Last Friday the 29th of March was my last day at work. I finally did it. I'm 5 days into my retirement and lovin' every minute of it! I just can't wait to get to camp. I got lots to do and look forward to being bored every once in a while. I just spent almost 25 yrs building aircraft, 10 yrs courier/trucking and 10 yrs in a family supermarket. I'm done, I need a break from the world and Kipawa is where I've been setting up with all you guys helping me along the way.
I've got 5 grand kids and a camp so I figure I'm gonna get real busy. First off I need to finish camp I got some help in May to get going. Need more pine on the walls, cielings need to go in then floors and trim. I just ordered the last of the materials and now gonna finish. Then I'm taking the summer off. Do some yard work and fish, then fish some more.
My last day in the old factory...
(http://i68.tinypic.com/v49em1.jpg)
Way to go Puckster! I've been retired for 11 years and it ROCKS! Can't wait to see the pictures of your camp being finished and your fishing adventures. Good luck and have fun!
Congratulations Puckster!!
All the best to you and every success in all your future endeavours. Enjoy your retirement - you've earned it.
I retired back in Sep 1998. Hard to believe it will 21 years in retirement this Sep.
Jay
Thx Jay, I hope I live that long, Great for you. Make sure you stop in for a couple of days this summer, retiree's gotta look out for each other.That landmarks thread got me thinking how huge this lake is. Kipawa lodge is about 40 mins away. I've barely seen grindstone! lol in 7 yrs of having a camp. Man, time flies. I gotta pack a rod and lunch and make some day trips. It's been a long time since I got a bass.
Puckster,
If you are going to be spending time there buy a zec license for the year lakes are endless and trophies are in every lake you just need to look.
Congrats Puck!!! 45-years of work is enough for anyone...you deserve the well-earned break from doing what someone wants you to do and the gift of doing what YOU want to do. I'm so envious...but hopefully I'll be joining you sooner than later.
Good luck on getting the camp finished...please keep us updated!!!
That's awesome. Congrats puck!
Was it ugly sweater day at the factory??? (Kidding) Oh wait - I'm from Ottawa - I'd better retract that!
Super jealous of what you have in front of you - retirement and a camp waiting for you on Kipawa!
Congrats
@puckster_guy Kipawa is about as good as it get's for retirement!
Congrats Joe! Enjoy camp, you have definitely earned it.
Congrats on your freedom !! What a relief it must be..I'm 3 years behind you and all I think about is spending 5 months a year at our cottage on Kipawa when I'm done...enjoy ...
Smart move Puckster! Get out of that rat race while you still have your health. The rats always win anyways but, they don't fish so you can get the last laugh. It will be 9 years of being retired this September for me and the only problem is.... the longer you are retired, the older you get! A week ago was a big day for me.... My age, IQ, and sperm count were the same …72 Enjoy that retirement!
C.C.
[My age, IQ, and sperm count were the same …72]
Made me laugh out loud... awesome CaptainCrappie! I am going to remember that one.
Congrats on your retirement Joe . Hope to spend a few days down the road from you this summer. Maybe we can take a run up to canal bay?? I'll play "tour guide" , you bring the "pop". LOL!!
Works for me Penner. Happy to have you as a neighbour. I'll show you around my end of the lake this summer. Drove by Kipawa lodge a few years ago, it was just an exploratory trip towards Kipawa village just to see what's involved, next time I unpack my rod. C'mon by for a pop when you have time. I'll show you how I set up. Been looking forward to retiring for a long time. I can't believe it's here. 62 yrs young, Time is on my side...
Congrats !!!! Not far behind . Maybe bump into you sometime !
Congrats Puckster,
looking forward to joining that fraternity soon also. best wishes for it to be everything you have looked forward to.
Captain crappie..great line.. had a 615 am laugh.
Puckster, your plans sound awesome, enjoy your camp and those grand kids. Congratulation on making it to retirement!
I am Envious and Jealous!
The double edge sword of life, I want to retire now, but then I couldn't afford to fish :( I know you shouldn't wish your life away, but I wish I was retired. I listen to a pod cast the other day about a guy who bought every possible combination of numbers for a state lottery and won, I'm now looking for investors. Who in? With me included, we only need like 700 million more.
That's the draw back, Hodgey. Budget is now tight been buying stuff for camp with any spare bread I had. Now I'm living on half of what I used to make. it's OK I'm debt free, It was necessary to retire. I'll prob take some short jobs on for "beer" money or things I need as they come up. I got all I need and am done working for a living. Now I'll take a job or a contract on to buy myself something or pack it away for later. Got my self a retirement present, I'm replacing 2 everyday rods I lost when my boat flipped. A 7 foot med action ugly stik trolling rod and a St. Croix ECX63MXF Med action fast tip one piece Jigging rod.
Also a request for you guys I want to borrow or rent an under water camera preferably with a light on it. when my boat flipped I was in about 15 FOW. I'd like to go back there and with the camera and a hook and see if I can snag up some of the stuff I lost there. I figure I can rig up a hook and line and drag a rod or tackle box back up.
Hey Puck, Congratulations on the retirement. You certainly have earned it.
Congratulations puckster!
Retirement is better than advertised.
I've been out of the rat-race for 4 years now at the end of May.
But I still can't go fishing as often as I want.
Although, I'm going to try fishing tomorrow.
Where did your boat flip? On Kipawa somewhere? We have an underwater camera and will be at Cedar Valley in June.
I'm on Kipawa. the extreme east end at Red Pine Chutes. The little community of cottages there. I have no idea where Cedar Valley is. However I'd appreciate it the operation shouldn't more then an hour or two. TY
Quote from: puckster_guy on April 10, 2019, 06:14:10 AM
I have no idea where Cedar Valley is. However I'd appreciate it the operation shouldn't more then an hour or two. TY
Cedar Valley would be a day trip for you Puck; a used camera on eBay would cost less than the gas to get there and back, then back and home again.
I'm kinda thinking the same thing, T-Bone, It'll be handy to play around with on some of my spots to see whats keeping fish there. I have time later this spring I'll spring for one. :) It was just an idea to follow up on.
Quote from: puckster_guy on April 08, 2019, 02:43:04 PM
That's the draw back, Hodgey. Budget is now tight been buying stuff for camp with any spare bread I had. Now I'm living on half of what I used to make. it's OK I'm debt free, It was necessary to retire. I'll prob take some short jobs on for "beer" money or things I need as they come up. I got all I need and am done working for a living. Now I'll take a job or a contract on to buy myself something or pack it away for later. Got my self a retirement present, I'm replacing 2 everyday rods I lost when my boat flipped. A 7 foot med action ugly stik trolling rod and a St. Croix ECX63MXF Med action fast tip one piece Jigging rod.
Also a request for you guys I want to borrow or rent an under water camera preferably with a light on it. when my boat flipped I was in about 15 FOW. I'd like to go back there and with the camera and a hook and see if I can snag up some of the stuff I lost there. I figure I can rig up a hook and line and drag a rod or tackle box back up.
Check you P.M.
I have a camera you can borrow and I'm local to you in the GTA
A word of caution to anybody who is going to use an underwater camera in Kipawa. In July 2016, while my son and I were trolling just before entering the narrows going from Alwaki to Hunter's Lake, between the small island and shore on the West side, one of our rods hung up on bottom and got pulled out of the rod holder. Splash, brand new rod and reel getting it's first use gone.Luckily I had my AquaVu underwater camera with me. As my son Peter maneuvered the boat using the electric trolling motor I lowered the camera to find the rod. We had a sunny day so visibility was very good and I could see 10 feet in front of the camera. This was in 18/20 fow. Lots of rocks and boulders but no rod.My camera got hung up in the rocks, and no matter how I tried to get it loose, it would not budge.Well, there is a camera down there not far from a rod & reel.How could I have avoided getting the camera stuck?? On the AquaVu the camera housing is in the form of a fish. There are two ways to orient the camera. horizontally and vertically. USE THE VERTICAL method.You will have plenty of visibility by keeping the camera well clear of bottom and any snags. Cost of replacement camera with 50 ft of Coaxial cable and rod & reel, $500.00 Can. We did see a really nice walleye swim past the camera.
Good advice Capt' TY. I got your message Rhybak. I'll aim for a trip in June to try the salvage operation. TYVM for the offer.
Captain, I had a similar experience with a camera several years ago at a spot we call Snoopy. Lots of rocks on bottom in about 15 ft. of water. We were anchored but the wind was spinning us around so it was about a 30 ft. circle of water we were covering. The water varied in depth form a min. of about 11 ft. to a max of about 17 ft. Now and again, a few walleyes would show up on the camera. I always get excited when that happens. My son and I were slip bobbering with a leech and as my bobber slipped below the surface I dropped the camera and landed the walleye. That took about a minute which was enough time for that camera to wedge between some rocks. I tried for about a half hour to get that camera loose. I had a very nice view of the rocks which held it in place but could do nothing to get it loose no matter which direction I pulled. I just gave up on it. We were anchored front and back now and I figured we would fish there till dark, then leave the camera and it's cable there for eternity. As dark came my son raised the bow anchor and it was a miracle! That camera got loose somehow! I'm more careful now but it could always happen again. Good luck on getting your stuff back.
C.C.
Doesn't anyone on this forum have a SCUBA cert?
Looks like your the only one LC, I asked around last fall nobody knew anybody. IMV it's a lot of work for just a few things.
@RHYBAK I think I'll call you on Monday.
I'll wait till after Easter to go up the road in is still covered by too much snow. A couple of days of rain fore casted for this week should go a long way to fixing that.
Joe-I don't have my scuba cert; thought someone local or on the board might have one and could help you out.
For a couple of years, I signed up for the course here but they always cancelled due to low class numbers.
I think I'll just take it on a trip to a Caribbean resort some day. Any recommendations??
I snorkel in my bay down to 10-12 feet. Unbelievable how many logs down there that got away from the log booms.
It would make for fine boards if I was able to lift up and put on my sawmill.
If you try to fish your stuff out, wait until a calm day with the sun overhead. You might just see some color down there.
I think I'll just take it on a trip to a Caribbean resort some day. Any recommendations??
LC - I highly recommend NOT to take a resort course.
Many years ago in the Caribbean with my girlfriend who was certified, I decided to do the resort course. In short, luckily no harm done despite the danger they put me in and lack of supervision and training. Basically 30 minutes in a pool with another guest. Then out to the sea and they take the 2 of us pool trained guests down first, take us down then leave us alone to get the others. The other guy starts panicking and knocks my goggles. Fortunately I didn’t panic and recovered and calmed him down. Got home, took the 8 week PADI course and then truly realized the danger and potential harm that could have happened. Is this representative of all resorts, probably not. But now knowing the dangers and harm that can happen, I recommend not. Get officially certified.
Sorry Puckster, its been many years and I don’t have equipment.
No worries guys thx. It's not a lot of stuff down there anyway. a tackle box a couple of rods, a net a gas line for my kick etc. A wallet and phone are prob gone for good but who knows... when I get an underwater camera and a gaff I should be good. It's not enough to warrant all the trouble of setting up scuba gear.