Flashback (Can you say "Free"?)

    The Adirondacks is a great place to kayak, but you need a place to stay or camp. Sharon and I accidentally discovered that, within the park boundaries, there are free campsites on park lands. In this photo, our RV is at site number 11 on Floodwood Road in the St. Regis Canoe Area. This particular campsite is well isolated from other campsites (there are only 11) and within walking distance of a group of lakes connected by streams. So, with the use of our kayak dollies, we can be paddling within minutes of leaving the campsite. You are permitted to stay for 3 days without a camping permit. However, with a camping permit you may stay up to 2 weeks. We did not have a permit when we parked the RV here one Sunday in July. On returning to the RV on Monday after a day of kayaking, we discovered a note on our windshield from the local park ranger informing us of the length-of-stay policy. On the note was the ranger's name, phone number and address in Keese Mill, a small town about an hour away. As it was early Monday evening we decided to call the ranger's office on Tuesday during business hours to make arrangements to stay longer than 3 days. The next morning, we got up early to kayak on Long Pond, a local pond on Floodwood Road, and planned a early return to the RV by mid-afternoon. We would then take the Jeep to find cell phone coverage so that we could call the ranger as there was no cell phone coverage at the campsite. Also, we thought we may need to travel to the town of Keese Mill to secure a permit. While we were on the lake, we stopped for a early lunch at one of the designated campsites. On our departure, as we were back-paddling the kayaks away from shore, we noticed a canoe approaching us. In the canoe was a single paddler. As we exchanged greetings with the gentleman, he asked us if we were enjoying our visit. We replied that we enjoy kayaking and camping in the Adirondacks. Somehow it came up in our conversation that we were camping on Floodwood Road. Without hesitation the gentleman said "Site No. 11?" to which I replied yes. The only way he could know this was if he was the park ranger who had left the note on our windshield. So I asked him if he was the Ranger Smith (fictitious name) and he replied yes! We informed him of our plans to call him later that day to learn how to get a extended stay permit, to which he replied "I can issue you a permit right now". So there we are, in the middle of the St. Regis Canoe Area, getting our 2-week camping permit. Then to our further surprise, we were informed the permit is issued without fees. The site was free and the permit was free - Thank you state of New York. Note - Park policies (camp sites/permits) may have changed since our last trip in 2006.

The above photo is a view of campsite No. 11 from Floodwood Raod. Also shown is the Jeep with the kayaks loaded ready to go on our next Adirondack kayak adventure.

Flashback(Which way is up?)

     The Adirondacks, a kayaker's paradise, are filled with vistas such as the one in the above photo taken at Low's Lower Dam. But, which way is up? Hint - one of the 2 photos in this particular blog entry is correct.

     New York state has managed to get one thing right - The Adirondacks - especially for kayakers and canoeists. The Adirondacks are filled with remote lakes that are accessible by water only. Most of these lakes have designated camping areas available to anyone on a first come first serve basis. It is very possible to be out and about and never see another person, see any kind of civilization or even hear a jet passing overhead. Believe it or not, canoes are the main mode of transportation in the Adirondacks as families pack up their canoes for a couple nights of camping on their favorite lake. For the locals, the Adirondacks is a way life. I remember one gentleman, who was done paddling for the day, got out of his Kevlar canoe, threw the canoe up on his shoulders to portage the canoe to the car, looked at Sharon and me and said "Not bad for an 80 year old man, eh!". On another occasion, we spotted what was obviously an elderly grey haired woman paddling solo in her canoe. As we progress through fall and winter in Pennsylvania, we will provide more flashbacks to our adventures in the Adirondacks.
     The photo below was taken on the Oswegatchie River as we were returning to the river access point. Have you decided which photo is oriented correctly?

Getting Educated

     This past week I went to the boat on Sunday. Then on Tuesday, I traveled to Solomons, MD for Trawler Fest sponsored by PassageMaker Magazine. Although Trawler Fest did not start until Friday, I was there for what is billed as PassageMaker University (PMU). On Wednesday and Thursday, I attended a 2 day workshop for the Lehman Ford Diesel Engine. I enrolled in this workshop back in June to make sure my reservation was accepted, for this class quickly fills up. The instructor was no other than the legendary Bob Smith of American Diesel Corporation. If you are not familiar with the Lehman Ford diesel engine then you would probably not know who Bob Smith is. Bob Smith was instrumental in the marinization of the Ford engine when the program was started in the early 60's. Today, in his seventies, Bob Smith conducted a workshop at PMU that included lecturing on the Lehman Ford diesel engine on the first day. Day 2 was a hands-on instruction with a Lehman Ford 120. Also on day 2, the class of 14 other fellow boaters and myself applied what we had learned and pulled the injector pump, valve train and injectors. We then retorqued the head, reinstalled and timed the injector pump, bench tested the injectors and reinstalled them, reinstalled the valve train and set valve clearances. Next, we were tested on what we had learned. We wheeled the diesel engine outside and started it. Imagine being at a Holiday Inn and see a bunch of guys fire up a diesel engine outside the hotel without a muffler on the engine! Yes the engine ran, and we all "passed the test". Although I do have a mechanical background, I found this course very enlightening. It will greatly help with our Lehman Ford 120 on board Big Run. If you have a Lehman Ford 120 or 135, you will find this course very beneficial. I especially recommend it for those who have the 120.

T-Minus 13 and Counting

     First, I would like to state that I am not superstitious - 13 is a cool number. And in this case, 13 refers to the number of months till we cast off all of our ties with land. 13 months is not very long and I'm sure we will be asking ourselves where has the time gone. Although we will be doing some extensive cruising next summer, November 2010 is the expiration of our slip contract at Long Cove Marina. November 1st is also the date in which insurance companies allow you to head south beyond Norfolk, VA. At that time we will be heading down the ditch(Intra Coastal Waterway [ICW]). We have already starting developing lists of what has to be done and what needs to purchased for our adventure to begin as full time cruisers Hopefully, all preparations will be concluded by August 2010. There is so much to do - and I 'm not talking just about boat work. Sharon will be handling all the legal/financial issues and other matters related to converting from land based to live-aboards. I, on the other hand, got the easier task of boat preparations. Right now, Sharon is working on reducing our snail mail to something more manageable for a mail service to handle. Most statements are available via the Internet. Sharon is also working on setting up accounts to be paid through the internet. One project Sharon just completed was the scanning of all of our photos that were on paper. All photos are now stored digitally with a backup to a external hard drive. Hopefully we will able to continue our countdown and provide an insight into the transition.

Road Hazard

     And you think potholes do damage to your car's front end! This tree trunk would cause considerable damage to the hull and/or running gear. Fortunately, we were anchored when this log came racing by with the outgoing tide. When we departed from our anchorage on Reed Creek the next day, we kept a watch for this hazard, but it was never seen again. And you want to cruise at night?

Difficult Times

     The month of August has been one of the most trying times of our lives. Sharon and I did take 2 weekend cruises in August, one after the loss of my sister Linda, the other cruise was also a "mental health" weekend because of other events that have been playing out during the month. And it doesn't end there, just recently we were delivered with yet another emotional setback when a family member was hospitalized unexpectedly. Hopefully, September will bring favorable closures to those things that have been testing our fortitude. Looking forward, October offers some great times to be gunkholing on the Bay. Cool temps at night and the prospect of good fall foliage color due to the weekly rains this summer should provide for some interesting times.

Flashback (Honeymoon Suite)

   The day after our wedding, Sharon and I left to go on our honeymoon in the Four Corners region, the Grand Canyon being our ultimate destination with other scenic stops in the surrounding area (states). This photo was taken in Monument Valley. Our customized van served as our honeymoon suite for those 3 weeks, I guess that you can say we have always been adventurous or crazy.

Still Hav'n Fun

     It has been 2 weeks since our last blog entry so I thought I would post something from this past weekend. Last Friday, Sharon and I drove down to the boat together, which usually only happens when the boat is on the hard. The weather forecast for the weekend was to be hot with increasing humidity, so we decided to head up to Comegy's Bight. The openness of Comegy's Bight would surely provide a breeze and just as we hoped it would, the gentle breeze cooled the boat for sleeping that night.
     Saturday's weather called for thunder storms, and as predicted the thunder storms popped up that evening, a severe cell passed to the north and later a strong cell formed to the south. We on the other hand, had a brief shower and strong winds to raise the chop in our anchorage. After listening to the forecast on Sunday which called for more thunderstorms than the previous night, we decided to seek safe harbor in a anchorage that offered a little more wind protection, so we headed down to Reed Creek where this photo was taken. Yep, your right, the storms never formed, we had little or no breeze and because we were closer to land we had bugs - you know, the kind that bite. But you know what - we're still hav'n fun.

Flashback (Words of Wisdom)

     You will have to bear with me while I try to explain this photo. In 2006, we were with our friends Jeff & Wendy at their condo in Ocean City, MD. Close to their condo is the night club Seacrets. On one of our nights clubbing, we were at Seacrets, and for reasons left to your imagination, Sharon had to visit the "Powder Room". There, for some unknown reason was a blackboard in the ladies room. Well, one thing led to another and Sharon left a message to inspire the younger generation. Then to document her inspiration, Sharon captured the moment with a photo to share with us.

Common Addiction

     If you find yourself being bored with sunsets, forget about the notion of being a serious cruiser. As we enjoy the close of the day, we notice others on their boats also being captivated by the event.

Life is Good

     Yes, Life is Good, especially when you can prop up your feet and enjoy a view such as the one pictured here. When Sharon and I are looking for a anchorage that provides great scenery, we choose Millstone Point on the West Branch of the Langford Creek on the Chester River.

Limited Access

     The headwaters of the West Branch of the Langford Creek have limited access for boats due to the low water depth - about 18 inches. This low water depth provides for some excellent kayaking into areas that most people do not get a chance to enjoy.

Fourth of July Celebrations

     Friday the 3rd of July was the start of Sharon's vacation. As Grant was in New Mexico at the Philmont Scout Ranch for a 2 week hike, we had Sky with us. One of our "dog friendly" anchorages is Conquest Beach, "across" the river from Comegys Bight. On Friday night, we were treated to Rock Hall's fireworks, which I charted to be 5 miles away as the crow flies. Although we did not have the audio portion of the program, we did have an excellent view due to the low humidity. Then, on the 4th of July, we were again treated to not one but many fireworks displays, and from the same anchorage of the previous night. To the east was the fireworks from Chestertown (7 miles away), and to the west we could get a glimpse of the show from the city of Baltimore, across the bay. Then, to the north, we saw fireworks from a unknown community, and to the south of Chestertown was yet another display. And then there was the amatuer fireworks display from the shoreline that amused us for some time. So you might say we had the best seats in the house!

Comegys Bight

      Comegys Bight could be called a "bay" on the Chester River and also a anchorage that no one uses. This past weekend Sharon and I enjoyed a spectacular 3 days there. Although the anchorage may not provide protection from storms, it does offer an openness that most cruisers will pass up.