DIY: THE GREAT WINDLASS DEBATE

 

Our friend Gord Gowie, gave us an antique windlass for the Thunderbird.  I don't know where he got it, but it's really old and really neat.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So now the research and comparisons are on going. If anyone knows anything about this type of windlass, your input would be greatly appreciated.  We have not made a decision yet as to whether to restore this unique piece or look else where. 

 

 

We must decide whether to:   

 

1.  Spend the money on this Antique. (tear it down, rebuild it and powder coat it.) 

2.  Look for a used Manual or Power Windlass when we are down south around the gulf.

3.  Purchase a New Power Windlass when we are down south.

 

Dan likes the idea of a Manual Windlass, because then he will not have to run any wiring, from the bow through our already finished stateroom to the dash. (always a problem through steel walled compartments etc. )  

 

Although both Manuals solve that problem, the price of both of those options have to be looked at and compared.  What will it cost to refurbish the Antique as compared to purchasing an already rebuilt used windlass. 

 

My other concern is that if the Antique or any other Manual proves to be very cumbersome and difficult to use (with 100 lbs of anchor and chain), we will find ourselves opting not to anchor out when the opportunity arises.  So the debate continues and I'm sure it will not be settled this year.  We will try to put some thought to it before we go back south next year. 

 

 

AND EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION 


Go ahead and share yours???

 

 

 

 

 

CLEAR LAKE TO FARGO ND, THEN HOME

It was the usual long a boring drive from Clear Lake Iowa, to Fargo North Dakota, where we got a motel room and spent the night.  Then the next day we headed north again arriving in St. Andrews around 2:00 pm.  We dropped off the trailer, emptied the fridge and headed home.  It will take a few days to start to feel at home here.  It's been a long time, having been gone since November. 

 

We have so many plans, we don't know where to start.  First things first, I guess I should get busy on our taxes.  We also need to clean and spruce up our trailer and get it ready to sell.  Then there is the regular maintenance on the boat, that needs to be done before we can launch. 

 

So, it will be a busy April and May ahead, we usually like to launch in early June, but that is debatable this year, with everything being so dependant on the weather.  At this rate we are going to be having a very late spring.

 

 

 

PICTURES AND DETAILS TO FOLLOW AS THINGS PROGRESS

 

 

   

CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK, IOWA

We had an easy drive from Cameron Missouri, to Clear Lake Iowa, yesterday.  We knew we didn't have a long drive ahead, so we took our time, cooked breakfast, packed up and didn't get away until 9:00 am and still made it here before 2:00 pm. 

 

It's a simple little State Park, that is well maintained, but there is no running water, which is kinda what we expect, this far north, at this time of the year, and it's also deserted except for us.
 

 

And Sea-Enna loves the freedom that that allows us to give her. 

 

 

The Campground is right on the lake, which makes for a nice view, that really doesn't matter to us, but is probably nice in the summer. 
 

 

 

We spent the day today sightseeing and checking out the main thing that this location is famous for.  "The Surf Ballroom". 
 

 

 

 

The Surf Ballroom was where Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper, played their last concert before they got on a small plane to go to Fargo, North Dakota for their next gig in Moorhead Minnesota.  As we know they didn't make it. 

 

But I am also interested in seeing the prior history of this place.  Apparently it was built in 1933 and was a well known Ballroom throughout the Big Band era. 

 

Also through the War Years until it burned down in 1947, but was quickly rebuilt across the street and reopened in 1948. 

 

So, it certainly was a thriving place even before Rock & Roll took it over. 

 

 

It still regularly draws large crowds.  There is a big Beatles Revival Concert this weekend and each year on February 3rd they commemorate "The Day the Music Died".   

 

 

 

SO, WE HAVE DONE CLEAR LAKE, IOWA.  NEXT STOP FARGO NORTH DAKOTA, THEN HOME

 

(This barely scratches the surface of the information and pictures I have on "The Surf" and it was very interesting, so I will do another blog dedicated strictly to it.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WALLACE STATE PARK, CAMERON MISSOURI

We managed to find our way back over onto I-35 north, so that we were at least headed in the right direction.  We were about 20 miles along, as I was snapping pictures and we were discussing our options when, in a blur we saw what looked like a State Park sign. 

 

We both asked was that a sign for that same State Park we just left?  Neither of us could answer the question, but we decided to take the exit and have a better look at the signage. 

No, it was a different Sate Park.  At this point we are a little leery of Missouri State Parks, but we were tired and desperate and it says it's only 2 miles, so lets take a look. 

 

Well, we followed the meandering road wondering what we were getting ourselves into.  And there it was the Camp Gate. 

So far so good, we decided to continue on down a further backwoods road. 

 

 

 

Then suddenly it opened onto the vista of a lovely little lake. 

 

 

So we decided to see where this takes us.   

 

And we were rewarded when the road opened up onto a lovely little campground. 

 

 

We got ourselves a very nice pull through campsite, set up camp poured a drink and breathed a sigh of relief.  And to think that this park was only about 20 miles from that nightmare we first arrived at. 

 

 

As you can probably tell, I love the adventure of it all, but Dan does not.  And of course his dislike of my spontaneity cools my enthusiasm a little.  But of course I appreciate the fact that he is the one that has to solve the problems when my adventurous spirit gets us into any kind of jackpot.  So, we appreciate and compensate for each other.  That's why it works. 

 

 

 

 

I WILL DEFINITELY RECOMMEND WALLACE STATE PARK  TO ANYONE COMING THIS WAY. 

 

 

 

SO TOMORROW WE ARE OFF TO CLEAR LAKE IOWA.

(where Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens played their  last concert the night that they and others died in a tragic plane crash)

 

YESTERDAY WE HEADED FOR WATKINS MILL STATE PARK OUTSIDE KANSAS CITY

Yesterday was not a good travel day for us.  It started out well, up, packed and on the road by 8:00am.  A quick stop and McDonald's for breakfast on the go and we were out of Oklahoma and onto the Kansas Turnpike by 11:00.  That's when it started to turn sour. 

 

 

 

 

 

They had decided to set Kansas on fire.  And for the next few hour we drove through smoke. 

 

 

 

 

Not only was it hard to see at times it was smelly and I kept wanting to clear my throat.  Plus, all in all it was very ugly.  Not exactly a sight seeing trip. 

 

 

 

But we finally got through that, then we had to face the nightmare of many highway switch overs and interchanges to get through Kansas City.  We made one wrong exit, which Dan managed to make right by making a hard U-turn from the off ramp onto the next on ramp(with a trailer no less).  Thank goodness there was no traffic coming.  I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen him do it, but we breathed a sign of releif when we were through to the other side of KC. 

 

Now it was time to find the Campground we were headed for.  I didn't take any pictures of it, so the best I can say is it was AWFUL.  No water, very few 30 amp sites and the 50ampers were $40.00 per night.  (Hell! I can get a Motel room for that, and I'm supplying my own bed.) Every site in the place were very un-level, sloping every which way.  Put that one, on my "I do not recommend" list.  Oh, well, that's the chance you take when you are going to a new campsite for the first time. 

 

So, here we were 6:00 pm, tired, hungry, low on fuel, and no place to camp.  What to do?  First off, back track to that Walmart we just saw a ways back and get fuel, take this small road across country (hope it doesn't peter out on us) and get back on I-35 and start heading north. (which is what we were going to do on leaving anyways) We will watch for a place to stay the night, even if it has to be a Rest area. 


YOU CAN GATHER THAT I DO NOT RECOMMEND WATKINS MILL STATE PARK

(this saga will continue tomorrow)





 

 

LAKE THUNDERBIRD STATE PARK OKLAHOMA

We have stayed in State Parks from the Florida Keys to northern Washington State and I do believe that this park is my favourite.  It has some of the most beautiful sites. 

 

 

Each site has a full smooth level solid concrete pad, with a built in Bar-B-Q, a large preform concrete picnic table with matching benches and extra table length at the Bar-B-Q end.  Every site also includes a lantern pole and a large raised fire pit. 

 

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And most of the sites give you a lovely view out of your back window, not just another trailer.  Ours, like a lot of them, overlooks the lake.  And when travelling south in the fall, you have the beautiful fall colours as well. 

 

 

It was a long day Thursday with the traffic kayos of Austin, Waco and Forth Worth. 

 

 

Thank goodness that is over with. 

 

 

Sea-Enna's new "Thunder Shirt" seems to be helping a little.  It is not the miraculous cure we were led to believe and were hoping for, but during Thursdays travels she was slightly improved over Tuesdays.  So maybe it will keep improving. 

 

 

So we are having Friday off relaxing here, then we will move on to Watkins Mill State Park near Kansas City on Saturday.  We are really starting to watch the weather now.  It is 70 degrees  here, but down into the 40s overnight, and the forecast for Kansas is similar, but at this point it's, play it by ear.  We never know when we will have to winterise the trailer and switch to motels. 

 

WE ARE OFF TO WATKINS MILL STATE PARK KC MO



 

 

 

 

FIRST STOP MCKINNEY FALLS, AUSTIN TEXAS

 

We took Sea-Enna on a walk to the upper falls yesterday.  We were shocked at all the damage done by a flood that apparently occurred here in October of 2013. 

 

 

It didn't affect the campsites, but a lot of park buildings and trails appear to have been damaged. 

Dan cooked Smokies on the campfire last night while I cooked the last of our home make perogies.  Then we left the campfire to slowly burn out. 

 

 

 

SO, THAT'S IT FOR MCKINNEY FALLS.  TODAY IT'S ON TO LAKE THUNDERBIRD STATE PARK, OKLAHOMA