HURRICANE JOAQUIN

BLOG UPDATE 10/2/15 10:46 PM

On board and waiting for the winds to stop. Thankful that Joaquin looks like it will be heading out to sea and not hitting this area.  The current Gale warnings are exciting enough. Clocked a 30 knot gust on the mooring today. Winds have been relentless since yesterday afternoon:

"..STRONG WINDS AND ROUGH SEAS INTO THIS WEEKEND...

ANZ335-031000-
/O.CON.KOKX.GL.W.0022.000000T0000Z-151004T2200Z/
LONG ISLAND SOUND WEST OF NEW HAVEN CT/PORT JEFFERSON NY-
339 PM EDT FRI OCT 2 2015

...GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT SUNDAY...

* WINDS AND WAVES...NORTHEAST 15 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 KT.
  WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A GALE WARNING MEANS SUSTAINED WINDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OF 34 TO
47 KT ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. OPERATING A VESSEL IN GALE
CONDITIONS REQUIRES EXPERIENCE AND PROPERLY EQUIPPED VESSELS. IT
IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT MARINERS WITHOUT THE PROPER EXPERIENCE
SEEK SAFE HARBOR PRIOR TO THE ONSET OF GALE CONDITIONS."

BLOG UPDATE 10/1/15 12:14PM

Just got this email from the Town:

"Dear Mooring Holder,

The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rains, high winds and coastal flooding over the next several days, with the possibility of Tropical Storm Joaquin making landfall in the area early next week.

 Because of this, we strongly recommend that all boat owners take necessary precautions to secure their vessels or remove them from the harbor in advance of this severe weather."

This is not shaping up to be fun weekend on the waters here on the Isle of Long. Hurricane Joaquin may be making it's way up the coast. But, before it even may even arrive we will have gale conditions on Friday into Saturday and coastal flood warnings are already in effect.  Time to prepare and hope BIANKA's luck holds out through another storm.

BLOG UPDATE 10/1/15 : 

I went down to the boatyard to see went to the boat yard to see what the scuttlebutt was about the weather and Hurricane Joaquin. Though the persistent northeasterly winds have kept piling up the water in Long Island Sound. So much so that coastal flooding is already occurring. I had to make a detour to reach my destination because of the flooding. This even before Hurricane Joaquin influences the area.

FROM THE USE WHAT YOU GOT FILE: Plotting tools

I've been catching up on some projects I've been wanting to do as the sailing season heads to an end. Some of which involve using my fairly new Sailrite LSZ-1 Sewing Machine. I bought a bunch of stuff on board to use and help with the planned projects. Things like tape measures, fabrics, snap hardware and the like. But, I found that I did not bring a straight edge ruler. So making straight hem lines has been a little awkward. The simple straight edge really comes in handy when extending and measuring lines too. So I looked around the boat and found my Weems & Plath Marine Navigation Plotting Tools are coming in very handy when measuring and drawing on various fabric pieces. Seems the same tools used for  drawing straight lines on a chart also help do the same on Sunbrella fabric. So I really don't need the straight edge rulers at all.

HEADING FOR THE FALL

It's the last few days of summer though today it seems like fall has arrived a few days early. For the first time this season I covered my self with the goose down comforter in my bunk last night. This morning I put on my wool watch cap while having my morning coffee in the cockpit another first. The cool northwest wind is just another reminder that the sailing season here in the northeast is coming to an end soon. I also noticed that I have not seen an Osprey working the harbor in over a week. The sunsets are noticeably earlier too.  I'm just trying to figure where did the summer go? The good thing is I am getting a little more productive working on some of the projects that I thought I would have had finished by now. Why does it take until the end of the season to get things started? Perhaps because I spent most of the summer just enjoying being on BIANKA and that is not such a bad thing.

HACKING THE ELECTRIC PADDLE BATTERY PACK

I've been using the Electric Paddle outboard on my Porta Boat dingy for two seasons now. I use it much more than the 35 pound Honda BP2 Four Stroke outboard it replaced. It's light weighing only eight pounds for the motor and eight pounds for the battery pack.  It's well designed and made in the U.S. The company also has great customer service and follow up with customers. As I said the design is well thought out but I thought the battery pack could be modified to make it even easier for me when I use it in my dingy. So I...

SEASON OF THE SWITCH

It's Labor Day here in the United States and the last day of a three day holiday weekend for many. It also can signify the end of the summer season for them. As of tomorrow vacations are over, the kids go back to school etc... Though according to the calendar here in this hemisphere summer does not end until around September 21st. But, there are many other ways to view the end of summer. Personally, I have a few hints that I use. One is when I no longer see an Osprey flying around the harbor searching for fish to eat. Once I notice that I know the summer season has come to an end. Another is when Nor'easters start making their way up the coast. I know then it's time to pull the boat and call it an end to this years sailing.
I'll be on the boat this Labor Day but, I won't leave the mooring. I'll let those who are cherishing this day as the last of their summer just enjoy the waters. I won't add to the congestion. I'll watch them come and go knowing that starting tomorrow there will be fewer and fewer boats out on the water. Anchorages will be empty and I'll enjoy them as my summer on board BIANKA will continue. Yes, tomorrow the waters will be less crowded as if someone has thrown a switch.

PONDERING ABOUT WATER ON A HOT LAZY SUMMER MORNING

Just after returning back to the BIANKA's homeport mooring after a two week cruise I ran out of water. Both tanks were dry and my  Brita Water Dispenser had just a little bit left. I knew I would have to refill at least one of the water tanks. I had enough drinking water to at least make a cup of coffee and took it to the cockpit.  I was feeling lazy and the thought of having to dig out the fenders and lines rig them up and head for the dock seemed like to much work this hot summer morning. Not to mention the stress of docking single handed with wile harbor currents playing games with the keel. Checking the scene at the face dock the idea was moot anyway since a sport fisherman had already tied up in the spot I needed. The town dock at the other end of the harbor was another possibility. They had a twenty minute rule which would be enough to fill the water tanks but, it was the weekend and there was no telling how many boats were lined up waiting to use it. As I took another sip of coffee I had an AHA! thought...