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Hi Fellas. Been busy getting settled here after our trip up from Florida. 1,100 miles at 6 mph. Took 16 days with a couple of stops to visit one of my sons in Charleston SC and my daughter in Hampstead NC.
Good trip, no issues and perfect weather. Seems like I've been busier since retiring then when I was working. Lots to do getting settled in here and preparing for duck season. Am attaching a few pictures I took on the way up here.

Nice!

very nice

Nice, very nice!!

Sweet setup for sure

Rick, are you going to live on the boat now or is this just an extended trip?

I think he sold the farm and is now a rambling man.

3legged_lab wrote:Rick, are you going to live on the boat now or is this just an extended trip?

Olly's correct. I'm here to stay. Living on boat through spring conservation season for snows....end of March. Might deliver a few yachts north next spring after everything closes. Gonna hunt every single day I can between now and then.
Took a couple of days off from my projects here to chase marsh hens (rail birds) last week when we had above normal high tides.

Olly wrote:I think he sold the farm and is now a rambling man.

Sounds like fun.

Very cool Sir.


Sent from my Vox Mortem

Just remembered this graphic of the Atlantic Flyway on my computer. Arrow shows exactly where houseboat's permanent home is. Now you'll understand why I love it here.

Damn I really need to start tucking some money away, have always planned on kicking the bucket before I get old, but now I'm starting to think it may be more fun to do like Rick here^

Good stuff Rick, I think I found a goal

That's the life Rick. You earned it


#tazincali

jehler wrote:Damn I really need to start tucking some money away, have always planned on kicking the bucket before I get old, but now I'm starting to think it may be more fun to do like Rick here^

Good stuff Rick, I think I found a goal

I was just thinking I needed to save enough money for a trip to the eastern shore.

waterfowlman wrote:Just remembered this graphic of the Atlantic Flyway on my computer. Arrow shows exactly where houseboat's permanent home is. Now you'll understand why I love it here.

Don't forget about the birds that travel east over the Appalachians

sent from a phancy fone

Goldfish wrote:

waterfowlman wrote:Just remembered this graphic of the Atlantic Flyway on my computer. Arrow shows exactly where houseboat's permanent home is. Now you'll understand why I love it here.

Don't forget about the birds that travel east over the Appalachians

sent from a phancy fone

Bonus birds Goldie.

3legged_lab wrote:

jehler wrote:Damn I really need to start tucking some money away, have always planned on kicking the bucket before I get old, but now I'm starting to think it may be more fun to do like Rick here^

Good stuff Rick, I think I found a goal

I was just thinking I needed to save enough money for a trip to the eastern shore.

C'mon, brother. If Rick can't put you up, I can. All you need is plane fare, and an out of state waterfowl license will cost you about $45 for 4 days.

jehler wrote:Damn I really need to start tucking some money away, have always planned on kicking the bucket before I get old, but now I'm starting to think it may be more fun to do like Rick here^

Good stuff Rick, I think I found a goal

John, For the past 20 years I've had the attached picture by my favorite artist Les Kouba hanging behind my sofa. Whenever work got to me, I'd look at the big framed "The Old Hunting Shack" and remember what I was working towards. Gotta stay focused...Nothing extravagant for me. Just a simple life on the water hunting and fishing when I retired. The population of this town is 200, mostly commecial fishermen and we are surrounded by miles of farms and mostly corn fields. Come on down when you are up to your ass in snow and we'll shoot a few birds together.

Oh I hope you don't regret it when I show up, maybe not this winter but I'm kinda thinking next...

Do you need a shallow water boat to get around where you hunt there?

The three of us had to get out and push the boat a hundred yards or so, last time. Pretty common around here.

assateague wrote:The three of us had to get out and push the boat a hundred yards or so, last time. Pretty common around here.

Assa
Perhaps if John and Jr came down, the four of us could take a whack at some Brant. January is the best time to chase them.

waterfowlman wrote:

assateague wrote:The three of us had to get out and push the boat a hundred yards or so, last time. Pretty common around here.

Assa
Perhaps if John and Jr came down, the four of us could take a whack at some Brant. January is the best time to chase them.

this January we were invited down to Byers place for the Dhc hunt, gonna just about tap my travel budget, next year, if your serious I would make the commitment in a heartbeat

jehler wrote:

waterfowlman wrote:

assateague wrote:The three of us had to get out and push the boat a hundred yards or so, last time. Pretty common around here.

Assa
Perhaps if John and Jr came down, the four of us could take a whack at some Brant. January is the best time to chase them.

this January we were invited down to Byers place for the Dhc hunt, gonna just about tap my travel budget, next year, if your serious I would make the commitment in a heartbeat

Any time John. I'm retired, remember? We can plan a hunt when I'm fairly sure the birds are gonna be here. Be fun to have Assa along too for shits and grins...and his hilarious stories.

waterfowlman wrote: Be fun to have Assa along too for shits and grins...and his hilarious stories.

This for sure^

As far as coming when your sure birds are there, hell, no worries there, they don't call jr the golden child because of his blonde locks, that boy is lucky, birds follow him like he's the pied piper lol

assateague wrote:

3legged_lab wrote:

jehler wrote:Damn I really need to start tucking some money away, have always planned on kicking the bucket before I get old, but now I'm starting to think it may be more fun to do like Rick here^

Good stuff Rick, I think I found a goal

I was just thinking I needed to save enough money for a trip to the eastern shore.

C'mon, brother. If Rick can't put you up, I can. All you need is plane fare, and an out of state waterfowl license will cost you about $45 for 4 days.

I'd love to do that in the next year or two, if for no other reason than to say I did it.

As long as you don't try to feed me muskrat for dinner.... I'll buy the taco 12 packs.

Deal.

And Jehler, shooting brant is a hoot.

Now that's how you spend retirement!


Sent from my iPhone 5, which sucks my cojones. Don't buy one.

If it's not rude to ask, how much does the whole cost of owning and maintaining one of those house boats cost per year?

Good for you Rick.

Call me crazy, but I get a lot of satisfaction out of seeing someone else achieve a lifelong goal - I don't know why, but it's pretty cool.


Enjoy!!

Olly wrote:If it's not rude to ask, how much does the whole cost of owning and maintaining one of those house boats cost per year?

It really depends on where you keep it Olly. I'm in a very rural agricultural area where folks live a simple life. About $10,000 a year will cover dockage and maintenance here. Of course I do all of the work on the boat myself which helps save money.