Bud called this morning to see if I could perhaps look something up for him on the computer. He has our computer; he has Internet access. He does not have patience. Anyway, while we were talking he saw a dolphin, then two, then 6, then a whole pod! They came right up to the bow of the boat. Bud had the engine in neutral and had abandoned the helm to go look at them. The boat was drifting a bit. He tried to take a picture, but is not sure if he got a good one (it's a digital camera, but he didn't know he could review the picture he took - did I mention he has no patience for electronics?). I just checked the email and a message was sent with the title photos, but nothing was attached, so I'm sorry folks, still no new photos.

By the end of the day they had made 45 miles and were in Casper's Marina in Swansboro, NC. They could have gone farther, but they would be heading into Camp Lejeune. There is a very nice dredged anchorage there, but it had two drawbacks. First, you're not allowed to go ashore, so if they took Fuzzy to pee they'd have to stay in the dinghy! Second, it's reported that during maneuvers the Marines might come out in the middle of the night and ask you to leave. Finding your way through marked channels in otherwise shallow water at night is not a fun thing to do, not to mention loss of sleep.

There was also an anchorage in the area where they stopped, but Active Captain reported it required anchoring "Bermuda style" and Bud was afraid that meant using a bow and stern anchor, and our stern anchor isn't set up. When he got to Casper's he saw two other boats anchored quite close right in the channel. Whatever "Bermuda style" is, it didn't appear to involve two anchors or anything unusual.

Bud has been trying to take it easy on the engine. At 2600 rpm it has developed a rattle. Bud thought it was one or more of the engine mounts. He checked them today and they looked OK. The propeller shaft still seems fine. There is an oil leak at the engine near the starter. Bud is afraid it's the rear seal. He's just hoping it holds together until the end of the week. Then he will hold up somewhere that hopefully has some marine service and parts and take a look at what is going on. At least it was close to 70 degrees today, and although it wasn't a bad day just north of Detroit in St. Clair Shores, it was no 70 degrees!