After all that fuss from last night and this morning, it's gratifying to be tied up in Port McNeill now. It was a bit of a squeeze getting in--five or six other boats arrived about the same time--but I have power and no need to worry about dragging anchors or floating lumber. And both the harbourmaster and the other transient boat crews around me are friendly and helpful. My next door neighbor, pictured at left (from Elkhorn, WI), came in with a little extra ballast that we noticed as we were helping him tie up... a rather large rock had become wedged in his Bruce anchor the previous night in Port Neville. I've heard of that happening before, and seen pictures, but this was the first time I had run into anyone who it actually happened to. Apparently it held just fine, though. Good thing he had a windlass, I'd have died trying to haul that thing up by hand.
Internet service is a little hard to come by here, so I may not be on very much. The marina has a "give one/get one" library though, so I'm going to unload some of Mandy's frou-frou books and pick up some real reading material as long as I am here.
This is definitely a working town; there may be a lot of tourists around here, but this isn't the tourist playground that Campbell River is. Port McNeill has a utilitarian cast to it, and while it's comfortable and a damn sight better than hanging out in the middle of nowhere for a week, it's a bit bleak as well.
The Laundromat, however, where I am typing this, is a wonder. I hear it's the nicest one on the North Coast and I believe it. First TV I have seen in a month (CNN, of course)! They're talking American presidential politics, as were, oddly enough, the Canadians having lunch in Subway behind me.
I haven't found a bookstore yet and there may not be one. I'll have to hope there is a decent enough selection at the harbourmaster's office... here at the laundry matt, it's all Harlequin romances. Did you know they have a Nascar series? I don't know if there is a hidden demand among bored housewives for car racing themed romance novels or if they are going after the masculine market now.
Well; I'm going to head back to the boat and watch "Master and Commander" again, and have a shower, and get to bed early... I'm all worn out.
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