Settling In

Phil has been back for a week now and has been busy making life more liveable as we live on Changes at Grand River Yacht Club.  He's gone to the storage unit and gotten some important items out.  We now have the deck umbrella out and clamped down to the deck with new black walnut clamps that he made (can't find the ones we had last fall).  Phil has cleaned out the quarterberth and I'm not allowed to junk it up.  We have it cleared actually so that when my daughter, Katie, comes to live with us in July, she'll be able sleep there and not have to make her bed every day.

Other projects completed:
*The Bad Boy wifi antenna is working and we can connect to our yacht club new wifi hotspot.
*The dock boxes are organized.
*I have my work clothes in my closet organizer
*He wash the port side of Changes with white vinegar, boat soap & water to get the salt crust off the boat.  He'll have to do that on the Starboard side and boy! does it make a difference.  It's shiny once again - but also all the scratches from the trip stand out.  This was a huge job as he has had to wash it 3 times and rinse and he still has some 30 spots to go over again.
*We have the foredeck cover on and just in time for rain that came.  As it wasn't blowing, we were able to have the fore hatch open and air circulation
*The mast frame is down and put away for the next trip.
*I have cleaned the inside of the boat and wash and defrosted the freezer part.  Glad to have a clean refrigerator again.

While Phil has been at the boat, I've been working full-time.  I've got my first paycheck which is nice to be able to start paying off the credit card.

It hasn't been all work.  We enjoy visiting with fellow yacht club members that also live here.  We went out to sail today and decided with the NE winds 17kts and building that we would SAIL back to the docks.  We peaked at 6.38kts with just the jib #2 out.  Yesterday we visited with Phil's Sisters and brother-in law.  We had a very nice time seeing them again.

We are planning on sailing over the Erieau, Ontarion Canada for July 4 weekend and meet up with Ken and Jeanne Blythe on S/V Sail Away.  They'll drive up to meet us.  I wonder what Lisa and Scott are doing on S/V Messenger.  Maybe they can meet us too!  A Bahamas Trip Reunion!

He's Home

Friday, June 10
Port Albino to GRYC
Distance Traveled:  125.85nm
Miles to get Home:   2362.73 nm
Total Distance Traveled:  5052.70 nm

Phil and Colin left Port Abino yesterday at 515pm to sail through the night to get home today. It took them a while to get out, round Point Abino and get the main sail set so it was for the first 3 hours once they were on Lake Erie at a course of 248 degrees that the wind was on the nose at 9-11 kts. They were going up 1-3 ft wave slowing them to GPS speed 3.5 - 4.5 kts.  ETA was about 730pm on June 10.  It wasn't a lot of fun as the sailors can imagine.  Then about 10pm during Colin's watch, that the winds clocked to the NE so they were going downwind on a starboard tack. About 1am the wind shifted  so Phil jibed the main to port.  Colin took the 3am to 6am watch.  When Phil came back on watch the wind had increased to 13-15 knots and the boat speed was 6.25 - 6.75 kts.  ETA was now was 1:30pm at the entrance to Fairport Harbor.  After noon, Phil came on watch again with the same wind, but as it got closer to Fairport Harbor, the wind decreased to 6 kts.  They pulled in, took down the main in the harbor and pulled into the dock at 2pm with Welcome Home balloon on the end of the dock.  Wouldn't want him to forget which dock to pull into (as if he would).  Docking was a little difficult what with the water touching the docks and the current in the river, but Phil prevailed.

Phil put the fenders that he keeps permanently attached to the dock on and did a few other boat chores like connecting the electric line and look for some items that had moved in the winter time.  Of course he had to talk to a few people that are already here.

I greeted Phil about 5pm when I got home from work.  Suffice it to say that fellow dock members said to take it inside. :)

Phil and I did attend the Potluck and moved some of my clothes back on the boat.  There is a lot for us to do to make our home dock our home for the summer.  We are glad to be back, but also wishing we were in the Bahamas again too.  At this time we are planning on leaving again Fall 2012.

So I would like to get feedback from you, the readers of this blog.  Should I wrap it up with one more post and shut down this blog or continue writing about us getting ready for our next trip.  I'd like to hear from you.