Drake and Monique preparing to cross the Atlantic

39degree.blogspot

Follow Drake and Mo aboard Paragon as they make their way across the Atlantic. Monique is blogging about their travels at 39degree.blogspot .  You can also find their videos about their travels on YouTube at DrakeParagon.

I first met Drake Roberts working as a yacht broker in Oriental, North Carolina.  He was in search of a Westsail 42 and I had just happened to have listed one the week prior. He was already the owner of a Westsail 32 and convinced a larger Westsail was the vessel he needed.  Long story short , the transaction was made and the boat I had listed is now known as Paragon and is the subject of numerous videos and writings.

Years have past and Drake has sailed countless miles aboard Paragon and is currently in St. John's New Foundland

preparing to cross the North Atlantic.  I am quite confident Paragon is a sea worthy vessel capable of such an undertaking and her Captain is an experienced and qualified seaman. We wish them fair winds and look forward to seeing their videos from the other side of the Pond.

The New Year's Day Non Football Regatta

Not many years ago, a group of friends here in Oriental, were invited to crew for the sailing vessel Bounty in the annual New Year's Day Non Football Regatta.
Here in Oriental, NC, not many people are that interested in football so every New Year's Day there is a regatta during the time when most of America is watching football.  The requirements of the regatta are that you use a sailboat to circumnavigate at  least three buoys if not more in the Neuse River off of Oriental.  After this stringent qualification of passing the third mark your vessel and its crew meet the requirements set forth in the race committees rules and regs.  Basically, the name of your vessel and its captain will be placed in a felt hat.  The name drawn is now considered the winner.  The purse includes free horsd'oeuvres at M and M's and dinner and drinks at your own expense.

You may even read and return to the shelf a children's adventure book written by our very own Bernie Harberts who spent much of the race aloft in the spreaders taking photographs of other competitors and our exuberant crew.

Meanwhile, Captain John is down below taking inventory of his exquisite French wine collection which has become airborne along with his laptop, cellphone and other miscellaneous items.
Bernie caught some of the crew sleeping on the job but fun was had by all.

Did we qualify to win? Yes!  Did we actually win? No, but there is always next year.
For more adventures with Bernie check out this clip from his offshore excursion.  Bernie Harberts: 65 days Alone at Sea