Saturday, 17 December - Robert Dahmer, another single-hander (sailing by himself), and friend I met here a few months ago who has now anchored right next to me, has offered to help with the furling problem today by supplying his opinion, expertise, support, and the muscle to get me to the top of the mast today by manning the winch. Since my mast has steps clear to the top, Robert tailed the halyard on the winch as I climbed the mast, keeping the line taught that held the boatswain's chair I sat in in case I slipped. Robert came over about 9 am, helped me get up and down the mast three times, and helped in removing the old halyard and installing the new one, and left about 1 pm. I'm very grateful for all the help. We went with Plans A and C. After he left, I finished the installation by cutting the line to the proper length, crimping a thimble onto the halyard, and re-installing the mainsail. Thank goodness there was very little wind. A great day's work and I'm glad to get it done.
                  About 5pm, Steve Monaghan called and said let's go out tonight. I had a rather interesting/amusing shower getting ready. I got in the shower, got all suds up and then...the water pump refused to work. I had to get as much soap off of me as possible, leave the shower, go up through the cockpit and down into the galley for a pan, fill it with water from a jerrycan that I had sitting in the cockpit and then pour it over me to remove the rest of the soap. It's a good thing it was after dark...and warm!

Sunday, 18 December - I got up about 6:30 this morning in order to go to the mariner's swap meet at Bonita Bill's at 7 o'clock. Just as I was about to leave, Robert Dahmer texted me to see if I was going. I responded "Yes, would you like a ride?" He said yes, so I motored the 50 yards over to his boat and picked him up and away we went. I didn't buy much; one stainless steel shackle for $5, one large stainless steel carabiner for $4.50, and one battery powered bow light for the dinghy that I was assured works, for $2. It doesn't work. Robert and I had breakfast at Bonita Bill's, then headed back to our boats. I immediately took a two hour nap to make up for the mere 3 1/2 hours of sleep that I got last night.

Monday, 19 December - I have finally given up an making an even semi-permanent repair on the fresh water pump. Usually, when I "repair" it, the repair only lasts two to three days. Today I "fixed" it and it ran great...for about two hours. I ordered a new switch for it this morning. Now I have to stay in Ft. Myers Beach until that arrives. I seems as if just as I think I'm ready to leave, something else goes haywire and I have to order another part and stay a week until it arrives. Maybe I have a subconscious desire to just stay here because I like the place and friends I've met.
                  On the brighter side, while my friends up north are freezing, it hit 91° here today. Robert Dahmer and I went to Bonita Bill's for music tonight. During the trivia contest, I was the first with the answer to two questions tonight, but the place was too loud for them to here me. That's pretty loud because I am too when I know the answer. No big deal. I already have about 25 of the bandanas. No need to hog them all. I still have the satisfaction of knowing that I was the quickest with the answers, bandana or not. You can only win one per evening anyway.

Tuesday, 20 December - I went to the hardware store to buy a small bottle of contact glue this morning. Back at the dinghy dock I filled my 21 gallons of jerrycans with water, then, back at the boat I used the glue to install some retainers for the oars in the dinghy. Up until now the oars were always in the way in the bottom of the boat. Now, they're stowed neatly on the sides tucked up under the tubes of my inflatable dinghy, out of the way.
                  That done, I called Robert Dahmer and we went over to the mainland in the dinghy to Bunche Beach to fly my two string stunt kite. There just wasn't enough wind there, so we hopped in the dinghy again and went to the very north end of Estero Island, the island that Ft. Myers Beach is on and flew the kite on the beach at Bowditch Point Park. When we returned to the boat, the boat that had anchored near me just before we left was now so close, now that wind and tides had reversed, that their bow occasionally touched my dinghy on the back of Island Time. Luckily, a friend of the owners had seen the situation and immediately came to the boat, let out some more of their anchor line and contacted them via FaceBook. They then came, raised anchor and moved further away.

Wednesday, 21 December - Winter solstice and shortest day of the year. I'm sure I have friends that will be watching the sun set from the top of High Rustler at Alta Ski Resort this afternoon before making their last run to the bottom.
                  I spent the day studying wiring schematics, trying again to figure out why the tachometer won't work and replacing a ring lug on one of the half inch cables on the large alternator that charges my four house batteries. It had totally corroded up and broken. I suspect my batteries will charge up better now when I run the engine. The short day got me. I didn't finish until after dark.