So Tuesday was our "Snow Day". We were waiting for the part for our sea strainer to come in and it was a gray and overcast day, so we opted to relax and enjoy the day on the boat.
Wednesday morning, our part wasn't due in until late in the afternoon so we were going to spend the morning touring the island. As we were getting ready, my Uncle Jim called us. He had been following the blog and had seen that we were in St Simon's. Did we know we had a cousin there? Well, I did not, but quickly took down her information and called her as soon as we hung up.
We were in luck - she was available to meet up with us today! Leslie picked us up at the marina where we tied up our dinghy and took us on a tour of the island. It was a good thing she did, because nothing was within walking distance and there were few cabs on the island. She jumped flawlessly into the roll of tour guide and carted us all around the island, showing us the history and telling us stories of her childhood.
The island is beautiful - filled with old live oaks draped in Spanish Moss that are hundreds of years old. Georgia is the birthplace of golf here in the States and this island is no exception - there are probably at least 100 holes of golf on this little island! And the clubhouses are beautiful old dark wood with elegant furnishings that take you back to the early 1900s as soon as you walk in the door.
After the tour was complete, the rain set in and we decided to have some lunch. So we stopped off and picked up Leslie's Dad, "Uncle Dick", and headed out for Mexican - their treat, to our surprise!! Finally, bellies full, they took us to the grocery store so we could stock up on a few provisions. This was a huge bonus for us, as we were running low on fresh food and had just planned to eat canned food till Savannah.
We had a great time with them and were so thankful for her carting us around all day. It was great to meet extended family members and they couldn't have been more generous! We were fortunate that Jim and Leslie were quick to act and helped us out so much while we were here!
We picked up our part from the marina office and headed back to the boat. Brad immediately set to work on fixing the strainer while I tidied up and put away our fresh groceries! But, as with all things boat, Brad soon realized that this project was no easy task. The roll pin that secured the bolt was lodged in place. After breaking a few drill bits and muttering every curse word in the book, the pin remained firmly in place.
A bit before sunset a new sailboat anchored right near us. Brad dinghied over to see if they might have some tools that could help us out, and as most boaters are, they were more than happy to help. He gave Brad a few tools that he thought might work along with some helpful hints.
Finally, after 5 long hours and the use of the new tools, Brad managed to get the roll pin out and the new bolt replaced. Looks like we will be able to leave tomorrow as planned! We returned the tools to the other boat first thing in the morning, along with a thank you note and a bottle of wine. And that is how you make friends in the boating community! They are heading our way, and we look forward to spending time with them when we next cross paths!
Today has definitely been a day we have been blessed to be surrounded by helpful people!!
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