{"id":2112,"date":"2013-06-02T14:10:45","date_gmt":"2013-06-02T14:10:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=2112"},"modified":"2013-06-03T14:21:02","modified_gmt":"2013-06-03T14:21:02","slug":"back-in-shore-mode-now-that-didnt-take-long","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=2112","title":{"rendered":"Back in shore mode now. That didn’t take long."},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s been only a week since I returned home and yet, in some ways, it seems like much longer. \u00a0On the one hand, being ashore is so much easier to know that when I turn on the shower it will get hot like magic. \u00a0It’s also nice to open the fridge and not have to dig down two levels to find cheese that may or may not even be there.<\/p>\n

After eight months aboard it’s been nice to take some time off in “easier mode”. \u00a0Someone told us early in our trip that cruising was hard and that we had to do whatever we could to make it as easy as possible. \u00a0Actually, that comment was directed at me with the goal of making things easy for Brenda. \u00a0“Remember Bob, make it EASY for Brenda”. \u00a0Happily, most of the time it wasn’t too hard (Brenda might have something to say about that) but there is no question that being aboard is much harder than being home. \u00a0However, there is so much about cruising that makes the hard stuff seem, well, not so hard. \u00a0Don’t get me wrong, being home is hard too, and a lot more expensive. \u00a0 Our VISA bill jumped immediately as we returned home. \u00a0So much more to keep up with and so much more space for “stuff”. \u00a0It’s also breathtaking to see the list of things that need to be accomplished each day around the house. \u00a0How did I ever have time to work? \u00a0Hmm…<\/p>\n

Speaking of hard, some of life’s most worthwhile experiences are hard. \u00a0 I’d put cruising in the category of “harder” along with keeping a home beautiful, or at least as beautiful as possible, but both are certainly rewarding. \u00a0I like splitting time between time on the water and time on the hard. \u00a0 However, that’s definitely a lot harder than choosing one or the other.<\/p>\n

Well, for a few months, the water part is in hiatus and Pandora is safe in a slip waiting to be hauled out for some upgrades and\u00a0<\/span>maintenance,\u00a0\u00a0I am spending some time aboard most every day working to get her back in shape for our next trip. \u00a0 \u00a0The first order of business is to empty all of the lockers to do a through cleaning. \u00a0On the trip we also had some issues with leaking which allowed water to work it’s way into one of the hanging lockers, and other spots. \u00a0As you can imagine, in a warm climate that meant that mildew was the result and clothing that smelled musty. \u00a0Not good. \u00a0It’s going to take time to re-bed fittings and find out where the water is coming in. \u00a0I have some ideas but the only way to find out for sure will be to pull down the interior headliner and see where the water is coming in. \u00a0That’s going to be a long game of hide and seek. \u00a0“Here drippy drippy. \u00a0Come out, come out…”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I also had a problem with the maserator pump that empties the aft holding tank. \u00a0It sprung a leak and sprayed sewerage all over the cabin and into the bilge. \u00a0That was one of the “hard” things about cruising that I was referring to. \u00a0As \u00a0you can imagine, it’s hard to get THAT smell out of the boat so a lot of cleaning and liberal amounts of bleach will be necessary to fix that problem. \u00a0Fingers crossed that it’s enough.<\/p>\n

It’s amazing how dusty and dirty a boat gets when it is used month after month. \u00a0Pandora will certainly be happier with a complete cleaning. \u00a0Brenda too… \u00a0Just to be clear, I didn’t mean that Brenda needed a cleaning herself. \u00a0 \u00a0Never mind.<\/p>\n

Someone told me that to cruise for a year aboard puts as much wear and tear on a boat as ten years of weekend sailing. \u00a0I believe it.<\/p>\n

Prior to hauling Pandora we went for a last “sail” a short motorboat ride over to Hamburg Cove, on the CT River for Memorial Day just after my arrival. \u00a0A number of boats from the Essex Yacht Club rafted up for cocktails. \u00a0 \u00a0We joined them and had a great time. \u00a0Our son Christopher took a ride up to the top Pandora’s mast and took some great photos. \u00a0Mast climbing has been a favorite pastime for Chris for a long time. \u00a0Now that he’s in his 20s he hasn’t lost interest. \u00a0It’s a good thing that we have an electric winch now that he’s a lot heavier than when he was eight.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Chris took a lot of photos and stitched this great panorama together. \u00a0Pretty talented photographer. \u00a0Trust me on this, even if I am his dad. \u00a0Dad’s know such things.\"\"<\/a>The folks from EYC began to arrive. \u00a0Pandora wasn’t in the raft up as we \u00a0needed to leave early and didn’t want to disrupt things. \u00a0However, a bit away from them, Chris was able to take a photo of some of the boats from the club. \u00a0Years ago we used to raft up regularly but not any more, or at least not in the areas we have been cruising. \u00a0It’s easier to just anchor and dink over to another boat. \u00a0Besides, if we get hit by someone’s wake it can cause boats to crash into each other if they are rafted up. \u00a0 Not a good thing.\"\"<\/a>I am told that the blue boat on the end in the upper photo used to be Billy Joel’s. \u00a0He has great taste in boats. \u00a0 She’s a beauty.\u00a0\"\"<\/a>Billy Joel owns a lot of boats and all are really nice. \u00a0Interestingly, there was a news segment on the Today Show about him and his boats. \u00a0Alas, the blue one wasn’t featured. \u00a0It’s worth looking at. \u00a0Great boats and a decent guy, it seems.