Handrails...

After relaxing in the new place, it's time to get back to work!!!!
Russell mentioned the topside handrails are a little on the loose side...
They need to be sanded and varnished anyways, so what better way than to remove them.
Not an easy or neat task though.
First the topside handrails (top pic left) are directly opposite the interior handrails (top pic right).
Therefore... inside handrails need to be removed to remove the exterior handrails.
This involves chipping out nice wood plugs (mid pic left) to access the screws that hold the interior handrails to the fiberglass (lower pic right).
Once the interior handrails were removed, I discovered a second set of separate screws holding the exterior handrails to the fiberglass (lower pic left). There is a small gap between inner and outer layers of fiberglass.
With removing these handrails I discovered that the one set of screws holding the exterior handrails can be lengthened to add strength, and the set of screws holding the interior handrails on just barely exit the outer fiberglass and enter the exterior handrails. I think I can make this setup stronger by lengthening the set of screws that go straight to the exterior handrails and by lengthening the screws that go through the interior handrails so they also hold onto the exterior handrails. I will probably only be able to do this on the middle four of six contact points between handrail and fiberglass. The two contact points on the ends taper down and won't be able to have lengthened or additional screw points.
Fingers crossed this all goes well, but first to sanding and varnishing...
I'm also debating whether or not to sand and re varnish the interior handrails. I think they are stained and I'm not if they are teak or some other wood like mahogany. I think I've resigned to re sanding them even though they were recently varnished (by other), since the new wood plugs will need to be somehow blended in...
The lower pic on the left also shows the "mess" that the previous person that varnished the interior handrails left on the fiberglass. I think I'm going to try and remove that dirty varnish somehow...

Sunrise in a new place

It's amazing to be able to approach at sunrise the new place I'll be hanging my hat for a while...
Seemingly slipping in while everyone is just awakening.
The Venice Inlet is calm as fishermen cast off the rocks and we quietly motor through.
It's a beautiful morning.
Most special thanks to Russell and Lynne for being the wind in my sails and for making my first day on Casey Key a treat :)
Namaste!

And of course...

can't forget Peppermint Patty was along for the ride!!!
and she just wanted to be outside.
I usually keep her down below.
but for this trip it seemed a 'no-go.'
I leashed her to the helm,
the cockpit then being her only realm.
She eventually became a calmer kitty,
but the leap across the cockpit upon being splashed,
well, Russell and I were lucky she didn't claw either of our titties ;)

In the pic on the right, Patty views a new coastline just south of Nokomis, which is the Venice area, at sunrise.

Sunset off the coast...

A beautiful sunset en route as we continue north.
I peer up from below taking a quick peak at the fading light and growing colors while in the midst of cooking dindin just in time for sunset.
Winds start to pic up a little more from the NE as we continue into the night...

Red tide and "near" collisions...

As we were quietly gliding by the Sanibel area, we found "red tide."
Red tide is a popular subject in Florida, though it happens in many different places along the U.S. coast, and perhaps the world.
Russell had heard that some scientists believe the red tide might originate from natural springs bubbling out of the sands in the Gulf. Wouldn't you know... where it looked to us the red tide was originating from, there was the word "spring" noted on the chart at that seemingly spot... hmmm...
The scientists noted the springs were difficult to find. So, perhaps there are springs we don't yet know, as there was another spot that seemed to us to originate more red tide a little further north of the first spot we ran across. The pic on the left is of the red tide. It may not be as clear in the picture as it was in person. click to enlarge the pic to get a better look...
Pic on the right is of a sailboat with which we crossed paths. When we saw and watched her approaching, you would swear we were on a direct collision course. Although we were on the right-of-way tack, we decided to veer a few degrees just in case... It's difficult to believe, with so much open water, that near and even collisions between boats occur. but, they do. what intrigues me even more is stories of sailboats sinking because of collisions with whales! now, how random is that?!?!?!?!
I'm currently reading a book written by a sailor that survived 76 days at sea on a raft after his sailboat sunk in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, he thinks potentially after being hit by a whale or other large object... He didn't witness another large object in sight, although sometimes objects floating in the oceans are just below the surface beyond our vision... yikes.

Cruising...?

Well, sort of... changing ports anyways!
Perhaps the last front of the SWFL winter season made its way down to Naples, and Russell and I caught the backside winds out of the NE-E, to bring SV Athena up to her new spot in Nokomis, FL!
We left Goodland/Marco at around 8:45 AM, motored around Marco Island, headed out to the Gulf and set sail. We also fashioned a nice bit of canvas to keep ourselves out of the sun for the long day...
Click to enlarge pic on top left to perhaps view the distant Marco Island...
Click to enlarge pic on top right to perhaps view the distant Naples skyline...
Winds were a little light and variable at first, but most of the trip we had great winds!
In the light winds we flew the colorful "flasher" sail. First time ever I'd had this sail out of its bag since the sailboat entered my life. The sail is beautiful and check out the waves we're making in the pic on the bottom right!
By mid-day we were cruising by Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibel, and Captiva.

New Patty Spot

Patty has been enjoying the beautiful weather we've been having by finding a new spot!
She's up on the seat of the inverted dinghy on Athena's bow. I'm peering at (and photographing)
her from through the v-birth hatch.

Grilling :)

Finally cooking on Athena!!!!
First cooking adventure involved grilling with a guest at sunset after a fantastic Sunday day-sail.
We made shish-ka-bobs.

This chef needs to start practicing cooking again!

The next cooking adventures included cooking on the stove!!!

Clean Bilge

It's always good to keep the bilge clean... Keep it dry, if possible, and clean.
I cleaned the bilge and took the dirty bilge water and bilge pads to the hazardous waste transfer station. It's true, sailboats have their impact too.
The bilge pads absorb oils/fuels and let water pass through (pic on left under engine). The two white hoses in the pic on the left are the two hoses I installed for pumping the bilge about two years ago; small hose for electronic pump and larger hose for manual pump.
The pic on the right shows the proximity of the deeper portion of the bilge, where bilge pump is, to the engine. The companionway stairs are removed to access the engine. The stairs would slide right to where the floor appears to change color... the interim owner of Athena only re varnished the floor to the stairs!

Boat Work & Healthy Eating

Lest we forget, it's important to keep up one's energy when working so hard! It's easy to work through lunch sometimes...
So, I've been trying to find a yummy vegan organic salad dressing to call me to the table... and....
I found it!
yum yum.
note awesome cat napkin made for me by busy bee Beth :)
I love my napkins!!! stay tuned for future pic of mermaid napkins... they may be strategically placed in a pic for fun!

So, I finally connected the fuel gauge...

After almost two years... I finally connected the fuel gauge!
With proper fuel tank vent hose (non-see-through) now installed, I can no longer use visuals for determining if the tank is full. No, I have never overfilled through the tank vent hose to the water!!! but, you'd be surprised how many people do.... perhaps mostly motor boaters... excuse my stereotyping... but sailboaters are more likely to be too stingy to actually fill up the fuel tank for an auxiliary engine!
I have been keeping the fuel tank topped off though, due to lingering fear over previous air/fuel issues... no time like the present to start testing her out I suppose and watching the fuel gauge dip...
Pic on top left is wiring connection to level gauge in fuel tank. Pic on top right is wiring up of the fuel gauge indicator. Russell drilled the hole for the fuel gauge indicator over one of the many existing holes in this area of the boat. Who knows what all those holes use to go to...
Pic on bottom left is installed and turned on showing a pretty full tank!