Okay, I realize it's been a LONG, LONG time since I've posted a blog. Not sure where the time goes, but mostly can't get on the big computer because of Dennis. Oh, and I've been lazy :)
We were sad to see Mark and Deb leave because we enjoyed their company so much. It was a great 2 weeks with them.
Left the marina bright and early in Key West, at 7:20 a.m, on April 25th. No wind or seas so it was an easy 'out of there' with no help. We motorsailed, with the wind on the nose, and anchored outside of Marathon, Boot Key Harbor, close to 4 p.m. Up early on the 26th and underway by 8 a.m. We motorsailed with a full main in 2' seas up to Tavernier Key, anchoring around 4 p.m. again. On the way at 7 a.m. to Fisher Island, outside of Miami Beach, motorsailing again. Left that anchorage at 7 a.m. with all sails up. Had a wonderful sail up to Ft. Lauderdale. Unfortunately for us, it was a Saturday, and the ICW was crazy with powerboats. The most boats we've ever seen in Lake Sylvia (17), and we there when there was the migration south!!! There was an air show ... not sure why they were all here because you couldn't see that much, but the weather was really bad. Stayed a couple of days, getting off the boat and walking after all that travelling. Felt so good.
Time to start heading north, but, unfortunately, the weather was not co-operating, so up the ICW we went. Bridge opening after bridge opening and some pretty crazy boat people out there. What were they thinking? Oh, and they don't answer their radios on either 16 or 9. Too busy being cool I guess. Lauderdale to Fort Worth (where the starter started messing up) and then up to Ft. Pierce. By this time we were just tired. Connie and Steve from Better Days have a home in Ft. Pierce, so we made sure we stopped to see them. Turned out to be a permanent stop! Looked at the boat yards, decided we just couldn't do this any longer and wanted to get back home, so put the boat on the hard at Riverside Marina. Steve was great, running us around looking for a car, and then heading back to their home where Connie cooked a great dinner and we did laundry. As a cruiser, you know laundry, dinner and shopping are the best things ever, and we had the best hosts!!!!
Into the marina on May 5th, spending a couple of days getting the boat ready to haul. SO much work in this heat. Haven't done this total stripping of the boat in many years since for the past 6 years we've only gone home for 5-6 weeks. Got rid of all of the canned goods and had our car packed with stuff to take home. Oh, and there's still a ton of stuff on the boat!!! It's a shallow marina and we're stuck in the mud at the seawall waiting to haul out. Finally hauled at 4:30, and after a washdown, Audrey Paige was blocked by 6 p.m., and we were out of there to the closest hotel.
So, here we are, in our 2007 PT Cruiser, heading back to kids and grandkids, hoping to make it for Mother's Day, and into our condo that we haven't been in in 8 months. But, on the way, we stopped to visit with my sister, Gail, in Ohio. We had been apart for a lot of years, and then she came to visit us in Panama ... we're both so happy to have her back in our lives.
On to a new life !!!!!
We were sad to see Mark and Deb leave because we enjoyed their company so much. It was a great 2 weeks with them.
Time to start heading north, but, unfortunately, the weather was not co-operating, so up the ICW we went. Bridge opening after bridge opening and some pretty crazy boat people out there. What were they thinking? Oh, and they don't answer their radios on either 16 or 9. Too busy being cool I guess. Lauderdale to Fort Worth (where the starter started messing up) and then up to Ft. Pierce. By this time we were just tired. Connie and Steve from Better Days have a home in Ft. Pierce, so we made sure we stopped to see them. Turned out to be a permanent stop! Looked at the boat yards, decided we just couldn't do this any longer and wanted to get back home, so put the boat on the hard at Riverside Marina. Steve was great, running us around looking for a car, and then heading back to their home where Connie cooked a great dinner and we did laundry. As a cruiser, you know laundry, dinner and shopping are the best things ever, and we had the best hosts!!!!
Into the marina on May 5th, spending a couple of days getting the boat ready to haul. SO much work in this heat. Haven't done this total stripping of the boat in many years since for the past 6 years we've only gone home for 5-6 weeks. Got rid of all of the canned goods and had our car packed with stuff to take home. Oh, and there's still a ton of stuff on the boat!!! It's a shallow marina and we're stuck in the mud at the seawall waiting to haul out. Finally hauled at 4:30, and after a washdown, Audrey Paige was blocked by 6 p.m., and we were out of there to the closest hotel.
So, here we are, in our 2007 PT Cruiser, heading back to kids and grandkids, hoping to make it for Mother's Day, and into our condo that we haven't been in in 8 months. But, on the way, we stopped to visit with my sister, Gail, in Ohio. We had been apart for a lot of years, and then she came to visit us in Panama ... we're both so happy to have her back in our lives.
On to a new life !!!!!
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