Wharfinger

Just over a year ago, when we arrived at South Beach Marina the good folks at the marina office gave us a lot of information about staying at the marina just as I imagine they give to everybody.  One small tidbit that stood out was an item about our Wharfinger, Keith.  They told us that he lived on a boat in the marina and walked the docks everyday and kept a good eye on things.  Now that struck me because after spending most of my adult life around docks and marinas I'd never heard the term Wharfinger so I googled it.  I found this in Wikipedia: 

Wharfinger (pronounced wor-fin-jer) is an archaic term for a person who is the keeper or owner of a wharf. The wharfinger takes custody of and is responsible for goods delivered to the wharf, typically has an office on the wharf or dock, and is responsible for day-to-day activities including slipways, keeping tide tables and resolving disputes.

The term is obsolescent; today a wharfinger is usually called a "harbormaster".

Etymology

The word's etymology is probably Elizabethan-era English, and possibly a corruption of wharfager.  An 1844 usage appears in Pigot's Directory of Dorset in which Beales and Cox are noted to be wharfingers for the Port of Weymouth.

Here's a photo of our beloved Wharfinger Keith who, when not patrolling the marina docks, saving boats, and passing on wisdom such as; "Boats, they're all going to sink or have already sunk and they are all pains in the ass."

When Keith is not taking care of the marina, he lives on and maintains one of the most shipshape and bristol fashion sailboats around.  He recently confided to me that he's considering one more cruise south but, at the same time he's wondering if his seventy plus year old body is up for it. That's something we've all got to come to terms with in our own ways and in our own time.  I get much inspiration from 75 year old Web Chiles who is just wrapping up his 6th unsupported circumnavigation.  So here's to Keith, the humble servant & master of South Beach Marina and Web; master mariners who continue to track & contemplate the ocean.  

Almost Done

Yes we are, almost done and that's a very good and exciting place to be.  We came down on Friday with our friend and house sitter Diane.  It was good to be able to share a few of Newports charms with her and it gave us an excuse to do some touristy things that we usually wouldn't indulge ourselves in.  

This is the view from the other side of Yaquina bay. It's a gorgeous bay and the run up the Yaquina River to Toledo is an unspeakably beautiful.  

No trip to Newport would be complete without a visit to the sea lion docks.  

They seem to be great nappers in spite of or perhaps because there always seem to be one sea lion who feels like barking and boy, they can really bark.



They are also world class snugglers.  This young one seemed both safe and comfy amongst his elders.  I say "his" because I've been told this is a colony of males that had just returned from visiting with the ladies in California.  No wonder they all are so tuckered out...

















Looking over our neighbor's boat down the docks we see row upon row of boats, some ready to head out and others that will probably be there for some time to come.

We got the last of our gear on board; two SUP boards, the dinghy & motor, the new gennaker sail and two folding mountain bikes which were bonus items.  Things we didn't think that we'd be able to fit on Malo but we did and, and, and not only were we able to fit them, the boat seems to be well stowed, shipshape, with good workability above and below. 



Now we just have to tidy up a few loose ends at home.  On or after September 1st is still our target for departure and the only thing we have left to do on Malo before we go it to top off the water tanks.  We've filler her propane, gas and diesel thanks.  We be watching NOAA, Passage Weather and my visual favorite Windy for a favorable weather window for Crescent City CA, our first stop heading south.

Total eclipse of the…

Water pulsing, teal & blue, tiny wave upon wave, down the channel and cascading around Malo’s bow.  It was the start of a picture perfect day in Newport.  We were down at the boat for the total eclipse on Monday.  Fortunately for us Newport happened to be within the band of totality, so it was both easy and spectacular to see.  It also happened on the same day that the Coho Ho Ho & Baja Ha Ha rallies and several other independent boats were leaving on their way south, mostly to Mexico.  We spent the evening before and the morning of saying fond goodbyes to new friends who we hope to hook with along our way or down it Mexico.  There was a good feeling of camaraderie amongst all the crews.  It was like we were all part of a big, loosely affiliated, seagoing, nomadic tribe who’s only requirement for inclusion is a love of adventure and the sea.  

We had gone to South Beach a day before the eclipse for a walk with a friend who was visiting.

It was by any ordinary measure, a perfect day that I took as a good sign for the next days weather during the eclipse.  A cloud man even showed up in the sky and did a gossamer happy dance for any and all to see.

    

In between socializing, beach walks and sky watching we managed to get some work done too.  We've been sorting, tallying, storing, re-sorting, culling re-tallying and re-storing our provisions, doing this all one eye on the twin bubble levels that indicate our boats trim, both fore & aft and side to side.  In the process we're figuring out the best way to stock and store provisions on Malo.  We ended up taking some provisions off the boat due to space limitations.  We ended up with enough food for about a month and a half of shore life which is probably more like two months of cruising food as we both tend to eat less when sailing.  

The morning of the eclipse we experienced an extreme low tide.  A few of the south bound boats had left early and one was stuck fast in the middle of the channel. I checked Malo's instruments, we had about 8 or 9 inches of water under our keel.  Close, but not too bad.  We were lucky as other boats at dock were leaning over, some quite a bit, aground in their own slips. 

At 9:15 I stopped by Manu-o-Ku, a friends boat, where and they announced "it started".  So I ran back to our boat, gave Bev the news and grabbed some dark glasses and sure enough the first bite has been taken out of the sun.  

Bev and I headed over to to join our friends on Manu-o-Ku.  There were six of us gathered in the cockpit of a beautiful old, 51' wooden, William Garden designed ketch.  We all had our dark glasses on, heads tilted up to the sky and all around us other folks on the other boats, the dock and near by seawalls were doing the same.  As the eclipse progressed it got noticeably colder.  Many of us donned jackets or sweaters.  The seal lions who normally bark continually stopped their barking and a large number of seagulls took to the sky. 

                      

I put my glasses over my iPod's camera lens and snapped a photo.  Ernie, who is a preacher, praised the lord and divine creation while the rest of us mostly oohed and aahed away.  It was a great start to our day and probably the rest of our lives too...

This fine morning...

On this fine morning Beverly and I took a walk across the marina as we sometimes do.  It helps shake the cobwebs out and limber up for the coming day.  

Today was different.  We had completed the last boat task on our list the day before and were planing on spending this day packing away more boat gear and provisions.  It was very quiet and still in our often busy and blustery marina.  We chatted about our upcoming day as we made our way across the marina.  We walked out the last dock, the transient dock to check out the new arrivals.  There were a couple of interesting boats this morning; a wooden schooner, gaff raged and hooped luffed, an old school beauty.  Just ahead of her a was modern sloop with double headsails and an array of all the latest electronics.  

We walked past all the boats on the dock, out to the end where we could see the cut in the breakwater and the channel that leads out into Yaquina Bay.   Just beyond that we could see the main span of the bridge under which runs all the boat traffic going in or out of the bay.  I took Bev's hand in mine, looked her in the eyes and asked; are you read to leave?  And her answer was "Yes".  We are ready, a couple of weeks ahead of schedule which is a very good place to be.

Shot from a cannon…

There is so much momentum behind us at this point after over a year of hard work and planning, that leaving, which once seemed so far off and tenuous, now feels inevitable.  It’s actually starting to feel quite intense, like we’re about to be shot from a enormous cannon that’s pointed towards Mexico.  Dreams such as those of an extended trip to foreign and exotic place, can be such ethereal and delicate things at first, but over time, some garner momentum and take on a life of their own.  This is where we find ourselves these days.

Malo is in great shape.  All essential boat projects have been completed.  Bev is finishing up a few last minutes bonus projects such as a cover for the dinghy thwart and bug screens for all opening hatches.  I’ve just finished securing insurance for this trip.  Our current insurance carrier, Boat US, won’t cover storing Malo in Mexico which we are planning on doing at the end of the cruising season which is coincidental with the start of the 2018 hurricane season down there.  We were able to get insurance for out tip from Bluewater Yacht Insurance located in Florida.  Additional liability insurance issued by a Mexico based company is also required.  We got that on line from Novamar Insurance of Mexico. 



Things are falling in place on the home front.  We’ve got a friend lined up to house sit, a handyman on call and have engaged a lawn service.  So the home front is ready too.  It’s nice to have a bit of time in which to catch my breath and to also be able to leisurely complete the final preparations for our trip.  

As we enter there furnace that is august we’re finding our work visits to the boat to be much more appreciated and enjoyed.  You see, Newport is known, among other things, as the “air-conditioned” city.  So as the temperatures break 100f at our home in Eugene the coast stays in a comfortable 60s to 70s range with a steady breeze thrown in for good measure.

We just got back and I'm happy to report another fun and productive trip.  We’ve been working on more “bonus” projects, things that aren’t essential to our departure, but nice to have done.  On this trip we rebuilt part of the seawater cooling system for the engine, making it more robust than before.  Swapping out several plastic fittings for bronze ones.  In the process we took the raw water filter completely apart and gave that essential part a very good cleaning.

I also took out a sink and faucet from the forward cabin where it probably would never be used thus giving us a bit more counter space and cabinet storage space in that cabin.  With the sink out I then laid down new formica to cover the old sink hole.  We're starting to move more stuff and provisions aboard and finding places for all that.  Not easy but that's the way it goes on a boat.  More new and interesting people at eh dock too.  

Yesterday we took time off to tour the Rouge brewery and distillery what was actually a lot of fun, more fun than I would have expected.  Rouge brewery seems to be all about the ingredients and there were three essential ingredients that came together to make our tour so much fun.  First there was the booze.  They gave us two strong beers and two delicious sprits during the tour.  Second was the tour guide who seemed to have had a head start on us in the booze department.  Third was the group.  There was about 30 of us and we all seemed to be primed to have a good time and that only got more so as the liquor flowed.     

No good trip to Newport ever happens without a trip to the beach.  We love the beach and this one is so beautiful and never deluged with large crowds.  This time we experience the same cool temperature we're use to but with more people than I've ever seen there (but not too many by far) and the light was gorgeous.

Sand which fascinates me.  Often looking like clouds... 

...and sometimes like mountains.  Sometimes like the waves that made it...