While we are here tied to the dock in Annapolis, we have gone from running the air conditioning during the heat of the day, to running the heat in the cool of the evening.  The first hints of colors are starting to show in the trees.  That can only mean one thing:  Time to head south!

One of the projects involved a trip to the masthead, always an exciting time, although we have done this enough now that the set-up is pretty routine.  Our anemometer and wind vane had been giving us trouble, so we were replacing those instruments at the top of the mast.  Oddly, for a boat project, it went perfectly smoothly.  Unscrew, unplug, plug in, tighten, done! Even up at the top of the mast, the care that Harmonie had received from her previous owners shows.  Everything had been properly greased when assembled, which means after years of exposure to the weather, it comes apart just like it was new.

The view north toward the mouth of Back Creek from the top of Harmonie‘s main mast, 67 feet above the water.  Yes, there are a LOT of sailboats here!

We have enjoyed meeting new friends here, some on sisterships to our Harmonie,  like the Swedish couple Paul and Kerstin on Kerpa and the Australians Dave and Leanne on Perigree.  Having the same boat always gives an excuse for an introduction.

Then one morning Karen tells me before I go up on deck, I have to put on a teeshirt from OCSC, the sailing school where I worked for several years in San Francisco Bay.  Turns out the guy who pulled in to the slip right next to us has his OCSC shirt on. Dave was stopping off on his way south sailing his beautiful, very shiny, almost new Hallberg-Rassy 40, Flight.

OCSC alumni gathering. Dave on the right, me on the left. Dave’s boat, Flight is behind us, and Harmonie is at the right edge of the photo.

Our projects we set out to finish here are almost done.  We have spent the past two days turning Harmonie back into a proper yacht after she spent the past 2 weeks looking like a construction zone. Tools are stowed, water tanks full.  Batteries charged. Looks like we will be underway on Friday morning.

The weather looks as good as it can for a passage to South Florida this time of year which should take about 6 days, if the weather cooperates.  When we get there, we have a few more major projects to complete, then we are off for another year of trouble-free cruising!  (Hey, I can dream, right?)

We are both itching to get underway again.  I am anxious to see how good a job the local North Sails loft did on recutting our sails.  I am hoping the shape will be back to something like what they looked like when new!