Continuing on this theme...
Why aren't you farther north yet?
Thanks for asking (thick, syrupy, sarcasm...) But since you asked there are several reasons...
We're in what cruisers call Shakedown...and shakedown cruises just mean meandering, learning the in's and out's of the sail handling systems, power generation, in general: getting our mojo workin, getting our ship in gear. It is more complicated than it sounds because different conditions means the boat handles differently and the sails need to be trimmed differently...getting jib, genoa, spinnaker, storm jib, staysail, main, and mizzen all learned and tweaked is quite a job.
Working from onboard takes much more discipline than I ever imagined. I want to sit in the cockpit and sip on a cup of tea instead of working...but the finances just don't see it that way. So we compromise...I take a break at sunrise to make some tea and sit and watch the morning come. I do no work when company comes. Days when we move the boat means no work either. So I have to have some make-up time...
Lastly...we like to get to know places. We both enjoy history. Graveyards in this area are amazing, very old, very ornate, and very wordy...poor stonecarvers (they were talented - not poor stonecarvers...I meant they had to carve many words, poor stonecarvers... someone asked and I had to clarify) We like to go out and about to see architecture, old homes, etc. Plus we really just enjoy living aboard, moving every day or once a week, it is irrelevant to us. We just like what we're doing now.
Plus we're getting a LOT done to HP while we're here.
Moving on...
Does Heather ever drive?
If you don't know by now, Heather is legally blind. Which means she is twice as courageous to go out on the large ocean in a small boat and do what is necessary to make our journey or day-to-day lives successful. Again, I didn't answer the question.
Yes, she does. Never in tight spaces, shallow water, high-traffic, etc. But she does her helm-time.
But what she really likes is driving the dinghy. Then I call her Hell-On-Wheels. She's proficient and safe but likes to go really fast...which with the 9.9hp outboard means she can skip like a stone.
When one of us falls in, you'll be duly informed.
Do you have specific duties?
Do you mean like his and hers? Pink and blue chores? Sure, everyone does. But they are mostly sail related. B is at the helm while anchoring and H is in charge of the ground tackle itself. That is one reason we love HP - windlass with foot-pedals so the 100' of 3/8 chain and 55lb anchor is nothing for her to womanhandle. She steps on it and it obeys her command (sounds like something a woman would like) and B is at the helm for fine control of HP. If the windlass failed or when the anchor sticks, we switch places...or B can singlehand HP with relative ease.
What else? Nothing that I know of. We both cook, both do dishes, both wash and wring and hang and fold laundry. B does the mechanical and repair but H always helps and she's learning the systems very quickly as well.
So I guess outside of anchoring and, of course, heavy lifting, there is nothing day-to-day that we need enforce gender segregation. B operates the sewing machine while H repairs everything that can be done only by hand.
Lunchtime is over. Back to work.
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