tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87151122274853870622024-02-18T23:52:50.415-08:00Well, Why Not?This is our adventure – a journey out of our comfort zone. We are writing about it for our family, friends, and skeptics who may or may not “get” it but still want to know where we are and what we are up to. We don't actually "get" it either, so join us on our learning curve and enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly vicariously.sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-85209753394866858252020-03-22T12:51:00.004-07:002020-03-22T13:07:07.172-07:00Decision Making in the Unknown World of Covid-19<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>18 March 2020</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Self quarantined. Check. Social Distancing. Check. Plenty of provisions. Check. Warm, sunny, breezy weather. Check. Virtually private anchorages. Check. Why did we struggle so hard with the decision to head home? </b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>View from our anchorage at Charlotte harbor</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Here is the dilemma. So many changes from day to day. Marinas and fuel docks are closing. Will our boatyard be considered "non-essential" and therefore have to close down leaving us stranded in Charlotte Harbor? And if so, will there be any boatyards and marinas available to new boaters? Will interstate travel be limited and gas supplies low? We just decided we would rather deal with the unknowns and the challenges that we think are facts now</b><b style="font-family: inherit;"> and deal with all the inevitable reiterations from home. We are still controlled by tides, water depths and winds but as soon as they came together, we made it back to the dock at Safe Cove Boatyard.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">It has been a very short season on the water, but we had one of the best sailing days we have had since owning Well, Why Not? and it was glorious: 7.2 knots with 12-18 knots of wind. </span></b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnRDZ28LYm25_2Nn6RgIP5LhAoy3GfmcDxVjKVZxg2dtQirJ1gVpTxWVlYbE89MrBxOQXnjDFF78v6GPcELcxorHtMtPc76j-UBWy0korMmoBMJr4LrxohI_cOZ3gf1pbTdPLCbmo24-D/s1600/2020+blog+trying+to+get+a+sailing+pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnRDZ28LYm25_2Nn6RgIP5LhAoy3GfmcDxVjKVZxg2dtQirJ1gVpTxWVlYbE89MrBxOQXnjDFF78v6GPcELcxorHtMtPc76j-UBWy0korMmoBMJr4LrxohI_cOZ3gf1pbTdPLCbmo24-D/s320/2020+blog+trying+to+get+a+sailing+pic.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Trying to get a good sailing picture...we need a drone!</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This was the best I could do.</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our view after transiting the "infamous" lock for the last time this season</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>We have a few days to unpack the boat and pack up the car. And with that I am signing off until next season.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-5934735842939890892020-03-15T06:43:00.002-07:002020-03-15T06:43:23.536-07:00Apparently enough is NOT enough!<span style="font-size: large;"><b>14 March 2020</b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">The "head" saga continued what seemed like forever! Details are really not pleasant so I won't regale you with them other than to say that in desperation, Jim finally cut the blocked hose and pulled it out in pieces. We bought a new hose which went in so easily Jim wondered why he had waited so long to cut the old one out. When all was hooked back up again, he tried pumping the toilet to flush it and first it squealed and then water spurted out from the base!! What next? Turns out there was a crack in the pump assembly. After some pondering we headed off to West Marine and bought a whole new toilet with pump assembly. The good news was that it made a thorough cleaning of the whole bathroom easy once the old toilet was removed. The new one was installed with minimum fuss and maximum fanfare!! A few pumps and it seemed to work well, but not easily. We should have taken note because we are now out on the water and it really is not yet working quite right.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim finishing up the plumbing </b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Last year when prepping the boat for hurricane season, we removed both the genoa and the mainsail. (Both are roller furling - the genoa curled around a furling line and the mainsail curled up inside the mast) We had a horrible time, neither sail would budge so called the rigger for advice. He was baffled by the mainsail's inability to drop down when the halyard was released. Finally with due apologies to our intelligence, he asked if we were really releasing the main halyard. Well, that is how it was labeled, but in an act of desperation we untied the genoa halyard and the mainsail dropped down. So much for labeling!! We had the sails inspected, cleaned and restitched as needed over the summer and this year the rigger came to put the sails back on. It is not a job for the faint at heart and the winds were blowing 20 knots which did not help matters. After installing the sails he scampered up to the top of the mast to make an adjustment to the furling mechanism to preclude it locking up, which it has done in the past.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8g71uQD5PBerdll_lBRaI_Og1rSrM37yM99cgxsGVA8EVcKAT51YISw1wQDJYy-fAiKz3YupunUmz4IrMLyqScChpWTkjF_e_7WCPRTV2RLb9O2I2Mx72z368r-h-H4wmkwAMdlVmvHX9/s1600/2020+blog+Anthony+on+top+of+mast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8g71uQD5PBerdll_lBRaI_Og1rSrM37yM99cgxsGVA8EVcKAT51YISw1wQDJYy-fAiKz3YupunUmz4IrMLyqScChpWTkjF_e_7WCPRTV2RLb9O2I2Mx72z368r-h-H4wmkwAMdlVmvHX9/s320/2020+blog+Anthony+on+top+of+mast.JPG" width="240" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Anthony, our rigger at the top of the mast</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Pre departure rug scrubbing</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thursday afternoon Mar 12th we left the dock, made it through the hand operated lock and anchored near Hog Island in the northern part of Charlotte Harbor about 6:30pm!! So nice to be "on the hook" enjoying the gentle motion of the boat.</b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Well, Why Not? heading down the canal</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our first sunset off Hog Island</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We have a new anchor buoy this year: vinegar bottle meets Margaret's artistic urges!</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdQ1gYQolvUnxWYl_pebxk9Bf24vrceGTRbL2XfklYShhSLXh9aTUEg7vwwAItRnOLNoN8xfZDZ8pd_9kxRLUx_Kk9v7O983yNWI9kH3_KHHuwWq-gwfAY5QN4btFMaeLa1KYMw82Tjr8/s1600/2020+blog+anchor+bouy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRdQ1gYQolvUnxWYl_pebxk9Bf24vrceGTRbL2XfklYShhSLXh9aTUEg7vwwAItRnOLNoN8xfZDZ8pd_9kxRLUx_Kk9v7O983yNWI9kH3_KHHuwWq-gwfAY5QN4btFMaeLa1KYMw82Tjr8/s320/2020+blog+anchor+bouy.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our new anchor buoy</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">We have a two level copper basket in the galley. We keep vegetables and fruit in it. There is only one problem - it swings back and forth with every movement of the boat. It is especially noticible when we are at anchor and sitting in the cabin. I cannot look at it or even catch a glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye without getting slightly sea sick! So it was either get rid of it, or stop the swinging! A couple of cable ties holding it to the window latches has done the trick!!</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hanging baskets, needed for extra storage</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise at Hog Island</b></td></tr>
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-22961632022207522082020-03-08T12:18:00.001-07:002020-03-08T12:18:08.719-07:00Enough is Enough!<span style="font-size: large;"><b>08 March 2020</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The windlass has been an adventure - It took a lot of man hours to dig it out of the deck, but the actual installation of the new one went fairly smoothly until we ran the anchor out (on land) and discovered that the link connecting the 100 feet of anchor chain to the 200 feet of rope was too big to fit through the mechanism!! </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Jim Getting Ready to Lower the Anchor on Land</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Apparently we should have anticipated this, but after doing some research we found that it was a common problem and the solution was to splice the rope onto the chain rather than use a shackle. I figured this was something I could do and thanks to youtube, Jim's ingenuity of hooking up a work station for me inside, and two tries I was able to get it done!! It turned out to be quite fun.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b>Work Station for Splicing</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SPgeMHBD4NdQU-jDSkXXE5SqpA-A2lks26KuhxFtpSpSvG1Vv56nS9-VNv8gqxGs7otXO6xEfIZ_fdBjWxNBdBinsBoxUj_IrKMUQuRiBmx69gW0oi_MdbEnee8iBdVwd_F7Cg3fLuGG/s1600/2020+blog+Marg+showing+off+splice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1SPgeMHBD4NdQU-jDSkXXE5SqpA-A2lks26KuhxFtpSpSvG1Vv56nS9-VNv8gqxGs7otXO6xEfIZ_fdBjWxNBdBinsBoxUj_IrKMUQuRiBmx69gW0oi_MdbEnee8iBdVwd_F7Cg3fLuGG/s320/2020+blog+Marg+showing+off+splice.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Almost Done</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Finished Splice</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The first time we tried to pull it through the windlass, it was a bit stiff, but after a few times it worked perfectly. Jim wanted the option to operate the windlass manually (in case we had some sort of power failure) and that required buying another part which was rather irritating, but we did it and now have that option.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>About a week and a half ago, we made the 100 yard move into the water and are still tied up at the dock. It's not a bad spot to be if you can't be out sailing. This is where we have things checked out that need water to operate: engine, generator, air conditioning and heating. We hire mechanics to do this. And this year, it was a good thing. Our generator had a pin hole in the exhaust mixing elbow which we would probably never have spotted. We rarely use the generator, but when we do, it is for heating or airconditioning and we tend to have the boat closed up. Not to put too fine a word on it, an exhaust leak into the cabin seemed like a very bad idea!! Part ordered, departure delayed, part received, generator fixed.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim Learning from the Diesel Mechanic</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The engine passed all tests with flying colors!! So did the air conditioning and heating. (And there were a few nights where it got down to 40 degrees and we were very glad to have heat!) </b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">This week we were so frustrated with the plugged up head, that we decided we needed a break. We took a day to drive to Port St. Lucie on the east coast to visit a friend from my days at Pan Am. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cattle Egret who Jumped on our Hood and Enjoyed a Short Ride</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">We figured it had been over 40 plus years since we had seen each other. It was an absolute delight to get caught up and I think we could have kept talking for days!! Because in his work with IBM Jim had worked at the Pan Am office he was vaguely familiar with some of the people we were talking about and only occasionally rolled his eyes. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Reminiscing with Anne about the Good Old Days</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">We are hoping to take off early next week and have been making lists again - things to do before we can cut the apron strings. We are almost beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel and the water at the end of the lock!</span></b>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-15023005537359923312020-03-05T08:03:00.000-08:002020-03-05T08:03:07.969-08:00The Dirty Side of Boating<span style="font-size: large;"><b>05 March 2020</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the places that is most distasteful to me is the bilge. This is an area underneath the flooring that forms a gutter from t</span><span style="font-size: large;">he front to the back, where stray water collects, (where Jim loses his glasses), where anything leaking can find a place to hang out (gas, oil, transmission fluid, though hopefully not very much or there are some other significant problems) We have four access doors to check all areas of the bilge. The center of the boat, ie the deepest part of the bilge, is where most things collect. It is there that we have two bilge pumps and were we to spring a leak, they would get a good workout pumping the water out. It tends to be grimy, slimy, oily, and ugly. This year I decided I would clean it out and paint it which would improve it mightily. I confess that I could barely look at it, but Jim volunteered to clean out most of the gunk and liquid. The rest I managed to deal with and proceeded to put on two coats of bilge paint. I wish I had taken a "before" picture, but I didn't so you cannot possibly appreciate just how wonderful it looks now!!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cleaned and Painted Bilge</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">There is a dirty word in the sailing world. A nautical four letter word if you will. "Schedule" Schedules might work on land where one has a little more control, but when sailing, we are dependent on weather, winds, waves, tides and the smooth functioning of the boat. It has never been too much of an issue with us as we have pretty much done just coastal cruising. We have had only a few visitors and coordinating their schedule with ours has not been difficult. This year is a little different. We have a deadline for getting back to Minnesota, (deadline is almost as bad a word as schedule) and we had planned to go to the Bahamas. As the project list has expanded, our departure from the boatyard has been pushed later and later. Given that we have already misssed one weather window for leaving the boatyard, (tides and winds are cruicial) and are just about to miss another and the fact that we still have a lot to finish up and given the uncertainty of waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream on the way to the Bahamas and back again, our length of time to spend in the Islands is dimishing. We have done quite a bit of preparation already for this trip, so it is a little discouraging to think that we might not be able to go. No decision yet, but it is looking grim. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Another "dirty" aspect of sailing is he head (toilet) although quite necessary. We actually have two onboard, a manual one forward and an electric one aft which is part of an onboard sanitation system. For awhile, neither one was working right. The aft one which just had a fresh water leak has been fixed, but the manual one is blocked up. We have a somewhat complicated system of hoses which provide a variety of options for where the waste goes: into a holding tank, directly overboard, to the holding tank and then through a macerator then overboard, to the holding tank then to the pumpout boat (or station). No toilet paper goes into the toilet, but apparently urine and saltwater (which is used to flush) create calcium which then builds up inside the hose - think plaque in the arteries! So eventually the hose gets smaller and smaller and eventually closes up..and voila a plugged up toilet hose. Because of the complicated running of the hoses and "Y" valves, there are many possible spots for blockages and no straight runs for a snake. So Jim has been working for a number of days on it, in fits and spurts with no real success. In the meantime the whole boat is strewn with a variety of tools, as well as things that had to be removed from the bathroom to make space to work. Jim is nothing if not tenacious and methodical, and in the end he will prevail, but this is really getting tiresome. (I am not unaware that it is worse for him!!) But, w</b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">hen I asked if he was having fun yet, he said "sure". </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">So there you have it. We feel lucky to be where we are, doing what we are doing, enjoying warm weather and the boating lifestyle. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-53922101083422446692020-03-01T12:04:00.001-08:002020-03-01T12:04:28.458-08:00More Electrical Gremlins <span style="font-size: large;">01 March</span><span style="font-size: large;"> 2020</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last season we were dealing with a freezer and refrigerator that would not play nicely with each other. If one was running and the other one kicked on, either the first one quit running or the second one kept trying to cycle on but never succeeded. So we learned to turn one off when we wanted the other one to run and switched them often enough to keep the refrigerator at an appropriate temperature and the freezer cold, but not quite cold enough. It gave us time however to eat the foods from the freezer and effectively we had two refrigerators. Same problem this season.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It took the electrician about two minutes to provide a diagnosis and about a week for us to fix it. We have two condensers, one for the fridge and one for the refrigerator. Each one has its own wire coming from the battery, but there was only one wire shared between them to complete the circuit back to the battery. He suggested that Jim add a second wire so they no longer would have to share. Anyone who has tried to rewire anything inside a boat knows that it is no mean task. Jim worked off and on during the next week to run a new wire. He would work until he got too frustrated, then take a break only to try again later. The wire had to go from the condenser to the hull of the boat under the sink, behind a lazarette, then behind a kind of wall lining in the shelving, into the aft head and then take a 90 degree turn downward behind the wall of the bathtub (!) to meet up with the battery. By pulling the wire beyond the downward path and then pushing it back, he created a loop of wire which by sliding into a</span><span style="font-size: large;"> "crawl" space behind the wall of the bathtub on his back, he could reach up and pull down. From there he could relatively easily attach it to the battery. So, we now have a freezer that freezes and a refrigerator that refrigerates. And they do it at the same time! What more could one ask for??</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Jim doing battle with a wiring challenge</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">During this time, we had the chance to take two social breaks. Square Dancing friends, Jerry and Patti made the trip from southeast Florida to southwest Florida to visit with us and see how we spend our winters. We were very flattered that they were willing to do the extra driving!! We showed them the boat (takes about two minutes), walked in a local park, ate dinner one night at a Turkish restaurant and one night at a new waterfront seafood restaurant. There we were treated to drumming on the beach and the traditional blowing of the conch shell at sunset before dinner overlooking the Gulf. We played 500 back at the boat.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Patti and Jerry at Well, Why Not?</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2ToDl4jMelZRNcV9uTTqdljadWws0mNPoB66JU8QAvPhL8IsBFGYD4YBDWbepFXVz7RcRpVYBddzjz3qhwQiUxdR6pHrLYq6xeDOtomoOTFuZH7MPUSyeSiditB3eesqKVM6OPTpZK9N/s1600/2020+blog+patti+and+jerry+at+park.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2ToDl4jMelZRNcV9uTTqdljadWws0mNPoB66JU8QAvPhL8IsBFGYD4YBDWbepFXVz7RcRpVYBddzjz3qhwQiUxdR6pHrLYq6xeDOtomoOTFuZH7MPUSyeSiditB3eesqKVM6OPTpZK9N/s320/2020+blog+patti+and+jerry+at+park.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Patti and Jerry at Pennington Park</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In a richness of blessings we were also able to connect with neighbors Sandy and Bill who had finished a birding trip throughout southern Florida and still wanted to go through the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. It is ever so much more fun "birding" (we are pretty much just walking) when you do it with someone who knows what they are hearing and seeing and shares their spotting scope so that we, too, could see things!! Afterwards we found a small Mexican cafe that was actually more of a grocery store where we had a good supper and I bought 1 1/2 dozen homemade tortillas. It would almost be worth the 2 hour drive down to Ft. Myers to buy some more...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuBsvVpdNn_WtixrOy-X9SGGsVBe3b_3tLCp_VN9XSGeE-F_W1jS5JikSPOReSxILAZUHBm_wkvgMZq3b9RqbdvAzfPMXzE95QWZWqj6iQsG6ON22Ph84T_7zXbCCZom9yttwBLYtu7Xq/s1600/2020+blog+corkscrew+swamp+santuary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzuBsvVpdNn_WtixrOy-X9SGGsVBe3b_3tLCp_VN9XSGeE-F_W1jS5JikSPOReSxILAZUHBm_wkvgMZq3b9RqbdvAzfPMXzE95QWZWqj6iQsG6ON22Ph84T_7zXbCCZom9yttwBLYtu7Xq/s320/2020+blog+corkscrew+swamp+santuary.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAcikPVlLbkrVemoRgrA6YJr4xi-iyDb_yE3Yffvr3GAykzQakgZlUHjg37A35aET3iPj9PKCOByK1edw2XGh87fLFEi5LIKRBiMPnP8eaFrOhdU3LQ6Bjr1aJbaGt-8AlqLUQVV6OCF4/s1600/2020+bog+sandy+and+bill+at+corkscrew+swamp+santuary.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAcikPVlLbkrVemoRgrA6YJr4xi-iyDb_yE3Yffvr3GAykzQakgZlUHjg37A35aET3iPj9PKCOByK1edw2XGh87fLFEi5LIKRBiMPnP8eaFrOhdU3LQ6Bjr1aJbaGt-8AlqLUQVV6OCF4/s320/2020+bog+sandy+and+bill+at+corkscrew+swamp+santuary.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Binoculars, Cameras, Huge lenses and Spotting Scope <br />and Bill and Sandy as guides!</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So after our socializing, it was back to work!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our second not-on-the-project-list "crisis" was finding our bimini spotted with mildew and mold. The bimini is the "roof" over the cockpit. Windows and screens zip and snap onto it to provide a protective area in cold and wet weather as well as protection from sun. We stored the windows and screens but left the top on over the summer. With so much airflow, it never occurred to us that mold or mildew could develop....wrong! It took me two days to get it 90 percent clean. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The last 10 percent can wait...</span><br />
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-14598633198984411682020-02-28T17:31:00.000-08:002020-02-28T17:31:04.285-08:00Back at the Boat - The Inevitable Project List(s)<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">February 28, 2020</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Every boater that we know has a project list, ranging from scraps of paper to formal computer files. Our list always starts in our heads and after we get totally frustrated going in mental circles, we finally grab a piece of paper and write things down. The result is that we have lots of lists that rarely end up in the same place! This year, we started working on it while still at home with intentions of being better organized: things to do while on the hard, things to do while on the water at the dock, things to do whenever. Some things were simple, some required sub categories, some required professional help. We were organized and ready to hit the road running...we thought. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgcq2kHl0bCL_ktFQyFg4RMg9D1Mzn-Hghf7OpteIQIhTdd-zRyshmtHLv6EiqxaE7ftByehKl4yDbfKzPc1IXeaPT9nealpTbfuy50y22kpsXoScsAuPOIsQNPqheqaemwUQLpk8xj4l/s1600/2020+blog+project+lists.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgcq2kHl0bCL_ktFQyFg4RMg9D1Mzn-Hghf7OpteIQIhTdd-zRyshmtHLv6EiqxaE7ftByehKl4yDbfKzPc1IXeaPT9nealpTbfuy50y22kpsXoScsAuPOIsQNPqheqaemwUQLpk8xj4l/s320/2020+blog+project+lists.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Our Projects Lists</b></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Arriving at the boat we were greeted by our first unanticipated and not-on-the-list "crisis". The stove was not working. No stove, no coffee. No coffee, no work. The Project List was rendered temporariily irrelevant.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Turned out the solenoid for the propane was dead. Ten minutes to diagnose the problem, and two days of calls and driving all over to find the right sized replacement and install it. Ready for that cup of coffee...we thought. Nope. Our coffee pot is a percolator with a little glass top and just when needed the most, it broke while making that first pot. Slivers of glass in our coffee? No thanks. After a day of calls, visits to a variety of stores, and strange looks from sales clerks who did not know what I was talking about I accepted that Mister Coffee and Keuric rule!! Two days later we had two replacement glass tops thanks to Amazon. Things were looking up.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wpgKLYCca9CxlGR5CRdyaO1pCgGBWwu5zvXZJHhiV2OjIrA6IVuERzmIqjfCaRBURfhhO62qBt_dfSb7uAZ3kVWfXtkNvcDnfOqwGsb8qXYsN8MOuCICl-11mXgexlNgN_QnGYVleFSn/s1600/2020+blog+glass+tops+for+percolator.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wpgKLYCca9CxlGR5CRdyaO1pCgGBWwu5zvXZJHhiV2OjIrA6IVuERzmIqjfCaRBURfhhO62qBt_dfSb7uAZ3kVWfXtkNvcDnfOqwGsb8qXYsN8MOuCICl-11mXgexlNgN_QnGYVleFSn/s320/2020+blog+glass+tops+for+percolator.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Retro Percolator Tops</b></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the end of our sailing season in April, 2019, we knew that we had some electrical "gremlins" </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">which had manifested themselves in the windlass, the freezer, the refrigerator, the SSB and the autopilot. Our priority was to identify and elimate them. With so many things at play it seemed prudent to hire an electrician. So we did...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Turned out that the the windlass motor was dead. Since it is the piece of equipment that we use to lower and raise the anchor it seemed prudent to get it fixed. Unfortunately it was probably original to the boat, ie 30 years old, was no longer being made and was not worth rebuilding. Off to West Marine to order a new one. More on that later...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the meantime, Jim replaced the faucet in the galley. The old one was so low that I could barely rinse dishes under it. The new one is high, arching and is a vast improvement. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mWWYazWdgeRmop0dbsIBiH6UIC3RBAcvFkIg9XzJt0ZHDTkdqL6frghE2Au7sEFWQpqgYa9E5LPAvN2ZCEF8NKgxQNdCLxU4seWTETWXcL-8xz-qQjPjrqxLA2y5b7iUL7iQtDErqH78/s1600/2020+blog+Jim+working+on+faucet+in+galley.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mWWYazWdgeRmop0dbsIBiH6UIC3RBAcvFkIg9XzJt0ZHDTkdqL6frghE2Au7sEFWQpqgYa9E5LPAvN2ZCEF8NKgxQNdCLxU4seWTETWXcL-8xz-qQjPjrqxLA2y5b7iUL7iQtDErqH78/s320/2020+blog+Jim+working+on+faucet+in+galley.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Working on Plumbing Under the Sink</i></b> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">About six feet of the rub rail on our dinghy had come loose over the summer. It was a quick fix for which the time consuming part was finding the right kind of two part epoxy specifically for a hypalon dinghy. Given the various bags of different types of glue we have onboard, it would seem like we should have had some, but as often happens, we didn't and had to go out and buy something else!! Holding it in place for 24 hours took some ingenuity.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tPoJfelBiz-KsGmQHIxQ4rohhs3ssZS4QAb5l0p_3qCU-Qj9ytt4bS-v1_r7h2Md6auX_M1SgIco-Q8dSPy2WLDE6ZefRqSDZdk_pUJxarpeUtmQmQihFYLXssNaH9MttGOMz8rpp-tY/s1600/2020+blog+dinghy+w+rub+rail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tPoJfelBiz-KsGmQHIxQ4rohhs3ssZS4QAb5l0p_3qCU-Qj9ytt4bS-v1_r7h2Md6auX_M1SgIco-Q8dSPy2WLDE6ZefRqSDZdk_pUJxarpeUtmQmQihFYLXssNaH9MttGOMz8rpp-tY/s320/2020+blog+dinghy+w+rub+rail.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>The Rubrail Repair - a tight rope around the whole dinghy</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These projects are just the tip of the project iceberg, but once in a while we have to take a break. On one of our afternoon walks along the dock, we were greeted by "Oliver" (aka "Albert" or "Edgar") He has grown since last year, but seems perfectly content to snuggle into the weeds between the dock and the shore. Although he appears benign it is alarming how his eyes follow you as you walk along. I would not choose to interact with him, but he is our reminder that we are back at the boatyard</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Beware!</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrjXheGhGvFVQNvavvE-ACt6NADoU0JVwfGSaWrqEuyfdZCJ6x3BJYgGvxvbKmTLZI_WHDGkqBjS5rZA2o_MYFFjOPIYEypbsLqkfxU0P6Z9bX_N6fVFz1WUuEZy-DrPdfJinpV-iHdSe/s1600/2020+blog+Oliver.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKrjXheGhGvFVQNvavvE-ACt6NADoU0JVwfGSaWrqEuyfdZCJ6x3BJYgGvxvbKmTLZI_WHDGkqBjS5rZA2o_MYFFjOPIYEypbsLqkfxU0P6Z9bX_N6fVFz1WUuEZy-DrPdfJinpV-iHdSe/s320/2020+blog+Oliver.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>And there is Oliver!</i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-24375166605312706352019-03-22T12:13:00.000-07:002019-03-22T12:13:30.492-07:00Time Flies<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">March 22, 2019</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Jim and I both enjoy the "Doc Ford" series of books written by Randy Wayne White. Probably the main reason is that they all take place in the area that we are beginning to become familiar with: The Everglades, Marco Island, Ft. Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, and Cabbage Key. We have mental images of most of the places he describes. In honor of that we decided to walk to Doc Ford's Bar and Grill for lunch. It is about a mile over the famous blue bridge to Ft Myers. En route we had a great view of the Mooring Field and if you zoom in far enough you can see our boat - the farthest one out and just behind a sailboat with a black hull. (Don't bother, I can't see it either!)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mooring field as seen from the Ft. Myers Bridge</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNrYb52L4TUdMp2fxaqw0wUMt-wDhkW8D8JY2ztp2bzdLZ8dXc-qh9qGmWPBGS5Qf3g-OjGyNj9VFfmxDDzbUEhGjwUiwwP-1IZvENKrHHU8d22L2SSsSN6XE1wb7ojrLdZx9JAey5PgZ/s1600/blog+2019+ft.+myers+bridge+from+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNrYb52L4TUdMp2fxaqw0wUMt-wDhkW8D8JY2ztp2bzdLZ8dXc-qh9qGmWPBGS5Qf3g-OjGyNj9VFfmxDDzbUEhGjwUiwwP-1IZvENKrHHU8d22L2SSsSN6XE1wb7ojrLdZx9JAey5PgZ/s320/blog+2019+ft.+myers+bridge+from+boat.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ft. Myers bridge as seen from our boat</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Feeling a need to explore a little, we headed south on the trolley to Lovers Key yesterday. It is a 1,616 acre State Park south of Ft. Myers Beach. It is a perfect spot for canoeing, kayaking and hiking. It is also a great chance to discover just how out of shape we are! However, we did a little hiking, a lot of watching kayakers, had a picnic lunch and then headed back. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A word of caution</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNiKxNMVrBPhuHTxO6OGZMvn3UeQInde8RkZ8JsiZukwI8y0RtfGcciURlj9mqnlLNtk5Bqb61Ft51b0xuMbfHbVsdELJgZoRu__r4ILscPAa0gT9xtyrk__roXsQDIRw9mma_6M0z3na/s1600/blog+2019+lovers+key.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNiKxNMVrBPhuHTxO6OGZMvn3UeQInde8RkZ8JsiZukwI8y0RtfGcciURlj9mqnlLNtk5Bqb61Ft51b0xuMbfHbVsdELJgZoRu__r4ILscPAa0gT9xtyrk__roXsQDIRw9mma_6M0z3na/s320/blog+2019+lovers+key.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical of the kayaking waterways</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">One of the most enjoyable spots was a shallow area that was apparently also a favorite of the manatees. We had a chance to watch a mom and baby as well as two "adolescents" enjoying themselves in the shallows. The mom had a series of white scars on her back from a run in with a propeller. The manatees are hard to see in the water and altho there are numerous signs for boats to be careful, it is likely that powerboats don't even know that they have gone over one. Almost all of them have scars of some sort. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpPTErsB5mqavlTVWJNiscXN1PhcYF_8RxmY1TTYYbTxejSnODdye1FtLQTUKpYNjdl1EKotAj-LmGHZNuMBwAp5t7mYV7HdIu40IqoLRLkkeJWGpI7tlH0zZ9F-NtWv6ifkZf_n9cRyi/s1600/blog+2019+manatees+at+lovers+key.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhpPTErsB5mqavlTVWJNiscXN1PhcYF_8RxmY1TTYYbTxejSnODdye1FtLQTUKpYNjdl1EKotAj-LmGHZNuMBwAp5t7mYV7HdIu40IqoLRLkkeJWGpI7tlH0zZ9F-NtWv6ifkZf_n9cRyi/s320/blog+2019+manatees+at+lovers+key.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The manatee with mulitple white scars is the mom, baby is right by her</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">We knew traffic was tough on Estero Blvd (the only thru road in town) but we had no idea that it would take us three hours (instead of one) to get home. Construction turned much of it into a one lane road. It was a good spirited group on the trolley (a large number were headed to the main section of Ft. Myers Beach for a Pub Crawl and advertized it with their bright matching chartreuse t-shirts). No grumbling, but many of us were tempted to get off and walk - it would have been faster, but it was too far for our endurance level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Arriving back at the dinghy dock, Jim was concerned (and I was terrified). The wind had picked up to 17 mph plus and the floating docks were bouncing to the point that walking was nearly impossible. There were the usual large number of dingys and they, too, were bouncing and looking as if they were trying to fling themselves onto the dock. The current running through a normally quiet area was powerful and the winds were crazy. By sitting on the dock we were able to safely scoot into the dinghy and Jim managed to back out without hitting either other dinghys or any of the concrete posts covered in barnacles. The ride back to the boat involved surfing swells as they rolled in from the Gulf. They lifted us up and then passed on by. As we got closer to our boat, at the back of the mooring field, things calmed down - thank goodness for the protection of distance and other boats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Just in case you may have thought we left Mr. Wiffles behind - We did not, but we haven't been dragging him around with us. He has been here before.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mr. Wiffles taking it easy</b></td></tr>
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<br />sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-67771595094224852232019-03-08T08:14:00.000-08:002019-03-08T08:14:11.392-08:00The Importance of Being MacGyveresque<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">March 8, 2019</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Anyone who decides to go cruising and is neither mechanically inclined nor a wannabe MacGyver, should make sure they have a nice "cruising kitty". Fortunately for us, Jim is a bit of both because the cruising kitty is problematical. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Part of our sailing in Charlotte Harbor was fairly rough. If you have never been aboard a bouncing sailboat, it is hard to imagine the chaos that is created from things that are not tied down. Think "earthquake". Jim in an ever resourceful mode designed a system for keeping the cupboard doors shut where he stores spare parts and other supplies. Somehow he finds picking up large numbers of bolts, nuts and screws less than fun. (Think closing the barn door after the horse has already taken off) Most cupboards have hooks where we can attach a single shock cord, but this one doesn't. So this was his temporary solution - at least I think it is temporary.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A door, a broom, a roll of paper towels and a shockcord!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Heading southward, we anchored for the second time at Cabbage Key. What a difference a day makes! No crowds, and a quiet peaceful anchorage. "Entertainment" was provided by a SeaRay power boat which had apparently cut a corner by the channel and had dug himself into the shallows. TowBoat US spent the whole day putting floats under the boat. (They were walking in ankle deep water!) At high tide, they were three boats strong, two pulling on the grounded boat and a third who tried to get passing boats to make pretty good wakes to help rock it loose. After about an hour or two and after high tide they gave up for the day. We left early the next morning and didn't get to watch the final extraction but passing by a week later the searay was gone!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsX3OhFKxTBfw-Ihk3ZJDZO14ySuEAGpTFzu7g3_fJMdTp7IY9yRFNpuCB7KK3cMSxwSJzV7rdZ7A8iNlduoJXOazMxQBqo9_pIGWycuOUWDAr20No1qO8X4EqOlBn8hPMO265CqUtmdH/s1600/blog+2019+stuck+searay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="640" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsX3OhFKxTBfw-Ihk3ZJDZO14ySuEAGpTFzu7g3_fJMdTp7IY9yRFNpuCB7KK3cMSxwSJzV7rdZ7A8iNlduoJXOazMxQBqo9_pIGWycuOUWDAr20No1qO8X4EqOlBn8hPMO265CqUtmdH/s320/blog+2019+stuck+searay.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Three Boat US Tow boats and Sea/Ray</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">When we arrived at Ft. Myers our plan had been to have our dinghy motor worked on. (this after a complete overhaul at Safe Cove) It idled way too fast which made docking tricky and putting it into gear very jerky. No one in Ft. Myers was available to work on it!! So altho youtube info was not helpful, Jim braved it and after three adjustments we now have a slow idle! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Our freezer and fridge seem to be inhabited by some inconsistent malevolent creature. We have two separate Isotherm systems that are proving to be quite the challenge. They cycle intermittently and when one is on, the other won't go on...sometimes. Temperatures vacilate between below 0 degrees and 38 in the freezer and 8 degrees and 53 in the refrigerator. We discuss strategies ad nauseum, adjust dials, shift food around and rant and rave with no discernible effect. This might be one for the cruising kitty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">As much as we have travelled, we are pretty naive about trolleys and trams. (Ft. Myers has a nice system but on our first try we got on the wrong one and had to start over.)</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Tram</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Trolley</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Yesterday we ventured out and after two trolleys, two buses and two hours we arrived at the Edison Ford Winter Estates and Museum in Fort Myers! The grounds were a veritable buffet of colorful flowers and shrubs, and contained an incredible variety of trees, many imported from all over the world. Unfortunately we left the museum until last and although it was the most interesting (Edison was issued 60 patents in 60 years!) we had to give it short shrift because we were concerned about getting back to our mooring field before dark. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim and Mina Edison</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyDpq0Lf26n97CnpInEVZoGp6j3C6DzlmOhyphenhyphenT6ft_pCFqsOw3sw1JsfZNIhRmTZAt9oOuIMfkZ0_Kw70kKVlsU6_3q19ddt6iA2LkfgxkgT0SRFXLZ-IimW6OdPz1oKmpDRNF9Rs6aCYh/s1600/blog+2019+Marg+and+Mr.+Edison.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyDpq0Lf26n97CnpInEVZoGp6j3C6DzlmOhyphenhyphenT6ft_pCFqsOw3sw1JsfZNIhRmTZAt9oOuIMfkZ0_Kw70kKVlsU6_3q19ddt6iA2LkfgxkgT0SRFXLZ-IimW6OdPz1oKmpDRNF9Rs6aCYh/s320/blog+2019+Marg+and+Mr.+Edison.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Marg and Thomas Edison</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Words of Wisdom: Keep the electric drill away from the dinghy!! Jim has been working on replacing one of the steps on our swim ladder. He was sitting on the dinghy and drilling a hole through the stainless steel rung when the drill slipped off and though it didn't fall, he couldn't prevent it from hitting the inflated tube of the dinghy. It did not create a perfect quarter inch hole - but it might as well have. So with slightly elevated blood pressure and heart rates, we dug out our various repair kits and patched the hole. We still have a slow leak despite several additions to the patch. We carry both a pump and additional repair materials with us when we go out in it. It is a bit nervewracking - I mean this is our "car"!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-8903119526491440142019-02-24T10:54:00.001-08:002019-02-24T10:54:41.434-08:00Hello "Well, Why Not?" We are back again!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>24 February, 2019</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>After one year away from the boat we were pleased to find no mold, no mildew, no cockroaches, a few signs of leaking and no more dust than expected. The deck was really dirty, but not outrageously so. And so began our 2019 sailing season.</b></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Is it our memory? It seemed like we had to get to know our boat all over again. Where is ....? was heard hourly. Where does .... go? likewise. I had to go through the annual review of AC and DC power sources and rules - where was I when this stuff was taught?? </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>We were on the hard for two weeks doing both the routine, (Jim up the mast to exercise the gib furler, washing dock lines, emptying water tanks to refill with fresh water), the unexpected (replacing the "Y" valve in the waste system and repair of the propane system) and a few major repairs (air conditioning, outboard motor, dripless system). </b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The dodger and biminy were re-installed. </b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This list does not include the non-boat related repairs: new windshield for our car and a major fix for my computer which was on a slowdown strike of major proportions. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Well, Why Not? Dockside</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The resident alligator, also dockside</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The most intriguing repair was to the dinghy. It has three inflatable tubes - one on each side and one in the forward section. Two of the three would not hold air. After finding no obvious leaks, we resorted to what seemed like a very improbable "trick". We put a sealant into all three tubes and spent the next four hours flipping the dinghy front to back and side to side every 4 hours. It seemed unlikely to us that every interior surface would be coated and small holes sealed, but we persevered!! We then added more air and have had no leaking since. Who would have predicted success!!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim, flipping the dinghy</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is the year of the frog on the Well, Why Not? calendar. We had seen a few on the boat while on land and didn't think much about it. But one evening when Jim was opening the aft hatch over our bed, a frog fell through! Rather startling. The next morning one was on the galley floor. Three more have arrived on the scene and while we like the idea of their bug eating habits, we are not thrilled to be sharing our home with them. Couldn't figure out how to make them pets, so overboard they went.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>For the first time we had friends join us for a few days on the boat. Dean and Shelley our neighbors in Chatfield were the brave souls. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dean anticipating the lock</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">With extra help onboard the exit through the lock was almost flawless!! </span></b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-large;"> </b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dean swimming after checking the rudder </b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We actually enjoyed a sailing day in Charlotte Harbor - a delightful change from constant motoring. Their last day we ventured to Cabbage Key (one of our favorite anchorages) only to find it like grand central station. Over an hour wait time for that "Jimmy Buffet cheeeburger in Paradise" and boats of all shapes and </span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">sizes going up and down the intracoastal waterway. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Dean and Shelley at Cabbage Key</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We were sad to see them head home, but not at all sad to be avoiding the unbelievable Minnesota winter weather </span></b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">they are returning to!</span></b><br />
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Where to now? Who knows? Stay tuned.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-14810439986282773752018-03-22T06:05:00.001-07:002018-03-22T06:05:24.539-07:00The Journey to Panama III - Land Travel<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>March 23</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Arriving into Panama City was an assault on the eyes, ears, and nose! It is a vibrant, energetic and colorful city - clean, dirty, modern, old, safe and scary. Thanks to a great tip from a fellow cruiser we stayed at Hotel Casa Miller, run by a crazy Greek (his words which became ours) who had more stories and anecdotes to tell than time allowed. The hotel was in an older section of town which we totally enjoyed. We were within walking distance of the famous Fish Market, and Casco Antiguo, an area undergoing significant renovation.</span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fish Market</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgM33MAKsEjsHkv97_O6fsweWzJofHTfu1RKMVbls_KM7mviP6WQ3Vl65k-uBvKpa-CTwiwevpmd2H7EFc6muLaNOQ_BZQ6rnvagGtULb1h4eCZy3XfpINZxXN3N3DDsM8zub6sFv37qH/s1600/blog+panama+2018+fish+market+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgM33MAKsEjsHkv97_O6fsweWzJofHTfu1RKMVbls_KM7mviP6WQ3Vl65k-uBvKpa-CTwiwevpmd2H7EFc6muLaNOQ_BZQ6rnvagGtULb1h4eCZy3XfpINZxXN3N3DDsM8zub6sFv37qH/s320/blog+panama+2018+fish+market+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fish Market</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Traffic jam in Casco Antiguo</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Jim and I spent one day at the MiraFlores locks watching the boats come through and enjoying the four story museum set up to explain the history of the canal. We saw a cruise ship, two tankers, and two sets of rafted sailboats come through as well as a Panamax "monster" boat come through the new larger lock. That made up for the fact that it was not going to work out for us to be line handlers for Seth.</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mira Flores Locks</b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwAQIPwTtFpDZbxXHW8Li7SEVcbN0nwVOtKoIBy7qJefRz7wdB1-nOTezBWPRSKtb-M9tX_cvWfZumJ1yhakusaqqALetfsdLt0uUXx-Wqjdg5XV0EFxjcCQgueE5RAIpMqF229IIKFvb/s1600/blog+panama+2018+3+sailboats+rafted+in+locks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwAQIPwTtFpDZbxXHW8Li7SEVcbN0nwVOtKoIBy7qJefRz7wdB1-nOTezBWPRSKtb-M9tX_cvWfZumJ1yhakusaqqALetfsdLt0uUXx-Wqjdg5XV0EFxjcCQgueE5RAIpMqF229IIKFvb/s320/blog+panama+2018+3+sailboats+rafted+in+locks.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rafted sailboats going through the lock</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZalRgd6HDO6J_07KXPZMSwLN35oi9LJVcukgNYwgLMhseFLxSofeAdwjl2DKLGgepRDWYEy4oXfn4Dt3cKHsmcIiBN5o3eZ96fCn-hDMzv0Zai7UdjWaOa_Cm4-udaPwBeHHYzEiQrSK/s1600/blog+panama+sailboats+coming+through+the+anal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZalRgd6HDO6J_07KXPZMSwLN35oi9LJVcukgNYwgLMhseFLxSofeAdwjl2DKLGgepRDWYEy4oXfn4Dt3cKHsmcIiBN5o3eZ96fCn-hDMzv0Zai7UdjWaOa_Cm4-udaPwBeHHYzEiQrSK/s320/blog+panama+sailboats+coming+through+the+anal.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>More rafted sailboats going through locks</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Again, thanks to a cruiser we got a tip on a tour company that operated trips to the San Blas Islands and Chak and we booked one as soon as possible. A two hour car ride to the coast (infamous for its pot holes and sharp turns), a 45 minute ride on a small boat and we arrived at Niadub, also known as El Diablo. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA74qc3Sueg-helFXUR3Bh0Gcb1Hoqo8rCTk1d6a_r3fFuWuYeghx_atgZwYKtZEqqMlZF1AK_V-Ur7QH_fSX2JZXZntQdH3Qb6IVtW-XntHeU89UpchNa601jYSC6Pc1GoRdw_BOqmsZ/s1600/blog+san+blas+boat+launch+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcA74qc3Sueg-helFXUR3Bh0Gcb1Hoqo8rCTk1d6a_r3fFuWuYeghx_atgZwYKtZEqqMlZF1AK_V-Ur7QH_fSX2JZXZntQdH3Qb6IVtW-XntHeU89UpchNa601jYSC6Pc1GoRdw_BOqmsZ/s320/blog+san+blas+boat+launch+2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Launch for boats heading out to the San Blas Islands</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjvMkwKlRuD7FieNsdK3wM7iGiXhoaqIOZ5oWldEOzJTZ8t5F6x9bzgUG7L0acSh7apmzHgK5S-eMhxxQD9Pn5r0KE77NERPAX2DgF-flroo6sPByB2SDCQ_5aK1F-aZaoRVQuSF6N0Dp/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+channel+out+to+islands.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjvMkwKlRuD7FieNsdK3wM7iGiXhoaqIOZ5oWldEOzJTZ8t5F6x9bzgUG7L0acSh7apmzHgK5S-eMhxxQD9Pn5r0KE77NERPAX2DgF-flroo6sPByB2SDCQ_5aK1F-aZaoRVQuSF6N0Dp/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+channel+out+to+islands.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Canal leading out to the San Blas Islands</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">I think if you were to conjure up an island paradise, this would have been it. Clean white sand beaches, thatched roof bamboo cabins, clear blue waters, lovely Guna Yala family to make sure you were comfortable, and two small "stores" where women were hand stitching molas and had a few displayed for sale. We had nothing but time: to swim, read, relax, and visit with the other visitors who were primarily from France, Germany and Canada. Jim and I were the only Americans. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGT98EZfb2wz7JdbYZx12f-FliJjM8rGuK7hGaj4UO8yuzxDG1K9J37gDTRqnOt9lVNrf1jVRPYaxDEyfCWoEyo9L8PlDVWH9FWcGElU6sCBMfF8RcYDfnUZi90u09GRVbmROXvcJedo6/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+our+hut.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGT98EZfb2wz7JdbYZx12f-FliJjM8rGuK7hGaj4UO8yuzxDG1K9J37gDTRqnOt9lVNrf1jVRPYaxDEyfCWoEyo9L8PlDVWH9FWcGElU6sCBMfF8RcYDfnUZi90u09GRVbmROXvcJedo6/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+our+hut.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our hut</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-mMOdwuaTmd5tLYC5ipuQMPcDXRB8dI5LeZep8Hr-VlRcFi2wKuSqFcAfkLRRcauh8aTSAG0poAPLiNSaFwY-yYjNMJunhZFIMgdIytK2ikZ8HjymcxbpPFMx8tdmnzVuv9a_1bn0O1Z/s1600/blog+san+blas+view+from+our+hut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-mMOdwuaTmd5tLYC5ipuQMPcDXRB8dI5LeZep8Hr-VlRcFi2wKuSqFcAfkLRRcauh8aTSAG0poAPLiNSaFwY-yYjNMJunhZFIMgdIytK2ikZ8HjymcxbpPFMx8tdmnzVuv9a_1bn0O1Z/s320/blog+san+blas+view+from+our+hut.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The view from the back of the hut</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5-hPWAZ-T7U3eHLw0VIalljGdoojVsmbmCiIM8la9fHstirtcJAY-uYUy2Ru6lD9nVFS-UisUKSX4JaeptrldF973o1WTKngLdNHSZgs2eH-eIKij5s4dls2HGjQh66kwnrBRCbck-x-/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+restaurant+lounge+area.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The lounge and dining area</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5-hPWAZ-T7U3eHLw0VIalljGdoojVsmbmCiIM8la9fHstirtcJAY-uYUy2Ru6lD9nVFS-UisUKSX4JaeptrldF973o1WTKngLdNHSZgs2eH-eIKij5s4dls2HGjQh66kwnrBRCbck-x-/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+restaurant+lounge+area.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5-hPWAZ-T7U3eHLw0VIalljGdoojVsmbmCiIM8la9fHstirtcJAY-uYUy2Ru6lD9nVFS-UisUKSX4JaeptrldF973o1WTKngLdNHSZgs2eH-eIKij5s4dls2HGjQh66kwnrBRCbck-x-/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+restaurant+lounge+area.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></b></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0s2bQQ4Oeg46tzSD4_06J1KwxWNjTxe7lG59cn6AiiSLRGwtlr5AmzCbp8OArbrDGR-dxyJeusZJu8DwcUoB-kQi3lV0Dh3Wh1Fdjy7S_NVz7_-bJCroHToEeQZhGMXWDRgrEA48n2pi/s1600/blog+san+blog+chak+and+turtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1077" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS0s2bQQ4Oeg46tzSD4_06J1KwxWNjTxe7lG59cn6AiiSLRGwtlr5AmzCbp8OArbrDGR-dxyJeusZJu8DwcUoB-kQi3lV0Dh3Wh1Fdjy7S_NVz7_-bJCroHToEeQZhGMXWDRgrEA48n2pi/s320/blog+san+blog+chak+and+turtle.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chak checking out the baby turtle</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi8W3fefob2GvEVWVwwtsfYw7Rb0NApe8skaDS4nHbPws1Ski9e4-LjAe7bfjayhojI9TFn6pe02kR9Uvo2yDcULzMF3DjYpmpt4I0UBFQvJTJ66Ks2nF4LHYTG5ZxLR3h-djA9s2GSDj/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+rooster+mola+right+side+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi8W3fefob2GvEVWVwwtsfYw7Rb0NApe8skaDS4nHbPws1Ski9e4-LjAe7bfjayhojI9TFn6pe02kR9Uvo2yDcULzMF3DjYpmpt4I0UBFQvJTJ66Ks2nF4LHYTG5ZxLR3h-djA9s2GSDj/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+rooster+mola+right+side+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Rooster mola</b></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJbkBN2KtWH9f3WU59IX9-hQmBA2-eRDidM40Gy26a-MEciQ-Ov9kw9vmUsuQpScxIe4juNAYWVFcTAlmAw4mWlVfJZyAcowUSz1KsRQOjh5xfvy6CTxaXaxc04Ev_Rp8u0f9tnbZaFiy/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+fish+mola+right+side+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEJbkBN2KtWH9f3WU59IX9-hQmBA2-eRDidM40Gy26a-MEciQ-Ov9kw9vmUsuQpScxIe4juNAYWVFcTAlmAw4mWlVfJZyAcowUSz1KsRQOjh5xfvy6CTxaXaxc04Ev_Rp8u0f9tnbZaFiy/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+fish+mola+right+side+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fish mola</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4_HAikfMqK2uLi7HYMSah5fRg2el3M8WF-jiXvyvcKt8mA6VYEHqzydplwq0j0JzKf8a0d_Rh4ofq7hyphenhyphenDzAYQdMGBles0jnT1oiAA5YJagoa4G4ZqzvEz1bxY6nCVVmH1YQfHomcQcuV/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+coco+loco+man.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4_HAikfMqK2uLi7HYMSah5fRg2el3M8WF-jiXvyvcKt8mA6VYEHqzydplwq0j0JzKf8a0d_Rh4ofq7hyphenhyphenDzAYQdMGBles0jnT1oiAA5YJagoa4G4ZqzvEz1bxY6nCVVmH1YQfHomcQcuV/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+coco+loco+man.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying a "coco loco" a dreadful combination<br />
of coconut water and rum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>It was quite primitive, the bathrooms were in an outdoor building and although they had flush toilets, they only flushed when the large tanks on top of the shower building next door had been filled. When the tanks ran empty, the toilets didn't flush. Showers were cold. </b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P3YTz_9sD2ZE_DG9tZupbjIj45FN-6XZC_NbLMGDqcmh42YMEq2olrDDRYZNVTET5OWnpbqmFdWRLoI3D5SrjZXMAjY4H_4H3gC6gqDg-MaMqywmR7Fio25WSwrOQckJvN09vkoKH13j/s1600/blog+san+blas+2018+bathroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7P3YTz_9sD2ZE_DG9tZupbjIj45FN-6XZC_NbLMGDqcmh42YMEq2olrDDRYZNVTET5OWnpbqmFdWRLoI3D5SrjZXMAjY4H_4H3gC6gqDg-MaMqywmR7Fio25WSwrOQckJvN09vkoKH13j/s320/blog+san+blas+2018+bathroom.JPG" width="320" /></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Meals were sufficient and primarily fish and rice with an occasional choice of chicken. We got pretty good at getting the bones out of the fish.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuhIqUY6SQ5-r933FuFmSKtEGV4lpt_H8qnMnBt6BZYj9-1XEelrxvsAQ4ooJZQAm5p0-Iwb2OsHSNlJl6lwG-fZXAGa4PVPscIJiTNmrtsQAGdDylRrryTdQG7zr6O-pGo_cepieZpGB/s1600/blog+san+blas+fish+and+rice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihuhIqUY6SQ5-r933FuFmSKtEGV4lpt_H8qnMnBt6BZYj9-1XEelrxvsAQ4ooJZQAm5p0-Iwb2OsHSNlJl6lwG-fZXAGa4PVPscIJiTNmrtsQAGdDylRrryTdQG7zr6O-pGo_cepieZpGB/s320/blog+san+blas+fish+and+rice.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our typical lunch and dinner</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><b><span style="font-size: large;">There were daily optional trips away from the island: to the swiming pool which was a shallow area inbetween two islands, an uninhabited island and yet another island with a divable shipwreck at its shores. </span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Famlies take turns running Niadub and income is shared among them. School aged children go away to another island to attend school. It is where their families live when not dealing with the tourists at Niadub. Altho I had always known them as the Kuna Indians, their preferred name is Guna Yala. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR1mqWJhONB56y_V3b117MgoAI6zRW8AW2BoPbCoULB8CLVuJg8f9fYNNy3-78qj9eao4pAHax3RfZBPHSL64Wgm3XFAa3VxwKBXh_-D8B4QKdLlOGuXO0oeYux-n9TvPhoPivaapX60Z/s1600/blog+san+blas+sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWR1mqWJhONB56y_V3b117MgoAI6zRW8AW2BoPbCoULB8CLVuJg8f9fYNNy3-78qj9eao4pAHax3RfZBPHSL64Wgm3XFAa3VxwKBXh_-D8B4QKdLlOGuXO0oeYux-n9TvPhoPivaapX60Z/s320/blog+san+blas+sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>You cannot beat the sunsets</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">After three nights we headed back to Panama, again to Hotel Casa Miller. The three of us spent one afternoon shopping and then it was time to head out. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGZm3GH4019wpcmynPCIW5tM__d-HKPdfvBZcFVKkYnD0-gpPOSAH8DBHAu0D13gj3PQSXnp6vYmzrqB4w_ITBxz8k5pSvpBJ0bo9dNXp0MhMu_zKvJvlFNGXUBKQp60hRrx1yqh1a5Tt/s1600/blog+panama+2018+3+travelers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguGZm3GH4019wpcmynPCIW5tM__d-HKPdfvBZcFVKkYnD0-gpPOSAH8DBHAu0D13gj3PQSXnp6vYmzrqB4w_ITBxz8k5pSvpBJ0bo9dNXp0MhMu_zKvJvlFNGXUBKQp60hRrx1yqh1a5Tt/s320/blog+panama+2018+3+travelers.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Farewell pose of the three enthusiastic travelers</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Jim and I took a 9 hour bus ride to Boquete in the highlands of Panama. (Chak hiked in a local wildlife area looking for what he now believes is a "mythical" toucan! ) Boquete was a small mountain town that I had read about years ago and at one point thought it might be a good place to retire to. (It would be) </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnEEDdj3D5aGTSlZBm46vk1yJ994PGM0jXztlIonCoL7dv8HaSvoVPA2Dx92r8Fim2j4YrKshFm2rPHH9sM0lbxkQFU5_UHWvghHlHFBJRp39EvlHBHQwyacj47ENz6vn6OJZ1WpHUi4B/s1600/blog+boquete+2018+view+from+balconi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnEEDdj3D5aGTSlZBm46vk1yJ994PGM0jXztlIonCoL7dv8HaSvoVPA2Dx92r8Fim2j4YrKshFm2rPHH9sM0lbxkQFU5_UHWvghHlHFBJRp39EvlHBHQwyacj47ENz6vn6OJZ1WpHUi4B/s320/blog+boquete+2018+view+from+balconi.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>View of Boquete from our balcony</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5YReWy9PVFMDpaaed3Pv3NO_R55AmYk8soD1i5hWKACiwgVOJlCDB9_H8gyTOu11K3qafYZsCpRC4BYML_asPDXFXMC1nxT3oC8120h3Lh_Ac1YBS5MAaUPpjLTk2l1mimL_GXFyN36E/s1600/blog+boquete+2018+treacherous+pathway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik5YReWy9PVFMDpaaed3Pv3NO_R55AmYk8soD1i5hWKACiwgVOJlCDB9_H8gyTOu11K3qafYZsCpRC4BYML_asPDXFXMC1nxT3oC8120h3Lh_Ac1YBS5MAaUPpjLTk2l1mimL_GXFyN36E/s320/blog+boquete+2018+treacherous+pathway.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>One part of the steep path to town</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">We were not disappointed. Our hotel was up in the hills which while beautiful was too far to walk to town (except for a treacherous steep path which we tried once). </span></b><br />
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<b>We booked a private coffee plantation tour to La Finca Milagrosa (the Miracle Farm). It is a small almost organic farm (5 hectares) and has won many awards world wide for its coffee quality. Keep your eyes open for their brand "Cafe Royal".</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxb47s_DKzqCQGCqPYZC8xsRtc4r2LLs4MEShoHC7FlLld7OGZUJ-ANC58uhNANeA7VaN0gvSkDzDGzqk56kC9Xzedw-nqONhOiVvxeYrRVN5EZkuXqBCT7RYfWmwowSj792KxZHKoPT5/s1600/blog+boquete+2018+la+finca+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxb47s_DKzqCQGCqPYZC8xsRtc4r2LLs4MEShoHC7FlLld7OGZUJ-ANC58uhNANeA7VaN0gvSkDzDGzqk56kC9Xzedw-nqONhOiVvxeYrRVN5EZkuXqBCT7RYfWmwowSj792KxZHKoPT5/s320/blog+boquete+2018+la+finca+sign.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>La Finca Milagrosa sign</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dA8FXJV6P_IlfHJbHppalul_-0eLnuKTx6esapfu5guHn7zAbwb7XZk6RZzDtr90E0HFBMG_0qiU8cGocfq_OqmnZQx46YUGw4fZcX82eB1vny_UoraJQWigTwBxnf3uHaRoKaVvDjDk/s1600/blog+boquete+2018+coffee+tree.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4dA8FXJV6P_IlfHJbHppalul_-0eLnuKTx6esapfu5guHn7zAbwb7XZk6RZzDtr90E0HFBMG_0qiU8cGocfq_OqmnZQx46YUGw4fZcX82eB1vny_UoraJQWigTwBxnf3uHaRoKaVvDjDk/s320/blog+boquete+2018+coffee+tree.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A coffee tree with just a few red beans left on it</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuONFjFKmUnAi-GsGp9CRyMUc3sY3K8VnZjQiaMSiR9vquDNTMEaSQ5zdVDK7TrM6PjwxGF4B3J6H2BZj6SZRtOsE1jUjQikxHIXzZ3wZyY7vwINb0nOoZUpCVeoPnQJUiceZJbgCuHoT/s1600/blog+boquete+2018+coffee+beans+drying.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCuONFjFKmUnAi-GsGp9CRyMUc3sY3K8VnZjQiaMSiR9vquDNTMEaSQ5zdVDK7TrM6PjwxGF4B3J6H2BZj6SZRtOsE1jUjQikxHIXzZ3wZyY7vwINb0nOoZUpCVeoPnQJUiceZJbgCuHoT/s320/blog+boquete+2018+coffee+beans+drying.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Beans drying naturally outside, but under cover</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWOSB260tkC4UMzIT9IjPRFW7VnlzgaOtMp65LjRGlNJI5Ug8O_LpqS_y70PNGxOA26dsz44uHL52lfPYgeDt2x1jb0sygWCiUaeLbVXT2YosLDpe9DoZyCGFE71kkHQult93Qfku8DJA/s1600/blog+boquete+2018+3+different+roasts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWOSB260tkC4UMzIT9IjPRFW7VnlzgaOtMp65LjRGlNJI5Ug8O_LpqS_y70PNGxOA26dsz44uHL52lfPYgeDt2x1jb0sygWCiUaeLbVXT2YosLDpe9DoZyCGFE71kkHQult93Qfku8DJA/s320/blog+boquete+2018+3+different+roasts.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Three level of roasts from the homemade roaster</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">We learned about coffee growing, picking, processing, roasting and ultimately tasting! And we learned about Geisha coffee, the third most expensive coffee in the world. Of course we had to buy a pound...and figured that at $25 it was a deal! </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunoxi5wnbMkUlRoK1tBYunYsoPCWV0OWmDg-bsNNIeKKauW8Pw91HiQ2JE6sZRZE5GxSM6dT5bEBxYdL44STvq_0CSW3fzD4JxfMJRB5HtFhHMWfzVVcOCk5eovGPpDJkOWswpnHK4Jds/s1600/blog+david+2018+ticket+office+sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhunoxi5wnbMkUlRoK1tBYunYsoPCWV0OWmDg-bsNNIeKKauW8Pw91HiQ2JE6sZRZE5GxSM6dT5bEBxYdL44STvq_0CSW3fzD4JxfMJRB5HtFhHMWfzVVcOCk5eovGPpDJkOWswpnHK4Jds/s320/blog+david+2018+ticket+office+sign.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Waiting for the bus office to open in David</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">From Boquete we took a taxi to David, where we caught the bus for another 9 hour trip to San Jose, Costa Rica where we caught a flight back to Florida the next morning.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We are now trying to get the boat ready for the summer hiatus and mentally processing all of the varied experiences and adventures we had this winter season! </span></b></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-80265980388473159132018-03-21T12:14:00.001-07:002018-03-21T12:14:39.248-07:00The Journey to Panama II<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>March 21</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Behind the Shelter Bay Marina was a jungle with some walking paths as well as the remains of Ft. Sherman which had been a major jungle warfare training location for the U.S.Army during the 60's. I enjoyed several walks through that jungle while the guys worked on the boat. (My electrical expertise is nil) I</b><b> saw monkeys playing and chattering in the trees and a coatimundi which took off across the path when I walked by. Leaf cutter ants were prolific and from one day to the next their numbers increased dramatically. Sadly, the sloths avoided me. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I saw a variety of stairs to nowhere, walls covered over by jungle as well as a number of virtually destroyed buildings all of which I presumed were remnants of Ft. Sherman. T</b><b>he local story is that when it was turned over to Panama in 1999, all of the barracks and army buildings were looted and in many cases destroyed. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8AXkHBiSxFiNQ6TFRm5arCFzDEtmtmsJKBReFlJTWWGnkXN8YZqJUG9SgS3B06D2xN9aCnncrc5f5NXGDFH9_Gyb3r4J0p7V0Al22_0NQSv6ELOmYPwTA0WpUzStHnTdOOe-MFx7HhSK/s1600/blog+panama+2018+walking+thru+jungle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8AXkHBiSxFiNQ6TFRm5arCFzDEtmtmsJKBReFlJTWWGnkXN8YZqJUG9SgS3B06D2xN9aCnncrc5f5NXGDFH9_Gyb3r4J0p7V0Al22_0NQSv6ELOmYPwTA0WpUzStHnTdOOe-MFx7HhSK/s320/blog+panama+2018+walking+thru+jungle.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>path through the jungle</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOwCbCwK_OYsPqmuKukMO9CqxBUzWbZQDSDawtQ54UNXmGu7eG96FLAm_h87eLkEY-AJ76ZYbit_MbRekIxiq5rxbbMSb0jLc6RIziNwgjIu7WvNLjoSQ9gN4hoJuTfQ7jHlZzfr1th6d/s1600/blog+panama+2018+church+in+jungle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOwCbCwK_OYsPqmuKukMO9CqxBUzWbZQDSDawtQ54UNXmGu7eG96FLAm_h87eLkEY-AJ76ZYbit_MbRekIxiq5rxbbMSb0jLc6RIziNwgjIu7WvNLjoSQ9gN4hoJuTfQ7jHlZzfr1th6d/s320/blog+panama+2018+church+in+jungle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b>church being devoured by the jungle growth</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj3CieWwxPpixsfxcSjlLc0QIbKw8FOtn5euKvnZnsb5EGV9MYOdVu5M6IfNNxRRkY6HaiFtjfKZWk12C4ub1HrPhxUzvO-Ne7NYm-RNCsdYPz5dCmEt7aEkEK0zfjuECvgUDqFuMv0AZ/s1600/blog+panama+2018+stairs+to+nowhere.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj3CieWwxPpixsfxcSjlLc0QIbKw8FOtn5euKvnZnsb5EGV9MYOdVu5M6IfNNxRRkY6HaiFtjfKZWk12C4ub1HrPhxUzvO-Ne7NYm-RNCsdYPz5dCmEt7aEkEK0zfjuECvgUDqFuMv0AZ/s320/blog+panama+2018+stairs+to+nowhere.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b>Stairs heading nowhere</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_i2_DmeLk-Et3tJfQx4EG9I7KgTxkm9mfpP76esE5AkC8HzA1t9KYjo42OzMKNqhrWEs33KBN0Nym7J4E5IBL23LlPPRbRj3vTOGq-ZVKKRKo0UHcM8QaQ8McA7XySHtCcJqfJ1PbTWa/s1600/blog+panama+2018+jungle+with+stone+wall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii_i2_DmeLk-Et3tJfQx4EG9I7KgTxkm9mfpP76esE5AkC8HzA1t9KYjo42OzMKNqhrWEs33KBN0Nym7J4E5IBL23LlPPRbRj3vTOGq-ZVKKRKo0UHcM8QaQ8McA7XySHtCcJqfJ1PbTWa/s320/blog+panama+2018+jungle+with+stone+wall.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b>stone wall, presumably remnants of Ft. Sherman</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGqJpE8DlJ9EaFoMSNNCAnWsrYfYYw7s-BFYWpx0BmyCSRETi8E2UlZscL16RaihgHvM7xGE5qtuPuQQ2nwun686wpOIFmLLH5MI-gBrPYkAUNA87iXKkNznYoiEPCrR8KglyJJyR48UQ/s1600/blog+panama+2018+ant+with+leaves.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGqJpE8DlJ9EaFoMSNNCAnWsrYfYYw7s-BFYWpx0BmyCSRETi8E2UlZscL16RaihgHvM7xGE5qtuPuQQ2nwun686wpOIFmLLH5MI-gBrPYkAUNA87iXKkNznYoiEPCrR8KglyJJyR48UQ/s320/blog+panama+2018+ant+with+leaves.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>leaf cutter ants, next day the line was 10 times as wide!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEj__NRfCeSv3fHCffl53qf0aJmM8Pc5NZSd3GJGDJrJNBMPLHc7bba1mGXSq1e2Yd87Xz2qUa_gpfWeZIuXAf26i9GMHzIEFOy2SCST2rIUBPPSHbX6DgmRbymQs8KMNf0XuA58Xg6YW/s1600/blog+panama+2018ft+sherman+behind+fence.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEj__NRfCeSv3fHCffl53qf0aJmM8Pc5NZSd3GJGDJrJNBMPLHc7bba1mGXSq1e2Yd87Xz2qUa_gpfWeZIuXAf26i9GMHzIEFOy2SCST2rIUBPPSHbX6DgmRbymQs8KMNf0XuA58Xg6YW/s320/blog+panama+2018ft+sherman+behind+fence.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b>Ft. Sherman buildings behind chainlink fenc</b>e</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoe1D1doHL7j7Q4ZnB1Oi9hylKHaDNBbm7bYKT0XFKBK88O95ZsYscuhJ8rae6oLE5xea1Bk9Bshw_AYzRmrFo5Jske3kkn1cYyy2wsOIVU-I2IYmSX7PyP1i4wHxwnST5nJ_oEst41Rn/s1600/blog+panama+jungle+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmoe1D1doHL7j7Q4ZnB1Oi9hylKHaDNBbm7bYKT0XFKBK88O95ZsYscuhJ8rae6oLE5xea1Bk9Bshw_AYzRmrFo5Jske3kkn1cYyy2wsOIVU-I2IYmSX7PyP1i4wHxwnST5nJ_oEst41Rn/s320/blog+panama+jungle+2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><b>there is a monkey - somewhere - believe it or not</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After a week in Panama, Chak, a friend of Seth's arrived. He is a French Canadian professional photographer and had hoped to photograph his adventures sailing with Seth. His first order of business, however was to help reposition the water generator. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYKXRzE4ZXB27zfBBMgDOiPqROvgPB8s7XDqXXHDCs03jAV-8KaPEk98R5bS5LvHIgZuYqKhqFgOWDhtk5ViwAlI-ABORsKAyMO4yDIrSEkIjurElLg62a7_GZwHbCNBvDWzcu1pfTtxG/s1600/blog+panama+2018+chak+and+Jim+working+in+salon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAYKXRzE4ZXB27zfBBMgDOiPqROvgPB8s7XDqXXHDCs03jAV-8KaPEk98R5bS5LvHIgZuYqKhqFgOWDhtk5ViwAlI-ABORsKAyMO4yDIrSEkIjurElLg62a7_GZwHbCNBvDWzcu1pfTtxG/s320/blog+panama+2018+chak+and+Jim+working+in+salon.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chak and Jim running wires</b></td></tr>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Chak tested his submarine camera. (I don't think that is what he called it, but in short he and his son had built a waterproof case for a camera, which they could move through the water by controlling three small propellers with a hand held remote control connected to the vehicle by a cable.) He had hopes of using it around the reefs.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkuMVI3tP4KVdFUXark_ra3ZulNsjnEvX21b-swT29Ai50okbGt3L1ytjBk7N_X5uCTtN07fN5VYpvAKp4dzrl9QW_xAwQbWeOCG7sMt-OwH-ATfLcvY2OOwerPYE0zBMh1H6x3i2Mh0p/s1600/blog+panama+2018+chak+and+his+submarine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkuMVI3tP4KVdFUXark_ra3ZulNsjnEvX21b-swT29Ai50okbGt3L1ytjBk7N_X5uCTtN07fN5VYpvAKp4dzrl9QW_xAwQbWeOCG7sMt-OwH-ATfLcvY2OOwerPYE0zBMh1H6x3i2Mh0p/s320/blog+panama+2018+chak+and+his+submarine.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Chak and his submarine camera</b></td></tr>
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<b><br /></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A few electronic demons were still at work with the auto pilot and the charging of the batteries, but both the electrician and Seth were convinced that it would be safe to take off for the San Blas Islands!! </b><b>We headed out of the marina and immediately hit heavy seas. This time we were facing pretty much into the wind and had to motor sail. It was again very rough and uncomfortable. The bashing of the bow into the water was amazingly violent and the creaking and groaning of the boat was disturbing as I tried to rest down below before my watch. (It required hanging on for dear life trying not to be tossed out of the bunk.) The smell of the diesel from the engine was making Chak sick and the motion of the boat was making me sick. After being underway for a number of hours, Seth became concerned about the charging of the batteries so he and Jim worked on the problem for awhile. They thought they had it fixed but then it resurfaced. Finally Seth decided we should turn back. So after 12 plus hours of bouncing, we arrived back at the marina the next morning. At this point I think all of us were discouraged. Plans were up in the air and time was moving forward and the canal crossing date was fast approaching. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b>After consultation with the electrician, Seth contemplated trying again for San Blas. However, time was so short that we would have had only two days there at best. Travel time would have been two days there and two days back. At that point, I had to admit that I was unwilling to face another ocean voyage. Winds were still strong and the chances of them abating significantly were not good. So at that point Jim and I decided that it was time to start our land based travel. We would get to San Blas another way and then try to return to be line handlers for the canal transit. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For a variety of reasons Chak also decided that this was not the adventure that he had hoped for and that he too was going to leave the boat.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg823EiGM1zPK3Ifn8rnFE-pNG7yMfD2E2Nz2j6MtMT4NcwKM31oRqvnCaQ6SOXMfGxsTcavWfGCMW-r3gLSP5z_LhjTngKHp6-9gortct4RqjP_BjtA4ARE3RgrzqesqWuHn_5pOccHFm6/s1600/blog+panama+ft.+sherman+behind+fence+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg823EiGM1zPK3Ifn8rnFE-pNG7yMfD2E2Nz2j6MtMT4NcwKM31oRqvnCaQ6SOXMfGxsTcavWfGCMW-r3gLSP5z_LhjTngKHp6-9gortct4RqjP_BjtA4ARE3RgrzqesqWuHn_5pOccHFm6/s320/blog+panama+ft.+sherman+behind+fence+2018.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>packed up and ready for the taxi</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The next day the three of us took a taxi to Panama City. As it turned out, Seth did not go to San Blas, but instead to Porto Bello (about 1/3 of the way to San Blas) and had a lovely time exploring cute restaurants, fortifications and meeting someone who joined him on the boat for a while.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>So, bottom line...are we glad we did it? Absolutely. We had an "adventure", we learned alot, we took a journey that I don't think we would have tried on our own. Would we do it again? I think not. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-54978559298316394162018-03-20T16:36:00.000-07:002018-03-20T16:36:44.843-07:00The Journey to Panama in Three Parts - Part I<span style="font-size: large;"><b>March 20, 2018</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Our journey to Panama started off with a flat tire on our rental car before we had gone 3 miles. Should we have seen this as an omen?? After it was replaced, which was handled very quickly and efficiently, we sped off to Orlando to connect for lunch with my cousin John and his wife, Joann. After a lovely visit, they headed off to Disney Springs to buy some special chocolate, we checked into our hotel and then met up again with them, this time joined by our son, Jeremy and his family. Family get togethers are very special to me especially since our family is strewn far and wide. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo32E7NyTnaNjaRqlkP531a1fQ-jM7CuhzI2O2hJn61vEynJY1R1oh8-bfJh524IvlCKIkYsn0yjdgeTqn4_bn0KrobKR1cRMMkqIfXCY_NVY1Sv6o3niwOEf2SDXrS3nqQc47IqKdxF3S/s1600/blog+2018+coppes+and+nelsons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo32E7NyTnaNjaRqlkP531a1fQ-jM7CuhzI2O2hJn61vEynJY1R1oh8-bfJh524IvlCKIkYsn0yjdgeTqn4_bn0KrobKR1cRMMkqIfXCY_NVY1Sv6o3niwOEf2SDXrS3nqQc47IqKdxF3S/s320/blog+2018+coppes+and+nelsons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>With cousins John and Joann Coppes</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b> The following day, we joined Jeremy and family for a day at Epcot. I think Cy's favorite was Tech Trek where you get to design your own race car. Much to his delight, his beat ours though ours had a better safety record!! (Perhaps a reflection of the age of its "designers"!!) It rained much of the day, and other than a very strong gust of wind that turned Cy's brand new umbrella inside out and our sloshing around in soggy sandals we had a great time. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeMKJFXn-esDpU0vCLSXd7KVJiW1l8IMiFiyxJVZwEI0CipC-IagZiKe0j7VAEuQ4-Nacp1Bm4hestnI428T8EIMY3sqXkw55iXKlo7WJBHFG2ZfuA-_2NTiMkRcaL1DFDUrf54B0NjGj/s1600/blog+2018+wet+nelsons+at+epcot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeMKJFXn-esDpU0vCLSXd7KVJiW1l8IMiFiyxJVZwEI0CipC-IagZiKe0j7VAEuQ4-Nacp1Bm4hestnI428T8EIMY3sqXkw55iXKlo7WJBHFG2ZfuA-_2NTiMkRcaL1DFDUrf54B0NjGj/s320/blog+2018+wet+nelsons+at+epcot.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Slightly soggy, but still having fun!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The next day we headed to Miami to catch our flight to Kingston. One of the complications when we arrived into Jamaica was that we were carrying a wind generator for Seth's boat. The customs official felt it was necessary to charge us a huge sum of money even though we were bringing the item to be installed on a boat that was in transit. Did not make sense to us so we were able to store the two large items in quarantine to await Seth who had much more experience about such things than we did.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We spent a couple of relaxing days in a hotel with a beautiful view, but situated in a residential area with nothing but homes in the neighborhood, one restaurant, and nothing else within walking distance. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zxNcyq-5rNGZrsJb2WZ1qRefvCm7ctaVn6FRUcYH7DlmCTK9wDi8uZ4TnGXYGt1LSIRsGhz0xM4fs_5XzJZ9ZBEcROjKfxzwVvWGnb7Tx6HbY-O0aohDb_hM0w6a_eO-_T9TJzQsLm5v/s1600/blog+jamaica+2018+view+from+our+hotel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zxNcyq-5rNGZrsJb2WZ1qRefvCm7ctaVn6FRUcYH7DlmCTK9wDi8uZ4TnGXYGt1LSIRsGhz0xM4fs_5XzJZ9ZBEcROjKfxzwVvWGnb7Tx6HbY-O0aohDb_hM0w6a_eO-_T9TJzQsLm5v/s320/blog+jamaica+2018+view+from+our+hotel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>View from the Jamaica Inn</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After trying to find something to do in Kingston, we decided the most interesting things in Jamaica were to be found far from Kingston - with one exception - the Bob Marley Museum. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3TxLQKEUPUs57YJGf3uC-BLFBjxUarsMQAwvIayWMbwSh7fRBXGmcpslad3bVw0VTvN8xND-mE-DurotxveNDTJN4L6nvVYsf4frUaZxwVZvqJNQZxt7U-4ulH6Fko6Rs6anx_9H1tdT/s1600/blog+Jamaica+Marley+museum+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3TxLQKEUPUs57YJGf3uC-BLFBjxUarsMQAwvIayWMbwSh7fRBXGmcpslad3bVw0VTvN8xND-mE-DurotxveNDTJN4L6nvVYsf4frUaZxwVZvqJNQZxt7U-4ulH6Fko6Rs6anx_9H1tdT/s320/blog+Jamaica+Marley+museum+2018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob Marley Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFZZrEElAC3cQ1rHlhVSk_Xfh9hUwX54VnkaD5qfs7LEtt6qXaWh95bmjRUZHQSzw8bEsqLNeKwiJcOTnUDFcDf7XMEYDJiAP5coT7cy1HRMXNeDF2ztYQGkQe3gqkn0ZjcHAK_AzSKf8/s1600/blog+Jamaica+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFZZrEElAC3cQ1rHlhVSk_Xfh9hUwX54VnkaD5qfs7LEtt6qXaWh95bmjRUZHQSzw8bEsqLNeKwiJcOTnUDFcDf7XMEYDJiAP5coT7cy1HRMXNeDF2ztYQGkQe3gqkn0ZjcHAK_AzSKf8/s320/blog+Jamaica+2018.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Bob Marley in front of Museum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOMVXfxm3piLx4vvZJ0hf5WpLThYcMvkRabpsQjHddOZKErnv7fIf3NALjSTWpxYoItnETc9jlOcyvX9Ej9ljr8ISA01Be1JtDiVibs2pB4jyIaHuwRI7CXDlSWr8NQSoGkavnHkxr8Pu/s1600/blog+Jamaica+Marley+family+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOMVXfxm3piLx4vvZJ0hf5WpLThYcMvkRabpsQjHddOZKErnv7fIf3NALjSTWpxYoItnETc9jlOcyvX9Ej9ljr8ISA01Be1JtDiVibs2pB4jyIaHuwRI7CXDlSWr8NQSoGkavnHkxr8Pu/s320/blog+Jamaica+Marley+family+2018.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early picture of his family</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>His former home has been turned into a showcase for family fotos, his platinum, gold and silver record awards, notable achievements and a photo journal of his remarkable yet very short life. All visitors must go through the museum as part of a group with a tour guide. This limit to one's wandering around at one's own pace is well counterbalanced by the knowledgeable guide we had who clearly enjoyed sharing fun anecdotes and stories while singing bits and pieces of Marley's music!</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmHOiirRQpGDAgPVaTCcrNvZ1Dk3GAr2Dcd-IT_gkIRjIaiG2NwQakmBpy3rzp3wy9biJhH9nKlAkZnenyhUhqpvGCf0EKz9RvqCXt5-rBkAjCl9fJgNk35gHNcGhUbKTgZbwb0epPseQ/s1600/blog+jamaica+serendipity+at+sea+arriving+2018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfmHOiirRQpGDAgPVaTCcrNvZ1Dk3GAr2Dcd-IT_gkIRjIaiG2NwQakmBpy3rzp3wy9biJhH9nKlAkZnenyhUhqpvGCf0EKz9RvqCXt5-rBkAjCl9fJgNk35gHNcGhUbKTgZbwb0epPseQ/s320/blog+jamaica+serendipity+at+sea+arriving+2018.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Serendipity at Sea arriving in Jamaica</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After our two nights in Jamaica, Seth arrived in the evening at the Royal Jamaica Yacht Club and we were there to greet him on the dock. However, he had not cleared immigration so he couldn't get off the boat and we couldn't go on it!! We had a nice visit and then the next morning after the formalities had been completed we were allowed to move onto the boat.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And here begins our official "adventure".</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>An "adventure" is defined as "an unusual and exciting, typically hazadous experience or activity, often involving the exploration of unknown territory" Yes, indeed! That about sums it up! I am guilty of using the word "adventure" a little loosely, so I plan to be a little more cautious and circumspect in its use and my desire for one.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Seth's boat is an Island Packet 38, named Serendipity at Sea. It is a very solid, seaworthy boat that is nicely laid out inside to make it feel much larger than 38 feet. It is also very well equiped with redundant systems in preparation for a round the world trip. En route to Jamaica Seth had determined that the engine was not charging the batteries consistently so by the time we arrived at the boat he had already contacted J.R., the resident electrician for the boatyard to sort that problem out as well as assist with the mounting of the Hydrovane water generator that we had brought with us. (Seth was able to get it out of Customs with no problem!)</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEj8hjCRxYilvKt-nZX6sePc4I2bqV3uFfaSAdRz5u1wz_GIFHpEW_89HmsVD0E1qIYHnXLP8JkX1bCw4UtYwEYGGDSRFzcF7NMEFAoPKx1OfZSaggerMBF2tSxIcdO2eOuGe6V-HGzTC/s1600/blog+jamaica+jim+and+JR+working+on+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOEj8hjCRxYilvKt-nZX6sePc4I2bqV3uFfaSAdRz5u1wz_GIFHpEW_89HmsVD0E1qIYHnXLP8JkX1bCw4UtYwEYGGDSRFzcF7NMEFAoPKx1OfZSaggerMBF2tSxIcdO2eOuGe6V-HGzTC/s320/blog+jamaica+jim+and+JR+working+on+boat.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>J.R. and Jim installing the hydro generator</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And so began our week in Kingston - working on the boat. Jim worked as J.R.'s assistant, Seth was both the boss and the one who had to drive all over Kingston getting parts. (No West Marine in Kingston! The closest thing to such a store was an old house that a wise old sailor had converted to a storehouse of boat parts. I wish I had taken a picture because it was a maze of rooms, shelves, nooks and crannies and was always filled with both customers and visitors. And he had almost everything we needed and more amazingly yet he or one of his helpers could always find it! )</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Finallly on Feb 15, the boat seemed to be ready altho it still had a few electrical quirks which we hoped could be sorted out in Panama. The next five days were brutal. Winds 20 - 25 knots from the aft quarter, confused seas with waves from 10 - 12 feet, but worst of all 15 foot swells coming at us from the side. Not only were we bouncing up and down, but the swells were flinging us to the side. Even holding on to the handrails inside the cabin I was flung off and landed head over tea kettle. Other times I held onto the ceiling hand rails and when a swell came my feet were lifted up and I was swinging from the rails. Jim and I were both sick the first two days (despite the fact that I was wearing a patch and then took Stugeron) Needless to say it was a very long 5 days (2 half days and 3 full days). An adventure!? Getting into Shelter Bay Marina just north of Colon was a wonderfu relief!! Seth is clearly a very stalwart sailor - no sea sickness for him! </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>After a visit from the Panama Canal Transit agent and a trip to Colon to go through immigration and shop for some various parts for the boat we were ready to tackle the continuing electrical problems on the boat. Seth was able to make contact with an electrician who with Jim and Seth as helpers went to work to sort out the electrical issues</b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>And so began our week in Panama at Shelter Bay Marina - working on the boat yet again.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC1INHA_q_s8ZV1GIv2Hz0e6gf8rycSPRc4WIK5Ob_IVx3CvvOquT0yEGTu7i93URAEaGPu4s6srw9Kzif3yKUdKkvjK1jXL6XqIzY3cLGJVe7TKSaU6N8MOoZiyQAN6TZHBlabYtwrtW/s1600/blog+panama+2018+stuart+and+seth+working.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieC1INHA_q_s8ZV1GIv2Hz0e6gf8rycSPRc4WIK5Ob_IVx3CvvOquT0yEGTu7i93URAEaGPu4s6srw9Kzif3yKUdKkvjK1jXL6XqIzY3cLGJVe7TKSaU6N8MOoZiyQAN6TZHBlabYtwrtW/s320/blog+panama+2018+stuart+and+seth+working.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Seth and Stuart working on the boat</b></td></tr>
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<br />sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-6258784055221964432018-02-02T05:37:00.000-08:002018-02-02T05:37:01.002-08:00Ft. Myers - a Reprieve<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">02 </span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">February 2018</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Catching up.....</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We arrived at the Matanzas Pass mooring field at Ft. Myers Beach with the luxury of knowing that we could stay for a week and just explore. No repairs, no injuries, no drama!!</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Times Square is a hub of restaurants, ice cream parlors, shops with all manner of beach equipment and souvenirs, live music and just general high energy tourism. It seemed like the right occasion to have my one drink a year! I don't like the taste of alcohol but this was a rum drink with strawberries, mango and banana and tasted like an icy fruit punch. I suspect it could become habit forming!!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We were on the same mooring ball as last time and we like it because it is on the very end of the field and we don't have the sense of being with a lot of other boats.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>View from the mooring field looking east</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Thanks to a neighbor boat we learned about the Matanzas Pass Preserve which is a part of the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. It is 60 acres with 1.25 miles of trails, with transitional wetlands, maritime oak hammock and mangrove forest. It became our favorite place to get some exercise altho we had to dock our dinghy in a rather "sketchy" area to get there. (We decided it was the hangout for the down and out who may have been homeless but still had a dinghy. They were always friendly and despite the warning from the office not to dock there we had no problems.)</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Entering the Preserve</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hardly need the Trail Map with the Boardwalk</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNu7UoxUI0s4V2PvHkanBXgyyJKBZ93KhNJgyNvmUGthX-PYI3qdhGfKGeBfeYoL5PQFfzkrnB1FRzwrKHEfinj6QcivG1ZMJ60mWRUrdX8ip2ZMIjF8mu_A5TrzGZIf_CYVVY4-cTxhZ/s1600/blog+2017+nature+preserve+walk+at+Matanzas+Pass.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNu7UoxUI0s4V2PvHkanBXgyyJKBZ93KhNJgyNvmUGthX-PYI3qdhGfKGeBfeYoL5PQFfzkrnB1FRzwrKHEfinj6QcivG1ZMJ60mWRUrdX8ip2ZMIjF8mu_A5TrzGZIf_CYVVY4-cTxhZ/s320/blog+2017+nature+preserve+walk+at+Matanzas+Pass.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Typical section of boardwalk</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>End of the trail</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The cold caught up with us, but was motivation for Jim to bake Tucker bread. We are lucky to have an Argentinian "niece-in-law" who lives in Australia and I think she must have creatively combined Argentinian and Australian cooking. It has become one of Jim's specialities. He tried to transcribe her recipe (difficult since she is of the "pinch of this, two pinches of that" persuasion) but I think finally has it down.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Getting ready to roll out the dough with his thermos bottle</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>2/3 traditional recipe, 1/3 peanut butter and jam</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Ready for baking</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Done and Yum!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Apparently baking the Tucker Bread did not heat up the boat as much as we would have liked!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise at Matanzas Pass just before we left</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>When it was time to leave (after waiting out some nasty weather) we left early in the morning, refueled, filled the water tanks and headed up the Intracoastal Waterway to one of our favorite stopping off spots: Cabbage Key. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>After hiking their short trail around the island, we actually stopped for a "hamburger in Paradise"!</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_i8FPT_U90cH-6z4qTl2LPbOG3yVWXWTDIvvNckerYTLYH53fTM-Gm8smEF9CGs8UThh3vvF9Qt46nu9R5NYlFZ9p9Rd_7yqoKT3-sNxXJb94HrMZuD3tE9eEmL2UNUMx6BL9hmUMJ8d/s1600/blog+2017+heron+at+CK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0_i8FPT_U90cH-6z4qTl2LPbOG3yVWXWTDIvvNckerYTLYH53fTM-Gm8smEF9CGs8UThh3vvF9Qt46nu9R5NYlFZ9p9Rd_7yqoKT3-sNxXJb94HrMZuD3tE9eEmL2UNUMx6BL9hmUMJ8d/s320/blog+2017+heron+at+CK.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>This little guy was ever hopeful for some handouts!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vOE-LHJsQR9juYld5VD_DmIvehYNMOyTwlfLMyJb71QkfkGds9C_LT2cDXayWltkZr-NUcZqV_1qEL4753Wwv2_TLaQ7gdULulJclc0lagFQaaK-VTPVno8le25E-EJJQ53GGYOxLtSX/s1600/blog+2017+succulent+at+CK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vOE-LHJsQR9juYld5VD_DmIvehYNMOyTwlfLMyJb71QkfkGds9C_LT2cDXayWltkZr-NUcZqV_1qEL4753Wwv2_TLaQ7gdULulJclc0lagFQaaK-VTPVno8le25E-EJJQ53GGYOxLtSX/s320/blog+2017+succulent+at+CK.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Looked like a weeping willow succulent!</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnRS0AfX9HSBSn6FEBtbb_KGOd4F3LpugiyxDtb79jHNN89lOswX0tfg_gp2sdf_dYe0xJcNYLMjyUEM1jJsQbehS0L3fIfD30zcJDdtjZTSRSwIOCO7MMVXO51ynLNNIiYguVKIqtZAL/s1600/blog+2017+tree+at+CK+with+Spanish+moss.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnRS0AfX9HSBSn6FEBtbb_KGOd4F3LpugiyxDtb79jHNN89lOswX0tfg_gp2sdf_dYe0xJcNYLMjyUEM1jJsQbehS0L3fIfD30zcJDdtjZTSRSwIOCO7MMVXO51ynLNNIiYguVKIqtZAL/s320/blog+2017+tree+at+CK+with+Spanish+moss.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Spanish Moss gave the pathway an eerie atmosphere</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We headed off to Hog Island, our usual stopover spot where we stage for going through the lock. </span>We waited until a few hours before high tide and proceeded to the lock entrance about 4:30pm.<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Still ran aground but because it was a rising tide we finally floated off and went through the lock with no problems. It was approaching sunset but we managed to arrive at Safe Cove before dark and tie up along the dock.</span></b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Safe Cove visible in the distance</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our last sunrise while at the dock was lovely </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">and despite much heavier winds than we like to maneuver in we were able to back into the "well" and the pros here lifted us out and moved us into our new spot where the boat will be for the next 10 months or so!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunrise from the boat before haul-out</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>And now off to Panama ......</b></span>
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-50826864873443650912018-01-11T08:51:00.001-08:002018-01-11T08:51:51.410-08:00...the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>08 January 2018</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Thank you, Judith Viorst, I couldn't have said it better myself.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The day began by running aground - twice - and ended with the anchor windlass breaking with a loud crash and catching Jim's jeans, ripping a huge hole in them and in the process pinching and tearing off a portion of the skin on his thigh! And inbetween the beginning and the end, it was a most unpleasant and interminable slog in 3-5 foot confused seas and 20 - 25 knot winds gusting to 29 right on the nose. Need I say the weather was not what we anticipated. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPLpQ-T1lzXsLpMBkC6iphDnlGEs-W8OAAu6SklngqaEcGc4c7b3NWar_mZALBmBXdcYvrpS6CiQ6RpcSCnYpA4kB1g3a-5FuKsZo5db09bILBZLNyRXbVediQuQyEENnbaa3Ch3nJwmU/s1600/2017+blog+rough+water+RK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbPLpQ-T1lzXsLpMBkC6iphDnlGEs-W8OAAu6SklngqaEcGc4c7b3NWar_mZALBmBXdcYvrpS6CiQ6RpcSCnYpA4kB1g3a-5FuKsZo5db09bILBZLNyRXbVediQuQyEENnbaa3Ch3nJwmU/s320/2017+blog+rough+water+RK.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Howling wind and white caps in our anchorage - time to leave </b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A3Z_FqAWwuahhgAfWvjlqww1XQbA_Xy16Dy3mD7zmA2NQ6daU37scIMMPtC_UcTX5v2rN-g4p3Y6TTZffdluukAI4vrdENTihpHnAa7qaC99AFNTIkFlNft8vNQBvo_acoqvJawQEwAz/s1600/2017+blog+rough+water+RK.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0A3Z_FqAWwuahhgAfWvjlqww1XQbA_Xy16Dy3mD7zmA2NQ6daU37scIMMPtC_UcTX5v2rN-g4p3Y6TTZffdluukAI4vrdENTihpHnAa7qaC99AFNTIkFlNft8vNQBvo_acoqvJawQEwAz/s320/2017+blog+rough+water+RK.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>White Pelicans the night before we left</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>After waiting at Russell Bay for a good weather window and evaluating some conflicting information about wind speeds and directions as well as wave heights, it became clear than unless we wanted to wait several more weeks, it was the best time to leave. </b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We were expecting 10-15 knots from the northeast which would have given us one nice sailing tack and one motoring tack. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3ms8EWv02ccLxJS3-cafBTSR9PEsOGF9Au6jufylsfH2CnHOoMcGDbUxL6WA1O7ILPnfMdndcyogsX5g5gkCDBZYB0N7ba3wvfNGlZuRUbRx2LdV62f5UemrRAp685FrZldmQy69stA5/s1600/2017+blog+sunrise+at+Russell+Key.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3ms8EWv02ccLxJS3-cafBTSR9PEsOGF9Au6jufylsfH2CnHOoMcGDbUxL6WA1O7ILPnfMdndcyogsX5g5gkCDBZYB0N7ba3wvfNGlZuRUbRx2LdV62f5UemrRAp685FrZldmQy69stA5/s320/2017+blog+sunrise+at+Russell+Key.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>last sunrise at Russell Key</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jim pulled up the anchor and within minutes of getting it off the bottom, we ran aground! We had barely moved. The tide was coming in and I was following the "cookies" on our GPS. I was exactly on the track we used entering. What??? We got loose, went a few more feet and ran aground again! Since we were right in the middle of the channel, we didn't know whether to go right or left... We fiddle faddled around for about a half hour and finally got clear and headed out to the Gulf. Once out of the protection of all of the islands, the water was much choppier and the winds much stronger than anticipated. We needed to head west around the Romano Shoals and then north. We knew we would be able to sail for a short while on the westward portion. The winds were good for sailing altho a little strong. We pulled out our jib only and made good progress in very choppy and confused seas. Soon the 2 -3 foot seas became 5-6. Winds settled in at 25 gusting up to 29. A little more than we had bargained for. It was time to change course or we would have ended up in Mexico! (Eventually!) The wind was now on our nose so we had to pull in the jib and turn on the engine. Despite our RPM's at 2400, we were barely making 2-3 knots. At that rate we knew we would not get to Marco Island before dark. The ride was very uncomfortable and I was feeling worse and crabbier by the minute. We tried doing a crossword puzzle and listening to our audio books, but it is very hard to concentrate on anything in those conditions!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It was an interminable six hours and was indeed dark by the time we got to the Marco Island Channel. At least we had been there before - channel markers can be very confusing at night and this particular entrance does some zigs and zags. Again we followed our "cookies" and this time they did not lead us astray. But I was exhausted and scared. With Jim beside me, helping me to stay on track, and ignoring my shaking, we made it to our favorite anchorage spot. When I was backing down to ensure that the anchor was well set, the snubber slipped, something broke loose on the windlass and Jim's jeans got caught. The ripped hole was insignificant compared to the huge bruise on his thigh and the pinched skin. I took a picture but decided it was too gross to put on the blog. After getting him patched up, and relaxing awhile, we could appreciate that the day was over and that we were safe and sound.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The three days at Marco were a lovely respite. The weather warmed up and we met our anchorage mates from Russell Bay for lunch. (They had had a worse trip than we did. They had engine problems and could make no headway against the wind and waves, so had to be towed into Marco!). We resupplied our milk and cheerios, went out for key lime pie, had good internet and all was well.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAnTSRFaeA5-NaaJauoQJANp0GMcV8DCf06dTzMJQVY3FlfYyBuPQnUv_LbHQvjCGV3RsbAzZ_mGvECX7bHUnPr9HZ0ZxNyIieSr-1lOFWGrYe167OsDj98NrUBayNaZ11tWq4z8I_McN/s1600/2017+blog+key+lime+pie+at+Marco.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAnTSRFaeA5-NaaJauoQJANp0GMcV8DCf06dTzMJQVY3FlfYyBuPQnUv_LbHQvjCGV3RsbAzZ_mGvECX7bHUnPr9HZ0ZxNyIieSr-1lOFWGrYe167OsDj98NrUBayNaZ11tWq4z8I_McN/s320/2017+blog+key+lime+pie+at+Marco.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key lime pie at Snook Inn at Marco Island</td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What seemed like compensation for a less than wonderful trip to Marco island, was the sail to Ft. Myers Beach. Winds had calmed down and for the first time this season we were able to set both the mainsail and the jib, quietly glide along with the rippling of the water the only sound, the occasional company of dolphins and the sun warm on our faces. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjg90M5RJMjNHz1oC2_mcZS8av3h1BNpYTJfIuOoTYse-SEdF6iR-7-mE8jrtYEPtlDHxR-jgl7P9cyUmaI0RFI8sUS9gGhUTXleXVc3IBiVvhzj3j9kkJu9TE3XgWTnmjczIyVcqg_rI/s1600/2017+blog+sailing+from+Marco+to+Ft.+M.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUjg90M5RJMjNHz1oC2_mcZS8av3h1BNpYTJfIuOoTYse-SEdF6iR-7-mE8jrtYEPtlDHxR-jgl7P9cyUmaI0RFI8sUS9gGhUTXleXVc3IBiVvhzj3j9kkJu9TE3XgWTnmjczIyVcqg_rI/s320/2017+blog+sailing+from+Marco+to+Ft.+M.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A peaceful sail from Marco Island to Ft. Myers Beach</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was no mooring ball available for us at Ft. Myers, so we spent one night anchored out in the bay before moving into the mooring field the next morning. We have stayed here before, but never had the chance to explore the area. This time we will.....and it started with ice cream!</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>An obscene amount of ice cream but it did not defeat us!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-91751539285516698522018-01-07T07:33:00.000-08:002018-01-07T07:33:34.289-08:00Things that "growl" in the night<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>02 January 2018</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Because
it gets dark early and because we are very conservative in our power usage
after the sun has gone done, we tend to play cards, do crossword puzzles or
read (with our headlamps on). One of
our first nights in Russell Key we heard what we thought was something rubbing
against the hull. Several checks outside
revealed nothing. Then a second louder sound
started and it caused a slight vibration under our feet in the cabin. The two
sounds went back and forth as if in conversation. Still nothing visible outside and in fact the
sound was loudest inside the boat. It
was a bit unnerving. Finally Jim
speculated that it might be alligators!
What?? A little exploring on youtube
and we were finally able to listen to alligator bellows, growls and what
sounded like loud belching!! That was what
we were hearing, altho it wasn’t as loud.
Noise travels well through the water so they were probably not as close
as it sounded. Apparently we were eavesdropping on an alligator conversation!! We heard them for several nights in a row and
they proved to be "chatty" but unobtrusive neighbors!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A few projects:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>A 12 volt outlet added to the cockpit for charging our electronics.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Repair to the sacrificial on our mainsail - a UV protection system</b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKnJUqdlEwOQq59BSEiS-9vZ-7uYGj9P198ELM_awUgqAASd-EA02UyhRjN-wJHN7Eg-y5M-Fwr8TzxVPbUAEKto9dozLh6J6GwRCyUL_St62CSR7cSIvbDG0C199p0Y8MXNyGUtxAtkX/s1600/2017+blog+Jim+fixing+sail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKnJUqdlEwOQq59BSEiS-9vZ-7uYGj9P198ELM_awUgqAASd-EA02UyhRjN-wJHN7Eg-y5M-Fwr8TzxVPbUAEKto9dozLh6J6GwRCyUL_St62CSR7cSIvbDG0C199p0Y8MXNyGUtxAtkX/s320/2017+blog+Jim+fixing+sail.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim sitting on the boom to repair sail</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Laundry done in my new "washing machine"</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLVX2W2slS6rkR22_Zr-sPIfOxI2V09bA_FhY60vv6j5Vnk-KTuOSAyV3bilhEOy1iSvfW1J2zvVxgeaVZtBJrCgJghOYQqSFrZU306ZADsinF9g_JtygaH6K-aUIVXxbVWQ_Sw88EYlm/s1600/2017+blog+washingmachine+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLVX2W2slS6rkR22_Zr-sPIfOxI2V09bA_FhY60vv6j5Vnk-KTuOSAyV3bilhEOy1iSvfW1J2zvVxgeaVZtBJrCgJghOYQqSFrZU306ZADsinF9g_JtygaH6K-aUIVXxbVWQ_Sw88EYlm/s320/2017+blog+washingmachine+2.JPG" width="240" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The new agitator</b></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAr_CSAUIdRsUa08LVjA2TwdV4kvb9dGzlkG1vt81e_P9LBeuip32IZOAp0Fn6ca30iEC07YKiHhhM8H7KCfkM4fv_t14VPLDneuKGUw8ehLVg2rNoF1dQfirKWAWTGZpLd6jNcBjSdJPk/s1600/2017+blog+washingmachine+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAr_CSAUIdRsUa08LVjA2TwdV4kvb9dGzlkG1vt81e_P9LBeuip32IZOAp0Fn6ca30iEC07YKiHhhM8H7KCfkM4fv_t14VPLDneuKGUw8ehLVg2rNoF1dQfirKWAWTGZpLd6jNcBjSdJPk/s320/2017+blog+washingmachine+1.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Agitating!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And
then the “Arctic Freeze” hit with a vengeance.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With all due respect to my family and friends in Minnesota and Michigan,
it was COLD!!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">38 degrees above, not
below, but in Florida???</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> As "Murphy" would have it, our heater in the boat was not working. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We obviously didn’t
bring our winter gear on the boat, so evenings we put on just about everything
we did bring, put an extra blanket and an opened sleeping bag on the bed and
have managed to survive.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Everyday we
appreciate the cockpit enclosure.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It
protects us from the brutal winds and the suns beats in and warms it up to a
balmy 65 degrees.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>For
three days we kept close watch on weather hoping for a weather window to head
north. Small craft warnings kept us
where we were!! Another boat joined us
and despite being no more than 100 feet apart, with the extreme current (5 ft
tides twice aday) and 20+ knot winds we didn’t feel comfortable dinghying over
for a visit. The waters were choppy and the wind howled although we were somewhat protected from the worst of it <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Finally
it looked like a decent weather window and we were ready to head out. So we did, and therein lies a tale for
another blog!</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-56958918109059204112018-01-06T06:49:00.001-08:002018-01-06T06:49:46.351-08:00To Fish or Not to Fish?? That is the Question!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>29 December 2017</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Two
years ago, in a fit of enthusiasm, I walked into</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> a fishing shop in Bradenton.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">When a nice young man came up and asked if he
could help me, I said “yes, I want you to outfit me with the right kind of
equipment to catch fish”.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I could image
what was going on in his mind and at first he was very hesitant.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">After he asked me lots of questions, he
finally figured out that I did not know the first thing about fishing and he
became intrigued with the challenge of making me a successful fisherman.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I set his parameters:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">keep it simple, keep it relatively
inexpensive, and sell me everything I need to get started.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So he did!</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Time passed and while at anchor in Camp Lulu, I finally pulled the rod out
from the lovely teak holders that were in our aft cabin and the plastic box of
tackle from a small lazarette. I watched
a youtube video on how to rig the rod. Line put on - check, sinker attached - check, two hooks
attached - check, and salami cut up for bait.
(couldn’t think of anything else I had that might work.) I was ready!!
Let’s just say that my casting was very amateurish as you might expect,
but I was having fun trying to get the hang of. Casting between standing rigging, running rigging, life lines and other miscellaneous ropes is challenging at best.</span></b></span></span><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I had no expectations of catching anything, but sitting on the side of
the boat was pleasant and my casts were getting a little more coordinated. Suddenly there was a tug on my line. I would love to say that I gave it a
practiced yank, but in fact I just jumped and the hook was set. With visions of grandeur I yelled for Jim to
get the net, which I most certainly did not need. I pulled the fish onto the boat and the hook
that had gone through its cheek caught on a jib sheet. (a rope attached to the jib) So, here I am with a squirming fish, not only
caught on the hook, but also on the jib sheet. Jim started to release the hook then realized that he needed pliers and
a towel to protect himself from the barbs both on the hook and on the
fish. My excitement for having caught a
fish was slowly turning into distress for the fish and a sinking feeling in my
stomach! Jim first got the fish loose
from the sheet and then loose from the hook and threw it back into the water.
(my request) It was between 10 – 12 inches. I pulled out a book on Gulf fish and identified
what I had caught as a Channel catfish – excellent eating according to the
book. There was no way I could have
eaten that fish and in fact I was so upset that I put the fishing gear away and
contemplated whether or not I ever wanted to fish again. </span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkzBs6V-QQU7DaCO_E3KyqqPK2jtQYqtKsNmK8gnO_0uqcp9VrSDPuyvdUS59sZAxbHnC1vHKBhVIo0AqXl3u9cMmApFAZuIIySIIQAYZIn-v4_EAuAq49olzj8kIWHUF9iXjo-yJpgDd/s1600/2017+blog+first+fish+caught.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixkzBs6V-QQU7DaCO_E3KyqqPK2jtQYqtKsNmK8gnO_0uqcp9VrSDPuyvdUS59sZAxbHnC1vHKBhVIo0AqXl3u9cMmApFAZuIIySIIQAYZIn-v4_EAuAq49olzj8kIWHUF9iXjo-yJpgDd/s400/2017+blog+first+fish+caught.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>My first fish!</b></td></tr>
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-66757600483342979102018-01-05T15:43:00.000-08:002018-01-05T15:43:18.562-08:00Back in the Land of Internet - catching up!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>December
28, 2017</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>After
a few relaxing days at Hog Island, we were ready for some socializing and
headed over to Fisherman’s Village where we met up with some friends from “C”
dock at Regatta Pointe. Fun to get
caught up on people that we tangentally keep up with on Facebook or through
other people”s blogs. Lunch with Sher
and Steven with a stop-by from Robert and Joni filled our knowledge gap. </b></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVAiUjUkse35LQJLGOx9TNI8wwQ-D7gBJeJNK-rCCZPXloqY8JLn21Bn-IyRIzMRUMOclLjE2GQoaXIoZl_e6w6SDg7ACTisjMBMZHtrvEzXkMA82UO3dE949G6bDSr9lj03xFWza0cmv/s1600/20017+blog+sher+steven+joni+robert.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKVAiUjUkse35LQJLGOx9TNI8wwQ-D7gBJeJNK-rCCZPXloqY8JLn21Bn-IyRIzMRUMOclLjE2GQoaXIoZl_e6w6SDg7ACTisjMBMZHtrvEzXkMA82UO3dE949G6bDSr9lj03xFWza0cmv/s320/20017+blog+sher+steven+joni+robert.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sher, Steven, Joni, Robert (former "C" dockers)</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sher and Steven took us to Publix for the a resupply
of milk and sent us back to the boat with homemade Christmas cookies. I predicted
they would not last until Christmas and they didn’t but they were a wonderful
treat!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Off
to Cabbage Key the next day for frozen key lime pie and then onto Ft. Myers to
take a few days to write Christmas letters and treat ourselves to a few
restaurant meals, laundry facilities and showers!</b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99hLezIGmiPPvkXAOCw37qbTOuNK7y6sXoJhKpT_EoQbWIZ3OFH7txAnzR06WgRp2GNOC5tvr-lr7ktJYsCFxT3R9LojIKajuKenmxH8QOGyK-5BwjB2aVh6rYIfAjHm8jI3udVn1nS7G/s1600/2017+blog+matanzas+bay+grill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99hLezIGmiPPvkXAOCw37qbTOuNK7y6sXoJhKpT_EoQbWIZ3OFH7txAnzR06WgRp2GNOC5tvr-lr7ktJYsCFxT3R9LojIKajuKenmxH8QOGyK-5BwjB2aVh6rYIfAjHm8jI3udVn1nS7G/s320/2017+blog+matanzas+bay+grill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Matanza Bay Bar and Grill</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our
sailing plans such as they were, had us making an overnight stop at Marco Island before heading to Camp Lulu in the 10,000 islands of the
Everglades for Christmas.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a false start trying
to enter on the wrong side of Factory Bay at Marco, a good Samaritan sailor
who saw we were headed for grounding trouble contacted us on the VHF radio, and
talked us in to a spot where we successfully anchored – on the second try.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The
next day, December 24 we planned to travel to Camp Lulu where we would spend
Christmas Eve and and Christmas Day.
Wrong. We were on our way out the
Marco Island channel when Jim popped up from down below to tell me to turn
around and go back. There was water in
the engine room which was coming from a leaking stuffing box - the last line of
defense to keep water from entering the boat from around the propeller shaft. We found an easy anchoring spot outside Factory
Bay and Jim worked on a repair. We
headed out again, but the leak persisted and we returned to the same anchor
spot knowing we would have to spend the night. I was disappointed, but at least there was no time pressure on Jim and after some
strategizing, he was able to fix it permanently. In the meantime, he remarked that the good news
was we had confirmation that our bilge pumps worked well and could handle
the incoming water!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>After
our traditional caramel yeast rolls the next morning, we headed out to Camp Lulu and arrived in
time for a beautiful Christmas sunset.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymdCsKuux1MFV0ikxYO8SJRmouLqM4EqfBOwGYwDLhGpr3VD_849ztVp1I1CQdKVYvdozrhZekxHaWgVMchQXvB3xlEd2W2JPClm-MddY2qecRf-nBHmHAuguvaCkFFOnFy2t14EX2Jeh/s1600/blog+2017+sunrise+hog+island.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjymdCsKuux1MFV0ikxYO8SJRmouLqM4EqfBOwGYwDLhGpr3VD_849ztVp1I1CQdKVYvdozrhZekxHaWgVMchQXvB3xlEd2W2JPClm-MddY2qecRf-nBHmHAuguvaCkFFOnFy2t14EX2Jeh/s320/blog+2017+sunrise+hog+island.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Sunset at Camp Lulu</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>This
was not the isolated island that we had anticipated and after several days of
being inundated by fishing boats and campers who arrived via kayak, we went to Russell Key, a delightful bay, further south and east into the
Everglades. Not another soul in sight and it was a beautiful spot to stay, do some dinghy exploring and
get a few boat projects done.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8innhuEb2UhtTUe9qgItr7_wh9QuBG9NhBBf6RKaYzTXRt2Jt5IHOCtJghJ7AoXICtZkG8nTayOlTcGyUnYgQezbjfB2dnSpec9_W9djR3xBywgvJ8taKRoDjNmoTi0LRXZebdC6en-W/s1600/2017+blog+wwn+and+private+bay+of+Russell+Key.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv8innhuEb2UhtTUe9qgItr7_wh9QuBG9NhBBf6RKaYzTXRt2Jt5IHOCtJghJ7AoXICtZkG8nTayOlTcGyUnYgQezbjfB2dnSpec9_W9djR3xBywgvJ8taKRoDjNmoTi0LRXZebdC6en-W/s320/2017+blog+wwn+and+private+bay+of+Russell+Key.JPG" width="320" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Our private anchorage at Russell Key - Well, Why Not? in the background</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-59006238696626894692017-12-16T11:11:00.000-08:002017-12-16T11:11:09.157-08:00More drama than necessary!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">December 16, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">As
we left the dock on a beautiful, warm and sunny afternoon, we were feeling
pretty good. </span></b></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvRDo8NTMTDN9VikGFl5HU1oWqavTfK6xOScbVaaxQNq0CbgHWezieyUd-c2euXqor9xzqHPIlazeajQe83X873Q9jnIBV_43lTp10OrcOUdZenu-UxFK7PLiqBH9hpLx9BYM3Mf7IQLx/s1600/blog+2017+canal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvRDo8NTMTDN9VikGFl5HU1oWqavTfK6xOScbVaaxQNq0CbgHWezieyUd-c2euXqor9xzqHPIlazeajQe83X873Q9jnIBV_43lTp10OrcOUdZenu-UxFK7PLiqBH9hpLx9BYM3Mf7IQLx/s320/blog+2017+canal.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The canal</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The tides were rising (an
important fact for those us sailing with a 5 ½ ft keel). We had calculated our departure to arrive at
the hand operated lock just before high tide. In case we went aground (a common occurrence) we would have a
rising tide to lift us off. The nine and
a half mile canal trip was lovely, the lock was not.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ooy_0pUJQpI1hoEY6MfOvSYQEpKdaT6ojl_5s-eJHW3O79p9A5ppO0Hi2Px4qCGVgfrha1znlH9pKjy_zvxXSu5REMegMa8NRstSdbMjF3ld3UHr-8q6ZmWg4sEbg1zOcuxbVCVLm9Y4/s1600/blog+2017+lock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ooy_0pUJQpI1hoEY6MfOvSYQEpKdaT6ojl_5s-eJHW3O79p9A5ppO0Hi2Px4qCGVgfrha1znlH9pKjy_zvxXSu5REMegMa8NRstSdbMjF3ld3UHr-8q6ZmWg4sEbg1zOcuxbVCVLm9Y4/s320/blog+2017+lock.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">The lock</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
we arrived at the lock, there were two boats on the other side, trying to enter
the lock. A powerboat was towing a sailboat and they were struggling with
how to manage both boats through the lock.
While we waited what seemed like forever, I just drove in circles. When they finally made it through, they were
not able to reset the lock. Nevertheless,
we headed in, barely clearing the partially opened gate. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">All went well until we were exiting. The final step is to tie off at the dock and
pull a chain to reset the lock for the next person. Somehow, in the process of trying to tie off
the boat and pull the chain at the same time, Jim lost his balance and fell into
the water between the boat and the dock.
Being concerned about getting squished between boat and dock, he first tried
to pull himself up onto the dock. In the
process he managed to become way too close and personal with the many barnacles
attached to the pilings. But it was just
too high of a stretch and he couldn’t do
it. </span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My inclination was to get off
the boat and help pull him up, but he was concerned that the boat might float off without either of us. He just wanted
me to throw him another dock line which I did.
He fastened it to one of the pilings and had me hold on to the other end
while he stepped on it, effectively using it as a one rung ladder. Pretty clever and it worked. His comment afterwards
was “Well, that was refreshing”! That is
quite a statement from someone who thinks any water less than 100 degrees is
cold!! </span></b><br />
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His binoculars which he had
around his neck survived (they are waterproof), his Tilley Hat didn’t float
away, two knives stayed in his pockets and his watch continues to run. Although his legs are quite scratched up, the only “tragedy” was his magnifying glass
that he uses regularly. Apparently it neither floats nor stays put in a
pocket. Luckily he has a second one!</span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJFkYWU9m5HVSFWgG-knZEb475dOAFJ8FaEkgDZWnRGXsXRdKv7J0W-ffsisHx3oOt3PvZmc1A_wue0bEv3X7fNmf07cknVJP-aicEi9HB2984JRfEFVO-IC_PLSvp3EA29dkjhq5_M8q/s1600/blog+2017+Jim%2527s+leg+before+betadine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJFkYWU9m5HVSFWgG-knZEb475dOAFJ8FaEkgDZWnRGXsXRdKv7J0W-ffsisHx3oOt3PvZmc1A_wue0bEv3X7fNmf07cknVJP-aicEi9HB2984JRfEFVO-IC_PLSvp3EA29dkjhq5_M8q/s320/blog+2017+Jim%2527s+leg+before+betadine.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Cleaned up before betadine</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ18oS7C9abmjdp_mK7jD_3_yRV4IeyPDiEwNn0siRHjKkA1fRHCwXER-fAtFMrXGvHgnYrDCJh4dcNwc59TTMpPso8ic8YGb8DbSEVu2Yk9MnpT253nJ39xHkjvdoPN_jeFfvVnv7oT4/s1600/blog+2017+jim%2527s+leg+with+betadine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJ18oS7C9abmjdp_mK7jD_3_yRV4IeyPDiEwNn0siRHjKkA1fRHCwXER-fAtFMrXGvHgnYrDCJh4dcNwc59TTMpPso8ic8YGb8DbSEVu2Yk9MnpT253nJ39xHkjvdoPN_jeFfvVnv7oT4/s320/blog+2017+jim%2527s+leg+with+betadine.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Post betadine</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His
legs have been painted orange with betadine and he is taking some antibiotics
prophylactically. Just another day in the
life of a cruiser.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">We
are now gently rocking at anchor just off of Hog Island in Charlotte
Harbor. The weather is wonderful - warm with a soft breeze. We are relaxing and enjoying being on the water. Itinerary and
schedule have yet to be determined and may never be.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5g44XyjVQvahK1xYJdCY2RV6rvT0_tzBEx5q3Wd5GzNhb2oTARi3DJ_lKENvb30_T_R1vBhL-ZLNwXnuLdaNC3iNu6Xti8tLnDQ2kGP0muHSnmjMwPAkv4OvC2e-hwZZWmLmkUMLAtLE/s1600/blog+2017+sunrise+hog+island.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM5g44XyjVQvahK1xYJdCY2RV6rvT0_tzBEx5q3Wd5GzNhb2oTARi3DJ_lKENvb30_T_R1vBhL-ZLNwXnuLdaNC3iNu6Xti8tLnDQ2kGP0muHSnmjMwPAkv4OvC2e-hwZZWmLmkUMLAtLE/s400/blog+2017+sunrise+hog+island.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">And this is why we cruise. Sunrise at Hog Island.</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-85479268704279010562017-12-16T10:12:00.001-08:002017-12-16T10:12:35.079-08:00Off the dock and on the move!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>December 16, 2017<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>This
is a list of all of the “fun” we have had since we put the boat on the hard and
finally left the dock. It makes one wonder why we choose a cruising life!<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fiberglass
gash from last Spring repaired during the summer– check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Dodger
and bimini constructed and mounted during the summer but after Irma - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>All
of the shade netting that we put on in the Spring removed - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Three
house batteries and one start battery purchased - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Said
batteries hooked up and all things electric working correctly – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Cockpit
table varnished and mounted - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Teak
around the companionway sanded and varnished – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Teak
toerails sanded and sealed - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Manual
pump on the head replaced - check</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Engine
serviced – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Generator
serviced and water pump rebuilt – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fresh
water pressure pump replaced – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Anchor
Windlass disassembled and inspected – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>New
fender covers put on - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boat
washed and scrubbed – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Many
trips made to West Marine to buy all sorts of miscellaneous stuff - check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Provisions
purchased and put away – check<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sail
Repair tape purchased – check - will fix the sail at anchor! </b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It was high time to </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">get off the dock and do
what we came down to Florida to do - cruise!!</span></b></span></div>
sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-6719851274211053432017-12-14T05:39:00.001-08:002017-12-14T05:39:47.112-08:00Off the hard, at the dock!<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dec 12, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Life improved when we move to the dock last week. </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_fwN5VlCl2AZv13AJDIUnwZ6lHgFR7MDCfOEhdyd6WpThtAjlf9NplcdpgnhgT-opcM0Y4F0FrGHXOAxGrGWrCTxQ9fEjZJbd4cW2rZoiPYAd0LFRaD1eU_uU71mbtAKvZeS8La4-ORH/s1600/blog+2017+boat+in+travel+lift.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_fwN5VlCl2AZv13AJDIUnwZ6lHgFR7MDCfOEhdyd6WpThtAjlf9NplcdpgnhgT-opcM0Y4F0FrGHXOAxGrGWrCTxQ9fEjZJbd4cW2rZoiPYAd0LFRaD1eU_uU71mbtAKvZeS8La4-ORH/s320/blog+2017+boat+in+travel+lift.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>On the way to the dock....can anyone see Mr. Wiffles?</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3PGI-ox0UGGNzV693321KFBhC25FUvtTDpcyaXjYBYshtOSAz6TEhWtju9S1iEak7qA4R8EOIcoLIfMelvPbAfiVMRaMiImsosBmHPp_K_8jjHlPA6ROiqQIMPM0phg7-WDGy1gLxyIM/s1600/blog+2017+boat+moving+in+travel+lift.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB3PGI-ox0UGGNzV693321KFBhC25FUvtTDpcyaXjYBYshtOSAz6TEhWtju9S1iEak7qA4R8EOIcoLIfMelvPbAfiVMRaMiImsosBmHPp_K_8jjHlPA6ROiqQIMPM0phg7-WDGy1gLxyIM/s320/blog+2017+boat+moving+in+travel+lift.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Jim following Well, Why Not?'s journey</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Boats are happier in the water and so are their owners. The gentle motion is pleasant, the breezes are cooler and the absence of the 10 foot ladder is wonderful. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Our inaugural lunch at the dock</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>In our new location we have a variety of wildlife neighbors. Birds and fish, of course. A little more exotic are the Florida soft shell turtles and a small crocodile. </b></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>the soft shell turtle with my reflection</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Two very large turtles spend much of their time swimming around the boats at the dock. If they get too close to one another a real ruckus takes place and after much splashing, one quickly exits. The small crocodile (about 4 feet long) pretty much ignores the turtles and vice a versa. The dockside discussion is whether or not he is actually a crocodile or an alligator. Assertions are made on both sides of the issue. I have spent time on the internet looking at pictures and tho it would be unusual, I think it is a crocodile. I base this on head shape. I have not been able to take a picture – it glides quietly by and I never seem to have my camera at the ready when he makes his appearance. But, there is a large verifiable alligator in one of the side canals who seems to keep pretty much to himself, but bellows in the early evening darkness. He sounds like a large bullfrog on steroids. Happily he never comes out and joins us dockside.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Once we were in the water, a diesel mechanic came to service both our Yanmar engine and our Westerbeke generator.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> Jim got some practical application for what he had learned at the boat show as the mechanic</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> was happy to let Jim work alongside him.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The Yanmar got top marks, but the generator did not fare so well.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">We rarely use it which we now know is not good for it.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Our departure from the dock will have to be delayed until the water pump can be rebuilt.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">We have plenty to do and no particular schedule so it’s not a tragic turn of events.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Just one more dip into the pocket book.</span></b></span><br />
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-7473005520810782202017-12-11T11:03:00.000-08:002017-12-11T11:03:01.509-08:00Living "on the hard" ain't easy!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>11 December 2017</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Living
on the Hard – it’s all part of the adventure…or so they say<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>As
a neighbor here in the boatyard described it to a friend, “it is like living in
a small camper suspended up in the air, accessible only via a 10 foot ladder" and I would add, with lots of very close neighbors. Getting on and off is bad enough, but trying to carry up groceries or taking off trash can be a challenge. We use a 5 gallon pail as a poor man’s
substitute for a “dumb waiter” to lift things up and let them down. If something is too heavy, we use the hoist
on the dinghy davits. If it is really
too heavy, then we get someone from the boat yard to use the bucket on their
tractor!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>The
only water available is what was left in the water tanks from when the boat was
put up. In our case that means
approximately 200 gallons of water which we use for cleaning, cooking, etc, but
not drinking. It has been sitting for 5
months in those tanks – who knows what joined it there. We only use water at the galley sink. But there is the issue of where does the grey
water go…. We open the thru hull under
the sink and then put a bucket under the exit of the thru hull to catch waste
water so we don’t create a puddle underneath the boat. That is our plumbing system!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The
heads in the boat are not usable on the hard so we get our daily exercise walking to the bathrooms
which are located about 200 feet away and are shared with however many people
are staying in the boatyard at that time.
Middle of the night runs to the bathroom become a challenge. Under the heading of TMI, here is our
solution. A bucket with a soft foam seat…what
more could anyone ask for?? </b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A modern day chamberpot!</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cooking
is a pain because of the dishes – which in all fairness one could carry to the
bathrooms where there is a large sink- but I prefer just using fewer dishes and
washing them in as little water as possible.
It is also a good excuse to go out for meals!</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>At
the boatyard we are plugged in to a 15-amp 110 outlet which provides enough power to run most
of the electrical needs that we have on the hard: mainly outlets for charging computers, phones etc. and provides back up charging for the boat batteries when the solar panels are not keeping up. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>We
took three days off last week to go to the St. Petersburg boat show. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lots of power boats, but you can see some masts!</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Always a fun time even though the power boats
seem to dominate!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Jim took an all day class on diesel engines
and altho he picked up some useful information, he admitted that what he really needed was a hands-on workshop.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> I just enjoyed a variety of seminars, some informative (communication devices, weather) and some fun (travel hints and tips for the Bahamas and the Caribbean) I wandered through a variety of new sailboats and catamarans but confess that I prefer the look and the feel of the older boats.</span></b></span></div>
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-61946503925190534862017-11-29T08:59:00.002-08:002017-11-29T08:59:47.491-08:00Birth of a Cockpit Table - the Agony and the Ecstasy<span style="font-size: large;"><b>November 26, 2017</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>We had a perfectly good but not perfect cockpit table on Well, Why Not?. It was golden, amber colored teak, highly varnished, and folded out of the way against the steering pedestal when not in use. It had fiddles on four sides which kept things from sliding off when in the upright position. However, it was not wide enough to have even one normal sized plate sit flat on it. It held binoculars, extra dark glasses, and the miscellaneous small things that seem to accumulate in the cockpit. But using it as a dinner table did not work and eating out in the cockpit is something we really like to do. </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jim’s summer challenge was to enlarge the table at home where he had all of his tools. The summer progressed and finally, after weeks of strategizing and planning, he bought a beautiful mahogany board – 8 ft long, the minimum length available and 6 feet longer than what we needed! Jim sliced our current table in half with the idea of inserting the mahogany in between the two teak halves and attaching it with hinges so that the table would have two leaves which could be folded up for the lowered position and in the upright position could be either closed or opened. We liked the idea of the contrasting woods of teak and mahogany. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsFhPau-DmTC094ZntLSLOicBhp0KbtKLOgrfBl_-2cgQG1gfiBXVIcNNehNT1uXvQUP0zPOtpzXtVfAVx4wVBH_ZqbSX6gGOMjliEXt4nswqin66bVdnMnhuWNvHtjE3jK4a-foIhZxB/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+the+original+one+cut+in+half.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsFhPau-DmTC094ZntLSLOicBhp0KbtKLOgrfBl_-2cgQG1gfiBXVIcNNehNT1uXvQUP0zPOtpzXtVfAVx4wVBH_ZqbSX6gGOMjliEXt4nswqin66bVdnMnhuWNvHtjE3jK4a-foIhZxB/s320/blog+cockpit+table+the+original+one+cut+in+half.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original cockpit table cut in half</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPYtfp5rtSM2SSYGrVUHwc-putp5DOML6CHiQXO6qTbIVxsDlhAe1NWSr0huf6BvoEz2_OXbdLQRlJI9Mq6UZXYmQqrFNavE9dJhGiHqTaI7K1ECNVV51R1_s0EEj47V8rPAoSbGvfp9B/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+before+discovering+the+oops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPYtfp5rtSM2SSYGrVUHwc-putp5DOML6CHiQXO6qTbIVxsDlhAe1NWSr0huf6BvoEz2_OXbdLQRlJI9Mq6UZXYmQqrFNavE9dJhGiHqTaI7K1ECNVV51R1_s0EEj47V8rPAoSbGvfp9B/s320/blog+cockpit+table+before+discovering+the+oops.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The original table with the mahogany set in the middle</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">I could write a novel about the next several convoluted steps and the agonizing he did over them…..but I will give the “cliff notes” version instead. He searched for hinges that would lie flat when opened, debated using chisels or buying a router to drill out a shallow layer of wood for the hinges so they would be flush with the surface of the table. After some frustration with the chisels, he borrowed two routers from a friend, practiced with them on a spare piece of wood and eventually got pretty good. </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKyrasfuoUN98HoaZLc1vQO2QQrL9AIAFdbWyNa8jW5nM9_nSbN1UOhoCBB2zf8jfrdmiH-JxhAINScuf_k8InWF-kQeZ5aDVJD-euj-srli132E_uH5HMqm9vsl0OElh44dUPjmDWd14/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+practice+for+the+hinges.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKyrasfuoUN98HoaZLc1vQO2QQrL9AIAFdbWyNa8jW5nM9_nSbN1UOhoCBB2zf8jfrdmiH-JxhAINScuf_k8InWF-kQeZ5aDVJD-euj-srli132E_uH5HMqm9vsl0OElh44dUPjmDWd14/s320/blog+cockpit+table+practice+for+the+hinges.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Finally got it right!</span></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBKjJlP2JQezzupVDg2XCamASQYY6eT8f9zBtef8x4MOvq10pJOmm81EmNVFd5s8T6dP4N-c7Y01quVXrQxGFOogqE_FA7f6ldnbsL50bK55eGKeOnt-rTMel_AcjlF9-NYZDgVzqJEbv/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+Jim+using+the+router.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBKjJlP2JQezzupVDg2XCamASQYY6eT8f9zBtef8x4MOvq10pJOmm81EmNVFd5s8T6dP4N-c7Y01quVXrQxGFOogqE_FA7f6ldnbsL50bK55eGKeOnt-rTMel_AcjlF9-NYZDgVzqJEbv/s320/blog+cockpit+table+Jim+using+the+router.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Working with the router</span></b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Then he did the routing on the actual pieces only to discover that he had put two of the hinges on the wrong side of one leaf so that the fiddles would be in the middle of the table when the leaves were in the closed position. </span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RAKqS54gSHw57TUiPltidc8FCbIjaXxERkFTGOsCdNNjo_aDKAJtAHdi7iIs7CCKI-fNEBY1Qr5yEuQ2ua_9o3IP8R1u9A91SxF4SbiCNaAbOv-CNwK7Q1ixEA9Xnb2HyW_lLcbsuamY/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+oops.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1RAKqS54gSHw57TUiPltidc8FCbIjaXxERkFTGOsCdNNjo_aDKAJtAHdi7iIs7CCKI-fNEBY1Qr5yEuQ2ua_9o3IP8R1u9A91SxF4SbiCNaAbOv-CNwK7Q1ixEA9Xnb2HyW_lLcbsuamY/s320/blog+cockpit+table+oops.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Oops!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>By this time summer was coming to an end and departure time to head south was fast approaching!! The solution?? Make a completely new table out of the mahogany! Once he finally accepted the inevitability of that decision he made quick work of it. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu55aBcqx9QMu9zPtctHVZKQWZg0i1CKjqTDoiB5Xzt3ozZ6F5cvUW7TcpktDLHrx_oXrDCymo5nWMQtfQx_MVjsJELCCk_NvYMD-_FJHrHbXPYFzmbwJbL5B9QDU-f5K27OOZ8J0Xz8Hh/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+the+new+mahogany+table.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu55aBcqx9QMu9zPtctHVZKQWZg0i1CKjqTDoiB5Xzt3ozZ6F5cvUW7TcpktDLHrx_oXrDCymo5nWMQtfQx_MVjsJELCCk_NvYMD-_FJHrHbXPYFzmbwJbL5B9QDU-f5K27OOZ8J0Xz8Hh/s320/blog+cockpit+table+the+new+mahogany+table.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The all mahogany table with one hinge mounted</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>No time to get it varnished, but it was one of his first projects when we arrived in Florida.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2pzOJfE3xttx9OopCGZl-dMSTMKZdo1aW_BUGeIeGz67bDxc-QktmXsSgHxk2A1seOVHyFXjy81eD6BgDSeIpdZKDu2pEPiYLlgwdMh5fcs0YtqPrVIn6_N-3KWzjU10EbEhDKrzLD2H/s1600/blog+cockpit+table+hanging+for+varnishing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb2pzOJfE3xttx9OopCGZl-dMSTMKZdo1aW_BUGeIeGz67bDxc-QktmXsSgHxk2A1seOVHyFXjy81eD6BgDSeIpdZKDu2pEPiYLlgwdMh5fcs0YtqPrVIn6_N-3KWzjU10EbEhDKrzLD2H/s320/blog+cockpit+table+hanging+for+varnishing.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Jim's system for putting on the varnish</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Once he finished varnishing he attached the brackets used to hang the table from the pedestal and adjusted them (several times!) so the table was level – or at least as level as the boat. </b><b>There are no fiddles on this table – maybe next summer! But it is beautiful and we are looking forward to meals in the cockpit. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCwluPyBWUzlk4S5b_YjJ8dOp1-GFx8DBvG0eDYcZG3Duaj5QPAqEUq7emeEwCstGgqyW9uRoe6cwa_mRFEC8QrriJtIxiLvEEpIdWmBuoZ4-qdGNm26rpwob0uV0dKvbXX2ue6SqXZV-/s1600/blog+2017+mounted+closed+cockpit+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicCwluPyBWUzlk4S5b_YjJ8dOp1-GFx8DBvG0eDYcZG3Duaj5QPAqEUq7emeEwCstGgqyW9uRoe6cwa_mRFEC8QrriJtIxiLvEEpIdWmBuoZ4-qdGNm26rpwob0uV0dKvbXX2ue6SqXZV-/s320/blog+2017+mounted+closed+cockpit+table.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Hanging on pedestal in closed position</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJql85i2pmkJDdsj8GWDriAKIE1gJi4JL0ZzVb2WLdoppBmKl0LHFRRfjOZVhxT8ozhKcaWIKadxV1etYkf_B_kbFeLKyTPTSwOjQUNshMyFSZVtbGw67C4uluT9ZV6hJIZQzOUYc8N0B/s1600/blog+2017+mounted+open+cockpit+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGJql85i2pmkJDdsj8GWDriAKIE1gJi4JL0ZzVb2WLdoppBmKl0LHFRRfjOZVhxT8ozhKcaWIKadxV1etYkf_B_kbFeLKyTPTSwOjQUNshMyFSZVtbGw67C4uluT9ZV6hJIZQzOUYc8N0B/s320/blog+2017+mounted+open+cockpit+table.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Upright in opened position</b></td></tr>
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-40155110651134652572017-11-21T05:35:00.003-08:002017-11-21T05:35:50.014-08:00Back at (but not on) Well, Why Not?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>November 21, 2017</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Another chapter of "The good, the bad and the ugly"</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>During
the summer we had arranged to have several projects completed while we were
away from the boat. The first was the repair of the
damage we had done to the fiberglass – a gash in the hull and the chewed up
bottom of the keel and the rudder. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The
second was to have a new dodger and bimini constructed so that we could have
zip out windows with screens behind them.
Our old bimini was falling apart and had been rendered partially
unusable due to the structure for the new solar panels. The clear vinyl in the dodger was cracked and brittle. Our strapping tape repairs were not working well. (No surprise there!) <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>When
we arrived at the boat we were met with a beautifully repaired hull and an
attractive dodger and bimini enclosure. We now have a complete surround to our cockpit - with windows down for cold windy weather or windows up and screens down for warm buggy weather. It is always a bit nerve wracking having work done long distance but in
this case it worked out well and we were pleased. Thanks to We Paint Boats for the fiberglass repair and Nick at American Yacht Outfitters for the new dodger and bimini.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyti0wI0v2a9F1tGml08AllT6fwq2EFTof_gLuCTYSeeTbtawS7tmTV1jywFxjN7mC151U5OTbDjRLR6xOy7pTVfegjCvKWmS7n-76MKQ8X8daUmDAjcFrAyvTi1apdeoxabzxMSgrbHx/s1600/blog+new+dodger+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOyti0wI0v2a9F1tGml08AllT6fwq2EFTof_gLuCTYSeeTbtawS7tmTV1jywFxjN7mC151U5OTbDjRLR6xOy7pTVfegjCvKWmS7n-76MKQ8X8daUmDAjcFrAyvTi1apdeoxabzxMSgrbHx/s320/blog+new+dodger+2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>New dodger, looking into cockpit from foredeck</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58VL-DCSaH_MPInFTTpHB0H8kSxOGDvQHRKJEE2In-6alJ0rHS7-3kSsmVensAfAJZZX4glj-a0tIMBrpJtR3noxuV_y2SR7k6sbMR9koISTmYWTaytz0v7EzuNZPuC-iE0yDUdb3-Pif/s1600/blog+back+of+bimini+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58VL-DCSaH_MPInFTTpHB0H8kSxOGDvQHRKJEE2In-6alJ0rHS7-3kSsmVensAfAJZZX4glj-a0tIMBrpJtR3noxuV_y2SR7k6sbMR9koISTmYWTaytz0v7EzuNZPuC-iE0yDUdb3-Pif/s320/blog+back+of+bimini+2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bimini seen from aft deck</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>More good news was that there were no signs of cockroaches like last year. The bad news was that we had some new water stains on our teak and holly floor. But the ugly news was that we had no power in the boat and each attempt to turn the power on caused the boatyard circuit to
blow. It took 2 days or so to eliminate
a number of possible causes but ultimately Jim concluded that the batteries - all 4 of them – were dead, never more to be revived. In the meantime the notion of staying on the boat became
much less appealing - though in fact it is never fun on the hard so we retreated to
the relative comfort of the Motel 6! </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The next day we ordered three new AGM deep cycle batteries which we picked up at West Marine in Punta Gorda. With an individual weight of 115 lbs, they pose a handling challenge. After sitting in the back of our pickup over the weekend,
Matt from the boatyard came over with a forklift and helped Jim unload the old batteries and load the new ones. These will replace our house batteries but we have yet to deal with the start battery.</b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8n_Y0XD7Q2poS-RRyDKom5P5g_XCA0EBd3bAA79nYi6CGq_lobWy9bRakH1JDZvQRbBs_pvM9V4XbKmqV_pVdMXrIz88prFCDw6jFys0Bt6_II7MOTsi_4J46ImlEan2OtImln2YWKH0h/s1600/blog+new+batteries+and+mr++wiffles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8n_Y0XD7Q2poS-RRyDKom5P5g_XCA0EBd3bAA79nYi6CGq_lobWy9bRakH1JDZvQRbBs_pvM9V4XbKmqV_pVdMXrIz88prFCDw6jFys0Bt6_II7MOTsi_4J46ImlEan2OtImln2YWKH0h/s320/blog+new+batteries+and+mr++wiffles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Two of the three new batteries waiting to be loaded</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pk9fX5q4f589Akb8vEtORkcDfNMmZeizTpYd70-tefsmuI1DmBdMfVyzdHiZFDtTMMTATNlBJd2EpBt2kk_4KCbT8VFWUX280LVGMXX8qWJZSpCz6gQZXsaYqrX-_IyRqMSqIuzUQo6V/s1600/blog+batteries+matt+and+Jim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9pk9fX5q4f589Akb8vEtORkcDfNMmZeizTpYd70-tefsmuI1DmBdMfVyzdHiZFDtTMMTATNlBJd2EpBt2kk_4KCbT8VFWUX280LVGMXX8qWJZSpCz6gQZXsaYqrX-_IyRqMSqIuzUQo6V/s320/blog+batteries+matt+and+Jim.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Matt and Jim bringing out the old batteries</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYaAUXxzoAXE0Tl5Xx89Pt66yLBAQICOkeGY6LB9rA6-_afXbNa8542Z1vhU04_xbJNWl-9KZuatAT0oVdXkMets_XirlbsP3akeXZrbq0Gu6ofj2iH0zrSPdb32QugdmxCKNVs0tystR/s1600/blog+battery+2017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYaAUXxzoAXE0Tl5Xx89Pt66yLBAQICOkeGY6LB9rA6-_afXbNa8542Z1vhU04_xbJNWl-9KZuatAT0oVdXkMets_XirlbsP3akeXZrbq0Gu6ofj2iH0zrSPdb32QugdmxCKNVs0tystR/s320/blog+battery+2017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Getting batteries up onto and off of the boat</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48_CpK0qFQNztF-C1Pzz_SXeHmH0RMycncX8EAn-Xc-Lh9ITbNSsJdMfVdBp27k9A-oZPKrC0fmQ42Eqv10G8fbKQZfQkoIEKmf0vq1ldu0so9jbxb5R_t1q0ySjKnQeXavsETfAB7Oz3/s1600/blog+battery+jim+and+matt+loading+onto+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48_CpK0qFQNztF-C1Pzz_SXeHmH0RMycncX8EAn-Xc-Lh9ITbNSsJdMfVdBp27k9A-oZPKrC0fmQ42Eqv10G8fbKQZfQkoIEKmf0vq1ldu0so9jbxb5R_t1q0ySjKnQeXavsETfAB7Oz3/s320/blog+battery+jim+and+matt+loading+onto+boat.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Lowering battery into the cabin</b></td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></b>
<b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the meantime I have been sanding and staining
the toerail, putting stuff away and cleaning. Jim has been varnishing our new
cockpit table, unloading his tools from the pickup and working on miscellaneous
projects that do not require boat power.
We expect to move onto the boat in a few days.</span></b></div>
sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-20594547682748610782017-11-19T16:38:00.000-08:002017-11-19T16:38:39.355-08:00Heading South with a New Crew member<span style="font-size: large;"><b>November 20, 2017</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>For 30 years we bred and raised llamas on our small farm. They are gentle, smart, regal animals. They make a soft humming sound that is soothing to the soul. They can be aloof or when the moods strikes, they can be friendly and affectionate. Our last 3 geriatric animals died the year we started cruising, and we have missed them. So it seemed appropriate to welcome Mr. Wiffles on board. He doesn’t take up much space, he never complains, he loves to go everywhere and see everything. He makes me smile and remember the many llamas that were a part of our lives over the course of 30 years. He will be a silent partner in this blog. Keep your eyes open for him. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJA36p1lv9LeiYuSAyyTVse30DRqZ3V99t14J3s7RiAJIDcgKaBN7mIOJFab30Rjdj3tEiWcshbz2uaus3591Q3w9a8rmlrcpAQMnkt19AMyxfphKTlmm0-YY629fj1uPx0-d3gOepO-O/s1600/blog+mr+Wiffles+before+the+start+of+his+trip.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJA36p1lv9LeiYuSAyyTVse30DRqZ3V99t14J3s7RiAJIDcgKaBN7mIOJFab30Rjdj3tEiWcshbz2uaus3591Q3w9a8rmlrcpAQMnkt19AMyxfphKTlmm0-YY629fj1uPx0-d3gOepO-O/s320/blog+mr+Wiffles+before+the+start+of+his+trip.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Mr. Wiffles making himself at home</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvQk1KUzSu3_uOtdiH_d1K1LwpGDOSrEyr8e4gDbQbNTCaEkN9DXylsYrgpcyg6uvJiJVwaEJfOFpGw-ZSzu1xjDJViEHcfbedVlXiGwEaueQl0mfkoghX6KSKxNr71iVVDvWDjYgljJv/s1600/blog+heading+out+the+door+with+pack+and+Mr+Wiffles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvQk1KUzSu3_uOtdiH_d1K1LwpGDOSrEyr8e4gDbQbNTCaEkN9DXylsYrgpcyg6uvJiJVwaEJfOFpGw-ZSzu1xjDJViEHcfbedVlXiGwEaueQl0mfkoghX6KSKxNr71iVVDvWDjYgljJv/s320/blog+heading+out+the+door+with+pack+and+Mr+Wiffles.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Heading out the door</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>They say that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points. But not necessarily the most fun. This year we headed south by going east to Ann Arbor where Jeremy and family moved this summer. It was only 4 hours longer, took us through some beautiful fall colors and though short, was a fun visit. </b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGey94608fGlvMdy19iF9awqRWCc3RtoI3JON6DXCnfJVkZj9A6uFQ3DLFz9S4uaNJpHk7_h_bWI-rkqzTxtYVjKDrRI0rSrHbYhE7YgZPK_MXTUq8L-VA9igvJgkcW9_T8TrRXcZUFWL/s1600/blog+Cy+and+Mr.+Wiffles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGey94608fGlvMdy19iF9awqRWCc3RtoI3JON6DXCnfJVkZj9A6uFQ3DLFz9S4uaNJpHk7_h_bWI-rkqzTxtYVjKDrRI0rSrHbYhE7YgZPK_MXTUq8L-VA9igvJgkcW9_T8TrRXcZUFWL/s320/blog+Cy+and+Mr.+Wiffles.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cy with Mr. Wiffles</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOMCt7kpea5rIFg7jfCjKHEgFedV4KnDXu0p8EK3Zn7ULc_N8PVTJsDhV-toBPTfS_6SEDN8DGI__kaEC37nfQZ-18kAdokfwgIEvumtIe0ws8-FvdPj-hWf67z19QhGbQYw3_lALXEEZ/s1600/blog+better+pic+of+cy+and+gma+and+gpa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOMCt7kpea5rIFg7jfCjKHEgFedV4KnDXu0p8EK3Zn7ULc_N8PVTJsDhV-toBPTfS_6SEDN8DGI__kaEC37nfQZ-18kAdokfwgIEvumtIe0ws8-FvdPj-hWf67z19QhGbQYw3_lALXEEZ/s320/blog+better+pic+of+cy+and+gma+and+gpa.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cy with Grandma and Grandpa</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpGueXRC00UUOFP7YY2mqW5ku4oRiUlr3Rz78A9tule2deW1TpkdHThdciOUlQVsl9FsBCXDgl4nZGci0Yw53hCMUFRvXl2DPbVZ4uI1qD1TebWEIeTi8ffLK_Nsu8zX-i59UaF4TpJed/s1600/blog+3+generations+of+Nelson+men.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpGueXRC00UUOFP7YY2mqW5ku4oRiUlr3Rz78A9tule2deW1TpkdHThdciOUlQVsl9FsBCXDgl4nZGci0Yw53hCMUFRvXl2DPbVZ4uI1qD1TebWEIeTi8ffLK_Nsu8zX-i59UaF4TpJed/s320/blog+3+generations+of+Nelson+men.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Three Generations of Nelsons</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>From there we again headed south to see our friends Jill and Bud in Port St. Joe. Since our last visit they had bought a fishing boat and we had a chance to head out with them on a beautiful warm, sunny and calm day. Theoretically we were fishing but mostly we just enjoyed being out on the water.</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPB8i91HfabekWozeiABElyugiOb0y2DaBpx41GxuKyF7WaTA73nGYej8XC_mJTPLSQEs0038QbUxLd0mykxAPi0p4_NYDzHNx1Ip4PbUQSZ0ATtSjqkzpaV4FNJdYuI1xttYx9GLQ6SL/s1600/blog+on+Jill+and+Bud%2527s+fishing+boat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVPB8i91HfabekWozeiABElyugiOb0y2DaBpx41GxuKyF7WaTA73nGYej8XC_mJTPLSQEs0038QbUxLd0mykxAPi0p4_NYDzHNx1Ip4PbUQSZ0ATtSjqkzpaV4FNJdYuI1xttYx9GLQ6SL/s320/blog+on+Jill+and+Bud%2527s+fishing+boat.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A Day of Fishing???</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNsnRxpJIwC5SF5FkvcvZKuyAhxju9Aan3YC4i9HJJhP3z591rA5EZB47eEBrF-kYvCux9nGpCLV9tK8gEJWzgcq9XO27nRQXAGKZFMBV1kjb1YkR5A-SGsjckX9HLbekIIjWRXObQ54R/s1600/blog+bud%2527s+boat+w+mr+wiffles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfNsnRxpJIwC5SF5FkvcvZKuyAhxju9Aan3YC4i9HJJhP3z591rA5EZB47eEBrF-kYvCux9nGpCLV9tK8gEJWzgcq9XO27nRQXAGKZFMBV1kjb1YkR5A-SGsjckX9HLbekIIjWRXObQ54R/s320/blog+bud%2527s+boat+w+mr+wiffles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Bud and Jill's Fishing Boat</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">A day south of there we met with Seth, a sailing friend from Regatta Pointe and his mother in Dunedin for breakfast/brunch. Seth is offering us quite the adventure which we could not refuse. His boat, Serendipity at Sea, has been in Trinidad for the hurricane season and he will be sailing north from there, through the Eastern Caribbean to Jamaica. We will fly to join him for the sail from there to the San Blas Islands and the Panama Canal. Our sailing season on Well, Why Not? will be shortened in exchange for quite the adventure on board Serendipity at Sea! </span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1GtVTHXy4vV0JS-HDRMrVhQEvIgeF8FXOWsprqzQspu90fvAdV0OCejBR3ORh3uRcHTXkQDE-d8or0CzPcsiqr1l9iGFsTorWGkHXCA-OlqRGw4W8tWjB1TOP2x9r09M243BDtQmmu3R/s1600/blog+seth+with+j+and+m+eating+ice+cream.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1GtVTHXy4vV0JS-HDRMrVhQEvIgeF8FXOWsprqzQspu90fvAdV0OCejBR3ORh3uRcHTXkQDE-d8or0CzPcsiqr1l9iGFsTorWGkHXCA-OlqRGw4W8tWjB1TOP2x9r09M243BDtQmmu3R/s320/blog+seth+with+j+and+m+eating+ice+cream.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Seth leading us down the slippery slope of ice cream indulgence</b></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Among other things, Seth is quite the global connoisseur of ice cream. I hold him entirely responsible if I gain 20 pounds travelling with him - he is a very bad influence and a very persuasive one - at least in that department! However, as far as I know, there are no ice cream parlors on the high seas between Jamaica and Panama. That will help!</span></b>sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8715112227485387062.post-82727373223349188742017-04-27T14:21:00.000-07:002017-04-27T14:21:53.595-07:00The Good, the Bad and the Ugly<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">26 April 2017</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Back "on the hard" and time to close out our very short sailing season. I think this was the first year that we really felt like we were cruisers. We spent most of our nights at anchor, some of them on a mooring ball and none at a marina. We experienced all types of weather (no snow!!), waves, currents, winds. We had our moments of concern, discomfort, blissful sailing and gently rocking anchorages. We had mechanical and equipment failures and we gained the confidence that at least so far we could deal with them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The last part of the trip to the boatyard involved a hand operated lock that makes the transition from the Myakka River at the north end of Charlotte Harbor to a canal that leads to the boatyard. It is an intriguing little operation that is fraught with "challenges". On our way out in March we went aground right at the lock but wind conditions were better for our return and we had a higher tide so we thought things were going to be better. Mother Nature had something else in mind. The winds picked up and the current was very energetic. The turn into the lock is a very short 90 degree angle. It is very difficult to get a straight shot at it and we ended up being blown into the dock with a resulting unpleasant crunching sound. We finally managed to get straightened out and proceeded through the lock. But...in our desire to get out of there, we forgot to pull the chain one last time to prepare the lock for the boat that followed us. We tried to back up - didn't work - but fortunately they were able to deal with it tho not happily. When they passed us in the canal we tried to apologize but they were intent on "waking" us (in a pontoon boat no less) and angrily passed us by at full speed! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6pG4zOIuWvM_qr3Tg6HBX_aBOSG2VJkkdUggBN7TStAJcTySJ-gtVA6LeUYK09D2aLzDvwYyLpQORltdMFFNaienlHLsMQbpm4uS2js8m-VqhJ62hWNWMxWWYM1bzpj7MC-1vxbJeqVl/s1600/blog+2017+looking+backwards+in+canel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6pG4zOIuWvM_qr3Tg6HBX_aBOSG2VJkkdUggBN7TStAJcTySJ-gtVA6LeUYK09D2aLzDvwYyLpQORltdMFFNaienlHLsMQbpm4uS2js8m-VqhJ62hWNWMxWWYM1bzpj7MC-1vxbJeqVl/s200/blog+2017+looking+backwards+in+canel.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Looking backward in the canal</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-fTmY2R8LHZ86Qp0Tbtlsk7_pJ9osst6mrJVZ_MNDT7XBxBPTTdmPCC-Nw5now677Hqowy2rh74k7ZlSc0pE79etmYyKwOQtyNxIsGudUcBNPm516vyQdH6VPzIPwELuQ3a7KNkvEfmu/s1600/blog+2017+looking+forwards+in+canal.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-fTmY2R8LHZ86Qp0Tbtlsk7_pJ9osst6mrJVZ_MNDT7XBxBPTTdmPCC-Nw5now677Hqowy2rh74k7ZlSc0pE79etmYyKwOQtyNxIsGudUcBNPm516vyQdH6VPzIPwELuQ3a7KNkvEfmu/s200/blog+2017+looking+forwards+in+canal.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Looking forward in the canal</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">We spent two days dockside at the boatyard doing a variety of chores that require the fresh water of the canal - running the generator, running the outboard out of gas (we took a little tour of the canal just to see what the canals were like), washing the salt off the boat etc. At haul out time, thanks to strong winds we had a hard time lining up with the haul out well. Then there were problems getting the sling from the lift underneath our boat thanks to low water levels due to the lack of rain in this area. All in all, our boating life would be easier with a shallower draft.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">We have been a little more organized about getting projects done while on the hard but again nothing fun to write about. So here is a visual.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkQHnUE-hoMGxNqXB3zp9yYvKazes6iY9GOInPCqydbCcjo0_9daYVF2Gvtfjb0HNXFWUMT74jNGXrJmsbUKI7tA-IGtL4eMv8SjgeWVqizKD5CSAsrwSMDsJOU9AVfQg28b1nUjEN4u1/s1600/blog+2017+shredded+messenger+line.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkQHnUE-hoMGxNqXB3zp9yYvKazes6iY9GOInPCqydbCcjo0_9daYVF2Gvtfjb0HNXFWUMT74jNGXrJmsbUKI7tA-IGtL4eMv8SjgeWVqizKD5CSAsrwSMDsJOU9AVfQg28b1nUjEN4u1/s320/blog+2017+shredded+messenger+line.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Shredded flag halyard</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PRUcyB0jmkgfYI8H_uF5QUOtKkLSPeTj2uwJwWjrY7WwwuvX4zyz-wxx2SQat8NyoTXi-HSVPR9TosGMseZ7qTbO-27kpmUoIV68p-r-fyfuz1c4MhxoNtKMX7t4LMKu16N0nBL6Bt_Q/s1600/blog+2017+Jim+splicing+frayed+line.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PRUcyB0jmkgfYI8H_uF5QUOtKkLSPeTj2uwJwWjrY7WwwuvX4zyz-wxx2SQat8NyoTXi-HSVPR9TosGMseZ7qTbO-27kpmUoIV68p-r-fyfuz1c4MhxoNtKMX7t4LMKu16N0nBL6Bt_Q/s320/blog+2017+Jim+splicing+frayed+line.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Preparing to replace line</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbIhcjCRyw3TShOekHbj7sQliP7XwUJUA4KFevD2TZVsooPyo4hTRORVhrqdlL0koVC8Ws4iRlU-ApsqrpBc_MFfZt5gMDfHEPSM32_AXCXESNx2JE466BiGUXCyXRZ9x3pjAHpgbA-gU/s1600/blog+2017+putting+up+secondary+antenna+for+ssb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbIhcjCRyw3TShOekHbj7sQliP7XwUJUA4KFevD2TZVsooPyo4hTRORVhrqdlL0koVC8Ws4iRlU-ApsqrpBc_MFfZt5gMDfHEPSM32_AXCXESNx2JE466BiGUXCyXRZ9x3pjAHpgbA-gU/s320/blog+2017+putting+up+secondary+antenna+for+ssb.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Putting up secondary SSB antenna</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Big "oops" from the lock! Needs the pro's</b><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgohR2gx9yxIr3uc6QtjiSruFp6X1xATpUjsYquvo9sBWEsch2mVhUXt0loRYpusX4D8EjaHfe7heTOR3Acj8ogLV-j9AKaZBhGBpiACNvuKjgbgdOqCgpEQnIFhNYCtO5XPkX9Fl8oPb/s1600/blog+2017+prep+for+painting+storage+behind+setee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYgohR2gx9yxIr3uc6QtjiSruFp6X1xATpUjsYquvo9sBWEsch2mVhUXt0loRYpusX4D8EjaHfe7heTOR3Acj8ogLV-j9AKaZBhGBpiACNvuKjgbgdOqCgpEQnIFhNYCtO5XPkX9Fl8oPb/s320/blog+2017+prep+for+painting+storage+behind+setee.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Preparing to paint storage behind settee</b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZufsXMbRwB-4cz1EqwgTY6_wUfK8DiDqn7Yz0lnfgaOMU5Vy31hkr9OQPN4KWggC5WrfUgtYwPm3rwYDWJoY19y1sMktV501NjByAKe7B98zHigstgTJc_HO4WNXzNEsiuV-UxEpd5SdG/s1600/blog+2017+inside+setee+storage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZufsXMbRwB-4cz1EqwgTY6_wUfK8DiDqn7Yz0lnfgaOMU5Vy31hkr9OQPN4KWggC5WrfUgtYwPm3rwYDWJoY19y1sMktV501NjByAKe7B98zHigstgTJc_HO4WNXzNEsiuV-UxEpd5SdG/s320/blog+2017+inside+setee+storage.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The before picture</b></td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidU0sVmoFhvlf2QUuTddbw91poh2JvYXtMcurlY8sOhlqijOVo_xnbPyw8FwVgtVAmZ3Atmu0aGdxNowiweR-UcB0leqLZqHwdTzg4sWOnlSU2ZUDcnqLN30WQ72aLwphlJjxNoyIAQrv3/s1600/blog+2017+inside+setee+after+painting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidU0sVmoFhvlf2QUuTddbw91poh2JvYXtMcurlY8sOhlqijOVo_xnbPyw8FwVgtVAmZ3Atmu0aGdxNowiweR-UcB0leqLZqHwdTzg4sWOnlSU2ZUDcnqLN30WQ72aLwphlJjxNoyIAQrv3/s320/blog+2017+inside+setee+after+painting.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The after picture</b></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkbAIxosFH_d3sPKZEzM76MKq36n-1FEwQttg1Cn9ivjByqMQ20NkIeKxoXcDAFF1bo4otZGpdca7atq30PmWs4x2OPZNBpt3f_7Eq1H4aW2XU6g0C5ufjKuQy7D8w8Wjg6QDAx5ntGFZ/s1600/blog+2017+major+project+cleaning+waxing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbkbAIxosFH_d3sPKZEzM76MKq36n-1FEwQttg1Cn9ivjByqMQ20NkIeKxoXcDAFF1bo4otZGpdca7atq30PmWs4x2OPZNBpt3f_7Eq1H4aW2XU6g0C5ufjKuQy7D8w8Wjg6QDAx5ntGFZ/s320/blog+2017+major+project+cleaning+waxing.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cleaning, waxing, buffing</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">There are lots of trawlers in the boatyard - seems like many sailors are moving over to the "dark side" as they get older. They are enjoying the increased room, and increased ease of handling that type of boat. Not us, not yet.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIaCyz3Nq7dpjNmm5PbT6f6Az0cUEYWrm_kdYghJoXrw0LqdYY9CuSr1BlUlhsB7Wx7vjooQKkUzwZ3mompvPJ73gtFfk4sT8I7SNV0_74L9BWnyDbRoK86hbfAO_UHc4GeUGGhjOtkz4/s1600/blog+2017+trawlers+of+the+dark+side.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXIaCyz3Nq7dpjNmm5PbT6f6Az0cUEYWrm_kdYghJoXrw0LqdYY9CuSr1BlUlhsB7Wx7vjooQKkUzwZ3mompvPJ73gtFfk4sT8I7SNV0_74L9BWnyDbRoK86hbfAO_UHc4GeUGGhjOtkz4/s320/blog+2017+trawlers+of+the+dark+side.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Trawlers of the "dark side" - our neighbors</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">The big excitement this week was the delivery of a new travel lift for hauling out and launching boats. It took one huge semi, two boom trucks and two days of "putting it together". It looked like a very large set of legos!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG6gu0xK5go6Xl52HX7tolUyJIxJCOfSEjvNeenSYcms-CMgPoVUm0pVxq2XHhsHxcmBFDtj8AEFduydltGVvBgT6rPishP60A8LOrKb6vm3lLNtFzZYphbCYG7R9UluZ5e9qYLBCXQee/s1600/blog+2017+travelift+delivery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG6gu0xK5go6Xl52HX7tolUyJIxJCOfSEjvNeenSYcms-CMgPoVUm0pVxq2XHhsHxcmBFDtj8AEFduydltGVvBgT6rPishP60A8LOrKb6vm3lLNtFzZYphbCYG7R9UluZ5e9qYLBCXQee/s320/blog+2017+travelift+delivery.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Travelift arriving preceeded by two large boom trucks</b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXTaIo4kRff3l2LW8I4Qz4uUGgTQ7_KLWQBJxgsn857p3AqMu1gAMFlPd1N0Y2FWaCIbODGe_YTzcnJ5yvnrKbXvZYQosHlqcpEM-_WoA8lWRYgIu3XnWf9ujX0oDNpjw_7ouy6XBag0n/s1600/blog+2017+assembling+travelift.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHXTaIo4kRff3l2LW8I4Qz4uUGgTQ7_KLWQBJxgsn857p3AqMu1gAMFlPd1N0Y2FWaCIbODGe_YTzcnJ5yvnrKbXvZYQosHlqcpEM-_WoA8lWRYgIu3XnWf9ujX0oDNpjw_7ouy6XBag0n/s320/blog+2017+assembling+travelift.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Almost finished</b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">It is almost time to head back to MN and already I can feel my focus switching to farm projects and summer activities. The transition from water to land is always a bit of a jolt, but we are very lucky to be able to experience both modes of living.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNN6kUxdCMdUXmVgFn29z91SSj8ka17cKsokHNIwXO1OPg9g9F2ROCQOaFKDt9C_x6645m_CfwuP5aIatPJ6otyHiZwdNkIGxYe0z_O_hb2IbvDPHti0yoTYEYhLrlvpDmJJkuftFQpro2/s1600/blog+2017+whats+left+when+Jim+peels++a+mandarin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNN6kUxdCMdUXmVgFn29z91SSj8ka17cKsokHNIwXO1OPg9g9F2ROCQOaFKDt9C_x6645m_CfwuP5aIatPJ6otyHiZwdNkIGxYe0z_O_hb2IbvDPHti0yoTYEYhLrlvpDmJJkuftFQpro2/s320/blog+2017+whats+left+when+Jim+peels++a+mandarin.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>A mandarin peel flower created by Jim</b></td></tr>
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sv Well, Why Not?http://www.blogger.com/profile/03044900717998884480noreply@blogger.com2