December 17 - 31 -- Closing Out 2018

Only two work days and one of them involved only ten minutes on City Island, half for nephew Mendy to carry the main sail from the car's trunk to the upstairs locker, and while there, the other half to buy larger brass wood screws to hold the lower hinge of the door of the after head in place. The other was at home, woking on the cockpit table so it will look good again next summer -- four hours. This picture was before the final coat.

And three "other" days: One was a lovely dinner at the home of Bennett and Harriet.
Another of  about ten hours was used writing and researching what I hope will be accepted as my next article in Points East Magazine: a stringing together of a hypothetical route, without excessive mileage on any day, linking our eleven favorite Maine stops, based on our five cruises there over the years -- from Roque Island, the furthest "down east" to Isles of Shoals, on leaving Maine waters for home.

The third such day was not supposed to relate to boats, but rather was a visit to the Metropolitan  Museum of Art, for its Delacroix exhibit. I had led a group of Harlemites throughout the museum to look at art involving boats a couple of winters ago but expected no maritime content on this visit. Wrong. First, amidst the huge throng, I ran into Howard and Barbara of the Harlem; such a welcome surprise. And then I saw this painting in the Delacroix show: Christ (reclining, with a bit of a golden halo, on the port side) and his entourage in a small out-of-control ketch on the tempestuous Sea of Galilee. I don't know the Christian Bible well enough. I knew he was a fisherman (and a carpenter), but the storm scene remains unfamiliar to me.
I've also been busy thinking about sailing next year on boats other than ILENE. For one thing Lene and I are in contact with potential boats for bare boat charter with Bennett and Harriet for 7 to 10 days in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in late April and checking out airlines that serve the airport there. This may be our first catamaran experience. It may not come off but planning is 1/3 of the fun.
Also I'm firming up a passage, crewing with Yves on his French boat, Rusee-de-Jersey, from Bermuda to Halifax in the first half of June. We met Yves in Quebec City last summer. The other member of the crew will likely be Gregg, who we met in Halifax and new York in 2017. This event is highly likely to come off and I'm eager to learn more about the boat.

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But while thinking ahead to 2019, it has come time to sum up 2018. Previously I reported on the 82 Sailing Days, i.e., days of sailing and/or living aboard. Some of them also involved working on the boat, of course, but I count them as "S" days. In addition I enjoyed 57 Work Days, divided as follows: 33 before the launch, ten while afloat and 14 after hauling. And then there are the "Other Days" -- experiences with sailing friends, the Club, etc. -- 47 of them. So adding up all of the "S", "W" and "O" days, 2018  had 196 days related to sailing in some way. A good use of my time, thank you.