The Traveling Laundry Bag

No matter where we are in this world, our clothes get dirty.  Sometimes getting the laundry done not only becomes urgent but just a little difficult.   We've been lucky, though, to find washing machines everywhere.  Apparently everyone has the same problem that we do.

 
This little lavamatica is on a hill overlooking the anchorage at Turtle Bay, Baja, Mexico.  It's relatively simple to get there.  First, of course, you have to sail to Turtle Bay.  Then you collect all your dirty clothes in a waterproof duffel, remembering to put detergent in the bag in case there isn't any in town.  While you're doing that your partner is pumping up your inflatable dinghy.  When that's done, it takes both of you to safely lower the outboard motor and attach it to the dinghy's transom.  Now you're ready to go find a laundry.  You drop the duffel into the dinghy, climb over the rails, seat yourself, pull the starter rope on the dinghy motor a few times until it coughingly starts, putt-putt to the beach, step out into the water before the bottom scrapes, lug the dinghy high up on land to keep it safe, throw the heavy duffel over your shoulder and climb the hill.  When the clothes are clean you repack the duffel, walk back down the hill, put your clean, dry clothes under a seat in the dinghy where they will be less likely to get splashed on the ride back.  You push the dinghy out through the gentle waves and climb in, hoping your wet feet won't drip salt water into the laundry bag.  Once back at your anchored boat, you very carefully lift the bulky duffel into the cockpit, although, if you are smart you tie a line around the bag before you lift it over your head.  Que milagro....the clothes are clean again.

My best trip to the laundry was in Ft. Meyers, Florida.  We didn't have a wide inflatable dinghy then, just a little fiberglass boat with a well-rounded bottom.  Dwight decided to stay onboard to do some routine engine maintenance, so it was me and the laundry heading off in our tippy little dinghy which was very soon surrounded by a few playful dolphins.

As I cautiously motored down a little canal, one dolphin after another would push against the boat making it rock precariously from side to side.  The laundry duffel rolled from port to starboard and back again, each time getting awfully close to going in the water.  I was busy steering and holding on myself but I finally got the bag tucked securely between my ankles.  I could picture our dirty laundry floating all over Ft. Meyers.  My dolphin buddies were having too much fun. 

My friends didn't wait for me to get the clothes done, though.  They were long gone by the time I loaded our clean, dry clothes into the dinghy.  I was kind of lonely on the way back to the boat.