I read an interesting "column" by Tanya Aebi, last night. She circumnavigated (solo, except for one short leg on which a boyfriend hitched a ride), as a teenager on a 26 foot sloop back in the 80's, I believe. Her column was in the summer issue of "Cruising Outpost," the quarterly magazine by Bob Bitchin, formerly the publisher of "Latitudes and Attitudes", both of which magazines support: Bob's life afloat, beer drinking, and the liveaboard lifestyle. Kingman Yacht Center is one of the authorized outlets for the magazine. A copy was given to us in a nice cloth totebag, along with the right to use a mooring, for $50 per night.
Tanya described her experiences as a leader of group charter cruises for folks who save all year with the wanderlust dream to go charter a sailboat for a week or two in paradise. And when they get unpacked on their boat, their temporary home in their great tropical location, most (but not all) of them decline the opportunity to get off the boat and explore that paradise on foot, preferring instead to remain aboard their comfortable temporary home and look out on paradise. Tanya thought it noteworthy but while I like to get off the boat and explore my new surroundings (more often than Lene), I too am often content, as in Isles of Shoals, Plymouth, our second night at the Kingman Yacht Center and tonight in Mattapoisett, and many other places we have visited, to remain aboard and eat the delicious food Lene cooks and enjoy the comforts of home. We enjoy each other and quiet time and there is always something to do -- I have a "to do" list that seems to be getting longer.
This morning I called Brian of Headsync, the installer of ILENE'a Spectra Ventura watermaker. It has been making water all summer but water is readily available here and we do not really have to make our own. And funny noises and lights suggest to me the need to have it looked over by a pro. This will be next summer. I got to thinking how useful the watermaker was when we were in the tropics where potable water is neither readily available nor inexpensive. But the needs to service our toy once each five days while it is in commission, and twice a year, are a minor nuisance up here. I will get a gallon of pink antifreeze and "pickle" and winterize the system as soon as possible.
Well the rain eventually went away late in the morning but the strong SW winds did not. We set out at noon and used only double reefed main and engine the whole way, tacking twice and helped by the ebbing tidal flow, arriving in Mattapoisett after only 135 minutes.
We started west and crossed the extension of the Hog Island Channel behind two big tugs with their barges that crossed in it in front of us, one set going each way. Then south and finally west again. The wind and waves were not as big as on our last passage, just uncomfortable.
With the big SW wind we anchored off the west side of the harbor between and 100 yards from each of two empty moorings. 60 feet of snubbed chain are out in 14 feet of water. After dinner Lene is watching the US open on her Ipad. The winds have died down for the evening.
More adverse wind is predicted for tomorrow but slower in the morning so an early start is indicated.
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