Ernesto This!

Yesterday it looked like the path of Ernesto was going to bring it right to our little piece of Florida. So this morning we took off the sails and the Mack Pack sail cover. Put the cooler (we use it for paint and other nasty liquids) below. Water Gerry cans below. Took the fins off of the wind generator. We tripled up our lines to the mooring ball. Took down the radar reflector.

Then we checked on the latest on Ernesto. Looks like it is going to miss us by a LOT and go to the other coast. Well that is the more glamorous coast of Florida I suppose. Well, good drill for us and the sails had to come off before we returned to Chicago anyway so those will stay off for now. We've not removed the dodger yet as we wanted the shade for as long as possible. Now if the winds are going to stay under 30 knots we'll probably leave it up.

Tricky business tracking hurricanes. Which track will they really take? How intense will they really get? You don't get to know until they're on you 24 hours out. At least now we do have an escape hatch....the trusty '94 Mazda which Sue is more apt to use than Scott. And the parking space is working out just fine.

We did hire a diver, Bryant who did an excellent job on our bottom, if you know what I mean. It was a bit exciting when his hose broke and the line was a 'live wire' in the water until we turned off the tank. It took Bryant one hour to clean all the remaining barnacles including the bottom of the keel which we never painted! He said it wasn't really that bad. We have him scheduled to come back each month until we leave in December.

And so what does one do while waiting for the next forecast for Ernesto? You watch the rays swim by your boat:














You talk to the daughter via computer video phone:














And you go to happy hour at Parrot Key which is right at the marina and..........
where the beers are $1 for 16 oz drafts....really! Yeungling has become our favorite. And Chad the barkeep is ready to draw you a cold one in an iced glass...really a glass which is not a plastic cup...whenever you're ready.
















By the way, Gracie is not happy with what happended to her back bedroom when the sails came down today. She is really singing the blues. No more cereal for us!