Florida, Bahamas, and Beyond

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...

Friday, March 7th Lots of people ask. Here is where we are for the next few days. Glover Bight - The BLUE Dot Status update. I'll try not to be redundant... Firstly, it was cold this morning, 49F. I finally slept well. It was a welcome change from the past few days. We crawled out of bed @ 0600. Coffee was excellent.  We're trying not to miss any potential damaged area on Imagine. Specifically we need to be certain that it will be safe to bring Imagine back to the East Coast. Taking one step at a time, we lifted the salon table so we could get a bit better look at the mast base. It's still hard to see, but part of the mast on the forward port side is "blown out" and there appears to be evidence of molten aluminum splatters, similar to a shoddy welding site. It will require stepping the rig to fully assess the damage. Later this morning we dinghy'd (or tried) to go to Glover Bight Trail, but it's still closed to landing a dinghy. https://maps.app.goo.gl/qxC...

Tuesday, March 4th Our sail here from Marco Island yesterday to Naples was very nice, although we didn't depart as early as we hoped. We awoke to a breezy 56F morning. But, by 0900, the temperature was near 70F, and the brilliant sunshine made the departure pleasant. Only eight miles north of Marco Island, Naples high rises were visible as we exited the inlet. Winds out of the East, flat water, beam reach, and the breeze laid down as we approached Naples Gordon Pass Inlet With sails furled, we motored a short way into the area among multimillion $ homes. We'll protected from all directions, we spent the afternoon watching tour boats pass and dolphins playing. We were underway @ 0730 this morning. Our anchor chain came up coated in thick muddy slop. I used buckets of sea water to rinse it off as the anchor raised. We motored out Gordon Pass. Once past Green #1, we headed north under mainsail and Yankee @ 7 kts SOG; occasionally touching 8.5 kts. Looking back at the shoreline, on...

Sunday, March 2nd I was up @ 0500. Coffee made. Brenda slept in till after 0600. By 0700, anchor up, to/from fuel dock, anchor down. It's another beautiful day here in paradise. Clear skies, brilliant sunshine, mid-sixties, light air, but it didn't take long for clouds and a northerly breeze to arrive. No matter, as it's a rest day for us. While enjoying Bloody Mary's, we defrosted the freezer and relaxed in the cockpit to watch the boats go by. Lots of Dolphins here too. The Key West express departed this morning, and the American Glory soon took it's place at the pier. 100 Passenger Inland Cruiser One of Many Dolphins It's been a pleasant day. Ribeye steak on the grill with baked potato, green beans, and sliced cucumber. I Love My Cuisinart 😎 We've watched the dolphins play and an anhinga down a fish so large that it could no longer take flight. As the sun sets, we're ready to depart for Naples in the morning.

Saturday, March 1st We retired early last night. It was a good night's sleep. Well protected on anchor, we merely drifted with the incoming and outgoing tidal currents. Vesper Cortex Anchor Watch We awoke around 0500. Chilly morning, 57 F, warranted jacket AND shoes. It definitely was NOT a barefoot morning. Anchor up @ 0630. Motored out the channel. Just enough wind for the headsail. Made the Romano Shoals marker, furled the headsail, and continued for Marco Island. Condos in the Distance We arrived at Factory Bay (Marco Island) around 1400. The last ten miles was a motoring slog against the wind and current. Entering Capri Pass was a treat... power boats going in every direction, some must be from the UK passing starboard to starboard, horns sounding, almost as much fun as Lake Boca on a holiday weekend. Dropped anchor, good holding, bay surrounded by McMansions, Condos, & marinas. Some wake from boats passing on the channel. Brenda helped me with a haircut. Excellent lunch o...