trishlaplaca, Author at Pearls Aboard OYSTER

Updated on July 15, 2023July 15, 2023Summer Triangle Loop 2023

Journey Through the Erie Canal to The Finger Lakes

Who knew that an engineering marvel like the Erie Canal built in 1825 would still be able to manage to astound almost 200 years later? …

Updated on July 10, 2023July 10, 2023Summer Triangle Loop 2023

HELLO, NEW YORK!

It sure has been a challenge to get my vlogs out there to you! The internet service is often sketchy at best, so I’m going …

Updated on June 30, 2023June 29, 2023Summer Triangle Loop 2023

Here We Come! VLOG #1!

INTRODUCING OUR FIRST ADVENTURE VLOG! This week was fairly quiet, yet MOMENTOUS! Oyster is now all spiffed up and ready for the great adventure ~ …

Updated on May 20, 2023May 19, 2023Spring Blogs 2023

What the heck is THE TRIANGLE LOOP?

Life is either a grand adventure, or nothing at all. Helen Keller Man, oh, man! We’re less than a month from actually hitting the water …

Updated on May 23, 2023May 17, 2023Spring Blogs 2023

OYSTER’S GETTING A MAKEOVER!

Oyster needed a whole lotta love when we first set eyes on her in August of ’22. Her hull was dingy and her blue stripes …

Updated on May 11, 2023May 11, 2023Journey Kickoff 2022 Posts

ADIEU FOR NOW, DEAR OYSTER!

Original Post November 15, 2022 Many of us know how it feels to leave a beloved pet behind when we go away. Will he be …

Updated on May 23, 2023April 30, 2023Journey Kickoff 2022 Posts

WONDER ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER

Cool videos included! Original Post November. 9, 2022 This was it. The last leg of the final journey toward putting Oyster to bed for the …

Updated on May 11, 2023April 29, 2023Journey Kickoff 2022 Posts

ENCHANTING GREENPORT, LONG ISLAND

Original Post November 6, 2022 While Block Island tested both Oyster’s and our mettle, the next cruise and stay to Greenport, Long Island turned out …

Updated on May 11, 2023April 27, 2023Journey Kickoff 2022 Posts

PUMMELING SEAS & WEARY CRUISERS

BLOCK ISLAND, RHODE ISLAND Original Post October 21, 2022 Jeff and I were loath to count down the last days of this season’s ocean adventure …

Updated on May 11, 2023April 27, 2023Journey Kickoff 2022 Posts

BITTERSWEET PASSAGES

Original Post October 8, 2022 We finally left our harbor of refuge in Gloucester, Massachusetts to make our way down to the Connecticut River where …

AHOY & WELCOME!

Trish and Jeff

OUR WORLD IS OUR OYSTER!

When Jeff and I purchased our 40 foot 1974 DeFever Trawler OYSTER in August of 2022, never could we have imagined how much joy she would bring to us these last few years Our sweet girl may have needed a good bit of tender loving care at first, but boy, has she ever purred along the waterways with ease and grace despite her age. Jeff and I like to think that Oyster is pretty happy with us, too. Together ~ both she and we ~ have found not only a renewed sense of purpose and discovery, but a wealth of new adventures, too. Thanks for coming along as we share all our cruising fun and foibles!

WHERE HAVE WE BEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS?
HERE’S A RECAP…
(but see blogs for details!)

FALL, 2022
Jeff and I were able to come to know our Oyster and gain our sea legs as we ventured from Bucksport, Maine in Penobscot Bay. We travailed the New England coastline down to the Long Island Sound where we reluctantly “put her up on the hard” (meaning: store her out of the water) at Petzold’s Marina on the Connecticut River. It was tough to say goodbye to her for the winter - we had just finally gotten to know one another!

THE “TRIANGLE LOOP” SUMMER & FALL 2023
After receiving some much needed cosmetic care along with a few extra special perks like a new generator and other fancy items, Jeff and I launched Oyster anew. This would be our first true adventure together. We traveled the New York waterways up into Canada’s Rideau Canal and back down through Lake Champlain to Connecticut. The trip in total was over 800+ miles and included over 130 locks. Such an enthralling way to begin!

THE TRADITIONAL “AMERICA’S GREAT LOOP” PART 1
SUMMER & FALL 2024

Jeff and I traced last year’s wake through the New York waterways (Long Island Sound, Hudson River, Erie & Oswego Canals, but this time crossed Lake Ontario to enter Canada’s Trent Severn Canal system as opposed to the easterly Rideau Canal. This fantastic journey took us into Lake Huron, where we explored the stunning and immaculate Georgian Bay and North Channel before heading back down through Lake Michigan.

From Lake Michigan we entered the mid-U.S. river system that took us all the way from Chicago down to the Gulf of Mexico. Talk about incredible! When we finally crossed the Gulf of Mexico to work our way to our little Port LaBelle Marina along the Caloosahatchee River east of Ft. Myers, Jeff and I felt like experienced sailors for sure.

ON OUR WAY TO “CROSS OUR WAKE” AND BEYOND!
SUMMER & FALL 2025
Woohoo! We and Oyster will complete our AMERICA’S GREAT LOOP adventure together in New York City Harbor. This is traditionally called “crossing your wake”, which means that we will have ended where we had begun. At that point we will have earned the right to exchange our white America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association white burgee (flag) to proudly bear a fancier gold one. Yessirreee!!

But our travels will not end there. Once again we will travail the Northeast coast to hang out and explore more of Maine. And yes again, Oyster will winter in Connecticut again.

SUMMER & FALL 2026
THE “DOWNEAST LOOP” AROUND THE CANADIAN MARITIME PROVINCES? We sure hope so!

COME ABOARD OYSTER WITH US!