Adventure 460: The Story of George, The Eagles is Dead-Long Live Frac, 37

Real time finds George doing better every day. He's on a pill remembering streak, his mobility is good, his spirits are high, and we're hopeful he'll be in a good enough groove to let us travel this summer to Little Eden. Hope is good.

Dad and Mom, 1950

On another note, an era is dead. We watched the awesome spectacle of the crane operator lifting her up onto the barge. The operator has been operating this huge "old school" friction crane on the lake for almost forty years. He's good. He made a difficult task look like child's play. In his hands that machine picked the boat up like she was a toy (She was just a toy, you know.) and so easily set her down, keel first in such a way that she leaned gently on her side for the ride down lake to her final resting place. Tomorrow, she'll be crushed up with a giant clam shell crusher. Her remains will be trucked to the land fill, save the keel. She'll be recycled by a foundry in town. We had a good run with her over nearly twenty years. Judy and I figured from the log entries that we were on her every four and one half of the available days during each of the nineteen five month seasons we had her. We had some good times, many fun sails, a few exciting moments, one phantasmagorical moment when the mini-toornado spun us 360 like the giant hand of God playing with us like a kid spinning a top, and course we cared for her, maintained her, worried about her, and enjoyed her. She was a good chapter in our lives. Hopefully, we'll be blessed with more chapters, and to that I say "Long Live Frac!"

We found her like this on March 4. She sank in less than an hour the night before.

 The metal strut that looks here like a hand on a prop shaft was struck perfectly, and in such a way as to knock a six by six hole into the boat,  by a "deadhead" or floating log. The chances are so remote, it was like winning the negative lottery. But fortunately, we found the "Pros from Dover".

 This is Kenny, diver and all-around Mr. Fixit.

 A final glance just for the memories.

Almost as a religious ritual, Leticia and Justin were able to salvage many things of value.

 For example, they took the winches, the wheel, the sails, the ropes,  the mast, and a bunch of other things. She was a good old girl, so it's fitting that she should still be of value.

 This man, Tom,  is an incredibly skilled crane operator.

 Equipment such as this accounts for the cost of the operation.

 Sam, the boss, watches as a job well done is accomplished.

 And there she goes. resting like a baby.

 Mark, my friend and very superior mechanic at the helm.

Among our favorite trips was a sail to Harrison.

And so many other good memories, such as our buddies, the Ulmen's smooching at sunset.

 And of course, nothing was better than "skiing" behind the Eagle.