San Diego: from the Great Cabin

Above is my current view.  It is lovely to be back on GANNET and the water.  After posting this I will go on deck, listen to some music, sip some Plymouth gin, and watch kayakers and pelicans.

My flight yesterday was as pleasant as possible.  Carol had upgraded me to Economy Plus at a normal cost of I think $59 and I had the section almost to myself.  There were three seats on each side of the center aisle.  I was the only passenger in row 10.  There was no one in the three seats ahead of me.  Two women were in that row on the other side and one woman was behind me.  I read for a while, then watched FORD VERSUS FERRARI which passed the time even though I have never been a car fanatic and now don’t even drive.

An old friend, Susan, kindly offered to pick me up at the airport and drive me to GANNET.  We stopped at a supermarket along the way where, not remembering exactly what I had left on the little boat I fortunately bought oatmeal.  GANNET usually has a several months supply of oatmeal on board, but when I got to her I found none.  

GANNET was in good condition for having been left for almost five months.  No interior mold:  a benefit of leaving her in a desert and not excessive bird droppings on deck.  I believe these were from flyovers.  It would have been much worse if they perched, but birds usually want a higher vantage point than a Moore 24.

I scrubbed the deck and mainsail cover clean.

I sat on deck in the late afternoon and retired to my sleeping bag on the v-berth around 9 local time.  I slept well but woke at 4 AM—my normal 6 AM in Chicago.

This morning I lowered and unbent the jib in preparation for the rigger.  I even got it folded and into its sail bag which I have accomplished only once before and that was in the boat yard in Panama where I was able to spread the jib out on the ground.  This was the first time I’ve been able to fold the sail on the foredeck.  After 8,000 miles it is becoming slightly more flexible.

Kasey, the rigger, arrived as arranged at 10.  As I expected he looked over the work to be done and made some notes.  The new furling gear will take about five days to be delivered.  How soon after that the work will be done, I do not know.  He will be able to replace the standing rigging with the mast in place.

GANNET’s bottom is foul.  I knew it would be.  I telephoned the diver who has cleaned the bottom for me in the past, but he has not returned my call.  There are other divers, but tomorrow I may pump up the dinghy and see what I can remove myself.  GANNET will be pressure washed when taken from the water before being trucked east.  I will probably antifoul her here.

I am curious to see what GANNET’s port side looks like.  A kayaker slammed into GANNET yesterday afternoon and another this morning.  I expect this has been going on all summer.  Inexplicably and inexcusably.  

There is a regulation that face masks be worn in the marina.  Most people do, but not all.  Perhaps forgetful.  Perhaps selfish fools.

There are considerably more empty slips than ever before, particularly on the C Dock of 25’ slips.  Possibly a consequence of pandemic concerns about health or finances.

A cool breeze off the ocean is blowing through the companionway.  Tiny wavelets are splashing against the stern.  I glanced up as an egret glided by.  Time to go.