11 February to 28 February

Miami

11 February- Key Biscayne to Islamorada. Moved down Biscayne Bay and covered 69 miles in 9 hours and 45 minutes to arrive at the anchorage off of Lorelei’s at 6PM. Averaged 7.1 MPH with a max of 8.6. Took Lucy in and had appetizers then dinner back on the boat. Funny thing is we asked if Lucy could join us and the waitress said not a problem – though we had to sit in the sand. The next day when we tied up to the same dock to walk Lucy we saw this sign that said “NO DOGS”.

Sunset at Lorelei’s

12 and 13 February- Islamorada to Marathon. High winds up to 25 Knots. Stayed in the ICW rather than go into Hawk Chanel. Covered 44 miles at 6.3 MPH with a max of 8.2 mostly under sail only. Lucky to find a slip at Poncho’s fuel dock (nice people… Capt Jack and Mike)due to lots of boats and no one able to get to the Bahamas due to weather issue. We got in a slip and soon were hit with a nasty wind and rain storm. Rained all night. Had a great Cornish hen dinner on board. Had to stay another day due to high winds. So on the 13th we peddled our bikes to the store, West Marine and lunch of Hog Fish sandwiches at Key Fisheries. Mike cooked two turkeys for all marina people that we enjoyed that night. Everyone was to bring sides – we brought dessert.

14 February- My 65th Birthday and Valentine’s Day. We had clear skies, good winds, sun, but cold weather and headed out to Key West at 7:30 via Hawk Channel. A wonderful sail (6 hours 24 minutes to cover the 48 miles) at an average of 8 MPH with a high of 10.Patti made a WindStar class breakfast and a fresh shrimp lunch. Went to dinner with friends from home, Barb and Bob Wightman, at Café Sole..Conch Carpaccio, hog fish and Key Lime pie with a birthday candle. It was a great night and Patti was given a yellow rose from the waiter.

Arrival Key West

15-22 February- We are very happy in the Key West Bight Marina located in downtown Key West so we plan to stay here till April 11.

 Have friends here from our Yacht Club and have met many nice people who are also here to escape the snow. Joyce and Scott Yates flew down from the cold on Saturday. The day was beautiful – warm and sunny, finally much needed warmth!

 On Sunday we went to a restaurant A&B Lobster House for brunch. They have 15 people working for them that are from Haiti, so the restaurant donated the proceeds from the brunch, wait staff also donated their tips to the 15 families to help them. $15,000 was raised. We had a great time with Barb, Bob, Leslie, Bob, Joyce, and Scott.

 In the middle of the brunch the skies clouded and the rain came, again. After brunch – Carl won – he ate the most – we all returned to our rooms or boats to “nap”. Later, we met up at a trunk show/ 85th birthday of a local artist Sandford Birdsey at the Curry Mansion. Neat! The weather is still not what it should be. Rained all last night. Enjoying the restaurants, and activities. In the rain we took Joyce and Scott on a tour, including Hogfish Grill, Fishbusters, Publix and Boca Chica NAS. While there we saw a familiar boat – Jack of Hearts.

 Carl called Mike and he and a friend joined us for drinks at the Schooner’s Warf. Still raining Joyce and Patti cooked up a fish dinner.

23 February- We went out for a sail today to a reef…Western Sambo and tied up to a mooring where we thought we might snorkel but it was too rolly. We did have a great lunch aboard, Key West shrimp and mango - yummy.

 Then sailed up the channel to check out the Marina at Boca Chica NAS. We were reacquainted with the “Sound of Freedom” as the F18s and F16s roared overhead on approach to the field. This was our wake-up call when we stayed there two years ago.

 Had a great dinner at Café Sole, again – Joyce and Scott took us there to celebrate our birthdays.

24 February- Rain lots of it. Patti, Joyce and Barb made a visit t the wonderful Butterfly Nature Conservatory and went shopping on Duval Street. Though when it started raining we quickly called Scott to pick us up. Mangia, Mangia for dinner in a torrential downpour.

25 February- Cool. Took the 90 minute Conch Train tour of Key West. Very nice. Great lunch at the Key West Yacht Club. I am sure we all had several drinks (every day) and a wonderful dinner at Santiago’s Bodega- a great tapas restaurant.

26 February- Took neighbors, Doug and Jen from Lancaster and the four of us for a sail out the North West channel. It was so calm that we were able to eat lunch while under way. A wonderful afternoon! Topped off Joyce and Scott’s last day in Key West with a spectacular dinner at A&B Lobster House…with lots to eat and drink not to mention the deserts…Key Lime Pie and Banana’s Foster…remember Joyce?

27 February- Visited the boat show and the art festival followed by lunch at the Cuban restaurant El Siboney. Yates off to the air port for the flight to NJ. We started our eating, drinking and spending recovery today. Decided to enter the Wrecker’s Race and went to the captain’s meeting with Barb, Bob, Jenn and Doug.

28 February – We got the crew together –  Jen had to take care of their puppy boxer – high energy – Roxy.

 So it was winch wench/galley slave Patti with the boys – Captain Carl, Bob, and Doug. The start looked more chaotic than organized. Not much wind and because it is Key West there are no rules. We were reminded that if you protest something you are disqualified, if you complain you are disqualified. We found using the head sail we were doing better than with both sails flying. There was a boat that was overtaking us just as we were nearing the finish line – they were taunting us that they were going to beat us. Well, Poseidon was on our side - the closer we got to the committee boat they lost all their wind in their sails. We got there first. The crew was so happy! The best thing about the day was there were many boats behind us. So we did not come in last! At the BBQ that night at Schooner’s Wharf Carl won a gift certificate for West Marine. Cut and paste the following in your browser to see standings and pictures http://www.schoonerwharf.com/10wreckersrace_results.htm#february

2 February to 10 February

Carl ,Lucy Skipper from Express mail

A few people have requested my Mexican Chicken recipe:


Here is the basic Mexican Chicken recipe. Then I will tell you what I add. You can add anything you want.



Taco chicken

1-11/2 lb frozen boneless skinless chicken

1 can low sodium diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

1 envelope low sodium taco seasoning.



Place chicken in slow cooker

In small bowl mix tomatoes and taco seasoning. Pour over chicken

Cover. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving 100 cal, 18 g. pro, 2 g. carb, 2.5 g. fat, 50 mg. chol, 1 g. fiber, 300 mg sodium.



I usually double the recipe. I use both skinless breasts and skinless legs (Carl likes the darker meat). I add some garlic (can never have enough) cilantro, canned corn, drained kidney beans, chopped onions, chopped green peppers, lime juice, paprika (Hungarians always use paprika) and a small amount of cinnamon. Sometimes I serve it with brown rice than I throw the rice into the leftovers. Or, other times I serve it will chips and shredded cheese. Midway through cooking I cut the chicken up into smaller chunks. I have also sometimes right before serving shredded the chicken and if it is too liquidy I add some tomato paste. But you can experiment I do, each time I make it.

Bob,Ann,Diane,Mike,and Patti at the Elbo Room

2 February to 7 February-Ft Lauderdale. Still not real warm. We met up with 2 teachers from Middletown, Jane Austin and Anne Williams, and their husbands for dinner. We went to a restaurant called Seasons 52 – the menu changes with the seasons and nothing on the menu is more than 425 calories. Pretty good, though Carl said he was still hungry. Celebrated Patti’s birthday at a great Thai restaurant, Thai Spice, and continued watching the city prepare for Super Bowl. Visiting with friends from KOS and New Jersey. We went to a free concert on the beach as part of Super Bowl Saturday night that featured Bare Naked Ladies and O.A.R. It was extremely cold on the beach. Went to the concert, than dinner at Coconuts. Carl called in a reservation for the 6 of us for outside dining. It was so windy by the time dinner was over Michael, Diane (Express Mail) and Patti decided to go back to the boats.

Carl, Bob and Ann Katan went to the rest of the concert and watched the fireworks on the beach. We spent Super Bowl Sunday game with David and Theresa. Heatherman. Good food, lots of laughs and good friends we said goodbye to when we left Ft. Lauderdale on Monday morning.

Exiting Ft Lauderdale

8 February- Ft Lauderdale to Key Biscayne. Departed Ft Lauderdale at 10:15 and motor sailed in the Ocean to Miami. Came in the inlet and took a dock at Crandon Park Marina. It was a 38 mile day in about 6 hours. Had cocktails and dinner with friends that are also members of the Toms River YC. Cynthia and Ed have wintered here for many years.

South Beach..Miami

Our neighbors

9 and 10 February-Stayed at Key Biscayne on the 9th to enjoy one of the nicest days so far. Took a long bike ride, stopped at the Key Biscayne Yacht Club (a beautiful club – Patti’s Uncle Jay was a past Commodore), we actually spent some time sunning ourselves on the bow of the boat (first really warm day), cleaned up the boat, purchased fresh fish and planned to move south on the 10th. Awoke to very high winds and white caps on Biscayne Bay and decided to stay another night. Went for a really long walk (Lucy is getting use to long walks – guess we will have to continue this when we get home) and saw a few Manatees in the marina. The fishing boats that come into the marina really attract Pelicans. Tonight it is suppose to go down to 39 – thank God we have heat.

Waiting to buy or eat fresh fish at Crandon Park, Key Biscayne

Resting Manatee

WindStar Blog Star Date 1 February 2010

WindStar Blog Star Date 1 February 2010


It is a very rainy day in Ft. Flauderdale, Fl but it is 68 degrees, and it is about time I update the blog. So here goes.

Patti, Carl and Lucy arrived in Jacksonville, FL (JAX) on 7 January to reconnect with WindStar and begin moving south to our eventual destination for most of the winter...Key West. Upon arrival on the boat the next day we discovered that over the time we were gone we had visitors aboard..Probably mice or rats. Patti and I spent several days cleaning and preparing the boat to travel. We also endured some of the coldest temperatures Northern Florida had seen in years, with nearly a two week period of freezing temperatures. We finally moved aboard on January 11 and planned to depart the next day. We would be traveling with two other boats, Express Mail (Mike, Diane, Skipper the dog) form Pelican Island, NJ and Volare (Deno and Teresa) from Peachtree  City, GA.

12 Jan 2010- Finally we left our marina at 0730 to head for St Augustine. As we approached the Florida East Coast RR Bridge in downtown JAX we discovered it was closed till 4PM for maintenance and we could not get under it without it rising. So we went back to the marina and returned in the afternoon to get under it and spent the night tied up at the free dock at the Landings in downtown JAX.

13 Jan 2010- JAX to St Augustine from 0640 to 1600, 56 statute miles(SM) in 8 hours 20 minutes, an average speed of 6.7 MPH. Nice day but cold. Lucy who never likes to leave to comfort of the cabin actually joined us in the enclosed cockpit for the entire day. We walked around town and spent a quiet night on board at the town marina. Cold!

14 Jan 2010-St Augustine to New Smyrna Beach form 0730 to 1615, 68 SM. 8MPH average. We three boats tied up to the free town docks for the night and shared cocktails and Patti’s Mexican chicken dinner that cooked all day in the crock pot, the Mexican chicken dish we swear just continues to grow. Friends of Mike and Diane joined us from town. We fed 8 people and still had left overs. Still very cold!

15 Jan 2010- New Smyrna Beach to Coco Village from 0807 to 1510, 7.4 average MPH and a max speed of 9.3 MPH on a downhill section of the ICW. We all anchored out that night and went in to town via dinghies for pizza. We parted company with Express Mail and Volare as we stayed on another day at a marina as friends from Orlando came over on the 16th to visit. We had a great time as we explored the town, one of the world’s best hardware stores is there (S. F. Travis Hardware An old fashioned hardware store including electrical and plumbing supplies. If they don't have it, you don't need it) and ate oysters, finished that Mexican chicken, and had great German food at Heidelberg in Coco Beach. We did not see Jeannie or her Master.

17 Jan 2010- Coco Village to Vero Beach from 0745 to 1530. Saw thousands of dead fish in this area as a result of the cold cooling the water. Very windy with winds up to 31 knots on the nose most of the day. Tied up to a mooring with another boat. Volare had gone on to get to Key West but Express Mail was there. We joined them at a friend’s home for a great chicken dinner. We stayed another day at Vero while Express Mail headed to Ft Lauderdale.

19 Jan 2010- Vero Beach to a real nice anchorage in Hobe Sound at channel marker Green 43 just north of Jupiter Inlet. Spent a nice night at anchor. 50SM in 7 hours and 10 minutes. Average speed 7 MPH.Did not want to take a chance of having to go under several bridges and having to anchor in Lake Worth in the dark.

20 Jan 2010-Hobe Sound to Lake Boca anchorage. 48 SM in 8 hours and 30 minutes at a slow 5.7 MPH due to having 18 bridges open for us.Lake Boca photos below.

21 January –Lake Boca to Las Olas Marina in Ft Lauderdale. 16 SM in 3 and half hours. Only 8 bridges.Met friends again for dinner.

22 January to 1 February- Ft Lauderdale. Express Mail has been here with us most of the time.We are enjoying their company as well as visiting with friends that live here . We have gone to the beach (2 block walk), ridden our bikes, taken walks along the beach with Lucy (she likes to see the people), gone to a trawler boat show (no not yet), art show, dinners out with friends and shopping. Plan to move on next Monday after the Super Bowl which has this area buzzing.

The next picture show Express Mail and us, WindStar.  We look like the smallest boat on this dock.  Sun Chaser on the end is huge - it's crew is always working - but no one other than crew is visible.