Ahh ... at long last, we are going back in the water! No matter how convenient is it work on the boat on land, or ride bikes to the local hardware store, nothing beats the feeling of being back on the water.
The workyard here at Green Cove Springs Marina has been getting crazy over the last week. When we arrived in mid-October, I could name each boat owner and the projects they are working on ... but now, boats are coming and going every day, and they are packing them in 2 and 3 deep in the yard. We had a space to ourselves at the end of the yard until yesterday ... and now there are 4 boats packed in next to us, and the grass area behind us has filled in with boats (who have to snake their electrical cords and hoses over to the one junction box and water outlet by us).
center back - that's us.
3 neighbors to our left in one afternoon.
View from the cockpit. How do you spell "claustrophobia"?
All in all, mid-October was a good time to get here, and it's now definitely time to leave! Tomorrow is predicted to be chilly and windy (68 deg with 20 knots of wind). No exactly the type of forecast we like to have when leaving the security of shore power ... but with the hell, it's the forecast we've got and we only have to make it to the pier!! Our buddy, Mikel Wheeler is in Jacksonville with his daughter, Jessica (looking for apartments prior to his job move in December from Mayo Clinic Rochester to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville), and our first goal of the sailing season is to meet them at the Hooters in JAX -- which is conveniently located at the free Jacksonville city pier. Our dinner date is Monday.
Saturday = Nov 5
Our move is scheduled for 10am, so we were up at 8am, taking care of last minute details. Mostly, we were watching the weather because a nor'easter is heading our way with lots of rain and high winds predicted. The sky is already quite grey and the wind is a steady 15 knots ... they won't use the travel lift to move the boat if the wind climbs higher than 20 knots, so we're glad that we are the 2nd boat to be moved today.
I hide my eyes during this part ... seems so unnatural.
Prepare for splash down!
It was cold and windy but the launch went off w/o a hitch. Mr. Westerbeke started right up, which was helpful muscle as we moved Maja down the pier, into the NNE 15 knot wind.that wanted to pin us again the pilings.
We are now snug and plugged in and zipped up in preparation for the storm that is predicted to move thru tonight and tomorrow. Time for a shot of Pussers Rum to celebrate all that it took to get the boat back to this same spot where we last were on June 20.
And that's the direction we are headed ...
(Yikes ... now to get used to the rolling and rocking that goes with being on the water again. Time for more rum.)
1 comment:
Hey, now I know how to leave a comment. Thanks, Nancy!!! Wish I was there!!! JIM
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