02 Bock Marine 2009-09-12

We are docked at a place called Bock Marine, located about 10 miles outside the town of Beaufort, NC; there is nothing else around us....perhaps a few dumpy houses and farmland. It's right on the ICW (Intra-Coastal Waterway), so we have a pleasant backyard view from the cockpit of every imagineable type of boat going by. Our “front yard” consists of about 50 boats, mainly up “on the hard” and in every imaginable state of repair in process. It's not the prettiest of locations, but apparently Bock is good at what they do and what they do is fix boats.

view from our cockpit

view of Bock Marine

To back up a little, our three planes, a shuttle bus and a taxi brought us to New Bern, NC Tuesday night around 7 p.m. (without supper of course). Our new dear friend, Eddie Miller, picked us up and drove us the 30 miles to Beaufort, to his home, for dinner and to spend the night (there ain't nottin like Southern hospitality). He explained that although the work was done on our boat, it wasn't fit for us to stay the night. The next morning, we started the job of cleaning up the boat all over again....lots – it took the entire day and by evening, we were exhausted and fell into bed too tired to consider email possibilites. Thursday was the same, except I became ill (bad headache, backache from all the 'housework', upset stomach.... and unable to sleep...did I miss anything??) Friday and again today, Saturday, we rented a car to do a zillion errands and make a zillion purchases....kettle, tiny coffee pot, dishes, boat parts, groceries, wine....etc. I am completely amazed at what has to be done to live on a boat! Last night, we started up a conversation with a couple who had come into the lounge; Audrey and Wade, but we called them A&W! They've been living on their boat since 1982 AND have been living on it in this boatyard for 4 years!!!! They had some pretty major work being done.

I made a little list of the main things Jim has been accomplishing:

• fix generator
• repair clogged bilge pump
• bring in companionway canvas for repair
• contact US customs
• replace injectors on engine
• sort out and mark anchor chain
• re-attach genoa foresail
• replace 'v' belt
• bring in dinghy cover for repair
• take more photos of boat and arrange for 'hardcopies' to be signed and sent by special post to Harold, for onward posting with other documents he has for us to Transport Canada for vessel registry (what would we do without Harold!)

Are you asleep yet???!!

As I write, Jim is replacing the float switch in the bilge; what a dirty job, but without it, no showers because this little thingy is what lets the bildge pump know that it's time to empy the water. Selfish me - all I really care about right now is that it's done soon so we can open a bottle of wine and have supper!!