Springtime Retrieval Friday

Larry and I put the bow ramp back on his boat yesterday, after he took it off to have a receiver plate welded to the top for ramps to attach to the bow ramp for loading tractors, etc. for transport. We also put on new “Ruth Evelyn” vinyl signage on the boat. It’s beautiful spring weather right now. Sunny and in the 40’s during the day. About perfect weather for me. I don’t need it any warmer. Lots of boat owners were at their boats, taking advantage of the spring weather, readying their boats for spring and summer use.

This morning, I drove up to road to load a big pipe I’m going to use as a culvert. My boat trailer is empty, and the 30″ diameter pipe was about the same length as my boat, so it fit perfect when the operator loaded it on with a forklift. Problem was getting it off when I got home. I tried jacking the rear end up with a floor jack, but now what?   I tried various iterations but no dice. Then I saw it. Back up to a nearby tree, chain the end of the pipe to a tree, and drive away. Perfect!  Now I have  my empty trailer back.

Next, I met Larry at the boat about noon. Another bluebird day, and finally the winds have laid down. We ran the boat around to my boat at Horse Island. I brought lunch because, well, after a year with Larry, you know to bring lunch. Smoked black cod, sharp cheddar cheese, and Ritz crackers. I could see Larry savoring every bite, and every other cracker sandwich he offered me. Such a treat.

As we rounded Middle Point, Larry pointed out a cow and calf orca whale.

We pulled into the anchorage where my boat was bobbing nicely behind Horse Island. We first pulled my crab pots and loaded them on board. Then Larry dropped me off on my boat, which I untied from the haulout line, and then paddled the boat out to deeper water, where Larry backed in and we tied my boat off to a tow line. We took a leisurely hour tow into the Auke Bay launch ramp. We saw a pretty big pod of harbor porpoises near Colt Island, then a little pod of Dall Porpoise joined us by the Colt Island reef. We could clearly see them speeding by the boat in the clear spring water. It never gets old.

We arrived at Auke Bay about an hour later. I had dropped my truck and boat trailer earlier in the day, and Kurt had picked me up and dropped me off at Larry’s boat. Larry dropped me and my boat off to the dock, and then proceeded to the idle up the coast to the drive down crane dock a little further north.

I put my boat on the trailer, and dropped it off at the boat mechanic to troubleshoot the injector error issue on the smart gauge, then returned to pick up Larry and we headed to town in more sunshine.

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