Fall Be Commin' . . . But Not Yet!

SHIP'S LOG:

It has been a staggering couple of days, though aside from sunday, little if any breeze. Makes it rather difficult to sail but it is still nice just enjoying the late summer. This year, there will be no avoiding fall and winter unless someone comes through with a last minute offer to help them take their boat south. I get the funny feeling that that the active hurricane season is casing a lot of second guessing amoing the the potential travelers heading for the ICW and the warmth of Florida and beyond. we are just past the half-way point of the hurricane season which comes to an end on the 1st of November, at least as the incurnace companies see it, and they are already half way through the names they give to "significant" storms. That doesn't bode particularly well for a southern joint as the latter half of the hurricane season is usually the more active.

TYC is basically closed up now that the launch only runs a limited schedule on Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays and I basically have the place to myself. It really is deserted with an occasional visitor who might "dinghy" out to his or her craft, if only to sit on it for awhile. Like I said, not a lot of wind. I imagine that I will be gin to see boats begining to dosappear into winter storage soon. Most of those who got pulled out in anticipation of "IRENE" haven't bothered to to get re-launched and if another storms posses a serious threat, I am sure that more will use it as an excuse to get to their winter storage early and stay put, calling it a season. Myself, I am looking to get hauled somewhere around Columbus Day before it gets too cold and the unstable fall weather gets a chance to take a real hold. I am both looking forward to it, as there are a myrid of jobs and projects that need to be attended to, and at the same time, not looking forward to it as it means that summer is well and truly over, never a pleasant prospect. It means it is fall and winter, with its cold and snow and darkness are on the way. Yeech!

Before I make the trip up the Connecticut River in a few weeks, I am going to have to clean the bottom again. With all the stuff that got "flushed" into the river, the local marine life has been very, very active. I would have to say the fact that the bottom paint is no longer good for much has also contributed to the situation which will only get worse in the days ahead. The trick ois the timing. If I do it too soon, I just will have to do it again before departure. If I wait too long, the temperature of the water will be too cold and I'll have to get a "pro" to do it and pros cost money. I want, and indeed, need a clean bottom and prop, so as to make the journey something completable in a day, for clean bottoms and clean props make the boat go faster. Less drag you see. Like I said , timing is everything. Ah, the fun of boat ownership!