BOATYARD BLUES EXTENDED.........................

Unlike previous times when we have managed to get in and out of a boatyard in five days, this haulout seems to have gone on forever......... The sanding, grinding, priming and painting was painful but slowly the hull began to look better. The "Queen" and I had booked into a motel for the week, Never did find out what the owner thought of that dirty couple who would arrive at sunset each day.............I'm guessing he has seen worse............. for an early breakfast we would go to the Post Office. The Post Office doubles as a Cuban restaurant where they served us with super-size eggs, Cuban bread and fried plantains and some really good coffee to face yet another day. Alongside us in the boatyard is the familiar "7" logo from Australian television channel 7, and sure enough the head of a fellow Aussie mate appeared. His name is Gus. He bought the yacht on ebay. Good on you, mate........



Managed to find a replacement propeller, have it machined to fit the key-way only to find 'Queen Laurie' holding the old propeller with the 'blues extended' look, and that expression that says "I WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE"........... Soon, baby, soon. Now pulling a fifty-year old shaft out is no easy task (and I'm talking about the propeller shaft here) Step one: cut it off in the bilge with an angle grinder, STEP 2: remove the new propeller, STEP 3: swing the rudder sideways and extract the shaft. and WOW look at the state of it................ totally worn through with old age. STEP 4: Find a new one, which we did, measuring a bare 2" (50mm) longer. Beautiful shiny stainless steel, the right size and only $400.00 Believe me, that is cheap in marine terms......... Thus within 24 hours we have a new prop shaft, a new prop, and an empty wallet, but we are still smiling if somewhat over-it-all,



The Cuban restaurant/ Post Office is beginning to treat us like family. Those are not windows above my head in the photo below, but reflective vehicle tags (number plates). A fine collection from all over the American continent, and the photo above on the right is of "DAVID", a superb gentleman, who dropped everything else, to help us with the prop shaft machining and got it all done in under four hours...................now that was real genuine service. The man is a perfectionist................ throughout these last few weeks we have been following "GLOBAL GLENN MILLER's" progress from the Canadian border in upper state NY down to Florida in his yacht "TREEHOUSE". 'Staying a mile ahead of the ice' as he calls it. Staying ahead is good. Saw this quaint church in Ft. Pierce with a couple of old cannons sticking out of the brickwork....... whatever it takes, I guess.............(Do a double click on this photo)



Down in the bilge again adjusting the new packing on the stern gland to keep the water out when the propeller shaft is turning. Take a close look at the licence tag (number plate) Laurie is holding. Now we bet there are not too many of those floating around without a chain and padlock on them...............



And finally after 1400 miles of single-handed, and single-minded ocean sailing, our friend and future 'buddy-boat' cruising companion arrived in Ft. Pierce, worn-out and very tired, but excited to be in Florida where the snow and ice can't get him anymore. A fine sailing feat. The photo below on the left was taken some four months ago when 'Global Glenn' was cruising on his yacht with his son Spencer, in the Bahamas. It is not really that difficult to work out why he named his 31 ft yacht "TREEHOUSE"................... so here on the right is Glenn, now fully rested and transformed, hobb-knobbing with high society, at a social function in the 'Moorings' at Vero Beach, Florida. Glenn will make it anywhere............ and that's the plan.



THE CLOSEST ANY OF US INTEND TO GET TO ICE, IN THE FUTURE, IS IN A DRINK, EVEN IF WINTER HAS ARRIVED AGAIN WITH A VENGEANCE.......... BRRRR........