Sea Change at Night: Checking Charts for our Next Day's Cruise.
Friday, September 12th
Docked on the wall just outside Lock 14 (Amsterdam, NY)
In a recent email, someone (who will remain nameless) asked, "How bad is the boat?" - which could mean any number of things - "Are you going nuts yet?", "Have you had any disasters?", "How many disasters have you had?", "Are you still speaking to each other?"
The boat is good. It's basically pretty comfortable. Bob has added everything that he could think of to make the trip safer and easier. His job seemed to be boat equipment - research and installation - and mine - cooking equipment and supplies. Bob enjoys understanding and feeling in control of the functioning of the boat - and I seem to enjoy figuring out what food to have on hand, where to store it and what new ways I can prepare it to suit our days on the water (and the confines of a boat galley).
Today was pressure cooker day for me - I finally removed the label and washed our new pressure cooker and spent the day (between locks and relieving Bob at the wheel) studying the manual and the 2 pressure cooker cookbooks that I brought with me. By dinner time I was confident enough to try out a simple recipe. In the end it was pretty easy and the chicken with onions and rice was ready in about 12 minutes.
Any disasters? The challenges of boating - continual problem solving are really part of what a trip like this is all about. At the end of the day, it's pretty satisfying when you've managed to get from point A to point B without mishap - or if there were mishaps that you've come through them, learned how to manage better next time, and can sit comfortably in your docked or anchored boat and know you've survived, once again!
Are will still speaking to each other? Well most of the time, yes. Organization and getting into boat routines help a lot - a place for everything and everything in it's place. Today Bob was urging me to put on my water proof nylon pants as the rain had gone from light to heavy and we would soon be going through another lock and would have to stand out in the open. I looked and looked but couldn't figure out what I had done with them. Finally I gave up. There were only a few places where I could have put the pants and they were missing from all of them. As often happens, Bob decided to solve the problem. He went looking for the missing pants. Well - what he found were his pants safely stowed on "his side" of the cabin - and guess what he was wearing? - my rain pants.
A little laughter goes a long way toward making the boat good.
3 comments:
Dear Carole,
It's hard to read those weirdly printed letters to open an account and send you a message. It took me at least 10 tries ... even with reading glasses I had trouble making out the letters. I am finally in, but the piece of prose I wrote didn't make it through the process.
Let me just say that your pictures are exquisite. Your text reads like a non fiction novel and I'm sure by the time you return you will have a book to be published.
Please continue with your blog so we can through osmosis live the dream as well.
Your Boat is gorgeous. And, it sounded like you were surfing when you described the wind off the stern ... I have fond memories of that kind of sailing on Lake Ontario with my parents aboard. My Mom would sit on the low side and raise her voice to be heard over the winds and the rush of water and there was absolute joy in her voice. Those days spanned from 1975 to 1992 with our first boat a 27' C&C - we ultimately sailed 38's but toward the end of that era we were into Motor Yachts to 46 and 48' ... it was a business but there were times when we would sail for the pure pleasure of it.
I wasn't into computer technology back then but I did keep a log and I love photography but it never reached the sophistication of your Blog. Good for you.
Thank you for sharing the adventure.
Sending you all good wishes with blue skies and soft winds.
Catherine
Enjoying your true life adventure on the high seas. We feel that we're into a good novel.
Look forward to days ahead.
Garry and Irene
Hey Carole,
I'm really enjoying reading about your trip while I sit in my office here at Seneca. How I wish in your spot instead of here.
Shawn won't stop bugging me about buying a boat. We went sailing on a catamaran a bunch in Mexico in May and since then he's been chomping at the bit.
Keep safe!
Jenn
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