Christmas Plans

Sandpiper arrived in Mobile, AL almost two weeks ago and has been at Dog River Marina. Linda's college roommate, Ann, joined us and the plan was to sail to Florida. However, sailboats are machines and we have been dealing with a series of mechanical issues that we are resolving one at a time. We had the mast trucked here and got a crane to help us put it up soon after our arrival. Then we put the sails on. At last we look like a sailboat again. The strut on the drive shaft had worked loose. They hauled the boat out of the water and repaired the strut. We keep reminding each other that we are fortunate that we are in a place with skilled mechanics. We also found that our inflatable dinghy needed to be replaced and we did that. Then we found that the fresh water pump that circulates antifreeze through the engine was seriously leaking. The diesel crew took it apart and concluded that we needed a new one which is only available from Peugeot in France and that will take at least three weeks.

Don't get discouraged because we aren't. As boaters who read this know the above goes with the life style! We regrouped! We are planning to do some projects on the boat at the dock from now until about Dec. 13 then use some frequent flyer miles and go to St. Thomas USVI to be with Carl for Christmas. Not a bad alternative and warm in December!! We hope by then the water pump will be in and we can start for Florida again. As has been true of the whole trip people have been the best part -- warm, friendly and willing to help and share information and resources!

We are learning to take our schedule with a grain of salt. If patience is a virtue then we are working on our virtue.

We have met wonderful people here on sailboats and power boats from France, Canada, Michigan and Florida. We had a potluck thanksgiving dinner with two couples on a trawler and the next day had left overs on the fuel dock with other boaters we have met in the past few weeks. We exchange information with each other and trade books and DVDs, and sometimes help with boat projects.

Shrimp and crab boats dock near us and we have had some wonderful meals onboard of really fresh shrimp. (The market price off the boat is $3.00 per pound). And so good! The crab boat gives us flounder that they accidentally catch in their traps and cannot sell. We have heard of a store nearby that has has fresh scallops and plan to check that out tomorrow.

We are also getting to catch up on some reading. Both of us are enjoying reading mysteries by Sara Paretsky. These are novels of a female detective set in the neighborhoods of Chicago. The familiar locations are lots of fun. We've also read The Secret Life of Bees and I found a history of Eisenhower I'm looking forward to reading. We enjoyed seeing the DVD of the movie Lost in Translation this weekend.

Our friend Ann had to return home to North Carolina and we are missing her good company, but still enjoying the hospitality of the South. We will have access to e-mail for the next 10 days so send us your news.

Loy and Linda