3/14/11 Marathon Key, Fl N24’70.824’/W081’08.472′

Well, we finally got moving northward this morning at 10am. 

We said goodbye to all the friends

Sandy, daughter and grandson, Benjamin

First Baptist Church friends

 we’ve made at Key West and at lst Baptist Church in Big Coppitt Key.  We also said good bye to our RV friends,

Sam and Ann

Sam and Ann who served working at the church all winter.  We had Chris our Navy buddy over for a dinner of grilled filet mignons that  he brought to the tug.

Luke and Chris

 Chris who leaves his Miata with us when I would drop him off at KW Airport when he’d fly back to Boston for a wk. to be with his wife, Kathy, who’s an AA flight attendant.  He gave Michelle some last minute charting tips.  We’re now growing an upside-down tomato plant and three herbs aboard. Michelle prepared her last mercy meal for Sherry who had knee replacement surgery and George who is partially paralyzed from a stroke when he was a Naval officer. 

Queen Ann's Revenge

We’re boat buddies with Hank & Anne who are aboard Queen Anne’s Revenge a 42′ Hampton trawler.  They were trolling ahead of us in the Atlantic today along the Keys in Hawk Channel when they hooked a ten pound tuna which broke their rod and reel and spit the hook out as Anne was netting it. They are an amazing couple!  We were in choppy seas of 3-4 footers slushing away for six hours. Winds 20+kts. on the bow.  Saw a large loggerhead turtle which disappeared below the surface before a picture could be taken.  Are at  Sombrero Marina in Marathon.  Will head north under the Seven Mile Bridge into Florida Bay and check the seas before venturing too far and if not too bad shoot for Little Shark River on the Florida mainland.  Had a nice dinner that Michelle prepared while still underway in the Atlantic of chicken, five veggies over rice topped with pineapple chunks and our last taste of Key Lime Pie.  Yum.

Sunset in Marathon Key