not this storm

No this isn't a batman cartoon, though if it were we would just 'happen' to have our 'Super Sonic Automatic Electrical Fixer 'Er Upper'. Read on. Remember when I said I didn't know whether to feel lucky or scared about boats on either side of us getting hit by lightening, well, last nights storm was 'scary, VERY'. Especially after a super loud bang right above us (as in on the mast above us)- after I sat down and realized all the lights and fans were on I calmed down a bit but then I notice not only was the VHF radio suddenly off so were a bunch of the lights of the Link 2000 Monitor (for our inverter). Yes, it's our turn for a lightening strike. We even managed to change some fuses after dinner but the VHF still isn't working, nor any of the lights on the mast, nor the stern light. The Link 2000 Monitor is dark (not working) as well as our Solar Charge Controller. Thank God the fans, lights, the new SSB, radar and I think the bilge pump still work. We braved starting the engine to decide if we were still leaving tomorrow and it did (!) but the Alternator is pulsing. We opted to wait to change the 400 amp fuse to the inverter when it wasn't raining and all the other lightening flashes were gone, ie in the morning. So we had a set with Don Julio, that nice Mexican man who lives in a pretty bottle under our sink and his good friend Mr. Limes. We still have 20 days left on our visas and Murray knows about alternators - we'll be calling him in the morning before or after me and the multi meter do some electrical triage. Return the Zarpe, tell everyone our woes, change that fuse. And we thought we had all the things done to leave. Wha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!


Good news: Mike on sv Windy City gave us a lesson on sending email and getting weather through our SSB (marine radio) and now he may have his wish to spend another day with us to show us more. Talking to someone is SO much easier than learning through a book and owners manual for me.
Other Good News: we have new lights; mast, steaming & spreader- though we had just replaced the stern light. We do have a spare Solar Charge Controller via Divine Intervention (long crazy shipping story) it seems. And I wanted a new VHF radio anyhow (in the mean time we have the Handheld). To go to an extreme; dropping the mast is next on our list though we were hoping to do it is Annapolis. I can barely think about pulling the boat out of the water right this very second.