After we got the fuel issue resolved we set off to explore the town of Two Harbors. A short dinghy ride to the dinghy dock leads you to a quarter of a mile red dirt road that takes you through the desert hills towards the town of Two Harbors. A very quiet town especially now being the off season. But they are still open and there are a few boats back and forth. Isthmus Cove lies to the east of Two Harbors and is a beautiful anchorage where you can pick up a mooring ball. Two Harbors is a cute little village with brick walk ways and dirt roads. It has a small grocery store, gas station, and a lively bar and restaurant. An information booth and excursions booth flank the Isthmus peer. There is also, to our own delight, showers. Coin operated but showers none the less!!!! There is also a laundry mat. The hikers and boaters all agree that the shower and laundry is delightful. We were going to visit the showers and soon. Good thing I brought quarters.
After we walked around and checked out the maps Sam agreed that we could finally utilize the showers. He also stated that that is the fastest he has ever seen me get ready for everything. No sooner was he on the boat I was getting back in the dinghy with my shower bag already packed. He found it comical to take his time I did not. It literally was the slowest dingy ride back to the dock I had ever been on. We finally made it to the dingy dock and we enjoyed the quarter mile walk back into town. It really did feel g
Arriving at the showers we decided that we would save money if we showered together. It is two bucks for ten minutes. If you were to run out then it is another two bucks. At home I can shower in ten minutes but we tend to let the water heat to the right temperature and who knows how munch time and water is wasted with just that simple action. I am pretty sure we can mostly shower in ten minutes and the extra 10 minutes will be the heat up and final rinse. Here is to hoping the water doesn’t continue to heat until it is scolding. Yes that happens. So the plan is for Sam to insert the first two bucks while Jes is ready with her head down to wet her hair with freezing water. He inserts the coins and the freezing water comes out. Sam stands at the ready with the shampoo bottle to hand to Jes as she steps out of the water and Sam steps in. Jes shampoos and scrub scrub scrub. All the while Sam is wetting and scrubbing with the soap. Jes steps in for the quick rinse because she will need to condition too. Sam is continuing to lather. Jes steps out to condition while Sam steps in to rinse. Hands the soap to Jes and she lathers while Sam rinses. Sam steps out to shampoo and Jes steps in to rinse. Jes steps out with a good game smack on Sam’s behind while he steps into rinse which he is able to run his fingers through his hair twice and the water stops. When the laughing stops we regroup and add the second two bucks to the slot and we finish rinsing and a second cleanse to any spots we felt needed a little more. Mostly we just allowed the water to run over our heads washing away the days of bobbing around in the ocean. But just to brag Jes was able to do some much needed shaving in the second two bucks time. Success and totally worth it. The water didn’t get scolding but it was Uinta lake cold when it first turned on.ood stretching the legs after bobbing around in the ocean for so long. The sun was beginning to set behind us and the stars were starting to come out one by one.
With our shower behind us we begin the walk back to the dinghy and the dinghy ride back to the boat. The stars were so beautiful that night that we spent the whole walk looking up. Only looking down when some animal ran across the road and spooked us. We made it back to the dinghy and to Hiraya. Watched the stars a while longer and went to bed to dream of the adventures that lay ahead. The next morning we would go back into town to do much needed laundry. I am hoping that we hit warmer weather soon. I wish for the day that my 4 loads of laundry are dropped down to 1. Winter clothes take up a lot of space, water, and drying time. But adventure comes in all things even work.
The next day we loaded up our laundry and laptops and headed into town to wash and work. Little did I know we were going to meet our second set of cruisers. And they were going to become our friends. It all started with laundry and smiles. Which quickly turn to small talk and then them moving over to Cat Harbor for protection from the Santa Annas. Then over the next couple days we hiked and then drank beer and then dinner and then plans for Thanksgiving in Avalon and then maybe buddy boating. We shared our stories, pictures of our kids, and our cruising plans. It seems we bonded immediately. They suggested we go to Avalon for Thanksgiving because that is where they are going to be after they run an errand on the the main land. Sounds good to us. We decide to hang out in Cat Harbor a while longer and then move over to Avalon the day before Thanksgiving.
We continue to hike around the island. Taking pictures, hunting for the buffalo, and watching for desert reptiles and insects. We got Hiraya ready to move over to Avalon the morning before Thanksgiving. The weather was looking a little iffy so we decided to wait until the afternoon. Just then a Gale warning broadcasted over the radio. Isthmus and Avalon start redirecting everyone over to Cat Harbor. Meaning no Thanksgiving dinner for us. We will be staying in Cat Harbor on Hiraya with out our new friends. They were stuck on the main land with out their Thanksgiving dinner. With the dinghy strapped to the deck we wont even get off to go to shore while we wait out the gale. We will rock and roll with Hiraya.
As we listened to the wind howl out side we laughed at our Thanksgiving meal of popcorn. Counted our numerous blessings. And tried not to get under each others feet in our 200 square feet of living space. The next day we headed to Avalon like any other day with out a Gale. The skies and water were a bright blue. Hardly a cloud in the sky. We arrived in Avalon a few hours later. One good thing about off season is that there was a deal running buy 2 nights get 5 free. So yeah! That
is what we did. We decided to stay in Avalon for a week so that we could see our friends again. We contacted them and they were headed over in a day or two so this was going to be perfect. So with the renewed excitement of seeing our friends again we went in to pick up our mooring ball.
If any of you have been to Avalon you know the mooring situation. We have not been there but had heard about it and watched their quick training video prior to heading over. Seemed easy enough. But of course with the wide open mooring field and the holiday weekend in full force it was still kind of busy. Hoping they would give us a ball on the end was a waist of time. When they asked if it was our first time there and we answered back he quickly assigned us to the mooring ball in the middle of everyone! Gave us a quick run through and sent us on our way. We were nervous until we seen he had sent on of the patrols out to help us. So with a friendly wave and encouragement from him and us with our teeth gritted 
tight we parked Hiraya right at the mooring ball, Sam stopped her on a dime while Jes underestimated her strength and speed and hog tied Hiraya up bow and stern like she was in a rodeo… and we didn’t float away. Seriously though, look up on the great innerwebs the training video of How to pick up a mooring line at Avalon. It’s cute, while getting the job done.
The week we spent in Avalon was fantastic. It was warm enough to loose the winter clothes during the day. The town is a stark contrast from Two Harbors rustic feel. Avalon has brick laid and asphalt streets. Tile lines the buildings and light post. The street signs hang from the light posts on wrought iron brackets. Several shops line the street that follows the beach. The peer is a bright blue green color and welcomes those from the ferry. By Sunday the weekend crowds were leaving. By Monday morning we were about the only ones there that didn’t live there full time. We spent the day walking the streets. Several times running up to the grociery store provisioning what we could carry. They have a fantastic hardware store that we visited a few times getting some projects done.
One of our most precious moments was meeting Charlie. The chime tower keeper. We hiked up to the tower one day and Charlie came roaring up in his homemade three wheeled vehicle. Same asked him if it was his tower and Charlie quickly invited us in. He took us down below to show us all about the generator and the mechanisms that keep it going then he took us up high into the tower and showed us the chimes. Even let us feel the vibration. He was so kind and so excited to show us his work. It was really neat. He took one of the chimes apart so that we could actually see all the moving parts. I don’t think I have any he
aring left but it was an experience we don’t think we will have again. After our tour of the tower we carried on down the hill to walk the rest of the town. Charlie was staying behind to trouble shoot some things that were going wrong on the chiming. Not long after we left however Charlie came roaring up and asked if we wanted a tour of the town and boat yard. Well if it included riding in the homemade three wheeled vehicle then heck yeah! So Sam got up
front with Charlie and Jes crawled in the trunk to hold the tools. We zoomed all over town up and down the rolling hills. He took us by his house and invited us over. When we got to the boat yard he showed us his skiff he was working on and finished up the tour with telling us to hike up over the hill. We would go right by Mr. Wrigley’s mansion. Which we did. It was a great hike with beautiful views over the boat yard at Pebbly Beach and Avalon City.
Our friends did make it over and we enjoyed more time with them. It was fun comparing plans on traveling down the Pacific Coast. There are a few differences but the timing should line up to where we will run into each other and that makes the goodbye just a see ya later.