MacGregorSailors.com

What's all that white stuff on the ground?

Well, out here in the Pacific Northwest, or to be more precise, Point Roberts to Vancouver Harbour, we are really getting our fair share of sunny weather. Albeit, it isn't accompanied with the temperatures I'd like to feel it still is very prommising. We had record amount of sunshine for February this year and about one of the mildest winters I've seen. I believe many folks will be on the water over the Easter weekend at the end of March. Temperatures are around 10-15 celsius lately although we had temps up around 18-20 celsius last weekend. By the end of March I think we can expect temperatures to be regularly above 15 C. I have already had to cut my grass twice this year so none of that white stuff is around what ever it is. I am already prepping my boat for the Easter weekend, once I get those bearings replaced I'm in business, they look a bit rusted from the salt. Yup, spring is definitely in the air.

Fahrenheit conversion chart

60 above: New Yorkers try to turn on the heat. People in Wisconsin plant gardens.
50 above: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Wisconsin sunbathe.
40 above: Italian & English cars won't start. People in Wisconsin drive with the windows down.
32 above: Distilled water freezes. Wisconsin lake water gets thicker.
20 above: Floridians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves and woolly hats. People in Wisconsin throw on a flannel shirt
15 above: New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Wisconsin have the last cook-out before it gets cold.
0: People in Miami all die... Wisconsin people close the windows.
10 below: Californians fly away to Mexico. People in Wisconsin get out their winter coats.
25 below: Hollywood disintegrates. The Girl Scouts in Wisconsin are selling cookies door to door.
40 below: Washington D.C. runs out of hot air. People in Wisconsin let the dog sleep indoors.
100 below: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Wisconsin people get frustrated because they can't start the car.
460 below: ALL atomic motion stops (absolute zero on the Kelvin scale). People in Wisconsin start saying...."Cold 'nuff for ya?" (answer: "ayuh")
500 below: hull freezes over. Packers win the Super Bowl.

Probably true. Hard to say since I don't know what below 50 feels like.

The coldest place I've been is North Pole, AK and it was -70F. Way to cold for my thin blood. I hate places with electrical outlets in parking lots in the winter. I start looking for my thermals around 65F.

Mark's temperature quantums are the funniest I have seen. I'm going to copy and paste them to my poor family members up in Minnesota.

17 March 05, they're finally getting their guaranteed snow storm.

John,
They're getting the one that we were hoping for. It slipped by just to the north of us.

I live in NE Minnesota not far from where the Minnesota record of 60 below was set in Embarass, MN. This year I think Tower, MN got to 54 or 56 below. It was so cold that they were able to drive a nail into a 2x4 with a banana. That's cold. We still have a couple feet of snow on the ground. The ice doesn't generally go off the lakes until the end of April. The local high school band has a "thin ice" contest with a car out on a local pond. You predict the day and time the car will break through the ice. Anybody want to buy a ticket from my daughter? It's for a good cause ... for the children.

jda

Gees jka,

MN is so environment conscious (can't smoke within the state, air pollution!), I can't believe the cops would let you sink a car. I suppose everything has been drained, including the window washer fluid.

DW
See separate e-mail.

Catigale made the big trip from Grannibels house (storage) to the driveway this afternoon.

First project is to mount a quick release lever to the forestay for singlehanded rigging - I have to move the forestay up the mast about 4 inches (exact to be calculated) to make up the extra slack

Sailing is just weeks away.....what do you say Chip H??

Catigale