WAITING FOR A WEATHER WINDOW

Our view from Manatee in Key Largo

We returned to Key Largo after a great Thanksgiving weekend with the family.  Thank you, Casey and Edward, for being great hosts, and making it all happen!

Casey and her mom Mary, a super yummy Italian Thanksgiving!

On our return to Manatee the wind we were experiencing before Thanksgiving gave way to rain.  It has been raining with occasional downpours everyday.  It rained so much and so often that the cockpit was as wet as if there was no dodger/bimini overhead. Ugh.  

On a following still morning we tossed the kayaks in the water to go for a paddle around the mangrove swamps.  It was very quiet.  We enjoyed viewing the foliage and wildlife going on in these eery looking swamps.

Heading into the mangrove channel

A tunnel!

Deeper in the mangroves, mosquitos!

We also continued the never ending improvements to Manatee.  I wanted shades to go around the cockpit to keep the afternoon sun beaming in and keeping it hot.  Since we don't have power while at anchor, I brought my roll of Sunbrella into Georgeanne's and cut out what I needed using the hot knife.  (keeps the material from fraying at the cut edges).  I used the sewing machine manually aboard Manatee, with Ed helping by turning the crankshaft.  They turned out pretty good!

Stern Cockpit shade 

From the outside

We are excited to get be getting ready for the next leg of our cruising season, crossing the gulf stream and getting to Bimini.  We need a few days of nice weather, with winds from any direction but North.  Any north will make the gulf stream choppy and rough.  So far, still waiting.

We have been so fortunate to have family here and to be able to use the car to run into town for the little miscellaneous things we keep thinking we need.  We spent an entire day provisioning Manatee, including a trip to BJ's wholesale.

Uh, this is a boat. Filled with the provisioning 

Canned goods locker aboard Manatee.

Out with the knick-knacks, in with the food/snacks!

It took a couple of days to stow the amount of food we bought.  We are trying to provision for at least 4 months.  We don't want to grocery shop if it can be avoided!  

The bilge- filled with 5 large bottles each of Rum and Scotch, 2 large and 2 small bottles of Gin, 7 boxes of wine and 7 cases of beer, that SHOULD be enough for a while!! (Beer is stowed under the sink in the head and various other spaces on the boat)

We got the propane outboard motor for LilBit fixed.  (yes, again). This time it was the fitting for the small campstove size propane tanks.  Since the engine is still under warranty we had to call the company and have them send us the parts and Ed fixed it. 

Yesterday we were given a life raft by one of the boat residents at Gilbert's anchorage, who is a long time friend of Georgeanne's. Its old but looks fine and should work.  Hopefully we will never have to use it, but glad to have it!  Thank you Dennis!

Sunday 12/13/15

We left wonderful Key Largo, headed for an anchorage outside Angelfish Creek and then for the open sea around midnight tonight.  The weather looks great for the next week or so, winds out of the South and Southeast, 15-20 kts.  Should blow us right across the gulf stream to Bimini!!

Saying "so long" to Gilbert's Resort.  Key Largo is always very good to us.

Stay tuned for updates as we come into areas of internet signal and I take time to post!