Lagoon 380 = Perfection!

Well, maybe Perfection is a bit strong.  But I have to say, if I happened across a Lagoon 380 that needed a good home, I'd certainly be happy to adopt it!

We were able to board a 2008 (?) Lagoon 380 this past Thursday - here in Savannah, of all places.  She was great!  Lots of room, clean lines, not a lot of clutter - but plenty of amenities, and certainly liveaboardable/charterable (yes, I make up words.  You'll get used to it, even if SpellCheck never does).  We happened to be on the Owner's version (my favorite) but I'm sure the Charter layout would work as well.  If you're unfamiliar with Owner vs Charter - well, we were too until we started all this catamaran shopping.  The Charter version has 4 berths (bedrooms) - one in each end of both hulls.  And a head (bathroom...) between the two berths, to be shared.  So - 4 bedroom, 2 bath in traditional real estate lingo.  The Owner's layout, however, has 3 berths and 2 heads.  One hull has an identical layout to the Charter version, but the other hull has a larger berth on one end and a much larger head at the other - with some sort of desk/dressing table/couch etc in the middle.  I'll post a layout from a Lagoon 380 so you can see what I'm talking about.

So where does this leave us?  To be honest, Lagoon 380's in the Owner's layout are actually fairly hard to find.  And pretty pricey.  Our price range keeps going up and up and up...  Time to figure out how to juggle our real estate in order to land on a solid $$ amount - a realistic $$ amount, so that we can REALLY get in there and start shopping!  All in due time, I'm sure.  But I have to say, being on that Lagoon last week certainly made me itch to get out on the water!

One Step Closer...

While it may not seem like a huge step, it is a significant (potentially life saving) step for us.

We headed up to Chattanooga for the weekend - he went camping/mtn biking with the boys and I stayed with a friend and her husband and got my craft on.  It was a great weekend all around.  On the way home we decided we'd stop in Macon to check out Divers Supply.

Diver's Supply is a  giant  SCUBA supply store - boasting that it's the biggest in the area.  (They laughingly admitted they were the ONLY scuba store in the area when we called 'em on it.)  We really just planned to poke around and see if there were any good deals going on.  We've been diving for 19 years on gear picked up (very used) at a pawn shop.  Since we've had it for 2 decades, and it was broken in when we got it - I have no idea how old it actually is.  Most of it is still in great working condition - and as our lives depend on it when we're diving, that's a good thing.  Unfortunately, last summer my BC sprung a leak.  A BC is a buoyancy compensator - and is basically the vest that you see divers wearing.  The air tank attaches to the back, and the regulator (that crucial hose that sends air to your mouth) is tied in as well.  The BC is inflatable and helps you maintain neutral buoyancy while under water.  Needless to say, when your BC has a leak, there's a problem.

This little beauty is mine.

Just so happens Diver's Supply is a ScubaPro dealer - and we've had our eyes on some ScubaPro gear for quite some time.  And after this weekend's little shopping spree, I can now lay my eyes on that gear anytime I want.  Yes - we grabbed 2 complete sets of new gear, and we're thrilled!  I can't wait to use it - I may even put it all on and go jump in the pool just to try it out.  Our next big dive trip is not scheduled until December and I really don't think I'll be waiting that long to test it all out.  The only thing we're missing is dive computers.  We'll add those soon - but we needed to put in some more research on that subject.

So glad to have the new gear - and I can only hope that this gear holds up as well as the pawn shop sets did.  Because it's ScubaPro - I'm pretty sure we'll easily get decades of use!

Secret Diving

A lot of people don't realize you can actually SCUBA dive out of Savannah.  I know - there's a giant shelf out there.  It keeps the water shallow  (and just happens to protect us from hurricanes).  We also have a few rivers feeding into the ocean, creating healthy estuaries along the shore.  This water is chock full of all kinds of things - and if you go out just far enough, you can see it!
I had an event to go to yesterday, but that didn't keep Honey Pie from going out.  Not only do we have diving off shore - we have wreck diving!  So the gang settled in for the 2 hour ride to the wrecks.  They headed out in what were reported to be 1' seas.

Too bad the weather forecast was completely off.  Somehow the weather man missed the giant band of storms heading in from the SE.  Seas were closer to 4' to 6'.  Some of the gang is already prone to sea sickness, so you can imagine a 25' boat in 5' chop for 2 hours was not what they were hoping for.

The first stop was a bust - but they rallied and headed to the next wreck.  The good thing about diving in chop is that as soon as you descend it calms down.  Bye bye seasickness, hello freaky sea creatures!   Thankfully H.P. is a camera fiend underwater and we've got several to share.

I think it's time to buy one of those fish identifying books!

Paddle.Paddle.Paddle.

No boat news since we went to view the FJ Athena on Sunday.  Still shopping/researching/biding our time.

In the meantime, we spent the last 2 evenings on the SUP's (stand up paddle boards) and saying hello to the dolphins as they swim by enjoying their high tide dinners.  Gotta get your water fix however you can.

Here's a video from January - enjoy!

Can we or can't we?

There's been a law in Georgia for about the last 20 years that you cannot live on your boat.  Not officially, anyway.  Lot's of people find ways around this law, just like any other law.  As we're often sticklers for following the rules (even stupid rules) we never really pursued living on a boat in Savannah.  We love Savannah, and have always wanted to live on a boat - but obviously the two were not compatible.  Until now (or 8 months ago).  Rumor has it that a law was passed and took effect in January 2012 that allows boaters to officially live on their boats.

I decided to Google that law for two reasons:
1.  I never understood why a state would FORBID a boater to live on the water, and I want the backstory.
2. Still a stickler for rule following, I want to be sure I don't go buy a boat only to find out that I can't really live on it.  (That would seriously suck.)

So here's what Mrs. Google has shared with me today:

http://www.gpb.org/news/2012/02/20/bill-would-legalize-living-on-boats

I still don't have an answer.  And I have a hard time believing that a law was passed purely based on improper disposal of waste.

Here's an exert from another article:
The law’s original intent when it was passed in the early 1990s as an amendment to the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act was to address a 
problem of people living aboard makeshift rafts and stilt houses on the Altamaha River and discharging untreated sewage overboard.

 I mean, really people.  If waste disposal is an issue - fine those found to be breaking waste disposal laws.  Don't forbid people from living on a boat.  Surely there is some other (perhaps, gasp, $$ based) reason for prohibiting liveaboards?

I love Savannah.  It's a gorgeous place.  We've spent 14 years here - almost more time than I've spent anywhere else.  We have loads of friends.  We have loads of access to water.  But I want to be IN water.  ON water.  SURROUNDED by water.  I promise promise promise I will dispose of my waste properly (ew).