Tourist Floats Again!

Eight months of not being on the boat has come to an end. That's a longer time away than when we wintered Tourist back home! How'd that happen?

We managed to slip away from home on January 3rd secured in knowing we were making the right decision to head South by the outside temperature reading in the car. -16!

I don't care who you are. That's COLD!

A cold Illinois sunrise.

The cold followed us well into Georgia but then like magic it wasn't cold any longer. At least not by our standards. We arrived at Tourist the morning of the 5th and quickly loaded the contents of the car back onto the boat. That meant for me 5 pair of shorts, a pair of jeans, a few T-shirts, underwear, and a pair of flip-flops. The rest was Pam's and the car was full! I'll never understand why she needs 24 pair of shoes on a boat?

The plan was to head West along the Caloosahatchie to the park at Franklin Lock and get things organized before heading on to Ft. Myers and Legacy Harbour. A good plan almost thwarted by a starboard engine that would barely turn over. No problem. Just hit the cross over switch and start it from the same battery that starts the port engine. Success, and we were on our way!
It was a beautiful day on the waterway with a sunny sky and temps in the low 80's. We were both so thrilled by the weather that we forgot to take any pictures while we cruised along. It was good to be back floating again!
Once we arrived at the campground and got checked in we sat back and soaked in the warmth.

Tourist at Franklin Lock campground/marina.

Our plan was to stay a few days and get the boat cleaned up and take care of a few maintenance items before moving on. Of course as we all know plans change. What initially was a good weather forecast for the next few days changed into cooler temps and strong winds starting the next afternoon and hanging around for awhile. Once again Mother Nature made our travel plans for us. Oh sure we could have stayed put but with a limited amount of food and no place close by for provisions it became a no brainer. Off to Legacy we went getting in a couple of hours before the wind picked up.

Since our arrival Pam has been getting the inside back in order while I've been spending my time in the engine room taking care of the endless list of maintenance items. Some planned for and some not.

I changed the port side exhaust hose which had cracks inside it similar to the starboard side hose that I replaced last year.

Since I had to disassemble the exhaust it was an excellent time to change the sea water impellers.

My workspace between the port engine and fuel tank. The moving pad saves a few bruises.

If I ever go missing this may be a good place to start looking for me.

I've also changed pencil zincs, the A/C sea water pump which crapped out after our arrival at Legacy, new batteries to be installed, and a port hole window to replace which showed up cracked while Pam was cleaning. And the list goes on....

In spite of the project list it's good to be back on Tourist and at Legacy. It's much like coming home reuniting with friends we've made over the past few years and getting back into the "Docktail" routine. Hang on liver!
We were even treated to a great, "gangs all here" dinner at Bill & Mary's condo. Thanks for waiting for us!

We've already experienced Bike Night in downtown Ft. Myers and this week is Music Walk so it's not all work! Then of course there is the occasional stop at the Cigar Bar for people watching. Maybe one of these days we'll take the boat out and try out the anchor. I can't wait!

A couple of morning shots looking over Legacy.

Merry Christmas from the frozen North

Those of you who read this blog know that we have wintered on Tourist at Legacy Harbour Marina in Ft. Myers for the past few years. It's a great place to be in winter but I'm not sure the warm sunset photos or the views over the boats towards the river that they post on Facebook give a true image of Christmas. Don't get me wrong. I longingly look at each and every one of them wishing we were there. However...
As an alternative I thought I'd post a few pictures taken around our house showing what Christmas time should look like and what our friends in Florida are missing!

 Looking out our front door.

Our driveway.

Our house after the first snowfall.

Me clearing the driveway so Pam can go Christmas shopping!

No ice required!

Walks are cleared. Bring on Christmas!

Actually I enjoy all the Facebook postings and can't wait to be there! While our snow isn't much compared to other places across the country, our temps have been very cold for this time of year. As I write this it's minus 15 outside. Brrr! Florida is getting closer every day!

Pam and I wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS and CALM SEAS in the new year!

One more thing...

Christmas always brings out the candles. This is one of my new favorites. Supposedly it smells like a White Castle burger and can be ordered from the White Castle website. The proceeds go to help fight Autism.

Oops Continued

My last post reported on the154' towboat Stephen L. Colby sinking near LeClaire, Iowa after reportedly hitting a submerged object. Crews have been working through bitterly cold conditions for the past two weeks to cover the 30" x 12" hole in the hull plus two smaller holes and stabilize the boat. 88,000 gallons of oily water was pumped from the boat as well as nearly 40,000 gallons of oily water from the river. Nearly 6,800 cubic feet of oily waste was also collected.
While the oily mixture was being pumped from the boat the huge cranes slowly began to lift the Colby from the bottom. Once afloat the boat had to be decontaminated before the Coast Guard would allow it to move.
Another Marquette towboat, the Penny Eckstein Was dispatched to tow the Colby downriver to repair facilities at Wood River, Illinois (just above St. Louis) where it will undergo repairs before returning to service.

The day after the sinking.

Booms set up to catch the oil and fuel leaking from the boat.

Cranes in position.

Back afloat with the assist from the cranes.

The Colby being towed away from shore ready for the 350 mile journey to Wood River.

As of this posting the cause of the accident remains under investigation. One interview I saw with a USCG spokesman said that they had surveyed the area where the Colby supposedly struck the bottom and found no obstructions. Hmmmm?

Just a thought, and ONLY a thought.. The Colby was headed to Clinton. Iowa with no barges. If you've traveled that portion of the river between LeClaire and Lock 14 you know that there is a rock wall that runs parallel to and separates the main channel from backwaters and the Iowa shore. This wall is not always visible but is clearly marked on the charts. Could it be that the Colby ran into it? Only time will tell.
For me having grown up on the river and watching these professionals snake their way up and down the channel in high water and in low it's hard to imagine one of their own veering off channel unless something in the mechanics of the vessel failed. I personally have seen the Colby on the Upper River countless times so it certainly wasn't a first time trip in unfamiliar waters.

OOPS!

Not a good day at the office for the crew of the M/V Stephen L Colby which hit bottom and sank near LeClaire, Iowa yesterday.

The towboat Aaron Barrett from Ingram Barge Lines stands by to offer assistance to the stricken Colby.

Fortunately the crew is safe and unharmed. The Colby was built in 1966.

Should We Stay? or Should We Go?

That's the question that presented itself when we learned of Pam's Mom's knee replacement surgery which had just been rescheduled for November 27th. Originally the operation was to take place on the 11th of November which if all went well would have allowed us to head back to Tourist sometime around Thanksgiving. But plans don't always work out like you think they should. They work out like they're supposed to.
The weather is getting colder up here in NW Illinois and has even given us our first snowfall of the year. The patio furniture is stored and the mower put away. Leaves are off the trees and it's time to make sure the snowblower is working. Yuck! Pam & I are even turning a pasty white color from being underexposed to sunlight! Surely we should prepare to get out of Dodge ASAP after the surgery. Only one hurdle. Pam is going to be what they term the "caretaker" for her Mom once she is home following the surgery. Not a complaint. It's how it should be. Who better than family to take care of you? What that means though is that our return is in Limbo, dependent upon how well and how quickly her Mom recovers.

Certainly I could head back to Tourist by myself, and believe me that is a consideration. There are plenty of things that need to be tended to on the boat and I could use a little color in my cheeks!. Only problem with that scenario is that it wouldn't be the same without my "Princess" along side of me. Also the limited time I would have before I had to come back home for Christmas and the travel expenses incurred pleads to the tightwad side of me to just remain at home. So there it is. I've just made the decision. I'm staying home with my girl. While Pam's being the caretaker I'll be stripping wallpaper, painting, and other small jobs around the house getting it in shape for a possible sale sometime down the road. If all goes well with her Mom we'll return to Tourist after the Christmas Holiday's ready to enjoy the warmer weather and our Southern friends.
Meanwhile I'll leave you with some pictures from our summer at home.

Vada (Pam's Mom), Barb(sister), & Pam

Biker Chick.

Changing a flat.

3rd of July.

Four generations.

Golf? Really?

Ellie digging out the pumpkin.

Sunset on the river.

Warrior Dash survival.

Pulling the Grandkids.

A Cincinnati visit.

Only guides needed for the Upper Mississippi.

Sign posted on the toilets at Lock & Dam 11 during the Govt. shutdown. The Lock however remained open. Go figure!

New siding being installed on the house.

Trip to the apple orchards.

American Queen visits Dubuque.

Said goodbye to Nubbs. R.I.P. She was a sweetheart.

Pam & Ellie playing "Ring around the Rosie".

Women's luncheon.

Franklin as the Golfer for Halloween.

First Snow!

End of Season

It's getting to be that time of year here in the Midwest. The temps are dropping and boats are coming out of the water like popcorn. Recently I had the opportunity to share in this annual sad event with two of our friends.
The first took place on a cool Friday morning. With the thermometer reading 33 degrees we pulled out of Mid-Town Marina at 9 a.m. on M/V Vagabond and pointed the bow South. Our destination, Island City Harbor in Sabula, Iowa and their indoor storage facility some 50 miles away. Fortunately the sun was out and it didn't take long for the temps to climb into the comfortable range.

Passing a couple of barges near Chestnut Mt.

The small speck entering the Bellevue Lock is a solo canoeist who was travelling from Winona, Mn. to New Orleans. Good Luck!

Stretching Vagabonds legs below Bellevue.

Last fuel stop for the year.

Tucked into the slip waiting for haul out and storage after taking care of a few remaining winterization chores.

After one last round of cocktails on the boat we had dinner at Bombfire Grill, one of the more eclectic restaurants we've been in for some time.

The menus are inside old album covers.

LuAnn and our waitress discussing aerobic moves.

Pam talking to hometown friends who we had last run into last winter in Irish Kevin's bar in Key West.

Bombfire turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Primarily a pizza joint run by an old hippie and serving what I call "designer pizza" in an old house the ambiance was cluttered and somewhat tight but the pizza and service were fantastic.

A few days later I went on a short  jaunt with Mike on M/V Eirean from the dock to the travelift at the Dubuque Yacht Basin. The air was thick to say the least with fog. Fortunately we didn't have a great distance to travel. Out of one harbor. Into the channel and back into another harbor where the dockhands were waiting for us.  It wasn't long and Eirean was coming out of the water.

 The Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge in the fog.

Waiting for the lift operator.

Up, up, and away.

When we kept Tourist here year round the last box to be checked off on my winterization list was "Mourn for six months"! That time has come for the boaters here in the Midwest.

Mike and I had a season ending beer in Catfish Charlie's once the boat was turned over to the marina staff.

Fortunately for Pam & I we will soon be heading back to Tourist and starting our boating season.