Blog of Events & Happenings

Barny and Ginger were not able to stay long, but on their way to a holiday trip to Brazil they stopped for a visit.  Great time with them, visiting and catching up.  We toured around our little piece of heaven in Florida and managed to support the local economy.  We also had the opportunity to see Jan Mason our cousin in Vero Beach.  Jan picked the Riverside Café in Vero right on the ICW.  A major treat.  Barny and Ginger left this morning for Miami to catch their flight to Brazil.  Enjoy.  (full size pictures by clicking on first one)

Jack and Ann got out of the cold northeast and came down Wednesday for a visit.  We were sad to see them leave today when we dropped them off at the airport.  We toured them around the area Wednesday and Thursday, trying our best to eat at all of the good restaurants.  Friday we spent on the water in a rented bow rider and thoroughly enjoyed the 75 degree temperature and beautiful views.  That evening we had the best meal of the visit, at home!  Fresh vegetables and a great steak.  Saturday Carey and Ann prepared some food for that evening’s holiday party at Sandy and Joe Lavarine’s home.  Four fantastic days visiting with the best of friends.    A couple pictures below — click on first for a full screen view of pictures.

We finally closed on the “new” Apolonia, a 37′ express cruiser.  Buying from a Canadian with Canadian registration is not a simple task, I now know.   But this noodle is pushed up the hill!!!!

With the old one gone we still needed a boat to move around the ICW and the Bahamas, so we bought this express cruiser, a Maxum with diesel engines.  Carey, Maddie and I enjoyed a beautiful 3 hour cruise on the ICW up from North Palm Beach to Sailfish Marina where she is now getting her bottom painted and a few other odds and ins repaired.  We’re already planning our first trip, to the Florida west coast in January.  The boat travels nicely at 8.5 knots or at 22 should we want.  Below are a few pictures of the trip north.  TO SEE A FULL SCREEN SHOW OF ALL THESE PICTURES, FIRST CLICK ONCE ON THE FIRST PICTURE.

First picture a bit blurry, but it shows a part of our community opening the Christmas season last Friday, 1 December as we enjoyed food, libations and camaraderie to officially turn on the lights at the Clubside Villas common area.  It’s proving to be a very good location with great people.

Today is a milestone.  We are changing our boating style.   House closed last month and today title and money changed hands and Apolonia, our boat of 20 years, is now sold.  The boat now has a new name, Invictus!  I will drive it for the last time tomorrow as I deliver it to its new slip in the Marriott Marina on Hutchison Island, near Stuart, FL.

This Saturday we’ll purchase and drive away our “new to us” Florida run around boat, a 37′ express cruiser.  We’ll name it Apolonia … just because.

This Maxum was a good buy.  It has two cabins, one with walk around queen bed, a nice saloon, galley and spacious back deck with good electronics and two 330 hp diesel Cummings engines.  She’ll be fine for travel around the area and to the Bahamas.  It may even make a trip back to Virginia.