Lukey and Kenzie accompanied us to the International Antique and Classic Boat Show on Lake Champlain in Burlington last weekend. The weather was great although maybe a bit too hot for a September afternoon. We walked quite a few miles as we drooled over many antique boats.
After perusing all the beautiful boats all along the waterfront, we brought the grandkids out to dinner for their first barbeque meal at a restaurant that specializes in barbeque. Barbeque is hard to find up here in Vermont so our choice of restaurants was limited. Sheila and I had been here once before so we knew what dishes to avoid at this particular restaurant. We chose to order a bunch of different dishes and share them family-style. Overall, it was a great meal and we left completely full!
We then made our way back home to sit around a warm fire in the backyard and have some S'mores for dessert. It was a long, busy but very good day!
Here are a few of the many photos from our day...
Trying to find a parking spot down at the waterfront was something we avoided because we knew it would be impossible to find a parking spot down by the docks. After our 15 minute walk down to the waterfront, we found that it was a good decision to park up the hill in downtown Burlington. I could certainly use the exercise and it was a nice day for a walk anyway!
A glimpse of the lake from our walk down to the waterfront from our parking spot...
When we arrived at the waterfront, Gee, Lukey and Kenzie got in line for creamees (not something I care for so I declined a cone) while I shot a few photos from behind Echo Science Center and Aquarium...
Creamees were devoured, mostly before they melted in the heat, and then we hit the docks. The part of the dock in the background that is on land in this photo is normally in water. The water level of the lake is very low this year... of course, you could also tell how low the level of the lake is by looking at the waterlines on the bulkhead next to Kenzie...
The Spirit of Ethan Allen cruise ship was just pulling into their slip as we hit the docks. We're hoping to get one more cruise in this season before they shut down for the winter.
The moment Kenzie saw this boat, she was telling us that she knew this boat. At first, we were thinking that maybe she was a bit delusional (maybe heatstroke already... but we had just arrived and were on only our first of many docks) but then Gee realized that this boat belongs to a friend of her father's and the kids were given a tour of this boat at last year's show. Kenzie was right!
I had a lot of "favorites" at this year's show but this boat, below, was definitely one of my top favorites. It is a homebuilt kit that I had always wanted to build myself. It is also small enough to trailer behind a small sedan (I refuse to buy one of them ugly, gas-guzzling pickup trucks so that will never be an option). This one was an exceptionally beautiful runabout with very classic lines and finished well above average...
I liked this boat too because it was clean and easily trailerable...
Elco-type antique wooden boats are another one of my favorites... this one actually is an Elco...
A two-seater built for speed... this one was for sale too! That is a lot of boat for just a driver and a passenger!
One of the few antique wooden sailboats at this year's show...
Another one of my favorites... I think this is the one that was from Brant Lake... a very nice live-aboard cruiser...
Another one of my favorites...
A view out through the breakwater into the main body of huge Lake Champlain...
We always stop by the Coast Guard Station dock to check out the Dragonboats. After many years of grueling breast cancer treatment, these rather simple boats with a noble special purpose always draw us in for a look...
The Coast Guard is heading out in one of their smaller boats...
Barbeque for dinner! We were out on the screened-in deck overlooking the Winooski River which is down in a rather deep ravine here. It was a nice view. We also had a perfect view to watch all the air traffic flying into Burlington International Airport! That kept us busy while we waited for dinner to be served.
The kids thought it was funny when I put my fisheye lens up to my eye so we got a couple of photos of that...
The cornbread mini-muffins are really good here and the maple butter makes them even better!
Let's see if I can remember all the stuff we ordered that is pictured below: - Bbq chicken... brined, smoked slowly, and finished on the grill
- Bbq ribs... smoked slowly and finished on the grill
- Bbq beef brisket... smoked slowly and finished on the grill (Lukey's favorite)
- Bbq beans (ehhh... this one was very disappointing... not thick enough, far too much vinegar)
- Garlic smashed potatoes (another one of Lukey's favorites)
- Mac and cheese made with Cabot cheddar cheese
- Grilled vegetables
- Hand-cut french fries with Alabama white sauce (and house-made ketchup)
- Poutine (Kenzie's favorite)
- Three different varieties of house-made bbq sauce
Okay... now I am starving again for some of this stuff!
Kenzie shot a photo of her bracelet...
I don't remember what Gee and Kenzie were doing here... maybe they were video chatting with mommy?
I really need to put aside some time to get some portraits of the grandkids again. Until then, these snapshots will have to do.
It was a long and busy day but we had a great time!
This is a boat show that we try to attend every year but this year's show was much larger than normal. This international version of the show attracted boats from around the world rather than just boats from the Lake Champlain area. We even had a beautiful live-aboard cabin cruiser from Brant Lake at the show this year. The crazy thing is that no matter how many boats they have attending the show in a particular year, there never seems to be enough of them!
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