tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26560053162859891152024-03-19T05:44:44.378-07:00 Shifting GearsTime to shift into a different gear.ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.comBlogger630125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-35986293528876958502024-03-18T12:28:00.000-07:002024-03-18T12:28:25.040-07:00Our Plans<p> It has been a month and a half since I last wrote in this blog. I really don't have a good excuse. I have just been enjoying life in Boot Key Harbor. </p><p>I really love spending time in a place with like-minded people. We talk the same language and have many of the same problems to solve. The difference between this place and many places I have been is the since of community. If someone has a problem, there is always someone there to help solve it. We communicate on our daily radio net. I have received a bunch of help from others in the past and love it when I have the opportunity to help a fellow boater. I wish the rest of the world worked this way. Boot Key Harbor is an amazing place and I will miss it when we leave. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCH66y1JGfMzeQ45Whgzc6x_8A3VTzlbJ8fkn19C5ZTXvuXj-50XU9hLSNdsvSKbpTcK6E4w6mFZc7rBSYhc6uohaCkJQvF2iBtdwcWwaxgMu7LwYuA4cs8bim2aFcgYOt5mXbVa7sYoaoU0I-H3REtOoT0LjuWLZEgOXDujpBNXkaN1FSGFErUHYdfsSZ/s4032/PXL_20240202_160120569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCH66y1JGfMzeQ45Whgzc6x_8A3VTzlbJ8fkn19C5ZTXvuXj-50XU9hLSNdsvSKbpTcK6E4w6mFZc7rBSYhc6uohaCkJQvF2iBtdwcWwaxgMu7LwYuA4cs8bim2aFcgYOt5mXbVa7sYoaoU0I-H3REtOoT0LjuWLZEgOXDujpBNXkaN1FSGFErUHYdfsSZ/w640-h480/PXL_20240202_160120569.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is not the Bahamas, but look at that clear water. I have a small lobster in my hand, but I had to throw it back. Where else can you get up in the morning and decide to go lobster hunting today?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoW8zNK3Pd_gEPRDX05W52jsY4yBHSFuEfmhcV1waJiof3FLqwFtcRPZilNFChwRczqBWV2abM9hdVbKZW8aQXpzigjbaaPLu27Rr5OcL5IsdXq9ujeu3anI2xWcNOgS3kLqOs0ASrHMa_TgVxs7SHMDg234nzjZwLLln-DGGTpMAPWvbsyqrYzxWEqMLx/s4032/PXL_20240217_155437913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoW8zNK3Pd_gEPRDX05W52jsY4yBHSFuEfmhcV1waJiof3FLqwFtcRPZilNFChwRczqBWV2abM9hdVbKZW8aQXpzigjbaaPLu27Rr5OcL5IsdXq9ujeu3anI2xWcNOgS3kLqOs0ASrHMa_TgVxs7SHMDg234nzjZwLLln-DGGTpMAPWvbsyqrYzxWEqMLx/w640-h480/PXL_20240217_155437913.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a great group of friends. The people that we have met are what makes Boot Key Harbor special. This was the day that Richard got baptized. He and his wife Theresa are on the left in this picture. Randy and Joni from South Dakota are in this shot also. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOIcBMzFPZpZMaGppmYz9MVsgXA4Lo7XF0Zo1IOwxYl6sLzeCdNiGn_3qqiffXrK40_Gs3wd3alW7wz_icO3LDD9hJ6gtwiLI1V92HQTzCiR94cU-49mg0_-zHv2sfyjlmusVKEmSwOxt7OGmHWjN8Q8NQI_gzJrm02aobdr7LDvYs9Pw5TGsxtDmOmkO/s4032/PXL_20240217_155353496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOIcBMzFPZpZMaGppmYz9MVsgXA4Lo7XF0Zo1IOwxYl6sLzeCdNiGn_3qqiffXrK40_Gs3wd3alW7wz_icO3LDD9hJ6gtwiLI1V92HQTzCiR94cU-49mg0_-zHv2sfyjlmusVKEmSwOxt7OGmHWjN8Q8NQI_gzJrm02aobdr7LDvYs9Pw5TGsxtDmOmkO/w640-h480/PXL_20240217_155353496.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have to get this Kim on a beach shot. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Our group in the picture above took a trip out to the north side of the Keys. An area that is referred to as the back country. We anchored off of a small Key called Tarpon Belly. We had a great time just exploring and enjoying each others company around our evening campfires. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8veJCXZxKcwhKIeUbQn_Ya2YE2UnmZLaEr6-_8qYOPIm7blo6SYiMemcCk_FhE8DnfSr1pd4m39ZL8zOR3i9owvJyvbc8BktD_NM8jCsWYecLY8_Xq0ZD3X3_MXiQvAGyXbwSwRz-jL-Ht0Vsf7LRvcU0CpaoetfqS-ki3M00g6wC6Ns_qLGjtdGjj3a/s4032/PXL_20240304_232416769.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg8veJCXZxKcwhKIeUbQn_Ya2YE2UnmZLaEr6-_8qYOPIm7blo6SYiMemcCk_FhE8DnfSr1pd4m39ZL8zOR3i9owvJyvbc8BktD_NM8jCsWYecLY8_Xq0ZD3X3_MXiQvAGyXbwSwRz-jL-Ht0Vsf7LRvcU0CpaoetfqS-ki3M00g6wC6Ns_qLGjtdGjj3a/w640-h480/PXL_20240304_232416769.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset from the beach at Tarpon Belly Key. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0cH-r8UQHA7SHV7ef-dep4HHBOGYYb8DBRIvSqu9G8u8RIrSQcMs7LBi0jgBOR0WfVA3RVlaeJdPJuIeQnOsR8mHmTE1BdMNjqyjEQ_ypOsrho35KKPv_cs3i79AL0rNHARoVATvcKcWf5YF66nV2VPxwPWconfVIiaC8D3K-c-F-THQeIG16GX7H-Wl/s4032/PXL_20240305_232833431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0cH-r8UQHA7SHV7ef-dep4HHBOGYYb8DBRIvSqu9G8u8RIrSQcMs7LBi0jgBOR0WfVA3RVlaeJdPJuIeQnOsR8mHmTE1BdMNjqyjEQ_ypOsrho35KKPv_cs3i79AL0rNHARoVATvcKcWf5YF66nV2VPxwPWconfVIiaC8D3K-c-F-THQeIG16GX7H-Wl/w640-h480/PXL_20240305_232833431.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had to bring our wood to burn, but it was a beautiful time. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKI0PaLsp36BxQESKZ15X0uhP-DbcDDazZvM6GCmSysm4I4z_y-8VJAW68cOGk8GGgyt9igI-mi_bFS6upEWq4D1ULJwtwLeHAh0f2Sd0wBiyHhguo8sb0g_K7upgHi9MWFMZHk3mgWIXaS-3gHm2MOotJzNm0KkGHFZjlMJge16HfF4BPqXHHucxPEuU/s4032/PXL_20240305_233501509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKI0PaLsp36BxQESKZ15X0uhP-DbcDDazZvM6GCmSysm4I4z_y-8VJAW68cOGk8GGgyt9igI-mi_bFS6upEWq4D1ULJwtwLeHAh0f2Sd0wBiyHhguo8sb0g_K7upgHi9MWFMZHk3mgWIXaS-3gHm2MOotJzNm0KkGHFZjlMJge16HfF4BPqXHHucxPEuU/w640-h480/PXL_20240305_233501509.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting sky led to some overnight storms, but we only saw 25 knots of wind.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MJ0QSlyEIUC3T81bmknlS_DZsRqbRF_htT1OSxrd_us4OkUP1nMsn6cF1rte2D_b5qjYgL52TIJ63AmKOqblzDkkuoinyZXe3QNbNK3kqGO3fLI-GzSGgE0BgvjAjVAMVRxlzdpufhy8IsUlyrgC0Q0wx5HmKR81rtjqeX8yosMRjYbZeAdk-1CGHke_/s2765/PXL_20240306_141720593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1726" data-original-width="2765" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MJ0QSlyEIUC3T81bmknlS_DZsRqbRF_htT1OSxrd_us4OkUP1nMsn6cF1rte2D_b5qjYgL52TIJ63AmKOqblzDkkuoinyZXe3QNbNK3kqGO3fLI-GzSGgE0BgvjAjVAMVRxlzdpufhy8IsUlyrgC0Q0wx5HmKR81rtjqeX8yosMRjYbZeAdk-1CGHke_/w640-h400/PXL_20240306_141720593.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard and Theresa and their boat called "It'll be all right". Great friends and great people. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0N8xqtyjsA_4pWhpWIducAZU6WU1tCxRMAncpMbXNIDBpHXE-iLttq3PJUKElbH00XG3OxQlJmzN_xmsJjk-itNKdmiUjw6A7s1W5EeSKMNRop0D90ZyGuoYJXZS9r6zYkQCtn5fInS6TGxdEkPfkAC1Hi8WnJiyQWC25I_erlqiqIzXvmw8ui7ftMBam/s983/PXL_20240307_150542204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="983" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0N8xqtyjsA_4pWhpWIducAZU6WU1tCxRMAncpMbXNIDBpHXE-iLttq3PJUKElbH00XG3OxQlJmzN_xmsJjk-itNKdmiUjw6A7s1W5EeSKMNRop0D90ZyGuoYJXZS9r6zYkQCtn5fInS6TGxdEkPfkAC1Hi8WnJiyQWC25I_erlqiqIzXvmw8ui7ftMBam/w640-h460/PXL_20240307_150542204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had an awesome sail back to Boot Key Harbor. She is a C&C Landfall 42. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our plan: We have been planning to sail back to Mobile Bay, Alabama and then take the Tenn-Tom waterway up to Kentucky Lake for the summer. We would like to sail our boat all summer without worrying about hurricanes. This is also about as close as we can get to our family, which would hopefully allow them to come and spend some time on the lake with us. </p><p>The problem with this plan started in January when the lock at Demopolis, Alabama had a major structural failure. The lock is totally shut down. I am getting weekly updates, but at this point it looks like it will be at least June before it is open. We need that lock to be open to make it to Kentucky.</p><p>We have two events that we would like to attend in Missouri. The first being a friend's wedding in late April and the second being our granddaughter's graduation on May 18. We looked at lots of options before we decided what to do. We have decided to return to Gulfport, Mississippi. We first need to move the truck from the Florida Keys to Gulfport. That is a 14-hour drive. We will do that next week. We will then rent a car to get back to Marathon. Then we will watch the weather for a good window to head north. We will sail about 600 nm to Gulfport. What we can drive in 14 hours will take us about 3 weeks. Of course, we will stop along the way and check out some of our favorite places, but we will need to keep moving when the weather allows. So, that's it, Gulfport here we come. It will be a bit over 500 nm from Gulfport up the rivers to Grand Rivers, KY. </p><p>Now we will have to begin saying goodbye to BKH. We have made so many friends here. I guess the only good news is that many of them have already left to go to the Bahamas or head back north. Some of them are still here and some even stay here in the harbor year-round. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhRIuhUND946X0vQmqHXh7rJwZIo6u-zucXPJ3ffWFGGjJWOWVxt6XG70huFsyZS7IxGanMUz2IgAr5j-Xm0R1oFSlXRqZ-QKX-OjoDzESNWKOKlY01BykWetNEMcnV7rZ8obMXMLESqyt0JgpnjdqIkU0rnIACTgpWrarQPKbkTxIWsFG-WVqM_4v5-d/s4032/PXL_20240217_231528395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPhRIuhUND946X0vQmqHXh7rJwZIo6u-zucXPJ3ffWFGGjJWOWVxt6XG70huFsyZS7IxGanMUz2IgAr5j-Xm0R1oFSlXRqZ-QKX-OjoDzESNWKOKlY01BykWetNEMcnV7rZ8obMXMLESqyt0JgpnjdqIkU0rnIACTgpWrarQPKbkTxIWsFG-WVqM_4v5-d/w640-h480/PXL_20240217_231528395.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what I will miss the most. Those beautiful sunsets over BKH while sitting in our cockpit.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>In my next entry, I will write about the beginning of our trip north. Come back to see how that goes. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-397800222672187452024-02-05T11:09:00.000-08:002024-02-05T11:09:30.036-08:00Our Life in Marathon on a Mooring Ball<p> In my last entry, I wrote about finally getting on a mooring ball in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, Florida. I wrote about the fact that getting on a ball was something that we were really looking forward to. Why is that so important? I will try to explain.</p><p>Last cruising season we made our dream come true and went to the Bahamas. It was beautiful as advertised, but the season was exhausting. We were on the move constantly and that requires significant effort and some stress. This year, we were really looking forward to being attached to a mooring ball and relaxing. We feel confident in the moorings in Boot Key Harbor and there is plenty to keep us as busy as we want to be. </p><p>Each morning, we start off by tuning in our VHF radio to channel 80a and listen and participate in the "Cruisers Net". This is a program that is run by the local cruisers that tells us what is going on in the area and also allows the boaters to ask for help or offer it. We also have a swap meet portion and then we have a trivia/joke section. It last about a half hour, but is a great way to start your day while eating your breakfast. </p><p>Many mornings, I then head off to play some Pickleball at the adjacent city park. I usually play 2 days out of the week. I then need a shower. It is warm down here in the Floriday Keys and I am soaked with sweat by the time I play for a couple of hours. It is a great work out. We have a very nice shower house with 12 individual shower rooms that are well maintained. </p><p>On Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at 2 we play Bocci Ball for a couple of hours. A social Happy Hour follows at one of the local restaurants. On Wednesday, we play Mexican Train Dominos at one. I have kind of become the organizer of the dominos. I make a radio announcement on the morning net and encourage others to join us. We have made a number of new friends while playing dominos. </p><p>We have a music jam session at our Tiki hut on Tuesday evening starting at 4. We have some very talented musicians in the harbor of over 200 boats. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMFx_dzp2InhLr1_eDXl1Fm4uCTjthm-pi5laXc7KPWdq5r1wRPUtHPl-I4epw50rM1dmF7toKGMevICH2-uL8hFO76SUZE-Rdso0tsVc2A5rI48qb5HpzhOxX3KVX_ayODqGqFZ8oNqMfwxvumNpYWmXbIFY7HzsI7cFFO870u78WGin2-t7ka0qEzdH/s4032/PXL_20240123_222845363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRMFx_dzp2InhLr1_eDXl1Fm4uCTjthm-pi5laXc7KPWdq5r1wRPUtHPl-I4epw50rM1dmF7toKGMevICH2-uL8hFO76SUZE-Rdso0tsVc2A5rI48qb5HpzhOxX3KVX_ayODqGqFZ8oNqMfwxvumNpYWmXbIFY7HzsI7cFFO870u78WGin2-t7ka0qEzdH/w640-h480/PXL_20240123_222845363.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of one of our jam sessions. Great music and everybody in encouraged to sing along. It amazes me how much equipment people carry on their boats.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We also have Cornhole on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening. I have only joined a couple of times, but I am getting better and hopefully will play more. </p><p>With all of that going on, we still find time to do our normal domestic stuff like shopping, laundry and taking care of the boat. It really is as busy of a week as we want. The best part is all of the friends we have made. </p><p>There is live music at many local watering holes. We made it out to see local "Trop Rock" legend Ty Thurman at Dockside one night. He was great as always. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxMxoXaL4gNFTEzY77_P1FM8yXogrxdqp4V904oTm7bEMDlQYea9FiLI9k6AfA9AXH3QpyoOpgmd56A1kfk9xGChLQWrGKlOtqmE0DKQ_Z4Ed7zw8X95kH24js_kYS4kAlwyip1p9IUxzr9fO-8SEkMaxMDI6quumhIMPnP2D0M30tzgfD34yXyXo4H3j/s4032/PXL_20240126_005142450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirxMxoXaL4gNFTEzY77_P1FM8yXogrxdqp4V904oTm7bEMDlQYea9FiLI9k6AfA9AXH3QpyoOpgmd56A1kfk9xGChLQWrGKlOtqmE0DKQ_Z4Ed7zw8X95kH24js_kYS4kAlwyip1p9IUxzr9fO-8SEkMaxMDI6quumhIMPnP2D0M30tzgfD34yXyXo4H3j/w640-h480/PXL_20240126_005142450.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ty Thurman on stage all by himself. He plays stuff kind of like Jimmy Buffet would have.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nx_K10Sfn4VQOH47v2i4pRfn3dX3fZLLsb2xMRnSGc9xHsmqbnitRRePtXJZkhCIWANUXFSgPYk7GjP9rJdLThV3c9X3Kg5PTyYexyuf1hA-bDxR2zY8Gud57a-DINXtyVUHwIm75U5IBMKT2xoQlw2-78XdZPg3SpBV3RIYcW9IebQwLoetrWX2h3_x/s4032/PXL_20240126_005157480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9nx_K10Sfn4VQOH47v2i4pRfn3dX3fZLLsb2xMRnSGc9xHsmqbnitRRePtXJZkhCIWANUXFSgPYk7GjP9rJdLThV3c9X3Kg5PTyYexyuf1hA-bDxR2zY8Gud57a-DINXtyVUHwIm75U5IBMKT2xoQlw2-78XdZPg3SpBV3RIYcW9IebQwLoetrWX2h3_x/w640-h480/PXL_20240126_005157480.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed the evening with Geoff and Marsha and Mike and Debbie. Great times!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our normal weekly activities keep us plenty busy, but there is more. During January, the Celtic Festival comes to the City Park. This year we decided to volunteer. We each worked a 3 hour shift helping park cars. For that we got a free T-shirt and free entry into the festival for the weekend. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9v0fYZ4zXgBLgnVUw7o-774EvfmGcbEQmTEIZRDImC6_SwaqlaIiLXL45IOflvmWVMnTH6EKmQHX8PQtOAKIvOxg8DrgLuQh739r7e8281Ua82E4XRv8DD5AOHrHWebhvWvb5ForEzaPX3D_spqHGKXxdlN2G1-iouueojJRw8d8PURlEiXnDIu8EnQ9/s4032/PXL_20240106_223848948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9v0fYZ4zXgBLgnVUw7o-774EvfmGcbEQmTEIZRDImC6_SwaqlaIiLXL45IOflvmWVMnTH6EKmQHX8PQtOAKIvOxg8DrgLuQh739r7e8281Ua82E4XRv8DD5AOHrHWebhvWvb5ForEzaPX3D_spqHGKXxdlN2G1-iouueojJRw8d8PURlEiXnDIu8EnQ9/w640-h480/PXL_20240106_223848948.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shot of the stage. There were bands from Irleand and Scotland. The music was great!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w4DFB8t0IuzmAaBNAY8L4tv873nFKmeuwuyRLIZeyRbcIO2ipS_Yqiwuh0gbce50D5b6QIqRF_JAddeOzdN3JFu6aoj-RVBCTMkgFcsPUQzYpKXIj1BuaXCWYy1hnaGcQasmXObqL0EZW7EMnA4mjFjlMLeH2ZMXnrKc9WUle6rpHeSatZMp-qATCj9w/s4032/PXL_20240106_223857177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0w4DFB8t0IuzmAaBNAY8L4tv873nFKmeuwuyRLIZeyRbcIO2ipS_Yqiwuh0gbce50D5b6QIqRF_JAddeOzdN3JFu6aoj-RVBCTMkgFcsPUQzYpKXIj1BuaXCWYy1hnaGcQasmXObqL0EZW7EMnA4mjFjlMLeH2ZMXnrKc9WUle6rpHeSatZMp-qATCj9w/w640-h480/PXL_20240106_223857177.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our great Friends Geoff and Marsha along with Kim sporting our "free" T-shirts. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Hov_lf7ZH7Pxuzf0wlmn5Sjgl8lR58TOrkA9Fo-yOZ4r0EAcUb8aQQZhMbi29OsWl_l2DO7fJajKrov0Iv403x-GCYUyiMsAlK1WlP7CzG160s9wlJ7DRjDRJMWPTLsVCouHKwOCcijF1BodsAT5wirVPAH79I61Rl2UCN4rzo0_d3PW7TzxNndc5xcD/s4032/PXL_20240106_223900225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Hov_lf7ZH7Pxuzf0wlmn5Sjgl8lR58TOrkA9Fo-yOZ4r0EAcUb8aQQZhMbi29OsWl_l2DO7fJajKrov0Iv403x-GCYUyiMsAlK1WlP7CzG160s9wlJ7DRjDRJMWPTLsVCouHKwOCcijF1BodsAT5wirVPAH79I61Rl2UCN4rzo0_d3PW7TzxNndc5xcD/w640-h480/PXL_20240106_223900225.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is Jonathon. He is an interesting story. He wanted to volunteer, but needed a ride in from his boat. We were happy to go pick him up. He spent the day with us. He was a great guy and reminded us of our son, Scott. I promise there was tobacco in that pipe he is smoking. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I was sitting on deck last night as the sun set thinking about our life here. There are days when the weather is perfect and days when it is windy, but this is an awesome place to spend the winter. To spend time in the Keys in an RV will cost you about $4000 per month for a space in a parking lot. We spend a little over $400 a month to moor our boat in Boot Key harbor and that includes our dinghy dock and shower/laundry access. We love it here. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlew8G4-jurRdWRmYMa7_bTL6Nkv7qKm2w1uQbMzlPtbPHBMod1PkB9d4jBJk1p3mIZbQeHcpIAnC0AcWvy-M9wvb6oL-4PyrR9rzzPRbCzACG5M9Y5yVzN8l5-qeo4xBazT6JGoSQ0tUJhwHN9ODPx68uLxHU7iJ7Mr7F-4pL_geiyIin5sAz4PDE5RQV/s4032/PXL_20240115_225639766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlew8G4-jurRdWRmYMa7_bTL6Nkv7qKm2w1uQbMzlPtbPHBMod1PkB9d4jBJk1p3mIZbQeHcpIAnC0AcWvy-M9wvb6oL-4PyrR9rzzPRbCzACG5M9Y5yVzN8l5-qeo4xBazT6JGoSQ0tUJhwHN9ODPx68uLxHU7iJ7Mr7F-4pL_geiyIin5sAz4PDE5RQV/w640-h480/PXL_20240115_225639766.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my view on this calm night. Look at all of those masts.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHsesmlfNch6jS9Rvr4XIcxGAaM_ebTVKrugWD-5QKJNVRd8ZiUTb4e4fahn1bEvjfHyzNC1oQS15FGdf8VuF0xrt1B4MgA1maFXUdmzP_bvpF_m7DMxom9njr_m_1fT_Q4CiOKbrjl3S3JONBSp3ZwYiL1UgkkhW8602WWTJNxKVWgr61gMDY2CrnmbW/s4032/PXL_20240115_230420452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHsesmlfNch6jS9Rvr4XIcxGAaM_ebTVKrugWD-5QKJNVRd8ZiUTb4e4fahn1bEvjfHyzNC1oQS15FGdf8VuF0xrt1B4MgA1maFXUdmzP_bvpF_m7DMxom9njr_m_1fT_Q4CiOKbrjl3S3JONBSp3ZwYiL1UgkkhW8602WWTJNxKVWgr61gMDY2CrnmbW/w640-h480/PXL_20240115_230420452.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are over 200 boats in the harbor.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>That is what our life looks like here in Marathon. In my next entry, I will write about some other activities I like to do that can only be done in this area. I will also write about a visit from some special friends. </p><p><br /></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-71127287174187672842024-01-21T10:47:00.000-08:002024-01-21T10:47:24.836-08:00We Made It!<p> In my last entry I wrote about our time in Sombrero Marina in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, Florida. The problem was that our time there was coming to an end. We had to be out of our slip on January 1. We had moved up the list for mooring balls at the Marathon City Marina, but we were still waiting. There are places to anchor in the harbor, but they are all full of other boats, many also waiting for a mooring ball. We really did not want to anchor there. </p><p>While we were at Sombrero Marina I had been going for daily walks. Much to my surprise, there is a golf course just south. I was able to walk around the perimeter of the golf course and get in about 2 miles. I was planning to get in a round of golf, but the rain and bad weather did not make that possible. While I was on my walks, I noticed a small basin of water. There were a few boats anchored in the basin including 4 sailboats. There was still plenty of room for more boats. I looked at my nautical charts and found that we should be able to get in there by traveling through a maze of manmade canals. It looked like a great spot. I checked with a number of the experienced boaters in the city marina, and they confirmed that it was possible. The only downside was a half hour long dinghy ride to the city marina to use the facilities there. That is also where we would move the truck. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzU-zLt56fQt8kZnrI0GTpy3d-uRCyMJDvv3-VvEFNbNzGlGHcEvWCDxtLsYpZmcd4Uej9rJCELbCFfLoM0EFaQYGmtgLMj14WUlDjWsUJiWa1_TJIzJKdr62cVOa3HqOpTNKzJtOu8lFCkiwLsRDSroBbHk9NS5MI6NVVN0x5qzesa_mC_vTkeyreppH/s1742/PXL_20231230_155819069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1742" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdzU-zLt56fQt8kZnrI0GTpy3d-uRCyMJDvv3-VvEFNbNzGlGHcEvWCDxtLsYpZmcd4Uej9rJCELbCFfLoM0EFaQYGmtgLMj14WUlDjWsUJiWa1_TJIzJKdr62cVOa3HqOpTNKzJtOu8lFCkiwLsRDSroBbHk9NS5MI6NVVN0x5qzesa_mC_vTkeyreppH/w640-h316/PXL_20231230_155819069.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture of an Ibis while I was out on one of my walks. This one is for you Mom.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRRkH8QVLSgCB110lPg-xwi58JOgm23EJq2rEFUdjJVloYu37X264_5nAHBtuFSCiRVlqTa2k_XojvIVZ5O5WVF97EbPkd0N8_UlNneG4qjbIQkb7rJFWYeSg5PVFdD5eEegt55mzm9j5friIt13HWyuqp-dwWi41FOB1twyNXy8yg0Z8lrDlXKCP0f7o/s1328/PXL_20231230_155834453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1328" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyRRkH8QVLSgCB110lPg-xwi58JOgm23EJq2rEFUdjJVloYu37X264_5nAHBtuFSCiRVlqTa2k_XojvIVZ5O5WVF97EbPkd0N8_UlNneG4qjbIQkb7rJFWYeSg5PVFdD5eEegt55mzm9j5friIt13HWyuqp-dwWi41FOB1twyNXy8yg0Z8lrDlXKCP0f7o/w640-h460/PXL_20231230_155834453.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a couple more Ibis walking by a house under construction</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOz4Lf_uDSEkK4ltHUcCo6_LGtxIsYHTKwnJUJW7rsW_aH5zMTHxRf3k5vDnKh_n-wYqznT54MSiAZdbkGjYR_MrNDa0fcmepI2usdtMZceTnSgoTsjnhIe5P8brYcfaNOsyHfET6xHn3Il847gJ5bOH5cx2fLUodPpBV8viiV2xLWav1vGB39h9lGYjI/s4032/PXL_20231230_225301440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLOz4Lf_uDSEkK4ltHUcCo6_LGtxIsYHTKwnJUJW7rsW_aH5zMTHxRf3k5vDnKh_n-wYqznT54MSiAZdbkGjYR_MrNDa0fcmepI2usdtMZceTnSgoTsjnhIe5P8brYcfaNOsyHfET6xHn3Il847gJ5bOH5cx2fLUodPpBV8viiV2xLWav1vGB39h9lGYjI/w640-h480/PXL_20231230_225301440.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky for us the weather got very calm on New Years Eve. This made it much easier to move the boat. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were up early on New Years Day. We had a very calm morning and that made it easier to move the boat. We disconnected all the lines and backed out of the slip without incident. We then motored through the canals on our way to the basin that I had seen on my walks. I watched the depth instrument closely as we cruised along at about 3 knots. Most of the way it was around 8 feet deep, which is plenty for our 4.5 foot draft. </p><p>Once we arrived in the basin, I was shocked to see the water got much deeper. We had over 15 feet of water where we decided to drop the hook. We were able to lay out 100+ feet of chain and the anchor set on the first try. We settled in to life at anchor and we loved it. It was very calm and quiet. A far cry from the noise in the marina. This is much more to our liking.</p><p>We made our daily trips to the city marina to play either Bocci Ball, Pickleball or Dominos. We also made it for a Friday night Happy Hour that is the social event for the week. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAALV3wJmASjmMUU_1rGopgXdtmmCoGv5HnQFA9Sy8vlHScizmaIZMfB04r-hI6OtUZPrJdZKCoMqT03eMEat-vygmzDudyBpqGvhwU6-1g4XyjZzLZse48LiKQE75bw6l6yKbL7W_f3rj2AwB8ydBzlp2rL_G83ZBH5EsF_xTTK3N4OhRgSO1DkYokR_L/s4032/PXL_20240102_115607172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAALV3wJmASjmMUU_1rGopgXdtmmCoGv5HnQFA9Sy8vlHScizmaIZMfB04r-hI6OtUZPrJdZKCoMqT03eMEat-vygmzDudyBpqGvhwU6-1g4XyjZzLZse48LiKQE75bw6l6yKbL7W_f3rj2AwB8ydBzlp2rL_G83ZBH5EsF_xTTK3N4OhRgSO1DkYokR_L/w640-h480/PXL_20240102_115607172.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful night in our little basin. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kQCb0zGlN9aq8xN53YeYp9OtijcLT54dbJc_a7CY98NOL9Ybbo7f34Tdi1CwjZDmYQ1Geaeaq0UWpsaxAQpSRKLJZ_hfNYgTmuPRATOkC4SFUfly_HWUvUN67rgXZmZUgPpId_0LA0K5yKNgfreN6tdqTnfcgcQ9kNTZstZkZ7c-NCnkFU4nXqqZDsUC/s3264/PXL_20240102_192637048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kQCb0zGlN9aq8xN53YeYp9OtijcLT54dbJc_a7CY98NOL9Ybbo7f34Tdi1CwjZDmYQ1Geaeaq0UWpsaxAQpSRKLJZ_hfNYgTmuPRATOkC4SFUfly_HWUvUN67rgXZmZUgPpId_0LA0K5yKNgfreN6tdqTnfcgcQ9kNTZstZkZ7c-NCnkFU4nXqqZDsUC/w640-h480/PXL_20240102_192637048.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best part of our lifestyle is reconnecting with some great friends. We had met Geoff and Marcia back in 2019 and it has been so great spending time with them again. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVFsMsBawNnc9z_VCv-1Ixehyphenhyphenm1taQvOf8LQIn7ba6ueAP5EFDS8_0h3-p5oQ1Hm5dO8IRxnl2SFQ4LCrk8Y4FeF_1ornuBNiHbZFT3k6uI1eOTPQqsgO-bymhafanHsZkVmiIbUwOgRYH6kr1IRN7C4INPcNDnlWRmlrdUG3pYDin12VUn_OLx3sCwow/s4032/PXL_20240102_192650902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVFsMsBawNnc9z_VCv-1Ixehyphenhyphenm1taQvOf8LQIn7ba6ueAP5EFDS8_0h3-p5oQ1Hm5dO8IRxnl2SFQ4LCrk8Y4FeF_1ornuBNiHbZFT3k6uI1eOTPQqsgO-bymhafanHsZkVmiIbUwOgRYH6kr1IRN7C4INPcNDnlWRmlrdUG3pYDin12VUn_OLx3sCwow/w640-h480/PXL_20240102_192650902.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A day on the Bocci Ball courts. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxTJfiAxww1GX96-MAN91RwPCCiODQnDZdP8jbJbfecQjxdoph_YF27pNrpYzfFgj42X85PkVXvII5Yg73pZYm8RUxYEYicftVK3thusDWUQoLEc2YaatTgKNSSKvfVgy9UJcYuN7Y0BwR7Fgkq0E3m8jUVdUbqBEI951Ul0B6SeP6i8BtKy8rEuaBmMD/s4032/PXL_20240102_224610511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxTJfiAxww1GX96-MAN91RwPCCiODQnDZdP8jbJbfecQjxdoph_YF27pNrpYzfFgj42X85PkVXvII5Yg73pZYm8RUxYEYicftVK3thusDWUQoLEc2YaatTgKNSSKvfVgy9UJcYuN7Y0BwR7Fgkq0E3m8jUVdUbqBEI951Ul0B6SeP6i8BtKy8rEuaBmMD/w640-h480/PXL_20240102_224610511.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last night in our beautiful little basin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KHN6D-eUJRS2Rx7zEzT9jFQWPxeuQ81eMGNvXG4E7IJcTzMbgao65J8YAtWlArAgZO_9x_XOOlPJnZzVSfqk63PiEF6H2hVf0V3a7f84xdMjMto_-BemAxyOjPJYWbSQ76mvngEL1m2rrtvyna-oGSR3jJO0OU3zKlEk_NtPnANRYwEDuspXKX8mA2dD/s4032/PXL_20240103_230348470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9KHN6D-eUJRS2Rx7zEzT9jFQWPxeuQ81eMGNvXG4E7IJcTzMbgao65J8YAtWlArAgZO_9x_XOOlPJnZzVSfqk63PiEF6H2hVf0V3a7f84xdMjMto_-BemAxyOjPJYWbSQ76mvngEL1m2rrtvyna-oGSR3jJO0OU3zKlEk_NtPnANRYwEDuspXKX8mA2dD/w640-h480/PXL_20240103_230348470.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were on our way to the marina and saw this catamaran looking for a place to anchor. We stopped them and told them about our little slice of heaven. They joined us and stayed for a couple of weeks through some strong storms. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On January 3rd, we were up in the marina main building, which is a large room which houses the marina office and a bunch of tables. That is where we play dominos. I had asked the person working the desk about any progress on our mooring ball and she told me she needed to talk to the manager. While I was sitting there playing dominos, she gave me the come here finger sign and I sprang to my feet. She gave me our mooring ball assignment. What a huge relief. We had some strong winds coming in the next few days and even though I am sure we would be fine in our little basin, I would much prefer to be on a ball. </p><p>The forecast was for very light winds the following morning. We were up early and moving to our new home. We attached to ball C-12 and then let out a huge sigh of relief. It felt like the end of a long journey that had started on October 31 in Brunswick, Georgia. The goal all along was to get to Marathon and enjoy the months of January and February on a mooring. We were here and now let the games begin!</p><p>Why were we so looking forward to getting to Marathon? I will tell you all about our life here in my next entries. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-60187665086800556892024-01-08T12:55:00.000-08:002024-01-08T12:55:51.886-08:00Major Storm Coming<p> In my last entry, I wrote about our trip down the Florida coast and then down the Florida Keys to Marathon. I had been watching the weather closely and knew that a major storm was coming. The expectation was winds to around 40 knots that would last for almost a week. We arrived in Marathon on December 6th and the storm was expected to arrive on December 11th. </p><p>When we arrived, we went into the harbor with SHIFT and looked for a place to anchor. The problem was that the mooring field was in a state of disrepair. We heard that a major storm about a month prior had seen two moorings fail causing the boats that were attached to be set free to be sent into shallow water. This event caused the marina management to fire the company that was maintaining the moorings and hire a new one. The new one had to go to all 200+ moorings and inspect them. Many had failed the inspection, and they were now fixing enough moorings to move the existing boats around to safe places. This left the new arrivals to find a place to anchor. </p><p>I did not feel comfortable with any of the anchor spots inside the harbor. They were overcrowded and that left no ability to let out enough chain to ensure good holding. We decided to leave the harbor and anchor on the west end of the Key. We had decent protection from the North and East but were totally exposed to the South and West. We stayed there for 4 days. We went to shore and discussed our options with other boaters. Our close friends, Richard and Theresa were going home for Christmas, so they decided to bite the bullet and get a slip in a marina. They told us that there was another slip available in that same marina. We decided to check it out. We went by Sombrero Marina and saw the slip. We would be right next to the restaurant/bar. They have live entertainment 7 nights a week. They play until 10 pm on weekdays and 11 pm on weekends. The cost would be $1500 for three weeks. We would have to leave the slip on January 1. I was unsure, but Kim was adamant that we should stay outside and ride it out. On the 9th, Richard and Theresa invited us to their boat for dinner. The slip was still available and I decided that we should take the slip. Kim told me "NO!". She rarely does that, but for some reason in this case, she was sure. We went out to our boat and the water was rough with a good swell out of the south. We had a lengthy middle of night discussion on the subject and decided that we would take the slip the following morning if it was still available. </p><p>I called the marina the following morning and was very relieved that the slip was still available. We were ready to move on in by around 10 am. Richard and Theresa were there to greet us and help us with our lines. It felt great to get the boat secure and have access to water and power. Kim got right to work washing all of the salt off of the boat from our "sporty" sail down from Rodriguez Key a few days before. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3t2g6WVSq9eERWDJ6bvdjYVv-muwd-OnJslU40RfFWPq6kyh-Lbwn27QMyGS692NAxHGSrnYvV7L5yFHjOmy43rutBtrn5eawsx5NaO6Mu6yD9n46es5TrjFYWBgmoOrpq3fVA9dc_FwXbTwD6G7gNQOzXR1GyW9GYZRVQUlqxZ2IWOtnqXUqpgh1ew9/s4032/PXL_20231218_195703944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3t2g6WVSq9eERWDJ6bvdjYVv-muwd-OnJslU40RfFWPq6kyh-Lbwn27QMyGS692NAxHGSrnYvV7L5yFHjOmy43rutBtrn5eawsx5NaO6Mu6yD9n46es5TrjFYWBgmoOrpq3fVA9dc_FwXbTwD6G7gNQOzXR1GyW9GYZRVQUlqxZ2IWOtnqXUqpgh1ew9/w640-h480/PXL_20231218_195703944.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of SHIFT in her slip at Sombrero Marina</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53f7yElNx71raUBU83HBIWE3xhj-COJnKsa57OJGLNxyDIGikkm7hyphenhyphenkbdDlJtoNz86qTTVI6CSD6urldtKKBSjpqMBPCxZ_AbbIZ6zHwC2bygIYjpVJjqzFSGfnJiuw8SF3FTfCRrGzJ9pJWp0YO1T6NXM5jytdIDyHHUAhHgsfH-Daok1SXSz3YFy4u6/s4032/PXL_20231218_195713640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53f7yElNx71raUBU83HBIWE3xhj-COJnKsa57OJGLNxyDIGikkm7hyphenhyphenkbdDlJtoNz86qTTVI6CSD6urldtKKBSjpqMBPCxZ_AbbIZ6zHwC2bygIYjpVJjqzFSGfnJiuw8SF3FTfCRrGzJ9pJWp0YO1T6NXM5jytdIDyHHUAhHgsfH-Daok1SXSz3YFy4u6/w640-h480/PXL_20231218_195713640.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see that the restaurant is right next door. This is an open-air restaurant/bar, so there is not sound protection for us. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Our first day in the marina was also the lighted boat parade. The judges were in the restaurant right next to us. The restaurant is called "Dockside". </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvsw7bkMS3G2hePjZF3rXoYRn7KwfyzmdnFLExBRW0Bs1rOadOiXT8q3ibJSoWygtnI1cF2Y6hCnnUKAkrakUHvaQtBgq3f-lMSbfAhpGdpjbly6MwKiKyxaFKiiRP2CZVoX056VU9BoPvcjIiFWfSdrYYv4szLLx7QFdRWatjSpXx7Ap5n6rJJ6ZBFxV/s4032/PXL_20231209_233640649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFvsw7bkMS3G2hePjZF3rXoYRn7KwfyzmdnFLExBRW0Bs1rOadOiXT8q3ibJSoWygtnI1cF2Y6hCnnUKAkrakUHvaQtBgq3f-lMSbfAhpGdpjbly6MwKiKyxaFKiiRP2CZVoX056VU9BoPvcjIiFWfSdrYYv4szLLx7QFdRWatjSpXx7Ap5n6rJJ6ZBFxV/w640-h480/PXL_20231209_233640649.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They have lights in the water. It is cool to see all of the fish that swim by. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt5gu0PPvFHrWsJl_q-yjffr-lpmjic0-3StuhLK_wZrnhd6Ylk4AlDjEkmE8imy3wLYKLnxUHvM4JOV_4COYC41nYDmMhahRQ734Om3-Wv8Ny67-Q2B70jpNZut9reuu-jHJFk7MXnQK-HDqmgp7Mj5KyWnDOGu7_TIHdppSNR1Fjf5vHzoT88zkf0y2/s4032/PXL_20231209_233923059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlt5gu0PPvFHrWsJl_q-yjffr-lpmjic0-3StuhLK_wZrnhd6Ylk4AlDjEkmE8imy3wLYKLnxUHvM4JOV_4COYC41nYDmMhahRQ734Om3-Wv8Ny67-Q2B70jpNZut9reuu-jHJFk7MXnQK-HDqmgp7Mj5KyWnDOGu7_TIHdppSNR1Fjf5vHzoT88zkf0y2/w640-h480/PXL_20231209_233923059.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of our solar powered Christmas lights in our cockpit.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylGYIwjhVTdAzx28mJsRl0F5n5Ai1LU1waaFsFARUs4gr3eQjsLe4ghWgM8H_d_UOOPf-iCeFK1qdMZEGsjW3Dr8VpqAQO8Eygqdbmja3lfg1aUIUWmT6hdqk_88nKwpHCJqLE_5SPtAa3Cz8QSPz5Zi0hLzd8E704yyrzDLn5q6D1kc6bhyphenhyphenF8SoGXp0M/s4032/PXL_20231209_234035917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylGYIwjhVTdAzx28mJsRl0F5n5Ai1LU1waaFsFARUs4gr3eQjsLe4ghWgM8H_d_UOOPf-iCeFK1qdMZEGsjW3Dr8VpqAQO8Eygqdbmja3lfg1aUIUWmT6hdqk_88nKwpHCJqLE_5SPtAa3Cz8QSPz5Zi0hLzd8E704yyrzDLn5q6D1kc6bhyphenhyphenF8SoGXp0M/w640-h480/PXL_20231209_234035917.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is one of the better boats</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGBcpBOb-yNfyA_F0Aon8MgQ3GDo3vYeWZaF98Jva4mvrqSwRSXpMeq-A3qbWc0Xp8_ISmafziPvIs4NT_ccc-3j70PX8vQURdk-2GaDO5ckByDGnP50mbqCvpOg2GcqeoI1HwAOqKwhM5OWLk_o7y1_pWakvnbDrQ1WmGjAbfW_fB7w_8IzRJN6Q_KM_/s4032/PXL_20231209_234616855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGBcpBOb-yNfyA_F0Aon8MgQ3GDo3vYeWZaF98Jva4mvrqSwRSXpMeq-A3qbWc0Xp8_ISmafziPvIs4NT_ccc-3j70PX8vQURdk-2GaDO5ckByDGnP50mbqCvpOg2GcqeoI1HwAOqKwhM5OWLk_o7y1_pWakvnbDrQ1WmGjAbfW_fB7w_8IzRJN6Q_KM_/w640-h480/PXL_20231209_234616855.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one was pretty good. It made for a fun night.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The following day a friend named Roland, who has been coming to Marathon for the season for a very long time celebrated his 87th birthday. He got up on stage to dance and sing. He always does. He invited us to his 83rd birthday 4 years ago just as we arrived. It was a fun time and great to see a bunch of old friends and make a bunch of new ones. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgbcygm182jDwu5wIMZjBpSHUJ3LRSbo4_V_43FqdtHhdk8oP-2Fx-zgkf9Rhxu3CG8k24yYgRdC0Bau-htYmkUa0a6K-TXd3glcB2NsBNsbjtD68cJ06meQLfdB1LAUbZUur6zDzPp6SxNzd_2CmkbIGzHKRHlS3vV9foy9nXjDzI2BVN5hxDo7tLoUJ/s4032/PXL_20231214_210408463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgbcygm182jDwu5wIMZjBpSHUJ3LRSbo4_V_43FqdtHhdk8oP-2Fx-zgkf9Rhxu3CG8k24yYgRdC0Bau-htYmkUa0a6K-TXd3glcB2NsBNsbjtD68cJ06meQLfdB1LAUbZUur6zDzPp6SxNzd_2CmkbIGzHKRHlS3vV9foy9nXjDzI2BVN5hxDo7tLoUJ/w640-h480/PXL_20231214_210408463.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of these people were there for the party. We even had live entertainment. We only had to walk about 50 feet from our boat for the party.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgE-oxT0tePLxrhxPrSMobZJM-NbIcnbmTrs3LF6hIkTcIYg4RZykZL_H_TOGpdrgJtLOSqKhmw_2a-nFZ6oPPbEAHlesMnro6C6FtqsJdMJl5THtpTk-mo-DmqUzYwO4mw7d_hcTssIHjiUvE3OceRSdiOqEk1VEMvQbSs9PZ0RSOIBq1hGjyTqV6pMk/s4032/PXL_20231214_210416139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgE-oxT0tePLxrhxPrSMobZJM-NbIcnbmTrs3LF6hIkTcIYg4RZykZL_H_TOGpdrgJtLOSqKhmw_2a-nFZ6oPPbEAHlesMnro6C6FtqsJdMJl5THtpTk-mo-DmqUzYwO4mw7d_hcTssIHjiUvE3OceRSdiOqEk1VEMvQbSs9PZ0RSOIBq1hGjyTqV6pMk/w640-h480/PXL_20231214_210416139.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of Kim on the right and our good friends Richard and Theresa. It was a fun, albiet a bit cool night. The storm arrived the next day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The storm turned out to be not just one storm. It hit with winds over 30 knots, but we barely felt it tucked in our slip. You could hear the wind howling in the rigging and I even got Kim to admit that I was right, and she was glad to be tucked into this slip even though it set us back a bit. </p><p>It stayed windy and it rained hard for most of the next week. One morning we had gale warnings and we saw some winds approaching 50 knots. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULqgPvezzq13LWCzqRi6CouM3kfC8pQHRSrKcNj17y3I9GKti5ZjOOkDPSt62lmx4zUCpciSVuZ9wS8v-I0UYRKDOP3MUu1hViCGV2fxcNFC2gfJhJ_jRDD-V9Ufr3h920W0cWbOCVdhAgJoDJo_FIm7DFxQJPRYTSfMUQlV3cTUXw9734ZXR70a1ZJ-R/s4032/PXL_20231217_042147203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULqgPvezzq13LWCzqRi6CouM3kfC8pQHRSrKcNj17y3I9GKti5ZjOOkDPSt62lmx4zUCpciSVuZ9wS8v-I0UYRKDOP3MUu1hViCGV2fxcNFC2gfJhJ_jRDD-V9Ufr3h920W0cWbOCVdhAgJoDJo_FIm7DFxQJPRYTSfMUQlV3cTUXw9734ZXR70a1ZJ-R/w640-h480/PXL_20231217_042147203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That 47.9 maximum wind speed came on the 17th of December. We felt that one.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_d25gimpROXQ7E7lbiuKGP1QmL1NuoVNS7BstiSRGWmPQR1Jphl_4jriq3dV8R-PRrsELun6gJZh6VpIWbvJW69YgAPD4Z0-0ImDuwlfxo2v4UK7BAacGVR_AOdKMxXVgTVWnHjhvgnLsTya-uoZ0RTJx4r00_BheQtT58r9ioH1j4Ya_vSEOefEPwpH/s4032/PXL_20231217_132644719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_d25gimpROXQ7E7lbiuKGP1QmL1NuoVNS7BstiSRGWmPQR1Jphl_4jriq3dV8R-PRrsELun6gJZh6VpIWbvJW69YgAPD4Z0-0ImDuwlfxo2v4UK7BAacGVR_AOdKMxXVgTVWnHjhvgnLsTya-uoZ0RTJx4r00_BheQtT58r9ioH1j4Ya_vSEOefEPwpH/w640-h480/PXL_20231217_132644719.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The truck was sitting in about a foot of water after the worst of it. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On the subject of the truck, it had continued to start intermittently. I went over all of the sensors and even disconnected and reconnected the one that I thought may be the problem. Ever since then it has started every time. I am just hoping that continues. (That is as of this writing on 1/8/24) </p><p>I spent much of my time in the marina doing maintenance to the boat. I also fixed the failed bilge pump switch. that failed in Jacksonville. I was very happy to find out they covered the 4-year-old switch failure under warranty. It was a very productive time. We are now ready to move north, when that time comes. I can now focus on having fun!</p><p>As we got closer to Christmas the weather got a bit better, but it was still much windier and colder than normal. We had a great Christmas dinner potluck at the city marina with all of the other cruisers. We made some new friends, and all is right with our world. It felt strange to go to and from the city marina in the truck rather than our dinghy, but that was just easier. We got right into Pickleball, Bocci Ball and Dominos. Not to mention the Friday night Happy Hours and other social events. We just love this place!</p><p>They finally started giving away mooring balls just before Christmas and many of our friends got one. We did not and when we checked with the office we were #2 on the list, but they did not know when they would hand out more. Our time to leave the marina was coming quickly and we were getting nervous. </p><p>What would we do? Well, you are going to have to wait for my next entry to find out what we did. I will tell you now, it all turned out pretty awesome. </p><p><br /></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-6277559374707669202023-12-24T09:53:00.000-08:002023-12-24T09:53:11.664-08:00Offshore Passage to Marathon in the Florida Keys<p> After getting back to Vero Beach from our very rushed time in Missouri for Thanksgiving, we settled in and started getting ready for our move down to Marathon. We had arrived back in Vero on November 24th. I started watching the weather and saw a great opportunity on December 3-6.</p><p>The plan was to motor south on the ICW on Sunday, December 3rd to the Fort Pierce Inlet and anchor there for the night. I was a bit shaken by the problem with the truck that I wrote about in my previous entry, but I really had no choice, but to head south when the weather allowed. This time of year the windows are few and far between. As I am writing this, we were right. There was not another window until after Christmas that would be at all comfortable. </p><p>We were eager to go on Sunday morning. We dropped the mooring lines and said goodbye to Kurt and Libee. We went to the marina and filled our freshwater tank and then made the easy trip down to Fort Pierce. We then had a pleasant afternoon watching the boats coming in and out of the inlet and the families playing on the beach. After dark the boat traffic stopped and so did the wind. We had a quiet night. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qp603A_3IKltJuPSWTA0iBKSiq9PSXzWhjgUjW0LzPVqpTXE-uzxs41G7lQrBFFMNiBUsWehyphenhyphennSAP11MrAAiXgGImCoTSe8i4ipJdLL9JV7Q4KPBZrM0Sy1iCT5DW0R5Oa2kg3mrWjWE_LaVGVK_NJHiFzSWLnB1AtX5teuIaEWJimnM37DJbmx8IwwL/s4032/PXL_20231203_222925361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7qp603A_3IKltJuPSWTA0iBKSiq9PSXzWhjgUjW0LzPVqpTXE-uzxs41G7lQrBFFMNiBUsWehyphenhyphennSAP11MrAAiXgGImCoTSe8i4ipJdLL9JV7Q4KPBZrM0Sy1iCT5DW0R5Oa2kg3mrWjWE_LaVGVK_NJHiFzSWLnB1AtX5teuIaEWJimnM37DJbmx8IwwL/w640-h480/PXL_20231203_222925361.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice sunset at the Fort Pierce Inlet</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLe15Nzn4v2TWk9UWVeSaKgtGzmFWF_ZwntnYkickmtZ1TafuYhvVS_6lSR_-ttzqxgDY7sPWsAz7nZWBEZfEW5tB3G-PbH2Vqkzy4fJhV7UTuRR7KfLi1j9BZD8fTYFOmIjGXCh1GZehd26DbJclgO0GOoEA90bnwbaCSgE0UnIDXPT1VusHBZSZBc89W/s4032/PXL_20231203_222943770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLe15Nzn4v2TWk9UWVeSaKgtGzmFWF_ZwntnYkickmtZ1TafuYhvVS_6lSR_-ttzqxgDY7sPWsAz7nZWBEZfEW5tB3G-PbH2Vqkzy4fJhV7UTuRR7KfLi1j9BZD8fTYFOmIjGXCh1GZehd26DbJclgO0GOoEA90bnwbaCSgE0UnIDXPT1VusHBZSZBc89W/w640-h480/PXL_20231203_222943770.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many other boats around waiting for their time to go. Little did we know that another boat was near us that we would later meet in Marathon. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>My calculations showed that we could make it to Marathon before dark on Tuesday if we could leave by around 5 am and then maintain 6 knots. So, we were up before 5 and got the boat ready to go. I raised the mainsail at anchor, so that I would not have to do that in the ocean swell offshore. The wind was light, so that was no big deal except it was very dark with no moon. We had current behind us as we headed out the inlet and quickly were moving more than 7 knots over ground. This is when I almost made a big mistake. When going out to sea, you should keep the red bouys to port and the green to starboard. There were two bright green lights that confused me. I was standing at the helm and not watching my chart plotter closely enough because it was too bright and was hurting my night vision. Those green lights were actually on range finders and they were on the north side of the inlet. Luckily I check my chart plotter and saw my mistake and did not run aground on the rocks. Those lights should be red, I have no idea why they are green. </p><p>Fort Pierce inlet is notorious for rough conditions on the ebbing tide, but with the light swell and no wind it was a fairly smooth. Before long we made the turn south and we were on our way. We put up full sails, but only had about 6 knots of breeze, so we motor sailed at a little over 6 knots. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHPO6miW4isowlGoI12H157-q_lHGdhSH7YB45wjhaPvrNIZFqC79jhCqm1-KbRC-HEYK5HrAPxNeDpLmbuQ9x93B99bF2T1CcSd8uK6p5w2B0Z3HPpMDLjRX-98q1MCwLHrM7Lg-dAe-uzlGEJr8GeJ8AK0mlh4ncAg9_bfATkJ2uLr3ueu89aNAHwhz/s4032/PXL_20231204_111120613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHPO6miW4isowlGoI12H157-q_lHGdhSH7YB45wjhaPvrNIZFqC79jhCqm1-KbRC-HEYK5HrAPxNeDpLmbuQ9x93B99bF2T1CcSd8uK6p5w2B0Z3HPpMDLjRX-98q1MCwLHrM7Lg-dAe-uzlGEJr8GeJ8AK0mlh4ncAg9_bfATkJ2uLr3ueu89aNAHwhz/w640-h480/PXL_20231204_111120613.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwkYWxwjEGIM8e5H-cNaYl1T8BC0eZ8jfon4WpKiLacayoh3V11XR6DuJ4_nZQ3tAAC5bffucJVgpo-DtSXj1rypFIXMZrGEw4pRB0bTinmVSMd81_pS1pBJa5ddjk57Xhf0KHrGKN_CBs9Vt04S3fhyqefAiB0sF1Lw8F0KDQoYJzT-VwKmdDba2i_nI/s4032/PXL_20231204_111123350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwkYWxwjEGIM8e5H-cNaYl1T8BC0eZ8jfon4WpKiLacayoh3V11XR6DuJ4_nZQ3tAAC5bffucJVgpo-DtSXj1rypFIXMZrGEw4pRB0bTinmVSMd81_pS1pBJa5ddjk57Xhf0KHrGKN_CBs9Vt04S3fhyqefAiB0sF1Lw8F0KDQoYJzT-VwKmdDba2i_nI/w640-h480/PXL_20231204_111123350.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite time of day to be at sea. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTkxiQk6EtryTS99PDCOTiqMhI_6C8rgInGJEYByILPvjL2knik-ZaNP4VO-JGzNz65HzaooJ0dsgxzZz9wkoy2bRqiCF78evJDx7PHzQu6fbKd1w7oHwsLQeRzWliygS4hHYoTAQSOBKJhkGa-PltKkm7hovYGKBxDFZRNzMCEc7jYJXvPrjbzHO7wfj/s4032/PXL_20231204_113510768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTkxiQk6EtryTS99PDCOTiqMhI_6C8rgInGJEYByILPvjL2knik-ZaNP4VO-JGzNz65HzaooJ0dsgxzZz9wkoy2bRqiCF78evJDx7PHzQu6fbKd1w7oHwsLQeRzWliygS4hHYoTAQSOBKJhkGa-PltKkm7hovYGKBxDFZRNzMCEc7jYJXvPrjbzHO7wfj/w640-h480/PXL_20231204_113510768.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit later we could start to see the nice sea state that we were just feeling up to that point. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we headed south the wind just kept getting lighter and lighter. By midafternoon, we passed the West Palm Beach Inlet. This meant that we needed to make a turn due south. This also meant that we needed to stay closer to shore. The Gulf Stream runs very close to shore from West Palm to Maimi. We did slow down to around 5.5 knots because of the opposing current. I found that staying about a mile offshore in 80 to 100 feet of water was the best we could do without getting uncomfortably close to land. We just set the auto pilot and motor sailed all day. At times the water was glassy. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3Yd9Vg3JZJAd3T1KAWms8hMfzkQjluO7q06MJnCuT-zQH9Z2z2JLZeft9a35alPjyAX6Z59cWp-H9khQrdKwkZhBFedUrRTZgbvYldZ6_52wAehp06HMd78jOQBGRHeD_QAtjZLzR52YwkABGo8yi1hBU_CCMe-MtUkDo7tOpqvf7FgbLagGllZdD3pZ/s4032/PXL_20231204_115827433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3Yd9Vg3JZJAd3T1KAWms8hMfzkQjluO7q06MJnCuT-zQH9Z2z2JLZeft9a35alPjyAX6Z59cWp-H9khQrdKwkZhBFedUrRTZgbvYldZ6_52wAehp06HMd78jOQBGRHeD_QAtjZLzR52YwkABGo8yi1hBU_CCMe-MtUkDo7tOpqvf7FgbLagGllZdD3pZ/w640-h480/PXL_20231204_115827433.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over the Atlantic</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7f2V8OIdSUSYVWecYELjHiQ4hICfmeyRonGIZILUrguXoWX3aKjzXOSC4p97lbp-EIDs73cjh3Y9ADgBKy8syx2b1dvq99IalqnrZZW2umx1jtr4oYt7Id_Wyz8pfCFJlvsZ7wVK6Y_PbUcy-qG_YJaARixX5pnw6FF54KgLLpfb2kgMW9DF0p8XLOPZ/s1604/PXL_20231204_202113095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1347" data-original-width="1604" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7f2V8OIdSUSYVWecYELjHiQ4hICfmeyRonGIZILUrguXoWX3aKjzXOSC4p97lbp-EIDs73cjh3Y9ADgBKy8syx2b1dvq99IalqnrZZW2umx1jtr4oYt7Id_Wyz8pfCFJlvsZ7wVK6Y_PbUcy-qG_YJaARixX5pnw6FF54KgLLpfb2kgMW9DF0p8XLOPZ/w640-h538/PXL_20231204_202113095.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw a number of Super Yachts during the day. Most were coming or going at the West Palm Beach inlet. This one is well over 100 feet long.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFkOLT4AgV9VpOpIGlvTCD-eOMxrl1Phjs1-i41WNSe7GCs7NSujpSCznuM4Jqghr1OEyWjUdsYdk94Qq_ndnWLw6Y0n1VWHewVxgZf2YKKxhSkbKunrmNmBC_7C5Ah0K9MrmWVTt9_JdWs8UoMedfCuBd2xEijFbBOE6fWXtbAaJdYj_9-gwvXxPCi5R/s4032/PXL_20231204_223519171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfFkOLT4AgV9VpOpIGlvTCD-eOMxrl1Phjs1-i41WNSe7GCs7NSujpSCznuM4Jqghr1OEyWjUdsYdk94Qq_ndnWLw6Y0n1VWHewVxgZf2YKKxhSkbKunrmNmBC_7C5Ah0K9MrmWVTt9_JdWs8UoMedfCuBd2xEijFbBOE6fWXtbAaJdYj_9-gwvXxPCi5R/w640-h480/PXL_20231204_223519171.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was sunset along the Florida Coast. I think we were about Boca Raton.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90WgC7akbuPivxYM4yN5QbLIle_AuT9HNtlkL3ZztLNInaiQtfoKCBj1YbmcLZ1sIj2vQZ5PUv5QM7bIGbFqz7flUeLPNlQbRBee8TLgup0uYPDcLX2IydMw0sospOhMXAIqHIw_WVMSwi721p97W73l43k9Edyt-DgW7blCXfcXns94ASop17PzauiZG/s4032/PXL_20231205_013950722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90WgC7akbuPivxYM4yN5QbLIle_AuT9HNtlkL3ZztLNInaiQtfoKCBj1YbmcLZ1sIj2vQZ5PUv5QM7bIGbFqz7flUeLPNlQbRBee8TLgup0uYPDcLX2IydMw0sospOhMXAIqHIw_WVMSwi721p97W73l43k9Edyt-DgW7blCXfcXns94ASop17PzauiZG/w640-h480/PXL_20231205_013950722.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We passed by Ft. Lauderdale in the dark. I have never seen the Atlantic Ocean that calm.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUXcamb28uZ9P-kECyQXjdMco8_C4k4qTOX9sr3OHT-OuBE96GqVSBVeWobbe9TK6GJBmPEPas12hwmhodbingVtNXo3_rg0ibTJanYkg-rOtEQalrQtStkto7UdLL3OaAnk_pPDhUu-tIlolmdRRM1TIxHNfOR79ip31boIF-7mIF_o4CPugaSIEAe4_/s4032/PXL_20231205_013955648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUXcamb28uZ9P-kECyQXjdMco8_C4k4qTOX9sr3OHT-OuBE96GqVSBVeWobbe9TK6GJBmPEPas12hwmhodbingVtNXo3_rg0ibTJanYkg-rOtEQalrQtStkto7UdLL3OaAnk_pPDhUu-tIlolmdRRM1TIxHNfOR79ip31boIF-7mIF_o4CPugaSIEAe4_/w640-h480/PXL_20231205_013955648.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is Miami at night about 2 miles offshore.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">After we passed Miami it got pretty dark on this moonless night. We had Biscayne Bay to our starboard, but there were very few lights to give us perspective. We could have gone into Biscayne Bay, but we were concerned about crab traps. We did not want to get caught up in one in the dark, so we stayed offshore. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKBhttOHPguWiVbyo6MX_RT-amDglG5mKYhkNLZFSEdqSjNvi6vzpYBLB6ChNROpHV3TmYfYhWHqcAosvWhr44k714327KxOz88ptfn4yEfHdMQlOCfvzWNUtH6Nn08Io1QV9kkaiujCOBhv4vNsjXzhnS2LQbp68FcNjbih4iZBsbrxIqnw62pm2qXoq/s4032/PXL_20231205_023339446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKBhttOHPguWiVbyo6MX_RT-amDglG5mKYhkNLZFSEdqSjNvi6vzpYBLB6ChNROpHV3TmYfYhWHqcAosvWhr44k714327KxOz88ptfn4yEfHdMQlOCfvzWNUtH6Nn08Io1QV9kkaiujCOBhv4vNsjXzhnS2LQbp68FcNjbih4iZBsbrxIqnw62pm2qXoq/w640-h480/PXL_20231205_023339446.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what a cruise ship looks like at night. We saw a number of large ships around Miami, but had no issue getting by them with plenty of space.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">As we cruised south the wind started to pick up. I also now knew that we had not maintained the average we needed to make Marathon by dark the next day. We decided to make a stop at Rodriguez Key about 40 miles east of Marathon. I chose a place that I thought we could make it through the reef and into Hawk Channel that runs along the Keys. The problem is that we were going to arrive there before daylight. I decided to shut the engine off and just sail along at about 4 knots and wait for daylight. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My plan worked perfectly. We arrived just after the sun gave us full light and I could see the channel markers and the crab pots. The only issue was the wind was now blowing at about 20 knots. It took us about an hour to weave our way through the reef and into Hawk Channel. We then turned and headed parallel to the keys. The wind lasted for about another hour and then died completely. We motored the rest of the way to Rodriguez Key. We got anchored and then I took a much needed nap. I did sleep for a couple of hours during the night, which is better than most overnights we have done, but the nap came easy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6XZuReaxhcdV0dzSy7hxgOBZKTAlPr7jb8fdZL8-uF5sCfuDV8VJKQOYFa6b-rWLvz6DZlVaELI9icgeFo5KW3ig8rbkdU-6vhAsbg4OFcU5oscoNaWNxWzF2BnJ4Eme8VlO6FZVrO7SRWb-WBs4tvrJ0iDvThgtycGcuU5AuwQ6B_pr6mayx3zH5yYi/s4032/PXL_20231205_224715964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6XZuReaxhcdV0dzSy7hxgOBZKTAlPr7jb8fdZL8-uF5sCfuDV8VJKQOYFa6b-rWLvz6DZlVaELI9icgeFo5KW3ig8rbkdU-6vhAsbg4OFcU5oscoNaWNxWzF2BnJ4Eme8VlO6FZVrO7SRWb-WBs4tvrJ0iDvThgtycGcuU5AuwQ6B_pr6mayx3zH5yYi/w640-h480/PXL_20231205_224715964.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did wake from my nap in time to catch this sunset over Rodriguez Key. It felt good to be in the Florida Keys again. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I checked the weather and saw that we were expecting some wind from 15 to 20 knots the following day. The good news is it would be on our aft starboard quarter giving us a broad reach all the way to Marathon. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We were up at first light and the wind had come as expected. I set the first reef in the mainsail and raised it at anchor. As I looked across the anchorage I saw another sailboat getting underway. They did not know it, but we were now racing to Marathon. The sailing was awesome. We unfurled our genoa to the first reef point and the boat felt very balanced and comfortable in the strong wind. The seas were a bit choppy, but because they were behind us, it was a comfortable ride. The autopilot handled the conditions well and we cruised along at over 7 knots average. We did have a few waves hit the side of the boat and gave us a good splash in the cockpit. I got wet and Kim thought it was funny. The biggest issue we had was dodging the many crab pots. We were very glad that we didn't try to do this in the dark. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div>We were about 10 miles to Marathon when I heard a radio call from the boat that was behind us. They had lost all steering due to being entangled in a crab pot. I asked if he needed us to turn around and render aid, but another boat was closer and stood by in case he needed help. We listened on the radio as he reported that he got his steering cleared and was then able to make the sail on down to Marathon and get the anchor down. He then got in the water and cleared his prop. Nasty things, those crab pots. </div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNnCi4s8RU6FcA5wkJZcDo5aUI_32eKHa_JenrGDILB3v-TubwJwLUp-wMFbCZJYLvoTusMLU4fIvFd03fLy_9ppeelxVtPlFpWqGEhXwvr7ET76d1dddzIn1RQVL-g4rh0FRjbbu9lbmeZXVNL5tvH5ii0ZPsfImsZjkmd6F-7mvKO9cDY2n1d0vsRf2/s4032/PXL_20231206_122046537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTNnCi4s8RU6FcA5wkJZcDo5aUI_32eKHa_JenrGDILB3v-TubwJwLUp-wMFbCZJYLvoTusMLU4fIvFd03fLy_9ppeelxVtPlFpWqGEhXwvr7ET76d1dddzIn1RQVL-g4rh0FRjbbu9lbmeZXVNL5tvH5ii0ZPsfImsZjkmd6F-7mvKO9cDY2n1d0vsRf2/w640-h480/PXL_20231206_122046537.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had great wind as we cruised down Hawk Channel. This shows us doing 7.6 knots SOG.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4hoo1FhzAR_yMbpEB8txou-nwgoojevVMzVQiPhNmm5s4E5O7YoWhCem8jclOPjuo9zi12toKWKrqV5O1v2DsbCnaH_nYEr1AQRdKRcYuOSID1Wof9y8s6cf2m-6fSwx-dSD5Di9sJVkmvNfxxvUT2T7LnhoPPU1RAvVW98qmJA1hGezw-229ExpUlU0/s4032/PXL_20231206_122050942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4hoo1FhzAR_yMbpEB8txou-nwgoojevVMzVQiPhNmm5s4E5O7YoWhCem8jclOPjuo9zi12toKWKrqV5O1v2DsbCnaH_nYEr1AQRdKRcYuOSID1Wof9y8s6cf2m-6fSwx-dSD5Di9sJVkmvNfxxvUT2T7LnhoPPU1RAvVW98qmJA1hGezw-229ExpUlU0/w640-h480/PXL_20231206_122050942.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are doing 8.0 knots. The heel is more than it was due to a passing wave. Look how clear our new dodger glass is. We love our new canvas. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;">We pulled into Marathon and went in the inlet. We knew it was going to be crowded and it was. We were not able to find anywhere to anchor, so we went back out to the anchorage on the west end of the Key. It is not smooth out there, but we do have protection from a northeast and east wind. We do get some swell off of the ocean, but it is not too bad in fairly calm weather. The crazy thing as we were getting anchored, we saw another boat getting their anchor set. That was none other than Richard and Theresa on "It'll Be Allright". They had just made the trip from Mobile, Alabama and we arrived within minutes of each other. We then found that our friends, Geoff and Marsha on "Interlude" were also anchored a short distance away. It felt like we were home with friends. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">We got the dinghy down and headed to the marina to get on the list for a mooring ball. We were number 27. That means we had to wait for a while. We also knew that a major storm would hit the Keys in about 4 days. That set off a chain of events that was very unexpected. I will write all about that in my next entry. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-26985100969968492352023-12-18T11:29:00.000-08:002023-12-18T11:29:03.807-08:00Our Very Crazy Time in Vero Beach<p> We arrived in Vero Beach on November 10th. We love to spend time in Vero. This time around we had some things we wanted to accomplish. The first order of business was to go to Brunswick, GA to pick up the truck. We had come up with a crazy plan on our way down the ICW. My parents had decided to make the trip from Colorado to the Dallas area for Thanksgiving. This would mean that both of our parents would be in the area at the same time. That was just too good of an opportunity to pass up, so we planned to rent a car and drive it to Texas and then stop by Brunswick on the return trip to get the truck and then drive back down to Vero. Unfortunately, that did not work out. My parents were dealing with some illness and did not feel up to making the trip. We understood but were disappointed that we would not be able to see them. </p><p>We decided to cancel the trip to Texas and just rent a car to drive up to get the truck. On Novermber 17th we took the dinghy to shore and met the city bus. We made one transfer to get to the Vero Airport to rent the car. When I tried to rent the car, everything changed. As it turned out my driver's license was expired! We quickly changed plans and Kim rented the car, but that would mean that she had to drive the car to Georgia and back. That turned out to be about 10 hours of driving. Other than driving in rain much of the day, the trip went off well. I was concerned about driving on an expired license, but I kept the speed down and had no problems. We were pretty tired when we made it back to the boat that night. </p><p>During the trip in the car, I was working on how to get my driver's license renewed. It came down to the only good solution was to go back to Missouri. Thanksgiving was the following week, so we decided to see if we could get flights during that holiday week. Allegiant Airlines has direct flights from Orlando/Sanford to Springfield, MO. We were lucky and got two tickets departing on Monday, November 20 and returning on Friday November 24. We called the kids and let them know we were coming.</p><p>Our time in Missouri was a blur, but we did get the license renewed and were able to spend time with all of our kids and grandkids. My favorite part was playing football with three of my grandsons. I am sure I threw over 1000 passes in 2 days, but I loved it. </p><p>When we got back to the boat on the 24th, all was well except we needed a ride out to the boat. The marina did not want us to leave the dinghy at the dock while we were gone, so they gave us a ride to shore in the pump out boat. The marina was closed when we got back, but Kim asked another boater and we now have some new friends. </p><p>We rested after the whirlwind trip and started looking for a weather window to make the trip down to the Marathon in the Florida Keys. </p><p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIyfVKLHZbUcT02wwUmOLNTDpxLHmoPisLYmhkn3mV_IMNFCiAayb5sUytY9BJE8cud7oVjOsUFGbRlLNWpBNdniAtn3Imu75H3mmc7NMLG6ktJa4arhxnR4t5-YGi4MCKD6LVxzR7n-LXHPCP-pnPLHqeby2BU0fMwnzx31ZqPiX9TXDeWiVuqe-OCVS/s4032/PXL_20231127_223046883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIyfVKLHZbUcT02wwUmOLNTDpxLHmoPisLYmhkn3mV_IMNFCiAayb5sUytY9BJE8cud7oVjOsUFGbRlLNWpBNdniAtn3Imu75H3mmc7NMLG6ktJa4arhxnR4t5-YGi4MCKD6LVxzR7n-LXHPCP-pnPLHqeby2BU0fMwnzx31ZqPiX9TXDeWiVuqe-OCVS/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_223046883.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of the mooring balls in Vero Beach.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n5bifxiIbB_UX1FRJFqGbq8w2O3ir4cVsjeEStOfTpEZpDIgaCJ-fWAoMn7RD4jhGHhIb4Fo8OmBsDRucNqY6akOXSnqteleLfXR4xen2CgcxNOp5nxrunESAr6FyCVVQCV296Yezm0ML2bZlgOY2N-sf39Zs_RRl1Yg8dwbLbKjkNIMFjW7fkpAnGgj/s4032/PXL_20231127_223042334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0n5bifxiIbB_UX1FRJFqGbq8w2O3ir4cVsjeEStOfTpEZpDIgaCJ-fWAoMn7RD4jhGHhIb4Fo8OmBsDRucNqY6akOXSnqteleLfXR4xen2CgcxNOp5nxrunESAr6FyCVVQCV296Yezm0ML2bZlgOY2N-sf39Zs_RRl1Yg8dwbLbKjkNIMFjW7fkpAnGgj/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_223042334.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very calm night in Vero.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcmCHUbLXYcbKU1D046CEVGuYivZQs0TEYL0WOWAMk5_5XHLwBsH7uLLf5oeb9UQqXLTdXA-l2NXxvEUYABgm4Vpi6xV0S_7s0ORdpJWR1IHMRV2Y-himSPZggQRWv939MIl7bfI3KYNtaEunNyFPBIArwuD82RyDVGrRJBLR3ir30svTZ46EfYaCCQdt/s4032/PXL_20231127_223018204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMcmCHUbLXYcbKU1D046CEVGuYivZQs0TEYL0WOWAMk5_5XHLwBsH7uLLf5oeb9UQqXLTdXA-l2NXxvEUYABgm4Vpi6xV0S_7s0ORdpJWR1IHMRV2Y-himSPZggQRWv939MIl7bfI3KYNtaEunNyFPBIArwuD82RyDVGrRJBLR3ir30svTZ46EfYaCCQdt/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_223018204.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the two catamarans that are rafted up on one ball.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0d3FoB_6ziw7HNC-380vFi2oPwYZDFVUA1AxIX_r068fSBhBPx0ilVll-BgVsF3azqzkIcxBNkAvQj7FIILDyhD_mXHD4KF_b7Zy_SX6PChXl2oS9MvlpghVW2RSFYycUXtReiaPGR9bLehxcc467D_Js5RvXX3TP1FbLn3zlEzf26R6zv-2plVGe7-j/s4032/PXL_20231127_222958551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0d3FoB_6ziw7HNC-380vFi2oPwYZDFVUA1AxIX_r068fSBhBPx0ilVll-BgVsF3azqzkIcxBNkAvQj7FIILDyhD_mXHD4KF_b7Zy_SX6PChXl2oS9MvlpghVW2RSFYycUXtReiaPGR9bLehxcc467D_Js5RvXX3TP1FbLn3zlEzf26R6zv-2plVGe7-j/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_222958551.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPhS6p3Dn3OJwyDSMiounjV7uPkq7-bRVk7l3AQGon9g2zwKfcTbNTMM2Xt5A61AEHZZPmGeaNIUiZYni50A6qlZHeHxuwyidrBZZna07yv_pdK-cnKkjA4Kr-GrWN3yHsfVtlOrDMqDDSiUvm3lHR7ZSaBsT74atJv3y2pmFnyroGVwc-yzV8_IZduRW/s4032/PXL_20231127_222949929.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPhS6p3Dn3OJwyDSMiounjV7uPkq7-bRVk7l3AQGon9g2zwKfcTbNTMM2Xt5A61AEHZZPmGeaNIUiZYni50A6qlZHeHxuwyidrBZZna07yv_pdK-cnKkjA4Kr-GrWN3yHsfVtlOrDMqDDSiUvm3lHR7ZSaBsT74atJv3y2pmFnyroGVwc-yzV8_IZduRW/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_222949929.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love it when it is calm like this. You just have to be aware of the bugs.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHZ5afvxm_qFwXlOp6wjR0BaojU0Lmpv8LFyjEAVvtbQsskJfWfJ2nNOOE6shnksNQC1oBo85-uMaIF5ZkiakO988hJNbRK2LbaAdzBIsql5SpjFwE6Am-Ubt_j6uLc1v3aSaPg3sdJZX1hs9JlNztybYxY4qFYYZhjm0u7Y0qOHkqtHxQtFrurtuGUJd/s4032/PXL_20231127_222936744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieHZ5afvxm_qFwXlOp6wjR0BaojU0Lmpv8LFyjEAVvtbQsskJfWfJ2nNOOE6shnksNQC1oBo85-uMaIF5ZkiakO988hJNbRK2LbaAdzBIsql5SpjFwE6Am-Ubt_j6uLc1v3aSaPg3sdJZX1hs9JlNztybYxY4qFYYZhjm0u7Y0qOHkqtHxQtFrurtuGUJd/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_222936744.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> After we were back for a few days, we also got a rafting partner. Kurt and Libbe on SV Epiphany were heading to the Bahamas. They were having some issues with their dinghy. I was able to give them a hand and in return they invited us over for an amazing dinner. Meeting interesting people is the best part of this lifestyle. </p><p>I had been watching the weather for a while for an opportunity to sail south. We could do the ICW through Miami, but we knew there were over 40 bridges we would have to open. It would be slow and tedious. The weather looked great for a departure on December 4th and sail overnight and make it to Marathon on the 5th. We had some things to get done to be ready to go.</p><p>We went to Walmart to provision and got the boat ready. The day before we left, we decided to take one last walk on the beach. When we got to the truck, it would not start. The truck has run perfectly since we had it fixed back in June. We have put more that 5000 miles on it without any issues. I was frustrated and decided it would be best to take a walk and develop a plan. I walked by normal 3 miles and as I returned to the marina, I saw a guy working on a Ford Diesel Pickup. I stopped to talk to him and he offered to help. We tried lots of things, but without a good explanation it finally started. It ran perfectly and I moved it to where we were going to leave it. I tried starting it again and it started right up. We took Omar and his wife Heather to lunch to thank him for the help. It was a crazy day. </p><p>Our plan was to motor on December 3rd from Vero the 13 miles down to the Fort Pierce Inlet and anchor there for the night. I was very nervous about leaving the truck, but I had no good option. I also had a 2 day offshore passage to think about. It was one of those times when I had to focus on the present and pray that all would work out. In my next entry, I will tell you all about what happened next. The good news is that as I write this, we are safe and sound in Marathon, Florida. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-53206460556693414562023-11-28T15:51:00.000-08:002023-11-28T15:51:48.546-08:00On to Vero Beach - Not Without Problems<p> In my last entry, I wrote about our trip from St. Mary's, Georgia to St. Augustine, Florida. We left St. Augustine the morning after we arrived. We had good weather and we wanted to take advantage of it. We left at first light and headed south. The first part was very calm and we cruised along at about 5 knots up against a bit of current. We had to open one bridge, but that went very smoothly. </p><p>We had been hearing for most of the day about a dredge that was working at Matansas River Inlet. He was sitting right in the middle of the channel and he was talking to each boat on the radio giving instructions. When we arrived at about 10:00 am, I tried to call him on the radio. He did not reply. I decided to follow the instructions that he had given to some boats in front of us. There was a green can buoy on the far right side of the channel that you had to go beyond and then turn 90 degrees to port and pass right in front of the dredge and then continue on from there. I made the turn after the green, but as it turned out...too soon. Before I knew it we hit a shoal. The boat lurched to a stop. I tried to move forward, but I was hard aground. We sat there for a bit and checked the tide tables. It looked like we were right at low tide. We decided to wait a bit to see if we could get more water under us. A couple of other boats came by and made it through. A motor vessel came through and when his wakes hit us we moved a bit. I decided to try to back out with the next wakes. I did not have to wait long. When the wakes hit us, I had the boat in reverse and hit the throttle hard. The boat slowly started to move. We got into deeper water and moved south of the shoal and right up against the dredge. We made it around and were a bit shaken, but on our way.</p><p>That little incident made a long day even longer. The rest of the trip was long, but uneventful. We arrived in Daytona Beach at about 4:30 pm after making 47.6 nm, our longest day of the trip so far. We had a nice sunset, then rested up for the next day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEUJtZOd1dVG0ZVDtq4XJ0JEL_e301TVpeyCwK9Adye7E4IMZGBLwlqs-k3iLUMXvanMZE2b9fCLPqEgrBJntBnwBX_-ymzBy5DQgzEG8LxuhlvJ9Jx1M5IhG7LzcgudWuWdjyJH7ixGF7GWHKT_eYOjKrHKHdPOURm01ZZlofe-jQ9hFsGB2vWQjboHu/s4032/PXL_20231106_221904289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtEUJtZOd1dVG0ZVDtq4XJ0JEL_e301TVpeyCwK9Adye7E4IMZGBLwlqs-k3iLUMXvanMZE2b9fCLPqEgrBJntBnwBX_-ymzBy5DQgzEG8LxuhlvJ9Jx1M5IhG7LzcgudWuWdjyJH7ixGF7GWHKT_eYOjKrHKHdPOURm01ZZlofe-jQ9hFsGB2vWQjboHu/w640-h480/PXL_20231106_221904289.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sundown in Dayton Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLP5GmhOmRbUTvI9gcZ8trJ4ZL3LMQhanZedUV-QgZOJlqUc5C0kTh1WT3gHxGWVnvCGQ3dotZg5cGRdFOKZLKG4JaHOy1838nfm_bFGKOGCvPZK4ok66yxtgxyaz7CxgR32Mz9ww-_noYcWVaokyMJKuSg4-k71AeGHQ29xUCwf6gwk5iFn06ZqXEo3P/s4032/PXL_20231106_221909476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLP5GmhOmRbUTvI9gcZ8trJ4ZL3LMQhanZedUV-QgZOJlqUc5C0kTh1WT3gHxGWVnvCGQ3dotZg5cGRdFOKZLKG4JaHOy1838nfm_bFGKOGCvPZK4ok66yxtgxyaz7CxgR32Mz9ww-_noYcWVaokyMJKuSg4-k71AeGHQ29xUCwf6gwk5iFn06ZqXEo3P/w640-h480/PXL_20231106_221909476.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took a picture of this boat because we just keep seeing them. This is Bright Ayes. She is a beautiful Caliber. This boat was anchored right next to us in St. Mary's. We saw them in St. Augustine, they passed us while we were aground. And now they are in the mooring field in Vero beach. We have still not met the couple on the boat. That is just the way it goes some times. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgZWyJZDPDRpMRPqdm_q1Z9wkwj-EMHjvhOIz5HlEo8TsZjZEWPSktaudA5eGJbeN9XMWPSckpHHvazybMIy6UQGt3l0rFHy80kVu0dbIAGJU9gKIHN0J3uo4hZsA9S-96vworhBUmb4pi7WsLghm3mKMAHFFWMrGW1M99stL8L7icZw55doE8nOlKvfk/s4032/PXL_20231107_112931709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgZWyJZDPDRpMRPqdm_q1Z9wkwj-EMHjvhOIz5HlEo8TsZjZEWPSktaudA5eGJbeN9XMWPSckpHHvazybMIy6UQGt3l0rFHy80kVu0dbIAGJU9gKIHN0J3uo4hZsA9S-96vworhBUmb4pi7WsLghm3mKMAHFFWMrGW1M99stL8L7icZw55doE8nOlKvfk/w640-h480/PXL_20231107_112931709.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were up early the next day and were greeted by this amazing sunrise. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />The next day was November 7th. That is Kim's Birthday. I promised to take her out to dinner when we got off the boat in Titusville. We had a 40 mile day planned and it all went well. We pulled into The Titusville mooring field at about 3:00pm. Kim had been on the phone with both her children and siblings much of the day, but I knew the long call was yet to come. Just as we got ashore, her phone rang and it was her sister. They don't talk often, but when they do, it can last hours. I took care of our mooring fees and then took a shower. She was still on the phone. I waited patiently. When the call ended it was closing in on dark. We did not have our lights on the dinghy. We decided to go get a pizza and take it to the park next to the marina and celebrate her birthday. I also promised we would go out when we got to Vero Beach. The good news is that she was happy with that.<div><br /></div><div>Her birthday did not end there. There was a SpaceX launch about 15 miles from our mooring field. It was scheduled for just after midnight, but we made it part of the day. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uAcxAXKdclbXl_di3ZeMxPyRMCqr0bKqSFCZiGz5qBWTdJGyNZP1NpNKmfyqp2V8OHN_j6VCyTXAPkY4MWexBt-kNafbpctuU6JWN5zhb6Eg0C5xjKIhGACbMNGGXyV248nQGtQQf57KurOBY3FFqaa8nJ1I1o3MLAfZXV7WlxF4uFg-ZCaxqBgqpQZQ/s4032/PXL_20231108_050605142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uAcxAXKdclbXl_di3ZeMxPyRMCqr0bKqSFCZiGz5qBWTdJGyNZP1NpNKmfyqp2V8OHN_j6VCyTXAPkY4MWexBt-kNafbpctuU6JWN5zhb6Eg0C5xjKIhGACbMNGGXyV248nQGtQQf57KurOBY3FFqaa8nJ1I1o3MLAfZXV7WlxF4uFg-ZCaxqBgqpQZQ/w640-h480/PXL_20231108_050605142.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is not the sun, that is a Falcon 9 taking to the sky.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hNai01CNz_t3ofBlfnyYXh-nzesQnpIlwSquM6-KpO1zBfz45s91pKNgCEzbuBO1dGY92qTrncd8NHCY2yjUVjDAJUxrqtUktqOlCkij4o8mt9jnsAe_a66YN-mLogY7oqd6gamKhRBrP510-iNbUv0mE80YWLQANdDYgFunFz169-rlcvp84uv5XOSM/s4032/PXL_20231108_050608255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hNai01CNz_t3ofBlfnyYXh-nzesQnpIlwSquM6-KpO1zBfz45s91pKNgCEzbuBO1dGY92qTrncd8NHCY2yjUVjDAJUxrqtUktqOlCkij4o8mt9jnsAe_a66YN-mLogY7oqd6gamKhRBrP510-iNbUv0mE80YWLQANdDYgFunFz169-rlcvp84uv5XOSM/w640-h480/PXL_20231108_050608255.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a clear, windless night. Kim and I love to see these launches.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIg1h5L8k4s3tNhq0FQiGYPkpt_EIqpCYERn0rOczL1E32Xur2EblyGF07MI2P_oBDlnRIJBlbYTx8xj2ouUJFiJIQdCs28caDDi6uQhNAUjP85SS7FqM0Ywhg7flhv4cT4sD0AUlTdASFg5ylkaU9-pu-jhs0qkSTs322JbDDZvJrkV4HQff31B_IcOX/s4032/PXL_20231108_050714399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiIg1h5L8k4s3tNhq0FQiGYPkpt_EIqpCYERn0rOczL1E32Xur2EblyGF07MI2P_oBDlnRIJBlbYTx8xj2ouUJFiJIQdCs28caDDi6uQhNAUjP85SS7FqM0Ywhg7flhv4cT4sD0AUlTdASFg5ylkaU9-pu-jhs0qkSTs322JbDDZvJrkV4HQff31B_IcOX/w640-h480/PXL_20231108_050714399.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last shot as the booster separates from the rest of the rocket. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We did not get up early the next morning. We went to shore and then got the dinghy ready to travel. We only went 30 miles on November 8th and stopped in Melbourne. The weather was great for now, but we only had one more good day before the weather got bad. </div><div><br /></div><div>On the 10th we made the final 36nm to Vero Beach. We had traveled 6 straight days and I was really looking forward to sitting still for a few days. We love Vero Beach City Marina. We had lots to do here and the weather was looking bad. We were also thinking of a really crazy plan. That plan didn't happen, but an even crazier plan did happen. I will tell you all about it in my next entry. <br /><p><br /></p></div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-19584672882232802702023-11-26T13:31:00.000-08:002023-11-26T13:31:09.832-08:00Moving South<p> I have had trouble getting inspired to write in this blog. I normally have that problem when nothing out of the ordinary is happening in our lives. It is kind of strange that moving down the east coast of the US via sailboat has become "ordinary". Well, <i> </i>I guess I should catch up our story. </p><p>In my last entry, we had just left Brunswick, Georgia and motored down the ICW to St. Mary's Georgia. We had a blow coming in out of the north and St. Mary's is a good place to wait out a northern blow. We hung out on anchor for 4 nights. We never saw more than 25 knots of wind. We went to shore each day and enjoyed our walks around the very historic town. We especially enjoyed our visit to the very historic cemetery. There are 7 graves of Revolutionary War soldiers in that cemetery. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvQGYt_I8I8FEScvsJq2x6fdAUA1sFafsvFOpWJhSbMtDdLwr5RZEfMYO1tD6L0QGn53KfURPoAaqIYcDQh4kl3WAr-eNJNhEO3Tua5MC2bmMVRVd-nBbnLHzyQPbZzX9Fggv3zzC5Ftk4kH3ekwZfcNV4uDuUDE3oBlfEFQlbCsleF5o1J2JzNYxtYIM/s4032/PXL_20231102_151005500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvQGYt_I8I8FEScvsJq2x6fdAUA1sFafsvFOpWJhSbMtDdLwr5RZEfMYO1tD6L0QGn53KfURPoAaqIYcDQh4kl3WAr-eNJNhEO3Tua5MC2bmMVRVd-nBbnLHzyQPbZzX9Fggv3zzC5Ftk4kH3ekwZfcNV4uDuUDE3oBlfEFQlbCsleF5o1J2JzNYxtYIM/w640-h480/PXL_20231102_151005500.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An angel statue on one of the many ornate grave stones in this very old cemetery. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After 4 days in St. Mary's, the weather eased and we were ready to get moving south. The first day was an easy 27 nm motor down to Jacksonville, Florida. We had no problems on the trip until we arrived at the free dock in Sisters Creek. There is very strong current there and the wind picked up to around 15 knots just as we were ready to make the move to the dock. The good news is that we nailed it and got tied up. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4QsAJ9ZY2HGQmhId4eRJOTZQjp1hepQbc_8iFLLfHzRIF1H_CKwf-JQqJ_I2N_nkYN2ekBSUthWBPPZVbwFmn246WGyI4zOJ5AeOcUOtQIrt1iNLz-KKi3Vu2zybvsGzZKowhyf0fxONuY2fwNxBFZpzDQgN9KDDHefm0_unP-_Awn4O7sgVj6pW7sj2/s4032/PXL_20231104_210109341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4QsAJ9ZY2HGQmhId4eRJOTZQjp1hepQbc_8iFLLfHzRIF1H_CKwf-JQqJ_I2N_nkYN2ekBSUthWBPPZVbwFmn246WGyI4zOJ5AeOcUOtQIrt1iNLz-KKi3Vu2zybvsGzZKowhyf0fxONuY2fwNxBFZpzDQgN9KDDHefm0_unP-_Awn4O7sgVj6pW7sj2/w640-h480/PXL_20231104_210109341.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Jacksonville free dock. It even has free water. There was just us and two other boats. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After we were all set, I went below and heard a strange noise that took me a minute to figure out what it was. It was our bilge pump running. I checked the bilge and it was empty, but the shaft seal was dripping. It normally does not drip at all when the shaft is not turning. I shut the pump off and then turned it back on and it stayed off. That was strange. I then tightened up the shaft seal to stop the leak. That would require me to make many adjustments over the next few days to find the perfect place where it does not leak, but is loose enough to not get too hot. It took me most of the next day to get it right. The bilge pump issue will be fully diagnosed and repaired in a later entry. The good news is that it was pumping fine, it just would not shut off when the bilge was empty. Not a major problem as long as we are on the boat to monitor it. We do still have a second pump that is working fine and a manual pump as a final fail-safe. </p><p>The following day, which was now November 5th, we motored further south. We first had to go through the St. John's river, which is the inlet to the port of Jacksonville and a major Naval Base. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQw-RxZi78tg_ddwW2g4hJyQ46t2iqpC1UqfoCC7ouZl9Esx96RaaKxp__FnUraJ0iSONktHhDUweBjSaMVqJ3DBB1HI5iqMqYQ6Q_70mCdTKMSGazW0uaeeuQDQticZ1S2dOj0X0Zvvn8D8W_hZ9lAETlFbz8blDzQ7HJidexyU9FCvNJkJS7bCp2GQ6/s4032/PXL_20231105_131549007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHQw-RxZi78tg_ddwW2g4hJyQ46t2iqpC1UqfoCC7ouZl9Esx96RaaKxp__FnUraJ0iSONktHhDUweBjSaMVqJ3DBB1HI5iqMqYQ6Q_70mCdTKMSGazW0uaeeuQDQticZ1S2dOj0X0Zvvn8D8W_hZ9lAETlFbz8blDzQ7HJidexyU9FCvNJkJS7bCp2GQ6/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_131549007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacksonville Naval Base</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGM51xWr7tz12wnglO3aJG-xMs8SK1Nta6cN-Fyx-Rucw3DnvWt_3ymqrP2lyZUzKylD31L0lm2UVhH0gyvLqDqqHF3UxdaFUylujkaQuUkVJcGfBVsc1veXXwE8PoylMYUFPwhnjfMBO_ya172KVvAZdps-3c5VNvJIPvlT27BsJqmpFjbQyDwH2S4tA/s4032/PXL_20231105_131551685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCGM51xWr7tz12wnglO3aJG-xMs8SK1Nta6cN-Fyx-Rucw3DnvWt_3ymqrP2lyZUzKylD31L0lm2UVhH0gyvLqDqqHF3UxdaFUylujkaQuUkVJcGfBVsc1veXXwE8PoylMYUFPwhnjfMBO_ya172KVvAZdps-3c5VNvJIPvlT27BsJqmpFjbQyDwH2S4tA/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_131551685.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A US Navy ship in dry dock at Jacksonville.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> After making it through the shipping channel, we had a nice cruise down the ICW. The first issue was a bridge at Pablo Creek. It is a very narrow channel under the bridge and the current can really rip through there. I had checked the tides and my timing was good. We hit it with minimal current and it was a non issue. </p><p>Just after the bridge we had a motor vessel pass us. The crazy thing is that he was going faster than us, but he was weaving all over the waterway. I don't know if he was under the influence of something or not, but it was pretty crazy to watch. We followed him all the way to St. Augustine. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4q9_ECphgwpmJW9CHcWMo8-TBrlAcunwxDyLu07qL1a3kFhHk35QHORWR1rJDeoPA9X0SRphNqUfjBgkPbqwS-SRyJVb7jg2OpQpk7W09vJWvCZ3GgLLGT4sYqW6ifPRQxuRqHkYrcd3mjkct-Kqh8QOz-lC30k7-r1PIVRon7ZwUI4E9VIZ0MmISIfCf/s4032/PXL_20231105_155340367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4q9_ECphgwpmJW9CHcWMo8-TBrlAcunwxDyLu07qL1a3kFhHk35QHORWR1rJDeoPA9X0SRphNqUfjBgkPbqwS-SRyJVb7jg2OpQpk7W09vJWvCZ3GgLLGT4sYqW6ifPRQxuRqHkYrcd3mjkct-Kqh8QOz-lC30k7-r1PIVRon7ZwUI4E9VIZ0MmISIfCf/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_155340367.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely you can see the weaving pattern of the boat in front of us. There were a number of oncoming boats that had to turn quickly to avoid him. The radio traffic was strong worded. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZyr7SUvD43gWKVy1swEhr1XyDWZB1slOfEy_E9sq8-kZiI_ecKoZYmAUUgdAQM8YoOojaQ8pAuFYNo6cyzwdBzi7xu-kmBP8_VIgZ5M7dHeijYFmmshs3iBz4TjBvnLdb1WQzYnFqwutOiJDuiz7kD-RrrzmQq11uGW8v3o7Zb-TumslceH2PgCzfJ2w/s4032/PXL_20231105_155348808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZyr7SUvD43gWKVy1swEhr1XyDWZB1slOfEy_E9sq8-kZiI_ecKoZYmAUUgdAQM8YoOojaQ8pAuFYNo6cyzwdBzi7xu-kmBP8_VIgZ5M7dHeijYFmmshs3iBz4TjBvnLdb1WQzYnFqwutOiJDuiz7kD-RrrzmQq11uGW8v3o7Zb-TumslceH2PgCzfJ2w/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_155348808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a narrow part of the ICW with nice homes with docks on the left bank heading south. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We traveled 35.5 nm and made it to St. Augustine. We called the City Marina and were assigned a mooring ball. The good news is that it was on the south side of the Bridge of Lions. We waited with a number of other boats for the next half hour opening and then proceeded to our home for the night. </p><p>We had to go ashore to check in, so we got the dinghy down and went to the dinghy dock. After checking in, we took showers and took a walk up onto the bridge. We have been to St. Augustine many times, but this is the first time we took a walk over the bridge. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoNpyCgYUhnUSDxswejzQ1CKN7If1VR_kvHd6YmQm3S6oTbRqFe28xccFlt1girIKmLFcUYpzMM_ShnYhFCvG-t5NF1awx2pEX-naeQoV_gJqLZ39dhNxHsmlD31oWimUzS_ZnCrme-nwIpmcqJJcT3caCrtALD6qcBy-Pt1bucw3_9MV9sfyUzyDjPIE/s4032/PXL_20231105_221411055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZoNpyCgYUhnUSDxswejzQ1CKN7If1VR_kvHd6YmQm3S6oTbRqFe28xccFlt1girIKmLFcUYpzMM_ShnYhFCvG-t5NF1awx2pEX-naeQoV_gJqLZ39dhNxHsmlD31oWimUzS_ZnCrme-nwIpmcqJJcT3caCrtALD6qcBy-Pt1bucw3_9MV9sfyUzyDjPIE/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_221411055.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main square in St. Augustine</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPf7v-wFcnzqCmRxbpIOpsErL55yclfvHYI1y3BCLv4b4FtRQYl16keu3__gEpFG0YdMfAA1A4ZwUflXU6s8udZ0o07nNuA2abN7Ur7dfdKcq1M06PZEyo7ufq0v8c6M-y7PDqZUWOTQK1NNn2Ot9PX30HFnlb6jAwlqM50sPmb2sON-2vKZr1iNEV_xd/s4032/PXL_20231105_222120122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPf7v-wFcnzqCmRxbpIOpsErL55yclfvHYI1y3BCLv4b4FtRQYl16keu3__gEpFG0YdMfAA1A4ZwUflXU6s8udZ0o07nNuA2abN7Ur7dfdKcq1M06PZEyo7ufq0v8c6M-y7PDqZUWOTQK1NNn2Ot9PX30HFnlb6jAwlqM50sPmb2sON-2vKZr1iNEV_xd/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_222120122.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view looking north off of the Bridge of Lions.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLAbfQcvJbfSD0QIHidotnYTfMOGNQ51E6vodbTsUANS4uEKcsT2H8sl-tqlhBSY4lMvtvf2NaOWkx1K3tbQiEt6l4h_NXs8AnfoZ96o3NwAEY6rrvT_JVqVsf4oPXw4vrQohNgwkcxJsJ7ENnSNc2gFNfw7N8BrWskpfbeoY8Wpg79VkMUy9yGzdBea_/s4032/PXL_20231105_222150001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLAbfQcvJbfSD0QIHidotnYTfMOGNQ51E6vodbTsUANS4uEKcsT2H8sl-tqlhBSY4lMvtvf2NaOWkx1K3tbQiEt6l4h_NXs8AnfoZ96o3NwAEY6rrvT_JVqVsf4oPXw4vrQohNgwkcxJsJ7ENnSNc2gFNfw7N8BrWskpfbeoY8Wpg79VkMUy9yGzdBea_/w640-h480/PXL_20231105_222150001.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the south Mooring Field. SHIFT is in the middle of all of that. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />We made it back to the boat just before dark. We raised the dinghy into travel position and were ready to move again the following morning. We had good weather to travel, so we decided to keep moving. In my next entry I will write about the next few stops as we make the slow trip south at about 6 knots.<br /> </p><p> </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-59725274485142640542023-11-01T11:21:00.001-07:002023-11-01T11:21:59.586-07:00Back on the Boat, Departing Brunswick, Georgia<p> I am writing this on November 1, 2023. This was supposed to be the day we left Brunswick Landing Marina, but you know the saying: The plans of a sailor are written in the sand at low tide. Weather always dictates our plans. We had a strong cold front coming in today, so we left yesterday, and moved the Boat 37 nm to Saint Mary's, Georgia. Saint Mary's has a good anchorage with excellent protection from the north. So, we will sit here and enjoy some cooler weather for a few days until it is comfortable to move further south. The low last night was in the 50's and the high today was only in the 60's. It may actually get down to the high 40's tonight. No worries though, it will be back to the 80's by the middle of next week. </p><p>I did want to take some time to write about our wonderful time during the months of September and October. In my last entry, we were in Brunswick after the hurricane passed by, and we were getting some new canvas on the boat. It was certainly hot and humid in Georgia during early September, but we really enjoyed our time at Brunswick Landing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69O6VIFvJgT-_xqOR2WV2OFeRUW3iG55A2G-gqS9pev8Ps1DQLg5ueuXXeu76aqtzs8CCueksC1qIFacz9BKfejULCcsdd0zn_WSDNMvwKE7TtFE-wUFjFALq0gbnvCP1vDgz07paACeV_pNrstK6cVDz-gTWpNWLa2zB7yKfDfW9DwV63zFEaEZwu88F/s4032/PXL_20230903_160900064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj69O6VIFvJgT-_xqOR2WV2OFeRUW3iG55A2G-gqS9pev8Ps1DQLg5ueuXXeu76aqtzs8CCueksC1qIFacz9BKfejULCcsdd0zn_WSDNMvwKE7TtFE-wUFjFALq0gbnvCP1vDgz07paACeV_pNrstK6cVDz-gTWpNWLa2zB7yKfDfW9DwV63zFEaEZwu88F/w480-h640/PXL_20230903_160900064.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This manatee was hanging out at the dock enjoying the fresh water provided by another boater.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKHkdPBRLujA8rq5mfNTo0shTOx5eQg55msJsEPin2fJ7aMsLMVTotbYsH-ZAZqiSCKTq8ZqPAuj0XovoqvzKqKg45xebJ-Rzh_t8VOeMW3lXiDOXGdLKYVtY4zxBgFKEH8DBoexjaxDxnV_6JOCpAkd6FE6G_qWN_2TQ3sQ6OqoDfkDY0D05e808waoY/s4032/PXL_20230905_163603504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKHkdPBRLujA8rq5mfNTo0shTOx5eQg55msJsEPin2fJ7aMsLMVTotbYsH-ZAZqiSCKTq8ZqPAuj0XovoqvzKqKg45xebJ-Rzh_t8VOeMW3lXiDOXGdLKYVtY4zxBgFKEH8DBoexjaxDxnV_6JOCpAkd6FE6G_qWN_2TQ3sQ6OqoDfkDY0D05e808waoY/w640-h480/PXL_20230905_163603504.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the new canvas fully installed. We took it down the next day to wait for our return.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GF-tCKeR694uJ_uvfhTI7Ls84KWBLusar9h6bHK0d4jrUldKpTixxRPYCyWjsm9__Ge4Lio4o_TFEc3SPjbJEJKpldGWLQCwKgXBIB4BKPWW93GxqoMK_uDluyHx-auLQ97UCesL3FfWr_2UVuVYYk5Lx1Kh5sM-xfMp9ERHBqG9BT-3srxlKATK1szG/s4032/PXL_20230907_231049651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GF-tCKeR694uJ_uvfhTI7Ls84KWBLusar9h6bHK0d4jrUldKpTixxRPYCyWjsm9__Ge4Lio4o_TFEc3SPjbJEJKpldGWLQCwKgXBIB4BKPWW93GxqoMK_uDluyHx-auLQ97UCesL3FfWr_2UVuVYYk5Lx1Kh5sM-xfMp9ERHBqG9BT-3srxlKATK1szG/w640-h480/PXL_20230907_231049651.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunset views over the estuary are beautiful in Brunswick.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A4Vbix8S9uQ_cEkPP-mSCtTl4LdhQsuXepc4VeoO8OP1_Z1XvdCQmAoXtZuyurI452Ldpt2vnptlOCEMjBXsI5yQprj02WKbsckFOI-UmVTcJbEqFU_KpurApYl3nK-P31zyN0MHCtWwkwa5-jZkf23eNi7alLxkNUo09OA5Asv3ziWhYr2vbXk4s3NT/s4032/PXL_20230907_231055909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A4Vbix8S9uQ_cEkPP-mSCtTl4LdhQsuXepc4VeoO8OP1_Z1XvdCQmAoXtZuyurI452Ldpt2vnptlOCEMjBXsI5yQprj02WKbsckFOI-UmVTcJbEqFU_KpurApYl3nK-P31zyN0MHCtWwkwa5-jZkf23eNi7alLxkNUo09OA5Asv3ziWhYr2vbXk4s3NT/w640-h480/PXL_20230907_231055909.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They opened the new North Bath house while we were there. It is very nice and for us on dock 15, the walk to the shower was much shorter.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXDhujfA67s5_eZ0J2_9Q46XChAZe73WGnKF6zzLpvscyqRDlCSgU2VMnvQ8tWE6YxXId7F7WV4rRwxNYnpbpGHQqmrLmlZjkHiimzikSMau0jkba87sQyoriHPFensLwXbQ6dcM2GBFZzVVFLZq9lCklfoKRvh_Ly-RnqkiccpjEFkOFkgp_snfoRTUU/s4032/PXL_20230909_124643125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXDhujfA67s5_eZ0J2_9Q46XChAZe73WGnKF6zzLpvscyqRDlCSgU2VMnvQ8tWE6YxXId7F7WV4rRwxNYnpbpGHQqmrLmlZjkHiimzikSMau0jkba87sQyoriHPFensLwXbQ6dcM2GBFZzVVFLZq9lCklfoKRvh_Ly-RnqkiccpjEFkOFkgp_snfoRTUU/w640-h480/PXL_20230909_124643125.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our neighbor left, which gave me the opportunity to take a picture from the starboard side of the boat. Shortly after this shot was taken, a 58 foot Beneteau Sailboat took its place. Our 40 foot boat looked so small compared to those much larger boats.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I spent the mornings walking in the historic neighborhoods. My goal was to walk 3 miles each day. We also took a trip to nearby Jekyll Island to check out the beach.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwK52y0R0ZoeQ7Cz7NjXoLXrL5K3Erw_jNlSPSkrq8GTX233wPev265Uiu091v_ocsZzAr0CKnujGdzia-1CHIk7WrRKSZ2JzaS4EsGEIrBdYkWfvrwHQEPrvRfLExd3zCPVt_wzC7OVLdHkGwYvRCGQ-3_mwAw64JT_6x7CAWWheTYsqFrsTZDX4JB9Gy/s4032/PXL_20230904_151231845.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwK52y0R0ZoeQ7Cz7NjXoLXrL5K3Erw_jNlSPSkrq8GTX233wPev265Uiu091v_ocsZzAr0CKnujGdzia-1CHIk7WrRKSZ2JzaS4EsGEIrBdYkWfvrwHQEPrvRfLExd3zCPVt_wzC7OVLdHkGwYvRCGQ-3_mwAw64JT_6x7CAWWheTYsqFrsTZDX4JB9Gy/w640-h480/PXL_20230904_151231845.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the old City Hall in Brunswick</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaLdGk5ySXfbIULjCpWotR5tiE-FuhMXbv58h3P9tiCG_jmcSGxRfBrSwDALv-4lSG_zcKk-AtcI31JT14f7eVghPuum-vps-vNUDd57daGccKrCiHcDdzypMey2HC2Ag5t-MyWVdWCGyJHRtvWZtPGwQaSnLTVfhKS7d0DXYjMFShtnkaFThPK29vleI/s4032/PXL_20230905_135451221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMaLdGk5ySXfbIULjCpWotR5tiE-FuhMXbv58h3P9tiCG_jmcSGxRfBrSwDALv-4lSG_zcKk-AtcI31JT14f7eVghPuum-vps-vNUDd57daGccKrCiHcDdzypMey2HC2Ag5t-MyWVdWCGyJHRtvWZtPGwQaSnLTVfhKS7d0DXYjMFShtnkaFThPK29vleI/w640-h480/PXL_20230905_135451221.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really liked this one.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6z1z7bcx1xJl2CS2VXvUUFtdu_7-2OAa3SSjCysNSCYR15tMm_niFDDbHxmeGJcel9YheYgR8eIZodmCbkWamBYijNMQGi2UMAVXXz7QI6EN3tFnh1tB0JG88UQ3IwZ9AoxbE4Kkw9mcchTpDTsYA-1mbfWu0uWmbI_eUEJgKM0KwneXK0biJBJx9wMQ/s4032/PXL_20230905_135545467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6z1z7bcx1xJl2CS2VXvUUFtdu_7-2OAa3SSjCysNSCYR15tMm_niFDDbHxmeGJcel9YheYgR8eIZodmCbkWamBYijNMQGi2UMAVXXz7QI6EN3tFnh1tB0JG88UQ3IwZ9AoxbE4Kkw9mcchTpDTsYA-1mbfWu0uWmbI_eUEJgKM0KwneXK0biJBJx9wMQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230905_135545467.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These buildings just have so much character</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCUE87oX42LqFQ8ECm8BXjUe6FWBlQNY8BZx-HcsmAzXid0LLNxc-W4q8NolHfQMbFlbbfUjysRaldpXYlcX9m9jkv11Tz1Repnqh9ZajGwJQbNhc2IELBo0Sd_70uPZNuTU0Rvb6afxCAZVOM9-8ePKyVr8mZGCrIpI12pOVTpDAFkTsOwCU9Sy1_7Wa/s4032/PXL_20230906_134009490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipCUE87oX42LqFQ8ECm8BXjUe6FWBlQNY8BZx-HcsmAzXid0LLNxc-W4q8NolHfQMbFlbbfUjysRaldpXYlcX9m9jkv11Tz1Repnqh9ZajGwJQbNhc2IELBo0Sd_70uPZNuTU0Rvb6afxCAZVOM9-8ePKyVr8mZGCrIpI12pOVTpDAFkTsOwCU9Sy1_7Wa/w640-h480/PXL_20230906_134009490.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have to do another "Kim on a beach" picture.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZJfQQo2Q4nmZe6d3FuDEBzyMbm-pEpKEEzWZHLTnB878qlpT4P2d3RqkMigKVxESLUYrMxE797QWodL2mEjGyGpY_oZVMsw4CzNrOG1seg8jVwH-eAq121SDc33ihw7OJlYiaoGDv40OyCvNTsTC6RcC_dqmeHbZc39f3l6HYcTZdIuNvbRMlKsknWN5/s4032/PXL_20230906_135230867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZJfQQo2Q4nmZe6d3FuDEBzyMbm-pEpKEEzWZHLTnB878qlpT4P2d3RqkMigKVxESLUYrMxE797QWodL2mEjGyGpY_oZVMsw4CzNrOG1seg8jVwH-eAq121SDc33ihw7OJlYiaoGDv40OyCvNTsTC6RcC_dqmeHbZc39f3l6HYcTZdIuNvbRMlKsknWN5/w640-h480/PXL_20230906_135230867.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was low tide so there was plenty of sand to walk on. We found lots of shells including about 20 full sand dollars. We cruised right by this beach yesterday on our way south.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><p>We left Georgia on the 10th of September and headed to Arkansas to see our grandson, Connor play football. This is his first year playing, and by the end of the year he was showing signs of understanding what he was trying to accomplish from his linebacker position. I have been into athletics my entire life and I can't tell you how much I love to watch my grandchildren taking their shot. I was very excited to hear that Cameron had joined the wrestling club. I was able to relive some of my younger years when I was able to watch one of his first practices. Wrestling was my sport in High School. We did have to get down on the floor of the living room after practice to show him a few things. I sure hope he sticks with it. </p><p>We then went back to Missouri to watch Will play soccer. He was not starting on the JV, but did get some playing time. The highlight was when we got to see Will score his first High School goal. I don't know who was more excited, him or me. We started watching the Ozark High Varsity Soccer team matches that were played after the JV games. The Varsity is one of the top teams in the state. We became big fans and did not miss a game until we left. They are the top seeded team in their district and we are hoping they make a run at a state title. The cool thing is that Will got to work out with those boys each day and by the end of the season, was gaining skills and confidence. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwWqskZqsy5uu8sJCuHKAWdJEHZAbUiBqpx0NMNJ2VuZn0IniG2UXH_I-WT5I9thoK8Cp32Basa4p-32wLgsg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>The video above is of Will's goal that was scored on a penalty kick. </p><p>We spent our weeks in Arkansas on Mondays, Tuesday and Thursday at Will's games in Missouri and every other Friday night at the Ozark High Football game to watch our Senior, Isabella perform with the Band. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYtPfMIfoIl-a5Qe9ZmvJMCuwem-Tae-DKneRjyiN-Kqkx1gES7OGI1uoGA95pACK0eNNpQWuEHiF0ur8_C3qBsGZf0vGCevP2esFokk0QQZmZm2009cVx186VZv-RXrUpx_M_y-kAhQgaZzeNOdsEOgeiuQ4nbX6Bz4uZPmyhTK9b_nyykEK1Tao39Sf/s4032/PXL_20231014_200311108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWYtPfMIfoIl-a5Qe9ZmvJMCuwem-Tae-DKneRjyiN-Kqkx1gES7OGI1uoGA95pACK0eNNpQWuEHiF0ur8_C3qBsGZf0vGCevP2esFokk0QQZmZm2009cVx186VZv-RXrUpx_M_y-kAhQgaZzeNOdsEOgeiuQ4nbX6Bz4uZPmyhTK9b_nyykEK1Tao39Sf/w640-h480/PXL_20231014_200311108.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isabella is the flute player standing at the 40 yard line. </td></tr></tbody></table>We also went to two of her band competitions. One of which they were the overall winner. <div><br /></div><div>We were asked to look after the kids for three weeks, while our daughter Shannon and her husband, Brian went on a cruise to the South Pacific. It turned out to be one of the best times of my life. The kids were awesome and all we did was spend some quality time with some of our favorite people on the planet. The only problem is that I now miss them terribly. </div><div><br /></div><div>We were planning to leave Missouri around October 15th, but we delayed that by a week to see as many of the kids activities as possible. Did I mention we had become big fans! We had to hurry to get the trailer winterized and everything ready for our departure. On September 23rd, which was our youngest grandchild, Amelia's birthday, we left Ozark and made one more trip to see Connor's last football game. He recorded his first solo tackle of the season and played very well. On the 24th, we made the 14 hour drive to Brunswick. </div><div><br /></div><div>We put in a few long days getting the boat ready for sea. Unfortunately, I came down with a bad cold on Saturday and I had to slow down to get well. I had been watching the weather and I really knew we should leave early, but I felt so bad that I thought getting well was more important. We were still undecided Monday night. I awoke Tuesday morning feeling much better and decided that today was the day. We got the boat ready and departed at around 9:30am. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginPMHDYTU-vcSfwQ2VNkiChKIVuf80_22Cs4Ova1xM88dSiY0EA8-KbuxFQVTnJ6pwHEInSAKTYZabNIdd_qhyDy6nRmIY0GknhupOmD3bOXtmuTlg9zurZZnjzsJKpDLr-trCkmRfHMjfYZrJEIguGGK4Ulo0gdbnHcMjdFaJEz9VCBrH_qF7N9hOcH1/s4032/PXL_20231029_223909197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginPMHDYTU-vcSfwQ2VNkiChKIVuf80_22Cs4Ova1xM88dSiY0EA8-KbuxFQVTnJ6pwHEInSAKTYZabNIdd_qhyDy6nRmIY0GknhupOmD3bOXtmuTlg9zurZZnjzsJKpDLr-trCkmRfHMjfYZrJEIguGGK4Ulo0gdbnHcMjdFaJEz9VCBrH_qF7N9hOcH1/w640-h480/PXL_20231029_223909197.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another beautiful sunset in Brunswick, the night before we left. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDaydGvK_j96HsakDIGx5WES7FAi0eg1RxCSn-4RwxXwpyxbV8ew19HvA6FyQkFOmM4TulRNhMAIWstus9p4Am7vMf8a4WP-SrfoAACVFwu7wrcsKVn22Pgq7DGfwPFs3kPZtKaGBrQgIYIiIu9bbE7ZYxL2p_MSJ61dVNBDPoAArPa8wFqW4zRRJvCps/s4032/PXL_20231029_223933366.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDaydGvK_j96HsakDIGx5WES7FAi0eg1RxCSn-4RwxXwpyxbV8ew19HvA6FyQkFOmM4TulRNhMAIWstus9p4Am7vMf8a4WP-SrfoAACVFwu7wrcsKVn22Pgq7DGfwPFs3kPZtKaGBrQgIYIiIu9bbE7ZYxL2p_MSJ61dVNBDPoAArPa8wFqW4zRRJvCps/w640-h480/PXL_20231029_223933366.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was our neighbor the entire time we were there. Jack purchased the boat the first week we were there and was yet to take the 65 foot Steel Schooner to sea. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6Emmbomr6XkOQ1BkU0ZdIFgp6d9QW2HUQXPeg9ugNwZlRWTpqhqmKAX6ziR29MOQPGGE0iqlO88jNxgvKT7srFU3htJ7kEPWuK5AyBTEeCuDpt0XiOCLtasGoqdPbq6rruTfD7TBDyg5ZQHSHF8A-1e_AuDVYQiJeiDX2HXdbtDPQUBreakQ1JIIVQZR/s4032/PXL_20231029_224014173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR6Emmbomr6XkOQ1BkU0ZdIFgp6d9QW2HUQXPeg9ugNwZlRWTpqhqmKAX6ziR29MOQPGGE0iqlO88jNxgvKT7srFU3htJ7kEPWuK5AyBTEeCuDpt0XiOCLtasGoqdPbq6rruTfD7TBDyg5ZQHSHF8A-1e_AuDVYQiJeiDX2HXdbtDPQUBreakQ1JIIVQZR/w640-h480/PXL_20231029_224014173.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SHIFT ready to go. All sails on, full of food, water and fuel. Wood treated, stainless polished, Decks washed. Engines serviced and all checks completed. Wish us luck!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtZx3PMZYyyKt6xrakMuMejnLXDXdbTCMQAj3JRL6ynoPU8X6UXLhlBesCuysEXQavCQv1IvdTWpdeEmy1zmfgOj4aThFwiocha3t9zJVz6IhhNpLNiXlYZVPLSGz7llUHCButoyL0MpoLQkYDmEg4aWxh2nEaSVKhFjTh-1Ezx1wbF2SiXuEBP8SlVxz/s4032/PXL_20231031_141127110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtZx3PMZYyyKt6xrakMuMejnLXDXdbTCMQAj3JRL6ynoPU8X6UXLhlBesCuysEXQavCQv1IvdTWpdeEmy1zmfgOj4aThFwiocha3t9zJVz6IhhNpLNiXlYZVPLSGz7llUHCButoyL0MpoLQkYDmEg4aWxh2nEaSVKhFjTh-1Ezx1wbF2SiXuEBP8SlVxz/w640-h480/PXL_20231031_141127110.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a 37 nm motor trip, but we went under the 185 foot bridge at Brunswick.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneeqcsihSYkzHNcUxIf0mHmPtdEW8eLlgoqleFvAYW4YzSwZoJuw9ywEzjevi3uMegL8lh5fDH5DejIm4qShuMgQXDQq7KQo8IZCrlhEVQZ8AcWWZgxhW8OoLNNFOTF-Y9weC3x4eBK5QLNHBNN__QBdRvYOTDRMaP77jjtU4oWwd-baMtVCE9MgBdIL7/s4032/PXL_20231031_141941201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneeqcsihSYkzHNcUxIf0mHmPtdEW8eLlgoqleFvAYW4YzSwZoJuw9ywEzjevi3uMegL8lh5fDH5DejIm4qShuMgQXDQq7KQo8IZCrlhEVQZ8AcWWZgxhW8OoLNNFOTF-Y9weC3x4eBK5QLNHBNN__QBdRvYOTDRMaP77jjtU4oWwd-baMtVCE9MgBdIL7/w640-h480/PXL_20231031_141941201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a beautiful day with a high temperature of about 80F.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCpdTDHowkZ-U6mMTZLR06dEy93Sl-zM8CabmHDyCc2HbT2HqY88BvvTZi8hFqXSM8-sTiZr5cdhjeDic5kz5fXMjn2Ymu9noOSiZsSs-q1m-StNIKGocNLq9shzPwv2u6Jbd5NdSQ2LpAePaDnFoXWli8xRzz3V-JanmHGpb-OZzXCh_-0uyVhaE5S7t/s4032/PXL_20231031_185606895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCpdTDHowkZ-U6mMTZLR06dEy93Sl-zM8CabmHDyCc2HbT2HqY88BvvTZi8hFqXSM8-sTiZr5cdhjeDic5kz5fXMjn2Ymu9noOSiZsSs-q1m-StNIKGocNLq9shzPwv2u6Jbd5NdSQ2LpAePaDnFoXWli8xRzz3V-JanmHGpb-OZzXCh_-0uyVhaE5S7t/w640-h480/PXL_20231031_185606895.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We cruised by Kings Bay Submarine base. There is a Ohio Class sub to the left in this picture. That boat is almost 600 feet long. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRKlB7cJcRq6HB7gqROE7cBYGFDlENpVQ5EA0Vs8o-uOdkQqT49Wrjn8MN7IVQvrXOotoylNTlP8gvMeOlQs_rtLa67lEfwAHjPhr7XGoi_hkIWprB1cQXXDlQF93dtkpXSH-CluP7fd03XKpNylZM7uUI22AovT6uoFeQjMlR_rqyt6uDiYHAXjP1k9J/s4032/PXL_20231031_224051193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRKlB7cJcRq6HB7gqROE7cBYGFDlENpVQ5EA0Vs8o-uOdkQqT49Wrjn8MN7IVQvrXOotoylNTlP8gvMeOlQs_rtLa67lEfwAHjPhr7XGoi_hkIWprB1cQXXDlQF93dtkpXSH-CluP7fd03XKpNylZM7uUI22AovT6uoFeQjMlR_rqyt6uDiYHAXjP1k9J/w640-h480/PXL_20231031_224051193.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our anchorage in Saint Mary's, Georgia.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSUnJIK4CXnWAMLIPc1H4GIfZmRjS3I7WMFD-drNqs2U2W5sN8HFPNPQ6QLXyuWZuv1G8f3b54-IaB0mpRCzTv48ykQMSdxtHchn9MIH7abe6NbDwbM3zr4pgPbnCWti525Kt7-YvwBApoiZrL4ytM6pBEy0HXdz5xDgvl7-TUsigegDdpnmnkmpEeL3O/s4032/PXL_20231031_224053940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSUnJIK4CXnWAMLIPc1H4GIfZmRjS3I7WMFD-drNqs2U2W5sN8HFPNPQ6QLXyuWZuv1G8f3b54-IaB0mpRCzTv48ykQMSdxtHchn9MIH7abe6NbDwbM3zr4pgPbnCWti525Kt7-YvwBApoiZrL4ytM6pBEy0HXdz5xDgvl7-TUsigegDdpnmnkmpEeL3O/w640-h480/PXL_20231031_224053940.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful evening, but the front arrived at about 2 in the morning, but we didn't see much more than 20 knots of wind and about a 20 degree drop in temperatures. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV8MVMGdxz0Rm1gtdZKLopUskpRM1_6ZO6dfRr9yitLrRa26REuv5WlQ43PmDZf1X9BRM9-HFfYAiOOGOTa2bF-5OWTWIcg4EhsIuR6UsBnObmuOxUNvVz2fGuzuOHDGBgR_ls6LdcnE7Pq9u90Qh0K_ANGM5ozKrbb6oNBH5BHsqWSifpV_S9bIRTouM/s4032/PXL_20231031_224106617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXV8MVMGdxz0Rm1gtdZKLopUskpRM1_6ZO6dfRr9yitLrRa26REuv5WlQ43PmDZf1X9BRM9-HFfYAiOOGOTa2bF-5OWTWIcg4EhsIuR6UsBnObmuOxUNvVz2fGuzuOHDGBgR_ls6LdcnE7Pq9u90Qh0K_ANGM5ozKrbb6oNBH5BHsqWSifpV_S9bIRTouM/w640-h480/PXL_20231031_224106617.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To our stern is the town of Saint Mary's. It is a cool place with lots of interesting history.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Well, that is how we spent the last two months. In my next entry, I will write about our plans this cruising season and what is next for us. Thanks for reading. <br /><p><br /></p></div></div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-35156031726911425282023-09-03T14:13:00.001-07:002023-09-03T14:13:57.834-07:00Time for an Update after Hurricane Idalia<p> I have been asked to provide an update after our recent experience with Hurricane Idalia. I will start this entry by telling you that we are safe, and SHIFT received no damage from the storm. I will write about the experience with the storm, later in this entry.</p><p>In my last entry, we had just arrived at Brunswick Landing Marina in Brunswick, GA. It was June 27th, when we arrived. We quickly settled into a routine of social activities here in the marina and living on the boat in air conditioned comfort. The only problem was that it was HOT, Very hot and humid. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-qFOduGZqYeQMf3q6As24dFTJQXdarsCnnsOQzbgBkZcMWescEG-16dcNtihuuO44Mjjb3qomQt0W8D4Vjyifk22uKuRwhjGW1pS1bBmuofFZCwQS0kau8NAYUItGg2rqrjRbaqOC4MDRxCrDjwEi8oK9WY7giJjlKTwdFNO0F-jjZgBIKQ_SjCpFVq2/s4032/PXL_20230703_135717703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-qFOduGZqYeQMf3q6As24dFTJQXdarsCnnsOQzbgBkZcMWescEG-16dcNtihuuO44Mjjb3qomQt0W8D4Vjyifk22uKuRwhjGW1pS1bBmuofFZCwQS0kau8NAYUItGg2rqrjRbaqOC4MDRxCrDjwEi8oK9WY7giJjlKTwdFNO0F-jjZgBIKQ_SjCpFVq2/w640-h480/PXL_20230703_135717703.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is SHIFT in her slip at Brunswick Landing surrounded by two 65 foot boats.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjulLlRYFS3DkFGWPexxAhMxWiqyjPMePtLfvWofe1oSOi2C2c2tmyIZ7n86_3SbOpY31m9B4FTqX1HCaplh049ZY3gf8QiXF6QbFn3wvhqofaU-XatIqp8zbx8OyDTY0an7_TQcLYmaKB_-LSHj1912x-9uqeK5G-Dw9UoqoA6WROKFT4Efidw4qEKEH/s4032/PXL_20230705_010456094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjulLlRYFS3DkFGWPexxAhMxWiqyjPMePtLfvWofe1oSOi2C2c2tmyIZ7n86_3SbOpY31m9B4FTqX1HCaplh049ZY3gf8QiXF6QbFn3wvhqofaU-XatIqp8zbx8OyDTY0an7_TQcLYmaKB_-LSHj1912x-9uqeK5G-Dw9UoqoA6WROKFT4Efidw4qEKEH/w640-h480/PXL_20230705_010456094.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We enjoyed the fireworks on July 4th right over the marina from the comfort of the club house </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIH7u_3YaopTlc0b2_AsoG0bhkOyc0qTxOZFwrXl9uYbh5dzBQ2_fQiTGIdM7g22FfXw04m2_OxvfGuL1Nj9fKMHlZWlkDZybG9uPaIQe5k5xVUnUW-iq1pK7lSPfR8Rx00c3Ni4TQyIaG-ilcIO0Z113BV8Doq7z82DXVzQEsm_g3gX3GlUs-HFvo9F1/s4032/PXL_20230706_223516231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIH7u_3YaopTlc0b2_AsoG0bhkOyc0qTxOZFwrXl9uYbh5dzBQ2_fQiTGIdM7g22FfXw04m2_OxvfGuL1Nj9fKMHlZWlkDZybG9uPaIQe5k5xVUnUW-iq1pK7lSPfR8Rx00c3Ni4TQyIaG-ilcIO0Z113BV8Doq7z82DXVzQEsm_g3gX3GlUs-HFvo9F1/w640-h480/PXL_20230706_223516231.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim playing Bingo in the clubhouse. We had fun, but never won a game.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh39ZBEkSXbgX_QZR2ga_-28RDkBq-j9I34XtYxAZm0FuU3AWC-RL6uVWRG8ifTCzUVxxZyqH24pezPWxXuJAUnW0LuGvuN7BwUArmypNtqwnNeKW_XMJLm1D-GoL2McPo3qLhJ5AzbRMkGbHbzdPM9HiSG5PZO5K7lA9eGbFJejAnrVmnBUQVadDrWwuP/s4032/PXL_20230711_003001244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh39ZBEkSXbgX_QZR2ga_-28RDkBq-j9I34XtYxAZm0FuU3AWC-RL6uVWRG8ifTCzUVxxZyqH24pezPWxXuJAUnW0LuGvuN7BwUArmypNtqwnNeKW_XMJLm1D-GoL2McPo3qLhJ5AzbRMkGbHbzdPM9HiSG5PZO5K7lA9eGbFJejAnrVmnBUQVadDrWwuP/w640-h480/PXL_20230711_003001244.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice sunset over the marina and the estuary beyond. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We were getting tired of the heat and we had big plans to find some cooler weather. We prepared the boat for the coming hurricane season by removing the canvas and the head sails to reduce windage. We then talked to a couple of companies about replacing our very tired canvas. Kim has been dong a great job keeping it together, but we decided that now was the time to replace it. We left the marina on July 13th and made the 14 hour drive back to Missouri over two days. It wasn't much cooler in Missouri when we arrived, but the lower humidity was very noticeable. We then got the truck unloaded and then we turned our attention to our planned trip to Colorado for a family reunion, and celebrating my fathers 92nd birthday. </div><div><br /></div><div>On July 18th we drove to Ozark to pick up our grandson, Will. Then on down to Arkansas to pick up our son, Michael and his two sons, Connor and Cameron. We had 6 in the truck for the two day drive out to Colorado. We shared a VRBO with our daughter Shannon and the rest of her family while we attended the family reunion. We had an amazing time seeing everyone.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQm1BuBSiznBH159QADqOUSRxrNeje57q32r8100cV7gF7vBwzMjKGlAOH0eDL4oWGAfZI12ClFb29uljqBpnFbnrArSXe4FM9M8CMjrcex4rkXIkrNj6txZPYyCuHfInjBjKF1hoFg_9e7zhSIOPKt9UcYTZVMqw4r0g43Me6i-RfFHm-sVkCJKppb0_/s4032/PXL_20230721_193720892.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYQm1BuBSiznBH159QADqOUSRxrNeje57q32r8100cV7gF7vBwzMjKGlAOH0eDL4oWGAfZI12ClFb29uljqBpnFbnrArSXe4FM9M8CMjrcex4rkXIkrNj6txZPYyCuHfInjBjKF1hoFg_9e7zhSIOPKt9UcYTZVMqw4r0g43Me6i-RfFHm-sVkCJKppb0_/w640-h480/PXL_20230721_193720892.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mom with two of her great grand children, Case and Colby</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCX31IXoEI8mX7E_wTFUKIROTtBBN9CF4ntn-XOKFnJ4UDt1mXhPqZJ67w3dzKpUhb6TFk1dbAj4Zrk5xtUUdSjaTqcrpBLL99KylXdnsZYsOm3Vmrz-wtI_K1YNiBqX4h_3OU114dgHFSB5Jnp12X5ToW3Ugyks2UarBLZSRx72ZxOWIndDtI6cLvq3j/s4032/PXL_20230722_212505279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxCX31IXoEI8mX7E_wTFUKIROTtBBN9CF4ntn-XOKFnJ4UDt1mXhPqZJ67w3dzKpUhb6TFk1dbAj4Zrk5xtUUdSjaTqcrpBLL99KylXdnsZYsOm3Vmrz-wtI_K1YNiBqX4h_3OU114dgHFSB5Jnp12X5ToW3Ugyks2UarBLZSRx72ZxOWIndDtI6cLvq3j/w640-h480/PXL_20230722_212505279.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole family had a great time visiting around the pool at my parents complex.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfM92HiNHzH8ESRxP_wroOMInMsvgcQ7WtiDiwn9Ag4k5tUguVp0QW5kPpH402z88_UtrgJFN_zX9eLBuyw7tOq4PI1EcoJ5QV3B-UeDRBlmURHpk2eD4Mztm6W1ffxv9846Y8HE0c-4LAAiH5g8ouXPuknpGQY1LPbVgfSBTFypUHeX8LAi1Bdh0ERyRj/s4032/PXL_20230722_212523507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfM92HiNHzH8ESRxP_wroOMInMsvgcQ7WtiDiwn9Ag4k5tUguVp0QW5kPpH402z88_UtrgJFN_zX9eLBuyw7tOq4PI1EcoJ5QV3B-UeDRBlmURHpk2eD4Mztm6W1ffxv9846Y8HE0c-4LAAiH5g8ouXPuknpGQY1LPbVgfSBTFypUHeX8LAi1Bdh0ERyRj/w640-h480/PXL_20230722_212523507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I don't think it all could have worked out better. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G79fNd1GmxgPHYV6DUbBA1pYdi0b1zHbhsHeDGrsudcWA5KJq_chaKxRmPAoqybPkSUJZJM-9fr1PVQRpf1sQo8bPq8lpI8jA1CZcaCr3sm30U3Retq1Gkfq70U7wSmYRMf04ndejQ4EBjtME7kl79zUiXIZtDQGRAlq-xzM8DVvZ484bkVio7eR7l2W/s4032/PXL_20230723_001402994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0G79fNd1GmxgPHYV6DUbBA1pYdi0b1zHbhsHeDGrsudcWA5KJq_chaKxRmPAoqybPkSUJZJM-9fr1PVQRpf1sQo8bPq8lpI8jA1CZcaCr3sm30U3Retq1Gkfq70U7wSmYRMf04ndejQ4EBjtME7kl79zUiXIZtDQGRAlq-xzM8DVvZ484bkVio7eR7l2W/w640-h480/PXL_20230723_001402994.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think we had 33 people there. I love my family and we are so lucky to have Mom and Dad still with us. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We left the Denver area on Sunday, July 23rd and headed to the mountains for a couple of days camping. I think the boys had fun hanging out and doing some fishing. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQupxuW9eeVkR29vYFHdkbOuC01Mxn5jqMKrCw9IQHnMn-0Zji27Qgoy68JXr-90-R8nu-k8pVSNesAw1qVa47adrCAcI15N_bSkCUMmUWc96mIZAoifpeaTePvl9fn9cqcx8_f60SuTdwRdjObYt5fLTyiGwRrETY6Sbg48VnJ0N35yYWr--TARFzRFZ/s4032/PXL_20230724_154928667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQupxuW9eeVkR29vYFHdkbOuC01Mxn5jqMKrCw9IQHnMn-0Zji27Qgoy68JXr-90-R8nu-k8pVSNesAw1qVa47adrCAcI15N_bSkCUMmUWc96mIZAoifpeaTePvl9fn9cqcx8_f60SuTdwRdjObYt5fLTyiGwRrETY6Sbg48VnJ0N35yYWr--TARFzRFZ/w640-h480/PXL_20230724_154928667.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We really did camp in tents. It was so cool and comfortable that I did not want to leave.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLu1EZ7J5FHr6SP1bBPtwYupEqTgGB5Bqy7_JzDp3PYzGWr26UDTzchmC_jQ6a2_gCD2QwpZZ-t4opxgD-yOdrudu-32v4WSopcIgpKbnuiJR-MWQy2dTkiNAtmbYxTNQpohkVrazkaZneKWPcoTHVTnWnc8_wShCzNv-swwHNvHL3zIUZk_bo2eCjaOg/s4032/PXL_20230724_164209878.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLu1EZ7J5FHr6SP1bBPtwYupEqTgGB5Bqy7_JzDp3PYzGWr26UDTzchmC_jQ6a2_gCD2QwpZZ-t4opxgD-yOdrudu-32v4WSopcIgpKbnuiJR-MWQy2dTkiNAtmbYxTNQpohkVrazkaZneKWPcoTHVTnWnc8_wShCzNv-swwHNvHL3zIUZk_bo2eCjaOg/w640-h480/PXL_20230724_164209878.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three of my grandsons.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7NuLtq8s4vFDunT73YNWW4y33-OPiCqwCSDKRVRhMp_ERCsCKvWym0ODtHS8LULwIu0wSWyYeu_u8oDW7b4c9x1Wl9v5usze9j7xGVkXp8_knahXLNQCURmkSqz4if4sze-_3QOqgjqHpeO2GAlLAhiXBQGTd1qSRy-LXFH4G_cPCGtP4AzRHIXeFydN/s4032/PXL_20230724_164501238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7NuLtq8s4vFDunT73YNWW4y33-OPiCqwCSDKRVRhMp_ERCsCKvWym0ODtHS8LULwIu0wSWyYeu_u8oDW7b4c9x1Wl9v5usze9j7xGVkXp8_knahXLNQCURmkSqz4if4sze-_3QOqgjqHpeO2GAlLAhiXBQGTd1qSRy-LXFH4G_cPCGtP4AzRHIXeFydN/w640-h480/PXL_20230724_164501238.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love the mountains.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZgUIK59JL1ViFeBthFDFOtmHzwFl8LBBG8PF3nUPfvTLdeRHIf7rhRtyfKqEBOv5yYpe-1s_k6fo1prsiclnWRx56k_ckGMay6pGXctCDhxYIpHSeoqWOOxQlS0JN4W6Q6f4eXOxqvuwE9hXy09_rybF7dSBezl8_yM5bJd_70fPSUGtZsNsrQY11BrJ/s4032/PXL_20230725_122108467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZgUIK59JL1ViFeBthFDFOtmHzwFl8LBBG8PF3nUPfvTLdeRHIf7rhRtyfKqEBOv5yYpe-1s_k6fo1prsiclnWRx56k_ckGMay6pGXctCDhxYIpHSeoqWOOxQlS0JN4W6Q6f4eXOxqvuwE9hXy09_rybF7dSBezl8_yM5bJd_70fPSUGtZsNsrQY11BrJ/w640-h480/PXL_20230725_122108467.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my view while having my morning coffee.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41ABj8ndA1zbk11DDmScyHljNoL5LTOLKtsJbRAqHwnjQCvKonO8Ra3J4f-CZuHyRLFoTCdL3s1-tqZfrKxFQSq_eflaja8UBV0gTAgTjjwn5H9VqqXUzN09HMuwOHThIB1J8mNoWK4Nv9581SvYNgXkTdS2barTKuc5OD3x2QkZMgP98DNq6CoFVkhEo/s4032/PXL_20230725_150044797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh41ABj8ndA1zbk11DDmScyHljNoL5LTOLKtsJbRAqHwnjQCvKonO8Ra3J4f-CZuHyRLFoTCdL3s1-tqZfrKxFQSq_eflaja8UBV0gTAgTjjwn5H9VqqXUzN09HMuwOHThIB1J8mNoWK4Nv9581SvYNgXkTdS2barTKuc5OD3x2QkZMgP98DNq6CoFVkhEo/w640-h480/PXL_20230725_150044797.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The guys even went swimming in that lake. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcsw_ni-YKamAzIkz9t_Gxk5SPT0xmxgxY5JdYuysrCiB9TM2JDUv4UnJsu9TJcHzNrx5YqIDWKQs2i77C6bOEAuK9ORxCa0w7lakWF41OQ7Nl9L7OVASMgOdhtInX0WP6z_3F2wY6Ley-VymhlWhEffR3cEoLHUdzx57CdqN7w3Wbth3uqJ6AWz55Mfl/s4032/PXL_20230725_150147891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBcsw_ni-YKamAzIkz9t_Gxk5SPT0xmxgxY5JdYuysrCiB9TM2JDUv4UnJsu9TJcHzNrx5YqIDWKQs2i77C6bOEAuK9ORxCa0w7lakWF41OQ7Nl9L7OVASMgOdhtInX0WP6z_3F2wY6Ley-VymhlWhEffR3cEoLHUdzx57CdqN7w3Wbth3uqJ6AWz55Mfl/w640-h480/PXL_20230725_150147891.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connor caught a nice trout. Will is fishing in this shot. I gave them both their first of many fly fishing lessons.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We drove on from Colorado to the DFW area to see Kim's Mom and Dad. It was great to see them and I know the boys really enjoyed the time together. </div><div><br /></div><div>We then went back to Missouri to rest. We drove almost 3000 miles on that trip. </div><div><br /></div><div>We got a visit from our good RV friends Dick and Cathy. It is always so great to see them.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQlsmLZ8QSvrBafBb7KxSUDXs4k1RxOre5Rnhwa8yjO_ufgNL9r5Dr6iKr7MUJytWdQQODL11Kut1BcgTMb0elo1H9N0ipxwu7WyH3cZLpzkz4HVqzkeI42utnRn_2HoBTc5JuMWo9J3SDjTgTt092jlOLeZOfvGaiTW40SKZfyS3lOmQbpqzf_IZwBN-/s4032/PXL_20230813_012053016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQlsmLZ8QSvrBafBb7KxSUDXs4k1RxOre5Rnhwa8yjO_ufgNL9r5Dr6iKr7MUJytWdQQODL11Kut1BcgTMb0elo1H9N0ipxwu7WyH3cZLpzkz4HVqzkeI42utnRn_2HoBTc5JuMWo9J3SDjTgTt092jlOLeZOfvGaiTW40SKZfyS3lOmQbpqzf_IZwBN-/w640-h480/PXL_20230813_012053016.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I got an invitation to go to a famous Hard Enduro motorcycle race with my partner Bob. It was a good time and I was glad Bob talked me into going. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIUJ6XkwlRrZ17MYaGY5_tKrxYQxaanyAyShAK3MtA-ZAzL0kZou0rHxsqcmLLAnLDyb18pSEfQH1kTLZEg68PSHQUMidbznqwM8HEO6PV8KWZA6eWx0SNmAq3SKeYc9LjShGXbfA90Gqel03XGyUWDvBDMFqqGbcuXnLgtAsV6b3cGDxv1Vi1UGg6aP_/s4032/PXL_20230818_142904579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpIUJ6XkwlRrZ17MYaGY5_tKrxYQxaanyAyShAK3MtA-ZAzL0kZou0rHxsqcmLLAnLDyb18pSEfQH1kTLZEg68PSHQUMidbznqwM8HEO6PV8KWZA6eWx0SNmAq3SKeYc9LjShGXbfA90Gqel03XGyUWDvBDMFqqGbcuXnLgtAsV6b3cGDxv1Vi1UGg6aP_/w640-h480/PXL_20230818_142904579.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the top factories had big rigs at the event called The Tennessee Knock Out</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_iMEL8a_j6isOpEd_mLazXhSwoPVwwrre5asYZDOnuyZXsBSEVzH52L0Tse7OFx_6yRnvINlUznsj-zPe2-b9nU5J9Rt9TPbiJx-ePwtkhYwfNHgDpsbZ-f6lzjbplTrGUbFFQLFCVyXla2v77Hh8cPZQnf9xCJ2ICEWdzTeDNmsrRej5kiNBAv1Z1saf/s4032/PXL_20230818_200838155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_iMEL8a_j6isOpEd_mLazXhSwoPVwwrre5asYZDOnuyZXsBSEVzH52L0Tse7OFx_6yRnvINlUznsj-zPe2-b9nU5J9Rt9TPbiJx-ePwtkhYwfNHgDpsbZ-f6lzjbplTrGUbFFQLFCVyXla2v77Hh8cPZQnf9xCJ2ICEWdzTeDNmsrRej5kiNBAv1Z1saf/w640-h480/PXL_20230818_200838155.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the riders making his way around the very technical course. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOgpnB1O7-G8CVpBfomSuqsh5IYOc4G_9jwKIpC4Zpm4fkWmZkQgSVA3yNAkI7vF_VPaIp09r9R5OhduBbkmur_sxYv9dLkuJ2lWYPA9ds1wun5mN7y0-3JsKtA92FDJ9Atlz4LygvRPeU353kUOYpnORNpgSLMaxc0L7_YzMofU0YooV4Qm0FI-lpcfV/s4032/PXL_20230819_135856860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOgpnB1O7-G8CVpBfomSuqsh5IYOc4G_9jwKIpC4Zpm4fkWmZkQgSVA3yNAkI7vF_VPaIp09r9R5OhduBbkmur_sxYv9dLkuJ2lWYPA9ds1wun5mN7y0-3JsKtA92FDJ9Atlz4LygvRPeU353kUOYpnORNpgSLMaxc0L7_YzMofU0YooV4Qm0FI-lpcfV/w640-h480/PXL_20230819_135856860.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My partner Bob and I hiked all over that beautiful piece of property near Chattanooga, TN.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SNhlhp73A3aG-2Pv9KCk-chvVwMh7JlW8uIuRo77VTDX0zOtjI4r2iSJkvoz544vq0dYeHBfbklHVDlsfDqCglGPDasLGSdeer90TQjTDt7zbHPu0FgIF8fGtMZhlGFshaBdarhhI7dGLKBl_cG8EeiwSpX1U_Xp36Qwu_A8j0pYj7Zkp1JgLQLvO1xG/s4032/PXL_20230819_173923031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SNhlhp73A3aG-2Pv9KCk-chvVwMh7JlW8uIuRo77VTDX0zOtjI4r2iSJkvoz544vq0dYeHBfbklHVDlsfDqCglGPDasLGSdeer90TQjTDt7zbHPu0FgIF8fGtMZhlGFshaBdarhhI7dGLKBl_cG8EeiwSpX1U_Xp36Qwu_A8j0pYj7Zkp1JgLQLvO1xG/w640-h480/PXL_20230819_173923031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shot of Rachel Gutish, who is one of the top female riders in the world. She was at our ranch just the week before to teach a riding school for women riders. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The time was approaching that our new canvas was going to be ready and we wanted to be at the boat when it was going to be installed. At the same time we were watching a storm that was forecasted to form in the Gulf of Mexico. Our grandson, Connor had his first football game on Monday, August 28th. The storm was forecasted to come right over Brunswick on the 30th. So, in our normal style, we drove to Arkansas to watch Connor play. He played very well. Then we left our sons house at 5 am and headed to Georgia. We arrived at 8 pm and got to work making sure the boat was ready. We slept on the boat that night in light wind and woke up to news the storm was making landfall and heading our way. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiids37O1neTC9CB1TzomzncpFgdOTbQI0pPXkDen5sjDRVm3_4oXF_U0U0_ey-1djmw5cUX6mr6hRbqoiU_G1x5KgNYWbi0yafIJEm0egRWiWkVWXCncgTChnIHXhyfCqGeGpErC_YVwEcthZXjO0jzXd_1zHQRQm59Opk7Bb7k_SaS-jv7YJuvwzAOWOP/s4032/PXL_20230830_120329405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiids37O1neTC9CB1TzomzncpFgdOTbQI0pPXkDen5sjDRVm3_4oXF_U0U0_ey-1djmw5cUX6mr6hRbqoiU_G1x5KgNYWbi0yafIJEm0egRWiWkVWXCncgTChnIHXhyfCqGeGpErC_YVwEcthZXjO0jzXd_1zHQRQm59Opk7Bb7k_SaS-jv7YJuvwzAOWOP/w640-h480/PXL_20230830_120329405.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SHIFT stripped of windage and ready for battle. We doubled all lines and hoped for the best.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGc5Kcs42PyTafHywMWghWUjjUJM9Tr8lHBjbKC4ADqmfRcu04nBxM3-HeYaKKoXkAh4nQjSfpRFCG88-6-TCWo95innordze8yDqHU5S8-Tjxsd76rUeXwGbGiwd9FHk32uAWJDlt9I73jV_onH43ftgFa6To5BMTer7oy7FrTvIbq7R7vgFsCh1A3psB/s4032/PXL_20230831_124804948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGc5Kcs42PyTafHywMWghWUjjUJM9Tr8lHBjbKC4ADqmfRcu04nBxM3-HeYaKKoXkAh4nQjSfpRFCG88-6-TCWo95innordze8yDqHU5S8-Tjxsd76rUeXwGbGiwd9FHk32uAWJDlt9I73jV_onH43ftgFa6To5BMTer7oy7FrTvIbq7R7vgFsCh1A3psB/w640-h480/PXL_20230831_124804948.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice and calm at 7 am.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmAlXkaUnka3-OD6IX7hNHw9JSlYlQGOxW1qq_Lpk0CGVm3Sw7rcaDwbkFX5x5CtLkEMpwvCL83y1yJqmDhtV9pkhMo0GDr6i_X0COcPdwWQ7qe2vCCKPQF3IFnTU2oemEjpiy6QntD1ZTMRhIa561us4pmsT_HMyn4U0GFDEZtGqdBfbMZR7OwXNS2Wp/s4032/PXL_20230831_124814564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmAlXkaUnka3-OD6IX7hNHw9JSlYlQGOxW1qq_Lpk0CGVm3Sw7rcaDwbkFX5x5CtLkEMpwvCL83y1yJqmDhtV9pkhMo0GDr6i_X0COcPdwWQ7qe2vCCKPQF3IFnTU2oemEjpiy6QntD1ZTMRhIa561us4pmsT_HMyn4U0GFDEZtGqdBfbMZR7OwXNS2Wp/w640-h480/PXL_20230831_124814564.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This large boat on our starboard side was a blessing and a curse. The wind came from that side and it blocked much of it. The bad news is that it was tied too loose for the conditions and those two fenders were pressed up against us, which was then pushing us hard into the dock. Our fenders stayed in place and we did not get any rub damage. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwN9N48ZVg-VEe44kvdJSdCanRxaOY5mDPv-bfW914Jm7Kc42m6bPZKRxcc6PMWo7oLMyCF_II8xQY7f0dXeIoC9YGiQwPrYqGIvw-O6G_Vrkup8lgnOjraKc7CCIbl-oIumghQqERWSQuPznLDst-OCZuQ0I3tUD_2zsWCPQ1tumirn3TudprlS3Pb53/s4032/PXL_20230830_120309286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwN9N48ZVg-VEe44kvdJSdCanRxaOY5mDPv-bfW914Jm7Kc42m6bPZKRxcc6PMWo7oLMyCF_II8xQY7f0dXeIoC9YGiQwPrYqGIvw-O6G_Vrkup8lgnOjraKc7CCIbl-oIumghQqERWSQuPznLDst-OCZuQ0I3tUD_2zsWCPQ1tumirn3TudprlS3Pb53/w640-h480/PXL_20230830_120309286.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rain and the wind picked up and it was time to get to shelter in the club house.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We were lucky that the storm took a more westerly track than what was originally forecasted, which had the eye of the storm coming right over Brunswick, Georgia. Normally being on the eastern side of the eye is a bad thing, but Idalia was strange, because the bad side was the northwest side. We recorded a 44 knot gust here on the boat (I left the instruments on), but another boat that was more exposed recorded an 70 knot gust. </div><div><p>We left the boat during the storm and went to a club house here on the marina property. We could not have been more comfortable. We watched the storm from the comfort of a recliner. I did go out in about 40 mph winds to check on the boat and that is when I saw the big boat pushing on us, but there was nothing I could do. We did lose power for much of the day, but that was a minor inconvenience. Power came back on at 7 pm. Brunswick Landing Marina lived up to it's reputation as a great hurricane hole, but there was some damage to the docks and two large boats when the wind shifted and came right down the river. Another marina not far from us sustained significant damage and lost a number of boats. We were glad the worst was over when the winds dropped down to around 25 knots by 8 pm. We went back to the boat and slept well. </p><p>We woke up the following morning to a cool and comfortable day. The canvas company came about 11:00 and started the installation of our new Bimini and Dodger. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik987pP8A-G3NV7jcau0aYQ4wB7Q_KATqVsQMLSKZTolB38Bc0QppvJ_fcXJQgpEy0TJdjXMxBl_W-OPmZs5lBzvEYE1BeSyMMQDR3zsqza7xzzoc1YodTGHsgsLFUMRrQ6HBkaw6JWY_fdc41PV3CytP0gt5nD6mo_buWH-MCihjzVQ_ubZBjCKTk1VcJ/s4032/PXL_20230903_175001967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik987pP8A-G3NV7jcau0aYQ4wB7Q_KATqVsQMLSKZTolB38Bc0QppvJ_fcXJQgpEy0TJdjXMxBl_W-OPmZs5lBzvEYE1BeSyMMQDR3zsqza7xzzoc1YodTGHsgsLFUMRrQ6HBkaw6JWY_fdc41PV3CytP0gt5nD6mo_buWH-MCihjzVQ_ubZBjCKTk1VcJ/w640-h480/PXL_20230903_175001967.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep, we are changing the color to dark blue. We included some window covers for the fresh isenglass. <br />They had to take the connector back to make an alteration. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjOfao-CVhoKcw3mRV1MPprZAuizhckMCFq60Fw1IaHMip1JlFLybm8kICYPQQXafi7ox00MRjdrdMlkWuBDamBiGKlK53RbONUfu14qLKEj5FZR0b4jGgJVzTrFHHstI5UjbQEPQ1kRVRWBGT9Y41DAk_M1e7mAZG4-HkaaHJxX1k5Q07wMZ1Z0rV_YR/s4032/PXL_20230903_175021860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjOfao-CVhoKcw3mRV1MPprZAuizhckMCFq60Fw1IaHMip1JlFLybm8kICYPQQXafi7ox00MRjdrdMlkWuBDamBiGKlK53RbONUfu14qLKEj5FZR0b4jGgJVzTrFHHstI5UjbQEPQ1kRVRWBGT9Y41DAk_M1e7mAZG4-HkaaHJxX1k5Q07wMZ1Z0rV_YR/w640-h480/PXL_20230903_175021860.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The color turned out a little lighter than Kim wanted, but I like it. Now we just have to change the rest to match. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Well, that is about enough for this entry. We are heading back to Missouri until around mid October. (unless another hurricane comes to Georgia) We have soccer, football and band to watch and I can't wait. I love this time of the year, and love to watch our grandchildren perform. Have a great fall!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-8131216352343427172023-07-04T13:34:00.001-07:002023-07-04T13:34:45.845-07:00Destination - Brunswick, Georgia<p> After being at anchor in Daytona Beach for June 22nd and 23rd, getting pummeled by thunderstorms, we decided it was time to get moving. We left Daytona on a beautiful Saturday morning. I normally don't like to travel on the ICW on the weekend due to the weekend boat traffic, but we decided to make an exception and head for the relative safety of the mooring field in St. Augustine. </p><p>We left early enough that there was very little other boat traffic for the first few hours. The weather forecast was calling for scattered thunderstorms, but so far the radar was clear. After a while we noticed another sailboat that we recognized on AIS just a few miles in front of us. It was "Southern Cross", the boat we had seen a number of times on this trip. We spent much of the morning with our genoa deployed and current behind us. We were moving along at over 6 knots. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwThZWjqhLm7fI0SK7gsL3VXTfm-o4Ayw2ixMLLSkDb25uy62EIZsBlXOjqJveYP5gPru_2OsBKZGU07-YgwWoqqapWYPSfXWGD1x5ozaoTRIxylFpacDQCAZeVzyN9hM39Jdvwo2C_IOyewpP-L5YyDH8FBluktuc15sGzklFdEt_0HtYAwlJgFy--cVr/s4032/PXL_20230624_133710808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwThZWjqhLm7fI0SK7gsL3VXTfm-o4Ayw2ixMLLSkDb25uy62EIZsBlXOjqJveYP5gPru_2OsBKZGU07-YgwWoqqapWYPSfXWGD1x5ozaoTRIxylFpacDQCAZeVzyN9hM39Jdvwo2C_IOyewpP-L5YyDH8FBluktuc15sGzklFdEt_0HtYAwlJgFy--cVr/w640-h480/PXL_20230624_133710808.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful morning cruising along the ICW between Daytona and St. Augustine.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>There is one spot that is notorious on this section of the ICW. The Matanzas river inlet has some shifting shoals that can move overnight. We had a track that was not too old, but I knew I needed to pay attention in there. As it turned out, I was able to watch Southern Cross go through there on AIS. I was alarmed when I saw his boat speed over ground drop to 0.0 for a few minutes. After a bit, they got going again and cleared the area. I called them on the radio and asked if they had gone aground. They did, and then gave me some good instructions to make it through safely. When we got to that point, I followed their instructions exactly and we never saw less than 8 feet of water. Other cruisers are awesome!</p><p>From that inlet on to St. Augustine was fairly easy except that we had to open one bridge. The bridge tender made that very easy by timing the opening perfectly for our speed. I never touched the throttle. The only problem was at that point the current turned against us. We also saw a thunderstorm show up on radar. It was not long before we saw the black blob come over the horizon. We were seeing the lightning and then hearing thunder. It looked bad, but we might be able to make it to the marina before the storm hit. At this point it feels like everything slows down. The miles feel like they are coming slower and slower and the storm is coming faster and faster. We made it to within a mile of the marina when we got it with a 35 knot gust and the rain came down sideways. I had put my raincoat on, but below the waist, I was soaked in seconds. SHIFT handled it with no issues and just plowed ahead. My only concern was visibility. We turned on the running lights and carried on for the last mile. The thunderstorm passed quickly, so we only had to hold for a few minutes when we arrived at the marina. We called them on the radio and they assigned us ball #1. That is the closest ball to the marina. We pulled in to the mooring field in a light drizzle and no wind. Kim got the ball picked up and we were home for a couple of days. </p><p>At that point, I only had two things on my mind. A hot shower and a pizza. After getting things squared away on the boat, we got the dinghy down and headed in. We both took long hot showers and then headed to St. Augies for a pizza. We have been to St. Augustine twice in the past 15 months, so there was not too much of a draw to go sight seeing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bGfwjGtotYeG8eUkrJjRRiau9aYktUq-5TieUAKjkSUvttTrNuiwsJ1Q_g429HlN4qSLSGJQDMUZqKyL4JkvV0kGaKm7fGsxjja2cflSPm7k-bMyMlef3iDiE7Pocsr36iHCIetfa-O2NE2qLkBUZbL3h2rAfoncjIaYv_Ys2O8JUsw0bXRfUl6Hi9zb/s4032/PXL_20230624_211617203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7bGfwjGtotYeG8eUkrJjRRiau9aYktUq-5TieUAKjkSUvttTrNuiwsJ1Q_g429HlN4qSLSGJQDMUZqKyL4JkvV0kGaKm7fGsxjja2cflSPm7k-bMyMlef3iDiE7Pocsr36iHCIetfa-O2NE2qLkBUZbL3h2rAfoncjIaYv_Ys2O8JUsw0bXRfUl6Hi9zb/w640-h480/PXL_20230624_211617203.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw this beautiful house and thought of our son, Mark. I think he would like this house. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We went to church at the Basilica of St. Augustine the following morning and then took a walk around town. It was a hot day with no thunderstorms to cool things off. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHOAOcRym0P0QWdEfkyFagROeys4tvbMsAJe6xVPmwlcUc58SgcBnXtxqdGs41xLJamuP7LT3d3DjBBSYKfvXci1bH3nrkMLfgOFLZdkZC-fe4_Ov3w_YYRNxT4vZkweddbDsTxTXlvF7MwR01q11tsXWdR07joRgW_YeENb6uY_vpBPs8UlY3U5RRa1I/s4032/PXL_20230626_000425336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHOAOcRym0P0QWdEfkyFagROeys4tvbMsAJe6xVPmwlcUc58SgcBnXtxqdGs41xLJamuP7LT3d3DjBBSYKfvXci1bH3nrkMLfgOFLZdkZC-fe4_Ov3w_YYRNxT4vZkweddbDsTxTXlvF7MwR01q11tsXWdR07joRgW_YeENb6uY_vpBPs8UlY3U5RRa1I/w640-h480/PXL_20230626_000425336.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a picture from our mooring in St. Augustine. That is the Bridge of Lions. We are in the portion of the mooring field south of the bridge. That would mean that we would have to open the bridge to move north. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGpmu--toEMhNfq4xjlOZV_F3GbvVG9whKtD41LHr1mOn7vjVGdVALZKzRl-zOKIgKsEYd68ID4jEAHyhUvjzdwzS1BuT0TnaS8auy7WPwRMJ6MldfTY9iCagli4jGD4M84fv2HBRDeK80-hsB-6lfh_9gmt3tZHJf6qjdGBQAi9HzmfhIekbrBK2ZFIU/s4032/PXL_20230626_000631981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAGpmu--toEMhNfq4xjlOZV_F3GbvVG9whKtD41LHr1mOn7vjVGdVALZKzRl-zOKIgKsEYd68ID4jEAHyhUvjzdwzS1BuT0TnaS8auy7WPwRMJ6MldfTY9iCagli4jGD4M84fv2HBRDeK80-hsB-6lfh_9gmt3tZHJf6qjdGBQAi9HzmfhIekbrBK2ZFIU/w640-h480/PXL_20230626_000631981.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sailboat in this picture is an Island Packet named "Bakitha". They were behind us the following day and anchored right next to us at Cumberland Island. Unfortunately, we never met them. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We noticed in the forecast, that there was no thunderstorms forecasted for the next few days. There was a high pressure dome that was settling over the SE US and this was bringing hot and stable weather. We discussed our options and decided to head offshore on Monday morning. We had a number of options. We could sail overnight and go all the way to Brunswick or we could stop short at either, Jacksonville or the St. Mary's inlet. </p><p>I was up before the sun on Monday, June 26th. I was getting the boat ready to go when I heard the horn signaling that the bridge was about to open. I called them and they told me that we could make it if we left now. We made that bridge opening and we were now on our way north at before 6:30 am. We went out the inlet with no issues and then turned north. We had good wind on the beam for the first three hours and cruised along comfortably at about 6 knots. It felt so good to be sailing offshore again. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJXbge4BEV5rYhNskJPySHU5KZ-PTorqceofCDeon1LO_Si3n-0ZFIz2wYM5doyfCeZGYLqZ4Jvz1GPeGNYgORZKCvPLaXq5RLxpqK33YQtxQAsUwqZkEkNxXVDSyZ0LFbvDm-VzZWGV8ICdI_y96u1bTcCaeDMF1nou6vY3yhwAvy7KJTN5_wfWHyBDo/s4032/PXL_20230626_110847606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJXbge4BEV5rYhNskJPySHU5KZ-PTorqceofCDeon1LO_Si3n-0ZFIz2wYM5doyfCeZGYLqZ4Jvz1GPeGNYgORZKCvPLaXq5RLxpqK33YQtxQAsUwqZkEkNxXVDSyZ0LFbvDm-VzZWGV8ICdI_y96u1bTcCaeDMF1nou6vY3yhwAvy7KJTN5_wfWHyBDo/w640-h480/PXL_20230626_110847606.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had a nice sunrise on our starboard side as we headed north. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz6EZJgjhxoIGz-X6LGJqKRS_YXS8kli7RKxKb390gp9LlrDxViwc9GOukVHU1j57wgB3gBjiY3bqpqXD74lNRj5S0Y4zWmDpzpnx6cUU4NvIjBb5WRYvApfFZ1bGfCmL16-fZDER2ZzFwZyQ4tGg-oC6KwmSnrIiSpYxHohTsPrpBEP8z2sgb44c4nnZ/s2255/PXL_20230626_110856963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1738" data-original-width="2255" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUz6EZJgjhxoIGz-X6LGJqKRS_YXS8kli7RKxKb390gp9LlrDxViwc9GOukVHU1j57wgB3gBjiY3bqpqXD74lNRj5S0Y4zWmDpzpnx6cUU4NvIjBb5WRYvApfFZ1bGfCmL16-fZDER2ZzFwZyQ4tGg-oC6KwmSnrIiSpYxHohTsPrpBEP8z2sgb44c4nnZ/w640-h494/PXL_20230626_110856963.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were not alone as we cruised north. There were a number of other boats that had the same idea as us. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We called the marina in Brunswick and asked them if we could come in on June 27th. Or reservation for the next 4 months started on July 1. They said that would not be a problem, so we just needed to decide if we were going to stop for the night or not. </p><p>The wind made that decision for us. After 3 hours of great sailing, it dropped out to almost nothing. We finally gave up and started the engine. We cruised along the calm Atlantic Ocean for a while and then decided to head for the St. Mary's inlet. We could stop there, and get a good nights sleep, and then sail on north to the Brunswick inlet the next day. The wind forecast was much better for the following morning. </p><p>The only problem was that the tidal current was against us when we arrived at St. Mary's. It was a very slow ride coming into the anchorage at Cumberland Island. We were under 4 knots for much of the trip. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5DP37QF8XlpasRfkzNljWP9ddOi-yCR9VWSZKw77EcLb3rBNNIgZMFI-Mq6unI7WcXcTwgfhb2PXqLkdMFQbAy8iob-IxbhsUZZW__dnIfKyhTD2usbYrETn6L7wv1ZwYu4pzraWrxGLYglTf2UUnwzW9H8B-z-Tj-MWNrDjv4XDL31qZr26FhYri_gs/s4032/PXL_20230627_002427421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-5DP37QF8XlpasRfkzNljWP9ddOi-yCR9VWSZKw77EcLb3rBNNIgZMFI-Mq6unI7WcXcTwgfhb2PXqLkdMFQbAy8iob-IxbhsUZZW__dnIfKyhTD2usbYrETn6L7wv1ZwYu4pzraWrxGLYglTf2UUnwzW9H8B-z-Tj-MWNrDjv4XDL31qZr26FhYri_gs/w640-h480/PXL_20230627_002427421.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Cumberland Island</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After a very restful night, we were once again up early and moving out. I had looked at the tide tables and saw that if we did it right we could get current behind us for both the outgoing at St. Mary's and the incoming at Brunswick 5 hours later. We just needed to average 5 knots on the 25 nm sail.</p><p>The plan worked perfectly! We had strong current behind us as we left the anchorage and out the inlet. We turned north and had 15 knots of wind right on the beam. We were moving along nicely at between 6 and 7 knots. It was so nice to have the motor off and going that fast. It was the best sail we have had since we left the Bahamas. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI66EfOM8J974ATUfretIA3OhAYxmD_kF1yVlyxhPMVQjPG7iIkr36VTTD2po7G7wcrgPS582tQtVF5OCYeIBkkIg5X9K0REIfpz-y7IyekGI2IxzECAJqeL9u71exAswsIkdWkrGeBvaV4Ri_gxmviup8628UwPbiPp7yq2CioF6Xw6OKMtl8GGwhoNIP/s4032/PXL_20230627_113927417.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI66EfOM8J974ATUfretIA3OhAYxmD_kF1yVlyxhPMVQjPG7iIkr36VTTD2po7G7wcrgPS582tQtVF5OCYeIBkkIg5X9K0REIfpz-y7IyekGI2IxzECAJqeL9u71exAswsIkdWkrGeBvaV4Ri_gxmviup8628UwPbiPp7yq2CioF6Xw6OKMtl8GGwhoNIP/w640-h480/PXL_20230627_113927417.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruising along at 7.3 knots in around 18 knots of wind. SHIFT was in her element. It was a great way to end our sailing season. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We made the inlet on the rising tide as planned and we sped the 13 miles from the inlet to Brunswick Landing Marina. We called them on the radio and they met us at our slip to help us get tied up. We were now in our new home for the next 4 months. </p><p>We will stay on the boat for a couple of weeks to do some repairs and maintenance. Then we will leave the boat to go visit the family all across the country. It is now hurricane season and BLM is an excellent hurricane hole. The hurricanes generally follow the warmer water of the gulf stream. Brunswick is as far west as you can go on the eastern seaboard of the US and still be on the coast. We are praying this place keeps our boat safe. We will prepare the boat expecting a storm to come and hope it doesn't. </p><p>This blog will slow down now as the sailing will stop. We have big plans for this next year. Check back in November to see where we go next. </p><p><br /></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-83237209010375564102023-06-30T13:29:00.001-07:002023-06-30T13:29:51.523-07:00The Strongest Storm We Have Seen on the Boat<p> We had been out of the boatyard for two days when we arrived in Vero Beach on June 13. We have stayed at the Vero Beach City Marina two other times and have really enjoyed it. When we arrived, we were given a mooring ball to ourselves for the first time. The other two times we were rafted up with another boat. We much preferred being on the ball by ourselves. Our first problem was, how would we get to land? Our dinghy was still being repaired and it was going to be Friday, June 16th before it was ready. We knew this might be a possibility when we left Missouri, so we brought our 14 foot inflatable kayak with us to the boat. </p><p>The first problem was how to get the kayak inflated on the boat. Our big boat is about 40 feet long, so the Kayak is about a third of that length. I decided to start the process in the cabin. I would then shove it up and out of the companionway hatch as I inflated it. It was quite a process, but with Kim's help, we got it in the water. We were eager to get to shore to take a nice long shower. The only problem is that it was pretty hot, so the paddle back to the boat got us pretty hot and sweaty. Oh well, we were getting some good exercise and at least we were clean. </p><p>We spent the next few days riding the free city bus all over the place. We spent the first day going to the beach, then did some grocery shopping. The next day, we went to the mall. We didn't buy anything except lunch, but it felt great in the mall and on the bus in the air conditioning. When we got back to the marina each day, there was usually a thunderstorm to greet us. We spent time in the air conditioned boaters lounge. The kayak was kind of a pain, because it did not have the carrying capacity of the dinghy and it was not nearly as stable to get in and out of, but we made it work. While we were in Vero Beach, we got hit with afternoon thunderstorms each afternoon. On of them was pretty strong producing winds of about 46 knots., but I felt confident being in a very protected space on a mooring ball. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdmgE--e4lmGXEsaPvbjWHVuXNh3txK95uYYv3jfIVKbCHQmCmISnhxdhkJMNP6phP0a57Gt-yw2I2j_9Fhf3uAZOBGRjiMCIq06XyyPvQHy7QGDgLfqmzZFGA07t83iAXm6fCHgZ1bgPv6H7SaUzIUvGAHmHL9k8fdwA0KVFEFEPTz86g-2uI7LiKmYc/s4032/PXL_20230614_155827871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdmgE--e4lmGXEsaPvbjWHVuXNh3txK95uYYv3jfIVKbCHQmCmISnhxdhkJMNP6phP0a57Gt-yw2I2j_9Fhf3uAZOBGRjiMCIq06XyyPvQHy7QGDgLfqmzZFGA07t83iAXm6fCHgZ1bgPv6H7SaUzIUvGAHmHL9k8fdwA0KVFEFEPTz86g-2uI7LiKmYc/w640-h480/PXL_20230614_155827871.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just one more Km on a beach shot. This was a great day because the water and air was warm enough to spend much of the time in the water. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56Ij967d-gHmbvbdGf7YrOPttbiVoRaEj0VBkibCMzZx7eCBSrSBD94FAzlWslsDJj0Vud0iqbj7YKU8erMDB_K9nRLfcqTRHN-RNgEIGod9xbuev5vJGVJ3l0_4R8PIkM-npdakblyUHdPtHAbEGPoBQga9vyJPf7rcLclpN8MzbB1bmGQoXtK5Ib5LZ/s4032/PXL_20230614_155836410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg56Ij967d-gHmbvbdGf7YrOPttbiVoRaEj0VBkibCMzZx7eCBSrSBD94FAzlWslsDJj0Vud0iqbj7YKU8erMDB_K9nRLfcqTRHN-RNgEIGod9xbuev5vJGVJ3l0_4R8PIkM-npdakblyUHdPtHAbEGPoBQga9vyJPf7rcLclpN8MzbB1bmGQoXtK5Ib5LZ/w640-h480/PXL_20230614_155836410.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vero does a great job keeping up their beach.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdrs_7lu-IO_NzJX6fV_x-DkdB9ENecCAnvJlpvJFDFAwqWynzyuQ5ABxsuVhvVBtyPuuAebFH9tfGX7T7Fkg0WNdg1H4mk-m2ePiD5MYhsz-o6I1okk-tSq0Aj6QHxWNcjojPCn-dRzBXeVS2Xon7-cQgkq7-4U3NPM5SEoHGbolRkgQakzQRB5d1XOD/s4032/PXL_20230614_164110482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdrs_7lu-IO_NzJX6fV_x-DkdB9ENecCAnvJlpvJFDFAwqWynzyuQ5ABxsuVhvVBtyPuuAebFH9tfGX7T7Fkg0WNdg1H4mk-m2ePiD5MYhsz-o6I1okk-tSq0Aj6QHxWNcjojPCn-dRzBXeVS2Xon7-cQgkq7-4U3NPM5SEoHGbolRkgQakzQRB5d1XOD/w640-h480/PXL_20230614_164110482.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite bird, the Ibis.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> On Friday, June 16th, we finally got the dinghy back. We had to paddle over to the boat ramp and hook the dinghy to the back of the kayak and then tow it back to the boat. There we remounted the outboard and we were finally fully operational again. </p><p>We were now finally ready to move north, but it was the weekend. We hate traveling on the ICW on the weekend. The amount of inconsiderate boaters make the experience very unpleasant, so we waited until Monday. </p><p>As always, I had been watching the weather very closely. The pattern had been very consistent. Each morning was light winds and comfortable. It was getting up into the 90's by a little after noon and then we would see thunderstorms developing each afternoon into evening. Some were just rain, but others had big gust fronts on them with wind gusts up to 60 knots. The good news is the storms don't typically last long because they are moving fast. </p><p>On Monday June 19th, we headed out of the Vero mooring field. We had a very pleasant 33 nm trip up to Melbourne. I was watching the weather and it looked like we would get storms later coming in from the north west, so I opted for an anchorage by a bridge that had some protection from that direction. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3jGmtlkd4ULlCq6KImq3BwoXDIpR8X3LvPtB0wPtzzLti1hW0ORK1TRYdaj3MJjyFe6utM6aNpDNyEd47RshASzLQsQB1LL_pTe_uED05_DA2h-DyX6k_yizslHdu1ChEhFVUlyqcZzhsLNVQ5sFqIpIeCDBw_N7jdsocrN9muQpd_bP1Kxj753Dtymz/s4032/PXL_20230619_114615167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3jGmtlkd4ULlCq6KImq3BwoXDIpR8X3LvPtB0wPtzzLti1hW0ORK1TRYdaj3MJjyFe6utM6aNpDNyEd47RshASzLQsQB1LL_pTe_uED05_DA2h-DyX6k_yizslHdu1ChEhFVUlyqcZzhsLNVQ5sFqIpIeCDBw_N7jdsocrN9muQpd_bP1Kxj753Dtymz/w640-h480/PXL_20230619_114615167.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice calm morning along the ICW.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-g7sYrDF_ldZvs5nW1unkXtA99xilnc9T8j20YVmi13DbpQreFNIAhur9A_iNIsbCJKdxBz2RjFMk1KBqmEzx1OaszzEfter8iNeJ0PMsyfTj4XZqvzLMvcBY9HjhTJRiRCrt-PEFhurvgbqjNhDTG6aZNlNubcgmI6GHm2-HfvFICWXA5LkLSv7BU5GH/s4032/PXL_20230619_114621816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-g7sYrDF_ldZvs5nW1unkXtA99xilnc9T8j20YVmi13DbpQreFNIAhur9A_iNIsbCJKdxBz2RjFMk1KBqmEzx1OaszzEfter8iNeJ0PMsyfTj4XZqvzLMvcBY9HjhTJRiRCrt-PEFhurvgbqjNhDTG6aZNlNubcgmI6GHm2-HfvFICWXA5LkLSv7BU5GH/w640-h480/PXL_20230619_114621816.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The huge houses go on and on in the area north of Vero Beach. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Later that evening, the severe thunderstorm warnings started coming in. I was watching closely as the red blobs on radar would build and then move. Most were going north or south of us until about 10pm. A big one was coming right at us. The warnings on the radio and our phones went off warning of 50 to 60 knot winds. The problem is that the wind had shifted to the south. We now had no protection and we were being blown in the direction of a rocky shore next to the bridge. We put our lifejackets on and waited to see what would happen. We saw the blackness coming at us and then the wind shifted to the Northwest, just as I had hoped. The worst we saw was 35 knots, but because of the good protection of the land we had pretty mild waves. It was a bit nerve wracking, but all was clear by about midnight and we slept well. </p><p>We were up early the next morning to make the 33 mile run to Titusville. We had a nice trip and were even able to get a sail up for part of it. We were very happy to arrive at the city marina in Titusville and hook up to a mooring. I feel much better being hooked to a mooring. These are inspected regularly and should hold in up to hurricane force winds. I always am concerned about the anchor dragging because I am not sure of what it is dug into. I always back down on it to test the holding, but it is always in the back of my mind. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VmgnvSThmbdMLFUVIsWuxgxhnWYAR0UfyXVObYc8oENFigA1AC7KCfonwN0I7_vJToxOTViS5wTMHuXIJlJZI4Pl2A66SJ5W_f5ig3YyI_9Ph3_JnV2La_CB9x3mrm4IL3fw3w0BHNckyMopgvvL5TR6BLakx1Q2g8zniQEMO7c3FVe9nBVdYhvOVFXX/s4032/PXL_20230620_124517272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7VmgnvSThmbdMLFUVIsWuxgxhnWYAR0UfyXVObYc8oENFigA1AC7KCfonwN0I7_vJToxOTViS5wTMHuXIJlJZI4Pl2A66SJ5W_f5ig3YyI_9Ph3_JnV2La_CB9x3mrm4IL3fw3w0BHNckyMopgvvL5TR6BLakx1Q2g8zniQEMO7c3FVe9nBVdYhvOVFXX/w640-h480/PXL_20230620_124517272.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we are cruising along the ICW with the genoa up and helping us out. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TS0nR_GvNoOrlsA303TlaUmetzC3QhPSLQNnIOHVOKSI0v1ASGptSbLBCH0CChXmgrobVuQAtA6ICsQaHKkj45dtX2T66k0I1yLVt4RpdO4uPCpxTPTp29B7Z8lRoKLh9GWV-5Ecd87eqqRaqZXzyyygJ8UbyB8fy2v_xUt7n1uY1fZ0a-dSJ7tnCuYP/s4032/PXL_20230620_172846259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3TS0nR_GvNoOrlsA303TlaUmetzC3QhPSLQNnIOHVOKSI0v1ASGptSbLBCH0CChXmgrobVuQAtA6ICsQaHKkj45dtX2T66k0I1yLVt4RpdO4uPCpxTPTp29B7Z8lRoKLh9GWV-5Ecd87eqqRaqZXzyyygJ8UbyB8fy2v_xUt7n1uY1fZ0a-dSJ7tnCuYP/w640-h480/PXL_20230620_172846259.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had one pretty strong storm hit us about 35 knots of wind while we were in Titusville. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwXGPQNhbRQDl1vwnhJZsIHYko-8heEIY4G3SfrJ1bC2T1FbaAEwLqutnXhcKUfYvt8cY3veO9H2xLzkBbcLw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>I shot the video above during an afternoon thunderstorm. It wasn't too bad. There was a scheduled rocket launch from nearby Cape Canaveral on June 21st at 3:30am. We got up for it, but I found on line they had scrubbed the launch because of a technical issue. It did go the next day and we were up again. This time there was no disappointment. It was the first Atlas rocket we had seen fly. It was worth the lost sleep. It was so dark that I could not get any pictures. </p><p>We left Titusville on June 22nd and made the 43 nm trip to Daytona Beach. I decided to anchor on the north side of town to get us closer to Saint Augustine, which was our next stop. We thought we found a good spot and the anchor hooked well. We knew that storms were once again predicted, so we put out 125 feet of chain and our big storm bridle that increases stretch and reduces yaw which should reduce the shock load on the anchor. </p><p>We had a nice evening with a nice sunset, then storms started popping up all around us and many of them were severe. We heard that one was coming our way and it looked scary on radar. They were talking about 60 knot winds and baseball sized hail. We hunkered down in the cabin and waited. When it hit the boat had trouble getting her nose into the wind. The current was pulling one way and the wind was pulling the other. I heard a level of groaning in the bridle and the rigging I had not heard before. The first gust hit us with 50 knots! The waves were instantly about 6 feet and building. The boat was swinging violently. I was watching or position on GPS and it became obvious that our anchor was dragging. We went from 7 feet of depth to 5 and we had moved about 50 yards. The next gust hit us harder, but SHIFT had gained her position and handled it much better and the best news is we did not move and inch. We hung on for what seemed like a long time, but it was more like about a half hour and then...it was gone. We then had wind of 5 knots and calm water around us. It was surreal. It took us a while to calm down, but all was good. That was the strongest wind we had ever seen on the boat.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-AIoqUci2ATFw9iUjqtjE6REE0O0AbbWdoDQQSH187JWV7dXUlbG6sktF2vIHBdbYHK_FZKZpIEbFp7vdwuWz5nUSjlHNY0wUfs8utRf_Jr40YpiLHDQcjqI0JVnp3WLzvwaXJEJe5EDmKq4iegEeVjORIwnLF-a2WCYazB_wE1cH4oxwh4DM1VN1yNH/s4032/PXL_20230622_101314026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-AIoqUci2ATFw9iUjqtjE6REE0O0AbbWdoDQQSH187JWV7dXUlbG6sktF2vIHBdbYHK_FZKZpIEbFp7vdwuWz5nUSjlHNY0wUfs8utRf_Jr40YpiLHDQcjqI0JVnp3WLzvwaXJEJe5EDmKq4iegEeVjORIwnLF-a2WCYazB_wE1cH4oxwh4DM1VN1yNH/w640-h480/PXL_20230622_101314026.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The calm before the storm. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x3oYPhlYQWY5LJsb5AQr7bjb1FQ2C0nkQTMynNbP_AfQcNekDxHG_7Jy7SOfqvIEME79ZkXe24yHXlSVceacOMm7bKRnEX6MG1uwt-S36ZbFvG4vKFlIIz47F57Gd8L0xJsogydEFs0Gr6yaqmErIvxfT2xIsyrLIIw2RZU8VLdH_1hnc4UOGj8JAuZ6/s4032/PXL_20230622_202143462.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5x3oYPhlYQWY5LJsb5AQr7bjb1FQ2C0nkQTMynNbP_AfQcNekDxHG_7Jy7SOfqvIEME79ZkXe24yHXlSVceacOMm7bKRnEX6MG1uwt-S36ZbFvG4vKFlIIz47F57Gd8L0xJsogydEFs0Gr6yaqmErIvxfT2xIsyrLIIw2RZU8VLdH_1hnc4UOGj8JAuZ6/w640-h480/PXL_20230622_202143462.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">50.7 knots is around 58 mph. That is the strongest we have seen and the most I hope I ever see. I have to admit it was scary.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPWV4d9lJbnwl3jDzLwTw7Nhoal9Ikn9HkSzxA_g1009EuIPtYxfzaUbH4fW6hNyQ553O5VjGM6WYcPXU_83TYbFaTb7YdZ6skO449hB8X2m-wrOZnrM6hASmQTNCvIzE19uz3WHdmnfFKj35BjkgvdagXRbeLD103ah3aa_luh-2EQjkQjqBDZlkC-2S/s4032/PXL_20230623_132226791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVPWV4d9lJbnwl3jDzLwTw7Nhoal9Ikn9HkSzxA_g1009EuIPtYxfzaUbH4fW6hNyQ553O5VjGM6WYcPXU_83TYbFaTb7YdZ6skO449hB8X2m-wrOZnrM6hASmQTNCvIzE19uz3WHdmnfFKj35BjkgvdagXRbeLD103ah3aa_luh-2EQjkQjqBDZlkC-2S/w640-h480/PXL_20230623_132226791.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was he following day. We decided to stay put because there were more storms coming. Thankfully they were not as severe and we were fine. That boat in this picture is another Island Packet called "Southern Cross" that had been traveling along the ICW at the same time. We saw them multiple times. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On Sunday, June 25th we decided it was time to move on to St. Augustine and the safety of another mooring ball. That did not come without it's challenges. I will tell that story in my next entry. </div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-37869622086071416122023-06-23T08:42:00.000-07:002023-06-23T08:42:52.589-07:00Leaving the Yard and Heading North<p> We arrived at Mack Yacht Services on Friday, June 9th at 3pm. It was a Friday, and I knew that the yard crew would be getting ready to leave for the weekend. I also knew that the owner, Colin Mack, had not been there. He took his Island Packet to the Bahamas for a much needed vacation. </p><p>When we first stepped aboard SHIFT, it was clear that they were not done cleaning up after the major surgery. They had to grind out the old plates that were embedded in the fiberglass hull. That process creates an incredible amount of very fine fiberglass dust. It goes everywhere. The V-berth looked very good, but the rest of the boat had not been completed. We had no place to go, so we had no choice, but to finish the cleaning and then unload the trailer back into the boat. I had tried to communicate with the foreman that I had been given as a point of contact, but he was fairly unresponsive. </p><p>One of the first things I wanted to see were the chain plates that had been removed from the boat. I wanted to see how bad they were and know if a failure was eminent. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwOKj2de2O4LM1LZDO8SXx7cmP4caU3c2dmw6fY1g_SBJ0mG0PX7FBTB_RoDHVBKGKDjagIMoICiLIP7qO--Z4UYKAzQfu-bG-eXPisxYZeVsV1Q2-ZpSTESyFFfGEcre6fAe3k6_rV-1oPPKcw7kfdqGsM-ii5hzGQYS7jYHfNL2XxFfTkLW5KBnrgpt/s4032/PXL_20230609_192957209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwOKj2de2O4LM1LZDO8SXx7cmP4caU3c2dmw6fY1g_SBJ0mG0PX7FBTB_RoDHVBKGKDjagIMoICiLIP7qO--Z4UYKAzQfu-bG-eXPisxYZeVsV1Q2-ZpSTESyFFfGEcre6fAe3k6_rV-1oPPKcw7kfdqGsM-ii5hzGQYS7jYHfNL2XxFfTkLW5KBnrgpt/w480-h640/PXL_20230609_192957209.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see some corrosion on this plate around the welds. I don't think they were about ready to fail, but they definitely needed to be replaced.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvUgoj0P_7mb3H_lzqeCsHIo2oqtnizw7_ZZC13M__b1mayq7g5NDPYWJn7uzF4BKUZRqduA1tFeiWMRDDOmDmMuuIfPXQFpumcsAaLUBXyCnbK_8seggThhEWGxHu3p-XH_M9bWxBLFDwy2kAXFo1uLWgZ3pFWjek_iIOZGwCPSZ5ZqCYNYJZKpPzI44/s4032/PXL_20230609_193001753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvUgoj0P_7mb3H_lzqeCsHIo2oqtnizw7_ZZC13M__b1mayq7g5NDPYWJn7uzF4BKUZRqduA1tFeiWMRDDOmDmMuuIfPXQFpumcsAaLUBXyCnbK_8seggThhEWGxHu3p-XH_M9bWxBLFDwy2kAXFo1uLWgZ3pFWjek_iIOZGwCPSZ5ZqCYNYJZKpPzI44/w480-h640/PXL_20230609_193001753.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They replaced a total of 10 plates. I was happy with the work they did on that portion of the job.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-blu0Si4MO2GR1GvlDVEB-F_zwtIVnBTEy2_1XtrnLixdC0yWQXZLPcwE8wHOCJa0-0eil33rYGNPtOmuWq8B6xTd8WzeDcKH4bpUhnCN7Ib0Hs1LJekPdQXWQNPKLN9pZPx0WyrcbzxmJ_29nVObXkaE6EF0-7Som1Oqz8moR9M4lq-WMP1GjgsshgXQ/s4032/PXL_20230609_193023422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-blu0Si4MO2GR1GvlDVEB-F_zwtIVnBTEy2_1XtrnLixdC0yWQXZLPcwE8wHOCJa0-0eil33rYGNPtOmuWq8B6xTd8WzeDcKH4bpUhnCN7Ib0Hs1LJekPdQXWQNPKLN9pZPx0WyrcbzxmJ_29nVObXkaE6EF0-7Som1Oqz8moR9M4lq-WMP1GjgsshgXQ/w480-h640/PXL_20230609_193023422.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The real question is what was going on under the surface. I did not see any cracks.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we did the clean up, I started making a list of all that was left undone. I ended up with a page long list of stuff that should have been done before we arrived. </p><p>After Kim did the first cleaning to make the boat livable, we started unloading was was needed to sleep on the boat that first night. The main concern was the power cord. We don't normally plug into shore power, but we needed air conditioning in the Florida heat and humidity. I had been able to get the staff at Mack to turn on the refrigeration before we arrived, so we could make a run to the grocery store before we had to turn the car in. We went out for a nice dinner and then hit Walmart. That Friday started in Valdosta, Georgia before sunrise, and ended on the boat in bed after midnight.</p><p>On Saturday morning we were up early to keep the process moving. I had a turn in time for the car of 8 am. After driving the rent car to the agency office, I took an Uber back to the yard.</p><p>At that point I just started bringing as much stuff on the boat as possible. Kim focused on cleaning and putting things away. I was soaking wet from sweat in 15 minutes of work in the Florida heat and humidity. We amaze ourselves when we really go to work, how well we work as a team. By about 5 pm, we had the trailer emptied, and most of the stuff put away on the boat. I then started looking around the boat to see if I could see anything wrong. I did find one major issue with the furler for the genoa. They had removed it as part of the job, but had put it back on incorrectly. </p><p>We had a visit from Josh from the yard. He did much of the work on the boat and stopped by to check on us. That was very nice of him. </p><p>We spent all day Sunday cleaning and fixing some other problems we had found. </p><p>On Monday morning I was up early to find the Foreman Paul to meet him and let him know that I could not leave until the furler was fixed and I wanted to make sure the rig was properly tensioned. I was expecting that would take much of the day, but by 8:30 I got a visit from a rigger from sister company Mack Sails and he told me the furler was fixed and the rig all was good to go. At about 9:00, we were asked to leave. They needed our spot as they had another boat coming in. We pulled out at about 9:30 and motored 7.5 miles to the Jensen Beach mooring field. We picked up a ball there.</p><p>While we were underway, I had noticed some noise and some strange feeling from the steering and autopilot. I wanted to take a look at that before we proceeded. I also had an issue with the transmission shifter that was very stiff. As it turned out the transmission was not a Mack issue. The linkage is right below the sea strainer and it got some salt water on it at some point and it had some rust on it. I lubricated it and it was good to go. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDJezKR2WhLIKNxu88odLSvyblsU6GuULvpi7Jjcv3QsJr-oDQxZMigLV9oYv1S0rvlfZAh5P7RVvqliujMbbFwkce1R02gkb7PDCaImDjoHcvHbGpvyfbET1iytveBTyEYnzUKlTVRRwNdVVRpB4lFqtfDf0OcdTboFLvQ-5rCoK0q3lJTTLMSCndSxb/s4032/PXL_20230612_213254416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDJezKR2WhLIKNxu88odLSvyblsU6GuULvpi7Jjcv3QsJr-oDQxZMigLV9oYv1S0rvlfZAh5P7RVvqliujMbbFwkce1R02gkb7PDCaImDjoHcvHbGpvyfbET1iytveBTyEYnzUKlTVRRwNdVVRpB4lFqtfDf0OcdTboFLvQ-5rCoK0q3lJTTLMSCndSxb/w640-h480/PXL_20230612_213254416.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view of the mooring field at Jensen Beach. It is very open with very little protection, but that is nice in the summer to get some breeze to cool off the boat. Lots of space available this time of year. It is always full during the winter cruising season.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDAFB7OkaJBoGi9DSCs86TO8DIDtji5ExzGEwRk8VYGXsRoB7DBwi1cWcdkQVhnfKZZFwhYW8B3Ad3cF9o0z-bXUiI_9lHAmoV1X7uzIgP2qB6_FCO2hS9XtuXuPucddnZARL307Bqp3Ryf37kaDBfRxWZlJEc9h3x5W7WY5Y2CHrcvbrIy78fKdyDf4X/s4032/PXL_20230612_213258411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEDAFB7OkaJBoGi9DSCs86TO8DIDtji5ExzGEwRk8VYGXsRoB7DBwi1cWcdkQVhnfKZZFwhYW8B3Ad3cF9o0z-bXUiI_9lHAmoV1X7uzIgP2qB6_FCO2hS9XtuXuPucddnZARL307Bqp3Ryf37kaDBfRxWZlJEc9h3x5W7WY5Y2CHrcvbrIy78fKdyDf4X/w640-h480/PXL_20230612_213258411.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridge at Jensen Beach. Look, no dinghy on the back of the boat. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhusRCkhVPkvW0u9EawsPiFfDNej781yxdOhdXY9HplCiPWuuMH3jPV3d0_VOAVUjBT4nCdLQoVWNPgbjww4wLLF1axFesSM5D3pvZTZU0PNVhf10w8eZh2ABPqgKhLp0PO_xmKTD4WrkPo6OAgdcnz7DNrYu9m8mwrWc5KeTm6CFaizI00R5NI94drLN3/s4032/PXL_20230613_150032316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhusRCkhVPkvW0u9EawsPiFfDNej781yxdOhdXY9HplCiPWuuMH3jPV3d0_VOAVUjBT4nCdLQoVWNPgbjww4wLLF1axFesSM5D3pvZTZU0PNVhf10w8eZh2ABPqgKhLp0PO_xmKTD4WrkPo6OAgdcnz7DNrYu9m8mwrWc5KeTm6CFaizI00R5NI94drLN3/w640-h480/PXL_20230613_150032316.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I opened up the steering compartment to check out the noise, this is what I found. All of that white dust is fiberglass. I had to clean it all up and lubricate the gears. I checked the autopilot. Mack had removed the shelf that the drive had been attached to and replaced it with a new one. I think it is now out adjustment. I did a recalibration to see if it would improve. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm97PflbqxRxFfQq8QV5m7dGRdkyg8mXLBhNwoBSYEu5LN8q6mnWdLRHmeGQ2Yv9w27p8iQMyESW4oGD5_h3pQhtEVT6ZFRn-OLdIgz8S4WVRhtjAdfSk1SsNxB-LtxRW8xtTKEJ5EY9k1LFohKLE3fUvKiR3u04pR0_Mcu6bFgHqAK7_1WTxv7_j36l2k/s4032/PXL_20230613_150036848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm97PflbqxRxFfQq8QV5m7dGRdkyg8mXLBhNwoBSYEu5LN8q6mnWdLRHmeGQ2Yv9w27p8iQMyESW4oGD5_h3pQhtEVT6ZFRn-OLdIgz8S4WVRhtjAdfSk1SsNxB-LtxRW8xtTKEJ5EY9k1LFohKLE3fUvKiR3u04pR0_Mcu6bFgHqAK7_1WTxv7_j36l2k/w480-h640/PXL_20230613_150036848.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another look at the white powder. That stuff is very hard and will destroy a gear surface in short order. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /> We then decided to motor on to Vero Beach. That was about 25 more miles. We had a good weather day, so we took advantage of it and made the trip. We pulled into the marina fuel dock and topped off the fuel tank and filled our water. </p><p>I will take a minute here and write about my experience with our Chain Plate Replacement. I am glad we had the job done. I feel much better knowing that our rig is solid. I feel confident that the main job was done correctly. I am disappointed about the clean up and the problem with the autopilot and steering. The attention to detail was just not there. Was that because Colin was not on site? Maybe. We spent more that $16K to do this job, and I was hoping for better. Will I contact them to let them know about my concerns? No. If they really want to know, they will contact me. I really don't know what they could do at this point anyway. This blog is not read by enough people to concern them, so I don't feel writing this will impact their business in any way. </p><p>We had one major issue that we still needed to get resolved. We still did not have our dinghy. Offshore Rafting is located very close to Vero, so we would wait for it there. That was really OK with us. We were tired from the past few days and we like Vero. The only problem was how would we get to shore without a dinghy? We had a plan. I will tell you how that plan worked out in my next entry. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-76854465687427705092023-06-17T11:59:00.000-07:002023-06-17T11:59:04.134-07:00Two Trips back to Florida<p> We had been in Missouri for about three weeks and it was time for us to head back to Florida. We were heading to Disneyland to see our Granddaughter, Isabella play with her High School Band. The plan for more than a year was to rent a VERBO Condo and make it a full Disney visit. The crew going was, Shannon and Brian and Will and Amelia. Kim and I, and we were very excited to spend some time with our son Mark and his wife Callie. Mark and Callie decided to do the full experience and they were staying at the Dolphin on the Disney resort. </p><p>Our plan was to determine if the boat was going to be ready early. The original schedule was June 12th. If it was early, we would drive our own vehicle down and they just go to the boat. Now the problem was that the truck was still in the shop. The boat was not going to be ready early, so we decided to ride down with Shannon, Will and Millie in Shannon's car. We had a fun two day drive down to Orlando. Brian flew both ways to reduce his time away from work.</p><p>We got a great deal on the condo, so I was a bit concerned that it would be ok. As it turned out, when we arrived, I was very pleasantly surprised. It was very nice and had a deck overlooking a small lake that had many birds and other wildlife. We even saw an alligator.</p><p>We stayed in Orlando for 7 days. Shannon's family did all 4 parks as did Mark and Callie. Kim and I were very happy that we chose to only do two of the parks. After the first day at Epcot, where we walked about 26,000 steps, we needed a couple of days to recover and get ready to do Magic Kingdom. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiTohu55rsNfnq12z4iNl5I0nSrKaCLzmJfKlOTuSwdMlGlfqGzq2cwkON8LRIthTCRhJdXXO1dG4NTKb6PGzcb8NRlwQmM1YA58sm1owQTWAnxd-FMfypDnHYVyGGXYwkomv06uM65Y69Jkl37e2SBGGO4GQO94fRbBBBUSDMJeeZCQHss-j4jfQtg/s4032/PXL_20230525_123059687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFiTohu55rsNfnq12z4iNl5I0nSrKaCLzmJfKlOTuSwdMlGlfqGzq2cwkON8LRIthTCRhJdXXO1dG4NTKb6PGzcb8NRlwQmM1YA58sm1owQTWAnxd-FMfypDnHYVyGGXYwkomv06uM65Y69Jkl37e2SBGGO4GQO94fRbBBBUSDMJeeZCQHss-j4jfQtg/w640-h480/PXL_20230525_123059687.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim at the entrance to Epcot. This is her thing and it was my job to do as I was told.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-tGqRutXjXC3lECjN3yfy0OxF9rz2A8gl64QrM3K2rrXu-3M98hR1KDDPxdW-by6_d6Qn2iPYUGdYY_3dhJvFTORaDZL8oHOMi-LqQF2cEMyPRsK1HFbeXtIKS309ag7CryG959eMcCyaUvoESbg4QvStSpdw8vqg2m0S-u_tjmDsmEmFwl9xruf6w/s4032/PXL_20230525_123105364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-tGqRutXjXC3lECjN3yfy0OxF9rz2A8gl64QrM3K2rrXu-3M98hR1KDDPxdW-by6_d6Qn2iPYUGdYY_3dhJvFTORaDZL8oHOMi-LqQF2cEMyPRsK1HFbeXtIKS309ag7CryG959eMcCyaUvoESbg4QvStSpdw8vqg2m0S-u_tjmDsmEmFwl9xruf6w/w640-h480/PXL_20230525_123105364.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim and Will. We had a fun day with Will at Epcot. He hung out with us most of the day.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdW-XeU-bhrT5zgq9DhinVMIywVkvXbRjtLh1CbZxThArqoxb0uPwK6cgXA1izzglD6zrtX3eHXgPo1cNULtmM955ZIG-2qH_5DXPlWcIes1iTZSo1kjLsHc9clVkVNVrRpWIqJ0nGajDj3VibihWPAMnni8Y2U69XCYx3tWWbqD5Sfcz9E3pJ7gMMnA/s4032/PXL_20230525_124151149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdW-XeU-bhrT5zgq9DhinVMIywVkvXbRjtLh1CbZxThArqoxb0uPwK6cgXA1izzglD6zrtX3eHXgPo1cNULtmM955ZIG-2qH_5DXPlWcIes1iTZSo1kjLsHc9clVkVNVrRpWIqJ0nGajDj3VibihWPAMnni8Y2U69XCYx3tWWbqD5Sfcz9E3pJ7gMMnA/w640-h480/PXL_20230525_124151149.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will and I in front of the big golf ball.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjg1W_e6_4IwBcHU12wOZYz9H4Qu9BsmlVQQtSeav20l8g5O9CetePAt6gQwVA053_mP14029Bb_omb6eJE0-m5MJplB5np-H3cuJ02-xWxkwNkr__xkmqd8HgW_2MeE00zIRZSHUqL9ZkzEt5NLu1Mr5bEW3nUhfJTPQzIhz3ga2qLt3r-FECk0VYtg/s4032/PXL_20230525_124255907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjg1W_e6_4IwBcHU12wOZYz9H4Qu9BsmlVQQtSeav20l8g5O9CetePAt6gQwVA053_mP14029Bb_omb6eJE0-m5MJplB5np-H3cuJ02-xWxkwNkr__xkmqd8HgW_2MeE00zIRZSHUqL9ZkzEt5NLu1Mr5bEW3nUhfJTPQzIhz3ga2qLt3r-FECk0VYtg/w640-h480/PXL_20230525_124255907.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amelia doing a nice pose. She had a great time at the parks, but told me her favorite thing about the trip was the pool at the condo. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUY8Roo7YDNgYEJ78kDEvrk-DFzCqN6l8zLJnMm5o1bSiusZX02gn9PWdFRJWTuqGSxVZZF4M8y2npjA5zBmZ7cWtnFMIAB82SqfXr8MZW0wZ8lBjXoauJszawf2tRbmdKKoid2OR0NElJzznUzPuJR3QURmk-cNLUWNvY80luWTlwl1kXd0jCFqDgw/s4032/PXL_20230528_130514978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwUY8Roo7YDNgYEJ78kDEvrk-DFzCqN6l8zLJnMm5o1bSiusZX02gn9PWdFRJWTuqGSxVZZF4M8y2npjA5zBmZ7cWtnFMIAB82SqfXr8MZW0wZ8lBjXoauJszawf2tRbmdKKoid2OR0NElJzznUzPuJR3QURmk-cNLUWNvY80luWTlwl1kXd0jCFqDgw/w640-h480/PXL_20230528_130514978.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of Kim, Isabella, Shannon, Millie and Will</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fsSxP4UBYa2tczzlbt5xNN1G4p8jr6vATCN_9eO-YwsFVswRF7KzlYg9FKjgzoLqJOL6zYtCFODr5MdJyz5mjYHm4oP9eZAkAvQadwt12_QpP3HN-MfgG7focpoFdYMSBNnti5iI0isKuHhGjjhC6ik_ydkbXpl46Fa0RsOg_WrTxBxbprgDkxCGqQ/s4032/PXL_20230528_183717852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fsSxP4UBYa2tczzlbt5xNN1G4p8jr6vATCN_9eO-YwsFVswRF7KzlYg9FKjgzoLqJOL6zYtCFODr5MdJyz5mjYHm4oP9eZAkAvQadwt12_QpP3HN-MfgG7focpoFdYMSBNnti5iI0isKuHhGjjhC6ik_ydkbXpl46Fa0RsOg_WrTxBxbprgDkxCGqQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230528_183717852.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We only got a quick view of the band, but here they are performing on main street.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3se3I7Lbvj_1KEOvbz5UvP21tQa_ZlUzMl9S7ipnSQhL37e2gbu9_zYm-gzR-HrweqHkgBKEHRymVPzLjjezN1ola_lWhoA8KhU4SWUWNoo4jugVjiU3oM-1934Dv83UWTM7V6dgxFe8h_U8jj_l7fj74rKOo8Im9PFwcLdUVabUXqCjcjFS3_sCp7w/s4032/PXL_20230529_004443972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3se3I7Lbvj_1KEOvbz5UvP21tQa_ZlUzMl9S7ipnSQhL37e2gbu9_zYm-gzR-HrweqHkgBKEHRymVPzLjjezN1ola_lWhoA8KhU4SWUWNoo4jugVjiU3oM-1934Dv83UWTM7V6dgxFe8h_U8jj_l7fj74rKOo8Im9PFwcLdUVabUXqCjcjFS3_sCp7w/w640-h480/PXL_20230529_004443972.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite ride inside the parks was the "Tron" motorcycle ride. Will and I got to ride side by side.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdZ2LliCk4g0ABNG_PfGpTMYbhjS3iZvmS6Ty6-dkBcHFlEhzfm7d8U4a2XdWOnW-72A1_n00ZJpPyezu_3I2H4NmGCJfFW7c_En5uksKKPuRfTsUcqQjBBogGFX55QWQ5bDTRhMuyD0DA1JanAu3nq62oL4rD61IO-y3mUV-6IJmXLn2s8Dkjx5UQQ/s4032/PXL_20230529_012348163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdZ2LliCk4g0ABNG_PfGpTMYbhjS3iZvmS6Ty6-dkBcHFlEhzfm7d8U4a2XdWOnW-72A1_n00ZJpPyezu_3I2H4NmGCJfFW7c_En5uksKKPuRfTsUcqQjBBogGFX55QWQ5bDTRhMuyD0DA1JanAu3nq62oL4rD61IO-y3mUV-6IJmXLn2s8Dkjx5UQQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230529_012348163.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fireworks show was amazing as always. The only problem was by then my legs were toast.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXC2VmevUbszt-hyzB08M9UKEYjYySd2wO7sZeTf5jzgnXlCV9EVRij6W5l06YYOK06_IaI7apXVR5Kmzrz8GU4YgUb1vf6hWiLo66E78_L_bGJvfv43LTgqRCDArmv8G7gFWq9BBZnEdxGbB8VfSqDry7QShwqpPG1rHvW_G_K-cvndS6MI-Y6Bk_Q/s4032/PXL_20230529_015951404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXC2VmevUbszt-hyzB08M9UKEYjYySd2wO7sZeTf5jzgnXlCV9EVRij6W5l06YYOK06_IaI7apXVR5Kmzrz8GU4YgUb1vf6hWiLo66E78_L_bGJvfv43LTgqRCDArmv8G7gFWq9BBZnEdxGbB8VfSqDry7QShwqpPG1rHvW_G_K-cvndS6MI-Y6Bk_Q/w640-h480/PXL_20230529_015951404.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We finished the final day by riding the carousel. Kim loves those and maybe I earned an extra point for that. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuBrH-ZIB9Ys4M5GLdsm2PUeOsZmudmAGxUJRaRPCftnnCkQIDkmZ46ruD-4BKdg-asOu2X0A121SQlL9EULBJ9-DBIclxxGuz5nkXojbckLVIbiURk_pSpc5kH71re-HjBPrjV6hxg9L43fyWLvaXdwB-xkxJ1G3fjgcFiHaQivbfbZTdfBBnuvBqA/s4032/PXL_20230528_191425557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKuBrH-ZIB9Ys4M5GLdsm2PUeOsZmudmAGxUJRaRPCftnnCkQIDkmZ46ruD-4BKdg-asOu2X0A121SQlL9EULBJ9-DBIclxxGuz5nkXojbckLVIbiURk_pSpc5kH71re-HjBPrjV6hxg9L43fyWLvaXdwB-xkxJ1G3fjgcFiHaQivbfbZTdfBBnuvBqA/w640-h480/PXL_20230528_191425557.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took hundreds of pictures. I am just selecting the ones from my phone. This is Brian, Mark and Callie with Shannon and Amelia to the right. We were on the train. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Disney World was an exhausting experience. I am sure everyone had fun and so did I, but it was a physical test. Isabella decided that she wanted to come home with Shannon. That posed a problem that was quickly solved. I rented a car and decided that the girls would go in Shannon's car and Will and I would drive a rent car. Once again the rates for one waying a car from Florida was only $40 per day, going the other direction is a different story. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shannon dropped Will and I off at the airport to rent the car. We went through the check out procedure as normal at the counter. We got to our normal mid size car and went to the check out gate. What normally takes a minute or two was taking for ever. As it turned out the car had the wrong license plate on it. I was getting a little miffed as we had a long drive in front of us. Finally, the agent told me to please take the car back to where we got it and go to the "Presidents Island" and pick any car. We chose a jet Black Chevy Camaro.</div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rwoMxS1yi9BfnLES_aEDUSO32FDxYiBCmOMwZKt0MieADq22HZUrv7MPGpPYGYSGHUuKV5RKawxVExXXGx8G9LSrPQAtHyxXx9Sxu05WL7vjSMy4fZc7L8GTOvv9Zd7nc1gwEN0RMnI8JCwaOHe0Sg5Vpc3T79fx1VafxEDPUaI930nQkrjIuvZ09A/s4032/PXL_20230530_151912589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rwoMxS1yi9BfnLES_aEDUSO32FDxYiBCmOMwZKt0MieADq22HZUrv7MPGpPYGYSGHUuKV5RKawxVExXXGx8G9LSrPQAtHyxXx9Sxu05WL7vjSMy4fZc7L8GTOvv9Zd7nc1gwEN0RMnI8JCwaOHe0Sg5Vpc3T79fx1VafxEDPUaI930nQkrjIuvZ09A/w640-h480/PXL_20230530_151912589.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will and I had way too much fun driving this car to Missouri. We got zero tickets, that is all I am going to say about that. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We got back to Missouri on June 1. We now knew we needed to be in Stuart Florida on June 9th to pick up the boat. The biggest problem was that we still did not have the truck ready. I went through a daily issue with the guy working on the truck where he told me it would be ready and then I did not hear from him and then we would start over the next day. He finally texted me on Sunday the 4th and said: "It's Alive". After I clarified what that meant, I went and picked it up. It has run perfectly since then. </p><p>We spent the next few days getting ready to leave. We got the truck packed and then got some more bad news. While the boat was in the yard, we decided to have our dinghy "reconditioned". It probably needed to be replaced, but this company told us they could fix it for around $1000. A new one cost around $5000. It was supposed to take a week, but it was now 5 weeks and it was still not done due to the large number of repairs needed. </p><p>We had one final thing Kim wanted to do. We went to Amelia's cross over ceremony from a Daisy scout to a Brownie. That is a girl scout thing.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZhRVvV3cRyxaCVoTmycjApt930MraKajkvonhCK_TVBRl05V99I8Tx-YP4ClL1LUM3NQV7v9wYca6nPK5_v6MC74YUojR3Zf8e2Q_F1uURE5CiBR6WxyUypV_iPG_KYf4QIwsgHQYrJpzWzocJPjR3X1BJcTQY8ShHSV5G1kTsL_6XfmfEUzEwJLEA/s4032/PXL_20230607_220442864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZhRVvV3cRyxaCVoTmycjApt930MraKajkvonhCK_TVBRl05V99I8Tx-YP4ClL1LUM3NQV7v9wYca6nPK5_v6MC74YUojR3Zf8e2Q_F1uURE5CiBR6WxyUypV_iPG_KYf4QIwsgHQYrJpzWzocJPjR3X1BJcTQY8ShHSV5G1kTsL_6XfmfEUzEwJLEA/w640-h480/PXL_20230607_220442864.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just thought I would include this picture I took in Shannon's front yard of this 4 foot Black Rat Snake.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPdJp2eDIHLBRzAaVPHNSH2YVOsJhZQ59lOsvAss3rLB2smGgVcm2mtW4mtfKNwaVoKKCVay79rniPVBS-ubKZlmsqsQe-JNyEu0O0AfmbSECy8Nyr3fGacuKXMfclD4hr4CIjX4cmuiG69F223eXwPGoV1tiptdzpdfP-ZOVMddMOyN24pMzs9oY-Q/s4032/PXL_20230607_230644761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPdJp2eDIHLBRzAaVPHNSH2YVOsJhZQ59lOsvAss3rLB2smGgVcm2mtW4mtfKNwaVoKKCVay79rniPVBS-ubKZlmsqsQe-JNyEu0O0AfmbSECy8Nyr3fGacuKXMfclD4hr4CIjX4cmuiG69F223eXwPGoV1tiptdzpdfP-ZOVMddMOyN24pMzs9oY-Q/w640-h480/PXL_20230607_230644761.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shannon on the right and the 5 girls that she has led through Daisy Scouts. Amelia is on the far left.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> I was now ready to make final plans to take the truck to Brunswick, Georgia (where the boat will spend hurricane season) and then drive a rent car to Stuart, Florida. Remember what I said about car rental costs? They wanted around $250 per day to do that from Savannah, GA or any other place I checked. I did some more searching and figured out that we could rent a car inside Florida much cheaper, so we reserved a car just south of Jacksonville, Florida for $80 per day.</p>We left Missouri on June 8th and drove 14 hours to Valdosta, GA. Then we drove to Florida to get the car and then Kim drove the truck and I drove the rent car 1.5 hours north to Brunswick. The best news is the truck never missed a beat. I then drove back south to Florida and arrived at the Mack Yacht Services yard at about 3pm on the 9th. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was at that point that the real fun began. I will write all about getting out of the yard in my next entry. </div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-53927361153993025992023-06-12T14:29:00.003-07:002023-06-12T14:29:46.921-07:00Our Time in Missouri was CRAZY!<p> We were up early on April 29th. It was our last night on the boat for a while. The boat was almost empty, other than our bed and the things we would be taking with us to Missouri. I had reserved an Uber for 8:30 to take me to the rent car place. He showed up at 8:00. I learned a lesson...don't make a reservation. That cost me $10 extra dollars. Oh well, we don't do that much. The only problem was that the car rental place did not open until 9:00, so I had some waiting to do. We got the car and I went back to pick up Kim and our stuff. </p><p>We started our drive north. We had a hotel reservation in Birmingham, Alabama. About an hour into the drive I got a text from my brother, Alan. He told me to watch out for the weather. He did not know we were driving, but he was warning us about a big storm out in the Gulf of Mexico. The bad news is it was heading north and would impact our travel. Kim started watching the Radar and changing our routing to a more north path to stay out of the worst of it. After an 11 hour drive we pulled into our hotel. The next day went well. When we left Florida the temperature was in the 80's with high humidity. When we pulled into a gas station in West Plains, Missouri, it was in the 40's. I had to pull on some sweat pants and a hoodie. Kim had no warm clothes, so she looked stylish in some of my clothes. </p><p>We stayed at our daughters house for a night and our son, Mark let us borrow his car to go back to the ranch and get ours. All of our vehicles had been sitting for 8 months, so my first order of business was to get them running. The truck took a bit, but rumbled to life. The mustang did not start. Not sure what was wrong, but I just left it for later. I had my trusty Ford truck after all. I drove it 14 miles to the town of Ava to get fuel for both the truck and the mustang hoping that fresh fuel would help. After filling up gas cans and the truck I jumped in and it would not start. I tried for a while with no luck. I went to a local auto parts store to get fuel filters. When I determined that I could not change them with the tools I had, I was about to give up when I tried it one more time and it started. I drove it quickly to a local auto repair shop and called Kim to come get me. </p><p>We also had to fill up both of our 30# propane tanks from our 5th wheel. They were full when we left, not sure if I have a leak or what. We picked up some food and headed back to the ranch. When we got there, Kim pointed out a soft spot on a wall in the 5th wheel. It turned out that we had a leak in the side of the trailer and it had rotted a slide frame and a main support to the wall below the water heater. That took the entire next 2 days to fix, but we got it done. I hate the cheap construction of an RV, but at least I can usually fix it. </p><p>I worked on diagnosing the Mustang and determined that the fuel pump had failed. I looked for a place to take it, but the ranch is so far out in the country, towing it was going to cost a fortune. I decided to get started changing it. In the mean time, I was having a hard time reaching the shop that had my truck. When they finally answered the phone, they had not been able to work on it. I asked them if it would be OK, if I came down and changed the fuel filters out. It is a small town shop, so that was fine with them. It is a messy job, but I got it done and the truck started and ran fine. I also needed some brake work done, so I left it for them to do that part. I finally got it back a few days later and thought that we were good to take a trip to see our oldest son, Michael and his two sons in Arkansas. </p><p>We stopped to see Amelia's last soccer game in Ozark and then took our son Mark's car back to him and they were headed to Arkansas. We stopped in a small town to get a bite to eat and that is when the truck failed to start again. Just as luck had it, there was a small one man auto repair shop right next door. I went over to ask if he had a suggestion for a tow truck and we got to talking about the truck. He knew a lot about Ford diesels. I asked him if he could fix it, and he said sure. So that is how my truck ended up in Reeds Spring, Missouri at a one man repair shop. </p><p>Our granddaughter came and picked us up and our daughter let us borrow her backup car to drive to Arkansas. </p><p>We had a great time in Arkansas with Michael and the boys. It was so good to see and spend time with them including their maiden voyage on their new to them canoe. We also had a rousing game of 2 on 2 football. I was sore for a week, but loved every minute of it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWkrW5rt05nPsuqX7l5IJSwLUry92W8NhvgOakiLSVnG5_MRCuel2UV51Rb2zWq_5WvsSSS-KRm3CEAkhOROlCCd7gxN_-HHdOLOQNl3djF5bPOCej9DZl-zL0Qb4i_UoRtXFEiOuSfSmGpTWKMm_7gmLDWo5H81fwCaKQ5gW03Ii_SV_BzWvKw8JRQ/s4032/PXL_20230506_142704281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixWkrW5rt05nPsuqX7l5IJSwLUry92W8NhvgOakiLSVnG5_MRCuel2UV51Rb2zWq_5WvsSSS-KRm3CEAkhOROlCCd7gxN_-HHdOLOQNl3djF5bPOCej9DZl-zL0Qb4i_UoRtXFEiOuSfSmGpTWKMm_7gmLDWo5H81fwCaKQ5gW03Ii_SV_BzWvKw8JRQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230506_142704281.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was Amelia's last soccer game. She is the blonde in the middle of the picture.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54PoibgwHL4XmHimvZjxFc6wRutTg5UCPkL13RaFAF27_yxyc6IYY__SdX5P1vsIEcsdIb_OwFGkRLH8lOUbxB-qV1pshF6qwgsrDvxMAeMDQDMx4PKGBODemQBXjmNzSHfMCfd3iXVqXXmdLTrVHEbVFpff_linSHI6w6oZJXs5Y1Ds_5iUCLQ8DuQ/s4032/PXL_20230507_175844168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54PoibgwHL4XmHimvZjxFc6wRutTg5UCPkL13RaFAF27_yxyc6IYY__SdX5P1vsIEcsdIb_OwFGkRLH8lOUbxB-qV1pshF6qwgsrDvxMAeMDQDMx4PKGBODemQBXjmNzSHfMCfd3iXVqXXmdLTrVHEbVFpff_linSHI6w6oZJXs5Y1Ds_5iUCLQ8DuQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230507_175844168.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Launching the canoe for the first time</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_m3pj_XZMutE8jx-UchyMnIuKPzdCFess9OXJxW8At2TinfBWEahLPn4ZZh08HZ9kWlZHZKyKSOIyITjkOtD_x9IAyyUQfnQfOKLieLHjy98q4qr0A0Aqckw_4zoJqsaE-Tph9sHqYILHYuEskpVGiZ9uGcVjyLR8hvyb99k5WJQiYUY8efrrXY1Cg/s4032/PXL_20230507_180609552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_m3pj_XZMutE8jx-UchyMnIuKPzdCFess9OXJxW8At2TinfBWEahLPn4ZZh08HZ9kWlZHZKyKSOIyITjkOtD_x9IAyyUQfnQfOKLieLHjy98q4qr0A0Aqckw_4zoJqsaE-Tph9sHqYILHYuEskpVGiZ9uGcVjyLR8hvyb99k5WJQiYUY8efrrXY1Cg/w640-h480/PXL_20230507_180609552.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect for the three of them</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxv5E3_rZdOnN1X1oOJJxD7rAbK3QNGUqnAic9DP5yBUZb3TnQkxqVEdkNaGA9tyK5Xsce-TGR8UVV1huLWT9d96G6dXQ1VTPyz1I8PLYNjaW6DaW-TWAUZ1Ox2YD9D4UWJ8xtUftgDu_lTvRBptzIY0WNY3inqet5k-SkeD_OeDooj8wfLoQWTivpig/s4032/PXL_20230507_180640797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxv5E3_rZdOnN1X1oOJJxD7rAbK3QNGUqnAic9DP5yBUZb3TnQkxqVEdkNaGA9tyK5Xsce-TGR8UVV1huLWT9d96G6dXQ1VTPyz1I8PLYNjaW6DaW-TWAUZ1Ox2YD9D4UWJ8xtUftgDu_lTvRBptzIY0WNY3inqet5k-SkeD_OeDooj8wfLoQWTivpig/w640-h480/PXL_20230507_180640797.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing was at the top of the list for Connor, so off they went to catch some bait.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cSR8YhxiglJ8O2pvqjHIvJMbVmfElf2CWE_Nv-Jd1nzTZ4ZYotjLIjEtAlyC-v4lVciAUK06U88KS2VtWkCTtxYakt1ZdyDLYF_yhgjpxd7tRyUpviGVnsrGIw0_nlmvQAQC8SPc8n7AhttTr9oS_n0dK4TSsX1eRBandFVvo20xv7I24Kkqok1z3w/s4032/PXL_20230507_180723773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cSR8YhxiglJ8O2pvqjHIvJMbVmfElf2CWE_Nv-Jd1nzTZ4ZYotjLIjEtAlyC-v4lVciAUK06U88KS2VtWkCTtxYakt1ZdyDLYF_yhgjpxd7tRyUpviGVnsrGIw0_nlmvQAQC8SPc8n7AhttTr9oS_n0dK4TSsX1eRBandFVvo20xv7I24Kkqok1z3w/w640-h480/PXL_20230507_180723773.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good looking strokes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Michael had to be at work early on Monday morning, so we stayed and took the boys to school. We had made contact with some RV friends of ours, Dick and Cathy. They happened to be in Russellville at a COE park we have stayed at many times. We had a nice, but short visit. Dick had to go to a doctor appt., so we said our good byes and they drove off. We got in Shannon's Prius and...you guessed it! It would not start. Then the craziest thing yet happened. While I was trying to figure out how a Prius worked, my phone rang. It was my brother, Alan. He wanted to get my son's phone number because he was visiting Russellville, Arkansas with his wife, Denise in their motorhome. I said, "in what park?". Some place by the dam called Old Post Park. As it turned out we were 9 sites apart. My engineer brother, who lives in Texas, that I have been working on cars with since I was 13 years old was there to help me. I was blown away. As it turns out, we just needed to jump the starter battery and all was good with the Prius. We had a nice visit and then headed back to Missouri. </p><p>When we got back to the ranch, something else really amazing happened. I had jacked up the mustang and put the rear tires on ramps to get started dropping the fuel tank to change out the fuel pump. I don't really know why I did, but I tried it one more time and to my amazement it started. I yelled for Kim and she just laughed. At least we now had one car running. </p><p>On Mothers day, Shannon and some of her kids and Michael came to the ranch. It was a great day because it is rare to have water in our swimming hole and it be warm enough to get in. The water was cold by Isabella and Will had a blast. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE5iSXOh4eEDGMNdNHbZaZuhIp8aM4NkvJlLVMTZvv06irfMbMxovAw-CN-dj8rjNVUUU-QBtwMhgQ90RYqPMSf-f2smRxIE-swbQioXiDCnIDjC0skJQYxEPYKpaR5qgtoLENE1mzPpwEpeij3AJuAQAny3eIs54NDp1jOuOY-wQXZs43Lv-fS917A/s4032/PXL_20230514_194552864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzE5iSXOh4eEDGMNdNHbZaZuhIp8aM4NkvJlLVMTZvv06irfMbMxovAw-CN-dj8rjNVUUU-QBtwMhgQ90RYqPMSf-f2smRxIE-swbQioXiDCnIDjC0skJQYxEPYKpaR5qgtoLENE1mzPpwEpeij3AJuAQAny3eIs54NDp1jOuOY-wQXZs43Lv-fS917A/w640-h480/PXL_20230514_194552864.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see Isabella in the water and Will getting ready to jump. The water was about 7 feet deep. This is a beautiful spot at the ranch.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfq3uxrRjdtOsAfPhO5WL2QyCAuW6oKEZjuksShlldqZKbfbKnMfMVdfzqoaVYZb9K5BfQnH6UNWdk2l-uxJYsedtPDWzaYPhFGPpTOnkTVAOsLTy90cU2Qa89OnLPZGfRwtpGQGvFRqWs0RnsY-SQ_tG8xaFjIRGnIwfM3fZWObLOvOOZT5WvuUu-QA/s4032/PXL_20230514_194300928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfq3uxrRjdtOsAfPhO5WL2QyCAuW6oKEZjuksShlldqZKbfbKnMfMVdfzqoaVYZb9K5BfQnH6UNWdk2l-uxJYsedtPDWzaYPhFGPpTOnkTVAOsLTy90cU2Qa89OnLPZGfRwtpGQGvFRqWs0RnsY-SQ_tG8xaFjIRGnIwfM3fZWObLOvOOZT5WvuUu-QA/w640-h480/PXL_20230514_194300928.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is and Will enjoying the swimming hole natural water slide. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67bLqbgz7J7dqCbnvX_7gQDSbMPoono-8zz-VMjnCKgs6MqxX_jSaGSbX5QWmbLz2K1mGtTvoBMYFhBoCry1GJgiU9Xxjr_Jeq9kbOiGnQEYSCscqXvUDs6sgUaKdpFtq-wMnncEdUmPRrAiME-Tu_mF51qWX0hhWFh_5v1pnJbpdoCNr7VI4hEsaDQ/s4032/PXL_20230517_132621622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67bLqbgz7J7dqCbnvX_7gQDSbMPoono-8zz-VMjnCKgs6MqxX_jSaGSbX5QWmbLz2K1mGtTvoBMYFhBoCry1GJgiU9Xxjr_Jeq9kbOiGnQEYSCscqXvUDs6sgUaKdpFtq-wMnncEdUmPRrAiME-Tu_mF51qWX0hhWFh_5v1pnJbpdoCNr7VI4hEsaDQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230517_132621622.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had this little visitor in the trailer one day</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6chK3wp8SiAUkm2Q7OaNP9ursUG71Tq2_qlDUHzV3sPRIIsXA5tVsqJF8kWJSITkSHre7LASMOZEmmuaJIsYylKv8Ndv-uL4zeFi-1m4rV37myTHhtta1i2rqzpvuLQuOmw5hMBTlDkQwVd2q9wf0hvYJzRvect5Zm1IMwZqyP58MMtl89T_8JfmySw/s4032/PXL_20230517_132706132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6chK3wp8SiAUkm2Q7OaNP9ursUG71Tq2_qlDUHzV3sPRIIsXA5tVsqJF8kWJSITkSHre7LASMOZEmmuaJIsYylKv8Ndv-uL4zeFi-1m4rV37myTHhtta1i2rqzpvuLQuOmw5hMBTlDkQwVd2q9wf0hvYJzRvect5Zm1IMwZqyP58MMtl89T_8JfmySw/w640-h480/PXL_20230517_132706132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He let me pick him up and set him free</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We had some wonderful weather while we were at the ranch in early May. I was able to get two great rides on my dirt bike with some old and new friends. I still love to do that even though the years have taken their toll on the old body. </p><p>I was waiting to hear from the guy about my truck and a week went by. I finally was able to talk to him and he said he was having trouble getting all of the parts needed, but he should have them by the end of the week. The problem was that most of the family including us were leaving on May 22nd to go to Disney to see our granddaughter Isabella play with her band. We would be gone a total of 9 days. He promised to have it done when I got back.</p><p>I will end this entry there. It is long, but I can assure you that I have left out many details that also happened. In my next entry, I will write about our trip to Florida to go to Disney World and the crazy process of picking up the truck and the boat from their major surgeries. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-27588777238511303702023-06-05T12:58:00.002-07:002023-06-05T12:58:32.254-07:00Life in Stuart, Florida<p> I have not updated this blog in a while. It is hard to get excited about our life back in the U.S. after spending 2 and a half months over in the Bahamas. It all just seems so "normal". </p><p>In my last entry, we had just made our crossing over from Great Harbor to West Palm Beach. We stayed in West Palm Beach for 2 days after making the crossing. It was needed to get rested up for the next leg of our trip. The next leg was a short 35 mile trip up the ICW to Stuart Florida. We left on a fairly windy day. It blew between 15 and 20 knots all day. That normally is not a problem as we cruise along the ICW. It was also mostly a tail wind, so that made travel fairly easy while we were moving. The problem was that there were a bunch of bridges in between. I did not count them, but there were at least 10 bridges that we had to open. We had to travel to each bridge and then wait for the next opening. Some of the bridges are on an opening schedule, so you have to wait a while if your timing is not good. Some are on request, so those are easier. You just call them on the radio and they will open fairly soon. Holding your position in 20 knots of wind and some significant current can be a challenge. It was a long day, but we got it done. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7aTuPMOG9xCF3Jej31Xj9XFNKP4AsPoFKuikexAylWhf9KNk1hLzX_oJAfZS4aRVTqjWzftIdE9BC7BFHeqYSGgg9OrX4-eeKYWhD4kjp1hIDrBiRFbmwOpKW0adkIkkh-rbO-q66MUGCCblIdpfLe19JIMUKuP1LAIAEPxpTRvsQ1KJNeg6QRfFvQ/s4032/PXL_20230406_164913550.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw7aTuPMOG9xCF3Jej31Xj9XFNKP4AsPoFKuikexAylWhf9KNk1hLzX_oJAfZS4aRVTqjWzftIdE9BC7BFHeqYSGgg9OrX4-eeKYWhD4kjp1hIDrBiRFbmwOpKW0adkIkkh-rbO-q66MUGCCblIdpfLe19JIMUKuP1LAIAEPxpTRvsQ1KJNeg6QRfFvQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230406_164913550.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was our view on much of our trip along the ICW. There are lots of large homes on the water.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We were heading to Stuart, Florida to have some work done on the boat. We had a scheduled appointment on May 1 to start the work. I had a plan to stay in the mooring field at the Sunset Bay Marina. The problem is the mooring balls are on a first come, first serve basis. So, you have to get there and hope there is an available ball. </p><p>When we arrived on April 6th, there were no mooring balls available, so we had to go across the bay and anchor in a designated anchorage that was full of unoccupied boats. The next day, we finally went ashore. It was the first time we had been off of the boat in 5 days. We took the dinghy to a city park that had a free dock. While we were there, I could look over and see the mooring field. I watched as a boat dropped their ball and motored away. We quickly got back in the dinghy and went over and put a buoy on it and called the marina to let them know we were bringing the big boat right over.</p><p>Within a half hour, we were hooked up to our new home. Ball #6 would be our new address. We went to the office and paid our $479 for a months stay and got our access to the boaters showers, restrooms, laundry and lounge. We found out about the free shuttle to the local stores and local restaurants. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lNAAPzUnUaXXT_FYWNPbAOPy86jXV4dYTyQp0Tp2UJChH56vFKeqG0EIYMm-uPYbhrpU5grstvq-URzrGNkTFAWAksiQfKDVM00fTUMyMI-bn8H7tz2vhPI_PLX_qm9dqeW_QsJl3CVNel7WULiSftKFFxJ0Ys8EMKFCauNJk5AtP0Ez5NF0gVIY1A/s4032/PXL_20230408_135814313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lNAAPzUnUaXXT_FYWNPbAOPy86jXV4dYTyQp0Tp2UJChH56vFKeqG0EIYMm-uPYbhrpU5grstvq-URzrGNkTFAWAksiQfKDVM00fTUMyMI-bn8H7tz2vhPI_PLX_qm9dqeW_QsJl3CVNel7WULiSftKFFxJ0Ys8EMKFCauNJk5AtP0Ez5NF0gVIY1A/w640-h480/PXL_20230408_135814313.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shot of our mooring field. That boat on the left is an Island Packet 35, just like SHIFT. The name of the boat is "Just Ducky" they are from Maryland. The crazy thing is they were at anchor right next to us at Black Point in the Bahamas. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoxZMFWCXEMVz5UVVQIEgTgk8XV5jXHpzxDPyqe5ODPjVGAMkNsXryrOUmbieJBQ4TFOFo-OLBssEjKWqOtRD3ADEpTmdbYwPeYOHM3C4l8_jKutHCpallHbBUocjQs3kD2LEPIh8MlC7TEcUW1gRT3jGkF404ax0KM7So0txIQsZhyV7a34ffh1BsQ/s4032/PXL_20230411_145600333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoxZMFWCXEMVz5UVVQIEgTgk8XV5jXHpzxDPyqe5ODPjVGAMkNsXryrOUmbieJBQ4TFOFo-OLBssEjKWqOtRD3ADEpTmdbYwPeYOHM3C4l8_jKutHCpallHbBUocjQs3kD2LEPIh8MlC7TEcUW1gRT3jGkF404ax0KM7So0txIQsZhyV7a34ffh1BsQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230411_145600333.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shot was taken in downtown Stuart. It was a very stormy day with high winds. Our mooring field had much better protection from these winds. We did have a storm come through a few days later that brought some 46 knot gusts from a direction that we did not have good protection. We had 6 foot waves going right through the mooring field. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxBeqvBAu7pnVK10e698JY0njzBQ9mf90lA85AF1EX98Hp7QFp8ozeOKHPL7LRldzOAQWUv_eg-c6NHrbiPyWGZL3-Cmj5UmGhNQF_6cFJxzeRWkc2HiIC4T6IwrIfv4Q6EjN5Ibp-YIcWd9oxA4I0SyEGfwHe6bPhoAhfDW-YStva9pW_nGhBoitPg/s4032/PXL_20230411_153131758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxBeqvBAu7pnVK10e698JY0njzBQ9mf90lA85AF1EX98Hp7QFp8ozeOKHPL7LRldzOAQWUv_eg-c6NHrbiPyWGZL3-Cmj5UmGhNQF_6cFJxzeRWkc2HiIC4T6IwrIfv4Q6EjN5Ibp-YIcWd9oxA4I0SyEGfwHe6bPhoAhfDW-YStva9pW_nGhBoitPg/w640-h480/PXL_20230411_153131758.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an Ibis. I for some reason, like these birds. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvP_Esn_2b6skH_6yYrrFdmUxmOykbZgGTw7PvwRiXKhNPFjw2D-NgjRJWNlU8x_0BPiyPBVjewDeZ_Oo8q8sEanl0x8T1ogd2Db7dLDkV-hAUQ67BjvVTZdtPf2yozXpxTObm1O8PvcLfMd88KwYxr3VRvedaz4GXUfSrIVLI-IRCgGJf1JyDOfGl3g/s4032/PXL_20230415_135503132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvP_Esn_2b6skH_6yYrrFdmUxmOykbZgGTw7PvwRiXKhNPFjw2D-NgjRJWNlU8x_0BPiyPBVjewDeZ_Oo8q8sEanl0x8T1ogd2Db7dLDkV-hAUQ67BjvVTZdtPf2yozXpxTObm1O8PvcLfMd88KwYxr3VRvedaz4GXUfSrIVLI-IRCgGJf1JyDOfGl3g/w640-h480/PXL_20230415_135503132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we go for walks to the local parks, we go under this bridge that we went under on our way here. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ20cAx925hdlrqEZ81lNgdZnrOO9Ik45hGK39z-ahcnI5i8iaL-sQbSsJvar059FF4K8zdqdwRmXmbshQVnNbDXAjiBs99TGOBR-YOA6gGwa4v9-SBDbjK0KuVfHQNHXnWFAPwEb2OG9VaVoDOauTYfIm1BbYatmwiVWzbJLVNAVsfXNUa369WEXNdQ/s4032/PXL_20230415_135508307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ20cAx925hdlrqEZ81lNgdZnrOO9Ik45hGK39z-ahcnI5i8iaL-sQbSsJvar059FF4K8zdqdwRmXmbshQVnNbDXAjiBs99TGOBR-YOA6gGwa4v9-SBDbjK0KuVfHQNHXnWFAPwEb2OG9VaVoDOauTYfIm1BbYatmwiVWzbJLVNAVsfXNUa369WEXNdQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230415_135508307.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are three bridges in succession. This is the railroad bridge that we had to open on our way in and we will have to again on our way out. They are closing this bridge for repairs for 16 days in May. We are planning to depart just before that closing. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEq-kp27hGF4WrUYA6REh1AHuwDCjGU-FSnGgg-agrN4A9sj8atIluN7SU4RqSoC3yUGG81TeQ0z-_FkimE-GQuRkzEiq_cP96xVOHz5SvuzB4nr1nn9nq740wvbXmsECEsfQlrWvPE-blTXha4kfZKf31SjjVD4iivVA1AVZ4mAElXenvRadf3_XrQ/s4032/PXL_20230415_140403109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEq-kp27hGF4WrUYA6REh1AHuwDCjGU-FSnGgg-agrN4A9sj8atIluN7SU4RqSoC3yUGG81TeQ0z-_FkimE-GQuRkzEiq_cP96xVOHz5SvuzB4nr1nn9nq740wvbXmsECEsfQlrWvPE-blTXha4kfZKf31SjjVD4iivVA1AVZ4mAElXenvRadf3_XrQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230415_140403109.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This sailboat broke free from its anchor during the strong winds in the previous picture. I am not sure how they will get it into deeper water, but it looks like it has not been cared for anyway.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMMWMLU-rkzG9f1bAUlDEyoIMdd8bx9iSse9ZNZlz62U_tIUmU9XZNBNChr7nGhexPJOWVcMKfJDc5q8OXgIoeKutWSqAr3e8QibhL2U2EX1i7ii5oTS_2AGyPIATsgxdwLfpSw14JRAeQNPsjFJgKETZzA-IV7ukOY9Wr8FBtGYFgwSyO52n_2TFNw/s4032/PXL_20230415_143054793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMMWMLU-rkzG9f1bAUlDEyoIMdd8bx9iSse9ZNZlz62U_tIUmU9XZNBNChr7nGhexPJOWVcMKfJDc5q8OXgIoeKutWSqAr3e8QibhL2U2EX1i7ii5oTS_2AGyPIATsgxdwLfpSw14JRAeQNPsjFJgKETZzA-IV7ukOY9Wr8FBtGYFgwSyO52n_2TFNw/w640-h480/PXL_20230415_143054793.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shot of Sunset Bay Marina. A very nice place. The slips run about $1500 per month for a boat our size. That cost is why we stay on a ball.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglslZlQ3gkfToMW9e1SMilaSUq3n9-M9J1xuU9rEZJ0E7Y2ndpzqtAv8lcymGTqyy0B00Ksnzm-OPMG43xH58U_xp3UcSovW31EBLvDZFMcFaRhmUyWMYpxe5UsvAnQLzUCRsF4d3TapmZwhMEn75sZq3FoW1hwUnsBYwO9w8SNrbYmIB8e32m_kE-Dg/s4032/PXL_20230417_233456622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglslZlQ3gkfToMW9e1SMilaSUq3n9-M9J1xuU9rEZJ0E7Y2ndpzqtAv8lcymGTqyy0B00Ksnzm-OPMG43xH58U_xp3UcSovW31EBLvDZFMcFaRhmUyWMYpxe5UsvAnQLzUCRsF4d3TapmZwhMEn75sZq3FoW1hwUnsBYwO9w8SNrbYmIB8e32m_kE-Dg/w640-h480/PXL_20230417_233456622.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset over the marina. They have a nice gathering area where we go to relax after our evening showers. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Stuart is a nice little town that has lots of places to walk around and check out the shops and restaurants. We really enjoyed our time there. We got lots of work done on the boat including all engine maintenance and a number of other jobs that were needing to get done. It was some nice downtime after being on the move for the past 5 months. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2CVZ7w-vgJgVbo8lVzQ4FkWIHGhY982AufJepPXZ9QsJHdRpyIWDuHzFsxFLNINTC1jMF_LnMk5qqZQUuAeqm282hgT-Mk3HhXZffsx_HmgTb25TRlBvaoyTVquSRZH7qwe6kmAN-eFYpKvat6w3JmHLWhMlz4kcyjWoiCYDvX7Cjlh0T927exzhjQ/s4032/PXL_20230418_151711532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2CVZ7w-vgJgVbo8lVzQ4FkWIHGhY982AufJepPXZ9QsJHdRpyIWDuHzFsxFLNINTC1jMF_LnMk5qqZQUuAeqm282hgT-Mk3HhXZffsx_HmgTb25TRlBvaoyTVquSRZH7qwe6kmAN-eFYpKvat6w3JmHLWhMlz4kcyjWoiCYDvX7Cjlh0T927exzhjQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230418_151711532.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this picture from shore. SHIFT is right in the middle of this shot.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLI5EKSFCg1vZVBrmkYiY07Dy1REHMhxHcQM8_MpLvqinUjo2TUG5dEuKLcu8NyZoeLBikvrgOlaVNvpZmqHJqNvT-RuCqfU4y8dtceLL_8hp8fyGlsWQyQQjclEJxd6oczynpz8Hjzv4Gin6xTDWDBs5js_uB1NhLpVxu9f7o6J7MA-ChwSThBK1AWQ/s4032/PXL_20230422_235536327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLI5EKSFCg1vZVBrmkYiY07Dy1REHMhxHcQM8_MpLvqinUjo2TUG5dEuKLcu8NyZoeLBikvrgOlaVNvpZmqHJqNvT-RuCqfU4y8dtceLL_8hp8fyGlsWQyQQjclEJxd6oczynpz8Hjzv4Gin6xTDWDBs5js_uB1NhLpVxu9f7o6J7MA-ChwSThBK1AWQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230422_235536327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just like this nice quiet shot.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja24WRVqcOrfDunQWRxxb8hLPckDxuJyPr2r2aA9wL2qKnSWRej3T056LxnbG1SnTx6FmT9XJjncVLKQ2_cox9U1iWRloQBP-_eg_bUIAA33ZRfiOzPkCoJIHK8QUuI-oq18pCpkFmbzMMLxgbC3gRP-ByFLfZYoBptkotBZkuEfYcGbY02ZKN4JID3A/s4032/PXL_20230423_203945968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja24WRVqcOrfDunQWRxxb8hLPckDxuJyPr2r2aA9wL2qKnSWRej3T056LxnbG1SnTx6FmT9XJjncVLKQ2_cox9U1iWRloQBP-_eg_bUIAA33ZRfiOzPkCoJIHK8QUuI-oq18pCpkFmbzMMLxgbC3gRP-ByFLfZYoBptkotBZkuEfYcGbY02ZKN4JID3A/w640-h480/PXL_20230423_203945968.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After Just Ducky left, we had "Island Spirit" take mooring ball #7. Hayden and Radeen are from Pennsylvania. Hayden runs the Island Packet Owners group and a Yacht Broker. We enjoyed meeting them. They have been sailing her for over 20 years and have been to the Caribbean many times. Island Spirit is also an IP 35. One year newer that SHIFT. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On April 28th, we made our trip the 6 miles to Mack. It was a slow trip because we had a lot of growth on the hull of the boat and propeller, but we made it and put SHIFT in a very tight spot. She will stay there for the next 6 weeks and have her Chain Plates replaced. This is major surgery, and will require the carpenters to remove all of the built in furniture. We will take this time to return to Missouri to visit family. Before we left, we had to remove literally everything from the boat and put it in a provided trailer. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXgL3qvmIlyaaQGnJXVGl-Qczq3Mb3Gc_wSwpbkKheuYr9xTaeEPSYg1hkfqsRDafRb3wYS8LjPHBnOnT9xpnCsxoRADYt7PD77rLVilV2kd_zV9qmQXtRCQ5EsrJa1JfGhVlgVnuD9VDfYxHdVYZGUe3d7DV4MeIHl4ShdSkKQGrwd1MAIOy0hw1UA/s4032/PXL_20230428_233120514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvXgL3qvmIlyaaQGnJXVGl-Qczq3Mb3Gc_wSwpbkKheuYr9xTaeEPSYg1hkfqsRDafRb3wYS8LjPHBnOnT9xpnCsxoRADYt7PD77rLVilV2kd_zV9qmQXtRCQ5EsrJa1JfGhVlgVnuD9VDfYxHdVYZGUe3d7DV4MeIHl4ShdSkKQGrwd1MAIOy0hw1UA/w640-h480/PXL_20230428_233120514.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We celebrated clearing the boat out by going to a local restaurant for dinner. This heron was dining at the table next to us. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHydvyYTiQ6KPFBYGXH8ikxchD-PO3tglljopoJyLntafEtd6akYjzorH5QH0O17WZtnnuQ_Re8BEfp-7KT5zFnxY7FvF-Pmd0g3LaA8PRMCjT2d9mex6dApX5Z3qXhyRnHtCCghRr6zGZ9ejdgHxt1RIylux7wQY7v6ZAZREB5UzIjXq5Lq5QFaM1A/s4032/PXL_20230429_132714199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHydvyYTiQ6KPFBYGXH8ikxchD-PO3tglljopoJyLntafEtd6akYjzorH5QH0O17WZtnnuQ_Re8BEfp-7KT5zFnxY7FvF-Pmd0g3LaA8PRMCjT2d9mex6dApX5Z3qXhyRnHtCCghRr6zGZ9ejdgHxt1RIylux7wQY7v6ZAZREB5UzIjXq5Lq5QFaM1A/w640-h480/PXL_20230429_132714199.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the very tight place that I had to maneuver into to put SHIFT to bed for 6 weeks. That roof over that boat to the right was a very close space that I had to make sure I didn't hit my mast. I have no idea how we will get it out of here when we leave. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7eywDHM9dJmNJga8w5ICo5KKXKcyIgBOA3cYj0fGgrZe4aJwNa6Qcd--KTTz0EDlmjFFBa1V93XJRDG1e1t9UAoUbvvDURkUM7TvJ2l8bIrGQPq0drPKkRtH6NloQo-JtpJJ43ZFEb-qbgM84DfmhbSMrABVgIo4wcOOepC6_g8GUTGiRwDJSsU_Iw/s4032/PXL_20230429_132815213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7eywDHM9dJmNJga8w5ICo5KKXKcyIgBOA3cYj0fGgrZe4aJwNa6Qcd--KTTz0EDlmjFFBa1V93XJRDG1e1t9UAoUbvvDURkUM7TvJ2l8bIrGQPq0drPKkRtH6NloQo-JtpJJ43ZFEb-qbgM84DfmhbSMrABVgIo4wcOOepC6_g8GUTGiRwDJSsU_Iw/w640-h480/PXL_20230429_132815213.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a shot of the cabin as we left. It was a strange feeling to leave her like that. It took us two days to get everything packed into the trailer. It will be interesting how long it will take to put it all back. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We are now up to May 1. I still have some catching up to do, but most of that is family time. As I write this it is June 5th and we are getting ready to return to the boat. It has been a strange time in Missouri. I will write a bit about that in my next entry. </p><p><br /></p><p></p><br /> <p></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-43490173132182126722023-05-10T19:26:00.001-07:002023-05-10T19:26:24.734-07:00The Passage Back to Florida - Great Harbor to West Palm Beach<p> In my last entry, I wrote about our bad day. We had run aground not just once, but twice. One thing I forgot to mention was that when we got anchored, I took a swim and looked at the bottom of the keel and saw that the only damage we had done was to scratch the paint in a small area. We had not even gotten into the epoxy based barrier coat that we had applied in Virginia last October. That put my mind at ease that we were ready to carry on.</p><p>We were now in Great Harbor Cay and it was April 3rd. We had a very good 24 to 48 hours of predicted weather to make the 135 mile sail back to Florida. The plan was to leave mid morning and sail on a direct course to Florida. I was expecting it would take us about 25 hours if we could maintain 5 knots average. </p><p>The main thing I needed to do before we left was to get some fuel. I wanted to make sure that we had plenty of fuel to make the crossing by motor if needed. I emptied my two 5 gallon jerry jugs into the boat and then took the dinghy over to the fuel dock and got 10 more gallons. That filled our tank and gave us about 5 gallons on deck. The fuel cost $6.60 per gallon.</p><p>We headed out of the harbor at about 9:30 am. There was very little wind to start the trip, but we got the sails up and motor sailed along. The wind was mostly behind us, so it kept me busy playing with the sails to keep some wind in them. I was expecting some current against us for the first 70 miles until we hit the gulf stream. We plodded along and between 4 and 5 knots over ground. Much slower than I had hoped. It was a very pretty day, so the ride was pleasant and all was going well. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkivzL5Tk01YntE48LeEn4rbVmhE7x85Rta11ChsA4GaAlWcGkm6R5W_LfX-4KfruwSw1L2dUphbdKYwQvuvu8smZHLyYPlmpd7BjQCdR_GdnNMlADndK8Jkz0MhyrCyWisIUt6Lk3h2WJE8EHRO0SSj6FPvu8ROsRm-1fDxFyqr3TEeOs4UpeRvZKpA/s4032/PXL_20230403_133958456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkivzL5Tk01YntE48LeEn4rbVmhE7x85Rta11ChsA4GaAlWcGkm6R5W_LfX-4KfruwSw1L2dUphbdKYwQvuvu8smZHLyYPlmpd7BjQCdR_GdnNMlADndK8Jkz0MhyrCyWisIUt6Lk3h2WJE8EHRO0SSj6FPvu8ROsRm-1fDxFyqr3TEeOs4UpeRvZKpA/w640-h480/PXL_20230403_133958456.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the first few hours we were on the Great Bahama Bank that is fairly shallow and produces this beautiful water color. There is a cruise ship off in the distance.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After about 8 hours of motoring the wind started to fill in and we were able to finally shut the engine off. It was then, that we headed out into the deep water of the Atlantic Ocean. We started to see large ships on our AIS system. There were a number of cruise ships, but also some cargo ships. The water changed to a very deep blue. It was amazing to look at. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgrvMsHSrkjVYp-1g1JxOslXWfC2ChvylNoihc8vcHdTixCCr0_h5dx3zHjL7nrjF7q_rbcAfct4C_0sLkXx6FTI7BzcqCSJrhClp13z2ttr7xt4VSK0pUYQSv5m25pUSRbWutFAo2ZJ2Sf-cusvNig9e3gN5xRQJ3-4MJXVVAXGSMIHc3CVPRVYCWA/s4032/PXL_20230403_213756320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifgrvMsHSrkjVYp-1g1JxOslXWfC2ChvylNoihc8vcHdTixCCr0_h5dx3zHjL7nrjF7q_rbcAfct4C_0sLkXx6FTI7BzcqCSJrhClp13z2ttr7xt4VSK0pUYQSv5m25pUSRbWutFAo2ZJ2Sf-cusvNig9e3gN5xRQJ3-4MJXVVAXGSMIHc3CVPRVYCWA/w640-h480/PXL_20230403_213756320.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The deep blue of the open ocean</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CgZ_qzqO4JqnXvzUnAm6_gr8IMrLK-Lb58BugkmSgtPHZLfVN5N2noQ7eVVNGTeqWUqzSjfcYuqZegQMxUwCusEOffYtu9Kx48WVrdzjZiDdqY2s_IiIw4KzaYNluUgcb5lfUw2afhR_K1myiZ_436WnbEEblhQF1zLvhzqIP6Z5DzLt1cV5cNVUBw/s4032/PXL_20230403_213911034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_CgZ_qzqO4JqnXvzUnAm6_gr8IMrLK-Lb58BugkmSgtPHZLfVN5N2noQ7eVVNGTeqWUqzSjfcYuqZegQMxUwCusEOffYtu9Kx48WVrdzjZiDdqY2s_IiIw4KzaYNluUgcb5lfUw2afhR_K1myiZ_436WnbEEblhQF1zLvhzqIP6Z5DzLt1cV5cNVUBw/w640-h480/PXL_20230403_213911034.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The color of the water can be mesmerizing. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /> We cruised along on fairly flat seas. Kim got a nap, but I was unsuccessful at getting any sleep when I tried. That is pretty much normal for me. At about 8:00 pm things started to change. We were now starting to feel the effects of the Gulf Stream and the other currents were gone. The wind picked up a bit, but so did the swell. Not bad, just noticeable. As the sun went down we were now cruising over 5 knots and making better time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCpbSMuHKxkZMMei5wucOzB07xWGf-qWRAqiYA7fanA9S2Rfy8pDYK5pZyGxOsfpPaQ2QlO2gw5e_0tNXPKIacfMv3bxVxYah4ppvAtUEkosrSK7JDd6-eTWl3vMNImqUSsdCVxEBRaN-OcpmxUmYq6KyDeXm1Ms88HK4bJybptLBV6emY5VKM0_psw/s4032/PXL_20230403_231105067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFCpbSMuHKxkZMMei5wucOzB07xWGf-qWRAqiYA7fanA9S2Rfy8pDYK5pZyGxOsfpPaQ2QlO2gw5e_0tNXPKIacfMv3bxVxYah4ppvAtUEkosrSK7JDd6-eTWl3vMNImqUSsdCVxEBRaN-OcpmxUmYq6KyDeXm1Ms88HK4bJybptLBV6emY5VKM0_psw/w640-h480/PXL_20230403_231105067.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the sun set we had beautiful conditions</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iLErdiGgJ9uHKC5Sy4oJg7e8lg_PTINs7I_M1PrHPy1LfNkZE7F2THEWMUcbWqSBSE9uvXh1wXGVR6GTtFBPy3f9hkQdAr2Hr4mEIMYyVGysMgJGQwRDgf-arK7ty0tmH6smFvQ4Q_1JY-1xJzK1lTvZUeAvHG5KTgIOKJUcIiRBqt9HGSoOWJij-A/s4032/PXL_20230403_232449433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iLErdiGgJ9uHKC5Sy4oJg7e8lg_PTINs7I_M1PrHPy1LfNkZE7F2THEWMUcbWqSBSE9uvXh1wXGVR6GTtFBPy3f9hkQdAr2Hr4mEIMYyVGysMgJGQwRDgf-arK7ty0tmH6smFvQ4Q_1JY-1xJzK1lTvZUeAvHG5KTgIOKJUcIiRBqt9HGSoOWJij-A/w640-h480/PXL_20230403_232449433.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at sea brings some apprehension because of the coming darkness, but they are still beautiful.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we hit the Gulf Stream, the ship traffic picked up a bunch. At one point we counted 11 large ships within 20 miles of us. The good news it they could see us on their AIS and they altered course to stay way clear of us. We stayed on a direct course to West Palm. As we got further into the open Atlantic, the swell picked up and we just did not have enough wind to drive the boat forward through the waves. I decided that we had no choice but to fire the motor up again. This worked well. We ran the engine at about 1500 RPM and our speeds picked up to over 7 knots with the Gulf Stream pushing us along. </p><p>We had a beautiful almost full moon, so we could see the coming waves and it was almost like daylight. We had to make a few course corrections through the night to stay clear of large vessels, but we just wanted to give them plenty of room. I was able to lay down during the night and take a 2 hour nap. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNqw0RltI06hMG3-hAdGI3Ef0HaCHK3Q6SOxqaYpq8ssNdHBCb4XM5lyY04cKB5bPES7_GxoMqElVNabmMvvz52SSnYF5QHXwicI6Q2ksjagox8ZkkDuqQXtsSj7oUUZCXZyRT5k3B_vuFMWHKPIx3iggVBU6BQgnu-j_pGzeK8uSS4F7Mfe1sjORNA/s4032/PXL_20230404_030444697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNqw0RltI06hMG3-hAdGI3Ef0HaCHK3Q6SOxqaYpq8ssNdHBCb4XM5lyY04cKB5bPES7_GxoMqElVNabmMvvz52SSnYF5QHXwicI6Q2ksjagox8ZkkDuqQXtsSj7oUUZCXZyRT5k3B_vuFMWHKPIx3iggVBU6BQgnu-j_pGzeK8uSS4F7Mfe1sjORNA/w640-h480/PXL_20230404_030444697.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a great picture, but this is a cruise ship off our port side. You might be able to tell we had a nice moonlit night.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Before long, the sun was coming up and we could begin to see the lights of Florida. Both were very welcome sights. We started seeing fishing boats heading out for the day when we were about 20 miles off. We just maintained our course and went straight into the inlet. We dropped our sails in the inlet and then motored over into Lake Worth and found a place to drop the anchor. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcu4nWg_k_x8feWIKo6O6gtaPzNvcg1ManL2yTnWmwN23_fRQJHXtqNFZqJvxZWdwEz8M9_5M3UTZzJEGOQL_ImRHimK_6zMHp5Gdx6DB0GfeYQVZ01j2970EgGeOIO58Ury4b7-DXfmNFlt1DjKCgMMsIlz5VpT973YGVk8q1MrTGrSc8ce_SJjtpA/s4032/PXL_20230404_104936092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfcu4nWg_k_x8feWIKo6O6gtaPzNvcg1ManL2yTnWmwN23_fRQJHXtqNFZqJvxZWdwEz8M9_5M3UTZzJEGOQL_ImRHimK_6zMHp5Gdx6DB0GfeYQVZ01j2970EgGeOIO58Ury4b7-DXfmNFlt1DjKCgMMsIlz5VpT973YGVk8q1MrTGrSc8ce_SJjtpA/w640-h480/PXL_20230404_104936092.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not a very good sunrise photo, but it is the only one I took. It was a beautiful morning and felt good to almost be back in Florida.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fcfsspS9TSFT_H9WbivO7ykjAb7Fluc0SefNLs05_mRE01qlv-0oxod_KTDwd2vZ7glNHUOlkf4qGT8NBL_-LEFqZIbgNergixCl27d5-MYCle2Zw2s5dkKoayd8dgKCT-zkPtJEBDS6XYeDVt6vtYeLHlBtbbUAlWJj1_TRtSSQNDDT_TJ71d9eeg/s4032/PXL_20230404_152802881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fcfsspS9TSFT_H9WbivO7ykjAb7Fluc0SefNLs05_mRE01qlv-0oxod_KTDwd2vZ7glNHUOlkf4qGT8NBL_-LEFqZIbgNergixCl27d5-MYCle2Zw2s5dkKoayd8dgKCT-zkPtJEBDS6XYeDVt6vtYeLHlBtbbUAlWJj1_TRtSSQNDDT_TJ71d9eeg/w640-h480/PXL_20230404_152802881.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the anchorage at Lake Worth. It was a bit of a culture shock after spending 2 and a half months in the Bahamas. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEWHhmL_50c7F6wxRuVO_sy3z6k4UBXg1zAAajJBrZ1NOInvKE6VVh1Fa9olBVFsUaGlPmBBsir_l_OD3aGN8P9-NwGa_AYZVZEQ6DAO40qqUtRI0Px86z4dkkmoDpWFVZp9dJmYEVOdlGR0OC4gZdmpfGILb_YhOZx5rZa7161lnHU1bGiJ_dwu_wA/s4032/PXL_20230404_152759686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEWHhmL_50c7F6wxRuVO_sy3z6k4UBXg1zAAajJBrZ1NOInvKE6VVh1Fa9olBVFsUaGlPmBBsir_l_OD3aGN8P9-NwGa_AYZVZEQ6DAO40qqUtRI0Px86z4dkkmoDpWFVZp9dJmYEVOdlGR0OC4gZdmpfGILb_YhOZx5rZa7161lnHU1bGiJ_dwu_wA/w640-h480/PXL_20230404_152759686.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of Lake Worth. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It felt very good to be back in Florida. We were now in a very protected anchorage and we could relax a bit. I did our check into US Customs on my phone App. That was a pain, but I got it done. It was the first time we had left the US on our boat and it felt good to be back in US waters. We got the boat put to bed and then I hit the bed myself. I slept for about 4 hours and then woke up feeling like I had a bad hangover. These overnight passages are not easy, but it was the best way to get back with the weather window we had. We were glad to have it done. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCwdoaCqlJcOS6agGj0gmgnW89jZmKa8sr4ZUAPkPUl_I9uwj-uqfr0kKmTtaXoxvqpR-AhNN24WBBStxZNH0IwoZtNA3viDMyHUKYudxjnYR_6jQJqLoN1DPBpboJKUeRPQmyLQxQEq0rQ8EIoriRjobOr3alkpDZwiHL3nsgMDt1oFAvkddqXnb_w/s4032/PXL_20230511_015805472~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRCwdoaCqlJcOS6agGj0gmgnW89jZmKa8sr4ZUAPkPUl_I9uwj-uqfr0kKmTtaXoxvqpR-AhNN24WBBStxZNH0IwoZtNA3viDMyHUKYudxjnYR_6jQJqLoN1DPBpboJKUeRPQmyLQxQEq0rQ8EIoriRjobOr3alkpDZwiHL3nsgMDt1oFAvkddqXnb_w/w640-h480/PXL_20230511_015805472~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This yellow line on this screen shot shows our track on the crossing. 136.8 nm, 25 hours.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">In my next entry, I will write about what is next. We have a schedule that we have to hit and we have lots of work to do to get ready. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-23703993997254852352023-05-04T16:33:00.000-07:002023-05-04T16:33:46.543-07:00Our Worst Day in The Bahamas<p> We had arrived at Hoffman's Cay on March 29th. The first day was pretty good weather, but then it turned windy out of the north and we had to hunker down on the boat. During that time, I was looking at the weather, and saw a window to make the trip back across the Gulf Stream to Florida on April 3-4. The problem was that after that, the wind would shift back to the north and would stay that way for as long as the forecast went, which is 14 days. </p><p>It became clear to us, that we should try to make this weather window. We had two pretty good days to get to Great Harbor on the northwest corner of the Berry's. Check that out for a day or so, and then make the sail to Florida. The conventional way to make the trip from Great Harbor to Florida is across the Great Bahama Bank to Bimini. That is a 70 mile trip and is too far for a sailboat in one day. So, in settled weather you can drop anchor out on the very shallow bank. The problem was the weather window was too short for that plan. Then you wait in Bimini to make the final 50 mile crossing to Florida. All of those three legs can be done during daylight. We decided on a more aggressive plan and sail directly to Florida from Great Harbor. That would be an overnight sail, but we would be safely tucked in before the northern came in. You should not cross the Gulf Stream with any kind of north wind.</p><p>Our day of departure from Hoffman's was April 1. Yep, we decided to leave on April Fools day. I looked at the charts and it looked fairly straight forward. Although there were some shallow areas, we should be just fine. I forgot to mention and I forgot to take it into account it was also a full moon, which increases the high tides and make it shallower at low tide. We departed about 10 am, which was mid tide. I saw another sailboat on AIS exiting the channel I intended to use. I called him on the radio and asked what depths he saw. He was a very shallow draft vessel and the depths he was seeing would not work for us. I went with plan B, which was a cut that was back south a bit. As I approached it was getting closer to low tide and I decided to try a cut between two very shallow spots that should have had 5.5 feet of water at low tide. We hit ground going about 2 knots. It was about 4 feet deep. I tried to back off, but we were really stuck. I tried everything I could think of and then decided we would have to wait for higher tide to get off. The only problem was that we were looking at a very rocky island that was directly downwind of us and the wind was now about 15 knots. It was a very nerve wracking next three hours as we waited for deeper water. I kept a close watch to make sure we were not getting pushed in the direction of the island called Big Gaulding Cay. </p><p>After what felt like forever, I felt the boat start to rock back and forth in the wind and waves. It was now time, I turned the boat hard right rudder and got the boat to spin and face the direction we had come. I powered up the engine and we very slowly started to move. Then we were free! We then tried to make the cut that I was trying to get to, by a deeper and longer path. We made it further, but Kim was on the bow watching for shallows. At one point she screamed "STOP!" I hit reverse, but it was too late. We hit ground again. The chart showed 6 feet, but the chart was wrong again. I was able to back right off of this one due to Kim's warning. At that point I was DONE! My nerves were a wreck and we needed to regroup. I saw an anchorage a short distance away and we went over behind Little Harbour Cay and Comfort Cay and put the hook down. We had a calm anchorage, but we needed a new plan. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QL61lHHD4A591z1lOgH_OJXfQ01MslX9oVK9G6BlzJ6laaqWbRqKenzYcXUGg0x-usC4phKVHwjYyjFAN_8zz5dAXI1F4oOMGRFh4Fq96_qTBiml_0snTbjjAx-oYama4xJkeA_EM8vu-yVKdOuNPm4PWLFcPpFFYdnCqRuBdJqRpDefa7K-IOu-YQ/s4032/PXL_20230401_151146133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0QL61lHHD4A591z1lOgH_OJXfQ01MslX9oVK9G6BlzJ6laaqWbRqKenzYcXUGg0x-usC4phKVHwjYyjFAN_8zz5dAXI1F4oOMGRFh4Fq96_qTBiml_0snTbjjAx-oYama4xJkeA_EM8vu-yVKdOuNPm4PWLFcPpFFYdnCqRuBdJqRpDefa7K-IOu-YQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230401_151146133.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the only picture I took while we were aground. The island to the right is Saddle Back Cay. The island to the left is Big Gaulding Cay. I did shoot a video that I will include in a later YouTube Video.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I spent that evening going over all of our options to get out of there. I decided on going back the way we came a few days before. This would add about 5 miles to our trip to Great Harbor, but I was done with hitting the bottom. We had good tracks that we could follow and as long as we waited for high tide, we should be fine. There is a deep water inlet at the south end of Little Harbour Cay that would get us to deep water. We left on the morning of April 2nd, with a new plan. The tide was rising and we were about 2 hours before high tide. We got moving and crossed the one very shallow spot on the same track we had used before and all went well. It was not long, and we were in the open water and the captain could finally relax. The only problem was that we had wind right on our nose, so we had to motor the 36.4 nm to Great Harbor Cay. It was an interesting trip. We saw two cruise ship landings that looked like amusement parks. There were three cruise ships moored there.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVpmHFtYLWSZpSIbsk-SzVqQZnYKez1KCEO3JbDE5OVCQbOozFn274FV_G2wnc6FWQZxnpMHx-7OxImNgp7bXh4LQ_JaoYBI3NYPg-qHG6CK2HlOn5aISTgHUehF9IwzLMF-xdSk1aZ6Oz2tGu-JZzDW0vvtdi-NTLb1nm0i64QgaqRp_mp3IJMvH0A/s4032/PXL_20230402_141833336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVpmHFtYLWSZpSIbsk-SzVqQZnYKez1KCEO3JbDE5OVCQbOozFn274FV_G2wnc6FWQZxnpMHx-7OxImNgp7bXh4LQ_JaoYBI3NYPg-qHG6CK2HlOn5aISTgHUehF9IwzLMF-xdSk1aZ6Oz2tGu-JZzDW0vvtdi-NTLb1nm0i64QgaqRp_mp3IJMvH0A/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_141833336.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim looking out at the islands as we make our progress north. We had intermittent rain.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJB1kZSOhYciM4ve-XXiVCRNR_T3Nyk2vinPmmg2iXuH-N-dZlQ2VRwLs-1vIbJrS8Wy7_btuRroQg3rzvb4R2_CbRuj1x3zfjfuiUF--RUELJ_dxTRJ6r5tWzqG-0zBYk0vzZZ1W1BlZ9UJdrq8Mgp7QLE_E_33QqNnyHTQjcYByBHLV_Owxp-e3A1w/s4032/PXL_20230402_141847054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJB1kZSOhYciM4ve-XXiVCRNR_T3Nyk2vinPmmg2iXuH-N-dZlQ2VRwLs-1vIbJrS8Wy7_btuRroQg3rzvb4R2_CbRuj1x3zfjfuiUF--RUELJ_dxTRJ6r5tWzqG-0zBYk0vzZZ1W1BlZ9UJdrq8Mgp7QLE_E_33QqNnyHTQjcYByBHLV_Owxp-e3A1w/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_141847054.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were bashing into some significant swell as we made our progress north</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19tb7CR8qBkhHtddiH6Qf_Sfo7ucrIO0lLAvh9uQD1VO7H4A3EyeFF0xyqw_jhjqOpLY1cbxM_0aUiKkLKMoRO-2dGZwQDeg2y-8oinLvtQGP96UdntXNILzFP1PqrrId_rnxYjd0EViKVYLCI61aa3usER6vARyf_8RMf5fhmm1ql3LEg3e7_Qxt6w/s4032/PXL_20230402_161551567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19tb7CR8qBkhHtddiH6Qf_Sfo7ucrIO0lLAvh9uQD1VO7H4A3EyeFF0xyqw_jhjqOpLY1cbxM_0aUiKkLKMoRO-2dGZwQDeg2y-8oinLvtQGP96UdntXNILzFP1PqrrId_rnxYjd0EViKVYLCI61aa3usER6vARyf_8RMf5fhmm1ql3LEg3e7_Qxt6w/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_161551567.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We cruised just inside this one cruise ship that was anchored out away from shore. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfdChN_PNk1zS10_6Ae79_ZhTYvUhahStEFRKf10N5bsTGRZ5fFB8VZyGTzq2cyK_WIKqasEuqZ3LgE2hMUcJnBjuUcxJTAWEbZ2ItAaNtQUn125rHflE3Px-qYsljLakZu-9MMXdRoGXaSRER5PbhOgtb71jkkT1mDECwtwEPOJLW653Eb13S5dAsQ/s4032/PXL_20230402_163427856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfdChN_PNk1zS10_6Ae79_ZhTYvUhahStEFRKf10N5bsTGRZ5fFB8VZyGTzq2cyK_WIKqasEuqZ3LgE2hMUcJnBjuUcxJTAWEbZ2ItAaNtQUn125rHflE3Px-qYsljLakZu-9MMXdRoGXaSRER5PbhOgtb71jkkT1mDECwtwEPOJLW653Eb13S5dAsQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_163427856.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These two cruise ships were on a pier at one of the private islands.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccSZV6KhmlMsJb4ifQwZ9vl5XwMqrIwdJtceLy66ihyZO-cEgYl31QsDIxv2nXPQ3pRtfa1NO3sC7RwNY1CqmLumkQ9gPXOlJ3RPqHKdiyHVA6jRNb-nMP15yjFH_zCsTb43VfH2_I4Waelr71VcelMo_vhiKwsz10EbluX0hlYPe1EbArdR7j0dq6A/s4032/PXL_20230402_164643866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjccSZV6KhmlMsJb4ifQwZ9vl5XwMqrIwdJtceLy66ihyZO-cEgYl31QsDIxv2nXPQ3pRtfa1NO3sC7RwNY1CqmLumkQ9gPXOlJ3RPqHKdiyHVA6jRNb-nMP15yjFH_zCsTb43VfH2_I4Waelr71VcelMo_vhiKwsz10EbluX0hlYPe1EbArdR7j0dq6A/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_164643866.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not our thing, but it did look kind of cool. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>After making the north point of the Great Stirrup Cay, we made a turn south and down to Great Harbor. The water got more shallow but nothing to worry about. We then came in a very narrow rock cut that lead to the very protected Great Harbor. It was not very big, but it was very calm. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yUxbjx9no13uiDt9W-0cc4UrtCWgDp1syl35OM8al0EBsJpBlhWzzDAtyc9kPvuxRXU7YQA3R5ATJumul23-QqWKa_JE0IhlB_XoRiHqcDfMm87xG31B4uQ4nCfDp9jh8FJqy2i9EoGU4INts9HWm7x00VWfzVsrbeChW7rZ2gUbk2ka-L9MfDtDhQ/s4032/PXL_20230402_233613672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yUxbjx9no13uiDt9W-0cc4UrtCWgDp1syl35OM8al0EBsJpBlhWzzDAtyc9kPvuxRXU7YQA3R5ATJumul23-QqWKa_JE0IhlB_XoRiHqcDfMm87xG31B4uQ4nCfDp9jh8FJqy2i9EoGU4INts9HWm7x00VWfzVsrbeChW7rZ2gUbk2ka-L9MfDtDhQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_233613672.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our nice calm anchorage was a bit tight, but it worked out great.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWM4AgF_aBfnWcf4aCdXxbTycONRziOYKilSK-ASY3SeE-wepyIysRVJEU0aeWls836I3-JJhWJYsDs3w_QzSF3g-ehSXBehKIq7HWVecx4wwkQ8KLfajjPPdqEvgvbwngHSEUr1gWXbS9hwDFXNok5pVhqXhNUuOsHZKVqsuR5clA7uYLCqQRiMU0w/s4032/PXL_20230402_233617573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibWM4AgF_aBfnWcf4aCdXxbTycONRziOYKilSK-ASY3SeE-wepyIysRVJEU0aeWls836I3-JJhWJYsDs3w_QzSF3g-ehSXBehKIq7HWVecx4wwkQ8KLfajjPPdqEvgvbwngHSEUr1gWXbS9hwDFXNok5pVhqXhNUuOsHZKVqsuR5clA7uYLCqQRiMU0w/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_233617573.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of Great Harbor</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistyImPYepVrmIzQqe9G67Rwc0FPizDZBzvzDhhRtpQugavwrSQXhKTBAOtCp1vqsoPVPMRBSoePYSNUrd1x8XejQl70MHf-NN5G44S4nzHCdbosz4erKlSbyskRPQ6zg4Y7reKOWjgjO_qMiWlXVmmQQMAANeQmdwQX0nuYYGqD81D77ubanF6wwkgA/s4032/PXL_20230402_233624280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEistyImPYepVrmIzQqe9G67Rwc0FPizDZBzvzDhhRtpQugavwrSQXhKTBAOtCp1vqsoPVPMRBSoePYSNUrd1x8XejQl70MHf-NN5G44S4nzHCdbosz4erKlSbyskRPQ6zg4Y7reKOWjgjO_qMiWlXVmmQQMAANeQmdwQX0nuYYGqD81D77ubanF6wwkgA/w640-h480/PXL_20230402_233624280.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To our stern in this shot is the entrance to the Great Harbor Marina. I took the dinghy over there to see if I could get some drinking water. I was able to get 10 gallons for $5.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I spent some more time studying the weather and it looked like it was time to go. We would have good weather for the next 36 to 48 hours with wind from the Southeast. I could not get fuel on the Sunday we arrived, so I planned to get some the following morning and then we would head west until we hit Florida. It would be about a 135 nm trip and should take us about 26 hours. In my next entry, I will write all about the crossing. </div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-45950389074627726652023-04-24T14:17:00.001-07:002023-04-24T14:17:30.251-07:00The Berry Islands<p> We arrived at Bonds Cay in the Barry Islands of the Bahamas on March 27th. We had been on the move for 4 straight days and were ready for a break. The weather was in our favor, so we started the day with a dinghy ride to explore the beaches that surrounded us and do some snorkeling on the various rock patches around the shallow bay. </p><p>I was hunting for dinner most of the time and missed a shot at a nice grouper that still haunts me. There wasn't a lot of fish, but it was still tons of fun. While I was exploring a rocky shoreline, I saw the largest ray I have ever seen in the wild. It was a spotted eagle ray that was about 4 feet across. Kim was able to see it also from the dinghy through the crystal clear water. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NzsPmqwwNKI4_J8c1mKLlRVPcKq-Ho_WCZ3FAj4YE8eM0ibClZ3oJXcXjx1m-IomKufDCddVa1i5p_EzcRWn58G2vqA_GcXzNmLMGYgJ9hvUW7lf2yQ9Zm7-BQpX5XRaeLUUD8sk_Pp3Zve1eWM0gMEt5SEpSlNT0QSa2YfBnA-GklVv-cizojOyrw/s4032/PXL_20230328_142317919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NzsPmqwwNKI4_J8c1mKLlRVPcKq-Ho_WCZ3FAj4YE8eM0ibClZ3oJXcXjx1m-IomKufDCddVa1i5p_EzcRWn58G2vqA_GcXzNmLMGYgJ9hvUW7lf2yQ9Zm7-BQpX5XRaeLUUD8sk_Pp3Zve1eWM0gMEt5SEpSlNT0QSa2YfBnA-GklVv-cizojOyrw/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_142317919.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have not seen many birds while in the Bahamas, so this Great Egret was worth a picture. I snorkeled around the rock island just beyond, but it was too shallow to hold any larger fish.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREZT59zJp_De-aSv3g-9wQJT5s7SBQOUpQCHrg-DnENyz9DGutYYnvjl-y2us1nC3pLD8b1ug4SmAX8ql0ICRsDST103fTp6nTwf2yXv1u6LeVa_R7C0n-VAEPGM7ddpmHyRaKu9O4Gp3e8rQBtqjeHtYu5S8RE7xd6q0pW_ZnLOdBPMuwxPYNWqQHw/s4032/PXL_20230328_142708580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhREZT59zJp_De-aSv3g-9wQJT5s7SBQOUpQCHrg-DnENyz9DGutYYnvjl-y2us1nC3pLD8b1ug4SmAX8ql0ICRsDST103fTp6nTwf2yXv1u6LeVa_R7C0n-VAEPGM7ddpmHyRaKu9O4Gp3e8rQBtqjeHtYu5S8RE7xd6q0pW_ZnLOdBPMuwxPYNWqQHw/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_142708580.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took a long walk on this very nice beach. Kim was in her element.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXifjW1KoLX4s8Gsd5zHzHgQyxbAGdXBjp49z0Kpkgfq_T9Dhrk3j-3DslPO1dGa6J5iA0ieCFnKWkdR7H73S12lh0jC9pWm5sfmODzdO6C7U0FPhIlGDIRfgtqg1C29jAVFDqpN9OxUJtPp4tscAlA-Jt8k8cqrqPK3AwFGfzpoK3YrnnlIqVIX3FDA/s4032/PXL_20230328_142747974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXifjW1KoLX4s8Gsd5zHzHgQyxbAGdXBjp49z0Kpkgfq_T9Dhrk3j-3DslPO1dGa6J5iA0ieCFnKWkdR7H73S12lh0jC9pWm5sfmODzdO6C7U0FPhIlGDIRfgtqg1C29jAVFDqpN9OxUJtPp4tscAlA-Jt8k8cqrqPK3AwFGfzpoK3YrnnlIqVIX3FDA/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_142747974.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The contrast in colors of the crystal clear water was quite striking. The darker area is a grass bed. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwietF3b1BUQHJJnjDNYrSaJmGoFLFKP8FKKpoBM8w5L2lZSQLcw3kb3bxiB4WBZHZsBZhK4eSoAGoWxy1orkg_mCcLntKpvzBpS7jHI1WinyJqYiD13xhx4HaAjUr0OtxxE8y0bZXbxfFg_Nny-P01bv5Pdm1cBQPnct-dQhkrVaM_4AY_7QIjYBRBA/s4032/PXL_20230328_142753326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwietF3b1BUQHJJnjDNYrSaJmGoFLFKP8FKKpoBM8w5L2lZSQLcw3kb3bxiB4WBZHZsBZhK4eSoAGoWxy1orkg_mCcLntKpvzBpS7jHI1WinyJqYiD13xhx4HaAjUr0OtxxE8y0bZXbxfFg_Nny-P01bv5Pdm1cBQPnct-dQhkrVaM_4AY_7QIjYBRBA/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_142753326.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGoRvWI74m_PQcdDqHNW1J1ZOcIIrPwlPrcWDN6iGIIG0k3b4e88DJaANvHaxROcaVO2WbD4KfciZdS6iX_JDujpAc1co2H7vd50Xv5wgLIZQI3tHvH2Dt99XjmrV3YA9lkEqnXmTTJo22w8WvZKZCrcALbxHNVt6OjvtJYzDx1qt9o6ItJo3CPGyAw/s4032/PXL_20230328_143232047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGoRvWI74m_PQcdDqHNW1J1ZOcIIrPwlPrcWDN6iGIIG0k3b4e88DJaANvHaxROcaVO2WbD4KfciZdS6iX_JDujpAc1co2H7vd50Xv5wgLIZQI3tHvH2Dt99XjmrV3YA9lkEqnXmTTJo22w8WvZKZCrcALbxHNVt6OjvtJYzDx1qt9o6ItJo3CPGyAw/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_143232047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was an old dock on the shore that made a nice picture.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-l60z2EtziH_nCmlkFg_XWcZNstf8lz3SH2LzEt9bU05vTjHJc5QW11mOlR4OM-JazHEubLrZ1CE9ZlaomWTfsjAJ0VLrPuaPXyKCAYU4MNBlEUs7wjqB1-RIPrCzvtoL3i6T0xpIm6PZdoIwHiOOZd_QoCotsk8_lhjHijSuNcx5Y1gpKS9PS-O1Q/s4032/PXL_20230328_143237079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-l60z2EtziH_nCmlkFg_XWcZNstf8lz3SH2LzEt9bU05vTjHJc5QW11mOlR4OM-JazHEubLrZ1CE9ZlaomWTfsjAJ0VLrPuaPXyKCAYU4MNBlEUs7wjqB1-RIPrCzvtoL3i6T0xpIm6PZdoIwHiOOZd_QoCotsk8_lhjHijSuNcx5Y1gpKS9PS-O1Q/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_143237079.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think this is what this trip was all about. We really enjoyed exploring the beaches that we had all to ourselves. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvnyU84yZVHvLfqc_6n6nZj07EYMKZZd9MQES2FUdLO1w4KV3gVytMChNIVNb2ro9PfKB_l2HCBFo8wQ9K44ZenLEyn6dpBnASKq7jv-r0wdmhW5gBVKv9swtqBKj4b3CKDZLmZYrHNJhnxsVOrq5rXENrkB2_grF1TKUZQG203Bf-fyRKnasQhCsxQ/s4032/PXL_20230328_143409468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTvnyU84yZVHvLfqc_6n6nZj07EYMKZZd9MQES2FUdLO1w4KV3gVytMChNIVNb2ro9PfKB_l2HCBFo8wQ9K44ZenLEyn6dpBnASKq7jv-r0wdmhW5gBVKv9swtqBKj4b3CKDZLmZYrHNJhnxsVOrq5rXENrkB2_grF1TKUZQG203Bf-fyRKnasQhCsxQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_143409468.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shore had dead sea grass on it that looked like cut up newspapers. I am not sure I have ever seen it just like that before.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMW8SKvSdd5oK3tgCTTQ0V6Ml3GJ1o92il4Jil1vJIs3YJxskDKAkSIvJcs5NfnsxLYuSs1NVz92qwuZ0txm-wDdx5IFE6K8-E47O2cyqe2gFcnNj2USVakIbk-9O6aLBkOhDeR5-w2Qlct4JZqhfBnK5OQvkk8TXzFbdoMEez_deOnJTnBrd_79Aag/s4032/PXL_20230328_143413079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtMW8SKvSdd5oK3tgCTTQ0V6Ml3GJ1o92il4Jil1vJIs3YJxskDKAkSIvJcs5NfnsxLYuSs1NVz92qwuZ0txm-wDdx5IFE6K8-E47O2cyqe2gFcnNj2USVakIbk-9O6aLBkOhDeR5-w2Qlct4JZqhfBnK5OQvkk8TXzFbdoMEez_deOnJTnBrd_79Aag/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_143413079.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This beach had a rock layer and then the sand and sea grass. It was low tide.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdY-AhaZuJcYaiMGeq_sfBd9bTWRBsTh0q0NSWrXCTcCOTgqy9WpH6CdCJ0VF_GrDe075CyF0ScmFDeldIqk81ouxzFLiWlbtcrraNtdkEOgk95zF_Ctq5xCkuNJvA_g7tsChp0g-tgw8OwY2HcnLEIaExOcv4R83bXWYnoqavQ6O_U_Xo_C9N_ndww/s4032/PXL_20230328_170733587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmdY-AhaZuJcYaiMGeq_sfBd9bTWRBsTh0q0NSWrXCTcCOTgqy9WpH6CdCJ0VF_GrDe075CyF0ScmFDeldIqk81ouxzFLiWlbtcrraNtdkEOgk95zF_Ctq5xCkuNJvA_g7tsChp0g-tgw8OwY2HcnLEIaExOcv4R83bXWYnoqavQ6O_U_Xo_C9N_ndww/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_170733587.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SHIFT in the crystal clear water</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadWMuAsVCSHlxnreiDj8nOsYz-Ud3wNEbllAIVPoVfWfBTHWtnEQ2fO_xmquvjNS5ehbcMV7SDmAgwbrcIvNVqCcasW1MQShzKePeLBgNUb6bXjsa93rgJmbE7pslPkUaaSf4Ap3FTtlem70FvaH-852iXhTVDkh5s6DLYVGigc9ljWWt9SvXhWLUEg/s4032/PXL_20230328_174539902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadWMuAsVCSHlxnreiDj8nOsYz-Ud3wNEbllAIVPoVfWfBTHWtnEQ2fO_xmquvjNS5ehbcMV7SDmAgwbrcIvNVqCcasW1MQShzKePeLBgNUb6bXjsa93rgJmbE7pslPkUaaSf4Ap3FTtlem70FvaH-852iXhTVDkh5s6DLYVGigc9ljWWt9SvXhWLUEg/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_174539902.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow, just WOW!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyX5G2ylF1SozYhjqmv7SQgnxywgQ1a_HtpMofSviIRm3Jt5XWDtjFSBxMdCIYOXNvDTnCqhj6rk_Qrb23NGa2skIhfBWBHuiQWZTbVMY1OK0qqEJBYUVY_cr4acPtneo54FGUZW2_KsdOL4UcOCQG6hUhYEHKKPyvfgF6NEA1jII1tbJewT09lbxevg/s4032/PXL_20230328_174543672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyX5G2ylF1SozYhjqmv7SQgnxywgQ1a_HtpMofSviIRm3Jt5XWDtjFSBxMdCIYOXNvDTnCqhj6rk_Qrb23NGa2skIhfBWBHuiQWZTbVMY1OK0qqEJBYUVY_cr4acPtneo54FGUZW2_KsdOL4UcOCQG6hUhYEHKKPyvfgF6NEA1jII1tbJewT09lbxevg/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_174543672.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2onpxUEnL_zLP-HioAKj7omaKjZaF0tHO7Efb--A8hcsyhej6z1I69LSTDWWpOOME7dDynsurT8nLgbXPG6G_7OXvJqd0c9iK3gZFI1qf_VdhGELsc8qJiIEDg4aq_i3vuxN7a6KhjYqXKACsFFQmVSIcW5JAxyNslUTUjo-09dRofk3ChExFaazOag/s4032/PXL_20230328_232547336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2onpxUEnL_zLP-HioAKj7omaKjZaF0tHO7Efb--A8hcsyhej6z1I69LSTDWWpOOME7dDynsurT8nLgbXPG6G_7OXvJqd0c9iK3gZFI1qf_VdhGELsc8qJiIEDg4aq_i3vuxN7a6KhjYqXKACsFFQmVSIcW5JAxyNslUTUjo-09dRofk3ChExFaazOag/w640-h480/PXL_20230328_232547336.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ended this great day with a beautiful sunset.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Once again, we had bad weather approaching the following day. The wind was going to come out of the Southwest then clock around to the Northeast. Our beautiful spot at Bonds Cay had no protection from that direction, so we decided to move over to Hoffman's Cay. It was a short trip of only about 9.7 nm. the only problem was that there were a couple of very shallow parts that would require all of our attention. We waited for just before high tide and headed out. Just as we left the anchorage a large Catamaran was also leaving. We talked on the radio and they went first with a 4 foot draft. As they passed the shallow spots, they reported back to us the depth. I could see them on my AIS, so I could follow their exact path. The most shallow water we saw was about 5.5 feet, so that leaves us about a foot of clearance. I was happy to arrive safely at Hoffman's and get the hook down right in front of a beautiful beach. There were a few other boats around that were also there to ride out the coming weather. </p><p>Hoffman's Cay is a beautiful island that is known for a very nice "Blue Hole". A Blue Hole in the Bahamas is a collapsed area in the limestone that gets filled with water. We went ashore to see if we could find it. It did not take long to find the path and make the walk to the edge of the cliff. We met some other cruisers there that told us they had jumped in. We decided we wanted to do it so both Kim and I made the plunge from about 30 feet up. The water was very refreshing and the scenery was amazing. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ezm0u8BiVIIQQxgTl-sxPZo2KUNDiUOIZUFlo42OPtDafDR8OxfXzJ1yRjn3Lpb9Hp0puv7ztUU4ig8pp0YmfWqv9yU8UwbTYOjVoSjKxBk5hJtYeI5j5aA4yHADwH0J98MWlM-ngbNeDe5XqW0NwgBpPhXCkuJJHmNWMV_2fH3theBx0s7dWjTceA/s4032/PXL_20230329_194220461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ezm0u8BiVIIQQxgTl-sxPZo2KUNDiUOIZUFlo42OPtDafDR8OxfXzJ1yRjn3Lpb9Hp0puv7ztUU4ig8pp0YmfWqv9yU8UwbTYOjVoSjKxBk5hJtYeI5j5aA4yHADwH0J98MWlM-ngbNeDe5XqW0NwgBpPhXCkuJJHmNWMV_2fH3theBx0s7dWjTceA/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_194220461.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was surprised how big it was. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBq64lYUK4xxtaSLf_k-w1KrAI0MCID5ybGlXfWYatcnI9uH8BeNpxVbqa1aRlxfr-cjQWCyCY7PHuRHIRAppfKv_MnBmOGRuak7uQXJ7yjrBFIJhCQk1vo-LDExJvVeDar6CGco2CEyT11nz-xk13LcJAehPyiNhnjAu4vHPMuB-F2h-n73kba_qDzA/s4032/PXL_20230329_194224096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBq64lYUK4xxtaSLf_k-w1KrAI0MCID5ybGlXfWYatcnI9uH8BeNpxVbqa1aRlxfr-cjQWCyCY7PHuRHIRAppfKv_MnBmOGRuak7uQXJ7yjrBFIJhCQk1vo-LDExJvVeDar6CGco2CEyT11nz-xk13LcJAehPyiNhnjAu4vHPMuB-F2h-n73kba_qDzA/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_194224096.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65Ee6oAM60gA-noAfLac_oGLtRsHcurv3GKIgw7UmIAYxXSh25PjGln55_MOyW5-mXbCzcdw_Mnu90g1Jt5eh7rZlwPtf6OSPg8VY3UNKQ9-V0DvNuOtdQfaIudx7avRFezzai5k8WqzyGuwaczz8H3uIszJoJRZqsCSADYe_VvZ80xUUuABfbVfABg/s4032/PXL_20230329_195322715.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65Ee6oAM60gA-noAfLac_oGLtRsHcurv3GKIgw7UmIAYxXSh25PjGln55_MOyW5-mXbCzcdw_Mnu90g1Jt5eh7rZlwPtf6OSPg8VY3UNKQ9-V0DvNuOtdQfaIudx7avRFezzai5k8WqzyGuwaczz8H3uIszJoJRZqsCSADYe_VvZ80xUUuABfbVfABg/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_195322715.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We climbed down to the waters edge to check out the landing area to make sure we could get out if we jumped.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bj7TIVaDBQuSMviFHtxsFUJdryAegaDb1FBE2V_8AcgPSFjM77mAarYfFDOCL69JTcouFrHqcasyMz4goD0qFJvv-DNkxc63nXlLsZfJCnwxTrie7nbE5_hnUGfWvpdrkfU0u_xZdnlidQZK6Hw6r7Ea-wBJJayI-ibxxHijuQwInSmVWNIT9Grj3Q/s4032/PXL_20230329_195338089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8bj7TIVaDBQuSMviFHtxsFUJdryAegaDb1FBE2V_8AcgPSFjM77mAarYfFDOCL69JTcouFrHqcasyMz4goD0qFJvv-DNkxc63nXlLsZfJCnwxTrie7nbE5_hnUGfWvpdrkfU0u_xZdnlidQZK6Hw6r7Ea-wBJJayI-ibxxHijuQwInSmVWNIT9Grj3Q/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_195338089.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in the shot for perspective</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnx3SpdXQRgiN8O70kRJK8WSgHfQTmYAxukQhCiu8xGQ1GuVhr49Yl5nbzAkDE6_DGZFf6kM2KL3cYg8h6iNZ-8zDzAXIg0ljzrCTK4RW9xzg8eJTrO2KcHx1gEgUP1Eq14DZJHPrKHa3Q4-pjGxti7bYNu1PS4GrsazY1001w9N1QzlTcpcA19Ng5g/s4032/PXL_20230329_200039743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnx3SpdXQRgiN8O70kRJK8WSgHfQTmYAxukQhCiu8xGQ1GuVhr49Yl5nbzAkDE6_DGZFf6kM2KL3cYg8h6iNZ-8zDzAXIg0ljzrCTK4RW9xzg8eJTrO2KcHx1gEgUP1Eq14DZJHPrKHa3Q4-pjGxti7bYNu1PS4GrsazY1001w9N1QzlTcpcA19Ng5g/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_200039743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is where we made the jump. We have it on video that I will include with one of my videos on my YouTube Channel.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MdgVPjhyL8D_i-apSmF1LSviPRCtmCfA6FPEzbYTE9v5wY6bk-r33m66XYGpFJa6LLpldDAVTWSDPPlafQnwYBeGCpxnUdFkUuCIT5RJW_COQ7HrePJ-E-bK3-JWauIhrwl15YCFhpqfIIcMO0_l4nYhfVhd5xxi5ElwcuRM0a9IY7TWBTWj0bfoOQ/s4032/PXL_20230329_200747685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MdgVPjhyL8D_i-apSmF1LSviPRCtmCfA6FPEzbYTE9v5wY6bk-r33m66XYGpFJa6LLpldDAVTWSDPPlafQnwYBeGCpxnUdFkUuCIT5RJW_COQ7HrePJ-E-bK3-JWauIhrwl15YCFhpqfIIcMO0_l4nYhfVhd5xxi5ElwcuRM0a9IY7TWBTWj0bfoOQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_200747685.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw this cool lizard on the walk back to the beach</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIHZO9cypOPTpKrdaW-NAK_a2Eod_1UNZh6dAR5MrNpeKAFgR3v8LG_6w3Dlw5PTB0s8NaklmwVqRt9ry1BNsewYbxmLyBifM0fbO2tvEVP7izzYdLtas4ekg7b_co9-V2culq_gTc5gFV1k4hzNXG6L1ngD_94tZwoQaq0C50WW0_ieiIUGvnNJJQw/s4032/PXL_20230329_201423943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIHZO9cypOPTpKrdaW-NAK_a2Eod_1UNZh6dAR5MrNpeKAFgR3v8LG_6w3Dlw5PTB0s8NaklmwVqRt9ry1BNsewYbxmLyBifM0fbO2tvEVP7izzYdLtas4ekg7b_co9-V2culq_gTc5gFV1k4hzNXG6L1ngD_94tZwoQaq0C50WW0_ieiIUGvnNJJQw/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_201423943.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is SHIFT at anchor from the beach.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgol0Qx1jHy-3aifXbh30vd5obrZLqBv13NKQo81Kc08XooFeGlmBI9bimc70MN02801csFOXRh5yp7ZlvXImHc6hjSmQ2mCS-BTN_7Jk4FT-lBSWRVx0h01eEmidmUkf7C23KmVXmMKmRPlsia1dJUlXgrN5D3mS1a3WWpU4A_5VI2K9Q1kF3dW5wftg/s4032/PXL_20230329_201437244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgol0Qx1jHy-3aifXbh30vd5obrZLqBv13NKQo81Kc08XooFeGlmBI9bimc70MN02801csFOXRh5yp7ZlvXImHc6hjSmQ2mCS-BTN_7Jk4FT-lBSWRVx0h01eEmidmUkf7C23KmVXmMKmRPlsia1dJUlXgrN5D3mS1a3WWpU4A_5VI2K9Q1kF3dW5wftg/w640-h480/PXL_20230329_201437244.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim on another beach. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The strong weather came as predicted. Our position was good and we had a comfortable two days on the boat. The only problem was that we had not seen a grocery store in a while that had bread and we were now out. So, I decided to try to make some. It actually came out pretty good. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgwqqtJd688VwBFHrbpu9Iob8-zhNJfPj8Wq0KXid-ZpobPOwymtqH5ZB6AIthwLuw7he8uNnicGY8U_obTNaEPqPGtXaBAvqKjsltRHl6rLbVfnAdtihTAjj4iN9h_7t7n041jZrM4C7vIVrdfojfZw35pfVay5KztmEMErjQdMc2id4ufB7aDSd9w/s4032/PXL_20230330_205135135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgwqqtJd688VwBFHrbpu9Iob8-zhNJfPj8Wq0KXid-ZpobPOwymtqH5ZB6AIthwLuw7he8uNnicGY8U_obTNaEPqPGtXaBAvqKjsltRHl6rLbVfnAdtihTAjj4iN9h_7t7n041jZrM4C7vIVrdfojfZw35pfVay5KztmEMErjQdMc2id4ufB7aDSd9w/w640-h480/PXL_20230330_205135135.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like the smell of freshly baked bread. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As we sat at Hoffman's Cay waiting for the weather to pass, I was looking at our next moves. I wanted to go visit Great Harbor Cay before we left the Berry Islands, but I was also looking at our plan to make the crossing back to Florida. We were now down to three weeks left on our cruising permit and I did not want to be forced to make that crossing in bad weather. I was now looking for a time where we could make the crossing comfortably, but we had some challenges to face before we could do that. In my next entry, I will write about the worst day we had in the Bahamas. It was a full moon...</p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-83217036488335024792023-04-21T14:07:00.001-07:002023-04-21T14:07:28.244-07:00Sailing to Nassau and The Berry Islands<p> The weather window to travel north was holding on March 26th. The long range forecast did not look good, so we decided to take advantage of the weather and keep moving north. This was the day that we were leaving the Exumas. The Exumas are as beautiful as advertised. We loved the crystal clear water. There were two things that we did not like as much. First was the number of other boats. We had become used to spending time in fairly empty anchorages. In the Exumas, there was always lots of boats around. The other issue was the difficulty in finding anchorages that have protection from the West. With that being said, we loved the Exumas and think it is the Bahamas experience that most cruisers are looking for. </p><p>We were up early to get a full day to make the 46 nm trip up to the island of New Providence. New Providence is the island that has the city of Nassau on it. Nassau is the largest city in the Bahamas by far. It is civilization. We had purposely avoided it during our visit to the Bahamas, just like we do in the US. We just don't like cities. </p><p>We started out by working around the reefs that protect Highborne Cay. That took about a half hour, but all went well. We then put up sails and turned Northeast. We had a few other boats in the area, but most of the day we did not have sight of land and could only see boats on the distant horizon. We had some fairly light wind, so we sailed for a while and then motor sailed for a while. It was another very easy day on the water until we got to the island. As we made our approach, the currents got crazy. The water went from 50 feet deep to over 2000 feet at the tip of the island and the ocean currents were ripping. The water got rough for about a half mile, but then once we got out in the deep water it got much better. We then made a turn to starboard and went through an opening in the reef surrounding New Providence. It wasn't long that we were anchored right off of "Jaws" beach. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fe-PVyOdnx60HOrWT3HhpMqrE7aQPidg2SDLbbc3lXr7tcgIMGpxe8YKDAZcnr01d3bVMCbVl0FWMDlcn1-4gpTGOgIu4MDS47mIXmTpxF6_q7KP1nXV9mXwA5znLmPU6ve9XeugJmX7kjVztPkXOiqo8YtSWL8IGthrY19vmxm8-d2c_Oss1zDpVg/s4032/PXL_20230326_111528053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fe-PVyOdnx60HOrWT3HhpMqrE7aQPidg2SDLbbc3lXr7tcgIMGpxe8YKDAZcnr01d3bVMCbVl0FWMDlcn1-4gpTGOgIu4MDS47mIXmTpxF6_q7KP1nXV9mXwA5znLmPU6ve9XeugJmX7kjVztPkXOiqo8YtSWL8IGthrY19vmxm8-d2c_Oss1zDpVg/w640-h480/PXL_20230326_111528053.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving Highborne Cay we had a very nice sunrise.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ikgPyG3NN4zXBXLHqNQ90gZyB26XHozaIWUIpIvmK17vCtthp1VOQLMaS3TaqBZsrgHglIT1s1Vl8kdY9ClJjAv8KN9DA1Pk33B2D3QPChDaD_VoS6oi2uzP65MFLqHz011CtwxJYxXRGbtvCTtVwENHc8UhFoQsYt4oX2v-Nd-bo7snGnie-dUSbQ/s4032/PXL_20230326_184424074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ikgPyG3NN4zXBXLHqNQ90gZyB26XHozaIWUIpIvmK17vCtthp1VOQLMaS3TaqBZsrgHglIT1s1Vl8kdY9ClJjAv8KN9DA1Pk33B2D3QPChDaD_VoS6oi2uzP65MFLqHz011CtwxJYxXRGbtvCTtVwENHc8UhFoQsYt4oX2v-Nd-bo7snGnie-dUSbQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230326_184424074.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not much to see out here except the beautiful water. In the distance, you may be able to see our first sight of the Atlantis Resort on New Providence.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHNXiADUS6dklRfdpddkkWhWBYqAOcU_INoxeP74gv7YY7nuZXEllVim6guKhz681obJ_LbC6NgapTCMjHJe5neOkmNhcGndKgtK-NAzK7nhfs1YDXNHRA6WfEI5yvOj_MGojT3SoZtpvZnrNdvBVUUfUYw124gYdTMeX02iXeiLYWsmyb94ZcaKcqA/s4032/PXL_20230326_232808096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQHNXiADUS6dklRfdpddkkWhWBYqAOcU_INoxeP74gv7YY7nuZXEllVim6guKhz681obJ_LbC6NgapTCMjHJe5neOkmNhcGndKgtK-NAzK7nhfs1YDXNHRA6WfEI5yvOj_MGojT3SoZtpvZnrNdvBVUUfUYw124gYdTMeX02iXeiLYWsmyb94ZcaKcqA/w640-h480/PXL_20230326_232808096.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is our anchorage called "Jaws" Beach. This is where they filmed Jaws 3. It was a Sunday, so we had lots of people there with loud music when we arrived, but before long the people went home to make it to work the following day. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwt5WYWG1JnPI6qiTdaiK1hnKsR3AxM673AVwxJFSQ85dMq3k3S0nOZy9PpyScBt7r7uCRnboB9kDdHktM__ma0Z2RR9UyCzIlk5Omm7tTWaJs1vPn-ZCyNyh_eRi9BHo9QpXHw0yXSyEbEIQqrj-cHtg0pNog-a7UHVD1F8Gfo4mdA8oyo89aW8w_Rg/s4032/PXL_20230326_232815857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwt5WYWG1JnPI6qiTdaiK1hnKsR3AxM673AVwxJFSQ85dMq3k3S0nOZy9PpyScBt7r7uCRnboB9kDdHktM__ma0Z2RR9UyCzIlk5Omm7tTWaJs1vPn-ZCyNyh_eRi9BHo9QpXHw0yXSyEbEIQqrj-cHtg0pNog-a7UHVD1F8Gfo4mdA8oyo89aW8w_Rg/w640-h480/PXL_20230326_232815857.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was a nice evening after our long day sailing. There were about 10 other boats in the anchorage. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We had no plans to stay on New Providence. We were heading to more remote anchorages up in the Berry Islands. We had been traveling for 3 straight days and were a bit tired, but we decided to keep moving one more day and make the 33 nm sail up to Bonds Cay in the Berry's. We had another good forecast with wind behind us, but I knew it could get interesting. The water between New Providence and the Berry's is deep and notorious for having swift currents and big swell. </p><p>The beginning of the day was going well and we motor sailed in the light wind. About half way through the sail, the swell started to get bigger. As it turned out, we had swell coming from two different directions and it made the ride very uncomfortable. The wind was not strong enough to hold the sails in place, so as the boat rolled from side to side they started to slam back and forth. I tried a number of different configurations, but none of them worked. I finally gave up and pulled down all of the sails and we motored for the last two hours. It was the roughest sea we have ever seen, but SHIFT handled it with no problem. It is times like these that I keep gaining confidence in our boat. And the best news of all is neither of us got seasick.</p><p>As we approached Bonds Cay, we saw the cut in the islands and made it in without issue. Then all of a sudden the water was totally flat. It is amazing how everything changes that quickly. One minute we are holding on for dear life and the next minute all is calm. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6r_fGyczu7nkZurrSfnteN-O5_5utrBu2aeWnOBshqan79AgWRZWKDs4P-wmKRiWUepiq6xTiRlD_iy0-axzaM8oEBG_PvEJnSQGKMGT_YKDmUp2X6cXRjlKL8uZPcGcUxg7AlftjPWfy0XtPm3i4C9zH15DhwsE2xDEkWhN9hnUcV6TJLeWTvru5Lw/s4032/PXL_20230327_222252574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6r_fGyczu7nkZurrSfnteN-O5_5utrBu2aeWnOBshqan79AgWRZWKDs4P-wmKRiWUepiq6xTiRlD_iy0-axzaM8oEBG_PvEJnSQGKMGT_YKDmUp2X6cXRjlKL8uZPcGcUxg7AlftjPWfy0XtPm3i4C9zH15DhwsE2xDEkWhN9hnUcV6TJLeWTvru5Lw/w640-h480/PXL_20230327_222252574.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I did not take any pictures of our rough passage. This is our nice calm anchorage at Bonds Cay.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oxealkCESaVccY4VHFCIa8v-4MydXuGZYIvzRdKezDKyOgoL-obnzGAzjlqrLVylDmr7otvfJ607E2pGjjArYrcnFaMBwmYUQt7whWXQLDxmuFrrYmHrfNvypRHqArh9X9lZO8Qn_bLJovdUAohZ4aIG8fRThXRsfVh0Bae5alGXvF38OboSYbnxXA/s4032/PXL_20230327_222255364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oxealkCESaVccY4VHFCIa8v-4MydXuGZYIvzRdKezDKyOgoL-obnzGAzjlqrLVylDmr7otvfJ607E2pGjjArYrcnFaMBwmYUQt7whWXQLDxmuFrrYmHrfNvypRHqArh9X9lZO8Qn_bLJovdUAohZ4aIG8fRThXRsfVh0Bae5alGXvF38OboSYbnxXA/w640-h480/PXL_20230327_222255364.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The late afternoon sky was beautiful. All of that water is under 8 feet deep. The Berry's are known for shallow water.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UdPaEW3sjcWgkaLpmVHiVTqowcNWPTRB2CElfn38qV3RJL0TFmhanYCnKnRl-eVZJtUhQVzos5LP4IDYbvIadPycmxjlIiwe-B5JS_ss7wIqdH3D2g9FPyWLcfMy4sIaA15opRVKWWsoQ-z06KR3gaS6hSynAp8TbfWfkvLr4zdMR4JBOYTRqgdbEg/s4032/PXL_20230327_222304475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0UdPaEW3sjcWgkaLpmVHiVTqowcNWPTRB2CElfn38qV3RJL0TFmhanYCnKnRl-eVZJtUhQVzos5LP4IDYbvIadPycmxjlIiwe-B5JS_ss7wIqdH3D2g9FPyWLcfMy4sIaA15opRVKWWsoQ-z06KR3gaS6hSynAp8TbfWfkvLr4zdMR4JBOYTRqgdbEg/w640-h480/PXL_20230327_222304475.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't wait to go explore this cay.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwJkAFsNjYPk4AK0krnRGnIB4lSC_AExxhhZDQA4yLX6j7VAKcLIETcX2qxu-wlMKYUuDleBd2lyJmi8vNHyUZjMtjQgXlzFuQwLWaNejOXfumrfb5H3ayIRsQXRjAqP2w6uju7XYTMKM2bOHy9CWEVTEL3F3E3Kt8WpmjpqyWUUaeRY_r6gv2iMykA/s4032/PXL_20230327_222324826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwJkAFsNjYPk4AK0krnRGnIB4lSC_AExxhhZDQA4yLX6j7VAKcLIETcX2qxu-wlMKYUuDleBd2lyJmi8vNHyUZjMtjQgXlzFuQwLWaNejOXfumrfb5H3ayIRsQXRjAqP2w6uju7XYTMKM2bOHy9CWEVTEL3F3E3Kt8WpmjpqyWUUaeRY_r6gv2iMykA/w640-h480/PXL_20230327_222324826.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water is about 8 feet deep and crystal clear.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRlWTgb9K6JvWIlRYlJ6a6Q11XqCAFExfMcHMYLK613uZBA7yyjXfmBWLWQtLOv7lI3onRvKydZqYwMzu3Oq8FXkvHbVE8h0ELOiiB9HekkbJSqDsR8VsxCnFPcjaq9aqgOfM-BxQghWnhE5Nw1rFcMiKGv7xDSHL-c2eksEZtGepGWf8eCf5OfEwlg/s4032/PXL_20230327_232440537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRlWTgb9K6JvWIlRYlJ6a6Q11XqCAFExfMcHMYLK613uZBA7yyjXfmBWLWQtLOv7lI3onRvKydZqYwMzu3Oq8FXkvHbVE8h0ELOiiB9HekkbJSqDsR8VsxCnFPcjaq9aqgOfM-BxQghWnhE5Nw1rFcMiKGv7xDSHL-c2eksEZtGepGWf8eCf5OfEwlg/w640-h480/PXL_20230327_232440537.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ended the day with a nice sunset. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We were very happy to have the hook down at Bonds Cay. The forecast looked fine for the next couple of days to stay here and rest. It looked like a great place to go check out the beaches and do some snorkeling around the rocks on the shoreline. In my next entry, I will tell you how those plans worked out. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-85055964076214663712023-04-17T14:30:00.002-07:002023-04-17T14:31:30.527-07:00Traveling North for the First Time in a Long Time<p> We left the Chesapeake Bay back in November of 2022. We have been traveling mostly south ever since. Our visa for the Bahamas was a three month cruising permit that started on January 17th. It was now March 24th. We had plenty of time, but the weather had been bad for moving north. I had been watching a weather window with some comfortable Southeast wind that would be perfect for moving north. It arrived on March 24th as predicted. We decided to take the opportunity to get moving. We still had plenty of new places we wanted to see on the trip back north up the Exumas chain and then we wanted to spend some time in the Berry Islands before making our crossing back to Florida. </p><p>The weather looked good when we got up, so it did not take long to get the main sail raised and lift the anchor. As always in the Exumas on a good weather day, we were not alone. Before long we were sailing in the company of a number of other boats. Some were power and some were sailboats, but all had the same idea, take advantage of the good weather, and make some miles. </p><p>The wind was at a good angle as we left the anchorage at Black Point because we had to sail to the Northwest to clear Harvey Cay that sticks out to the west of the rest of the Exumas island chain. Once we cleared that we turned more north. At that point, the wind was almost directly behind us and about 8 knots. We were not in a big hurry, so I set us up with a wing on wing and we cruised along at about 4 knots. As the day went on, the wind got lighter, and we ended up motoring for an hour or two. It was a very chill day. </p><p>We were looking for a good place to stop, and it looked like Hawksbill Cay in the Exumas Land and Sea Park was a good option. They have mooring balls there, so we pulled in and hooked up. It was a very nice place with a great beach. We got the dinghy down and went for a cruise. We went to the beach and found two very nice beach party spots all set up for a party, but no one there except the serving staff. There were two Super Yachts that were anchored off shore. We watched as they ferried supplies to shore for their guests. The crazy thing is their guests never came ashore to enjoy the food and drinks that had been prepared for them. </p><p>We went on our way and did some snorkeling. We saw some huge fish, but you can't shoot them in the park, so we just enjoyed watching them. The night turned out calm and we rested well on the mooring ball. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkFJPWcA4YOEWl6ca5Kq71V2uwqvPLncbGmq9dXJXAx7vSPvo90sxb_sTMgd39RUF8Y2fUhUh8ExbJQq1AkxHXbR-oKwXEqyNIvggqxPHj9K-PxMxokDeWN_OmU4Sbq_mVck8qlC5RqOqPqLsCZtmNm6K7ILubzxCDavaXpqAujmf1ynQetJBANYbxg/s4032/PXL_20230324_184129132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkFJPWcA4YOEWl6ca5Kq71V2uwqvPLncbGmq9dXJXAx7vSPvo90sxb_sTMgd39RUF8Y2fUhUh8ExbJQq1AkxHXbR-oKwXEqyNIvggqxPHj9K-PxMxokDeWN_OmU4Sbq_mVck8qlC5RqOqPqLsCZtmNm6K7ILubzxCDavaXpqAujmf1ynQetJBANYbxg/w640-h480/PXL_20230324_184129132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will never get tired of this beautiful clear water. Easily the best thing in the Bahamas.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJY41yuuOr7YRSq_ouMZjSXMjPI4hZ0V95gSsM2RrAjKLCtwe52ZUDV_X7J3bTR0jJyREcKq3_ESWALlcOQesF13scdxwul-OvMiRP5S0Y2zi2zK-wOXQuG8nsmGVnQmGqLflzE0Bbv8Zhuct6_KQIMgYgF7Ni9uH-yXOba0cwrxJv6rJkX2IZM5rNlw/s4032/PXL_20230324_220341821.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJY41yuuOr7YRSq_ouMZjSXMjPI4hZ0V95gSsM2RrAjKLCtwe52ZUDV_X7J3bTR0jJyREcKq3_ESWALlcOQesF13scdxwul-OvMiRP5S0Y2zi2zK-wOXQuG8nsmGVnQmGqLflzE0Bbv8Zhuct6_KQIMgYgF7Ni9uH-yXOba0cwrxJv6rJkX2IZM5rNlw/w640-h480/PXL_20230324_220341821.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim on the beautiful beach. You can see the tents at the other end all set up for the party that did not happen.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjnySblyHg_vh3IpGT0ztTzeicyfvWnqqXa75l5isfwTOTf1G10A_JbjK_RVaCfVDIgF3GmlJXLYJZ0KV22bllszJn0b9iMjpn4aYFtDfZ-NASWT-TYXffuRSO2rDqdLP6Egt1ZwP0YijA2yMiugCWdyHS0kv1zK_PBSuDPArKxDhvu1UxjNFAX1qTA/s4032/PXL_20230324_220347358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwjnySblyHg_vh3IpGT0ztTzeicyfvWnqqXa75l5isfwTOTf1G10A_JbjK_RVaCfVDIgF3GmlJXLYJZ0KV22bllszJn0b9iMjpn4aYFtDfZ-NASWT-TYXffuRSO2rDqdLP6Egt1ZwP0YijA2yMiugCWdyHS0kv1zK_PBSuDPArKxDhvu1UxjNFAX1qTA/w640-h480/PXL_20230324_220347358.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is the mooring field with just a few boats in it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUvSlBNVmbd7D13QorxIh_Jqeuv4VjoVTbRzvv3kSFKVIa0ucWMJl3j9clPhvMy_Z2J0RxnFXeETUDfdv838S9BQNtWIeAB4XR4vLIhjm3WFrcvG_919g4M5VExdxf0j_SniQ4zDK-Ftpz4d6Vf9KTeZArjZFqYwA0w6V7VXUjkwxYtoFa_h4-L66pQ/s4032/PXL_20230324_220350562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUvSlBNVmbd7D13QorxIh_Jqeuv4VjoVTbRzvv3kSFKVIa0ucWMJl3j9clPhvMy_Z2J0RxnFXeETUDfdv838S9BQNtWIeAB4XR4vLIhjm3WFrcvG_919g4M5VExdxf0j_SniQ4zDK-Ftpz4d6Vf9KTeZArjZFqYwA0w6V7VXUjkwxYtoFa_h4-L66pQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230324_220350562.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only shot I have of one of the Super Yachts. Could you imagine spending over $100,000 per week to rent a boat? Crazy...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We ended up traveling 33 nm that first day. When we got up on the 25th, we decided to take advantage of another beautiful day and make some more miles north. We had pretty close to the same conditions for the morning, but the wind picked up and shifted more to the Southwest in the afternoon. We did not go as far on the 25th and stopped at Highborne Cay. There is an anchorage on the West side of the island, but with the wind shift it was pretty rough. I saw a good place to anchor on the north side of the island, so we decided to move over there. The chart showed that we had plenty of water, but at one point it got pretty shallow and we just touched the bottom. That was a bit unnerving, but the boat seemed to be fine. The good news is that SHIFT has a very well designed Keel and a very protected area for the prop. We motored on and took the long way around a second reef and dropped the hook on the north side of Highborne Cay. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCg7JEcjdjqh5-72cLI8ms043DYO1x1XzuV08n8ExX2cVZM7Suh42x7OhMGynP-sDKDigh9Ve8JcRV_Mbhv0sZpinzdX02pdlgqJTemIy9GXN6xiBll0BeIt_ocJg-jvwER8HgFKwWCD3CkxSshBIgdyoxXwQwMMVS48qy66GNHHwMyNne--wPGf35xg/s4032/PXL_20230325_154955412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCg7JEcjdjqh5-72cLI8ms043DYO1x1XzuV08n8ExX2cVZM7Suh42x7OhMGynP-sDKDigh9Ve8JcRV_Mbhv0sZpinzdX02pdlgqJTemIy9GXN6xiBll0BeIt_ocJg-jvwER8HgFKwWCD3CkxSshBIgdyoxXwQwMMVS48qy66GNHHwMyNne--wPGf35xg/w640-h480/PXL_20230325_154955412.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We had some more Wing on Wing sailing for this 20.1 nm trip up to Highborne Cay</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwmm0FCLQjlN9ouHGDgu3MZUmt5tVagu5XOeosHehFNS1CDi0bTJfyY5xzk7LoEPt4yUBMR4_wk5a5VpBSFiYuQ8XZn2qiqEd4J0g03tHmK2J1cBCm7Ge5ZvSSGA3POzTJa5grPgc5MSInB7LHzUzQO2Eg2QXoteqx9nzJx00Z8fIZ3Uf1MJxtfdM5w/s4032/PXL_20230325_220150082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwmm0FCLQjlN9ouHGDgu3MZUmt5tVagu5XOeosHehFNS1CDi0bTJfyY5xzk7LoEPt4yUBMR4_wk5a5VpBSFiYuQ8XZn2qiqEd4J0g03tHmK2J1cBCm7Ge5ZvSSGA3POzTJa5grPgc5MSInB7LHzUzQO2Eg2QXoteqx9nzJx00Z8fIZ3Uf1MJxtfdM5w/w640-h480/PXL_20230325_220150082.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every day I take pictures of the water tying to show how clear it is. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhgKN9SyyqwKM5rqd4AdclDVXSPfrXSMJOaOD1Y7UzbbIyB7-7sffMKtLAReGBGHUGFsSclb6y6kh2-_plu1ZiQFRZSmsxK-_2sUKohzCZkC-V-FMV3Hy2H_BbL4UHuVvkAPT_Ob-qeQk0yRW7n7De5hz3p1TB2Co50gwVwGTv2EVzlwSLfb0Aq2fEg/s4032/PXL_20230325_220152816.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqhgKN9SyyqwKM5rqd4AdclDVXSPfrXSMJOaOD1Y7UzbbIyB7-7sffMKtLAReGBGHUGFsSclb6y6kh2-_plu1ZiQFRZSmsxK-_2sUKohzCZkC-V-FMV3Hy2H_BbL4UHuVvkAPT_Ob-qeQk0yRW7n7De5hz3p1TB2Co50gwVwGTv2EVzlwSLfb0Aq2fEg/w640-h480/PXL_20230325_220152816.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shot of our anchorage at Highborne Cay.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza2QzfUYuHEwgCxuS777qr7E2KURnx13tEposRj5matrOPimtz8Y43VyYB47lOHixlAssucFzV1weU9gAVibFv2-C6me-GBQFqOEsWMYWhtqO3ifg9BvggDV4dzBWmR8y9k3OmHulihs1OHHhmMWTTqtt5Ir3TE1z-P2CXGD5UAKfpV5217On5Qhicg/s4032/PXL_20230325_220157374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza2QzfUYuHEwgCxuS777qr7E2KURnx13tEposRj5matrOPimtz8Y43VyYB47lOHixlAssucFzV1weU9gAVibFv2-C6me-GBQFqOEsWMYWhtqO3ifg9BvggDV4dzBWmR8y9k3OmHulihs1OHHhmMWTTqtt5Ir3TE1z-P2CXGD5UAKfpV5217On5Qhicg/w640-h480/PXL_20230325_220157374.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Highborne Cay is private and you are not allowed to go ashore. The island, like most of the Exumas, is rough limestone rocks.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY9vP0kNd6mUs8uKDK7o9PUkvQvurqt41Eb0LHre0e9cz_QmaURuEJO353pnkyGapey2Szs0t1PA-D_DOfydqoW_2hurKstDIzfpeYSscPyRI2xeioOVYKpK0SnONvSO9QyvoEC_NkTpe8VA0tVj_esWYm87zDieYbHDZ8yDp-o8uGCTeHJ5Beu1cnw/s4032/PXL_20230325_233417686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY9vP0kNd6mUs8uKDK7o9PUkvQvurqt41Eb0LHre0e9cz_QmaURuEJO353pnkyGapey2Szs0t1PA-D_DOfydqoW_2hurKstDIzfpeYSscPyRI2xeioOVYKpK0SnONvSO9QyvoEC_NkTpe8VA0tVj_esWYm87zDieYbHDZ8yDp-o8uGCTeHJ5Beu1cnw/w640-h480/PXL_20230325_233417686.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wind died off in the evening and we had a nice calm night. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We had another good night of sleep that second night. That was a good thing because we had a big day planned for our next day. It was now time to leave the Exumas and go to the most populated island in the Bahamas. I will write all about our long sail to New Providence the following day in my next entry. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-59815762504878614312023-04-13T09:14:00.001-07:002023-04-13T09:14:15.219-07:00Black Point<p> We left Big Majors and Staniel Cay on March 17th and sailed about 10 miles south to Black Point. The area around Staniel Cay is very touristy. Black Point is very different. Black Point is a small settlement, that has been a center of local activity for many years. There a plenty of vacation rentals, but not the real high end ones you can see over on Staniel. The vibe is very local and it is much less expensive to live here. Many of the locals board local transit boats each day to go to work over on Staniel. There is a great restaurant called Lorraines and a great laundromat with the best view of any laundromat I have ever seen. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQ73r9jr_4rtgbLDQS_tfW-cgmy3R46YS2jKCVN_IgJwYWcTeAYofJ4AlKQ375xZEMWzbQpXEGIhPQBeI1ARv0cd_q67qoW3DGwBpbd9K7ttGWYa0beEfhXkUjDmllSTngxg83QbkKHVxBWhOGdX_REQC3ROCy21Jdb55yDosENZZupazmJjTFFYCAg/s4032/PXL_20230317_183059055.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCQ73r9jr_4rtgbLDQS_tfW-cgmy3R46YS2jKCVN_IgJwYWcTeAYofJ4AlKQ375xZEMWzbQpXEGIhPQBeI1ARv0cd_q67qoW3DGwBpbd9K7ttGWYa0beEfhXkUjDmllSTngxg83QbkKHVxBWhOGdX_REQC3ROCy21Jdb55yDosENZZupazmJjTFFYCAg/w640-h480/PXL_20230317_183059055.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a view of the harbor from the East end. There is a long shallow area that is almost dry at low tide at this end and then about 9 feet of water where the boats are anchored. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BDOHuWemkMMB7wRV6aTfhd3r-t-PfNLkewgSUmDzuVMk8us-jJ0UAwxZachOgXAI7ex-hZ_PYhvcKwjGhfS1BfQ7QeLRQcFW51kfKGSc8hH9JRnieGWTYrzJYz3cKHanzzDOdCHgxWBXdeV6MXyrWJltUzjVbKXt-pg7qVp0AcqkIwGhKyxDzQc7Gw/s4032/PXL_20230317_183732140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0BDOHuWemkMMB7wRV6aTfhd3r-t-PfNLkewgSUmDzuVMk8us-jJ0UAwxZachOgXAI7ex-hZ_PYhvcKwjGhfS1BfQ7QeLRQcFW51kfKGSc8hH9JRnieGWTYrzJYz3cKHanzzDOdCHgxWBXdeV6MXyrWJltUzjVbKXt-pg7qVp0AcqkIwGhKyxDzQc7Gw/w640-h480/PXL_20230317_183732140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hole in the limestone in front of you is a blow hole. I have a good video of it going off that I will include on my YouTube Videos.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0NH8E-UwtI-ocBA4zmtBUhqfUqqrM1szJeAB-W_WYS631H7Z2l9jAFXgJpROhYU_MLYIyUg2T66QsuW67tY7bs1aKOWZxqUboRxT3tadlMurl8AI0cihV69ChT9W9VBGEYuandCRLy6OAaNEyUNHVXIMTPZiymkorTG5bp_yQmuttfmB7eiFi9_bVg/s4032/PXL_20230317_184441351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0NH8E-UwtI-ocBA4zmtBUhqfUqqrM1szJeAB-W_WYS631H7Z2l9jAFXgJpROhYU_MLYIyUg2T66QsuW67tY7bs1aKOWZxqUboRxT3tadlMurl8AI0cihV69ChT9W9VBGEYuandCRLy6OAaNEyUNHVXIMTPZiymkorTG5bp_yQmuttfmB7eiFi9_bVg/w640-h480/PXL_20230317_184441351.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a party going on at this end for the cruisers on St. Patricks day. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU2gh62KzYo6W828RDR7AVICefoEXaVno0U9TYrDS5pUn4Sdg2bxkttLfRJ-v7xjbrntwPhWW9I3whVT840WDaT_wZchv5aoTqQkOIIum7OiCSqFiYTSDXpWEdYfavjHyv8CIe2AsWeSrbITu1CO1k_E-ouCxxJazIb-KhhXUK6WsfevbddSAKlWgyA/s4032/PXL_20230317_191641392.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU2gh62KzYo6W828RDR7AVICefoEXaVno0U9TYrDS5pUn4Sdg2bxkttLfRJ-v7xjbrntwPhWW9I3whVT840WDaT_wZchv5aoTqQkOIIum7OiCSqFiYTSDXpWEdYfavjHyv8CIe2AsWeSrbITu1CO1k_E-ouCxxJazIb-KhhXUK6WsfevbddSAKlWgyA/w640-h480/PXL_20230317_191641392.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The town is quiet and fairly well kept. There is a place to get rid of trash and get water. Both for a very small fee. That is one of the many reasons that Black Point is a cruisers favorite.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg774GE_9VgsRpWg_wW9eltx05-bTlVGTIKz6ylMx4MMmWQ2bdrBCd_vhOhmFPlGGDHiGNv6VcpDzcitSeehACV_WkswCTpXlOSKXyQ6nc2vobt1riSJMTeD7AIYO2_u7CvLp6moaOfpsXaWkd0oPAPJKoCP5ieHi6u3bB4L7JaLhO-iHzaUXAT_AA44g/s4032/PXL_20230318_151334952.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg774GE_9VgsRpWg_wW9eltx05-bTlVGTIKz6ylMx4MMmWQ2bdrBCd_vhOhmFPlGGDHiGNv6VcpDzcitSeehACV_WkswCTpXlOSKXyQ6nc2vobt1riSJMTeD7AIYO2_u7CvLp6moaOfpsXaWkd0oPAPJKoCP5ieHi6u3bB4L7JaLhO-iHzaUXAT_AA44g/w640-h480/PXL_20230318_151334952.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view from the laundry dock. Not bad!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70pvJ-caQ741Nm3WBPW3jqrtAZkVFiSbnVM65nxmj7hytgEcD23fpCFhUz6uxbV_xr0WE6KESdjUlICOQR1w7wLTFMofewDmGeIExTu6TtinVw6roQm7fUz-2WJXVH4xnCEeiZ_MTh0lnffh9p3hMRNrii7Jr8ROmT8jXv2O2tJ-LQ8jQEgbb5A8jzA/s4032/PXL_20230318_151339842.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj70pvJ-caQ741Nm3WBPW3jqrtAZkVFiSbnVM65nxmj7hytgEcD23fpCFhUz6uxbV_xr0WE6KESdjUlICOQR1w7wLTFMofewDmGeIExTu6TtinVw6roQm7fUz-2WJXVH4xnCEeiZ_MTh0lnffh9p3hMRNrii7Jr8ROmT8jXv2O2tJ-LQ8jQEgbb5A8jzA/w640-h480/PXL_20230318_151339842.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really liked Black Point. This is the Bahamian experience that I had been looking for.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_75Dek0r4PYToHpS0INWejVuRev4_xY4zPbBKIEhSxIn8ZKxc599tplVuShI2BjxMlkRhPFN_02rFAqXI-1JspZYdE4gJIZGU977G4MRg1_q8d1eUScE8qhdtqm1fbPy5NDV-Fy2Ne4dAtU9O-IqQ0mr-jsX24xv-bBZZRHQ0uly_nGqgl14llQ3rwQ/s4032/PXL_20230318_151412352.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_75Dek0r4PYToHpS0INWejVuRev4_xY4zPbBKIEhSxIn8ZKxc599tplVuShI2BjxMlkRhPFN_02rFAqXI-1JspZYdE4gJIZGU977G4MRg1_q8d1eUScE8qhdtqm1fbPy5NDV-Fy2Ne4dAtU9O-IqQ0mr-jsX24xv-bBZZRHQ0uly_nGqgl14llQ3rwQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230318_151412352.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That is Lorraines restaurant. Just above it is Lorraines mom's house. You can go there and get a fresh baked loaf of Coconut bread for $10. I got one right out of the oven. Very tasty. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvm-5dI4tHHhP1EjNmWZPyxKK-zN0q1z1ebCpA4T-AxyrqVC7T0SFsAwUxWs4x7y27rPnAUvuMLGpOy1jz0Oq1ApLU_Snfjz6LM3pMHCIF1dvkcvDum_mGI0SV7tr4KqQRqDsRrSRH6P20WIr10IWkorKrV_S2H834mQX8L9H5lwig88lZ_8ATX596Q/s4032/PXL_20230318_151425862.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRvm-5dI4tHHhP1EjNmWZPyxKK-zN0q1z1ebCpA4T-AxyrqVC7T0SFsAwUxWs4x7y27rPnAUvuMLGpOy1jz0Oq1ApLU_Snfjz6LM3pMHCIF1dvkcvDum_mGI0SV7tr4KqQRqDsRrSRH6P20WIr10IWkorKrV_S2H834mQX8L9H5lwig88lZ_8ATX596Q/w640-h480/PXL_20230318_151425862.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the laundry and showers. Very reasonable at $4.15 to wash and $4.15 to dry. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvgTqyDuhTkdScWpkCLlqK94LYmCC8a1iNp2WU0woYF06dhdTHHcXGMEesSC6rrkdJ7hprJXgd81NmdCOdAJepcitPv0brf2ONPe1K8VyY9us24yJHJyH9clh5XYf5PUNcF7RQEn-jEf38eZzRcaOM5vMqvZBUp4f3fpFJBZ8lLLw4UmIjKkHoIhbtg/s4032/PXL_20230318_151611221.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKvgTqyDuhTkdScWpkCLlqK94LYmCC8a1iNp2WU0woYF06dhdTHHcXGMEesSC6rrkdJ7hprJXgd81NmdCOdAJepcitPv0brf2ONPe1K8VyY9us24yJHJyH9clh5XYf5PUNcF7RQEn-jEf38eZzRcaOM5vMqvZBUp4f3fpFJBZ8lLLw4UmIjKkHoIhbtg/w640-h480/PXL_20230318_151611221.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a beautiful harbor.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Our time in Black Point was very enjoyable on land. We did have three days of a very rolly anchorage. At least it is all free. Then the wind came out of the north and the roll stopped. The harbor has very good protection from the north, so even though the wind was blowing around 20 knots, the water was pretty flat. <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiuZf7Kmo26nrGTmjsESqzPWTnaEvPLmfYNDv0asFX4YYKIAxVFJQuxFibfoumlt_EhbZJS5JHzkq-NgP9LB1kWbMuPhkb9CyUhU_a_kTZi-nQb2AN20OwGqp0i81-fwuoRbGlHOQ8nBgRf1RAIGYcnvI6V6t5NCDu4O_SCfOprQCT4_igzPIeA69-A/s4032/PXL_20230319_221803604.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiuZf7Kmo26nrGTmjsESqzPWTnaEvPLmfYNDv0asFX4YYKIAxVFJQuxFibfoumlt_EhbZJS5JHzkq-NgP9LB1kWbMuPhkb9CyUhU_a_kTZi-nQb2AN20OwGqp0i81-fwuoRbGlHOQ8nBgRf1RAIGYcnvI6V6t5NCDu4O_SCfOprQCT4_igzPIeA69-A/w640-h480/PXL_20230319_221803604.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lorranine hosted a totally free dinner one night just to say thank you to the cruisers. That was very nice and the food was great!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD42_F7J5b9VJXYMun2jwxc142rzQ1-0qij661noXqYFdeJraRL3V8CXijfVaDJQQuq_jB8X031oEAy24aqURG0yzpVDIs4nvNsbfQOqMyKuiFqzdoit-nyR3yRq6zxqP9fE9fJRdFT_cla4OzFuG2jKcVPPCA55TqYf14KKhGWCXikbKJ300yLalSmw/s4032/PXL_20230319_221807660.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD42_F7J5b9VJXYMun2jwxc142rzQ1-0qij661noXqYFdeJraRL3V8CXijfVaDJQQuq_jB8X031oEAy24aqURG0yzpVDIs4nvNsbfQOqMyKuiFqzdoit-nyR3yRq6zxqP9fE9fJRdFT_cla4OzFuG2jKcVPPCA55TqYf14KKhGWCXikbKJ300yLalSmw/w640-h480/PXL_20230319_221807660.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made some new friends and saw some people we knew from Marathon last year. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While we were in Black Point the group of Island Packets that we had seen in Big Major sailed over and dropped anchor. We met a couple of them and then one day on the beach we met Hayden Cochran. He runs the IP Owners website and he and his wife Radeen sail an IP 35 just like SHIFT. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As our time was winding down, we took a long walk to a beach on the ocean side. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgHFRXDKwF7Qd0rul61VMrUdz4T0ymW0aijJ3Ncs10MNmoyE6K-iOg5vWbh4rUp_nnv_wXcSvl-HuQoiAdc6nVu4tc0MDsVNBAThhrq-6s3NWoPUd7Fvs1ojF2qKjPsX1mS_qNz97OeQct2xn_L2y3hWIeIJgU0ux_yPb_fKFThyVyoXlXXP_Zb7Ldg/s4032/PXL_20230323_155838596.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgHFRXDKwF7Qd0rul61VMrUdz4T0ymW0aijJ3Ncs10MNmoyE6K-iOg5vWbh4rUp_nnv_wXcSvl-HuQoiAdc6nVu4tc0MDsVNBAThhrq-6s3NWoPUd7Fvs1ojF2qKjPsX1mS_qNz97OeQct2xn_L2y3hWIeIJgU0ux_yPb_fKFThyVyoXlXXP_Zb7Ldg/w640-h480/PXL_20230323_155838596.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stopped by the Blow Hole again. Very cool! I needed to climb up on that rock to get the view.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eD4R_PumLdWFBHKOCJdFbY3lrF_p6_V5llWxG0QsIZp4dN7i8zngbXzX9po1cjp4ZSSP8Xjd3EMpkguD952HATf_D5Xk7C-FObUa53hgMgrRUhclGGhRU2m0fVua1DwHhMJwCBTC8O07qWe-vhjdUnqKZ9R2hboZKAYBZnKbajRQbpaeerM8GmFiZg/s4032/PXL_20230323_160233677.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eD4R_PumLdWFBHKOCJdFbY3lrF_p6_V5llWxG0QsIZp4dN7i8zngbXzX9po1cjp4ZSSP8Xjd3EMpkguD952HATf_D5Xk7C-FObUa53hgMgrRUhclGGhRU2m0fVua1DwHhMJwCBTC8O07qWe-vhjdUnqKZ9R2hboZKAYBZnKbajRQbpaeerM8GmFiZg/w640-h480/PXL_20230323_160233677.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rock formations and the crashing waves made for a very cool view.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BNxjwSndI2Mh2xpozd8xumqizaWug9H-0iu1cUVtnrttq5YPLLcRFZQJP_tCSfMb3HY_aIzIkxc7_5GvY-MJSE18ZeF46ZnIDQVQevVGHb9niyt_woefEEWxVAzpG71JVmDb60rpukCFdJEefNHCF379PolpJZOH58OhNXDJ9UzJ-mbuia8O0oWZbA/s4032/PXL_20230323_160256688.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9BNxjwSndI2Mh2xpozd8xumqizaWug9H-0iu1cUVtnrttq5YPLLcRFZQJP_tCSfMb3HY_aIzIkxc7_5GvY-MJSE18ZeF46ZnIDQVQevVGHb9niyt_woefEEWxVAzpG71JVmDb60rpukCFdJEefNHCF379PolpJZOH58OhNXDJ9UzJ-mbuia8O0oWZbA/w640-h480/PXL_20230323_160256688.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the view from the top. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKfylY54mOsn900OfzA7I-NE5wRrkC2M7CsnPh30w-mWL-jQN30y-NxO0IR__x0_Rdk2hvM2rbcHJW3437fVZdeSO-56PHIV5OFJt6Z4YJ5NSsdtoQUjUmot7hnvMGeKBeeuxg0xtPuEYQz5HFCl56eVvh5nPxp6G_bDD-Rp-1dn8_0QEcdfiQXlaFw/s4032/PXL_20230323_160550583.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKfylY54mOsn900OfzA7I-NE5wRrkC2M7CsnPh30w-mWL-jQN30y-NxO0IR__x0_Rdk2hvM2rbcHJW3437fVZdeSO-56PHIV5OFJt6Z4YJ5NSsdtoQUjUmot7hnvMGeKBeeuxg0xtPuEYQz5HFCl56eVvh5nPxp6G_bDD-Rp-1dn8_0QEcdfiQXlaFw/w640-h480/PXL_20230323_160550583.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You had to be very careful walking on these strange looking rocks, they are very sharp.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIULDcw-6-7WTwfgn1T-pEeFJ9Z4wTAbY63o4OcXgA2PcaK7-yyLxi04dnYGjpWAolYnwyQ4G2jQHetzGPxOeANPgQ8uWKZ0fc_RiNTjf5vON3KHZcLljUvcJxpnR2YaNb-KlGWYIapx-61o79eK_s6KBx45rtmfhVdzki08VcY76OIOs2KXLkLXt0vg/s4032/PXL_20230323_161211797.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIULDcw-6-7WTwfgn1T-pEeFJ9Z4wTAbY63o4OcXgA2PcaK7-yyLxi04dnYGjpWAolYnwyQ4G2jQHetzGPxOeANPgQ8uWKZ0fc_RiNTjf5vON3KHZcLljUvcJxpnR2YaNb-KlGWYIapx-61o79eK_s6KBx45rtmfhVdzki08VcY76OIOs2KXLkLXt0vg/w640-h480/PXL_20230323_161211797.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the beach we wanted to walk on. It was a grey and windy day, but we love to see the power of the ocean.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrEl0BQGGKLhYhAMgBLelBVR2e-eMGgV-zOp_nvwN-rxOywq_FsSdlJrfmo4yPP2DSjRVAHrnxCXPw3Gogh3F8AIOJyW3nUWZBcGsrvSgh04xKcybpDW3O9-dH4mfcwc43giaXK8BACh-GvlWGHs1Rno_514EbbydKlKKIil8UHjhdiRJqv7-9NO7-w/s4032/PXL_20230323_161540850.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsrEl0BQGGKLhYhAMgBLelBVR2e-eMGgV-zOp_nvwN-rxOywq_FsSdlJrfmo4yPP2DSjRVAHrnxCXPw3Gogh3F8AIOJyW3nUWZBcGsrvSgh04xKcybpDW3O9-dH4mfcwc43giaXK8BACh-GvlWGHs1Rno_514EbbydKlKKIil8UHjhdiRJqv7-9NO7-w/w640-h480/PXL_20230323_161540850.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have to get a Kim on the beach shot.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Black Point became our last point south. It was now March 23rd, and we had to be out of the Bahamas by April 17th. We had a lot of miles to cover, and we had one more Island Chain that we wanted to visit. We had a great weather window to sail north over the next few days, so we decided to get moving that way. In my next entry, I will write about our trip north. <br /> <br /> <p></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-66081019041084297942023-04-10T12:06:00.000-07:002023-04-10T12:06:42.143-07:00Shroud Cay to Big Major and a Real Time Update<p> I was awoken on March 11th at about 5 am by some rocking in the boat. The winds had picked up out of the Southwest as forecast. We had no protection from that direction and it did not take long to make the anchorage very uncomfortable. We got up and got the boat ready to go. I put up the mainsail while on the mooring. It was not long, and we were moving south at a good clip. We had between 12 to 17 knots of breeze out of a good direction.</p><p>At 9 am, Warderick Wells Ranger office does a radio call on channel 9. The first thing they do is call for departures. Nobody spoke up. With these winds, nobody wanted to leave the very protected mooring field. We were on the list for available balls, but once you have a ball at WW, you can stay as long as you keep paying the nightly fee. So, no ball for us.</p><p>I had been looking at alternatives that would give us some protection, but there are not many places that have protection in a SW wind. The best looked like Bell island, that was 25nm south. We were sailing fast enough that we covered that distance in just a few hours. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYpxxnTzY-uYT9lg8v4YGdSy1sIhCsy2KnsNcVv651_DjWWOxNfhTpSItyQKNCUSScKEwsBr2vpt6GWJz1j9rEsDX4CPcm0U1jYTnFV4Pk0gbzUWFXZTpV-HTkEsSvBlI1-pwTpFgzTegxwEBknenmTsgxJFCO7F0CaLbcp6AmANlJoAmXwvJ2dCQMA/s4032/PXL_20230311_123617959.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYpxxnTzY-uYT9lg8v4YGdSy1sIhCsy2KnsNcVv651_DjWWOxNfhTpSItyQKNCUSScKEwsBr2vpt6GWJz1j9rEsDX4CPcm0U1jYTnFV4Pk0gbzUWFXZTpV-HTkEsSvBlI1-pwTpFgzTegxwEBknenmTsgxJFCO7F0CaLbcp6AmANlJoAmXwvJ2dCQMA/w640-h480/PXL_20230311_123617959.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shot from the helm seat on SHIFT. We had strong wind, but it was pretty close to the nose, so we had to sail very close hauled. The seas were a bit choppy making it a rough ride. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>We motored into the channel to Bell Island and found a spot to anchor in the lee of the island. About 20 other boats were already there, but there was plenty of space for us. We ended up having a very good night is almost no wind chop. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFsstIsg6Gx8wqgitjALjFDMJbEOFMMQNNF2Yw6vW67d9WkTFOKgPwyuvPf4zkm_wX_s7Tsy4qjm1uTFOpkJdjM9atRZva_Rb3XtUKzcT7BIJdgqG-X1B5X_BvupK7Np71yME966ZKUzGlgdRWpgflOl5NM3l4eEypJ2sCXfCd_nTU4EXA9jyromcmQ/s4032/PXL_20230311_230142205.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFsstIsg6Gx8wqgitjALjFDMJbEOFMMQNNF2Yw6vW67d9WkTFOKgPwyuvPf4zkm_wX_s7Tsy4qjm1uTFOpkJdjM9atRZva_Rb3XtUKzcT7BIJdgqG-X1B5X_BvupK7Np71yME966ZKUzGlgdRWpgflOl5NM3l4eEypJ2sCXfCd_nTU4EXA9jyromcmQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230311_230142205.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our good anchorage at Bell Island.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>On March 12th, we had a very calm forecast. Bell Island is a private island, so we could not go ashore there, so we decided to move on to a very famous place in the Exumas, Staniel Cay. We made the 10nm trip in about 2 hours. The first order of business was to get water at the Staniel Bay yacht club. We had made it 3 weeks on our 90 gallon tank, but that was now empty. When we got to the fuel dock, we were 5th in line. They could only do one boat at a time and island time is slow, so patience is required. We went over to one side of the channel and put the anchor down and waited. Everyone waited their turn and after more than an hour wait, it was our turn. It cost $198 for 9 gallons of Diesel and 105 gallons of water. Still cheaper than a water maker. </p><p>As we were waiting, we discussed our options. We had a very strong weather system coming in 2 days and I was wanting to find some protection. Kim wanted to take advantage of the nice day and do a couple of things in this area. I am so glad she convinced me to do it her way. </p><p>We went around the corner and anchored at a place called Big Major. This is the place with the famous Pig Beach. We got the dinghy down and headed out.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIjjcjMRxbVYm8xJhnbb8I7FPYPqkj5DZqqXyRNCrwvosoARbnWoycjJZ1axj1mxaD7YFo6zlxYG66_wNh3gnpxUgh0ZgtJi_gR20q6qA9M1TWyuAkZKL5HtXLWlfmmJWURohzQPt9t4CwEZrc4Csh0OYEJDGHYQ5whPgB0WAopA2p3sQm6dGoi5O5w/s4032/PXL_20230312_193342692.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIjjcjMRxbVYm8xJhnbb8I7FPYPqkj5DZqqXyRNCrwvosoARbnWoycjJZ1axj1mxaD7YFo6zlxYG66_wNh3gnpxUgh0ZgtJi_gR20q6qA9M1TWyuAkZKL5HtXLWlfmmJWURohzQPt9t4CwEZrc4Csh0OYEJDGHYQ5whPgB0WAopA2p3sQm6dGoi5O5w/w640-h480/PXL_20230312_193342692.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the famous and original Pig Beach. Tour boats come here to feed the pigs. Not my kind of thing, so we just did a quick drive by. The baby pigs were pretty cute. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9E4a_M8b9GMYn6V5i2ApQuMNyF7zZmsFm6MoWfFJ8qxj0Qi_vkvXQBU9heG0u7VlHsOeUOpCOKGw38d5MRFE5rKpEze0dKp3R7JVfD8qFQMmTkPC-J-TTigDw7xgnB6OTODLePKZIfpnwgP7RX40gwF0GzBTXsYfPNn5ceqhzqAOFcZBaDjl7niGnww/s4032/PXL_20230312_193348527.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9E4a_M8b9GMYn6V5i2ApQuMNyF7zZmsFm6MoWfFJ8qxj0Qi_vkvXQBU9heG0u7VlHsOeUOpCOKGw38d5MRFE5rKpEze0dKp3R7JVfD8qFQMmTkPC-J-TTigDw7xgnB6OTODLePKZIfpnwgP7RX40gwF0GzBTXsYfPNn5ceqhzqAOFcZBaDjl7niGnww/w640-h480/PXL_20230312_193348527.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U22oiGWL_iKgs2sJuMoxKN2J0S-h9kRjnO09wKSIkIOFNTB6TlDwgf1f-MGByA27r8fPua-pcYtG34jvbmky3KUhmQJboER5-GAHaedytVWDb_L7JStWCOQlbx6xvmPGwlk5J5_90JS6TaNoDMI0Ff6ZwAsl5hWwMf4wJ769B8pVST_CHQjn0aunog/s4032/PXL_20230312_193353827.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4U22oiGWL_iKgs2sJuMoxKN2J0S-h9kRjnO09wKSIkIOFNTB6TlDwgf1f-MGByA27r8fPua-pcYtG34jvbmky3KUhmQJboER5-GAHaedytVWDb_L7JStWCOQlbx6xvmPGwlk5J5_90JS6TaNoDMI0Ff6ZwAsl5hWwMf4wJ769B8pVST_CHQjn0aunog/w640-h480/PXL_20230312_193353827.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>After that, it was off to another tourist attraction called Thunderball Grotto. This is a cave in the limestone. Thunderball Grotto was used and named for the James bond film "Thunderball". You have to go there at low tide to get into the cave without an underwater swim. The current is very strong, so swim fins are required. We got there and got advice from one of the tour boat operators how to anchor the dinghy. I went first to check it out and I was blown away. I went back to get Kim. She got in and impressed me with her ability to make the swim in the current. We went in, and the cave was awesome. The fish underwater also were abundant. I shot some GoPro of the outing, so I will insert that here:</p><p>Click here to see a video I made of our sim in Thunderball Grotto: <a href="https://youtu.be/-yXzMzOAG1w" target="_blank">Thunderball Grotto</a></p><p><br /></p><p>After Thunderball Grotto, we went on a ride in the dinghy to check out the local beaches and rock formations. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XNXhcuzgvQPDqCtO7OQnVJbnLZ8NWWOalsIQR6zTW05hduZJqp2Cgv7zRpARPYGcZnQvv-lHi6AQI6n4cLFYa7tjl8h0ujD3snyPxfmxxGIlwgyfSToq5JC5pxyO9XUqvapt6R0bZBLqpzW_gmFj_WucIwKbg2B6HzFbtQF6SKDxbeQkhfwWFjTJJA/s4032/PXL_20230312_204221538.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7XNXhcuzgvQPDqCtO7OQnVJbnLZ8NWWOalsIQR6zTW05hduZJqp2Cgv7zRpARPYGcZnQvv-lHi6AQI6n4cLFYa7tjl8h0ujD3snyPxfmxxGIlwgyfSToq5JC5pxyO9XUqvapt6R0bZBLqpzW_gmFj_WucIwKbg2B6HzFbtQF6SKDxbeQkhfwWFjTJJA/w640-h480/PXL_20230312_204221538.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The limestone shores have many interesting formations.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We saw a cool beach and went in to take a look. Another dinghy pulled in just in front of us and went up to the tables that had been set up on shore. We were told that this is the famous "Cruisers Beach". There are many signs from other boats that have passed through. We stayed there for a couple of hours and enjoyed making some new friends. This is one of those time that I really enjoy being part of this lifestyle. Sadly, I did not take any pictures. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCSIvQl9YchCd9KOw5LEPJpanF6R1BYodI7znujXABhCyGZkC0U_i2XbsENwrJ1h_GvW64aDpeqmKGxpjigOXJGOR-ZhEP15jDs4pSteDUok9g-NmL5A6QlafSJXp6notfc2FcWAvfESlgLJ8W06ZppqUR66Q0fHi-siW96tg-o-RluT0T6rx87GoRQ/s4032/PXL_20230312_230845776.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoCSIvQl9YchCd9KOw5LEPJpanF6R1BYodI7znujXABhCyGZkC0U_i2XbsENwrJ1h_GvW64aDpeqmKGxpjigOXJGOR-ZhEP15jDs4pSteDUok9g-NmL5A6QlafSJXp6notfc2FcWAvfESlgLJ8W06ZppqUR66Q0fHi-siW96tg-o-RluT0T6rx87GoRQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230312_230845776.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We finished this very good day with a nice sunset. That huge boat on the left is a toyhauler. The back end lifts up and they pull out a ski boat and jet skis. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The wind picked up the following day. In the Bahamas, when a northern is approaching, the wind starts from the West, then clocks to the north. We did not have good protection from the west so it was very rough for a day, then it clocked around when the front arrived. It blew hard at close to 40 knots. Those were the strongest winds we saw in the Bahamas while on anchor. We held fine and so did all of the boats around us. We heard of winds close to 60 knots further south that caused some boats to drag anchor and run into each other, but we were fine. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11vk2X9a7b2SOqfOPMWHgxEGiyruVhCVO8GkUsMyU3f7GMJ1IRJaVGRDv_B1OoY_2ftSVp73koSzRg3W7VhmtO0BJROdutLHnt5WUxv4wbsdxipM1pdmHoaVRckU9vwKX-LEwGQ0iJHNxhVnvrZ1yVepr8MPJH1_8kld5An0XCi12KaBEfEBeNS72Jw/s4032/PXL_20230314_224232718.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11vk2X9a7b2SOqfOPMWHgxEGiyruVhCVO8GkUsMyU3f7GMJ1IRJaVGRDv_B1OoY_2ftSVp73koSzRg3W7VhmtO0BJROdutLHnt5WUxv4wbsdxipM1pdmHoaVRckU9vwKX-LEwGQ0iJHNxhVnvrZ1yVepr8MPJH1_8kld5An0XCi12KaBEfEBeNS72Jw/w640-h480/PXL_20230314_224232718.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of boats came in for the big blow. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RNqvcliKziqzkNrD5Rtok2rfmgcQgPaTGx4ISmc_to7AVvKn4PG1H_tEUO8U4ZFumAiHnhFJxZJYcfxcLXTDlg3dqpzzKY6NddbCIT3u0PFrLjAPeNJCwSTD26zmzkHcsjWWcVNWWLR35xHcReGmBO32u5QwvNam0dA9ziYN5fE-oIOiBqw8_2R0eQ/s4032/PXL_20230314_224236584.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RNqvcliKziqzkNrD5Rtok2rfmgcQgPaTGx4ISmc_to7AVvKn4PG1H_tEUO8U4ZFumAiHnhFJxZJYcfxcLXTDlg3dqpzzKY6NddbCIT3u0PFrLjAPeNJCwSTD26zmzkHcsjWWcVNWWLR35xHcReGmBO32u5QwvNam0dA9ziYN5fE-oIOiBqw8_2R0eQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230314_224236584.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfJzmt4_b_J8icOqyVlOS2eHH302Ls1x27_ygVrFBYPjoym37Xuag8uNp_nle9cmieXysl3ViUxGboaBA9-xGiaWqYhUXmk-KhJoiyP8JIZRueTRo-CZ63HbjSFnkXl95tYPOgAjuqMPuOoDEJwuL3Sr5DO2G22VYviGPvoSJnL52mbDf6EE_l3X3pQ/s4032/PXL_20230314_224242021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfJzmt4_b_J8icOqyVlOS2eHH302Ls1x27_ygVrFBYPjoym37Xuag8uNp_nle9cmieXysl3ViUxGboaBA9-xGiaWqYhUXmk-KhJoiyP8JIZRueTRo-CZ63HbjSFnkXl95tYPOgAjuqMPuOoDEJwuL3Sr5DO2G22VYviGPvoSJnL52mbDf6EE_l3X3pQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230314_224242021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surrounded by boats at anchor in Big Major</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Life in the Bahamas on a boat has been a challenge. The weather totally controls your plans. It can be exhausting and frustrating. You really have to make up for the days on the boat with awesome days when the weather is nice. I don't know what I would have done without my Starlink. I had fast internet the entire time. I am still amazed by that. I couldn't get a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, but I had fast internet. </div><div><br /></div><div>In my next entry we will make one more move south. Black Point has been on my places I wanted to go and it was only about 10 miles away. I will tell you now, I loved Black Point!</div><div><br /></div><div>Real Time Update: I will interrupt this blog to give you a real time update. As I write this on April 5th, we are safely anchored in West Palm Beach, Florida. I just wanted my family and friends know that we have returned safely to civilization. How did we get here? Well that is a pretty good story that I will write about in the next few entries. <br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-63375516213763084572023-04-05T08:03:00.000-07:002023-04-05T08:03:06.936-07:00Shroud Cay<p> The weather abated as forecast on March 9th. We pulled the anchor and made a lazy 11.9 nm sail to Shroud Cay in light conditions. Shroud Cay is in the Exumas Land and Sea Park. That is a National Park that does not allow fishing of any kind. We had heard that the wildlife was abundant and we could not wait to go see. </p><p>When we arrived Shroud Cay, we decided to pick up a mooring ball. There is a cost to anchor that is the same as a ball, so why not? I always sleep better at night on a mooring. The balls in the park are way overbuilt to handle large yachts. Kim had trouble lifting it up to the rail to attach. I went forward and got it done. It was a calm day and the water was beautiful. </p><p>I went ashore to deposit money in the iron ranger, but there were no envelopes. I did not want to just stuff money in, so we went back to the boat and paid on-line. That turned out to be a mistake. Two days later I was contacted by my credit card company about a fraudulent charge. My card was deactivated. Luckily, we carry three cards, so I can wait until we get back in the US to get a new one sent to me. I have found out since that many people had the same problem and they have shut the website down. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gztJjXDuYF7caGSVk_JEA70hJlkCVKCwVWH0owdeX0hyTcWXG_s84WnCl0LOgnuWdeZueIUSYGTq0HZcOclSAT91KwRZYD8ax47t2HMabuS1miCVxrSR3IyejrTJJmunL1Qhs2D-gVJJCSf8S88aYQAgFBWcSLg_Bn10mf4MaZr1pW15aqFdLf_d4A/s4032/PXL_20230309_143101904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gztJjXDuYF7caGSVk_JEA70hJlkCVKCwVWH0owdeX0hyTcWXG_s84WnCl0LOgnuWdeZueIUSYGTq0HZcOclSAT91KwRZYD8ax47t2HMabuS1miCVxrSR3IyejrTJJmunL1Qhs2D-gVJJCSf8S88aYQAgFBWcSLg_Bn10mf4MaZr1pW15aqFdLf_d4A/w640-h480/PXL_20230309_143101904.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crystal blue water on our sail to Shroud Cay. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAzRQCVckLqehxgMFHdqoShOyYeS_CF4b_qrMUtmDD1fqR3GFEJXF_EZpB_zE4Ig3W2U49ELNjTKGkO2qoRI16rkdTi991w3ifvvUro836GnepPY5CH8RpxJ9bQrHJOxLZG87Ja-oL4d5zjR2V8Z3PiUEDNs63Wol7axBzRAH49PNUHK8ImpZpK6OPg/s4032/PXL_20230309_190032406.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAzRQCVckLqehxgMFHdqoShOyYeS_CF4b_qrMUtmDD1fqR3GFEJXF_EZpB_zE4Ig3W2U49ELNjTKGkO2qoRI16rkdTi991w3ifvvUro836GnepPY5CH8RpxJ9bQrHJOxLZG87Ja-oL4d5zjR2V8Z3PiUEDNs63Wol7axBzRAH49PNUHK8ImpZpK6OPg/w640-h480/PXL_20230309_190032406.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found a beach that was stunning. If you look through the rocks you can see SHIFT on her mooring ball.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HAI5vE0iSnO5QF0chCCkIBv4MsOrhkM5GskADD9gvLA8faUAzKoLenNd-lZgS23IlYagnj_RqRkSr0I0qsQdZdrlKWgGmotB-PnRohHCg1cP8HyNOqU1FY1bnXPeF_lXGIoSD9Tds7rDvPaPKimFgkeG-pTsrwv2fBkn_fSfm6nqk8HMUExJHhv_pQ/s4032/PXL_20230309_190035584.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HAI5vE0iSnO5QF0chCCkIBv4MsOrhkM5GskADD9gvLA8faUAzKoLenNd-lZgS23IlYagnj_RqRkSr0I0qsQdZdrlKWgGmotB-PnRohHCg1cP8HyNOqU1FY1bnXPeF_lXGIoSD9Tds7rDvPaPKimFgkeG-pTsrwv2fBkn_fSfm6nqk8HMUExJHhv_pQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230309_190035584.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite beaches.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9H5RS9-WYR19gVEp6Mgn4hjF8yK07LsH4Atet5m34zn3iYEhwb5qAVG1SjadkTa8-e29J3Q_JybhXhdGi4LUVhwCwM0ywCJt7yJ3sR-Y2b2b2OJBG09ZS0S09IeHaZqgxq3XZ8OHaFNxZTadlvFS8ujVvmwF_nG06EZIshx3Hr0gN-jVFUj5TEr87rQ/s4032/PXL_20230309_190234019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9H5RS9-WYR19gVEp6Mgn4hjF8yK07LsH4Atet5m34zn3iYEhwb5qAVG1SjadkTa8-e29J3Q_JybhXhdGi4LUVhwCwM0ywCJt7yJ3sR-Y2b2b2OJBG09ZS0S09IeHaZqgxq3XZ8OHaFNxZTadlvFS8ujVvmwF_nG06EZIshx3Hr0gN-jVFUj5TEr87rQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230309_190234019.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have to have a Kim on the beach shot.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The following day was also very calm. The thing to do at Shroud Cay, is to take the dinghy on a slow ride through the mangrove rivers. You have to wait for high tide because it is very shallow. We saw a number of turtles and a shark. We loved it!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizthhY2CLEDsET-KtDU8z4Cijimx6f7z0Mhk43KPxWY6kOInnqNTBlOh2FXv5kYJjLB_6wsXQcJN2J7Bb0ZqyWxOyaQabxkJU-NYx6rzc77mqI0byFDJkM4hZaEBa3w2CzFFt3ZysESDbGpHJj2li_QsTtftPsh-D9bdfwD6adCjOt37f2Bh6DpBmeKw/s4032/PXL_20230310_143325673.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizthhY2CLEDsET-KtDU8z4Cijimx6f7z0Mhk43KPxWY6kOInnqNTBlOh2FXv5kYJjLB_6wsXQcJN2J7Bb0ZqyWxOyaQabxkJU-NYx6rzc77mqI0byFDJkM4hZaEBa3w2CzFFt3ZysESDbGpHJj2li_QsTtftPsh-D9bdfwD6adCjOt37f2Bh6DpBmeKw/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_143325673.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water was crystal clear and the current was light. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pdcMiaKV8aY4QzvWGBh44LqoV445VsrVU7TtWYIkdLf6gq2ONsy_UQhc_yK7jqx9sOUxdBuquj_x0jp_tDlf_14zq3HYR05d6nvq88-JXGls0dVZk9O6bP_HDFfLgh8PztyVQm2CH89CpOU2ypOErfcIXACzPQ8TaO_GLbW2K9erdLzjvrloBZtSWQ/s4032/PXL_20230310_143338132.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2pdcMiaKV8aY4QzvWGBh44LqoV445VsrVU7TtWYIkdLf6gq2ONsy_UQhc_yK7jqx9sOUxdBuquj_x0jp_tDlf_14zq3HYR05d6nvq88-JXGls0dVZk9O6bP_HDFfLgh8PztyVQm2CH89CpOU2ypOErfcIXACzPQ8TaO_GLbW2K9erdLzjvrloBZtSWQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_143338132.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite days of the entire trip. Looking a bit scruffy, Captain!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhNUkNgqAL_C3kosVB0mG7KRawFl1miarMiZjpiMQGJf9llXszK3qgJdGQu3pRT3bPRpFZrsuCJ7zNj9RjRVKSIaVOLzELWpe98p3XQmc7m-TQlc96YBbbbcEMoYSRN_rEhp1R4snLHMHTfKc0qUQVdw82d8Ti_-mZSvoNqWQqa2QcHOnHPfuPGsM2g/s4032/PXL_20230310_144558070.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhNUkNgqAL_C3kosVB0mG7KRawFl1miarMiZjpiMQGJf9llXszK3qgJdGQu3pRT3bPRpFZrsuCJ7zNj9RjRVKSIaVOLzELWpe98p3XQmc7m-TQlc96YBbbbcEMoYSRN_rEhp1R4snLHMHTfKc0qUQVdw82d8Ti_-mZSvoNqWQqa2QcHOnHPfuPGsM2g/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_144558070.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The turtles were easy to spot</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhow0IOnmj3Iv4Qlqv9_s1oxkCNDM7y7brI0CWzJ71W60MQCoBVoDS9zjbBhI30c3qk6gXIxqw0HhI4Yot2E4U9EeFx_HohD2dHfTtQeNlnIFwln3bQosAA1W1n1trgdwNKG0MgrdD922chRWEKPmcAtB9hzxYeu0TmOsUxF4KUKcPPcvPJgU5OA8MBCQ/s4032/PXL_20230310_145641016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhow0IOnmj3Iv4Qlqv9_s1oxkCNDM7y7brI0CWzJ71W60MQCoBVoDS9zjbBhI30c3qk6gXIxqw0HhI4Yot2E4U9EeFx_HohD2dHfTtQeNlnIFwln3bQosAA1W1n1trgdwNKG0MgrdD922chRWEKPmcAtB9hzxYeu0TmOsUxF4KUKcPPcvPJgU5OA8MBCQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_145641016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The limestone rocks added to the scenery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg4M1NFFpu2voWyZLlUztKVL9GUYDZyA4mc_rySO5KR-lmFJQ0yRLgs2PwO_2OH8hWCq9uOIQGSLybHwcAcXsvglt8OMwc-3DXS_zewlkkn42xYZtH5JU42cKos9IF1ekw25ZTDDMqT0yRnhvgS2VlL3cxzlGb8N__rvvLxY-9UmYlh2HZil7WUYl4Q/s4032/PXL_20230310_150022006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNg4M1NFFpu2voWyZLlUztKVL9GUYDZyA4mc_rySO5KR-lmFJQ0yRLgs2PwO_2OH8hWCq9uOIQGSLybHwcAcXsvglt8OMwc-3DXS_zewlkkn42xYZtH5JU42cKos9IF1ekw25ZTDDMqT0yRnhvgS2VlL3cxzlGb8N__rvvLxY-9UmYlh2HZil7WUYl4Q/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_150022006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The river opened up into a large basin. It was pretty shallow out there.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGu0CTqfyjQHI0mOgjH3V8CGaHiXwYnPq-U7YmNroHC1dNU1Um-izmz4B8QHKu32cbfN9sC-RL3Udqo2oDaA_U6HFvCYzhYGJpCKZvvzqbiMD6ar1JKPPeB31ENjBVFVHKC9XJReV9oQm4p1tHmV0oF6kTaakWt1evB1BOBcucyjzatS48O5-nEzQpA/s4032/PXL_20230310_151312149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKGu0CTqfyjQHI0mOgjH3V8CGaHiXwYnPq-U7YmNroHC1dNU1Um-izmz4B8QHKu32cbfN9sC-RL3Udqo2oDaA_U6HFvCYzhYGJpCKZvvzqbiMD6ar1JKPPeB31ENjBVFVHKC9XJReV9oQm4p1tHmV0oF6kTaakWt1evB1BOBcucyjzatS48O5-nEzQpA/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_151312149.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A side canal</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroHV5nyMla1vfafGYPuVjmcRSDNk21_FVpam-35ZkxEo1ZDIEENcZIEkggRouTq3TEHemX9aj6_LPOnb6mD4Df0SdLRIPy9CyXdeNTBHn-8Lsxt4NGj8Gh9PZQVlgK9c7yST2751LNSNVzfQMiHFfUJ9Ga71tFtlgRsoDMGLf6sY0lVOpq3Zh-rqFrQ/s1675/PXL_20230310_151431989.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1675" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroHV5nyMla1vfafGYPuVjmcRSDNk21_FVpam-35ZkxEo1ZDIEENcZIEkggRouTq3TEHemX9aj6_LPOnb6mD4Df0SdLRIPy9CyXdeNTBHn-8Lsxt4NGj8Gh9PZQVlgK9c7yST2751LNSNVzfQMiHFfUJ9Ga71tFtlgRsoDMGLf6sY0lVOpq3Zh-rqFrQ/w640-h496/PXL_20230310_151431989.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There is a turtle in this shot</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-w6ZnZqJ98uUouyce7nIBhzMkxJaVujHHYVfjKTMr5MHvyjF1OyqomV5_SRmfM7Jsu5ImszpitI_VmCk6F-c8TOLEW8q3sG259KmnxVqTxRwU24WT_T_kxiBFO8-qBSqYYi4wGrjXl_4KAU9Pc34aZO8Tn9a_66eEEYqiLhc70DRq5cRusPetrP-Qow/s4032/PXL_20230310_152421874.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-w6ZnZqJ98uUouyce7nIBhzMkxJaVujHHYVfjKTMr5MHvyjF1OyqomV5_SRmfM7Jsu5ImszpitI_VmCk6F-c8TOLEW8q3sG259KmnxVqTxRwU24WT_T_kxiBFO8-qBSqYYi4wGrjXl_4KAU9Pc34aZO8Tn9a_66eEEYqiLhc70DRq5cRusPetrP-Qow/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_152421874.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OH look, there is anther one.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt_rHqNDcirFIH7TRWwKSFMHz8e-c4_qYp7UEES6NzmlsdN1whMOcYi8aJZcRFoPPi8srvfy0IqduulH0dUbHmfGT3Y4a6MKPAs6hzJYfAsKWj0cAPpGXm3Tr36hfDz3z4pK5kJ6t4QLuYy2KS5zFmfVwOZIwQRfWZeLrxdSw2LyZvrPrWpxkDZPUMw/s4032/PXL_20230310_152532220.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWt_rHqNDcirFIH7TRWwKSFMHz8e-c4_qYp7UEES6NzmlsdN1whMOcYi8aJZcRFoPPi8srvfy0IqduulH0dUbHmfGT3Y4a6MKPAs6hzJYfAsKWj0cAPpGXm3Tr36hfDz3z4pK5kJ6t4QLuYy2KS5zFmfVwOZIwQRfWZeLrxdSw2LyZvrPrWpxkDZPUMw/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_152532220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I just can't get over the water </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47OxKZBHxijwf55S_t5vlFploFdUE7gIiPWUz_qCS0rdKB98XR-4NN3iBahDrPneQXHJ2dk0h5l86F8lTOOMZGl6qOeSSvGtFp68cTD4UR0zpcLpETYLUuCyMr2w15UFjygcI9KOx_PlwCxeLcXDPLXqE7EFcj3GpzkwbI5BvUYAXN-ezZyNufeGbSA/s4032/PXL_20230310_152549087.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47OxKZBHxijwf55S_t5vlFploFdUE7gIiPWUz_qCS0rdKB98XR-4NN3iBahDrPneQXHJ2dk0h5l86F8lTOOMZGl6qOeSSvGtFp68cTD4UR0zpcLpETYLUuCyMr2w15UFjygcI9KOx_PlwCxeLcXDPLXqE7EFcj3GpzkwbI5BvUYAXN-ezZyNufeGbSA/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_152549087.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvInZsPk5X1AS-VtDXcmSdvygEDXpD0LMcI-Mlt1tRXpjH_i6VCBiny9DB5BiTv3QIdBA-EXu34UuqnTwIRL64sojdLglUqwOTUtRcjjEPttjJX86JR0y8dho4dFNk7Y0FSzWH5xckKQjoxOEf62SihmSBbDS5UVRn7A6NLGwD5SKkq7-Ut4VcAtUQA/s4032/PXL_20230310_153449127.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvInZsPk5X1AS-VtDXcmSdvygEDXpD0LMcI-Mlt1tRXpjH_i6VCBiny9DB5BiTv3QIdBA-EXu34UuqnTwIRL64sojdLglUqwOTUtRcjjEPttjJX86JR0y8dho4dFNk7Y0FSzWH5xckKQjoxOEf62SihmSBbDS5UVRn7A6NLGwD5SKkq7-Ut4VcAtUQA/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_153449127.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found a beach and hung out for a while</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Then it was back to the boat. I wanted to get some shots of SHIFT in the beautiful water. There were some birds flying overhead. The strange thing is we have seen very few birds while we have been in the Bahamas. These are White Tailed Tropic Birds.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReFxazAmwmk49xcMmnut0ewkG8CGxRDMwyEeDQ2r53M-hV3WNIVEapWIbbd_HW8rVSur1LHmTfRW6lqpP_8RtYfFS4sLWsS1k3kOv-rNuijkvK7kTeejpuyZOH35Xl1dS7OIXwiUMuEC7PTqLW1iCXqfxsOhmSOg5My3vlm4E05MQvq-VqVp4_sedtg/s4032/PXL_20230310_172414642.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhReFxazAmwmk49xcMmnut0ewkG8CGxRDMwyEeDQ2r53M-hV3WNIVEapWIbbd_HW8rVSur1LHmTfRW6lqpP_8RtYfFS4sLWsS1k3kOv-rNuijkvK7kTeejpuyZOH35Xl1dS7OIXwiUMuEC7PTqLW1iCXqfxsOhmSOg5My3vlm4E05MQvq-VqVp4_sedtg/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_172414642.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SHIFT is very photogenic. She has taken very good care of us for almost 4 years. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sqsVuJuKXJCWSlGheYdVoH_QK0DdxshPfJtKEnfdfmG3uMNDPe6gL0oaZ2RUZ6-5W3AI2MJOIinSatLm9evvZ3caOr2PBpsrAfymGxunfFfYWizLO4_nU6DB7L5G4Ntz8rVlntUiyKXSSFPxvwANKczqEcGY4GY7ysuC3X0uIKIloNdGVGyrtULK5w/s4032/PXL_20230310_172543047.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sqsVuJuKXJCWSlGheYdVoH_QK0DdxshPfJtKEnfdfmG3uMNDPe6gL0oaZ2RUZ6-5W3AI2MJOIinSatLm9evvZ3caOr2PBpsrAfymGxunfFfYWizLO4_nU6DB7L5G4Ntz8rVlntUiyKXSSFPxvwANKczqEcGY4GY7ysuC3X0uIKIloNdGVGyrtULK5w/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_172543047.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwdyMQ89oX5MFlwdab6Cwb2ESuQ-J9hxR8Nn8n-xtBeSNAVyo7OrTZ0Gkvkf6Z4pbwGNB2fGyQ9_AAqqE2XsONFXTHakrgiPE_VsYFIcEOYZHBi5_aw5uQQdvmyt7vHNQdyG4vbuwtkX4_QLduoJH0Mx_PN2CTXSJR4sGL-ujeSvAmfoVKtIKDHAx2g/s4032/PXL_20230310_172548258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwdyMQ89oX5MFlwdab6Cwb2ESuQ-J9hxR8Nn8n-xtBeSNAVyo7OrTZ0Gkvkf6Z4pbwGNB2fGyQ9_AAqqE2XsONFXTHakrgiPE_VsYFIcEOYZHBi5_aw5uQQdvmyt7vHNQdyG4vbuwtkX4_QLduoJH0Mx_PN2CTXSJR4sGL-ujeSvAmfoVKtIKDHAx2g/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_172548258.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuf0RUcHayj88KObY2q1nGRm5IfgkyHlTeeggwNisXezU3lmZyUIss_iIflJV2Tp4UFkP6SSVYwCAo7plFLUoMZ7NpgdFFSQAYcr735PIf7bn69IOaenKWR7qZsJqTNrSxt0T0Qhx45qaypr_VCOjPEGA8GrJ3wRSTpuzP1kV8Ty5IxCQFad89jADLg/s4032/PXL_20230310_172558353.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuf0RUcHayj88KObY2q1nGRm5IfgkyHlTeeggwNisXezU3lmZyUIss_iIflJV2Tp4UFkP6SSVYwCAo7plFLUoMZ7NpgdFFSQAYcr735PIf7bn69IOaenKWR7qZsJqTNrSxt0T0Qhx45qaypr_VCOjPEGA8GrJ3wRSTpuzP1kV8Ty5IxCQFad89jADLg/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_172558353.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gbDGUq2qeYjdwJJvWhlttvvBFBPggJRdKfGVSDi3wtO8zaScwJ3NP-iiCcBZHhp-HS3S7mrar6BHRdRXi2x0GdoCj0zp3bIzskkjNZKjtyKtZqAiXS6KqV8Do6Yesr5mjD4zn_g9-fImGbOK5XEUFCao8oZZ-dZyw3jbWmLxtuUKCFqkd6-QmUwQtw/s2030/DSC_0470.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1609" data-original-width="2030" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gbDGUq2qeYjdwJJvWhlttvvBFBPggJRdKfGVSDi3wtO8zaScwJ3NP-iiCcBZHhp-HS3S7mrar6BHRdRXi2x0GdoCj0zp3bIzskkjNZKjtyKtZqAiXS6KqV8Do6Yesr5mjD4zn_g9-fImGbOK5XEUFCao8oZZ-dZyw3jbWmLxtuUKCFqkd6-QmUwQtw/w640-h508/DSC_0470.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezHxr0UUzaXtuBkDdFURGQyiNhOCgyKfKPlnF2w991BQNieE1TwPMkk_sM0ngqbsspHSgIfNOVyLlWbGit7j02gTBkJPKd-75tDGwXxAGhRwwad6gRX6ID-_6K7Za-3vAsfg-FjOuREBEqddDITTX4leKuM6PNiUti_vtpqJtQhj3Jo2eKBqq6G6bYA/s1857/DSC_0469.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1338" data-original-width="1857" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezHxr0UUzaXtuBkDdFURGQyiNhOCgyKfKPlnF2w991BQNieE1TwPMkk_sM0ngqbsspHSgIfNOVyLlWbGit7j02gTBkJPKd-75tDGwXxAGhRwwad6gRX6ID-_6K7Za-3vAsfg-FjOuREBEqddDITTX4leKuM6PNiUti_vtpqJtQhj3Jo2eKBqq6G6bYA/w640-h462/DSC_0469.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7NDIyCYgl7DrbL4Bm0lktV_ZVK1nOC7QOynWdXxM4-2oy0o5CmnRFO5mixpuvf7XoNaxym5dFHSuvhpKDVV03xLkwLYK-G_Ef61MjRusXUoNj0Cb3P_CFW9raZe1otoFLbEaqtw0l5Y2wyVeVt2-jkLHaiYOFgLJLizQ-S45mCVuLarRlEvuEt9-PA/s2015/DSC_0463.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1429" data-original-width="2015" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7NDIyCYgl7DrbL4Bm0lktV_ZVK1nOC7QOynWdXxM4-2oy0o5CmnRFO5mixpuvf7XoNaxym5dFHSuvhpKDVV03xLkwLYK-G_Ef61MjRusXUoNj0Cb3P_CFW9raZe1otoFLbEaqtw0l5Y2wyVeVt2-jkLHaiYOFgLJLizQ-S45mCVuLarRlEvuEt9-PA/w640-h454/DSC_0463.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUyLst5uV_6_A-c_QoWzXwqu2sK-np-AYbaF1-QFz1QI3_wmcNrKburTnaPzXLgeQb4PxLlqklJf08Rc5lR9-plVsbz_U5hLvKO9-r3ThkiBPt5QepXved_dI4dB2Eus14JDWXvJ-V8v7NIMjGp4rGKQp37PJAwAHvhiTKH9qytpgF2Xy5mefoDLyuw/s1880/DSC_0462.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="1880" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUyLst5uV_6_A-c_QoWzXwqu2sK-np-AYbaF1-QFz1QI3_wmcNrKburTnaPzXLgeQb4PxLlqklJf08Rc5lR9-plVsbz_U5hLvKO9-r3ThkiBPt5QepXved_dI4dB2Eus14JDWXvJ-V8v7NIMjGp4rGKQp37PJAwAHvhiTKH9qytpgF2Xy5mefoDLyuw/w640-h478/DSC_0462.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu9eWklKlyBeTyU4HlcoXaKvw1HZt64-Rgy3KbSXSO64vvjM_2hFju9_Cr6lw1x07iYdh09r_k95TuJ0vcqwQhRhpk2AqhTY7X6butRB9G7cRPyj6yV5mI1JM6HE94tMzQGKAjR0SdSaeAIQ_e6XgKZjHs-YMRYCDOU1VirQP-FrScd4ROyRDZIUc7A/s2181/DSC_0457.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1564" data-original-width="2181" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu9eWklKlyBeTyU4HlcoXaKvw1HZt64-Rgy3KbSXSO64vvjM_2hFju9_Cr6lw1x07iYdh09r_k95TuJ0vcqwQhRhpk2AqhTY7X6butRB9G7cRPyj6yV5mI1JM6HE94tMzQGKAjR0SdSaeAIQ_e6XgKZjHs-YMRYCDOU1VirQP-FrScd4ROyRDZIUc7A/w640-h458/DSC_0457.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had an amazing day at Shroud Cay, but the weather was going to change the following day. We had called in to Wardwick Wells to get on a mooring ball the next day, but that was not for sure. The wind would be coming in from the southwest and arriving at about 5 am. In my next entry, I will write about the following day. It was a bit crazy. I will end this with some final shots of our beautiful day at Shroud.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmmgwrU3w6jeCO6gaZJAbVAKETPc-f9rLjP7C3E7eqMWXIGKFEaf9i3lOkXU-ewR1iUkTJ_0zBHwcqagGojzXplWvdh-odAxuHUrrFjjiSfdF-uDsFiRC1XBb0wm1_g_dmEhLqMMPSV22RAYLq_jZvc9ejIzeCQ_-lA-tAKaRpNQ1C5SD9q1UPoIW4w/s4032/PXL_20230310_175220882.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmmgwrU3w6jeCO6gaZJAbVAKETPc-f9rLjP7C3E7eqMWXIGKFEaf9i3lOkXU-ewR1iUkTJ_0zBHwcqagGojzXplWvdh-odAxuHUrrFjjiSfdF-uDsFiRC1XBb0wm1_g_dmEhLqMMPSV22RAYLq_jZvc9ejIzeCQ_-lA-tAKaRpNQ1C5SD9q1UPoIW4w/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_175220882.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The water was so clear, you could see the mooring like there was no water.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO82v6Gjep4hRfK0QeaL8PM9aCSbplOfGyOt1hwlszVirsBKSPG3ny6vasImJicGsKI7rDBcCEbTPTugcBgyCbkTT8Ubf5tNWmmm6aiJwBbRqXrdRfGg4Qr0Hx27H0LCO3fx2FIptwJdcfh6pKthp5RAoAvVQECXisDiUWaBzWNXTi4hr7tH2aLeBx0g/s4032/PXL_20230310_230722611.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO82v6Gjep4hRfK0QeaL8PM9aCSbplOfGyOt1hwlszVirsBKSPG3ny6vasImJicGsKI7rDBcCEbTPTugcBgyCbkTT8Ubf5tNWmmm6aiJwBbRqXrdRfGg4Qr0Hx27H0LCO3fx2FIptwJdcfh6pKthp5RAoAvVQECXisDiUWaBzWNXTi4hr7tH2aLeBx0g/w640-h480/PXL_20230310_230722611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our beautiful sunset at Shroud Cay. Too bad that Super Yacht was in the way.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2656005316285989115.post-17074017599954123052023-03-31T09:21:00.003-07:002023-03-31T09:21:52.365-07:00Allans Cay and Lobster Cay<p> As I have written many times before, the weather dictates what we can do and what we can't do much more than a land based lifestyle. That is even more the case in the Exumas. There are much fewer places to hide from strong winds, especially if they are coming from the west. We had been lucky the first few days we had been in the Exumas, but I saw in the forecast that was about to change. We had two more decent days and then we would see some strong wind coming from the North. We had arrived in the Exumas and anchored at Ship Channel Cay on March 5th. We had until the 7th to get some place with northern protection. </p><p>We decided to move on March 6th a grand total of 5.5 nm to Allans Cay to see the famous Iguanas. The Iguanas live on the island and will come to beg from any and all boaters that come ashore. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jbJxQjItuhdkvHNs5suuZlYwaxnKlfHYoE0SENZwm1gnIHuo27nDYe6aghnkIBgCaASqgDBPqggTcM8ehTgcLJSViA7oeMjn2p4YeVcO6NMNu9OdpS-acqT0QVy-Xxo3J-95FckQuvY1Br7d_IexCCG3I2DK7wOi9XwWdnz1AuWJDtzuijyxVWkC5g/s4032/PXL_20230306_174305042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jbJxQjItuhdkvHNs5suuZlYwaxnKlfHYoE0SENZwm1gnIHuo27nDYe6aghnkIBgCaASqgDBPqggTcM8ehTgcLJSViA7oeMjn2p4YeVcO6NMNu9OdpS-acqT0QVy-Xxo3J-95FckQuvY1Br7d_IexCCG3I2DK7wOi9XwWdnz1AuWJDtzuijyxVWkC5g/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_174305042.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allans Cay is made up of two lagoons that are surrounded by the very rocky island. The water is unbelievably clear and beautiful.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxo2DI5P3wCWEhNX1173XQMO6E1hRv2rqU0f4Lw7Nz9-jkJU0kZh3PPTnKb46S4kh6DOM6PpjC3AMHoFAAb11ZmitahgqWd3A3wTSrtXc2ARkBa2C6vtExX33pN7zmjAeCEj2UMjVN3z8aeCHgAkeWTUxo3kkjmQ9-fB0K2UUEbVrRg49QCoUv5p43g/s4032/PXL_20230306_174332166.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxo2DI5P3wCWEhNX1173XQMO6E1hRv2rqU0f4Lw7Nz9-jkJU0kZh3PPTnKb46S4kh6DOM6PpjC3AMHoFAAb11ZmitahgqWd3A3wTSrtXc2ARkBa2C6vtExX33pN7zmjAeCEj2UMjVN3z8aeCHgAkeWTUxo3kkjmQ9-fB0K2UUEbVrRg49QCoUv5p43g/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_174332166.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We took the dinghy over to the famous beach with the Iguanas on it. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOdu2ErZYYaiV4EE1LVVduKQigSTdGygN8IX2LNoYnKGCKZM7rkoKJxZNqHpqlDEM9uRZby0Qm7iDA-2S5n5dw7yg1wRSYQodchINy54kzLT0KkgYDCrQJt2nXT9yQIW03EKrIes2s46BwQKF-38Rbs0bOqbgL9DdlLsTIIWOIylNw24RVCXbSxa4jg/s4032/PXL_20230306_180434611.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOdu2ErZYYaiV4EE1LVVduKQigSTdGygN8IX2LNoYnKGCKZM7rkoKJxZNqHpqlDEM9uRZby0Qm7iDA-2S5n5dw7yg1wRSYQodchINy54kzLT0KkgYDCrQJt2nXT9yQIW03EKrIes2s46BwQKF-38Rbs0bOqbgL9DdlLsTIIWOIylNw24RVCXbSxa4jg/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_180434611.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim on a beach photo op.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRbajuSIsTAMlQoRqSI2A_nl7W0Ti31co4epnby_xa4fy9AA9q0kqccNNEFkrIn18CY9uLkQjC2jiQIV-qhE1CYz0MVdoYF4OU89DvZmweAjmWBJz6oo6r4Xh7VHYuFRZqKQXC1pRq46100nonF4wGS6EZ70k0nnX_diowD9LgAOemIAMGzZAlcLcnw/s4032/PXL_20230306_180629891.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRbajuSIsTAMlQoRqSI2A_nl7W0Ti31co4epnby_xa4fy9AA9q0kqccNNEFkrIn18CY9uLkQjC2jiQIV-qhE1CYz0MVdoYF4OU89DvZmweAjmWBJz6oo6r4Xh7VHYuFRZqKQXC1pRq46100nonF4wGS6EZ70k0nnX_diowD9LgAOemIAMGzZAlcLcnw/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_180629891.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was not long before these big guys came out for the free food. We did not feed them.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGc_8IsmqDAtniF_obzAj0i0LFFGIjX-mWIBK7txRTtgAYLjPT9pcQVUx6rC7ovlRfjDohA4j5xxk85sCjHI6MYJ0Hlkec1fNOnUS6-W1JE-ASoNSe-pI5GMY8Vta5cRMsLYcQt8nloWzlBhWPYaHaoo5k58rEyptxqyu4U9mkVcN5c9ogzYVxPwosMQ/s4032/PXL_20230306_180656539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGc_8IsmqDAtniF_obzAj0i0LFFGIjX-mWIBK7txRTtgAYLjPT9pcQVUx6rC7ovlRfjDohA4j5xxk85sCjHI6MYJ0Hlkec1fNOnUS6-W1JE-ASoNSe-pI5GMY8Vta5cRMsLYcQt8nloWzlBhWPYaHaoo5k58rEyptxqyu4U9mkVcN5c9ogzYVxPwosMQ/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_180656539.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQDaYzdHX0YadKosPsLclX-mUYMIa41mbg9EJ5X9VJYVymYnDTkZ7OZKgzEu3JQDCRroyaT6TmYGNo4mYlHjaDFvx-V1tSqr0kSHEA61fS2F3IvTAEBFH8L3h-9H49ZRaUPrP308nklYLnX6XyLprxlAVbSs2WJMl4K87eT9OBX6eIBeOa3EUA4tCCw/s6000/DSC_0450.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfQDaYzdHX0YadKosPsLclX-mUYMIa41mbg9EJ5X9VJYVymYnDTkZ7OZKgzEu3JQDCRroyaT6TmYGNo4mYlHjaDFvx-V1tSqr0kSHEA61fS2F3IvTAEBFH8L3h-9H49ZRaUPrP308nklYLnX6XyLprxlAVbSs2WJMl4K87eT9OBX6eIBeOa3EUA4tCCw/w640-h426/DSC_0450.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy looks like a dinosaur. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After spending some time with the Iguanas we cruised around the island in the dinghy. The anchorage got a bit rolly that night, but we slept ok. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92dd4ImkNep0hzO0pohwhB8XXNzKtso21SLdPGeAsE7wgzeKYGYEjC2XBnv10JioVKSYZ3VbYBDnrzpvjAFXzYGCj5HlpvglRXfJ3_w7064FA4dPtHOujsFSTDLXRucowyCqbJcN8pEogYfpc8cK7Mrd1bnffUnYiCuoO52RvmzpjKvMfBZl-lzVPEA/s4032/PXL_20230306_230447033.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92dd4ImkNep0hzO0pohwhB8XXNzKtso21SLdPGeAsE7wgzeKYGYEjC2XBnv10JioVKSYZ3VbYBDnrzpvjAFXzYGCj5HlpvglRXfJ3_w7064FA4dPtHOujsFSTDLXRucowyCqbJcN8pEogYfpc8cK7Mrd1bnffUnYiCuoO52RvmzpjKvMfBZl-lzVPEA/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_230447033.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was our sunset at Allans Cay. We finally had sunsets with no land in the picture.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The following day it was time to find that protection. I saw a small Cay on the chart that looked like it would have good protection. The name of that small island was Lobster Cay. The guide book did say that the snorkeling was good there, so we would give it a try before the weather turned bad. The trip was only 5.6 nm, but it required me to make some turns trough some rocks in some very fast moving current. We cruised right by the famous Highborne Cay, but maybe we would stop by on our way back. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X6LZl5JSBsoE84xM2JYSl2osNyyRsDnF3-iBg2Hnt9PJY9YfXa10oNuzWz16VmwA2xWtgc30mvNtN9GFqn3sL98Rz5GFLPznKZ4pzZF8JJ2E_v5uNOkf1tUPkBthMnqNZ61epQCYOnVvxjv2C1H7OjQJp894JSJmBYaN6JApBrAFbBIH_2JDDZvtbA/s4032/PXL_20230307_152502315.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9X6LZl5JSBsoE84xM2JYSl2osNyyRsDnF3-iBg2Hnt9PJY9YfXa10oNuzWz16VmwA2xWtgc30mvNtN9GFqn3sL98Rz5GFLPznKZ4pzZF8JJ2E_v5uNOkf1tUPkBthMnqNZ61epQCYOnVvxjv2C1H7OjQJp894JSJmBYaN6JApBrAFbBIH_2JDDZvtbA/w640-h480/PXL_20230307_152502315.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view of Lobster Cay. We never found out the situation on the island, but there were a series of small cottages on the island. We saw some some guys working up there, but we are not sure if it is open for business or not. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40RJI13k13Ouvvhxy92cL3Q1k-EuGjr-1KuwHuqwuNdMypdIuhiYh1-_ISzHlxXOjb9JiMwtIn4VPABlTWNph-vQDQiyTetvXhIid_ZSjgVlb3JvonT5KxvoQWaM9RGed9RPMeBIFUmBuE1QfJffsVzOAY8FF-aWsWCO44QeZO1jKonOcJr7lVr1Yww/s4032/PXL_20230307_152511107.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40RJI13k13Ouvvhxy92cL3Q1k-EuGjr-1KuwHuqwuNdMypdIuhiYh1-_ISzHlxXOjb9JiMwtIn4VPABlTWNph-vQDQiyTetvXhIid_ZSjgVlb3JvonT5KxvoQWaM9RGed9RPMeBIFUmBuE1QfJffsVzOAY8FF-aWsWCO44QeZO1jKonOcJr7lVr1Yww/w640-h480/PXL_20230307_152511107.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WOBGSZEQ4Rdf4zRMCsUlBLttQ-CXxtpo-6lZlyEXiEhu7V7EPD4yp94xzHGidsl0E_e7CQrpjtMHJ_3_3M6akpKIJQ4BY0uaePCXqwJW4j9EPrSTpxYWWLm2W3TgaXenoDawamIdl7pnzSRzp6fIxsxwI88x39SwOa5eudmHDdhh4uGjwKHwobXUYw/s4032/PXL_20230307_155028421.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WOBGSZEQ4Rdf4zRMCsUlBLttQ-CXxtpo-6lZlyEXiEhu7V7EPD4yp94xzHGidsl0E_e7CQrpjtMHJ_3_3M6akpKIJQ4BY0uaePCXqwJW4j9EPrSTpxYWWLm2W3TgaXenoDawamIdl7pnzSRzp6fIxsxwI88x39SwOa5eudmHDdhh4uGjwKHwobXUYw/w640-h480/PXL_20230307_155028421.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I got in the water and went for a snorkel. I took my spear, but did not see anything that was worth shooting. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>When we arrived, we were the only boat there. After a while, we were joined by 4 other boats, all looking for the same protection. The weather arrived as expected and the water got rough. We rocked and rolled a bit, but it wasn't too bad. We saw winds that peaked at 30 knots.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwak3AtqE9x-pk5Dy_CISFuLhSEu8txqrEYLHdBue7SAgXoTRaurr89KienzdFCRCb4sCmQ45OLG0VOoXBu0dBi7DTtuq3K0tG9Mm5wFLUaihKvnE4Mu6NwEzIM3JlwZ8DfiFErhbOjP1OtJpHnzG0OcoFgv1FHeuw8QOdcY0qPze0YSE1sRqCu62WVA/s4032/PXL_20230308_144908888.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwak3AtqE9x-pk5Dy_CISFuLhSEu8txqrEYLHdBue7SAgXoTRaurr89KienzdFCRCb4sCmQ45OLG0VOoXBu0dBi7DTtuq3K0tG9Mm5wFLUaihKvnE4Mu6NwEzIM3JlwZ8DfiFErhbOjP1OtJpHnzG0OcoFgv1FHeuw8QOdcY0qPze0YSE1sRqCu62WVA/w640-h480/PXL_20230308_144908888.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The picture does not show how rough it was, but the good news it only lasted one full day. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>After the bad weather cleared out, we had two good days to enjoy. Our next stop was Shroud Cay. I can tell you now, it was one of our best days in the Exumas. I will write all about it in my next entry. </p>ktmissourihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390349160409059421noreply@blogger.com2