Florida: Marathon - Dinghy duty

Day 221

Once again we had a plan for the day and it got chucked out the window. Or I should say, some of it got chucked out the window! We had a few things on today's agenda: return something we ordered online i.e. trip to post office, clean the dinghy, and go for a bike ride out to the 7-mile bridge.

Water aerobics is scheduled for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday whenever the temperature gets to 70 degrees. I could not decide, with our planned activities, if I had time to do the aerobics or not. I decided to abandon the aerobics class for sure when it started to rain. When Clark returned from his trip to the restroom, he came back with the report that water aerobics was canceled today. Clearly I made the right decision!

My Kindle library book was due to expire today, so I was bound and determined to finish the book today. The Kindle indicated I was over 90% of the way done with the book. I was successful, but now I need to go searching the e-library to find more books.

About 1:15 or so I headed up to the restroom and on the way back I passed by Carole from Liquid Assets who said, "Are you coming to the meeting?" "What meeting?" I asked. "The one in the Captain's Lounge for anyone interested in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay area." "I'll have to tell Clark because we didn't know about it", I said. "It starts now", she said as she walked away.

Great! I knew Clark wanted to hear about traveling in the Chesapeake but I also knew he had a full slate for today. Of course right after 1:00 the sun had come out to turn what had been a totally dreary, cloudy day into a gloriously sunny one. When I told Clark about the presentation, he dropped whatever he was doing, grabbed his notebook, and took off for the Captain's Lounge.

Since he took off so suddenly, he went without the benefit of eating lunch first. I made my own lunch and ate it and then made his and stashed it in the fridge for him to eat whenever he came back to the boat. I knew that Clark wanted to knock at least a couple of items off of that to do list. Although I knew I could not finish it without help, I decided that I could start the dinghy cleaning project while he was gone. I guessed that the presentation / talk would take about an hour or so.

Clark in "class" with Kenny from Daybreak presenting
(picture originally posted on Facebook by Anne Moseley Cosgrove)

More attendees for the Chesapeake presentation
(picture originally posted on Facebook by Anne Moseley Cosgrove)

Two hours later, around 3:30, he finally came back. I told him I thought he would never get back. He helped me move the dinghy from the back of the boat to the dock so I could reach the far side. He also took a before and after picture to show the effects of my hard work.

What a difference!
The whole dinghy was black before I started working on it.

Somewhere along the Tennessee River, we met two different loopers who swore by a product they bought at the Dollar Tree called "Totally Awesome". They told me there was nothing better for cleaning anything and everything including dirty dinghies. Well, I bought it but never used it until today. Wow - they were right!! The dirt just fell off! The "dirt" was actually grime that collected on the dinghy from the diesel exhaust that produces a nasty black film that is hard to remove without "Totally Awesome" to help!

As I worked on my cleaning project, a boater passed by and told me I would not have to clean the dinghy at all if Clark put Stanadyne in his fuel. (He told Clark the same thing later.)  The boater told me his mechanic told him that for diesel engines Stanadyne is  a "mechanic in a bottle".  I have to wonder if Clark will listen to this sage advice, or if I will be out with my "Totally Awesome" on another day in the future.

When Clark got back from the talk, he real quick inhaled his lunch, packaged up his item to return to the online store, pulled out his bike and hit the road. I told him I did not need to follow him to the post office, so he went on his own and I continued to scour the dinghy. By the time he left it was around 4:15. He got back just before 5:00 to remind me that docktails time was rapidly approaching and then ran off to talk to Tom on Sum Escape about the boater's flea market coming up on Saturday.

While he was gone, I finished my dinghy duty and put away all my cleaning products and such. By the time he got back I was ready and we walked over together. We had a pretty good crowd there tonight including a few clever dogs who joined in the fun.

Molly (little dog) receiving a pretzel bite from Anne on Morning Star
with Sadie (bigger dog) nearby

 Molly is best friends with a dog from another boat called Merina as well as another called Sadie. It is pretty funny to see that these dogs are just like kids and their "parents" arrange play dates for their pets. Molly is particularly clever at begging. See the video below.

Sitting at docktails, making new friends (Carol and Sandy),
and catching up with acquaintances.

As we walked back to the boat, Clark reviewed our social calendar for the next few days. We decided I had better write it all down when I got on board since we have something happening every day through Sunday, and some days we have multiple activities scheduled.

On Thursday (tomorrow) we are going to go out for dinner with friends. Friday a pig roast is scheduled to thank the staff at the marina for their services.  Saturday is the boater's flea market at Islamorada, and Sunday is the looper's gathering at Banana Bay Marina. For both the pig roast and the Banana Bay event, I have to contribute some type of food (appetizer / dessert), so I am going to the market with Kenny and Jeannie early tomorrow to buy some supplies. I have yet to decide what I will bring to either of them.

The sunset was varying shades of purple / lavender tonight. Quite unusual!

Violet Sky behind the Lighthouse