The past week has been full of bittersweet moments. My grandparents, aboard their Cape Dory motorsailer, hauled the boat out of the water and prepared it for a summer in the boatyard while they return to Maine. The experience was a sneak peak at all the things I will have to do on Athena when the time comes to haul her out. I will miss their advice and the security of knowing family is nearby, but mostly I will miss their company.
As my grandparents head to Maine I will sail south to Eleuthera – a day-long sail through open ocean to reach this famous island. I am so excited to explore new places but sad to say goodbye to friends and favorite anchorages I have found here in the northen Bahamas.
Before I depart, my cousin and her 1-year-old daughter are coming to visit me for five days. I’ve never had someone so young on Athena and I am equal parts excited and nervous.
On the technical side of things I am having a minor bilge pump problem. My bilge pump has a sensor that can tell when there is enough water in the bottom of the boat (on sailboats there is almost always a little bit of water in the bilge even when the boat doesn’t have a leak) to turn on and pump. My bilge pump’s sensor to feel the water still works, but the part that tells it to turn off is fried. The problem with this is that the pump will run down my battery.
To combat this, I check the bilge when I hear it turn on. When I find it has taken out enough water, I undo some of the wiring to turn it off. Then I reattach the wire and the bilge is ready for action again. This isn’t a permanent solution, of course, and my cousin will bring me another one from the States. The new pump doesn’t have this sensor, but rather turns on for a second every two minutes and decides if it needs to pump.
Other than that Athena is doing well, and Elli and I are happy in the hot sun and warm waters.
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