2019 Cruise - Week 6

2019 Cruise - Week 6

Sunday, February 10, 2019     Joe Mama and a Party!

Can you believe it? We are starting our sixth week here at he Blackfin. It’s Sunday and that means Joe Mama and friends pickin’ and grinnin’ on the back porch at the Hurricane. We enjoy Joe and banjo player John and the folks who sit in on some songs. 

Before getting to Joe, we walked to Publix to purchase some items for the party. Chris is smoking 35 lbs. of chicken parts, Ruthie made macaroni salad and baked beans and each participant brought a dish to share.

It was a grand time. The camaraderie was palpable. Most of the roomies from this particular wing of the resort were there. We were the only boaters probably because we occasionally hangout with the roomies. Chris was particularly enamored with the jam sessions among Jim H., Tom M. and me. I think this was his way of saying thanks.

As folks started to drift away, a smaller group tightened into a circle and stories started flying. It was great entertainment and lots of laughs. Sadly, the party ended with good-byes and well wishes for Terri and Jim who are leaving in the morning. 

Monday, February 11, 2019    Are You Calling Me Lazy?

Ah, if the shoe fits... So no big doings today. We enjoyed the view and the breeze at the point. We had enjoyable conversations with our neighbors yet again. Captain John offered to buy the ingredients if I would make my Key Lime Fish and Pasta dish. I told him he just needs to supply the fish. We made arrangements with Tom, Debbie, Allan, Shelly, David, Marsha, Chris, Ruthie, Carol, Gary, John and Sue to provide specific contributions. We set the fiesta for tomorrow evening.

Tom cooked our meal tonight. The main course was fish swimming in a butter lime sauce with corn-on-the-cob and baked potatoes. It all fit on Tom’s grill and he slaved over it for forty-five minutes, starting with the potatoes and adding the corn and fish at appropriate intervals. We finished the meal with mini cupcakes.

After the sun set, we watched the space station fly through the sky and then, a manatee stopped by to pay Debbie a visit. She got a great night time shot of the big mammal.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019     Key Lime Fish for Fifteen!

It’s getting hot! The high was in the mid 80s with about a 15 knot breeze. During the day, we visited the Point, ran some errands, read a little and talked to friends and neighbors. Tom Mooney and I played John Prine songs for an hour or so.

At 1630, I started to prepare dinner for fifteen. Key Lime Fish is on the menu. John, Alan and David caught the fish earlier in the day. Susan (Mighty Wench) made the pasta and a bean salad, Marsha made her overnight salad and an eclair dish for dessert. Alan and Shelly brought some loaves of crusty bread. Tom and Debbie brought several desserts. Gary and Carol brought a salad. The meal was enjoyed by all and the camaraderie afterward was the icing on the cake!

AM and I set up the 1100 BTU Zero Breeze AC unit. We’re expecting rain. When it comes, the boat will be closed up. The night temp is hovering around 80° so AC is in order. It will be our first real test of the unit.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019    Thunderstorm!

Woke up to a pretty good thunder storm complete with torrential rain. The liquid sunshine remained steady for hours, but the rain stopped between 1800 and 1900 hours. The wind, however, continued to blow out of the north. We continued to rock in our slip throughout the night.

The Mulcrone’s treated the Martin’s to dinner at the Upper Crust ostensibly for helping them turn their boat around in its slip. I mostly watched Tom, who did all the work. At one point I may have thrown him a line. None-the-less, we are certainly grateful for their hospitality. Thank you so much Debbie and Tom!

On the way back from dinner, Tom and Debbie dropped us off at the cinema. We saw “Upside” with Kevin Hart and Bryon Cranston. We liked the movie and give it two thumbs up!

Thursday, February 14, 2019     Happy Valentine’s Day!

Larry and Ellen (Water’s Toy) have arrived. A bunch of us helped them launch and guide them into Slip 1 without even starting the motor. They spent some time stowing their gear. 

In the evening, the crew of Water’s Toy, Loafs and Fishes and SUNSHINE along with Gary and Carol Kramer went to the Butterfly Cafe in Tranquility Bay. The setting was delightful. A round table would have been better for the group, but the long table on the side porch gave us a bit of privacy from other diners. The food was impeccable, perhaps the best salmon I’ve ever had. It was a very nice Valentine’s Day celebration. After dinner, we walked the grounds before heading back to Blackfin. 

Friday, February 15, 2019     Royal Reds!

Didn’t do much today except make a run to Fish Tales for 3 1/2 pounds of Royal Reds. The same crew from last night gathered near the three Nomads for a Royal Red feast. Tom grilled a steak for Debbie who eschews shellfish. The RRs were a hit! The after dinner gabfest lasted until bedtime (for some but not all of us).

Saturday, February 16, 2019 Coral Head Music Festival!

It’s 0945 and we’ve already been to the Blackfin yard Sale and the Farmer’s Market by Crane Point.

At 1130 we set out for the Coral Head Music Fest. We had a ball, enjoying the music of John Bartus and Storm Watch, Fiddle Rock, Mike Mulcahy, and John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. We didn’t stay for Sweet or Jackyl who were the last two acts of the day. Between band set ups, we visited the vendors and partook of the buffet that was included with our tickets. 

Back at the boat, we talked with the other Nomadders and heard about some drama that unfolded in our absence. We’ve had more drama this year than in our two previous stays at Blackfin.