Mandolin-at-Large

Vessel Name: Mandolin
Vessel Make/Model: Bayfield
Hailing Port: Rock Creek, MD
Crew: Tod and Anne Herrick
About: Retired from human service occupations now living a human exisistance!
08 April 2018 | Florida Keys
28 February 2018 | Boot Key Harbor, Marathon
15 February 2018 | Lower Keys
14 February 2018 | Off Boynton Beach
13 February 2018 | West Palm Beach
11 February 2018 | Vero Beach
06 February 2018 | Vero Beach
31 January 2018 | Cocoa
31 January 2018 | Cocoa
27 January 2018 | Titusville
27 January 2018 | Daytona Beach
05 January 2018 | Daytona Beach
03 January 2018 | St. Augustine
01 January 2018 | St. Augustine
30 December 2017 | St. Augustine
28 December 2017 | St. Augustine
23 December 2017 | St. Augustine
22 December 2017 | St. Augustine
20 December 2017 | Amelia River
Recent Blog Posts
08 April 2018 | Florida Keys

Paradise, aka: the Florida Keys

It's been a really long time since I posted a blog. I know, I should be more disciplined! But I have made numerous Facebook entries. That counts, doesn't it? I prefer Facebook when I have a bunch of photos to post. I can only post one on this site. So any readers who are not on my friends list at Facebook, [...]

28 February 2018 | Boot Key Harbor, Marathon

Boot Key Harbor: A Pleasant Community on the Water

We have enjoyed our stay in Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. There is a nice community of boaters here. It's protected from winds during bad weather and the city makes it a welcoming place.

15 February 2018 | Lower Keys

Welcome to the Keys!

We left Lake Worth at 7:30a thinking we were only going to Fort Lauderdale. The admiral didn't like the waves and seas we had yesterday so she was reluctant to put in a long day again. I can't say I blame her. However, today's conditions were delightful! She put off the task of seeking a marina for the [...]

14 February 2018 | Off Boynton Beach

The Lazy Fisherman

We woke early and got underway from our pleasant Anchorage in Lake Worth around 7:30 to catch slack current in the inlet. It was a bit bumpy with the east winds but not terrible. Once out we set sail and motor sailed under full sail and mild winds for about 3 hours. Our original destination was Fort [...]

13 February 2018 | West Palm Beach

Moving south

After pulling ourselves away from Velcro Beach we traveled south along the waterway to Ft. Pierce. We had our friend aboard as extra crew as needed but more as pleasant company. We enjoyed Vero Beach and will likely be back. We had a good time walking to the beach and getting caught by the security guard [...]

11 February 2018 | Vero Beach

Shorts, sandals, and sunny skies

We have been enjoying our stay at "Velcro Beach" and understand why people have named it thus. Life is pleasant here and you have access to the town via the free bus. It's not a fast way to get around but it is convenient!

It's a hoary night (and day) or you promised it was going to be warm!

07 December 2017 | St. Simon's
Tod / Rain
It blew like stink last night. We had ducked in to the Wahoo River and found it to be an amazing Anchorage! The anchor stuck instantly as if it were in cement and we were secure in our cozy spot. Two other sailboats end up joining us, both single handers from what we could see. They waved a cheery hello as they passed in search of a spot to drop the hook.

Anne experimented with a pork tenderloin for dinner and she was a bit disappointed with the result but I thought it was good. Just not up to her high standards.

One of the boats anchored in the creek saw a beached runabout and was concerned for their safety. They contacted the Coast Guard who tried to hail them without success. I wasn't able to see any boat as they were around a bend.

Other excitement was a conversation between a 46' sailboat somewhere off Blackbeard Island which was in shallow water, grounding with each wave trough and had no clue where deep water was or what the tidal state was. They contacted the Coast Guard for "local knowledge" which they couldn't provide. The CG offered to contact a tower which was agreed to. However, there were no towboatus boats in the area and with the sailboats bilge alarm sounding, the CG sent one of their assets to tow them to safety and check out the boat. They were tired to Thunderbolt Marine. Interesting.

We had a good night despite the rain and howling winds. We didn't move from our spot at all! The winds has subsided a bit the next morning so we decided to move on despite a deteriorating forecast. We got an early start and transited two bad spots at high tide to maintain our record of only one grounding this trip. So here we are at anchor north of Lanier Island, gateway to St. Simon's Island. We made excellent time and beat the increased winds but not the rain.

Tomorrow, we have reserved a slip at the marina so we can shop to refill our depleted larder and hopefully tour the island. At least we can plug in for heat as temps are predicted to fall into the 30's.

Anne just wants to know when the warmth will come. Hopefully soon enough!
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