Friday Dec. 10th

This morning our 4 year old grand-daughter Dani and I wiped the frost from the bulwark and seats of the KnotSoFast and hooked her up to the truck and headed for Lay Lake on the Coosa River. The forcast called for sunny skys and a high in the mid- 50's. Not perfect, but this looked like the only chance I'd have to get Dani out in the boat before she headed back home to Maryland on Monday.

We got to Okomo Marina about 10:15am, and the sun was beginning to warm things up a little. Dani was excited to be getting her first ride in the tugboat even though the freezing overnight temps ruled out any thoughts of an overnight trip. Dani was next in line, as all 3 of the older grandchildren had already been on at least an overnight boat trip.

We launched the tug and after letting the engine warm up, we headed North to Cedar Creek. I had to put 3 cushions in the helm seat to allow Dani to see out when she took the wheel. She enjoyed it, even though I could not find the "captain's hat" for her to wear.

At about noon, we crossed back to the West bank of the River and followed the narrow slough to my brother Scott's river house at Shelby Shores. Dani did well sitting still while I tied up. We got out and ate our lunch - PB&J sandwiches and chips - there. After lunch, Nathan and Nicole, my son and daughter-in-law, arrived and the four of us then headed back upstream and expolored Cedar Creek and the lake to the North for a couple of hours. With the windows to port and the back door closed, the sun warmed the cabin and made the temperature very comfortable. We drank cokes and ate cookies while watching osprey, ducks, camaroon and many other birds. Before lunch we only saw 3 other boats, but in the afternoon we saw several more, and the temperature warmed.

Hopefully we'll get her back down for another trip when the weather is a little warmer and I can make good on my promise to her of sleeping on the boat.