One of these dinghies has to fit into this box???
Part I - Finally…
Our new dinghy finally came yesterday! We’ve been waiting what seemed like forever for Zodiac/West Marine to replace our dinghy (which split a seam after 3 months.) They were quick to agree to do it but it took forever to work out the details. The new one came mid-afternoon and monsoon rains were to start by early evening. We had nowhere to stow the new dinghy and the box it came in (pictured above) so we decided to get it rigged and hung on the davits.
Heather and I work so well together. In less than an hour we had the old dinghy processed, the new one assembled, holes drilled, and hardware installed so we could sling it up and carry it. And then came the ultimate challenge…getting the old dinghy back into the box that the new one arrived in. I am not sure that Harry Houdini or David Copperfield could accomplish this task but Team HP did! Before unpacking the new dink, we studied how it was folded and packed then duplicated it – on the first try, at that! And the box was the exact size.
So now, as soon as the weather breaks we are, to quote Bio Willie, On the Road Again, as it is.
Part II - That’s What Friends Are For
On Monday we were invited out to dinner by John and Mary on OZ and it happened to coincide with Brian’s 34th birthday. Waiting for them in the parking lot Chuck and Joy on Sea Nest showed up, Kathy from Shearer Adventure, as well as Sally and Dale who we’d just met. It was a fantastic meal at a Thai restaurant…we crave Thai like junkies. A card had been signed by everyone and a little banana desert with a candle even came out replete with the birthday song. For whatever reason we’re always around lots of friends, new and old, for Heather’s birthday but this is the first time in years that we’ve not been on the go around Brian’s.
It is always fun to watch cruisers interact. Chuck and Joy, who are in their mid-70’s, had never had Thai food, yet not once did they hesitate or do anything but look forward to trying something new. Joy announced to the group, “I’ll never be a land person again.” Sally and Dale lived in Thailand for four years.
We’re young among cruisers…so when someone asked my new age it sparked a discussion of 2 things… what everyone was doing in 1974 and what they were doing at age 34. Soon everyone was joking about who was the oldest, and then accusations of being so old that they were one of the electricians who made “Let there be light” possible began. Soon everyone was laughing – it’s a good thing that they stuck us away in a back corner.
Part III - A Little of What We’ve Learned…
To stop rust on cans, shaving cream canisters…virtually anything in the head or galley that is exposed to water, just use clear nail polish. Paint the exposed surface with the nail polish and no worries, no rust.
To clean stainless, we’ve fallen in love with Collinites No.850. The cleaner with the weird name is just fantastic. No mess (unless you’re careless) and not much fuss (compared to some of the other products out there.)
We’ve acquired several new t-shirts for free lately just by asking, sort of a new game we’re playing. Many businesses have great logos, nice t-shirts that employees or such wear, so when we see one we like, we’ve taken to asking how we can get one. It is amazing how many cool business logos we’ve accumulated… diving services, sailing and charter businesses, mechanics, outboard engines, a tattoo parlor, and a search and rescue agency.
And then there’s getting rides. Some places the grocery or market is quite a long walk or the weather is just too wet or too hot and we’ll get creative. The customer service desk at the grocery is a great place to start. We explain our pedestrian situation and explain that we will buy more if we can get a lift back to the waterfront. Sometimes a manager is required but usually the nice lady just calls someone in produce or non-foods and they give us a lift back. Then there was the time that we inquired about a lift from volunteers at the Democratic National Headquarters office, they were very nice. Then walking back with our provisions, we saw the Republican National Headquarters office. We sauntered in and told them the Democrats had given a lift to the store. Could the nice Republicans help us get back to the waterfront? They found it in their hearts to find another volunteer to give us a ride back. The pure kismet of this, um, happenstance, is simply amazing. Nonetheless, in small towns we have called the store and asked if there was a way to get to their store and easily 75% of the time they have accommodated us; several times the owner themselves picking us up. One guy in Chestertown, MD asked if we needed a ride to the grocery (which was a considerable distance for walking) and took us on a multi-hour tour of the countryside where we saw lots of deer, including fawns, and Brian was offered a job but the conditions were 3rd world variety.
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