Arrrr, b' a busy July!

Captain Dave an' Mad Mary Ellen, his lady, aboard Captain Dave`s Shenandoah returned t' th' harbor today after a shakedown cruise, arrr, that included stops at th' ports o' Chalon sur Saone, Dole an' Dijon.


Th' Dole passage proved a bit trickier than expected as th' Ri'er Doubs be in flood an' provided some excitin' lock passages. Th' lock enterin' th' city o' Dole be particularly interestin' as th' kayaks shot ou' o' th' sluice at th' entry t' th' lock. Bastille Day in Dole proved excitin' also as all th' vessels be ordered t' leave th' harbor 'ceptin' th' noble Shenandoah an' a New Zealand vessel, called th' Kiwi Breeze. Guest on board, th' ex-Captain John an' his current squeeze, th' redoubtable Newfoundlander, Busty Mona Brash, did a bit o' pillagin' o' the'r own.

After th' Dole passage we returned t' homeport port t' refit an' take on supplies an' headed immediately north t' th' port o' Dijon at th' northern tip o' th' Burgundy Cote d`Or.

Dijon, one o' our favorite ports, held up 'tis reputation as a great place t' eat, drink an' be merry. Moored harbor side fer a week, we laid waste t' th' town an' th' Burgundian country side. Mad Mary Ellen, addicted t' outdoor food markets, flea markets, shoppin' an' th' like be in heaven.


We be visited by Captain Bill an' his young French beauty, Crazy Kinou o' Paris fer th' weekend. Th' crew be busy wi' ample pillagin', plunderin' an' rum had by all. Ex-Captain John an' Busty Mona depart'd th' Shenandoah, boarded surface transportation fer the'r return trip t' Paris an' subsequent return t' th' colonies.

Mad Mary Ellen an' Captain Dave returned aboard th' Shenandoah t' St. Usage 'ere th' vessel be undergoin' resupplyin' an' some minor paint repairs.

Arrr!

Captain Bruce`s beloved vessel, th' ONYX, be laid up in dry dock th' last few tides fer some sorely needed repairs. Feelin' a bit landlocked, so t' speak, Captain Bruce ventured ou' on th' waters o' th' Canal du Bourgogne in th' only thin' he had that would float – his dingy. Ya see, th' Captain missed th' water.



He cruised up an' down th' canal basin searchin' fer plunder.



Spyin' a new vessel o' foreign design an' manned solely by a crew o' female gentlemen o' fortune, Captain Bruce pursued th' prize. This would be a huge feather in 'is cap, th' capture o' a foreign vessel an' a crew o' female type wenches.



Noticin' that they be bein' followed, th' wenches, crafty in the'r own right, proceeded wi' an evasive maneu'er which caused Captain Bruce t' overshoot his intercept. As he turned around t' watch th' smirks on the'r faces he ran smack dab into th' rear o' a cruise barge that had jus' entered th' canal.



Bet that hurt, ARRRRR!

Arrrr, it be a big day!

Today an' next high tide' be big days here in th' harbor. Th' French government be surveyin' th' harbor.

Although we be havin' an existin' elegant dinin' area an' an outdoor sittin' area wi' a nautical motif, we thought we'd upgrade from our existin' clubhouse t' one o' more modern design, befittin' our way o' life.




E'en now, our crack construction team be hard at 't.




This here be th' proposed artist renderin' o' our new clubhouse. O' course, we will be havin' t' do a wee more plunderin' t' make all this happen, but we be tryin'.