How all occasions do inform against me to spur my dull Scaffie launch. She has been ready to go for the last 3 weeks but I snapped the yard, the tides fell wrong and the weather was bad. Then the unbelievable happened. Someone stole my anchor!
This was a very fine anchor.
I placed her some 3 weeks ago in anticipation of a speedy launch. I can only think that an Okinawan matron, stumbling around the shallow water slaughtering octopi, came across it and thought, “What is this doing here? Poor wee thing, I’ll take her and give her a good home.”
Anyway I rush off and find a very strange looking anchor in a fishing tackle shop, which is big and heavy and I think will dig into the sandy bottom.
There is another anchor at the end of the second chain.
I have 2 anchors and 5 meters of heavy chain as a mooring. Fingers crossed.
So now I can launch. I set off very early and have a completely wonderful launching experience at Chioya harbor. I haul the boat up to Chioya behind the Truckette and the Police do not catch me. I back the boat down the narrow slipway on the the er 56th attempt. Backing a boat on a trailer in limited space is not easy; except for Ben, who does it with exquisite ease. The Fisher folk look on and do nothing to stop me. I feel wonderfully accepted.
7:30 Saturday 29 April 2017
I sail home. The new high rise traveller makes a big difference. The sail is much higher and so I believe more efficient, but what has really changed is that I can see below it. Previously the sail blocked all reality to leeward but now I can see all kinds of amazing stuff. The new rudder works just fine.
Rudder meets water for the first time.
Happiness and joy.
Has that always been there?
I pick up the new mooring elegantly, swim home and cycle back to Chioya to pick up the truck and trailer.
Amazing bike – too good for me.
I stop to admire the amazing Diego flowers.
Red, white and blue and er some green and brown.
I go out in the boat again but as I heave my carcass over the gunwhale, I stand on the yard and it predictably breaks where I have just fixed it.
Notice kinky yard
It would have worked fine, had I not trod on it.
I immediately set to work to fashion a new yard. I find that by far the best tool for shaving my length of Okinawan cedar into a serviceable yard is an Opinel that James gave me.
Great knife.
I work late into the night as I am desperate to get back into the boat.
Short break to marvel at sunset
The Quiet Ripple Defines The Pond 
Maybe all for the best? The new mooring system looks better, and breakages close to home must be better than lee shore type events. A nice bit of split plastic pipe to reduce chafe on the mooring line at the bow, and a coracle to allow dry passage to the mooring would be good birthday presents.
You are probably right but you know how it is, you can become very attached to anchors. I was wondering how to spoil myself on my birthday. A nice bit of split plastic pipe sounds just the thing. Coracle not needed as the water is already warm and wading swimming out and back is no great mischief. I fact I love swimming back from the mooring on hot Summer nights.
But Neil, the itches, rashes, saltwater sores and boils, and surely your hair is stuck together and unmanageable? And we know it’s hard to make good mashed potatoes.