Suck the marrow out of life!

What a day! By the time I sit down to write at night, so much has happened that I can't remember all of my ideas and stories. It is actually easier and more efficient to blog and post pictures through your Iphone, but the Google blogger app is not great (e.g., cannot post videos unless you upload them directly to youtube first and then paste in a link, whereas computer version of blogger does the upload in the background on your behalf). Bottom line- I should have used WordPress or something else, but there is no going back for this particular trip. This is more than sufficient for a couple of Ralphs who are merely attempting to entertain their family and friends! I do enjoy knowing I will have this blog saved to look back on down the road. I have a tendency to spend an inordinate amount of time thinking, reflecting, and churning (I call it "tycooning" and am happy to explain the concept), but have never really journaled on a regular basis. I appreciate why people find it meaningful and fulfilling.

Time is also an issue. Having a third set of hands would go a long way. Take out the blogging and it would be more manageable, but I do enjoy making the posts and love the comments and feedback we receive. A third set of hands would be useful on the ship in general, particularly when coming into port and when washing the damn boat!

There was a Sports Fishing tournament in Morehead City this weekend:

#BoatsNeedBikinis #SportsFishersNeverGetLaid

We got a solid night's sleep and planned and plotted over breakfast. We motored out of Morehead City around 9am and headed toward Norfolk, VA. It was already windy, so we didn't want to chance crossing Pamlico Sound just inside the coast. We did cross the southwestern portion of it as part of the ICW (Neuse and Pamlico Rivers) and even that was pretty rough. When we exited the Neuse into the sound, we had consistent 4-footers with no shortage of 6-foot, 3-wave bursts mixed in. Captain Ralph was fearless. I expected we would slow down and point the nose in the air when the waves picked up. He literally dropped the hammer! Let me put it this way: the sports-fisher that had been tailing us all morning disappeared into the horizon. We ran 21-22 knots head-on into the surf and Betsy didn't bat an eye. This is quite honestly the greatest compliment I can offer regarding this boat. She takes the water like nothing else. Doc's Holiday (Captain Ralph's previous motor yacht- a Chris Craft 501) couldn't touch Betsy in big water, not even close! It was less fun when we made the turn northwest to get out of the sound and the surf hit us on the side. Even then, Betsy was stout. The galley was a mess. Even the microwave crashed onto the floor! The toaster broke, but I think it still toasts. Fruit was rolling around on the floor. The back door was sliding open and closed (note to self, do not forget to put that pin in place). You do NOT want to be moving about the boat in this type of surf, as you need to keep your eyes focused on moving forward to avoid feeling seasick. The automatic pilot worked incredibly well until we turned broadside. It was smooth sailing once we got back on the ICW, aside from some traffic in the tight sections.

While his gal was fully clothed. Dude... you are doing it wrong. To get it right: #PhoneTheRalphs 

We are docked at the Alligator River Marina. It is a decent spot for the night. Don't eat the food!

I just learned about bumper boards. We need them. Taking donations. #SupportTheRalphs!

I do not love that my DNA is scattered about marinas all along the ICW!

Now, let us please discuss passing etiquette. Betsy didn't receive her usual compliments today. Instead of "beautiful boat" it was "are you kidding?" and "that was rude!" #BetsyIsFast. For the non-boaters... when in the ICW, particularly in the tight sections, the protocol is: radio to boat ahead as you approach their stern to request a pass, choose a side if they don't have a preference, and usually you make a "slow pass," particularly for the sailboats, which means you match and go slightly above their speed so as not to literally rock their boat. Once you are out front, you resume speed. I have been doing this all day every day for more than a week. The truth is, a lot of times this protocol is not followed. Out on more open water, it is no holds barred as there is plenty of room for your wake to dissipate. But even in the ICW where you think everyone would be radioing for passes, they often do not except in the tightest sections. MOST people do seem to make a "slow pass" as a default, but there is no shortage of people who throw wake carelessly. I am looking at you Sports-Fishers, Sea-Ray owners (aka gixxer squids), and now... Ralphie Props?!

I never hesitate to ask the Captain what to do. The gray zone is the problem for me. For example, if we are on a bay along the ICW, but there is still a channel and we can't be wide enough apart to completely ignore one another's wake, there is some inherent uncertainty in this ill-defined protocol. There are several issues at play. Many boats have dinghy's tied over their stern such that you cannot see the name of their vessel to hail them over the VHF. Many times, we DO hail but they don't have their radio on, aren't listening, or don't care. Sometimes a wave is thrown, but does that mean come on by however I want at full steam because you are bright enough to cut into my wake and don't really care or do you want me to pass slowly? Personally, I'd rather be passed while the faster boat is on plane, even when they are substantially larger than Betsy, because I can easily cut into their wake and avoid the rolling and it prevents me from having to slow down to enable their slow pass.

Another issue is that you have to maintain enough speed to get by the boat you are passing and may not be able to minimize your wake. Betsy puts out a huge swell when pushing water before she goes on plane. You don't want our broadside wake in close quarters at 12 knots! Further still, most cruisers fail to maintain what I would refer to as situational awareness. The ICW is a federal highway. You need to know what is coming up behind you, especially when you are one of the guys who seems to drift from side to side in the channel for no apparent reason. Example: today I was following a boat who was bouncing about and was about to hail when suddenly he cut from the far right to the far left in the channel. I ASSumed he saw me and wanted me to pass on his starboard side so I didn't bother requesting a pass. As I pulled up alongside, I was watching him carefully outside my window ready to cut back, when I saw him grab his radio and say "are you kidding?" I was already going to give a slow pass, but he did not slow down (remember the slow pass requires the slow boat to back off their throttle, which nobody wants to do). #BuyAHuckinsSoYouCanKeepUp

It is kind of like driving a car, when people drive slow in the fast lane and hold you up, then flip you off when you blow by them in the right lane. It is as if everyone wants you to travel at their same speed. I have never understood this phenomenon. Well, you guys know how Ralphie Wheels handles this situation (caution: corvette tires throw a lot of stones and by the time I have had to go out of my way to maneuver around you, all of my f*cks have been given, so maybe try actually paying attention to and following the relentless signage that says "keep right except to pass" because some of us take it to heart!). This guy was caught off guard when I pulled up beside him. Captain Ralph felt bad about the whole situation, but Ralphie Props chalked it up to that ship being piloted by a cranky old man who is probably well past his prime and likely should have turned in his Captain's license a decade ago when he could still see sufficiently. Not sure what to say. It isn't like I even rocked him with wake. #GetMovingOrGetOutTheWay #RalphieProps.

The "that was rude" comment came shortly after. Here, we were out in a wider section- a small bay with a center channel that was well marked with buoys. The slow boat was hugging the channel off my port side and running full steam (I would guess ~12 knots). I hugged the right side of the channel and kept Betsy on plane and watched him closely as I pulled alongside. I didn't radio and request a pass because there was plenty of room. Typically, in this situation, the other boat will cut their throttle to indicate they don't want wake, thus enabling my slow pass. I started to back off as we came even, waiting to see whether he would dial it back. He was staring right at me and maintained his speed, so naturally I stepped back on the gas assuming he didn't care and would cut into our wake just as I described I would do. Instead, moments later I got the "that was rude" over the VHF. I wish some of these folks would chime in on the blog and state their claim. Care to debate? Step up and go toe-to-toe with The Ralphs (and get crushed)!

If the boating industry and community has failed to develop an official protocol, then we all need to use a modicum of common sense, in my not so humble opinion. I think we are doing so aboard Betsy successfully. Hey, not everyone is going to like you and there is no shortage of people who (I know you will all gasp when you hear this) don't love and adore The Ralphs! I know, I know, it is quite honestly hard to believe ;). What do you want from us? Those people are invariably un-cool and as far as I am concerned, they are missing out. Life is short, fleeting, and unpredictable. Love as hard as you can, laugh for hours on end, live to the absolute fullest and make the most of every possible moment. Suck the marrow out of life!