Today is the final day of carnival in Guadeloupe and absolutely nothing will be open today. It also dawns clear and calm so a good day to work on the old dinghy.

Around 10 am or so we motor over towards the south end of Isle de Cochon where there is a tiny, deserted beach where we can do the work. Other parts of the island have beaches but they appear to be cottage owners or private in some way.

We know it is very shallow here so we proceed cautiously, going within about 100 feet of the beach before we have to tilt the motor and walk in the rest of the way in our Keens. After I pump her up again, Christy works on old dinghy, gluing the bumper back on for the 10th time at least while I fiberglass the cracked Yamaha motor cover. After she gets it glued up, she does a little paint touch up while I put a second coat of fiberglass on.

Christy has made a cardboard stencil of Milu’s paw prints that she wants to paint on the new dinghy. I am pretty sure the paint will run so ask her to practice on an abandoned and badly broken windsurfer we find on the beach. As predicted the paint runs around the edges. That’s not acceptable for our squeaky new dinghy. She mucks around with a brush and manages to paint paw prints without running, but the paint is old and thick and doesn’t look good. I convince her we’ll get some decals made in Canada and put them on next fall.

Takes about 2 hours I guess, we lock the old dinghy to a tree then dinghy back to Milu after walking the new dinghy out to where it’s deep enough to put the motor down. The cover job I did is not especially pretty, but pretty functional.

It’s hot on the wind-protected beach so we’re glad to get out in the breeze a bit. Back on Milu I add fuses to a couple pumps (have been buying the parts over the past few days) and we eventually chill until it is time for our Zoom call with friends.

My neck and back are aching (sight and hearing fading) and lie on the floor after half an hour or so. I kinda nod off a few times.