ENTERPRISE DEPARTS MONDAY AT 0800.....

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 5:02 am

good morning folks. sorry for the delay. yesterday after i got to the boat yard, well, let's just say, the best plans can take a nose dive. here is how the morning started........ i walked maccabee at 0300 (it's easier on his breathing to walk early, and it get's me up and moving) and experienced light drizzle on our way back home. after i got settled, i continued to monitor the weather as the sky looked a tad threatening. phil came down stairs and said the the doppler looks clear, just cloud cover. i waited until first light and made the decision, ''GO FOR IT''. i got to the marina around 0645 to prep for departure. i ran into a friend of mine that owns a 33' chris and i mentioned that i was taking the boat over to sue island to get hauled. he asked who is my crew. i said i wanted to take her by myself. ''NO, NO YOU'RE NOT AARON. not with what you are going through, besides, what makes you think john can run you back here?'' he insisted on going along because he was concerned that i might have a seizure or other medical issue. in the long run, he was indeed right. so, he followed me over to sue island and we left one car there and came back to parkside. after prepping the boat, undoing the power and water, it was time to fire her up. both engines started right away and as jerry handled the bow lines, i undid the stern. then he handled the springs and she was clear of all moorings and umbilicals and free in her slip. as jerry was getting the lines, i adjusted the transmissions to 'station keeping' (where i picked that up, i will never know---somehow it was instinctive)
free of lines etc, i headed out of the slip as jerry walked the starboard side. turning on her center point ( i love how the tri cabin does that), we headed out. surprisingly maneuvering, even with a bent prop was pretty good. jerry dove under her last week to clean the props of growth. she maneuvered much better than last fall, and i'm convinced it was fouled wheels. making our way down the channel a sense of calm came over me. i was at the helm of my boat, one of my best friends along for the adventure, calm winds, sun breaking out of the clouds, and the gentle thrum of my twin pleasure craft marine engines. i was exhilarated. i decided to get some fresh fuel so we made our way to long beach marina for some fresh ''liquid dinosaur''. we departed the fuel dock then headed out to sue island marina. because of the bent prop, i needed to keep her under 1000 rpm. according to the gps, i was cruising at just under 6kts. she handled like a dream. arriving at sue island, on schedule, i was informed that the travel lift operator was taken to the hospital sunday evening. with no plan b from the marina owner, i was informed that the boat needed to be tied up near the lift and would be hauled----well, i have yet to pin any time frame. maybe sometime this morning. oaky, heck, she waited a year, so a day or two is no big deal. i just want to be there for the haul out and sling positioning. even with that snafu, it was a good morning. i was at the helm of my boat, and i had a chance to go for a little leisurely cruise. hopefully i will get a call this morning informing me that she will be hauled. i told them to give me a 35 minute heads up since it takes that long to get from my house to the boat yard.
aaron

RWS · Post by **RWS** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:00 am

great stuff

it will keep you focused

RWS

k9th · Post by **k9th** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 6:22 am

Good deal Aaron. Nothing better than an early morning outing on the boat. Natural beauty is unparalleled.

Nancy · Post by **Nancy** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:15 am

Couldn't have asked for better, Aaron. Sounds like a perfect morning.

jddens · Post by **jddens** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 10:26 am

Sounds like a good run Aaron. Sometimes those slow early morning cruises are the best....engines just purring along, dead calm, nobody else on the water, coffee in hand.........doesn't get much better.........John

aaronbocknek · Post by **aaronbocknek** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 5:46 am

jddens wrote:Sounds like a good run Aaron. Sometimes those slow early morning cruises are the best....engines just purring along, dead calm, nobody else on the water, coffee in hand.........doesn't get much better.........John

you're right john, as a kid, the 'bocknek family' always headed out early. (0700, sharp, period, no excuses. we each had our assigned duties and we were required to snap to it. drizzle or shine) dad liked the calm mornings, the solitude, less idiots out on the water, and, heading out for vacation with the family and getting to the anchorage well before the summer storms kicked up on the lower potomac and the bay. rarely did we stay at marinas, save for st. michaels, cobb island, oxford. cobb island was one of our favorites as was oxford. i loved walking around that small town in the early morning just after dawns first light. favorite anchorage was port tobacco. we would often anchor out for a week. mom had enough food onboard that tri cabin for a trip across the atlantic.
two huge coleman coolers (the green steel and plastic ones) usually contained various pre cooked cuts of brisket, roasted chicken, veggies and tons of fruit.
sorry guys, i'm rambling. but as far as the morning run.... feeling the gentle rhythmic thrums of the engines, the smell of the water, and the dead calm quiet. guys, once she is relaunched (time frame unknown) i'm going to try to go on a few fall morning cruises. should be a good move post treatment.

Commissionpoint · Post by **Commissionpoint** » Wed Aug 08, 2012 10:22 am

+1 for early morning cruises. I like late at night too for the same reasons. Calm, quiet, and as very aptly stated, fewer idiots.