SailingKnitter

So...we're thinking that tomorrow is going to be launch day for us! Here's a photo of Jonesy checking out the barrier coats of paint on the hull. Already, today they have added a couple of coats of anti-fouling bottom paint and installed a new thru-hull for a future water-maker.

You know, I can't say that I've suffered much while having to stay in a hotel for 2 weeks. Today I took a dip in my pool - yes MY pool - after I did some quick surgery on our inflatable dinghy (aka "work"). The pool here at the hotel is empty except on weekends so it's all mine. Jonesy took a photo of me from the balcony of our room - I'm the tiny dot flopped out on a chaise lounge IN the pool on a shallow 8" deep shelf.

There is also a kiddie pool, a separate diving pool, and of course, the obligatory swim-up bar. Along both the big pool and the diving pool are windows where folks can watch the underwater action (or the whales floating by if I happen to be swimming).

But the best part is the tile mosaic work! Check out the turtles in the kiddie pool. Then the masterpiece is the reef
mosiac in the 10-ft deep diving pool. The detail is amazing!! In these photos you are looking through the 10 feet of water!!



On the Knitting front... I've contributed a few more designs to the Holiday Mystery Gifts Yahoo! knitalong group which will be available...manana (tomorrow)!


First up is a "Sweet Sachet" knit from DMC Perle Cotton, and then a Linen Stitch Bookmark, also from DMC Perle Cotton. And last but not least, a pair of super quick and easy Wrist Warmers.

I usually don't get too excited about concrete sculptures, but isn't this one the greatest! Who would have ever thought that I would find a big ball of concrete yarn at the Opequimar Yacht Club here in Puerto Vallarta? Jonesy says it's rope, as in nautical knot work - yeah whatever, rope, yarn, line, string - it's all fiber and all wonderful to me!

And speaking of fiber and knitting (aren't I always?) I've finished knitting my Cozy Cable Sock that I designed for the Holiday Mystery Gifts Yahoo! knitalong group. I used Knit Picks Essential sock yarn and it is so soft, and well, cozy! The pattern is available for FREE in the group files - in 3 parts or "clues". That's my foot on the balcony railing of the hotel...

Also for the group, I posted another washcloth; the Scalloped Waves Spa Cloth. This is the one that Jonesy picked out for himself to use out of the three different designs. Here's a picture of the Spa Cloth Trilogy. These are so quick and easy to knit, I'm getting a little carried away with them. And wouldn't you know it - the hotel is now providing washcloths, bathmats, and kleenex this week!!! Why? Did somebody read my blog and tattle to headquarters? Or did we look especially dirty ("get that sailboat trash some washcloths and see if they'll clean up")? Hmmmm...

The NIKI WIKI UPDATE
The old girl is still on the hard in the boatyard. The chemical striping and mechanical sanding is finished and all the blisters have been exposed. Now we are down to the original white gelcoat - and even to the bare fiberglass in many places. The circles you see are areas where they drilled out the deeper blisters. It's a little odd how there are rows of blisters running down the hull at the stern on both sides of the keel in the same place. Something in the original construction caused this area of weakness we assume.

Yesterday they started patching with fiberglass and resin, and by late afternoon were smearing on epoxy. Today, more sanding. It's totally unbelieveable how many man-hours it took to get rid of the thick dark multi-colored paint layers, and to drill out the blisters. But, we need the Niki Wiki to be around for many more years so it's all an investment in her's, and our future.

Okay - speaking of future, for those of you knitters who stayed awake through all the boat repair babble, I'll reward you with photos of two new patterns for ornaments that will be released tomorrow on the Holiday Mystery Gifts group - FREE of course. Introducing the Starburst and Kaleidoscope Ornaments...

And finally, a photo of a beautiful flower that I found this morning when I went out in the gardens here at the Howard Johnson's Hotel. I haven't a clue as to what kind of flower they are, but they are spectacular! Enjoy!

So, here we are staying at the Howard Johnson's in Puerto Vallarta while the trusty Niki Wiki get's her bottom sanded, scraped and puttied and the hotel doesn't provide washcloths! What's a gal to do? Well, if you're a knitter with a large stash of yarn you know exactly what you'd do - go knit!!!

And as long as you're knitting - write up the pattern for all of the nice folks over at the Holiday Mystery Gifts Yahoo! and call it something special like "Simple & Elegant Spa Cloths". Yep, no dishrags here - although that's what they'll probably end being used as back on the boat, but "spa cloths" sound so much more inviting, doesn't it? I've actually finished a 3rd cloth, but won't be posting the photo here as it would ruin the "mystery" for the group. So here are photos of the Basketweave and Gansey Style designs.

For our future transportation pleasure, we bought a used kayak from a retired cruiser! This is going to be so much fun when we (finally) get out cruising next week. Last season, we just had the dinghy, which is fine, but it got a little scary when we had to land it through the surf. I don't mind getting wet as much as I mind getting the engine's prop running anywhere near my fleshy body!! Folks have been killed by their dinghy props this way.

This is a 2-man kayak and we have the paddles and the seats for it - all ready to go. Of course, the best part is that now we really look like cruisers with the kayak lashed to the bow. Well, Jonesy says we do look like cruisers (sailboat trash) if you get up close. But the kayak adds bonus points.

Also note the fine blue hatch cover made from Sunbrella fabric on the bow near the kayak. It was one of my jobs last summer to sew up an assortment of covers for the boat. It was so extremely hot and humid, I whined, and Jonesy got the local canvas guy to whip up some covers! Yeah, I know, the windlass up at the anchor is still exposed metal - I've got some pieces cut out and just have to sew them...I'm working on it...I swear...right after I knit this last row...