How do you guys up north do it?

No doubt, Doug. Most I ever went was around 200, and I was completely wiped. And to boot, most of it was more or less smooth riding with some stops. I cant imagine the stuff they go through in the Iron Horse!
 
You go someplace warm with boats like Aruba!

Thought I would provide my fellow Northern Brethren with some pictures of warmth and boats from my trip to Aruba last month. While we were enjoying 88 degree weather with sunshine every day you guys were bundling up and shoveling snow. Aruba for those of you that may not know is Dutch and located about 50 miles north of Venezuela and has the second largest water desalinization plant in the world next to Saudi Arabia. The water is distilled rather than run through a reverse osmosis process so is very soft, safe to drink compared to other places in the Caribbean, and expensive. So much so that boats in the marina shown below had individual water meters for each slip.
I saw this boat from the highway as we passed the harbor on the way to the hotel after landing. I told the admiral that we had to take a closer look in the upcoming days since it was one of the most spectacular yachts either one of us had seen. We went to downtown Oranjestad, Aruba’s capital, to see the sites and visit the harbor which was right downtown. It was a Pershing 90 with a metallic paint that I am sure was custom. According to the link below the boat has twin 2400+HP engines that together are about as much horsepower as a diesel locomotive.
Aruba052.jpg

Aruba053.jpg

Aruba054.jpg


http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2005/Pershing-90-2147438/spain/Spain

As you can see from the picture below, the Pershing was not the only very large boat in the harbor. There were several Hatteras boats along with a couple of Sea Ray Sedans, 42 and a 55 footers which are difficult to see in the picture being dwarfed by the others. There was also a Cruisers 420 Sport Coupe that we saw out in the water in front of our hotel one day. When I took the pictures of the Pershing 90 we saw that boat right next to it with the owners. Interestingly they were from Venezuela and kept their boat 60 miles away in Aruba. Guess they didn’t want ole’ Hugo Chavez to get his hands on it.
Aruba064.jpg

The next set of photos was taken off a catamaran that did night cocktail cruises around the island. When we came back to the dock it was pitch black and the boat had no radar and there were several boats anchored that the captain had to steer around.
Aruba057.jpg

Aruba059.jpg

And what tropical travelogue would be complete without a picture of the sunset from the beach!
Aruba050.jpg


Hope these pictures bring a little warmth to my Northern buddies and anticipation of better times ahead this Spring.
 
WOW! What a great looking boat!

I'd have to knock off a few banks to be able to afford one of those.
 
too warm! Hard to ride a snowmachine on the beach!:lol::smt043

I did hear Al Gore was down there monitoring the snow fall for global warming!!

My thoughts exactly...:grin:

Beaches are awesome in the summer, and a good break to visit in the winter for vacation, but give me my snow and frozen ponds in the winter!!!

Besides, awesome to go to the beach in the winters up here (as long as it isnt really raw and windy, then it sucks!) and see the snow meet the sea on the shore. In college, we used to go to the beach all the time in winter and make big bonfires and surf in our dry suits. Was pretty darn fun.
 
Guys, I've just read this thread and I really enjoyed it. I've lived in North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas - all of junior high and high school - It was cold. I think the reason you guys put more hours on boats is that up North, only very, very serious boaters buy boats.
 
And, of course, there's a limit.... This guy thought he'd go out where it couldn't support him. This is on another section of the lake, maybe 8-10 miles from where I was.

bilde.jpg

They finally got this truck out of the ice. It took them about a week to figure out how, and get the equipment to do it. They ended up using a lot of wood bunkers and straps to pull it out. I didn't know it, but they drove over a compression crack in the ice... very dangerous! These often have open water in them. Very stupid. Also, the vehicle was unregistered, and in the winter, the laws of the state, are the ice is considered a legal roadway and follows normal road rules. So, this vehicle is illegal. The local police are considering charging them.

-VtSeaRay
 
Or You can go FURTHER north like we did, to Ottawa, Canada.

The folks in Ottawa really know how to take full advantage of the Rideau canal. How? Ice skating! Here is a shot of skaters on the frozen canal with the parliment and city in the background. The course is 7.8 km and proudly we did the entire thing 2x.

View attachment 8466

Here is a step lock on the Rideau, waiting for the big thaw. :) The Ottawa river is frozen in the background. We hope to have our boat on this canal this summer.

View attachment 8465

A link to Winterlude in Ottawa. They hold it every year during the month of February. Totally rec'd it.
http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-16299-10080&lang=1&bhcp=1
 
Or You can go FURTHER north like we did, to Ottawa, Canada.

The folks in Ottawa really know how to take full advantage of the Rideau canal. How? Ice skating! Here is a shot of skaters on the frozen canal with the parliment and city in the background. The course is 7.8 km and proudly we did the entire thing 2x.

View attachment 8466

Here is a step lock on the Rideau, waiting for the big thaw. :) The Ottawa river is frozen in the background. We hope to have our boat on this canal this summer.

View attachment 8465

A link to Winterlude in Ottawa. They hold it every year during the month of February. Totally rec'd it.
http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-16299-10080&lang=1&bhcp=1

That looks way cool!!! I just checked out the web cam. Looks like its raining there!! No skaters today! Might be worth a trip up there to check out the skating! Todd
 
And what tropical travelogue would be complete without a picture of the sunset from the beach!

icon7.gif
AAhhhh, That brings back memories! I went there on my honeymoon almost 10 years ago. Stayed @ the Marriott. Did you go to the Lighthouse for dinner? The best sunsets there! Also have to hit El Gaucho's in Oranjastad for some healthy portions of Venzuelan steak! And no trip is complete without a trip to Chez Matilda's, the little french restaurant. It was the best service and a chocolate souffle' to die for. I may have to go back for my 10 year anniversary this summer! Thanks for the pics. Oh yeah, and by the way, that is a sick looking yacht!!!!! :thumbsup: Todd
 
That looks way cool!!! I just checked out the web cam. Looks like its raining there!! No skaters today! Might be worth a trip up there to check out the skating! Todd

I just checked it and the place is mobbed with skaters. At 2:40 pm EST. :)
Saturday night is disc jockey night too! Fun!
 
320Bob, I thought your pictures looked oddly familiar. This may be the same marina...
 
Last edited:
320Bob, I thought your pictures looked oddly familiar. This may be the same marina...

If it was right across the street from the Renaissance Hotel with the tender that goes in a canal under the road then that's it.:grin:
 
Or You can go FURTHER north like we did, to Ottawa, Canada.

The folks in Ottawa really know how to take full advantage of the Rideau canal. How? Ice skating! Here is a shot of skaters on the frozen canal with the parliment and city in the background. The course is 7.8 km and proudly we did the entire thing 2x.

View attachment 8466

Here is a step lock on the Rideau, waiting for the big thaw. :) The Ottawa river is frozen in the background. We hope to have our boat on this canal this summer.

View attachment 8465

A link to Winterlude in Ottawa. They hold it every year during the month of February. Totally rec'd it.
http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-16299-10080&lang=1&bhcp=1

I totally agree with Joe, My gf and I went last yr, and in '07, stayed at Le Chateau Lauriett, awesome time!
 
If it was right across the street from the Renaissance Hotel with the tender that goes in a canal under the road then that's it.:grin:

Yep! That tender is a pretty cool idea. I loved watching the guy bouncing off of the walls inside the building. They don't handle very well in that tight space...
 
Yep! That tender is a pretty cool idea. I loved watching the guy bouncing off of the walls inside the building. They don't handle very well in that tight space...

When I first saw the tender I thought it was for the marina but I found out that it was primarily to take people to the Renaissance Private Beach that was south of the marina.
 
I'm in Canada on the west coast... just north of the San Juan islands. With the rare exception of a storm the boating is good here all year round... so there's nothing to deal with!
 

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