WE FINALLY GET OUT AND ABOUT

 January has proven to be just what we needed to get the boat in shape for getting out and about. The weather had been a bit blustery from time to time giving us the perfect opportunity to spend time at the dock taking care of all the minor and a few major issues. We got a "bottom job" a few weeks ago and she's now slick as glass under the water. It will be interesting to see how long bottom paint will last in these constantly warm waters. 

We've toyed with the idea of replacing our navigation electronics (original equipment) and after discovering that our radar was shot (along with our autopilot) we decided to pull the trigger and we've arranged for the installation of a new chart plotter (GPS), along with the synchronized auto-pilot (that allows you to set a course by compass direction or by inputting a waypoint and the boat will steer itself on that heading or in the direction to the waypoint) as well as our radar. This alleviates the tiresome effort of manual steering everywhere you want to go. I bought a reconditioned chart plotter on Ebay to replace a completely non-functioning one on the fly bridge. Paid $225 for what would ordinarily cost (new) around $1500. It works perfectly and will give us a reliable backup (redundancy) at the helm.

 With the functioning plotter we decided to, finally, head off shore and down the Keys to one of our favorite anchorages where we spent 2 nights on the hook. (Had to hand steer all the way out and back, against fairly choppy seas but the boat handled beautifully ) Here, at last, are some pictures of our new boat on the hook in Newfound Harbor, a very nice anchorage off and between Big Pine and Ramrod Keys:

                                                                         

It was really nice to get out on the water. We're looking forward to some more benign conditions that will allow us to get out to the reefs for some snorkeling. Tried while at Newfound Harbor, but conditions just too rough and choppy.

Now looking forward to getting our new navigation instruments installed  --probably next week---so we can feel comfortable about upcoming longer passages. In that regard--looks like we'll be leaving here around mid-March and heading up the West coast of Florida to the Charlotte Harbor area where we have some of our very favorite anchoring areas and very familiar waters. We'll leave the boat in that area when we return home in April and have a new fly bridge enclosure built while we're away. (We hope to use the same guy that did it for Opus V out of Ft. Myers---He did a great job although a bit on the expensive side.) As these craftsmen stay quite busy we'll arrange well ahead of time to book the job.

A few more pic's of the boat"

While posting these shots and this message we are quite cognizant and concerned about all our friends and family in Houston who are going through the unprecedented cold (freezing) spell throughout the State of Texas. We are checking with them every day and know that they are uncomfortable, but safe and looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel coming this week-end. Hurricane Harvey, Pandemic, freezing temps----what will be the next "plague"? These last few years have been quite trying for people in our area but we know that God has a plan--it is good--- and we will survive, only to come out stronger. God bless all.

JANUARY WEATHER IN THE KEYS

                                                              BUT FIRST;

                         WHAT'S THAT GUY DOING DIVING NEXT TO MY BOAT 

                                                                       

That's our new boat friend, Jay, who's a certified dive instructor and who has dived all over the world. What's he doing next to my boat?

A few days ago I was working on the flybridge--doing some waxing and polishing. I was out on the "shelf" that runs the length of the fly bridge on both sides--holding on with my left hand and polishing with my right. In the process of moving my left hand to a new hand-hold my wedding ring popped off, bounced off the shelf and fell into the water next to the boat---about 8 or so feet of water. (Fortunately it was not my original ring----Many years ago I bought one with a little more bling. The original is safely tucked away at home) (Unfortunately--that bling was worth a bit of money)

SO----knowing my good friend was a skilled diver I asked him if in any of his dives he had ever searched for treasure. HIs reply was negative so I asked him if he would like to dive for treasure. When he learned what it was he was enthusiastically helpful and agreed to search right away. (It didn't hurt that his wife, Laura, vehemently insisted that he suit up and head down.)

After about 30 minutes of searching we threw in the towel. The bottom here is just very loose mud and it probably was buried as soon as it hit bottom. Oh well!

Oh yeah---The title of this post is about the weather:

January, even in the Florida Keys, is pretty variable and cold fronts manage to work their way down here every several days. Right now--2/2/2021-- the temp is in the 60's and the wind is blowing a steady 20 to 25 and has been gusting to the 40's. We're tied up securely to a pier on the downwind side so the wind keeps us pretty well and firmly pressed up against the pier. It's fairly comfortable in the boat--not a lot of rock and rolling but we're on the north end of the marina and the wind is coming out of the northwest--right at our broadside--so when you venture outside it's a bit "blowey?" I guess you could say January in Florida can really blow.

So we take advantage of the good days and take dinghy rides, dinghy out to the sand bar about 1 mile out on the Atlantic side where we set up our lawn chairs on the bar and spend an afternoon enjoying the hot day and cool water and colder beer. A whole group of about 8 dinghys went out about a week ago.

There are also kayaks available for our use here at the marina and Diane and her sister, Nancy, enjoyed a pleasant afternoon on the water a couple days ago.

Nancy got down here a few days ago, unfortunately into this rather inclement weather. We've had a couple good days, however.

Yesterday we drove up to the Publix supermarket in Islamorada where we received our first of two inoculations for the virus. What an ordeal it was to get an appointment. First of all you have to go on-line and try to get an appointment. Diane got up at 5AM three different days in order to try to get in line by the 6AM opening of the web-site. Fortunately on her third attempt she was successful and was able to make appointments for us. There are relatively few doses being shipped into the Keys and we were quite fortunate. Additionally Florida requires that you show proof of state residence (responding to all the New Yorkers coming down here to get their shots.) Fortunately there is an exception for "seasonal residents" for which we qualified (after some intense scrutiny by the pharmacist) by showing some received mail labels, a copy of our marina lease and our Florida boat registration. The whole process took only about an hour and a half and everyone was quite helpful and cordial. Neither one of us suffered any side effects but we hear the 2nd shot will be a bit different.

Today we'll just chillax and spend some time catching up on projects, reading, playing Canasta and nap time and wait for this blow to blow itself out. Nan seems to be enjoying herself and the sisters will be having lunch together out somewhere while I remain on the boat laboring away.

We're looking forward to more extended spells of good weather soon so that we can finally get out of the marina and enjoy the beauty the area has to offer from the water. Despite my complaints, life remains good!!!