Sunset In Islamorada

This is your guest blogger for the night - special mystery guest on the boat. It's been difficult to tear me away from the wildlife here in the Keys and my camera has remained close at hand. Have you guessed my identity yet?

I have spent the last week on board Marcnicliz and have had a great time visiting with mom and dad. Oh, damn, I guess you know who this is now, don't you? I meant great fun with Speedy and Nancy...

We had beautiful weather, great food, and all the luxury comforts of the boat. For me, that includes all the simple things that I treasure - indoor plumbing, hot showers, a full kitchen, TV, WiFi, great music, and a comfortable bed. Oh, and it's rather awesome that you can simply throw up the sails and take all of it to any exotic location of your choosing. For me, if "camping" were like that, I'd never stop...

I leave for the airport in the morning to head back to the cooler Seattle climate. Tonight we went down to Islamorada for dinner and a beautiful sunset over the water. As dad mentioned in his earlier blog post, we were visited yet again by a Manatee this afternoon and I followed it all the way back out to the end of the channel. I probably got a few nice shots of him/her.

We really enjoyed our visit and treasured the time that we shared down here. Mom and I had our usual moments of hilarity and laughed until our sides hurt. It's amazing how much fun you can have when you aren't having a lung removed or recovering from a venomous snake bite! Since that is how our last visit went, and you know all of the ups and downs that went on in between, we were loving the contrast of the last week.

Dad and I got to check out some of the beautiful fish and sea fans out at Molasses Reef earlier in the week and even though it was very choppy at the time, it was still fun. Dad had a scare while we were out there, but he's been okay ever since.

So, it's sad to have to say goodbye, but we couldn't have had a better visit and as I said, it really beats a pneumonectomy and a Copperhead bite!

I know a few of your are going to pay a visit soon and I am sure you'll love it down here. Mom is feeling better and recovering slowly but surely. We are all thankful to see her feeling a bit better!

Manatee Hello

A manatee swam by Marcnicliz this afternoon to say hello. There was one about a week ago. I took pictures as he/she drank fresh water being discharged from a glass bottom boat's air conditioning system which they crave. It is against the law to give them fresh water or lettuce to eat, but I believe air conditioning discharge on a 90 degree day is OK. S

Everglades and Kath

We spent the day in Everglades National Park to the West of Florida City. Kath arrived on Wed, and we have been getting her body clock reset. She now gets up at 10am, and we travel by 12. It is great to have her here to tweak the computers and make Nanc laugh. S

Couldn't sleep last night or whose glass is this?

I changed the oil in the engine and transmission; because it has been 150 hours since we departed D'ville on Feb 13th. Not news worthy you think! Trust me, when you put the dip stick back in place and cannot tighten it down, and then when you try to unscrew it and the top just spins, it is note worthy. I then decided to pull up on it, and the stick came up without the plastic plug. It was still in the transmission. After a few calls to Deltaville Marina and Keith Ruse and his associates, I decided to try an easy out to extract the plastic plug. The first one went into the hole left by the dip stick, but continued to turn without effort after a few turns. As I withdrew the wrench, the easy out dropped thru the hole into the transmission. I almost had the big one! I got a bigger easy out, and it simply fixed the plastic plug tighter and was on its way to dropping thru as I got a pair of vice grips on it and withdrew the tool. Now, I can't get the plug or the easy out out of the transmission. I had ordered a new dip stick only to find that when it arrived, it was not the right one and too long. New one now on order. I knew I had to remove the transmission from the back of the engine, which is a very, very difficult job. I unbolted the prop shaft from the transmission and moved the prop shaft back out of the way. Fairly easy if you have a lot of dexterity. I then had to unbolt the transmission from the engine. Not so easy. I got most of the bolts loose, but one was very difficult. I called Keith for permission to talk to John Morris, his engine expert, who had removed it once before several years ago. "John, How did you get it loose?" "Speedy, now you know why us mechanics make so much money!" I could not sleep last night as I contemplated how to solve the problem. I decided at 0430 this morning that I would heat a knife on the gas stove and try to melt the plug in several locations and pick the pieces out. I stopped work around mid day with three bolts yet to be loosened; since Cindy and John Hawkins were coming to visit and collect their glass which John had left on board during an approaching storm at Devil Hoffman Cay, in the Bahamas last year. As we relived experiences, I told John of my problem, and showed him how difficult it was to get the last bolts out. He and his son Mike pitched in an suggested I go over the top of the motor to get at several of the bolts. Great idea. Mike guided my wrench onto the last bolt head. We got the transmission off, inverted it to drain the new oil, and I used the hot knife trick to get the plastic plug removed. Worked like a charm. I then inserted a magnetic tool into the transmission and got the easy out removed. After several flushes, we reinstalled the transmission, started the engine, and put Marcnicliz in gear. Worked fine. Nanc had fixed us lunch, so we walked to the bar and had cold beers, lobster bites, and potato skins with everything. John gave me the glass which I have carried all this way, to remember them by, and we agreed he will fly his plane to Hummel Field to stay a few days sometime in the near future. I can now sleep and the glass is mine! Nanc and I drove to Marathon yesterday and Linda Hughes had told us it was a boat trailer park. I believe she is basically right. Too many boats to enjoy the tranquility you expect. There were about three hundred boats, and the dingy dock was more extensive than most marinas we have been to. The Moon is full, closer that it has been in eighteen years, and the rum tastes especially good tonight. Kath arrives Wed. S

Happy Trails to Key Largo

We sailed the whole length of Biscayne Bay doing 7 to 8 knots with a fresh breeze on Monday after bringing the anchor up at 0930, and then motored thru Anglefish Creek into the Hawk Channel. The Hawk Channel runs outside the land mass of the Keys, but inside of the reef, so lesser waves with an East wind. We spent the night on the anchor at Rodriquez Key last night, and motored thru a very narrow channel into Key Largo Harbor this morning. We spent Sunday walking around South Beach, Miami, and then visited Linda and Bill Hughes on their new boat, Ruby Slipper. It has a ruby hull and is quite spacious. It is an American Tug, built in the Seattle area. They gave us all kinds of info on the Keys, since they had just spent a month in Key West and motored North to Miami. DK sang "Happy Trails" to us as we departed South Beach. Nanc is out on a glass bottom boat to the reef as I write this, and prepare to wash Marcnicliz and fill her water tanks. The original "African Queen" used in the move is located here. We may go to Marathon tomorrow. S

South Beach

We departed Lake Sylvia at 0910 this morning and after we got into the ocean, threw out the jib and sailed all the way. they had small craft advisories out, but it was a easy, pleasant sail down. I Motored into Government Cut past all the cruise ships to our anchor point off South Beach at 1440. Nanc and I walked into Lincoln Blvd and had dinner at a restaurant we know. The Peffer Steak was not as good as in the past; " you can't go back." I spoke with Bill Hughes and ole flying friend and he and Linda are anchored on the other side of the causeway from us. They are heading North from Key West. Both of the buddie boats are anchored next to them, with out knowing each other. When they called I told them they were anchored next to Ruby Slipper, and they could not understand how I knew; since I am on the other side of the causeway. Small world.

Moved to Lake Sylvia

We walked to the beach this morning and had a coke and watched the crazies/different folks go by. As we returned to the boat you could see a front coming that was on the morning news. I got the dingy up on the davits and tied down when the wind gusted up over 35 plus knots and the boat swayed and healed. Then the rain began in earnest for 30 minutes or so and everything died down to just rain for another 30 minutes. We dropped the mooring lanyard and motored 1/2 miles to get gas and water, and then into Lake Sylvia for our departure with our two buddie boats to Miami tomorrow morning. The wind is to switch to the North and will make for a good sail. It should only take about 2 to three hours to cover the 20 miles. We will anchor at South Beach and hang out for several days. Carlene, Paula, DK and Normand will then depart for the Bahamas and we may go into the Keys for several days; however we have to be back here in Ft Lauderdale for Kath's arrival on the 23rd. She told us this morning she will start work with Fed Ex on the 2nd of April and she leaves us on the 1st. Kind of close. Nanc is having a good time with our friends and getting stronger. Her hair is growing back. S

Mega Yacht Heven

We departed West Palm Beach this morning at 0900, ran outside to Ft Lauderdale, and arrived at the Las Olas Bridge and mooring site at 1645. Aviator was still raising his anchor as we motored by this morning and followed Madame most of the way here. I put the sails out for the last two hours, and motor sailed. When you enter the channel here in Ft Lauderdale you are immediately faced with some of the biggest yachts in the world. Lots of money tied to the docks. Nanc did a beautiful job of handling the boat as I picked up the mooring pendant and secured Marcnicliz. We lowered the dingy into the water from the foredeck where is has been lashed down for the whole trip, and now have it hanging off the davits on the stern. We will walk to the Ft Lauderdale beach tomorrow, and my cousin Jimmy will join us for dinner tomorrow evening. Weather is beautiful. S

West Palm Beech and more friends

We departed Mary and Paul at St Lucie this morning at 0815 and arrived in Lake Worth at 1430 after may bridges and beautiful homes. Paul left his cap and sun glasses on board last night, and he and Mary drove here and DK and I delivered them to the beach in a driving rain storm. Mary says he owes me a very expensive dinner. We had drinks with Paula and Normand from Madame, and Carlene and DK off Aviator. We will all depart for Ft Lauderdale at 0900 in the morning. The pup is Annie who belongs to Diane. S

More friends

We departed Melbourne at 0805, and our friends Diane and Carlton and arrived in St Lucie at 1815 to see our friends Mary and Paul, who are fellow cruisers. We met them in Deltaville several years ago, and this is the first time we have crossed paths out on the water. We got to Marsh Harbor in the Abacos last year, several weeks after they had departed. Nanc fixed a super dinner, and we had drinks and told stories until 2130. It rained constantly after they arrived and stopped just prior to their leaving. We will join our friends, Carlene, Paula, DK, and Normand tomorrow in West Palm Beach and go outside to Ft. Lauderdale on Monday. S

Friends Everywhere

We had a super evening out with our friends Joan and Jeff last evening, and we departed the dock at 0735 this morning with a brisk wind trying to pin us to the side. I managed to get off and under way and head South for Indialantic. We had dolphins swimming along side where I stand and roll on their side and look up. We decided they are trying to decide how to pronounce Marcnicliz, which is lettered on the side right were they swim. We did 9 knots SOG for the first 3 hours and then left Mosquito Lagoon and sailed across the top of Merrit Island thru the Haul Over Canal. As we sailed across the top of Indian River we saw Rosy Spoonbills for the first time on this trip. You can see the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center as you sail along down the ICW. We would love to stay and see the Shuttle land on Monday, but we need to get further south. We arrived at Telemar Marina at 1615 and set to work to remove all the trash and dirty clothes in need of washing. Our friends Diane and Carlton Wine joined us for snacks on board, and we watched the sun set from the cockpit of Marcnicliz. We then came to their house which belongs in a magazine. It has more shower heads in the master bath than our whole condo complex. A defunct Florida builder had it as his personal residence and fell on hard times. We will stay here for several days or forever if they don't fine us, then sail South for Ft Pierce. S

Magical Day to New Smyrna Beach

We departed St Augustine at 0815 and arrived at New Smyrna Beach City Marina at 1600. We are having drinks tonight with Joan and Jeff Applegate, neighbors who live here and in Deltaville. There was 20 plus knots of wind behind us, and we managed to average over 8 knots all the way here. We went thru several bridges and under many more. As we motored along a dolphin joind beside Marcnicliz and swam for 30 minutes. Nanc was excited, and I told her it was God's way of saying Jean was OK. S