NOW IT'S TIME TO GET THE BOAT READY FOR LAUNCH

Today we went out to RMYC and took the tarp off of the boat, Finally.   

 

 

 

This is the first time we have ever stored the boat outside for the winter, and I hear this winter was a doozey, so it's time to see how well we did and how she fared.  Everything we did to winterize it now has to be undone. 

 

 

 

 The boatyard is a pretty busy place right now,

 

 

 

with everyone anxious to get their boats in the water and get the season started. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's time to start making my todo lists.   Other than engine stuff, that I have nothing to do with, there is a lot of cleaning to do.  Then the hull needs to be scraped and painted and there is a damaged area on the starboard rub rail that needs to be replaced.  Hopefully we will be able to get this all done in a short time because I am anxious to get the boat in the water and get my summer started. 

 

 

Right now my boat is a disaster, but most of this can not be put in order until all of the work is finished. 

 

 

 

SO NOW IT'S TIME TO GET AT IT

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIFE ABOARD A TRAWLER

Living aboard a trawler is similar in many ways to living in a small cabin or trailer for the summer.  You get to enjoy summer at the lake, plus you have the benefit of being able to take your cabin to a different beach if you choose. 

 

A Trawler is traditionally a very slow, but powerful boat.  And that very much describes what "Thunderbird" is.  She is big and roomy and makes a good live aboard.  But, she is also very slow.  Her top speed is only 10 mph and our normal cruising speed is about 7 1/2 mph, therefore if we are going anywhere it needs to be well planned out. 

 

Not that we haven't seen some of the best laid plans go awry. 

 

 

 

For the most part we spend our summers close to our home port of "Boundary Creek Marina".    This harbour allows for easy access to everything we could possibly need.  Groceries, Hardware, Liquor Store and a variety of Restaurants within a short drive.  Even a Walmart 27 miles away in Selkirk and of course our lake access. 

 

 

We can venture out for cruises, to go out on the lake to swim, or to get away from a hot still day at dock, to cruise with friends for a raft-up or we cruise just to break the monotony that can occur in a long hot summer.

 

But a "Destination Cruise", is a whole different thing.  That takes planning.  You have to plan for fuel, where are we going to have access to Diesel?  Food, what to take and for how long?  Will there be stores?  Do we have all the tools we need if we have a breakdown?  Always a fear on a long haul.  And what about the weather?  But the "Destination Cruise" is the high-lite of living on board.  To take your home and move it to a new port or a few new ports for a real change. 

 

 

Navigating??  I think we are pretty good at navigating, we haven't gotten lost yet.  But when you are going into strange waters it is always best to check all your charts for updates. 

 

We rely on our GPS and personal notes for the most part, but I would never cruise away from our home port without my charts.  We have had incidents when the GPS has gone "out" when on a cruise.  So I don't rely on it alone. 

 

 

Weather??  Now this is the one thing that you have absolutely no control over.  Especially on Lake Winnipeg.  This lake is relatively shallow for a lake of this size, especially in the South Basin.  A squall can come through on land with high wind and rain and leave nothing behind but a few puddles and a little excitement. 

 

 

But out on the lake that same squall, can whip up substantial waves.  And if the wind keeps up for any length of time those waves can build to be quite huge.   We know from experience that you don't want to be caught out there in that and you most CERTAINLY would not venture out into it. 

 

 

 

 

I LOVE LIVING ON BOARD OUR TRAWLER

MORE OF OUR FLORIDA TRIP

Dan's brother Dwight welcomed us to Florida.     

 

My readers should remember Debra and her husband Kevin, whom you met along with Dan's brother Dwight in my earlier blog of St.Patrick's Day in Texas.  

 

Later we were joined by another niece  Bonnie and her Brad.

 

 

That night we had a few toasts to Barb.  Then the next morning we took off to the other side of Florida, to West Palm Beach ,where Barb's favourite beach was.  That was where Barb and Dwight's third daughter Deanna was catching up with us. 

 

 

That night, we, including Dan's sister Brenda and her husband Gary, all gathered for dinner at the Blue Anchor restaurant and bar.

 

 

Our  three Thacker Nieces.  Bonnie, Deanna and Debra.

 

 

The next day was the Memorial service, which I covered in an earlier blog.  Before the little ceremony some had a refreshing swim in the ocean.  Then after the memorial the wind picked up a bit and we headed back to the hotel. 

 

 

Dwight put us all up at the beautiful Marriot Courtyard in West Palm beach.  We all spent a lot of time gathered pool side, well into the evenings. That was really, lovely. 

 

 

That night we all gathered again for dinner.  This time at The Old Key Lime House on the ocean. 

 

 

Another lovely dinner with family and friends reminiscing and sharing stories of Barb. 

 

 

 

Then it was back again to the west side of Florida and our flight from Tampa back to Winnipeg. 

 

 

 

 

NOW IT'S TIME TO GET TO OUR SPRING TODO LISTS

 

I LOVE THE FLORIDA WILD LIFE

The Geckos are so cute.  They are so common in Florida they are called house lizards.  

 

 

The Herons are just like at home except they are almost tame.  They hang around when they see someone fishing in the hopes of getting the unwanted catch.  This one hovered around even trying to swoop down onto the boat dock where Brad was fishing, but got spooked away. 

 

 

So when Brad did make a small catch he tossed it up onto the grass to him and we watched him flip it up and eat it.  You can see the big lump in his throat from the fish.  I guess that's how they got so tame.  

 

 

These little Egrets are so lovely darting around the yard.  I think they are after the Geckos. 

 

 

None of this wildlife seems timid or threatened in anyway. 

 

 

 

I ENJOYED IT

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT A LOVELY PLACE TO LIVE IF YOU HAVE A BOAT

Dan's brother Dwight lives in a house on a canal that runs out to the gulf. 

 He has a boat which he can park right behind the house and leave in the water all year round. 

The house is on a pie shaped lot at the end of a Cul du sac, which makes for a huge long water front area on this lot. 

 

The sea wall runs in two directions around the property where two canals come together. 

 

 

It makes for a lovely waterfront seating area with views in two directions.

 

 

 

 And being on the West coast of Florida it has beautiful sunsets. 

 

 

 

VERY NICE

BARB'S BEACH

 

This Beach in West Palm Beach was Barbs favourite, and so we gathered there to spread her ashes. 

 

 

We gathered to spread flowers and ashes in her memory.    

 

 

To share memories and stories and love.   

 

It was sad. 

It was beautiful.

 

 

We even had an appropriate Fly-By as the little ceremony ended.

 

 

She was such a wonderful, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, sister-in-law.

 

 

She will be missed. 

 

 

She will live on as long as she is remembered.