Into the Myst

We launched on May 23rd, excited to splash our Alberg 35 and get on with a summer on Lake Superior. Myst, our 1966 Pearson Dinghy #283 had been stored in the grass, near her mothership Mystic and the Marina launch all winter. I kept reminding Dave to fetch her and bring her over to our slip. Finally, we sauntered over where we'd left her last fall, only to find that SHE WAS GONE!!!

Myst, tucked into the bow of Mystic

There were a total of 3 dinghy's resting in this spot when we launched in May. The DNR had added a water fill pipe for the local fire station to fill their tanks with lake water this spring. It was possible that the dinghy's were in the way and had been moved. Dave visited the marina office to ask about it. He was told that the 3 dinghy's were moved but no one seemed to know where. He was told we could ask the marine mechanic.

Two Harbors Fire Truck testing pumps at Knife River Marina

Well, it took a month, but we finally ran into the mechanic and asked if he knew where our dinghy was. Looking sheepish, he said that he needed a dinghy and didn't know who owned Myst so he had been using her. He showed us where she had been tied up since she'd gone missing. We had walked by her every day for almost two months and not noticed her. He kept apologizing so I smiled at him and said, "We don't mind that you borrowed our dinghy, but we do want it back!" What I held my tongue from saying is..."Borrowing our dinghy means you have it temporarily. Keeping our dinghy means you stole it!"

"Borrowed" Dinghy

Dave says he's learned a lesson. Don't leave your stuff laying around at the Marina. The $4,000 fee we pay each year does not allow us to assume that our property won't be considered fair game to anyone who finds it unattended. All's well that end's well. Myst is tucked under Mystic's bow once again. We plan to keep them together.