WE'RE BACK.........

I  Have a pillow that says "Makes no difference where I roam, where there's water I am home".  I guess that might explain the recent house purchase ??…..more on that later!

We left Michigan after the "Claus" family get-together on Saturday, Dec 23, drove a few hours and spent the night in Ohio.....then the next day we drove until south Georgia and decided that even though, time wise, we could have made it to Jacksonville, we did not want to arrive late in evening and begin the quest to put the boat back to "normal".  It is kind of like opening up a cottage in the Spring....cleaning, organizing, plus the engine issues....so we held up in Savanah area and drove the last 4 hours the next morning, arriving on Christmas Eve day.  It wasn't as "bad" as I expected, mostly dust underneath.  We had hired cleaners to do the outside and the back porch area, and were very grateful for that as we had plenty to do without cleaning the areas that were exposed all summer and fall.  I got to work unpacking bedroom, making bed, unpacking STUFF from Michigan and loading up all kinds of other STUFF that we haven't used (yes, even some left after the big purge last spring!)  We decided to drive our own SUV vs renting a car to get here....and what a great decision that was as we now have the back end packed with STUFF to go back up north "next time".  We will leave the car parked in the marina lot while we are cruising the Bahamas.  A boater in the laundry told me that some cars had been broken into over the summer but now they have night time security.....I laughed and told Bob, wouldn't they be disappointed in our load if they were looking for anything valuable!  (the boater told me they took the time to go thru her CD's in her car and pick the ones they wanted and they didn't take too many!!) I could picture the thieves opening our boxes of clothes and discarded crock pots (I got an instant pot for Christmas!) and being very surprised at what WE call valuable!!  And they sure wouldn't want the winter clothes that are stored in there either!  According to the tv weather, this is unseasonable warm and will be for a few more weeks!!


Bob moved ALL the items we had stored down below out of the cabin and I went to work making that area look inviting.  As expected, the work went on and on.  A fellow boater across the dock invited us over for dinner and we spent Christmas eve visiting with new friends.  That is probably one of the biggest pluses of living on a boat.....the great people who are in "the same boat"!  (pun intended)  and are always ready to share or to help.  Another "new friend" helped Bob lug our new convection microwave up onto LeReve….we knew this replacement had to take place as every time we tried to convection bake (like ALL the other boaters do....) mine would shut down and leave me "half baked!" (another intended pun) Thanks to Amazon Prime....the replacement was delivered in 2 days!...I said to Capt Bob, "gotta love the 90's"  and he explained I was 20 years behind!  Can't believe it will be 2019 soon!

We will stay at Ortega Landing Marina for a few more days.   This IS the nicest marina this side of Florida, as far as we are concerned, and have decided to make it our "permanent seasonal slip"...meaning we will come and go from here for at least another season.  We do, however, need to move up the river to a working marina, where they can pull LeReve out and drill a hole in the hull for our "discharge line" that we have decided to install as we plan to be in the Bahamas for a few months and, as mentioned before,....that crystal clear, beautiful water...apparently comes from letting boats discharge their waste overboard!! go figure!.....and therefore very few marinas have pump outs available.  Maybe that's why the fish are so colorful???!!!@@ hmmmmm.    sure there is more to it than my mind can handle.  We thought we might be left behind by our friends who are planning to cross with us....but seems they have just as much work and repairs to get ready to go (after their boat has sat vacant for 6+ months also) as we have.  In addition, we need to get a good day to cross also and one is not predicted as of yet.....  That gives me time to "provision up" on the things we found so expensive over there last year.....PEPSI, WINE,...good thing I made more room under the dinette cushions for "storage!"

P.S.  House purchase:  our "oh so valuable" STUFF that we had been storing in 3 storage pods in Colorado, now have a new home!....Our furniture, along with countless boxes that had been stored in an outbuilding on Bob's moms property....have now been moved to 269 North 5th Street, Rogers City, MI....not to be confused with my moms house at 256 North 6th Street  (I couldn't get much closer!!) just across the alley, VERY convenient!....BOB fell in love with small town Rogers City living this summer, and all the things that drove me away as an 18 year old, now drew me "home".....We decided it was more economical (storage pods kept increasing in rent, we never planned to loop longer than 18 months or so...but are loving the boat life, duh!) and found a "cute" old house on a street not far from the beach.  Bob can ride his bike around town, and loves that "everyone knows his name".....(ONCE he tells them he is related to Betty and Marv Claus!!)  and it seems that lots of my classmates who are there, apparently remember me!  Go figure!  We never in a million years, thought we would end up in Rogers City as retirees.....but our PLANS are to summer there (LOTS of projects for Bob to work on) and winter on the boat in Florida waters.  In the future, we will complete the loop....then hopefully come back to Ortega Landings for a few seasons.....like we all know, OUR PLANS can change......so we will just follow the Lord's lead on this one....(I'm learning!....one day at a time....)  So Grateful to Be Back!!    It will be a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Where did Summer Go??

September 10, 2018....
Wow....can't believe we are packing up and heading "home"...back to Le Reve......we sure missed her.

We are still in Northern Michigan with my mom.....figured we have spent some 40 plus nights with her in Rogers City.  Then about 30 some with daughter Molly in Ann Arbor area, 10 plus with friends, Trudy and Chuck Center in Charlevoix the beautiful, and a week in Cape May, New Jersey with girlfriends, Gerry Ann and Madelyn (this was annual GIRLS ONLY week!)….We also spent 10 days at a small inland lake with grandson Gabe.  Sooooo, all in all the summer was extra busy and extremely exciting!  It seems once September hit the air cooled off significantly.  We need to find our "stash" of warmer clothes....think (?) they are at Molly's.  We will be heading her way the end of this week and then on to Jacksonville.  I am anxious to get to the warm weather again, as I can never get enough sunshine....will probably be singing a different toon once the fall humidity hits me.

Bob has stayed VERY busy....as is his nature.....fixing, repairing, replacing,  etc...all kinds of stuff at my mom's house and if that didn't keep him busy enough, he then went out to his hunting camp that is being rebuilt after last falls fire that destroyed the original structure, built by my dad and his 4 brothers in 1959.  He custom made a poker table out of an old barrel he found in my moms basement, and built a set of bunk beds for his room at the camp.

Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our time with Molly and Aaron and Gabe and, of course, baby Josie....it has been pure joy to see her grow these last 3 months....and that will be the hardest part of leaving Michigan  (sorry moms and kids!)  She is almost walking and I am sure by the time we return (which a trip is planned for November, her first birthday, hunting season, Thanksgiving) that she will be up tearing around as fast as she can go!  She is such a happy baby, only irritated when pants are being changed!

Son Rob and Jennifer purchased a home together in Lansing this summer.  As of now they are both driving an hour each way to their jobs, but the house put them closer to sons, Bennett and Chase and that is a good thing for all.  We thoroughly enjoyed spending a week with Bennett and also traveling to the U.P. to witness grandson Chase in his "debut" as an actor in a musical production in Sault St. Marie.

September 29, 2018....
SCREECH...…...SO this is the blog I began to write a few weeks ago....THEN JUST A LITTLE LIFE GOT IN THE WAY.....

I  went in for a routine mammogram a few days before we planned to drive back to Florida.....after several call backs and pokes and prods and more and more tests, biopsy....we will be spending a few more months in Michigan (there went OUR planning again!)  God willing this will all be behind us by the first of the year, in the meantime we will be hanging out at daughter Mollys as she is close to the cancer facilities I will be visiting.  That is all for our BOATING BLOG for now.  We look forward to sharing more boating experiences.

If anyone wishes to contact me please do so by e mail.     janeemacomber@gmail.com or bob@bobmacomber.com

Le Reve's New Home (at least for a little while)

Here we are, finally, at our "home" for the summer.  The Marina at Ortega Landing in Jacksonville, FL ... its a great marina with FREE laundry and a beautiful clubhouse and pool, clean, new bathrooms, etc....what more could you want!

The rain finally got down to a drizzle and we could move the boat on up the coast to get here.  Our favorite stop along the way was St. Augustine.  It was still raining, hard at times, while we were there....but the best part was we could don our rain jackets and walk across the street to the downtown section.  Tons of things to see and do, and lots of places to eat and drink.  We stayed 4 days as we were so excited to be able to get off the boat.  We took the trolley tour and really enjoyed the sights and the history of the city.  We left St Augustine on 5/21.  We wanted to arrive and get settled in before the "holiday weekend".  The marina here hosted a great Memorial Day picnic and we got to meet some of our dock neighbors.  We even reconnected with some "loopers" who we haven't seen since a bar in the Bahamas.    We all remembered the good time at Nippers, and can't wait to go back.

We are planning on staying here on the Ortega River, up the St Johns River, for the summer months.  However, in a couple weeks we will drive to Michigan and plan to spend a few months with the kids, grandkids, and our moms.  We have gone thru every inch of the boat to remove anything we haven't used in the last year of living aboard.  We think the boat rose 4 inches with all that excess weight removed.....our mantra was "if we haven't used it, or wore it in the last year, then we probably won't need it in the next.  It was amazing to "discover" stuff we thought we must bring onboard, that we haven't used.....we just laughed  (at least one of us laughed!)  We have employed a boat captain to keep watch over Le Reve while we are away and we are asking for prayers for a light hurricane season!.....We are located in what they call a "hurricane hole", meaning protected from winds and tides, etc.  This place faired pretty well during hurricane Matthew last year....we have even met some who stayed on their boats during the storm!....(by the way, they say they would never do that again!)

Speaking of storms, in the last few days,  we got TONS of HEAVY RAIN from the one that hit the panhandle of Florida.  Every day it just pours and unlike typical Florida summer rains, it doesn't stop.  In the midst of the heavy, sticky, humid rain our air conditioner pump quit!....Jane was NOT a happy boater, even with 6 FANS running day and night....most of the time it was raining so hard, you couldn't crack a window, and then when it wasn't raining, it was still very humid...(I love Florida, but it has to be air conditioned!)  Bob (once again) worked his magic and removed and replaced the old pump …..even paid extra (LOTS extra) to overnight it here....and now everyone on board is much happier!!  The sun even came back today!  I'm sooooo happy with my hubby and his talents, that I won't even mention the absolutely amazing two hunky divers that walk around here daily, cleaning boat bottoms, in their tight, spandex, diving suits that do nothing but accentuate their sculptured physiques!  (did I say that!????   oh well,  it certainly makes the rainy weather more bearable!)  Give an old lady a break.  Obviously I have run out of anything to blog about...….!  This blog will now take a break along with Le Reve.    (unless I can get a picture of the divers!)

Unplanned Journeys

SO, we got back to Michigan to see our family......especially the newest member!  Josie is such a good baby.  Gramps Bob kept her happy an entire day, while mom Molly and I shopped and had nails done, etc.   Then Grams did the same the next day while Molly went to work and Gramps fit in some consulting.   As you can see, she is so easy.....and so beautiful!  (my side of family.....haha)....actually she is a little Branham without a doubt. We enjoyed fun times also with Rob, Jennifer and boys... Had a great brunch with everyone all together.   It was good to see everyone again....first time since Christmas. 

Then, back to sunny Florida after 5 days in Michigan.  We drove to Treasure Island to help friend Deb turn 60....all the help you can get after 60 is needed!  We stayed in a beautiful Marriott on the ICW (as Rogers house was full of grandkids) I took this pic off balcony....the only "boat up" dock to a McDonalds that I know of!  Pretty cleaver idea.  Not sure if you can order off dock or have to go in? 

What a treat to have a huge bed ALL to myself....we had 2 in room...AND a real toilet!  Ah, the small pleasures of life.  We had a great time, even getting in some Monday Bingo at the Legion.  Ken was only one who won this time....oh well, there is always a next time.  We love Monday Bingo!

On the way back to boat, we took a "side trip"....actually went north(east) instead of east....and drove up to Jacksonville to check out Ortega Landings Marina.  We had tentatively pegged this as where we would leave the boat this summer, and wanted to see if it would be a good decision.   We checked it out, talked to harbormaster, and put a deposit down for 6 months.  It is a beautiful new marina and relatively safe from  "storms".  (I won't use the H word).  We are anxious to get LeReve to her "temporary" summer home.  SO ITS BEEN DECIDED.....to hold up in Florida, and next fall/winter go back to Bahamas, and Keys.....Then head up the east coast, next year this time.   We feel good about our decision to delay continuing the Loop, and our Bahama buddy boats were happy to hear we will join them next season.  I knew if we took boat back to Michigan and finished looping that we would probably never get back over (on LeReve, at least) and like (have I mentioned??) we really loved cruising the Bahama islands and have so many more to explore. 

We plan to spend a few months with family in Michigan and also check out how it would be to spend summers in Jacksonville area permanently, if north Florida is where we decide to land.  Some 50+ communities are intriguing to us......even though we are not yet 50 in our minds!  (bodies tell a different story)

While on our driving trip across Florida, we got the news that our props were done and ready to be put back on.  Back to Melbourne, returned rental car, got props attached, paid the bill  and moved on!  It felt good to be back on the water.  Our first stop was Titusville....stayed at the municipal marina where the highlight is .....THE MANATEE.

They hang out in groups of 5 or 6 (some babies) and drink the fresh water that drips off the boats.....This group hung out next door for the 2 days we were there.   It never got old watching them or hearing them snort!  Bob has some great videos.  He mentioned that I paid more attention to them as I ever do to him!   (speaking of getting old)!!@@##

It rained in Titusville, thus preventing us from seeing anything other than the ongoing show in the marina water.   We took off for New Smyrna Beach on Sunday, and have been here since.....in the rain.  We did get to take in a mothers day meal at "The Garlic".   We had to promise the Rogers that we would eat here and it didn't disappoint.  Tons of great Italian food that we will be eating as leftovers for a few meals.   Good thing, as it is still raining....hard.....so we play a lot of cards and read a lot of books.  We hope the rain gives us a window to move north tomorrow.  

a year "IN"

Well, for all who don't like the touchy, feely, type blog.....quit reading now.....

We are almost a "year in" to this incredible journey.  We left Lake St Clair on June 15 (fathers day) ....The other day (in Michigan...more on this later)  someone asked me....."seriously, what do you miss living on a boat for almost a year"......I thought and thought about this question and could only come up with ....."maybe a garden and a yard".   That question has been probing my  brain all week.   I honestly cannot think of a thing....besides "my stuff" that is in storage....and I don't miss it, I am just concerned about its care  (ie: are mice chewing holes in my custom sofa??,  where are those clothes I cannot seem to find in the boxes that are stored in my daughter basement??)....but, when it all comes down to it.....That is all about "stuff".   Had I had more time, and if I  knew then what I do now, a year later,.....tons of "stuff" would have been given away, sold, etc...  In hind sight, we didn't have time and/or the the mind set, to organize, donate, etc .  It is amazing what little you can live with....and what you can live without!

So now, here we are, almost a year "in".   What I do know is that whatever I pictured this journey to be a year ago, was sooooo small compared to what it has been!  We have seen a side of America that we only read about, met people (with opinions) that we never considered.....and traveled outside of the U.S....(to Bahamas)... that I NEVER  in my wildest dreams imagined could be so beautiful and so welcoming.  Our only experience up till now was Nassau (hardly a sampling)......  Because of this, we have decided to consider "plan B"....That is "holding up" in Jacksonville, Fla for the summer, taking a break from "the LOOP"....and picking that up a year from now.   What that means is we would summer in Jacksonville,  in a "hurricane safe" marina....fly back to Michigan for a few weeks at a time, and then......go back to Bahamas next winter..     We met some great friends that are going back for a few months starting in December 2018 and we would love to tag along.  We loved, loved, our time there this year, and feel we have missed a lot of islands, also swimming with the pigs!! that we absolutely need to experience!  Then a year from now, resume the loop up the east coast.  There is NO time limit on completing the loop.... our friends, Barbara and Bill, took 12 years !!!

Meanwhile, we are presently in Melbourne, FL.....we left Ft Pierce and headed to Vero Beach....we traveled with another looper boat we had connected with in the Bahamas....we enjoyed a lovely dinner out and the next morning, went our separate ways.   Our next stop was Melbourne.... with 1st mate, Jane following instructions from the "marina harbor master"....and relaying them to the captain.....we found ourselves "stuck"!!!! on something in the channel....  DUMB, DUMB!!  and first mate Jane, takes full responsibility  for any miss -communication with the harbormaster....WHY did Captain Bob listen to her!!!!  (he seldom listens to anything she says!)... from now on, we keep RED ON RIGHT RETURNING!!  now matter what anyone else says!

OK...long story short.....we needed to have our props pulled and inspected....one was really bad and needed work....which means a diver takes them off,  we stay where we are for at least 2 weeks while being worked on.....AND...(praise the Lord) it is not as expensive as NEW props would be!!  So, during this time off.....we decide to fly to Michigan and see our loved ones!   (That includes our 6 month old granddaughter Josie)    We enjoyed a "family reunion" with son Rob, Jennifer, grandsons, Bennett and Chase.....and Molly and Aaron , grandson Gabe, and Josie.  (also Mom, Alice, who joined us at Sunday Brunch!)   It was a great extended weekend visit, and the weather (almost)  made us miss the Midwest!  Here we are now,  back in Melbourne, and planning a weekend visit to St Pete to visit friends .....as props won't be repaired until next week....We think we have seen all Melbourne has to offer and are anxious to visit with "old" friends.....   (Deb turns 60 soon!!)  we must advise her on how to "navigate" thru these years!.....haha.  It has been an adventure  beyond our wildest expectations!

Goodbye Bahamas, Hello USA

So we left the Bahamas with Jane kicking and screaming.....(sorta like the first time we left Florida in 1975).  She insisted she was not leaving until she could swim with the pigs.....the winds kept us from getting to the cays that had them.....so she bought AND modified this T shirt.  Captain Bob is (of course) doing everything he can to "make her wish come true"!...(ie: there are several cays where pigs live and have become accustomed to dinghies coming in and feeding them.  They practically crawl into the boats to get food....its become quite a "tourist attraction".  So saving something for "next year"...

We had such a wonderful time that we are determining if next year we can do it again.  Our buddy boats are making plans also....It was great traveling with them the last couple weeks...Here they are at anchorage off Great Sale Cay, on our way to West End to prepare for the big crossing back home.

The water was just as calm as the picture indicates....and Captain Bob took advantage of it....

AND it is the beautiful color blue shown here also.....it is indescribable.  After a peaceful night anchored here, we were off to Old Bahama Bay Marina on West End.   We had a great day there taking a dinghy ride to a couple islands.....the first one had tons of conch shells....each one prettier than the next....we set our limit at 8 and will clean them and give them away as Christmas presents!! ha ha.....well, they do sell for $15 each in the Keys.  We all got together for a celebratory dinner and toasted our good times together.

Then it was 6:30am Thursday morning and time to say our goodbyes and start the big cross.  Our buddies on Job Site went south to Ft. Lauderdale.....and Puttzing Around went straight across to Stuart.  We decided to head north and let the gulf stream push us up to Ft Pierce.  

The crossing was great (unlike the trip over)....water was flat, dolphins joined us and lots of boats were crossing both ways...the perfect day.   Captain Bob decided to "drag a line" in the water behind the boat.....and had a "great fight, " bringing in a bunch of weeds, he did a great job doing so....if he ever encounters the real thing, he will be ready!

We arrived in Ft Pierce about 3:30 pm, and after fueling up and a much needed pump out (gross, but we do not have the overboard pumping capabilities that MOST boats in Bahamas do), therefore not too many marinas have pump outs there.  And you wonder, HOW CAN the water be SO beautiful????  Something to study up on....

Once we were in our assigned slip, we call US customs, as required.   ALL the other boats get an OK....we get "come to our office at the airport".....HUH??  We paid for our "sticker" that is to make for an easy call in, and SERIOUSLY, IF we had something to hide....don't you think THEY should come to us???  Like we are going to show up with our refugee?? (just kidding)  Like son Rob explained, they probably are required to have face to face contact with one out of a dozen boats, and we were the lucky #12!!  You think our homeland security has bigger problems than 2 retirees on social security, coming back on a 25 year old boat from the Bahamas to worry about???  Jane is secretly hoping they will send us back!!  HA

We haven't gotten to airport to check in yet, as that involves a car.....we make a reservation and THEN they tell you they have no cars available till the afternoon.....and now it is almost 4pm and still no cars.....maybe if we don't show, immigration will come to us!!    Rob says that mom should just go and keep her mouth shut and follow the rules!...(not really my style😇)  Now, on to why a rental car company takes your reservation and all your information.....and THEN tells you they have no cars available......!!   It has been quite a day.   Captain Bob is napping...and mate Jane is reminiscing of how simple life could be FULL time in the islands!..at least we would have no car issues, as most of the islands just have golf carts!

UPDATE:  We finally took a cab to airport and it took all of 3 minutes....."name, passports, name of boat?..OK you are cleared"!  So, against sons wishes, Jane asked the very nice (very nice looking also) customs man...WHY?  He says they are switching over the system and sometimes the online app doesn't work the way it should and just between us....he thinks the whole system is dumb, quote...."you certainly didn't bring anything illegal over in the trunk of your car to show us, did you?".  We replied that we didn't bring any refugees with us, as we already raised 2 kids and that was enough!...He showed Captain Bob how to use the app.....and in the cab back to boat, the nice lady on the other end of the app on Bob's phone cleared us also!  Captain Bob says "he wanted to be mad at the guy, but he sure was helpful!".....So with that ordeal over, we promptly went to the Tiki bar and had drinks and dinner.   They didn't send Jane back and they didn't ask about any "spiny crab tails" that we purchased from the native on the dock our last night in Bahamas!  LOBSTER season ends 3/31 and it is illegal to catch and sell them.....so the native on dock sold us 3 delicious "spiny crab tails".....(Jane was sure that was why they had us pegged at immigrations).

Captain Bob is presently scoping out downtown....he needs breakfast, crossword puzzle and "some ME time!"...what is that about?   Jane is still dreaming about living in the islands!

The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind......

One thing about the Bahamas, you truly are at the mercy of the ever blowing trade winds.  Most of the time they are a welcome breeze.   Sometimes not so much......

We left Abaco Beach Resort and Marina in Marsh Harbor (on Great Abaco) on the 10th.  Capt Bob had PLANNED to leave on the 9th.....but 1st mate Jane said "no way" to the choppy waters outside the harbor.   The next day proved to be a good one to move to Treasure Cay and the charming marina there.  We reconnected with some loopers (on Decisions) that we hadn't seen since docking beside them last fall....so a lot of catching up, laughs and drinks were shared....until the winds whipped up and blew everything away (umbrellas, tablewear, etc) at the beach bar we were visiting.   The next morning, another looper boat (from Ludington) who we met there last summer, and have crossed paths with over here, decided that this was the day to cross "whale cay channel".   We had heard horror stories of the rollers in the channel and liked the idea of traveling with another boater thru the mile or so that you have to go out in the ocean to get around to the next series of cays.....So I reluctantly packed up and we headed out.....Treasure Cay will definitely be on the list to stay longer the "next time".

Off we went following "True North".....the channel was a piece of cake, not bad at all (as planned).  We were also towing the dinghy, which we have named "Nightmare" (vs. LeReve, " the dream") as Capt thought it would be better than the extra weight on top of boat in rollers.   Once through whale channel and back into Sea of Abaco, the winds really picked up and it was another "challenging" ride into Green Turtle Cay.   True North got in and docked and then in we came.....winds were registering at 35 mph, and Capt Bob had to stern into a slip while dragging props on bottom of shallow inlet, and mate Jane was on swim platform attempting to tie dinghy to back of boat.  With the help of about 10-12 people on dock and one dock hand who leaped onto boat to help mate Jane with lines, now that dinghy was loose, Capt. Bob did his magic and turned the boat from a 180 turn going the wrong way down the channel....and backed in from the opposite direction, and it looked just like he had intended to do it that way!   All on dock praised his expertise. He said he hoped no one had a video of our landing!  The dinghy took a beating, and so did Jane, but the Capt kept his cool!  (sometimes he really amazes me!)  Like my mom says,  "all this from a guy who never liked the water, until he met us".....and something about us  "trying to drown him while attempting to teach him to water ski"... but that's another story.   Now, 40 YEARS later, you would think he was an ole sea captain......(or at least looks like one!)

So here we are at Bluff House Marina in Green Turtle Cay.  We rented a golf cart to see "town"....it didn't take too long and the main attraction seems to be a liquor store/restaurant....that sells T shirts that say...  "I had breakfast at the liquor store".  Someone in there asked us about boating.  I asked him how he knew we were boaters....he said, because we looked so relaxed!...(he didn't witness the landing!")  I think that " look" had something to do with the liquor store.....so happy to find Titos Vodka on this Island....also more Pepsi, at $12 a pack! Have decided that "next time" we need to bring way more Pepsi(and Titos) with us from the states.....we will use it as ballast! The other theory is to bring half as much clothes...and twice as much money! We can vouch for that.

We now "plan" to leave here with a couple of buddy boats we have been "socializing" with across the dock....one from Mich, one from Minn....We will head for West End (of Grand Bahama) early next week, and then cross back over to Florida on the 20th....that is IF the winds continue to be as predicted.  So when asked "when".....I say..."the answer is blowing in the wind".

Life in the Abacos...

Jane at "Tahiti Beach".....a floating bar in the background.

Capt Bob having lunch at Firefly, great view over Sea of Abaco

Bob with his new toy....a seat with a view!

We are presently in Hopetown, in the Abacos.   This is another beautiful marina (that everyone said you won't get in to)  but we had no trouble getting a reservation..maybe the crowd is thinning out....there are lots of empty slips in here, and the price is not as steep as previous marinas. 

On Easter Sunday we attended a Methodist church that overlooks the ocean. It was very nice and well attended by folks that must "winter here".....as a lot of them talked about when they were going back home.

Most stores were closed on Easter Sunday AND on Easter Monday.....so we went on a long dinghy ride on Monday, to Tahiti Beach.....like someone said..."I've never been, but I would imagine this is what Tahiti looks like!"  It was very scenic, and a bar barge is anchored off shore that we ordered lunch and drinks from.  Bob walked the beach and found a conch shell with the conch still in it...UGH  (disgusting) as the small girl I was visiting with proclaimed!  We brought it back to boat, not sure if that was legal or not, but we did it anyway....(we rely A LOT on the fact that son Rob has "friends in high places" in case we end up in trouble out of the country😱) so we read up on how to get the conch out of the shell (which is the part we wanted...the beautiful shell).....put it in freezer for a few hours and then tug with a pliers.... double disgusting! but it did come out....I tried to cut it up.....as we do pay for conch in restaurants....but it was SO darn tough that I couldn't...so I probably threw about $10 worth overboard....Boy, did the fish flock to it.  I should have at least saved it for bait....in case we ever do put a pole in the water! 

We will be here until tomorrow....we really enjoyed our time here, even ran in to other loopers in town that we had met originally in Key West....its good to see  familiar faces.  We did get in to the shops on Tuesday and Bob purchased another shirt that is an instant dry type that "all the fishermen" wear...I really do like them also as washing and drying are a breeze!  I have been using the washer on the boat more lately, as they want $5.50 for a token that is for one wash....and another $5.50 to dry.....AND I am doing it myself!! (for $11. I would think someone else would at least do the folding!!)  The wooden rack I picked up in Rogers City does the trick for drying with solar power up on the top deck.  I haven't figured out how much water I am buying to do a load of wash on board, but I doubt it is $5.50 worth.  (water and elect are metered in addition to the slip fee)

Here are some pictures from previous ports.....this one is outside the "club" at Chubb Cay....a beautiful private island...but "the club" is ALL that was there....they also had a small store in the club, where I purchased a box of club crackers for $7.98!   I had invited over some loopers we had previously met in Michigan, for cheese and crackers....unfortunately I needed crackers!

Then we were on to Spanish Wells.....here we discovered yet another beautiful shallow beach,  Bob walked out for probably a mile and was never in water over his waist.....so he discovered an easier way to get completely cooled off.  I floated around for a couple hours in a floating chair....what a life!  Also in Spanish Wells, we were introduced to "johnny cakes" ..they were described to me to be like a English muffin, without the crannies.  I found them to be much sweeter and tastier.  We ate them as a breakfast food, but they also serve them as a side with lunch or dinner.  I might attempt to bake some in my future life.  This is were I discovered the giant crab claws.

Almost every cay we been to, we have said that we would like to come back here sometime.....but there are so many more places that we haven't seen yet and would like to...we exchange stories about our favorite places with other loopers, as in "have you been here, no, have you been there......" etc.  So we will continue to move on and take in all we can this trip......but there will definitely be a future visit here, perhaps next winter??

Spanish Wells

We left Chubb Cay on Sunday and headed for Spanish Wells.  We debated whether to make the trip on to Nassau or stop.  We are so glad we chose Spanish Wells.  Some fishermen told us there was nothing here...nothing.....?  I think they had it confused with Spanish Key.  This island is delightful and the marina is charming.   Just what you would picture a Bahama Island to look like!  Our cruise over was another long day, but not as bumpy as previous runs.....we did have "rollers"  but all in all it was never too bad.  (Nothing moving around cabin, etc)  I have begun to gauge good runs and bad runs based on how much stuff flies around the cabin while underway!  😁😁

Spanish Wells is on the north edge of Eleuthera Island, about 35 miles northeast of Nassau.
This island has a substantial grocery story (Food Fair) which we can easily get to on foot, but we rented a gold cart for a few days, as Bob loves to roam around in it.   We will have to live in a "golf cart community" when this trip is over, he has decided!  He has also decided that the ideal temperature for his comfort is 75 to 80 degrees....and if it has to vary 5 degrees he would prefer 85 over 70.....so this golf cart community obviously will be in the south somewhere!!  and you thought I was the sun worshipper😎.  (I think Key West changed him...for the better! haha)

The grocery store here features anything you think you might need (better selection of items than I can find "up north Michigan")...and if you get there on a day when the supply ship comes in, you have even a better selection!  I am impressed by the produce and the prices of the produce, but other items I am glad we are stocked up on.....like paper products.  We have bought eggs ($4.50 doz), milk is $4.50 for 1/2 gal....and the granddaddy of them all...PEPSI (which is like crack for Bob, so it is a MUST PURCHASE) is $9.80 a 12 pack!  I told him he would be better off drinking rum!   Although I think the alcohol is quite expensive also compared to what we are used to.....luckily I have that stocked up also. Bob did have Pepsi stocked up, but not enough to support his "habit".

  I discovered a seafood market(??) which is a huge cooler in the corner of a hardware store across from the fishing docks, and I purchased stone crab claws at $15 a pound.  They are absolutely the BIGGEST claws I have ever seen....each claw is about the size of my hand!....which means when I crack them open to get the succulent meat out, huge chunks come out instead of the tiny little bits you would get out of a "normal sized" claw.  I am getting about a tuna can size full of meat out of every claw!   so yummy....  I was paying $35 a pound in Key West and decided the price and effort wasn't worth it for as little meat as I was finally able to eat.  These definitely are worth it, so I picked up another package this morning.

Speaking of the golf carts.....we were following a lady in hers and she speed around a corner in front of us, and out fell a couple dozen eggs (at $4.50 a dozen).....she stopped and picked them up and I suggested if she hurried home she could still have them scrambled!  She said "of all things to fly out of her cart, it had to be the eggs!  People here are very friendly and the homes mostly all seem to be well kept.  We have met several American families who own property on the island as vacation homes.  Since we have been in Bahamas we have never once felt unsafe or threatened.  The natives tell us the only island that you need to be careful on is Nassau.  If a native does something bad on one of the other islands, they send them to Nassau to go to court and/or jail......and then when they get out....they are NOT welcomed back to their island.....so they stay on Nassau!  (sounds like a sanctuary city!)   thus the higher crime rate, etc in Nassau.....because that's where the criminals are!!  Before we got here, other cruisers told us to lock our dinghy and motor up and not leave things unattended.....but since we have been on Bimini and now Eleuthera we have not once even locked the boat door when we leave!  And unlike Bimini the natives here are much friendlier.

I want to post some pictures of Chubb Cay and some from here, but the internet is not cooperating with transferring the files, so those will have to wait until later. (using the emojis instead🏖)..feeling internet savvvvy !!

  Some have inquired about the costs of dockage.....we have found it to be about $4.00 a foot, but then on top of that is the added electric and WATER charges.  We have stopped making the boat a 48 (LOA) and say it is 45 feet (which the model clearly states it is, so we really are not fibbing) and we are cautious about using the air conditioning......luckily with the exception of a couple days in Chubb, the weather is cool enough to have windows opened and air off.   Those days added approx. $60 a DAY more to charges of $200 a day to begin with. (and the water charges topped out about $40 a day, we are now more conservative) We had hopped to anchor out more, but we knew coming in here that the wind and waves were going to be blowing all week (which they are) and that we would probably be here till the weekend (which we will be).  We are just grateful that there is potable water available, as we were also told (??) that most places don't have any... (and we are extremely grateful that pump outs are not as scarce as we thought....so we take advantage of those whenever available.  All in all, we have really been enjoying this part of our journey and I am now confident in Captain Bobs abilities to navigate us thru some pretty shallow waters....if I was driving, we would still be stuck on several sand bars and shoals and reefs (as I constantly question WHY he is going in the direction he is, when it looks to be sooo much closer to just go directly in.... I guess some of us have different talents than others....mine lately seem to be beating Bob shamelessly at card games!🃏

THE BAHAMAS!

We made it....we are in the land of super HUGE yachts and beautiful turquoise water.   We crossed from Islamorada on Saturday, March 17...St Pattys Day.  By looking at us you would think we drank green beer all the 110 miles across.   At least I was a little green in the face by the time we arrived.  A lot of rocking and rolling took place.  The boat does great, the crew grips the railings and ignores the items flying around the cabin.  I only have myself to blame for not securing the items above the stove.  A tray fell and cracked the ceramic glass top...now comes the impossible task of trying to replace a marine grade, 25 year old, foreign model, of which the company is no longer in business.  Also this one has 4 burners...A real rarity for today's models...but as the captain said...how many burners HAVE you used?..he has a point there.  The unit is still functionable, so this will be a job for the future.

We arrived and cleared customs (absolutely no problems there, not too many questions and pay your cash $300) at Bimini and spend 2 nights there before heading out on the 100 mile trek to Chub Cay.  Once again another white knuckle trip..this time with trays, etc better secured.  The water did get a little better the closer we got to the island and we docked at the resort.
This is a stunning resort AND the only thing on the island.  A large marina with lots of sport fishing boats and then the mega yachts probably are what supports this place...we had a nice visit with a crew member and a nanny off one of the palaces....they told us the owner flies in supplies as needed.  Bob might need to ask them to included some Pepsi next flight!....Jane is all set, as they do have bar service...complete with a swim up bar in the pool.

While we were in the pool, other loopers came in..one boat from Charlevoix, and one from Canada.  We discovered the Canadians were loopers we partied with in Mackinac city last July...and our connections in Charlevoix (our friends, the Centers) are always a reference to strick up a conversation with the couple on "Winndecks".  Perhaps i will host a docktails get together as it appears we will all be here for a few days as the winds are getting stronger.  This is why lots of boaters wait till April to come over.
 
The boat next to us gave us a baggie full of  fish that we grilled for dinner...doesn't get any fresher than that!!  From the ocean to mouth in less than 5 hours...yummy..not a bad place to be "weathered in"

Rainy Days and Mondays......

We left Key West and headed to Faro Blanco Marina in Marathon.   It is a beautiful marina with a pool (just us old folks in their pool) and a great onsite restaurant.  Good thing, as there isn't much around it commercially "out the gates".  We did enjoy the Marathon Seafood Festival on Saturday and the day before, on Friday, we took a taxi cab to....PUBLIX!   Our favorite place in Florida, or so it seems that we spend the most money there!  While we were at Faro Blanco they had a "offshore boat rendezvous".  These are the sleek looking ones that go fast!  I asked one driver how fast they went and she said 80 to 100 mph and they were one of the SLOWER boats....some go 180.  I told her "we go 8 to 10"!!

After a great few days there we were off again.....destination Islamorada.  It is a village encompassing 6 of the Florida Keys, known for their coral reefs.  We had a great day on Sunday weather wise, but in addition to dodging the never ending crab pots....we now are dealing with very shallow water.  Capt Bob is constantly watching the depth gage and often we are digging up the bottom.....thankfully it is sand!  Here we are at Plantation Harbor, which is in a city park.  We were lucky to get in, as we are now finding it more and more difficult for a transient slip, as this is where the hurricane damaged a lot of marinas that are still under repair.   AND thankful we were to be in a protected area because on Monday quite a storm came thru...   High winds, waves, thunder and lightning....lots of rocking and rolling and lots of rain.  But as typical Florida, Tuesday (today) is just as sunny and bright as usual and a great temp....We rode our bikes down to "Rain Barrel" a small artisan village and I even got my picture taken with "Betsy" the lobster...   Its fun to play tourists!  I guess that is what we are, although it feels like we are "almost" locals!!

We plan to move up the keys (perhaps Key Largo) a little more before crossing to the Bahamas....The wind has not cooperated with our original plans to be there by now.  Winds are typically higher this time of year, so we are just waiting and watching....Capt Bob does a good job of the watching part.  I do a good job of the waiting...get a good book to read and enjoy the sun!

HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY WEST

March 1, 2018....As we prepare to wrap up our month long visit here in Key West, we want to post some pictures of our favorite memories....there are also some we have no pictures of...(thank goodness!)  We really have become Key Westers......Jane would opt to stay another month, but Capt Bob is ready for the Bahamas.....next part of this amazing journey....

Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant...beyond description

Bob, Deb and Ken...(note Bob is handling the luggage)

Jane plays with the fountain in pool

Sunsets happened every night....just like clockwork!

Jane's dinner on Sunset Key...what a presentation

So many bars....so little time!!  We hit all the favorites!

The dolphins deserve another photo....never gets old!!

Bob and New Jersey Friends...had to fight to get HIS hat back!

A familiar sight thru out Key West!  

Jane on Dingy Ride...we did several

Bob is almost happy with his "little dingy"  misses his big one in storage!

Flowers brought from Colorado last May are blooming again...they love Key West also.

Jane at Birthday Dinner on Sunset Key!  Fabulous!

OH YEA...JANE ---AFTER ONE MONTH IN KEY WEST!!  Bet you didn't recognize her!!!

KEYS DISEASE!

Saturday, February 24

😱

We got the "keys disease"...before you panic it is not a rash or anything (!)  It means, or so my neighbor says,...that you really, really, like it here.

Key West is not all, or only, Duval Street with drunken young people, although there are a lot of those...  we avoid the weekends in the pool area here, sometimes it is a treat to watch, but mostly the music (??) drives us away.  Have we  become our parents??  But we have also discovered that Key West is a  wonderful, tropical, island space with outstanding weather, beautiful aqua water, tons of great places to eat, both casual and formal..., a thriving art community  (saw a local community musical that was great,  and have tickets to see George Winston, even took in a female impersonator, and most of the bars have entertainment of all sorts! ... from doo-wop girl groups to "clothing optional" bars...  (plus, we also get just a little crazy every now and then......see below)

Today we are renting a car, and tomorrow will go up the keys to Marathon for a looper get together.  This will also give us time and transportation to "provision up" for the Bahamas.  We will be able to get to the "outer areas" of the city to larger grocery stores.  The one in town, which we ride our bikes to, is expensive, so we get the basics there and have a large list for todays trip.  Most of the population here ride bikes, or take the free Duval Loop bus.   We rely on it daily to get us to shops, post office, etc.  We have met some nice people on the bus....everyone is usually in a great mood..(could be the sunshine and most are on vacation)...lots are from Michigan and we even met a couple who live in Saline! They were impressed to meet Bob, who designed their subdivision!  (made him feel good....fruits of his past labors)

Speaking of crazy pool antics.....Friends Deb and Ken Rogers came for a weekend visit....complete with lots of fun and even "beer pong".  Like Ken says, "when we went to college, we didn't have to play games to drink, we just drank"!  We also spent a considerable amount of time playing Euchre, our favorite card game from a previous life (when we were young and crazy...now we are just crazy!)  It was quite a battle between Jane and Ken vs. Bob and Deb...  winners?? it depends on who you talk to..... The Rogers showed us all their favorite places on and off Duval St....and we had a great time...We hope to connect up again somewhere in the Bahamas.

Properly attired complete with straw hats!

Rogers showed us their favorite breakfast spot.....SO good, especially the bloody Marys that made the wait time go fast....

After a yummy breakfast, complete with "cinnamon crunch" shots...(ordered by capt Bob)...Jane and Deb went shoe shopping and the guys continued on down Duval.....

Bob meet a new friend on the street.....the women should have never let the guys go off on their own!  Now Bob wants a dog and has a plan for his next job!  This was after a few more day time shots!  Bob is smiling and having a great time....who knew daytime drinking was this much fun!

Jane waves good bye to the Key West Ferry taking the Rogers back home to Treasure Island.....see you soon!  (after we rest up!)   A good time was had by all!  See you in the Bahamas!

KEY WEST

Captain Bob is now referred to as "Key West Bob".  He has his "mile marker one" charm on a gold chain and wears a straw hat!  I love this guy!!  A "little" more relaxed and lays by the pool (could have something to do with the pool view, but I love that he comes to pool with me)

We arrived here Wednesday, Feb 7.  Had a one night stop in Marco Island before deciding a little late in day (10am) to take off for Key West.   Had a wonderful ride for about the first 5 1/2 hours across, and then the last 1 1/2 hour we had quite a ride.  Waves splashing over bow making it hard to see out window, but with the trusty first mate, (me) we avoided the crab pots, of which there were many!!  WHO puts the pots out sooooo far in the ocean?   And I really want to pull a few up and see if they are full of crabs.  The whole idea intrigues me, and while I was calmly relaxing those first 5 hours, I thought I might get a job on a fish boat (when I grow up)....but once we hit rough seas, I changed my mind....(so I'm a fair weather boater!)

Finally it feels like a "real vacation"!  We will be here for a month, so we have time to relax and the first thing (the old) Capt Bob did was completely strip the back sunporch and power spray every piece of furniture and the floors etc!  I have come to the point where I don't care if he wants to work his butt off every day,  but this hindered me getting OFF the boat and heading for the pool......So, I gave in and took all the covers off all the cushions and washed them...  I do have to say that it looks as good as the day we bought the boat.  Finally Captain Bob turned into Key West Bob and is starting to unwind somewhat.

We are in Conch Harbor Marina.   We have only 1 other looper boat in this marina with us, but lots more in the adjoining marinas.  We had a "crawl" the other night.....visited 2 boats and had a good time getting reacquainted with boats we had crossed paths with previously.  Several are already on their way out and over to Bahamas.   We are here for a month and so happy.....our marina is more a "fishing boat" marina and not as crowded as the ones we visited the other night....we also have the pool (as mentioned) and FREE laundry facilities....that overlook the pool.   Not a bad place to clean your clothes.  Already thinking we will come here next year(!)....Ha.  People ask all the time  what we will do when loop is finished.....we haven't figured that out yet....!  Just enjoying the moment.

Every day has been sunny and warm....not much humidity if you stay near the water...and rain is predicted every night, but we haven't seen a drop.  The big topic of discussion is the "snow back home"...and there are lots of Michiganders here.  Saw several last evening on our first trip down to Duval Street.....what a place, and the later it gets the crazier it gets.  We left about 8:30pm..no wonder so tired today......!  Hey, we were there at 6pm to see the sunset off Mallory Square.  Happened into a bar that had a great girl group (3) singing all 60's doo wap.  The "early" show....no wonder all the people in there were our age!  It was tons of fun....Key West Bob even had a drink.

So today its back to the same old grind.....off to the pool!  THIS is the looper life style I signed up for!

Getting Warmer!

Captain Bob just came to galley and said "you know its warm when the dinghy is fully inflated".....woohoo.  I see people sitting on back of boats having coffee and Bob says it "is hot and sticky"!   WE HAVE ARRIVED!   Finally.......warm weather.

We are in Burnt Store Marina in Charlotte Harbour.  We left St Pete on Friday and took a short ride to Anna Maria Island.  Sticker shock took over as we paid the most ever for one night on their gas dock....remember, this is my boat, my bed, my sheets, etc....why then does it cost so much to tie to a dock??? (think a very nice hotel in Michigan)...  Supply and demand here in West Florida, but we had memorable evening....(memorable is defined as being special or unusual....)  it was unusual to find Bob sitting at a beachside table with a bunch of people he didn't know (half in the bag....the people, not Bob) and having a great time!  The next morning we departed, when the tide allowed, and traveled 8 hours to Burnt Store....the last hour was a challenge.  We hadn't had waves and water like this since the great lakes I believe.....we were glad to arrive and hit the bar... AFTER our much needed rinse off of LeReve.  She gets so sticky in this salt water!

One couple who saw us "land"....mentioned they were impressed by our docking.....calling it "quite a process".  Not sure what that meant, but I said "its not our first rodeo"...(I LOVE that expression, especially since my daughter and friend dressed up her newborn in a shirt that said ...."this IS my first rodeo" ......and took her to the county rodeo!!...ok back to boating!....This marina is far superior to the Anna Maria one at a half the cost.....go figure?.... am I starting to sound like the "retiree" than I am?? haha.

We spent 2 weeks in St. Pete.....had a great time.....This picture was after a 3 bottle wine lunch with my Bible Study Best Friends.  We all lived in the same "hood" when this was home to us...Sandi, Lauri, Denise and mother Jane.  What a group!..long story behind the "flamingo" shirt... (and we did have a legit Bible Study, and IT HAS carried each and everyone of us through the valleys, some deeper than others, but we will all attest that it is our Lord and our friendships that bind us just as deep.

Speaking of this group, Bob and I are SLOWLY making our way out of Anna Maria Island area, and this go-fast boat flies by us, and the girl on the back is screaming......."THAT'S JANE.....JANE!!"
Here is was my friend Sandi and her husband!  They were on their way on a boat weekend get-away to celebrate his birthday!

We also had the usual best time with best friends, Ken and Deb Rogers.   They have been our friends forever!  Their son, who is 35 reminded us that we were HIS AGE, (actually younger), when we started hanging out together and doing crazy family vacations together.....where did those years go and how did he get older than we are??? (He, like our kids, is married with a son of his own!)...Why did we not take a picture of them for my blog?   Oh, ... because it was so windy and rocky when Ken and Deb came to dinner on LeReve that we could hardly keep the plates on the table, let alone focus a picture.....we do however have 
a pic of Capt Bob winning the Pot of Gold jackpot at their local weekly Bingo game!!

We went through 3 rental cars in 2 weeks.....first one a/c didn't work, 2nd one had a flat tire the morning after we traded out the 1st one....it is difficult enough to remember what kind of car you are driving and where it is parked, without changing it out every day!  ha....(memory retiring also!)  When we are somewhere for over a week or so, we like to rent a car.  Especially when we have lots of jobs to do  (ie: several trips to West Marine and hardware stores!)

Here is a pic of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge we went under as we left Tampa Bay.....quite a site off the bow of our little boat....




We once again had lots of dolphins swimming along side us and enjoying our wake.  I will attempt  to get a video of it, but I get so excited at seeing them so close I could pet them that I forget the camera!  We have figured out when they will swim with us...they jump in front of our bow, go under and show up along side of us....amazing.

While in St Pete we took a ride across the bay to the TECO plant....this is where the manatee hang out in the warm water of the plant....because the bay has been so cold there were hundreds of the big sea cows....they looked like baked potatoes in the water!

This one has a baby on each side

We are off to the pool to enjoy the "SUPER" day here before the big game!