Well, this week children, we have been exploring ways to have fun on the water. It started with the boat on Sunday.......
It was the first time we took it out on our own and after driving at 5kmh all the way to the boat ramp, we managed the twenty minute journey in about an hour! It was full of "mind that roundabout!", "slow down" and "is the boat still behind the car, Sam?"'s. We thought getting the boat hitched to the car and getting to the ramp was an ordeal......... good grief, that was only the beginning!
Behind you! It's huge! Should they be driving THAT close?
Getting the boat off the trailer and into the water involved a team of five (us), three other boat owners (one to reverse the trailer, one to help us launch the boat and one to hold onto the boat while we went to park the car!). It was a like a scene out of 'Chucklevision'. To you - to me...... Eventually, we were waterbound and heading for the open sea with a few provisions and a wet-version of the 'highway code'. Fun? Relaxing? I'd never felt so tense!
We all calmed down once we'd managed to navigate our way out of the marina (Paul never was very good in car parks - he'll follow an arrow to the death, even if it adds another three miles to his exit route - imagine how he coped with NO arrows. He was like a rabbit in headlights - 'which way, Ju. Which way IS out?' How good would that have looked. 'Yeah, we went out on the boat. Couldn't actually find our way out of the marina and just chugged around looking at the arse-end of people's boats for an hour!' We never would have told you anyway!
We actually started to enjoy the experience. Sam however, left teethmarks in the upholstery! Yes, Sam Delaney, speed freak, tough guy and general hard nut was screaming at Paul to 'SLOW DOWN' as soon as the speedo hit 10mph. He did get used to it after a while and started to enjoy crossing the wake and hopping over the waves at speed. It toook a long while for him to loosen up though. He's too much like Paul, the older he gets, the more information he retains about things that can harm, bite, maime or kill and he dwells on them for a great deal longer than is healthy.
At the back of my mind, I was still worried about how we were going to get the bloody boat back on the trailer, so after a good scoot up and dowm the estuary we decided to head back for the boat ramp to give the locals another laugh at our totally inadequate boatmanship. As we scooted along, we noticed a dolphin, feeding and playing in the shallows. Then another. Then another. There must have been about 12 in all. They love playing with the boats and swim along side them if the mood takes them. One surfaced about 6 feet from the side of our boat - it was absolutely magical. We must have spent about three quarters of a hour watching these beautiful mammals at close range.
We headed back and it took another three boat-loads of people to get us back into the jetty. A bent boat hook and a lot of wet rope later and the boat was actually back on the trailer. I've decided that I need an intensive 'how to lassoo course' so I am actually able to throw a rope more than two inches in front of my face with miminal effort and without launching myself off the boat with the rope!
It was a huge sigh of relief that was heaved when we had the boat safely (well, safely-ish - we knocked the arial off!), back on the drive. We haven't been able to face the humilation of a repeat performance just yet. We might have to wait until next weekend when there are lots of boaters around. If there hadn't been anyone there to help us, we could still be there now, floating around the marina, on our 2000th attempt to get the boat alongside the jetty!
More fun on the water is to be had in the shape of swimming lessons for Sam and Darcie this week (and next week - but I haven't told them about that bit yet!). It's very different from swimming lessons with Tony. No singing and no floatation aids are allowed. They seem to be enjoying it though. The lessons are held at a public pool, which has 'open sides' that can be rolled up so that you can take your towel and sit in the grass after your swim.
Darcie practises her 'Madge with the Badge' impression
Sam's under there somewhere. "Breathe and blow"
The funniest thing is; all the lifeguards are young (teenage) Aussies. Very fit and athletic and very helpful. I was watching Sam in his class today (honest), when one of the
young male lifeguards stood directly in my line of sight and bent over to talk to a colleague in the pool. Printed on the back of his shorts was the slogan "Shouldn't you be watching your kids?" How priceless is that? I HAD to take a photo after that. I pretended to take a picture of Sam (yes, you are still allowed to take photos of you own children in a public place in Australia - how novel!), and then quickly move the aim of the camera onto the lifeguard's rear! The picture isn't that clear though - couldn't really ask him to bend over. I will endeavour to obtain a better photograph tomorrow - all in the name of journalism, you understand.
Well - it would be rude not to look!
More house viewing on the cards for tomorrow. We still can't decide between single/double storey house, so we made an appointment with someone else to confuse us a little bit more. Ho hum!
TTFN
Cool dude!
This is the house we like - currently waiting for the builder to give us a final costing, which could take weeks - W.A. = Wait Awhile!
