Settling in at the Marina

Yesterday we unpacked and stowed most of our gear. For lunch we came to the local cafe and had lunch with an internet session. Back at the dock we ran into Barry and Joyce who had returned from their home in Nevada on the same day that we had arrived. While we were talking Scott came by. Later the other Barry came by the boat.

Today we started the 30-minute job of swapping the push button engine starter switch for the better one that I had brought back from Port Townsend. The job took about 5 hours, including a fast dash on the bicycle to Whale Point hardware for some wire nuts. As we were finishing up Bud came over to the boat to meet Arnold and have a chat. He has offered to take us to the grocery store and we will probably take him up on it when we've got our list together.

I visited the marina office and paid up until next Tuesday. Yesterday and today would have been good days for setting south in gentle northerly winds. Unfortunately the prospects for Friday and the weekend are for light airs, followed by strong southerly winds. We've learned not to force these things and will wait patiently. As soon as I walked into the office Amanda handed over the package of clothes that Sandra had mailed to Arnold because we just did not have enough room in our luggage. That was a fast transit: we arrived here on the evening of the 4th and received the package on the afternoon of the 6th.

I have renewed my Sailmail subscription for another year, taking me until 15 April 2011. I did this to avoid the risk of running out of service when I am in the middle of nowhere.

Rob and a friend are visiting us from San Francisco tomorrow afternoon.

The weather has been crisp but dry with 50% sun.

I'm spending about an hour every night studying "Spanish for Cruisers."

Hasta Luego