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In January, we kept our resolution to balance work and play.
We rang in the New Year at the Bay Yacht Club (BYC), and then
on New Year's Day sailed over to Shamrock Cove, where we anchored
with Kiva and Turning Point. We closed the holiday
weekend by finally, after a two-year wait, moving to
a floating slip that is large enough to accommodate our bigger
boat.
The following weekend it was back to work. On the trip across
the Gulf, the aft head (toilet) had stopped working (fortunately,
we have two). Nick began the repair by trying the easy fix
of rebuilding the pump mechanism. No luck. Next, he inspected
the vent line that allows air to enter the holding tank. It
was nasty, so he replaced it, but still the head would not
pump.
Now the only thing left was the most disgusting job you can
do on a boat: replacing the sewage hose between the head and
the holding tank. As he began this task, I attempted to offer
spousal support by providing helpful advice. After being callously
rebuffed, I retreated to the forward part of the boat where
the air smelled better and left my grumpy husband to perform
his unpleasant job in solitude.
After about an hour, desperate cries arose from the aft part
of the boat. I ran back to find Nick holding high in the air
the newly released end of the sewage hose. A stinky brown
slime regurgitated from its end and ran down Nick's arm. More
of the mess was splattered on his pants. "Paper towels,
get me paper towels!" Nick pleaded.
I briefly considered grabbing the dog and making an escape.
But duty prevailed and I delivered the towels back to the
disaster scene. "Phew," I said, scrunching up my
nose, "That's gross!" Once again, spousal commentary
was met with a harsh rebuke. After another hour and a full
roll of paper towels, the hose was in place, the head was
once again operational, and Nick was in the shower trying
to scrub off his epidermis. Ah, the joys of boat ownership!
After that ordeal, play time was definitely in order. On
the 22nd, we sailed over to Port Aransas for the BYC's monthly
cruise. The high temperature was 83 degrees on Saturday, but
a strong cold front came through that evening, plunging the
thermometer to 38 degrees with winds gusting over 40 knots.
We ended the month in San Antonio where Nick participated
in the rodeo barbecue contest. His team won first place in
brisket.
Dakota thinks our new boat is great because it doesn't lean
as much.
Kiva leaving Port Aransas
Sailboats pass a ship docked at Ingleside
Nick at the BBQ cookoff
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Sunrise at Shamrock Cove
Time for Sundowners at the Corpus marina
Bizarre fog rolled in during mid-afternoon
On the Port Aransas transient dock
Are they having fun yet?
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