A loop of black bungee tied with a figure 8 knot goes around the mast. And there's another loop of thin bungee you can just barely see in the photo that goes around the bow eye as well. Pass the "handle" end of my canoe paddle through the larger bungee at the mast, pull it forward then secure that end to the smaller bungee at the bow eye.
By the way, the loose, thin black line laying on the deck is a lanyard to keep my GroPro from visiting Davy Jone's Locker in case my Sametop Jaws mount comes off the gunnel.
I will leave the revealing of the location to the fine gent who invited us to this beautiful spot if he wishes to. With that in mind, I'll just say it's located somewhere in Northern California.
I can reveal the location! It is Drake's Estero on Pt. Reyes, CA. I believe this was the first time it ever had 5 sailboats on it. While it is an awesome, remote and beautiful locale, it is tricky to access and sail on. Tides have to be way high (shoals and sandbars galore) and the wind there is often too much or too little. And you don't want to be caught out with dying wind and an ebb tide. Some eelgrass on the blades issues, too. The stark beauty of the place is worth figuring the timing and I hope we can make it again on the high tides around Christmas. (Here's our friend Mark's classy little "Pumpkinseed" out there.