We are anchored in Regatta Bay – it is a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon. I have been on the lookout for the giant black bear that is supposed to be lurking in the bushes, according to the other boat that is anchored alongside of us! We haven’t seen it, but I’m glad I had my binoculars with me, as I spotted what I thought was a log floating by. It turned out to be the biggest snapping turtle I’ve ever seen. He just nonchalantly swam around the bay for a good twenty minutes. Of course my good camera is at home but I did take a photo with my phone and I will try to enlarge it when I get home.
In the meantime, Dennis bought a fishing boat seat for the captain – behind the wheel – and is in the process of installing it. It actually looks good and will be much more comfortable than hunched over the wheel.
We are just out overnight and have to go back home tomorrow.

The snapping turtle swam by the boat last night and managed to get some blue bottom paint on his back. I suggested to Dennis that he might want to give him a little scrub. He was also covered in algae (the turtle – not Dennis :)). He swam around for about twenty minutes and was very curious about us. I haven’t seen him this morning though. I was hoping to spot him on the rocks getting some sun but no such luck.

So, of course every year, we run into some bad luck and this year, Dennis discovered that the batteries aren’t working properly. He thinks that we need a new battery charger and is working on that now. He’s got the instruction manual out and was busy trying to call the dealer in California about this but it is Sunday and they aren’t open. I was surprised that he knew how to work my iphone. Hmm… so when his computer needs some repair, I might have to wait and see if he can do it himself first!

I have resurrected (that’s a good Sunday word!) the outback oven and it cooks beautifully! We bought this oven 14 years ago on our trip down to Mobile, Alabama and used it extensively for baking and for making pizza and bread. I have not mastered the real oven on the boat, so I might just turn that into some storage space and use the outback oven because it works so well! So far, I’ve made a chocolate cake and some cornbread. Both were perfect and delicious unlike my various disasters in the boat oven. Everything seems to cook unevenly – burnt in one area, undercooked in another, so I am very pleased with this.

We are anchored in Regatta Bay for a couple of more hours and then will head home. I am still on the lookout for the bear, but haven’t seen it yet!