Friends, Anchoring, & a Party

Just when you think you're getting a handle on the boat projects....well, you know. 

I tried our horns the other day and all they did was grunt. Not acceptable. Usually all I have to do is remove them from their mounting below the deck of the bow and clean them. The culprit is salt water intrusion due to the location of the mounting. Unfortunately this time my efforts failed so now instead of a horn Pam will have to stand on the bow and yell "look out you stupid idiot" at boats that get too close.

Horn location. The block which they and the faucet are mounted on is open to the elements on the other side below the rub rail on the bow. Any spray or the occasional time the bow gets buried in a wave and bingo, we've got a problem.

A week or two ago Pam was surfing Facebook and discovered that some former boating buddies, Jay & Judy Ploessl from back home were on nearby Sanibel Island. She made contact with them and found that they actually had a home in Cape Coral and would we like to come over for dinner. Of course we accepted and plugged their address into the GPS. I knew we were in the right spot when I spotted Jay's old fishing boat in the driveway.

Cocktails ensued followed by a delicious dinner on their lanai served right off the newspapers spread out on the table. The low country boil was delicious. Time passed much too quickly as we exchanged stories from the past and caught up on each others lives over the past few years.

Low Country Boil.

Hillard's and Ploessl's after the table was cleared. Thanks guys!

Thursday we decided to get out of the dock and deploy the anchor for a few days. Our first stop however was at the City of Ft. Myers Marina fuel dock. We were face to face with a yacht called Bella Luna which was in town for a charity event to be held on it. We were invited but at $30,000.00 a plate combined with the fact that my tuxedo is back in Illinois we had to graciously decline. Maybe next time!

M/V Bella Luna

Once the tanks were topped off we made our way along the Caloosahatchie to one of our favorite spots, Glover Bight, where we caught up with Kasey's Choice already at anchor. We dropped the anchor and unloaded the dinghy. That evening we were invited to dinner at a friend of Donnie & Marilyn's who has a home on one of the nearby canals. Another good time with good food stretched into the darkness before it was time to head back to the boats.
The good news is that our running lights on the dinghy worked. The bad news is that the outboard that had just come out of the shop was running the same as before. As we went along the motor seemed to get better and we made it back unscathed.

Glover Bight anchorage.

Someone has a problem.

Another sunset at Glover Bight.

It was nice to get off the dock and spend time on the hook but before long it was Saturday and Kasey's Choice had had enough of us and headed back to Legacy. 

Donnie on the bow cleaning mud off the anchor chain while Marilyn is at the controls.

Pam and I stayed at anchor for another day and ran around the corner in the dinghy to Rumrunner's for lunch. The wind was gusting to 30 mph so our ride was a bit sloppy and made even more aggravating by our once again sputtering motor. Thankfully the food and service were good which made the motor problem disappear for a short while.
We cancelled our planned tour of the canals and limped back to Tourist where we we enjoyed the afternoon watching boats come and go. The wind eventually died down and we got another good nights sleep.

Sunday morning I awoke expecting to find us socked in by fog which had settled in during the night. Much to my surprise it was clear and sunny with very little breeze. Following morning coffee we fired up the engines, expended several gallons of water washing the mud from the anchor chain and headed back to Legacy before the weekenders came out in force. The only thing worse here in Florida than driving on the roadways with all the retiree's is negotiating the waterways with them. Oh well. It will keep Pam busy at the bow! 

Heading towards Ft. Myers on the Caloosahatchie.

We arrived back in time for me to clean the boat and Pam to do laundry. Definitely a successful day!

Monday was spent getting ready for the annual Legacy appreciation party save for removing the outboard once again and taking it into the shop! Grrrr!

Before long it was time to head up to the deck and lay claim to a table. We weren't alone. Several other tables had already been claimed by the time we arrived but there were many to choose from so no one had to be displaced. The company and food was great and we even won a couple of items during the drawing! Once the drawing was over a band called Stringtown played until 10. The leader of Stringtown is also the keyboard player for The Juice which we heard during Music Walk. As an additional highlight Dockmaster Eric's wife Lynn (also from the Juice) sang a few songs with them.

It was a great night of camaraderie and generosity provided by the Sullivan family (owners) and staff of Legacy Harbour. Thanks to all!

Our table of trouble makers.

Dockmaster Eric in Tux and flip flops.

Stringtown with Eric's wife at the microphone.

Projects

One thing about a boat is that you never run out of projects. The past week has been about knocking off a few of those items on our list. 

First up was tackling the rough running outboard motor on the dinghy. I dropped the dink into the water and began my untrained diagnosis. It wasn't long before I started getting helpful suggestions from the passersby. At any rate after about an hour of unsuccessfully trying to remedy the problem I decided to take it off and into a nearby Yamaha dealer. Only one problem stood in my way. Some years back I had locked the motor so that it would be hard for someone to steal while unattended. I haven't had that lock off in at least 4 years. Needless to say it was rusted pretty good. My first victory came when I actually found the key to the lock. A little WD40 and presto......the key went into the lock. Of course it wouldn't turn to unlock it. A bit more WD40 and I thought it wiggled just a little. More WD40 and a little soaking time. Now for good measure I brought out the hammer to tap it, thinking that some slight jarring of the lock would loosen up the rust. 

The result was better than I anticipated. One clunk with the hammer and the whole lock fell apart and into the bottom of the dinghy! Problem solved!

Picture of what the outboard lock should look like before time and rust set in.

Something's missing. But notice how clean the dink looks. Another project checked off the list!

With the help of Donnie from Kasey's Choice we were able to get the 25hp motor off without dropping it into the water and delivered to the shop. The verdict was water in the fuel and a dirty carburetor. Of course we didn't stop there. I also had them change the impeller and gearcase oil while they had it. Three days later it's back on the dinghy waiting to be tested once I get new fuel.

Skilled laborer's re-installing the outboard.

Another checked item was the replacing of one of the bilge blowers in the engine room which required a trip to West Marine. While there I also picked up enough shock cord to replace the stretched out cord on our cockpit seat. Check!

Unattached blower wires.

New blower in place.

Wednesday the 13th was son Ryan's birthday.

Happy Birthday Bink!

Next up of course was Valentine's Day. I couldn't control the weather which brought us rain for the first time in many days.

I did score points however for the roses!

Friday night we strolled downtown for dinner and Music Walk. Dinner came from a window in the side of a building that serves some pretty good Mexican food which we ate while listening to a Rockabilly band. After dinner we continued down the street to the Art Center where the group Juice was playing on the front steps. We've been wanting to see this group for a few years since the dockmaster's (Eric) wife is the lead singer for them. They play a lot of blues covers along with some original music. Let's just say they kick butt! All of the musicians were very talented and Lynn was exceptional with a raspy voice somewhere between Bonnie Rait and Janis Joplin. There are a lot of singers out there. This girl feels it from head to toe.

The Juice rockin' the night.

We finished the night off with a stop at the Cigar Bar before wandering back to Tourist.

Key Worst? Key Weird? Key West!

We arrived at A & B Marina in Key West Bight Tuesday afternoon around 3. After fueling, parking, and cleaning the salt off of Tourist we prepared for our sensory onslaught as we ventured onto the streets of the city. The following pictures were taken during our three night stay.

M/V Private Affair backing into her slip.

Pam playing tourist as we hit the streets.

The famous Conch Train waiting for passengers.

A stroll around the harbor took us past the dinghy dock at the City Marina. These tenders are coming and going at all hours of the day & night. Many are manned by people who work in Key West and live on their boat in the mooring field. Some make you wonder how they stay afloat. Most operate at night without any lights.

Of course this is the sight we saw every time we returned to Tourist as we walked down the dock at A & B.

With sunset approaching we headed to Mallory Square. We weren't alone.

On the way Pam had a shoe malfunction and had to stand in place while the super glue dried. Fortunately I applied it to the correct side of her sole so she didn't have to stay there all night stuck to the pavement.

The sunset didn't disappoint the crowd.

Pam was able to move and stood by to assist Sarah as she stretched to get her camera over the heads of the crowd.

Once the sun went down we headed down the street to the A & B Lobster House for dinner. The service was excellent as was the food. Of course it comes with a price but worth it.

Pam wanted to show this for our friend Tina who is always in search of Bananas Foster. We found it in Key West!

Capt. Tony's is worth a walk thru or even a stop to leave your bra if it's bothering you.
After walking through Tony's we made a stop at Irish Kevin's for a drink. Proving what a small world it is we were shocked to find Judy & Roger Gratton from home seated at the table next to us. Following our initial shock we settled in to catch up on home front happenings. Good thing we were all behaving at that point! 

We hit Sloppy Joe's for brews and grub. Even got to catch part of Pete & Wayne's act on stage. WARNING! their show is not for the faint of heart but hilariously funny if you can stand the vulgarity.
I want to see them again. What's that say about me!?!

One evening we thought a little after dinner entertainment would be nice so we found a nice comedy show to attend at 801.

Turns out it was a Drag show. Funny doesn't even come close to describing this experience. Pam did get a bit jealous when the queen to my left tried to sit on my lap!

Sarah, Mary, & Pam waiting for a table at Ricky's Blue Heaven. Of course they were keeping with the theme of the week by having Bloody Mary's pre-breakfast!

The sign says breakfast with the roosters and they're not kidding. The little creatures were running under our table. Even with the distraction the food was worth the wait. A must stop if in Key West!

Key West Lighthouse.

Pam & I split up after breakfast at Blue Heaven. she wanted to see Hemingway's home. I on the other hand have been through enough musty old homes in my life and returned to a cigar bar we found the previous day. As you can see, Pam kept the camera.

2 of the 47 cats that inhabit the Hemingway home.

The Southernmost point in the U.S.

Having consumed about as much alcohol and food as we could over the previous couple of nights we decided as a group to just dine on Private Affair our last night in town with a selection of appetizers and libations. This in itself was entertaining since their slip faced the open harbor so we could watch the multitude of boats coming and going into the night.

Once again I got Pam up before the sun and was able to take this shot of the sun rising over Key West as we headed out Northwest Channel.

We set our course for Ft. Myers and enjoyed this view and calm seas for the next 153 miles. We pulled into our slip after 6 pm ready to dry out before docktails the next night!

We left when we did due to incoming weather which would have made for an uncomfortable ride and the fact that our livers needed a rest. Fun doesn't begin to describe our Key West experience. So much to see. So little time! Maybe we'll have to go back.....

What Happened to January?

OK. So I've been a bit lax in keeping the blog up to date. Blame Pam. She's had me working like a dog. Almost to the point of exhaustion! (Just kidding Honey!)
Let me try and get back up to speed with some of the things that have taken place since the first of the year.

Celebrated my Mom's birthday at Carrabba's.

Had lunch with Jim & Chris Kreutner from back home.

Drove to Glades Boatyard to watch Donnie & Marilyn work on Kasey's Choice.

Had to wait for the cows to clear out before we could leave Glade's. It's in the Boondock's!

Spent a couple days at the United Motorcoach Association Expo in Orlando. It was fun to re-connect with some of my old cronies from my bus days.

Spent a couple of nights at Ft. Myers Beach in the mooring field.

Got towed back to Tourist when the dinghy motor quit running. Arrrgh! Thanks Donnie!

After returning to Legacy my Mom got sick and they returned to Illinois. (She's ok.) This turn of events left us with two cars in Florida. Since I was planning on driving them home at the end of the month and flying back I kept the return flight and took one car back to Illinois. In honor of my arrival back home the temp was 0 and it snowed! Yuck!!!

While I was home I spent one night in my own bed and attended a joint birthday party for Pam's Dad, Frank & Niece, Michelle at Bill & Barb's (Pam's sister) house.

While I was transiting back to Illinois, Pam went for an overnight boat ride to Marco Island with Rick & Sarah on Private Affair and spotted these dolphins playing beside the boat.

I left on Thursday and by late Sunday morning I was back in Ft. Myers. Time to get back in shorts and flip flops!
I got back in time to catch Mark & Michelle from Galena who had been staying at the Legacy Motel while on their road trip. Last year they were here on their boat while doing the Loop. Unfortunately no picture was taken as I literally caught them going out the door!

We left Monday afternoon for Key West and caught this beautiful sky over the Gulf while heading to our overnight @ Marco Island.

 We spent the night anchored in Smokehouse Bay before leaving at the butt-crack of dawn on Tuesday.

We were passed by the ferry that runs from Marco to Key West.

This small boat was anchored as we came into Key West. Yes that's a helicopter on the rear deck!

The cruise ships were in town.

We arrived at A & B marina and after fueling we were put into a slip beside M/V Big Time. Our little boat was dwarfed by this 100 footer.

We spent three nights in Key West. I'll post more about our experience once I filter out the incriminating pictures.