Day 35, Year 8: Anchor Chain, Day 2
Date: Sunday, December 9, 2012
Weather: Mostly Sunny Day, Temp in the 70’s
Location: Lightkeeper’s Marina in Coquina Harbor, Little River, SC
The anchor chain saga continued today. We spent a second day doing exactly
what we did yesterday. We put the chain back in the chain locker last
night, but this morning we rolled it all out on the dock, rolled it back in,
and then back out on the dock again. We did this as putting the chain
through the windlass gypsy helped to dislodge some of the rust. Then we
cleaned all 300 feet of chain for a second time in the water and muriatic
acid mix. And before we stopped, we dipped half of the chain a third time.
The 150 feet of chain we have been using for the past three years looks
great, but the 150 feet that sat in the anchor chain locker most of the time
doesn’t. Prior to the last three years, we always turned the chain and
cleaned it each year. But since Thailand, for a myriad of reasons, this
hasn’t been done. Well, now it has and tomorrow when it is good and dry it
will go back in the anchor chain locker as will all of the anchor line we
have hanging from a halyard drying. I cleaned out the anchor chain locker
this afternoon and have one of our heaters in the v-berth drying things out.
Cleaning the anchor chain was a big job, but we think the chain is still
good for another season or two. But rather than re-galvanizing this chain,
we will just buy new chain when the time comes.
The other repeat story is the weather. Each day is more beautiful than the
one before and the weather continues to Cape Cod summer warm. During the
day when the sun is shining, it actually feels hotter than a typical Cape
Cod summer day. The evenings can be cold, but that hasn’t been the case for
a week or so now. We are so happy to have this warm weather. What a gift.
We connected with our children via Skype video late this afternoon.
Yesterday it was warm in New Mexico, but overnight it snowed. It looks
beautiful, but right now I’m content to just look at it in photos. Little
Miss Coco was sitting in a high chair with some support watching her momma
make some Christmas presents. She had lots of smiles when we talked to her.
Ziggy was presenting his dad with a birthday cake made of Legos when we
called (it is not Justin’s birthday) and then he showed us the carrot he was
planning to use as a nose on the snowman he wanted to go outside to build.
We couldn’t delay that project for very long, so we said our goodbyes-but
not before Justin told us that they are going to fly to Culebra in Puerto
Rico the end of January to meet Jo’s family. While it snows in New Mexico,
they can look forward to that. Next we talked to Sam, Jonah, and Oliver.
Heather was painting the living room walls and Jed was fixing dinner, so Sam
and Jonah took over the computer. Sam was able to pick it up and turn it to
show us the progress being made in painting the walls, and then he set the
computer down and turned it to get Oliver into the picture. Like Coco,
Oliver was all smiles. He was sitting in his exersaucer chewing each of the
toys on the tray in turn and periodically jumping up and down and squealing
with joy. Jonah demonstrated a dreydal he was given at a neighborhood
Hanukkah party last night and Sam worked furiously making bookmarks to show
us. He is making the bookmarks to give as Christmas gifts. They were quite
colorful and we are hoping we each get one for Christmas. It was wonderful
to see all of the grandchildren so busy and so happy. I can never say
enough good about Skype video. I love it.
There is a slight chance of rain tomorrow, but we are hoping it stays dry
and warm long enough to dry out the anchor line and chain. If it does, we
will spend the late morning putting it back in the anchor chain locker. In
the afternoon, we hope to go see Lincoln at a nearby theater and then go out
to dinner with Patsy and Joe. We’ve planned to go see the movie a couple of
times, but other things have always come up. I’m hoping three times is a
charm and we will get to go tomorrow.
