February 23, 2009

February 23??? How on earth did that happen? If I seem dumbfounded by the passage of time, it is because that is how I feel. Each moment is a treasure, and how swiftly they flee! How delicious to wear no watch, and look to the day clock rather than the hourly one. At the pool this morning, after the hard cooked eggs and before the swimming of laps, I had a chat with a woman who had never considered a boat as a place to live. “But what do you DO on a boat?” she asked. Easy, I replied. All the things that didn't get done over the past few years, like crossword puzzles, books, movies, card games, and of course , the ever present boat work—maintenance, repair, meals, cleaning.....etc etc etc. Each live aboard I discuss this with says the same. The pleasures of cruising are delicious and have their own set of questions—where are we going, how will we get there, and what will we do when we arrive? Staying in a port for a few weeks, as we've just done for the first time, presents a different pace with acclimation, exploration, making new friends and renewing old acquaintances, all high on the to-do list. This is, after all, retirement. A new person that we met this week is Barnacle Benny! Neat young man who motates about in his jeep wearing a wet suit—ready to dive under your boat at the drop of a loose propeller nut! Yes, it is back. Once again, Fred felt the 'clunk'. This time Benny put a wrench to it under water, and we'll hope it holds until we're back in Green Cove Springs and can find the cause of the repeated loosening. On Wednesday we spent an evening with Judy and Jonathan Jenkins of the Mirage Great Harbor DOUBLE JJ, and new friends Sandy, Chuck, Milton and Fran. Played Farkle (have you ever?), then went to dinner at the Docksides Restaurant, where Dan Sullivan played guitar and sang. Docksides is one of the vintage Keys spots—picnic tables outside by the water, good food and good things to drink. A neat thing that we have aboard is the Kindle--—Amazon.com's electronic library. With limited shelf space, it is great to be able to download and read a book, and then store another in the same paper back sized location—it can save both of our places in multiple books at the same time. Amazing. We downloaded and read the story of Henry M. Flagler this week. He, surprisingly to me, co-founded Standard Oil Co., with John D. Rockefeller. Apparently it was Flagler's idea to take the young company public to raise capital, and his +/-30,000 shares often paid dividends of $150,000 per MONTH. With no income tax. Flagler said that had it not been for the state of Florida, he'd have died a wealthy man. Everything is relative, I guess—his estate at the time of his death in 1913 was reproted to be over $100 million. Compared to Rockefeller, not very wealthy. In any case, he arrived in Jacksonville, Florida when it was barely a city, then bought and built railways so he could continue southward to and through St. Augustine, Daytona, Palm Beach and Miami, building luxury hotels, hospitals, and housing for thousands of workers. Actually creating cities as he moved along. Eventually, he built a railroad to Key West. His vision and talent for problem solving is legendary. Unfortunately, even with the opening of the Panama Canal, Key West did not become the booming seaport he'd envisioned, and the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 destroyed enough of the railroad to render it no longer the Eighth Wonder of the World, but rather the future roadbed for Route 1. Low lying tracks were destroyed by water, but the winds were not able to upset the bridges his men built—one seven miles long. Can you imagine what it took to create such a thing then? Me either. On Saturday evening we went to the local Community Theater performance of a one man show telling the story of Flagler's life. Neat. We crept back into the 'basement' this week and finished installing the shelves that were begun in April, '08. Fred allows as how it's a lot easier to navigate that sloping cramped space without the 20 pounds he was carrying last spring. Did you notice his belt? (No suspenders!) Molly, Jeff and 12 year old JT spent Saturday with us. Quick visit as they were in FL for Jeff's mom's birthday. We lunched at the Hurricane Restaurant next door where we marveled at a +/- 30 foot long, 2 feet high LEGO display which accurately depicts South Beach storefronts with every type of Lego figure, vehicle and creation you could imagine! Weather-wise, it's been sunny most days, with 'spankin' breezes that cool things off very quickly. Our thermometer is in the sun all day, and has gotten to 80, but it is protected from the wind. Brrrr. No snow, though! Tonite we walked to a local pizza place, and then returned to SEA FOX where Milton and Fran provided delicious coffee and great folk music. We sang and laughed and thoroughly enjoyed! And now it is time to say good night. Be well, and keep in touch! Linda and Fred

February 16, 2009

Hi and Happy Monday! ...and how was YOUR week? Ours was very Florida. Mostly sunny and warm, with some windy and foggy days, but basically delicious weather. We managed to mostly keep out of mischief and had a good week! Hope you did too. Some things about boating life are just plain different from living in town. For instance, while our Marina has been beautifully re-built since the damage of Hurricane Wilma in 2007, pump out of the holding tank for the head is an issue here. The Banana Bay Marina officially re-opened in October, and the pump out equipment has yet to be installed. Marine regulations prohibit emptying holding tanks within 3 miles of the shoreline. Sad to say, beyond that, anything goes (so to speak...) Personally, I think it is as irresponsible to think that we can just dump in the ocean indefinitely, as it is to throw 'stuff' into space and not expect repercussions. Vast, yes. Infinite, no. In any case, this week our tank needed emptying. So on Tuesday we walked across the Key to the Marathon City Marina and made plans to boat over there on Wed. Also walked to the grocery store on Tuesday. It is great that we are in a central location! (Re-reading this, I see that the two paragraphs are related. Uffda.) On Wednesday we loosed our lines and headed for the seven mile bridge (more about that next week) where we crossed to the Ocean side of the Keys. Rode into Boot Key Harbor where over 250 boats are moored, and Andy emptied our holding tank using one of their pump out boats. Very novel. The two boats have a schedule and every day pump tanks in a section of the mooring field, so that each boat's tank is emptied once a week. A very efficient system. The local newspapers here have articles almost daily about how Florida towns are dealing with the issue of boats and sewage. Marathon is building a community system over the next few years, we're told. YA seemed happy to be under way, if only for a 25 mile round trip. When we returned we learned that a manitee had played in our slip for an hour or so to entertain the troops. We've seen only one manitee in the almost-a-year (can you believe it?) we've been on the boat. One fellow live aboard had never seen one before, in three years of boating. So it was an occasion. Wednesday evening we decided that since I have a red Bingo card marker left over from last year's UU Bingo fundraiser, (why do I have THAT on the boat, you may ask....no good answer, I fear.) we would walk to the American Legion to play bingo! What a hoot! It didn't matter much that we won zip, nada, nothing. We were just happy to keep up with the fancy games! Holy cow, do they move! The locals were very helpful to us beginners and made sure we followed the rules. I've been swimming laps in the pool from time to time and Thursday was a beautiful day for it. Also did some cleaning and invited the neighbors in for snacks. Had a good visit with other snow birds from colder climes—one home port is Naples, FL. Yes, it is warmer here in Marathon in Jan. and Feb. than it is 1/3 of the way up the West coast of FL. We have a new PET. On one of our walks, we were passed by a vehicle that looks like an electric tricycle. We've been looking for some form of land transport that we can carry on the boat. Not enamored of bikes, but the Go-PET is a whole other ball of wax! Ours arrived on Saturday—as luck would have it, the distributor is nearby! It can go up to 15 mph, holds it's charge for a long time, has lights and a horn, and so far is working very well for us. We rode to the movies on Sat. nite—saw Gran Torino, and zipped home with our head and tail lights making us visible in the dark night! Today we walked next door to Tildon's dive shop and spent the afternoon in wet suits out at the Sombrero Reef. It was fun to snorkel among the fish--who pay no attention to us strange critters in the water. Later, I hooked to a Snuba tube and for the first time in my life went underwater and stayed there. Lead weights will do that for you! Mike, the dive coach, had full scuba gear. My air tank was on a raft with a 30 foot air hose connected to me, and Mike could move the raft around so we covered a lot of territory. All the things I've heard about diving proved to be true for me—it is beautiful and strange, eerily silent while filled with the sound of your own breathing—you feel weightless, and are affected by the movement of the water. Although I will never be 'hooked' on diving, I can see how people would be. I felt strangely like a trespasser in the reef, which looks to need a few years to recover from what ever forces have ravaged it. Sigh. Fred, who has had much diving experience in the Navy, snorkeled and kept a watchful eye on me from above. We chose the right day, as the wind is already picking up, and the water is expected to be choppy for the next few days. On that note, I'll leave you for a week..............be well, and keep in touch! Fred and Linda

February 9, 2009

Hi all, This will be a short message for two reasons—no three. The week has flown by, I've taken only a few photos, and it is nearly midnite! We're still here at Banana Bay Marina, Marathon, in the Florida Keys.. Have not moved the boat since we arrived last week, so we are truly live-aboards. It feels a bit strange to stay in the same place and not be thinking of all the details of moving to a new location every day or so. A bit strange, but also nice. This week's weather has not been conducive to travel—the winds have not totally subsided after the storm last Sunday evening. Two boats in this marina had their lines loosened by gusts of wind in the 60-65 mph range. Happily, YA stayed solidly connected while we were galavanting off to dinner with Kris and Gerry! The winds have been in the 20-25 mph range all week. Whitecaps in the harbor some days, but now the water is calmer as the direction of the wind has shifted from the North to the East. Hasn't warmed up much, though. Now please do NOT hear this as a complaint, but for me, it is dungarees, turtleneck, sweater and closed shoes weather. Clearly I don't understand Florida, as most folks hereabouts are wearing shorts and sandals as they lean into the winds and the thermometer reads 60 degrees. There is NO snow or ice. We are grateful. We've adjusted pretty easily to the pace. Each day is filled with the tasks at hand. Ship's Work, says Fred. He has a never ending list of things to be repaired and/or replaced and has made many trips to Boater's World and Home Depot. How fortuitous that both are an easy walk! YA has had a much deserved and thorough cleaning. Inside, that is. Outside is yet to come. We chat with the neighbors over breakfast at the tiki bar.. I walked to, and found yummy produce at, a farmer's market, then crossed the road for an arts and crafts show. We walked to the local movie theater to see the Curious Life of Benjamin Button, only to learn that the couple ahead of us had just purchased the last available seats, so we walked home. Saw the Sunday matinee (this time WE had the last two seats) and I can highly recommend the movie. A bizarre premise, but well played out in a Titanic (remembrances of an elderly lady) sort of way. We also watched a movie on our dvd player—Lawrence of Arabia this week—I'd just read Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell (thanks Amy, I really enjoyed this fictionalized story of the dividing of the Middle East after WWI) and wanted to see another version of the life of "Arranz” as he was called by the Arabs. Tonight we walked to the Key Fisheries where 28 boats go out daily to bring in the fresh catch. We laughed as it is great to go to a fresh seafood restaurant, and when we're in the boat, we tend to mumble bad things about having to avoid all the trap markers set out by the fishermen. Just can't have it both ways, can ya? Another task has been to adjust our schedule. Now that the bruising of YA's rail has a little time and distance on it, and all the official reporting etc. is done, we can talk about it more easily. The facts are that Fred 'had the boat' so I was the Look-out. To quote (almost) our President--We Screwed Up. Now the event can move into the realm of a 'personal story about how quickly things can go awry on the water'. Would that we had no such tale to tell! In any case, our plans have changed. Instead of joining the Mirage group that goes to the Abacos, we'll be joining the Mirage group that repairs boat damage. YA will go home to Green Cove Springs by mid-March, and while there, will also be hauled to get her bottom painted, as planned, in preparation for the Great Loop. What good is a plan, after all, if it can't be changed??? That is it for tonight, folks. Keep smiling and we'll see you next week! Happy Valentine's Day from Fred and Linda

February 2, 2009

Monday, February 2, 2009 Georgeous sunshine at Marathon Key this morning, Punxsatawney Phil would surely have seen his shadow here, too! The blustery, rainy day that was predicted never materialized. (Until now—at 6:45 pm the rain has suddenly come!) Last Tuesday morning we again headed south. Waved farewell to that fellow blowing the conch shell as we left Miami and headed for the Keys! Passing thru Biscayne Bay, we altered our course a bit to give way to a group of sailboats doing Olympic training, and we chose the inland route to the Keys. This western side is a continuation of the Intra Coastal Waterway's magenta line on our charts. The alternative is to go to the eastern, or Atlantic Ocean side of the Keys, and follow Hawk's Channel, running between the Keys and the only barrier Coral Reef in North America, which separates this chain of islands from the ocean. If you know as little about the Keys as I did a very short time ago, you might be interested to hear that there are 150 miles of islands, attached by 42 bridges, curving gracefully from Miami to Key West, which is only 90 miles from Havana, Cuba. Route 1 is a continuous highway running the entire US coastline, from Northern Maine to Key West. Beginning just south of Florida City, FL, the route is marked with mile markers that descend from 126 to Mile Zero, located at the intersection of. Flemming and Whitehead Streets in Key West. Route 1 divides the land into 'Oceanside' and 'Bayside' and uses the Mile Markers for most street addresses. Pretty neat. How wide are the keys? We're told that in a recent hurricane the water came in on the Bay side and washed out on the Ocean side. Excuse me! Our Waterway Guide recommends phoning ahead to any commercial place you want to visit, as it is not uncommon for stores to “go out of business, move, or close for the day with a 'gone fishing' sign on the door”. This is the Keys. On Tuesday evening we gave Knute the anchor a chance to do his thing. Man, does he bite and hold in the muddy bottom! We shared a corner of the Tarpon Basin with 3 other boats—2 from Germany, who bring their boats over as cargo and explore American waters. Wednesday was one of those mixed bag days—the best of times and the worst of times. The morning started off just wrong when we met up with Marker # 50 in a most unpleasant way. The steel beam crimped our rail and removed part of YA's rub rail. Could've been much worse, and we didn't violate rule #1—Nobody got hurt. The day ended on a wonderful high when Geoff, Amy and Peter arrived from AZ. In between those events, we cruised along the edge of the waters of Everglades National Park, mostly in what is labeled Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas, where running aground can damage the coral bottom and incur a large fine. We were heading for Marathon, about the midpoint of the Keys. Hurricane Wilma did a lot of damage here in 2005, and we were pleased to locate a marina that has been beautifully restored. (Many simply sold their land--usually to developers.) Banana Bay sports a bubbler at the mouth of the harbor to keep the sea grass away from the boats (wind has overridden the bubbler these past few days...) complimentary breakfast every day; a pool with a tiki bar for lunch, hot tub, a swing to sit in while reading the papers, and if you are interested, cages of gi-normous iguanas to view and (yikes) handle if you wish. In addition to the Marina, there are resort rooms and time share apartments available,so it is a busy place! We hunted for shells and avoided Jellyfish at the beach, drove to Key West in time to watch the beach showmen and shop for souvenirs before sunset at Mallory Square, visited a wonderful Diving Museum, where grandad was able to give Peter first hand information about deep sea diving, fed the tarpons and the minnows, swam, soaked in the hot tub and relaxed. All too soon it was Sunday and Geoff and Amy drove away to meet Kris and Gerry at the Ft. Lauderdale airport and hand off the car keys. (remember last week?) Gerry and Kris had a quick turnaround fishing trip. They arrived Sunday, went out on a Party Boat Monday and although they didn't catch the 'big one' we had a good time watching the sorting and cleaning of the 2-3 bite filets that were brought in. The pelican show is a hoot! These scroungers began to arrive 15 minutes before the fishing boat was due to return and fought hard for each scrap of fish. We jumped in the Burb just after I started this message, and drove to Islamorada for a delicious fish dinner in a dramatic tropical storm. There was nearly continuous lightning with really loud thunder, strong winds and buckets of teeming rain for 2 hours! No snow, though! And that was Monday, the day of the Blog. So there I'll end and resume next week, when I swear I'll get back to the Monday Message on Monday. Good health and good times to all, Fred and Linda