CARSON & COLEMAN February 15, 2009

Carson 9 and Coleman 7 and their parents Pam and Cliff joined us today at Sombrero Reef. It all started with the boys, of course, awaking first and having to wait for the lazy Adults to get up and going!

After breakfast we headed south toward the 7 Mile Bridge. We passed Burdines.

A dock or two south we passed a very large expensive boat with lots of equipment.

We decided to pass up buying this yacht and continue on. Oh, Look! A 42 foot PDQ Sailboat!

Finally we reached the Sombrero Reef which was easy to find because of the large marker.

In case you cannot make out the snorkeler, it is Tom! We all enjoyed the 77 degree water both in the morning and afternoon. The area was littered with boats scattered along the balls. The waters were full of yellow tails, parrot fish, barracudas, grunts, octupus, rasps, flounder and a whole lot more.
Fishing lines were nibbled but no good catch. Coleman is checking the area.

Tom, Carson and Cliff take a break before we head back to our home ball. U-6.


It is showers for all and then we deposit Cliff and family on the dock. By 8:30 Debbie and Tom are watching the news on the computer and eating tuna sandwiches, baked beans and peaches. That is the closest we could come to a fish dinner!

NEIGHBORS February 14, 2009

Tom is up before the sun. He stows everything in preparation for the arrival of our first guests. About 11 Cliff calls to let us know they will be arriving later than planned.




Portside Cockpit

To use time constructively, Tom removes the TV set from the mount on the Mast Column in the Settee. The area appears much larger without TV! We try it in many different places and decide we like it on the divider between the Galley and Settee. For the next few weeks it will be stowed under the front seat in a bed of life preservers. This will allow us to sit six adults around the table.

Starboard Cockpit

As we are eating Cheese and Turkey Sandwiches, a kayak passes for a lady and her dog. The dog is the only one wearing a life preserver!

The fog has lifted and we can see to the far end of the harbor.

Cliff calls to let us know he standing on the MCM dock! Catrina sails up to greet our guests, board their gear, restock boat and drinking water and empty trash. A five purpose mission!

It is such a beautiful afternoon that we head for the Atlantic by the Fish Canal. At the distant reef marker, we drop anchor and snorkel a while. Both Carson 9 and Coleman 7 are good swimmers and avid fishermen.

Later Cliff and Tom trail two lines as we cruise along. Within 15 minutes, Cliff has hooked a fish! Coleman and Carson attempt to pull it in. We know it is good sized because we can see it jump completely out of the water 4 or 5 times. Finally, Cliff takes over and reels it in but must gaff it. It is too big for our net! Tom gets out the measuring tape and records 32 inch dolphin fish!

First Carson and Cliff hold up the fish and then Coleman and Cliff.


The Gentlemen ask their sweethearts to dinner at Key Industries. Pam and Cliff are pictured below

Our biggest problem was after sunset. We motored slowly back up Fish Canal because it was low tide and dark. When we got to the harbor, it took us a number of laps to find our mooring ball in the dark. We finally found it by locating a boat moored near us! Next project was to zip the bimini back on. It took four adult a very long time to figure out where each of the seven pieces fit! What we needed was a good puzzle solver!