Marina Trip

Since we are still making plans about how/when to begin actively participating in the Great Loop exploration, we are having to think about where to move the boat. Since she sits in a land locked Texas lake, the only thing we can do is have her hauled somewhere (yes, we are saving our pennies for the boat hauler!). We can either haul her to the Texas coast and then start from there, or we can haul her to the river system in Tenn/Al/Miss and start from there. Part of that decision rests with WHEN do we get to start really staying on the boat and traveling for any length of time. Because that will be influenced by the hurricane season - we don't want to motor around the gulf or the east coast from about July - Nov.
So this week between Christmas and New Year's we are traveling around looking at marinas in the Pickwick lake area of the above mentioned states. We visited three marinas there:
Grand Harbor, Aqua Yacht Harbor and the Pickwick Landing State Park. Grand Harbor was a little too grand and more like a housing community, plus the road to the marina was very windy and hilly,
The Pickwick Park was very nice - both park and marina. It would be a possibility, but there is a waiting list of 2 - 4 years for a covered slip. The transient slips though would certainly be a possibility for a short term stay.

Looking from the office toward the covered slips.

The transient slips -temporarily full of sailboats.

The second marina is the one we like best. This is Aqua Yacht Harbor. It is where the boat would have to be launched anyway. It is complete with all of the necessary equipment. The slips look good. There are lots of amenities (laundry, showers, cafe, excersice equipment and pool). We met one of the workers, an office staff person and a very nice couple who live on their boat. The harbor master, however, was off for the holidays so we did not get to talk with him, but we think we found out a great deal. This marina is located on the "Yellow Creek" area of the lake and from here it would not be a long trip to get into the Tombigbee Waterway (which would be a necssary trip to get to the Gulf of Mexico eventually).

We also saw the Pickwick Dam and lock. My first lock to ever actually see. Unfortunately it was slow traffic and we just missed seeing a tug pushing several barges go through. The lock is on the other side of this wall.

We also crossed the Tombigbee Waterway - kind of quiet. No boats their either.

We drove to Birminghan and ate dinner last night with diving friends, Bill and Donna Goodwin, who we met in Bonaire last fall on a dive trip. They take the most fantastic photographs and videos of the underwater world! They have both won awards and received recognition for their work. I put a link to their photo work on this blog.

Next, we are off toward Mobile to check out marina possibilities there!

Update

It's not that things haven't been happening and therefore I haven't posted. Many of those things had nothing to do with Hey Jude, just with life in general. And that would take too long to write about! But as for our future adventure and the vehicle to get us there....

My birthday was in November and I asked for and received a sewing machine. Yes, I already own two others, but this one will enable me to sew the enclosures and other items for the boat. We had a bad experience with the business that sewed our enclosures for Bon Dia and did not want to go through that again. Plus, this would be cheaper  (as long as I am successful with the finished products). So I was given beautiful little red Sailrite Ultrafeed LS-1 machine. Here is the link from the Sailrite company:

 http://www.sailrite.com/Ultrafeed-LS-1-Sewing-Machine-Straight-Stitch-Walking-Foot

Now, because I sew a lot of things for Christmas presents, that had to be done first, so I have only started on one small project using the new machine. BUT.... more to come right after the holidays.
I will add one more thing - the Sailrite folks are great. They will get on the phone with you and give you the pros and cons of which machine to buy to meet your needs. They will talk to you about measurements so you order just the right amount of fabric (which is expensive). They have tons of free video downloads to help with projects as well as DVD's you can buy. I will post more as I get more machine time.

New Name and other Stuff

Well it has been a busy late summer. First of all we have been suffering mightly due to the drought. It has been unbelievably hot - over 100 for 30 + days and no rain at all. Water restrictions rule. Everyone had to give up on grass and just try for saving the trees. Some of the small ones won't make it, I'm sure.

Thanks to Philip's creativity, we were able to collect shower and washing machine water in two big barrels and then use that water to water the big oaks and other trees a hose couldn't reach.

And then there is the lake. Marinas have had to be moved accross the lake to deeper waters. Ramp access has been closed in many places. Luckily Lake Travis Marina, our boats' home sits in deep water. We have had to move out away from the shore, but we are still ok. More and more of the shoreline gets exposed every day. This picture shows Starnes Island behind our boat. Look at how much of that island is usually below the water's surface!

We have managed to still have fun. We took the Manatee out on the lake back in August for the first time. Our friends Kurt and Karen went with us to make sure we made it out and in. All systems worked well. We even docked and went for a swim. At first we could not get the anchor to work, but finally discovered that we didn't have a switch thrown the correct way. So, we stopped in a little cove, achored up, swam and then made it back safely into the marina!

We registerd the Manatee with the coast guard. Papers were received but we still have not received any official paperwork back. So... now we are stuck in the marina. But, meanwhile we did choose a name and put the lettering on our little trawler. We haven't officially christened her yet, but soon.
..... And her name is.....

A Slideshow of the Loop

I don't, of course, have my own pictures of the Loop to show yet. I visit other folks' blogs to read and see what they have seen as they motor down the waterways of the ICW or down the rivers. But here is a link to a slideshow put together by the Favors. This couple have been on the water for some time now through at least two boats. They've written a book and have lots of info on the internet. Click on this link when you have a few minutes to view America and other places from a "boats' eye view".
http://favorsventures.com/slideshows/gl/index.html

Catching Up

I have been very negligent in posting. I have to get better if I am going to do this while we cruise!!

First, let me say that we HAVE MOVED the trawler over to our marina. Yes, now we have two rather large boats in two slips at LTM. Back in April, Erickson Marine finally finished with all of our repairs. As is typical with boat repair, but compounded by the fact that our Manatee is a older and maybe a little complex boat... repairs took a while. Here is a list of all that was done:

1.Repaired fiberglass stringers
2.Repaired shaft log/tube leak
3.Removed glass thru-hull mounting locations
4. Added a bilge pump
5. Aligned engine
6. Repainted transom platform

We went to visit often, began loading "stuff" onboard. Sighed and "gazed wistfully" upon her and waited. Finally, the call came, that all was done. She was in the water in a slip at Emerald Point and all had been stable for three days.
So.. off we went, credit card in hand and went to see her and get a walkthrough of all that was accomplished. Indeed, she looked good.

Terry of Erickson Marine gave us a rundown of all that was done and how to get her out of the marina. We paid and staggered back to the truck. Went to LTM with the plan of coming back that night to make the move. But.. it was a little windy and we were a little nervous. Plus we had to move Bon Dia over to a friend's slip to make room for the Manatee.So we hesitated, ate out at Pino's, visited with friends and made a plan for the next morning when the winds would be less. At 3:45a.m. that morning, after a night's sleep bothered by worry, PD finally said, "I can't sleep, let's go."
So, in those wee hours, we moved Bon Dia, tied her up in the borrowed slip. We drove to Emerald Point, left the truck and boarded the Manatee. We talked about our plan for untying, moving out of the marina and out around some high spots in the marina waters and making our way to her new home. We made it out of the slip and out into open waters. We chugged our way home, with PD stopping to practice some backing up strategies. Remember, this was his first time to do this alone, so practice was a good idea.

We discussed our plans for tying the boat up in the new slip as we drove. We also observed just how slow our "top speed" will be as we cruise in the future. Gone are the days of speeding up and down the lake like the "go fast" boats. We got the the marina and entered. NO ONE was awake and up to watch us, which was fine. PD did a remarkable job; in fact a perfect job. The wind had actually already begun to stir, adding to our nervousness. But you would have never know he was concerned. All went well. We played a little with how to tie her up and all was done. She was home and we were tired. Marina friends arose to our new boat.
Now... Did I mention we have a BOAT FOR SALE? We still need to find a home for our Sea Ray. We listed it with Sail and Ski and are keeping our fingers crossed for a quick sale.

We Really Have Made Progress

Ok, I know it's been a long time since I have posted. It is just because so much has been going on. Family additions, family visits and work. Yeah, if we only didn't have to go to work...
So, to recapture all that has happened.

1. Our Sea Ray is for sale. It is a little sad. We ordered this boat back in 2005. We traveled to Tennesse to the Sea Ray factory to see it being built. And she,Bon Dia has served us well. We've spent many, many nights on her. We made her a good home in Lake Travis Marina. We partied on her. Had family visits on her. And now it's time to find her a new owner. It's not good to own two boats, not healthy for our pocketbook.

2. Our new boat, the Manatee, spent a little while longer in the boat yard, than we expected. A few more issues were identified to be corrected. So, we would go each weekend possible, to visit her. We put some additional things on her when we could. Some things for the galley, some linens, floats, etc. But then came the time that they guys had to work in the engine compartment which meant removing the floor panels and climbing in and out of the engine area and scrubbing around on our great looking teak floor. So, Philip did a great job of covering up as much as possible with carboard, brown paper and tape. Then when the guys started having to work with fiberglass, they put big sheets of plastic all over everything. At that point, our visits could only be one the outside. No more climbing up the ladder and over the sides.

Tales of a Trawler

If the rest of my life with all of its trials and tribulations wasn't going on, I would have done a better job of posting about the "birth" of Bon Dia II. But of course, that is life... trials, triumphs, failures, successes. So, more about those things later.

As a part of the purchasing process, we had a survey done. Here in our area of the state, there is one surveyor one wants, if you are the purchaser. His reputation for attention to detail is unsurpassed. In fact, the often said statement is "There has never been a boat that he really likes, because he will always find everything there is that could be wrong with a boat." So... we turned to him. The inspections was done, items to be fixed were listed. This in turn, affected our initial offering price to the boat owner. The finaly price was agreed upon and we purchased our Kadey Krogan 34 foot Manatee. I will leave out all of the financing negotiations, paperwork, trips to sign paperwork, etc. Our boat went from the slip in a different Marina here on Lake Travis to the boat repair facility and up out of the water.

These are the things that are currently being worked on:

- Worn cutlass bearing
- Removal and repair of area around five thru hulls
- Reinstallation of three thru hulls
- Minor fiberglass repair and reglassing of stringers
- Installation of second high water alarm and second bilge pump

While in the boat, working on it the boat repair folks are also putting on a new epoxy barrier coat and applying ablative bottom paint.

Before we allowed the work to begin, we went inside and put down protective coverings - carboard and plastic mostly. We took up all the cushions, stored them in the stateroom and removed the table and comfortable chair.

Moving Right Along

We have now made progress toward our upcoming venture. And it is a little scary. At the moment we own two boats! We did purchase the trawler we want to cruise the Great Loop in. AND... we still own the cruiser that we have have enjoyed for many, many weekends on Lake Travis.
It will be a little sad to let go of Bon Dia, the Sea Ray. We ordered her back in 2005. We even went to the factory in Tenn. to see her being built. We have three of our grandsons'pictures taken on the back of the boat as little babies on their first boat ride. We have partied off the back of that boat, in the water, in the marina many times. We added a TV, a very thick mattress, a cushion on the bow for great sunbathing, and lots more. With great thought, we came up with her name. "Bon Dia" means good day, on the island of Bon Aire, which is our favorite place to scuba dive.

And now we own a Kadey Krogan Manatee. We have certainly evolved in our ownership of boats. We have gone from the testosterone loaded Baja, "go fast" boat, to a small cruiser, then a larger cruiser, and now to a trawler. She is a wide, squatty thing. Lots of wood. But she is more of a home than just a place to visit. At the moment, she is "on the hard" having some repairs done. (More about that in another posting.) We are anxious to get her back in the water and start enjoying her. We are also anxious to find the Sea Ray a new owner. Anyone want to buy a boat??

The entrance to our new boat. We think we will christen her, "Bon Dia II"?

We Bought a Boat!

Ok, so we took the plunge. Bought a trawler. Now what. Life gets in the way. Well, and we have to sell the first boat. Have another grandbaby. Settle a parent's estate and oh yeah, keep working. But.... we bought a boat, one we can live on to travel. Heck.. one we could just live on if we wanted.

More pictures to come... We bought a boat!!

Teacher Retirement

We know a couple who were both teachers and are now retired. I regret that I can't say that we know them even better than we do. Honestly, they are really more like really good aquaintances. I now see that I squandered an opportunity a few years ago to know them much better.
I keep up with them now by email though. They are retired and travel almost constantly it seems. Sometimes here in the States, but often in other countries. They stay often in hostels. They hike and camp a lot. Sometimes, their travel is to the homes of friends. I am sure they have mastered the art of traveling light. Right now they are in Costa Rica and I believe this is at least their second time to travel to this delightful country.
I have lifted a picture from their recent travel, which I don't think they would mind.
So, contrary to my original post, stating that there aren't many examples of what people are doing in their retirement phase of life - here is a great example.

I think this is a wonderful lifetime adventure our friends are on. They have slept in a tent in Africa and stayed in several hostels in many countries. They were both teachers so I have the feeling they are pretty darn organized in planning their trips. And then there is their blog with journal and pictures. I don't have their permission to post a link. Maybe in the future I can do this.
But this is definately a couple, yes a boomer couple, who is making the most of this time in their lives.

Early Morning Visitor

We live in the country. And so we expect to have some wildlife. And over the years we have had skunks, buzzards, armadillo, a variety of snakes, porcupine, a wandering horse, the neighbors cows and a burrow. But last week, we had a true surprise. A little fox found its way early one morning to our carport. The dogs were inside the house, but saw it and alerted us. I managed to get a couple of pictures. Sadly, this little guy appeared to be sick. I watched it have a seizure right under the car. But it recovered and trotted off. The very nice county animal control office received a call from another neighbor who spotted it. She tried to locate it, but couldn't. It will either die on its own or have to be put down. But it was a sweet faced little visitor to our home.

Purging

I am in the PURGING ERA of my life. It is apparently a cosmic event. Several happenings have aligned or maybe collided in my universe. And surprisingly I have found it to be very relieving. All the things I have felt obligated to save are being re-examined. The furniture, clothes, personal effects of deceased relatives has cluttered my life for several years. My own personal life clutter (toys from my babyhood for example that no longer work, feel good or look good!)is a part of this. And then those mementos of my children's early lives (a box of corasages, now crushed, faded, long forgotten,checkbooks,ticket stubs, etc). So while all of this "stuff" continued to accumulate, the cosmic events unfolded.
I had watched several episodes of a TV show on HGTV called "Clean House" and often heard the host say to people who needed help organizing/cleaning their homes and who were having a hard time ridding themselves of something that had belonged to a dead relative - "This table (substitute chair, picture, coat,etc) is not your grandmother. She's gone and she can't hate you for letting go of this THING! You have her memory. I now, often use those words when I am looking at something and trying to decide on whether to keep it or let it go.
Secondly, I have had to help my husband in dealing with the estate of his mom who lived a very long life and was a collector of many things. As he went through the items she had stored and I saw sadly how much clutter she had left him to deal with, I swore I would not do this to my children. So I began to take a serious look at what I had.
The third event involves the temporary addition to our home of a daughter, grandchild and soon to be new baby, while our son-in-law must work elsewhere and come home when able. This has required a lot of shifting of THINGS to enable them to have some personal room and privacy.
And finally, my husband do have this plan to live between home and a boat (more about that soon). So downsizing is most needed. I have become obessed, I think. I was given a Kindle for Christmas, which I never thought I would like. I have now given myself permission to get rid of the many, many books I have read once, then sat on a shelf to admire (did this satisfy a need to make me look smart to others??)Books are only old friends if you visit them once in a while. I tell myself now to share them with someone who will visit them by holding them and reading.
I have visited several websites about organizing,de-cluttering, simplifying one's life. There is a lot of info out there. Apparently many baby-boomers have over-collected and are in the same situation as me.
I do feel lighter in a way now. I'm not finished. I couldn't yet move into a smaller house if needed. But I'm working on it.

Retirement in the UK

I have found a blog about parellel retirement in the UK. Just as we are considering retiring and living part time on a boat and cruising the rivers of America, there are people in the UK doing the same thing. Well... sort of. They are retiring and living on "longboats" and cruising the canals and rivers of the UK. I listed one of their blogs down below as one of my favorites. Open it and look at the wonderful pictures. Makes me even more ready!!

MLK Day

Lots of people off today to honor MLK. Those of us who were kids in the 60's of course remember this man, his dream, and his death. We certainly went through our share of lost leaders in our time. Thinking of how his death came much quicker than he expected is a reminder to me of how even a man who is devoting his life to doing great things, can lose his life quickly. Would I have wanted him to have not done all of the things he did in his lifetime. Of course not. I'm just sorry he didn't get to enjoy the fruits of his labors. And I am reminded to enjoy mine.

Unexpected Decision

I have acquaintances that retired and moved to Mexico. They loved it. I have friends who bought that property and cabin in Colorado. That is where they and bought a townhouse on the beach in Florida and are rearranging their Texas life to retire in Florida. I know a couple who retired to a nudist community in Florida. And of course, there are the many that bought a big motorhome and now tour the country or travel north to south and back yearly as “snowbirds”.  So as my husband and I approached the years of cutting back on the daily grind of regular work, we began to ponder what our future living situation might be…

Along the way, we had “lake friends” who not only retired “to their boat”, but they went on The Great American Loop (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_loop).  We paid only minor attention to their planning, boat purchase, house selling, and even their actual departure. We did, however, follow their two year trip via their flicker journal. Upon their return to our lake, and our subsequent visiting, something changed in us.

I believe, the events in our lives that occur for many people in their 50’s (arrival of grandchildren, deaths of parents and friends, and changes in our interests) coincided with the vicarious journey we made via our friends, and so....our adventure was born. Or at least the initial planning was born.  We are going to join the many retirees who cruise. However, our cruise will not be on the big cruise giants of the ocean, but on our own boat and on the rivers and east coast waterway of the United States.

Welcome 2011

Fireworks on New Year's Eve in San Antonio.
May 2011 be the best year so far, for all of us.