Sometime this week I will be starting my homeward ramble. What will determine the "when" is when the two mail drop/package deliveries make it to Fort Lauderdale. These will include some medication and a brand new dinghy Oar. When I get the word from Bob & Olga that they have arrived, I will make the short trip up to Fort Lauderdale and make the pick up. I hope that this time I will got to Las Olas Marina which is right on the ICW. I am hoping that I will be able to pick up one of their $20/ night moorings. If not I will have to go back to the New River and tie up on the wall again. Las Olas would be better, better access to showers and laundry and a bit less expensive. After that stop the trip will really begin, but slowly.
I have to make one stop at Fort Pierce to pick up shear pins for the outboard. I finally got the size but not from any of the dealers here in Miami, but from the shop that handles the winterizing of the engine up in Mystic, CT. Dana Avery, a real regular guy, could not believe that none of the dealers would give me the specs for something so ordinary as a shear pin nor that the shops were out of them. He didn't hesitate and I had Skip Moss order them for me. Skip works atr the Ft. Pierce West Marine. He couldn't get stainless steel pins so I went with 10 brass ones. When I winterize the engine in the fall, I'll have Dana install a stainless one. Stopping in Ft. Pierce will be a last chance to see Gerry for probably quite a while and to see if Brad ever did get that radar cable run.
After that, I have to make a stop in Melbourne, sometime between March 20th - 30th. An old friend was discovered living in Melbourne and I will stop and she her and her husband mother. In addition, I want to stop and see Bob and his wife, Chris at the Cocoa Village Marina where I spent Christmas and where they were so helpful and generous. It is just norht of Melbourne. After that, I want to stop in St. Augustine to see another friend who is living there as opposed to the west coast. I thought they were around Tampa and was much disappointed to find out that I had missed them. There are also MArtha and Rich in Palm Coast who demand a visit and who am I to refuse.
Once Florida is done, there are no more "planned visits" until Beaufort, SC. I will stop and see Guy McSweeney and Dr. Fix-it. I finally discovered the slow leak in my dinghy and did my best to fix it, but it will need an expert's hand and that means a stop in Beaufort to see Dr. Fix-it.
The water police around here were especially active on Sunday, stopping anyone on a PWC who was even thinking about exceeding the speed limit in the manatee zones and flagging every powerboat except for the really big adn really expensive ones . . .that are usually the biggest noise and wake makers.I have yet to understand how they apply laws down here.
I would have thought that the Miami area, especially right here between Miami Beach and Miami would have no problems withe cell phones or internet coverage. WRONG!!!!!!! It is awful and not every dependable. Calls get dropped, are garble and sometimes go to the wrong number. The internet covere3age fades in and out. This is the third time I have tried to type and post this blog. This place has nothing to recommend it . . .except the weather.
