WhimSea's Log

Posted by Karen A. Brown

It’s pirates weekend so it is sure to be sunny and hot! The day started with Troy and I finishing up the Pirates preparation before joining the rest of the folks gathered to watch Grandma’s Marathon on Saturday morning. I am truly amazed by the sheer volume of people that attend the race every year. The runners start with the wheeled set, then the elite runners, then people come over the hill in a wave of bodies that fills the road to capacity, pushing the sight seekers into the ditches and shoulders along the way. For long minutes people flow out of Two Harbors on their way to Duluth, a seemingly never ending sea.

Afterward we finished the rest of the preparations for the Pirate event and waiting for the noon bell and the start of the day.

Mark and Michael started with their cannons up on the hill near the beach while Troy and Dave loaded up WhimC with a cannon, potatoes, the captains chest and themselves. They were hoping to be able to put WhimSea on anchor between the mainland and Knife Island but the wind was so variable that Troy didn’t like the idea of leaving her out on the water with no one aboard for that long. So instead they rowed Charlie around through the entrance and over to the beach.

While they were rowing over Mark and Michael began firing on them from the beach. It was an awesome spectacle and really got the kids in the spirit of pirate day. Once they made it ashore, the kids all signed up to go a-pirating and Troy broke the group of kids into four distinct teams; Dave, Troy, Michael and Mark would each lead a team of kids around the marina in search of the clues that would bring them to the big treasure at the end.

The kids all had a great time, even though it was hot and sunny (typical). Eventually all groups had gathered their clues and met back at the Clubhouse to determine the finally clue to the main treasure chest. Once they found the main treasure chest, Troy found that he had lost the key and had to go back to WhimSea for a new one. Eventually he and the kids returned with the key and they got the treasure chest open. The kids all got handfuls of booty to enjoy before the chest was packed away for another year.

After all the excitement (and work), Troy and I laid down for a short nap while Karen R along with Mark and Janet shot candy out of the cannons for the kids.

Later that evening, we had a potluck dinner with ribs provided by the club. Troy and I stayed for the dinner then retreated to the beach for some quiet, as well as some shade. I cannot believe how hot it is every year on pirate day.

The next day found us still relaxing as well as working on WhimSea. There were so many preparations to do for the Race and time feels like it’s running out.