Harbor Gossip

These are our friend's Matt & Kendra McJunkin. We met them several years ago through a mutual friend in St. Pete. and we were absolutely thrilled when Kendra got her Coast Guard assignment to come here. We've had several dinners over at their house since their arrival in Marathon and they have come to the boat as well. They even took us in for the night when the temperature plummeted to a low of 39 degrees.
Just the other night, my phone rang and it was Kendra asking if we were home. We had just finished up stripping off the bimini top [the canvas over the cockpit for you landlubbers] which we had to remove to get to the solar panels. Jeff sold the old solar panels to a young man here in the harbor and he was anxious to get them as he would be doing some traveling in the near future. So, yes, we were home. She was on a Coast Guard boat and they were doing a patrol of Boot Key Harbor and was it alright if they stopped by. Well, of course! So the big, bright orange, Coast Guard boat rafted up against the S/V Exposure and Kendra introduced us to her fellow Coasties. Before long, one of them had coaxed Janus on to the boat and was throwing a tennis ball for him to fetch. Janus loves taking advantage of people who don't know the rule about NOT throwing a ball on the boat. But hey, they were on their boat and he wasn't likely to tear anything up due to the fact the thing is literally built like an armored car. When the dog tired of the game he took his ball and jumped back to his own boat and soon the Coast Guard was back underway.
Within 2 minutes of their departure the first curiosity seeker arrived at the boat.


"Are you all alright?"
"Why, yes. Why wouldn't we be?"
"Well, the bimini top is down, the solar panels are gone, and the Coast Guard just left."

We explained that we had sold the solar panels, taken the bimini down ourselves, and the Coast Guard was just our friend Kendra out on patrol stopping by for a visit. We should have known then that the rumors were already flying.
Shortly after it had gotten dark, we were inside making dinner and a knock came on the side of the boat. I looked out the port hole to see Cap'n Deb in quite the tizzy.

"What the [expletive] is going on?! Are you alright?!"

After reassuring her that we were fine and had no idea what she was so worked up about she told us the story she had heard at The Tree. Those of you that have been here understand my reference to The Tree of Knowledge. But for those of you who haven't, The Tree is where marina residents can gather and chat. It is often occupied by some of the lesser desirables and those prone to tell a story.
So, the word at The Tree was that someone had boarded our boat during the day while we were gone, slashed down our canvas top, and had stolen our solar panels and the Coast Guard had come to investigate. Sheeewww...those Tree People sure do have some imagination. They had even determined who the perpetrator was and had him tried, convicted, and hung [figuratively] at The Tree in one fell swoop.
We had one more visitor to the boat that night inquiring about our situation and a couple of inquiries the next day.
We think we have laid most of the rumors to rest but there are perhaps a few that still believe the tall tale that came from The Tree.