We did little this past Sunday. We're worked out, I think, and neither of us chided the other about not getting something done. We did hoist the dinghy on deck, so we're ready to splash tomorrow, should that opportunity arise.

On Sunday night, our friends, Michael and Britta invited us to join them and an Austrian family aboard Viveka, a huge catamaran registered in Vienna (Wein on her hull). Inviting us ruined their chance to speak German exclusively, so we were quite honored. We walked about a mile up to Roulotte O'Ray, one of our favorites, and had a fine evening. Heinz ("like the ketchup", he said), his lovely wive, Ulrike, and their son, Florian, we had met in the yard, of course, but it was nice to learn a bit more about them. Heinz is a bit of a conspiracy theorist, but all three are nice people and are real explorers.

Our 7:30 PM cold shower in the bath house was refreshing!

Monday

I awakened early this morning and prepared our cold instant coffee. Conni was unhappy at being awakened at 7:30 this morning, but it was our last chance to get her up the mast while still on land. I've been to the masthead while we've been afloat, so I know that every wave is influential when you're 75-feet above the water! It was a well-prepared trip, and she had no problems. Our WinchRite, the electric device that we usually use to grind the winch, wasn't working properly, so I supplied the muscle. Hoisting my tiny wife that distance upward is always exciting and a bit tiring. She's an astounding person, never having any problem with the height, and going about her work with complete confidence. No wonder that she was one of the best ice climbers I ever saw! She checked all machine screws and nuts, checked the spreader boots (protective covers on the spreader tips), and installed both the Windex and WS320. They all work! Hurray! If we get splashed today, we'll be ready. As Conni rises closer to the masthead, shouting communications loses effectiveness in a noisy boatyard. We use small Motorola "walkie-talkies" for communications. Conni's failed as she neared the masthead, so we were back to hand waving and shouting. Sigh. Something else to have repaired when we return.

Saturday, our friend, Richard, had come by just as we were realizing that the B&G wind sensor battery was too low to transmit. Conni and I were both frustrated about it, fearing that we'd have another season of no wind information. Hey, it's a sailboat and knowing about the wind is important. During our off-season, I had stored the sensor on our table under the main hatch, thinking that I was allowing the built-in solar panel to keep the battery charged. Dumbass...it continued to transmit BlueTooth! The battery was drained and it was my fault. Richard took the battery back home and was able to recharge it, fortunately, and returned it on Sunday. We tested it by trying to pair the sensor with the antenna and had no problem. I made sure to keep the sensor in the sun for the remainder of the day. This morning, we checked again and the sensor was still paired, so it was ready to be installed. In my "Buy Log", I've entered to buy another battery, and to buy a small charger for that nickel metal hydride battery type. I'll probably also take this battery home since heat doesn't do anything much good.

We went to pay our ENORMOUS yard bill, but they weren't ready. We wandered down to the launch slip and found a beautiful ketch (two masts) that we saw in the yard last year. She belongs to a single-hander: an American woman, who's really something. It can be a challenge for both Conni and me to accomplish some tasks, but she does it alone. I'm impressed. She snagged a rudder on some coral, so has come into the yard for repair.

Tonight, we were walking over for our last shower ashore: we'll be in the water tomorrow. We saw the telltale red and green bicolor lights of a boat headed toward the Carenage slip. Conni put it together and said, "That's Vera!", meaning our German friends. We made contact with Britta on the bow and helped them with lines, but they were frantic (and who wouldn't be) the their boat was sinking.

Michael asked me to board and help him identify the leaking point. Indeed, water was pouring into the bilge, but we could find no leaking point. I noted that an object in the bilge was not being covered: the pump was keeping up with inflow, but still didn't get the entire picture. The problem, as it turns out, was that the bilge pump output hose had come off the pump and the pump was cycling the same water over and over. No danger, but a bit of work to fix the problem. They'll stay in the slip tonight, replace the pump or the hose, and be on their way.

It was an instructive event. A calm head that had seen this kind of thing, would have immediately looked overboard to check the water output of the bilge pump. There was none, but the pump was certainly pumping like crazy. Conclusion, the output hose was loose. Now I know, but I'd never seen that kind of thing happen

I've no idea when I'll be able to post this, or anything, but we'll try. See you on the water!