"Go-in'-out?" is a common hail around the marina. It generally works like this: you are on your boat doing something on deck, perhaps adjusting a halyard or some other line, and a person passing by inquires, "Go-in'-out?" The interpretation of this sentence, which sounds like a single word, is the interrogative, "Are you getting ready to head out for a sail today?"
You see, everyone likes to live vicariously through the experiences of others. Case in point...You are reading this blog, aren't you? "Go-in'-out" can be an excellent conversation starter. That is, in fact, if you
are going out. You can discuss where you are headed, current and forecasted weather conditions, when you plan to return, etc.
Unfortunately, our answer to the ubiquitous question this weekend was no. And, believe me, it was asked of us a lot. Which is completely understandable, since this is the 3-day Memorial Holiday weekend. For Sheryl and I, though, the weekend held other purposes.
We have spent the past 5 months sorting all of our 'stuff' and trying to decide what should find a home on the boat, and what needs to be removed from our list of possessions. The result of this process was piles of stuff sitting in various staging areas in our apartment. On Friday night, we loaded as many items from the 'Store-on-the-Boat' staging area into the car as was humanly possible.
Looking at the full car, I was a little scared. Would we be able to find room for all of this 'stuff' on board? And, even if we did, would we still be able to accommodate the 'stuff' which would be delivered in the final car-load next week?
Therefore, our sole chore for the weekend was defined as finding room for all the stuff, or deciding what to keep and what must go. I am happy to say that most stuff landed squarely on the 'keep' list. It is amazing how much stuff one can cram aboard a 35-foot boat when properly motivated. It is even more amazing that we have so many possessions which we have deemed unnecessary. We feel lighter and freer with each unneeded item we sell on CraigsList or give to a friend.
By Saturday afternoon, you could barely tell that we had brought anything new aboard. Sheryl is a magician when it comes to storage. The remainder of the weekend was left to our own devices. I washed our topsides from the dinghy,
Patience, while Sheryl worked on re-installing the lee cloths which keep our clothing from falling off the shelf in the v-berth while we are underway. I worked on polishing some of the stainless stanchions and bow pulpit, but I am not entirely happy with the product I am using, Never-Dull. I plan to use this can up, but will be shopping for something different next time.
NOTE: Suggestions from readers are welcome and encouraged - see the Comments link, below
We enjoyed a little dinghy ride (under oars) across to the Sheraton and a walk around downtown New Bern. We spent a lot of time Resting & Relaxing. Considering the stress Sheryl has been under as a result of her final days of gainful employment, she deserves even a few more "R's" from this long weekend.
Therefore, tomorrow will likely be much of the same. Enjoying the sunshine, reading a good book, and watching some of the boats return to their slips. Eventually, we will have to close the hatches, tie up the boat, and leave her one
last time for the drive back to Cary. On Thursday we will return as full-time liveaboards.
Stay tuned, dear Reader, because the fun is just beginning!
CLICK HERE for a few weekend photos.