Preparation for our journey to the Keys

IWhere oh where to begin... Phil's been getting our boat ready for that last couple of month. Checking the engines, generator, water systems, the plumbing,the AC units, electrical cables, drains, intakes, GPS, radar and just about every inch of this boat. Believe it or not .. This boat has had no cable or TV. That has been fixed, thanks to Phil. We now have TV in the Master stateroom and in the main salon. He has cable run throughout via every crawl space to run the lines. He's quite the bilge rat.

The dinghy needed a reliable motor to get Buster to shore on the evenings we don't tie up to a dock. We upgraded from a 5 horsepower to a 9.9. It's great .. Better get up and go, and quieter. And best of all.. It's RELIABLE !! Having a powered hoist system is mighty terrific too. Much easier to lower and lift the dinghy as needed. And it travels safely out of the way.. We are quite pleased with our dinghy.

The storage on Knot Yet (KY) is wonderful.. But it's amazing how you fill the space you have. So we have reorganized to make it all make sense and reorganized again and again. We buy water by the gallon , no more than 6 gallons ,then we refill. Six gallons can take up some room and we don't want it out in view nor buried so deep that it inconvenienced to dig for it.

Meal planning a week at a time and proper storage for all of the groceries. The refrigerator/freezer  is bigger than the "Knot ADream" (KAD) but still has it's limits. Space in General is priced greatly. Which brings me to our washer/dryer..as excited as I was to have one on board ... It's really is taking up a lot of space and it's convenience  verse the laundry rooms at marinas... Well... We removed it from KY today.. More storage makes better sense..

This area where the washer and dryer once occupied will be used for food, water and galley needs . Planning meals that are tasty, healthy and easy.. And storage friendly.. Refrig and freezer space is quite limited.

At the helm, Phil has been checking the equipment ,also the storage and Bimini . We do not have screen or isinglass to protect us from wind or rain. So we have called the canvas folks to come check out what we have and how they can adapt a design to our Bimini. Hopefully they'll be by in this next week or so. 

There is much to learn before we venture out. Many books have been written, many blogs too. Thank goodness for internet and all it has to offer. All this makes for interesting reading. Courses to be plotted and mapped out. Understanding all the while that barge traffic, weather and other unforeseen situations can arise and turn all your planning to useless chaos. Always good to have a plan B and maybe C.

July 4th in Scottsboro, AL

The weather forecast is for THUNDERSTORMS.

 We were looking forward to Mike and Lori Pangburn coming to spend the holiday with us. We had hope to take the boat out, explore and play in the river.  Also, to stay on the hook.. However, now we weren't even sure if we would leave the marina. 

  

Even in the rain.. We were able to do some fishing.

During scattered storms, we drove to Huntsville, AL. And the weather cooperated .. How lucky we are.

Very nice downtown area.

On Saturday, we ventured out in a drizzle.

Explored an old barge housing shed.

Did a little fishing and the skies turned blue.

Thinking we might catch a break. We got back to the marina, got the "Knot Yet" and found a great position to drop anchor for the night. Front row to the fireworks that evening. 

The firework barge was parked by the island on the left.

Testing the water temps... A bit refreshing.

Dinghy fun and necessities.

Captain and shipmates.

Queen of the world.

We had such a great time.. Hope to do a repeat in October as we travel to the Keys.

Shrimp on the Barbie.

Perfect summer fresh meal.

Buster looking festive. ( an older photo)

Mentone Alabama and the Wildflower Cafe

Crystal, Colton and I took a scenic ride up the hills to Mentone . Cute little village of log cabin shops. We had a good little lunch at the Wildflower Cafe before heading back to Scottsboro and seeing a movie.

Live entertainment !

Buster and Harley

Spending the night on the hook, the pups needed to find a patch of grass on shore before bedtime and again in the morning. Their dinghy ride was a welcome relief!

Harley fit right in.. She's a good little "sea dog ".

It's a dogs life!! She's loving her vacation too!

Headed back to the marina, both dogs were worn out ..

Harrison Brothers Hardware in downtown Huntsville

IWho knew that downtown Huntsville offered so much.. There are many old homes that have been converted to new offices and some have held on to their old charm.. Harrison Brothers Hardware is full of charm! It's not very big, but it's very interesting. And it's an easy walk from the Commerce Kitchen where we had lunch.

This old register still works daily.

Quite a display of marbles. A hit with the kids!

U.S. Space & Rocket Center. Huntsville AL

A short 40 minute drive to Huntsville Al, we enjoyed the many discoveries at the Space And Rocket Center. There is much to do for folks of all ages. Colton (age7) and Papa (much older) both found points of interest.. It wasn't very crowded so that was wonderful. However, it was quite warm for the outside activities. There was a great rock wall climb inside.. Our footwear was not permitted, so if you hope to climb,, wear closed toe and heal shoes.. Sneakers would be perfect!👣