Yesterday I was medically cleared to resume scuba diving. I was banned from the water due to hernia surgery. But now I’m good to go again.
We had on-again-off-again showers yesterday; nothing significant. We are expecting less rain today and a nice 4th of July weekend. The wind is forecasted to be from the east or southeast at 10-15 knot for the next week. That’s excellent for sailing and very good for scuba. Rain chances are 20-30% each day. The water temperature is about 84º.
Tropical Storm Arlene has made landfall in Mexico.
The National Hurricane Center’s Atlantic Tropical Weather Discussion noted:
CARIBBEAN SEA... BUOY...ISLAND...AND ASCAT OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT THE CENTRAL CARIBBEAN HAS SURFACE WINDS OF 20-25 KT WHILE THE EASTERN AND WESTERN CARIBBEAN HAVE LIGHT WINDS. ASIDE FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED TROPICAL WAVES PRODUCING SOME DEEP CONVECTION...THE REMAINDER OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA IS EXHIBITING NO SIGNIFICANT CONVECTION. IN THE UPPER LEVELS...A NORTH-SOUTH STRETCHED UPPER LOW IS LOCATED SOUTH OF HISPANIOLA WITH RIDGING EXTENDING OVER BOTH THE EASTERN AND WESTERN CARIBBEAN. SOME INCREASED CHANCE OF DEEP CONVECTION IS LIKELY OVER THE NEXT DAY IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN AS THE TROPICAL WAVE MOVES WESTWARD.
Capt. Rich spent all day yesterday on Stock Island trying to get the Schooner Halie & Matthew ready for USCG inspection. He called me around 2130 last night as he was heading back to base. He is optimistic that the vessel will pass inspection on Friday.
Some late, but good news on the Florida Sea Base campus is the concrete for the walkway at the new shower facility was poured yesterday despite the rain. The revised, revised, revised, and revised again occupancy date of 01 July (tomorrow) may become a reality if the final touches (like doors and railings) can be completed today and the inspectors give final approval tomorrow. I’ve been up since 0400. I thought I was going to get back to sleep but I have an unpleasant personnel issue to deal with this morning. But what really jolted me awake was a concern with the bathroom project. Hopefully it was taken into consideration and there is a plan for dealing with it. I’m not sure I can describe the issue well, but here goes.
The new bathroom facilities are a part of the building that houses our Galley (kitchen). The roof on this building is flat. One of the major drain points for the roof is adjacent to the Galley entrance. This used to be a non-issue because the torrent of water ran off the roof and into the flower bed. The flower bed is now part of the concrete ramp. So the rain will come off the roof and splatter on the concrete; still not a big deal. Until you consider that the rain will splatter on folks as they wait in line to enter the Galley and it appears that the ramp was engineered so the rain will drain onto the deck at the Galley door. I’m sure all of this was addressed in the design and I am loosing sleep over a non-issue. I’m just a trouble making worry-wart.
Our local radar is currently clear (0445). The wind is out of the northeast at about 4 knots. The feels-like temperature is 84º. Two days or rain has the mosquitos swarming. Hopefully the wind will pick up just a little to encourage them to stay in the mangroves and away from the program areas. There are no mosquitos out on the boats.:)
Capt. Steve Willis
Aboard S/V Escape