Downsizing Boat Style

You've heard about our Hewescraft purchase, but what about our other boats. Things were getting a bit crowded around the cabin, so we decided to downsize.  Our Campion bowrider was our main means of lake transportation and she served us well for eleven years. On our trip north towing our new boat, we met Dale at the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. He was in the market for a boat, and it turned out our Campion met his needs. It feels good knowing she is going to a great new home.

Our other boat was a Bayliner 2350. She used to be our ocean boat, but moved up the lake for winter use. Our good friend John helped us sell that one too.

The new Hewescraft is replacing two former boats. That opens up a lot of dock space, and reduces our upkeep tremendously. Downsizing in life is always a good thing. -- Margy

Hewescraft Ocean Pro

There's nothing like a new boat. Not just new to us, but brand new. We said we would never purchase a new boat again, you usually get more bang for your buck with a gently used boat. But we fell in love with the Hewescraft Ocean Pro, but none were available locally on the used market. We saw that as a good sign.

The Hewescraft is fun to use to take lake day trips, but our reasoning was to get a boat that was safer to use in the winter going to and from our float cabin home.  Powell Lake is about 51 kilometres (32 miles) long and over 300 metres (1000 feet) deep in places. During storm winds, waves over three feet high can kick up.


While we wouldn't try to get up or down the lake in severe conditions, even smaller waves in our old Campion runabout felt uncomfortable. We made a perfect choice!

And Stick Tail gives his five claws up "paw of approval" for the new Hewescraft. He usually doesn't like traveling in vehicles, but in the new boat he can sit on the dash and easily see out of the large windows and watch the lake and forest pass by.

Would you be interested in an aluminum welded boat by Hewescraft? These skookum (strong) boats come in a variety of sizes and styles. We found the best deal at Tom-n-Jerrys Boat Center in Mount Vernon, WA. Ask for Lee, he set us up with a great deal, and a great boat! -- Margy

Out With Summer, In With Fall

Last Monday when we headed out of Hole in the Wall to First Narrows, the sky told the whole tale.  To the north it was Fall.


Looking south, the encroaching storm was chasing Summer away.


I just wish it could last a little longer!-- Margy

Powell River Kings Hockey

Wayne and I love to go to Powell River Kings Junior "A" Hockey games. Our hometown team draws players from around Canada and occasionally the United States. It's great hockey and lots of fun joining our neighbours to cheer the players on. GO KINGS GO!

For about a year, there's been no concession stand for food during games. But good news, the wait is over. They city has selected Planet Cleve to take over running indoor food sales.

The last time Wayne and I were at a game, they were outside with their mobile food cart. Now getting a "best burger on the planet" from Planet Cleve will be even easier.  Or choose a pulled pork sandwich, hotdog, or prawns. A recent Facebook post says there will be even more choices inside, including the "best fries on the planet." We'll have to try some of those next time.

But it's awfully hard to focus on hockey between bites. She looks, she bites, she scores. Yum!

Update: Powell River Kings games are still the best "game" in town, but the food concession is  now the Bite Club offering traditional and healthy options.

Fall Comes in with a Bang

Or at least several claps of thunder.  On Monday, up at the cabin, we had one of the heaviest downpours in a long time. The thunderstorm was short lived, but packed quit a punch and gave us about a quarter of an inch of rain in about ten minutes, not to mention the pelting hail.  Here's what it sounded like under our tin roof.

In the end, Mother Nature graced us with a beautiful rainbow. Just a hint that a nicer afternoon wasn't far away.

How's the weather where you are?  Did Fall come in with a bang where you are? -- Margy

Preserving: Harvesting and Storing Potatoes

Each year I grow potatoes in barrels. I get enough from three barrels for Wayne and I to enjoy through the winter. I've found that Yukon Golds make a nice sized spud that stays firm and fresh when stored for months. Any that do sprout by spring I use for seed potatoes. The barrel on the left is ready to dig because the plants have died back. The one on the right isn't ready yet.

This week I dug up two barrels worth to store for winter use. First I let the soil in the barrels dry. I find digging the potatoes out with my hand is easiest on me and the potatoes. Eliminating cuts from sharp objects helps the potatoes store better. To help keep my digging hand and nails cleaner, I wear a latex glove.

As I dig, I remove the dry dirt to make it easier to find the potatoes all the way at the bottom. I save the soil for use again in next year's potato barrels. For storage, I put the soil in plastic yard bags and let it dry some more. After sealing the bags, I store them in the shed. Using my own seed potatoes and saving my soil greatly reduces the cost of growing potatoes each year.

Here's my bounty from just one half 55-gallon barrel. I left them in the sun to dry and to allow the skin to firm up. It's best not to wash potatoes before storage. Just brush off any excess dirt and then inspect them for damage. Damaged spuds should be eaten as soon as possible. They do not store well and may damage your good produce.

Always store potatoes away from light and temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees Celsius are best. If they get too cold, the starch will turn to sugar and cause them to be sweet. Paper bags, burlap bags or cardboard boxes are good for potato storage. Do not use a plastic bag. Trapped moisture will accelerate spoilage. Avoid storing potatoes with apples, onions or garlic. They produce a gas that causes potatoes to spoil quickly. If potatoes are exposed to the light they will turn green. Remove any green portions before eating. Potatoes are a member of the Deadly Nightshade family, and the green part is poisonous.

I wrap my potatoes in newspaper and store them is open sided plastic baskets ($1.00 each at the Dollar Store). This keeps them away from the light and separates them from neighboring potatoes. The paper allows the potatoes to "breathe" but also prevents too much moisture from escaping. I keep the baskets under the bed in the downstairs guest room, the coolest place in the cabin. Properly stored potatoes will remain dormant and will not sprout for about three months after harvesting. That makes for lots of comfort food meals throughout the winter months. -- Margy

Goat River Day Trip

Wayne, John, Bro (John's trusty Lab), and I took the new Hewescraft out for a leisurely cruise.  We love how it performs. It'll be a fun and safe boat for our frequent lake travel to and from the cabin. This week's day trip was through Goat River into Goat Lake.

Goat River can be tricky to navigate in low water, but we raised the outboard and cruised through slowly.

Wayne and Bro went up in the bow to watch for submerged rocks, snags, and sand bars.


One advantage of low water is that you can see where many (but not all) of the snags are located.  Fortunately, the route is well marked because it's part of the famous Powell River Canoe Route.


On the way home, there were spectacular reflections as we passed through the stump forest where the river empties into Powell Lake.  Wasn't this a beautiful way to end a nice day in the new boat? -- Margy