Moving Boats

It has been a few days since I posted last, so I have a bit of catching up to do.

I am still in Ft Lauderdale, the trip over to Bimini has been postponed for a bit, and I am still waiting on word from Frank that the legal stuff that has brought work on his boat to a halt is over and I can start working on it. I would love to make a bit of money and fatten up my account a bit, but I am to the point that I am starting to get restless and the thought of moving on is gaining ground.

On Sunday I was over at the boat yard for a good part of the day helping Sven, and working on the outboard. Around noon my favorite Ft Lauderdale Marine Patrol cop came by, and I knew the jig was up, I had to move again. As before he was understanding, but a neighbor had complained, I was tied up behind a foreclosed house, yes the neighbors suggested it, but no, I couldn't stay. I was given until "the end of the day" to move, and so I started to access my options. I was about to call it quits and head back out to the ICW, unless Sven or Frank came through and I started to get paid, but barring that I figured I was going to have to head on and resume my trip.

I returned to Arden, and started to prepare to leave, when I was hailed from across the canal by Tom and Brooke, a really nice retired couple that have a house directly across the canal from where I was illegally tied up. Tom had commented on Arden before, like most folks that see her he loved her lines, and he has a great looking boat that is in the restoration process, that is a year or two newer than Arden and built in Tiawan as well. He had seen the cops come by, and suggested that I move across the canal to his bulkhead. I paddled over, we talked for a bit, I was plied with wine and we shared stories, and I met his wife Brooke and their tenant Sterling. Sterling is a Kiwi, and believe it or not, a sailmaker at North Sails. As the afternoon wore on, I asked Sterling if he might be able to put in a reef point in Arden's mainsail, and what he thought of reef points on a working jib. I had to laugh when his response was one of my pet phrases - "no worries mate", and he said he could not only do it, but get it done rather quickly. An hour or two after paddling over, I rowed back to Arden with a line from Tom's rope locker, and then rowed over a line from mine. In just a few minutes we had pulled Arden across the canal, and had her tied up to Tom's bulkhead. Didn't even fire up the engine, we did it all by lines from shore. No worries indeed. (I saw my favorite cop yesterday patroling the water, and I asked him if he had seen where I had moved to, he had, and he was cool with were I am now)

I spent the evening with Tom and crew, I was fed ;lots of wine and chinese food, and we had a terrific evening. Monday morning I was up early, did a bit of cleaning, and then set off with Spook for Sven's boat. I rowed away from Arden quietly as not to disturb my new hosts, and when I was safely out of earshot, cranked up the engine and we were off for the marina.

Monday was a busy day, Sven needed to shift his boat to another slip at the boatyard, and Frank wanted to do the same. So again I was moving boats. We warped Svens boat over to an adjacent dock, he was in the dinghy pulling the stern around, and I was on shore handling lines and making sure she swung easily and hit nothing. It all went well, and we had JuCa tied up in her new berth in no time at all. Then it was time to get Frank's boat moved. Not so easy. Frank was moving across the boatyard and out to a dock on the river, a move of about 100 yards, with no working engine. Sven and I ran the show, again I was hadling lines, and Sven would pull with his dinghy. (Sven has a RIB with a 15 horse engine, quite a powerful combo, but against the wind and the tide it proved to be right at its limits) I ran lines from Franks boat over to the new dock with my dinghy, and then Gabi and I kept the boat under control and centered in the channel with lines as Sven towed her out. It took a lot more work and effort to get Frank moved, but with all of us working together we got Frank moved and tied up shortly. I am sure to anyone watching it was quite a spectacle.

After an afternoon of cleaning dinghies and doing some fiberglass work, Gabi and I set out for the laundromat, and over to Walmart for groceries. Getting normal errands like these done can be a huge logistics issue when you are aboard a boat. Most marinas have a laundry of some sort, but this is a boat yard, so they have no washer or dryer, and we have to use the laundromat. Thankfully Frank and Sabina let Sven and Gabi use their rental car, so we were out and about, getting clothes cleaned and then doing shopping. I replenished my stores, mostly canned and dry goods, but I did break down and get some Mike and Ike's, my one candy weakness. I also got enough oil for the next oil change, and a bunch of cleaning supplies. Back to the laundromat, and as the clothes dried I took the kids to McDonalds (I was craving a burger) and treated Julia and Carlos to a happy meal.

By now it was getting dark, and when we were finished with the errands it was pushing 7pm. I bid everyone goodnight, Frank and Sabina were at Sven's boat having drinks and snacks when we got back, and I motored back to Arden with a dinghy full of supplies. There are times when I wish my dinghy was newer and smaller, it is an older 10 foot Avon, but when I am hauling a bunch of stuff like I was last night I do appreciate the size.

Today is a day for cleaning and maybe a bit of painting, and more organizing getting ready for the return trip up north. I have tossed out alot of things that I have not used so far on the trip, and am trying to lighten the load Arden is carrying. I heard from Roger Wells yesterday and David Schaake, friends I had made in Fernandina and St Augustine, Roger is heading north again, and David and Peg are moored at the entrance of the New River here in Ft Lauderdale. If I can, I am going to try and get down that way and see them before they head out. Until there is more news, I am here in Ft Lauderdale, working on Arden and getting prepared to sail back home, where ever home will be this time.