In November, after Wil rebuilt the generator, we were finally able to bring the engine back onboard. Here’s how we did it.
video by Justine, edited by Jenny
medical kit
medical kit in the making
After many questions and much research, I have finally been able to start putting our ship’s medical kit together. The biggest questions were what do we really need, and how much is too much? After all, heading for the middle of the Pacific Ocean is quite a long way from immediate medical attention. We need to be prepared, but we also need to know how to use what we have. Although rusty from my years away from the medical field, I have my veterinary and operating room experience. Wil has field experience with his work crew who get injured on the job. I am hoping that if a serious medical situation should arise, we can keep our wits about us and do what needs to be done.
The majority of our medical kit is based on two kits I found at Adventure Medical Kits and Oceanmedix. The Adventure Medical Kit Marine 3000 and the Trans Ocean Medical Sea Pak were two kits that seemed to have everything I was looking for. However, because we already have many supplies from our previous cruising, it was redundant to purchase a whole new kit. Using online veterinary supply stores and amazon.com, I was able to fill in the gaps for a fairly cheap price. And then, after an extremely fun trip to the Bass Pro Shop in Myrtle Beach, I ended up with a very nice bag & storage system for a very reasonable price. Now I eagerly wait for the rest of my supplies to arrive!
bending windows
one of the windows to be replaced
We have replaced almost all windows onboard, one exception being the 2 bent windows on the forward deck. The challenge here is . . . how does one bend a flat piece of 1/2-inch acrylic to an almost 90 degree angle without damaging it? Wil tried to think of all sorts of ways to do it himself, but the ultimate decision was to have someone else do it for him. This, however, was still a challenge. In order for the glass person to bend the new glass, he needs to have an identical form to use. Wil removed one window without a problem. It pulled out quite nicely. The other window wasn’t quite as simple. It cracked & broke as he tried to lift it out. This meant the form was compromised. Wil decided to use fiberglass to preserve the form. Once the window was totally free, he left it in place, and applied a layer of fiberglass to the window. Once the fiberglass was dry, he was able to remove window and still keep it’s original shape. This past weekend he delivered the glass for bending. In the meantime, there are layers of plastic & tape covering our open windows. Keeping our fingers crossed it doesn’t rain too much before the new glass can go in!
Yesterday, four huge boxes of Calvert books showed up. They are my next 2 years of homeschool books. Yikes! Now the big question is . . . where am I going to store them? So much for keeping a catamaran lightweight! Every February, Calvert has a 30% off sale on all of their books & supplies. I have discovered that this is even cheaper than buying used and using their re-use courses. So last week, I purchased our 7th & 8th grade curriculums. Today, I will sort through the books and attempt to vacuum seal them for extra protection. That way, we’ll be able to store them safely without worrying about possible water damage.
excited about their new books
almost there!
If you have a dream that you want to achieve . . . set the goal, figure out what needs to be done to achieve that goal, and then force yourself to do what it takes to get it done. It might be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but the reward is worth it. Something I have to remind myself almost daily.
Twelve years ago, Wil & I set our goal to go cruising again. And today, as I look around at the overwhelming amount of items left on my to-do list, I think about the 17 short weeks left to wrap up our lives as landlubbers. No doubt about it . . . overwhelming is an understatement.
As I begin with our new blog site, I will attempt to post on a more regular basis, even if it’s only a few words. Time might be limited, but there are a lot of thoughts & feelings that go with the every day challenges.
This morning, along with a day of homeschooling, as well as feeling under the weather, I will continue with the ebaying & craigslisting of our many items being sold. After school, the kids will go to music lessons, and errands will include a stop at the post office and a donation drop at Goodwill. And then, if there’s still enough time in the day, I will continue to work on putting our medical kit together. At a later date, I will mention the thought process I’ve been going through about what I should include in our ship’s medical kit.
But now it is time for school.
The following pictures were taken in October 2011 during a busy work week on the boat. Justine is reading Science, while Colin is studying World History.
more to come!
This blog site is under construction.
In the meantime, read below for a taste of stories to come, and for additional information, please refer to www.sailblogs.com/member/langtravellog
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04/29/2009 – the front
our SPOT locations & the front that passed over us
Ft Lauderdale to Wrightsville Beach
partly cloudy
SE-SW-WSW winds 20-30+ kts
seas 6-12 ft
As the evening approached, we readied ourselves for the approaching cold front. My dad had given me the forecast over the radio, as well as another ham operator who felt it important that we receive the exact location and conditions of the front. I assured the Maritime Mobile Net that we were preparing ourselves for the approaching weather, and we would be in contact when it was over.The frontal approach seemed to take forever. As we entered the evening, we watched the frontal boundary close in on us. We kept expecting it to pour rain at any moment. The wind & seas gradually built as the evening wore on into the night.Ben & I had the first watch. The first thunderstorm came so close that we could feel the first rain drops, smell a change in the air, and worry about the lightening. Suddenly, the storm moved past & away from us. As the seas grew, the helm needed a bit more attention in order to steer the waves in the dark, but under just a quarter of the jib, the boat handled it beautifully.
Wil came on for the next watch, and I rested in the main salon in the case of an “all hands on deck” call. Ben stuck it out with Wil. We all kept our harnesses & foul weather gear on at all times. The winds grew to 30+ knots, and there was constant activity on deck throughout the remainder of the night. The lightening was everywhere and so bright that it ruined any night vision. We were more than happy when the first morning light started to appear on the horizon.
We later learned that the winds were sustained at 30 knots, and gusting to 70 knots within the thunderstorms. All night long, the thunderstorms danced 360 degrees around us, came up, kissed us, and then moved on. I get chills when I think of the starry patch of sky that remained directly above us for the entire night. If that’s not proof of a guardian angel, then I don’t know what is.
My dad also informed me that we seemed to be the most tracked vessel out there. We were giving our daily position (sometimes twice daily), sea and wind state over the ham for Ship Track. We had our regularly scheduled contacts for 1015, 1415 & 1615, but my dad said that the net would occasionally put out a call for KF4IVI on the s/v Black Pearl and ask “Jenny, are you there?” It is such a comforting feeling knowing that there were so many people watching out for us. A HUGE thanks to all of those ham radio operators that make the Maritime Mobile Net possible!
[We were also using a SPOT personal locator device that my mother-in-law had loaned us. I would press the SPOT check/OK button periodically throughout each day, and our family & friends back home would get instant email or text messages of our position. At times when I couldn’t be on the radio, I would press the button & let everyone know we were still there. I believe they all enjoyed keeping up & knowing just how quickly we were moving through the water! This is also how my dad was able to give us weather forecasts based on our exact position]
At the same time while we were experiencing this cold front, we were fully aware of a Panpan call out from the US Coast Guard for a 40 ft sailing vessel that had departed Charleston, headed for the Bahamas, and was reported overdue. If they were headed south in the wind & sea conditions that we experienced, I can’t imagine that they got very far very fast. We are thinking of them and hoping that they are only delayed due to the conditions.
At the end of the day, we were thrilled with Full Monty’s ability to comfortably handle these type of seas. We were conservative with the sails and never asked too much of her. We now know she will carry us where we want to go.
Categories: passages
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