Thursday, 15 June 2017 - This morning I cleaned house a bit and spent about an hour and a half using a large syringe to remove water from the gas tank on the auxiliary generator. I had just refilled the tank. I think water is getting into the gas in the 2 gallon gas can I have by getting sucked into the can around the plug in the cap. I think this happens after the can heats up and expands, then, if it rains, water collects on the cap and the container cools, sucking the water in. At least that's the only way I can figure it can be caused.
                  This afternoon I continued the work on the refrigeration. Yesterday I had defrosted the unit and it still wasn't cooling as I think it should. I decided to call support for the unit. They assured me that it needed charging and insisted that they send me the instructions on how to charge the system, which I didn't argue with, however, the instructions were just as I would have done it anyway. I had shut the unit off this morning because I wanted to quickly recharge the house batteries because they were so low. There was no wind last night to assist in keeping the batteries up. When I opened the hatch and removed the cowling over the refrigerator's compressor, I discovered a broken electrical plug on the control module. It couldn't have run...but it had been, and I can't see how I could have broken it removing the cowling, it was the fifth connector down in a row of about eight. Another of the mysteries of life on a boat, I suppose. I replaced the connector, switched it on and it started up fine. I added a few seconds of refrigerant, maybe half an ounce, it only holds about 4 oz., and will see how it has done tomorrow morning. Normally, I wouldn't have to wait so long, but since I had totally defrosted the unit and everything in it was pretty warm, I'll give it the extra time.

Friday, 16 June - I added a bit more R134a refrigerant to the Isotherm refrigerator this morning and it is now freezing sufficiently; no all I need to do is figure out what setting to settle on to get it to cycle on and off properly. If it won't, I think I will assume it needs to have the insulation replaced, which will be a significant project.
                  A fellow that does some minor salvaging here in the harbor came to a marker next to me today to extricate an anchor that is attached to it. He was in a hard dinghy and had an assistant with him. He dove on it with a huka, but decided it was too large to raise with the dinghy. We talked a bit and I told him that I have found three sunken vessels in a line very close to my boat, and I mentioned that I was afraid that my anchor might be tangled on or near one. He said he'd take a look since the water was so clear. He came up and said that my anchor chain is really tangled in several ropes and two or more BIG anchors. He needed to leave to go clean the bottom of someone else's vessel, but with what he said, I thought I'd better take a look to see how badly my chain was tangled. I donned my mask, snorkel, and fins, and launched the dinghy, then went to the bow of my boat and pulled myself along my anchor chain until I was very nearly over where it was attached to the bottom. That was only about 45 feet from my bow and I have about 75 feet of chain out, so I knew it must be tangled in something there. I followed the chain to the bottom and discovered that I didn't think the water was very clear at all. I could see about 3 or 4 feet. I also discovered that the BIG anchor that he had said I was tangled on and that he said he couldn't budge, was in truth the middle and largest ship of the three below me. I'm sure he put his feet on what he thought was the bottom and pulled, but couldn't raise it. Of course net. He was standing on the deck of the boat he was pulling against! I did untangle my chain; it was merely caught under a large fitting on the deck of that boat.
                  He had said that he'd come back to talk about those boats, so I decided to clean the barnacles and slime off the first 25 feet of my chain, then I scraped the bottom of the port side of my hull to a depth of about 4 feet. Since I was only using my snorkel to breath with, that was plenty for one session.
                  The fellow hadn't returned, so I needed to replace one of the markers that I had put out, a dive flag, with a different buoy, and while I was at it, I dove on my anchor again to make sure my marker line and my chain weren't going to be tangled. I found my chain was caught on yet another deck fitting on the sunken boat. I'll leave it that way until tomorrow, no harm done. I still didn't explore all the way to my anchor to see how it is buried...or tangled! But I know I won't drift away. I now have buoys on three sunken boats and one well buried anchor, not mine.

Saturday, 17 June - I don't think this day actually happened because I don't remember what I did, if it did.

Sunday, 18 June - I got back in the water today and cleaned the starboard side of the hull and rudder. Now all that is left to clean is the keel and propeller, but I'll need the huka to feed me air to do that. I got out of the water thinking I had just enough time to shower and arrive at the Dockside Bar in time for the beginning of a birthday celebration for one of the two members of the group "Fiddle Rock". Since they were celebrating his birthday, I thought they might have a better than usual turnout. I had been watching the weather radar and knew that I was racing a small storm headed this way. I got about a hundred yards from my boat when I heard a girl shouting and saw two other dinghies buzzing around two sailboats. With the pre-storm acceleration of the wind, a small boat had gotten lose from its anchor and was threatening to run into another boat. The girl had been on the smaller, runaway boat and had, in fending off the boats, fallen in the water. I immediately went to her to try to get her out of the water, but try as I might, I couldn't get her into my boat. I would guess that she weighs about 200 to 250 lbs. It was like trying to get a small whale aboard. She was exhausted, so I had her hang onto my dinghy and towed her back to their sailboat where her husband and I finally got her aboard, although only after swamping their rowboat. All's well that ends well. I went and got their swamped dingy and towed it back to their boat along with items that had floated out of it, then proceeded on, getting drenched on my way to the bar. It doesn't matter. I don't wear anything that won't dry out and it's warm down here. The music was good and I was almost dry by the time I got back to my boat.

Monday, 19 June - Pizza sounded good for dinner last night, so I outran another small storm to get to the Hurricane Bar and Grille. Fiddle Rock was playing at that bar last night. I thought I was going to be treated to a private concert, for when I arrived about 7:45, I was the only person in the bar besides the crew and the band. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, a few more people showed up after Fiddle Rock played their first song, and when I left, right before their last set, there were about 20 people there. I don't know if the storm I raced ever arrived. The music drowned out any other noise and it was warm, breezy, and dry for my walk back to the marina.

Tuesday, 20 June - On morning's harbor Cruiser's Radio Net a call was put out to look out for another lost dinghy. I can't believe how many people lose their dinghies every time a storm comes through. You'd think a bunch of live aboard boaters would know how to tie a knot. I could see something washed up on shore not too far from my boat, and although it didn't look like a boat, I said I'd go check it out. I was right, it was an inflatable lounge chair with a pillow attached. I got it aboard my dinghy, then headed down one of the side channels in hopes of finding the missing boat, I got lucky. Not only was it there, but the fellow that had found it floating in the channel had tied it up and was outside washing off his own boat. He said he expected somebody to come looking for it eventually. I took it in tow and returned it to the owner at the city marina docks. She was on the docks thanking God that it was returned. It was a sailing dinghy and I'm sure with the small engine on it it would cost about 5 to 6 thousand dollars to replace, maybe more. I asked if she needed to be shown how to tie a bowline. She said she used to teach knot tying and that it was tied at both ends with a bowline to her sailboat. I can't imagine how that got loose.
                  I had been concerned about the young couple that had their boat break loose yesterday. That could have had a much sadder ending had help not been immediately available, so I had been thinking about an easier way to get her out of the water if it were just the two of them. On my way back from the marina to drop off the runaway dinghy, I stopped by their boat to show them a better way. I hadn't really thought about it much since I sail alone. I would have to be able to get myself out, but Island Time has a low swim platform with a ladder up to it if I were to need it. That still doesn't mean it would be easy if the boat were moving. In fact, if I were to go overboard without a safety harness on, getting out of the water would be the easy part, catching the boat would be the hard part. With a harness on, climbing aboard might be very tough because I would be being drug along side the boat and wouldn't be able to access the swim platform unless I fell overboard right at the back of the boat. I think I'll try to stay out of the water while sailing.
                  At any rate, my solution for them was to tie a line to a cleat near the back of the boat, bringing the other end forward to their largest winch, leaving a big loop dangling overboard that she could stand on while merely holding on to the toe rail. Then it would be a simple matter for him to just crank the winch, tightening the catenary in the line, raising her like she was standing in an elevator; not much strain on either of them, and not like putting a loop under her arms, which would be very uncomfortable, and raising her with a halyard. I hope they never need to use that technique or any other for that matter.
                  Oh! I almost forgot. I also go to dine on my first cherry tomato grown here on the boat in my Topsy Turvey garden. Probably the first fresh vegetable I've had since raiding the backyard garden of my neighbors, Jube and Gayleen Varos in Salt Lake City. I feel healthier already!

Wednesday, 21 June - The summer solstice and first day of summer. Another breezy, but nice day. I spent most of it doing online research, then plan on going to the Marathon Public Library later to watch a movie.