It was a long winter…had a monster snowstorm/Blizzard in Dec to start off the season…had five foot piles of snow on each side of the driveway!...it buried the Christmas décor. The snow didn’t leave until March…usually I enjoy winter, but too much shoveling!
Back yard and shop after the snow
The Coast Guard practiced Ice Rescues in front of the house using their Air Boat, sleds and dry suits.
Coast Guard Rescue Practice
My Buddy Russ and I carved a couple of Greenland Paddles before the years end.
WRC Greenland Paddle on the Bench
I cleaned and organized my shop for several weeks. It is getting crowded in there with the Trap Skiff jig and materials as well as a 1950 Fleetwind Arrow that I want to rebuild.
Trap Skiff Building Jig
1950 Fleetwind Arrow...my next project boat
Jeff and I worked on the Newfoundland Trap Skiff until March. We glued up the transom, stem, plank keel, mounted those on the building jig and added the bow and stern knees. Faired off the frames and keel, so the next step is to hang the Garboard planks…maybe over the summer we can continue the planking…it would be nice to have her on the water in the summer of 2011.
Newfoundland Trap Skiff building jig with transom and keel
Rough Stem on lofting board
Back in January I was told there was some Cool Blue Ice up off Peninsula Park (Fish Creek), so the daughter and I drove up to take a look. We found some unusual clear blue Ice shoved up on shore, so we climbed/slid around a bit till the sun went down.
Ice shove off Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek, WI
Mid March showed signs of spring when the first 1000’ ore carrier, the EDWIN H GOTT with the help of Selvik Tugs headed out and North through Green Bay. The CG icebreaker Mackinaw had made a run through the Bay the week before to break a track through the 3’ ice.
The Gott from Sherwood Point
The Gott from Quarry Park, heading North
A few days later we had 50˚ weather and took the old C-2 down Geisel Creek. This boat is from the early 70’s, a covered white-water canoe that turns on a dime and is a great boat to practice solo boat control in…if you can paddle this in a straight line, you can control any canoe.
Geisel Creek launch on Haberli Road
The Geese, blue herons and sand hill cranes were looking for good nesting spots in the swamp and we found the bones of a few critters didn’t make it through the winter too.
Dead Skunk in the middle of the Forest?
Reflections in the water
Took a trip to KY in late March to visit the warm weather, do some hiking and say hi to my Mountain Folk.
My Daughters with their 88 year old Great Aunt
Breathing heavy at the Rocks
Went for one more paddle in early April, up and down Geisel creek before having surgery and being laid up for a while…probably won’t be paddling until late May.
By mid-June Geisel creek is usually too low to use.
By mid-June Geisel creek is usually too low to use.
My good canoe...built it in 2001
The Joseph L. Block which had left Sturgeon Bay in March came back to port for repairs April 23,… She damaged her bottom last Sunday near the DeTour Reef Light in the northwestern head of Lake Huron.
