Almost Home

March 27-April 20 

     Well, we have had an interesting time since our last update. We finally left Marathon on Sunday 3/31 for our first leg of the trip out in the ocean. We made it to Rodriquez Key and anchored with 19 other boats, some on their way to the Bahamas and some just heading north towards home. The second day we headed to Miami/Coral Gables where we had spent 55 days earlier in the year. As we headed into Biscayne Bay the sky grew dark and wild thunder storms started. We spent over an hour just “treading water” outside of the marina entrance as we couldn't see past the bow with the heavy rains. The vessel Marianna, who was traveling with us, was hit by lightning and lost all their electronics. The bolt vaporized their antenna and also killed their refrigeration. Both Pat and Fred were unharmed. The next day we left early and went all the way in the Atlantic to Ft. Lauderdale. It was an easy calm day and we anchored for the night at Boca Raton. 

     After Ft Lauderdale we were now in the ICW and for the next few days worked our way north to Vero Beach. Old friends, David and Janet were there along with Bill and Terri and Laura and Graeme. They all had just come back from their 4 month trip in the Bahamas and were waiting for us to arrive. The following day we rented a car for the weekend, $9.99/day, and did the last of our major shopping before getting home. The wine cellar needed restocking and we were getting low on bottled water, sodas and other adult beverages. We had a great time seeing our friends before they started leaving. Bill and Terri are in a race for home to see their new granddaughter. Janet and David needed to get to Green Cove Springs and prepare their boat for the summer before heading back home to Canada. Laura and Graeme needed to move on also in order to see some sites on their way home to Ottawa. We stayed in Vero for one more night and then started our voyage north. A few days later we caught up with David, Janet, Laura, and Graeme in St. Augustine. For the second time this trip the weather in St. Augustine was so bad we couldn’t even leave the boat to go ashore. The winds were 25kt and the waves too high to make a ride in the dinghy a dry one.
     We had been communicating with Fred and Pat on Marianna on a daily basis concerning their boat. The damage from the lightning was more extensive than first thought but they are making progress on temporary repairs and should be moving any day to their home in New Hampshire. We had plans to meet them maybe in the South Carolina area. But as with our plans with Laura and Graeme, sometimes they just don’t work out as we hoped. We have either been trying to catch them or they have been trying to catch us due to different thoughts of where to stay and for how long. We made the trip through Georgia, which has several low spots with eight foot tide swings, in only three days with beautiful weather and calm seas.  On the way to SC  we saw a Coast Guard helicopter doing practice maneuvers with a small boat and a blimp on it's way to the RBC Heritage golf tournament.

     We pulled into Port Royal, SC on the 16th to rest, do some laundry and pick up a couple of items we discovered we needed. Port Royal Landing Marina is one of our favorite places to stay. The staff is top notch and there is a loaner car we can use almost anytime we feel like it to run errands or just go into town for lunch. Pat and Fred arrived on our second day after an overnight passage in the Atlantic from Fernandina Beach FL. Laura and Graeme arrived on the third day after spending a couple of days at St Simons.  As luck would have it, the weather took a turn for the worse and we extended our stay for three more nights here at the marina along with our friends. We are so close to home, maybe two weeks, and are ready for our king size bed, king size shower and large kitchen. We love being on the boat but after almost 8 months of living within 38 feet of space we tend to get the cramped feeling.
     Our plans from here are to travel 35-40 miles each day with only one more stop for more than one night. That will be at St. James Plantation, NC to see Dale and Kim. They are close friends of ours from Virginia that have moved south and are building a new home in the Wilmington area. From there we will be less than a week from home. The next update will probably be at the end of our trip.

Show Me The Way To Go Home - Please

March 8-March 26
Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, Florida

     I said in our last blog entry that we might not leave for 2 weeks after our month contract was up and it is now almost the end of those two weeks.  Due to some needed repairs and the weather we have had to prolong our stay in Marathon.

     After my brother Kevin left we started on a cleaning frenzy to get ready to head back towards home.  It’s amazing how much dust and dirt finds its way into our home on the water.  One would think that dust is a land borne problem.  Aside from cleaning the inside we also needed to address the exterior and that included the sails and sail cover.  When raising the main sail to get rid of mud dauber nests we discovered one of the attachment points that holds the sail to the mast had torn and another was ready to come off.  The sail cover also needed to have some reinforcement grommets added.  I found a local canvas shop to do those repairs but had to wait a week before they could start.  I was fortunate enough to have friends on three other boats help me take the sail and cover off.  I never would have been able to do it without the help of Bill, David and Fred.  Once I took the sail and cover to the canvas shop I found out it would be at least a week before I could have them back.

     During this waiting period Lynn and I volunteered to work at the local Seafood Festival.  The festival is held on a weekend and sponsored by the local fishermen to raise money for scholarships.  Lynn helped bread fish filets and I worked on the assembly line making up food platters.  Last year there were over 24,000 attendees and this time by 6pm on the first day they had cooked over 2,000 lobsters and we found out that they ran out of food early in the afternoon of the second day.  We both had fun helping and one of the benefits was all the seafood you could eat while working.  I ate lobster, stone crab claws, oysters, and Mahi-Mahi until I thought I couldn’t eat another bite.  The fishermen working with me on the line also provided a never ending supply of sodas and beer.  If we are ever here during the festival we would volunteer again.

     We also seemed to have developed an oil leak under the engine.  I couldn’t find where it was coming from and cleaned the area underneath and the engine itself.  Checking every day afterwards I never saw another drop.  We took the boat out along the shore and ran it for about 2 hours and still saw no more leakage.  I contacted a local diesel mechanic to see he if he had any ideas.  It took several days for him to show up and after spending about 1 ½ hours checking every inch of the motor he could find nothing either.  He did say that the engine appeared to be in great shape and that due to its age the oil could be from “blow by”.  That would be caused by loose fitting piston rings.  We put an additive in the fuel and the oil to help remedy this problem.  Whether it will work or not remains to be seen.  I’ll keep a close eye on the engine during our trip north.

     Our refrigeration also decided to cause us a few problems.  What can I say, it’s a boat and there’s always something that needs attention even when you think all is well.  The compressor would start to run and then shut off.  Start to run again and then shut off.  This only happened when the batteries were in a minimal state of charge, 12.4V.  I walked over to a company that works on refrigeration and talked with one of the technicians about our problem.  He said that the cause most likely would be a loose or corroded ground wire.  I came back to the boat and lo and behold found the ground connection to the control module pulled off in my hand with no force exerted.  I replaced the connector and everything seems to be running well.  As I have been completing tasks on our to-do list, Lynn keeps adding new ones.  I really think she needs to find something else to do with her spare time!

     For Lynn’s 65^th birthday we had more fresh lobster tails on the grill and stone crab claws.  We are sure going to miss all the seafood that we can get down here.  Our friends Laura, Graeme, Bill and Terri called her in the evening from the Bahamas and sang Happy Birthday.  She had a smile on her face for several days after that phone call and the ones from our sons.

     One hot afternoon I put on my SCUBA tank and went to work cleaning the barnacles and growth that attached itself to the bottom of the boat during the time we’ve been in Florida.  I took me almost an hour but the water temperature was perfect.  It was a great way to cool off and get a little “diving” done to boot.  I picked up my sails and cover the following day and Fred and David came back to help me put them back on.  Bill had already left for their trip back home.

    

View of rain storm headed towards our boat

  We are now just spending our time waiting for a decent weather window to leave.  We need to be in the ocean for three separate days before we can get to a spot to travel inside on the ICW.  Once on the Intracoastal Waterway we will be able to move north without worrying about the sea conditions.  During this wait we did get our Income Tax return done and are glad to be getting something back for once.  We miss our sons and daughter in-laws and especially our two grandsons.  It’s nice to be able to receive pictures of them growing up and I, for one, am very happy I got an iPhone before we left on this trip.

 Ryley with his new friend

River being cute

     I hope we are able to leave on Saturday the 30^th.  We are spending entirely too much time online ordering stuff from Amazon and eBay!!!  We even ordered a large supply of Chai Latte for Lynn’s morning fix.  We will be traveling with Fred and Pat from Marianna at least as far as West Palm Beach.  I hope my next blog entry will be from someplace in northern Florida.

    

Relaxing in Paradise, Florida Style

Feb 14 – Mar 7   Boot key Harbor Mooring Field

     We spent the first few days here getting reacquainted with the marina and the surrounding area.  Not much has changed since we were here 3 years ago.  I went to Publix, our favorite grocery store, for fresh produce and bread items and Lynn did the laundry.  The washers and dryers are now $3.00 each per load, quite expensive for marinas even in the Bahamas.  The first weekend brought lots of wind, cooler temps and rain so we stayed on the boat and read.  The temps were low enough to pull out the polar fleece blanket again.

      Friends we have traveled with before are also here and we have spent a bit of time socializing with them.  I took a couple of long walks, over a mile each way, to the CVS for meds and to a local dive shop to pick up a couple of items.  I was able to get our backup propane tank filled right across the street from the marina and at a fairly decent price.

     On 24 Feb, my 65th birthday, I received a phone call at 0900.  I answered the phone to a chorus of Happy Birthday from our friends in the Bahamas.  Laura, Graeme, Bill and Terri were thoughtful enough to make an international call and surprise me.  It was the highlight of my day and great talking with them.  Thanks Guys !!!!!!!

     My brother Kevin arrived later that day for a 10 day vacation.  When he left Ohio it was freezing cold but was in the mid 80’s when the plane landed in Key West.  He actually changed into a pair of shorts while standing at the bus stop.  While he was here we made two attempts to SCUBA dive.  We took our boat out to two different reefs on two different days and both times the water was too rough to even think about going in.  At least he was able to experience the boat ride even if it was under less than optimal conditions.  One afternoon we took our dinghy out to a small island about ¼  mile offshore and snorkeled.  We spent about 2 hours in the water, which was like bath water, and saw conch, star fish, lots of fish, a moray eel, coral, and one dead lobster.   Our orders from Lynn were to bring back dinner, she wanted lobster that night.  Having failed our objective we all went across the street to a great seafood restaurant and stuffed ourselves with lobster sandwiches, stone crab claws, onion rings, coconut shrimp, buffalo wings and of course cold adult beverages.   While there we noticed  they were running a special on fresh lobster tails till the end of the week.  On Friday we walked back over and bought 12 lobster tails and one pound of stone crab claws to cook for dinner on the boat.  I cooked the tails on the grill, something I’d never tried before.  With only 3 of us for dinner there weren't any leftovers.

Our seafood feast on the boat

     One afternoon while Kevin and I went to the store Lynn called our health insurance company.  We are both now officially on Medicare and she discontinued our Cigna policy.  We were able to get a great supplemental plan through BC/BS and should enjoy a rather large increase in monthly income by not paying the outrageous premiums for the group plan from Cigna.  On this note – neither one of us even feels close to being old enough to qualify for Medicare.  That’s something for really old people …………. right????

     The last two days Kevin was here we rented a car to do some sightseeing.  I had reserved a compact but when we got to the rental agency they didn't have any available.  The woman apologized and offered me a choice of either a minivan or an almost brand new Cadillac for the same price.  Sort of a no brainer which car we got, eh?  The caddy drove fantastic and the gas mileage was astoundingly good.  We drove north up the Keys towards Key Largo stopping at a couple of places along the way.  The first was Bass Pro Shops to restock on shorts and shirts (they have the best selection at great prices) and then had a very light lunch at the restaurant outside.  Next stop was Divers Direct.  Kevin was able to get a monitor for his underwater camera and I picked up a couple small items.  I find it very hard to go to  a dive shop and not find something!  We then drove to John Pennekamp State Park and both drove and walked around the grounds.  It was amazing at the amount of “tourists” that were milling about.  Most had just returned from a snorkel trip and several seemed to be either coming or going to the beaches.  We left there and headed to see the African Queen, the same boat that was used in the movie of the same name.  It has been completely restored and is available for canal cruises for $49 per person for about 90 minutes.  Too rich for our blood so we stood and watched some fishing charter boats come back to the docks and off load their catches.  While they were cleaning the fish on the dock  pelicans floated in the water below catching the “treats” from the cleaning process.  The last stop for that day was dinner at the Fish House, a great place for seafood we found several years ago.

 Egret waiting for fish innards

Sign at the dock next to the African Queen

     The next morning we started early and went to the Stuffed Pig for breakfast.  It is a small crowded diner with good food.  After eating the large portions of biscuits and gravy, sausage, grits, hash browns, bacon, and toast we drove south to Key West.  Kevin was flying back home that day but not until early evening so we had time to play.  The drive down was scenic and without any traffic.  Our first stop in Key West was the Most Southern Point in the US.  The traffic now was so bad that we could barely get through stop lights when they changed because of gridlock.  The spot is marked with a huge cement monument and Cuba is only 90 miles off shore.  We worked our way through the streets of Old Key West until we came to Duvall Street.  For those who have never been there I can only describe it as being something from another country.  Crowded with tourist from cruise ships, bus tour people and college students on Spring Break the sidewalks are full and the mood is party, party, party.  We, as tourist ourselves, did our share of shopping and checking out more than one pub.  It’s called the Duvall Crawl when you start at one end of the street and work your way, bar by bar, down to the other end.  We cheated and started 2/3 of the way to the end.  

 Southernmost Point Marker

 Stop #2 of the Crawl

Stop #3

     We dropped Kevin off at the airport with plenty of time for him to check in and wait for the plane.  It was really nice having him visit and I really appreciated all the help he afforded.  Especially with getting water and loading the heavy jugs on the boat and the company while walking to the grocery store and back.

     Our contract here ends on 13 Mar but we will have to extend due to a couple of repairs that have to be addressed.  It could be as long as two more weeks after the 13^th before we can start our voyage back north. 

On The Way Again

23 Jan – 13 Feb

     Our friends David and Kathy from s/v Orion showed up in the mooring field.  We haven’t seen them since the Chesapeake two years ago while waiting out a hurricane in Deltaville.  They, like us, are staying in the States this year and taking their time moving from one spot to another. We’ve had plenty of time on our hands and have been able to take care of those small projects that always pop up when you own a boat.  I’ve been able to test a few new recipes such as Salmon with asparagus and red potatoes cooked in parchment paper, curry chicken with summer squash and spinach, and Greek chicken breasts with feta cheese and black olives.  Needless to say the meals on the boat are getting a good bit better.

     The winds in the mooring field were kicking up quite a bit for several days.  We stayed on the boat and read while getting rocked and rolled.  We also had shrimp boats going down the channel from 0200-0400 every night causing both wakes and lots of noise.  We figured it was time to leave, but ………… Lynn started not feeling well again so away we went back to the doctor.  With a new jolt of steroids and more antibiotics she fought this episode off in less than 10 days.  Another trip back to the doctor for a checkup and then we got ready to leave.

Sunset view from our boat at Dinner Key

     We rented another car for a day to do some more shopping.  Mostly heavy items like beer, wine, sodas and bottled water that are difficult to pick up on a foot trip to the store.  It took two trips in the dinghy to get everything back to the boat.  The following day more friends arrived.  Dean and Susan from s/v Autumn Bourne stopped by on their way to the Bahamas for the night.  It was good seeing them again before they left. We also took the car to see Dorothy and Glenn, s/v Dotsway, and had a great happy hour and dinner with them.  We made plans to meet them the following week on our way to Marathon.

     The day before departing we noticed a huge barge pull into the anchorage next to the mooring field.  It had a crane with a bucket and started picking up abandoned boats out of the water and crushing them into giant dumpsters.  We heard that over a dozen boats were disposed of in two days.  Florida has a real problem with people just leaving boats anchored in the waterways and causing navigation problems for other boaters.  These people just decide they don’t want the boat anymore and set an anchor and walk away.

 Glenn and Dorothy at Pumpkin Key

 Some coral with my new underwater camera

Our boat at anchor in Pumpkin Key

 Channel Marker at Pumpkin Key. Note the multiple pumpkins that go all the way around

My first catch of the season

     After 55 days at Dinner Key we finally left the mooring ball and headed south.  Our first stop was Pumpkin Key where we met Dorothy and Glenn for the weekend.  We had two great meals with them and on Sunday took a 3 hour dinghy ride thru the creeks and canals.  I was able to catch my first fish on my new rod and reel but it was not a “keeper”.  On Monday we headed out to the ocean for our ride south and Dorothy and Glenn headed back to Miami Beach.  The seas were rough starting out but did calm a bit later in the afternoon.  We pulled into Indian Key and hooked up to the one of two free mooring balls.  During the evening the winds increased and made for a rather uncomfortable night’s sleep.

     On Tuesday, 12 Feb, we finally made it to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon.  This will be our home for the next 30 days.  We had to anchor the first night because there were no mooring balls available for us regardless of seeing at least 12 empty????  Today we were assigned one of the empty ones from yesterday and have started to get settled in for our stay.  Hopefully we will get to meet up with friends Ian and Sharon from Canada that are down in Florida for a holiday.  We also might get to see Beth and Bruce from Ohio when they come to Key West to see their new granddaughter.

More Miami and a Road Trip on the side

     On Monday the 14^th I took the bus to get a haircut.  It had been over 2 months since my last one and I was getting a bit shaggy.  This gave Lynn some time to relax again.  While I was in the area, I walked to West Marine in search of a folding bicycle.  Folding bikes are perfect on a  boat as they don’t take up valuable space.  It turns out that the one I was looking for was recalled due to a safety issue.  It's a good thing I didn't buy it before we left as I had planned!!  Back at the boat I tried in vain to find a decent folding bike online at a decent price. I guess I’ll wait until we get to Marathon next month and search again.

     Tuesday was laundry day and a chance for Lynn to get off the boat for a little time on land.  We packed up all the dirty clothes, detergent, fabric sheets, etc and headed in early so we wouldn't have to wait in line.  There are only 2 washers and 2 dryers to accommodate 228 mooring balls.  The office opens at 0800 and we arrived at 0830 to find the washers were both broken and might be fixed later in the day, maybe.  So, back in the dinghy with all our stuff and back to the boat.  At least Lynn got her feet on terra firma for 20 minutes or there about. I found out thru email later in the day that the battery was dead on my truck at home and wouldn't take a charge.  Our neighbor Stephanie has been kind enough to start it every other week. Our other neighbor Chrystal is going to ask her husband Jim to look into the matter for me and get a new battery.  We cannot say enough about where we live and the great neighbors we are fortunate enough to have.  It makes leaving for trips almost worry free.  The next day I went back in to do laundry with the newly repaired washers.

     On the 17^th we took the bus and trolley into downtown Miami and had a great lunch for our 43^rd anniversary.  We walked around a bit after eating and then took another bus to the Coco Walk in Coconut Grove for a short walk around the chic and expensive shops. On Friday we picked up a rental car ($9.95/day with 100 miles per day) and did some much needed grocery shopping.  We also drove through Miami Beach and up the shoreline for about 20 miles.  But we were never able to see the water or even the beach because of all the high-rise apartments along the road.  We ended the afternoon at an Irish pub that didn't have one Irish beer or any Irish fare on the menu!!!!  Just an Irish name, Flanagan’s.

Farmer's Market Outside

     On Saturday we went in early with the car to the Coral Bagel, a great spot for breakfast.  There was a waiting line but it moved quite fast.  Had a really good meal and then drove to the Farmer's Market that is held every Saturday.  We bought more produce and some fresh spices as well.  Then we took off for Ft. Lauderdale to find the dive shop, Divers Direct.  I tried to buy a full wet-suit but was unable to find one that fit me properly.  But I did buy an underwater camera.  It's waterproof to 200 feet and came with a clip on wide angle lens, a $70 value, for free.  Can't wait to use it in Marathon.  Lynn got a nice shirt there, light weight and with a dive theme.  Next door to the dive shop was a Bass Pro Shop that we spent quite a bit of time walking around.  I was able to get a nice knit shirt and some light weight cargo shorts, both on sale.  We next drove to Total Wine and stocked up on more Merlot in bottles.  Since we are always close to a trash can here we decided to get bottles and keep the box wine for traveling.  We ended the day at another Beer and Burger place for supper.  We split a meal because the sandwiches  and helpings of potatoes are huge.

Farmer's Market Inside

     Sunday we headed south to Florida City and stopped at Wally World.  We had put together quite a list of things to buy.  We also made plans to meet some friends from Ohio, who were on their way to Key West to see their new granddaughter, to meet in Key Largo at a great seafood restaurant we discovered years ago.  These are the people, Bruce and Beth, from s/v Grace whom we traveled with our first year in the Bahamas.  For some reason our location was either not understood or not communicated well.  We never did meet up but Lynn and I enjoyed a terrific seafood supper.

     Yesterday, Monday, we returned the car after having breakfast again at Coral Bagel.  After 3 days of driving around and eating at all those restaurants we spent the rest of the day relaxing and reading. Today was spent getting water with the Jerry cans x 2 trips and cleaning the boat. The weather has been very nice here with only 2  days of rain. Just had to rub that part in for all our friends and family back up north !!!!  

Week 14 on s/v twomorrows

     It’s been a very relaxing week here at the mooring field.  Lynn has been behaving herself by spending her time reading and doing crosswords.  A few naps here and there to regain strength and most of all keeping me company.  The last 3 plus weeks became very boring being on the boat by myself when not at the hospital.  The weather has been warm but very windy and we are glad to be safely attached to a mooring ball.  Winds have been from 15-25 knots constantly with gusts of maybe 30 every so often.  The long range forecast has the same outlook till maybe Wednesday of next week. It’s also nice to cook for more than just myself and Lynn enjoys having something other than the hospital chow.

 The Dinghy Dock at Dinner Key

A Manatee that wouldn't go away from behind my dinghy

     I discovered a Farmer’s Market that sets up on Saturdays nearby and have made two trips for produce.  The selection is huge and the prices are very low.  We've been able to enjoy fresh vegetables almost every night along with our meals.  I made a great stir fry the other night with some fresh shrimp we had frozen just before the holidays.  I took a day trip on the bus to a SCUBA shop looking for a full wet suit only to find the place was just a small operation with no inventory.  At least it gave Lynn some time to take a decent nap without me bothering her.

    The Farmer's Market on Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove

  On Thursday she had a follow up appointment with the pulmonologist that attended to her while hospitalized.  He said she was doing extremely well and didn't need to see her again.  She is to continue the meds given on discharge until they are finished and keep relaxing for another week or two.  Our plans are now to stay in Miami till about 1 Feb and then head down towards the Keys.  We will probably go to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon for a month before moving either to Key West or maybe start slowly back north.  We would like to meet up with Laura and Graeme when they return from the Bahamas and continue our trek with them towards home in April.  My brother Kevin is making plans to visit us while in Marathon with hopes of doing some diving and sightseeing.

     There are several sailing schools located around Dinner Key.  While Lynn was in the hospital we were able to look out the window and sometimes see as many as 50 or more small sailboats in the bay.  While in the mooring field we see them up close.  They sail through the field and in between the boats in order to get out and back from their lessons.  It’s really a sight to watch them weave around the big boats tied to the balls.  And we have never seen anything even close to a collision.  They must be learning well, eh?

Sailboats going through the mooring field returning back to the docks after their lessons

Free At Last

After 22 days of hospital confinement, umpteen lab tests, X-rays, CT scan, numerous IV antibiotic infusions and countless respiratory inhalation treatments Lynn passed muster and was granted permission to leave.  Since my last post she was moved from the room with a view to another room where she was able to admire the air conditioning units on the roof all day.  For the past week she was self sufficient and almost able to give herself the meds.  One day she even went in the hall and got her own dinner tray off the cart because the staff was too slow.  Needless to say all the nurses wanted her as a patient as she required almost no upkeep!!!  She is back on the boat and after 24 hours doing well at adjusting to the routine a float.  We have follow up appts for her this coming Friday to see what the future holds.  We are hopeful that we will be able to continue our trip but stay in the States in case more medical attention would ever be needed.

     We spent both Christmas and New Years with each other and that is a good thing compared to the alternative.  On Christmas day we had the opportunity to do Skype video calls with both Todd and Jeremy.  It was so nice to talk face to face with them and to be able to see our fantastic grandsons.  We miss all of them so much but they seem to be doing just fine without Nana and Pop Pop’s spoiling.

     During my stay here on the mooring ball, I was able to meet up with some friends.   Bill and Terri stopped by for a night before going to the Bahamas.  Bill and Bette were so nice to invite me over for dinner one night.  Bill and Bette are friends from a previous trip to the Bahamas.  Bill and Terri are members of our sailing association in the Chesapeake Bay.  Also Glenn and Dorothy surprised Lynn with a visit at the hospital before they left for the Bahamas.  I’d like to thank all of you that sent messages asking about Lynn and for all of your thoughts and prayers.  As you can see, they worked.  Thank You !!!!!

     In between trips to the hospital every day I was able to find places for us to visit by bus once Lynn feels up to getting off the boat with the doctors permission.  Several restaurants, parks and a couple of museums await us.  But all of that will wait till my best friend is back in good health and ready.

     No pictures for this posting but I hope to have several to add to this Blog the next time.  Looking forward to seeing my brother Kevin and Tracey in Marathon, if we make it that far, to do some SCUBA diving.