But the weather isn't. The water tanks (all 3) have been rinsed well and filled with water. The generator runs well. Our heat pump (both for air and for heat) works great. The outboard motor purrs. The dinghy is filled with air and clean. Radio communications are checked. Enclosure is cleaned and stitched up. Provisions are flowing out of every cubby hole. That includes wine. Cat food and litter are stocked up. Instruments and radar are in good working order. Propane is refilled. Bahamian courtesy flag is on board. The anchor has been dropped and retrieved, and therefore works. Our emergency life raft has been unlocked from the deck. Our radar reflector and life sling are back on deck. We have finished all but one essential checklist item (could have done that today) and the boat is in order. That means "ship shape" or ready to sail without most of the belongings flying all over the boat when we heel. The weather, unfortunately, calls for 100% chance of rain, wind, and high seas tomorrow. So, we'll sit for a day here in Jekyll and plan to leave our dock space on Thursday morning if the weather is favorable.. oh, and I've broken half of my nails, meaning that I offically am a boat woman now.
A few chores today.... Luke cleaned out the water bladder. We will use this to transport water in large quantities from Bahamian water providers to the boat. Luke has rigged up a little pump to push the water up from the bladder in the bottom of the dinghy to our water tanks. Sure will beat hauling up 5 heavy gallons at the time!
We run across all kinds of interesting vignettes. The 60 ft motor yacht behind Luke is on its way to Savannah to be put on a freighter to be taken to Fiji, where its owner plans to put it into the charter trade. It stopped for diesel, took on about 550 gallons or $2,500 worth, and spent the night where you see it.
My new "heavy duty" sewing machine turned out to be a dud. Returned it today and bought a cheap $90 machine that worked perfectly! It is already paying off it's cost - that is enclosure plastic that I'm repairing.
Smokey luvs to help me sew, either at home or on the boat.
She's such a good Little One. Seldom ventures off the boat (but she loves to!). She is relatively content to watch the water, birds, and dock adventures from the boat. We still take her for little walks with her harness on the docks when there is no one around to frighten her.
She's a camouflage artist, too. Always has been - we should have named her "Camo". I almost never found her tonight, nestled down in a comforter and some of Luke's clothes.
One more day and hopefully we'll be a little futher south, headed towards our goal of the Bahamas for the winter. It's been a long two weeks, but much better than the sail down to FL last winter in the bitter cold.
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