April 1, 2009
Wednesday
Upper 80’s
Hot, no breeze
Today was a grueling day for Barry. The pressure pump heads needed changing on the water maker and it took almost 6 hours to accomplish. While he sweated his butt off doing so I puttered around washing windows and other cleaning. It was so hot today and we could only wish we were crossing over instead of these chores, but they had to be done. We still await the arrival of the new computer and charts for the Bahamas that were missing from the first shipment. I also browsed the web looking for a spot to first touch down in the Bahamas and it seems Bimini is it. There are two marinas there that will accommodate us for the evening at $1 a foot…good price for the Bahamas. They also have customs at the dock, and it is mandatory to check in upon arrival. With that said as Barry was going over the ongoing “check list” he found that we need a US Customs User Fee AUGH!!! Again!!! He tried to apply for the decal on line and it became such a project that it needs to wait until tomorrow so he can call for assistance. There is a boarder patrol office in Key West where he can get one, and I think that is the route to go. Otherwise, it could possibly take 4-6 weeks to get one by mail if he applies on line…he is so frustrated! Another trip on the freaking bus to Key West. He is not a happy camper at day’s end. It will all turn out fine, I am sure. It always does, and in spite of these trials and tribulations we are still having a wonderful time. Needless to say, a walk to The Fish Tank tonight will wait for tomorrow. It was nearing 4 at this time and appetizer happy hour ended at 5. I would rather wait and really enjoy being there tomorrow. Another wonderful day in the neighborhood! Love to all!
April 2, 2009
Thursday
Warm and sunny, as usual
We swam last night. The water is 80* and the air temp was about 75*. A few laps around the boat was quite refreshing. We got a late start today, and we brought the bikes to the marina so we could use them on their maiden voyage to land, finally. We went to the post office to mail some stuff and then headed to The Fish Tank for their appetizer specials. We had tuna sashimi that melted in our mouths along with shrimp cocktail. Excellent…so much so we ordered and shared 2 more. Along with the best fries we have ever had we were set for dinner, even though Barry wanted to get fish for dinner….we were stuffed. We headed back to the boat around 6 hoping the computer had arrived, but the marina office was closing…we will wait until morning to check again. Chatted with the kids a bit and another swim…so great we can do this and get a bit more exercise. Swimming at night, after dark, is so peaceful. Night to all!
April 3, 2009
Friday
Cooling off a bit
Windy today
Up early today. It was nice to have some relief from the heat with a cool breeze. I settled in with my book, Nora Roberts, Honest Illusions. I had to finish…so good. Barry checked on the arrival of the computer and it was in, along with the missing Bahama charts. He ran off to pick them up. The computer is bare bones, but will be great as a back up…much needed in case the other decides to die…hopefully not. The charts were duplicates of what he had already received…this company is screwed up. We now await the missing chart…once again. It really was a beautiful, breezy day and we simply relaxed. Tomorrow is a shopping day to replenish what we have used, as always. There is an outdoor market on Rt. 1 that we missed the last time we were here and I hope to make it there in time tomorrow. I would also like to hit the pet shop to see if Blanco is still there and get my fill of him. I would love to scoop him up and take him home, but it is truly unrealistic. Getting someone to care for him that we can trust may not be possible. Will check in again tomorrow! Love you all!
April 4, 2009
Saturday
Hot again, upper 80’s
Water temp 80*
Beautiful morning and we are up and out by 9:30 and biking over to the roadside produce stand. Amazing! If there was more room in the fridge we could really have stocked up, but settled for artichokes the size of grapefruit, eggplant, gorgeous tomatoes, avocadoes, lettuce, a Portobello mushroom that could be a meal in itself and baby bok choy. I was like a kid in a candy store as everything looked so good and the choices so different from the lousy markets here. By the time we finished our shopping there was a line of people hovering over the bins cleaning them out as quickly as it was being put out. Good thing we arrived early, or as last time we would have been too late to get anything at all. A quick stop at CVS and we had to head back to get the veggies in the fridge. No visit to Blanco today. Barry worked on installing more info into the new computer and I started a new book. Getting a bit antsy we decided to bring our library of books to the marina for a swap. When we walked in with our Stop and Shop green bag a gentleman there working on his computer as where we were from…he also is from RI, Narragansett to be exact. Fun to meet new people, especially when they also are from our area. We switched out books, bringing back as many as we brought over. With fish in mind for dinner we dropped the books in the dinghy and headed to Keys Fisheries across the street. And, gee, it is 3:00…just in time for appetizer happy hour! We got it all…sashimi tuna that simply melts in your mouth, shrimp cocktail and crab claws. I could eat this every day. We also picked up some yellow snapper that we enjoyed for dinner back at the boat. We also found out this week that the US Customs decal is not necessarily needed in the flesh. As long as he can produce proof of purchase we will be all set, and that he will be able to do. Still no Exumas Guide as of yet. Although Barry has been advised by one customer service person that…God knows when they will come in…another advised it was shipped on Friday. Whatever! Again, this company is screwed up. There is Boater’s Net every morning at 9:00 and we will ask if anyone has one they would like to sell. Boater’s Net is pretty cool. Everyone wishing to participate tunes in to channel 68 for welcoming new boats to the harbor, questions & concerns, buy, sell, trade, and finally trivia questions. We have now come to the conclusion that we will remain here for, perhaps, another week. Barry wants to wait until Monday to see if the guide is truly on its way. More importantly our window of opportunity to cross over pretty much diminished. We need 3 good days of weather with mild wind and seas. Starting Monday that is all going to change from what we are now experiencing to rough seas and 25 mph winds. It is suppose to calm down toward the end of the week and we can only wait it out. Since it is a 114 mile trek we decided it would be best to break it up into 2 days stopping in Key Largo overnight. Actually, I am happy about that because when we were heading south we were on the wrong side of Key Largo and never saw a thing. There was no way we could dinghy to “the action” part of the Key from where we were anchored and from the tales of the guide book we missed a very good thing. This time we will be in a marina and have access to the town and can explore. That’s about all for today.
April 5, 2009
Sunday
Hot, hot
Upper 80’s
Wonderful day! We pretty much did nothing. I finished one book and started another. Barry continued his seemingly never ending chore of downloading information to the new computer while he also read. There was a bit of a breeze and we did our best to stay out of the sun, even while on the aft. The only time I moved was to make lunch and shower. At 6:30 we headed over to the Dockside via dinghy. Capt. Ron and Deb had wanted us to go there with them last Sunday, but we bowed out. The place was hopping when we got there to the tunes of the Florida Straits Band. We ordered fish Rubens and their “infamous” garlic fries. Good Rubens, but the fries would have been better if they were the Keys Fisheries fries…as I said, the best we have ever had. The band took a break while we dined. When they returned we were astounded by a 91 year old guest to the band. He looked very much like Albert Einstein and could blow a horn like there was no tomorrow. He also sang his own rendition of a song that had many, including me, up taking pictures of his incredible performance. Back at the boat we found the satellite was not working…one more issue to contend with. Night to all!
April 6, 2009
Monday
Hot and sunny
88*
The wind has picked up a bit and we are looking at it cranking up quite a bit more by the end of the day as the norther moves in. By early afternoon the wind was gusting up to 20 mph and it has promised to be worse. Barry dropped be at the marina to do laundry…long needed. There were several ahead of me waiting to use the washers when I arrive at 10:00. I have my book in hand with no other plans for the day…no problem. Barry heads back to the boat with thoughts of how he will rectify the satellite dish issues. Turns out he found someone in Marathon to assist and would be by the boat today. As I was doing laundry that was being taken care of to the tune of about $200…of course. A fuse had blown and Barry watched very diligently to see how the change was made so he can do it himself next time…if there is a next time…but hopefully not. He scooped me up at 2:30 and I took on the task of stuffing that monstrous artichoke. By the time I was done it had to be 8” across and barely fit in the pot. It was delicious and so huge that it became our dinner. A bit more reading on the aft as the wind continues to pick up…but the breeze it brings is refreshing after days and days of dead calm. A bit of TV and early to bed….big day with many things to accomplish tomorrow. Night to all!
April 7, 2009
Tuesday
Cool 77*
Very windy with gusts to 25 mph
Very busy day today. We were up at 7:00 so we could listen to Chris on the single side band radio and also the boater’s net here in Marathon. Chris gives weather reports in the Bahamas every morning…something very necessary for when we are there. Barry is honing his skills for our time there. Barry spent much time on the computer taking care of insurance issues for the boat and then we headed to shore to sign on for another week here as we are going nowhere with this weather. We need calm winds and seas to move on and hope that it will be a happening come this weekend. Boater’s World is going out of business so we stopped by there to pick up a large fuel tank for the dinghy….but only after we visited Blanco at the pet store….he is still there…someone needs to buy him and give him a good home…he is nothing short of precious. Back at the boat I tackled the eggplant that we bought at the farmers’ market on Saturday. It was so delicious. These slender, small babies made a wonderful eggplant parm. Boston Legal and American Idol tonight….Love to all!
April 8, 2009
Wednesday
Warming up to the 80’s
Wind has calmed down
More internet stuff going on to prepare for moving ahead to the Bahamas. We stayed aboard today to perfect things. So far all is good and we hope to move on by Saturday…weather permitting, but it is looking good.
April 9, 2009
Thursday
Warmer still, upper 70’s
Not much wind
Late start today…we slept in. We took the dingy over to Sister Creek and gave her the once over big time…. nice and clean. It was nearing 3:00 when we returned and decided to head to shore to go to S.A.L.T for the calibration solution for the water maker, but they did not have it. Barry will bring a water sample that will be tested…I am sure all will be good. Our last visit to The Fish Tank was great…sashimi, shrimp cocktail and crab claws were wonderful along with their fabulous fries, and the last we will have for some time. We biked back to the marina and off to the boat for a wonderful sunset. We are content. Night to all. Love to all.
April 10, 2009
Friday
Hot…no breeze
Barry ran errands while I did the last of laundry at Marathon City Marina. The DirecTV guy was supposed to show up to fix HD TV for us…he was in Ft. Lauderdale…duh! Obviously, that was not a happening and a credit for what we have not been receiving was given. Lots of last minute details for heading over to the Bahamas were taken care of. Bed early…lots to do tomorrow also.
April 11, 2009
Saturday
Hot again
1394 engine hours at days end
Topped off fuel 255 gallons to the tune
Of $662.50
Plus $139 when we left Marathon
We headed to the grocery store to replenish our needs and much to our disappointment the roadside veggie market was not there today, probably due to Easter. Barry bought a 6 gallon tank for the dinghy and we filled that before we left Marathon along with 40 gallons of fuel…my mistake…he wanted 100 gallons of fuel to get to Key Largo and I thought he wanted $100 worth of fuel…whatever…it was cheaper in Key Largo anyway and we had more than enough for today’s run. The winch for the dinghy is acting up….of course…as it is always something. We got her up, but repairs need to be made and hopefully will be taken care of by Mr. Fix-It when we arrive in Bimini tomorrow. It was smooth cruising all the way to Key Largo. We left at noon and arrived at 3:00. A wonderful ride over was the result of the new bottom paint and running gear revamping. Sea Fox was in heaven. We arrived at Ocean Divers to fuel up and then out to Rodriguez Key to anchor for the night. It is beautiful here. As the tide was low there were many boats anchored at the Key with people swimming and walking along the sand bar that was so accessible. As the tide rose the boats departed and the sand bar disappeared. We head out tomorrow for a new adventure. Email and phone service will be at a minimum…but we will manage. Happy Easter to all.
April 12, 2009
Sunday
Hot and calm seas, Yeah!
1399 engine hours at days end
We were up before the sun as the Captain wanted to get an early start. He had the engines running before I even had a chance to dress…I guess he was serious. Leaving at sunrise was beautiful and seas had not a ripple. Great traveling weather. Along the 5 hour journey we only came upon a bit of chop….really a wonderful ride over all with lots of flying fish entertaining us quite a bit of the way. It is amazing how far they really can fly before hitting the water again. Most of the time we were cruising thru 600 ft. of water that was a gorgeous royal blue. Once we reached Bimini the water turned crystal clear and even at a 14 ft. depth you could see the ocean floor. Entering the harbor was a feat in itself. There were many boats leaving as we were entering and they were just plowing thru the channel creating huge wakes. It is incredible how inconsiderate boaters are here. Even as we sit in the marina they fly by with absolutely no concern for anyone else making us rock and roll. Unbelievable! As we settled in other boaters, doing the same as we are…traveling further south, approached us and invited us to a get together by the pool at 5:00. Barry went to immigration and made us legal to the tune of $350, along with checking in at Bimini Blue Water Resort. The slip fees are $1 per foot, .50 per gallon for water and $15 per day for electricity. We will pass on water and electricity as we really do not need it. We found that WiFi is also available for $10 per stay and will connect with that. The only thing we would need electricity for is A/C and it really is not need with the constant breeze. This place could barely be conceived as a resort, but we are on somewhat of a small island. I am sure they consider it luxurious. We decided to take a walk and explore “the town.” Oh my! This is not someplace one would want to reside. There are 2 main roads, Kings Hgwy and Queens Hgwy, and they are a far cry from highways as there is barely enough room for one golf cart, yes golf cart, to pass. This is pretty much their mode of transportation although we did see some cars. We walked a mile north up Kings and then a mile south on Queens which is along the ocean. It was a cooler on Queens Hgwy, by my oh my it is a scorcher today. Walking along Queens we came upon a small shack on the side of the road serving drinks and “food.” Food consisted of conch fritters. Sherry’s was swarming with flies and I did not want to attempt food from there, but we did enjoy the most delicious Pina Coladas that we have ever had. I don’t know what they put in them, but boy were they good. Being Easter Sunday not much was open, but Capt. Bob’s was and we stopped in for a sandwich. Great fish, although when we asked what kind it was she said fillet….yes, fillet but what kind. Her answer was grouper, wahoo, etc…okay…we were getting “whatever” fillet. It was good “whatever” fillet. We headed back to the boat and freshened up for the 5:00 gathering. We met a lot of nice people, some traveling south from here and others north. We were also introduced to a writer and photographer…both named John. They have been traveling from Haiti along with 3 Haitians with Washington DC as their final destination to display this sail boat they built on their own. It took 3 months for them to build Sipriz and it is a mere 17 ft. long. They explained the how they used a hammer, machete and hand saw only to construct this boat. The size and shape of the boat was determined by the trees they found….a process used in Haiti. They encountered much abuse by officials on their way as Haitians are not allowed, but they do have visas and are perfectly legal to travel. It is amazing how 5 people can survive travels in this little boat on the open water. Their last stop was Nassau, and there they picked up another friend who traveled with them to Bimini having 6 people aboard. When weather permits they will be heading to Miami and then up to Washington. What an amazing story they told and John will be writing a book on their adventure and advised he will be certain to include how they were scrutinized by customs, Coast Guard and other officials. When we are able send pics we will be sure to include some of this boat and it’s crew. We had a bit to eat for dinner when getting back on the boat and an early night as we have had quite the day! Love to all.
April 13, 2009
Monday
79* at 8:00 am
Very windy today
Happy Birthday, Pam!
Barry was up at 7:30 to listen to Chris Parker’s weather report for the Bahamas. Chris is very adept in forecasting the weather and anyone can enlist his services and speak with him on the single side band radio and question his advice. As of yet we have not purchased his service but may do so in the future. We gave Sea Fox a much needed bath. She was encrusted with salt from our trip yesterday. We did this because we may be staying here for a couple more days than anticipated due to, of course, the weather. Better safe than sorry. After the bath we had lunch and Barry tackled the winch. There is a loose wire that he is having difficulty getting to and it continues to cut out at a certain spot when lowering and raising the line. He will continue his plight and, I am sure, will prevail. We were invited to go snorkeling with John and Roberta but had to pass as the winch came first. We will head to “The End of the World” with them later for a drink. Seems we will be seeing much of this couple as they are heading our way, only by sail boat. Their boat, Freedom, is 32 years old and over the last 3 years he has revamped the entire boat and it looks brand new….and is beautiful. Around 5:00 they returned from their 2 mile walk to go snorkeling at Paradise Point. They said it was good but had been much better places. Glad we did not go as it almost seemed a waste of their time. The boat buddies gathered to head to The End of the World. Apparently, 2 other couples are heading our way and have decided to join the band wagon. Now we have John and Sue, Larry and Terry (absolutely hysterical), John and Roberta and Us. Larry and Sue have tales that made us laugh so much my stomach hurt. They had engine trouble on the way to Bimini and were rescued by the Coast Guard after 12 straight hours of trying to make repairs on their own…in doing so one of their (old) dinghies got away from the boat….as Larry puts it…it went away. Once he was done working on the engine and “set down for the day”, the dinghy came back and floated by the boat about 20 yards away and was about to rescue it, but Terry insisted he just let it go. While all this was happening, since there was absolutely no one around the boat (prior to calling the Coast Guard) Terry decided to run naked around the boat, waving her arms and shouting look at me. Mind
you…these people are 65+ and to hear them tell the story had all of us crying, especially as they do it straight faced. I can see this will be much fun. End of the World was just another experience. The tiny bar had a sand floor and the entire interior and exterior of the bar was signed by visitors along with panties and bras hang all over the walls…also signed. Sidney made great drinks for us and we headed out to the deck to enjoy the view of the harbor (great view) and almost kill ourselves as we sat on the homemade bar benches, lol! This place is a trip in itself. Our short walk back to the marina including preparation of dinner, but Capt. Bob’s was open and headed there instead. Effie was glad to see us all. I am sure we are some of the very few people she sees, along with other cruisers who are in the nearby marinas. I am sure the locals do not eat here frequently as we have never seen any in there. They probably cannot afford dining here. Dinner was wonderful….”as it should be” as Effie advised. Most had the wahoo, but Terry and I had ribs all accompanied by most generous sides of rice and peas, green beans, cole slaw and a green salad…wow….lots of food and we waddled back to our respective boats after dinner. Tomorrow we will have a chart party at 4:00 to determine schedules and course charting for our impending departure to Chub Key. Night all.
April 14, 2009
Tuesday
Windy, but still warm
89* around noon
Barry coached John and Roberta for a good part of the morning on places to hit with their thoughts of heading north to RI, CT, and MA in a few months. Afterwards, Barry and I headed out to find an antenna to connect to Skype to use a phone service as John and Roberta have this and it works well for them…as long as one has internet service. To me this is a promising thing and it is extremely inexpensive at $8 per month. That will be a loving thing. So far we cannot locate the antenna but will continue to try at Batelco, the Bahamas version of AT&T, as we have been advised. We also hit the grocery store, Robert’s, and although it had quite a stock of things it is no Stop and Shop or Shaws. I am thinking we may starve if we stay here too long! We attempted to go for a swim at the marina as the water is so clear. The Captain from the boat across from us advised against this as he confessed he dumps his “waste” into the marina…EWEEEEE! There is no such thing as pump out service here, but give me a break…dump your waste, as we would do, out in the open 1000 ft. ocean as you are cruising!!! With that not a happening I chose to shower instead to cool off, and anyway it was nearing the chart party where we all got together to discuss the best passage to Chub Key and Nassau. This chart party turned into a pot luck dinner which was a great time. Everyone brought a dish and we shared. Sipriz went out fishing for conch and returned with quite the feast for themselves. It was a great day and evening. Love to all!
April 15, 2009
Wednesday
Hot and sunny
88* at 10:00
1399 engine hours at day’s end
Up early to listen to Chris Parker’s report on the weather. We decided it was today or never to move on. Good seas and winds for the next 2 days only. We readied the boat and by 10:00 we fueled the boat at the marina prior to leaving. $3.30 per gallon and we took on 134 gallons. The ride north for about ½ hour was choppy, but once we turned east it got so much better and we were provided with a wonderful 5 ½ hour cruise. Chub Key was our destination, but the anchorage would put us in the north wind and that would be very uncomfortable for the evening. We continued about 6 more miles to Frasier’s Hog Key and found the most wonderful area, with mooring balls. One was available and we snagged it and settled in. A short swim was refreshing, but the current so bad that it amounted to just that…a short swim. Barry did see a barracuda, star fish and conch all along the bottom around us. Dinner and bed early…as it is another early day tomorrow with our sights set on Nassau.
April 16, 2009
Thursday
Hot and cloudy
Upper 80’s
1406 engine hours at day’s end
238 gallons of fuel at $2.58 per gallon
$636.00
We were up and off to Nassau by 7:30. As we were heading out a call came to Sea Fox from Our Way that they hoped we enjoyed their mooring ball. Barry responded that he had tried to call the marina to pay for the mooring but no answer. Apparently this was a private mooring and they were just wanting to let us know that. They would take no payment, but wanted to let us know that it was a gift. Thank you….Dark clouds were all around us, but we managed to only come upon one small shower as I cruised along…yes, I drove the boat today. I thought this would be a great opportunity to really get the feel of the boat. Since we were in 10,000 feet of water and pretty much no other boats around, I was liking it. We made it to the harbor by 9:30 and I even did a good job navigating thru there as there was plenty of water at an average of 24 feet, and not too much boat traffic. I made it to the marina and Barry took over to get us to the fuel dock. I am not quite ready for that yet. We let Sea Fox suck up the fuel and then headed to slip #49; our home for the next day or two. As we approached the fuel dock Roberta was calling us from Freedom! They sailed for 20 hours and made it to the marina by 8:00. Don’t know how they do it as that is such a long stretch. As we headed to the marina office we ran into
them and they were headed back to the boat for a much needed power nap. We will catch up with them later. Barry and I registered at the office. $1.75 per foot and $6.00 per day for mandatory water. Electricity is available for .60 a kilowatt hour and we will think about. Solar will probably suffice….We walked to Monteque Garden for lunch and it was wonderful. I had grilled grouper with rice and peas and coleslaw and Barry chose cracked conch…a bit tough. We also had conch fritters…very yummy. We headed back to the boat and hung out until John and Roberta joined us for Mojitos, Barry’s version and they were excellent…as usual. Prior to them arriving I headed to take care of laundry. “Someone” left a tissue and a receipt in his pants pocket and that made for quite the mess all over the laundry room floor. When the maid came in she was not a happy camper and actually handed me a broom to clean up the mess….and I did, as I should have! We enjoyed Roberta and John’s company for a while then they left us to head for the Poop Deck Restaurant. We were still full from lunch and passed. We walked the docks to check out the other boats… big mamas all around us. Very nice…I like this place. Tomorrow will entail more boat cleaning and trip to the market across the street. All in all a very great day….including speaking with Michelle…..finally! It is a balmy evening…does the body good! We will probably be here for a few days and want to catch up on things that have been neglected. Night to all…and much love!
April 17, 2009
Friday
Upper 80’s
No breeze
Chris Parker’s forecast for the days to come was not promising…we may end up here for longer than we had hoped. Not such a bad place to be stuck. The people are wonderful and extend themselves very graciously. I really did not feel like cleaning today…too hot and since we will be here longer there will be other opportunities. We ventured to the Harbour Plaza across from the marina. There is just about anything one could want in one of the many, many stores. After browsing we headed to City Market to do a bit of shopping….pricey, pricey, pricey! There really was no other option. So we shopped and bought items to tide us over for a few days. Roberta heard that John and Sue and Larry and Terry were anchored in the harbor and might dinghy over later in the day. John and Sue did go to visit them, but no one else. We were hoping to have a small get together around the pool, but that never happened. So we headed to John and Roberta’s for a cocktail and decided to have dinner together on Sea Fox. We feasted on steak, sweet potatoes and a really great Caesar salad. Barry and I had bought turkey wings at the market and we cooked them on the grill also, but we have no idea why they ended up like rubber. They were so tough that it was even difficult to cut them with a knife…in the trash they went. Another great day in the neighborhood!
April 18, 2009
Saturday
Nice day…mid 70’s and breezy
Up and on the bridge early again to listen to Chris Parker’s weather forecast at 8:00. Nasty, nasty, nasty! We are here for a few more days. Six to eight foot seas and high winds will keep us put until at least Tuesday. No worries! We are liking it here. And, it is very convenient being in the marina with access to just about any needs one may have….except internet. Starbucks is across the street and we will get there tomorrow to check email. Barry and I ripped apart the aft deck to clean the teak trim. It turned into a morning long project as we have not done this in 2 years and it was in bad shape. After some good, old fashioned elbow grease and a light sanding it is back to new. We also did the table top, and both ladders on the swim platform. We will attack the chairs tomorrow. We quit at 12:30 as Roberta and John wanted to head to The Atlantis for a look see. We cabbed it over hoping to explore, but the only areas we were allowed to access were the main lobby area and the casino. Barry and I had stayed there 1 ½ years ago so we got to experience this magnificent place, but I felt so bad for Roberta as she was so looking forward to nosing around. There were security guards at every entrance to the pool and beach areas looking for room keys as ID. We tried several…they are very well covered. This surprised us because I remember when we stayed there and never was asked for a room key while we roamed around. Oh well, the humongous fish tank in the main lobby was quite the pleasure and we also made a small deposit in the casino. Good times anyway. We walked back to the marina for some much needed exercise….probably 3 or 4 miles, stopped at the Poop Deck for a drink and then grabbed the bus to Bertha’s Go Go Ribs. What an adventure! The bus driver told us he would let us know when to get off, but John distracted him so much by chatting with him the whole way, especially about sports and the Celtics, he drove right by the place and never realized it. Now we are cruising along, John is speaking to the driver and another women that got on the bus (such as salesman!) stating how he is having such a wonderful time, but he has no idea where he is. Now we are in neighborhoods actually dropping people off at their homes after work. The women asked where we were going and when we said Bertha’s the bus driver slapped his head and said Oh, no…I forgot to stop. Well, we certainly got the scenic tour and it was fun! We also got to see how these poor people live and are glad not to be one of them. We finally, in a very round about way, were dropped at Bertha’s door and ordered the most amazing ribs. And this is definitely a local hot spot because the line grew behind us with the natives ordering these finger linking good bones! We thought this was only take out, but there is another building next door that is also Bertha’s dining room. The owners let us sit on the deck there anyway…even with the take out food. We ordered drinks and they kept coming out to check on us to be sure we
were fine. Definitely a family run business…and they are all there doing something. John, of course, starts a conversation with one of them asking how can we get back to the marina as we are probably a good 1 ½ miles away and really not wanting to walk. He offered to drive us back! These people are so gracious it is some times not believable. We tried to refuse, but he insisted! He went inside, grabbed a Guinness and we were on our way back to the marina in his truck! So much fun and such nice people here. They are always grateful for the patronage of the tourists and really let you know about it. We will certainly pass on the Bertha Go Go Ribs name around the marina. They deserve the business. By 6:00 we are back at the boat and R&R for the rest of the evening…love to all!
April 19, 2009
Sunday
Bright and Sunny
Upper 80’s
Happy Birthday, Donna!
Today is a working day. The teak was stripped yesterday and has dried sufficiently to be oiled and the end result is very pleasing. We also cleaned all of the eisenglass, in and out, and the boat looks outstanding. This labor of love took 4 hours, but it was well worth our efforts. John and Roberta joined us for black chicken and polenta, with their contribution of a decadent cheese platter and olives and a great bottle of wine. Barry and I had bought a couple bottles of wine in Bimini that were fairly inexpensive and so delicious. We were half way to Nassau when we remembered we forgot to go back for more. That was very disappointing, but we will survive and indulge in something else here in Nassau. It was a great evening and we treated them to a bit of TV; something they do not have on their boat. We watched the end of a Ron White routine…he is just so funny! Tomorrow is a combo of work and play. We hope to be able to leave Tuesday to head for Norman Key, but we won’t know until that morning. Love to all!
April 20, 2009
Monday
Cloudy and warm
Up early to try to listen to Chris Parker’s forecast. The single side band radio is such a disappointment as we are mostly listening to static and catching a few words here and there. Barry seems to think it is an antenna problem and continues to fight with that issue almost on a daily basis, but it really needs to be remedied. One way or the other he will prevail. The system was quite costly and really needs to be doing its job. I hit the Laundromat for the last time here. This time Barry left a paper towel in one of his pockets; just cannot trust this man! Another mess ensued as the mean maid entered. I
took the clothes, shredded paper towel and all and thru it in the dryer so as to not have another encounter with her. I cleaned up the mess in the dryer after her departure from the room. We caught up with John and Roberta and another couple, Bruce and Sue, and bused over to The Bahama National Trust. It is an 11 acre park with many different trees and birds all along pathways. It was something different to do and we all enjoyed our time there. We also joined as members for $60, and this will entitle us to 2 free nights on a mooring ball when we get to the Exumas, our next destination. Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park is up and coming and look forward to a wonderful stay and hopefully some good snorkeling. Later we headed to Fish Fry downtown. Bus 10 got us there in no time and headed for Seafood Haven and the best conch salad we have ever had along with conch fritters that were also quite yummy. I ordered a glass of red wine and Ivan the Great; (60 years old and still going strong) as he calls himself, opened 2 bottles for my tasting. I chose one and he poured me a glass and set the bottle in front of me….and kept refilling my glass. Soon enough we realized I owned that bottle of wine…OMG…so amusing….I just wanted a glass of wine!! Ivan also made Barry a drink that was one of his own concoctions and it was quite tasty. Ivan, along with a 20 or so year old, Dario, ran the bar quite well as they played off one another. We were home early and just in time to close up the boat for quite the rain storm. All is well in this wonderful neighborhood! Love to all.
April 21, 2009
Tuesday
80’s sun and clouds
Another glorious day. Today was a replenish-the-boat day. It is looking good for tomorrow’s departure. We hit Starbucks and checked email…also for the last time for a while. Roberta and I combined forces and we had a great chili dinner with sides provided by John and Sue, and Bruce and Sue. We headed back to the boat fairly early with anticipation of an early rising to head out. Marion, on Jammin Again, has lived with her boyfriend, Norman, for the past 6 months and on her winter getaway from Montauk, NY. She is quite the card and as one could imagine “knows things” around the marina. She also filled us in on Mean Mad Martha, the maid. Evidently, Martha is not employed by the marina but is here daily hoping to take in laundry from the boaters. Marion describes her as one with a very bad attitude due to state her of poverty. When she can take in laundry, the cost is astronomical, but does service Norman when Marion is not there. Marion returns to Montauk tomorrow to set up her upscale consignment shop, Second Story that opens for the summer. If you are ever there stop by and say hey and tell her we sent you. She will welcome you with open arms, for sure! Norman, on the other hand, remains behind in Nassau. Norman has quite the gig. He tends to this beautiful 40’ vessel year round, receives a handsome salary, and all the boat/slip fees are paid by the
owners. Sign us up! The owners only visit 1-2 times per year and the remaining time is spent alone. Again, sign us up! What a job, if you can call it that. We ended up retiring much later than we had hoped due to Marion’s visit, but time spent with her was worth the delay in hitting the hay. Night to all.
April 22, 2009
Wednesday
85* at 8:30, Hot? You bet!
1412 engine hours at days end
One last load of laundry, a run to the market for a couple of items, and the purchase of more of a wonderful French wine we discovered (only $6 per bottle) began my day. Barry remained behind and readied the boat for out trip to Norman’s Key. He settled up with the marina and made a $456 deposit to them for our nearly week long stay. John and Sue (aka Alchemy) headed out at 9 and John and Roberta (aka Freedom) followed at 9:30 as we lagged behind wait for the sun to get above us. Today we travel thru the Yellow Bank and its hazardous coral heads, some of which are not marked on the charts. Having the sun above or behind enables us to see what is in store ahead. We finally were under way at 10:30, traveling at 10 kts hoping to save some fuel. Plus it was a wonderful ride and Sea Fox was not being trashed by rough seas. I really did not relish the fact of cleaning….yet again! We passed Freedom about an hour into the ride, and they were cruising right along. Our 2 ½ hour ride finished in 4 ½ hours due to the 10 kts speed but that was fine. It was a great ride south and we entered the cut to Norman’s at 2:30 and were settled in by 3:00. Now it was wait and see. Freedom was not answering our hails, but by 4:30 Alchemy checked in and advised they had dropped their hook on the west side of the key….augh! They must be crazy. No protection on the west side and we are certain they will rock and roll all night. Luck to them! At 5:00 we spotted Freedom coming around the corner at quite the clip. They moved along at a swift pace and dropped their line off our port side. Barry and I enjoyed a cocktail and we watched them bust their butts wrapping and putting away sails. That took almost an hour. Better them than us. Sail boats are sooooo much work. Obviously, their advantage is the use of nearly no fuel. We estimate it took 80 gallons for Sea Fox to get us here, oppose to their…maybe….10. It is a trade off. Barry also was disappointed with the fuel usage thinking we could have gone our normal 16-18 kts and used pretty much the same amount of fuel. By 7:00 Freedom joined us for dinner and afterwards climbed up onto the outer aft to gaze at the stars. Millions of them were visible and we even caught a few shooting stars. We had all had it by 11:00 and were off to bed. Would like to explore this little island tomorrow. There is a burger hut on the other side of the island that we can walk to. McDuff’s Barr and Grill is opened daily from12-3 and 5-8 and suppose to have the best burgers around…we shall see.
April 23, 2009
Thursday
Beautiful and sunny, once again
Upper 80’s
We were up early again…seems to be the thing to do. Hung around the boat for most of the morning as John and Roberta were doing “stuff” around their boat. Close to noon we cruised by dinghy to the island with McDuff’s in mind for their burgers. What a great little spot. This island was occupied in the 70’s by a drug lord, Carlos Lehder, where he managed his drug trafficking business. He built the roads, air strip, and a few homes, but was run out of town by law enforcement watching from another Cay some years later. He now resides in a federal prison in the US for the duration of his life. The ruins of these homes still remain and we took a short walk thru one of them. As we were approaching McDuff’s we had the pleasure of watching a single engine plane land. Quite the sight to see while standing on the side of the air strip! Great photo opts! McDuff’s is a quaint little resort with one restaurant and 4 villas that can be rented. For such a little island this place was hopping and actually had vacationers staying there. After those scrumptious burgers and fries and a tropical drink (the bill came to $109 for lunch! LOL!) we took a walk down to the beach…simply beautiful, and very secluded. Only narrow paths wind around thru the fauna with wooden signs giving walkers direction. The bathroom was basically a hut with a toilet and sink and no door. There was a laminated sign hanging from a tree that you would change from vacant to occupied….that was a first! We took a short ride to the beach passing Carlos Ledher’s plane that crashed into the water and still remains. We would have loved to snorkel around it but the water was too choppy and the current somewhat swift. We walked the beach, Barry finding photo opts and Robert and John snorkeled close by. Enough sun for the day, hot, hot, hot, and we headed back to our respective boats by 4:30. Freedom joined us around 7:00 with pasta and meatballs in hand for dinner. Roberta was anxious to catch a bit of TV so we treated them to a couple episodes of House and then we were all off to bed! Just another wonderful day in the splendid neighborhood.
April 24, 2009
Friday
Windy, choppy with 2-3 foot seas
81*
1214 engine hours at trip’s end
Shroud Cay
Barry woke me at 8:30 and advised we were out of here. The pounding and slapping of Sea Fox, and Freedom for that matter, would end. Barry continued with the winch remote saga and finally fixed all that ailed it! By 10:30 we were underway for a very
brief trek to Shroud Cay. We traveled a mere 6 miles to a very protected area out of the north wind trauma to the boats, although the wind is still clipping at about 25 mph. Still an improvement over Norman’s Cay and we are out of the 2-3 foot seas. We are tucked in behind a spit of land that does much to calm the seas. Cleaning of the boat, of course, took place the moment we arrived. Sea Fox took quite a slamming on the way over and water was rushing over the bow totally encrusting us with salty water…yuck! We spoke back and forth with Freedom, figuring we would just hang for the day. Barry snorkeled to the anchors of both boats to be sure we were secure….and sure enough we were. None of us wanted to launch the dinghies in this wind. Barry and I played a game of Upwords and around 4:30 he wanted to take a cruise. Freedom declined our offer to join the jaunt. There really is not much here to see on Shroud Cay except for huge coral heads that entirely run the perimeter of the island, and also some of the cleanest water one has ever seen. Snorkeling is suppose to be great, but in these winds I will not venture out. Yesterday we started to experience some stuttering with the motor on the dinghy and today it only got worse. The engine repeatedly cut out and would only run when Barry pumped fuel to the engine. We made it back to the boat on a lick and a prayer and, after some trials and errors, he finally discovered there was a slit in the fuel line preventing fuel from moving to the engine as it should. The only available remedy at this time was to super glue the slit and hopefully that will get us on the move again until we can find a replacement hose. Otherwise, it was a pretty relaxing day. It is now 7:30 and it has cooled off to 73*. We are in for the night and will bake some apple turnovers once the generator gets started. I want to head to bed early tonight and hopefully move on to Hawksbill Cay tomorrow with the hopes of some exploration of the Land and Sea Park. We are taking our time moving south, but the best of the park is yet to come. Patience, patience! Love to all.
April 25, 2009
Saturday
Still warm with clouds
Low 80’s
Shroud Cay
We decided to stay here for at least another day to explore this uninhabited island. Finally was able to speak with Michelle and glad to hear all is well at home. She is running the house like a champ! I am so proud of her!!! At 10:30, with picnic lunches packed, Freedom picked us up in their dinghy. It was a long, wet ride to the tip of the northern point of the island. By now the clouds were giving way to a bright, sunny sky so the splashing of the sea drenching us completely was welcomed. Our mission for the day was to find Driftwood Camp and also the fresh water well; the only two things on this island. Climbing the coral to what we thought would be the camp proved treacherous and declined. But John proceeded and detected another spot to beach the dinghy to gain
better access so we moved on thru the most gorgeous rivers that run thru the island. We made it to a beach on the south side of the island and, duh…, found a path leading right up to the camp. We expected remains of the camp, but there was a sign asking that nothing be left behind as it would be removed so nothing was there except a fire pit and the most wonderful view of the ocean from the top of the hill. We are on a treasure hunt and the well remains to be discovered. Following the “treasure map” Roberta had copied from
the guide we moved to another part of the island and again beached the dinghy. The dense trees growing out of the coral prevented us from climbing to the top, but again, John, aka George of the Jungle, made his way up. He spotted a beach where we could again land the dinghy with thoughts the well may be more to the west anyway. We took a break to have lunch. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches…something we knew would not spoil in the heat…brought me back to my childhood. We moved on, beached the dinghy once again and after a short walk found, duh again,…a sign “To Well.” Again, a nice path up the hill and over coral led us directly to the well. There was a cut open bleach bottle, attached with a line, tied to a tree. The guys took turns dousing us with the chilly water that was so refreshing. It was nice getting the salty spray off our bodies. It is intriguing how the plants and trees survive as they are growing out of coral. There was one lonely cacti about to bloom not to far from the well. We kept walking the path and discovered another way up on the other side of the hill and a sandy spit of a beach. Gorgeous and we wanted to be there! As we approached this most spectacular beach we were accompanied by the park police collecting mooring ball fees from the mailbox on the beach. They use an honor system here. If you use a mooring ball you are to dinghy to the beach and put the fee in the box to be later collected. There was no need for a ball as just to the east of the mooring field was a wonderful anchorage we chose instead. We beached the dinghy and the guys assisted the park police with a push back out to the ocean as they had come in a bit too close to shore and were beached themselves. With them on their way we headed into this most crystal clear, totally sandy bottom water. Ahhh! Being low tide the coral that surrounds this island was totally exposed and we found urchins, sponges, snails and other goodies tucked into the crevices of the coral…more great photo opts!!! There were only 2 conch shells along the beach and both were occupied. I felt like my kids hunting for hermit crabs at Black Point way back when. What a wonderful experience and never stop thinking about how fortunate we are to be able to do what we are doing. At 3:00 we had enough sun for the day and returned home to freshen up for the evening. Roberta and I put together a great dinner of a mixed greens salad, sautéed grouper and Asian noodles that we enjoyed after a wedge of pate and a bottle of champagne! We cannot get away from the fact that we continue to eat well! We definitely live to eat and make sure there is always a great meal at the end of the day. Apple turnovers were a treat, seldom partaken, and wow they were so good. I surprised myself! My mom would be proud as that is her area of expertise. Another day will be
spent here tomorrow, just chillin’ on the beach. John and Sue aboard Alchemy are awaiting our arrival at Hawksbill Cay and we are so trying to avoid them. Selfishly, we have a good thing going, not looking for cling-ons as they have proven to be. God forgive us for we have sinned!
April 26, 2009
Sunday
9:00 am, 77*
Shroud Cay
I awakened at 8:00 and found the seas and wind to be quite calm. The wind is blowing out of the east and has subsided to about 10kts. What a difference a day makes. We spoke with Freedom and confirmed we would stay on another day here, thinking we would head for our newly discovered beach with umbrella and chairs in hand and relax for the day reading and swimming. Sounds like a plan. Freedom dropped the bomb on Alchemy (although we are sure they were listening to our conversation on the radio) that we would remain here another day. They are now moving on to Warderick Wells Cay and the heart of the park area. When we reach there we will find the park HQ, internet, laundry and shopping. In a couple of days we will be wanting all of the above, but for now the hub of the park can wait. This Cay deserves another day. Ahhhh! At 12:30 we headed to the beach. J&R had Rum Runners, chicken salad and other snacks aboard. We had melon and sundried tomato, garlic and lemon humus, and cranberry juice…it does the body good! We loaded the dinghy with umbrella and chairs and headed to our secluded beach. My goodness, there is nothing better. We staked our claim and pitched camp for the afternoon. What a wonderful afternoon of R&R…books at our disposal, libation and snacks. Words simply cannot experience what we are seeing and enjoying, and I only wish everyone would once have this opportunity. We chilled and later in the day 3 Dutch families joined us on the beach with 7 children…yes 7 of them! Very well behaved and all was still good. We saw a sting ray float by…but not close enough for pictures…there will be more. The water was as yesterday…crystal clear and inviting. It was a wonderful afternoon right up to almost 6:00 pm when we headed back home. A large antipasto was prepared on Sea Fox and Roberta marinated chicken for grilling. Another feast, aboard Freedom tonight! Oh my! This is certainly the life. Tomorrow we will head to Hawksbill Cay and see what the offering is there. Good night to all!
April 27, 2009
Monday
77*
Windy, but sunny
Water temp now 75*
Happy Birthday, My Tweety Weety!!!! Love you much!
Up early to ready Sea Fox for the move to Hawksbill Cay. It was cool this morning and the wind roared out of the north at 17 kts. It was an exploration day and we headed out via dinghy to the beach. We were headed for the ruins…so we thought. There are suppose to be many foot paths within this island and we had our treasure map, but still to no avail. We trudged thru a forest of palm trees, muck and roots of mangroves. This trek is not for the weary. Roberta was sucked in by the wet sand and fell on her butt x2! Funny and yucky at the same time. What an expedition!!! We finally rid ourselves of water shoes as they were being sucked in as we stepped in what one would think was quick sand. When we reached the north side of the island the view was spectacular. The ocean’s waves were crashing on the coral that lined the island. There are no words for the beauty that we experienced. We were hoping for another way to return, but it was getting late and to try for another escape to the other side where the dinghy was anchored was quite the gamble. We headed back the way we came…thru the forest of palms, muck and mangroves. My legs and feet are going to slap me in the head tomorrow….asking “what were you thinking?” All in all it was a gorgeous day, the exercise greatly needed and the reward at the end of the hike was superior! We never found the ruins and cannot
believe that these paths we walked were truly the paths spoken about in the guide book. Delicious, well-deserved dinner on Sea Fox and tomorrow is another day to seek out the ruins. From the time between 1700-1800, 10 families inhabited this Cay….not sure why or how, but they did. The ruins are supposed to be the remains of their homestead and we are on a mission to find them. The island is totally desolate, except for its splendor. With some modern conveniences it would be a place many would flock to enjoy.
April 28, 2009
Tuesday
Warm and sunny, as usual
80’s
Hawksbill Cay
Roberta had us over this morning so we could email Jon from the computer and thru the single side band radio. There is no internet or cell service where we are and I was so sad that I was not able to call him on his birthday yesterday. We sent emails to the kids and hopefully they were received. In a couple of days we will be heading to Warderick Wells and phone and internet are supposed to be available. I cannot wait for this pleasure.
We continue our quest to find the ruins. We took the dinghies to the far north portion of the island and beached them. There we found a sign suggesting a path…ahhhh! now we are talking! This truly was the path we should have been following yesterday….if we had only ventured farther north, but we did not! We were in heaven. The terrain was nothing like yesterday….today it was civilized! We still had to cross some ragged coral, but mostly it was a sandy, well laid out path for visitors to travel. At a point we came to a fork in the road. First we chose south and then back tracked to head north. The seascape was amazing and at low tide, as it was, the tidal pools revealed many different creatures from the sea….very interesting. We also had the pleasure of photographing 2 different lizards and a very cool black and yellow spider creating its web. We had hoped to see more birds, but the only one we have come across so far is the bowsun that is only here for mating season. Quite beautiful, decked out in white with an amazingly long tail. We watched as they did their mating dance in the sky and Barry was able to get some very cool pics. Still, we have yet to discover the ruins. I am thinking it was so long ago that piles of rocks here and there ARE the ruins and we are unaware. The rest of the day was spent under the umbrella with our noses in our books relaxing the rest of the afternoon away. On our way to the beach we met up with Wild Horse from Watch Hill, RI and spoke with them later on the beach. They have just come from Warderick Wells and highly recommend our getting there and suggested the north channel for a mooring as they thought this was the best spot. They went on to say one could easily spend 2 weeks there without becoming bored. Great things to do and see and I am anxious to get there…patience, patience….something I am not good at. Great pork satay, rice and salad at Freedom tonight…good job, Roberta!
April 29, 2009
Wednesday
80’s
Clouds and sun with squalls
Water temp 75*
Hawksbill Cay
Up early to listen to Chris Parker. We will remain here one more day and make the 15 mile journey to Warderick Wells tomorrow, although I am ready to leave here today. Barry spoke with Alchemy this morning and Sue gave very specific directions to the ruins and, of course…duh!…the sign that states “trail to the ruins.” We just did not go far enough north on the island. John is determined to get there and Barry will be in tow. I will remain behind and prepare for dinner as Sea Fox is the host this evening. Butternut squash lasagna and chicken with take some time to prepare, and I have had my fill of wandering the forest. I will wait for pictures instead. Roberta advised Jon’s birthday wish was returned undeliverable. She will amend the address and hopefully it will go thru this time. Using the SSB to send email is very nifty, but something we do not have. Hopefully the girls got the email as we copied them on his message. Warderick will have internet and cell service and I will certainly be making calls home to check on everyone tomorrow. John dropped Roberta off and he and Barry went off to explore the ruins. Roberta and I played with the computer and the hard drive they let us borrow with 40,000 songs on it to choose from. They were back in no time and the ruins, which I had predicted, was something one could do without. The homes were made from pulverized conch shells and water that were turned into cement. I am sure they were quite the homes in their time, but now have disintegrated to absolute mere shells…indiscernible. With the boys back at the boat we continue to burn CD’s and prepare for dinner. Chicken is marinating and we begin the chop of the squash to be steamed. Roberta and John returned to their boat to gather the appetizer and I continue with assembly of the lasagna. Quesada’s for an app started things off right and we dragged out Upwords and taught Freedom the ropes. Lots of laughs as John tried to cheat his way thru the game. I certainly have his number…he wants to play what he can win and this is not his game. Once he got the hang of it he settled down. Barry hooked up the grill for the balsamic chicken as the lasagna was melding. Good grits…as always. Excited to move on tomorrow….night to all…love you!
April 30, 2009
Thursday
Windy and Warm
80* at 8:00
1416 engine hours at days end
Water temp 76*
Warderick Wells Cay
Barry and I were up and running at 8:45. It would be a 15 mile run from Hawksbill to Warderick. Freedom left a bit later as they would need to enter Warderick at high tide due to their 6 foot draft. It was another wet and rocky ride, but a mere 1 ½ hours. We arrived at 10:30, snagged ball #20 and started the cleaning. Sea Fox was a mess! I could see fish swimming around the boat greeting us to the Cay. I like it already…fish to feed! What I don’t like is NO cell service….augh! I was so looking forward to calling home, but that is not a happening. Barry thinks as we head farther south and over to the Eleuthras and Abacos the cell service will increase, and I certainly hope so. Hate not being able to contact home and them not being able to call us. There is internet service and will be sure to use that like crazy. Freedom pulled in about 2:00 and settled in on #18. This Cay is so far the prettiest of all and the guide books advise it has much to offer in the way of things to do such as snorkeling and hiking. There are 2 mooring balls just a bit away from Freedom where one can tie a dinghy and snorkel. We are so close to the reef that we can probably snorkel right off the boats. Busy day today….after the Sea Fox bath I did some hand wash and put it out on the bow to get beaten dry by the wind….gotta love it. Our clothes looked like they have been pressed once the wind is done with them. Barry continues with downloading the remains of the 40,000 songs from Freedom’s hard drive and I cooked the salted cod that has been soaking for the past 3 days. Barry and I enjoyed the remains of last night’s chicken and lasagna and amused ourselves with a fish feeding on some bits of chicken. They come right to the surface to indulge. There are also many, many large rays swimming around the boat. We showered and enjoyed a cocktail as we watched Freedom still packing up and putting away from their ride over. Sail boats are so much work. I offered to make dinner, but John declined stating it was their turn and they were on it! Great turkey tenderlion (or as we now refer to it…vulture… after our experience in Nassau with the wings) and scalloped potatoes. We passed on the salad as Barry and I had brought fish spread made from the cod as an app and we devoured and stuffed ourselves with that first. Really early to bed tonight. We left Freedom at 9:00 to head home and regenerate for tomorrow’s escapades. Good night to all as we collapse for the evening.
May 1, 2009
Friday
Upper 80’s, as usual
Sunny We signed on to email today….ahhhh! Decided to share the bill with Freedom…one day us…the next them and we will share the internet. We spent a large part of the morning
