After more months than we had planned or hoped for we are finally in the water and preparing Eos for the continuation of our adventure. We had hoped to be in the water a month ago and on our way but things didn't move as quickly here at Shumway as we wanted. Evidently, times are tough for them because they have very minimal staff and, in fact, have no on-staff mechanic or electrician. But what staff they do have are great. Shumway is bringing in Tom Franks, an independent, to do any work (except bottom and topside painting). We really like Tom and the work he has done for us. So if you ever need work in the Rochester area be sure and look up Tom Franks.

However, the keel is now fixed. Because Tom was so busy on other boats, it was done by a man who came in from Florida to help Shumway out and who normally works on ocean racers. He and Bill were in complete agreement on the way to fix it and Gene did a fine job. The forward end of the sacrificial part of the keel was re-enforced some so that any grounding should only effect the aft end of the sacrificial area. That will keep any issues away from the aft bulkhead in the bilge which developed a small crack during our Kingston, Ontario grounding episode. The area of the keel near that bulkhead is now sealed from the outside and, in addition, Bill and Tom decided that the belt and suspender approach was a good idea so a fiberglass batten with 3M 5200 (a very, very strong sealant) was placed over the crack inside the bilge to seal it from the inside. We should now be set for any future groundings that we, of course, hope we won't encounter.

Eos was launched on June 22, 2010 in the rain and wind. Evidently, nature just wanted to start getting us re-acclimated to our new life-style. We are docked on the end of a string of slips and are actually in the Genesee River.
It was a great location last week-end for watching the Friday and Saturday evening boat parades and fireworks. It was the Rochester Harbor and Carousel Festival at Ontario Beach Park just across and down river a little way from where we are sitting. We certainly enjoyed the view from our cockpit. We also had a view of a tall ship that had come in earlier in the week and was docked just down river from us. She was fun to see sitting there and about gave us both a heart attack when she fired one of her cannons. What an intimidating sound that was!

We have been busy cleaning the boat, getting all of the systems checked out and running. Bill and Tom have added a heat exchanger on the return line to the reservoir for the hydraulic oil to cool the oil some more. They also found the problem with our #5 fuel tank - a pinch in the hose that was preventing us from getting fuel from it. Bill has also been tackling a few of those items on the ever-present To-Do list. The food stores are in except for some fresh and frozen that we will purchase just before taking off.

We are currently awaiting the completion of an aft bimini which will provide us some shade and rain protection in the rear of the cockpit by the wheel. The frame is made and we expect (hope?) the canvas maker will be over this week to install the frame and the canvas. Tony has a shop right here at Shumway's so we can stop by daily to see what is happening and do some nudging.

While doing all of this we have been able to spend some time with Joyce and Scott Heise the couple we met last fall on our way to NC and their way back to Rochester. It has been great to get to know them. They are into classic cars so that has given us a nice break from concentrating on "boat" all of the time. They live within a good walks distance from Shumway and have graciously offered to drive us around if we need anything now that our Clover's Clunker rental car has been returned.

Karen who works here at the Ship's Store has also offered us the use of her car. So we are if fine shape for any last minute shopping that can't be done at the local little shopping center which has a grocery, liquor store, hair salon, drug store and one of Rochester's finest locally owned coffee shops. Who could ask for more? Except perhaps West Marine who moved out last summer but is a close driving distance.

Now for the big question everyone is asking. When are we going to be on our way?! Plans are to leave as early as possible and as the weather permits the week of July 5th. We won't be going back to Toronto as we had hoped since we have lost some time sitting here in Rochester. We will head back to Kingston, Ontario (as the adage goes "a piece of cake now that we know where the rocks are") at the head of the St. Lawrence River. We are reading a lovely book River Song, Sailing the History of the St. Lawrence by Phil Jenkins and starting to get excited again. It was recommended to us by our good friend and fellow sailor Bill Rohde. Thanks, Bill!

To those of you who have been checking on us, thanks for hanging in there. As we get moving the blog entries will not be so few and far between as they have been. Stay tuned.