Snookums Sea Lore #3

Never take two timepieces -- only one or three. With three, you can let them take a vote as to the correct time. With one, you just take your chances and trust it. With two, they argue forever and drive you crazy. 

Sealore #2

Always sleep with your feet facing forward. That way, if the boat zooms down a wave and stops short when the bow hits the trough of the wave, you hit your feet, not your head. 

D-Day

I have an official Date of Departure (from Portland). D-Day of course: June 6. 

My first day as a full time sailor was April Fool's Day. 

Dock party was on Derby Day. 

So D-Day on D-day seems fitting. 

Plan to leave Astoria for the ocean June 9th or 10th after making my way 80 miles downriver. 

Big weekend part two

Sunday. Went out sailing with Katja and Scott -- flew my spinnaker for the first time -- brand new sail -- looks real pretty and pulls well. Then we put up twin heads'ls -- two triangular sails flown side by side from the front of the boat. It was beautiful. Katja said it looked like butterfly wings. Scott and I thought it looked like something just as beautiful but a whole lot sexier. Came back, had a big old lunch, then Larry helped me practice my "man overboard" skills. Floating in the dirty water, still attached to my harness, figuring out the best way to climb back aboard. FAR more difficult to climb back up over the side than I would have believed. Will hang foot-ropes over the side -- short loops for footholds. 

big weekend part one

Big weekend.  Katja spent all Saturday gluing cork rectangles to my ceiling, for insulation and noggin protection. Looks great. A Mondrian cork mural to ponder from my bunk. 

I spent all that day finishing up little projects, and finding out my reefing system is terrible. Need a new one quick. Did get my anchor chain marked, though -- a 12 inch strand of polypropylene line, unrove from a three strand line (its stays squiggly.) I wove the strands in and out of my chain where they should stay and mark every five fathoms (thirty feet). This lets you know, even in the dark, how much chain you are letting out. 

Stuff

A week of organizing and stowing and removing unnecessary and/or weighty items. I told my friend Don that I was overwhelmed. He grinned, and said, "Well, that's just life. Even if you weren't leaving the country, you'd feel overwhelmed." It gave me something to ponder for several hours -- the extent to which overwhelm is necessary to achieve our goals in the midst of chaos and the extent to which we allow overwhelm to define our lives. 

Snookums Sea Lore #1

If it rains heavily during a calm, you can skim fresh water off the surface of the ocean. Fresh water is lighter than salt water, so floats for awhile before it mixes. 

Climbing the Mast

Climbed the mast today. My friend Sean, a climber, set up my system and coached me through it. And my titanium Ushba ascenders look mighty stylish. Now I can climb and do repairs, if needed, at sea -- unlikely, but great to have the capability. It was great being at the top of the mast. I wasn't scared, as I expected to be. It was lots of fun when a large motorboat wake rocked the boat back and forth with me up top.  It reminded me of when I was young and my mom would encourage me to climb the pine tree in our backyard during windstorms. She enjoyed watching; I enjoyed swaying. Mighty tired after my climbing practice, but its another big item I can cross off my list. 

Friday Sail

Friday went sailing with Katja! A bit stressful with all the other boats and barges and banks of the river, but a great sail nonetheless. Eighteen knots for much of the time, so practiced reefing and heaving to. First sail since I loaded Snookums with maybe a ton of stuff. Was worried about her speed and stability, but she seems just as fast, and even more stable than before. We likes it. 

Huge full moonrise -- a crimson sliver peeking over the mountains, then blossoming into giant orange ball. 

All of your beeswax

The cans are stowed! And Snookums still balances! Big job -- this involves removing the labels, writing the contents with a magic marker, and dipping the entire can in molten beeswax, so the salt air doesn't eat it. Might actually get to go sailing tomorrow. 

photos of bon voyage party

katja here:

photos are at my facebook profile, and are open to everyone to see, under label bon voyage party.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72926&id=790269152

Great Party

Lots of people showed up despite the 60 mile-an-hour gusts and hail that preceded the party. Clear skies and sun for the party - a perfect window. 

Thanks, Scott, thanks everybody!

My list is getting shorter. Exciting! Great feeling to have Scott taking care of the whole party.

Finally got my depth sounder working. It tells me I'm slightly shallower than I am, but I won't take offense.