Getting bored

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Still in Marathon. Haven't written much because nothing new happening. The weather has not been the best all winter but it is still better than what I see up north. I am beginning to get bored sitting here on the mooring ball and I think I have done everything there is to do around the keys that I can afford. A few people have come down over the last few months and it was great seeing them. The only thing is I spend more money when people are around. Everyone always has a good time in Key
West and ther is great seafood everywhere in the Keys especially fresh fish which is brought in everyday.

I have also not had a boat the whole time I have been here. After I fixed the heat exchanger I developed a big vibration when I put the boat in gear. I am on my second attempt to align the engine and if this doesn't work I may have to have it hauled and goodby about $1500.

All in all it is pretty nice. The weather could be better but we end up going to the beach about once or twice a week and have been to Key West five times. Lots of good sea food. Lots of sitting on the boat with friends sipping a drink and watching the sunset. I am just beginning to think about when I will leave. I have the ball until March 10th but I don't think the weather will be getting warmer until April so I may be here another month. Even Fernandina Beach is in the 30's at night and I don't want to go north until it gets a little warmer.

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Comments

[Frank]

bored
Stay south! We have had unbelievable weather here. Starting with that incredible cold spell for new years. In maryland places have gotten as much as 50" of snow. I bought a new project boat and its in Deale MD and I have had to shovel so much snow off of it. The snow just started melting last weekend. The boat is iced in. You need to dive on your prop and see if it looks ok. Your prop is as likely to cause your vibration and it can be serviced without hauling. On the other hand you could sail back with the gulf stream, give me a ring when you are approaching salt ponds and I'll give you a tow to your slip.

[Sailor Bob]

Your brother Doug ask me to say, HELLO!!
The last time I saw you was when the USS TOMAHAN sailed into Salt pond on a Sunday afternoon last summer with the USUAL Emergeny need of HELP. As is tippical ? for our skipper, he had heard that we might find some less expensive diesel fuel ($3.00 as compared to the Norfolk Yatch Club wanting 3.01 per gal.} , so we (it was really HE made the decision ) to stop by Salt Pond and beg for the cheap fuel that he had hears about. Our crew arrived with this request , and eventho you, your dock master, and all of your friends made a MIGHTY effort to help us, we ended up driving to town, buying a NEW fuel tank we did not need . paying 4.99 per gal. and loosing two hours in time trying to get back to the Farm before nightfall. As the humble crew, Doug, Sailor Bob, Randy Neal, had to answer to themselves , as we sailed out of Salt Pond, to arrive home in deep darkness, "We would either have to BUY the boat , or shut up and obey orders. No one had any money, so................ I am NOT an e-mail chatter,so other than thank you for your efforts I'm "out of here" ps: I leave tommow for three weeks of Mexican sunshine on their west coast with some non sailors, Why don"t you take the boat through the Panama cannel and join us. ??? SAILOR BOB BARNARD