(posted 05/17/24)
Up early, no particular reason, just well rested after a calm night at anchor. Our last night for this season. After morning routines, we checked in with Paradise Village Marina, Gina has been off this was a very long weekend for her. We have a slip waiting for us.
So, by about 0945 we were up anchor and underway. It will take about an hour to get across the bay to the entrance to the marina.
Reneé will do the preparation while I drive. Lines get moved, fenders get put in place, etc.
We each have specific tasks that have become ours. For example I deal with the anchor both up and down, while I am doing that Reneé drives the boat. There are a variety of lines to deal with on the anchor, we use a bridle, this is a rope with “eyes” on each end for cleats, and a hook in the middle. When putting the anchor down, after we set the anchor, I put the hook on the chain, the eyes are already on the forward port and starboard cleats, after attaching the hook, I put out another 25 feet of chain this way there’s a loop between the boat and the anchor chain where the hook is attached. As the boat moves with the waves, the bridle (the snubber) transfers the load from the cleats to tthe chain. Instead of the load being on the windlass.
When we pull up the anchor, we either put a dock line from one cleat through the anchor to the other cleat, or like this morning when we are heading to a slip, we remove the bridle and attach two dock lines.
When we get into the marina, Reneé will handle the dock lines and communicate with the dock hands and I drive the boat. She also is an extra set of eyes to watch out for the stuff that changes.
My cousin Mark, is in town to visit his wife’s family. We will see them tomorrow.
We will pretty busy for the next three weeks, we fly back to Tennessee on June 4. Between now and then, we have to get the boat ready with sails down, stuff put away, etc. Also, we will be in Paradise Village with lots of people, parties, game nights, pot lucks, aqua aerobics, that sort of thing.
We were tied up at 1100, shore power on and working on lunch by 1130.
Figured out that the chart plotters and battery monitors both had the wrong time zone information. I reset them.
We had lunch and got the covers on the windows for the Bimini and Dodger (the canvas over the cockpit). Then walked to the office and checked in. On the way, we stopped to admire another Island Packet (a 38 from the 1980’s), the gentleman on board said that he would be happy to take mail north when he leaves son Friday, so Reneé is putting together some cards for the grandkids. What was interesting about talking to Art, he is going north for the birth of a great grand child, and he is going to Elk Grove! We have family there! It is a small world!
Early afternoon, Cano came by (he will be watching our boat while we are gone) and we talked about cleaning the bottom of the boat for us. We have to get him a list of what we want checked while we are gone.
After dinner we went for a walk, then off to get showers. Another day done.
