Cleaning the Dinghy

After getting a stern warning from my landlord/dock master about rent, I wondered what I was going to do about it and what I could do about it.  The only answer I could come up with was "not much, at least not right now".  I decided to take my dinghy that lives in the water tied to the stern of Avalon out to the spoils island at the mouth of the harbor.  I was sure the bottom needed to be cleaned, and man, did it!  The barnacles had barnacles.  I'm kinda worried about how much it's gonna cost me to have Avalon's hull cleaned.  It's been nearly six months.

So, I row out to the island, about a mile, taking my time and just enjoying the water and the feel of physical activity.  The wind was coming from the West so I kept to the near shore and then once out into open water stayed on the lee side of the Island and let the wind shove me onto the beach.  Once there I take all the stuff out of the dinghy and then turn it over, exposing the brownish/greenish mass of sharp shit growing on the white hull.  Rummaging around in my dinghy tool kit I realize I didn't have a scraper.  Well, shit.  So I tried to dislodge some of the barnacles with a course 3M pad.  This cost me some shredded finger tips on my right hand.  Well, shit again.  Band practice later and I needed those fingers.  Nothing like a little self destruction to put things into perspective.

I looked at my oozing fingertips, looked at the barnacle covered hull, shrugged and dug into my Captain's bag where I keep a Schrade multi tool and a few other odds and ends.  One small pen knife blade at a time I remove the barnacles, taking a break once in a while to watch the water, feel the wind and marvel again at the place I live.  About an hour later and I'm feeling better, the hull is clean and the salt water has all but healed up my fingertips.  I leave the boat and start walking around the island that I have all to myself with the exception of a couple of crows who I am sure followed me from the marina.  Gotta watch the Corbae.  They be smarter than you might think.

The walk helps me think, just wading in the shallows and watching the conch hunt and the horseshoe crabs glide along the bottom.  On several occasions I had offered my talents at the marina as a part time sort of guy.  I have all the skills except one....Spanish is not my first language.  Seems to be an issue all across the board when it comes to getting work as a blue collar kind of guy.  Even the Navy Commander that lives there uses the Hispanics, knowing that there is a vet looking for work.  Ya gotta wonder.

So, here I am, wondering if I'm gonna survive this one intact, knowing I have friends and knowing that there is bugger all that they can do to help.  Hell, most everyone I know is hurting.  I've got a thing or two coming down the pike from the VA.  Maybe it'll happen just in time, like in the movies.  Just keep sending the love, folks.  This is just a speed bump and all I gotta do is keep moving forward and It'll work out as it should.  Thanks for all your support.  I'm glad I'm here and that you are, too. 

No one gets out of here alive, so live it like ya mean it.