16 DECEMBER - 23 Degree Nights - POST # 95
this is the absolute coldest that it gets over here, and we learned the beach is typically colder than inland, so being here in the harbor is COLD ! with the first night at below 30 degrees, the entire harbor turned brown... a phenomena we have not yet figured out, the cold must kill off some sort of water-borne lifeform
The cold is not the worst part, but, the multiple days of cold set you up for cold "soaking" which makes every day the hull becoming increasingly colder, remember boats do not have any insulation, and they have "lots" of windows, a week of this and you would be in trouble . . . tonight only 30, tomorrow night 36.
The rough sawn 2 x 12 dock boards here, were solid frozen at 5:30 last night when we got back to the boat, very treacherous ! schlepping the groceries down a 300 foot slippery dock, barely able to even stand on, was extreme. This AM at 0530 there was a 1/4" think frost all over everything out on deck, we did not get off the boat 'til 11:30 AM when the dock thawed out enough to walk on (Remember, we lived in Cleveland, Minneapolis, Anchorage) . so we stayed in, had steak and salad and a great roll for dinner,
Got the cattails pages final proofed, and are going up on the 20th.... for the last time ! yay !.
Bought Bonnie a harnass with a back handle in case she falls into the water, and moved the boat hook onto the fantail just in case, she is very lackadaisical about her swim deck on/off process....scary, this dock and harbor area is "hers" ! she views it as she did her back yard when we had a house, so anyone/everything is an intruder (sea gull, duck, geese overhead, otters,and other rare boat owners appearing, she looks around protecting her turf and mis-steps a lot ! or lets the boat drift away from the dock unnoticed because she is distracted.
Trying to get re-started on the hot water heater-fresh dock water hookup again, just too many distractions and loose ends, we have bought it all (except the pellet stove), and now need to assemble it. Have sort of resolved/given into the fact of staying here through January, and possibly into mid-February ... ugly in a way, but free (paid for with boat purchase) dock rental, and a "really" beautiful open expanse view, super private setting, with lots of diverse/varied and active wildlife that we will surely miss in the down-town Florence harbor.
The cold is not the worst part, but, the multiple days of cold set you up for cold "soaking" which makes every day the hull becoming increasingly colder, remember boats do not have any insulation, and they have "lots" of windows, a week of this and you would be in trouble . . . tonight only 30, tomorrow night 36.
The rough sawn 2 x 12 dock boards here, were solid frozen at 5:30 last night when we got back to the boat, very treacherous ! schlepping the groceries down a 300 foot slippery dock, barely able to even stand on, was extreme. This AM at 0530 there was a 1/4" think frost all over everything out on deck, we did not get off the boat 'til 11:30 AM when the dock thawed out enough to walk on (Remember, we lived in Cleveland, Minneapolis, Anchorage) . so we stayed in, had steak and salad and a great roll for dinner,
Got the cattails pages final proofed, and are going up on the 20th.... for the last time ! yay !.
Bought Bonnie a harnass with a back handle in case she falls into the water, and moved the boat hook onto the fantail just in case, she is very lackadaisical about her swim deck on/off process....scary, this dock and harbor area is "hers" ! she views it as she did her back yard when we had a house, so anyone/everything is an intruder (sea gull, duck, geese overhead, otters,and other rare boat owners appearing, she looks around protecting her turf and mis-steps a lot ! or lets the boat drift away from the dock unnoticed because she is distracted.
Trying to get re-started on the hot water heater-fresh dock water hookup again, just too many distractions and loose ends, we have bought it all (except the pellet stove), and now need to assemble it. Have sort of resolved/given into the fact of staying here through January, and possibly into mid-February ... ugly in a way, but free (paid for with boat purchase) dock rental, and a "really" beautiful open expanse view, super private setting, with lots of diverse/varied and active wildlife that we will surely miss in the down-town Florence harbor.