19th July - dinghy accidents - jabiru - midgie hell

Friday 19^th July

We have noticed, with some bewilderment, that a lot of people ride their dinghies into the sailing club from their anchorages in Fannie Bay standing up, holding onto the painter (ie the rope at the front of the dinghy.)  It is often the women, riding proudly like Boadicea in her chariot.  I thought maybe this is what I SHOULD be doing but it looks mighty precarious, so I haven’t adopted the pose.  This came up in conversation at our taco dinner, and eh general consensus is that it is indeed very dangerous and that the women only do it because they don’t want to get a wet bottom.  Don, who has been sailing the world for the past forty years, said that he saw someone doing this in the Caribbean a few years ago.  A young bloke, standing proudly, was thrown from the dinghy when the driver stopped abruptly.  He went right under the boat and was promptly decapitated… I think I would rather get a wet bottom than risk amputation of a major body part!

Last night at sunset our lovely jabiru (oh all right then, black-necked stork…) came back and waded around peacefully in front of the boat.  

We sat outside happily watching it and catching up on events of the day until the bitey midgies made it unbearable.  I took a photo of Pete’s legs, artistically posed for maximum exposure of the damage.

Pete had indeed had a ghastly day… He rode his bike for many miles out into light industrial complexes until he got a replacement for his Milwaukee multi-tool.  So that was a success.  All of the other issues – not so much success…so far.   I heard him on the phone to his friend Cam, outlining the various snafus, and then he said, “Well yes mate, but if I wasn’t doing this – what else would I be doing??”  He does have a very good attitude…I think I would be sobbing bitterly on the couch…

This morning we rode our bikes to Fannie Bay shops, then tethered them to a convenient rail and caught the bus to town.

I still love the Darwin buildings!

A bit of business at the bank, then back on a bus, out to Bunnings, back on a bus, out to Casuarina shopping mall.  Pete and I parted company at this stage.  He came back to Spot On Marine to battle with problems; I stayed and battled with the maze which is Casuarina Mall.  I asked someone, a bit despairingly, whether there was a map anywhere – there usually is, in shopping hellmouths.  No, she said brightly.  There were a few, but they have taken them down.  This made my shopping tasks take much longer because I went round and round and up and down.  It doesn’t help that JB HiFi, which I needed, is particularly shy and elusive, hidden at the end of a twisty corner near some toilets and a side exit.

I got back here a bit before 6.00 to find Pete still battling with problems…

Tomorrow is another day!!

And to cheer us all up, here is a photo of Happy Sam.  

I  told him he needs to write a lot more, on his sailindonesia blog – it is so entertaining!  (That is why he is smiling so radiantly.  All bloggers love compliments on their blogging)