A LONG, FRUSTRATING WINTER
(with a better future in the forecast)

Snow in Oriental!

Icicles on the Turtle

Snow on the Turtle

November 2008 to February 2009 

We should have known better.  In the past, we secretly smiled when naďve boaters estimated short haul-outs in a boat yard.  Now here we are…month seven in our “five month project”.  At this point, we’ll be ecstatic if we’re back in the water by April (which would be month 9) with a couple more months after that putting everything back in place.  Looks like about a year to do this.  Who would have thought? 

Multiple unforeseen delays pushed us into winter with unprecedented cold temperatures and precipitation here in North Carolina.  In December and January, the paint crew worked one out of seven days due to inclement conditions.  We’re just grateful that the crew didn’t try to rack up hours when it was obviously too cold or wet to work. 

Most of the time, Steve and I alternate days being irritated or depressed about the lack of progress.  It helps if at least one person can be rational!  I’ve never had a project where the harder I worked, the worse things looked (i.e. prepping for paint on the exterior and varnish on the interior).  At the moment, it is hard to imagine the boat looking as good as it did when we started, let alone better! 

Then, the same week we were grieving Wiley’s death, a winter storm covered the boat with snow and icicles.  We finally reached our breaking point.  Steve proposed that we pack up the camper and head south for a couple weeks for an attitude readjustment.  I heartily agreed! 

It was a great decision.  We spent several days in St. Augustine, Florida and a week in Blue Springs State Park.  We rented a pontoon boat and revisited the same area on the St. John’s River we had photographed last spring on our boat.  Lots of birds and alligators.  Lots of manatees at Blue Springs (which is a winter haven for these funny creatures). The sun shone on most days.  Even on the brisk days, we were still warmer than Oriental!  Some rain, but NO SNOW! 

Making a lamp	Manatees in Blue Springs	More Manatees
Armadillo at Little Talbot	Gator on St. Johns	Squirrel at Blue Springs

By the time we returned to Oriental on February 5, we felt rejuvenated and ready to continue the boat project.  The crew is spraying primer on the boat as I write (February 11).  This WILL get done! 

Primed Bow

Primed Flybridge

Primed Aft

Return to Home Page