With The Grace of the Sea

More goodbyes – dan

Our neighbors at D-dock presented us with a logbook as a going-away present. A very touching and appropriate gift for voyagers, I’ll think of them every time I make a log entry. They’re truly a great bunch of people and it’s been wonderful getting to know them. Then last night a half-dozen of our good friends joined us for a fair-well dinner on Gypsy. I didn’t know that we could fit eight people at our table but with friends this good there is always room for one more. It a poignant and heart rendering thing this leaving good friends.

Almost all of our last minute issues have been resolved. First Paul at Spicer’s Marina took care of our autohelm issue. He called Raymarine and found out that it would take another two to three weeks for the unit we ordered to come in. He then offered us an upgraded unit (S3) that he had on the shelf and was about to discount. That saved the day and us $700 along with it. They really have been good to us at Spicer’s. Our spare starter came in too - completing the last of the engine spares. Our vaccines (oral Typhoid & Hepatitis A) came in and Susan’s wonderful doctor squeezed us into his incredibly busy schedule to administer them and ordered us a bunch of other medicines that will be good to have on hand. Things like; Cipro & Penicillin (antibiotics), Compazine in oral & suppository form (for nausea & vomiting), Chloroquine for Malaria. Hopefully we won’t have to use any of it.

Our canvas worker Jim Funk brought down the last of the canvas work for us today. It was a storage cover for our dinghy and like all of his work, was done to perfection. We love our new side curtains that have been most useful it the squally conditions of late.

I’ve tested the running lights, masthead light, strobe and deck light. We just installed four new fire extinguishers and tested the smoke detectors. I’ve run the diesel in gear, checked temperature and fluids. I’ve tested the chart plotter, radar, SSB & VHF radios and AIS. All in working order. Our fuel tanks are topped off and the auxiliary jerry jugs are lashed to the stations. Last and perhaps least; the pump out boat came by and emptied our holding tank.

We’re sitting in the parking lot of a local motel, rain beating down on our windshield, picking up their wi-fi as I type this. I’ve just checked the weather forecast and is still looks good for a Monday departure. The predicted cold front, which is the “trigger” for our departure, is still on schedule to pass through on Sunday and the marine forecast for the following several days stills looks good out in the Atlantic. Like all good sailors we’re praying for favorable weather and we feel prepared for the nastys.