Splash Day! Hooray!

This week we said "goodbye" to Jake the fat yard dog, and "adios" to the Cuban fisherman in the DIY boat yard. Our exhausting time on the hard has ended and we couldn't be more ecstatic! While hauled out of the water, we were able to complete some important tasks to get Wanderlust in ship shape, which were:

1. Paint the bottom

2. Re-Rig the halyard

3. Clean like crazy : Done, but I doubt you want to read a post about it :)

Unfortunately we didn't get around to fixing Wanderlust's steering cables, which had snapped during a previous towing incident, because the parts couldn't be delivered for another week. We figured that the installation could be done with Wanderlust in the water... but HOW to get Wanderlust to her slip in the marina without steering?! Now, that's a dilemma!

We were stumped, but it didn't take long for one of our new friends in the yard to come to the rescue! Ben, with the help of a few of our salty, shaggy, mechanically-inclined friends in the boat yard, built an emergency tiller which connected manually to the rudder. This would give us the ability to steer the boat while our cable parts are in route. With the emergency tiller, we were able to "splash" Wanderlust on Monday.

Yipee! >>>Happy Dance Happening<<<<

Dropping in:

Ben navigating with the emergency tiller, with our friends from the yard, Pirate John, Thomas and Tom on board :

Proud after successfully docking in our slip at Stock Island Marina Village in Key West. Hello from B14!

Life in the marina is really fantastic, and we're soaking it up! Before long, we'll head out to catch a mooring ball, where rent isn't so expensive. But, while we can, we are enjoying the lovely laundry facilities, the club room with leather sofas and wi-fi, unlimited water supply, on-site dog park and the complimentary coffee. Stock Island Marina is treating us pretty nice. :)

As the new full time liveaboard crew of Wanderlust, Ben and I are finding that it's all work and no play... the chores and jobs are seemingly never ending. The folks at West Marine have learned our first names... not a good sign! The galley needs outfitting, we're learning all the electronic and mechanical systems, and figuring out how the heck to sleep in a v-berth bed. It's exhausting, but SO. MUCH. FUN. and a pure labor of love.

It's hard to believe that this is our real life now, and this 38 foot sailboat is our home. Gone are the days of traffic, cubicles, and meetings. We have to try to wipe the stupid perma-grins from our faces sometimes, and restrict our gushing excitement about our adventure to a normal level. Things are different, simpler, slower than before, and we couldn't be happier about it.

Thanks for reading,

Ben, Quinn and Ruca

#svwanderlust #boat