Ok then, let's move on

You just never know what the wind will bring.  The night we anchored out back in February, turned out to be basically the end of my boating season 2015/2016.  Within a week I was back in Queen Valley, AZ (my parents winter home) for health and welfare purposes.  Not going into details, but basically spent the entire month of March, once again, in the desert.

Knowing that I would be gone from Florida for quite sometime (leaving Rick and Izzy to fend for themselves in Marco Island) we decided to have one last hurrah with friends, Dean, Jane and Robbie.  Selfie at "Stans" - Jane, Robbie and Deb.

Dean & Rick enjoying a cold one at Stans

Followed up with a great dinner at Old Marco Lodge.  Deb, Rick, Jane, Dean & Robbie.  Doug is back in Minnesota "taking care of things".  

So back to AZ and the outfitted goose.  This was one of my favorites.  I saw 12 outfits (she wears each one for two days in a row) plus one day for her special St. Patricks day out fit - you do the math.

Also the cactus I walked by everyday asking me for a hug, pleaaaze!

Again on one of my morning walks, it was pointed out to me that this beautiful flowering yucca is very unusual.

"The queen of the night" night blooming cactus - flowers, sadly, only last till mid morning.

The desert, I have to admit, is beautiful this time of year, however, I had major issues with dusty, dry conditions. 

My sister Gail came out to relieve me for a couple of weeks and I was able to return to Broulee to get her into storage.

Happy to be back to some humidity.

 In my absence - Rick was busy working on and completing projects.  Also managed to get a few coats of varnish on the cap rails.  He made a new sunbrella cover for the windlass and the helm project is complete (well, a few punch list items remain) but have to

 admit it's looking good. Picture below is at night with the downlights reflecting the helm in the windows. 

The section on the left was added to house the Furuno radar, switches  for engine room intake and exhaust fans; switches for engine make-up air and NAIAD cooling pump and indicator lights for the genset and domestic water pump.  Also installed led recessed lights (dimmable as well as operating in white or red mode) in the panels above the helm. 

A quick project recap: 25 instruments, gauges and switches relocated; 24 circuit breakers involved; 700+ feet of wiring; countless wire crimps; 4 custom engraved anodized aluminum instrument panels; 2 sheets of laminate; plywood, teak and teak veneer, varnish and glue. We kept all the original instruments (except the new multi-touch screen monitor) because they worked. The panels are removable so replacement equipment can be installed. It was a fun, sometimes challenging, project. Glad its completed and happy with the results. Seated at the helm she feels like a new boat, or at least a few years younger in layout.

(Thanks Tom and Phyllis for the inspiration from what you had done to Cocoon's helm.)

Izzy had her last romp in the water at Marco and then next day we were underway.

Passing thru the Marco River heading out to the gulf.  Exciting using the new helm. And it all works!

 Next stop Glover Bight anchorage and then on to River Forest for haulout.

  Unfortunately as we were entering the Glover Bight anchorage trying to get the anchor down, we were hit by a wind storm packing 62 hour per mile winds.  Not fun. Not pretty. One strong gust literally laid Broulee on her side. Hang on anchor, oh wait, did we have time to get you fully set? May have moved a little, but who could tell what and where the original anchor drop was during the blow. The rain and wind stopped and the sun came out in time for a lovely sunset. The rest of the evening, quite uneventful. All part of boating!

Hauling out April 4th for a quick 2 and a half day trip home.  Great weather was a huge help. See you in the fall Broulee.

Unpack, repack for a trip to AZ to drive my parents back to Minnesota.  Unfortunately this is my flight out on April 11th.  It started out as a 12:30 departure - boarded at 12:00 only to be deboarded by 12:30.  Turns out nail in landing gear.  No spare here at this little airport - hoping to fly one in from Minneapolis.  NOT.  Next announcement bringing one from Iowa.  Finally at 4:30 they scrapped the flight.  Out the next day at 9:30.  Happy to say we are now all back in Minnesota and looking forward to a good spring/summer/fall.

Blessing of the Fleet and "All that Jazz"

We have never in our 15 years on Broulee been asked to participate in a Blessing of the Fleet  - we were asked last weekend and how can you resist, especially when a yacht club member has a spare set of nautical signal flags and another trawler owner knows how to put them up.  They have convinced me they have spelled out Broulee KK42 MN Izzy and then some jibberish.  I believe them.

So, once again, we scrambled to get the pilot house cleaned up to go out of the marina to bless Broulee.  Helm is nearing completion and I might add, looking good.

20 some boats jockeying for position to pass by the Bridge Officers.  Picture taken by Kadence,  Kadey Krogen 44.

A few of the boats in the Blessing of the Fleet - Simply Grand - Grand Banks 42

Grand Pelican, a Grand Banks 36

Ok, just in case you get asked to participate in a Blessing of the Fleet - this is the proper way to display your nautical sign flags.  The front flags are supposed to dip towards the water.  We will hopefully get better at this, it took us 15 years to get this far.

After we got the invite, found out we needed to have crew outfits.  They claim everyone has kahki and white - not this crew.  The Admirals came from Chico's.  The captain always looks stunning in Goodwill.

  

Broulee getting in position behind Kadence for our grand entrance.  Lots of Pomp and circumstance.  Rick announced to the Bridge - Captain Rick Smith, 1st Mate/Admiral/ Wife Debra and our trusty Black Lab, Queen Isabella.

Sunday, after the blessing we decided to take a shake down cruise to Keeywadin for an overnight.  Reminder it is Sunday and every boater in Southwest Florida is out - this beach is at least a mile long and packed with beached boats.  We are lucky, we anchor out and will dinghy in to this madness.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice cream.

The best part, come sunset - they all leave and we have the whole anchorage and beach to ourselves.  Sorry, no green flash tonight, but still awesome.

Morning is another favorite time for us.  No people and Izzy gets to be off leash.  She found one of her favorite toys, a coconut. Here she is  shaking it off after swimming for her prize.

Now I will shred this to pieces.

And now I must chase this dolphin.  Not sure what I will do with it when I get it, but, I will figure it out when I get there.

And last, but not least - they are back.  The burrowing owls (protected species) from last year seen on my daily walk.  Glad for their greeting every morning.  

Latest pics of helm to follow.

TAH DAH! Well Maybe TAH!

With the exception of a few final trim pieces, the new anodized panels and some cleanup we are just about finished.  The panels were shipped yesterday, the trim pieces are shaping up - problem being that this entire station will be removable for future changes to equipment and revarnishing as needed.  A challenge trying to figure out how to attach the bottom trim.  

Just a reminder of the old layout, quite an improvement, I must say.

"Men marry women with the hope they never change.  Women marry men with the hope they will change.  Invariably they are both disappointed." 

  Albert Einstein

Happy Valentines Day!

Back from the Ranch and helm remodel continues

Deb spent last week at the Wrinkle Ranch (aka Queen Valley, AZ) visiting her parents at their winter location.  Happy Hour -  desert style.  Going from extreme humidity in Florida to extremely dry air in AZ presented quite a challenge.  Honestly I was happy to get back to humidity.

This is a big deal - someone actually changes the goose outfit daily and residents make a special trips out of the park to see what she is wearing.    

Sanding and varnishing continues on windows and now a decision was made to also revarnish the rest of the helm station. How could you not.  It's hard to know where to stop.

Can only do one coat a day - a very slow process.  In between coats the captain has been designing new plates for the helm.

 Plates are to be made of black anodized aluminum.  Ordered from Panel Express out of Seattle, WA and expected to arrive around mid - February.  Hopefully all the varnishing will be done and assembling of the new helm can start.

Also in between coats of varnish - some engine room maintenance (it's a boat remember, Always something more on the list!).

Genset wet exhaust tube was "old", crack lines and soft in areas so time to replace. Why are those things at the back of the set, against the aft bulkhead in a space big enough for a child?

Well not only the tubing but the metal flange was corroded badly. Hard to see in picture but a few areas had holes.

Ok, so there is enough room to work back 
here !?

We have also have had fun - Wayne and Lynn (Marco Island Marina friends on the left, from last season) drove down from Jacksonville for a weekend visit.  Really fun to catch up on their travels since we split up last March.

  Also a great dinner with Robbie at Albertos on 5th in Naples.

Don't know about the rest of the group, but my blackened scallop and shrimp in a lobster sauce was incredible.

Rick's dessert, chocolate cake with ice cream - yum!

  Doug will be back soon, more visits with Minnesota people to follow.  Having worked for a refinery, he loves seeing the horsepower shown below. Lots of fuel needed there.

  

Boat name - NO ETA, really I would pretty much think you could leave late and still arrive before anyone else.

Always nice to be #1

Just stopping in for lunch at the Yacht Club - for boaters where money is no object.  They probably spent more on gas and lunch than our monthly slip rental.  Each to their own.

Anyone who knows Izzy, new toys are always her favorite, also we have to name them.  Couldn't pass up a two for $5 deal at Petco - introducing bluey and pinky.  She could hardly wait to show them off to all her people friends on the dock and the parking lot.  They love how she makes them feel like they are her best friend.

Her choices are endless, there is a whole basketful here.  Of course, they are all screaming pick me, pick me.  Izzy has figured out carrying a toy or two, or three in her mouth almost guarantees a people person to notice her and want to give her a pet.  These four are her favorites for the moment.  Rudy, Pinky, Lamby and Mr. Bubbly. She is still not so happy with the kitty who lives on the dock Mr. Kitty - she tries to show him her toy and he doesn't like it in his face. Hisssssss, swat!  She's trying, but doesn't understand why that little dog doesn't like her.

She also doesn't understand the birds (anhingas) lounging on her dock (actually drying off their wings) - bark, bark, bark - I need to flush it - let me out, dad get your shotgun!

Life here is good......

Stay tuned.