Key Largo, FL

We are in Key Largo. We spent last night on the boat and it was great. The AC is working perfectly. We will not leave Key Largo for a couple of days. The winds are too high, there is a front blowing in, and we have things to do to the boat. I doubt we make it to Key West. That's not bad though, we are in paradise and having a good time when we aren't working! We have a lot to learn about the boat systems and that is taking some time. I need to install the motor lift and install another motor bracket for the outboard for the dinghy. I also need to install the grill, empty the waste water tanks, and do all the work required for an extended trip.

Getting here was a little bit of a chore. The bad weather was blowing in just as we were ready to leave. We actually had hail on the way to the airport. The weather delayed our flight for an hour and so we were a little late getting in. On Saturday, we ran errands in Miami and then headed for the boat to load our stuff. Anyone who has travelled with us knows that we have plenty of stuff. We worked hard all day and finally got it all on the boat about 8:00 PM. We ate at a great restaurant, the Fish House, recommended to us by Anna and Bill (the Key Largo boat brokers who had this boat listed). We then came back to the boat, sat in the cockpit and marvelled at the fact that we were on this boat.

Things are a little disorganized today because there is so much to do, it is kind of daunting. We'll get it done though and when the bad weather blows through we should be ready to head out.

We have friends in a 35 Catalina trying to get out from somewhere along the Florida west coast and head to Kemah. They will be ahead of us but they are going straight across. We are going to do it the leisurely way and head along the coast.

See you soon.

Almost Time

Our flight leaves Friday evening. We fly from Houston to Miami, get in late, and our daughter, Lauren, will pick us up at the airport. We spend the night in Miami then start shopping to prepare for our trip. We arrive in Key Largo to load the boat on Saturday, March 28. We hope to do a test sail on Saturday, taking Lauren and friends. Then, leave either on the 29th (our 29th anniversary) or on the 30th. Our first goal is Key West. We hope a nice sail to Key West will be a great way to learn our boat.

Royal Crescent is a 1999 Catalina 42, pullman berth. We liked this layout because there is ample room and storage. Plus, we have two berths with two heads. The "guest" berth has an attached head as does the master berth. The guest berth has a high enough ceiling so, when Julie and Pete stay with us, Pete (over 6 feet tall) can stand...or at least we think so.

I added electronics such as radar, gps, satellite weather and different safety gear, such as a life raft, personal locator beacon, life vests, and flares. We also will have a 10' inflatable tender with an 8 hp Tohatsu engine.

We are going to try to get the boat from Key Largo, Florida to Seabrook, Texas by way of Key West, the west coast of Florida, and across from Pensacola to Galveston. We may pick up some friends along the way. We may travel in the Gulf or in the Intracoastal Waterway.

We invite you on our adventure.