What have we been doing?

I just realized I have been delinquent in updating the blog. So here is a little catch-up on what we have been doing.

After New Years, we enjoyed Sarah's company for about 7 days before she headed back to Portland and Reed College - just one more semester to go! Before she left we did a little touring around the area. We drove out to the coast, near Ocean City and then south along the coast, past many oyster farms, on twisty roads (not my favorite) and almost to the Golden Gate Bridge before going over to Sausalito for dinner. Another day we drove up to Napa for lunch and then around the valley looking at all of the wineries.

After Sarah left, we started back on our list of boat chores. We got a good deal on small LED flashlights at Home Depot. With some clips we now have one mounted in each room so in case of emergency, there are flashlights readily available throughout the boat. Other chores included updating the Pactor modem to version 3 for faster email via HF radio. Rich has been taking the boat apart to check all of the chainplates and the bolts. He found some bolts which were corroded and we have replaced them. When he is done we will reseal the deck plates for each shroud thrudeck. Rich also installed our Outback Flex DC monitor so we can get a better idea of amp hours in and amp hours out of our system including the solar panels and wind generator. I have started to compound and wax portions of the deck. Our deck is old and worn but this brings it back to life a little, besides it is sunny, I am able to work outside and it looks shiny afterwards.

Life has not been all work. Our boat neighbor, Bill, took us to lunch at Skates on the Bay. It is a gorgeous restaurant near the Berkeley Yacht Club with a ringside view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Make your reservations now for the 2013 America's Cup!

Last Friday we met Larry Jacobson, his partner Ken and Patrik Henderson for drinks at Trader Vic's. Larry, Ken and Patrik sailed Larry's boat, Julia, on their circumnavigation. We met them at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta in 2001 plus other stops across the South Pacific. Larry wrote a book about their travels and it has just been published. It is titled, "The Boy Behind the Gate". It is available at Amazon and you can also order it via Larry's website, www.larryjacobson.com.

Friday night we had a visit from Alan Weston. Alan was one of Rich's customers when he worked on the LEAP (Light Exo-Atmospheric Projectile) program at Boeing, many moons ago. He found us through the internet and contacting the Corinthian Yacht Club in Seattle, of which we are members. It was a surprise to have him call us. He now works at NASA Ames so after work he drove up to visit us on Windarra. It was fun to find out about mutual acquaintances and the new projects that he is working on. One of these projects was the Lunar Impactor which confirmed there is water on the moon. We had a fun evening reestablishing contact.

Well, that brings you up to date. Now back to our other boat chores.