Maqrch 30th & 31st Days 260 & 261

We left Jones Fruit Dock at 8am it was overcast with the threat of sever weather. We motored around 8mph down the Indian River until the radar and weather channel raised the storm possibilites. With that threat we raised the speed to 10mph to get in before the weather hit. It was a 48.8 mile trip today which we did with Carlton & Becky aboard Seamoore whom we met in Marathon and then again in Lake Park. Their freinds Jim & Brenda aboard Dream Catcher also traveled with us. We arrived at Cocoa Village Marina around 2pm ahead of the storm but not by much. The storm blew in with strong winds and rain but we all survived. This marina is really nice with very friendly people and a nice club house & lounge. After the storm we walked to Travis Hardware which has 7 buildings and everything from tooth picks to $1,200.00 wrenches. They did not have a Obsorber which I was looking for. After we went to Ryan's Pizza a must stop on the Loop. March 31st Last night around 1am another storm blew in it woke Lin up but I slept thru it. Today we have been under tornado warnings and heavy thunder storm warnings, but they have missed them so far. Tomorrow we plan to rent a car and go to Kennedy Space Center. If the rain lets up we will head to a Raw Bar for dinner. Lin found a place and got her hair cut in between the rains and then came back and cut my hair. Will be up and ready to be picked up to get the car at 7:30. Stll raining but I believe the warnings are off or we hope. Lin & Rich Cocoa Village Marina Cocoa, Florida

March 28th & 29th Days 258 & 259

The 28th was a rain day with some heavy winds. We did some laundry and boat work to get ready for our next move. It rained pretty good and long and we were glad as Florida really needs some rain. They have had some brush fires here which have done some house damage, it is really dry here. Did a lot of relaxing today after three days of visiting with my sister and brother-in-law. March 29th decided to head North with Becky and Carlton to try and beat our next storm. We headed to Jones Fruit Dock a well know old time stop for loopers. Richard Jones is in his 90's and love to have boaters on his 135' dock to listen to and tell stories. When we pulled in we found out that he had just passed away on Saturday. We were really looking forward to meeting him as we had heard about him and this dock for a long time. We are really sad we did not meet him so we could add him to our memory bank of people you have to meet. We came in with three boats and many locals came down to see the boats and tell us about Richard Jones and his history. Tomorrow we plan on making Cococa beach some 50 miles from here. Lin & Rich Jones Fruit Dock (he will be missed) Mile 945 on the ICW

March 26th & 27th Days 256 & 257

Lin & Roger came over yesterday at 8am to go to the farmers market outside the marina. Their friends Bill & Cindy from Glens Falls who winter here also met us there. They had a ton of food for breakfast and lunch. We ate, bought some fruit then headed to the flea market area to look at all the stuff. Lin bought herself a nice sea grass hat to keep this sun off her face and head. It was a great farmers market one of the biggest ones we have seen so far. Later we went to Bill and Cindy's condo in Vero Beach which was right on the Atlantic Beach. We also went up the road to a park where there had to be 10 big manatees. We went over to my sister's new camper and had lunch and checked out the new rig. Did some more sight seeing then headed to the boat for cocktails. We took Lynda & Roger out to dinner for their 50th anniversary as we missed the party. There was a great restaurant near the marina. March 27th Lyn & Rog picked us up for Church this morning then took us to the store. Lin & I decided to stay an extra day as we are suppose to get some bad weather tomorrow, but who can believe a weather man. This will give Lin a chance to get a hair cut, do some laundry and both of us time to do our boat work. With the way the weather is up North we don't want to get there too soon. When we leave here it is only a 20 mile run to our next stop at Jone's Fruit Market. Lin & Rog are picking us up this afternoon to head to their place for dinner. Lin & Rich Fort Pierce City Marina Fort Pierce, Florida

March 25th Day 256

We were up and ready to get underway by 8am Carlton and Becky people we met in Marathon and then again here at Lake Park decided to head to Fort Pierce also. Off we both went under a beautiful morning sky. The trip was long covering 51.3 miles. We traveled at about 8 MPH but ran into a lot of Manatee zones where you have to go to idle speed. Seems like all us outsiders obey that rule while the locals don't see the signs. The 51 mile trip took us 8 long hours. Thru some of the areas the houses and scenery were just great while toward the end on Indian river there was not much to see. We both got in and tied up without a problem. We got a hold of my sister and brother-in-law and they came over to the boat. Uptown about two blocks was a car show with some great old classic cars. My favorite was a 65 Mustang convertible the same model car I bought when I returned from Viet Nam. Today there is a huge farmers market just out side the Marina. Supposed to be the biggest and best. Down the road there is an antique car show and all is free. Seems like there is something going on everywhere. Not sure how long we will stay here, looks like storms all next week. They really need the rain so we won't complain but if we do get weather held up this looks like the place to be.

Lin & Rich
Fort Pierce City Marina
Fort Pierce, Florida

March 24th Day 255

Hate saying it but another great day in the sunny South. Susan stopped over yesterday afternoon and we had a great visit. It was great to see her and learn what was happening back home. Her new to her car is really sharp. Susan took us out to dinner and we got to ride in her car with the top down and wind blowing thru our hair. It was a very unique restaurant and we had another great visit while we waited for our table. My sister Lynda called and her and Roger were headed to Florida from Myrtle Beach. We plan on hooking up tomorrow in Fort Pierce. They are on their Spring Camping trip and came South to enjoy the great weather and leave the cold and snow in Lake George where they live.

Lin & Rich
Lake Park Marina
Palm Beach, Florida

March 23rd Day 254

Today the 23rd we left Cooley's on the New River in Fort Lauderdale at 7:30 and set our bow for Palm Beach. The trip was 52 miles which took us 8 hours. We had to have 9 bridges opened so we could pass under them. Some opened on the hour and half hour others opened at quarter of and quarter after the hour and some were on request. The houses(mansions) along the ICW were way too much and most had a yacht at the dock. We would see one for sale and next to it they would be building a new one. Money does not seem to be a problem along this area of the ICW. When we got to Palm Beach Harbor it was full of mega yachts, found out it is the weekend for the Palm Beach Boat Show one of the biggest around. We are just a little north of the harbor at Lake Park Marina, which has floating concrete docks. As we pulled in Carlton from SEAMOORE was there to catch our lines. We met him and his wife Becky at Marathon. They started the Great Loop from Alabama and spent a month and a half in Marathon. We had cocktails together and got caught up on what they were up to. We called Susan who owns the marina we are in up North and we will get together with her tomorrow to catch up on news.

Lin & Rich
Lake Park Marina
Palm Beach, Florida

March 22nd Day 253

Another relaxing day in the sunny South. Did all the engine checks to get ready to get underway tomorrow morning. We defrosted the fridge's freezer and are hoping it will be the last time before we get back up North. Tomorrow we will head to Lake Park and see Susan who runs our Marina up North. It is about a 50 mile run and we have to have 9 bridges opened so we can pass under them. Not sure how many no wake zones there are but we are hoping we can get there by cocktail hour. On the New River where we are now there are all kinds of no wake signs but no one pays attention to them except us on the way in. Now we understand why the yacht behind us almost ran us over and was a little annoyed at us for going so slow. Tomorrow we will know better and make the trip out to the ICW a little shorter.

Lin & Rich
Cooley's Marina
New River, Fort Lauderdale

March 21st Days 252

The first full day of Spring was a great day for us. Yesterday we had a great visit with my cousin and his wife. Had lunch and then went over to their place for a nice visit. Ken took us down to the beach where the bars and beach was packed with Spring breakers. Today the weather was pleasant and we got Goofin Off ready to get underway. We plan on leaving here on Wednesday and heading to Park Lake near Fort Worth. Susan who owns the marina we are from is in that area and we will hook up with her there. We still are amazed with the size of the yachts that are in this area. Have been checking fuel prices and are they up there. Cheapest fuel so far is $3.91 plus tax. Not much else to say about today except Life is Great.



Lin & Rich
Enjoying Fort Lauderdale

March 19th & 20th Days 250 & 251

Happy 1st day of Spring, we are sure all 0f you people up North are glad to see it get here.
From what we hear you have had a few nice days so far. We are at Cooley's Marina on the New River in Fort Lauderdale. We are near a lift bridge which must go up and down hundreds of times a day letting these yachts pass thru. Some are just hard to imagine that someone can afford such a vessel. Some of these boats need to be towed thru the river(insurance) and some need escort boats as the river has some hairpin turns. Makes Goofin Off seem small, but we love her and the great ride she has given us so far on our adventure. We have seen yachts where the side opens and out comes a speed boat up to 30' , besides the ding 0n deck. There are no wake signs all over the place but no one reads them, but it is not bad and we are on a great dock. Today my cousin Ken is coming over for a visit and we will do lunch. Yesterday Lin & I did the walk around and saw some shops we could not afford. You certainly would not go hungry here as the is a restaurant every few feet.They have a trolley here and for $2.00 you can ride it all day. We will probably try that tomorrow and hopefully will be able to find our way back to the boat. Yesterday I gave Goofin Off a a great wash down which she needed to desalt her and Lin cleaned the inside. Tomorrow morning I will be polish the stainless before we set out for the day. The days are just not long enough for what we want to get done. There looks like there is something going on in the park near us so sometime today we will check that out.

Lin & Rich
Cooley's Marina
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

March 18th Day 249

Got up early this morning to get the boat ready to get underway to Fort Lauderdale.
We left the dock at Boca Chita federal park at 7:30. The sun was up but the wind was strong.
We headed across the Florida Bay with Miami at the bow. As we approached Miami we saw what was left of the houses built on sticks, once they fell down they were not allowed to rebuild them. Going thru Miami was something else tall buildings and a lot of boat traffic. We had to have two bridges opened to pass thru. As we passed thru Port Everglades there we many many cruise ships and mega yachts. One yacht had a helicopter on the fantail, a chase boat on one side deck and a sail boat on the other side deck, life must be tough for some people. There were more big yachts than we could count and one had to be better than the other. After 46 miles we found the New River and headed up to Cooley's Marina run by the city. They first put us on a dock downtown but was not sure for how long, so we decided to move to Cooley's which ended up to be nicer. The laundry is right at the end of our dock and we are bowed in so we can watch all the yachts go by. We walked the Riverwalk and found a great Irish Pub and had cold beer and sandwiches. We will probably stay 3 or 4 days but who knows. Our compass is now pointed North so we are on the way up the East coast. Today we did 46 miles in 7 hours of winding and windy waterways.

Lin & Rich
Cooley Marina
New River
City of Fort Lauderdale

March 17th Day 248

Happy Saint Patty's day to you all
Today we just hung out here at Boca Chita and enjoyed another beautiful day
Roy and Ellen on Our Turn headed out this morning at 9am on their way home here in Florida
We just hung out walked around the island and at times got attacked by Mosquitoes and they were hungry. There are boats in and out of here all day long there is a nice beach on the Atlantic side. We are going to try and grow a coconut tree going to try and take some of this South home to the cold North. We are going to leave here tomorrow at 7:30 with with Larry and Marge aboard Wanderin' L & M a beautiful 55' Hampton. We have had a great time here but it is time to move to Fort Lauderdale.

Lin & Rich
Boca Chita National Park

march 16th Day 247

We left Gilberts at 9:30 and set a course for Boca Chita state park and dock. The water was crystal clear and we had perfect weather' Most of the day was in 8 to 10 feet of water which made us feel good as we looked at the clear bottom. We caught up with two boats which left Marathon the same day we did but they ran the Atlantic instead for the Bay. Since they had been to Boca Chita we asked if we could follow them in. It was shallow but pretty well marked thru the shallow waters. Once they were inside the small basin and anchored they said they had a spot for us. Slowly we crept in only to have a boat(local) pass us and take the spot. Luckily there was another tighter spot that they directed us to and helped us in. What a beautiful spot one side of the island is Florida Bay and a short walk(can see it) is the Atlantic. Lin and I walked the nature trail around the island which was nice except for the mosquitoes which were real hungry. We had cocktails with Larry and Marge on Wandering L & M and Roy and Ellen on Our Turn. Lin and I went up in the light house and got a great look at the Miami Skyline. Saw a beautiful sunset across the bay. It is $20.00 a night no power or water but what a great place. It is Spring break down at the local schools so the place is packed and we were lucky to get here early for a spot. We may stay one more day or we may head to Fort Lauderdale another tough decision has to be made. Today we traveled 28.9 miles a lot less than our 70 mile trip yesterday. To date we have covered 4,159 miles of our adventure.

Lin & Rich
Boca Chita State Park, Florida Bay
Miami in the sunset

March 14th & 15th Days 245 & 246

On the 14th we got Goofing Off ready to get underway we did the resupply of groceries.
Did all the engine checks, filled the water tank and folded up the bikes for the trip.
We sat in on another chart and travel course just to be sure of our travels.
It was a relaxing day and got time to say good bye to the friends we met during our two week stay. Neither one of us got much sleep , must be the getting underway jitters after our two week enjoyable stay.
March 15th we slept in after a sleepless night and were awaken from an email this morning
from our daughter, lucky for us. Up and got things ready to go we said some final good byes and were underway at 8am. We decided to go back our thru the 7mile opening instead of Knights Channel. Once out in the Florida bay we set our course East thru shallow water. We still can't get used to traveling thru 5' of water when we draft 4.6'. The water in the Bay is clear and you can see the bottom which makes it even shallower. We went thru a real narrow and shallow spot and here was a sail boat aground. Called on the radio and asked if he was ok and needed help. He replied he was aground and waiting for high tide. He drafted 4'11" we draft 4'6" he said there was room to get around him. We could see the sand he kicked up trying to get out but took him for his word and went close astern of him. We made it around and left a nice trail of sand. Lin & I used to river cruising or Lake Champlain where you never see bottom were on the edge of our chairs all day. It was a great day weather wise but the shallow water took most of the fun and pleasure out of the ride. We were going to anchor at Tarpon Basin but by the time we got there it had a lot of boats anchored and ever time we tried to leave the channel to anchor it got shallow and put our nerve's at the edge. Captain to First Mate decision go 5 more miles bite the bullet and pay for dockage. We are at Gilberts marina on Jewfish Creek. Live music right outside our boat. It was a long and tiring day, but we are safe at a dock, having a refreshing beverage and listening to live music. Doesn't get better than this after a stressful day.

Lin & Rich
Gilberts Marina
Jewfish Creek, Florida

March 13th Day 244

Well we decided today that we would leave Marathon on Tuesday morning. With the Spring ahead we should be able to get underway around 8 am but will have that extra hour at night.
We have heard there are other boats leaving that day and tomorrow we will check that out.
Today we decided to visit the Turtle Hospital a couples miles from the marina. We had to make
reservations and the time they had open was 4pm. With bikes under us we headed out on one of our last journeys in Marathon. There were about 20 people on the tour which cost $15.00 per person. The money goes to the care for the turtles and some volunteers. The doctor is a local vet who gives his time free. The area was an old motel and the rooms are used by the workers and people who bring turtles in. They try to rehab the turtles for release back into the ocean. It was really interesting and we got to see all the patients and what they were doing for them. A lot had gas which made them float and not be able to dive down. Those were treated with BeanO and Metamucil, which helped some. Others they put weights on their shells, those can not be set free as the weight has to be changed as the turtle grows. Had diner at the bar and grill at the marina which just reopened. It was good and they had live music.

Lin & Rich
Getting ready to depart Marathon
Sombreo Dockside Marina
Marathon, Boot Key Harbor

March 12th Day 243

Today is the Marathon Seafood Festival, a little cool again but is suppose
to be in the 70's later. We mounted the bikes and headed over to the festival
which was probably a mile ride. The place was packed and had hundreds of vendors
and live music all day. Of course there was a beer wagon and lots of food. I gave a try to conch chowder and fritters. At dinner Lin had fish and I had the lobster. Have to admit it was good but not as good as the Maine lobster. We spent about 5 hours there and had a good time. I just had to get a T shirt and Lin got earrings and a bracelet. There were tons of things that were nice, good thing we don't have that much room in the boat. When we got back we went up to the bar and listened to some more music. Long day and we lose an hour of sleep. Be nice to have a longer day but won't be able to get underway until later in the AM. We are catching up on laundry this morning and going to do some groceries later. We will either head out tomorrow or Tuesday and will probably anchor at Tarpon Basin decisions decisions.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside Marina
Marathon, Boot Key Harbor

March 11th Day 242

It was pretty cool this morning. I had to put on a long sleeve shirt and long pants.
At one point I was thinking about a sweatshirt but braved it out.
Finished waxing the deck and only have the back of the boat to do another day
We went to Crane Point Museum & Nature Center it was ok but not worth the $25.00
it cost us. Had a nice nature trail, did not see any nature. Had a bird rehab area which was interesting. Could not go in the Crane's house as they were remodeling it. They had a small museum which was interesting and gave some Keys history. There was music at the Dockside Bar which was pretty good. Not many people were there due to the cold weather, we had sweatshirts on, this is not good. Went form 80 one day to 60, had to close up the boat windows.
Weather is suppose to get warmer this weekend and next week. We will probably head out Monday or Tuesday and start our trek to Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside Marina
Marathon Florida

March 10 day 241

Another great day, almost. We were up doing our morning chores, I was waxing
the decks and Lin was cleaning. We took the bikes for a ride as Lin was looking for some new sandals. We did the looking thing with no luck. Out of one store the skies started to darken up, we thought should we go on or head back. Head back was our choice which was a great choice. We just got back in the nick of time. Once the bikes were locked and we were on the boat down it came. It was a heavy rain with 20 mph winds and gusts to 50mph. It was our first major Florida storm and we hope it is our last. All lines and covers held up. The boat next to us had a few chairs blown off and one was medal, hope it does not get near our props. I will probably check that out either by sight or by getting in the water, hopefully I will be able to see the props from the swim platform. Still not certain when we will move on but it will definitely be after the sea food festival this weekend. We are sure glad we were not on the water today.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside Marina
Marathon, Boot Key Harbor

March 9th Day 240

More waxing today in the early morning to beat the heat and sun.
All done, I am going to wax the nonskid to take the chalk off.
Tried a little spot and seems to work great.
We took the bikes out and did some riding and shopping.
They fixed the cable today so we will be able to catch up on some news.
From where we are it is hard to believe there is snow and cold where we live,
I could really get used to this style of life unfortunately Lin loves her job and
She can't wait to get back to work. I kinda think she will be glad to have
some quality time away from me. We are leaning on stopping at Islamorada to
visit again with Steve and Sue and get the local tour. This is where they winter in
there new to them condo, which they have worked on all winter. It is great reuniting with people you have met along the way. Dan and Donna are still dragging anchor, because when they get to
Marathon they have to go back to work. Lin and I are hoping we get to see them before we leave
Florida. They are planning on getting home(Marathon) last week of March. We had a lot of good times with them and miss being with them. Lin & I will always remember our times together with them.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside Marine
Marathon, Boot Key

March 8th Day 239

Another great day in paradise. Today the temperature reached 85 degrees.
Lin did some cupboard and boat organization while I did some more waxing.
If all goes well, should have the waxing all done tomorrow. Have to get it done
before it gets to0 hot and sunny. We will probably be leaving here on Sunday
or Monday if the wind is good. We are enjoying our stay here in Marathon, but
we have to start thinking of moving on or we will never get back to New York.
It sure won't be when it is cold and snowy.

Life is good :)

Lin & Rich
Sombero Marina
Boot Key Harbor
Marathon, Florida

March 6th & 7th Days 237 & 238

March 6th
We had a great day I got out the buffers and started to wax the boat. It was a great feeling to be able to wax the ole girl in March. She has been good to us and carried us a long way and thru some tough times so it was time to give her a new glow. We did some relaxing and Lin went thru all the magazines and fliers we have accumulated. We had a great dinner and went up to the Dockside Bar to listen to some good music. The sunsets here are just great.
March 7th
Had a fuel truck deliver us fuel today. We figured we better top off before the fuel prices get any higher. We took on 250 gallons at 3.63 a gallon plus tax. Two weeks ago it was 3.30 a gallon.
I did some more waxing on the boat and should be all done by tomorrow. Down here you have to work around the sun and heat. We decided to stay for the seafood festival and will leave either next Monday or Tuesday wind & weather will determine departure date. We are about 100 miles from Miami so we will start the trip East then North but not before the North warms up.
Life is good

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside Marine
Boot Key Harbor
Marathon, Florida

March 4th & 5th Days 235 & 236

Another couple of great days in the keys. On the 4th Lin got caught up on some sewing she needed to do and I did some work on the teak on the outside. Sanded and put sikkens on them. Also did some sikkens on some of the inside wood. Of course before it was dry we both forgot and grabbed the rails. I went to the store for some paint thinner and thread for Lin. We had an early dinner and headed up to the outside bar for some live music which was really good. A young couple which are in the mooring field came in with their equipment by dingy and played till 10pm. It was a great day with things getting done and a little entertainment to end the day.
March 5th
Steve and Sue, friends of ours who we met thru Tom and Elizabeth and traveled thru the Trent Severn with and then stopped at their marina for a few days, came over today. We had a great visit and got caught up on things and how their new place here in the keys was coming along. We went out and had a great lunch on the water even with the high winds. They took us to a few stores so we could pick up needed things. On the way back to the boat we stopped at Publix and got some beer and soda, two things which are hard to carry on the bikes. Have to get 12 packs when on bikes. It was great seeing them and we may meet again as we pass Plantation Key.
The winds are calming down and people who have been here for a month or two are planning on starting to leave tomorrow and thru the week. We have to get the fuel truck to come and top us off. There is a Seafood Festival this weekend but not sure if we will or can(dock Space) stay for it. Decisions, decisions.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside
Marathon, Florida

March 3rd Day 234

Another windy day in the Florida Keys. Decided to polish the stainless rail today
to keep the rust off. Salt water really takes it toll on boats. We took the bikes over to West Marine today which was a long ride but the wind was at our backs which helped us along. I believe it was the first time I was in West Marine and did not spend anything. We stoped at Marathon Boat Yard to say hello to Donna's bosses, they can't wait till she gets back on April 1st. The ride back was not fun with the wind blowing in our face made us really work hard. We stopped at Keys Fisheries for a late lunch and a peddle break. It is right on the Florida Bay with a great view. It is suppose to be one of the must stops in Marathon. I had a half dozen stone crabs while we decided what we wanted to order and they were great. Lin had chicken and I had the must have lobster ruben, which was really good. Once full and rested we mounted our trusty bikes to face the wind on the second half of the journey to the boat. Stopped at Publix for supplies and headed down the road to the marina. At least on that part of the ride the wind was at our backs. Oh by the way our new bike seats are GREAT.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Marina
Marathon Florida

February 28th, March 1st, 2nd Days 231, 232, & 233

We spent the last day of February doing some boat cleaning, getting the salt off, really have to keep up to keep the shine with the stainless. We put the bikes together after our hard work and headed to the beach on the Atlantic Ocean. Real nice beach and probably a 2 mile ride from the boat. Lots of sea grass in the water and beach, it was nice to see people on the beach and in the water.

We decided after that ride that it was time to get bigger and softer seats for the bikes. Went to K-Mart where they had some nice soft seats which our now on the bikes with the small old ones stored far back in a cupboard. There was a diver here when we got back cleaning boat bottoms. People that had been here since November had some serious growth on their bottoms. I asked him if he had time to check my strainers, bottom and props. We have been feeling a vibration since we got into that log jam flow on the Tenn River. He said bottom and strainers looked great but one blade on each prop had a slight bend but no tears or nicks. Lin & I decided to have him replace them with our 31's we had fixed and balanced. I think we get better fuel economy with the 31's we will see. He is coming back on Wednesday to do the switch. Now for me it is back in the engine room to haul the props out. Hopefully he won't drop the key or nuts but the water is really clear here and not too deep. He says he will lower the props by rope, should be interesting to watch.

March 1st.

Today we decided to take the bus from Marathon to Key West. No one was really sure of the bus schedule nor did they have one. Some said it came on the hour some said 20 after and others said 20 of the hour. With that in mind we headed out hoping on the hour. At the bus stop we sat with a women who could not understand or speak English. We waited for over an hour for the bus to come. Finally it arrived and we were on our way To Key West. The ride took us thru all the keys From Marathon to Key West, also got to see the Naval Air Station on the way. I had forgotten that was here in the Keys. After an hour we arrived at the Sears Mall and were told it was only a short walk to Duval Street, WRONG it took us an hour and half plus some sore legs to reach Duval Street, but we can now say we have seen Key West. We went to the southern most beach and pier in The United States. We were only 90 miles from Cuba. We did walk up Duval Street and visited most of the shops along the way. Off the beaten path there were some old houses and hotels. The weather was great but we could have stood a little breeze. We stopped at Willie T's for a refreshing beverage, not the Willie T's in BVI but the beer was cold. They estimate there are 10,000 $1.00 bills stapled on walls, ceiling, and any flat surface there.
Only seeing local tour buses and not many caps we figured we could make the walk back. We did not want to miss the last bus back to Marathon at 9:45. When we got back to Sears we had over an hour wait for the bus, so sounded like ice cream time to us. The ride back was uneventful as it was dark and had no idea where we were, but did know the last stop was Marathon. From the bus stop it was about a 15 minute walk to the boat. We certainly got our exercise in today.
March 2nd
Rich the diver who checked our bottom showed up at 10am to replace the props.
I had dug the props out early in the morning and had them on the back deck.
I was on the rope to bring the props up to the dock and lower the new ones down to Rich.
First prop went off and on with out much problem, but the second one was not so easy.
When we caught the log it had some how twisted the cotter key which made it difficult to get out. After about an hour he was finally able to get it out using an allen wrench as a drift pin.
After the key was out things went better and the old was off and new on. It was now past 1pm. There was a presentation being given at 1pm on traveling from Marathon to Norfolk by a member of the AGLCA, so up went Lin with charts and note pad. Once I was done with Rich and the props I headed up to the presentation. It was very informative and gave Lin and I a better feeling and handle on our adventure from here up to Norfolk. He gave marinas and anchorages along the way, both ones he would use, ones he would not and ones he has not tried. Also gave fuel stops along the way. He gave us a nice handout with stops and mileages. Overall it took about three hours and was well worth the time.

Lin & Rich
Sombreo Dockside Marina
Marathon in the Keys