Almost there

Hi everyone. I have just about completed my job in that le Reve is due to arrive at the Holland port of Ijmuiden tomorrow July 15, 2008 at 12:00 local time. They are currently 6 hours ahead of us so that makes it 6:00 am our time. There is a link to a harbour camera posted in a comment to the previous entry, I have not tried it myself, but I'm sure it will work.

Dad phoned today, he figures he might as well use up the sat phone minutes as he won't need a sat phone now for some time as le Reve cruises in Europe for the next while. He said that the English Channel is very busy, he saw lots of ships and had a brief encounter with the coast guard too. It seems that while in the shipping lanes in the area he was motoring in you are suppose to cross the lanes at 90 deg. As the area seemed not so busy, and the captain not actually knowing that there was a regulation to that effect, le Reve proceeded to gently cross the shipping lane to arrive at their desired location. Once on that trajectory the Coast Guard radioed le Reve, identifying the ship by size and location and asked that they correct their path of travel to comply with crossing at right angles. At least he didn't get a speeding ticket!

So - the final installation of the crew members. Dad grew up in Holland the youngest of 5 kids and went to school there to get his welding credentials as it were. He immigrated to Canada to look for a job when he was 17 years old. He had two older sisters who were already in Canada, but he left his parents and his oldest brother and a sister that was next to him in birth order. He worked for a while at Guelph Sand and Gravel (I think that was the company name) welding and repairing heavy equipment. He managed to meet and marry a young lady who also came to Canada from Holland at youth group from Reformed Church in Drayton Ontario (where he still attends when he is actually home and not cruising around in le Reve!) and together they started a family and business in Arthur Ontario. The business of confinement equipment for farm animals grew and grew and grew, so did the family with first a son (that's me) then my sister came along followed by another son and lastly (but certainly not least) my dearest youngest sister. We all helped out in the family business at various stages and in various capacities but none of the kids felt led to run the business. Dad stayed with BSM agri for 30 plus years but recently sold the business to turn to full time retirement, when he's not building Canada Comfy Chairs, or helping his children move or build something or playing with his 8 (soon to be 9) grand kids. He has always liked working with metal - most recently building the aluminum arch you can see on the fly bridge in a previous picture. But has taken to working more with wood in recent past (building the mahogany bench you can see in the picture in this post) He has always been good with his hands and I'm sure he will continue to build things when not on the water with his lovely wife Joanne. It seems too brief a description for a fellow who has done so much - but I will let him fill in any details that he wants to fill out.

I should also mention that Clyde's position as head cook has been filled by Eugene. Dad said that Eugene is doing a great job, but there was something about the southern cooking that Clyde had a knack for that the crew really misses. It's too bad that Mike and Clyde couldn't make it to the final destination - but they both were able to experience the Atlantic Crossing and add that to their sailing resumes.

Thanks to all the SO for allowing their men to travel with Dad, he has told me many times that the trip was made by the people in the crew.

I will sign off now and allow Dad to resume the blogging as he feels the need.

May God Be With You and bless you in your travels

Brad
Harbour cam click here or here
or try this one or all three just to be sure!