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APRIL and MAY UPDATE

Wow!  Time flies when you are boating.  Been a while since the last blog update.  We aren't even in the Bahamas anymore.
Some pics below of our short stint in Green Turtle, Abacos, our crossing back to West Palm and finally, our current status - swinging from a mooring ball this past month at Sunset Bay Marina, Stuart, Florida.
We leave here May 5 and head thru the St Lucie Lock for Indiantown Marina, final prep for haulout May 8th then we pick up a 2011 Mercedes E550 to drive back for some snowbirds, via Toronto Driveaway. 
Plans are already rolling for next season, but enough of that for now.
We hope to get lots of visits in 'up north' while we housesit for Anne and Frank as they depart for Alaska in their gorgeous RV.


WE STAYED AT BLUFF HOUSE MARINA, GREEN TURTLE, ABACOS....AND GOT TO ENJOY OUR FIRST 'FRESH GALE' STORM.......

NOTE THE PHRASE ON THE WEATHER....
ITS RAINING CATS AND DOGS!!!!




THE RAINBOW AFTER THE STORM

MAKE YOUR OWN PASTA DINNER!!!  OH YA BABY!


PAT, THAI, PETER, TUTTI















PAT AND TUTTI COOKIN UP A STORM ON THE DANCEFLOOR!


HEY....THAI IS NOT FALLING OUT OF THE DINGHY!
(inside joke.....go ahead BroBob...yuk it up, yuk it up!)

  






FULL MOON ACROSS THE ANCHORAGE, GREEN TURTLE, ABACOS




YES THAI!  THE GULF STREAM 'CAN' BE FLAT AND CALM WHEN YOU DO A CROSSING!
EVIDENCE BELOW OF OUR TRANSIT FROM WEST END BAHAMAS, TO WEST PALM FLORIDA....





WHO'S DRIVING THE BOAT?  PETER SLEPT MOST OF THE TRIP OVER TO FLORIDA. 
HE'S A TIRED PUPPY.  TOO MUCH RUM MAYBE.


                                   A SMALL VESSEL......
                                                                                                        SERIOUSLY, IT WAS SMALL ...
                                                                                                   COMPARED TO THE GIANTS WE SAW AFTER THIS ONE!


ONE OF MANY MANY MANSIONS...INCLUDING ARNOLD PALMER's PLACE - THE GOLFER.





JULIE AND ROLAND VISIT US ABOARD THEIR OLE 'SEA DOG' CONVERTED INTO 'PELICAN ROSE'...
WHAT A GREAT TIME, AS USUAL, WITH THIS CWAZY COUPLE.  
WEATHER THREATENED, AND PROVED ITSELF TO BE AN ACCURATE FORECAST....LOTSA RAIN.  THEY WERE STAYING AT A FRIENDS HOME IN STUART AND WERE GIVEN THE GO AHEAD TO LET US STAY AT THIS HOME WITH THEM.  THE FRIENDS WERE ON THE GULF COAST DOING A POKER RUN FUND RAISER.  SUFFICE TO SAY, THE HOME WAS TO DIE FOR!  



TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!
GEEZ...WE LUV THESE PEOPLE!

                                                                                                             PETER IN THE KITCHEN...ONE OF THREE ACTUALLY! 


A VIEW INTO THE SIDE OF THE BACKYARD...FACING ST LUCIE RIVER
 


NEW BLUE LED LIGHTS ON PELICAN ROSE



ANOTHER STORM A BREWIN'



CAUTION - LOW TREE!


CAUTION - BIG TREE!



THE BOYS.....ROCKIN!  MIKE OF NAVIGATOR AND JIM OF SEADUCTION

CAPTAIN PETER SIPPIN WINE, GAZING AT THE SUNSET


OUR BACKYARD AT STUART FLORIDA

MILLIONS OF JELLYFISH! 



VIDEO: 
DOLPHINS....THEY FISH AROUND THE ANCHORAGE DAILY.
SUCH A TREAT TO WATCH!



VIDEO:
STUART FLORIDA IS SO RELAXING AND GREAT FOR THE RETIRED...
EVEN THE ROCKING CHAIRS ACT RETIRED!  



PETER AND MR GATOR AT NAUTICAL BUT NICE SHOP 
CRAWLING OUT OF THE BILGE HOLE


SURVIVING HIS CRAWL OUT OF THE BILGE HOLE!


MORE JELLY'S




MIKE AND CAROLYN of NAVIGATOR....
treated us to Taco Tuesday at Santa Fe Restaurant. 
Our phone rang this morning at 6:30am to a distress call:
OUR DINGHY TOOK A WALK LAST NITE AND LEFT THE BOAT. 
I THINK I CAN SEE IT ON THE SHORELINE ACROSS THE ST LUCIE RIVER.
S. O. S.
Peter zoomed over to Navigator with our dinghy, picked up Mike and away they went....across the river.....where said Navigator dinghy was found safe and sound.  
BAD DINGHY!  YOU ARE GROUNDED! 
Hmmmm....maybe not such a good idea to 'ground' a dinghy!

COUNTDOWN TO DEPARTING THE BAHAMAS

Ahhhh yes.  Our days here are numbered now, as we head towards the 'other' side of being a Snowbird....the return to the north, which will be blossoming flowers, sunshine and blue skies....RIGHT?! 
Pictures say more and I have to talk less (yes...I know that is appreciated at YOUR end!)....so here's our latest and greatest for your viewing pleasure, leisure....

FIRST UP.....Ocean Reef Karaokee and Boaters Pot Luck.  I had just enough bahama mama's to get up and 'sing'....best not give up my day job - retirement!

ANNABELLE, JOHN AND TEMPLETON....woof!

MIKE  KATHY  JUDE  ANTHONY

BARB (of Barb and Tony) with HANKSTER

DIANE AND HANK...
amazing voices, singing to the Phantom of the Opera

HAYWORD - TAXI SERVICES FOR OCEAN REEF

JAMIE AND JANICE
they keep their boat at Indiantown too!

NANCY AND JIM (it was his birthday)
with Duncan poking his head into the right side of the photo
NA
KATHY 
CAROLYN and MIKE (of Navigator) 
They also haul out at Indiantown....sorry guys, can't believe it's the best pic we have of you two!
fyi....they make GREAT and ENTERTAINING tennis partners!!!! 

PIRATE PETE, CHARLES (the entertainment coordinator) and HANKSTER

LIZ AND RICK
(they have a house and boat at Grand Bahama)


Baby Baby I'\m aware of where you go...
Each time you leave my door...
I watch YOU walk down the street,
Knowing another love you'll meet.....
la la la la la
Gosh....we were awful...well....I was for sure!
Baby
STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE
led by Diane

CAN ANYONE STOP THIS WOMAN?!!!


FINALLY...THE SINGING IS OVER....AND A TWO HOUR STORM OF LIGHTNING FOLLOWS....IT WAS TOO FAR AWAY OVER IN THE NORTH ABACOS TO HEAR ANYTHING, BUT THE LIGHT SHOW WAS INCREDIBLE!!!



Time to depart Ocean Reef and head to the Abacos.  Beautiful turquoise waters and I saw one dolphin...first time out in the Abaco Sea....lots of spotted rays and a field full of large sea turtles! 
We travelled south to north thru the Lucayan Channel which runs vertically thru Grand Bahama Island.
Shortly after we entered the Abaco Sea, we had the fluke discovery of our friends Robert and Cathy aboard their s/v BnG, heading to West End then Florida.  Unfortunately, we were to be ships passing in the night as we were heading the opposite direction.  But...we did get a pic as they sailed off into the sunset! 

BnG heading towards West End then Florida



ENTRANCE TO LUCAYAN CHANNEL



an angel in the sky....
for our beautiful Ange-Aimee Leia









We made our way to Great Sale where we anchored overnite (lousy nite for sleeping....or not sleeping....we were tossed around a lot due to a change in the weather forecast) then we headed to Bluff House Marina, Green Turtle Cay, Abacos. We pulled in beside our friends from Indiantown, Pat and Tutti.  Here we shall stay until the next weather window then we think it prudent to begin our trek back across the Gulf Stream to Indiantown and begin the process of putting the girl to bed. Pelican Rose that is, not moi!



SHADES OF A MOVIE I ONCE SAW.....
not THIS boat!
MOTORING ACROSS THE SEA OF ABACOS




SEA SALT ON A HATCH WINDOW....
this is WITHOUT waves splashing aboard...just salt in the air!
We had her fully clean and washed on departure....
this is the salt we picked up that was simply....airborne!  YEUCK!
 
WITH ONE SWIPE OF MY HAND....
LOTSA SALT....
GOT AN EMPTY SHAKER ANYONE?

PAT SHOWING OFF HIS SEXY TOWEL TO PETER
AT BLUFF HOUSE MARINA, GREEN TURTLE CAY

CAN YOU SEE PELICAN ROSE OUT THERE IN ONE OF THE SLIPS?
POOL AT BLUFF HOUSE MARINA
GOING ASHORE AT BLACK SOUND....named for it's weedy bottom. Bluff House Marina is located at White Sound which is known for it's nice sandy bottom.


CHILLIN AT BLACK SOUND




VERY COOL GOLF CART RACING CAR RIG!


NOTE THE CAPTION!
Black Sound, Green Turtle Cay



CAPTAIN PIRATE PETE HEADING ABOARD FOR ...
MORE RUM OF COURSE!