Motor Vessel Aye Sea No Snow: On the water again

Captain's Log.........

We arrived here at Stock Island Village Marina on Dec 9th. We have spent the week getting things settled in for the winter and trying to get an office set up for me to facilitate the classroom training via the internet. The office is still not set up but I have not given up hope.

Missy watches from the dock as I take the boat out of the marina.

Yesterday, Saturday the 17th, it was time to take the boat back out to clean the bottom off.

Following a sailboat out of the harbor.

When a boat sits for periods of time in salt water, barnacles start to attach themselves to the hull and props. They then cause havoc with the performance of the boat. When it gets bad enough, one has to dive under the boat to scape the bottom. Running the boat at full speed is a good proactive way to try to keep the hull and props clean.

There was a little wind so Missy decided to stay ashore. I took the boat out and cruised down to Key West Harbor. There were two cruise ships at the dock in front of Mallory Square and one of them was about to leave. I hung around a while to watch and noticed our neighbor at the marina was captaining the pilot boat servicing the cruise ship. It took a long time for that sucker to get away from the dock and it is amazing how huge those things are!!!

Cruise ship turning around in the channel

the small boat on the left is a pilot boat captained by our neighbor here in the marina.

Look out, here comes the cruise ship

Off it goes into the Atlantic!

I cruised on back and really enjoyed being out on the water again. I miss the cruising. Missy was ready to help me dock and a neighbor on another boat came over to so it was no big deal even though we are in a tight spot on the seawall.

Over the next 24 hours I must have had 6 or 7 people remark on my taking the boat out. Apparently, most of the boats here never leave. Several do not even have working motors. People live on the boats here at the marina but never venture out. I am differently going to be the exception around here.

Last night Missy and I went downtown to catch the activities at Mallory Square and catch the sunset.

Darrell will recognize the figure behind Missy here on Mallory Square.

Tomorrow morning we head back to Minnesota for Christmas. We miss the kids and will be bringing Rachael and one of her friends back with us back down to Key West after Christmas. So we will see many of you soon.

1st Mate's Log.............

Went to Mallory Square to watch the sunset and entertainers.....oh boy!