SOME GOOD NEWS!!!

SHIP'S LOG:

I woke up this morning and it was snowing!!!! This did not make me happy. I had to chip ice off my car. This did not make me happy. And it was COLD and this definitely did not make me happy! But there is good news too. Going through a cruising guide that covers from the Chesapeake to Florida, I have found that the route through the Dismal Swamp is NOT the only route South on the ICW. In point of fact it is not even the route used by most cruisers. The other, more popular, and still open route, is the Ablemarle and Chesapeake Canal. There is little chance of this canal being shut down for lack of water as it would take the Chesapeake Bay and Ablemarle Sound drying up for that to happen. That in turn would take the Atlantic Ocean drying up and the chances of that happening are slim and none, and slim has just left town! So the way South is open if I can get there.

Speaking of that, the new batteries and switch will be here by Wednesday and with any luck, and more than a little cooperation of the yard, everything NECESSARY, necessary to make the trip, will be done!!!!!! Basically it means, as soon as I can load up I can depart! Leave! Shove off! Head South!!!

I spent the day figuring out the storage, or at least trying to figure out the storage. There are lots of places to store stuff but not much of it is standard in size. I will begin Friday really trucking stuff down and finding places for it all. Of course it will also mean creating a book to record where all the stuff goes. It will take more than a little time to be comfortable with where stuff is and remembering what I have and where it is. The book will be essential.

I did find out today that the gas generator will run for about 5 hours at top load before running out of fuel. I also found out that the electric space heater will take the edge off the cold but doesn't really do much more than that. Unfortunately, there is no arrangement for a combustion heater in the cabin. Then again, I didn't really think that I would be in need of one.I may have to look into one of those oil filled portable radiators. Perhaps it will throw more heat. Of Course, once the batteries are in, that electrical load should be doable. True it will me that I'll have to shut down the plasma TV but, what the heck....and no, there is no plasma TV.

I succeeded in whacking my head twice getting out of the companionway. You would have thought that the first time would have reminded me of the lessons learned on the trip up from Annapolis, but NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I still have a list of small items to purchase but I pretty much have everything I need, or shall I say, can afford. But hey, it's only money.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

By the end of next week I could be on my way. It is exciting to think that such will be the case. The course to the Chesapeake is all laid out and it requires only the going. I am trying to imagine what it will feel like to finally set out. Even going cross-country on a motorcycle doesn't compare. I can't wait!