Sunday, August 16, 2015

The Adventures of Summer Reign


July 14th 2015

So as of this date we are officially boat owners!
Overwhelmed and excited all at once. The adventure begins!


July 16th & 17th 2015

After signing paperwork, having the boat detailed and checking out of our room in Key Largo we boarded Summer Reign for our adventure home. As we loaded up the boat up with essentials it honestly felt surreal. We we're finally heading out. First stop- Marathon. Or so we thought.
Celebrating with a champagne toast as we sail towards our dreams.
Before long night was upon us as we ate dinner by Coleman light.
I took over the helm for a while to give hubs a break, convincing him I was a fabulous first mate while convincing myself that I could indeed do this as a feeling of accomplishment washed over me.
Entering the marina in the middle of the night was challenging. I stood on the bow helping guide our way as Captain Paul maneuvered us in like a boss. We tied up at the gas dock until we could move into a slip a few hours later at the first sign of dawn.

The two of us make an amazing team, but we'll never boat after dark in unknown territory again. Timing was a bit of an issue since we left later than expected.  Needless to say we got about two hours sleep and needed some R&R. I was ready to take advantage of the amenities that Marathon Marina had to offer before heading back out at the crack of dawn.

July 18th 2015

Hello sunrise, of many I would see in the days ahead. An entire day on the water was upon us. I prepared a breakfast of fruit, muffins and OJ, read almost the entire book titled Blue Mind, helped Paul at the helm, sat out on the deck and even took a nap. No cares in the world. Dolphins, manatees, birds and skipping fish welcomed us into the Florida Bay. The water was smooth as glass.

Realizing Marco Island was o attainable by sunset the decision was made to moor out for the night. Hatches were opened, fans were turned on and we prayed for a cool evening since without shore power or a generator there is no a/c. We anchored out just before taking in an incredible sunset while sharing cocktails and conversation. The stars appeared painted across the sky and while the moon disappeared it was time to catch some Zzzzzz's.

July 19th 2015

Unfortunately the calm waters turned choppy into the night and I did not sleep well. As that queasy feeling took over it lasted into today which mean I was lying down most of the day wishing for the rocking of the boat too stop. Rain was cooling things off but also causing rough seas. I started feeling better later on, just in time for the engine to act up. We weren't making good time and it was obvious it was going to take longer than expected to get home. There wasn't much wind but we hoisted a sail anyways. Bad fuel was the likely culprit as the engine quit. So close to Rose Marina, yet so far away.  Tow Boat USA to the rescue! Sundays the marina repair shop is closed, so we hunkered down for the night. It was an exhausting day and I thought about those ruby red slippers more than once. The staff at Rose Marina were genuinely kind and I was able to get necessities at their ship shop, shower and order food from a local delivery place. Chatting with a few employees it was evident that this was where we were meant to be.

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