Lake Champlain Part II

The Reunion of Salty Paws and Sally W

"US Customs calling US Coast Guard: We have a runner at the border."

After twenty days apart, the stage was set for the reunion of our two tugs. Salty Paws had spent the time cruising Canadian waters, from Kingston to Ottawa to Montreal down the St. Lawrence and Richelieu Rivers. Sally W had locked back through the Erie Canal, turned north and cruised to the top of Lake Champlain for the much anticipated meeting. 

It was a beautiful day. We made radio contact and Sally W floated in the bay just below the border bridge waiting for her sister tug to appear. A Coast Guard RIB (rigid inflatable boat) cruising south waved as they passed.

The re-entry should have gone without a hitch. Before beginning the voyage, Jeanne and Bob had registered with US Customs under the small vessels reporting system. This enabled them to make a simple phone call before reaching the border and obtain approval without stopping at the Rouse's Point Customs dock; approval in the form of a 14-digit clearance code. And so, upon reaching the border, they cruised on by.

In a nano second the call came over Channel 16, the international distress, safety, and calling frequency, declaring "runner at the border." Uh oh. The Coast Guard boat near us turned around on a dime and headed north.

Bob at the border returning to Salty Paws after the border skirmish.

When Jeanne and Bob heard the radio call AND a horn blast onshore, it became obvious that someone was trying to get their attention. They turned back and headed for the customs dock. First: admonishment for ignoring "proper etiquette." Next: presentation of the magic 14-digit clearance code. And third: quick resolution. Welcome home. So much for pre-planning and doing the right thing. To this day, it's a mystery and we'll leave it at that.

The happy moment. Bridge in background is the US/Canada border.

The border "incident" paled in comparison to the reunion. Engines off, we rafted up, floated in the bay and shared war stories.

Moxie didn't need a passport

We celebrated with BLT's and headed for the Gilbert Brook Marina where Sally W had been hanging out with Callisto, the Irwins, and their partners in crime. Unfortunately, they had to leave that morning and missed meeting Salty Paws by only two hours. So much for planning. 

Happy to be home

Moxie moment: What? Another tug just like this one?

It was a tight fit at the dock; the tightest two LNVT 37s with 13 foot beams can possibly achieve. The upside: stepping across via the cap rail.

Neighbors of the marina treated us to a private fireworks spectacular on the 4th.

Next stop: down the lake to Burlington where Sally and Allan showed the sights to Jeanne and Bob. On their previous visit Callisto's crew had introduced them to a fast growing sport.

 Dragon boat racing; believe it or not, it's the second most popular team sport in the world behind soccer. It originated over 2500 years ago in China as part of festivals to ward off enemies of nature and disease. It's a young sport, introduced 21 years ago in Canada by a Vancouver physician who found it a good fit for rehabilitating breast cancer patients, providing fitness and camaraderie. Today the sport is practiced worldwide and competition is fierce.

The name "dragon" comes from the Chinese zodiac and symbolizes control over the water. Many boats are red, denoting Life, Joy, and Good Luck.

Boats have 20 paddlers, one drummer, and one steer person. Race courses are between 250 and 1000 meters. These women are in the Dragonheartvermont boat, a breast cancer survivor team. They are practicing for a meet in Montreal.  Learn more here.

One of their board members, Lynn, recovering from a bout, can no longer paddle, but keeps up her support for the crews on the water.

Sharon in the middle without a hat

One of the paddlers is our new friend Sharon Morris, Keefer Irwin's sister. She is an inspiration to all who have suffered great loss. We salute her.

She joined us for dinner at one of Burlington's best restaurants, Leunig's on Church Street.

The following day strong winds from the south greatly limited cruising possibilities. We needed a good harbor for protection. Fortunately, Willsboro Bay was just across the lake; a mere 1-½ hour crossing. Unfortunately, the route meant battling beam seas. Our tugs were up to it; stomachs not. This photo by Jeanne has become a sensation amongst our tugger group. Rarely does one see the freeing ports working as designed to quickly discharge water on the deck.

Our Lord Nelson Victory Tug association president, Dave Howell, thought he'd apply the Vincent Van Gogh rendition. Thanks, Dave.