Topping lift fix and BEACH DAY : )

Saturday November 7

Just a quick update on Mazu - her cyst was benign. It was a pilomatricoma.  When Drew looked it up it was basically a follicle out of control that grows.  It was the size of silver dollar and needed to come out.
  She hardly had any reaction to the 7" scar and anesthesia she experienced during day surgery.  She has to wear a collar so she won't bother the stitches for 2 weeks and a little shirt for one day.

Finally a real beach day, of course after the requred daily boat fixing - today it's the topping lift that snapped during our trip.  The line and halyard that holds up the boom .  I get to go up the mast  : ) !

   I'm sitting in the bosen's chair with 2 hauling ropes around 2 winches  - one for safety and one to haul me up.  I love holding my legs around the mast or swinging free.  I figure it's worth $150, the going rate to go up and do work.  All I have to do is grab the line, untangle it from around the radar, spreaders and shrouds, and attach it to the other end of the line with a shackle.  My birdseye view of the cockpit and the boom sitting on the bimini waiting to be lifted.

looking down at Drew.  Didn't get to go to the top.

Off to the beach:

2nd day this year for Drew.

After beach oysters 12 for $!5 at Salt Life across the street from the beach and roof top view.

Back to St. Augustine

Flew back without Mazu since she had her operation to remove a growing cyst.  She's staying with her lifelong friends the Patches who have boarded her since she was a pup.  It's odd being here without her. Really miss my companion.
  Time to fix the topping lift and the bladder on the water pump today.  Quite a few emails and Sunrise work.

We took a walk along the esplanade by the river and saw this wonderful sculpture to "Freedom"   civil liberties, democracy, freedom, and compassion are written on each side. 

I also took a tour of the Flagler College Tiffany glass Dining Hall which has some of the largest pieces of Tiffany glass.  This is an amazing piece of architecture built by robber baron Flagler - started Standard Oil with John D. Rockefeller and built railroads to Florida.  On down the chain of relatives this hotel was turned into a successful college.

large dome ceiling with several balconies

The pool I showed earlier is actually a sundial where the turtles are in the place of the numbers.  I'd say the tour is worth the trip.  In a town where I've been told the museums aren't really worth it.  The other famous one at the other end of the culture scale is The Ripley's Believe or Not Museum - it's like its headquarters here.  Huge museum.

We're off to provision up and get West Marine supplies. 
  We found out it's cheaper to rent a car from the Jacksonville Airport than to take the airport shuttle.  So we have a car for a fw days.  We have to go to our favorite BBQ place down Route 1 too.
  We always park our car with John at The Record building, the old newspaper building now made into apartments that isn't far from the marina.  Other must go-to places are Cousteau's waffle sundaes and Hyppolyta's Popsicles on Hyppolyta St. with flavors like Pistachio Rosewater or Thyme Berry. 
  More later when we take off for Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove around Tuesday.  They finally moved into their new fancy marina office.