Back to Basics in Ft. Pierce

It worked out that I was able to go back to my old career in teaching Handicapped Pre K chidren.  I have a wonderful job at Lawnwood Elementary which is very like my last position in Panama City.  Because of my age I was able to go back to work without financial diminishations.  Gary was not so lucy, so he is full time maintenance captain and occasional galley slave. 
We did have quite a bit of damage during Hurricane Irma, but not catestrophic.  Sails, equipment, dingy chaps, canvas, and of course all the waxing and brighwork having to be redone.  We had generator problems and of course the general maintenance tht hs to be done. 
We have gotten to spend some time with our Marathon boating buddies, and am looking forward to seeing more of them as they travel through Ft. Pierce on their way to winter quarters in Marathon.  We will miss our White Marlin family and the beautiful weather this year.

Relaxing at the fountain at the City Marins

Sails getting ready to go to Mack Sails

Florida State won one!

Lookng forward to Thanksgiving!

Hunkering Down in Ft. Pierce

Football season is upon us!  Gary is so happy that his team Alabama, is doing so well.  I still have hope for FSU, but you know, they are my Alma mater so no matter.

We have had to make some tough decisions about cruising.  We have decided to stay here in Ft. Pierce for an extended time to make repairs and give the cruising grounds time to repair also.  Ft. Pierce is a good area to do this and quite frankly we are just exhausted after this last 2 years.  We have been through 2 hurricanes, a major grounding in the Bahamas, and finished re decking the teak decks.  Our friends we winter with will be very missed, but sometimes you just have to hunker down and regroup.

It is interesting going back to life on the dock.  There are a lot of positives and negatives also.  Mostly the negatives are not traveling as much.  Generally, back to weekend anchoring.  Positives are access to activities, provisioning, and repair supplies. 

I find myself reliving  when I first moved onto Miss Em to start my new aquatic life.  I was so excited to become the new caretaker of this beautiful LRC.  I think of all the things I had to learn and the excitement I felt to realize that this would be a lifelong adventure.

Still running down the road with my hair on fire!

Jan

Hurricane Irma

All of Florida evacuated for Irma. There wasn't anywhere to get the boat pulled, so we prepped her as best we could and moved as much as possible inland.  We did find storage for the dingy. We went to Tallahassee to move Gary's mom and ended up at his brothers in Ponce DeLeon. Stress was high.  We were blessed again that Miss Em had minimal damage.  Can't say the same for our physical and financial damage.  Living in Florida has always had the possibility of losing everything due to a storm.  All we can do is prepare and hope for the best.

Now we are at the City Marina to finish Hurricane season.  Our future plans are not definite but I still have dreams of many more years on Miss Em.

Working months at Ft. Pierce

Peacock Crossing!

We had so much fun checking out Ft. Pierce city birds!  They live in a certain area and are the masters of all they survey.

They have their own sign!

They take the kids out for a stroll!

They take a nap wherever they want!

If they feel like a brisk jaunt they take it!

Back at the City Marina to finish up projects

As with any vessel, maintenance must be addressed.  We love Ft. Pierce for maintenance.  It has great facilities and shops for supplies.  There is a wholesale store here called the Marine connection, like sailorman but with lots of new items.  add two boatyards and a fiberglass store and you can get just about anything done.  We also stop here for our 6 month health checks.  I have found some great doctors and am happy to say am in good health.  Gary just got his medicare so he will be doing his well checks also.

We spent a month at the City Marina to let me start work on the toe rails.  I hope with the new awlwood system I am using that this will really cut done on the brightwork maintence.

One side done, but then we had to have the boat hauled for bottom work at Witicar boatyard.  This was more involved than we thought but it was all done and looks great.





We were so happy to get back on Miss Em.  I made a fancy meal for us. Gary's birthday was that week and it was so fine to be back home.

Then we have the eclipse!

I looked in the tablet and got a great view, however it didn't take great pictures.

Passage Back 2017

We left Nassau with thoughts of fishing and heading back to the States. Weather and wind were against us so we spent the first night after leaving Nassau at Chub Cay.  It was a short night as we got for only abut 4 hours before leaving for Great Harbor Cay.

Sails out and fishing poles

Will on duty 

Last look at Nassau Harbor

 We really enjoyed the time in Nassau. Last look at Alantis.

Short night at Chub Cay

Morning up headed to Great Harbor Cay

Great Harbor overnight

 By now we were in the groove of moving.  I was still spending most of the time on the sofa.  But I came to life when we hit land or seas smaller that 3 feet.

Old Bahama Bay Marina on Grand Bahama Island

We spent our last night in the Bahamas at Old Bahama Bay Marina before our passage to West Palm.  Customs was right there and we just had to turn in our paperwork when we left.  I was able to have my last Conch salad at their restaurant which was delicious!

We celebrated by wearing our crew shirts Angela made for us.

Last leg of the trip headed to West Palm

BACK IN THE US! Florida coastline

At Ft. Pierce Marina beating the heat!

Pirate Museum in Nassau

We had a great time checking out all the famous pirates that used Nassau and the Bahamas as a base.  Old Nassau Town has a pirate museum with lots of interactive exhibits.

The large exhibit of the Revenge upon entering

Gary and Jan looking at the pirate ship

lots of cannon

Jan, Gary, Tim and Will (asleep) checking out the interior of the Revenge

lots of stores, hammocks for beds, a few rats

Marooning on a island with a gun to kill yourself was a punishment

Famous pirates 

Did they really make people walk the plank?

So it was true that a former pirate was sent to clean up the pirates in the Bahamas.  Forts were constructed by the British government.  Life was so hard for the poorer classes that a short life of piracy was better than a long life of misery.

Back to Nassau

We started working our way to Nassau and Palm Harbor Marina.

Discussing where to go 

View from the Poop Deck Nassau Yacht Harbor

Entrance once you make the 90 into Palm Cay Marina

Restaurant at Palm Cay

Tim and Will taking advantage of the pool

Will and Jan on the cricket Field (He won!)

Oldest church in Old Nassau

Tim and Will saying goodbye to Palm Cay Beach