Bahamas Bound

It is hard to believe we have been in Marathon for three weeks. The time has flown by as usual and we have had a VERY active social life this time around!  Six of the boats from Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage were here and we got together often.   Tie A Knot and Heart Breaker are the tail end of the mass exodus.  Tie A Knot is leaving today as soon as I finish posting this (my data is zippo until tomorrow)  I have to use the wi-fi at the marina and as usual put it off until the last minute. Slow learner.

                                         The Charlotte Harbor Boat Storage Group

You may remember "Captain Jack" from our stop here 2 years ago. He celebrated his 93rd birthday this year and his only nod to aging is that he now uses a shopping cart for balance.  He said he couldn't use one of those walker things. He still lives on his sailboat but on the dock not on a mooring ball.  His daily entertainment is passing out Hibiscus flowers to whichever ladies he fancies that day.  Quite a character and a sweetie.

The Boot Key Harbor Pine Needle Basket Group.  Expanding every year.  Lots of beautiful baskets being produced.

                                         Night shot on the harbor with a full moon.

              The last get together on Easter.  Three more of our friends left Monday.

A spotted Ray that was cruising along our boat yesterday.  He hung out long enough for me to take several pictures....I think he was posing for the camera.  Or waiting for something to drop off of the grill  :-)

Another "poser" this one was definitely not camera shy....he sat there looking at us until I put my camera away.  Actually there are a LOT more Iguanas here this year.  They are taking over the streets, just like the roosters in Key West.

Since I mentioned Key West I may as well fill you in on the rest of our plans.  We went to Key West last week to get cards that allow us to check into the States (after visiting a foreign country) by phone. We finalized our plan to go to the Bahamas. Bahamas you say "we haven't heard that one yet" .  Well it has been on the table for a while and there is no time like the present. We found a group of power boats in nearby Sombrero Marina and they are going over as soon as a weather window opens up.  The winds have been non stop since the first week we were here when we should have just jumped over....pretty flat calm for an entire week but I wanted to wait until we found boats to go with since we have never done it before.  Just like with the Gulf crossing Dec. 2013 from Carrabelle, I am a scardy cat!  That was a 23 hour trip and this is only 5 from Key Largo area to Bimini.

Anyway...we have been provisioning on our 'bike' (lost one of our bikes to the junk pile last week) and have made umpteen trips to Publix and K Mart about a mile from here.  Schlepping I like to call it.  We have had numerous ride offers but we are stubborn people I guess and just do not like to inconvenience others.  Besides walking with weights is GOOD excercise and so is riding a bike against 15 mph winds.

This was just the start after the big shopping day (when we did acquiesce and get a cab back from Publix).  We have since filled up the other side of the "garage" too.  Lots of canned goods, bagged potatoes, rice paper products, and of course beer and wine. Everything is more expensive there because they have to have everything shipped in so you stock up before you go. I am a shop as you go gal so buying two months worth of food is a very traumatic experience!!!

We have been warned that beer is 50 bucks a case (you read that right) in the Bahamas and Gary is not taking any chances of running out! 

Our current plan is to be there for a least 6 weeks.  Anyway with a freezer full of meat a frig full of perishables we won't starve as long as we don't have to eat it all here while waiting to go over!  We leave today to head East to Islamorada to anchor for the night and then fuel tomorrow and head a little farther north to wait for the other boats that plan to head up maybe Friday.  Saturday is a POSSIBLE crossing day according to one of the group but I am not sure about that.  I don't think we will know until the day before.  It is a waiting game this Bahama thing.  Our friends Gwen and Walter have been in the Exumas all winter and now sit in Abaco waiting for the winds to die so they can cross back to the States.

We all have a dream and this is the last thing on our boating list that we really wanted to accomplish.  The only Bahama trip we have made was a trip to Freeport back in the late 60's. I guess if it is to be it will be. If we do get over we hope to meet Sue and John Mackie who are headed over to the Abacos the first of May. 

I have heard that wi-fi coverage is costly over there so my posts may be infrequent and short but I will try my best.