Moved Prodigal to the Marina Dock. 'work area'

I moved from my anchorage to the Marina

 so i can get some chores accomplished.

*There is zero internet at the city marina, so i'm doing a hasty cut and paste while sitting in The Owl Restaurant.  The Owl is THE fine dining location in Apalach.  Everyone mentions it in hallowed tones.  I'm pretty excited.  I'm sitting way off in the extreme corner of the room with my laptop on the white table cloth.  It's not crowded, but nobody else is doing office stuff at their table.  Pirates don't care!

MY WORK NOTES:
I met 2 great loopers:  Don and Helen Coates  /  dhcoates@muskoka.com  (from Ontario) there boat is Sea Honey, plus Jeff and Sharon on the big Bennateu with 3 dogs.  (i didnt visit with the 2nd couple)

Nick and Jersey

today i went to catch lines for some guy who was arriving at the marina.  it was **Nick and Jersey on the Cigarette brand house boat.  (the cute couple on the bikes Saturday) – then again at dinner / same night / Up the Creek.  “it’s a small town you will probably see the same people.  Now we are both at the dock.  They are enroute to Coco Beach FL.  - update; just talked to Nick and Jersey, they are flying home in one hour to "go back to work."  will leave the boat tied to the dock where it is now and return later to start again on their adventure.

Saturday while riding my bike i met 3 guys standing in the street.  James, James2 and Kevin.  Kevin is the local bicycle repairman. He is going to help me with the rudder packing gland.  “teach me” how to do that correctly.  Apparently there is an art to it.   (kevin is a character!)

*Note to self:  I need to create a boat card.   ALSO I need to set up some money collection-begging device on the Blog.  Not a means to get rich, but a way to allow people to donate $1.  That will motivate me to do better posts and take this all seriously...

Before I leave Apalachicola I need to have the rudder stuffing fixed so it stops leaking.  It makes me uncomfortable to have that much water constantly running into and pumped out of the bilge.  (will the bilge float switch wear out?  Will the pump?)  I also want the hydraulic leak fixed so I can ‘KNOW’ the steering is fixed and worry free.  Then I can put my bed back together.  (I’ve been sleeping in the salon and it’s just not as comfortable ‘on the couch’ as my big queen size memory foam.)  I have a tiny drip of diesel fuel from fuel line #3.  It needs to be replaced.  I need to do another oil change on the Generator.  I’m getting a pump out from the holding tank here at this marina.  (don’t ask)  All these things need to be done now before I take off to less civilized locations with even less parts and service.  I can see a very real need to be self sufficient.  (there is no WalMart or HomeDepot or West Marine around here!)   Plus hey, why would I want to leave?  This town has a Piggly Wiggly!

The house, of the tour, Saturday.

Today I moved the boat from my anchorage to the dock here at the marina.  Tomorrow is a work day.  I’ll try to complete that list, or do as much as possible.  I guess I’ll also start looking at the weather and making plans for my next voyage.  I’ll go from here to Carabelle.  (after that I’m clueless)(even more clueless than normal)

I rode my bike to The Owl for dinner and ran into Don and Helen walking the town.  (the cute couple from Canada in their 70's)  Don has Helen do the charting of their course, so she figures out weather, location and route.  But, she wont allow him to travel out of sight of land.  So they are enjoying the town, staying on their boat and studying the weather and Helen reads the charts for her route.  

WHERE is MY Helen?   I hope everyone has a Helen.   I need to break away now and order my entree before my waiter throws me out.

From the Owl, one Pirate to another.  -Skip