03/16/2009, Dry Tortugas
Just a quick note to let you know we are safe and sound and back in the good ole US of A! We dropped anchor this morning (Monday the 16th) right outside Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. No flags or ticker tape but a friend of ours (Tammi and Rick on Madison Lyn Scott), who left 2 days before we did, greeted us in their dinghy in the channel and escorted us in! Pretty cool feeling. No doubt we will be here thru Thursday, some great snorkeling and a visit to this fort are definitely in order. It was another fast...a bit lumpy seas crossing but safe and sort of uneventful! We go to practice our "Man Over Board maneuvers along the way however...our spinnaker sail bag got swept over the side and eventually tore away from it's clips that were holding it to our lifelines! We are proud to report that the "victim" was saved and only after about 20 minutes of circling in choppy seas and only minimal help the "victim in the water". At least it stayed partially afloat for us to finally snag it and drag it aboard! The sail and lines were still safely in the bag, but the bag acted as a storm anchor filled with water, as we both had to pull, yank and tug to get it up and on board! At least this all happened at 5pm, so it was still light out! A beautiful sunset, a quick dinner and we are ready for bed...Not only are we tired after a 48 1/2 hr passage but we also changed time zones and "sprung ahead" 2 hours!!!!!
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03/14/2009, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
The winds continue to clock around to the ESE and our "weather guy", Chris Parker, says the seas are moderating to under 7 feet and all looks good for the next several days to make our passage to the Dry Tortugas and US waters only 298 miles away. We have quite a flotilla of 7 boats leaving in the morning heading to the Dry Tortugas/Key West area, plus 3 left on Thursday, so we've all spent today with last minute items to pick-up from the Veggie Mercado or Super X market and saying "Adios" to friends whom we have met up with here in Isla Mujeres. This is the 1st real weather window we have seen in the past 10 days! We really have enjoyed our 27 days here My, how time flies when you are having fun! While we leave here with mixed emotions we all seem a bit anxious to move on, knowing someday we hope to return and spend a little more time here. The white sandy beaches, warm breezes, clear blue Caribbean waters, terrific restaurants and cantinas, friendly Mexican vendors inviting you into their shops to see what's "almost free today" and of course the Mayan ruins and the many other fun day trips to keep you coming back for more! As I said we are ready to set our sails and return to the states. So after a few days in the Tortugas we look to spend a week in the Keys and then begin our trek up the Eastern coast The good news is our cell phone will be back on and with any luck, internet won't be quite so slow and sporadic. And the bonus is I won't have to use so much math to figure out how much things cost! The bad news is I may have to break out the jackets and shoes to sail in! Spring is still chilly further north of Florida. We have really liked this area as well as many places in the NW Caribbean and definitely plan to return some day. Perhaps you will join us next time! To our friends heading elsewhere Happy Ours, South of Reality, It's 5 o'clock Somewhere, Driftwood smooth sailing, be safe and we sure hope to cross paths again some day soon!
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03/07/2009, Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Alas, we have planned for 3 different departure dates, but the wind and wave gods have had other plans! We have our sights on Wednesday, March 11th but only time will tell. I must say that Isla Mujeres is a great place to hold up until the weather heading north calms down. The island has beautiful beaches, breathtaking rocky shore fronts, terrific restaurants and a very casual, beachy sort of touristy atmosphere. Through a little determination and with friends Denise & Byron on South of Reality, I did get the opportunity to visit our 4th Mayan ruin...Tulum del noche. A much smaller community than the other 3 but stunning views of the Caribbean waters made this very special. A navigational outpost and a religious ceremonial center for the region made this a very important Mayan site in the "Post Classic period" (1200-1500). A stop at Playa del Carmen with it's beautiful beaches, cobblestone streets and shops (including Tequila tasting) made a great ending for a terrific day. We were all very pleased with ourselves, that we successfully made our way that day with using the public bus transportation! We've been here 20 days and once again we wonder where the time has gone. Seeing the island by golf cart (and Rob on a scooter), walking the cobble stone streets of Isla Mujeres, snorkeling, enjoying the beaches, playing Mexican dominoes on Sunday afternoons and potluck happy hour every Wednesday. Making some wonderful new friends and eating at many of the island's terrific restaurants with many more left to try has made this definitely a place to come back and visit some day. I even got to experience a 5 minute massage on the beach! How relaxing and very cool to have the gentle breezes and the sound of the waves on the sand! I could really get used to this type of lifestyle!
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