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March 21, 2005
Emeryville, CA
San Francisco Bay
It's a wet, windy night in San Francisco Bay as I write this month's log. I'm not sure where February and March have gone as I realized that it's been almost two months since we've updated the web page. “Time flies when you're having fun!”
We are enjoying our time here even though it has been quite rainy and Gary hasn't been  able to work on the bright work as much as he had hoped. In lieu of working outside, we've done some exciting general maintenance jobs like replacing the seals on the Vac-u-flush head, re-bedding the hatch in the pilothouse, washing all the bed linens/rugs, and investigating why the floor lights wouldn't work in the forward section of the boat. That was an interesting project as we discovered that when the workmen installed the thermostat for the heating system, one of them drilled right through the wire for the lights! We're thinking of adding a section to the web page entitled “We can't believe they did that!” Of course nothing has come close to the caulking in the engine boltholes! (See Dec. Log) Due to the amount of rain we've had since arriving in Emeryville, we've also had ample opportunities to determine how water is leaking into the boat. We've been successful at fixing all the leaks except for the one in the aft stateroom right over our berth and that's TOP on our to-do list. It just has to stop raining long enough for us to do some investigating and fix it!
Gary also decided to re-plumb the fuel system so he can polish the fuel - something he's wanted to do since we bought the boat. Several days were spent analyzing & diagramming before he went in search for the necessary parts. Fortunately, the folks at Svendsen's Boat Yard were very helpful and between there, West Marine and a plumbing store in Berkeley, everything was assembled and installed. The job went very well and he's just fine-tuning it before announcing that it's FINISHED! His early background in airplane mechanics has been very helpful in the engine room during this project.
It's also been fun hearing from folks who have read this website. There was another HC 44 Pilothouse for sale on the east coast and we heard from several perspective buyers as they had questions about the boat and our transition to the cruising life. Just today we got an email from the folks who did buy the boat and I'm looking forward to answering their questions and sharing some thoughts. We wish them well on their adventures.
Three weeks ago, I started working at the Berkeley West Marine store as a cashier for a few hours a week. It's been fun and the associate's discount is an added bonus. Gary worked on the West Marine truck crew when we were in San Diego and we really missed the discount when he left there as we headed north. Anyone who is thinking about part-time work while cruising should definitely consider working at West Marine, it's a friendly, low-keyed work environment and the discount makes having a routine worth it!
 Exploring the San Francisco area has been interesting; we can already tell that we've been eating out more! The Berkeley Farmers' Market is a weekly trek we enjoy and we've found great organic produce! My daughter & son-in-law came from Michigan via Amtrak's California Zephyr and spent 6 days with us recently. It was great being able to show them how we live. I think they have a much better understanding of what we're doing and now think we're not quite so crazy to be doing this! We all were “tourists” while they were here and visited Muir Woods, Ghirardelli Square, China Town, the Golden Gate Bridge, Stinson Beach, the Farmers' Market at the Ferry Building, and Berkeley. We had a great lunch of Dim Sum at the Great Oriental Restaurant in China Town and hope to return soon for an encore! Being away from family and friends is still a part of this life I struggle with, so it was wonderful to be able to give the kids real hugs & kisses! More guests from Michigan are due in the next couple weeks and we're looking forward to seeing them!
There isn't as much wildlife here as we've had in other locations, but Gary has found  opportunities to take photos of birds and places we've explored; he hopes you enjoy them. Another project he has undertaken while we're “settled” is scanning his slides and digitizing them. It's been great looking at the pictures and remembering all the beautiful places we've been. You'll see some of them on the Photo Page soon.
As spring approaches our thoughts turn to re-provisioning and heading farther north. We're busy adding new waypoints to the Nobeltec navigation program we use and will start watching the weather more closely to get a feel for the weather patterns. It's fun being in one place for a while, meeting new people, and establishing some connection with the land….but we're both getting ready to move on. Hopefully the weather will improve and we'll have an opportunity to sail to Angel Island or Richardson's Bay for a couple days on the hook, before we head out under the Golden Gate again and continue our wonderful life journey.
Best wishes for a beautiful spring whereever you are and may you experience the thrill of new life and adventure!
From the city by the bay….
Dorothy, Gary & Murray the Cat
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© Copyright 2005
Last updated on
May 23, 2007
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