The Atlantic – So far, so good! No animals were harmed or lives lost!
It has been over a year since I put finger to pad to update our travels – much has happened - as it always does with us!
Some data:
• We have travelled 6840 miles since we bought the boat;
• Max speed was 10.4 knots – this was sailing in the Inter Coastal Waterway, Kathy on the helm and the boat ‘rounded up’ – she nervously looked at me said – ‘what was that’ I explained that sailing boats do that when over canvassed – Hmm…. She did not like that!
• Average moving speed 4.2 knots, which ain’t bad!

We had the hurricane season in twin Dolphin Marina in Bradenton (Tampa) Florida and loved it. Pool at the end of the quay, amateur theater 300 meters way, Saturday Street Market that sold produce and arty farty stuff….. We met some very interesting people; J (name withheld to protect the guilty) was a female ex- New York Cop, who ran a local store, was a hoot to be around – the stories she had – even I, and with 20 years at sea, often blushed! She would occasionally ‘break out’ and go on a binge and everyone would warn everyone else to hide for a couple of days……. Then back to normal …. Not surprising, her last job in the NYPD was to identify body parts and put as much of them as they could together for burial after 9/11. Truly a lovely person! We also had a another yacht, just down the dock from us thrown out of the marina, for painting all his anchor chain on the dock, but did not put anything down before he did it, an ‘unusual decorative pattern’ was the result which he felt was OK….. Hmmm. One morning I was walking India, who is not known for her tender nature to other dogs, and a little old (about 103 yo, by my guess) lady who would have weighed 50kg soaking wet, was walking her German Shepard puppy, who was nearly full grown and taller than her. The dog beamed in on India and off it went, with the little old skidding along behind and about a 45 degree angle to line of direction she was being dragged in. I lifted India out over the sea wall and so as to keep them apart. To which I said ‘Lady, get your dog under control’. She hauled the dog off and got about 20 meters away and looked at me and ‘Fuck off – nasty man’! It takes a lot to make me speechless but she did it – she did not look as if she would even know THAT word!!.

Anyway we left Bradenton on the 28th November and sailed and motored to Burnt Store Marina at Punta Gorda. Quite an unusual place 15 mile for the nearest store in any direction and it was a large housing complex maybe 2000 people, totally isolated? We had New Year at the restaurant just by the boat which was great, but every Thursday was Karaoke ….. Aghhhhhhh…….. do I really sound like that when I am drunk??? We caught up Jerry and Lee Anne (Bella - 47’ Ketch) as they were returning from the Bahamas and watched and ate our way through the Super Bowl.

Next was Calsua Island Marina in Goodland (near Marco Island). We went via Fort Myer Beach to see Gary and Lisa (42’ sloop), but they got caught up when someone let them down and couldn’t make it to the boat. Unfortunately Gary was run over and killed the following week – wow where did that come from?? On passage from Fort Myers Beach to Calusa Island you need to go half way to Key West to get around the Remano Shoals, we were overtaken by a front and ran into Marco Island instead ahead of 30 knot winds and 15 feet seas, just in the nick of time. Had we tried to carry on we would have been in trouble trying to get around the shoals and reefs! Calusa Island Marina is a true delight. It is very difficult to get into and out of – but worth every moment of the effort. Wild manatees + dolphins playing around the boat, no houses and when taking the dogs for a walk (yes, we have 2 now, SCAT a 4 month old Boston Terrier….) I was confronted on the boardwalk with a bobcat – one with paws, not tires – do you know how bloody big those things are? About the size of full grown Boxer dog – What me scared – never….. I left it eat the dogs whilst I ran in the opposite direction. It could not have been hungry as the two dogs came home eventually!

At the beginning of June, we came around Key West and into the Atlantic – yippeeeee! We are currently at Marathon in the Florida Keys and will be heading to Blues Waters Marina, Tavernier, just south of Key Largo for the Hurricane season. THEN, drum roll…… over to the Bahamas for a year at Marsh Harbor on Great Abacos Island
I am planning to retire in November, but will keep Kathy working for about another 10 – 15 years so I don’t run out of anything…….. I will pay for that statement!