GREAT DAY FOR A SWIM!!

SHIP'S LOG:

Much to my disappointment, the ELECTRICITY ELVES did not show up over night and return the juice they had stolen over the weekend. I had to bring my own. Using the portable generator I bought back in the winter and a portable battery charger and tried to charge the batteries. After about three hours there was still little charge in the batteries so obviously the charger was just not able to charge all three at once. So I contacted "Don The Electrician" from Mystic Shipyard and he suggested that I turn the battery switch to "OFF" and try charging just the STARTING BATTERY. I followed Don's suggestion and four hours later, ABISHAG's engine roared to life. One down and two to go.

When I go down today, I will try starting the engine on Battery #1, the STARTING BATTERY. I expect that it will start, no problem. If that is the case, I will try charging one of the HOUSE BATTERIES. Once it is Charged, I'll set the Battery Switch to "BOTH" and try starting the engine. It should starting and begin charging all the batteries and getting them back to where they should be.

On previous boats, I used to do what I called a "PARANOIA CHECK" whenever I left my boat. I made sure every seacock was closed, every switch was off, and every little thing set correctly so I could leave the boat with peace knowing that it would be safe and sound til I go back. There were actual times when I would open up that boat and do the check all over again just to be sure. I guess that I am going to have to develop "a routine" for ABISHAG.

While the battery charging was going on, I took advantage of the 80 degree weather to clean ABISHAG's bottom. She was slow motoring over from MYSTIC getting to no higher speed than 5knots. Obviously she needed a good cleaning. Truer words were never spoken! While the prop was clean, her entire bottom was fuzzy. And that's BIG BOTTOM. It took a little over an hour to clean a side! The water was warm, at least for the first 4 feet. Below that it got cold in a hurry. The wind and the current and the tide were all running together which made holding on and wielding a the bottom brush was a task. I think I am going to have to buy fins as feet just don't have the power to keep you in place and/or get you to the bottom of the keel 5 1/2 down. It will be interesting to see how much it improves ABISHAG's speed.

Hopefully I will be able to get off this temporary mooring and on my own, which is set but has no pennants on it yet(no way to tie up to it). Today will be "BLOW UP THE DINGHY DAY" as well as "CHARGING A HOUSE BATTERY DAY". That is once I get the flat tire on my car fixed. Are we noticing a trend here?

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

I have to say that I am glad that God spent the winter teaching me patience. Without it, by now, after all that has been happening with ABISHAG and three flat tires, I would be "just a little exercised." But it is amazing how easily it has become to take set backs and problems in stride. Things mechanical/electrical can always be fix ( We have the technology) and things existential/philosophical, well you change what you can, accept what you can't and learn the difference between the two. Ah serenity. I just hope that God realizes that "I've got it now" and so will ease up on the teaching just a bit. Going down to ABISHAG and working on stuff is very different now that I am out of the shipyard. It is a joy. I can stop at any moment and and take some time to just enjoy being on the water. I got to watch the TYC Wednesday Night Race, at least the start and it was great. I have to say that I am glad I don't race anymore though, it is just too much hassle, even "An Around the Buoys Beer Can" Race. Perhaps, I may do something but the sail wardrobe on ABISHAG is definitely oriented to cruising so as long as I don't plan on doing any better than last, it may be just fine. Maybe I will but right now it sounds like too much work. I am into cruising.