The watered down truth

Captain Steve volunteered to take us girls into shore so we could shop, investigate washing options and any possibilities of obtaining fresh water. I was the next on board the Easy Tiger dinghy before calling in on Urchin to collect Maree. I would estimate the ride at no more than 2 minutes. News of my dip was composed and published before we'd even reached Urchin and gathered Maree. The Bloke was in hysterics. Not laughing with me I feel, but at me.

Water on the brain perhaps (Thanks Maree)

The next morning at scones and tea/coffee ahead of a laundry offensive, I was presented with the silly chequered hat and green jacket for the most recent awesome/ silly or noteworthy deed. The scope of acts is very broad. The Bloke had earned it for his spectacular 7 KGs and was happy to pass it on to a clown head. I was rated as awesome on the basis or keeping my head and hair dry even when falling off the back of the boat. LOL!

The Bloke, the silly hat and the green jacket, oh and Big Ted! Geez the Bloke was happy to pass this kit on. (Thanks Maree)

But enough levity, there was the washing to be managed, this being the first opportunity since Albany.  Leanne's strategy was just to tackle the smalls as Easy Tiger had sufficient clean linen to last until Esperance. My thoughts were more along the lines that if I was to spoil the day with any laundry at all I might just as we'll do the lot (i.e. 4 loads). I was dropped at the beach with my 2 sailing bags and the fold down trolly together with Maree who despite planning to follow Leanne's plan ended up doing 4 loads too. The Bloke took off in the opposite direction with his rubbish run. This is when I met Val another very friendly local, curious at the presence of 3 boats and particularly 2 catamarans. The occasional yacht passes through but never cats! We'd been seen by her and her husband Richard when we were still at Little Boat Harbour. Dave the farmer from Bordin, for whom I'd performed my slow motion splash the day before had also seen us there. On the spur of the moment I invited Val to come aboard Zofia for drinks in the evening at 5pm. A phone number was scribbled on the back of a scrap of paper. "Just call when you arrive at the beach and I'll send the Bloke in to pick you up."

Maree and I spent the next 4 hours washing and drying and unwittingly upsetting the self appointed Caravan Park washing line Nazi in the process. We even scored foot in mouth disease. We muttered between ourselves that the complaints were ridiculous, everyone knows what their own kit looks like..... A lady that was in the wash house through all the finger wagging delivered at us, unexpectedly and blandly revealed that the complainant was her mother! Ouch, what a howler! We're only new to this. Did you know there is a law that forbids you to touch other people's washing? If it's true, it probably exists to pick up perverts stealing knickers. Having had to make the switch from 'lingerie' to sturdy and serviceable laundromat compatible undies I'd be flattered if anyone would want to nick my nicks!

NY Day in Dillon Bay - all dressed up to catch anything but a fish - Thanks Maree

Zofia at rest at Dillon Bay - Thanks Maree

Back on the beach, mission accomplished, Maree called in B1 to be the boatman. It was clear that there was too much for 1 trip - 2 of us, 4 kit bags and 2 fold-up trollies. B1almost got pooped coming into the shore by the little breakers that kicked up and the boat wasn't even carrying any cargo at this point. We had already waded out up to our hips to assist B1 get back with the cargo of washing. Lots of surge and one last small wave unbalanced me. The backpack I was wearing had shifted my centre of gravity and wooshka! I fell backwards up to my armpits in water A G A I N - for the second dunking in 24 hours.

The crowd on the beach roared with laughter and thanked us for the spectacle. We reminded them that while they had fun watching us, the watching was reciprocated from our boats. I still had my green jacket of awesomeness in my backpack - luckily still dry, so to fill in some time asked for one of the beach crew to be a model. Some family from Boyup Brook has a holiday snap of Maree plus a sodden me and their Mum modeling the green jacket and silly hat! That'll take some explaining if they don't press delete quickly enough.

Getting back to the boat, I hastily changed out of my dripping clothes and finished restoring all items to the boat before it was time for Val and Richard to arrive. Meeting open and friendly people is a joy and this boating lifestyle does facilitate new friendships.  Luckily they had called earlier to accept and confirm the invitation. The Bloke none the wiser to plans at the time they phoned, made the best of the situation and had asked them about the town water supply. A great question as it turned out because they arrived with 25l of rainwater and the offer of more. We can't understate our gratitude!