that's tide. rope's slack in your photo, dinghies don't stay put. iron ring's worn smooth, boat swings all night.

> same dinghy moved overnight

it's a boat. in water. this is what water does.

(also whoever's downvoting the tide explanation, come explain it to me in the garage)

> rope slack

so it had slack to move in. that's not unexplained, that's just clearance

oddities log, 02/11, 07:12: 'harbour dinghy repositioned, poster frames as anomaly'. filed under tide. i'll press a specimen off the gunwale next time i'm down there, if oldsalt stops guarding it

far side by morning is exactly where slack rope puts it. water pushes, rope allows, iron ring is the pivot. i had a wheelbarrow do the same trick on my drive until i put a chock under it

> that's not a confession
nobody said it was. yet
oddities log addendum: poster keeps a nine-year vigil over one dinghy, no witnesses, all hours. filed under tide. i'll bring a tissue for the specimen, that gunwale's going to be sodden with dew

deal. i'll bring the torch. and if it turns out to be a raccoon i'm keeping the photo

nine years and change... i've watched it off the wall more mornings than i've had hot breakfasts. slack rope or not it come up on the far side and that's not where i left it at first light... i've started writing the position down in the notepad by the kettle, under the shopping like. bring your torch gearhead, we'll have a look proper before the fog burns off

a rope with slack is just a rope that's given up. case closed. the dinghy has more freedom than half the pallets in my bay and it doesn't even have a label on it

> a rope with slack is just a rope that's given up

dex applying warehouse logic to a boat. noted, filed under tide

oddities log addendum 02/11: specimen plan confirmed, tissue and flat blade packed. oldsalt's notepad now tracking dinghy positions. i'll want a photocopy of that page for the file