Day 6 (Wednesday) - afternoon update

After a short nap we were ready to get off the boat for a while. So we decided to have another go at getting to Pirates Cove. The wind seemed to have eased up considerably, so off we went. Let's just say that the trees surrounding our anchorage do an admirable job of blocking the wind. We made it just around the eastern point and got blasted. We have a whole new appreciation for how protected our anchorage is!

We returned to the calm waters of Ingram Bayou, but were not ready to go back to Microship yet. We just took a tour of the area. It was a little breezy way back in the northern part of Ingram, where there is a stretch of water open to the north. So we entered the small bayou at the NE corner of the area, and explored the back as far as we could go. It is pretty back here, with lots of wildlife.

Unfortunately, less than a mile back, the bayou is blocked by fallen trees. We could go no further. It was so peaceful that I turned off the motor and broke out the oars. I rowed all the way back to open water. It was good exercise, and allowed us to hear all the sounds of nature around us.

Since I was in the rowing seat, Paula was in the drivers seat.  She has yet to operate the dinghy, and this seemed like a good time for her first driving lesson. She started the motor and we proceeded to zig zag around the lagoon. She has trouble adjusting to the fact that she has to point the motor tiller in the opposite direction she wants the boat to go. But, all in all, she did really well. More practice will make steering second nature.

While she was circling around I managed to get a couple of pictures of the other abandoned sailboat here. This one has been here a while. It is usually stuck up along the shoreline, but the high winds and water this week have floated it and it is riding on its anchor in the middle of the dead end canal on the NW side of Ingram Bayou.

I had hoped to swing by the other abandoned sailboat here to get the propane tank from it, but I keep forgetting my darn wrench every time we come out! We are down to less than 1/4 in our propane tank. We don't use it often, but I am planning on grilling steaks tonight, and turkey tomorrow.

It was getting cooler, so we started heading back to the boat. Along the way we made a quick stop for Duke to take care of business, so I don't have to come out again today. As we got to the boat the sun was just going behind the trees. The temperature was dropping rapidly, so it was nice to get back aboard. There were a couple of owls hooting in the trees, and a pack of coyotes howling in the distance.

Time to settle in with an adult beverage and start cooking dinner. On the menu tonight is grilled steaks (filet mignon, Paula's favorite), baked sweet potatoes, and sauteed zucchini and onions. Pumpkin pie for desert. We also baked the cornbread for the stuffing tomorrow.

I went to check on the anchor, just before going to bed, and there was already a layer of frost on the bow. Made the footing a bit dicey! But Duke and I made it back inside with our butts, and pride, intact.