The Trek Home Begins!!!!

Ok folks, in response to your emails, no we have not been abducted by aliens, yes, we have both taken trips home to take care of business and/or respond to current events, and yes, the journey north is now the next priority.

I arrived this afternoon, about a day behind Pete and his new crewmember, John. The weather in Marathon has been cool, windy and yuckie while we were gone, and turned nice yesterday. As a result, Pete and John elected leave this afternoon and see how far they could go on the outside, with Charleston being the initial target, about a 5 day ride. They left about 3 pm with 2-3 ft seas, the wind 15-25 out of the SE and a hard beat out to the Gulf Stream ahead of them. Once there, the wind should moderate and swing south, which should sling-shot them around Key Largo, and continue to push them north on a broad reach and then beam reach as the wind clocks to the west ahead of the next weather system.

Since my child bride is still attending to matters on the home front, I will be the lone Florida Keys intrepid reporter until she returns and we select our weather window to depart. Watch this space for more riviting news of life in Marathon marina. Actually, the manatee was back today along with it's baby- or probably teenager- these suckers look like they have spent up big at MacDonald's and obviously do not spend much time working out. I look at them floating at the surface, hardly moving, and only raising their heads up to take a breath of air about once a minute, and I think, gee, what a life, I could do that!! The wonders of nature are such an inspiration.

Rob