14 July - Boating

14 July
Today we took it easy and started out with renting a "canoe" from the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) office just a short walk from our camp site.  Before I could rent the canoe I had to do a computer-based training (CBT) course on-line on paddle boat safety.  Arg!  Anyone that has been in the military in the last 10-15 years is intimately familiar with CBT's!  We literally had to do hundreds of them and no one likes them.  In many cases they have gone away from CBT's as their effectiveness is really questionable.  So I digressed.  The course is United Stated Coast Guard approved and I can see why they require it.  Liability I'm sure.  Well this course only took about 45 minutes and due to the network setup I have in the RV I could do it from the comforts of our "home".

The office opened at 0900 hrs and I went up there and rented the "canoe".  Well, what I ended up with was more like a little plastic kayak with the top removed.  I was very narrow and once we got it in the water it was evident it was not going to work very well for a leisurely day on the lake as it was VERY tippy.  Well, I paddled it on down to our campsite and met Doreen on the shore.  We loaded up and she agreed this is not what we had in mind.  The actual aluminum canoe that we used last year in Maine was just fine.  It was a bit wider and was stable in the water.  Doreen and I spent a few hours in it and had no issues.  That was not going to be the case with our little plastic toy.  I dragged it back up to the MWR office and they refunded all but $3.  Fair enough.

Me and one of the staff carrying the plastic canoe down to the lake.  I carried it back up the hill with Doreen's assistance.

Talking with the MWR staff they suggested we go over to the marina where the selection of rental boats is much better.  It is just a short drive around the lake so we headed over there and discovered they had pontoon boats at a reasonable price.  Ah, BUT, a different CBT is required.  I had to complete the powered boat CBT before they could rent me one.  The guy said it would take approximately four hours!!  Oh, what I do for the team!  SO, we headed back to the RV and I proceeded to knock out the US Coast Guard-approved power boat CBT, and yes it does take about four hours, no matter how much you know about boats.  The way this CBT is designed, when you go screen by screen, the current screen remains there for a preset amount of time before it allows you to advance to the next one.  So you cannot click your way through to the final test.  JUST SHOOT ME!!  Well, just shy of four hours later I got it done!  We headed back over to the marina and guess what..... Both pontoons had been rented for the remainder of the day!  Well, oh well, that's the way it goes.  That's four hours out of my life I will never get back, but I can tell you more than you want to know about PFD's, waterway navigation buoys, hypothermia, and the rules pertaining to towing skiiers!  They did have a 16 ft fishing boat, so away we went, and we did have a good time cruising the lake, admiring the houses and the beautiful scenery.

Our RV is back there behind the trees.

Lake was calm, temps in the 70's today.

Beautiful residence on the lake 

Eagle flying overhead

Another eagle perched in a tree top.

Mount Rainier in the distance.  Beautiful!

Selfie with Mount Rainier in the background.

The marina as we approached.

 We spent a couple hours cruising the lake and then headed back to the marina to turn in our boat.  We used a grand total of 0.5 gallons of fuel!  Back at the RV, Doreen had put a beef roast in the crock pot this morning, so it was literally falling apart.  Great dinner and relaxing day.  Tomorrow's schedule is up in the air so far.  The only set item is the Gary Sinise and the Lt Dan Band outdoor concert on Ft Lewis tomorrow afternoon at 1800 hrs.  We will drive in to the Commissary, park and walk with our lawn chairs.  Prior to that we will start making preparations to depart early Sunday and head for Clear Lake Recreation Area near Spokane WA, our next destination.

Doreen reminded me that two years ago was my military retirement ceremony.  It was actually on 11 July 2015.  Wow, time sure flies!  I am so proud of our family.  That's the down side of being on the road.  We miss them!