Al's new boat & the carp....

Al has a new boat. Well, not really new, extremely used and old, but new to him. He spent hours the last couple weeks straightening the metal and cleaning it and fixing it up. He even hand painted one of the seats.

It is a very cute little boat (with an emphasis on little). It was a gorgeous night last night, so we took it out for it's maiden voyage on the lake.

We drove down to the boat ramp, where there were several trailers in the parking lot already, and one unloading. So Al decides that we would use the boat ramp at the other end of the lake. It's not really a boat ramp anymore, but he's the ranger, right?

So we back up and put the boat in the water, I climb in and he just leaves the truck where it's at, trailer in the water. He puts the trolling motor down and starts it up, but we are surrounded by this:

It's been so hot and sunny that the grass and moss and whatever else has gone crazy in the lake. Now Al remembers that we should have brought a paddle. Not one to be rattled by that little thing, he paddles us out with his hands until the motor will work.

It was absolutely perfect out on the water, no wind and calm as can be. I love how the trees reflect on the water when it's still like this.

Here is where Joe & Lauren will be married in less than 2 months! Picture a huge white tent in front of this by the lake at 6:00 pm at night. It's going to be beautiful!

We took Tai along to see how he would do in a boat. We are going to Minnesota this weekend, and we thought maybe we will take him then. Tai doesn't think much of boats. He pretty much spent the entire time underneath my legs. Every once in a while he would look over the edge, but that's it.

We were heading back when Al spied this:

It was a 3 foot long grass carp that was dead. It stunk soooooo bad! So what does Al do? He ties it to the back of the boat!

His theory was that nothing else would eat it, and it would just stink up everything, so we would take it to shore, and the guys would come pick it up to dispose of it in the morning.

So we trolled back across the lake, towing a dead grass carp.

 

It stunk the entire way! It was as nasty as anything you have ever smelled in your life. Ugh!

So we finally get back to the trailer, but remember we don't have a paddle, and the motor can't push us because there is too much grass in the lake. So Al paddles water again with his hands until I'm close to the edge so I can get out.

Then he has to pull himself and the boat on the trailer.

All the while with the grass carp tied to the back of the boat.

I didn't ask him today if he made the guys go get it this morning. I sure hope so, or anyone who is down there is going to gag!