Diane left the boat this morning with the required three loonies, her All-Things-Necessary-bag, and every intention of a hot, eight-minute shower here at the very modern and impressive Port of Sidney Marina. It was worth the very-long-walk from “G” dock to the Marina building. Only one dock exists beyond us before the water of Haro Strait bounce against the shore. She had north and south sides of F-E-D-C-B-A docks to pass. But, hey, thoughts of that shower supported every step. Eight glorious minutes of hot water washing over her body. Neither Tom nor Diane, in 20-years of traveling with us have used the small on-board shower.

Stripped, loonies inserted in the appropriate slots, water shot forth and as freezing cold water sopped her hair, Diane yelped. One of those, “What’tha” moments. No matter what she did to the handle, the water was “FREEZING COLD!!! Ridiculous (one of her favorite words)!” What could she do but finish? 

Diane stormed back onto the boat, dropped her red bag, muttered about the ridiculously long dock saying, “Not One More Time would she walk that damnable distance. Period!” She stomped out of the salon to the cockpit and draped her pajama bottoms over a rail. It took a while before freezing and fury faded and the story came out. 

But, why the p.j.s hanging on the cockpit rail?” I was typing this story this evening as she was reading “The Egg and I” by Betty McDonald. The odds against Diane having a decent shower have proven just too great not to report but I realized I didn’t have it all.

“My p.j.’s? Oh. Didn’t I tell you? Like it wasn’t bad enough?  I forgot my towel this morning so when I stepped out of the shower, I tried to dry off with my pajama bottoms; which, you might know, was useless since they are silky. Like that absorbed anything. Then I could hardly pull my jeans on, I was so wet. Ridiculous.”

By evening, we are all laughing. I think humor was aided by our pizza experts, Tom & Diane, having the “best pizza ever” delivered to the boat. This is the real reason they request a trip across Haro Strait.

If ever you are in Sidney and hungry for pizza: Mariner’s Pizza at the corner of James White & Resthaven Drive will not disappoint you.

Tomorrow, on we go—in search of successful showering