It is prudent to start your engine at home one time before heading to the ramp. I took one pic and left before things got heated.
“You flooded it”
Oh, and the hull plug, don’t forget the plug. You would be amazed at how fast you sink without a plug.
Trust me.
That’s my mooring ball just beyond in the mist, waiting. This was the first year that I left the ball on the chain. It’s generally not a good idea as the ice sheet can lift the ball and move the mooring. I can discern no movement from last year. This year I do need to do some maintenance on the mooring to prevent this from happening again.
I came down to pump her out( I don’t like auto bilges) one night last August, and looked out to my mooring.
No boat.
Checking to see if she foundered on the rocks about the basin and not finding her I figured she was down river.
Nestled in a marsh.
Hoping.
Standing on the dock figuring my next move , I spotted the tip of the bird repeller mount just visible above and beyond the dinghy rack. It was dead low tide.The boat was high and dry.
The feeling? Akin to finding your little wanderer, child or dog.
She had parted her painter given her swing weight being full of water, and drifted over to the wall where she settled right in as the tide turned to the Bay, no damage . You could not see the boat from the parking lot or dock. I drained it, tied her off then came back about 2am to motor back to the mooring. It was a boating adventure.
One Summer I got a call from a boating pal who was in trouble on the Piscataqua River. He was night fishing with a another guy and his motor was conked out. It was 9 or 10pm. He asked me to come out and get him.
I did.
It was a perfect night for such a run but Doozie passed on joining me. “Have fun” she murmured, drifting back to sleep. The tide was just right to allow passage out and back under the RR trestle at the end of the Squamscott River. On our River and Bay you must consider such things or you may rue the day.
So off I went with some coffee in hand,and a beautiful moon to light my way, and the channel markers.
Nope, no chart plotter on board. It was a memorable ride and I made very good time ,the water was like glass.
I didn’t turn on the radio till I cleared the General Sullivan bridge and was headed down the Piscataqua River towards Portsmouth.
Map courtesy of GBNERR
The vhf crackled “I see ya” and he directed me in to his location. Tied up at a commercial dock.
“What took ya so long? ” This question has a standard reply.
Guy humour.
Towing is slow going so the ride back took forever.
It was a great night.
PS. As I left the parking lot today there was a young lady parked in one of the now off limits( April1) parking spots reserved for cars with boat trailers.
Neil Jones our parking enforcement officer keeps a close eye on these spots. During the Farmers Market people will miss the signs and receive a ticket. The signage for the 4 reserved vehicle with trailer slots needs to be improved to prevent these irksome mistakes for visitors. Now this year we are moving the Farmers Market but with Stillwells Ice Cream and no Swasey parking the lot will be under pressure. Part of the lot is private, some is public. The lot needs some attention from Town management. We should discuss the all day parking by employees of Water Street establishments. Downtown parking at one time was a hot topic. It needs to be brought back to the forefront.
The young lady.
So I pulled up to her car window and informed her of the parking regulation to save her a nickel.
“Oh thanks, I will only be a minute. I want to get a picture of the lovely pond, I mean lake.”
Mike
Converting the municipal lot across from the Ioka into a several story parking garage (put one under ground, have one at current level, and have one at above ground) would solve all of our parking problems…
Charge 25 cents an hour to park in the garage, 50 cents an hour in the street, and purchase the new hi-tech parking technology that would allow the employees to place a pass in their car each day. They could even get a monthly rate. Better yet, lease the space to a private company and have them build & manage it. A garage will cost upfront, but we’d make the money back. Parking in Exeter is horrible around midday. There are limited spots and the on-street parking snarls traffic.