trishlaplaca Original Post August 15, 2022
We couldn’t believe Jeff found OYSTER on craigslist in Maine. The original expectation was to find our dream boat along the east coast near Florida to set out on the America’s Great Loop in Spring 2023 from there. But alas, Jeff had fallen in love with this particular boat. Every other we’d seen either in person or online had been snatched up within days due to a fire-poker hot market. We were waiting for the sale of our property in Ecuador to close, which meant that we couldn’t yet pull the trigger to make an offer on her. Jeff wouldn’t give up: he was determined to stay in constant contact with the broker in Maine to purchase Oyster. All we could do was hope that she would wait for us – and that she would truly be our “right one”.
It’s now mid August and HOORAY! Oyster felt like “home” immediately. She’s an older 1974 trawler in need of a little TLC, but nothing we can’t handle. And just like Jeff, I fell in love, too.
These first weeks in Bucksport, Maine have been magical. We’ve had great support from everyone we’ve met, from marina staff to the wonderful couple who formerly owned Oyster. They, too, had traveled the routes of the Great Loop on Oyster, and had many wonderful tales to share and wisdom to impart. We couldn’t be more grateful.
Best of all, we’ve been getting hands on training with our dear new friend Captain Bill. He’s not only the local TowBoat captain, but also brokered our purchase of Oyster. Bill took us under his wing immediately to show us the ropes. We have his full assurance that he won’t let us leave the dock on our own until he’s got us good and ready.
Jeff and I are also getting savvier with navigational technology, chart maps and waterway guides to in order to properly plan a course. The most incredible experience so far, though, was to push ourselves to get out and just do it. Once the boat documentation and insurance were in place, we nervously set out for our first maiden voyage seven miles up the Penobscot River. Quiet after the summer’s flurry of activity, we were able to practice anchoring in the small cove recommended by friends. We slept surprisingly soundly on the open water for the first time. I’ll soon tell you all about those first solo journeys as we dared to travel much farther down the river and into Penobscot Bay later that weekend.
With a little more experience, our plan is to head back down to Florida on Oyster where our little “wobbly box” small mobile home awaits us. We purchased it during a boat-shopping excursion in May just to have a place to lay our heads other than a boat. It should be very fun once we get there, as it’s located in a park where my brother and sister-in-law also live for the winter.
But can we get Oyster ship-shape in time and also prepare ourselves enough skill-wise to embark on such a major journey? Yikes! It’s all a little intimidating!
Thanks so much for joining us as we take on this great adventure. I’ll be blogging along the way as often as I can, highlighting with videos, too, whenever possible. My ultimate goal is to share the many pearls of discovery we encounter throughout our new life on Oyster. We’re so happy to have you aboard!
