We're back in the Keys. Time to start living on island time...leave your watch and your worries behind, taking life where it falls with a grain of salt and a wedge of lime...we're living on island time in the tropical zone. There's no place like home just living on island time.
Dec. 29 – Bridges, Bridges, Bridges
Marine Stadium – Anchorage
"In today's rush we all think too much, seek too much, want too much and forget about the joy of the just being." - Eckhart Tolle
Bridges, bridges, bridges...today was all about bridges. We traveled 72 miles between Palm Beach and our anchorage in Miami and we went under 34 bridges. Sometimes it pays to be a smaller boat, by removing the isinglass and lowering the bimini we were able to get down to 12'. That meant we only had to have two bridges open for us to pass under, although our timing was pretty close to most of the bridge opening times. Three of the bridges were very close, very VERY close, we felt like we had to duck as we went under (see pictures below).
We're a slow boat, but today slow and steady (and short) proved to be quicker than the large faster boats. Today the tortoise won the race. We definitely couldn't have covered as much ground today if we had been in our Hatteras.
Here are a few of the more interesting bridges we saw today. The first one is Ocean Ave. Bridge in Ocean Ridge.
Venetian Causeway Bridge, MacArthur Causeway and the Dodge Island Bridges...all located in Miami
Dec. 28 – Palm Beach, FL
Lake Worth – Anchorage
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” —Marcel Proust
It felt amazing to be on the move today. Just as we entered the ICW from Stuart our friends on Amici were coming by from Ft. Pierce. We literally had to slow down to keep from running into them. Our timing couldn't have been better. We are both on our way to Marathon.
It was a busy day on the waterway...lots of people still enjoying the holidays. Between no wake zones, slow zones, people in kayaks and fishing, bridges and other boats our progress was pretty slow. We've been through this area many times and recognize a lot of homes and landmarks...mostly the homes, the gigantic homes. We anchored in Lake Worth in the middle of the afternoon and had plenty of time to catch up with our friends Ted and Sally. We haven't seen them in person since March 2014. It’s always nice to get together with old friends.
Amici with her crew Ted and Sally
Dec. 26 - On The Road Again
We're on our way back to Stuart, FL...where The Pearl is waiting, provisioned and ready to head south to Marathon and the Bahamas.
As happy as I am to be heading back to The Pearl...I really don't know how I'm going to get a long without spending time with our little grand wonders, watching them play, listening to their little voices and collecting all those wonderful hugs and kisses. Leaving them makes my heart feel like it's breaking.
Merry Christmas
2015 has been a wonderful year. A nice mix of boat time and family time. We began the year in the Florida Keys enjoying the warm weather, the beautiful water and the company of old and new friends. Marathon is home to hundreds of cruisers during the winter and there was always something to keep us busy.
In March we crossed the Gulf Stream and spent six weeks exploring Abacos. We enjoyed beautiful white deserted beaches, small quaint towns and wonderful clear water that ranged in color from beautiful shades of blue to turquoise. We felt like we were cruising in a huge swimming pool. We truly enjoyed our relaxing warm winter, but by spring we were ready to reconnect with our family...especially our grandwonders.
We returned to our home and the Texas Pearl the middle of April. We spent the remainder of the year bouncing back and forth between Port Lavaca, Rockport and Temple. In the past eight months we've finished most of the major projects we wanted to do on the Texas Pearl and she definitely feels like home now.
The best part of our year has been filled with lots of family time. We welcomed our third grandchild into the world on July 9...her big sister's birthday. We feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family. We've really gotten to enjoy watching the grands grow this year. Every minute spent with them is a true blessing. They are all wonderful loving little people…full of hugs, kisses and wonder for everything they see. I have no idea how we're going to get along without those wonderful little hugs and kisses when we return to The Pearl after Christmas.
We also had a chance this year to catch up with old friends we haven't seen in a long time...some as long as 30+ years. Hopefully it won't be so long between visits now. We look forward to spending Christmas with our family and watching our little one’s excitement for this amazing time of year.
We are excited about new adventures in 2016 and hope it brings all our friends and family good health and good fortune.
Living on the Hard
Indiantown, FL
Lots of activities all week
Good food, lots of wine and beer, entertainment and dancing.
Lots of dancing
New friends Michelle and Ellen
The full moon looked pretty coming up over the marina
Living on a boat is a little different than living in a house…and there’s a drastic difference when you stay on your boat when it’s on the hard. We have limited electrical power (at this marina) and we are using the hose for water. I rank this situation as one step up from tent camping. All our grey water drains out of the boat straight over board. Under normal circumstances it drains into the water…we never see it, but while we’re on the hard it all drains into the work yard. Not a good thing since we’re working on the bottom, so we’re using a large bowl in the sink to wash dishes, our hands and brush teeth. Then we throw it off the back of the boat into the ditch.
Need water...we have plenty!
Welcome aboard...we climbed this later 20-30 times a day...maybe more. It's hard to keep track.
With our limited electrical power we can’t run the refrigerator or use any of our 12-volt lights or outlets. That’s the opposite of how it works when we anchor out. Whereas Texas Pearl is a dock princess, almost everything runs from 120-volts, The Pearl is equipped to be more self sufficient, almost everything onboard is 12-volt. That leaves us with a lot of things we can’t use at the moment. Sundown comes early this time of year, leaving us in the dark…almost. Cooking dinner is almost done by candlelight, because we only have one small lamp in the salon. Stan rigged up a flashlight over the stove that helps a little. Remember we have no refrigerator so I have to buy meat each day or use canned meat…the crock-pot has come in handy and the marina has provided us with free food and drink for the past four nights. The good news is the ice maker works…so I guess I really can’t complain.
The marina also provides private showers, which come in handy since we can’t use our shower (remember grey water overboard...not good), but we can use our toilets since that water goes into our holding tank (but to flush I have to bring water in from the hose). Can you imagine going up and down a 10’ ladder in the middle of the night to use the bathroom…I guess things can always be worse! The marina also has a nice boater’s lounge with a full kitchen, equipped with just about anything you need, grills and a wonderful picnic area. Some people use the refrigerator in the lounge, but I’ve heard things disappear frequently so we’ve decided not to use it. Plus it’s a pretty good hike over there and back every time you need something. We’ve stayed extremely busy each day and are worn out by the time we have dinner, after a few hours of Netflix we’re ready for bed.
Indiantown Marina - Office and boater's lounge
As I’m writing this blog, the weather has improved…much cooler and a lot less humid, until those crazy little down pours start. Here in south central Florida, rain seems to be a daily thing…it just starts up…completely sunny and then it rains. By the time we run to close all the windows…it stops. Our first week on the hard was VERY hot, VERY uncomfortable without our AC, something else we can’t use while we’re on the hard. It uses water that is circulated from outside the boat…no water, no AC. Sleep was somewhat of a problem…hot and sticky, but we were so tired it didn’t take long to fall asleep even though we were sweating.
Need water...we have plenty!
The marina also provides private showers, which come in handy since we can’t use our shower (remember grey water overboard...not good), but we can use our toilets since that water goes into our holding tank (but to flush I have to bring water in from the hose). Can you imagine going up and down a 10’ ladder in the middle of the night to use the bathroom…I guess things can always be worse! The marina also has a nice boater’s lounge with a full kitchen, equipped with just about anything you need, grills and a wonderful picnic area. Some people use the refrigerator in the lounge, but I’ve heard things disappear frequently so we’ve decided not to use it. Plus it’s a pretty good hike over there and back every time you need something. We’ve stayed extremely busy each day and are worn out by the time we have dinner, after a few hours of Netflix we’re ready for bed.
Indiantown Marina - Office and boater's lounge
The marina
The bathroom and laundry
Our little corner of the work yard
Now that the hard work is behind us and we’ve had time to visit with old friends and make a few new ones and enjoy a little down time, the memory of the hard work and inconveniences are beginning to fade. We’re ready to splash and move back to the coast. Our Pearl is back to her beautiful self…time to enjoy the holidays with family and then start our cruising season at the end of December.
Lots of activities all week
Nov. 24 - The Work Yard
Indiantown Marina
“The perfect journey is never finished, the goal is always just across the next river, round the shoulder of the next mountain. There is always one more track to follow, one more mirage to explore.” —Rosita Forbes
It's a busy place here in the work yard...our neighbors are constantly changing as one boat finishes their projects and others begin. The lift operator slips in between boats and snatches up one boat and then returns with another from the storage yard. The boats come in looking neglected and leave all shiny and clean...ready for another cruising season.
One neighbor leaves and...
and another arrives
“The perfect journey is never finished, the goal is always just across the next river, round the shoulder of the next mountain. There is always one more track to follow, one more mirage to explore.” —Rosita Forbes
It's a busy place here in the work yard...our neighbors are constantly changing as one boat finishes their projects and others begin. The lift operator slips in between boats and snatches up one boat and then returns with another from the storage yard. The boats come in looking neglected and leave all shiny and clean...ready for another cruising season.
One neighbor leaves and...
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