October 2024

Sunday September 29th

I've had a nasty cold/flu and am just starting to feel better. Headed down to baji-naji to check the bilge. The guys noticed that the bilge pump was on constantly while we were in Chicagoland, so they disabled the bilge pump by taking out the fuse and hand pumped the water out. When we got to Tidewater, Debbie in the office and Cameron, one of the high school dock hands were concerned about a cormorant who would not dive. He would dip his head in the water, but wouldn't dive. He has drifted to the boat ramp and was stuck in the sea grass that has accumulated there.

Laz helped hold him in place with a rake while I made calls to try and find a marine animal rescue to bring him to. I wrote down the numbers on the box and made notes. We had a cardboard box from the store and a towel from the boat to wrap him in when we found out where to go. Of course, on a Sunday, I left multiple messages and even walked to the local fire station to find help.

We finally left him on the boat ramp as we were there over an hour waiting for a call back. One of the high school girl’s Mom is a vet, but we were awaiting for a call back from her as well. We headed back to work on the bilge on baji-naji while awaiting calls. Phoenix and another rescue called back while we were working on baji-naji, but by the time we got the calls, it was too late to drive to drop off. The veterinarian Mom would take the bird to Phoenix in the am, so we thought we could try and get him in the box at the end of the day, to minimize box time, plus we were deep into the bilge (see next story). The closest rescue is actually Tri- State Bird rescue in Newark DE. By the time we finished our work aboard, we could not find our feathered friend. It was starting to mist as we walked all the dock looking, and finally gave up and headed home.

While we were awaiting call backs, Laz figured out which screws to take out the center table so we could move the floor and inspect the bilge. It was bone dry, yay! We filled a basin with water and proved that the bilge pump does work. Our bilge is very shallow, however, and when we are aft heavy, it does not drain to the point where it will work. The manual pump is in the lowest point, but it's not a big area and can't fit both pumps.

You can see the floor up and the red pump is the automatic bilge pump and the lower pump is the manual one.

With one thing and another it was after 5p before we left the marina so we picked up a Giordano's mushroom sausage and artichoke pizza on our way home to watch NFL Primetime with Chris Berman, a tradition since the 90’s, and Sunday night football.

The 49ers are my secondary team, since Joe Montana days, after Da Bears.

Wednesday October 2nd

I'm still under the weather so Laz headed to baji-naji, awaiting our new mattress. He pulled the old one out into the main cabin, but the new one did not arrive. Other chores: filled the forward water tank, troubleshooting the pump for the fridge water (not working). He was texting with Nate Horton, who installed it, and got a few steps in, then Nate had to set up for the Annapolis power boat show which starts tomorrow. Laz also tried to fix soda drawer with no joy. 

Thursday October 3rd

I'm feeling a bit better today so we headed to Giant for some home and boat provisions, then to the marina. We thought the new mattress would be arriving today, but Laz called once we got to Tidewater (around 1300) and they apologized, but for sure it will be delivered tomorrow. We loaded the provisions in cabinets and fridge, after turning the temp to 15° from the 25° I had set it at before we left for Chicago. It has stayed pretty frost free, which was nice. Since it was mostly empty, it also stayed cold. We were able to do a few other chores to get baji-naji ready for our next trip: New chlorine tablets installed in the Purasan, and installed the new windlass remote. Laz had to rewire it differently than the diagram showed, as the picture was backwards. Go figure. My suggestion to try it bass-ackward. It works great now!

Team effort to fix the soda drawer. I found a strange tab thing with my fingers towards the front of the drawer that went in and out, perpendicular to the front of the drawer. Using the cellphone camera, Laz figured out the mechanism to unlatch it and was able to get the drawer out. With it out, he put sturdier screws in the track. Once done, we could load the soda drawer again. It sure is a weird and complicated way to get the drawer in and out, especially as the whole thing was held in place by tiny screws.

Checked the date on the house batteries, since we had the aft mattress out. September 2021. We replaced them some time ago, just could not remember when. We will have to check the forward batteries in the off season. Tomorrow there should be a new mattress!

Friday October 4th.

Packed up clothes, meds, and the rest of the provisions and headed down to Tidewater. There was a large cardboard box waiting for us in front of our slip! It had a big hole in it, but everything was in there. I put away the provisions first since there were many frozen and cold items. Laz pulled the boat all the way aft in the slip using the bumpers so we could wrestle the new mattress aboard. It definitely took both of us, even with it in 2 pieces.

Oh my goodness it is lovely and fits beautifully! It is a fair bit higher than the old one, but it's got real coils, individually wrapped for minimal motion and a cush top. The new sheets smell too new and will need to be washed before putting them on. We used the mattress protector from the old mattress and the fitted king sheet, which worked nicely. Laz used a fid to get both in, lol.

We then washed the boat, first with soap and water and then with the Starbrite non skid. She looks nice all clean.

Headed over to the last First Friday of the year and over to 410 Empanadas, which started as a food truck. We both got 3 empanadas and split the zucchini stix. I had a TexMex (yum), a mushroom (which was mostly a mushroom sauce and not chunks of mushrooms)beef and a spinach (which was amazing). Laz had a TexMex, a Korean BBQ (really good) and a regular BBQ (good but not special).

Saw this fancy Ravens jacket and did NOT get it for my friend Lee. I did text this photo to her and she said she saw a woman wearing this exact jacket at the game last weekend.

Apple pie empanadas for dessert. Yum! A bit too sweet with both powdered sugar and caramel sauce. They would be lovely without either.

Tomorrow we will sail! Not sure where, but there is supposed to be wind.

Saturday October 5th.

Up by 0830, realized we didn't have enough milk, so Laz ran to the grocery store after we pulled Boji off the dinghy rack. I pumped more air in Boji and then got the code-0 out and was putting it together and raising it when Laz came back with milk. Finished that, then headed to the fuel dock. Had to use the outside one since we didn't realize there was a powerboat on the inside dock. Field up, did a pump out and rinse, and Laz rowed Boji over from the boat ramp and we tied her on her usual cleat after putting the marble chips bag in her steen. We were off the fuel dock at 11:30. We had great wind from N NNW NNE 7-14kts. Lee and John in PSA race to Rock Hall won in their class!