Reverie, Jim and Bobbie have all been at rest for the last two months -- wintering in the Keys. We have enjoyed our time here at Marina Del Mar which is a hotel and resort complex. Meeting other boaters at continental breakfast, having good shore facilities and Cable TV were all pluses. And having a rental car company within walking distance allowed us to become regular tourists.
On one trip we drove down to Key West and took a high-speed ferry out to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas (where Dr. Mudd was imprisoned.) It was a nice trip and we saw firsthand the setting for the Nevada Barr mystery novel "Flashback" which we had both read. It sure is a lonely place, and six hours there was enough.
We went to the huge Miami Boat Show; it took two one-day visits to come close to seeing it all and we bought nearly nothing. The following week we took a day trip to Fort Lauderdale where we were able to shop at "Bluewater Books" and "Whole Foods".
Another interesting day trip was to the Everglades with fellow Loopers Al and Judy on "Rainbow Seeker". Here we took an airboat ride and, yes, we did see wild alligators. We have yet to see a wild snake.
From the marina: we went out to the reef where Jim donned the snorkel gear with friends, did some day sailing and even went on a power boat ride. Bobbie took advantage of the city streets to get in some early-morning walking. There were several evening get-togethers and an occasional dinner out with fellow boaters. We even got our Income Taxes done! There was/is quite a community here at the marina and we will miss these folks. Boats come and go all season and we expect to cross paths with many of them again.
On Tuesday March 15 we will stow the TV, unplug from the dock and begin the trip up the East Coast. We hope to reach the Chesapeake which is 1100 miles by May 15. Beyond that, we expect to reach New York and then decide if we are going to go back into the Great Lakes or on to New England with a return to Florida next fall. Stay tuned!
Jim and Bobbie Wooll