That's It - We're Done

So we are all packed up and ready to go.

Over the last few days we've been going down our checklist, knocking things off, one by one.

Sails off and stowed - check

Generator serviced - check
Engine oil changed - check, although I had to repair two pumps and replace hoses from the pumps.
Interior teak washed down - check
Solar panels stowed - check

When you're done there can you fetch me a beer?

Cockpit cushions washed and stowed - check
Murphy the Dinghy motor cleaned, flushed and stowed - check
Liquor cabinet cleaned out - check

Home away from home

Toilets cleaned (yuck!) - check
Fenders, MOB floats, etc stowed - check
Electronics stowed and protected - check
Cockpit table stowed - check
Binnacle covered - check
Hatches covered - check
Lines stowed - check

Covers and hurricane straps

Teak covered with Pam's miracle covers - check
Engine flushed - check
Prop cleaned - check
Water tank emptied - check
Fuel tank filled - check
Propane tanks shut off - check
Hurricane straps on - check
and a million other little jobs - check

And, on top of all that, we learned we have a leak in a pump so salt water is collecting in the lockers. Put that on the list to bring a new one down next year.

Where's the duct tape?

I hate you... especially at $US 400

That's on the list for replacement next year. Along with new sounder transducer, repaired wind direction indicator, new canvas...

I was going to go up to get the wind instrument but he volunteered

Got the wind indicator off. I would do it but they were in the neighbourhood.

Pam's picture window... more Maria boats coming in from Tortola

Need to replace 25 year old hoses and through-hulls

Had some copper foil attached... need Steve Carlton to clean it up.

Between puttering jobs we've been walking around surveying all the hurricane damaged boats from Tortola and St. Maarten. Even as we've been tied up, another barge of wrecked boats arrived. It's quite interesting to see these fibreglass geniuses like Leon doing the repairs. Of the hundred or so boats that are in here, they are working on 5 or 6. Looks like they will have work for many years to come. I've noticed also that there are posters on some of the boats... and they are up for auction at http://yachtsalvage.com/ and apparently some are going for a "goodly" price. Check it out! Might find your dream boat.

They're still coming

Odie's got it WAY up in the air. Weird

Uh oh. Something's in the way

Wait... what?

No problem... 

This one is going to take some work!

We've done all we can think of and so finally it is time to walk away.

Into the well

Up and out

Murphy the dingy ready for storage

Packed and ready to go

So that's it! We are done. A little sad to leave but excited about going home.

Thanks for following along!

Time to Go Home

With Chevy and Carrie back in Abbotsford and the Closs family returning from Spring Break soon it is time for us to depart. We've had a great season but spring has sprung and home is calling.

After putting C&C in a taxi, Pam and I spent a nice evening with Brian from Pyxis. Brian treated us to a lovely dinner at the Yacht Club. He wanted to thank us for our help when his wife, Nadi suffered a serious back injury in Basse Terre, Guadeloupe. Not necessary but much appreciated. Dinner was followed by sweet dreams on Blue Pearl in Falmouth Harbour and in the morning we set out early for Jolly Harbour. Made an appointment with a welder to take care of our broken dinghy davits and got groceries for our last two weeks afloat.

The welding was challenging, expensive and created more problems... but at least we can haul Murphy safely and securely. The GPS seems to have suffered a fatal incident and so that goes on the list for replacement for next year. Good thing we have several backup navigation tools to get us up through the reefs on the way to Davis Bay.

Broken davit removed

Have to take off pushpit (aft pulpit) to weld stanchions

That looks weird

... from any angle

Have to clean this up when we put in the new external GPS

Other side of pushpit out as well for more welding

Naked

Bimini lashed in place

Brendon and I arrive with newly repaired parts

Another view from Pam's galley window

We motored into the wind from Hermitage to Davis Bay. Davis Bay is home to an exclusive resort... with great internet, of course... and it is only a mile over to North Sound where we will haul on Tuesday, April 10. With our GPS out of commission, we relied on Pam's iPad with the Navionics charts and GPS to get us safely through the reefs.

Pam's iPad for Navigation

While we are here we will putter around making Blue Pearl secure for the haul-out season... Pam-made covers on the teak rails and general clean-up.

So we hope to be at the dock, alongside the haul-out well on Friday with access to power and water. That will give us the opportunity to spray off excess salt, take off the sails and put things away.

The canvas will come off last, just before we haul. We are going to have some canvas work done for next season and so we will have a chance to talk to the contractor about exactly what we want done.

So that's it for now. Will chat once more when we are out of the water and ready to head home.