Lenny
07-31-2005, 10:48 PM
It is our long weekend here, (B.C. Day :rolleyes: ) , Monday is a stat. Anyways, we went to my folks cabin on an Island closeby for the " Annual Picnic" . Basically a gathering for kids and stuff, and free hot dogs, burgers, prozes, races etc. This has been happening for about 40+ years now.
So, Deneen and I stay up last night seeing how much wine we can consume apparently, :spit: and get to bed in the we hours of the morning. We set the alarm for 4:30 am as the tide was at -1 ' at 8am and there is NO WAY to launch when it is that far out anywhere. So we hit the ramp at 6am, and saw about a 5' tide. We move about 12' of water daily here. So at 6am we launch, I paddle away from the liveaboards and start it up and idle away as quietly as I can.
Then we cruise for about 20 miles whilst the sun is coming up and the clouds are burning off. It is absolutely beautiful. Flat calm, and I am the ONLY boat on the water other than the odd crabber miles away pulling traps. http://www.donzi.net/video/MVI_0834.AVI
So at 7am we arrive at a marina/gas dock for breaky as the picnic doesn't start till 10 am. I get eggs benny and it is all I can do not to puke as I swallow them. VERY rough start today. http://www.donzi.net/forums/images/smilies/puke.gif
Anyways, we get back to my folks place on the Island and I drop Deneen off and go NUTZ in the boat for about 1/2 an hour and do all but flip it playing in the waves. I am a little braver now that I have a 1500 GPH bilge pump and it it works :D . Now I decide to tie it up at the mooring bouy and give it a rest and I need a place to vomit or something. :( I get on shore and we all walk to the picnic. 4 mile circumference Island and a ring road 500' back from the shoreline. All homes are waterfront eminating from the road to the water. The middle of the Island is original first growth old stand timber and held commonly by all residents. 110 +/- homes around the outside. The picnic is fun, I eat the hot dog/hamburger thing and drink beer. (the usual :) ) We leave at 1pm and walk back to the cabin. I manage to get my Dad into the boat reluctantly so we row to the bouy and he hops in. He dons a FULL lifejacket of his own design and states that nothing above 20-25 mph or he won't ride in it. :D We get going and Deneen has the camera on land so we buzz the cabin a few times so she can get some shots. First ones of me cuz I usually have the camera. Anyways, we run for about half an hour, he sees 55 once or twice :D and has a grin ear to ear. At 77 that is pretty cool and I can say he has NEVER been in a DONZI ever in his lifetime.
That was my highlight of my day. (and the hangover subsiding) Here are a few pics.
The cabin at the end (or near the end) is my folks place where I boated daily since I was 6. The bouy at the end is one of those ones like you guys have with all the wind and weather and tide and wave info. Only this one has a seal sleeping on it. To the left of the bouy in that background you can see Mt. Baker (USA, Wash) The USA waters are about 5 miles away.
THIS is easily my favorite pic of the boat now. :yes: http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13594
So, Deneen and I stay up last night seeing how much wine we can consume apparently, :spit: and get to bed in the we hours of the morning. We set the alarm for 4:30 am as the tide was at -1 ' at 8am and there is NO WAY to launch when it is that far out anywhere. So we hit the ramp at 6am, and saw about a 5' tide. We move about 12' of water daily here. So at 6am we launch, I paddle away from the liveaboards and start it up and idle away as quietly as I can.
Then we cruise for about 20 miles whilst the sun is coming up and the clouds are burning off. It is absolutely beautiful. Flat calm, and I am the ONLY boat on the water other than the odd crabber miles away pulling traps. http://www.donzi.net/video/MVI_0834.AVI
So at 7am we arrive at a marina/gas dock for breaky as the picnic doesn't start till 10 am. I get eggs benny and it is all I can do not to puke as I swallow them. VERY rough start today. http://www.donzi.net/forums/images/smilies/puke.gif
Anyways, we get back to my folks place on the Island and I drop Deneen off and go NUTZ in the boat for about 1/2 an hour and do all but flip it playing in the waves. I am a little braver now that I have a 1500 GPH bilge pump and it it works :D . Now I decide to tie it up at the mooring bouy and give it a rest and I need a place to vomit or something. :( I get on shore and we all walk to the picnic. 4 mile circumference Island and a ring road 500' back from the shoreline. All homes are waterfront eminating from the road to the water. The middle of the Island is original first growth old stand timber and held commonly by all residents. 110 +/- homes around the outside. The picnic is fun, I eat the hot dog/hamburger thing and drink beer. (the usual :) ) We leave at 1pm and walk back to the cabin. I manage to get my Dad into the boat reluctantly so we row to the bouy and he hops in. He dons a FULL lifejacket of his own design and states that nothing above 20-25 mph or he won't ride in it. :D We get going and Deneen has the camera on land so we buzz the cabin a few times so she can get some shots. First ones of me cuz I usually have the camera. Anyways, we run for about half an hour, he sees 55 once or twice :D and has a grin ear to ear. At 77 that is pretty cool and I can say he has NEVER been in a DONZI ever in his lifetime.
That was my highlight of my day. (and the hangover subsiding) Here are a few pics.
The cabin at the end (or near the end) is my folks place where I boated daily since I was 6. The bouy at the end is one of those ones like you guys have with all the wind and weather and tide and wave info. Only this one has a seal sleeping on it. To the left of the bouy in that background you can see Mt. Baker (USA, Wash) The USA waters are about 5 miles away.
THIS is easily my favorite pic of the boat now. :yes: http://www.donzi.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13594