1 More Week

7 more days. We move in a week. We can't wait. On the other hand there is a lot to do in a short amount of time. Somehow it'll all get done.

As much as I'm looking forward to getting situated in our new abode - leaving a house that I've had for 32 years... it'll take some getting used to. But our new home is loaded with character and has an incredible view of the river. I know the adjustment period will be a short one.

Right now though it's back to the packing.

We're Moving!

We're moving! That's right... we're packing up and moving - a whole 9 blocks. Our "new" home is 111 years old and it has character! It's tough to say what the best feature is but I'm pretty sure it's the location. The Mississippi River will be our front yard. We're excited and hope to be moved in before Christmas.

Fall Has Arrived

Where did the Summer go? It seems like just a few weeks ago we took delivery of our boat and now we're putting it away for the winter. I say 6 more weeks of Summer!

 We took one last boat ride Saturday afternoon. It was a really great day. The weather was perfect and we had a relaxing time on our way to the marina where we store for winter. It was about 6:45 when we arrived and this time of year it really cools off once the sun sets.

We tied up to the dock where our boat would wait its' turn in the winterizing line and then be set on blocks for the winter. We took one long look back at her tied up as we drove off. It's been a nice but short Summer.

Miah's First Boat Ride

After morning coffee we decided to spend a day on our boat. Since it was such a nice day and because our dog spends so much time alone while the first mate and I are working, we decided to treat Miah to a boat ride.

Miah is 55 pounds of energy - half Siberian Husky and half Lab - she loves to hang out with her people. So a trip in the car AND a boat ride in the same day? Too good to be true!

As soon as she heard her collar and leash she was sitting waiting for the collar to slip over her head. We stopped on the way to our slip for breakfast and Miah waited anxiously in the car, taking up residence behind the wheel. After a great breakfast in a local cafe we headed for our slip.

Miah had a bit of trouble figuring out how to board but once she figured it out she was right at home. We pulled out of our slip, stopped at the gas dock and then headed up river. After about 45 minutes we found a spot just off the main channel to anchor. We spent a few hours reading, enjoying the scenery and just relaxing. After a light lunch we hoisted anchor and headed south to find a place where Miah could play. We ended up in a sand pit and nosed the bow up onto the sandy bank. Miah wasted no time and hopped off onto the bank and began exploring. She sniffed, wandered and explored for awhile and then she apparently remembered that she loved being in the water. She waded in a few steps and sat down. Then the game was on - she went into one of her favorite routines; rip tearing up and down the beach and biting at the water. This went on for about 10 minutes and then she was done. She couldn't quite make it back up onto the boat so I picked her up and helped her onto the bow. After a quick paw wipe off she headed for a nap. She napped for most of the rest of our boat ride.

Another great day on the water.

Tired Puppy

Slacker

Yep, I'm a slacker! But that's okay, I can live with that. So it's been a while since I've written anything here. That's the nice thing about a Blog - you write when you have the time or desire - there's no pressure or deadline to meet.

It's been extremely hot and humid here the last couple of weeks and our boating time has been minimal because of that. It's awful tough to leave the comfort of the air conditioning. Plus... we've other things occupying our time on the weekends when we might otherwise be spending some time on our boat.

I have noticed that the water lilies are in full bloom and gorgeous. Here's a photo I took a few years ago right around this time of year that illustrates my point. In some spots these plants are like a carpet on the water.

I look forward to the coming weekend and hope to drag the first mate to the slip and spend some quality time on the mighty Mississippi!

Independence Day

First off... a big thank you to all of our troops for keeping us independent and allowing us the freedoms we usually take for granted.

This independence day instead of spending time on the river skiing, tubing or swimming we spent a day on our boat watching other people do all those things - and we had a great time doing it!

We headed out to one of the nearby sand pits and joined quite a few other boats who had picked that spot to anchor or beach their boats. We took some snacks and drinks and enjoyed the day reading, relaxing and people watching. One of the most entertaining activities to watch was a jet ski pulling a para-sail. It was a great day and a great weekend. Hope yours was too.

Slip Time

Last weekend we logged a lazy Sunday afternoon on our boat. We never left our slip but we had a great afternoon. It seems like just being aboard is a big component of the relaxation process. We cleaned, made some minor repairs / adjustments and had some snacks and beverages. There were a lot of boats out and since it was a designated "dry weekend", the DNR and other authorities were out in full force doing safety inspections and ticketing violators.

July 1st ushers in the change in the DUI law for boats. The legal limit drops from .1 to .08. I expect the July 4th Holiday will bring about another weekend of heavy patrols by the DNR and Coast Guard. Being on the river over the July 4th weekend has always reminded of going out on New Years Eve - lots of people who venture out once or twice a year.

We will undoubtedly be spending time on our boat over the weekend - will we leave the slip?...probably. Will we keep an extra sharp eye out for inexperienced folks on the water?...you bet!

Here's wishing everyone a safe and happy 4th!

Boat Repairs

Since we've owned this boat I've suspected charging system problems of some sort. We finally got to the bottom of the problem. During an inspection of the alternator I noticed the wire from the alternator to the batteries was broken off at the alternator. Could it be as simple as a broken wire? Not hardly. I crimped on a new terminal and made the connection. Still not charging. Next step - remove the alternator and have it checked out repaired. Turns out the rotor was shorted, the windings were burnt up and the regulator was shot. Not much left to repair so a replacement was in order. Today the replacement was installed and now we are charging normally. Grand total for the repair - $179 including 2 new belts (not to mention a few small cuts and knuckle bruises).

After the repairs were finished we headed out for an afternoon cruise and spent a leisurely 2 hours on the great Mississippi enjoying the beautiful weather. We eased back into our slip and buttoned up the canvas and then headed home, having satisfied our boating cravings at least temporarily.

Next up - some courtesy light replacements...

The Bugs Are Out!

It's that time of the year again. The time when millions of bugs invade all places close to the water. With all the Spring rains there will undoubtedly be a bumper crop of the little critters this year. Hopefully they won't last long.

I'm writing this from the deck and the bugs aren't too bad... until the breeze stops and then their amazing ability to be a pest comes out. Officially know as the Caddisfly, they're basically harmless - that is until they appear in large numbers. They are a nuisance for sure and really make a mess of outdoor activities.

Nobody seems to know why there are so many this year The weather can't seem to make up its' mind which may be a part of the bug crop. Last week it was in the high 90s and this week in the 50s.

Whatever the cause, it's hard to spend too much time outside without flailing away at your face!

Memorial Day

Memorial Day 2011 - 90 degrees, 54% humidity, sunny skies. The heat was offset by a brisk 30-40 mph breeze and of course by being on the water. There were lots of boats out this Holiday weekend - everything from 12' jon boats to big cruisers. Pontoon boats must be hot sellers because they are everywhere.

Looking towards the main channel from our slip

We slept in and got to the marina around 11:00 am. We took down all the side canvas and left the top on for some shade. After our guests arrived we backed out of the slip and headed to the fuel dock. This is the first time we have gassed up since we took delivery and weren't sure what to expect for fuel costs. The fuel gauge is working but we're not used to the boat quite yet so we had no idea how accurate it might be. To our surprise it only took 14 gallons to fill it up.

Fueled up and ready for a day on the water, we shoved off and headed downstream to one of the many "sand pits" and pulled up onto the soft sand bank and gave a little burst of throttle to "plant" the bow. Radio on, check - cold adult beverage in hand, check - let the relaxation commence! With the breeze it was really comfortable and the top canvas provided a shady escape from the sun. We spent the afternoon there and it was very relaxing. We people watched, chatted, had lunch, and just enjoyed the picture perfect day. Our guests even braved the cold water and took a quick dip. We packed up and headed back to the marina late in the afternoon and as we nudged  into our slip I think everyone on board remarked what a great day it had been.  That's what it's all about! Happy Memorial Day!

On a side note: 2 times today we saw potential disasters. Both involved PWCs and both were incidents where the rider fell off and did not have the kill switch lanyard connected, meaning the jet-ski kept running with no rider. In both cases someone from a nearby boat had to assist in recovering the run-away jet-ski. Not a good situation. It's beyond me why people are so careless on the river. Maybe it's the "it'll never happen to me" attitude or maybe it's just ignorance.

Frustratingly Fun!

Yesterday we took delivery of our boat and had our maiden voyage. The weather forecast called for rain but it turned out to be a beautiful day, made even more so by being back on the water.

I won't lie - I had quite a few stressful moments. I owe the first mate a lot to make up for my crankiness!

Here's how the day went after we got on the water. We headed North and soon discovered that our boat is very S L O W. But that's perfectly fine with us. After an hour or so of cruising we stopped in a secluded spot and dropped anchor. It was picture perfect blue sky and high fluffy clouds. We listened to the radio, sipped on some adult beverages and explored the nooks and crannies of our new home on the water.

After a couple hours we decided to head for our slip. Battery switch to 1, turn the key and click - click - click. No...can't be. One more try - same result. Several minutes of choice words later, turn battery switch to 2 - same. All our batteries dead??? Great! Now what? We were alone except for a pontoon boat pretty far away. Luckily the one thing I did remember in my excitement of the morning was a loud whistle. I grabbed the whistle and blew while the first mate waved her arms. We got their attention and they headed our way. No jumper cables but the pontoon couple was amazingly nice. They gave us a ride to the marina. We took our car to Wal-Mart and bought 2 new batteries and some basic tools (yes I forgot those too in my excitement of the morning). We went back to the marina and the pontoon couple gave us a ride back to our boat and waited while I replaced the battery and got the engine running. We arrived at the marina around 6 pm and after 1 failed attempt I managed to bang into our slip.

Lessons learned:

1. A 25 year old boat requires a lot of patience
2. People on the river are great
3. I forgot how to dock a boat
4. A slight breeze can really push a boat this size
5. You can never have too many ropes
6. Always be prepared for the worst situation you can imagine
7. I have the best first mate I could ever ask for

I can't wait to go back and learn more lessons!

Middle of May

It's the middle of May and it feels like the middle of October. What a wild Spring. A week ago I scraped frost off the car windshield. A few days later is was 91 degrees. This morning it's cloudy, dreary and 55 degrees. We are hoping to get our new (to us) boat in the water next Saturday. It would be nice if Spring hurried up to accommodate us. The First Mate agrees, especially since she seems to be cold until the temperature is at least 80.

Flood Photos

Finally got around to downloading some pictures from my camera.

This is from 4/21/2011 looking towards Iowa.

This one is from 4/30/2011 taken from about the same spot.

This is looking North from the public boat ramp on 4/21/2011.

Same spot on 4/30/2011.

This picture was taken on 4/30/2011. The water was still high although receding. Just to the left is a sign that reads, "Caution Low Water".

Where's Spring?

As I look out at the river from our deck I'm thinking it sure doesn't feel much like Spring. Glancing over at the thermometer I see it's a balmy 57 degrees with dark clouds filling the sky. I can see across the river to Iowa and notice there are still a lot of bare trees for the last week of April. Another 10 degrees and a bit of sunshine would make a world of difference. There's always tomorrow...

She Keeps on Rolling

Finally the crest has come and gone. What's ahead is weeks of cleanup for many and waiting for the water level to recede to normal levels. We've found a slip for the Summer and we're anxious to get our new (to us) boat in the water and take our maiden cruise. With the price of gas continuing to creep up and up, we may be spending the majority of our on water time at the slip or on the anchor in some secluded spot.

It's raining again today and cool. The river is calm on the surface but the volume of water must be incredible. Judging by the movement of the drift in the water the current must be running along at around 6 MPH. Hopefully the levels drop faster than predicted so we can get on the water.

The Search Concludes

Today we became boat owners once again. We bought a 26' Imperial Cruiser. A FC260 to be exact. She's a 1986 vintage and in decent shape and one of her best features is the 10' beam - unusual on a boat of her size. We looked at a lot of boats and most did not live up to the photos used in their advertisements. We looked at a few Sea Rays and a couple of Carvers and were disappointed by the shape they were in.

We researched the Imperial brand and didn't find too much information. What information we did find was not very encouraging. But...the price was right and she appears to be a solid boat. Time will tell but we are looking forward to enjoying our time on the water. Now it's time for a few phone calls to find a slip - a place that will be our home away from home for the Summer months.

Speaking of the water, the river is over its' banks now with crest expected in another 4 or 5 days. The rain today is not helping the situation. With the high winds and the high water, the river was in another of her angry dispositions.

Mad River

The great Mississippi was mad today. The wind was blowing and the water was rough with whitecaps. It's strange the way that the exact same section of the river can have so many different appearances depending on weather and time of day. The same stretch of water that was smooth as glass on the trip upriver can turn angry with big rolling waves that hammer away at the hull on the return trip a few hours later.


Today the river woke up mad and stayed that way all day. What mood she'll be in tomorrow is anyone's guess. One thing is certain - she'll be there waiting to show anyone who takes the time to notice, just how special she is.

Summer River Scenes

There's Something In The Water

Those who live along the Mississippi seem to form a special bond with it. They recognize its' moods and character. They live on its' banks. They walk along the pathways and trails that surround it. They boat on it for fun and for business. They fish... from its' banks - and from expensive fishing boats that fly from one fishing spot to the next. They reflect on its' beauty and recognize the power and force of the mighty giant.

Yep, that must be it. Must be something in the water.

Late March

High water is here. Many cities along the Upper Mississippi are filling sandbags and preparing for flooding. This could delay the beginning of the boating season into late may. There are varying predictions on how bad the flooding will be. Stay tuned...

We're landlubbers at the moment. We sold our old boat in the Spring of 2010 and spent all of last year on dry land. We are now looking for our next boat. We're hoping to pick up a used cruiser. There are lots of them for sale - it's just a matter of finding the right one. For now we're "window shopping" & waiting for the shrink wrap to come off so we can do some serious looking.