On the Hard
10 February 2017 | Cullen Bay Slipway, Darwin
Tuesday 7 February 2017
After high tide departure from Tipperary Waters, boat and crew are situated on a pontoon inside Cullen Bay Marina leading to Darwin Ship Store's slipway - out of the water at 0800 tomorrow. This for anti-fouling and various other out-of-water requirements despite likelihood of Noah magnitude rains over next 3 days - last chance for haul-out this month. So much to do, so little time. A tendency to sloth (1 of 3 favorite deadly sins) weighs heavily on completion of all maintenance before hiatus to ski and visit Indochina. Must beat feet out of Darwin NLT 1 May.
Wednesday
Work window of opportunity was filled by protracted slipway snafus extending until deluge commencement around eleven. Suspect arc construction underway. Tomorrow is forecast worse.
Good lamb shank dinner at a fusion restaurant was accompanied by their highest priced merlot, Bonking Frog. Had to try it, of course, but if reference is accurate, making tadpoles is a regrettably mediocre event for participants.
Thursday
As expected, rain has played havoc with anti-fouling progress, but hopefully not with quality of preparation. Work continues into Saturday.
Friday
Because time out of water is limited we've had to work as if completing a project expeditiously was important. This is much like real work and no fun at all. If someone had warned us earlier that cruising involved this sort of thing we could have spent our golden years in front of the TV watching Wheel of Fortune, waiting to die - way easier. Damn!
Saturday
Painting was finished yesterday afternoon and of course conditions today are just right for painting. Should be fine unless the wet weather prevented good adhesion in which case peeled off swatches of anti-fouling will prevent barnacle growth on scattered bits of ocean bottom. All to be revealed in the fullness of time.
Jack