Heading east

I just got back from my second Grand Canyon trip of the year in Cataract, my old Briggs dory. Cold and rainy--we called it Mayuary.

I managed to avoid wrecking Cataract this time but did manage to break one of my beautiful hand carved oars just as I was making my pull to the left in Unkar Rapid. That resulted in a pretty wild, though damage-free, ride down the wall as I was switching in a new oar--something I haven't had to do in decades.

Scott's video from the back seat

The next morning I decided to keep the other new oar as one of my running oars, because after two-and a third trips, they had proven themselves. Perhaps the snapping oar was a fluke.

Nope. first thing in the morning, upon entering Hance and beginning my pull to the left, the other one snapped. Amazing. But my oar switch was way quicker this time. Odd that they both went within five miles of each other in deep-water pulls after five hundred miles of hard pulling. I guess I'll make future spruce oars a bit thicker.

Not too much else to report--here are two shots from the first trip: here we are helping rescue a raft that went over in Lava--towing them to safe deep water for the roll-over.

And working on a new appetizer recipe (thanks, Cheryl, for these last two photos):

Sunday night I fly to Boston and will spend a few days perusing the wooden boat haunts of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. If anyone has any hints of not-to-miss haunts, let me know.

Then up to WoodenBoat School to assist Wade with a two-week Fundamentals of Boatbuilding course.

GOOD NEWS! There is still room for you to sign up. Tell them you're my friend and you get a 10% discount. WoodenBoat School is about the funnest place I know. Click here and sign up now--you will never regret it:
Fundamentals of Boatbuilding

I can hardly wait. Then it's off to Mystic Seaport for the annual WoodenBoat Show.

Back to Flagstaff July 1 and 2, then up north for our Loma - to- Hite Upper Colorado River Dory and Music trip. We'll see a ton of scenery and run the rapids of Westwater and Cataract Canyons. And have a lot of fun in camp too.

MORE GOOD NEWS! There's still room on that trip too. Sign up today. We are getting more rain and cold weather up there now to keep the flows up for our dainty boats. Must be all the clean living. Click here and join us--it is the bottom trip on this page:
Upper Colorado Dory and Music trip

Don't say I never invited you to have a good time! See you there?