I am sure every cruising sailor has heard that question from family and friends:  “What do you do all day?” I know I have heard it from some readers of this blog (You know who you are!). I think people imagine that we sit around all day watching sunsets and drinking beer. “The Question” came up at the dinghy dock today as we crossed paths with another cruising couple. So it might be worth a short description of what a “typical” day is like while at anchor.

Two days ago we had the pressure switch on our freshwater pump fail. That meant we had no working pump to get the fresh water out of the tank and up to the sinks.  Not an immediate disaster, since we have water stored in bottles and jugs for such an emergency, but it is something that needs to be fixed soon.  Some research finds that there is only one local source with the part in stock, about an hour’s drive away in New London, CT at a major boat supply warehouse.  Yesterday, Karen reserves a rental car, and I spend much of the day researching parts we need for other boat projects since we will be at a major supplier.

We take the dinghy into shore this morning, and walk a half mile to the location given to us for the rental car–where we find an abandoned gas station.  A phone call, and we are told they moved, back to almost right where we started.  So, a half mile back.  Nice to get a morning walk in, but the wasted time isn’t appreciated!

After we drive an hour, and get lunch at a tiny, local, place called “When Pigs Fly” (with AWESOME food) in Waterford, CT, we spend two hours shopping (and buying) at the chandlery, another hour or two loading up on groceries, then an hour drive back to Newport.

Load all the goodies into the dinghy, ferry to the boat. Put stuff away. Karen takes the launch back to shore and the car, picks up some more groceries, returns car, takes harbor launch back to boat, puts more stuff away.  In the meantime, Bill fixes the water pump, and replaces a gasket in a leaking porthole and fixes dinner.

I think it is time for sunset and a beer!