Dart is very hot and is plagued by a bad sunburm, having spent too much time sitting  shirtless on the fantail while he washed some of his white hats.

During his watch in the middle of the night, he was permitted to steer the ship for about 5 minutes. “Steering a ship isn’t at all like driving a car. The ship doesn’t go straight when you hold the wheel still. In fact, it’s likely to wander all over the ocean. I kept watching the gyro compass repeater and we kept bouncing from one side of the course to the other. Lucky for me it wasn’t daylight, or I’d have taken a razzing for the zigzag wake I left.”

The full moon has been keeping him company through his night time watches. He calculates that the September full moon should be on about September 18. If his luck holds, he’ll finally get to share it with his beloved Dot.

As things stand now, he’s on the list for his leave to start on either August 27 or within a few days of September 7. At least half the crew must be on board ship at all times, and there are still details to nail down, but it’s getting very close. He can almost not believe that what they’ve waited for so long is almost upon them!

That boat of the Miller’s sounds like a nice one, quite an accomplishment to build as a hobby. It sounds like Dot had lots of fun hanging on to the tow rope of the boat during the sail. “Looks like you have the daredevil spirit in our family.” (And sadly, Dad didn’t live to see Mom hang-gliding above the Swiss Alps when she was 80, and again at 85, but he would have been proud to stnd below and watch her soar!)

He needs to get a nap in before another wee-hours watch. Maybe he’ll dream of his upcoming reunion with Dot. “I hope Dad has the car radio repaired by September. Might help set the stage for us on some of those evenings. I like soft music – and you.”