2010 - 4/1 to 4/4 - It started with an idea

I’ll tell you the truth, I actually write these logs for Wayne and me so they may not be of special interest to anyone else who reads them. So many of us forget the good times - it’s true! We tend to remember the heartaches and troubles. Having the logs and pictures keeps me focused and helps me remember all the wonderful people we meet along the way and fabulous places we’ve been.

Another journey for 2010 ? Lots of discussion about where to go? Reasoning for the new engine was to go “down island”, into the Caribbean- but how far? Well, that depends on many things, BUT if we wanted to, we could do that now. In addition, Wayne completed SO many projects and upgraded everything including improvements to the water maker, gauges, new wiring, all new batteries and lots of maintenance we couldn’t make any more excuses not to go.

We’ve been home since mid-December and it’s already March …I’m REALLY ready to get going but the projects continue. The tide chart shows nice high tides during the last week in March-beginning of April. I decree that that’s the deadline! (don’t forget-I am the Admiral) In the meantime, our really good friends, Mickey & Kathryn, from Ft Myers find themselves without employment as the restaurant Mickey managed was taken over. Suddenly, he was one of the millions of unemployed. Fortunately, he got a very substantial severance package and I got an idea - something I’ve thought about since we met them in 2004. CRUISE WITH US. I planted the seed…go with us on a shake-down cruise to the Dry Tortugas for a few weeks; lots of R&R, tons of fishing, snorkeling, good food and, of course, HAPPY HOURS. I let it settle in his brain to fester. Next thing I know, he’s done his research on fishing this time of the year, purchased fishing books, gathered his gear and ready to go. Alrighty then….

Mick and Kate arrived on March 31st with their gear; there’s a flurry of activity; everyone is making a list; Wayne continues with his projects; the boat is in total disarray; Winnie & Mickey go food shopping and get fishing necessities; does everyone have a fishing license?; stuff is going into and out of the boat…we get 300gal of fuel and, as per Harry Chapin’s song: Mickey’s got…”30,000lbs of Bananas” we have enough food & drinks to last several months…

          * * * OK - we think we’re ready * * *

Thursday April 1st; The big day comes – the day of the high tide. Will it be an April Fool’s joke? We’re all psyched to leave. We wait and watch the tide coming up ever SO slowly but the joke’s on us! The tide never got as high as the charts say it should – it’s like 6-7” less than it needs to be for us to get out the channel. OMG! what now? Wayne said – ‘let’s do it”. Kathryn and I took the dinghy out ahead of them…soon they follow…Kathryn and I are praying, crossing fingers that they make it without going aground in the narrow, rocky channel…Captain Wayne does it again – another successful launch!

Thursday, April 1st Mickey took over my duty of securing the mooring lines to the boat – a yucky job at that! (why do you think we invite friends along? & he cooks too !) We can’t clean the salon or the forward cabin because there’s still work to do on the water maker and we’re waiting for parts to arrive. Every conceivable tool and tool box, nuts, screws, hoses are scattered everywhere. But Wayne is now putting away unnecessary tools - things are looking up. Good news, the parts arrived! Mickey makes us another outstanding steak, baked potato, Caesar salad for dinner. They stay in the cottage and we spend our 1st night away from the sea wall – Ahhhh. Heavenly night; stars were bright and a full moon shown down upon us – not a ripple in the water who could want more than this?

Friday, April 2nd; Wayne spent another full day working non-stop on the water maker; After 3-4 trips to Ace Hardware-by 6pm he shut things down and announced, “we cruise tomorrow”. **YIPEE**!
Back to the cottage for Pizza. I still can’t get the satellite TV to work on the boat…we’re only a mile from the house and facing the same direction - I don’t get it??!! I am not a happy camper because Monday night is Dancing with the Stars and Tuesday is American Idol!!!
Saturday, April 3rd; As Mel Fisher said; “Today’s the Day”. By 11am we put away ½ of our Home Depot inventory and secured everything in their rightful-hidden places on the boat; Wayne picked up Mick & Kate; put the dinghy on board and at 11:45 we drop the mooring lines and we were off. Officially, the adventure begins. Gorgeous day but the winds persisted at 12 knots from
                                       The world as seen by Mickey

the E-NE. Not a good thing because the seas on the outside of the reef will be 4-5 footers. We opted to stay inside the reef which was almost as bad and we deployed the ‘flopper-stoppers’ – thankfully, the rocking stopped but it still didn’t help Mick and I to get fresh fish for dinner – we got skunked – not ONE fish. We didn’t take anything out of the freezer because we were SO sure we’d have fresh fish for dinner. This is when you resort to those processed canned dinners. We skipped Key West and went straight to Boca Grande. This is Kate blowing the conch horn for the Sunset celebration and their first-ever “sleep over” on BLUE MAX. Kate & I played 2 hands of Gin then at 8:45pm everyone (except me) wanted to go to bed! Nothing to do, no one to talk to, I, too, gave in at 9pm. I was wide awake at 0400!! What was I thinking??

Sunday, April 4th The Easter Bunny does NOT live on this Island!! But he would if he was smart – it’s beautiful and peaceful…except for this holiday weekend. The beach was lined with boats and happy people grilling, drinking, fishing, and sunning. Mickey and I fished off the back of the boat (notice I didn’t say ‘catching’) but eventually we did catch some tiny fish including a nice grouper. It was such a nice morning until the snapper Mick was de-hooking squiggled out of his hands and onto the deck where Scupper was waiting. The fish went one way with Mickey and Scupper right behind it. With all the commotion the hook de-hooked itself from the fish and went right thru Scupper’s upper lip !! OMG! Sorry I have no pictures of this fiasco, because all hands were holding down the devil-dog…In 40+ years I never had a problem performing procedures on my patients, but now I’m the one who has to push the hook thru my ‘baby’s’ lip…it was awfully difficult and I had to use the needle nose to help push it all the way thru. Once thru, we cut the end off with a side cutter – blood was dripping everywhere – we were all talking at once with ideas of how to treat the wound on the “poor baby” – but no one was watching the ‘patient’. We all turned at once to see her chasing the fish around the deck again! Could she really be that dumb ??
After all the excitement of the morning we treated ourselves to brunch - eggs Benedict and Mimosas. Yummy…then off to the beach – cast nets, buckets, fishing poles and Scupper in tow – Molly watched the boat. It was chilly on the boat with steady winds at 15-20k, but on the beach, out of the wind, it was downright hot, but very welcomed.
Skunked again!!- not one bait-fish to be found. I needed a break so Kate, Scupper and I wandered the beach but we were really searching for a cigarette…OH…I forgot to tell you – Kate and I decided since we’d be in the middle of nowhere, wouldn’t it be a great time to quit smoking ????????
WHAT THE HELL WERE WE THINKING ????????????

Wayne and Mickey made a bet that we “girls” would smuggle cigarettes on board – yea – right and we would smoke them where? - on the boat ?? However, being with us 24/7 without smoking, they both said, “I knew we should have brought cigarettes for them in case of emergency- like now”. We saw 3 guys on their boat (they were smoking, drinking beer and alone All Key West Taxi drivers - Nice guys) We kinda used Scupper to strike up a conversation. (OK, not cool but men do it all the time!) In no time, we were smoking, drinking beer and happy once again.
                                                                           Veggin Out