FROZEN

I've said before that when we tell people we live aboard, the question we are asked most often is, "Are you cold?" The answer is almost always "No," EXCEPT at times like this, when the thermometer dips below 0 degrees (Celcius) and the wind blows at the same time. It's an old wooden boat, so it's bound to be 'drafty,' I suppose. All of this is to say that for the last ten days, pretty much, we've had four heaters on onboard, and we're still a bit cool. Pipes HAVE burst and been repaired in the marina, too, in spite of Michael's efforts to prevent that. I'll just be very glad when the weather warms up again!

WATER (of the drinking variety) WOES

Last night we were informed that the main water valve to the marina needed to be shut off, and taps at the end of the docks opened and drained. The temperature was predicted to go below freezing, and apparently, last year all the pipes here froze. In a marina, it's inevitable that some of the water delivery infrastructure is exposed - tucked under the edges of docks, possibly, but exposed, nonetheless.

It's supposed to hover around freezing temp for the next few days, so I sure hope that doesn't mean we can't have our water hook-up for the whole time. Of course, we have a water holding tank, but it's been so handy to have a hose directly connected from the tap on the dock to a fitting on our hull. Our water holding tank condition is questionable ... it's a 1965 Chris Craft, and even though we've tried to flush it a few times, we've never been convinced that the water we put in it remains drinkable. Even when we're off on a cruise, I bring bottled water and only use the tap water for washing bodies and dishes.

Oh, well, if this is the worst suffering we do as a result of living aboard in the winter in usually-balmy Victoria, I need to stop complaining and count my blessings!