Season 2023 Episode One, Winter in Canada then back to Ireland.

 Season 2023 Episode One

We traveled back to Toronto via a direct flight. Luggage for some reason was a massive industry wide logistics problem. We suspect this is the result of pent up energy for travel and lack of inclination for people to commit to working. The problem seemed to bet magnified by social media griping. We are pleased to report apart from a time delay we traveled without issue.

 

Thankfully we had landed in time for Noel's mums century birthday celebrations. His three children had worked together and organized a party that was cheerful and fun. 

Winter passed with my again having the privilege of working with 17 RCSCC Ontario Sea Cadets. We had our sail week end early October with strong winds and inexperienced cadets. Lots of shore based training and fun was had. 

 

Robbie Burns feasts with family and friends.

We then went on a cruise to The Sea of Cortez not a part of the world we are likely to bring Kalinak1 to. The group was with a great crowd of fellow cadet related training people and retired military. Conversations were very wide ranging and interesting. 

Then we were back to Toronto, into the car to drive to New Orleans. We took three days in transit each way. We had booked into a camp site in the suburbs of New Orleans for the Mardi Gras festival. We were there for the week preceding Ash Wednesday. We had our great pals Craig and Michele in their travel trailer at the same park who took us under their wing and were wonderful guides. What a lot of fun and feasts we had. The car camping worked wonderfully. We had sufficient room to move the table in to the tent so we had our "Living area" very comfortable. We slept in the car so were off the ground and the tent would remain standing without the car. Great use was made of this feature to the point that it would be hard to justify the added cost for a furnished camper van. 

  

We visited friends on our way home in North Carolina who spend the winter on their boat. It was great to be on the water again...we had driven 15 hours to get to them...that was exhausting and not recommended. Carl and Patty had a similar marathon of boat work preparing for our visit, we were all in the same boat, exhausted!   

Then back to Toronto for various dentist and doctor appointment's all sorted prior to our travel back to the boat for this years adventure.   

Noel made a new log book for this season.

We had great fun over Easter weekend. My sister made us a felt cat "Ross" for the boat we were included to celebrate our friends "Diamond" anniversary (60Yrs). Got to enjoy Easter dinner with masses and masses of cousins from my mothers side. It was a great start to the season...and next comes the spring commissioning while on the hard at the New Ross Boat Yard.