Every year returning to the lake is interesting. Converting from a lifestyle afloat to a CLOD (cruiser living on dirt) lifestyle requires a bit of adjustment. I find myself starting to put the TP in the trash, forgetting that ashore I can actually flush. Doing laundry is not a half day chore, it just fits in between whatever else I’m doing, etc. On the flip side, there are no dolphins and manatees cavorting around the boat as we sip coffee in the morning.
But this year, we were surprised to drive up and find a bent sailboat mast laying in our side yard. Our first through was OH CRAP, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO OUR Y FLYER MAST! But as the garage door went up, we could see Y2802’s mast in the same place we left it, intact and not bent. A Y Flyer is the 18′ hard chined racing scow that we race during the summer. Who put a bent mast in our yard and why? I’m sure eventually we’ll get to the bottom of it, but for now, it remains a mystery.
A quick look into the front yard revealed what we already knew – the wicked winter ice on the lake combined with 40 knot winds from the NE sent both of our boatlifts dancing into the steel seawall. The good news is, while it will be a pain to move them back into position, they don’t appear to have suffered any major damage – the benefit of not leaving them staked into the bottom. And our docks were both out of the water, so no damage there either. Others on the lake were not as lucky.
But it’s good to be back. Yesterday I watched as one of our resident bald eagles swooped low across the water looking for dinner. And the owl is back by my favorite old barn.
Sipping morning coffee on the screened in porch, we watched as a mink scampered across the seawall and disappeared into the rocks with a big ole fish in his mouth. Soon I’ll have my oriole and hummingbird feeders back up and the birds will love us again.
Now to get the Y Flyer out of the garage so we can race it on Sunday! Seen here we’re racing a year or so ago — racing season is about to start!
Plus we pick up the new travel trailer on Tuesday!
Life is good! Any other commuter cruisers returning? Any surprises waiting at your land base? Please leave a comment and share! Cheers! Jan
