Thursday, December 24, 2009

Oatus is Resurrected; Granny's Poodle Passes On


Nov. 12, 1970 Friday
Well, whatever it was that Everett didn't accomplish last night surely was seen to this morning which broke fine and fair with a fragrant chill over the cypress tree behind the truck which Chris and I use for a toilet, as the need arises.
Chris rented a tap wrench set to re-thread the bolt holes and went to work! Tomorrow we will rent a torque wrench when the whole works goes back together. We have this wonderful Rent-All store down the street that has everything in the world you could possibly wish for and at a very reasonable price.
But ~ all our efforts were postponed once again when Granny's little pregnant white poodle died this evening! In an effort to try to save the pups Chris cut her open but she had been dead too long. Apparently one of the pups died in utero perhaps a week ago and this brought about a case of peritonitis.

Nov. 13, Sat.
After I buried the poodle this morning, we set to work wrapping everything up. By afternoon Oatus was operational and the new port bulkhead was finished and stained.
~ And, thank God, we got to go take another sauna before tomorrow's departure!

Nov. 14, Sun.
Granny and Paw did a nice thing for Chris's birthday with a card and a new undershirt for him this morning. What wonderful people! They've been nothing but good to us.
At 12:30 we took in our moorings and got underway. That was some port call! Now here we are, pulling out, with our new friends waving handkerchiefs behind us. If only we had Oatus's rigging up so we could have flown flags! Goodbye all for now.
The weather has gone foul on us again. We have decided on advice from our friends to change our course and head for Willits rather than fight with steep mountain roads on Highway 1 north of Fort Bragg.
Thirty-two miles is about two hours worth of Oatus travel, counting mechanical interruption which occurred about midway. The glass float jar fell of the carburetor and Oatus went D.B.R. (Dead Beside the Road) immediately. We procured some stout cord from the Bos'n's locker and lashed the little devil in place. Off once again!
We made Port Willits by 15:30 and stopped to take on provisions and fuel. We also discovered the starboard front tire is split and will have to go! Naturally there is only one truck tire shop in town and they're closed on Sundays. We found the place and tied up for the night out back to wait for Monday to arrive.
The police however arrived first at about 21:30 and checked us out extensively from the pier. Fortunately no one asked to come aboard and they disappeared as quickly as they had arrived.

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