FULL TIME CRUISING

It's been a complicated year, back and forth between the boat in Portland and home base in Las Vegas. We have lost count of how many times we've driven the the miles back and forth. Nevertheless, we are caring out "the plan of the day"! Our cruise South to the Sea of Cortez is now on the horizon. And we are underway!

All the details of leaving home for an undetermined amount of time are accomplished! Some of which was on the three page check list were;
    Time with family and friends, multiple doctor visits (blood work, dental, dermo, rx, f/up's 
    Financial and banking concerns, auto pays, card expiration dates, travel alerts, etc.
    Insurance modifications; cruising areas, home, rental property, automobile (DMV), etc.
    Last Will & Trust, Health Care Instructions, DNR's
    Personal taxes, property taxes, USPS mail forwarding service
    Auto storage, home interior and landscapes maintenance
    FedX shipping, flight arrangements w/pet and extensive packing
    

We found Patches hanging out in the airplane carrier.
Looks like she's ready to go!

John stocked up on his smokes. Shipped a package to Brother Mat's. 

This is what it looks like getting rid of all the packaging!

Arrived at PDX.

At home on the docks! Beautiful afternoon.

Kicking it after our flight before the chores begin.

Once aboard the check list looked like this:
    Service the diesel engine, change out impeller (that was a bitch) generator and battery maintenance, change out engine zincs, service and clean the dingy, provision the stores, general housekeeping, re-organizing, new refrigerator, cabinet work, refinish woodwork including cap rails... painting anchor chair, cleaning anchor lockers... and on and on. 

Engine room maintenance, old zincs replaced with new zincs!
That looks important!

The supervisor was on duty:-)

Helping John with the impeller. Or trying at least...

This was not an easy day.

Just the beginning of provisioning.

Out with the old Norcold. In withe the new Summit apartment unit.
Love the new refrigerator! We gained 3 cubic feet! That's huge!
I lost the cabinet above the fridge, but we took the ice maker out
of the cabinet behind the fridge and made that a deep pantry.
Had cabinet maker John do that work. Came out great!

Getting ready to use the food saver breaking down large packages of various meats.

Just the beginning of stocking up.
We will be living at the marina for an entire month before starting our cruise.
Shortly after this we cranked up the freezer down below and began the transfer.
There will be one more provisioning trip just before we leave.

Inventory and organized the stores under the sofa.

I like to use these $1 shoe boxes for small stuff like this. 

The new galley pantry is stuffed full!

Meanwhile the exterior got a good cleaning and wax job
by Tara's guys from FAUSS Marine.
They did a wonderful job.

And the work goes on and on...

John worked on cleaning the stainless steel.

It was interesting to watch the neighbor go up the mast for cleaning!

He was in a seat fixed to the rigging,
while a mate ran a Makita drill to turn the winches.
Yikes!

I organized my closet which looks nothing like this anymore.
I have a poly tray that goes in under the hanging clothes.
All kinds of things stuffed in every nook and cranny.

We got the kayak down for a good cleaning.

....and an afternoon paddle!

Dexter looking after Patches during our shakedown cruise
(June 14th) with Brother Mat and Sister Liz.

Cruised to St Helens with Mat and Liz staying two nights,
checking engine, batteries and generator. 

The fur babies got to run amuck on Sand Island. 

Launched the dingy, despite the wind, to go to shore for
a visit to the brewery and a late lunch. The next day we realized
one of the pulleys on the boom was frozen, so we couldn't
get the tender back up to fly bridge and towed it back.

Moored at Sand Island Marine Park, St Helens, OR

Back at Salpare Bay Marina after the tow. 

New pulley, an extra and emergency cooling fan for the fridge.

Brought the boom down for yet another repair. 

Patches was supervising, as usual!

Preparing to recoil the dynema line on the winch.

Old frozen pulley.

Work hard/play hard... afternoon cruise in the dink.

John working away in the engine room. 

Patches patiently waits for someone to play with outside the engine room door!

This was changing the impeller! What a bitch that was!
John thought he could do it without my help. Wrong!

We dropped down the hatch screen above our bed to give it a good
cleaning, using a good old tooth brush and lysol with bleach.

Starting the process of unloading three hundred feet of anchor chain.
The anchor alone weighs 120lbs. 

Once the chain is draped out in 25' increments orange paint is applied.
Every 100' additional white paint goes on.
This makes it very easy for the gallery wench to relay how much rode is down!

That's a wrap. It just needs to dry before we haul it back on board.
This was heavy used during our Alaska and BC trips.
And we will be using it often in Mexico and beyond. 

We have never used to "lunch anchor" but John wanted to clean the locker.
I wasn't going down there with the spiders and mold, so I convinced him to do it by suggesting,
 I would probably hurt myself and not get the job done well enough!But I'm very proud of my rope anchor coil.

John and Cindy, Thor and Walter came up to the marina for a nice dinner and visit!
Love seeing these guys and there humans whenever possible!

Enjoyed a great meal with these guys.
Bill and Amy were visiting from Las Vegas!

After dinner we made our way to Old Town Portland.
Voodoo donuts is a must do Portland tourista thing.
The line was around the building so we opted for a
$5 cover charge to watch the exotic dancers perform their tricks.
It was quite an unexpected show for these old folks! What fun!

The people watching was crazy!

We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise with Bill and Amy!
What a treat!

Took a day cruise to Government Island. 

Walk about...

A couple of happy cruisers. 

John the cabinet maker, working hard sprucing up the brightwork on the cap rail.
We were very please with all his work. Not an easy job, for sure.
He was constantly fighting the rain and wind debri, but they came out great!

Saying farewell to our friend and favorite dock master, Jeff!

Everybody loves Patchie!

Karin and I on True Companion getting a jump start to one last happy hour. 

One last play day with my friend Maya. We made smoothies and bracelets.

So long Salpare Bay Marina, you've been good to us for many years!
It's time for the next adventure...

Melissa Lynn Selene 53'

Our friends on Melissa Lynn coming in for a rafted side tie. 

Our weekend digs in Fisher Slough.
Tom and Kay's private dock on the Washington side of the Columbia River.
Thanks you guys for the accommodations!

Kay's beautiful flower garden. 

The rafting is complete. 

The Fisher Slough squatters.

Just some of Miss Kay's yard art.
It really looks great in the summer!

Part of an abandoned farm house in Longview.

Pairadice and Melissa Lynn at rest the last night at
Tom and Kay's dock in Fisher Slough Columbia River.