The summer has officially started for Barb and me! We had the good fortune to have two of our grandchildren graduate from college to clear our calendar for the next three to four months! Adam from the University of Iowa with a degree in Civil Engineering and Nick from Juilliard in NY City with a degree in Music!
With that behind us we packed the car and headed to Northport, Michigan to retrieve our boat that was stored there last fall at the end of the 2009 boating season.
Barb and I worked on the boat in the building it was stored in for four days. We did things like install the canvas, clean the interior of the boat and shampoo carpets. We also set up the dinghy and installed the outboard motor etc. We also had the opportunity to renew old friendships with Barb and John Flint, the couple we cruised with last season.
Day 5 & 6 – Friday & Saturday, May 28 & 29, 2010
We returned to home (another 7 hour drive) to store the car and celebrate my birthday with family and friends on the 29th. It was one hell of a surprise party and one that I won’t forget!
Day 7 – Sunday, May 30, 2010
The day was spent packing and setting up the house for an extended boating adventure!
Day 8 – Monday, May 31, 2010
Our good friends Russ and Mary came to our home to pick us up and drive to Northport, Michigan to help launch the boat. We encountered one heck of a rain storm on the drive up to find Northport nice and dry! We finished off the day with a great dinner and a bottle of wine.
Day 9 – Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Russ and Mary stayed a second night to hel
p with the boat today. The marina kept to their schedule and launched the boat before noon! Russ, John and his friend Don rode with me while the ladies drove to the marina to help us into our slip. Barb and I will stay on the boat tonight. Today was my official birthday and Russ had his two days ago so ----- we had another party!Day 10 – Wednesday, June 2, 2010
After breakfast Russ, Mary, Barb and I dro
ve to the Grand Traverse lighthouse at the end of the peninsula which is part of a state park. After a sad farewell they departed for home - another seven hour drive - and we went back to working on the boat. Barb and I worked on the plumbing system that can only be tweaked while the boat is in the water. Our friends John and Barb launched their boat today and joined us in the harbor to provision their boat for the trip. Their friends Kitty and Don will be traveling with them for a few weeks.Day 11 – Thursday, June 3, 2010
The boat is ready! There’s still a list of things to do but we will take care of the details as time permits. Tomorrow looks like a good day to begin our trip with a short 40 mile shake down cruise to Petoskey, Michigan. If the weather is as great as it was today it will be a fitting start to a new season!
