Lynn and Neal Parker are cruising on board their Krogen 48′ North Sea, Navigator. They recently cruised south to Mexico, where they will be hanging out until the beginning of May when they decide their next step. We’re lucky enough to be on their email list, so we received the blog/photo journal just this week of their experience in Puerto Vallarta with a few extra family members on board. They were nice enough to give us their blessing to post it. Enjoy! ~ Shannon

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Ever since being a fan of the Flipper TV show I’ve always wanted to meet a bottlenose dolphin.  Being pulled around by two of them was an amazing experience. Touching their smooth skin and interacting with them while watching them enjoy playing with us was the most fun.  Can you tell I’m having a good time?

We are releasing endangered Sea Turtle babies at sunset.  The turtle reserve holds the hatchlings until this time of the day to give the little guys the best chance to avoid predators as they make their way to sea.  We wished them well and hoped ours would be the lucky ones to return in eight years to lay more eggs on this beach for future generations.  Good luck Riptide, Squirt, Portland, Panama and Australia, swim fast!

They are so tiny, not much more then shell and flippers, but the bird and sea predators think they are quite tasty.

When in Mexico you must play a game of Mexican Train, a favorite domino game around here.

Since Navigator was the talk on the docks and everybody was interested in her, we had an open house and many of our fellow boaters came aboard to visit and share stories.  We had a wonderful time and have met lots of great people who have helped our transition into this new world.  After the open house one boater asked if the boat was going up for sale.  Guess he hadn’t been around long enough to hear the whole story.

Here’s a moth friend that came for a quick visit one afternoon.  Beautiful colors and a big guy too.

A boat went aground one evening and cruisers from the marina assisted with getting her pulled off the beach and towed to safety.  It was quite a community effort and took many hours of hard work, and a few high tides, before she was pulled off the beach in the wee hours of the morning.

Ah, our first day at anchor after spending so long in the marina.  The water is gorgeous and we had lots of little fish swimming around our boat when we were anchored out.  We think they liked to hide under the boat to protect them from the pelicans and frigate birds which were constantly diving all around us. We took a swim around the boat in the nearly 80 degree water, it felt grand.

A successful launch of the dingy now officially named Parkerbird. We took her for a spin along the shoreline and explored the sights.  She zips along nicely. We’re making sure everything is ready for the next big trip across the Sea of Cortez . . .

Happy New Year! Hoping you all had a wonderful holiday season. Dennis Lawrence, our West Coast Sales Director, sent me this piece to use on the blog. Though it’s been a few months since the initial reunion, it’s never too late to share a small world story. Enjoy!

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In 1967 a young teacher began a two year assignment with the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND) Schools in Germany. She would teach the children of Canadian soldiers who were part of the NATO contingent in Europe. She was assigned to the ladies quarters at the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Officer’s Mess. Dawn Walker taught at two DND schools and travelled extensively from 1967-69.

Also in 1967 a young Canadian Army Lieutenant was assigned to the 2nd Battalion , Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and took up residence in the Officer’s Mess. Gary St. Arnaud had just begun his military career. Gary would go on to become an Engineer. Gary’s assignment in Germany lasted until 1969.

These two shared what is called “Mess Life” for two years. They dined communally three times a day at an elegant long regimental table. It was the custom to seat yourself beside the person who was already seated and dining. German staff addressed officers and teachers by name. There was firm dress code in the mess which included several social rooms where the resident officers, teachers and non-resident officers could mix. As everyone was away from home it became a small, close community that shared joys, sorrows, gossip, courtships, weddings, funerals and travel. As the mens and women’s Officers Quarters had no common rooms, all the socializing was done in the mess just twenty steps away.

On her return to Canada, Dawn Walker married and became Dawn Douthwaite. She moved to Chilliwack, BC where she continued teaching. She raised a daughter and took up her husband’s love of boating. She is happily retired and lives in the Fraser Valley.

Gary married and raised a daughter and two sons. He and his family lived in Chilliwack, BC for four years while attached to the Engineers School at CFB Chilliwack. Gary left the military and had a successful civilian career based in Vancouver, BC. Gary later moved to the US.

Dawn and Gary’s paths never crossed. Until now.

Dawn and Gary at the annual Krog-In Rendezvous in Roche Harbor.

In 2012 on the dock in front of the Kadey-Krogen offices in Seattle and after 45 years, they were reunited. Gary was supervising the commissioning of his new Kadey-Krogen 52′. Dawn was moving her things from their sailboat to a Kadey-Krogen 39′. Gary’s Canadian accent gave him away as the conversation began. As Canadians are prone to do, they found common ground in both having lived in Chilliwack, BC. Dawn broke into a story about a little girl she taught in Germany in 1968 who she met again in Chilliwack in 1979 when the student graduated. Gary intervened with questions about Dawn’s German DND teaching assignment and soon it was obvious these two shared a history. To the consternation of their flabbergasted mates Dawn and Gary rapidly drifted into reminiscing about people and events in the Officers Mess Hall. Recall was swift and fluid. The detail in the conversation left no doubt these two had shared a wealth of special friends and unique experiences.

Life works in mysterious ways. What an amazing reunion.

But for Kadey-Krogen there would be no story!

I’d have to say the most exciting day of the Annapolis show was the move-in day which was the Wednesday before the show opened. We loaded up Krogen 52′ Suite Judy (just about to the brim!) and left our dock at the Port Annapolis Marina. We were perfectly on time for our 11:30 move-in time, but shockingly… the show wasn’t ready for C dock to move-in. So 3 hours later when they could finally accommodate us, we made our move.

Easels and mums and chairs… Oh my!

The entire Stuart and Annapolis sales crew was there for the set up, and by now it’s a well-oiled machine. The entire float was decorated and as I was making finishing touches and stepping off the float to throw something away, I heard a loud CRACK and then slammed against the ground with my leg stuck between our float and the dock. Turns out the show put a wooden seperater piece down which didn’t have the piece of wood underneath that keeps it stationary so it just shifted out of the way as I took a step. Fortunately, I was only a little scraped and bruised and am still able to dance at my upcoming wedding. Otherwise, next year it would be known as “Shannon’s US Powerboat Show”.

Showcasing the piece of wood on the bottom of the replacement board.

Then, after a long day we went to dinner with a boating magazine where I couldn’t get a drink initially because I didn’t have my ID on me and they didn’t believe I was of drinking age. (Good problem to have I realize, but not after the kind of day I had!)

The rest of the show proved to be a good event. Quite a few prospective buyers came back to see the Krogen 52′ for their first, second or third time. She really is quite a beautiful boat. Suite Judy’s owners were around for the show, which was a great help. Dyan was helping me get people registered and Mike would chat with people on the float while they waited for a broker to be free to get them on board.

Suite Judy next to the Kadey-Krogen diplay.

Despite the chilling winds we had under the tent, the weather was actually decent this year. In years past there has always been torrential downpours, so we definitely lucked out in that aspect this year. So I don’t mean to complain ab how cold it was under the shade of the tent with the strong, consistent winds coming right at me, but as you can see…

I was a little cold.

And bruised. (Yes, those are my lucky Ravens socks.)

So, another successful Annapolis Show! Next up… FLIBS! The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is from October 25 – October 29. Come see Krogen 58′  Equinox on BC 12 near Bahia Mar.