Ready to Go

Marathon, FL
No LL

We're moving in to high gear to get to the bottom of our to-do list so that we can leave for The Bahamas.

Last week I climbed the mast to lubricate the sail track. The night after that, the anchor light stopped working. That wasn't good because this is the week that the Florida Wildlife Commission is touring the harbor and giving $65 tickets to boats with no anchor light. I scrambled to get out our classical oil burning anchor light. It's a good standby.

This morning, I bought a LED replacement for our anchor light bulb and climbed the mast again. This time, Dennis from Noble House helped hoist me up. I replaced the bulb, and it didn't light. Uh Oh. Then I wiggled the wires and it lit. Aha! I thought. Last week when climbing the mast the spinnaker halyard that I used as backup safety line when climbing the mast must have pressed on the anchor light wire and disconnected it. I taped up the wires so that they would not be affected by the halyard. We'll see tonight if the light comes on automatically as it should. If not, I'll have to go up the mast again tomorrow.

This evening we are going to a meeting of Bahama bound skippers, then we go to a pot luck dinner, and finally for an evening of playing cards on board Albion.

Tomorrow we buy provisions for 2 months with no grocery stores, and clean the bottom and the propeller. Friday, we refuel and then depart for Rodriguez Key. At Rodriguez, we'll rendezvous with Viking Rose and depart with them on Saturday for Bimini. The favorable weather window is tightening somewhat, but we'll go anyhow.