Day 3 was awesome! We woke up at anchor and had a very peaceful and relaxing morning.
There wasn't a ripple on the water or a whisper of wind on this calm morning at anchor. I leisurely made breakfast for Maddie and me as the sun continued to climb in the sky. After breakfast, it was time to take Morty to shore again for his morning walk, giving us a different perspective of our home.
Our entire world is floating right before us, everything we have and care about fits somewhere inside of Wisdom. My main job is being a dentist, and I frequently hear people who live in massive McMansions complain about not having enough space to keep their stuff! I don't think they could comprehend the concept of owning less and filling your world with experiences and travels instead of material possessions. By living in a boat with few material possessions, we are able to take off long periods of time from work and go sailing. Our expenses are much lower than that of land lubbers, allowing us to save more money which in turn affords us to go cruising. Our only recurring debt payment is my student loans, and they only have a few years left to go before they are paid off!
I set up the rope fenders since my parents and a friend were coming out to raft up with us. Maddie's parents drove to a community pier on the creek by car and I went to pick them up in our dinghy Tooth. Today started off quiet and alone, but in a few hours, we would be surrounded by friends and family. This meant that we should be presentable, time to clean Tooth!
Tooth was looking rather disgusting! Morty and I were tracking shore mud all over the dinghy, which would dry and form a layer of filth. I emptied everything in Tooth onto the shore and bailed some river water into the hull. I then used this water to loosen the dirt with a gentle brush. With enough scrubbing, all the dirt and grime came loose and the boat looked much better. The lines were also coiled and hung form the cleats, making the inside look more organized and the chain was stored under the bows deck.
After scrubbing the boat clean, the dirt and mud was scooped up in the bailer and dumped overboard. I would also add some fresh river water to help flush out any last bits of mud. In the end, Tooth looked much better and much more presentable!
As I rowed back in the now "clean" Tooth, I heard my name called from the distance. I looked around unsure from where it originated, until Maddie raised her arms out of the hammock.
Maddie had been reading in the hammock while Morty was relaxing in the shade of the hammock under Maddie. He likes to be close to us at all times, and if he can't with you, he will be as close as possible.
As our parents and John (blue hull) arrived, they tied up to us and put the rope fenders to the test! The rope fenders managed to keep more than 1 foot of space between the hulls at all times, which kept all our topsides pleased. We hung out together and grilled delicious meals without a care in the world!
When John left, I took the opportunity to clean that side of the hull. Later on, my parents left for a few hours which gave me time to do the other side of the hull.
Later that evening, my parents returned and we all slept rafted together. While the day started off at a very relaxing pace, with nothing planned and nothing on the agenda; we ended up having a very packed and productive day: Morty got walked a few times, the hull got cleaned, and we all ate many delicious meals while enjoying each other company. Time on the water is special, especially when it brings people closer together.
