Rather a short post today, I'm afraid. (Loud cheers from the bored multitudes)

Today was spent doing planning and preparation for all of the boat jobs that we have to do. I have made a pretty substantial list of jobs for me and Barb has done likewise. Then we had to prepare. By this I mean we had to run around buying bits and pieces to accomplish the task on the lis. For example, one of Barb's jobs is to make an awning for the boat to keep the cabin in shade. This means a lot of material so we went out to a fabric store and bought two full bolts or 20 yards of duck cloth for her to make it from. This should allow us to make a sort of tent over the main boom and keep the salon in shade. Combine that with the wind sock for the forward cabin to channel a breeze below and we should be able to keep our cool even in fairly high temperatures. I bought some wood to allow me to put up the fuel filtration system and to make the chain locker separation.

The interesting thing about a job list is that no matter how complete you think that it might be; after you have put it down to reflect another job will pop up. Barb has just reminded me that we need to finish the lifeline netting project, plus one or two more.

As far as actual productivity is concerned, I have run the connection to hook the new VHF to the GPS so we now have Lat and Long ap0pearing on the screen and available for DSC position inquiries. Tomorrow I will hook up the rest of that side of the technology. I have also run the cable, just not hooked up, the connections for the new WiFi antenna. That too will be completed tomorrow. I guess on the surface of it it doesn't appear that we have accomplished too much, but as I have stated elsewhere, that is the whole thing about working on a boat - nothing is finished, nothing is finished and then suddenly everything seems to fall into place.

We got an e-mail from Claiborne Young of Cruiser's Net bemoaning the fact that Sarasota has passed a 72-hour anchoring law. He thinks that this is a bad thing, but as a cruising tourist I can't help but reflect on the number of derelict live aboard boats more or less permanently anchored along the east and west coast of Florida. These are the ones that I refer to as "bum" live aboard whose owners clearly have no intentions to cruise. Their boats are only a cheap non taxable means for them to squat somewhere and allow themselves a place from where to rag pick ashore. The boats are an eyesore with the results of their rag picking on the deck and a great aquaculture project on their waterline. In addition to them there are the many abandoned boats that are never going to move until they sink or are blown ashore by a storm. I can't see a self imposed solution by the boating community as the "bum" live boards are not part of that community and the abandoned boat, well, their owners clearly don't care. I think that a 72-hour law possibly with the option of negotiating for one or two more extensions, based on the local harbourmaster's or police chief's impression of you, is a good imposed solution.