080801 - Water Fill

'I wonder what Rodney & Penny have been up to this time'

I'd say Penny and I have been pretty vigorously, keeping pace with each other (and you've seen the photos of her). But if the truth be known - I've been doin' nothin - and Penny has been lagging even further behind, doing less. So together, and all efforts combined, we've achieved very little. But considering the two unstable characters involved - and the overall unstable place we live - we generally regard - keeping the yacht, and our heads - 'above water' - as a successful week.

Of course - as you know - the big issue across the world this week - was - Penny's heater - and the fact that it ran out of gas - and I couldn't fit another bottle on it. The condemnation was universal, that it was all my fault - and the little, spoilt rotten, do nothing, prima donna, was the innocent victim. It seems a bit unfair. And I thought it went too far - when . . . . . . . . .

I mean - what do Pamela and Dave know about it - only Penny's side of the story - it seems.

After all - it was only one night - and the next day it was fixed AND she got a new hot water bottle as well - which everyone seems to forget.

Yesterday - with the help of Keith - another yachtie nearby - I took the yacht, across and under the bridge - to the St George Motor Boat Club - where I took on about 4 ton (4000 litres) of water - which will easily be enough for several months supply aboard.

The Marina Manager came down to me after we'd been there about an hour - and was concerned that I was going to fill right up - (because I'd made the mistake, months ago, of telling him when he asked, that the yacht was capable of holding over 8,000 litres) - so he unfortunately - now - knows the large capacity I could be taking - unchecked.

Although I'd probably be wary myself of taking an additional 8 ton on board. As it is - the yacht went down a few inches with that 4 ton of water going in to the forward tanks.

But it all went very successfully - a calm smooth ride over - and another slow and painless docking - as we came alongside at dead stop, almost - and slowly pulled the yacht in with the ropes - usually the safest procedure.

And so with that done - we headed smoothly and safely back under the bridge - and out to the middle of the bay - to pick up the mooring again - without any trouble at all.