No Boat Travel.
Sandy lives on the boat, "L'attitude Adjustment", to our starboard side, and Ann lives on the boat, "Morning Star II", on our port side in the marina. As I exited our boat this morning, Sandy told me that Ann needed to do some shopping (Sandy has a car) and asked if I would like to come along. It only took me a split second to say yes even though I had recently filled up on groceries when Yasmine took me shopping. A trip away from the boat, even to the supermarket, sounded wonderful.
Ann had a list of places to go, and Sandy had a few of her own stops to make. We left at 1:00 and were gone so long Mel, Ann's husband, was just about ready to start calling to see if we were alright. We started our outing with a stop at "Marooned in Marathon" - a gift shop at the far end of town. I saw lots of things I liked but having just blown my December budget on Christmas gifts, I decided to look and not buy today.
After "Marooned", we stopped at the "Dollar Store" where I spent a whole $1.08 on a mug! Sandy knows someone who works at a Thrift Shop in town, so we stopped there next. The only problem was that the store closed at 2:00, and we arrived at 1:58. They let us browse while they rang up the last customer because the worker knew Sandy. Afterwards they invited us to come back on another day and locked the door behind us as we left.
From there we stopped at Publix where I bought another swim noodle to chop up for windshield wiper covers. Clark and I bought one when we did our bike-trip shopping yesterday. Unfortunately, we found out when we cut it up that it only supplied enough material to cover two of the three wiper blades. After Publix, Ann went to the post office to mail off the gifts she bought at "Marooned in Marathon".
After an afternoon spent on a thoroughly enjoyable shopping spree, we got back with plenty of time to prepare for the evening's activity - dinner at Barnacle Barney's. Mel found out that Barnacle Barney's, just next door to our marina, offers and 'all you can eat' fish fry on Friday nights. He told Clark about it at docktails last night, and Clark told me.
While I spent the afternoon out with Sandy and Ann, Clark spent the afternoon washing the boat. As 5:00 approached, I mentioned that we would need to get ready to go to the fish fry. Uh oh! He says, "I thought we weren't going." I replied, "And I thought we were, and I am ready to head out soon." Sighing, he put away his boat cleaning materials and got cleaned up to go out for dinner.
When all was said and done, we had a group of 16 of us at Barnacle Barney's for dinner. Looking around the restaurant, Ann said, "If it weren't for our group, this place would be empty!" A few others occupied tables at the restaurant but not very many. As Mel promised, the restaurant offered an 'all you can eat' fried fish dinner and live music.
Clark wanted to capture pictures of the gathering. Sadly, when we pulled out our pocket camera, all it would do was show a flashing screen. Something has short circuited or failed internally. We need to buy a new one. Meanwhile, Clark grabbed his cell phone and started snapping shots of the group.
 |
| Bobby (visiting Dorothy and Clayton on "Flight"), Ann and Mel ("Morning Star II"), Ev ("Sunset Delight") |
 |
| Amber and Cory (Dorothy and Clayton's grandson and his girlfriend) Dorothy and Clayton ("Flight") |
 |
| Ev and Clark ("Sunset Delight") |
 |
| Ann and Mel ("Morning Star II") |
At sunset every night, when we are enjoying docktails at Faro Blanco, we hear a canon boom. Tonight we got to see and hear the canon fired since Barnacle Barney's is the source of the booms we hear on a nightly basis. When it came time to fire the canon, the waitress told everyone to cover their ears and then did a count down to the loud boom.
I guess this picture of the canon will suffice as tonight's sunset picture of the day.
12/15/2018
No Boat Travel
Yesterday, I asked Sandy if she planned to visit the roadside, farmer's market today, and she said she would let me know. When I saw her first thing this morning, she said I had two options - she could take me to the produce stand before she went with her husband to The Home Depot, or she could take me there after. Since I had not yet had breakfast, I opted for the "after" choice.
We left around 10:00 or so to go to the produce stand. Since we drove right by the City Marina, I asked her if she would mind stopping there so I could pick up the free shopping bag they offer to visiting boaters. I have gotten one each year we have come to Marathon. Every year they are a different color. This year the color is pine green.
Perhaps we should not have taken the time to stop at the City Marina. We got to the produce stand just as dark clouds rolled in. Just as we got to the food but before we could make any selections, the skies opened up and the rain poured down. The stands were covered by tents to offer protection from the rain. Unfortunately, the canvas covers kept filling up with water and then dumping their contents between the adjoining covers. I made the mistake of getting caught in the wrong spot a couple of times and got drenched.
Sandy made her purchase and decided to bolt for the car. Folks there said they thought the storm would pass quickly, but since Sandy bolted, I bolted too. By the time we got back to our marina, the rain had subsided substantially. Given the rainy weather, I found things to do on the boat for the rest of the day like some much-needed boat cleaning.
12/16/2018
Boat Maintenance Run
Depart: Faro Blanco, Marathon, FL 11:25
Return: Faro Blanco 12:15
I forgot that Clark said he wanted to do a maintenance run of the boat today. First thing in the morning I grabbed up the laundry and headed up to the wash room to get the wash going. No sooner did I return than Clark reminded me he was taking the boat out. "Not until my wash is done!", I replied. "When is that?" he asked. I promised him I would be done by 11:00. I kept my word and returned to the boat with my folded clothes at 11:03!
Shortly afterwards, we dropped our lines and headed out or a short boat ride to wash the "growth" off the bottom of the boat. Clark likes to go out once a week to take advantage of the anti-fouling paint in conjunction with salt-water "bath" to wash off the bottom. Clark set our lines up before we left to make it easier for us to tie up upon our return and get the boat back in approximately the same position we had it in when we left.
With our broken pocket camera, Clark is taking fewer pictures than usual. I managed to capture a picture on my cell phone of an iguana visiting our slip today. He was on the dock and shot over the side when I appeared.
 |
| Iguana peaking over edge of dock |
 |
| Iguana using the hose to hide from me |
Mel and Ann passed the word today that they planned to use their new ice cream maker to make chocolate ice cream at docktails tonight. They said it would be held at the lighthouse because they expected a crowd to come. When we got to docktails, I could not believe the food. It was a veritable banquet! We had deep fried swordfish bites (made by Ann), roasted brussel sprouts (made by Sandy), chicken wings, cheese and crackers, a variety of other treats, and of course the promised chocolate ice cream complete with homemade whipped cream and raspberry sauce.
I had no need to eat dinner after docktails tonight! Unfortunately, I could not say the same for Clark. Fortunately, I had left overs in the fridge that I heated up for his dinner.
Clark noticed that his favorite local guitarist was playing tonight at the marina. As soon as he could scoff down his food, he was off to go listen to John. I sat with him for the first set but listened from the boat for the second and third sets.
12/17/2018
No Boat Travel.
I woke up with two projects in mind which meant that today turned into a sewing day for me. Starting with the simpler of the two ideas, I worked on making an adjustment to my favorite hat to allow me to pin up the sides. It gives it a more "jaunty" look and I am pleased with the result.
The next idea I woke up with was to make a canvas cover for our folding chairs and table that we use in the cockpit. We stored them in the salon as we traveled, but it makes it very cluttered. I wanted them out but did not want them exposed to the elements. I had Clark bring my very heavy Singer sewing machine out to the salon so I could sew my canvas cover. I am happy with the result. It felt good to feel accomplished!
The weather turned chilly today. Late in the afternoon, having been on the boat for most of the day, Clark suggested we go for a walk to the far side of the docks. As we walked by one boat, Jeff and his daughter Jasmine nabbed us and we stood talking for quite a while. I finally told Clark I was freezing and we needed to start walking again to warm up.
We made it about 3 boats down and found Faith and Jim on "Third Degree" who came out to talk. At least we found a bit of sun to stand in while we chatted there until the clouds rolled in to cover the little sun we had. Still, we talked until we were too cold and then we left to walk some more. I told Clark I would need a coat to walk any further, so we stopped by the boat to grab coats before continuing our stroll.
Clark managed to find a bit of lingering sun to get tonight's sunset picture.
12/18/2018
No Boat Travel
Gordon, who is on a sailboat here in Faro Blanco marina, knocked on our boat at 10:00. He stopped by to ask Clark about the batteries on his boat. They talked for a few minutes and then Clark said he was heading over to Gordon's boat to take a look at it. I thought that Clark and I had a date to go to Kmart and Publix, but as soon as he said he was going to Gordon's boat, I knew I would not see him for hours.
On my way back to my boat from a trip to the "head", I came across Clayton. During the course of our conversation, I mentioned my desire to go to Kmart and no Clark to go with me. He offered up his wife's services to drive me. Shortly afterwards, Dorothy showed up at our boat ready to take me shopping. I locked up the boat and left.
When I talked to Clayton, he mentioned that he was looking for Clark to discuss his bow thruster problem. Following a quick lunch when done with Gordon's boat, Clark took off to visit Clayton on his boat and look at his intermittent bow thruster problem. Once again, he was gone for what felt like forever.
I finally got bored sitting on the boat by myself and went to see what was happening on Clayton's boat. I found Dorothy there reading, but when I said hello, she quickly put her book away and invited me on board. We sat up top on her boat and drank White Russians that she made for each of us. With the pleasant company and a drink in my hand, it no longer mattered to me that Clark was busy elsewhere.
By the time we left "Flight", Clark had managed to fix the bow thruster problem for Clayton. To get a bit of exercise, we walked around the docks with Erik and Jen while Clark grabbed some pictures.
12/19/2018
Boat Maintenance Run
Depart: Faro Blanco, Marathon, FL 10:35
Return: Faro Blanco 11:35
When we get a wind blowing in from the north, we get an influx of sea grass that crowds around the boat. Today we got an ugly present that blew in with it. I thought it was a big fish head. Others who walked by our boat stopped to look at the head and declared it to be a turtle head. Either way I wished it would blow back out to sea as I did not like it staring at me.
 |
| Turtle head or fish head? Either way ... extremely unpleasant to look at! |
Clark got a very big box delivered yesterday. Today he had me open it to see an early Christmas present - a new boat fender! So now I have a complete set of 4 for the boat. He did ask me what I wanted as a gift, and I said a fender, so I got what I asked for!
Once again I wanted to do laundry on a day when Clark planned a boat maintenance run. This time, however, I remembered he wanted to go out and made sure to wait until after our boat run to get started on it. I also planned to sew a cover for my new boat fender, but that goal got waylaid by Clark's plan to do an oil change on the boat.
With the engines warm from our outing, Clark got busy with the messiest oil change ever as soon as we got docked. Usually, with the oil transfer system, the oil changes are relatively easy. Today, however, when Clark removed an oil filter, a missing tube caused oil to flow down side of the engine and across the engine room floor.
Before we began the job (he needs my help), I told Clark I needed to change my clothes. He said I should not need to change my clothes, but I ignored him and it is a very good thing I did. It is a very, very good thing that he changed his clothes as well as his shoes because oil got everywhere and stained both his clothes and his shoes.
In the midst of all the oil change work, we took a lunch break. Just at that time, Faith and Jim stopped by with a Christmas goody bag containing homemade treats. Of course they caught me at my worst since I had on work clothes for the oil change.
 |
| Faith and Jim delivering homemade Christmas treats |
After his clean up duty, Clark strolled the docks a bit and got a sunset picture. I did not go to docktails tonight because when Faith stopped by earlier, we made plans to go to the movies tonight for a girl's night out. I needed to be ready at 6:30, so I decided I better stay on the boat to make dinner instead of wandering off.
I went with Faith to see the movie "Beautiful Boy". It was very heavy drama. Jim acted as Chauffeur and drove us to the theater and picked us up after the show. Faith's friend. Barb, whom I met last year, made us a threesome. When I returned to the boat after the movie, I found Clark happily strumming his guitar. I decided I needed to do an update to the blog and listened to him play while I typed.
No comments:
Post a Comment