Season Changes

Things are winding down at Nestegg marine in Marinette. We're only aboard Mystic on the weekends now. The dock is bustling with boaters trying to get in their last cruising of the season. We've been taking car loads of boat stuff home each visit in preparation of our haul out on September 30th. This is a bittersweet time.

Friday Night Lights, Stephenson Island
Photo by Ric Mellon

We brought several extra blankets on board at the end of August, including a heated one. It's cool at night but boy is the sleeping good! Each visit to Nestegg we see a few more boats lined up neatly in their winter storage spots on the hard. Boats arrive daily from nearby marinas to wait their turn for hauling out. We took a walk through Nestegg and were delighted to find M/V Bob Tale out of Madeline Island sitting across from us at the docks. We first met Jean and Paul in 2016 on the Great Loop at Hoppie's and then again at Green Turtle Bay. We haven't seen them in six years. They are not with Bob Tale but we will look for them in the spring.

A pair of eagles nest near our marina. On haul out day Dave watched as one of them snatched a fish from the river then landed in the parking lot to enjoy a feast. I grabbed my camera to capture this close up. Other boaters joined us and watched in awe. Viewing the natural environment is one of the perks of living on the water that rewards us over and over.

Marina Eagle Visit

Eagle Feeding

We scheduled haul out for the first week in October but moved it up one week, concerned about the dropping temps. We were first in line to come out of the water on the 30th of September. Things went smoothly and before we knew it Mystic was nestled into the line of sailboats already settled in the lot. We began the long list of tasks required to prepare our boat for her winter rest. We can't just walk away; there is much to do. While Dave winterized our engine, head and water systems I began cleaning the decks. Next I moved inside to work on the interior. Each surface must be wiped down; I use Fabulosa on the walls and Murphy's Oil Soap on all wood surfaces. Every locker, drawer and floor is vacuumed out. Between the two of us, it's a lot of work. Finally, we install Mystic's custom winter cover. The process takes at least two days. As soon as we finished zipping up the cover, we noticed purple bird poop stains. The song birds were eating fermented berries and leaving deposits to prove it. It's unavoidable but so disappointing.

Last Sunrise

Good Morning Haul Out Day

Coffee First

Last wake up aboard Mystic 2022

Peaceful morning

Calm Reflections

View from our slip

Ready for Harbor Hoist

Mystic on her cradle

The maple tree that sits beside Mystic's winter resting spot is painted in bright red, an added sign that winter is on it's way. The leaves will be gone soon. The Menominee River has been mostly glass calm with reflections of boats on the hard mirrored in the water. It's a beautiful time of year here. As we drive away we begin to reminisce about our summer. Quickly, we switch to dreaming about next year. There is a season for everything. Mystic will rest while we work on getting through the off season.

Mystic by the red maple

Cozy tent view under cover

Dave tying straps down

All Wrapped Up

Ready for Winter (Mystic, not us)

A week after haul out, there was a huge mill fire just south of Stephenson's Island along the river. Clouds of thick black smoke made a dramatic back drop for the Fincantieri ships docked on the river. We were worried about ash falling on Mystic's cover but our friends Kathy and Ric assured us that the wind was on our side, blowing the smoke out onto Green Bay. This news was a relief for us!

Menomonie, MI mill fire near Nestegg
photo by Ric & Kathy Mellon