Day 1 and 2 in Fort Bragg

Sunday 5/11 and Monday 5/12 in Fort Bragg.

We spent a great deal of Sunday cleaning salt and dirt from the boat. I just don't get where in all that water how the boat can get dirty. We rode our folding bikes over to the other side of the River and had lunch at Carine's. We noticed they had a nice dock and since everything is on this side of the River we decided to move the boat. Carine's Fish Grotto is a family run business since 1947 and we met Bessie, Anthony, Grace and Cathy. Exceptionally nice people with the hospitality and good food known in traditional Italian families. We had a great lunch there and felt very welcome and even had a piece of Mama Carine's mothers day cake. We went back to the boat and continued our clean up work.





On Monday, we needed fuel so pulled in to the fuel dock which is an elevated fuel dock about 8 to 10 feet above the boat. You climbed a ladder up and they helped lower the fuel hose down to you. We topped of the tanks and took on 220 gallons of fuel, we carry 500 gallons. It is always an adventure fueling and one of the most costly things we do. Diesel fuel was $4.00 per gallon so you can do the math.

We returned to the Carine's dock and needed to do our laundry, which again was the result of cleaning up small window leaks. The boat was generating more laundry than Alexus or I. Ted, who we met yesterday and had that great dinner with he and his wife Bobi, was over on this side of the river to look at a stove and stopped in to say hi. We asked if he would like to come aboard and see the boat. He did and even offered us a ride to the laundry mat. So with our bikes and towels in the back of his truck off we went saving us a walk/ride up the hill to town.

After doing laundry we rode our bikes around town and bought duct tape, bungee cords, and those super absorbent mico towels so we could stop using our bath towels for the boat!!!

Fort Bragg is very charming and there are great little shops to stop in and just window shop. We headed back to the boat and met Les our neghbor who has a 54 foot Chris Craft built in 1956. She has beautifil wood and Les had replaced almost everything except part of the galley. Boat talk about having living space. She is a great live aboard boat and Les does live aboard. Les is also a Marine Surveyor so if you ever need professional assistance, give him a call at 916-802-6424 if you are near Fort Bragg.

The weather is starting to look good and the wind died down this evening so our plan is to leave very early, say 5:30 and start down the channel on our way to Eureka. Our friends in the 93 foot yacht, Pier Pressure are planing on leaving too, not quite as early, but with their waterline and engines , they will pass us during the day on the way.