The Night Before

Boat Ramp at Watergate Marina
Notice the metal railings leading into the water.

I had hoped to be able to use the boat ramp at Hidden Falls Park in St Paul because it's a nice setting with a real park like atmosphere. It would make for a pleasant scene for our send off.  Unfortunately our luck is not working in the boat launch department and we'll be forced to use the commercial ramp at nearby Watergate Marina. I bet you could guess that commercial means money and this should help you understand why I preferred Hidden Falls Park.  No matter though; it's only $15 to launch at Watergate which pales in the face of the money flows ahead of us.  It'll help get the wallet loosened up.  

So at this very late moment in time the launch plan is set:  

Tomorrow, Thursday, July 4th, high noon at Watergate Marina in St Paul. 

Our plan on the first day is to make it to Red Wing, MN which is a modest initial effort and since were getting started at noon it seemed prudent to not push too hard. Besides, if I totally messed up and forgot something important we'd be close enough to home to have one of the kids drive it down to us.

I'll try my best to put up a post tomorrow night when I'll make a surprise announcement regarding a "royal escort" of sorts we'll be receiving the first day out on the river.