Go blow the skank off...

Not sure if she was referring to the boat... or me?

A couple "projects" on the agenda today - the main one is new brackets for our roll-down sun-screens on the deck.  Surprisingly, the sun-screen material has held up great; the plastic and metal brackets... not so much.

This was Joan's project, but when you re-hang the sun-screens you need two people, one on each end.  I also provided the muscle for the last bit of getting the screws tightened.  Manly man stuff.  She got it all set up...

Izzy was out on the deck with us, apparently not all that impressed with the project...

Unlike most home maintenance projects, this went slick.  Joan had ordered the brackets, so we had all we needed to get the job done.

Next up: she is making a helm cover for the boat.  I got the cover off...

... while she test fitted the fabric.  There are many times that we don't really need to put the full cover on - and that is a bunch of work; this cover will slip over the helm and keep the weather off.  When it looks like nasty weather coming in, I will still put the cover on to protect the seats.

After deciding where to cut, she said, "Why don't you take the boat out and get the skank off"... I am sure she meant the slime that quickly collects on the hulls.  Pretty sure.  Then she added, "Tell the dolphins I said 'Hi!'."

I told her, "If I see dolphins out there, I won't even look at them, since you won't be along to enjoy it."  That is what we in the boat world call: bullshit.

I grabbed a hat and my usual boat stuff, untied the lines, and shoved off...

Yep, that sky is looking pretty gray.  The hourly forecast says we won't get more rain until this evening.  Again, what we in the boating world call: bullshit.

I looked at some birds along the way out...

Channeling my inner hippie...

Out of our canals, I could see that some of the excursion boats are moved over to South Point Marina...

They must be expecting crappy weather.  I turned the other direction, and ran the power up to "blow the skank off the bottom."  The boat bottom.  Not many other boats out today, but the one pleasure boat that ran by me did so about 15 feet away... in a channel that has lots of room.  The family onboard were smiling and waving, and totally oblivious to their wake.

A couple tugs in the turning basin...

Looking down the ship channel towards Brownsville...

Someone nearby is getting rain.

Then, a dolphin...

Yes, I looked.  I didn't see any others around, and this one seemed to be on a mission.  Around the island in the ship channel, and... more dolphins...

These cetaceans were also on a mission.  I was lucky to get a shot with my little point & shoot.  I watched them moving quickly the other direction, then put the coals to it again - water moving quickly over the pontoons helps keep 'em clean.

Looking up, a gaggle of roseate spoonbills against the gray sky...

Back to the turning basin and almost home - two crewboats, one heading in, one heading out...

Joan caught lines for me at the dock, then brought the nearly completed helm cover down - checking to see where to put the velcro to secure it.  You don't get that kind of service at most canvas shops.  ;-)

Getting dark, but the cover looks good...