Sunday, December 30, 2018

Evanston: 102; 12,636; 2; a correction


        Light snow fell each of the past two nights, leaving the upper flatlands frosted and pristine in bright sunshine this morning.
        Yesterday I placed my order for 102 freeze dry meals with Amazon—17 different meals x 6—which with the 50 to 60 meals already on GANNET will take me through June.  If I am not in some port by then, I’m in trouble.
        I also ordered a back-up Jetboil stove, having used my backup on the sail to the Chesapeake, a replacement ratchet screwdriver, a backup rechargeable battery charger, and packs of 48 AA and AAA non-rechargeable batteries.  As I have noted, I have become ambivalent about rechargeable batteries, some of which rust on GANNET and all of which take an entire night to recharge.  And a pack of Tanka buffalo meat and cranberry bars, which I think I learned of from Steve Earley.  I have not tasted these, but they seem promising.
        Along with the replacement halyard shackle, needed because the headboard on GANNET’s new mainsail is thicker than that on the old sail, and replacement cockpit sheet bags, everything is marked off my list, except possibly another Raymarine tiller pilot.
        The commonality is replacement.  GANNET has long been set up properly.  I am not adding anything new. 
        There are of course breakfast and lunch provisions still to buy, which will come from local supermarkets in Hilton Head.
        We fly tomorrow.  GANNET is scheduled to be hauled on Wednesday, but the forecast is for considerable rain in Hilton Head this coming week, so even if she comes out, her anti-fouling will probably be delayed.

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        I am surprised to find that I worked out 81 times this year.  Less than the 100 I aim for, but relatively high since I began GANNET’s voyage.  That makes at least 12,636 push-ups and crunches.  The true number is higher because for several months I have done 80 push-ups in the first set rather than my age of 76 and 77 during the year.

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        In the past week I have received links to three articles about China.  One about China possibly taking over the port of Mombasa, Kenya.  Another about Ecuador owing China billions for a dam built near a volcano.  A third about China building a space base in Argentina, ostensibly as part of a Chinese program to send a rocket to the far side of the moon, but with other information gathering potential.
        There is no reason to be alarmed.
         Imagine two countries.  One has a calculating, disciplined leadership with a long range plan for world domination.  The other has Donald Trump.  Which would you bet on?

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        I was mistaken in the last post when I wrote that the Scandinavian has finally sailed for New Zealand.  He hasn’t.  He is still talking and building, as he has been now for more than six years.