April has been one of the driest Springs in many years and unfortunately, due to the self quarantine orders we haven’t been able to enjoy the weather. Scott and I have a list of projects we need to tackle on the boat, but with me being unemployed right now, we’re not spending any money.
Last week, we decided to stay on the boat for a few days to regain our sanity. We have no neighbors right now at the marina, so it was not only safe but actually a bit lonely. That’s been one of the hardest things about the quarantine, is the lack of socializing. Boaters are pretty social people and we love to mingle on the docks and share cocktails. Not these days.
But first, check the water pressure pump
Once we started staying on the boat a few months ago, we would be awaken in the night by the sound of the water pressure pump. Scott and I didn’t think anything about it, until a couple of other boaters we follow @MVWhyKnot and @Seabits_Steve both mentioned that they found leaks from this sound. UH OH.
So, we tore apart our bed to check and see if everything was dry. Sure enough it was.
Next, we checked the water heater – all was dry there too. After talking to a few people, the culprit is most likely the check valve on the actual water pressure pump and so we’ll probably need to replace that soon.
Day trip to Des Moines for diesel!
We found out earlier in the week, that Des Moines Marina was selling diesel for $1.74/gallon! That was worth the trip and so we headed out Thursday late afternoon. At 10 knots, it took us about 1.5 hours and it was a very comfortable and gorgeous trip.
By the time we arrived, the winds had kicked up a bit and there was a slight wait for the fuel dock. On top of that, it’s was not easy to navigate around the marina as we had to turn around at the end of the fairway. Luckily, we got in right after that.
This photo doesn’t do it justice, as there are no boats around. Imagine, a boat on all three docks plus more waiting near the breakwater and lots of wind.
As we headed back home, I texted one of our friends who lives in Burien and told her to look out for us. She then texted us a couple photos back! That’s one way to practice social distancing.
By the time we got back, it was time to relax and watch the sunset. It was a gorgeous night to be on the boat.
Scavenger hunt on your boat
I suppose you could arrange a scavenger hunt during the quarantine on your boat, but that’s not really what we did. Instead, I decided to go through all of the storage spaces and see what the previous owner left us. Wait until the video comes out and you’ll see everything we found!
I was amazed by everything we found including a macerator, impeller, anodes, filters, etc. It pays to go through the storage areas when you first buy a boat or even a year later.
While I worked on the inside, Scott gave the boat a much needed bath. Soon it was time to relax and enjoy our cocktails during high tide. With pollution being down, we were able to see the topography of Bainbridge Island.
Saturday evening on the boat
Scott and I hosted happy hour on the boat Saturday night, in true self quarantine fashion with three friends who you probably recognize from some of our trips (Randy, Matt and AJ).
Trying to support our local restaurants at the marina, we ordered dinner from Palisade Restaurant Saturday evening. Known as the place to go for special events, it’s surreal that they are now only serving curbside during the quarantine.
While we continue to support both Maggie Bluffs and Palisade, we are disappointed that the last three times our orders have been wrong, missing or not very good. We understand it’s difficult to work under these conditions, but this is also a great time to wow people who have never patronized their establishments before.
Both restaurants are offering a limited menu and last weekend we ordered the Crab Louie and Stuffed Prawns, which would be fairly easy to carry back and eat on the boat.
This is a tough week for us, as we were supposed to be flying out for our bareboat charter trip to the BVI’s. Hopefully, we can reschedule that trip, sooner than later.
As always, thank you for following us! Be sure to follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram @BoatingJourney, so you can see our stories and get current updates on our progress. Also, check out our YouTube channel at @BoatingJourney and subscribe for future episodes.
Cheers, Ally & Scott
