Just got back from 5 weeks sailing Perrovida around the Florida Keys and South Florida. Great fun was had and I got to spend a week sailing with my 29 yr old son. He pretty much disapearded into a drug thing for a good part of his twenty's. Sometimes I cant believe I am now using a word like " Clean" but he has been "clean" for 3 years. When he was at his worst I was convinced we would lose him, in fact prepared myself for it
Our Auto Pilot quit a few days previous so we were hand steering from the Dry Tortugas to Fort Meyers Beach , a 24 hour sail. The sky was clear but the horizon was obscured by water vapor, visibility forward was only a couple of hundred yards forward just before dark. I have always found it very difficult to steer using just the compass for long periods with no horizon. With no sky it is much worse. Luckily this night had stars but a ways above the horizon. I am just setting the scene for you.
With 3 aboard we took 2 hour watches, . I slept in the cockpit to keep an eye out and help if needed. It was dead calm at sunset but by 2 am when my son was due on deck the wind had picked up a bit stirring up a stiff chop in the Florida straights. The wind of course was mostly on the nose so no sails were up. I knew he would have a difficult time at the wheel. I told him he could use the compass or the GPS but it would be probably be easier to pick a star and follow it and just check the course line on the GPS every once in a while. I laid down in the cockpit and watched as he struggled to hold a course using the GPS. At some point I dozed off.
When I woke up what I saw was magical, brought tears to my eyes and does again as I write this. My son was standing behind the wheel , the soft glow of the GPS and compass light illuminating his face. His chin up , eyes forward and locked on to the night sky. A huge grin on his face. The wheel moved gently back and forth in his hands, small corrections.
I could not help it, I softly wept . I was so happy to have my son back. I knew earlier in the trip that the darkness was behind us for good as we sailed, fished, snorkeled and SCUBA dived in the warm turqoise blue waters around the keys. But this was a defining beautiful moment, I let the pain go, the anger go, I let the dark scary past go. They had no place in me anymore.
I watched for maybe 10 minutes while my son steered by the stars before I moved to look at my watch. I was very surprised to see I had been a sleep for 2 1/2 hours. As I stirred my son noticed I was awake by taking his eyes off the sky for a moment. I asked " How you doing" " Good " he said " It is much easier steering by the stars" " This is good " I said to myself " Very good"
Thanks for listening
Chuck S/V Perrovida 1978 IF36

Sorry for not posting more. Got across the gulf and to key west. a few days in key west then a overnight to Fort meyers beach. Then 2 days up the river to Glades boat storage. perrovida is on the hard and we on our way home. Planning o cruise again in a couple of years.
Thanks for reading and see you later

This picture is of me after Diane sprayed me with bear spray ( An accident she say,s). Cold chocolate pudding on my lips to qell the burning on my lips, good times!!!
wed 29th
Changed the engine oil today. Not much left to do but leave. Terry from OTG arrived today. We agreed to depart tomorrow around 11 am. Diane is throwing up as I write this. If it goes like it did with me she should feel much better in the am. She really wants to head home so I will not be suprized if she does not want to delay departure. I will try to update one more time before we leave but it might not happen. S from( T is doing the crossing solo) OTG will keep track of us from Florida, no worries I will update in 3 to 5 days if do not have to make a emergency stop in Havana, ha

Tuesday 28th
Got the flu yesterday or maybe food poising so we stayed put. Feling much better today. I think we will wait for OTG to cross over to Key West, maybe on Friday

Friday
Getting ready to depart for Key West. Filled the diesel tank, changed both primary and secoundary fuel filters. It looks like Monday around 11am after we check out. Right now no buddy boat to go with us but I am still looking. It should be flat with calm winds so we will plan on motoring the whole way. With the current I m hoping for less than 48 hours to cross to Key West or the Dry Tortugas

Tuesday July 22
It stormed like hell last night but is beautiful this am. Went for a long walk around the Lagoon and to Mananas for lunch
Monday July 21st noon
A few squalls last night but not much of anything. The NOAA info shows Dolly right on top of us yet the wind is only 15 mph. Some squalls coming but that is all. No problema
Sunday , July 20th 11:30 local time

NOAA just named our tropical depression . Its a girl,"Dolly." It looks to track west of us. No real worries as it should not become a hurricain until it gets into the gulf of mexico. We are at the marina Parisio and are fine. I will add a few lines and move the boat a couple more feet away from the dock. Had a couple of squalls come threw this am. Diane got here yesterday afternoon. She had to spend two hours getting threw customs at the airport. Talk to you on the other side