Back Onboard

Point Lookout Marina,  N38 06.96 W76 24.02

 

(7/1/05) Well we made it back.  I was so glad to see Tarwathie sitting there in the slip.  When we left her the last thing I did was to close the seacocks (remember in an earlier blog I resolved never to leave her for an extended time with the seacocks open.)   Our seacocks have a locking screw plus the actual valve lever.  When I unlocked one of them and moved the lever, I noticed a trickle of water coming in.   Uh Oh that could sink the boat.  When I screwed the lock back down the leak stopped.  However I had to leave then having faith that the leak wouldn't restart.   My outlook on hard experience versus theory had changes since becoming a salt.   Engineers have to have great faith in theory.  One wouldn't get far as an electrical engineer if one doubted Ohm's law when confronting each new circuit. 

 

The chores at home are done.  Libby and I both worked hard, and we also started repeating our mantra, "We'll get through this."  Recall the earlier blog on determination and perseverance.  

 

It sounds like the sale of the house to the first buyer can't be rescued.   Kathy, our real estate lady, is on the case though and she'll be showing the house again as early as today.

 

It took about 12 hours to drive down here from West Charlton.  We came through Tony Soprano territory and Delaware this time, but it wasn't much faster than using I81 and I88 to go through Harrisburg.   However, today is the Friday before The Fourth of July, and we were lucky not to hit the bad traffic congestion they announced on the radio.

 

We also splurged on the first really expensive and unnecessary toy for the boat.  We bought a GPS chart plotter, and a chip that covers all the coastal and inland waters of the USA including Alaska.  It was a real bargain, costing $600.  Any other brand that I've seen would have cost more than $5,000 for a comparable electronics, plus the charts on ROM.   If it works well, I'll feel very clever for having bought it.  The down side is that we taught ourselves to use paper charts, and we don't really need the electronic one at all.  Oh well, we have to spoil ourselves once in a while (I should have said I have to spoil myself.  Libby's choice of an expensive luxury would probably not have been an electronic map.)

 

Met a new couple at the marina tonight.  Chris and Kathryn have a 39 foot trawler.  It's beautiful, especially the woodwork.  It's also roomy, even has a laundry room with washer and dryer.  Chris showed me the engine room.  Twin 300 hp engines, plus a 20 Kw generator plus a 5 Kw generator, plus 6 feet of headroom.  They used to sail a Pearson 39 so they understand well the difference between sailing and power boating.  They use the boat only on the Chesapeake.