What's up with this!

Our first night on the boat was a rocky one. We worked long and hard all day so we turned in early around 9 PM. We were the only ones in the Marina. It started when a cold front came through around midnight or so...the boat started rubbing against the dock...the fenders rubbed and made that squeaking noise...then some of the tie downs weren't snuggly tied down and snapped across the deck...the brace for the mast sounded like it would slide right off the boat....this went on all night until around daylight....I may have gotten a couple hours of sleep. It was so bad at 3 a.m. that Ken and I both were up and he went out to ck the lines,etc....nothing he could do with the wind,etc...we were secure....just didn't sound it....Yesterday it was 72 and this morning mid 50's. I have now put on long sleeves with light jacket.
What's up with this! what a difference 24 hrs makes.....I am at the Library using their computer, I could not get on ours NO WIFI. I woke up for the first time with sinus headache....I have got to get out of here, back South where I belong, hehe!
The waves yesterday were 7 footers so no way with that mast on like it is could we have left....today 2 to 5 ft....tomorrow early 2 ft. but suppose to have rain all day. We plan on leaving around 4 a.m. and try to beat the worst of the weather....the waves will be lightest at that time...crossing Lake Ontario will take a min. of 8 hrs for us...so you see, we need decent weather....rain is ok, waves are not....we would like to get just inside a couple locks in Oswego...then park for the night....If we don't leave, I will be back on line tomorrow about the same time...that will not be good...the weather up here is suppose to be nasty for a few days...I am still WONDERING - are we ever gonna get this trip started

WONDERING

I was just wondering if this day would ever get here and I am still wondering. We left for the Gypsy Wind this morning...got here around noon...unloaded 2 suitcases , 3 totes, many bags of food, misc. items, tools, radios, phones, charts,books and still more to do. Ken made braces for the mast...He is still working on them..we pumped out (very important) Mary does not like the stinky...then over to the gen pole and I did the crank and Ken put the mast on the brackets ( we have had rain off and on and wind-not good conditions, but do what you have to in between raindrops) We have had so many interruptions since Labor Day we were starting to think maybe next year!

We had a 10 day trip to N.C. Outer Banks Smith Family Re-union and boy was that fun. Of course Igor sent waves and wind our way for a few days then calmed down....but all was fun. On our way down to NC, we stopped along the NJ coast to see where we could tuck in if bad weather comes as we will be out in the Atlantic for 127 miles or so with minimal protective areas we can get into...God will guide us...I'm counting on that...ck'd on a couple marinas where we could leave our boat for the winter...we have no idea how far we will get before Thanksgiving...have to be home for that....then while in NC, got word my sister (Terry) that lives in NYC was seriously ill and in ICU, so we left the Outer Banks a little early to stop by and see her and see what we could do to help...the day we got there, they put her in a private room....she has improved and may go home in a few days....doing better every day because so many people care and have been praying for her recovery...not out of the woods yet, but we believe on her way....we got home late Sunday and washed clothes, went to store, pd bills all that stuff, then kids came over (hugs & kisses).
We packed what we could and then laid our tired heads down to sleep,,,,Oh yeah, went thru the mail and got cute little notice from Comm. of Jurors...great just great! still wondering if we will get away!

Now we are almost ready to go, but weather and waves are our problem for the minute.

I think I will get Ken to a stopping point so we can eat...
See what tomorrow brings......
I'm also going to try and post a couple pictures....I am so new at this and challanged as my sweet grand-daughter Kimberly would say.

HURDLES!

Well, we finally got the boat bottom painted and back in the water...Ken moved the boat to the main dock and tied up there for a couple weeks instead of our slip...This time of year the countries of Canada and USA lower the water level in the Fall to reduce the flooding for the following Spring and to make sure the Montreal port has enough water to do their shipping,etc, so it's always an issue with us getting our boat to the haulout so it can get pulled, cleaned and put in the cradle for the winter..We draw about 4 1/2 ft...so we have been known to get almost to the haulout when the boat just stops with a thud...we are hung up and can't get there...we have been pulled by tractors,trucks,boats and people - then finally getting to the haulout..I usually hold my breath during this time...So that hurdle is done. Now the next hurdle is building a brace to hold the mast on the boat...Ken started building that today. We then have to install it on the boat and get the mast on top of it..tie it down really good so it doesn't come off during our journey to Albany/Troy area where we will then step the mast(50 ft) and away we go.

We missed the last 2 weekends of hauling things off and putting things on that we will need because the boat was being painted. With the problems painting, they put the boat in a barn until they could finish it, and the stinkin birds poo'd all over it and I just cleaned it before all this started. Dang!

The last big hurdle is crossing Lake Ontario... we will need no wind or very little wind with the mast strapped on the top. Once we get to Oswego,(about 8 hrs) we start locking through to Oneida Lake...We will start in about 10-days if all goes well...It really is all coming together..and we are gettin excited...

Whoa Nellie! Labor Day weekend

Oh my gosh...we got to Cape Vincent Sat. morning to find our boat in the sling/haul out area....and the wind was howling....about 30 mph wind (constant) boats were coming in off the River to get shelter....the marina was making repairs to the docks and there was another boat in our slip, so actually no place for us to put the Gypsy Wind, so we just stayed in the sling until we left on Monday Sept. 6th-Labor Day...We had 2 of the younger grand-kids with us and they were so good...they found things to do (fishing, going to the park, riding bikes) while we found things to do.
Being away from our dock and wind so bad, we didn't get that much accomplished. I did take several totes of things off the boat that we won't be needing so I could make room for things we will need...

We went to 4 PM Mass, then out to eat...got back to the marina late, not much happening so we played dominos, cards,etc. then settled in our bunks....well the wind blew all night, got very little sleep...sounded like a teakettle whistling most of the night....the good thing was we were in a protected area and didn't go up and down like a lot of the boats did...I mean some of them went so high up in the air, it was scary to watch...some boaters actually found shelter on land...

Sunday, it didn't blow as much, but still very steady winds....little sprinkles off and on....Spent a few hours at a rec hall in the city of Cape Vincent...a gentleman at our marina is very sick and he wanted a party so he threw a party...It was a shore dinner and was wonderful...so many many people to see him and wish him God's Blessings....I have never seen such a wonderful get together with so many people contributing their specialty dishes....every kind of salad you could think of, plus, appetizers, desserts out the, well you know....and 110 lbs of fish fried up and to top it all off a special french fried bread that you could put cream, honey, and Jack Daniel's on....oh wow was it a great afternoon...good people and a wonderful tribute to a special guy....all the local fishermen donated fish,etc.I've never seen anything like it....

I only brought home one damaged child...Andrew (9) and all boy...he fell between the stable dock and floating dock and hurt his stomach and ribs...then at the party, he tripped and fell and had a huge bump on his shin...so at least his sister, Megan (12) didn't beat up on him as well...It really was a fun but busy weekend....we do really have lots more to do, but we got a little done along with the play time...