Everyone seems to be thinking that a rain storm is coming our way, for the weekend, no less. Normally a weekend is just two days like any other as we are now gainfully unemployed, but we were hoping to get Cliff and Diane down for a visit and out for a sail. Although they might decide to come down and visit, they probably won't be too keen on going sailing in the pouring rain, especially if there is any wind that goes with it.

We had a small bit of wind at the docks last night and the repairs that we made held out very well. The wind did blow us off the dock, but the additional repair allowed us to run our dock lines in a slightly different manner which made for a more comfortable berth both for Nelleke and her crew.

I am trying to find out if there is a way that I can join the Naval Sailing Association for a couple of reasons: first - I would like to support them; and, second - they have marinas and clubs all along the coast and flying the burgee would make it easier to get in. That, plus we would get to fly a third club burgee along with AYC and SHYC.

Barb has a series of sewing projects that she wants to get done today, including patching up the horseshoe ring buoy that has perished a bit in the sun. Now that she has mentioned sewing projects I have just reinstated my part of one of hers that I had been promising to do for weeks - putting the grommets into the lifeline netting so we can put them up. This is something that Barb had been working on for over two years and I'm a little embarrassed that the final install is now delayed because of me.

A quick analysis our current situation is as follows:

� We can't go further south than Oriental NC until after 15 Nov, so between now and then we have 21 days to kill. We can do them either at anchor along the ICW or in a nice cosy and inexpensive marina like the one we're in.
� We are still hoping for a visit from our friends over the weekend.
� According to the common wisdom, we need to be stocked up, fuelled up, and somewhere remote by Election Day here in the US. Somewhere down the ICW at a nice anchorage in a backwater would suit that bill very well.
� We have some boat chores to do, all of which can be done better at the marina:
o Change the oil and filter
o Install the AIS
o Install the wind instrument package
o Put up the lifeline netting
o Install the Internet Antenna when it arrives
o Fix up the comms panel on the boat and add the SWR meter

All of the above arguments have led us to decide to stay here until at least Sunday and more likely Monday before setting off on the next short stage to Great Bridge. This is a typical Canadian sort of compromise that answers everything partially and nothing completely. Oh well. Best I can think of.
We helped Maury and Ginger with moving their boat over to the seawall so he can remove the diesel generator. In the winds today that was quite an adventure! He also climbed up his main mast to reinstall his wind instruments and did the electronic connections aloft. He couldn't finish since it was so cold in the wind he temporarily lost the use of his fingers and then the crane showed up to remove the generator so we had to take a break. That'll be my job tomorrow if the weather holds.

We will be having another friend from Halifax, a USCG member who was posted there and who is now back home here in Virginia will be coming around to visit shortly after lunch. We have also hearde that Cliff and Diane will be joining us on Saturday for the evening and overnight and hopefully for a sail on Sunday if we get the weather for it.

We had some interesting neighbours arrive. There is a local police team of about 6 high speed armed boats came to the harbour to train in Willowby Bay tomorrow. We have one of them rafted up along side of us for the night.

Tonight we tried the local crab cakes that we bought form the Commissary. As I am stilll writing they were not only tasty but healthy too.