GANNET moved this morning, but not to a mooring. She is tied along side the narrow channel leading to the travel lift at Marathon Boat Yard, where she will in a few weeks be lifted from the water and stored ashore while I return to Evanston for the rest of the year.
She is at a right angle to her position at the Marathon Marina and there is more clear space around her, particularly to the east. She is definitely getting more breeze. Still at 2:00 p.m. it is 100ºF/37.7C in the Great Cabin.
When I returned yesterday from the Marathon City mooring office the cabin which had been closed was 112.6ºF/47.7C.
All went well at the mooring office until the petty bureaucrat asked about GANNET’s holding tank. I told him that GANNET has no plumbing, no through hull fittings, and a PortaPotti. He said that does not meet their regulations, which require a permanently fixed mounted head and holding tank.
As those of you who have viewed photos of GANNET’s interior, the only place such a device could be installed is on the floor of the Great Cabin, either directly under the companionway or where I am presently sitting at Central. It would also require cutting holes in the deck and hull to vent and pump the holding tank.
That I have sailed GANNET most of the way around the world as she is without encountering this problem, that in port I use shore facilities, which I do, counted for nothing.
I am not going to repeat our entire discussion, which ended when I said, “That is a stupid regulation. When you accept a job that requires you to enforce stupidity, you define yourself.” And turned and left.
Fortunately, Marathon Boat Yard again came to my rescue and found space for the little boat.
Here is a warning, something of which I have long been aware, but this may happen in Panama, too. And, if so, the attempt at sixth circumnavigation might be over. I might just turn and sail back to the east coast of the U.S., though probably not to Florida.
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You may recall BE AS YOU ARE, the boat on land off GANNET’s bow at the Marathon Marina. Roger heard a song with that title sung by Kenny Chesney that he thinks may be the source of the boat name. I thank him for bringing it to my attention. He may well be right.
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A couple of evenings ago while listening to music and sipping warm boxed wine on deck, I watched a dragon fly clinging to one of GANNET’s running backstays. He balanced there, elegant wings spread, for more than an hour before I went below. Perhaps he enjoyed the music.
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The image is dated last night, which is odd for Jackson Pollack died in 1956.
