Spring IS coming

Looking back over the past winter here in the Chesapeake Bay region, I wonder why any of us bothered to winterize our boats.  Bay water temperatures never dropped below about 39F, and I don’t recall that sub-freezing temps ever persisted for more than some overnight hours – certainly not long enough to create on-board freezing issues.

Nothing like the experience from 2010 –

One cold winter

While winter is not yet over, we are on the upswing. Days are getting longer giving us more sun time, and encouraging thoughts of getting back on the water. Valinor will get de-winterized in the next couple weeks. Some friends who went south for the winter are heading north, and all the usual Spring signs around the homestead are ahead of schedule. The local red-tailed hawk pair is setting up housekeeping, birds are increasingly vocal about the morning, and crocuses have pushed up though the litter debris.

Early signs .....

So, first warm day or two will provide the final push to flush and clean the fresh water system, find out why the poor pressure on the hot water side (and repair), change engine fluids and filters, and crank the engine. All this followed by a thorough Spring cleaning of the cabin and deck, re-mounting on-deck safety equipment and dingy outboard.

Then the very first sail of the season, and the beginning of a busy cruising calendar!