Working and playing in Morehead City 2015

It's been a busy time this summer.  With work, visits home, and visitors.

We have been doing lots of work on the boat, even though we don't seem to be getting things checked off our "to do list". You fellow boaters will understand this, while you landlubbers will wonder what's going on. We all have lists of things to do around our homes. Every weekend you landlubbers get out the list, fix things and check them off the list. Us boaters have our lists too, but stuff happens and we keep busy without getting out the list. More about that later.

We took a trip out to our favorite east coast anchorage, Cape Lookout. We always have a wonderful time there just doing nothing, except enjoying the peace and quiet.

I got a picture with the light on!

Not too many boats here.

Our dock at the marina, D Dock has become the De Fever dock. Gigi and Vic on Salty Turtle, Mary Sue and Wally on Beulah Belle and us. Salty Turtle had us all over for drinks and appetizers and we had everyone on Escape for drinks too. We had them over to our boat for a pot luck of country cooking. We fixed pintos and  coleslaw, Salty Turtle made corn bread, and Beulah Belle made BBQ chicken. Good country food! Another night, Mary Sue and Wally made curry chicken, we took a big salad, and Salty Turtle made a flan with amaretto and almonds. Wally made us his famous margaritas. It was great food, great drinks and great fun.  Thanks guys for the fellowship! Let's keep it up!

Lauren and Roux visited us in August, right before she had to go back to school. When they came, we weren't sure how long they would stay, since we weren't sure how Roux would do on the boat. She does good in the apartment, but being on a boat is different. There are lots of steps, not as much room as she's used to, and lots of different sights and smells! She did great! We tried to keep her on the same schedule as she had at home. Taking her out for walks and potty breaks regularly, feeding her at the same times as at home, and having her crate set up for time outs and sleep. She and the other dock dog, Daisy from Cameron Bennett, got acquainted on the dock.

Roux likes the boat!

Since Roux got along so good on the boat, Lauren and her stayed several days. Our friends from back home, George and Pam came down for a visit and Lauren and Roux stayed for a couple more nights. Lauren slept on the couch and Roux slept in her new dog bed! Her first time sleeping outside her crate.

Lauren, Roux, Pam and I went to a quiet beach to see how Roux would do. Well, Lauren walked her down to the water, Roux took a few steps and got in the water and quickly got out! Of course I didn't have my camera ready! But she decided she did not want to get back in the water! As you can see from the pictures, she dug in her paws and would not get in the water again! Not even for treats! It looked like we were abusing her as Lauren pulled her along the water! Lauren is a beach girl. She lives in a beach city. Roux this won't work! You got to be a water dog!

No, she doesn't like the water!

 

Lauren even tries to entice her with treats. Nope!

Documentation of Roux's first beach trip. Just like her mom used to do!

 

Her new bed. She likes!

Do I look like I think I'm a dog?

She has her mom's smile!

After Lauren and Roux left, we took a ride out the inlet with George and Pam and Mary Sue and Wally. We had a good ride and saw Cameron Bennett heading out to the Cape for their last trip before school starts.

Well, I had made plans to ride back home with George and Pam while Shay stays here and enjoys a "haul-out"! So we left heading back and Shay and Vic left for Bock Marine. As you see, Vic and Shay took lots of pictures. 

Leaving the dock.

 

 

Captain Shay

Escape was not the only boat on the water.

Waiting her turn.

 

BE CAREFUL!

As soon as the boat was out of the water the work started. The guys at the marina started cleaning the bottom of the boat while it was still on the lift! The bottom of the boat was washed, scrapped and painted. Shay spent hours cleaning the props, struts, rudders and stabilizers. They were all covered with barnacles and its very hard to get them off. He worked from daylight till the bugs ran him inside. It was hot, buggy and no air conditioning! He spent some time every night in the lounge at the marina checking his email and cooling off in the air conditioning. Before the boat went back into the water, it was washed and waxed until it shined!

Before

After

Shay added PVC pipe extensions so the water draining out of the thru-hull fittings won't stain the boat!

Newly painted grate for the sea chest.

Pretty boat! After a week of very hard work!

Have I mentioned that spending time in the boatyard is hot? Well, its dirty too! Since there is no air conditioning, you leave the doors and windows open to get whatever breeze you can. The air is full of dust and dirt, so Shay had a very dirty boat when he got back to the marina. Remember, I was not on the boat so after working hard to get the outside of the boat clean, now he had to work hard to get the inside clean. I rode back to the boat with my sister, Michelle and her friend David. So Shay had to get the boat cleaned up for guests! Dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, washing walls and cabinets, washing clothes and lots more! He got the boat cleaned up just in time for our friends from back home to visit. Sorry I wasn't there Christy, Ken and kids!

He did a great job and the boat looked fantastic when we got here. Shay was ready for a rest, so we went back out to the Cape. Beulah Belle followed us out, since they had not been to the Cape. Michelle and David had a great time fishing on the way out! They both caught a fish, but we let them go, since no one wanted to clean the fish and we had chicken ready to grill!

Michelle with her "big catch"

Calm water

David made a good first mate!

Michelle and David took the dinghy to shore and took a long walk across the island to the ocean side. They had visited all the other NC lighthouses and this trip meant they had seen them all. 

Beulah Belle's first but hopefully not last trip to the Cape!

We had some dark clouds and wind but not bad.

Bye! Glad you could visit! Come back soon!

We are replacing the windshields on the flybridge, so we took off the old ones and got started on the new ones. The boat looks strange with the windshield and bimini off. We have also redone the teak handrails, cleaned the stainless, replaced the teak inserts on the swim platform, refinished some of the teak in the salon and galley, worked on the doors for the salon and galley. It seems like we've been working non stop trying to get things done and hey wait, we haven't even looked at the "to do list"!

It looks bare!

  

We did take time out to visit Lauren, Roux, Emily-her  new roommate. Beulah Belle had redone their salon cushions and Lauren had asked them for some of their old cushions to use on some projects she had. She had a old wooden box she wanted to paint and put a cushion on. We had found some material and were excited about getting it done. So Shay took his tools down and they worked their magic. They took a 24"x24" box, cut out the top so it could be used for storage, put a padded seat on top and viola! They will paint it and then it will be done. Maybe I'll post another pic.

It looks like she likes this stuff!

Making plans

 

 

They like!

We will work on a cushion for Roux's crate when she gets one the right size. The one she has now was gotten when she thought Roux was going to be a bigger dog. And no, that's not going to happen!

We had a great visit, did some shopping and had lunch. I forgot to bring all the stuff I had for Lauren, so I guess we will have to get together again. Yeah!