Doing 8+ now 6:50 riding an ebb.

Well, it’s been almost a week of tribulation and hard work from the crew and others to get us back on the water. We have experienced a number of mechanical issues since we got to the boat and are very glad to be underway. Special thanks to the crew of Salty Boys Boat Works and family for dropping everything and coming out to replace the transmission of this newly purchased boat. This expensive mishap certainly demonstrates the importance of getting a mechanical survey from a trusted mechanic prior to buying a boat and or planning a passage of any distance.

We set aside just over two weeks for this delivery to LA. We have eaten up a lot of that time working on the boat. If weather cooperates, we may still make it in our allotted time. But if not, we will do everything we can to get as close to the destination as possible. This crew has raised to the occasion making up for the boat’s deficiencies. I can say I am deeply honored to call these gentleman shipmates. Over these last days at any given time there were three projects underway at once and while the owner was complaining about the cost, having professionals do this work instead of volunteers would have been very expensive. Currently, we are motoring in positive current out straight up, Juan De Fuca in sunshine and light breeze, the new transmission is working beautifully and spirits are high. The forecast on the coast has shown weather beginning to settle into Westerly whereas only a few weeks ago we were seeing Southerly‘s of Gale force with some regularity. Pilot charts that show the statistical probability of different wind directions at strengths showed a marked difference between the historical weather for March and April. Originally the owner had wanted us to take the boat south in March, but I said we have a better chance of favorable weather in April. I had been watching it closely ever since wondering if the statistical data representing April or March was based on mid month or the beginning.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I couldn’t imagine a better bunch of gentlemen to spend with doing something we all love.

I get a lot of pleasure out of putting Crews like these together and introducing these shipmates of mine to each other.

I have been so busy putting out fires that I had to keep pushing back a scheduled zoom interview with a past customer who is an example of a customer who is now a close shipmate and one of the best things about this work. He was a delivery customer who is now in the South Pacific cruising on the boat I helped him and his partner move many years ago now. Hopefully, we will get time to have our catch up call soon. Some of this crew have sailed with him and it would be nice to have a reunion of sorts if only through our Starlinks.