Brio's launched! She's itching to cruise and the captain and crew are busy with preparations.
You can see from the picture below that Brio has a few new "toys" to consider.
That flat panel on the right is the Starlink antenna. Thank you, Elon Musk. Starlink is an array of low-altitude satellites that provide communication between the boat and her crew's cell phones through Brio's router to anywhere in the world. This means that the last several years of clumsy technologies are now gone and Starlink is the reliable service for wherever we might go.
This also means that things like cell calls and Face Time and Zoom and streaming are all available, no matter where we are. Those domes in the back? The right one still has a TV antenna. The left dome is empty.
Near the top of the mast is a sort of robot-looking face. It is the new, more powerful spot light which will help us find moorings in the dark.
At the front is a sort of R2D2-looking device. This is a very updated camera system that uses either visible and infrared spectra for detecting objects on the surface or in the water. Visibility is spectacular. Both the camera and the spot light can rotate around or go up or down.
While Brio "splashed" in late April, there were inevitable wrinkles to iron out. We think we have gotten most of the bugs fixed.
Another new system is shown below:
This is one of three Arlo security cameras. They are set to capture movement of anyone coming on board or anyone trying to access the water or fuel fill pipes. We will be spending much more time in marinas this summer as we cruise to Quebec and these cameras may serve as a deterrent to mischievous types.
A month after her launch, Brio was ready to leave Marion, Massachusetts and head across Buzzards Bay to Hadley Harbor for a lunch break before returning to her mooring in Pocasset Harbor near Wing's Neck.
Here's a picture of the ferry at Hadley. The Cormorant is an iconic service boat that provides the connection between Hadley and Naushon Island with Woods Hole.
Hadley is about as idyllic a little harbor in this region as you could imagine. The moorings are well-maintained and free to grab, if you can find one. They are easily available this early in the season.
This is looking north from the mooring we grabbed up the harbor. There's a little marina on the left where the island's residents keep their beautiful wooden boats and classic Herreshoffs.
Here we are, about to sit down and enjoy Alice's famous sandwiches.
And this is just a taste of things to come!
In early June, we leave Wing's Neck, head down to New York City, then north on the Hudson River to the Erie and Oswego Canals. We will cross Lake Ontario, go down the Saint Lawrence River past Montreal and Quebec City to Tadoussac. Tadoussac is whale capital of the Maritimes.
We'll take a side trip up the Saguenay River, return to the Saint Lawrence, head back up past Quebec City to Sorel.
Then south to Lake Champlain, then the Hudson River and back home. It'll take about 7 weeks.
More soon!
Cheers,
Brio
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