by Judy Handley | Sep 18, 2012 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 7 |
Day 315, Year 7: Fall Gardening, Then Meeting Up with Friends
Date: Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Weather: Mostly Cloudy; Winds 25-30 Knots, Gusts to 50
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Mark had an early morning appointment to get his port flushed with saline
solution. Since it is no longer in regular use for chemo treatments, he has
to have it flushed monthly. It is being kept in as a portal for blood tests
and dye solutions when he has his scan every three months, but at some point
he might have it removed so he doesn’t have to continue with the
appointments for flushing. I had Mark drop me off at Heather’s before he
headed to the doctor’s office, and I dove right into garden work. I cleared
out weeds and some of the old plants to make way for new ones. Jonah came
to the garden to help me and together we planted late season spinach, snow
peas, parsnips, fennel, arugula, and mesculin greens. It was almost
lunchtime by the time we finished, so we headed up to the house to get some
lunch. Heather fixed lunch for all of us and then I took a turn taking care
of Oliver while Mark did his public radio consulting work.
We got a call early in the day from Carl Stein saying he and his friend Matt
had taken Forthright out and had tried to sail south to Cuttyhunk, but the
wind was too strong and from the wrong direction. So they came back into
Parker’s Marina. We suggested that we pick them up at 4 pm and go for a
short visit with Dick and Claire Wiklund and then on to Windbird for a visit
before going out to dinner. Doing this left Heather without helping hands
at bath and bedtime, but she assured us she would be fine. We haven’t heard
from her, so we so hope she had a good evening with the Three Musketeers.
We had a delightful evening, first visiting with Dick and Claire. Carl and
Matt did their medical residency together and Dick was their mentor, so it
was a great reunion for them. Unfortunately, Dick had a speaking engagement
at 6 pm, so we couldn’t stay long. But with the winds increasing steadily
as we sat on Dick and Claire’s deck, we thought it best to get on our way
and get out to Windbird before the storm hit. Actually, the storm has still
not hit, but the winds are strong. We had a great visit on Windbird and
then went out to dinner in Woods Hole at the Landfall. That was a mistake.
We should have learned that from our experience a few weeks ago with the
Kanegsbergs when we went to the Captain Kidd, but now I think we get it.
Somehow between last summer and this one, the menus at the two mainstay
restaurants in the village have gotten ridiculously expensive. Or maybe we
have just gotten out of touch. But when the cheapest meal on the menu is
$27, I think that is over the top. We got spoiled in Thailand where we
could go out to dinner for $3 for both of us, including drinks! Even with
the ridiculous prices, we enjoyed dinner together and then returned Carl and
Matt to Parker’s Marina. If this weather system passes through tonight,
Carl might try to sail across Buzzard’s Bay to Mattapoisett or Marion. Or
if the winds and forecast look favorable, he might go for Cuttyhunk. We
wish them luck and a safe trip back to New Hampshire.
by Judy Handley | Sep 17, 2012 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 7 |
Day 314, Year 7: Reconnecting with Carl Stein
Date: Monday, September 17, 2012
Weather: Another Perfect September Day; Rain on the Way
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
In June we had hoped to connect with Carl Stein and his sons when they were
sailing down this way from New Hampshire. But due to bad weather they
didn’t make it. This weekend Carl called and left a message saying he was
giving it another try and this time he did make it. He and a good friend he
has had since doing their medical residency together are spending the week
exploring in Carl’s new-to-him sailboat. We met Carl on the Town Dock in
Lewes, Delaware, in 2005 when we had to duck in there due to transmission
problems. This was our first stop, albeit unplanned, on our way around the
world. Carl and his young son Alex befriended us and invited us to dinner
at their home. We have never forgotten their kindness and Mark had a great
time reconnecting with Carl tonight after work. I was not able to go with
Mark as I had committed to helping Heather get the kids to bed in Jed’s
absence, but besides, I think Mark enjoyed having a night out with the
‘boys.’ In his weekend phone message, Carl had inquired about a reference
for a good electrical man in this area, but we think the closest reliable
help is over near Newport. So Mark ended up buying a new water pump for
Carl and installing it for him this evening. In return, Carl and his friend
took Mark out to dinner. Mark had to provide the transportation since Carl
sailed here and he took them to Mexican restaurant in downtown Falmouth that
he has been wanting to go to for some time now. Tomorrow is supposed to be
overcast with a chance of rain, but late in the day the forecast indicates
high winds with gusts to 40 miles per hour and heavy rain. If Carl decides
to stay put in his current location at Parker’s Marine in Cautamet, we might
get to see him again. Mark has a 9 am appointment up that way tomorrow, so
we’ll check in with Carl to see what decision he has made about moving to a
new anchorage for tomorrow night.
by Judy Handley | Sep 16, 2012 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 7 |
Day 313, Year 7: Funday Sunday
Date: Sunday, September 16, 2012
Weather: Perfect September Day
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Last night was a success. Heather finally got a little sleep as Oliver slept through the night until 4ish this morning. Not perfect, but she’ll take it. Sam and Jonah slept a little later than usual, but by 7:30 am they were up and ready to go. After breakfast, we drove to the bike path that runs right along the edge of Vineyard Sound so the Sam and Jonah could practice riding their new scooters. It was a beautiful morning and the setting couldn’t be more perfect. The Vineyard Sound was glistening in the sunshine and when the boys got tired of being on the scooters, we could choose between walking along the water or walking along the salt marsh and through the woods. Oliver napped in the stroller and Granddad drove him along. And somewhere along the line, we decided it would be a good idea to get back to the van and drive about an hour north to pick apples. They are in early this year, so it is definitely time for picking. But when we got back to the parking area, we started exploring the little inlet called Trunk River. This is a herring run and today there were no herring but loads of little fishes. We rolled up our pants and walked in the water, but boys being boys, somehow how Sam ended up fully in the water. So much for apple picking. We had to have Sam take off all his clothes before sitting in his car seat and we were calling him a Naked Jaybird. Jonah piped up saying he wasn’t a Jaybird, but a Freebird. We all got a kick out of that one. We then went back to Windbird, had a late morning snack, put the boys in their wet suits, and headed out to Devil’s Foot Island to play in the sand. It was super low tide and we explored the exposed rocks and life below the high tide line. Again, Oliver cooperated by sleeping on Oma’s shoulder giving Heather a chance to play with the big boys. We were bombarded by Monarch butterflies who put on a colorful show. We had seen a number of Monarchs on the bike path, but there were even more out on the island. We started thinking that maybe we are on a migration path as it is time for the Monarchs to head south to Mexico . . . possibly via Cape Cod. It was a Funday Sunday, but tomorrow it is back to the work-school schedule. Heather is on the air tomorrow morning at 9:30 am, so I will take Mark to work and go to take care of Oliver and walk Sam to school. Since Jonah goes to school in Woods Hole, Heather can take him. And to add to the ‘fun’, tomorrow Heather is in charge of snacks at the DayCare. Jed won’t be home until Tuesday or Wednesday, and all I could think tonight is how in the world single parents manage. Hopefully they don’t have three boys. We ended our evening with a Skype video call with Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco. Coco is doing great, looking so alert, and Ziggy is being his exuberant three-year old self. Justin has to go to a five-day conference in California this week and leave Jo alone with Ziggy and Coco. Jo’s parents are no longer there so she is going to be a single parent for the week with no grandparent support. Jo, we will be thinking of you. Wish we could be there to help out.
by Judy Handley | Sep 15, 2012 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 7 |
Day 312, Year 7: I’m Smiling Again
Date: Saturday, September 15, 2012
Weather: Overcast Morning with Some Rain, Clearing in PM
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Anytime we have Sam, Jonah, and Oliver onboard for an overnight, it makes me smile. I love seeing Sam and Jonah asleep on the settees in the main cabin. Right now Oliver is fast asleep in his mother’s arms in the cockpit. Heather and Mark are enjoying the lovely evening outside. I left my computer at Heather’s this afternoon, so I am using Mark’s computer to write this log and I’m having to do it down below as it has no battery capacity. It has to be plugged in. So I’ll make this short and go up and join Mark and Heather.
Jed is at a conference in Maine and won’t be back until early in the week. Mark worked at West Marine today and I went to soccer Saturday with Heather and the boys. You have to be four years-old to be on a team, so Jonah can’t officially play until next year. But he wore his shin guards and took his own ball so he could play outside the official field. Heather took us all out to lunch afterwards and because of the rain, we skipped the Touch a Truck activity. Tomorrow we will play, either in the water or on land. It all depends on the weather and what the Sam and Jonah are interested in doing. Heather brought their new scooters and we will spend some time on the nearby bike path. Not much else to report today, so I’ll sign off and go up to the cockpit and enjoy the evening.
by Judy Handley | Sep 14, 2012 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 7 |
Day 311, Year 7: Happy Birthday, Justin
Date: Friday, September 14, 2012
Weather: Another Gorgeous September Day
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
When your baby boy is exactly half the age of his father, I guess you have
to stop calling him a baby boy. Justin was born on a Wednesday night 35
years ago in Jenkins, Minnesota. The town population was something like 120
people and Justin was the only modern day baby on record as being born at
home in that little town. To celebrate his birthday today, Justin flew to
Dallas to give a talk at a seminar and then flew home to have a sushi dinner
with Jo and the kids in Santa Fe. At least, I think that was the plan.
Whatever he did, we just hope it was a beautiful day for him. Happy
birthday, Justin! We love you and can’t wait to see you in October.
Mark’s brother Steve was born on September 14, so Mark talked to him
tonight. And our good friend Kevin Russell was also born on this day. I
guess good things come in ‘bunches.’ Mark spent his day working at West
Marine and I spent my day sanding and varnishing. The varnish didn’t get
dry enough before the dew fell last night, so it was dulled by the moisture.
I varnished a little earlier in the afternoon today, so hopefully it set
before nightfall. I had to leave to pick up Jonah and Mark, and Mark and I
didn’t get home until after dark. So I’ll have to check in the morning. It
is supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow, so my dilemma is whether to stop
and put the cockpit back together with the promise of doing more coats next
spring . . . or to persist and keep putting on more coats now. If today’s
coat of varnish looks perfect tomorrow morning, I think I’ll call it quits
on the cockpit coaming cap rail for now. But I did start varnishing a few
of the Dorade boxes today and will continue with that process over the next
week or so. That job can be done when it is raining as we remove the boxes
and bring them into the cockpit to do the varnishing. That way, as long as
the cockpit is covered, it can rain all it wants and I can continue
varnishing. That’s one vote for putting the bimini back up and doing the cap
rail next spring.
Mark works again tomorrow but I will probably spend the day helping Heather
with the boys. Jed is out of town until early next week and tomorrow is the
beginning of the soccer and is Touch a Truck Day in Falmouth. There will be
all kinds of vehicles for the big boys to climb on, so it will be very
helpful to have an extra person to help with the baby. Tonight we went to
Smitty’s for ice cream to support the elementary school. I mean, it’s
really tough when you HAVE to have a decadent chocolate fudge sundae to
support the schools. But we did it and loved it. Sam and Jonah delighted
in running around with friends and Oliver seemed to love the activity as
well. He squealed with delight and was just as loud as the big boys.
by Judy Handley | Sep 13, 2012 | Cape Cod, USA, Sailing Logs Year 7 |
Day 310, Year 7: Lots of Prep–A Little Varnishing
Date: Thursday, September 13, 2012
Weather: Another Gorgeous September Day
Location: Eel Pond, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Today I sanded and varnished the cockpit coaming. You might ask, “What is a
cockpit?” It can be defined as a sunken well in the main deck where the
helm (steering wheel) and seating is located. It is the area where you sit
while sailing. Okay. Now what is cockpit coaming? It is sometimes defined
as a low vertical lip or raised section around the cockpit to keep water
out. On our boat the coaming is capped with teak. Technically the teak is
just a cap, not the coaming, but it gets referred to as such. The teak
serves no function other than being pretty, so today was all about keeping
it looking good. On Windbird, the stainless structure that supports the
canvas that covers the cockpit is screwed down to the teak cap on the
coaming. In order to do a good job of varnishing, the canvas has to come
off and then the stainless structure removed. Then the teak has to be
sanded and the inside and outside of the coaming abutting the teak has to be
taped off. All of this prep work has to be done before the varnishing can
happen. It virtually took most of the day to do this prep and then it only
took about 20 minutes to do the actual varnishing. Tomorrow afternoon I
will sand and varnish again. And if weather and time permits, I’ll do this
again on Saturday. I’d like to do five coats of varnish, but that is just
not going to happen right now. I figure I can do this again next March when
we are in the Bahamas. But I do have to remove the six Dorade boxes and
sand and varnish those. If I have the time, I’ll do it tomorrow, but more
than likely that job will happen next week. Little by little, I’ll get it
done.
Mark started his morning looking for a leak in the fresh water system.
Overnight, we heard the water pump run a couple of times and it shouldn’t do
that if no one is running water. Sure enough, there was a loose hose clamp
under the aft head sink. Mark tightened it and that took care of that
problem. Then he made about four runs to the town dock to get water. It is
quite a job to do this alone, but I was way too busy sanding to help. Mark
just figures that it is good exercise, so he slowly but surely filled the
port water tank. In the middle of the day we took a break and headed into
Falmouth. I needed to go to the Thursday Farmer’s Market and we needed foam
brushes from West Marine so I could do my varnishing. And besides, Heather
was coming to the market with Oliver and Jonah, so heading in around noon
was a good bet that we would see them. Jonah and I raced and placed Hide ‘n
Seek on the library lawn while Granddad held Oliver and Heather shopped.
Then Heather took over with Jonah while I shopped. We got our shopping done
and we got some time with Oliver and Jonah. It was a good deal all around.
I take Mark to work at West Marine at 11 am tomorrow and then I return to
Windbird to do the second round of sanding and varnishing. Jed leaves for a
four-day conference in Maine tomorrow, so late in the day, I will pick Jonah
up from the day care here in Woods Hole, drive into Falmouth to pick Mark up
at the end of his work day, and then we will head to Heather’s for dinner
and to help get the boys to bed. But after dinner we get to walk up to the
neighborhood ice cream shop. Teachers from Sam’s school will be scooping
the ice cream tomorrow night and taking a share of the profits for school
projects. And we certainly want to eat our share of ice cream to be
supportive!
