SHIP'S LOG:
There is nothing like a front moving through to ruin your day! The boys and girls at NOAA, and most of the other weather outlets, predicted that a cold front would "blast" in from the west. Preceding it would be torrential rains and following it a temperature drop. The "blast" was scheduled for about noon.
At noon the temperature was in the high 70's/low 80's, there were a few clouds here and there and what breeze there was was light and variable. Toward the end of the afternoon, it cooled a little and the winds picked up a bit and one of our most revered members announced that the front "had past through." Now in anticipation of the nasty weather, I had brought stuff ashore to camp out in the clubhouse which would be warmer and dryer and more stationary than ABISHAG. NOAA had once again it seemed "blown the call" and so about 6pm, I took advantage of the launch service for the Off Soundings Race to haul all the stuff back to ABISHAG for the night. The launch service stopped at 8pm and an hour later we got hit. Not a lot of rain but some serious wind.
It is a tough thing to estimate the speed of the wind at night without an anemometer. The best thing I had was the wind generator and I could only use that as a gauge by noting the sound. The higher the pitch the greater the wind speed. I would estimate that the sustained wind was about 25-30mph and some of the gusts had to hit the40's as I got the "moose call" from the rigging and the radar reflector. ABISHAG didn't sail much at the mooring but occasionally she did lay over a bit which is also an indicator of some high velocity gusts. It reminded me of the times on the journey when I got nailed by storms. Then I was hanging off a 5/8 anchor rode attached to a 35lbs CQR anchor and 20lbs of anchor weights. Riding on the mooring made it easier to drop off to a relaxed and easy and deep sleep though I did check the pennants and chaffing gear before retiring. Even with the movement, it was far more comfortable on ABISHAG than it would have been on the clubhouse floor though if the "hit" had come earlier, I certainly would have stayed onshore.
And the "horror of horrors" is that when I got up at 6:30, the temperature was "hovering at 45!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't awakened to temps that low since last December! I imagine that the cold front will pass through is a day or so and the weather will return to its proper September state, but there is no doubt that summer, if not past, is passing and quickly. I don't think I am ready for it!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
A DAy Off The Water
SHIP'S LOG:
Yesterday was a day off the water. I took the opportunity of a beautiful day to go see my great-niece for the first time. It was a most enjoyable way to spend a part of the day. She is really marvelous and I could have spent hours just watching her. Unfortunately, Alexa Grace and her parents live almost two hours away down 95 in Cos Cob and even in the best of times, it isn't a joy ride. Still, considering that she awaits at the drive's end, it will be worth the trouble to make it with a fair amount of regularity. . . . until she develops the typical "baby's death grip" and begins to apply it to mustaches and beards, mine in particular!
The four hours of driving took a big chunk out of the day but the day was pleasant and I spend some time on the TYC porch with Henry. There is part of a keg left over from the commodores Trophy Race and the powers that be would like it finished off. So Henry and I and a few others are doing our best to accommodate their wishes.
With the club pretty much closed down during the week, the fishermen problems is surfacing again. During the sailing season, when there are people here daily until after 10 at night, local fishermen often head out to the end of the dock to fish late at night. They remove the lights at the end of the dock and leave hooks, lures, bait and assort fish offal all over the end of the dock. Some days the detritus is worse than others. They do not have permission to fish from our docks, in deed it is against the by-laws of the club for members to do so. And now that the club is winding down for the season, they are getting more and more bold. Two of them parked their cars in the officers' parking spots and strode down the dock, fishing equipment in hand. They seemed to take great offense when I told them that they couldn't fish here and that they also had to move their cars as well. The strange thing is that about a mile away as the dolphin swims there is a long, long dock at Fort Trumbull. There is parking and fishing is not only permitted but encouraged. It is a mystery to me why they want to fish here instead of there.
Some disturbing news is being whispered about the club that a "cold front" is coming this weekend that might actually produce "FROST!" Sure if it dose, it won't be here but inland, but just the thought is enough to shiver one's bones! I count five empty moorings in the field indicating the the exodus has begun. It is not a joyous prospect!
Yesterday was a day off the water. I took the opportunity of a beautiful day to go see my great-niece for the first time. It was a most enjoyable way to spend a part of the day. She is really marvelous and I could have spent hours just watching her. Unfortunately, Alexa Grace and her parents live almost two hours away down 95 in Cos Cob and even in the best of times, it isn't a joy ride. Still, considering that she awaits at the drive's end, it will be worth the trouble to make it with a fair amount of regularity. . . . until she develops the typical "baby's death grip" and begins to apply it to mustaches and beards, mine in particular!
The four hours of driving took a big chunk out of the day but the day was pleasant and I spend some time on the TYC porch with Henry. There is part of a keg left over from the commodores Trophy Race and the powers that be would like it finished off. So Henry and I and a few others are doing our best to accommodate their wishes.
With the club pretty much closed down during the week, the fishermen problems is surfacing again. During the sailing season, when there are people here daily until after 10 at night, local fishermen often head out to the end of the dock to fish late at night. They remove the lights at the end of the dock and leave hooks, lures, bait and assort fish offal all over the end of the dock. Some days the detritus is worse than others. They do not have permission to fish from our docks, in deed it is against the by-laws of the club for members to do so. And now that the club is winding down for the season, they are getting more and more bold. Two of them parked their cars in the officers' parking spots and strode down the dock, fishing equipment in hand. They seemed to take great offense when I told them that they couldn't fish here and that they also had to move their cars as well. The strange thing is that about a mile away as the dolphin swims there is a long, long dock at Fort Trumbull. There is parking and fishing is not only permitted but encouraged. It is a mystery to me why they want to fish here instead of there.
Some disturbing news is being whispered about the club that a "cold front" is coming this weekend that might actually produce "FROST!" Sure if it dose, it won't be here but inland, but just the thought is enough to shiver one's bones! I count five empty moorings in the field indicating the the exodus has begun. It is not a joyous prospect!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
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!
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!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Short Stuff
SHIP'S LOG:
Summer has returned! ! ! !! ! well, at least for a day. It was actually "hot" down here on Saturday and, with not a lot of wind, it seemed even "hotter!" Almost like August or July! Then again, it was only one day. It was probably hot due to the fact that a number of us spent the day trying to ready TYC for the Commodore's Trophy Race today(Sunday).Thanks to my balky knee, I had the job of blowing up the marks to be used during the race. A truly easy job that required no pursed lips, merely the application of a hose from the club's shop-vac to the floats. My kind of "work."
I have a long standing get together with some friends this evening which prevented me from being involved in the actual race or working for the race committee. Actually that is OK, as I have done my share of Race Committee work this season.
Short blog today. More tomorrow.
Summer has returned! ! ! !! ! well, at least for a day. It was actually "hot" down here on Saturday and, with not a lot of wind, it seemed even "hotter!" Almost like August or July! Then again, it was only one day. It was probably hot due to the fact that a number of us spent the day trying to ready TYC for the Commodore's Trophy Race today(Sunday).Thanks to my balky knee, I had the job of blowing up the marks to be used during the race. A truly easy job that required no pursed lips, merely the application of a hose from the club's shop-vac to the floats. My kind of "work."
I have a long standing get together with some friends this evening which prevented me from being involved in the actual race or working for the race committee. Actually that is OK, as I have done my share of Race Committee work this season.
Short blog today. More tomorrow.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wsell, At Least The Rain Stopped! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
I made arrangements on Friday for ABISHAG's winter storage, a sure sign that the sailing season and summer are fading fast. The Yankee Boatyard in Portland would appear to be the cheapest, or let us say, the least expensive place to store a boat for the winter. It is till going to cost more than a few buck, probably at least two Marine Units+, but it will be a lot less expensive than any of the others I contacted. The high was a nasty $54 a foot, plus the removal and storage of both masts a $5 dollars a foot( Main - 58 feet + Mizzen - 30 feet0 plus they reserved the right to clean and paint the bottom, clean and wax the side, and winterize everything on the boat at $90/ hour for labor and added costs for materials, to the local low of $35 a foot for hauling, bottom cleaning, blocking, storage, and launching in the spring, plus whatever winterizing you wanted done by the yard at $65 an hour plus materials. If you didn't know before, by a boat is the easiest and least expensive thing about boating!
By all indications, the "backyard" of this Boatyard is the place to get your boat stored as the yard itself fronts on the Connecticut River which is now in flood stage and will be again in the spring. The flood stage means that if it gets over 15 feet, it will flood the lower yard and that is not a good thing if you are working on your boat, especially the hull and the bottom. It raises also questions of the stability of the boat stands and poppets that keep the boat upright during storage. If I am lucky, I might get put next to Charlie who took his Shannon 43 up there before Irene made her appearance. Several others will also be heading up river as well.
I gather that the trip can be "exciting" as the "stuff" that often floats along in the river and be hazardous to your boat's health if not carefully avoided. Are items of flotsam and jetsam (trees, containers and the like) that get swept into the river as it rises during the snow melt and these are things that you do not like to encounter either on the way up nor on the way down. Ah, the fun of boat ownership.
No one has accepted my offer to crew south. The Walsh's are all set and as of right now they are the only ones definitely headed south. Chuck Estell( the launch operator) is going south but by car. Tom( the other launch operator) is waffling and I am not sure he will go south if his wife doesn't agree to go with him and she is not sure about the trip at all. The others who have talked about it are all still up in the air and as the days pass, the window is closing. They should all be pretty much set by now. Their boats should be checked out, the spares should be laid in. They should have all their charts - both paper and electronic - and have begun to lay out routes to the Chesapeake (inside or outside) , down the ICW ( how much and how little of it) and be semi set on their destination. The should also be making notes about when and where to stop, what places they wish to visit, what marinas facilities they want to make use of, and all the rest of that stuff. Perhaps the storms of the last few weeks have cooled them to the idea. Too bad, for there is nothing like being anchored in some creek off the ICW, with no lights and no one else around . . . . . . . except for Bubba and Cooter blasting away at the local wildlife.
I am glad that I had the opportunity to make the trip last year, if only for the reason that I have gone a whole year now without experiencing anything close to winter(forget about last December in Florida). But it is such a long trip that it is almost exhausting to think about it. The trip back didn't seem as long as the trip down because it ended "at home" whereas the trip down merely ended at the "turn around point" for the trip back. There is a lot to be said about staying in one place for awhile, a good, long while.
I made arrangements on Friday for ABISHAG's winter storage, a sure sign that the sailing season and summer are fading fast. The Yankee Boatyard in Portland would appear to be the cheapest, or let us say, the least expensive place to store a boat for the winter. It is till going to cost more than a few buck, probably at least two Marine Units+, but it will be a lot less expensive than any of the others I contacted. The high was a nasty $54 a foot, plus the removal and storage of both masts a $5 dollars a foot( Main - 58 feet + Mizzen - 30 feet0 plus they reserved the right to clean and paint the bottom, clean and wax the side, and winterize everything on the boat at $90/ hour for labor and added costs for materials, to the local low of $35 a foot for hauling, bottom cleaning, blocking, storage, and launching in the spring, plus whatever winterizing you wanted done by the yard at $65 an hour plus materials. If you didn't know before, by a boat is the easiest and least expensive thing about boating!
By all indications, the "backyard" of this Boatyard is the place to get your boat stored as the yard itself fronts on the Connecticut River which is now in flood stage and will be again in the spring. The flood stage means that if it gets over 15 feet, it will flood the lower yard and that is not a good thing if you are working on your boat, especially the hull and the bottom. It raises also questions of the stability of the boat stands and poppets that keep the boat upright during storage. If I am lucky, I might get put next to Charlie who took his Shannon 43 up there before Irene made her appearance. Several others will also be heading up river as well.
I gather that the trip can be "exciting" as the "stuff" that often floats along in the river and be hazardous to your boat's health if not carefully avoided. Are items of flotsam and jetsam (trees, containers and the like) that get swept into the river as it rises during the snow melt and these are things that you do not like to encounter either on the way up nor on the way down. Ah, the fun of boat ownership.
No one has accepted my offer to crew south. The Walsh's are all set and as of right now they are the only ones definitely headed south. Chuck Estell( the launch operator) is going south but by car. Tom( the other launch operator) is waffling and I am not sure he will go south if his wife doesn't agree to go with him and she is not sure about the trip at all. The others who have talked about it are all still up in the air and as the days pass, the window is closing. They should all be pretty much set by now. Their boats should be checked out, the spares should be laid in. They should have all their charts - both paper and electronic - and have begun to lay out routes to the Chesapeake (inside or outside) , down the ICW ( how much and how little of it) and be semi set on their destination. The should also be making notes about when and where to stop, what places they wish to visit, what marinas facilities they want to make use of, and all the rest of that stuff. Perhaps the storms of the last few weeks have cooled them to the idea. Too bad, for there is nothing like being anchored in some creek off the ICW, with no lights and no one else around . . . . . . . except for Bubba and Cooter blasting away at the local wildlife.
I am glad that I had the opportunity to make the trip last year, if only for the reason that I have gone a whole year now without experiencing anything close to winter(forget about last December in Florida). But it is such a long trip that it is almost exhausting to think about it. The trip back didn't seem as long as the trip down because it ended "at home" whereas the trip down merely ended at the "turn around point" for the trip back. There is a lot to be said about staying in one place for awhile, a good, long while.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday Was Truly Awful . . . .
SHIP'S LOG:
. . . and I am not just talking about the weather either! Since it was going to rain all day Tuesday and Wednesday as well, I decided that life would be better ashore than on Abishag. Trust me, two solid days of rain and wind are no fun on a 39 foot sailboat and it made good sense to get off for awhile.
Tuesday it just rained and rained and rained. We had 40 mph winds along with the rain Tuesday morning. We got more rain on Tuesday than we received from Tropical Storm Irene! It was grey and cold and yuchie!, but with online access that was free and unlimited electricity, I got to watch several shows and movies for free on my computer. Sleeping on the floor in the clubhouse wasn't all that much less comfortable than sleeping on the closed-cell foam mattress in the aft berth aboard, plus the clubhouse didn't roll as much. It was a good day to curl up with a book an with the computer.
Wednesday, I got up about 6 and hit Dunkin' Domuts for coffee and breakfast. I went back to the club hose, performed my morning ablutions and then resumed my search for winter destination for ABISHAG . . . here in Connecticut. Seems like Yankee Boatworks in Portland will be the likely landing spot. It will probably be a two day trip to get there for the flow in the Connecticut River is strong and will be more so as the run off from Irene continues and from whatever others storms get sent our way. There are a couple of other boats from here that will be heading to the same spot so I won't be making the trip alone, probably.
I was getting set to go up to Portland and check out Yankee Boatworks when I suddenly couldn't find my wallet. My wallet is a leather passport folder style and is hard to miss but it wasn't anywhere that I could see in the upstairs of the clubhouse, not on the floor or on the table nor on the chairs. I went through all the stuff that I had up there and didn't find it any place. I figured that I must have left it in the car but didn't find it their either, even after several exhaustive searches. I drove back to Dunkin' Donuts thinking I might have left it there or possibly dropped it in the parking lot. No Joy! I even went through the trash can by the counter on the off chance that I had dropped it inside when I was getting some napkins. Again, no joy. It appears that it is well and truly lost. And that's where the fun began.
Across the street was a Citizens Bank Branch and I went over and explain what had happen, how "someone" (perhaps) was now in possession of my debit card, drivers license, credit card, and all the other items in the wallet, including the money . . .about $15 or so. Since I have been doing all my banking online, no one knew me at the bank. I ha no picture ID as my license was in the wallet and the wallet was gone. But I did have my passport . . .which was out on ABISHAG. OS I ha to go back to TYC, row out to ABISHAG, retrieve the Passport, row back to shore, drive back to the bank and go through the process of closing my accounts and opening new ones, canceling my debit card and applying for a new one(which will show up in 7 - 10 days) and leaving my checking account open - with the minimal amount required - to receive my SS check in case I couldn't get the direct deposit info to them quickly enough. In spite of the wonderful effort made by the bank, it took most of the afternoon to get everything at the bank square away. I withdrew some money and then went off to buy a wallet in which to carry it. Then I had to hustle to the UPS Store to inform them of the impending arrival of a couple of letters(from the bank) for which they would have to sign, one containing the new debit card and one, some days later, containing the new pin to activate the card.
The it was back to TYC and back online to contact Social Security. They actually ave a very good website but it was difficult trying to correct the direct deposit information. I decidied to contact a "human" at the local office who could get me through the process. I had been hopeful that they would vbe able to route the next check to the new account but, wouldn't you know it, the cut-off date for such a change was the day before. Now I have to monitor the "old checking account" for the arrival of this month's check, then transfer all of the funds out and into the "new checking account" and then closed thee old checking account. As far as I can tell, no one has accessed or attempted to access the "old checking account" so maybe, if the wallet was found, they took the money and ditched the rest in the trash. Still, I have a funny feeling that it will turn up sooner or later.
I have one credit card and I had to get that one closed out. It was a Sears Master Card and despite several attempts to do so online, I had to eventually do it with a "real person." The only problem with that is that it took forever to get to a "real Person" and the process of closing one and opening another was long and tedious, sprinkled throughout with all sorts of advertisements and come-ons. Eventually, it was done, but by now the whole day was shot.
There was contained within the wallet now lost, several appointment cards for the coming months that were now gone. I had transferred them to my cell phone, but when that went up the spout and I had to get a new one, the transfer process, while included contact information ad numbers, but for some reason didn't transfer the appointments on the calendar. I'll have to spend today calling everyone I can think of with whom I might have had an upcoming appointment to see if, if fact, I did and then record who, when, were and when back into the phone. I am sure that I will miss one or two just to make things interesting.
The real "fun" would be going to get a replacement driver's license. Even at the best of times, the DMV is a nightmare, made even more so by the fact that the state is closing a number of offices as a cost cutting measure. To combat the expected crowds, I got up early and drove to the Old Saybrook DMV office, getting there at 7am only to find that it, because of the closures, it had changed its hours and so was open late on Thursday Thursday evenings. It also meant that it would open late on Thursday mornings, 9:15 to be exact. Good thing I brought a book. Good thing also I brought my passport as they wouldn't even look up your license without a proper picture ID. but with that, a filled-out form and 30 bucks, I became the proud possessor of a "new license!" And it didn't take all that long . . .by DMV standards and I was through by noon. That meant I had time to go through all of the other phone calls I needed to make correct, update, cancel, change, open and close all the other items contained in the wallet, at least those I could remember. one thing I will really miss and can't replace, is a 1,000 Lira note from my last trip to Italy. True, it was absolutely worthless, but it was the memories it held. Well, c'est la vie!
. . . and I am not just talking about the weather either! Since it was going to rain all day Tuesday and Wednesday as well, I decided that life would be better ashore than on Abishag. Trust me, two solid days of rain and wind are no fun on a 39 foot sailboat and it made good sense to get off for awhile.
Tuesday it just rained and rained and rained. We had 40 mph winds along with the rain Tuesday morning. We got more rain on Tuesday than we received from Tropical Storm Irene! It was grey and cold and yuchie!, but with online access that was free and unlimited electricity, I got to watch several shows and movies for free on my computer. Sleeping on the floor in the clubhouse wasn't all that much less comfortable than sleeping on the closed-cell foam mattress in the aft berth aboard, plus the clubhouse didn't roll as much. It was a good day to curl up with a book an with the computer.
Wednesday, I got up about 6 and hit Dunkin' Domuts for coffee and breakfast. I went back to the club hose, performed my morning ablutions and then resumed my search for winter destination for ABISHAG . . . here in Connecticut. Seems like Yankee Boatworks in Portland will be the likely landing spot. It will probably be a two day trip to get there for the flow in the Connecticut River is strong and will be more so as the run off from Irene continues and from whatever others storms get sent our way. There are a couple of other boats from here that will be heading to the same spot so I won't be making the trip alone, probably.
I was getting set to go up to Portland and check out Yankee Boatworks when I suddenly couldn't find my wallet. My wallet is a leather passport folder style and is hard to miss but it wasn't anywhere that I could see in the upstairs of the clubhouse, not on the floor or on the table nor on the chairs. I went through all the stuff that I had up there and didn't find it any place. I figured that I must have left it in the car but didn't find it their either, even after several exhaustive searches. I drove back to Dunkin' Donuts thinking I might have left it there or possibly dropped it in the parking lot. No Joy! I even went through the trash can by the counter on the off chance that I had dropped it inside when I was getting some napkins. Again, no joy. It appears that it is well and truly lost. And that's where the fun began.
Across the street was a Citizens Bank Branch and I went over and explain what had happen, how "someone" (perhaps) was now in possession of my debit card, drivers license, credit card, and all the other items in the wallet, including the money . . .about $15 or so. Since I have been doing all my banking online, no one knew me at the bank. I ha no picture ID as my license was in the wallet and the wallet was gone. But I did have my passport . . .which was out on ABISHAG. OS I ha to go back to TYC, row out to ABISHAG, retrieve the Passport, row back to shore, drive back to the bank and go through the process of closing my accounts and opening new ones, canceling my debit card and applying for a new one(which will show up in 7 - 10 days) and leaving my checking account open - with the minimal amount required - to receive my SS check in case I couldn't get the direct deposit info to them quickly enough. In spite of the wonderful effort made by the bank, it took most of the afternoon to get everything at the bank square away. I withdrew some money and then went off to buy a wallet in which to carry it. Then I had to hustle to the UPS Store to inform them of the impending arrival of a couple of letters(from the bank) for which they would have to sign, one containing the new debit card and one, some days later, containing the new pin to activate the card.
The it was back to TYC and back online to contact Social Security. They actually ave a very good website but it was difficult trying to correct the direct deposit information. I decidied to contact a "human" at the local office who could get me through the process. I had been hopeful that they would vbe able to route the next check to the new account but, wouldn't you know it, the cut-off date for such a change was the day before. Now I have to monitor the "old checking account" for the arrival of this month's check, then transfer all of the funds out and into the "new checking account" and then closed thee old checking account. As far as I can tell, no one has accessed or attempted to access the "old checking account" so maybe, if the wallet was found, they took the money and ditched the rest in the trash. Still, I have a funny feeling that it will turn up sooner or later.
I have one credit card and I had to get that one closed out. It was a Sears Master Card and despite several attempts to do so online, I had to eventually do it with a "real person." The only problem with that is that it took forever to get to a "real Person" and the process of closing one and opening another was long and tedious, sprinkled throughout with all sorts of advertisements and come-ons. Eventually, it was done, but by now the whole day was shot.
There was contained within the wallet now lost, several appointment cards for the coming months that were now gone. I had transferred them to my cell phone, but when that went up the spout and I had to get a new one, the transfer process, while included contact information ad numbers, but for some reason didn't transfer the appointments on the calendar. I'll have to spend today calling everyone I can think of with whom I might have had an upcoming appointment to see if, if fact, I did and then record who, when, were and when back into the phone. I am sure that I will miss one or two just to make things interesting.
The real "fun" would be going to get a replacement driver's license. Even at the best of times, the DMV is a nightmare, made even more so by the fact that the state is closing a number of offices as a cost cutting measure. To combat the expected crowds, I got up early and drove to the Old Saybrook DMV office, getting there at 7am only to find that it, because of the closures, it had changed its hours and so was open late on Thursday Thursday evenings. It also meant that it would open late on Thursday mornings, 9:15 to be exact. Good thing I brought a book. Good thing also I brought my passport as they wouldn't even look up your license without a proper picture ID. but with that, a filled-out form and 30 bucks, I became the proud possessor of a "new license!" And it didn't take all that long . . .by DMV standards and I was through by noon. That meant I had time to go through all of the other phone calls I needed to make correct, update, cancel, change, open and close all the other items contained in the wallet, at least those I could remember. one thing I will really miss and can't replace, is a 1,000 Lira note from my last trip to Italy. True, it was absolutely worthless, but it was the memories it held. Well, c'est la vie!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Summer Is Over . . . Sort Of!
SHIP'S LOG:
With the passing of Labor Day, Summer has unofficially come to an end, at least for some people. The continuing effects of Tropical Storm IRENE means that there wasn't a lot of swimming going on as all the coastal beaches were closed do to "pollution." Even if people went boating, they had to be very careful and observant and spend a great deal of their time dodging flotsam and jetsam. And I am not just talking about soda bottles and the like, I am talking whole trees with branches and root-balls still attached. Depending on where you were, it also was not the most fragrant sailing either. Sadly, storm drains, sewage drains, septic systems and septic plants got over loaded and " discharged" into rivers and streams which finally found their way to the shore. In most cases, if that thought didn't keep you out of the water, the stink did.
Yesterday also marked the final day of daily launch service at TYC. Until the Chowder Series concludes in October, the launch will only run Friday evening and 9 - 9 on Saturdays and Sundays. Other than that, you are on your own. And that means I am on my own again. It was rather an eerie feeling to tell the truth, that when I got back to my boat last night, that there would be no pick up in the morning. I would have to row if I wanted to go ashore and row if I wanted to get back. In anticipation of this, I dragged my dinghy from Henry's yard, where it had been sleeping peacefully since before Irene, down to the beach where I scraped a summer's worth of marine growth of its bottom and inflated it, and put it back into the water. Later I towed it out with the launch doing the honors.
Over the next few weeks, I will be "on my own" at TYC. Oh to be sure, there will be some people who will come down during the week to use the beach and maybe even to sail, and true the weekends will be a bit busy if the weather is nice, but for the most part, it is all mine! In part, it feels much like being back on "the Journey." There is a certain aloneness with no one to answer a radio hail from the club or a nearby boat, but still it is "home" and no one is all that far away.
They almost got that way though as yesterday my phone crapped out. A couple of weeks ago, my cell phone stopped charging correctly. i took it to a Verizon Store and they promptly sent me a NEW (RECONDITIONED) cell phone. Yesterday, it partially stopped working, in that I could make a call and people could hear me, but I couldn't hear them. People could call me and the phone would ring but I still couldn't hear them. The problem was alleviated by a trip to Verizon, 50 bucks and a new phone. I know it may sound cynical, but I have yet to have a cell phone that survives unscathed to the end of the contract.
I was awoken this morning when some sort of storm decided to wend its way through town. We have wind out of the north 30-40 mph, lots of rain and it was cold, all right cooler than it had been.I waited from 6-9:30am before the wind died and the rain stopped so that I could row ashore to perform my morning "ablutions." It is always easier to get ashore in crappy weather in the launch than it is to lad the dinghy and dinghy ashore. O well, it is part of the fun of boat ownership!
With the passing of Labor Day, Summer has unofficially come to an end, at least for some people. The continuing effects of Tropical Storm IRENE means that there wasn't a lot of swimming going on as all the coastal beaches were closed do to "pollution." Even if people went boating, they had to be very careful and observant and spend a great deal of their time dodging flotsam and jetsam. And I am not just talking about soda bottles and the like, I am talking whole trees with branches and root-balls still attached. Depending on where you were, it also was not the most fragrant sailing either. Sadly, storm drains, sewage drains, septic systems and septic plants got over loaded and " discharged" into rivers and streams which finally found their way to the shore. In most cases, if that thought didn't keep you out of the water, the stink did.
Yesterday also marked the final day of daily launch service at TYC. Until the Chowder Series concludes in October, the launch will only run Friday evening and 9 - 9 on Saturdays and Sundays. Other than that, you are on your own. And that means I am on my own again. It was rather an eerie feeling to tell the truth, that when I got back to my boat last night, that there would be no pick up in the morning. I would have to row if I wanted to go ashore and row if I wanted to get back. In anticipation of this, I dragged my dinghy from Henry's yard, where it had been sleeping peacefully since before Irene, down to the beach where I scraped a summer's worth of marine growth of its bottom and inflated it, and put it back into the water. Later I towed it out with the launch doing the honors.
Over the next few weeks, I will be "on my own" at TYC. Oh to be sure, there will be some people who will come down during the week to use the beach and maybe even to sail, and true the weekends will be a bit busy if the weather is nice, but for the most part, it is all mine! In part, it feels much like being back on "the Journey." There is a certain aloneness with no one to answer a radio hail from the club or a nearby boat, but still it is "home" and no one is all that far away.
They almost got that way though as yesterday my phone crapped out. A couple of weeks ago, my cell phone stopped charging correctly. i took it to a Verizon Store and they promptly sent me a NEW (RECONDITIONED) cell phone. Yesterday, it partially stopped working, in that I could make a call and people could hear me, but I couldn't hear them. People could call me and the phone would ring but I still couldn't hear them. The problem was alleviated by a trip to Verizon, 50 bucks and a new phone. I know it may sound cynical, but I have yet to have a cell phone that survives unscathed to the end of the contract.
I was awoken this morning when some sort of storm decided to wend its way through town. We have wind out of the north 30-40 mph, lots of rain and it was cold, all right cooler than it had been.I waited from 6-9:30am before the wind died and the rain stopped so that I could row ashore to perform my morning "ablutions." It is always easier to get ashore in crappy weather in the launch than it is to lad the dinghy and dinghy ashore. O well, it is part of the fun of boat ownership!
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