It did start to rain Tuesday evening, as predicted. Although we had most items off the boat, there were odds and ends that required some outside work, and all was done in driving rain and wind. We also found diesel fuel in the bilge, so we have a moderate fuel leak somewhere in the system. We closed off the main fuel valves, hoping that the leak was in the old neoprene fuel lines.

How did we know we had a leak in the bilge? The bilge pump failed! Some analysis determined that the bilge pump was working, but the hose to the through-hull was clogged with heaven-knows-what and the pump itself had come loose from its moorings and was lying on its side in the bilge. Sigh.

The forward head tank sea cock is also clogged, so that will require some work next Spring, too.

With the boat necessarily in upheaval to get cushions away from the wet walls, tools and gear everywhere, and various projects being accomplished, we could barely move in the boat, and it was blowing a gale outside. We hated to even contemplate a potty break: suit up in rain gear, crawl out from under the cover, experience blowing rain and become instantly soaked, make it over the transom and onto the ladder, down to ground. Those last twenty-four hours on the boat were anything but fun. The poor cats were in a travel box and handed down over the transom and carried down the ladder in pouring rain. Our cats decidedly do not like rain!

John Margus generously loaned his truck to us, requiring that he ride a bicycle out to the airport to retrieve it. How nice was that? Conni, cats, and I in the cab, gear in the bed, and off to the airport. We had a lovely flight home via Juneau, though. We flew on the coast through clear skies. If you know Alaska, you know what that flight was like, seeing the glaciers, huge inlets, and mile after mile of mountain all the way to Denali and Foraker. It was a spectacular homecoming.