Sailing aboard Links

04 January 2017 | Vero Beach, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach FL
22 November 2016 | Vero Beach City Marina mooring field
01 November 2016 | Puerto Plato aboard Fathom Adonia Cruise Ship
01 July 2016 | Puerto Plato aboard Fatham Adonia cruise ship
26 April 2016 | Okeechobee Waterway
20 March 2016 | Cayo Costa to/from Clearwater Beach
17 February 2016 | Along the Gulf of Mexico
30 January 2016 | Boot Key Harbor
13 January 2016 | Boot Key Harbor
24 December 2015 | Vaca Key
19 December 2015 | Boot Key Harbor
08 December 2015 | Boot Key Harbor
02 December 2015 | Marathon Marina
01 December 2015 | Boot Key Harbor
27 November 2015 | Tarpon Basin at Key Largo
23 November 2015 | Tarpon Basin at Key Largo
22 November 2015 | Tarpon Basin at Key Largo
18 November 2015 | Peck Lake
13 November 2015 | Mullet Creek
07 November 2015 | San Marcos mooring field of St Augustine Municipal Marina

Merry Christmas from Marathon FL

24 December 2015 | Vaca Key
Jill / sunny and 87 degrees
This Christmas tree is made from stone crab pots. That's how they do in the Florida Keys!

Tim and I wish all our friends and loved ones a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Interesting Change Of Events in Marathon FL

19 December 2015 | Boot Key Harbor
Jill / windy day in sunny Florida
There are times when I get writers block and haven't a clue how to find interesting words to write on our blog. So I decided that since there are captions on all the pictures that we upload to the web album, why not just mention again on our blog that we upload photos more often than updating the blog. Click on the "PHOTOS from 2015/2016 Florida Trip" link located on the right side to check out our pictures to see some of the fun things that we're doing rather than reading about it on our blog. Enough about that...

Every day it seems that we either run into cruisers that we met before or meet new cruisers who are staying in the harbor. A couple of days ago our friend Rolando arrived in the harbor on s/v Savka and picked up a mooring ball in the next row. That was pretty cool, because Rolando was the very first cruiser that we ever met on our first trip in 2009 and we've seen him every year in Florida and also in the summers when he stays in a marina in Cambridge MD. Very cool!

Another couple that we've become good friends with in the harbor is Sid and Michele aboard s/v El Camino. We met Sid and Michele in Vero Beach on our last trip after friends of theirs told them to look for two Gemini catamarans who were traveling together. That would be s/v Links and s/v SeaQuest. Well, they happen to be on the mooring ball right behind us, so it's real easy for all of us to get together. Earlier in the week, the six of us - Bud and Jen, Sid and Michele, and Tim and me - went for a ride on s/v Links to go snorkeling at Sombrero Key Light. There was a nice breeze, so we had an enjoyable sail to the reef. However, because of the nice breeze, it was a little rolly at the reef, so we didn't snorkle too long. When we returned to the harbor, we all got in our dinghies and rode to the end of Vaca Key to go swimming in a heated waterfront swimming pool at Sunset Grille. What a nice treat and a great day!! The above photo was taken with me at the helm during our fun 3 boat dinghy convoy! A couple of days ago, the six of us got together in the large cockpit of s/v El Camino, a 41 foot catamaran, for sundowners and lots of fun conversations!! Hopefully Sid and Michele will go along with Jen and me to a Christmas concert tonight.

That brings me to another change in our plans. Bud has a friend who was delivering a boat to Marathon, so Bud and Tim took that unique opportunity and hopped a ride back north so they could pick up our vehicles and drive them back to Marathon. It's a long drive from FL to NJ and MD then back to FL, but it looks like for the first time, we'll have our own vehicle in Marathon. Should be interesting...

Until Tim and Bud return, Jen and I are keeping each other company and we're finding lots of fun things to do. Last night was a card game, tonight is a Christmas concert at the community theatre followed by music at Dockside, tomorrow night is sundowners on s/v Improbability, and Monday night is a conch train ride in Key West to look at Christmas lights and sing Christmas carols. Hopefully, Sid and Michele will be joining us in the fun! Looking forward to our hubbies arriving home safely before Christmas!!

Cruisers Life in Marathon FL

08 December 2015 | Boot Key Harbor
Jill / cloudy day after many rainy days
Just thought we would give you a glimpse of life in Marathon and Boot Key Harbor mooring field where we'll be staying for the next several months. Marathon has a variety of stores and waterfront restaurants where you can ride your dinghy, walk, or ride your bike. Boot Key Harbor is very protected, so we feel safe leaving our boats on the mooring ball during strong winds or rain. The city marina has nice facilities and amenities, and cruisers get to know one another at the laundromat, boaters lounge, dinghy dock, or under the tiki hut where we meet for pot luck dinners, crafts, sports, and even an outdoor movie. There's even a morning cruisers net where we learn what boats arrived or will be leaving, anyone with questions or has something to buy/sell/trade, and any activities that are happening at the marina or around town.

The top left picture in the collage was taken during a dinghy ride to the dinghy dock and shows the tiki hut and the yellow building with the office, boaters lounge where we get wi-fi, library of books for book exchanges, 2 areas with comfy chairs and tv's, and a very large workshop. The next picture shows the building with the laundromat, restrooms, and showers with the dinghy dock in the foreground. The bottom left picture is one of many bike racks located around the marina grounds, and the bottom right picture shows a sunset over Boot Key Harbor.

It's hard to believe that we've already been here a week. It rained almost every day and/or night, but we still found time in between rain showers to go biking and walking around town, dinghy to waterfront restaurants, and watch the movie “Maiden Trip” at the tiki hut. Later this week we'll meet with fellow Gemini catamaran owners, watch the boat parade on Saturday, walk to church on Sunday, followed by a pot luck brunch under the tiki hut. See why we like it here?

Gorgeous Sunset

02 December 2015 | Marathon Marina
Jill
We never get tired of seeing gorgeous sunsets!!

This photo was taken from the pool area of Marathon Marina. The four of us rode our dinghy to visit with Vinnie and Mary, boating friends from NJ that we met on our last trip. It was great socializing with friends while relaxing in a wonderful pool heated by the sun. What a great day with our friends!!

We're now in Marathon!!

01 December 2015 | Boot Key Harbor
Jill / sunny days in the 80's
After staying in Key Largo for about a week due to strong winds, we decided it was time to head south.

It was pretty cool to watch manatees near the dinghy docks in Tarpon Basin and dolphins at the Dolphin Encounter on Key Largo. While sailing, we saw baby dolphins near Ramshorn Cut and a sea turtle near Cotton Key! (sorry, no pics of the manatees, dolphins, or sea turtle)

On Saturday, we sailed from Key Largo to Islamorada and had a great sail thru several sounds in northeast 10 to 20 kt winds, at times sailing over 7 kts! Love it when we can just sail!!

The winds were blowing pretty good, so we tucked into a protected harbor at the north end of Islamorada to anchor for the night. That evening we dinghied to Lorelei's, where we enjoyed happy hour while listening to good music and watched a beautiful sunset. What a great day!!

It was still a bit breezy on Sunday morning, so we decided to spend another day in our protected anchorage among the mangroves in Islamorada. We did a few boat projects while Bud and Jen went fishing. Several times during the day, a float plane landed near our anchorage. It was interesting to watch power boats and jet skis motor over to the plane. Rumor has it that the plane was owned by Jimmy Buffett. Very interesting since we saw it land and fly several times both days!

In the afternoon when it appeared the quick rain showers were over, we dinghied across the harbor to walk around Islamorada and visit Lorelei's again. Another great day in the Florida Keys!

On Monday morning, we decided it was time to get to Marathon to be sure we could get two mooring balls close together. Mooring fields and anchorages have been unusually full this year.

After the early morning rain shower, we pulled up our anchor and saw a double rainbow. Very pretty! We enjoyed a very pleasant sail along Florida Bay. The water is such a beautiful color! We stayed in Florida Bay and motor sailed thru Moser Channel rather than going out in the ocean along Hawk Channel.

We arrived in Boot Key Harbor and saw several available mooring balls in both the west and east fields. We're planning to stay for at least a month, so we chose mooring balls in the east field.

Last evening we watched a beautiful sunset across the harbor, we did all our laundry this morning, and this evening we'll dinghy to Marathon Marina to visit with friends and hopefully take a dip in their pool. Life is good!!

Thanksgiving Day

27 November 2015 | Tarpon Basin at Key Largo
Jill / breezy in the mid 80's
It's been a bit breezy for the past week, but we're still able to enjoy dinghy rides thru the mangroves and bike rides along the paved bike paths.

On Thanksgiving Day, we enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner with all the fixings. Tim found a turkey that fit perfectly in our small boat oven and Jen prepared the side dishes on s/v SeaQuest. Yummy Thanksgiving meal aboard s/v Links!! Love the apron that Jen made for Chef Timmy! :)

After our delicious turkey dinner, we went for a bike ride around John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park before eating a slice of pumpkin pie after a fun game of Farkle. Great ending to a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!!
Vessel Name: Links
Vessel Make/Model: Gemini 105Mc, Sailing Catamaran
Hailing Port: Taylors Island MD
Crew: Tim and Jill
About: We enjoy sailing and cruising around the Chesapeake Bay and the Delmarva Peninsula on our sailing vessel named Links. Every other year we become snowbirds and spend winters in Florida. We visit wonderful places and meet friendly people everywhere we travel. Life is good!
Extra: It's as much about the journey as it is the destination!

Profile for S/V Links

Who: Tim and Jill
Port: Taylors Island MD