THREE DAYS - MORE OR LESS

SHIP'S LOG:

Yesterday(Saturday) saw the second load of "stuff" brought down and stored on ABISHAG. Stored is perhaps a little generous. Let us say, on the boat and below deck. It was my intention to store everything I brought down but, hey, what can I say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Tony Marino came by and finished up the installation of the water-maker system, actually just the installation of some filters on the raw water line. He did a fine job I am sure, but I will be miles away before I actually use it for the first time The manufacture doesn't recommend using it in brackish water or in harbors where oil and other water borne things might clog the filter system. So I'll probably be far, far south before I have the opportunity to to test out his handiwork. His departing recommendation when using it for the first time was to check for leaks! While Tony was squaring that away, I reworked the fender board system so that I can dock at piers that have exposed and protruding pilings without damaging the topsides

An elder member of TY, Peter Brouwer, died a couple of months ago and his widow brought his ashes up from Florida to honor his last wish which was to have them scattered at Seaflower Reef off Groton Long Point. As Chaplain of TYC, I got to do my very first committal at sea. We motored out from the club to the reef for the service. There were a half a dozen boats and 30 - 40 members present and Peter went over the side amid prayers, poetry, a shower of flowers, a canon blast and a bottle of Tequila.

Back aboard ABISHAG, I attempt to correct a problem with the Spinnaker Halyard. A previous owner had attempted a rather strange though functional repair. At the end of the halyard, which raises and lowers the spinnaker, was a snap shackle, a "clip" that attaches the halyard to the top of the spinnaker. It has a little pull ring so that the shackle can open and close on the sail. The shackle was braided into the end of the spinnaker halyard. Unfortunately, at some time in the past, the little pull ring broke off and the shackle could no long be opened without a great deal of effort. Rather than un-braid the halyard, take off the shackle, put on a new one and braid the halyard back, a previous owner opened the broken shackle, attached a new one to it and closed it back up. It is not a particularly elegant nor safe approach. I decided to correct this little problem and attach a new, working shackle, but first I had to remove the old one. I had to cut it off.

Sadly, my dremel tool had given up the ghost a few days before and I was forced to try and cut off the stainless steel shackle with a hacksaw. A hacksaw with a dull blade I might add. I put the shackle into the vice an set to work. After about an hour! I had made considerable progress, dull blade and all, and to finish it off, I reversed the shackle in the vice and with two cut I finished it off but good! The halyard not the shackle that is. The dull hacksaw blade, which struggled against the stainless steel, just about severed the braided halyard line in two strokes! I was NOT happy! Now unless I want to attempt to learned how to weave a loop in the end of the braided line, a nasty process with older braided line, I can only use it as a halyard by 1.) knotting it to the top of the spinnaker; 2.) knotting the new shackle to the end of the halyard. I do not particularly like either choice. After I had left the boat I realized that in the rope locker, there is an old main sail halyard with a loop in the end that just might work. I don't have the marine units for a new halyard at this time.

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

Another step closer but rushing around doing all the last minute stuff sort of insulates me from thinking and feeling too much. Doing things while on the boat, I often stop and fall into a revere about what is ahead. It will be a great adventure and a desert experience. An adventure in that I have never done a trip that is anywhere near the scope of this one, even though it will be a series of one day jumps rather than one long haul. And a desert experience in that I will be alone for at least the first part of it. True there will be a lot to occupy me but there will also be a lot of time for reflection and introspection. In a very real and tangible sense, it is a tripping away of just about everything to encounter myself with the help of God. I don't know what will happen so I will try not to anticipate and simple participate in the journey to which God is calling me.