We made it across the U.S., from Sparks, Nevada, to Mathews, Virginia, in roughly five days. It was a nearly perfect trip—but you know there’s always something.
One evening, a couple of nights before we reached Virginia, we were sitting in the Airstream when I noticed one of the seats was really hot. The seat directly over the house batteries. Naturally.
After a couple of days of monkeying around with charger settings and troubleshooting, we determined that several of the batteries were bad. Fortunately, we still have a couple of good ones and are plugged in at our campsite, so it’s manageable for now. Replacing the batteries is a project for another day.
For now, it’s time to focus on the boat—the whole reason we made this trip.
Air Bender has been sitting on the hard here in Mathews since we hauled her out about this time last year. The first order of business was a good pressure washing, along with some old-fashioned elbow grease. It’s amazing how dirty a boat can get while going absolutely nowhere.
Then we moved inside to clean every surface. As you might imagine, a boat closed up for a year near the water can get a bit moldy. Yuck. Vinegar, water, and more elbow grease took care of most of it.
Then came the maintenance. First, bottom paint, which we left to the boatyard this time. It’s not just painting—it’s sanding, sanding some more, then applying multiple barrier coats, followed by multiple coats of bottom paint. Let me tell you, they have not been in a hurry, but they finally seem to be nearing the finish line.
There are also mechanical and electrical issues to sort out, parts to replace, and sails and lines to put back up after removing them at the end of last season. As with so many projects, it can feel like one step forward and two steps back. Mike has been a champ, though, steadily working through the list and getting Air Bender into tip-top shape.
While Mike tackles the boat projects, I’ve been making provisioning runs, tracking down items the surveyor said we needed, and trying to be helpful without standing directly in the way of whatever needs to happen next.
One errand took me to Norfolk to drop off the life raft for its three-year recertification. They unpack and inflate it, test for leaks, inspect the inflation system, and replace expired emergency supplies before packing it all back up. A thorough checkup for something we sincerely hope never to use.
Kevin hasn’t escaped the preparations either. He needed a vet visit to get his health certificate for travel to the islands. There’s paperwork for everyone on this adventure, including the four-legged crew.
Some days, the most useful thing I can do is leave with a list. If that list takes me past a Starbucks, I accept that responsibility graciously.
I’ve also contributed to the workload by absentmindedly leaving the truck’s tailgate down and donating a full diesel jug and a propane tank to an unknown stretch of Virginia roadway. Replacing supplies we already owned was most certainly not on my to-do list, but apparently I enjoy a side quest.
Years ago, that would have caused at least a small meltdown. These days, I’m mostly thankful it wasn’t worse. A little time, a little money, and another round of errands, and we’re back in business.
All in all, getting ready is a slow accumulation of small victories. One more thing fixed. One more locker organized. One more errand crossed off.
The boatyard is supposed to finish the paint details on Monday, and we’re scheduled to splash on Tuesday, November 17—just a few days away. There’s still more provisioning to do, but I’m confident we’ll get it all done. Then it’s a matter of waiting for a good weather window, because this girl is NOT heading offshore into some crazy sea state.
We’re getting closer. I know we are.
I would just occasionally like “closer” to involve the boat being in the water.
Until next time—live the adventure!
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