​“When it rains at a Virginia State Park, what is there to do?” That was the Pocahontas State Park posting that scrolled across Cathy’s Facebook timeline on July 21st. Appropriate, but without the tips from the post, we were able to find plenty to do before, during and after the rain that accumulated in inches over the last 2 weeks of July.

Woodworking

The siding had deteriorated so badly that the insulation showed through and what remained flaked off easily in your hand. This was the condition of the bathroom building near the amphitheater at Pocahontas SP. We learned of the project just before our arrival, but it appeared that, despite the severe need for repair, the project might have to be put on hold. The problem? The rough cut cedar panels that made up the exterior siding were either not available or extremely expensive.

Dave took the supply problem on as a challenge. The possible alternative, Okoume, was more thoroughly researched for its similarity to cedar, availability and pricing. He found that the panels were similar enough to the cedar for look and wear, were available locally and could be special ordered through Lowes. Once given the go ahead, he placed an order on Friday and the panels arrived on Monday. The work that had been put on hold suddenly had a green light – and a deadline. The amphitheater was needed by a group Friday evening. Whatever progress we made, the bathroom had to be presentable and usable by Friday at 3pm.

We met Brian (who had initially assessed the damage and prepared the material estimates) Monday morning to start the demolition. The initial plan was to simply replace the lower 2 feet of the two worst sides. The worst of the existing “battens” (1” x 3” boards sitting in vertical strips every 8”) would be replaced along with the baseboard. But we had been warned by the maintenance crew to be wary. Once we explosed the under layers, we would likely find rot. And we did. Some had wicked up from the cement slab, but much worse was the lingering problems from the old skylights, now replaced, that had let moisture into the walls from above.   

 We needed to regroup. How much more material did we need? When could we get it in? What could the budget afford? Could we make enough progress for Friday? Dave worked with park staff to work through the issues and we got the green light to replace all the particle board sheathing, the cedar siding, the battens and the baseboard on the 2 problem sides. We had a lot more work to do, and still the same deadline. Although we were given some alternative stopping points if we couldn’t get it all done by Friday.

Over the next few days, the three of us worked to first demolish the rotten boards, explosing the studs and insulation. Then we fitted new plywood, vapor barrier, cedar siding. First on one side and then the other. We were pestered by some red wasps, who were unhappy with our work around their nest. The rain held off, but the heat and humidity were pretty wearying. Dave had to make 3 different runs to pick up wood for the job. We also had to rip the 20 - 1” x 6” boards into the 40 - 1” x 3” boards we needed for battens. But by Thursday, we were starting to see the light.  

 We decided to stain the battens before installing them, so Cathy began this work in earnest on Thursday. It also made it easier to roll the stain on the cedar before the battens were installed. By Friday morning, the baseboards were on both sides, and the battens started going up. By 3pm, we had them all installed, and all of our work debris cleaned up. There was still some caulking to do, and some staining on the other sides, but we were pleased with the work and so was the park staff. Brian’s expertise and time was invaluable in allowing us to get it done and have it look so good.

Youth Conservation Corps – Reprise
Breaking away for a morning during the bathroom work, we worked with the the various staff and volunteers who would be involved in YCC this year. A lot had been learned in the intervening year, and we took from the meeting a different understanding of our role in this year’s activities. Only time would tell whether this year would be an improvement on last year.

On our first full day of work, we woke up to the sound of pouring rain. Not a good omen. Our task for the day was marking the park’s boundary by painting yellow rings on trees. The leaders formed 4 teams and we made our way out along Woodpecker Road, a highway that passes through the southern section of the park. Our goal was to mark both sides of the highway before day’s end. Despite the heat, humidity and intermittent showers, the kids did great. They finished marking the highway, and along the way, picked up 12 full bags of trash. Of course, the yellow paint did get all over a few of them, and, to a certain extent, the truck bed. By day’s end, at least the truck bed was clean.

The next 2 days were spent at Henricus Historical Park, on the James River southeast of Pocahontas. A palisades fence in the recreated Indian village needed some repair work, and there was lots of weeding, trimming and removal of invasive species throughout the rest of the historic colonial village as well. We were only needed on the 2nd day, which also happened to be the day of the artillery demonstration. The kids dug into the work and made a real difference. We explored a little, and plan to return when we are not working to see more of this interesting park. Dave helped “supervise” the kids rebuilding the fence, while Cathy worked with the kids clearing growth and weeding. This would end up being a fateful decision.

 Friday of the first week started with a couple hours of archery before the kids headed to the park’s maintenance area to do a clean-up. They collected debris, picked up trash, corralled dozens of pallets for resale, removed trees. It was not without incident. We discovered a copperhead snake, 3 infestations of yellow jackets and another of red wasps. The latter was discovered because of a sting on guess who?

Let’s just say that it was not a good day for Cathy. In the morning she discovered that she had not one, but 2 tick bites from the prior day’s work at Henricus. Apparently, her attempt to wash off poison ivy had also washed off her insect repellent. The next insult was a sharp pain in her side while pulling a root up near the wood shop. That’s right. The red wasp was unhappy about her working so close to the nest in the side of the building. But the final insult was seeing the beginning signs of poison ivy on her arms. It was this that sidelined her for days as her lower arms became covered in the insidious rash.

On Monday, David helped with one of the youth teams as they did cleaning during the early morning rain. But the big task for the week began in the afternoon, as the kids began building a new hiking trail north of Swift Creek Lake. By month-end, with only 1 ½ days of trail work under their belt, they were making good progress. The park management was pleased enough with the overall trajectory of the program that they rewarded the kids with a lunch out at nearby Mexican restaurant. David, at least, got to join them while Cathy nursed her poison ivy back at the RV. That’ll teach you to be careless around the nasty vine.

Waterlogged

 As the rains came down, we continued to work on the drainage at our campsite. We had ample opportunity to study the problem. It became apparent that we needed to dig a trench or swale off one corner to drain the low spot there collecting much of the water. Dave and I started the trench. Adam and Droz widened it. And Taylor and Troy put their efforts in as well to finish it off. The next rain proved their efforts useful as the water flowed into the ditch and away from the campsite.

The rain also highlighted problems with our uniforms. Specifically, our shoes. Working briefly in the rain the first day of YCC caused Dave to study the soles of his work boots. With holes in each, it became obvious the source of his wet socks was the large holes in the soles of each shoe. He rushed out to replace them. Cathy was a little slow to discover the leaks in her boots which were less dramatic, but no less soggy. So another trip garnered her some new, dry footwear as well.   ​

Family Weekend

On Jayden’s birthday weekend, Adam’s and Bonnie’s families gathered to camp with us at the park. The rain let up enough to give us a nice weekend together, with lots of campfires, pool time, s’mores, dutch oven delights and just time together. On Sunday afternoon, the 2 of us joined Jayden for a party at Adam’s complete with half a dozen homemade birthday pies.   

 There’s never a shortage of work to do at Pocahontas State Park. Its 8000 acres are heavily used, and so it is a never-ending challenge to keep it up. That said, we started plugging away at our assigned tasks (and some that we found on our own) to do our part and earn our keep as soon as we arrived. The withering heat during the first week made it a challenge, but we managed to pace ourselves. And in between, we got some visits from family for some fun time.

Making It Work​

Our jobs at the park take many forms. Sometime it is grunt work hauling and digging and trimming. Sometimes, it’s time spent with the patrons at concerts, hay rides or campfires. Sometimes, it’s work on projects we identify. No matter which form it takes, we find it makes the days go quickly. Our first 2 weeks certainly did.   

 The park has new electric golf carts for each of the hosts, and one of them had not been retrofitted with a rear view mirror. With a little guidance from maintenance, we fashioned a bracket from a scrap piece of metal, borrowed a mirror from another vehicle no longer in service and solved the problem of the rear view mirror. Another issue arising from the new carts is the fact that the park host has no structure to house the battery charger. Since these can’t get wet, we fashioned a cloth-covered frame using wood scraps and some material left over from our boat cover. It was designed to give the charger room to breathe, but keep it dry. However, Dave had been puzzling over the charger’s output all week. He saw no indication it was charging the cart. Sure enough, the cart's low battery light came on one morning. With some consultation with the other hosts nearby, he determined that switching chargers with their cart allowed each of them to charge successfully. And, luckily our new charger still fit in the cover. Good design.

When we chose our site, it hadn’t rained in quite a while. However, there were ruts in the site from previous RV’s, indicating a pretty soggy area. That was confirmed by one of our first assignments to address the drainage on site 96. Hmm… what’s our site number? We retracted the slide and dug out the top layer of eroded dirt (a grueling job), and then hauled several gator loads of gravel to fill in the top layer. When a torrential rain arrived the following Friday, we found ourselves in a bit of a lake. While the work we had done was good, it was far from sufficient. Dave dug a little more out to create a channel for the water to flow, but we will be coming back to this if time permits.   

 We took some time to re-familiarize ourselves with the tractor and hay wagon. Making circuits around the CCC field, we started with just the tractor and then between hay rides one night, took the wagon as well. The training paid off as you’ll see later.

And one morning, we got trained by our grandson, Droz, in boundary marking. The park marks trees on its boundaries with yellow stripes or metal signs. We had a rough start finding a good stretch to mark, but once we got started, we got the hang of it quickly. We had a good teacher.  

 So, we also helped with some fun events, making it to a few hay rides, and a campfire program, but the most unique event we assisted with was a concert by a Fleetwood Mac tribute band called Rumours. We helped put on wristbands on patrons for an hour before enjoying a few sets in the amphitheater. It didn’t take long before there were lots of people dancing all around us. We had to make it an early night because the next morning we would be up early to help with Teen Volunteer Week.

Twenty Teens​

“Please, no more stiltgrass. I’m having nightmares about it.” Nothing brings drama to the table like teenagers. Teen Volunteer Week began with 21 youth and a shifting number of adult volunteers who would guide them, many for their first time working in a park. From 9 to 2 each day, we would work on a project, then follow that with 2 hours of something fun. The youth weeded the CCC Museum garden, removed invasive species (lots of Japanese stiltgrass), cleared trails, repaired a walkway and even trailblazed a mile of a new mountain biking trail. The afternoons were spent tie-dying T-shirts, learning archery, canoeing, swimming at the pool, and fishing.

For those of us planning each day, the biggest challenge was getting the group moved around in the park. This played out on Thursday as Dave put his hay wagon training to work, pulling the group a few miles to the site of the new trail and then on to the pool and back to maintenance on the highway. It went well, although the climb up a particularly steep hill had us sweating a bit. (The older truck required a change to the wheels to move to 4-wheel drive. Luckily, the park staff with us knew how to do this before the next hill.)

Over the course of the week, we got to know the kids, (which included Droz and Jayden) and enjoyed working with them as they learned how to make a difference a litte bit at a time.

Family Time

On July 5th, we had a belated holiday celebration with Bonnie, Taylor and Troy arriving from Emporia and Droz and Jayden coming to spend the night. After some pool time, we had a picnic that included (of course) a campfire with s’mores.  

​ As planned, the month ended with us pulling into Pocahontas State Park in preparation for a couple of months service as Park Hosts. We finished packing up the boat in Jacksonville, and after another round of goodbyes, made our way north. Along our route, we managed to meet up with a few grandkids for a couple of days of fun.

Making Ourselves Useful​

While our time at Faith was brief, we found our services welcome in a number of ways. World Relief and Kim’s Open Door were jointly sponsoring a 6-week summer camp for recent immigrant children that was to start the Monday after we arrived. A Youth Choir from University City UMC in Charlotte arrived on Saturday to help with the first week, and conducted Sunday’s service. We helped feed the children, including the workers every day in between some smaller projects around the campus.   

 With the torrential rain every afternoon, the water from the slab by Peeler was backing up into the newly constructed Tool room. Dave found an adjustable threshold that he installed to seal the doorway and prevent the water intrusion. Since our departure in April, Lazarus (the yellow golf cart) had stopped working, so Dave worked with Jahaziel to check the batteries (which were good). Lazarus next resurrection will have to wait for more expert hands in the fall. The internet was not working well when we arrived, so Dave did some diagnostics and found a tripped GFI by the router in the shower. He was put to work researching and ordering supplies as well. A tire swing, AC filters and an internet router, to name a few. He installed the latter as the new primary router in the office.

The 2 Sunday services had special performances by the visiting youth groups and a guest sermon by Marcia Soto, who is working on her local pastor license. Jahaziel recorded them and Dave worked with him to upload them to the church’s website. The list goes on, but you get the idea.

​ As the work to get the boat settled neared its end, we debated when to leave and head north. Although we felt useful, the withering heat and humidity were motivating us to pull out. But we found another reason to stay just a little longer. The United Brothers in Christ were having a dinner fundraiser at Faith on Saturday afternoon, and we decided we couldn’t miss it. That meant a lot of kitchen time again as we helped chop, prepare, and clean up for some of the dishes for the buffet. It was well-attended and we enjoyed some amazing food along with some uplifting music.   

 The next morning we joined the congregation for Sunday services before saying goodbye and heading up the road toward Virginia. Until November . . .

Retracing Our Steps​

After a “downtime” stop at a campground in Yemassee SC, we arrived at our next stop on Lake Gaston in northern NC mid-afternoon on Tuesday, the 24th, just a couple of hours before we were joined by Bonnie’s family. Troy and Taylor would be spending a couple of nights with us. The next couple of days we hiked through the park, played Old Maid, swam in the pool and the lake and played mini-golf. We were joined the 2nd afternoon by Christina, Alexis, Serenity and Cody. The cousins had a good time playing together for the first time in a long time. By Friday, we had to pull out, meeting Bonnie and Troy in South Hill to return our charges before we made our way to Pocahontas and they to NC for a visit with Cathy’s family.  

 Pulling into Pocahontas mid-day, we arrived just as the holiday weekend was starting to get busy. We settled in quickly and managed to say hello and goodbye to the volunteer coordinator Andi who was off for a week just after she met us. We already had a list of projects to tackle, so as the month ended, we were taking stock of them and deciding which to tackle first. Our stint at park hosts is scheduled for the months of July and August, and then again in October. It looks like we’ll be plenty busy.   

Cruisers will tell you that you never want to travel on a schedule. You’ll either find yourself traveling in weather that you wouldn’t normally choose, or you will be fretting on the dock about your inability to leave. We found ourselves in that position as we made our way back from Cape Charles and again after the Pirate Festival as we tried to decide how to take Orion Jr out some more before we hauled her out for the return trip to Florida. Ultimately, she was hauled without our making another trip. Too much wind from the wrong direction conspired with our schedule to make further sailing unappealing. So, we hauled her out and made plans to return to Jacksonville.

High and Dry​

As the tug and barge powered up the small creek past our haulout slip, Cathy breathed a sigh of relief that Orion Jr’s short trip this morning was completed just before this massive vessel motored by. Turning her attention to the final details, she grabbed a few items and stowed our lines and fenders. You don’t need those on the trailer.  

A few minutes later, the boatyard workers at Sunset Boating Center were positioning the bands under the boat, careful to avoid the depth transducer and speed thru-hull. Once in place, they tied them together to prevent them from sliding off and raised her out of the water. Before she would be placed on the trailer, we had the bottom pressure-washed. Luckily we had no barnacles, but getting the thin coat of slime off would ensure she wouldn’t start to age (i.e. smell) badly over the next few days. Once cleaned, the forklift operator swung over the trailer, slowly lowering Jr onto the bunks, with a spotter careful to ensure she was centered and straight. But transferring the boat to the trailer using bands creates a problem. The bands get trapped between the boat and the trailer bunks. Luckily for this crew it was a small problem. They simply placed the forklift under Orion Jr, allowing them to lift her slightly and slide the bands out.  

While it had taken a week to get Orion Jr ready to cruise, we stripped her down for hauling in only a couple of days. Steve stopped by to help lower the mast, and we made some changes – some intended and some not – in the way we secured the mast for travel. The furler had some serious bends in it from the way it was secured to the mast for the past 3 years. So, we made an effort to lay it as flat as possible against the mast this time. We had a difference of opinion in the moment concerning the positioning of the mast on the deck. Dave, standing at the bow, thought it was too far forward. Cathy, in the cockpit, wasn’t convinced. However, once all was secured, she had to admit, it was further forward than before. So, would the cover fit? That answer would have to come once we got it back to Jacksonville. In the meantime, once Orion Jr was on the trailer and back at Steve’s, we would continue to plow through the lockers and cupboards to ensure they were clean, thinned out, secured and recorded in our inventory. We shut down the refrigeration, emptied and sanitized the water system, gave away the excess fuel, and flushed the outboard with fresh water.  

Despite our short time in the water, we were dismayed to see that Orion Jr had acquired a stain along the water line from the stagnant water in our slip. Although pressure-washing had removed much of it, to completely take it off, Dave had to treat it with a stain remover and then wax the hull again, only a couple of months since we had done it in Jacksonville. Cathy worked her way around the upper deck, polishing the stainless steel and waxing the fiberglass. By the Saturday after we started prepping her, she was ready to move down the highway.​

Blackbeard’s Last Stand​

This was the 300th anniversary of Blackbeard’s capture, which was duly noted at this year’s Blackbeard Pirate Festival in Hampton. We met up with Adam, Droz and Trinity at the festival and spent the day together. Adam, dressed as Jack Sparrow was recruited to join the Pirate Parade and couldn’t move more than a few feet without being stopped by a someone wanting a picture. We ended the day a little early and retreated to the boat, docked nearby, followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant. Our timing couldn’t have been better, since the heavens opened up just after we made it inside.

There were several familiar faces on the docks during the festival – some we expected and some were very much a surprise. Steve and Sue were on their boat with a commanding view of the Pirate Battle. Steve even joined in with the Yacht Club’s loan of its small cannon. The noise certainly wasn’t small. We ran into Chris and Woody who used to have their trawler where Steve and Sue’s boat now sits, but before that, we all met on the dock at Joy’s. The biggest surprise was Bob and Sondra from Carpe Diem, Orion’s sister boat. They had made their way this far north from Marathon and were visiting with their daughter before continuing up to Maine for the summer. It was fortuitous for both of us, since we had some uniquely Beneteau 36cc items taking up room in Steve’s attic, and they could put them to good use. All in all, it was another great festival.

Heading South
It was going to be a slow trip south. Dave had learned quite a bit about our trailer tires after our 2 flats heading north. The trailer tires were rated only for a max speed of 62mph. Rather than push that limit, we opted to take the non-highway route through NC and SC. Even so, it was early on the second day that the tire pressure alarm sounded. The forward passenger side trailer was losing pressure rapidly. We were on a 2-lane road with a sign warning of a soft shoulder. Great. We stopped in the road while Dave walked the shoulder to ensure we wouldn’t sink in.

Once safely on the shoulder, we managed to assess the situation. The tire had blown its valve stem completely out. This tire had only traveled about 300 miles, since it was the original spare. Dave managed to find the valve stem with the tire pressure sensor a few yards behind us. Then we set about changing it. With a few boards under the rear tire, we lifted the flat tire, made the change and were on our way.

A short distance down the road, we pulled into a tire store to have the flat repaired. The repairman quickly replaced the valve stem and said the tire had not been damaged during the incident. After reviewing the other 4 tires, he assured us they looked in good shape. With that assurance, we moved on. There were no more incidents that day as we made our way to Hardeeville SC, just north of Georgia. With only 150 miles left, we decided to take I95 the rest of the way, pulling into Faith mid-day Wednesday, with no more tire issues. Reviewing the travel north and south, all of our flats occurred in NC. So, if we can just stay out of that state . . .

Nah. Don’t think so.

The Switch
Before leaving Virginia, we both knew that whatever work required to be done on the boat should be done there. Working outside in Florida in June would be brutal. And we were right. It was. It is. After greeting Pastor Barry and Susan, we had a simple task to do the first day before parking the boat – switch the repaired tire for the spare we had mounted back in NC. We moved the boat to the shade and made the switch. And it wiped us out. Drenched in sweat, we spent the rest of the day re-hydrating and planning to do all of our work early in the morning from here on out. You see, when they say, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity”, they aren’t kidding. Also, every evening we found ourselves in hour-long torrential thunderstorms.

Over the next few days, we eked out the time in the early morning to switch supplies between the truck, RV and boat, set up the boat cover frame and finally, Monday morning roll the cover onto the boat. Despite the positioning of the mast, it fit fine. Phew! And that was a good thing, too, because the trip south had uncovered another leak. Sigh. Having placed the dinghy transom under the stairs, the water appeared to be coming in by the cockpit table supports, onto the transom and running into the port bench in the Main Saloon. Once we mopped all the water up (and there was a lot), we moved the transom out, taped up the table supports holes and the leak stopped. With the boat cover in place, this should not be an issue anyway.

Parting Shots

The Saturday after our arrival, we attended the 95th birthday for one of Faith’s faithful members, Henrietta. A good time was had by all.

​ We finally cast off the dock lines early on a Tuesday morning, having completed our official duties over the previous weekend. Dave had officiated at Steve and Linda’s wedding on Saturday, and now we were joining them as Orion Jr and Bay Dreamer headed across the bay to Cape Charles.  

The Wedding
 As most of you know, May 19th was the day of the big wedding. No, not the one in Windsor Castle -- Steve and Linda’s wedding with Dave officiating. We started the day by watching that other much-covered event, while Dave took pointers on what to do and what not to do. 

While the skies were clear and blue across the ocean, that was not the case here in Poquoson. We dodged downpours on our way to the venue, and the actual ceremony was delayed in hopes of a break in the wet weather. No such luck. However, many guests reminded the couple that rain on your wedding day is a good sign.

We’re sure that will be the case, since this was truly a lovely couple and a lovely match. We were honored to be a part of their special day.  

Back on the Bay

It was an unusual plan to say the least. On Orion Jr, we would be joining Steve and Linda as they traveled on Bay Dreamer on their honeymoon. The plan was to leave on Monday after Saturday’s festivities were done and the house guests had departed on Sunday. However, Monday was going to be a late departure, since there were many post-wedding items to take care of (not the least of which was Dave’s filing the paperwork to make the marriage legal at the court). Luckily for all of us, Monday’s weather forecast was too stormy to be comfortable, so we deferred our departure to Tuesday.

Overcast skies greeted us as we prepared to shove off from our slip at Sunset Boating Center early Tuesday morning. However, there was no bad weather in the clouds, so it proved to be an uneventful trip across the bay, and that’s what we aim for. The outboard started smoothly (after Dave re-connected the fuel hose that Cathy hadn’t secured correctly), and it puttered along as we motorsailed east across the bay to Cape Charles. For the first time, we were able to use the tachometer to gauge the engine speed and compare it to our fuel consumption. There was almost no large ship traffic as we crossed the shipping channel into Hampton Roads and later the York Spit channel that angled up the bay. However, we were surprised to see almost 20 big ships at anchor off Cape Charles. It took us about an hour to get from one side of the anchorage to the other.   

 Shortly after noon, we were making our entrance into the Cape Charles channel. Steve and Linda had entered about 30 minutes before us. As we were approaching the final turn into the harbor, we heard their exchange with the dockmaster. By 1pm, we were tied up next to them on C dock, with only a few other boats for neighbors. The weather started to clear, and after checking in we decided to make our way to town in search of – what else? -- ice cream. To our dismay, the signature Brown Dog eatery is only open on the weekend, so we settled for some samples and tastings at nearby Gull Hummock Gourmet. But we were not completely disappointed, they also sold Brown Dog ice cream in pints. Needless to say, the pint didn’t last long after we got back to Orion Jr.

Our rough cruising plan for the week was to head to Onancock, further north on the Eastern Shore, maybe to Crisfield, move back to the western shore near Deltaville and back to Cape Charles to join the Yacht Club on the Memorial Day weekend. With our late start, the aggressiveness of the this schedule was starting to become intimidating. However, as always with cruising, we would just take one day at a time.  

​ Our hopes of making a hop to Onancock on Wednesday were scuttled when the forecast shifted. No problem. We decided to explore Cape Charles by visiting its Museum, where we learned a lot about Cape Charles strategic role in connecting Norfolk to markets in the north. The innovation was the ability to load RR cars on barges to cross the bay to Norfolk. Once the rails and barges were in place in the mid 1880’s, Cape Charles became a boom town. The boom lasted for decades, but ultimately the need for a freight ferry evaporated with the opening the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel in the 60’s. It took several decades since then for Cape Charles to reinvent itself and focus on tourism with a beach, a harbor, and a quaint historic downtown.   

 Our walk back to the harbor allowed us to come across Rayfields, the local independent pharmacy and, more importantly, soda fountain. Good ice cream and onion rings. Later that evening, we got together on Orion Jr to grill some burgers and share a meal with Steve and Linda. We discussed the plan to head out early for Onancock. As we made plans to make an early departure, we got a heads up from Steve. The weather again looked questionable the next day. The good news was we’d get to sleep in for the first time in more than a week. And the decision to stay put turned out to be even better when we discovered Steve wasn’t well the next day. Glad he wasn’t feeling that bad out on the water.   

Old Point Comfort Yacht Club Memorial Day Weekend at Cape Charles

Our yacht club has a long tradition of cruising across the bay to Cape Charles on Memorial Day weekend. This was the first time we had been able to join them on our own boat. By Friday afternoon, the slips started to fill up. (We had to move before they did, but it was only across the fairway.) Commodore JD and his wife Sandy arrived on Steve and Sue’s boat and much of the activity seemed to gravitate to the dock near them. “Docktails” (i.e. hor d’ouvres and drinks) were followed at sunset by the firing of the cannon (an old nautical tradition) and the playing of Taps. The next day’s dinghy races were cancelled, because nobody wanted to launch their dinghy just to participate, but they were followed by a joint potluck with the Cape Charles Yacht Club.   

On Sunday, the day stated with a fundraiser pancake breakfast prepared the Sea Scouts Venture Crew sponsored by the Yacht Club. Steve and Linda left shortly after, but the strong southerly winds made their first hour a bit of a ride. For the rest of the club that stayed behind, the day’s highlight (for some) was the Fireball Challenge (i.e., gulp a paper cup of Fireball Whiskey and jump into the water). Since temperatures were sweltering on the dock (and down below, reaching 95 degrees on Orion Jr), this was not that much of a challenge for many, who once in the water were reluctant to get out.   

 We enjoyed reconnecting with several of our friends and fellow yacht club members and meeting new ones. Dave struck up a conversation with a couple that had also arrived on their trailer-able Cal 22 sailboat and we spent some time comparing notes on the little boats and the bigger boats that were in the future for them and the past for us. We also spent some time getting to know a couple on a nearby trawler who were heading out to cruise the bay more extensively once she retired in the next year. But as Monday dawned, the exodus was quick and thorough. Near collisions occurred as boats pulled out to make their way home. We joined the crew on Sue and Steve’s boat for breakfast and then helped them stow their gear and cast off. We would be one of only 3 boats remaining for a Tuesday departure.

The weather never fully cooperated for our trip further up the bay. Our timeframe was too short, and our ability to travel long distances limited by our slow speed. Since we needed to be back in Hampton for the Blackbeard Pirate festival the following weekend and the winds were going to stay out of the south, we motored back to Hampton on Tuesday, having enjoyed our brief cruise on the bay. If the weather cooperated, we would head back out after the festival.

Boat Stuff

Where is all this water coming from? When the water in the bilge is high enough that the main saloon floor starts to get wet, you know something isn’t quite right. Is it coming from a thru-hull? No. They’re all dry. Is it coming from a leak on deck. Maybe, but we can’t find any water trail below. We did discover that one of the cowling (cover) for the starboard dorade (air vent) was no longer sitting on its base. So, we took both of them out and installed new ones, which caused us to think the deteriorated seal inside the old ones was the problem. Maybe, but the water kept accumulating in the bilge

Another theory was the fresh water system. We kept putting off looking at this. It required Cathy to get down into a small space under the companionway and stick her head into an even smaller space to look. Eventually she did, and it was a good thing. The filter cover on the freshwater pump was a little loose and was dripping water in a very small stream. Since we’ve tightened the cover, no more water of consequence is coming out of the bilge. Oh, and what about the fact that the float switch didn’t expel, the water before it got so high? We can’t figure that one out. Once we manually pumped it all out, the float switch started doing its job just fine. And Cathy visually inspected it to find no problems. Go figure.

 We took some time at Cape Charles to revise the lazy jack lines on the stackpack so that the material sagged less at the stern. The attachment point for the forward lines was raised higher and we connected the stackpack aft end to the topping lift. It looks better, but we haven’t had a chance to test it.

Our trip back from Cape Charles was made much more challenging than normal when our chartplotter’s gps failed to give a position. While using a phone app allowed us to navigate, it was far less desirable. A phone call to Garmin had us reset the chartplotter and all was well again. But it might not be so in another 6 months after no use. Only time will tell.

The good news was that with only minor exceptions, the systems on the boat worked well. We could sleep, cook, navigate, sail, entertain and even watch movies without problems. Is it smaller than the RV? You bet. But we were able to bring her back to life again, and she’s probably better than she ever was. And that felt good.

 It’s been over 3 years since Orion Jr has been in the water, so it was a momentous day when she finally floated again. We’ve spent much of the time since then scrambling to get her ready to travel, and helping our friends Steve and Linda get ready for their wedding.

​Into the Water – And Out – And In Again

​“Honey, there are bubbles coming out of the exhaust. Maybe we’re back a little too far. “

​Not a very good exchange as you are backing your boat down the boat ramp in preparation to launch. The truck could stall, leaving us stranded with a 3 ton boat and trailer halfway in the water. However, this was the situation we found ourselves in as we attempted to launch Orion Jr from the trailer one Wednesday afternoon. Attempting to float her from the trailer at mid-tide in Sunset Creek in Hampton, we had a simple plan. Launch at mid-tide rising. Motor a short distance up this quiet tributary of the Hampton River to our slip. Tie up and call it a day. No problem, right?

With high tide due around 6pm, we aimed for a launch between 3 and 4. Recognizing it would take us an hour to get her ready to launch, we arrived just before 3 and backed halfway down the long driveway leading to the ramp. Working through our checklist, with Dave on the ground and Cathy up on the boat, we readied Orion Jr for her launch and short inaugural journey. By 4, we thought we were ready. The engine, rudder and tiller were mounted, lines and fenders were rigged, straps removed, etc. The final step was to extend the trailer tongue we use for launching and attach it to the hitch pin. As we backed her into the water, it became apparent the ramp at mid-tide wasn’t steep enough to get her to float, even with the extended tongue. While Dave released the winch from the bow, Cathy pulled with the dock lines from the dock, no movement. Orion Jr wasn’t budging.

 We took some time to study the situation and decided the ramp was steeper as it rose. A launch near high tide might give us the water depth we needed. Since we had to wait an hour, we decided to take a walk to the marina and check out the slip we would be assigned. The afternoon heat was enough to convince to take refuge in a Food Lion store to cool down on the return trip. We made it back in time to try again, but short of submerging the truck beyond a safe limits, this was not going to happen here. Our sense that the ramp was steeper was an optical illusion. Given that it would take us almost as long to ready the boat for the road again, we decided to cut our losses, pack up and head back to Steve’s. However, whatever we did, it was unlikely Orion Jr would be launched down a ramp. We needed some extra help.

 With help from a fellow boater who happened upon us at the ramp, we located some reasonably priced options around Poquoson, where Steve lived. We had settled on one of these – Dare Marina in Yorktown, that would launch us for just $85 – when we got a call from Sunset Boating Center back in Hampton. When they offered us a free launch and haul out, we committed to return on Monday to have them put Jr in the water. Using a forklift with extra long arms and more than 2 story rise, the boatyard workers studied their options. The full bunks made it too tricky to use straps under the boat, so instead they decided to lift her like a power boat. The wrinkle in this plan was the location of our depth sounder. The solution? A block of wood on the forklift arms to protect it. Sure enough, the boat was easily lifted and placed in the water. After a check for leaks, we were good to go.

We towed the now empty trailer back to Steve’s for storage for the month. Dave had the first opportunity to test his new brake controller on this very light load. The previous controller didn’t ramp up the braking, and would therefore lock the wheels with every brake application, sending smoke up as the rubber was dragged across the road. As he had been promised, the Tekonsha P3 allowed him to adjust the settings for the light load so no skidding occurred. Since the trailer had been dunked, Cathy took a morning to wash it thoroughly with soap and water and Dave sprayed it once again with Fluid film to protect against water incursion and corrosion. (He had done this just before our failed launch as well.) Finally, he replaced the trailer tire that had failed on our trip north, ensuring we had a spare for our return in a month.

Becoming a Sailboat Again​

With Orion Jr in the water at the haulout slip, Cathy slid up to the outboard and carefully tried to remember the process for starting it. Lower the outboard, lock in place, prime the fuel line, choke out, press the ignition switch, into gear and we’re off. Or more correctly, try the ignition over and over and over and over. More fuel. More attempts. Dave repeats. And repeats. Since the engine was serviced only weeks before in Daytona and the fuel was only days old, we knew it had to be something we were doing wrong. Finally, Dave figures it out. The kill switch should have a clip inserted behind before the engine will start. It was missing. Oops. Once the clip was inserted, starting problems were resolved.

After maneuvering Jr into her slip, we set about the business of putting her systems and her interior into order. Cathy stripped the cushions from their bags and sorted through the debris that had accumulated in the main saloon. Meanwhile Dave worked on deck, setting it in order, hauling water and cleaning the water tanks before we started the big task for the day – raising the mast.

Carefully sorting through the standing rigging, Dave carefully routed each shroud and stay to its turnbuckle on deck, ensuring it would rise without tangling as the mast lifted up. Once he had put them all in place, we waited for Steve and Linda to help us with the actual raising. We guided the mast astern until the base was in line with the tabernacle. While Steve and Cathy supported it, Dave and Linda drove the pin through through the mast and tabernacle. After attaching the gin pole, Linda manned the block and pulley, while Dave managed the pole and Steve and Cathy guided the mast. With only minor snags, the mast rose easily and was quickly in place. Not bad work for our first day in the water. And unlike previous launchings, we didn’t have to rush to complete all of the remaining set-up tasks in a single day.

Over the next week, we put up the bimini and enclosure, raised the stackpack and sails, deployed the anchor, started up the refrigeration and re-activated the head’s compost medium -- to name just a few of the set-up tasks. Prior to launch, we had laid out the solar panels on the new bimini. Then Cathy sewed webbing to secure them. That allowed Dave to mount them easily once the boat was in the water. We scheduled a vessel safety inspection, which prompted us to review our fire extinguishers. The oldest was a refillable 5 lb one that registered empty. We took it to a local shop that said it was one year too old to refill. We decided to replace it with a new one of the same type, so we were in good shape when the inspector arrived the next morning.

There were some more unpleasant surprises that we had to deal with as well. The first was --- ants. First one, then a couple, then a couple more. Big red ants. It had taken several days for them to appear, but their numbers appeared to be growing. We fogged the boat a couple of times and we’ve seen none since. Since we also launched the boat before the rainiest week we had seen in a year, we also re-discovered some leaks. Although Dave had fixed a major one with some fiberglass work before we launched, every day seemed to reveal a new one. By week’s end, we had tracked down and repaired a few of them, but still a couple persist. After all, it Is a boat.
With a couple of days before heading out, we were feeling pretty good about being ready to cast off on schedule.

Family and Friends

It was an excited call from Joe, our neighbor back in Reston. “I’ve finally bought my boat.” After 20 years of dreaming, he was days away from taking possession. Dreamtime, an Oceanis 37, sat in her slip on Little Creek in Norfolk and he would be arriving in a couple of days to pilot her north to her new slip in Deale. So, on the following Tuesday, we met him as he was loading supplies on his new pride and joy. We helped him with a few pre-departure tasks before heading out for a celebratory supper. His was a fast journey north, but within a couple of days, the boat was in its new home and he was looking forward to many more journeys aboard.

A couple of different weekends found us at Bonnie and Troy’s place in Jarratt, getting to spend time with them and our grandchildren. We even squeezed in a brief visit with Adam who has been busy finishing hiis school semester, and achieving the milestone of earning his Associates degree. Sue and Steve invited us to join them for a movie night at their church. And perhaps the biggest surprise was finding our niece in town with her oldest, allowing us to visit with them briefly for breakfast one Sunday before they headed home again.

And while not socializing and spending time on the boat, we were helping Steve and Linda get ready for their big day. The biggest task turned out to be getting Dave certified to perform the ceremony. It took him several days of trips to the local courthouse before he finally secured the coveted authorization for his role as officiant. And it was his (and Cathy’s) first time writing a wedding ceremony (other than their own). By the Wednesday before, he was able to help them run through a rehearsal until everyone was comfortable with the process. Who knows, maybe this will be the start of trend?

Finishing UpWe only had a few days to bring the tasks we were involved in at Faith to a close. Dave published the church’s website and turned over the daily maintenance to the church members. With Rigo’s help we re-positioned the serving equipment and tables into the school’s cafe, clearing the way for them to serve hot lunches. After a particularly rainy couple of days, it became apparent that the house rented by World Relief needed some attention to its roof. Ken and Dave spent an afternoon getting covered in muck cleaning it off. All in a day’s work.
Although the work on Peeler progressed slowly this season, by early April the contractor had finally replaced the roof, having constructed soffits on the side where the addition was removed. Although the contractor still had more to do, the new soffits were all bare wood that needed to be painted. So with Sandy and Ken’s help we primed and caulked all the bare wood. That was the best we could do in the time we had left.

Finally, there was one more task to do. On our last Saturday, Kim from Kim’s Open Door called asking if Dave could drive the bus to the tutoring program on Saturday. Sure thing. And with that done, we were done for the season. Sandy had left the Wednesday before. Ken and Karen headed out that same Saturday. And on Monday, it was our turn to say goodbye.   

Until November . . . well sort of.

Boat Stuff

The list of tasks needed to get Orion Jr back on the road and on the water was getting shorter. Dave checked the tires and topped off their air pressure. He also moved the tire pressure sensors from the RV and reprogrammed the Tire Pressure Monitor at the lower pressure required. After some debate, we decided to replace the batteries on the boat with 2 new Marine group 24 batteries. The load they could carry would be 25% less (150 amp-hours vs 200), but the advantage of having fresh batteries (and therefore a known entity) at a good price was worth the change.

Then, there were the leaks. The rain that exposed problems at the house next door, also reminded us of problems on the boat. The port side settee in the Main Saloon had a huge puddle of water. And the bilge pumped out a lot of water. We were able to eliminate several possible sources (portlights, hatch boards, shrouds), but narrowed in on a small crack in the port cockpit seat. We made a temporary repair and will look for the next rain to see if we are right.

As people asked how much longer we would be around, Cathy’s response was “if you see that mast still on the ground, you know we’re not going anywhere too soon.” Well that changed on the Thursday before we left. With Rigo and Ken’s help, we pretty easily hefted it on deck and secured it for travel. Orion Jr was ready to hit the road.

Visiting Harry and Friends

Cathy’s 60th birthday had a delayed reward. After the last of the Spring Break crowds had departed, we headed to Orlando to visit Universal Studios and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. We tasted some butterbeer, shopped at Honeyduke’s in Hogsmeade, rode the Hogwarts Express, watched a wand choose its wizard at Olivanders in Diagon Alley, and even ventured into Knockturn Alley. We toured Hogwarts and took the Forbidden Journey ride into the chamber of secrets and rode with Harry and crew on their escape from Gringotts. There were lots of wand-waving wizards around, but we left the magic tricks to those who were willing to pay $50 for a wand. (I don’t think so.)

With four days to tour the two Universal parks, we had plenty of time to explore outside the Harry Potter land. We had a close encounter with a raptor dinosaur (click here to see a video),, rode the brand new (literally on its first day) Fast and Furious ride (pretty cool) and more than a dozen 3D/4D rides with Spiderman, Minions, The Simpsons, The Mummy, Transformers, and more trying to save us from the bad guys or take us to them. There were only 2  rides that had survived the 2 decades since our last visit, but one of them was Men In Black:Alien Attack, which was still a lot of fun. Luckily, it had some of the shortest lines, so we rode it repeatedly trying to improve our scores.   

We watched a few shows, but by far the most dramatic was Fear Factor. They convinced some volunteers to have scorpions crawl on them, drink disgusting stuff and dangle from perilous heights to win prizes. The show ended with a bang (literally) as one competitor dangled from a car hood several stories above the ground. Each day they were looking for volunteers to compete in the next show, but we were satisfied being just spectators.

Just outside the parks was Citywalk, Universal’s dining and shopping area. The one establishment that made an immediate impression was the Chocolate Emporium, conveniently located just outside the entrance to the Islands of Adventure Park. We had supper there one night, but by far the most memorable dishes were their desserts. We tried 2 or 3 of their sundaes over several days. And although we split each one, we were never able to finish one.   

 On a couple of occasions we left the park early. Once to visit with Dave’s sister Wendy and her husband Dave who drove up from Bradenton. And once to see the Blue Man Group show, which was funny and weird but still a good time. We had earned tickets to see it, so our admission was free. By Friday, we were ready to head back “home” to Jacksonville. It had been a good break and a great birthday gift.

The Road North
It took us 2 days to reach Poquoson towing Jr. The first of which was pretty uneventful. But the second day was a different story. Less than an hour out of Lumberton, where we had stopped for the night, a tire pressure alarm sounded. While we had seen a few false alarms over the years since installing them, this was certainly real. The front passenger tire on the trailer was leaking air through a sizable opening on the inside. Big enough that you could hear the air escaping despite the noise of traffic on I95. 

Luck and planning were with us however. Before heading north, Dave had changed our BoatUS insurance to include unlimited towing – which included both on water and trailer towing. Also, after contacting BoatUS, we discovered that we were parked on the side of the road directly in front of a truck service facility. Sure enough, the repair man came to us --- not up I95, but through the fence that separated the facility from us. By the time he arrived, Dave had fired up the generator to put air in the spare tire. It was pretty quick work to then replace the failing tire with the spare. The problem was not a puncture, but a belt failure in the tire. We also learned that we should be keeping our speeds down around 60mph.

Given that information, we pretty quickly turned off the interstate to take another route to Poquoson. We were well on our way to the Virginia Line when another alarm sounded. The same tire? No. This time it was the driver’s side rear tire. As Dave looked to pull over in the small town we were just entering, it looked like the business beside us was a garage. Really? Sure enough, after speaking to the receptionist, we were able to drive around to the service bay and almost immediately a mechanic was jacking up the trailer. This time it wasn’t a bad belt, but rather a bad valve stem. He just needed to deflate the tire, replace the stem and re-inflate it. In less than 30 minutes and for less than $10, we were good to go.

After a very long day, we pulled into Steve and Linda’s yard, very glad to be there. Let’s hope launching the boat will be a little less eventful.

Shortly after we greeted the Easter sunrise in the church courtyard, we found our numbers increased by one with the arrival of our grandson Droz who joined us for a week.  After his departure, Cathy joined her Mom and sisters for a few days to celebrate her mom’s 90th birthday.  In the meantime, we helped wind up projects, as we said goodbye to more of our friends.  The season is about to come to a close.

Yes, Chef

No ditch digging or electrical projects were on the agenda for Droz’ visit this year.  That doesn’t mean he wasn’t busy.  He had signed up to be head cook – i.e.,  chef – at the Wednesday dinner during his visit.  Since he was well into a culinary class at school, he rose to the challenge of planning and preparing a meal for 50 people.  

He had planned the menu before he arrived, so Easter Monday morning was spent preparing a shopping list.  There would be Caesar salad, bruschetta,ziti alfredo, and Black Forest Cake for dessert.  On Tuesday, we headed out to buy the ingredients to a Restaurant supply store and a few more grocery stores.  With the purchases made, Droz dove into preparation that afternoon and all of the next day, assisted by sous chefs Grandma and Grandpa.  

All was going according to plan until Droz detected a gas leak on one of the ovens around lunchtime on Wednesday.  The repairman was called, and Droz scrambled to get his baking done – 4 iterations of cake layers in the one working oven.  To his dismay, the repairmen arrived as the last cakes had just entered the oven.  To fix the problem, they would need to turn off the gas.  It was a race, but the cakes finished just as they had to turn off the gas.  That was close. 
 
The meal was a big hit.  And what leftovers there were managed to disappear over the next couple of days.  There were already discussions about maybe a repeat next year. . 

​When not working on the meal, we managed to break away for a few field trips.  On Friday, we headed to Clara’s for lunch, followed by a tour of Sweet Pete’s – one of Jacksonville’s home-grown candy makers – complete with a custom-made candy bar, taking the Skyway for an overview of the city and the river downtown.  Thursday took us to St. Augustine for the day, touring the fort and the old town on a beautiful, if somewhat blustery, day.

Happy 90th, Mom
 
The Sunday after Easter, we were surprised by a visit from Cathy’s Mom and 2 of her sisters, Carolyn and Chris, who joined us for Sunday service.  They had arrived in St. Simon’s Island GA the night before where the “girls” – Cathy’s mom and her sisters -- gathered later that day for a few days to celebrate Mom’s 90th birthday.  With our arrival, the weather turned blustery and gray, but we had a great time relaxing and reminiscing together while we celebrated Mom’s milestone.

​And Then There Were 5

While the project work continued, the pace started to slow as more of our members prepared to leave for points north.  More staining and painting was done, and at this point, there is almost no bare wood left on campus.  Bobbi and Sandy continued Karen’s work on the front pillars, powerwashing  them so  the rest looked as good as the first few she had done.  Don got the surface cleaner working again, requiring a series of new parts, repaired yet another bathroom fixture, a log splitter tire, deck boards etc.  And Fred repaired doors, the parsonage AC, and made seemingly endless repairs to the golf carts.  In the process, he worked with Jahaziel to help him learn how to keep the carts running and maintained while the Nomads aren’t around.  We’ll see how he does.
 
Dave worked with several members of the church to transition to a new website and calendaring system, and managed to help Pastor Rigo finalize his local pastor application.  It may not have required all the creative work of writing the many pages of papers, but his talents were essential in making sure they were submitted for review by the deadline.
 
Shortly after Droz returned home to go back to school, Fred, Don and Bobbi packed up and headed out.  It was still pretty cold up north, but you gotta do what you gotta do.  

Boat Stuff
 
With the eventual launch of Orion Jr getting closer, our attention is increasingly focused on getting her back in shape.  Cathy finished making all 5 windows for the enclosure (finally!), and then did some stitching on the bimini to reinforce the zippers.  With all the sewing work done, the canvas was stowed in preparation to return the mast to the deck.  

Dave took a drive down to Daytona to deliver our outboards and generator to Blake for servicing.  When we went to pick them up, we found out the generator and Nissan 9.8hp were in great shape.  However, sadly, our dinghy motor was toast.  It had served us well for 11 years, but it wasn’t salvageable.  For our trip in May, we figure the oars will get some use, instead.  The dinghy’s lights got some attention as well, since they wouldn’t turn on initially.  Although Dave managed to resuscitate the all-around light, he ordered replacements for all 3 to be sure we were covered. 
 
As the campground emptied out, we moved the boat to a spot out of the trees, powerwashed the foredeck and washed and waxed the hull.  In the process of moving the boat, we tested the trailer lights and brakes.  You guessed it. One of the sidelights didn’t work and the brake battery was questionable.  More replacements were ordered.  Opening up cockpit lockers to stow some new PFD’s, caused a chain reaction of activities which resulted in cleaning both lockers, changing the fuel filter (and ordering a replacement), and restoring the fuel tanks to their operating position. 
 
With still more to do to get the boat ready to go and RV ready to shut down, we decided it was time to go to Universal Studios and see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – a delayed birthday present for Cathy.  The boat stuff will still be there when we return.

Parting Shot 
​
​Hemingway couldn’t be left out when everyone gathered in the courtyard before sunrise on Easter Sunday.  She found a way to become the center of attention – as always.

As March came to a close, our normal activities at Faith expanded to include preparations for Lent observances and Easter Sunday celebrations.   There were more comings and goings among the Nomad volunteers and we found ourselves once again surrounded by some energetic youngsters helping out on their Spring Break.
​

Fixing Up
 
A few different projects that had been lingering for several weeks came to a conclusion over the past 2 weeks.  Cathy and Karen completed a review (with a little help from Jahaziel) of the irrigation zones and ensured all the heads were functioning and pointing in the right direction.  Dave and Ken managed to work out a solution to a persistent drain blockage in the new Pre-school room.  It was more involved than we had hoped for, since they had to cut a slice through the sidewalk only to find a 6” diameter root that ran straight down the channel they had just cut out.  Despite the setbacks, the drain was installed and this problem eliminated for now.    But the most exciting accomplishment was one we didn’t actually do.  Dave had worked to arrange the donation of a new vinyl floor for the school’s lunchroom.  With this change, they would be able to serve hot lunches.  When we got the call that the installer would arrive early on Easter Saturday morning, the room was quickly transformed.  Several of us had worked hard to remove the old carpet and it was a thrill to see the new floor go down and finish the job.

​Dave found himself exercising his computer skills more than usual as he was asked to assist the church with its website.  That led him to build a new one using Weebly and to train several church members to maintain different aspects of it.  He met with Jim, the current webmaster to understand the existing website and to help make the transition.  When not working on the website or doing another part buying search, he was spending time with Pastor Rigo to help him move forward his application for local pastor credentials.  

​Late in the week before Palm Sunday, we were visited for 2 consecutive days by some enthusiastic local volunteers on their Spring Break.  While planning for their activities, we included Pastor Rigo’s younger son, Jahaziel who was equally enthusiastic about planning and leading the group.  He hauled equipment to the house being rented by World Relief and made lists of tasks and supplies we needed.  It was a good thing too, since it took 3 or 4 of us to keep up with all they were doing.  Several truckloads of scrap metal were recycled, and we took several loads of trash to the dumpster.  A huge pile of logs were split and stacked, several heavy landscape timbers moved and a pretty flower bed was planted in front of the house.  The field next to the house was mowed a second time as well.   After they left, we found ourselves back at the house to make some more repairs – a door had delaminated and needed replacing, and the exterior sewer drain pipe broke and had to be replaced quickly.

​There was continuing work on painting, powerwashing and repairs.  Some of the more noticeable work was the powerwashing of the stone pillars that front the property.    The difference was pretty dramatic.  When not working outside, some of us found plenty to do in the kitchen.  During the spring break week, Kim’s Open Door program held an art camp, with 40 kids to be fed each day.  As a thank you, we were invited to their closing program on Saturday, which was full of energy and very uplifting.  (And there was food too.)  Kitchen duties continued the next Wednesday when we stepped in to pinch hit for the cook handling the Wednesday Seder meal.  This formal meal has a larger crowd of about 70 people, and when the cook called in sick, we chopped, diced, and cooked all day to get the meal on the table.  It went pretty smoothly considering the last minute change in chefs.
​

We had 2 Nomads leave us during the last 2 weeks as Cheryl and Karen headed for home.  Also, Don spent an unexpected few days in the hospital as he worked to clear an excess of fluid from his lungs.  We were all glad to see him return for Palm Sunday services, looking much like his old self.  And just before Easter, we had a surprise visit from Pat Manley who flew down for the weekend to escape the cold weather and enjoy time with Fred and the rest of us.  It was a joy to see her and spend time together.

Off Hours
 
Cathy used much of her time off to complete 3 more panels for the boat’s enclosure.  However, she did break away long enough to see a “Living Last Supper” presentation at Fort Caroline UMC that was excellent.  Dave joined the rest of the Nomads and some church members for a trip to the Florida UM Children’s Home in Enterprise FL.  This location hosts Nomads projects as well, so it gave him a chance to see the beautiful facility, learn about the programs they offer and see what the campground looks like for the Nomads.  (And there was food there of course too.)

We also joined the Spanish congregation one Saturday to celebrate a young man’s 10th birthday.  This was a significant celebration, since it was his first birthday party.  He had a wonderful time, as did the rest of us.

​With a bumper crop of Nomads still here at Faith this March, the list of completed tasks is growing longer each day.  Some days it’s hard to keep track of all that’s being accomplished.  Our numbers also swelled for a day with an energetic group of UT students on their Spring Break trip.  

Project Work
​
With a dozen volunteers staying here at Faith, we have our hands full keeping them organized onto tasks and supplied with needed materials.  There is a group of 3 or 4 whose primary focus has been powerwashing and painting / staining.  This group has transformed the courtyard deck and picnic tables, refreshed the peeling paint on the front of Asbury Hall and Peeler, and various smaller touchups around the campus.  

Another 2 or 3 focus on electrical tasks, which range from small tasks like replacing a GFI outlet to major ones like installing the new service for the planned storage areas in the Peeler building.  As the containers arrived that are to become Peeler’s new annex, Ron, Karen and Pat worked steadily for several days through the weekend to install lights and the main circuit panel before Ron and Pat had to leave for their home in Iowa.

The rest of the team moves around as needed, including both of us.  There is a lot of ground to cover – literally and figuratively.  Karen and Cathy have been working their way through the irrigation zones (there are 8), and replacing or adjusting the sprinkler heads so that they will water the grass, not the sidewalks or parking lots.  Three have been done so far.  Dave and Ken have spent several days attempting to clear a blockage that has developed in the drain for the new day care sinks.  So far with no good success, but certainly not for lack of trying.  We have sorted and organized tools, replaced glass in broken windows, installed shelves, replaced thermostats, and even assisted with the return of residents displaced by the fire last December back to their apartments, including washing a dozen loads of musty clothes and linens.  When one of the church members built a new 6ft cross to install on the church grounds, you can guess who was there to dig the hole to install it and to run the power for the lights.  That’s right.

While our list of finished tasks grows steadily despite the occasional aches and pains, it was still impressive to see what a dozen motivated college students could accomplish in just a morning.  Sponsored by World Relief, the group of University of Tennessee students on an Alternative Spring Break trip arrived on a cold (for Florida) rainy Monday and were undeterred by the inclement weather.  Divided into 4 teams, they attacked their respective tasks with enthusiasm and good humor.  We dismantled an old shed that used to cover the well, mowed the grass in the field next to the Burmese garden, picked up half a dozen large bags of trash ( including a Walmart cart from the creek behind the campground), and dug out the valve boxes for the irrigation system that had vanished in the year since they were installed.  It was hard to keep ahead of them.  And they were a wonderful group to work with.  

Boat Stuff:
 
We continue to squeeze in boat projects.  Cathy finished the new windshield for the boat and began working on a couple of side panels.  In the meantime, Dave inspected the navigation and anchor lights on the boat and cleaned connections as necessary to ensure they were working reliably.    
 

​I know.  Another cat picture. 
 
We received an unsettling reminder that these creatures we think are so loveable have a dark side.  When several birds flew into the windows and didn’t survive, the cats – even Hemingway – couldn’t resist “playing” with them.