Punch list for departing October 26

Visited Astraea this past week for a couple of days to see how she fared during my time away in Guatemala. She was ship shape and bristol fashion, no problems. Ah, she is a good old boat. I am always pleasantly surprised by the lack of smells or mildew or mold or other problems. That may change once we are in Mexico. HA! Wednesday was such a beautiful day in San Diego that I decided to take her out for a quick day sail in the Bay. She had been dockside since our arrival from San Francisco in June. I really do not like getting underway from our berth in Chula Vista, the southernmost part of San Diego, about as close as one can get to Mexico and not need a passport. In fact I can see Mexico from my kitchen window.... er, galley porthole. Anyway, the channel to the marina is long and narrow and winds through very shallow water. Also it runs right along the Navy berths at the Amphib base. Also, the marina slip where they put me is too small. I cannot even use my fenders when exiting or entering my slip it is so narrow. Also there is not enough room in the fairway to back out without several "backing and filling" maneuvers. Docking into the slip is a bit hairy too as there is no room at all for error. Just not worth the trouble to get underway. If I were not leaving for Mexico in October I would change marinas, or at least get a bigger berth.

Anyway, the day sail did not turn out to be much fun. We were about 45 minutes up the narrow channel when the engine suddenly died on me. My new engine with 180 hours on it. My $30,000 engine! At the time it died I was only about 100 feet from a barrier with a big sign saying US Navy Property Keep Clear. Of course the current was moving me TOWARD the barrier. I did not have time to try to restart the engine, so I rushed forward and dropped the anchor. Once I was certain that I was secure and would not drift down onto the Navy barrier then shifted the dual Racor filter over and the engine started right up without a problem. Still don't know why this happened, both of the fuel filters are totally clean, but it was a bit nerve racking at the time to lose power as I was so close to the restricted Navy area. I could just see some boat load of Navy SEALS coming out with their machine guns to board me and search the boat. Anyway, all's well that ends well and we were soon underway again.  However I decided that I had enough excitement for the day and headed back to the marina and had no problems.  Ran the engine almost an hour at the berth with the shaft engaged to try to reproduce the problem, but everything is perfect.  Must have been some air in the fuel line.  The Westerbekes are self bleeding, which is probably why the engine started up instantly after this "hiccup".  Mystery.

The next day I spent working on my list of things to do on the boat before leaving for Mexico. The list is so long it is a bit frustrating. I have classified tasks into Priority 1, things that must be done before Mexico; Priority 2, things to do in Mexico; Priorit 3, things to do IF I decide to cross the Pacific.

I stopped by the All Roads Satellite store in San Diego and got my new Iridium 9505A satellite phone, a remote satellite antenna for it, a data interface cable, and a new laptop just for satellite e-mail. I am also going to subscribe to a satellite weather information system that will send me digital weather maps and forecasts via the phone. Up to the minute weather maps, voice, and e-mail all via satellite. So totally kewl! This type of technology was unthinkable back when I was in the Navy. It all cost me a couple of thousand dollars, but it will give me a lot of piece of mind to know that I am in voice and e-mail touch with home and the rest of the world. The phone even has it's own "Extreme" water tight hard case that is International Orange and Floats. If I ever have to go into the life raft the phone will definitely be in my ditch bag.

New Iridium 9505A, new laptop for satellite communications, and satellite modem for the Iridium.  Also a portable Sony SSB receiver.  Kewl new stuff. 

I have also purchased a sweet little Sony SSB receiver. So many people LOVE their SSB systems and get their ham licenses and spend hours a day on the radio. That is not me. I did not even like talking on the radio when I was in the Navy. Don't like talking on my VHF. Therefore a SSB is not me. However this Sony will allow me to listen to the cruiser nets, weather forecasts, and with the Short Wave bands, to commercial short wave radio stations.

I have ordered new LED lights for the inside of the boat. I had replaced all of the old light fixtures with LED a couple of years ago, but they turned out to be total crap. The company that made them went out of business. There is a new vendor, called LunaSea, that makes a really awesome LED fixture. I bought two and installed them as a test. They are super, bright, wonderful! I have ordered another four to replace the remainder of the cabin lights.

Also ordered mosquito netting and velcro to make mosquito nets for the deck hatches.

So many things to do and so little time left to do it! Yikes! Also the budget is getting a bit stretched so some things I would like to have are just not going to be purchased right now.

Back in Palm Springs for a new days. When the netting and new fixtures come in will go back to San Diego to install the lights and make the mosquito nets.