I think, (I hope), we're on the downward slope of winter...and spring is only like 5 1/2 weeks away! The weather's been beautiful here (amazing record year for the PNW!)...at least so far. The East Coasties are getting clobbered! Huge snowfall and cold....Glad we'ere here and not there...as the flowers are starting to bloom!

Fuel tank is over at the metal fabrication shop in Port Townsend...costing us a lot more than we originally caculated...we are not happy boaters about the cost but...this is a "must do" item. The tank should be finished by March 1st. When completed and re-installed, it should gives an added 200 gallons to our fuel capacity which will extend our range out to over 1800 miles motoring if we ever needed it. It's a lot a weight so we probably won't fill it all the way up...more like half.

Sandy is almost finished with her celestial nav training, and we're both plunging ahead with our Ham license studies, at the same time I'm trying to get as much Spanish under my belt as I can before we head out, complete about 200 boat projects and manage to be some kind of social animal...Sandy in the meantime, is doing the taxes, sewing fabric, and doing battle with winter moisture in the boat.

Lots of new problems and projects popping up as we start our departure preparations... but so far, none appear to be unsolvable.

Our goal now is to start sailing in April...we're hoping we'll be ready and the winds and weather will be more favorable by then.

For now...Ray out...