It Finally Happened

Whenever I'm pulling the dinghy around from the decks of Galactic I am of course very very careful to hold on tight to the painter, mindful that a moment of inattention will be repaid with the sight of our tender (Smooches) drifting away from the mother ship.

After nearly six years of living aboard, it finally happened.

I was dropping the dinghy from the halyard where it had spent the night while we were anchored in Hicks Bay.  I was distracted talking to Elias, and forgot that I had tied the dinghy securely by its towing bridle the night before, but had only wrapped the painter loosely around a cleat.

I lowered the dinghy while I was trying to follow Elias' latest soliloquy, then untied the towing bridle.  I put the halyard away, and then turned back to see the dinghy drifting away, the painter floating loosely behind.

It was a really windy day, and the dinghy was moving fast.  The only thing to do was to jump into the water right away, with all my clothes on, before the dinghy was out of swimming range.

Alisa took the pictures after I rowed back.

I'm glad the water was warm.