Mike
02/09/2010, Thompson Bay, Long Island

January 28th, 2010 Thompson Bay, Long Island
After coffee, I finished reading a book and then began the process of transferring fuel from our jerry cans to the main tank. We were down about 20 gallons and had about 12 on hand to move. I needed to go into Long Island Petroleum after lunch to pick up our filled propane tank anyway and though I would pick up fuel at the same time.
Next, I pulled the spark plugs from the old outboard and filled each cylinder with oil to avoid rust until such a time as I get the parts and get it running. Until then it will be stored in the one of our anchor lockers which are usually damp.
We also had some cheese in the refrigerator that needed to be used so I made a batch of mac and cheese for lunch.
In the afternoon we took the dinghy into town. I dropped off Kathy at Long Island Breeze and continued on to the gas station. After loading up three jerry cans with diesel, our new 6 gallon gas tank, and loading our propane tank, I returned back to the Island Breeze to find Kahty.
On the way back we stopped at "Savage Son" to invite them over for snacks and beers and after an hour or so of cleaning up and taking care of fuel, they arrived. During the course of conversation, Bob said that he could cure my bad elbow...(which I hurt last summer pruning trees an mom's house) so we returned with them for treatment....and to watch them eat dinner.
Bob, an orthopedic surgeon in an earlier life, dug out a needle found the spot in my elbow that hurt and gave me a shot. The pain went away. We stayed too long but made it back to the boat without incident. (it's much easier with a motor that idles).

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01/28/2010, Thompson Bay, Long Island

January 27th, 2010 Thompson Bay, Long Island
Mike from Long Island Breeze does a Cruiser's Net at 8:30 am and when it was finished I called to ask when I should meet him to make the 10 mile trek up to Simms where the mail boat ties up. He was said that he needed to go early and that I should head in immediately.
I was there in 10 minutes, but in that time there had been a change in plans and I had some time to kill. I snooped around the grounds for an hour, helped Mike unload the frozen items that a friend had brought down from the mail boat, and waited as the fire extinguisher company went through the buildings.
Finally we were off in his flatbed. Mike had some business in the northern end of the island so he dropped me at the government dock to watch our new outboard and to make sure that their produce wasn't unloaded from the cooler until he returned.
The Place was a zoo...the mail boat "Island Link" was backed into the only well at the pier and was empty when I arrived. Its cargo was all loaded in 6 semi-trailers and one flatbed. They had been removed from the ship and were lined up on the opposite side of the parking lot. On the perimeter of the lot which was about 50 yards square, there were probably 10 or 12 flat bed trucks ready to be loaded. Their drivers were milling around like old home week... if must be similar to market day back in the 1800's. One corner of the lot was reserved for folks waiting to grab smaller deliveries. Some had lawn chairs a few had beers.
No one was in any hurry whatsoever... except for the hi-lo driver... and there was only one. He was dressed in long pants...as was everyone else except for me. His were camouflage and he wore brand new high top converse and a red shirt. He was everywhere. He'd grab a palett from a semi and spin it toward the correct flatbed. If it was a mixed pallet, he dropped it in the corner where it was separated and parceled out to into three areas which represented the northern, central and southern sections of the island.
I watched everything imaginable unloaded and reloaded for an hour and a half...mattresses, palm trees, hundreds of bags of cement, lumber, meat, an electric drum set, case after case of bleach.

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01/28/2010, Thompson Bay, Long Island

January 25th, 2010 Thompson's Bay, Long Island
After breakfast we heated water for showers and at some point around 10:30 loaded up the dinghy with an empty propane tank and two bags of garbage and headed for shore. We carried everything through the trail to the road and left it there. Then we hiked south to Fox Auto and picked up our car. We returned to collect or tank and trash before heading ten miles south to Greys where the closest bank is located. From there we continued south a few miles to "Everything Under the Sun" to check about a new outboard.
The price we were quoted was about $400 more than we expected so we hesitated and drove to Max's Conch Bar for a beer to talk it over. The result was that we had no choice but to return and order the engine. We just can't be here with an engine that in undependable. So it was back to the Yamaha dealer to handover the money. I told the girl that was waiting on me that we were surprised about the price but really needed a new outboard. She excused herself and went into the office where the boss was on the phone and retuned a couple of minutes later with a new price which was in line with what we had expected.
The new motor will be on the Mail Boat which arrives Wednesday from Nassau.
We continued south to Clarence Town and had a good salad at Rowdy Boys before making the trip back north up the Island. We stopped at both grocery stores and continued north to Sims to see if there was a bank there .... There was not.
With dusk approaching we parked the car and returned to the beach where the dinghy was located and then back to the boat.
I cracked some conch for dinner which we had with fresh green beans that really tasted good. We eat enough canned vegetables that when we find something fresh... it's a treat.

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