Florida, Bahamas, and Beyond

Tuesday, April 8th Brenda and I were notified by our insurance company that Imagine will be declared a total loss. This was confirmed by an email on Friday, April 4th. We returned to Port Charlotte on Saturday, and we again took the more scenic route to the boatyard. We arrived there in the late afternoon and quickly began loading our car for the return trip. It was a somewhat somber time clearing out lockers of items stowed there in anticipation of an extended sailing journey. We departed Port Charlotte early Sunday morning. Sunday was spent visiting family in Winter Haven. Brenda's brother is a great guy. After a relaxing afternoon at the pool and hot tub, we dined on chicken enchiladas then took a walk around the neighborhood. In the evening, I got a good lesson on playing the card game "hearts". Brenda and I were awake at 0500 Monday morning and on the road by 0630 heading to Animal Kingdom for Natalie's birthday outing. We surprised her at the Tree of Life and ha...

Wednesday, March 26th After spending the weekend in Pompano Beach, Brenda and I drove back to the boatyard on Monday morning. We took the "Avoid Tolls" route. It was a fun drive through the less populated areas of Florida. We stopped in Clewiston to got something to eat.  https://maps.app.goo.gl/5H1gP6iCyEB4Gk1d6 The restaurant was awesome. I left a review. Check it out. The rigger arrived early Tuesday morning. We are now waiting for the rigger's estimate based on his experience and recommendations. Today, Brenda and I continue to pack our personal items to take back to Pompano Beach while Imagine is in the yard. We are also seeking contractors for the electronics and other items for repair/replace estimates. A View of the Boatyard from our Cockpit 

Saturday, March 15th We got an early start with our day. Some clothes and personal items packed, some no longer needed cold weather bedding, and perishables were packed up. We rented a Nissan Rogue for our trip back. It was a nice ride avoiding tolls through rural Florida. Arriving home was like slipping on an old shoe. It felt really good. A shave and hot shower was especially nice. We'll be returning to Port Charlotte as soon as we know when the rigger will schedule unstepping the mast. Until then, we'll enjoy our time here visiting and relaxing. Until there's something significant to write about, this blog is suspended for the time being. Stay tuned, wear sunscreen. 😎

Friday, March 14th Safe Harbor Boat Storage The surveyor inspected Imagine this morning. A rigger is scheduled for stepping the mast and inspecting the complete rig at the end of next week. Brenda and I will get a rental car tomorrow and return to Pompano Beach for the time being.

Thursday, March 13th We slept until first light. Brenda started the coffee while I snoozed for a bit longer. We were under way @ 0900 before the heavy power boat traffic picks up. Passing Boca Grande by 1000, we turned to ~60T toward Charlotte Harbor. The water here reminds me of Biscayne Bay. We've encountered few boats. Minimal helm corrections necessary. We arrived at the lock around 1300. Once through, we traversed the waterway to the boatyard. For a boat yard, this place is exceptionally nice: community room, bathroom & showers, laundry, ice machine, BBQ, AND clean! The staff are very friendly. Check in was easy peasy. We're tied to the dock next to the well. Haulout is scheduled for early tomorrow morning. http://charlotteharborboatstorage.com/ Great Blue Heron

Monday, March 10th Yesterday (Sunday) was a day of stress reduction. After coffee time, Brenda cooked a great egg & potato scramble with a side of bacon. I didn't sleep all that well Saturday night, so the next order of business was to take a nap. 🙂 In the afternoon, I continued my quest to conquer the GNU Build System. Advancing the project/tools from circa 2003 is a leap that I'm still picking my way through the details. In the evening, we dinghy'd to shore and went out for Indian cuisine with our friends Alan, Karen, Bob, and Colleen. The food was very good. If you're in the area...  https://maps.app.goo.gl/FasFSY18944QBX3h7 I made phone calls to a boat yard and a rigger in Port Charlotte this morning. Unfortunately, the yard doesn't currently have space for Imagine. The rigger indicated that, at a minimum, the rig must be stepped for a thorough inspection as well as rewiring. I'm looking forward to their follow-up phone calls. I also looked into a marin...