So at least the critical boat projects that are keeping us at the dock are done. And although we don’t mind being at the dock, we’d like to go out and anchor for a few days to make sure all our systems are working… and we’ve been watching a weather window all week. We’d really like several nights, maybe a week? with winds 10-15. But….
The weather isn’t cooperating, so now we’re down to watching 3 days squeezed between cold fronts. Hoping for winds to lay below 30 — tonight’s is predicted gusts to 30 and it’s honking! – for Sunday afternoon through Wednesday mid-day. Sunday night’s forecast keeps creeping up, now at 25+ and been climbing all day. So keep your fingers crossed. .Windfinder Boca Grande
We have a few last minute things to do to get ready … get gas for the dinghy; leave the canvas projects for the canvas company; fill the water tanks; put the dinghy back on the foredeck and … oh yeah, we need RAISIN BRAN … or we won’t have breakfast, so a quick trip to town.
But we’re not going to anchor out subjecting ourselves to 30+ winds — been there, done that, no reason to do it just for fun on a first time out this winter — so keep your fingers crossed Sunday nights winds don’t increase more ….
Jan,
Yep, weather is weather, the one constant you cannot change however you know to adjust as necessary. I like your approach and lifestyle, question do you and David still love it?
-Martin
Hi Martin — yes we still love it, but we are far less adventuresome than we once were. We’re not sure if that comes with age or experience or what, but we’re glad we spent six years in the W Carib starting when I was 49 and David was 57. When the time is right, we’ll leave this marina and start cruising again – we’re still not sure the Eastern Caribbean is for us … too crowded, but then so is Florida, as we’ve discovered. I’m also convinced climate change is affecting the weather patterns. Unless our memory is totally faulty, and I went back to check my daily logs, we’re seeing more frequent and stronger cold fronts, starting earlier in the season and lasting longer – once upon a time you could count on November/mid-December and mid-March-April as being milder fronts and less frequent, but the last few years seem to be different.
Love your regular posts Jan and so identify with situations you find yourselves in. Now that I’m slightly more than 3 score years and ten I’ve learnt to not let the weather define my day. Despite all I want to do on any given day, I have to be prepared for the fact that due to the weather, stuff planned may not happen. Every dau above the ground is a good day so I just get on with it and extract from best from what the day offers, especially in terms of the weather. I used to get very upset if I couldn’t sailing due to conditions but now that I’m chronologically challenged as they say, it’s all about carp diem , make the most of it and enjoy each new day as if it were your last.
oops sorry about typos but pressed post before I edited.