Home Port - Shelburne VT

Here we are back at old mooring in Shelburne, thanks Craig from "Wild Sea" for snapping the photo.

Well folks I guess this it, we completed what we set out to do and it was definitely a most spectacular trip.  Our last few days before arriving here at our home port we spent several days in Westport, NY enjoying the special hospitality of Rose, Bernard and Brian from "The Bistro".  Had a short but fun visit with Mark and Connie Youngstrum on their (new to them) 37" Tartan along with choc. labs Phoebe and Sedge.  We spent one evening in Button Bay and one in Converse Bay before a last beautiful sail concluding our trip that began October 25, 2011.

Stan came up with a way of putting the miles we traveled into a different perspective: We traveled approx. 11,000 nautical miles which is the equivalent of traveling back and forth from the east/west coast of the US 6 times at about the speed of a riding mower.

The most asked question so far is what was the best place you visited and we have found it to difficult to answer as there were so many spectacular places.  The other best aspect was the people we met on the way and the long lasting relationships that developed.  All we can say is we hope we are in a position to do this again in the future.  In the mean time we are both busy trying to re-acclimating ourselves to a world we had taken a break from.  Not the least of which is scouting around for employment, I am actually looking forward to jumping back into the workforce. 

Stan and I will remain living aboard "Dream Walker" until Sept. 1st when our tenants Richard, Kay and Murray (fearsome guard dog) move out of our house and into their sailboat to do just as we have done.  We wish the best of times on their trip on board "Atalanta".

Special thanks to everyone who helped make this trip of a lifetime come true for us from the time we purchased "Dream Walker" until now and beyond.  Stay tuned for our next adventure, be patient as it may be few years.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or inquiries at elizabethwalker_56@hotmail.com

Take care all.
Elizabeth

Pictures of our mooring area in Shelburne Bay

Mast Up at Chipman Point

Sunset ust north of Chipman Point

Saturday afternoon the 27th we were getting ready to go through the last lock in Whitehall, I was down below Stan was off taking a shower and I heard a voice call, "hey Dream Walker anyone there".  Chan Weller came for a visit after motoring his powerboat 3 hours  to welcome us home, he was not more than 15 minutes and said gotta get back as he had a 3 hour return trip, thanks Chan you are such a "wild and crazy guy"  :-)   Ten minutes later we were headed north ourselves, we ended up anchoring in a nice little bay about a mile or so south of Chipman Point.  We stayed put on Sunday disappointed we did not have our fishing licenses, lots of fishing going on around us but did not observe any lunkers being taken.  Busy doing some last minute chores in anticipation for putting the mast up.

Monday morning we motored over early to receive our instructions on their method for putting our mast up called "stepping the mast".  Chip and Bill did a fantastic and professional job stepping our mast, all went well.  Stan and I took over the process of getting all the stays secured before we moved back to the dock to finish up with wiring and tuning the stays.  The folks at the marina were kind enough to let us use their loaner car so we could go to Orwell and get our fishing licenses and a few other supplies.  Late afternoon we moved off the dock and anchored just north of the marina. Tuesday morning we got busy putting the sails up and reorganizing the boat from the past days of chaos.  By mid-day we motored north due to lack of wind to just south of the Champlain Bridge on the VT side.  Stan started drowning worms as soon as the anchor was set.  This used to be a great spot for catching bass but Stan could only catch alewife of which were plentiful and only 1 perch.  Not sure whats going on but the alewife must have taken over since we left but they are supposed to be good eating so Stan cleaned close to a dozen.

Fort Ticonderoga

Dream Walker sailing the VT state flag

 Wed. we moved over to the NY side yet still south of the bridge. Cal, Nancy, dogs Lilly and Raven came to meet us their boat Inidawind 2.  The group of us took a tour of the Chimney Point museum, Cal's aunt and uncle were featured in the museum. We also had our dear friends Stan and Cyndee Button pay us a visit which made of a fun evening catching up, it was really great to see them again.

The Buttons and the Walkers

Nancy, Cal, Stan and Cyndee enjoying one of Stanley's tales of our trip.

Today is supposed to bring us high winds and rain from the south so we decided to stay anchored here for another day.  Before the rain came in we climbed the monument built by the French commemorating Samuel de Champlain with Cal and Nancy (Lilly and Raven in tow) also toured the visitor center on the NY side and got some photos from the bridge.  It was perfect timing as the rain did not start until we returned to the boat.  There is a special event this evening at Chimney Point Museum and we are hoping to go if it doesn't rain to hard, only time will tell. 

View of Dream Walker from the monument

View of Raven and Lilly from the monument

The monument

Dream Walker and Inidawind2

View from the bridge

The tentative plan is to go north to Westport, NY tomorrow weather permitting so as always stay tuned.  When we get to our homeport at the Shelburne municipal moorings we will put the blog to rest until such a time as we start our next adventure.
Take care
Elizabeth