Been raining here almost constantly for the past three days, with a 40% chance of more rain through Saturday.
Naturally, you're always concerned with leaks in the hull because sinking would be, ah ... unpleasant. But any kind of leak at all is bad because fiberglass will actually absorb water, blister, and lose its structural strength.
The rain's been so intense recently, previously undiagnosed topside leaks have shown up ... like this one, below. It's at the base of a bolt attaching the searchlight to Calypso's radar arch.
I've heard that dampness attract spiders: for the first time ever, they're showing up inside the saloon. I've seen four in the past 24 hrs.
Spiders eat all kinds of bugs so spiders are our friends, right? Spiders don't scare me; I just wonder if they bite (people, I mean. Or through jeans.) Hope neither one's poisonous.
Below is a Masai stabbing sword I brought back from Tanzania. Last year I sharpened the blade, then stowed it away in its sheath for safe-keeping:
Apparently too much safe-keeping, and not enough diligence and inspection, is an open invitation to rusting. Rust not only dulls the edge; left unchecked, rust will irreparably weaken and ruin the steel.
So in fair weather it's nothing to sit back, look around and think "Everything's staying sharp and weather-tight." But ...(1) Stormy weather is more likely than sunny skies to reveal leaks and defects
(2) Every surface exposed to the environment is vulnerable to leaking, not just those in constant physical contact with another surface
(3) Porous surfaces attract distracting and potentially dangerous pests
(4) Rust is the offspring of neglect and contentment
(5) By definition, the consequences of ruin are permanent
