What Happens When Matt is Alone on the Boat?

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Many of you have asked, “What does Matt do alone on the boat while you are in America?”  He does whatever he wants, when he wants, and how he wants.  Of course, he keeps busy with the never ending list of boat projects, but he also makes time for fun!

During this trip he has managed to go on several long paddle board rides.  He brings his garmen and then uploads the track to create fun animated videos.  I took snap shots of the final route on a few of them – one he even made a heart!  As you can see, he progressively went on longer and longer routes…starting at 4.7 miles, then 6.5 miles, then 7.1 miles.  Of course, this is his “alone” time even when I am on the boat as you won’t be finding me doing a 7 mile paddle!

Boat Projects

There are always boat projects to do and Matt continues to tackle the list!  He cleaned out both port and starboard diesel tanks, replaced the Raco diesel filter and secured the baffles inside the tanks with bolts.

Matt is famous for starting a project, then starting another project before the first project is complete.  Usually, its because he needs a tool or part.  But when this happens, I ask that he clean up his mess at the end of every day.  While I am gone, he starts piles of projects all over the place – which drives me crazy.  But, it doesn’t matter because I am not there!

He may be alone, but he was a very busy boy:

  • He dropped off and picked up our Genoa which was in for a quick repair with North sails,
  • Picked up our new exterior cushions, sunshades, table covers, cockpit cushions, cockpit pockets, and recycle bags.  Then installed them.
  • Filled our jerry cans with both gasoline and diesel
  • Started installing the bathroom accessories in both heads (needs me on a few pieces)
  • Tested the new Bauer Jr dive compressor, only for it to fry our new inverter charger (guess we will be selling the new to us dive compressor)
  • Mounted our new main sheet line bags on the transom
  • Installed a new 6 button C-Zone controller on the starboard helm

New Cockpit light installed.  We have a cockpit light that we leave on at night so that it is easier to find the boat in the sea of boats at anchor.  The light is white or red.  As you can see our original light was a little corroded.   Our new light is a Nevis2 Engine Light that we bought on Amazon.

I posted photos of the canvas work on the blog “Final Touches on Sugar Shack.”  

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events. This blog post occurred in March 2024.  If you missed our last blog, Road Trip to America, then you don’t know why Matt is alone.

Arrived ..

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Anchor is down… breakfast before bed.

Anchor beer.

Blowing snot and big waves for the past 6+ hours. When your 23 knot high wind alarm goes off and you reset it to 30, and it still,goes off. The original 23 alarm seems so benign.

Cheers.

Mystery island is surrounded

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Surrounded in mystery that is for sure, or maybe just clouded in mystery.

Mystery island surrounded by clouds of mystery

Seems Daphne, Fred and the whole gang should be living there somewhere.

Well, morning came we waited still no word about permission to clear in with the cruise ship. Waited still office hours and Christine made some phone calls, and got the ball rolling. Not long after, the approval email came in, excitement was finally here. A destination instead of the unknown floating slowly along in building seas.

Alas, the excitement was short lived. A second email came through 5 minutes later saying disregard the first email and proceed directly to Tanna for customs, stating there is some weather coming on Thursday and the cruise ship stop maybe cancelled.

I would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for them “Meddling Kids” (and Mother Nature) in the magical mystery machine van.

Bummer! But still we had a plan, now it was too late to make Tanna, Port Resolution in the day time, so the one more night out still held. We sped the boat up just enough to arrive at day break. The Port Resolution bay looks easily do able in the dark, we are not in that much of a hurry that a couple of hours makes a difference. There are 3 boats there currently, something like 6 left yesterday, so there will be plenty of space to anchor.

We did get caught by a weather trough, that has brought some crazy squalls all day and continues into the night. Gusty winds, near 30 knots and sloppy seas, the only saving grace is we are going with the waves and not into them. We have only a bit of head sail, jib, up and we are getting pushed toward our destination. At times too fast, arrive before sunrise and at times too slow arrive well after lunch. Here is hoping the law of averages works out and we arrive at day break.

During the email exchanges, and organizing customs for us at port resolution, we learn that we will arrive on a holiday and fees are doubled. Doh! So I guess the Vegas house wins again.

It is what it is, and it ps time to put some beer in the fridge so that there is a nice cold anchor beer ready for when we arrive. It might be a breakfast beer, before a long solid sleep. Which might be interrupted by the formalities of clearing into the country.

Anchor down beer

20 miles left