Cost to Cruise March 2016

March is the 1st month we were 'away from the docks'.  And it shows.  No access to coffee shops (well, limited access), no more maintenance projects, no more 'mail order' stuff.   Just out there.  But even so March was still a very expensive month as we resume tracking and reporting this year:

Taking a look at some of the details:

• Maintenance consisted of the need to replace the fuel pump in our heater ( @ 5,700hrs, think it had done its job).  Because we had to get the part right now it was about 2x what would have cost had I been carrying a spare. And also resulted in a night at the Anacortes marina.
• Groceries are a bit high as we kind of stocked up just before leaving Friday Harbor on the 2nd and again during an overnight stay in Anacortes.  Preparing for our summer up north.
• Moorage and dining out represents the few times we DID come into port:  Once in the aforementioned Anacortes, and another overnight in Friday Harbor to pick up mail and see the Dr. for some routine lab work.
• Medical. . . .   Always the killer, and this time with a little help.  Over the summer Kristi started to be bothered by abdominal pain.  In the Fall some tests discovered there was a slight hernia in her belly button.  Simple surgery in Feb fixed it up, with the bills trickling into March.  Even with all my griping of the US medical system, have to admit:  These costs are fair game.

And a couple of special notes to make.  March includes two large 'refunds':

• -$350  in Moorage for the refund of part of our deposit to Friday Harbor last fall.
• -$815  in Medical  reflecting the year-end 'adjustment' of our Healthcare Exchange shared premium costs.  (We overpaid each month in 2015, and it was all reconciled in our 2015 fed tax return)
• Side note (soap box):  Though am perhaps happy to see the reduction of our monthly healthcare premium, I am still most disturbed by what the cost is to US (US = United States).  Our individual costs are largely now covered but Uncle Sam is paying a bit north of $800/mo. for what amounts to little coverage.  That surgery Kristi had:  We wrote the checks to several folks for all of it. . . .

Outside of that perhaps we will start getting into a more typical month to month routine.  In April we start our travels into Canada,with lots of opportunity to stay away from cities (we have a saying:  Cities make our bellies fat, and our wallet thin).  Just compare the monthly costs shown here; once one backs out the medical stuff it is so obvious how costly being in port can be, too many opportunities!   Now if Kristi can just manage to keep me away from The Bus on Saturna Island as we travel north, we might find April also a rather cost friendly month.


(ed. note:  The Bus = Wild Thyme, a coffee shop in a double-decker bus)