Even though we aren’t heading south as planned we are still doing boaty stuff. Our two new solar controllers have arrived and we have bought the wire to run two connections from the panels to the battery. This should more efficiently provide solar power to keep our house bank charged up. The wind generator and it’s controller are both back at the manufacturer for servicing and repairs. We have the cranking bank off the boat and at home under trickle charge for maintenance and everything else off the boat for winter storage so we are almost ready to button her up for December through March.

In addition we have been helping our new friend the female French solo sailor sailor, Estelle aboard Courlevent, an aluminum sloop. She decided that the timing and weather was simply wrong for this year so we helped her coordinate having her boat hauled here in Shelburne. We are also helping her store a lot of her gear for the winter. We have the space and it was a simple matter of helping her transport material from the boat yard to our place. I went over there yesterday morning to take some things to Nelleke and to begin to help her unload Courlevent. I knocked on the hull of her boat and heard a voice call out, “‘Allo, Mike. Look at me!” I looked around and finally looked up and saw what is in the photo on this post. Up the mast working on her instruments all on her own. Estelle is one independent, courageous young lady. She continues to impress the heck out of me.