April 8, 2014
April 2, 2014
Rosborough for sale SOLD
After some great adventures, we have decided to sell our Rosborough.
Because we owned this boat, we have been able to travel to lots of interesting locations that we would not otherwise have been able to visit. From the Florida Keys to the North Channel and everywhere in between, you can view the locations and adventures we've enjoyed in the blue box to the right of this post. And we have met some wonderful people along the way that will continue to remain friends.
Tonic is a 2000 RF 246 with an extended hardtop
Twin 50 hp Yamaha four stroke high thrust outboards on Armstrong brackets
2008 galvanized tandem axle trailer with spare tire
Marine head with macerator
Hot and cold pressure water with cockpit shower
Coleman SeaMach 13500BTU roof-top airconditioner
Shorepower with cord
Two battery banks with built in charger
Alcohol stove and microwave
AC / DC Refrigerator
Tinted windows with privacy curtains
GPS, Speed, Depth, VHF w/DSC, Compass
AM/FM CD with aux input
Cockpit storage boxes with cushions
Swim platform with ladder
Anchor, docklines, fenders
We are asking $44,900.00
The boat is located near our home, just north of Indianapolis,
Indiana. If necessary, we can arrange delivery, or if you want a
complete package, we will be selling our 2012 Silverado 2500HD pickup.
We can be reached at sailmore1@hotmail.com, or by phone
(317) 727-1952.
Because we owned this boat, we have been able to travel to lots of interesting locations that we would not otherwise have been able to visit. From the Florida Keys to the North Channel and everywhere in between, you can view the locations and adventures we've enjoyed in the blue box to the right of this post. And we have met some wonderful people along the way that will continue to remain friends.
Tonic is a 2000 RF 246 with an extended hardtop
Twin 50 hp Yamaha four stroke high thrust outboards on Armstrong brackets
2008 galvanized tandem axle trailer with spare tire
Marine head with macerator
Hot and cold pressure water with cockpit shower
Coleman SeaMach 13500BTU roof-top airconditioner
Shorepower with cord
Two battery banks with built in charger
Alcohol stove and microwave
AC / DC Refrigerator
Tinted windows with privacy curtains
GPS, Speed, Depth, VHF w/DSC, Compass
AM/FM CD with aux input
Cockpit storage boxes with cushions
Swim platform with ladder
Anchor, docklines, fenders
We are asking $44,900.00
We can be reached at sailmore1@hotmail.com, or by phone
(317) 727-1952.February 7, 2014
Spotless
We saw a spotted eagle ray at our dock a few days ago. It looked like it was trying to climb the piling.
Later, we noticed it had a lamprey eel on its back. We thought it was trying to rub off the eel.
The Ranger tugs are having a rendezvous here again this year. They have 21 tugs in the marina, and some other folks joining by car.
It may not look like it in this photo, but we really stand out from the tugs. Outboard motors.
I went out looking for redfish again today. My efforts were finally rewarded. I caught two really nice reds. If I had caught them in reverse order, I could have said that I caught my biggest redfish ever--twice!! However, I caught the biggest one first. It was 35" (I don't have a scale.) The second was 31".
The bigger one did not have a spot on its right side. (One spot on the left side.)
Later, we noticed it had a lamprey eel on its back. We thought it was trying to rub off the eel.
The Ranger tugs are having a rendezvous here again this year. They have 21 tugs in the marina, and some other folks joining by car.
It may not look like it in this photo, but we really stand out from the tugs. Outboard motors.
I went out looking for redfish again today. My efforts were finally rewarded. I caught two really nice reds. If I had caught them in reverse order, I could have said that I caught my biggest redfish ever--twice!! However, I caught the biggest one first. It was 35" (I don't have a scale.) The second was 31".
The bigger one did not have a spot on its right side. (One spot on the left side.)
February 6, 2014
Everything but reds
Went out fishing this afternoon hoping to catch redfish.
I caught everything but redfish. In addition to ladyfish and jacks, I caught.........................
Trout
Snook
Bluefish
Gopher tortise
But no redfish
I caught everything but redfish. In addition to ladyfish and jacks, I caught.........................
Trout
Snook
Bluefish
But no redfish
February 3, 2014
February 2, 2014
February
January was cold and rainy. Glad it's over.
Finally a nice day today.
Mid eighties and sunny.
Even the redfish wanted to come out and play.
January 23, 2014
Sea Slugs
There's only two locations when you're talking to someone in Florida. There's "here." And there's "up NOrth." Doesn't matter which state. If it's not "here," then it's "up NOrth."
It's still cold here. I realize that no one up NOrth cares, but when you go to the trouble and expense to come to Florida, you expect it to be warm. My pal Shelly flew off to Arizona yesterday. Today, the people on the boat next to us rented a car, drove to Miami, and got on a plane to the Caribbean, and chartered a sailboat.
The water taxi driver, Dave, is from somewhere up NOrth where they talk with an accent. (Maine)
This morning, he told Pam there were some "ink fish" stranded on the shallow area next to where the water taxi docks. She took a photo of one.
There were five or six of the unusual animals there, and he thought he should net them and move them to deeper water. I had my underwater camera for the last two. While he was moving them, they did squirt out ink. However, a search on the internet proved them to be Brown Sea Slugs. They are in the same family as squids, cuttlefish, and octopi.
Here's a short video
January 17, 2014
Cold Jacks
Too cold to fish?
I've been catching some decent Jacks. Every time one hits, I'm sure I have a redfish.
I really hope they stick around while my 6 year old granddaughter is here. And also later when my pal Dawg is here. I would say that that both their fishing abilities are about the same, but I wouldn't want to offend my granddaughter.
January 10, 2014
January 9, 2014
Snookered
If we had a little more space, I might say we've got cabin fever. After several days cooped up in our little boat, a cabin would seem spacious. So even though it was raining today, I went fishing.
As usual, I was fishing for redfish. Early on, I caught a nice trout.
Before I became a redfish snob, I thought snook were my favorite fish to catch. I had a snook sticker on my old truck bumper. I have a plastic snook on the wall in my den. Redfish might have more brute strength, but redfish don't jump. Snook are acrobatic and terrific fighters. So today, when I hooked the largest snook I've ever had on the end of my line, I knew what it was after the first jump. Actually, the fact that this snook only jumped high enough to show it's giant head was an indication that it was huge. Small snooks jump clear out of the water, but as they get bigger, they can no longer clear the surface.
Like most things, fishing is full of compromises. Fishing line is one. I use braided line. It's smaller diameter than comparable test monofilament. However, braid shows up in the water, so I use a leader made of fluorocarbon. Up NOrth, I use small flourocarbon--either 10 or 15 pound. For redfish down here, I use 20 pound or sometimes 25 pound. The trade off is that you will catch more fish with a smaller diameter leader. But smaller a diameter leader will wear through quicker if it rubs against a piling with barnacles. Or if it rubs against the gill plate of a huge snook. That's why people who fish for large snook use heavy leader. Maybe 50 pound fluorocarbon.
So when I saw the size of the snook I had on my line today, I knew it would not end well. The snook took off, and I was trying to hold my hand on the reel spool to slow it down. I kept tightening the drag, but the line was zipping off my reel. I was into the backing, and thinking I would get "spooled" but just about the time it reached the end of the line, the snook turned around, and swam towards my boat. I frantically reeled in line to keep up. When the snook got within about 10 feet of the dinghy, it took off again. This time, it was shaking it's head, and rubbing my 20 pound fluorocarbon against it's razor sharp gill plates. You can guess what happened next.
When this all started, I turned on my video camera. The video shows a bent rod, a lot of splashing, and an old man crying at the end. I couldn't bear to watch it again so I didn't process it to post here.
As usual, I was fishing for redfish. Early on, I caught a nice trout.
Before I became a redfish snob, I thought snook were my favorite fish to catch. I had a snook sticker on my old truck bumper. I have a plastic snook on the wall in my den. Redfish might have more brute strength, but redfish don't jump. Snook are acrobatic and terrific fighters. So today, when I hooked the largest snook I've ever had on the end of my line, I knew what it was after the first jump. Actually, the fact that this snook only jumped high enough to show it's giant head was an indication that it was huge. Small snooks jump clear out of the water, but as they get bigger, they can no longer clear the surface.
Like most things, fishing is full of compromises. Fishing line is one. I use braided line. It's smaller diameter than comparable test monofilament. However, braid shows up in the water, so I use a leader made of fluorocarbon. Up NOrth, I use small flourocarbon--either 10 or 15 pound. For redfish down here, I use 20 pound or sometimes 25 pound. The trade off is that you will catch more fish with a smaller diameter leader. But smaller a diameter leader will wear through quicker if it rubs against a piling with barnacles. Or if it rubs against the gill plate of a huge snook. That's why people who fish for large snook use heavy leader. Maybe 50 pound fluorocarbon.
So when I saw the size of the snook I had on my line today, I knew it would not end well. The snook took off, and I was trying to hold my hand on the reel spool to slow it down. I kept tightening the drag, but the line was zipping off my reel. I was into the backing, and thinking I would get "spooled" but just about the time it reached the end of the line, the snook turned around, and swam towards my boat. I frantically reeled in line to keep up. When the snook got within about 10 feet of the dinghy, it took off again. This time, it was shaking it's head, and rubbing my 20 pound fluorocarbon against it's razor sharp gill plates. You can guess what happened next.
When this all started, I turned on my video camera. The video shows a bent rod, a lot of splashing, and an old man crying at the end. I couldn't bear to watch it again so I didn't process it to post here.
January 6, 2014
Arctic Blast
Pumped up the dinghy yesterday, and went out to fish for a while. While fishing, I kept hearing a hissing noise, and occasionally saw bubbles coming out from under the blow-up boat. Might have been an alligator, but unfortunately, it was worse. Soon, I got that sinking feeling. Literally.
I made it back to the marina, and tied up to the mother ship for repairs.
We went out again this morning to do some more fishing. Around 11am, it was about 75 degrees and pleasant.
I made it back to the marina, and tied up to the mother ship for repairs.
We went out again this morning to do some more fishing. Around 11am, it was about 75 degrees and pleasant.
The weather forecast called for a cold front to come through Florida later in the day. Sure enough, just after noon, we could see it coming from the NOrth.
The temperature is dropping from the 75 degree high this morning to a low tonight of 35 degrees. At least our 35 degrees is above zero.
January 4, 2014
Just in the nick of time
We got out of the frozen NOrth just in the nick of time. We had originally planned to depart on January 2nd. After checking the forecast, we moved it up by one day, and left on the 1st. Looking at photos from home, we barely escaped. Very cold temps and lots of sNOw.
We're back in Palm Island Marina--same place as last year. Pam likes the facility, and I like the fishing. We've had some cool temps since we arrived, but can't seem to get much sympathy from people up NOrth for 40 degrees overnight here when the wind chill at home is -40 degrees.
IU and the Colts are on TV today. It's cool and overcast, so we plan to stay inside and watch both games.
On the drive down, Pam saw a sign along the interstate for an "adult" superstore. She said she wondered if they'd take a trade-in. I couldn't imagine what she might have or want that would come from an "adult" superstore. I've mentioned before that she makes me take "mature" vitamins, but she's disappointed that the "mature" part hasn't worked on me. So she was hoping that she might trade me in for an adult.
We're back in Palm Island Marina--same place as last year. Pam likes the facility, and I like the fishing. We've had some cool temps since we arrived, but can't seem to get much sympathy from people up NOrth for 40 degrees overnight here when the wind chill at home is -40 degrees.
IU and the Colts are on TV today. It's cool and overcast, so we plan to stay inside and watch both games.
On the drive down, Pam saw a sign along the interstate for an "adult" superstore. She said she wondered if they'd take a trade-in. I couldn't imagine what she might have or want that would come from an "adult" superstore. I've mentioned before that she makes me take "mature" vitamins, but she's disappointed that the "mature" part hasn't worked on me. So she was hoping that she might trade me in for an adult.
October 16, 2013
Free to a good home
We started back upstream yesterday. It's upwind, upstream, and uphill back to Hales Bar. Normal pool for Wheeler Lake is 556' above sea level. Guntersville Lake is 595'. That 39' higher, and Nickajack Lake is 634' up another 39'.
It's good to know the exact level of each lake every day. It changes. There are "gauges" along the way, and their locations are marked on the charts. I knew yesterday that Wheeler was 555', or one foot below normal pool. When we got to the railroad lift bridge in Decatur, the chart showed it's "down position" clearance to be 9'-8" at normal pool. With our antenna and anchor light down, we can get under just a little over 9'. Would have been very close at normal pool, but since I knew we had an extra foot, I thought we could make it. There were two other bigger boats waiting there for the bridge to lift. I had heard the bridgemaster tell them over the radio that there were two more trains coming, and they would have to wait. We squeezed under and waved to the waiting boats as we passed. Sometimes, smaller is better.
A lot of the points of interest here are concerning what we know as the "Civil War." Down here it's know as "The War of Northern Aggression." (See the previous comments about Yankees.)
This will probably be our last post on this trip. We plan to anchor out a couple of nights, and then find our truck and trailer and head back home. No more wifi available.
There's a boat in the marina where we are tonight (Tuesday).
It's 82' long, and not too long ago it was free to a good home.
Bone Yard Boats
Having restored several wood boats myself, I know how expensive "free" can be.
It's good to know the exact level of each lake every day. It changes. There are "gauges" along the way, and their locations are marked on the charts. I knew yesterday that Wheeler was 555', or one foot below normal pool. When we got to the railroad lift bridge in Decatur, the chart showed it's "down position" clearance to be 9'-8" at normal pool. With our antenna and anchor light down, we can get under just a little over 9'. Would have been very close at normal pool, but since I knew we had an extra foot, I thought we could make it. There were two other bigger boats waiting there for the bridge to lift. I had heard the bridgemaster tell them over the radio that there were two more trains coming, and they would have to wait. We squeezed under and waved to the waiting boats as we passed. Sometimes, smaller is better.
A lot of the points of interest here are concerning what we know as the "Civil War." Down here it's know as "The War of Northern Aggression." (See the previous comments about Yankees.)
This will probably be our last post on this trip. We plan to anchor out a couple of nights, and then find our truck and trailer and head back home. No more wifi available.
There's a boat in the marina where we are tonight (Tuesday).
It's 82' long, and not too long ago it was free to a good home.
Bone Yard Boats
Having restored several wood boats myself, I know how expensive "free" can be.
October 14, 2013
Yankees
We are in Joe Wheeler State Park tonight (Monday)
I mentioned earlier that we had met several loopers on our trip. Today, we caught up with all of them. They're having the AGLCA Rendezvous here at Wheeler this week. That's America's Great Loop Cruiser's Association. If you don't know what the great loop is, look it up.
The AGLCA took over the entire marina. Every transient slip full, every room in the lodge full.
The park was nice enough to squeeze us in a slip down with the sailboats. We've been 230 miles downstream. I think we will start back upstream tomorrow.
I found one boat from Indiana--sort of. Turns out they are the grandparents of my young friend Bret's best friend, Chris.
Whenever we wear our IU or Colts shirts, I always hear mumbles of "Yankees" as we pass the locals. Try as I might, I just can't get the "How Ya'all" to sound southeren. So I just nod my head, and let Pam talk. She's from Louisville, and though she's been in the NOrth for a lot of years, she can still speak passable southernease.
Thinking back to my trip on this river with Bret, one of the funniest things I remember was our rescue of 4 souls on a small aluminum fishing boat. We saw the guy in the front of this little boat standing up and waving his hands. Bret and I had given some thought to the possibility of encountering river pirates or other miscreants, and thought this might be one of those opportunities. The guy in front said they needed to be towed to shore. They had a fuel problem (ran out of gas). They had not, however run out of beer. We asked if they had a paddle. They said "yes, but we keep going around in circles. We seen somebody paddling on TV once, and it looked easy, but it ain't."
I told Bret to throw them the end of one of our old lines, and keep a close watch on them. If they started to pull themselves to our boat, he should cut the line, and we would leave them. Bret threw the guy standing in the front of their boat our line, but he missed it. Bret got the line back in, and threw it a little stronger the second time, and it hit the guy standing in the front of the boat right in the face. His eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell backwards over the side of their little boat. I told Bret not to let him swim to our boat. He somehow was able to re-board their boat without capsizing it and putting the other 3 occupants in the water. Bret once again threw him a line, and we were able to tow them to shore. As I recall, we ended up towing them several miles back to the launching ramp where their truck was. And I also recall that we didn't get as much as a "Thanks, Yankees."
we are in
I mentioned earlier that we had met several loopers on our trip. Today, we caught up with all of them. They're having the AGLCA Rendezvous here at Wheeler this week. That's America's Great Loop Cruiser's Association. If you don't know what the great loop is, look it up.
The AGLCA took over the entire marina. Every transient slip full, every room in the lodge full.
The park was nice enough to squeeze us in a slip down with the sailboats. We've been 230 miles downstream. I think we will start back upstream tomorrow.
I found one boat from Indiana--sort of. Turns out they are the grandparents of my young friend Bret's best friend, Chris.
Whenever we wear our IU or Colts shirts, I always hear mumbles of "Yankees" as we pass the locals. Try as I might, I just can't get the "How Ya'all" to sound southeren. So I just nod my head, and let Pam talk. She's from Louisville, and though she's been in the NOrth for a lot of years, she can still speak passable southernease.
Thinking back to my trip on this river with Bret, one of the funniest things I remember was our rescue of 4 souls on a small aluminum fishing boat. We saw the guy in the front of this little boat standing up and waving his hands. Bret and I had given some thought to the possibility of encountering river pirates or other miscreants, and thought this might be one of those opportunities. The guy in front said they needed to be towed to shore. They had a fuel problem (ran out of gas). They had not, however run out of beer. We asked if they had a paddle. They said "yes, but we keep going around in circles. We seen somebody paddling on TV once, and it looked easy, but it ain't."
I told Bret to throw them the end of one of our old lines, and keep a close watch on them. If they started to pull themselves to our boat, he should cut the line, and we would leave them. Bret threw the guy standing in the front of their boat our line, but he missed it. Bret got the line back in, and threw it a little stronger the second time, and it hit the guy standing in the front of the boat right in the face. His eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell backwards over the side of their little boat. I told Bret not to let him swim to our boat. He somehow was able to re-board their boat without capsizing it and putting the other 3 occupants in the water. Bret once again threw him a line, and we were able to tow them to shore. As I recall, we ended up towing them several miles back to the launching ramp where their truck was. And I also recall that we didn't get as much as a "Thanks, Yankees."
we are in
Decatur, Alabama
Back when we were in Chattanooga, we met several loopers. John and Diane on Tutto Bene, retired on Friday, and then got on their boat and started the great loop on Saturday. We saw them again at Goose Pond and Ditto Landing. Here's a photo of them going under the railroad lift bridge near Decatur.
We arrived in Decatur, AL on Sunday afternoon.
We met some other loopers (Clay and Sally) along the way who had told us of a free dock in Decatur. We tied up directly behind the Pickwick Belle.
We talked a while with the captain of the Pickwick Belle, and he invited us aboard. It's a true paddle wheeler (no props or thrusters)
Pam read somewhere that Decatur had a hysterical district full of old houses. Didn't matter that it was a loooong walk from the free dock. So we hiked what seemed to be a hundert miles to look at some old houses.
They had a wedding aboard the Pickwick Belle that evening.
And speaking of weddings, I forgot to mention that while we were in the Moon Pie store in Chattanooga, we overheard a customer call in to order several cases of moon pies for their wedding. Didn't see any moon pies go aboard the Belle last night.
We arrived in Decatur, AL on Sunday afternoon.
We met some other loopers (Clay and Sally) along the way who had told us of a free dock in Decatur. We tied up directly behind the Pickwick Belle.
We talked a while with the captain of the Pickwick Belle, and he invited us aboard. It's a true paddle wheeler (no props or thrusters)
Pam read somewhere that Decatur had a hysterical district full of old houses. Didn't matter that it was a loooong walk from the free dock. So we hiked what seemed to be a hundert miles to look at some old houses.
They had a wedding aboard the Pickwick Belle that evening.
And speaking of weddings, I forgot to mention that while we were in the Moon Pie store in Chattanooga, we overheard a customer call in to order several cases of moon pies for their wedding. Didn't see any moon pies go aboard the Belle last night.
October 12, 2013
Navigation
The US Corps of Engineers has placed red and green markers along the river channel to mark the safe area to travel. (Lucky for us, the Corps did not shut down with the rest of the government, since they also operate the locks.) In order to help Pam remember which side of the markers we're to be on, I use a red a green potato chip clipped to the port and starboard side inside our windshield.
Below the locks, we are back to being in a river. The river is narrow, and the channel even more narrow. If you were to meet a tow boat pushing loaded barges here, it would be good to know on which side he wanted you to pass. Towboats don't make sharp turns, and they can't stop.
Towboat captains have a language all their own. I've talked to them on the VHF radio before, and their drawl is almost impossible to understand. That must be part of towboat captain school. Slur your words and keep several marbles in your mouth. If you ask which side they want you on, it's always either "One Whistle" or "Two Whistle." We were lucky with this guy, he blew two blasts on his horn to let us know he wanted to pass two whistle--starboard to starboard. A one whistle pass is port to port. If he ever blows five horn blasts, it's not really for you. It's too late for you. That's to let your next of kin to come and pick up the remains.
We're staying at Ditto Landing tonight. Then on to Decatur, AL tomorrow.
Lock Down
A little fog again as we left Guntersville. Found this to welcome us to the Guntersville lock.
Most of the lockmasters are very friendly, however, they speak southernease and can be difficult to understand at times. Same goes for the towboat captains. Fortunately, they both can use horn signals to let us know what to do.
Pam finds locking through a stressful situation. If you take your time, it's no big deal. Here's what the gates and chamber look like full.
You tie off to a floating bollard, and about 10 minutes later, here's the same gates opening, and the chamber empty.
When Bret and I made this trip, he played his bagpipes inside every empty chamber. Hopefully, none of these lockmasters will recognize me.
Most of the lockmasters are very friendly, however, they speak southernease and can be difficult to understand at times. Same goes for the towboat captains. Fortunately, they both can use horn signals to let us know what to do.
Pam finds locking through a stressful situation. If you take your time, it's no big deal. Here's what the gates and chamber look like full.
You tie off to a floating bollard, and about 10 minutes later, here's the same gates opening, and the chamber empty.
When Bret and I made this trip, he played his bagpipes inside every empty chamber. Hopefully, none of these lockmasters will recognize me.
Guntersville
We had to wait at Goose Pond until about 11:00 am for the fog to lift. We had a short day planned anyway, so we were still able to reach our planned destination for the day. Guntersville, Alabama.
They have a free dock.
We walked over to the city's welcome center, and unfortunately Pam found that they have a hysterical museum in town. The fact that it is several miles from the dock and uphill in both directions didn't deter her. Off we went. The museum was mostly about Wernher von Braun and rockets. (Huntsville is not far away.) The museum also had a mineral collection. "Minerals--NOT Rocks."
The city of Guntersville is about 10 miles above the dam, and at this point is more like a lake instead of a river. There are more bass boats on this lake than anywhere we've been.
They have a free dock.
We walked over to the city's welcome center, and unfortunately Pam found that they have a hysterical museum in town. The fact that it is several miles from the dock and uphill in both directions didn't deter her. Off we went. The museum was mostly about Wernher von Braun and rockets. (Huntsville is not far away.) The museum also had a mineral collection. "Minerals--NOT Rocks."
The city of Guntersville is about 10 miles above the dam, and at this point is more like a lake instead of a river. There are more bass boats on this lake than anywhere we've been.
October 10, 2013
Goose Pond
There was another boat at the campground free docks, and when they left, we followed. We were less than a mile from the Nickajack lock, and wanted to go through with them so we wouldn't need to wait for the lock chamber to be filled again.
The morning fog had not totally cleared yet.
Shortly after the lock, we saw this gallery.
We're now at Goose Pond Marina. Thursday.
Dawg, the coordinates are
N 34 34.810
W 086 04.758
Here's the view from our dock.
Here's looking the other direction.
The morning fog had not totally cleared yet.
Shortly after the lock, we saw this gallery.
We're now at Goose Pond Marina. Thursday.
Dawg, the coordinates are
N 34 34.810
W 086 04.758
Here's the view from our dock.
Here's looking the other direction.
We're in Alabama now.
This is what a "stand up paddleboard" looks like here.
We're off to have Shrimp and Grits for dinner.
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