50% more water in the same amount of time, therefore taking 35% less time to do it.
So, why didn't we get the bigger water-maker? I really have no idea. It's possible that we got so caught up in trying to decide if we should get a DC or AC-powered unit that we forgot to ask whether it was even possible to get more than 60 liters an hour out of a water-maker. I know there was an overwhelming amount of research involved in outfitting our boat, so it's not surprising that some information slipped through the cracks.
But the good news is that we made the right decision with a DC-powered (12-volt) water-maker because it means we can make water anytime we want and not just when we're running our generator. We probably couldn't have known this before we got out on the water and started actually using the systems we installed, but it turns out we don't run our generator nearly as often as we run our water-maker. We might turn our generator on for about an hour and a half each day, but we run our water-maker for at least three hours a day when we're cruising full time.
In hindsight, we should have asked ourselves if there was any reason why we wouldn't want to make 100 liters an hour rather than just 60. The answer would have been "no."
2 other modifications we ordered (which we love)
1. Instruments moved for better visibility
We wanted our instruments in view of the cockpit, not hidden behind the helm
Fountaine-Pajot offers a few different electronics packages for the Helia, but the problem for us was we couldn't control where our instruments would be installed and we didn't like the spot where they wanted to install them. Strangely, the instruments get installed behind the helm about parallel with your knees if you're sitting down, which means you can only see the instruments if you are sat directly behind the wheel, looking down, with your legs apart…so long as you're not wearing a skirt.
To us, this was not ideal because the luxury of having an autopilot is that we don't always have to be sitting behind the wheel. We wanted to be able to see our boat speed, wind speed, wind angle, depth, etc., from the cockpit and the helm, not just when reclining at the helm and squinting to read the numbers near my knees.
So we declined to order our electronics through FP and instead had our instruments installed by our post-factory outfitter in a much more ideal spot (for us). Now, as we're walking around the boat, going about our daily business, we can look up and see the boat speed and whether the wind has shifted from anywhere in the cockpit.
2. Additional electrical outlets
When buying an older boat, I expect to find systems in desperate need of an upgrade, like energy-sucking halogen lights and a gross shortage of electrical outlets. But when buying a brand new boat, I fully expect the manufacturers to take into account the needs of the average blogging, YouTube creating, virtually connected New Yorker and provide the appropriate number of electrical outlets.
Or maybe I'm underestimating where on the spectrum I fall when it comes to how many electronic devices the average person has in 2016.
In my mind, if you're under the age of 60, you own and regularly use, at minimum, a cell phone, a music-playing device (like an iPod), a computer and some kind of tablet (like an iPad) or Kindle, or both. And that's not including the other rechargeable devices most people own at least one of, like cameras, electronic watches (like an Apple Watch or Fitbit), electric toothbrushes, portable shavers, wireless headphones and portable speakers.
If that's right, then Fountaine-Pajot has grossly underestimated how many AC and DC outlets a modern human needs to survive in this world.
Which is why we took the liberty of installing five additional AC outlets — one at the nav station, two in the galley, one in our medicine cabinet and one in our "media cupboard," where we store all our camera equipment and batteries. I mean, the fact that there are no electrical outlets in any of the heads seems like an oversight, at the very least.
We also added two more DC outlets — one at the helm (with a waterproof cover) and one inside our nav station desk, where we plug in things like our hand-held VHF radio.
And you know what? It's still not enough. We'd like to add a waterproof AC outlet in our cockpit because, after living on the boat for a year, it turns out the cockpit has become our favorite work space at anchor. Yet there's nowhere to plug in, so it means we have to keep going inside to charge our laptops. First world problems, I know. But they're problems nonetheless.
Onboard communications: 3 recommended devices
If you're still awake and reading, I am immensely impressed with your stamina. Because I fell asleep at least 7 times while writing this. No, seriously. This post is so long it has taken me a week to write. So, there's no doubt you deserve a bonus for sticking it out until the end.
Which is why I'm going to let you in on the secret to our onboard data and communications — you know, how we download weather while we're at sea, how we access the Internet while in port and, basically, how we remain in touch with the outside world as we're sailing across oceans.
Okay, so it's not exactly a secret, but it is one of the most common questions we get about the boat — how do we communicate, post on social media and get weather updates when we're sailing?
And I have the answers to those questions. In fact, I'd like to offer you a rare piece of insight into the wide and confusing world of communications options for boaters, based on months of our own research, which came about after we were given a quote for a comprehensive WiFi and onboard data system that would cost us $20,000.
TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS! I mean, what?! Okay, look. We may be the kind of folks who don't mind spending a little extra cash for fun accessories like blue lighting and an ice-maker. But we don't just go throwing money overboard for the sheer hell of it. So unless that $20,000 included 10 years of unlimited data, I was always going to seek out an alternative option for getting online while sailing around the world.
Because here's the thing: I know sailing is all about disconnecting, becoming one with nature and removing yourself from the pressing obligations of mainstream society. But let me just be honest: I am a writer with an online blog, a YouTube Channel, a dozen social media pages, a few different web sites and the occasional magazine deadline. In order to do what I love, I require quite a bit more time on the internet than the average person. And yet my access to the Internet is painfully minimal because I am constantly either at sea or trekking around a remote island, waving my iPhone around like a lunatic, trying to get a signal.
So here are the solutions we have settled on after extensive research, and after we worked out that the $20,000 proposed communications system was essentially just a bunch of cheap solutions installed simultaneously and then labeled as a "custom package" with a ridiculously high price tag. So we skipped the "expert" middle man and just bought and installed each component separately for a mere $2,500. I mean, seriously, with that kind of savings, we could buy and install an ice-maker in every cabin on the boat!
But let's not get carried away. Here's how we built a $20,000 system for a mere $2,500:
1. Badboy WiFi extender
On our last boat we had a Rogue Wave WiFi booster that served us pretty well for connecting to WiFi signals on land from the boat.
And the Badboy does essentially the same thing as the Rogue Wave, but we find it easier to use. It is connected to an antenna that runs up our mast, so we can connect to WiFi from a greater distance. The way it works is you log into Badboy's IP address www.badboy.xtreme from any device and then you scan the list of available WiFi signals, which are either unlocked WiFi connections or connections for which you know the password, like nearby bars and restaurants you've visited. If the signal is strong, you can do work from the boat without having to sit in a bar spending money on food and drink to use their WiFi.
When this works, and the Internet is reasonable (after all, it's never fast), you don't have to worry about all the other solutions on this list because you've got unfettered free access to the Internet. Congratulations!
Note: This only works within about a one-mile range from land.
2. Pepwave Router
When the Badboy shows no available WiFi options, we move on to the next solution for accessing data, which is to use our router with a mobile data SIM card. We have the T-Mobile International Plan, which gives us unlimited 2G data anywhere in the world (almost — it didn't work in Morocco), so we can pop our SIM card into the router and get slow but reasonable Internet data from local mobile phone towers.
Or, if you can track down a local pay-as-you-go SIM card, that's even better because usually the Internet is faster and pretty affordable. We've found the going rate for data is $10/GB in most countries around the world.
Note: You can buy and use any normal router — it doesn't have to be a Pepwave. This option also only works near land within range of a mobile phone tower.
3. Iridium Go! Satellite Phone
I can't wait for the day when satellite data connections are so fast and affordable that we can stream Netflix via space while in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. That day has not yet come, but it is pretty amazing how accessible and affordable satellite technology has become in the last few years, so there's hope yet.
When we bought our first satellite phone — the Iridium Xtreme, the best device Iridium offered at the time — we paid a lot of money both for the phone (about $3,000) and the data ($650 for 500 minutes which, annoyingly, had to be used in a 12-month period or they would expire). And then Ryan learned the hard way that the Iridium Xtreme wasn't waterproof when he sunk his boat on a mad adventure sailing an ngalawa (local fishing boat) up the coast of Tanzania.
Ryan survived, as you may have guessed, but it meant we were down a satellite phone. So, when we bought Cheeky Monkey, we decided it was time to update our research and find out how much technology had improved since our last SatPhone purchase. And luckily for us, Iridium had just released a new and more affordable satellite "hotspot" called the Go!, which allows users to connect to Iridium satellites via an app on their smartphone or iPad.
So what can I do with my Iridium Go! at sea? I can't stream Netflix, or even browse a website. But I can use my iPhone to download weather gribs and open them in our Weather 4D app (there are many weather apps you can choose from), I can send and receive emails and (small) photos, I can tweet, I can make phone calls at the rate of $1/minute anywhere in the world and I can transmit an SOS in an emergency. Plus, the best part about this little device is it only costs about $800, which is a big drop from $3,000, and unlike the inflexible data packages of the Iridium Xtreme, the Go! offers an unlimited data package for $135/month, which can be cancelled at any time.
I do have one rather specific piece of advice regarding cancelling the unlimited plans, however. When you buy the Iridium Go!, you should request as many SIM cards for the Go! as the company is happy to send you. The reason for this is that, yes, you can cancel your plan at any time without penalty, but to reinstate the same SIM card costs a silly amount of money (I can't remember the exact amount), whereas if you throw the SIM away and activate a new one, it only costs $25 to activate a new card. With this method, you can activate your monthly plan just for the months when you are planning to be at sea, but cancel the plan for the months when you plan to stick close to land and have access to WiFi.
It's because of these 3 devices — the Badboy, the Pepwave router and the Iridium Go! — that I manage to stay connected to the virtual world as well as anyone who lives at sea could possible hope to. And, thankfully, we didn't have to spend $20,000 to acquire this system.
Plus, now you know how to build your own "custom" communications system on the cheap. See, aren't you glad you kept reading?
Final thoughts
Though this rather extensive list covers most of the big stuff we ordered for Cheeky Monkey, it is by no means comprehensive. Beyond what you've read here, months of research went into products we didn't end up buying, we made a million and one little tweaks that are too small to mention and we spent countless hours overseeing workmen to keep them from drilling holes in the wrong places, which they were wont to do.
In short, we found the process of outfitting our boat to be exhausting, incredibly time-consuming and almost as stressful as the full-time jobs we left in our wake. Which I have since learned could have been avoided, had we done more research on brokers before we started. But we liked our broker — he was a nice guy and we liked talking to him — so we assumed he had sold enough boats to know the pros and cons of the options offered by Fountaine-Pajot and that he could make recommendations based on our cruising plans, past customer reviews and his own research into the options he was selling.
But it turns out we made a few too many assumptions. What our broker didn't know and couldn't help us with was what ate up all of our time and energy as we pored over the purchases made by other FP owners who were kind enough to share with us what they'd learned.
Therein lies the problem: the broker you decide to work with can make or break your buying experience. And yet it can be difficult to know the good brokers from the bad brokers before you start working with them.
My advice? Get a recommendation from someone you trust or someone who has bought a similar boat to the one you're looking to buy. Who did they use? What was their experience? Get some opinions before signing over your hard-earned cash and your dreams.
Also, I would go with experience. The high-volume yacht brokers out there often get a lot of business because they're good at what they do. Plus, the advantage of going with a broker who sells dozens of the same boat make, year after year, is that he knows his stuff. All those questions we had about the pros and cons of DC and AC water-makers, the type of battery charger we needed and the type of anchor chain to buy? A good broker would know the answers because he's already researched it for a dozen other customers and gotten feedback on whether or not they made the right choice.
That's the key — a good broker doesn't just place your order and then walk away with his commission, leaving you to fend for yourself. He saves you time and, hopefully, a lot of headaches by giving you well-researched recommendations, being responsive to your needs and handling your warranty issues when they come up.
Consider this: there is an overwhelming amount of stuff that you can't even begin to ask your broker because you don't know all the things you don't know. All you know is the stuff you've thought to ask questions about, which may only be a fraction of the issues you actually need to address in order to get the complete boat of your dreams. It's like that thing Donald Rumsfeld said about Iraq in 2002: "There are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don't know we don't know."
A good broker doesn't just deal with the known unknowns, the questions you have thought to ask about what you need to know. A good broker can enlighten you on the "unknown unknowns," the crucial stuff you may not have even considered because, like most buyers, you don't know everything about the boat you're buying or the lifestyle you're about to plunge yourself into. A good broker has sold dozens of the same boat with dozens of different configurations designed for long-term cruising, weekend sailing, chartering, etc., and has taken into consideration what your plans are with the boat and anticipated what you might need to make it happen. A good broker pays attention to details and will tell you why you might want to opt for the 100 liter/hour water-maker over the 60 liter/hour water-maker if you're planning to sail around the world. And you want that broker.
As you can tell, Ryan and I have learned a thing or two in the process of buying and outfitting our boat, which is why I didn't want to waste all that hard-earned knowledge by keeping it locked inside my head.
My hope is that this list helps someone out there find the answers they're looking for as they pore over marine catalogs trying to figure out how best to spend their money. I should also mention that through our inadvertent promotion of Fountaine-Pajot via this blog and our YouTube channel, Chase the Story, we've gotten to know a fair few catamaran brokers and we would be happy to give recommendations. Just drop me an email at tasha (at)turftosurf.com or leave a comment below.
Also, as I am the technological dunce of this sailing duo, I will volunteer Ryan's expertise to anyone who has questions about battery chargers, water-makers, electricity, unicorns and other such things I have filed under "magic" in my brain. You're welcome.


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You can check the reviews. When you buy this luxury round side table online means you can read some of reviews, ensuring the luxury round side table of your dreams wings its way to you speedily. We think you reached this page via a Search Engine by your smart keywords. We are not sure what you're looking for the price of this furniture or not. However, if you are searching for discount rates of this furniture and we hope that the information in this page is useful to you. We know that everyone would likes to buy at the cheapest price in this furniture. But sometimes a little more expensive but it's faster shipping, it's a great alternative to shopping. Did you know this merchant have this furniture from multiple retailers for you. The some products may be cheaper than others. Sometimes, you may find the lowest prices on the market, However you should be check the shipping fee price from those stores before you decide to buy this furniture from these retailers.
Top Material: Metal Base Material: Metal Assembly Required: No


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Tenant Rights
It is illegal for building owners to force tenants to leave their apartments or surrender their rights. If you are a tenant in an apartment in the City who is being harassed by your landlord, you can get information and help. You may be eligible for free or low-cost legal assistance.
Harassment of tenants by landlords or owners can include:
- Not offering leases or lease renewals, or repeatedly trying to pay you to move out.
- Unjustified eviction notices or illegal lockouts.
- Threats and intimidation, such as late-night phone calls.
- Overcharging for a rent-regulated apartment.
- Failure to provide necessary repairs or utilities.
- Deliberately causing construction-related problems for tenants, such as working after hours, blocking entrances, or failing to remove excessive dust or debris.
Report a Complaint[edit]
Report dangerous conditions or lack of services by calling 311. Find more tenant resources here. Seek Legal Assistance
New York City continues to provide free legal service assistance for qualified tenants throughout the City. Residents can call 311 for more information.
Mayor de Blasio has created a program to provide legal assistance to tenants who are being harassed by landlords who are trying to take advantage of zoning changes by getting rid of tenants. If you are a resident of one of the zip codes listed below, you can reach the New York City Tenant Protection Hotline by calling 311.
- Bronx: 10452 and 10453
- Brooklyn: 11207, 11208, 11212, and 11233
- Manhattan: 10029 and 10035
- Queens: 11101, 11354, and 11358
- Staten Island: 10301 and 10304
Contact New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR)
If you live in a rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartment, you can get more information about tenant harassment online at www.nyshcr.org or by calling 311.


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Part 3 of 3: Archived timeline of the JonBenét Ramsey case
Part 3 of three-part series
Chronology based on scores of articles in The Denver Post beginning on Dec. 27, 1997, the day after JonBenet Ramsey's death in her Boulder home.
1977 – Patsy Ramsey named Miss West Virginia.
1990: Aug. 6 – JonBenet Patricia Ramsey is born in Atlanta.
1991 – The Ramseys move from Atlanta to Boulder.
1995 – JonBenet Ramsey crowned Little Miss Colorado
1996 – JonBenet wins America's Tiny Little Miss contest
Dec. 26: 5:52 a.m. – Patsy Ramsey calls 911 from her 15-bedroom, brick, Tudor-style home at 755 15th Street to report that her 6-year-old daughter JonBenet Ramsey, a student at Martin Park Elementary School, had been abducted. Someone had left a ransom note on a back stair case leading from the kitchen to the parents' third floor bedroom demanding $118,000.


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Niagara County Genealogical Society is an all volunteer organization
that was organized in January 1979 for the purpose of advancing
the study of genealogy among its members and the general public.
We are chartered by the NY Board of Regents as a non-profit educational
Whether your ancestors settled here
or used it as a stopping off place, Niagara County is rich with
history of people pushing west to explore our great country. Did
your ancestors use the Erie Canal and the Niagara River to move
west? They may have left their genealogical imprint here! We are
located on the second floor of the Niagara County Historical Society
Museum at 215 Niagara Street, Lockport, NY, where we maintain
a first rate genealogical library! We love visitors and are open
to the public Thursday - Saturday 1-4:45 pm, with few exceptions.
Please see our calendar for specifics!
We are pleased to present this web
site for our friends and patrons around the world. Membership
has its benefits in the form of an outstanding quarterly newsletter,
a look-up program and if you are local, a schedule of lectures
throughout the year. For a small fee you can make a commitment
to our Society and help us expand our resources so that we can
offer them to you. Membership is open to anyone. Come visit us
out our blog
Map & Get Directions


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Book This Date!
Book This Date!
- February 16, 2019
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
- 8 guest minimum / 25 guest maximum.
- Registration closes 2 days prior to the party date to allow proper preparation of projects.
- Each guest registers & pays for their project separately via your dedicated party link.
- We provide all of the materials & supplies.
- Pricing is based on project choice. (ranges $30 – $130 per project)
- Outside food and beverages are welcome.
- We handle all the clean up!
- Leave the party with your project.
- Hostess is responsible for a minimum of 8 guests. Should the minimum not be met before registration closes, hostess will be responsible for paying the remaining balance before the event is held. This balance will be issued as a gift certificate to be used in future public workshops or open CRAFT bar.
- This $50 deposit will hold your event date. Once your minimum number is met, it will be refunded back to you. In the event of a cancellation this $50 will be forfeited.
Venue: Aerie Lane - Buford, GA
Venue Website: https://buford.aerielane.comAddress:


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Give Thanks - Personalized Baby Shower Return Address Labels - 30 Count
Custom return address labels will make it even easier to send out your baby shower invitations and Mommy's thank you cards. This set of Give Thanks self-sticking labels perfectly coordinates with all of our Give Thanks themed invites and thank yous so you will not have to worry about extra handwriting on the envelopes. Three lines of text are included for each label set so you can simply peel and stick these return address labels onto your addressed envelopes and send to each baby shower guest quickly and easily. Guests will love the extra touch these Give Thanks personalized baby shower return address labels add to your invitations and thank you notes.
Give Thanks - Personalized Baby Shower Return Address Labels – 30 Count
- 1 Sheet of 30 return address labels
- Each address label measures 2 5/8"W x 1"H
- Personalized with up to 3 lines of text.


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Our "Picnic Basket Adventures" start with one of our homemade picnic lunches and are paired with your choice of the Maine coast adventures listed below. You choose the picnic and the adventure and we'll pack your lunch and make all of the arrangements for your trip.
Picnic Lunch Choices:
Picnic Lunch – Our standard lunch includes an Italian Grinder, homemade dill and Maine potato salad, fresh seasonal fruit and for dessert our strawberry shortcake biscuit. Upgrade to our Hartstone Inn logo canvas tote bag for an additional $17 (yours to keep).
Lobster Picnic Pail Lunch – Everyone comes to Maine to eat lobster and we make it easy with our most popular lunch pail. Lunch includes twin Maine lobster rolls, fresh dill and Maine potato salad and Maine's famous Whoopie pie.
Gourmet Picnic Backpack Lunch – For a sophisticated picnic, you can't beat our gourmet picnic backpack lunch. The lunch comes with a fully stocked picnic backpack (yours to keep) filled with a complete gourmet lunch which includes: choice of Maine lobster or prosciutto panini, local artisan cheese with herb-dried salami and crackers, dill-potato salad, fresh fruit, strawberry shortcake biscuit and homemade chocolate truffles. Beverage of choice is also included: white wine, red wine, sparkling cider, soda, beer or water.
Adventure Options:
Kayaking tour in Camden Harbor with picnic lunch on the water — standard picnic $100, lobster pail $120, gourmet lunch $175
Picnic at the top of Mt. Battie with panoramic views of Penobscot Bay — standard picnic $30, lobster pail $50, gourmet lunch $105
Self-guided Lighthouse tour with a picnic at the base of a scenic lighthouse — standard picnic $30, lobster pail $50, gourmet lunch $105
Two-hour sail and picnic aboard a historic Maine Windjammer — standard picnic $100, lobster pail $120, gourmet lunch $175
Bicycle adventure and picnic — standard picnic $70, lobster pail $90, gourmet lunch $145
Snowshoeing or cross country skiing adventure and picnic — standard picnic $85 lobster pail $105, gourmet lunch $160
Downhill skiing adventure and picnic — standard picnic $95, lobster pail $115, gourmet lunch $170 (equipment rental is additional)
Museum Tours with Lunch
- Farnsworth Art Museum — standard picnic $50, lobster pail $70, gourmet lunch $125
- Owl's Head Transportation Museum — standard picnic $44, lobster pail $64, gourmet lunch $119
- Searsport Marine Museum — standard picnic $46, lobster pail $66, gourmet lunch $121
* Pricing includes activities and picnic for two people.
Every "Fun for Foodies Vacation" package includes our "Everyday Bites," which is a current listing of foodie-favorite places to add to you itinerary. The list includes chocolate shops, farmers' markets, pastry shops, wineries, orchards and cooking stores, to name a few. These offerings require no appointments.


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It seems that all people have the same problem: the pesky SD-Card corruption. I read lots about backing up or restoring the card and also trying to fix the card. But I didn't find a thread that describes what we can do to PREVENT SD-Card corruption. I'm sure there must be some "fancy" tweeks that help that the Card's file system don't die so quickly.
What I try now is the following:
1) Check the file system every three reboots:
tune2fs -c 3 /dev/mmcblkp02
2) Allow auto correction:
nano /etc/default/rcS --> FSCKFIX=yes
I have no idea and no experience how good that works. But it is worth a try.
Has anybody else another idea?