So, back in the water, and a week's work at the dock. Rusty was thrilled! when we started the engine and moved from the travel-lift slot to a slip -- only a couple hundred yards, but Rusty ran forward and aft on the deck, doing everything but backflips to show he was ready to get underway...

Kurt (MV Alpenglow) came by and helped with the electronics. Ben (from Dot's Deck courses last year at Seattle Maritime Academy helped with getting access to coolant fittings (to the cabin heaters) in the aft bilge. Dot worked in the aft bilge and swabbed it out. We tightened all the coolant loop fittings - to deal with several chronic leaks; replaced the blower switches for the cabin heaters; installed a new piece to the electronics (more on that later - assuming it works!) Today I swabbed out the bilges under the galley floor while Dorothy re-installed the aft sump (which had been removed to get access to the coolant loop fittings thru the aft cabin bulkhead). The swabbing has been complicated by sub-freezing temperatures that have the dockwater shut-off. But, a clean bilge makes a happy captain.

We had dinner last night with Peter & Ginger from SV Marcy (you may recall we met them in Prince Rupert last summer; they'd just completed a circumnavigation). We'll see them again tomorrow at Shilshole Marina, where they're living aboard their vessel. Tomorrow (Monday) we'll get fuel, and out through the locks to the visitor dock at Shilshole.

We'll stay there Monday and Tuesday nights, getting underway Wednesday afternoon. We're going to run straight up to Victoria overnight Wednesday, so we can come into Victoria in daylight Thursday. We'll stay overnight Thursday in Victoria and visit with our friends Ralph & Ruth from SV Deo Volante. We met them several years ago in PI, on their 2nd circumnavigation. They're wintering over in Victoria, after making a 45 day passage last summer from Japan to Vancouver.

Friday, we're underway for real. As noted in the last blog post, given the short days this time of year, we're likely to make only 50 nautical miles per day (and still be able to find our anchorage in daylight). That means a 20 day passage to Wrangell, Alaska, not counting delays for weather (or any other reason). We're confirmed for the 1 Feb haulout, and looking forward to getting the bottomwork completed.