“And this mess is so big and so deep and so tall, we cannot pick it up. There is no way at all!”

Actually, that was my first impression on Sunday. However, progress is being made slowly but surely. In addition to the bathroom, the aft cabin, the galley and the saloon are clean top to bottom, although the saloon still has floor boards off and various items on the seating. If we are lucky, we can both find a place to sit down below decks. 

Yesterday, I went to Easton, the closest place with stores and shops of any size, for some provisions. The little grocery store and deli here in Oxford is quaint, but the selection of items is limited. With fresh produce and other ingredients, I was able to make egg salad, corn chowder and ratatouille this evening, using the new stove for the first time. Peter is appreciative of the homemade food. Tomorrow, I will go back to Easton for a second and final provisioning excursion. We only have a car for a couple more days, so it is imperative that I get as much food, particulary dry and canned ingredients, on board for the next six months.

Today was exciting because the mast was put back on the boat and a lot of the rigging completed. It is traditional to put a coin in the keel step for luck. Peter chose a Canadian coin with a boat under full sail on one side and Queen Elizabeth on the other. 

View from the bow of Mantra without her mast

Aft view from the dock of mastless Mantra

The coin in place

The head side of the coin

The tail side

Pete and Steve putting on the mast collar

Securing lines for lifting with the crane

The mast being lifted

Pete and Steve moving the base of the mast across the ground

The mast is vertical!

The mast at the bow, being guided by Pete

The mast ready to lower through the deck

The mast is back!

Tomorrow, Steve will install the boom and finish the rigging. Also tomorrow, the new house batteries will be installed along with Starlink. Peter continues to make improvements everywhere. Today, among other tasks, he refurbished and reinstalled the engine room fan, which is now significantly more quiet. He connected wires that run down the inside of the mast from the lights and other equipment aloft, and he installed the new forward facing sonar. It is nearly 11:30 p.m., and he is now working on the regulator. I can't even keep track of everything he is doing!