november in norfolk

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Sunny day,  worked in the front starboard hull locker trying to figure out why it is always wet which involves getting down in there and cleaning out all the mold and mildew with Clorox.  Nice way to start the day.   I got it all cleaned up and dry as a bone.  Now we have to figure out how the water gets in.  ran errands getting supplies to better set the dingy when we are in the ocean.  We had a lovely dinner with Jane Spohn who lives here now at a local place down near Virginia beach.  That was a great change of pace.  So wonderful to see an ole buddy!!!!

Kirk still working on getting his email set up. Very hard as no connection on boat.

Big news  I ordered a alfa wifi antenna and it came a day early.  Can’t wait to check it out.  constant working on boat to get it ready to go in ocean.  Lots of stowing still to do.  Check all batteries etc.  kirk has made a list and it keeps growing.  I will be changing to email at dlbenefiel@gmail.com as the work email is through Microsoft exchange server and it is a royal pain in the buttttttt. 

Wednesday, November 2, 2011 and Thursday November 3

Another sunny day.  Yeah   lots to do.  Looking like we are leaving on Saturday night or Sunday morning if the weather holds out.  waiting for confirmation from the people we hired for gulf stream crossing info.  That is exciting.  Kevin theresa and Elizabeth should be heading down on Friday.  All that has to be coordinated plus shopping for supplies.   Uuppss  change of plans.  Storm brewing off the coast of hatteras and heading east so we got word to stay put till Sunday.  The weather person said he would talk to kirk this weekend.  I do not think if have mentioned about being across from the navy yard.  We here trumpets in the am along with the star spangled banner and taps at night.  They even play the race piece like before a horse race.  Kirk did not believe me and then he finally heard it last night.  Today big ships went out and there are usually at least once a day helicopters flying around in the ocean I guess practicing.  I must say that I am impressed to say the least and as much as I hate the politicians and the correct crap that goes on, I am proud to be an American.  The songs they play are from before “political correct’ and all the other bs that has come about in the last 20 years.  Reminds me of when people were decent and you could depend on your neighbor, people stood by their word.  Enough of the soap box.  Back to work.  Todays project has been to make a dingy cover.  Yesterdays was chasing down and fixing leaks in the forward berth.  (think we may have finally solved that one)  I am sure others will pop up.

Monday, November 07, 2011

Much has happened, storm out in the ocean has now delayed us leaving until the 12^th.  We are getting so much done on the boat.  Or should I say kirk is getting so much done.  I mainly assist when and where needed, clean out lockers, arrange things for stowing etc.  I did work on a dingy cover with sewing machine.  I am going to make a dust cover for the printer and a laundry holder in our bunk.  Not big deals but all have to be done.  Big news is that we bought a mac for me as my good ole computer just could not handle the load.  Bad news is that I am lost in the mac world but am learning.  We did get the sail back from the sail maker last Friday in anticipation of leaving yesterday.  Funny thing was when I asked him about the tear that we brought it in for, he said there was no tear so we had to open the sail out on his loft and show him the tear and I found another one as well.  he did a lot of fixing that we did not even know was bad, so we now feel good about the sail being ready to go.  Yesterday was sunny and I spent most of my day in the marina office trying to download and install programs on my new computer.  Oh my…….

We had a lovely dinner at the Spohn’s last night.  George cooked a turkey breast on the grill and it was fantastic.  Was such a treat.  We then watched the first half of the Ravens game with them.  That was fun!!!!!

Wednesday November 9, 2011

What started out to be a Monday turned out to be a toothday.  Poor kirk had a tooth pulled.  Better here than in the ocean.   We did get the genoa put back up and did lot of sail tape patches as we put it back on the boat.  That was between dentist appts.  Yesterday we worked on projects around the boat.  Rearranging and restowing.  Finally made a good dinner and that made kirk happy. 

This morning I finally got my current email to load on my new computer.  Oh what a relief that was.  So now I can be more communicative.  We are waiting for a fuel dock to open up as boats are piling in here like mad due to the storm.  We are also waiting to hear if they are going to move us.  Fog blew in about 10 and is burning off.  Lots of people walk their dogs down here and so I get to have some dog fixes which is good. 

We went to dinner with the Spohns to a Italian restaurant and was good food and fun time. 

Thursday November 10, Friday November 11, 2011

We continued to do chores on the boat getting prepped.  My email was still not working so we went to the apple store in downtown Norfolk and also to a guitar store and bought a guitar for our friend Mike (zerotocruising.com) whom we will meet up with along our path.  We worked on getting a dingy cover modified to fit our dingy.  Lots of work  but think we succeeded.  Best news is we got the go ahead for leaving on Saturday. So that set us in go mode.  Talked to kevin and theresa and Elizabeth about coming down on Friday.  Plans were set in motion.

Friday,  the crew arrived and we went about the boat.  Went to dinner at captain grooveys and had a good dinner.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

We left.  Underway kinda rough.  Dinner in oven.  My watch is 8 – 12.