The Netherlands Part III

Sunday, May 26, 2013 -   Underway and a Truly Special Dinner!

De Hoop

Quaint village on the canal

Captain Ben arrived a little past 0930. At 1000 hours, the appointed departure time listed on the itinerary, we backed out of the slip. The first part of today's run caused us to retrace our steps for a bit. We passed many of the scenic spots that caught our eyes while pedaling yesterday. We took pictures of our beloved windmill, this time from the water. We photographed myriad picturesque spots in the villages that line the canals. We did a couple of locks, one which Captain Ben call a banana because the walls are curved.

The crew of the SS  Minnow wouldn't let Anna Marie or me disembark, because we took so long on yesterday’s windmill tour. They've taken to calling us "The Millers." I expect we be razed for the rest of the trip,  

Cap'n Ben gets a break

Muiderslot Kasteel

We stopped at a castle (Kasteel Muiderslot) but couldn't find a place to dock. Eventually, we found some space where the crew could depart from the IJsvogel. Joep, Ben and I stayed behind to work the boat. After a heated discourse with Capt’n Ben, one of the guys on a day charter boat tied to the wall told us we could tie up to his boat.

When the crew returned to the boat, they had to scramble across the decks of two tour boats to board the M/V IJsvogel. Once all were aboard, we continued our trip, crossing a small corner of IJsselmeer in the roughest conditions we have experienced on the trip to date. In short order we were tied up in our slip at Muiderzand Jachthaven in Muiden, where we'll stay for two nights.

Captain Ben went home for the night and will rejoin us on Tuesday when we leave this harbor. 

At 1900 hours, we made a long, cold walk to a restaurant located on the marina premises. It was a long walk, because this is a really big marina with lots of boats and plenty of vacant slips too. Our hosts for this dinner were Peter and Marina, parents of Maeryl, who is Alexander's girlfriend. Alexander is Joep's and Jolanda's son. Their daughter Tessa, also joined us. Peter and Marina were delightful hosts and we thanked them profusely for unexpectedly picking up to tab. Regan made a valiant effort to allow us to contribute, but some slight of hand by Peter foiled that plan.  

I found the young folk to be articulate, passionate and delightful. They are skilled conversationalists who shared a bit about their educational pursuits and activities. We exchanged several stories during a most delightful evening. Most interesting, they not only study their native language, but English and third language as well. Alexander is studying German while Maeryl studies French. Tessa was too far away for me to converse with her. 

This was an extraordinary evening that we will savor for a long time.

Our dinner concluded a little after 2200 hours and even though the sun had set fifteen minutes or so earlier, there was still plenty of light in the sky. It doesn't really get dark here until after 2300 hours and dawn's civil twilight arrives well before 0500. That's my kind of sleep hours!

A few kilometers before we entered the lake (IJmeer) and just abeam the Kasteel Muidenslot, we came across the King William's sailboat, the Groene Dracek (the Green Dragon). I would have expected the King to have a much larger sailboat, but this one is magnificent. It is beautifully maintained and certainly fitting for Royalty On this day, the King was not on board, but members of the Royal family might have been enjoying a day sail. The police boat provided security and was the larger of the two vessels. 

The Groene Dracek - The King's Boat

The King is not on board.

Police escort for the Groene Dracek

The Netherlands Part II

Saturday, May 25, 2013 - Ready, Set, Walk, Bike Ride, Cruise...

Uh oh, the head (toilet) is broken. The vacuum pump keeps recycling and no one can sleep because it makes such a racket when it is running. It started being disruptive in the wee hours of the morning or so it seemed. In reality, it was probably started much earlier in the day but we never heard it until the night time allowed it to be so obvious. To stop the noise, one of the crew disconnected one of the electrical leads in the engine compartment. That made the toilet unusable.  Several folks made nighttime trips to the marina head. We were two of them! In the morning, I tried to find the problem. It appears to be a gasket that isn’t seated properly. I lubricated it, hoping it trap door would seal properly. It didn’t help. We would live with the problem throughout the rest of the trip. The head in the Master Suite is unaffected.

The night time walk was fairly typical for us, but others thought it meant we were now boat camping, 

Thomi and Regan went for their planned morning constitutional constitutional at about 0510. We began ours at a more civilized 0530. They passed us or the return trip.

We rented bikes from this gentleman

Molen De Hoop

After breakfast aboard, the entire crew of the IJsvogel rented bikes from the gentleman in the picture. He has a great ‘stache! . We peddled for about 20 miles through the beautiful and picturesque country side and a few villages. Anna Marie and I were particularly interested in the Molen De Hoop, a typical Dutch windmill that has been restored and is now used for educational purposes. Volunteers work the mill, and we received a private tour from the Miller and his apprentice. We were shown all four floors of the mill, including the machinery and how it was all used to grind wheat and corn. Our tour put the group behind schedule (we didn't know there was a schedule, nor did we know that we the ride would be over twenty miles long). We would be called the Millers for the rest of the day.

Alfresco lunch in Brukelen

We enjoyed an al fresco Indonesian lunch in the charming village of Breukelen, the name sake of one of the boroughs of New Amsterdam. The food was delicious. I’m not sure if the food or the ambience was the bigger hit. We were so relaxed that we could have stayed for hours.

Kasteel Syprestryn

When lunch was concluded, we mounted our bikes and continued on our way. . Along the way, we happened upon the Kasteel Syprestryn, a 100 year old reproduction of a family castle that was located on the sit. The museum housed several (dozens) of paintings by some of the Dutch Masters, inclining a Rembrandt protege. 

We made it back to the bike livery about a half hour before it closed at 1700 hours. After an all too brief period of R&R, we set off to a restaurant located on the marina premises, for another great meal! By the time we returned to the IJsvogel, it was time to hit the sack, thus concluding a most spectacular day. 

The weather has been a bit on the cool side, which is great for bicycling, and partly sunny which is most welcomed considering the forecasts predicted lots of rain for the whole week. The rain eventually showed up overnight and was pretty steady throughout the night.

The Netherlands - Part I

Thursday, May 23, 2013     THE FLIGHT

This is exciting. Our first international flight! The plane was a Boeing 787, configured with a very nice and comfortable first class section followed by an equally nice but smaller business class. Our section was an upgrade of the economy section and had rows of three seats in the middle with an aisle on each side and two more rows of seats on the aisles and windows. There was plenty of leg room even for me. we were as comfortable as we had even been on a plane. 

M/V IJsvogel

It was windy and rainy as we took off, but in a matter of minutes, we were above the weather and enjoyed a smooth, albeit long ride across the pond. It was like being on a magic carpet. Below us, the cloud cover stretch from Newark to Amsterdam. The only breaks came as we flew over England. Unfortunately we were too excited and stayd awake during the entire flight.

Friday, May 24, 2013 Arrival in Amsterdam

Our landing at Schipol Airport was easily as smooth as the flight. After a quick breakfast snack and coffee in the terminal, we were on our way to the boat. Transportation involved a train and taxi. As we pulled up in the cab, we could see  the IJsvogel (Ice Bird aka Kingfisher) waiting patiently for us at the dock. In short order, we met Joep and Jolanda and Captain Ben, had a briefing on the boat’s systems and operation and were ready to pull away from the dock. 

Joep and Captain Ben Swets

So far the itinerary has been spot on and I’m not surprised. During the entire trip, I was constantly amazed at the planning and preparation work that had been done for this trip.  Although amazed, I wasn’t surprised. I’ver always found Regan to be planned and over prepared. Apparently Joep is too. They did an outstanding job and the evidence was obvious as we departed the Nickelson’s car right on the time on the day we headed home. 

Less than 24 hours after departing Neward International Airport, we were tied up to a dock at Wetterwille Jachthaven in Loosdrechtsepalssen. The trip through the canals   was nothing short of amazing. We started in a small canal and in

First bridge opening

short order, we had to negotiate a small draw bridge. we had to open so many bridges, I quickly lost conut. M/V IJsvogel was not equipped with a compass, GPS or VHF radio. To get the bridges to open, one had to use the signal horn. The bridge tenders always waited for foot, bicycle and automobile traffic to clear before closing the gates to prepare to open the bridge. Waiting for cars to clear is one thing, waiting for bicycles is quite another. There is an almost constant stream of bicycles traveling the roads and bike paths. They generally move at speeds close enough that as a bike clears the bridge, another starts across. It usually took five to ten minutes for the bridge to open.

Lock doors opening

We also transited a number of locks. they were very typical, except that the water was always pumped in or out. We found out that controlling water in the Netherlands is a major occupation. It’s not surprising since most of the country is below sea level!

We ended the day with a short walk through the picturesque town. Along the way, Joep and Regan planned dinner at a cute little pub. We were seated at a table in the front window where we enjoyed the view, the food, our friends, old and new and the camaraderie of folks who would share many special moments during week to come.

One of the joys of this trip was getting to know Joep and Jolanda. The captain and our other mates knew them both. We were the only ones who had never met them. They live in Flevoland, a relatively new province in The Netherlands..The Zuiderzee Works turned the dangerous Zuiderzee, a shallow inlet of the North Sea, into the tame IJsselmeer, and created 1650 km² of land. As I understand it, some of that land became the province on Flevoland. You really have to research this topic to understand how the Dutch were able to reclaim land for agriculture and business centers. Joep regaled us with stories of polders and water pumps and gardens and Dutch pride. After a week, we were just getting to know about life in the Netherlands and how Joep and Jolanda lived, raised their family and went about daily life. We wished we had more time to get to know them.

Joep and Jolanda enjoying a quiet moment

Jolanda kept things in order on the boat. She made sure there was plenty of food! We mostly ate breakfasts on board. The table would be full with crackers, breads, cheeses, several flavors of yogurt, granola, milk, and ham slices, not to mention coffee and tea. We certainly ate well.

Joep and Jolanda also stocked the onboard bar. Wine was consumed at lunch or during afternoon snack time and sometimes after dinner. It seemed to be the beverage of choice. Most of the liquor went unopened.

During our first restaurant meal in Holland, we learned that drinking water was not normally served. If you wanted water, you had to ask for it. It usually arrived at the table in a very small glass with only two small ice cubes. We quickly learned to ask for a large bottle of water or two for the table. All the beverages were served in small glasses or cups. A coffee cup seemed to be expresso sized. Soda bottles appeared to be about seven ounces, perhaps less. Gouda cheese was on every menu and it even was listed as a dessert.

Ossenwurst Sandwich

Our research suggested that the Netherlands had no distinct culinary specialities. We expected it to be relatively barren of good restaurants. That was not true at all. Every meal we had was enjoyable. We were never served anything that was terrible. Perhaps some would argue that the Ossenwurst was not edible. It was what appeared to be an uncooked sausage. While it didn’t delight the eye, it was tasty, if you could get over the fact that you were eating raw meat! According to Wikipedia, “Its name refers to oxen, from which this smoked Amsterdam sausage was originally made back in the 17th century, likely in the Jewish kosher tradition. Nowadays it’s typically beef and spices—salt, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, mace—in beef casing, very lightly smoked so that it’s nearly raw when consumed.” I don’t think any of us will be trying that delicacy again!

Preamble to a Trip to the Netherlands!

THE NEDERLANDS

How Is It That We’re Going To The Netherlands?

On April 1, 2013, I received an e-mail from Regan and Thomi Young, inviting us to join them and two other couples for their 15th Anniversary Canal boat cruise in the Netherlands. We love Thomi and Regan, but don't for a second believe they are above trying to play an April fools prank on us. As it turned out, they weren’t! It seems another couple backed out and they had space for a “substitute” couple. 

Having never left the country, except for a couple of trips to the Maritime Provinces of Canada, we were both excited and apprehensive about international travel. 

An Internet search for traveling tips did little to quell our apprehensions. The gist of the tips was that we should blend in and not look like tourists. “Don't worry, everybody gets mugged,” we were told! Apparently wearing white sneakers, white socks, jeans, and baseball caps are tells that you are a tourist. Having a camera hanging around your neck is a sure give-away! 

The prospect of two eight plus hour plane rides was another cause of apprehension. We'll need a bigger plane than the one Spirit flies out of Atlantic City. Even if we could be comfortable, could we really sit still for that long?

The information we gathered only raised more questions. We needed to talk to seasoned travelers. "Hello, Regan, how about we get together for dinner. We have a few questions," I said in an email to Mr. Young. A few e-mails later and dinner with the Young's and Nickelson's was arranged. The fourth couple Joep and Jolanda Krammer live in Holland and did much of the leg work to organize and plan the trip. We'll be meeting them when we arrive at the boat in Maremonde near Utrecht.

We had a delightful time meeting our new traveling companions, exchanging traveling stories and asking questions. By the end of dinner, we were ready to hop on the plane!

The Conclusion of Cruise 2013!

Monday, April 1 - Friday, April 5, 2013 - More Fun!

The fun never stops! The kids enjoyed multiple trips to various pools throughout the complex. They believe the one farthest form our tower is the warmest, so that's the one they use. We don't mind the walk, except in the biting wind. We've also made a few trips to the arcade at the pier next door.

We did the obligatory trip to Margaritaville, still our personal favorite one. We also did a trip to Barefoot Landing. During a cold, rainy Thursday, we went to the mall to see the Croods. Everybody else did the same. It was the most crowded theater we've ever been in. Sandi and Matt got a refund because there weren't two seats together.

The week flew by! On Friday evening, our last for this trip together, we went to Pirates Voyage, at Rose's request. We had a blast! It was very entertaining and all the kids enjoyed it. Next year, they want to try Medieval Times.

Saturday, April 6, 2013 - Goodbye!

After returning the keys and breakfast at McDonald's, we headed our separate ways. Sandi, Matt and the kids are headed home. Spring break is almost over. Our trip back to the boat included a detour to Tennessee to see a Nimble Nomad. We have been thinking about the possibility of downsizing to a trailerable trawler. Nimble makes a couple (the Nomad and the Kodiak) that interest us.

We spent the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Cumberland Gap, Kentucky.

Sunday, April 7, 2013 - The Nomad!

We spent 45 minutes looking over the boat. Being a 2005 model, it is in good shape, almost like new. Unfortunately, the bottom has a huge blister problem. It will most certainly affect the selling price of the boat. We still have to determine if the Nomad will serve our style of cruising. When we get home, we'll check out a Kodiak that's for sale. Then we'll compare the two before making a decision.

After inspecting the boat, we headed south toward FL. Today's drive was a little over  500 miles. We spent the night at a Days Inn in Valdosta, GA, only 16 miles from FL.

Monday, April 8, 2013 - Heading Home (to SUNSHINE)!

Today's trip consisted of a 300+ mile drive. We were back aboard by Noon. After a little siesta, we took a long walk to beachside where we walked some more - the board walk and the beach. We stopped at Casey's for a cold soda before walking back to the marina.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013 - Trying to Get Back to the Routine!

While on vacation in Myrtle Beach, we got out of our daily routine. Now that we're back home, so to speak, we have to get back into the routine which usually goes something like this:

         Breakfast in the cockpit;

         Play the guitar;

         Do some chores or walk or ride the bike;

         Lunch aboard;

         Ride the bike or take a walk;

         Pre-dinner chores (if any);

         Dinner;

         Watch some DVDs;

         Shower;

         Hit the sack.

Sometimes we add entertainment to the mix. We are way over budget in that department this year!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - Uh-Oh!

For the last year or so, we've been considering downsizing. Hurricane Sandy started the process. It was not how we envisioned the downsizing would start. Besides a lot of miscellaneous "stuff," we lost a canoe, two inflatable kayaks, a hard kayak, a Coleman Crawdad Jon Boat, and two sunfish sailboats. The Skiff "sunk" in our yard rendering the 40hp motor useless. The Peep Hen was damaged but is repairable. 

Considering the economic impact to us, and in the spirit of downsizing, we met with a yacht broker this morning. We had talked with him a few weeks ago and after much discussion, we invited him to look over SUNSHINE to give us his opinion on her value and marketability. He believes there will be a lot of interest in SUNSHINE. We signed the listing papers. SUNSHINE is officially "on the market."

If she sells, we won't be without for long as I have my eye on a trailerable trawler. If she doesn't sell, we'll be back aboard next season!

Thursday, April 11, 2013 - Remember ABBA?

I never paid much attention to ABBA when they were at the height of their popularity, although I did appreciate some of their songs. As I recall, they were lightweight, but fun! Our granddaughters loved to dance to the "Dancing Queen" when they were much younger... Three or four years ago. One of my favorites, "Thank You for the Music," expresses thoughts about the importance of music with which I wholeheartedly agree. We get a hoot out of watching Momma Mia with the " girls." and I am amazed that they wrote a story to tie what were independent songs together.

So with our new found interest in and, dare I say appreciation of ABBA, we thought it would be fun to go to an ABBA concert. No. It's not an ABBA reunion. Rather, it is a tribute band, reportedly the best one in the world! What publicist wouldn't say that about a client? 

So we're off to Fort Pierce to see the show but we'll have an added bonus in that we'll be able to see the Frank Lloyd Wright: The Designed Interior at the Bacus Museum. That in itself will be worth the trip!

WRONG! The exhibit was a total disappointment. It consisted of two chairs, some utensils and about a dozen placards. 

ABBA: The Concert was great fun. We enjoyed the performers and the music. They had the aduience dancing in the isles.

Friday, April 12, 2013 - GREASE!

Anna Marie painted the interior of some of the cabinets this morning. When finished, we walked to Casey's for lunch. In the evening, we saw a performance of Grease at the Riverside Theater. This is the first time we've been disappointed in a Riverside performance. The director changed scenes, cut some significant dialog and some of the vocals weren't up to snuff. One of two reed players in the band flubbed a few notes to boot. On top of it all, the actors seemed to be going through the motions. 

Tonight marks the end of theater/concert performances that we had planned for 2013 Cruise. We saw 11 shows or concerts in total. Les Miserables (Riverside Theater) and Mozart's Requieum (Community Church), were the two biggest highlights of the many enjoyable performances we saw.

Saturday April 13, 2013 - Last Farmers Market Visit!

Today is our last opportunity to shop at the Vero Beach Farmers Market this season. We will depart Vero Beach on Tuesday so the farmers will have to get along without us!

Exercise consisted of two walks totaling 2:40. Of note was our first after dark stroll to the boardwalk. We wanted to see it with it's rope lights lit. There were about two dozen people walking, sitting on the park benches scattered along the length of the walk while others were on the beach.

Being that Cravings was still open, we stopped in for cool beverages.

Sunday, April 14, 2013 - Thunder, Lightening, Rain and 42!

It's been hot and muggy in Florida. The temp has reached 90 several days since our return from Myrtle Beach. The last four nights have seen overnight temps in the low 80s. Today we had an electrical storm that brought a fair amount of rain.

Rather than hang out on the boat with all the hatches closed, we decide to go to a movie matinee. "42" is the story of Jackie Robinson. It was very well done. Harrison Ford plays Branch Rickey. Who knew he could act?

Anna Marie finished painting some interior fiberglass. Tomorrow we'll put the moldings back.

Monday, April 15, 2013 - Last Day in Vero Beach!

Our last full day in Vero Beach was chock full of our favorite Vero " things to do!" besides going for a walk, we had a Grouper Reuben for lunch. Between activities, we readied SUNSHINE for the trip to Stuart. 

Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - Goodbye Vero, Hello Stuart!

After a quick stop at the fuel dock to pump out the holding tank, we left the harbor, pointed the bows south, and we're on our way. With the wind and the current helping us along, we made it to the crossroads ( the intersection of the Atlantic ICW and the Okeechobee Waterway) in relatively short order. In fact, we made such good time, rather than anchoring in Manatee Pocket, we headed up the St. Lucie River, past Sunset Bay Marina, to the turn off for Stuart Yacht Harbor.

The last couple of miles were something of a jungle cruise straight out of the African Queen! The banks of the river were lush and overgrown with foliage. There were many twists and turns, some being hairpin turns with was shoaling along the banks. It's always fun heading to someplace new! In short order, the challenge was over and we were tied up to a face wall at Stuart Yacht Harbor.

Wednesday through Tuesday, April 17 - 23, 2013 - Preparing SUNSHINE!

We are not entirely sure that we're doing the right thing, but we have signed an agreement listing SUNSHINE for sale with Stuart Yacht Sales. She is performing well and looking good! We spent this week removing all of the stuff from the boat. There is so much stuff that we need to rent a U-Haul trailer to get it all home!

On the lighter side, friends invited us to a cocktail party and dinner. All of the folks have been long term seasonal customers of Marathon Marina. We shared stories of our experiences in Marathon and Key West. After the cocktail party, most of the folks headed to the Sailors Return for Prime rib night. We were going to order fish, but a mid-westerner from the group suggested that the prime rib was superb, rivaling the best prime rib in Kansas City. We decided to give it a try and we were not disappointed. It was a great meal.

We also bumped into our friends while strolling the downtown streets on Sunday morning. We joined them for breakfast at a little sidewalk cafe.

Off loading our possessions and doing little fix-up chores continued with some down time mixed in until we hitched up and left on Wednesday, April 24.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - Happy Birthday Anna Marie!

To celebrate, we decided to take a little drive... up I 95 and as far north as we could comfortably go. It is also a sad day in that we may not be back aboard SUNSHINE, if she sells, that is. 

It was a pleasant drive and we stopped for a birthday dinner at a nondescript restaurant. The restaurant was noisy (loud music) but the food was good and reasonably priced.

Sunday, April 25, 2013     Home!

We made it home after another long but pleasant drive. Needless to say, it was great to see the family!  

That concludes Cruise 2013!

Sent from my iPad

The Second Half of March

Sunday, March 17, 2013 - Happy St. Patty's Day!

Our celebration began with an eighteen mile bike ride to Wabasso Beach. There we enjoyed a delicious lunch purchased from the deli adjacent to the park. We dine at a picnic pavilion within view of the turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

George and Pat invited us to celebrate with them and their Whispering Palms family, Barbara and Raymond, and Curt and Ruby. We enjoyed Pat's Corned Beef and Cabbage and Ruby's desserts. It was another wonderful evening with our great friends.

Monday, March 18, 2013 - Bike Ride and Beach Walk!

Here we go again, another bike ride and beach walk. Shorter this time for sure, but out there again. Our target was South Beach were we walked for one-half hour. The hour long bike ride included some riding into the wind. It surely slowed us down a bit.

After our walk, we found the South Beach Pizza Shop. One of the daily specials was a turkey hoagie. It proved to be a tasty lunch indeed.

Back at the boat, Anna Marie decided to ride the bus to Publix for a few supplies.
I stayed home and played a few tunes on my guitar.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 - "A Chorus Line"

After a typical day that included a walk to the beach, it was date night! We are going to a special place for dinner and then to the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce to see the national touring company of "A Chorus Line."

I chose the Melody Inn for dinner. The owner/chef is Swiss and she specializes in Swiss - French cuisine. Our meal selections came with a complimentary glass of French wine and dessert. Both complimented our outstanding main courses. The service was friendly and superb. We enjoyed everything about the place.

The show was fantastic, but the production we saw at our home theater a couple years ago was equally good. Of course the Sunrise Theater is much larger than our home theater. Our seats were high up in the balcony, but we had a good view of the whole stage.

We very much enjoyed this special day!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013 - Rita Says, "Welcome Spring!"

The weather was threatening so rather than walk across the bridge to town, we took the bus. Our destination was the Rita's Water Ice stand where we would welcome Spring by getting a free water ice. We enjoyed participating in Rita's annual give-a-way.

A quick walk to Publix was next. By the time we finished getting a few staples, the weather cleared enough for us to walk home.

Thursday, March 21, 2013 - Grouper Reuben!

Today's plan was to ride to Wabasso Bridge again. A 15 mile an hour head wind foiled our attempt. Well that and the fact that the cool breeze gave me a major ear ache. We stopped at the Coco's Bistro in the Village Shops for a drink of iced tea.

Our revised destination was the Red Onion for a Grouper Reuben for lunch. It is a great sandwich!

When we arrived back at the boat, Anna Marie set off the get her hair cut while I hung out on the boat.

Friday, March 22, 2014 - Doo Wop!

The Doo Wop concert at the Sunrise Theater in Fort Pierce was entertaining. It started with Elvis impersonator Dwight Isenhower who was followed by Johnny Thunder (loop De Loop, Everybody Do the Sloopy, You Send Me). Johnny had lots of energy, dancing around the whole stage while he sang. He had a strong voice and loads of stage presence. We were shocked when he said he was 80 years old!

The Dubs, originally out of Harlem, still perform with one original Dub, Cleveland Still. He does the choreography while sitting on a stool! Hey, have some respect! They performed Chapel of Dreams, Don't Ask Me To Be Lonely, and, Could This Be Magic.

The Crests (Cara Mia, Step By Step, Sixteen Candles) demonstrating tight harmonies, performed with Tony Mara, the Pavoriti of Doo Wop, who took over from Johnny Maestro in the early 2000's. They were excellent!

The final act was Gene Chandler (Nothing Can Stop Me, Groovy Situation and Duke of Earl (known in Texas as the Silver Airplane Song). It's hard to believe he is 73 years old. The encore was performed by all of the evenings performers.

Saturday, March 23, 2013 - John Flynn

Another day, another concert! This one at the Emerson Center (The UU Church in Vero Beach) by family/children's artist John Flynn. Even though the crowd was small, he blew me away. He had a great voice, good virtuosity on the guitar, and songs the were at times poignant and funny. It was another enjoyable concert!

Sunday, March 24, 2013 - Back To Typical!

Today was a stay-at-home day! After our long walk, that is. It was very windy 20-30 knots). The most wind we've had since being in Florida. We also had our first thunder storm of the trip. Besides that, it reached 90 degrees for the second day in a row!

Monday, March 25, 2013 - The Point?

Several years ago as we were heading in a southerly direction while on a beach walk here in Vero Beach, we thought it would be nice to walk all the way to the Point. The Point is a bit of the coast line that juts out into the ocean and blocks views of the beach to its south. After two hours, we still had miles to go. Reluctantly, we had to turn around for the two hour walk back to our starting point at the boardwalk.

Last week, we rode the bikes to South Beach intent upon making the Point from this shortened distance. We walked for fifteen minutes before turning around. The cool, strong wind head wind caused me to get a massive earache. It quenched my desire for a long walk.

Yesterday, we rode the bikes to the mainland were we took care of some business and shared another Grouper Ruben, this time at the mainland Red Onion. Although we had 15 knots of wind out on the north, the air was warm and I had packed a couple of cotton balls. Instead of returning home, we decided to ride to South Beach and walk to the Point. It took 1.25 hours (about 3.75 miles) to get there, but we made it!

On the day, we rode the bikes for 1.25 hours and walked for 2.5 hours.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013 - Typical!

Beside engaging in our typical activities, we loaded the truck in preparation for our trip to visit friends in Bradenton, on the west coast of FL.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013 - A Phlock Reunion!

The drive to Bradenton took about 3 hours. We arrived at about 1030 hours and were greeted by Patty and Ray and Andrew and Vanessa. Larry and Fran arrived shortly with their friends. Karen and Steve and Terry and Dave were not far behind. We spent the next few hours flitting from one subject to the next, having a great time in the company of cruisers and former cruisers.

Thursday, March 28, 2013 - Goodbye Patty and Ray!

By the time we awoke, Vanessa and Andrew were long gone on their drive back to Annapolis. After breakfast, Patty and Ray took us to the River Walk. Preparations were underday way for a festival that is to commence on the weekend. Several giant posters were already set up. Designed by school children, we were very impressed with the execution and message contained on each.

When our walk concluded, we bid a fond goodbye to our hosts and started out on the first leg of our trip to Myrtle Beach. Along the way, we stopped at Lazy Days to look at campers. Our night's lodging was at a new Microtel about 70 miles south of Savannah.

Friday, March 29, 2013 - Myrtle Beach!

Stops at Boats and RVs and Wendy's were made first to look at Quicksilver Pop Up campers and then for lunch. We arrived at Kingston Plantation at 1530 hours shortly before Sandy and Matt and the kids. Let the fun begin.

Saturday, March 30, 2013 - Happy Birthday Fodder!

That's right. Another trip around the sun is in the books! This trip was marked by a few bumps in the road but I'm still happy to be here! We celebrated the historic event in Margaritaville!

Decided to list SUNSHINE for sale. Thinking about purchasing a Nimble Nomad Pocket Trawler to use at home and for living aboard in the winter. Also thinking about the Quicksilver XLP 14 Pop Up. Liked the one we saw at Boats&RVs but still committed to tenting for now. Also made arrangements to see a 2005 model Nomad in Knoxville on the way back to SUNSHINE. In the meantime, We are scheduled to leave Vero Beach on April 16. We will either head to Stuart Yacht Harbor where SUNSHINE will be available for potential purchasers to view or, we'll head back to Titusville for summer storage.

Besides the Nomad in Knoxville, there are three others I can look at in Annapolis and one in NJ. There is also a Nimble Kodiak trawler with diesel inboard in Canada that Looks to be in good shape. I might be interested in that.

Sunday, March 31, 2013 - Happy Easter!

Our day started by watching the kids hunt for Easter Eggs in the condo. They had a great time. We escorted them to the pool, as usual, and even though it was rather chilly, they had fun.

February 28 - March 16, 2013 LOTS OF ACTIVITIES TO REPORT!

Thursday, February 28, 2013 - No Show!

Today we had a loose appointment with a guy to meet us at the boat. We spoke before 1000 hours and he said he'd call to let us know when he was on his way back to Stuart. He'd detour to Vero Beach to meet us. He never called!

Friday, March 1, 2013 - New Dinghy Motor!

Good news, I found a place that had a used Honda 2.3 HP long shaft motor with 10 hours to replace the Nissan. Bad news, it is in Homestead! The price was good enough to make the trip. Good news, it started with one pull.

I chose a long shaft in anticipation of the day we need to replace the Achilles inflatable we have now. The new dinghy, a Portland Pudgy, requires a long shaft.

In the evening, we went to Whispering Palms for dinner with friends. It was delicious. After dinner, they took us to the county library in Sebastian for a free concert by Hairpeace (hairpeace.net). It was very entertaining. The musicians were excellent.

Saturday, March 2, 2013 - The Farmers Market Again!

After breakfast, we walked to the Farmers Market. It seems to be becoming a habit. Our purchases were few, but we always enjoy the walk. On the way back, we stopped at the hardware store to pick up some gear oil for the Honda. I'm also going to try to salvage the Nissan. When it gets warmer (the highs have been in the 60s & lows in the 40s for the past few days , I'll work on the Nissan to try to prevent internal rust and corrosion. When we get back to NJ, I'll replace the carburetor.

Sunday, March 3, 2013 - ELC EcoFest!

Today is special. We visited the Environmental Learning Center to participate in their 25th Anniversary. This is their 17th EcoFest and they seem to have the program down. There were lots of activities for kids, food vendors, a skinny water boat show, plus a bunch of activities for folks of all ages. This is the facility where our friend George volunteers his time. He usually gives canoe Eco Tours. Today, HW manned the Osprey Observation station.

Monday, March 4, 2013 - Two Boat Projects and a Movie!

Nailed two boat projects today and bought supplies for another. In the evening, we saw Hyde Park on Hudson. According to reports, the portrayal has taken great liberties with the diaries of Daisy Suckly. Still, it was interesting to contemplate the FDR's interaction with the King and Queen of England.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, March 5 - 7, 2013 - The Days Are Rolling Together!

Our days have become routine. Day time activities include walking and bicycling, boat projects and maintenance, ukulele and/or guitar practice. After diner we watch a movie or a concert DVD before hitting the sack.

Sometimes we'll go to a local shop (Panera Bread, Cravings) for a bagel and coffee/tea instead of breakfasting aboard.

Friday, March 8, 2013 - More of the Same!

18 mile bike ride followed by a two hour walk.

Saturday, March 9, 2013 - Black Tie and Tails!

Went to the Community Church to hear their resident symphony orchestra, chorus and corale perform Mozart's Piano Concerto in E Minor and, the Requium. It was spectacular! We were not disappointed.

Sunday, March 10, 2013 - "Woody Sez" Spring Forward!

By now you should have the idea that there are a plethora of things to do in and around Vero Beach and the region. today, we met Pat and George at the Riverside for a performance of "Woddy Sez." we had a great time. The music was wonderful and the show chronicling the life and times of Woody Gutherie was interesting.

Monday, March 11, 2013 - More Walking!

Hopped the bus early this morning. The county office building which houses the tax collector's office, was our destination. The tax collector's office is where you go to register a boat. It so happens that is where we registerd our dinghy. After that chore was completed, we strolled downtown for a light breakfast followed by a walk around town.

Rather than wait for a bus back to the marina, we decided to walk back, a distance of a little over three miles. On the way, we stopped at Publix for a few items.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 - Bluegrass and a Movie!

Tuesday nights are Bluegrass nights at the downtown Heritage Center. We enjoyed the music. Before the toe-tapping bluegrass concert, we went to the AMC theater in the mall to see "The Great and Powerful OZ." while not on a par with the Wizzard of Oz, it was still an entertaining show.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 - It's Windy!

After a great night's sleep, we planned on a long bike ride. The wind was blowing 20 knots and more out of the north causing us to revise our plans. The Beachside Cafe became our destination. We found an outside table out of the wind but in the sun and enjoyed the ocean view while sipping our beverages and enjoying our eggs. After breakfast we did several laps of the boardwalk before returning home.

Pat and George stopped by for a visit after attending the matinee performance of Les Miserables.

Thursday, March 14, 2013 - The Forty Year Old Woman!

What a treat! After completing a few boat chores, we walked the the Art Museum to see a collection from the Speed Museum in Louisville. It seem that the Speed is undergoing renovations, making some of their pieces available for display at other locations. The Vero Beach ;Museum is proudly displaying works from the Dutch Masters. They were all impressive and we enjoyed the show. It should come as no shock that Rembrandt's "The Forty Year Old Woman" is exquisite. I was overwhelmed by the detail he put in the painting and felt honored to be standing in it's presence.

Friday, March 15, 2013 - McKee Botanical Gardens!

Check out this Travel Newsreel made in 1939. It tells all about the McKee Jungle Garden of Vero Beach! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zY7SZT1B-c&feature=youtube_gdata_player
You can click the link at the bottom of the Newsreel to view the modern version.

It was 12 miles round trip on the bikes. Our ride included a stop at Panera's Bread for a bagel after which we toured the botanical garden. It was a special treat to see the Frabel Glass dispersed throughout the grounds in the "Frabel: Reimaged" show. Besides the glass pieces, we enjoyed the stately Royal Palm Garden featuring a large collection of mature Royal Palms, the Corkscrew Pine (actually a palm tree), and the Pelican Plant. You have to check that plant out. It collects flys! That's right, it actually holds flies as prisoners. After pollination is complete, the flies can leave. Many do, but quite a few perish while in captivity.

We returned to SUNSHINE by 1500 hours. Shortly thereafter, we decided to walk beachside. We wee going to have a cold beverage at Waldo's, but it was too crowded for comfort by the time we arrived at 1700 hours. We returned to SUNSHINE and took a short ride in the dinghy before watching some DVDs.

Saturday, March 16, 2012 - The Farmers Market, the St. Patrick's Day Parade, and a Concert In the Park!

Fresh veggies are in! Let's hope this batch lasts the week. That's right, we hoofed it beachside to get veggies from the Saturday morning Farmers Market, after which we dined at Cravings. We had a front row seat for the St. Patty's Day parade. The crowd offered the loudest round of applause for the Teacher of the Year!

Once back aboard SUNSHINE, Anna Marie stowed the veggies while I prepared lunch. My intention was to reproduce the asparagus sandwich we enjoyed at the Red Onion last week. I first set about making the Key Lime sauce, which came out great! Using ingredients consisting of asparagus, provolone, onion, tomato, garlic and S&P. The whole concoction took only minutes in the sauté pan. We both agree that it was very delicious! Better even than the Red Onion's version.

Later in the day, we returned to Hummiston Park for a concert. Ocean Drive was blocked off to vehicular traffic. A stage was set in the at one end and food vendors lined the street for a block. A good sized crowd showed up to partake in the festivities. A seven piece band, Category Five, blasted out mostly blues tunes. They were very tight and fine musicians all. We had to leave by 1830 hours because we were both hungry. We stopped at Casy's on the way back to the marina for a light dinner.