Evanston: rare
Evanston: rare
My browser home page displays weather in Evanston, Auckland, and, now, San Diego. Tomorrow’s forecast is essentially the same for all three, with predicted high temperatures ranging from 66º to 63º and lows from 55º to 50º, sunshine and partial clouds in two and rain in the other. In a true rarity, Auckland will be the warmest and San Diego will have the rain and be the coldest.
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A question from Gary, a regular reader and friend who holds the world record for number of times reading STORM PASSAGE, has caused me to realize that I have not clearly communicated my plans. In part that may be because they are still evolving, but then so are we all, which means it is no excuse.
Prior to moving GANNET to San Diego, I intended to sail to Hawaii next June; but as I wrote in the post “Linger”, almost immediately upon arriving in San Diego I remembered how much I enjoy the city and decided to keep GANNET there an extra year, sailing for Hawaii in June of 2014.
I had never planned to stay aboard GANNET permanently while she is in San Diego, but fly back and forth, dividing my time between Carol in Evanston and the boat, as I once did between Carol and THE HAWKE OF TUONELA in New Zealand.
I had thought of flying out for three or four weeks every other month, but Carol has reasonably suggested that four times a year for six weeks a visit makes more sense, so that is what I expect I will do in 2013, returning next in January.
Despite all my work, there are still three major projects: new mast, boom and rigging; new rudder and perhaps bearings; install the Norvane self-steering vane. All of these entail multiple steps and perhaps significant, by GANNET’s and my standards, expense. I am frankly tired of working on the little boat and haven’t yet decided which project, if any, I will start in January.
Looking at the photos I posted in the “return” entry, which were taken just before I painted the deck, I observe that I have changed almost everything in view: main sheet; main sail; depth finder; winches; winch handle; Velocitek ProStart on mast; halyards; halyard clutches; furling jib; jib furler; solar panels; bow sprit; asymmetrical spinnaker; Facnor gennaker furling gear; reversed forward hatch; anchor roller; bow cleats. And that’s only what appears in those photographs.
The lead photo of today’s entry was taken from Central and shows the gear for making my morning coffee. The Jetboil has a coffee press attachment, which I soon stopped using as requiring too much clean up, so on GANNET coffee is instant.
The “Husky” bag is my tool box. The “Walt” is the end of DeWalt and holds a battery powered drill. The plastic container above it has Sanyo eneloop rechargeable batteries and a circuit tester. The clear bag below it has whipping twine and needles.
Stowed beneath the quarter berth to the right are canisters holding spare bolts, screws, etc., and bags with duct tape, sealant, and similar gear.
Above and to the right of the iPad, the blue container with a gray plastic cap is my sipping bottle, easier to drink from than the bigger day jug.
The white canister beside the day jug is one of three--the other two are stowed to port--holding the makings of my breakfast. That one holds non-fat powered milk. The other two: trail mix and uncooked oatmeal. All mixed together in a quart sized plastic measuring cup with a big handle. This is what I’ve eaten from at sea for decades. Easy to hold on to, hard for food to slosh out of, and easy to clean.
THE HAWKE OF TUONELA also had a set of Wedgwood aboard for special occasions in port. GANNET does not. Though, as you know, she does have two Dartington crystal old fashioned glasses for Laphroaig and other libations. I store them cushioned by bubble wrap inside a padded camera case inside the galley duffle bag.
I fear I have become one dimensional and only write about boats any more. Blame it on my loss of depth perception.
Friday, November 9, 2012