Things have been going pretty good so far. I am making some friends here at the boat yard. When I arrived last Sunday Lucille invited me over for pancakes for breakfast as I tied to the dock. I met her husband Fred and was then introduced to Miriam and Al. (Both couple have multiple years of sailing under their belts.) They immediately took me under their wing and watch out for me and always inviting me over to their boats. Its comforting.

So instead of the going to the zoo and garden, Miriam and Al offered to take me around NYC to get a feel for where things are such as Ground Zero, Pier 17, Battery Park, and to see my route from the land point of view. It was really helpful. We then came home took naps and went to watch Hancock at the movies. It was a good day. Yesterday was a do laundry and get a few groceries day. Miriam was my driver while she ran a few errands as well.

So as mentioned in the last post i had those 3 days of classroom orientation at work. Thursday and Friday was spent a little time with charge nurse, some computer charting lessons and a lot of fending for yourself to learn when the charge nurse had to deal with a few charge issues. I assumed that the next step would be maybe a day or 2 with a preceptor to just get started. Nope...i was one my own last night. It went pretty good. Just a lot of getting used to a new system. My next night is Wednesday. I hope is goes a little bit more smoothly.

So tonight and the next few nights I will practice staying up late to prepare for the next few nights of work. I already went to get a few movies and books from the library to keep me busy during the late hours here at the boat. I think i will go to local ice cream place tonight at get a cone.

A little town on the Erie Canal

On one of the lakes i crossed along the Erie Canal. The clouds once again were doing such cool things.

The New Job

To tomorrow is my third day of work. These last 3 days have been the very boring and unorganized "class room" orientation. Tomorrow i get to go to the floor and spend time with a preceptor. It had been great getting to the know the other travelers, there are 7 of us along with the other new grads who are going through some of the stuff that we are.

So City Island is nice. Just a small island with a main street up the middle of it. Many seafood resaurants, marinas, a post office, laundary mat, library, a West Marine even (good boaters store). Bronx is a busy area. I am definately a minority. Primary population is hispanic.

I rode my bike to work the first day...didn't have to be there until 11am. From now on i will take the bus. Very easy. I went to the library today and checked out a few books to read on the way. The bus is great fun for people watching and learning differant types of cultures. i have get to venture on the subways. I think this weekend i will visit the Bronx Zoo and the Botany Garden that i pass every day.

So far everything is a new adventure and still fun...goodnight.

I made it!!!

So i arrived this morning around 1100. I made the 3 week trip to get to City Island...booyah. (I thought the Saint Mary's "team booyah" would appreciate that.) Tomorrow is my first day of work.

I will be in City Island (the place i will be staying) tomorrow. The last few days i have met a few people. I already told you about Don. He ended up giving me a quick session on tide tables and difficult areas in route to City Island. We also downloaded some Garmin (GPS stuff) onto my computer but were not successful in getting it into the GPS unit. Bummer. Thanks Don for all of your help.

Then I ventured on to get the mast put back up. Very interesting. This particular one was a hand crank. How am i supposed to do that myself? A guy who works there "Louie" started to help. At the same time the couple on "Aurora" arrived. I recognized them from the locks. We traveled in a little trio for about half a day. So Louie left and skipper(Eugene) and first mate (Brutta) of Aurora helped instead. They were much more helpful. We got mine up and then we did his with the help of Dan another sailor. When our work was done we enjoyed cold beverages with our small crew and wished each other farewell.

Its good to fellowship with others. I think i will end up seeing Eugene and Brutta again since they are going to the area i will be for a couple weeks.

Any way...all is well and i am going to bed.

The Adventure Continues...

So I am now officially off the Erie Canal and on the Hudson River. There was an instant change. I find that the canal was always friendly with nice little towns and little kids who wave at you on your boat. The Lock Masters take care of you. You can actually witness fisherman catching huge fish. Marinas are helpful and interested in what i am up to. Part of the time between towns there are sort of "residential" areas. Some are just nice cute cottages, others are mansions, yet others are barely standing. I really enjoyed seeing all the little pathways that came out to the canal; or the 2 plastic chairs that are just randomly placed in a tiny cleared spot. There are also long stretches of just wooded areas, or endless fields, or rock walls on both sides of you. A good portion of the canal has a path along it...lots of runners and bikers. Speaking of that...just to give an idea of how fast i am going---old running men pass by me and bikers pass me and then wait at a lock to watch. It really is quite funny.
So i am on the Hudson now, I just get a feeling of being small in a big place. The river is wider, bridges are bigger, more cars on the multiple highways. There are less markers along the way to figure out where you are. I just don't see people. But I found a nice marina to spend the night in Albany. A nice grandpa "Don" helped me tie up and made sure that i checked in with him when i got back from subway down the street...it was dark and didn't want to come looking for me later on. Just the "dad" in him he said.
Things are getting close here with the schedule. I start work on Monday. Just enough time is left to get me to my marina on Sunday afternoon. I found out that my NY nursing licence as gone through and also that we don't have to be there until 11am instead of 8am...just enough time to just figure out how to get there!