11 march 2018

Meet Albert, the sneaky alligator. 

He laid here most of the morning. I think he was contemplating his next adventure. As you know, we don't have alligators in Montana, so I don't know what their habits are. I'm learning.

There are often fishing boats in the little inlet at our boat yard. They have been catching bass this year. When we hear splashing, it is a perfect reason to take a break and watch them haul in a fish. Much to my surprise, one of the fishermen hooked Albert. It took a good while for the fisherman  to get him up to the boat, take a picture and cut him loose. My eyes were wide open, the guys in the boat were quite casual.

About a week later, I was working in the cockpit and kept hearing loud scratching and banging noises around the boats tied up behind us. I looked and looked, but didn't see anything. Then it happened again. Still nothing seen. The third time I looked up, Albert was on the stern of one of the boats and just sliding into the water.  That evening at sundowners, I asked if that was unusual. By the wild eyes and dropped jaws, I guess it is. Those people who are living on their boats are now more cautious when they go out to their cockpit in the mornings.

   

We were shown an orchard close to the boatyard where we are able to go pick grapefruit, oranges and tangerines at will.

Such a treat for us. They take it for granite here. I guess we do the same with our apples.

Oh yes. We have also worked on Submit every day. We spent over a week sanding her, first with 40 grit then 120 grit then 220 grit.  At one point, Reggie grazed his leg with the 40 grit, which he said hurt a little, but not as much as smoothing with the 120 and 220!

The goal was to have three coats of paint on the hull by today. However, it has been too dry, too windy or too cold. One morning it was colder and drier here than at home in Montana. We have only managed to get one coat on her. After all the sanding, we considered renaming her Old Paint, as she looked like an appaloosa horse. After the first coat, she looks like she has the measles. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the spots fade without too many extra coats. Time is running out.

We weren't idle when painting wasn't an option. Reggie reinstalled the heat exchanger and transmission. I got a few more items cleaned up and reinstalled, one of which was the table. It had split apart and was water damaged. With Reggie's constant assistance, it is now glued back together, sanded down and re-stained.  We just have to add a screw to the bottom of the leg and it is done. We also put down new flooring in the galley and dinette. 

Barbara was excellent at holding down the floor pattern.  That was finished today. Tomorrow and Tuesday look good for painting. Keep your fingers crossed.