(Emily Slocum, one of our crew member, turned out to be a major addition to our cruise south to the Caribbean - she could cook!  I asked Emily if she could reconstruct the menus from our voyage together from Newport to Bermuda to the BVI. A record of dinners, which became one of the ways we could tell the days apart. She sent me the following, taken from her diary.

Nov. 1 Sunday - The night before departure

Dinner- butternut squash soup with bread and butter. I discovered, frozen butternut squash has no flavor, always use fresh

Nov. 2 Monday  - First Day at Sea

We are all sick, no one feels like eating today. Rob and I have a slab of bread with hummus on it and that’s about it.

Nov. 3 Tuesday - Day before we Cross the Gulf Stream

Breakfast-Rice Krispies , the kids usual. Rob and I became quite addicted to RC.

Lunch- Pulled Pork (Mom prepared at home before we left) Sandwiches on potato bread with chips

Dinner? I can’t remember

Nov. 4 Wednesday - We are on the other side of the Gulf Stream

Breakfast- Rice Krispies, Its amazing how hard it is to pour milk into a bowl which flies back and fourth on the counter. By the end of the trip I got quite good at it.

Dinner- Turkey Curry over Rice with Broccoli. We roasting an entire turkey breast, but will save the rest for tomorrow.

Nov 5 -  Thursday

Breakfast- Krispies

Dinner- Garlic and pepper black beans over rice.

Nov. 6  -  Friday  - The day we get into Bermuda.

Breakfast- Toast with assorted spreads

Lunch- Turkey, Hummus and Veggie Wraps

Dinner- It’s 9:30 PM before the hook is down. What’s first? Champagne!

Then Mac and cheese for the kids, salads and leftovers for adults.

Nov. 7 -  Saturday

There is a Dark and Stormy Party at the Dinghy Club for the crews on the boat that have arrived. $5 Burgers for dinner.

Nov. 8  Sunday TO THE BEACH!

Dinner:  Big Fish Fry Dinner at the Dinghy Club for the NARC fleet of 30 boats, some are still at sea. Great meal and lots of people. They show us a movie of a sailing adventure after dinner.

Nov. 9 - Monday

Dinner: Lyman Family have pizza night on Hands Across the Sea

Nov. 10 - Tuesday

Rob and I have lunch at Elbow Beach Resort], where his parents spent their honeymoon.

Nov. 11 - Wednesday

Dinner - Corn Muffins and Pea Soup that David made.

Nov. 12 - Thursday

Lunch- Pea Soup, Hot Dogs and Hummus wraps

Dinner- Ratatouille with linguine

Nov. 13 - Friday

David bought fresh fish from a fisherman on the dock. Fried fish and chips for diner!

Nov. 14 - Saturday

Breakfast- Cinnamon Raisin toast

Nov. 15 - Sunday

Breakfast- Banana Pancakes

Dinner- An English meal of English sausage, mashed potatoes and beans with a “happy Anniversary” cake to celebrate Rob and my anniversary. Ren made the cake from a package mix and Julie decorated it.

Nov. 16 -  Monday - we leave Bermuda tomorrow!

Lunch- Greek Wraps

Dinner,  Julie makes Shepherds Pie

Nov. 17 - Tuesday -  First day back at sea . . .

Lunch- More Greek Wraps

Dinner- Leftover Shepherds Pie. We catch our first Mahi Mahi, only a few minutes after David put the lines in the water. David dresses the fish, which must weigh 15 pounds. But, we have left overs for dinner, putting the fish on ice for tomorrow’s dinner.

Nov. 18 - Wednesday

Dinner- Mahi Mahi with Beans and rice and Cauliflower

Nov. 19 - Thursday

Lunch- Fish Cakes with leftover Mahi Mahi with a ginger apricot glaze and avocado/ grapefruit salad.

Dinner- Sundried tomato chicken with pesto linguini and pine nuts.

Nov.20 - Friday

Lunch- Curried Chicken Salad with green Apples and golden raisins

Caught our second Mahi Mahi, another 15 pounds of fresh fish.

Dinner- Mahi Mahi Marinara with Pasta and Basil. Too much fish for us all to eat, and no ice to keep what’s left. What to do? We hand off half the fish to the crew on Harmony, one of the boats in the NARC Fleet that’s run out of fuel and water. We meet them at mid-night and transfer our spare fuel and water. We make one more pass and Rub tosses over the remaining fish dinner for the Harmony crew.

Nov. 21- Saturday

Breakfast- Rice Krispies

Lunch- Canned tuna salad Sandwiches

Dinner- Homemade Oatmeal Bread with Tomato soup. We are now out of ice. Most of the fresh food is gone, so we’ll be eating out of cans from now on, unless we catch another fish. David stops the boat and turns of the engine to check the oil and water level. It’s so nice to be quiet and still, we have dinner as the sun sets, drifting in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Nov. 22-  Sunday

Breakfast- Eggs and Toast or Oatmeal

Lunch- Pizza and Greek Salsa with Feta and chips

Dinner- Egg noodles with canned beef stew

Nov. 23  -  Monday, we arrive in the Caribbean!

I land our third Mahi Hahi. Rob dresses it, a job which he was not prepared to do when David said it as his responsibility. David calls Foxy’s Restaurant on the VHF and asks if they can cook it for our dinner tonight. We are practically out of propane, and we are out of ice, water and any fresh food.

Breakfast- Oatmeal Bread and spreads

Lunch- Tarragon Chicken Salad

Dinner - baked Mahi Mahi at Foxys!

Nov. 24 - Tuesday

At anchor at Norman’s Island, mooed next to the mega yacht Touch.

Dinner Tarragon Chicken Salad over greens and Four Bean Salad, Pina Coladas

Nov. 25 - Wednesday

Breakfast- Hot out of the oven French baguette

Lunch- Turkey Sandwiches and Mac and Cheese

Dinner- Cheeseburgers

Nov. 26  - Thursday THANKSGIVING & David’ Birthday

Breakfast- Homemade banana chocolate chunk bread and oatmeal bread

Lunch- Pumpkin Pie Soup

Dinner- THANKSGIVING! Turkey, Mashed Potatoes (made entirely by Havana), Gravy, Stuffing, cranberry sauce (made by David) and Birthday Apple Pie! It’s David’s 70 Birthday!

November 27  - Friday

We leave Searcher and The Lyman Family for our trip back to the real world . . . or is this life on a boat the real world? We’ll be back.