Slackin'

We're slowing down which is great.  So I've been slackin'.

But life goes on and Rosie always needs lovin'.
This cruising life is a fretful life. I am constantly seeing, smelling, hearing things that I'm sure are symptoms of major breakdowns.  While lubing the steering cable I'm sure it's corroding away.  The voltmeter jumps around and I'm sure we need a new alternator.
There's a drip from our sea water pump and I'm sure I'll need a new pump. Well actually we do.  Thought it was the impeller gasket so I changed it.  Nope.  Thought it was a pinhole in the pump housing so I put some Marine Tex on it.  Nope.  It's an internal seal.  New pump coming from Germany in a few weeks.  $500.

I'm doing a lot of the bright work.  It's reliably warm, windy and no bugs.

Motor cats are the big thing down here.  Big huge rectangles of fiberglass with ALL the luxuries.  They draw nothing, go fast, aren't "tippy"  Their beams are usually half of their length so a Leopard 51 has a 25' beam.  Built for comfort but you have to pay for two slips.   Cats weren't worth a damn under sail anyway.

This place might look luxurious...

..but it's been devastated by the hurricane and has no business.  We thought we'd be doing some volunteer work here but in Freeport/Lucaya it is illegal and they have deported people for doing volunteer work!!!  (Unemployment is 47%)  OTOH, friends on Green Turtle Cay says they're begging for help but only want you to come if you're totally self-sufficient, ie. not needing water, food, fuel, septic, etc.  We are but doubt we'll get there b/c we're waiting for a pump that could take weeks.

We do enjoy seeing some great boats.  This is a Kadey

 Krogan but check out the two masts and the crow's nest!  They're for stabilizing sails only but it does carry a jib.

While making coffee one morning I heard a familiar sound that took me a while to recognize.  It was the sound that Lacy's paddling makes in the water!  Kathleen had gone ashore and Lacy tried to follow her but ended up in the water.  I raced out on deck and looked down.  There she was frantically treading water.  Luckily she was by a ladder and I got her by the scruff of the neck.  Didn't have to jump in.  What a scare though.

Not much else exciting here.  We did watch a very large sea turtle motoring around our stern.  Big spotted head would poke up and stare at us.  I did hear a bird this morning.  That's rare.

Sounds like it's been a funky winter so far.  Well it's a third over and the days are getting longer.  Stay warm.