Ho Ho Ho!

Merry Christmas from the Keys!
I was going to quote Jimmy Buffet's song "Christmas in the Caribbean," (It's got everything but snow) BUT it turns out there will be snow today in the Keys. Tune in to the Weather Channel today to see snow at the home of our friend Howard Livingston in Summerland Key. Howie, Cyndy and their grandkids were winners of the "Guaranteed White White Christmas" contest and the Weather Channel delivered a truckload of snow to their yard!
Otherwise, it's cloudy today with showers likely and maybe a thunderstorm. The temperatures have been in the 70's the last few days with a breeze and it's been quite pleasant.
We have a tree, we put lights on the life lines to get in the spirit.
Last week we went to the hospital's holiday party, and today we are going to the marina clubhouse for a free "all the trimmings" Christmas dinner hosted by the dockmaster and his wife.
Our friends Bette and Bill are here on "Inspiration" and they came over last night for a Christmas eve party.
A special thanks goes out to all of you who have kept Bev in your thoughts and prayers. Our mail finally caught up with us when we arrived in Marathon and we finally got all the cards. This is a difficult Christmas for her as it is her first without Dan, her baby. Remember to commit a "random act of kindness" in Dan's name.
"And a Merry Christmas to all..."

"On the ball again, I just can't wait to be on the ball again..."

Apologies to Willy Nelson...
Yes, we are back in Marathon, and what a trip it's been.
On Thanksgiving Day, we sailed (and motor-sailed) across Lake Okeechobee. It seemed like the only good weather day for the crossing that week, so off we went. Our friends Sande and Donnie caught up with us at Indiantown Marina and sailed across the lake with us. We had a beam sea the whole way and for the first time in years, I had a little bout of an upset stomach from the rolling. We did make it safely across and settled into the marina at Clewiston. Sande and Donnie joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. We had turkey with all the trimmings. Morgan finally go to meet Pete, the blue and gold Macaw.
The next day the wind had picked up. As we were trying to leave the dock a gust of wind caught the boat and twisted us around. We made it back to the dock and waited until marina staff could help by holding the bow line until we had enough speed for steerage in the very narrow, rock lined fairway. We finally got under way about 8:30 and made it to a safe anchorage called the "Lollipop."
After that we made it to Fort Myers where we did a pump out and took on fuel. The inland waterway ends at Fort Myers, so the next day we sailed on the outside to Naples. We had a quiet night in our favorite spot nestled in among all the million dollar homes.
On Monday, we made the short trip to Goodland where we hoped to meet up with our favorite dockmaster, Paul Waterhouse. We were in for quite a shock. It seems Paul had suffered a tragic accident in his home. He cut himself on some broken glass and bled to death on the spot!
Our friends Juile and Tim from New Port Richey had driven down to Marco Island for a short break from their business. They met us at the marina and we all went out for lunch and then had drinks at their hotel. On Tuesday, they took us shopping and to a state park nearby.
We spent the next day and a half watching as a cold front approached from the north. Fearing that we would be trapped in Goodland until after the weekend, around mid day on Thursday we decided to set out for Little Shark River. The crossing was uneventful until the sun went down. As soon as dark set in our engine snagged a crab pot tether. The line had gotten so tangled in the prop that I had to climb down into the dinghy and take the prop off to clear it. It was not an easy task with the boat bouncing in the waves in the dark, but I got it done and we proceeded on.
Around 8:00 that night the clouds parted and the moon came out. It gave us a good reference to steer by and also lit up the mouth of the river as we approached the anchorage. We finally settled into bed around midnight.
After about 6 hours sleep, we set off at daybreak for Marathon. The wind was near calm and Florida Bay was like glass so we had to motor the whole way. We snagged another crab pot, but this time it was easier to clear. The sea grass was forming thick mats on the surface and our prop kept getting clogged with it. A quick reverse of the engine cleared it, but it was still a pain.
We finally pulled into the harbor about 4:30 and it was like coming home. The marina staff welcomed us as did many of the other boaters we had met on our last visit.
The marina has finally opened the new bath house and completely redecorated the clubhouse. There are now computer work stations with free wi-fi and two TV rooms with wide screen TVs and theater seating.
It was a good thing we crossed the bay when we did because on Saturday the front finally came through and kicked up a thunderstorm and some high winds. At least on the mooring ball we have no worries about dragging anchor.
It's good to be "on the ball again."

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Mike's Spot
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Mike's Spot
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Mike's Spot
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Some pictures

Thunderstorms are predicted today so we are waiting another day in Indiantown. We hope to cross the Lake tomorrow.
In the mean time, I'll update you on where we've been.
After leaving Kilkenny, we crossed the Sounds to Jekyll. We didn't stay there long, just took on fuel and anchored out for the night.
When we finally crossed into Florida, we stopped at Tiger Point in Fernandina Beach. Our friends Sande and Donnie were there. Last spring, their boat hit a whale (or something) off the coast and a rudder was torn off. They limped into Tiger Point for repairs. They left the boat on the hard and drove to Virginia to spend the summer with family. They had just returned to the boat when we arrived. We had them over for dinner and had a pleasant visit.
Our next stopover was planned at St. Augustine where we hoped to visit with Ralph and Leslie from "Now and Zen." On the way to the marina, we passed the anchorage area and spotted "Inspiration," with our friends Bette and Bill. We called them on the phone and arranged to meet them for dinner at our favorite St. Augustine eatery, "Pizza Alley's." As it turned out, Leslie couldn't make it (she had a class for her USCG captain's license.) So Bette, Bill, Ralph Bev and I all got together and a splendid time was had by all.
The next few days were spent racing down the coast, with anchorages every night. Most of it was motoring, but we did get to sail the whole length of Mosquito Lagoon. The wind was at our backs and the boat performed well on the downwind run. The new skeg really makes a big difference. We made about 5 knots the whole way under reefed main alone.
One day we heard a call come over the radio "Space Shuttle lift off in two minutes!" We looked up and sure enough there was a streak across the sky!
Passing through Haulover Canal we spotted a bald eagle.
When we arrived in Stuart (the entrance to the OWW) we took the dinghy ashore and walked to Publix for a much needed provisioning.
Yesterday we passed through the St. Lucie Lock and are now officially in the OWW. As we entered the Lock, the lockmaster pointed out the alligator that had been stuck in the lock since the day before. We waited until he drifted out of the lock.
Last night the marina had big party with a band, wine tasting and even a grape stomping contest. Bev and I entered (I stomped, she kept the drain clear) but we didn't win. I guess my feet just aren't big enough!
Amazingly, Sande and Donnie have caught up with us. Their boat is a catamaran and thus a bit faster than we are. They made 72 miles yesterday alone.
Here are a few pictures of the last week. The couple on the dock is Sande and Donnie. The folks at the restaurant are (left to right) Ralph, Bette and Bill.

Okeechobee

We're finally on the OWW, in Indiantown Marina.
We're sitting here waiting for good weather to cross the lake.
It's been a long, interesting, and sometimes exciting trip so far. Sorry that we haven't kept up the blog, we just haven't had internet access. Most nights we anchor out, and the few marina's we've stayed in didn't have access.
But we're OK, safe and sound. The boat has taken a bit of a beating. Today we were trying to squeeze into a very tight slip with fixed docks and pilings and we tore the barbeque grill off the boat. It hit one of the pilings and tore loose from the sheer. It turned out that the sheer clamp had started to rot where the grill mount was bolted to it. I guess (once again) I didn't seal the screw holes well enough. Now I will have yet another project when we get back to Marathon.
Speaking of Marathon, it looks like we will finally arrive some time in the middle of next week. Whew! I like traveling but I will be glad to stop and rest for a while.
If we are still here tomorrow, I will post some pictures.

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Mike's Spot
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Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:27.46896
Longitude:-80.32549
GPS location Date/Time:11/22/2009 16:12:30 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.46896,-80.32549&ll=27.46896,-80.32549&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:28.09111
Longitude:-80.58201
GPS location Date/Time:11/21/2009 14:15:30 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.09111,-80.58201&ll=28.09111,-80.58201&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:28.09108
Longitude:-80.58203
GPS location Date/Time:11/21/2009 13:56:51 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.09108,-80.58203&ll=28.09108,-80.58203&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:28.62083
Longitude:-80.80534
GPS location Date/Time:11/20/2009 13:37:28 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=28.62083,-80.80534&ll=28.62083,-80.80534&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:29.00582
Longitude:-80.90311
GPS location Date/Time:11/19/2009 13:30:12 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.00582,-80.90311&ll=29.00582,-80.90311&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:29.44613
Longitude:-81.1244
GPS location Date/Time:11/18/2009 14:26:42 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.44613,-81.1244&ll=29.44613,-81.1244&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:29.88563
Longitude:-81.3229
GPS location Date/Time:11/17/2009 17:51:11 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=29.88563,-81.3229&ll=29.88563,-81.3229&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:30.0523
Longitude:-81.3643
GPS location Date/Time:11/16/2009 15:27:27 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.0523,-81.3643&ll=30.0523,-81.3643&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:30.69226
Longitude:-81.45425
GPS location Date/Time:11/15/2009 12:41:06 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=30.69226,-81.45425&ll=30.69226,-81.45425&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:31.04042
Longitude:-81.42375
GPS location Date/Time:11/14/2009 14:47:12 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=31.04042,-81.42375&ll=31.04042,-81.42375&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:31.39512
Longitude:-81.32638
GPS location Date/Time:11/13/2009 14:32:28 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=31.39512,-81.32638&ll=31.39512,-81.32638&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Ida

We're sitting at a marina called Kilkenny Marina (not "Kill Kenny" from South Park) near Richmond Hill, GA. We've decided to hunker down and wait for Ida to pass by.
We have several sounds to cross in our next few days of travel and we don't want to get caught out on open water as the predicted thunderstorms and high winds pass through.
Just wanted everyone to know we're safe.
Thanks to everyone for their sympathy and prayers regarding our recent tragedy.

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:31.7883
Longitude:-81.20261
GPS location Date/Time:11/09/2009 13:34:12 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=31.7883,-81.20261&ll=31.7883,-81.20261&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:32.01285
Longitude:-80.98881
GPS location Date/Time:11/08/2009 12:07:34 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=32.01285,-80.98881&ll=32.01285,-80.98881&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mikes Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:32.16521
Longitude:-80.85714
GPS location Date/Time:11/07/2009 14:06:55 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=32.16521,-80.85714&ll=32.16521,-80.85714&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:32.42791
Longitude:-80.68381
GPS location Date/Time:11/06/2009 13:38:28 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=32.42791,-80.68381&ll=32.42791,-80.68381&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:32.61919
Longitude:-80.39876
GPS location Date/Time:11/05/2009 14:01:12 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=32.61919,-80.39876&ll=32.61919,-80.39876&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Check-in/OK message from Mike's Spot SPOT Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:32.76479
Longitude:-79.98122
GPS location Date/Time:11/04/2009 15:04:54 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=32.76479,-79.98122&ll=32.76479,-79.98122&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:33.00922
Longitude:-79.58902
GPS location Date/Time:11/03/2009 14:46:14 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.00922,-79.58902&ll=33.00922,-79.58902&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:33.42763
Longitude:-79.20497
GPS location Date/Time:11/03/2009 06:31:24 EST

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.42763,-79.20497&ll=33.42763,-79.20497&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Osprey Marina

We're gearing up to head out tomorrow. I didn't want to take off without thanking the wonderful crew at Osprey Marina.
We arrived here a week ago Friday and no sooner tied up then we got the call about Daniel. The marina folks said "Don't worry about the boat, go!" So we went.
When we got back, everyone was so nice and supportive, it was great.
Last night we called Mike and Eileen at Scatori's Restaurant. They drove out to the marina and picked us up. We had a pizza at their restaurant, did our shopping next door at Lowe's Foods and then they drove us back. What a great service!
So...Add Osprey Marina to our list of great places to stay on the water. The transient rates are very reasonable, the food at the grill is good, the staff is helpful, the showers are clean, in short, it's a great marina.
See the link on our link list.

Back in SC

We're back in SC, at Osprey Marina, resting a recuperating from the events of this week. We drove down yesterday as far as NC, caught a few hours sleep in a motel, then drove the rest of the way this morning.
We are planning a grocery trip this afternoon, another day of rest and reorganization tomorrow, then head out on Monday.
Our thanks go out to the nearly 100 people who attended the services on Thursday, and to all the folks who called or mailed their sympathy.
Bev is still a bit numb from the whole thing, but I think she will heal eventually.

Correction

Visitation will be 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

Daniel, arrangements

Services for Daniel will be as follows:

Visitation will be this Thursday, October 29, 2009 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.at the Peter Kubaska & Son Funeral Home, 33 Harris Ave. Woonsocket RI 02895. (401) 762-0220

Visitation will be followed by a memorial service at Franklin Country Club, 672 East Central St. (Rte 140) Franklin, MA, 02038. (508) 528-6110

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the trust fund for Kehlenn and McKenzie. Make checks payable to Patricia Lawrence, 160 Main St, #1, Blackstone MA, 01504. Write "In trust for Kahlenn and McKenzie Fowers" in the memo line.

Daniel

Those of you who follow on the Yahoo list already know, but others may not have the word yet. Today, at about 3:00 PM we received a phone call that Daniel, Bev's youngest son, had passed away suddenly. He was only 24. We think it was a heart attack, possibly caused by his diabetes.
Daniel leaves behind, in addition to his grieving mother, a fiance, Faith, and two lovely daughters, Kahlenn and McKenzie, and two brothers, Matt and Ben.
You will not be hearing much from us for a week or so. We are leaving the boat in SC, renting a car and driving to MA tomorrow. Our trip south is on hold for a while.

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:33.68105
Longitude:-79.04157
GPS location Date/Time:10/23/2009 14:16:12 EDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.68105,-79.04157&ll=33.68105,-79.04157&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:33.87294
Longitude:-78.56995
GPS location Date/Time:10/23/2009 06:50:33 EDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.87294,-78.56995&ll=33.87294,-78.56995&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:33.9265
Longitude:-78.05913
GPS location Date/Time:10/21/2009 14:40:56 EDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.9265,-78.05913&ll=33.9265,-78.05913&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:34.20774
Longitude:-77.79887
GPS location Date/Time:10/20/2009 15:54:44 EDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=34.20774,-77.79887&ll=34.20774,-77.79887&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:34.55128
Longitude:-77.32401
GPS location Date/Time:10/19/2009 15:51:12 EDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=34.55128,-77.32401&ll=34.55128,-77.32401&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

You have just received a message I sent using my SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger

Mike's Spot
Latitude:34.71983
Longitude:-76.70871
GPS location Date/Time:10/18/2009 14:21:34 EDT

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=34.71983,-76.70871&ll=34.71983,-76.70871&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1
Message:This is Mike and Bev on "Walkure" just letting you know that we're OK.

Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
http://www.findmespot.com

Looking for a great way to share SPOT tracks and waypoints, stories and photos? Head to http://www.spotadventures.com and see how users are creating their adventures and sharing them!

Oriental

We made it to Oriental.
Last night we anchored at Campbell creek and it was COLD! We fired up the wood stove and managed to stay quite warm and toasty. Without it we would have frozen our "you-know-whats" off. It worked great and we were fine all evening.
Tonight we're at the Oriental Marina where we got nice HOT showers and thawed out our bones.
On the way here we sailed most of the way from our anchorage last night. The boat performed wonderfully. We had the wind at our backs most of the way and had none of the rounding problems we had before we added the skeg. We were able to balance the boat to near neutral helm and had a nice, if COLD, sail along the Neuse River.
Now, if we could just come up with a way to tow the dinghy comfortably...

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Belhaven

Well, we're sitting in Belhaven waiting for some predicted high winds to pass by. So far, the prediction has been dead wrong as there is no wind at all right now, not the 20 to 25 knots predicted by NOAA. Once again, NOAA proves that their name means "I have NOAA idea what the weather will be."
It is raining a bit, and we have some chores ashore so we will wait a while and see what develops.
So far the trip has been interesting. The first day out we sailed from Port Haywood to Hospital Point in Portsmouth, VA. We had a great sail and the boat performed gloriously. We were able to do 5.5 to 6 knots on the mainsail alone. We had none of the rounding up problems that plagued us earlier. I guess the new skeg works.
The next day we motored up the Deep Creek channel to "Elizabeth's Dock" near the Deep Creek lock. We met some other boats there and all the crews had breakfast with the lock tender the next morning. See the picture of the other crews and us in the lock tender's house. The little boy's name is Morgan. Of course, we had to introduce the two Morgans to each other.
The following day we stopped at the NC visitor's center. We spent two nights on the dock there so we could finally explore the Dismal Swamp. We took a 6 mile bike ride, visited the museum and walked the boardwalk through the swamp. This is a popular stop on the ICW and at one point during our stay there were 10 boats rafted up on a dock that only holds 4.
Our next stop was Elizabeth City. The town dock was crowded when we arrived, but fortunately there is one slip that is too narrow for most other boats to use. Our 7'10" let us slide into the 9 foot slip easily. We stayed 3 nights to avoid the south winds on the Albermarle Sound. (Since we're heading south, a south wind would be right on the nose and we would have had to motor directly into the waves all day. Yuck!)
Once we headed out, we had a nice sail down the Pasquatank River. When we reached the sound the wind picked up and it got uncomfortable. By the time we reached the shoals at the mouth of the Aligator River, it had gotten to be too strong for our already reefed sail, so we took the sail down and motored through the shoals. As we rounded up to take the sail down, a big gust hit us and almost knocked us down. Bev was on deck and almost went for a swim! The boat has a high toe rail on the mid deck and it did its job and kept her dry. We made it through the shoals safely. Two other boats behind us were not so lucky and ran aground.
We had a pleasant night at anchor in South Lake, and another at Tuckahoe Point. Our next stop will be Oriental, as soon as we are sure of decent weather to make the crossing.
The cannon is from Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Ann's Revenge. It's in the Museum of the Albermarle in Elizabeth City. Bev's friends, the black bears, are in the Dismal Swamp Museum. The conch collection is kept by the lock tender at Deep Creek.
Note the picture of me explaining our new wood stove to Morgan.

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Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
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Raising the safety factor for millions who step into the outdoors each year, SPOT notifies friends and family or an international emergency rescue coordination center with status messages based on situation and need. Ask for Help (or SPOT Assist), Alert S.O.S., Check-In/OK and Track Progress-all with the simple push of a button.
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One more thing

I forgot to mention a big THANKS to all the folks at Horn Harbor Marina. We had a great time here and you were all so helpful in getting the boat ready.
Also a big thanks to Dennis and Marianne who let us use their truck to get around.
We will miss Thursday nights at the Southwind.
Horn Harbor Marina is one of the few places around here that you can get ethanol free gasoline. This is important because ethanol destroys marine engines and can void the warranty.