Week 8

Saturday, February 25, 3017

Goodbye Loafs and Fishes!

At the crack of 900, Tom was ready for assistance at the ramp. With Tom at the helm, Anna Marie and I helped to get the boat on the trailer. It took some doing and repositioning the trailer, but we managed to accomplish the task. We bid farewell to our new friend and headed off for a walk to the flea market at the city marina. Tom readied the boat for over-the-road hauling before he hit the highway. We watched him leave Blackfin, heading north on US 1.

The day was already hot. We made a beeline for the point, stopping at the boat for a couple cold beverages. As usual, there was a little breeze at the point. In only ten minutes under the shade of the tiki, the breeze cooled us right down! After another ten minutes, we had to get some sun to warm up a bit.

We spent the rest of the day hanging out at the marina and swapping stories with the other boaters,

Sunday, February 26, 2017

Goodbye Gary and Carol!

In the AM, we attended to several little boat chores. First was tightening the wheel. That process went well. I found the "key" was upside down. After tightening, it felt more solid, but still had a very slight bit of play. I think the autopilot is the culprit. One day, when I replace the autopilot with one that will actually steer the boat, I remove the old unit and take out the remaining slop.

I then installed the fuse for the solar panel, but I won't wire it until we get home. As part of that project, I moved the autohelm compass to a location further away from the batteries. Maybe it will work better?

In the late afternoon, we went to the concert in Key Colony Beach. Island Time performed and we enjoyed the show. We met Gary and Carol. They graciously gave us their tickets for tomorrow's piano concert at the San Pablo church. The program begins with the Moonlight Sonata and includes works be Chopin, Rochmanoff, and Stravinsky. It should be great.

We returned to the Hurricane for pizza and to listen to Dan Sullivan who was playing on the back porch. We like his style and despite the inebriated members of the audience, we enjoyed listening to him.

Back at the boat, we followed along with the Performances during the Oscars.

Monday, February 27, 2017

A Piano Concert by Fred Moyer!

We did something different today; we hung out at the pool for an hour or so, and even went in for a dip. While there, we met some folks from Virginia Beach. 

After lunch I worked on a small boat project, finishing the relocation of the autohelm compass. I also replaced some of the screws in step locker by the back door. 

After dinner, we headed off to the local Catholic Church for a FLKCA piano concert by Fred Moyer (http://www.frederickmoyer.com). He is super talented and very entertaining. His rendition of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata was superb as was his performance of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto 2. Mr. Moyer's program was exceptional as was his performance.

Fred played on a Steinway and Sons Concert Grand Piano. Of note, it was announced that he had recently received a notice of approval for a patent for the system he developed whereby the audience can see his hands as he plays. It really enhances the performance and gives one a great appreciation for the technique and technical difficulty of the music he plays.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Exodus!

What a morning! David & Marsha Kennedy and Shelly & Allan Easton attended to their final tasks and departed this morning. Gary and Carol Kramer picked up their boat and they were off. In the last week, those six plus Jim & Lisa Favor and Tom have left. It makes me wonder if we're staying too long! 

Out on the point, a thirty something foot log open sailing vessel anchored out last night. This morning we counted nine or ten people on board. A peep through binoculars showed the boat name Sally M, an Outward Bound program vessel. We watched them raise the mizzenmast, then stand around in the hot sun apparently taking in all the instructor had to say. 

After lunch, we worked on the wiring for the power winch that pulls the boat onto the trailer. All the connections were made and successfully tested. I just have to tape them to prevent water from entering.

We're still waiting on the bolt for the trailer brake, but we purchased the brake fluid a couple days ago.

After completing the power winch work, we spent an hour or so at the pool. We were both really hot from working in the bright sunlight. The pool water was warm. It might have been hotter than the air temperature. After a few minutes we got out, sat on a chaise and within seconds, we were both chilly! We sat and talked with the assembled folks until we were too chilly to stay.

It was incredible that we cooled off so much in such a short period. 

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Overnight Rain?

We haven't had much rain since we've been here, but we had some last night. It might have lasted ten minutes or so. Accompanying the shower was a brief heavy downpour that lasted for a couple minutes. Dawn broke with a mix of clouds and sun. The high temperature is supposed to make it into the mid 80d. The wind is supposed to be 10 to 15 knots out of the WNW. It's shaping up to be a typical weather day here in paradise.

The mix of clouds and sun soon gave way to a bright, sunny, blue sky. It didn't last long. A dark cloud moved in and gave us another shower. It lasted all of ten minutes.

We seem to have completed all the boat projects we have for now. We're still waiting for the bolt so we can get the trailer brakes up and working.

It's Wednesday, and that means Bocce Ball at the Community Park. We won another game. I sat out the second game so Sue (Dances Down Wind) could play. Bocce is still fun, but not as much fun as with Dee and Lee (About Time). Alas, they swallowed the hook and have become total landlubbers.

Our Social Director (Anna Marie) informed me that we missed the Island Grass Festival by two weeks. I was looking forward to going to it and this evening I asked when it was. Too bad. It sounded like an entertaining lineup.

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Trailer Brake Line Bolt!

The trailer brake line bolt arrived today. It needed an O ring so Anna Marie walked to Home Depot to get one while I cleaned the gunk out of the housing. In no time, the bolt was installed. Anna Marie maned the brake fluid pump while I bled the lines at each fitting. All went well except no fluid came out of the left rear brake and the upper bleed valve is knurled and I couldn't loosen it. No fluid came out of the lower bleed valve. Later in the day, I worked on the upper valve to no avail. I suspect there is a blockage with that brake assembly or hose.

It was hot again so we spent some time at the pool.

Anna Marie walked to the Keys Fishery to get some lobster tails which we cooked on the grill along with baked potatoes and zucchini. It was another good meat. This is the second time we had this meal. The last time was to celebrate Tom's final evening in Marathon for this year.

Friday, March 3, 2017

The Bee Gees Tribute!

Staying Alive - One Night with the Bee Gee's was a great show! With six performers on stage, a three piece band (guitar, bass and drums) and guys who looked and sounded like Robin, Maurice and Barry Gibb. They even did two Andy Gibb songs. That guy who sang Andy's and Barry's parts was unbelievable. If you closed your eyes, you would swear that it was them. 

The music was strong and the performance outstanding. The rolled from one song to the next with little banter. As the evening progressed, they encouraged the crowd to sing along, which we did! Imagine singing along to disco music. I never would have thought it. Then things got even more heated when the audience was enticed to dance. The whole place was standing and bopping in the aisles. It was a Most memorable evening.

We hitched up the trailer to test the brakes, but I'm still not sure they're working properly. We decided to take it to the trailer repair shop at 25th Street to have them bleed the brakes. It was supposed to be done after lunch, but the fell behind, so it'll be done first thing tomorrow morning.

We now have a total of five Ranger Tugs in the marina, three 27 and two 25 footers. They are very nice boats. Roam, an older (2008) 25, has been all over the country. They're going to Cuba from here. Illusion, a 27, is a nice pale green color and Tug O My Heart is our favorite name.

Week 7

Saturday, February 18, 2017
Another Trip to the Flea Market!

The Ford Trimotor is still in town and giving rides. Speaking of rides, we took a bus ride to Big Pine where we went to the Flea Market. I picked up four shackles. Anna Marie bought a Salt Girl jacket with a turtle motif.

We went to lunch at the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House when we got back to Marathon. The happy hour fare is served at the bar from 1100 -  1800. We are partial to the Shrimp and Crab Ball at $5.95 and fries ($4.00) made for a nice lunch.

Back at the marina, we secured a couple of beverages and went to the point to cool off from the mid 80s temperature. We promptly fell asleep in the chase lounges.

Another Ranger Tug 27 launched today. This one has a navy blue hull. The owners are from Doylestown and are familiar with boating and fishing in the Tuckerton area.





Sunday, February 19, 2017
Bahia Honda!

The forecast suggests light wind and lots of sunshine today with a twenty percent chance of rain and a high temp of 86°. After a short discussion, the crew of SUNSHINE AND Loafs and Fishes decided to take a mini cruise to Bahia Honda. It was already hot when we slipped our lines at 1130 hours.

While underway, we marveled at the exquisite water colors. At times there wasn't even a zephyr of wind and the water color, an emerald green around the boat, appeared iridescent from about 30 feet from the boat. We had a light ten minute shower as we traveled on a course parallel to the Seven Mile Bridge.

After 2.3 hours on the hour meter, we were tied up to #12 & #13, on the wall in the marina at Bahia Honda. We paid our fee ($2.00/foot + $2.50 sur charge). We quickly changed into bathing suits and took a refreshing dip from the beach.

At 1800 hours, we walked the Old Bridge Trail to, yep, the Old Bridge, where we watched the Sunset.

Monday, February 20, 2017
Back to Blackfin!
0800 has come and gone, but we're still tied to the wall at Bahia State Park. The wind is freshening and I expect it will soon get to the higher end of the 10 to 15 knot forecast. I walked to dock and talked to some of the small boat crew dock at the marina. There were two home built motor cruisers about 24'  LOA and an O'Day 222 whose crew hails from Montana. Their auxiliary motor is a 2np Honda! They like the Nomads, which drew attention from all the boaters.

At 0900, we slipped our lines for the return trip to Blackfin. Fifteen knots of wind on the nose caused some spray to fly and the  motion was a tad lumpy, but not hard on the boat. There wasn't any pounding a all in what would be described as moderate chop.

Our average speed was a little above 6 mph and we made it back the the marina in two and one-half hours, thus concluding to Nomad 2017 Rendezvous! After our arrival, we helped Tom dock and then washed the salt off the boat, added 2 cycle oil to the engine and flushed it out. In no time our little ship was concerted back into our little cabin.

After lunch, Anna Marie set out to do the laundry while I wrote these  ones. After our tasks, we chilled for an hour or so, then it was off to the Hurricane for pizza because we were too tired to cook.

The pizza was adequate. We like the pizza at the Upper Crust and Havana Jack's better. Following dinner, it was time to clean up and watch a movie before hitting the sack.


Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Saroo, Sheru, Lion!
We awoke to clouds this morning and had the thought that it would be a good day to board the bus for a trip to the Tropic Theater in Key West. Lion, nominated for six Academy Awards, has been on our list of movies to see. Today will be the day.

We arrived in Key West around noon and started to make our way to the Cafe, when we walked by Margaritaville. It just reopened yesterday, after being closed for three months because of a kitchen fire.  The Volcano Nachos tempted us, and after a short debate we went in. The Nachos weren't up to par with those served in Myrtle Beach or Atlantic City. They were adequate, but we were dissatisfied because we know how much better they could have been.

We thought the movie was excellent (here is a link:  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_(2016_film))!

After the movie, we strolled around town for a while until it was time to catch the bus back to Marathon. We got off the bus at K Mart to return a movie to RedBox. We made it back to the boat at 2000 hours after a very full day.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Liquid Sunshine!
What's this stuff? Water... falling from the sky? Oh my! This is the first time we've had liquid sunshine during the day, since we've been here, and we're in our seventh week in the fabulous Florida Keys!

There was a break in the weather by mid afternoon making our Sparky's venture with Carol and Gary more enjoyable. The Shrimp weren't as good as normal, but they were good enough that we each consumed 1 1/2 dozen. After happy hour we walked to their rental house, right on the water in Key Colony Beach with their boat at the dock out back. Very nice!

Thursday, February 23, 2017
KEYS DISEASE!
The diagnosis is in! It's official, Anna Marie suffers from the malady knows as Keys disease! We've had numerous conversations concerning next year's cruising plans which include the possibility of visiting Vero Beach, Ft. Myers, Bradenton, Punta Gorda and Key West. Despite that, she made reservations at this facility, Blackfin, for three months next winter.

After breakfast and the Cruiser's Net, we fired up the truck for a trip to the Hawk's Cay. We checked out the new restaurant, Angler and Ale. It seems pricey but is upscale and attractive. While there, we watched the charter boats clean their catches.

We walked the norther bridge at Hawk's Cay and on the way back to Blackfin we bought some brake fluid from NAPA. I waiting for a brake line part from Franklin trailer. Once it comes in, I'll install it, add the brake fluid and bleed the brake lines. If all goes well, and why shouldn't it, the trailer will be ready for the trip home.

Friday, February 24, 2017
Tom's Last Supper!
By day's end, while writing these notes, I found it difficult remembering exactly what we did all day! Besides the usual trips to the point to take in the scenery and cool off when necessary. In the afternoon, we greased the trailer bearings and the coupler slide and we secured the brake lines. We're ready to bleed the brake lines, but we're waiting for the bolt from Franklin Trailers.

We had a special dinner planned for Tom's (Loafs and Fishes) last dinner before driving home tomorrow morning. Anna Marie bought some lobster tails from the Keys Fisheries. I baked potatoes on our grill and I grilled the lobster tails on Tom's grill. With some veggies for Anna Marie and me, the meal came together perfectly and it was delicious! Afterward, we bid Tom a good night. Tomorrow, we'll help him get Loafs and Fishes on the trailer.

Week 6

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Island Time!

That's Island Time, the band. Actually, it's a duo who play steel drums, guitar and conchelele and other percussion instruments. They have a harmonized and drum and bass tracks that fill out their sound.  The steel drums lend a mellow island flavor to their music.. Tom and Debbie drove us to Havana Jacks where we met Gary and Carole and their friends, Doug and Lorie. Gary and Carole were staying at Blackfin in January, but have moved to a house in Key Colony Beach. We were there for the three hours Island Time played.

Earlier in the day, we took the free bus to the Flea Market in Big Pine where we bought a couple shirts. On the way back, we saw Loafs and Fishes on the water. We got off the bus and quickly hoofed it to the Keys Fishery to get a picture, but Tom and Debbie were too far out from land to get a good shot.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Nothing Much Going On!

The temperature was back in the 80s today and we enjoyed bright sun for much of the day. After breakfast, we cooled off on chaise lounges in the shade of the tiki. Tom and Debbie went snorkeling and saw some great specimen, alas no keeper sized lobster! 

I applied a couple of coats of Zep on the horizontal surfaces in the front cockpit and on the rounded part of the coach roof. I'll put a couple more coats on tomorrow.

In the evening we went to the local Cinema to see this week's movie.

Monday, February 13, 2017

Pre Valentines Celebration on Sunset Key with New Friends!

What a delightful day! The weather was perfect for our pre Valentine's Day luncheon. Debbie, Tom, Anna Marie and I boarded the 1030 bus to Key West. Already aboard were Carol and Gary Kramer. Doug and Lorie decided to drive so the could spend more time in Key West. 

We arrive at Caroline and Duval at 1210 and made our way to the Sunset Key ferry dock. Our ferry was to leave at 1245, but we wanted to make sure we met up with Doug and Lorie. Gary pointed out that the Westin was now Margaritaville Resort and Marina. Latitude, the restaurant on Sunset Key is part of the Westin which still operates the hotel and cottages there.

We were welcomed aboard by pleasant staff, had a nice five minute ride, and we were greeted by additional staff who were equally pleasant. The hostess showed us to our table which was on the beach and a bit removed from the rest of the beach tables. We enjoyed our own little section of paradise and enjoyed the camaraderie of our new friends.

We he foot was excellent and the ambience exquisite, almost extravagant! The lobster bisque was perhaps the best I ever had. The blacked grouper sandwich was very good. Everyone raved about the food and experience and thanked Anna Marie for making the arrangements. After lunch, we strolled the grounds for a bit before heading back to the mainland. 

Anna Marie and I caught the 1702 bus back to Marathon, Gary and Carol rode back with Doug and Lorieand Tom and Debbie did some touristy things before taking the 1930 bus back to Blackfin.

Anna Marie capped off the evening listening to Fiddle Rock at the Hurricane. It was standing room only, but a couple, who, as it turned out, are on a boat in the harbor, invited us to share their table. We had a nice time exchanging stories while listening to the duo.

February 14, 2017

Happy Valentine's Day!

It started out as a lazy Valentine's Day. Anna Marie served fresh strawberries and coffee/tea for breakfast during the Cruiser's Net. The day already felt hot, so we sauntered to the point with cold beverages and enjoyed the zephyr breeze in the shade of the tiki from the comfort of a pair of chaise lounges. Eventually we got hungry, so we walked to the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House. It was already happy hour at the bar so we ordered Calamari with a Mango Habanero Sauce ($5,95). The Calamari was very tender, the habanero sauce was sweet and refreshing and the portion was the same size served at other establishments for 10.00. We also ordered the Shrimp and Crab Ball ($5.95). It was served with a dipping sauce and crostini and it was delicious! The next time we go, we'll order two, some french fries and make it a meal!

Back at the boat, we decided to put off starting the eye brow job in favor of just hanging out. We talked to a few of our dock mates before showering.

Our Valentine's festivities were scheduled for 1830 at the Sunset Grill. We wanted to hang out there and watch the sunset from their pier. We arrived at 1800 hours and were promptly seated on the pool deck overlooking the ocean. It was a lovely table. The view was spectacular. Our server left a little to be desired as he wasn't all that attentive. It took three requests to get extra napkins. The meal was delicious. I enjoyed the Seafood FraDiavlo and Anna Marie selected the Stuffed Maine Lobster. We each selected a glass of wine and toasted to our Valentine's love. Then an amazing thing happened! Anna Marie ate and enjoyed the Tuna Poke appetizer. It was bits of Sushi grade tuna (raw) served with a hot sauce and soy sauce. She passed on the hot, but ate every last bit of tuna and enjoyed it! And I didn't get a picture! Drats!

For dessert, we had a Chocolate Moose Truffle that was very tasty. The meal was a big success and we enjoyed the experience. To top it off, Adrienne Z provided excellent background music while we dined.

Unfortunately we had a slight snafu before getting back to the boat. The truck wouldn't start. I tightened a slightly loose battery cable but that had no effect. It just clicked once when I tried to start it. While Anna Marie was on the phone with AAA, it started as if nothing was wrong! We made it back and will wrestle with the problem tomorrow. 

Wednesday, February 15, 3017

Wasting Away Again!

It's gonna be a hot one today! By 0900, it was already 79°! It must have hit the mid 80s at least. Before lunch, we had already been to the point twice to cool off. There always seems to be a cool breeze there and the chaise lounges are comfortable. And we never get tired of the view!

We finally started to work on the starboard eyebrow. Anna Marie removed most of the varnish. I'll give it a light sanding and it will be ready for the Cetol Natural. Later in the afternoon, I applied another coat of Zep to the bow.

We also made it to the park to play Bocci. We split two games with another couple. Anna Marie played another game with newcomer Chris as her teammate while I was the referee. We played for two hours before calling it quits.

Tom drove Debbie to the airport for her flight back home. He was back by 1330 hours. He must have been tired. He set up his AC and we didn't see him until late evening.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

The Ford Is Back in Town!

I took a photo of the trailer brake and line that are disconnected and sent it to Franklin Trailers. They worked on the trailer last August. Jim Desmond responded within the hour. We exchanged a couple of emails and the upshot is that he's going to send the fitting I need to put it back together. Assuming the part he sends fits, I'll put it back together and bleeder the brakes. When we get back to NJ, I'll take the trailer in and have the old caliper replaced.

We got the old varnish off the starboard eyebrow today. Tomorrow we'll get a few coats of Cetol on it.

The Ford Trimotor is back in town and giving rides. It flew over a couple of times today. "The Ford Trimotor is an American three-engined transport aircraft. Production started in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and ended June 7, 1933. A total of 199 Ford Trimotors were made." Wikipedia

Friday, February 17, 2017

A Cold Front!

A cold front moved through the area a couple of days ago. Yesterday's high was 77° and last night it dropped down to 67°, a perfect night for sleeping. It was overcast yesterday, but this morning is bright and sunny. It looks like it'll be a good day to put a couple of coats of Cetol on the eyebrow and we should still have time for a long walk or a bike ride. It'll be interesting to see what we decide to do.

The Ford Trimotor was very busy today. For $75.00, you could take a ten minute flight over Marathon. 

After applying a coat of Cetol, we went on what turned out to be a 12 mile ride. We stopped at the Island Fish Company for Calamari. When asked for our drink order, I replied that we each wanted a glass of water with a slice of Lemmon or lime. Marta, our server, brought two glasses of water, each with six Lemmon slices. Apparently she thought I asked for six Lemmon slices.

After lunch, we pedaled to Sunset Park in Key Colony Beach. It was a delightful day. While there, we saw this minstrel playing his travel guitar on the pier and throughout the park.

Week 5

Saturday, February 5, 2017
Beatlemaniax!


No work today! The Admiral has given me the day off! Even so, I took twenty minutes to clean the grill. Before lunch, we lounged at the point, after lunch, we chilled at the dock. Eventually, we made it to the Pigeon Key Art Festival. While there, we met some old cruising buddies we haven't seen in a few years. After the show, we stayed for the Beatles tribute band. Not one of the better tribute bands we've ever seen, but the music is always enjoyable.


Sunday, February 5, 2017
Super Sunday!
After a nice bowl of cereal and almond milk, we were off the the pool. The 86° water felt great. Between dips, the Admiral did a couple loads of laundry. The rest of the day was spent chilling on the dock and the boat. We're saving our energy for the Super Bowl Party at the Marathon Grille. They are offering a free half time buffet if you are seated before the second quarter! We'll be there way before that so we'll get a good seat.

I did one little (very little) project before we left for the pool. The clips that hold the boat hook had to be removed for the Bimini project. I reattached them today. It took all of four minutes.


In the evening, actually it was more like the late afternoon, we sauntered over to the Marathon Grill and Ale House for the 51st Super Bowl. We chose this place because it has a bunch of big screen TV's, comfortable seats and the happy hour BOGO dinner. We were rooting for the Atlanta Falcons but New England staged an historic come back winning the first overtime Super Bowl by a score of 34 - 28 after being down 28 - 3 late in the third quarter. Tom Brady was declare the MVP, having won his fifth Super Bowl.


Monday, February 6, 2017
A Trip to the Bike Shop!
The battery on my Cateye Bike Computer quit last week so it's time to replace it. I could perform the task but when I bought the unit, they told me to bring it back when the battery needs to be changed. The battery has to be insulated until the unit is powered up. That can be tricky. it took them less than five minutes and cost only $4.16.

While we in that partn of town, we rode to Burdines for lunch. Terrific as usual.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017
A Blank Slate!
We don't have any plans today!  Perhaps a boat ride and fuel stop is in order. Let's see, we had a leisurely breakfast while listening to the cruisers met. The we strolled to the point where we sipped our sarsaparilla on chaise lounges under the Tiki.


Tom left the dock to take a boat ride and Kismet slipped her lines a few minutes before we did. It was a glorious day out on the water. We zipped along a 7 mph on our way to the fuel dock at Faro Blanco. Glancing around, we noticed that there were only a few vacant slips. The dock hand suggested they would be completely full in a couple of weeks. We took on 25.2 gallons of fuel @$3.989/g) for a burn rate of  0.82 gph.

After fueling up we continued in a southwest direction toward the Seven Mile Bridge. After taking a few pictures, we turned around, heading back in the general direction from whence we came. After a time, we stopped, turned off the motor, and drifted with the breeze while we enjoyed lunch.













As we washed the salt off the boat, a Manatee came from out of nowhere to catch a few drops of fresh water.





Wednesday, February 8, 2017
One of Us Goes Snorkeling!

When we came back from getting fuel yesterday, we pulled into our slip bow first. We had been stern to before we slipped our lines. The rational is simple. We now have access to sand and varnish the starboard eye brow from the finger pier. That is/was the plan for today.

Unfortunately, by 1000 hours, it was already 82° and would reach 85° soon. Add very light breeze, if you could find it, and it seems that it's too hot to do our planned work. Instead, I donned my cheap K Matt snorkel gear, headed to the point, and entered the water. It was colder than I thought it would be. After five minutes or so, I was acclimated enough to snorkel. I saw plenty of fish and a small sting ray. I didn't dive down to look for lobster. I may do that the next time.

In the afternoon, we played Bocci with other boaters from the harbor. On the way back, we bought Mahi Mahi from the Keys Fisheries. Back at the boat, we welcomed Debbie Mulcrone to Paradise. She has joined Tom for a weeks worth of fun in the sun. We made blackened Mahi, baked potatoes, and zucchini/squash veggies. We also blackened two mackerel fillets given to us by our fishing neighbors. The mackerel was particularly good, considering we always heard it was oily and fishy tasting, we found it to be a white and flaky with a mild taste, not fishy at all!

After dinner, we took a stroll to Red Box to return last night's movie and make a selection for tonight. Last night's flick, Denial, was outstanding! And, we enjoyed our selection of The Accountant this evening. Life in Paradise marches onward.

Thursday, February 9, 3017
Happy Birthday, Madi!
The big news concerns Madi. Shelley's youngest baby turns thirteen today! We face timed with the family and got to watch Madi open our gift. The box held thirteen balloons, each contains rolled up bills inside. Madi popped each to get the contents. When finished, she had thirteen bills totaling $50.00. I think she liked the surprise.

On another note, Bill and Kathy Towers along with Kathy's brother and sister-in-law stopped by for a quick hello. They are on their way to Key West for a few day and are meeting their son there.

Friday, February 10, 2017
A Cold Front!
A cold front worked its way through over night. Out of nowhere, the wind picked up and the boat began rocking. From the sound and motion, I estimate the wind was around 30 knots. Windfinder predicted the wind would be 19 to 22 knots between 0400 and 1000. It surly seems stronger than that. The temperature at 0400 is reported to be 73°. Our on board thermometer agrees. I'm too lazy to get out of bed to check the actual wind speed.

The boat was still lively and dancing around in the slip during breakfast. At 1000, we decided it was a good day for a trip to Key West. SUNSHINE's motion would prevent us from doing the starboard eyebrow, the last bit of trim we'll work on until we get home.

We caught the southbound 1023 bus. While waiting, I called Bill Tower's to see if he was able to meet for lunch. He didn't answer, so I left a message. The crowded bus had standees from Big Pine all the way to Key West. Besides that, the ride was uneventful. We got off, and Bill and Kathy were there to greet us. Terry and Barbara arrived shortly thereafter. The temperature was around 77°, and we enjoyed a delightful walk to Schooner's Wharf. Following our lead, everyone ordered our favorite, the Crab and Avocado Salad. We had delightful  conversation, and in no time, it was time for us to catch the 1500 northbound Keys Shuttle for our trip back to Marathon.

After another uneventful ride, we disembarked from the bus at our stop, crossed the ever busy US 1 and headed black to the boat, stopping at Paradise Produce to buy a couple of potatoes. Back aboard, I fired up the grill, roasted the potatoes, grilled the remaining Mackerel, and steamed some veggies, and enjoyed a nice meal as the sun set in the west.

Week 4

Saturday, January 28, 2017
The Eye Brow!
We'll the port eye brow has been sanded down to bare wood. It took about 2 hours to complete the task. Because rain is in the forecast for overnight and tomorrow, we did not apply the Cetol Natural. According to the directions, it shouldn't get wet for 24 hours.

After dinner, we went to the Committee mitt Movie Theater to see Hacksaw Ridge. The true story was compelling.

Sunday, January 29, 2017
It's Chilly!
The weatherman says today is winter! The high temperature is supposed to peak out in the high 60's. Besides the chill, it's windy and overcast. We've had a few showers and it looks like more may blow through. It's a good day to hang out on the boat, although it's rollin' a little.

I bought an insignia micro projector through eBay today. We'll hook it up to the iPhone or iPad mini to watch Netflix.

In between raindrops, I cleaned and waxed the aft cockpit. The new Bimini protects it from the rain, but the rain prevented us from finishing the teak eye brow project. We'll give it a go tomorrow.

Monday, January 30, 2017
Teakwood No!

Grilled snapper and veggies

So we didn't get to the teak eye brow today primarily because we wanted to make sure the wood is thoroughly dry.

We were invited to share in Denny's (Bay Coaster) birthday cake. It was like a good old fashioned dock party with plenty of adult beverages and wild stories of music and mayhem, drugs and alcohol.

After the party we walked to the Keys Fishery to buy some fresh fish. We selected a couple of very nice looking Hogfish fillets. Returning to the boat, we stopped to get a beverage at the Overseas and to check their menu. We ended up sharing an order of Calamari and it was very good! The Island Fish is still our favorite and this Calamari would have been right up there, except it didn't have the banana peppers. They add a nice flavor to the dish.

Once back aboard SUNSHINE, we broke out the grill, made packets of fish and veggies, and cooked everything on the grill. It's the first time we've used the grill and it worked out well. The meal was delicious!

To top the evening off, Anna Marie left her watch in the shower. At least a hour and a half went by before she realized it. She was able to retrieve it after a guy finished his shower.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Loafs and Fishes!

SUNSHINE and Loafs and Fishes
in their slips

In an email exchange earlier this winter, Tom Mulcrone, Captain of Nimble Nomad "Loafs and Fishes," suggested that he would arrive at Blackfin for about a month, commencing on January 30 or 31. We kept an eye out for his arrival yesterday. When we came out of our cocoon, Loafs and Fishes was sitting on her trailer in the parking lot. Tom approached us to ask for help in launching. He also recruited Jim from the Ranger Tug "Kismet." With Anna Marie, the four of us managed to get Tom's boat off the trailer and into slip 3. He'll be our neighbor for about a month.

Range Tugs Kismet and Vicki Lynn

As it happened, he arrived yesterday at around 2300 hours, aft a 14 and 15 hour driving days from Michigan. Tom joined us for the $5.00 lunch at the Hurricane. We swapped stories and talked about Nomads and had a good time.

We were also looking forward to seeing Joe and Dee. Their arrival is scheduled for tomorrow, but we received word that Dee is dealing with a health issue and they'll be lucky if they get here by the end of the month. It sounded like she doesn't have much hope of making it to Marathon  this year.

We walked to Publix and Home Depot for a few things. Other than that, we wasted away the day. We hope to get back to the projects tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 1, 2017
War Birds and Movie Night at the Marina!

Movie night at the marina

We received a notice that the marina was showing a movie tonight with theater style popcorn. We attended the movie, "Groundhog Day" with about a dozen other folks and found not only the popcorn machine, but grilled hot dogs and several kinds of candy and chocolate, all provided free for the enjoyment of the movie goers. It was a lovely evening.

Warbirds

A B-17 bomber, a P 51 Mustang and this B-25 have been flying overhead most of the day. They are part of the war birds group that is visiting the Marathon Airport. A ride in the B-25 was reported to cost $450.00, but a tour of the planes costs $15.00. The planes leave sometime tomorrow.

Open mic night at the 'Cane

After the movie, we went to open mike night at the Hurricane. It was like old times at the old Overseas. Even some of the old suspects, namely Popeye and the frizzy-haired waitress from the old Dockside. We were there to see Jim Huff (left), a guest staying in an efficiency unit in the resort. It seems he frequents a couple of open mic nights. He plays a Fender Telecaster and sings. He played well. The crowd dug his version of BB King's the thrill is gone.

Thursday, February 2, 2017
Groundhog Day!

Loafs and Fishes going  for a boat ride

Plans change, ours are no exception. Since we skipped finishing our boat chores the last two days, we decided to attack them today. We managed to sand the final bits of teak, and we applied a coat of Cetol Natural to everything that needs it, except for the starboard eye brow. That will have to wait until we turn the boat around to gain access from the finger pier.

We pretty happy with the appearance of the Cetol Natural so far. While we were attending to our chores, Tom took Loafs and Fishes out into the bay for a four hour trip,

This is the last day for the Warbirds exhibition at the airport. They buzzed overhead until 1600 hours.

Another Manatee comes for a visit

Manatee closeup

Between sanding and applying the first coat of Cetol, I caught this manatee sunning itself just off the bow of the boat. In fact, a number of folks asked for permission to walk down our finger pier so the could take pictures.

Friday, February 3, 2017
Teak and a Bike Ride!

Applying Cetol Natural to theTeak 

Retool Natural on the eyebrow

Retool Natural on the steps

It's 0730 and I'm wide awake and looking forward to the day we have planned. We'll apply a second coat of Cetol Natural to the wood bits we've been working on. Then we'll hop on the bikes for a ride to Speciality Hardware where we'll get some stainless steel bits that Home Depot doesn't carry.

When we get back, we'll apply the third coat of Cetol and our woodworking project will be complete until we turn the boat around. We rode about 10 miles round trip, with a lunch stop at the Island Fish Company.

SUNSHINE photo bombed Tom's really nice photograph of the marina fairway from his boat, Loafs and Fishes.

Week 3

Saturday, January 21, 2017 

Anna Marie sporting her "Unity" shirt

Joining the Women's March!

We boarded the 0806 bus to Key West in order to participate in the Women's March. Before the March, we lunched on a Pepper Steak (Seitan) Sandwich. Delicious and even though it's vegan, it tastes like pepper steak! So good.

The March was well organized and peaceful. We only heard one person shouting obscenities from the sidelines. Various newspapers estimated the number of participants to be about 3,500! 

It was an emotional experience, marching while being incredulous at the need to March for women's rights in this day and age.

The bus ride home took almost three hours as we encountered two traffic accidents. The normal ride is a tad under 2 hours.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Overnight Storm!!

It's a beautiful day so we took some beverages to the point and laid about in the chaise lounges looking out at the turquoise water. My photo doesn't do justice to the magnificence.

The Point at Blacken Marina

In the afternoon, we took a walk to Publix for a few supplies. After stowing said supplies back aboard SUNSHINE, we hopped into the F250 to fill up the fuel tanks. On the way back, we stopped for the happy hour crab cakes at the Marathon Ale House and Grille. We timed it so we could watch the last three quarters of the NFC conference championship game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Green Bay Packers. The Falcons trounced the Pack!

We had a heck of a storm overnight. It featured rain, hail and plenty of wind. 

Monday, January 23, 2017

A Trip to Islamorada!

Last night's wind continued to blow hard all day long and throughout the night. We even had intermittent showers throughout the day. We took the rainy day opportunity to take a road trip to Islamorada for some shopping at the Worldwide Sportsman and lunch at Morada Bay. 

Once back at Blackfin, the strong wind (30 knots) kept us from doing any work. It was Red Box to the rescue. We watch some movies while the boat rocked in the wind.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

It's Cooler and the Sun is Shinning!

We woke up to a cloudless sky and a cooler temperature. The forecast suggests we'll be in the 70s for awhile. We'll miss the 80s, but they'll be back, so we'll enjoy the cooler conditions while they last. The first project will be to adjust the bunks on the trailer.

Manatee

We spent most of the afternoon upgrading the trailer bunks. The first task was to raise the bunks as the boat rubbed on the fenders. We adjusted both starboard bunks to start. A screw popped out of the inside port bunk, so we took it off, only to find that eight of the twelve screws were loose. We removed them all, drilled out the attachment points and glued in 3/4"hardwood dowels to give the screws fresh wood to bite. We found a similar problem with the outside port bunk so we followed the same procedure on it. 

We stopped work at 1700 hours, making it about a five hour project to date. Tomorrow, we have to get more screws from Home Depot, drill pilot holes and reattach the bunk boards. We didn't do that today because we wanted to allow plenty of time for the glue to dry.

While working, we noticed that a manatee came into the marina and soaked up some sun while floating in the water near our boat.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Finishing the Trailer Project!

After four more hours, the "bunk" project has been completed. I may fine tune the bunks after we put the boat back on the trailer. Next up is the dangling brake line. Since I know nothing about the trailer brakes, I'll need some outside expertise to help with that.

While leaving Banana Bay,
this sailboat ran aground.
After an hour or so, it got off.

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Key West!

We boarded the 1023 bus to Key West on this bright, sunny, warm day. The bus ride was uneventful, that's a bit unusual for this route and the characters who ride it. This is the third time we've ridden the bus this year, and, for the third time, by the time we left Big Pine Key, people were standing. 

We exited the bus at West Marine, Key West, and walked a short block to the Key West Marine Store where we purchased Cetol Natural. It is one of the newer Sikkens Cetol products that promises easy application and natural looking teak. We will use it on the eye brow trim, the hand rails and other exterior wood parts that receive a lot of UV radiation from the sun. Normally, we varnish the teak, but the varnish takes a beating in the bright sun.

Following that purchase, we had the Crab and Avocado Salad while listening to Mike McCloud at Schooner's Wharf. We enjoy his music, even though he seems lackadaisical while performing. He did an amazing rendition of Gordon Lightfoot's  "Edmund Fitzgerald."

After lunch we hiked to the Tropic Theater where we enjoyed a bag of popcorn and the movie LA LA Land, a modern, stylized, musical love story. The movie has received 14 Academy Award nominations. It will win in a few categories, most likely, but the one that pops out for me is the lighting. It and the movie were well done.

Following the movie, we visited a couple stores, finding some bargains in the process. I bought two beach cover ups for Anna Marie. She can use them to loung around on the boat and while walking back and forth to the pool.

The Kennedy's perform at the
Marathon Public Library

By now it's time to board the northbound Keys Shuttle to head back to Marathon. The bus arrived at Waton and Whitehead on time at 1702. We disembarked at 1900 hours at the city marina stop, closest to the library where we were scheduled to see the Kennedys in the outside garden. The husband and wife duo were excellent. It's too bad we can't stay for the whole show, but we enjoyed the hour we were able to stay. 

We enjoyed a small pizza at the Upper Crust and then walked to Walgreens to return the movie to the Red Box. By the time we got back to the boat, it was 2130 hours and time to sit down, relax and enjoy the remainder of the evening, which is exactly what we did!

Friday, January 27, 2017

Hallelujah Girls!

Today's boat chore is to sand the eye brow trim, and the mahogany cap rails and put on as many coats of Cetol Natural as possible. We'll take it slow and steady as this could take awhile. As we got into the project, we added the step pads to our work list. The four steps and two cap rails were removed and sanded. Each piece got a coat of Cetol Matural that gave them a deep, shinny, red finish. The directions say we need to scratch with a scotch bright pad before applying the next coat, and we should put on three or four coats.

Sanding the eye brow in much more problematic. We have to remove 10 coats of varnish with hand sanding (I didn't bring power tools). There are two eye brows each about ten feet long. I manage to sand a six inch section of one today. This really is going to take some time!

Week 2 And We're Settled In!

January 14 -20, 2017

So far, we're digging our new marina. While the grounds aren't as attractive as the White Marlin, last year's base, it's still pretty nice here. The boaters are friendly as is the staff. The location is much better. Everything is within walking distance. It's an easy walk to K Mart,  Publix, and the theater. Home Depot is right across the street. The City Marina and the Community Park, where lots of activities take place, are only a long block away. The Hurricane Bar and Restaurant is on the premises, and the Keys Fishery is within easy walking distance. Perhaps the best dinner happy hour (by one get the second 2/2 off) at the Marathon Ale House and Grille, across the street from McDonalds, is about a mile away. 

Our bicycles extend our range to ten miles or so, but we haven't ridden them at night yet. They make it an easy trip to West Marine, which is a long walk away.

I started installing the solar panels but found that I needed additional parts to make a neat installation. Said parts were ordered on the 19th. The installation will continue when the parts arrive in about two weeks. (NB: Because we're plugged in to electric at the marina, I later decided to install the solar panels when we get home).

We joined in on the Wednesday afternoon Bocci Ball sessions. There must have been 18 people playing the last time. The games start at two in the afternoon and many of the players bring chairs and small coolers containing beer. We're not sure if they all come to play or to drink beer. Observation suggests that drinking is the more important activity. Interestingly, the organizer signs out two sets of balls from the city's recreation department.

On the 19th, I helped Gary, an Illini staying at the motel, trouble shoot some wiring issues on his fishing runabout. It is the first day the boat made it into the water since he's been here. Gary has  been working on it diligently since before we got here, and he even took the boat to Eric from Shoreline for some work. He was a bit dejected by this latest problem, but we managed to trouble shoot the problem and found a loose fuse that prevented the GPS and depth finder from working. He was pretty happy about that!

So far, we're putting an average of about about 3.3 miles per day on our sneakers. We've only ridden the bikes twice, with the longest being 3.2 miles. On Friday, the 20th, we started pedaling in earnest. Riding north, we pedaled over Vaca Cut to the Island Fish Company. We love their Calamari so much, we make several visits just to enjoy it. This is our first visit this year and we were not disappointed! That stuff is good! Our ride covered 11 miles total and included a stop at Outta The Blue Marina to say hello to Steve and to inquire about his special rate for Awlgripping the hull $100/foot). He needs about two weeks to complete the job, weather permitting.

Nationally,  today, Friday, January 20, 2017, is a big deal. It's Inauguration Day. The biggest bozo in

American politics will be sworn in, and we are boycotting the festivities. We will not watch, listen to or read about anything that happens and will be overjoyed when this clown is impeached #notmypresident! It also happens to be a day of celebration for the Bush family.  George W. Bush is no longer the worst president in American history! Tomorrow, we are participating in a peaceful demonstration taking place throughout the country. It's the Women's March. The main protest takes place in Washington D. C. We are participating in the sister march in Key West.

Corey and Ty at Burdines's

The "Kiss" a sculpture
of the iconic WWII Photograph.

We love to listen to the local musicians. During our first week here, we went to Havanah Jacks to see Island Time. HJ's happy hour has good Crab and Corn Chowder ($7), 1lb shrimp ($6), and Caprese Salad ($6). But the best deal, not a happy hour special, but off the dinner menu is the veggie pizza ($16). This week, we caught Ty and Corey at Burdine's and not only enjoyed their music, but the Mahi Ruben and Dusty Fries as well.

On Tuesday, the 17th, we rode a crowded, standing room only bus to Key West. We packed a lot into our time there with lunch at the Cafe, Fences at the Tropic and Royal Reds at the Conch Republic. We took this shot of two cruise ships the were about to leave town and this sculpture of the famous photo "The Kiss."