St. Pat's Day

Still in Stuart Florida waiting for a weather window to head south to Keys.
We rented a car last week and drove to Savannah to see Tim, Morgan and dog Zelda.  It happen to be St. Patrick's day so we went downtown to see the 2nd largest St. Patrick's Day parade in the USA second only to NYC.  Tim's Army unit ( Go Calvary!) were marching in the parade.   We only stayed for part of the parade then we headed to where Morgan works then went and had Cuban food.  No corned beef and cabbage for this girl,  blah.  Joe and Tim repaired our truck and Morgans car while we were visiting  I cooked and baked and took care of Zelda, she is a 5 month old German Sheppard, and a brat.  Just like having an overactive 2 year old that does not know the word no. But she is a cutie when she wants to be.  Sunday here at the Marina they had an end of season party. All of the people who spend the winter here are heading back north complete with burgers, dogs and $1 beer.  Today I sanded teak on the deck and put some varnish on it.  Only 4 more coats to go.it is not hard just takes time and a lot of taping.  Going over to our neighbors boat tonight they pulled in a couple of days ago and the have an Islander 36 like ours.  We do not see many of our model boats here.  It is cool to see what they have done to their boats and get new ideas for ours. So this is a short blog today.  TTFN

God Bless America Lollipop

New companionway doors

Rebecca, Carlie, Chuck, Joe

The weather here is still being most cooperative in the 80's almost everyday which makes living aboard so much easier.  The boat projects have continued.  After the 11 inches of rain we received here two weeks ago, and all the leaks we had, we decided to re seat all of the side stays, all the experts say this needs done every 3 to 5 years, when it rained the other day again we did not see any leaks so maybe that solved the problem, we can only hope. We finished up the new companionway doors that we built in Ladys Island. It is so nice not to have to pull the hatch boards out everyday. Complete with smoked acrylic windows and screens we can see right into the cockpit from below.  Now we just swing the doors open.  We put pull apart hinges on them so we could remove them whenever we want.  They look great.  Joe finished hooking up the hot water heater to the engine so now when we run the engine each day to charge the battery banks we have hot water.  He also changed the oil and cleaned the fuel filter system, I made myself scarce when he is doing that.  Last Wednesday we took the boat over to the fuel dock, Joe put on his dive gear and went under the boat to replace the zincs and scrape the bottom.  He said it wasn't too bad, that was good news, we will have to bottom paint this summer though and that means we have to pull the boat out of the water. We also took on water and washed the boat down.   Our water tanks hold 50 gallons of water and if we conserve we can last 2 weeks.  Which is not too bad.  We also have 2 - 5 gallon water containers which we fill also when needed.
Last week I got my hull cleaning products, buckets and scrubbers out put everything in the dinghy and cleaned the entire hull of the boat.  Took me a couple of hours the wind was blowing 15 to 18 so it was kind of wavy during the process but I finished what I could.  I could not get the black streaks off the sides so when we go to provision next time I will have to get something to clean those off.  Then Draco will get a much needed wax job.  After that is done it is on to sanding and staining the teak on the outside of the boat, 2 hand rails and an eyebrows and the teak around the companionway so it won't be too bad.  The maintenance project list is getting shorter at the top but we keep adding more to the bottom. it is nice to cross some off the list but the list never ends.
We had visitors last week as well from St. Louis. Our niece, Rebecca, nephew, Chuck and our great nephew Charlie came to see us, they were enjoying the Cardinals training camp in Jupiter Florida.  Only about 30 minutes away, they drove up and spent the night on the boat with us.  Charlie is 3 and he talked and talked, I think he will be a Cardinals fan for life.  He would be telling you something and then blurt out GO CARDS!!!! then he would continue on with what he was saying.  We were walking in downtown Stuart with them on Friday night and Charlie starts singing God Bless America. A few people looked at him and some even joined in the singing. We all got a good laugh out of that one.  Next morning when we were raising the flag on the boat we let Charlie pull it up and we all joined in singing God Bless America.
For some unknown reason Charlie was calling us all lollipop when he was playing peek through the hatches at us on the boat.  His little blonde head would stick through the forward hatch and say hey you lollipop,he was so cute. We had some tootsie pops on the boat so before he left I stuck one in his pocket and called him a lollipop. I hope he can have candy???  They left early on Saturday so they could get to the Cardinals batting practice and game against the Twins then they were heading for Tampa.  The time together was too short and we did not get to take them sailing but we hope they come back soon. Thanks for coming to see us.  That's all I have for today.  TTFN

Run away Dinghy!

Hey All
Well we survived and cleaned up the almost 11 inches of rain we received in Stuart on Saturday. Not all of it ended up inside the boat but we had some significant leaks. Wow what a deluge.  Next morning the laundry area here was waiting room only but we are now clean and dry inside the boat.  Our dinghy during the storm accumulated all that rain,  It was running out the back it was so full we ended up bailing it out with a bucket and we decided not to waste all the fresh water so we got the boat soap out it was still the raining but not as hard, we scrubbed, washed and rinsed the dinghy down then we started on the side of the boat we scrubbed off some black marks and rinsed it down with the fresh rain water from the dinghy.  When you are cruising you have to be creative at all times.
Oh the run away dinghy story (we really do need a name) we came back from shopping and I tied off the dinghy as usual, can't blame this one on Joe, to the side of the boat, we were going back in to shore in an hour.  I came on deck and no dinghy I called down to Joe and said where's the dinghy.  He came on deck and our dinghy was gone it ran away from home.  We looked around the mooring field and see it floating about 100 yards of our stern.  Oh and it had our brand new scuba tank in it that Joe bought me for Christmas.  I look over to our friend and boat neighbors, Rick and Sandy, and see they are getting into his dinghy and I waved him down he motors over and when I asked he if he could go get our dinghy we all have a good laugh.  They were kind enough to rescue our no name transport and bring it back home.  The 3 of them had great fun making jokes all night about our run away dinghy.
We left Stuart yesterday and headed about 15 miles south to Peck Lake, It is just off the ICW we anchored here not before we ran aground hard in 6 feet of water, our draft is 6.3.  ARRRGGHHH!
Other boats anchored here saw what happened and came over in there dinghies to offer assistance.  We tried to back off we tried to go forward finally other cruisers in their dinghies got our bow line and got us turned around and after about a 45 minute ordeal we were freed up and found and anchorage in deeper water.   Me and another guy were pushing the boat from our dinghies from behind.  It was our friend Rick who finally got us pulled free.  We sure did put on a good show for all the people anchored here.
It is a short ride to the shore, which is a nature preserve, jump onto shore walk about 50 yards and we are on the beach on the Atlantic ocean.  Going to beach today with a picnic lunch and a blanket.  DOLPHIN
focus Mary focus.  TTFN

Rainy today

Today we woke up to heavy big fat rain hammering the boat.  For the past 4 hours the storm front has been sitting over Stuart and dumping copious amounts of rain on the area.  Only good thing about this is the outside of the boat needed washed down and I do believe that that has been accomplished.  We have found out that we have some leaks around the boat that we need to attend to that we did not know we had.  This is the first time since we left that we have had this much rain and the leaks ensued.   We have towels,bowls and pots sitting around to catch the drips.  Good day to move things and clean under them.  Looked out at the dingy and is is more than half full of water that we need to bail out once the rain stops.  the gas can is floating.  I was going to take a picture but did not want to get my camera wet.  Sounds like it is letting up a little.  Was going in to do laundry today maybe I should have just hung it outside and let the rain take care of it.  Have heard the weather in the mid west is not so good either.  We talked to a few people from St. Louis this week and we heard about the cold.  Joe showed me a picture from Facebook a couple days ago of a snowman on someones deck lying down with knives stuck into its wee little chest Caption read "DIE WINTER DIE".  It was quit funny actually.  I have been asked by a few of the blog followers that I need to write more often all I can say is that I will try.  I appreciate all of you who have signed up for the blog and that read it.  It is actually fun to share our adventure with all of you.
We have a task for all of you.  You know by now that our boat name Draco is the name of a constellation meaning Dragon.  We want all of you to give us ideas on what to name our dinghy.  We have been having a hard time figuring out a name for it.  So if you would like to submit your idea for a name we will pick a winner and you will win a special prize (my choice).  So send us your entries.
I will be signing off now will blog later in week.  TTFN.

From This

To This

Duck, Duck, Goose

Jane, Sandy, Rich, Rick, Mary, Joe

After we left Titusville we headed a short distance down the ICW to Cocoa where we met up with Mike Pitzer and Tom Baker.  Went over to Port Canaveral where Mike keeps his Nordic44 (Diva).  We had a wonderful dinner of Chicken Parmesean prepared on the boat by Mike we enjoyed beer and a couple of bottles of wine  what a fun evening we had with Mike and Tom.  On Monday Mike came and picked us up and we all went for a sail on Diva out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Wind was blowing very briskly and we were cruising on 4 foot swells about 4 seconds apart.  It was a lively lumpy ride.   We thank Mike for his hospitality and good eats.

Tom, Mike, Joe

Back at Cocoa where we were still anchored we had to wait 3 days to get good enough weather to get going again.  It was very cold in the 30's and 40's at night and 50's during the day winds were 20 to 25 out of the SW.  We knew we would not make much progress with the wind on our bow so we stayed put.  Finally on Thursday we take off and there were freeze warnings out that morning but the wind switched to the north.  It warmed up during our next leg to Vero Beach, about 65 degrees which was a welcome change.  Our plan was to spend the night at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina.  When we arrive there are no mooring balls available so we have to raft up with another boat,  Kallisto, her owner Chris and his girlfriend Jen came out and assisted us.  Now that was nerve racking rafting up to someones boat I tell you.  It is the way that Vero Beach does their marina which isn't all bad just frightening the first time you have to raft up.  This was a very cruiser friendly harbor and we stayed an extra day so we could check it out.  We like the area and there is a free bus to get you to the grocery store and back.  We will go back there some time and take in more of the area.  Sunday we headed to Stuart Florida our cruising buddy and friends on Spindrift had already arrived 2 weeks prior.  Sunset Bay Marina is where we are at now the weather has been in 80's since we arrived mostly sunshine and good weather.  What a relief to be able to wear shorts and a t-shirt.  Here it comes ladies and gentleman we are in the No Sock Zone at last.  WOOP WOOP!!!!.  Lots of cruisers here for the winter both sail and power boats.   We are out on a mooring ball so we dinghy in everyday to take showers and get errands and laundry done.  yesterday the Budweiser Clydesdales were in Stuart.  All those years we lived in Carlyle and we never saw them and we come to Florida and here they are.  We met for the first time Rich and Jane Huhn, relatives of Dave and Barb Huhn members at CSA, they live about 8 miles from here. Joe and I Rick, Sandy, Rich and Jane met here at the Marina and walked to downtown Stuart saw the Clydesdales briefly and decide we all needed drinks so we head over to the boathouse restaurant find some chairs by the water and proceed to have wonderful conversation and good drinks with new friends. We also discover a new rum called Black Coral made around here locally.  I love Mojitos.
Today we are in the cruisers lounge doing computer work and staying out of the heavy winds we are experiencing today.  It is 80 degrees here and partly sunny.  We are about 100 miles north of Miami.  We are heading to the keys next week to get some much awaited snorkeling and diving in I can't wait.

Oh you are probably wondering about my title of this blog.  On several occasions we have witnessed ducks swimming near the boat and then we will see a dolphin come up under the duck and goose him the duck goes crazy and flies off and the dolphin I am sure is getting his jollies from goosing the duck.  Just a funny thing  we have seen.  TTFN

Heavy Seas

For the past two days we have been in Titusville Florida.  Picked up a mooring ball on Wednesday night then came into the marina for some much needed showers, and light provisioning.  The Titusville Municipal Marina is on mile marker #878 of the ICW.  They have very well run facility here and it is very clean the staff is friendly.  Sun is abundant and it is in the high 60's  no clouds anywhere in sight.  Outside across the dock a pair of Osprey are sitting on another boats spreaders making their bird noises at each other.  Pelicans are sitting on the posts waiting to dive into the green water for their next fish victim.  A very pleasant place to be on a Friday afternoon in February.  Joe has his head in the engine compartment working on the ever elusive water heater hoses trying to get it working with the engine.  He has a mess spread all over the boat "again".  LOL. Tools and parts are everywhere I am afraid to move to far. 
We have been to Fernandina Beach, St. Augustine and Daytona.  Didn't do the tourist stuff but we did get some shore time at St. Augustine and Daytona.  When you get off the boat you have your first priorities.  Showers, laundry, provision, take on water, fuel, diesel, pump out and wash down the boat. If there is time after that we go do things.  Most days we wake up get the boat ready and take off down the ICW chasing the sunshine.
As you can see from the photos included we brought our cat (Kooper) along.  I caught him looking out the port light.  He wants to go explore but we do not let him off the boat.  He does go out on deck and walks around the boat though and he hides under the nav. station cover.  We have been in some rough seas and he has gotten seasick twice.  I was cleaning up after him for a couple days.
One of those days was when we left Jekyll Island we had to go out through St Anthony's Sound, St. Anthony is the Saint of lost things, during high tide during heavy seas through a very narrow passage. The passage is clearly marked, only about 50 yards wide and 13 to 15 feet deep but if you veer one way port or starboard you would run aground and end up on the rocks.  I took the helm to head out of harbor and when we got to the sound, which is looking at the Atlantic.  The waves were coming at us at 3 to 5 seconds intervals at an average of 5 to 6 feet some of them were 8 feet hitting us from the port bow and trying to push us out of the channel.  Did I tell you that the winds were blowing at least 20 to 25 knots did not make the situation any better.  I only got nervous when at the narrowest part of the channel the depth got to 13 feet and we draw 6.5 if the wave troughs were any deeper we would have hit bottom.  With Joe by me coaching me what to do we made it through the channel turned at our mark turned and the depth of water went to over 30 feet.  Joe took the wheel after that one.  It was something I needed to accomplish is driving the boat in heavy seas. 
Tomorrow we are heading to Port Canaveral to meet up with Mike Pitzer and Tom Baker from CSA.  It will be nice to see some familiar faces.TTFN

KOOPER

DRACO "OUR HOME"

Fort Matanzas

Hidden Treasure on Jekyll Island

HIDDEN TREASURE

Saturday night we made it to our last stop in Georgia, Jekyll Island.  We specifically stopped here to visit the Georgis Sea Turtle Rescue Center.  Moored out in a beautiful spot within sight of Jekyll Harbor Marina where we pulled into yesterday and we are spending a couple nights here.  Yesterday after we docked up we borrowed the lime green Schwinn bikes provided by the marina and took off down the bike trails towards the turtle hospital.  The bike paths here are awesome nice and wide and made of concrete and seashells.  Everywhere you look there are palm trees old live oaks dripping  with spanish moss.  Nothing is far from the wide expanse of salt marshes here they are always in view.  Sun was shining and we had good 60 degrees temperature.  As we rode along the pristine paths we came to the historic district of Jekyll Island we rode past one of the oldest hotels in Georgia and see beautifully groomed lawns, a group of people playing croquet in back of the hotel and people just laying in the grass soaking up the sunshine.  What a sight that was. We make it to the Turtle sanctuary and go inside pay our fee and proceed to learn all about turtle and how endangered they are and how what we do a a human race that affects their future on this planet.  We peer into a procedure room window and see one of the turtle veterinarians placing a feeding tube down the mouth of one of the turtle patients.  It only take about a minute and the turtle is fed.  Next we step outside and down the walk to the turtle tank area where they keep the sick and injured turtles that are brought into the hospital.  It is small but very impressive (see pictures).  If you ever get this way it is worth a stop.
We left the Turtle center and go back out into the sunshine back to our lime green bikes.  We ride for a little bit find an ice creamshop and we stop and enjoy our ice cream cones under the moss covered oaks.  Back on the bikes again we hit the bike trails winding and twisting through the island.  We are on this dirt path and I spot something on a tree stump.  We stop Joe jumps the ditch and it is a hand blown glass globe from a local artist with a tag attached saying We found a Jekyll Island Treasure and it is yours to keep just call the visitors center and let them know you found it.  So we found real treasure here.  Not buried treasure but it is pretty nice(see picture).  Gotta go Joe needs computer to work.  TTFN