M/V Enticer

       This is M/V Enticer of Beaufort, SC.  We spotted this beauty on the Calibogue Sound in South Carolina.  She is a 1939 85 foot Trumpy Design built by Mathis Yacht.  If you have an extra 3.3 million laying around she can be yours.

No Injuries

     When your car has a breakdown, you can pull off to the side of the road.  When your boat has a breakdown, you probably can drop anchor where you are and start repairs.  When your airplane has a breakdown, you can usually glide in for a landing on the road or a field.  But when your helicopter has a breakdown, you have to land immediately.  This helicopter was flying over the ICW when all of a sudden it turned around and made an emergency landing in what appeared to be a small clearing in front of these homes along the ICW.  This all happened less than a 1/4 mile from us.  The bewildered homeowners came out with their cameras and cell phones and started taking pictures, just as we did from the boat.  It appeared it was a safe landing and that there were no injuries.

Called It A Day

     Today was finally our day to have it happen.  We had friends tell us about it.  They have even posted pictures on their blogs.  We first spotted dolphins in Oriental, North Carolina back in November of 2010.  We have seen dolphins all the way down the coast from North Carolina to the Florida Keys.  We did not spot too many dolphins in the Bahamas.   The event was very spectacular.  It first started with 2 dolphins riding the wake at the bow of the boat.  Then, a fishing boat that had been keeping "pace" with us in a no wake zone pointed to 2 more dolphins riding the wake alongside the pilothouse.  For 5 minutes or longer we watched the 2 dolphins alongside the boat riding the wake, and it looked like they did it without a flip of their tale fin.  I guess you might say they were in a slipstream.  All while we were doing 7 miles per hour. Amazing.

      The events of the day do not stop there.  We also had an event that, well, is one that keeps you on your toes.  Late in the afternoon we were returning to an anchorage that we had used back in November when we first got together for happy hour with Joe and Ann from S/V Shortwalk, the Pine Island anchorage.  I may have made my cut a little too early, and we went aground.  This was not a typical grounding where you power through it or just a simple back up.  It probably took us 10 minutes to work ourselves out of that one.  Earlier in the day, we went to Manatee Pocket to anchor for the evening, and it was there that we had to power through a potential grounding because of skinny water that was a few inches shy of what we needed. As there was dredging work being done in the vicinity of the anchorage, it was all for nothing, and we left Manatee Pocket for Pine Island.  I guess the Manatee Pocket "grounding" was an omen.  After the grounding at Pine Island, we left with our tails between our legs and continued for another 10 miles, which brings up the 3rd event for the day.

     The final event took all day to develop and was a result of the 2 groundings for the day.  We logged 83 miles today, a new Big Run record.  Sharon and I weighed anchor at 6:50 this morning on Lake Worth.  At 7:15 this evening we dropped anchor at Sebastian inlet.  After 12 hours and 25 minutes, 83 miles, 6 bridge opening and 2 groundings we finally called it a day.

Photos of the dolphins playing in our wake.

Suntan Lotion

     Once again we find ourselves in Miami, in particular, the South Beach (SoBe) area.  After spending two weeks down in the Keys, we returned again to SoBe.  While in the Keys we found a "private" remote anchorage that we liked so much, we stayed for 8 days.  We came back to SoBe to make some final provisioning before the big push to go north.  We do plan to stop at Cape Canaveral again to see if we can catch a shuttle launch on April 19.  After that it's full steam ahead for the Chesapeake Bay and Rock Hall.

     While we were in the Keys, we ordered four 6-gallon water containers to shuttle water back to the boat.  They were shipped to the local Ace Hardware Store in SoBe.  This way we did not have to pay for shipping.  Now, when we make a trip for water, we can return to the boat with 38 gallons of water instead of 14 gallons.  It doesn't take many trips to replenish the fresh water tanks.  Of course, we never let the tanks get too low.

     We have been to SoBe so many times we are actually getting around as if we lived here.  We have learned a few new shortcuts and found some new stores that may come in handy in the future.  This anchorage and its proximity to so many resources makes this an ideal location before crossing over to the Bahamas next fall.  Today, we returned to the restaurant Rosinella on Lincoln Avenue Mall.  We had lunch there a few weeks back on our first visit to SoBe.  This time we were on a mission, to try their extra thin crust pizza.  Absolutely the best thin crust pizza I ever had.  I had a mozzarella and prosciutto pizza while Sharon had a mozzarella and basil pizza.  One of the owners, I presume, was an elderly little short woman which many of the patrons, including 3 police officers,  paid their respects to her in a proper Italian way when they entered the restaurant.

     Sharon and I had walked down to Fifth Street, first taking Washington Avenue and then Collins Avenue with a side trip through the Hisgtoric Spanish Village district and then finally down through Lummus Park until we got to Fifth Street. Once again we strolled up the beach to the Seventeenth Street lifeguard station.  And all the time we were walking on the beach, you could not smell the ocean because of the all suntan lotion.
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A few more photos of the SoBe area.
 

An early morning view of Lincoln Avenue Mall

Spanish restaurant district.

Lummus Park at the volley ball courts.

Fifth Street lifeguard station

Landscaping outside the fence of upscale condos.

 

Local jet ski stuntman who entertained us 3 or 4 times a week at our anchorage.

What Do You Think?

     Do you remember the song that had the lyrics "My future is so bright I gotta wear shades", well this entry is not about Sharon's sunglasses but her  suntan.  This is Sharon's first "full body" suntan.  When we had the swimming pool at Big Run, Sharon was only able to work on a suntan on the weekends during the summer because of work.  Today, Sharon is able to steal an hour or two each day.  I'm glad she is such a devoted sun worshipper, what do you think?

Dead Flat Calm

     Whereas when we got up yesterday morning to foggy conditions, today was completely different.  The skies were brilliant blue, no clouds and the wind was calm, as a matter of fact, there was no wind and the water was smoother than glass.  Conditions that I would call dead flat calm.

The Pelican Squadron

     We woke up this morning to very foggy conditions, but our spirits were quickly lifted when we spotted this flock of pelicans aka the Pelican Squadron.

  

Pre-flight briefing.

Test flight.

  

Flight conditions are favorable.

Mission is a go.

  

Last group taxiing to runway. 

Squadron is airborne.

Great Ride

     This past Monday we were cruising down through the Keys when we received a "private call" on the VHF.  It was Rick & Deb onboard Broulee.  We had just exited Jewfish Creek when Rick saw us motoring towards them.  Broulee was heading back to Miami so that their guests could catch their flight back to Minnesota.  We talked to Broulee for quite a while as we passed each other.  After all, we each had gone our own way almost 2 weeks ago because Broulee's family was flying in for a short vacation on the boat.  Shortly after signing off I hailed Broulee on the VHF to see if they were interested in getting together later in the week before they cruised over to the west coast of Florida.  We agreed on a date but we didn't know where, we could work that out later.

     So, last night we got together for one last happy hour before they haul the boat out and return to Minnesota for the summer.  We had a great time with Rick, Deb & Izzy in the Bahamas, and last night was no different.  We know that in the future we can phone Rick & Deb or we can send them an email, but there is nothing like sitting down with two very good friends (and Izzy) and enjoying the companionship of each other.  Thanks Rick, Deb & Izzy, it's been a great ride.

Patent Pending

     So everybody wants to know what it's like to be full time cruisers.  Here's a little insight - we get up in the morning when we want to, then, an hour or two later we may eat breakfast.  After breakfast we think about doing something but usually we don't do it.  After that it's time for lunch.  Then we'll wait the prescribed 2 hours before going swimming.  This 2 hour wait usually involves working on our tans.  After swimming, we are very tired so it's nap time.    We will usually wake up from our naps because we are so hungry and Sharon will start on dinner.  Once again we have eaten too much so we will kick back in our easy chairs and watch television till who knows when..........Wait....I forgot to mention all the boat work that needs to be done.  Last week I spent 2 days polishing the stainless steel fixtures on the exterior of the boat.  Last night around 7 pm I was in the engine room cleaning the seacock for the generator which had so much growth in it that no water was getting to the generator to help cool the engine.  And when you can't sleep at night you lay in bed thinking about projects that need to be done.  Take, for example, last night around 4 am, I was contemplating an issue with the anchor washdown.  The problem is that it just takes too long. When we anchor in a mud bottom (good holding) the chain, usually 100 feet or more, is retrieved with a coating of mud.  This mud needs to be washed off before the chain is stowed in the chain locker.  Believe me, it has to be washed or the boat stinks from that foul smelling mud.  Washdowns can take 15 minutes or more on a calm day.  If the wind is blowing, and remember we are on a boat and the bow (where the anchor chain is attached) is always/usually pointing into the wind when you are anchored, the washdown can take 30 minutes or longer.   Getting back to 4 am, the problem is that when I am washing the anchor chain, the water nozzle is 5-7 feet away from the chain and/or the wind is blowing the water stream back on me.  So at 4 am in the morning I developed Bob's Magical Anchor Washdown Wand - Patent Pending.

Above Photo - Bob's Magical Anchor Washdown Wand (Patent Pending!) is shown here attached to the coiled hose.  Yes, it's a 5 feet long wand complete with on/off valve and adjustable spray nozzle, available soon at your local marine store.

Time To Paddle

     Today, Sharon and I got the kayaks out and went for a spin around our anchorage at Barnes Sound.  We had discussed this yesterday when we realized that the 10 weeks spent in the Bahamas was done without kayaking.  All of that beautiful water and we never went kayaking.  We were to busy enjoying our journeys through the Exumas and when we weren't cruising we were swimming.  Hopefully, next year when we return to the Bahamas we will take the time to paddle.

 What appears to be a mess of tangled roots is actually a very healthy mangrove that surrounds our anchorage at Barnes Sound.

Key Largo Sunset

Miami

Just a few departing shots of Miami.

Home Delivery

     We arrived in SoBe (South Beach) last week on a Monday, and here we are a week later on a Tuesday and we are still here.  After being in a third world country (Bahamas) for 10 weeks, I guess we got caught up in the glitz and glamour of Miami and all that she has to offer.  Over the course of the last 8 days we have been to the local Publix grocery store 4 times, the liquor store once, Lincoln Avenue Mall 3 times, SoBe Beach twice, the gas station once, the laundromat once, restaurants twice and fetched water numerous times from the local water tap at the boat ramp.  So, once again,  Big Run is full of food, liquor, water and fuel. Speaking of fuel, the fuel came to us at our anchorage - as in "home delivery".

Upper Photo - the nightclub Fat Tuesday across from Lummus Park in Sobe.

Lower Photo - Sobe beach view in mega-hotel district.

Upper & Lower Photo - more beach views in the mega hotel district of Sobe.

 

Upper Photo - Petersons' Fuel Barge leaving Big Run after delivering 440 gallons of diesel fuel.

Lower Photo - our view of  downtown Miami.

 

South Beach

        It's everything and then more.  First, there is Lincoln Avenue Mall.  This is a great place to to see the next fashions coming out of Miami.  Lincoln Avenue Mall is about 5 or 6 blocks long running east to west.  But there is no avenue, the road area was converted into a courtyard for all the restaurants, art galleries and clothing boutiques that line the "avenue".  It's a great place to spend the afternoon shopping or eating your favorite cuisine.  Back in the 50's when there was a road and a conventional shopping district it was known as "the Fifth Avenue of the South".   You must include this in your travels to the Miami area.

     Then there is the world renowned beach.  We took a stroll on the beach although it was very windy today from a cold front that came through last night.  The ocean temperature was bearable and there were a few hearty souls braving the conditions in the water.  And yes, for women it is a topless beach, or would that be  topless women for the guys, after all it's South Beach.