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.