May 14, 2016 | Flotsam
This is more of a ‘pictures-tell-the-story’ post. Our launch for season 2016 was well in advance of the normal…at least two weeks from previous years. Our location on Lake of Two Mountains is dependent on waters from the Ottawa River and some years levels are too high to safely install quays and docks.
This year has given us a fourteen day bonus and the benefit of being last out for the season last year meant we were one of the first to launch this year.
Our Chauffeur with escort arrived early…
Many hands were on deck…
R.E.D. was strapped…
with supervision…
Lifted over the water…
…and down.
…safely splashed. Love these guys who take such good care of us and all the 200+ boats
We headed out immediately to fill the ballast with fresh lake water.
Captain at the helm to begin
…and me the second half.
The genny tracked really well through the wind over the radar dome which was reassuring. Final connections can now be made so we can test her out on the water under a variety of conditions before heading out for our summer adventure. Post about the radar very soon.
As always our little mascot, Piglet, was present with his perpetual smile….
SQUEEE!!
Oct 7, 2015 | Flotsam
Four amazingly frisky windy bone chilling days
heralded in the end of our 2015 sailing season.
With layer upon layer of warm clothing, gloves and hats,
(still in my flip flops though)
for sure our life vests,
and reefed sails
we headed out to grasp those last few hours before
lady R.E.D. is stripped for the winter months.
We weren’t disappointed.
Probably one of the most windy gusty outings of the year
but it was exhilarating.
…even the geese in the nearby field were leaving for a warmer climate…
…mackerel skies suggested a cold front was on its way…
…our bay was full of kite boarders,
catching the last of the frisky windy days of autumn…
Back safely at the dock we removed the sails,
unstepped the mast
to begin the inevitable winter preparations.
We still have another 2 weeks before R.E.D. is hauled out
but there are so many obligations and committments to address
before month-end.
There will be plenty of days and nights aboard
on the water then on land before the snow flies
but storing the sails well-aired and dry
and checking all the bits and pieces takes time and care.
(each season we remove all the lines and most of the hardware)
Another almost-sheared bolt on the boom will need replacing
but the rest looked good.
Then we treated ourselves to a belly-warming batch of Bulls Shots
(this recipe is definitely our fall fave)
…a pot of my boat chili…
…dug out my ‘monkey socks’…
…while Francois worked on his next electrical project…
(more to come on our ‘House 2’ installation)
…for those who had chosen to haul out early,
the service dock became the place to be,
boats lining up for the ‘crane ballet’.
At day’s end there were 50 fewer boats in the water…
…winds calmed by late afternoon…
We spent a very enjoyable evening in the club’s “Capitainerie’
with boat friends
sharing tales of summer’s adventures
and a glass or three of wine.
…then back to our nest for another beautiful sunset…
…all warmed and well fed.
Sep 21, 2015 | Flotsam
So it was…
the gift of time with good friends
and the gift of three days of perfect winds.
…mid-September and we are still enjoying our time onboard.
.
…we sailed nearly 40 nautical miles…
…we dodged ferries…
…we ducked under bridges…
…we weathered storms…
…getting caught in the middle of the lake in a squall was awesome!…
…we dined…
…oh yes, we dined…
…we shared times with friends…
…Captain even shared the helm…
…we drank…
…and when the sun set…
…we enjoyed the view…
….then slept with the angels.
