Lake Forest: exit papers; Pelagic update; Steve in Maine and SAIL; bleached

 

We all live with uncertainty, but last week some of mine was alleviated.  I now know that I am going to die in 2034 at age 93.  Whew.  I am glad that is settled.

I learned this from a financial plan provided by an advisor.  That Webb Chiles should have a financial advisor is a contradiction in terms, but through Carol I do.  I, who have not borrowed money since 1973, also now have through her a credit rating.  I am almost becoming a normal American.

The financial plan for me terminates in 2034.  It is not vague.  The end.  Period.  Carol exits at age 94 eighteen years after I do.  Frankly I did not think I had that much more time.  The down side is that I might have to make a second five year plan. 

I received an email from Mike Scheck of Pelagic.  They have tested the components I returned to them and found that the Motor Drive Box has a failed protection diode, which did its job, but they don’t know why and are sending the unit to another facility for further study.

I am relieved to know that my wiring was not at fault.  I had gone over it carefully several times and did not think it was.  

As some of you may recall when I received the replacement components, I had isolated the problem to the Motor Drive Box which is installed below deck.

I am looking forward to going offshore and giving the Pelagic a thorough test, but that will not happen until the hurricane season ends.

You may recognize Steve Earley’s SPARTINA at anchor in the foreground of the above photo which Steve sent to me.  I thank him for letting me share it.

Steve and SPARTINA are in Maine, a new cruising grounds for them and very different from his past sailing from the Chesapeake to Florida, which is all in the South.

I sailed Maine waters when Carol and I lived in Boston.  From Boston Maine is an overnight sail.  For Steve it was a more than a thousand mile tow from his home near Norfolk.  I told Steve that Maine looks like parts of New Zealand and is beautiful.  I also told him that the harbors are full of mooring buoys and lobster traps, but that with SPARTINA he would be able as I was in crowded harbors in CHIDIOCK TICHBORNE to get into places other boats can’t and find room to anchor.  As you can see he has.

There is an excellent article about Steve and SPARTINA in the current SAIL magazine, which I believe is the August/September issue.  I have seen it and recommend you track down a copy.

You probably have read that the water temperature around the Florida Keys is an astounding 101ºF/38.3C.  This is killing the coral.  I have seen bleaching on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.  A desolate white wasteland where once there was color and life.  I read that in the Keys this is happening in only a few weeks.  Once it does it will be decades, if ever, before the reefs recover.