Delilah's Meanderings

Sailing the coastal waters of Southwest Florida, the Keys, and the Bahamas

Vessel Name: Delilah
Vessel Make/Model: Gemini 105Mc Catamaran
Hailing Port: Whiteland, IN
Crew: Mark & Kim Hayes
About:
We have been sailing over 25 years. Starting with a 14 foot sailboat, then a Catalina 22, and next a Pearson 27 before buying our dream boat the Gemini. This is our seventh season aboard Delilah. We are seasonal coastal cruisers, spending the winters on the boat in Florida. [...]
Social:
25 February 2021
14 February 2021 | Boot Key Harbor
30 January 2021 | Boot Key Harbor
19 January 2021 | Boot Key Harbor
12 January 2021
05 January 2021 | Pelican Bay, Cayo Costa, Florida
29 February 2020
15 February 2020
08 February 2020
18 February 2019
03 February 2019
25 January 2019
10 March 2018 | Warderick Wells Cay, Exumas
Recent Blog Posts
07 February 2022

Season 7 aboard Delilah begins

It has been a really long time since our last post. Last year's cruising season was cut short when I ruptured my Achillie's tendon playing pickle ball in Marathon in the Florida Keys on Feb 18th. We flew home and I had surgery March 1st. The surgery went well and 6 months later I was mostly back to [...]

25 February 2021

Man plans ... God laughs!

I am writing this blog on the couch with my left leg propped up on two pillows in our house in Whiteland, Indiana. A week ago today, I ruptured my left Achilles tendon while playing pickle ball. There was loud pop and I went down. Next thing you know, everyone was helping me and Kim. Applying first [...]

14 February 2021 | Boot Key Harbor

Still Enjoying Marathon

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone from Boot Key Harbor. We continue to enjoy our time in Marathon, especially life on a mooring ball. We've been here for one month and I just paid for another two weeks. This is highly unusual for us to stay in one place. We're not exactly the relaxed type of people! Within [...]

30 January 2021 | Boot Key Harbor

Enjoying Marathon

Kim said it was my turn to do a post ... so both your luck and mine ran out! We are still in Boot Key Harbor, but now tied to mooring ball U1. We were 10th on the waiting list and it took 12 days before we got the call. What a relief it is compared to anchoring in tight quarters in shallow water. [...]

19 January 2021 | Boot Key Harbor

Made it to the Keys!

Hello. We are currently anchored in Boot Key Harbor at the Marathon City Marina. Waiting for a mooring ball. When we arrived on Thursday, January 14, we were #10 on the wait list. Today we are #6. We hope to be on a mooring ball in about a week (or less!).

12 January 2021

Heading to the Keys...

On a quiet morning sprinkled with rain, we set out for warmer temperatures. We have spent the last six nights at Ft. Myers Beach mooring field. Today we are making our way south down the coast to Marathon in the Middle Keys. With luck we might be able to pick up a mooring ball at Boot Key Harbor. There [...]

Man plans ... God laughs!

25 February 2021
Mark & Kim Hayes
I am writing this blog on the couch with my left leg propped up on two pillows in our house in Whiteland, Indiana. A week ago today, I ruptured my left Achilles tendon while playing pickle ball. There was loud pop and I went down. Next thing you know, everyone was helping me and Kim. Applying first aid, bringing Kim in to shore from the boat, giving us a ride to the urgent care center, etc. The urgent care doctor told us he loved pickle ball, paused, then said because it brings him 2-4 new patients a week! I hobbled out of the urgent care place in a walking boot and crutches. After discussing options, we decided it was best to go home ASAP. Getting around in the boat was not easy and worse I couldn't do most things I usually do. Kim was adamant that she could not be my post-surgery caregiver in the confines of the boat. Kim frantically made arrangements ... shuttle to airport, airplane tickets, in network orthopedic surgeon, etc. I was talking to captains about getting our boat delivered to the boatyard. Fortunately for us, boatyard friends with experience on Gemini catamarans were available and happy to help out. They dropped everything, rented a car and were on Delilah the next day. Sunday we caught a shuttle to Fort Lauderdale airport. In the rush to get off the bus with our bags and me intact, Kim left her cell phone on her seat! Yep, things just got worse. Thankfully an Allegiant worker took pity on us, got me in a wheelchair and helped us through security and to our gate. But at first Kim was told by the ticket agent at the counter that we couldn't check in for three hours. The shuttle schedule put us at the airport five hours early. After Kim tried to grasp what she was being told and eventually was in tears, the agent handed our boarding passes to Kim and had called for the wheelchair. To shorten this long story a little, I am scheduled for surgery Monday morning and looking at 6 months before back to normal. I suffered a complete rupture, tendon tore away from the bone and took a little slice of bone with it. Ouch! Once I am back on my feet, we will fly to Florida, finish summerizing the boat and drive our car back home.

Since our last blog on Valentine's Day and before the tendon rupture, we did enjoy a nice day trip to Curry Hammock State Park. Our sailing season was short, but we had a great time in Marathon, made a lot of new friends and continued to learn. Hopefully next season will last a little longer. :)

Until then, be safe, healthy and happy,

Mark and Kim, at home and very thankful for loving friends and family. We couldn't have done it without your help.
Comments
Delilah's Photos - Main
7th season aboard Delilah - February 2022
22 Photos
Created 5 February 2022
7th season aboard Delilah - January 2022
21 Photos
Created 16 January 2022
6th season aboard Delilah - February 2021
20 Photos
Created 7 February 2021
6th season aboard Delilah - January 2021
37 Photos
Created 5 January 2021
5th season aboard Delilah - March 2020
22 Photos
Created 4 April 2020
5th season aboard Delilah - February 2020
63 Photos
Created 4 February 2020
5th season aboard Delilah ... January 2020
35 Photos
Created 22 January 2020
4th season aboard Delilah ... April 2019
13 Photos
Created 5 May 2019
4th season aboard Delilah ... March 2019
49 Photos
Created 4 May 2019
4th season aboard Delilah ... February 2019
37 Photos
Created 2 February 2019
4th season aboard Delilah ... January 2019
31 Photos
Created 15 January 2019
2 Photos
Created 29 December 2018
April 2018 - third season aboard Delilah
13 Photos
Created 8 April 2018
3rd season aboard Delilah ... March 2018
63 Photos
Created 3 March 2018
3rd season aboard Delilah ... February 2018
67 Photos
Created 9 February 2018
3rd season aboard Delilah ... January 2018
25 Photos
Created 24 January 2018
13 Photos
Created 5 April 2017
83 Photos
Created 1 March 2017
42 Photos
Created 2 February 2017
1 Photo | 4 Sub-Albums
Created 7 January 2017
49 Photos
Created 6 January 2017
Getting Delilah ready for 2nd season.
3 Photos
Created 6 January 2017
15 Photos
Created 9 February 2016