Now the fates are mocking us

We were all ready to go...

Up early this morning we packed up our hotel room and checked out, ready to splash the boat and take her to a marina to start cleaning her. Between the rain and mud and sand in the boat yard, inQuest was filthy both inside and out. So... one more day of work left.

We arrived at the yard at 7:50 am, 10 minutes before the yard officially opened, ready to do just a few preliminary things before getting splashed.

Until...

...but he ruined the morning.

Someone over the weekend needed to be hauled out, and parked their boat in the very channel we would be put into. And, no, they weren't here first thing in the morning. So, change of plans. The yard master decided to haul them out first, then put us in. We were re-blocked and the sling machine was taken away.

Hanging out inside, watching THAT GUY
get hauled out, too,

To add to my frustration, due to the weather (which remains overcast) our power ran pretty low over the night. Under normal circumstances we'd just run a generator to recharge the batteries, but they generator is cooled by the water around us, of which there is none because we're on land. The yard was reluctant to run a power cable to us, but we got them to do so. It took our new and old power cables to reach their line.

Then another boat showed up. So they hauled that, too.

We did get splashed, thankfully.

Then another boat showed up. And they hauled that one as well. That one was particularly frustrating because they sling machine was already back over us and they started putting the belts back on. The even unplugged us and took the power away.

So our day of cleaning the boat dwindled as, hour after hour, we waited on the hard for our turn. Finally, well after lunch, it happened.

We had a reservation at the marina across the river that many folks loved. It is, however, behind a bridge. Once we neared it, it was just closing and we were told to wait. After 15 minutes I got suspicious -- we thought this was an open-on-request bridge. Russ hailed them to confirm and, nope, they open on the half hour only. Russ called the other marina, the one on the river (not as protected, but the night looks dandy), and they had room. We were docked and engines off before I heard the bridge open over the radio.

Bears! Bears! Everywheres!

Yep, we cleaned the boat, inside and out. Exhausted we went to dinner at one of the cute tavern in town with and expansive outdoor seating area.

Now. I'm going to drop. Been a heck of a two weeks. I'm so looking forward to just boating again. 

Flag bear, also bearing the New Bern flag bear.