Busy Day

George started the day by running the water maker before breakfast. He filled a small bucket for me to use for hand washing some clothes. After breakfast and filling the water tank we raised the anchor and motored six miles to Spanish Wells. We are expecting a low pressure system with potentially strong winds this week so we picked up a mooring ball in the small mooring field in town. The mooring balls used to be managed by a boat pilot who went by the name of Bandit. He would come by in his small boat and collect the fee. We always had nice chats with Bandit and learned a lot from him. Bandit has since retired and the mooring balls are now managed by someone from the Pinder family. Boaters are supposed to go to Pinder’s store and pay the fee. After we hung our laundry on the lifelines to dry and George transferred diesel from the jerry cans to the fuel tank, we dinghied over to Pinder’s to pay the mooring fee and buy fuel. The low dock at Pinder’s that we had used as a dinghy dock does not have any boards on top so we couldn’t use it. We were able to get out using a ladder with nails sticking out of it. Yikes! When we finally got to the door of Pinder’s it was locked. No sign on the door—other than the one that said they were open. It was just after noon and we suspected they were closed for lunch.  We went back to Breeze On to gather what we needed to go shopping at the larger grocery store, Food Fair. 

On the way to Food Fair we stopped at Pinder’s again to try to pay the fee. The store was open but the only person inside was a water taxi driver who said he had no idea how to handle the mooring fee. So we dinghied further down the creek—and closer to Food Fair—trying to find a spot on the wall to tie up the dinghy. The tide was low so we needed a spot with either steps or a ladder. There were so many private docks and/or boats already on the wall that we couldn’t find a spot. We turned around and ended up close to where we started. After making the long walk to and from Food Fair we stopped one more time at Pinder’s. The third time is the charm—someone who knew about the mooring balls was there and George paid the fee. He will go back for fuel tomorrow when the tide is higher. 

It is a busy harbor. The fishing boats have not yet gone out. 

This is where we tied up to the wall, very close to a large fishing boat and someone’s mooring line. At least we were able to use the ladder.  The entire waterfront has a wall like this. 

A tidal pool forms at low tide in front of our mooring ball. Some egrets were fishing there.