Guest Letter- For the guests that will join us in Petersburg and Juneau

Welcome aboard the Domino!

We thought it might be helpful to give you some advance information, as staying aboard a boat is somewhat different than staying in a home and certainly different than staying on land.

  1. Like a small floating city, the Domino can make water and electricity. The water is stored in tanks and the electricity is stored in a battery bank. These supplies are limited so we are careful to conserve both on board whenever possible. More importantly, potable water in not available at every marina. The Domino carries 300 gallons but water used carelessly can make it necessary to make unplanned and unnecessary stops.
  2. Steps on boats are not stairs…they can be steep or more like ladders! For safety purposes, always hold onto the designated rails as you go up and down boat levels. Think about going barefoot or wearing white bottom boat type shoes but never try to climb on a boat with stocking feet to prevent slipping.
  3. Our toilets flush a little differently then at home, holding down the rubber button dumps the water and contents of the bowl into the holding tanks until the tanks can be safely disposed of at sea or pumped out at a marina. Important: NEVER PUT ANYTHING in the toilet unless you have eaten it first other than toilet paper and always keep the lid closed so nothing falls in accidentally. It is always best to be stinky with the toilet paper so as not to clog up the macerator. The skipper gets very testy when he needs to take the entire toilet apart to fix it and it often wastes an entire day of your vacation time.
  4. Our hot water heater runs off our engine or generator, and we have a 20 gallon water heater so there is plenty of hot water while underway as it can be heated either system.
  5. Certain appliances; hairdryer, curlers, microwave, should only be run if we are plugged in at a dock or if the generator is running and never use more than one at a time! When at anchor, we try to respect the boaters around us so we will generally run the generator for an hour or two in the morning and sometimes an hour in the evening.
  6. We want your stay to be pleasant, so PLEASE, MAKE YOURSELVES AY HOME! Whatever you find, you are welcome to use, eat, or drink. If you don’t find what you need just ask!
  7. The pantry is pretty well-stocked. We drink filtered water from the kitchen tap. The water is double filtered and then UV sterilized so that water is pure and taste pretty good.
  8. We have a good selection of “local knowledge” books about cruising Alaska onboard. Additionally the boat is equipped with a 35TB data server filled with movies and music. Consider bringing ear buds for personal devises and music. If you’d like to watch movies on an iWidget, install “Synology DS Video” app from the app store.
  9. Consider that at times we will be cruising out of reach of a dock but there will be times available to restock or purchase items you need.
  10. The boat is stocked with a significant first aid station. We are equipped with plenty of cold and headache remedies but if you bring your own medications be sure to have them labeled and be prepared to provide that information to the captain to enter into the captain’s log.
  11. Wi-Fi and some cellphone work when in port. The satellite phone works most other places when we have a clear view of the sky.
  12. We have 120v and 12-volt and 5-volt electricity available for recharging batteries in cameras, cell phones, etc.

What to Bring:

  1. Warm Clothes! Remember that we are boating in Alaska and weather can be quite variable. It’s usually cooler on the water than you might think especially early morning and late in the day when it can get down in the 50’s. Layers seem to work best, a fleece, sweat suit, jackets,long underwear gear and rubber boots. (We have plenty of umbrellas onboard.)
  2. Travel as light as possible. Storage is limited to one hanging locker and several drawers. We supply your hangers, towels, linens, pillows, warm layered bedding.
  3. Soft, folding luggage. No hard sided luggage PLEASE—storage is limited and your bag will have to be placed in the lasserette so collapsible is best.
  4. Bug Repellant is as important as sun screen, bringing plenty of both. We have these onboard but you may have a preference for brand.
  5. Boat shoes—quick drying with good traction preferable without black soles.

Safety First:

  1. Like a small cruise ship, the Domino is equipped with safety equipment, radios and satellite communications to insure a safe and comfortable trip.
  2. Once aboard, your skipper and first mate will conduct a safety demonstration and a quick introduction to the overall boat, galley, the head, and cabins. You will be introduced to the locations and operations of all safety gear once you are on board. You will also be introduced to the captain’s protocol for: safe boarding, landings, ports, and coast guard boarding and requirements and conduct during these activities.

Schedule on Board:

  1. We are very casual about life on board and there is no set schedule unless we need to start out early to catch the favorable current/tide etc. We’ll plan these departures the night before.
  2. Otherwise, we get up between 7 and 8 and are in bed between 10 and 11. Naps in the afternoon are fine—especially if there is an early departure.
  3. Hungry, thirsty? Please help yourself…our boat is your boat while you are onboard and we want… nay insist that you make yourself at home. That includes going into the fridge, cupboards and commissary to find a snack or beverage whenever you please!
  4. Meals are a joint decision and planning usually happens underway. Bring your favorite seafood recipe and try it onboard.

Please remind us to have you sign the ships log as a guest and share your photos. Looking forward to being together and to have you share our journey. We hope you enjoy your stay!

Your Hosts

Tammy and Andrew

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