Departure at Last

Tues Dec 20, 2014

Little River, SC

Well here goes.  I have to decide to tell the pretty version or the truth.  We got started off with a whimper. We lost power  before we left the dock.  I am not sure what was behind it but after an hour and a half we seemed to have resolved the problem and were off in a cold dreary overcast sky.  Probably the worst departure we have ever done.  Had trouble getting out of the slip and we have done that often flawlessly.  Dropped my phone trying to hand his and shattered the glass on the front. Everything was starting wrong.   

Once we were out of the ICW the sailing was really good for a while.  We were making 7 sometimes 8 knots. But we were freezing our buns off with the surround.  Thank goodness for Jack's canvas or we would have frozen.  At some point we set a course that caused us to have the wind directly on our stern which left us wallowing side to side.  That continues from late afternoon through the night.  I have never gotten sea sick so I was ok but standing or walking was a challenge.  Dinner was one pot, one hand to hold the pot on the stove and one to keep me upright. At some point we decided to sail with just the main and motor both to improve speed over ground and give some heat below deck. Only helped the temp a little, Was mid 50s pretty much all the afternoon and night inside the boat.  Lots of blankets and warm clothes.  

While both of us have crewed on over night sails this was our first over night sail by our selves. It was sail alone most of the night with the same wishy washy seas.  We had a couple of tense moments. One when Lee was on watch and one when I was.  He heard an alarm but could not find the source, so he woke me up to help hunt it.  I found it and it was just the remote for the auto pilot. I was coming in to a shipping lane near Charleston and I saw several large ships. It was also an anchorage area. I watched carefully and concluded one of them was anchored and another would be on its way before we reached it, but then I started seeing lights all over. It looked like fireflies celebrating christmas.  I couldn't tell what was going on.  I woke Lee up and had him come on deck  About that time Mark came on the radio and explained there were several sets of red and green lights marking different entrances to the shipping lane.Oddly those lights did not show up in the chart plotter. 

Cliff note version  Lousy start, COLD dreary weather, only some nice sailing.  Things sliding and falling every where. 

Frazzled

Monday, 12/29/14
Little River, SC

Today was all the last minute stuff that has to get done.  Lynda prepared fresh veggies and got eggs. She also  had some sewing projects she was trying to finish.  Unfortunately, for the first hour and a half the sewing machine would not play nice with her.  Frustration!

To make matter worse, when we were at our storage unit we (read I) forgot to close and lock the unit.  We left it standing wide open.  The manager found it and put her lock on it until we got back to lock it up.

Today was also the day Mark and I went to  the doctor.  Mark got a treatment and I had 8 stitches removed from the incision where a basil cell carcinoma was removed.

We are fortunate to have good friends. Terri is going to handle our mail while we are gone.  She will let us know what needs dealt with and what can wait.  She went out to dinner with us and we talked .about all the possibilities she may have to deal with.

Lastly, friend Pat followed Lynda to the condo to park the car and pick up a couple of books. She brought her back to the boat.  She is going to start the car and truck occasionally while we are gone.

So, back to the beginning.  We are frazzled.  Maybe a little more than frazzled.  Hopefully when we get underway things will settle down and we will be able to relax.

One more day

Sunday, 12/28/14
Little river, SC

What a hectic day.  We (Lynda) finished organizing the provisions.  She actually got a place for everything.  I am in awe.

While Lynda did some last minute shopping, I helped Mark take his bimini and a couple of side curtains down to resew.  Then we took our dehumidifier they were using back to storage.   We stopped at Judy's sisters house to leave something for Judy's cooking projects.  Picked up some recycling that we dropped off at the recycling center.  Then on to our condo to store 6 boxes of photos for M&J.  They will pick them up on the way back.

We were going to spend the night tonight on the boat to see what all we have forgotten.  But, by the time we got our laundry done & clothes packed it was too late, so we will spend this last night in the condo and head to the boat in the morning.  I don't know where we will put all the clothes.  We need both cold and warm weather things.  At least, I hope we need warm weather things.

Tomorrow is Dr. day for Mark and me.  Some last minute items and putting the condo to bed.  We are going to leave the vehicles here so we will need a ride from here back to the boat tomorrow evening.  Then Tuesday morning we will be off.

Finally

Saturday, 12/27/14
Little river, SC

Finally, the boat is ready to go I think.  We finished installing the stern light and, as usual, it didn't work.  Checked it with a voltmeter and there was power there.  We looked closely at the bulb and it was blown.  Another trip to West Marine.  Thirty two dollars later we had a new LED bulb that meets the Coast Guard requirement to be visible at 2 miles.

Lynda brought more provisions to the boat and we returned the meat that we had taken out of the freezer earlier.  The afternoon was devoted to stowing stuff.  We got about half of it put someplace.  The rest will wait until tomorrow.

Our friend Terri was out of town visiting her son for Christmas.  She had boarded the pups, Izzy and Daisy, at a local kennel.  She wasn't going to be back by 5 pm (the required pickup time on a weekend) so we picked them up for her.  We took them to her house, had them potty, had some quality play time then put them in their cages.  Terri got home an hour or so later and her pups were excited to see her.

Mark and Judy finally got on a plane from Ft. Lauderdale to Myrtle Beach.  The plane got in about 9:30 and I picked them up.  They had the opportunity to see the place where we are planning to dock for a couple of weeks.

We have two more days to try to get our act together before our intended cast off date of December 30.  Don't know if we will manage it or not.  Wish us luck.

Late Again

Friday, 12/26/14
Little River, SC

This didn't get published this evening so you will probably see two logs the same day.  Sorry 'bout that.

I am trying to get boat projects done.  Today Richard Truett and I pulled a wire in to replace the one that went bad from the starter to the starter switch.  Got that one done.  Next we started relocating the stern light which became obscured when the rack for the wind generator and solar panels was installed.  We got the necessary holes drilled and the wire installed but it was getting cold and dark so we decided to finish the job tomorrow morning. This took basically all day.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Lynda was working on provisions.  She is keeping an inventory of what all we have aboard.  She brought two cart loads to the boat and there is another cart load in the condo.  That doesn't count all the meat that we had in the freezer that was brought back to the condo and now needs to go back to the boat.  We are going to eat well.

Tomorrow will be all about getting things organized in the boat.  Don't know where we will put it all.  Lynda will find a way. Then we plan to move on to the boat Sunday so if we are missing anything we will still have the opportunity to get it.

Mark and Judy were to return from Puerto Rico this evening and I was to pick them up at the airport.  Their plane was delayed leaving PR and it arrived in Ft. Lauderdale at the exact minute that the plane for Myrtle Beach left.  They are spending the night on a 100' yacht that belongs to the son of a friend of theirs that they crossed the Indian Ocean with.  They will come in on the same flight that the had planned only a day late.  I'll still pick them up tomorrow evening.

Merry Christmas

Lee spent Christmas taking it easy except Lynda fixed Christmas Dinner to share with our good friends Roger & Jane Bonner.  We had no family in for the holiday and neither did Bonners so we spent the evening together.  We had the traditional turkey, dressing, green beans and Lynda's special broccoli salad.  Jane brought the cookies from the cookie swap that Lynda attended a few days ago.  We also had carrot cake for dessert.  Can't go wrong with a deal like that. Good company and good food.

Earlier in the day I went to check on the boat.  Everything was working as it should.  I am trying to remember how to work with the SD cards that put charts in the GPS.  Still don't have that mastered but I will get around to it sometime.

I even had time in the afternoon for a nap.  Gotta love a day with time for a nap.

So, all is well here.  I hope you had a great Christmas and that the new year brings you health and happiness.

It's a Boat

Wednesday, 12/24/14
Little river, SC

It rained today.  It poured today. The sun peaked out just enough to get you to do something and then it dumps on you. but it got up to 70 degrees.

We took more supplies to the boat today and it decided to rain again just as we were loading things on the boat.  While we were listing everything so we would know what we have, I absently checked the batteries condition.  They were depleted about half.  That is not good.

I checked the battery charger and it was not working.  After looking around Lynda discovered a breaker that was blown.  I reset it and in just a little while it blew again.  Again I reset it and that time it seemed to hold.  But in the mean time to help recharge the batteries I decided to run the engine for a while.  Guess what.  It wouldn't start.  It didn't even try to turn over.

I consulted Mark, who is in Puerto Rico.  We discussed various possibilities.  After checking what I knew about I gave up and called the sailing communities main sailboat technician.  He came over and we started chasing the problem.  A short across the solenoid (Siri called it a "cell annoyed") started the motor.  So the motor, starter and solenoid are all good.  We checked the wiring at the start switch and determined there was a problem there, eventually deciding it was a wire running from the switch to the solenoid.  We needed a wire to run in place of the bad one.  So, it was off to West Marine.  When we ran the wire from the start switch to the "cell annoyed" the motor started just fine.  So, we will have to snake the new wire through the boat where the old one goes.

That will wait until tomorrow or Friday.  Meanwhile, because of the problem with the battery charger, and being unsure of it, Lynda took all the meat from the freezer back to the condo just to be sure.  When she got back with the sky opened and drowned her while she unloaded.  Not a dry stitch, she said.  She stopped at the boarding kennel to check on friend Terri Azar's puppies. Who were happy to see her but seemed to be doing fine.

Oh, well.  We will get it all sorted out.  After all, it's a boat.  Something will always go wrong.  They say the definition of cruising is repairing your boat in exotic places. On the up side, the manager at the grocery store gave Lynda a poinsettia for free and West Marine game me a bag of scrap wires of various sizes, so it wasn't all trouble.

And the Loading Begins

Tuesday, 12/23/14
Little River, SC

We took the first load of provisions to the boat today.  It was mostly meat and we turned on the freezer.  It is only about half full.  We'll fix that eventually.

I needed some SD cards to use with the chartplotter and I needed an ink cartridge for the printer.  So, HiHo, HiHo, it was off to WalMart we go.  The place was a zoo.  Parking was somewhere in the hinterlands or BFE as I call it.  While I got the computer stuff, Lynda picked up some additional groceries that we needed.

We just managed to make it back for my hair appointment.  For someone that always went to a barber, going to a beautician is somewhat of an unnerving experience.  And what about having to have an appointment.  What's up with that.  I always just sat there in the barber shop until it was my turn.

To make room in the condo freezer to freeze things before we take them to the boat we decide to empty it and see what we had in it that we hadn't seen in a year.  We pulled everything out, disposed of all the stuff that wasn't going to be needed for four months.  Then we could see that the freezer was in dire need of cleaning.  So . . .

The condo is piled with stuff to go on the boat.  I'm sure we will never find a place to store it all.  I guess tomorrow we will start to see.

Provisioning

Monday, 12/22/14
Little River, SC

Sorry, this didn't get published yesterday.  So here it is.

We started the day with Dr. stuff.  Then I stopped by and finished paying Jack for the canvas.  He called later to tell me about one of the nuances of the installation and to offer Lynda some Sunbrella scraps to make things from.  She went by and got some pieces after her Dr. appointment.

This afternoon we went to Camping World to get some more LED bulbs and then on to Costco for provisions.  We had all we could get in a buggy and when we checked out the tab was over $600.  We should eat well on this trip.  Actually, prorated over the planned length of the trip, that isn't too bad.  We will have to pick up eggs and fresh veggies the day before we leave. We will resupply that kind of thing as we go and the opportunity presents itself.  Hopefully we can also add some fish, conch and lobster to our menu.  I see blogs of people saying "Oh, no.  We are going to have to eat lobster again".  It's awful some of the things one must suffer for this lifestyle.  Lynda is pre-cooking some of the meats, etc. and then freezing them so it won't take so much time and fuel to finish them on the boat. We need to talk to the egg man about getting some eggs just before we leave.  We need eggs that haven't been washed or refrigerated.  That will let them last considerable longer.  To really extend their shelf life we would need to coat them with Crisco and then turn them every day or so.

Tomorrow will be more food preparation.  I still have to decide something about the stern light.  Things are falling in place.  I hope we aren't running ourselves crazy at the last minute.

We have Canvas

Sunday, 12/21/14
Little River, SC

We stopped by the boat today to check the fit of the bug screen for the companionway that Lynda is making and, Lo and Behold, we have full canvas.  Jack called later and wanted to meet us at the boat to look at final adjustments and show us how it all works. It's like having an extra room on the boat. There are some limitations.  Getting on the boat is not as easy as you have to dodge around some of it.  Access to things on the swim platform is rather limited.  All in all though, I am very pleased with the job.  It will make life on the boat much more enjoyable.  We will be protected from wind and rain.  It will also help with the cold and when the sun shines it will be like a greenhouse.

Lynda's screen job is going well.  The frame she made fit perfectly.  It will be a boon to anchoring out where the mosquitoes, flies, and no-see-ums are thick.

We stopped by Mark & Judy's boat just to check on things.  I emptied the dehumidifier and checked the bilge counter.  It still says "1" so there is no water intrusion. That's a good thing on a boat. The object is to keep the people in and the water out.

With plans to leave on Dec. 30 it looks like going outside to Charleston might be doable.  The forecast is for a high of 52 with WNW winds at 6 knots and 20% chance of rain.  Tuesday night is for NW winds of 9 knots and 50% chance of rain.  After that it looks like the wind will clock around to the South which would be right on our nose so we may have to do the waterway for a while.  I know this forecast is 10 days out and will undoubtedly change but that's where we are now.

Granola

Saturday, 12/20/14
Little River, SC

Today was all about granola and screen door.  I made two batches.  The granola recipe I use is the same one that Judy Handley has made for many years.  Now I have about a third of what Judy has.  She makes granola in huge quantities.  Of course, she has to feed two and I only have to feed one.  Lynda is not a granola person.  As a matter of fact, she is not a breakfast person.  When she eats breakfast she likes leftover pizza or some other strange thing.  I like something a little sweet.  The granola with chopped dates is my favorite.

While I made granola, Lynda worked on making a screen for the companionway.  She is making it out of lattice and screen.  She wants to do a trial fit before she completes it. We will try to do that tomorrow.  She also worked on a gift she is making for a friend for xmas.

Didn't even make it to the boat today. It was cold and rainy, not a good boat day.  About the only thing pending there is for Jack to finish the canvas and to bend the post for the stern light and get it reinstalled.  I'm really pleased with the job Jack is doing.  Certainly will recommend him to anyone wanting canvas work.

At Last . . .

Friday, 12/19/14
Little River, SC

I finally got the wind generator working.  I had to undo half of the installation to correct a problem but it's done.  Now all I need is for the wind to blow.  That took most of the day.

Jack is about to finish the canvas.  Another couple of days and it should be done.

I still have an issue with the stern light.  Jack bent it some more but it is still not enough.  That is all he can do so I need to see if I can find someone else that can work on bending the light pole some more.

So, I guess it is time for me to start thinking about what clothes to take and where to store them.  I will need to rearrange things below to accommodate things.  I also need to start getting cruising  guides and chartbooks aboard.

Surgery

Thursday, 12/18/14
Little River, SC

Today was pretty much devoted to having a basal cell carcinoma removed from my back.  Not a big deal, until the numbing wore off.  Really, still not that bad.  We drove 2 hours for a 15 minute procedure.

To work on the wind generator I needed a couple of butt connectors for 6 gauge wire.  Lowe's didn't have anything that big.  Neither did Home Depot.  Had to go to West Marine.  Called Doug the welder to borrow his crimper.  It is large enough to crimp wire that size.

Then we stopped to check on the boat.  Jack had installed the three back panels of the canvas and it really looks good.  Just two more to go.

The final job of the day was doing laundry.  I'm watching The Daily Show and still haven't finished it.  Guess I will watch the last episode of the Colbert Report, fold the laundry and hit the rack.

Loose Ends

Wednesday, 12/17/14
Little River, SC

Today I tied up some loose ends.  Not all loose ends but some loose ends.  I am beginning to think I have forgotten the knots.

I checked with tech support about the wind generator.  They advised to throw the breaker and watch the LED on the unit.  When power is applied the LED will come on for 2 seconds, off for 2 seconds then on for 4 seconds.  The problem is that the switch is in the starboard berth and the wind generator is out on the swim platform.  Trying to throw the switch and get out to see the LED is kind of like turning out the light and trying to get in bed before the light leaves the room.  Not happening.

So, I went to do some misc. shopping.  I needed some acorn nuts, some O rings, and some Christmas presents.  I eventually got back to the boat and Lynda showed up after her Cookie Exchange party.  I flipped the switch and she watched the LED.  Nothing happened.

Now comes more troubleshooting.  The possibilities are that there is a glitch in the wiring or a fault in the wind generator itself.  I have no way to determine that the fault is in the generator except by the process of elimination.  There are four connection points between the generator and the batteries. One is at the batteries, two are on the control panel and the last is at the generator head.  The control panel is illuminated so the battery connection is good as is the battery to control panel connection.  I have checked the outbound connection on the control panel and it is good.  That just leaves the connection at the generator head.  Checking it involves removing the blades so they don't get damaged then removing the generator from the pipe that holds it.  That will require more wire which means all the wire run back to the control panel will have to be cut loose to pull slack to the generator.  that is the worst connection to check but as my friend Bill Sears says "it is what it is".

Tomorrow I have minor surgery scheduled to remove a basal cell carcinoma from my back.  It will be done in the office at the dermatologist.  This makes the third one I have had removed.  Thankfully it isn't on my face like the others. Before or after we need to make a Costco run the stock up on provisions.  That's Lynda's department.

Not a lot accomplished but gradually getting there.  I'll try again Friday.

Small Vessel Reporting System (SVRS)

Tuesday, 12/16/14
Little River, SC

We started the day with a trip to Wilmington, NC to meet with the Customs and Border Patrol to be interviewed and fingerprinted for the SVRS.  This is a program that lets small pleasure crafts to clear Customs upon returning to the US from a foreign port by making a phone call rather than reporting to a Customs Office or having them come board your boat.  We were both fingerprinted and the prints run against the FBI database and the Immigration database.  We both passed.

On the way back we stopped at our storage buildings to pick up a couple of things.  I laid mine out on one of the tables and then didn't pick them up when we got through so I will have to go back sometime.

On to the boat to see how it was doing since the wind was finally blowing.  The wind generator does not seem to be functioning.  I'm not sure why.  Finding that out will be tomorrow's project.  Jack should come with the three back panels of canvas.  Then he will only have two more to make.

We came home for Lynda to make another batch of cookies for tomorrow's Sail & Power Squadron cookie swap at Jane and Roger Bonners.  She needs 8 dozen cookies.  While she did that I took a nap.  Never pass a chance to take a nap, right?

This evening we went to Socastee to have dinner and visit with our good friends Martha and Mitch Strickland.  Martha had a wonderful roast beef dinner for us.  After dinner we played the card game "Hand & Foot".  The ladies wiped us out the first game but Mitch and I got our revenge the second game.

While I was there I found a voicemail from the marina where we have reservations in Ft. Lauderdale.  They wondered why we didn't show up since it was the 16th.  Somehow we miscommunicated that we planned to arrive there on JAN 16th.  I need to get that straightened out tomorrow.

Got a few more loose ends tied up today. Hope to have another productive tomorrow.

WPA

Monday, 12/15/14
Little River, SC

Back during the Great Depression there was a government program to provide employment called the Works Project Administration (WPA).  The going joke was that it stood for We Piddle Around.  That was what today was.

I was up early to take Mark & Judy to the airport to catch an 8:00 flight to Puerto Rico.  They are off to see their son for Christmas.  I'll pick them up again when they get back on Dec. 26.

On the way home I stopped at Mason Tire and had the oil changed in the car.  Lynda spent much of the day baking cookies for the power and sail squadron cookie exchange. She will be coming home with 18 different bags of 1/2 doz cookies per bag.

Later it was over to the boat to check on things.  I was looking for the location of zincs and the diameter of the prop shaft (1 1/4" actually) so I would know what size zinc it would take.  Jack came by to make some last minute measurements for the canvas.  He says he will put the back panels on tomorrow.  I couldn't get motivated to wash down the cockpit, so . . .

Came back to the condo and took a nap since I got up before breakfast.  Lynda woke me to talk to our online pharmacy about our supplies of medications so we won't run short while we are away.  This evening we went shopping for some misc. items and stopped at K&W Cafeteria for a bite of dinner.  I know, I know only OLD people go there.  Well, what can I say.

A quiet evening of TV and then off to bed.  We have to go to Wilmington tomorrow to meet with Customs and Border Patrol folks so they can fingerprint us and arrange for us to check back into the country without having to go to a customs location.  We will be able to just call when we get back.We both have to go and we have separate appointments.  Mine is at 11:00 and Lynda is at 11:15.  Tomorrow evening we will be visiting with friends Martha and Mitch Strickland down at Socastee.  Looks like a busy day.

Dinghy Soup

Sunday, 12/14/14
Little River, SC

Do you know what happens when you put your dinghy back in the water without putting in the drain plug?  Well I found out.  I went over to the boat to pick up the Key Lime pie that Santa, aka Jane Bonner, left on the boat.  While I was tidying up the lines I notice the dinghy (which incidentally Lynda named Hatchling) was full of water.  It hadn't rained.  Then it occurred to me that I had removed the drain plug while I was working on it on the dock.  Forgot to put it back in.  Got out the bilge pump and started to work.  It probably took 15 minutes to get it empty.  That's how it felt anyway.

We took the rest of the day off and just lazed around reading the paper and doing some online research.  Nothing noteworthy.

Didn't get this log written last night so here it is today.

Christmas Party

12/13/14
Little River, SC

Today I cleaned on the boat and tried to put it back together.  When you are working on the boat, things get piled and scattered.  Trash gets spread around.  I also had several wires that we had run for the inverter and wind generator that needed to be wire tied to keep the wire runs neat.  Got things tidied some and cleaned up the trash.

The dinghy had been on the dock for several days getting cleaned.  I applied the UV protectant and Mark helped me put it back in  the water.  After that we moved Sea Turtle back to her home slip.

We want to start the trip with full propane tanks so we took three tanks to get them topped off. When we got there the place was on winter hours which means they were closed on Saturday.  I'll get the tanks filled while Handleys are in Puerto Rico and have them ready when they get back.

This evening was the North Strand Sail and Power Squadron annual Christmas Party.  Everyone brings something good to eat, particularly the desserts.  After the meal there is music and dancing.  We, the Handleys and Kaufmans, were talking to David Canty and Kim Leverich about sailing experiences and locations.  All of us being old as it were, the background noise was making hearing difficult so we adjourned to our condo.  We all sat around and swapped stories about sailing, chartering and the islands. Good company.  Good evening.

Success

12/12/14
Little River, SC

Today Mark finished installing the wind generator while I watched.  Well, maybe I helped  a little bit.  In any event, I would never have gotten all the things done on the boat that we have accomplished without Mark's help.  I don't say it everyday, but I really appreciate him.

We started the day looking for a problem with the 120 volt outlets on the starboard side of the boat.  Then I remembered that there was an outlet in the starboard birth.  I checked it and it was a GFI outlet that controlled the other outlets on that side.  When I reset it everything worked.  Dumb!

We then strung a power cord across the dock to get power back to the boat to run the battery charger. The inverter and the charger are all working well, so it was onto the wind generator.  I had to cut a hole in the back of the starboard birth to mount the controller.  We pulled the wire through to the controller and one from the controller to the batteries. This all involved several trips to various stores for misc. parts. All the metal that goes on a boat is either stainless steel or aluminum. Preferably stainless.  They are really proud of that stuff. At least the price they want would lead you to believe so.

During the day, while we were working, both Doug the welder and Jack the canvas guy were at the boat doing their thing.  Doug finished fastening the rack to the boat and Jack made patterns for the rear panels for the cockpit.  After he finishes those there will just be two side panels and he will be done.  There goes several BOAT Units. If you are not familiar with BOAT Units it stands for Break Out Another Thousand. This boating thing is really expensive.  They say a boat is a fiberglass hole in the water where you pour money.

Anyway, by 5:30 we had the blades on the generator and everything hooked up.  Now we will have to wait for the wind to blow.

Tomorrow I will try to put the boat back together.  There are things scattered all over it.  Tools to pick up, trash to throw out, and stuff to re-store not to mention general cleaning and sweeping. I also have several wires to tie down and label so the next time we work on it we will know what we did the last time.  Besides sll that I have to move the boat back to its home slip.

When Jack gets finished with the canvas the boat should be ready to go.  We just have to get some clothes aboard and Lynda has to do the provisioning.

Progress

12/11/14
Little River, SC

We are gradually getting there.  This morning we took Lynda to a 7:00 AM doctors appointment.  She was concerned about a place on her lip but the doctor thought it was of no concern.  Glad to hear it.

Doug called to say the frame he is welding wouldn't be ready to install until 1:00.  So I went to the boat to finish the fine points of the inverter install.  I installed the remote control for the.  Someplace along the line a short apparently developed.  The outlets on the starboard side of the boat won't work.  A ground fault outlet won't reset indication a short somewhere. Have to troubleshoot that when I get time.

At about 1:00, friend James Farmer brought Wiggles with him when he came to help.  Mark returned from checking on his brother-in-law, Joe.  We moved the boat to a new slip where we had access to the stern without a dock box in the way.  I backed the boat into the slip.  That was the first time I have backed this boat into a slip.  Thankfully there was no catastrophe.  It actually went very well.

Doug came with the rack and the four of us carried it down to  the boat.  We got it mounted, but the U-bolts we had would not fit properly.  Doug had to order some from his supplier and the won't be here until tomorrow.  He will be back when they come in.

After Doug left, I called Jack to come back and work on the canvas.  He had been there earlier and took the bimini with him to tweak some of the seams.  He brought two of the panels he is making and installed them.  They look great.  Tomorrow he will make patterns for two more.

After Jack left Mark and I wired the wind generator and installed it on the post of the rack.  More work on that tomorrow.

One of the problems created by the new rack (unintended consequences) is that it tends to obscure the stern navigation light.  I think we will try to rebend the pipe holding the light if possible.  It may be necessary to replace the pole the light is on with a longer one.

By that time it was Scotch thirty so I headed home.  Back at it again tomorrow, but progress is being made.

Busy busy day

12/10/14
Little River, SC

It was a busy day.  Mark & Judy made coffee for me this morning and then we went to work finishing the installation of the inverter.  About noon we finished and tried Lynda's hair dryer.  Worked great. We now have 120 volt power even when we are not tied up to a dock.

Judy fixed lunch for the four of us which was made with her Miracle Mineral Broth that is exceptionally healthy.  After lunch we visited with Bo and Joyce Chesney of the Beneteau 49 s/v Dream Catcher.  Wendy from the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 52.2 s/v Tropic Bird was there too.  Wendy and her husband Magne Nygren have a home in Yorktown, VA and one in the Abacos where they spend the winter.  Both vessels are currently docked at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club.  We had a far ranging discussion about the Bahama Islands, particularly the Abacos and Exumas.  They have all been there and were a wealth  of information.

After that get together Mark and I stopped by Doug the Welder's place to make last minute measurements for the frame for the wind generator.  The plan is to install it about 10:30 tomorrow.  I will have to move the boat to an open slip where we can get to the back of it.  I have never tried to back the boat into a slip before.  This should be interesting.

Lynda has a doctors appointment at 7:00 in the morning down in Myrtle Beach.  Can you believe a 7:00 appointment?  We will have to get up before 6 to get there in time. So, I guess I had better quit and see if I can get some sleep.

Another day . . .

12/09/14
Little River, SC

. . . another dollar.  Not much accomplished today.  I blew the morning at a board of directors meeting for the Home Owners Association.  A somewhat contentious meeting, but that is another story.

While Mark received another treatment, Judy went to West Marine in Murrels Inlet and picked up the wire we needed for the inverter.  She was also able to get 303 Aerospace Protectant and 303 Fabric Protectant.  That should have us in good stead for a few months.

This afternoon Mark and I went to work on Sea Turtle but Jack was there making patterns and we didn't want to get in his way so we went to Windbird and hung out.  One small project on Windbird was to snake a propane hose through the dorade to be attached to a Mr. Heater.  They will be able to attach a full 20 pound propane tank and have lots of warmth.  We have arrived at a somewhat similar arrangement using our 10 pound tanks so the first few days out may not be all that miserable.

After waiting some time we decided that it was going to be too late to work once Jack was finished so we called it a day and I came on to the condo.  Wasted the evening watching TV.  Well try to finish the inverter in the morning.

Judy invited us for lunch tomorrow and then at 2:00 we are all going to Myrtle Beach Yacht Club (just across the way) to visit Joyce and Bo Chesney on Dream Catcher and their friends  who frequent the Abacos.  Joyce and Bo go to the Exumas.  We are going to try to glean as much information and advice as we can.  Really looking forward to that visit.

Dinghy Bottom

12/07/14
Little River, SC

Well, this morning I went to the boat and painted the dinghy bottom. That is, after I stopped at Dunkin Donut for coffee and a coffee cake muffin.  I didn't have enough paint to cover the whole bottom so I concentrated on the bare patches where sea life is most likely to grow.  It is going to look like a little speckled pup.  It was freezing, the wind was blowing and my back was aching.  Glad this isn't a weekly chore.

After I came back to the condo and rested from my labors, I spent some time calculating how to make the crossing of the Gulf Stream.  The Stream has an average of about 2 1/2 knot northerly current.  That means that if you take 10 hours to cross it you will be about 25 miles north of where you want to be.

This evening was going to be dinner with Roger and Flo Clark and Mark and Judy Handley.  Roger called in sick for Flo but M&J still came.  We discussed plans and routes for our trip and the logistics of the voyage after a good dinner of pork chops, potato salad, baked beans and cole slaw.  Mark made a cranberry bread with cream cheese.  A really successful evening.

We made plans to start on the installation of the inverter tomorrow morning.  We only have about a week until M&J take off for Puerto Rico.  When they get back it will be the end of December and time to go.  Still have the solar panel rack and wind generator to install.  Lynda still has to work on provisioning.  Much work to do.

More Dinghy

Today I scrubbed the bottom of the dinghy in preparation for bottom painting.  Then I taped of the bottom paint line.  I need to paint the bottom early tomorrow (if it isn't going to rain) so it has time to dry.  Judy tells me they painted their bottom and dew hit before it dried.  Caused paint to run all over the sides of the dinghy that had to be taken off and the bottom painted again.  I love learning by someone else's mistakes instead of making my own.

Another step in cleaning and protecting the dinghy is to treat it with UV protection.  The preferred product seems to be 303 Aerospace Protectant.  I have checked with NAPA, O'reily's, and Advance Auto and none of them stock it.  It looks like Camping World may carry it.  Judy has enough to treat both our boats but the supply needs to be replenished.  The same for the boat cleaner we used.  Maybe she will use Amazon.com Prime to get free shipping.

I also spent some time going through the documentation for Sea Turtle trying to locate the zincs.  I know there is one on the prop shaft but I can't find out where else.  There may be one on each of the Frigibot keel coolers and maybe in the hot water heater.  Also on the engine.  These are sacrificial anodes that protect the other metal parts of the boat from galvanic corrosion (check Wikipedia).  I am going to have Larry, the local diver, check the condition of the bottom of the boat and clean it if necessary.  He will change the zincs that are under water while he is at it.

The inverter for 120 volt appliances (think Lynda's hair dryer) arrived today.  We'll probably start that installation on Monday. Stay tuned.

About the Dinghy

12/05/14
Little River, SC

I had a call from Doug who is making the rack for solar panels and the wind generator.  His truck wouldn't start.  We were to dry fit the poles to hold the rack today.  I went by and picked him and the poles up in the pickup.  We took them to the boat and took measurements for him to do more welding.

About noon, Jack came to show us how he planned the canvas for our full cockpit enclosure.  He has good ideas and I feel good about what he has planned.  He took the bimini back with him to modify one of the zippers he had already put on.  He will make patterns Monday and then should be ready to make the final product.

The rest of the day was about the dinghy.  I pulled it onto the dock and started cleaning on it.  I remembered that Judy had some cleaner that was specifically for the material it is made from.  She was just getting ready to clean theirs so she loaned me some of her cleaning products.  After working on hers, she pitched in and helped with mine.  We turned ours over and cleaned the bottom.  Mark has some bottom paint designed for dinghies that he gave me.  I will try to get it on in the next couple of days.  Working bent over didn't make my back happy but I will get over it, I guess.

I got back to the condo by beer thirty and took a short nap before the news.  A good bit accomplished but not through yet.

I got a text from Mark that the inverter we ordered has arrived.  That will be a project for next week.

Another Busy Day

12/04/14
Little River, SC

I'm writing this log tomorrow because I didn't get back in time to write it yesterday.

I got a sale flyer from Harbor Freight.  Asked Mark if he wanted to go, too.  Of course he did. Bought several misc. items as always.  Can't get out of Harbor Freight without something.  While the men folk were doing that Lynda was at a ladies luncheon and gift exchange for the women of the US Power and Sail Squadron.  She got a nice watch.

Next we stopped at the flea market next door to pick up a charging cable for Mark's tablet.  We did manage to go by West Marine without stopping for the first time.  Make a mark someplace for that.

On the way back to the boat we stopped to talk to Jack about canvas for the boat.  He had been over to the boat and had some good ideas for how to make a complete enclosure.  That will be great for going South the first days.  He went over to the boat with us to show us what he had in mind.  He is to come back tomorrow at noon to make patterns.  I feel good about what he has planned.

Lynda was at the boat so after Jack left we stopped at Windbird to discuss going to Night of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Garden.  We decided the weather looked good and it was a go.  M & J came by the condo and off we went.  Got there about 5:15 and made the rounds.  We listened to several musical groups and looked at the lights.  If you haven't been there you really need to see it.

After the Lights, we stopped at Wally World for some misc. provisions and then back to the condo where Lynda had a pork roast going in the crock pot.  We had pulled pork BBQ, macaroni and potato salad for a late dinner at 11:30.  Talked about strategies for crossing the Gulf Stream.  Now ready for bed and it is tomorrow already.

A good productive, but long day with good company.

Another test. This time to see how to include photos. 

Work Day

Lightkeepers  Marina
Little River, SC
12/03/14

Today was the first of many work days in preparation for the trip South

For anyone that doesn't know, the plan is, in the company of Mark and Judy Handley on s/v Windbird, to sail to Ft Lauderdale, then around to FL west coast, and then over to the Bahamas for a few weeks before returning to LR sometime in the spring.

We are working to get both Windbird and Sea Turtle in shape for the trip. This is a greater project on Sea Turtle since M&J have lived on Windbird for years before and after their 6 year circumnavigation.

We started the day with coffee and donuts onboard Windbird while comparing ToDo lists. Two big projects on Sea Turtle are to enclose the cockpit with canvas and to install a rack off the swim platform to hold solar panels and a wind generator. We plan to install the wind generator here and the solar panels when we get to Ft Lauderdale. Today we talked to Jack who is doing the canvas and Doug who is the welder that is building the rack.

We took a break for lunch with Judy and Lynda joining us at Asian Fusion. After we made a swing by Judy's sisters to pick up chairs we had loaned them for their Thanksgiving family get together. Then by our storage unit to pick up a propane tank that will attach to a Mr. Heater to warm Windbird. Back by the Post Office and then our daily obligatory trip to West Marine. Can't get by a day without that. They would probably close the store without us.

Mark got a 12 volt lighter plug outlet to replace one that had corroded. Back at Windbird we had to remove a ceiling panel to access the back of the outlet. Finally got it installed and working.

On Sea Turtle we planned where to install the inverter that will convert DC power to AC to operate 120 volt appliances when not attached to shore power. We also decided where to mount the switch and monitor for the wind generator.

That pretty well consumed the day. It was after 5 when I got home and time for a dram of rum. Life is good.

Home Again

Tuesday 12/02/14
Little River, SC

Home again, jiggidy, jig.

Our flight from Charlotte to Myrtle Beach leaving at 7:45 am got out at 10:30. Terri Azar picked us up for the ride home. The rest of the day was devoted to resetting our internal clocks. We ordered a pizza from Chris's Pizza for dinner and napped off and on.

Mark and Judy's boat for coffee and donuts in the morning and on to the urgent jobs to finish getting the boat ready for a New Year cast off.

Test entry 2

This is a second test entry.

Test entry

This is just a test entry.

Leaving Portland

Monday 12/02/14

Portland, OR

Today was our last day in Portland with Seth and Lisa. We had a late breakfast of hot seven grain cereal and good Portland coffee. We went by a mailbox place to ship purchases from the Columbia store, Kitchen Kaboodle, and dirty clothes home so we wouldn't have to deal with them on the plane. We stopped at a burger joint that had a fantastic burger. Then it was back to the house for some chores and to pack for the trip back. 

The afternoon was spent visiting the Forestry Museum. They have a lot of film clips and interactive exhibits. There was one simulating a smoke jumper where you tried to land on a specific spot. Another was simulating using a timber harvester. The film clips showed the different types of forest ecosystems. Many types of woods were on display. 

We left a little after seven to go to dinner and then on to the airport. I had Braised Beef that was really tender and very good. Lynda had wings that made her eyes water and her nose run. That's how you tell good wings. The kids then dropped us off at the terminal for our flight. 

It is so hard to stay connected at such a distance. It was good to catch up on what is going on in their lives and let them have a peek into ours. We saw their new house for the first time. They were most gracious hosts. 

When we boarded the plane Lynda had an aisle seat and I had a middle seat. The window seat was for a woman with a fidgety 6 month old. It didn't bode well. Fortunately, the child was very quiet and slept the whole trip.  We arrived in Charlotte on Tuesday and found our flight on to Myrtle Beach seriously delayed, but that is another story. Tune in tomorrow. 

Portland Still

Portland, OR

Sunday we hung out in the morning. Then in the afternoon we went to Kitchen Kabootle where we picked up a few kitchen items. After that we went to see "The Theory of Everything". A really good movie. The lead deserves an Academy Award for his role as Stephen Hawkin. I don't know how he did it but he was totally believable.

After the movie it was back to Seth and Lisa's for Thanksgiving leftovers. They were as good the second time as the first. Tomorrow it is back home on a red eye. We wil get home early Tuesday. Loosing the three hours we gained on the way out.

Portland, OR

We did the shopping thing Saturday. First we stopped at one of the many many many coffee shops for which Portland is famous. We went to the Columbia outlet and picked up some things to keep us warm as we head down the way. Then it was off to some "Little Box" shops to support local small businesses. Our final stop was at REI where Lynda was able to find a replacement shell. Her old one was wearing thin. We also picked up a sun shower, some hand warmers, a cap and gloves for me.

For dinner Seth  and Lisa took us out to a local brew pub, also a Portland specialty, where we sampled some brews, had a fabulous cheese burger and finally shared a gingerbread dessert. It was great.

Plans for Sunday include a Chinese garden and movie, I think. We have wanted to see "The Theory of Everything" which has not been showing in Little River, so we will take advantage the larger offering here.

All in all, a good day even if a bit cold. Home doesn't seem to be doing much better.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful dinner with Seth an Lisa. We each mentioned something we were thankful for. We all have so many blessings.

Wineries

We had a fun day yesterday with Seth and Lisa. We visited three of the local small wineries in the area tasted about 25 wines. Most of them were very good. Lynda bought one to drink while we are here. Too much trouble to get it home.

Thanksgiving

Portland, OR

We are taking a few days off from boat work to visit son Seth in Portland. We took a flight that arrived here at 9:10. That would be 12:10 by our internal clocks. We are working at getting on local time. Looking forward to a nice Thanksgiving. It is great to see Seth and Lisa. They are so far away and we don't see them often enough.

Power on an S/V

Lightkeepers Marina
Little River, SC

Well, here it is almost a year later and we are still working on improvements to Sea Turtle. The dinghy davits are installed and so is the SSB radio, though I have yet to get full use of it. We are now preparing for a trip to Florida and eventually to the Bahamas. If all goes well we plan to leave between Christmas and the New Year.

To that end we are still adding conviences. Electricity is something we all take for granted. Just plug a cord into the wall and there you are. Not so on a sailboat. When not attached to the shore, the boat depends on 12 volt batteries similar to the one in your car. Keeping enough energy in the batteries to power things on the boat (think autopilot, lights, chargers for electronics, refrigerator and freezer, etc.) requires generating a lot of power. This is not a problem while the motor is running but when under sail or at anchor you are taking power out and not putting power in. To deal with this problem we are having a rack built that will mount on the swim platform to hold solar panels and a wind generator. Between the two we hope to keep the batteries charged.

To complicate the power situation we want to be able to use some things that operate on standard 120 volt power like in the house. Lynda wants to be able to use a hair drier, we would like to use a toaster, how about a blender and so forth. To use there things when we only have a 12 volt system we are going to install an inverter. It will change the 12 volt power to 120 volts. The problem with an inverter is that it eats energy making a particularly heavy draw on batteries. Think wind generator and solar panels.

So much for now. Stay tuned for the next thrilling episode of Sea Turtle.