Saturday, September 15, 2012

Life aboard the Clementia II


The most commonly asked question of me in the last two months is “What’s next?”
Sadly I am not headed back to Antarctica as I had previously hoped. I have still heard nothing from PAE, one of the subcontractors, about the roughly 15 positions I applied for. So, I have opted for another adventure that would allow my boyfriend, Jon, and I to live together.
A little history… Jon and I met in Antarctica and started dating around Christmas time. We traveled together for two and half weeks after our contracts were up. Jon then returned to his normal job for the US Forest Service in Alaska and I returned to Sea Base for my usual scuba instructor position. I had some time off between seasons at Sea Base and visited Jon in Ketchikan in early May and then saw my parents in Vermont. I applied for about 20 different positions in Antarctica for two subcontractors. I interviewed for 2 positions with Gana A Yoo, which I was not hired for either. PAE still hasn’t contacted me, which has disappointed me greatly. Jon has been hired two positions and we talked for a long time about what to do. Should Jon go back to the Ice without me, how long should I wait to hear from PAE, should we wait and reapply next year in hopes of going back together. We decided wait to go back together.
So we started looking at options for employment and places to live. I had been working my second summer on the Schooner Conch Pearl with Captains Holley and Denny when they approached me and told me about the crew Denny runs in the fall and early winter repairing the docks at the Galleon Marina in downtown Key West. After several phone calls with Jon we agreed to work, Jon as Dock Maintenance and myself as a painter. Now the issue of where to live! Key West is an expensive little city. Again, Holley and Denny to the rescue! They suggested I contact a friend and Sea Base captain that had a boat, the Clementia II, that was sitting unused. So after checking the boat out and coming up with an agreement for living on the boat we were set up! 
Two weeks ago friends of mine, Laura and her boyfriend Capt Luke, helped me sail the Clementia II from Islamorada down to Key West. It took us about 13 hours of time underway. As part of the agreement to work on the docks we get free dockage, which in this town is huge! We will have to move for two big events, Fantasy Fest and Super Boat International Races that happen here in Key West in the fall, but Holley and Denny have very kindly offered their mooring which is about a mile away. So things are falling into place!
  
Clementia II
Clementia II is a 32 foot West Sail built in 1974. And yes it is for sale! It has sleeping space for 4(a large bed in the v-berth and two single beds in the salon), a head(toilet!) and a galley with refrigeration and a propane stove.
V-berth. Wooden insert connects the two sides to make one big sleeping space

The Head

The Head

Storage- Little closet and lots of drawers

Main Salon looking aft

Main Salon looking forward

Galley Port side

Galley Starboard side

Storage in the main salon

Fridge!
 The only real issue with the boat was the fridge wasn’t working but Denny came over and got it running and we are in the process of getting a new thermostat.
Clementia II at the dock in Key West
More pictures from the Islamorada to Key West trip and of the boat can be found at… https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.828450836169.2164256.44801562&type=1&l=069850d1ac

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So exciting, Megan!!! Glad you guys found jobs that could keep you together :) Maybe some day I'll meet this mystery man of yours... :)

Anonymous said...

Congrats on finding jobs that keep you guys together - exciting! Love all the pics - what's it like living on a boat!?!?