1.24.09 Heap's Peak

We had company visit us up on the mountain this weekend. They like hikes, so we went for a walk at Heap's Peak. Fog was heavy enough to rain down upon us at times but happily we all had hooded jackets. This tree got caught in the last fire.

January 4th, 2009 Laguna Wilderness Park

Don and I stopped at the Laguna Wilderness Park because I couldn't tell the last time I was there if there were dirt roads for vehicles. There are not, so I just took a few pictures while we were there.
If you look (really) close you'll see that behind this screen of grass is a little bird looking back at me.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 9)

And here's Sadalsuud in her new home!

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 8)

We're so pleased that this little motor is doing so well!

Here's the first channel (of dock C) in from that main channel (that would have taken us under the bridge).

Here's the 2nd channel of dock C in from the main channel.

And here is the 3rd channel of dock C--the one closest to the gate. This is where we'll turn right, so it's time to put the camera away and head up to the prow so I can hop off and pull the boat into the slip with one of the front ropes.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 7)

OK, 'excitement's over. Here's where we are headed now.

And this is where we just came from--we came out of that space between the two middle-most boats.

The sea lion/seagull competition has dispersed and only this canoe can be seen behind us now.

Now we've turned left again and are passing between docks B and C. This is a view of boats on dock C.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 6)

It doesn't look like he still has the fish . . .

Yes! He does! And at this moment I hear a little voice yell, "It's a Halibut!"

Mr. sea lion is re-submerging.

Oh, and here's the source of the little voice! Wow, he's pretty small for someone who recognizes a fish. I checked on the Internet though, and I think he was right. Halibut are flat fish (family of the right-eye flounders) who are white on one side and gray on the other. They are generally gray side up so that when they are on the ocean floor they blend into the darkness and when they are near the surface, the perspective is usually from below so the white blends in with the sunlit surface. Also, they are a favorite dish of sea lions. The name "Halibut" derives from "haly" =holy, because they are eaten on holy days) and butt, meaning flat fish.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 5)

The gulls and the sea lion are so close to the sea lion. What's that about?

Ohhhh. I understand. It's a fish! We're all fishing!

Where's the fish? He swallowed it already?

No, I think I see it in his mouth.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 4)

It's hard to tell in this one, but I'm pretty sure we're looking at the sea lion and a few birds. I believe the sea lion is just left of the seagull with his wings raised.

The sea lion dove under water.

Mr. Sea Lion's head has re-surfaced.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 3)

Now what's all the commotion out here? (The birds were all squawking)

Oh look! There's a sea lion here too.

Are the birds and the sea lion interacting?

The birds left? Now is that because of our boat? Our boat wasn't making any noise (the electric motor is silent--that's what we love about it), but maybe we disturbed simply by passing near by. Sorry this one's a bit blurry. It's Mr. Sea Lion's head.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 2)

After clearing out the boat locker of all trash and/or usable items, hauling a large car battery on board, mounting and hooking up the little Minn Kota 12 volt motor, and pulling out my camera, Don manned the motor and tiller and away we went at an exhilarating average speed of .7 mph. Well, at least that's what Don's GPS said.

Don did an excellent job of reversing us out of slip A56 and aiming us out of our little canal.

I'm on the starboard (right) side of the boat, so I'm not sure at which point I twisted around to photograph the beach, but this is not the direction we were headed yet, so I must have turned toward the stern (back) of the boat here.

Definitely this is the back of the boat. This is "The Little Engine (motor) That Could".

Here I am facing forward and starboard. There is a flock of seagulls I'm interested in up there. We'll be turning left when we get to that main channel ahead.

New Year's Day 2009, Moving Sadalsuud (PART 1)

You may recall that when we bought Sadalsuud we had 7 days use of the slip she was in free, and then reimbursed the seller for the rest of December. At the end of the month, we were to remove the boat from that slip, because when Tim (seller) told the folks at Dana West Marina he had sold the boat, they rented the slip to someone else as of January 1st. Apparently it is their practice, never to turn the slip of a sold boat over to the new boat owner.
And it was because of this plan to rent a slip for Sadalsuud under our own name beginning January 1st, 2009 that I met the AAA Insurance man at the Dana West Marina on Monday, returned to sign the contract on Tuesday, and came back with Don today (Thursday) to move her to her new slip, C004.