....on a slow boat from Sweden?*
Happy Father's Day! The sky is blue, the seas are calm, and,,,,,,,
We remain involuntary marina queens and are making the best of it. Our rare replacement manifold is en route from a Volvo warehouse in Sweden. (Tack Gud!). Latest ETA is Tuesday, so within a week or so, we might actually be able to leave the slip for the first time. 🙏🤞
Meanwhile..........
We knew a homeport of Spokane, WA on our stern would be a conversation starter. Our slip is adjacent to the parking lot of a busy fitness center. On Friday night, a guy in a Crossfit Coeur d'Alene t-shirt called out to ask if we or the boat were from Spokane. Said he had been watching for us since we changed the boat name in February. Turns out he is Bill Schlemmer, a graduate of CdA High and the U of I, a retired Navy officer, and current resident of Virginia Beach. We ended spending a pleasant evening aboard with him and his wife. Turns out we have several friends in common in CdA, Spokane, and even in Wallace. Frankly, our first (and very welcome) social interaction in several weeks.
We continue to scout for a new marina to be our base of operations on the Chesapeake Bay this summer. We are trying to strike a balance between the urban energy (read noise and shopping) of our current location and the abject isolation (cry of the birds and 6 miles to a grocery store) of more rural locations we have seen. Yesterday we use Herandette to visit the Yorktown and Deltaville, VA, looked at several, and found a couple of good candidates. We would like to be settled in our new site by July 1.
Oh, poop! (literally). Since we have been unable to visit one of the waste pump-out stations at nearby fuel docks, our holding tanks have been filling up. Today, we were rescued by heroes from the
Hampton Roads Sewer District. To our delight, the HRSD operates a seasonal dockside pump-out service each summer, as part of their mission to clean up local waters (i.e. to keep folks from pumping their tanks overboard.) Staffed by summer interns who follow scheduled routes from marina to marina each weekend, pumping up to 25 gallons by hand) from enrolled vessels. (In light of our situation, our crew took 50 gallons today. To relieve the pressure, so to speak). And they will be back every other weekend to take another 25 gallons as long as we are moored in their service area.
AND IT IS FREE! Yes, really. The State of Idaho should take note, instead of removing most of the public pump-out sites on area lakes and forcing boaters to pay for service (or resort to crime).
As you can see from these photos, Commodore Kathleen has been busy updating our nautical decor and generally cleaning up our act. Without her influence, Admiral Maggie and I would already be living like two marooned sailors. Thank you, Sweetie. 💘
Thanks for following us.
(* with apologies to Frank Loesser.)
Our man Carlton Gizzard and his brother gave up their July 3rd holiday to do the deed. (In the process, they also diagnosed and corrected a chronic issue with the water flow our AC.) Thank you, guys, Sainthoods are under consideration.
Wade spent time working to gather a basic set of spares for the engines and generator; filters, pump impellers, V-belts, and the like. With COVID-reduced marine inventories, this effort has taken us to Norfolk, Hampton, and Portsmouth in addition to here in Virginia Beach. He also got to spend a delightful morning headfirst into the aft bilge to repair the transom shower and to re-secure the hydraulic pump for the autopilot that had been adrift since its original mount rusted away. Ah, boating.
Oh, poop! (literally). Since we have been unable to visit one of the waste pump-out stations at nearby fuel docks, our holding tanks have been filling up. Today, we were rescued by heroes from the Hampton Roads Sewer District. To our delight, the HRSD operates a seasonal dockside pump-out service each summer, as part of their mission to clean up local waters (i.e. to keep folks from pumping their tanks overboard.) Staffed by summer interns who follow scheduled routes from marina to marina each weekend, pumping up to 25 gallons by hand) from enrolled vessels. (In light of our situation, our crew took 50 gallons today. To relieve the pressure, so to speak). And they will be back every other weekend to take another 25 gallons as long as we are moored in their service area. AND IT IS FREE! Yes, really. The State of Idaho should take note, instead of removing most of the public pump-out sites on area lakes and forcing boaters to pay for service (or resort to crime).
this fabled byway and its cadre of truckers who enjoy "pushing" traffic along at a frenetic pace. Nothing motivates the ol' right foot like looking in your mirror and reading "FREIGHTLINER" in reverse large type. Lead, follow, or get outa the freaking way! We spent our last night on the road at Chancellorsville, VA.
