I slept in today -- waited for a high sun before getting up. I think it was 10 till seven. I had a nice leisurely breakfast then tackled the one remaining job left over from the haulout -- get that big ass window air conditioner off the boat. I took it and the drop cloths I had on the floors away. Unfortunately it aggravated my sore knee for awhile but that too passed in a few hours.
I decided not to take the boat out today but just "fuss" around on the boat. I finished cleaning the fogged port lenses with that miracle product "PRISM" polish. It really did make the lenses clear. Here are two side by side. One is processed and one isn't yet.
I decided after that to tackle the packing on the prop shaft. No surprises there. The nuts broke loose easily and the pack ling did not seem that tight. I loosened until it dripped profusely then tightened till it just stopped. I ran the engine in gear in the slip but it still runs very warm - about 100 degrees. I loosened again and still warm. Well we will just have to see what happens now.
I splashed the dinghy and toke it for a ride. Boy it runs nice. I saw some folks throwing a cast net for shrimp so I waned to try. I got my cast net and tried in the areas at the head of Clubfoot Creek -- no luck but the shrimp were playing with me. I would stop casting then 2 or 3 would jump -- Grrrr. I tried a few other areas and still no shrimp. Then I tried an area on the other side of the new dock -- and pay dirt. Ten shrimp in one throw!! I worked another 20 minutes and caught about 30 shrimp -- nice size ones. Back on the boat to immediately process them -- they don't get any fresher than this. I took a picture of the catch and it turned out spooky -- their eyes reflected the flash very strangely.
I had a nice salami sandwich for lunch then spent the afternoon playing in the water. Uhh swimming. After the Cape Lookout crowd came back I took the dinghy to visit them and they were all floating in the water -- with beers of course. I joined them. Now this is a fine afternoon.
Dinner was a shrimp cocktail, T-bone steak, and a salad. Ahh the good life.
