Only 5 weeks until HUCK FINN departs for St. Paul. Today captain Brion took her (him?) into the teeth of a summer squall on Tampa Bay. As expected she was quite bouncy, though basically stable, in the 6' chop whipped up by 40 kt. winds during a routine tropical afternoon squall. I anchored her in 15' of water while the storm blew through. The anchor dragged about 50 yds. before grabbing firmly and holding the bow into the wind.

Nial from St. Paul is making plans to sign on from Panama City to Columbus, Mississippi. Two weeks and about 400 miles. Still looking for a possible land haul from Paducah to Dubuque, to escape the worst of the Mississippi current. Called the St. Paul Yacht Club (a public facility) and they said no problem getting transient dockage there in October. The dockmaster reminded me that they begin shutting down for winter by the end of October.

Jo and I should be headed south, chasing warmer breezes, by mid-October. June 28 to July 3 I will be with my son Seth near Clarksdale, Mississippi working on a Habitat for Humanity project. He's been a regular there for about ten years. This will be my third.

Very hot here in Florida, but so far no hurricanes. That's good.