Troendle Marine, Inc at Pensacola Shipyard in Bayou Chico up the hill April 8-12, 2013

Into the pit and sling

We were scheduled to be hauled out at 8:00am however Rob walked up to talk to the yard at 6:30am and let them know that we were aboard and would be ready to pull into the haulout pit at 8:00am.  They decided since the people on the boat to be hauled out at 7:00am had not arrived that they would go ahead and take us at 7:00am.  We hurriedly got a few things together and moved over to the pit , closed valves, and picked up fenders and before we knew it they were pulling us into the travelall slings.

Up the hill

Was that my boat driving by?

We learned very quickly that the staff at both Pensacola Shipyard  http://pensacolashipyard.com/index.php and Troendle Marine, Inc http://www.troendlemarine.com/   are true professionals.  They each have a job to do and take it very seriously.  They treated our baby as if she were their own.  We have never had a yard work so well together to get the job done.

Before pressure wash ....our diver ROB has kept her pretty clean but paint is SHOT

Shower time

I will wait right here for you

Not a bad place for a spa week

Sanded and ready for new paint

I like this view

We checked into a local hotel for a week and poor Levi thought he was going to have to be in another dog show!  He was so uptight the first night until we loaded him into the car and drove out to Pensacola Beach.  He was so cute and funny when he saw the waves and water.  He about took the door off of the rental car wanting out to play.  The waves were HUGE so he didn’t really swim.  I have never seen the Gulf so rough!  I am not sure why we didn’t take any photos.  We watched several boats really close to shore out past the second sandbar fishing for Cobia.  These would have to be some expensive fish burning all of that diesel.  I guess if you were in a tournament it would be well worth it if you were to win the "really big prize"!  We didn’t stay on the beach very long because no dogs were allowed on the beach except for between 6am-10am and only at two parking areas and they had to be on a leash.  We decided to head to the Bayview dog park back in Pensacola on Bayou Texar.  http://www.publicdogparks.com/floridadp-3_017.htm This is a fenced area where dogs can be off leash and run and swim freely.  There is even a floating platform for the dogs to swim out to and jump back in.  Levi ran his little short legs off trying to keep up with the BIG DOGS!  There is even a dog bathing station and benches in the shade for the humans.  Up the hill from the dog beach are two more fenced areas (one for small dogs and one for large dogs) under the trees with LOTS of squirrels to chase.  We had so much fun at these parks we had to go back again the next day! 

New friends

Big dogs run fast

They run this way

and they run that way

Big dogs swim fast too

I am a big dog too

Squirrels!!!!!

SHADE!!!!!

new day = new friends

Goofy Boxer.... I like to be sprayed with the water hose

Chase ME... or I can chase YOU!

I really would like to be next!

The tiny dot in the middle of photo is "Reva".  She was chasing a seagull flying overhead and wasn't coming back so her owner had to swim after her.

We all settled in to hotel life after a couple of days and got use to having cable tv to catch up on Duck Dynasty ha ha!  While in the yard La Strada had her bottom and running gear cleaned and painted, bellows changed and the cutlass bearing changed out.  She was ready to be relaunched on April 12th at 1:00pm.  Troendle Marine, Inc did an exceptional job!  We were so happy with their work and the care they took with our boat.  We would go out of our way to come back to them for any work we needed done on La Strada and we highly recommend them.

Freshly painted and ready to SPLASH

Just one more little touch-up of paint under the keel

"Moose" is one of the Troendle's office cats

The other two are supervising on Bill's desk on the other side of the aquarium

We decided to stay at the shipyard’s marina since Palafox Pier where we had stayed in 2003 was hosting the Cobia tournament and did not have any slips available with 50amp service.  We have a few jobs to finish up and a couple of repairs from the wind damage from the storm in Gulfport.  If you are still reading this, you are either family or REALLY good friends!  We promise to try to do better updating this blog….. we have been SO BAD!