Isn't is funny how it's the little things that getcha? Yesterday, after I had posted for the day, we decided to head on into the dock and get some gas for the generator and outboard. The tank that I normally carry in the dingy was quite small but when they filled it up the attendant discovered that there was a leak in the shoulder of the tank. Easy fix, right? Well maybe not. The nearest place that the marina thought might have them was West Marine, several miles from where we are. We could get there by the bikes that are available at the marina but even cycling in this heat has little or no appeal. When we walked to Publix, which is five blocks from the marina, we stopped off at a Citgo gas bar and they happened to have a little container just the right size, only the price was huge. Publix is a mere 20 minute walk from the marina and if you have a geezer cart like we do, it's an easy trip and you can tote back a fair amount rolling it back behind you.

As it was we made a second trip ashore to get some replacement batteries for the water testing unit. We found a jewelry store that carried them for older model digital watches and were able to get four of them. Like many of the business people we have met on this trip, they came from up north, New York, to be specific. It is really interesting to speak to these folks who have retired from whatever they did previously and came south for retirement only to open yet another business once they got here. We also bought some pipe tobacco and Barb scored a used cigar box to add to her collection. The owner of that store was from Massachusetts.

Also, last night, Barb went through the collection of keys that we have on the boat. I don't know if you are like me, but I have a real phobia about junking keys. What if, after I throw them out, I find that there is something important that I can't unlock? Anyway, after great trial and effort, and much testing and comparison we have thrown out most of them. I couldn't do it but hard hearted Barb could.

Whine.

Snivel.

Thank you Barb.

Wail.

We have had a Wind Scoop, one of those ripstop nylon scoops that are great when your at anchor or on a mooring to capture any breeze and funnel it down into the cabin for some time. The theory being if you put one in the forward most hatch and leave the intervening doors open you will have a fresh breeze running through the boat. This works great when you are somewhere that your boat will always lie to the wind but where we are now the orientation is governed by a small tidal current as well as the wind so often the wind is coming over the stern. The solution comes from Cruising Solutions a company owned and operated by friends of ours Brad and Maeve Wilson. One of their products is called a Breeze Bandit and consists of a four sided scoop so regardless of what direction the wind comes from it will be caught and funnelled below. We rigged it up in place of the wind scoop as a trial today and it certainly seemed to work as well as if not better than its predecessor. Good thing too as today was another scorcher. The locals that we had been speaking to all commented on how hot it is for normal for this time of year.

Last night as we sat in the cockpit sipping our wobbly pops and contemplating the infinite, I just about had a heart attack as something with sticky little toes and springy legs jumped from the mizzen pulpit to my left knee, to my stomach and finally to my right shoulder before jumping off onto the deck somewhere. Totally unexpected, so you might imagine my shock to be considered a highway by what I think was another one of those tree frogs that we had picked up in Indiantown. We also have a midnight muncher aboard who seems to have a fondness for bread and crackers. I suspect a mouse.

We spent much of the afternoon rigging and ensuring the functionality of the deck safety gear. Then, for some reason I decided to check out old Force 10 BBQ. It is one of the original models and came with the boat when we bought it back in 1999 so we really have no idea how old it is. It is another casualty of the 2 years on the hard. I have tried to blow it clean with compressed air to no avail. So, today we bought a new Q since I don't have the time or the tools to fix the old one here. The only trouble with the new one is that although West Marine here sells them they do not have the mounts to put them on the boat.

Eh?

The West Marine here in Stuart is about the most unhelpful place I have ever been in. The staff are friendly enough, they just don't know enough about the products that they sell and whoever their buyer is needs a good kick in the jacksie since he or she should know that if they are going to sell any particular product they should also have available all the necessary peripheral equipment.

Sheesh.

Oh well. Tomorrow we will buy the peripheral equipment from one of their competitors. The Admiral thinks we should have bought the BBQ from them too. Perhaps she's right.

Here is where I gush about Uber some more. I think that it makes sense to ride with Uber. It's a fraction of the cost; most of the money goes to the driver and not to some one who holds the license to the cab; and through the app to book a car I have never waited longer than 5 minutes for my ride to show up.

Ah well. Enough for tonight. Time to close out, post and have a shower. The only thing wrong with the showers here is that they are clearly separated into men's and ladies. Barb and I cannot scrub each other's backs at Sunset Bay Marina.