Islamorada

We are anchored off Islamorada. Yesterday we enjoyed shopping at Worldwide Sportsman a huge Bass Pro outlet and fishing tackle shop. There is a sister ship to Hemingway's Pilar, a sportfisherman, inside the store. You can see me checking my email inside the boat.

We are waiting for a rising tide to transit the shallowest part of the inside passage to Miami.

Lignumvitae Key Again

Yesterday was very nice! We had a relaxing breakfast enjoying the beautiful Keys scenery. Then we took our dinghy into the state park. Your first view as you step off the dock is the Matheson Home which is now a museum of artifacts from early days on the island. As I mentioned yesterday the key is now a Florida State Botanical Garden. We were planning on taking a guided tour but were disappointed to learn that the tours only happen when a private ferry runs over from Islamorada and now they only run Fri, Sat, Sunday. The photos are of the grounds of the Matheson Home and a Lignumvitae Tree.

We returned to our boat and enjoyed a very nice afternoon swimming off the boat and reading.

Lignum Vitae Key

After over two months in Marathon, we finally slipped our mooring and headed East on the inside route - Florida Bay toward Miami and eventually the Abacos.

Marathon is truly a special place for cruisers. Not because the town itself is anything special -it's an unattractive wide spot along US #1. It is the community of Cruisers that make it such a great place to spend the winter. We've spent two winters in Marathon and have met and socialized with many terrific people each time. There is lots to do. We enjoyed the yoga sessions, tennis, bocci, balderdash, and bike rides. Carol is learning to make pine needle baskets and the basket crew took her out for lunch on her birthday. So it was with not a little sadness that we left yesterday.

We are now at Lignumvitae Key on a State Park mooring ball. What a difference! First of all it is DARK at night and Quiet! No dinghies going by, dogs barking, or generators running. The water is crystal clear and we swim from our boat. Also we see the sunset over the water which is always a great view. We will take a tour of the Lignumvitae Botanical State Park this morning and spend a relaxing afternoon reading and swimming on board. Tomorrow we head off to an anchorage off Islamorada.

The Obers Visit

Carol and I enjoyed a nice visit with Neil and Mary Ann Ober on Friday. The Obers are neighbors in NC and Neil and I have some shared history with Eastman Kodak. They were in Marathon for a week in their RV. The day after our visit Neil went up on a biplane and took a few great pictures. The aerial shot of the harbor shows our boat. We are in the fourth row the third boat from the left.

My outboard problems seem to be finally solved. As with some car problems we've had recently, I learned that you have to be able to fix it yourself. The "professionals" just can't cut it! I bought a manual on-line and had to import parts from Key West. I've counted about twenty motors just like mine here ( and a hundred or so other Yamahas) . You would think with that population there would be good parts and service nearby. Go figure!

Bahia Honda

Yesterday afternoon we sailed (motored) down to Bahia Honda on the bay side. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner and watched a video on Carpe Diem with Bob and Sandra. Unfortunately we found the anchorage, unprotected from the east, a little uncomfortable during the night even though the northeast winds were not that strong.

So this morning we took our dinghy downwind to the park and met up with Wayne and Nichole Freeman from our sailing club in North Carolina. They have a beautiful campsite right on the ocean front beach. Thinking of another potential bouncy night and a wet dinghy ride back to the boat for Carol, we formulated a new plan. Carol stayed the day with Nichole, and Wayne and I went sailing! Once we got back into Ocean we had a terrific sail out toward the reef and back returning home to Boot Key Harbor. Then we went out to dinner at Keys Fisheries for their great Lobster Reuben Sandwich.

Dead Dinghy Motor

I hate outboard motors with a passion. I would prefer a good rowing dinghy and a quality pair of oars since all outboard motor are temperamental and unreliable. However if I am going cruising with my mate, a stable inflatable dinghy and powerful outboard are requirements! So three years ago I bought a brand new 8 HP Yamaha two cycle outboard for our new rigid inflatable. This outboard has a great reputation for reliability, but all outboards turn ornery after a while.

So ours has refused to start at the most inconvenient times for the last week or so. I have cleaned the carburetor about 4 times and changed the spark plugs twice to no avail. Finally I called on a professional who immediately told me I simply needed a new fuel pump. Tomorrow we'll see!

In the Photo I am being towed back to the boat by our neighbors David and Jill. All our neighbors have been terrific during this trying period.

BALDERDASH

What do you do when spending weeks in one spot? The short answer is socialize with your fellow cruisers. Dick and Libby Mills have been keeping cruisers up and down the East Coast entertained with a game called Balderdash. The mechanics are easy to learn, but it is quite hard to win. The game comes with a box of cards containing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of obscure English language words. Each player takes a stab at the definition of a selected word and all players vote on the collected definitions which includes the real one. You win by making up believable definitions people vote for, or guessing the correct one. A lot of fun and a great way to meet new people.

Here we are in the Tiki Hut and Jan is reading the definitions, some of which are hilarious.