11/17/15  Tuesday

David and Dale are project hounds. Now this fact, that Dale, too, loves projects, is serving Grace and her owners VERY well. Seems the men have a project each morning then we eat and play and have delicious talks in the afternoon and evening.

I went off early this morning to walk the docks, saw lots of blue herons, did my sun salutes and warriors and chatted with dear friend, Judith, who is back in Maine. Dale came and we walked a bit more. At the boat collected the laundry and put it in to wash while we had breakfast on the deck of We chatted with others in the laundromat including a Sott sailor and a marine environmentalist/funder.and a townie who could have been the tourist guide or mayor as he was so proud of the town and willing to offer all sorts of suggestions of what to do/see locally.

Beaufort sunrise

Yesterday's project for the hounds was to make the wiring ready to install the AIS transmitter when it arrives. They worked until around 1:00 PM. I hope we're not abusing Dale, his time and skills and friendship. He seems to enjoy but, really, is this too much of a busman's holiday doing all these projects with/for us?

Technical support, Cousin Dale

I called the wildlife rescue place and was told that "our" pelican had died. That there were a number of entanglement wounds on wings and the injured foot was really swollen and he/she probably went into septic shock. Heavy sign. But, I got to be close to a pelican, a bird I think is awesome and a group of people worked together to make peli more comfortable, perhaps to save its life. Good cooperative effort.

We missed lunch all together and took several people's advice and headed to Fort Macon out on the Atlantic Beach (I think Core Island) barrier island. Traveled through the fort, say a good documentary about the fort's history, toured ourselves around the fort and took a walk on the beach. Fun. A stop at the Marine hardware store then FOOD at the Ruddy Duck, Gary's favorite and recommended by the hardware people, too.

Inside Fort Macon

At last back on the boat and a fairly early sleep...but I was wide awake after my short nap listening to the men talk. So, finished Catcher in the Rye which I might have read in high school. Now I never need to read it again and might google the controversy surrounding the book when I was in high school.

A new noise - a new bump in the night - got us up and David out to tie off our neighbor's ginchy which was bumping our boat.

Ah, sleep onboard.