Chocolate cake with bacon topping.

[John V. G. Mayton]

Arriving at the boat about 2000 hours on Thursday, I unlocked the companion way hatch, climbed down the ladder and using a LED light on my keychain to see what I was doing, switched on the cabin lights, refrigerator, water pump, charger, and AC outlets.  Then back up the ladder to bring down my weekend bag and lap top.  A quick look around the boat to satisfy myself that everything was in order only took a moment.  I don’t think I’m alone in that I worry every time I leave that something untoward might happen while I’m gone.  It is about the same kind of worry I have waiting for a loved one who is returning from a trip away from home.  Cell phones have eased that worry somewhat, but my boat lacks the kind of set up where you can check on it with a phone or computer.  I’ll be so glad when I’m living aboard and not commuting every weekend, as I do now.

 In the morning I made the half mile walk to the Captain’s lounge to take a shower and then opted to wear shorts for the first time in two years.  Skinny white legs like these sure stand out, gleaming like two salt pillars on the shores of the Dead Sea as strains of “Don’t Look Back” by Boston played in the background of my mind.  At my age it no longer pays to wonder what people think of how I look.  Not that it ever did, it is just some of the residual stupidity of thinking someone is thinking something about me.  How self centered is that?

Purple shorts, lime green T-Shirt, an old ball cap with sailing stuff embroidered on it and a pair of white legs did not get even one askance glance as I walked into Roy’s old fogie style restaurant for breakfast with a copy of Attitudes and Latitudes magazine under my arm.  I ordered up a “country ham” style breakfast; two eggs over medium, hash browns, grits, and a slab of salty ham on a separate plate.  Washed It all down with iced tea and articles from the magazine.  Back to the boat I reviewed the list of projects I planned on accomplishing and promptly took a nap.  About an hour and a half later I felt rested enough to walk back up the dock to the car after snagging a dock cart to haul a load of stuff back to the boat.  By then it was getting a bit warm so I sat in the cockpit with a bottle of ice water and read a cruising guide for the Windward Islands.  James Bible came by and removed the mizzen shroud on starboard side as well as checking out the spreader lights and mast head.  The clear covers for both lights were in bad shape so I asked him to replace those when he returns to install the mizzen shroud. 

I have new neighbors across the finger pier from us.  Lost Shaker, a large Gulfstar crewed by John and Sherry, had just arrived from the Caribbean.  I visited with them a bit the night before and they asked about a good place to eat in as much as it was their anniversary.  I suggested Persimmons as a first choice and Morgan’s as the backup.  Both are very nice places to eat and the service is splendid.  Of course telling them where to eat got me thinking about what I was going to do for lunch so I opted for the local butcher and bakery where they serve decent sandwiches, so back up the dock to the car I went to burn my snow white legs on the leather seats as I drove the mile to order a meatloaf sandwich and a celery flavored soda.        

Back to the boat it was time to take another nap.  Waking up about 1600 hours, I called my daughter to find out what time she and Josh were going to arrive and was told not to worry they would be there when they got there.  So I said, “OK, I’ll just chill,” which I did with a couple of cold drinks, read soda pop, not the other kind.  Root beer in hand and the Windward Island cruise book in my lap, I enjoyed the afternoon breeze, watched little bitty baby ducks paddle along after mama duck and read some more about paradise.

The kids arrived with a load of stuff and started fixing dinner right away, after a greetings and hug for Dad.  Josh brought his guitar along, and while I knew he played, I had not heard him, so I was intrigued and feeling expectant.  It was too hot below, what with the lingering heat from the day coupled with the heat from cooking, to eat there, so it was decided to have supper topside.  Spaghetti and salad disappeared pretty fast and the conversation touched on the day’s activity, to which I had little to offer other than admitting that I’d napped the day away.  After a while I let it be known that some chocolate cake would make a fitting finish to the day and sent the kids into town with enough funds to make the trip worthwhile.  They came back with a large chocolate cake and a jug of milk.  Sweet!

The following morning, after breakfast, see photo of Marina’s culinary choice of hash browns and chocolate cake covered in bacon.  It was so different we had to record it for you to enjoy as well.  Turns out it is really right on.  Who would have thought?  At any rate, back on subject, I got started working on the sailing tender cutting off the longer bolts holding the gunwale rub rail on.  Some of them needed a bit of wrenching to get them tightened down, but after a while they were all secured to my satisfaction.  Josh got busy cleaning stainless steel bright work and Marina started on the transom removing the paint in preparation for painting the boat’s new name.  By noon I was feeling like jumping in the river to cool off, but I settled on a brief spray with the fresh water hose instead.  We had a quick lunch at the old fogies’ style restaurant and got back to the boat in less than an hour.  I got the dinghy set right side up, fitted it with the mast, boom, sail, and oars, and then launched it off the dock.  Inquiring if the kids might like to take her out for a sail, to which suggestion I got enthusiastic affirmatives, I ordered them to get their life jackets on, in spite of their complaints, and off they went.  

I finished up several small projects, sorted through some fittings, putting some in plastic containers and labeling them for storage at a later date.  Went over to Hurricane Jack’s and bought a shore power cord to replace the one Tony loaned me, and started stowing stuff in the lazarett.  Steve, the TV engineer, came by for a brief visit on his way to work.  He bought a Hunter sloop from Tony which will give him a lot more room to live aboard.  Like all boats it needs a bit of work, but I’m confident that Steve will enjoy his new home tremendously.  I like Steve; he is easy to talk with, enthusiastic about life, and interesting in so many ways.   

Around 1600 we packed up our gear and headed out, stopping at the mall to get a new wallet for me and while I sat in the coffee shop the kids went looking for cloths for Josh.  After a while I got tired of waiting so I found them, told them I was headed home and bid them farewell with a hug.  All in all, it was a very relaxing weekend, which is what I like a lot now days.