Camping Puppies

No blog update would complete with out puppies.

Sunset from our camp site

Gas prices

This one is for Dan. Lynn picked out the sign while we were driving through Greenville Junction.

B52 boomer crash site elephant mountain Maine

Lynn, the dogs and I walked into the B52 boomer crash site while camping at Lilly Bay State Park. The site is about 7 miles from the nearest paved road on wood roads. Volunteers have done a nice job with signs to locate the site and explain the crash site.

good food

http://www.lifeforcefarm.com/ Life Force Farm - Community Supported Agriculture Bowdoinham, ME

coastal maine humain

Coastal Humane Society

walk behind high school 2 17 09

We had a wonderful walk behind the high school today. The trails were well packed by snowshoes and frozen but not icy. Behind the dogs is "oldman cave bridge". I have never seen this much ice packed around the bridge and I am afraid the ice may carry it away in the spring thaw.

Popham 2/15/09

Over the last couple of years Popham Beach has experienced a considerable amount of erosion. This is what used to be a level walkway to the beach.

Popham Beach 2/7/09

We took a trip to Popham today for a walk. Finally a weekend day above freezing, too bad the wind was blowing 25 mph. The dogs had a great time and we stayed warm enough. You can see the wind blowing the sand at our feet.

Running back to momma

Molly sitting on a sand dune

Our Cruise January 2009

Lynn and I took a cruise to Grand Cayman and Jamaica with 10 other T. Buck couples. We had a wonderful time and great weather. This is a picture I stole from the internet which shows the center of the ship. The remaining pictures are ones Lynn and I took.

Jamaica Tuesday morning

View from the 12th deck waiting to disembark in Jamaica.

Navigator of the Sea

Navigator on the Sea is huge. I took this picture from the dock in Jamaica.

Length o.a.

311.1m (1,020ft)

Breadth max.

49.1m (161.1ft)

Breadth waterline

38.6m (126.6ft)

Draught dwl

8.6m (28.2ft)

Height to top of funnel, approx.

Height to top of funnel, approx. 63m (207ft)

Gross tonnage

138,300

Passenger capacity, lower bed

3,138

Passenger capacity, max.

3,807

Passenger cabins, total

1,557

Passenger cabins with view

1,077 (69%)

- of which with balconies

753 (48.4%)

- facing the Royal Promenade

138 (9%)

Crew capacity

1,213

Classification

Det Norske Veritas

Speed, service

22 knots

Machinery

Diesel-electric power station

Main engines

6 x Wärtsilä 12V46C

Total power

75,600kW

Total propulsion power

42,000kW

Propulsion machinery

3 x 14MW AZIPOD propulsion, two azimuthing, one fixed

Bow thrusters

4 x 3MW, total 12MW

Total electric power

73,800kW (100,340hp)

Total volume

450,000m³ (15,885,000ft³)

Total deck area

137,000m² (1,522,000ft²)

Interior facts:

Seats for Passengers

15,500

Seats in Cabins

5,300

Seats on Outer Decks

2,000

Carpet

50,000m²

Pieces of Art

4,000

Electrical Points

61,000

Electrical Cables

3,000km

Automation Points

15,000

Windows

5,000m²

Pipes over 1in

140km

Water in Swimming Pools and Jacuzzis

320t

View of our ship from shore in Jamaica.

Tour of Wassi Art Pottery

We took a tour of a local pottery studio, Wassi Art Pottery. The local clay is mixed, and strained in the trays shown. http://www.wassiart.com/index.php

Clay drying in the sun

The clay is mixed and then left in the sun to get to the consistency they need.

potter at work

I think he was making a small vase.

Walking tour of Walkerwoods Spice factory in Jamaica

We took a walking tour of Walkerwoods Spice Factory and the grounds surrounding the factory.

Mother Spice at Walkewoods

Mother spice gave us a very scripted talk of the history of spices in Jamaica. The house behind her she says would sleep 6 or 7.

House construction Jamaica

The walls are weaved from split sticks and covered with a stucco type of material.

Grounds of Walkerwoods Spice Factory

Flowers and green grass in January is a nice site.

towel critter

While we were out at night our steward would clean our room and leave us a towel critter.

Dance show

Dancing from one of the nightly shows.

Ice skating show

There was a full ice skating auditorium in the ship. This picture is part of a 45 min. show we watched on the second day of the cruise.

Pool side on the first day.

Sunny and in the 80s how can you beat it in January. Best weather we have ever had on a trip.

rock climbing wall

Rock climbing wall was located at the rear of the ship and up the side of the stacks. The wall is more difficult than it looks because the top of the wall tips back.

Max and Nora

Max is about to bark and Nora is turning her head trying to figure out what I had just said.

Ben at christmas

Does Grammy Hall live in KT?

Did KT turn the camera at a 45 for the effect or was Ben diving to the side to get in the picture?

Bridge

During high tide the smelt fishermen use these old rotten logs to cross the open water.

Another view of the river

The dogs and I took a walk to the river this morning. The smelt shacks in the distance were filled with men fishing the incoming tide. The air was cool, in the twenties, but the sun was warm and very little wind. If you like winter today was perfect. While we were outside at the house today you could hear the snowmobiles racing up and down the river. Just two weeks ago there was open water.