March 27, 2010

We are still in Islamorada enjoying not having to put up with winter, a lot of rain, flooding and other weather issues. The weather here has been unusually cold for this time of the year but it is still not bad for northerners like us. Other than the northerly winds we have not had a lot of rain therefore we can still do anything that we want.

Mark Wells came down from Plymouth and spent two weeks with us. We partied more than we should at our age (Mark being much older than Judi or me) but we had a lot of laughs. The day he left, Judi & I escorted Mark to his car to make sure he was really leaving and that he turned north at the end of the driveway towards Miami.

Many of the people we have met along the way have been in Islamorada and Key Largo waiting to get across to the Bahamas. Northerly winds make it virtually impossible to cross the Gulf Stream as the wind against the waves builds a very ugly sea very quickly. We decided a while ago not go the Bahamas as the weather over there is about the same as here and we did not want to get over, be stuck and have to wait a long time to get back to the mainland.

We drove to Key West last week with our Canadian friends Danny and Susan Godin. Danny suggested that he and I go deep sea fishing with a retired Navy Pilot who has a winter place in Key West. Hughes Smith and his wife Pam live in Montana and he is an avid fisherman.

Danny and I drove down early so we could go fishing. Judi and Susan drove down later so they could go shopping on Duval Street until we all met later. We met Hughes at the dock in his 20 foot center console and it was blowing a nice 15 knots. Off we leave to go "Deep Sea Fishing". As we turn the corner out, the seas are 4-5 feet and real choppy. We keep going to the "200 foot wall", about 12 miles out and the seas are now 7-10 feet and we are all dripping wet. There are two other boats out there, 40-50 foot charter boats and they are doing 60 degree death rolls side to side. Needless to say we were the only 20 foot boat out there.

I was the designated driver as I know nothing about fishing. Danny and Hughes were rolling around trying to bait hooks and perform other weird maneuvers to get four lines over the side.

To make a long story short, we left at 9 AM, returned at 4:30 PM, caught one Barracuda, two Mahi-Mahi, burned 75 gallons of gas, ate several sandwiches, and drank a case of beer. I figure the four fish filets cost about $60-$70 each but I had a fun day "Deep Sea Boating". After hearing these guys spend the day yelling at non-existent fish to take the bait I do not want to hear anybody comment on sailboat racers yelling at the non-existent wind. The pictures speak for them selves.

Meanwhile, back on Duval Street Judi and Susan were surprised to see that it was college spring break and the place was a madhouse. This booze fueled hormone driven bacchanal is an annual event in Key West and it makes one wonder why parents bother to send their children off to college.

We all went to dinner and had a fun evening walking Duval Street and watching the wildlife. The next morning Judi and I went exploring Fort Zachary Taylor an old Civil War Fort and I climbed the Key West Lighthouse to get some pictures.

We spent one afternoon at the alligator farm in the Everglades taking an airboat ride and looking at hundreds of alligators.

We left this AM from Islamorada and are presently anchored in Tarpon Basin in Key Largo. It is a beautiful day and it is nice to be at anchor in the crystal clear water. We are meeting our friends Capt. Sterling and Judy this evening for a Saturday night in Key Largo.

Stay tuned

February 13, 2009

Well we are firmly docked at the “Islamorada Yacht Basin at Lor-e-Lei”. Lor-e-lei (Loreley) is the name of a legendary mermaid who resides on St. Goar rock overlooking the Rhine River in Germany. Legend has it that with her beautiful voice and the combing of her long golden hair, she lured sailors and their ships into the dangerous current and onto the reefs.

Lor-e-lei is not exactly a “Yacht Basin” as there are only about 20 boats in here. However, it is a great funky “Keys” spot to spend a couple of months without snow and colder weather.

We have been exploring the keys and have a list of Florida State Parks, National Parks to explore over the next few weeks. Not to mention the other attractions of the keys.

It is nice to be able to “settle in” and get various boat projects and maintenance done that has been put aside for the last 5500 miles. These keep me busy in the AM while Judi goes off to exercise class leaving the warmer afternoons for exploring.

We have met up with several “loopers” here, as well as in Key Largo, and Marathon. They had a birthday party for Capt. Sterling Kennedy last Saturday at “Shipwrecks” in Key Largo. Rudy Sampson, from Plymouth sang and a great time was had by all.

As you can see we have some interesting boats in this marina. Mr. Monkey’s pirate ship has come in and he could not be happier. I especially like the pink Cadillac floating limo known as NAUTILIMO. Hey, whatever floats your car/boat.

We have settled into Keys Time which is similar to the Mexican manyana (manana) but without the same since of urgency.

January 18, 2010

If has finally warmed up in Florida and we are presently sitting at anchor in Tarpon Basin off of Key Largo watching the sun set in a cloudless sky.

We left Ft. Myers a week ago Saturday and made our way across Florida via Lake Okeechobee to Stuart and the ICW. We were in Roland Martin's Marina, on the west side of the Lake and it was a toasty 25 degrees in the morning with ice on the handrails and deck. In fact, I had to get a warm cloth to wipe the ice off the isinglass so that I could see from the fly bridge before proceeding across the lake.

In Stuart we had a very nice dinner at Wahoo's with Plymouth friends Brian Chandler and Peter Kowilcik.

We left Stuart the next morning and headed south to Delray Beach and then the next morning to North Miami. The following morning we headed south across Biscayne Bay and ended up here in Key Largo.

We meet up with fellow Great Loop friends Capt. Sterling and Judy, as well as Rudy Sampson from Plymouth. For the last three nights, the five of us have been conducting a QC inspection of various establishments in Key Largo that are purveyors of post prohibition libations. I am happy to report that they all passed inspection.

We had our first "Face to Face" with a number of Manatees this afternoon behind Judy's (not Judi's) house, which is located on a canal. We actually had to be careful when we left in the dinghy as a very large Manatee was romatically interested in the dinghy and would not move. As you can see we got some pretty good pictures and they are pretty big animals.

We plan to stay here one more night and then head south to Islamorada where we will hole up at Islamorada Yacht Basin at the Lor~E~Lei. We drove down today to check it out and had lunch with Dave & Betsy Chase who, I am sure, we will see lots of while we are at Lor~E~Lei.

In the words of the immortal Sonny Bono, "The Beat Goes On"

January 9, 2010

Well we arrived back in Ft. Myers on the 29th of December after an uneventful trip south. We stayed with Danny and Susan Godin and the Weiner dogs, on Potest Fieri the night of the 28th. It was nice to see them and we had a good time even though we thought it was cold in Clearwater. Little did we know what we were in for.

We had two nice days on the 30th and 31st and went to a great New Year’s Eve party at Heidi and John Asiaf’s home in Naples. Also at the party were old friends from Plymouth that now live in Marco Island and Naples.

Since then, it has been cold. The other morning we went out to drive to Sarasota to go to the Ringling Circus Museum, estate and art museum, there was frost on the windshield. This was not in the trip description.

We left Ft. Myers yesterday, a relatively nice day (70 degrees) and are now in Moore Haven, Fl, a thriving metropolis of 1000 souls on the west shore of Lake Okeechobee. Yesterday, while traveling through the northern everglades on the Caloosahatchee River looking for wildlife such as alligators, manatees, boys with banjos, etc. the only interesting thing we saw was a camel in somebody’s front yard.

Today, Saturday the 9th, is another wonderful South Florida day with cold rain, winds 15-20 from the Northwest and a balmy 37 degrees at 2:30 in the afternoon. They say it will get into the mid 20’s tonight and tomorrow before it warms back up to the 60’s. Eat your heart out you New Englanders.

We are, however, tied up to the town dock with all three heating units on and it is a cozy 75 degrees in the boat.

We, hopefully, get across Lake Okeechobee in the next couple of days if the winds subside. Then is on to the Florida Keys where it was 50 degrees in Key West this AM.

The plan is to go to Key Largo, Islamorada, then on to Marathon where we will meet up with several other travelers we have met along the way. Perhaps by then we will see some warmer temperatures.

I am beginning to think that Al Gore is in hiding with Tiger Woods.

We arrived back in Plymouth Massachusetts on Wednesday and were blessed yesterday with 20+ inches of snow in what is being called the Blizzard of 2009. Today the temps are ~10 degrees with wind to 20 knots. Reminds me a lot of the marina in Ft. Myers where JEJUDA is enjoying balmy breezes. You can all be assured that the marina in the picture IS NOT in Ft. Myers.

It has been great to see the kids, grandkids and all our friends. We stopped in Virginia on the way up to see Jessica, Sam, Abigail (3), and David (5). They are getting big fast. On Saturday we visited with Evan, Julia, and our newest granddaughter, Isabelle who was born in August. Perhaps we are a little bit biased, but our grandchildren are the best looking and most intelligent grandchildren ever.

Christmas will be the usual whirlwind of activity as everyone gets together on Christmas Eve at my grandniece's home in Chelmsford, north of Boston, and then to Judi's aunt's home in Squantum, south of Boston.

Christmas morning will be the usual havoc with the grandkids opening their presents in front of the tree and fireplace. Christmas is a great family day that is enjoyed by all.

Hopefully we will start our trek south on the 26th, arriving on the 29th or 30th depending on the weather. It will be nice to return to the warmth and the continuation of our adventure although we will be thinking of all we leave behind in the cold northeast.

Having never been or ever will be, "Politically Correct", Judi and I wish all of you and your families "Merry Christmas".