Another way to get from your boat to shore and back is to take a taxi - a water taxi. See photo.

I am staying for the boat show. First job this morning was to grab a mooring ball that would be available throughout the show. Many balls are not available due to the extent of the show, including the one I was moored on. A couple on a nearby boat watched me motor up to my new mooring, walk up front to grab the line in the water with a boat hook and get my line from the boat through the loop I just retrieved. “Nicely done” was his comment. Many boats (I’ve watched) find it hard enough to do with two people, let alone do it by yourself.

Yesterday I tested my IridiumGo (satellite) system. It is a good idea to make sure it works and you know how to use it before you must rely on it. It didn’t go well. I couldn’t get the weather data to successfully download. In the locks on the Erie Canal, my portable grill was mounted in the back, but on the port side. Sometimes it would get crushed against the lock wall. So I moved it to the stern pulpit so it hung off the back of the boat - right over the Iridium antenna. Okay, that’s not going to work, so it went back to the side where it was before. Better results, but still not successful. It was windy and the boat was swinging around and there are many masts, so I decided that was preventing me from keeping a steady, strong signal. I tried again today with less wind. Success. Also sent a text message and made a phone call. But I could not send email. The app crashed every time I tried to compose mail. Maybe due to the new IOS I just downloaded while back home. On the other hand, my navigation program no longer crashes. Win some, lose some.

Roger and some of his friends love my Spot Tracker where you can see me travel in real time. The current boat position is updated every 10 minutes, so you can follow along during a passage. He loved it so much he went out and got one for himself. I helped him get his share page going today so he could be tracked. It is also a good safety feature.

The weather has turned cooler, so sleeping is good. Two nights ago was tough with heat and no breeze until early in the morning. After weeks of northerly winds, the wind was from a different direction today. I guess the hurricanes have finally moved away. Later, when we will want northerly winds ...