Missing the boat....

It's not yet Christmas and the Winter Blahs seem to be taking a strong foothold. This means only one thing - it's gonna be a loooong wait until spring splash (it's quite a site to behold, and maybe I'll post a video in spring....if it ever gets here!!). Oh, I'm feeling squirrely already. Seriously - who would't be missing this view:

As I sit in front of the fireplace, watching the snow accumulate outside my window, I can't help but feel as though it might never be warm again. True to her word, Mother Nature ushers in each season almost on time, and I have no reason to suspect Spring will come much sooner or later than is typical, but the wait is agonizing nonetheless.

There is an "up" side to this, and that is that I appreciate what we have in our boat even more.....like understanding what "happy" is all about only because you've also experienced being "sad." We are incredibly fortunate to have the adventures laying in wait for us, promises of another extraordinary set of experiences on the Big Lake that are enjoyed by so few.

For now, I will reminisce with memories and photos....and the latest copy of the West Marine catalog. For winter is also the time to "gear up" for the next season. You got it - it's shopping time!! I guess it's a reasonable consolation. :-)

Our YouTube Debut!

For a first hand view of our recent Chigger adventures, be sure to check out this video clip!

Muskie Matt (famed local fishing guide, remember him from my last post?) does a weekly fishing segment for the NBC station out of Rhinelander and picked our Chigger fishing excursion for his latest topic! The lake trout you see on the video is 31.3" in length....what a beauty!

Chigger Fishing 7/18/08

"Did you ever wanna go and do some fishing? Get away from everything around here......"

And so goes the Chigger's tune, Fishing, and that's exactly what we did!

The good Captain and I spent the day Friday with Sid Chigger, Big Daddy Chigger (along with yorkie Bucky Badger and our pooch Buttons) and famed local Muskie Matt for a beautiful day on the water in hopes of hauling in a respectable catch of lake trout.

Mother Nature graced us with fair winds and a bright sunny day. Sounds great, right? Sure.....if you're water skiing or suntanning. Fishing.....a nice cloudy day with a little chop on the water is what tends to roust the masses out of the water and into a cooler full of ice. For fishermen new to the Big Lake the conditions were ideal though, so we headed off toward a favorite fishing spot. After the fish finder failed to find fish, and our lures weren't producing any better, we pulled lines and headed for yet another popular locale (but they're both secret!!) Sporting a set of new lures (another secret!) recommended by a local sports shop, our second attempt proved to be much more fruitful.....by mid-afternoon we ended our trip with smiles on our faces and fish in the box. The fish were down deep, seemingly unaffected by the weather, although I seriously suspect some other factors were at play, particularly the footware of choice by Muskie Matt (those'd be camoflouge fleece slippers, by the way). Not that I'm superstitious or anything.....but he might be on to something!

Our canine friends gently reminded us that a trip to shore was in order, so we left for Big Bay on Madeline Island. Anchored in 14 feet of water, we dinghied ashore to let Bucky and Buttons take care of business and romp about the beach before setting a bead on the marina.

There's nothing like ending a day of fishing enjoying the fruits of hard labor, so Captain Matt grilled some filets to perfection. Mmmmmmm.....nothing like fresh grilled lake trout (well, maybe fresh grilled salmon, but that's another trip!).

Our most respectable guests are certainly welcome back aboard Blue Ayes anytime, and I suspect we've not seen the last of this crew!! Stay tuned!!

Photo: Sid Chigger, Captain Matt, Admiral Becky, Muskie Matt, Big Daddy Chigger
absent: Bucky Badger and Buttons

Better late than never?

Hmmmm....how time flies, even when you're not necessarily having THAT much fun! Seems a bit of time has passed since my last entry.

After a successful "splash" in mid-May (yep, "splash" is the technical term used to describe a 50 ton travel lift gently picking up a large boat and placing her back home in the water), the start of our boating season was continually stalled by mother nature, followed by a couple of weekend activities including a graduation and two weddings. Seriously, why does anyone get married in the summer?!??? There's absolutely no utility in it whatsoever. The weather is far to unpredictable anyway, so if an outdoor wedding is truly coveted, head to Jamaica or Mexico in February when everyone is itching for a break anyway. Otherwise, leave the summer months alone.....my boating time is too precious! Pick the third or fourth weekend in March. Think about it - you can't ski, snowboard or snowmobile anymore. Ice shacks are no longer legally allowed on the lake. Yet it's too cold and crummy to be doing anything outdoors, including yard work. There's not much on for professional sports that can't be Tevo'd. It's perfect.

In any case, life on the boat picked up quite a bit later into June, and this latest fourth of July celebratory stretch presented the finest weather yet this year in the Apostles. We spent two days on the boat while my husband completed five dives for his Advanced certification. His instructor Mike, brought along his lady friend who turned out to be none other than favorite author Victoria Houston! What an unexpected treat! In addition to the company, the weather was phenomenally cooperative. Rich conversation and a warm sunny atmosphere provided for yet another glorious experience aboard Blue Ayes.

Photo: Mike, Vicky, Becky

A culminating event to the holiday, Matt and I, along with our daughter Brittany and her boyfriend Anthony, enjoyed the fireworks display seated on the bow while at anchor outside of the Bayfield harbor. The clear night quickly gave way to thunderous cracks and booms that lit the sky with vibrant showers of all shapes and colors. (I suspect most of the canines in Bayfield county were going completely bonkers that evening....if only they could enjoy it, too!). Now that July has been appropriately ushered in, let's see if summer follows suit.

The Winter Blues

The cold and snow keep hanging on and cabin fever is starting to take a strong hold. With a tentative "splash" date of May 1, the wait seems endless, tortourous. The latest edition of the West Marine catalog has been delievered to our house, spurring yet additional cravings for life on the high seas. Time flies, yet drags on....

We have made wonderful plans for the summer, inviting perhaps too many people for a weekend cruise or fishing excursion. There really are only so many weekends available for boating! We do love sharing it with others, and I suspect we will find ample time for ourselves to enjoy the beauty and adventures of Lake Superior sans passengers.

First up this spring: finish the repair work on our bow rails, followed by a good scrubbing and polishing (Captain Matt's job), and interior cleaning along with the ritual "oiling of the teak" (The Admiral's job).