OYCM to Pine Island

Yay oh yay, we are on our way!  I am not going to say finally, because we see a ton of friends, get a bunch of projects done, and meet new people while we are at OYCM (like Ernesto, Natalia, Camila and Matias on Taia).  So it is not like we cannot wait to leave some place, it is that we are excited to get to a new place!

Many projects were started while we were at the dock, some were actually completed.  I will only mention a few.  Myron installed a rail on the mast for the spinnaker pole.  Now we can dip jibe the pole while it is still attached to the mast.  Previously the pole, sixteen feet long, was free at both ends on a jibe.  That makes for some animated two person crew moments aboard Hold Fast in a rolling sea.  Myron is also pleased that his custom $10 oil air separator system seems to be working as planned.  We also had our anchor and 200 feet of chain galvanized.  Both look brand new, except about every other chain link was galvanized to the next link, sometimes it was several in a row.  It took Myron and me over six hours of pounding with a dead blow to get all the links loose.  This chore arrived during our coldest days.  We waited until the temperature was above freezing to go out to work, which happened to be at noon on Tuesday.  I volunteered for the bulk of the pounding while Myron tackled other projects.  Besides, my greatest mechanical finesse is accomplished with a hammer.

We were also surprised by a Whitby 42 social gathering at Ortega Landing.  It is always interesting to see what is different about another person’s Whitby, as well as add to our every growing list of cruising friends.  One of the Whitbys is owned by a John Coelho.  Isn’t that funny!  Two Coelho’s with Whitbys!  Further, the Whitby club’s president, Cindy Ann, is an experienced quilter.  Check another box for camaraderie because I just started quilting, a pattern Jean (Deltaville) taught me called ‘cathedral.’  Cindy Ann even gave me some colors to put in it.

Yesterday we had a goodbye lunch with Fred and a goodbye dinner with Paul and Shari.  Goodbyes are hard, so we leave it at ‘see you later.’

Today was drizzling and dreary when we left and same now that we are anchored.  Not a huge travel day, we need to rest up from all the preparation work.  Paul said our anchor looked new and he would steer clear of us in an anchorage, ie. we must be newbies.  When we got to Pine Island, we drug that anchor all over the place.  On the fourth drop, out closer to the ICW, we got a really good hold on a short scope.  I am sure it would have worked on the first try if Paul had not commented about being newbies!!

It is not as cold as it has been, but the stack is still on the wood/coal stove.  We are showered up, Myron is lighting the stove and I am going to get dinner going.

Love to all,

Dena

 

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