We returned to Salinas, PR a week ago from a wonderful 6 weeks in the good olde U. S. of A., central Florida to be exact, where we celebrated Linda’s Mom’s 86th B-day and Turkey Day with family and friends. By the way, car rentals are best for a month as the last two weeks are almost the same price as the month: stay one or two months, no fractions. Kūhela was in great shape thanks to Steve and Sue Pinhey on Loose Change, who not only looked after our home, but also had taken her into the mangroves when Tomas turned menacingly north towards Hispaniola and PR. Unfortunately because we weren’t moving except for the once over and back to Jobos’ mangroves which are moderately close, the barnacles and seaweed grew in horrendous profusion. The sound, like crinkling cellophane, of shrimp dining on our hulls was almost deafening as we tried to get to sleep the first night back. Even so, it took two days to get in the water, which was surprisingly warm, and start scraping with a putty knife and scrubbing with a brush. By the time, I got pooped, probably 2 hours, I’d managed to get about 70% of the starboard hull, step and rudder done. The rest was to wait ‘till the next day when I’d get 70% of the port hull done. Then the NEXT day, I planned to get out my “Hooka” (It’s a 125 psi oil-less electric air pump with 70’ hose attached to my SCUBA regulator) and do the remaining 30% of both hulls that was out of reach from the surface. What a delightful way to spend the next three days! Although it wasn’t planned, we figured our friend Steve could use some cash for his and Sue’s upcoming trip home, so I offered him the work. Thankfully he took me up on it and polished off the rest of the bottom in jig time. Thank you Steve! Now all I had to do were menial chores and make water which is only noisy.
The weather has been perfect the last week, but has turned cloudy with 70% chance of rain today. Eat your hearts out: the day temperatures have been in the mid-80’s, and the nights in the low-70’s; clear skys and lovely sunsets; gentle breezes; warm waters; you know, “I’m in Heaven…” I keep telling everyone, “Come on down!”
Tomorrow we drive Steve and Sue to San Juan and then stock up at Costco for our expected company: Betty and Byrle Raper and possibly Ron Hurtle and his gal Linda and Paula and John Godfrey from Titusville via Canada (they may join us for Christmas). Most everyone is expected on the 29th. By the 15th we will be in Charlotte Amalie, USVI to hopefully meet up with Shara and Richard Waas from Miami who are coming in on the cruise ship Allure, sister ship of the Oasis, one of the largest cruise ships in the world.
