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
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!
Pirates!
We have been enjoying our visit in St. Augustine. Gabi and Levi drive down from cold Maryland and we have been busy enjoying the visit. We toured the lighthouse, climbing all 215 steps up to the windy top for a spectacular view of Anastasia Island and St. Augustine. We also learned a couple of things, some we would rather not have. For instance, a son of an early keeper put a parachute on his sister's cat and then threw it off the top. The cat survived but didn't return home for several days. His sister didn't learn about the deed for 50 years. I'm surprised she didn't throw him off! We walked the beach, collected shells and had a great Christmas Eve dinner at the Black Fly Restaurant (named after fly fishing). Anne cooked a great Christmas Dinner aboard Mandolin and Santa even visited the boat to leave presents for Levi!
We've plied the streets and alleyways of this ancient City looking in the shops and listening to great music in multiple venues throughout town. Yesterday Papa took Levi on the Black Raven Pirate Ship and we defeated the mean old Captain Hook in the harbor! Canon fire and sword fighting between the ships and all!
We've connected with the sailing community who we've found to be a fun group. We have even met up with a woman we worked with at the Boat Show back in October.
We plan on staying here through New Year's Day but Gabi and Levi leave town Friday to head back home. It's been a nice visit.
Looking ahead, the weather doesn't look so inviting with a big northerly coming in the New Year. We may hang on the mooring until it passes. Then it's off to Daytona Beach for a while.
