MARCH 4TH.. the score is Bob 0 Dinghy 5 !!
Yesterday morning Capt. Bob caught a car ride to Marsh Harbor. His "plan" was to pick up repaired dinghy and motor it the 15 miles back to Treasure Cay. I asked if he wanted me to go along.....mostly to weigh down the bow! (since not being able to get it up on plane has been a problem since day one)…..probably should have paid more attention to THAT problem immediately.....But Bob was so busy mourning the fact that his "real dinghy" (with a 40 HP, stored in Michigan) wouldn't fit on top of LeReve....that he just assumed the "nightmare" dinghy would never meet his expectations....I regress....anyway...
He told me he would be back by noon, and I should use VHS radio to contact him and by 11:30 he should probably be within ear shot. So about 11:30 I get a cryptic email message from someone I don't know, saying Bob is on his way back to dinghy repair shop and is looking for a car ride back to Treasure Cay. Well thru a series of emails etc....we (back here on the docks) determine that Bob is indeed back at repair shop and does indeed need a car ride back. Luckily, our friends that dropped him off, still had their rental car and were already back here.....but off they went to pick him up. Seems the dinghy was launched and off he went....for about 1/2 the trip, all went well.....then the motor quit #@%&^! and Bob now knows that rowing it anywhere is out of the question because it has a center console steering wheel and there is no where to sit to row....He is out in the Sea of Abaco, floating free (he did not take the anchor with him...or water....or Pepsi.....or.... boyscout??? Good thing I WASN'T with him) anyway, he hails a sail boat underway, who graciously agrees to tow him back to Marsh Harbor. That is who he got to email me with his whereabouts. Nice boaters who wanted nothing from him, but a "pay it forward" for any boater we may find in distress someday....Aren't boaters great!....guess that's because we are all "in the same boat".....pun intended!
So, back at repair shop they figure that all that problem was that the hose connecting the gas tank to the motor came loose and hence no fuel.....BUT, the seemingly capable repair guy takes it our for a spin and says ….there is something very wrong with the fact that it won't get up on plane! (duh, we knew that, but blamed the dinghy)…..his opinion is that the prop isn't sized correctly for the motor. We are beginning to realize that we should have done a little more research 19 months ago, when we purchased the "cute little thing" from someone we knew little about....and are now finding out, obviously knew very little about dinghys and motors, etc) But that is in the past....so now the issue is finding a proper prop and attempting to fix the "Nightmare" to the point of just being able to get to shore and the nearest beach bar, when anchored out! We have more confidence in our new friend, the Marsh Harbor repairman, than they guy we bought it from …….on to the next issue
Capt Bob has ordered a part we must have to make the boat run (so cost cannot be an option!) but the bigger problem is how to get it HERE......he has more confidence than I do that the $1200 part will arrive from Miami as promised....(and you thought the US Postal service is bad!) It would have ONLY cost $850 if we were in US....anyone coming from Miami?? alas, we have placed the order and will now wait!
I cannot stress to him that it could be worse, as he feels totally beaten down at this point....he even missed our regularly scheduled "happy hour" last eve. We have gotten back into the schedule of the "roving happy hour" now that our 3rd boat has joined up with us for the future travel. I think he needs a relaxing day at the beach (always works for me).
MARCH 9 UPDATE... BOB 2 (maybe 3) DINGHY 5
Today I will give Bob a 2 or 3.....he will probably get a 4 or 5 by days end. Yesterday we made the move into Marsh Harbor for 2 reasons. First the dinghy was ready for pick up. This involved dropping an anchor in the harbor, the guy coming out to get Bob in "Nightmare", showing him how great it is working, and Bob then taking him back to pier.... All this was happening while I am standing on bow, praying anchor will hold (no reason for it not, other than my terror) as I don't think I have ever been on LeReve with engines running, anchor out.....with others very close to striking distance (!) ALONE.... of course, it all worked out, The captain returned and we towed dinghy to Abaco Beach Resort....the marina on other side of island. Good News here, fuel is cheap $4.19 plus 12% tax.....YES that is a deal here in the islands...but that cost is offset by the high cost of the slip. Very nice marina here in Marsh Harbor, the largest city in the Abacos. Lots to see, do, shop, etc...but I have to say I prefer the quaintness of Treasure Cay, and the incomparable beach! It was a great 5 weeks spent there....and better rates. We are now getting into the "season" so prices will be going up. It is strange to think that their busy season is now thru the summer. Lots of people from Florida come here to escape the humidity, as there is always a trade wind blowing here. It truly is paradise …at least in my eyes....I STILL marvel at the water color and clearness. I am forever reminded of a friend in Colorado who barely knew me and said, "Jane, you affect me as someone who could be happy living on an island with a beach, somewhere warm" … she sure had that correct...I just didn't think it was that obvious!
I will update Bob's score after he cleans the "Nightmare" up and takes me out for a ride😎…. (and 2nd reason for Marsh Harbor....we understand our $$ part is enroute...the shop is here where we will pick it up and hopefully be on our way to Exumas, I am still skeptical) Other boaters tell us we "ain't seen nothing yet, until we see the water in the Exumas!" Can't wait...just pinch me!
No comments:
Post a Comment