Sailing Gromit

26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
26 March 2016
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Winter Wonderland in Canada

26 March 2016
Yes, it's winter in Canada and we are in the thick of it.

There has been a hint of spring, but mother nature can be fickle at this time of year. Two weeks ago we had temperatures in the mid teens (mid 70s for you Fahrenheit folks), then a huge snow storm that gave the kids two days off of school and now heavy freezing rain that coated everything to the point of tree branches bending to the ground and snapping like toothpicks.

Where are the palm trees and beaches?

This is the house we are currently living in. We'll be here until our house is rebuilt....we don't know when. We'd hoped to start rebuilding in spring....which is now....but progress is slow, because the process is slow.
We can't complain because this house is spacious and comfortable, though quite dark. We've talked about lightening it up with some brighter paint. Just haven't gotten there yet. Still too much to do regarding the fire.

Winter in Canada

26 March 2016
Maia, Liam, Zoe, Jaya

Loving the snow.
Building snow buddies.
Make snow angels.

But.....also looking forward to spring!!!

Snow Buddies

26 March 2016
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Winter Wonderland

26 March 2016
Patterns in nature.

Winter Wonderland

26 March 2016
Freezing rain.

Winter Wonderland

26 March 2016
Geometry
Vessel Name: Gromit
Vessel Make/Model: Olympic Adventure
Hailing Port: Toronto
Crew: Michael, Cornelia, Zoe, Maia, Liam. Photo: At Tilloo Bank, Elbow Cay, Bahamas (photo by Frank Taylor)
About: Michael: The technical/mechanical/all about the boat and systems guy. Cornelia: The lists/house and land details gal. Zoe, Maia and Liam: Gromit's Skippers in Training!
Extra: Departure date: Summer 2008 email us at: sailinggromit@gmail.com
Gromit's Photos - Ukuleles on Huahine Island
Photos 1 to 14 of 14 | Main
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As we were driving along a side road the day we rented the car, we saw these two men with a chainsaw that had a blade about 4 feet long sawing a slab of wood off the top of a large tree trunk lying on its side. At the end of the road we turned around and when we passed them again on the way out, I couldn
I would never have guessed that they were cutting wood for ukuleles!
One of the men said that his dad makes ukuleles and that he was right next door now, would we like to go and see?
Of course!
The slabs cut from the tree trunk.
Ukuleles in the rough.
The ukulele makers workshop at the side of his house. 
He also carves paddles for Polynesian canoes.
The ukulele makers son.
He is one of the men who was cutting the slabs.
After we asked all our questions and took all our photos, one of the men went next door to a coconut tree and began pulling down green coconuts. He chopped off the tops with his machete.
We drank the water directly out of the coconuts.
Coconut water and the gel is very rich and filling. We could hardly finish the 4 coconuts he opened for us.
I believe that it is also very healthy
He then chopped the coconut in half, so that we could scrape out the gel like meat that was inside.
The scraper was a thin piece of the outside of the coconut that he had removed with his machete when he cut the drinking hole.
We were very touched by their generosity and hospitality.
 
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Sailinggromit

Who: Michael, Cornelia, Zoe, Maia, Liam. Photo: At Tilloo Bank, Elbow Cay, Bahamas (photo by Frank Taylor)
Port: Toronto