Memorial Day Weekend 2023

Wait a Minute! You drive 9 hours to get to the boat?
My boat is 10 minutes away. I literally have access to any navigable water in the world, if I chose to cruise.

Twenty years ago, my company tried to relocate me to freaking **. I told my boss the boating was 3 hours away. He said if you don't go I would lose my pension. I said *&^%^&. Now retired, my pension is half what I would have had, BUT MY BOAT IS A FREAKING 10 MINUTES AWAY. ANDDDDDD, it's fresh water.

Sorry guy of a boss. He had all the wrong priorities.
 
My boat is 10 minutes away. I literally have access to any navigable water in the world, if I chose to cruise.

Twenty years ago, my company tried to relocate me to freaking **. I told my boss the boating was 3 hours away. He said if you don't go I would lose my pension. I said *&^%^&. Now retired, my pension is half what I would have had, BUT MY BOAT IS A FREAKING 10 MINUTES AWAY. ANDDDDDD, it's fresh water.

Sorry guy of a boss. He had all the wrong priorities.
Mine is 8 miles. If i need a tool i can be home and back in max 20 mins. 9 hours, there is no way. Id take up bowling.
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My boat is 10 minutes away. I literally have access to any navigable water in the world, if I chose to cruise.

Twenty years ago, my company tried to relocate me to freaking **. I told my boss the boating was 3 hours away. He said if you don't go I would lose my pension. I said *&^%^&. Now retired, my pension is half what I would have had, BUT MY BOAT IS A FREAKING 10 MINUTES AWAY. ANDDDDDD, it's fresh water.

Sorry guy of a boss. He had all the wrong priorities.
Jim, now retired people say to my wife, why dont you move south where your kids are. Wife says she will never get me off the Chesapeake. And she right. I would never leave here, not for a billion, not for 72 virgins, not for anything. I aint never leaving here.
Sunday morning, boat at water bar, before crowd. Paradise, just wife boat me and cold beers.
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Great weekend for us, glorious weather, and much of it on the boat. On Friday we got some food and cruised over to a nice anchoring spot by a tiny island to watch the sunset. Saturday we headed down to the Statue of Liberty and anchored south of the Lady, weirdly only a couple private boats there, both sailboats; rest was the usual ferry and tour boat crowd. It's the start of fleet week so at one point the Navy had four helicopters circling Liberty Island. My 8yr old grabbed the ensign and started waving it at them, their response was to drop down to about 70' and charge at us, splitting into two pairs just behind of our boat and then doing a roaring flypast either side, banked so we could see the guys inside waving down. Was an awe-inspiring sight that blew my kids' minds (and mine honestly) although I am sure that we were also the target of a mock attack run :)
Sunday I took my 10 year old out for her first fishing expedition. Neither of us know anything but she's expressed an interest and I'm happy to step up. Didn't catch anything (we were going for porgies of which I know there are plenty, but not where we were hunting). Some precious bonding time for sure and she had a great time. Gas at $5.49 a gallon, doesn't seem to have changed much from end of last season.

No boating for the rest of the weekend - the winds picked up a lot and I felt like the family and our guests had had their fill. So we went for a nice walk down by the town beach where I ended up calling in a rescue for an idiot who'd taken a tiny laser out from a local sailing club into stiff winds with his two young kids aboard. Earlier we'd all had a good laugh watching him completely fail to sail off the dock - at one point he was backwinding the main sail so he was pushed backwards onto the rocks, like he didn't agree with the tack the wind wanted him on. Centerboard raised all the way up too. I'm not a good sailor but this is kid level stuff. When he (with help from the club) eventually made it, instead of mucking about in the safety of the harbor with his kids I was amazed to see him ripping right out heading for the middle of Long Island Sound. About 500 feet offshore he jibed and then promptly broached. Nobody from the club could see him as he'd rounded a headland, but there he was, capsized, with two kids in 60 degree water with no clue how to right it and completely invisible. So I ran back to his club and they sent the launch out to rescue him (the old guys on the dock telling me he'd even refused to take a loaner radio!) Fortunately all were ok, although if there's any justice in the world he'll be sleeping on the sofa for a month after he tells his wife what he did. The laser was dismasted and clearly damaged. Definition of hubris.
 
Sounds like “definition of a typical sailor”. Apologies to the few competent out there. Most have visions of being ‘Master and Commander’. Most are closer to Ted Knight in Caddyshack. Ya I’m looking at you sailor that insists sailing back and forth across the mouth of Middle River on weekends farking up all boat traffic.
 
Pirate, it takes a bit of skill to go back and forth :) If this chucklehead could've managed that he'd not have got in trouble in the first place. An anchor scratcher for sure.

Sad thing is there's a good chance his daughters (they looked like middleschoolers) might've been put off the water for life now. The sound is bitching cold this time of year, not a fun experience getting an unexpected dunking, doubly so when it comes with the realization that your dad is as much of a muppet as anyone else - I hope my kids figure that out a bit later in life.
 
Wait a Minute! You drive 9 hours to get to the boat?
Yep. We usually take a week or two and hang out on the boat up north, then bring it back home to play with and do some repairs. Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to finally retire up north, so the boat will be right there. The way things have been going the last six months at work, I'm surprised I still have a job. I've been getting very mouthy at the higher-ups, but I think I have them on the ropes, as they haven't yet fired me.
 
Mine is 8 miles. If i need a tool i can be home and back in max 20 mins. 9 hours, there is no way. Id take up bowling.
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The boat sits on its trailer in my bud's side yard next to his well-apportioned shop, putting us 5 minutes away from Farrugat State Park on the southern tip of Lake Pend Oreille. Trust me; it's worth the drive.
 
It's a time to remember and honor our heroes, and also a chance to spend quality moments with loved ones. While we enjoy BBQs and beach trips, it's worth exploring eco-friendly ways to celebrate. Have you ever heard of Aquamation?
You’re late to the party dude….. we are shooting for thanksgiving right now
 

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