Thursday, May 22, 2014 – 7:30PM – Leg 35/Day 55 – 34.0 Miles
Tomorrow is the last day on the open ocean as I make my way into New York Harbor. My spot is all reserved at One 15 Brooklyn Marina where I will wait for Katie to come in. The farmers markets are in full swing in Bay End and I am going to get up early to head in to pick up some produce for the trip up the Hudson River. This will mark the end of my Atlantic journeys and it has been just a great and awesome time. I'm finally getting to the point where I don't feel like I need to be somewhere else. I am enjoying the moments just as I move along; enjoying the sights and sounds of the present. I think Kate will see a difference in me too. I'm hoping she will get into that state-of-mind also. She takes too much after me in that regard, it should be a baptism by fire going across the Erie canal. I am told that life just comes to a crawl there and the high points are the locks as you climb some 500 ft. in elevation to Lake Erie.
As I reflect back on this trip to date, I find that I have changed a lot. I have found a great balance in feeling comfortable just motoring along and if I make the leg as planned, great, if not, then I am quite OK with that outcome also. I see that I have settled into a nice routine of traveling 5 days during the week and then parking for the weekend. I am much more comfortable anchoring out and being on open water. My fears from my start have diminished and this boat is now becoming a great friend. Little by little it is getting in better shape and my finances are holding up quite nicely. Dinners out are a treat and the people I have met I now consider friends. I am following their adventures and I know several are following mine.
One of the things I have started doing is to upload pictures to the AIS vessel site for ships that do not have pictures. It passes the time and as I have traveled through some congested areas, I am amassing quite a portfolio. It's fun to look them up, get some history on them and upload a pic when it doesn't exist. I'm also helping out the Squiddo site that is a plugin for OPNCPN and putting more marinas on there.
The batteries hold up fairly well with my little bit of usage and the solar panels and wind generator keep them charged for the most part. That may change as it gets warmer and I use the air conditioner, but for now, I am plugging along quite well (pun intended).
Keep my peeps in your Grace and let them know I love them by the gift of Your Holy Spirit.