I often ask myself “what if…” and then insert some goal or desire I may have. For example, “what if we sold our printing business?” I’m sure I’d do more charter fishing. (See our printing business here)
Recently I received a gift from one of my Keweenaw sightseeing clients. It’s a book titled “Bring Your Own Boat” and It’s all about cruising around the American Great Loop. Here are a couple of links: http://www.captainjohn.org/GreatLoop.html http://www.greatloop.org/ The loop incorporates the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River on down to the Gulf of Mexico, around Florida and up the East Coast and back into the Great Lakes.
At my age (and I don’t mean to imply I’m OLD) I’m starting to think and plan more about my future. More specifically, what my wife and I would like to be doing together over the next few years and beyond. So back to the “what if we sold…,” We’d be in a better position to get a suitable boat and possibly have the time to entertain such a trip. It’s close to 6000 miles and typically takes about a year to complete, so there’s lots to think about in order to make it happen.
Maybe I’d have to sell or rent my house in Calumet… know anyone that would like to live here, at the edge of town in a 9 bedroom house? Actually it’s technically 4 bedrooms, but we’ve utilized the attic for 3 more, plus 2 rooms in the basement.
Then there’s the horses, but that’s more or less Joyce’s concern and she wouldn’t come along.
I shouldn’t forget about the rentals – maybe hire a manager for them or sell first? Decisions!
Other things to think about: We’d miss out on snowboarding, skiing, snow shoveling, skating, hockey games, hunting, snowmobiling. I think I could live with that for a year or two.
There are other hurdles: We still have school age kids,(an 11 year old and 2 teens) but they are schooled virtually anyway. They would have to come along, (at least for most of the trip) so we’d have to figure out how to keep them from getting bored. If you have any ideas how to keep boys busy, sent me a note, I could use some help on this. Decisions!
Gosh, I just realized I could fish EVERY day for nearly a year, since we’d be living on the water. I’m sure much of the fishing would be experimental, but I think I could figure it out. (Sorry to my kids – for sure they’d get tired of eating fish, if they aren’t already.)
Best of all, I wouldn’t have to miss out on summer fishing and sightseeing charters here in the Keweenaw Peninsula, since most of the cruising would be done during the off-season! How about that?
Right now, I’m looking forward to spending a week in Nicaragua, where my daughter is getting married next month. (I wonder if they have any good fishing there? I’m getting the itch). Then in March, I’ll spend a couple days in Grand Rapids at the Ultimate Sports Show. If you are going to be there, let me know and maybe we can hook up and dream together!
Brian Helminen
