October-December 2008
This section is condensed because the Skipper suffered very badly with his sprained ankle. Fortunately it was the left one and he was able to drive and tow the trailer back to the cabin. We decided to rest it for a week and then see Orthopoedic Surgeon in Denver. He x-rayed and examined confirming a severe sprain with disrupted lateral ligaments.
Much enforced rest and the worst pain he had experienced gradually abated until he could walk with a stick and great care. A month later cautious walking was possible but it will be a good six months before it resembles normal.
The driving thing was good because we were able to take Gail and Tom on a tour of high passes before we left even if walking was limited. The best new location we visited was the southern side of the old Alpine Tunnel at 11,500 ft which is gained by using the old railroad grade as a 4X4 trail. It would have been very difficult on a busy weekend but we were virtually on our own. The tunnel is long closed but attempts have been made by enthusiasts to preserve what is left there. Unfortunately the weather has other ideas. A great end to the day was to see a coyote right by the road. After pausing to check on us he resumed his hunting and promptly caught some small mammal which he promptly consumed.

One buck is servicing this large herd of antelope close to our cabin and he takes his job very seriously
This rock wall is called the Palisades and is at 11,300 ft near the Alpine Tunnel
An explanation of the Palisades
A 1907 wooden turntable by the Alpine Tunnel
This coyote checking us out

We returned to the boat and had her launched. The transmission seems fine and we could find no other immediate problems. For our trip south we met up with Ed and Tina Burke on their new Merlin. They liked our PS40 so much that they found a really good value second hand one! We went offshore for the shallowest section of North Carolina and listened to all the boats on the ICW hitting the bottom! South to Charleston and St Augustine to do some refitting before the winter cruise. Passing Cape Canaveral we saw the shuttle come home from California!

Ed's beer sampler at a brewery restaurant in Charleston
The Space Shuttle comes home to Cape Canaveral after being forced to land in California because of bad weather in Florida
Elf sits proudly in our new davits
Junkanoo musicians and dancers

We managed to get a new raw water pump for the genset just before Christmas and the day before we left West Palm Beach for West End in Grand Bahama. We were in company with two new buddy boats, Onward and Moondance who are friends with Ed and Tina. Merlin will catch us up later. Weather forced us to take the holiday in the West End Marina and Resort which has been great fun.
I forgot to mention that one of our new acquisitions is davits. These come from Kato Marine and are custom made for each boat. We had never thought there would be room but having measured what Ed and Tina had done on Merlin we found a way.
The highlights of the break here have been the local primary school doing a nativity play on the lawn and a small group of Junkanoo breakout dancers and musicians - think carnival but near Christmas and New Year. With better weather we should be going East and South shortly.

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