Here's a bit of news that was not only unexpected but also very much undesired.

This morning we got up, ate breakfast, saw Moonlight Maid off to Mystic and then took Peri ashore to the beach and then, on the way back to our dingy, he was attacked by a large lab cross. When it's owner was able to pull his dog off Peri the poor wonder hound was bleeding from winds in his hind leg and back. Fortunately the other dog's owner was one of the local pastors so he wasn't a total jerk in fact he rightly immediately assumed all responsibility and was able to find a member of his congregation that was on the island and was a retired vet. He drove us over to visit her with Peri and she examined him and pronounced him lucky that there didn't appear to be any broken bones, internal injuries or such just four or five deep puncture injuries that she cleaned out. She will also order antibiotics and painkillers that will be flown in today and the pastor immediately piped up that he would pay.

Not what we were expecting to do this morning. This afternoon we will probably hang out on the boat to make sure that Peri doesn't have any sort of reaction and wait for a call from the parson saying that the medicines are in.

Meanwhile, back at Nelleke, Peri is bedded down in the main cabin with some of his stuffed toys, covered with a blanket sleeping off the shock of the attack and the cure. Jim and Sharleen had come over to the island with 25 gallons of water for us which we spent the early afternoon putting in the tanks along with that water that we had on deck. As I write this they have headed off to shore to see if they can fill the jerry cans again.

Another small boo-boo that I made back in Cuttyhunk was to have put about a cup too much oil in the outboard with the result that while running the oil was being forced past the rings into the combustion chamber making the engine run rich and knock. Easy to fix one I realized my boneheadedness.

Looks like a late in the day departure tomorrow from the anchorage here but we got some news that might be changing our plans somewhat. I had been hoping for a casual job at the Annapolis Boat Show and had been told that it was a cash only sort of arrangement with them but today we got an email asking for our work permit numbers so I guess that idea is off. So, perhaps now there isn't so much of a rush to get to Annapolis after all and with Peri's injury and the uncertainty surrounding his recovery, perhaps we should gunk hole along the Sound and go through NYC again. We have no money so we won't be stopping to shop or anything but at least until Peri is back in form if we need a vet we will be within hours of one.

By 1800 Peri's meds had been flown over from the mainland. His wound don't seem to be swelling or infected so perhaps we will be lucky.

Barb and I have been discussing our travel options and it looks like we will be traveling down the Sound with a first stop at Duck Island Rodes. We've been there before and it is a simple anchorage and breaks up the trip to Port Jefferson with only 40 miles distance from here and Port Jeff being 32 from there. We'll probably anchor at Misery Cove again at Port Jeff and at Port Washington in NYC waiting for the tide to take us through the East River. The. On to Sandy Hook and from there to Henlopen making a 32 hour trip into four or five days but until we are confident of Peri's recovery I don't see that we have an option.