bvi captains log blog

Well, Richard and Lisa are taking a break from chartering this summer and going off to explore the BC and Alaska coastline on a private 90' motor yacht! She is somewhat gloating as she will not have to varnish dear old Promenade. Harruummmph...

I want to see her get her behind in that cold water SCUBA diving! This means, since the their contract currently on the private yacht, is mid May through end of September, that yours truly, and her loyal sidekick Bazza will be returning to do charters on Promenade this summer and fall.

The boat they are on looks like this:

Looks too cold for Lisa actually!

Bazza is thinking (hoping) that the summer will be slow enough that he can play with his ROV in the water some more. Of course, maintenance will go on as it always does, with a hefty list of items needing repairing and replacing, although, we have agreed with Bruce that a on island worker will be hired to do the varnishing, painting, and other sorts.

Bazza and I will once again, be running Promenade (did we ever stop? Did I ever get away from that?) Bruce will mostly be in Dallas working with his Graphic Design Business and spending some time with us on the yacht exploring.

I am wondering how I am going to hoist my fat behind on the yacht and already telling Bazza that he better make sure the air conditioning is working well in the crew cabin! I have also wondered how Bazza was going to fit my new 55' LED TV with Directv in the crew cabin??? He has not answered me yet on that one!

I am of two minds whether I am looking forward to it or not! On one hand, I just bought a house! I just got FIOS internet!! I just bought a full sized microwave!! I do not have to climb up to get into bed!! My bed does not move!! I have a bath tub!! I am near all my favorite restaurants and COSTCO!! I still want a vacation!! On the other hand, I miss the islands, the beautiful water of summer, all the SCUBA diving I get to do, taking my underwater pictures, anchoring out at Salt Island visiting all my friends, sharing the joy that we have always found with guests being in the islands, and also, since we did just buy a house, the money to pay for it will definitely be a good thing.

So, we will see. You just never know where you are going to end up in this life do you?

We have a couple adjustments on the specials we are offering this summer with Bazza and I on board and you can watch this spot as they will be up shortly.

Well, it has been quite a whirlwind of activity the last few days trying to get this house closed and us in it. Verizon came to give us FIOS. We watched them dig a 3 foot deep trench by hand from 2 houses away to lay the wire and then once on our property to one foot deep. Better them then me!



My parents arrive from Victoria, so I was able to take my first trip to one of the area airports. This one was Santa Ana, John Wayne. Easy as can be. Tomorrow I get to go to Orange County airport to get my sister!


Of course, we went out to eat. My parents don't drink so we have to do something with them! Big Boys for sandwiches...

Well, I think mine was about three sandwiches combined into one...


We weren't into the house yet, so we were just going to put my parents up at a close to the house hotel, however when we took them to Pechanga Casino to look at it my father SKIPPED (yes, at 70 odd! He skipped!! To get his players card..) so we quickly decided that they could stay there that night instead...

Did go for a bit of a drive, mom took pictures of avocado's


And for some reason these chickens caused quite excitement too..


We found flowers, and cactus etc etc all that good stuff...


The house is not closed yet. God there is a lot of paperwork in California, however the old owners left yesterday for Texas and we moved in.. The sellers "cleaned" out the house before they left. Yes, this is correct. A cleaned out house looks like this. I have not already moved in all these wonderful little decorations!! A big garbage skiff and lots of garbage bags came in handy for the next couple hours. And we have only made a very small small dent!


We did manage to buy ourselves a new TV though which was delivered for the living room! Priorities people, priorities...


Bazza is disappearing up into the rafters above the garage here. "crap" apparently is up there from many decades... We have found pistol cleaners, and a few metal containers of cartridges and since we have only waded through about 20% of the stuff up there I am sure we will find the rest..


Some of the "crap" Dear god. I think we better find a larger garbage skiff!!


In the midst of all this we had a St Patricks party to get to over in Palm Spring, so it was off on a drive while the carpet cleaners did the carpets...


Only to see my aunt had a great big fancy set up for her little party...


We had corned beef and cabbage, and it was VERY good. I think each and every single person had seconds and thirds...




At great time and expense my aunt brought performers all the way in from Ireland for our entertainment. And considering we were sitting on Emerald Drive it all came together.


We had a wonderful evening and were too keyed up with all the excitement to actually sleep when we got back home. Mom and dad slept in the house, we stayed in the RV for the night!