And On Our 277th Day, We Made Water

Day 277  |  Marathon    

Eventually, all projects rise to the top of the list. Our task of the day was commissioning the watermaker. This will enable us to take in raw seawater and purify it through reverse osmosis into drinking water -- and, more importantly, shower water. Fresh water is scarce and therefore expensive in the Bahamas. It is in our best interest to make our own. Crossroads came with an inoperable watermaker that has sat unused for close to a decade. Barry has been researching its setup and operation and accumulating replacement parts for the past few months. Tech support was a phone call away and West Marine is right around the corner. It was time to rock and roll.

Little did I know that changing filters and membranes would require the removal of the entire unit from the engine room to be worked on in the galley. I took up the role of mechanic's helper and stayed within earshot while doing as many of my chores as possible. I did manage to get a load of laundry done onboard and take care of some last minute items to be mailed. It was a long process, but at 3:30 we were finally ready to turn everything on. After a few suspenseful moments, the first trickle of water began flowing from the galley faucet. We ran the system for an hour and a half and all was good. There was just enough time remaining in the day for each of us to get showers before meeting up with seven other Loopers for dinner at Burdines. In less serious news, the Christmas (?) cactus is blooming again. It seems to really like its spot in the pilothouse.

We have several errands to take care of in the morning before we return the rental car at noon. The decision has been made to stay an additional day here in Marathon, letting a front and rain pass through on Saturday. The wind should clock around and calm down as well. Hopefully our departure on Sunday will be uneventful.