Been here a long time

While I have been able to deal with my old ADD and be comfortable with life at 6 knots, this is life at zero knots being tied to this dock. We have made best use of our time here and Bear is recovering in fits and spurts. Some days she is painless and some days, mostly because of being out of shape she is sore. So, any time we spend relatively still is a good thing. This time next week, we will have the entire crew on the mend so to speak. By the time we drop dock lines once again, methinks we both will be ready to go. Not sure which direction but most likely south.

Being in one spot for two months has given us the opportunity to observe lots of things. It is sort of like looking out a jail cell window given the heat of the past few days. One of our new found acquaintances (actually mine since Bear thinks I am developing cabin fever and wants nothing to do with she, he or it, not sure) is the Hector family. They are a small colony of barnacles growing on piling #190 just on our port beam outside our double port light. We pass them four times a day on our tidal journey up and down the piling. I have noticed them before but only recently introduced us to them. They are a bit shy and somewhat prone to hide when they emerge from the water. They don’t care much for my squirting them with fresh water either because they sort of spit back and wave a tiny tongue looking thingy just afterward. I gotta quit doing that since I was told they are filter eaters. That means they trap stuff in the water as it passes and then consume whatever it holds. There is (are?) lots of stuff passing that piling every day so they should be well fed. When I squirt them, it cleans out their little cupboard and they go without until the water comes back up. Another way I torment them is to wait until it gets really dark and sneak up with a flashlight. Obviously, that is when they are out of the water. Since first noticing them, the colony has grown so I don’t think it is that detrimental to their growth plans. Since I cannot (dare not) do any of the above to Bear, it is good they are nearby. Now, if I could find a way to communicate with them. I am thinking about squirt cheese and my next move. Think of is as a sort of barnacle canapé looking colony. Bet that would feed ‘em for a long time.

The Hector Colony on piling 190

Then there is Dewain, named after Lighthouse Rick’s pet bird by the same name and same color. Dewain is a youngster that hangs around the dock. I posted a pic of him some time back but we are more acquainted now. He (she) is one heck of a fishing bird. The other day, with coffee in hand from the dock office, I watched him fish for about half an hour. He swings on a slack dock line just above the moving water. He acquires the target from the zillions of minnows hiding between boats. Target lock is noticeable as he gets very, very still and aims his long bill at the victim. In less than the blink of an eye, he is standing upright with sometimes a fish bigger than his beak. What to do next is the dilemma. If large enough, Dewain cannon simply toss it in the air and let it slide down like a slimy oyster. No, size determines whether or not D has to jump on the dock and go at it more deliberately. If small, D simply tosses the fish in the air and it always comes down head first thus making quick work of it all. He got one the other day that was way big for his throat. He walked around a good five minutes with a big bulge half way between his head and his bod. Looked like he was wishing he had not done that. As I said, old Dewain and I have worked out how I walk by without disturbing him. As long as I don’t look at him whilst passing, I can do so as close as three feet. Sneak a peek in the process and D leaves with a noisy complaint. Give me another month and I should be able to get much closer.

Dewain, one cool bird

I am sure the Hectors and Dewain will be glad to see our transom getting smaller in the morning mist. Certainly, we are looking forward to that but in the meantime; they will just have to deal with Bligh.  As I said, we have been here way too long.

Just found that we have a web cam at the dock.  If you have Java, you can pan the thing around and look over the dock.  Find the Kathleen M and we are four boats astern of her.  Here is the website:  http://www.megadock.us/web_cam.html

We are heading to Tampa on Wedensday to get my swivel fixed.  More on that later.