What do boat projects/provisioning look like?

Here are just a few of the projects we have completed in the last 2 weeks.

This was the new VHF remote in the cockpit - means we don't have to use the handheld.  Hard wired to power.  Nice

 Josh redid the teak cockpit table.

 Hard to tell here, but the stainless steel stern pulpit is missing.  We had to take it in to Honolulu to get it welded.  Major pain.  It is all back in place now.  Looks great!

 Took the Green Machine to the cushions in the salon - yewww!  Definitely on the list to replace in New Zealand (new stainless for the aft deck too)

 Did an all day provision yesterday (Friday)  too late to put it all away last night - still have some out there now, but Josh did a great job of stowing the beer in his lower bunk.  Hmmmm Motivation???

 Finally found non refrigerated eggs - 5 dozen shown here - before Josh dropped the toaster on them - Omelets for lunch!!!

 The rest of yesterday's shopping - and I had put some away at this point.  The settee is provision free at this moment.  Fishing poles are in their new holders on the back rail.

Oh, and lest we get thirsty - don't forget the alcohol.  Seriously, it is soooo expensive to get out of the US.  The plan is for this to last us to New Zealand.

T minus 1 do over

Okay, so maybe we were a little optimistic - We are cruisers it comes with the territory.  Lots got done today, but not enough to depart the dock tomorrow.  So, tomorrow we will hit it hard again and try to head out of here (the dock) on Sunday.  Except for tortillas - my provisioning is done. YAY!  Was a shopping day to put even the most avid shopper to shame - 3 dock carts to get it from the van to the boat.  The boat's need list still has a few items left - propane, ATF, distilled water to name a few.
Highlight of my day was putting my work phone and computer in the mail!  I feel a little nekkid without the phone, but it is all good.  Dennis and Josh have phones that will work a little longer, so we will manage to get by I am sure.
The cable box - read internet access - has to go back tomorrow.  I think that will be the hardest for Josh.  The computer has been his lifeline to friends over the last 18 months.  It will be a real adjustment for him to be unable to chat with his buds every day.
So, off to bed to rest up for another pre cruise work day.  I will probably be updating by SSB from now on.  Thanks to those of you who have sent emails.  Our inbox was full tonight - cool!

Leaving the dock T minus 1 day

Gotta love cruisers - can't pin them to a schedule for love nor money.  Goal was to leave today, but that just wasn't realistic. And anyway, other than the cost of another two days at the dock - what difference does it make?  We are leaving - soon.  Josh was able to see his good friend JT graduate and participate in the myriad of activities surrounding that.  Tuesday he took his Life guarding test and passed (we are safe now - for sure). I have bought many dollars worth of groceries and supplies - makes me laugh - still nothing to eat on the boat!!  I found a source for fresh non refrigerated eggs!!!!  The hard dinghy has new paint, I found the Samoan flag that I had managed to lose on the boat - sewed the reinforcement today and the sewing machine is stowed in its place.  The kayak is tied on, the anchor locker full (to overflowing), and the shade down. Still have one more food run for fresh produce and the things on my list that didn't get checked off.  We found scuba gear for Josh and had our two tanks hydro'd.  We are cleared to leave the country and Wednesday was Josh's last day at swimming - we brought pizza (a snack to tide them over till they got home for dinner).  I posted my "gone sailing" out of office on outlook at work!  That was fun.
Today's biggest hurdle was getting laundry done.  Seems that some (add adult language here) fisherman washed some very fishy laundry in 3 of the machines in the marina laundry room.  Thankfully for me (not so much Carla) I came after the discovery of the contaminated washers.  Wow her laundry smelled like fish!! One of the nice things about this community is that we help each other out.  So, I went to the office to report it and volunteer to run bleach thru the machines - while Carla went for bleach.  I ran a bleach cycle in each of the machines, then reran Carla's wash and started on mine. 4 washings later and her laundry was passable. Mine was fine - just was slow doing it in 2 machines instead of 4 (#4 is out of order).  So, except for the clothes on our backs today - everything is clean.
Tomorrow is tie up loose ends and finish up stowing day.  Hopefully it will all come together - if not maybe we are actually T minus 2.  Not going far when we leave - just up the coast a mile to clean the bottom of the boat and then a few miles further to a nice little anchorage.  Winds are looking pretty good for the sail to Fanning Island - approximately 900 miles south of here.  We expect it to take about a week.  Will not be any amenities there, but pretty and a good cultural experience.  Once we leave I will be back to posting via the SSB - Hope I remember how.  Please feel free to send us text emails (WDD7203@sailmail.com - cc our gmail just in case).  I vaguely remember that we have to email you to add you to the accepted emailer list - or some such nonsense. I understand it keeps the spamers out, but is still kind of a pain.
Well, gonna eat my icecream - treat we won't have access to for a while.
later....

How to follow our progress during crossings

For those of you interested in following our progress during our crossings (looking at our position on a map) here is the link and directions:
http://pacseanet.com
Home tab
bottom left
Yotreps link - will give you a list of boat names and call signs
Shiptrack link - enter our call sign in the top left box (WDD7203) and click - will bring up our track.

You can also listen to the net, go to the "for friends and family" tab, download the software and listen in.

Boat projects furiously continue, expected departure date is Thursday - even if we just go up the coast a few miles and anchor out.

Relaxing after a crazy busy boat work day

So, what does a day in the life of a cruiser - pre cruise look like - Well, here goes.  Up at 745 (I slept in), do yesterday's dishes for Josh, fix breakfast (eggs, bacon and fried potatos).  Get Josh up to eat by 0900. Dennis was working on mounting the subwoofer in its cabinet, so I could replace the rest of the contents of the cabinet.  Dennis and Josh out the door by 0945.  Josh going to a friend's graduation event in Honolulu.  Dennis list consisted of:  Drop off Josh, return toilet seats to Home Depot (sadly did not fit), buy new toilet seats at West Marine (so expensive they should wipe for you), go pick up stern pulpit (second crack being welded) - not ready, so will need to be picked up today, buy surfboard cover, pick up Josh - oops Josh is going to lunch with friend, come home, drop motor mount in water, wait for Josh to come home to go dive for it. While they were gone I took advantage of being the only one in the boat and: tore apart the port bunk (this was a far more complicated process than it sounds), laundered the blankets and sheets for storage (this requires three round trips to the laundry room, actually remembered my gate key two of those times!), make up bunk with new sheet and cover with tarp to protect, replaced items in subwoofer cupboard, cleaned out Josh's school shelf, emptied my briefcase, sorted aft cabin cupboards, brought out Josh's school books for sophmore homeschooling, culled as much as possible, restowed, pulled out my regulator and BC (required removing all the books on top of it), replaced books (including books from all around the boat that needed stowing, and we all have e readers....), Sorted my "cubbie" in our cabin, found yellow Quarantine flag - Yay!  Replaced all items in port bunk. Some place in there I ran the engine for 30 minutes.  Dennis arrives home - doesn't look like I have done anything but make a mess!  Josh arrives home and does multiple eye rolls and " I hate you"'s, before diving for the motor mount, finds it, showers and gets the rest of the day off (except for the dishes he did before he went to bed).  Dennis works on motor mount, I dust our cabin.  At 1530 I decide I cannot face the boat another minute, but its too early to stop.   So, off for a walmart run - oh and KFC for Josh - oh and Ace for stainless steel bolts and lock nuts for Dennis.  Arrive back at the Marina at 1715, quick stow a few items, shower and head out to Waianae (why a nye) to Tacos and More with the whole dock gang (pictured below).
Today, pretty much a repeat of yesterday, with more driving than yesterday.  No Tacos and More tonight.
Plan to leave on Thursday - if the weather cooperates and the stars are aligned properly..... No matter, its close and still lots to be done.



L-R (Capt. Kim, Kristie, Kaki, Brad, Me, Dennis, Debbie, Ron, Kara, Steve, Doug, Ryan, Carla, Carol, April)

test number 2

This is a test to see if I can still post to the blog from email.  Here's hoping.  I guess if you see this, the test is a success!

testing, testing, 123.....

After more than a year away from blogging, it is time to restart my series of travelogs, rants, ravings and other miscellaneous ideas that end up in writing.  Please bear with me (us) as I regroup.  This post is to test if the blog is still networked and will post to facebook.  Here's hoping for a successful  reboot.