She's done, painted and afloat!

Been too busy to blog, and here's why:


A race against time to meet the local bird fair (which started yesterday), but we made it. Launched on the 30th, first booking the next morning.

Weather today was a bit mizzy, so no trips - no rest either, as I was putting a web site together. Maybe tomorrow I can sleep?

Here's hoping!

Later.

Skip.

:)

Gone!

And not too soon.


Now to start on the other boat, Platanna - anyone know anything about Hamilton Jet Drives?


What a mess, but mostly a clean-up job rather than a repair.

Here's to a summer's cruising!!

Cheers,

Skip

:) :)

By A Country Smile: A river runs through it…

Oh!?

Blogged by another blogger!

Nice trip Fred, thanks for coming!

Skip.

:) :)

Winter's not over yet!

But it soon will be!

It's blowing today, and raining, and freezing cold, but two days ago was like summer - so much so that Fred Hatman (Diagnosed SA Positive) and I did a trip on Three Summers down to Grotto Beach. The water level on the river is high enough at the moment to be able to take the boat over the bar into the lagoon.

This is a view from the top of the lagoon looking towards the "pig's snout" the buttress to the right of centre in the picture.


When it rains, there is a waterfall on each side of the snout, making it look like the pig is crying, but as we hadn't had rain for a week or so, no water. Today though, I guess the pig is crying his eyes out!

I'm hoping to get a picture from Fred of the trip, and then can add it to this post.

In the meantime, the deck of Lazy Days (pic below taken on Thursday before the last section of deck was put down) is finished, with a bit of glass taping to be done around the edges, a final sealing coat, and then bolt on the motor and some hardware, and it's out of here!


Soon I can start work on Platanna, getting her ready for the coming season!!!

Which is good.

:) :)

Baboons!

Don't leave the back door open!!!


Fortunately, not my kitchen, but a friend's... nasty little buggers, aren't they?

Skip.

:(

She's home!

Platanna, that is!

Along with a car load (and a boat load) of stuff; outboard motor, spare props, half full tins of paint and anti-fouling, life jackets, ropes, chains, spares, tools... Well, you get the picture.


Now, I need to finish off Lazy Days before the end of this month (deck is all cut and fitted, so mostly sealing and gluing left to do), then I can get it out the way and started on cleaning up Platanna.


The plan is to re-launch before our local bird-fair on the first weekend of October - Platanna is advertised as a bird-watchers' boat after all.

Happy Days!

:) :) :)

My boats.

Yep, plural!


After driving "Platanna" over the summer and taking a share of the profits, I was approached by the owners who are now wanting to sell the business.

So, as of this coming weekend, both the boats in this picture will be mine - "Three Summers" the pretty one with the outboard is the one I built in London, and "Platanna" with the awning which is the commercial one.

The most important part of this deal is not so much the boat, which needs a bit of work, but the commercial licence to use it (or any other boat of mine) on the river. There are only three licences. One for the "African Queen" (quite possibly one of THE most unattractive vessels ever built - see below) one for "River Rat" and one for "Platanna."


So, there you have it - perhaps choosing the user name "Skipper" before moving back to Africa was a premonition of sorts.

'cos now I really am one!

:) :) :)

Well, it all kicked off today...

...the football World Cup, that is! South Africa played and drew with Mexico 1-1, and I have no idea how the other two games today went, or are going...

Here in our little village though, we had our own kick-off this morning - as part of the local Rotary Club, I played in three games (I'm unfit!!), where we lost the first (4-1), drew the second (0-0) and won the third (5-1); they only got the one as our two stars of the five-a-side decided to leave the field a few minutes before the end of the game "to give them a chance," said Moosa!! Oh, well, they scored in the last minute, just like Mexico did... ;)


So, only one pic from today, but hopefully back to the blog after a very uneventful couple of months...

Skip.

Spotted in the darkness.

Went out the house on Wednesday night to lock the car, using the remote which causes the car to beep and flashes the hazard lights. This caused something to fly off the roof rack and settle on a nearby wall, which waited patiently for me to get my camera. The bird, not the wall - it's always there.

In almost total darkness, using a bit of backlit ( from a nearby street-lamp) outlined feathers to focus on, I got three photo's before he flew away.

A bit of discussion between myself and others as to whether its a Cape Eagle Owl or Spotted Eagle Owl, but going by the breast feathers and eye colour, I'm pretty sure it's the spotted version.


Any ornithologists are welcome to comment ;)

:) :)

Lightshow!

This evening, while getting dinner ready on the fire outside:


And the steak was good too!

:)