I was reminded recently by a dear friend that the blog has not been updated in a while. Whew, a really LONG while! Back at the time I last posted, we still had dreams and aspirations to head off to the Caribbean. However, we were keeping a wary eye on the closures of many islands to outside travelers.
Obviously, that dream vanished into thin air! The COVID-19 sanctions globally became impossible to deal with. Our water maker was acting up and we needed parts for it. The restrictions in the Bahamas were changing almost daily regarding cruising boaters. It was time to head back to the USA 🇺🇸.
Weather was favorable in early April for us to begin our journey back and our cruising permit for the Bahamas was still current. With plenty of food, fuel, and water - we began the 3-4 day trek. We planned to stop in Cay Sal Bank to enjoy the pristine waters on the return trip. The Cay Sal Bank did not disappoint us. Crystal clear water and fish abundance is part of the attraction. The down side is that there is no communication there. No cell phones, no internet, and our SSB had stopped transmitting a long time back.
We spent a few days enjoying these plentiful waters but incommunicado is not fun. April 8 we arrived back in Key Largo and hung on a mooring ball off Pennekamp for a few days. We had arranged for a slip at a marina here so on April 15 we came to the dock.
Technically, Monroe County was closed to visitors. By road, one had to prove residency at a highway checkpoint. Our pickup was still stored at Dan’s farm near Cape Canaveral and our driver’s license reflects our mailing address in Green Cove Springs, FL. We relied on the periodic loan of a car from our great friends Wayne and Sherry Stathers for essential trips to the Grocery store and to buy fuel.
The culture shock on arriving in the USA was pretty drastic. I had seen pictures of empty grocery store shelves but it was still happening. Absolutely nothing in the Bahamas was hoarded or poached or anything. It took months for some things to begin reappearing on grocery shelves here. A bicycle and car for longer trips was all that was necessary.
We spent most of our time on the boat. Many months ago, I had drawn up plans for a quilt for the V-berth that was nautical themed. The design would fit the space perfectly and utilize our overall color scheme with added highlights. For lack of something to do, we started the appliqué quilt. Surprisingly, Darrell became adept at sewing the pieces on the quilt and actually enjoyed doing it. Some blocks have lighthouses, some have sailboats, some anchors, and a couple of compass roses. We call it our Quarantine Quilt or the COVID Quilt. I’m still sandwiching the batting between the quilt top and the backing. Perhaps someday I’ll post pictures.
One of our dock mates was generous with DVD’s she has collected so we had some professional entertainment. We also read a digital book every day or two.
After June 1, when the county residency requirement was rescinded, we made arrangements to go get our blue pickup. A total collapse of a rental car reservation left us calling on friends to get up there. Luckily, a couple we know were heading to Jacksonville and we hitched a ride.
We decided that Old Blue would not make it much longer and might not even make the trip back to the keys. After a few days of looking, we were able to find a decent pickup in the range we were willing to spend. We traded the poor fella our old stick shift and got a ten year newer truck that has the creature comforts that we desire. Air conditioning, automatic transmission, extended cab, cruise control, and decent exterior. Happy birthday to Ann!!🎂
We were set, so we headed back to Key Largo. Ann has decided that retirement suits her even though she renewed her captains license in January. Darrell landed a couple of part time captain jobs in the Keys once the tourists were able to return for dive and snorkel visits.
Our friend, Sherry, is a nurse at Mariners Hospital (our local small hospital). With the COVID-19 problems and gear shortages, they were low on isolation gowns to protect the nurses. Ann volunteered a few weeks of time and experience to sew 21 of these gowns for our hospital. Between her and another lady doing some sewing, hopefully they will get through this crisis.
With those done, Ann needed something to do while Darrell was working. She joked that she needed another dog, a project boat to renovate, or go back to work. We looked around and found a couple of boats that were interesting but could not negotiate a deal. Finally American Brittany Rescue came through with a dog to adopt. About the same time, one of the boats we were looking at to buy and work on became available again. Of course it’s feast or famine!!
Before we had to shift gears and not go cruise the Caribbean this year, we were going to go once without a dog and probably get one after we got back.
Around the end of July, Mother Nature had to rear her ugly head and stir up Hurricane Isaias. So we had to spend a few days in limbo and a little time in storm prep. We were ready to go meet and possibly adopt a Brittany in North Miami Beach. But because of the storm, those plans had to be postponed. Anyway, on August 4, we went up to North Miami Beach and met Mika.
So the S/V Alibi crew is back to three. Just in time for Darrell’s birthday! Mika is a three year old Brittany that was born in Argentina. She came here with a family but due to divorce and travel for work, her owners had to find her a new home. She went to a foster home and was adopted by a family for about a month but came back because of health issues for the adoptive family.
She is smaller than Roxy but similarly colored and marked. Her hair is shorter and she’s more delicate. For a Brittany, she is very mellow. We are working on her skills to get on and off the boat here on the dock. She’s working on her jumping agility. She travels in the car very well so when we get a chance to drive that new truck to Texas, we will have a pleasant trip.
We are getting in a couple of long walks twice a day - that we needed since we have been so sedentary with this COVID crap. She has not been on a dinghy ride yet since it’s so stinking hot down here in the middle of the day. While we are plugged in at the dock, we purchased a small air conditioner for the boat. It would meet Roxy’s approval as a good upgrade. 🐾❤️
