Everyone has one. We have several. I'm talking about a drawer in your house or apartment or boat that catches everything. All the pens, pencils, notepads, staplers. Every house has one. Ours in Denver has a couple in the kitchen. Our boat has at least two. Today was the day to clean them out. While Tracy took inventory of our food, I pulled out the first drawer.

Tracy was checking our stocks as we get visited by fishermen regularly that are looking to be given or will trade for food. They trade what they have--fish or shells. Today was shells. A man and his young son stopped by with a half dozen "Troschel's Murex". A beautiful shell with lots of spines on it. As the son(about 7) drove the boat, the father came along side and took ahold of the stern ladder and offered us the shells. We've gotten used to it as we anchor at different islands. We gave him rice, tea and a can of chicken curry(comes with bones). He offered us all his shells as he was thrilled with what he got. We only took one as space is always limited. He had the rest to try and barter with other boats. It's not the norm for them to try and trade. Normally, it's just a point to the mouth of stomach and expect some food. Today, he had something to trade. For the one shell, he made out well.

Anyhow, as Tracy inventoried, I pulled out the first drawer. It was so packed that it's been hard to open and close for quite some time. Every thing got pulled out, looked at, sometimes discussed, sometimes not, and either kept or into the trash bag it went. Some things were moved to other areas where they actually belonged. On to drawer number two and same action was repeated. By the time we were done, the food was checked and a list was made as to where everything is and a big bag of trash was ready to be thrown out when we get to Kudat. Now we can open and close both drawers. There is a third but it's not that bad. It can wait.

As it was overcast and breezy this morning, Tracy put off till this afternoon to wash the sheets and hang them from the shrouds on deck. They flapped in the wind like cheap sails on a boat that doesn't know what they are doing. Make nice flags though.

There are about 20 caves on this island and we hope to visit some tomorrow. They are at the other end of the island and we will have to move our boats to the harbor there is we can. Not sure about the depths there as the charts out here are not the best or most accurate in the world. The US has the best charts in the world by far. Some out here as well as back in Mexico were done back in the 1880's! Depths were recorded by tossing a line in the water with a weight on the end. Many times there was an indent on the end of the weight so when it hit the bottom, what ever was there was driven into the dent so they could tell what the bottom was.

Last evening, Azizah came over in their dinghy about 1700 and we all went to shore to explore. As we neared the shore, we were greeted by a big monkey walking along the beach. By the time we got there, he had strolled away. We wandered down the beach greeting the people that live on the island. All are fishermen and their families living on wooden platforms with and thatched sides. some even have a television(run by generators). As we walked the beach we saw another sailboat coming into the bay just as the sun was setting. He ended up about 100 yards to our port side. There was already one boat here when we got here and we haven't seen the folks on that boat. Early this morning, the new comer pulled up his anchor and left the bay heading north east we figure for the Philippines.

All in all, it's been a quiet day here other than an occasional gust of wind. The kids have been napping as we tidied up Zephyr and played another game of scrabble. Tracy made a great lunch of thinly cut sliced beef in a chipotle sauce with onions, garlic and noodles. We used the beef as it had defrosted when I put some water in the freezer to try and make some ice.

Another thing we did today was fix a padlock. With saltwater being with us constantly, things like pad locks get crusted over and freeze up. Even the key holes get crusted over and won't allow a key to get in the slot. We had one, ok two, such locks. One had the key in it and it would turn and unlock the hasp but the key wouldn't come out. I soaked it in CLR for a day or two and then rinsed it in fresh water and then put it in my vise. A nice tap on the key to try and break it free. Then put the key in the vice and a screwdriver through the hasp and yank it. Voila, out came the key! Back into the CLR for while then rinse and lubricate with WD 40 and we are good to go. The second lock is being a bit more stubborn. It's one of those cable locks for bikes. We're not even sure if we have the right key for it, but it's still soaking so maybe we will find out later. As a good sailor, I have two more.

The picture for today is of the freighter that passed us along the way to Banggi Island. Running fast and empty.