A Good Day Redux

SHIP'S LOG:

As I sat here at TYC this morning, sitting in the Northeast Wind about 15mph and the cold rain, I wondered what I was doing one year ago on this date. So I went back through the Blog and found out that I had spent the previous night in Willoughby Bay of of Newport News and its Naval air station. I had actually been there a couple of days and had decided it was time to leave. I passed through Hampton Roads and passed Hospital Point which is Mile Marker "0" for the ICW. I was making my first foray into the ICW and had to deal with my first opening bridges and made it all the way down to Great Bridge, Virginia.

I don't want to say that I was "green" in the ways of the ICW but just reading through the Blog reminded me that I truly was. I can remember how hard I was gripping the wheel, not letting ABISHAG stray even a few feet off the "Magenta Highway" and swiveling my head right and left checking every bit of the banks and the surface of the water. It was certainly not a restive and relaxing trip that's for sure.

I noted that the first few miles of the ICW were "disappointing" in that it was like any back water channel off a harbor, filled with boat yards(mostly naval) and oil storage centers and repair facilities. But after 7 miles it turned into what would be most of the ICW, unrestricted and filled with natural, unspoiled(for the most part) beauty.

Strangely, the weather then in Virginia was pretty much like it is today up here in God's Country. Lousy! But then, why should anything really change? But then, I rally haven't looked much at the weather recently and haven't heard "Perfect Peter" or "Debbie Diction" in a long time. With ABISHAG 20o0 feet from being hauled, it really doesn't matter all that much anymore. I couldn't tell you how accurate they have been recently or are today, but then at this point, who cares?

Took the time yesterday to consider replacing the refrigeration on ABISHAG for the simple reason that what I have doesn't work. Rather than replace the evaporator and the condenser and compressor which are all individual units, I am considering replacing the mechanical and the box itself with a complete unit, much like a home refrigerator. This will also allow me to close off one thru-hull, the one that brings water in to do the cooling for the system. Basically, it is air cooled. I checked it out with AL at West Marine and it looks promising though it is not anything that will happen before spring. The fun part with be "dismantling" the old box and removing the mechanicals and get the new unit down the companionway and maneuvering it into place. Still, it would be nice to have ice. But then, it must wait until spring if it is to happen at all. Ah, dreams of next season have started already!