Spring equinox …

….at least for me, the official start of the sailing season!    In honor of the celestial event, I motored out of the slip if only briefly.

Spent four days on the boat working through the Spring engine maintenance routine including checks of zincs, impellers and filters, topping coolant level and changing oil. Checked all the fitting and tightened nuts where needed, inspected all the sheets and halyards for wear, and organized gear below deck. Finally, tested all the navigation lighting and instruments. All that remains of the Spring check list is to clean and fill the fresh water system, and just received word that the marina will turn on the dock water tomorrow.

The very mild winter and early Spring has made it possible to ready the boat more easily and quickly this year. Hoping that all this nice weather will continue through the summer and late into next Fall making for a long season on the Bay.

Next post should include pictures under sail! Some are perhaps a bit impatient to be underway…….

miss Addison looks ready to go .........

FROM WIKIPEDIA:

An equinox occurs twice a year (around 20 March and 22 September), when the tilt of the Earth‘s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth’s equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name “equinox” is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day have approximately equal length.

At an equinox, the Sun is at one of two opposite points on the celestial sphere where the celestial equator (i.e. declination 0) and ecliptic intersect. These points of intersection are called equinoctial points: classically, the vernal point and the autumnal point. By extension, the term equinox may denote an equinoctial point.