Cap'n and I just got home from a late night walk on the Seven Mile Bridge. The moon was so bright, it was casting shadows. There is a steady breeze with occasional gusts; it would have been a perfect night for a crossing. Our friends, Matt and Karie have been waiting for the wind to change out of the north and it finally has. I expect they will be leaving very soon for the Bahamas if they haven't already. We wish them fair winds and following seas :)
Today it got up to 81, since the northerlies are gone for now. Unfortunately, it seems a front is due to move through again on Thursday, the day I go pickup Mom and Emily from Miami. I would be ever so glad for a southern wind to come in and stay for days....to move the stinking sea grass out of the marina. YUCK! It only comes in with the north wind, and it blows back out again with a south wind. But in the meantime, it piles up and begins to ferment and rot. It's nasty! I just my boat to look and smell clean and fresh.
I want to dive in and give Marquesa another thorough scrubbing and cleaning, but I cannot until Bessie gets reinstalled. It would be pointless. So, we are now prioritizing projects- those that can be accomplished before Thursday, those that are essential to get us back out on the water and sailing, and those that must be done before we set out cruising the end of March. The one thing I must do is get Willis' cruising permits in order for the Bahamas. That can be a 4-6 week process so I have to get on it right away. Biddi is borrowing our Jeep in the morning for a dr's appt., so I am thinking about pedal, pedal, pedaling my clownbike to the library to get some computer work and printing done- for taxes, for work, and for Willis T Cat. Anyhow, it's best I stay out of Cap'n's way when he is head long into a project as tools are practically strung from bow to stern! (That may be an exaggeration, btw.)
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| We got our first pleasant surprise...when I ordered a replacement blade for Windy, the wind generator, it was $120 which I thought was for one blade. Though it seemed salty, any time I can get by with a boat part for a $100 bill I feel like I've done okay. When Donnie opened the package, we had three new blades and the hardware to go with them! When he got up a ladder to take the nose cone and present blades off, he discovered another one was damaged and missing part of its wing. |
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| Within an hour, Cap'n had the three new blades installed, and she was humming away making power :) I love when we are living off the grid and cruising, the sun and the wind keep us powered up and the boat moving! We now have a spare blade safe stowed away with other misc. spare parts, too. Don't we have a gorgeous view? |
I tackled three loads of laundry and hung our sheets and comforter on the lifelines. The sun was hot and the easterly wind was cranking, so they were dried quickly. There's nothing like the smell of clean sheets dried out on a line, they just can't replicate that smell in a bottle of fabric softener! With the easterly wind blowing, it is now blowing Marquesa off the dock. She reminds me of a racehorse in a starting gate. I can just feel her straining the dock lines to break free and sail. In fact, when she's in the slot on a beam reach, cutting through the water, she literally hums along. In those moments, Marquesa is smiling, Cap'n is smiling, the First Mate is smiling, and Willis is....well, Willis is usually hiding behind a pillow. He's not smiling so very much. Until he gets his sea legs back. When he comes out into the cockpit or up on deck while we are underway, then he's smiling, too :)
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| Cap'n, aka Mr. Fix It, tackled a new project today. He loves it when he learns something new. He installed a new fuel gauge (we've never had one before, but then we don't normally use a whole lot of fuel) and roughed in the wiring. This required putting a hole in the fiberglass, which always is a little worrisome. At least it was above the waterline. Notice the tools and mess strewn about...it's how he works! Tomorrow he has to put the sender in the fuel tank and finish up the wiring. |
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| Tah-Dah!!! (No, that is not MY hairy leg in the foregroud, lol) |
I put the first coat of polyurethane on the cockpit table this afternoon. Tomorrow I will sand it with 220 and brush on another one. I will probably do at least three coats. I managed to get most of the water stains sanded and bleached out. I also did some other clean up projects and organizing down below.
Bessie update: She got painted a shiny gold and was all put back together, except for one shim gasket for the fuel injector pump. It's only a $6.00 part, but it had to be ordered from Kubota. It was supposed to have been delivered this afternoon. If so, they should be calling us tomorrow morning to come have a listen when they do a test run in firing her up. If all is well, she will be delivered either tomorrow or Wednesday for us to set her back down in the compartment. Steve and Mike have offered their muscle and electric winch to get her lowered back into the boat. Once that happens, we call them, and they will send Joel back out to reconnect and align everything- a few more hours labor. Then, we hold our breath as we are presented the bill, and I work any frustrations out by furiously cleaning and making beds before I have to make a run up to Miami to get Mom and Emily. They will both be staying aboard Thursday night, as we can't get them checked into the motel until Friday. This week is going to pass in a blur, I have no doubt. So, you see, we are both winding down with some projects, gearing up for the Bessie reinstall and getting ready for company :) And we're doing it all in gorgeous blue skies and Florida sunshine. It's not a bad gig.
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| As for Willis, he is patiently waiting for Grandma ShooHoo to come sit in her chair under the palm tree :) G'nite, y'all! |
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