Hello Dahlings,
It’s been such an unconscionably long time since we last corresponded, I realize, but we haven’t disappeared into the Mystic as yet. We’ve just been having such a marvelously glorious time that we have started to become complacent. I seem to recall vaguely that we left ourselves in the simply diverting environs of old Key West. Heading west from there, we stopped at the perfectly enchanting deserted islet of Boca Grande and thence to the Dry Tortugas- quite possibly the southernmost point of the good old USA. If you ever have the chance, definitely make your way out there. The old, massive fort is absolutely mind-boggling (boggle, boggle) especially if you’ve ever carried hod or laid a brick. Intertwining arches and spiral staircases insist that you drop your trowel in hopeless wonderment. How did they DO that? 14 million bricks. The clear aqua marine waters exude a timeless peace and gave us a view of two 300 pound jewfish under our keel (they set off our depth alarm)!
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| Our gracious host, Ruth Decker |
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| A clean boat is a happy boat |
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| Whuh is that thing? |
We thence embarked on a nocturnal crossing in the beastly black of night to Fort Myers, fortuitously met up with Jim ( thanks for the EPIRB, bro- it could be a lifesaver) and Jan and cohorts for a pleasant day sail, and made our way back to Punta Gorda for a month’s sabbatical ashore. We left the west coast of Fla. and crossed the Okeechobee Waterway to Stuart on the Atlantic coast in a week. Saw many birds, the most exquisite of which, the swallow-tailed kite. And also, many gators and a few manatee. Mistily still mornings and oddly significant sunsets.
We moored at the new Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart for $15 /nite, wherein the showers, lounge, and amenities are extraordinarily lavish, and had a perfectly splendid time with Doug and Maxine who serendipitously have a gorgeous condo ½ hour north on Hutchinson Isl. We are now tied up in Riviera Beach provisioning, laundering, and awaiting the most propitious moment to venture out into the Gulf Stream for our first crossing in the beastly Atlantic to West End on the island of Grand Bahama. We’ll let you know how life is in Paradise, he said superciliously.
All our love, JK and David.
