Boating Life Post Fracas

4-2-17     Yesterday was a fine day but hot and humid, it was 80 degrees with 82% humidity by 11 AM. Karen and I got a lot done on Mango but stopped around noon due to the heat and in honor of Greg’s birthday. I have to admit that Mango looks darn good and the wax job appears to be the best we’ve done since we’ve owned her. Karen has the stainless shining like new and we’ll finish the remainder of the tasks once off of salt water.

This morning is kind of bitter sweet, we’ve been in the Harbor Town Marina now for a week and it’s a great place with great facilities. We have a workout room, library, TV area, grills and a wonderful pool. However my feet are getting itchy and I’m ready to move on, Karen feels the same. Moving on isn’t the bitter sweet part though. Moving on from here means that we part ways with Fracas and crew since their summer storage is here in Fort Pierce. We certainly got accustom to spending time with Greg and Mary Lynn and enjoyed their company and humor, lots of humor. We will miss them very much and hopefully their summer up in Canada will be filled with lots of time with Harrison. Hopefully we’ll be able to spend next April Fool’s Day with them.

Greg attempting to draw enough air into his lungs to
extinguish a few candles. Hopefully his wish will be granted.

We left the Harbor Town dock at 9:50 AM and as soon as Mango rounded the seawall Karen and I felt the cool fresh air hit our sweaty bodies. Oh how nice it was, I forgot how stagnant the air can be in a marina as compared to being on anchor out in the open. We chugged along with the motor and soon deployed the jib to speed us along. It wasn’t too long and we passed a motorsailer that appeared to be hard aground within the navigational marks for the ICW. We watched a Tow BoatUS apply lines to the motorsailer and free him from perch on the shallows. We noted a shoal area as we slowly passed the stern of the boat being towed. This made me thankful that Mango has a shoal draft, I’d hate to constantly be worried about running aground.

The day progressed uneventfully as we had to motor the remainder of the way due to winds being directly on our nose. It would’ve been nice to sail a bit more but I fully expected to motor the entire way so I was happy with what sailing we did. Sailing would have been an issue the closer we got to Stuart because the boat traffic became heavy on the ICW. I’m not exaggerating when I say traversing this area made me think of traveling on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. When you’re driving on the expressway people at least mostly stay in their lanes, boaters are crazier due to there being no speed limit and no marked lanes. It reminded me of a time Karen and I watched a group of young children race their plastic electric cars, without the crying.

Greg has tried several times to teach
me this. Seems I never learn.

A great sign of the times in Florida.

4-5-17     Here at Sunset marina Karen and I have done a ton of walking and met many people along the way. The other day it was hot (92 and humid) we stopped by Wendy’s for a Frosty and while walking out an older couple asked if we were cruisers. We said yes and they proceeded to recall their time cruising many years ago. It’s so much easier now compared to when they cruised. We have electronic charts, chart plotters and GPS. They had none of this and made it through unscathed. It was fun to listen to their stories especially after they told us that two of their close friends and cruising partners just passed away, one a week ago and the other 2 months ago. Another couple we met own an Island Packet, a bit bigger than our Last Mango, in fact that’s probably the main reason we met them. Many people especially Greg from Fracas give Karen and I a hard time about Island Packet owners, how they pack up and cruise together. This fact was funny since our new Island Packet friends told us a story that happened to them shortly after they purchased their boat. After George and Mo purchased their boat their brother-in-law told them to beware of the “Packeteers” Island Packet owners. He informed them that they are very close and the “Packeteers” are known to wife swap and be of the Swinger types. We got a good laugh out of the story and thought of Greg on Fracas immediately. Island Packet owners are a close group and do tend to stick together, this happens to many boat owners when they run across another who owns the same boat, not just Island Packet owners. In fact tonight we’re having dinner with three other couples and only 2 of us own Island Packets.

Town Park in Stuart, It's really a beautiful area with a great Memorial.

We thought it funny when todays packages
got delivered with the names of 2
members of Streamwood FD.

We thought it funny when todays packages
got delivered with the names of 2
members of Streamwood FD.

4-7-17     It seems that waking each morning is very much the same depending on wind and weather. The past several days have been very warm and humid, 92 degrees for a high with 80% plus humidity. Luckily a cool front went through last evening, this morning it was 59 degrees with 35% humidity on Mango, a tad chilly for us but we’re not complaining.

We had dinner with several other couples the other night and during conversation we got talking about West Palm Beach and how we all enjoyed it. The topic of conversation turned to boats losing their anchors and one of the couple was up in West Palm and mentioned that a large motor cruiser lost its anchor and was bearing down on them. The motor cruiser was unmanned at the time and Tow Boat US was called and apparently recognized and was familiar with the boat. I recounted the experience that Fracas had with the unmanned motor cruiser “Great Scot” while in West Palm. The other couple stated “Great Scot” was the name of the unmanned boat drifting just a week ago when they were there. It seems crazy that someone can pay so little attention to the vessel, I guess when you own a boat over 60 feet in length and have insurance you don’t care, not sure.

Gorgeous sunset. Reminded me of Hotel California
album cover.

View from the Mooring Field. Quiet nights sleep.

4-8-17     This morning was another chilly morning, I was glad Karen put another cover on the bed last night. I woke up to find Karen up on deck sitting in the sun reading a book, I grabbed a cup of tea and joined her in the sun. The sun felt so good that I questioned whether to got ashore and get some exercise, I gave Karen her “Me Time” and went ashore.

Today is sidewalk sale day in Stuart and after a shower and shave we’ll be on our way browsing. Karen also has made a list of groceries that we need before we leave Sunset Marina. Tenative plans are to leave her Monday and head across Lake Okeechobee, taking our time once across the lake. We will then finish a bit of waxing and take down the sails. Glades boatyard is set to haul Mango the morning of the 19th if all goes well, I’m sure it will.

I find my body or more so my mind is trying to adjust to being back in the states. The one thing I notice most is the noise. Anyone who knows me knows that I have terrible hearing, but here in Florida and I think any suburban area in the states, it’s noisy. Whether later at night or early in the morning jets scream across the sky and the anchorage announcing their presents well before or after they enter or leave the area. Trucks, cars and motorcycles accelerate across the bridge well northeast of our anchorage sounding like a racetrack along with emergency vehicle sirens all throughout the day and night. The other background noise that seems to never stop in the sound that tires makes while rolling across the pavement 24/7. All of this just reminds how our nation is busy all day all night working or playing. Regardless what time it is someone is working which I suppose is a very good thing. I’m just glad it’s not me driving somewhere at 3 in the morning.

ZZ Top Tribute, Or at least an attempt.
Great weather and venue regardless.

Stuart Florida's signature staute.

Karen's deal of the century at Publix.

4-9-17     Karen and I were up late last night watching movies, I should say I was up late Karen nodded off after “Lovely Bones” which I thought was a good movie. Her drifting into sleep let me know how much she liked the “Hatefield and McCoys” series. Anyhow morning came early for me but Karen came ashore and joined me in exercising. Karen jogged into down area and checked out the Farmer’s Market while I did T-25 at the marina. Shortly thereafter we took showers and ate breakfast. This afternoon we were treated to a free ZZ Top tribute band. I am so glad it was free because I didn’t care for them too much and I wasn’t the only one. I mentioned to Karen after song 5 we could leave at anytime, I think we were holding back the flood gates because others followed our lead. I thought it funny to see the 65 and over crowd with bopping heads and hands clapping to the beat. I didn’t realize ZZ Top has been around since 1969 when I 6 years old. I guess I was the one who didn’t belong in the group.

Tomorrow morning Mango will leave mooring ball #10 and head west across Florida and eventually onto Lake Okeechobee. We hope to spend more time exploring a few of the smaller towns along the way. While buying the groceries we thought we might need in the coming days Karen hit the jackpot at Publix. Karen was given one pork loin meal and one roast beef meal at the meat counter. The packages were labeled “No Charge” and she questioned the butcher at the meat counter about such a label. He stated “No Charge” meant it was free, Karen stated that there is no such thing as free and he assured her that it was and to take as many as she wanted. We took 2 and ate one immediately upon returning to Mango. It was very good and tomorrow the plan is roast beef for lunch. The next blog post should have pictures of Mango sitting in her cradle for the summer. Hopefully hurricanes will continue to go elsewhere.