Saturday, December 31, 2011

Recommissioning the Cornucopia

Here we are on the last day of 2011, only 2 years behind our launch schedule. That's what happens when you retire. You think time has slowed down, but what's happen is you have slowed down and time is zooming by you.

The Cornucopia is on stands beside the house. That's really convenient for working. That is when the weather is good. The past summer was so hot we only went out to jump in the pool. Working on the boat was not possible from June through September. When the weather got cooler we got geared up to finish all projects.

*Complete new engine installation including mechanical and electrical components.
*Paint hull and decks
*Repair rudder (yet again. Jim's welds held but other areas rusted through)
*Bottom paint
*Recover berth mattresses
*replace curtains and remove old tracks
*Install wooden curtain rods in galley/salon
*Modify bench seats in galley/salon
*Fabricate/install new table
*Repair and paint cockpit
*Replace helm and nave seats with car seats.
*Replace canvas enclosure for the cockpit.

I'll stop for now. Bob needs help. He's working on the galley bench seats

Entries from "Voyages of the Cornucopia"

UNDAY, MAY 11, 2008

Bridgeport to Savannah Calendar

Wednesday, July 11, 2007 Bridgeport, CT to Huntington, NY.
Thursday, July 12 Huntington, NY
Saturday, July 14, Gravesend Bay (Coney Island) to Barnegat Inlet, NY
Monday, July 16 to Longport, Ocean City, New Jersey
Tuesday, July 17 Ocean City, New Jersey to Cape May
Wednesday, July 18 Cape May, New Jersey to Ocean City Maryland (Assoteague)
Thursday, July 19 White Marlin Marina, Ocean City Maryland
Friday, July 20 White Marlin Marina
Saturday, July 21 White Marlin Marina back to anchor off of Assoteague Island
Sunday and Monday July 22-23 Still at Ocean City because of small craft warning
Tuesday July 24 Ocean City to Wachapreague
Wednesday July 25 Wachapreague to Hospital Point, Norfolk, VA
Thursday July 26 Norfolk to Visitors' Center Dismal Swamp
Friday July 27 Visitors' center to Elizabeth City, N.C.
Saturday, July 28 Elizabeth City town dock
Sunday July 29, Elizabeth City to Bellhaven
Monday July30, Bellhaven to Adam's Creek
Tuesday, July 31, Adam's Creek to Dudley's Marina, Swansboro
Wednesday, August 1, Dudley's Marina
Thursday, August 2, Swansboro to Cape Fear River, Wilmington, NC
Friday, August 3, Capre Fear River to Swingn Bridge Barefoot Marina, Myrtle Beach, S.C
Saturday, August 4, Barfefoot Marina. to Wachesaw Landing
Sunday, August 5. Wachesaw to Charleston Swing Bridge
Monday, August 6, Sawyer Swing Bridge to Hutchison Island cut
Tuesday, August 7 Hutchinson Island to Downtown Marina, Beaufort, SC
Wednesday, August 8, Beaufort SC to St Augustine Creek, Savannah, GA
Thursday, August 9, St Augustine Creek to Hoover Creek to Coffee Bluff Marina

.



SUNDAY, APRIL 06, 2008

We Haven't Sailed Over the Edge of the Earth

I cannot believe that it has been almost 9 month since my last post. I will catch everyone up on our voyage from Bridgeport to Savannah in the next few postings. Since Spring break is next week, I hope to have at least my log of our trip along the Atlantic Coast throgh th inter Coastal Waterway, and finally our arrival at Savannah, Georgia on August 9, 2007.

Bob has created graphics using Google Earth and MS Paint to create a visual log of the adventure. I will post them along with written record.

TUESDAY, JULY 10, 2007

This is a hurried entry. It's July 10 and finally we are in the water and ready to leave. We have an appointment for the Yellow Mill Channel Bridge to open tomorrow afternoon at 3:30. Right this minute Bob and I are finishing the last couple of emails while clothes are drying. The condo is immaculate (ok..so there are a few dust bunnies nestled under the bed. Who will ever notice?!) We have cleaned the stove, the frig, and everything else that we could. Our friend and real estate agent, Joy has already placed ads in the paper. In just a few minutes we will bid farewell to our home in CT to spend the next 3-4 weeks traveling South to Savannah. The winter and spring have been filled with work and worry. Mostly work for Bob and worry for me. He commented earlier that I seemed to have calmed down in the past day or so. This is so because all the loose ends are finally finished and we are actually about to do what we have been planning for over a year. Wow!

I'll continue writing and catching up the events involved in launching and getting the bugs out of Cornucopia's systems. Quite a story that is!!

TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2007

Bottom Problems






May 14
The crew came to clean the bottom of the boat. Wow! What they found wasn't pretty as the pictures show.

Buying an old boat is like buying an old house. There are problems that go undetected until work begins on one specific problem. Then more problems appear below the surface. The good news is that every problem has a solution. With boats the solution comes in two parts, like epoxy. These are money and work. Varying ratios are possible. If plenty of money is available, hire someone else to do it. However that solution sometimes creates another problem. The job doesn’t get done as fast or as thoroughly as one would like.

Here is a photo of bottom of the boat. It looks as though it caught some dreadful disease, like terminal small pox of the hull. This is the result of 7 layers of bottom paint left to soak up water year after year. Why did that happen? Why do people go for the quick fix instead of taking measures to assure that the job is done completely and thoroughly in “Bristol fashion?” I have my theories.

First of all most folks don’t consider their boat as their home. Oh, they may consider it home like a tent is a home for a weekend or a few weeks, but they really don’t think of it in as habitation for the long term. So repairs are thought of in the same way – as temporary- just good enough to get through the season.

Others use their boat as party platform tied to a floating dock. The boat is status symbol and a babe magnet. Here’s the way the conversation goes. Imagine Groucho Marx saying this, “Yes, I have a yacht. Want to come over and play with my binnacle?”

Not thinking of the boat as a long-term residence and using it only for entertaining not boating are the two primary reasons. Another may be ignorance. They simply don’t know what to do or how to do it. I can plead this as my reason. However I am smart enough to follow the advice of the boat surveyor. Let the boat dry out and redo the bottom. Well, it was way worse than he indicated or we expected. Now we are about $1500 and several hundred man-hours into the project that never should have had to be done. If the boat had been maintained as it should, with old bottom paint removed, minor repairs addressed, and new bottom paint applied, then none of this would be necessary. All this is happening with our departure date of June 22, closing in on us. My anxiety level is increasing and Bob keeps reminding me that it’s only one day at a time. Keep everything in perspective. The trouble is I have too many things that need doing in each day. Each has a A++ priority.

Cornucopia has had a number of owners and modifications. We expected issues. Maybe we should have bought a newer boat. We bought what we could afford, knowing that issues had to be addressed. Still there are no inherent design problems—nothing that can't be fixed. There are many boats out there that were made by an inferior design or with inferior materials. Nothing can really remedy those problems.

Cornucopia will be in tiptop shape before she heads for the Caribbean. It’s just a matter of taking care of her like a home instead of a entertainment venue.

THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2007

Spring Plans, Problems, and Preparations

Now May is here! Finally the New England winter has loosed her hold and spring has arrived. Today is May 10, and this is the first day I have left home without a jacket. Maybe the down parka can stay in the closet…Forever!! New England does winter in a big way. South Georgia does summer.
But let me back up a bit. In March 2007, I went to Savannah to attend a teachers’ job fair and signed a contract to teach French and English at Groves High School, Garden City, GA. This followed our scenario for me completing my years of service in Georgia. It meant my dream of living in the marshes described by Sidney Lanier was one step closer to reality.
But where to dock Cornucopia our home? I talked to several marinas and discovered that it would be as cheap to buy a condo as to pay the marina fees! Bob and I sort of let life evolve around us. We plot a course, then alter it as the conditions dictate. We had planned on living on the boat when we went to Savannah. He would still be willing to go with that plan. I, on the other hand, don’t like the notion of rowing to shore every morning to get to work, not to mention living outside the law.
There is the small detail of Georgia law not allowing living aboard. This all evolved from a group of true boat bums who inhabited rafts on the Atlamahaand dumped raw sewage into the river, creating a deplorable health situation. Instead of addressing the problem with health/sewage regulations,legislators passed a law that no one could live on board a boat for more than 28 consecutive days. I know some folks are getting around that by living on board for 4 weeks then spending 2 days in a local motel, thus abiding by the letter of the law if not the spirit.
So one thing led to another, and as I walked through the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on my way to catch my return flight, I was still wondering how we were going to abide by the law and have a place to live. While these thoughts were running through my head, I happened to pick up one of those free “real estate for sale” magazines.
Life is the stuff of Thomas Hardy novels. It turns on such small events as a magazine snatched in haste on the concourse of an airport. There it was . . . the solution to our problem . . . Hoover Creek Plantation. A condominium with a dock. AND at a price that wouldn’t make a Vanderbilt swoon.
http://hoovercreekcondos.com/
As soon as I got back to Bridgeport, I called my friend Joy a real estate agent and asked her to inquire into these condos. She did. Within the week we sent earnest money for a two-bedroom unit sight unseen. I knew that I would be going down again in April for spring break and my grandson Alex’s first communion. I could make a big loop from Chattanooga to Savannahand back to Atlanta to make sure the condo was what it said.
It was as advertised . So on April 19, it was a done deal. Closing will be August 29. I took the video camera with me, so Bob got a virtual tour of the condo complex, the dock, Hoover Creek --our southern home, Cornucopia's southern home. After seeing the video, he was in total agreement with the plan although I suspect he will spend as much time on the boat as he does on the land, keeping everything ship shape. With the mild Georgia winters we will have more time to sail the Golden Isles and environs.
Now with spring we have discovered that not only has Cornucopia been laid up and inactive, so have we. Although we have spent many weekends gathering supplies for repairs, we really haven’t done anything physical. For the last two weekends, we have driven to Boston to get back our sea legs and hone our sailing skills on Bogie before taking off on our 800 nautical mile voyage down the Eastern seaboard.
I am here to bear witness that a body goes to seed over the course of a winter spent quilting, reading, and watching videos. Just carrying the dingy down to the water left me wheezing and panting. Crawling aboard Bogie was an act more of desperation not to end up in the cold north Atlantic than a graceful transfer from one vessel to another. Bob amazes me. He is still lithe and agile even with all the winter’s inactivity. I just know I’ve got to get the muscles back in shape or I’m going to be miserable for the first week of our 2007 adventure.
Friday, April 27 we drove to Winthrop and spent a restful night on the mooring.
Saturday, April 28 we put up the working jib—much easier than putting up the Genoa or the main Then we tuned the fore and aft stays. Finally we started the 4hp Merc, and eased away from the mooring ball and out pastLogan airport into the outer part of Boston Harbor. We put up the new working jib. Bob fiddled with the furling mechanism, finally getting it situated and working smoothly, Then we cut the motor and let the wind catch the sail and push us along. 10 kmh was just enough wind to give us a good push and allow me to practice coordinating tiller and sail to change tacks.For the first time I really felt a coordinated effort and not a struggle to get everything going at once.
I so love sailing without the motor, the only sounds the wind in the sail and the water along down the sides of the boat. This surely is the best place in the world to be, on the tiller of a sailboat on a smooth sea under boundless blue sky. But all things must end. We tired and so did the wind. We made our way back to Winthrop and spent another restful night aboard, both of us tired out by our efforts.
Sunday was damp and we had errands to run, so we stowed the sail and went about business on land.
Last week Bob worked on the boat, taking the bolt off the rudder to tighten it up and working out the wiring diagram of the electrical system. Thank goodness he had taken out the batteries for the winter, or he might never have noticed that the bank of house batteries was wired incorrectly producing a reversed flow of current. He drew out a schematic and discovered the error. Then he rearranged the system so it worked correctly. He also made contact with someone to strip the bottom paint off the boat to begin the process of reconditioning the hull and applying new bottom paint. The soda blasting will save him hours of labor and clean all the crevices of the metal. Bob also enlisted the aid of a welder who will rebuild the rudder. After that is done, Bob will cover the rudder with fiberglass which shouldbring her up to Bristol standards. He also had the propeller repaired. It came back from the shop as clean as a whistle. The bronze gleamed without a blemish! It was so beautiful I was tempted to have it mounted on the wall. Bob said that was a fine idea if we had another one to replace it. Was I willing to spend around $600? Oh, well, it was only a momentary whim.
Friday, May 4 we again went to Boston. Unfortunately the weather was not in our favor. Saturday the winds were too strong to venture off the mooring ball. Sunday was filled with errands. Monday I had an afternoon doctor’s appointment and had taken a day off from school, giving us some time to buy mooring permits and other essential errands before returning to Bridgeport. That weekend we did get the mainsail up, and I was a little more graceful entering and exiting the dingy. I could tell that my muscles and coordination were somewhat improved. However, I am not up to Bristolstandards.
This coming weekend looks like we will be here in Bridgeport. Friday’s weather forecast calls for rain. Saturday is a hair appointment for me, and I really feel I have a lot to do here because I’ve been away so many weekends. The dust bunnies are ankle deep and threatening to take over the bedroom. I need to purge my bookshelves in preparation for the move. Also there are the quilt and pillows for Cornucopia to finish, not to mention canning meat for our voyage.
Whew! There’s a lot to do and we sail as soon after June 21 as we can. I’ll just take it one day at a time.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 09, 2006

Bridgeport to Winthrop Fall Transport

So Thanksgiving thoughts turned into reality, just a little later than we expected. The photos below show our transit from Bridgeport, CT, to Winthrop, MA. The photo to the left shows Faulkner Island light as viewed from the deck of Bogie anchored in Joshua Cove.

Bob created the overlays of our trip on satellite photos from Geology.com. Following is his account of our experience. 


We're back...

The Coronado-25 is now secured to it's peaceful mooring at Winthrop Harbor.

We couldn't remove our hats or coats during this trip. However there were two afternoons we took off our gloves.

I have a few words for NOAA Weather Radio (but they most likely heard them before) and are still hearing them. 

I don't really give a dam what the temperature might happen to be on"Mount Washington" New Hampshire, while we're pushing through Long Island Sound, with 2 to 3 foot waves, with up-lifting tidal rips, while making the inside run of Long Island Shoal.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

We left at low water to get under the I-95 and Stratford Street Bridges. 

This means one will face the flood tide coming out of the harbor and heading eastward. 

Our sail plan had been Bridgeport to South Lyme (to a known and well protected anchorage) which we had found during a previous trip, but we never reached this destination. 

We left Bridgeport Harbor at 8:15 AM heading east past the Stratford Light. 

The seas were running 2 to 3 feet with occasional 4 foot waves, with chilly southeast winds at 8 knots. 

By 3:00 PM (and sunset due at 4:23 PM) We decided to anchor off the rocky ledges located along the east shore of Joshua Cove. 

Sunday, November 26 2006
At daybreak we pulled anchor and headed east at 06:45 AM.
We encountered our first recreational boat a (Canadian "Cat") heading west and could only imagine, what these folks might have encountered during the gale force wind conditions of the previous three days. We exchanged an "on the seas wave" while each continued on their intended courses.
We had a couple of hours of ebb to enjoy. The set along this coast (east of New Haven and over to Old Saybrook) runs northeasterly with several tidal rips, as the waters lift over the 12-mile length of Long Island Shoal.
We not only made up the lost 25 miles of the previous day (our intended run over to South Lyme) but managed to continue east, all the way to Point Judith, Rhode Island.
The high water for Montauk Point was predicted for 12:40 PM, this meant reaching New London and entering into Fisher Island Sound, we would catch the draw through the sound, plus the entire length of the Rhode Island coast from Watch Hill to Point Judith.
The only other consideration on this run was an early sunset. We reached Latimer Light in the middle of Fisher Island Sound at 1445 hrs (two hours after flood) and encountered no rip on the exit, while passing the Watch Hill Light.
The Rhode Island shore was a roll with 3 to 4 foot swells pushing hard on the rear starboard. These remaining 18 miles would require another 4 1/2 hours, with a planned 4 knot speed. But to our surprise we reached Point Judith at 1740 with steep swell and overcast skies, driving us hard, toward those small twinkling lights mounted on the west breakwater entrance, here in but 3 hours time! The total run for this day was 60 nautical miles.
Monday, November 27, 2006
We had a secure anchor at Point Judith Harbor of Refuge (without the need to go further north through the land cut and into the pond) If you draw an imaginary line from the east breakwater entrance to the west, anchor behind that line.
Be WARNED not to anchor to far south inside the V-section of the breakwater between these two entrances, whereas the bottom is shoal and a hard northwest wind will drive a boat into the breakwater. There are reports several boats have been driven ashore inside the breakwater and totally wrecked.
Up at sunrise once again, we discovered the temperature was 58o F degrees (Imagine this heat wave in November)
The sail plan was to head east across Rhode Island Sound for 25 nautical miles (staying far south of Newport) enter into Buzzard's Bay and hope to make the west entrance of Cape Cod Canal by nightfall. (4:26 PM)
The Sun pops up on the far southeast horizon. At seven thirty in the morning it's only 5o degrees above the horizon and reaches but 27o degrees. Regardless of the extreme southern declination, the bright morning rays were welcomed.
The marine forecast for Rhode Island Sound did not match NOAA Weather Radio they had predicted worse conditions with wind gusts to 25 knots. We only had 2 to 3 foot sea swells rolling every 18 seconds (the kind that puts you to sleep) The wind was light and this was the best crossing we have ever made through this area, which is usually rolling with 4 to 6 or 6 to 8 foot waves.
After 4 hours our luck ran out. The unusually warm temperature created heavy fog over the water. The thick inversion closed fast from the east, just as we had reached the southern most end of Buzzard Bay. We figured the wind would blow this fog seaward? (Least this is what all those famous poets write) whenever they refer to fog and New England.
Within the next 15 minutes we had no visibility. We opted to drop 30 points off the compass steer toward the land. Around eleven O'clock a bright Red #2 nun popped up on the port side (what harbor this particular mark belong to was unknown) behind the nun was a pile of rocks (awash) and just past the rocks suddenly appeared a field of empty mooring balls.
One hour later we could see the nearby shore (which was only a stone toss away from our location) taking note of a round-house building on it's southern end we immediately identified our location to be Mishaum Point.
At 2 PM the local visibility improved to 1000 yards or better and we decided to round the point. NOAA was forecasting south winds at 10 to 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots by midnight. Therefore we opted for eastern side of the point.
One mile around Mishaum Point we encountered a spindle and another Red nun and carefully followed these marks (perplexed by fog) and a "zig, zag and zig" array of marks" Later we discovered each buoy and nun had also marked submerged obstructions within this passage. The marks eventually led to Clarks Cove on the west and New Bedford Harbor on the east. Yet we could see neither until we actually arrived there.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
We had anchored off a marine school complex located on the east shore of Clark's Cove. My evening shore walk confirmed we had reached South Dartmouth.
The morning winds rattled the fixed rigging, dropped temperatures, and pressed the entire sky into shades of gray and black overcast. However the local visibility somehow improved to one mile.
Just after breakfast we rounded Clark Point and made way via the new Hurricane Barrier into New Bedford Harbor (opposite side of Clarks Cove) and found only the noise of commercial vessels and fishing boats. The marinas with their many floats where occupied by seagulls cracking open their morning catch of clams and crabs.
We tied up at the Old New Bedford Marina (off the east end of the Route 6 bridge) and made inquires as to where some gasoline could be purchased. According to the local dockmaster they don't store any gas or diesel fuels and never had any fuels for nearly 30 years. He recommended the Crystal Gas Station being a short walk over the Route 6 Bridge toward the west.
Believe it or not the gas station was open for business, but they had no gasoline, (that's right) they have a "hit and miss" delivery operation for their gasoline supplies least for this particular station. Two other stations where mentioned but both are situated three or more miles from this current location.
Finally Co-Op gas on the west shore (just opposite our side of the bridge) had gasoline and we motored over to their dock and filled the tanks. With the skies still overcast we motored back to the empty public pier (permit by seasonal basis) and tied up inside one of the many empty slips. Two police boats and one fire and rescue boat where docked here all the rest empty.
Homeland and Security?
Homeland and Security... never at any time during this entire trip did we see any police; security boats; Coast Guard boats; or any persons who might challenge our arrivals or departures. The police boats mentioned were tied to empty floats. These boats had been there before we arrived and they remained when we left the next day. Does bad weather put off security enforcement measures?
Who could or would have stopped me or anyone who might be coming into the New Bedford Harbor? I am not trying to undermine our so called secure ports (on the contrary) telling you our ports are not secure, while at the same time Homeland Security wants you to believe they're totally secure.
Now after purchasing our train tickets at South Station in Boston (for our return to Bridgeport) four armed security guards where standing at the head of the boarding track, checking to see if we had "valid tickets" before we could walk down the platform and board the train. These tickets where purchased right there at their own machines. (I would hope there valid wouldn't you?)
Wednesday, November 29 2006
With a high pressure system bearing down our stern carrying cold temperatures and high winds, we headed out at daybreak from New Bedford Harbor.
It was still overcast with fog but the land features could be seen and we followed the coast. Once we reached the Cleveland Ledge Light (located just prior to the west entrance of the Cape Cod Canal) the sun broke out and local visibility returned.
We continued through the canal, reached the east side and then headed north.
When the big powerplant off the east entrance faded away (so did the land features) and our next fix occurred at 2:15 PM. when the Plymouth Lighthouse was spotted through over laid mist and fog hanging about these shores.
We opted to push north for Boston against the flood. The predicted high water for Green Harbor (next port ) was to occur at 6PM. We still had eight hours of travel ahead and at some point we would engage the ebb while making our way north for Boston Harbor.
We reached the R&W Whistle off Stituate Harbor at 5:30 PM, the shores where once again visible, but this time with dots of street and house lights. The swells remained on the rear starboard, with light winds from the south and southeast as we continued on a course of 330o (to ensure) we would stay seaward of the many hazards along these two southshore harbors.
Soon we reached the Minot Light, rounded Cohasset and all it's hazards and headed straight for what we figured was the Boston Light. However it was the Graves Light (the latter situated 2 1/2 miles) north of the Boston Light.
The distance to Boston and Winthrop Harbor is roughly the same, regardless if you come in via "Nantasket Roads" along Hull or use Boston's South & North Channels, the latter which run perpendicular to one another.
We reached Winthrop Harbor at 9PM and secured to our mooring at the basin.
SUMMARY:
Transports are no fun.
It is more a push than a true sailing adventure. Once again like our early Spring transport, we only saw but three recreational boats during this entire trip. The last was a fine looking ketch, heading southbound for the east entrance of the Cape Cod Canal.










THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2006

Thanksgiving Day

We had planned to give thanks aboard our 25 foot Coronado sloop "Bogie" as we sailed her to our mooring in Winthrop Yacht Basin. That was more of a wish than a plan since the NOAA weather maps show high winds and low temperatures all along the Eastern seaboard. But Bogie still lies idle in her berth between two aging powerboats. She is like an old maid at a ball, all dressed up and waiting for someone to lead her out onto the floor.

I am so glad to see Bogie with the new gel coat and mast and rigging in place. She's for sale. We don't need two boats to divide our attention. Still, I will be sad to see her go. There's much history there. We sailed her from Boston to Maine in the summer of 2005. In April of 2006 we brought her down from Boston to Bridgeport. She's performed well and for a boat her age is in good repair.

Looking at these two old boats, Cornucopia and Bogie, I consider their histories. Bob passed through many difficult times with Bogie and his cat Babe the only constants in his life. Cornucopia is a testimony to our commitment to the live-aboard lifestyle. She is hopes and wishes made manifest. Not just our hopes, but the aspirations of previous owners also. I wonder who they were. Who brought her across the Atlantic? How did she fare in the warm waters of South Carolina. How did she end up donated to a church? What accident bent the binacle?

Bogie has answers more than questions. Whoever owned her was a careful person. There are staineless steel safety lines along the deck. She sat a long time on the hard waiting for Bob to buy her.

Boats have personalities and quirks, just like people. Cornucopia is roomy and comfortable, but isn't an easy boat to steer, hating to head into the wind. We haven't really sailed her because we spent most of the summer negotiating the Hudson, the Champlain Locks, and Lake Champlain. Then when we did get her back to Bridgeport, there were the issues of the leaking drive shaft. That made us hesitant to take her out until the repair was done. It's still not done, but she's on the hard now, waiting for that repair among others.

Impatient for spring and summer is how I feel now. Impatient to cast off the dock lines and head south. I take a deep breath and consider all that will go into preparing for that voyage and know the winter will be well spent.

November at Ryan's Marine Services

This is the view of Bridgeport Harbor from Ryan's marine services. The photo was taken around 3:30 PM EST. We are so far north and east that the winter months have short day light. The swan family still glides past the boat yard in search of food and shelter. The juveniles are as big as the adults now, although their coloring is different.







Here is Cornucopia on the hard view from the Bow. Bob placed the blue plastic tarp over the pilot house to protect the canvas and prevent leaking from the holes where he removed the windshield wipers -- another repair/replace item on the list.














Joe Ryan's aging crane stands waiting for the next boat to be hauled. I just couldn't believe it could lift the 6,500 lb Finnsailor out of the water. 















Cornucopia on the hard, viewed from the stern. The swim ladder hangs from the lifeline because it's a great place to put it to keep it out of the way when not in use. Come to think of it, we have never used it since she already has a built in ladder on the stern.







Bridgeport Harbor as view from beneath Cornucopia's stern while she rests on the stands in the boat storage area. Bridgeport is just beginning a harbor renovation which will include revitalizing the entire area into a recreational boating haven.









Bob considers the million items on his repair/replace list. I have the fun job. I get to make pictures.