Birthday Bash

Bash through the waves, that is! It has been really hot in the north country, so for my birthday we had to get wet some way. However, the south wind was howling and would make it difficult to find any kind of protection from the wind and waves on Lake George. We decided to drive to our favorite beach on Lake Champlain in Mallet's Bay called Thayer Beach. With the Vermont kids already back in school and the beach facing the north, we knew this would be just what we were looking for. While we were at it, why not take the scenic route and cross the lake on the Cumberland Head ferry? This could prove to be fun and dynamic with the high wind. Down went the top on our PT Cruiser Convertible and it was road trip time.

Sure enough, the lake was angry and rough, but the running of the ferry was out of our hands, so it didn't matter. We even had front row seats to watch the waves and hear them hit the hull of the boat. In fact right after Dave took this photo, we had to put the top back up due to the spray coming over the sides.

Then the sun came out and it's always great to see all the boats in Mallett's Bay. 

We hit the beach after the half mile long walk through the woods from the parking lot. 

It was well worth it and about a dozen people there at first, dwindling down to 4 at one point. 

Dave brought our beach chairs on this imaginative dolly he made, making that walk so much easier.

The water was warmer than we had ever felt it on Lake Champlain before...probably 82 degrees. Of course the water was only about a foot deep because the lake is so low. Even the boats that frequent the beach had to anchor about a half mile out and then it was only about waist deep. We frolicked in the shallows pretending to swim and float, making us laugh. Then the storm clouds started to form and the wind switched and built from the west, signaling the cold front trying to arrive, so we headed back to Plattsburgh on the ferry (going through a nasty squall at the Sand Bar State Park), had dinner and headed back down the Northway. To top off the day we were treated to not only a spectacular but strange looking rainbow, almost like a flash in the sky, and then one of the pinkest sunsets I have ever seen. At one point there was a pink streak of a rainbow too... and we all know how I love pink! 😉 Pictures don't show the colors well at all, especially going 65 mph.

I would say that the best birthday presents of all were those that came from above and spending time with my husband!

Adirondack Stuff!

Last weekend we went to an Adirondack yard sale on Brant Lake. It was the most eclectic sale we have ever been to. The property was spectacular overlooking the lake, and the fog lifting made it even more picturesque. We didn't buy anything, because ironically the items we were interested in, we actually already have...so I guess that makes us eclectic too!

Then it was on to the ACBS boat show in Lake George Village. There were quite a few different wooden boats than in previous years, which was nice.

The waterfront has been revitalized and this wood carving of Roger (as in Roger's Rock fame) canoeing with the Indians blended in quite well with the venue of the wooden boat show.

We had a great conversation with one of the captains of the Horicon sightseeing boats, and he told us all sorts of fantastic stories about docking the boat and bad weather. He was there displaying a Chris Craft Corsair 30 which is like our Speedster Moxie on steroids!

There were also cars on display including a few Model T's. 

Camping anyone?

My favorite at shows is always the Metropolitan.

This Triumph TR3 is exactly like the one that Dave's family of 4 (!) toured Nassau, Bahamas in back in the early 1960's, when they went there on a cruise. You think that's small? A few years later they slept over night in a Mustang!

We are getting into the season where there is even more "stuff'" to see and we are really looking forward to all our annual events.

Sailing Twins

Jim brought his Islands 15 daysailer up to Ticonderoga and the guys had a fantastic afternoon of sailing on Lake George. In fact, Dave said it was the best sail he has ever had on the lake. Normally the winds are really fluky with so many mountains so close to the shore. Yesterday there were 10-15 knot south winds that actually stayed consistent, so they had a blast taking turns at the helm. Little did they know that they had dressed as twins though. 😉

We Found Them!

Fossils, that is! They were on the NY side of Lake Champlain on Valcour Island near Plattsburgh. We had trailered the Sea Fox up north and planned on going all the way across the lake to the Inland Sea on the Vermont side. However, the wind gods decided to blow harder than predicted, so we turned around and snuck into Smuggler's Cove on the east side of Valcour Island. This is another place we haven't been to in years, mainly because it is usually jam packed with boats. Today we were alone except for one fisherman outside the harbor.

Dave snorkeled awhile in the 78 degree water. We have never felt the water this warm in this huge lake.

We took a hike on the rocks, looking for the fossils that we thought we remembered were here many years ago. Sure enough, there were plenty! Some looked like fossils of the buttons or button molds that used to be on Button Island...

Others looked like perhaps a trilobite of some sort...

Then there were a bunch of these tiny horseshoe shaped ones...

Dave thought this one was a high heel shoe. LOL...

We also stopped and visited the memorial for the crew of the Nomad. I found this piece of history on the Nomad and its crew: http://passageport.org/valcour/valcour-island-heritage-trail-guide/nomad-monument/

Even though this wasn't what we had planned for the day, it was almost better. In fact making it even extra special, a deer came to graze near the water. We had heard there were some living on the island but have never seen one. They had to either swim there or walk over during the winter on the ice.

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." We did just that today!

Buttons? What Buttons?

A couple of days ago we launched our kayaks in Button Bay, Vermont on Lake Champlain and paddled along the state park's shore and over to Button Island.

We haven't been there in quite a few years and it is always fun to walk around and picture the gorgeous summer estate that used to be there beginning in the late 1800s.

The remnants of the retaining wall that was built around the island with gardens can still be seen, along with the entrance concrete dock.

There used to be many fossils in the rocks from the days when Lake Champlain was actually salt water and there was a coral reef. We didn't see too many this time, nor did we see any of the 'buttons' that the island and the bay are named after. The buttons are actually formed when clay settles on pebbles or around the stalks of plants, and when the plants die, what is left looks like a rock with a hole drilled in it. We were so disappointed not to see any, but after reading an article about them, it sounds like people have been taking them. I also read that in the early 1960's 9,000 Girl Scouts were on the island and collected lots!

(Photo borrowed from the internet, click HERE for the article)

It was still a fun exploration and a great destination for the afternoon. Next time we'll search even harder!

Hike & Bike

Burlington, Vermont is the mecca of biking and walking trails along Lake Champlain. We had it planned that Dave would bring up his folding bicycle in the PT Cruiser Convertible, and I would take a long walk while he rode the trail. Unfortunately he ended up with a flat tire and had to rent a bike up there...but it was a pretty cool bike and peddled fine.

What an interesting concept...this is a dinner cruise and entertainment train.

I walked to the south while Dave rode to the north. He made it all the way to Malett's Bay, passing over the Winooski river along the way. You can see in our photos that the lake water is getting low already.

Dave's route was quite shady and protected from the wind...

Mine was more open, but historical.

It might have been a breezy day to be on the water, but what a gorgeous day to be near it!

All About Boats

Our latest camping trip in Gulliver to the Thousand Islands was all about boats and boating. The St. Lawrence Seaway is such a fantastic place to see it all, but this time I won't bore you with photos of ships.😉… not that we didn't we did see any, we did, including some that passed each other on reciprocal courses in very tight parts of the channel. We were mainly in the area for the Antique Boat Show and Auction in Clayton, but many of the same boats were out plying the river, along with unusual sightings such as these...

This is the biggest yacht we have ever seen at the Alexandria Bay docks, about 90 feet in length.

We were heading in to check out the covered marina at Bonnie Castle Resort when we got the chance to see our first Flyboard in person. Powered by the PWC, the man on the board was even doing the porpoising in and out of the water, just like a dolphin. When he dove into the water, he drenched the PWC riders. I bet Dave is going to want one after witnessing this!

In Clayton we saw the gorgeous Trumpy yacht Washingtonian.

The boat show was hot but fun...

We enjoyed watching the junior judges...

We both love boats (and cars!) with fins and 'wings'.

And I love pink! This 1958 Century Roan is owned by the granddaughter of a family who has been showing boats at Clayton for 50 years. 

Dave wanted to bid on this boat and put it in our backyard with a dock and fake water. Even though its name was Virginia (his mother's name), I was a spoilsport this time and wouldn't let him get a bidder's number.😏 It ended up selling for $15,000, but needed work especially on the wood hull, although the inside was pretty nice. Best of luck to the new owner.

We also had the opportunity to visit the Antique Boat Museum's warehouse in Clayton. The Doebler Storage Facility is rarely open to the public except during one day at the boat show. It contains all sorts of watercraft, engines and everything imaginable that has been donated to the museum that is not on display.

Boats:

Seagull was owned by Mr. Doebler who donated the funds to build this facility:

Skinny!

Engines and outboards galore:

This is a jet outboard. Notice the buckles that hold the cowling together:

We would love this one for OUR collection:

When we have such good experiences at these events, it makes us anxious and ready for it to happen all over again next year!