A New Week Begins...

It is hard to believe that we left the dock a week ago today.  It has been a great shake down cruise so far. 

Today dawned (yes, with no tv, etc, you are in bed by 8 and up at dawn....we have officially become old folks for sure) crisp and clear.  Got up had our coffee and cereal.....we are winning the war with the power supply.  We are around a lot of sailboats so don't want to be a pain in their necks and are trying to save our aging generator and to use our stove we have to turn her on so we are being stingy with the hot breakfasts.  Today we went to the dingy dock expecting to take an hour and a half trip through the island on the trolley to the grocery store.  We met a very nice gal on the dock, who greeted us with "Good Morning, Cruisers"  that started the conversation and we were off and running, to a flea market across the waterway and a grocery store accessible by dinghy.  Bought a dingy line, a fitting and a tackle box for screws, etc at the flea market at a very reasonable price.  The fitting was $50. in the catalog and we paid $4.!!  It was the last one Gary needed and he was a happy camper.  Then it was off to the grocery. An old but well stocked IGA where we tied up the dingy to a mangrove.  Then it was back to the boat where I decided to make spaghetti while Gary went to the bar to watch the last Nascar race of the season . Amen.

Now you would think making spaghetti, no problem especially using the canned stuff.  Well not so easy on a boat.  First I made it gourmet with meat, mushrooms, and onions, then proceeded to start to heat it when of course it splattered all over me the stove and the wall and floor. Since this stove top is less than half the size of the one at home I am having spacial issues. 

Cooking on a boat is an entire new experience, you just can't turn on things when you want to like in a house.  You have to use the generator for power when you are not at a dock.  This involves many steps and switches which you need a degree in engineering (I am studying for mine as we speak) to understand.  So you can't do it every 5 minutes ...planning ahead....a whole new concept for me!  Well everything did work out. We fired up the grill for 5 minutes to heat the water to reheat the spaghetti noodles and warm the bread and had a very good meal.  Another learning experience .

Tomorrow we head for Naples Mooring Field weather permitting.  Looks like its good to go so far.  We have to go offshore and it is a 20 mile trip.  Will let you know how that goes!