Hose Kinks and Other Musings

Yesterday we spent more time cleaning the boat.  The cockpit is now neat and orderly.  And Mike also fixed a hose related to the engine that had a kink in it.  I don't think that kink should have been there considering what we paid the guys who did the engine work!

When we got into this, I heard people say things like "the definition of cruising is fixing your boat in exotic places."  Well, we are still in San Diego and that is all we've done so far.  I'm not complaining - not really, anyway -  but it seems like it will always be something.  Mike is a perfectionist who will never be satisfied.  I have heard this can happen to men with boats.  If there isn't something broken that needs to be fixed, they will decide something needs to be upgraded. 

But the good parts are here as well.  I am much more active than I was when I was working.  I am on my feet most of the time, doing something or walking the dogs, or cleaning something.  We are starting to make friends with other people living in the marina.  We already know all the dog owners.  Everyone has lots of questions about the boat, because there aren't that many Valiant 40s out there (they only made about 230 or something like that) and they are known to be great boats.  It is fun to sit in the cockpit and just watch the seabirds.  Every morning the gulls wake me up.  Then when I take the dogs out, there is a big blue heron that is always in the same place on the dock.  She lets us get real close before she flys off, even when the dogs bark at her.  I know it is a female because Mike showed me the males, who have stripes and more white on them.

There are also the seals and sea lions.  They are fun to watch, but ask anyone in Newport Harbor about sea lions and you will hear how pesky they can be.  So many of them will climb on someone's boat that the boat can sink.  So it would be a bad idea to encourage them to hang around.  I am not too worried because we are right next store to the fishing fleet, and they are more interesting to the seals and sea lions than we are.

As time goes on and we actually get out there, it will be more interesting to read this.  Right now it is just a list of chores and repairs.  We may take her out today, and I hope we do.  I need the practice.  I'll let you all know how it goes.  I was hoping having a wheel (which steers like a car rather than a tiller which is operated backwards) would make me a better helmsman, but so far it has not.  If I were driving a car, I'd be pulled over for suspected drunk driving for my propensity to weave.   Here's hoping!