chuck
08/12/2008, Glades boat storage

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

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chuck
07/20/2008, Isla Mujeres mexico

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

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chuck brantley
07/11/2008, Puerta Adventure

Wed
It was 1976 when I first met Marv. I was 15 years old and madly in love with his youngest daughter. (Still am)I had long hair and rode a dirt bike. My bike would drip motor oil in his driveway while I hung out on his couch trying to make out with his youngest. He ran a tight ship. House in perfect order, dinner at 6 every single night, every penny accounted for,. Lucky for me they were devout Catholics and Diane was looking to bust out, I was the man for the job. Diane's family was the polar opposite of mine. No order at the Branltley household, lots of chaos., good fun loving family. Over the years Marv and Nora watched over my kids way more than they should have if I would had it more together. I will be forever thankful to both of them for that. I believe marvs greatest legacy is his two Daughters, A man could not ask for more than Karen and Diane, two of the most giving, caring , loving and hardest working women you would ever want to meet. So I sit here in Punta Allen shedding some tears and lifting my glass to you Marv, you were loved and will be missed.

I left San Pedro tues am. I almost left Monday but changed my mind just as I be gain to untie the lines. I was tired and upset with the news of Diane's fathers death. It was still blowing 25 to 30 and I new it would be rough out there. I had gone out to the cut in the reef on Monday o check it out nd nearly got flipped in the dingy when a wave came from behind and the next thing I new I was surfing a large wave. I gunned the engine and took off ahead of it and got out of there. The local talent said it was passable. I cautiously moved into the cut, very alert t the breaking waves on both sides of me. Just passed the breakers and big wave appeared in front of me an perrovida started to climb it. It broke on us just as the bow got to the top. Very freighting. I wanted very badly to get away from this and out to sea. It was very rough and the sweel was large as we headed for deeper waters. I raised the main and was wondering why it was flapping and looked up to see it torn in half about 8 feet from the top. I lowered it. It was very rough for the rest of the day. I was making good time with the current pushing me along. Around 6 pm I was along side cayo Norte. I was in its lee and was protected from the swell. I decided to anchor off it for the night . I cautiously moved east and anchored in 10 feet of water. Still a bit rough but I was glad not to have to out in this rough sea at night. I was about 5 miles south of Cayo Norte and no one around for miles. Thought about trying to fix the sail but had no motivation. Got up very early and got going. 70 miles to Punta Allen. The sea was scary again, with big sets of swells coming at me from the side and confused swells coming from other directions. I decided to ignore it and wedge myself on the floor of the cockpit next to the companionway and read a book. I arrived at the bahia Accension around 5 pm I had covered 70 miles at a 6.2 average speed. It took a hour to reach the anchorage. I dinged in and sent off a couple of quick emails and even found a phone and tried to call Diane but did not reach her. I decided to stay a extra day and see about repairing the Main sail. And that's what I did today. It took about 5 hours of sewing with my old Kenmore sewing machine. I used duct tape and sunbrella fabric. I hope it works tomorrow. I think I will shoot for Puerta Adventuras with is 50 miles away. From there I think isla is 50 more miles or so. The weather has been a little better with winds around 20 and last night they fell off quite a bit more at times just 5 to 10.
Friday
Left at o dark thirty for Adventuras. Made it here around 3pm

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