The month has gone fast since we picked up our Island Gypsy 32'. We had a chance to spend two weeks enjoying being on the water again and were presently surprised how well DeeO'gee adapted. He loved riding in the dingy and after initial hesitation about the open water was jumping in and out like a pro. There were secluded beaches for him to run on and he even started to become comfortable walking into the water, but just up to his belly. Someone told me Shih Tzu's couldn't swim, that's crazy as all dogs can swim. I googled it.... Oops, the Shih Tzu is known as a very poor swimmer. Drats. Good thing he has a life vest then.
We traversed our first lock to have NOMADIC SPIRIT hauled at Indiantown Marina on the Okeechobee Waterway. The interior sanding and vanishing has begun and a first coat of spar urethane applied on a good portion of the vertical surfaces in the main salon. Four coats of high gloss varnish to the floor has really brightened her up already. The rest of the work will be completed when we return in the fall.
Now it's time to fire up SLOTH and hit the open road. Of the 58 nation parks that America is able to boast, 46 are in the lower 48 and only 9 of these are in the eastern states. 3 are in Florida. The other 6 we hope to visit this summer, bringing our total visited to 31. We added Virgin Islands National Park as our second park to visit together, the Dry Tortugas was the first. In our quest to visit all of the National Parks we are not counting national seashores, monuments, etc. but do visit them when they are in our path.
Let the summer begin!