Lake Wales, FL

What a weekend. This is going to be a long post since there is so much to write about -- airboating, clay pigeon shooting, hog hunting, quad riding, star gazing, fire building, eating Molly's amazing meals, meeting so many friendly and truly great people.....

On Friday morning, Bill and I met Dave and Molly in Ft. Lauderdale. They invited us up to Lake Wales (in Central Florida) for the weekend to their friend Todd's home. We made the +/- three hour drive and were in heaven by early afternoon. Todd and his two sons Carson and Dillon very generously opened their beautiful home (the picture above is the view from the house!) on the Tiger Lake to us and boy did we have a blast.


Dave and Molly keep their camper, airboat, and quads at Todd's house, so there were plenty of toys to play with all weekend. Friday Dave took Bill and me for an airboat ride, which I had never done before. Capt' Dave showed us around the creeks. We saw an alligator (my first!) and tons of birds including bald eagles. Airboating is cool! After we went for a night quad ride and stopped to experience true peace and absolute quiet. Friday night Molly was at it again and cooked everyone a delicious dinner.

Saturday the guys got up early and went to state land to go hog hunting while Molly and I picked up a few things at Walmart. Later in the afternoon everyone had fun clay pigeon shooting and then we all went back and did some more hog hunting on the buggy. Saturday night we had an incredible fire, the neighbors came by, we ate like kings and queens and enjoyed the clear starry night.

Sunday we enjoyed the sunshine and Todd's amazing property. His home overlooks the Tiger Lake and it is truly majestic. There is a pond with lots of fish, a private dock, and a spectacular view of the river. Bill and I went for an afternoon quad ride and did some exploring, came back to the house and Dave took us for another airboat ride. We saw lots of cows, deer, and bald eagles. Todd, Carson, and Dillon had to return to Ft. Lauderdale for work / school on Monday. After they headed south, Dave, Molly, Bill and I enjoyed Molly's roast beef and twice baked potatoes while watching the Super Bowl. We woke up today (Monday) and drove back to Lauderdale.

Todd's neighbors have a beautiful chocolate lab named Hershey (the same name as the Constantino family dog growing up!) who we all enjoyed. What a great place for a dog! Lots of land, all those ponds to swim in, and neighbors to throw the ball over and over (and supply the occasional treat!)

To be honest, when I think of Florida cows, beautiful big oaks with Spanish moss ("enchanted forests" as Molly calls them), deer, curving creeks with dozens of birds, acres and acres of untouched land are not the first things that come to mind. I can't express to anyone reading this how wonderfully amazing our weekend was. Hunting hogs, clay pigeon shooting, airboating, and wearing camouflage (Bill had a hard time taking off Capt' Dave's boots) are certainly not things that Bill and I do on a regular basis -- and man, what an experience. One thing that stood out to me was how quiet and -- well peaceful -- everything was. We were able to appreciate and stare at more stars than we have in a very, very long time. Oh -- and I am convinced that a fire pit is one of the most calming, spell binding things on the planet.

We met many incredible and truly genuine people at Todd's house. It is a different way of life. All of the neighbors and family who stopped by to say hello and hang out for a bit welcomed Bill and me as if we were old friends. Everyone driving by on their tractors or quads waved and said hello.


And the toys.... the airboat, the quads, the guns, the camper. As Dave said, it really brings out the kid in you!

It is also hard to express our gratitude to Todd and his family (who we had never met before this weekend!) and to our amazing friends Dave and Molly. How do you ever 'pay someone back' for sharing and opening up a whole other world to Bill and me? Can you ever really truly express sincere gratitude?

For a gazillion more pictures, click here.

We have a new neighbor....

On Friday morning as we were packing our stuff to meet Dave and Molly a h-u-g-e yacht docked off our stern. So our current view is of the mighty m/y Man of Steel. She is 160 feet long and has three decks. Read more in an article that we found on the internet about m/y Man of Steel.

the art of cruising....

It is funny how we have gotten into a routine here in Lauderdale. Are we still "cruisers" if we have been in the same place for three weeks and don't have any immediate plans on leaving? Our original plan was to travel the ICW south from Annapolis to "somewhere" in Florida and then, after the holidays, take off for the Bahamas. Well it is almost February and we are still here. But nothing is pushing us out the door.... The weather has been great, we have friends in the area, and my father was able to come for a nice visit. Why leave? The marina where we are is perfect for liveaboards. We have a pumpout station at the dock, the marina office has accepted our mail, there are laundry facilities, a parking lot (yes, we still have the rental car), a security gate. We are within walking distance of many restaurants and of course the beach. I have even joined a gym across the street (temporary membership). We are learning the area and the roads in Lauderdale. Yesterday I took the car and did errands. I had my eyes checked and got a pair of prescription sunglasses so I will finally be able to spot the markers in the distance. We have our favorite restaurants, coffee shops, and places to hang out. We have settled in.

But, we do know that we will move on. It might not be this week or next, but Mary Elizabeth is happiest when she is moving. One day we will get up and say, OK we've had enough. Let's go. And we will. Bill and I know that we are truly lucky to have such freedom with our schedule. And we are trying to take advantage of our fortunate situation now while we still have the opportunity. When we are back at work and in the 'real world' we'll look back on this winter and think of how much relaxing fun we had. So in the meantime we are enjoying every moment.

Everyone cruises differently. We have met people who are on the same schedule each year. For example they cruise in Maine for the summers and Florida for the winters, or they stay in Annapolis for the summer and the BVIs for the winter. There are others who cruise part-time. They might sail their boats south and then return home for a few weeks for work and then fly back to the boat whenever they can. There are others who cruise for a year and then take a break. Cruising is very much dictated by the hurricane seasons (and insurance regulations). Many are much more adventurous and cruise across the Atlantic (although we have met fewer and fewer people who are choosing this option since the dollar is so bad). We have our own style of cruising. For example, we stay at marinas more often than some people do. We are somewhat limited by my reluctance to do long passages (although we are very lucky to have great experienced boater friends who have helped Bill get the boat from point A to point B). We love to sit on a mooring or on anchor for days and days. There is little that we need to entertain us; books, games, conversation, an occasional movie (we have no TV when we aren't at the dock). Bill and I enjoy the peace and solitude of being on the hook as much as we love the conveniences at the dock. Mary Elizabeth was built to be self sufficient; we have a water maker and wind generator on board. Bill and I have adapted to "our" style of cruising, and although it wouldn't be for everyone, to say that we are enjoying ourselves would be the understatement of the year!

It does look like we will be in Lauderdale for a bit longer since we found out today that Island Packet does not have the hosing for the propane in stock. They will have to make one and then mail it to us, which could take a bit. Until then we are without a stove or oven, which kind of stinks. If anyone has any good microwave recipes, please share! Until then, we'll enjoy the weather and sites in Ft. Lauderdale. As I am typing, two very playful dolphins just swam by in the marina slapping their tails on the water and swimming on their backs. Truly amazing.

My father and Bill golfed 5 times in 5 days. On Saturday they were paired up with two guys from Duxbury who actually know the Whalens (my Godmother). Small world.

We had a really nice time while my father was here. It was fun to show him around, for Bill to have a good golfing partner, to all spend some time together. Saturday night we drove to the Hard Rock Casino, and even though none of us won, it was a blast. It was actually much more crowded than we would thought.

On Sunday they had an early tee time, which would have left plenty of time to start the sauce. After they got back to the boat and had some lunch, my dad started to cook. But... we ran out of propane - again. Usually the tanks last us six months each (and we have two). I just had the propane filled when we were in Boca less than a month ago. Something is wrong. When I had the tanks filled before the guy told me they were safe but should probably be replaced soon since the salt air and water easily corrodes the tanks. It was on our list of things to get done before we leave Lauderdale. We discovered yesterday, however, that the part of the hose that connects the tank to the boat is leaking. Bill spoke to Island Packet who will let us know if it is a part that we can get at West Marine or if we have to order it through the manufacturer. Bottom line, however, is that we couldn't make the sauce. The good news is that my dad gave me the recipe, so I will be able to attempt to recreate his delicious cooking once everything is fixed.

In addition to taking care of the propane issues, I have a few other errands to do today including having my eyes checked. I have prescription glasses for driving and watching movies, but I think it is time to get prescription sunglasses so I can spot the markers in the distance.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Bill and my father have been golfing every day at different courses around Lauderdale. The weather has been great, so I am glad that my father gets to enjoy some sunshine. Last night we went for happy hour and appetizers at the beach and then had snacks when we got back to the boat. Today I drove them to the golf course so I could have the car. On the way back to the marina I stopped at Publix to get ingredients so my dad can make a sauce before he leaves. Yes! I am going to work on the stainless today while they are gone and take advantage of the sun.

Here are some pictures of Ft. Lauderdale Beach. It is a great place to take a nice walk and people watch.

My Dad's Here

Bill left the boat around 10:15 to pick up my dad at Ft. Lauderdale airport. He is visiting for a few days to play golf, get some sun, and escape the snow in Boston. I didn't go to the airport since they are heading straight to the golf course. Another cold front has moved through so it is chilly - but I think my dad will enjoy since it isn't 10 degrees and snowing.

Bill and I watched most of the inauguration on TV yesterday. What an event. The energy in DC was incredible. If we were still 'home' I think it would have been a tough decision whether or not to brave the crowds (and cold) and partake in the festivities or stay home in Alexandria and watch the ceremonies on TV.

Last night we had a nice dinner with Juan, who is in Lauderdale for the winter - actually the boat is just two marinas down from where Mary Elizabeth is docked. Amy is back in Annapolis. It was nice to see a familiar face and to catch up!

Orchids

I took these pictures when we were at Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo with Dave and Molly. The orchids were simply stunning. I have never seen orchids in such beautiful colors.

Lilly pads

Molly, Andre, Bill and I went for a tour of the Ocean Reef Club and stopped at this pond to try to find an alligator. We didn't see any gators, but we did see these beautiful lilly pads.

Key Largo, FL

On Friday Bill and I rented a car and drove from Ft. Lauderdale to Key Largo. Dave and Molly are at the Ocean Reef Club in Largo and graciously invited us down for the weekend. What a place! Friday night Dave beat Bill 6 to 1 at yahtzee. Molly gave us a tour of the reef in the golf cart on Saturday afternoon; we even stopped at the Ocean Reef Club museum. We went out for a sunset cruise in the small boat and Molly and I came back and spent several hours in the hot tub while the boys went to the bar. We had planned on returning to Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday morning but decided to stay another day. And we are so glad that we did! Dave, Molly, and their friends Ron and Steve took Bill and me out fishing for the afternoon. It was amazing. First we caught the bait (ballyhoo). We caught some with the rods and Ron caught others (many more) with the net. The water was beautiful; green and blue. In addition to the ballyhoo, we saw little yellow fins and sargent majors in the water. It was the perfect day; sunny and calm. Truly awesome.

After we caught enough bait fish, Dave drove the boat into deeper water. Ron and Steve put the bait on and set up the rods and then we waited. After a short time we had a fish on. Bill caught a sailfish, his first blue water catch. The sailfish was between 30 and 35 pounds. It was awesome. Molly took some great pictures.

After a little while longer, there was another fish on and it was my turn to reel him in. With (a lot!) of Ron's help, I managed to catch a black fin tuna. It is a lot harder than I thought it would be but Ron showed me how to get into the rhythm of reeling, waiting, reeling, waiting, etc. When the tuna was just about up to the boat, a shark came from behind and bit off its tail. But the shark left everything else (the good parts!) and Ron filleted the tuna up right then and there. I learned that it tuna doesn't get any fresher when the meat is still warm when it is filleted. Next was Molly's turn. She caught a (whole) bonito tuna. It was an awesome day. One of the most fun times we have had in a long time. It was a totally new experience for Bill and me and we were lucky to have the best of the best teach us. Dave and Ron are so knowledgeable.

We headed back to the dock around 5:00. Ron hung the flag to indicate that the boat caught one sailfish. It is upside down because the fish was released. Molly grilled the fresh tuna for dinner. The whole weekend was (of course) full of her fabulous meals.




We had an awesome weekend. It was so nice to see Dave and Molly, to hang out, see some of Largo, and to meet their friends. Life really doesn't get any better - great friends, amazing food and hospitality, learning and experiencing new things, hanging out and having a really, really good time.



Of course we took a million pictures. Click here to see the web album.




We are back on Mary Elizabeth in Lauderdale now. Bill replaced the fuse on the bow thruster and finished the last of the turnbuckles. We have a few other things to take care of before my father flies in from Boston on Wednesday -- which we are both looking forward to!

Bill in Lats and Atts

Bill is featured as one of the Feb 2009 "Boat People" in one of our favorite magazines, Latitudes and Attitudes. Pretty Cool! Lats and Atts is a great magazine about cruising. Here is the link to their site http://www.latsandatts.net/magazine/