House sitting

It's not always sun and sand in the Bahamas...

We launched the Dink this morning with the thought of getting off the boat and visiting Fox Town. Fox Town is a place we skipped last year, and it looks like an interesting little burg. Also, it has been several weeks since the Merc was run, which usually leads to some starting reluctance on its part. Depending on how much reluctance, it could make for a long day of coaxing it back into service for yours truly. With the Dink in the water and the Merc hanging on its transom, I took a deep breath and pulled. Zoom-zoom on the second pull, and it even settled into a reasonable excuse for an idle. I may have to change my mind about the Merc.

And so there we were, going-ashore stuff loaded, both on board, Merc putting away, and bouncing hard against the Big Boat with water slopping over the bow tube. Hmmm, exactly what is so imperative that we are thinking of doing this? Its a long Dink ride in, we don't know where the dock is yet, and it will be an even longer ride back into the building winds and seas. We expected a little weather this weekend, but this? Perhaps we should wait and see what is going on here?

The forecast for today called for winds 10 to 15 out of the north east. The forecast on the GRIB file for this very instant, as I type, is for 13 knots of wind out of 031 degrees. They got the direction correct, but there is 26 knots of wind out there, gusting to just shy of 30. That may not sound like much to those who live in brick homes resting on Mother Earth, but for those of us who live floating, tethered by a length of chain to keep us away from rocks and shallow bits, it makes for a completely different take on the day. In our case, one where we watch the Dink tug and thrash at the end of its double painter, keep an eye on the ground tackle, and find things to do on the boat. Tomorrow's winds were supposed to be higher than today's. Did the higher winds get here a day early? Even if, they were never forecast for near 30. Maybe this whole system is honking and puffing with more enthusiasm than the weather gurus figured? We are going to find out, and Fox Town may have to wait until Monday.

The Mantus took its usual good set yesterday when we got here, and we are resting on 80 feet of chain in seven feet of water – so we are not too concerned about dragging. Still, if I was on shore looking out at Kintala, sitting alone in the whitecaps and straining against her snubbing lines, that would not be the case. I have to admit that it never occurred to me cruising would mean spending as many days as we do thinking about our house taking off without us. Back in St. Louis that only happened when a big tornado was in the area. Then we were mostly concerned about NOT being around, quite content to let the house take off without us.

On a completely different note: Tomorrow is Deb's and my 40th wedding anniversary. (I'm not sure why she has put up with me this long. I wouldn't have put up with me this long if I wasn't attached, but I am glad she has!) Some really wealthy people would celebrate by taking a trip to the Bahamas on a PRIVATE YACHT, noodling around pristine beaches washed by a stunning turquoise sea, and exploring interesting places. We are on a yacht, a little one, but a yacht none the less. It is private. And we are noodling around pristine beaches washed by a stunning turquoise sea. When the wind finally lies down a little, we will go back to exploring interesting places. So, while we can't make the claim of being wealthy people, we are certainly doing okay.