2017 POST # 36 - END OF YEAR POST - 31 DECEMBER

Looking back, last year (2017) was a hoot, which can only be appreciated by having a blog ! So, for 2018 these pages will become a Ships Deck Log for-the-record.

Beginning with the 4 January Snow-storm by looking back at those pictures (right column), remembering the Windy Cove G Dock rough sawn docks, the no-water shut off days, and the 30 amp electrical agonies, being an illegal live-aboard in Winchester Bay Harbor, the distance from town, and the many many problems aboard So...fea inherited from the last owner that kept preventing us from cruising to Florence.  Whew !

But, the past 8 months of 2017 "was" spent here in Florence, and, all of the problems (noted above) are gone ! 
2018 has a very short list of boat problems, and virtually no personal problems, with freed up time to  try and make the Harbor situation here better.

Without sitting down to tally, we think that since I left the Navy (53 years ago), that we have moved about 40 times, many of those moves were for as long as 3 years on one job (but involved multiple living situations), and there were many 6-8 month jobs, and  those 2-3 week contracts too ! Funny how they were almost always 500-1000 miles apart.

Tired of the travel, short stays, and with America losing it's manufacturing/ship building industry to overseas, in preparation for early retirement, we almost bought the motor-sailer "Zora" back in 1993, but opted instead for 30 acres of dense forest land in Ohio where staying "grounded" and ashore, seemed like a good idea. 
Then, we inherited the two disabled Mom's for 11 years of in-home care (back here in Oregon), and 6 more moves before/after the Mom's passed and we moved aboard So...fea (25 years .

A tourist walking down my dock stopped to watch me as I took down some of my my Christmas lights on deck . . . it was a 45 degree 15 knot wind overcast day, and the harbor was doing a small rolling dance, the decks were wet from rain squalls, and I was working over the rails.

As I went onto the dock to access some wires, he candidly said "must be new to boats, eh ? you act very uneasy up there, like you are afraid" . . .   Coming from a landlubber insults and unkowns are commonplace, I shrugged it off and mumbled something like "if you have fallen overboard as many times as I have , you get a little cautious, especially at 75".

later, I began to think about just how cautious I am... and why,  even here in Florence harbor, our 40 degree water can kill you, but obviously the public does not know that.

Most people do not realize that as cold as the Western Alaska Islands are (-50 plus degrees ashore), the actual Oregon-Alaska-Bering ocean water temperature rarely goes below 38 degrees, fresh water freezes at 32 degrees, but sea water freezes at 28 degrees because it has (4%) salt.

On board fish boats (before brine sprays and blast freezers came in) we used to fill our 2,000 gallon port-and-starboard brine tanks with sea water, then chill it down to zero or below, by adding salt (20%) to keep the rapidly circulating water from freezing. a fresh 100 pound tuna would be rock solid in 20 minutes.


In the book “Essentials of Sea Survival” some comments are made about fishermen falling overboard in cold  (40 degree) water, “if you are lucky enough to survive long enough to die of hypothermia, you have done very well; most people die in the first minute of immersion”.  

"cold water shock" tends to kill people. and is a leading cause of water related deaths in humans, when a person is immersed in cold water, there is an immediate, involuntary inhalation, which if underwater, can result in drowning.  The cold also causes blood vessels to restrict, causing an almost immediate heart attack. Recently newly developed cold water coveralls for falling-overboard protection have been developed, these bulky Overboard Immersion suits allow survival up to 18 hours in 35 degree waters (if worn correctly).

Speaking of water.... at 1800 during dinner, a Hot water line blew out under the aft head sink, noticed no pressure when trying to rinse dishes, went aft to go on the dock and check water, waded through 3 inches ! bilge pump time and quite a mess, great after dinner exercise. now fixed, and back to a normal life. Aren't boats fun ? 

Finally got the last of the lights off, whew !

Three days of blue skies-50 degrees-10 mph winds-and zero rain ! WHAT a dry December !   Staying aboard for the full moon clear skies tonight (like every night) for New Years, and waiting for another nice 50 degree day tomorrow.