Miami Boat Show-2/13/2010

We attended the Miami Boat Show this year with Kitty and Larry from Saildreamer. There were not as many boats this year, in fact many of the dealers who were there only brought one or two models. Catalina had the most sailboats and we checked out many of them including the new 445. No, we are not in the market - Waves of Grace is perfect for us, but you can get lots of good ideas by examining other boats. Plus new fiberglass has such a great smell!!!!

dinghy dock "parking"

Marathon City Marina has two large dinghy docks. When cruising, your dinghy is your lifeline and without it you can't get to land.....where there are grocery stores, tennis courts, churches, and I-Hops. The dinghy dock also is a billboard of sorts showing you where everyone else is from....just check the dinghy registrations which display your home state.

Gary & Annette

Gary and Annette traveled to Key Largo with us two years ago on their Hunter 356 and showed us the "ropes" of the cruising lifestyle. This year they are spending the winter in Key Largo in an apartment with their car nearby..... They drove to Marathon to visit with us this week and we had a great time sharing dinner and stories. Gary and Walt played quite a bit of tennis and Annette and I drove to some small shops looking for bargains. It was great to see them both again even though they were boat-less!

Bahia Honda State Park

Waves of Grace and Mystic motor/sailed to Bahia Honda State Park this week as the winds were down and the sun was up-unusual weather for this year.... The park is only 12 miles from Boot Key but there are many crab pots to watch for along the way. There is a deep channel between the old and the new bridges which opens up into a very nice anchorage. This photo is looking at the opening in the old bridge which we sailed through. The new bridge in the background is much wider. The actual park is 524 acres and offers camping, sandy beaches, and great snorkeling. We spent the afternoon with Lorrie and Gordon walking the trails. Ranger liked it too.

Book Club and lunch

Yes, there is book club in Marathon! We just read PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by G. Brooks and the library hosted the discussion group of about 25. Next month we are reading MANHUNT by J. Swanson. A group of us went to the The Island Fish Company for lunch and conversation after book club. In the photo is Mary, Linda, Helene and Deborah. Mary is from Maine and is flying to Spain next week!, Linda is a retired librarian, Helene is an artist, and Deborah is an airline pilot. Needless to say, the conversation was lively and informative!

Wings and beer

Thursday is 25 cent wing night starting at 6:00 so here we are at Hurricanes which is just a short walk from the marina. From the left: Rick & Bonnie from NYS, Kitty, Patty Ann & Hubby, Lorrie & Gordon also from NYS, Mary & Bill, and Walt. What a crew!

Honda generator

I never thought that I'd see the day when our boat had a generator in the cockpit.....I was so certain that the solar panels would supply all the energy that we needed to run the fridge, lights, computer, cell phones, and keep the batteries charged. And the solar panels do work....but when it rains for a day or it's cloudy, we just don't have enough power. So our Honda 2000i arrived Tuesday and she's a doll. Not only do we have plenty of power now (the solar panels still do most of the work) but I can run my vacuum, microwave, and hair dryer. We even have hot water after the Honda has been running. How cool is that?

Burdines for 12

We all rode our dinghies to Burdine's Restaurant for dinner. It's located just past the Boot Key Lift Bridge and offers outside dining under a Tiki Hut, great sunsets, and live music. There were 12 of us sharing two tables, good conversation, and from time to time lamenting the downturn of the stock market this week. The really big concern though was whether or not we would see the "green flash" at sunset. Evidently when the conditions are right there is a bright green flash as the sun disappears over the horizon. Alas, no green flash tonight.... The music and the company were great though.

Bow Swing

We have added a new hammock swing to the bow of our boat which is a great place to read or just look out over the mooring field. If I'm not careful the swing can go right out over the water and back which is pretty darn cool.

Key West Rooster

Roosters seem to be the mascot of the Florida Keys. They are also the symbol of France which is interesting. They strut around Key Largo and Key West flaunting their colorful feathers and their independent natures.