Mas Marina

I'm starting to meet my neighbors at the marina slowly...
I'm thinking of keeping a journal of the marina. It's so interesting to watch things change every day. Sometimes I see dolphins feeding along the mangroves in the morning; sometimes they're just swiming by. There are often little Green Herons sitting nearby when I come home in the evenings; perched on a rope or the dock rail.

In the mornings I sometimes get to see Roseate Spoonbills flying over head. I also frequently see Ibis and Yellow Crowned Night Herons.
Although the "Snook light" has been out the past few evenings, when it's on, it is fun to watch the fish do their water dances just below the surface. There have been a lot of Jacks lately, and some Tarpon. The Snook usually hang out at the edge of the mangroves. I see them sometimes if the tide and the light are just right.

The sailboat transom is now clean and ready for some blue paint... I'm thinking of converting the color of the boat from green to blue, starting with the transom...

Loving the Marina

Things are so much more relaxed now that we're living in a marina.
First month in the marina has been wonderful.

Note the transom of the sailboat is continuing to change in prep for denaming/renaming ceremony...



Patty is up to her old tricks as usual, must be into everything!


The temperatures finally cooling down, the breezes kicking up.
The sun setting down, the moon rising up.

Such a hectic lifestyle I usually lead, one wonders why I don't spend more time just sitting on the back of the boat watching the sun set and the moon rise....

Land Weekend

Spent this past weekend on land converting a new to me 1983 Mercedes Benz diesel to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO).



Had great help from wonderful friends, whom never cease to amaze me with their generosity.


A few adjustments to be made to the plumbing, but she runs on veggie :) yae!

Got to spend some time with Dexter too :)

First Sail

Athena was moved to her new residence on Saturday, October 7th.
What an awesome and thrilling day....
The motor down Big Marco River was beautifully sunny like any perfect day in SW Florida.
We had lots of food and a great lunch.
Vicki made yummy vegetarian sandwhiches.

After motoring down Big Marco River, we took Athena out for her very first sail since I became hers just one year ago this month.
Out we went through Coon Key Pass and into the Gulf past Coon Key Light.
Engine off, sailing away...
Oh, but someone told me never to go sailing on a schedule...
It was a perfect day.
But, the rest of life called,
we had to turn around...



As we returned, the final part of the trip into the marina became quite an adventure as the motor faulted and the decision was made to sail into the marina....
There are no words to explain how tricky this was, and we were darn lucky we were coming in while still on an almost full moon high tide...


The challenge was awesome. I'll be sorry the day I forget.
Vicki, thanks for being the depth sounder!!!
Russell, you are an amazing sailor and it was just awe inspiring to see you in action :)
My hero, my mentor :)