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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Trip to an Island Paradise



My lovely wife and I love Calidesi Island. We finally made the trip in our little 12 foot rowboat. We were able to find a free boat ramp about 6 miles from the island. The launch was only for shallow draft boats. I got the trailer partway in the water and muscled the boat off it.

I started out rowing as it was very shallow and I didn't want to damage the prop. Eventually we found a deep enough channel and I switched to the electric motor. The last mile and a half or so the motor quit. Wind and current were against me, but I was able to row the rest of the way to the park.


The Park Ranger was so impressed that I rowed in with a little boat that he charged us ½ price. Then we went over to the concession for the obligatory cheese burgers in paradise. We had a great visit. It's a beautiful place.

My lovely wife took a nap in the cabin while I rowed out into St. Joseph Sound. I decided to make another attempt to fix the electric motor. While I was working on that a Sheriffs patrol came over to see if I needed help. I said I was fine. Then they admitted that my boat was the most interesting thing on the water that day and they wanted to check it out.

I was able to get the motor working intermittently. The handy dandy special trolling motor connector wasn't making a good contact. It was frustrating so I finally cut the plug off and connected it directly to the battery. After that it worked fine. I still rowed through the shallows, but the motor saved me a lot of work.

One of the locals showed me the best section of the ramp to load the boat so we got it on the trailer without too much trouble.

All in all a mighty fine day. I wish I had a waterproof camera. These photos were taken with my new Amazon Fire so I only dared take it out on dry land.

-Sixbears

11 comments:

  1. What a wonderful day. Simple is best my friend.
    But you know that. And so too do others...

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    1. It was a great day indeed!

      Simple is best when it comes to anything electrical on a salt water boat.

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  2. Rowboat needs a sail. ;) Sometimes it pays to be interesting.

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    1. Then it'd be a sailboat. We were so interesting they never checked for a registration I didn't have.

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  3. How were those cheeseburgers? Looks like a lovely spot to spend the day. Wish we could join you!

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    1. Maybe it was the fresh air and exercise, but they were wonderful. Wish you could join us too.

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  4. Any day on the warm water with warm breezes beats the ice and snow of New England, but I guess you know that, that is why you are in Florida.

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    1. I'm always happy on the water -if it's not frozen solid.

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  5. You seem to be pretty even keel (no pun intended) as things don't really make you angry. Maybe that's a positive side effect of sailing?

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    1. It's pretty rare for me to blow my top. That hardly ever solves the problem.

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  6. "...so I only dared take it out on dry land."
    I strongly urge consideration of a Pelican case for the Kindle. And a waterproof stuff bag when not shooting pics or reading. Even the Pelican case will allow some moisture in if dunked...

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