September 6

The inclement weather has pushed out to today, with strong winds forecasted for tonight. I’d left the auxiliary anchor rode in the cockpit, it got well rinsed with rain. One boat battery is down, our boat water is low, cell phone has been marginal, we need to get month end finances up to date (I overwrote the wrong file and we had to redo some stuff), I have some clients wanting attention over the Labor Day weekend, and we are wanting showers. We catch a break in the rain and motor over to Elochoman Slough Marina. It’s not a place we’d been to before; the entrance is tricky when you need 5 feet under you, even at high tide. Thanks to Uncle Ralph’s Guide, we get in with no problems. We get a slip with power away from the yacht clubs We get batteries charging, get showers, and walk to the town for a late lunch. Well, Cathlamet, WA doesn’t have much to offer. We get lunch (kind of heavy), then Cindy has the idea that hey, we’re in port, we could get a bag of salad fixings and Doug’s honey mustard dressing (on board, unused this trip), and have a perfectly reasonable dinner for two for $5. Duh. We should have thought of that several times over the past two months. We go to the local IGA, get salad, cucumber, a tomato, drinking water and cat food, so we’re good to go for the evening.

Back at the boat, we crack out the computers and get on business. Several rain showers blow over. One window is showing some leakage. I get the main anchor rode onto the boat deck to rinse out the salt in the rain. We look at the weather and tide tables, not sure we want to be here another night. Looks like warm weather later in the week, I’d like to be in Martin Island so I can go for a swim and scrape off any salt water growth off the bottom that needs it (I know the outboard does).