Apr 27, 2016 | Adventures 2016, Road Trips
I wasn’t really sure how to categorize this post. It involves a personal road trip to visit my kids on the East Coast but it also brought us along part of the path we will take on this year’s adventure…
…so I split the difference and am calling it part ‘Road Trip’ and part ‘Adventure 2016’
St-Lawrence River
Adventure 2016
Windmill Farm, Tantramar, NB
We had an all too brief visit to welcome the newest member of the family…
…and catch up with the grandkids.
…even the mundane was special for us.
…how quickly they grow.
…a little farther East for the rest of the visit…
…more grandbaby time and walking lessons.
…and a little reno help and a drive along the shore.
Could this be part of our future?
Beautiful St-Margaret’s Bay, NS
We returned with great memories…
East Coast Pirate Treat
…and a bottle of our fave rum for those Dark ‘n Stormy nights onboard R.E.D.
Apr 8, 2016 | Adventures 2016, Road Trips
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
Piglet, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book. ~ A. A. Milne
With wintery cold clinging to April we felt a strong need to get out of our ‘corner of the forest’. A road trip north and a long overdue visit with friends was just what these two weary sailors needed.
SO cold!
First a stroll through the village. You know you are no longer in the big city when people look you in the eye and greet you with a nod and a friendly smile.
Artisan Shops
Crispy Cold Trails
A hike at 1200′ left me breathless. Yup, I that out of shape!
Walk through the neighbourhood
Then we dined. Oh! did we dine! Amazing food. Laughter, tears and stories shared.
Delicious Home Cooked Meals
Brunch to Die For
Freshly Baked Croissants
A special mention must go to Monique (I did promise you your own blog post dear lady). Thank you for sharing your sailing stories and for taking the time to find us one of your beautiful creations in appropriate colours for R.E.D. We are all adventurers at heart.
Hand-loomed tea towel
And a big thank you to our welcoming generous hosts.
We came for the friendship but left with full bellies and good memories
…and caramels (at the time of this writing there remain just four, equally shared this time I may add).
Deadly Delicious Evil Treats (our host’s secret recipe carefully guarded as it should be)
Mar 6, 2016 | Adventures 2016, Mods and Maintenance, Road Trips
It was an offer we couldn’t refuse.
Pig the Navigator
We packed a breakfast picnic, brewed some coffee and headed out before dawn.
Adirondack Scenery
Perfect road weather and beautiful scenery along the way.
Achilles Tender
The chance to visit with friends and to inspect our prize – little R.E.D.
Inflation Test
Once back home, Francois couldn’t wait to re-inflate and inspect her. She showed some signs of wear but was in incredibly good shape for an eleven year old.
Cleaners
What we used to clean her:
A paste of baking soda and Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
A combination of Mary Kate Hull & Bottom Cleaner and Aqua Tek Dinghy Cleaner
My plastic pan scraper (for the barnacles)
Several hours of Captain’s elbow grease.
A rinse with vinegar and water.
A final coating of Aqua Tek Vinyl Guard for UV protection.
Barnacle Remover
12 hours of Elbow Grease
Can you see the difference?
Repaired and Ready to Go
Cover all washed and strap repaired.
I have to add a little side story about rinsing. We live in an apartment condo with two elevators. We had to deflate Little R.E.D. a little so she could fit into the larger of the two elevators. Imagine the two of us dragging her down the hallway, struggling to get her into the elevator, inject a few choice words exchanged here, an expedition into the garage so we could spray her well with vinegar then rinse well with water to remove the last residue of cleaner. We dried her well with a chamois then repeated the elevator performance. We have to really love this life and each other to be doing these things.
The ‘After’
Who but crazy sailors would proudly photo op their new-to-them dinghy on their living room table? But she does look good.
Indeed she does!
