We enjoyed showing Brian what we knew of the island, even if some of it was during one of the most wild rainstorms we've been through in many years. After we saw him to the airport Wednesday morning, Dawn and I carried on the the Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo. For $10 each, we got to review some fish, shark, and octopi, and also got to see both local and Australian wildlife. We followed that with a 2 hour hike along a part of the abandoned Bermuda railway. It was nice, but so much of it has been taken
over, and other parts require detouring on these dangerous roads. Much of the road here is without sidewalks or pedestrian ways, and the traffic is quick. The stores sell tee shirts that say "I survived a Bermuda bus trip" for good reason. The trip is absolutely wild.
Yesterday it blew like stink, and we stayed aboard. Finally, some of the chores got done. We wiped up all the floors, under cushions, and once more through the cockpit, cleaned the doormat, and soaked salt out of some footwear. I got a haircut, as well - a nice, low maintenance #4. We had already had our "happy hour" before supper, when a couple from the sloop "Sayonarra" dropped by for a drink. We exchanged histories and stories of the crossing, over a little more "happy hour" soup. They had
started the crossing from the New York area before us, but arrived on Saturday. Just the two of them, and although they didn't like the crossing much, they are none the worse for the wear.
With the wind a lot more reasonable, we're at the Dinghy Club now, doing our laundry, and catching up on email. We hope to spend some more time working on Cat Tales, giving her systems a good inspection. It is better to find any problems now, so that we might have a chance at repair or replacement before the day of departure. Specific chores are to check around all bulkheads and floor reninforcements for cracks, and a trip up the mast. Engines shouldn't be a problem - they didn't get much use
on the way over. We have to find some bushings for our tiller connectors - these had trouble, and at one time I had to disconnect them, running down those waves with only one rudder, while I jury-rigged them with pieces of whittled hose. We also have some trouble with our fresh water. The violence caused material to find its way to the filter, which clogged completely 3 times during the crossing. I may have to pump the tank dry to get rid of debris that is at the bottom of the tank. I suspect
it got there from either reactions with different water sources, or from on-the-ocean deliveries of water in Bequia before I bought the boat.
We're still intending to find a weather window a week before the end of the month. So far Grant Sinclair has committed to join us for the next crossing.
Happy Halloween everybody.
Laurie
