December 9, 2011

Friday, December 9, 2011

By 8:30 AM we were under way.  Although the weather called for 20% chance of showers, Fred chose to stay in the intracoastal waterway since it began pouring rain and stayed that way for hours.  I never trusted the weather channel anyway because  most of the time, they were wrong, just as they were today.  I say…”Just look outside and there ya go...the weather”.  As Fred continued down the ICW, Stasia found a new hiding place in the cockpit combing locker, a little open port hole shape opening on both the port and starboard, used for just about anything that doesn’t seem to have a home.  I personally think Casa Mare’s builder had a cat, but if not, it serves many purposes including a cozy little place just the right size for a 13 pound boat cat.  I took the opportunity to stay below and finish organizing the aft cabin which in the beginning was all set until we found other things that didn’t have a home and made a temporary one there.  It’s amazing how much you need for a trip like this.  At first I thought we had enough provisions and now I am keeping my fingers crossed that we make it to an island with a store that sells food later on in the adventure.  I don’t really like to eat fish (a few have made it to my plate like Salmon, Tuna out of a can and Flounder) although I love to fish, catch and release you may say unless there is someone around who likes to eat them.  But they get to clean them also.  I usually don’t find many takers for that but that hasn’t taken the thrill of hooking one and reeling it in.  My Dad has showed me how to clean one in my childhood but I would suggest sticking to a can of tuna because that is about what my fish would look like when I get done with it.  I forgot to buy a planer, which was suggested by Jim, my brother who is an experienced sailor and has done this trip before, so perhaps while here in South Beach Miami we may come across one, if not, one of the islands may have one.