A
Arnold Hite
Guest
John,
It is clear to me, after listening to some of the stories told at
Mt. Dora, that my threshold of danger is set way too low. I'm always a
little nervous in my Amphicar when the boat ramp goes out of site.
While I didn't go into the Mt. Dora canal at night, I did go in Sunday
morning. Scott and Suncha Moses joined Sharon and I. In a braver
moment we set out down an especially narrow side channel. There was an
oncoming boat at the intersection of the main cannel and the side
channel. I remember thinking how hysterical it was when I used my left
turn signal to warn him that I intended to turn across his bow. Anyway
the side channel got very narrow and eventually I attempted a three
point turn in the water. Of course that pushed the stern up into a
patch of water lilies. After that, Amphi would only turn right. Hard
left would lead to a course of straight ahead. Stuck in the Mt. Dora
canal with a constant stream of sight seeing Sunday boaters didn't seem
so funny anymore. I was about to go overboard to clear the weeds from
the starboard propeller. As a last chance, I tried going hard astern a
few of times. Finally, enough of the weeds cleared that I had some
steerage. I was so happy that I wanted to proceed directly back to the
boat ramp and get out, but Sharon wanted to press on down another side
channel. This one was wider but completely covered with some type of
floating algae. We plowed straight through it. After a wonderful trip
we made it back to the ramp and safely home. It was a great day.
Arnold
>
>Message: 20
> Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2004 01:28:26 -0000
> From: "John Friese" <jfriese@mindspring.com>
>Subject: Mt. Dora Magic
>
>
>Hi,
>
>The morning canal run at Mt. Dora was amazing. I was so amazed that I
>didn't take many pictures of it. If anyone has good ones, I'd
>appreciate them sending them to me directly at
>jfriese(at)mindspring.com.
>
>If you found the morning run amazing, the night run made on Saturday
>night was REALLY spooky. Doug Parsons and the Solheims were the brave
>captains that ran the canal at about 1 AM on Sunday after running
>another canal that was another great find. I'm sure nobody was able
>to take pictures of that night run but the images are burned
>permanently in my mind.
>
>I certainly appreciate being allowed to stow away on these voyages.
>Toni and I were with the Solheims on the daytime parade run and night
>run and Dave Monier on the morning run. I thank them sincerely. I
>feared the trip to Mt Dora, without a car, might be like going to the
>prom without a date but the hospitality of the Amphicar people made
>that fear vanish and we really had a great time.
>
>We then traveled to Sarasota to visit a friend and then to Key West,
>where we ran into Tommy, Lynn, Bob and Donna while walking down Duval
>St. We had visited Tommy before Mt. Dora to install one of my clutch
>kits but didn't expect to see them after the show. What a surprise.
>
>John Friese
>Santa Barbara, CA
>
>67 White
>67 Red
>
>
>
>
>
It is clear to me, after listening to some of the stories told at
Mt. Dora, that my threshold of danger is set way too low. I'm always a
little nervous in my Amphicar when the boat ramp goes out of site.
While I didn't go into the Mt. Dora canal at night, I did go in Sunday
morning. Scott and Suncha Moses joined Sharon and I. In a braver
moment we set out down an especially narrow side channel. There was an
oncoming boat at the intersection of the main cannel and the side
channel. I remember thinking how hysterical it was when I used my left
turn signal to warn him that I intended to turn across his bow. Anyway
the side channel got very narrow and eventually I attempted a three
point turn in the water. Of course that pushed the stern up into a
patch of water lilies. After that, Amphi would only turn right. Hard
left would lead to a course of straight ahead. Stuck in the Mt. Dora
canal with a constant stream of sight seeing Sunday boaters didn't seem
so funny anymore. I was about to go overboard to clear the weeds from
the starboard propeller. As a last chance, I tried going hard astern a
few of times. Finally, enough of the weeds cleared that I had some
steerage. I was so happy that I wanted to proceed directly back to the
boat ramp and get out, but Sharon wanted to press on down another side
channel. This one was wider but completely covered with some type of
floating algae. We plowed straight through it. After a wonderful trip
we made it back to the ramp and safely home. It was a great day.
Arnold
>
>Message: 20
> Date: Sun, 04 Apr 2004 01:28:26 -0000
> From: "John Friese" <jfriese@mindspring.com>
>Subject: Mt. Dora Magic
>
>
>Hi,
>
>The morning canal run at Mt. Dora was amazing. I was so amazed that I
>didn't take many pictures of it. If anyone has good ones, I'd
>appreciate them sending them to me directly at
>jfriese(at)mindspring.com.
>
>If you found the morning run amazing, the night run made on Saturday
>night was REALLY spooky. Doug Parsons and the Solheims were the brave
>captains that ran the canal at about 1 AM on Sunday after running
>another canal that was another great find. I'm sure nobody was able
>to take pictures of that night run but the images are burned
>permanently in my mind.
>
>I certainly appreciate being allowed to stow away on these voyages.
>Toni and I were with the Solheims on the daytime parade run and night
>run and Dave Monier on the morning run. I thank them sincerely. I
>feared the trip to Mt Dora, without a car, might be like going to the
>prom without a date but the hospitality of the Amphicar people made
>that fear vanish and we really had a great time.
>
>We then traveled to Sarasota to visit a friend and then to Key West,
>where we ran into Tommy, Lynn, Bob and Donna while walking down Duval
>St. We had visited Tommy before Mt. Dora to install one of my clutch
>kits but didn't expect to see them after the show. What a surprise.
>
>John Friese
>Santa Barbara, CA
>
>67 White
>67 Red
>
>
>
>
>
