Day 11: Burlington to Quincy + Tour of Cat-Sass

We started the day at the Bluff Harbor Marina, paying the docking fee for the first time (also the first time we could even find someone to pay). The payment went to a friendly man named Jerry, who offered us positions as regional sales reps for his burgeoning home improvement company "Gutter Smart" (see GutterSmart.com). We told him we'd get back to him, and in the meantime he showed us his old rabbit "Chocolate," left in his possession by two daughters that had grown up. We hung out for a little on his boat "The GutterSmart.com Boat," which he planned to pilot to the Caribbean (though he did not know specifically where) once his 90 year old mother "kicked the bucket. But I'm in no hurry for that to happen." 

Jerry had to get to work, and we had to get to Quincy, IL, so we filled up on gas, said goodbye and continued South. We left Burlington never having visited "the crookedest street in the world," which I think we're all a little saddened by.

We stopped briefly in Fort Madison for some supplies and an American flag, and ended the day at the Art Keller Marina on Bay Island of Quincy, IL (NB: not R. Kelly Marina). Bennett, Nick, and Clement snuck past the Park Ranger of Bay Island and slept in hammocks facing the water and the beautiful Quincy bridge. Piers was a bit of a nancy and slept on the boat.

Due to the relative uneventfulness of the day, we have decided it is a good time to give a brief photo-tour of the lovely Cat-Sass:

The tour will proceed clockwise starting at the middle of the port side (nautical speak for left).

The bow:

On the left you can see our cooler, where we keep eggs, meats, cheeses, beers, and a bottle of Sriracha sauce. Above the cooler is where we store our waterproof duffel bags during the day. Beyond the railing is where we store our cleaning buckets, poop bucket, water coolers, anchors, and anchor line. To the right of the duffels is our table, where we eat some meals and often lay our solar phone charger. Right of the table is the long bench, used for naps and for food storage. Below the long bench is where we store our cleaning supplies, and just below that is where we store our privacy tarp (for doing poos), hand truck and trash bag.

Inside the cooler:

The tip of our bow:

From left to right: fender used for docking, two anchors, anchor line, toilet seat, poop bucket, water coolers, boat and dish cleaning buckets.

Table:

The solar phone charger is put to work.

Food storage:

Cleaning supplies:

Privacy tarp, hand truck, and trash bag:

The stern:

On the bottom left is the driving console. Cat-Sass's fading decal adorns its front, and right below that is the cabinet in which we store our butane stove, butane, and toiletries. Behind the console is the captain's chair (where Bennett is seated), under which we store our toolbox. The two seats behind the captain's chair are where we store our Terry cans (jerry cans renamed for our friend Terry; see Day 8-9's posts). The seat at the back right is our Filth Hole, a seat that cannot be opened because of a poor boat design, and thus a storage space uncleanable and unusable. Below the filth hole is another long bench (where Piers is seated), the navigation area and where we store all our sleeping bags, tents and hammocks. At the very back (where Nick is napping) is where we have more fuel storage, and where our motor Clint resides (named for Clint, the man who fixed our motor; see Day 7). Above Nick, out of frame, is where we store brooms, paddles, pots, pans, dishware, life jackets, and straw hats.

Stove/Toiletries Cabinet:

Console:

Clockwise from top right: Compass, waterproof speakers gifted by the Gelly brothers' Uncle John (thanks Uncle John!), throttle, marine radio (you can see the antenna covering Bennett's knuckles), wheel, thermometer.

Under the captain's chair:

Terry Can Storage:

Filth Hole:

The tip of our stern:

Fuel tank, oil, more Terry cans:

Clint:

Storage space above the stern:

Hanging from the back of the Bimini top:

Sleeping bags, tents and hammocks storage:

TO INFINITY & BEYOND