November 17, 2012

November 17, 2012

Friday, the boat was down for its finishing touches with the transmission.  I found a Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target, Pier One, and Kohl's while I was out to purchase some organizing bins.  I used the great big wagons that are kept by the docks to unload the truck and haul everything to the boat.   It is a return to childhood to use a wagon which is now a much needed tool.   I read some of Chapman's Piloting & Seamanship for a brush up on symbols on the charts and navigational tools.  There in a chapter on marlinespike seamanship.  This chapter is about ropes and lines and knots. Tying up the boat to the docks needs to become second nature to me--I was hoping to pick up some secret tip that would seal this knot into my brain.  No such luck--I got out the lines and practiced.  I must have tied off the line 30 times--with success 95% of the time.  When it came to actually tying off the lines here at Burr--again I was stymied. 

Kevin came up around 4:00 to take us out for a little while to check the engines after the transmission service.  We looked at the electronic chart this time as we went out.  It is a great piece of technology.  The charts are on a computer monitor that shows navigational aids such as channel markers and crab trap marks, speed limit signs (that may really be knot limit signs),  and the most important item--depths of the water.  Mike came back to inspect the engine room after this mini sea trial and gave us a thumbs up--transmission leak solved. 

Our plans to go see the latest James Bond movie were quietly changed.  Steve had received his new radio system and speakers had arrived and he was itching to get them installed.  Those of you who know him know exactly what I mean by itching.   After a long conversation with the Sony trouble shooter who was telling Steve to pack up the radio and return it, a light bulb came on inside Steve's head.  He ran somewhere, came back and Voila--sound through the system. 

The boaters are out early this Saturday morning.  I noticed the first one out at 6:15. Its lights became visible through the port side window.  It didn't make a sound as it moved quickly passed us.  We are now tied off at the end of the dock next to a red channel marker.  The boats have to come near the dock keeping the marker to their port and the docks to their starboard to avoid a shallow area.  Meandering Joy rocks gently as they pass.  If we were in our ski boat, I would be writing citations like Barney Fife for my perception that they did not pass safely.   There is a big difference in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the waters of Lake Nottely.  Everything is so much bigger here that my sense of distance, which has never been good, is challenged. 

Mick told us yesterday that we are going to head out this morning to Annapolis.  We will be taking a waterway stroll down Ego Alley.  They say they have done this in a 75 foot boat and we will have no problem.  This should be fun. 

We hope to go see a movie or play some tennis this afternoon.  There is a school about 4 miles away where we spotted some courts.  Then we may go see the newest James Bond movie.  

Romans 8:1-2, Isaiah 30:21, John 10:27 and Psalm 23:1-3.   

John 10:27 says -My sheep listen to my voice; I know then and they follow me.  Psalm 23:1-3--The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul, He guides me in paths of righteousness for his names sake. 

I think I will be reciting Psalm 23 whenever we start out on our way to Jacksonville, I will be searching for those quiet waters.  It never ceases to amaze me that scripture can seem to have been written for just my situation.  I wonder if that happens for others. I hope that when I get my blog up, that someone will read it and let me know how this happens to them.