The weather has begun to change. We’re seeing more and more days of 40 knot winds out of the north. Temperatures are getting down into the 30’s at night, and 50s and 60s during the day. Daylight hours are less. The jellyfish are disappearing, and those few that remain seem to float without purpose. Hot, homemade soups become standard fare in the galley. Kitties, Earl and Soxy, insist on sharing a warm body. Our 20 watt salon heater is running 24/7…and I find myself spending more time in the salon wrapped in blankets, and less time down in the unheated hulls.
Reality sets in. Cat Maudy will be NORTH instead of SOUTH for the winter – due to the cracked port side panoramic window. While we are hoping for a mild winter in the Port of Baltimore, winterizing projects begin just “in case”. The cockpit is filled with gallon jugs of pink antifreeze….waiting to be poured into every orafice to prevent Cat Maudy from icing.
Irregardless of the cooler days and chilly nights, we wake up every morning, rocked by the gentle waves of the Patapsco River. Being “on” the water, a sense of calmness prevails over the daily work schedules and routine tasks. We are ‘one’ with the weather, tapping into solar and wind power, adding new lines or adjusting fenders when gale force winds try to push Cat Maudy around. The images thru the hatches constantly change. We can watch barges and commercial ships, the Amistad Freedom Schooner, coast guard and tug boats, and connect with other sailors who dock or anchor near our cat. As the weather gets colder, and Cat Maudy remains at dockside for the winter – it’s all good
Plain Jane Plain Talk 