Monday, 16 August 2021 - I went to the newly opened Monroe County Library nearby to attend a class on 3D printing this afternoon, only to find out that the class occurs only on alternating Mondays and this wasn't one of them. I had two hours to kill before meeting Walt to play ping-pong, so I updated some of the apps on my phone and familiarized myself with the new facility. It is very bright, open, and airy, but to my surprise, although most of the books were brand new, there were very few of them. I guess that they only have about half as many, maybe only a third, as they had at the other building across the street. I'd bet they don't have a thousand books. All the shelves were full. There just aren't many, and no apparent way to expand. The shelves aren't even shoulder high. This seems like a move in the wrong direction. I asked about that and the librarian explained that most of the books in the old library were themselves old. In my opinion...so what. At least they had more readable material and more depth. I'm very disappointed.

Tuesday, 17 August - I had good intentions about getting lots done onboard today but Tami Shelton called me about 8:30 and said let's go fishing and lobstering, so we did. Unfortunately, she got no fish and had to catch a lobster for me. I never saw even one. We went out near West Sister Rock, a small island just of shore from Boot Key and found virtually nothing. I guess that area is so popular that the pre-season lobster fishermen got them all. I was really embarrassed when we got almost out to the island and I realized that, since I rarely leave the harbor in my dinghy, I didn't have an anchor in it so we had to turn around, go back to Island Time, get an anchor, then head out again. Upon returning to Island Time, I siphoned the gas out of the cracked Yamaha tank into an empty one and rinsed dive equipment and set it out to dry.

Wednesday, 18 August - I stowed dive gear from yesterday's trip, then took the gas cap, valve and gauge off of the Yamaha gas tank that had developed a leak, then took it, along with other trash to the dumpsters today. Later, I played ping pong with Walt Avery at the marina and checked my mail for a Yamaha Service Manual that I ordered over two weeks ago. It still hasn't arrived.

Thursday, 19 August - I, again, spent most of the day trying to figure out when my Yamaha outboard motor was made. Internet searches give me mixed information as does the national Yamaha help line. They suggested I call Yamaha Canada or Yamaha Mexico to see if they can tell me. I emailed Yamaha Honduras in Spanish since I believe it may have been built for the Caribbean market, but have not received a response and don't know if I will. I don't know why they produce different models for Europe, North America, the Caribbean, and Asia, but they do. I'm sure they have to produce a different mode] just for California, because if you eat, or even rub up against one in California, you'll get cancer. Everything in California will give you cancer. I don't know why people want to live there.
                    I finally got a notification that the service manual was delivered, so I went in to get it. I do believe it is, yet another, wrong book. It is the one that the Yamaha publications web site says should be for my engine, but it's not. This is very frustrating.

Friday, 20 August - It was my day to host the Boot Key Harbor Cruiser's Net again and it went well. There was only one newcomer to the harbor and we had lots of trivia questions. After the net, and after three times up the mast as far as the spreaders, about forty feet up, I repaired the cushion or pad on the back of the mast and spreaders to protect the mainsail as it bumps against them in the wind while furled. I started to go all the way to the top of the mast but realized about 3/4 of the way up that I was tiring and needed to get down. Since I went up unassisted both my arms and feet were tiring. My arms because there being no rope pulling me up, I need to hold myself against the mast all the time or I'd fall away from it, and my feet because the steps on my mast are only large enough to support about half of my forefoot, so my feet want to twist off the steps, which is very tiring to resist. This evening we had a dinghy drift with about 10 ar 12 dinghies at sunset and ending about 10 pm. One of the boaters brought an octopus shaped Harvey Wallbanger cake and Harvey Wallbangers, too. Very tasty.

Saturday, 21 August - I see that hurricane Grace has picked up in velocity again to about 120 mph. Thank goodness it didn't come through here. This morning I helped Jay Klassen and Tami Shelton move a new oven / stove onboard their boat, then went ashore for another nautical flea market at the marina. Unfortunately, the swap meet was the most poorly attended that we've ever had. I neither sold nor bought anything and I know most others didn't either.

Sunday, 22 August - I guided Tom and Kim on S/V Barefoot through the Boot Key Mangroves this morning. It was a nice, high water trip. We had to cut several logs that had fallen across the trails since I'd been in there last and this time, perhaps since there was little wind, there were a few mosquitos out, which is unusual. I heard a few buzzing my ears, but Tom was being bothered by them quite a bit.

Monday, 23 August - This afternoon I went to the library and, since I was the only person that showed up, I got a one-on-one lesson in 3D printing on their new printer. I think it will be a while before everyone has a 3D printer in their home. The one they had at the library cost about $2400 although I believe cheap ones can be bought for around $300. The software is pretty complicated, as are all programs that will do a lot, and the printers are awfully slow. A little 3 1/2" statue of Yoda they had printed took over eight hours to print. I was amazed at the detail that could be printed and it could have been even better if they had wanted to up the quality and the time to over 12 hours. After that, I headed back to the marina and played ping-pong with Walt Avery again.

Tuesday, 24 August - Grocery shopping. I went to get "just a few things" and spent oven $160 as usual.

Wednesday, 25 August - Since the new fuel tank that I bought awhile back has no filters on the inlet or outlet, I've jury rigged the inlet filter for the old, cracked tank to fit in the now one and today I made a case for that filter since it can't be stored inside the tank without removing the gas cap retainer, which I may do eventually anyway. Ping-pong at 3:00. I got back onboard Island Time just in time to get the dinghy onto the davits and strapped down as the wind picked up considerably and rain started. It's been blustery all day with winds reaching about 35 mph after I got back.

Thursday, 26 August - I spent time today going through a drawer of boat hardware, mostly blocks (as in block & tackle) trying to figure out which ones I will NEVER need, which ones I WILL DEFINITELY need, and which ones I MAY POSSIBLY need. Some are duplicate backups of onboard, in use, blocks. Others are possibly blocks that have become unnecessary because the hardware they served has been removed, and others may be necessary for some unforeseen emergency. Some may also be needed to fly the ATN Asymmetrical Spinnaker. There are single, double, and triple blocks, fiddle blocks, cheek blocks, blocks with beckets, and others.

Friday, 27 August - I had a pretty short Cruiser's Net this morning. There aren't many boats in the harbor and most that are here have been here awhile so they assume, quite correctly, that not much has changed since yesterday. The only important change would have been if Hurricane Ida had shifted more to the east.
                    Susie's on her way back to Florida and should arrive this afternoon, so I'm going to wrap this up now.