Yesterday morning, John and I arose at 0640 to say goodbye to two more couples we have come to know and love. Last evening only Kip and I were left to blow our conchs at sunset. Today the temperature and humidity combination moved us to turn on our air conditioners. All are signs that the winter cruising season is coming to a close. The feelings I have are reminiscent of the last day of school as a high school senior. I have every intention of staying in touch with all the people on West Dock that we have enjoyed so much for the past three months. I hope I do better than I have with my high school friends!
Right now I feel grateful, happy, contemplative, peaceful, sad, … You’re wondering how I can feel all of those emotions in such rapid succession, aren’t you? I like where we are and I like where we are going. Home in North Carolina is hard to beat. And yet, I will miss the cruising culture here at the Marathon Marina West Dock. It turns out the RVers have a similar culture. We learned that when John’s mom and Pearl came to visit and stayed at Sunshine Key. Sunshine Key is an RV park just across the Seven Mile Bridge from Marathon.
Imagine if everyone lived like cruisers and RVers. Allow me to explain. Living close together we see each other several times each day. We gather together before sunset to enjoy each other’s company and celebrate living another day on the right side of the dirt. When one of us starts a boat fix-it project, the others join in lending their hands, their tools, and their expertise. We help each other without expectations. Sometimes we trade. Sometimes we use the dock currency, a bottle of wine, in return for skills like a haircut. Conversations quickly dig beneath the surface of “reporting” to discussing what we value, what keeps us up at night, and how we think and feel about various issues. Friendships become meaningful so much more quickly by sharing in depth. We live in the moment, and in any particular moment there are no problems. I hope the cruising culture is truly inside of us so we have it no matter where we are.
Monday, March 30, 2009
February Fun and March Madness
Three months of winter have never passed so quickly. Making new friends and visits from our families have been the highlights of our time in the Florida Keys.
Since our arrival in Marathon, FL on January 8th, we have made several trips to Key West by car. Shopping on Duval Street; eating at Margaritaville, Kelly’s and Azur; watching street performers at sunset in Mallory Square; touring the Truman Little White House, the Butterfly Conservatory, Mel Fisher’s Museum, and the Hemingway House; standing at the (almost) southernmost point – we still did not see everything. Each experience was amazing. When I remember this trip years from now, I will probably remember the food before anything else. The Key Lime Pie at Kelly’s has an Oreo cookie crust, after all!
While my mom and dad were here, we all went to the Theater of the Sea in Islamorada. Dolphins, parrots, and sea lions entertained us. Despite my love of parrots, the sea lion show was my favorite. That sea lion was so expressive. He almost seemed to have a sense of humor. He certainly had a flare for the dramatic. When he missed a trick, he simply tried it again, and then clapped for himself when he was successful.
Back in Marathon, we made two trips to the Turtle Hospital. We took my mom and dad one week, and John’s mom and her friend, Pearl, the next week. We enjoyed seeing the variety of sea turtles up close. Some are there, because they have been struck by boats, others, because they have diseases. I am afraid the future does not look too bright for sea turtles. A very large percentage of them in the wild suffer from a viral disease that is thought to be either genetic or sexually transmitted. And then there is the fact that they wait until they are 30 years old to lay their first eggs, and they will only lay their eggs on the beach where they were born. Have you seen the Atlantic coast lately? Condominiums have sprung up from Florida to North Carolina over the past 30 years! Most of those beaches are gone for turtle egg-laying purposes. (Political commentary: As we watched the turtles swim and learned about their care, it occurred to me that their care is likely better than human care will be when the government decides and dictates what treatment we rate.)
Just down the road from the Turtle Hospital, we toured Crane Point with my mom and dad. We walked miles of trails and learned about all the varieties of Mangrove Trees and other Keys plants. A wild bird rescue facility provided a fascinating surprise at the end of one trail near the Bay waters. The Crane home was closed for renovations. The Cranes must have spent incredible days on such an amazing property, especially with so much privacy and such pristine sunset views!
People continue to ask us if we will be back next year. I’m willing!
Since our arrival in Marathon, FL on January 8th, we have made several trips to Key West by car. Shopping on Duval Street; eating at Margaritaville, Kelly’s and Azur; watching street performers at sunset in Mallory Square; touring the Truman Little White House, the Butterfly Conservatory, Mel Fisher’s Museum, and the Hemingway House; standing at the (almost) southernmost point – we still did not see everything. Each experience was amazing. When I remember this trip years from now, I will probably remember the food before anything else. The Key Lime Pie at Kelly’s has an Oreo cookie crust, after all!
While my mom and dad were here, we all went to the Theater of the Sea in Islamorada. Dolphins, parrots, and sea lions entertained us. Despite my love of parrots, the sea lion show was my favorite. That sea lion was so expressive. He almost seemed to have a sense of humor. He certainly had a flare for the dramatic. When he missed a trick, he simply tried it again, and then clapped for himself when he was successful.
Back in Marathon, we made two trips to the Turtle Hospital. We took my mom and dad one week, and John’s mom and her friend, Pearl, the next week. We enjoyed seeing the variety of sea turtles up close. Some are there, because they have been struck by boats, others, because they have diseases. I am afraid the future does not look too bright for sea turtles. A very large percentage of them in the wild suffer from a viral disease that is thought to be either genetic or sexually transmitted. And then there is the fact that they wait until they are 30 years old to lay their first eggs, and they will only lay their eggs on the beach where they were born. Have you seen the Atlantic coast lately? Condominiums have sprung up from Florida to North Carolina over the past 30 years! Most of those beaches are gone for turtle egg-laying purposes. (Political commentary: As we watched the turtles swim and learned about their care, it occurred to me that their care is likely better than human care will be when the government decides and dictates what treatment we rate.)
Just down the road from the Turtle Hospital, we toured Crane Point with my mom and dad. We walked miles of trails and learned about all the varieties of Mangrove Trees and other Keys plants. A wild bird rescue facility provided a fascinating surprise at the end of one trail near the Bay waters. The Crane home was closed for renovations. The Cranes must have spent incredible days on such an amazing property, especially with so much privacy and such pristine sunset views!
People continue to ask us if we will be back next year. I’m willing!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Dive! Dive! Dive!
John is a certified diver. He has not dived in years, because he does not own any diving equipment. That is, he did not own any diving equipment until last week. One of his goals in cruising the Florida Keys was to find a great deal on all the gear he needs. He wants to dive on our trip while I snorkel and he wants to start cleaning the bottom of Island Chariot himself. After three weeks of searching and researching, equipment found John a piece or two at a time.
First came three large yellow tanks and a mini tank. The tanks had not been certified since the year 2003. John brought them to a local dive shop in Marathon to have them certified and filled. He purchased a 60-foot hose so he can leave the tanks on the dock when he cleans Island Chariot. The missing piece for boat bottom cleaning capability was a gauge to show how much air is left in the tank. Mark at the dive shop had this to say about that. “Dude, when you’re getting low on air, you’ll hear PHFFFFT, phffft and you won’t be able to breathe. Just come up then. It’s kind of dangerous, but you don’t really need a gauge.” Having served as the Safety Officer for the entire Second Marine Air Wing during his final two years in the USMC, John was uncomfortable with that solution.
While his newly acquired tanks were at the dive shop, a buoyancy compensator, regulator, and several other pieces of equipment found John. It was his good fortune to find a couple whose diving days were over and who were very pleased to have the equipment out of their house. Cleaning out is so cleansing to the soul, whether it is our physical space or our unfinished relationship business. John was pleased to be part of their cleansing experience.
We are still deciding how and where to store the tanks. Some people like to store them on deck. We like the deck uncluttered. Perhaps a deck box is in our future.
First came three large yellow tanks and a mini tank. The tanks had not been certified since the year 2003. John brought them to a local dive shop in Marathon to have them certified and filled. He purchased a 60-foot hose so he can leave the tanks on the dock when he cleans Island Chariot. The missing piece for boat bottom cleaning capability was a gauge to show how much air is left in the tank. Mark at the dive shop had this to say about that. “Dude, when you’re getting low on air, you’ll hear PHFFFFT, phffft and you won’t be able to breathe. Just come up then. It’s kind of dangerous, but you don’t really need a gauge.” Having served as the Safety Officer for the entire Second Marine Air Wing during his final two years in the USMC, John was uncomfortable with that solution.
While his newly acquired tanks were at the dive shop, a buoyancy compensator, regulator, and several other pieces of equipment found John. It was his good fortune to find a couple whose diving days were over and who were very pleased to have the equipment out of their house. Cleaning out is so cleansing to the soul, whether it is our physical space or our unfinished relationship business. John was pleased to be part of their cleansing experience.
We are still deciding how and where to store the tanks. Some people like to store them on deck. We like the deck uncluttered. Perhaps a deck box is in our future.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunsets in Marathon
Three weeks in Marathon have flown like they did in Miami Beach! Neither John nor I had ever been to Marathon before we chose it as our cruising destination. Fortunately, it is as beautiful and cruiser-friendly as we had hoped.
People on our dock at Marathon Marina are very social. Many of them are regulars here in the winter. Happy hour at sunset is a daily, well-attended event. Every evening, fellow live-aboards grab their conch shells, which have been drilled out and made into horns, and gather on the dock near Island Chariot. Our dock has a clear view of the sun dipping into the ocean. Just after the sun sinks out of sight, everyone raises their conchs to their lips and blows into them like bugles to signal the end of the day. The sound is like a cruise ship honking upon entering a channel. Last Saturday at the Big Pine Flea Market, I purchased a conch so I could join the choir. It’s the closest I’ll get to a Pamlico Community Band experience in Marathon! Just prior to sounding the conchs, we all wait with heightened anticipation for the illusive “green flash”. When conditions are right, just as the sun disappears you can see a split second of green light. Conditions are rarely just right. We were fortunate that only three days after our arrival we witnessed the “green flash”. Beautiful!
Elvis Ann is enjoying Marathon, because we have made so many new friends. She frequently entertains the happy hour crowd with parrot tricks while we all wait for sunset. More than anything, Elvis Ann loves attention. She sits on John’s hand. He holds her talons and gives the commands. She swings, hangs, cradles like a baby in his arms, lays on her back into his other hand, falls over dead when he points his finger at her and says “bang!”, and turns around in a circle. The “bang” trick is a real crowd pleaser. John gives everyone a chance to “shoot” her and say “bang!”. Elvis Ann performs perfectly every time!
We have made many good friends here and are in no hurry to leave…
People on our dock at Marathon Marina are very social. Many of them are regulars here in the winter. Happy hour at sunset is a daily, well-attended event. Every evening, fellow live-aboards grab their conch shells, which have been drilled out and made into horns, and gather on the dock near Island Chariot. Our dock has a clear view of the sun dipping into the ocean. Just after the sun sinks out of sight, everyone raises their conchs to their lips and blows into them like bugles to signal the end of the day. The sound is like a cruise ship honking upon entering a channel. Last Saturday at the Big Pine Flea Market, I purchased a conch so I could join the choir. It’s the closest I’ll get to a Pamlico Community Band experience in Marathon! Just prior to sounding the conchs, we all wait with heightened anticipation for the illusive “green flash”. When conditions are right, just as the sun disappears you can see a split second of green light. Conditions are rarely just right. We were fortunate that only three days after our arrival we witnessed the “green flash”. Beautiful!
Elvis Ann is enjoying Marathon, because we have made so many new friends. She frequently entertains the happy hour crowd with parrot tricks while we all wait for sunset. More than anything, Elvis Ann loves attention. She sits on John’s hand. He holds her talons and gives the commands. She swings, hangs, cradles like a baby in his arms, lays on her back into his other hand, falls over dead when he points his finger at her and says “bang!”, and turns around in a circle. The “bang” trick is a real crowd pleaser. John gives everyone a chance to “shoot” her and say “bang!”. Elvis Ann performs perfectly every time!
We have made many good friends here and are in no hurry to leave…
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Arrival!
We woke before the sun on Monday, January 5th, excited about heading southwest to Marathon, FL. For more than 10 years John and I have imagined sailing south to the Florida Keys for the winter. Taking our time, seeing the sights, then landing in the Keys is #66 of 104 items on my bucket list.
Exactly one month after arriving at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in Miami Beach, we pulled away from slip E-109 at 7AM and headed toward Key Biscayne. Rather than heading out to sea the way we came, we stayed inside the Biscayne Bay and exited at the Key Biscayne Channel into the Hawk Channel. The Hawk Channel runs about a mile offshore inside the reef separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Keys. We unfurled the mainsail, staysail, and genoa, then set our course for Rodriguez Key. Under robin’s-egg-blue skies and fluffy white clouds we sailed on a broad reach at 6.5 – 7.5 knots. The clear, blue-green seas were one to two feet with winds at 12 knots. Eric the autopilot held our course. John and I reclined on our cockpit cushions and grinned as we rode gently up and down on the waves.
We sailed about 50 miles on the first day and stopped for the night at the Rodriguez Key Anchorage opposite Key Largo. Fortunately, most boaters had reached their destinations so the anchorage was nearly empty. The water was so clear we could see the bottom eight feet below. The bottom was sandy and grassy, which made setting our 60-pound CQR anchor challenging. Once we were satisfied that the anchor would hold us for the night, John donned his wet suit, fins, mask, and snorkel and dove on anchor just to be sure. By 9PM we were asleep. John awoke at midnight to ensure we were not dragging the anchor as the winds picked up and clocked around to the east. All was well. John awoke again at 3:30AM. This time we were dragging. In fact, we had moved backward about three boat lengths. Thank goodness no boats were behind us and the east wind kept us from dragging aground. We were not in danger of running into anything, so we decided not to move the boat or reset the anchor. It seemed like the anchor had dug in again as we did not drag any further. John kept one eye open for the rest of the night. We had experienced another first that we had heard so much about, the anchor dragging.
As soon as we saw the first signs of daylight, we weighed anchor and headed for Marathon and, specifically, Boot Key Harbor. The winds were steady at 16-18 knots. With all the sails unfurled we maintained speeds of 8+ knots in two- to three- foot seas and 20 feet of water. We were frustrated at the tremendous number of lobster traps in the channel, which were difficult to see and challenging to avoid in the waves. Crab and lobster traps have small floats attached to thick lines attached to traps that sit on the bottom. Had we hit a trap, the line would likely have become wrapped around our propeller and pulled the shaft out of the boat causing us to take on water and possibly sink. With thousands of traps along the Keys it is hard to imagine there are any lobsters alive!
By 1:30PM on Tuesday we were pulling into Boot Key Harbor and Marathon Marina. NOAA weather forecasted a cold front and storms by Tuesday night or Wednesday, so we were delighted to be docked before the front arrived. We had finally arrived at the destination for which we set sail in October. Blue skies, 80-degree temperatures, light breezes, blue-green waters, manatees, mangrove trees, tiki bars, hundreds of fellow cruisers…we had seen it all in our minds for ten years, and the Keys are as breathtaking as we imagined them to be.
Exactly one month after arriving at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in Miami Beach, we pulled away from slip E-109 at 7AM and headed toward Key Biscayne. Rather than heading out to sea the way we came, we stayed inside the Biscayne Bay and exited at the Key Biscayne Channel into the Hawk Channel. The Hawk Channel runs about a mile offshore inside the reef separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Keys. We unfurled the mainsail, staysail, and genoa, then set our course for Rodriguez Key. Under robin’s-egg-blue skies and fluffy white clouds we sailed on a broad reach at 6.5 – 7.5 knots. The clear, blue-green seas were one to two feet with winds at 12 knots. Eric the autopilot held our course. John and I reclined on our cockpit cushions and grinned as we rode gently up and down on the waves.
We sailed about 50 miles on the first day and stopped for the night at the Rodriguez Key Anchorage opposite Key Largo. Fortunately, most boaters had reached their destinations so the anchorage was nearly empty. The water was so clear we could see the bottom eight feet below. The bottom was sandy and grassy, which made setting our 60-pound CQR anchor challenging. Once we were satisfied that the anchor would hold us for the night, John donned his wet suit, fins, mask, and snorkel and dove on anchor just to be sure. By 9PM we were asleep. John awoke at midnight to ensure we were not dragging the anchor as the winds picked up and clocked around to the east. All was well. John awoke again at 3:30AM. This time we were dragging. In fact, we had moved backward about three boat lengths. Thank goodness no boats were behind us and the east wind kept us from dragging aground. We were not in danger of running into anything, so we decided not to move the boat or reset the anchor. It seemed like the anchor had dug in again as we did not drag any further. John kept one eye open for the rest of the night. We had experienced another first that we had heard so much about, the anchor dragging.
As soon as we saw the first signs of daylight, we weighed anchor and headed for Marathon and, specifically, Boot Key Harbor. The winds were steady at 16-18 knots. With all the sails unfurled we maintained speeds of 8+ knots in two- to three- foot seas and 20 feet of water. We were frustrated at the tremendous number of lobster traps in the channel, which were difficult to see and challenging to avoid in the waves. Crab and lobster traps have small floats attached to thick lines attached to traps that sit on the bottom. Had we hit a trap, the line would likely have become wrapped around our propeller and pulled the shaft out of the boat causing us to take on water and possibly sink. With thousands of traps along the Keys it is hard to imagine there are any lobsters alive!
By 1:30PM on Tuesday we were pulling into Boot Key Harbor and Marathon Marina. NOAA weather forecasted a cold front and storms by Tuesday night or Wednesday, so we were delighted to be docked before the front arrived. We had finally arrived at the destination for which we set sail in October. Blue skies, 80-degree temperatures, light breezes, blue-green waters, manatees, mangrove trees, tiki bars, hundreds of fellow cruisers…we had seen it all in our minds for ten years, and the Keys are as breathtaking as we imagined them to be.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
A Holly Jolly Christmas Week in Miami Beach
“Nothing is ever as over as Christmas.” That’s a quote from John’s mom that sums up our feelings yesterday. Yesterday morning, John and I took down the Christmas lights and put away all of the cards that had made our salon so merry. Two weeks ago, we ran 130 feet of white lights from the top of the mast forward and aft. People could enjoy the lights for miles around, because our mast is 63.5-feet high. Fellow cruisers anchored nearby have visited us in their dinghies just to tell us how much they enjoy our lights, which made us smile broadly and swell with pride.
Christmas morning aboard Island Chariot was a bit like Christmas morning in Whoville before the Grinch returned everything he stole from the Whos. We did not have a Christmas tree or stockings or plates full of decorative and delicious cookies. Gifts we gave and received were simple and meaningful. Holiday Kleenex boxes, two strands of white LED lights and Christmas cards from friends and family on both sides of the salon created a festive atmosphere. Without the usual hustle and stress, John and I had time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Many people call themselves “seekers” of God. Actually, God seeks us and did so in a major way by sending his only son to save us. He’s right here. All we have to do is accept Him and His amazing love for us. No further God-seeking is required. And, we paused as we do each day in moments of gratitude to name everything for which we are grateful at that time. Although we missed our families, we felt joyful and peaceful.
Later on Christmas Day we prepared a tossed salad and an appetizer of cheeses and crackers for nine of us, then drove the dinghy over to Hale Kai for a cruisers’ Christmas dinner. Hale Kai is a large Beneteau sailboat piloted by Richard and Sharon. We think Richard may be in the witness protection program. Here is the evidence: He changes his appearance every two years or so, has Delaware as the hailing port of his boat, lives in the mountains, and keeps his boat in Oriental, NC. I know what you’re thinking. I could be describing almost any cruiser! At any rate, we were an eclectic mix of people who had a delightful time together despite the fact that we would make an unlikely dinner party on land. I’ll say it again; the people we meet are the best part of cruising.
We all enjoyed each other so much on Christmas that we did some South Beach sightseeing together the next day, walking to the Holocaust Memorial and the Botanical Gardens before stopping for refreshments on Lincoln Road. The Holocaust Memorial recapped the horrors of what human beings are capable of doing to one another. I was glad we started the day there. My spirits were lifted again admiring the beauty of the flowers, shrubs and trees at the Botanical Gardens.
A few days later, we took a dinghy trip up the Miami River under bright sunshine and blue skies. We are used to creeks in rural settings. The Miami River feels like a creek; however, it runs through downtown Miami. It was strange seeing skyscrapers on the cement banks of the narrow river.
As we crossed the Biscayne Bay on our way back to Island Chariot, we fished a cane out of the water. It had a golden dragon’s head at the top with gold designs down the black cane. The owner had placed a return address label near the top, most of which was still intact. It was our pleasure to look up the owner’s phone number online and inform her that we would ship the cane to her in Pittsburgh. We called her to ensure she was still at that address. She was amazed that we found the cane and that we were returning it to her.
Earlier in December soon after our arrival in Miami Beach, we found a man’s designer dress shirt in the street still wrapped in plastic and on a hanger from leaving the dry cleaners. It was a Saturday night and the dry cleaners was closed. On Monday, we brought the shirt back to the dry cleaners. The numbered tag on it enabled the staff to identify its owner. They, too, were amazed that we would return the item. Isn’t that a sad commentary?
Then, again, is the story of my sunglasses. On the day we went to Parrot Jungle I left them in the shower room at our "gated, exclusive yacht club". Thirty minutes later when I realized what I had done, I went back into the shower room only to find them gone. I checked with the office staff and no one turned the sunglasses in to lost and found. So, I brought the case into the shower room with a note telling the person who found the glasses to take the case to protect them since I did not need it any more. But, I digress...
Wrapping up the holiday week, we took pleasure in a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration. Being lovers of sci-fi movies, John and I watched Transformers on Blu-Ray DVD, and then switched to the FOX network celebration in Las Vegas. The FOX celebration took place at the Mirage Hotel where we stayed when we were married in Las Vegas. Daughtry and David Cook performed, both of whom I enjoy, which is what made us choose that particular TV party. At midnight, we emerged from the salon up into the cockpit of Island Chariot and reveled in fireworks surrounding us from downtown Miami to South Beach.
The next morning brought us the Tournament of Roses Parade followed by much college football. The highlight of New Year’s Day was watching my alma mater win the Gator Bowl. It has been so long since the Huskers have had a winning team!
Normally, my resolutions, affirmations, and goals for the year ahead would be complete by now. I'm holding over last year's affirmation "I'm feeling energetic and lean weighing 118!" for another year. That's all I have so far. The problem with that goal wrapped in an affirmation is that I'm feeling too energetic and great weighing 128. Anyway, John and I decided that January 1 is an arbitrary date. We agreed to revisit our goals for 2009 and beyond on February 8. No, there is no particular reason for the date.
Today we joined several others at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in celebrating Clare’s birthday. John met Clare and Steve when he brought our boat home for the first time. Part I of her party included mimosas and danishs at 10AM. Part II is a bar-b-que at 6PM. What a delightful way to spend a beautiful Miami Beach January day!
It is hard to believe our month in Miami Beach is up on Monday. It feels like the time-space continuum has folded. We can’t have been here for 31 days!
Marathon here we come!
Christmas morning aboard Island Chariot was a bit like Christmas morning in Whoville before the Grinch returned everything he stole from the Whos. We did not have a Christmas tree or stockings or plates full of decorative and delicious cookies. Gifts we gave and received were simple and meaningful. Holiday Kleenex boxes, two strands of white LED lights and Christmas cards from friends and family on both sides of the salon created a festive atmosphere. Without the usual hustle and stress, John and I had time to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. Many people call themselves “seekers” of God. Actually, God seeks us and did so in a major way by sending his only son to save us. He’s right here. All we have to do is accept Him and His amazing love for us. No further God-seeking is required. And, we paused as we do each day in moments of gratitude to name everything for which we are grateful at that time. Although we missed our families, we felt joyful and peaceful.
Later on Christmas Day we prepared a tossed salad and an appetizer of cheeses and crackers for nine of us, then drove the dinghy over to Hale Kai for a cruisers’ Christmas dinner. Hale Kai is a large Beneteau sailboat piloted by Richard and Sharon. We think Richard may be in the witness protection program. Here is the evidence: He changes his appearance every two years or so, has Delaware as the hailing port of his boat, lives in the mountains, and keeps his boat in Oriental, NC. I know what you’re thinking. I could be describing almost any cruiser! At any rate, we were an eclectic mix of people who had a delightful time together despite the fact that we would make an unlikely dinner party on land. I’ll say it again; the people we meet are the best part of cruising.
We all enjoyed each other so much on Christmas that we did some South Beach sightseeing together the next day, walking to the Holocaust Memorial and the Botanical Gardens before stopping for refreshments on Lincoln Road. The Holocaust Memorial recapped the horrors of what human beings are capable of doing to one another. I was glad we started the day there. My spirits were lifted again admiring the beauty of the flowers, shrubs and trees at the Botanical Gardens.
A few days later, we took a dinghy trip up the Miami River under bright sunshine and blue skies. We are used to creeks in rural settings. The Miami River feels like a creek; however, it runs through downtown Miami. It was strange seeing skyscrapers on the cement banks of the narrow river.
As we crossed the Biscayne Bay on our way back to Island Chariot, we fished a cane out of the water. It had a golden dragon’s head at the top with gold designs down the black cane. The owner had placed a return address label near the top, most of which was still intact. It was our pleasure to look up the owner’s phone number online and inform her that we would ship the cane to her in Pittsburgh. We called her to ensure she was still at that address. She was amazed that we found the cane and that we were returning it to her.
Earlier in December soon after our arrival in Miami Beach, we found a man’s designer dress shirt in the street still wrapped in plastic and on a hanger from leaving the dry cleaners. It was a Saturday night and the dry cleaners was closed. On Monday, we brought the shirt back to the dry cleaners. The numbered tag on it enabled the staff to identify its owner. They, too, were amazed that we would return the item. Isn’t that a sad commentary?
Then, again, is the story of my sunglasses. On the day we went to Parrot Jungle I left them in the shower room at our "gated, exclusive yacht club". Thirty minutes later when I realized what I had done, I went back into the shower room only to find them gone. I checked with the office staff and no one turned the sunglasses in to lost and found. So, I brought the case into the shower room with a note telling the person who found the glasses to take the case to protect them since I did not need it any more. But, I digress...
Wrapping up the holiday week, we took pleasure in a quiet New Year’s Eve celebration. Being lovers of sci-fi movies, John and I watched Transformers on Blu-Ray DVD, and then switched to the FOX network celebration in Las Vegas. The FOX celebration took place at the Mirage Hotel where we stayed when we were married in Las Vegas. Daughtry and David Cook performed, both of whom I enjoy, which is what made us choose that particular TV party. At midnight, we emerged from the salon up into the cockpit of Island Chariot and reveled in fireworks surrounding us from downtown Miami to South Beach.
The next morning brought us the Tournament of Roses Parade followed by much college football. The highlight of New Year’s Day was watching my alma mater win the Gator Bowl. It has been so long since the Huskers have had a winning team!
Normally, my resolutions, affirmations, and goals for the year ahead would be complete by now. I'm holding over last year's affirmation "I'm feeling energetic and lean weighing 118!" for another year. That's all I have so far. The problem with that goal wrapped in an affirmation is that I'm feeling too energetic and great weighing 128. Anyway, John and I decided that January 1 is an arbitrary date. We agreed to revisit our goals for 2009 and beyond on February 8. No, there is no particular reason for the date.
Today we joined several others at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club in celebrating Clare’s birthday. John met Clare and Steve when he brought our boat home for the first time. Part I of her party included mimosas and danishs at 10AM. Part II is a bar-b-que at 6PM. What a delightful way to spend a beautiful Miami Beach January day!
It is hard to believe our month in Miami Beach is up on Monday. It feels like the time-space continuum has folded. We can’t have been here for 31 days!
Marathon here we come!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A Snapshot of Life at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club
We had planned to stay at Sunset Harbour Yacht Club for two days, and then continue to Marathon, FL. Two days came and went and we were not ready to leave Miami Beach. In fact, we were enjoying Miami Beach so much we decided to stay for a month. Christmas and New Year’s Day in sunny Miami Beach – Woo hoo!
It’s been over two weeks now. Our website www.islandchariot.com has photos showing some of our activities. Every day I think, “Today, I’ll blog!”, and then I do something else like watch manatees or read a book instead. Every time I finish the books on board someone gives me another or recommends one. Then I can’t wait to get to it. The latest is One Cosmos Under God, by Robert W. Godwin. Awesome!
When we’re not visiting the Parrot Jungle, or having a fabulous dinner out, or exploring the area in the dinghy, or visiting friends in the nearby anchorages (by dinghy), our days are simple. Even the most mundane chores at home on land (e.g., doing the dishes together, …) are special while we’re cruising.
Here is a snapshot of how we spend a day in port in Miami Beach on Island Chariot. We awaken when we’re done sleeping, one of the best parts of staying in one place for a while. John and I enjoy cups of French roast coffee together. Elvis Ann joins us for our second cups. Our breakfast staples are cold cereal, oatmeal, eggs, and pancakes, which we eat in a rotation of sorts. We clean up the galley and the dishes, and then move on to other chores. This morning John is washing the boat. I am coaching clients.
I haven’t heard John in a while, so I peek up through a hatch like a human periscope to see where he is. I spot him polishing the chrome at the bow and admire what great care he takes of Island Chariot. Lunchtime rolls around and I wonder what John would like to eat. I peek out of the hatch again and find John in exactly the same position, hand on the rag and rag on the chrome, but gaze focused across the channel. I look back at Bayou, the mega-yacht behind us. She is listing to port from the weight of the crew polishing the port bow, rags in their hands, but gazes focused across the channel. I follow their gazes. A modeling shoot is happening again across the canal from Island Chariot. Bikini-clad, bronze-skin, ample-breasted girls are posing on the 50-plus-foot Sunseeker. All that posing looks like hard work. Our port-side chrome has never sparkled more brightly. I consider calling across the canal to ask them to finish the shoot on the yacht club side of the canal so our starboard-side chrome could sparkle, too!
After lunch, we don our bathing suits and go for a swim. John brings all of our snorkeling gear so we can “preflight” it in the swimming pool before we take a snorkeling jaunt. We wriggle into our wetsuits, booties, gloves, fins, masks, and snorkels, and then jump into the pool to find treasures on the bottom. All the gear is in fine working order. We doff our gear and continue swimming. Winds from the east make perfect conditions for “croc races”. We retrieve our crocs and hold them against the east side of the pool. John says “ready, set, go” and we release our crocs. (Yes, we were the only ones in the pool that day!) John’s right croc takes an early lead, then turns back toward the east wall. Both of mine start drifting ever so slowly, until they pick up the breeze and go flying across the pool. John’s are still back at the east wall. I am the “croc racing” champion, at least for that day!
We clean up from swimming and do another chore or two – clean Elvis Ann’s cage, oil the bike chains, vacuum the salon, shop at Publix, …
We stop our chores and enjoy a glass of pinot noir in the cockpit as the sun lowers in the sky. We decide to go out for dinner. I say to John, “I want to learn how to meditate.”. He laughs and shakes his head. I say “What?” – you know, that why-are-you-looking-at-me-like-I-have-a fern-for-a-head kind of “what?”. He says I am always working on myself. He asks me why I want to learn to meditate. I tell him it’s because I want to reach spiritual enlightenment. I tell him about the monk whose brain the neurologists scanned. (I love it when science and spirituality collide). His brain did not have the red and yellow spikes that the rest of our noisy brains have. He slipped into a meditative state and his scan showed the cool “blue pearl” in the middle of his brain – the rest was quiet. I explained that people who meditate and achieve spiritual enlightenment experience a blue electricity from the bottom of their spines out their heads, and that each religious tradition has a different name for it. John laughs and tells me that he achieves blue electricity when he eats at Taco Loco. He gets it at the bottom of his spine and must bite down on a cold cloth…
…So my brother calls later that day and we have wonderful conversation about their preparing for Baby. He asks me how it’s going with John and me being no more than 50 feet apart all of the time, especially after so much time apart before John retired from the USMC. I tell him all is well, situation normal.
It’s been over two weeks now. Our website www.islandchariot.com has photos showing some of our activities. Every day I think, “Today, I’ll blog!”, and then I do something else like watch manatees or read a book instead. Every time I finish the books on board someone gives me another or recommends one. Then I can’t wait to get to it. The latest is One Cosmos Under God, by Robert W. Godwin. Awesome!
When we’re not visiting the Parrot Jungle, or having a fabulous dinner out, or exploring the area in the dinghy, or visiting friends in the nearby anchorages (by dinghy), our days are simple. Even the most mundane chores at home on land (e.g., doing the dishes together, …) are special while we’re cruising.
Here is a snapshot of how we spend a day in port in Miami Beach on Island Chariot. We awaken when we’re done sleeping, one of the best parts of staying in one place for a while. John and I enjoy cups of French roast coffee together. Elvis Ann joins us for our second cups. Our breakfast staples are cold cereal, oatmeal, eggs, and pancakes, which we eat in a rotation of sorts. We clean up the galley and the dishes, and then move on to other chores. This morning John is washing the boat. I am coaching clients.
I haven’t heard John in a while, so I peek up through a hatch like a human periscope to see where he is. I spot him polishing the chrome at the bow and admire what great care he takes of Island Chariot. Lunchtime rolls around and I wonder what John would like to eat. I peek out of the hatch again and find John in exactly the same position, hand on the rag and rag on the chrome, but gaze focused across the channel. I look back at Bayou, the mega-yacht behind us. She is listing to port from the weight of the crew polishing the port bow, rags in their hands, but gazes focused across the channel. I follow their gazes. A modeling shoot is happening again across the canal from Island Chariot. Bikini-clad, bronze-skin, ample-breasted girls are posing on the 50-plus-foot Sunseeker. All that posing looks like hard work. Our port-side chrome has never sparkled more brightly. I consider calling across the canal to ask them to finish the shoot on the yacht club side of the canal so our starboard-side chrome could sparkle, too!
After lunch, we don our bathing suits and go for a swim. John brings all of our snorkeling gear so we can “preflight” it in the swimming pool before we take a snorkeling jaunt. We wriggle into our wetsuits, booties, gloves, fins, masks, and snorkels, and then jump into the pool to find treasures on the bottom. All the gear is in fine working order. We doff our gear and continue swimming. Winds from the east make perfect conditions for “croc races”. We retrieve our crocs and hold them against the east side of the pool. John says “ready, set, go” and we release our crocs. (Yes, we were the only ones in the pool that day!) John’s right croc takes an early lead, then turns back toward the east wall. Both of mine start drifting ever so slowly, until they pick up the breeze and go flying across the pool. John’s are still back at the east wall. I am the “croc racing” champion, at least for that day!
We clean up from swimming and do another chore or two – clean Elvis Ann’s cage, oil the bike chains, vacuum the salon, shop at Publix, …
We stop our chores and enjoy a glass of pinot noir in the cockpit as the sun lowers in the sky. We decide to go out for dinner. I say to John, “I want to learn how to meditate.”. He laughs and shakes his head. I say “What?” – you know, that why-are-you-looking-at-me-like-I-have-a fern-for-a-head kind of “what?”. He says I am always working on myself. He asks me why I want to learn to meditate. I tell him it’s because I want to reach spiritual enlightenment. I tell him about the monk whose brain the neurologists scanned. (I love it when science and spirituality collide). His brain did not have the red and yellow spikes that the rest of our noisy brains have. He slipped into a meditative state and his scan showed the cool “blue pearl” in the middle of his brain – the rest was quiet. I explained that people who meditate and achieve spiritual enlightenment experience a blue electricity from the bottom of their spines out their heads, and that each religious tradition has a different name for it. John laughs and tells me that he achieves blue electricity when he eats at Taco Loco. He gets it at the bottom of his spine and must bite down on a cold cloth…
…So my brother calls later that day and we have wonderful conversation about their preparing for Baby. He asks me how it’s going with John and me being no more than 50 feet apart all of the time, especially after so much time apart before John retired from the USMC. I tell him all is well, situation normal.
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