Movin North.........

Northern Florida, that is.  We know what's going on way, way up Nort. Ouch!! Burrr! My back hurts just thinking about all that snow shoveling.  Nope, we'll just stay down here for a while.  But, we are back in cruising mode.  Here's our first couple of cruise days:

Marathon, FL to Marco Island (Via Little Shark River anchorage)  Remember, just click on this site to see our cruise map.

The Keys are known for the wonderful sunsets.  This was no exception. 

Last weekend, our friends from Delaware, Roger and Lisa, visited us.  We took the dinghy out to the entrance to the harbor and toasted the sunset with champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

Tuesday's cruise from Marathon to Little Shark River was great.  The weather was settled, the seas were calm and Tide Hiker performed like she never docked for 3-months.  (OK, OK, the truth is we did a shake out cruise for 2 hours the week before and worked out all the little gremlins that accumulate after 3-months at dock).  We actually were not due to leave until Wednesday, but strong winds were forecasted for later in the week.  So, we jumped on the good weather and headed out.  Little Shark River is in the Everglades.  It's has a very nice, well-marked, easy inlet.  A couple of years ago we were here, but followed September Song way up river.  Since we were only here for one night, we anchored closer to the inlet.  We were alone for about an hour before 5 other boats arrived.  We're told that it can get really crowded at this anchorage--it's well known.  Norm grilled some chicken and Vicki made some apps and sides and we feasted with a nice Shiraz until bed time.

Wednesday's cruise from Little Shark to Marco Island was different.  The winds picked up a bit sooner and we had to travel a good distance west into the Gulf of Mexico to navigate around the Cape Romano Shoals.  We lost the protection we could  have gotten from being closer to shore and alee.  So, the winds and the 2-4 footers (and occasional 5's) were either abeam or on our nose.  We lost a bottle of wine that was in the galley.  Vicki found it empty and turned over.  Later, Norm, not knowing about the wine was doing one of his engine room checks and discovered a red substance in the engine room bilge.  He smelled the fluid and wondered "vinegar?"  It looked like hydraulic fluid, but smelled like vinegar.  He decided to keep an eye on it since everything was running well.  Later, Vicki told Norm and he stopped worrying about the bilge.   So, while we were always safe, the ride was a bit "snotty" at times.  Another great meal and a bottle of hydraulic fluid settled our nerves.  More later......

Warning! Emergency! Caution! Important!

We're back on the water and we will have lots of great info to report in our next blog update.  Our next updates will include: Romance, Adventure, Suspence, Intrigue,  Mystery and, well, just fun stuff!
Stay tuned.................

Ho Hum, it's still 75F and sunny............

We're still here in the Keys--till March 1 or thereabouts.  We're still getting lots of projects done on the boat--spiffing her up a bit, catching mangrove snapper (hmmmmm), attending festivals and just enjoying the weather.  We know what our family and friends are putting up with up north and wish they would come visit and get away from the cold for a spell.  One not so great item--Vicki had to have a skin graft from the roof of her mouth to her lower front gum.  The graft is healing nicely though and the stitches come out today.  It was a bit painful for a while.  Fortunately, we have GREAT MEDS!!  She's putting her new insurance plan to good use.  Dan and Maryann invited us over to their home to watch the Packers and Pittsburgh take the championships.  Norm was in a dilemma for a while.  While he's a Packer fan, he was also born and raised in Pittsburgh.  Oh, the tribulations one has to endure.  He made his choice the other day, though.  He bet his sister one dollar and picked the Packers.  (Shhhhh, don't tell anyone in Pittsburgh).

Here is a reminder of where we are located. Just click on the following link.

Our current home in Marathon, FL (Keys)

Here's a sample of the Sombrero Traditional Music Festival we attended yesterday.  They had knee-slappin cajun, tex/mex, keys folk and bluegrass. Cold beer, on a sunny, 75-degree day was just perfect.  Did I say it was a nice day?

The Weather Is So Exciting.....................

We're still here in sunny, warm (mostly) Marathon FL.  We have had some spells of colder, windier weather, but mostly we are enjoying 70's during the day and 60's at night.  Perfect!!  So, come on down and enjoy the weather with us.  All you gotta do is get here. 

We're getting reacquainted with shore living.  We found a church to regularly attend, know where the shopping and eateries are and found good walking and biking routes.  Also, we're making major headway on boat projects that have lingered for months (nothing critical, but nice to take care of when at a dock for some time and close to marine suppliers if needed).  The marina is fillling up for the rest of the winter.  We are meeting some really nice folks, both cruisers and non-cruisers.  We celebrated Christmas in Key Biscayne with Norm's sister, had boat guests from our Delaware roots, caught lots of snapper and played in Key West a couple of times.  All in all, a wonderful month first month here.  Here are some pics of our escapades so far in Marathon, FL.

Yes, this was one of the colder days.  Would you believe it actually got down into the high 50's.  

It was Christmas at Joyce's in Key Biscayne, FL. 

Norm was Santa this year.

Friends Roger and Lisa, from Tampa and originally from our home dock in Delaware, visited us for a couple of days.  This was a special gift from the girls to the guys.  They secretly arranged a trip to Key West to bring in the New Year.  Neither Norm nor Roger knew the destination.  It was an awesome weekend with special friends.  Thanks Vick and Lisa.

It was a great day catching snapper in the Keys.  Bob (September Song) and Norm then grilled them up for a spectacular fresh snapper dinner with Stephanie and Vicki.

Vicki met a wonderful couple at church.  We have since become friends and guess what?  They are from Dousman, WI, just a short distance from our home town, Milwaukee.  Dan and Maryann Connell have been retired here for over a year.  We've been back and forth for dinner (Maryann makes a killer lasagna and the best peach upside-down cake in the land), played dominoes, and Dan took Norm fishing for a haul of porgies and mackeral.  It was an extra-special treat to go with Dan and Maryann to dinner in  Key West --in their plane (!), a Beachcraft Bonanza--the same model Norm used to fly.  It was great for Norm to be back on the plane and even greater to be flying with wonderful folks and a competent, IFR-rated pilot.

Maryann and Vicki our backseat co-pilots.  Norm was up front with Dan.

We had a great meal at the Hot Tin Roof Restaurant in Key West.  Thanks Dan and Maryann.

Yesterday, was the Key West Sea Food Festival.  Bob and Stephanie and Tom and Linda (new cruising Canadian friends) drove down to Key West and celebrated great weather, great sea food and beverages together.  Here's Bob behind the board--just playing around!

Of course a sea food festival would not be complete without oyster shooters.  Bob and Norm "slidin em in".  Hmmmmmmm good!

Here's the gang and the Schooner Warf Bar and Grille. Rick and Therese (dock friends) also joined us here.

Then, to our surprise, we found Dan and Maryann Connell and their daughter, Sam.  We all had a great time.

A sight for sore eyes.  This Packer Backer was celebrating in the Schooner Warf Bar.  Now that the Packers are headed to the championship game, spirits were high.

Just a view of this great Key West Bight Harbor.  Beautiful, right?

We see strange things in Key "Wierd".  Here's a local pet enjoying the wierdness of this wierd playground.

We'll leave you today with a pic of the fine grub at the Seafood Festival.  Hmmmmmm Good!!

"The Professionals", at their trade.....

First of all, check out the previous blog.  We made a mistake when publishing the "insertion date" and our wonderful visit with Norm's beautiful sister,  Joyce, on Key Biscayne did not get published.   

We have reconnected with several friends here at Marathon, FL; and, it's only the beginning.  Our first adventures here have been with Bob and Stephanie aboard September Song and Doug and Tammy aboard Gypsies in the Palace.  (Doug and Tammy drove down here from their home port in Cape Canaveral.  That's where their boat is lying at this time.)  They delivered Bob and Stephanie's van.  Anyway, it's always a party with this mixture of fun-lovin, bar-hoppin, beer-swizlin, cigar-smokin cruisers.  And, this was no exception.  Friday night was drinks and apps aboard September Song, followed by drinks and apps at the new Sunset Grille followed by nightcaps at the Brass Monkey. The bands were playing great tunes and dancing was in order.  That Bob and Stephanie have more "moves" than Two Men and a Truck.

Doug, Tammy, Vicki, Norm, Stephanie, Bob at Sunset Grille

Local basket weaver, pausing for a pic.

Now, it's important to note that Doug and Tammy have been titled "the professionals" because of their prowess at partying hearty--long and heavy-duty with no next morning hangovers.  We thought that was, well, just good genes.  But then, at one of the bars in Key West, Doug pulled two fold up coozies out of his back pocket--always totally prepared to hold frosty beers.  Impressed????

We started out with a "roadie" and walked the crazy streets of Key West in search of Fogarty's.  There, we had the special lunch of the house--Sloppy Grouper Sandwich.  From there it was on to the Schooner Raw Bar for their famous wings and music by the legend himself--Michael McCloud.  From there it was on to Turtle Krawl Raw Bar for oysters and to meet some of Doug and Tammy's and Bob Stephanie's friends from the area.  We were stuffed at this point, so we had no famous raw oysters.  But we did have to make a stop at the Chart Room to quench our thirst and to give Doug a chance to whip out those coozies again.  Oops, sorry, they were never put away.  At 7PM we waltzed out to Duval Street for the Christmas Parade. Here's some shots of our Key West escapade:

Tammy working out the old coozie

The gang at our first stop.

Don't try spinning plates at home, kids.  This guy's a professional.

Robert' enjoying a just-wrapped cigar

The famous "Sloppy Grouper" sandwich at Fogarty's.  There's grouper, bacon, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, french fries and some sauce.  Served with rice and beans and plantains.  Ummmmmm.

The Professionals (Doug and Tammy) imbibing at one of the ubiquitous sidewalk beer venders.

Tammy puffing on a stogie just freshly wrapped at the Schooner Bar.

And, a Christmas Parade would not be complete without Santa

Here's a reminder of just how "different" Key West is-a dinghy with a recliner.  I'm sure there is a cooler down there somewhere, and a conch shell.

A holiday-happy bicyclists entertaining the crowd.

Vicki volunteered to be the designated driver for the hour drive back to Marathon.  She did quite well given the hour, the long day, having to look out for endangered Key Deer and the professional snoring in the rear seats.  On Sunday, "the professionals" and we amateurs were not going to miss breakfast at the "Stuffed Pig".  Their sign says "Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Cold Beer". 

Many of you reading our blog know that Doug has been singled out over the years as having the smallest dink (dinghy).  I won't go into the taudry details again because they are not fit for some readers.  But we have to mention that he lives up to his reputation of having small accessories, having recently purchased not one, but two Kia's-the smallest vehicle safely allowed on American highways.  Enough said?? 

Not looking to bad after a day with "The Professionals".  Gotta go--nap time!!

Good times in Key Biscayne

It's been a great couple of weeks. The warm weather found us and we've connected with lots of friends on our way south in Florida.  Glenn and Jill in St. Augustine; Wally and Karen in St. Ormond Beach; Pete and Lil in New Smyrna; Nelson, Doug, Todd and Brenda in Cocoa; Colleen, Bob and Stephanie in Ft. Lauderdale; and Bob and Cheryl in Ft. Lauderdale.  We had a fun Thanksgiving with Norm's sister Joyce in Key Biscayne. 

Vicki, Norm and Joyce at the local Cuban restaurant on Key Biscayne

On Thanksgiving, we met several of Joyce's friends at Linda B's Restaurant for stuffed bird and other holiday delicacies.  We were not disappointed.  Everyone had a great meal, lots of laughs and a "bit of the jolly".  Thanks Joyce, for organizing a great celebration feast.
Tonight we're anchored at Rodriguez Key near Islamorada.  We had planned to go to Islamorada tomorrow, but have revised plans to go to Marathon tomorrow to take advantage of good weather.  The winds are kicking up on Monday, so if we don't go tomorrow, we might get stuck here longer than we want.  Sombrero Dockside Marina in Marathon is our home base for December-January-February.  It will be good to be stationary for a while.

Dedicated to "Pete"-our most loyal blog reader!!!!!

Good morning everyone.  Again, we've been remis at keeping up the blog.  We've been very busy "movin South" to warmer weather and continuing our "connect and reconnect" theme.   Unlike previous years, we're one month ahead and slowing down to visit places we have not been before.  It's very easy to cruise the same legs as previous years; docking or anchoring in known places.  (And there is some advantage to that.)  But, we decided to take in different places and learn more about this fantastic East Coast, USA.

Here's our cruise line from Fernandina Beach--our last posting.  Don't forget you can zoom in or out to see our route in more or less detail.    But first you need to click on the following link:

Fernandina Beach Fl -to- Marathon, FL (Keys)                           
We're dedicating this blog to Pete, our most loyal blog reader.  Pete is a neighbor of our friends Wally and Karen in Ormond Beach, FL.  We met Pete for the first time this trip, but we've talked over the phone once.  Pete keeps Wally and Karen informed as to our progress and describes our adventure as "better than any TV reality show and soap opera rolled up into one".  Here's to you Pete. It was awesome to finally meet you and we hope we don't disappoint you at the Hollywood Soap Opera Awards.

Before we got to Ormond Beach to visit Wally, Karen and Pete, we stopped in St Augustine for a couple of days.  We toured the Flagler College, which used to be the Flagler Hotel.  How would you like to attend this school?  By the way, the cost of this libera arts school is quite reasonable for a private university.

Main atrium in the "used to be" lobby.

Entrance to the student's areas.

Student's dining room

Wally and Karen in their Ormond Beach Home

Wally, Karen, Vicki and Norm at the "Club" for breakfast

And, here'ssssssssssssssssss PETE!!!!  Pete restores old cars.  One of his Corvette's in the background

Wally and Norm on Wally's Hog.  Norm did not have the customary "leathers" and had to ride without.  Pete called Norm Wally's "biker babe" with that leg shot!!

We had fun reconnecting with Todd and Brenda (Life's 2 Short) and Doug (Gypsies in the Palace) in Cocoa, FL.  Notice Doug's pony tail is gone.  Yep, he's a wo, wo - stiff.   Unfortunately, Tammy who is now a wo, wo, wo---(I just can't say it)--stiff too, had to wo, wo late and could not join us.  We'll see Tammy and Doug again this weekend in Marathon/Key West.  Can't wait.
Well folks, you're up to date now.  We're lying comfortably here in Marathon with good friends Bob and Stephanie (September Song).  We're getting lots of work done on the boat that was waiting till be landed for a few weeks.  Norm's already ready to get goin again.  In the meantime, family and friends, we're open for visitors.  Be here or be square.