Kaimusailing

The day started out with good intentions, to make a series of trips ashore, borrow the courtesy vehicle, get jerry cans of gas, also water back at the marina, and then ferry them to Kaimu, fill the main tank, fill the port water tank, I forgot to mention the convenient faucet/shower in the head ran out of water just when I needed to optimize the flushing cycle. The toilet still draws water from a sump, but it works much better if it is given a charge from the handy faucet/shower. The lack of water meant the port water tank was empty. It takes 40 gallons.
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The first disaster was the deflatable dinghy getting a tear in its bottom while shoving it over the side into the water. I tried to repair it with duct tape, but it wouldn't stick. After treating with alcohol it looked like it may work. Sure.
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The plan was to use the Honda 5HP outboard instead of rowing, which would be very unfeasible. The Honda was buried under a bunch of junk in the aft storage compartment. Not easy to get out, but it was gotten out and mounted on the transom of the dinghy.
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The jugs and jerry cans consisted of 2 four gallon carboys for water, 2 five gallon flexible water containers, 2 five gallon gas jugs, and one 2 gallon gas jug. Since the dinghy had the 3 gallon day tank on board to feed the Honda, space was limited, in fact, there was no space for the captain. I got it running, though, and proceded to the marina which was dead downwind in 20 knot wind conditions. “Inexperienced mariners should not venture out in small craft”, was the advisory.
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At the marina, Dave, the owner, was very amused at the overloaded dinghy approaching his docks. He helped me tie up. I had a bag of recyclables to throw away, then paid my fee to use the dinghy dock and the courtesy vehicle. The water jugs were lined up at the water tap and the gas jugs went along with me to the gas station.
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After returning, I gave back the keys to the car and filled the water jugs and brought them all down to the dinghy dock. It was a struggle to put the full jugs on board the dinghy, which was now taking on water through the tear in the bottom. It was like a floating kiddie pool with an outboard motor and a bunch of 5 gallon jugs jammed on board. I went out of the marina into the wind and waves beating down Willoughby Bay. It was apparent that I could only maintain a speed just about at idle and still waves broke over the dinghy.
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Soon I was soaked, but arrived at Kaimu, sloshing around in the kiddie pool. The now full jugs were a lot heavier and now had to be lifted up on deck while the dinghy was doing a dance with the waves and gusts of wind. Then it was onboard Kaimu, bring the water to the water fill for the port tank, bring the gas to the fuel fill for the main tank, and fill them. This was hard work.
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The trip back to the marina was smooth and quick, downwind, down the waves. The excess water had been bailed out, but it was seeping back in.
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I tied up again and went through the routine. Now I was a tragic figure, soaked from head to foot, lugging around cans and jugs. It all went as before, but now the wind had piped up, it began to rain, and the waves were even worse.
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I got through it. I decided three trips would be enough. The port 40 gallon tank would have 36 gallons put into it. There would be 18 gallons of water available on deck to use in the galley. The fuel tank would have 32 gallons in it as well as 12 gallons on deck and the 3 gallon day tank.
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On the 3rd trip to the gas station, my credit card refused the transaction. Maybe it looked odd to them too. I was able to use my bank card, but I was through. Bring it all back to Kaimu. Turn in the key at the marina. Tell them I will probably leave in the morning, depending on the weather report.
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The job of stowing things away and hoisting the dinghy on deck, full of water, and hoisting the Honda on board, which now felt like a really heavy motor, all came at the end of a day of hard work. I persisted and got it all put away, ran the generator to keep the freezer cool, and had a dinner of chicken in sesame garlic sauce with a roll to dip in the sauce and a glass of cabernet, of course.
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Before I was finished with dinner there was a noise from up on deck. I wondered what it was and went topside and the dinghy was gone. I looked in the fading light and saw it drifting away, fortunately toward the marina. I called them and they looked for it, but couldn't find it. Maybe in the morning.
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The wind that blew the dinghy right off the deck was good for some local windsurfers who were sailing around in the twilight. Here is a picture of one of them taken with the cell phone. There may be condensation on its lens.
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In the morning Dave, the marina owner came out with the dinghy in tow. He refused a cash reward and I felt bad. He had done a lot of work recovering it. Now we will get underway.