Babes in the water

News blues

Vaxed, yet feeling The Covid Angst?
Not surprising. It’s a Covid-angst-provoking time….
Too many opinions, too much contradictory messaging from officials, and way too much deeper, thicker, stinkier … mulch… from The Whackidoodles. Take this Whackidoodle in Tennessee …
Meanwhile,
Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical adviser and The Whackidoodles’ most-hated scientist, warns, ‘Things are going to get worse,’ and shares his COVID-19 Projections >> 
How did it comes to this? The Delta variant is winning, for the moment, and the CDC’s coronavirus map shows that we’re failing to fight it >> 
Some sanity from South Africa: Things to know about vaccines and Covid :

• Vaccines will give you near-complete protection against severe illness and dying from Covid.
• Vaccines are safe. All vaccines used in the vaccination programme in South Africa have undergone extensive trials and have been proven to be effective and safe.
• The risk of serious side effects is similar to the chance of being struck by lightning, and side effects are treatable and generally go away on their own.
• It takes time for vaccines to start working well — usually about two weeks, and their working steadily improves after this.
• Vaccines differ in how well they protect against infection and mild Covid. Most vaccines will require at least two doses and provide good protection against severe illness from Covid two weeks after your first shot. Until you are fully vaccinated you should continue to take the same precautions as if you are unvaccinated.

Healthy planet, anyone?

As heavy rains and floods around the world displace people and those living in conflict zones – from Asia, Latin America and Africa (not to mention the “heat domes” over North America continent) – a Malawian farmer visiting the US wants to know: ‘Why not do more on the climate crisis?’ >> 
What not, indeed?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Even as I settle into my floaty life – my version of a tiny house and living gently on the planet – I rise to new challenges. The latest challenge suggest a parallel between babes in the woods and a babe on the water.
Background: with help, I attached the heavy 1983 15 HP Johnson/Evinrude outboard motor to the transom of the Sea Eagle inflatable. Alas, I had trouble starting the motor with the rope pull. Turns out the fellow that I hired to “service” – and check, replace if needed, the pull rope – instead simply greasing various joints after he - strong, healthy, young - easily started the motor.
Trustingly, I paid him… before he dashed off to Las Vegas… and after learning he couldn’t help attach the motor as he has “a bad back.”
I found someone else to help to attach the outboard. Even then, I wasn’t able to start the outboard. Instead, I switched out the gas/petrol-fueled Evinrude motor with a small, light and easy to manage, battery-powered electrical trolling outboard.
I hopped into the inflatable, pushed off from the pier, and… ran into weeds. Yes, I know there are weeds, after all I swim through these long stringy weeds every day. This babe in the water, however, never guessed a motor would be beaten those same weeds!
For, alas, the trolling motor cannot handle the long strands of water weeds that tangle in the propeller and prevent it from propelling.
Additionally, the outgoing tide simply carried away the inflatable. Trying to paddle with oars, I watched the houseboat until it was out of sight.
Invasives to the rescue! Tangling with invasives slowed the vessel as I entertained scary thoughts (carried willy nilly into fast water? arriving in San Francisco Bay … then under the Golden Gate Bridge …then into the ‘potato patch’  ?).
I noticed nearby a lovely boat with a large 120 HP outboard - and a trolling motor - piloted by two confident fishermen.
I called out, “Can you tow me home?”
I explained the weed/outboard/lack-of-experience experience. Generously, they towed me back home.
Back to square one.
A short while later, I noticed another, smaller Sea Eagle inflatable with a man, woman, and young girl aboard, struggling with their similar-sized trolling motor succumb to tangling weeds and outgoing tide. That family, too, was towed to a pier.
Babes on the water….
The reality? If I’m to enjoy the inflatable, I need to fix the rope pull.
You Tube to the rescue. As always, You Tube offers great, on the ground information. I found a detailed demo on how to replace the rope pull.
A new challenge. And, a name for the inflatable? The Challenger.