Day 246 Happy New Year!!!

And so we start a new year.  Last year was quite the transition year.  It's hard to believe all the changes that have happened in the past 12 months.

January through April:  Plan and pack and get the business sold.  Looking back, it seems like a lot longer ago and was a lot longer than it was.  Time is relative I guess.

From May on is another matter.  Having moved on board at the very end of April down in Newport Oregon was the start of a new chapter in our lives.  We left behind a great deal of security to experience a dream we had dreamed of for many years.  Now it was becoming a reality.  Life was supposed to become a lot simpler.  Nope, afraid not.  Our surrounding were but our lives just got filled with lots more jobs.

Every project that we though would take just a few hours ended up taking, in many times, days instead.   Just getting a mechanic to come to Zephyr took over 3 1/2 weeks though I had called and made contact with one before we even left Denver.  

We both had lots to learn of Zephyrs systems and operations.  What to do and what not to do.  What needed attention and what was fine.  While we have been sailing since the early 80's, we were in a whole new territory.  Zephyrs systems were unlike anything we had ever tackled before.  From redoing bilge pumps to rewiring the systems on Zephyr to working on a diesel engine.  Everything became a very large learning experience.  And believe me, we are the better for it. 

On the outside, Zephyr was a pristine boat, but lurking below the surface there were areas that needed attention.  We learned how to fiberglass holding tanks in the head.  When the seams of the holding tanks split, the last thing you want coming into your boat is what they hold.  We learned where the bilge was and how to clean it--over and over again--as water and other things found their way down there.  I am proud to say, I am a close friend of our bilge having cleaned it at least 8 times over this past year.  A clean bilge is a happy bilge--or at least a lot less stinky.

We've learned about all our standing rigging.  Those are the wires that hold up the mast(the big pole in the center of the boat that the sails attach to for you land lubbers;-) ).  While ours were original to when Zephyr was made(1982) and we had been told they were fine, we felt it prudent to get then changed.  With our plans to circumnavigate the world, just for peace of mind(and safety) it was at the top of the list to get done.  It took a BIG chunk out of our bank account, but we will feel a lot better sailing knowing that what is up there is new and done correctly.  We could have hired any number of riggers but we chose Brion Toss and Gordon here in Port Townsend to do the job.  We know the job has been done right.

Getting to Port Townsend from Newport was one of our biggest learning curves.  While the folks at the National Weather Service said we would have nice weather going up the coast, I think 35 knot winds--straight at us--and 20 foot waves were not what they had in mind.  It sure wasn't what we had in mind.  One of the biggest lessons we  learned was we had a lot to learn about what we were doing.  This wasn't a lake where you can see all the sides of as you sail.  Oh no, this was the ocean where you don't see anything if you are as far off shore as we were.  Sure, it shows us on our charts where land was but since all the harbors were closed all the way up the coast, there was no where to go and hide from the storm.  We talked to passing freighters on the passage and they asked us what the heck we were doing out there in this storm.  We huddled in the cockpit (eating pretzels and water) which at least was totally enclosed(thank GOD) and muscled through it thanks to our engine.  Of course, once we got to Port Townsend, the transmission gave out on us.  Better there than where we had been.

Another lesson we have learned and are still learning is patience.  Having been in the corporate world for so many years plus having our own business, it was hard and still is hard learning to just slow down.  Not everything  will go as you expect.  We had expected to be out of here by the end of August having arrived at the end of July.  We had PLANNED on being down in Mexico by now.  What needed to be done to bring Zephyr up to where we wanted her would take a lot longer than either of us could have imagined.  If they had told us we would still be here at New Years, we would have thought them crazy.  But here we are.

As the new years starts, some things still need attention but the list is a lot shorter than where it was and the end is insight.  I've taken one diesel engine class and still expect to take a second more intense class before we set off for Alaska in the Spring.  There is a boat show later this month in Seattle that we expect to attend.  It is one of the biggest in the United States and it is not to be missed.  Hopefully we will still have some money in the bank accounts by them.  It is amazing that once you add "Marine" on to any part, the price doubles.

Well, I've rambled enough.  It's a new year with lots more to learn and lots to experience.  We are both entering a new chapter in our lives together with eyes wide open ready for what ever will come.  Wish us luck!