Day 57, 58 & 59
Feb 27, 28 & 29, 2016
Keys to Miami
Day 57 2/27/16
Left Plantation Key and headed north. We made it to Steam Boat Creek anchorage in Barnes Sound. It is the place the mosquitoes attacked on the way south. We anchored out far enough not to be reached this time. We had high winds and quite a bit of chop on the open sound. We sailed a little when the winds were not too fierce but only with the main up. Had nice sun and warmth during the day and a restful night.
Day 58 2/28/16
We left Steamboat Ck anchorage heading for Coconut Grove, FL but the wind picked up and the chop got rough. We detoured to Sands Key and got in a protected spot. We had a calm evening and night. We will decide about going on in the morning when we see what the wind has in store.
We sailed a couple of times today when we were in wide open places. We used the jib alone but got a some speed out of it. Love turning off the motor and hearing silence when we sail.
Out of cokes for over 24 hours. My go thru withdrawal if I do not get some soon.
Day 59 2/29/16
Happy Birthday to you '29ers. We took off from Sands Key and headed to Coconut Grove, FL and Dinner Key in the sunny blue warm morning. God is smiling on us. Wind only 3 to 5 kts but at least there is not vicious bouncing. We could not sail but it was a lovely day to motor. We arrived at about 2 and grabbed a mooring ball. No trouble finding the one assigned at all. It is a big mooring field and it can be hard to find the right ball sometimes. We only took the ball because a free water taxi services the mooring field every hour from 8 til 5. That way you do not need to take your dinghy to shore to their very crowded dinghy dock.
Well did something today I have never done before and at my age that is saying something. I was having a caffeine withdrawal headache cause I had been without a coke for 2 days. Mitch and Martha have pepsi on their boat. Not coke but still has caffeine. We pulled up close beside them and Martha tossed a coke to me on the deck of our boat. Unfortunately it fell slightly short and it did not float. We swooped around again and this time Mitch tossed me a pepsi. Success !! I caught it. Pepsi is not bad when you do not have coke.
We caught the 3 oclock water taxi to shore paid for our mooring ball and checked out the laundry facilities for tomorrow. I found a coke machine put in a $5 bill and got $2.25 Change back. Expensive 20 oz coke. When we got on the water taxi Stricklands were already on there with several other folks. I asked Martha if I could kiss her husband, she said yes. I kissed him on the cheek and he had to explain to the people why that happened. Martha got a pic of me trying to catch the bottle.
We have arranged for a car tomorrow and will get a new sump pump for the shower, get a few groceries, do laundry and eat a meal at a restaurant, or at least that is the plan. Plans have a way of changing.
Voyages of Sea Turtle
Monday, February 29, 2016
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Blocked Dock
Day 56 Friday
Feb. 26, 2016
Plantation Key FL
We had planned to make today the beginning of our trip back north. We needed water in our fresh water tank, diesel, and to ditch a couple bags of trash. Plantation Yacht Harbor was in sight so figured on pulling in there before we headed north. We called and they told us we could not get fuel and it might be tomorrow before we could. There was a large boat that was disabled at their fuel dock and they could not move it. The mechanic might get out today or maybe not, to fix the problem. There was also a strong 20-25 kt wind that was going to make getting to the fuel dock hard if it were empty. We looked at other nearby marinas for access and depth and could not come up with anything we liked so we sat. In the afternoon the marina called and said the boat magically started to run again and had left the fuel dock. The wind had magically disappeared too so that was a double header. We went in and got filled up with water and fuel and came back to Journey and anchored beside her We did the refill on such short notice we did not have our act together. We forgot to fill the 2 water cans, the 2 fuel cans and did not hose the salt spray off the eisen glass. Well at least we will be set to go on Sat. morning. It is supposed to be mid 50s tonight and the wind has settled so maybe we will have a good nights sleep to start our journey home.
Feb. 26, 2016
Plantation Key FL
We had planned to make today the beginning of our trip back north. We needed water in our fresh water tank, diesel, and to ditch a couple bags of trash. Plantation Yacht Harbor was in sight so figured on pulling in there before we headed north. We called and they told us we could not get fuel and it might be tomorrow before we could. There was a large boat that was disabled at their fuel dock and they could not move it. The mechanic might get out today or maybe not, to fix the problem. There was also a strong 20-25 kt wind that was going to make getting to the fuel dock hard if it were empty. We looked at other nearby marinas for access and depth and could not come up with anything we liked so we sat. In the afternoon the marina called and said the boat magically started to run again and had left the fuel dock. The wind had magically disappeared too so that was a double header. We went in and got filled up with water and fuel and came back to Journey and anchored beside her We did the refill on such short notice we did not have our act together. We forgot to fill the 2 water cans, the 2 fuel cans and did not hose the salt spray off the eisen glass. Well at least we will be set to go on Sat. morning. It is supposed to be mid 50s tonight and the wind has settled so maybe we will have a good nights sleep to start our journey home.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Windy Days
Day 54 &55
Wed and Thur
Feb 24 & 25, 2016
At anchor Plantation Key, FL
Day 54 Wed.
We hung around on the boat and enjoyed the sun and read. We had defrosted, well sort of, our freezer because the temp had gone up to 28 degrees while at max cold. After returning the frozen food to the freezer the temp was 38. Lee had run Mitch over to the marina for some ice for their boat. We added a 10 pound bag to our freezer, shifted the solid insulation to the bottom from the side, added bubble wrap to the top and slowly the temp came down. It was to 32 by bed time so I breathed a sigh of relief.
The mechanic who worked on the dinghy outboard in West Palm Beach called and said Lehr, the motor manufacturer, sent him a check for $850 for warranty work done on the motor. That would have been all well and good except we paid him in cash before he gave us back our motor. We had sent the invoice to Lehr explaining we had paid the mechanic and they should reimburse us but ... Oh well the mechanic is going to send us a check for the bill. Glad he was honest enough to tell us he got paid twice.
Day 55 Thur
Wed night was another rocky rolly night. Damn El Nino! We are hoping after Bill runs his errands today he will let us use his car to get our 10lb kitchen propane tanks filled. It was another sunny but bouncy day at Plantation Key. Lee went over to Bills house and waited for Bill's return. Then Bill took Lee to Key Largo which was the closest place to get tanks refilled. You can not just swap tanks like you can for a bar b q grill. The wind calmed down a little by 5. When they came back to Bills, Bill and Sunshine came on over to the boat with Lee. We had a nice visit and ate dinner together. We hope to head north in the morning and they will head north day after tomorrow so it is probably the last time we will see each other for a long time. Access to transportation and a place to tie up the dinghy have been a nice plus to having a friend living in the Keys. It is so nice to see Bill so happy, they are definitely good for each other.
Wed and Thur
Feb 24 & 25, 2016
At anchor Plantation Key, FL
Day 54 Wed.
We hung around on the boat and enjoyed the sun and read. We had defrosted, well sort of, our freezer because the temp had gone up to 28 degrees while at max cold. After returning the frozen food to the freezer the temp was 38. Lee had run Mitch over to the marina for some ice for their boat. We added a 10 pound bag to our freezer, shifted the solid insulation to the bottom from the side, added bubble wrap to the top and slowly the temp came down. It was to 32 by bed time so I breathed a sigh of relief.
The mechanic who worked on the dinghy outboard in West Palm Beach called and said Lehr, the motor manufacturer, sent him a check for $850 for warranty work done on the motor. That would have been all well and good except we paid him in cash before he gave us back our motor. We had sent the invoice to Lehr explaining we had paid the mechanic and they should reimburse us but ... Oh well the mechanic is going to send us a check for the bill. Glad he was honest enough to tell us he got paid twice.
Day 55 Thur
Wed night was another rocky rolly night. Damn El Nino! We are hoping after Bill runs his errands today he will let us use his car to get our 10lb kitchen propane tanks filled. It was another sunny but bouncy day at Plantation Key. Lee went over to Bills house and waited for Bill's return. Then Bill took Lee to Key Largo which was the closest place to get tanks refilled. You can not just swap tanks like you can for a bar b q grill. The wind calmed down a little by 5. When they came back to Bills, Bill and Sunshine came on over to the boat with Lee. We had a nice visit and ate dinner together. We hope to head north in the morning and they will head north day after tomorrow so it is probably the last time we will see each other for a long time. Access to transportation and a place to tie up the dinghy have been a nice plus to having a friend living in the Keys. It is so nice to see Bill so happy, they are definitely good for each other.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Still at Anchor
Day 52 &53
Feb 22 & 23, 2016
Monday & Tues
At anchor off Plantation Key, FL
Monday Feb. 22
Today was another sunny warm day in paradise. In the late afternoon Bill called and said he had returned from his errands and we could borrow his durango to go to the laundromat. (Bless Bill)
That was very welcome news because it had been quite a while since I had access to a washer and dryer. There was a laundromat about a mile away. When we arrived it had a note on the door saying it was closing in 45 minutes. That was not going to do. The woman running the place said the next one was several miles away in Key Largo and gave a rough description where it was. We went to it and it was a busy mad house. So crowded you could hardly walk. I think we must have been the only ones in the place who weren't Spanish speaking. I crammed 5 loads of clothes in 4 washers.
After a bit I walked down the side walk in the strip mall where the laundromat was. Lee picked up an auxiliary speaker for our computer so we could hear the cds of House of Cards we brought along and I went to Subway and got us a bite of dinner to eat while the clothes dried. All in all in 2 hours we had clean clothes and started back to Bills.
We did not expect to get back as late as we did and had not left the anchor light on. The sun had set but it was still light enough to see the as we took our clothes back to the boat The full moon was huge and low in the sky and beautiful. It probably could have lit our way if it had been dark when we returned to the boat. The wind picked up soon after dark and we rocked and rolled all night. It was definitely the most sleepless night I have had on the trip, even the nights when it was really cold I slept better. It was in the mid 70s all night so it was anything but cold last night.
Day 53
Feb 23, 2016
Tuesday
at anchor Plantation Key
We did not sleep much last night and the day continued to be bouncy and rolly polly. I tried to nap but could not for the same reason I did not sleep at night. In the afternoon Stricklands came over and we played cards. We actually played two different games and the guys beat us in both. It was just not our day. They love winning so guess some good came out of it. We did some planning on what happens after we leave here. Weather changes plans so I won't share til it happens but we are staying put until Sunday at least. At dark the wind and waves calmed down so maybe tonight will be more restful. We got word back home is expecting 20-30 sustained winds with 50 gusts and hail and possible tornadoes. Glad we will be here not Little River on Wednesday..
Feb 22 & 23, 2016
Monday & Tues
At anchor off Plantation Key, FL
Monday Feb. 22
Today was another sunny warm day in paradise. In the late afternoon Bill called and said he had returned from his errands and we could borrow his durango to go to the laundromat. (Bless Bill)
That was very welcome news because it had been quite a while since I had access to a washer and dryer. There was a laundromat about a mile away. When we arrived it had a note on the door saying it was closing in 45 minutes. That was not going to do. The woman running the place said the next one was several miles away in Key Largo and gave a rough description where it was. We went to it and it was a busy mad house. So crowded you could hardly walk. I think we must have been the only ones in the place who weren't Spanish speaking. I crammed 5 loads of clothes in 4 washers.
After a bit I walked down the side walk in the strip mall where the laundromat was. Lee picked up an auxiliary speaker for our computer so we could hear the cds of House of Cards we brought along and I went to Subway and got us a bite of dinner to eat while the clothes dried. All in all in 2 hours we had clean clothes and started back to Bills.
We did not expect to get back as late as we did and had not left the anchor light on. The sun had set but it was still light enough to see the as we took our clothes back to the boat The full moon was huge and low in the sky and beautiful. It probably could have lit our way if it had been dark when we returned to the boat. The wind picked up soon after dark and we rocked and rolled all night. It was definitely the most sleepless night I have had on the trip, even the nights when it was really cold I slept better. It was in the mid 70s all night so it was anything but cold last night.
Day 53
Feb 23, 2016
Tuesday
at anchor Plantation Key
We did not sleep much last night and the day continued to be bouncy and rolly polly. I tried to nap but could not for the same reason I did not sleep at night. In the afternoon Stricklands came over and we played cards. We actually played two different games and the guys beat us in both. It was just not our day. They love winning so guess some good came out of it. We did some planning on what happens after we leave here. Weather changes plans so I won't share til it happens but we are staying put until Sunday at least. At dark the wind and waves calmed down so maybe tonight will be more restful. We got word back home is expecting 20-30 sustained winds with 50 gusts and hail and possible tornadoes. Glad we will be here not Little River on Wednesday..
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Snappers
Day 51
Feb. 21, 2016
Sunday
Islamorada, FL
anchored
Sunday was a lovely warm sunny almost perfect weather day. We met Bill and Sunshine and Stricklands and we all went to a nearby restaurant called Snappers for Sunday brunch. It is a very cool place, with outdoor tables right on the water and live acoustic guitar music. The atmosphere and the music were as wonderful as the food. We had Eggs Neptune and champagne mimosas and got the best table in the place right in front of the musician. We hung around til 1. I think everybody hated to leave it was so pleasant.
When we got back to Bill's and walked out on the dock there was and iguana sitting there. Martha was especially enchanted by it. She still has not seen her manatee but there still is a chance. We know they hang out in the canals around where Bill's house is. We were all full and Bill had a million things to do so we went back to out boats, I started to read and decided lying in the sun and napping was a great idea. Our friend James Farmer woke up the sleep fest with the bad news that out boat mechanic friend Richard was worse and it looked pretty hopeless. Such a sad situation.
Appreciate your health and your friends, they are both more valuable than any treasure you might have. Losing either can happen in a heart beat. Live like everyday is your last.
Glasses & FlesMarkets
Day 49-50
Feb. 19, 20, 2016
Fri- Sat-
Day 49
Feb. 19, 2016
Fri
Islamorada, FL
at anchor
Friday Lee's replacement glasses came. Just before dark he got a text they were delivered. He dinghied over to Bill's house and picked them up. He was a happy camper. We had spent a lot of the day cleaning and straightening up. Things have a way of getting dirty quick on a boat and there are ongoing maintenance types of things that always need done. We stayed on the boat except for getting the glasses. Stricklands are still in the marina 5 miles or so north of us.
We expect Bill and Jane (Sunshine) to arrive late tonight from the ranch in upper FL. Looking forward to seeing them again.
Day 50
Feb 20, 2016
Sat
Bill called and asked if we wanted to go to yard sales with he and Sunshine but we told him we were going to the nautical flea market. We went to shore to the Founders Park which has a huge annual nautical flea market. We went last year so we knew what to expect. We got several things even though we didn't really need anything. Mitch and Martha were supposed to bring Journey to anchor outside the park and go to the flea market too. They did not come to Cow Pens until after noon and then did not come to the nautical flea market. By the time we got back to Sea Turtle they were in Cow Pens. We had moved closer to the park to make the dinghy ride in a short one so we pulled anchor and went back to the other end of Cow Pens nearer to Bill's house. Stricklands wanted to play cards but 3 hours on my feet had my legs hurting and swelling so I rested for a while, but we did finally go over for a card game.
Before we finished playing Bill called and invited us to come over for a visit so all of us went to Bill's house. It was the first time Bill and Sunshine and the Stricklands had met. But Bill never saw a stranger and Sunshine is as friendly as a puppy so everyone had fun. We ordered a couple of pizzas and Sunshine made the best brownies and we all had dinner and talked. Lee tried to down load his cloud stuff on his new phone but I do not think he ever got it all done. It was dark when we dinghied back to the boats.
Feb. 19, 20, 2016
Fri- Sat-
Day 49
Feb. 19, 2016
Fri
Islamorada, FL
at anchor
Friday Lee's replacement glasses came. Just before dark he got a text they were delivered. He dinghied over to Bill's house and picked them up. He was a happy camper. We had spent a lot of the day cleaning and straightening up. Things have a way of getting dirty quick on a boat and there are ongoing maintenance types of things that always need done. We stayed on the boat except for getting the glasses. Stricklands are still in the marina 5 miles or so north of us.
We expect Bill and Jane (Sunshine) to arrive late tonight from the ranch in upper FL. Looking forward to seeing them again.
Day 50
Feb 20, 2016
Sat
Bill called and asked if we wanted to go to yard sales with he and Sunshine but we told him we were going to the nautical flea market. We went to shore to the Founders Park which has a huge annual nautical flea market. We went last year so we knew what to expect. We got several things even though we didn't really need anything. Mitch and Martha were supposed to bring Journey to anchor outside the park and go to the flea market too. They did not come to Cow Pens until after noon and then did not come to the nautical flea market. By the time we got back to Sea Turtle they were in Cow Pens. We had moved closer to the park to make the dinghy ride in a short one so we pulled anchor and went back to the other end of Cow Pens nearer to Bill's house. Stricklands wanted to play cards but 3 hours on my feet had my legs hurting and swelling so I rested for a while, but we did finally go over for a card game.
Before we finished playing Bill called and invited us to come over for a visit so all of us went to Bill's house. It was the first time Bill and Sunshine and the Stricklands had met. But Bill never saw a stranger and Sunshine is as friendly as a puppy so everyone had fun. We ordered a couple of pizzas and Sunshine made the best brownies and we all had dinner and talked. Lee tried to down load his cloud stuff on his new phone but I do not think he ever got it all done. It was dark when we dinghied back to the boats.
Friday, February 19, 2016
On The Move
Days 47 & 48
Wed and Thur
Feb 17 & 18, 2016
Day 47 Wed Feb 17, 2016
This morning Stricklands decided they did not want to try to get into the marina at Bahai Honda St Pk and they were heading to Tavenier about 5 miles north of Cow Pens anchorage and Bills house. We were at Fat Deer Key because they really wanted to go to Key West so if they were aborting the trip we were not going either. We headed to Cow Pens anchorage between Islamorada and Tavenier and they headed for Mangrove Marina in Tavenier. There was almost no wind, a real switch since the wind has blown incessantly this trip. It was sunny and freaky flat out on the water. We anchored in Cow Pens about 4:30. Apparently Stricklands had quite a time at the marina, no finger docks, Martha could not get off the boat, they changed slips and the dinghy got loose. The really weird thing is once they got in the second slip the dinghy apparently came to them, like they had called it to come home.
Day 48 Thur Feb 18, 2016
Strickland arranged for a rental car, drove from the marina they stayed in to Bills house and picked us up and we all went to Key West. Mitch was craving frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate and he knew where to get it. We also went to Sloppy Joes for conch fritters and their sandwiches. I have had conch fritters there before and they were good but today they were not. Lee spent all night with an upset stomach he blamed on the conch fritters. We walked around and over to Mallory Square but it not being sunset nothing much was going on. I picked up a new pair of swim fins at a nice dive shop in Key West and Martha got a tee shirt but that was about all we spent money on. It is always a bit of a curiosity to go to Key West. You always see some very different people there. One woman was all dressed in gold and acting like a statue, a guy in a costume riding a bike and more. Got back after dark and had forgotten to turn on our anchor light. We had a little pen light that did not project very far. I searched the water and found the boat as we flew past it with the dinghy on plane.
Wed and Thur
Feb 17 & 18, 2016
Day 47 Wed Feb 17, 2016
This morning Stricklands decided they did not want to try to get into the marina at Bahai Honda St Pk and they were heading to Tavenier about 5 miles north of Cow Pens anchorage and Bills house. We were at Fat Deer Key because they really wanted to go to Key West so if they were aborting the trip we were not going either. We headed to Cow Pens anchorage between Islamorada and Tavenier and they headed for Mangrove Marina in Tavenier. There was almost no wind, a real switch since the wind has blown incessantly this trip. It was sunny and freaky flat out on the water. We anchored in Cow Pens about 4:30. Apparently Stricklands had quite a time at the marina, no finger docks, Martha could not get off the boat, they changed slips and the dinghy got loose. The really weird thing is once they got in the second slip the dinghy apparently came to them, like they had called it to come home.
Day 48 Thur Feb 18, 2016
Strickland arranged for a rental car, drove from the marina they stayed in to Bills house and picked us up and we all went to Key West. Mitch was craving frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate and he knew where to get it. We also went to Sloppy Joes for conch fritters and their sandwiches. I have had conch fritters there before and they were good but today they were not. Lee spent all night with an upset stomach he blamed on the conch fritters. We walked around and over to Mallory Square but it not being sunset nothing much was going on. I picked up a new pair of swim fins at a nice dive shop in Key West and Martha got a tee shirt but that was about all we spent money on. It is always a bit of a curiosity to go to Key West. You always see some very different people there. One woman was all dressed in gold and acting like a statue, a guy in a costume riding a bike and more. Got back after dark and had forgotten to turn on our anchor light. We had a little pen light that did not project very far. I searched the water and found the boat as we flew past it with the dinghy on plane.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Change of Plans
Day 46
Feb 16, 2016
Fat Deer Key,FL
Tues
We got up this morning and it was sunny and blue. It did not look like a rainy morning that was predicted at all. I said, Let's head on south. Martha agreed so the guys had not choice but to pull anchor and go. After we were underway I looked at the MY RADAR app on my phone. There was a band of medium hard rain headed our way. It was a narrow band and probably would take less than an hour to pass over but rain was definitely coming. It did, we survived and it was all sunny again.
During the day Stricklands worked on hunting a marina in Marathon. We did not have guide books or anything to go by for information but they did. Unfortunately all the marinas in Marathon were booked 2 months out. I looked at the next key south, Big Pine Key and tried a marina there. The first one said forget it, but suggested that we try the state park. Bahai Honda. It had a camp ground and a marina. So I called the state park and we have reserved 2 slips there for Wed and Thur night. The fly in the ointment is that the channel going into the marina in 3ft at low tide and 5 at high so we have to time our arrival at high tide and our departure also. We shall hold our breath entering and exiting. We will need to stop somewhere on the way to get fuel as they only have water and electric not fuel.
Tonight we are anchored at Fat Deer Key out in the open but the wind should not be an issue. The winds of the last few days have finally died down and it is pretty calm now.
Feb 16, 2016
Fat Deer Key,FL
Tues
We got up this morning and it was sunny and blue. It did not look like a rainy morning that was predicted at all. I said, Let's head on south. Martha agreed so the guys had not choice but to pull anchor and go. After we were underway I looked at the MY RADAR app on my phone. There was a band of medium hard rain headed our way. It was a narrow band and probably would take less than an hour to pass over but rain was definitely coming. It did, we survived and it was all sunny again.
During the day Stricklands worked on hunting a marina in Marathon. We did not have guide books or anything to go by for information but they did. Unfortunately all the marinas in Marathon were booked 2 months out. I looked at the next key south, Big Pine Key and tried a marina there. The first one said forget it, but suggested that we try the state park. Bahai Honda. It had a camp ground and a marina. So I called the state park and we have reserved 2 slips there for Wed and Thur night. The fly in the ointment is that the channel going into the marina in 3ft at low tide and 5 at high so we have to time our arrival at high tide and our departure also. We shall hold our breath entering and exiting. We will need to stop somewhere on the way to get fuel as they only have water and electric not fuel.
Tonight we are anchored at Fat Deer Key out in the open but the wind should not be an issue. The winds of the last few days have finally died down and it is pretty calm now.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Ups and Downs
Day 45
Feb 15, 2016
Monday
Plantation Key
at anchor
Today was a day of ups and downs. It was mostly cloudy, windy and sprinkled a little. We stayed at the anchorage we were at last night again. On the upside Lee went to Bills house and picked up the Fedex package that had his new I phone in it. He got insurance this time so if it goes swimming it is not out of pocket to replace. He was happy to have the new phone. He even had his addresses and stuff. Seems he only lost a few pictures. He thought since he has no wifi out here he would not have the address book etc.
On the down side, we got a call from good friend James Farmer telling us that our ace boat mechanic and friend Richard Truett was in ICU and it did not look good. His liver is failing and he has bleeding in his brain and some other not good stuff going on. It is hard to hear that kind of news when you are so far away. Even though we know we could not do anything if we were home. Richard is only in his early 60s and much to young to be saying good bye. Let's hope he somehow pulls through.
Tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy and rain until mid afternoon so we are planning to sit right here. I am having another bout of urinary tract infection and started back on medication today so I can use tomorrow to start getting better. Oh I messed up yesterdays Day. It was Day 44 not 43.
Feb 15, 2016
Monday
Plantation Key
at anchor
Today was a day of ups and downs. It was mostly cloudy, windy and sprinkled a little. We stayed at the anchorage we were at last night again. On the upside Lee went to Bills house and picked up the Fedex package that had his new I phone in it. He got insurance this time so if it goes swimming it is not out of pocket to replace. He was happy to have the new phone. He even had his addresses and stuff. Seems he only lost a few pictures. He thought since he has no wifi out here he would not have the address book etc.
On the down side, we got a call from good friend James Farmer telling us that our ace boat mechanic and friend Richard Truett was in ICU and it did not look good. His liver is failing and he has bleeding in his brain and some other not good stuff going on. It is hard to hear that kind of news when you are so far away. Even though we know we could not do anything if we were home. Richard is only in his early 60s and much to young to be saying good bye. Let's hope he somehow pulls through.
Tomorrow is supposed to be cloudy and rain until mid afternoon so we are planning to sit right here. I am having another bout of urinary tract infection and started back on medication today so I can use tomorrow to start getting better. Oh I messed up yesterdays Day. It was Day 44 not 43.
Sunday, February 14, 2016
Lazy Day
Day 44
Feb 14, 2016
Sunday
Islamorada, FL
Happy Valentine's Day to one and all. Know many people are getting snow for Vday. We had mid 70s and sunshine and gentle water for today. We slept in, enjoyed the sun and warmth and had a lovely day. The guys went on a ice run in the dinghy. Lee and I dinked over to Journey for some games. The gals beat the guys at cards and at pegs and jokers. They guys really got beat up today.
A guy from the Raleigh NC area is anchored near us in a trawler and came over to say hi. We chatted a while. Seemed like a nice guy about our age. Formerly a sailboater. The wind generator got a good work out last night and today and seems good as new. No loud sounds, no vibrations, and putting charge in the batteries like gang busters. So now we have solar and wind power both again.
Tomorrow we plan to do more of the same, or as Lee says, Pile up what we did today.
Feb 14, 2016
Sunday
Islamorada, FL
Happy Valentine's Day to one and all. Know many people are getting snow for Vday. We had mid 70s and sunshine and gentle water for today. We slept in, enjoyed the sun and warmth and had a lovely day. The guys went on a ice run in the dinghy. Lee and I dinked over to Journey for some games. The gals beat the guys at cards and at pegs and jokers. They guys really got beat up today.
A guy from the Raleigh NC area is anchored near us in a trawler and came over to say hi. We chatted a while. Seemed like a nice guy about our age. Formerly a sailboater. The wind generator got a good work out last night and today and seems good as new. No loud sounds, no vibrations, and putting charge in the batteries like gang busters. So now we have solar and wind power both again.
Tomorrow we plan to do more of the same, or as Lee says, Pile up what we did today.
Islamorada , Plantation Key
Day 43
Feb 13, 2016
Saturday
Plantation Key
Islamorada, FL
When Lee got up on deck the cockpit was full of mosquitoes. (last nights escapees) He started swatting and got about 3 dozen more killed. It was sunny and warm. We got back to the trail of the ICW and headed to Plantation Key. We got there in the early afternoon and hunted a good place to anchor. There is a lovely marina (plantation yacht harbor) at the northern end of the anchorage area, called Cow Pens. But it is $111 a night plus elect and tax, so not being desperate for water or clean clothes opted for anchoring.
At the southern end of Cow Pens we are near to an area that has channel homes, one of which belongs to our friend Bill Sears. The whole anchorage area maybe 1 1/2 to 2 miles long is shallow 4 to 8 ft. We picked around til we found a spot with a 6-8
ft depth and dropped anchor. It is a comfortable dinghy ride to Bill's house but a little long for the marina. We will dinghy in to Bill's and grab a cab to the grocery store while we are here. Bill is away at one of his other homes right now. Lee is having his new iphone fedexed to Bill's address and also the new glasses he is having made. So we will need to hang around til that all arrives.
It is supposed to be around 20 mph winds tonight so we shall see how we ride that out. We are pretty far from shore but protected from most directions from wind. There is one other trawler and one other sail boat in here beside us and Journey. If Stricklands find it too bouncy they may arrange to tie up at Bill's dock but that is yet to be seen.
No mosquitoes on the boat but there is on land so staying out here on the water in the boat. yea!
Mosquitoe War
Day 42
Feb 12, 2016
Friday
Steam Boat Ck
near mm 1130
We left Dinner Key in Biscayne Bay and headed south. We had not particular destination in mind just a safe place to drop anchor for the night. We had sunny warm weather and got on shorts, tee shirts and went barefoot. Happy campers we were. We stopped at an anchorage about a mile off the ICW called Steam Boat Creek and we had it all to ourselves. Unfortunately we got a little to close to the land and the mosquitoes found us. They love me. Lee put steaks on the bar b q and it was dusk. They invaded before he was through. He got several bites. I got upwards of 50 and am very sensitive to their poison. I could not even enjoy my food.
We declared war and started swatting with the fly swatter and killed 35 in the eating area of the boat and another dozen in the sleeping area and the cockpit was full of them too. Oddly Journey was a little behind us and they were far enough not to get any of them at all. I will itch for weeks. Hate mosquitoes!!! I did not sleep at all for scratching.
Pleasant day but from dusk on it was miserable. Headed for Islamorada tomorrow.
Feb 12, 2016
Friday
Steam Boat Ck
near mm 1130
We left Dinner Key in Biscayne Bay and headed south. We had not particular destination in mind just a safe place to drop anchor for the night. We had sunny warm weather and got on shorts, tee shirts and went barefoot. Happy campers we were. We stopped at an anchorage about a mile off the ICW called Steam Boat Creek and we had it all to ourselves. Unfortunately we got a little to close to the land and the mosquitoes found us. They love me. Lee put steaks on the bar b q and it was dusk. They invaded before he was through. He got several bites. I got upwards of 50 and am very sensitive to their poison. I could not even enjoy my food.
We declared war and started swatting with the fly swatter and killed 35 in the eating area of the boat and another dozen in the sleeping area and the cockpit was full of them too. Oddly Journey was a little behind us and they were far enough not to get any of them at all. I will itch for weeks. Hate mosquitoes!!! I did not sleep at all for scratching.
Pleasant day but from dusk on it was miserable. Headed for Islamorada tomorrow.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Biscayne Bay
Day 41
Feb 11, 2016
Thursday
Dinner Key, Biscayne Bay, FL
We left Ft Lauderdale around 8 and headed out into the Atlantic. We left Journey behind because she was going to stay in the ICW.
We had variable winds of 10 to 18 knts. Unfortunately the wind was coming right on our stern which does not make for the best sailing. We motor sailed most of the day and turned the motor off for about 45 minutes just to hear the sound of silence. The waves were making it a bit rolly polly but tolerable.
We went through the main channel in Miami Harbor to come back in from the ocean but got turned back by harbor petrol. Had to back track and take the more industrial channel. Huge cargo ships with scores of containers lined the way. Not the prettiest travel scenery.
We cleared that and headed south to Dinner Key. We are at anchor
there and planning to head down the Keys to about half way to Key West by Sat. It was partly sunny and cool but tomorrow and for the next week it is supposed to be in the mid 70s. Sure looking forward to warm and sunny.
Do not know if Lees phone is dead yet. It is napping in rice. Time will tell.
Feb 11, 2016
Thursday
Dinner Key, Biscayne Bay, FL
We left Ft Lauderdale around 8 and headed out into the Atlantic. We left Journey behind because she was going to stay in the ICW.
We had variable winds of 10 to 18 knts. Unfortunately the wind was coming right on our stern which does not make for the best sailing. We motor sailed most of the day and turned the motor off for about 45 minutes just to hear the sound of silence. The waves were making it a bit rolly polly but tolerable.
We went through the main channel in Miami Harbor to come back in from the ocean but got turned back by harbor petrol. Had to back track and take the more industrial channel. Huge cargo ships with scores of containers lined the way. Not the prettiest travel scenery.
We cleared that and headed south to Dinner Key. We are at anchor
there and planning to head down the Keys to about half way to Key West by Sat. It was partly sunny and cool but tomorrow and for the next week it is supposed to be in the mid 70s. Sure looking forward to warm and sunny.
Do not know if Lees phone is dead yet. It is napping in rice. Time will tell.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Ft Lauderdale
Day 39 & 40
Feb 9 &10
Tues & Wed
Ft Lauderdale, FL
Day 39
After leaving Boca Raton Lake we arrived about noon at Ft Lauderdale. We did 10 or so more bridges. We docked at the Swimming Hall of Fame Marina. It was just a short distance from Los Olas where we had hoped to pick up a mooring but could not reach them to see if any were available.
The business where we got our wind generator last yr is here in Ft Lauderdale. Lee had called them about the vibration problem and they agreed to take a look at it. Someone from the store came and picked it up after Lee and Mitch got it down from its perch. He promised to bring it back Wed after the store closed.
I did 4 loads of clothes one load at a time and it took all afternoon to finish. Soon after that we went to a nearby place called Coconuts for dinner. We had eaten there before and knew it was good. We were cold because the breeze was chilly and the doors were all open. We returned for a game of cards and Martha and I killed the guys. Slept like logs, warm and calm in our boat.
Day 40
We sat around and did pretty much nothing until noon. Mitch wanted to go to Sailor Man and Lee was into going along too. Martha and I thought we could skip that. The guys could not decipher the bus routes to tell how to get there by city bus so they just hopped the first one they saw and got as close as possible. They ended up walking several blocks to get to the store. They found some anchor chain Mitch was needing and figured they got a pretty good deal.
Martha and I walked to a nearby 7 11 so I could buy some coke. Then we walked over to the beach and sat a while with our feet in the sand. The clouds came in and the wind picked up and we froze out so we came back to the marina. The guys came back around 4 and I had to go admire their find. We all walked over to the beach road and looked for a place to grab dinner. Everyone but me got hamburgers, I had a salad.
After that we stopped at Stricklands boat to talk about what comes next. We will have to go out in the ocean for tomorrows travels because there is a bridge which is fixed that is too low for us. Stricklands will continue in the ICW. But we should all join up again tomorrow evening at Dinner Key and continue traveling together from there. While we were there the wind generator was returned so we took it back to Sea Turtle. After we got on the boat Lee remembered he had borrowed some of Mitch's tools and he started back to their boat to return them. Unfortunately he tripped on a dock line getting off our boat and fell in the marina. After his swim in the dark I got out the swim ladder and he climbed aboard. He was fine but the cell phone and his glasses are casualties. It was funny until we realized his new glasses were gone and his cell phone is probably a loss too. Wonder if the Water Gods prefer human sacrifices or various boat paraphernalia?
Feb 9 &10
Tues & Wed
Ft Lauderdale, FL
Day 39
After leaving Boca Raton Lake we arrived about noon at Ft Lauderdale. We did 10 or so more bridges. We docked at the Swimming Hall of Fame Marina. It was just a short distance from Los Olas where we had hoped to pick up a mooring but could not reach them to see if any were available.
The business where we got our wind generator last yr is here in Ft Lauderdale. Lee had called them about the vibration problem and they agreed to take a look at it. Someone from the store came and picked it up after Lee and Mitch got it down from its perch. He promised to bring it back Wed after the store closed.
I did 4 loads of clothes one load at a time and it took all afternoon to finish. Soon after that we went to a nearby place called Coconuts for dinner. We had eaten there before and knew it was good. We were cold because the breeze was chilly and the doors were all open. We returned for a game of cards and Martha and I killed the guys. Slept like logs, warm and calm in our boat.
Day 40
We sat around and did pretty much nothing until noon. Mitch wanted to go to Sailor Man and Lee was into going along too. Martha and I thought we could skip that. The guys could not decipher the bus routes to tell how to get there by city bus so they just hopped the first one they saw and got as close as possible. They ended up walking several blocks to get to the store. They found some anchor chain Mitch was needing and figured they got a pretty good deal.
Martha and I walked to a nearby 7 11 so I could buy some coke. Then we walked over to the beach and sat a while with our feet in the sand. The clouds came in and the wind picked up and we froze out so we came back to the marina. The guys came back around 4 and I had to go admire their find. We all walked over to the beach road and looked for a place to grab dinner. Everyone but me got hamburgers, I had a salad.
After that we stopped at Stricklands boat to talk about what comes next. We will have to go out in the ocean for tomorrows travels because there is a bridge which is fixed that is too low for us. Stricklands will continue in the ICW. But we should all join up again tomorrow evening at Dinner Key and continue traveling together from there. While we were there the wind generator was returned so we took it back to Sea Turtle. After we got on the boat Lee remembered he had borrowed some of Mitch's tools and he started back to their boat to return them. Unfortunately he tripped on a dock line getting off our boat and fell in the marina. After his swim in the dark I got out the swim ladder and he climbed aboard. He was fine but the cell phone and his glasses are casualties. It was funny until we realized his new glasses were gone and his cell phone is probably a loss too. Wonder if the Water Gods prefer human sacrifices or various boat paraphernalia?
Monday, February 8, 2016
On the Move Again
Day 38
Feb 8, 2016
Monday
Boca Raton, FL
at anchor
We left West Palm Beach at 9 and went through 11bridges today. Some were on demand, some specified times. We only got 26 miles. We are about 20 miles north of Ft Lauderdale, which is tomorrows destination. The Miami Boat Show is this week so that is adding to the crowd wanting slips and mooring balls. We have reservations for tomorrow night so we will have laundry facilities and power etc. It is quite expensive so do not know if we will stay there more than one night. We expect to be in Lauderdale for 2 or maybe 3 days, but hopefully not in a slip all that time. Today was a lovely day, highs in the 60s , but comfortable inside the canvas and sunny as could be. We stopped about 3:30 at Boca Raton and anchored for the night. It was a pretty uneventful day, which can be a good thing.
Feb 8, 2016
Monday
Boca Raton, FL
at anchor
We left West Palm Beach at 9 and went through 11bridges today. Some were on demand, some specified times. We only got 26 miles. We are about 20 miles north of Ft Lauderdale, which is tomorrows destination. The Miami Boat Show is this week so that is adding to the crowd wanting slips and mooring balls. We have reservations for tomorrow night so we will have laundry facilities and power etc. It is quite expensive so do not know if we will stay there more than one night. We expect to be in Lauderdale for 2 or maybe 3 days, but hopefully not in a slip all that time. Today was a lovely day, highs in the 60s , but comfortable inside the canvas and sunny as could be. We stopped about 3:30 at Boca Raton and anchored for the night. It was a pretty uneventful day, which can be a good thing.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Last Day in West Palm Beach
Day 37
Feb 7, 2016
Sunday
West Palm Beach, FL
city anchorage
After an all night rain we had a cloudy morning that hovered around mid 50s. But by noon the sky was all blue and sunny the sunroom was so hot we had to unzip some of the panels. The actual temp outside got up to 67 but much hotter in the sunroom because of the greenhouse effect. We treated ourselves to a late breakfast of waffles and real maple syrup.
I did some cleaning. Seems like dirt magically appears from nowhere. The boat gets dirty faster than the house and I can not figure out why or how. Todays main job was the bathroom and shower. My least favorite things to clean. Lee spent a lot of the day working on the umpteen bridges we will encounter in the next 2 days. We hope to make a morning departure and get as far as reasonable but not clear to Ft Lauderdale tomorrow. We are finding marinas, mooring balls and anchorages there to be quite full. That is a staging area for people making a boat run to the Bahamas. Since it can take several weeks to get the right weather window to cross people get in position to be ready to go fast when the time is right, thus a bit of a log jam can happen. That is what is going on now. Looks like it may be midweek next week (10 days) before the time is right for a good crossing. If and when a window opens up, space will open up in Lauderdale. For now we go south and take our chances on finding somewhere to land and hope.
We went out to dinner at Tin Fish just on shore. Quick dinghy ride and short walk. Everybody had fish but me and I had a hamburger. Guess most people are watching the super bowl tonight but we did not even know who was playing. Talk about tennis and we know who and where and when but ftball just is not our thing. If it is yours hope your team won.
Feb 7, 2016
Sunday
West Palm Beach, FL
city anchorage
After an all night rain we had a cloudy morning that hovered around mid 50s. But by noon the sky was all blue and sunny the sunroom was so hot we had to unzip some of the panels. The actual temp outside got up to 67 but much hotter in the sunroom because of the greenhouse effect. We treated ourselves to a late breakfast of waffles and real maple syrup.
I did some cleaning. Seems like dirt magically appears from nowhere. The boat gets dirty faster than the house and I can not figure out why or how. Todays main job was the bathroom and shower. My least favorite things to clean. Lee spent a lot of the day working on the umpteen bridges we will encounter in the next 2 days. We hope to make a morning departure and get as far as reasonable but not clear to Ft Lauderdale tomorrow. We are finding marinas, mooring balls and anchorages there to be quite full. That is a staging area for people making a boat run to the Bahamas. Since it can take several weeks to get the right weather window to cross people get in position to be ready to go fast when the time is right, thus a bit of a log jam can happen. That is what is going on now. Looks like it may be midweek next week (10 days) before the time is right for a good crossing. If and when a window opens up, space will open up in Lauderdale. For now we go south and take our chances on finding somewhere to land and hope.
We went out to dinner at Tin Fish just on shore. Quick dinghy ride and short walk. Everybody had fish but me and I had a hamburger. Guess most people are watching the super bowl tonight but we did not even know who was playing. Talk about tennis and we know who and where and when but ftball just is not our thing. If it is yours hope your team won.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Silence is Golden
Day 36
Feb 6, 2016
Saturday
West Palm Beach, FL
City Anchorage
Today was warm and sunny with a light breeze. After dark it began to rain but daytime was lovely. We had planned to go to the farmers market just on shore but I woke up with a bad urinary tract infection. (My achilles heel) Fortunately my doctor knowing this ,supplied me with the necessary medication to take when I needed I it. I did not feel like going anywhere so sat around hoping how soon the meds would start to help. Lee however did go ashore.
The motor mechanic called and said he was finished with the dinghy motor and was going to deliver it this morning. So Lee, Mitch and Mark all went to shore to help Lee wrestle the motor on to the dinghy. The big concern is dropping it in the water while you are trying to mount it on the transom. They got it on and Lee paid the repairman. $850, which almost all was labor. We are set to leave anytime now. Lee and Mitch went to Publix on the trolley for Ice and water and Martha hit the farmers market.
There was a water jet shoes set up at the dinghy dock near us. You put on the thing that looks a little like a skate board and the strong jets of water coming down lift you high in the air above the water. You could tell some of the people were experienced. They got 50 ft high and did midair somersaults . Other people could barely get above the water. It was interesting to watch but would not want to try it.
There was a reggae festival on shore. About mid afternoon the music started. Someone had a bass speaker that was so loud and so powerful that it shook the boat. You could feel the percussion of the beat on your body and on the boat. It completely overwhelmed any other sound that was being made. It was miserable and went on way into the night. It was as though someone was hitting you with their fist every second or two. You know when someone pulls up beside you at a stop light and their bass jars your windows but then the light changes and you go off. Well imagine 7 hours of that and you can not get away. We went below and shut everything up and it still made the boat vibrate. We ran the motor but could not drown it out. Hope they get lots of complaints. This entire end of town was overwhelmed with the thudding.
Feb 6, 2016
Saturday
West Palm Beach, FL
City Anchorage
Today was warm and sunny with a light breeze. After dark it began to rain but daytime was lovely. We had planned to go to the farmers market just on shore but I woke up with a bad urinary tract infection. (My achilles heel) Fortunately my doctor knowing this ,supplied me with the necessary medication to take when I needed I it. I did not feel like going anywhere so sat around hoping how soon the meds would start to help. Lee however did go ashore.
The motor mechanic called and said he was finished with the dinghy motor and was going to deliver it this morning. So Lee, Mitch and Mark all went to shore to help Lee wrestle the motor on to the dinghy. The big concern is dropping it in the water while you are trying to mount it on the transom. They got it on and Lee paid the repairman. $850, which almost all was labor. We are set to leave anytime now. Lee and Mitch went to Publix on the trolley for Ice and water and Martha hit the farmers market.
There was a water jet shoes set up at the dinghy dock near us. You put on the thing that looks a little like a skate board and the strong jets of water coming down lift you high in the air above the water. You could tell some of the people were experienced. They got 50 ft high and did midair somersaults . Other people could barely get above the water. It was interesting to watch but would not want to try it.
There was a reggae festival on shore. About mid afternoon the music started. Someone had a bass speaker that was so loud and so powerful that it shook the boat. You could feel the percussion of the beat on your body and on the boat. It completely overwhelmed any other sound that was being made. It was miserable and went on way into the night. It was as though someone was hitting you with their fist every second or two. You know when someone pulls up beside you at a stop light and their bass jars your windows but then the light changes and you go off. Well imagine 7 hours of that and you can not get away. We went below and shut everything up and it still made the boat vibrate. We ran the motor but could not drown it out. Hope they get lots of complaints. This entire end of town was overwhelmed with the thudding.
Friday, February 5, 2016
Out and About
Day 35
Feb 5, 2016
Friday
Anchored in West Palm Beach FL
It was a cloudy and cool and very windy day. We woke up to see every boat in the anchorage turned in a different position. Normally boats all lay in the same direction according to wind or current influences. It looked like a giant had taken a spoon and stirred all the boats. We went to the shore to catch the trolley to the grocery store. When we got to the trolley stop we saw the trolley did not run til 11 am and it was not quite 10:30. We decided to hunt somewhere for breakfast (2nd breakfast) and then grab the trolley. We went to breakfast and caught the trolley to the store. After shopping we came back to the boats. Mitch played tow truck and towed us to and from shore so we did not have to row. When we returned it was obvious that Journey had drug anchor and shifted positions. Mitch put out more rode and backed down on the anchor to reset is firmly.
The repair man called and said all the parts were in and he might have the outboard fixed by tomorrow but at least by Monday so we may finally get to move on. No clue what this is going to cost us. Guess we don't have a choice so...
Lee was out of scotch and rum so he and Mitch went back to shore in the afternoon and went to the liquor store. Lee got a bottle of clear rum with a dolphin suspended half way up in the fluid. Really pretty, going to keep that for a candle holder.
The 3rd time we went ashore we went to eat at an Italian place and met Stricklands and Handleys (of Windbird) for dinner. We ate and walked back through the marina park which had colored water fountains dancing up and down and palms lit up. Really pretty, we got some pics that maybe I can insert tomorrow. Enjoyed getting our last year and this years sailing buddies together.
The next week will be cool, cloudy and windy. More of the same. Sure would like some of that sun and heat we enjoyed all last winter.
Feb 5, 2016
Friday
Anchored in West Palm Beach FL
It was a cloudy and cool and very windy day. We woke up to see every boat in the anchorage turned in a different position. Normally boats all lay in the same direction according to wind or current influences. It looked like a giant had taken a spoon and stirred all the boats. We went to the shore to catch the trolley to the grocery store. When we got to the trolley stop we saw the trolley did not run til 11 am and it was not quite 10:30. We decided to hunt somewhere for breakfast (2nd breakfast) and then grab the trolley. We went to breakfast and caught the trolley to the store. After shopping we came back to the boats. Mitch played tow truck and towed us to and from shore so we did not have to row. When we returned it was obvious that Journey had drug anchor and shifted positions. Mitch put out more rode and backed down on the anchor to reset is firmly.
The repair man called and said all the parts were in and he might have the outboard fixed by tomorrow but at least by Monday so we may finally get to move on. No clue what this is going to cost us. Guess we don't have a choice so...
Lee was out of scotch and rum so he and Mitch went back to shore in the afternoon and went to the liquor store. Lee got a bottle of clear rum with a dolphin suspended half way up in the fluid. Really pretty, going to keep that for a candle holder.
The 3rd time we went ashore we went to eat at an Italian place and met Stricklands and Handleys (of Windbird) for dinner. We ate and walked back through the marina park which had colored water fountains dancing up and down and palms lit up. Really pretty, we got some pics that maybe I can insert tomorrow. Enjoyed getting our last year and this years sailing buddies together.
The next week will be cool, cloudy and windy. More of the same. Sure would like some of that sun and heat we enjoyed all last winter.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
West Palm Beach
Days 32-33-34
Feb 2 & 3 & 4. 2016
Tue, Wed, Thur
West Palm Beach, FL
Still waiting for dinghy outboard to be repaired. The part that was to arrive Tues from the manufacturer did not come until Wed. Another part still had not arrived but was expected today. We have not heard from Dave the repair man to know if the last of the parts have arrived or not. This is a nice anchorage but I am ready to move on. Even if we should get the motor back tomorrow our traveling companions on Journey do not want to travel on the weekend. Too much boat traffic for their liking. So Monday looks like the soonest we will leave West Palm.
We have had warm sunny weather so it has not been unpleasant to be here. The winds were above 20mph all day and paddling the dinghy against the wind was too much of a chore so we stayed on board. We had hoped to get to a laundromat as we are running out of things but it didn't happen. Maybe tomorrow we can get it done.
I could use a quick run to the grocery store too.
Strickland's came back Wed from a drive up to Lake Placid to visit her older brother . They enjoyed the trip, visit and motel with lots of hot water. LOL Handleys returned from the west coast of FL and their visit with Mark's siblings Wed also. We have been official boat watchers while everyone else is away.
We have read, slept and relaxed enough and are ready for some more adventures. Will let you know when we finally can move on.
Remember "Cruising is fixing boat problems in exotic places" so guess that makes us officially cruisers.
Feb 2 & 3 & 4. 2016
Tue, Wed, Thur
West Palm Beach, FL
Still waiting for dinghy outboard to be repaired. The part that was to arrive Tues from the manufacturer did not come until Wed. Another part still had not arrived but was expected today. We have not heard from Dave the repair man to know if the last of the parts have arrived or not. This is a nice anchorage but I am ready to move on. Even if we should get the motor back tomorrow our traveling companions on Journey do not want to travel on the weekend. Too much boat traffic for their liking. So Monday looks like the soonest we will leave West Palm.
We have had warm sunny weather so it has not been unpleasant to be here. The winds were above 20mph all day and paddling the dinghy against the wind was too much of a chore so we stayed on board. We had hoped to get to a laundromat as we are running out of things but it didn't happen. Maybe tomorrow we can get it done.
I could use a quick run to the grocery store too.
Strickland's came back Wed from a drive up to Lake Placid to visit her older brother . They enjoyed the trip, visit and motel with lots of hot water. LOL Handleys returned from the west coast of FL and their visit with Mark's siblings Wed also. We have been official boat watchers while everyone else is away.
We have read, slept and relaxed enough and are ready for some more adventures. Will let you know when we finally can move on.
Remember "Cruising is fixing boat problems in exotic places" so guess that makes us officially cruisers.
Monday, February 1, 2016
The Waiting Game
Day 30 & 31
Jan 31 & Feb 1, 2016
Sunday & Monday
West Palm Beach, FL
at Anchor
Day 30 Sunday
Lee and Mitch took our dinghy to the dinghy dock and took the outboard off. The repair man, Dave, called and said he was on his way to get it. A helpful passerby helped carry the motor to the sidewalk and they waited about 10 minutes til Dave showed up.
We did not hear from him on Sunday but he called Monday afternoon and commented on some issues. He is supposed to be getting some parts overnighted from the manufacturer. So Tuesday he should be able to replace the parts and run it to see if any thing else is wrong. Up to this point he has not even run the motor.
Lee, Mitch and Martha took to trolley to Publix and picked up a few groceries. I was really sleepy from not sleeping 3 nights in a damp bed plus my stomach was acting up so I stayed on the boat. That about covers it. It was warm, overcast and spit rain a little.
Day 31 Monday
It was another warm, cloudy, off and on rainy day. We stayed on the boat and read most of the day. In the evening we paddled the dinghy to Journey and played cards. The girls got beat again. :(
I tried to take a sun shower today but it was not the least warm. You really need 3 hours of good sun and warm temps to have water warm enough to shower. So I did the best I could with cold water from our fresh water tank. Being on the hook has many advantages but the big draw back is no hot water.
Dave called and told us it might be the end of the week or even the beginning of next week before we got our dinghy motor back. We are really bummed. We are only a day away from Ft Lauderdale and that is our next stop. Los Olas Marina. Nice laundry and I am desperate to do laundry.
Stricklands are renting a car and going to meet her brother tomorrow. He spends winters in Lakeland, FL. . Then they will spend the night in a motel and enjoy endless water in the shower and TV. I miss tv but Lee thinks it is great not having it. We can not watch on the computer because it eats up data too fast. I have listened to some programs that broadcast audio only. Poor substitute for the real thing.
Jan 31 & Feb 1, 2016
Sunday & Monday
West Palm Beach, FL
at Anchor
Day 30 Sunday
Lee and Mitch took our dinghy to the dinghy dock and took the outboard off. The repair man, Dave, called and said he was on his way to get it. A helpful passerby helped carry the motor to the sidewalk and they waited about 10 minutes til Dave showed up.
We did not hear from him on Sunday but he called Monday afternoon and commented on some issues. He is supposed to be getting some parts overnighted from the manufacturer. So Tuesday he should be able to replace the parts and run it to see if any thing else is wrong. Up to this point he has not even run the motor.
Lee, Mitch and Martha took to trolley to Publix and picked up a few groceries. I was really sleepy from not sleeping 3 nights in a damp bed plus my stomach was acting up so I stayed on the boat. That about covers it. It was warm, overcast and spit rain a little.
Day 31 Monday
It was another warm, cloudy, off and on rainy day. We stayed on the boat and read most of the day. In the evening we paddled the dinghy to Journey and played cards. The girls got beat again. :(
I tried to take a sun shower today but it was not the least warm. You really need 3 hours of good sun and warm temps to have water warm enough to shower. So I did the best I could with cold water from our fresh water tank. Being on the hook has many advantages but the big draw back is no hot water.
Dave called and told us it might be the end of the week or even the beginning of next week before we got our dinghy motor back. We are really bummed. We are only a day away from Ft Lauderdale and that is our next stop. Los Olas Marina. Nice laundry and I am desperate to do laundry.
Stricklands are renting a car and going to meet her brother tomorrow. He spends winters in Lakeland, FL. . Then they will spend the night in a motel and enjoy endless water in the shower and TV. I miss tv but Lee thinks it is great not having it. We can not watch on the computer because it eats up data too fast. I have listened to some programs that broadcast audio only. Poor substitute for the real thing.
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