36 hour Wash Cycle
03 March 2008 | 78nm From Ensenada
Capt Rich
After spending the first 36 straight hours out of Turtle Bay in a wash cycle consisting of 25kts of wind and 10-15ft seas it feels so good to have just taken a hot shower. The seas are finally "calm" (funny how that word becomes so relative) and I'm about to make the first real meal we have eaten in days. The last few days consisted of instant oatmeal and anything else that didn't require much time standing in the galley being tossed around. The crew is really looking forward to eggs, salsa, refried beans, and fresh tortillas from Turtle Bay. If I don't get them some real food soon, we may lose someone at Ensenada, which is now only 78nm away (15hrs at our current speed of 6.5kts).
I have a nice new "to-do-list" generated by this trip so far, but that's exactly what I was hoping for, as I'd rather take care of things now, then when we are out Cruising. We will make a pit stop in Ventura to throw some money at a few things in the Ventura Boat Yard.
On the plus side, I can now drain water out of the fuel system with in the dark, with my eyes closed with a Cruise ship bearing down on us, don't ask, but seeing that floating city getting closer is a great motivator at 0100hrs in the morning. We had "hoped" that our diesel in the tank would make it until morning before we started sucking in the water from the bottom of the tank, but "hope" doesn't always work over action, even on the sailing vessel THIRD DAY.
The worst part about yesterday is that I was in such a foul mood that I was a tad nasty in an email to one of the big reasons I have joy and happiness in this world, my wife. Saturday was the big yard sale where we tried to sell everything that we didn't want to store while out Cruising, and I received a note that it was a huge success and that two of my suits had been sold for $20 each. I thought I had asked that my suits/matching shoes not be sold, so in a move that would not really surprise those that know me well, I made an ass out of myself by getting upset at the suit sale and not thanking my lovely wife for having the yard sale while I was far away out at sea. I'm sorry dear, I wish I could take that email back. (Note to self: don't piss off the one person who has supported you in every crazy hair-brained thing you've done in the last 15yrs, you will feel like a complete boob when you wake up in the morning)