Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Thursday, 20 April 2017
Life
I start in a place that the city hasn't improved, a shoreline with a steep bank and a greasy mud surface. There is a little thin layer of ice in parts of the south lagoon and I paddle along the south facing shore up next to the bare birch trees, stunted by the beaver and the less than ideal soil. The winter sun warms anything that lies up against winter birches. Not just here, but anywhere.
There are several new beaver scent mounds in the east channel. They are still just muddy smears on rocks or high spots, but the smear trailing from the water shows that it is the beaver. One of the mounds is topped with a golf ball, and it is not the first time that I have seen this. By chance, pure chance, I spot a small woodpecker overhead, the wood that it is working on so rotten that the pecking makes no sound. Only the rapid movement caught by the side of my eye catches my attention.
The east marsh is a winter marsh today, the cattails browned, the trees bare, a smear of ice on the easternmost third, and a north wind icing the visitors ears. There are no ducks, which is strange. From the far side I look back to the east channel and spot an eagle in a tree. I wonder if I passed directly under it without noticing. I no longer wonder why there are no ducks here.
I cut straight across the bay, directly into the wind, with the bow pointed at the railroad islands. Birdwatchers are on the north point, so I steer quite wide of any ducks and head into the NE lagoon, grabbing a car tire from the mud as I go. Again, the NE lagoon is empty of ducks, possibly the eagles were here earlier. There is, however, one great blue heron busy with successful hunting on the north shore. I stay long enough to see that this heron is eating well,
and I let the wind blow me out towards the bay.
There is a new dirtberg arisen from the lake and it has been commandeered by cormorants, as usual. They take off when I am way to far off and I spot an eagle. There might be two because it seems that every duck in mid bay is in the air and coot flocks are skittering over the surface in silver splashes in all directions.
Hugging the north shore, I surprise a snipe. A large bird flies directly at me, seems to be a seagull as no other bird is so bold with people, but it is a red tailed hawk passing by ten feet from me. I get the clearest look that I have ever got of its namesake.
I edge the cattail islands south, hoping to see more snipe. And, I do....two from number 2 island and one from the birch island. Their camouflage means that they are near impossible to spot until they take wing.
I head west, through the crossing under place, and down the dead lake with the wind behind me.
Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Captain Ralphs logs The life of a delivery captain
The life of a boat delivery captain is more often than not a easy or glamorous job. They can delivery new boats, not so new boats, and boats they wished they never stepped on the deck of. My friend Ralph has been doing this for a long time and as a consequence he has learned bad stuff on boats can and will happen on occasion. Engines crap out always at the worst times. They can also on occasion catch fire or sink. Navigation electronics and autopilots fail when you need them the most and the weather always has to be accommodated. The list of stuff that inconveniently breaks on a boat is almost endless. As a matter of fact it's a rare boat that everything on it is actually working. Ralph has to know the basics of almost every navigation system ever made, and he's a decent a 101 engine mechanic under duress.
As you can imagine over some metaphorical beers Whiskey Tango Foxtrot boat escapades flow right out of him. Ralph keeps a daily log of his trips, and through his eyes you are going to read his trip logs here on the Rant and the first one is fraught with problems. Did you know you can deliver a large boat on the water almost all the way to Tulsa Oklahoma? I didn't, and at times during this trip Ralph wishes he didn't either. Along the way Ralph adds in some some "Fun Facts" and comments about where he is.
As you can imagine over some metaphorical beers Whiskey Tango Foxtrot boat escapades flow right out of him. Ralph keeps a daily log of his trips, and through his eyes you are going to read his trip logs here on the Rant and the first one is fraught with problems. Did you know you can deliver a large boat on the water almost all the way to Tulsa Oklahoma? I didn't, and at times during this trip Ralph wishes he didn't either. Along the way Ralph adds in some some "Fun Facts" and comments about where he is.
The first log details a trip from St Petersburg FL to Muskogee Oklahoma via the Mississippi in a 65' power yacht. At a minimum this should dissuade anyone who has contemplated a nostalgic pleasure boat trip up the Mississippi river that it's not a good idea.
The second one coming up is a trip to Cuba which will be of interest if you're planning to travel there. Other trips will follow. These are Ralph's words and photos. I have redacted some names and phone numbers from the logs and I added a little punctuation for clarity in a few places. Other than that I have left it alone. You will find the link to these expeditions in the sidebar to the right below Panbo titled Captain Ralph's logs and adventures. These are good reads, and in some cases cautionary tales.
Monday, 6 March 2017
Introduction to life in an RV
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We find Odin the Winnebago at Camping World in Bartow, FL. We leave a deposit on Friday the 24th, but couldn't do a test drive because the slide wouldn't go in. Yep, RV's are just like boats. A disadvantage of a house that moves--waiting for parts! We take a day off. Then it is errands (laundry, switch over cell phones, run back to Green Cove Springs to pick up a few packages and get our voter registration verification...). Check out of our rental in Jacksonville and drive BACK to a hotel in Bartow. (Princess Amelia is NOT be happy! She liked that apartment.)
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"The Ultimate Behemoth. It has it's own satellite!" Link: YouTube Homer Buys an RV |
Princess Amelia and her posse check into a hotel in Lakeland, FL for the weekend. The good news is the part is in and the slide is working. The bad news is our test drive isn't until Monday. What do we do while we wait? I'm watching RV videos on YouTube and making road trip mixes. The Captain is sketching paint schemes and binging on Netflix. The secret to living together in small spaces? EARBUDS!
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| Link: YouTube Janis Joplin, Me & Bobby McGhee |
We pack up everything and checked out of the hotel on Monday. Amelia goes along on the test drive and sits through the closing, but when we arrive at the campground the RV is HOT! 90F inside. "It takes awhile to cool down. At least a couple days but definitely overnight." OK. I start unpacking the new sheets, towels, toilet paper, paper towels, soap, some basic dishes and our clothes. After 3 hours, the temperature has gone UP to 93F. We're out. Grab the cat and head back to the hotel. We spend the next day at the service center and we are finally able to spend the night on Tuesday the 28th, eleven days after landing in Florida!
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| Back into our land yacht just in time for our first storm... |
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| Our first sunset |
Amelia has discovered she can't get under the bed, but has found 2 cabinets to crawl into instead. She's also likes curling up in the driver's foot well, "The last place I want her to be..."
The Colonel has been to the hardware store and I make one more grocery run before returning the car. Odin the Winnebago is our sole source of transportation. Here goes nothing!
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| Our nautical touch |
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| RV life vs boat life: ice cream for lunch, because we can! |
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| The Clampett sun shades |
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| The copilot chair spins around--perfect spot for my nest. |
Another day spent in the customer lounge while they work on the a/c. The cat wearing a harness is the talk of the store...
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| Amelia taking over the Camping World customer lounge. |
At one point, Princess Amelia was sitting in the beige chair in the background. She gave a man the stink eye when he acted like he might want to sit there. Another customer in the next recliner over, was laughing so hard she was crying. All the employees did a double take and stopped to say hello. "I remember when we would be plucking her off the ceiling if we tried to take her anywhere..."
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| "Daddy, are they done yet? I need a nap." She loved being carried into the shop to say hello to the mechanics. |
We spend 4 nights in the Camping World campground (30-amp power and water hook-up) while the service department does their thing (relying on our portable air conditioner from Lowe's in the evenings). On our way out, we stop to pump out and The Colonel learned why you don't wear flip flops for this task (also not good for refueling, ie. standing in diesel fuel).
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| YouTube Link: New RV Drivers Confidence by Lazy Days |
We considered taking a driving course. The Colonel, just like on the boat, wanted to make sure we were both comfortable driving this behemoth. But, just like the boat, we got a little antsy and headed north, before completing a class. He had only driven a short distance on the test drive and a few back-and-forths to the service center. Surprisingly, this 40-min YouTube video gave us some very useful tips. We successfully backed into a spot on the first attempt!
Day 1 on the road, departure Tweet (on my birthday): "Off like a herd of turtles! Another RV clogging the highways on a holiday weekend. First stop? The gas station! Eek!"
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| Like the sailboat, bridges are exciting (not in a good way). This is the lowest documented but I swear I saw a 14 footer. |
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| Our first truck stop. Haines, FL |
We have to use truck stops because of our height (12+ ft) and we turn like a Mack truck (actually a Freightliner!). Luckily, we had 1/2 tank, so it was only $131. Now, through Orlando & Daytona on the 4th of July weekend...#idiots #goJR #justcantwait
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| A quick WalMart stop for lunch, grocery shopping & to wait out the afternoon thunderstorms. (Love the signs for "truck route" that led us to a pull-thru parking spot & an easy exit! Who knew?) |
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| Stop & go traffic |
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| Sunset over Pecan RV Park. Jacksonville, FL |
AND we're here! Our first RV park, just like a marina: "Where do you want us? Electric, water, wifi, laundry, pump out?" Good thing we planned a half day the first day. That took ALL DAY! #OdinTheWinnebago #WeDidntHitAnything
Stats: 215 miles
Day 2 on the road, departure Tweet: "Showers, laundry, pump out. Back on the road! Day 2: I-95N for 200 miles"
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| Day 2: Cruise control on wide open highway with light winds. |
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| Prevost #4 pulling a truck with a golf cart in the bed. Flew by--speed limit 70 mph! Hmmmm. Daytona maybe? |
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Destination number one is family in Jonesborough, TN so we continue north to Orangeburg, SC. A flat, wide open day on the highway, passing many stops we made in the boat.
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| Sweetwater Lake Campground |
AND our first campground! No concrete pad. No, we're not level. No wifi but we have 50 amp for the a/c, water and a view of a lake for $30/night 😎
(And yes, Princess Amelia is still asleep...)
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| Sunset in Sweetwater |
Day 3 on the road, departure Tweet: "On the road again. I can't wait to get on the road again..." Short hop on the way to visit family in eastern TN. 100 mi to Spartanburg SC"
Today's lesson: Speed control on continuous rolling highway.
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| "We're using Google Maps for navigation along with multiple campground & truck stop apps. When The Colonel asked what state we're in, I had to crack out the road atlas. When is the last time you've used a road atlas?!" One friend looked at this pic and commented how long it has been since I wore socks?! (May 2015) |
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| Hanging with the big boys. Truck stop #2. 552 miles/64.4 gal=8.6 mpg ($152). |
Another bonus of rv life: There's a Subway, but the boss would rather kick off his shoes & make a sandwich at home 😎
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| Pine Ridge Campground. Spartanburg, SC |
When I went to the office the next morning, they had seen our FB post and had already blocked us out for another night, then invited me into the office to see their vacation on his brother's sailboat in Sint Maarten!
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| Cue the ducks... |
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Stats: 117 miles (fuel stop: 552 total miles/64.4 gal = 8.6 mpg. $152/64.4 = $2.36/gal)
Day 4 on the road: Headed into the Smoky Mountains.
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Wednesday, 1 March 2017
Would you trust your life to a 30 year old life raft
July 24 2015
When we bought ‘Our Dreamtime’ she came complete with an Avon four man life raft. The bad news was it was 1980s vintage and had not been serviced since 2002. Our surveyor had one look and said ”You’ll have to throw that away.”
However it did have a comprehensive list of contents of what was inside stuck on the canister. This included a small hand desalinator which the boat’s sellers urged us to retrieve if we were going to dump the raft.
We are the type of people who hate the modern throwaway society we live in and always rather repair or renew something if possible than simply discard it. So decided to do some research to see if the raft was worth saving before making any rash decisions. In the meantime the Avon stayed in place on the stern while we sailed locally in Moreton Bay learning the boat.
It turns out authorised Avon servicing agents are few and far between in Australia these days but we did find manage to one in Brisbane but the news wasn’t good. Their advice was that although Avon make excellent rafts, the type of inflating mechanism used on our vintage raft was virtually unobtainable at any reasonable cost making servicing it financially unviable. Their instant suggestion was to buy a new raft at a not inconsiderable expense.
Instead we found a near new Zodiac four man life raft for sale that was just past its due service date so decided it would be a better option to buy it for just a few hundred dollars and have it serviced. This entailed opening the case, inflating the raft with a compressor and checking it over. It was good to be able to personally have a good look in and around the life raft and gain a good understanding of its construction and contents.
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| Our new (to us) four man life raft in for servicing |
Thankfully almost everything inside including an EPIRB, flares, ration packs etc were all well in date and didn’t need to be changed. The only things replaced were the batteries in the flashlight and the sea sickness tablets. We did take the opportunity to vacuum seal a couple of weeks supply of our regular medication, spare eye glasses, copies of our passports and ships papers in bag and have it included in the rafts contents. At just over $1,100 dollars for the service we hope the batteries are gold plated and the tablets magically effective. Imagine how much the bill would have been if we’d needed everything. Considering the printed sticker now on the canister shows the next recommended service just twelve months away, life raft servicing appears to be a lucrative business.
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| All this was pre-packed into the life raft just in case |
Anyway, we now had the peace of mind of knowing everything was right with our new (to us) life raft should we ever have the misfortune to need it. The thought of being hundreds of miles from shore wondering if the old Avon would work was not something we wanted to experience.
Rather than just opening the old Avon to retrieve the desalintor, we decided to POP it before disposal as a full gas canister could be extremely dangerous if punctured in a landfill considering the high pressures involved. Life rafts also contain pyrotechnic flares which need to be disposed of safely.
OK, we also thought it would be cool to see it inflate. We loaded it into a trolley and headed to a corner of the marina car park next to the dumpsters and away from anyone else and pulled the cord. We almost hoped it would fail to launch and further justify our expenditure on the replacement. But no. It popped, inflated perfectly and seemed in excellent condition other than a little mould on the exterior. All the contents inside were totally dry and also appeared perfect. Everything useable was removed and now reside in our ditch bag as a back up to what’s in the new raft.
Deflating the raft and putting it in the dumpster seemed such a waste but we couldn’t help thinking back to our original question. Would you trust your life to a 30 year old life raft?
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| Deflating before the short trip to the dumpster. |
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