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With all due trepidation, we returned to the harbormaster's office the next day to see about getting a permit for Tempo to stay in her slip. We brought our list of the 63 vacant slips with us as an arguing point. Justifying our dread, we found Meghan Statts, the district manager of DOBOR, behind the counter chatting with Ken Chee. To add to our tummy rumbles, she had been apprised of our unpermitted occupancy of slip #783. "I don't know if you know who I am..." she began her tired refrain of asserting dominance over her audience.

"But, I'm Meghan Statts, the district manager in the state Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation..." she continued. I restrained my eye rolls, barely. Meghan's reputation had, of course, preceded her. Rumors are that she acts tough to fight against the overbearing masculine administration that she must deal with. Apparently she's the first woman in her position and had to fight like hell to get there, in the process becoming twice the undesirable person of whomever preceded her. And so, in dealing with us, she lacked utter tact, and any semblance of politeness. She thrust her chest out and with her authority curled up in her little bosom dictated that we could not simply pull into a vacant slip.

Thus, we rehashed our story of the circumstances that led us to occupying the slip. We also pointed out that there were in fact 63 vacant slips in the harbor. She told us "We're not obligated to offer out permanent slips." "Be that as it may," I rebutted, "We are on multiple applications for permanent slips and have a vested interest in ensuring they are being handled appropriately." This banter went on ad nauseam for a while longer. I think Eric and I eventually left and returned later, when thankfully the wicked district manager had retreated back to her office.

We told James that we were unable to find suitable mooring elsewhere. At that point, James told us that Ken had begrudgingly authorized us to stay in our current slip under a normal temporary permit. Thus, after a bit of paper shuffling, and paying a slight additional fee for our days of mooring without a permit, we had finally secured a temporary space for our boat. In all likelihood, Dave told us, we would be able to stay in that slip for the remainder of 120 days temporary moorage. That was a relief, that was, until James told us that the slip we were in didn't have electrical hookup.

Oy, will the saga ever end?