Here Comes the FOB

Its been a long time since I did any blogging. We spent a month up in Bellingham, WA (actually Ferndale). Most of the time was working hard getting Tyler and Meghan’s 5 acres ready for their wedding, or as Chris puts it: Working like rented mules.  Lots of gravel hauling, bark dusting, weed whacking, mower riding and goat kennel preparing. The place looked great for the wedding and it went off without a hitch. Here’s Meghan and Tyler in the field in front of their house with Mount Baker in the background after the I Do’s.

The hit of the ceremony were the Flower Grandmas going down the aisle tossing flowers before the bride and FOB walked in.

This is Meghan walking the FOB (Father Of the Bride) down the aisle. Actually my job was to make sure Meghan didn’t go too fast – I think she was ready to get the show on the road.
 

Here’s another quite cute couple at the wedding.

Paul

Curacao Break

We’ve been in Curacao for two weeks now. About time I posted a pic. This is the entrance to Willemstad Harbor. We are passing through the open pontoon bridge that separates the two sides of the colorful city. We had to sit outside in the rolly swell for about a half hour waiting for a large tanker to exit the harbor. When small boats like ours come through they just move the pontoon bridge about 20 feet open. For the tankers it has to be brought all the way to the far side. This is a major refining port, where oil from Maracaibo in Venezuela flows in and out and the gas flares of refineries shine at night.
Bonaire is the easy, cruisers island to hang at. Curacao is more the cruisers place to do work on the boat and for hurricane season storage. It is located south of 12*30 N – which is considered out of the hurricane belt. Although there has been hurricane related damage here over the years, it is typically due to heavy rains and large swells. This will be the first time in 4 years of cruising that we put the boat on the hard for storage. We’ll be gone for a little over two months. A month up in Washington to make sure that Meghan goes through with her wedding plans and Tyler behaves. A month down in Southern Cal visiting Chris’ relatives and then a quick stop in Florida to see my Dad. 

The big tractor cometh.

We got hauled at Curacao Marine. This yard has a good reputation for service and security in their storage yard. Two large Doberman Pinchers work the storage yard. Yachtie relatives of junk-yard dogs.

Georgia getting her bottom cleaned off

   While still on the trailer, I dropped the rudder. When we are going downwind in heavy seas there’s always a little squeak that you can hear from the upper end of the rudder post. Since rudders are handy things to have on a boat while at sea, I wanted to inspect the upper bearing. Here I’m re-installing it. This time with 3M 4000 white bedding. Prior to this it only had 6 bolts securing it in that would continually work themselves loose. We’ll see on our passage out of Curacao if the squeak has quieted down.
Paul

The Colonel

1930-2014

Chris’ dad, Colonel Hunter passed away last week. He’s going to be missed by a lot of friends, co-workers and most of all family. For me, he wasn’t an easy guy to get to know. He held his United States Marine Corps military career adventures close, only letting out a few stories of his times in Korea, Vietnam and the Pentagon. You could tell he always had a deep respect for the military and those he served with and strong feelings about the country he lived in. The feelings were strong enough that I wasn’t allowed to talk politics with him.
He raised 3 kids along with his wife Barbara – the Colonel and 4 women. I’m pretty sure that was one of his toughest challenges.

He held onto that look even in retirement.

Promotion time

Going to work

To a life well lived and to man you had to respect!
Paul