Lucky again

Well, last night was bouncier and windier than what we prefer. But in the end we made it through the tropical storm without mishap. Nobody on Cupcake slept much last night, what with the howling wind and the choppy waves. I went up on deck repeatedly to check on and adjust the lines and fenders.

From what we experienced and heard from neighbors with wind instruments, the winds built deep into the 30 knot range and gusted into the high 50 knot range last night and this morning. By 6am when the tide turned to run with the wind, the sea state calmed down (this marina is not particularly well protected from winds out of the south) and things got much more calm.

By daylight the worst of the wind had passed, although we saw big gusts well into the afternoon.

Now the winds are calm, the river is flat, and the sun is setting.

Once we were certain Cupcake weathered yet another storm, Moss and I went swimming while Ellen continued to take it easy on her ribcage.

After the swim, we all took the courtesy car and brought the swim ladder to a welder to make a repair that was botched in Freeport. We had a piece welded onto the ladder, but the guy in Freeport who did the job only brazed it on. So when I climbed up the swim ladder at Cape Lookout, it fell apart. By tomorrow we ought to have it back installed and better than new.

In the meantime, Ellen is taking it easy so she mends more rapidly. Moss and I are in the pool several times a day, and I am putting Cupcake back together again. I even bought some stainless steel polish and have been slowly going at the salty, rust-stained tubing aboard.

Tomorrow we are going to have breakfast with dock-neighbors Diane and Bill. We are all looking forward to a grits kind of breakfast. Then we will head in to Charleston to see what we can see.