Often after a sailing trip we find something to fix on the boat. This time it was a pesky leak. It got the carpet wet and each day we had to mop a cup or more of water from off the cabin sole. Of course in a larger boat there would be real bilges and a bilge pump. Our little pocket cruiser requires many things to serve double duty. Thus the hull of the boat is our cabin sole and any leaks immediately get the carpet wet. We eventually tossed the whole soggy mess out and kept a sponge handy. Most disconcerting was that some days the leak would get things wet and some days it didn’t bother. We would all get our hopes up and say, ‘Oh yes it must have been that big wake we had to plow through yesterday.’ Then we would have a quiet day and the leak would dump a cup of salt water on the cabin sole and quietly snicker at us.
Trip Report
At the end of seven days and six nights aboard the Regal Jug, a 23 foot “Pocket Cruiser,” we were still speaking and still friends. Dave and Adrian each took one of the pipe berths and Judy and I had the Vee berth in the bow. Each night was the routine of shuffling the daytime equipment out of the way and laying out the cushions and sleeping bags for night. Several of the nights we were in marinas so we could get showers and use the on-shore restrooms. That does make it a little easier.
San Juan Islands
After an almost unbearable hot spell in Hillsboro we have taken our 23 foot sailboat, Regal Jug, to the San Juan Island Archipelago in Washington State. We were immediately rewarded with complete relief from the oppressing heat; perhaps even a bit too much of a good thing. It has been cold and drizzly both days that we have been here
New Bicycle
Back on June 10th I reported that my creative juices were surging and I was busy designing a new recumbent tandem bicycle with electric assist. Well today I can report the first piece of the new bicycle is complete. I can hold it in my hand.
Riding the Scappoose Dike Land:
We have moved over to St. Helens for a few days this week. We are getting our annual dental checkups and visiting old friends. Today we jumped onto Path, our recumbent tandem bicycle and rode from St. Helens to Scappoose. Then we rode around the Scappoose dike lands. This is some farmlands that have been developed from the flood plain of the Willamette River many decades ago. The main highway of the region is US-30. It is four lanes and roaring along at 55 plus. Turning off onto the dike road puts us on narrow twisting roads with practically no traffic.