As I mentioned in yesterday's post we are or were bogged down in Solomons Island Harbour with a non-functioning alternator, but I am overjoyed to report that this morning the mechanic from the boat yard came aboard and between us with mostly his research determined that the problem was that the alternator was self exciting (doesn't that sound a little above PG-13?) and with us attaching the exciter wire to the field terminal all it did was confuse it to the point that it did a number on the internal regulators. Fortunately we carry a spare alternator and with that in place and only the hot and ground wires connected everything worked like a dream. Whew! We had intended to spend two days in Annapolis but now shortening that to just one, we will only be one day behind our schedule still with loads of wiggle room.

This morning Barb and had a little walk about to check out the community towards the point and what a neat place! There is a wonderful boardwalk on the Pawtuxet River that ends at a Biological Research Centre as part of the University of Maryland with a lot of beautiful but "normal" homes in between. Barb, and I emphasise Barb, stocked up on wine, gin and vodka, and good quality stuff too. No plonk shall pass her dainty lips.

We had several more pleasant surprises about this marina this morning. Besides a good mechanic, the off season rate is a $1.50/ft and we are still in the off season. That and the washrooms are really clean. Instead of the men's consisting of a row of urinals all lined up for inspection and a couple of crapper cubicles faced by a row of showers, this place has a half dozen bathrooms just like at home with a tub and shower a toilet and sink all private behind a locked door and spotless. Barb tells me that the laundry rooms are much the same too.

A laundry, a rest, stowing away and we should be off early tomorrow AM for Annapolis hopefully to catch Marcia with Barry before she heads off gallivanting around the country.