What about this view?

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Stella loves the new dock!

Tracy Lindke
Sent from my iPad

There she goes down the road!

Cleaning the hull after a long summer.

Stella hanging strong

Wonder what she is thinking right now?

We found her a great winter home!

A great spot for Stella!  We can visit and work on her easily!

We have already visited twice.

Countdown to April begins!

Blue skies and calm water, Tracy

Fall boating with Stella!

Oh the joy of Fall boating!  Stella is lucky to be one of the last boats pulled and stored, or should I say we are lucky!  The Fall weather has been beautiful the past 7 days and seems to be looking good for the near future as well!  We are thankful and keeping Stella in the water till the last possible day seems to be paying off! But, the Marina has given us a deadline to pull her out to insure our indoor heated spot.  So Stella's last day in the water will be October 24.  A sad day and also a bit scary if you watch her getting pulled out.  The Captain will be there, the Admiral can't go.....the Admiral can't stand watching Stella dangling at the mercy of a crane.  When she is settled in the storage facility, then the Admiral will visit.

In the meantime we are trying to get out on Lake Michigan as often as possible.  This Fall picture is not quite peak colors but very close!  It was a gorgeous 75 degree Fall day, the water still and clear.  Captain David and the Admiral can't believe the season is almost over and yet it seems a long time since we brought her around the state of Michigan to her new home.  We will be planning a trip for next summer over the winter.  Georgian Bay is in the running as is a trip to Chicago!  We will be doing some minor repair work to Stella this winter and she will also get her usual cleaning and waxing.  Boating duties never end, but it gives us an excuse to visit her and relive Stella adventures!

The sun is beginning to set on our Fall day and the summer of 2011!

Captain David and the Admiral have a sunset toast!

Fall colors on Lake Michigan!

Blues skies and calm waters......Tracy



Stella is still floating!

Wow, is summer sailing by.  Stella has been seeing way too much of the dock.  Well, we are changing that up this weekend!  We have a boat day scheduled for Friday!  12 guests and a forecast of 80 degrees and partly sunny!  Oh yeah, she will be happy.  Planning on anchoring on a sandbar and swimming into the beautiful sandy beach.  Then, let the games begin.  We are going to have a timed race up a huge sand dune.  So far the fastest time up is over 15 minutes with no heart attacks!  My goal will be to capture the climb on my camera while I am sipping a margarita!  Can't wait to share the outcome with everyone.  And while climbing up is a challenge.....when coming down most people make the mistake of trying to go fast and wind up tumbling down and eating sand! Hehe, we will see.

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

Stella was violated!

In general, you don't hear of too many boats getting broken into.  A couple of reasons, one is they are docked at a gated marina, a good decision in many cities. Another is that boaters are pretty aware of who and what belongs on their neighbors boats.  Where you dock your boat becomes your summer home.  Your neighboring boaters are your new "roomies" sorta speak.  And we watch out for each other.  Boaters also will take care of a problem if you aren't there, it is unwritten, and all boaters have received help or given it at one time or another.  So the code goes, and it works.

At our new dock we started locking Stella.  We never really did before as we were in a gated community.  But as we have gotten to know our new dock friends and the area we became lax.  Saturday night after a late night on the lake, we left Stella about midnight.  Not much going on at the dock, super quiet actually.  We didn't lock her.

Turned out we should have.  Capt. David arrived Sunday morning with the boys to fish off the dock.  Stella's canvas was unzipped and unsnapped.  Now, if we had had a storm, it might not have concerned David because wind has unzipped and messed with canvas tons.  But it had been calm, he had zipped and snapped Stella himself.  So, David was not sure what he was going to find inside.  Well, it seems Stella had a couple of late night guests.  I had cleaned the boat the night before when coming in, so nothing was out.  But this morning there was.  A couple cans of half empty beer, they must not have liked my "weak" 55's, and our Margarita Mix which I think they thought had alcohol in it was missing as well.  David quickly looked around Stella for other missing items and it seemed  there were none.  So, it turned out to be minor, our guess is kids saw us leave late and wanted to get some beer.  I am surprised I wasn't super mad, David thought I would be, but I was happy no damage was done.  I blame us for not locking her and now we are going to get some kind of light for our finger dock to deter teenagers from using Stella as a make out area!   I just wish Stella could tell us what really went on!!

Blue skies and calm water,
Tracy

Saugatuck Venetian Boat Parade

Saturday night after a day swimming and climbing the Lake Michigan sand dunes we decided to go down to Saugatuck to see the boat parade.  Around 9:15 PM boaters following a theme, this years was Super Heros, decorate their boats.  The fun part is the lights that adorn them.  From what we could tell extra generators are used to power all the lights and MEGA stereo systems.  The pictures are a bit hard to see as we had a 13 year old taking them for us and it was dark...had to push the pics so you can really see the lights!  A great time again in the Kalamazoo River.

The ride back was so nice, glass water, color from the long ago sunset and millions of stars!  The big dipper and north star prominent as always.  We gazed up till our necks hurt trying to find a shooting star.  My 13 year old has never seen one.  Right before we docked I saw one, but still the kids missed it.  We will try again this week as August is a great time to see them.  Also going to research stars today so we can identify more constellations!

Oh yeah, we think the boat in the first picture probably won!

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

2 die when sailboat capsizes during Mackinac race: 'A hell of a night'

This is tragic. Our prayers to the families. A pit in my stomach.

2 die when sailboat capsizes during Mackinac race: 'A hell of a night'

These were experienced sailors.

Blue skies and calm waters, Tracy

Stella and her good old generator

We are lucky that Stella has a generator.  It is used all the time.  When we first got her it didn't really work well, the previous owner was always docked with electricity so it was just barely maintained.  It was a bit of work to get it going last summer and then a real fix was done before launch this Spring and boy was it worth it.  The generator fires up with one switch plus it is not as loud as last summer.  The generator comes in handy for many things.  When we take day trips, like last weekend, out to the sand dunes on Lake Michigan,  as a gorgeous day starts fading we can decide to stay.  We will decide to have dinner on the boat on a whim.  The generator cranks up and we have full access to air conditioning, microwave, TV, etc.  So nice!  We were tempted to anchor for the night, which again is much easier if you have a generator.  We would not recommend buying a larger boat without one!

Well, last Monday night when the "straight winds" came through Holland and took out the whole Northsides power for a couple days, Stella was waiting for us!   Yup, so nice to have her close by.  We figured no electricity we might as well go see how Stella was doing and she was doing very nicely.  The generator worked fine, but we didn't need it for long as the dock power was restored quickly.  The next morning our neighborhood was fine too, but how nice having an unplanned night on Stella.  Weekdays are always fun at marinas, less people and no boat traffic.  The evening led to good stories and memories of our trip and where we might go next.  Great night on Stella!

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

Stella wishing on a star

The time as expected went too fast.  17 days, where did they go.  We have to count to see how many days since our return home.  Over three weeks?  How did that happen and yet we knew it would.  Wishing on a star that we could relive our trip on Stella.  Captain David and I were travelling yesterday and telling our little stories, sharing what pops into our minds first.  They aren't the same, but not that different in feeling.  It was the little things, the unexpected find, the bike rides and walks.  Funny, how we don't do those things at home, we could, but we don't.  All of us should look at our towns like we are tourists.  Go see what people visit and pay to see......the experience will give you something, maybe the feeling you were on a small vacation.  Or maybe you will give someone someone a residents insight that will make their visit special.  That happened to us and hopefully we will do the same for someone else this weekend.  So many things to do in Holland.  Saturday morning is the Chef series at the Farmers Market, hopefully the recipe is something we like!  If not, it doesn't matter, because we will be acting like tourists in a place we are fondly calling home.

http://www.hollandchamber.org/


Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

4th of July Weekend

Stella is going to be getting cleaned and supplies loaded in a couple of hours.  She is headed out to check out Saugatuck, Michigan!  It will be a very crowded and busy harbor for sure.  Saugatuck boasts one of the top TEN beaches in the country and is a wonderful town for art and food!  We won't be able to dock Stella because reservations for this weekend are done far in advance, but we have a friend who said to stop by for a beer, so we are going!  Anchoring or rafting off is ok with Stella!  It feels so patriotic seeing our countries flag on Stella's stern.  Then when you add water and beach really breathtaking.  Captain David is ready to get moving.  Happy Fourth to all!

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

Thunder, Lightening and Men?

Stella knows this is a Holiday Weekend in the United States!  A great US Holiday, the fourth of July!  She is raring to go.  Being on a boat for fireworks is highly desirable and very dangerous!  Yes, the Yahoos are out in full force.  It is a disservice to all boaters and an unsafe practice not to follow "No Wake" signs.  No Wake means slow down and don't throw a wake! Duh!  Usually that sign is in place near marinas, gas docks, swimming areas, etc.  Last week a  (60 footer)decided he wasn't following the No wake sign near our dock.  An eight year old boy was tossed off his docked boat by the rocking the wake caused.  Luckily, the young boy has grown up on boats and is pretty agile and managed to take the toss and turn it into a leap onto the dock...but it could have been fatal!  Yes, a pretty large number of boating fatalities happen at the dock!  In this instance if the boy had fallen off his boat between the rocking boat and the dock, he could have hit his head and drowned, been badly cut, so many potential deadly scenerios and thank God none of them happened.  So, on this holiday, if you are the Captian or just a guest (speak up, yes that bad stomach feeling isn't sea sickness) and...slow down!  Your wake and boating decisions affect everyone.  I don't know a boater that doesn't have a bad story to tell.  Stella's Admiral is on a preaching run!  So, my last suggestion is don't go out in lightening!  Again, a good idea, that is ignored!  Last night Captain David so wanted to take his son out on Stella, but there was thunder and lightening.  Captain David we know is pretty sensible, but the other boaters that were going out and his son were egging him on.  Again, it is the Admiral out on the bow in the lightening and rain, so you know going out was ruled out!  It is hard when you have invited guests, it is hard on a holiday, it is hard when you see other boaters still going out....but Stella's advise is DON'T!  Please be safe this weekend.

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

Pull harder! Badger wins?

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It is true a picture is worth a thousand words. We spent a good forty minutes watching the Badger come into Ludington Port and dock. The Captain of this oldie but goodie has to drop anchor so he can pivot this huge ship in order to get the stern to the unloading area for motor vehicles. Big ships are maneuvered by controls they are not steered really. Even with Stella, when docking or leaving a dock never do we use the ships wheel, only the four controls. There are four because we have two engines and at times when you need to pivot the Captain has to know how to coordinate the engines or split their direction to turn Stella. The two other levers are for controlling speed. After I learned how to do this in Presque Isle it becomes a bit addicting rehearsing how to do different pivots in your mind. And I can tell you, when a woman is doing it, the men notice! Many women will drive, there are very few that will take it from the dock or dock a large boat. I am getting comfortable going out, soon to try docking and that will be on a very, very calm day with no wind as that is a huge factor as well...more on that later. But what I found so funny about this picture is the dock hand "pulling" in the Badger? That just looks funny and really he has no power to pull that baby in. It was a chuckle.

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy

Summer Sunday at its best!

What a fabulous day!  Stella has enjoyed the weekend so much, she intends to stay.  Out to Lake Michigan today and this is the scene..crazy here. The Holland State Beach always seems so California like to me, people here are OUT the second we have any good weather.  The beaches are amazing, huge, soft and clean!  Lake Michigan water is cold, very cold, but also clear and gorgeous shades of blue.  We intend to have dinner and watch the sunset! 

Blue skies and calm water,  Tracy

Music at Kollen Park

Stella is getting a treat tonight. After safely transporting us 700 miles, the Captain and I are taking her to an outdoor concert. We don't know the venue so it will be a fun surprise. An easy cocktail cruise and then we will anchor and enjoy the show. Friday nights alright, as I believe Elton John(ok so it's Saturday night) says, maybe we will have to get out that old CD if the band isn't so good. Here is to a great summer weekend boating. Tomorrow is all about shining Stella up for the 4th!
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Photos are overwhelming

The one thing I was determined to accomplish during our trip was to take multiple
shots with the new camera ensuring tons of great photos. Well, not so easy. I truly appreciate good photographers more than ever. It is the light, I kept saying to David, or lack thereof. The light, the trick to great photos, will take a lifetime to learn. So now I have another hobby, doing my camera justice. I have started taking an online course, and in August joining a camera club! Hopefully I will improve, but the more I know, the more frustrated I am becoming. Type A is coming through. I don't think I can even comment on how I feel trying to use my 30 day trial of photoshop! I have to study and read every tutorial and then do it again. At this pace, I will have our trip photo book done around Christmas. That's ok, we will enjoy reliving our Stella adventure most likely with snow up to our knees, and be thankful for the blessing we experienced. A once in a lifetime.

Blue skies and calm water,

Tracy


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The Manistee won the chicken game!

Sunday night pulling into Holland and we were dead tired, a short ride to our dock, we could start to relax...we were home safe and sound!  But this is what we saw from Lake Michigan.  A huge ship looking like it was going to cut the beach in two.

Do you think this was going to be a quick process...oh no!  The Manistee took her time, we were in 5-6 foot swells and had to go south of the channel.  Waves and wind on our stern we were  being pushed into shallow water fast!  We had to turn to face the waves and get deeper, so Captain David had to gun it and we took a big wave broadside....threw us around a bit, we almost rolled.  As they say the most accidents happen closest to home.  David said he threw the wheel so hard and no response from Stella....it was scary.  We were the only boat waiting because it was too rough for anyone to be out in Lake Michigan unless they had to! 

Look how she dwarfs "Big Red" the Holland Lighthouse!  At this moment I was worried how big a wake she would throw.  The Manistee took about half an hour to get through while we bobbed around in an angry Lake Michigan.  I made the drinks when we finally docked!  Good to be home.

Blue skies and calm water, Tracy

First in 17

I dropped Captain David off at the airport this afternoon. We are quiet and that is unusual for us? It is the first day in 17 that we haven't been on Stella. I tell David I am surprised that I haven't felt "the motion" of a boat while on land. David replied he felt like he was still on the boat during coffee this morning. I don't know how other couples fair in close quarters for long period time, but David and I thrive. We didn't get cross or bicker the entire trip. The only time was during the gas crisis the second day of the trip, but we knew to get some space. Now he is gone for the week and I am playing catch up. Bills, laundry, weeds all need attention, but I don't feel like diving in. In my head I keep saying to myself, I told you so, it is now like the trip never happened. During our trip many times we would stop and take it all in....on purpose. We tried to slow the trip down, to savor every moment and project the feeling when home wondering, did that really just happen? The clock kept ticking, the days kept passing and now the trip is in the "memory" category. It is why the blog has such meaning. Not only was it a way for friends and family to keep up with us, but a very important and real way to remember this special adventure. I want Captain David home.





I miss blogging from Stella.

Blue skies and calm water, Tracy


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Dirty Stella!

Woke up today after a very restless night.  I wasn't being kept asleep by the gentle rock of Stella.  Worried about Stella as well and wondering if she liked her new home and dock slip?  Admiral wasn't too keen on it last night, so after Captain David and I talked about it, I was on the phone calling for options first thing this morning!  We had 4 slip options.  So we made coffee and off we went to look at the very important slips as they can make or break how you like the dock, marina, basically everything!  Once we had tied off Stella last night, I got claustrophobic....we had one large aft cabin next to us and no matter how Stella was docked I wasn't getting any view.  The one think I learned during our trip and exposure to many different docks and slips, is that we always preferred the end of the dock and the ability to have a view from the stern that is sheltered by afternoon sun!  That way reading in the afternoon is comfortable plus we see water not just a dock.  It was different at our old marina because the dock was floating and much lower.  Up in Michigan many old stationary docks so your boat could be 2-3 steps down from the dock!  Sterning in would mean you would be looking UNDER a dock....not good!  So we narrowed the four options to two. First option end of F dock with a great stern view (two sailboats on either side, we see over them easily) and on the fly bridge a view of the whole lake..awesome.  Now, Stella will rock a bit out there due to boat activity, etc. but the view might be worth it!  The second option was on C dock, close to amenities and not as much rock, but I would be looking off the stern at the gas dock?  So we choose the first option!  It is quiet and great views.....we figured we have a little different type of boating in Michigan, if it gets too rocky we can bike home!  So we got on Sella and moved her and now we are officially on F-23!  More on how we need to upgrade our slip!  We are designing hooks, steps, cleat placement etc. tonight.  Thank goodness they let us add personal touches at this marina! I was a pretty spoiled princess at Bay Point! The way we have to dock here, wrapping huge poles and jumping UP two feet to get on the dock, I will be one wet Admiral....David almost tossed me today!  I need quick cleats to control Stella because many times I am the only one to hold her when we dock!  Too dangerous here, my hand could be trapped in a second!  A fall deadly.  Pictures to follow soon!

Tonight we go back to give Stella her overdue bath....a few birds got her last night as well.  Poor baby.

Blue skies and calm water, Tracy

I want some of these!

Next story will be about what met us at our home port and almost caused us to flip!

Our Home Port!

We made it home.  Was a very rough ride today, but we have run out of time and had to do it.  Probably 4-6 footers all day!  Captain David was great and he is tired.  We had NW wind with gusts up to 30 miles per hour.  We basically were surfing and then we would fall into a wave and then whooooaaaa...Stella and most boats can't respond quickly so it can be scary.  I was glad we weren't going north into the waves it would have been a very bangy ride and that winds up hurting your whole body. 

Note:   Stella will continue to blog about the trip and upcoming ones this summer.  We have fabulous photos to share and great places to recommend in Michigan....stay tuned!

We are both so exhausted......I can't even think about unpacking...that is unusual for me!  Stella is at her new dock, but we might have to switch, Admiral doesn't like the view.  Uhhhhh Ohhhhhhh

Blues skies and calm water,

Tracy