Roller coaster of of a day!

Last night I finally found a reasonably priced outboard motor on Craigslist ! 

Making the call and setting a time to go look and probably buy was fairly straightforward .

Arranging a ride to shore was relatively easy too! 

Waking up before dawn ( to make the appointment ) while isn't normal ,was a piece of cake due to the prospect of no more rowing potential . 

Starting the bike , now that didn't go so well . 

Gear set , shirt on phone ready and already sweating, I arc the contacts via screw driver .... And it turns over once .....

Great....

Ok , a push start it is!

Yeah ok..... Not with a slippery clutch....

With the help of a previously argumentative couple and a chef with jumper cables , I get the ride goin and immediately stop to air up the tires.....

Air paid for via debit card(surprise!)

I find the air chuck wasn't compatible.....

Hmmmm .....

3 gas station stops later I find a different style air machine ! 

Ok!! On my way !

Across the toll bridge ( luckily I had exact change!) to Cape Coral ! 

Without missing a turn I arrive early and upon sight of this beautiful little outboard ( that had a golden glow surrounding it , complete with angelic choir ringing ) I reached for the asked price while being asked " would you like me to start it?" " it's only got 2 hours on it" 

I knew it was operational and said so . ("Mint" is a better word!)

Mind reeling from my extreme luck , I pay the nice folks ,help drain the gas, and go to the bike , fiercely determined to get this jewel back and installed ASAP!

Using my backpack straps and some additional straps , I manage to get the motor strapped to me and rested in my lap. 

With a thank you and a wave I take off around the corner and took my only wrong turn!!! 

Well that clear out the choir noise quickly enough! 

Chuckling I make the correction and head back to Dawgfish amid stares and pointing the whole way !( just glad I didn't cause an accident !)

Getting off the bike at Topps , I realized that I carried the motor wrong and had oil on me because of it.

Oh well got a selfi before extracting myself off the bike !

Bumming yet another ride back and some oil to fix my mistake , make coffee and mount the motor on Kitty's Wake! 

And away we go!!!

Since poor Kitty has been ship bound for several months I headed to the sand bar via scenic route .

It didn't take her long to tire out. 

We went out to help a friend after her nap. 

1/2 hour wait on bilge pump activity.

Nothing happened. 

So dodging hornets, stepping into 120 degree cabin, fiddling with dysfunctional pump, back out past now swooping hornets , check thru-hull, silence kitty's bottlerocket noise she does , back past the irritated bees into oven/cabin down to bilge fiddle with pump (again), finally disconnecting it to save battery. 

Grabbing wasp spray on the way out and spraying them on the way to silence kitty (now screaming in a yodeling manner) and back to Dawgfish dodging the shoals  /coast guard/skeeters/noseeums 

Aaaaaannnd 

Home sweet home....

To notice how really sunburnt I am....

And spent some time to write this down....

I do really like having an out board , paddling in the heat is suicidal, 

Motoring? 

Now that's the way to go! 

Hoping the local looters that hit the house boat around the corner leave Kitty's   Wake alone .