Weekenders!

Sorry for the lapse in posts.  Once the weekend crowd shows up the wifi in the marina suffers.  Even our cellular hotspot was failing!  I was starting to entertain fears that there was something wrong with my Google account that was barring just me from getting online.  Then my thoughts morphed into a government conspiracy that was blocking access to all citizens.  But I talked to Ann, another resident here I encounter on dog walks.  She was also feeling the frustration, and so I surmised it was just the extra wifi and cell demand on the weekends.  Sure enough this morning all is well.

We are experiencing gorgeous weather!  It's sunny with highs in the mid to upper 70's with nothing else in the forecast.  Who can complain about that?  So we are getting a very important job done.  We're replacing our anchor line.  The boat came with 30' of VERY rusty 3/8" chain backed by 200' of 3/4" three strand rode.  We knew that wasn't gonna cut it.  The chain is way too short, too big of a gauge and just damn ugly and dirty.  So after much research and shopping we found the best price at LFS Marine supply in Bellingham, about 50 minutes north of here.  Friday we drove up and purchased 120' of 5/16" hi-test galvanized, American made chain.  It's really lovely

Then there is the matter of moving it onto the boat.  First we waited for the tide to come in so the ramp would be close to level.  Then we pulled a dock cart up to the truck and pulled it out of the box and flaked it into the cart keeping the ends in sight.  Then down to the boat where we laid it out on our dock finger in twenty foot turns.  We bought a couple of tiny jars of enamel paint so we could brush on markings - one red link at 20', two red links at 40', three red links at 60', one yellow at 80' and finally two yellow links at 100'.  This will be backed by 100' of the rope rode.  I got a couple coats of paint on the links while Dave took the old scab of chain out and up the dock to the "free pile"  next to the dumpster.  It was gone within an hour.  Go figure.  

We were happy we made the trip to Bellingham.  Several folks we've talked to have remarked they are going to do the same thing.  Not to mention there is an Anthony's Hearthfire restaurant.  They have my favorite hot wings in the world.  There's a little peanut flavor in them, very subtle but very tasty.  And a yummy ribs and rings plate.

  And this cool - literally - feature at the bar-

This is an ice pad for lack of a better name.  It's a frosty, frozen section of the bar where you can park your beer.

Not to mention this feature -

That's Lummi Island on the left and Orcas Island on the right (behind the standing man).