LAZY DAYS

The song  “Lazy Day” by Spanky and our Gang describes our days here in Marathon the past week very well. Two weeks ago we dropped anchor in a perfect spot, halfway between our now favorite restaurant, The Castaway and the City Marina.   There are a few derelict boats aground near us, a young live aboard couple behind us, we have perfect views of sunrises, sunsets, and it’s a quiet place to sit in the late afternoon sun. 

Sunrise over Sisters Creek

Sunset looking towards “The Bridge to Nowhere” 

After two weeks we have moved up on the waiting list for a mooring from 39th to next in line. We watch the comings and goings of the locals, the arrivals and departures of transient boats.  We have almost settled into a routine of sorts. Our mornings are typically spent listening to the local Cruisers net on vhf channel 68. The volunteer  moderators and participants  use this forum to welcome newcomers, and in general offer support and advice to fellow live aboard sailors and cruisers. It’s a real community of boaters here. They “get it”. The marina charges a minimal fee of $20.00/day to tie up your dink, use the showers and laundry facilities, borrow bikes, access water, and a place to have mail, packages and have groceries delivered, free WiFi, TV viewing rooms and even space to do boat work. Many people bring their sewing machines and work on their sails and canvas. 

It’s a great meeting place for the community of cruisers. We’ve met a lot of interesting people.  There is a library of books, often a jigsaw puzzle to work on, game day, craft day, and much more. It’s a cool, comfortable and friendly place. 

The Tiki Hut at the Marina. Sunday mornings there often have a potluck brunch. 

All the dinghies tied up with a 4’ painter. There is a speed limit in the harbor-idle speed only. And it is strictly enforced. 

The moon rising the day before the full moon. A harbor full of boats/masts. 

One thing is for sure-it’s VERY WARM. Our daily routine has developed like this. I enjoy early mornings (6:00ish) in the cockpit, sipping on ice water, watching the sunrise and updating/checking mail, messages and FB. David usually sleeps until 8:00am. 

When he gets up we run the generator to charge the batteries and we have coffee and a bagel while listening to the Cruisers net on channel 68. This is a great way to connect with and communicate with other cruisers. From welcoming newcomers to commiserating with fellow liveaboards, I’ve come to know the “frequent flyers” of the morning get together.  You can seek help, offer assistance, buy and sell items (we bought a fender board), just enjoy the harbor banter and last but not least,  learn new bits of trivia. By then David and I have decided on our POD (plan of the day). We typically enjoy lunch ashore;  it’s cooler and you can get fresh fruit and salad that is so much more enjoyable in an air conditioned environment. 

The Tiki Patio at The Stuffed Pig. A great place for lunch/breakfast. 

Daily chores include filling water jugs, and getting gasoline for the outboard and generator. We’ve gotten into a bit of a routine of returning to the boat mid afternoon and enjoying a late afternoon cocktail on the bow in our Margaritaville chairs. By then the heat of the day has diminished and a cooling breeze is a welcome relief. We will stay here a few more weeks then begin the trek north to Miami, Fort Lauderdale and then West Palm. 

Derelict boats anchored and aground awaiting their fate. 

Blue sky, Sunshine,

what a day to take a ride in the dink

The “Bridge to No Where” as the locals refer to it. 

Ice cream, Day dream, 

till the sky becomes a blanket of stars.

Truly Boot Key Harbor is a sea of lights every night. 

What a day for watchin’ Dolphins, 

and lots of pelicans.

And what a day for holdin' hands  and bein' with you.

An early morning gathering of the birds. 

Lazy Day, Just right for lovin' away.

Lazy Day, Perfect for a drink on the bow,

Baby, you and me (Baby you and me)

On Obsession (Anchored in Boot Key)

Lazy Day, Lazy Day, 

Lazy Days for you 'n' me

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY

We had a lovely Valentines “Happy Hour” tour of Key West with Marge and George and Melvin and Michelle.  First stop Bagatelle, second stop The Grand Cafe (pictured here) and the last stop Sunset Pier. It is hard to say good-bye to such good friends and family. 

Here's a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don't worry, be happy

In every life we have some trouble

But when you worry you make it double

Don't worry, be happy

There were several days and nights of stormy weather here in Key West. Although we were lucky enough to be on a mooring, the mooring field is not protected from the strong north winds. We bounced, we rocked, we rolled. One night I woke David up and said, “Just put yours arms around me and hold me tight. Maybe we won’t feel the waves so much.” It worked! 

Our time in Key West has come to an end

We’re ready to set our sails again

Don’t worry be happy

Our tanks are full

Our bellies too

Don’t worry be happy

Lunches at Caroline’s, appetizers at The Commodores Boathouse, drinks at The Grand Cafe, desserts at The Key Lime Pie Bakery, and sunsets at Sunset Pier. We were never disappointed. 

The winds have calmed

We’re bound for Marathon

Don’t worry be happy

Two weeks (or so) there

And then we’ll move on

Don’t worry be happy

The wind forecast for Saturday is less than 10 knots from the south. If it holds true it should be a perfect to sail back to Marathon. 

Soon spring will arrive

And we will come alive

Don’t worry be happy

Florida, Georgia,

Carolina (Times 2)

Don’t forget Virginia too. 

Don’t worry be happy

I have several hundred more sunset pictures taken here in Key West. This is one of my favorites. 

The Chesapeake and Maryland, 

Delaware and New Jersey (woe is me)

Don’t worry be happy

New York and Rhode Island

But Cuttyhunk is where we really want to be

Don’t worry be happy

I have several hundred sunrise pictures too. I can’t begin to showcase them all. I promise to keep taking pictures as we travel north too. 

Now here, is this song I wrote

I hope you learned it note for note

Follow our travels

And you will see

More sunrises and sunsets, 

More pictures of us 

(Obsession, David and me)

Living our Dream of Retirement on the sea. 

DONT WORRY BE HAPPY!

😎😊😎

I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE

Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine

Not much longer would you be mine

(There’s an audio/video link at the 

end of the blog. So you can sing along. )

Yes. Yes. Obsession is officially listed for sale. We are not abandoning our Dream Retirement Cruise yet.   Our thinking is we will continue our trip back home to Newport.  If, along the way she sells then we will deal with it, if not, we still have a summer to enjoy her in Newport, Cuttyhunk and Block Island. The dates for the fireworks in Block Island (July 3), Newport, (July 4) Cuttyhunk (August 3) and Oak Bluffs are already in our calendar.  Maybe a summer of no worries is in our future. No new installations (freezers), no new upgrades (exhaust elbows), no new fixes (macerators, bilge pumps). Wouldn’t that be nice? 

Oh I heard it through the grapevine

Oh I'm just about to lose my mind

Honey, honey yeah

We’ve spent some time enjoying Key West with Marge and George, playing tourist, being part of a boating community and doing exactly what we had hoped to do, sit back, relax and enjoy some down time in a comfortable warm setting. We have enjoyed the famous Key West Key Lime Pie, the early bird Happy Hours, some great music (Motown being one of our favorites) and glorious sunsets. We are looking forward to meeting up with Melvin and Michelle on Belle again too.  We plan to head back to Marathon around Feb. 15 for a few weeks  where we hope to see Danny Villagoza, Addison and Pat Chan and maybe Peggy and Tom Perrotto. 

Here’s a few highlights of our past week or so. 

I know a man (boat) ain't supposed to cry

But these tears I can't hold inside

Losin' you would end my life you see

'Cause you mean that much to me

Obsession has been a joy to us and many others who have traveled with us whether on board or from afar. She’s been a comfortable home, a traveling vehicle (albeit slow) to many beautiful harbors, waterways and destinations. She has and will forever hold a very special place in our hearts.  I know I will have a tear or two in my eyes the day we say good bye to her as I did the day we said good bye to Obsession 29. 

 

http://youtu.be/l0nyFuKGc5w