KEY WEST TO NEW ENGLAND

Hampton Inn Boston, MA
48 at wakeup, heading to 52

Vacation gives way to work as I awake in Boston for the first time ever. I flew up yesterday on Jet Blue, also a first time for me. It was the best flight I've ever enjoyed. I had the exit row to myself and sprawled out like a big old dog across all 3 seats. With Sirius radio in my headset I relaxed for the entire 3 hour flight. What a change!

Vacation was terrific. Our friends from AZ were very impressed with SOFL. The Keys were as great as ever, with the weather seeming to stay at 81 day and night. We toured the Mel Fisher treasure museum, something I treasured myself. We saw gold and silver, valued at over 10 million dollars, recovered from the Spanish Galleon ship Atocha, which sank in the 1500s off the Florida Keys. I will post pictures as time allows. A cloud cover ruined sunset at Mallory Square but we enjoyed a great one over Charlotte Harbor on Saturday night.

Sunday we launched the boat in 25mph winds. It wasn't the best day to be out there but we enjoyed ourselves, nonetheless. I entertained and calmed our guests aboard by singing songs as the 4 foot waves rocked and rolled the boat and the occasional 6 footer came over the top and soaked us to the bone for about 2 hours. With the high winds and warm temperatures, we dried quick after our arrival at Burnt Store Marina for brunch. Following brunch the decision was made that the girls would stay behind as Nolan and I brought the boat the 15 miles back toward home. We couldn't return to port until the tide came back up so we docked at Fishermen's Village, had a beer and caught a ride home to get my truck. We picked up the girls at 5 o'clock and they dropped us off back at the boat just after sundown. Nolan and I crossed the harbor in pitch black, with strong gusty winds twice blowing us out of the channel. (The genius captain didn't bring his handheld spotlight). We nearly ran aground but escaped with a quick reaction of raising the outdrive and letting the wind blow the boat off the sandbar. We got home safe and put the boat to rest on her cradle.

Monday was spent replacing our hot water heater, which had been original with the house 27 years ago. I decided to spend a couple of extra dollars to install a hot water circulation pump to provide instant hot water throughout the house. What a great thing that is. Before, I had to run my shower for 5 minutes to get hot water. Now it's more like 5 seconds.

Monday night we had steak and lobster with our guests, at home. It was a great end to a great visit with dear friends.
Tuesday I drove our friends to the airport in Tampa for their flight back to Phoenix and I flew to Boston. Tonight I fly to Newark, NJ for work Thursday. Friday it's Philly then home for a day.

Hurricane Ida came and went with little notice to us. It's now a rain system that might meet me later this week as she works her way up the Atlantic coastline.

Someday I would like to make my own ocean voyage from Key West to New England.