SV Panta Rhei Retirement Trip

I'm reading the weather reports from the lower 48. People are complaining of snow and ice on the roads. But how many boats in the marina are acquiring "ice beards" on the bow and stern of their boats while moored at the dock? We've got them and they are a sure sign of a miserable night on the boat. Outside air temperatures reached 10F and winds gusted to 45 knots. It was dangerous to walk the dock. Ice cleats were needed on Xtra Tuff boots (insulated and knee high). A hat and hood on a coat and gloves on the hands are necessary.

Electric heat is terribly insufficient. With 10kW we got the boat up to 51F. Fortunately the Webasto hot water diesel heater is working. You should know here that our boat is insulated (but it has single pane glass windows, which ice over, of course). People tell me that the houses in Seward also cool off when these winds blow. But the winds blow much harder in the marina and that is common knowledge too. So now we know why there are so few livaboards!

So what do you do when there is so much winter ahead? Well, I went skiing last week! Yay! And we've made a lot of friends that have warm wood stoves and big TV's for watching the Seahawks. I'd say that we aren't living much different than the rest of America except that the covers on our bed are much thicker.