Sailor gets a new do!

Never be too quick to gloat; that should be tattooed on my forehead.


Just two days ago I was rubbing it in to you snow bound dirt dwellers about how warm it is down here in Key West and then, wham, I caused the entire state of Florida to go in to a deep freeze. Yesterday we awoke to 30 knot winds that grew to a steady 35 along with rapidly falling temperatures. So it was time to put away the sun screen and get out the mittens and long pants. Oh, wait, we don't have any winter clothes do we? When you pack for a trip you should always have a small bag packed with some clothes assuming you may not make it to your (warmer) destination.


So today I sit at the computer in the salon of the boat, shivering in shorts and a light fleece top and it all my own damn fault for gloating. But hey, maybe it was worth it. 81 degrees on Christmas Day; what a delight especially in view of the snow at home. The weather bureau says it was the 3rd heaviest snowfall recorded in Norfolk. Pretty, I am sure, and it comes with a day off from work but it is still cold up there and you can't sit inside looking out the window all day. You will have to go out and clean off the car at some point. Then you will slip and fall on your butt and quickly learn to curse the weather. Oops, I think I am gloating again.


There is no shortage of tourists in this town. Cruise ships call here daily, dumping their human cargo. Tourists mean big dollars to the Keys and Christmas week is the busiest of the year so this ugly weather is a real bummer for them. It is too rough for fishing trips and boat rentals. Too cold for scooter and bike rentals. Too cold to swim in the ocean. So everyone heads to the bars and drinks.


There are always a few brave (stupid) souls who rent jet skis and then want to use the mooring ball field as a slalom course. Most sailors look forward to the day they are declared a nuisance. To a sailor it is like having motorcycles continually racing around the outside of your house. Hour after hour. When they are in the distance they sound like a flight of mosquitoes coming for you from the swamp. Time to get a giant can of OFF!

Warm weather is forecast for the middle and end of the week so I will be ripped out of this deep funk by the weather gods eventually. Until then I will try to stay warm and everyone up north should do the same. The days are getting longer and eventually spring will come back. I promise. Be safe and smart until then.