July 23 - The ship's refrigerator is a marvel. It is deep so it holds the cold well. Unless you have an eidetic memory (which I do not) you tend to forget what all is down there. I do however remember that I had packed away a pound of bacon. I go to retrieve it as a treat now that we are past the halfway mark of our journey. A treasure is found! Nestled next to the bacon is a large package of our home made elk jerkey. As I slide the fridge divider back into place however I manage to upend the last carton of blueberries. They of course quickly scatter themselves throughout the fridge making their way to the bottom.
Now the ship's fridge becomes a bit of a frustration for a short person. I take most of the food out and hang over the edge gathering handfuls of berries. With my last handful up comes a lost treasure. Like Humphrey Bogart in the Caine mutiny in search of the lost strawberries we have been searching in vain for an item for over a week. To my pleasure I snag Carl's prescription sunglasses which must have fallen off the counter into the depths of the fridge.
Bacon and eggs consumed, sunglasses cleaned, we will now venture out on the rising tide in our trusty ETsy (ExTerra's dinghy) in search of the ling cod that were hooked but not landed on yesterday's rising tide.
July 24 - No legal sized ling cod were to be found. Today we weigh anchor and head to Bottleneck Cove. No wait! What is this lugging down sound on the windlass? After much discussion, reading of the manual and consulting many online experts we decide it is time to take further apart our trusty yet ancient windlass. Hoping to not drop any gears overboard we gingerly work the cover and the shaft off. Next the bearing, safely stowing it in the empty potatoe salad container in case it falls apart. We take it into the galley.
Yesterday the galley was putting forth bacon and eggs. Today it has been converted to the ship's toolshed. Cleaning and soaking the bearing in diesel it becomes apparent that it is hopelessly seized up. Thankful for cell signal Pam goes online to find the part number and somewhere on the continent to order from. Hopefully the two new bearings will be waiting for us when we get back to Ucluelet. The very competent Wharfinger Kevin says he will hold onto them until we arrive.
July 25- today we do weigh anchor and realize why it is called "weigh anchor" after pulling up our all chain rode by hand. We take the chain off and put on our rope rode so we are ready when we do get to Bottleneck Cove. Two things! It is always good to have at least one and better, two backups for all you major systems and having such it is always good to think through and talk about these backups when you first put them to work. We navigate the narrow, shallow entrance to Bottleneck Cove. Pam releases the anchor and rode letting out more scope than we use with the chain. Carl "sets the hook" and we both evaluate this first time use of rope versus chain. Thankfully this Cove is beautifully protected from wind and swell.
July 26 A few times last night we awoke to the sound of much needed heavy rain. When I ventured outside this morning a new sound was in the anchorage. The overnight rains brought forth a small waterfall that was shedding the rain water from the hillsides. What a beautiful sound with the calm water backdrop. This evening we will have our first dungeness crab and hopefully fresh bread as once more the galley is a galley and I will be testing our oven for the first time.
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