Mike and Brenda on "Velsignet"

Keenly aware that we had an audience viewing from several boat decks, we communicated through our "marriage savers" devices to slowly and flawlessly back Velsignet into Slip D11 in Stock Island Marina Village in Key West.  Once secured, we received several signs of "thumbs up" from our new neighbors.  Whew!  and what a nice welcome! With a coffee cup in hand and 30 minutes before the laundry needed to be transferred from the washers to the dryers, Brenda took note of her new surroundings during a short morning walk around Stock Island Marina Village. The personality of this marina is a friendly one; quick introductions and greetings are made easily with people you meet.  It's in an area great for walking.  Colorful Key West is a complimentary bus or short bike ride. There's also a beautiful pool area, convenient access to shower and laundry facilities, and a variety of nearby restaurants.  Bonus:  Friends Steve and Kathy (MV "Red Pearl") are s...

"We want to sell our boat to you," Brenda emailed the interested party.  Negotiations had brought us to a common understanding. Thus, the process begins for making our boat sale final.  The steps?  A purchase agreement will be written and a timeline determined based on our discussions.  The buyer will secure insurance, dock slippage and financing.  At a  mutually agreed upon location, the buyer will schedule the hull and mechanical surveys (required for insurance and financing).  Velsignet's original furnishings will be re-installed. And so it is, as we cruise off-shore in the lulling swells of the Gulf of Mexico along the Florida's Everglades, we are reflecting on our sea-worthy "Velsignet" and the 6,000+ miles we've traveled with her. We left Marco Island this morning to cruise to an anchorage on the Little Shark River, a gateway to the inner regions of the Everglades National Park. Outlining the shore of the Everglades is what is called "Ten Th...

Mike and Brenda are perplexed.  Cruising from Venice towards Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico on a clear calm day, a round "something" was floating atop the water.  Was it a piece of carpet?  What could it be?  As we slowly crept near the object, we discovered with pleasant surprise that it was a turtle.  A large turtle. Just there.  Floating.  Then, as if waking from a slumber, the turtle startled and looked up out of the water and took a gracefully descending dive (like turtles do).  But what kind of turtle was it? (Erica E...HELP!) Brenda remembers how its shapely domed shell was flared out almost like the brim of a hat (OR...was this an illusion created from the water?).  Mike saw the front flippers typical of sea turtles.  Its color was brownish.  Its size was BIG (Mike thinks at least 3 feet).  Was it a loggerhead?  A green sea turtle?  Kemps Ridley? Boating is a wonderful transportation mode for site-seeing...

Gene, the bartender at Dunedin's "Flanagan's Irish Pub" sold us.  He recommended the Irish Tacos for Mike and the Reuben sandwich with homemade chips for Brenda.  Each visit to our table, Gene had more to share with us.  He gave us the rundown of how Guinness holds establishments to a particular standard to offer their stout.  He explained Flanagan's: a fixture in Dunedin forever, only 2 owners in its long history, Irish owners, Irish chef (took 6 months to find him!), decor will never change (unless the city council approves it), and more.  We're not sure much of this is true (based on a 2016 news article featuring the pub), but we thoroughly enjoyed our Irish fare and Gene's entertainment. Tomorrow, Wednesday, we will depart Clearwater at sunrise and cruise towards Sarasota which is almost 60 miles away.  Depending on the condition of Tampa Bay, we may anchor out to arrive in Sarasota Thursday morning.  While in the area, we look forward to getting...

Mike's fishing to catch some conversation with local fishermen. We're hanging out at the county park at White City, a small community with a gasoline/convenience store and fire department (located about 20 miles from Appalachicola).  Besides a playground, fish-cleaning station and picnic area, the park has two boat ramps and free dock space.  It's a busy place.  Barges pass by fairly regularly.  Many very nice fishing boats left this morning (the monthly fishing tournament was today; $110 per boat to enter!) and they're starting to return for the weigh-in.  The full parking lot is clearing out for the night. Sunday (tomorrow) is the beginning of a short weather window to cross the Gulf from Appalachicola to Clearwater, FL.  Marv's Weather Service warns us that the weather system that moved through this area last night will leave the Gulf unsettled for a number of days.  The wind is expected to be under 10 mph starting Sunday afternoon through Tuesd...

During our six-week Thanksgiving and Christmas break from the boat, I learned how easy it will be to make a book from the blogs written about our America’s Great Loop Adventure on Velsignet.   Before going to print, each blog is being reviewed, starting at the beginning in 2018.     2018 to 2020.   Has it really been as long as that?   Having said goodbye to Mike’s parents and Loopers at The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach (No Schedule, Pura Vida III), we departed at sunrise yesterday morning, January 1, to cruise towards Fort Walton Beach, FL.   During the day, we texted and reconnected with other Looper friends (Red Pearl, Southern Cross, Misty, Saltaire, Honey Queen, About Time, Orion).   Slowly approaching the area where we would overnight (Fort Walton Beach Free Dock), Velsignet came to a sudden stop and the engine alarm sounded:   We’d run aground!   Having experienced a similar situation in the lowlands of South Carolina, we flagged ...