So nice to arrive back to cooler weather. Still warm, mind you, but not so blistering that you do not want to venture outside and away from the air conditioning.
Took a dinghy ride after getting some chores we’d been putting off for cooler weather. We were on a reconnaissance trip to confirm that we could safely use the dinghy to get to two nearby restaurants. The safety had to do with the distance/speed capabilities of our Torqeedo electric motor. (I like to think of it as a very small version of a Tesla.)
Look carefully for the osprey nest and the bird with outstretched wings in the picture above. This tentative maneuver is the start for birds that are learning to fly. They flap a bit in the nest before taking off on a low projectory, usually to a nearby perch. The parent bird (sometimes both parents) sit or soar nearby calling (and calling and calling) urging the young ones to take flight. The location of this nest made me think that these people don’t use their dock very often!
Our destinations below:
Riverside 
Pirate’s Cove
I was surprised that we nearly had the West River to ourselves. The only activity we saw was one work boat for the marina (leaving way too big of a wake, thank you very much), a lone fisherman in a center console boat and a group of four small sailboats. Oh, and the unfortunate sailboat below.
This abandoned boat was here last year. Up close it looked like the tattered jib was made of Mylar. Yikes, it must have been a very bad race finish for this guy!
A little race or maybe a lesson. Looked like fun. Wonder if there is a place to rent a sailboat for a day? Hard not to dream of sailing in these waters.
One of the quests I have when looking at boats is to find names that I like. Last year’s winner was Winterlude. I was in touch with the owners this year and learned that they sold it. I haven’t found a favorite yet this year, but the boat below (though in terrible condition) is a candidate.
Galesville and the West River are really idyllic. Almost a throw-back to another time.
How long do you think that engine would last in one of the Chicago harbors? 
These sweet banners fly along Galesville’s main street.