The Big Family Trip

Nathan got hooked on fishing last year with his Grandpa. He looked forward to spending the day on a boat but it didn't happen enough according to him. In order to solve this problem, he crafted a Christmas wish list that was foolproof....he thought. #1. Boat #2. Boat Lisence #3. Boat cover

I always try to get my children ONE of their top three gifts. He obviously had me all figured out! So, as December 25th approached, and I knew that I couldn't win, my parents called me up and said that they would like to give us all a Houseboat Trip in August but really pretend to give it to Nate for Christmas. My parents equaled my heroes. Christmas was saved once again!!

Last week, we went on the big trip. We were set to pull out of Omemee, Ontario, at 9:30a.m. on August 11th and come back on the morning of the 15th. Four days of boating bliss. How shall I begin to tell you the adventures....

Day one:
Our day one actually started the day before since the boat was a hefty 10 hour trip from Kazoo. We gave the dog away to a friend for the week, and loaded the family up along with bedding, snack/breakfast foods, drinking water, and lots of Caffeine Free Diet Coke. We (Mom and I) decided that it would be wise to cook no meals on the boat because firing up the propane grill or cook top sounded like too much work. It was a good choice. And we were on vacation! Who wants to cook!!

We spent the night in a lovely hotel outside of Toronto so we packed up and moved out by 8 a.m. that next day. I enjoyed my last fountain diet coke from McDonalds as I drove through some very pretty Canadian countryside. I couldn't get a picture of the scenery because I was driving, drinking diet Coke and trying not to fall off the narrow roads. SO, just imagine it looked like this:

We arrived at Egan Marina around 9:40. My parents actually passed us (they drove separately with my Uncle Jon) at an intersection and so we followed them down the ever narrowing winding dirt road. My dad jumped out of the car, looked at me, and said "Well, it's not exactly what we expected" and then moved towards the boat. It was at best, very well used. Some people would probably not like it too much. I am one of those people that tries to make the best out of most things....but this adventure was testing me!

We ran to town (population 1100), picked up a non resident fishing permit ($33.00!!), and got lunch to go at subway. Canada doesn't have the $5 sub special so I was very sad. Loaded with my meatball sub, 24 cans of diet coke, and a 5lb bag of M&M's, I knew I could handle anything that might come my way. The kids were extremely excited and seemed to overlook the "rustic" feel of the floating trailor. We pushed off around noon and the adventure began.

Let me take a moment to explain the typical day of a boater:
6:30 am (or whenever the sun came up) Rise and shine
6:32 am Decide whether you can make it to the marina bathroom or just go on the boat.
6:35 am Take a shower or jump in the lake
7:00 am Realize that you forgot to brush your teeth while you were in the real bathroom.
7:01 am Pour a little drinking water in a cup and swish and spit off the bow or the stern.
7:05 am Pray that someone says they are going to "go up to town" for breakfast
8:30 am Walk a half a mile back to the boat and get ready for the "trip of the day"
8:45 am Take this little poker thing and push off the dock (that was my only official job)
9:00-1pm Eat, walk around, sit on the decks, drink a DC (diet coke) eat more, walk around, lay in the sun on the top deck, get hot, come back down, drink a DC, time for lunch, make sandwiches for people, eat, sit on the deck, steer the boat while Dad stretches, sit on the couch, sit on the decks, etc.
1:15-2:00 Arrive at your destination: Decide whether you are going to stay on the boat till dinner, fish, swim, or check out the town.
5:00-start to walk to dinner destination.
5:15 Eat again and pay for it this time.
7:00 Take a shower or fish or read.
9:00 Mosquitoes come out so everyone dashes inside and makes up thier beds and then tries to fall asleep.

And there you have it...a typical day in the life of a boater.

For our first night we stayed at a lovely Marina (Gordon's Yacht Club) that had electricity and shower/bathroom areas. It was along the Trent Severn Canal...Bobcaygon was the town's name.
I hadn't found my camera yet, so I am not sure that I have any pictures of it.

We did not have any locks to go through the first day. I will explain that tomorrow when I get to day 2!!