The Long Awaited February 2014 Post

Today is Monday, February 24th. My blog posts are way behind schedule. I would love to post every day, but that is not a realistic goal. Once a week is more likely, but as you can see I am not meeting that goal. Blogging is the last item on my to do list every day and every day it moves to the next days list. Jack and I are loving this life, but it keeps us both very busy each day. Lots to learn and do each day.  The major complication with regular blog posts will be access to WIFI. I finally found a free WIFI connection at the Laundromat up the road from our Marina. I am currently sitting at a little blue table in the corner of the laundromat typing the draft of this post. I would take a selfie and show you, but the boating life is not conducive to good grooming. :-)

My first attempt at drafting a post was on Saturday, February 15th. Until the 15th, I was too busy and too tired to work on the blog.

Living on a boat is great fun. We stay busy, running errands (Walmart, Radio Shack, Public's, West Marine, Dollar Store, Laundry, etc.) and checking items off of our TO DO list. Most days consist of three to five items off the lists and six to ten new items added to the list.

I guess I should start back on January 30th. The pile of items bound for Florida, looked like this.

On Saturday, February 1st the car was loaded and we crossed the bridge out of Indiana into Kentucky.

The car looked like this. 

On Super Bowl Sunday, February 2nd we arrived in Ft Pierce and had dinner at Chuck's Seafood Restaurant located across the street from Harbour Isle Marina, where Ithaka is docked. We stayed in a hotel, watched the Super Bowl, and decided to unload the car the next day.

Below are pictures of Jack measuring the distance of the car from the ground, right before we unpacked it. According to Jack's measurements, unloading the car caused it to rise 3".

We sadly discovered our favorite restaurant "The Ramp Raw Bar" went out of business shortly before our return. We have been restaurant hopping looking for a new favorite place. Great seafood everywhere we go.

We had Ithaka's hull cleaned on feb. 6 by Brian the diver. Lots of barnacles, algae, and scum like to grow on the bottom of your boat, when it sits still in the water for any length of time. 

Jack and I spend much of our time cleaning, provisioning, and tweaking minor boat repairs and upgrades. Here are some shots of busy boy Jack hard at work.

We do take breaks for an occasional movie and Valentine's Day Celebration.

I ask Jack to give me some docking training, before my formal training on the 18th with Captain Chris. So, the pictures below were taken one very foggy morning in the marina. We never went out into the intra coastal waterway that day. Just back and forth in the marina. 

On Tuesday February 18th, Captain Chris Caldwell of Captain Chris Yacht Services spent the day on Ithaka training me to dock (while Jack worked the lines) and working with Jack in the engine room.

Captain Chris had some additional training in mind for us. He suggested we take Ithaka out into the Ocean to get a feel for the portion of the "Loop" that will take us outside the Intra-coastal waterway into the ocean near New Jersey and then again when we cross the Gulf of Mexico. Since half of the training day was to be about me practicing docking, Captain Chris had me pilot Ithaka into ocean and Jack worked the lines. So, out the inlet we went and I had the joy filled experience of piloting Ithaka at 25 mph in the open sea. This is a very fast speed for a trawler. They usually travel at between 8-12 mph.

YAH HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
It was like I was a child again in the back seat of the family car with mom and dad. We were on our way to my grandparents house for Sunday dinner. To get grandma's, we traveled on hilly two lane country roads in Ohio. Sometimes dad would "put the pedal to the metal" on those rolling hills and as we crested the top of each hill (no seat belts) my throat would drop into my tummy. I had this same feeling on the first few sea waves.

This is how far out in the ocean we went. 

Jack also took a turn at ocean training. 

Wednesday, February 19th - We had dinner in Ft. Pierce at Cobb's Landing and walked the Marina Dock looking at boats (that's what boat people do for fun). We stopped to watch a fisherman clean his catch of the day.

Friday, February 21st - While having lunch, we watched as a boat load of folks docked at a fishing pier outside the restaurant. They came to have lunch. Unfortunately, they interrupted the fisherman who were fishing off the pier. The fisherman were not so happy to see the boaters.

Saturday, February 22nd - Captain's Chris and Alyse Caldwell invited us to a raft up with the Vero Beach Power Squadron at Faber Cove in Ft. Pierce. Captain Chris arrived first and anchored their Sandy Hook. We arrived second and tied up Ithaka on Sandy Hook's Starboard Side. Six more boats joined us. They alternated tying up on either side of Sandy Hook and Ithaka from largest to smallest with fenders between each boat. The only anchored boat was Sandy Hook. Once everyone arrived and was securely tied, folks walked back and forth across the boats visiting and eating the finger food each boat owner provided.

Sunday, February 23rd - Day of REST. Time to be thankful for our many blessings.

It's now Saturday March 1st, so the February blog is being posted tonight ready or not!!!