Bumper boats cape cod photos

Hello boating'rs!
I purchased a 1975 14'5" Hourston Glascraft as a project boat last October (used to rig boats, have a lot of experience with mechanical and electrical but less with fiberglass / woodworking, hence the project). The boat had a soft spot in the floor (which I'm fixing), but rest of floor seemed okay and stringers seemed okay as well. Transom was suspect.
As life often goes, I got too busy over the winter and didn't get started on this yet. The transom, upon testing by flexing an outboard on the back of it (video of this in the link), has some play. There is no cracking in the gelcoat around the top / back of the transom, but there is some cracking and discoloration in the inner skin of the transom below the splashwell (I've included photos of all of this in the link).
Given this boat has a curved transom, my ultimate repair may be to use Seacast (if stringers really seem good) due to the complexity of keeping the curve through an actual rebuild, but for this summer, looking at (I know, not advised) temporary options to stiffen it up some.
Any thoughts on how bad this looks / possible temp fixes? I was thinking of an aluminum plate made to go over and across the transom, but it's tough with the transom not being flat.
TIA!
Imgur link: https://imgur.com/a/6OCfa0C

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Does anyone have a comprehensive list of all Cart Narcs agents?
i.e. Agent Greg Gory of the Cape Cod Gorys,
Agent Cameron
Agent Sebastian
Deputy Trainee Steph Sugar
Deputy Claire
​
Does anyone know them all?

Hello,
Today I had to pick something up on my lunch break. Car park was very busy and a van was across from me trying to get out as I tried to get into a space, I got flustered and I bumped the car next to me as I tried to get in.
From what I can see the damage to the parked car was very minor, mine has a bit of a mark on the bumper where it was impacted. The parked car really only had a bit of paint on it from my car. But I’m not a mechanic.
I had nothing to write on so when I’d picked up what I came for I drove off quickly to get a pen and used a flyer I found in the car. I wrote my details on it, came back and put it under their wind screen wiper.
I stupidely in my panic didn’t take pictures or even get the reg. I then phoned my insurer to make them aware that this has happened and give information on this to them. I advised I wasn’t making a claim as of yet however just reporting the incident. I am not sure if I need to contact 101 when I have left a note (but it is on a flyer, but who carries paper these days?!).
I am a bit wary of this as about a decade ago I did the same thing but didn’t notice until a few days later and as I had drove away, when I did notice and reported it to the police, the police subsequently prosecuted me and I had to go to court.
I would like to avoid this happening but I’m not sure if calling 101 increases or decreases that possibility. Is my contact details on a flyer enough? How would I even prove I left my details when I didn’t take a photo, should I phone 101 just to be safe?
Many thanks in advance

Introduction of Kaghan Valley, KPK Pakistan

This is a blog post about my journey to Pakistan one of the most beautiful tourist attraction spots in Khyber pukhtoon khan province, District Manserha. KPK is renowned for its beauty and hospitality. The northern Pakistan areas are covered with mountains and lush green trees. It is an adventurous and eye-catching location for tourists. This area is full of tourists in summer; People from all over the world come and explore its beauty every year. KPK is not far from the capital city of Islamabad. It is a well-developed area with public transportation, telecommunication, and accommodation services. All services are available easily. People are well-educated and communicate in English as an international language. Overall, this place is good in terms of environment and services. As a tourist, I am going to explore rounding areas with images and written information.

The Beauty of Kaghan Valley, KPK Pakistan

This summer of 2023 my first destination is kaghan valley in the northern province of Pakistan. Kaghan is a famous destination in Pakistan for many reasons. In many historical books, we find kaghan a place of beauty and romance. Kaghan Valley is located in the Mansehra district of KPK. It is about 158 kilometers northeast of the capital city of Islamabad. This valley is full of the beauty of tall green trees, blue sky, and white snow-covered Himalayan mountains series. Landscapes and waterfalls make this place more beautiful for tourists. The best time to visit kaghan valley is in summer from the month of April to September because the rest of the months, these areas are covered with snow.

The Tourists Attraction Point Of Kaghan Valley Are:

Scenic Beauty: When you enter this beautiful valley, the mountains cool wind, clouds, and mountains well-come you there. Kaghan Valley is surrounded by towering mountains, lush green meadows, crystal-clear lakes, and flowing rivers. The picturesque beauty of the valley attracts nature lovers, adventure enthusiasts, and photographers. The first thing people like to run here and there. They feel excited and fun with the scenic beauty of kaghan valley. People love to take photos and make videos.
Lake Saif-ul-Malook: This stunning alpine lake is one of the major attractions in Kaghan Valley. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks, Lake Saif-ul-Malook is known for its turquoise waters and offers boating and hiking opportunities. Lake Saif-ul-Malook has a historical background. Local Poets use the beauty of saif-ul-malook in their romantic and natural poetry. In most of the local poetry, poets precise the beauty of this lake in their books. This place is the gift of nature for this world. Moreover, a Muslim Sufi saint Main Muhammad Bakhsh tells the story of the Egyptian price and local princes' love story. I must say If you are a tourist must go and check the history of Saif-ul-Malook in local libraries and on the Internet.
Babusar Pass: The highest tourist spot in this area, where you have only 3 months to visit from May to August. Babusar Pass is a high mountain pass located at an elevation of 4,173 meters (13,691 feet) above sea level. It connects Kaghan Valley with the Gilgit-Baltistan region and offers breathtaking views of the Himalayas. Babusar Top as I told you the top place in kaghan and most of the time weather is rainy and cloudy here.
Siri PAYE: Siri PAYE is a scenic plateau located near Shogran, another popular tourist spot in Kaghan Valley. It is famous for its lush green meadows, grazing horses, and panoramic views of Makra Peak. You can find here very beautiful horses.
Hiking and Trekking: If you love hiking and trekking as your favorite hobbies then come in June and July. Kaghan Valley is a beautiful place for hiking and trekking. Several trekking routes and trails lead to high-altitude lakes, glaciers, and peaks. The most famous trek in the region is the trek to Ansoo Lake, which is known for its unique tear-shaped formation.
Local Culture and Hospitality: Well not only here in all areas of Pakistan you will get the best hospitality culture. People love to serve you with a great heart. The people of Kaghan Valley are known for their warm hospitality and rich culture. Visitors can experience the local lifestyle, taste traditional cuisine, and witness colorful festivals celebrated in the area. I must say you need to shop from local markets and bazaars. Because you love to get discounts as tourists. It’s unexpected but people love to present gifts.
Activities in Kaghan Valley, KPK Pakistan
This area of Pakistan is full of activities. If you plan to visit Pakistan's northern areas, you need to plan a holiday trip. You need at least 10 days to complete only this kaghan area. You have local transportation facilities. I recommend you hire a local tourist Guide. Because locals are well aware of the area. The road network is good and you have internet services here. Kicking, trekking, boating, camping, dining, and local festivals are the best activities here in this area.

I recently got back from a long trip to Egypt and thought I would share my thoughts on it. I've seen several posts here with different things about this location so I thought I would give my two cents. These are just my opinions and experiences I don't mean to offend anyone.
So I was on a guided tour through Egypt so my experience was probably very different then if I had just gone by myself. I am definitely glad I had a guided tour since the madness of Cairo and other cities seemed difficult to figure out on my own. The streets are chaos and I would never drive there, however being on a tour bus it was kinda interesting to see the madness and not have to drive in it.
Our tour was very vigorous, seeing many sites per day, the pyramids, sphinx, Karnak, Luxor, a cruise down the Nile a lot was jammed into the week we had.
I think cruising down the Nile was one of my favorite parts since it was relaxing. Karnak was a joy to see too.
The pyramids were of course amazing but the amount of scammers and pusher vendors definitely took it down a few points. I stupidly almost got caught in the camel scam where they take a picture of you on a camel then make you pay. I had read about this before hand so I should have known better. Still it's very frustrating that you can't just sit there and take in one of the most wonderous sites in the world without being hassled by vendors and people trying to take your picture for money. I could just ask a tourist to do it for free. I did a long photo session in front of the sphinx and paid the lady but I would rather just not have done it.
If your an introvert and like to explore historic sites and ruins on your own Egypt might be hard for you. I liked being with our tour guide more because she was good and it was easier to ignore the scammers when listening to her. I am not sure how scammers get into the pyramids since Egypt did a good job of keeping them out of a lot of other sites ( you still have the people that work there that will take your picture and expect money though)
Now just because the vendors aren't allowed in doesn't mean you don't have to worry about them. Every site you have to run through a gauntlet of vendors trying to sell you stuff who sometimes follow you to your bus. It really gets exhausting, especially when they send kids and you feel bad about these poor kids, but if you give them money, as our tour guide told us, they will all expect money and it will be untenable. I really feel bad for these poor kids but I don't think my one dollar that there parents will most likely take will help them much in the long run. It still tugs at your heart and makes you feel like a piece of garbage.
The vendors are also very dishonest with you and I'm not sure why. The few gift shops I went to, mostly in our hotels, which I thought would be less pushy ended up being just as bad. They would say their father carved a chess set that is clearly mass produced since you saw it before. Or that their brother owns a silver mine or some nonsense or they are giving you a deal. There's NO DEAL AND I DONT CARE, JUST STOP LYING ABOUT IT. All of our tour group was really over the lying and pushiness by the end of the trip. There are very few places you could just browse without being hassled, and I think we only knew about them because our tour set them up. And one item is never enough they want you to buy more and more. They also lie sometimes about the goods. A few people bought items that they were told was one material but was another.
Tipping is also pretty crazy. I already mentioned the tipping at sites for photos but we had to tip so many people. It's not a lot of course but when you do it like ten times you really have to start keeping track of your cash. Tipping anywhere is kinda annoying (I wish companies would just pay people properly) but it's a new crazy in Egypt.
The heat is also very brutal. I know it's a desert so this is to be expected but it's really trying after several days. I wish I had gone more in the winter months. The tour did a good job of making activities early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day. Cairo wasn't too bad but Luxor and Aswan could be up to 112 degrees.
Some positive highlights were, 1. Valley of the kings, is very well done. No vendors in the small area you get to explore the tombs on your own. You can tip the guys to take photos of the tombs but they weren't very pushy about it like they were in other places. 2. I already mentioned the Nile cruise. The tipping at the end was a big frustrating but this is how every cruise works so that was really something that I had to just budget for. I highly recommend it, seeing the countryside on the cruiseship was cool. And for the first time I'm gonna say something positive about vendors. The boat vendors who throw up goods for you to buy is actually a lot of fun. You can just throw the goods back if not interested. I kinda wish we saw more of them. 3. A balloon ride over the valley of the kings was extremely memorable. Even the vendors who follow your balloon when it lands didn't ruin this.
It's pretty hard to really quantify everything into how good was your trip. I had fun but there were also a lot of issues but it was probably mostly cultural differences. I know I am a privileged American and have more money than a lot of the people I saw but I still couldn't get over the sense that everyone there wanted to take advantage of this and get as much of my money as possible. This doesn't make for the best vacation environment for me personally. I can't really blame them since that is how they make a living, I just wish they would do it in a less pushy and honest way.
I think the government of Egypt is doing a good job of making your groups feel safe. We had security with us at all time and while I was annoyed by the hundreds of extra dollars in tips and vendors, I never didn't feel safe. I also barely left our tours gated security hotels and security filled big tourist sites so I couldn't tell you how I would have felt just in the streets. No one I saw seemed violent but again it was quite a privileged tour, not something I am used to.
UK and Iceland were the only places I've been to internationally before this so you could see how different this would be for me. UK and USA are extremely similar culturally even speaking the same language and Iceland everyone speaks English and is very geared towards exploring on your own. Language wasn't really even the issue in Egypt since basically everyone spoke English, I kinda wish less people did so they wouldn't try and sell me as much stuff lol, it was more the pushiness of vendors.
I don't regret going to Egypt but I can say I don't think I'd ever want to go back. With a good tour it is possible to see all the amazing wonders of Egypt that you have heard about all your life, but the trip may be more difficult than you would initially have expected.

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This forum has given me so much good advice, thought I would return the favour if you’re ever in Japan with a small human.
Stroller and getting around
We hired a stroller from a nice lady (cash only) and it was a lifesaver in that it was extremely foldable so we could get it into restaurants and up and down stairs if we needed to. Generally speaking, the metro in Tokyo is accessible and there are lifts everywhere — just follow the signs. (If you use Google maps, it won’t tell you where the accessible exits are - only the nearest exits). However the JR isn’t accessible at all and lifts are almost non existent. A foldable pram works well in a taxi if the walking gets too much. We took buses in Kyoto with the pram and it was not my favourite as the buses get really crowded and you have to try and “sumimasen” your way to the front to pay the fare (don’t sit in the back of the bus.)
Food
In Tokyo, everything opens at 11am. So we relied fairly heavily on the local 7/11 for breakfast and snacks. We did do a few restaurants that had lines and had to rely on electronic distraction (ie Octonauts on the iPad with headphones) to keep the small human occupied. Every restaurant will give you wipes so I stashed a lot of these in my bag for future use, you will need them. Not every restaurant will give the kid a fork (or think to give the kid a fork) so there was a few times when I used a plastic one stored from my bag. There really weren’t any high chairs (not that we needed one anyway but it occurred to me that we never got an offer) so either he had his own seat or was propped on my lap if it was a tight restaurant.
Rubbish
Take a stash of garbage bags with you, there are no bins anywhere. You’ll need them for stashing snack wrappers, empty bottles, whatever refuse your toddler dreams up.
Luggage forwarding
I had visions in my head of never having to move luggage the entire time. But it turns out that we were in an apartment/hotel/rental in Osaka that didn’t accept forwarding so that popped a hole in that dream. Check with your hotel!
Tokyo
Pokémon Centre
The kid loves Pokémon but I didn’t like my chances of booking a space in the cafe (there was no space). We went anyway and worked our away around the massive gift store which he was just as happy with. Came out with a whole bunch of Pokémon merch as the centre intended. It is hilariously noted that the same merch was cheaper in Yobodashi. Oh, and the kid lost the Eevee figurine several times (showed up in the pram cover and then lost forever in the streets of Harajuku) so if your kid is particularly attached to small pieces, I would consider getting duplicates (after Harajuku, we got Eevee triplicates)
Disney Sea
I guess the only thing I can say is: don't go when it's raining? (We had booked on Klook in advance and were locked in.) Everybody else had the same idea and the park was pretty empty. I think it might have been nice on a sunny day. All the stalls were closed, lots of rides were not possible or at least looked incredibly uncomfortable - the people on the Gondola looked pretty miserable. We mostly did the mermaid lagoon section which was targeted towards young kids and luckily undercover (not much wait times either) but all in all it was probably the shortest Disney trip I've ever done and we were out by 2pm.
As an observation, I thought it was interesting there was not much in the way of modern merch? No Frozen at all, no Encanto, no Moana etc etc you get the drift. Not a complaint, just interesting. Lots of headbands though.
Kiddyland
Giant toy store with six different levels. We amazingly didn’t buy anything there but you might want to hold onto your wallet. I think we were an anomaly.
TeamLabs
Booked Teamlabs pretty early on and so we had reserved tickets for the opening 10am session. It was pretty fun and definitely interesting. He wasn’t too thrilled with some of the darker rooms but worked his way through it. Wear shorts as there are some rooms where the water reached his thighs. If dark rooms and wet rooms are not your kids thing, the staff offer kid-friendly detours.
Osaka
Osaka Castle
Spent a full day in the parks around Osaka Castle. Lots of park to run around and rocks to climb. With the castle, noting that the castle exterior is stunning however the interior is not for kids. It’s a museum for history buffs (so all me.) lots of reading and some photos and he bored of it really quickly. We ended up having to speed run down the floors. So not worth it with kids basically, he was much happier outside doing his thing. We also did the boat ride and it was eh.
Osaka Aquarium
We had high expectations that it would be as good as Monterey. It was really fantastic and had an awesome time but it’s a whole day excursion. All the kids had play passports that you can get at the front to stamp what animals you’ve seen. The kid was “fished out” by the last half an hour, he wanted to look at something other than fish and was (slightly) relieved to get out.
Nara
The kid loved the deer, and for the most part they were pretty gentle with him. They 100% were not so gentle on my husband and he got chased around. The temple was pretty amazing but the kid did not care so much about that and just wanted to go back and hang with the deer some more.
Kyoto
Umekoji Park
Took the small human to Umekoji Park and it was lovely with a creek that he could wade in (the Japanese kids brought toys and nets to scoop tadpoles) and a playground he could play in. Lots of greenery he could run around in. It wasn’t remarkable for me but he loved it so if you need green that doesn’t involve temples, it’s a good kid-friendly choice.
Arashima Bamboo and Monkey Park
We got up extra early to beat the crowds. The small human enjoyed the Bamboo Park and picking up sticks, it wasn’t too intensive for him as it was pretty pram-friendly. It turned into a thirty degree day as we headed to the Monkey Park. It’s a really steep incline 450m up so we didn’t bother to take the pram (although we saw some parents who did), he did really well and walked all the way up but I can understand that there are lots of kids who would not be thrilled with the idea. All the way up the top is a playground area so he glommed onto the playground and not so much the monkeys (ask me how thrilled I was that we walked that distance in steaming hot weather for him to be distracted by a shoddy seesaw)
I dragged him to see the monkeys and we kept a safe distance of 2 metres, but his heart wasn’t in it anymore.
Where we stayed
Mimaru Akasaka - Tokyo
Bon Condominium Umeda - Osaka
The Blossom - Kyoto
We did our best to stay in places that were 40sqm and family friendly. We knew that it would be pretty stressful to stay somewhere where we would be tripping over each other. As a result, our hotels required a little bit more in travel time (extra five to ten minutes?).
Our hotels were pretty great overall. Just a note though - Bon Condominium needed to turn on a boiler before we could get hot water for a shower. If you’re at The Blossom, make sure you check out the basement floor for free snacks.
Random bits and pieces
Random busty ladies
I have been to Japan a few times before (but never with a kid) and in those previous times, I have very distinct memories of lots of random not-quite-clothed manga statuettes everywhere I went. So I was all prepared to talk to the small human about what they were doing and why they were semi-dressed. But in my two weeks, I never saw a single one so my prepared speech never happened. I have no idea where they all went. Maybe they all migrated to Akhibara?
Loxonin
It’s random but you can buy this rub at any pharmacy and it saved my legs considerably on days when I walked 20kms.
Electronic distraction
I’m that parent. When the lines or the public transport ride was too long, I popped some headphones on and gave him an iPad. It saved my stress levels and from him getting completely rowdy. I think particularly the restauranteurs appreciated for the most part a silent child.
Most people speak English. They really appreciate it when you try to speak to them in Japanese though.
Masks
Mask usage has dropped considerably, even on public transport.
Kids clothes
Was all set to buy the kid a new wardrobe annnnd there’s not that many obvious places to buy kids clothes other than H&M and Uniqlo. Sometimes not even Uniqlo - the Roppongi store has no kids section as a case in point. H&M overall had the better selection.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are everywhere and they’re all extremely clean. We never really worried about finding one. We just made him go every three hours or so to avoid any potential issues or leaks. We only had one real emergency where I had to run him through a department store but got there in time and crisis was averted.
Happy to answer any questions or help where I can!

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Odelli had been looking forward to the return to this village for some time, for it was the village of Ra-Kotod. And moreover, it was the village that Ledi lived in.
Odelli had known Ledi for years, and he was head-over-heels smitten with her. They were but children when they first met and they first played together in the festival, Odelli had feelings for her. Their friendship had actually been that which brought their parents – his were skilled fishermen, hers were a sugarcane farmer and a palmwood carver, all of some repute in the Skillful Morekah tribe – into an amicable trading relationship, a fact that Odelli planned to take advantage of. As Odelli and Ledi grew, so too did the partnership of Sassayo and Mila and Makbed and Deyadema, and their fortunes doubled and doubled again! But now, Odelli had turned sixteen and Ledi had done so three moons prior.
It was surely young to enter in a marriage pact, but not terribly so. These things could take time, but if they didn’t then more’s the better. And another point in his advantage: both him and Ledi were firstborns, so they would be holding the hand of the deal at every step until final dinner.
Odelli rowed his bamboo boat from the flotilla to shore, past the great cypress trees and moss-covered mangroves, reeds sprouting hither and thither and all around. He finally came to a shoreline and tied his boat to the familiar old swamp maple, and walked the rest of the way to the village. The swamps of Sarootnoh weren’t the nicest, but there at last was bamboo-stilt village of Ra-Kotod. And there was Ledi. And… Another?
Odelli stopped walking. It was poor form to interrupt a potential deal, and it appeared that Ledi was in the throes of putting one together. Her father Makbed was still in their house on the fringes – evidenced by the glow of the hearth within. Her mother Deyadema was still out in those choice fields of sugarcane. But Ledi was in some discussion with the individual. Odelli’s ears burned.
At last, the other man departed and Ledi looked over. Odelli could see her smile from here, and beckoned him to come closer. He came, promptly.
“Oddi!” Ledi almost exclaimed. It’s what she’d called him since they were kids.
“Ledi, it’s good to see you. Who was that other one who was here?”
“Oh, him?” She seemed to slump a bit. “That was Yato. He’s of Skillful Dolphin, and the son of Chief Kassyo. He came to begin marriage pact negotiations.”
“With you?” Odelli was shocked.
“…yeah,” said Ledi.
“That… will you go through with it?”
“My father… we’ve heard rumors about this at the last Monsoon festival." Ledi's family heard rumors about everything, Odelli was always astonished at how much they knew before his family even came to visit. "Yato is twenty-three seasons old, and Kassyo was interested in getting him a bride. And my father… a relationship with a chief would be good for him, even from a lower clan like Dolphin,” said Ledi.
Odelli was silent for a second, mouth opened. “Oddi?” asked Ledi.
“Well…” said Odelli, regaining himself, “what about reinforcing a relationship with a prominent fisherman of Sunfish clan?”
“A fisherman of Sunfish clan? Like Sassayo and Mila?”
“Yes, like Sassayo and Mila.”
A smile crept to Ledi’s face. Odelli was almost amazed that she hadn’t thought of the idea first! “It’d be good for my parents…” she said.
“…and even better if two skillful negotiators helped the deal along,” he continued.
“I think I’ll have to tell my father about this offer and discuss it with him,” she was positively beaming now, “why don’t you bring your houseboat in, and we have the evening meal like friends.”
Odelli had originally came to ask that they could, “Agreed! We’ll be here before sundown. See you soon, Ledi.”
“See you soon, Oddi,” she said with a giggle. They walked off – Ledi to tell her parents of these deals, and Oddi to tell his parents of this arrangement.
-=-=-=-
That had been a season and three moons prior. The negotiations had come to a standstill.
That first dinner had gone so well, and Makbed had been charmed by the entreaties that had been made there. They had a chopped seafood and pepper mix, upon maize flatbreads. A last minute arrangement by Odelli and Ledi, but one that the four parents enjoyed. But then it got bogged down, as it so often did, in the details.
Makbed had thought that binding themselves to Odelli’s parents was a good idea, but Deyadema had urged caution. Ledi told him of the after-dinner private talks that she overheard (and really should not have, by all customs). Deyadema urged caution, especially since Kassyo had expressed interest. They had the sugar-wealth, carving skill, rumor network, and clout that Kassyo needed for the raids he loved so much. And Kassyo was a chief - an energetic, albeit small-time one - that they could rely on with a marriage pact. Deyadema said they valued their working relationship with Odelli's parents, but Ledi had younger brothers and Odelli had younger sisters and brothers. If a chief wanted a prize, then why give it to a fisherman?
The talks had effectively become a dowry bidding war since then, playing out every time they visited Ra-Kotod over moons and moons. At the very least, Ledi’s parents had remained noncommittal. The worst part was that Odelli couldn’t necessarily contest Mila’s logic.
“Oddo,” cried Yato from the other boat, “hey, Oddo!”
Well, maybe not the worst part.
“Yato. What is it?” Odelli said.
Skillful Sunfish had made their last pass at Ra-Kotod about a month previous, where Skillful Dolphin had been waiting for them. Chief Kassyo had proposed to Chief Arrdanayo of Sunfish that they go north. They’d have just enough time to make it all the way to the Aluda to the far north, do the exchanges of gifts and perhaps raid a village or two of everything they had. It was slow going, and unfortunately they had to make many stops at the villages on the way up the coast. And at every stop, Odelli had to interact with Yato. And at the times between. Like now, where some two dozen youths of both clans had decided to do some fishing.
“Oddo! Oddo oddo oddo! Did you get anything?! Any fish biting?! Tell us, Oddo!” Yato said with an awful grin. For someone years Odelli’s senior, he was a constant pest who treated everything like a joke. And he was constantly around Odelli.
“No, Yato. Nothing biting,” said Odelli. They’d been fishing with most of the youth of both clans for hours. Yato’s yammering was scaring away the fish, and many of the Sunfish boys and girls were chumming along with him! That made Odelli boil.
“What was that?! You must speak up, Oddo!”
“Nothing’s biting!”
“Gah, bad day for it,” said Yato, “everyone knows you need to fish at dawn or dusk, or on days when the clouds darken the sky!” Murmurs of agreement from both groups of youths.
“Right you are,” said Tital, the firstborn of Arrdanayo, “Aicul beats down on us. Had we no capes, our shoulders would blister.” She was drenched in sweat as well.
“I propose we have some sport!” cried another behatted youth.
“An excellent suggestion! A round of Taklah-Mat, then? To the flotilla!” cried Yato, already picking up an oar. Odelli sighed. He would be dragged into this… though perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing. Visions of beating Yato over the head with an oar were circulating through his head. He picked up a paddle, and they made for the flotilla.
As Yato and Tital explained to their parents that nothing was biting anyways, a few others found the healer and the hanyil. Both absolutely essential parts of the game, of course: One to tend to wounds, another to make you forget them. They found a good bit of coast and gathered up the six boats and two baskets they’d need, finally found the buoy and net in the lower deck of Ranyo’s houseboat, and set out to get going with the game.
Taklah-Mat was played with two teams with three boats each (in this case). Odelli had played this version before – three people per bamboo boat, one punter and two divers. The objective was to knock a wooden buoy into an enemy basket with an oar. The buoy could not be picked up in this version (though Odelli had also played a version where you could only while you were in the water). They picked teams – not quite split per clan, there were more in Sunfish than Dolphin, but it was near enough – and picked boats. Odelli ended up a diver, while Yato ended up a punter. Perfect. After each party had had a cupful of hanyil, and their senses had been sufficiently clouded, they were off! And Odelli leapt into the water with his counterpart. While the objective was to knock the buoy into a basket, it surely helped to knock all of another team’s men off a boat, and claim it for yourself! And Odelli had his eye on Yato.
The game was a chaotic mix of frenzied swimming and comparatively slow boats. Boaters were practically shovelling water, trying to move their ships fast to better support the swifter swimmers. The swifter swimmers trying to knock the ball up on a ship for an easier shot at the goal. All the while, swimmers trying to overthrow boaters and steal their ships, to gain the advantage outright. There was the pressure to avoid playing too rough, so as to spoil the game with an ill-timed drowning, but not too soft or else the game was spoilt already.
Eventually, Odelli saw the ball in Yato's possession, but with no defenders on his boat. His opening. Odelli’s fellow diver followed his lead, both swimming under the field of play with their bats. They could see sea-life underneath them, just fishes and sand, maybe three man-heights down. Odelli’s diver got caught up in an undersea wrestling match with the other team, but Odelli had his eye on the prize: Yato’s boat. He gave the boat an initial rock from underneath, to knock Yato off his balance. Then, he tried to board!
Crack! Pain shot through Odelli’s shoulder. He was back underwater, barely able to comprehend what just happened. He moved his arm, and pain continued to throb in it. Yato had hit him. Yato had hit him!
Fury and energy coursed through Odelli’s veins, and he surged out of the water. He could barely see as Yato’s eyes grew wide, and Odelli slammed his club into Yato’s gut. He doubled over, but Odelli beat down on him again. And again, and again. Yato grabbed him, and they both went into the water, now both wrestling as well. Odelli’s club beat Yato many more times, and Yato’s club slammed against his shoulder again. Finally, both were fished out, and laid out across Yato’s boat. Tital looked down at them, as did the healer.
“Nobody’s even scored a goal yet, and already you’ve both lost control of yourselves,” said Tital, “what are you thinking? You both want to drown?”
Yato spat seawater at Odelli, “What’s your problem, Oddo?”
“I-aghhh…” Odelli said, trying to sit up but wincing. His shoulder throbbed harder than before.
The healer sat Odelli up, and looked at his arm, “Too much roughhousing,” said the healer, “He needs to go back to the clans.”
“Well, that’s the day spoiled,” said Tital, “Did you have to beat him so hard, Yato?”
“I’m sorry, I thought we were playing Taklah-Mat. Not just splashing around in the water,” said Yato, spitting again. Tital’s eyes narrowed. “Besides,” said Yato as he stood up, “did you not see how Odelli was pounding on me?!”
“He’s maybe half your size, Yato. He needs to pound on you to do anything! Look, between the two of you, you’re the one who can stand!” said Tital.
“And you’re defending him? Unbelievable,” said Yato. Yato then reached down, and grabbed Odelli by the shoulder, searing with pain.
“I’ve tried to be nice! I’ve tried! Everyone has seen how Yato has tried!” He gesticulated around, to some nods, “But that was the last straw. I was trying to be reasonable, I know how you’ve known Ledi your whole life, but that ends now. I know this is about her.” How did he know that? “I do not want you to have anything to do with me, or Ledi, or anyone I care about.”
“That’s too far, Yato,” said Tital, “I won’t have any part of this. You can't tell him to let go of a lifelong friend, no matter who you are.” Odelli’s vision was swimming, and Yato dropped him. Odelli fell in the water, and the healer dove in after him. By the time Odelli was hauled back up on the ship, most of the Dolphin youths had left. Tital was still there.
“You really have made an ass of yourself, Odelli,” said Tital.
“I’m… sorry,” said Odelli.
“It’s fine. Day’s over anyways. I’ll have to explain this all to the chief… once I understand it all myself.”
-=-=-=-
The relations between the clans had only managed to deteriorate after the incident; Chief Arrdanayo was in awe of how quickly things fell apart. One of his more esteemed fisher families had now gotten in a very public spat with Chief Kassyo and his firstborn. He consulted with his daughter over it: the child Odelli had acted insensibly, true, and there was some damn foolish tangle of marriage pacts and romance going on. He’d always liked the boy, and it was true that between Odelli and Yato, one of them had certainly been worse off. It didn’t matter now, though. The damage had been done. Lines had been drawn in the sand, and what was once a joint trading (and raiding) expedition was now turning back fragmented, in disgrace.
No Aluda riches for Arrdanayo! And to think that Kassyo had been so keen on meeting Sassayo and Mila just weeks previous. He'd been courting prominent families of the skillful Morekah for years.
Why couldn’t these things be easy? Arrdanayo mused while at the tiller. In his day, you arranged a marriage if you liked another family and wanted to tie yourself to them. None of this political worry, nor any of the following mess!
Kassyo had been enraged, and was demanding recompense and apologies. He'd always been a hothead, but it was remarkable how quickly his feelings had soured on Sassayo and Mila and their children. Odelli was apologetic, at the very least. He displayed none of the arrogance that Arrdanayo had in his youth (or Kassyo had even now), but then again he had already been chastised. As chief, it was normally his duty to mediate disputes. But who mediates a dispute between someone and another chief? The only way out was a duel.
Or a clan war.
Arrdanayo sighed. A duel between Odelli and Yato would end just about the way that their previous fight had ended. He had liked the boy, though.
“Tital! Come over here, girl,” said Arrdanayo, down the length of their ship. Tital looked over, finished what she was doing, and came over to the tiller.
“Yes, father?” She asked.
“We’ll need to set up a duel between Odelli and Yato. That’s the least bloody way to resolve this,” said Arrdanayo.
“So that's the end of Odelli,” she sighed.
“Not if you train him to duel, so that he doesn’t immediately die.”
“I see. Very wise, chief. I will get started next time we get to shore.
-=-=-=-
At last, the day of the duel arrive. Odelli had trained with Tital every chance that he could, and only just begun to grasp the essentials – the proper way to fight with a spear, the importance of maneuverability (as Odelli had no hope to match Yato’s strength), the need to wait for an opportune strike, but the need to act quickly because Yato could end his life in a moment! This fight would be to the death, as all Sasnak duels were, and there was no honor or mercy or witnesses to be had. Two people, two spears, and one who leaves. No other way out. That was what Tital trained Odelli. In the two moons that it took for Sunfish to align with Dolphin again, she had become like an older sister to him.
At last both clans were in Ra-Kotod. There had been about a week where both families tried to make entreaties to settle the matter, but it had only ever seemed to get worse off. One day, Odelli's own mother begged him not to duel, then met with Kassyo's wife. When Odelli's mother returned, she simply told him to "make sure he drowned the bastard in his own blood." Kassyo had actually given Sassayo a black eye, and the village was teeming with rumors that the next duel would be between the two of them. Arrdanayo put a quick stop to that.
Chief Arrdanayo had a difficult week.
But it was almost over.
There he stood, with a spear in each hand, looking at both Yato and Odelli. Neither of their families were permitted to be there. Odelli hadn't even seen Ledi that day, to tell her goodbye. He knew that he was probably going to die.
"Unless either of you two intend to back off at the last minute, then we better get this over with. Before it can get any worse," said Chief Arrdanayo. No response.
"Very well," said the chief, "We stand here before Sodatrat and Atook and all of the gods, a spear in each hand. The blood between Yato, firstborn of Inyal and Kassyo, and Odelli, firstborn of Sassayo and Mila, has grown too sour to bear any longer. Now only one may walk this land. The other must, for some reason," he muttered, "be taken to Itiah for all time. Let these spears be yours. Do not return until the matter will trouble the world no further."
Both the youths took up a spear. They walked out into the mangrove forest. It was a surreal experience for Odelli, walking wordlessly side by side with Yato. They both held in their hand a weapon meant only to end the other. They were both walking and walking until the other made the first move. Odelli suddenly realized that Yato had never done this before either.
Odelli finally stopped. This ground would be a good enough place to die. Yato took a few more steps, and then turned. They locked eyes with each other. Now for the ritual that Tital drilled into Odelli's head.
Yato took a step back. Then Odelli did. Yato took another, and so did Odelli. They did this twelve times, and then they stood still. The only thing Odelli could hear were the sounds of the forest and his own breathing.
Suddenly, with a roar, Yato charged. They were but seconds apart. Odelli broke into a mad dash too.
And suddenly Yato was not in front of him anymore.
Odelli's world flipped upside down, as he tripped on something. When he finally hit the ground, he spun around, finding out that that thing was Yato. He was sprawled out, writhing on the ground. He had tripped on a root he hadn't seen. His spear had been flung far from his grasp. His spear!
Odelli whipped around. His spear had been flung far from his grasp. He scrabbled to gain a purchase as Yato did as well. Odelli grabbed his spear. Yato did too.
But Yato had a spear through his chest before he could put one through Odelli's.
Odelli was panting from the mad scramble of activity. He watched the shock in Yato's eyes, the anger and the panic and the horror as his soul drained from him. His chest was spewing blood. He was going limp. He was limp.
He was dead.
Odelli waited a bit. As if Yato were to suddenly reanimate and lunge at him and kill him. It's what should have happened. It's what was going to happen. But fate got in the way.
When Odelli finally began the walk back, what felt like hours later, all he could think about were Yato's dying eyes. He'd be thinking about those eyes for years to come.
-=-=-
Ledi looked at the hull of the ship under construction, two weeks following the monsoon festival. She was still amazed by the events that brought her to now.
It started years and years and years ago, on the day that Yato had come with a marriage proposal. And that same day, Odelli, little Oddi!, had come for the exact thing. Of course, she knew both proposals were coming, in addition to the ones from Rama, Makdu, and Djuli. All would have made excellent matches, and would have increased her quality of life dramatically. She was fortunate that Atook had blessed her family with such bountiful sugar fields. That, and that she'd managed to cultivate such wits and such beauty. It had been pretty trivial to set the suitors to collide like that. Like boats, when two hit each other, the one with the strongest spine wins… unless the gods have anything to say about it. Ledi just needed to put Yato and Odelli on the same course and see what happened: either suitor would have had their benefits and an advance in Ledi's position.
Ledi would have preferred if he never got involved. Rama, Makdu, Yato, and Djuli all had their fixable flaws, and Ledi was more than happy to let one come out on top and gain the benefits of the rest. They would enter a bidding war for the best pact for her parents, and eventually she would be treated like a Morekah. But then Odelli put himself on the very same course (something Ledi had known he would try for years, and gingerly tried to dissuade him to no effect), and Ledi had tried to put Yato and Odelli together to let them work it out. That was her plan, but when they came back, one was destined to die. She never expected that, nor that Odelli would come out on top.
You cannot command the wind, she thought, but you can adjust your sails.
Oddi was the favored child of Itiah after that, winning at every turn, and the other suitors could barely compare. A boy entered a duel and emerged a man, though his first encounter with death had changed him. Kassyo was enraged after Yato died, and began a clan war in response for the perceived bias of Arrdanayo training Oddi. Arrdanayo and Tital's eldest brothers perished in the war, but she made sure to repay the favor by braining Kassyo with a spearthrower. In a twist of luck, Oddi emerged a hero of that clan war, the Skillful Dolphin was dismantled and absorbed by Sunfish, and after the end Oddi married Ledi as a renowned warrior. He had none of the boyish humor or romance he had once had. He was serious now, but still gentle. And Ledi lived like an astronomer.
Now, their first child was on the way, and that meant they would have a houseboat of their own. They would need to take servants to man the ship, but that was what servants were for. Oddi was out speaking with the Mareh and with Tital for that very reason, probably arranging to go to Meak-Chi to either trade for Keshurot servants (or take them by force) after the monsoon season was over. Meanwhile, Ledi was supervising the design of their houseboat - Itikalleneh, Favorite-of-the-Gods.
Ledi looked at it's frame - upright, in the new fashion, second only in size to Chief Tital's houseboat itself. Her father was an expert and renowned palmwood carver, and they were working with a shipwright in the Skillful Morekah who had a grand vision he had learned from traders from Sarootnoh. This would surely be their triumph. It was reinforced with a strong keel and girders, built upright to make it large. It sported two and a half layers: an above-deck, a below-deck, and a lower short deck below. A pavilion in the fore, and in the rear, with the rear one one could climb upon. A tall and sturdy mast. A painted and carved prow, taller than a man, telling of Oddi's exploits. A designated coral hearth, long and able to host feasts even while at sea. Space enough for ten, almost two arm-spans across at it's belly, and eight from prow to rudder! Room for four bamboo Ti-Rassi, large enough that a normal man's houseboat could dock comfortably at either side on special occasions - when lashed with Chief Tital's ship, it would make a veritable island. Tital's ship may have been slightly bigger but this one would undoubtedly put hers to shame.
Actually, it wouldn't do to embarrass her… Ledi thought. She would have to invite Tital to see it, and then arrange for her father to help make Tital an even grander ship to curry even more favor. It stung to immediately have their shining glory be eclipsed, but the Chief's ship likely had boreworms due to its age and would call for a grander ship anyways. More importantly, Ledi could not afford to upset the bond that Tital and Oddi had. They were like siblings. That was why Favorite-of-the-Gods was fit for a Sasnak Chief, because Tital would eventually make Oddi one. Skillful Sunfish had grown too large for a single chief to manage, and there was too much territory for them with too little time in the year - blossoming to more fishing grounds and trading routes. The bond that Tital and Oddi forged prior to and during the war made Oddi the natural pick for a new chief. Especially if I help Tital along. Ledi thought, smiling to herself.
Things worked out better than she hoped and dreamed, and it looked like when the gods smiled on Oddi, they gave Ledi a smile too. Who knows? thought Ledi, Perhaps my children shall be Marehs and their children will be gods.*

Age 23
Sex Male
Height 5’9
Weight 185
Race Caucasian
Location Lake Ontario Upstate Ny
Any existing relevant medical issues no
Current medications no
Include a photo if relevant n/a
Went swimming today while out on the boat. Got a little water in my nose after jumping in. Water temperature was reported to be around 54 degrees Fahrenheit. Pollen was at the top of the water today as well. What are my Odds of contracting Naegleria Fowler “brain eating” amoeba? Blew the water out as soon as I could.

Hello! Making some room for new additions to the collection. All the figures mention below were displayed in a smoke free home. Some of them have been sitting in their boxes for the past 6 months (been procrastinating doing this). All prices listed include shipping. US ONLY (sorry). If you buy two or more figures you can pick (if you want to) either IW Captain America, Captain Marvel, or SSGSS Goku for free for no additional cost. If you have any questions or want more photos feel free to dm me.
Click for pictures
 
 

Figure	Figure Condition	Price
Naruto Shippuuden - Konan - Naruto Gals (MegaHouse)	Figure base peg broke had to glue peg	$170
Batman - ARTFX+ - 1/10 - Rebirth (Kotobukiya)	like new	$80
Catwoman - ARTFX+ - 1/10 (Kotobukiya)	like new, chipped box	$80
Shingeki no Kyojin - Eren Yeager - Figma(Max Factory)	Came with 1 extra (R)normal gripping hand but it replaced the special (R)gripping hand. Figma bag has writing on it and ripped zipper.	$65
DBZ- Ju-hachi Gou (Android 18) - S.H.Figuarts - Event Exclusive Color Edition (Bandai Spirits)	Brand New, only shipper opened for photos	$130
DBZ - Piccolo - S.H.Figuarts - The Proud Namekian (Bandai Spirits)	Like new, best father	$75
DBZ - Great Saiyaman - Son Gohan - Son Gohan SSJ2 - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai Spirits)	Like new	$75
DBS Broly - Vegeta SSGSS - Vegeta SSJ God - S.H.Figuarts - Super (Bandai Spirits)	Like new	$100
DBS Broly - Son Goku SSGSS - S.H.Figuarts - Super (Bandai Spirits)	Like new	$45
DBS Broly - Broly - Broly SSJ - S.H.Figuarts - Super (Bandai Spirits)	Used, damaged box	$70
Avengers: Infinity War - Iron Man Mark 50 - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai)	Like new	$65
Avengers: Infinity War - Captain America - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai)	used, missing spear	$40
Avengers: Infinity War - Star-Lord - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai Spirits)	Like new	$55
Avengers: Infinity War - Black Panther - S.H.Figuarts - & Tamashii Effect Rock (Bandai Spirits)	2nd head is hard to put on, rocks got slightly faded	$65
Avengers: Infinity War - Black Widow - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai)	Used, smudge on left cheek of normal faceplate	$55
Avengers: Endgame - Captain America - S.H.Figuarts - 《FINAL BATTLE》 EDITION (Bandai Spirits)	used, right arm shoulder join a little lose from holding hammer	$70
Captain Marvel - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai Spirits)	Like new	$40
Ant-Man and the Wasp - Ant-Man - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai)	Like new	$50
Ant-Man and the Wasp - Wasp - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai Spirits)	Like new	$75
Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spider-Man - S.H.Figuarts (Bandai)	Used, missing stand pole and gripper	$75
Avengers: Infinity War - Thor - Mafex (No.104) (Medicom Toy)	Used, Cape has a rip where it meets the shouder	$70
Avengers: Infinity War - Iron Spider - Peter Parker - Mafex (No.081) (Medicom Toy)	Used, missing magnetic hand, missing stand, original release	$60

Overview: This area represents one of the last puzzle pieces of southern Utah I haven't explored. The premise of this trip was simple - follow a drainage up, traversing benchlands and climbing in and out of side canyons and then float it back down. My take on a grand tour of the area.
Where: South of Green River
When: 9 days, late Feb / early March
Distance: Around 65 walking, 40 boating
Conditions: Moody. Lows were around 20, highs were around 50. Most days were overcast with a combo of rain and snow.
Gear: https://lighterpack.com/wlyeco
Photos and report:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7+8
Last day, get me out of here
Hope you all enjoyed and have some fun stuff planned for the summer!

I removed a fan on the ceiling of the top floor in our cape cod style house (no attic above it). The screw holes in the electric box (believe it is saddle box style) is stripped so I need to replace it. I can't seem to figure out how to remove the box though. I was expecting a screw going in to the stud, but can't see one. Here is a picture of it. Any idea how to remove it?
https://imgur.com/a/TN7dsHL