Day 316 - Butter Tarts — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 0, fuel purchased $0, slip fee $38, daily high temperature 82°f

We had a delightful evening of sundowners with the two couples that transited the 12 locks with us on Monday. Lorraine and Mike are from Canada and are cruising in a 20′ pontoon boat Weekend Weakened with a canvass camper enclosure. Mike runs a electrical maintenance and installation business. They also have an Airstream trailer that that use for camping in national parks. Lorraine hurt her right hand in the locks. They had pulled into the lock and she grabbed one of the lines that hang down. She wrapped it around her hand and Captain Mikes decided to pull forward and she twisted her hand before she could let go. The main issue with the pontoon boat is it gets pooped by large waves that break over the bow and soak everything on the boat.

Weekend Weakened

The other couple Joe and Rose are traveling on a 24′ cuddy cabin cruiser Spanish Fly. Joe retired from the Navy as Master Chief E-9 after 42 years. He said the first 20 years are the hardest. The second 20 years are easier because you can retire at any time if you are not happy. He spent the vast majority of his career on ships and foreign bases. Those were the best time for his career. He said duty stations in the US were problematic for him. He did not elaborate. He met his wife Rose in Hong Kong. Rose is from the Philippines and was working for Halliburton at the time. Now they spend summers cruising Canada and the Great Lakes and spend winters at their home in the Philippines near Boracay.

Spanish Fly

Several Loopers told us not to miss the Canadian butter tarts. I was not sure what a butter tart was so I bought six at Dooher’s bakery. A butter tart is a mini pecan pie without the pecans. Then I noticed they sell butter tarts with pecans. Next time I will buy the mini pecan pies.