CHESAPEAKE week 6

Living in Canada, surrounded by all of the fresh water we could possibly need, left us completely unprepared for the necessity of being able to “make water” once we reached the ocean. For almost 3 months we had experienced NO rain! As a result, the ports (windows) and boat surfaces were constantly covered with a film of salt from sea spray, and rust was actually beginning to form on some of our new stainless fittings. This is not really a problem while our boat remains in the U.S. Free water is available when you pay to stay at a marina and washing down the deck with it is always possible—for the price of a slip. But if you can’t afford to stay in a marina, you’re out of luck! The situation in the Bahamas is apparently much worse. Fellow cruisers warned us to expect long line-ups and exhorbitant prices in the Exhumas where water—when you can find it—has to be lugged in jerry cans from shore to dingy to boat. One couple complained that in one place, it was even cheaper to buy beer than water! And so we decided to take the advice of those who had “been there, done that” and install our own desalinization plant—the “Little Wonder Watermaker”—that we had seen on so many other sailboats in the Chesapeake. Now we can take as many showers as we like, keep the boat salt-free and never have to worry about running out of water.

When we returned from Annapolis earlier this week, our watermaker had arrived and we found ourselves with one week remaining in which to install it. I was amazed at what Vince was able to achieve in that time! Turning the boat inside out and working steadily from dawn till dusk he:
1.) Re-plumbed the toilet to flush with fresh water
2.) Re-plumbed one of our tanks to accept water from the watermaker.
3.) Re-plumbed a sink faucet to receive pressurized water from the storage tank.
4.) Modified a 2nd faucet to receive water directly from the watermaker.
5.) Installed all of the complicated watermaking components.
6.) Wired it all in to our existing system.
Other than to accompany him on the occasional trip to the hardware store in the capacity of “pack animal,” my only contribution to this Herculean endeavour was to simply “stay out of the way!” This I did, reading all 1001 pages of Michener’s “Chesapeake” in record time.

Vince’s capacity for work and breadth of knowledge is incredible! Nothing ever seems too complicated for him—he understands it all. And everything he does actually works! I never cease to be amazed at both his abilities and stamina. He is a true diamond in the rough. Last week he installed a satellite radio system and wired in outdoor speakers. Now we receive hundreds of channels worldwide including CBC which comes in clear as a bell and we are able to listen to “As It Happens” every evening. Previously our listening “pleasure” was limited to evangelical programming or Country and Western tunes. We try to have open minds and usually enjoy local culture, but when after listening to the lyrics of one song and hearing: “I want to get you alone and into the sticks/ then check your body all over for ticks” I realized “enough was enough” and it was time to get a little more variety into our programming. Thank goodness for Satellite Radio!

Yesterday, after the most recent installations were finally completed, we decided to kick back and enjoy some well-deserved R&R. First we accepted an invitation for a visit with English friends. This fascinating couple sailed across the Atlantic from England 4 years ago and have been cruising the Caribbean ever since. After leaving them, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at one of our favourite dockside restaurants where we met some fellow Canadians from Barrie. After a scrumptious meal, they invited us back to their gorgeous 42’yacht where we topped the evening off with drinks and stimulating conversation under a starry sky. We will be sad to leave this place and the things we’ve come to enjoy here. But we know that winter is on the way and, as more snowbirds arrive here every day now, we are beginning to feel the urge to set sail once again and continue the journey south. And tomorrow, weather permitting we will leave Maryland for Virginia.