Day 197, Year 7: Windbird on the Hard
Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Weather: Misty Morning, Mostly Sunny Afternoon
Location: At Home with Heather, Jed, and Boys in E Falmouth, MA

Finally Windbird is safely on the hard at Fiddler’s Cove and she looks
great. It has been three full years since she has been out of the water and
we were just sure the bottom was going to be a mess. But after the
powerwash, the bottom hardly looks like it needs painting. The people at
the marina couldn’t believe it has been three years since she has been
hauled, but I told them that Mark did religiously use the snuba gear to dive
down and clean the bottom. And we did pay a professional diver to clean the
bottom in the water in South Africa. So I guess our strategy worked. When
we went to the marina to check on Windbird this morning we found out that
they had actually hauled the boat yesterday afternoon but had left her in
the travel lift sling all night because they couldn’t raise her up high
enough to get blocks under the keel. This morning they put her back in the
water, drove her out and turned her around and came in forward instead of
backing in. Yesterday they backed in and it was the wind generator that
stands tall on the aft deck that didn’t allow them to lift the boat as high
as needed. So this morning, they disconnected the forward stay and roller
furler and the inner stay and furler so the boat could fit under the travel
lift bar. It was a lot of in and out, but they got it right and now the
work can begin.

Tomorrow afternoon we drive to Concord, New Hampshire, where Mark will
attend an evening reception and I will have dinner with friends. Mark was
very active with a group called Leadership New Hampshire and tomorrow night
is the 25th anniversary celebration for that group. Mark really wants to go
to see some of his Leadership New Hampshire colleagues, so even though it is
a long trip for such a short time, we will do it. I have a good friend from
my teaching days that just received her Doctorate of Education, so I will
spend the evening celebrating with her and a few other friends. Mark has to
be back here early on Friday morning to meet with his oncologist, so we have
to return tomorrow night. We will probably not get back here until almost
midnight. So I imagine it will be Friday morning before I post a log for
tomorrow.

120523 Day 197 Cape Cod, USA–Windbird Haulout