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This is a blog about Peggy and Bob's Great Loop adventure which began in September 2008 in Lake Superior aboard "Baby Grand," their 32' Grand Banks trawler.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Wrapping It Up For This Year 9-28-09


Literally and figuratively, that is. We are now hauled-out at the Plattsburgh Boat Basin in northern Lake Champlain after 13 months of living aboard. It has been quite a journey but Mother Nature told us to end now by throwing us 30 knot winds, 3-5 foot seas, rain, fog but not s—w yet, but any Great Lakes boater knows that is not far behind. We will spend the rest of the week winterizing as well as the spring boating rituals of cleaning and polishing before Baby Grand is placed in a shrinkwrap cocoon until we return here next May. Sleep well, dear friend. New boating friends, Larry and Monica on Margo, are parked right next to us and will check on her over the winter. Thanks so much--it will be hard to be so far away.

I was not prepared for the emotion that I felt when I saw her being hauled. Maybe we should just put her back in the water and just head south but I had already given Captain Bob his lay-off notice. We’ve only been off the boat for 7 nights during the whole year and I am not sure I can sleep without the room moving. We have developed such a great rhythm of life onboard together and I don’t want to lose that. We’ve had such fun, adventure and self-discovery these past months, as well as the accompanying anxiety, conflict and drama that have made us each stronger. Baby Grand has been our flawless magic carpet on the ride of a lifetime and we will miss her sorely this winter. We celebrated this chapter of our story ending with a great dinner at Irises.

We will be heading west to Denver soon where another adventure awaits. We sent boxes and furniture there 18 months ago and I have absolutely no idea what I packed to make a new home. Our daughter Kate is there and our son Brian is in Utah so being geographically closer to them is the home I look forward to.

To our RV, boating and Looper friends heading south, we wish you bon voyage and we look forward to reading about your adventures on your blogs. For the rest of us who will have to huddle by the fire to stay warm, let’s hope this winter is mild and gentle, and spring is early and warm.

Let’s stay in touch (peggy8301@hotmail.com) and see you back here next May when we travel the Rideau, Richelieu and Trent-Severn Canals back to the Great Lakes. Or, we will we go to……stay tuned.

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