Green xmas

Just 2 more days of chilly weather - can't say cold, it's surprisingly warmish in Ontario.

Gerry decided to start our time here with a bang - a small one, fortunately no one was hurt.  Doesn't look like all that much damage but they're writing it off.

We have a rental - a Nissan pickup truck (that's all they had). It's the "small" one - thank goodness we didn't get the large one - I CANNOT park the damn thing!!! The good news is that they'll let us drop it off at the airport so we don't need to arrange for alternate transportation. We'll be shopping for a new vehicle when we get back in April. Fun fun fun (maybe).

December 30, 2014

Had a great visit with family and friends (thanks for the hospitality Chris & Les!!). Time to go home to the boats.

Last Beach Day for 2 weeks

Weather has been chilly this past week, only 14 at 8 in the morning, climbing to 22 in the afternoon but once the sun goes down it drops drastically and I don't really want to leave the boat.

We leave on Monday so a trip to the beach was necessary yesterday.

Now that the 4 wheel drive works we decided the soft sandy route around the tree was possible:

Must find out what kind of bird this is.

First time I've seen a caterpillar; don't know what kind.

I know what this is.

Great day for beach combing. Photo doesn't do them justice.

 Despite the chill in the air we went to Johanne and Ken's for the xmas boat parade. The parade (all 14 boats) went past their house so we had an excellent view. They had their house all decorated in hopes of winning a prize. Took her about a week to hang a million lights - quite the show that photos can't quite capture.

Boat parade

Close up of their 4 boats.

Johanne's dock

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Everything comes to those who wait - so why didn't we wait?

This saying is used quite often around here and truer words were never spoken. Gerry has had a boat seat for a number of years and finally got around to installing it in the whaler - for me (although Chris thinks it's hers)!  Of course the captain needs a seat too so he ordered one on line with delivery to Stratford (and then we'll figure out how to get it here).

The very next day Mass shows up at happy hour with a great seat he doesn't need! Too late to cancel the order. We installed it yesterday.

Would you believe Gerry found a seat on the beach today!! I guess that will be your seat Chris.

All the seats:

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A few days ago we decided to do a bit of bushwacking so the jeep doesn't get any more scratched up than need be.

He's not wearing his good shirt is he?

Yes, I believe he is!

This video's for you Steve.

Beach and ocean critters

Lots of one on one with nature today:

Saw a really ugly shell in a shallow tide pool but picked it up any way. It turned out to be a conch (about 6 inches in length) of some sort. Not the kind we usually see, but sadly it appeared to be dead. Once I started walking down the beach with it it started to move in protest. I put it in a deeper tide pool, upside down to see how it turns itself over. It uses a different technique, very slow and methodically.

Check out the straight lines of algae and non-algae on it's shell

A very sandy "foot"

This white crab jumped up and ran like hell when we walked past it so of course I had to give chase. I dug him out of the sand and then he chased me!

These hermit crabs were having an important meeting, but right after I took this photo they dispersed. Was it something I said?

Although I was sure there was nothing to see (so I didn't take the camera) I decided to do a little snorkeling. I noticed a dark spot in the water and discovered a pile of rocks and some reef fish. Also spotted a trumpet fish and a much much bigger fish that appeared to be a barracuda. Instead of swimming away from me, as is the usual thing, it got closer and closer and closer - I got out of the water.

December - another year almost over

Finally got the dinghy back in the water November 28.

Loaded with beach stuff

We launched at the sailing club and headed for the beach. Naturally the weather didn't cooperate so I drove the jeep back home and Gerry managed to bump his way through the waves. Glad I wasn't with him.



The weather wasn't good for the beach until today, but we did get some chores done. Dirty Girl is really really big when it comes to cleaning her but she was living up to her name and it needed doing.

Today we decided to see if anyone has fixed the beach road. It appears that people with 4 wheel drive have managed to get through the sand but ours doesn't work.




Today Gerry wasn't taking no for an answer. He added a lot more stones to the ones someone had put down on the other side of the tree, cut a root off and gave it a go.

perseverance

It does appear that the stones are well placed and very flat but I assure you this is not the case. Not only that but there is a really big root in that mess that was too big to cut away with a chainsaw.

Undaunted he took a run at it:

roots

stones

 After some tweaking:

And this was his reward:

Sand and surf to the east of us.

Sand and surf to the west of us.