July 29th 2016
Yorktown Heights, NY
I’ll be honest, it feels weird to have my kayak out of the water today. I took advantage of the break though and gave her a good bath. Even a kayak starts to get slimy after being in the water for 27 days and almost as many nights. I think I’m going to fix up some gouges in her bottom then next break I take too. I should have had that tool and plastic with me, but I decided not to take the plastic welder at the last minute.
I spent today looking at tide charts, weather charts and maps. That was the fun part. I also spent it doing legal paperwork on a guy who never repaid me the money I loaned him for his VW Bus. It’s been two years and all I ever got were promises in the dark. I don’t enjoy having to get the court involved in collections, but when someone proves they are not a person of their word, you have to use the law to resolve it.
After handling the legal stuff, I took to doing some maintenance on Arlene’s car. She had a burned out brake light and dome light. Can’t have her driving around like that now, can we? I also gave her car a bath for all the running around she’s been doing for me, but, it was the evening I was looking forward to.
My old friends, James and his wife Michelle were meeting Arlen and I for dinner in Mt. Kisco, NY. I hadn’t seen them in many months, perhaps even a year and I was looking forward to catching up with them. We had a nice time at dinner and I’m hoping they will come visit me in Key West as neither has ever been there.
I found out on Facebook today that I made the newspaper again. This time it was a beautiful article by an old school friend of mine that I met in Waterford, NY. Pete did a really nice job with the article and the pictures were great. That makes four article to date and I’m expecting one from the Yorktowner here in the next week or two.
Tomorrow we’re off to change out some gear on the kayak, which includes replacing that awful Sierra Designs Lightning 2 tent with something dryer and cooler and changing up the dry bags to ones that actually keep the contents dry in water.
I know, not a very adventurous day, but hey, not everyday can be adventurous, especially when I didn’t even leave this house till mid afternoon. Honestly though, I am hoping my next day in the water isn’t very exciting either. That is when I have to make that 7 mile ocean crossing, 14 miles in all and the tide, wind and weather must be all in my favor for that to happen. 
I will admit to being more than a bit nervous about it. The one thing I have to look forward to; landing on Sandy Hook at Gunnison Beach. If I can get away with it, I might stay there a couple of days as I really miss my Lighthouse Beach days from years ago.
Well that’s it. Do I consider this Day 28? I guess I need to, it’s part of the journey, right?
Day 28 Done
Glad you’re taking a much needed rest, Larry! I paddled for you today…a few miles on the Mighty Saco in Maine. Between 2 dams it was smooth as glass. A Walk In the Park compared to your adventures!!
I’ve decided my brothers homemade sailing canoe which I inherited as s kayak because the bm rudder never did work and he died before the sail was made – needs to be refinished. Trouble is I don’t know what to use. Asked 3 people, got 3 different answers: marine paint in the bottom, marine shellac after remanding the tip. Metallic paint and then marine paint on the bottom, and my Dad: any damn enamel will do.
Your thoughts? Looks like moisture starting to get in under the top coat. The bottom paint not lifting, just worn off where I’ve dragged it over 3 feet of smooth rock for 16 summers. Someone advised : stop sliding it over the rock! But it’s my only river access.
It does not leak yet so time to do!