2020: Parasailing off Marathon

30 January 2020

While on the Great Loop in January of 2016, Clark came up with  the idea of an air-boat ride through the Everglades as a great birthday gift idea for me. He would not tell me what he had in mind for a gift until the day of the ride. Two years ago Clark decided that, since neither of us had done it before, we should rent a PWC, i.e. wave runner, for my birthday present. We took out one and rode together.

This year when we arrived in Marathon, we stopped into the visitor's center to ask for coupons. While there I saw an ad for the parasail trips here in town. I turned to Clark and said, "That's what I want for my birthday this year!" He remembered!

Almost every time we take "Sunset Delight" out for a maintenance run we see a parasail boat running about with folks having fun, and I drool with envy.

Folks out enjoying a parasail ride.

Clark has been watching the weather for a good day. He talked to someone yesterday about times and what we needed. However, yesterday the captain had a family emergency, so he was not taking anyone out. We decided to go today. Jim on "Hour Plan" expressed interest in joining us when we went, so we invited him to join us today for the fun.

The outing almost did not happen because the captain's 3-year old daughter took the business phone and put it somewhere such that the parents can't find it. They did not get our phone messages! By luck, Clark had the phone number of someone else at the launch site, and she had the owner call us back. He told us to be there at 1:00 for a 1:30 take off. Yay!!

Of course we had to sign away all liability for the ride. We used our coupons that we got at the visitor's center. No one else wanted to  go on the 1:30 ride, so we had the boat to ourselves. We wanted to go earlier in the day rather than later and that meant we had picked a time with somewhat higher wind velocities. I had no idea if more or less wind is preferred. I just wanted to go and enjoy!

The parasail can handle one or two people at a time. Because of the windy conditions, the captain said we would need to go two at a time for balance. Since he had 3 guests, (Clark, me and Jim), he asked, "Who wants to go twice?" Clark immediately offered up the "Birthday Girl" for the extra ride.  Clark and I went first, and then Jim went with me for the second turn. (No extra charge for my second trip up!)

Preparing the parachute for the ride!

They launch right off the back of the boat. We got safety instructions on what to do if there is a failure. We were told to pull on the red strap and throw the anchor in the water to stop the parachute if we got disconnected. Given the wind direction, Clark said we could end up in the Atlantic if the parachute got away!

We left all our phones on the boat in case we got dunked. Jim strapped a go-pro on Clark to get footage of the trip! That was the only item we took up with us.

Harnessed and Ready to Go! Who's coming with me?
Bag with red handle over my head contains the emergency anchor!

Clark and Ev going up

and up ...

Crew keeping an eye on the parachute

Up at 800' and looking below for sea turtles in the water!

When we prepared for the ride, the captain asked if we wanted to get dipped in the water. I said, "Well, I don't want any more than my toes wet!" He replied, "All the way to the nose! Got it!" As he reeled us back in, he dipped our toes in the water. It was amazingly warm in temperature - warmer than the air temp for sure. The captain said the water temp was 72 degrees. Nice!

I stayed strapped in after we got back while Clark and Jim traded places. Jim wore his go-pro. While Jim and I admired the view of the clear teal water, Clark took pictures and videos.

They told us to look for sea turtles and such. Clark and I saw nothing in the water on our trip together. Jim spotted a ray when we were up. We saw no turtles at all. With the wind direction, we had a great view of the water. If we turned our heads, we got brief glimpses of the islands of Marathon, but the wind kept us pointed in the wrong direction for a good look at Marathon.

All too soon the adventure was over, and it was time to turn the boat towards the dock. I enjoyed the boat ride out and back. It was a great boat and fun to be on a fast boat for a change!

Parachute stowed, time to return to dock

Jim, Crew (Jackie), Captain Alex, and Evelyn

Clark is now in the picture. 

Captain Alex docking the boat

The place where we went for the ride is a very short walk from our marina - Captain Pip's Parasail! As we walked back to the boat, Jim asked me what I had in mind for my next birthday. I said I would have to think about it. He suggested jumping out of a plane with a parachute! I'm considering it.

When we got back to the boat, I pulled out my computer and the camera to see the pictures and update the blog. Clark pulled out his guitar!

We went to Thursday night "Heavy Hors d'oeuvres" for dinner. When we came back to the boat, a couple of folks joined us for some more guitar playing and a bit of singing.

Clark with Adrienne and Richard (visiting "Amalie")

Beverly and David, "Amalie", and Evelyn
Listening to the performers

2020: Faro Blanco Marina Life

29 January 2020
Depart: Faro Blanco (maintenance run) 1:20 
Arrive: Faro Blanco 5:20
Distance: ~ 18 nm


Faro Blanco is a pet-friendly marina. Ann on "Morning Star II" knows each and every dog by name and their doggy treat preferences. She has a prime slip to greet every dog that passes by.  One of the dogs living on a boat here is Stella. I met her at Ann's boat. Clark had the opportunity to say hello to Stella on her boat and give her a scratch. Every time Clark stopped petting Stella, she grabbed his arm to pull him back again.

Stella just did not want Clark to stop petting

Fast friends instantly

When he attended the recent MTOA boaters' Happy Hour, Clark got the name of someone who could come to the boat and do a safety inspection for us (Sue Redding U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary). When she is not inspecting boats, she is training and grooming dogs. When she came to inspect our boat, she brought two beauties with her that she is currently training . Since the dogs' nanny is Spanish, she is training the dogs in both English and Spanish commands.

She is learning not to jump; he is learning not to bark.

Meanwhile, Sue's own, well-behaved dog, stayed in her car while she inspected our vessel.

Clark made a point of going by to say hello to this lonely pooch

Dogs are not the only non-human inhabitants at the marina. Besides numerous pelicans that hang around the fishing boats, we also have herons and egrets that come to visit. The egret shown below was standing on one leg sleeping in a strong wind - pretty amazing that it could keep its balance on a boat!

A number of fishing boats call Faro Blanco their home port. They regularly take out hopeful clients. Every once in a while they come back with exciting catches.

Sailfish

Caught on fishing trip with
Blue Magic

Usually Faro Blanco is home to trawlers, i.e. slow-moving, live-aboard, vessels. On occasion, we have a fast-boat invasion. This happened last weekend - the same weekend as the Mardi Gras party. Twenty-five fast boats came in for a two-night stay.

Fast boats at Faro Blanco

We took "Sunset Delight" out for a maintenance run the day they arrived. It felt like we were "playing chicken" with them as they raced towards us and then flew by us as we left the marina and they entered.

Since they tend to be noisy crowds, I am always happy when it is time for them to leave. The loud vroom, vroom, vroom of the boats gets to be a bit much pretty quickly. I am sure they are trying to impress everyone with their engines. Not me!

We have a small group of folks that gather outside Ann and Mel's boat nearly every night for docktails. On Thursday night, however, we have "heavy hors d'oeuvres" night. The expectation is that everyone attending will bring an hors d'oeuvre such that, at the end of the docktails gathering, no one has to go home and cook dinner. Unfortunately, Clark likes his dinner and is not so keen on hors d'oeuvres, so this plan does not work for us. Even if I get enough to eat, I still have to come back to the boat and prepare something for Clark to eat.

Twice now, AC on "Hour Plan" has invited the boating ladies in the marina to attend a "Ladies' Coffee" on her boat. She had one of those today. She provides Cappuccino, Americano Coffee, and Decaf Tea. Folks attending bring cakes and such to go with the drinks. Today we had bagels (from AC), mini-sandwiches (from Ann), iced cinnamon rolls (from Faith), and a variety of other treats. The table was overflowing with yummy goodies.

When I got back to the boat around 11:00, Jim ("Hour Plan") was telling Clark that he was taking his boat out for a maintenance run today. Looking at weather and activities over the next few days, Clark and I decided we should do a maintenance run today as well. We had lunch and left the marina shortly after 1:00.

The northerly winds we have been blowing sea grass into the marina that stacks up around the boats on our side of the marina. When it first comes in, it is not a problem. However, when it stays for days, it begins to stink. This morning my allergies were rebelling against the rotting sea grass collected around our hull.

As we readied to pull out of the slip, desperate for some fresh air, I asked Clark if we could go for longer than the usual one-hour run. I suggested we find an anchorage and drop anchor to hang out for a while. I thought it would be relaxing to sit and read.

After doing some checking on options, Clark came back with the suggestion of going to the Bahia Honda North anchorage. This choice allowed us to travel a reasonably short distance and not have to pass under any bridges to do so. The only thing we had to worry about was crab traps, and they were numerous. Auto pilot proved useless as Clark constantly maneuvered around pots.

It took about an hour to travel the approximately 9 nautical miles to the anchorage. He posted me on the bow to scope out the bottom for a good place to drop anchor. The water is so clear hear that I could see the bottom and know if we were over sand or weeds. What I could not tell from my view was how deep the water was. It looked like I could reach down and touch the bottom. Clark said we had over 8 feet of water. Amazing clarity!   We dropped anchor in sand as desired.

Once settled, I sat down to read. That did not last long! When we anchored, I mentioned to Clark that the bow of the boat had grown a green beard. Obviously the maintenance run, even riding for an hour, was not sufficient to remove the beard.

Fuzzy green bow!

I thought Clark was going to join me and read his newspapers. However, he decided the beard had to go. He checked the water temperature and found it to be in the 70s. Next thing I see, he comes out wearing his bathing suit and carrying a towel. He's going swimming to check out the boat bottom and tackle the beard.

That was the end of my reading - not even 5 minutes long! He asked me to spot him as he dove under the boat as well as be available if he needed brushes, scrapers, tools, etc. I decided to monitor him with a camera in hand.

"Get me a scraper, please!"

Clark working his way forward scraping the hull.

Cleaning off the green beard!

After he did the scraping, the long "hairs" were gone. Then, he asked me for a sponge to get off the rest of the green residue on the hull. The current helped him float back to the stern where I handed him a sponge with a scotch brite backing. Then he circumnavigated the hull one more time to produce a nice clean bottom!

Coming back for a sponge to complete the job.

We wanted to get back to the marina around 5:00 in time for docktails. To do that we had to leave at 4:00. Clark finished up his boat scrubbing just about then. He quickly changed clothes and had us heading back to the marina by 4:05. As we traveled, he asked me to check the weather forecast. Weatherbug said that it was currently raining in Big Pine Key with rain and thunderstorms coming our way.

He decided to add a little oomph to the throttle to move us along a little faster. We got back to our slip at 5:20 with no encounters with rain or thunderstorms. After tying up, we walked up to attend docktails and met some folks who just came into the marina today -- Nancy and Doug on "Belle".  They will be here for the next month.

Around 6:15, I headed back to the boat to make dinner (typical). I cooked up the remainder of the fresh catch fish our friend Dave on "Uptick" gave us when he stopped by a few days ago. As we ate dinner, we watched the news and learned about current events (again typical routine for us).

2020: Faro Blanco Early Mardi Gras

25 January 2020
No boat travel.

Today I became medicare eligible! When it is someone's birthday, the Lighthouse Grill offers a free entree to the celebrating person. (Proof of birthday required.) Today I had two choices for dinner - free dinner at the restaurant or free buffet at a dock party. At the restaurant, I could get the fresh catch of the day. At the Mardi Gras celebration, I had the choice of various New Orlean's style cuisine. Many of the planned Mardi Gras options did not appear on my low-carb, low-spice diet plan, so I opted for the restaurant choice. The yellow-tail snapper tasted amazing! I made a good choice!

Even though we did not partake of the feast on the docks, we did contribute to desserts, help with set up and return after dinner to join in the festivities. The party was a big success!  Lisa, "Rae of Sun", was in charge of the event. Ann jumped in and did a ton of work to make the party great.

Mel and Ann -- "Morning Star II"

Mel with balloons and beads

Lots of food!

Hurricanes to drink!

F-Dock hosted the event. The organizers ...

Lisa - "Rae of Sun" in charge

Sandy - "L'Attitude Adjustment"
Ken - "Rae of Sun"

Valerie and Ann

Sandy - "L'Attitude Adjustment"

AC - "Hour Plan"

Beverly (on right dancing) - "Amalie"

Party goers ...

Ella handing out glowing bracelets and necklaces

Mia showing off her numerous beads

Anna May  caught eating

Wendy, Bobby, and Nina Wilson - "Cigale"

Faith and Jim - "Third Degree"

Faith - "Third Degree"

Ev and Clark - "Sunset Delight"

Jeff - "Mystic Gem"

Roy (on right) - "Yasmine Ann"

Jessie, Laura, Lela - "Miss Margo"
Jeff - "Mystic Gem"

AC (left) and Lynn - "Finns"

F-dock was the first "team" to put on their dock party. We have two more coming up (February and March) that will be hosted by other dock teams. Loads of fun to come!