This is the first submarine I’ve ever seen in the Puget Sound area. Navy Unit 42, I believe it was, listening to VHF 16.

Took this one as we ran around downtown today. We first stopped at the Fisheries Supply swap meet and found 50′ of Katherine Jane sized dock line for $15. SCORE!

Then we made a stop at Captain’s Nautical Supplies – OMG, heaven on earth! They have everything I’ve ever wanted, I think. Books and charts and globes and charts and telescopes and sextants and charts and did I mention the charts-on-demand that they can custom print? Wow. Drool city. We did pick up a splicing manual.

Then we went and replaced my camera. Finally! The old one went TU quite some time ago and I’ve been meaning to get around to it. I’ve been borrowing a co-workers for the interim, but really needed to return it to her. So we went and picked up a Panasonic Lumix ZS1. Considered lower-end models, but comparing them all side by side (and taking the same pic so we really had apples to apples), there was no doubt that this one was worth it. I’ve had Perma-Grin on my face all day since then (would you like to see my macro pictures of Brock’s shoelaces? I didn’t think so…). He’s splicing lines (cussing just a little – left-hand strand over the first strand, under then center strand and over the right-hand strand…but where’s the first strand? Isn’t that the left-hand strand in a three strand line? He’ll get it, I’m sure) and I’m reading camera manuals.

That, and the Huskies beat USC! Does it get any better than this for a quiet Saturday afternoon?